Volume 62 Issue 05

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

Highlander University

Volume 62

of

C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e

Issue 05

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Middle Eastern Student Center

breaks new ground University students to fund the first student center of its kind in over 20 years, despite lack of space in Costo Hall.

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER Pictured above are some of the Student Center ’s founders, from left to right: Danny Lesserman, Tina Matar, Merima Tricic, Marcela Ramirez, Tina Aoun, Lamees Alkhamis and Shadi Matar.

S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Marcela Ramirez, director of the Middle Eastern Student Center (MESC), held up a common ground collective card, which offered a listing of UCR campus departments and services. “This is the first year that the MESC got featured,” said Ramirez.

The center is a student-initiated department that outreaches to

clubs and organizations with ties to the Middle East, North Africa and South and Southwest Asia.

HUB 361 temporarily houses the MESC — the first of its kind in the UC system and in the state of California — which took over three years to complete. Ramirez hopes to one day relocate the center inside Costo Hall, alongside all of the other ethnic, cultural and gender-oriented

departments. “(The university) understands clearly that there is a space problem and right now, we don’t have space in Costo Hall for the (MESC),” Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Sandoval said about the student-initiated center. “I mean, there was an understanding that we don’t have enough space, but that wasn’t a consideration by the students who

took the proposal forward.”

Occupying the former Diversity Initiatives office, the MESC plans to utilize the space as a stepping stone to “provide a home for Middle Eastern students, a place to make them feel welcomed and connected to other students,” according to Danny Lesserman, one of 12 founders of the center and former president of Highlanders for

It was all madness Rebecca Paredes SENIOR STAFF WRITER

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER Comedian TJ Miller refreshes himself by spraying a bottle of water on his face.

The energy at the Student Recreation Center started at a simmer.

Pillars illuminated by blue and gold light bordered the gym floor. A single archway, fronted by what would later be revealed to be smoke pillars, waited for a parade of men’s and women’s basketball players to make their grand entrance. The stands slowly filled — one side first, then the other. And at 9 p.m. sharp, led by the vibrant voice of 99.1 KGGI’s Diana Wehbe, the night began: Midnight Madness, hosted by the Highlander Union Building, joined

by Comedy Central … and lasting way too long.

We began as usual. Midnight Madness had always been a showcase event on campus, providing an opportunity for the men’s and women’s basketball teams to show their skills and inspire students to attend home games. And by all accounts, it started well enough: A cheer and dance routine by the UCR Spirit Squad opened the night. Members of the women’s basketball team followed, performing a hip-hop routine that drew a deafening amount of cheers from the MADNESS CONT’D ON PAGE 19

Israel (HIFI).

The MESC was started by the Middle Eastern Student Collaborative, a collection of representatives from the clubs and organizations that developed the proposal for the center. The Middle Eastern Student Center will cost an estimated $50,000, MIDDLE EAST CONT’D ON PAGE 7

INSIDE: Gov. Jerry Brown’s actions on gun control are a positive step forward for California.

OPINIONS

PAGE 9

Get your fix of professional “fixie” freestyle bike riding with Josh Boothby.

PAGE 11

FEATURES

“The Fifth Estate” may not be a masterpiece, but it succeeds by posing thought-provoking questions to viewers.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 24

Raquel Hefflin wins the Highlander Invitational as cross country continues solid season.

PAGE 26

SPORTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

PAGE 2

STAFF

PAGE 8 PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING

2

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Drunk student involved in collision with police car Michael Rios

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On the morning of Oct. 12, 2013, a drunk driver was arrested after slamming his white four-door Lexus into the side of a UC Police Department patrol car.

According to the UCPD, an on-duty police officer was inside the squad car when the drunk driver collided with him. The accident occurred near the 1400 block of University Avenue around 1 a.m.

The driver of the Lexus was Paulo Jin Kim, a 19-year-old UC Riverside student. Kim was allegedly driving under the influence (DUI) when he slammed into the patrol vehicle. He was arrested on DUI charges and booked in county jail.

The officer inside the patrol vehicle sustained minor injuries, but did not need to go to the hospital. No further details were released about whether or not Kim needed medical attention after the accident as well. The UCPD reassured, however, that neither the driver or the officer sustained “any life threatening injuries.”

UCPD Chief of Police Mike Lane spoke with the Highlander about the crash,

C o u rt e s y

Paulo Jin Kim, a 19-year-old UCR student crashed his Lexus into a UCPD squad car and destroyed it, rendering the patrol vehicle ‘undrivable.’

saying, “(The officer) is expected to make a full recovery.” The name of the officer was not revealed, however.

There was an additional passenger inside Kim’s car during the accident, but the

passenger was not arrested.

The UCPD squad car received significant damage and was deemed “undrivable” in the aftermath of the collision. The patrol vehicle was towed away following the crash and is

Photo of the Week

expected to be replaced.

“This was an older patrol vehicle and we believe the cost of repairing it would likely be more that its current value,” stated Lane about the patrol vehicle. There is no word yet on the exact damage

Jo sh B o ot hby r ide s for ward to de monst rate his st and i ng as an e ste e me d f ixe d ge ar bi ker as t he Pe d a ls c re w l o oks on .

Quotebook “Pessimists are never disappointed. Expect the worst, hope for the best.”

Upcoming Events

Aaron Lai

costs from the collision.

UCPD has investigated a number of DUI cases in the past year alone. In 2012, the department recorded a total of 32 DUI arrests involving alcohol or drugs. Seven of the ■H 32 arrests were students.

22

Freshmen: Your Career Game Plan 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

HUB 268

Seniors: Land a Job for When You Graduate Now (OCI) 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

HUB 268

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Wednesday@Noon: Brazilian Topics in Villa-Lobos’ String Quartets 12:10 p.m. - 1 p.m.

ARTS 157

Wellness Wednesday: Art with Impact 4 p.m - 6 p.m.

HUB 269

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“Fallen Fruit” Exhibit at the R’Garden 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

R’Garden

Women’s Soccer: UC Davis 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

UC Riverside Soccer Stadium

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Careers in STEM with the Federal Government Webinar 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

HUB 265

Volleyball: UC Santa Barbara 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

SRC Arena

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

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Volleyball: Cal Poly 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

SRC Arena

27

Fall Plant Sale 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

UCR Botanic Gardens

Saturday

Sunday

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Weekday Carillon Recitals 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Bell Tower

Mid-Term Nap Session 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

HUB 260

Monday

- Co-founder of the MESC, Danny Lesserman on overcoming obstacles in the foundation of the middle eastern student center

Scan this QR code and visit us

UCPD

October

Tuesday

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

of

at highlandernews.org

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FIRST MEETING

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NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

ASUCR SENATE UPDATE

Senators struggle to approve Judicial Branch HIGHLIGHTS: President Pro Tempore Aaron Johnson said his office would continue to work on senators’ bylaws, and would have them printed by the end of October.

CHASS Senator Abraham Galvan reiterated his goal to establish a scholarship fund for undocumented students who attend high schools in the local Riverside community.

CHASS Shadi Matar highlighted an idea to repaint the mural in the 60 underpass on University Avenue.

CNAS Senator Kelly Tran proposed collaborating with UCR’s Graduate Student Association (GSA) to create a research “Craigslist” program that would make undergraduate research more accessible to students.

BCOE Senator Sean Famian reiterated his interest in holding semi-regular town halls, in addition to the senate’s weekly meetings, to get in closer contact with the students they represent.

CHASS Senator Fernando Echeverria indicated that ASUCR would be working with the Hair Fousing Association to determine if the city’s new housing ordinance disproportionately affected UCR students, and was therefore illegal.

V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER After much discussion over potential Judicial Branch nominees, the discussion was tabled for the next meeting.

S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Colin Markovich SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 14, ASUCR senators voted to delay the approval of the Judicial Branch by a simple majority of 8-4-2 due to limited knowledge about each justice. The senators considered going into closed session to discuss the selection of judicial branch members, but were restrained by an ASUCR bylaw requiring 24-hours’ notice to hold a closed session.

Senator reports also revolved around the possible retitling of Chicano Student Programs (CSP) and lowering the language requirement for students in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS). Lastly, the senate was met with an emotional public forum period through second-year biochemistry major Kushal Sonawala, who felt disadvantaged from obtaining the college experience as a commuter student.

“Senators Abraham Galvan and Nafi Karim … spoke to some people at Costo Hall and the External Affairs about retitling the Chicano Student Programs.

I think the central complaint is that its name has a non-inclusivity … that is of non-Spanish descent, even though in practice it is,” Senator Michael Ervin reported.

Chicano is the demonym used for people of Mexican descent, while Latino is more commonly accepted to represent people of Latin American descent.

Chicano Student Programs (CSP) was founded in 1972, and was moved to Costo Hall 145 when construction on the HUB was completed in 2007. CSP provides students a number of resources to fulfill its mission to “develop a positive, constructive environment for Chicano/Latino students, while providing support services and facilitating programs designed to educate the general university population about the Chicano/Latino community.”

Senator Shadi Matar delivered his report with a yearlong goal of lowering the language requirement from four quarters to three quarters for CHASS students.

“It’s a huge goal,” said Matar. “The reason behind it is because it doesn’t seem practical to take four quarters of a language when you have three throughout the years and they expect you to take summer if they want you to take it your last year.”

Matar noted that he had met with the Distinguished Chair and Professor of the Department of Hispanic Studies David Herzberger to discuss the language requirement. When President Sai Patadia asked, “Did he say exactly why there was a four quarter requirement?”

Matar responded that, “He’d rather see an increase in the amount of language classes you have to take from four classes to eight classes … he’s not willing to budge on that.” Senator Sandy Saly later added that UC Riverside is the only

campus systemwide that has a four-quarter language requirement.

Turning to the public forum period, student Kushal Sonawala expressed his grievances about the commuter experience at UCR, during which he said, “I personally believe that the UCR student organizations promote an atmosphere of hostility and antagonism to commuter students.” He said that he feels discriminated against as a commuter student, who uses the carpool and vanpool services as alternative transportation services, ordained by the university.

President Patadia felt empathetic to the case as a commuter student himself and said, “My advice to you is … a lot of it is about getting out there and getting involved with the UCR campus (and the community). With that being said, I know your struggles and I know as a commuter you feel out of the loop.”

“I feel like I don’t even have a say about what’s going on. I’m just upset that I’m still commuting,” Sonawala exclaimed. As a result, he is meeting with a student life advisor to create a commuter club on campus.

Senator Galvan described this situation as a campus climate issue that has been continuously addressed by past senators on a multiyear basis. “This is a problem that no one on the senate wants to see happening, but I do want you to be more patient about this issue because it’s not easy to tackle.”

ASUCR will be reaching out to students living in UCR’s residence halls by holding a meet-and-greet session on Nov. 5.

Later on in the meeting, senatorial decisions were further prolonged due to discussions over the Judicial Branch. Serving his second term and first appointment as Chief Justice of the Judicial Branch, Davion Rowles reviewed and selected five out of eight possible students applying for the Judicial Branch.

Requiring senate confirmation, the candidates lined up in front of ASUCR and awaited a vote.

Instead of confirming the justices, the senate voted to take a five-minute recess — by a 10-2-2 vote — at 8:07 p.m. ASUCR Executive Director Laurie Sinclair cautioned against the discussion of issues of human resources and personnel matters. “I mean, I encourage you not to discuss anything … to avoid closed session,” she said.

After returning from the recess, Senator Niela Darmani expressed her concerns about the Judicial Branch. “My concern is, before we ratify this, I would like to get to know the judicial branch a little bit more … so we know what they’re signing up for and they know what they’re signing up for,” said Darmani. Adding on to the conversation, Chair of the Legislative Review Committee Aaron Johnson requested a cover letter and resume from the justices.

According to Rowles, “I asked … each of them, why they wanted to be a justice.

Each of them had an hour interview with me.” During the interview process, judicial candidates were also

asked about their outside commitments and scenario questions.

“Since you are appointed, are all of the justices aware that if you do get ratified as a justice, you cannot run in the elections this year?”

Elections Director Chris Sanchez asked of the Judicial Branch. Due to the renewed appointments of justices with one remaining term and newly-selected justices with two-year terms, Sanchez desired to make clear the judicial restriction.

Darmani also added that the overarching concerns involved the justices’ possible lack of knowledge about the electoral proceedings.

She continued to delve into the appeals process for justices, which led Johnson to explain, “While we do not have the power to amend or edit the Judicial Branch bylaws … the check that we do have on the Judicial Branch and that is that: ‘Any member of ASUCR Judicial Branch can be removed from office for malfeasance or dereliction of duty.’”

Senator Sean Famian interjected and expressed concerns that the justice nominations were “too fast,” while Matar noted that the candidates continued to make an appearance during the senate meeting and hoped for a “quick process” in the future. The senate decided to table the justices’ nominations by a vote of 8-2-4 and required the Judicial Branch to fill out a special report for the upcoming senate meeting, where their nominations will be hashed ■H out.

NEWS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

5

THE LAB

RESEARCH NEWS FROM UCR AND THE UC SYSTEM

by Joseph Avila, Contributing Writer

UCR: Financial literacy tied to age Young people are more prone to bad financial decisions than older people, according to a recent study conducted

by Assistant Professor Ye Li and his colleagues at UC Riverside’s School of Business Administration (SoBA).

Conducted over the course of about a year, the study involved asking 336 people — ranging from ages 18-82 — about their financial decisions.

“What the research suggests is that young people need more ample financial knowledge. When they get their first credit card, they don’t really understand what it means to borrow from a credit card and not pay it back right away,” said Li. “They may have the smarts but don’t necessarily have the experience to recognize a good

financial decision from a bad one.”

The study goes on to suggest that older people are more debt-literate and therefore, more prone to positive financial decision-making. This was due in part to the greater accumulation of crystallized intelligence, or conventional wisdom and life experience that older people exhibited.

Li says a solution to this problem requires young people to be more actively aware of the financial decisions they make and take a cue from their older counterparts in the financial realm. He explains that “older does not always mean wiser,” but in relation to the data, older means slightly less loss-averse and much ■H more financially stable.

C o u rt e s y o f UCR T o d ay UCR Assistant Professor Ye Li’s findings suggest that young people are in greater need of financial education.

UCR: Professors collaborate to strengthen cyber defense

C o u rt e s y

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L o y o l a U n iv e r s i t y C hic a g o

UCR has teamed up with four universities to strengthen cyber infrastructure from future security threats.

Collaborative Research Alliance, a partnership between UCR and five different universities across the nation, received $23 million to identify potential threats to cyber security, create a stronger defense system against them and develop virtual models to predict the behaviors of both defenders and attackers.

Led by Professors Srikanth Krishnamurthy, Iulian Neamtiu and Harsha Madhyastha, the UCR team will receive a total of $3.7 million out of the $23 million. The team will work on a project that focuses on “a convergence of different parts of computer science like networking security, software engineering (and) programming languages,” according to Professor Krishnamurthy. “We

try to bring all these research areas together to make sure that the security is as comprehensive as it can be.”

The team will also study how humans use computers and what leaves them vulnerable to cyber attacks. Professor Krishnamurthy cautions students against giving away social security numbers or opening emails from unknown addresses. He hopes to create better interfaces and warning systems that allow humans to make fewer errors in the long run.

Seventeen faculty members and over 30 graduate students from among five universities, which include Pennsylvania State University, UC Davis, Carnegie Mellon University and Indiana University, will ■H collaborate on the effort.

UCR: Researchersw seeks to improve scientific simulation data Eighteen faculty members from the Bourns College of Engineering received a total of $9.6 million in grants from federal agencies to pursue the project of their interests.

Tamar Shinar, assistant professor of computer science and engineering, is one of the faculty members who have been selected.

Shinar ’s research involves developing physics-based simulation, which may help her to one day program robots to accurately identify and safely navigate terrain to aid humans in disaster relief.

Her project, “Coupling

Simulation and Mesh Generation using Computational Topology,” is a collaborative effort with faculty from the University of Utah that seeks to make simulations more efficient and accurate by analyzing generated and computational data.

“The average person is affected by simulation in a broad range of applications, from game physics to weather prediction,” says Dr. Shinar. “This project will enable more efficient computations leading to higher quality results in such applications and new classes of ■H problems that can be tackled.”

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER BCOE faculty members were awarded grants to research physics-based simulations for real-world application.

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NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

UC Riverside participates in worldwide earthquake drill Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Jalishia Sanders CONTRIBUTING WRITER

UCR students, faculty and staff were part of an estimated 9.6 million Californians who participated in the sixth annual Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill on the morning of Oct. 17.

Organized by the Earthquake Country Alliance, the drill was designed to teach millions around the state and the world how to properly protect themselves in the event of a major quake.

Because earthquakes in California are fairly common, the California ShakeOut was designed to keep Californians on their toes and prepare them for an earthquake.

According to shakeout. org, the eastern portion of Southern California, where UC Riverside is located, is the most vulnerable to large earthquakes due to two major faults running through the area. As a result, UCR encouraged its community to participate in the drill.

The event began at 10:17 a.m. with a campus-wide warning siren signaling the start of the drill. The campus community was asked to drop, cover and hold during the minute-long drill. Some buildings were required to evacuate and assemble on the east lawn of campus for approximately 10 minutes.

V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER Geophysics graduate student Jacqui Gilchrist simulates an earthquake by demonstrating how force and friction can eventually result in an overflow of surface tension that forcefully pulls the bricks together.

Some professors found participating in the ShakeOut easy and beneficial. “We had already discussed on Tuesday that we would be doing it, so I think that the students had a good understanding,” said UCR physics professor Gail Hanson.

Other professors stated that they had difficulty coordinating the drill with students during their lectures. “We were aware

of the drill. We sort of participated in the drill.

We heard the sirens. I told them it was a practice drill.

No one went to the floor and under the table,” said Academic Coordinator Dr. Geoff Cohen.

Some students felt the ShakeOut drill was pointless.

Diana Battle, an English major, stated that, “in the event of a real earthquake, especially ‘the

big one,’ holding on to things like desks won’t do us any good.”

In addition to the drill, an information booth was set up near the Highlander Union Building later that day to teach the campus more about the possible threat of a major quake. A model of an active fault line attached to a digital seismograph was in full display as event organizers explained how

and when earthquakes occur.

Other infographics and posters were displayed for additional information.

Millions of people in the United States and around the globe also organized their own drills, bringing the worldwide total amount to over 18.5 million. The figures were based on the number of participants who registered in the ■H organization’s website.

State law allows more non-physicians to perform abortions Winnie Jeng SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 9, Gov. Jerry Brown expanded access to abortion for California women by signing AB 154, a bill that allows certified nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives to perform surgical abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Following the footsteps of Oregon, Montana, Vermont and New Hampshire, California will be the fifth state to allow nurse practitioners to provide abortion pills. However, this new California law permits a wider range of non-physicians to prescribe abortion pills and to perform vacuum aspiration — a common non-surgical abortion method that uses a tube and suction.

The measure would require the aforementioned practitioners to complete specified training for the non-surgical techniques prior to performing abortions. Furthermore, it requires non-physicians to be in contact with doctors who can supervise them, although the physicians would not have to be present for the procedure.

Assemblywoman Toni Atkins (DSan Diego) introduced the measure because of concerns over physician shortages in rural areas that may not meet the needs of women who wish to terminate pregnancy.

“California is a very large state, and more than half the counties don’t

have an abortion provider,” Atkins said in a statement. “Timely access to reproductive health services is critical to women’s health, (and) AB 154 will ensure that no woman has to travel excessively long distances or wait for long periods in order to obtain an early abortion.”

The measure is endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project of Los Angeles County and the California Medical Association, who say the bill addresses patient safety concerns for pregnant women.

But opponents of the bill argue that the new abortion law would just do otherwise and lower the standard of medical care for women. Brian Johnston, director of the Western Regional Office of the National Right to Life (NRL), worries that the trivializing of abortion procedures would not only put women’s health at risk, but also harbors concealed political intent to appease pro-choice constituents.

“What this is doing is creating a whole new pool of abortionists. It’s surgery by people who are not surgeons,” Johnston said in a press release. “It will massively expand the number of abortions and at the same time reduce safety. For those who say they care about women’s health, they’re doing the opposite (by) reducing the medical standards for abortion.”

Other opponents of the law include the California Catholic Conference, the Traditional Values Coalition and

C o u rt e s y

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W i k i m e di a C o m m o n s

Gov. Brown signed into law a new abortion bill that widens the range of people who can provide abortion pills.

Concerned Women for America of California.

Second-year biology major Kora Kowk expressed, “I think any woman has the right to (terminate pregnancy) as long as her physician informs her of the harm that abortion will do to

her body,” she said.

However, Kowk added her doubts on the safety of the new abortion law that allows more non-physicians to perform abortion surgery over physicians, when preventing and reacting to pregnancy complications.

■H

NEWS

HIGHLANDER MIDDLE EAST CONT’D FROM PAGE 1

which is allocated and approved through the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC).

The last student department added to Costo Hall was the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center, which opened in 1993. “There are still centers that are missing that should still be there, but this means that we’re not done yet and it shows that we are progressing toward more diversity (within the university),” said Lesserman.

Prior to receiving approved funding from the SFAC, the MESC’s founders needed to identify the level of demand for the center through surveys and event planning. In 2012, the center held the “Laugh in Peace” comedy show, which featured a rabbi, a reverend and a Muslim comedian.

The student collaborative raised nearly $10,000 through the Diversity Initiatives office, ASPB and the university to hold the event — with the attendance of over 500 students.

Back in 2011, the student collaborative also released a campuswide survey, which asked, “Are you in favor of the creation of a center to support UCR students of Middle Eastern Background?”

Exactly 72 percent of all students provided a yes response, while 28 percent said no.

At the same time, students were also asked, “Would you be in favor of using existing student fees to

create the center?” with a little more than half — 51 percent — supporting the funding initiative.

The most notable speed bumps in the planning stages revolved around the “Divestment of Companies that Profit from Apartheid” resolution.

The document called for UCR to halt funding from companies that offer financial support to Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

The resolution unearthed continuing conflicts between specific student organizations, such as the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and HIFI, who held opposing viewpoints that exemplified ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts at the time.

Former SJP president, ASUCR senator and MESC co-founder Shadi Matar presented the resolution back in early March, explaining that he proposed the resolution to the senate as a student.

“A lot of people had this misunderstanding that everyone has different roles and different hats to put on. But when they come to the MESC, (students are) working and advocating for it … they’re not putting their own agenda on the table,” Matar explained. “I’d say that (the resolution) created the small bump in the road, but it didn’t stop our progress at all.”

Lesserman also revealed that many from the center felt “a sense of betrayal” from the ongoing conflicts. “I mean, this is what we’ve been working for, what are you doing? Not because (the resolution) happened but because

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

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UCR T o d ay

Dr. Reza Aslan will provide the keynote address for the opening of the Middle Eastern Student Center.

of how it was done. It was almost like our civility was used to keep us in the dark and nobody liked that,” said Lesserman.

But according to Ramirez, the overall planning and logistics of the center ran separately from the actions taken at the senate meetings. Ramirez added, “Whatever (the senate) decided wasn’t going to affect the SFAC’s decision to fund us. So we didn’t find out until late spring that we got the money. By the time this was going on, we already submitted our proposal.”

Matar also argues that there is only minor opposition to the development of the center, as a result of miscommunication and

misinformation. He explains that one purpose of the center is to bring together Middle Eastern clubs and organizations who are in need of additional resources to hold events and programs.

“But by no means, are we just grouping in all of these people and saying that they have to be a part of this. If conflicts do arise, it’s up to the groups involved if they want to handle it through the center, but the center is not going to force dialogue (or action) between these groups,” Matar reiterated about the autonomy of each student organization who may turn to the center as a resource.

Students such as Stephanie Tehseldar, a fourth-year

bioengineering major of Lebanese descent, explained that the center would also allow students of Middle Eastern descent to find common ground together, apart from ongoing international conflicts.

“I think it’s a good way for people to get in touch with their culture, and it’s also a good way to educate other people who aren’t Middle Eastern on the Middle Eastern culture,” she expressed.

The center held a “Launch Party” on Monday, Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in HUB 302 South, which included a student-organizer panel and guest speaker UCR Associate Professor of Creative ■H Writing Reza Aslan.

8

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

.. OPINIONS ..

OPINIONS

7 HIGHLANDER

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

NEW MIDDLE EASTERN STUDENT CENTER PROVIDES RESOURCES AND ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ALL

HIGHLANDER STAFF Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Michael Rios

Colin Markovich

News Editor

Asst. News Editor

Sandy Van

Winnie Jeng

managingeditor @highlandernews.org

editorinchief @highlandernews.org

news@highlandernews.org

Opinions Editor

Colette King

opinions@highlandernews.org

A&E Editor

Rebecca Paredes

radar@highlandernews.org

Features Editor

Alexander Suffolk

features@highlandernews.org

Sports Editor

Asst. Sports Editor

Darren Bueno

Cody Nguyen

Photography Editor

Asst. Photo Editor

Vincent Ta

Cameron Yong

sports@highlandernews.org

photo@highlandernews.org Staff Photographer

Kevin Dinh C o u rt e s y o f UCR S t u d e n t C o n d u c t The opening of the Middle Eastern Student Center hopes to bridge communications between students of Middle Eastern descent and other organizations.

I

n a post-9/11 world, stereotypes of the Middle East have arisen and fogged the true culture and livelihood of its countries. The Middle East has been characterized, by some, under a single stigma of extremists. Thanks to the media and individuals’ lack of research beyond what is said through the news, these stereotypes have created a skewed view of these countries. People of Middle Eastern descent have been labeled with the generalizations that have yet to be clarified because of misinformation.

Due to the Palestinian and Israeli conflict and the terror in Syria, to name just two conflagrations, some Middle Eastern countries have been recognized only for hostilities.

In midst of these events, UC Riverside has established a Middle Eastern Student Center (MESC), providing students of Middle Eastern descent and organizations resources while also being a source for non-Middle Eastern students to clarify generalizations and underlying stigmas held toward Middle Eastern cultures.

The Middle Eastern Student Center holds an intriguing aura because it raises the question: How will students handle such conflicts with one another while using this particular center? However, the MESC should not only be looked upon as a platform for discussion on these hostilities, although it very well could be, but rather a resource to educate all students on campus.

The primary purpose of the center is to represent Middle Eastern countries by allowing organizations the support and help needed to carry out events that will display the values of their countries. Shadi Matar, current ASUCR CHASS Senator and cofounder of the MESC, described the initial struggle during the three years of creating the Middle Eastern Student Center.

The first meetings were led by

the administration rather than the students. Unfortunately, this led to misinformed sessions and people regarding the center as either ProPalestinian or Pro-Israeli, which had nothing to do with the purpose of the center. This misunderstanding revealed the misinformation that students and faculty initially had about the center, simultaneously giving a good indication of what needed to be clarified in society in general. The fear of creating a center representing Middle Eastern culture drew up the conflicts that pertained to the Middle East. However, the disputes of the Middle East are not what the center is representing but each country’s individual values.

The Middle East has been seen for its disputes but not for its cultures.

The struggle in establishing the MESC is ironic because it reveals the depiction of the Middle East as violent by the media, covering up its accumulation of identities.

Therefore, the need for a Middle Eastern Student Center at one of the most diverse campuses is needed more than ever. However, when students took the initiative to create the center, it allowed the process to more clearly state what the Middle Eastern Student Center was intended to represent and what the students themselves wanted from the center.

Matar provided a story that revealed some of the naivete regarding the Middle East during his initial visit to UCR. As a firstyear, Matar took a tour on campus and learned of the centers that were provided to students who identify as different nationalities but learned there was no resource for him as a student of Middle Eastern descent.

When Matar, a self-described Christian Palestinian, asked if there was the same type of center for him, the UCR campus tour guide directed him to the Muslim Student Association.

In this situation, two people need

help: The student needs resources and the tour guide needs a little enlightenment on the difference of religion and culture. The center is set to provide benefits to everyone on campus and allows students gain a better understanding of each country’s culture, rather than identifying them as one single way of life. With the center as a resource to each club that identifies as Middle Eastern, it can help them deal with the bureaucracy so that organizations can focus on setting up events. This will enable organizations to further enhance the cultural and educational experience of UCR. The Middle Eastern Student Center is an asset to UCR because it not only promotes diversity but helps students understand the cultures and people of the Middle East. Diversity is not just about a mix of ethnicities but rather an understanding and awareness of the other cultures within our own population. The center dismisses stereotypes and provides insight on the students and faculty who identify as Middle Eastern.

The center essentially helps to promote a deeper comprehension of values that have been distorted and labelled through the media and through misinformation. According to Matar, the center is the first of its kind in the state of California and perhaps in the United States. By establishing the first Middle Eastern Center in California, UCR has made a stride to create an even more inclusive campus. UCR prides itself in being diverse and with this center it will provide support, education and inclusiveness to the campus, allowing for all students at UCR a comprehensive understanding of ■H the cultures around them.

Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board.

They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

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OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

9

Gov. Brown ignores partisans to find third option on gun control Colin

markovich

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Two weeks ago, 18 gun-related bills shot onto Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. An unabashed partisan would have signed or vetoed all 18 together. But Gov. Brown took his time, duly examined each one and eventually made a reasoned, nuanced decision: 11 were signed, seven were vetoed. Bills requiring purchasers of rifles to undergo a written safety examination and preventing those who threaten violence from purchasing a gun were passed; bills that could essentially ban some gun shows were vetoed. All things considered, this was a pretty good deal for both sides.

But naturally, this enraged both sides.

Conservative assemblyman Tim Donnelly threatened Gov. Brown with recall and sniped at his nuanced approach, calling it tantamount to the ever-present threat of creeping socialism.

Not wanting to be outdone, Paul Song from the progressive group Courage Campaign blasted the governor, releasing a statement that read in part, “Next time there is a murder with an assault weapon, the Governor (sic) will have blood on his hands and have to answer for his vetoes today.”

Rather than discussing the merits of each individual bill, Democrats and Republicans have evidently decided that it’s better to issue a broadside of incendiary rhetoric. Thankfully, Gov. Brown has decided to ignore the false choice of giving away free guns in a dystopic every-man-forhimself mentality or expanding government intrusiveness by confiscating people’s guns, instead pursuing a sensible third option to bring down our unconscionably

high gun murder rates: focusing on enacting the laws that will change our gun culture.

As Gov. Brown threads the needle of sensible reform, the polarized left and right don’t seem to understand that they are aiming at the wrong target. To liberals, guns are instruments of death and destruction, invented to harm our fellow humans. To conservatives, guns are instruments of freedom and self-reliance, necessary to tame the windswept West and to protect oneself from threats.

Left-wingers say guns must be strongly regulated and controlled so that humans do not act on the exhortations from the demons inside them; right-wingers reply that they must be available to keep people safe in the gut-wrenching moments when there is no police force or governmental authority to turn to.

The reality is somewhere in between. It is true that guns have great destructive potential, cutting the lives of nearly 10,000 people short every year within the country that has the most guns per person: the United States. But if the United States is to be used as an example, we would expect countries’ gun homicide rates and gun ownership rates to be correlated. But not all countries follow the precedent of the United States. Switzerland, Bahrain and New Zealand all slide comfortably into the top 25 countries with the highest rates of gun ownership.

Yet their rates of gun homicide are significantly lower than the United States. The inverse is also true: Many countries with high rates of gun homicide — Brazil and South Africa, for instance — own less guns per capita than the United States.

Prevalence of guns may be a

C o u rt e s y o f W i k i m e di a C o m m o n s With the signing of 11 out of 18 bills, Gov. Jerry Brown has invited unwarranted criticism from political partisans.

factor in high rates of gun deaths, but the data show that it cannot solely explain why gun deaths occur. Switzerland ranks third in gun ownership per capita, just behind Yemen and the United States. But that is paired with an exceptionally low gun homicide rate. Switzerland has had just two mass shootings since 2001.

In that same time, the United States has had 35. The case is similar for New Zealand, where the most recent mass shooting occurred more than 20 years ago, in 1990. In the United States, the Washington, D.C., Naval Yard shooting occurred just a month

C o u rt e s y o f W i k i m e di a C o m m o n s Nearly 10,000 lives are cut short because of guns every year in the U.S., which has the most guns per person of any country.

ago.

The uncomfortable truth for ideologues is that the difference between 35 mass shootings and two mass shootings is not gun ownership alone. Instead, it is the culture that surrounds it.

In Switzerland, part-time military conscription is mandatory for men between the ages of 18 and 34. While there, they receive an extensive 18- to 21-week training that teaches them how to use guns — and how to use them safely. Switzerland allows legal residents age 18 and over who have no mental illness or criminal history to purchase guns, but there is a cap of three per person.

Similarly, New Zealand requires individuals seeking a gun license to submit the names of at least two references who can testify on the applicant’s behalf.

These laws help cultivate a culture that does not emphasize guns as amoral or wrong, but simply as a tool to be used and respected. It encourages people to own them if they wish, but to also be aware of their power. A common Swiss pastime is for the entire family to take a trip to the local shooting range, children included. In so doing, according to shooting instructor Michael Merki, “it teaches people to respect guns.” The result is a country with knowledge of the damage guns can do — and the subsequent rational decision to not use that power unless absolutely necessary.

It is this respect that is important. Ensuring that laws are created not out of fear, but out of knowledge and understanding is one of the hallmarks of good governance. This feeling of respect is what Gov. Brown is hoping to foster in the public, and only when this is achieved can we truly be able to bring down our gun homicide rate. Each of the

bills Gov. Brown signed reflect not a restriction in gun ownership, but an attempt to create the conditions necessary to prevent gun violence, while nonetheless showing that the government trusts its citizens enough to own their own firearms.

Written safety examinations and background checks are good steps forward to change our perception of firearms and to ensure that the public is aware of the power of a gun. Our next moves should follow in these footsteps by preventing those who commit crimes and who thereby violate a norm of safe gun use from obtaining guns again. The state can also ensure that gun owners and non-gun owners alike have access to all the information necessary to prevent unintended violence.

In the partisan reaction to Gov. Brown’s actions, liberals and conservatives misfired because their world views were predicated on an oversimplification of reality. Both views rely on a fundamentally misguided notion that guns are themselves good or bad, substituting the full-color portrait of reality with a myopic, monochromatic counterfeit.

Real life is much less kind to ideology — people use guns to protect themselves; people also use guns with cruel intent.

Like innumerable other human inventions, guns are no more than tools humans have constructed. In the hands of a virtuous person, a gun has the ability to save lives. In the hands of a malicious person, a gun can take them. Put simply, guns are neither inherently good nor bad.

But in the thralls of an id demanding unflinchingly rigid ideological supremacy, liberals and conservatives have decided that facts don’t matter. Fortunately, Gov. Brown hasn’t been listening ■H to them.

The opinions expressed in the Opinions section belong solely to their authors and do not represent the Highlander Editorial Board or the University of California, Riverside.

10

. FEATURES .

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

THE FRESHMAN FIFTEEN 15 BITS OF INTEREST FOR NEWCOMERS TO UCR

Stress Relievers

Take Martial Arts.

Treat Yourself.

The Student Recreation Center has a variety of fun and cheap ways to burn calories and kick ass. Just remember, violence is never the answer.

You’re reading the Highlander, so we know you must be awesome. You deserve a little something for you, whether it be a Costco-supply’s worth of cookies or Grand Theft Auto 5.

Get Outside.

Too long at desks can make people nutty. Hike to the C or check out the bamboo at the bottom of the trail.

Visit the Botanical Gardens or just hug a tree. Nature is healing.

Listen to some music.

Get lost in a good book, movie, TV show, or video game.

KUCR plays some nice stuff to chill to, or you can hunt down pretty much anything on Spotify.

Real life just sucks sometimes. Yay escapism!

Go eat with friends.

One of the best places to go eat, watch a sports game and hang out with friends is the Getaway Cafe.

It’s the perfect stress reliever.

Heck, the name says it all.

Go running.

Riverside’s a sprawling city, and there’s plenty of room to just go out, move around and drown your troubles in a runner’s high.

Go to a concert.

Meet new people.

Joining a new club or organization is a great way to make new friends and do things that are exciting and enjoyable.

The more the merrier!

After a long day of classes, simply walk over to the Barn and rock out in one of the Barn’s concert series.

They happen pretty frequently and best of all: They’re only five bucks for UCR students.

Shout into a pillow.

Just let it all out, all those things you can do without. Tears For Fears fans know what we’re talking about.

Buy an extra Scantron just to rip or burn it.

Take a nap.

Pointless? Absolutely. Costs you money? Yup. But it sure makes you feel like you’re sticking it to the man. And that is a priceless feeling.

Sometimes you just need a few more hours in Dreamland.

Get yourself a good drink.

We at the Highlander don’t condone underage drinking. We do, however, condone you checking out this week’s “21 and Over Club.”

Watch the PandaCam. As long as you have an Internet connection, you can watch pandas sleeping, eating and doing whatever it is that pandas do. They are so adorable.

Cook something delicious.

Following an easy recipe online can actually be super soothing. Plus, you H get food. Score!■

HIGHLANDER

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

11

X I F a s t e G y b R UC sh Booth o J of W r

e t i r W g n i t u b i r nt o C , o i n a a L l l n e o r r A a A e n y i b x a s

By M Photo

hop on his bike. Josh stepped away, handing him the handlebars to test it out. Sure enough, the gentleman hiked up his shirt and attempted a 360.

Josh continued to run the Bell Tower playground, jumping from bench to bench, sliding across, and spinning in midair for a grand finale. More and more skaters and bike riders came to join him as well as Pedals. They watched Josh ride the side of the Arts Building and jump over steps — just “fooling around,” as Josh called it. Sweeping the dust from his tires, he explained that he never thought he could call what he does a job. “I always thought I was going to be a 9-5 kind of guy,” he said. But when he peered around at the younger students trying to mimic the tricks he just pulled he just smiled, and said, “Yeah, I love my job.”

Josh, along with Ride and Style, have traveled to and performed at several schools now, but, according to them, no crowd was like the one at UCR. When the crew visited Cal Poly Pomona, they performed for two people. But since his travels began, the crowd has progressively grown and grown, and the one at UCR was the best turnout they’ve experienced yet.

One of the members of Pedals dared to conquer one of Josh’s tricks on the stairs. The Ride and Style crew, Pedals, and onlookers on their way to class stopped to watch him rotate and hop down the stairs, all on one tire. Each time, inches from success, the crew grew louder with encouragement. “Come on, don’t cheat the trick!” Josh yelled. With that, the student was successful and celebrated with a fist pump. Boothby high-fived the ecstatic student and said, “Well, looks like someone wants a Red Bull sponsorship from me.”

According to Josh, the best part of the job is meeting new people. The gleam radiated out of his eye when he went over all the people he met and who shared the same passion he did.

“I would have never expected my life to be what it is today,” he said, nodding to each accomplishment he has had. Josh’s story is one many students can relate to: starting from the bottom with nothing but a dream, and through practice and determination, ■H gradually rising to success.

w

hile many students were winding down from last Wednesday’s Nooner, those on bicycles were just getting started. With ideas spiraling in their minds, determination radiating from their eyes and bicycle wheels planted firmly on the ground — but not for long — the students used the staircase that surrounded the Bell Tower as a playground. The wheels grazed over the brick and slid across the benches. Whether it was the extra shot of espresso from Coffee Bean or the buzz of midterms soon approaching, the students pushed the limit to defy gravity.

But then the hot wheels briefly paused as a new gang of bikes floated across the grass toward them. As soon as the first wheel of this new group hit the concrete, they made themselves at home and, without introduction, students knew instantly that they were kindred spirits. UCR and UCR’s bike shop Pedals welcomed Josh Boothby, a professional fixed gear bike rider, and some of Red Bull’s Ride and Style for a performance. I was lucky enough to watch the show and even get an interview with Boothby in order to dip into his life and learn how he managed to perform “Matrix” moves on two wheels.

28-year-old Josh Boothby greeted the students with a humble hello and an eager glow, sizing up the performance space. “This is like rider’s paradise!” he exclaimed as he hopped onto his bike and rode backward to continue his tour around the Bell Tower.

Hands in his lap, he pedaled around with the occasional glance behind for any possible human speed bumps.

Born Oct. 20, 1985 in Hayward, Calif., Josh always longed for the fast life. He received his first bike at 11 from his father, who removed the training wheels two weeks later. But the real spark that ignited the rider within was attending the X-Games in San Francisco soon after. “I saw what was capable on a bike and went to the skate park across the street and stared at them for hours,” he said. Soon after, he tested his own capabilities. “You have to measure timing, space, ability … just to nail one trick,” he noted, as if he was mapping out a scientific formula.

It was hard to keep track of Josh when he was atop his bike.

Look down for a second, and he was already on another wheeled extravaganza, probably riding backwards. He started at the top of the Bell Tower staircase and tested the laws of physics as he hopped down each stair on the bike’s back tire, while turning 45 degrees each time. Coming from someone with the coordination of a baby deer, I shared the astonishment and excitement of the crowd when he landed successfully with a victorious fist pump.

Josh, bedecked in a snap-back and several tattoos, became a rider for Red Bull’s Ride and Style about three years ago. He competed in only two fixed gear competitions before he won first place and gained Red Bull’s attention. Red Bull then offered him a sponsorship to help transform the way society viewed biking and to also spread the word of “fixie” biking. “Some say fixed gear riding is cultured or underground. But it’s a sport!” Josh exclaimed.

Through his travels he proved this theory, as the most unlikely people knew about the sport. During his time in New York, Josh participated in a street performance where he met people who shared the same appreciation of the sport. One gentlemen approached Josh with slightly broken English but full interest in the bike. “Fic gear, fic gear!” the gentlemen chanted, pointing at Josh’s bike. Josh lept off his bike, unsure if he was more confused that the man knew about “fixie” riding or that he wanted to

A a r o n l a i /HIGHLANDER J o s h B o o t h b y ( p i c t u re d l e f t ) d i s p l a y s h i s b i k i n g s k i l l s a ro u n d t h e b e l l t o w e r. A b o v e , a n e m p l o y e e o f P e d a l s a t t e m p t s t o re c re a t e B o o t h b y ’s t r i c k s .

12

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

UCR AROUND THE GLOBE

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

NAME: Victoria Sarantapoulos YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Global Studies/Peace and Conflict Studies COUNTRY: Russia HOST INSTITUTION: St. Petersburg State University

U

pon receiving my acceptance letter to St. Petersburg State University for summer 2013, I was overwhelmed with a continuum of anxieties. I was going to be leaving the United States for the first time in my entire life, to go to a country that spoke a language entirely different than my own. I was going to be enrolled in a new university, learning new subject matter, and I would be living with a family of strangers whom I had never met. After the 23hour trip from San Diego International Airport to Pulkovo International in St. Petersburg, and having my luggage get lost along the way, my anxieties had only deepened.

Fortunately for me, I had a revelation quite early. The moment I stepped out of the airport and into the warm St. Petersburg air, there was an abrupt shift in my emotions.

Although I hadn’t slept in what felt like days, I knew that this was what I had been working so hard at. I had finally arrived. All of the anxiety was transformed into excitement. I was about to embark on the next chapter of my life. After taking Russian classes for five quarters, going through the application process, passing the health clearance, this was it. Russia was such a beautiful country. I wish I could have taken a little piece of it with me so that I could share it with all of you.

When I think back to my trip to Russia, none of those anxieties are even present. All that I remember are the amazing people I met, the breathtaking sights that I saw and the insightful classes I was enrolled in.

What I really enjoyed about my

program in Russia was that I was able to interact with both natives as well as other Americans. I felt that this offered many different perspectives about the world, and allowed for a lot of discussion and viewpoints to be shared. Take my family for instance.

I was placed in a home with a mom, dad, brother and pet cat — all of whom spoke Russian fluently (yes, I had to talk to the cat in Russian).

Daily interactions were always fun, as my roommate, a Slavic UC Berkeley student, and I tried to grasp a better understanding of the Russian language, while they tried to practice their English. This was similar when it came to my studies. Although all of the other students in my classes were American, and spoke English, the professors were Russian, and some only knew limited English. I found that interactions in the classroom forced us to learn from each other. I also found that the natives’ viewpoints on politics were very different than those that my American classmates and I possessed, so debates and conversations were one of the highlights of my day.

I was enrolled in the political science department at the university, and had the opportunity to study postSoviet Union politics and international business ethics with four amazing professors, who really challenged my thoughts and made me into a better student. Although I only took two classes, and was only at the university for six short weeks, I felt that after my time there, I was definitely a better student. Studying abroad allowed me to challenge the way that I think and create conversations with others in regards to their standpoints.

Many students who travel abroad have tales of country-hopping and exploring neighboring places.

However, in my case, since I was only in Russia for the summer, I decided to stay within the borders and explore what else the country had to offer (that and I was only granted a one-time entry visa by the Russian government). During one of my weekend excursions, I took a ninehour train ride to Moscow to see the Kremlin and to try to get a glimpse of Edward Snowden. The Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral were stunning.

Seeing the red square at night was definitely one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen, and although I didn’t catch Snowden, I was able to see Lenin’s tomb. I was also able to visit the Valaam Monastery, where I was able to explore the Russian Orthodox faith in depth — something that many of the Russian people I encountered held very dear to their hearts. There were opportunities to grow around every corner, and I must say, I took full advantage of that.

Studying abroad was definitely the most amazing experience I have ever had. Not only was I able to surround myself in an entirely different culture, complete with new food, language and customs, I was also able to learn so much from so many different people. If you are considering studying abroad, seriously, don’t think ■H twice, just jump in and do it!

Photos

c o u rt e s y o f

V ic t o r i a S a r a n ta p o u l o s

To listen on the go, search KUCR on the App Store, or download TuneIn Radio and search KUCR

shoegaze, electronic, indie

Awake and Dreaming w/ Sam: dream pop, chillwave,

HIGHLANDER

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

17

Restaurant Review:

The Salted Pig

RATING: ★★★★★

By Jessica Martinez, Contributing Writer // Photos by Karen Jerezano According to its website, The Salted Pig in downtown Riverside has billed itself as “the Inland Empire’s first gastropub.” I had to look up what a gastropub even was, and it turns out the definition is: a bar and restaurant that serves high-end beer and food. With a description like that, I could only wonder what I was going to get myself into.

When I got to the Salted Pig, I was greeted by two enormous wooden doors befitting a castle, and I could only think that I was about to enter a pig king’s lair. Walking into the dimly-lit restaurant with high ceilings and brick walls, I was immediately taken to a whole new world — one where things at the bar were stored in mason jars and water was brought out in a glass bottle like an old-fashioned milk bottle. In this world, new was combined with old to create a quaint, but trendy aesthetic. During my visit I heard music from The Beatles to Dion and even to Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” An old film was also playing on the screen behind the bar, which gave the ambiance a heightened sense of artistic sophistication. I felt like I could just sit back and enjoy the setting while being with friends.

As you might be able to tell by its name, pork was a primary culinary theme and several dishes incorporated it in some creative ways. The menu has everything from pig flatbread, pork belly sandwiches, bacon fat popcorn and pork rinds in addition to the more standard items such as mac and cheese, lamb sirloin and burgers.

I decided to try the Filthy Fries first, which consisted of beer cheese, crackling dust, herbs and roasted garlic. Be-

ing a fan of In-N-Out’s Animal Style fries and Getaway’s Monster Fries, these fries did not disappoint. In fact, other establishments’ fries couldn’t compare to the Salted Pig’s.

The warm, melted beer cheese was tasty and filling, with just the right amount of garlic flavor that didn’t overpower each fry. This “snack” (as it is called on the menu) is definitely a must. It is a good dish to share with others before a meal.

For my main course I chose the M.S.G. Burger with enoki mushroom, slab bacon and gouda and a side bucket of fries. The burger was smaller than an average burger, but happily deceiving in how filling it could be. In my first bite alone I could taste the juiciness of the meat and sauce mixing together to create this mouthwatering masterpiece.

The burger was the perfect blend of sweet and salty; the sweetness coming from a handful of julienne sliced granny smith apples.

But if there was one thing that really made the burger as good as it was, I’d have to say it was the bun. We may not give buns enough credit for their added taste to burgers, but after tasting this burger, I’ve learned that a great bun really does make a difference. This bun was soft, buttery and flaky — a perfect touch to the already delicious burger. The Salted Pig makes it known to their customers that they do in fact make everything themselves, including the bun. Had it been just any regular flat bun, the burger wouldn’t have tasted as great, even with the excellent sauce and meat.

Sadly, the bucket of fries was merely mediocre. After

Located in downtown Riverside, the Salted Pig offers a variety of desserts, and customers can never go wrong finishing a delicious meal with home-made ice cream. The creative menu at the Salted Pig changes every season, giving customers an opportunity to try many different foods.

having Filthy Fries, they just didn’t compare. They were really thinly sliced and not as crisp or tasty. The ketchup, on the other hand, was noteworthy because it was not Heinz or any other brand you can buy at a grocery store. Instead, it’s homemade, and you can taste it in how fresh and full of flavor it is. It also has a hint of spice which made it more enjoyable than the average bottled ketchup.

Despite not being able to finish my burger, my friend and I decided to try dessert. The dessert menu (labelled as “Happy Endings”) includes ice cream, donuts and shortcake along with a few other items. We decided on the strawberry-filled shortcake. As everything else, presentation stood out. The cream was oozing out of the cake onto the plate. Real strawberries were used along with homemade strawberry cream and meringue cream. The shortcake was warm and melted right in my mouth. Each bite was sweet but surprisingly salty. After eating a strawberry alone, my friend and I concluded that it was the strawberries themselves that were adding the saltiness to the dish; they must have been soaked or prepared with salt. Like the burger before it, this combination of salty and sweet was amazing, and a perfect way to end the meal. It truly was a “happy ending.”

The Salted Pig combines sweet and salty to create a different meal — one that is rich in flavor and definitely memorable. Although prices are higher than an average diner, the experience you will have in one of Riverside’s jewels is well worth it.

■H

18

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

21CLUB Probing Area 51 and OVER

By Sean Frede, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Jason Lin

Michael Hawkins with his signature beer, Planet Red, named after the rich color of the brew.

Hawkins’ beers at Area 51 can be enjoyed with a host of other-worldly guests watching over.

Aliens have landed in Riverside, and while they didn’t probe anyone, they did leave behind some tasty beers. Area 51 Craft Brewery is just one of the many new breweries popping up in Riverside. Located on Arlington Avenue right next to the Riverside Municipal Airport, Area 51 opened up back in February of 2013 and hasn’t looked back since.

Area 51 is a real grassroots brewery. It’s tucked into an industrial park and is the size of just a two-door garage.

The walls are covered in alien memorabilia including UFO photos, newspaper clippings from Roswell and pictures of the iconic Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. They also have a lifesized, bug-eyed Martian standing behind the bar. Just a few feet from the tasting area stands the stainless steel, 310-gallon brew system, mash tun and fermenter.

The fermenter stands over 10 feet

tall and appears ready to blast off into space toward the mother ship. The close quarters of the brewery provide a very relaxed atmosphere while you sip on one of their many beers. It feels like you are hanging out in a friend’s garage or man cave and offers a great venue to unwind. But the locale of Area 51 isn’t the only reason to come. For the owners, it really is about the beer.

I started off the night with their Blond Alien, a light American ale that was a bit wheaty and very refreshing. I followed this with the Planet Red. It’s their version of a red hefeweizen that left your tongue with a delicious, malty caramel flavor. Next up was the Martian Red, the beer that Area 51 first brewed. It’s a red ale with a light hoppiness and bite. It stands strong at 6.2 percent Alcohol by Volume. I finished the night with their Alien India Pale Ale. It has a very beautiful amber color and a good hop kick without being

overly bitter, which surprised me since it has a 7.2 percent ABV and is at 75-plus on the bitter units. In a month, a new chocolate porter will come out just in time for the winter and offer a seasonal Imperial IPA, Alien Head. While some of the more serious hop heads won’t be going nuts about these beers, Area 51’s brews are crafted very well and have serious taste. You can tell the person behind these beers puts in great effort and truly cares.

Mike Hawkins is the captain of this ship. He’s the master brewer, bartender and pretty much everything else involved with Area 51. He worked in the film business his whole life and always wanted to have his own wine vineyard. Thankfully, he switched from grapes to hops and brewed in his own garage for a hobby. He teamed up with Mark Torrance, the owner, and started Area 51. You can see the passion in his eyes as he gives you a personal tour of the entire brewing system.

“The beer is going to speak for itself,” Hawkins said as he poured me yet another IPA. “It’s the reason we’re starting to get bigger.” Area 51 started out with just the tasting room but is now preparing to get its suds into restaurants and bars across Riverside County. They even bottle their own beers for customers to take home to enjoy and offer growler fills. Hawkins also has plans further down the line to expand the tasting room to offer more space for a college crowd. Currently, they offer a college night on Thursdays where all pints are a dollar off from 4 to 6 p.m.

I suggest stopping by with a few friends after a long day of classes and grabbing a few pints. Hawkins will most likely be pouring, so don’t be afraid to ask about the beer. It’s a chance to really learn about what goes on behind the entire brewing process and makes it even that much more ■H fun to drink beer.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Events this week Tuesday | 10/22 Poetry Reading by Troy Jollimore @ Culver Center, 7 p.m.

Wednesday | 10/23 Mad Caddies @ UCR Barn, 8 p.m.

Friday | 10/25

Saturday | 10/26

Scotty

Ghost Walk Riverside @ Downtown Riverside, 6 p.m.

Sheila E. @ Fox Theater, 8 p.m.

p u m p s u p t h e c r o w d a s h e d a n ce s t o t h e beat .

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20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

2013

M

IDNIGHT ADNESS

By Rebecca Paredes, Senior Staff Writer Photo by Cameron Yong MADNESS CONT’D FROM PAGE 1

Sophomore Steven Jones makes a dunk during Midnight Madness.

people in the stands behind me. “Sorry, our friends are on the team,” they explained, which was fine. I understood.

The teams were supposed to draw cheers loud enough to compete with a rocket launch.

I settled into my seat as the men’s team followed, beginning their routine with some smooth moves over “Bye Bye Bye” by the illustrious ‘N Sync. Upon watching the men gyrate, stomp and generally groove, the crowd’s energy kindled, and applause and hollers erupted from the now-packed room.

As part of Midnight Madness’ promotion, the HUB promised a quarter of free tuition to a randomly-selected student who could successfully sink a half-court shot. The student, Ingrid, took a running leap into her shot, which followed a slow, downward arc a mile from the hoop.

There’s a metaphor existing somewhere within being so close to receiving an affordable education, and losing that chance because of physics. The crowd’s applause was apologetic. We will not forget you, Ingrid.

As the women’s and men’s basketball teams ran through the archway and smoke pillars for their introductions, the heat picked up once more among the audience; we cheered for the players and coaches, and listened as both women’s coach John Margaritis and interim men’s coach Dennis Cutts implored students to fill the stands for home games. “I really like our guys, and I think if you come out and watch them, you’ll like them too,” Cutts said. And it was difficult not to like the teams; as the women’s team ran through their three-point shooting contest, fellow team members cheered for successful shots, and the men’s team ignited the crowd when Steven Jones sank a seemingly impossible backhand dunk. It was all well and good. We were happy and satisfied, an hour had passed and it felt about time to head out into the night with the R’Side cheers from the Highlander Girls ringing in our ears.

But then — tragedy.

I’m sure comedian Thomas Dale is a great guy. He seemed eager enough to lead the Comedy Central lineup as he introduced himself as a gay man from Brooklyn — “So I’m fucked,” Dale said in reference to his accent — but it was difficult to follow his performance because of the flood of people leaving the SRC. The heat of the night was gone; the crowd’s energy had tapped out after the final cheer, and after the people who weren’t interested in sitting through a trio of comedians had left, half the

audience remained. And while Dale maintained his poise as people walked past him on their exit, and as event coordinators moved around him to box up wires (while Dale called, “Hey boo boo, where you going?” to any males walking by), his shtick was a repetitive plod of sex jokes and outrageous noises to punctuate his statements. I’m sure that part of the issue was his inability to really glean any responsive energy from the crowd, who at that point suffered from numb butts and a growing sense of discomfort at not laughing at a guy who had been hired to entertain.

To put it bluntly, the comedians should not have been tacked on to the end of the

There’s a metaphor existing somewhere within being so close to receiving an affordable education, and losing that chance because of physics. show for 30-minute sets each; as Emily Heller tanked in front of a nonresponsive crowd, it was obvious they had been slated for too long. A better option would have been billing the comedians for quick, 15-minute sets between the introductions, cheers and dunk contests earlier on. Then, Heller would not have had to joke, “Yes, I do in fact wear glasses,” in front of a disbelieving group of steadily decreasing students. By the time the headliner, TJ Miller, took the stage, a quarter of the audience remained.

And while Miller’s observational humor provided a much-needed reprieve from the painfully slow slog of the night, by that time, not many students were left to truly enjoy his college-centric material and conversations with the spotlight techs.

“I can’t believe you stayed through a 3-hour pep rally,” Miller told the audience, and neither could we. The madness ended at 11 p.m., at which point a dance party, led by student DJs, had been slated; a handful of youngishlooking students took to the center of the gym, wrapping free glow sticks around their wrists. But by that point, the air was heavy and hot; we burst into the Friday night air, free and unleashed, resolving never to step foot into the SRC for that long again.

Which, really, kind of defeated the purpose of Midnight Madness in the first place.

■H

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

21

MUSIC REVIEWS PAX AM DAYS // FALL OUT BOY

RATING: ★★★

A

BY: ALDIN ENRIQUEZ, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

fter their return to the mainstream rock scene with the album “Save Rock and Roll,” Fall Out Boy is back six months later with an eight-song EP, “Pax Am Days.” In this release, the band strays away from their catchy, arena-rock sound for a raw, punkrock roar.

Each song is a quick burst of energy, with seven of the eight tracks clocking in under two minutes long. From the opener, “We Were Doomed From The Start (The King Is Dead),” we are given a gritty riff that lets the listener know this EP is going to be different from anything Fall Out Boy has ever released. The stripped-down music production, constant drum-fills and fast chords make for some quick, aggressive punk-rock, and Patrick Stump’s popsoul vocals follow suit. In songs like “Demigods” and “Art of Keeping Up Disappearances,” Stump’s voice complements the instruments by keeping up with the urgent tempo

changes without having to give up his signature vocals. Both songs even have satisfying solos that will surely keep any rowdy crowd moving.

The punk influence is definitely strong throughout the album — the short song lengths, the low quality music production — but it is never as apparent as it is in the song “Eternal Summer.” The track begins with the chanting, shouting proclamation, “I need more oxygen / Our days were never numbered / This is eternal summer!” Stump’s raspy voice falls short here, coming across as a watered-down Cheap Sex song or a Ramones demo that never met completion. He has some nice vocal runs throughout the verse, belting out multiple syllables over frantic instrumentals, but due to the speed and tone his words become inaudible. It is meant to be an energetic track, but that is all it ever will be, losing the heart that makes Fall Out Boy –– well, Fall

Out Boy. Even though the band has opted for a faster, more urgent song structure than the big-arena hooks and choruses for which they are known, songs like “Hot To The Touch, Cold On The Inside” and “Caffeine Cold” are reminiscent of previous songs in the band’s catalogue. These two songs utilize Stump’s voice to create a catchy melody, making the songs most similar to the pop-punk influences found in their second album, fanfavorite “Take This to Your Grave.”

For Fall Out Boy fans wanting the band to continue the style from their earlier work, they won’t find it here.

The songs have an infectious feel to them, each one pulling the listener in with its quickness. Fall Out Boy took a chance experimenting with a punk-rock sound, while maintaining a sound that is undeniably theirs. If you have 14 minutes to spare and appreciate the fast chords of punk H rock, this EP might be for you. ■

NEW // PAUL MCCARTNEY

RATING: ★★★★

W

STATIC // CULTS

BY: JAKE RICH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ho would have thought that a 71-year-old man could sound so decidedly … indie? On Paul McCartney’s latest album, “New,” the music legend gives his unmistakable style a modernindie rock feel, while never losing touch of what made him popular in his remarkable career, including his classic sound. The album as a whole has its ebbs and flows, but comes together most of the time coherently.

This flow kicks off with one of the album’s strongest songs, “Save Us.” Over a driving, repetitive fuzzed-out guitar and eerie, Wingsesque backup vocals, McCartney delivers a strong vocal performance as he sings, “I’ve got the feeling of a jungle rhythm beating in me / When I’m close to you / I don’t really want to ask for many favors / But there’s something you can do.”

McCartney shows off an indie vibe in the song, “Alligator.” Beginning over a rhythmic, consistent pounding of a bass drum, McCartney shows off his vocal range when the drums go away and swirling-psychedelic synths kick in. He croons in falsetto, “Could you be that person for me?” The entire aesthetic of the song feels as if McCartney took his signature melodies and harmonies and adapted them to modern times.

One of the album’s strongest and most retro-sounding songs is the acoustic ballad “Early Days.” McCartney sounds like the grizzled veteran songwriter he truly is,

Courtesy of Island Records

Courtesy of Hear Music

looking fondly on the glory days of his youth while still showing off his talent as a musician. His nostalgic falsetto lends itself to these fond memories through the soft singing of a reflective “wooo-oooh” over a soft drumbeat.

The album’s best — and incidentally, most modern-sounding — song is the slowgrooving track, “Appreciate.” McCartney quietly sings over a dark, looming baseline and electric drum-track, while a distorted version of his voice chants “Appreciate, appreciate.” The song picks up toward the middle with an emotionally-charged, wiry guitar and fast drum beat, accompanied by backup vocals reminiscent of Sgt. Pepper that truly make the song stand out as an astounding marriage of old and new sounds.

Even at its most average moments, “New” still manages to keep your attention as a fascinating piece of a veteran musician’s work keeping up with present times — and doing so quite successfully. The fact that McCartney worked with four younger producers (including Giles Martin, son of famed Beatles producer George Martin) is clearly evident as most of the tracks have a contemporary pop and alternative vibe to them. Though “New” may not be one of the most innovative albums of the year, it is certainly worth multiple spins — if only to hear a master still honing his craft after all of ■H these years.

RATING: ★★★

S

BY: JOSHUA RAMOS, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ince the release of their self-titled debut album back i n 2 0 11 , a l o t h a s h a p p e n e d to lead singer Madeline Follin and guitarist Brian Oblivion, who together make up Cults.

After going their separate ways r o m a n t i c a l l y, t h e t w o c a m e b a c k together musically for their second LP “Static.” The record c h r o n i c l e s t h e d u o ’s b r e a k u p , a n d the feelings and emotions that come with it.

One of the first songs, “I Can H a r d l y M a k e Yo u M i n e , ” s e t s t h e tone for the album. Here, they l e a v e b e h i n d t h e s l o w, r e l a x i n g melodies made popular by their f i r s t a l b u m f o r a d a r k e r, r e t r o vibe. “High Road” carries on this new sound as the duo reminisces over past regrets. Follin and Oblivion sing, “Should’ve took the high road / Now my days have all turned black” over psychedelic g u i t a r r i ff s a n d e e r i e s y n t h s .

These themes of heartbreak, sorrow and regret are major parts of the album, and reoccur all throughout.

If one song best conveys the m e s s a g e o f t h e a l b u m , i t i s “ We r e Before.” Powered by mesmerizing

Courtesy of Columbia Records

drum patterns and dreamy piano melodies, Cults takes us on a trip down memory lane, through the beginnings and end of their relationship. Love and sorrow pour o u t t h r o u g h F o l l i n ’s v o i c e a s s h e sings, “‘Cause we liked that / Just like the way we were before / This a l l m i x e d u p / B u t t h a t ’s j u s t w h a t we had in store.” This power and e m o t i o n i s c o n t i n u e d i n “ S o F a r. ” Though slower in pace, the track is carried by her powerful vocals as she croons, “And I wonder how y o u s l e e p a t n i g h t / Yo u k n o w t h a t i t ’s n o t j u s t a l r i g h t . ” F o l l i n ’s vulnerability brings listeners deeper into the song, creating a unique experience.

“Static” sees Cults coming into their own as a group. For listeners expecting another album like their 2 0 11 d e b u t , b e a w a r e : Yo u w i l l n o t find that here. The duo trades in feel-good sounds for a darker and more defined album, filled with themes of heartbreak, lost love and hope for the future. While the themes can get repetitive in some aspects, “Static” does what it is intended to do — it brings listeners in closer to the talented ■H d u o ’s m u s i c .

22

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

Staff Picks: Our Week 4 Playlist

It’s week four. We’ve gone through 28 days of anxiously adding and dropping classes, relearning how to study after a long summer, staying up all night powered by Red Bull fumes and falling back into the routine of fall quarter. Here is our week four playlist: one of hope, desperation and the will to repare for midterms.

Rebecca Paredes, A&E Editor

Colin Markovich, Managing Editor

Vincent Ta, Photography Editor

Mike Rios, Editor-in-Chief

“Eye of the Tiger”

by Survivor

“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”

by Gordon Lightfoot

“Marchin’ On”

by OneRepublic

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”

by The Rolling Stones

Darren Bueno, Sports Editor

Cody Nguyen, Asst. Sports Editor

Alexander Suffolk, Features Editor

Jake Rich, Production Manager

“You Get What You Give”

by New Radicals

“Last Chance”

by Kaskade & Project 46

“I Don’t Care Anymore”

by Phil Collins

“If Ever I Stray”

by Frank Tuner

Winnie Jeng, Asst. News Editor

Colette King, Opinions Editor

Sandy Van, News Editor

Cameron Yong, Asst. Photo Editor

“Fly”

by Hilary Duff

“The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars

“Girl on Fire”

by Alicia Keys

“Touch the Sky”

by Kanye West

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Know your way around Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator? The Highlander is looking for graphic designers.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

23

VIDEO GAME REVIEW BEYOND: TWO SOULS

RATING: ★★★★★

“

B

BY: OSCAR HO, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

eyond: Two Souls,” the second PlayStation 3 exclusive to come from French video game developer Quantic Dream, has yet again crafted a compelling and fascinating story. Quantic Dream already proved their ability to tell a story with the criticallyacclaimed “Heavy Rain,” their first venture into PlayStation 3. Director David Cage did not disappoint with Quantic Dream’s newest installment, which features Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe as Jodie Holmes and Nathan Dawkins, respectively.

This is not the first time a video game has used the likeness of a celebrity for promotional purposes, but it is the first time they have done so with substance. The game is played as if the gamer were watching a movie with some control over the outcome. “Heavy Rain” was built using this tactic as its selling point, with the ability to kill off any of the four main characters and change the entire outcome of the story. However, Jodie is the only playable character in “Beyond: Two Souls,” which makes the interactions and the ability to change the outcome of the game’s plot seemingly more limited — but upon progressing through the game, you realize that many of your actions do have an equal reaction, even if only through the subtle changes in Jodie’s relationship with others.

The story follows Jodie’s life and her gift of having an entity, named Aiden, directly linked to her, giving her seemingly telekinetic powers. She is used by the CIA for her powers, goes rogue and flees from the U.S. government. But ultimately, the true question is why Aiden is attached to her, and the mysterious secrets that surround

his origins.

At first, the plot is seemingly a pointless blend of memories, but it quickly exhibits the reasons behind the nonlinear plot structure. It emphasizes all the main points of her life and does so very well, drawing everything from excitement to sadness out of the player. The purpose of the nonlinear structure is to connect the player to Jodie; with every jump of her life (which is split into her adolescent, teenage and young adult years), there is an emphasis on certain occurrences in her life. Throughout the game, there are many choices the player must choose, which may change the game’s progression. For example, the player is given a choice to make a homeless Jodie steal money for food, or earn it in a much more honest way.

Quantic Dream also introduced a new combat system. Instead of straightforwardly following the buttons on screen that give the gamer a button to mash, the new combat system slows down time and offers the gamer a chance to think about what to do with a simple directional flick of the analog stick. The action scenes look amazing, but the system simply puts you right into the action with no clear indication of which direction you should move –– which results in a lot of wrong directions. The new system will be good for some because the events are unexpected, but it also seemingly falls short for gameplay because of this lack of predictability.

The general controls have also changed drastically from past work by Quantic Dream, with movement being purely through the analog stick. However, the con-

Photos Courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment

trols still have issues; the way the characters walk makes sharp turns impossible and leads to occasionally awkward character control. The attempts to fix these glitches are apparent with fewer moments of being stuck in corners, but it still is not as fluid as other games. However, this did not cause me too much trouble.

The graphics are revamped; the textures and backdrops are much more varied. They really show how richly detailed a world Quantic Dream can create, pushing the limits of PlayStation 3’s computing and graphical power.

The character models got a facelift, literally, because the textures of faces in this game showed even more detail, with Ellen Page’s true skin texture and pores seen in semi-close-up shots and even slightly in shots that were farther away. The game takes you through many different locations and vast landscapes, demonstrating the developer’s tedious attention to detail, which pays off very well in the end product.

“Beyond: Two Souls” is another great video game from Quantic Dream, and proves that they are not just a one-hit wonder. The unique plot structure proves to be its strong suit and distinguishing characteristic –– not to mention the game’s cinematic experience, presented in the same cinematic 2.35:1 aspect ratio in which most Hollywood movies are shot. The game is a technical masterpiece and provides a fresh experience if you want to try playing it again, choosing different actions to vary the story’s progression. It is an adventure that everyone should truly experience, and alongside Jodie, makes you realize the roughness of real life and growing up.

■H

24

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

MOVIE REVIEWS COMING OUT SOON:

THE COUNSELOR

JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA

ONE CHANCE

THE FIFTH ESTATE RATING: ★★★☆☆

BY: MATTHEW GUERRERO, STAFF WRITER

T

“

he Fifth Estate” is not a masterful display of cinematographic execution, nor is it a nail-biting thriller. However, it is important because it presents a story that challenges the morality of its audience. The WikiLeaks movement has revolutionized the future of journalism and placed even further doubt in the transparency of the national government. The film’s writing and a few of its visual sequences offer the audience gritty, heartbreaking insight into the relationship between the truth and morality that WikiLeaks exposes. The movie technically fails in some aspects — it tries far too hard to be visually groundbreaking, and the accents are simply awful — but the writing still manages to bleed through beautifully.

The plot of the film revolves around the relationship between Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl), and their desperate attempts to expose the government-covered truths around

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the world. The eventual exposure of Bradley Manning’s leak of classified documents to the Wikileaks website creates political and social turmoil; atrocities covered up by the American government become public, as well as the names of many informants.

Assange and Berg must either uphold their policy to reveal the truth to the American public, or recant the names of the informants whose lives would be put in danger.

The true gravity of the movie comes not in its story, but in the psychological relationship between Berg and Assange as they struggle to decide whether their leaks are worth endangering more lives. The film leaves the viewer asking the same questions that plague Berg and Assange: Is unaltered transparency between a government and its people worth more than hypothetical death?

The writing immerses moviegoers in this question precisely because neither Assange nor Berg come to a definite conclusion. The beauty isn’t in the actual story, because that’s been told,

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but in its ability to ask the difficult questions real people must face.

Is unaltered transparency between a government and its people worth more than hypothetical death?

This movie is far from perfect, however. It suffers from visuals that simply try too hard to be dramatic.

Over-the-top sequences remove us from reality; Assange and Berg are placed in some sort of metaphorical newsroom, isolated from the rest of the world. Although the effort to be more than a superficial film is appreciated, the visuals are simply detractors from

a beautiful, raw and human story. The scenes pitting Assange against Berg jump from realistic to allegorical, highlighting the psychological war being waged –– and are a far better fit than the faintly symbolic interludes earlier.

The acting in the film is quite well done; Cumberbatch and Bruhl feel fully engaged in a relationship that evokes both love and anger, and questions their characters. But the accents — especially Cumberbatch’s — are absolutely atrocious. They don’t ruin the film for viewers, but they are more comedic than dramatic or realistic, forcing the viewer to question whether or not they were worth including at all.

Ultimately, the film isn’t a display of superb directing, nor is it something that will redefine the way in which movies are shot, but it’s worthwhile for viewers who seek transparency in the world around them. It creates conflict and challenges the norms by which people live, and for some, that’s ■H really what film should achieve.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

25

Women’s volleyball remains winless in Big West play D a rr e n

bueno

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Oct. 18, 2013 Anteaters 3 - Highlanders 1

NGUYEN-ER’S CIRCLE Who can stop these Denver Broncos?

Over the past six weeks, Peyton Manning and his squad have been unleashing a path of destruction in the NFL world, scoring over 40 points per game and defeating their opponents by an average of 18 points.

What’s even more amazing is how Peyton Manning, two years removed from the neck surgery that ended his remarkable run in Indianapolis, is playing the best football of his 15-year career.

Through six games, Manning (at the ripe age of 37) has accumulated an astonishing 2,179 passing yards and 22 touchdown passes.

That figure puts him on pace for 5,810 yards and 59 touchdowns, the greatest statistical season for a quarterback in NFL history by far.

Since the end of the Tim Tebow era, John Elway and the Denver front office have assembled a solid core that looks to keep this team in contention for years to come, even after the Sheriff decides to call it a career in the next few years. Amassing a receiving corps that led by three Pro-Bowl caliber players in Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker, a three-headed beast in the backfield with Ronnie Hillman, Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball and a ferocious pass rush led by Von Miller, round out just a few of Elway’s accomplishments off the field for the Broncos.

How much better can this Denver team get? Well, for starters, the return of star linebacker Von Miller after his six-game suspension will exponentially improve a struggling Broncos defense that ranks near the bottom of the league (29th) in terms of yards allowed. Young players such as Montee Ball and tight end Julius Thomas continue to develop into household names.

Can the 2013 Denver Broncos succeed where the 2007 Patriots came up just short in going 19-0 through the regular season and playoffs? Only time will tell, but with a schedule that happens to be one of the easiest in the league through the rest of the season, things are looking up for the Broncos.

Watch out NFL, because Dr. Manning and his supporting cast are ready to perform a vicious operation on anyone who stands in their path to bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Denver after a 15-year hiatus.

■H

The fall blues continues for the women’s volleyball team as the Highlanders (1-16, 0-5) fell in four sets (26-24, 21-25, 25-15, 25-19) to Big West Conference foe UC Irvine in a game that featured 20 tied scores and five lead changes.

Freshmen Cristina Maietta and Fabiana Rosas tallied 12 kills apiece for the visiting UCR team, who has seen a steady improvement since the onset of the season. The Anteaters, however, led by a match-high 19 kills from Marisa Bubica, proved to be the stronger and better squad on the night. UC Irvine (10-10, 1-5) collected its first conference win of the 2013 season while UCR continues to hunt for an elusive Big West victory.

The Highlanders opened the match on fire as they used an array of kills from Annishia McKoy and Tyler Dorsey to build a 9-2 run that ballooned to a 15-7 lead. During that span, the visiting team also benefited from several Irvine errors.

The Anteaters responded, however, as they reeled off four consecutive points to inch within three points at 16-19.

The home squad continued to pressure the young UCR team and eventually tied the contest at 23-23 behind a pair of Dorsey errors. A late kill gave Riverside a sliver of hope before consecutive UC Irvine attacks sealed the set, 26-24, in the Anteaters’ favor.

During the period, UCR kept a positive kill-to-error ratio

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Junior Tyler Dorsey readies herself for the hit as the ball comes falling her way.

(7-6), but only hit .026. Irvine recorded 16 kills to 10 errors and completed 62 percent of their sideouts.

UCR was down early as the Anteaters started the second set aggressively behind several Bubica missiles to lead 15-12.

The Highlanders won seven of nine points to take a 16-15 advantage behind three Rosas kills, which prompted a UC Irvine timeout.

UC Riverside continued their charge, opening a five-point lead at 22-17 before securing the set, 25-21, behind a net violation.

The Highlanders outhit their opponent .278 to .242 while tallying 15 kills for the set compared to Irvine’s 12.

The third set saw the Anteaters clicking on all cylinders as the home team built an 11-7 lead to a 20-10 score behind three service aces and a slew of blocks. The Highlanders were never given a chance to pierce Irvine’s attacking game as they lost the set, 25-15. UC Irvine hit a remarkable .406 for the frame and only errored once.

With only one chance for redemption, UCR opened the set competitively as the opening moments saw the teams trade seven ties. UC Riverside, however, fell behind 12-17 as the Anteaters continued to pressure the ball. After a McKoy kill pulled the visiting team to within four at 18-22, Irvine sealed the set, 25-19, earning their first Big West Conference victory of the year.

Oct. 19, 2013 49ers 3 - Highlanders 0

The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team cruised to a 25-16, 25-15, 25-8 win over visiting UC Riverside Saturday night. The 49ers never trailed in the first and third sets as they improved to 11-9 overall and 4-3 in conference.

UC Riverside fell to 1-17 on the season without a single conference win in six attempts.

The first set started ominously with three straight Highlander errors and never got any better from that point.

A r chiv e /HIGHLANDER

Long Beach led by as many as 10 points and UCR couldn’t get anything clicking as they lost the set, 25-16.

The second set saw UCR open a 6-2 lead behind a pair of Annishia McKoy kills. The 49ers, however, rallied to win five of the next seven points to cut UCR’s lead to one, then reeled off six straight to lead 1914. A few moments later Long Beach State continued their haul as they wrapped up the set, 2515. The Highlanders recorded nine kills to 11 errors for a hitting percentage of -.056.

UC Riverside offered little resistance in the final set as they were outplayed en route to a 25-8 scoreline for the set and another loss for the season.

No Highlander recorded more than five kills. One of the team’s top attackers, Ashley Cox, did not play in either contest over the weekend.

UC Riverside returns home for a pair of games against UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo beginning on Oct. ■H 25.

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Women’s soccer dips to second place in conference after weekend play C o dy N g y u e n

Oct. 18, 2013

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Gauchos 1 - Highlanders 0

Oct. 13, 2013 Highlanders 1 - Titans 0

The UC Riverside women’s soccer team remains at the top spot in the Big West standings following a 1-0 victory against the visiting Cal State Fullerton Titans.

It took no more than three minutes and 21 seconds for the first and only goal of the game to be scored, when Kelly Velasquez found Jessica Olafsen for her first goal of the season. Despite being outshot 5-4 in the first half, the Highlander defense held strong and allowed the team to maintain the lead going into the half.

In the second half, the Titans again outshot the Highlanders 5-3, but were not able to find the back of the net thanks to a standout performance by UCR goalkeeper Elizabeth Silas, who denied all seven shots by the opposing Fullerton squad.

The rest of the second half turned out to be rather uneventful, as neither team was able to score, allowing the Highlanders to secure a victory in front of their home crowd.

A heartbreaking home loss in overtime against UCSB ended the UCR women’s soccer team’s cameo appearance at the top of the Big West standings Friday.

Both teams stayed neck and neck with each other in the first half, with the Gauchos outshooting UCR by a narrow margin of 5-3 and both teams earning two shots on goal.

In the second half, the UCSB offense was firing on all cylinders.

Though the shots remained relatively even at 4-6 in favor of the Gauchos, UCSB earned five shots on goal compared to none for the Highlanders. However, UCR goalkeeper Elizabeth Silas remained a rock at the goalkeeper position, stopping all seven Gaucho shots on goal to send the game into overtime.

The Gauchos’ aggressive attack finally paid dividends for them in overtime, when Allie Arinello rebounded her shot on goal and passed the ball to McKinsey Martinez, who scored the game-winning goal for the Gauchos.

With the loss, the Highlanders

Men’s soccer draws a tie with No. 6 Northride C o dy N g y u e n SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Oct. 13, 2013 Aggies 2 - Highlanders 0

After a strong start to their season, the UC Riverside men’s soccer team continues to run into obstacles, losing five of their last six matches, including a 2-0 loss to the UC Davis Aggies on the road Sunday night.

UCR struggled mightily on offense throughout the first half, with the Aggie offense outshooting them 10-2. Eventually, UC Davis earned the first score of the game in the 14th minute, when the Aggies’ Alex Henry and Ryan Gross found Matt Wiesenfarth for his third goal of the season and the only goal of the first half.

The Highlanders came out of the break firing on all cylinders, outshooting the Davis offense 9-6 and seemingly regaining the momentum. However, Matt Sheldon quickly put an end to any comeback attempt when he earned his fourth goal of the season in the 60th minute and put his team up 2-0.

In the 87th minute, insult was added to injury when the Highlanders scored an apparent goal to cut the lead to 2-1, only to be wiped out by an offsides call on UCR. The Highlanders had one last shot to put a score on the board with a corner kick in the final seconds of the game, but Aggie goalkeeper Armando Quezada was able to make the save and give his team a shutout victory over UCR. With the loss, the Highlanders fall to 6-5-2 on the season, including 1-3-0 in Big West play.

Oct. 19, 2013

Highlanders 0 - Matadors 0

The UC Riverside men’s soccer team hosted the sixthranked Cal State Northridge squad in hopes of achieving a statement win and regaining momentum in a season where things are quickly headed south.

In what proved to be a true back-and-forth battle, the Highlanders outshot the Matadors 16-15, though Cal State Northridge had three more shots on goal. UCR goalkeeper Ashkan Khosravi, just two weeks removed from an injury that kept him out for half of the season, played his best game of the season against the Matadors, registering a clean sheet with eight saves and no goals against him.

Cal State Northridge caught a break in the 30th minute, as Romario Lomeli fired a header that hit the crossbar and found itself just wide of the net.

Lomeli’s shot proved to be the closest either team would get to scoring for the rest of the game.

UCR head coach Tim Cupello expressed the need for his team to “become a little more efficient in the attacking phase of the field, we’ve created a lot of opportunities and we don’t always put the goal in the back of the net … if we can do a better job of finishing chances we’ll have a better chance of seeing the results we want.”

Next up for the Highlanders is a trip to Irvine to face off against the UCI Anteaters on ■H Wednesday, Oct. 26th.

C r y s t a l L o p e z c ro s s e s h e r d e f e n d e r a n d k e e p s r u n n i n g t o w a rd t h e g o a l l i n e s .

fall to 3-2 in Big West play and to second place in the conference standings, tied with UC Santa

Barbara and UC Irvine for that spot, with Cal Poly in sole possession of first place at 4-1.

T s u n g S u /HIGHLANDER

The team looks to regroup for their next home match against UC Davis on Oct. 24.

■H

Raquel Hefflin and UC Riverside cross country shine at home event D a rr e n

bueno

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The UC Riverside cross country team returned home to compete in the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 19, which took place at the Agricultural Operations Course just a few minutes from campus.

Continuing her strong season, junior Raquel Hefflin won the Highlander Invitational, helping the women’s cross country team to a second-place finish for the meet. The men’s team finished in fifth.

Hefflin recorded her personal best in the 5-kilometer run as her time of 17:09.5 placed the Compton native at the top of the women’s field. Runner-up Wyoming’s Holly Page (17:18.2) crossed the finish line a full nine seconds behind Hefflin. Two other Highlanders concluded the meet in the top 10: Jzsanette Lindstrom (17:38.5) came in sixth place and Alisha Brown (17:53.1) finished with the eighth best time.

Valerie Mares (18:20.0) earned a 21st-place finish while Briana Simmons’ time of 18:35.8 saw her garner a top-40 finish (32nd).

Brooke McCandless (18:44.9), Maryann Holliday (18:47.1), Martina Chase-Rios (19:11.0) and Elizabeth Guzman (19:31.0) rounded out the Highlander squad and finished in 37th, 39th, 49th and 62nd, respectively.

Wyoming took the top spot, totalling 54 points for the team championship. The points were awarded to individual runners equal to the position they cross

A r chiv e /HIGHLANDER Alisha Brown takes the baton and races down the track for UCR.

the finish line. The scores for the runners are added together then combined for a total team score.

UC Riverside (64), Cal State Fullerton (65), San Diego State (92) and USC (130) rounded out the top five.

Ben Heck led the charge on the men’s side as his time of 18:21.4 in the 6-kilometer race was good enough for a 13thplace individual finish. He was followed by teammate Miguel Vasquez in 21st place, clocking in at 18:31.2. Just three runners back, Cody Jordan (18.33.5) crossed the finish line with the 24th-best time. Michael Gauger ran the course in 18:36.1, good enough to place 28th, while Alex Castellon earned a top-40 finish with a 18:46.2 showing. Aaron Nguyen (18:57.9), Cesar Solis (19:03.8) and Edgar Cobian (19:48.7) wrapped up the day for the Highlanders, placing in 37th, 42nd and 58th place,

respectively.

UC Riverside as a team totaled 89 points, which placed the men’s team in fourth place.

Wyoming made it two for two as they claimed another team championship with a total score of 18 points. Runner-up UC Irvine tallied 45 points while third place went to Cal State Fullerton (78).

Unattached runner Luis Guttierez won the individual event with a time of 17:37.6 followed by UCR unattached runner Seth Totten (17:42.9).

An unattached runner means the player is not associated with or attached to a particular team or university. Most of these runners are college graduates that are attempting to go professional.

The Highlanders will now prepare for the Big West Championships, which will take place on Nov. 2 in San Luis ■H Obispo, Calif.

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER

27

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

NBA SEASON COUNTDOWN: THE TOP FORWARDS

By Darren Bueno, Senior Staff Writer With only one week left until tipoff, the buzz around the league is building. This week we preview the best small and power forwards in the league.

SMALL FORWARDS 1 LEBRON JAMES

2012-13 stats: 26.8 ppg, 8 rebounds, 7.3 assists

My oh my! Where to start with Mr. James? The reigning two-time defending NBA champ, Finals MVP and regular season MVP, James is clearly the best player on the planet. It took a few years: seven seasons in Cleveland, one horrendous summer that ended with “The Decision,” and the 2011 NBA Finals. But through it all, Lebron James has worked his way up the ladder to position himself in the same company as Michael Jordan.

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Last season he led the Heat to a 27-game winning streak before gutting out a seven-game series against the Spurs to win his second NBA championship. The numbers James puts up are video game-esque. Averaging a near triple double, James is a hybrid forward: he runs the point, has the stroke of a guard, can post as a power forward and defends as sound as a center. I guess the only question is: What can’t Lebron James do?

KEVIN DURANT

2012-13 stats: 28.1 ppg, 7.9 rebounds, 41.6 3-pt percentage

While recently jarring with Dwayne Wade about passing the torch, Durant has over the past couple of seasons accepted the mantle of next generation players. KD is the absolute best and most efficient high-volume scorer in the league. The last man since Michael Jordan to nab the scoring NBA title three consecutive seasons, Durant is often forgotten under the massive shadow of Lebron James. In 2010, 2012 and 2013, he finished second in voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award to, you guessed it, James.

Last season he became the youngest player to join the 50-40-90 club, a term for players who shoot at or better than 50 percent for field goals, 40 percent for three-point field goals and 90 percent for free throws during an entire 82-game season. Durant can pull up for a jumper from anywhere on the court, and most times all you see is the swish of the net.

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CARMELO ANTHONY 2012-13 stats: 28.7 ppg, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists

Speaking of volume scorers, look no farther than Carmelo Anthony. The man dubbed as “Melo” is probably the one NBA player who can score the easiest. Whether it be from the three-point line, free throw stripe or in the post, Anthony gets buckets.

Last season he averaged nearly 30 points a game, which brought him his maiden NBA scoring title.

He shot 44.9 percent from the floor and a career-high 37.9 from behind the arc. Anthony also finished last season with a career-high player efficiency rating (PER).

The stigma that follows Anthony, however, is his inability to hoist that Larry O’Brien trophy. He has only advanced out of the first round twice in 10 years, but the blemish shouldn’t detract from the stellar outings he’s produced on the offensive side.

Looking into this season, Anthony should retain his status as one of the top offensive players in the game.

POWER FORWARDS 2012-13 stats: 17.8 ppg, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 blocks

TIM DUNCAN There are so many options when it comes to quality power forwards.

You have young guns like Blake Griffin and Kenneth Faried. Proven veterans such as Dirk Nowitzki, Zach Randolph and David West. But who remains supreme above them all? Mr. Fundamental: Tim Duncan.

He surprised everyone, and probably even himself, with the resurgence he accomplished last season. After waddling through the previous two seasons, which included a dip to a career low in points per game in

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KEVIN LOVE

2012-13 stats: 18.3 ppg, 14 rebounds, 2.3 assists

The all-but-forgotten wonder in Minnesota, Kevin Love is probably the most underrated power forward in the league. Plagued by injuries in the past season, Love is a gifted and rare young NBA player. Extremely efficient and versatile, Love does so many things well on the offensive side and can grab 20-plus rebounds on any given night. He has improved his defense to where he’s no longer a liability on the floor.

Love is a double-double machine. Four out of five seasons, he has averaged at least 10 points and 10 rebounds. In 2011, he recorded 53 straight double-doubles, which was one of the longest streaks in NBA history. The Timberwolves have been hit with the injury bug in the past, but with a healthy Love playing alongside crafty Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic, the T-Wolves can compete in the Western Conference and should nab a playoff spot.

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2011, Duncan found his legs again and produced vintage basketball.

A few may be more prolific scorers. Some may grab a couple extra rebounds. But no other player can provide the complete package of Duncan. He can score, rebound, block, defend and facilitate. If that missed layup in Game 7 of the NBA Finals doesn’t weigh too much on his mind, Duncan should still reign as the top power forward the NBA has to offer.

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 2012-13 stats: 21.1 ppg, 9.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists

LaMarcus Aldridge is probably the most polished offensive player outside of Tim Duncan.

He has great size, a well-rounded post game and the cleanest shooting stroke of any American big man (I still see you, Dirk). The one thing Aldridge doesn’t have is a good team. The Portland Trail Blazers are in rebuilding mode, but things could turn around for them in the future. With a young core of Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews the Trail Blazers have potential.

Aldridge is the player who can have the most impact on the team. He averaged 21 points and a career-high nine rebounds a game last season, which earned the Dallas product his second All Star nod. Moving into this season, Aldridge will continue to fine-tune his offensive repertoire. His ability to score at ease over quality defenders should aid in his bid to become the best power ■H forward in the NBA.

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. SPORTS .

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Big ARM, Bigger personality: Cardinals pitcher

Joe Kelly1 is making UCR proud

jake rich, senior staff writer

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On a larger scale, Kelly is one of a few UCR athletes in recent years, including track star Brenda Martinez, who have gone on to succeed at higher levels.

arely has UC Riverside been known for athletic dominance. This does not mean that we have not produced quality players, however — with an especially bigger surge in Major League Baseball in recent years. In 2013 MLB season, former Highlanders Anthony Claggett, Marc Rzepczynski, Dan Runzler, Rob Brantly and Joe Kelly all appeared in major league games. Among them, Kelly has had the most success this season, and is currently on his way to the 2013 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

During the regular season, Kelly had a 10-5 record while starting and relieving for the NL central division champions.

He compiled a 2.65 ERA in 124 innings pitched. At UCR he had a 4.65 overall ERA, going 8-11 over 42 total games. He also set a Highlander record for career saves with a total of 24, and was named Big West Pitcher of the Year as a freshman in 2007. Two years later he attained All-American status.

“It’s been great fun,” said UC Riverside baseball coach Doug Smith about seeing Kelly pitch for the Cardinals. Smith has been coaching the Highlanders since 2005.

“We’ve been fortunate, seeing guys like Troy Percival succeed and Rob Brantly.

Marc Rzepczynski, who I think is with the Indians this year, got to pitch with the Cardinals a couple years ago in the World Series as well.”

Kelly was first called up to the majors in 2012, making his debut on June 12 against the Cleveland Indians, going five innings while allowing one run and striking out four.

This postseason, he has a 4.91 ERA while

going 0-1 in two starts for the Cardinals.

Smith said that he and Kelly have kept in contact. “He checked in and texted me after the first game of the NLDS. It was great to hear, and just knowing him I know how much he’s enjoying (this experience).”

On a larger scale, Kelly is one of a few UCR athletes in recent years, including track star Brenda Martinez, who have gone on to succeed at higher levels. Smith acknowledged the positive impact it had on university stature and also recruiting purposes. “Having five players in the major leagues last season, and when this kind of thing occurs with Joe on the national stage, it makes (recruiting a bit easier), with there being more to show. “ Kelly had a humorous moment before Game 6 of the NLCS against the Dodgers that put at least a small spotlight on him.

After the National Anthem had been sung and all the rest of the Cardinals and Dodgers players had gone back into the dugout to sit back down, Kelly and Dodgers outfielder Scott Van Slyke were the only players left standing. Kelly and Van Slyke looked at each other and refused to move back to the dugout, in a standoff that was eventually stopped by umpire Greg Gibson telling both players to go back to the dugout.

Kelly faked out Van Slyke by doing a fake step and keeping his place, thereby winning the small standoff.

Whether the Cardinals go on to win the World Series or not, Kelly’s strong contributions to the team’s success this year have certainly shown that UCR is capable of ■H producing high caliber athletes.

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