Volume 72, Issue 15 by The Highlander- UCR

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Tuesday, February 6, 2024

VOL. 72, ISSUE 15

NEWS

est. 1954

YDSA ORGANIZED PETITION DELIVERY TO THE CHANCELLOR’S CABINET.

Petition to remove Starbucks from UCR circulate on campus BRENDA JOVEL AND SENNA OMAR Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor

information about this protest, turn to page three. The petition was addressed to UCR Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, Executive Director of Real Estate Services and Asset Management Thomas Toepfer and Vice Chancellor of Planning, Budget and Administration Gerry Bomotti. The petition called on Chancellor Wilcox and Executive Director Toepfer to “end UCR’s licensing agreement with Starbucks and invite a local or student-run business to replace Starbucks at Glen Mor. YDSA’s goal was to present the petition to Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox. While this was the goal, the petition was instead delivered to Vice Chancellor Bomotti who agreed to respond to the student’s concerns within a week after the administration had the opportunity to “educate ► SEE STARBUCKS PAGE 4

OPINIONS

MATA ELANGOVAN / THE HIGHLANDER

THE REGENTS’ POSTPONEMENT OF POLICY 4407 IS AN ACT OF CAVING TO POLITICAL PRESSURE.

UC’s commitment to lifting bans on legally hiring undocumented students is an empty promise THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL BOARD

with perceived legal, political and financial risks and less with the welfare of their students. UC must keep its word and allow undocumented students to work legally on campus. Approximately 4,000 undocumented students attending the ten UC campuses are barred from legal employment, including paid fellowships, residency jobs and research opportunities. Due to these bans, undocumented students lose the valuable opportunity to gain work and research experience that is necessary in a job market where employers expect more than just a college degree. Building resumes, gaining work experience and career networking are essential for a successful transition into the work field, especially for the majority of undocumented students who face additional barriers as first-generation and low-income students. Instead, students without legal status are forced to look for alternative income and career options outside of campus — a frankly

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► SEE EDITORIAL PAGE 5

@thehighlanderucr @HighlanderUCR UCRHighlander NEWS 3

OPINIONS 5

FEATURES 9

RADAR 13

SPORTS 18

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2 TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

ScotSurplus Public Sale 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. UCR Corporation Yard

Trivia Night at The Barn Stable 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Stable

Unity Hour - E&G Centers 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. 260 Costo Hall

SDRC Game Day 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. SDRC Main Conference Room

Application Essay Writing Support 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. HMNSS 1001H

Game Day Grub 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. SRC Classroom Kitchen

Men’s Tennis vs. BYU 10 a.m. SRC Tennis Courts

Softball vs. Utah State 2 p.m. Amy S. Harrison Field

ARTS Winter 2024 Reception 3 p.m. Culver Center of the Arts

Men’s Basketball vs. UC Irvine 5 p.m. SRC Arena

Softball vs. Portland State 11:30 a.m. Amy S. Harrison Field

Career Pathways: Beyond Academia 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

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Sunday

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Valentines Chamber Singers Concert 7 p.m. Culver Center of the Arts

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NEWS

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NEWS

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

PODER drops banner in the HUB for Opportunity for All campaign

UCR STUDENTS ORGANIZE TO PROTEST THE DECISION ON POLICY 4407 IN FRONT OF CHANCELLOR WILCOX’S OFFICE IN SUPPORT OF UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS. BRENDA JOVEL Editor-in-Chief

On Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 11:00 a.m., Providing Opportunities, Dreams and Education in Riverside (PODER) dropped a banner in the Highlander Union Building (HUB) reading “4000+ UNDOCU Students Barred From EMPLOYMENT #O4ALL.” The banner drop, in addition to their protest, was a response to the Regent’s meeting on Jan. 25 where they suspended Regents Policy 4407: Policy on Equitable Student Employment Opportunities for one year. The policy would have allowed undocumented students to access equal university employment opportunities regardless of federal work authorization status. A few of PODER’s members, including their Treasurer, Mario Arce Acosta, and Co-President, Emmanuel Aguilar-Ampudia, stood on the third floor of the HUB above the banner with megaphones. Aguilar-Ampudia addressed students who had gathered before the Chicano Student Programs (CSP) office and criticized what they characterized as Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox’s lack of action regarding the Opportunity for All (OFA) campaign. “I have sent multiple emails on the [Opportunity for All] campaign [to] ask for support. We still feel unheard. We do not have justice.” Maria Hernandez Brambila, Co-President of PODER, joined her cohorts on the third floor of the HUB and announced that during their trip to the Regents meeting in San Francisco on Jan. 25, PODER members were unable to speak during public comment. Melissa Castilla, a member of OFA’s internal workgroup, proceeded to deliver her speech that she had prepared for public comment. “We’re not seeking special treatment. [We are seeking] basic

IMAGES VIA MATA ELANGOVAN / THE HIGHLANDER

human rights and [equal] opportunities,” she announced through the megaphone. Downstairs in front of CSP, a PODER member led chants that the organization had created for the OFA campaign. Students continuously joined the protest and its chants. Several of these chants included the names of students affected by the suspension of Regents Policy 4407.

An hour later, PODER moved their protest to Hinderaker Hall where the Young Democratic Socialists of America at UC Riverside (YDSA) were delivering a petition to Chancellor Wilcox. For more information about this event, ﬂip to page four. A few members from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) also joined in for the protest, and directed their chants, along with PODER and YDSA, toward Chancellor Wilcox’s ofﬁce. Several of their chants consisted of, “If we don’t get it, shut it down” and “From

Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have to go.” In between these chants, Vice President of External Affairs, Ángel Rentería, was also given the space to share his support of OFA, personal experiences and frustrations. “‘The undocumented community is under attack. The UC wants to see us divided. ‘No nos vamos a dejar’ [We are not going to let them],” he announced. Arezoo Nickroo, a fourth-year sociology major, commented on the reason she attended the protest. “I was out there today with Mujeres Unidas … I was there today, not only in solidarity with my group but also because I see [how] it’s unfair that people [who are] hardworking, [who are] coming to this country [and] sacriﬁce everything, [are] told that they can’t get employment opportunities.” Third-year public policy student, Angélica Bustos, also spoke about her thoughts regarding the effect undocumented students may have with Regents Policy 4407 being suspended. “They’re already attending here. They’re already taking their classes here. They’re working, if they [can], in fellowships and other things … but it’s really sad that they’re not able to work here and actually put what they’re learning [in] the institution [out] into the real world.” In the protest’s ﬁnal minutes, Aguilar-Ampudia bent down on his knee, and many crowd members followed in pursuit. “They do not deserve our tears. They do not deserve our pity,” he said about the Regents and UCR administration. As the protest ended, the crowd and PODER H shouted boos towards Hinderaker Hall. ■

4 TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

NEWS

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Petition to remove Starbucks from UCR circulate on campus

YDSA ORGANIZED PETITION DELIVERY TO THE CHANCELLOR’S CABINET. BRENDA JOVEL AND SENNA OMAR Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor

Approximately two dozen University of California Riverside (UCR) Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) members gathered outside Hinderaker Hall chanting “F*** Starbucks,” “What’s Disgusting? Union Busting,” “People over Property” on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. These YDSA members delivered a petition titled, Boot Starbucks from the University of California Riverside (UCR) campus, which has garnered over 780 signatures to Gerry Bomotti, the Vice Chancellor of Planning, Budget and Administration. Following the petition delivery, UCR YDSA members joined Providing Opportunities, Dreams and Education in Riverside’s (PODER) protest against Regents decision on Regents Policy 4407: Policy on Equitable Student Employment Opportunities. For more information about this protest, turn to page three. The petition was addressed to UCR Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, Executive Director of Real Estate Services and Asset Management Thomas Toepfer and Vice Chancellor of Planning, Budget and Administration Gerry Bomotti. The petition called on Chancellor Wilcox and Executive Director Toepfer to “end UCR’s licensing agreement with Starbucks and invite a local or student-run business to replace Starbucks at Glen Mor. YDSA’s goal was to present the petition to Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox. While this was the goal, the petition was instead delivered to Vice Chancellor Bomotti who agreed to respond to the student’s concerns within a week after the administration had the opportunity to “educate [themselves].” The day before UCR’s petition delivery, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) students, affiliated with the union-organizing group Starbucks Workers United (SWU), engaged in similar efforts on Tuesday, Jan. 30, delivering their own version of the petition that urged the administration to remove Starbucks from the UCLA campus. The contractual agreement between UCR and Starbucks is set to expire in July 2025 according to Heidi Scribner, Associate Vice Chancellor for Auxiliary Services, and Marcus Van Fleet, Executive Director of Dining and Hospitality Services. They explained that discussions revolving around possible renegotiations do not begin until around nine months before the contract’s expiration date. Other on-campus Starbucks retailers, including Scotty’s, Emerbee’s, Ivan’s and Bytes, are contracted separately with Nestle; Nestle’s contract with UCR is set to expire in June 2025.

MATA ELANGOVAN / THE HIGHLANDER

Motivations behind the campaign arose from Starbucks’ history, which the petition characterizes as consisting of “scorched-earth union-busting campaigns against its workers. Starbucks has committed ‘egregious and widespread’ violations of federal labor law, and a federal administrative law judge wrote that the company displayed ‘a general disregard for employees’ fundamental rights.” YDSA hosted a teach-in on Thursday, Jan. 18, with guest speakers from UAW Local 2865, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299, Inland Empire (IE) Amazon Workers United and SWU to educate YDSA members and the general student population on unionizing. In an interview with The Highlander, Travis Hiett, one of the speakers at the teach-in representing SWU, has been working at Starbucks for over eight years and shared their experience with Starbucks, communicating, “I have shadow shifts coming up where the store manager is going to do nothing but watch me for my shifts … I’ve also received a final written notice for having a Discord server with other workers at Starbucks to help them organize. [Starbucks] gave notice because there was profanity being used, and apparently, it’s my job to moderate when I’m off the clock, and apparently, people can’t say cuss words if they want to.” Also interviewed was Naomi Martinez, a fellow member of Starbucks Workers United. Martinez explained why they thought that unions are important, especially in food service jobs, stating that they give workers “power.” Martinez elaborated, “When you organize your store, there becomes a legal demand for the corporation to come to us, and we come up to them on equal footing. They have to sit down with us and discuss policies and procedures they otherwise would never want because they don’t care … I think it gives [workers] a lot of power they wouldn’t have.” Both Martinez and Hiett shared a common belief on the importance for unionizing, not only at Starbucks but in all fields of labor. According to Hiett, “Unionizing is more important than voting as far as engaging in your practice and trying to change your immediate environment. I think it’s a more powerful tool than voting because it enacts more change than voting in the duopoly that we currently have.” Third-year psychology major Erin Whitfield, the social media manager for YDSA and the student lead for the UCR Students Against Starbucks campaign, cited

two main reasons for the campaign, claiming, “Starbucks has engaged in some crazy union-busting practices over the past few years; they are the worst violators of federal labor laws in modern history.” In a statement, Starbucks has claimed “there is no evidence Starbucks has, or has used, an “anti-union playbook.” Concerning the petition delivery to Vice Chancellor Bomotti, Associate Vice Chancellor Scribner noted that the UCR administration will put out a response once they’ve reviewed it. Executive Director Van Fleet added, “I think we do [need] a little bit of time to digest the petition [and] decide what the next steps are.” Executive Director Van Fleet noted that “we would take all things into consideration” on account of Starbucks’ alleged “union-busting” tactics when renegotiating contracts ensues. Speaking on the AFSCME union on campus, Associate Vice Chancellor Scribner specified how “all non-management, full-time career staff” are associated with the aforementioned union, but students in dining are not in any union. “It’s our students that we hire, to provide support, as well as our full-time staff who are [unionized] … we support and recognize their union,” she said. If there was ever a desire for undergraduate students to unionize, specifically in Dining Services, Associate Vice Chancellor Scribner said, “our campus employee labor relations group would take point on anything that [is] with the ‘Union-type’ activity because there are state and federal laws about how to unionize.” For employees in the AFSCME union, Scribner highlighted, “We honor those contracts, but they’re our staff … sometimes there [are] contracts that dictate certain things around pay or hours, and we ensure that we follow those.” Ángel Rentería, Vice President of External Affairs in the Associated Students of the University of California, Riverside (ASUCR), addressed External’s support for YDSA’s petition to boot Starbucks from campus. He stated that External stands “strongly with our student workers and unions in general” and recalled their assistance with “encouraging folks to sign the petition” outside Glen Mor’s Starbucks at the start of the campaign. VPEA Rentería offered insight into the logistics of UCR’s contract with Starbucks. He explains that “UCR [is] part of the UC system, [so] they do not have to follow basic California labor laws.” Rentería added that the UC has constitutional autonomy. According to a report from the California Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments, “the concept that the UC Regents have autonomy over the UC has remained relatively consistent since 1868” and that “Courts have held the Regents are exempt from statutes regulating the wages and benefits of workers, as they are internal affairs of the UC that do not come within any of the exceptions to the Regents’ constitutional immunity.” Rentería poses the example of a bill passed in CA that illustrates safety labor practice laws, elaborating that “[the UC] does not have to follow [this] because of their constitutional autonomy, but it’s in their best interest to do so … the [state can] always withhold funding, or go ahead and just cut funding for the UC system.” Rentería elaborated that due to the autonomy universities have, there “is no guarantee that [Starbucks employees] will receive basic California labor standards, which puts our students in a very dangerous situation.” Whitfield described the end goal for their campaign as one that will allow fair labor practices for Starbucks employees and aims for “getting Starbucks off of UCR[‘s] campus and off of all college campuses … this will not only put a dent in their pockets and harm them financially but will generally send a message to the corporation that we don’t want you on our campuses if you’re not going to treat your workers right. We are willing to fight for that and make sure that we have ethical business practices on H the campus.” ■

Opinions

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

UC’s commitment to lifting bans on legally hiring undocumented students is an empty promise

THE REGENTS’ POSTPONEMENT OF POLICY 4407 IS AN ACT OF CAVING TO POLITICAL PRESSURE. The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

After years of pressure to remove restrictions on the hiring of undocumented students, led by The Opportunity for All campaign, a group of students and UCLA law professors, the University of California suspended implementation of the plan for one year in a crushing vote last week. In comments following the Regents meeting, UC President Michael Drake remarked that the plan was “inadvisable” with “substantial risks” to the University of California due to legal ramifications of federal law, notably the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 that bars employment of undocumented immigrants. President Drake’s statement contrasted with the position of activists and legal scholars who had developed an alternative legal theory that argues that the U.S. congressional ban does not apply to states or UC since it does not explicitly mention them. Voting 10-6 to retain a ban on the hiring of undocumented students, UC officials showed they are more concerned with perceived legal, political and financial risks and less with the welfare of their students. UC must keep its word and allow undocumented students to work legally on campus. Approximately 4,000 undocumented students attending the ten UC campuses are barred from legal employment, including paid fellowships, residency jobs and research opportunities. Due to these bans, undocumented students lose the valuable opportunity to gain work and research experience that is necessary in a job market where employers expect more than just a college degree. Building resumes, gaining work experience and career networking are essential for a successful transition into the work field, especially for the majority of undocumented students who face additional barriers as first-generation and low-income students. Instead, students without legal status are forced to look for alternative income and career options outside of campus — a frankly unsustainable way to make an

income or live as a full-time student. When UC students pay tuition, it is not just for the classes. They also pay for the unique educational and research opportunities that UC campuses offer. As an institution that promises “world-class educational opportunities” and “groundbreaking research,” denying these students this opportunity is unfair and unjust.

“UC, follow through on your commitment and pass Policy 4407.”

President Drake stated that UC will continue to “support” undocumented students in “other ways, separate and distinct from the legal pathways we have been exploring.” These programs include additional financial aid for undocumented students and “reclassifying” campus jobs as “fellowships.” These proposed alternatives should not be considered a solution and don’t address the core issue: undocumented students deserve the same employment opportunities afforded to all other students. Any alternative is just a “separate, but equal” system, which is entirely unacceptable from a higher education system that boasts its vast diversity and care for all students. In addition to legal considerations, it is clear the UC Regents bowed to political pressure as it was widely reported the Biden Administration quietly resisted the plan and that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security “pressed UC officials to reconsider what it saw as a direct challenge to federal law during an election year.” With more than 10,000 people crossing the Southern border daily, President Biden

is under extreme pressure to crack down on illegal immigration and sign a new deal with Congress that would give him authority to “shut down the border.” Thus, immigration is playing an outsized role in the leadup to the upcoming 2024 election, where it is expected that Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, will attack President Biden’s immigration policies. A UC plan to override federal authority by allowing undocumented students to work legally on campus could hurt President Biden’s reelection plans. Nonetheless, UC’s first duty is to its students — not politicians or political parties — and it is reprehensible that the UC Regents have prioritized politics over students’ well-being. This isn’t the first time UC has politically ducked and postponed Policy 4407. Last year, UC missed its November deadline, arguing that they needed to study the matter further. These self-imposed deadlines are meaningless. The Regents’ postponement is just a way to kick the can down the proverbial road until the problem is eventually forgotten. The Opportunity for All movement has gotten this far mainly due to the incredible dedication and advocacy from UC students and supporters holding on-campus community vigils, participating in hunger strikes and attending UC Regent Meetings. The continual postponement of the plan is inexcusable and shows where the UC Regents’ real priorities lie. This is not a matter of “waiting it out,” and there may never be a good time for the Regents to act. UC is under a moral obligation to act and treat its undocumented students equally now. UC, follow through on your commitment H and pass Policy 4407. ■ The writers involved in the News articles on Policy 4407 did not contribute an opinion to this Editorial.

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6 TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

OPINIONS

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Op-Ed: An Open Letter to the UCR Community about Israel and Palestine IVAN STRENSKI

QUESTIONING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT AND CONFRONTING ITS COMPLEXITIES. Ivan Strenski is a Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies. He may be reached at strenski@ucr.edu. To the UCR Community: An Open Letter about Israel & Palestine I write as a recently retired UCR professor with 20 years of proud service at UCR. In that time, I learned much from our richly diverse student body and faculty about the Middle East. I eventually put some of these lessons to work in my new book, “Muslims, Islams, and Occidental Anxieties: Conversations about Islamophobia” (2023). There and here, my own preferences for the twostate vision embodied in the Arab (or Saudi) Peace Initiative should become clear. After Oct. 7 and the passionate reactions to it, I was troubled by the number and character of some unhelpful accusations, made from both sides, about Israel-Palestine fundamentals. In this opinion piece, I seek to focus our minds and moral energies in ways that will help, nor hinder, deeper understanding of the Palestine-Israel conflict. Before smarter views of the Israel-Palestine situation can prevail, I propose that, at least, these four assumptions need to be examined. 1. “From the River to the Sea” However catchy, this slogan, if enacted, would spell practical disaster for either Jews or Arabs. Arab-Jewish violence did not begin in Oct. 2023, or 2006, 1982, 1973, 1967, 1956, or even with the 1947-48 Palestinian “Nakba” or Israel War of Independence. 100 years or more

of horrendous murders, assassinations, rebellions, ethnic cleansings, mutual refusals of recognition, etc. by both Jewish and Arab populations preceded it. That history tells me a single-state solution, “from the river to the sea,” is not realistic. 2. “Israel Is a ‘Settler-Colonial’ Power” I condemn most Israeli West Bank settlements since 1967 as larcenous, murderous — illegal — seizures of Palestinian land. But equating this illegal post-1967 Jewish colonialist expansion with the legal 19th and 20th-century Jewish settlements into “Ottoman Syria” and, later, British “Mandatory Palestine” confuses the issue. Under Ottoman and British rule, Jews legally purchased land for settlement -– just as immigrants elsewhere do routinely. Further, these Jewish ‘pioneers’ joined an established Jewish community, descended from the Jews who never left the Levant – even after the First Roman-Jewish War (6673 CE). Jews are, thus, as indigenous to ‘Palestine’ as Arabs came to be by their military operations, dating from the 7th century CE. 3. “The 1948 UN Partition of Palestine Favored Jews at the Expense of Arabs” This claim is only half true, given that the UN Resolution 181 partition terms discriminated equally against both Arabs and Jews. From one perspective, the UN partition disadvantaged the Jews because the

Israeli partition -- 500k Jews -- included a nearly equal population of Arabs — 420k. By contrast, the Arab partition — 810k total — included only 10k Jews. But seen from the viewpoint of designated territorial surface area, the UN resolution favored the Jews. While Jews only owned about 6.6% of the total area of Mandatory Palestine, Israel received 57% of it in UN Resolution 181. Given that disproportionate distribution of land, Arabs had reasons to feel cheated. This grievance was only to be compounded, and Jewish ownership increased to 79% by Jewish expulsions of Arabs during the 1947-48 war. However, complicating calculations of injustice, this 57% Israeli share of Mandatory Palestine included the then barren wasteland of the Negev Desert. Of this 57%, then, 60% of 1948 Israel was desert wasteland. As a result, Jews felt aggrieved in having received about 22% — 40% of the 57% — of the arable landmass of Mandatory Palestine, despite their being 30% its total population. The UN Resolution partition was arguably unfair to both Jews and Arabs. 4. “Israel is a Racist, Apartheid State” I agree that actions pursued by the post1967 colonial settlements supported by Netanyahu and other rightist governments lend support to these charges. But today’s 7 ½ million Jewish Israelis dwarf the 600k West Bank colonialist settlers. That 7 ½ million Jewish Israelis is today a ‘brown’ country by virtue of its recent incorporation of over 900k Mizrahis Jewish refugees. These so-called

“Arab Jews” (and Iranians) had been either forced to flee or suffered expulsion from their Muslim home countries of which they had been citizens for many hundreds of years. Victims of grievous politico-religious persecutions, these Mizrahis were guilty of only one ‘crime’ — being Jews. Their incorporation into Israel constitutes a “second” founding, creating a polyglot racially, ethnically and culturally pluralistic Israel unique in the Middle East. Today, these “Arab Jews” even make up a plurality — 45% — of Israel’s population. Aside, then, from the West Bank settlement and the egregious policies of rightist Israeli governments, Israel’s vast majority speak of a vibrant ethnically, racially and culturally pluralist society. While I disapprove of establishing religion as the basis of nation-state unity, many countries celebrate it. The result? An Israel, united by Jewish identity, does not then differ in this respect from the many polities where the established religion has been Islam for some time. As long as an Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, UAE, or a Saudi Kingdom of Arabia are recognized worldwide, how can a Jewish state of Israel be denied the same rights? Op-Eds are not edited by The Highlander, excluding those related to grammatical errors and AP requirements. Op-Eds do not reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board and are not written by Highlander contracted writers.

COURTESY OF PEXELS

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2023

OPINIONS

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Crackdowns towards Airbnb may finally lead to affordable housing

The opportunistic company Airbnb is crashing due to increased regulations, bringing hope for low-income families amidst a housing crisis. ANDREW LEE Contributing Writer

The bubble has burst. Palm Springs home values are experiencing a sudden collapse as cities tighten short-term rental permits. Cities like Palm Springs passed special regulations in 2022, mandating that no more than 20% of the properties in a neighborhood be short-term. Some had these rentals closer to 40%, with 10 over the 20% benchmark. Only recently, however, the city began cracking down with stricter licensing requirements, and profit-driven companies have left the city in shambles. And yet, renters and new homeowners should be hopeful in these downturns as money finally leaves the hands of companies and property investors through cheaper rents. The city is now in a complete meltdown. Some houses in the neighborhoods above the threshold have reportedly dropped in value by over 30%. Districts like Desert Park Estates saw the median price of sales drop by 9% from $908,500 to $832,500, a striking blow to investments during the pandemic. Furthermore, the sales volume dropped by almost half, from 42 sales to 22 in that same timeframe. In short, no one is buying these homes, and the fall of shortterm rentals has slashed local home values. Although these companies will cause short-term crashes, it is necessary to solve the housing affordability crisis. The housing market as a whole has been fragile for some time. Short-term rentals and government intervention had injected vast amounts of capital into the

market, creating much-unneeded risk in the economy. These entities have been getting away with these unhealthy practices on the backs of bailouts and other safety nets. However, just recently, their charade has finally unraveled. Since the 2020 and 2021 surge in housing demand, there has been a noticeable reversal. Stemming from the high 30year mortgage rate of 7%, families have been more hesitant to purchase prop e r t y. For the first time since 2012, the Zillow Home Value Index dropped, m a r k ing the first time in over a decade that net housing values have decreased in select neighborhoods, and searches for “sell my house” are trending at their highest level. Home sales dropped from $1.5 million in 2016 to just

around $650k in 2023, making small fluxes in the market that more impactful. With demand dropping rapidly, priced-out individuals may finally and rightfully have a chance in the market. Still, companies and investors are clinging to artificially inflated demands to bloat home valuations at the expense of renters and new homeowners. After massive capital injections during the pandemic, investors used A i r b n b’s service to purchase rental properties with even higher profit marg ins. As a result, many neighborh o o d s saw a shoot-up in housing costs. A study from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam found that between 2014 and 2018, Airbnb was responsible for a 30% increase in housing prices in

Venice and a massive increase in other districts of Los Angeles as well. Additionally, the National Bureau of Economic Research found that between 2012 and 2016, profit-driven Airbnb was the cause of nearly a fifth of all rent increases in the U.S. Consequently, these higher prices have effectively priced out low-income individuals, with some estimates finding that short-term rentals in Los Angeles may have caused close to 5,000 more Angelenos to face homelessness. Due to all these factors, a sudden sale of Airbnb properties would be devastating in the local real estate market but a lifeline for low-income families. While a crash would hurt net investments more for greedy investors, less fortunate individuals don’t even have the luxury of considering their house an “investment.” Cheaper housing would mean wonders for new homebuyers and renters and should be prioritized over the cushions in the landlord’s pockets. Besides increasing the general affordability of housing, an Airbnb-induced market crash may lead to cheaper rent for low-income individuals. Post-crash, house shoppers would be more inclined to buy a house, easing up the demand for renting and thus driving the average renter’s price down, a net benefit to all of those H who see homes as actual living quarters.■

The Justice 8 should be granted bail

The courts deny a group of activists bail and institute an unconstitutional social media ban. SONALI WHITTLE Staff Writer

This country has often emphasized its values, specifically regarding freedom of speech. The Constitution’s First Amendment dictates that the U.S. government cannot make laws prohibiting freedom of speech, press and assembly. The First Amendment right is especially important to those who want legal protections for speaking freely about their beliefs. Although constitutionally protected, protesting can lead to violent or tricky legal situations. A popular group of eight activists referred to by their supporters as Justice 8 remains in jail without bail. This group advocates for street vendors from Southern California who were arrested recently and are currently being held without bail. The group is being held based on charges of assault and other violent felonies. One of the group members, Edin Enamorado, is heavily involved in social media activism to raise awareness for social causes, like advocating for street vendors. At first glance, this case seems simple, but it is more than a First Amendment issue. The justice system is failing the Justice 8 group and should grant them bail and remove the social media ban as a condition for setting bail. The defense attorney for this group claims that the police are singling them out due to their work as protestors and advocators. Sheriff Shannon Dicus from San Bernardino County made a statement attempting to discredit the group by saying that the group is not about substance for the human condition but a clickbait for cash. The sheriff alleges that this group of activists does not help people and uses their activism for personal profit. The group is being denied bail because

they are a threat to the community. The reason used to justify denying bail holds little validity. The activist group favors the community, and there is a lack of evidence against them, which is not enough to label them a threat. In addition, a social media ban is being constituted for the only member of Justice 8 who is being offered bail. Enamorado’s lawyer commented that while house arrests are common but social media bans are not. Everyone deserves fair and just treatment by the system, regardless of culpability. The advocacy group being denied bail is an example of how the justice system fails those who need it. This group has been accused of violence, but the evidence to back up this claim is not concrete. Many supporters are bringing to light that detectives solely relied on statements from several unnamed victims. It is not ethical to keep a group of activists in jail without concrete evidence that this group is truly a danger to society. The group has exercised its First Amendment rights and is being unfairly punished for it. The bail system is complicated, with a lot of room for injustices. There are many instances where people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are charged with overly expensive bail, no bail at all, or are charged for minor violations like traffic stops. For example, a civilian and former pastor, Keith Wood, was passing out flyers on a public sidewalk in front of a courthouse and was arrested while he was trying to exercise his First Amendment rights. His bail was set to $15,000 when he had no prior convictions or any evidence that he would run or cause harm. Like Wood, the Justice 8 are falling vic-

tim to unethical bail practices as retaliation for exercising their First Amendment rights. In conjunction with this injustice, the social media ban raises red flags because social media usage should not be a factor in determining whether someone should be out on bail since social media is a platform for free speech that the justice system cannot violate. Groups such as this one, whose main purpose is to advocate and spread aware-

ness for causes important to them, should be granted bail — especially if there is no concrete evidence in addition to bail injustices. Furthermore, social media bans should not be allowed to be constituted because they violate the person’s constitutionH ally protected right to freedom of speech.■

IMAGES COURTESY OF STORYSET VIA FREEPIK

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

OPINIONS

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Accepting more California students into the UC system fosters a community where students can prosper where they live LILIANNA ANGEL Contributing Writer

California students faced significantly lower acceptance rates into the UC system for years than out-of-state students. The University of California system made history with its record enrollments for California residents. In recent years, California residents have not been accepted as often as out-of-state residents when applying to the UCs. In part, this increase is due to the funding Gov. Gavin Newsom tied to the enrollment of more in-state students. In California, accepting more in-state students creates a system where students can prosper where they live. With higher enrollment of residents, it allows them to attend a premier university with a reduced financial burden. Tuition cost should never be a reason why students are unable to attend college but unfortunately, it is. The increased enrollment allows residents to attend college with a decreased financial burden. Since in-state tuition is lower than out-of-state tuition, it makes it more affordable for California residents to attend UC schools. UCs admitting more California residents could enhance community engagement. Their proximity to their home communities enables students to actively participate in local activities and community service, fostering a sense of connection. This involvement has the potential to enrich residents’ educational experiences and contribute to the improvement of their communities. The impact of these acceptances on the

UCR community means that the promise of helping students achieve social mobility can be fulfilled. Maybe these acceptances can help UCR regain their social mobility title of number one. Equivalently, higher acceptance rates can help with the prosperity of residents planted in California. Being in a school home to extraordinary citrus developments makes UCR an excellent place to foster student growth. Having more California residents attend local colleges can positively impact the economy. Educated individuals often contribute to the workforce, pay taxes and potentially start businesses. This leads to economic growth and development within the state rather than pushing Californian talent out. Supporting local growth ensures

that the community benefits from the talents of its residents. Investing in local education signals a long-term commitment to community development and prosperity, creating a positive cycle of educational attainment and overall well-being. F e w states possess a university system as extensive as California’s, so nonresidents face a disadvantage in their h o m e state due to the absence of a comparable system. Additionally, this disparity extends to their application process for the UCs, further exacerbating the challenges they encounter. Although the preference for residents in university acceptances may appear as a drawback for out-of-state students, it acknowledges past challenges faced by residents in UC admissions. This resident pref-

erence aims to rectify historical enrollment inequities rather than disadvantage out-ofstate applicants. Even though the UCs’ recent increase in California resident admissions is undoubtedly a positive stride, there remain notable barriers in the pursuit of equitable education overall. The absence of affirmative action, in place since Bakke vs. UC, has compounded challenges for disadvantaged minority students navigating the complexities of college applications. Furthermore, financial burdens persist even among those successfully enrolled at UC institutions, casting a shadow on the academic journey. Overall, the UC system’s increased acceptance of California residents is undeniably a positive development. By opening the doors more to the admission of in-state students, the UCs contribute to a more inclusive educational landscape and foster opportunities for a diverse range of California residents. This progressive step signifies a commitment to the state’s educational ecosystem and lays the groundwork for a more promising future for aspiring students. As the UCs continue to navigate challenges and implement initiatives, the trajectory appears optimistic, offering a brighter and more equitable educational landscape for California students. ■ H

IMAGES COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

This week is full of challenges and struggles... But, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

ARiES: JUSTICE MARCH 21 - APRiL 19 You have done something you regret and are waiting for the other shoe to drop. What you’ve done has plagued your thoughts relentlessly, causing you unmitigated stress. The Justice card indicates that you are about to be found out. This will be a relief as you will no longer have to hide what you’ve done.

CANCER: WHEEL OF FORTUNE JUNE 21 - JULY 22 What you put into the world this week is what you will get from it. The Wheel of Fortune is also the Wheel of Karma, which is especially true for you. All of your actions this week will be met with an equal reaction.

LiBRA: FOUR OF PENTACLES SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 22 You are worried about your ﬁnances despite their current relative stability. You are operating based on fear, and while being careful is important, don’t do so to the point of cutting yourself off completely.

CAPRiCORN: DEViL DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 19 You have a bad habit, Capricorn. Those closest to you aren’t sure how to approach you or explain their concern. You know what it is, and you have no intention of stopping.

TAURUS: EiGHT OF PENTACLES REVERSED APRiL 20 - MAY 20 You are focused on self-growth to an almost pathological degree. You think there’s some sort of formula to fixing the parts of you that you think are wrong. This week will reveal to you that your tactics are not working and even unnecessary. Ponder about why you think you need fixing and if the people around you are instead what needs fixing.

LEO: THE WORLD REVERSED JULY 23 - AUGUST 22 You are emotionally attached to a relationship that has ended. You want it so bad that you have convinced yourself it’s your destiny. It’s not, and this week needs to be the start of moving on before it becomes pathetic.around you, not just yourself,

SCORPiO: EiGHT OF SWORDS OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21 You’re in the worst prison of all: your mind. It is all in your head, and that’s the problem. You do have choices even though you refuse to see them. There is a way out of the situation you have created, but you won’t see it for a while.

AQUARiUS: HiEROPHANT JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 18 You are holding yourself back and letting your set conceptions of the world inhibit you. You should contact someone you trust and let them work through this piece by piece with you. For now, you need to rely on more reliable judgment than your own.

Ysabel Nakasone, Opinions Editor

GEMiNi: ACE OF WANDS MAY 21 - JUNE 20 The Ace of Wands speaks to the potential for a new opportunity. While no outcomes are guaranteed, you have the stamina and work ethic to take the potential and make it a tangible result. Be on the lookout for these new changes; they will be easy to miss.

ViRGO: FiVE OF WANDS AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 22 You are about to be confronted with a perspective that you ﬁnd deeply contradictory and wrong. You need to be aware that this isn’t one of those times where you’re totally right and have the moral high ground. Things are more complicated than that, and you need to learn to accept that some people have other ways of living that you have no right to an opinion on.

SAGiTTARiUS: NiNE OF WANDS REVERSED NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21 You feel like your responsibilities are piling up this week, and no one is on your side to support you. Sometimes, doing things alone is how it will be, and you will have to power through. Learning to do things alone will be useful, but don’t let it become too much of a habit.

PiSCES: EMPRESS FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20 The Empress calls on you to embrace nature and the natural. This does not mean you need to spend time in the forest or hike, but you should reconnect with what feels natural. A lot of your life means shaping yourself into a set of requirements, and you need to get back in touch with the things that feel simplest and H instinctual to you. ■

IMAGES COURTESY OF FREEPIK

10 TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

FEATURES

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/features

How to conquer recommendation letters A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO CRUSH THE RECOMMENDATION LETTER PROCESS. GABRIELA GALVAN Contributing Writer

In a perfect world, recommendation letters would be sent to no job or school and endorsement would come from our friends that would vouch for our musical aux talent and grade our so-called “rizz.” However, this is an imperfect world, and you probably have zero rizz. Being that we are college students, we should anticipate the requirement of a recommendation letter for any research positions or work opportunities we want to pursue. Acquiring a recommendation letter requires more than just words from a professor — it challenges our sense of responsibility and care. So here’s a guide on how to conquer the recommendation letter process! Thank you to Professor Maureen Hickey, Professor Isabelle Placentia and Dr. Karl Taube for offering their time to answer common questions regarding recommendation letters that will help guide us as UCR students!

Do well in your classes

Now, the following suggestion might be a hot take, maybe even a little controversial, but hear it out: consider going to that 8:00 a.m. lecture. Woah, I know. Let’s be brave and take it a step further: consider attending all your classes. Following tradition and embracing the nature of being a college student, we’re all guilty of missing our unfavorably timed lectures, be that organic chemistry (a fan favorite) or an awkwardly scheduled discussion (also a cherished one). Despite the toxic coercion from your bed every morning, attending class and paying attention will likely get you a better grade and recognition from your professors for your presence and participation. Doing well in your classes will garner you a compelling letter — in the words of Professor Hickey, “you are likely to get the strongest recommendation from classes you did best in [because] that recommender can explain how you stood out.”

Develop a friendship with your professor

Indulge in your academic weapon fantasy, share that bestie energy with your favorite professors and become the perfect intellectual duo! Developing relationships with your professors not only promotes the possibility of a recommendation letter but also encourages an opportunity to gauge a real-world perspective of the career you want to pursue. While professors sometimes have intimidating auras, almost all of them will be intrigued by your interest in their field and are always happy to converse with their students. An excellent start to navigating friendship development is by attending and participating in class. Especially if it is a small class, professors recognize faces and appreciate their students’ input in a given conversation. Regularly attending their office hours both for conversation and class help also aids in their familiarity with you, which in turn helps you stand out amongst other students. As Professor Hickey mentioned, “ideally, it is best to develop a relationship with the professor; it allows them to have some background about you and your goals.” Prioritize creating connections from a genuine interest in your professor’s work over your interest in receiving a letter in return. Finally, follow up with your professors after your time together expires, whether that means you’ve graduated or no longer take their classes; seeing or hearing from an old face is peak bestie etiquette. Assess what type of application your letter of recommendation is going towards A letter of recommendation is written to address your academic history, work experience and aptitude for a given position in a field. These institutions can range from graduate school to research or other employment opportunities. Assessing the direction of the recommendation letter will allow you to organize a timeframe for your letter and any necessities you or a professor will need for a seamless application process (i.e., personal statements, websites, access emails, etc.)

Create a personal statement

Don’t worry; self-reflection is only the scariest part of this process! However, as UCR students, there is hopefully a sense of familiarity when talking and/or thinking about ourselves. And I’m not talking about people’s sense of pride revolving around a lab report grade or what music festival they’re attending; this is about personal state-

ments. We’ve written them during the application process for attending UCR, and unfortunately we’ll need to write them again for many jobs and graduate programs. Before making plans to ask a professor for a letter of recommendation, even if you have a relationship with them, write a personal statement. Supplying your professors with a piece of writing that details your academic achievements, interests and goals in a given program gives them insight into how you wish to navigate your future aspirations and guides them to write a letter that caters to your story. Dr. Taube mentioned, “your personal statement is the most important part of the application, as just grades and test scores do not cut it. I like to see first some personal background and then why you have a solid plan to exceed in a graduate program.” While providing information, expect the possibility of having further meetings involving yourself as Professor Hickey stated, “in some cases, your recommender may ask for some follow-up information. This might be a quick meeting or a curriculum vitae/resume.”

Get familiar with the program

Before asking your professors for a letter of recommendation, familiarize yourself with the program and/or employment opportunity you are applying for. This step ties in with the construction of your personal statement, as it involves why you want to pursue that particular research/work and why you would like to work with that specific staff. Familiarizing yourself with the team and recognizing who you could work alongside shows your recognition of their work and research. Dr. Taube made note of the importance of knowing the staff as “it is also important to know in some way the faculty in a given program, as they are the ones that are assessing you, such as in ‘I would enjoy working with … and …”

Deciding on a professor

Next, decide which professor(s) you would like to represent you and your endeavors. Consider your relationships with your professors and target one who has seen your work ethic firsthand. Also, be sure to recognize the fields your professors are involved in. Asking a professor outside of your projected area (e.g., aiming for a career in biology and asking an English professor) is not discouraged, but selecting a professor more in tune with your career trajectory will mesh better with your selected program. Professor Hickey explained, “In some cases, I have written letters recommending students outside my field, and they have been accepted into programs, but a program may prefer letters from within their field since it speaks to the student’s potential in that particular field.” Overall, a professor who knows you well is all the more likely to have the most positive and supportive comments about you; as Professor Placentia highlighted, recommendation letters are written with the priority of ensuring meaning within the words.

Asking your professor

In the words of Professor Hickey, “don’t be shy about asking! Remember, the people who you are asking also went through this process themselves.” With all that, the anticipation is over, and it’s finally time to ask your professor. This step requires you to consider your time and, more importantly, your professor’s time. Time management in this step allows you and your professor to organize the time it will take to write the letter of recommendation based on the availability of your professor and the deadline of your application. Once you establish when you’ll ask, consider how you will ask. There are two directions you can go, asking by email or asking in person. Both should happen in an appropriate setting, avoiding the height of the beginnings and ends of quarters and exam season. Making a note of these factors will finally lead you to the anticipation of the letter itself being written and submitted. Good luck, Highlanders! Keep up the fantastic work, and pursue your dreams H without hesitation — your impact is immeasurable. ■

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

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FEATURES

A General Guide to Safe Sex

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

CONTRACEPTION, STIS, CONSENT AND UCR CAMPUS RESOURCES. ZACHARY HANSON Contributing Writer

In America, the university has for decades been seen in popular culture as a space of liberation, particularly sexual, which is a picture not far from the truth; the grand majority of college students participate in sexual activities at some point throughout their academic career. The American Health Resources and Services Administration reported 94% of college students are sexually active. With this abundance of sexual activity on campuses, it is likely that most readers of this newspaper have or will be sexually active at some point in their time at UCR. Proper sexual conduct ensures that UCR stays a safer, healthier campus where people feel more comfortable and welcome. This safety is determined by us, the students, as we move through relationships with intimate partners. Safe sex, as will be defi ned later, drastically decreases your chances of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Understanding consent and engaging in sexual activities accordingly protects you from criminal charges. As defi ned by The Well Project, safe (or safer) sex is “sex that reduces the chances of transmitting or getting STIs, including HIV.” Some practices that reduce these STIs are the proper use of contraception, effective and clear communication and regular STI testing. Popular types of contraception include male and female condoms, dental dams and latex gloves. The ‘pull-out method’ does not prevent the acquisition or transmission of STIs. STIs can be transmitted vaginally, orally and anally, so the use of contraception is important regardless of the sexual contact. If you do have a STI you know of, it is vital that you inform all of your partners, as to not do so makes you liable to both lawsuits and criminal charges. For those who do have STIs, more specific documentation on safe sex can be found at The Well’s website. At-home STI test kits can often report false results so regularly administered urinalysis tests are the most effective way to monitor your STI status. STI tests are administered at UCR Student Health Services (SHS) and do not require a copay if you are enrolled in UCSHIP or GSHIP, the campus insurance plans. If you are not enrolled in UCSHIP or GSHIP, please call your insurance to fi nd out if they can reimburse you. It is also extremely important that you maintain these practices consistently, as ‘taking a break’ from testing can lead to unknown and untreated infections. STIs are extremely common, with over 1 million new infections acquired every day, according to the World Health Organization. There are thousands of STIs but some of the most common ones are HIV/AIDS, HPV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphi-

lis, herpes, Hepatitis B, genital lice (crabs) and scabies. Although often stigmatized, many of these infections, such as genital lice and chlamydia, only require treatment and recovery abstinence periods. Even with HIV and AIDS, modern medications have enabled safe sex through chemical contraception. Regardless, communication is extremely important even if following all these guidelines, as contraception always has some chance of failure of protection from STIs. Methods of avoiding physical contact include mutual masturbation, sexting, phone sex, et cetera. Around 50% of new STI cases come from individuals aged 15-24, the range which most of us are in, meaning that it comes down to us to avoid infection or transmission. Consent is another aspect of sexuality that is absolutely vital to observe. Consent is defi ned by UCR Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE) as “an unambiguous, affi rmative and conscious decision by each person to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity.” Partaking in any sexual activity requires knowing what consent is, leaving you criminally liable if consent is violated. Intoxication is an element that complicates consent as one cannot know the lucidity of their partner in this state, so one should generally abstain from sex while drinking or consuming other drugs. Boundaries are also an important aspect of consent, with careful observation of your partner’s stated boundaries being vital to consensual sexual activity. Violation of one’s consent is sexual assault. If you feel that you have been the victim of sexual assault, there are many resources both on and off campus that can provide legal counsel, psychological support, secure housing and abortion or pregnancy resources. On campus resources include but are not limited to: CARE (care.ucr.edu), CAPS (counseling.ucr.edu), Ombuds (ombuds.ucr.edu), the Title IX Office (titleix.ucr.edu), the LGBT Resource Center (located in 245 Costo Hall, out.ucr.edu) and the Women’s Resource Center (located in 260 Costo Hall, wrc.ucr.edu). Off-campus resources include: the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center (rarcc. org), Alternatives to Domestic Violence (alternativestodomesticviolence.org) and the Riverside County Family Justice Center (https://www.safefjc.org/). Further readings regarding safe sex and consent are available on both the UCR Well and CARE websites. It is important that in this time of scholarship and growth we consistently observe these measures, both for our own safety but also the safety of H those around us.■

IMAGE COURTESY OF PEXELS

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VALENTINE'S DAY GRAMS QUESTIONS? EMAIL FEATURES@HIGHLANDERNEWS.ORG

Send in a short message to your loved one(s) to be featured in The Highlander Newspaper’s upcoming Valentine's Day Issue!

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

FEATURES

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/features

Pesto and red bell pepper grilled cheese A recipe for the most succulent sandwich you will ever take a bite of. NATALIE DAHL Features Editor

If you’re looking to spice up your plain old grilled cheese, look no further. You and this hearty meal are already a match made in heaven!

Instructions: 1. Spread butter on the back side of your two pieces of bread. Make sure to use sourdough so the sandwich holds its structure.

Materials Needed: ■ Butter knife ■ Cheese grater (if you choose to shred your own cheese) ■ Frying pan

pepper spread. 5. Top your sandwich with the second piece of bread. Ensure that the buttered sides of the bread face outwards towards the pan. 6. Grill on a pan until the cheese is melted and the outside is golden brown.

7. Pair with a soup or eat on its own and enjoy! ■ H

IMAGE COURTESY OF SMASHINGSTOCKS VIA FLATICON

IMAGE COURTESY OF TOPNTP26 VIA

Ingredients: ■ Roasted bell peppers ■ Pesto ■ Mozzarella ■ Sourdough bread ■ Butter, to spread

2. Spread pesto on one side of the sandwich bread. 3. Layer shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the pesto-spreaded bread. I recommend shredding from your own fresh block or using pre-shredded, as slices (either pre-sliced or sliced yourself) become too thick and don’t create as even of a melt. 4. Layer a roasted red bell pepper piece on top of the cheese. If you cannot locate roasted red bell peppers, Trader Joe’s also sells a roasted red bell

IMAGES COURTESY OF (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) FLATICON AND DEYLOTUS CREATIVE DESIGN VIA FLATICON

A guide to useful sleeping techniques Key techniques to unlocking the full potential of a restorative night’s sleep. NOLA PERIFEL Contributing Writer

Being sleep-deprived has many negative effects on health and focus, which is why it is important to know the correct techniques to fall asleep fast and to have a good night’s rest. If what you struggle with is falling asleep, here are four techniques to help: Meditation is a great way to speed up the process of falling asleep. By focusing on your breathing and thus clearing your mind, it should be easier for your body to shut itself down for the night. One of the main causes of insomnia is lingering thoughts that cloud your mind, which is why

meditation and clearing those pestering fears away helps to rid yourself of that problem. Another way to help your body fall asleep is by taking sleep-inducing pills or gummies. Taking melatonin when you go to sleep before a stressful day might help your body relax and enter the sleeping state faster. Although your body naturally produces melatonin at night, it can always help to give yourself a little push to induce sleep — however, please check in with your doctor before doing so. To help fall asleep fast, it is important to leave some time between when you set down your device and when you decide to sleep. Studies have shown that you should set down your devices at least an hour before going to sleep as the blue light produced from them can disrupt melatonin production levels. Between the time where you set down your device and the time you go to sleep, it is important to unwind by doing a relaxing activity such as reading a book, taking a bath, drawing, listening to calm music, etc… Another known technique that is helpful for falling asleep is one called “Progressive Muscle Relaxation” or PMR. This technique consists of tightening each muscle or muscle group at a time. Starting from the feet and finishing with the head, this relaxation technique helps relieve any muscle tension. Guided meditation videos using this technique can be found on YouTube. If what you struggle with is staying asleep, here are three techniques to help: Weighted blankets can be a good accessory to have in your bed as they can help induce sleep and bring comfort throughout the night to make sure you can stay asleep. These

blankets have been shown to increase melatonin levels because of the pleasant pressure that is spread throughout the entire body. Fluid intake can also make you wake up during the night to go to the restroom. A good way to prevent this from happening would be to reduce fluid intake before bed to avoid waking up at different intervals during the night. White noise is also a good tool to block out any bothersome noises as it is a consistent and unfaltering sound. White noise can be found on numerous platforms, including YouTube, but it might also be helpful to buy a white noise machine so that your phone doesn’t have to stay on all night. Listening to relaxing sounds like nature or forest sounds, ocean waves and rain sounds can also help you to stay reH laxed throughout the night. ■

IMAGES COURTESY OF FREEPIK

RADAR

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/category/radar

The question of

RADAR

TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

being snubbed at the Oscars

A storm of outrage on social media followed this year’s Oscar nomination announcement over Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s lack of nominations. RAMITA SETTY Staﬀ Writer

On Jan. 23, the 2024 Oscar nominations were announced. As per usual with Oscar nominations, there was immediate widespread outrage over certain people or movies getting snubbed. This year, the movie to receive this treatment was “Barbie.” The film received the most nominations of any film this year after “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things,” with eight overall nominations including Best Picture. People noticed that Greta Gerwig was not nominated for Best Director and Margot Robbie was not nominated for Best Actress, causing outrage. What further exacerbated the outrage was that Ryan Gosling managed to nab an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The Academy, it seemed, saw a movie centered on feminism then nominated a man and not the two women most responsible for the film. Since then, videos of America Ferrera’s passionate monologue about the double-sided edge to everything women did went viral. The common sentiment was that the Academy had committed another classic sexist mistake. The main issue is whether the Academy was sexist with its nominations for “Barbie” specifically. With no other context, Gerwig and Robbie’s missing nominations may support that claim. Except it might surprise people that both Gerwig and Robbie did indeed receive nominations this year for “Barbie” — just not in the categories people expected. Robbie, as a producer of the film received a nomination for the Best Picture category and Gerwig has a nomination as a writer for the film’s screenplay in the Adapted Screenplay. It is also worth noting that the Academy has recognized both Gerwig and Robbie for their capabilities as a director and actress in the past. Gerwig received a Best Director nomination for “Lady Bird” and Robbie received two acting nominations for “I, Tonya” and “Bombshell.” In addition, every film Gerwig has solo directed has received multiple Oscar nominations, including nominations for herself. Their talent has been recognized. It may still feel wrong to some that Ryan Gosling received a nomination for his himbo Ken and not Robbie and Gerwig, the main women behind the film. The problem with this thesis is that it assumes Gosling took something away from Robbie and Gerwig with his nomination and this is false. All three were competing in different categories and one getting in has no bearing on another not making the cut. Robbie was not competing with men in the Best Actress category, so the argument that her not making it in was sexist feels hollow. In all of the outrage, more people aren’t giving weight to America Ferrera’s nomination, almost certainly for the delivery of the infamous monologue about the double standards women continuously have to navigate. Her nomination and Gerwig’s nomination for writing it is proof that the message did resonate with Academy voters. But Gerwig was competing with men in the Director section and it is a category the Academy is notorious for snubbing women in. Her film being in Best Picture but Gerwig herself not making it in for Director is wrong because she is what made the

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film worth being in Best Picture. That would be a perfectly valid argument to make. Unfortunately, simple mathematics makes it impossible. There are 10 slots for Best Picture and only five slots for Best Director. By nature, every year five filmmakers whose films are recognized for Best Picture won’t be in contention for Best Director. To make things worse for Gerwig, the Academy rarely nominates directors of big blockbusters. Films like “Barbie,” “Dune,” “Avatar 2,” “Black Panther” and “Top Gun: Maverick” are all recent examples of highly popular films that made it to Best Picture, but with their male directors receiving no nominations. However, generally female directors still have a harder time being recognized, and that should not be dismissed. Even then, it’s hard to feel like the lack of visibility that female filmmakers face applies to Gerwig, who is currently one of the most popular filmmakers working today irrespective of gender. She has continuously been recognized for her skill as a director. The outrage over her being “disrespected” by the Academy for this snub frankly feels overdramatic, especially when other female filmmakers have not received this same kind of support. Last year, Charlotte Wells’ and Sarah Polley’s films “Aftersun” and “Women Talking” received nominations but both of them missed Best Director nominations. Even this year, Celine Song’s “Past Lives” is one of the ten nominated films and Song did not make the directing cut. Justine Triet is the sole female Directing nominee this year. If it had been Gerwig who had made the cut and not Triet, there would not have been as much outrage over the Academy only nominating one female director this year. That’s not even mentioning all the countless incredible films directed by women that received no nominations at all this year and others, such as “Priscilla,” “Saint Omer,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” and so much more. Criticism of the Academy for its sexist tendencies should not be centered around the popularity of a certain female director. This outrage about the women of “Barbie” being snubbed feels more of a reflection on the fact that for most typical moviegoers, “Barbie” was the only movie directed by a woman they saw last year. This is a shame because 2023 was a great year for female filmmakers: from crowd-pleasing comedies like “Barbie,” “Bottoms” and “Joyride” to much more serious dramas like “Priscilla,” “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt” and “A Thousand and One.” Greta Gerwig is a great director, but she is not the only great female director out there. “Barbie” was the highest-grossing movie of the year and received multiple Oscar nominations, which is a huge accomplishment for any movie — let alone one helmed by a female director. The idea that “Barbie” isn’t receiving enough love for not receiving two extra nominations on top of its other accolades makes the outrage feel excessive. If the outrage is only about supporting everyone’s favorite toy movie of the year, it already has plenty of love. If it is truly about supporting films made by women, there are plenty of unsung female creatives who could use this kind of love and energy. ■ H

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‘The Underdoggs’: The half-baked sports comedy you didn’t know you needed ‘The Underdoggs’ inspires viewers to overcome their setbacks through obscene comedic revelations. SPANDANA JANAPATI Contributing Writer

“The Underdoggs” released Jan. 26 on Amazon Prime Video, is a foul-mouthed comedy focused on a struggling children’s football team.

Well-known rapper and actor Snoop Dogg plays the main character Jaycen Two J’s Jenning, a self-important stoner and podcaster, who was once a football sensation. After a car crash resulting in property damage, reckless endangerment and speeding charges, Jaycen is sentenced to 300 hours of community service with the Long Beach Parks and Recreation Department, which just so happens to be his hometown. While serving his sentence, Jaycen runs into his high school sweetheart Cherise, played by Tika Sumpter, and her son’s coachless football team. Jaycen decides to step up and coach the children’s football team as an opportunity to complete his community service hours and bring positive attention to his podcast and future in commentary. With the help of his friend and assistant coach Kareem (Mike Epps) alongside occasional nuggets of wisdom from his high school coach Feis (George Lopez), Jaycen builds a bond with the children on the team

and stands with them through their victories and losses. Director Charles Stone III does a phenomenal job of capturing Snoop Dogg’s naturally humorous personality which has audiences laughing alongside the movie. Although “The Underdoggs” drags on in the second half, its use of adult humor and unique twists to predictable plot lines can make it an entertaining late-night watch. The comedic nature of this film shines through within the first 20 minutes, with Jaycen making references to another proclaimed stoner comedy, “Harold and Kumar.” George Lopez’s role, albeit brief, also adds to the humor of the story as a friendly but confused guidance figure to Jaycen as he tries to become a coach. After Jacyen’s first game as a coach against his proclaimed despiser, reporter Chip Collins, ends in a terrible loss, he seeks out some sort of direction. As Coach Feis explains the influence of creating a supporting and nurturing environment for these children, Jaycen is sure that, with a little TLC, he can alter the future of his team. This relationship ensues in a perfect combination of hilarious yet heart-touching attempts that Jaycen makes to bond with these children whether that be through a shared love for “Game of Thrones” or stories of his childhood struggles growing up poor. One of the primary controversies that arises with this film is the insurmountable swearing done by all cast members, especially children. However, children swearing in adult comedies is not new within the industry. Movies like “Good Boys” directed by Gene Stupnitsky, for example, also featured inappropriate content and children. While it may be alarming to hear and see children at such a young age utilizing such foul language, it is not an uncommon occurrence in reality. When viewed as a purely comedic device, the creative swearing and the nonchalant manner in which it is executed by the child actors add to the viewing experience of their target adult audience. Although a majority of the second half of the film drags on with scenes of Snoop Dogg and Mike Epps smoking weed and discussing social media, the film’s surprising ending regains the audience's attention. After Jaycen gains media publicity for his time coaching in Long Beach, he is given the chance to work his dream commentary job. One catch: it is on the

same day as the football team's final match. The coach’s return to the team and a victorious end to the season would be the expected end of this film. However, Stone concludes with a loss for the Underdogs as they fail to make a touchdown in the final seconds of the game. The sorrow from their loss is shortlived however as the team realizes that this is simply another setback they will overcome in the future.

Verdict:

“The Underdoggs” can be the perfect late-night comedy or a distracted watch when you need a good laugh and a little inspiration. ■ H

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‘Palworld’: a fun, but ultimately similar, gaming experience

This newest monster-tamer is a combination of the greatest games that have come before it. DUSTIN LE Contributing Writer

Jan. 19 marked the release of “Palworld” created by the Japanese development studio, Pocket Pair. Here is a quick summary if you have yet to hear about this game: “Palworld” is your basic survival-crafting type game but with the additional feature of “Pals” which are, in essence, “Pokémon,” but with slight changes to avoid Nintendo’s copyright lawyers. You are put into a magical world and are tasked with capturing these Pals until you and your team are strong enough to defeat different bosses encountered throughout your playthrough. That being said, Pocket Pair did not create a knockoff of other “Pokémon” or survival-type games; they created a game that is an amalgamation of the best qualities that these genres have to offer. “Palworld” doesn’t do anything new or groundbreaking, but they hit on a few key mechanics that keep players hooked on the addictive loop. “Palworld” has various aspects of strength that contribute toward its success and these can mainly be seen in its gameplay. Like most survival games, you need to find various materials that you will use to build your base and craft increasingly better gear. The main way “Palworld” might differ from other games is that, at the base you build, you can work your Pals to find or create a lot of the materials you need to do the crafting. This is one of the better features of “Palworld,” allowing you to create a fully autonomous society of Pals that grow their food, chop their wood, mine their stone and even sort it all into chests for you. This feature makes the game much less tedious and helps your characters progress. Another aspect of strength within the game is the exploration. The map itself is larger than you might initially think considering how small the game files are, especially if you’re playing on console. The different Pals you capture will also help you explore much faster as you can ride many of the Pals at your disposal. Much like how “Pokémon” influenced the Pals, you can also see how the exploration was influenced by another Nintendo game, ”The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” The stamina bar is almost identical to Link’s and the climbing feature that allows you to scale practically all surfaces is incredibly reminiscent of the latest “The Legend of Zelda” installments. Again, the game does not do anything new but instead brings various aspects from other popular games — creating a parody game that can nonetheless be enjoyed. The addition of multiplayer on the other hand is something that wasn’t taken from other

games like “Pokémon” or “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” Allowing you and your friends to build your own home together all whilst catching new Pals and battling unique bosses makes the hours playing the game go by much quicker and makes the experience much more enjoyable. Although many features make the game enjoyable to play, some are severely lacking for “Palworld.” For instance, the sound design is incredibly repetitive. If you do decide to pick this game up, get ready to hear the same 15 sound effects for the entire game. Not only that, but the graphics are not something that will leave you awestruck. The best that can be said about it is that it gets the job done. However, both of these negative aspects of the game are to be expected since the game is only half the price of your Triple-A game title, or free if you subscribe to Microsoft Game Pass. The game, in total, becomes very repetitive after a few hours of playing, as you will find yourself in a catch-grind-craft loop that gives you just enough dopamine to keep up the charade until the game is complete or you grow tired of the same formula “Palworld” continues to throw at you. If you are looking for something new and exciting, this is not the game for you. After playing the game, it becomes clear that although “Palworld” doesn’t do anything innovative, it still provides an enjoyable experience for players. By combining the nostalgic feeling that “Pokemon” provides, the exploration mechanics that made “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” so popular and other survival features like base-building and multiplayer, Pocket Pair creates a fun little experience for those in need of something difH ferent to play. ■

Verdict: “Palworld” is simply a parody game that features all the best mechanics from your favorite Nintendo games and offers players a nostalgic distraction from their trials and tribulations.

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Roman vs. Thee Stallion: a feud ignited between two respected rappers

Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj beef through diss tracks, ‘HISS’ and ‘Big Foot.’ KIMBERLY BEJEC Assistant Radar Editor

Having disses and roasting-type bars in rap songs is not uncommon. Some take it with a grain of salt and laugh it off. Other times, people take offense at being called out. This remains true at the celebrity level of the rap community, especially when concerned with other celebrities. Two big names in modern rap, Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj, fired up a feud after Megan’s latest single “HISS,” was released on Jan. 26.

With Megan’s third studio album approaching, the female rapper has released “HISS” as her second single following “Cobra.” After the shooting incident between Megan and Tory Lanez, she experienced plenty of ridicule in the entertainment industry over the past few years. In response, Megan starts off the song by rapping “I’m finna get this sh*t off my chest / and lay it to rest, let’s go.” Starting strong, she spends the rest of the song rapping toward multiple people and clapping back at them by telling them to back off. “HISS” has many clever bars flowing along to a strong beat that only goes to show the talent and creativity of Megan. While the rapper did not name-drop anyone in the song, fans can make connections to various rappers and influential people in the industry. In the second verse, she raps, “These n***** hate on BBLs and be / walking around with the same scars.” This is likely a diss toward Drake insinuating that the rapper himself got a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) after he implied Megan lied about getting shot by Tory Lanez in his song “Circo Loco.”

Despite all the bars calling various rappers out, one line, in particular, stood out the most to listeners and got people talking about the song. In the first verse Megan raps, “These h*es don’t be mad at Megan, / these h*es mad at Megan’s Law.” Megan’s Law is a federal law, which requires information about registered sex offenders to be made public. This lyric seemed to be taking a shot toward Nicki Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty. Petty is a level-two registered sex offender in the state of New York after pleading guilty to the attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl. The legislation affected him in 2022; he was sentenced to three years of probation and a year of home detention due to his failure to register as a sex offender in California. The lyric takes a general diss toward rappers who are or defend sex offenders. While many fans enjoyed the shots Megan is taking back at the industry, few rappers found the song distasteful, particularly Nicki Minaj. Almost 20 minutes after “HISS” dropped at midnight, Minaj was quick to jump on X, formerly known as Twitter, and call the rapper out for bringing family into the mix. She also went onto Instagram Live to angrily rant off-screen about the “Hot Girl Summer” rapper. Besides the Live, she er insinuated. While Minaj does have lyrical skills that she has spent the rest of the weekend slamming Megan and voicing her displeasure been famous for her whole career, the deep barbs toward Mewith the song. Minaj would then announce gan that shame her sexual history and target her late mother her follow-up song “Big Foot” in response to crossed boundaries far beyond the typical disses seen in rap battles. Sadly, fans of Minaj have added to the feud by doxxing “HISS” to be released on Monday, Jan. 29. Nicki Minaj has been in the rap community Megan’s mother’s grave. The precaution was thankfully taken for a long time and has since released countless and extra security has been enforced to prevent anyone from iconic songs for listeners to jam out to and get damaging the grave. This goes to show how people can take hyped over. As Minaj was endlessly tweeting celebrities’ beef with each other to an unnecessary level. The general reaction from the public has tended to side about Megan, people started to “side-eye” the with Megan more, especially from people feeling Minaj used rapper for seemingly acting out outrageously misogyny to get back at her. They have also viewed Minaj’s that they were hesitant at how “Big Foot” would overabundant rant on Twitter and her track in response to ansound. It then turned out that Minaj did not other track which only made a subtle nameless jab to be exceshold back at all in “Big Foot,” channeling all her sive. However, there are loyal fans of Minaj who remained on rage and distaste toward the Houston rapper her side to justify not only herself but her family. While both into the diss track. tracks hit the charts, the release of “Big Foot” only launched From rapping about Megan’s lack of flow to “HISS” even further, due to listeners favoring the track more. possible alcoholism, as well as calling out her The two female rappers have an already tough battle which sex life, it seems Minaj struck at her in every will only expand even further. corner that she could aim at. However, she hits hardest as she repeats the line “Lyin’ on your dead mama” many times during the song. In 2019, Megan’s mother passed away due to brain cancer and since then she has frequently mentioned how much of an influence her mom had on her career and life. It’s a low blow that many listeners were disappointed at. While Minaj was calling out Megan on Instagram Live and X, she compared her to Big Foot, which would end up being the title of the diss track. During the song, she raps “Bad b*tch, she like six foot, I / call her Big Foot.” In her altercation “HISS” and “Big Foot” both contain cachy with Tory Lanez, Megan was shot in the foot, which Minaj also calls into question in the song. Additionally, her comparibeats and intense bars that catch listeners son of the rapper and Big Foot targets her relatively tall height by surprise at the lack of remorse. However, of being 5 foot and 10 inches tall. However, the reference gave “HISS” stands taller out of the two for its a connotation of her being a beast and body shaming her. The clapback to multiple artists and not taking “Big Foot” rapper ended the track by cutting the beat with a things too harshly. ■H talked monologue, insinuating more diss tracks about Megan Thee Stallion to come. In comparing the two diss tracks, “HISS” comes out on top. Megan maintained a certain type of finesse when it came to her disses, especially when no one is name-dropped, but rath- ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Verdict:

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Hold Fast! ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Is Here! Percy Jackson steals the lightning bolt and our hearts with ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ on Disney+. STELA NOELLE ABASTA Contributing Writer

On Dec. 19, the first two episodes of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” based on the renowned book series of the same name by author Rick Riordan, came out on Disney+. Every Tuesday up to Dec. 30, a new episode has been released following the main character, Percy Jackson, and his two friends, satyr Grover and daughter of Athena Annabeth Chase, in their quest to return Zeus’ lightning bolt to him. The first season follows the story of the first book in Riordan’s series, titled “The Lightning Thief.” Since the first episode, “I Accidentally Vaporized my Pre-Algebra Teacher,” Virginia Kull, the actress who plays Sally Jackson, Percy’s mother, established herself as one of the best — if not the best — actors in the show. Sally and Percy’s mother-son dynamic feels so real, and although Walker Scobell, Percy’s actor, is great, a lot of that is in part due to Kull’s skillful acting. She regards Percy like her own son, from the way she looks at him with so much unsaid emotion to the way she gets exasperated when he doesn’t listen — the latter especially seen in the final episode. Kull has a short monologue in the first episode where she tells Percy to “hold fast” and “brave the storm,” callbacks to something she told him in the second grade. It’s an incredibly emotional scene that Kull seems to execute so personally and hits home harder than many long-time book fans expected. Achieving such a holistic impact on a fandom this large is a great feat, one that Kull exceeded within the first episode. On the topic of Sally, Gabe, her husband in the show played by Timm Sharp, was changed to be more of a comedic relief character in comparison to the mean stepfather he was in the books. This makes one question the sudden shift. In an article in TVLine, Executive Producer Rebecca Riordan explains, “When you see [his abusiveness] visually, it is triggering and difficult to watch.” This was the correct decision as this show is geared towards younger audiences, so seeing Sally and Gabe’s dynamic is relatively funny and a nice change of pace in contrast to the books — a change that does not make a detrimental

impact on the story. Not only did “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” change Gabe, but they also made other adjustments. There are many firm believers in keeping adaptations entirely aligned with the books they are based on — a “there is a script right there; why stray from it?” kind of mentality. Many avid “Percy Jackson” fans feel strongly about this after the disappointment of the first movie adaptation, titled “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” While there was a bit of bickering amongst fans over Scobell’s hair being dirty blonde and Percy’s hair in the book being described as black, the biggest controversy that came with this show was the diversity of the cast. A lot of the main characters are people of color, which is different from how they were described in the original books by Riordan. The author himself had a hand in selecting the cast and has outspokenly had no issue with these changes, but this still sparked lots of debate in the fandom, specifically when it came to Annabeth played by young African American actress Leah Sava Jeffries. These changes do not hinder the show at all, and more representation of people of color in media inspires children of color to follow their dreams after seeing someone who looks like them be heroes on the big screen. Jeffries is a talented actress who perfectly portrays this fan-favorite character, and fans just cannot imagine a better Annabeth. In general, fans were greatly pleased seeing Percy, Annabeth and Grover played by younger actors as portrayed in the true story. In the movie adaptation, they were aged up to be high schoolers, but in this show, they look, act and sound like twelve-year-olds (albeit, Grover sounds a bit older, but it is still accurate as he is canonically 25 years old). Scobell especially feels like a perfect fit for Percy as his prepubescent voice matches well with his character’s youthful naivety. ■ H

Verdict: “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has a rich story, diverse characters and solid acting that veterans can enjoy while also enticing new viewers. This is the kind of show that will make you take a BuzzFeed quiz on who your godly parent is as you finish it.

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Sports 18 TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

SPORTS

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UC Riverside women’s team cruises to a 70-46 win over Cal State Northridge HANSEL CHU Sports Editor

4th quarter surge leads the Highlanders to a comfortable win. The UC Riverside women’s basketball team defeated Cal State Northridge 70-46 Saturday night in the SRC Arena. Going into this ball game, the Highlanders won their past five of seven games but lost their previous two games. After losing a heartbreaking game to Long Beach State the game before, UCR looked to get back into the win column against a Matador team that has yet to win a game in Big West Conference play this season. Both teams went back-and-forth to open the game as redshirt senior forward Matehya Bryant scored the first six points for the Highlanders. Defensively, UC Riverside was able to force six turnovers which led to easy points in transition and more opportunities on offense. After a steal from sophomore guard Jordyn Marshall, she found junior forward Esther Matarranz for the transition layup to give UCR a 13-9 lead with 2:20 left in the first quarter. Moments later, senior guard Jordan Webster attacked the paint and finished a layup to extend the Highlander lead to six. With time winding down in the first quarter, fifth-year guard RyAnne Walters found junior guard Jaden Sanderson for the mid-range jump shot to give UC Riverside a 17-9 lead at the end of the quarter. The Highlanders jumped out to an 8-0 run to open up the second quarter led by a combination of Bryant, Matarranz and Walters. Matarranz was able to find Bryant for a layup to score the first points of the quarter, and Walters was able to find Matarranz for a layup moments later. After forcing a turnover on CSUN, Walters knocked down a 3-pointer to give UCR a 25-9 lead. However, the Matadors went on a 9-2 run to get themselves back into the ball game. The Highlanders started to get loose with the basketball and Cal State Northridge was able to capitalize on those opportunities to cut into the deficit. With 54 seconds left until the half, Marshall was able to go coast-to-coast and finish the transition layup to give UC Riverside a 29-18 lead at halftime. Both teams exchanged buckets to open up the third quarter. The duo of Walters and

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Bryant started to shred the Matador defense and they both created opportunities for the other to score. After sophomore guard Makayla Jackson got a steal, Walters drove inside the paint and finished a layup to give UCR a 35-22 lead. Soon afterward, Bryant forced a steal and found Webster on the fastbreak to give UC Riverside a 15-point lead. CSUN was able to chip away the lead but the Highlanders were able to maintain a doubledigit lead throughout most of the quarter. Walters continued to showcase her veteran experience as she commanded the UCR offense and was stifling on the defensive side of the basketball. With 39 seconds left in the quarter, Matarranz found Jackson for a 3-pointer that put the Highlanders up by 12 points. After forcing another CSUN turnover, Walters found Bryant inside the paint for a layup to give UCR a 48-34 lead at the end of the third quarter. UC Riverside pulled away in the fourth quarter as they outscored Cal State Northridge 22-12 in the quarter. They opened up the quarter on a 12-2 run to balloon the lead out of control. Jackson started to find her shooting stroke as she knocked down three of her four threes in the quarter. Bryant also continued to score inside the post and knocked down a barrage of mid-range jump shots to push the UCR lead into the twenties. With time winding down, Bryant found senior guard India Aikins for the easy layup to put the finishing touches on the game as the Highlanders comfortably won 70-46. Bryant led the way for UCR with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jackson had a solid game with 12 points on 4-7 shooting from 3-point range. Walters contributed with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists. The Highlanders improve to 11-10 (6-5) on the season and will take on Cal State H Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 11:00 a.m.■

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Lewis Hamilton’s signing with Ferrari is the biggest move in the sports’ history KIANOOSH NOOSHI Assistant Sports Editor

The seven-time world champion will sign with the Italian giants from the 2025 season sending ripples through the F1 landscape. Lewis Hamilton announced this past week that he would be leaving his seat at Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team at the end of this upcoming season and driving for Ferrari starting in 2025. Often regarded as one of if not the greatest driver in the history of the sport alongside Michael Schumacher and the late Ayrton Senna, Hamilton has had a storied 17-year career up to this point. That career includes a record 103 race wins and seven world championships which is tied with Schumacher as the most in F1 history. Hamilton has spent the last decade with Mercedes after moving there from McLaren following the 2012 season, a move that was at the time debated and looked at incredulously given how mediocre the team had been since its re-inception back in 2010. Hamilton’s move proved to be the greatest in the history of F1 as the new regulations in 2014 bringing about the turbo-hybrid era also brought about years of Mercedes domination with Hamilton at the forefront. Pairing the best car and driver on the grid led to six world championships in the eight years of the turbo-hybrid era. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and with the adoption of new regulations by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), motorsports governing body, Mercedes has struggled as a team to adapt to the new MGU-K era with their cars both lacking power and often struggling with design led issues such as porpoising. Having lost the top spot to RedBull Racing, many of the top figures from Mercedes’ success in the past decade have been poached for jobs at other teams. Strategy Director, James Vowles, was hired by Williams Racing as Team Principal which is equivalent to the role of general manager in Formula 1. Many engineers and mechanics have also been poached by other teams around the grid. The key however for Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes appears to be the departure of Loïc Serra who is going to be the Performance Director for Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton and Serra’s visions for the cars following the new regulation changes have been at odds

with others at Mercedes and the direction of the team appears to have been a key issue in both of their decisions. Their concerns have not been without merit as the issues with the W-13 and W-14 were expansive and have led to a two-year winning drought for Hamilton who before 2022 had won in every season he had raced in Formula 1. Hamilton’s decision has sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 world and has brought an early start to “silly season”. The British driver who will be 40 by the time he joins the Italian team in 2025 is still among the best drivers in the sport alongside reigning champion Max Verstappen and future teammate Charles Leclerc. His move is an attempt to enter a car more aligned in terms of engineering to his driving style as well as joining a team that is willing to invest heavily into his off-the-track endeavors. Hamilton looked for a promise of heavy investment into his Mission 44 organization which looks to help people from underserved communities receive a better education and break into fields where there is low representation from their group. Hamilton’s Ferrari deal is reported to make him an ambassador for the brand and its partners with a portfolio value worth north of $250 million dollars alongside an $87 million dollar salary from which a portion will go into funding Mission 44. Regardless of the positive off-the-track impacts, Hamilton’s move will be looked at from the results on track. A much improved Ferrari team led by Fred Vasseur, who has been key in poaching talent from other teams, will help build a car that will be to the liking of Hamilton ahead of a new set of regulation changes in 2026. Vasseur and Hamilton have a history with one another as Vasseur managed Hamilton early in his career while he was racing in GP-2. It is yet to be seen whether or not Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will succeed in getting him his eighth world championship, however, if his other career decisions are any indication then it will be a very successful stint to end a H storied career. ■

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TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

Highlander Hot Take: The San Francisco 49ers will exact revenge against the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LVIII ISAAC SOLNICK Staff Writer

The 49ers win their sixth Super Bowl and derail the Chiefs dynasty. On Feb. 11, Allegiant Stadium will host the San Francisco 49ers (12-5) and the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) in Super Bowl LVIII. As an Oakland Raiders fan, the only thing I am looking forward to is the Super Bowl halftime show. Alas, even a lights-out performance from Usher won’t save me from the depths of despair. Like a lazy high schooler who procrastinates on their homework, the NFL scriptwriters have copied and pasted their script from Super Bowl LIV. In what turned into an instant classic, the Chiefs erased a 4th quarter deficit to win their first Super Bowl in almost 50 years. With both teams rostering young and talented superstars at the time, it isn’t overwhelmingly surprising to see these two teams meet again on the biggest stage. The 49ers will look to win their sixth Super Bowl and establish themselves as one of the NFL’s most prestigious franchises. Whereas the Chiefs aim to win their third Super Bowl in only four years and succeed the New England Patriots as the NFL’s next dynasty. Fans of either team will rightfully be excited, but neutrals should also have a lot to look forward to. This game features some of the NFL’s best players with a lot of history between them. When it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs, it all starts with Patrick Mahomes II. With the guidance of head coach Andy Reid, the former Texas Tech standout has turned the Chiefs into perennial contenders. After winning Super Bowl LIV, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to two more Super Bowl appearances and another victory in Super Bowl LVII. While the two-time MVP has an otherworldly connection with Travis Kelce, Mahomes has struggled to develop a rapport with the rest of the receiving core. Drops have become a recurring theme this season and have slowed down the Kansas City offense. While the offense couldn’t get off the ground, Kansas City’s defense kept them afloat. Led by their alpha defensive lineman Chris Jones, the Chiefs boast one of the best passing defenses in the NFL. Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s secondary is littered with young and hungry stars like L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie. Despite their championship pedigree, the Chiefs stumbled into the playoffs this year. With the Chiefs looking like a shell of themselves, many predicted them to crash out of the playoff early. However, the reigning champions rattled off wins against the Dolphins, Bills and Ravens to silence the doubters.

For the 49ers, their road to the Super Bowl is a polar opposite to Kansas City’s. Apart from a three-game losing skid, the Niners breezed through the regular season, earning the No. 1 seed and a bye week, and went straight into the NFC Divisional round. However, the 49ers haven’t looked like the team that was in cruise control during the regular season. Escaping heartbreak twice against the new-era Packers in the Divisional and the kneecap-biting Lions in the Conference Championship. Led by Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, the 49ers possess a uber talented roster from top to bottom. Their group of skill positions featuring Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are a living nightmare for any defensive coordinator. With Trent Williams defending the blindside, head coach Kyle Shanahan can reliably set up Purdy and the Niners for big splash plays. San Francisco isn’t short on talent on the other side of the ball either. Despite losing All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL, the Niners still possess one of the most formidable defenses in the league. Off-ball linebacker duo Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw spearhead a dangerous front seven that features Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead. The secondary is headlined by ex-Chief Charvarius Ward. Since joining the 49ers, Ward has blossomed into one of the NFL’s premier shutdown cornerbacks. While I’d like to see both of these teams lose, one of these teams will inevitably hoist the Lombardi trophy next Sunday. It is extremely difficult to bet against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s experience. I also know my Momma (Dallas Cowboys fan) won’t be too happy with me either. Nevertheless, my brain keeps telling me the 49ers will win in Las Vegas. In Super Bowl LIV, the Niners didn’t yet have the winning mentality champions are made of and it cost them dearly. I believe this year is different. Their comeback victories against the Packers and Lions showed the killer instinct they have lacked the past few postseason runs. I also expect San Francisco to be hungrier and want their get back from the Chiefs. They’ll come out of the gates with extreme intensity and put the defending champs on their back foot. I predict a scoreline of 27-20 with Christian McCaffrey winning Super Bowl MVP on the back of two touchdowns. For better or worse, the Vegas casinos will be invaded with San Franciscans shouting “Bang! H Bang! Niner Gang!” ■

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20 TUESDAY, FEB 6, 2024

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