Banner | Vol. 70 Issue 6

Car culture adjusts for future of EVs

BY JAMESON SHOWERS LIFESTYLE EDITOR

With all eyes on Tesla and the general electrical vehicle (EV) market, there is much talk about how California is taking a big step toward fighting climate change. In an ever changing market, will this initiative be substantial, and how do the new developments a ect the current car market and car

enthusiasts?

Car culture in California can be seen at every stoplight and intersection. Hordes of muscle cars cruise together alongside packs of foreign-imported selections on a daily basis. This car-centric lifestyle only makes sense as California has the second-most racetracks and car clubs in the country, according to Chrysler capital.

In September 2020, Gov.

Gavin Newsom issued an executive order that mandates all passenger cars and trucks be zero-emission by 2035. Feeling the pressure of California’s carbon pollution, this mandate aims to greatly reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation accounts for 50% of greenhouse gasses in California, according to a press release from CA.GOV. Although the order requires all new

vehicles to be zero-emission, residents can still own and sell gas-powered vehicles on the used market, according to the press release.

California currently leads the nation in zero-emission vehicles sold and joined 15 countries that are committed to phasing out gas-powered vehicles by signing the executive order. While the state is making changes to reduce

Downtown Riverside attempts to bounce back after pandemic

BY CONNOR RYAN NEWS EDITOR

Downtown Riverside has long been the city’s central hub, providing a space for citizens to enjoy themselves and make memories. However, many small businesses su ered financial losses following the pandemic, while others shut down permanently. As the crowds finally trickle back into the shops, many places they knew and loved to visit have been boarded up or replaced.

Richard Ardito, associate professor of accounting, said the loss of small businesses creates a ripple e ect in the community.

nearby.”

Michael Meenan, senior software engineering major, noted that the increasing number of bars and similar establishments have already created a “culture shift.” Meenan said that bars tend to draw the largest crowds instead of the mom-and-pop stores that add a unique flavor to the bustling marketplace.

pollution, its car sales market is the largest in the U.S., according to an article from Knoema.com.

Newsom traveled to meet Michael Macias, the owner of the millionth ZeroEmission Vehicle (ZEV) sold in California, in February 2022. This event marked a milestone in the long battle against pollution in the Golden State.

“One of the reasons California is No. 1 (in EV sales)

is because the state is the Holy Grail of car sales and it will continue to surge upward,” said Craig Wade, internet manager for a local dealership.

Wade has seen a change in sentiment toward EVs over the past few years. In 2022, there were more than 250,000 EV sales in California alone, according to CA.GOV.

Antonious Pizza is one of many businesses that struggled to survive during the pandemic. Workers from other local shops would visit them on their lunch breaks to give them the business necessary to prevent them from closing.

IS THE DROUGHT OVER?

“Let’s say you had a little bakery or candy shop that was replaced by a bar,” Ardito said. “That can have a detrimental effect on the community and the type of people who hang around there. You can get a rougher crowd, and it can negatively a ect other small businesses

‘AVATAR’ CGI

“Before the pandemic, I remember downtown having a large appeal to families, with places such as the Mission Inn, Game Lab and Food Lab that were always full of life,” Meenan said. “Since the pandemic, I have definitely noticed that downtown Riverside has much more of a nightlife than it used to.”

Several stores fought to survive the financial drought, such as an antique store called Mission Galleria. Throughout the pandemic, the store stayed

Vision, p. 4-5

Design by Emily McGinn

Charissa Graves | Banner

Giulia Decataldo | Banner

In the wake of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s zero-emission order, car culture has experienced a significant shift with the newfound popularity of electric vehicles.

Professors and students explain why the recent storms and flooding will not be enough to end the drought.

The newest addition to the “Avatar” franchise showcases the potential of CGI in the film industry.

Wrestlers share how they manage their diets and cut weight while in school.

Learn about what is driving major price increases, what to expect going forward and how to use available resources to save.

THE

Editor-in-chief Emily McGinn

Editor-in-chief

The Banner newspaper is an award-winning, bi-weekly campus publication that publishes 10 issues a year at California Baptist University.

The Banner, a student-run newspaper, serves the CBU community with accurate, timely and factual reporting on significant aspects of university life, Riverside life and subjects of interest or concern to its readers. The Banner’s content is produced by the student sta and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or interests of the university.

Students, faculty, sta , administrators and others in the university are encouraged to react to published material or to comment on matters of concern. The Banner retains the right to edit your letter upon publication based on grammar and word count. Send letters to Emily McGinn, editor-in-chief of The Banner at emilyanne. mcginn@calbaptist.edu.

If you have a story idea for The Banner, please let us know. If a business would like to advertise in the The Banner, please contact Emily McGinn at emilyanne.mcginn@calbaptist.edu. The newsroom is located in the James Building in Room 060 and can be reached at 951-343-4787. Thanks for reading!

New laws in California as of JAN. 1,

California’s minimum wage increases to

Pedestrians can jaywalk without risk of tickets and citations, as long as crossing the street is done in a safe manner.

Food packaging can no longer contain polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in California because of environmental concerns related to PFAS.

A new law will eliminate the “pink tax,” which refers to the idea that identical products are priced differently based on which gender is targeted by marketing.

Employers will need to add salary ranges to job postings with the aim of increasing transparency.

Public Safety implements changes

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Safety Services is currently working on new measures to increase their presence on campus and at campus housing away from main campus, and to use social media to better communicate Safety Service resources to students, said John Freese, director of Safety Services.

Recent instances of crime at student housing locations away from main campus prompted some of these new changes. Safety Services notified the California Baptist University community on Dec. 26 of a burglary that occurred in the College Park housing during winter break. The burglary involved trespassing onto the College Park property through a hole cut in the fence and break-ins at two apartments, according to the email sent out by Freese in response to the incident.

In the wake of the College Park burglaries, Freese said Safety Services is working with the Riverside Police Department to investigate the crimes. Safety Services is also working toward better security specifically at College Park, partnering with CBU Facilities to enhance safety at the

apartment complex through improvements to the perimeter and fencing. Freese said that he is also working toward increasing Safety Services sta to make it possible for a more consistent presence at student housing away from main campus.

These apartment burglaries came only a few weeks after three vehicle burglaries occurred on Dec. 3 at Magnolia Crossing, another student housing property away from main campus. Zerenity Lopez, sophomore public relations major, owns one of the cars that was burglarized in the Magnolia Crossing parking lot.

“It was very shocking,” Lopez said. “I did not expect to find my car broken into, especially in a gated living area where Safety Services are supposed to be patrolling throughout the night. Luckily I did not have any valuables in my car and only a couple of things were stolen that did have much monetary or sentimental value. Either way, it felt like a violation.”

These burglaries come at the end of a fall semester during which several instances of crime occurred at CBU, including two situations in which a man entering the women’s restroom on the

Health Science Campus and an assault on a student in the Village Apartments in September. Freese said this uptick in crime on campus reflects the crime hikes witnessed beyond campus.

“CBU is in a busy metropolitan city and there has been an increase in crime in our area and across the country over the last several years,” Freese said.

“The reasons for these crime increases are complex and are being studied by criminal justice researchers. More time is needed to analyze and identify causes, but they may be contributed to a combination of pandemic related issues and criminal justice reforms that have led to a reduction in criminal prosecutions and reduced police sta ng levels.”

As a resident of Magnolia Crossing, Lopez said she notices increased security provided by Safety Services, but she still has concerns about some of the features of the complex.

“I feel like Magnolia Crossing has a little more added security than campus, just because I always see a Safety Services vehicle and we also have a gate activated by our IDs,” Lopez said.

Safety Services encourages students to play an active

role in maintaining a safe environment and encourages students to take steps to protect themselves, as well, such as being aware of surroundings and walking in groups.

Bailey Berzansky, sophomore accounting major, lives in housing on CBU’s main campus at The Point. She feels that she has gained more awareness of how to stay safe, in part due to the Safety Services alert system. To stay safe, she tries to minimize walking alone on campus late at night and carries pepper spray.

“I think I feel pretty safe on campus,” Berzansky said.

“Some safety issues did come up on campus, but I think I’m more aware of safety now and precautions I can take.”

Freese said active participation and rapid reporting of crime or suspicious activity from the CBU community can also help.

“I consider every student to be a member of the Safety Services team as the safety of our campus is a shared responsibility,” Freese said.

“We ask all students that if they ‘see something, say something.’ Together, we can be successful in preventing crime by being community partners and quickly reporting issues of concern.”

Lunar New Year celebrates year of rabbit

BY MEGAN MADRIGAL ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The Lunar New Year Festival in downtown Riverside will take place on Jan. 28-29 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and is hosted by Panana Events. This festival is accessible to the general public with free entry and parking, and free entry reservations are also available for booking online.

The festival will highlight the rabbit as the Chinese zodiac animal of this year. It is believed to be an animal of elegance, patience and skill. The 2023 element of the

year is water, which is said to represent sensitivity and inner peace. The water rabbit mascot of the year is predicted to bring strength and tranquility. The event is set to bring in a wide audience and will have a large selection of food, performances and goodies from across the spectrum of Asian culture.

“2023 is the 11th annual [event],” said Eric Luan, president of Panana Events. “It brings people together through the experience of rich culture, dance and food.”

There will be an opening ceremony held on Mission Inn Avenue to kick o the festivities. The grand entrance will include musical performances, dancing and kung fu.

Performers from across the Inland Empire will attend as entertainment. The performances range from

traditional Chinese dance to modern K-pop. There will also be other musical elements of the show, such as Japanese drums. These are only a few examples of more than 25 types of performances that will take place throughout the weekend.

“I’ve never been to an event like this before,” said Abigail Montesinos, sophomore business administration major. “I’m mostly looking forward to getting to experience a glimpse of the culture that I’ve never experienced before. Also, I did hear that there will be music performances, and since I am a musically inclined person, I want to hear a di erent type of music that’s special to them, as well as the dances. I’m overall excited to learn more about this culture.”

There will be a wide variety of food to choose from, such as dumplings and grilled squid.

“[People] love it,” Luan said. “We have more vendors each year, and it’s a growing event.” In addition to the creative presentations and food, there will also be unique souvenirs for attendees to browse and purchase. Some of these pieces include jewelry, crafts, clothes and dolls from artists across Asia. There will be many opportunities to interact with Asian culture at this event.

“I hope there’s more publicity and advertisement for this event because being able to learn more about a di erent culture is exciting,” said Emme Buhl, senior English major. “It helps with empathy because you’re able to understand people better when you learn more about their culture and create open-mindedness within the community. Overall, it can help you widen your horizon as a person.”

“ It can help you widen your horizon as a person.

Emme Buhl, Senior English major

Emily McGinn | Banner

California storms will not end the drought

BY MIRANDA SMITH ASST.

Though the current winter storm in California is providing the state with lots of rainfall, Californians fear it will not be su cient to take the state out of its historic drought.

For Californians who have been in a drought for most of their lives, strict water conservation seems to be useless because of the state’s poor management of its preservation and distribution. The California Water Resources Control Board reported in 2022 that urban water usage had increased 19% since March of 2020 due to residents and businesses using significantly more water.

“Drought” is defined as “a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall leading to a shortage of water,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. Southern California is considered a desert environment but receives a reasonable amount of rainfall annually during its seasonal changes.

“A lot of people do not see we are in a drought because every two or three years we go through ‘El Niño’ conditions, or wet winters,” said Kylie Williams, senior environmental science major and vice president of the environmental science club.

“We get an intense amount of rain so people think this makes up for the dry conditions the rest of the year.”

However, that is not the only issue Williams explains. “The main cause of water depletion in our state is unsustainable practices.”

These practices consist of forcing California’s environment to do something it is not naturally capable of doing. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, lack of population control and inconsiderate agricultural

practices are the primary reasons for the drought.

Jaz Livingstone, senior environmental science major, agrees that the drought is “definitely a management issue.” Livingstone is employed by Water Wise Consulting, a company contracted by water companies in California to help people maintain sustainable water usage by targeting clients’ major water usage and minimizing it.

“Part of my job is convincing people that they don’t need their grass,” Livingstone said.

“Watering grass is the biggest waste of water and Californians want the nice green grass other states have that get more rainfall. A part of the solution

would be to convince people to live like they’re actually in a desert because they are.”

However, Californians only play a minor role in this issue, as they cannot control where or what is being done with the process of collecting and distributing water in the first place.

“Our infrastructure is designed to send all of that runo water to the ocean,” said Dr. Jacob Lanphere, professor of environmental science.

“The people who should be concerned with conserving water are city planners, water municipalities, state and local governing agencies — they should be investing our tax dollars in long-term

infrastructure such as retention ponds and desalination plants.”

Retention ponds are used to collect or hold rainfall in order to distribute it, and desalination plants are designed to remove mineral components from saline water (like ocean water) to purify and produce clean water to use.

Despite the current weather conditions, California will continue to experience drought should the state choose to execute an environmentally safe plan. Until then, Californians can continue to learn about what it means to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle for both their benefit and that of the drought-prone environment.

NEWS BRIEFS

LAWSUIT OVER INSULIN PRICES

California announced on Jan. 12 its intention to sue major pharmaceutical companies for illegally in ating the price of insulin, according to a press release by Attorney General Rob Bonta. Insulin prices are 10 times higher in the U.S. than outside it. There are three companies responsible for the bulk of insulin produced in the U.S. The lawsuit argues that because competition is limited, companies are increasing prices to an unaffordable price. Without access to affordable insulin, diabetics face dangerous and even fatal health risks. People from low-income households and communities of color are disproportionately affected by these price hikes. The California government hopes the lawsuit will improve this issue.

U.S. TO HIT DEBT LIMIT

The U.S. will hit its $31.4 trillion debt ceiling on Jan. 19, according to a letter written by Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen. Though the Treasury will begin taking “extraordinary measures” to manage U.S. funds, Yellen urged lawmakers to nd a solution before the government defaults on its loans. Unless this borrowing limit is raised, the government will no longer be able to borrow money, which would have disastrous consequences on the U. S. economy. Rami cations could include a halt in Social Security checks and military service payments as well as public health funding.

CALIFORNIA STORM PROMPTS EMERGENCY DECLARATION

Continued from Page 1

Downtown open despite drastically reducing its hours and struggling to comply with COVID-19 policies.

“I don’t want to say I lost hope,” said Aaron Williams, a keyholder of Mission Galleria. “You always try to think it’ll get better. They kept telling us, ‘In six months, things will be di erent.’ Eventually, things did change, but for a while, it

was getting scary. Businesses were su ering, things weren’t changing and protocols were getting more strict.”

Though the antique shop was able to work with the new government policies, the establishment downstairs, run by the owner of Mission Galleria, struggled because of its inability to provide outdoor seating arrangements. For this reason, restaurants took the biggest hit during the pandemic. As everyone struggled to stay afloat, Williams and his coworkers felt

obligated to support the other businesses in their area.

“A lot of the workers had to support Antonious Pizza through COVID,” Williams said. “We would go there on our lunch just to give them business.”

Ardito said that the closing of small businesses is harmful to the community, as he believes they are essential to Riverside’s quality of life.

“A lot of the charm of places like downtown Riverside is those older shops that have been around for a long time,

like toy stores, ice cream shops and candy stores. And if you lose that, there’s a lot less reason for people to want to go out there,” Ardito said.

However, Williams has faith that downtown Riverside will come back to life.

“I’d say our business and livelihoods took a hit, for sure,” Williams said. “But lately, it’s been breathing again, and we’re starting to see life and business, and some of these restaurants are doing well. You can’t kill the charm of downtown Riverside. You just can’t.”

As a result of the intense winter storms, at least 68,000 Californians were without power on the morning of Jan. 14, according to poweroutage.us. That same day, 19 storm-related deaths were reported and notable property damage had occurred due to the erce weather conditions after storms, ooding and mudslides ravaged the area for the past two weeks. President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for relief to supplement the local and state aid provided. Biden made federal aid available to those in the hardest hit areas, according to a White House press release. This aid comes in the form of temporary housing and home repairs. Low-income loans are also being provided on uninsured property. Work is already being done to remove hazardous waste and other debris to ensure Californians can return home as soon as possible. Teams are on the ground assessing the damage to maximize the state’s federal aid.

Josselyn Guillen | Banner

Despite the recent intense storms hitting California, the state will continue to experience drought. The drought is likely to continue until the state chooses to enact new environmental water management policies.

Charissa Graves | Banner

Mission Galleria continues to endure despite the series of closures that have hit downtown businesses. With an increase in nightlife, there has been a decline in some other establishments that cater to families.

WRITTEN BY HANNAH NOEL & KRISTIE WISEMAN

Inflation continues to impact prices and plague students

BY JAMESON SHOWERS LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Noticing a price increase at the local grocery store? This is the result of inflation. By the end of 2022, overall inflation was reported at 6.5% with food inflation at 10.4%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Inflation is a complex topic that has no single root issue. Essentially, inflation means the money in your wallet loses purchasing power due to the increase of prices. Multiple factors go into determining the rising grocery prices, such as severe weather, the war in Ukraine and supply chain problems.

“We will start with one very basic economic concept that everyone should understand, which is the idea of supply and demand,” said Dr. Adele Harrison, director of the finance program. “There is a better service and the more of it that is available, normally the lower the price is. You can also say that it can be demand-based. If everybody wants a product, and there is a limited supply, then they will start o ering more to get it.”

The e ect of the supply and demand chain has led to Americans budgeting to adjust for rising prices. The increase of production costs such as raw materials and wages also contribute to inflation.

As seen on campus, Lancers make the necessary lifestyle changes to get the groceries they need. Whether it be eating less or prioritizing items to buy, a choice

has to be made.

“I find myself budgeting from time to time now because of the price increase in food,” said Jay Garcia, sophomore creative writing major. “I noticed that when I was shopping at Stater Bros. over the week, the price for avocados, milk and eggs cost about $36 for just three items. So, because of this, I eat sparingly and time myself.”

Of course, inflation does not a ect only grocery prices; it has a widespread e ect across the economy. California gas prices are over $1 higher than the national average, and they are one of the first things to increase, according to the statistics from the American Automobile Association. Joel Williams, senior business administration major, has been cautious in his approach towards spending money.

“Gas has been the biggest impacted price for me,” Williams said. “It has fluctuated so much in the past year and beyond due to inflation and international relations.”

Is there an end in sight to these soaring prices? The U.S. Labor Department recorded 2022’s annual inflation rate at 7%, which is 0.5% higher than 2021’s annual rate. As inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, some may say the worst has come and gone.

Although inflation is a trending topic, it is not new. Multiple times throughout history, the U.S. has experienced high inflation. These reasons vary from largescale wars to presidential policies and world catastrophes.

“It has been much worse, and that is why

you will hear people my age and older very concerned about what they see happening,” Harrison said. “We lived through the last bout of this, and we ended up with what we called stagflation, where we had high inflation and low economic growth.”

Stagflation is the last thing the U.S. needs. High unemployment combined with minimal economic growth and rising inflation is a recipe for a struggling economy. In June, Forbes magazine estimated that stagflation was on the horizon as policymakers were likely to tackle unemployment issues before inflation.

Until prices go down, the best thing Lancers can do is re-evaluate their spending. Understanding what purchases are necessary and which are not is essential to having a good budget. Some may not be used to having to be mindful of what they buy. While the plan is easy in theory, practicing it may prove di cult.

“I do not spend my money excessively,”

Garcia said. “Only what I need to get through the week, instead of what I want. Although, I will say savings has been quite harsh and brutal, even though I try to do simple living and cut costs on necessities.”

Looking at the issue head-on, Williams was honest in how Lancers should approach saving their money and creating healthy spending habits.

“There is not much you can do besides budget,” Williams said. “I try not to go out as much because it is easy to spend money.”

Even in adversity, it is important to remain optimistic and fight the price hikes across the board. Realizing the power of money can help significantly change your approach. Save your money by not spending your hard-earned cash frivolously and put it toward e orts that e ectively generate more money.

“Do your research and see how you can take advantage of inflation,” Williams said. “There are many ways to make money instead of losing it.”

“It has been much worse, and that is why you will hear people my age and older very concerned about what they see happening. We lived through the last bout of this, and we ended up with what we called stag ation, where we had high in ation and low economic growth.

Dr. Adele Harrison, Director of the nance program “

by Emily McGinn

Meditation spans religions and cultures

BY OLIVIA LENNING ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Biblical meditation is the act of pondering and deeply thinking over the truths of Scripture and the teachings of the Bible. As Psalm 1:2 reads, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (NKJV). God encourages believers to ponder his character and his word as a means of sanctification and spiritual growth.

Rachel Stratton, senior Christian studies major, explained Christian meditation as having many similarities and di erences from meditation practices in other religions and belief systems.

“The method and practice of Christian meditation can often look and function in very similar ways as secular or other religions’ meditation,” Stratton said. “The motivation and focus of the Christian’s meditation are di erent.”

Stratton explained that this practice is commanded

throughout Scripture and is essential to the Christian walk.

“The practice and command to meditate is all over the Bible, especially in the psalms, notably Psalm 119," Stratton said. "The focus of a Christian’s meditation is God and his works, promises and word. It is meant to focus our minds on the one who deserves all of our attention, worship and dedication as well as away from what is, at best, not very important and, at worst, sinful.”

Stratton shared some of the key di erences and similarities between Christian meditation and other mediation practices, both religious and secular.

“The secular world also meditates to calm their minds and focus on good things, but it serves the purpose to build themselves into what they want to be or what the world tells them to be,” said Stratton.

"Christians practice meditation with the goal to be shaped into the likeness of Christ and fulfill our purpose as image bearers as joyful bondservants.”

Stratton explained that

similarly to Christians, “other religions meditate in their devotion to their god(s).”

However, this is where the similarity stops. Stratton shares some of the main goals of other meditation practices include “personal enlightenment” or to “ascend to a greater level of humanity,” two aspirations coveted by Eve in Genesis 3.

Stratton said meditation is something we do unknowingly throughout the day.

“We all know how to meditate," Stratton said. "It is what we do with our anxieties, worries and things that excite us. We put our attention on them, we think about them throughout the day, get emotional over them and talk to others about them.

The hard part about Christian meditation is to actually focus on God when everything else is so much louder. A good practice of meditation on God and his word is Scripture memorization, having Scripture ready to go at a moment’s notice and ingrained into your mind and heart.”

Stratton believes incorporating Eastern religious practices may be beneficial to Christians if done properly.

“Incorporating Eastern meditation practices can be positive if they do not detract or distract from the purpose of biblical meditation,” said Stratton. “We are able to utilize other cultures’ practices because of general revelation. Non-believers can pick up on spiritual truths because humans were built to do so, yet everything must be tested by the Bible because of our depraved minds (as seen in) Romans 1:18-32.”

Breanna Wilson, masters of counseling psychology student, explained the psychological benefits of meditation as a practice from a secular viewpoint.

“Meditation is believed to reduce stress and promote calmness,” Wilson said. “I personally meditate for at least 10 minutes a day, usually to help me fall asleep. Meditating helps me relax and decompress at the end of the day.”

Wilson shared how secular meditation can be used within psychology as a coping strategy for individuals struggling with emotional regulation.

“Meditation can be used as a coping strategy for individuals who struggle with emotional regulation and reactivity," Wilson said. "Meditation can help individuals self-soothe and focus their minds on positive thoughts.”

Meditation can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the goal. Wilson weighed the best approach to meditation from a mental health standpoint.

“Some psychologists may suggest mindfulness meditation," Wilson said. "Mindfulness meditation is when you focus on a single thought or action. For example, focusing on your breathing or going to a happy place in your mind. This technique is meant to promote relaxation and avoid negative rumination.”

According to an article by Science Daily, which shares Dr. Halvor Eifring’s expertise

on the topic, meditation is a practice that has existed for several thousand years across di erent cultures and religions.

The article explained the main di erence between Western and Eastern meditation as being contentfocused rather than techniquefocused.

“The Western form of meditation has traditionally been based on content, technical forms of meditation are far more widespread in Asia," Eifring said to Science Daily.

Eifring attributes this di erence to religious approach. Islam, Christianity and Judaism all place a high emphasis on a relationship with God, leading them to a more content approach. He explained that Eastern religions do not prioritize their personal relationship with God in this manner, leading them to practice more technique-based meditation.

Ultimately, meditation can take di erent forms, depending on the individual's goal.

Are Brita lters necessary for drinking water puri cation?

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Many of us have pitchers with Brita filters in our fridges that we use for our drinking water. In fact, most Americans treat water this way, as found by a 2022 survey by Aquasana, which found that 77% of Americans filter their water at home before drinking it. Brita is one of the leading companies to o er water filters as consumer products in various forms, including pitchers, dispensers, individual filters and bottles.

However, are these at-home filters necessary for ensuring drinking water is free of contaminants?

The answer to this question depends on where the water comes from, how it reaches its destination and how it is regulated. Riverside’s water is supplied by local groundwater, specifically Bunker Hill Basin, Rialto-Colton Basin and the Riverside Basin, according to the City of Riverside website.

Dr. Frederick Pontius, professor of civil engineering and construction management, worked in the field of drinking water management. He said that municipal water — or water that comes out of the tap — is regulated heavily by the state of California in accordance with federal law under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This regulation involves frequent sampling and testing to ensure it complies with federal water quality standards.

“When the water comes onto campus, it is required to meet the regulations set by California and if it meets the rules, it is considered safe,” Pontius said. “Some people would argue that that’s not the case, but as far as state federal law, that’s how it’s defined.”

Pontius said the drive to buy a filter from private companies such as Brita often stems from concern about contaminants such as lead entering drinking water, and from less extreme concerns such as the taste of water. Chlorine, added to water to cleanse it, can make water more distasteful to some people. At-home filters can target these chemicals to improve taste and odor, as Brita highlights on its website.

and

While

odor and reduce other contaminants, and our new and improved Longlast+ Filter removes 99% of lead and reduces the most contaminants vs. other pour-through systems,” according to Brita’s website.

Lead is a primary contaminant of concern regarding water quality for much of the public because exposure to high levels of lead can cause lead poisoning, which can become dangerous, especially for children.

Pontius said lead can contaminate water especially when the water has a sat in the pipe for an extended period of time. When this occurs, the water that first leaves the tap might have a higher concentration of lead than normal.

However, Congress banned the use of lead in public water systems in 1986, according to the EPA website. As a result, lead leaching into water from

pipes is uncommon and is primarily an issue only in older cities such as Washington, D.C.

“There are still issues with lead, so advertisements on Brita are about lead,” Pontius said. “That’s fair, but lead service lines have been prohibited for a long time and lead-free components are required in municipal water systems, so it’s not as pervasive as a problem.”

Since lead is no longer used in service lines, there is less need for at-home filters that target lead.

“It’s mostly aesthetic quality like [taste as to] why people buy them,” Pontius said. “It would be very hard to show a health benefit upon treating water that already meets federal regulations or state regulations.”

However, using Brita filters can still be worthwhile for consumers if they care particularly about

taste and smell.

“I think they are necessary because I think they do clean the water so it tastes better when you drink it,” said Taylor Farr, senior communication sciences and disorders major and former Brita customer. “[However], I don’t think it’s worthwhile to use just because the filters are expensive and if you use it often you have to replace the filter regularly.”

Though the impact of a Brita filter might not be significant in a municipal area such as Riverside, Pontius said that it is helpful to be aware of an area’s regulations on drinking water because it can indicate if a resident should be concerned about contaminants.

“If a customer is uncertain, they can get a little extra sense of protection by using a Brita filter,” Pontius said. “I’m not opposed to that."

“All

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

The practice of Christian meditation often draws from other religious and secular practices. Those who practice it are often looking to deepen their faith, while also enjoying the physical benefits it presents, such as relaxation and stress relief.

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

water filtration systems such as a Brita pitcher may not be necessary for serious contaminant removal, they can provide peace of mind to those who use them. Many consumers also use them simply to improve the taste and smell of their water.

Organic food prices test consumer loyalty

BY VALERIE LA PONZA ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Walking into a store, you see them. Flats of strawberries glisten invitingly, the perfect shade of red. They beckon you to take a little nibble to taste their sweetness. But then you check the price tag, and suddenly, those perfect little berries are not so appetizing.

The organic label on consumables can hike up the price of food “anywhere from 7% to 82% [more than] their nonorganic counterparts. But premiums can go even higher in some cases,” according to writer Rachael Brennan from GoodRX Health.

Brennan said the cost increase stems directly from an organic farm's operating expenses. Between the certification cost, specialized farmland and small-scale production size, the costs quickly add up and are passed onto the consumer through higher-priced items.

But why is this? Why is the little green organic label on this flat of strawberries worth so much that the price can be three or four times their non-organic cousins across the aisle? Is the added cost worth keeping genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and pesticides out of our diets?

“Eating organically can reduce a person's potential exposure to chemicals found

in pesticides and support sustainable farming practices," said Alyssa Ocerguera, senior nutrition and food science major and vice president of the nutrition club. "There have been studies that have shown organic produce may have more antioxidants than nonorganic foods.”

Oceguera defines organic foods as foods that are not treated with chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified in any way.

However, Karina Lay, senior nutrition and food sciences major and co-president of the nutrition club, acknowledges that there is much left to learn regarding the benefits and drawbacks of organic foods.

“The knowledge of the benefits of organic foods is limited right now," Lay said. "There is a small nutrient increase, higher omega-3 fatty acids (because of what organic farmers are required to feed their livestock) and fewer pesticides."

Lay explained that even with the added benefits of organic foods, she tends to avoid telling people to eat or not eat a certain food or drink.

"We have a saying that moderation is key," Lay said. "Cake, candy, ice cream, Oreos, etc. will not harm you if you have them once in a while. That is why so many of us do not like to use the phrase 'junk food.'

Using this phrase makes people feel guilty when they are eating their own birthday cake. The real problem comes when that is all you eat without having a balanced diet or overall lifestyle."

For those trying to cut nonorganic foods from their diets, Oceguera has some advice on how to start small. She talks about what is commonly referred to as the “Dirty Dozen,” a list of 12 of the most common pesticide-ridden produce in the U.S.

“I advise those close to me to buy produce on the ‘Dirty 12’ list organically," Oceguera said. "It is easier to get others to start small rather than telling them to fully eat organic."

The “Dirty Dozen” includes strawberries, spinach, kale, collard, mustard greens, nectarines, apples, grapes, bell and hot peppers, cherries, peaches, pears, celery and tomatoes, according to the Environmental Working Group.

But in the end, the question remains: Is organic food worth it? With the current research about organic foods revealing few benefits against the added cost, everyone must determine if they are willing to go the extra mile, hunt organic foods and eat locally. While the increased prices test the loyalty of organic food lovers, it is all up to interpretation and personal preference.

MAKING TIE-DYE FLOWERS

written by Alexza Bahnmiller

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Beignet Spot

by Jameson Showers I Lifestyle Editor

What is a beignet? Although delicious and aesthetically pleasing, this French delight is not commonly found on the American breakfast table.

A fried pastry covered with sugary powder and baked to a cloud-like texture, a beignet is the missing piece to most breakfast plates. This little pastry, among other delicious plates, makes The Beignet Spot attractive and unique among the many burger and pizza joints across Riverside.

BY VALERIE LA PONZA ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Resolutions are a staple of New Year's Eve. People gather around the table and reflect upon their past 12 months, on their successes, failures, highs and lows. And then they plan.

One person chimes in that they want to eat healthy and lose 20 pounds, another wants to exercise more and go to the gym every day and another wants to learn a new language in the new year. They go around the table, adding more to their lists of things they want to accomplish in the next 365 days.

The next day, everyone upholds their goals. The man who wanted to eat healthier chooses the salad option at a restaurant. The woman who wanted to exercise spent her morning at the gym working up a sweat. The teenager who wants to learn French makes an account with a language learning website and completes three lessons a day.

Fast forward a few weeks, the man is back to stopping at McDonald's on the way home, the woman’s gym bag has not moved in a week and the teenager has gone back to scrolling social media, swiping away notifications from their language learning app.

But why is this? Why is this such a trend, and how can you make New Year's resolutions that will last?

Dr. Ana Gamez, professor of forensic psychology, says that New Year's resolutions are so prominent because “some people may want to change and get that end-of-year inspiration to make some life adjustments to improve and do things a little di erently.”

People see the new year as a new slate, a time when they can reinvent themselves into the person they always wanted to be. Because of this preconceived notion of “New Year, New Me,” many people fall into the trap of setting unrealistic expectations for themselves, often falling flat in the first week or so of the New Year.

“We live in a society of convenience, drive-throughs, everything quick and easy,” Gamez said. “It is easy to fall o the bandwagon because it is convenient.”

Victoria Tamayo, junior exercise science major and fitness lead at the Recreation Center, said that after the New Year, once school is back in session, “there are definitely more people who get motivated in the New Year to kickstart their fitness goals and

resolutions.”

Tamayo attributes this influx of students at the Recreation Center to New Year's resolutions and since it is right after the holidays, she believes that poor diets and inactivity over the break could influence people to have a healthy fresh start in the new year.

Many New Year's resolutions are centered around health and becoming the best version of ourselves; often, these resolutions fall through the fastest.

Kyle Boyce, junior criminal justice major, criticized this trend of health-related New Year's resolutions.

"We live in a society obsessed with comparison," Boyce said. "I know plenty of people that go to the gym just to be the strongest, skinniest or fittest out of all their peers.”

Tamayo and Gamez have advice for those Lancers who are struggling with their New Year's resolutions.

“Surrounding yourself with

a good support system, have someone work out with you for accountability and participate in GX classes where you can build a fitness community," Tamayo said, for those aiming to make fitness adjustments. "Pace yourself, go with friends and have fun.”

Gamez said that while she does not have many tips for keeping up with New Year's resolutions, she still advises students to make one.

“Develop a plan, develop a routine. If you are going to the gym, write it on the calendar every week and have a set time. When you get there, what do you do? Make sure you carve out that time. Be intentional about what you do.”

The most important thing to remember is even if your New Year's resolution has gone awry, that does not mean starting again is impossible. Give yourself some slack if you have not been consistent as you would have liked. Remember the reason made it, regroup and get back out there. It does not need to be the first of the year or even the first of the month to make a change. Lancers, make the change today. Do not start tomorrow, do not start next week, start today. You will be amazed at the

Located at 4019 Market Street in Downtown Riverside (about 12-15 minutes from California Baptist University), The Beignet Spot opened its doors on May 9. Open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, this restaurant’s convenient location provides an easy stop for interested customers. Since its opening, the establishment has also o ered more than just delicious French delicacies. They pride themselves on hosting a sweet and savory ensemble of dishes that can accommodate any food lover.

The Beignet Spot woos as their dishes taste as immaculate as they look.

Infusing a Haitian twist with a Southern twang, customers can experience dishes ranging from jerk chicken sandwiches to fried eggs mixed with pasta.

Traditional Swouthern grits are a welcomed side that can be accompanied by loaded jerk fries and a banana pudding shake. The constant feature of fried eggs and delectable sauces adds to the rare combinations that make up many of the menu’s

dishes. The possibilities are not infinite or cheap, but diverse and accommodative. The restaurant has an engaging Instagram account and website where those considering stopping by can see exactly what they want to eat before stepping through the door. The sta ’s good customer service only supplements the restaurant’s authentic persona on their social media profile. The waiters and cooks worked together to get plates to the tables within 10 minutes of ordering.

Aiming to be more than a restaurant, The Beignet Spot has hosted several events for the community. The establishment partnered with the recently closed Dhat Creole Grill in November to host a beignet eating contest. The final four were featured on the restaurant’s Instagram account, and the restaurants awarded the champion with a large golden trophy. They also facilitated a Christmas event where they welcomed children to decorate their beignets free of charge while listening to a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” The Beignet Spot ascends above the ordinary and creates a sense of community while serving its many patrons.

You will not be disappointed with The Beignet Spot. When you visit, bring an open mind and a few extra dollars, as you will be inclined to try more than one thing. Visit their Instagram profile @ beignetspot to catch the latest updates on their business and to stay in the know on all their events.

Charissa Graves | Banner

The significant price difference between organic and nonorganic produce has many consumers questioning whether the benefits outweigh the cost.

“ We live in a society obessed with comparison.

Kyle Boyce, junior criminal justice major

New Year's resolutions must be realistic

PERSPECTIVES

Fall 2022 Semester Recap

Photos by Charissa Graves, Kia Harlan, Madison Sardana and Natalie Tanaka

1. On Sept. 4, a group of students has fun while waiting for Clash N Roll to begin.

2. Zea Faulkner, junior film major, spins with Gabby Burrow, senior intercultural studies major, at the TWIRP Barn Dance on Sept. 29.

3. The CBU cheer team forms a pyramid during their Oct. 28 performance at Midnight Madness. 4. The Twinkle Toes celebrate their Fortuna Bowl victory on Nov. 12.

5. Anika Manthei, senior sport and performance psychology major, lances up with characters from Medieval Times on Dec. 2 at Yule.

Wrestlers pursue the cutting edge

Wrestling is a technical sport, especially when discussing the nutritional aspect. The results of a wrestler’s diet can be the determining factor between victory and failure. It is an essential part of wrestling that surprisingly few people outside the sport understand.

“Cutting” is the term used for when an athlete uses various methods to try to lose body mass to compete in a lower-weight class division. The importance of cutting can make it challenging to balance gaining enough nutrients and reducing body weight.

“When it comes to the diet for these guys, it is the challenge of losing weight while fueling your body to have incredibly hard two-hour practices and push yourself throughout,” said Derek Moore, head wrestling coach. “The sport is very mental in the sense that there is no wrestling match where you don’t get tired. Our guys’ goal is to know the balance of how many calories, how many carbohydrates, how many proteins they need to feel good enough to perform. Each guy does that a little di erently.”

The wrestling program receives much support from the school through three strength and conditioning coaches and the nutrition center. Some examples of foods provided to wrestlers that aid in performance and recovery are fruits, bars, nuts, cherry juice and chocolate milk.

“For our guys, you want to stay as hydrated as long as possible for a wrestling match, so usually up until two or three days before a competition so that your body is still sweating a lot and hasn’t just seized up,”

Moore said. “You’ll decrease your caloric intake four or five days out, so you start getting a little leaner.”

Moore ensures that wrestlers are being smart and safe when dealing with a process such as this, accomplishing it in an innovative way that does not a ect the athlete’s health but still allows the necessary changes in one’s body to have that edge in competition. This is a process aided by the experience of many of the athletes themselves.

“To be the best version of

yourself, you’re gonna have to go out there and cut some weight,” said Eli Gri n, senior accounting major and member of the wrestling team. “I hate it, but it’s hard to win if you don’t do it. At least for me, I see physical benefits when I do it.

When I’m at my post-season/ out-of-season weight, I feel slower. (My) gas tank is not as good and my endurance isn’t as well. Once I start getting down towards fighting weight, I feel a lot faster and more energetic.”

A lack of attention to cutting and diet management can

have a significant impact on a wrestler’s performance. Your floating weight is where your body’s weight naturally hovers around before an athlete cuts weight before a match. It is an important concept to master to be successful.

“I came into this practice seven pounds over what I needed to weigh in at,” said Marcus Peterson, sophomore kinesiology major and member of the wrestling team. “If I just went a weight class up and just floated at whatever weight I was, my opponent is gonna

come from seven or eight pounds over and is gonna drop all that water weight and be bigger than me and stronger than me because his natural floating weight is heavier than me. Which means he has more muscle and is just stronger.”

Many people only ever consider the di culties that come with sports in the physical sense. Seldom do people ever consider, let alone see, the mental battle that comes with wrestling. Maintaining the fitness standards necessary in wrestling requires a strong

LANCER OF THE ISSUE

HUNTER GOODRICK, MEMBER OF MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM AND SENIOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES MAJOR

mentality, especially regarding nutrition.

“It’s all mental,” Gri n said. “If you have a good attitude, it’s really not that bad. If you go at it as ‘I get the opportunity to wrestle,’ it’s really only temporary struggles for something that could be really cool.

“If I start the cut with a bad attitude, the whole cut sucks for the next week or two I’m doing it. Just competing and being grateful that I got the opportunity to wrestle — it’s all just attitude for me.”

“I only got to CBU this season, but so far, I would have to say that my favorite moments are all of the home games. The support that we get is crazy and makes it such a sick environment to play in.”

Q: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE CBU?

“I really loved the environment here. The coaching staff and players made me feel very welcome and at home. I also love the warm weather here, and I like how it’s not too far to get to the beach either.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR BEST CBU MEMORY?

“My favorite moment at CBU was surely having my family over here for a couple of games and being able to play in front of them for the rst time at college.”

“Hopefully I can play professionally post-college and be able to continue to play around the world. Eventually, I want to live back home in Australia fulltime.”

“My hair routine is pretty boring, but I just wash it like most people. After that, I get my roommate JQ to trim it when needed.”

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS AFTER CBU?

Q: WHAT IS YOUR HAIR ROUTINE?

Elijah Hickman | Banner

CBU’s wrestling team took part in a double dual against Northern Illinois University and South Dakota State on Jan. 7. To achieve peak condition for such competitions, wrestlers need to strike a balance between adequately fueling their bodies for long, grueling sessions and still managing to lose the necessary weight to make it to their desired weight class.

Vaccine for bees has scientists getting all in their beesvax

would be in there. Is that something that would be good for the public?”

It’s no secret that the bee population has been rapidly declining. To combat the rising concerns amid this crisis, a small biotech company, Dalan Animal Health, has been granted conditional approval from the USDA on a vaccine for honeybees. This vaccine is the first for any insect and would protect the honeybees from an aggressive bacterial disease known as American foulbrood.

Scientists originally thought vaccines would be ine ective for bees because they do not produce antibodies, proteins that recognize diseases and target them for destruction. However, by exposing bees to an inactive version of the bacteria, the larvae are able to develop resistance to the disease.

“You know where the queen is,” said Dr. Lanphere, professor of environmental science. “You can give her the vaccine and it’s possible that she can then pass it on to her 1.7 million babies who then would have the ability to overcome this bacterial disease.”

However, as we delve into the world of insect vaccines, Lanphere warns we should proceed with caution.

“The skeptic in me would say how is that going to impact the honey that you are eating,” Lanphere said. “If you’re eating honey, you’re basically eating the bee’s gut biome. They’re regurgitating food and spitting out honey. I’m sure the vaccine

As the vaccines are administered, Lanphere recommends limiting their scope in the event of unintended consequences. The concept of a vaccine for insects like honeybees is unfamiliar territory. However, it does hold potential to improve the bee population.

While the vaccine is a potential step in the right direction, American foulbrood is just one issue honeybees are facing in the United States.

In the past year alone, U.S. beekeepers reported losing nearly 45% of their hives. Losses like this have been reported for over 20 years, according to the University of California Riverside magazine. These losses are from a range of issues such as climate change, habitat loss, pesticides and disease.

threat with the continued decline of the bee population. It has already forced companies to ship bees to locations where they are needed. However, this is not ideal for the bees. While on this “roadshow” the bees are fed sugar water, which fails to provide them with the nutrients they need. They also become exhausted from the stressful conditions.

“When [the bees] get tired and malnourished, they are more susceptible to disease just like we are,” Lanphere said. “If they are brought into an environment they are not used to, their immunity can be reduced.”

that’s at stake.

Boris Baer, Professor of entomology at UCR

However, the root of the issue can in some ways be traced back to the use of honeybees in agribusiness.

“[The bees] are shipped around our country,” Lanphere said. “They perform the pollination act in New Hampshire for blueberries and they go down to Georgia for the peaches and they come to California for the almonds. They are like a roadshow that travels around and they are very important for food production.”

One in every three bites of food we eat is generated through pollination, making bees essential for our survival.

“The most important process of growing food is the pollination process,” said Jacob Trinidad, junior environmental science major. “It’s what allows the crops to produce fruit. Many farmers use bees to pollinate their fields. Without pollinators, we wouldn’t be able to sustainably produce enough food for everyone.”

This decline in fruit production is becoming a serious

Vaccines are one way to improve the immunity of honeybees. However, research is also being conducted in the area of genetically enhancing bees through artificial insemination.

Barbara and Boris Baer, researchers at UCR, have been studying the genetics of “survivor bees” that have been able to withstand environmental stresses.

The Baers start by isolating the genes that have allowed the honeybees to survive specific threats such as Nosema, an intestinal parasite that gives bees diarrhea. After isolating those genes, the researchers inseminate the queen to ensure her o spring develop the resistance.

Currently, the Baers are working to create a strain of honeybees that can withstand the Southern California heat as well as Varroa mite, the most devastating disease faced by bees.

The Baers’ passion for honeybees comes from the extensive impact they have on the environment.

“Bees save human lives,” Boris Baer said. “The crops they pollinate provide vitamins and other chemical compounds we need to be healthy. Without bees we will lose people to health issues. It’s more than nutrition; it’s human wellbeing that’s at stake.”

Car Culture

Customers are researching, inquiring and buying more electric vehicles as the market expands and becomes normalized.

“Business is good,” Wade said. “The consumer and salesforce are learning together about the features, advantages and benefits of going electric as well as the federal and state tax credits.”

Approximately 17.7% of all new cars sold in California are zero-emission. This is a slight increase from the previously reported 12.4% in 2021. Even with the growing interest, Wade is still uncertain about Newsom meeting his goal by 2035.

“You will still have your diehard, gas-powered car enthusiasts that love the way they smell, sound, move and perform,” Wade said.

As California moves toward a zero-emission future, the average car enthusiast may experience a hard transition as they move to the unknown technology. EVs have di erent parts that require car enthusiasts to take a creative approach toward modifying their vehicles. Battery packs are replacing the usual internal combustion engines, turbos are nonexistent at the

moment and superchargers are not too common. Ira Jackson, car enthusiast and hobbyist, has mixed feelings toward the future of modifications and customization with EVs.

“You will not be able to add additional parts,” Jackson said. “But you will definitely be able to customize them and pay to unlock new performance modes like Tesla does now.”

While the intent is to shrink California’s carbon footprint, some believe a switch to EVs will not solve the issue at hand. Acknowledging the good intention behind the transition, Jackson said he believes the trade-o is not as profound as people are making it to be.

“From what I understand, there is still a decent amount of electricity that comes from fossil fuels,” Jackson said. “We are trading in the old for a new shinier thing that uses fossil fuels indirectly.”

Making the change to zero-emission vehicles can help in more ways than one. The

cost of charging an EV is significantly cheaper than paying for a full tank of gas, according to Kelley Blue Book. In addition to this, certain programs like The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project are o ering rebates from $1,000 to $7,000 for eligible buyers.

Also, there is a peace of mind that consumers feel when they know they are contributing to a sustainable future.

Brittany Reitz, junior health science major, encourages people to think past the obvious cut in greenhouse pollution and to understand the other e ects of switching to a zero-emission vehicle.

“EVs are expensive, but if a person has the means to buy one, I would suggest they do,” Reitz said. “Not only does it help the environment, it can help to save money with the elimination of gas.”

As California continues on its zero-emission mission, one thing is certain: Change is on the

Emily McGinn | Banner

“

save human lives. The crops they pollinate provide vitamins and other chemical compounds we need. Without bees we will lose people to health issues. It’s more than nutrition; it’s human wellbeing

Emily McGinn | Banner

“Not only does (switching to an EV) help the environment, it can help to save money with the elimination of gas.

Brittany Reitz junior health science major

Twitter File #2

TWITTER SHADOW BANNING UNFAVORABLE CONTENT

Proof was released showing that Twitter employees form “blacklists” of disfavored tweets, topics and accounts to limit their visibility. Twitter originally claimed that they never utilized this technique known as shadow banning. However, after the Twitter files were released, Twitter quickly changed their tune.

“We control visibility quite a bit,” one Twitter engineer said. “And we control the amplification of your content quite a bit. And normal people do not know how much we do.”

Twitter File #4-5

TWITTER CHANGES ITS MIND AND BANS TRUMP

For years, Twitter resisted pressure to ban former President Donald J. Trump’s Twitter account saying, “Blocking a world leader from Twitter would hide important info…[and] hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions.”

On Jan. 8, 2020, Trump released a series of tweets saying he would not be attending the inauguration and those who voted for him will have a voice in the future. Twitter initially decided these tweets did not violate any Twitter policies. However, a few minutes later they ruled his tweet in violation based on “incitement to further violence.”

Under pressure from employees, Twitter suspended Trump’s account.

Twitter File #10

TWITTER FILTERS COVID-19 INFORMATION

Both the Biden and Trump administrations pressured Twitter to suppress pandemic content. Trump’s administration voiced concerns about panic buying at the beginning of the pandemic. When Biden took office, he met with Twitter officials to filter COVID-19 information, specifically targeting anti-vaxxer accounts. Biden accused Twitter of “killing people” by allowing vaccine misinformation.

“Twitter did suppress views — many from doctors and scientific experts — that conflicted with the official positions of the White House,” tweeted David Zweig, the reporter who released the Twitter files. “As a result, legitimate findings and questions that would have expanded the public debate went missing.”

Twitter File #12

TWITTER PAID BY FBI TO BAN THOUSANDS OF ACCOUNTS

This drop of Twitter files detailed the relationship between the social media and the FBI. The FBI was shown to pressure social media sites to ban thousands of accounts based on claimed connections to foreign governments.

“U.S. government agencies demanded suspension of 250,000 accounts, including journalists and Canadian officials,” said Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter.

As the FBI continued sending requests in bulk, Twitter employees became overworked, which resulted in the government paying them to continue banning accounts.

California aims to phase out all single-use plastic by 2025

BY MIKEALA ALDREDGE ASST. B&T EDITOR

In California, on average, 76.7 million tons of trash are generated and 46 million tons ended up in a landfill, while the rest was recycled or composted each year, according to CalRecycle.

In 2022, Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) was passed to phase out all single-use plastic by 2025. The bill will increase composting and recycling requirements to eliminate single-use plastic. This means that the traditional plastic packaging found on grocery shelves and in retail stores will be gone.

This bill aims to combat the waste management struggles that are growing environmental issues. More than 12,000 tons of plastic are dumped into landfills every day. In addition, less than 9% of plastic is recycled in spite of modern recycling efforts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“The truth is we are generating waste so much faster than our e orts to recycle,” said Mark Murray, a member of Californians Against Waste, to the Los Angeles Times.

The cause of the increase in waste is from fossil fuel industries, energy companies and plastic plants. The bill establishes the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act. This would encompass single-use plastic and packaging, leaving the job of the producers of the packaging to figure out how to produce more environmental-friendly packaging instead of the consumers and the government.

The growth of plastic waste creates environmental issues that extend beyond the actual storage of the waste, as it can also carry toxins that can harm humans and the environment.

“You can think of plastic as a carrier for other chemicals, and

in many ways, it’s like a sponge,” said Scott Co n, senior scientist with the California State Water Board, in an interview with KQED.

After Jan. 1, 2032, California wants to recycle 65% of plastic-covered material, according to the bill. Although that is far away from now, the state can only meet this goal if companies follow the bill and begin to reduce waste.

As producers start decreasing the use of plastic, it will inevitably impact our lives, even at California Baptist University. The plastic containers students purchase, eat from and drink from will dwindle in favor of eco-friendly alternatives.

The issue with alternatives is their high cost. Some biodegradable products are more expensive than non-biodegradable products, but according to SFGATE, as the demand for more biodegradable products increases, they will cost less.

“I believe that the costs are worth it to enhance the sustainability our planet’s resources, which God has endowed on us to use and steward properly,” said Dr. Michael Nalbandian, associate professor of civil engineering and construction management. “It is an investment on the longevity of God’s creation for the next generation and the generations to come.”

SB 54 has a significant goal for how much waste should be recycled by 2032, but is this achievable when California creates more waste than it can get rid of?

“I believe that it is achievable,” Nalbandian said. “We have the tools, technology and

ingenuity to make it happen in the near future, but it all comes down to society’s willingness, and that speaks to all aspects of the environment.”

Camdyn Taylor, freshman elementary education major, said she thinks students will likely see less plastic around campus but raised concerns about the potential financial implications of the bill.

“I think that it will a ect college campuses by getting rid of di erent plastics that we use on a daily basis and replace them with biodegradable products,” Taylor said.

“I also assume that it would cost more money, which might take away from college programs.”

Even though there will be a reduction in plastic, Nalbandian doubts that the state will go plastic-free anytime soon.

“With the right intentions and systems in place, sure, it’s possible to go single-use free or completely plastic-free,” Nalbandian said. “But considering the benefits of recyclable plastics as a cheap, consumable product, I don’t necessarily think that California would go completely plastic-free.”

Although it is the producer’s job to handle how to comply with the bill, consumers can continue to recycle and advocate more for the change from single-use plastic to biodegradable products to better protect our environment.

“Overall, moderation is key,” Nalbandian said. “As a society, we must be mindful of our current standard of living along with the sustainability of our resources.”

Emily McGinn | Banner

Emily McGinn | Banner

“

We have the tools, technology and ingenuity to make it happen in the near future, but it all comes down to society’s willingness.

Dr. Michael Nalbandian, associate professor of civil engineering and construction management

CBU alumna to release new single Jan. 27

Kayla Friend writes music to re ect on pandemic experiences

BY GABI RIGGIN ASST. A&E EDITOR

California Baptist University alumna Kayla Friend is releasing her first debut single, “valentine’s day,” on all streaming platforms on Jan. 27.

Friend graduated from CBU in 2012 with a degree in theater and cultural anthropology. She said she had no idea she would be where she is today, not only with releasing her music to the public but with feeling such excitement and love for writing and composing music.

Friend began composing music during the pandemic.

Originally a writer for the-

Serial killer

BY SARAH MURPHY ASST. A&E EDITOR

In recent years, serial killer shows have become increasingly popular despite their horrifying content. Netflix released “You,” a psychological thriller series, in 2018. The show centers on Joe Goldberg, a serial killer who develops extreme obsessions with his victims. Despite the show’s gruesome nature, it became popular among viewers. In the following years, Netflix released more documentaries centered around serial killers, including the “Conversations with a Killer” series, which features “The Ted Bundy Tapes” and “The Je rey Dahmer Tapes.”

The idea of serial killers is macabre, so why is society

ater, she soon realized that theater-style writing is much different from writing music. She enjoys writing music more because it allows more opportunities for others to connect to her work. Friend views making music and sharing it as a way of investing in herself.

She said she discovered her love for writing music through the isolation of the pandemic, which influenced this upcoming release.

“It was March 13 when we finally got the stay-at-home order,” Friend said, “I just kept thinking that it’s so crazy to think that, a month before, on Valentine’s Day, people were having dinner together. They were going out and hanging out with each other and spending time with their loved ones. The song came from a place of just thinking that there are probably so many people, myself included, if you could go back to just a couple of weeks before all this happened, who (would want to) remember these in-

TV

credible relationships that we had and be able to remember the people that we’ve lost in a very positive way.”

Friend opened up about her song’s inspiration. The song is

nostalgic for the feelings many felt before isolation.

“That’s just something that we all were trying to grapple with and figure out for the past couple of years, even as we’re emerging from this and life is going back to a new normal,” Friend said. “What do you do with all that feeling of being so alone for a few years? I think I would want people to walk out just feeling less alone.”

She is hoping to release an EP closer to the end of 2023 with the same theme.

through their music program. I know that is where a lot of people get introduced to the music program,” said Friend, who began to pursue music several years after graduation.

Friend’s new single “valentine’s day” will be released on all streaming platforms in remembrance of those lost to the pandemic and to help process the “new normal.”

mindful of the lives and relationships she and her friends had known before the nation was hit with months of isolation due to the pandemic she said.

With writing coming straight from the heart, her song “valentine’s day” can be described as a soft cinematic ballad. This genre of indie popfolk release is intended to be

“The theme is a lot of the songs that were written over the pandemic,” Friend said. “I wrote probably 37 songs over the pandemic.”

Of course, the EP will not contain all of them, but rather closer to 12 songs.

Friend credits the programs at CBU with helping to set up the foundation for her music career.

“One of the things that really impacted me was the fact that CBU o ers scholarships

shows: Why are viewers inrigued by the macabre?

drawn to such topics?

Taryn Galindo, sophomore forensic psychology major, grew up watching crime documentaries. Her deep fascination with the topic encouraged her to pursue forensic science. She shared that there are a few common reasons viewers are drawn to these kinds of shows.

“People watch them because they seem so absurd,” Galindo said. “People do not think that that actually happens, so when they watch something like the ‘Night Stalker’ documentary where they really understand the extent that those crimes are committed, it’s like watching a train wreck. You watch it and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I cannot believe that actually happened,’ but you cannot stop watching it.”

Serial killer documentaries fulfill our curiosity for the unknown. Witnessing death at such a close range on-screen provides an explanation for the extreme acts of violence humans are capable of.

Watching these shows from the comfort of your couch o ers a safe way to explore dark topics. It also allows viewers to understand the thought process of serial killers and how to avoid be-

‘Avatar’ technology paves a new way for the future of lm

BY JONATHAN MEJIA ASST. A&E EDITOR

James Cameron’s “Avatar” film series is arguably one of the most famous film franchises in recent memory. “Avatar,” first released in 2009, was praised for its usage of computer-generated imagery (CGI) throughout most of the movie. The movie was made using a mix of performance capture, live-action and a hybrid shooting of performance capture and live-action.

Cameras captured the use of a virtual system to display a digitalized set on computers that were used to best film motion-capture footage. Actors would then wear suits with reflective markers to reflect infrared light to the cameras on set. This would provide points of data to help animators create digital characters. Actors would also wear helmets with cameras attached to them to help capture facial performances.

For “Avatar,” most of the movie’s setting was generated with CGI. Some of the scenes were also used through a virtual set to help discover changes that would be made in physical

sets afterward.

Although CGI was not an entirely new idea or tool in cinema in 2009, Cameron innovated new methods and techniques to build the film. He changed the course of CGI in cinema using highly advanced motion capture and 3D technologies.

“CGI was already very popular in virtually all tentpole movies before the first “Avatar” came out, so no, I don’t think Cameron had all that much to do with the popularity of CGI in movies, but he and his team did utilize the technology in an interesting way,” said Michael Eaton, professor of film studies.

Before “Avatar” was released, other films also utilized CGI, such as “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999); but CGI was at an early stage in cinema. These movies’ CGI, particularly “The Phantom Menace,” does not look visually satisfactory by today’s standards.

Since 2009, movies using CGI have arguably improved. The technology has even evolved to help de-age older actors in films such as Robert De Niro in “The Irishman”

(2019) and Michael Douglas in “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). Mark Hamill was also de-aged in the second season of “The Mandalorian” (2020) and the first season of “The Book of Boba Fett” (2021) TV series.

“Based on movies that involved CGI, it is possible that James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ improved CGI, although realism was not as popular in movies. I believe that he may have influenced CGI in an upward trend after the release of ‘Avatar’,”said David Harty, junior intercultural studies major.

Cinema has almost universally improved how CGI is applied across many studios. Cameron and Avatar might have much to do with paving the step-up in CGI usage and visual improvements over the last 13 years.

These improvements are commonly seen in movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on actors like Mark Ru alo, who plays the Hulk and Josh Brolin as Thanos.

“After watching the first ‘Avatar’ movie, I believe that James Cameron was one of the filmmakers who revolutionized CGI in the film industry,” said Marc Agbayani, senior creative writing major.

“Before the time of the movie’s release, there were not many films that really tackled CGI to such a great extent that ‘Avatar’ did. Sure, there were movies like ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ in the film industry, but neither of them had an almost fully CGI set like ‘Avatar’ did.”

ing in the dangerous situations they present.

“I do find how law enforcement tries to catch the killer intriguing, and it’s the best feeling once the killer is caught,” said Sasha Claire, freshman illustration and graphic design major. “I think others watch it for the same reasons I do. The suspense and anticipation of catching a serial killer are enough to get a person hooked on keeping up with

the story.”

According to FBI data, women accounted for 70% of the 1,398 known victims of serial killers between 1985 and 2010.

“More commonly, I think women watch it,” Galindo said. “It is sort of a way to acknowledge that these things do happen, and these things do mostly happen towards women.”

Serial killer documentaries can provide a manual of how to escape perilous situations in which people are attacked. “I think that it’s connected to personal safety. Women like to know everything about everything so they can be prepared. Watching a show that is about a serial killer gives them insight on what they can do if they ever come across a murderer,” said Claire.

Some people may watch the genre due solely to the actors involved. Big-name actors such as Zac Efron portraying Ted Bundy in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” and Ross Lynch as cannibalistic Je ery Dahmer in “My Friend Dahmer” brought in new crime viewers.

“In Hollywood, they’re going to glamorize everything, so they’re going to have trending people play the serial killers,” Galindo said. “Like in the Jeffrey Dahmer series, I saw a lot of people very infatuated with the actor.”

Regardless of the reasoning behind watching crime, seeing how a serial killer thinks can be disturbing, yet the strange abnormality of it keeps viewers glued to the screen.

“

“I think I would want people to walk out just feeling less alone.”

Kayla Friend, CBU alumna singer-songwriter

“After watching the rst ‘Avatar’ movie, I believe that James Cameron was one of the lmmakers who revolutionized CGI in the lm industry.”

Marc Agbayani, Senior creative writing major “

CBU alumna Kayla Friend’s new indie-pop folk single, “valentine’s day,” is out Jan. 27 | Photo courtesy of Susurra PR

“You watch it and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I cannot believe that actually happened,’ but you cannot stop watching it.”

Taryn Galindo, Sophomore forensic psychology major “

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Plane” is as simple as its name suggests: It is a story about a plane. In an age when audiences are accustomed to “Avatar”-length features and superhero films that nowadays rarely clock in below two and a half hours, “Plane” o ers a refreshingly fast-paced, relatively quick visit to a remote, separatist-run island in Southeast Asia along with the passengers and crew of Trailblazer 119 (yes, that is the airline name, which I assume is their version of Spirit Airlines).

After crash landing on the island, the passengers and crew are faced with a new challenge: They are now stranded on an island without help, and they are surrounded by trigger-happy, gun-wielding separatists. It is up to Captain Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) and unexpected ally Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), a passenger being transported on murder charges, to save the passengers and crew and get them o the island.

The movie pulls out all the usual stops for a classic action film: a thick, unexplored jungle; several bloody-faced sequences of hand-to-hand combat; a quest to save the others; a few chuckle-worthy quips scattered throughout that mainly rely on the universal relatability of air travel; gradually-escalating shoot-outs; unrealistic bullet-dodging; and lots of guns.

The hour-and-47-minute film gives us just enough background about the pilot for us to draw a thin connection between his well-being and our happiness, but it doesn’t reach the heights of emotional connection to incite any tears should something go wrong.

We root for the Captain because the separatists are so clearly portrayed as crazy, gun-driven, hostage-seeking people that we can’t possibly prefer them, and because the Captain seems likeable and relatable enough.

What the movie lacks in emotional connection to the characters, it makes up for in filming decisions. The shots throughout the movie truly sell the action, starting from the somewhat chaotic shakiness of the plane crash that brings the audience right into the plane and cockpit alongside Captain

Torrance as he copes with the reality that his plane is going down. Butler’s commitment to the character and his buddy action duo with Colter push this film upward into the category of solid action movies.

“Plane” takes no risks with the plot, and there were no dramatic twists to make me gasp, but it also checks all the boxes on the action-movie list.

It might not be extraordinarily great, but its ordinariness makes it impossible for it to be extraordinarily bad. It finds its strength in its glaring simplicity, especially in an age when filmmakers seem to be entirely committed to last-minute plot twists, shock value, complex antiheros and tragic endings.

Is this film going to make you rethink your life, or make you shu e back into the theater the following week for a second viewing? No. But even if it might not soar to the level of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” it is the perfect watch for a quick, spontaneous Thursday-night visit to the theater or for any viewer looking for a clear-cut action movie, nothing more, nothing less. If you head into the theater with a standard expectation level, you will walk out satisfied. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

EDITOR’S REVIEW

BY ZERENITY LOPEZ I A&E EDITOR

An emotional yet disturbing film, “The Whale,” directed by Darren Aronofsky, follows the sequestered life of a morbidly obese English teacher. Starring Hollywood’s wildly admired Brendan Fraser, the film marks his return to the spotlight after a long absence. Fraser’s character, Charlie, seeks redemption from past mistakes and attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink).

Throughout the film, we see Charlie using his negative relationship with food as a form of self-harm. The scenes that portray this are so compelling that it was almost di cult to watch. Fraser’s performance truly captured the internal torment his character su ers throughout the storyline.

The A24 film seeks a more profound meaning as it portrays this story of redemption. Fraser’s performance is stellar, as the film explores the idea of faith in humanity and the damaging e ects of utmost loneliness. The story unfolds into a marvelous web connecting each character, revealing deep, painful ties.

The saddest part of the film is subjective, whether it is the painfully realistic portrayal of how di cult life may be for people in similar situations as Fraser’s character or the crumbling father-daughter relationship that seems beyond repair.

Sink nails the role of “wounded teenager” as the audience can

feel Ellie’s distaste for her father throughout the film. Even with Charlie in such a vulnerable state, Ellie cannot seem to find compassion for her father as he struggles through his daily life. Her character is a hard pill to swallow as the film shows a desperate father falling apart in front of the audience. Sink’s authenticity and commitment to the depth of her character prove that there are layers to Ellie’s emotions, and the film avoids the pitfall of boxing her into the rebellious-teenager cliche.

In classic A24 fashion, the film contained beautiful imagery and intense symbolism. Love was a recurring theme in the film. This theme was portrayed wonderfully by not only Fraser, but also his co-star, Hong Chau. Chau plays the role of Charlie’s caregiver Liz and, throughout the film, she shows how much she cares for him aside from her job requirements. Their complicated history and relationship demonstrate the extent of

well-being.

“The

Technology improves play at CBU

BY FLORIAN LE PALLEC ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Over the years, sports have evolved, with performances always becoming more impressive and new records being set each year. These new records are partly made possible by significant technological advancements. In the past, top athletes relied solely on their natural talent to win the top spots. Nowadays, new technologies pop up everywhere in sports, whether it is in training, recovery, care, equipment or competition.

For Giedrius Valincius, graduate exercise science student and runner for the men’s cross-country and track team, the new generation of running shoes incorporating a carbon plate has a significant impact on performance.

“Carbon shoes allow me to run faster,” Valincius said. “These shoes leave my legs feeling fresher after runs and workouts, meaning that I can train faster and take less time to recover before I do it again. Running shoes before this time were significantly thinner and obviously did not have a rigid plate inside of them, meaning that runners had to deal with a more substantial impact.”

Luis Muller, junior business administration major and a player for the men’s soccer team, said he is convinced that soccer equipment such as cleats constantly improves to increase players’ performance.

“The most common changes in soccer cleats over the years are in the upper material, laces, the shape of the cleats, materials and formation of the studs,” Muller said. “For example, di erent positioning of the studs on the sole can help the player change direction

more quickly. The newest version of the cleats enhances my performance because they allow me to feel the ball better due to the thin upper material. Also, changes of direction are much easier compared to my old cleats.”

Technological advancements have not only a ected sports equipment, but even how athletes train and measure their performance.

“Using sensors placed on the body or in ‘smart clothing’ (active wear with sensing fibers woven in), sports trainers can measure and track performance in real time,” according to the Ohio

MEN’S BASKETBALL TAKES DOWN RIVAL GCU

The Lancers put on a thrilling performance on Jan. 14 against longtime rival Grand Canyon University. The Lancers built up the lead early on, finishing out the first half with a 10-point lead with the score sitting at 39-29. The second half would see the Lopes put up a fierce counterattack, at one point closing the gap to as little as three points. Ultimately the overwhelming offensive strength would carry the Lancers to a 79-74 win over the Lopes.

Universities Online Masters of Athletic Administration program. “Almost anything about the athlete can be measured, from breathing and heart rate, to hydration and temperature. These live metrics can help the trainer determine what aspects each athlete needs to focus on more. Athletes are unique, and realtime individual performance measurements can set a more precise and accurate baseline. During practice, trainers can read live metrics and decide when it’s time to rest, stretch or train harder.”

While the benefits of these new technological advances are

undeniable, they are sometimes deemed controversial even by the athletes themselves. Valincius gave an overview of the few drawbacks of this new era of running shoes.

“After using carbon-plated shoes, it can be hard to go back to normal shoes,” Valincius said. “People say that wearing super shoes can make some muscle groups weaker than before. For example, thanks to super shoes, a runner can get away with having weaker calf muscles as the shoe is shaped in a way that makes a runner run on the front part of the foot with less e ort.”

Muller also shared his

WOMEN’S WATER POLO STARTS STRONG

The Lancers women’s water polo team opened the season on Jan. 13 with a doubleheader in the second game of the ASU Cross Conference Showdown. The Lancers and the Biola Eagles took turns leading for the first three quarters. CBU took the lead by one in the final quarter and scored six more goals in the final frame, ultimately winning the game and coming out victorious over the Eagles with a final score of 16-10.

perspective on the new Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology. This video system allows referees to review plays that were too close to make without it. It also allows for more accurate calls and dramatically reduces the chances of missed or wrong rulings in the game. It is important because it can a ect the outcome of the game, especially with close games.

“Even though it helps the referee make better decisions in tight situations, it sometimes kills the feeling of scoring a goal because you are not sure whether the goal counts or not,” Muller said.

Although technological advancements can be controversial, both Muller and Valincius agree that they improve performance.

“Everyone should simply pick up a pair of these shoes to even out the playing field and run faster,” Valincius said.

The adjustments in technology can also make the games more exciting for viewers because of enhanced performance, making some sports more popular.

“The changes in soccer equipment over the years make the game quicker, so it becomes even more attractive to watch soccer games,” Muller said.

An aggressive home game ultimately ended in a 79-64 loss for the Lancers. The Ladyjacks started in the lead, but the Lancers closed that gap near the end of the first quarter, resulting in only a two-point lead for the Ladyjacks. The Lancers gained a four-point lead during the second quarter, but the second half led to their undoing, with the Lancers losing the ball to the Ladyjacks multiple times. Coupled with fouls, the team handed over the victory to Stephen F. Austin.

Sports culture dictates interests, continues to evolve on campus

BY MICHAEL MARKS SPORTS EDITOR

Everyone is familiar with sports in some way, shape or form. Many people have participated in sports, yet certain sports always have enjoyed a much larger fan base and support on campus. Is this purely due to marketing or something else entirely, such as culture?

Dr. Ed Garrett, professor of sport and performance psychology, believes it has much to do with the latter.

“Obviously, culture is going to have a big impact on what you gravitate towards, how you were raised, the environment you were raised in,” Garrett said. “If you had parents that went to every college football game, you’re probably going to grow up going to the same stu .

So culturally, you’re ingrained to think that way.”

Culture impacts how we view and regard sports. America is unique because we have more sports to choose from than other places, simply because America has a much larger sports market and can broadcast more unique and niche sports as well. This trickles down into college sports. Culture impacts what is marketed toward college-age students.

“We’ve all looked at ESPN, and chances are I’m going to see a football score, a current basketball score,” Garrett said. “I’m probably not going to see a cross-country or collegiate golf score, although I may because golf is on TV. More sports revenues are generated from TV, especially for football and basketball.”

Culture a ects what sports we enjoy and identify with, a ecting the experience students have on campus. We can also see a di erence in how culture shapes our identities by seeing the popularity and role of sports in other countries. This is something many international students can relate to.

There is a reason why certain sports are popular here in America versus other countries.

“Why is soccer so strong in other countries? What else do they have to watch? I take a group of students to London every year, and one of the things we try to do is to meet with the NFL over there,” Garrett said. “We talk about the NFL and its presence in the UK, and though it’s supported and enjoyed, it’s never going to overpower what

we see from European football (soccer). They don’t have collegiate sports as we do.”

In contrast, America may have an oversaturation of sports that trickle into college. However, the availability of multiple sports allow us to choose from a wide variety of sports. Students bring their interests to campus, which helps shape the sports culture on campus and opens up new experiences for students in the process.

“You’re able to experience a lot of other avenues,” Garrett said. “Maybe you didn’t grow up with women’s volleyball. Well, you can now go watch that. You can experience that, be a part of that culture and decide if that is a culture you want to be a part of.”

Students are what ultimately dictate what is and

is not popular. Students decide what they want to be included in their sporting experiences and what they do not want. The California Baptist University Crazies understand this best.

Jonah Baima, freshman radiology major, understands this aspect of sports culture on campus as a CBU Crazy. Building a cohesive campus culture can be challenging when dealing with obstacles that lead to less attention to some sports.

“People will come to sports, but sometimes games are o days,” Baima said.

“Women’s basketball is on some weekdays, so it’s harder to come to those games. As a Crazy, we were supposed to be at those games but also to make that environment be for everyone. Just because we’re on the Crazies crew doesn’t

mean no one else is a crazy. The whole point is that everyone is a Crazy. It’s not just us. It has to be everybody.”

The CBU Crazies aim to encourage as many students as possible to come to games for a variety of sports.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to get as many people as we can as possible,” said Asher Raquiza, freshman architecture major and member of the Crazies.

“Students want to go to games that are very action-based. Our job is to incorporate people into as many games as possible.”

Raquiza also shared that the CBU Crazies’ plans to bolster support for teams on campus moving forward. For example, though Crazies do not normally attend baseball games, the crew is hoping to start attending more.

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

The innovation behind shoes with carbon plates in them allows athletes to run faster with less physical impact and quicker recovery time.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BATTLES STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

Emily McGinn | Banner

LANCER ON THE STREET

Professionalism culture is changing

nize that professional culture is no longer what it was a couple decades ago and, at institutions of learning, we should start to push newer professional standards rather than traditional ones.

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In college, we hear quite a bit about professionalism. When we enter the “real world,” we will need to wear specific clothes, act a specific way and speak a specific way.

However, we need to recog-

Historically, the way one conducted oneself at work was much di erent from other settings. For example, more formal dress codes were commonplace and one’s work, personal and social lives were compartmentalized, rarely crossing into one another — and when they did, the crossover did not look quite the same. Hierarchies were stringent and speaking to a coworker or a boss was much di erent from speaking with a friend.

However, as usual, things change from generation to generation. Take tattoos, for

example. Over the years, they have become generally more widespread and thus more acceptable in professionalism culture as perceptions change.

In fact, this change was already occurring in 2010, when 38% of millennials claimed to have a tattoo, while only 15% of those surveyed from the Baby Boomer generation had a tattoo, according to a Pew Research Center report. Now, tattoos — including visible tattoos — as well as di erent piercings, though once deemed unprofessional, are becoming increasingly acceptable in professional culture.

As our generation enters the workforce, there is now a disconnect between these generational perceptions. However, as we take over, there will likely be more of a shift in professional culture. This is especially true

in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the work-fromhome style became common and thus forced work into a more casual setting. In fact, in 2021, Jon Friedman, a corporate vice president of design and research at Microsoft, wrote an article for Fast Company in which he outlined the changes he was already seeing, including becoming more familiar with his colleagues as people and using emojis and GIFs in chats with coworkers. The pandemic has forced many workplaces into homes, creating more of a connection between work and personal lives.

Professionalism has long had an air of formality to it, with a list of rules — spoken and unspoken — of what to do and not to do. However, as we move into more “professional” environ-

Companies and media platforms should improve ad transparency

many of us college students that there was indeed a time in history — pre-1994 — during which advertisements weren’t as entrenched in daily life.

be as impactful. Why would consumers trust someone they know is just selling to profit?

upMallory for lipstick, so what will stop you from trusting @ PoliticalPaul to tell you who to vote for?

ments, many of these traditional expectations often seem cold, and sometimes even stifling. How can we feel comfortable around our coworkers or our bosses if we know nothing about them and who they are? There is value to knowing the names of their pets and hearing a funny story from their weekend because it makes them human. Realizing the genuine humanness of an individual at work — whether above or below you — helps create a more relaxed environment that allows for the sharing of innovative ideas and leaves room for personal connection and expression.

In American culture, work is an especially significant aspect of life. In fact, most people will spend 90,000 hours at work during their lives, according to an article from Gettysburg

College. Spending 90,000 hours with people you do not truly know or with whom you do not feel comfortable does not sound appealing.

Although basic aspects of the professionalism framework, such as basic courtesy, respect and politeness, will presumably remain, it should and likely will look di erent. While traditional professionalism seeks to mold individuals into the ideal worker, we now seek to make the ideal worker unique through our own traits and self-expression.

As the world changes, we as a school need to recognize this and prep our students to change with it and become part of this new wave of reinvented professionalism culture rather than pushing traditions that simply will not survive the generational transition.

TikTok has ruined the concert atmosphere

BY ALEXZA BAHNMILLER MANAGING EDITOR

There is a famous quote from Benjamin Franklin that says the only two things certain in life are “death and taxes.” Living in the 21st century, I would like to add one more thing: advertisements.

If you wake up and turn on Spotify, you get ads. You scroll through TikTok and watch someone tell you to check out their Amazon storefront. You take the train to work and read the banner above the seats telling you to get tickets to visit a new museum. You turn on the radio to hear about better car insurance. You are exposed to ads on the sides of buildings, inside books, when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Ads are so common that many of us have stopped questioning them, which can be problematic. However, it wasn’t always like this. It may surprise

In 1994, the beginning of the end arose: for the first time ever, advertisements appeared digitally, according to scholars.com. For $30,000, an online ad for AT&T appeared on Hot Wired magazine for three months. It was a simple ad, I’m sure, but nonetheless, it opened the floodgates. No longer were advertisers limited to physical space, they now had unlimited space in the worldwide web.

Popular websites cashed in on the idea of making advertisers pay to be a part of their domain space.

For example, YouTube, launched in December 2005, decided to incorporate ads before videos in December 2007. Facebook, founded in 2004, started incorporating ads in 2007, according to Facebook. But these ads were clearly ads that were separate from the content you were reading or watching. They only existed for the first 30 seconds before a video played or within a box that you could scroll past. You knew they were there and that they were there for the sole purpose of marketing. Transparency existed.

But advertisers are smart, and they soon figured out that if the consumers (us) recognize that an ad is an ad, the ad won’t

However, consumers were still listening to people who they felt they could trust such as the digital stars of YouTube — people who, of course, had their best interests at heart, right? With this realization, advertisers began to pay the people the consumers trusted to do the advertising. Instead of watching an innocent ‘Get ready with me’ routine online, consumers now have to wonder if the YouTuber is being paid to exclusively show a certain brand of hair products and rave about them.

As new apps roll out, the ads become more and more discreet. While YouTube now requires users to state if their videos include paid promotions, TikTok doesn’t have any rules to maintain advertisement transparency. With more than 1 billion users, it appears to be the perfect place for advertisers to get away with sneaky sales.

The problem with the lack of transparency in advertising isn’t the fact that you bought a new lipstick because you trusted @MakeupMallory and now the lipstick is actually awful and you wish you had that $18 back. The problem is that advertising influences people and there is no limit to what can be advertised, meaning that even politics or ideologies could be sold to us. You trusted @Make-

Recently, a similar situation occurred in which Facebook’s parent company Meta was fined almost $25 million for political ad transparency violations on Oct. 27, according to NPR. In this case, Meta violated more than 800 of Washington State’s Fair Campaign Practices Act policies, in which companies are required to provide full disclosure of all information related to the financing of political campaigns.

Though this act solely focused on political campaign transparency, full disclosure of all information related to the financing of all advertisement campaigns, including political campaigns, should be required for all media platforms.

Consumers do not deserve to be manipulated but deserve the right to know what they are consuming and the intentions behind it. It is up to us as consumers to demand that media companies, especially companies as big and influential as Facebook, are giving us the information we need to know to independently be able to make a choice, regardless of whether that choice is as big as a political candidate or as little as buying a lip balm.

BY ZERENITY LOPEZ A&E EDITOR

Concerts used to be a memorable music exchange between fans and artists, but unfortunately, it has now morphed into a hollow exploitation of a new artist’s popularity due to TikTok. TikTok has tarnished the concert experience and the problem is only growing.

Music is one of the main focuses of TikTok, as the app includes music as “sounds” for users to place over their videos. It is common to see songs trending on the app weekly and their popularity on the app almost immediately translates to where they land on the charts. TikTok’s immense sharing power inclines users to listen to songs from popular sounds.

A popular TikTok song is not a surprise somewhere on the top charts. For example, songs like “Kill Bill” by SZA, while popular on their own, owe some gratitude to TikTok for boosting streams.

The songs used for these sounds typically only include 10 to 30-second snippets of the song. The songs become popular, but people only know the

bits used in the newest TikTok trend. As a result, when these artists go on tour and perform, most of the audience knows nothing about them or their music. They only purchase tickets because the artist and their music have been trending on TikTok. This is quite frustrating for true lovers of the artist because it increases ticket prices and the concert experience is no longer genuine. You are no longer surrounded by people who enjoy the artist as much as you do.

Steve Lacy is one of the most recent victims. His song “Bad Habit” from his newest album, “Gemini Rights,” went viral as a sound on TikTok. When he announced his tour dates, tickets sold out almost instantly. His recent mainstream popularity surged because of the collaborative app, but videos later posted showed fans not knowing any of his music other than what has been shown on the app.

This idea of “fake fans” taking over the majority of concerts is upsetting and makes the concert experience feel very unauthentic for lovers of the artists.

The popularity that artists are gaining from TikTok is a blessing and a curse. Of course, as fans of these artists, it is great to see them succeed and top the charts, but when concert tickets jump from $40 in the front row to $300 in the nosebleeds, you start to wonder if everyone there really enjoys their music as much as you do.

Nothing is more discouraging than getting tickets to your favorite artist and expecting a communal gathering of fans. Instead, everyone is on their phones, sitting and waiting for the “TikTok song” to come on.

Do you think campus security could be improved? If so, how?

Samuel Carter Patricia Estrada

Michael Zamaro

Crystal Velasquez

Salomay McCullough Senior Junior Finance major Nursing major Pre-nursing student Nursing major English major Junior Senior Freshman

“Developing relationships between the students and the security guards would grow cohesion.”

“I think what can help more is constant golf cart security just to be more active everywhere.”

“Maybe (security should) consistently check who’s actually coming in.”

“I appreciate the updates that they send in emails. I think that’s helpful.”

“Yes. I think a lot of random people can just go on campus.”

“

Consumers do not deserve to be manipulated but deserve the right to know what they are consuming and the intentions behind it.

“The problem is that advertising in uences people and there is no limit to what can be advertised, meaning that even politics or ideologies could be sold to us.