FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
Highlander University
Volume 62
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Issue 28
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$15,000 SPENT ON ELECTIONS COLIN MARKOVICH Senior Staff Writer
New senate approves walkin candidate for elections director
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ccording to the most recent campaign finance reports, over $15,000 was spent during this year’s ASUCR elections, more than a full year’s worth of tuition. Most of the money, over $14,000, was spent by ASUCR’s elections committee, with the individual parties contributing to the remainder. The committee spent about $0.75 per undergraduate at UCR (there are 18,621 undergraduates on campus) and $2.14 per person who voted in this year’s elections. The $14,000 in expenses are just shy of a $4,000 increase from the 2013 elections season when the committee spent $10,200, itself an increase from the $9,200 spent in 2012. The largest increase in spending from previous years came in marketing and promotion, which doubled from last year for a total of over $4,000. Of that, just over $2,000 was used for the three-day elections day celebrations, including the rental of a rock climbing tower and dunk tank, among other things. Another $1,000 went to T-shirts, which will also be used in subsequent elections seasons. ASUCR Elections Director Chris Sanchez said the money was spent to avoid the drop in voter turnout that traditionally occurs toward the end of elections week. According to Sanchez, the number of ballots cast increased from Thursday to Friday of elections week, which Sanchez said indicated that the spending was successful. A higher than expected turnout rate also resulted in the committee spending more than $4,000 on contracting with Elexpert and its parent company Campus Web Apps, a company that helps colleges run their student government elections, to tabulate the votes. The company charges $0.50 per vote in addition to a $1,000 flat setup fee. The single largest expenditure
SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
this year for its undergraduate population of 25,774. Meanwhile, UCLA spent over $25,000 on an undergraduate population of about the same size. According to the Elections Code, which was approved last January, there are no limits on
Fresh new faces painted last week’s ASUCR special senate meeting as newly elected candidates carried out one of their first acts in the senate by selecting Senator Devin Plazo as the new president pro tempore, a role that oversees the legislative processes within ASUCR. Contentions arose when senators considered and ultimately approved the selection of Stephanie Rose, a walk-in candidate who missed the application deadline, as the new elections director. Both will take office in the 2014-15 academic year. With three candidates — all holding CHASS senate seats — eyeing the position of president pro tempore, Senator Akeem Brown was the first to grace the podium and speak on why he was the most qualified candidate. Brown, a 29-year-old transfer student from Oakland, placed great emphasis on his prior experience as a corporate paralegal of seven years and an intern for former Riverside mayor Ron Loveridge. “Don’t vote for me because of the requirements, but vote for me because of the experience that I have,” furthered Brown. Following his speech, Senator Colette King referred to her past experiences in delivering resolutions, such as the Remembrance Day of the Armenian Genocide, with the Armenian Student Association. King also contended that if elected, she would work with the marketing committee to create online videos that showed the steps students could take to write legislation. “I was in a (Legislative
► SEE ELECTIONS, PAGE 6
► SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE 2
BRANDY COATS (GRAPHIC) & AARON LAI (PHOTO) / HIGHLANDER This year’s elections racked up a hefty bill for ASUCR, elections candidates and the student population.
after paying for vote tabulation went to Carl’s Jr. at $3,768.40, which provided the first 500 voters with free hamburgers on the Monday of elections week. Other expenses included $1,300 to hold the debates and $500 to rent materials from UCR’s physical plant. Sanchez expressed his belief
OPINIONS
that expenses will decrease for next year’s elections cycle, specifically noting that there is no need to purchase additional T-shirts and that the earlier portions of the elections day celebrations may be scaled down. The amount spent by other UCs varied. UC Berkeley spent about $11,500 on its elections
FEATURES
Write-Off: The approval and rejection of powdered alcohol by the federal government begs the question: Are we ready? PAGE 8
The University Theatre rumbles with excitement as Laverne Cox, star of “Orange is the New Black,” opens up about her life. PAGE 10
RADAR
SPORTS
“Bearing Our Soles” illustrates a woman’s search for love, truth and success — all through different pairs of shoes. PAGE 16
Battling against crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Kings are gearing up for another run at the Stanley Cup. PAGE 23
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NEWS
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
► CANDIDATES FROM PAGE 1
Review Committee) meeting and a lot of students didn’t know how to use the words to make something sound coherent (to write),” she said. “If we want more legislation, we need to outreach students. A lot of students don’t know that you can write legislation.” Senator Devin Plazo pointed to her full-time communications position in ASUCR and her initiatives to save the Riverside Arts Program as what made her stand out the most. “In the past, this position has focused mostly on LRC and leadership entirely but I want to build strong bonds with each other, I want to be the person you come to and trust.” Michael Ervin immediately attempted to fill his role as the new executive vice president by giving the senate simple tips on how to deliver a motion, abstain and ask for additional time to speak. Both the senate and audience in the gallery were given the opportunity to ask the senate questions. Few questions were asked to each candidate and the first position ultimately fell in favor of Plazo, who will replace the current president pro tempore, Aaron Johnson, in the following academic year. Afterward, walk-in candidate Stephanie Rose stood up from the galley as the senate switched
discussions to the elections director position. “I’m not on the agenda, but I’d like senate to consider me for the position,” Rose said. “I did not know about the application until the due date had already passed and then I did try to acquire an application, but I was told that I would be unable to fill it out.” By a 13-2 vote, the senate voted to accept the galley member as an applicant to run alongside two candidates: Shaunt Oozoonian and Angelica Chhikara. Current Elections Director Chris Sanchez later argued that the mandatory candidate workshops are meant to give members of ASUCR time to verify specific requirements; namely the 2.0 GPA requirement all applicants must have. Sanchez also said that the elections director application was out for “one week and a half.” Oozoonian, the 2013-14 ASUCR parliamentarian, referred to his internal senate experience, volunteering for various events held by the elections committee. He vowed to maintain neutrality throughout the elections process with the help of a cohesive committee. “I would sit in all the meetings that I possibly could … and I was able to observe the dayto-day tasks carried out by the elections committee,” Oozoonian said. “This is a position that I’m interested in and this is a position that I think that I could do well.”
HIGHLANDER
AARON LAI / HIGHLANDER Newly elected Executive Vice President Michael Ervin and transitioning Elections Director Chris Sanchez listen attentively to the candidates of the ASUCR special elections.
The tearing down of posters and the lack of follow-up for violations were a few issues that Chhikara perceived about this year’s elections. “The most important concern with elections was the lack of balance between a smooth transition of power and a higher voter turnout,” Chhikara said. “The elections was too focused on (the latter), causing a lot of party politics to take place.” Rose, the chapter president of Greek sorority Pi Beta Phi said
Photo of the Week
Akeem Brown speaks before the new ASUCR senate for the position of president pro tempore.
Quotebook “About four years ago, we had a location called Taco Fresco in this same approximate area.”
Upcoming Events
Aaron Lai
Despite further arguments over whether experience trumped fresh perspectives in the position, Rose was ultimately elected as the elections director. Both positions of elections director and president pro tempore were selected under a secret ballot vote. “I was thrilled. I’m really excited for the opportunity,” Rose said. “I have a goal of incorporating more students into the elections, not just in terms of the events, but in terms of the ■H elections process.”
MAY
13
CHASS Annual Theme Lecture: The Political Economy of the Sea 2:10 p.m. –3 p.m. INTS 1128
Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. University Theatre
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Wellness Wednesday: Healthy at Any Size 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. HUB 269
Film Screening: Death of a Shaman 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Costo Hall 244
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Video Game Design and Content Creation - Information Session 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. UCR Extension Center
Trapped in North Korea 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. University Theatre
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Avoiding Plagiarism 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Orbach Science Library 122
Baseball: Long Beach State 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Riverside Sports Complex
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Digital Storytelling 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. UCR Extension Center
UCR Chamber Music Ensembles 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. ARTS 166
Tuesday
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
that she became familiar with the elections director position through the popularity of the ASUCR elections, which drew 38 percent of the total student voting population. “Something that I think would be beneficial is to have an elections director with an unbiased and fresh perspective,” Rose said. “I am not involved in ASUCR and I think because of that and my experiences … I would be a great candidate for (the position).”
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
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Baseball: Long Beach State 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Riverside Sports Complex
Sunday
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Monday
Raul Rubio: “Collecting and Curating Cuban: Memory, Museums, and Material Cultures” 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Humanities Building 2212
Talk Dirty To Me: A workshop around consent, intimacy and LGBT relationships 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. HUB 268
Director of Dining Services David Henry on the location of the new Scotty’s convenience store.
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NEWS
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
NEWS IN BRIEF
COMPILED BY ANTHONY VICTORIA, staff writer
UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY UC Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox encouraged students, faculty and staff on campus to count pollinators as part of a statewide crowdsourcing event on Thursday, May 8. The event was coordinated by the UC Cooperative Extension to commemorate their 100th year anniversary. On May 8, 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the SmithLever Act, which created the Cooperative Extension, a nationwide system which works directly with agriculture and industry, as part of each state’s land grant university. “Agriculture, of course, is important
HIGHLANDER
to the state of California and it’s our roots here at UCR,” Wilcox said through a video posted on UCR’s YouTube channel. “And pollination is central to all the agricultural products that we have in the state.” Those who participated recorded observations based on three questions: How many pollinators do you see? How do you conserve water? Where is the food grown in your community? Scientists involved with the UC Cooperative Extension will utilize the data to determine what has happened to food supplies, water resources and pollinator populations in California.
COURTESY OF UCR TODAY
UCR LAB INCIDENT MAY BE LATEST IN SERIES The unplugging of a freezer in the Genomics Building that occurred on May 1 is the latest incident in a series of events that have taken place in the research building since last month. Another incident occurred on April 3, when the Genomics Building was evacuated due to a low-level radioactive spill. Estimated damage of the research material in the freezer summed up to $200, according to UCR spokesperson Kris Lovekin. Officials have not determined whether the items that were destroyed were irreplaceable. Lovekin adds that other cases involved
“files missing or burners left on that shouldn’t have been left on,” dating back to a couple of months. She noted that it is difficult to determine whether the incidences were accidental or deliberate. As UCPD continues to investigate the circumstances of the freezer case, officials have taken more precaution to prevent further incidents from arising. “They have put in security measures to get better information on who’s coming in and out of the building,” Lovekin told the Press Enterprise on May 5. At the time, Lovekin said police did not have a suspect or a reported motive for the freezer incident.
67 ELECTIONS VIOLATIONS REPORTED BY ASUCR JUDICIAL BRANCH ASUCR justices reported that 67 elections violations took place during this year’s ASUCR elections and over 30 strikes were handed out, according to Chief Justice of the Judicial Branch Davion Rowles. Most violations and strikes that occurred were regarding campaign posters. “There are 67 violations that have been submitted and it is still possible that that number can increase,” said Justice Michael Deo. “One appeal has occurred, which was overturned. Last
year, the amount of violations reported is not known to the knowledge of the judicial council as this is the first year the (judicial branch) has dealt with election matters.” Of the 67 violations, the judicial branch received two appeals, only one of which managed to be overturned, according to Rowles. Due to personal matters, the judicial branch declined to provide details on specific cases regarding elections violations. ■H
ATIONS TO THE L U T NEW RA G N EDITORIAL B R O E D N C OAR A L D GH 2 0 1 4 5 1 I : 0 2 H
Editor-in-Chief: Colin Markovich Managing Editor: Jake Rich Production Manager: Brandy Coats News Editor: Sandy Van Asst. News Editor: Estefania Zavala Features Editor: Maxine Arellano Arts & Entertainment Editor: Nathan Swift Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor: Christal Mims Sports Editor: Darren Bueno Assistant Sports Editor: Cody Nguyen Photo Editor: Vincent Ta Asst. Photo Editor: Cameron Yong Video Editor: James Fierro Asst. Video Editor & Distribution Manager: Oscar Ho
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NEWS
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
Scotty’s store opens near School of Medicine ESTEFANIA ZAVALA Staff Writer
On May 1, UCR welcomed a new Scotty’s near the UCR School of Medicine. The fifth of its kind around campus, Scotty’s is UCR’s personalized convenience store with multiple locations around campus. Unlike the other locations, this store will offer healthier options than the usual convenience store fare. “We want to promote a healthy lifestyle,” said Kim Horbinger, the manager of the new Scotty’s, as well as the Lothian C-Store. “The notion came from the dining directors and they figured with the UCR School of Medicine, this was the right niche for the health-conscious market.” Specifically, the store offers traditional healthy food such as fresh fruit, yogurt and sandwiches. There are also a few more unique items like kale chips and tofu sushi rolls. Specialty drinks range from orange juices to organic milk. Everything in this store is geared toward students and falls under one of five categories: organic, gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO or under 550 calories. UCR Director of Dining Services David Henry said, “We even created our own line of 500-calorie sandwiches to sell at this location,” adding that every product has a “health halo” attached to it, meaning that every product holds a health story or message attached to the product. “People in their 20s are becoming increasingly health-conscious,” said Horbinger. “Just in the three days we’ve been open, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. We challenge everyone to come out and try it out. We welcome feedback — what items would people like to see?” Filled with student and staff employees, the Scotty’s took several LAURA NGUYEN / HIGHLANDER years of planning and construction The new Scotty’s next to the School of Medicine Education building boasts a healthy array of leading up to the May grand opentreats for students. Sliced fruit items are placed on ice in the middle of the store while various bars and snacks are arranged throughout Scotty’s. ing. UCR Dining Services currently
employs almost 800 students in its restaurants and dining halls. Henry notes that the new Scotty’s replaced the former dining establishment, Taco Fresco, which previously existed in the same area about four years ago. “Because the medical building and surrounding area were going through a renovation, we had to vacate that location and it was eventually torn down,” said Henry. “The Taco Fresco location was missed and we committed to putting a new concept in the same approximate area.” The attempt to create a healthconscious niche market has led to interested customers. Jamaya Clay, a third-year housing and dining employee at the new Scotty’s, said business had been pretty steady over the last week, with more people coming to check out the new store. “I also like the outdoor feel … it’s so refreshing and different,” she added about the store. The new Scotty’s is set up as an open area which gives the store more of an outdoor market ambience than of a regular convenience store. Amar Muhtaseb, a fourth-year biology major, mused that the setup reminded him of a Disneyland store and that everything looked new. He wandered around, looking at all of the unique new food before settling on a quirkily packaged almond milk espresso drink. “I’ll just give it a try, I guess,” he said gamely. Located around the “Science District” consisting of Boyce Hall, the UCR School of Medicine, the Orbach Science Library and the Chemical Sciences Building, the new Scotty’s is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. For students who prefer more traditional lunch options, the Culinary Chameleon food truck will also be stationed nearby from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. and the Bear Tracks Coffee Truck from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on ■H weekdays.
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TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
Senators support safer working conditions for Bangladeshi employees AARON GRECH Contributing Writer
A senate resolution which calls for support of the Bangladesh Accord for Fire and Building Safety — an independent agreement designed to make safer working conditions for garment factories in Bangladesh — was unanimously passed by the ASUCR senate by a vote of 12-0; four senators were absent. The resolution demands the university and the entire UC system to encourage Bangladeshi licensees that produce collegiate apparel to sign the accord within 30 days or face termination of their contracts. The resolution, which was drafted by United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) representative Cynthia Chavez and Senators Nafi Karim and Michael Ervin, stems from public outcry over the 1,800 deaths that have occurred in Bangladesh factories since 2005. The deadliest among these was the Rana Plaza factory collapse on April 24, 2013, which caused the deaths of 1,132 garment workers. After this incident, an agreement was signed between apparel brands and unions to make systemic changes to factory safety in Bangladesh under the accord, which also included increasing the amount of workers’ rights and compensation. While many of the licensees that produce collegiate apparel for UCR, such as Fruit of the Loom, Zephyr Graf and Adidas have signed the accord, VF Corporation and 10 others have ► ELECTIONS FROM PAGE 1
the amount of money candidates can spend on elections. However, the elections committee places restrictions on giveaway items, like flyers or scantrons, mandating that each item promote a candidate or party in some way and individually cost less than $10. In contrast, there were no spending limits on campaign material not intended for giveaway, like banners or [YOUR]SIDE’s inflatable soccer ball. “There’s no way to track the actual amount of money spent,” Sanchez said, explaining that a strict limit on campaign expenditures would be unenforceable. “What we did is make sure what they spent it on had no outcome on the legitimacy of the elections.” Vox Populi presidential candidate Armando Saldana said that his party spent about $1,200 during the campaign. [YOUR] SIDE presidential nominee and incoming president Nafi Karim said that he could not identify an “exact number” that his party spent. “I would say that each candidate spent whatever they could contribute,” Karim said. According to Sanchez, each party spent about the same amount during the election season. Each party fundraised differently, but many required their candidates to submit fees
VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER ASUCR voted unanimously to pass a senate resolution to support the signing of an accord which would make garment industry work safer in Bangladesh.
not. VF Corporation, which is the parent company of VF Imagewear and Jansport, has instead partnered with Wal-Mart and the Gap to create a 27-member corporate program called the “Alliance for Workers Safety.” The organization has been critiqued by worker rights advocates and labor groups including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) for failing to require brands to repair and renovate unsafe factories. As many of these are popular brands, the USAS representatives
urged the audience to take note of the brands they are wearing and to consider if their clothes were made within safe working conditions. “I want you guys to acknowledge the tags on the back of your shirts, and to consider where your clothes are being produced,” Johnson Pham, a first-year linguistics major, stated. The resolution also sought to pressure brands into signing the accord and thus help end unfair labor practices. “UCR is one of the campuses that profits off of labor exploitation, and I feel that needs to change,” stated first-year political science major Arturo
Gomez during his presentation with USAS. “We as students need to make sure that these workers don’t have a workplace in which they create a sweatshirt which is sold for $30 or $40 (and) that they spend their entire lives making just $2 to $10 a week,” fourth-year political science major Cynthia Chavez stated. According to the ASUCR resolution, New York University, Penn State University, Duke and 18 other universities have signed similar resolutions acknowledging the accord. Karim made a motion to amend the resolution
to require the corporations to sign the accord from 90 to 30 days to increase pressure on the companies. Newly elected Vice President of Campus Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria mentioned that these conditions may affect certain students’ personal lives as well. “I agree with USAS. Many of the problems here are not that far away from (students’) home (and) I think it’s important to take those narratives into account when we’re passing these legislations; it is affecting lots of students every time you put on a H UCR sweater,” Fernando stated.■
to the party. ABC: A Better Choice presidential nominee Sean Fahmian said that “each one of our 23 candidates donated $50 to the campaign.” Incoming vice president of external affairs Abraham Galvan of [YOUR] SIDE said that their candidates were also required to contribute, with the amount requested by the party dependent on the position each candidate was seeking. As a result of the influx of cash, most students agreed that elections were much more visible this year. “To someone who doesn’t really understand the aspects of student government, it was a bit overwhelming,” said third-year media and cultural studies and women’s studies double-major Maddhi Jayagoda. “Especially because all the posters pretty much looked the same to me.” Other students expressed frustration that the level of campaigning did not match the quality of the campaign. “I just honestly wish people emphasized what their stance was a little better,” Candace Viero, fourthyear biology major, said. “I sort of felt like it drifted into a popularity vote in the end, which really shouldn’t happen.” “All the posters everywhere mean nothing if I don’t know what it is they’re advocating,” Jayagoda added. ■H Contributions by Sandy Van and Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writers
AARON LAI / HIGHLANDER Executive Vice President-elect Michael Ervin is just one of the few familiar faces returning to ASUCR next year.
. OPINIONS . OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
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HIGHLANDER HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL EDITORIAL
TEACHING DIVERSITY THE RIGHT WAY
HIGHLANDER STAFF Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
Michael Rios
Colin Markovich
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editorinchief @highlandernews.org News Editor
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CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER
Having a diversity requirement would enable UCLA to ensure its students have the true exchange of ideas a university is supposed to provide.
CLA has faced some criticism recently for its diversity. A viral video created by UCLA student Sy Stokes last November protested the lack of diversity at the campus, where only 4 percent of undergraduates are black. Twenty-four percent of respondents at UCLA indicated that they experienced “exclusionary” conduct. Virtually everyone agrees that these numbers can and should be improved. But nobody agrees on how to do it. With affirmative action shot down by the California state legislature, the conversation has now turned to implementing mandatory diversity courses. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block is vigorously supporting the move, and numerous students have expressed support. This move is the right one for UCLA to undertake. Diversity is a vital part of any learning environment at any university, places where college students expand their horizons and debate different points of view. Students become better members of society as they learn to deal with diverse perspectives and mediate conflicting viewpoints. Without different people, life would be bland — diversity, after all, is the spice of life. But the odds are still long. Such a plan has failed to pass three times before. The most recent attempt occurred just two years ago, when faculty rejected the measure 224 to 175. It’s understandable that opposition exists — UCLA would have to undergo significant changes to be able to implement such a requirement successfully. But that shouldn’t prevent the university from moving forward with the proposal. And the problems that may arise are certainly not insurmountable. For one thing, mandatory diversity courses are nothing new — UCR already has an ethnicity requirement course in place, as do many UCs from as far north as UC Berkeley to the southernmost UC, UC San Diego. And in response to UC Davis student protests following a planned “Cinco de Drinko” party, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi has also called for the implementation
of a diversity requirement. It’s not a drastic move. UCLA would simply be joining the arc of the moral universe. Students have understandably balked at adding another course to their requirements — one of the most intimidating things a college student receives (after the bill for tuition) is the list of graduation requirements. Especially with so many students now attending the UC, getting the classes we need to graduate can be as difficult as finding a parking space in Lot 30. So adding yet another course requirement to the graduation to-do list is sure to cause consternation. However, there are smart ways to implement mandatory diversity courses and thereby avoid students raging at their schedules. One idea is to make the diversity requirement a two-for-one deal — UCLA can allow a course on diversity to meet both the diversity requirement and another general education requirement. UCR already does this by enabling the mandatory ethnicity requirement to also count for a miscellaneous humanities or social science course. This enables students to take a course on diversity without sacrificing their schedules. Only a select few courses should be eligible for this dual requirement so as to avoid diluting the meaning of the requirement in the first place. A perfunctory lecture on diversity can’t be the only thing that makes the course worthy of the diversity requirement label. But that’s when professors and students can dialogue with each other to synthesize new courses that previously did not exist. Combining a course on media with one on diversity, for instance, can provide a fresh set of perspectives that make it stand out from the crowd. UCLA should be prepared to fund the new crop of course offerings, of course. But at the end of the day, UCLA ends up with more courses, both in number and in variety, enhancing the student experience and the staff experience as well. The courses should also be structured in a way that entices students to attend. Courses
with low enrollment and low turnout get cancelled — a poison pill for a fledgling diversity requirement. So, in addition to their own interests, professors must take into consideration what students are interested in learning. One suggestion is to ensure that an array of diversity courses is offered, raising the likelihood that one piques a student’s interest. The way courses are taught can also be changed. History and theory are vital components of any diversity course, but the classes can contain practical information as well. Knowing what words to say and not say, and how to address people in a respectful way is a valuable life skill, important for anyone who wants to live in a society with other people. But whether through obliviousness or through ignorance, people sometimes don’t learn the lesson until it’s too late. A mandatory diversity class could give students that practical crash course in the acceptable standards of dialogue, helping us succeed in society. Some students and faculty may go in kicking and screaming — this is true of many classes, not just diversity ones. But if the right material is taught, and it is taught well, students will nonetheless emerge from the class with a better understanding of diverse perspectives than they previously had. Who knows, those that first originated the protests may eventually grow to like them. “The diversity of the people of California has been the source of innovative ideas and creative accomplishments throughout the state’s history into the present,” reads the UC regents’ policy on diversity. “Diversity can enhance the ability of the University to accomplish its academic mission.” UCLA can take up the mantle of accomplishment and be the source of the next step forward on ■H diversity. In so doing, it can better achieve its own academic mission. 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.
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TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
HIGHLANDER WRITE-OFF Should powdered alcohol be legalized?
Powdered alcohol spells trouble JENY ORTEZ Contributing Writer
Drinking — “Everyone does it!” “Just try it!” “One drink won’t hurt!” Neither will two or maybe three. But once you go one drop over your limit you may find yourself with your arms wrapped around a toilet or blacked out and not knowing what happened the night before. But it’s okay, right? You have a designated driver and they will get you home safe; you just have to get through the next day’s hangover and it’ll all be fine. Many people underestimate the dangers of alcohol every day. People under 21 in particular sometimes forget that drinking alcohol comes with serious responsibilities. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, underage drinking is one of the leading problems in the U.S., resulting in traffic injuries and long-term effects like strokes, hypertension and cancer. What’s more, the age for those who engage in binge-drinking activities has declined throughout the years, meaning that younger and younger children have experimented with alcohol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about “4,300 annual deaths among underage youth” are caused by alcohol. Even though alcohol is legal for consumers over 21, the truth is that underage drinking is part of this country’s reality. Adolescents and young adults will find a way to purchase alcohol in search of a good time. But a new substance called Palcohol can make matters worse. Palcohol is powdered alcohol that can be mixed with water to create alcoholic beverages anywhere and at anytime at all. The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau had approved Palcohol for retail sale, but fortunately withdrew its approval after 13 days. Palcohol makes it easier to transport and carry alcohol around. By making it more compact, the creator of Palcohol is also making it easier for adolescents to hide alcohol from parents or other authority figures who many otherwise oppose consumption of alcohol. As a result, it would facilitate underage alcohol consumption and all the risks that come with it. The website promoting Palcohol mentions that companies have considered the product to make new items such as adult ice cream. Using a dessert to encourage the consumption of alcohol can be an appealing idea to adolescents, but by pointing this out online, the company is glamorizing the idea of powdered alcohol. Big companies will see a market and advertise it, making it into a trend young people would want to follow. Because adolescents and young adults like to follow the latest trends, glamorizing alcohol in this way would only promote its consumption to the wrong audience. Another negative aspect of this product is its potential misuse. Consumers, including underage drinkers, can easily snort the powder which would be incredibly dangerous. Alcohol is meant to be consumed in moderation. It is meant to be consumed in social events. It is meant to ease tensions, creating a relaxed atmosphere in which people feel comfortable socializing with one another. It is not meant to get hammered and make a fool out of yourself. Even though Palcohol is intended for responsible use, no one, besides the consumer, is able to stop misuse. It is important to note the concentration level of alcohol in this powder — one packet of Palcohol can contain up to 60 percent alcohol by volume, which is more than six times as much as a can of beer. Uninformed drinkers, regardless of age, may be unaware of how much alcohol they are really consuming. These drinker-friendly pouches may not turn out as friendly when they get people stumbling all over the place. Introducing Palcohol as easy and fun to use without the hassle of buying mixers makes this an appealing product to anyone. But alcohol is already glamorized by the appealing commercials on national television. This country does not need to promote the use of another harmful substance. Adolescents and young adults will always find ways to access substances they aren’t supposed ■H to — but adding another one to the list is not going to solve the problem.
California is mature enough for powdered alcohol JAMESON ADAME Staff Writer
If people want to drink badly enough, they’ll find a way to drink. That is the simple truth about how alcohol consumption works. It should be no surprise then that since it’s easy enough to get a drink — over a third of underage people in the United States have drunk at least some alcohol — it would eventually become easier to consume it as well. This is where Lipsmark has come to save the day with its new product Palcohol. Palcohol is vaporized alcohol that comes in a variety of flavors, including vodka, rum, lemon drop and more, originally developed so its creator could enjoy beverages in a way that did not weigh down his physically active lifestyle. Product labels were recently approved for Palcohol by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, but were rescinded 13 days later, as this approval was found to be made in error. Regardless, the company claims it is only a matter of time before product labels are approved, and the company expects Palcohol to hit the market this fall. The truth is, California is already prepared for Palcohol to hit store shelves, even if it never does. Laws have been around for 40 years concerning powdered alcohol, qualifying its sale as subject to the same rules and regulations as those that affect the sale of liquid spirits. Considering this, vaporized booze would be just as hard or easy to buy as alcohol already is in California. Additionally, there are claims made on the company’s website that the approval of this product could lead to innovations in medical sterilization practices and reduced airfare since vaporized alcohol carries less weight. So why hasn’t Palcohol already hit store shelves and what would be the drawbacks to it doing so? The answers to these questions lay in product consumption, not its production and sale. One of the first things that brought Lipsmark under fire was its attempt at “edginess,” saying on its website that, “Yes, you can snort it. And you’ll get drunk almost instantly because the alcohol will be absorbed so quickly in your nose. Good idea? No. It will mess you up.” A joke in bad taste, this reveals one danger vaporized alcohol presents: the lengths to which people go to get drunk or high. There may be only a minority of people foolish enough to snort something cited to cause nasal damage, but it will happen nevertheless. However, this is the case with any mind-altering substance available, so it would be an effort in futility to think that people’s actions when trying to have fun will ever be entirely controllable. The other — and far more pertinent — issue is the ease with which it can be concealed. While the company’s website states that bags of the product would be 4-by-6 inches, the powder could be placed into a smaller bag and smuggled into airports, restaurants, concerts or sporting events. Since people could easily smuggle this product, sports stadiums in and out of colleges could potentially lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, as a side effect of people not wanting to pay stadium pricing for beer and other spirits. This also creates whole new potentials for public drunkenness when food is seasoned with Palcohol. Advertised on its website, the potential for flavoring food is complicated by people hiding the product and overusing it to season food and drinks they purchase at events with otherwise controlled alcohol consumption. Seemingly ridiculous, it’s not impossible to imagine next year’s UCR concert series marked with attendees being escorted out while insisting in slurs that “I can tell you when I’ve had too many cheeseburgers!” Though Palcohol doesn’t present any new challenges for drug enforcement on the production and sale side, the regulation of its use might prove problematic. However, the overall issues that arise with Palcohol aren’t enough to deny making it available for purchase. ■H
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
9
Opinion Poll What are your plans after graduation?
C ompiled
by
R ichard L in
Kevin Hwee Accounting Fourth-year
Aica Dizon Political Science Fourth-year
Ramsey Haddad Environmental Engineering Fourth-year
Glenda Cuidad Real Biology Fourth-year
Luis Morales Business Adminstration Fourth-year
Violet Canalas Anthropology Fourth-year
“I plan on working. I actually got hired for a fulltime position.”
“I plan on taking a year off. I’m trying to look for a job, maybe an internship. I’m determined to go to grad school right after.”
“I’m going to continue working at the place I have an internship, and they’re going to offer me a fulltime job.”
“I plan on taking a year off. And then after that I’m going to apply to either physician’s assistant school or nurse practitioner.”
“I’m actually going to try and take a year off and look for a job right now. I’m going to be pursuing my Master’s in Accounting next fall.”
“I plan to move to LA and going to City Year. I’m going to be a City Year member.”
ASUCR actions on divestment hurt student democracy NATHAN SWIFT Staff Writer
On April 23, ASUCR passed Senate Resolution 18, which calls upon the UC to remove its financial holdings, or divest, from American companies, such as Caterpillar, that support the alleged human rights abuses conducted by the Israeli government against the citizens of Palestine. But many of the details surrounding the passage of this resolution point to how our own student government has failed to maintain democratic values regarding this issue. First off, the April 23 vote wasn’t the first time that ASUCR decided to bring up divestment. A previous vote on Feb. 18 failed to pass by 6-7-1, even as a previous divestment resolution had actually passed March 7 of last year. The resolution was later controversially rescinded, but it’s discouraging to think of how indecisive our student government can be when they keep flipflopping on something so important as divestment. But what’s worse is the fact that no matter what ASUCR decides to vote on regarding divestment, no matter how much they choose to flip-flop on the issue — it doesn’t really affect UC policy. The UC Board of Regents will only enforce a policy of divestment against Israel when the United States government decides to denounce Israel for committing acts of genocide.
Our federal government is currently not doing so. Creating dialogue on a touchy subject in a higher institution of learning is of course important, but why vote on a resolution? This is a retelling of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” where our student government merely votes on a policy that doesn’t change as much as it hopes to. This is an important dialogue that needs to be had, but why stir up divisions with this kind of vote? Why try to create dialogue with a vote that doesn’t affect the government’s policy? The vote may be symbolic, but in the end the world remains as it is. Also, just like its previous vote, ASUCR decided to make the April vote a secret ballot. Because as everybody knows, there’s no better way to practice representative democracy than by hiding votes from the students who elect them. Very smooth indeed. Now, most people are familiar with the two camps that surround the core of this conflict. The center of the conflict is between Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, an occurrence stemming from complex geopolitical reasons, including the horrors of the Holocaust, and the right of the Palestinian people to resist what they see as an Israeli takeover of the region. There’s been a lot of blood spilled on both sides throughout the last seven decades, from the Six-Day War of 1967 and Yom-
DANIEL GARCIA / HIGHLANDER ASUCR’s closed-ballot vote on the divestment resolution has broken no ground in inviting further dialogue on the topic of alleged human rights violations.
Kippur War of 1973 where Israel militarily defeated its neighbors, to Israel allegedly displacing over a quarter-million Palestinians from their homes since its initial occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinian attacks from the First and Second Intifada were one of the reasons why Israel decided to create the West Bank barrier and its military checkpoints, which many accuse of limiting the freedom of movement for Palestinians. The point here isn’t to defend one side over the other, but rather to agree upon the established, historical fact that both sides of this conflict have committed alleged humanitarian crimes upon each other, no matter the justifications, and that both sides of the coin need to be evenly and fairly addressed. And this is the heart of the matter regarding political ideal-
ism. In Senate Resolution 18, nearly every single line of blame was brought against Israel, not once calling out any actions taken by Palestinians. There are several things that SR 18 could have addressed regarding Palestine’s alleged human rights abuses. For example, it is documented that Hamas, the group that governs the Palestinian Gaza Strip, launched more than 1,800 rockets into Israeli civilian populations in 2012 alone. They have also detained and executed several civilians without due process. I will again assert that I am not arguing that one side of this conflict is just or in the right, but that both sides have committed several actions that need to be sorted out. Unfortunately, it appears that our student government just wants to find fault with one
side for its alleged humanitarian crimes. How is it that our own student government can pass unfair legislation that only discusses one whole side of a complicated political conversation, without even revealing their own votes or having any practical effect? SR 18 has done no good for opening up future dialogue on the issue. If our student government — or any government for that matter — wants to exercise useful dialogue on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, they cannot toss up legislation and say that it is done in the name of democracy when the legislation only represents half of the equation, so to speak. The many conundrums of our own student government will create a future where they’re only listening with one ear, to legislation with one perspective. That’s anything but ideal. ■H
The opinions expressed in the Opinions section belong solely to their authors and do not represent the Highlander Editorial Board or the University of California, Riverside.
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. FEATURES .
HIGHLANDER
LAVERNE COX: TAKING A BRAVE STAND
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Nathan Swift, Staff Writer // Photos by Janine Ybanez
averne Cox, a transgender woman famous for her role as Sophie Berset in the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black,” visited UCR last Wednesday on May 7 to discuss the trials she faced throughout her life and connected it with the issues that people in the transgender community continue to face today. Cox spoke in the University Theatre, where literally every seat was taken up by students, faculty and more. So many arrived at the event that several students here and there eventually just stood or sat in the aisles. The entire room was abuzz with a general sense of talking and laughter, which built up excitement and anticipation. One could’ve assumed that Bill Gates was coming to deliver a TED talk. The entire audience went crazy when Laverne Cox took the center of the stage. Cox held the crowd’s attention for the entire hour and a half that she spoke. Her words were infused with a powerful, personal touch, as she laid bare her story of defying social norms to be who she truly was. There is a saying that the opposite of bravery is not cowardice, but conformity. Cox’s words are testament to that bravery. Cox began by going right to the heart of the subject matter: LGBT acceptance and justice. As a transgender woman of color, Cox stated she wanted nothing more than the acceptance of her “multiple identities,” and to claim them “with pride, in public.” Cox presented this mission statement through the lens of justice by saying, “Justice is what love looks like in public, and transgender people could use a little justice, we could use a little love.” Cox aptly transitioned from that abstract concept of justice to a more tangible sense of the word by quoting Sojourner Truth, her voice gradually materializing as she slowly repeated the words: “Ain’t … I … a woman?” The crowd loved every single second of Laverne Cox’s speech. Every other moment, somebody in the crowd made some sort of cheerful howl or remark that ended up making most of the audience laugh, as well as Cox herself. Bill Gates may not have been there in UCR’s theatre, but the audience present wouldn’t have wanted anybody else up on that stage. Cox continued her talk about gender by quoting Simone de Beauvoir from “The Second Sex,” saying, “one is not born a woman, but rather becomes one.” “The Second Sex” was one of many books about gender that Cox read in her childhood, which further helped her establish her own identity. “Our culture teaches people that if you have a penis then you can only be a man who’s attracted to women, and vice-versa if you have a vagina … Let’s stop being the gender police.” The presentation took a darker turn when Cox opened up more about her upbringing. She described how tough it was to have her mother fully understand and sympathize with her as she explored who she really was. “I’ve had … very interesting conversations with my mother about what terms
to use, and how to speak about the transition to my new gender identity,” she said. It was comforting to learn that the conflicts between Cox and her mother were tough, but eventually successful. But many others were less sympathetic toward Cox, as she wasn’t even able to get into certain classes simply because of her gender. “When I was in middle school,” she said, “I was told I could enroll in jazz and dance, but not in ballet because that would’ve been ‘too gay’ for a guy like me.” Puberty hit Cox around the sixth grade, and she found that she was attracted to boys, for which she felt great internalized shame from her community’s disapproval. “My grandmother Madea passed away when I was in sixth grade,” she said, “and I remember being up late one night, mourning her loss, and thinking that she was in heaven, and that she knew about my ‘sinful’ thoughts. I felt like I was disappointing her.” Cox’s voice softened, even trembled a little, when she brought up her suicide attempt, where she gulped down pills from a bottle and went to sleep “hoping to never wake up again.” The entire audience cheered for Cox when she choked up and then revealed the heartbreaking statistic that “41 percent of all transgender people have attempted suicide, compared to 1 percent for the rest of the population.” Cox spent the rest of her speech talking about how she adjusted to her new identity as an adult, which included dressing up as a woman for the first time in college, how tough it was to go through transitioning for about six years and the continued harassment that she ran into on the street. For example, she brought up a memory of an African American man and a Latino man debating each other at a subway over which racial slur to call her. Another time, she was kicked by a man on a sidewalk, and the police didn’t arrest or pursue him due to the physical assault being labeled as simple harassment. Laverne Cox ended her presentation with a short Q-and-A session. The questions (and the thank-yous that were said before them) addressed a number of things, such as how to confront and stop LGBT bullying, or how to get people to care about the issues at hand. Above anything, Cox stressed the importance of creating a broader dialogue with as many people as possible, as well as the importance of not focusing on too much negativity. “I want to be able to change people’s hearts and minds,” said Cox, “but I have to go where it’s warm. We have to meet people who are willing and open to having the discussion. This is life and death for a lot of people.” The friendly presentation concluded with a massive group photo with Cox and most of the audience onstage. The audience flocked to the stage eagerly, ready to stand proud next to the poised and powerful speaker. As they did so, it was only obvious how Laverne Cox’s speech inspired the hearts of many and united them in overcoming the trials many face to simply be themselves. ■H
Her words were infused with a powerful, personal touch, as she laid bare her story of defying social norms to be who she truly was. There is a saying that the opposite of bravery is not cowardice, but conformity. Cox’s words are testament to that bravery.
Laverne Cox spoke proudly to the audience at the University Theatre of her struggles as a transgender woman and how her experiences aren’t unique to herself but are happening to the LGBT community.
HIGHLANDER
FEATURES
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
and OVER
21 CLUB
Kat Daddy Brewery Naman Patel, Contributing Writer // Photos by Richard Lin Kat Daddy Brewery has been making interesting and unique beers since they first opened their doors. The brewery is located in Moreno Valley off the 215 freeway and Elsworth Street, and Marcus “Kat Daddy” Cole has been brewing here since 2009. Kat Daddy Brewery is still a very small location but has a dedicated crew who truly love the work they are doing and the product they are selling: delicious beer! The building itself is fairly simple, situated within the confines of an industrial area. When you enter through the massive garage door with the Kat Daddy Brewery insignia above (a lion’s head), you are greeted with a massive whiteboard indicating the 18 beers. The main complex is divided into two smaller areas: the bar and storage room and then a decentsized seating space. One can’t help but also notice the two massive 55-gallon bourbon barrels waiting
to be filled with upcoming beer. Kat Daddy Brewery normally has four to five beers on tap at any one time, but they rotate among their selection weekly. The slogan for Kat Daddy Brewery is “selective beers for selective palates” and it definitely shows in the craftsmanship and dedication that goes into their beers. No two beers are that similar in taste and you never know what will be on tap the next. The Kat Daddy beers available on tap this time were the Karl’s Bad Ass Ale (5.7 percent ABV), the Vanilla Nut Coffee (5.6 percent ABV), the Warthog Belgian Strong Ale (7.8 percent ABV) and lastly the Black Rye Oaked (8.0 percent ABV). I started with the Karl’s Bad Ass Ale, which was a fairly simple pale ale with a light orange color. Like most pale ales, it tasted and smelled ever so faintly bitter; however, it was still sweet enough to balance
everything out. The Vanilla Nut Coffee was an interesting beer as it was an ale brewed with coffee. Normally a beer with coffee flavors is made as a porter or stout — darker beers that are more fitting in terms of color and richness with coffee. But the Vanilla Nut Coffee works well as an ale, as it gives the beer a slight sweetness and provides those subtle hints of vanilla. This beer will also have a different taste depending on which coffee was used during the brewing process. The last two beers were the better offerings available on tap that day. The Warthog Belgian Strong Ale was poured using a nitrogen (or nitro) tap instead of a conventional carbon dioxide tap feed. A normal beer is carbonated with carbon dioxide, but sometimes that creates harshness in the beer. To smooth ► SEE KAT DADDY, PAGE 13
A pint of the London Ale (topmost photo) is just one of numerous beers you can try at Kat Daddy Brewery located in Moreno Valley.
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FEATURES
HIGHLANDER
Restaurant Review:
Bann Thai RATING: ★★★★☆
By Brenna Dilger, Staff Writer // Photos by Cameron Yong
I
’d like to start this review off by saying that I am not generally a fan of most Asian food. When I first moved to California, everyone raved about boba, but I was devastatingly disappointed when I tried it and I honestly still don’t understand the appeal. I’m that person who is never in the mood for Chinese takeout and the long line at Panda Express in the HUB is enough to deter me from ever having eaten there. So I am not an expert on Thai cuisine and I have no idea what “authentic” Thai cuisine is supposed to be. However, for what my novice opinion is worth, I was very impressed by Bann Thai. The restaurant is a quaint, little place on Brockton Avenue — another hole-in-the-wall place that doesn’t look like much. It appears a bit like a residential home on the outside, and the inside is nothing special — it resembles the typical restaurant layout. I wouldn’t say that this place has great ambiance. But even though the place looks like it is super under the radar, the food here was off the charts. To start off my dining experience, I ordered the fried wontons, which were stuffed with ground
chicken. They were possibly my favorite part of the meal; they were warm, soft, sweet and full of flavor. And they brought eight of them! I am used to only getting a measly three per order from other places, so I was ridiculously excited to have a larger-than-normal amount, and it was more than enough wonton goodness to satisfy me.
But even though the place looks like it is super under the radar, the food here was off the charts. For my entree, I ordered the pad see ewe, since it seemed like a divisive dish on Yelp. The dish consisted of stir-fried flat rice noodles with egg, garlic, broccoli, carrots and your choice of meat. It was doused in a sweet, delicious soy sauce and the combination of noodles and veggies was refreshingly delectable. I don’t see why some
Bann Thai’s pad see ewe (pictured top right) is one of many of their reasonably priced and generously portioned menu items.
Yelp-goers condemned the pad see ewe, because I thought it was everything a Thai dish should be. Overall, the food was more than satisfying and I had no disappointments. The service here was also beyond exceptional. My waitress was impeccably friendly and helpful, and the food came out so fast that I barely had time to sit around bored. Granted, it was not exceptionally busy when I came for lunch, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the quick, quality service. And, more importantly, the prices here were very student-friendly. My entire meal was around $12, and that was with an appetizer, entree and drink. And they certainly didn’t skimp on portion sizes either — I brought home leftovers. I didn’t think the food here was life-changing or rave-worthy, but it was certainly good, and I would recommend giving this place a go. I have no complaints about Bann Thai, and I had a very pleasant dining experience here. Those of you well-versed in Thai cuisine may strike a different opinion. But for me, it is a good, affordable Thai restaurant and I can safely say that Bann Thai is the way to go. ■H
HIGHLANDER
FEATURES
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
13
► KAT DADDY FROM PAGE 11
KUCR RADIO 88.3
WEDNESDAYS @ 9AM
Kat Daddy offers many choices for tasters for the curious palette. Some of those tasters include the Black Rye Oaked, Karl’s Bad Ass Ale, Vanilla Nut Coffee and the Warthog Belgian Dark.
HIGHLANDER NEWSROOM
out the beer, brewers will use nitrogen, as it is a much more stable gas (for instance, Guinness on draft is poured on nitro) and the result is a creamier consistency. For a beer such as the dark brown Strong Ale, which can have an intensely alcoholic taste, the nitro contributes a very light mouth feel for the beer, with hints of bitter and malty notes to it. The Black Rye Oaked beer was a typical rye beer but was aged in oak barrels. A lot of breweries use oak, bourbon or wine barrels to age beers for various timeframes (which can range anywhere from three months to more than a year) to add flavor and complexity. The Black Rye had a jet-black color and produced a milk chocolatecolored head. The look would indicate a sweet and heavily malted beer, but that was not the case. The beer smelled strongly of oak and tasted slightly sour. It is very difficult to make a balanced oak-aged beer as the oak flavors can become very overwhelming. In the future, Kat Daddy Brewery will be going through some changes in ownership. The new owners will continue to keep the current rotation of beers but will also add their own beers to the mix as well as more nonalcoholic beverages. Also in Kat Daddy Brewery’s near future is collaborations between different breweries such as Sons of Liberty (a small brewery in Corona, Calif.). But for now, Kat Daddy Brewery keeps brewing new beers and going every week is an adventure to see what they ■H will have on tap next.
MEETINGS ON MONDAYS 5:15PM @ HUB 101
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HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Events this week Tuesday | 5/13 Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation @ University Theatre, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday | 5/14 Film Screening: Death of a Shaman @ Costo Hall 244, 7 p.m.
Wednesday | 5/14
Thursday | 5/15
White Arrows Feat. Say Say @ The Barn, 8 p.m.
Laura Ling: Trapped in North Korea @ University Theatre, 7 p.m.
Alchemist from Step Brothers blasts his music at the Barn.
JASON LIN / HIGHLANDER
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
HIGHLANDER
“Bearing Our Soles” and truth, life success bears one woman’s
Yasmin Kleinbart, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Jason Lin
A
s a writer, I know that every story stems from some sort of life experience. Whether it is a memoir or fiction, there is always a personal influence, no matter how minuscule it is. While watching last Friday’s play, “Bearing Our Soles,” I realized that few people can document their life experiences as vividly as Regina Louise. Not only does her play reveal these tremendous stories, but so does her persona. Just listening to her speak for half an hour was like listening to a preacher conducting a church sermon — full of passion and love for what she does and what she knows. “Bearing Our Soles” has had an interesting journey. Based off her memoir, “Somebody’s Someone,” it was inspired by a moment when Louise shared her life story at a charity event. After she got off stage, the following presenter ripped up her speech and started telling her own life story. She then realized that all of our life stories are connected in their own way. “Our stories are relational,” she said in an interview. “They’re connected. Your stories are my stories.” And she talks about these stories by incorporating different pairs of shoes because, according to her, shoes speak louder than words. Louise has had many pairs of shoes in her life to guide her on her adventures. In fact, Louise’s first pair of shoes were two planks of wood attached by a belt that was used to beat her with — something that is illustrated in the playbill. Her story is told with such anguish and emotion that it’s amazing how strong of a woman Louise has become. “Bearing Our Soles” is about 11-year-old Vivian Louise, who finds herself in a foster home in Austin, Texas. When she is left under the care of an extremely abusive foster home, she — as Louise put it — makes a pact with God to get out and find a mother who loves her. This play was written especially to bring awareness to Foster Kids Awareness month, which incidentally is this month. Having grown up in the foster system, Louise is a passionate advocate for bringing awareness to these children. “This crap happens every day and these kids don’t get any help,”
she said. “It only takes one person to ground them and understand them.” Before the play commenced, Rod Bacon, one of Louise’s colleagues, came on stage and gave information on the foster system so the audience could understand the play’s context. He recited statistics such as the fact that 20,000 foster children grow out of the foster system with no home, and over 70 percent of incarcerated people in California have a foster background. These disturbing numbers brought chills to my spine and made me realize how much I didn’t know about what these children have to go through. The actual play was simple. There were no props or stage sets, or anything to that degree. There were only five actors dressed in all black, sitting at chairs reading from a stand, as if they were at a scene reading. Since there wasn’t anything distracting to look at, all you could do was listen to the words they said. The writing was extremely powerful, and with intense emotion to deliver them, there was never a dull moment. Two different versions of Vivian were portrayed on stage: Gabby Kreszchuk was the child, and Angelina Aguilera was the adult. Not only were they amazing at both of their roles, but they had sparks igniting from all over the place due to the force of their emotions. Despite them being around the same age, they embodied their respective roles. Aguilera looked like an older version of Kreszchuk, which made the story even more believable. On their own, their acting didn’t even seem like acting at all; it felt like they had directly absorbed Louise’s personality. Both Kreszchuk and Aguilera gave off Louise’s vibrant attitude perfectly. But even though they both had that personality, they still acted within their roles — Kreszchuk never once left Vivian’s “child phase,” and whenever she spoke, I saw an innocent little girl just wanting to be loved. When they gave their separate monologues, their screaming and cursing at the people who
Left to right: Young Vivian expresses her anguish about her skin color; Young Vivian and Old Vivian struggle with insecurities growing up in the foster system; Ralph Loyola takes on multiple roles during the performance.
wronged them came from somewhere else. “I’m a nobody’s child!” Aguilera screamed at the audience as tears ran down her face. In fact, I could have sworn I saw them both actually crying at one point. The play consisted of many other different elements, such as poems written by MFA students and California poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, and other stories of people connected to Vivian. One of the most touching stories was the one of Miss Kerr — the mother who would come to love her. Brandi Douglas played this character with an angelic side to her to the point that, by the end, I wanted her as my mother. When they finally reunited at the end, one of Aguilera’s last lines — “It’s official. I’m a daughter.” — provided an unexpectedly happy ending that I truly loved. I never knew the end of Louise’s story, and I never believed in miracles, either, but seeing the conclusion of her story after 25 years makes me believe in the phrase, “Everything will be alright in the end.” “Bearing Our Soles” was sad, raw and full of real situations that occur in the foster system. From cruel social workers, to moving through over thirty foster homes, Louise educates the audience about how hard of a life it is to live. Through great acting and tears from both the audience and actors, this play is something that I hope won’t be limited to just Riverside. I hope that it spreads to more areas so more people can be aware of not only Louise’s life, but how all people are connected through soles and, most importantly, their H stories.■
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
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MUSIC REVIEWS NIKKI NACK // TUNE-YARDS
RATING: ★★★★☆ BY: JAKE RICH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
B
efore listening to “Nikki Nack,” Merrill Garbus’ third fulllength album under tUnE-yArDs, I had listened very little to the music project before. I had them recommended to me, but for whatever reason neglected to give them too much time — maybe it was the junior-high-Myspaceesque capitalization techniques employed in the writing of their name. And after one listen to “Nikki Nack,” the music was a bit overwhelming. But after repeated listens and time to digest the cacophony of sounds seemingly thrown together at random, intricacy among the madness emerged. This is where the strength of “Nikki Nack” lies. If one feels like simply dancing or shouting to the music, it’s completely suited to those ends — but beneath patchwork of styles and madness, lyrical and musical depth emerge, and allow the madness to be contemplated in peace or while dancing to your heart’s desire. On “Nikki Nack,” Garbus’ trusty ukulele — the center of many of her old tunes — is nowhere to be found. The first track, “Find A New Way,” devoid of ukulele, proclaims that Garbus is indeed trying to find a new way. Backed by a rollicking, rolling drum beat, occasional carnival synths and an unrelenting bass, Garbus whispers and shouts, “I tried to tell him all the reasons that I had to never sing again / And he replied ‘You better find a new way.’” The lead single, “Water
Fountain,” may be the catchiest current song out there with a harsh critique behind it. Her recent lessons in Haitian percussion are evident (as it is on most of the album’s tracks) — Garbus’ voice and the bass go hand in hand as laser sounds emerge over the banging of a triangle, while all colliding in the song’s climax in a frenzied heap of sound that demands one to turn up the volume. All of this goes on while Garbus sings, “Greasy man come and dig my well / Life without your water is a burning hell / Serve me up with your home-grown rice / Anything make me shit nice,” critiquing corporate greed that destroys the environment at any cost to make more profit. “Real Thing” showcases the range of Garbus’ voice, and even with a lot going on, it is one of the barest tracks on the album. A soulful Garbus sings over a sultry beat before a looming fuzzy bass comes from nowhere and takes over — and she explodes. Like a preacher expounding wisdom to followers, she harshly chants over occasional “la la las,” critiquing capitalism, body image stereotypes and the objectification of Native Americans. Over all the declarations of hypocrisy, it’s the way that Garbus finishes the song that makes it a fantastic positive message. She sings gospel-like at the top of her lungs, “Ugly one be you, who you are / Ugly but you’re pretty already,” ending with a repeated chant of “I’m a real thing.” Other songs, like “Wait for a
Courtesy of 4AD
Minute,” and “Rocking Chair,” showcase more minimalism for Garbus as her vocal range allows for a plethora of emotions to be explored. Though there are times when varying styles and the clashing of sounds is a bit too much on certain tracks, it is not enough to push this roller coaster of an album off the rails. “Nikki Nack,” while initially
overwhelming, proves to be worth multiple listens, and is fit to suit many different moods of listeners. The intricacy among the frenzied changes of pace rewards patient listeners who dare to sit through an apparently jumbled collage of sound more than once. All of its versatility certainly makes “Nikki Nack” one of the top albums of 2014
so far. Garbus sums up her listeners’ varied feelings as she sings, “Your music’s in your pocket / With the power you can even imagine.” “Nikki Nack” is an album that deserves to be listened to at full volume, and then away from the crowds in the silence of your bedroom at once — and taking the time to do that H is certainly worth the effort. ■
BREATHING STATUES // YOUNG MAGIC
RATING: ★★☆☆☆ BY: KELLY DUARTE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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oung Magic has always been a hybrid group, able to mix electronic and pop with global elements. The group is comprised of Isaac Emmanuel and Michael Italia, who both come from diverse backgrounds. Emmanuel, a native Australian, and Italia, who has Indonesian roots, spent time exploring abroad before forming the group, and ultimately made this album while touring four continents, wrapping it up in their New York home. With this in mind, this group should have been able to gather enough music from around the world to produce a unique album with its own trademark sound. Unfortunately, “Breathing Statues” does little to distinguish Young Magic from other artists who fall into the same electronic category. The album starts off with an odd 29-second-long song called “One” that seems to go nowhere and doesn’t even transition into the second song. From there, it takes on the ethereal and dreamy tones that have become a trend with other electronic artists. With layers upon layers of synth and bass, the group doesn’t add new elements to make the sound stand out; it doesn’t really matter the order the songs are in, because almost the whole album sounds like one continuous song, all mixing together and making it hard to determine when one song ends and the other begins. For most albums,
smooth transitions are really effective, but if you can’t tell most of the songs apart, it just becomes a jumbled mess. At times, Young Magic tries to break the mold by adding a song with a more pronounced bass-line, but fails at doing so by falling back into the same rhythmic and vocal pattern that exists in every track. The only two songs that stand out are “Hologram” and “Mythnomer” — although not revolutionary, they are a nice break from the almost-trance music that leaves a numb haze echoing around in listeners’ ears. “Hologram” picks up the pace as the most energetic song in this album. It feels like the only one that doesn’t rely on that airy tone, and keeps a good rhythm that will keep your head bobbing as you listen, which is the most positive reaction that you will get out of “Breathing Statues.” While “Mythnomer” begins to fall into the same slow pattern that the whole album continues, it is heavier on percussion and contains fewer instrumental and digital layers than the other songs — and its minimalism leaves a big impact in this album because it doesn’t have as much repetitive texture as the other songs. The takeaway from “Breathing Statues” is that if you are looking for a good electronic-trance piece to put in the background, then give it a listen. The main point is to provide atmosphere, and this is great to put on if you want to be overcome
Courtesy of Carpark Records
with calmness while working on something else, or if you want to take a nap. But besides having a great atmospheric tone, it doesn’t provide anything else. The album
melds so much into the background that it’s easy to forget that it’s even there at times; it fades out and leaves no memorable aspects, ■H so light that it ultimately disappears.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
HIGHLANDER
I NEVER LEARN // LYKKE LI
RATING: ★★★☆☆ BY: CHRISTAL MIMS, STAFF WRITER
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ykke Li is no stranger to heartache. Her debut album, “Youth Novels,” and its successor, “Wounded Rhymes,” have each had their share of the blues, and Li proceeds to sing the same tune with her new album, “I Never Learn.” She describes it as the third part of a trilogy chronicling the life of a woman in her 20s, and the pain and confusion that goes along with that time. Compared to her first two projects, “I Never Learn” has to be the most solemn one yet. The grandeur present in the production of every song remains, but “I Never Learn” lacks the heavy pop vibe of her first two albums, which both churned out a few dance hits. The indie-pop songstress personally digs deeper with her latest effort, and as a result we have an instrumentally simpler, but lyrically heart-
wrenching, set of songs from Li. With only nine songs on the entire album, Li keeps it short and sweet. Song titles like “Never Gonna Love Again,” “Heart of Steel” and “Sleeping Alone” make it clear that this
To put it simply, if you’ve just gone through a breakup, this is the album for you. album is not going to be about rainbows and sunshine. Li is heartbroken and not afraid to show it. In “Never Gonna Love Again,” she gravely serenades the listener with lyrics like,
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“Baby can you hear the rain fall on me / Never gonna love again / Baby can you hear my heart cry tonight / Never gonna love again.” She moves in and out of playing the angry, scorned lover and the girl who yearns for love, despite the possibility of a negative outcome. In “Love Me Like I’m Not Made of Stone,” she begs to be loved despite her shortcomings, played over a simple, acoustic guitar melody. In “Gunshot,” one of the album’s best songs, an intense snare drum beats in the background as Li succumbs to the chaos of a toxic relationship. A few other songs share the same massive, full sound, including “No Rest for the Wicked,” which features a distant piano lingering in and out of a melody filled with booming drums and a gloomy bass line. “Just like a Dream” is the only song that doesn’t sound completely depressing. With an upbeat tempo, rattling tambourine and basic piano melody, it’s a song that you can listen to even if you haven’t been laying in bed all day on the verge of tears. Li never quite reaches a place of happiness in any of her songs — and that’s okay, because she has perfected the sad song. However, you
Courtesy of LL Recordings
really do have to be in the mood to listen to an album like this, because it’s a bit overwhelming to listen to songs that speak of nothing but heartbreak through and through. The album’s closer, “Sleeping Alone,” is a beautiful piano ballad in which Li sings about the pain of loneliness and the horror of lost love. She does, however, add a bit of hope at the end, singing, “Some last / Some die / Some love wait till it’s time / If you save your heart for mine / We’ll meet again.” For her, it’s a big step from being
completely hopeless, but doesn’t deter from the album’s theme of heartache. To put it simply, if you’ve just gone through a breakup, this is the album for you. If you’re trying to maintain a jubilant attitude for the rest of your day, I suggest you find something else to listen to. Li’s songs are full of beauty and her voice is hypnotizing, and as she says in one of her songs, she is indeed a siren. But subjectwise, she explores little other than the tormented mind of the heartbroken, and it can become a bit redundant. ■H
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
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VIDEO GAME REVIEW “DARK SOULS II” PC REVIEW
RATING: ★★★★☆ BY: JAMESON ADAME, STAFF WRITER
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“
ark Souls II” has finally come out on Steam to the sound of PC gamers everywhere rejoicing and preemptively rage quitting. The latest in From Software’s “Souls” series, this game comes with the promise of great gameplay, a nearly incomprehensible story and so many deaths that the previous game was given a “Prepare to Die” edition. Fortunately, the game delivers on every single one of these expectations, all while running at the heartbreakingly gorgeous level that PC gamers have come to expect. Famous for — or probably infamous for — its intense difficulty, one of the many fears that have plagued anyone excited for “Dark Souls II” is the rumor that the game’s difficulty has been toned down by From Software to increase the game’s accessibility. For what it’s worth, this is true, and this is the easiest game thus far. My own experience with this came about when my sorcerer (affectionately named Unicorn Wizard) had blown through the first dungeon and killed the boss, and had only died once. Despite what people might think, this number is shockingly low. On a side note, the game’s design around
swordplay and melee combat makes it even easier when playing a class that uses primarily ranged weaponry. Easier as it is, From Software has included in the game the Covenant of Champions, which the player can join to bring the game’s difficulty back up to what experienced “Souls” series players expect. “Dark Souls II” has a story. At least, I think it has a story — there are cutscenes, so I assume it has to be true. As in the previous game, for the players to get a comprehensive view of the plot, they have to take an active role in discovering the lore of the game world. Instead of the passive movielike plot dumps that other games might rely on, “Dark Souls II” requires players to read item summaries, talk to NPC characters and explore otherwise hidden portions of the stage. Despite its obscure story, the game is also very accessible for new audiences, as there are very few significant links to the plot of the first game. Gameplay is what players expect from the series: an action RPG based around precision movement and a need to understand how individual enemies move and attack. Like previous games, to understand the controls, players need to read the easy-to-miss
Courtesy of From Software instructions in the primary tutorial level, as well as play around a bit on their own. Game invasion, an aspect where other players cross over into your game to try and help or kill you (usually kill you) is still present, but has been streamlined like much of the rest of the game, and now exists primarily in sections of the game where cross-player combat is available in arena-like zones. One of the issues that this game has that its predecessor didn’t is that the levels don’t feel like a cohesive world. In the previous installment of the series, players would make progress in the game only to find that the world was a continuous entity, looping back around to areas that the player had been to hours earlier. In this entry, the connected world has been replaced in favor of a fast travel network of bonfires. While making travel quicker, this system by its very nature makes the game too easy, as in order to make fast travel possible the number of bonfires — places that can heal players and replenish particular healing items — throughout the levels has been increased. Visually, “Dark Souls II” looks great on Steam. The graphics, still a significant downgrade from what early trailers had promised,
are beyond adequate, and look great running at 1080p. Likewise, the frame rate that the PC release allows is great; running at 60fps, players are given a better, more controlled experience than what is currently available on consoles. Steam also gives the game strong online support, a feature upon which the game hinges, allowing for invasions, player summoning and writing messages that others can see and rate to give you health. “Dark Souls II” is one of the best games to come out in a while. Though not quite as strong as the
previous entry, this is made up for by being the most accessible, making it the best starting point for new players to the series. Additionally, while not having the best enemy designs in the series (the majority of bosses are just humanoid) there are still some interesting design choices that will leave players simultaneously yelling in frustration and wanting more. If you have a computer that can handle it, this is a game that should definitely be picked up, especially when available for $10 less than the current console price. ■H
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TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
MOVIE REVIEWS COMING OUT SOON:
GODZILLA
MILLION DOLLAR ARM
THE IMMIGRANT
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
NEIGHBORS
RATING: ★★★☆☆
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BY: STASEAN WASHINGTON, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
railers are notorious for being misleading. You think a movie is going to be good — until you are 30 minutes into the movie and it is too late for a refund. The first trailer for Nicholas Stoller’s new film, “Neighbors,” aired in September, and I was led to believe that the film was your run-of-the-mill party movie with a slew of back-andforth slapstick prank comedy that I would gladly overlook. I entered the movie theater expecting something among the likes of “American Pie,” “Project X” or “21 and Over,” where the film is packed with beautiful women, party sequences and random senseless comedy. All of the above are present, but the film goes much deeper and was strangely enjoyable. Although the comedy was played out by a long marketing campaign, the film contained likable characters played by capable actors. The film opens with a couple, Mac and Kelly Radner (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne), and their newborn, Stella, settling into their new home. The Gen X couple finds it hard to adjust to their new duties as parents, while also trying to maintain their old party lifestyle.
When Delta Psi, a Gen Y college fraternity, moves in next door, the two see this as a chance to be “cool” once again — but worry about the safety of their daughter. Surprisingly, the film does not start with unwarranted hate between both parties. The Radners are invited by fraternity president Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) and vice president Pete (Dave Franco) to party with Delta Psi. They share a symbiotic relationship: Mac and Kelly get to relive their glory days, while Delta Psi is safe from having the police called on them. When the relationship turns parasitic and Delta Psi begins to get out of hand, the couple attempts to call the police anonymously, but their plans are foiled by caller ID. What ensues is what I originally expected: slapstick comedy. The Delta Psi fraternity wants revenge for being “betrayed,” while the Radners want to prove they are no pushovers. With a few twists and turns, the film goes from being a battle of pride to one of safety, security and the fear of growing up. Sadly, the film’s comedy is the least appealing aspect of the film. With several trailers and a marketing campaign running for nearly eight months, the audience
has seen most of the major comedy the film has to offer. The Wile E. Coyote-esque scenes, like hiding airbags and being pelted by a weight ball, are running gags that the audience has seen multiple times in the trailer. What the trailers did not show was the film’s unique characters and how well the actors managed to play them. Byrne’s character uses her previous reputation as a “hoe who has taken down some bros” to turn the fraternity against one another by getting them to break the “golden rule”: Bros before hoes.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Efron also is not your typical “bro” — he does a fantastic job of playing a disillusioned president who fears the future. Franco’s character is scarred by the divorce of his parents and uses the fraternity as a surrogate family. Although exposition on the characters’ backgrounds is given to the audience very judiciously, the actors bring complex characters to life in a stellar performance. Delta Psi, in and of itself, can be seen as a character because of how in sync the actors are. I went into the movie ready to hate the fraternity, but just couldn’t. The
fraternity seemed to be more than just party animals; they were a symbol of friendship and loyalty. From using synchronized “Hootie Hoos” as a way of finding each other at big parties, to sacrificing themselves so that a brother doesn’t ruin his future reputation, they were strangely likable. Although the film’s main comedic moments ran dry, its likable characters and great acting sprinkle a little life onto the more subtle moments of the film — which happen to be more comedic than the planned punchlines. ■H
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
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STEP BROTHERS at the Barn Juan Eduardo Flores, Staff Writer // Photos by Jason Lin
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wo hip-hop brothers performed last Wednesday here at UCR — and it was awesome. Evidence and Alchemist recently released a long overdue album together as Step Brothers, titled “Lord Steppington,” and they performed their new material, sprinkled with their prolific catalog, at the Barn for the Riverside crowd to go crazy over. As what has almost become Barn tradition, hip-hop acts tend to do sound check extremely late — as in, “a large majority of the crowd is already present” late. The show went on as planned as people continued to filter in. The crowd wasn’t nearly as big as when Evidence performed solo at the Barn a few quarters ago, and there doesn’t seem to be any good explanation for that. Evidence and Alchemist performing together seems like an even better scenario than Evidence alone, but nonetheless, the crowd was still present and active as soon as the Step Brothers took the stage. Attendees were as adamant as Alchemist and Evidence about putting on a good show.
The duo began their set with a few songs off “Lord Steppington,” beginning with the last song off the album, “Just Step.” The energy was real, and the fans were as knowledgeable about the music as the Step Brothers were about getting the right reaction out of the audience. Hands were high for a majority of the show and head nods rolled like waves. The crowd was following all of the hooks, and some fans were reciting the lyrics word-forword. One of the most memorable moments was when Evidence and Alchemist built up to their song, “Legendary Mesh” — regarding A Tribe Called Quest, Evidence said “Tip is very smooth,” while Alchemist fully believed that “Phife is very hype.” Evidence had half the crowd screaming about Tip’s smoothness, while Alchemist’s half of the room let the other side know that Phife’s hype was real. The crowd soon caught on to the infectious hook of “Legendary Mesh,” and the venue reached its peak as soon as the beat dropped. Alchemist stepped back for a part of the set to let Evidence shine with some of his single work. “Chase the Clouds Away”
and “Mr. Slow Flow” were obvious crowd favorites, as their anticipation was met with an eruption of cheers. The crowd was oh-toofamiliar with Evidence’s catalog, screaming out “I don’t need love” once the song came on. There were numerous songs played from the 2011 album, “Cats and Dogs,” which gained Evidence much of his present fame. The Alchemist-produced song “Red Carpet” was met with love, but unfortunately the features on that song, Raekwon the Chef and Rass Kass, weren’t there to spit their verses — otherwise, who knows if the Barn would have been left standing. Evidence then gave the stage to Alchemist. As one of the best producers in the game, and with a resume littered with production work for such artists as Mobb Deep, Rick Ross, Schoolboy Q and Earl Sweatshirt — to name a few — Alchemist put on a mix of some of his biggest and most famous beats. The instrumental mastermind behind a plethora of hip-hop hits, Alchemist kept the audience’s drive going without any lyrics, just beats. The crowd immediately reacted with
heavy enthusiasm once Alchemist spun his track produced for Mobb Deep, titled “The Realest.” The too-filthy-for-radio, bass-heavy track seriously injured some necks with its infectiously simple grooveline. From then on, Evidence and Alchemist finished the show with some songs from their work as Dilated Peoples and a couple more tracks off of “Lord Steppington.” They undoubtedly could’ve continued their set, but were prompted to wrap it up (due to UCR’s 11 p.m. curfew) after the violent bass from their body-numbing track, “Step Masters.” The Step Brothers put on a great performance that any fan of the group or hiphop would love. Evidence hung out afterward to sign T-shirts, CDs and posters while Alchemist chilled in the back to relax after their great performance. Most of the crowd clamored toward the front to have their stuff signed, and would have undoubtedly stayed longer to hear more great music from these artists. The only downside to this show was that my neck was hurting after jamming so ■H hard.
With Alchemist as DJ and Evidence on the microphone, the duo, dubbed Step Brothers, played their music to the Barn audience. Step Brothers’ music envoloped the Barn, driving the hip-hop-loving crowd wild.
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TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER
UCR tennis earns achievements off the court
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER
WEDNESDAYS @ 9AM
Tennis season wraps up as players hang up their rackets until next year’s season starts again.
KUCR RADIO 88.3
While they may have hung up their rackets for the season, the UC Riverside tennis teams continue to make noise off the court. The women’s team received a Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the fifth consecutive year by the NCAA. The APR is the annual record of academic achievement that measures eligibility, graduation rates and retention each semester or quarter for every Division I sports team. UCR was one of 1,049 teams to be publicly recognized for academic excellence. Cooper Bridge was
the saving grace for the men’s team and was named to the Big West All-Conference singles second team last week. In his first year with the Highlanders, Bridge played in various lineups in singles, posting a 10-12 record in dual matches. He led the team in match wins and was the only player to record doubledigit victories. Bridge, along with Michael Carella, were also named to the All-Conference doubles second team. As the Highlanders’ top doubles team, the duo went 4-14 on the season. The Highlanders struggled mightily during the season, with both squads posting a H 2-44 record combined.■
HIGHLANDER NEWSROOM
DARREN BUENO Senior Staff Writer
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
Road to the Cup:
LA Kings battle through the West JASON AHN Contributing Writer
One of the toughest team sports is ice hockey. It’s a high-speed, extremely coordinated game, with skaters zooming across an ice rink. It’s an exciting game to watch that has the nonstop pace of soccer and the hard hits of football. The NHL playoffs are now in full swing and fans everywhere are either huddled around their TV sets or shelling paychecks to see their teams in the arenas. The Los Angeles Kings, the best hockey team in California, are currently chasing their second Stanley Cup after winning the 2012 title. After falling to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Championship in 2013, they are in position to hoist the Stanley Cup once again. In 2012, the Kings became champions using an unorthodox defensive-styled play. They possessed the second-best defense led by their impassable goalie Jonathan Quick, which had a formidable effect on their opponents. The age-old saying of defense wins championships was true in this case. Their offense wasn’t as stellar as it ranked 29th with 2.29 goals a game. However, once the playoffs hit, their level of play rocketed. Defensively, they bumped up to first, allowing only 1.5 goals per game. On the other side of the rink, the team did even better, climbing to the third spot with 2.85 goals per game. The Kings proved they can elevate their game during the playoffs, getting better as the finals drew closer. This season, the Kings improved slightly offensively to 26th during the regular season, scoring 2.42 goals per game. Defensively, after the addition of the physical veteran Robyn Regehr, they were ranked first going into the playoffs, only allowing 2.05 goals per game. One possible reason for this was due to having four defenders rank within the top 40 with the most hits. Regehr, Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin and Slava Voynov combined for a total of 725 hits this season. With a solid goalie, hard-hitting defense and a number of offensive tools, the Kings have another chance to take the Stanley Cup. The Kings are equipped with some of the most complete players in the western conference. Doughty is considered one of the best defenders in the league. He had 27 assists, 10 goals and had the most shots taken by a Kings defender with 177. He can shoot, assist and lay a hard hit when needed. In the regular season, he was 19th in number of hits, with
191 in 81 games. Slava Voynov broke the Kings’ record for goals made by a defensive man in 2013 with six goals and seven assists. This is a milestone considering the fact that Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi sent him down to their minor league team in 2012. It was a pure business tactic which allowed Lombardi to trade Jack Johnson to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for the highscoring Jeff Carter. Voynov’s patience paid off as he is now the second-highest defensive scorer on the Kings. A new edition to the team last year was Robyn Regehr, which proved to be effective for the Kings. Standing at 6-foot-3-inches, 222 pounds, he brings a hardhitting style of play. Regehr scored 14 points in the regular season with 11 assists and three goals. He ranked 10th among all NHL defenders with 211 hits in 79 games. Regehr’s defensive style of play fits well with the offensive-minded Doughty. Goalie Quick is arguably the most important piece of this Kings team. He’s currently 14th in wins, fifth in the league with a 2.07 goals against average (GAA), and third in complete shutouts with six. Many credit the 2012 championship to Quick as he recorded 629 saves while giving up only 52. While LA isn’t known for an amazing offense, they can score, especially during the playoffs. Center Anze Kopitar currently leads the playoffs in points (15) and assists (11). In the regular season, he had a plus-minus rating of 34, which means of the 64 points he’s scored, only 30 goals have been scored against the Kings. He’s ranked fourth among all players in the NHL in the plusminus column, only trailing by five to Boston’s David Krejci. He’s ranked 17th in points, 26th in assists and 22nd in goals. He holds the 11th spot for faceoffs won with 773 and has a 2012 Stanley Cup under his belt. Kopitar is LA’s scoring leader. The Kings took a chance and received Gaborik from the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 5. This gamble is proving to be a good one. Right wing Gaborik, who had five goals all season, is now tied for first place in goals made during the playoffs with six. He’s the main guy on the receiving end of Kopitar’s assists. In the LA Times, Kopitar said, “He is a constant threat, with his shooting ability and his scoring ability.” He also said, “Every time he comes into the offensive zone, everybody pays attention to him. Maybe that gives me a few more inches to work with.”
Anything can happen in the playoffs as the Kings are the fourth team in the NHL to come back from an 0-3 deficit, beating the San Jose Sharks in the process. They must, however, look forward as they are now in a tight tussle with their crosstown rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. In 2012, they had a playoff record of 16-4, placing them among the hockey greats. Only three teams have had better postseason records since the NHL’s expansion from 1967-68. Their current playoff record is 6-4. The Kings certainly won’t be as dominant as that historic 2012 run, but with Quick and the gang playing a better brand of hockey, another championship looks well within reach. ■H
After winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 but losing in 2013 to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Kings are in prime position to win hockey’s greatest prize.
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. SPORTS .
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014
HIGHLANDER
HIGHLANDERS
Around The Big West Alexander Manzo, Contributing Writer
Baseball
Softball
The Highlanders won a three-game series versus Cal State Fullerton over the weekend, ending the series with a 8-7 win in 11 innings on Sunday. With runners on the corners in the second inning of Friday’s game, Drake Zarate hit a sac bunt to send David Andriese home. The next inning, Nick Vilter scored a two-run homer to extend the lead to three. Fullerton scored in the third and fifth innings while Dylan Stuart took over the mound in the sixth to save the game, only allowing one single and a walk during his four-inning outing en route to a 3-2 victory.
The UCR softball team finished the season with a three-game series against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, ending its 2014 campaign with a 0-3 loss in the final game after splitting a doubleheader the day before. Game two brought the lone win for UC Riverside when they scored twice in the second inning with two outs on the board, 2-0. Cal Poly cut the lead in half, 2-1, during the sixth inning. However, the Highlanders held on for their final victory of the season. Senior Dionne Anderson played her last game in blue and gold, ranking top 10 all-time in stolen bases and on-base percentage. The Highlanders posted a 23-31 record, 4-17 in conference play.
Photos by Aaron Lai/Highlander, Cameron Yong/Highlander and courtesy of UCR Athletics
Track and field
Men’s golf
UCR’s Danielle Littleton broke the university record in the heptathlon and placed second overall in the event at the Big West Conference Track and Field Championship. Littleton won the 100-meter hurdles and placed second in the high jump while falling .82 seconds short of first place in the 200 in Friday’s events. Placing second in the long jump, Littleton was able to breathe easier, pushing her back into second overall. This week, the rest of the events start, including the men’s long jump where Big West Field Athlete of the Week, Ted Hooper, will compete after breaking a personal best by clearing 7.88m to win his event.
With the cancellation of the third (and final) round of the Big West Conference Championship, the Highlanders stood tall knowing that they’d earned a third-place spot for the NCAA Division I men’s regional. David Gazzolo hit a personal record of 143 (70-73) to tie for seventh, and only seven strokes away from first-place Matt Hansen from UC Davis. It was good enough, however, to earn him a second consecutive All-Conference second team award. Fellow UC Riverside golfers Sam Gillis and Pachara Sakulyong also made the top 20. Gillis hit a 75-71 (146) for 12th and Sakulyong finished with 79-70 (149) for 19th. Leven Simon-Seay and Brandon Tsujimoto tied with a matching 151 for the 24th spot. ■H