Volume 68 | Issue 3 | October 16, 2020
@cbulancermedia cbubanner.com
Presidential debates —
Essential workers —
Drive-in concerts —
N e w s , Pg. 3
B & T , Pg. 10
A & E , Pg. 12
The importance of debates in the upcoming election.
The pandemic impacts those with essential careers and businesses.
A new approach to live shows in the music industry.
CBU prepares new online format for Parent and Family Weekend event BY KAYLEE ELROD ASST. NEWS EDITOR
This semester, California Baptist University is hosting Parent and Family Weekend virtually from Nov. 6-8. The event will be available through CBU’s mobile event app or via the event website, which can be found on the CBU homepage. Parent and Family Weekend usually consists of activities, sports, food and fireworks. Due to COVID-19, it will look a little different this year. The weekend will now consist of videos, activities and giveaways that are designed for students to enjoy with their families. They have the opportunity to do them together or over a phone call. “I think it is awesome that CBU is still doing this event so the parents and families of students can still feel a part of CBU this year,” said Beau Morton, sophomore mechanical engineering major. Morton went to Parent and Family Weekend last year with his family and said he is looking forward to the opportunity to attend virtually with his family this year. “One of the goals of Parent and Family Weekend is to create intentional opportunities for students to invite their loved ones into the CBU experience,” said Rachel Solis, coordinator
of Alumni Events and Affinity Groups. “We understand the CBU experience looks a bit different this semester, as most of the student body is engaged in distance learning, but there is still much to celebrate as a Lancer. We hope this Parent and Family Weekend creates a space for Lancer Nation to connect and enjoy from wherever they are.” Although events on campus may not look the same during this semester, CBU is still doing what it can to help students make great memories. “Since the pandemic has affected numerous events CBU puts on, it is nice to see CBU take precautionary measures while still giving their students a chance to experience these events,” said Natalie Dukes, junior business administration major. “Especially for the freshmen, it is nice to try to make their first college year as memorable as possible even while all the chaos is still going on within the world.” Students and families are encouraged to keep an eye out for an email and social media announcements about the event and to download the app as soon as it is available. The social media information for this event can be found on Instagram @cbuparents and @alumnicbu.
Austin Romito | Banner
In previous years, Parent and Family Weekend has been full of live performances and Fortuna Bowl, the annual flag-football championship, but this year’s events will not be held in person as a result of corona virus restrictions.
Companies and voters work to Los Angeles combat voter misinformation Lakers win NBA BY SOFIA ENEQVIST MANAGING EDITOR
In an age of biased news and social media, information can be easily skewed to fit the narrative of whoever is speaking or writing. With the 2020 presidential election less than a month away, it is important to focus on the facts and learn how to analyze the influx of information. With so much information available it is easy for mistakes to be made which can lead to misinformation. Dr. Chase Porter, assistant professor of political science, said his best advice to combat misinformation is skepticism. “Assume that every actor and institution in politics (media included) has a bias and an agenda and consume information accordingly,” Porter said. “Never assume that you are getting the full story, or even a correct partial story, from a source if you are depending on one source only. Make it a point to identify the ideological biases of the source that you are exploring and then attempt to find the ‘other side’ of the story from a different end of the ideological
spectrum.” Many news sites run fact-checking during and after election debates, big speeches,and even social media posts to help educate the public. Social media can often be the culprit of widespread misinformation. “In my opinion, social media is a deeply unhelpful and corrosive influence for an informed political discourse,” Porter said. “Combatting misinformation requires careful and sustained reflection on a variety of perspectives, and social media rewards the antithesis of that. Unfortunately, the only antidote to misinformation is consuming a lot of information that often takes time and complex thinking to really process, none of which will get thousands of retweets.” Companies such as Twitter are taking actions to prevent the spread of election misinformation by adding warning labels to misleading tweets posted by U.S. politicians and other high-profile users. Users will have to click past the warning label to view the tweet. This is also an effort to stop the spread of tweets containing harass-
championship over Miami BY AIDEN HOBSON
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Sofia Eneqvist | Banner ment or election manipulation. The company outlined new rules and limitations in a blog post on Oct. 9. The limitations also make it harder for the flagged tweets to be spread by blocking them through Twitter’s algorithm, meaning the tweets will not show up on timelines. The goal of this initiative is to make Twitter a source for reliable information.
“Social media helps and hurts, as it does with most things,” Mikayla Miller, senior business administration major. “It can be a great resource to get information out, but it can also be a way for people to be misled. There is less fact-checking on social media and the amount
SEE ELECTIONS | PAGE 10
After a series and season marked by delays as well as precautions and restrictions due to COVID-19, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in game six of the National Basketball Association’s Finals Series to win their 17th championship title. According to the NBA’s official game recap, the Lakers bested the Heat 103-93 to finish the season and win the series 4-2. “LeBron James goes off for a triple-double to help Los Angeles win their 17th championship over the Miami Heat,” the NBA’s official website said. All games of the 2020 NBA Finals were held at Disney World in Florida as a result of health and safety measures instituted because of the coronavirus pandemic. The lack
of travel between locations marked an unusual change for any professional athletics championship. These and other safety measures, however, were there to ensure the health of the safety of the athletes, coaches and staff, and they were largely effective at keeping everyone involved safe. One of the most drastic changes to the NBA season in general, in addition to the postseason, was the lack of spectators. The NBA was able to integrate “virtual fans” into the games, but no spectators were allowed inside the arena during the Finals. These and other changes do not appear to have affected the overall fan experience, with basketball fans across the country tuning in to watch the games.
SEE NBA FINALS | PAGE 11
NEWS
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
LifeStream blood drive returns THE BANNER
staff PRINT
Editor-in-Chief Jane Robertus
Lifestyle Editor Teddy Peña
Managing Editor Sofia Eneqvist
Asst. Lifestyle Editors Ashley Moore Will Anton
Photo Editor Camille Grochowski
Sports Editor Kelly McKittrick
Asst. Photo Editor Luc Stringer
Asst. Sports Editors Adityastha Wratsangka Aiden Hobson
Design Editor Sofia Eneqvist Asst. Design Editor Emily McGinn News Editor Emily McGinn Asst. News Editors Kaylee Elrod Lauren Brooks Business & Tech Editor Jasmine Severi Asst. B&T Editor Luc Stringer Arts & Entertainment Editor Jackson Waldrop Asst. A&E Editors Cole Stillwagon Steven Rousseau-Dixson
Public Relations Director Victoria Buszinski Social Media Manager Kaylee Elrod Advertising Manager Alex Iannone Distribution Manager Joshua Lomelí
ONLINE Managing Editor Casey Maldonado National Editor Misty Severi Photo Editor Luc Stringer
Asst. Director of Student Publications Sonya Singh Director of Student Publications & Adviser Dr. Mary Ann Pearson
BY EMILY MCGINN NEWS EDITOR
Spiritual Life’s Mobilization office is working with LifeStream to host a blood drive from Oct. 28-30 in the Van Dyne Gym. Adam Botello, LifeStream regional account manager, said it will be adapted to COVID-19 restrictions. To protect donors, the blood drive will require donors to socially distance, wear face masks and receive a temperature check at the entrance. Screening stations and donor beds will be placed six feet apart, stations will be sanitized between donors and the LifeStream staff will wear personal protective equipment. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic happened, fewer people are going out of their homes to donate blood and we still have patients who need transfusions who have certain illnesses or have been a victim of an accident,” said Nicole Wall, senior nursing major. “The demand for blood will never go away.” In addition to these precautions, LifeStream will be testing donated blood for COVID-19 antibodies. Donors will receive the results of the test through the donor portal on lstream.org or through the LifeStream app. If a donor tests positive for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies, they will be offered the opportunity to donate convalescent plasma. “A lot of our hospital partners dealing with COVID-19 are asking for convalescent plasma,” Botello said. “By giving plasma with antibodies present to COVID-19 patients who are actively dealing with
Kengkue Her | Banner Blood drives in the past have always been similar, but this year there are sure to be more safety precautions as a result of the pandemic. COVID-19, it is going to help those patients fight the virus.” In the past, Botello said California Baptist University has been one of its largest blood drives in the area. During the pandemic, however, LifeStream has faced some challenges with receiving blood during drives because schools have mainly virtual classes and activities. Workplaces have also transferred much of their work to online formats. “We only have about a day and a half supply of blood on hand, and that is really dangerous,” Botello said. “We are looking forward to this blood drive, and I am hoping that it is a big turnout. We need it, especially now more than ever because of COVID-19.” In prior years, the drive raised funds for students participating in International Service Projects (ISP) through Mobilization, who would
receive $20 for each donation to support ISP. However, Mobilization is not sending students on ISP trips in 2021. As a result, the money raised for Mobilization through this drive will fund student scholarships. “We really want it to be about being a part of the community and helping the community because there is a need for blood,” said Kris Smith, assistant director of Mobilization. “We want our faculty, staff and students to do something that will help the community right now.” Although there are fewer students present on campus, Smith said she hopes that residential and local students will still participate out of an awareness of the need for blood and an increase in free time due to a lack of campus activities. “Having done a lot of blood drives at this school, I know the students want to help,” Botello
said. “Even though they are not necessarily on campus, I hope that most of the students who want to donate blood and help the community are going to come and donate.” Botello said donating blood normally takes about 45 minutes. However, if donors would like to shorten the time, they can complete the screening questionnaire found at lstream. org/expresspass earlier in the day before donating blood. “The hospitals need more blood than ever, and there is a lot of pressure on us as a blood center to keep those hospitals stocked,” Botello said. “I know the Lancer community is strong and that if I ask them they will come. If you are healthy and want to donate blood, come.” LifeStream is encouraging those who want to donate to make an appointment before donating blood by visiting lstream.org/cbu.
We want your help! COVID-adapted events occur at CBU Write, take photos or design with us. Email us at BannerEditor@calbaptist.edu for more information.
About
THE BANNER
The Banner newspaper is an award-winning, bi-weekly campus publication that publishes 12 issues a year at California Baptist University. The newsroom is located in the James Building in Room 060 and can be reached at 951-343-4787. 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. Students, faculty, staff, 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 Jane Robertus, editor-in-chief of The Banner at BannerEditor@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 Alex Iannone at AlexanderJordan.Iannone@ calbaptist.edu.
BY LAUREN BROOKS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Community Life has completely reshaped its approach to events this semester to abide by social distancing guidelines and to consider students currently residing at home rather than on campus. Few events have occurred thus far this semester, but more have been scheduled with Riverside County moving into the red tier, lessening some restrictions. Despite the obstacles related to COVID-19, Community Life remains optimistic about events throughout the course of the rest of the year. “We are really excited about our upcoming October events, despite COVID-19 limitations,” said Daniel Garcia, assistant director of New Student
Programs. “We are learning to push our creativity and cater to students as much as possible.” Paint Night was held Sept. 29 via Zoom. Students could pick up supplies at the Community Life Lounge or use supplies at home. Simmons Hall hosted an in-person component of Paint Night, projecting the livestream for its residents. Lindsay Monroe, freshman mechanical engineering major, attended the in-person option for this event. “It was really well done,” Monroe said. “Everyone was staying safe, masks were required and it was fun to follow along with the Instagram Live with the community of girls.” October is Hispanic Heritage month, a celebration of Hispanic art, cultures and history. To kick off this month, Community Life hosted an
informational booth in Stamps Courtyard Oct. 1. This featured cultural music, informational cards with fun facts and graband-go crafts. The first 100 students who attended were given snack bags. To adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, this event had strict line control and was an all-day event to limit the number of people there at any given time. In a continued celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, Pixar’s “Coco” (2017) was shown Oct. 15 on the roof of the Recreation Center. Students reserved spots to participate in a movie night and were required to socially distance. Open Mic Night will occur virtually on Oct. 20. Students on and off campus are invited to participate. Students living on campus can sign up for a performance
slot in the Community Life Lounge, and students living off campus are encouraged to perform remotely. To maintain COVID-19 compliance during the event, only solo and duo performances are allowed. “Halloween-go,” Halloween-themed bingo, will take place on campus on Oct. 29. This event will take place on the roof of the Recreation Center. Students are encouraged to wear costumes. Hannah Lee, freshman film major, said she is grateful for the events giving some sense of normalcy. “I am excited to be able to meet new people and try to get a normal college experience,” Lee said. Events will continue to occur throughout this semester, as Riverside County’s COVID-19 tier permits.
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Emily McGinn | Banner
NEWS
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
Candidates debate before election BY LAUREN BROOKS NEWS EDITOR
The first 2020 presidential debate took place Sept. 29 between President Donald J. Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Joe Biden. Since the first presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, debates have been a major part of the election process. They consist of both major party candidates answering a series of questions asked by a neutral moderator and debating issues to attempt to win the votes of the American electorate. Third-party candidates are not usually allowed in the debates, as a candidate must poll at least 15% to participate. For many California Baptist University students, the 2020 election is the first presidential election in which they are eligible to vote. Trevor Mannion, professor of political science, said that students should approach watching the debates with a certain mindset.
“Go in with an open mind favoring neither candidate, and when either makes a bogus claim you should call it out or research it if you do not believe it,” Mannion said. “Students (or any interlocutor) need to be challenged.” Mannion said most people typically walk into a debate with a pre-determined bias toward a particular candidate. “The literature that I have read on this has shown that there is no correlation between a debate’s victor and the candidate nominated,” Mannion said. Mannion cited evidence for the lack of correlation between debates and election winners by discussing the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. According to exit data, Gore won the debates against Bush, but Bush won the election and became president. The 2020 election is taking place during unprecedented times, and COVID-19 has thrown in a unique variable. Mannion also spoke on this
topic, elaborating by noting the heightened sense of issues during this election. “To play politics as usual during these unprecedented times is odd,” he said. “The polarized speech by both candidates makes this election seem more ‘make or break America’ than most others I have seen.” Marlene Buitron, sophomore political science major and member of the debate team, said she watches the debates to learn about candidates’ thoughts on important issues. “Facts are crucial during debates because they help the audience understand the problem being debated along with learning what possible solutions are,” Buitron said. Brooke Fenex, junior history major, is a second-time voter in a presidential election. She said she is extremely passionate about the world of politics and the importance of staying informed as the election progresses. “When I am watching
“
Go in with an open mind favoring neither candidate, and when either makes a bogus claim you should call it out or research it if you do not believe it. Students (or any interlocutor) need to be challenged. Trevor Mannion, professor of political science
presidential debates, I am looking for candidates to discuss action plans for current issues, typically social issues such as Black Lives Matter, institutional racism and LGBTQ+,” Fenex said. “It is our civil duty to engage with the presidential debates or any kind of national campaigning.” The next presidential debate for the 2020 election will be held on Oct. 22, as the second debate that was scheduled for Oct. 15 was canceled after Trump contracted COVID-19.
NEWS briefs SUPREME COURT NOMINEE President Donald J. Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett on Sept. 26, eight days after the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18. Barrett is known for her conservative views and support for the anti-abortion movement, in contrast to the late Ginsburg’s views throughout her time as a Justice. No Supreme Court justice has been appointed this close to an election, the closest previous appointment was in July during an election year. Barrett’s confirmation hearings with the Senate began on Oct. 12 and the first Senate vote will take place Oct. 22.
CALIFORNIA FIRES UPDATE Fires have ravaged regions throughout California, leaving a particularly devastating fire season in 2020 and scorching over 4 million acres of land. According to the Cal Fire website, there are currently five major fire complexes actively burning in California. The largest of these is the August Complex fires burning in Northern California, which has resulted in one fatality and is only 58% contained. It was officially classified as a gigafire as of Oct. 5 when it had burned more than 1 million acres in total.
CALIFORNIA REPARATIONS BILL
Emily McGinn | Banner
On Sept. 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 3121 to give possible reparations to African Americans, focusing on direct descendants of slaves. Its goals center around creating a nine-person task force to create possible pathways to reparations through restitution or compensation. This task force will also evaluate ways to fix systemic racism in California by working with the California Legislature.
New York City displays California prepares to end clock for climate change sale of gas-powered cars BY EMILY MCGINN NEWS EDITOR
A new feature, the Climate Clock, was added to New York City’s Union Square from Sept. 19-27. This Climate Clock featured the amount of time its creators believe humans have to make changes to combat climate change before it becomes an irreversible issue. The Climate Clock replaced the Metronome digital clock in Union Square that usually displays the time that has passed and the time remaining in the day. The installation of this clock, initiated by project founders Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, took place before Climate Week, an annual summit in New York City to address climate change. The Climate Clock indicated that, according to its founders, humans could have only a little over seven years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a point that earth will have a 67% chance of avoiding a 1.5-degree Celsius rise in global temperature since the preindustrial era. This objective aligns with the Paris Climate Agreement, a global agreement among many countries to implement efforts to limit climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an increase beyond the 1.5-degree Celsius limit could have more extensive impacts on the world. “The clock is intended to be the first of many in major
cities across the world, helping government and citizens synchronize our watches around a shared global timeline to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases,” said Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science. “It is more symbolic time. Since there are so many factors that may affect the time, such as the human effort to reduce greenhouse gases, I think we can change the time.” Climate change occurs when greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide accumulate in the atmosphere and trap solar energy reflecting from the earth’s surface, leading to an increase in temperature. Mariah Vertulfo, senior environmental science major, said that many factors, including human population growth, the degradation of natural resources, deforestation and farming with monocultures can contribute to climate change. “Not a lot of people are knowledgeable about or have been introduced to new sustainable methods and environmentally-conscious methods of development,” Vertulfo said. “We continue to grow and expand because as a society, we think of development as economic growth. We have to consider the environment first.” Scientists predict climate change could have farreaching effects. Koo said some major issues linked to the phenomenon include heat
stress, waterborne and insecttransmitted diseases, pollution and extreme weather and natural disasters. “One thing I do as the teacher’s assistant with the environmental science program is aim to give people the resources to formulate their own opinions,” said Miranda Johnson-Phillips, senior environmental science major. “If we have irreversible climate change, we will be inhibited from living the life God called us to because of our negligence, so we should respond with the desire to live well.” Koo said governments can take action to combat climate change by encouraging research, working toward energy efficiency, promoting the use of renewable energy resources and protecting forests and ecosystems. “I want students to know it is real and is an actual occurring event, but not to be fearful of it,” Johnson-Phillips said. “The data received from scientists, researchers and experts can be overwhelming, and that can cause fear, and fear can lead to this helpless state. We have the capability to change the reality if we take on the responsibility.” Koo said students can use energy-efficient light bulbs, use forms of transportation other than personal cars, recycle, reduce their use of air conditioning and heating, avoid plugging in electronic devices unnecessarily and become educated about environmental issues.
BY EMILY MCGINN NEWS EDITOR
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sept. 23 that California will transition completely to the sale of new zero-emission vehicles rather than gas-powered cars and passenger trucks by 2035. This executive order aims to reduce California’s contribution to climate change while maintaining economic progress and jobs. Gas-powered vehicles rely on fossil fuels, meaning that when vehicles burn gasoline to run, they produce greenhouse gases that collect in the atmosphere. This growth of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is acknowledged by the Environmental Protection Agency as a driving force and indicator of climate change. “Humans have caused major climate changes to happen already,” said Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science. “Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, global climate change would continue to happen for at least several more decades, if not centuries.” Transportation produces over 50% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, 95% of the state’s toxic diesel emissions and 80% of the state’s smog-forming pollution according to CA.gov. With the new measures in Newsom’s plan, the state expects a decrease of over 35% in greenhouse gas emissions.
The order also outlines plans to implement new health and safety measures to limit the negative effects of oil extraction on communities and the building of more fueling and charging stations for zeroemission vehicles. “I believe this is a good way to protect the environment and is an important order to be implemented,” said Tara Duncan, junior environmental science and sustainability major. “Bringing this topic to the attention of the public and integrating the use of renewable resources into something used every day is a great way to encourage people to make choices independently and become more educated regarding the state of our current environment, especially here in California.” Duncan said that banning the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 will result in the use of more renewable resources to power cars, which can help the environment, but the affordability of vehicles powered by alternative fuel sources such as rechargeable batteries might present an issue. Additionally, she said the state may face waste issues related to these fuel sources because batteries become toxic waste. However, she said that, with additional research, the state should move forward with its plan to implement zeroemission vehicles. Madison Santiago, junior environmental science major, said she believes
legislation supporting the use of alternative fuel sources is important. “It is a good way to protect the environment,” Santiago said. “By reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions, we can slow down global warming’s effects. Also, by limiting the need to extract more oil from the ground, we can better preserve sensitive ecosystems.” However, she said the transition to electric cars might face obstacles due to a lack of public understanding about how to use the new technology. “Although I applaud the ambitious time goal of 2035, I am not yet sure if it will be feasible,” Santiago said. “For so long people have relied on gaspowered vehicles that many people are unsure of the new renewable technology. People need to be able to trust these products or they will not want to invest in them. “Thus, well-known, reliable car companies must begin introducing their clean air vehicles so that the public has a wider selection to choose from. Making this technology accessible to working-class individuals, the primary commuters is a key piece in whether this plan can succeed or not.” Currently, Newsom’s plan only applies to the sale of new cars and passenger trucks within the state. The use of gas-powered vehicles will still be allowed if they were bought before 2035.
VISION
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
To register online, visit RegisterToVote.ca.gov To check your voter status or change your political party preference, visit California’s site,
2020
19
OCT
Last day to register to vote in California
voterstatus.sos.ca.gov
N O M I N E E S
President
Vice President
• Republican Party: President Donald J. Trump (incumbent). • Democratic Party: Joseph R. Biden former vice president and senator. • American Independent Party: Roque De La Fuente, businessman. • Green Party: Howie Hawkins, environmental activist and American trade unionist. • Libertarian Party: Jo Jorgenson, former vice-presidential nominee for libertarian party in 1996, political activist. • Peace and Freedom Party: Gloria La Riva, socialist activist and 10-time presidential or vice-presidential nominee.
• Republican Party: Mike Pence, current vice president, former governor of Indiana. • Democratic Party: Kamala D. Harris, junior senator of California, former attorney general for the state of California. • American Independent Party: Kanye West, rapper, also a write-in candidate for president. • Green party: Angela Walker, activist and labor organizer. • Libertarian Party: Jeremy “Spike” Cohen, political activist and podcaster. • Peace and Freedom Party: Sunil Freeman, author, essayist, disability rights activist and advocate.
U.S. House of Representatives • Republican Party: Aja Smith, U.S. Air-force veteran, graduate of California Baptist University. • Democratic Party: Mark Takano, incumbent since 2013, graduate of the University of California, Riverside.
California Assembly • Republican Party: Ali Mazarei, small business owner. • Democratic Party: Jose Medina, incumbent, local politician.
Riverside Mayor • Andy Melendrez: Served four terms on the Riverside City Council, representing Ward 2 since 2006. • Patricia Lock Dawson: School-board trustee, small business owner, environmental scientist.
California Senate • Republican Party: Rod Taylor, small business owner. • Democratic Party: Richard Roth, incumbent, Air Force veteran and lawyer.
VISION
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
2020
NO V
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Election Day Information Voters can track their ballot through Ballottrack.com. The site informs voters when their ballot will arrive, when it is recieved by the county and when it is counted.
Prop 14: Stem cell research
Summary: This proposition would to donate $5.5 billion in state bonds to fund stem cell research which grows into either brain cells or heart cells. $1.5 billion would go specifically to brain-cell research. The repayment plan of the bonds would see the state pay $260 million every year over the next 30 years. Yes vote: Approves funds. Proponants argue the money
will help fight serious diseases, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. No vote: Rejects funds. Opponents argue that the state should not be spending billions of dollars when Californians are hurting financially and when private donors and the federal government are already donating money to stem cell research.
Prop 16: Restoring affirmative action Summary: This proposition would repeal Proposition 209. In California, it is currently illegal to discriminate either for or against someone on the basis of race or sex when it comes to hiring or firing someone as a state worker, or accepting or rejecting the individual into a public university. Proposition 16 seeks to restore affirmative action, which says the state and university can take race and gender into consideration when it comes to accepting or rejecting
students and hiring or firing employees. Those in favor say. it is intended to give citizens from minority backgrounds better access to universities and job opportunities. Those against say that race and gender should not play a factor at all. Yes vote: Repeals proposition 209 and restores affirmative action on the state level. No vote: Keeps the law the way it is.
Prop 17: Restoring voting rights for people on parole Summary: In 19 other states, those on parole are alThis proposition would allow those who have comlowed to vote in elections. Proposition 17 would repleted their prison sentence but are currently fulfilling store those rights to Californians on parole, including their parole to vote. those with felony convictions. Currently California Yes vote: Approves voting rights for parolees. allows those who have served their sentence and com- No vote: Rejects voting rights while on parole. pleted parole to vote.
Prop 18: Grants voting rights to 17-year-olds Summary: Proposition 18 would allow citizens at age 17 to vote in the primaries as long as they turn 18 by the general election. Currently, 18 states and Washington D.C. allows this. Those in favor say it should allow those who are voting in the general election the benefit of voting in the full election cycle, which includes the primaries. They also say it gives youth an amplified voice and encourages younger voters. Those opposed say that 17-year-olds are
still minors and therefore in the eyes of the law, still children. Therefore, they should not participate in the election because they are under their parent’s influence or in high school, where they are under the influence of their teachers. Yes vote: Grants voting rights to 17-year-olds who turn 18 by the general election. No vote: Keeps the voting age at 18.
Prop 22: App-based drivers as contractors Summary: This proposition seeks to label rideshare and appbased drivers such as DoorDash, Instacart, Uber and Lyft as independent contractors and not employees. This proposition further seeks to add changes to those who work as app based drivers by limiting the hours they can drive — no more than 12 hours in 24 hours unless there is a 6-hour, non-interrupted break. It would also make companies give the drivers health insurance if they average more than 15 hours in a week per calendar quarter, provide accidental death insurance to spouses
and families of drivers who die while working for the app and provide or make available occupational accident insurance to cover at least $1 million in medical expenses and lost income. Yes vote: Approves the changes and labels drivers as independent contractors. No vote: App-based drivers must be labeled employees and therefore receive all benefits an employee gets. Sofia Eneqvist and Misty Severi | Banner
LIFESTYLE
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
Cal Baptist campus begins reopening process BY WILL ANTON
ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR As 2020 progressed into its ninth month, restrictions guarding the population against COVID-19 began to relax in the Inland Empire. Riverside County was given the option to begin engaging in reopening procedures. These procedures were put into place all across the county. Businesses began to reopen their doors, restaurants started to seat customers inside again, and churches welcomed back their congregations. The wave of re-openings hit the CBU campus on the week of Sept. 22. Anticipating these re-openings, many campus officials began to make the necessary changes in their departments in advance so they would be able to accommodate larger portions of the student population. A prime example of this was the reintroduction of indoor dining in all of the on-campus eateries. The county’s new dining legislation, which allowed for either 25% capacity or 100 people (whichever came first), gave campus restaurants the ability to once again open their tables for students to gather. Lori Morgan, food and beverage manager for the Alumni Dining Commons, said she and her staff were prepared to re-
open indoor dining as soon as the county allowed them to do so. “We received word that we could reopen about two weeks ago today and we already knew that it was coming down the pipe,” Morgan said. “As far as planning goes, we were about two weeks ahead of the game, which is something that we always try to shoot for.” Prior to the county’s order, the ADC exclusively offered outdoor seating and dining, with the inside of the cafeteria reserved strictly for food preparation and serving. Now that indoor dining is permissible by county law again, the ADC staff have made accommodations to seat the maximum number of students that they can legally hold. “The inside of the ADC now contains 100 chairs exactly to coincide with the county’s guidelines of 25% or 100 people,” Morgan said. “Everything inside the cafeteria is measured to be exactly six feet apart. We will be ready for the next updates - we try to be ahead of the game.” Another popular eatery that has reopened indoor seating to students is Wanda’s Cafe. Since Wanda’s is not designed to hold anywhere near the number of students as the ADC, the return of indoor dining at Wanda’s is much more
limited, with only the booths and a handful of chairs available for seating. However, like the ADC, Wanda’s is poised to keep steadily reopening as county restrictions relax. “Just take it day to day, playing it by ear,” said Cori Gomez, floor manager for Wanda’s, in regard to the best thing she and her staff can do when waiting for county orders. Paul Pepper, junior graphic design major, said he is relieved about the reopening of campus eateries. “This is going to be good for a lot of people,” Pepper said. “I believe that many people on campus will benefit from reopened dining spaces, mainly for the purposes of studying and socializing. While we may not see a true spike in community over this, I’m glad to see this as a first step to a greater reopening.” Dining on campus is a significant part of the CBU experience. Many of the changes brought on by COVID-19 have threatened to compromise the core of the campus community itself. However, the long-awaited return of indoor dining is now here. With a slow return of indoor dining, students are regaining the opportunity to sit inside with their peers, relax at a table and begin the restoration of their much-needed community.
Camille Grochowski | Banner
The Alumni Dining Commons features less available indoor seating, and students are given bags to carry their food instead of trays to lessen the need to clean used trays and plates.
CBU Recreation Center announces SoCal Six Peaks Challenge BY WILL ANTON
ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Alex Iannone | Banner Ali Wehbe, senior business finance major, crosses a log while hiking Black Star Canyon.
Southern California is home to many spectacular scenes of nature. With the sun-kissed beaches of the Pacific Ocean, the parched expanse of Death Valley, the rocky crags of Joshua Tree and the wooded glens of San Bernardino National Forest, there is never a shortage of outdoor activities to enjoy. Students at California Baptist University have first-pick access to all of these activities and many more, including the famed Six Peaks Challenge hosted by CBU Recreation. Kayla Ruiz, outdoor adventure coordinator for CBU Recreation, explained the challenge that was set up for students to get outside and explore the natural elements around them. “The Six Peaks Challenge is a challenge to hike the highest six peaks in Southern California,” said Ruiz. “These include Mt. Wilson, Cucamonga Peak, Mt.
Baldy, San Bernardino Peak, Mt. San Jacinto, and San Gorgonio. In total it adds up to 27,108 feet of elevation gain and over 82 miles of hiking.” CBU Recreation announced the beginning of this year’s challenge Sept. 17 on its Instagram page (@cburecreation). Because the challenge is undertaken at the participant’s convenience, so there are no tickets to be sold for this particular event. The challenge is planned to last until April 16, 2021, with the first three participants to summit all six of the peaks awarded exclusive prizes. Typically, a Six Peaks Challenge hike begins with an individual sign-up. Because this particular round of trips is not usually led in-person by Outdoor Adventure student leaders, participants are encouraged to hike with friends to maximize both safety and fun. Ruiz said a few select hikes, though, may be eligible to accommodate larger student
groups. “(Outdoor Recreation) plans to offer opportunities to hike some of these peaks as a school trip,” Ruiz said. “After hiking each peak, students will come to the Rec Rentals window and show a picture of themselves on the summit, after which they will receive various prizes.” The Rec Rentals window, located in between the Events Center and Recreation Center, is home to the Outdoor Adventure Program, and it rents various kinds of equipment, such as tents, sleeping bags, surfboards and day packs. The Six Peaks Challenge also has the potential to strengthen students both socially and emotionally. This is perhaps more important now than ever before, as COVID-19 restrictions have greatly limited social interactions for students. Ruiz explained that the challenge is meant to motivate students. “[The challenge] encourages
students to get outdoors and be active,” Ruiz said. “Additionally, it hopefully allows getting connected with other students who have similar interests.” The Outdoor Adventure program of CBU Recreation offers outlets for students to build relationships, maintain healthy lifestyles and experience social interaction. “It really seems like the challenge is a super cool way to connect with others, especially during all the craziness of today’s world,” said David Arizaga, junior applied theology major. Events like the Six Peaks Challenge encourage students to take advantage of every opportunity to build community. “The six peaks challenge is a great activity because it gives people a tangible goal to strive for that is outside of school activities, it also gives people an outlet to meet others who love the outdoors,” said Jordan White, junior sociology major.
Students engage in writing to process and express themselves BY TEDDY PEÑA
LIFESTYLE EDITOR Many activities are conducive to an individual’s mental health. Whether someone is an expert or a novice, California Baptist University students have expressed that engaging in an activity they love improves their well-being. One pastime that is popular among many age groups is writing and journaling. This process assist individuals in getting their thoughts down on paper in a variety of ways. Moriah Causly, senior creative writing major, explained the kind of writing she does and why she enjoys the activity herself. “I do a wide variety of writing,” Causly said. “From, spoken word, to poetry, to short stories, I tend to stick to the more creative side of writing. I love this kind of writing because it’s quicker and I don’t have time to spend hours just cranking out long stories and heavy essays. I tend to find myself finding small amounts of time and writing down my thoughts through
journaling, spoken word and poetry.” People love writing their thoughts down on paper or a screen because it is therapeutic and engaging. Writing can hold a variety of different meanings across the CBU community. For some, journaling and writing is an escape from the physical world. Others view the act as nothing more than writing down a grocery list. Whatever it may be, all perspectives are valid and accepted. Trevor Vals, senior film major, explained why he believes the practice of writing improves the welfare of many individual’s mental health. “I would say that any type of writing is a form of expression,” Vals said. “For me, it allows me to escape and create new worlds much better than the one we’re dealing with today. My sisters also journal a lot and they aren’t creative-type people, but it allows them a space to be personal and escape through that.” From a psychological perspective, writing and journaling are a common tool that is used in clinical settings to assist
people in processing emotions, feelings and more. Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, was able to shed light on the practice of writing from an objective standpoint. “As a licensed psychologist, we will often use journaling as a way to help people process emotional experiences and clarify their thinking,” Vazquez said. “[This practice] tends to be helpful. It helps people bring these thoughts back into therapy and talk about what they’re learning. It is often used as a part of psychotherapy.” Dr. Berniece Alspach, professor of English, elaborated on what it is like to teach writing to aspiring college students. “I find so much satisfaction when students find their own voices,” Alspach said. “When students find the confidence and the words to express their own ideas and values, I find the most joy in my teaching.” Writing is a common practice that all people can take part in. While there are certain frameworks to certain styles of writing, there is no one objective way to write. Any person,
no matter what age or experience, can partake in the age-old activity that has been revered by many for centuries. “[Writing] is not as scary as it looks,” Causly said. “A lot of times, people approach writing and think ‘I don’t think I’m good enough’ or ‘I don’t have the vocabulary for this.’ However, writing is so simplistic. It’s so raw and real. You don’t have to start out writing a perfect eloquent piece. It can be as simple as journaling the phrase ‘I’m sad.’” Vals also emphasized the importance of reading for anyone who writes. “Learning the techniques other authors use and seeing what you enjoy reading will translate into wanting to tell your own stories,” Vals said. “And then practicing writing every day. You can only tell a story if it’s written [down on paper].” Writing is a tool, skill and enjoyable activity for many. The art of crafting an eloquent story or simply journaling about one’s emotions or their day is always open to anyone of any skill level.
Photo Illustration by Kia Harlan | Banner Lydia Scott, sophomore mathematics major, reflects on one of her journals that she started while attending school in Europe.
LIFESTYLE
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
Ashley Moore | Banner
Bullet journaling is a fun and easy way to keep one’s life organized and provide a way to look back on memories from specific months of the year.
Lifestyle Tries: Bullet Journaling BY ASHLEY MOORE
ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Bullet journaling is a great way to keep life organized while finding an aesthetic that matches your personality. While all bullet journals look different, many will have common spreads. Supplies used: bullet journal (found at Barnes & Noble) Cardstock paper, Pigma Micron
pens, Tombow Dual Brush pens, Recollections Crafting Tape, Jolee’s Boutique Stickers, Recollections Label Stickers (all found at Michael’s). Once you have your desired supplies, in the colors you like, get ready to create. Grab a cup of coffee, put on your favorite show or play your favorite music. Month Cover Page: Having a monthly cover page is a great
way to welcome in the new season. This spread can range from just having the month’s name to being a full monthly calendar. Monthly Goals: Creating a list of monthly goals is a great way to start the new month. This provides motivation and excitement for what is to come. For many, having goals gives people a sense of purpose. At the end of the month, a sense of pride and completion comes
with it as you see how many you were able to accomplish. Monthly Focus: A monthly focus can be an inspirational quote or Bible verse you wish to meditate on for the month. In times of doubt or uncertainty pull it out and read it. Give yourself the emotional confidence you need, and keep the quote in mind anywhere you go. Saving Plan: Having a savings plan is an effective way to
see what you have and what you desire to achieve in your savings. Instead of just guessing what is in your bank account, have it planned out. Making a goal like this is great to have while in school, as is creates a visual of where you plan to go. It also creates a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as you save more and the bar goes up. These are just a few of the
many spreads you can create. A great way to find inspiration or ideas for spreads is to look them up on Pinterest. Pinterest has spread ideas and different ways you can color and create them. The beauty of bullet journaling is that it is personal. Explore what is important to you and what you want to keep track of. Keeping a bullet journal is a great way to be creative while accomplishing goals.
Emily McGinn | Banner
Students stay home for fall semester, share experiences
Athletics department adapts to coronavirus limitations
BY TEDDY PEÑA
BY JACKSON WALDROP
LIFESTYLE EDITOR California Baptist University students received an announcement via email July 30 from Dr. Ronald Ellis, president of CBU. The message communicated to students that courses taking place during the fall 2020 semester would be moved online and delivered primarily through live/synchronous remote instruction.” The electronic update about live/synchronous remote instruction was followed by an email sent by CBU’s division of Student Services. The email sent out by Student Services addressed students who were planning to live on campus for the fall 2020 semester. With the news of classes being held primarily online, many CBU residential students were faced with a decision: Keep their plans to live on campus in the fall or cancel their plans to live on campus and live at home
for the time being. Dennise Rivera, senior political science and Spanish double major, described what it was like when she was faced with the decision whether to stay home or move back to campus. “While I was planning on moving back, I ultimately decided not to (in order to) stay healthy and keep my family healthy,” Rivera said. “Not to mention, the financial effort didn’t seem worth it if there wasn’t going to be in-person classes.” Staying home and engaging in virtual instruction is still something many students are having to adjust to. Different challenges arose for students who decided to stay home. Madison Augusto, junior marketing major, recounted the obstacles she has endured while staying home for the semester. “The biggest struggle for me is just being on my computer all day,” Augusto said. “All my classes and internship are on-
line, so I get a bit antsy sitting in one place all day. Also not having campus resources easily accessible to me as they would be on campus.” Having regular access to campus resources was one of the many hurdles CBU had to cross when sorting out coronavirus precautions. Pamela Jost, director of Disability Services, elaborated on what the Office of Disability Services looks like during the pandemic. She also encouraged students to take advantage of the Office of Student Success amid this adverse time. “All of our academic support services are currently delivered remotely,” Jost said. “Academic coaches meet with their assigned students weekly via WebEx to help students achieve academic excellence. I would recommend taking advantage of the services as students may find it challenging to navigate their academics at home successfully.”
A&E EDITOR
The California Baptist University Athletics department works hard to ensure the safety and health of their athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic by testing and enforcing safety precautions so athletes can train and improve their performance. COVID-19 has made it especially hard for the athletic department and student-athletes at CBU when it comes to the extensive training and practices. Ronald Prettyman, Interim Director of Athletics, said how important it is for students to stay healthy during this time. “It is vital that our California Baptist University family stays fit and works to achieve a healthy mind, body and spirit,” Prettyman said. “Our campus lends itself to the opportunity to grow in each of these areas. As we exercise our love of learning, exercise our physical body and
exercise our spiritual growth, we must all stay disciplined to continue to strive towards our personal goals.” Timothy Clark, assistant athletic director for Sports Medicine and Athletic Training, described the extensive testing and hard work the athletic trainers are putting in to ensure student-athletes health and safety are the priority. “When the student-athletes first arrived on campus they were being tested once per week,” Clark said. “Now that we have gone through a few testing cycles, the student-athletes get tested every 2 weeks.” Clark said the purpose of the new safety measures are to keep student-athletes safe and healthy. “The main objective is trying to keep the student-athletes focused on staying in shape and being ready to go whenever we are allowed to compete,” said Clark. We are all thankful that we are still able to do our jobs
during this time of unknowns.” Students who regularly engage in physical exercise have had to adapt to these changes as well as student-athletes. Allen Fletcher, senior film production major and former CBU athlete, balances classes while staying physically active without access to gyms. “It’s definitely been a challenge trying to stay fit when gyms have been closed,” Fletcher said. “When the gyms closed I just resorted back to running along with some in-home conditioning. I get up around 8-8:30 before my classes and do a short 10-minute ab workout and/or go for a 2-5 mile run.” Timothy Clark said the faculty and staff are here to help students “We are all in this together, and we will get through this together,” Clark said. “Do not be afraid to reach out for help. Every staff, faculty, and administrator on campus are here for you.”
PERSPECTIVES
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October 16, 2020 ¡ Volume 68 ¡ Issue 3
California voters prepare for upcoming election 1
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1. Stands have been set up along busy streets to sell Trump-themed merchandise and to receive campaign donations. 2. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat encourage eligible voters to register for the election. 3. Many communities are setting up ballot dropoff boxes in multiple locations in anticipation of
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the expected increase in mail-in ballots this year. 4. Eligible California voters are receiving ballots through the mail that include envelopes to mail back their votes before the actual election date. 5. California voters received pamphlets in the mail that hold information on the election as well as a practice ballot to help them when they fill out their official ballots.
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Photos by Camille Grochowski
SPORTS
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
International students bond through athletics while learning new culture BY ADIT WRATSANGKA ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
California Baptist University athletics attracts many international students to study and compete in the United States, with some teams having more international athletes than American athletes. The cross country and women’s golf teams are teams whose rosters are predominantly filled by international students. Jocelyn Chee, senior applied statistics major and captain of the women’s golf team, said it is fun to be in a diverse team as people from different cultures bring in different personalities. “Obviously, not all personalities match with each other, but for the most part, it’s never boring,” Chee said. “It’s a go-to topic for us to talk about and introduce our culture, so there’s a conversation going every time.” The women’s golf team is represented by athletes from seven different countries. They try different snacks, share different games and listen to different songs. “My main job is to tell each one of the girls to be proud of their country, heritage and how their family brought them up, and share that to other people,” said Marc Machado, head coach of women’s golf. “But they have to remember, that even if we are from seven different countries we are uniting as one team, as CBU women’s golf.” The women’s golf team has each of their bags embroidered with their name and their national flags. Machado said it gives them a sense of pride in
Reagan Lee | Banner
Samantha Martirez, senior information technology managment, practices her swing while staying in competition shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. their country. Chee said she did not have to adjust much to lead the team as the captain because they naturally bond well, learning about one anothers different cultures. She said she tries to be a person everyone on the team can talk to, especially the international freshmen so she can guide them. “When I choose food for our tournament trips, I’ll try to
Golf team debunks misconceptions
find restaurants that serve food from where my teammates are from,” Chee said. “They get so happy when we get them and introduce the food to the rest of us.” International student-athletes need to adjust to the environment and the team. Chee said it helps that she is surrounded by teammates from different countries. “Being around people from different countries, I get to
learn more about other cultures. It’s interesting because everyone is also curious about each other’s culture, and while exchanging culture, we naturally just became closer to each other,” Chee said. “I believe that being on a diverse team helps regardless if you are an international student or not.” Most team rosters are still predominantly American, requiring international student-athletes to adjust more to
American culture. “I sometimes cannot keep myself away from comparing Americans student-athletes to us (internationals),” said Buse Topcu, senior nutrition major and long-distance swimmer from Turkey. “Their mindset is so different from us but I like how positive they are.” Every team at CBU has international student-athletes competing on them. Topcu said having teammates that came
from different countries helps because she does not feel alone. “At least I know I am not the only one who thinks differently. Someone can understand me in some areas,” Topcu said. “We have empathy for each other because we are all away from home.” Machado said he respects international students’ courage to trust coaches and live in the United States, leaving behind their friends and family.
Fresh Faces
Lancer newcomers ready to make impact
BY AIDEN HOBSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Certain sports at California Baptist University are more fast paced compared to other sports; however, despite their hard work and dedication to representing CBU at the highest level of NCAA competition, men’s golf requires greater patience. Despite the seeming lack of action in the sport of collegiate golf, the golfers and coaches at CBU put in tremendous amounts of time and energy into working to compete at the highest level. “There is often a misconception about golf that we don’t do much and just sit in a golf cart all day,” said John Hayes, junior marketing major and member of the men’s golf team. “Most of the time we are actually walking when we play and can walk almost 15 miles in a day during a tournament. We have long weeks of traveling and practice just to prepare for the event and have some days where we start playing at 7 a.m. and don’t finish for over 12 hours. It’s a lot of work, but we all love it.” Kaylea Snapp, freshman elementary education major, shared her first impression about men’s golf at CBU. “My first impression of college golf is that there aren’t really that many people that watch the sport,” Snapp said. “The reasoning is because there isn’t that much action that happens in golf.” Golf requires tremendous amounts of coordination, skill and concentration. Especially when competing at the elite NCAA Division I level, the CBU men’s golf team works to be the best team around. “To play college golf it takes years of playing competitively and learning to reflect on failure,” said Travis Brown, head golf coach. “There are so many skill sets that one must master to become successful in playing the game of golf. It is very difficult to separate yourself as a student-athlete from the thousands who play college golf each year.” Golf at the collegiate level is different than professional or high-school level golfing competitions. While golf is considered an individual sport, golf in college is centered around team performance—the golfers at CBU are not golfing for themselves, but their team and their school. “People often ask things like when our season is or if we play specific schools against each other,” said Hayes. “We actually play the entire year almost nonstop with tournaments and practice during both fall and spring semester. In college, we actually play tournaments where there are upwards of 15 plus teams we are competing against. We send five players and all try to play as well as we can. The winner is determined by who can shoot the lowest as a team, not just seeing if one team can beat another.” CBU men’s golf works year-round to compete at the highest level of collegiate golfing competition. Despite common misconceptions about golf, golfers at CBU compete in a highly active and strenuous competition format that also requires concentration and coordination. CBU athletes are still training with hopes to compete this fall.
AIDEN HAY Sport: Men’s Soccer Year: Freshman Major: Kinesiology Hometown:
Rolling Hills Estate, California
Multi-sport athlete who also played volleyball and tennis in high school
MIA MASPERS Sport: Swim and Dive Year: Freshman Major: Architecture Hometown: Ipswich, England
NADIA MARTINEZ Sport: Cross Country Year: Freshman Major: Computer Science Hometown: Anaheim, California
Four-Time Athletic Academic Excellence award winner in high school.
ISAIAH GONZALEZ Sport: Wrestling Year: Freshman Major: Engineering Hometown: Pasco, Washington
National Champion in Won two Washington the 50 meter free style in State Championship 2016-2017. titles.
NICOLE AVILA-AMBROSI Sport: Women’s Basketball Year: Freshman Major: Pre-med student Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
All-time program leading scorer for Millard North High School.
HUNTER HARBAUER Sport: Swim and Dive Year: Freshmen Major: Kinesiology Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Set the school record in the 100 meter breaststroke.
BUSINESS & TECH
10 Elections
Continued from Page 1
of information out there can be overwhelming especially now with COVID and the election. It’s important to take everything you see with a grain of salt.” Miller said the way she combats election misinformation is by reading about issues from multiple sources and being open minded. She encourages readers to be willing to learn and grow in this season. “It’s important we challenge our beliefs and not just listen to things that make us comfortable or fit with what we maybe grew up hearing,” Miller said. “Getting our news from one source or from people who maybe think just how we do shuts us off from self-exploration and the opportunity for our opinions to grow and fully develop.” Porter’s rule of thumb is to avoid watching the news. He said he prefers to read the news and that it gives him more control over what he is consuming. “This also gives me more control over choosing what to parse from the written narrative, allows me to quickly look for other viewpoints and frees me from editorial decisions meant to engage television audiences,” Porter said. “Granted, all media involves editorial decisions, but at least in the written format, I feel more liberty to interpret the text for myself than I do in the televised format. “So rather than recommending any one source or source for information, I recommend the practice of critical and informed media literacy.” Brock Mickley, senior business administration major, said
October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
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It’s important we challenge our beliefs. Mikayla Miller senior business administration major
he encourages students to do their own fact-checking. “For me, fake news is definitely something that exists the media does take the opportunity sometimes to twist quotes and spin the story towards their bias,” Mickley said. “However, I know there are good journalists and sources out there that do a great job of being objective and putting together good pieces. It’s our job to find those good sources and do our due diligence to know the truth.” Mickley encourages the CBU community to prepare for the upcoming election by doing their own research. “Know what and who you’re voting for,” Mickley said. “Know where funding is coming from, what the truth is, what your values are and which candidate matches them the best. As much as our government may not be the best truth-tellers in the world, we have the power to make this country better, and it starts with us and our vote.” Students can help avoid election misinformation by not sharing articles without reading them. This helps minimize unreliable content. Students can also benefit from learning to spot misinformation patterns in the news and on social media. When combating election misinformation, skepticism is a helpful tool.
Photo Illustration by Camille Grochowski | Banner
Social media apps such as Instagram encourage users to register to vote through the app, give users information on the election and provide resources to create an easier voting experience.
Pandemic impacts essential workers BY JASMINE SEVERI
BUSINESS AND TECH EDITOR
Dylan Stewert, senior healthcare administration major, plays a boxing simulation game on his VR while spending time with friends.
Alex Iannone | Banner
Using VR to battle the pandemic BY LUC STRINGER
ASST. BUSINESS AND TECH EDITOR Technology that, a few years ago, was used for little more than to play games and give some people headaches may now save lives. Virtual Reality technology is more important than ever as the United States searches for a cure for COVID-19. ReasearchAndMarkets.com compiled the “Global Virtual Reality Market Report 2020” in early September. They reported that by 2027, the global virtual reality market would reach USD 62.1 billion. They also reported that George Washington University Hospital is using innovative VR solutions to COVID-19, using the technology to see into patients’ lungs. While this may be the newest impact VR has on COVID-19, it surely was not the first. SimX, a tech company and virtual reality simulation product, released COVID-19 training scenarios free of charge as early as April, according to a company press release. These scenarios may be incredibly useful in the fight to find a solution to the pandemic that has been so disruptive to the United States in 2020.
“As hospitals and clinics around the world reorient toward our shared war against the pandemic, opportunities for clinical training and education are diminished due to the lack of availability of clinical educators and the need to establish social distancing and avoid in-person didactics,” SimX said in the press release.
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“The more precise mapping we can have, the better. Benjamin Sanders professor of computing, software and data sciences Benjamin Sanders, professor of computing, software and data sciences, said he was interested in the use of virtual reality in healthcare. “In my opinion, the more precise mapping we can have the better,” Sanders said. “If we can augment our doctor’s understanding of what’s going on in the virtual reality context, then I’d be happy for (virtual reality) to help.” Sam Castro, sophomore kinesiology major, said that he would be happy to see
VR in healthcare, but cautioned that while it may fix some issues, it could create others. “If there ever comes the point where VR is too real or people use it to escape reality, then it could cause problems among the mental health crisis,” Castro said. Adam Peters, sophomore computer science major, has significant VR experience. He said that currently there are three major limitations in VR technology: graphics, comfort and cost. The technology is still in relatively early production. Some people simply can not wear a headset without getting motion sickness, the graphics still need higher resolution and it is incredibly expensive to buy consumer VR headsets. Yet Peters is positive about the future of VR technology. “With any indication of technology in the past,” Peters said. “I would imagine that all these concerns will dwindle shortly.” As the United States struggles for freedom from the COVID-19 pandemic, we fight with the tools we have always had: innovation, excellence and a desire for something greater.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown whose jobs are essential to keeping our society going, and the pandemic has greatly affected these places and the people who work hard to keep them running. Many jobs people might not initially think are essential have proven to be just that. During a pandemic where people are staying inside and working and schooling from home, office supply stores still have fairly consistent customers. Kristofer Freeman, sales associate at Office Depot, said he was surprised that his job became so important during the pandemic. “After thinking about it and seeing all the reasons people were coming in during the pandemic, it made sense,” Freeman said. “It was surprising, but I understand why.” Freeman said the pandemic affected their back-to-school sales, which is usually their busiest time. “We had a really (small) amount of people coming in for back-to-school,” Freeman said. “The rest of the year we’ve been selling a lot of tech stuff and furniture that people need to work from home or for school, so it balances out.” Fernando Torres, sophomore business administration major works at a Home Depot warehouse loading trucks. “As more online shopping is done the need for warehouse workers has increased but we don’t have to deal with customers face to face,” Torres said. “We do also ship to stores, since you can actually go to a Home Depot and shop there as well but it has been pretty slow as of late, it may also
be because the holidays are coming and no one is spending too much money on home improvement.”
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In some cases (essential) workers have certainly experienced negative outcomes as a result of being asked to work overtime. Wayne Fletcher Interim Dean for the Jabs School of Business
Wayne Fletcher, interim dean for the Jabs School of Business, said that while essential workers have not been as impacted financially by the pandemic, they are putting themselves at risk. “Essential workers, in many respects, have been the least negatively impacted from a financial perspective,” Fletcher said. “Their jobs have continued. However, in some cases, these workers have certainly experienced negative outcomes as a result of being asked to work overtime in a short-staffed environment. The healthcare workers have been particularly negatively affected as COVID(-19) often attacked that work force, incapacitating and killing some and leaving others to manage an increased work load while putting their own health at risk.” Our world and economic landscape has changed, but we will recover, and we have essential workers to thank for keeping us going during a difficult time.
BUSINESS & TECH
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
Study confirms time travel without paradoxes is possible BY JASMINE SEVERI
BUSINESS AND TECH EDITOR A student and his professor from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, published a study demonstrating how time traveling without causing paradoxes is mathematically possible. Germain Tobar, a senior advanced science major at the University of Queensland, and his professor Dr. Fabio Costa, who has a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, released this study Sept. 21 and quickly received attention from the media about it. Costa and Tobar use an example of how this theory of time travel works by using the coronavirus in an interview released by the University of Queensland. They propose this scenario: a time traveler goes back in time to try to stop the coronavirus from ever going beyond one person. “In the coronavirus patient zero example, you might try and stop patient zero from becoming infected, but in doing so you would catch the virus and become patient zero, or someone else would,” Tobar said. “No matter what you did, the salient events would just recalibrate around you.” Tobar went on to explain that, with this theory, a time traveler would not be able to stop the virus from spreading, because doing so would eliminate the time traveler’s motive for traveling back in time in the first place. This is called a “Grandfather Paradox” from the hypothetical situation of a time traveler going back in time and killing their own grandfather before their parent is even born, therefore preventing their own birth, which means they would never have existed to go back in time and kill their grandfather in the first place.
Jim Buchholz, professor of mathematics and physics said he feels like there are still consequences to time traveling. “What they try to get rid of, essentially, is the Grandfather (Paradox),” Buchholz said. “The only way to get rid of this paradox is you can’t kill your (grand)father — the universe won’t allow you to — if there is only one timeline. The other option is there are multiple timelines, just like you see in the movie ‘Back to the Future.’ So what you’ve created is a universe where if you go back to your timeline, your grandfather would still be alive, but if you stay in that timeline where you killed your grandfather, your grandfather would no longer be alive and that’s OK, but in that universe you would never run into yourself.” Buchholz said he is skeptical when physicists overuse infinity. “Now you are saying, ‘There is an infinite number of solutions here,’ and I have a problem with infinity,” Buchholz said. “Physicists loosely use infinity, and mathematicians often warn them to be careful with infinity: It is not a real number. It is more of an idea.” Brent Sims, junior psychology major, said he thinks time travel could still be dangerous. “I think time is such a complex topic, let alone to try and conquer or outwit time,” Sims said. “I think even if it did change the timeline there’s too much that we don’t know when it comes to time. It’s still a gamble or a risk to put everyone through. One decision affects millions of others. (The time traveler’s) decisions are tainted now by a new outcome.” Michael Sill, associate professor of mathematics, said that when it comes to Tobar and Fa-
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Anna Chiu, freshman acturial science major, emphasizes the concept of time. bio’s paper, people have gotten confused about how the Grandfather Paradox would work in it. “In this paper, (Tobar) says more or less, the time travel that would be admissible would be time travel in which you could not signal to yourself,” Sill said. “That was an important sentence in his paper, that when he was describing his process function, he’s essentially saying that
in order for this operation to be well-defined, you would not be able to give yourself any information (you did not already have). That would include a bullet to your grandfather, because that information would get back to you, so that is already, before things get started, thrown out as a possibility.” Sill said this study made him wonder if it could have any im-
plication to how God interacts with people. “If one was to say that God is able to interact and know how things play out in our lives’ history, interact with us, that means in some ways God is able to insert himself in different points of the universe,” Sill said. “How does he accomplish that? Is it because in reality there are certain points of space-time
itself that are all folded up and connected and simply he is able to traverse those types of channels? But that seems to speculative on how God interacts with the thing that he created.” This study has not made us any closer to developing the technology to time travel, but it is a step forward in understanding time traveling without paradoxes
Google and Microsoft compete via video game streaming services BY LUC STRINGER
ASST. BUSINESS AND TECH EDITOR For consumers, being able to open their phone, bring out a controller and play the newest Call of Duty game on the go was just a pipe dream, but now Google and Microsoft are promising major advancements to gaming-on-the-go with new game streaming services. PCs and consoles are expensive. Google’s newest gaming project, called Stadia, removes the expense by offering a subscription service. For $10 per month, users can access Google’s stateof-the-art hardware from a computer, phone or tablet, as well as purchase a large swath of the latest and greatest triple-a titles. Instead of purchasing a Playstation or Xbox console for upwards of $300, you can stream the game to your home. Not to be outdone, Microsoft began Project xCloud. Currently in beta, xCloud offers the same
level of hardware as Stadia but goes a step further. Simply by purchasing the Xbox Game Pass, users get xCloud for free. That means players will have access to more than 100 games along with the service for just five extra clams a month. But how does it work? Users access physical PC hardware located at Google or Microsoft offices. These advanced electronics are partitioned so that multiple users can take advantage of the hardware at the same time, streaming display output from Google or Microsoft to the comfort of your home. Kim Peters, associate professor of computing, software and data services, said she believes game streaming will be popular. “This is something many people want,” Peters said. “(Students) don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars.” However, Peters was concerned about pri-
“
“This is something many people want. (Students) don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars. Kim Peters assoicate professor of computing software and data services
vacy issues. Internet providers have ultimate control over the ecosystem and would be able to collect data from your gaming activity. Because gamers often talk to each other and interact in online forums, internet providers could accurately profile entire personalities, she said. Greyson Berzansky, sophomore music major, said that this technology would be incredibly con-
venient, but that it would not replace our personal computers. “Consoles maybe, PC, maybe not,” Berzansky said. “People will always need a computer, at least for the foreseeable future.” Aaron Kooistra, sophomore engineering major, said he was more skeptical. “I think that the idea is good but I personally don’t see me ever using it,” Kooistra said. “I would buy a game for my Xbox and then just play it on the Xbox only. Same thing for if I bought a game on my PC. I think that the feature is useful but not so revolutionary that I would pay to have it.” For now, game streaming seems like more of a gimmick than a new reality, but the future is uncertain. As streaming gets better and the internet gets faster, paying a small fee every month instead of breaking out the big bucks for hardware and some games may become incredibly desirable.
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
CBU graduate finds success in sound, audio BY JACKSON WALDROP A&E EDITOR
Jacob Adler, a California Baptist University alumnus, graduated with a degree in applied theology and combines his love for sound, gathering people together and the church to professionally mix and engineer audio for local concerts and services at The Grove Church. Adler explained that he has a visual disability that causes him constant vision loss and said this is one reason he learned to work with audio. “I love noise and sounds but I mainly do audio because I have a visual disability and it made sense to me to learn audio,” Adler said. “I decided to not focus on my bad eyes, but on my good ears. This helped change my worldview and not see myself as the victim.” Once Adler came to CBU, student-run production company Sola Productions asked him to run audio for their concerts. This was a whole level of production that Adler did not know about previously, so he dove in and started learning and researching. Adler has put on many shows and mixed and engineered multiple house shows, warehouse shows, concerts hosted at local Riverside coffee shops Condron Coffee, and Arcade Coffee, as well as a show at a farmers market in Fullerton. Jake Driscoll, senior graphic design major, is a close friend of Adler and has worked with him on many occasions. He described the role Adler has played as influential. “Jacob plays a very behind the scenes role,” Driscoll said. “There wouldn’t have been house shows without Jacob Adler. He’s there before everyone and is the last to leave. Most people would have no clue what goes into audio engineering but getting to see Jacob’s work has given me a great appreciation for what he does.” Adler now mixes and engineers audio for services and weekly events at The Grove Church and it is his job to make sure everything sounds perfect and everything is well executed. He does this for live events as well as in post-production for weekly online services. “People often neglect and forget about the sound guy, but he truly is another member of the
2020 alumni Jacob Adler teaches Ashley Anderson, sophomore music major, how to work the soundboard during a recent church service at The Grove.
band,” Adler said. “I do my best to make sure the listener enjoys their experience. There’s a lot of art that goes into engineering. Good audio doesn’t happen without an engineer.” Colby Carter, a coworker of Adler who is also an audio engineer at The Grove Church, described what it is like to work with Adler. “Jacob is great to work with,” Carter said. “He really gives so much effort and care into everything he does.” Adler said he has always known he wanted to work at a church for church planting in the future and to be involved in ministry. He said how mixing and engineering audio better prepares him for that in the future. “The end goal is to be sent out by a church to
plant (a church) and I think mixing audio and production in church life allows me to be disciplined in a very intentional way and to see the innerworkings of a church and how all the gears work together,” Adler said. “That way, when I’m planting (a church) I can be better prepared.” Adler also explained how mixing has more of a purpose in a church setting. “You’re doing audio for others worshiping God,” Adler said. “It’s a lot more intentional than just mixing because I want to do my best and create an enjoyable and non-distractive experience for people.” Adler said he wants to work with audio and pursue the industry for the rest of his life and continue to have fun with it. Many events have
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been canceled due to COVID-19, but he is excited for when he can host house shows and concerts again. Adler also enjoys teaching people about audio. He said he loves to see people be interested and appreciate it for the art that it is and want to learn it. If an individual is interested in learning about audio, Adler said he is always open to teach people who want to learn. Adler is an example of someone who has found a way to make a living out of his passions. “With the little passions that you have, if you think about it creatively enough you could make a living out of it and have a lot of fun,” Adler said. “God gave you those passions for a reason. You just have to be confident and creative.”
Drive-in concerts bring the feeling of live music BY KELLY MCKITTRICK SPORTS EDITOR
With the pandemic shutting down all large gatherings enjoying music live and in concert has been nearly impossible. Recently, artists Chelsea Cutler and QuinnXCII managed to return to the stage, playing two drive-in concerts successfully in September and adding two more shows in Chicago from Oct. 23-24. Performing music live is a sentimental experience for artists and a more intimate place to connect their art with their fans. Chelsea Cutler and QuinnXCII created an unlikely venue to perform while maintaining social distancing standards. As a result of Covid-19, drive-in movie theaters have regained popularity since people can watch movies in the comfort of their car while staying socially distant, keeping movie-goers safe. Chelsea Cutler and QuinnXCII posted rules before the show for their fans to follow. Attendees had to wear a mask if they left their vehicle for any reason but did not have to wear masks when in cars or the bed of their trucks.
Trevor Manning, senior mechanical engineering major, is in a band called The Guest Room. He said his band has been collaborating with other artists remotely and misses performing music for crowds. “I love the energy of playing in front of an audience, especially when playing our originals,” Manning said. “I get hyped when I see people dancing and having a good time at our shows. It is really the best feeling and I look forward to playing in live venues again.” Not only do artists miss performing live, but fans also miss seeing their favorite artists create an entertaining atmosphere. Carli Domino, junior nursing major and avid concert-goer, said live concerts help fans escape and she hopes Chelsea Cutler and Quinn XCII play a drive-in show in Los Angeles. “My favorite part about seeing an artist perform live is the atmosphere,” Domino said. “It’s really cool to see someone do what they love and hear the passion in their voice. It’s also fun being around others who share the same interest in the artist and have an equal amount of energy. Everyone’s just vibing
out and I love it.” Lance Beaumont, associate professor of music, said he believes artists are utilizing social media to perform live. “There are many reasons why artists want and need to perform for an audience,” Beaumont said. “One is simply that is what artists do—share their music with people. Performing music to an audience is what every artist dreams of.” “Secondly, artists make little money from music streaming platforms. Most make their money off of live performances, ticket sales, and not via Spotify or Apple Music. So, there are self-preservation motives to artists performing live, even in drive-in concerts.” The future of concerts could look different for artists and fans as the pandemic prohibits large crowds interaction within six feet, but artists could follow in the footsteps of Chelsea Cutler and Quinn XCII and perform at drive-ins. If artists desire to perform live music in front of a crowd again, they no longer need to perform in front of their phone screens, they just need to change their concert venue.
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CBS all access to rebrand as Paramount Plus next year BY COLE STILWAGON ASST. A&E EDITOR
The streaming platform CBS All Access is getting a total rebranding heading into early 2021, renaming the service Paramount Plus. The parent company, ViacomCBS, announced that the streaming service division would be going through a total rebranding to compete with other streaming platforms that have become more popular such as Disney+, Netfix, and Hulu. Bob Bakish, ViacomCBS CEO, said the company is making changes during the compa-
nies quarter earnings call. “We’re accelerating our plans for an expanded subscription service, building off CBS All Access, with major changes coming this summer,” Bakish said. “As we track towards the rebrand and relaunch of a transformed product, we are full speed ahead on streaming.” With the redirection to CBS’s sister company Paramount, an entire overhaul of the platform will be featured on the current service. Along with the new look, comes the addition of more
than 30,000 episodes from numerous ViacomCBS networks. Included in this list are hit shows from MTV, Nickelodeon, BET and Comedy Central. In addition to the library of network content, the company plans on focusing on creating original series and movies for streamers. CBS All Access currently features a select amount of original content including The Good Fight, Star Trek Discovery and The Twilight Zone. Focusing on original content will allow the streamer to try to compete with some big compet-
itors such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and HBO MAX. To attract sports fans, the streaming platform will also feature games from the leagues NCAA, NFL and PGA for its paid subscribers. California Baptist University students showed mixed reviews on whether the rebranded streamer will succeed. Kristin Thoroddsen, junior commercial music major, said she would not be subscribing in 2021. “I don’t have the budget to add another streaming service,”
Thoroddsen said. “I am content with my subscriptions at this time. For that reason, I probably still wouldn’t subscribe.” Tyler Doench, junior marketing major, said he thinks the rebrand will be a success for the company. “With them adding a lot of content from a variety of already known entertainment companies will bring in a bigger audience,” Doench said. Bakish closed the announcement saying that the streaming service provides everything a streamer may want in enter-
tainment. “Audiences want entertainment on demand and news, sports and live events,” Bakish said. “We’ll be the service that gives them what they want, how they want it, all in one place and at a great value. This will be a compelling foundational service for some and differentiated complement for others.” The future of Paramount Plus looks as it has a lot of potential as plans move forward with a variety of beloved and original content ready for viewers to stream in 2021.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
Disney Parks release 28,000 employees
Students create printed clothing
BY STEVEN ROUSSEAU-DIXSON ASST. A&E EDITOR
BY JACKSON WALDROP A&E EDITOR
Trevor Manning, senior mechanical engineering major, and band member for local band The Guest Room is now designing and releasing custom printed clothing locally with his friend Sam Soine, senior architecture major, under the name Defects Clothing. Manning took design courses when he was in high school, and one of the courses included screen printing. “This was sophomore year of high school,” Manning said. “Sense then I’ve been planning on buying a screen printer and kit for myself.” Manning he has has always enjoyed design and has had the opportunity to use his skills in graphic design sinse high school despite not taking any courses in college. He said he has been able to do this though people asking him to make logos for them and through his band, The Guest Room. Manning designed The Guest Room’s logos and made posters, stickers and T-shirt designs for them. However, these shirts were created through another company and Manning did not like the style as much as screen printing. This is when he decided to get a screen printer and design his own clothes for himself. People started reaching out and started asking him to print his designs on their clothes. Currently, Manning and Soine are doing prints on thrifted clothes and clothes that people give to them by personal request. They currently do
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Todd Liddell, junior graphic design major, and Trevor Manning, senior mechanical engineer major, model Manning’s clothing brand that is dedicated to sustainable, thrifted and affordable fashion. the whole process personally through their Instagram @defectsclothing. Manning explained the meaning and inspiration behind the brand. “Defects Clothing comes from the idea of making clothes that look better with age or with rips, stains, imperfections, etc,” Manning said. “All the designs have meanings that fall under the category of ‘defective’ or what people would consider imperfect. I wanted to show that there is something really cool about imperfections, asymmetry, blemishes, etc. It works out because I enjoy printing on things that are already worn because I think it looks better personally, and it ends up being cheaper for both me and the customer.” Manning said he enjoys being able to print designs on the clothes himself because it gives him the freedom for things like placement and the ability to make it unique as well as to talk to the customer about these details. In the future, they said
they hope to do limited releases of a specific product and design, whether it be T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags or anything Manning and Soine think fits the style of that specific design. Kye Labit, junior entrepreneurship major, said starting a clothing brand comes from different inspirations. “Designing clothes has been a dream of mine since high school and it’s crazy that I am able to do it now and see people interested in what I do,” Labit said. “I draw a lot of inspiration from streetwear and vintage as well as people like Sean Wotherspoon and Paul Cantu. I hope to keep pushing out items and keep pursuing my dream.” Labit’s brand is called Konceited Clothing and you and find his products through Instagram @konceitedclothing. Matt McIntosh, junior graphic design major, explained his own brand Castle as well as his opinion on Manning’s brand. “Designing clothes is a fun way I can support and express
myself,” McIntosh said. “Trevor is a cool guy and I know he’s always had an interest in design. I think his clothing brand is really cool and I love the designs he has made so far. I really respect what he’s doing because I know how long it takes to learn screen printing and he’s doing it super well.” You can find Castle clothing at castled.com. Defects Clothing is working on a few custom designs that fit a similar theme from which customer can pick. These designs can be viewed on their Instagram, where you can also contact them directly for custom prints. They are currently printing over the weekend, so orders placed before the weekend can be fulfiled by Monday. Manning said he is optimistic and excited about where this passion for custom clothing can go. The brand has already received support from followers and friends, with some desperate to buy their product and more who are excited to see it develop.
Although they are known for being the happiest places on earth, Walt Disney theme parks had to deliver some unfortunate news. Disney Parks let go of 28,000 employees across its U.S. parks due to COVID-19 financial complications. Josh D’Amaro, head of parks at Disney, sent an email to employees on Sept. 29 detailing the reasons for the mass layoff. “For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the company,” D’Amaro said in the email. “We’ve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our cast members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity.” The company has stated that this move will put them in a position to reopen as a more effective and efficient operation.“It was better than giving those employees the hope that they might have a job later on,” said Chloe Daniels, freshman journalism major. “They gave their employees a chance to find another job so I think they’ve done everything right.” This action comes after Disney’s announcement in March announcing the furlough of 100,000 employees across its parks due to
COVID-19 restrictions. True Sarmiento, junior engineering student, said he feels this was not an acceptable action by the company. “This was not cool, Sarmiento said. “Many companies are at least keeping employees on retainer. Some people depend on that stability and now they no longer have it. Really kind of disappointing.” As of Oct. 13, Disney’s parks in Florida, Paris, Shanghai, Japan and Hong Kong have reopened, while parks in California are still closed. Disney has not yet released plans of action regarding reopening. Mikalya Bennets, senior marketing major and former Disney character actress, said she was upset to get the call she had lost the job she loved. “I received a call from someone in HR,” Bennets said. “It was not even one of my own managers. They simply let me know they would be releasing my role and that was it.” COVID-19 has caused many businesses to adapt and make all kinds of cuts to survive this time of uncertainty. Many have lost their jobs and businesses have gone bankrupt. It is hard for Disney Land lovers to see Disney having to do the same. The decision to let employees at the theme parks go has sparked some controversy. An article from Forbes pointed out that top executives of the company are doing quite well and the pay gap between the CEOs of the company and the average worker remains a large discrepancy.
Back to the Grind: hotspot for local artists in the Inland Empire Area BY STEVEN ROUSSEAU-DIXSON ASST. A&E EDITOR
There is a much to be said about the culture surrounding intimate music settings. Los Angeles has The Echo, New York has The Bowery Ballroom, and Nashville has Bluebird Cafe. These iconic venues are staples of the music industry in their respective cities. Riverside has Back to the Grind. Located in downtown Riverside, Back to the Grind is more than just a coffeehouse in the Inland Empire. “Back to the Grind is a really artsy, alternative space”, said Sara George, senior fine arts major. “The upstairs is full of books, art and decor filling ev-
ery shelf, wall and even ceiling. The seating is a mix of painted tables, couches and loft and outdoor seating. It’s honestly a space for a bit of everything. The open mic nights happen downstairs in the basement, which has concrete floors and again, random seating. It’s a super welcoming atmosphere, very diverse and inclusive.” But do not let eclectic seating and books fool you. Not only is this space quaint and unique, but it is well equipped to support the needs of artists who perform there. Sophia Knox, sophomore music major, of the band The Not Quites, who have performed at Back to the Grind, de-
scribed the ambiance of the coffee shop and said that is excited to perform there again. “Their sound equipment allowed for a full mix of my live music in an intimate, houseshow type of setting,” Knox said. “Personally, Back to the Grind is a favorite of mine and I would love to play a gig there again in the future.” However, the number of performances and general attendance have slowed due to precautions regarding COVID-19. Many venues have seen a decline and even closed temporarily for safety reasons and this hotspot has not been immune to the pandemic. Back the Grind employees
Editor’s Review Jackintheyellow is a local musician who is also a student at California Baptist University. Jackintheyellow has come a long way since the release of his debut album “The Story of Jack” in early 2020. Since the album, Jackintheyellow has released three singles. These singles show incredible improvement and development of the artist’s personal sound, skill, and confidence in his own unique style and feeling that Jackintheyellow brings to the listener with his music. One of beautiful melodies, countless layers and sounds the listener has never heard before. Jackintheyellow’s first album is of great quality and the
musical maturity and ability to tell a story with his music are evident to the listener. However, with the progression of these latest singles, these songs are on another level. The quality, completeness and personal sound have grown exponentially with every release. The first one of these singles, “Sweetheart” was released on Mar. 31. This single was unexpected and shows the most dramatic improvement and quality from his past work. The song gives the listener an entirely different feeling than his previous album while still keeping the unique sound that Jackintheyellow has created for himself.
EDITOR’S RATING:
This song was the most successful release for Jackintheyellow at the time of the release, surpassing his past most played song by thousands within weeks of the release. This song goes along with Jackintheyellow’s style of telling a story through his music but at the same time passing a personal barrier for listeners, letting them adapt their own experiences and situations to the words.
said they have noticed a shift in attendance, especially at their popular open mic nights. “It makes sense that people are worried about social distancing and taking it seriously,” said a Back to the Grind employee. “I do miss the days when people were vibing together and I hope we can go back to the way things were soon.” As many venues in the area begin to open indoors at lower capacity, Back to the Grind serves as an important part of small yet vibrant and personal art scene in Riverside. Local Riverside artists and music lovers are excited for the coffee shop to return to hosting artist at their open mic nights.
JACKINTHEYELLOW’S LATEST SINGLES The second single, ”Violin” was released on May 17. This single seemed to push Jackintheyellow’s abilities and was a testament to the skill and versatility that the artist is capable of. This single is simultaneously the most beautiful feeling as well as the most beat-based song that Jackintheyellow has released. Much of the artist’s lyrics include metaphors and wordplay and in this single, this is most prevalent. This single also takes the listener on a journey with the sound. It starts slow then gradually becoming more upbeat, then slower and more beautiful than before, ending
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Back to the Grind is a coffee shop that allows local artists to perform live.
BY JACKSON WALDROP A&E EDITOR with an upbeat sound. This creates a really intriguing and sound and feeling that hooks the listener through the whole track. This song was also the most successful release for Jackintheyellow at the time of this release. Streams for this release surpassed streams for his first single, “Sweetheart” within weeks as well. The third and latest single by Jackintheyellow; Upside Down was released on July 1. Keeping with the trend of each of the previous singles, this single has become the most successful release for Jackintheyellow yet. The song has a great sound and story behind it with many harmonic layers.
This is the artist’s first song to hit 10,000 streams. With the exponential success of each single and the clear improvement of skill and personal sound development with each one, this is no surprise. It will be exciting to see where Jackintheyellow goes from here. Listeners may wonder if he will continue to grow exponentially grwith each release. These latest three singles seem to suggest so. These songs can be found on all streaming platforms along with Jackintheyellow’s first album. Look out for more releases form Jackintheyellow. These three singles could be just the beginning.
SPORTS
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October 16, 2020· Volume 68 · Issue 3
MLB picks one stadium to host World Series championship BY ADIT WRATSANGKA ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
The CBU cheer team performs pre-game at a men’s basketball game against Jackson State University on November 5, 2019.
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CBU’s cheer team relates to Netflix documentary ‘Cheer’ BY KELLY MCKITTRICK SPORTS EDITOR
Netflix released “Cheer” a documentary following the nationally ranked Navarro College cheer team from Corsicana, Texas in January 2020 portraying the sport in a realistic light that many viewers found themselves watching during quaratine. California Baptist University’s cheer team is a seven-time national champion team who has seen Navarro College compete at nationals. Even though CBU does not compete against Navarro College because CBU competes in the All-Girl division and Navarro competes in Co-ed, head coach Olivia Miller said she commends their program. “Navarro is an incredibly talented cheer program,” Mill-
er said. “They have consistently brought impressive routines to Nationals for years and have created quite a legacy. If you’re at NCA (National Collegiate Association) College Nationals, you don’t miss the TVCC (Trinity Valley Community College) and Navarro routines—it’s always a fan-favorite rivalry to watch.” Cheerleader Sierra Carlin, first-year graduate student in education, said she believes the “Cheer” documentary spoke into the lives of the team and the work that goes into competitive cheerleading in efforts to eliminate misconceptions about the sport. “Obviously one of the biggest misconceptions is that cheer isn’t a sport,” Carlin said. “This comes from the thought of a cheerleader just being the girls
in uniforms that shake their pom-poms and cheer for other teams. Although that is a part of our sport and is definitely something we love to do, it is so much more. It takes serious resilience and drives to do half of the stuff we do, and I really like that the documentary showed a little behind-the-scenes of that and what cheer truly looks like in all aspects.” Madison Corsello, cheerleader and senior communications major, understands the pressures of being on a popular competitive cheer team because of her time spent with California Allstars Smoed from 20112017. AwesomenessTV created a show similar to “Cheer” that centered around Smoed. Corsello became a public figure who young girls looked up to and would watch compete every
week, giving her a unique understanding of what the Navarro cheerleaders go through. “I definitely relate to many of the athletes in the show ‘Cheer’,” Corsello said. “I understand what it is like to be a member of a high-caliber team and constantly have eyes on you. It is a lot of pressure and can sometimes be overwhelming, but knowing that you’re the best and that you worked as hard as you possibly could all season to win the titles you dream of makes everything worth it.” CBU cheer is one of the most successful athletic programs in competitive cheer. Due to COVID-19, cheer does not have any competitions this fall but is still practicing to prepare for competitions when their season resumes.
Another surprise has emerged on the sports scene as Major League Baseball decided that all World Series games of each league will be played in one stadium. The National League bracket games will be held in the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field and the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park. While the American League games will be held in the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dodger Stadium. The champions of each league will meet in the Globe Life Field. Although it might seem insignificant, this change will still affect the players. “I think it will be easier for the players as they will get to know the park,” said CJ Masciel, sophomore undeclared major and infielder on the CBU baseball team. “But for the teams that are playing at their home ballparks, it will be a huge advantage.” There will be a positive and negative affect on every team, but the home ground advantage will not be as significant as normal seasons as spectators are still not allowed to attend the games. But Masciel said the home teams will still benefit the most as they are more familiar with the ballpark. Travel days can be a disadvantage and an advantage. Masciel said players will be able to rest and get into a normal routine without jet lag and travel. Jenna Washburn, senior film major and Dodgers fan, said having those travel days is crucial to pitchers’ recovery and playing consecutive games would mean that the players will be playing on consecutive days. “Luckily the Dodgers have a deep pitching staff, so hopefully that won’t be a big problem,” Washburn said. Washburn added the Arlington Park has a high back wall and it will be a disadvantage for teams with hard hitters, as it will be harder for them to hit home runs. Tickets for the World Series went on sale Oct. 6, and fans will be able to watch the games live. Tickets will let fans into pods that are six feet apart from each other. Fans in the stadium would give teams playing closer to home the advantage of having fans attend cheering them on. Gary Adcock, head coach of men’s baseball, said home team advantage will be largely decreased if there are no spectators. “Fans give off an energy that is understated,” Adcock said. “Having them in the stadium will benefit the game.” The playoffs are currently underway as fans wait to attend the World Series in person with social distancing protocols rather than watching on a screen. The World Series will be held Oct. 20-21 at Arlington Park, Texas.
Athletics works with media CBU applies social media to showcase all athletic teams BY KELLY MCKITTRICK SPORTS EDITOR
California Baptist University’s athletics communication staff works to manage media development and communication strategies for every sport within the department. Andrew Shortall, Daniel Cook and Daniel Cross are each assigned sports at CBU to promote through creating social media content and acting as a liaison with any media that wants interviews with coaches and players. Cross oversees men’s basketball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, cheer, STUNT and dance. He said that the job varies from day to day and week to week. “Most of the time, it’s web-
NBA FINALS Continued from Page 1 For Miles Ward, junior marketing major, the game was a tough one to watch. “I was upset since I am a Celtics fan to be quite honest. They have now tied the Celtics for total championships with 17,” Ward said. Even though Ward does not consider himself a Lakers fan,
site management and social media,” Cross said. “During times like now, most of my time is spent at practices and workouts, taking photos and working in Lightroom and Photoshop to create social media content. I also create game notes, game programs, media guides, and work with any media when talking with coaches or players for the sports I am involved with. Oh, and emails. Lots of emails.” Additionally, Cook represents both men’s and women’s cross country and track, men’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball, and he helps with women’s water polo. Cook said that during basketball season he travels with the team to away games, capturing moments on and off the court. He mentioned that his favorite part of working with athletics is building relationships with athletes. “Working with the student-athletes and coaching staff daily is great,” Cook said. “There are so many personalities within each team and
getting to watch them up close and get to know them over the course of the school year and see how much they grow individually and as a team never gets old. “In every athletic department, I’ve been a part of I’ve been blessed to meet some of, the most authentic and hardworking people I’ve ever known and have had the opportunity to watch a lot of student-athletes succeed in competition and partner with them to be successful.” Shortall oversees baseball, volleyball, men’s water polo, swim and dive and wrestling. He said he feels grateful for CBU because through his job he met lifelong friends and his wife, who is the assistant women’s water polo coach, Chelsea Shortall. He said he feels fortunate to represent sports he enjoys. “We try to decide who would be the best fit for what sport based on what makes the most sense with scheduling and knowledge of that sport,” Shortall said.
he said the games were intense. “There were some hardfought and competitive games,” Ward said. “Given where we are currently, it was nice to have a break and be entertained by that.” The championship game also marked Lebron James’ fourth MVP award for an NBA finals game in his career. The Laker’s championship win comes after the stunning death of the retired Laker
legend Kobe Bryant earlier this year. Even for those who did not watch the entirety of the NBA Finals, many were touched by the tribute the Lakers gave to Kobe Bryant and his family. “I actually was not able to watch the finals, but I was happy to see the Lakers win and give homage to Kobe as he was one of the greats and [his death] was a tragedy,” said David McKenna, sophomore
Daniel Cross, assistant director of athletics communications
Daniel Cook, assistant director of athletics communications
Andrew Shortall, director of athletics communications
nursing major at CBU. The Lakers, NBA, and basketball fans were able to come together at the end of the series and honor Bryant. His legacy as one of the greatest Lakers players and an NBA legend was especially noted in the wake of his tragic death. The stirring tribute to Bryant marked the end of an exciting NBA Finals Series for the season.
Coutesy of Athletics
Sofia Eneqvist | Banner
OPINION LANCER ON THE STREET
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October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
What is your favorite Halloween movie?
Madison Wingo Senior
Jacob Haffner Senior
Kinesiology major
Creative writing major
“Halloweentown”
“Coraline”
Scott Rydelski Junior Theater performance and comedic arts double major
“Nightmare Before Christmas”
Raquel Estevez Junior Theater major
“Halloweentown”
Paul Pepper Junior Graphic design major
“Nightmare Before Christmas”
Respectful discussions make a greater difference
BY JANE ROBERTUS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Current events have promoted many discussions in our society, and particularly in light of the heated political debates America has witnessed going into the election, it can be easy to fall into a trap of turning discussions into arguments.
However, one of the most important things to keep in mind when discussing controversial topics is that having civil discussions goes much further than having a heated argument. This may seem difficult to do. In the social climate of today, calm discussions seem like a lost art, particularly when different opinions collide. In all relationships good communication is one of the most important elements, and particularly with regard to conflict, communication works best when both sides of the discussion keep it at that — instead of turning it into an argument. Just like yelling and insults will not make much progress in a relationship or friendship, the same can be said of discussions regarding political or social issues.
Anyone who watched the first presidential debate of 2020 between President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Joe Biden probably saw an example of how not to discuss issues. In fact, one of the many criticisms of the night was that the opponents spent more time insulting each other than they did demonstrating why they would be a more favorable candidate. In the second debate, between the two vice presidential candidates, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, they read a question from an 8th grader asking how Americans can be expected to get along when all we see on TV is politicians and people in positions of leadership fighting and arguing. This 8th grader raised an extremely valid point, which only goes to show even further how difficult it can be
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While many people tend to stay away from controversial topics or conflict, there is a time when discussing important issues and views is necessary to make changes in our world.
for people to hold respectful and civil conversations when there are few examples of this in current politics and among many other public figures. Although this may be the case, it does not mean that we
must follow their poor example, but instead rise above the growing trend of either shutting down or inflating disagreements. Although civility and respect may not be values that are held in high regard by the current leadership of our country, this is no excuse for us to not respect those around us, as well as the opinions they hold. One of the key elements in discussing conflict or controversy is for both parties to come into the conversation with respect. Recognize differences in opinion yet take time to listen and show respect toward other people. This will not only help people gain more insight and understanding into the conversation, but it will also make both people feel more heard and more likely to agree. While many people tend to
stay away from controversial topics or conflict, there is a time when discussing important issues and views is necessary to make changes in our world. People should not be afraid to express opinions that they think are important. Instead, we should agree not to immediately shut down or shut out anyone who challenges someone’s perspective. In a world with many different opinions, it makes sense that there will also be many potential areas of miscommunication. However, taking time to listen and understand is the first step in gaining respect from both sides of a discussion. This ultimately paves the way for making changes in all areas of life, whether that is political, social, or even in regard to relationships and friendships.
Toxic realtionships hurt Social media often creates communities and individuals more problems than solutions
BY TEDDY PENA
LIFESTYLE EDITOR The word “toxic” has become a popular buzzword over the years. What exactly does it mean for someone to be toxic? A simple approach to this concept would be to recognize a relationship as a whole to be toxic, rather than the individual. It is important to recognize that no relationship is going to be perfect. Every relationship, whether professional, platonic, or romantic, is going to naturally have different bumps in the road. On the other hand, there are instances where a specific relationship can become too straining to an individual’s emotional, physical, spiritual and/or mental health. A key practice recommended for all people, regardless of whether they are in a toxic relationship or not, is to notice and identify the various unhealthy tendencies present in the self. This can look different from person to person. What might be considered an “unhealthy tendency”? There is a large number of actions and habits that could be considered toxic. Self-sabotage, jealousy, pride and much more
are different attributes that can be identified within oneself. Detecting and regulating the destructive tendencies within oneself is important. This is because we want to ensure we are not doing anything to contribute toxic attributes to the relationship or environment. After self-assessment has taken place and is regularly put into practice, then it is important to analyze the other individual and the relationship as a whole. There is no one way to determine whether a relationship is harmful or not. Because of this, it is encouraged to start asking yourself questions. “Does this relationship tear me down or build me up?”, “Am I the only one putting effort into this relationship?” and “Does this relationship leave me feeling drained or like I’m walking on eggshells?” are all key questions to ask the self when evaluating a specific relationship. A key concept to remember is that some relationships are only going to be seasonal. This is OK and natural. Not every friendship is going to stand the test of time. Taking unnecessary steps to attempt to mend a toxic relationship is mentally taxing to an individual. The Christian community is not immune to toxic relationship dynamics. In fact, unhealthy tendencies within the church must be discussed to raise awareness of this very important issue. Far too often, there is a power-faith struggle found in many Christian circles. Carey Nieuwhof, pastor of Connexus Church in Ontario, Canada, utilizes social media to convey this phenomenon to be-
lievers and non-believers alike. “Leaders are the architects of culture,” Nieuwhof wrote out in a tweet. “You create a culture whether you intend to or not.” Pastor Nieuwhof speaks a simple yet important truth in his teachings: Leadership plays a key role in the church. Often, a church’s leadership can cultivate an environment that is either healthy or destructive. Many Christians need to hear that it is OK to hold their community around them accountable. Jarrid Wilson, pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship before he died from suicide in 2019, was an individual who was known for challenging the status quo within the Christian bubble. “Toxic relationships can create toxic hearts,” said Wilson in a tweet just days before he died. “Remove yourself from the relationship before your toxic heart tries to remove you from your peace.” Unhealthy relationships are a hard reality of life. Usually, people pursue relationships that did not seem toxic in the beginning, but the relationship gradually declines over time. It is important to note that not all situations are the same, so if you or someone you know is in a toxic relationship, it is best practice to approach them with love and not judgment Fostering a welcoming environment for yourself and others is a fundamental step when dealing with sensitive topics, such as harmful relationships. No one deserves to feel alone and isolated. Talking to a friend, a coworker, a professor or a counselor is a major first step if there is a toxic relationship present.
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It is hard to find a platform to share your beliefs but social media can be a perfect place to do that.
BY KAYLEE ELROD ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Social media has taken the world by storm. It is continuing to change our lives and the world around us. It is easy to say that most people spend at least an hour a day on social media, though usually a lot more. With people spending so much time on their socials it is clear to see how negative effects can arise. A communication expert and professor named Leslie Shore says that “social media is a double-edged sword.” I believe that this perfectly explains how social media can be good and bad at the same time. Social media allows you to have easy and quick communication with people but it also affects how you communicate with people face to face. People have become so used to communicating from behind a screen. When people are behind a screen, they tend to feel like they can say whatever they want and that can lead to cyberbullying, which is a very serious issue in today’s society. One of the worst things that social media does is cause us to compare ourselves to others. There is a famous expression that explains how people put
their highlight reels on social media, not their behind-thescenes. Therefore, people, myself included, tend to compare the negatives of our lives to the positives of others. The more we tend to compare ourselves, the more and more we tend to focus on things that don’t matter in the end. The number of likes, comments, or followers you get on your social media shouldn’t affect how you view yourself because, at the end of the day, who you are isn’t defined by your social media. Another reason that social media can be harmful is because of how addictive it is. A documentary that was just recently released on Netflix called “The Social Dilemma” talks about the addictiveness of social media. In the documentary, Edward Tufte, a professor of political science, statistics, and computer science says, “There are only two industries that call their customers ‘users’: illegal drugs and software.” That fact alone shows how addictive social media can be— we are considered users. Not only is social media addictive, leading to you spending hours of your time on it, but it can also lead to fear of missing out, also known as FOMO. When you have FOMO you
continuously check your social media to ensure that you are not missing out on something or being left out. Some clear negative things come along with social media, but if used in an appropriate way you can reap the benefits, as well. Social media allows you to stay in contact with family and friends no matter where they are around the world. You can stay up to date on what is new in their life and they can stay up to date on what is new in your life. It also can give people a community unlike any other. Using social media can also allow you to have a great digital footprint. Almost everything is online now and if you can create a good presence online that can help potential employers see who you are as a person aside from your resume and interviews. Social media can also give people a voice. Sometimes it is hard to find a platform to share your beliefs but social media, if used respectfully; can be a perfect place to do that. One of my favorite things about social media is how companies and organizations can use it to bring awareness to their brand and to sell products. I have found some of my favorite companies through my social media. Like anything there are positive and negative effects of using social media. However, I believe social media can be a great thing if it is used appropriately and in moderation. When someone becomes addicted to social media instead of using it as a tool, that is when social media can lead to problems.
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@rapberry
ETC.
October 16, 2020 · Volume 68 · Issue 3
#Lancercam
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Email Luc Stringer at TrannieL.Stringer@calbaptist.edu to claim your prize.
Send us your photos using #LancerCam to be featured in the next issue of The Banner. @CBULancerMedia
@nathanscreativity
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