“ROCKY” PETER AJOKU
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RIVERSIDE ALUM SINGS HIS WAY TO ‘AMERICAN IDOL’
Highlander University
Volume 63
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Serving the UCR community since 1954
Issue 14
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
College Panhellenic Association to add one more chapter
AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer
SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
More Greek letters are expected to blanket Pierce Lawn after UCR’s College Panhellenic Association (CPA), representing six single-gendered sororities, voted to add another chapter for the first time in over two decades. After six months of combing through sorority applications, visitations and presentations, CPA decided to support the colonization of Alpha Delta Pi in spring 2015. When former CPA president Caitlin Harrington first started UCR in 2010, the average sorority size was 87 women per chapter. Four years later, that number increased to 113, prompting her to take a serious look at expansion in May 2014. “So we saw this massive jump,” explained Harrington, “and that in conjunction with a lot of other problems coming up, like not being able to reserve rooms or the organizations being kind of static … we were like, ‘it’s time to do this.’” She felt that the chapter expansion would decrease the number of members in each chapter and ultimately make it easier for them to find enough physical space to hold meetings. An exploratory group made up of CPA chapter presidents and advisers released a feasibility report, which revealed that membership grew from 5.2 percent of female undergraduates in 2008 to 6.9 percent in 2013. This percentage had fluctuated around 5.2 percent up until 2013, when the organization saw a spike
Freedom march questions, ‘Are we living Dr. King’s Dream?’ A crowd of about 35 people attended the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom March and Celebration on Jan. 17 to commemorate the life and work of the late Martin Luther King Jr., who played a leading role in the Civil Rights Movement. Organized by Alphi Phi Alpha, African Student Programs and Associated Students Program Board, the event opened with a prayer thanking event organizers, past and current civil rights leaders and King. The prayer was followed by King’s last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” which played to allow the audience to settle in as the speakers began. Lazaque Mugerwa, a fourthyear electrical engineering major and main organizer for the event, recognized the legacy of King, stating, “He had to dream because his personal reality drove him to a deep sleep, to escape the horrors of the Jim Crow south, segregation, police
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER Sororities and fraternities can often be found setting up letters around the Bell Tower to promote their campus presence.
from 488 to 662 members. CPA presidents, approving the expansion process in June 2014, received applications from a total of nine sororities applying for colonization. Such as in the cases of Chapman University and UC Irvine, Harrington says chapters are typically added every four or five years, which made UCR’s two-decade-long dry spell unusual. “Everybody was freaking
‘BRAZILIANS IN CALIFORNIA’ Amazing Villa-Lobos concert breaks boundaries over what classical music can be. 14
out,” Harrington said about the expansion process. “We were this hot button thing and everyone wanted to be at UCR for some reason.” President of Kappa Kappa Gamma Hailey Grisel initially did not know how to react to the news, but felt hopeful that more facility space would be offered to her sorority. “This past October, we were forced to use both the HUB and Pentland facilities
to accommodate the large number of women in our chapters. Had our community not gone through this expansion process, we may have run out of facilities to hold the larger chapters,” she said. The CPA report touched upon concerns over the creation of a “funneled structure,” a system where there are more new ► SEE PANHELLENIC, PAGE 4
Cell phone robbery on Rustin Avenue AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer
Two males allegedly committed a cell phone robbery on the south side of Rustin Avenue on Jan. 11, about four blocks from campus. The suspects, one of whom was holding a baseball bat, approached the victim as he was walking on the sidewalk. They struck him in the leg with a basketball and took his cell phone from his sweatshirt pocket before running south on Rustin Avenue toward Tripoli Street. The victim was not injured. The suspects were described as two males, around 5 feet 8 inches, one wearing a brown jacket and the other wearing brown shorts,
NEWS 1 • OPINIONS 6 • FEATURES 10 • A&E 13 • SPORTS 20
according to the Riverside Police Department (RPD). No further description was provided by either department about the suspects. Both UC Police Department (UCPD) and RPD conducted an immediate investigation of the area, but neither department was able to locate the suspects. RPD took over further investigation into the crime, as it occurred within their jurisdiction. UCPD Assistant Chief of Police John Freese released a campuswide email urging students to take precaution at night. “Please take care to be aware of your surroundings and try to walk in groups, especially late at night,” ■H said Freese.
► SEE MLK WALK, PAGE 5
UCR sees 9.8 percent increase in applications for 2015-16 GUY HOCKER Contributing Writer
The UC has received a record number of applicants for the 2015-2016 school year, with the UC receiving 5.8 percent more, and UCR receiving 9.8 percent more applications than last year. A breakdown of UCR’s applicants reveals a high degree of diversity — just over half of the 47,699 applicants come from families with incomes less than $45,000 per year, and 58 percent would be the first in their families to attend college. In addition, Latinos and Asian Americans make up 77.3 percent of applicants. First-year neuroscience major Jasper Kuo thinks the rise in applicants could be good for UCR. “Sociologically it’s better ► SEE ENROLLMENT, PAGE 4
PLEASE RECYCLE
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
FAFSA application to be simplified, may include only two questions AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer
The free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) may become more user-friendly if a bill called the Financial Aid Simplification and Transparency (FAST) Act goes into effect. If approved by the Senate, it may redefine the financial aid process for UCR students, 87 percent of whom received financial aid in 2013. Currently, the application hosts 108 questions — such as a parent’s education level — to determine a student’s financial need. To streamline the process, the bill calls for an application which will only require information on household income and family size to determine Pell Grant eligibility. Senators Lamar Alexander and Michael Bennet, both of whom serve on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), are pushing the bill. According to the draft of the bill, if successful, it may help provide aid to the 2 million students who were eligible, but did not apply for financial aid. The committee’s next meeting will occur on Jan. 21. UCR Financial Aid Director Jose Aguilar described the difficulties of processing the applications. “I agree that we need to simplify the application process. Unfortunately we need the family’s income information to fully assess how much financial aid a student is eligible (for), so as far as improving the application process, it is hard to
AARON LAI / HIGHLANDER Highlanders wait in line at the Highlander One-Stop Shop to ask questions regarding their financial aid, now especially relevant with the FAFSA form becoming available to file this month.
say,” Aguilar said. Aguilar stated that problems in processing the application, such as parents who do not file their income taxes by the application deadline, slow down the approval process. He encourages students to estimate their parents’ income if they do not plan to file taxes by Mar. 2, the California deadline for the application, in order to prevent delays. Students who do not file their FAFSA by the Mar. 2 deadline will become ineligible to
receive Cal Grants. The U.S. Department of Education recently made efforts to simplify the application by creating the data retrieval tool, which allows parents and students to access their tax forms directly from the Internal Revenue Service. This method allows parents to send their tax information more effectively, decreasing the time it takes to apply. Due to the high percentage of students who apply for financial
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
aid, Aguilar found it difficult to comment on whether the lengthy application process deters students from applying. Studies from Harvard and Stanford, however, argue that simplifying the financial aid application may encourage more low-income students to pursue higher education. Kris Moisa, a third-year political science major who receives financial aid, shared her experience of working on the application. “I do
think that the application is pretty long. I usually try to convince my parents to fill it out,” Moisa stated. In addition, Moisa gave her suggestion on how to improve the application. “Every year my financial aid gets smaller. How about adding just a couple more questions to the proposal, like how much money you had to pay the previous year out-of-pocket, how many loans did a student have to take out?” Moisa said. ■H
QUOTEBOOK “The success of Panhellenic is reliant on the success of this new chapter, so it is in our interest ... to support Alpha Delta Pi from the very beginning.” - President of Kappa Kappa Gamma Hailey Grisel on the addition of the new campus sorority.
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Depicted is a look upward and over the shifting pieces of the Antelope Canyon, located in Utah.
UPCOMING EVENTS
WINTER 2015, WEEK 3
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
1/20
1/21
1/22
1/23
1/24
1/25
1/26
Networking Your Way to a Job 1 - 2 p.m. HUB 367
Career Station 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. HUB Mall
Mission Possible 2 Lecture Noon - 1 p.m. HUB 302
PB& J: Peanut Butter and Jogging! 10 - 11 a.m. HUB 248
Wellness Wednesday: Cooking Demo 4 - 6 p.m. SRC Classroom Kitchen
Mocktail Chat with Southern Wine and Spirits 2 - 4 p.m. Olmsted Hall 2340
Villa-Lobos in Hollywood Screening 8 - 10 p.m. INTS 1128
Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Fest: Viva Villa-Lobos Concert 7 - 8:30 p.m. Gateway Christian Church
Freshman: Your Career Game Plan 2 - 3 p.m. HUB 268
10-Minute Chair Massage FREE! 5 - 8 p.m. SRC 2nd Floor
Orange Empire Railway Museum 9 a.m. - Noon UCR Extension Center
Note-Taking: Skill Builder for Interpreters 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. HUB 268
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
NEWS IN BRIEF
COMPILED BY AMY ZAHN, senior staff writer
Award winning journalist to lecture on Jan. 21 Award-winning freelance journalist and former investigative reporter Seth Rosenfeld will discuss his book “Subversives: The FBI’s War on Student Radicals, and Reagan’s Rise to Power” on Wednesday at noon in Room 240 of Orbach Science Library. The book, published in 2012, is a New York Times bestseller and is the recipient of several awards, including a National Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine award. It follows the FBI’s secret surveillance of UC Berkeley’s campus in the 1960s, led by J. Edgar Hoover, and utilizes 250,000 pages of
files the FBI fought to keep secret. “Much of the focus of Seth Rosenfeld’s masterfully researched history ‘Subversives’ is the UC, its students, and the course it charted through the pivotal decades of the ‘60s and ‘70s,” UCR Science Librarian Steve Mitchell told UCR Today. “This is important today because a significant portion of the ongoing and current trajectory of UC remains shaped by the events and their aftermath, which Rosenfeld details,” he said. The lecture will be free of charge and open to the public.
Regents to discuss mental health, sexual assault at meeting
► PANHELLENIC FROM PAGE 1
members than there are graduating seniors within a chapter. Grisel also feels a greater sense of relief that more women will be given a greater opportunity to “find another place where their personality best fits their chapter’s.” On a nationwide front, CPA includes a total of 26 membered sororities. The national organization of Kappa Alpha Theta pulled out its UCR chapter in 1988 and Alpha Chi Omega was the last chapter to be added back in 1992, leaving a total of five other sororities: Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Pi Beta Phi and Sigma Kappa. Alpha Delta Pi will join UCR come spring 2014 and begin recruitment during the first week. With concerns over hazing and sexual assault that are sometimes associated with Greek life, Harrington said that CPA organizations are required to undergo daylong training, which includes understand-
their overall university attendance. In 1989, approximately 16 percent of Latinos, 21 percent of African Americans, 32 percent of whites and 46 percent of Asian Americans attended college, whereas now those numbers hover near 37 percent, 36 percent, 42 percent and 60 percent, respectively. UC President Janet Napolitano is pleased about what this year’s influx means for the UC. “This early look at the numbers serves as a strong indication that students and their families continue to place a high value on a UC education,” she said. ‘We are honored by their vote of confidence,” she said in a press release. ■H
ing when sexual assault happens and how to prevent it. In regards to hazing, Harrington said, “Luckily, on our campus, we don’t have much of a problem with that,” as there is a zero tolerance policy at UCR. Director of Media Relations Kris Lovekin reported that the fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha was given a one-quarter suspension that ran from November 2013 through winter 2014, and is the only sorority- and fraternity-related suspension in recent years. The suspension was caused by fraternity parties, which caused neighborhood disruptions and warranted police intervention in spring 2013. CPA Recruitment Chair Madeleine Prothero expressed excitement over the addition of another sorority chapter, which she believed will enshrine a greater sense of sisterhood within its members. “Sometimes you just need someone to go to Chipotle with,” she said about creating bonds within an organization. The national organization of
Alpha Delta Pi has sent a leadership consultant as a live-in professional staff member to help the new UCR colony grow during its first few years. The organization is also seeking to create an alumni advisory board consisting of members from San Bernardino and other nearby cities. Alpha Delta Pi currently has over 140 chapters in the U.S. and Canada and its national philanthropy is the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides free housing for sick children and their families. The national organization of Alpha Delta Pi Growth and Development Manager Jennifer Dickinson expressed that their chapter has long been interested in establishing a chapter at UCR, having received great impressions of its Panhellenic community. “We hope to complement the great things the Panhellenic community is already doing on campus. We look forward to providing a home away from home for even more women at UCR,” she said. ■H
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for the surrounding community,” he said. He believes that “the more selective a college is, the higher ranked it will be since it has to pick better students.” According to Director of Financial Aid Jose Aguilar, the jump in applicants will probably not affect the number of students receiving aid “as we already serve a high number of needy students,” he said, citing the 87 percent of undergraduates at UCR who received aid in the 2014-15 school year. Aguilar also noted that although applications have increased, enrollment will remain roughly
the same. Other UCs also saw a rise in applications, but UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz were the only two campuses to exceed Riverside’s jump in applicants, with respective increases of 14.1 percent and 11 percent. UCR had the highest increase of transfer applicants, with a 7.9 percent rise from last year. These increases reflect an overall upward trend of university enrollment. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 41 percent of all people aged 18 to 24 in the U.S. now attend college, up from 26 percent in 1980. Different ethnic groups nationwide have also increased
multistep plan to make the UC the nation’s leader in sexual assault response and prevention. The regents will also discuss what student mental health services are currently available and how they compare to national benchmarks. This discussion will be in the context of the decision to raise the Student Services Fee by 5 percent per year as part of the new tuition plan and how the increased revenue can be used to improve mental health services. Several other topics, including Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed state budget, updates on UC sustainability practices and approvals of appointment and compensation of new staff members will be discussed. Live video streaming of open sessions will be available. ■H
meetings on mondays, 5:15 p.m. @ hub 101
► ENROLLMENT FROM PAGE 1
AARON LAI / HIGHLANDER
write. shoot. design.
Students look on at University Lecture Hall as one of their peers engages in discussion.
The UC Board of Regents and their committees are scheduled to meet this Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 21-22, at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center. Discussion topics will include the implementation of Phase II of UC President Janet Napolitano’s task force on preventing and responding to sexual violence and sexual assault. This discussion will focus on the execution of four recommendations for sexual assault prevention made during Phase I of the plan that are scheduled for January implementation. These recommendations — which include increasing education and awareness and establishing response teams and advocacy offices on each campus — are part of Napolitano’s
NEWS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
5
“The purpose of a lecture is for the professor to share their personal knowledge and understanding of a subject” - ASUCR Senator Akeem Brown
VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER
ASUCR President Nafi Karim addresses the ASUCR senate and student body in a speech to usher in the new quarter.
ASUCR discusses textbook sales, bylaw changes AMY ZAHN Senior Staff Writer
At their first meeting of the winter quarter, ASUCR discussed topics such as professors assigning their own books to their classes, as well as proposed changes to bylaws that would decrease the amount of time senators have to review legislation. Senator Akeem Brown sees the practice of professors assigning their own books as unfair to students, who are already paying thousands of dollars in tuition and supplemental fees to go to school. “The purpose of a lecture is for the professor to share their personal knowledge and understanding of a subject,” Brown said. “Just because it is in a book doesn’t change this … The students already pay for the professor.” He compared purchasing a professor’s book to “paying fees twice for the same professor’s knowledge” that he believes should already be covered by a student’s tuition. ► MLK WALK FROM PAGE 1
brutality, poverty-stricken neighborhoods and systematic oppression.” Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs James Sandoval said the march was created because students from California State University San Bernardino and UCR had sent emails to the campus administration, expressing that there were a lack of events dedicated to recognizing the late figure. As part of the event, there was an essay contest in which students were asked to answer whether or not they were living King’s vision of an equal society. Undergraduate Rebeka Dejenie, who was announced as the winner of the contest, presented her essay which argued that society is not living King’s dream by referencing recent controversies such as the death of Eric Garner, which sparked protests. “We are still out in the streets fighting for equality,” Dejenie stated. Despite arguing that society has not lived up to King’s expectations of social justice, she reminded the audience that remembering King’s vision allows them to continue pursuing equality. Pape Anne, a third-year
Brown later likened the professor-student relationship to a parentchild relationship to further articulate why he thinks students are entitled to professors’ knowledge. “How would my father appear to me if he sold his knowledge to me, his son, which is very similar to a teacher-pupil relationship,” he said. Brown’s concerns received mostly positive feedback from members of ASUCR. Vice President of External Affairs Abraham Galvan weighed in, saying, “It’s definitely something worth looking into and I think a lot of students would appreciate that.” However, Vice President of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria cautioned Brown that there are legitimate reasons why a professor may assign his or her own book, citing, among other reasons, the need to supplement the limited amount of time professors have to lecture with other material. Brown’s first step is to investigate book sales. “We will contact publishers and ask for total book
sales of a particular book between fall of 2014 and winter of 2015,” he said in an interview with the Highlander. “It is my intent to determine if the bulk of purchases are by students.” The next step, he said, would be hearing from both professors and students on the issue. “After analysis of the data and feedback from students and professors, I will decide the best course of action,” Brown said. President Pro Tempore Devin Plazo brought up a separate initiative to revise ASUCR’s bylaws. One revision would decrease the amount of time in advance the President Pro Tempore must submit legislation to ASUCR for review before it is presented on the senate floor to be voted on. Chapter 13 section 3(g) of ASUCR’s bylaws currently requires the President Pro Tempore to “submit all new/updated legislation to Senate one (1) week prior to its vote,” but the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) has proposed
business major and march organizer, stated that despite recent controversies, “this event is focused mostly on all the positives as opposed to the negatives by celebrating his life.” After the speakers finished, students and other community members began a 1.8-mile march from the Bell Tower to Park Avenue Baptist Church. During the march, the participants chanted, “Freedom, freedom let it ring! Let it ring, said Dr. King!” and “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” Jasmine Mejia, a thirdyear English major, stated that students should be more involved in events that promote equality and social justice on campus regardless of their background. “People should see that unity is key, it’s not just the black community, it’s that everybody should contribute to change,” Mejia said. Mecca Shabaz, a first-year creative writing major, spoke on what the audience should learn from the event. “People need to be able to recognize their privilege, and realize the adversity that some people face, in order to develop empathy and evolve,” Shabaz explained. ■H
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Martin Luther King Jr. walks alongside approximately 250,000 people in the iconic “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” in 1963.
HIGHLIGHTS: - A new “What Would You Do?” film series by ASUCR, beginning in February, will tackle issues such as sexual harassment, sexual assault and substance abuse to encourage bystander intervention. The series will be released on YouTube. - The new Transfer and Nontraditional Student task force will institute a commuter lounge on the first floor of the HUB, a Transfer Appreciation Week, mixers and other events to provide better resources for nontraditional students on campus.
to change the required time to 48 hours. “A week often leaves a lot of time to procrastinate and pushes things back a lot further,” said Plazo. “I think 48 hours would be sufficient and would keep us efficient at staying on top of all of the legislation.” Plazo also felt that because the LRC holds its meetings on Mondays, it would be convenient to “just send the legislation out right after,” giving members of ASUCR the two days before senate meetings to review it. Since the current bylaw still requires that legislation be presented
a week in advance, however, the change cannot be voted on until next week. Plazo also proposed that a 30-minute required study hour for senators to discuss legislation be instituted at the discretion of the Executive Vice President Michael Ervin before regular ASUCR meetings, but this change will not be added to the bylaws and it does not need to be voted on. Brown expressed his approval of the change. “48 hours is enough time to go over legislation,” he said. “If you cannot do that, then you probably need to reconsider why H you’re here on this horseshoe.” ■
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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Opinions
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HIGHLANDER HIGHLANDEREDITORIAL EDITORIAL HIGHLANDER STAFF
Dear Reader,
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When the editorial board sat down to discuss topics for the editorial this week, we all understood that given its importance to the press and the ideas of free speech, we needed to talk about the recent tragic shootings at Charlie Hebdo, attributed to extremists reacting to cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. However, coming from so many different backgrounds and feeling that it was so important to understand all of the different points of view that should be taken into account, we have chosen to encourage readers to truly step into the shoes of another who is affected by the murder of these 12 people. Understand what it feels like to be: - A Muslim in Paris, negatively affected by actions that you have no control over, being used as an easy target for misdirected frustrations - A cartoonist in New York City, wondering if your rights may come at the cost of your life
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- A French citizen, fearing for your safety after learning such events could occur in your place of work
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- A Muslim from anywhere in the world, having to know that sacrilegious depictions of Muhammad are being made time and again as the result of the actions of the few - A family member of one of the staff lost during the shootings, struggling to understand how something like this could happen
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We hope that if you take the time to reflect, you will understand why we were so lost for words this week. Sincerely, The Editorial Board
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.
The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600-800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact Opinions Editor Jameson Adame at opinions@ highlandernews.org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letter can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements.
LEGAL The Highlander is published and copyrighted by the Highlander for the students, faculty and staff of UCR. All rights are reserved. Reprinting of any material in this publication without the written permission of the Highlander is strictly prohibited. Readers are allowed one free copy of the newspaper. For additional copies or for subscription information, please contact the Highlander. The Highlander fully supports the University of California’s policy on nondiscrimination. The student media reserve the right to reject or modify advertising whose content discriminates on the basis of ancestry, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, age, sex or sexual orientation. The Highlander has a media grievance procedure for resolving complaints against it. All inserts that are printed in the Highlander are independently paid publications and do not reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the staff or The University of California or the Associated Students of UCR.
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
7
Opinion Poll Who is your favorite superhero and why?
Jose Jimenez Anthropology Third-Year
Sanuja Das Psychology Third-Year
Chris Schreiber Business Economics Fourth-Year
“The current Captain America is willing to help anybody. All he has is his shield and weapons, not really like some of the other superheroes with powers.”
“Thor. Even though he’s a god he’s able to level off with the humans. Even though he was at a higher level than the humans he was able to defend them.”
“Captain America. I’m in the military. He doesn’t have all the badass super powers but more like everyday type things, and he’s just cool.”
C ompiled
Paola Vidauri Psychology First-Year “Wonder Woman. She shows that women are capable of man-like stuff. She’s pretty cool, and I’ve liked her since I was a little kid.”
George Labunsky Business Administration Third-Year “Captain America. The pride. The Americanism. You can’t go wrong. The best country in the world.”
by
J aspery G oh
Chioma Ajawara Psychology Fourth-Year “Batman. He isn’t a traditional superhero that has powers, but uses his brains to solve crimes. He’s more of an antihero, kind of an ass but still awesome.”
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Why there was never the need for cameras downtown
Je Suis Disappointed F rom R eema H antuli , UCR graduate student With Islamophobia continuing to rise, the recent attack on Charlie Hebdo did no favors for Muslims anywhere. However, let’s take a moment to step back from both sides of the situation, and examine the criticisms of the Muslim world instead. It’s a very difficult task to read through filthy commentaries on social media and news outlets, without losing faith in humanity. Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but when speech becomes threatening to a certain targeted group, the vicious cycle of massacres and hate only continue. Isn’t that how this began, with disrespectful and public bullying of a group of people? This hit the limit of tolerance to a very small number, thus leading to retaliation. Furthermore, isn’t bullying what has caused so many massacres on school campuses as well? Why don’t we stop pointing the finger to an entire religious population over the act of a few individuals, and start asking ourselves how we can halt these crimes from recurring? When school shootings have occurred in the past, the responsibility and blame was not placed on the shooter’s religion, and Charlie Hebdo shouldn’t be an exception. Society needs to step back and put an end to bullying on school campuses, social media, and in newspapers and magazines if it wishes to live in peace someday. The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600-800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact opinions editor Jameson Adame at opinions@highlandernews.org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letter can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements.
TIM BACA / HIGHLANDER
QUINN MINTEN Contributing Writer
R
iverside has removed the cameras at many of the red lights around the city. These cameras had been running for seven years when the city council voted to turn them off after the 2013 election; they were actually deactivated in September. These cameras were installed to help catch people running red lights, as well as to help prevent crashes at intersections. The system, though paid for by the tickets issued resulting from their use, did not generate enough revenue to warrant their continued use. Now these cameras, which had been provided and operated by a private company, are being removed by that same company, as the equipment is expensive to leave sitting without use. Eventually, the entire system, including the poles on which the cameras were mounted and the boxes housing them, will be removed by the company. The removal of the camera system is a good riddance for the people of Riverside. First, the system failed to pay for itself (and the costs relating to the tickets, such as courtroom expenses), much less provide a net increase in revenue for the city. This is astonishing, considering that the citations issued by the system carried fines twice that of a normal police citation. If the system could not, when generating twice the revenue that police do with tickets, prove economically viable, then
it is only logical to discontinue its use. Furthermore, the cameras, unlike a police officer, have no ability to judge what is happening in a particular situation, such as when a driver makes a rolling right turn. They only see that someone is in the intersection to some degree when the light is red, leading to a citation. The camera, objectively speaking, is absolutely correct in identifying when a car is in an intersection, but has no way to tell the intent of the driver when they are inside that intersection. A police officer observing the intersection (assuming the officer is not as strict as the camera itself) could allow someone who underestimated the time left before the light turns from yellow to red go unimpeded, while the light would never fail to mark that driver down for a ticket. On the other hand, a police officer could tell just as easily as the camera when a person speeds through an intersection after the light turned red, and is fully justified in issuing the ticket in such a case. Hence, the traffic camera is a far more punitive method of controlling traffic than is necessary, when a police officer in the same capacity could fairly judge when a ticket is necessary. With the cameras removed, and insufficient police officers to monitor every intersection, the issue remains of how exactly the city will prevent people from violating traffic law. Of course, the city cannot stop people from breaking the law per se; having a law and punishment for breaking it does nothing to prevent it from being broken, it only discourages
it. It is necessary, however, to have measures in place in lieu of the cameras to fight against potential lawbreakers on the road. Obviously, there are still police officers, and they will, as they always have, cite drivers for violating traffic law. However, to discourage drivers beyond the normal force of police patrols, there is need for alternate, and more constant deterrent. Perhaps the best option for this deterrent is to use the infrastructure left behind by the camera system as if there were still cameras there. The company contracted to run the cameras has removed them, but for the moment, the poles are still there, and, to the uninformed driver, will appear to still be functional. The odds are that if the poles are left there, even with no cameras in them, drivers will believe they are still being actively monitored, and will adjust their actions accordingly. The expense of this system would be little more than the cost of buying the poles off the company so they do not remove them (which will probably happen within a few weeks). Perhaps it would not help raise money for the city, as the citations from the cameras did, but keeping the poles could reduce the incidence of traffic violations — the intent of the cameras in the first place — simply because people think they might be cited. Thus, both the city and the citizens benefit from this arrangement — the city does not have to deal with prosecuting offenders, and the citizens do not have to deal with the hassle of H overpriced tickets for slight violations. ■
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
HIGHLANDER WRITE-OFF
Divestment from Israel: Yes or No?
Divestment fails to consider long-term opportunities
“No” to illgotten money, “Yes” to divestment
ROBERT LEES Staff Writer
In December of 2014, members of the United Auto Workers, a union which represents thousands of workers in the UC system, approved a referendum to encourage divestment from companies associated with the Israeli government. This is reminiscent of Resolution 18 which was approved by ASUCR in April of 2014. Similar resolutions have also been passed by several student governments at other UCs, oftentimes citing human rights abuses by the Israeli military as the reason for supporting divestment. However, such a move is financially irresponsible in our period of economic strife, and may cost us future revenues if adopted. Furthermore, choosing a policy of divestment may serve to make several students with Israeli heritage feel unwelcome, which serves to undermine the diversity we all value at UCR. As a public university, taxpayer funding supports much of the day-to-day operations on our campus. However, several aspects of the school are run like a business, and UCR has several holdings in companies based around the world. While not imperative in paying for student grants and scholarships, much of the money earned from these holdings is used to cover pensions and retirement plans for UC employees. If divestment were to be adopted, we risk losing a fair amount of revenue that is necessary in protecting the economic future of valued faculty members at our campus. Even if we used the profits from selling various stocks in Israeli companies to reinvest, the fact remains that, while not immune, the Israeli economy has fared far better in the global economic crisis than many other developed countries. There’s no telling how well companies that we reinvest in would do, and the stocks we have now may be too valuable to lose. Furthermore, an impromptu bout of selling and reinvesting may worry potential UC staff, and they may choose to work elsewhere considering the unseen economic future divestment could create. All of us here at UCR are lucky to have affordable (well, almost affordable) education and some of the best faculty in the nation. However, money talks, and we can’t draw in top-notch faculty with poor retirement plans. If divestment does lead to poor returns, further tuition increases could be levied to foot the bill, and a UC education will be further out of grasp for lowincome students. Those who support divestment argue that it is imperative for the UC system to oppose injustice in the world, and that our economic breakaway with Israeli compa-
HONEIAH KARIMI Senior Staff Writer
nies may encourage an end to Israeli-Palestinian hostilities. While I agree that it is our duty to oppose injustice and oppression at home and abroad, trying to tank a nation’s economy is not the right move in trying to curb military action. Economic hardship often leads to governmental radicalization. If this happens in Israel, the moderates in government who are actively working for a long-term peace solution may be ousted by fringe politicians who ramp up military actions against Palestinians that they blame for their economic woes. Also, the loss of profits in the private sector due to divestment could lead to the government ramping up the conflict in an attempt to revitalize the economy, and citizens who lose their jobs may seek guaranteed employment by reenlisting in the Israeli military. Should none of these scenarios occur, the fact remains that UCR is home to students of Israeli heritage, and adopting a policy of divestment may serve to make them feel unwelcome on their own campus. Furthermore, it may lead many students of Jewish or Israeli ancestry to seek their education elsewhere, which would reduce the campus diversity we all try hard to cultivate. Regardless, the fact remains that there are several students of Palestinian heritage on campus, and they undoubtedly feel unwelcome with the current UC policies. I’ve heard it argued that divestment may serve to “level the playing field,” and may encourage UCR to invest in Palestinian companies. However, how are we leveling the playing field when we support one country over another, or refuse to engage in business with one over the other? The main problem with divestment is that we risk having the appearance of choosing sides in a bloody, confusing war, sacrificing our neutrality that is imperative in making every student on campus feel welcome. For divestment to truly be fair, we would also have to refuse to do business with any Palestinian companies. We’re now losing potential profits from two countries that may one day have economies that are both stable and profitable. Rather than encouraging the UC system to divest from Israel, we instead push for increased investment in Palestinian companies. Endless war is unsustainable, and I am confident that one day there will be a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, and our investments in Palestine will pay off once they are legitimized as a nation by the United Nations. If we choose to invest rather than divest, we can remain neutral in the conflict without making any students on campus feel unwelcome. ■H
You are sitting in your world history lecture hall and learn of past events involving people from years gone by and events on lands far away, all while history is unfolding in front of our own eyes. The events of the present will one day find themselves in the textbooks of our successors. This is why the decisions we make matter. They are a legacy — an answer to the following generations about who we are and what we did with our short time on Earth. Though the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been occurring since the early 20th century — granted the term “conflict” is an understatement considering the grueling history of all of this — the decisions we make now are not merely an afterthought of an ongoing battle. UC students, in particular, have put forth a campaign to divest from Israel in an attempt to end the intense political ramifications that come with Israeli occupation. In essence, portions of our tuition would not fund companies such as Caterpillar, Inc., which is notorious for selling bulldozers to the Israeli army that are used to systematically demolish Palestinian homes. Divestment utilizes the logic of pressure by removing financial support from certain companies to promote a certain behavior or policy. Efforts for dialogue and diplomacy have proved futile in this case. There are Israeli groups, such as Boycott From Within, that state, “We are Israeli citizens, active against our government’s policies of racism, occupation and apartheid,” which endorse this pressure scenario that divestment employs. It is not likely that the UC Regents will divest, but movements on various UC campuses continue to persevere, such as a vote that took place by a union of UC student workers in an effort to urge the regents to reconsider. Above all, it’s important to recognize that the logic of pressure that comes with divestment has been effective in the past. Divestment from South Africa pressured the government to reform and end apartheid. Even if one argues that divestment does not bode well fiscally for the UC system, it results in a social discourse that can bring about change, as it did in South Africa. UC divestment can begin to dismantle the system that allows this atrocity to persist. By divesting, the
UC system would be calling for an end to the occupation of Palestinian land. Divestment would be a protestation of the conditions Palestinians must tolerate, and the lack of quality in schools and hospitals or the inability to access potable water since 95 percent of their water is undrinkable. The fact that roughly 60 percent of their youths are unemployed is a distressing reality, which comes as no surprise considering the sanctions placed on Gaza by Israel since 2006 only stymies their economy further. Food, water and shelter, all basic human needs, are hard to come by for Palestinians. This is not living. They are barely surviving. By not divesting, we are complicit in the lack of sustenance for the Palestinian people because we are only harming them further by investing in companies that fund Israel. John Pilger, a veteran Australian journalist, wrote of the 2009 armed conflict between Gaza and Israel: “What happens in Gaza is the defining moment of our time, which either grants the impunity of war criminals the immunity of our silence, while we contort our own intellect and morality, or gives us the power to speak out.” Divestment could potentially be a powerful tool in 2015 if the UC regents were to wield it — one that could increase activism and bring about an end to all this bloodshed. Viewing this as simply a Jewish versus Muslim problem does a disservice to all the activists from varying cultural and religious backgrounds who have banded together with a common goal: ending all the bloodshed. However you want to paint this, this land belonged to the Palestinian people, and then their land was invaded. Wouldn’t you defend yourself if your home was demolished to pieces? On campus in our history courses, we learn about Native Americans being slaughtered and forced to live on reservations while simultaneously funding an occupation in which Palestinians are under blockade and live within the largest open-air prison in the world all while Israel maintains control of their land and sea borders. This is precisely why divestment is so important. Divestment is ultimately a testament to justice and human rights. No matter how uncomfortable this reality is, it’s happening and ignoring it won’t help anybody. ■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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HIGHLANDER
guide
WHAT ARE UCR’S FAVORITE THINGS?
Go to highlandernews.org and tell us from January 12 - February 7. You could win an iPad mini or one of five $25 gift cards to local businesses. Consumer Disclosure: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Winners will be determined February 8, 2015. Odds of winning iPad mini or 1 (one) of 5 (five) gift cards depend on the number of entries received. Winners and gift cards are randomly selected. Only currently enrolled UCR students are eligible to win. One raffle entry per person. Name on raffle entry must match name on UCR student ID card. A copy of official rules is available at 101 Highlander Union Building, University of California, Riverside, CA 92507.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Features
PETER AJOKU’S “ROCKY” JOURNEY TO THE TOP
TIFFANY LIAW, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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hat’s crazy! It’s so unreal!” marveled “Rocky” Peter Ajoku as he stared at a picture of an ‘American Idol’ billboard boasting his overjoyed self clutching onto the life-changing golden ticket his friend sent him. “I broke down in tears of joy when I saw it.” For Rocky, the ‘American Idol’ golden ticket was also a ticket to an undoubtedly brighter future. Growing up in Nigeria, there wasn’t a day where Rocky wouldn’t fear for his life around the malaria-infested mosquitoes that heavily populated the area. He was forced to become independent from a young age, as he had to look after his younger brother as well. “I lived on the streets scavenging for food with my little brother, and although I never had instruction, singing was always very therapeutic to me as a kid. I would sing, work on the farm, sing then work some more. It made the times a little easier and gave me hope,” he says. By working for his uncle and learning to speak English gradually through encounters with strangers, the naturally charismatic singer eventually saved up enough money to come to America and attend UC Riverside, where he has felt a family-like connection with his classmates. “College was such an impossible dream. Most people don’t usually make it past middle school,” Rocky recalls. “I’m incredibly blessed to be here in the United States and especially in UCR.”
Mr. Lee, a worker at Freshh Donuts, eventually provided him with his first guitar after seeing a tremendous amount of talent in Rocky. This gave Rocky the proper push to really take his singing to another level, and he didn’t waste any time. “When I realized my passion, I decided I would take the risk since I had nothing to lose. So I skipped out on medical school for a career in music,” he revealed. Despite becoming homeless after receiving his undergraduate degree and nearly ending up where he originally began, Rocky never lost faith. He sang his heart out on YouTube, and some students would even be able to catch him singing across campus. As he became more in touch with the music industry through YouTube, he never failed to keep a positive attitude through the stress that pursuing a career in music brings. In order to remain so positive, Rocky begins each day with the thought that it will be a good day already in mind. By choosing to look at the simpler things in life and drawing inspiration from everything around him, he is able to compose songs almost instantaneously. By bringing out true emotion and past experiences like some of his inspirations Michael Jackson and Eminem do, Rocky can mesmerize others through song and be mesmerized by everyday life. “Singing was my iPod!” he mentioned happily. “I derived so much joy just from being myself.” One day, an undercover ‘American Idol’ producer commented on one of his videos
21 AND OVER CLUB
BAR TALK
ROBERT LEES, STAFF WRITER
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his past Wednesday I decided to head to The Spot and the Getaway Cafe, two of the most popular bars around campus. Knowing that I had the fortune of no classes on Thursday, I decided to break my normal routine of drinking and talking with friends and chose to sit down and talk with the bartenders that many of us interact with in our day-to-day lives without a second thought. My first stop was The Spot, which only had about a dozen people present, most of them trying to hold conversations over the loud music or playing pool with their friends. Most of the times I have come to The Spot, it hasn’t been
PHOTOS BY TIM BACA
crowded, likely due to the fact that it isn’t as well-known as the more established pubs. Following my normal pattern of sitting at a table and waiting for a server to come, I tried to pick the bartender out of the staff hurriedly moving behind the counter and in the kitchen. After inquiring as to whether I could grab the bartender for a few minutes for my interview, I was introduced to Whitknee, who brought our drinks to the table and sat down with us, trusting the upkeep of the bar counter to the rest of the staff. Though initially shy during my first questions, she soon warmed up and her bubbly personality become apparent as she giggled profusely before and after each of her responses, often apologizing for being “brutally honest.” She explained that she naturally gravitates to people and that is why she enjoyed bartending. In the way that Cupid delights in pairing people through love, Whitknee seemed to thrive on pairing groups of friends with alcohol. She described the major drawbacks of the job, which included people who disrespected her while she was working, criticized her drink-making, or repeatedly
anonymously, vouching for him to consider an audition. What made it even more shocking was the fact that the video only had 300 views. Soon enough, comments started to flood his videos, all urging him to take a final push and audition. “I was so honored that people believed in me; my main goal is to share my original work with the world and I felt that ‘American Idol’ would be the perfect outlet to do just that,” said Rocky. Without hesitation, he decided to take a leap of faith and audition for ‘American Idol.’ Although the audition process was brutal and tiresome, Rocky decided to make a bold move: Instead of making a cover to a piece like a vast majority of singers have done in the past, he decided to perform an original piece entitled “Wrong Places” which intended to raise awareness to abusive relationships. The song was extremely personal to him since it related to one of his friends’ stories, and he didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to convey the message to the world. “I wanted to show them that I’m a writer that can also sing and be brave enough to get that golden ticket with my original song,” he said. His fearless choice paid off — the judges loved it. He received so much praise that he decided to push the boundaries a bit more by performing a song in Igbo as his second audition piece. To his surprise, however, the judges were less amused by his song choice and went on to criticize him, asking why he had chosen a non-English song that had only
barked orders at her. Oftentimes, male customers mistake her kind demeanor with flirtatiousness, and she laughed, “This is my job, and I’m not here to be a dating service.” All of her answers were in the form of humorous anecdotes, from describing customers’ common complaints about drinks being too weak to the time when a customer attempted to bludgeon her with a beer bottle while she tried to break up a violent fight at her previous job. She also shared insights for enjoying time while out drinking. Tipping your bartender heavily will result in fast service during crowded hours. Drinking Jaegerbombs or shots of Fireball whiskey is the key to a nasty hangover from the excessive amount of sugar, and the best money-to-alcohol ratio for getting buzzed fast is tequila, be it shots or margaritas. As I finished my pint of Fat Tire, I inquired as to the best way to avoid the hangover I was currently creating for myself. She reminded me to drink lots of water when I got home, and bid me farewell with her familiar giggle as she headed back to the bar after our interview. I made sure I tipped 50 percent when I got my bill. The Getaway Cafe was packed from the moment I stepped instead until hours after I left. The queue to order was 10 people deep, and Moe, the manager, apologized profusely when he explained that there wouldn’t be any time to answer questions on such a busy night.
PHOTO BY VINCENT TA lasted a little under a minute. “I figured, go big or go home, right?” laughed Rocky. Despite the mild backlash, his confidence never faltered and it prevailed in the final deliberation. Before he knew it, he was among the lucky 200 to receive the golden ticket to advance to Hollywood. “I immediately reflected on my life and I just didn’t believe it at first,” he recollected. Rocky literally started from the bottom, and now he’s at the entertainment capital of Hollywood where his first episode (if they choose to show his audition) is predicted to air around January 28 or 29. “No matter what happens (at ‘American Idol’), my goal is to record and produce an album; I now know I have the exposure and I will definitely use it to my advantage. I really hope to share my art with the world,” Rocky remarked. This experience alone is enough to jumpstart his career, and with his limitless talent and courage, there’s no doubt that Rocky will live up to his promise of making an impact on the world. From enduring farm labor and nearly dying from mosquito bites in Nigeria to getting a college degree at UCR and finally making it to ‘American Idol,’ “Rocky” Peter Ajoku has gone through quite a lot. He never loses hope and will indefinitely continue to serve as an inspiration for those who need a gentle urge to pursue something that they have discovered passion for, but never had to courage ■H to carry out.
Disheartened, I began drinking my schooner of Hangar 24 on the patio, wondering when I would have the time to come back for questions in time to write this column. My salvation came in the form of Ponce, who came onto the patio for an impromptu break and was kind enough to answer my questions in the few moments he had before he headed back to the throngs of people waiting at the counter. For him, he worked at the Getaway as a job, and although he didn’t see bartending as his calling, he did describe it as “1000 percent better than working at Denny’s.” His main grievance came from the tendency of customers to bunch up in the pathways around the restaurant, obliviously blocking his path as he tried to deliver food and drinks around the restaurant. Much like Whitknee, he had do’s and don’ts for what to order while at Getaway: Don’t spend the money on cheap domestic beer when there is a wide selection of craft beers that are hard to find at local liquor stores, and buy a pitcher to save money when drinking in a group or a schooner when drinking alone. He didn’t have any tips for preventing a hangover, but said that the key to surviving one is to have a healthy breakfast the day after a night of drinking. Before he left, he mentioned Denny’s again, and remarked on how it’s amazing that he had seen
more wasted people stumble into a Denny’s than out of the Getaway at closing time. Turning to leave, he reminded me, “If you want to work at a place like this, you have to be ready for anything.” I know there will probably be more nights I spend perched on stools and gathered around tables with friends in my life, and the tips from Whitknee and Ponce will likely improve my time spent indulging in society’s most acceptable vice. There’s often a sense of separation and dehumanization between the server and the patrons, but the key thing to remember when at any business is that your server is a person, and they deserve the same respect we’d want anyone else to give us. Also, there’s a Denny’s at the University Village if you need a place to simultaneously sober up and eat pancakes. ■H
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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Communication and honesty are the best policies JAKE RICH Senior Staff Writer
D
o things ever quite go as we plan them in relationships? Even the best of them have unexpected twists and turns for better or for worse. One of the biggest keys, however, to making relationships work, no matter what the situation is, is communication. It may be said over and over again, but if you want someone to know what you’re feeling, or that you’re even interested, do one simple thing: Let them know. I speak from personal experience. So what is it exactly that makes a relationship — or at least the beginnings of one — so confusing? Signals aren’t an easy thing to read, but when you’re both seemingly inept at doing so, it makes it even more difficult. Last year, I became interested in a girl who was in a couple of my classes. We started talking, and after a bit, she invited me to her sorority’s date night, and we went on a couple of dates. I enjoyed her company and hanging out, but here’s the thing — neither
of us ever made it clear what we wanted from each other. It sounds selfish, but it’s something that needs to be made absolutely certain — after all, you are the one that matters, and if a person isn’t right for you, or doesn’t want the same thing as you, it’s not fair to either of you to continue going forward. In any type of relationship, both people need to make clear what their expectations are and where their positions are with one another. It’s understandable that some people don’t like labels, but things you need to make clear include exclusivity (or lack of), and genuine feelings toward one another. The worst that honesty can do is prevent a relationship from happening that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. In my situation, labels were never made explicit. We kept hanging out, but in both our minds we had different ideas of what we were. After we had stopped going out, I found out that while we had been going out, she had a friendswith-benefits going on with someone else. It hurt. And I
had every right to be hurt. If she or I had been more upfront and specific about what we wanted, however, most of this could have been avoided. My advice is simple: Be upfront and honest about your ideas regarding where a relationship is and what you potentially want it to be as soon as you realize them. I’m not saying to rush into something, but if you feel strongly one way or another, only something good can come out of it. I know how difficult it is to be totally in touch with your own feelings, and what you want. We are almost always changing our minds about what specifically it is that we want. But if we have discussions with those people who can potentially become loved ones, and they are truly meant for you, they’ll surely understand what you’re working through, and help you with it — and you can help them too. Transparency and communication can only push you in the right direction. Whether it’s a preventive measure or head-over-heels romance is anyone’s guess — but at least you’ll know for sure. ■H
WHAT’S APPENIN’? ASHLEY CHUNG Contributing Writer
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here is generally an app for every aspect of our lives nowadays, so why not incorporate them into our educational endeavors? Many may find themselves struggling to catch up with the notes for a class or waiting in endless lines to scan the pages of a textbook. Several students gathered in Rivera 140 on Wednesday evening to learn about how not to encounter problems such as these by simply downloading a few apps. Oftentimes, many of us may find ourselves dozing off from boredom while we’re stuck in that two-hour wait at Boiling Crab, wishing that we could instead catch up on all of the research and reading we had to have completed about a week ago at school. Cisco, the creator of WebEx — an app to stay connected to your meetings anywhere — has developed a new app titled AnyConnect. When trying to connect to a database linked from library.ucr. edu, like JSTOR, you may recall that AnyConnect is one of the options for connecting to a database off-campus. Now that there’s an app for it, students can easily access about 99 percent of the school’s database without a laptop at places like Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and Target with a simple login with “anyconnect.ucr.edu” as the server and your school net ID and password. You know how you’ve for-
gotten your password for a number of various websites and accounts so many times that you can’t even keep track and then you record all your passwords down on a sticky note or notepad only to forget where you’ve placed that too? Well, now we have LastPass to collect and manage all of our online passwords securely. Just keep in mind that when you are creating the account, it’s highly recommended that you develop an extremely strong password as this will be the “only one you’ll ever have to memorize” according to Chris Martone, the instructor of the event. Another app that is highly encouraged is the Blackboard Mobile iLearn. You might be hesitant to download this app after reading several poor reviews on it, but Martone assures us Highlanders that we shouldn’t encounter any problems with the app once we understand how to maneuver through it. There are multiple types of apps that allow you to share your files between several devices, but the “granddaddy of them all is Dropbox,” according to Martone. The single drawback of Dropbox is that they provide only the first five gigabytes for free and extra storage costs more, though Martone reassures us that five gigabytes is more than enough storage space. Martone also introduced us to OneDrive, a Microsoft program that saves all documents to — yeah, you guessed it — one drive and provides unlimited gigabytes. Google Drive is also a com-
Students should no longer have any reason to fall behind on their studies with these user-friendly apps.
mon app to access and import all accounts and documents as a sort of back-up system. Two highly recommended apps for taking notes are EverNote (slightly more compatible for Mac users) and OneNote (preferable for Windows to use all of the app’s functions) as they allow one to compile all notebooks into a single device. One may easily create a notebook for each enrolled class and add pictures, videos and even audio files while also having the ability to share files and scan documents and books. Many students may have encountered difficulty with note-taking on a mobile device since they are unable to add in their own drawings. Notability allows one to both type up notes and draw in diagrams and charts with the touch of a finger. Unfortunately, Notability is only available for Apple products for a fee. More than enough times, I’ve walked into the Rivera Library to find an endless line of people waiting their turns to scan a textbook. No longer are those dreadful scanning lines necessary with these free apps that allow us to do so with the tap of a button. Scanbot is able to create a notebook of scans and upload them onto other devices using cloud storage. Other notable scanning apps include Scannable and GeniusScan. Simply point your tablet toward the document and allow it to focus and before you know it, the picture has been speedily snapped and scanned onto your mobile device. Writing college papers on a tablet couldn’t be any easier with these useful apps.
Pages and Numbers for Mac, as well as Google Docs and Microsoft Word are all easy-to-use document apps. If you find that you would like to continue working on a document on a desktop, you can save the document directly on your device and email it to yourself to download onto a computer system. What many students do not realize is that most, if not all, of these apps can actually be used together. That means that we should be able to share what we have scanned with our cloud and notetaking apps and even access them on presentations a n d group projects. Students should no longer have any reason to fall behind on their studies with these user-friendly apps. ■H
Photos by Jeffrey Chang
Apps that were highlighted at the event include Google Drive, Blackboard and Dropbox.
ONLINE: “PADDINGTON” REVIEW
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT TUESDAY, JANUARY 20. 2015
EVENTS THIS WEEK 1/21
Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Fest @ ARTS 166, 8 p.m.
1/22
Horror Movie Night! @ Blood Orange Infoshop, 7 p.m.
1/24
AMPLIFIED FIDELITY @ Culver Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
1/24
So You Think You Can Dance - Live Tour @ Fox Performing Arts Center, 8 p.m.
TIM BACA / HIGHLANDER
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
��
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
Steven Vanhauwaert plays the piano in a rendition of Igor Stravisnky’s “Suite Italienne.� Lars Hoefs plays “Triste� by composer Alberto Ginastera on the cello.
♯ ‘Brazilians in California’ Weaves
â™
Music and History
By: Robert Lees, Staff Writer my seat in the back of the auditorium, the two men almost appeared small in front of the crowd that stretched above them, but the gentle hum of Hoefs’ cello filled the room as he brought his bow across the taut strings. The first piece was “Suite Italienne� by Igor Stravinsky, a composer that provided much inspiration to Villa-Lobos. The second song was a solo piano piece by Claude Debussy, and Hoefs explained that the song, “Images, I. Reflets dans l’eau,� was inspired by images of water. Vanhauwaert’s hands danced over the keys, creating melodies unlike any I had ever heard. I leaned back in my seat, palms over my eyes, and heard the soft splish-splash of raindrops on a pond with each delicate tap of the higher notes complemented by the rough, foreboding seas with the bass notes. The third piece was a sample of VillaLobos’ “New York Skyline Melody,� and Hoefs rejoined Vanhauwaert for their thoughtful rendition. After each song, the two would stand up during the gentle applause, giving a short bow to the audience. They seemed somewhat nervous, and there was palpable energy in the air as they sat down and moved into their rendition of Chagas’ “Gravity and Grace: Mobile I,� which had never been performed for a live audience. There is an inherent difficulty with conveying the multivariate sounds of music in writing, but I found myself at a loss for coherent thought as the cello whispered and hummed while the piano sang a soft, crooning tune. The program I had
been thumbing through earlier in the evening promised that “Mobile I� was “meditative,� and time itself seemed to melt away as the audience held their enraptured gaze at the two performers. With each passing measure, their distinct mannerisms became apparent, from the way Hoefs would give a low, punctuated sigh before drawing his bow across the strings with particular panache, to the small fist Vanhauwaert would make with his right hand at the end of each flourish of playing. The piece was equal parts sound and silence, with harmonic stops appearing at random, the melodic tone of the instruments disappearing into the walls of the auditorium. There was a microcosm of absolute stillness with each stop, as the audience held in their collective breath in the seemingly endless milliseconds before the two began playing again as we all drew in a collective gulp of air. When the piece ended, the room erupted in the most thunderous applause as Chagas joined the two performers for a bow. It was time for the intermission. Both the audience and the performers seemed much more relaxed as we filed back to our seats after the 10-minute break. The second half of the performance was designed to highlight other pieces from South American composers. As Hoefs and Vanhauwaert played, they would often give each other a knowing smile as they played another movement of a song. They knew that the audience was in the palms of their hands, and their confidence
♊ Photos By: Tim Baca ♪
shone through. Hoefs would relax his bow with a small smile as he finished playing a measure, and Vanhauwaert would throw his hands up in a flourish after he played a particularly impressive sequence on the piano. The final song of the evening, “Fantasia,â€? did not disappoint, as the two seemed to use the entire range of their instruments in every possible permutation, as VillaLobos’ melody poured into our ears. With the end of the final song, the room erupted into another round of thunderous applause as I snapped out of the trance in which the music had ensnared me. Chagas joined the two at the front of the room once more, and all three promised to stay after the show for a few moments to answer questions. I decided to say a few words to Chagas, and I tried to think of something clever to say about the way his composition had made me feel, and how I was truly engaged by his accomplishment. As I formulated the words of what I hoped would be an erudite sentence, he asked if I was there to write for the Highlander. “Y-yes,â€? I blurted out. “Your music, the piece you wrote ‌ it was really, really good.â€? Damn. However, he had a calm and approachable demeanor, and we chatted about his inspirations, some of the impressions and symbolism I had felt, and I was eventually able to sound like less of a caveman during our brief discussion. The experience had a profound effect on me, as it shattered my preconceptions of what constituted “classical music.â€? â– H
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hen it comes to classical music, I would categorize myself under “uncultured swine,� as most of my exposure is from either car commercials or switching to the wrong radio station before I had a car stereo with an AUX input. I’ve always had a resistance to immersing myself in classical music because of my misconception that all orchestral pieces were written by old, dead, white Europeans. However, “Brazilians in California,� the first concert as part of the Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Festival, changed my preconception. The concert featured cellist Lars Hoefs from Sao Paulo State University in Campinas, Brazil and renowned pianist Steven Vanhauwaert, who played some of the neoclassical standards that inspired famed Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, as well as some Villa-Lobos originals and other selections from South American composers. As an added treat, the chair of our music department, Dr. Paulo Chagas, debuted “Mobile I� from his three-part composition “Gravity and Grace,� which was commissioned for the Villa-Lobos festival. The crowd inside the auditorium of Arts 166 was of moderate size, with around every other seat filled with adults and some college-age attendees. A few minutes before 8 p.m., Chagas provided a brief overview of the night’s events as the lights dimmed. He returned to his seat after a few moments, while Hoefs and Vanhauwaert took their places behind their instruments. From
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MUSIC REVIEWS
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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MEGHAN TRAINOR: “TITLE” // RATING: ★★★☆☆ CHRISTAL MIMS Senior Staff Writer
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he year 2014 was a big year for 21-year-old Meghan Trainor. The newcomer burst onto the scene with her smash hit “All About That Bass,” a retro-styled, upbeat track that quickly rose to the top of the charts. Basking in her newfound success, Trainor decided to enter the New Year with her debut album, “Title.” Full of fun and carefree tunes, Trainor creates an undeniably dance-worthy record. However, a lack of transparency and depth leaves listeners wondering who she really is and what to expect from her in the future. Boys, boys and more boys. Almost every song on Trainor’s debut album seems to revolve around dealing with men. It’s almost as if the entire album is an open letter to all the fellas of the world on what they need to do to win her heart. In “Dear Future Husband” Trainor croons lyrics like, “Take me on a date / I deserve a break / And don’t forget the flowers every anniversary / Cause if you’ll treat me right / I’ll be the perfect wife.” In the album’s title track, Trainor sings about wanting a title in a relationship when it appears that her significant other isn’t in a hurry to commit. “Baby, don’t call me your friend / If I hear that word again / You might never get the chance to see me naked in your bed,” she sings over vocal harmonies and a
doo-wop-styled track. At times, her unwillingness to explore other subjects is exhausting. It makes you wonder if she has anything else on her mind. But don’t think Trainor forgot how and why she skyrocketed to fame. “All About That Bass” was praised as being an anthem for body positivity and a much-needed addition to mainstream music. Keeping this in mind, Trainor made sure to include songs like “Close Your Eyes,” a track in which she encourages listeners to always stay true to themselves. She also switches it up by singing a duet with John Legend in “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” which effectively showcases her admirable range and incredible vocal ability. In the short time that she’s been in the spotlight, Trainor has become known musically for her throwback sound. Every song on the album is noticeably influenced by 1950s swing and doo-wop. If you heard one of her songs in passing, you might think it was a track off of the “Hairspray” soundtrack. I don’t think it’s possible to not get up and dance or at least bob your head while listening to this album. Bubblegum pop with a hint of old school seems to be her specialty and she keeps everything light-hearted and sugary sweet. Her sassy and soulful voice is the icing on the cake. However, her voice often takes on the tone of other well-known performers and this makes it a little hard to pinpoint who she is as
Her sassy and soulful voice is the icing on the cake. However, her voice often takes on the tone of other well-known performers and this makes it a little hard to pinpoint who she is as an artist.
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an artist. “Bang Dem Sticks” is certainly one of the highlights on the album but I can’t tell if I enjoy it because I’m enjoying Trainor’s unique sound or because Trainor’s sound is almost identical to Nicki Minaj’s in this song. While listening to other tracks, specifically the ballad “What If I,” I could’ve sworn that I was hearing Ariana Grande. Many could argue that this is a bad thing, and it very
well may be. But as a new artist it might be what she needs to continue growing her fan base. Despite all of these things I wouldn’t be too worried. Trainor is new and still discovering what works and what doesn’t. And more importantly than that, she’s extremely talented. She has the potential to produce an endless amount of great music and this album is a good start. ■H
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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GUSTER: “EVERMOTION” // RATING: ★★☆☆☆ HANA KONG Contributing Writer
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our years after their last release, Guster has dropped back into the alternative music scene with their seventh studio album, “Evermotion.” Having produced the record partly under Nettwerk, their independent label, it makes sense that Guster would experiment and create a sound quite different from their earlier discography. While any artist should, indeed, be entitled to a bit of experimentation with their music, Guster may have had a bit too much time to detract from their original sound. The record starts with a track filled with an ethereal, electronic surf sound that seems more fitting as a closing track. Despite this slow start, “Endlessly” chimes in immediately afterward and really justifies its place on the record with its chorus. While lead singer Ryan Miller endearingly beckons, “So come on, love,” the layers of sound created by the keyboard and electric guitar support a melody that appeals to those old daydreams of youth in love. Different from “Endlessly,” which might actually be one of the few memorable tracks on the record, the rest of the album transitions to an almost surf-rock kind of sound that carries throughout. Guster amplifies
this sound by pairing harmonies and a lap steel guitar. However, “Simple Machine” presents itself as the most evident reflection of Guster’s experimental tangents as it incorporates everything from ‘80s pop synthesizers to teenage garage band beats (rhythmic clapping included). Miller cries, “I’ll never find my way back home,” and in the presence of all these competing sounds and influences, it makes sense that Guster would be yearning for a greater sense of stability. Even still, what they have maintained from their previous albums is the straightforwardness in their lyrics that definitely translate with an audience of any generation. While the album’s overall soothing feel is enough to keep listeners from immediately changing the station on the radio, there is not so much distinctness of Guster’s sound in this new album. Even the somewhat distant vocals seem to put the album in its place as a background soundtrack intended for more mindless listening. With “Farewell,” Guster closes with lengthy, drawn-out vocals that bring an appropriate (and perhaps anticipated) end to the record. Bringing closure with a computerized voice declaring, “We are free,” it seems best left to listeners to decide for themselves exactly who is making that declaration of freedom post■H listen.
MOVIE REVIEWS
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AMERICAN SNIPER // RATING: ★★☆☆☆ JESSICA BAKER Contributing Writer
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nown for opening discussion on masculinity from his Westerns to war films, Clint Eastwood continues this discussion in his recent film “American Sniper,” a biopic focused on Chris Kyle or “the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history” — as both Kyle’s autobiography and the Pentagon claim. Played by Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper” follows Kyle’s military career, from his stint in boot camp, training as a Navy SEAL and his four tours in Iraq to how these events affect his home life, especially with his wife, Taya. Stating, “It shows the toll the war takes on you right up to the very end,” Eastwood intended his recent film to discuss the personal conflicts faced by military personnel on the front through depictions of Kyle’s post-traumatic stress disorder and the constant decisions he must make as a sniper, one of the most intimate forms of warfare. Despite his explicit intent, “American Sniper” seems to falter in accomplishing it. Explicitly establishing that Kyle desired to join the U.S. military to protect his country, this necessary background provides a dynamic contrast to when Kyle is forced to make decisions that affect lives. Kyle’s intent to protect and his conscience often come into conflict when he has to decide to take the life of Iraqi citizens, such as that of the little boy who is going to set off a live grenade on a group of U.S. marines. However, the internal conflict the viewer may expect from Kyle problematically occurs in the following scene as he catalogs his first kill. When asked why he was sad, Kyle responds: “I just didn’t imagine my first to be like
that.” The tone and stoicism that Cooper utilizes to portray Kyle is problematic, because it’s open to interpretation. While one viewer could interpret Kyle as a man keeping it together in a war zone by not overtly showing his internal conflict, others may interpret Kyle calling the boy his “first,” instead of blatantly stating he murdered a young boy, demonstrates the character’s bias for the American military. The scene is one of the many ambiguous depictions of how military combat affects personnel and these scenes distracted me from recognizing Eastwood’s stronger directorial traits, such as not politicizing his film’s material or intimate camera shots that mirror the personal moments experienced by Kyle. When Taya delivers the cliche line, “Even when you’re here, you’re not here,” I cannot help but feel the film is not able to build up to the line, with Kyle’s struggles seemingly able to solve themselves in the comfort of others; for example, the scenes of him at a counseling
program. I understand the movie is meant to deal with the internal struggles and not overt struggles, like the politics of killing, but I was often left questioning the scenes of internal struggle, especially when there were more scenes of Kyle shooting than contemplating. As a daughter of a marine who served a number of tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, I am not quite sure how to take this film. If anything, I feel this film needs to be watched two times before a clear opinion can be constructed. While the endeavors of “American Sniper” to depict the internal struggles of a military family are adequate, it does demonstrate the odd dynamic military personnel may have over duty to one’s nation and duty to one’s conscience. If anything, “American Sniper” is not a straightforward film that applauds the U.S. military with shouts of “semper fi,” nor is it an attack on the institution’s motives like James Cameron’s “Avatar.” Rather, “American Sniper” nods in its direction and ■H continues on walking.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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BLACKHAT // RATING: ★★☆☆☆ JAMESON ADAME Senior Staff Writer
ern film industry, two characters looking at each other is made so intense by the camera that I kept irector Michael Mann’s waiting for somebody’s head to latest movie has come explode. out, with promises Sound mixing in the film was that the former hand likewise just as awkward. Sevbehind “Heat” would be able to eral scenes in the film appear to spice up Hollywood with a new be suffering from the dreaded crime thriller (I tried very hard to Godzilla-itis, in which an actor’s avoid a pun using the word heat). voice and mouth fail to make the With such a pedigree, I took my same words at the same time. I seat in the theater already shak- can’t be sure whether it was the ing with excitement over the idea film or the particular screenof DeNiro-esque ing I attended, criminals facing but I review the There also happens to off against Pacimovie I was givbe a subplot with a side en, not the one no-ish detectives who are far too character involving 9/11 I think it might old and grizzled that not only goes nowhere, be. Dubbed to be carrying lines are repeaton with this kind but only seems to exist to edly eschewed of work. Never make the bald eagle inside from their visual in my life have of all of us shed a red, white representation, I been so disapkeeping the audiand blue tear. pointed to watch ence in suspense a movie starring as to when the a bunch of young sexy people in- giant monsters would begin to stead of a film about a couple of show up. old white dudes (and Val KilmThe one thing this movie does er). exceptionally well is the visual“Blackhat” is a thriller tell- ized concept of hacking. While ing the story of Nick Hathaway other films and media would (Chris Hemsworth), a hacker have audiences believe that hackwho was recently furloughed ing is like a video game with an in an effort to catch a blackhat exciting graphical interface and hacker (a hacker who does bad things with his or her coding powers) who has terrorized the U.S. stock market and blown up a Chinese nuclear reactor. Along with Hathaway are Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang), his former college roommate and a captain in the Chinese military, and Dawai’s sister, Chen Lien (Wei Tang). The film follows the gang as they globetrot from one computer to another, attempting to head the blackhat off at each new turn. The plot for the film is nothing new in the information age and can be seen in about half the action films to come out of the past decade (see: “Die Hard 4: Live Free or Die Hard”). As the characters travel around the world, many of the film’s developments are broadcast as obviously as a bomb raid siren. Relationships — such as those between Thor and Chen Lien — are developed so obviously that it’s less subtle than a punch to the gut. There also happens to be a subplot with a side character involving 9/11 that not only goes nowhere, but only seems to exist to make the bald eagle inside of all of us shed a red, white and blue tear. Acting in the film is a somewhat mixed bag. Hemsworth as super-hacker Hathaway is ruefully miscast and looks as though he got used to coding with his gigantic pecs while using both arms to curl with freeweights. Additionally, the accent that Hemsworth affects tends to be all over the place, sometimes seeming heavily (though somehow nondescript) New Yorkish, while at other times seeming Californian. All of the Chinese characters in the film — with the strong exception of Chen Lien — seem to have gone to the world’s greatest teacher for English. While I’m always willing to suspend my disbelief, it is genuinely impossible for me to believe that everyone in China who needs to speak English does so with no accent whatsoever. Aside from these instances, Wang and Tang both manage to support the film rather well, although not enough to distract from Hemsworth’s hairless chest. Cinematography in the film is distracting to say the least. Director of Photography Stuart Dryburgh seems convinced that tension in a film can remain elevated as long as the camera never sits still. While during scenes of intense action the shaky-cam is less than unexpected in the mod-
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tons of sounds like, “pew pew!”, “Blackhat” manages to realize the actual command line-based interface that actual hackers would use. While this may not increase the excitement factor, it at the very least made me smile (but a close-mouthed smile).
While this movie isn’t the groundbreaking thriller that “Heat” was, or even a spectacular view at Hemsworth’s nude body that I hoped it might become (this movie has just increased my capacity to write fanfiction about Thor hacking Iron Man’s suit to
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do “things”), it at the very least kept me entertained while watching. Most audiences would be better served watching “Heat” if they haven’t seen it before. Otherwise it’s only really good for a quick popcorn flick if you have the cash to spare. ■H
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Winter Quarter Lookbook Nelson Luu, Staff Writer
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hile the calendar clearly marks us as in the dead of winter, something about the weather just doesn’t add up. Where are the biting winds we usually associate with winter? Since when did winter consist of me seeing 70s and 80s on my weather app? I even heard from Riverside residents that there was snow on top of the “C” at one point, but the only snow I’m seeing is in pictures of my friends that went snowboarding over break. The thing I relish most about the colder weather is being able to put together layered outfits that scream warmth and comfort. I love being able to mix and match jackets, flannels and scarves; however, with this weather, I can’t seem to wear much outdoors besides tees. So how does one go about creating a winter lookbook with Riverside weather in mind? Layering doesn’t always have to mean wearing thick jackets on warm sweaters and gloves. You can still create layered looks with lighter clothing options that give you a nice winter feel, but still stay cool underneath it all. My first look consists of a shortsleeved hoodie from the Zara Dark
Collection over chinos and a tee that are also from Zara. As much as people prefer to keep their bank accounts from hemorrhaging after shopping at Zara, I was able to buy these pieces for highly discounted prices through end-of-season sales. They’re incredibly well-designed, are comfortable and the perfect way to look put-together without actually having to put in much thought. My tee is made of a light and airy fabric and the short-sleeved hoodie keeps me perfectly cool even while providing that layered look that I want in a winter outfit. The second look is edgy and inspired by Asian fashion blogs that I’ve been scouring in the past few weeks. This outfit is versatile and perfect for days when you’re not entirely sure how chilly it might get. Another Zara tee underneath a Forever 21 asymmetrical moto jacket with a Forever 21 button wrapped around the waist allows me to add on an extra layer if I get cold, or an interesting draped element if I don’t need it. Black is also a quintessential winter color, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Breaking it up with simple white patterns or mixing different textures can help you create edgy outfits that are effortlessly cool. I paired them with jeans and
shoes that I thrifted from my favorite store in Pasadena called Crossroads Trading Company. Finally, finishing off my lookbook is a more dressy option in lighter colors, consisting of an oversized cardigan from Forever 21, a buttonup shirt from H&M, thrifted denim (again, from Crossroads), shoes from Aldo and accessories from a combination of H&M, Forever 21 and Crossroads. Warm cardigans are a winter staple, but this comfortable (and surprisingly airy) cardigan can easily keep me warm in the mornings and relatively cool in the afternoon. I barely break a sweat in them when walking to and from classes around campus. It’s a classy look that plays on all of the aspects you expect from a dapper winter outfit, but light and airy enough to keep you cool in Riverside’s warm winters. This time of the year is tricky for UCR students because many of us want to dress up a little more to have that winter look, but the heat can leave us in a sweaty mess by the time we reach our 11 a.m. lecture. Keeping an eye out for thinner fabrics, breathable jackets and a little planning can help you get that look, but stay comfortable enough to go about your day without breaking a sweat. ■H
CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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SPOILER ALERT:
NFL end-of-season awards Cody Nguyen, Senior Staff Writer
I
t’s just about that time of year when the NFL season comes to a close, and football fans across the country are left with just
Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
three more hours of America’s favorite pastime when Super Bowl XLIX kicks off on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Ariz. With the end of football season comes a time to reminisce on broken
records, timeless moments and otherworldly performances that build the foundation of what we love about not just football, but sports as a whole. With that said, I’ve unlocked
MVP/Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt
been warned though — don’t continue reading unless you want to know the result of NFL award voting and who the eventual Super Bowl XLIX champion will be!
Since the inception of the Associated Press’ NFL MVP award in 1957, the honor has gone to 37 quarterbacks, 18 running backs, one defensive tackle, one linebacker and one kicker. Based on history, I think the award may be just a little bit biased toward the offense. Coming off a season in which he accumulated 20.5 sacks as a 3-4 defensive end (13 more than the second-highest 3-4 DE sack total) and four touchdowns (three on the offensive side of the ball), he deserves immense consideration. Though Watt faces an uphill battle with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the award, it would be quite a travesty if Watt wasn’t the first defensive player since Lawrence Taylor (1986) to take home the hardware. A shoo-in for the award, Rodgers caps off a season in which he completed nearly two-thirds of his passes for 4,381 yards, 38 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The stats don’t tell the whole story for Resilient Rodgers, though, who endured a strained left calf over the course of the final two games of the regular season on his way to leading his team to the second seed in the NFC, and a conference championship appearance while playing on one leg. Rodgers also outplayed his counterparts Tom Brady, who had a horrid start to his 2014 season, and Peyton Manning, who all but fizzled out into a plume of irrelevance in the latter half of the season.
Offensive Player of the Year Aaron Rodgers
Comeback Player of the Year Rob Gronkowski
Rookie of the Year Odell Beckham Jr.
the secrets behind time travel and fast-forwarded two weeks to bring you a 100 percent accurate rundown of everything that will transpire in the NFL up to the start of the offseason. You’ve
After a torn ACL and MCL caused the league’s best tight end to miss nine games last year, 2014 marked a return to business as usual for Gronk. The Gronk-Brady attack combined for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns this year, a stat line that blows any QBTE combination out of the water. As esteemed rapper Lil’ Wayne would put it: “(he is) not a human being.” An unfortunate injury to the New York Giants’ number-one receiving target Victor Cruz paved the way for the breakout of exLSU standout receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Most know him for his insane circus catch against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12 that may just be the play of the year, but are quick to forget the amazing production to the tune of 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns that Beckham Jr. posted in Cruz’s absence. At the ripe age of 22, Odell Beckham Jr. is a star in the making, poised to wreak havoc on the rest of the NFL for the next decade and change.
Super Bowl Champion: Seattle Seahawks
for the highlander newspaper
meetings on mondays, 5:15 p.m. @ hub 101
write. shoot. design.
This Seattle team just seems to be built for the big stage. After spending the first half of the NFC Championship game getting absolutely walloped by the Green Bay Packers, the Seahawks turned things
around late in the fourth quarter and overtime en route to pulling off one of the most unlikely victories the NFL has ever seen. There’s just no other team that can match the physicality, tenacity and
swagger that the Seattle Seahawks possess, and that’s why they’re on their way to becoming the first repeat champions since the 2003 and 2004 New ■H England Patriots.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
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Sports
Men’s basketball wins thriller over Hawaii ALEXANDER MANZO Contributing Writer JAN 15, 2015
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Aggies 74 - Highlanders 61
It was the Highlanders versus the Aggies in a Big West conference showdown on Thursday night at the Student Recreation Center Arena. Despite 29 points from Jaylen Bland, UCR fell, 74-61. UC Davis’ defense was on track for the first half and did not allow UCR to score a single three-pointer the entire half, while their offense was equally as powerful by making 71.4 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. UCR was not even able to get onboard until Davis scored their first fivepoints and gained a lead they would not relinquish. After the first half, the leading scorer of the game was Steven Thornton with seven points, followed by Bland and Taylor Johns with four. The score was 33-21 and UCD would gain another five points before UCR responded with the first three-pointer of the game from Bland. UCR began to make some momentum with Bland knocking down several threepointers. The Highlanders’ offense stepped up and with 8:43 left in the game, Davis’ lead was cut down to four. However, three minutes later, Davis would enter double
MATTHEW HONG / HIGHLANDER
Jaylen Bland (No. 1) aggresively drives through an opening for a layup.
digits and keep it for the rest of the game, 74-61. Bland went on to score five more three-pointers in the game and end the game with 29 points. Thornton was the only other player to have doubledigits in points for UCR with 10, followed by Nick Gruninger with seven. JAN 17, 2015
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Highlanders 66 - Rainbow Warriors 62
The Highlanders won a hard-fought battle against the
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. Despite struggling with offense for the first half, Riverside picked it up in the second half and came back with a 66-62 win. UCR had plenty of opportunities to score during offensive possessions in the first half but due to poor ballhandling skills, they gave Hawaii the chance to take advantage. The Highlanders only knocked down 38.1 percent of their shots from the field and 33.3 percent
of three-pointers. However, despite the rough stats, a Taylor Johns dunk with five minutes remaining cut UCR’s deficit to single digits, 29-21. Scores from Bland, Thornton and Gruninger cut the halftime deficit to three points, 31-28. With another three-pointer from Thornton, his 16th point of the game, UCR gained the lead for the first time since the fourth minute of the first half. They would enter the final stride at the 1:19 mark of the game with a 61-58 lead the
Rainbow Warriors could not come back from. Stefan Jankovic had a close attempt with his two free throws to possibly make it a single-point deficit, but the Highlanders held on to finish with a 66-62 victory. Thornton finished the game with a career-high 22 points, followed by Bland with his second double-digit game (15) of the week. The Highlanders finished converting 50 percent of their three-pointers and 55 percent for field goals. ■H
Close but not quite, UCR falls to Davis MELISSA FUENTES Contributing Writer
JAN 15, 2015
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Aggies 70 - Highlanders 61
Brittany Crain (No. 23) aims for a three-pointer in the second half in a game against UCI.
JANINE YBANEZ / HIGHLANDER
Thursday night was a night of victory because Brittany Crain exceeded her 30-point plateau with 34 points. Unfortunately, the points were not enough and the outcome for the team was defeat, 70-61, to the UC Davis Aggies. Women’s basketball traveled Thursday afternoon to face UC Davis. From the first half, UC Davis took the lead. Still, the Highlanders continued to be only three to five points behind and ended the first half with a score of 34-29. However, going back on the court again for the second half, the Highlanders struggled to tally up points. With eight minutes to go, the Aggies accumulated points through layups and shots, leaving the Highlanders three possessions behind. The Highlanders continued to struggle but with 4:51 remaining in the game, Crain knocked down a three-pointer that enabled the team to be only one possession behind. Still, that is the closest the team got to the Aggies. Sydnee Fipps, the third-leading scorer in the Big West, followed with a three-pointer and consecutive shots soon after. From then on, the Aggies remained in the lead and ended victoriously with a score of 70-61. UCR welcomed back Annelise Ito, who recently recovered from an injury and missed four consecutive games. Along with Crain, Ito finished as the second lead scorer of the night with 11 points.
JAN 17, 2015
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Rainbow Wahine 69 - Highlanders 58
On Saturday night, the women’s basketball team finished off their second week of Big West play 0-2. The Highlanders faced Hawaii in an intense game as both teams combined for 40 fouls, but UCR came up short, 69-58. UCR was outworked on the boards as the Rainbow Wahine pulled 49 rebounds to their 30. Going into the first half the Highlanders held their largest lead of the night at 16:53 with a slim score of 3-0. Soon after, they were 10 points behind but were still able to tie once with 11 minutes remaining. However, they ended the first half behind with a score of 30-26. During the second half, the Highlanders took the lead twice with the help of three-pointers made by Brittany Crain. Crain led the team with 18 points but unfortunately they were not enough to win the game. The Highlanders held the lead, 52-51, but with 6:37 remaining Destiny King, who led Hawaii with 17 points, scored a jumper to push the Rainbow Wahine back in front. From there on UCR struggled offensively. The buzzer rang and Hawaii held the victory with a score of 69-58. Despite the loss, the game was yet another triumphant night for Crain. The guard’s 18 points enabled her to move up to the sixth slot on the university’s alltime list for a career total of 1,359 points, surpassing the previous record of 1,348 by Tre’ Shonti Nottingham. UCR now heads back home where they will face H UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 22. ■