THE HIGHLANDER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
VOL. 68, ISSUE 04
est. 1954
“EL CAMINO”
fair pay Fair Pay
Film Review ►Page 18
Jamieboy
opinions ►Page 14 ►Page 9
APSB hosts the R&B artist to bring Asian and Pacific Islander students together. SARA BERNAL/ HIGHLANDER
Student Success Center moves onto next phase of planning
COURTESY OF UCR PLANNING, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
SILVIA FERRER Senior Staff Writer
O n M o n d a y, J u l y 2 9 , t h e v i c e c h a n c e l l o r of planning and budget, and business and administration services, Gerry Bomotti, released a statement that the Student Success Center (SSC) has moved on from the
procurement phase to the design development phase. The SSC would add about 1,000 classroom seats in a mix of lecture halls and smaller classrooms. This building is joining the North District Development Project, the art sculpture and several other projects as another major construction effort that is
occurring on campus. A s s i s t a n t Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r a n d C a m p u s Architect Jacqueline Norman said that the SSC will help “alleviate a critical shortfall in classroom capacity at UCR.” ► SEE SSC PAGE 4
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
HUMANS OF UCR
UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 3
SERUNI PILANA MANAGE | NEUROSCIENCE | FIRST-YEAR COMPILED BY ISURU KARUNATILLAKA
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Clothesline Project 10:00am to 4:00pm UCR Bell Tower
A Mindful Approach to Sustainability 5:00pm to 6:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Training Room
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Break Down Body Positivity 11:00am to 12:00pm APSP, 244 Costo Hall
Career Expo: The Diversity Job Fair 2019 11:00am to 3:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 302
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Persist Movie Night: Feminist on Cellblock Y 6:00pm to 7:30pm Women’s Resource Center, 260 Costo Hall
Build Your Own Budget (B.Y.O.B) 10:30am to 11:30am HUB (Highlander Union Building), 265
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Women’s Soccer vs. Hawaii 7:00pm to 9:00pm UCR Soccer Stadium
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Fall Garden Market & Plant Sale 10:00am to 4:00pm UCR Botanic Gardens
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American Red Cross Lifeguarding 9:00am to 5:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Pool
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Resume Writing 12:30pm to 2:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 269
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
“I do Sri Lankan Kandyan dancing! I have been dancing since I was six years old. It has given me the opportunity to gain confidence and express my feeling and emotions. My favorite performance was my 12 minute graduation dance.
Friday
My fellow dancers and I practiced hours on end to perfect each step. Even though it was a very exhausting performance, it was a very accomplishing moment to see all my hard work and dedication in a dance. I will be forever grateful for the creative outlet and friendships dancing has given me.”
Chancellor’s Dinner to benefit UCR students 5:30pm to 9:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 302
Saturday
Sunday
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
ASUCR
ASUCR votes to continue with plans for an off ice remodel and senate chamber renovation
AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer
On Oct. 9, ASUCR held its second meeting of the quarter. The meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m. At the beginning of the meeting, Maurice Armstrong, a BCOE senator, motioned to amend the agenda to include a closed session meeting at the end of the meeting to discuss internal tensions within ASUCR. The motion passed 130-2. During public forum, Gabe Pineda, a second-year double major in theater, film, and digital production and gender and sexuality studies, expressed concern with the fact that a few select members met with University of California President Janet Napolitano without informing the student body that she would be on campus. Pineda stated that Napolitano’s visit should have been transparent to the public student body. Avi Idea, the ASUCR Parliamentarian, also spoke during public forum to address the proper procedures that should be followed during senate meetings. Idea stated that he decided to change the time the public can speak during public forum from three minutes to five minutes. Idea stated that the reason for this change is that three minutes is not a sufficient amount of time and increasing the time to five minutes would actually speed up the process of public forum because there would be less of a need to motion to extend a speaker’s time. Idea also emphasized that no one should be interrupted while they are speaking during senate meetings. Idea stated, “No one should ever interrupt anyone else when they are speaking, whether they are from the public or it is a member of the senate. The only time you should interrupt someone is if your comment is absolutely imperative, which is only allowed via a point of privilege.” Idea noted that a point of privilege should be made only if there is a blatantly incorrect statement being made. Idea also made the senate aware of a rule that they should be following per Robert’s Rule of Order. The rule Idea referred to states that senate members can only speak a total of three times for five minutes each per topic. This means that each individual senate member can speak for a total of 15 minutes per topic. Idea stated, “This rule ensures that your ideas are organized and thoughtful and to ensure that there is no back-and-forth debate.” Idea then made the senate aware that they have been conducting motions and discussions incorrectly for years. He stated that someone should first motion for something, which should be seconded before the executive vice president (EVP) opens up the meeting to discussion about
the motion, which should occur before a vote on the motion occurs. During committee reports, CHASS Senator Angelica Garcia presented the Finance Committee’s meeting minutes from Oct. 7 and Oct. 9. The vote counts for the approval of two clubs allocations were not listed so the approval of the meeting minutes had to be postponed until Carolyn Chang, the vice president of finance, could be contacted to confirm the vote count. The Green Campus Action Committee (GCAP) then presented their meeting minutes from Oct. 2 and Oct. 7. Both meeting minutes were approved 15-0-0. During the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) report, Preeti Juturu, the president pro tempore, presented SB-F19009: Revising Language of the Stipends and Regulations Bylaws. Juturu stated that this senate bill would clarify the wording of the stipends and regulations bylaw, which is located in Chapter 8 of the ASUCR constitution. Juturu stated, “some people have approached me stating that they are concerned that the constitution states that you can only raise an ASUCR member’s stipend and not decrease it. I want the language in the bylaw to be more open and transparent.” In response, Armstrong stated that he agreed that the language of the bylaw should be changed but added,
“I know that a lot of people think we get paid too much for the work that we are doing, but I think we should work harder to prove that we deserve this. Life is only getting more expensive and I don’t think there should be any legislation created to decrease our stipend because I would very much be against that.” The motion to pass SB-F19-009 passed 15-0-0. Juturu and Vice President of External Affairs Luis Huerta presented SB-F19-010: Adding labor commission to VPEA bylaws. This bill would add a labor commission under the office of external affairs. The head of this commission would earn a $990 stipend. The bill was approved 15-0-0. The meeting then moved on to exofficio reports. ASUCR President Julian Gonzalez was the first to step to the podium and addressed the senate and the public. Gonzalez opened his statement by apologizing for the reaction he caused from the senate and the student body in regards to the ASUCR office remodel and the senate chamber renovations. Gonzalez stated, “I don’t want to make disappointing decisions … I apologize for blindsiding the student body with this remodel and renovation and for people misunderstanding what I meant when I said I wanted to rebrand.” Gonzalez went on to state, “I thought this remodel and renovation would be a great first step for us.” Gonzalez was brought to
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tears during his apology. Due to the tension that the renovation and remodel brought, Gonzalez stated that he wanted to present the senate with a few options. He stated that the senate could postpone the entire project, recall the vote or discuss how big they want this project to be. Laurie Sinclair, the ASUCR executive director, reiterated that the remodel and renovation would be paid for through the ASUCR reserves and that the reserves could only be used for capital improvements and emergencies. Only 15% of the reserves can be used every year. BCOE Senator Leo Ngo then motioned to continue with the office remodel and senate chamber renovations as planned. The motion passed 11-1-4. Huerta then presented ratification of three of his staff members, which was approved 16-0-0. During public comment, the senate rediscussed the finance meeting minutes from Oct. 7 and Oct. 9 because Chang revised the missing vote counts. The meeting minutes for Oct. 7 passed 14-0-1 and the minutes from Oct. 9 passed 15-0-0. After public comment, the meeting then moved into the closed session meeting with senate members moving out of the senate chambers for discussion on a matter that was not made public. The meeting was adjourned after the closed session meeting at 9:10 p.m. ■H
Student Success Center moves onto next phase of planning
► FROM SSC
In addition to the instructional spaces that address this deficiency, the SSC will also include multipurpose rooms, group meeting rooms, group study rooms, open study spaces and a dining venue. “I think our students will love the new facility and the 1,100 lecture hall seats it brings to the campus,” stated Bomotti. Although a couple of sites were considered, Norman stated that a working group comprised of students, faculty and staff decided that the central location between the
Arts building and Student Services Building would “provide better programmatic and site opportunities.” The trees on location were the only major concern for the working group; however, “the university will be planting many new trees to offset their removal,” said Norman. In a 2017 report, UCR Capital Asset Strategies stated that the SSC has a total cost of $58 million. Norman stated that while a huge number of people from various different departments on campus and students have been committed
to making the project a success, “it’s important to acknowledge the Regents who prioritized this project for UCR, and the state, which has funded most of it.” The UCR Capital Asset Strategies report stated that $8 million was pledged by Student Affairs. UCR’s Office of Planning, Design & Construction webpage notes that construction on the project will begin in the fall of 2019 and is expected to end in the fall of 2021. Norman commented in an interview with The Highlander that although
the project site will be fenced off for safety reasons, at times it will “undoubtedly feel intrusive” to staff, faculty and students. “Campus staff, along with the General Contractor, will be working assiduously to mitigate these impacts,” she said. Regardless, Norman reiterated: “I firmly believe that the SSC will be a wonderful addition to the campus.” Similarly, Bomotti wrote, “the SSC project, from my perspective, has been a great success for the campus and we are excited to see the groundbreaking later this fall.” ■H
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
NEWS
UCR Botanic Gardens staff close unsound geodesic dome to the public for replacement
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SILVIA FERRER Senior Staff Writer
On Monday, Oct. 7, the official UCR Instagram page posted that the Botanic Gardens’ geodesic dome has been closed to the public until further notice. The dome, which was built in 1984, has become structurally unsound and deemed unsafe by the UCR Botanic Gardens staff. The Director of the Botanic Gardens, Jodie Holt, said that the dome is inherently weak because of its construction and materials. It was only further damaged by regular wear, weather and a large plant that has grown on the structure for years. “For a long time, the dome has been getting a little more damage by weather and the plant on it, so there are broken strips of wood … the individual pieces are also not very strong. There’s lots of holes and broken wood” said Holt. Despite the maintenance that the Botanic Gardens staff has undertaken the past few years, Holt stated that a structural engineer recommended the dome be completely replaced. “The dome is a very unique structure. If you pull a panel out, you weaken the whole structure. Everyone we talked to about repairing it said ‘I don’t think that’s going to help,’” she said. Holt continued to say that the engineer stated that it was “very unsafe,” “wobbly” and posed a risk of “a whole side falling.” Holt estimated that the cost to rebuild
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will be around $50,000. While the Botanic Gardens are funded in part by the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS), they must rely on outside donations for any new projects, including the reconstruction of the geodesic dome. Holt stated that the dome’s popularity among the Riverside community has helped in this regard. “We put the notice on our newsletter, Facebook and Instagram and that’s what got people’s attention. People are calling, they want to donate. We have several donors that want to give several thousand dollars” she said.
Although the dome’s materials are no longer available and companies that build the structure are hard to find, Holt said she was hopeful about “putting one back that looks just like it.” She has even managed to find two companies interested in the project, one based in Berkeley and one based in England. She said “both really want to help us with the design and finding the materials. It’s quite possible we will do it by next spring.” In the meantime, Holt recommends that students visit the recently renovated
greenhouse. “A lot of people will be sad that it’s (the dome) closed and they will miss it, but at the same time we have put a new roof on our greenhouse and the front section of it is being turned into a conservatory that is not that different than what’s in the dome,” Holt said. “It’s a really nice alternative or addition to the dome. When it reopens, we will have two of these indoor display areas for people.” Holt stated that anyone interested in donating for the geodesic dome can do so H on the UCR Botanic Gardens webpage. ■
student who saw the crime alert of a person posing as a maintenance worker. The UCPD crime bulletin showed that he was charged with possession of paraphernalia, possession of narcotics and burglary. One student who encountered Wright on Sept. 30 at Falkirk gave her personal account. The student, who asked to remain anonymous, said that Wright introduced himself as a maintenance worker and stated her roommate’s name and identified himself as a maintenance worker who came to fix their closet. According to the student, she and her housemates saw that Wright had a UCR sweater and clipboard of work orders, so they let him into their apartment. Wright said he had a work order for their closet doors, but the group was suspicious since the Resident Services Office had told them that they would fix their closets on Monday. According to the student, the work
orders were real “because he went to put his clipboard down and my roommates looked through them to make sure they were real and they were.” It would later be known that Wright had stolen the real UCR work orders from a UCR maintenance worker. The student said, “I know people who work for UCR so it didn’t strike me as weird, but he was weird.” She went on to say “he came into my room and took out a switchblade and started scraping in between the track of the closet.” The student stated that Wright then broke his switchblade and tried to fix it while talking to the three students. Wright was also making sexual, inappropriate and racist comments towards the three housemates during the incident. They asked to see his ID and he became anxious. Then the students asked him to quickly finish what he was doing and leave.
The student said that Wright left the apartment insulting the students with racist and rude comments. When Wright left, the students called UCR facilities to make a complaint about Wright. That was when they were told that Wright was not a UCR employee. Regarding the incident with her housemates, the student said, “Now we don’t feel safe in our own apartment.” Frustrated by the lack of awareness by UCR facilities for losing the maintenance work orders and not getting an alert of an impersonator on campus, she questioned, “How long were they stolen before they knew?” The student said that the experience was unexpected, shocking and scary. In an interview with The Highlander, UCPD Assistant Chief of Police John Freese gave suggestions to keep students safe. He said, “we suggest all students remain diligent and aware of their surroundings,” and “should avoid being distracted by smartphones and other technology when walking.” Freese stated if someone claiming to be a maintenance worker comes to a student’s residence, on or off campus, the student should “demand to see a facilities/contractor identification and uniform and only open the door if they feel comfortable.” If they don’t provide identification then the person should immediately call the police. According to Freese, “UCR Facilities has taken steps to insure that work order information is protected, so it cannot be accessed by someone who is motivated to pose as a maintenance worker.” A safety notice with more details on the incident is posted on the UCPD website. UCPD asks the people of the area to call if they see anybody acting suspicious or engage in criminal activity. ■H
UCPD arrests trespasser posing as UCR maintenance worker at on-campus apartments
ANTONIO VELAOCHAGA Contributing Writer
On Sept. 30, a man posing as a UCR maintenance worker was spotted roaming the Falkirk apartment complex with a yellow construction vest, a stolen clipboard and UCR work order forms. The man was 20-year-old Isaiah Wright. According to UCPD, Wright, who is not a UCR student, had previously run into UCPD on Sept. 24 of this year, when he pretended to be an instructor at the Aberdeen-Inverness Residence Hall. The UCPD bulletin said that Wright was told to leave or he would be arrested and he complied. However, he returned to campus two days later and was arrested by UCPD for trespassing. Wright was arrested by UCPD a second time at the Grand Marc Apartments the night of Sept. 30 after being spotted by a
JAKE WAKEFIELD / HIGHLANDER
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
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UCR researchers find several harmful metals in an e-cigarette research study
CAMERON SADEGHI Contributing Writer
Statistics professor Jun Li, cell biology professor Prue Talbot and post-doctoral researcher Dr. Monique Williams found several harmful metals in six tank-style e-cigarettes. The study concluded that changes in tank-style e-cigarettes are created for higher voltage and power. As a result, the higher voltage was correlated with a higher frequency of metals such as lead and nickel. Six products were tested in the study: Ego C-Twist plus Kangertech Protank, Ego C-Twist plus Aspire Nautilus, iTaste MVP 2.0 plus Kanger T3S, Nemesis plus Clone, Smok Alien plus Smok and iPV6X plus
Tsunami 2.4. According to the study, researchers consulted a local vape shop near UCR and sought popular products to use in their study. Researchers also looked for information on the websites of refill fluid manufacturers. UCR researchers faced challenges with the method of collection in the study. Talbot stated, “We needed to determine how the method of collection affected the final concentration of elements measured in the aerosols. We found that using an impinger method worked well but the components used for collection needed to be “sealed” by pretreatment with nitric acid.” According to Figure 2 of the study, concentrations of the cold trap samples
were greater than the samples collected using the impinger method. In an interview with The Highlander, Williams claimed that the study was ongoing since 2014 and finished in 2018. Talbot also told The Highlander that metals such as chromium, lead, nickel, tin and zinc were found in the vapors of the six e-cigarettes tested. Talbot stated that those metals can be harmful for consumption. Talbot noted the health effects associated with e-cigarettes: “The health effects are of great current interest since there is an emerging epidemic of vaping-related disease that has lead to about 23 deaths thus far. The CDC and FDA are investigating the
uptick in disease, but the cause is not yet known.” Li declined to answer questions relating to the study. However, she informed The Highlander that she helped with the data analysis portion of the research study. Williams warned students about e-cigarette usage. She stated, “Anyone using these devices, please exercise caution. With the recent events surrounding e-cigarette, users falling ill and in some cases dying, it is very important that when purchasing e-liquids or ‘e-juice’ to buy them from reputable sources. The CDC has recently issued a warning to not use them at all right now, but if a consumer must, exercise caution.” ■H
UCR receives grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to boost diversity in healthcare
LAURA ANAYA-MORGA Contributing Writer
In August, the UCR School of Medicine was granted $6.6 million by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to boost diversity in healthcare. This grant will be utilized to subsidize loans to students in the School of Medicine depending on their financial need. In an email response to The Highlander, Dr. Emma Simmons, the senior associate dean of student affairs for the School of Medicine stated that the grant was awarded due to the large number of students that are accepted to the School of Medicine who are from low socio-economic and disadvantaged backgrounds. She further explained what it means to be diverse in healthcare and why it is important. “The population of America and our local inland Southern California is very diverse. We desperately need physicians who are from disadvantaged backgrounds who are familiar with the unique challenges and issues that patients who have limited resources may face,” stated Simmons. Simmons went on to state that ultimately, this funding will help reduce current levels of unacceptable
disparities in the healthcare profession by supporting future physicians from populations that are underrepresented in medicine. “Students from Latinx, Native American and African-American backgrounds are much more likely to return to work in underserved areas with disadvantaged populations,” stated Simmons. She also stated that there is a desperate need for physicians who are from disadvantaged backgrounds who are familiar with the unique challenges and issues that patients who have limited resources may face. The loans given through this grant will be low interest, long term and forgivable for working in public service which will allow “students who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (many of whom are also from populations who are underrepresented in medicine) to have access to an affordable medical education,” stated Dr. Simmons. The grant will provide lower debt levels for students pursuing an education in medicine, which Simmons stated “is especially important to early physicians starting their families and medical practices. It will impact UCR SOM by making it more competitive with the other medical schools in California.” ■H
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Opinions
8 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
OPINIONS
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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
The Supreme Court‘s efforts to dismantle Roe v. Wade are slow but the process of recovering lost progress will be slower
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m o n g s t the many liberties the U.S. constitution promises its citizens, personal autonomy is perhaps chiefest amongst them. It stands to reason, then, that nobody should have the power to decide what one does with their body. Unfortunately, as the Supreme Court starts dismantling abortion laws, that may not be the case much longer. A woman should be allowed to decide what to do with her own body, but the topic of abortion has been hotly debated for years now. 1973 saw the Roe v. Wade ruling, which ensured women the right to terminate a pregnancy up until the 24th week, but said ruling is currently under threat of being overturned by the now conservative majority of Supreme Court justices, who are already poised to begin tearing down state laws that allow for abortion. To capitalize on this, several states, such as West Virginia and Alabama, have already passed state constitutional amendments that ban abortions should the courts eventually rule against Roe v.
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Wade. The passing of these stricter abortion laws will force folks to travel out of those states in order to receive proper health care, which puts women, particularly women of color with low socioeconomic standing, in a very difficult spot. By the time a woman musters up the money needed for her abortion, her pregnancy may very well have been carried out to full term. To make matters worse, it is entirely possible that the overturning of these abortion laws will mean bad news for those minorities for many years to come. As mentioned before, the Supreme Court currently enjoys a conservative majority, and with President Donald Trump still in office for at least another year and a half, the situation might not get any better for quite some time. While one would like to believe that the Supreme Court justices are willing to listen to the will of the people, it is important to recognize that not everyone in the states is prochoice. In fact, recent Gallup opinion polls show that only 25% of participants believe abortion should be legal
under any circumstances and 53% of participants believe abortion should be legal under specific circumstances. Many Americans are in favor of stricter abortion laws, which means that women seeking help with unwanted pregnancies will have a long road ahead of them. That being said, pro-choice advocates shouldn’t despair. Just as easily as the bob has swung to the conservative side of the pendulum, so too can it swing to the liberal side. While the Supreme Court justices are able to stay until retirement, provided they don’t do anything that will get them impeached, retirement is still inevitable for them. Like any other official position, the Supreme Court is in a constant state of flux. Because the president nominates potential Supreme Court justices, what is now a conservative majority amongst the justices may become a decidedly liberal one 50 years from now depending on the political leanings of the president. The fact that the courts are everchanging does not solve the issue at hand, but it does mean that perhaps someday the ground lost will be recovered. Furthermore, while there
is very little that the common person can do to solve this issue, advocating for the appointment of more women to the Supreme Court would be a good first step. Only four women have ever held the title of Supreme Court justice, the earliest amongst them being Sandra Day O’Connor, who was the deciding vote in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which ultimately upheld Roe V. Wade. While the average American citizen doesn’t have a direct say in who becomes a justice, the status-quo of a white, maledominated SCOTUS must be openly critiqued, as it cannot be allowed to continue if progress is to be preserved. In terms of long-term, actionable goals, an eventual constitutional amendment that truly protects a woman’s right to choose could be the closest thing to ending the debate. Many rights that were not originally included in the constitution have been added after the Bill of Rights was originally written. The 13th and 19th amendments immediately come to mind, and the United States would not be the same without them. Of course, the unfortunate reality is that society must
remain vigilant even if a constitutional amendment was created. Conservative states would likely continue to pass laws that restrict abortion rights, so the issue doesn’t truly have a proper solution. Society is a long way away from truly settling the discussion. It may look grim for Roe v. Wade, but it is important to remember that there will be people who are willing to fight on regardless of future Supreme Court decisions. Hold out hope; while the topic of abortion will likely forever be debated, potential constitutional amendments and the eventual arrival of more left-leaning Supreme Court justices may eventually make for a future where women’s bodies are once again theirs and theirs alone. Until then, society must continue to speak out against infringement on their personal autonomy. ■H
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.
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
9
OPINION POLL Compiled by Lydia Tso Staff Photographer
“In the context of Roe v. Wade potentially being overturned, do you believe women’s rights are in jeopardy?”
Amani Mahmoud Public Policy Third-year “Leave the women alone, please.”
Cristina Leyva Master of Fine Arts Third-year
David Alamillo
Anthropology Third-year “Yes. It would affect women’s rights because it’s a woman’s body, not a man’s body. It’s just not right for other people to tell you what to do with your body.”
“Yeah, Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision to make abortions safe, because abortions will happen whether or not it’s legal. ”
Lauren Orozco Psychology Fourth-year
Kenneth Ty Biochemistry First-year
Daniel Luna Economics Fourth-year
“It’s horrible for women’s rights human rights. It’s sad to see people might take away things we fought for or things our ancestors have fought for. ”
“Yes. It’d be a bad implication because in cases of sexual assault, they won’t have the chance to abort safely. It’d be bad for their rights. ”
“Yes for sure. It would put them in jeopardy because I believe they have the rights to decide for themselves. It’s a violation of human rights..”
Don’t be fooled: California’s new Fair Pay to Play law is not actually fair
JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer
California Governor Gavin Newsom took a historic first step on Sept. 30 when he signed SB 206 into law. The law, which is set to take effect in 2023, will allow student-athletes to earn compensation through endorsements off of their own name, likeness and image, which was previously unheard of in collegiate competition. The law will also allow student-athletes to hire representation and protect themselves from universities that threaten to take their scholarship for earning compensation. While the new law makes significant headway into the how-to-pay studentathlete debate, it still needs to be amended and improved upon to ensure that lesser-known players are paid for the hours of dedication to their craft. Not every player on collegiate rosters is going to have the name recognition to earn endorsement deals. In fact,
the majority of schools and studentathletes in California don’t. There are a few standout schools, including UCLA and USC, but most college athletic programs aren’t renowned in the state or the country. As a result, there will likely be an imbalance in compensation at schools all around the state. For example, UCR’s athletic program is not well-known outside of the area and they struggle to fill the stands with students who live nearby, so the likelihood of their student-athletes signing lucrative endorsement deals is slim. There may be a few players on the men’s basketball team who will be able to sign small endorsements with local businesses, but players who are not regular starters and players who spend most of their time on the bench are out of luck. Those players are in the gym practicing their craft just as long as the starters but under this law, they likely won’t be paid for it. Still, as stated earlier, this is a
historic moment. Student-athletes earning any kind of compensation is a victory no one could have imagined 10 years ago. That being said, there’s still a long way to go before studentathletes are fairly compensated for the number of hours they spend working on their craft. Another concern is that there are only certain sports that will draw in business endorsements. The most popular collegiate sports in America are by far football and basketball, but the majority of schools’ athletic programs offer a wider variety than that. This begs the question as to how student-athletes who play sports such as water polo, golf, tennis or track and field will fare in the endorsement market. It’s impossible to say for certain, but it’s very possible that they won’t be earning nearly as much as student-athletes in the more popular sports. Again, they may have success endorsing local businesses related to their sport, but it’s unclear if those
endorsements will be extended to every player on the roster, which is also a concern. What needs to be established is a system that will first pay studentathletes a fixed, equal-paying stipend that they can live off of. On top of the equal-paying stipend, student-athletes should also have the opportunity to sign endorsement deals and capitalize on their own name, image and likeness, which this law will establish. The endorsement market could be where the bigger stars of college sports will have the opportunity to earn more than the stipend amount, but having endorsements as the only form of income for a student-athlete is too unpredictable and unfair. While athletes who play at big schools and have name recognition will have the opportunity to earn money off endorsements, California’s Fair Pay to Play act will have to ensure that the everyday student-athlete will also be paid. ■H
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ICE concentration camps need continuous coverage to hold the administration accountable
TIMOTHY HUGHES Contributing Writer
In April 2018, the Trump Administration announced a “zero tolerance” in the enforcement of the security of the Mexico-United States border. Immediately following the policy announcement Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ramped up efforts to stop migrants from Mexico, South America and Central America from entering the United States, arresting individuals and families numbering in the thousands.
Unfortunately, this callous choice has not received the consistent media attention it deserves. The most controversial aspect of the “zero tolerance” policy is surely the separation of families. Thousands of children were taken from their parents over the course of a few months. This traumatic and inhumane practice caught media attention immediately resulting in both journalists and government officials seeking the truth of the situation, which was worse than expected. Tent cities were found at the border, housing the refugees in crowded
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conditions. Inside these tent cities, young children were caged and left to take care of one another, disease and illnesses were left untreated and men, women and children were forced to sleep in cages on concrete floors. Unfortunately, the outrage surrounding this situation permeated media conversation very briefly, returning into the limelight only when there were new related controversies. The coverage of these facilities saw a peak in December 2018, when multiple children died while in ICE custody, but the media
coverage quickly lost momentum. The next wave of media attention came when Alexandria OcasioCortez (AOC), a freshman member of Congress who received massive attention due to her underdog win and Democratic Socialist platform, visited a refugee detention center at the border earlier this summer. Her report was nothing short of gut-turning. AOC relayed stories told to her by women in ICE captivity, who explained how they had no choice but to drink from the toilet and how they hadn’t showered for several weeks. She reported on the massively overcrowded conditions and described the smell of cramped and unwashed bodies. AOC hosted an Instagram livestream later during which she referred to the “‘detention centers’ as what they really are: concentration camps.” After AOC’s statements, other important figures visited the camps and media attention rightfully exploded. It seemed for a moment that perhaps someone would be held accountable for these atrocities, but there was no such luck. The conversation about the camps had sadly all but vanished from the news cycle before the summer was over. To be clear, ICE is still running concentration camps
on the southern border and news coverage of this abuse has tragically fallen off since the summer. Taking a quick look at Google trends, the phrase “concentration camp” had a large peak in June and July but has since dropped to its typical level. This is also true to a lesser extent for the words “ICE” and “migrant.” When searching, “ICE concentration camps,” in the Google news tab, there are few recent articles, and with a few scrolls of the webpage, one will begin to find articles from all the way back in June and July. This lack of attention is appalling. The very notion that concentration camps on American soil would cease to be newsworthy is absurd. This sends a clear message to the world, especially those seeking a better life in the U.S.. It tells them that the United States’ attention span cannot accommodate caring about the lives of Latin Americans in cages for more than two months at a time. While it may seem as though the Trump administration levies a new atrocity to command the news cycle each week, the concentration camps are a special kind of evil and United States citizens cannot afford to forget them. ■H
Nuking the stigma around nuclear power
CYRUS TOSCO Contributing Writer
The phrase “nuclear power” often brings to mind images of mushroom clouds forming over the ruins of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That being said, nuclear technology is still a green power source and the stigma around it must be dispelled. In the discourse of “green technology,” nuclear power is regularly disregarded in favor of solar and wind power. This is unfortunate, as, when operated and designed appropriately, nuclear power is no more dangerous than most other forms of energy. If energy sources are to become carbon neutral, nuclear power needs to be integrated into the power grid. Because nuclear power is plagued with negative connotations it may help to understand the mechanics of the fission reactions taking place. Fission itself occurs in three simple steps: first, a neutron is fired at a high energy nucleus, then the nucleus absorbs the neutron, destabilizing the nucleus. As a result, the nucleus splits to release energy and more neutrons to continue the chain
reaction. In a reactor, water absorbs that released energy to create steam, which spins a turbine to generate electricity. In this case, the same components as other energy sources exist to generate electricity. They release some form of stored energy and use it to turn a turbine. A huge amount of energy is released from nuclear fission compared to solar and wind power. Based only on land use and power output, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant easily outmatches the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, producing more than 15 times more power annually than one of the largest solar farms in the world, using a third of the land. At the same time, newer nuclear technology and reactor designs are underway. Based on these new designs, spent nuclear fuel has proven to be more reusable than originally anticipated, resulting in less nuclear waste production. These newer reactor designs drastically outmatch former reactor designs. In fact, the new designs go so far as to address the problems of Chernobyl and Fukushima. In terms of the Fukushima Disaster, the plant was simply not designed to
withstand a tsunami. Despite the operators’ best efforts, their cores suffered a meltdown from the high energy released in the fission process. Likewise, the reactor design at Chernobyl was inherently unstable on start-up and shutdown, to the degree that its design was rejected in every country aside from the Soviet Union. Current proposed reactor designs adopt automatic safety protocols in which fuel pebbles are allowed to cool in underground holding tanks. Opponents of nuclear power will regularly point to the failures of the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima plants as examples as to why nuclear power is a bad idea. It is important to recognize, however, that, those reactors were designed more than 50 years ago. Today, safer and more efficient reactor designs exist and are continuing to be proposed. Nuclear power has proven to have a substantial power output compared to wind and solar. It is time to let go of the biases against nuclear power. The times are such that nuclear power needs to be recognized as a safe, reliable, carbon-neutral source of power. ■H
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
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China’s 70th year anniversary milestone is a resounding victory over Western aggression
ANDY LI Contributing Writer
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping oversaw the largest military parade and cultural celebration in modern Chinese history. The event, dubbed the “Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese People and the Motherland,” featured several thousand armed soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army, Navy and Air Force accompanied by a massive spectacle of over a hundred thousand dancing civilian performers. China also unveiled its deadly Dongfeng-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of simultaneously striking a dozen cities as far away as the United States with an operational range of 15,000 kilometers. For decades, the West has been united in its derision and hatred of the current government of China. Westerners have hurled endless invective regarding China’s supposed human rights violations and have erroneously considered the Chinese people as mere tools of communist propaganda. They aggressively pushed for separatist movements in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet aimed at destroying China’s territorial integrity and weakening its borders. The West frequently predicted the imminent collapse of the Chinese government and its economy, and more ambitious commentators and politicians routinely called for a militaristic overthrow of the Chinese Communist Party altogether. Today, China boasts the largest economy on Earth in terms of purchasing power parity with a GDP of over $27 trillion. Chinese telecommunications and smartphone giant Huawei is the largest 5G provider on the planet. The Chinese military, after winning successive wars in Korea (1950), India (1962), Russia (1969) and Vietnam (1979) is currently the largest contributing peacekeeping force in the United Nations. China remains the only nation in the world to successfully send a lunar probe to the
far side of the moon. China’s new Belt and Road Initiative aims to resurrect the ancient Silk Road by building the largest global infrastructure project in human history, already gaining 152 foreign signatories. All of this occurred in the last three decades despite continuous efforts by Sinophobes in the U.S. to contain China’s rise. All of these triumphs have not come without costs. Instead of acquiring the respect of the West and the recognition of China as an equal partner, nations such as the U.S. recoil in jealousy, anger and fear. President Trump has recently escalated tensions in the South China Sea by routinely attempting to bully China by rounding up smaller nations to challenge China’s maritime borders — to little avail, as Chinese island construction has aggressively increased. Trump also initiated a destructive trade war with China which has only widened the trade deficit in China’s favor and significantly harmed the U.S. farm industry. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, one of the loudest cheerleaders for Taiwanese separatism, was powerless to stop the Solomon Islands and Kiribati as they both cut ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing.
The arrogance of the West in its treatment of China isn’t really about human rights or opposition to communism — modern China is by all definitions a capitalist market economy. Instead, it is a relic of 19th and 20thcentury history, when a weak China was constantly invaded and tormented by the West through the Opium Wars and the Boxer Rebellion. Even in the aftermath of WWII, during which China lost over 20 million lives resisting the Japanese invasion, the U.S. refused to prosecute Japanese war criminals and instead provided them legal immunity. Shockingly, such tolerance for barbaric atrocities was never applied to their Nazi counterparts. Despite China’s rapid ascent from an impoverished Maoist state to a modern industrial superpower, many Western nations find it incredibly difficult to psychologically adjust to this “underdog” regaining its rightful place in the global order. China’s modern prosperity is credited precisely by their refusal to obey the demands of Western nations who want to force democracy on the most populous
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nation on Earth while also shrinking its borders through separatist movements. The Chinese government’s constant guiding hand over the economy and the military is the sole cause of today’s strong, modern China. After all, no other nation in human history has ever managed to lift over 800 million people out of poverty within the span of three decades. Chinese people have every reason to support their government. President Xi boasts a 90% approval rating and China’s international image has surpassed that of the U.S. China has no reason to trust the sincerity of Western critiques on Chinese governance — most of which are borne out of geopolitical insecurity rather than genuine consistency on human rights and peaceful development. China’s modern history is a remarkable miracle of a declining power that was ravaged by foreign invasions who made an incredible comeback through the sheer will of its people. The oldest continuous civilization on Earth with 5,000 years of history is here to stay. Hopefully, the U.S. overcomes its ego and chooses to pursue peace for both great nations. ■H
KFC’s dating simulation game is their attempt at entering the great chicken rush
VICTORIA DAVY Contributing Writer
The great chicken sandwich rush of 2019 dominated social media over the summer. People were in line for hours, eagerly waiting to get their hands on one of Popeyes’ chicken sandwiches. Employees barely had enough time to take breaks — all for the sake of a chicken sandwich. Popeye’s competitor, Kentucky Fried Chicken, recently released their answer to Popeyes sandwich: a dating simulation
game. Although the game is an interesting marketing ploy, it doesn’t fix the problem that put their competitors on top, which is the food itself. KFC’s dating simulation game “‘I Love You, Colonel Sanders!’ A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator” is nothing but an advertisement disguised as a video game. The game provides no new information to the player about the KFC menu or its recipes. The game is centered around romancing KFC’s mascot, Colonel Sanders, because
tasting his chicken recipe is framed as an earth-shattering, life-changing experience. In real life, if the restaurant’s chicken was that good they would have achieved Popeyes’ level of success. If they wanted to draw in customers they should have reinvented their recipes instead of spending resources creating a game. Reinventing and rebranding themselves could draw in new customers that come out of curiosity or loyalty. Keeping the recipe and the menu the same only taps into the loyal customer base; it doesn’t attract new ones.
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The game served its purpose of creating a buzz about KFC. It’s been the source of discussion in many articles and several different YouTubers have played and reviewed the game. The absurdity of the game is what has piqued the interest of many people. The game is outside the box for KFC’s normal advertising format which makes it a little more interesting. Even though “I Love You, Colonel Sanders!” is a little more interesting than their normal commercials, there is evidence that it has helped or hurt their sales. The game hasn’t been out long enough for it to affect the sales. It wasn’t an immediate surge like Popeyes had with their chicken sandwiches but only time will tell what the game does for KFC’s sales. While this dating simulation game is a fun way to promote KFC, the company should focus more on improving their chicken to keep up with their competitors. What made Popeye’s so successful this summer was their delicious chicken sandwich. If KFC wanted to replicate the same success they should have followed in Popeyes’ footsteps. Either KFC needs to change what they are doing or come last in the chicken competition. ■H
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OPINIONS
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Chick-Fil-Ain’t it!: The Usage and Support of Discriminatory Companies on Campus
ALEJANDRO MEZA-AGUILAR Contributing Writer
Here at UCR, diversity and inclusion are promoted; while we usually do well in demonstrating those values, there are occasions when we miss the mark. ASPB demonstrated that on Friday, Oct. 4 when they held their “Pooloza” event during which they hosted the well-known, homophobic fast-food chain, Chick-fil-A, who catered the event. If this was the first occurrence, they could have been forgiven for their lack of knowledge of Chick-filA’s long-standing reputation for donating to pro-family values organizations such as The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, The Salvation Army and Family Research Council, all of which promote conversion therapy and spread anti-LGBT propaganda. Chick-fil-A has even been sued for religious discrimination toward a Muslim employee in 2002. While ASPB may not hold these sentiments as an organization, hiring a prominent anti-LGBT fast-food chain to cater an event is a cause for concern. Last spring quarter, LGBT students attended an ASUCR meeting and articulated their frustration regarding the use of Chickfil-A as an incentive for voting in the 2019 ASUCR elections. The Highlander Empowerment Referendum, an initiative to continue funding for ethnicity, gender and sexuality programs at Costo Hall, was also on the ballot and it was in bad taste to use Chick-fil-A to cater the event. The
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message ASUCR seemed to be sending was a simple one: “We don’t care for Costo Hall or your identity.” The advertisements for the chicken sandwiches made no mention of Chickfil-A when the marketing for the event began on Instagram on Oct. 3. Every other aspect of the event was tagged to its respective vendor or performer, but the chicken sandwiches did not receive the same treatment. The marketing seemed strange at first, but it made sense when ASPB’s Instagram story included a picture of a Chick-fil-A sandwich. ASPB had a quarter to acknowledge
the general outcry from LGBT students. There was active pushback and an article detailing the event’s occurrence, but there was a lack of acknowledgment on ASPB’s part to demonstrate inclusivity in their events after the spring quarter’s outcry. This event suggests that ASPB doesn’t believe campus issues are connected to student’s lives or that those issues matter. Events for students on campus always require sensitivity to political issues and the campus environment. It is crucial to keep a campus de-politicized, but hiring the franchises and entities that actively combat students’ lives just bring conflict
instituted. The economy was liberalized with a series of capitalist reforms and by the 1980s, Japan had become the secondlargest economy in the world. That being said, the U.S. has yet to do this for Afghanistan. The U.S. meddled in the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 by giving support to the mujahideen, a group of Islamic fundamentalists, because they were the ones most willing to fight and die fanatically. When the Russians pulled out in 1989, so did the U.S., and the country fell into a state of sectarian violence for the next seven years. In the aftermath, the Taliban rose up and instituted totalitarianism, cultural
hospitals, schools and the development of a capitalist democracy. In the 1950s, while countries like Great Britain were still in a period of recovery, West Germany had become one of the strongest economies in the world. Similar to Japan’s “gift from heaven,” the Germans nicknamed their recovery “the miracle of the Rhineland.” The U.S. has permanent military bases in countries all across the world. The U.S. military presence keeps the peace between North and South Korea. If the U.S. had left a permanent military installation in South Vietnam when it withdrew support in 1973, it would be a liberated democracy like South Korea today. American occupation
to campus. ASPB has recently apologized to individual students for mishandling the event, but they have yet to apologize to the campus as a whole. That being said, apologies do not matter since there is no concrete evidence that they will avoid Chick-fil-A or other franchises who do not align with our campus’ values of diversity and inclusivity. Having such organizations will affect ASPB’s image as a campus organization. They lack communication with students and instead try to please all students with “universally accepted” event components. This process proves to be lazy and insensitive to the students they exclude unintentionally. Now coming forward on improving events for the future, ASPB should acknowledge the sentiments expressed by students on their social media posts and in ASUCR’s meeting. This would entail full disclosure in their marketing tactics to inform students of every vendor and caterer involved in future events. One way to address these issues is for ASPB to create a council comprised of individuals who are involved within Costo Hall’s identity programs. Their varied backgrounds and knowledge of campus demographics would determine if a vendor is fit for our campus. Although the details of ASPB’s future events are unclear, there is certainly room for improvement within the organization. ■H
America needs permanent military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan
ROBERT GOLD Contributing Writer
The Iraq War has spawned many unintended consequences. The rise of ISIS spread into Syria, in part causing the Syrian Migration Crisis, which has thrown the world into a state of armageddon. The influx of millions of refugees has caused horrible consequences across Europe and other countries. The far-right movement in France, Germany and even Britain, who is leaving the EU to reform its immigration policies, has risen. Turkey is now a dictatorship, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used the migrant crisis to consolidate power. The world as a whole has been devastated by naive, senseless American foreign policy. Non-interventionism is the most optimal foreign policy, but unfortunately, once the U.S. invades a country, it has an obligation to help maintain stability. By invading a sovereign nation, the invaders become the sole perpetrators of its instability. Therefore, permanent military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan are necessary. The military bases left over in Japan post-World War II have fostered the growth of Japanese exceptionalism. Rather than feel resentment, the Japanese began to appreciate the U.S. occupation. This appreciation was encapsulated by cartoonist Kato Etsuro, who coined the term, “gifts from heaven,” which made reference to the bloodless democratic revolution ushered in by U.S. forces. In the period of reconstruction, the U.S. aid totaled $1.9 billion as land reform, women’s suffrage, labor unionization and other U.S. sponsored measures were
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genocide and abuse of women. Most regrettably, if the U.S. had created a permanent military base in Afghanistan in 1989 it could have prevented the 9/11 attacks. All of the Al-Qaeda operatives were trained in state-sponsored terrorist camps in Afghanistan. Analysis suggests that the Taliban plans to resume hostilities once U.S., NATO troops exit. During West Germany’s postwar period the Marshall Plan was instituted under U.S. occupation. A total of $1.4 billion was spent rebuilding German roads,
of South Vietnam would’ve maintained a liberalized government and economy; the economic history of Vietnam shows that its impoverishment did not improve until its massive capitalist reformation in 1986. Today, in a post-capitalist Vietnam, it is the 47th largest economy in the world with a $241 million gross domestic product (GDP). Today, South Korea has the 11th largest economy in the world out of 195 recognized countries with a GDP of $1.7 trillion. After the 1973 withdrawal of American forces, Vietnam struggled for
nearly a decade in a state of utter poverty and mass starvation as communization overtook the whole of the nation. The destabilization of Southeast Asia by the U.S. military led to the Cambodian genocide. Two million Cambodians died, a quarter of the nation’s entire population. Millions of Vietnamese people died in the communist takeover of the country. The installation of U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan could very well be interpreted as American imperialism, advocacy for American interventionism and the promulgation of the U.S. as the globalist watchdog who holds the baton which beats the world into rightful submission to American interests abroad. However, this is not the case. The promotion of American imperialism would constitute championing the invasion of Iran, North Korea and Saudi Arabia. It would be pleading for an intervention in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and support for U.S. soldiers in Taiwan and Hong Kong and Tibet to fight off the perils of Chinese imperialism, but that is not what is in advocation. The U.S. should build permanent military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, add it to the national defense budget, with the intention of never pulling out. Just as the U.S. built a base in Kuwait, after Iraq invaded Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Complete withdrawal gives the enemy a clear path to victory: they need to bide time and wait out the occupation. As soon as the withdrawal is complete, the enemy can resume hostilities. The installation of these military bases is not about invading new countries, it’s about protecting our victories and not letting those victories turn into losses. ■H
FEATURES
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
FEATURES
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Pentland, Lothian and Aberdeen Inverness residence halls introduce freshmen to their new homes By: Heewon Kim, CW; Jamie Peterson, CW; Christine Tran, SSW
This week the Residence Halls Association (RHA) organized three events over the course of two nights to help students become more familiar with their respective residence hall. The festivities started off on Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 6 to 9 p.m., with “Hello Pentland,” at the Pentland Green Lawn. With over 200 students in attendance, the sign-in line of excited students seemed endless. Once checked in, students were handed a wanted poster that showed images of decorations that residents needed to find and take pictures with in order to receive Scotty bills. In Pentland’s F and G lounge, the Pentland program advisors set up Kahoot filled with trivia facts about UCR and a poster with the caption, “Before I Graduate … ” that students could sign in exchange for more Scotty bills. After collecting a sufficient amount of Scotty bills, students could trade in their money for boba and a plate of tacos. With this incentive in mind, residents ran back and forth looking for specific posters while learning more about what Pentland has to offer. “I’ve spent most of my time here so far just in my dorm, so it was cool to get to spend the night exploring Pentland more,” said Dan Troung, a first-year pre-business major. The hunt brought people to places like the Pentland fitness center and the computer lab, which led to several confused students who were unaware as to why groups of people were dashing in and taking selfies. When the search became exhausting, the UCR Deejays and Vinylphiles club pumped everyone up with lively electronic dance music remixes. After a long night and delicious food, students could use their remaining energy to fight their friends at the inflatable boxing ring in the center of the lawn. “I’m glad I came out, it was a lot of fun to just run around yelling and laughing, I also got to meet new people which is always a plus,” commented Alexander Patino, a firstyear mathematics major. The fun continued with the Lothian Residence Hall hosting “Scotty’s Declassified College Survival Guide,” at the Lothian Galley on Oct. 10 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. This event was designed for all freshman students regardless of if they lived in Pentland Hills or AberdeenInverness (AI). In order to draw students to this event, prizes and giveaways such as Hydro Flasks and a Polaroid camera were set out as incentives. Games such as human Bingo and Jeopardy were included as
interactive activities and as an opportunity for the students to form a bond with other unfamiliar students. The people who worked behind the scenes to make all of this happen are none other than the Program Advisors (otherwise known as PA’s) who manage the residence hall. One of the PA’s, Maxus Wong, a second-year environmental engineering major, shared the reasoning behind holding
human Bingo and Jeopardy, students were given raffle tickets for a chance to win those prizes, and were given extra tickets if they won any of the games. Human Bingo required students to ask other students about their interests, majors and hobbies, a clever plan to crack the shyness out of students and a reason to gain more raffle tickets. A heated game of Jeopardy occurred in a
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the event, saying, “Today’s event was designed to be able to educate the first years, help them navigate their way through college since it is difficult for most to transition from their high school years. We wanted this event so they have something to be proud of.” Wong also shared the reasoning behind the lucrative incentives given out to those who came. “Yes, the prizes are incentives, but they have good intentions. For example, the Hydro Flasks are to remind the students to stay hydrated. White boards for room decor. The manicure kit is to remind them that personal hygiene is important. And the Polaroid, for memories and nice pictures!” Through participating in games such as
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small room consisting of almost 30 firstyear participants. The four teams: Team Lemon, Team Potato, Team Broccoli and Team Watermelon competed to find which group was most knowledgeable of the rules and whereabouts of UCR. After Team Watermelon earned a promising win, Team Broccoli secured their victory in a winner-takes-all round. After the intense competition, a petrified member from Team Watermelon, Pedro, a first-year majoring in pre-business commented, “That was scary. It was intense.” Overall, the event had freshmen leaving with new bonds and everlasting memories. Isabella, a first-year majoring in media and cultural studies said her overall experience
was promising. “Well, I wasn’t even expecting myself to come. I was glad that I came though. I was able to meet new people that were outside of my friend group.” The night ended with raffles, prize winners and students leaving the event with new friends and a better understanding of what UCR has in store for them. The wind did not blow off AberdeenInverness’ “951 Community Night Market” on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The event was held directly in front of the dormitory in its horseshoe drop-off area. Freshman and transfer students waited in line and were later greeted with a sticker and a smile. To start off, UCR’s dance club Oceania took main stage and performed a Hawaiian hula dance and soon freshmen cheers blended with the softer Hawaiian music. Food was the main theme of the night. Long lines for free pizza, sushi, popcorn, shaved ice and ice cream accumulated overtime. Two first-year students Jason and Abdhi slurped on lemon lime and blueberry raspberry shaved ice while playing a game of giant Connect Four. “It is the closeness of it,” Abdhi commented. “It’s right outside of our dorms and I was like ‘Jason we’re going, we’re going, let’s go!’” Other games like giant Jenga and plastic pins for bowling sat on the cement. A group of floormates sat at one of the tables playing a card game they brought to the event called Love Letters. “We are all in the same hall, so we are basically socializing” said Diego Villaseñor, a firstyear transfer student from Mexico. “The game is called Love Letters out of irony. It really just makes us scream at each other,” another joked. Despite living on the same floor for three weeks, the event gave them a chance to play and relax, exchanging names and competitive comments into the night. Towards the end of the night, a birthday surprise was held for Program Advisor Bryan Diaz, a third-year business major. Residents bought him a cheesecake and sung while he sat on the main stage. “I love my residents trying to make sure they have a great first year that they can take with them for the rest of their college experience, maybe even inspire them to become a PA or an RA,” he said. “And we are a family as you can see,” he continued, looking over at them dancing and shouting to the rhythm and blues music playing in the background. When the night came to a close, almost no food went to waste. Students walked back to the dormitory feeling much more comfortable with their RAs and fellow floormates. ■H
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
YouTuber and Cover artist,
JamieBoy,
performs at UCR By: Alejandro Meza-Aguilar, Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, Asian Pacific Student Programs (APSP) held a welcome event to introduce students to the organizations on campus that started at 6 p.m. However, the focus of the event wasn’t the mingling of students and campus organizations; the true attraction was JamieBoy, a YouTuber and cover artist. JamieBoy is a California native from Oxnard who is known for performing covers and has recently transitioned into writing and singing his own rhythm and blues (R&B) songs. He states on The Opening Act, “I grew up singing in my mom’s church choir since I can remember. I have always had a passion for entertaining.” He started his singing career performing covers on YouTube and is most known for his SZA cover of “The Weekend.” Currently, he is working on more R&B music on Spotify and has a total of 12,729 monthly listeners. His song “You Got It” has garnered 477,801 listeners. JamieBoy has a large, loyal following which was demonstrated by APSP’s student welcome event. The event gave students the opportunity to get to know organizations that align within the Asian and Pacific Islander identities. The event started with music and student performers dancing on a small stage at the steps of the Bell Tower. The audience was tightly knit in anticipation for JamieBoy’s appearance. There were moments in which audience members would ask, “Is he coming on?” It occurred often enough for the DJ to announce JamieBoy’s estimated time of arrival after
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a student performance. The performance was very intimate with students gathered right in front of the stage to be up close and personal with APSP’s special guest. Halfway through his concert he asked the students, “Hey, y’all don’t mind getting close? We’re Filipinos. We know how to dance, right?” The audience huddled around the stage and danced along with JamieBoy. The intimacy of the crowd size made for an experience that most students enjoyed which was demonstrated by cheers and lively dancing. Some song covers he performed were: “Let Me Love You” by Mario, “Lemonade” by Jeremy Passion, and “Weak” by SWV. The performance that stood out the most was his cover of SZA’s “The Weekend” due to his rhythmic and smooth vocals. It really brought out the church choir and R&B influences that got him started in his career. JamieBoy’s performance gave students the opportunity to feel seen and understood by their campus. Audience member and Katipunan member, Ellen Angeline Agonoy, stated, “I participated in Philippine Culture Night, which consists of Filipino folk dances, acting, and singing. One of the songs that was performed was ‘Weak’ and it made me feel nostalgic of last year’s PCN.” Although JamieBoy offers more than just inclusivity, he has an approachable personality that allowed students to interact with him. Audience member, Pamela Guinto stated, “JamieBoy is seriously so friendly and he has such a great, charming, positive energy to him. He also did a short cover with me and I was surprised at how H eager he was to do it once I asked him.” ■
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Fifteen pairs of white T-shaped support beams holding up glorified concrete awnings. The Rivera Arches … they’re pretty ugly. School brochures run it off as modernist architecture, but it doesn’t give much more than a subjectively pretty photo op and most practically, shade. Romans created the arch to withstand heavy bearing loads: these Arches definitely bear a lot, but they themselves aren’t much worth caring about. Ironically, I choose to surround myself with the things every day. There’s a clearing of sorts beneath the bridge to the library that I always take some stairs down to for studying or just by default, and it’s always so quiet … save for that one night. It was not peaceful that night. Around this time last year, the night began as a standard study session, solitary. The library had closed, so I grabbed my bag and was about ready to head up the stairs to the dorms and turn in. Then I heard crying halfway up the steps. No one else had been down there ever since I arrived hours before, but even then I chose to go back down and ask at the bottom of the stairs, “Hey, is someone there? Are you hurt?” Then there was the rattling of metal, accompanied by a moan of anguish that made for one hell of a bone chiller. It was a cold night and I was shivering to start with, and beyond what the lights upstairs could reach I couldn’t see my own feet. But I nearly crapped myself when a faint weeping voice hit my ears and sent shivers everywhere. “ … open the gate … ” When I got my bones to stop shaking, I processed what the voice had said. It was a woman’s voice, and it sounded as if she had been mentally battered, as if when she spoke she was bleeding sorrow. Gate? The only gate I knew of was an old, white and rusty gate in a far corner of the open space, locked up with only a chain just as rusty, and the only thing behind it was water pipe valves. Was she locked behind there somehow? I didn’t want to find out what was behind any gate that night, and I tried to ignore the plea. “ … please… ” Half of me wanted to bolt out of there, and the other more panicked half was fearful of what would happen if I didn’t go back to do what the voice was asking. But the choice was made when I saw two figures at the top of either side of the stairs with their backs to me. Believe me when I say they were human, but their intentions for that night were beneath humane. “Hey, looks like we’ve got some fresh meat tonight … ” The world went blank for a moment, until my heart sinking dragged me back. I had already near-fainted from hearing the obscured voice, and my knees were buckling from the constant bombardment of fear that the night was drowning me in. What was I supposed to do? At first I tried sneaking away from the stairs, but almost immediately a gruff voice tried to stop me. “Hey, are you lost kid? Why don’t we take you out and make you dinner … ” Nonononononononono do not let this happen god please, my mind was screaming.
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“ … the gate … now … ” There was no other option. I dashed to the shrouded voice before the assailants started on me, running down the stairs and both of them laughing like hyenas tailing prey. My heart wanted to burst out of my chest and my brain was pumping every fear into my every limb. I ran to the voice, breathing ragged, and was met with the white gate in a corner of my study spot turned horror scene, rusted all over held and held shut only by a chain covered with even more decay. There was no lighting beyond the gate, and I couldn’t even tell if anyone was back there. Was there even any way to escape? Crapcrapcrap nononono. “ … open it … you must … ” “Come on kid! I’m starving for a taste!” Gate. Open. Must open gate. I could not think. I planted my feet, gripped the rusted gate and heaved back. No good. Not good. Again. Again. Againagainagain. Rusted as it was the chain was resisting, but I could feel its strength giving way. Then there were two pairs of giant, calloused hands on my shoulders, almost yanking me off of the barrier to my safety, but I clenched my fingers to that gate with an absolute deathgrip. And it was the yanking that finally got the chain broken and the gate free. A frigid wind blew from the gateway and I fell on my butt, not because the wind was strong but because there was no one behind me anymore. “Y O U W I L L B E A R T H E S I N S O F A N C E S T O R A N D S T R A N G E R A L I K E N O W S U F F E R” The same voice that had been calling to me was proclaiming those words, but no longer did it sound weak: it was thundering and vindictive, and it was coming from somewhere up the stairs. I grabbed my bag and ran upstairs, heart still pounding but relieved to my soul that whatever was going to happen that night didn’t. At the top of the stairs I was, beneath the Arches, and at the very end to my right I could see my assailants standing on either side of the structure, facing the center with arms lifted up. They seemed to be staring at a woman in midair, her skin pale blue, translucent and covered in tattered white cloth, and she was slowly lifting her arms up, seeming to control the actions of my unsavory aggressors. It seemed as if they were becoming taller, thinner, less descript and white as bone. Their heads seemed to be coming towards the center of the Arches. By some entrancement I walked over to the ethereal happening, looking at the voiceless, stretched, pained faces of the terrible assaulters looking down on me and the ghostly lady, who I looked to next. “ … thank you … ” I think I’ve told about all I care to remember from that night. The gate’s been replaced and kept shut with a lockbolt since then, and I’ve still been using the place as a study spot ever since. After what happened, you’d think I’m crazy not to move somewhere safer, but there’s honestly a connection to that place I just can’t let go. … Then again, I’ve got the key to the gate.
■H *This is a fictional work. Any real life connections are pure coincidence.
TH E ARCH ES By: Mark Bertumen, Senior Staff Writer
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Campus Cope: Saving money as a $$$
college student Ashley Perez, Contributing Writer
College is expensive, there’s no way around spending money. However, there are some tips and tricks to cut down on how much money you spend. There are four main areas where money can be saved: furniture and decor, clothing, food and school supplies. When it comes to furniture and decor, there are many ways to cut down on the amount of money spent. Looking through second hand stores, such as Goodwill, The Salvation Army and flea markets, are ways to save some money. Often times these stores might have a hidden gem, such as a semi-used bed frame or dressers that are being sold at a big discount. But when purchasing these items, remember to clean and disinfect anything you buy, since they collect dirt and germs. Our recent room decoration article talks about using apps such as OfferUp or Letgo, where people sell their belongings, like furniture or decoration items. Oftentimes the sellers are willing to sell at a cheaper price as long as you know how to bargain. Just remember to be safe when buying items from these apps. When it’s a new academic year, most people want to look nice and put together. New clothes cost quite a bit, and that’s without taking into account shoes or accessories. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy new clothes that are nice and fit well. When going into department stores such as Burlington,
Ross or Aeropostale, check the “clearance” section first. Often times stores place items that are leftover, underselling or out of season in the clearance section. Going to second hand stores like Savers or Goodwill is a good way to save on clothes and shoes since there’s a variety of styles and options due to people donating their belongings. Although there’s no way around the cost of food, there are ways to save a little extra change. If you have space, buying in bulk saves money in the long run. For example, buying a box of granola bars at Costco or Sam’s Club is cheaper than buying individual or smaller boxes. When going grocery shopping make sure to have a list of the things you need and don’t shop when you’re hungry. Downloading couponing apps and checking the local store flyers is another way to save money. UCR also often hosts events that serve food, which can be a meal or snack. Meal prepping is not only a convenient way to save food but it also helps you understand how much food you’ll go through and need. Finally, the area that is the most expensive: school supplies. There are sales for school supplies around the beginning of the back to school craze or toward the end of the year. Textbooks are usually the most expensive materials. Some professors will put the textbook on reserve in the library, meaning that students can
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go check it out for a small period of time instead of having to buy it. The UCR Tomas Rivera Library allows students to take photocopies of the textbook, which can be stored in a USB. Although it’s time consuming and tedious, it’s a great way to save money. Something not everyone knows is that you don’t have to buy the textbook; bookstores have the option to rent the textbook, which is usually cheaper. Some student organizations, such as the Chicano Student Program, might have copies of older editions of textbooks, which can be loaned for a period of time. Keeping an eye out for “student discounts” or sales can help you save a bit of money as well.
Here are other miscellaneous tricks to save money in the long run. Saving literal change can actually make more money. We drop or throw money away because it’s “only five cents” but saving multiple coins and small bills can turn into $20 or $50. When buying food at fast-food chains or most places, completing the surveys can lead to coupon codes, which can get you a dollar off or sometimes a free meal. Recycling plastic bottles or cans gives a bit of extra cash, since many college students throw plastic bottles away. Saving money can be hard work and it’s not always easy, but with these tips and tricks, you can make your wallet feel a little thicker. ■H
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
Vegan Chilaquiles
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By: Alejandro Meza-Aguilar, Contributing writer
Recipe The ingredients are basic and easy to find in any grocery store: 1 can of enchilada sauce 1 bag of corn chips (plain would be best but any corn chips will do) 1 bag of fajita mix 1 bag of tofu (or any type of tofu if you have a soy allergy — you can use chickpea flour as a vegan egg replacement) 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper Start off by letting the fajita mix simmer on low heat and cook evenly until the onions start to unfits and cook for about five to ten minutes. Dry out the tofu. Mash it with a fork. Then let it simmer with the fajita mix veggies. (For the chickpea flour, use one of chickpea flour to 3/4 cups of water. Whisk it and pour it into the pan. Occasionally move it with the spatula to ensure it gets all evenly cooked.) Then put in the chips into the mix along with the enchilada sauce and season it. Let the ingredients simmer for 15 minutes in a medium heat. Enjoy your chilaquiles. ALEJANDRO MEZA-AGUILAR / HIGHLANDER
School is starting and as time passes, we have to keep conscious of time and nutrition. You can only run on packets of ramen, caffeine and shear stress from hectic schedules for a short amount of time. When it comes to cooking there is the need of time, affordability, simplicity and obviously taste. This recipe will be under $7, yield four servings and can be personalized. This recipe is part of my heritage and culture. In Mexico,
we mainly focus on a few ingredients that are staples to our diet: maize, onions, peppers and tomatoes. Zilkia Janer’s text “Latino Food Culture” states that Mesoamerican (present-day Mexico and Central America) agriculture is made up of beans, chilies, vanilla, chocolate, tomatoes, avocados, squash and numerous fruits and vegetables. A University of Notre Dame study states that few Mexican dishes can be identified as authentic without the presence of
tortillas; it is the staple grain of maize that makes this possible. It’s in many dishes in Mexican culture from tamales to the tortillas used for traditional tacos. In my family, chilaquiles were made due to the affordability of the dish and the ease. It touched upon the need for getting veggies, protein and also has a great taste. It was my favorite dish growing up and it always gave me the comfort of remembering my hometown of Mexicali. ■H
Be informed.
H The Highlander Newspaper is a great way to keep up with current events and news around campus. If you are intereseted in the newspaper’s articles or pictures, we offer opportunities in writing. photography and design. Join us every Monday at 5:15 p.m. in HUB 101 to learn more.
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brings a meaningful end to a fan favorite character By: Mario Mejia, Contributing Writer
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” premiered on Netflix at midnight on Friday, Oct. 11. The movie installment of the longrunning crime show was met with overall positive reviews from both critics and audiences alike and can be simply described as the ending to “Breaking Bad,” and more specifically, Jesse Pinkman, we did not know we needed. The events that unfold in “El Camino” follow Jesse Pinkman after the developments of the final episode of “Breaking Bad” that aired in 2013. Jesse was finally able to escape Jack and his gang and faces all new troubles in his escape. The beauty of “El Camino” is how quickly the director, Vince Gilligan, can have us sympathize over a character who we haven’t seen on screen in over six years. This ability to sympathize with Jesse pays homage to the fact that “Breaking Bad” was an overall amazing television show and goes to show just how much Jesse needed a proper send-off. Luckily, “El Camino” does just that. Jesse is put at the forefront of the film and
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is even referred to as a hero. This was a clear decision on the director’s part considering Walter White’s story had reached its end. It was almost as if Walter had passed the torch to Jesse to accomplish what he did not have the chance to — continuing Walter’s legacy and bringing the franchise to a satisfying end. When we first met Jesse he was a bit of a lowlife, which gave the director and writers plenty to work with. “El Camino” puts the time and effort into let-
series was not in vain while still maintaining that gritty, realist “Breaking Bad” feel. Contrary to popular belief, this movie was necessary and did not at all feel superfluous. Avid fans could tune into “El Camino” and quickly recognize how true it stays to the original series. Nothing in the movie felt as if it didn’t belong nor did it feel rushed. If “El Camino” taught viewers anything it’s that nothing will be left unsaid and everyone’s day of reckoning will
This ensures that everything Jesse had been put through in the original series was not in vain while still maintaining that gritty, realist “Breaking Bad” feel. ting the fans know that he was redeemed. This was established early on in the film when one of his friends, Skinny Pete, refers to him as his hero. “El Camino” properly gives our tragic hero the happy ending he deserved. This ensures that everything Jesse had been put through in the original
come, which follows the message of the original show. The staple “Breaking Bad” cinematography was not lost and made viewing the film a wonderful treat for avid fans. It must be remembered that at the end of the day, Jesse like his former colleague,
Walter, got into the meth-cooking business in order to create a better life for himself. This is highlighted in a seemingly ordinary flashback scene where Walter and Jesse are sitting in a diner. This scene humanizes Jesse as we discover that he doesn’t really know exactly what he is going to do once they retire from the meth industry. Walter knows that he is going to die either of crime or cancer, but his one goal is to leave his family financially stable. On the other hand, Jesse has seemingly lived by the philosophy of going where the universe takes him. This philosophy was emphasized and condemned in yet another flashback scene with one of Jesse’s love interests, Jane Margolis. “El Camino” provides Jesse with the meaningful end that fans of the original show felt he lacked. Continuing immediately after the events of the season five finale, fans of the series follow Jesse as he comes to terms with what happened to him at the hands of Jack and his gang while also desperately trying to start a new life for himself. ■H
“El Camino” brings fans a satisfying conclusion to Jesse’s story after the tumultuous end of the original series. Paying homage to the original series, the film delivers on tying up loose ends the original left for fans to question.
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
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Get ready to snap your fingers at another Addams Family masterpiece. Bad-da-da-dum! By: Lizbeth Marquez Torres, Contributing Writer Remaking movies and shows that are considered to be classics can go one of two ways. It either becomes an instant hit all over again by giving us a new and exciting twist to an old story or it gets thrown down the bottomless pit of the Addams’ basement. Nevertheless, producers Conrad Vernon, Gail Berman and Alexandra Schwartz have done a marvelous job at finding that balance of the classic, antisocial dark glee that the Addams embody with a mix of millennial culture that is enjoyable for both kids and adults. Originating from the drawings and cartoons of Charles Addams, the Addams Family story has been traveling through Hollywood ever since it premiered on ABC in 1964. It started off as a series of episodes and was transformed into multiple movies and even musical productions. The most commonly known version that people recognize is the 1991 version, directed by none other than Barry Sonnenfeld. 55 years later, we have returned to enjoy the finger-snapping song all over again except this time, animated. Each adaption of the Addams Family is distinct from each other because its production reflects different eras of technology while retaining the gloomy characters we love. Although this film’s plot slightly differs from the 1991 classic and the sitcoms that older generations might be used to, this animated masterpiece is able to reach a younger audience by giving us a taste of the Addams Family values but through a modern lens. The film begins with the lanky but glamorous Morticia (voiced by Charlize Theron) and her curious and rather short, goofy-looking husband, Gomez (voiced by Oscar Isaac), being chased away by a mob after exchanging their morbid but humorous vows. This creates a nice
transition by informing us of how their family came to be. Eventually, Morticia and Gomez come across an abandoned asylum on a gloomy, steep hill which they find as a perfect home to raise their daughter, Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) and son Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard). The family, which includes their helping hand, Gomez’s brother, mother and their servant Lurch, who is modeled after Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s monster, have spent the last 13 years sulking peacefully until a group of people begin to settle in the neighborhood below the hill. It is no coincidence that this neighborhood is called “Assimilation” and seeks to create a community where all houses and all people are the same. This is a fabulous juxtaposition between the ghastly and dark Addams family and the neighborhood full of pink, bright and upbeat citizens. Problems begin to arise when the leader of this seemingly perfect neighborhood, Margaux, voiced by Allison Janney, attempts to assimilate the Addams as well. Without any spoilers, the film unravels the underlying themes of xenophobia and teaches children not to judge those who are different while reminding parents the same. Although it is a children’s movie, rest assured that there are enough gruesome acts of violence to remind us how truly gothic the Addams are. The movie is filled with guillotines, fake blood, dynamite and every other tormenting device one can think of. As for adults, the Apple watch on the helping hand and the film’s subtle jabs at our growing reliance on social media and technology is enough to make any parent actually pay attention and even laugh at the millennial version of the Addams family. When the devious Margaux fails at assimilating the Addams
into her mold of a town, she spreads fake information about them through an app that keeps the neighborhood informed of crime around the area. Using fake profiles, Margaux makes up lies about the family to instigate problems and the people of the town began to panic, screaming “We need to do something about those Addams because I believe everything I read on the
internet!” Sadly, a lot of people do, which made this scene much funnier. Fortunately and without any spoilers, the film ends with a warm, humanizing moment filled with gloomy cuteness that leaves children and everyone else in the audience feeling good. It captures the Addams Family values that all Americans H can relate to in a new animated version. ■
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VERDICT: This hilarious animated Halloween treat is filled with fresh, dark and modern humor while still paying tribute to the strange and peculiar family that has been loved by many generations. The magnificent animation paired with a sweet and teaching storyline is the perfect movie to watch whether you are old or young! COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
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MONTY PYTHON CONTINUES TO ENTERTAIN FANS NEW AND OLD ALIKE
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Colin Carney, Senior Staff Writer
COURTESY OF CINEMA 5
On Oct. 5, the famous British comedy troupe Monty Python celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first airing of their groundbreaking sketch comedy show, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” Since its debut in 1969, “Flying Circus” has gone on to be remembered for its silly sense of humor, formula breaking comedy and deadpan delivery of absurd material. The show not only garnered fame in the U.K., but it also found a devoted audience in the U.S. where reruns were played on PBS. Monty Python has grown to be a cult comedy classic all over the world as countless fans from different countries enjoy Python’s unique sense of humor. After working together on the British comedy series “The Frost Report,” the young comedians went on to star in and write for other successful comedy programs of their era. After a successful run on “Do Not Adjust Your Set,” Thames Television offered Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam (the sole American of the group) their very own show. Likewise, the BBC offered John Cleese and Graham Chapman their very own comedy program after their success on “At Last the 1948 Show.” Not interested in doing a two-man comedy series, Cleese sought out Palin and offered him a role in their new show who in turn extended the offer to Idle, Jones and Gilliam. Once the group was together, they were tasked with the arduous job of pitching a new show to the BBC without a clear idea of what they wanted. As stated by Idle years later, “we hadn’t a clue, but we knew what we didn’t want to do.” Despite an ambiguous pitch, the BBC relented and gave the troupe their very own show which they titled “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” Upon its release, “Flying Circus” was immediately recognized as something
different. In fact, many in Python were afraid that it was too different and no one would find their humor funny. The show went on to become a hit and lasted for four series and provided the group with enough success to begin a film career as well. The show’s success can likely be attributed to its revolutionary and often chaotic take on comedy. Formulaic comedy with set-ups, punch lines and clear transitions were thrown out in favor of the chaotic, silly and random. This gave the shows its own unique style that felt wholly different from everything
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most iconic bits. Such famous sketches include the Ministry of Silly Walks, Argument Clinic, The Fish Slapping Dance and Pet Shop Sketch. Each of these sketches show off what made Monty Python so new and unique. The Fish Slapping Dance is literally what the title implies and is as absurd as it sounds. The genius in Monty Python is that it is often silly and bizarre, but their deadpan delivery and refusal to break character makes the weirdness of it all hilarious. Furthermore, skits like Pet Shop Sketch and Argument Clinic show
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onty Python has grown to be a cult comedy classic all over the world as countless fans from different countries enjoy Python’s unique sense of humor.” that came before it. The show flowed like a chaotic stream of consciousness as sketches were cut short before a punchline and then woven together with random interjections and bizarre animations. Often times, “Flying Circus” transitioned to different sketches by either inserting one of Gilliam’s surreal cartoons or by directly breaking the fourth wall. The most iconic instance of this was when Chapman’s uptight colonel would interrupt a sketch if it got too silly or ran too long and command the comedians to “Get on with it!” During the shows’ 45-episode run, “Flying Circus” produced many of the cast’s
that even when Python is absurd it can still be intelligent. These two iconic sketches display the quality of writing that often goes into Python sketches. The comedians pull off long and historical feats of verbal gymnastics as they spit off joke after joke in their patented straight-faced way, of which Cleese is a master. For example, in Pet Shop Sketch, Cleese tries to convince a pet shop owner how the parrot he was sold was dead upon purchase and rattles off every conceivable way to articulate the point to an oblivious employee. These sketches are but a few of the countless others that have since become classics. As such, they have
endured through the past 50 years and have been quoted and referenced by countless fans, new and old alike. As much as Python may have been great once, it is a true testament to their comedic ability when you see how much their work has inspired and endured. The success of “Flying Circus” carried over to Monty Python’s film achievements. Movies like “The Life of Brian,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and “The Meaning of Life” are loved by fans and continue to be quoted endlessly. Even more telling is how much they have inspired today’s comedians and entertainers. Countless celebrities have expressed their love of Monty Python and how much it influenced their work. Such celebrities include Matt Greonig (“The Simpsons”), Matt Stone and Trey Parker (“South Park”), Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead”), Seth Macfarlane (“Family Guy”) and countless more. The intellectually absurd and chaotic nature of their work, their deviance from norms and the breaking of the fourth wall has continued to inspire artists and fans 50 years after their first appearance on television. Their fans are devoted as ever as the surviving members of Monty Python’s single night live performance turned into 10 shows due to high demand. Monty Python was and continues to be one of the greatest comedy groups of all time. Their success can be measured in how they continue to make people laugh even today after decades off the air. Their timeless material keeps them relevant and easily accessible to new viewers (not to mention the recent addition of “Flying Circus” to Netflix). It is hard to understate just how impactful they have been to comedy as their unique and groundbreaking style continues to influence entertainment today. ■H
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
“Off the Record” SARAH BAZZY Contributing Writer
KUCR and The Highlander present to you “Off the Record,” a weekly column where KUCR DJs bring you the best of music news, reviews, hot takes and more! If you weren’t aware of what KUCR is, here’s a quick crash course: KUCR is a 24/7, non-commercial college radio station that has been serving the University of California, Riverside and the broader Inland Empire area since 1966. KUCR is run by students, for students. Each of our student DJs has the opportunity to curate their own radio show, learn how to throw live events and get hands-on media experience. Follow us on social media (@kucr883fm) to stay up to date with events and win ticket giveaways to shows like Tropicalia, Desert H Daze, Masego, Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg and more! ■
“Ghosteen”: Nick Cave’s impassioned album explores his journey to find peace JOSHUA MORENO Contributing Writer
It is not with great difficulty to surmise that Nick Cave’s latest album “Ghosteen” may be the most emotionally demanding album I have yet to hear. The album acts as the finale to a trilogy of albums starting with 2013’s “Push the Sky Away” and 2016’s “Skeleton Tree.” As the follow-up to these albums, “Ghosteen” continues this very minimalistic and drone approach to its sound, moving away from Cave’s post-rock background and replacing traditional instruments for electronic pianos and digital sampling provided by synth player Warren Ellis. While this stripped-down music may be offputting to some listeners, it is Cave’s lyrics that demand the most attention. To give context, during the recording sessions of “Skeleton Tree,” tragedy occurred in Cave’s life as his teenage son, Arthur, died in an accident. With time to
reflect, this latest album gives us a clear window into Cave’s years of anguish following his son’s death. The album is as harrowing and difficult as it is honest; Cave makes use of constant allegories to express his pain. One allegory has Arthur portrayed as a tree swallowed by the Earth. Another tells of God allowing Arthur to return by train. Each allegory is accompanied by serene and chilling soundscapes provided by Ellis. Although these stories are derived from his grief, Cave never explicitly references his son. In this ambiguity, Cave doesn’t alienate any listeners who may not be living the same experience. With this, “Ghosteen” does its most important job — conveying the stages of grief through music, which may bring a catharsis to listeners.
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VERDICT “Ghosteen” is not an easy album to get through with its experimentative sound and Nick Cave’s tragic lyrics, but with patience and an open ear, these tales of loss and acceptance reward the listener with either a deep concerning sympathy or by casting light on their own grief. ■H
KUCR presents: FM Nights CONRAD TALAMANTES Contributing Writer
COURTESY OF KUCR
On Saturday, Oct.19, FM Nights will return to Back to the Grind Coffeehouse in downtown Riverside. FM Nights is a concert series hosted by KUCR every few months that highlights some of the station’s favorite local bands in some of the station’s favorite Riverside community spaces. This week’s event is a five-band bill filled with some of SoCal’s harshest weirdos. Opening the show is Vacancy with a brooding dark melodic post-punk with a wicked up tempo kick and an attitude dipped in spite. Get there early to catch their aggressive yet relaxing set. After that is Caveman Movies. A punchy fuzzed out mess of thick cynicism and malaise. This power duo of drums and distorted bass is as barebones as it gets. Next is GUMS. These Orange
County scamps blur the lines of heavy sound with a spectrum of styles that explore hardcore punk, doom-metal and reverb soaked garage rock. Then Paranoise takes the stage. Relentless hyper-psych rock filled with screeching melting guitars and a speed that just doesn’t stop. Finally closing out our night is the one and only Happy in Hemet. Freaky death noise for the true oddballs. This power trio’s grossly groovy concoction of sonic ooze is sure to leave you dumbfounded. No money? No problem! This event is as free as it gets. Not only is admission for all ages free, but we will also be giving out free stickers and pins, as well as debuting our fall quarter zine. Don’t forget to bring a shirt or jacket, as we will be doing free screen printing from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. See you there! ■H
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Sports
MARTIN LOPEZ/ HIGHLANDER
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
SPORTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
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LEO YUE / HIGHLANDER
Women’s volleyball defeated at home by conference rival Cal State Northridge
DAMIAN GARCIA Contributing Writer
After a series of difficult road trip games in which the Highlanders dropped matches to UC Davis (11-7), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (12-5) and UC Santa Barbara (15-1), the UC Riverside volleyball team hosted the Cal State Northridge team (610) on Oct. 10 in hopes of breaking out of a temporary slump.
However, the Highlanders (5-11) will have to wait at least another game to break their five-game losing streak after Thursday’s match saw UCR shutout in three sets. This marks the fifth straight game in which the Highlanders have been shutout 3-0. The Highlanders came back strong in the second set after dropping the initial set 25-16. The Northridge Matadors trailed for most of the game, however, they slowly but
forcefully fought back to diminish the lead single points at a time. It was just enough so they could trot away with the second set, 29-27. The momentum from the comeback proved useful for CSUN as the third and final set ended 25-19 in their favor. The Highlanders didn’t have the most efficient offense, as they registered 25 errors with a relatively low hit rate of .114. One of the bright spots for the High-
landers was junior outside hitter Ayla Fresenius, who provided eight digs on defense. Junior setter Morgan Kline also contributed with 20 assists. Freshman outside hitter Amarachi Osuji pitched in offensively and finished the match with 11 total kills. The Highlanders will look to turn the tide of their recent results as they travel to Manoa to face the University of Hawaii (13-3) on Oct. 18. ■H
Highlander Spotlight Team: the Indianapolis Colts KEVIN SANCHEZ-NERI Contributing Writer
After five weeks of action, many teams have already solidified themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Quarterback (QB) Russell Wilson put the league on notice with another MVP-like performance, the Saints showcased their powerhouse talent even with QB Drew Brees on the sidelines and the Buffalo Bills defense may just carry the struggling QB Josh Allen into January football — but what about teams still on the fringe? The Colts have been this year’s biggest question mark since QB Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement back in August, with many in the football cognoscenti taking them out of the running in the AFC South. While that could still be a possibility, their latest performance marked a turning point in their season. The Colts stunned the Chiefs on Oct. 6 in the season’s biggest upset thus far, and could be crucial should the Colts find themselves playing for a spot in the playoffs late in the season. Running back Marlon Mack ran the ball 29 times for a total of 132 yards, dismantling the Chiefs’ defense and putting
kicker Adam Vinatieri in a great position for a total of four field goals. However, the story of the game was the Colts’ impressive defense. Despite playing without star players Darius Leonard and Malik Hooker, Indy’s defense held Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and his offense to a mere 13 points, the lowest in Mahomes’ young career. Linebacker Justin Houston led the charge against his former team, racking up a sack and two tackles for loss. The unit as a whole, sacked the reigning MVP four times with eight hits. The Colts put consistent pressure on Mahomes for the entirety of the game, forcing him to throw under duress. The jury is still out on whether or not Jacoby Brissett is the answer for this Colts franchise, but Brissett will have a myriad of opportunities to prove that he is worth the $30 million contract he signed earlier this year. The Colts will go into their bye week at 3-2 and are in great position for a playoff campaign, as they look to their defense to take advantage of a moribund H Texans offensive line in week seven. ■
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
SPORTS 24
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
Men’s soccer loses to Conference Rival UC Irvine
JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, UC Riverside (5-5-2) faced off against the UC Irvine Anteaters (4-4-4) in Irvine where the Highlanders lost their fourth straight game. The Highlanders were unable to keep up with the Anteaters offensively and lost the game 2-0. UC Irvine was in control of the game offensively from the start. They broke down and attacked the Highlander ’s defense, managing to get off nine shots in the first half compared to the Highlander ’s one shot attempt. However, UC Irvine was unable to convert on any of their shot attempts and the game remained scoreless at the end of the first half. Highlander senior defender Uros Ilic had the opportunity to score at the 47th minute mark when he drove through the Anteater defense and attempted a shot from about 40 yards away. However,
the shot attempt was blocked by UCI graduate student goalkeeper Ford Parker. Meanwhile, the Anteaters kept up their relentless offensive attack in the second half, attempting 10 shots. UCI senior midfielder Jose Ortiz scored a goal in the 63rd minute of the game from the left wing near the inside post. The goal was assisted by UCI freshman midfielder Roberto Molina. With momentum on their side, UCI found themselves with another opportunity to score. In the 71st minute, sophomore defender Michael Orozco put the ball in the net with a rocket from the middle of the field. The Highlanders were unable to score for the duration of the game and subsequently lost to their UC rivals. Up next, the Highlanders will travel to Santa Barbara to battle against another UC rival, UC Santa Barbara (82-2). ■H
COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS
WEDNESDAY
UPCOMING GAMES
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MEN’S SOCCER vs. UC Santa Barbara
@ Santa Barbara, CA. 7:00 P.M.
ITA Regional Championships
Hugo Managa Jr. Men’s Soccer Forward Managa Jr. scored the game-winning goal against Cal Poly, the second goal of his UCR tenure.
ITA Regional Championships @ Malibu, CA
WOMEN’S soccer vs. Hawaii
@ Riverside, CA. 7:00 P.M.
S AT U R D AY
STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
WOMEN’S TENNIS
S AT U R D AY
COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS
THURSDAY-SUNDAY
@ Malibu, CA.
THURSDAY- SUNDAY
17-20 17-20 18 18 MEN’S TENNIS
women’S volleyball vs. Hawaii
@ Manoa, Hawaii. 10:00 P.M.