Volume 61 Issue 18

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Highlander University

Volume 61

of

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

Issue 18

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UC SHIP deficit threatens to increase student premiums Students may be forced to pay significantly inflated costs due to an administrative oversight.

S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) is expected to accrue a deficit of $57.4 million by the end of the 2013-2014 fiscal year. According to the UCR Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC), this may lead to increased student health care premiums of $63 for undergraduate and $161 for graduate students per quarter.

UCOP once worked with the actuary insurance company Aon Hewitt, which projected low levels of student health care premiums and benefits for UC SHIP since 2010. Due to financial miscalculations of the health care plan, the firm was effectively fired July 2012 and replaced with Alliant Insurance, the firm that calculated the deficit.

“What can we do to stop the bleeding? [Aon Hewitt] provided the wrong projections. They reduced [graduate] premiums by $53 and increased our benefits.

How they projected it to us was that we were actually saving,” stated Sandeep Dhall, who is the campus student representative for the UCR SHAC, which oversees the implementation of UC SHIP

The systemwide UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) has accumulated a $57.4 million deficit.

policies on campus.

Dhall is also a member of the UC SHIP Advisory Board consisting of student and administrative representatives across the system. UCOP has proposed increasing student premiums at culmative rates of 19.8 percent to 32.2 percent over the course of five years in order to close the deficit gap. UCR was

expected to receive a medium increase of 26 percent.

The proposal was fervently rejected by the advisory board, who opposed spiking student premiums to pay off a deficit that resulted from an actuarial error at the administrative level.

UC SHIP is a student-funded insurance plan which delivers health benefits to each of the ten

campuses. Each campus collects a premium from students and sends them to UCOP, who is then billed by outside service providers.

UCR offers the lowest student premium in the UC system with a weighted average of $810 for both undergraduates and graduates in the 2012-2013 academic year.

The campus is expected to take in approximately $3 million of

Chancellor Conoley sets up task force on campus safety Michael R ios

SE N IOR STA F F W R I T E R

In light of recent crimes occurring on or near campus, Chancellor Conoley announced the formation of a task force designed to improve safety at UC Riverside.

In an email sent out to UC Riverside students on Feb. 14, Conoley said that she wants the task force to examine current activities in order to make recommendations about further measures that will ensure student safety on campus.

The task force will be led by Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business Operations Chuck Rowley. It will also include interested representatives from ASUCR, Staff Assembly, UCPD, the Riverside Police Department, Transportation and Parking Services and other groups.

Robberies have become regular occurrences on campus. Just last month, eight robberies and thefts were reported all around the university— some of them involving handguns.

The task force was set to try to prevent criminal activity from regularly occurring on campus grounds.

The idea of a task force on campus safety had been raised by ASUCR Vice President of Internal Affairs Kevin Jo. He started an online petition, which has garnered nearly 100 signatures within the first week. The petition asked for

B r a n d y C o at s /HIGHLANDER

the total deficit for the following fiscal year.

“The deficit accrued because the plan was not collecting enough money for the level of services provided. So the levels of student premiums are too low to prep up the cost of providing UC SHIP CONT’D ON PAGE 4

INSIDE: The Boy Scouts tarnish their reputation by banning gay members.

OPINIONS

PAGE 8

Restaurant Review: New Riverside pizzeria Canyon Crust Pizza rises to the occasion.

PAGE 10

FEATURES

Northern California hip-hop duo Blackalicious drops dope beats at the Barn.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT L e e n a B u t t /HIGHLANDER C h a n c e l l o r C o n o l e y h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a c a m p u s s a f e t y t a s k f o rc e w h i c h w i l l b e l e d b y I n t e r i m Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r f o r F i n a n c e a n d B u s i n e s s O p e r a t i o n s C h u c k R o w l e y.

Chancellor Conoley to create a task force that will prioritize campus safety measures.

Some of the possible solutions mentioned in the petition included more escort services, adequate lighting for the campus, and increases in police patrols, emergency boxes and surveillance cameras.

“I am not too sure how much of an influence [the petition] played in getting the task force created because I received the same email everyone

else did when Chancellor Conoley announced the creation of the task force,” Jo told the Highlander. “However, since the petition was mentioned in the email, I am assuming it did play a role.”

Jo went on to discuss what he hopes this task force will accomplish.

TASK FORCE CONT’D ON PAGE 5

PAGE 18

Men’s Basketball gets blown out by 40 points against conference rival Long Beach State

PAGE 23

SPORTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

PAGE 2

STAFF

PAGE 7

PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING

2

NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

NEWS IN BRIEF COMPILED BY MIKE RIOS,

HIGHLANDER

senior staff writer

UC RESEARCHER FINDS LINK BETWEEN NEUTERING AND CANCER

UCR RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY PATHOLOGICAL TRIGGER OF IRELAND’S POTATO FAMINE

L i n C h a i /H ighl a n d e r

& LAUREN GREEN, contributing writer

C o u rt e s y

o f d o g wa ll pa p e r s . n e t

Associate Professor Wenbo Ma manipulates plant genes to make them more resistant to diseases.

A study of 759 golden retrievers reveals the effects of neutering male and female dogs.

The Phytophthora devastated potato crops in Ireland almost 150 years ago. Since then, scientists have long wondered why these pathogens were so destructive. Recently, UCR researchers managed to answer that very question.

UCR Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Microbiology Wenbo Ma and her research team have identified how the pathogen can subvert the immune system of the potato crop.

Ma explained that Phytophthora can break the immunity of its host plants.

“Its effectors are the first example of proteins produced by eukaryotic pathogens — multi-cellular organisms — that promote infection by suppressing the host RNA silencing

UC Davis researchers recently discovered a link between the age in which a dog is neutered and its risk for developing cancers and other illnesses.

According to a study of 759 golden retrievers, male dogs that were neutered early in their first year were more likely to develop certain abnormalities. The study found that male dogs were twice as likely to develop a disease known as hip dysplasia that causes arthritis. They are also three times as likely to develop cruciate ligament tear and almost twice as likely to develop a cell tumor.

Research also showed that the effects of early neutering are not as

process,” said Ma. Viruses and bacteria often use the RNA silencing process to cause a series of deadly illnesses.

Her research explores how to manipulate the genes in plants and halt the pathogen’s destructive qualities.

Her goal is to make plants more resistant to certain strains of diseases.

“This knowledge is always based on understanding what’s happening at a molecular level,” she said.

The pathogen has caused worldwide losses of $8 billion per year in agricultural production. In 2011, UCR was awarded a $9 million USDA grant for the study of Phytophthorainfestans, another pathogen which targets potatoes and tomatoes.

■H

Photo of the Week

Blackalicious, who performed at the Barn last Wednesday, keeps the crowd pumped. With deep bass and even deeper lyrics, Blackalicous showed Riverside a taste of an older, more refined hip-hop.

Quotebook “When this happened, everyone was unhappy...all the people across campus were unhappy.”

- SANDEEP DHALL,

UCR SHAC REPRESENTATIVE

Upcoming Events

Vincent Ta STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

19

strong with female dogs. The development of lymphosarcoma appeared to be the only noticeable difference when a female dog is neutered early on in her life.

“It is important to remember, however, that because different dog breeds have different vulnerabilities to various diseases, the effects of early and late neutering also may vary from breed to breed,” explained UC Davis researcher Benjamin Hart.

Hart is a professor in the department of anatomy, physiology and Cell Biology at UC Davis, which is known for its extensive research on animal science. The university even offers a degree in animal science H studies and veterinary medicine. ■

February

Tuesday

Topology: “The word problem Pre-Oscar Academy Awards Night for quandles” UCR Extension Center Room E Surge 268 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

11:10 a.m. - noon

20

Black History Month Nooners Bell Tower 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs.

UC Santa Barbara SRC Arena 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

21

ASPB’s Winter SOULstice HUB Plaza 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

UCR Undie Run Flag Pole 10:00 p.m.

22

CEPCEB Seminars BPSC 252 Genomics Auditorium RM 1102A 12:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Undergraduate Admissions Committee University Office Building 220 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

23

Saturday

UC Global Health Day Second Annual Dance Marathon Student Rec Center HUB 302 6:00 p.m. - midnight 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

24

UCR Softball vs. Weber State Amy Harrison Field 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

UCR Softball vs. San Diego Amy Harrison Field 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

25

Weekday Carillon Recitals Bell Tower noon - 1:00 p.m.

Preparing for the Teacher Job Fair HUB 355 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Sunday

Monday

ON LEARNING OF THE UC SHIP DEFICIT

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

NEWS

HIGHLANDER

Grant establishes new Tohoku Center at UCR Extension Colin Markovich SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In an endeavor to develop international education techniques for both itself and UCR, Tohoku University of Japan is using a $10 million grant to institute the Tohoku Center at UCR Extension. President of Tohoku University Susumu Satomi was present at the grand opening of the program on Feb. 11.

The grant money would be used to develop what officials call a “global human resources center.” The idea is to provide students with an international and practical education, while strengthening ties between the Riverside campus and Tohoku University. “They would work with us to give students not only English skills, but job preparation skills,” explained Associate Dean for International Education Programs Bronwyn Jenkins-Deas.

“Now at this point, Tohoku is sending students to the extension center—but that’s it, right? So there, the hope is: let’s bring it to the main campus and start exchanging, students, faculties, more,” Japanese professor Reiko Sato said in an interview with the Highlander.

To this end, the grant will fund a group of 30 Tohoku University faculty to travel to UCR. The Japanese faculty will attend seminars and workshops aimed at improving services for international students.

Nearly 160 Tohoku University students will be able to visit UCR per year and engage in hands-on learning experiences in the Riverside community. The first class of international students from Japan will fill 44 spots. The center offers three programs currently in place for engineering, environmental sciences and business majors.

But these aren’t the only planned offerings. “We’ll change

the program every year... It might be the same topics, or totally different topics,” said Jenkins-Deas. She specifically singled out educational work that can be done with local primary and secondary schools.

Entwining the studies of education and medicine, she said these ideas may also be implemented by the program in near future.

To manage the expansion of collaborative activities, the grant money also establishes the position of student exchange coordinator or liaison, which will be filled

by Professor Reiko Sato. Prior to this, there was no single person in charge of managing the relationship between the two universities, sometimes making communication and coordination tdifficult.

The grant was also part of an effort by the Japanese government to incentivize Japanese universities to develop new and innovative means of integrating international education into their curriculum.

Tohoku University was one of only 10 universities that emerged from a competitive application process to receive the grant. The money is spread out over five years and universities must reapply at the end of that time period to continue to receive funds.

A major factor in support of Tohoku University’s application was its close partnership with UCR, as well as the close relationship between each university’s host city; Tohoku University is located in Sendai, one of Riverside’s closest sister cities. The collaboration is between not just the two universities, but between the two cities.

“We have a four-way contract.

Not only the exchange between the university, but it includes the city in the exchange. [...] This is kind of a unique thing,” said Professor Sato.

D a m i n g Y e /HIGHLANDER The Tohoku University Center will be welcoming nearly 160 Tohoku University students per year in an effort to develop international education and expand collaboration on future projects.

Tohoku University and UCR have already worked with one another in a variety of capacities. The Southern California Research Initiative on Solar Energy (SC-RISE) is a joint collaboration between the two to develop new solar technology. When a major earthquake struck Sendai in early 2011, Riverside contributed over $500,000 to a relief fund.

Another one of these linkages already in place is the exchange program that annually allows 20 UCR students to travel to Tohoku University expense-free, and may expand to accommodate more students in the future. The funding for the trip is split evenly between To-

hoku University and the UCR Extension Center. Revenues that are generated as a result of the Tohoku Center will be reinvested to allow more students to continue the exchange.

The Tohoku Center may also have positive economic benefits for UCR and the surrounding community. The International Program at UCR’s Extension Center is calculated to bring $6.1 million into the local economy. In addition to reinvestment in the Tohoku exchange program, “we’ve hired UCR students as student-workers to work with those students to better their experience here,” Jenkins-Deas remarked.

UC SHIP FROM PAGE 1

care,” UC Media Relations Steve Montiel said about the origins and solvency of the deficit build-up. “It’s trying to balance...affordability with inclusiveness, you know, to include students who need health care.”

UC SHIP started back in 20102011, yet each campus joined at different intervals. Campuses such as UCLA and UCR initially opted out of the health care program because they were successful working with independent providers. In 20112012, these campuses decided to switch into UC SHIP, due to positive financial assessments initially made

by Aon Hewitt.

“Right now, there are a lot of moving parts so there are no definitive decisions being made as a campus,” said UCR Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Danny Kim. He has been in charge of overseeing operations for the UCR Student Health Center for over a decade. “We are considering all the options that the Office of the President has presented which will also include the possibility of opting out of UC SHIP.” Kim expressed that SHAC is already seeking out local brokers and is awaiting data on other health care providers come March 22.

UCOP has given the UC SHIP advisory committee a deadline of April 1 to come up

W e s l e y N g /HIGHLANDER The UCR Student Health Advisory Committee serves as the liaison between the student body and student health center.

with recommendations for each campus. Ultimately, the Council of Chancellors from the UC system will decide by June 1 whether to implement an alternative student health insurance plan or stay with UC SHIP. If the chancellors choose to opt out of the system-wide health care program, then each campus may seek its own independent providers. Dhall expressed concerns that UCOP may seek to close the deficit gap by turning to alternative funding sources within the system if campuses chose to leave UC SHIP. UC administrators have discussed the option of implementing differential health care rates for undergraduate and graduates.

According to Montiel, UCOP is waiting for recommendations made by the committees before proceeding any further with plans for deficit reduction. They are looking into the possibility of reducing health benefits, increasing student premiums or a combination of both.

“Other campuses will have the option... of contracting for health insurance coverage that will be comparable to the UC SHIP. The question then is: will those premiums be higher than what was determined for the self-funded insurance plan?” said Montiel.

As of right now, UC SHIP provides greater benefits at lower rates compared to other

health service providers. Existing lifetime health benefits caps provide students coverage between $400,000 to $750,000, according to each respective campus. Under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), a series of health care reforms such as the elimination of lifetime benefits will be enacted effective 2014.

“Since the federal regulations are asking us to meet the minimum essential coverage, one of the thing is you can’t have a lifetime limit,” said Dhall. Since UC SHIP falls under the ACA, this will lead to the elimination of caps by next year.

The topic of health care caps was met with much attention

Potentially, the success of this venture may allow UCR and Tohoku University to further expand the number of projects they collaborate on. “Now, we have an exchange program focused on the students who are learning Japanese and sending them to Tohoku two times a year. But maybe in the future we can open up to all the students on campus who are interested in going to Japan,” Prof. Sato said, recounting stories of students whose lives were changed by travelling overseas.

Languages major Ki Chan agreed with the value of studying abroad, saying “it’s very imporH tant... you expand your horizons.”■ during the January regents meeting.

During the public forum, audience members spoke of emergenic cases where students would surpass these caps, leaving them with a lack of necessary coverage.

“UCOP will abide by what is ultimately recommended and approved by the chancellors and the campuses. If certain campuses choose to provide an alternative form of health care coverage...you know that’s up to each campus,” stated Montiel.

According to Kim, switching to an independent health provider may offer individual campuses more direct influence over the coverage they offer students. This is opposed to the “layers” of regulations that can affect the lines of communication between a campus and UCOP. Also, the UCR SHAC would assume the responsibility of maintaining communication with a local broker in order to implement desired health care policies.

Both the UC SHIP advisory committee and UCOP affiliates are collecting data from local brokers to determine the viability of dropping UC SHIP. “What we can agree on is to look into our plans and change around the benefits to stop the bleeding at the moment, but not to pay the deficit,” stated Dhall. “We will not be paying for someone else’s mistake.”

■H

NEWS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

5

ASUCR SENATE UPDATE

Senators explore campus climate and new polling sites for spring elections HIGHLIGHTS: ASPB kicked off UCR’s Homecoming Week, Feb. 26 to March 1, by posting a promotional YouTube video of UCR students doing the Harlem Shake around the HUB. A celebration honoring Scotty’s birthday will take place at noon around the Bell Tower on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

With the theme of smooth soul music, ASPB’s Winter SOULstice will take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 21. Located at the HUB Plaza, there will be performances by Bobby V., Jhené Aiko and BJ the Chicago Kid.

D a m i n g Y e /HIGHLANDER UCSA representative Tommy Le speaks to ASUCR senators about how UCSA interacts with all the UC campuses.

S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Senators delivered reports on the upcoming ASUCR spring elections and systemwide campus climate survey on Feb. 13 in the Senate Chambers.

Other notable topics included loosening restrictions to allow student organizations to schedule finance and budget hearings.

The Student Recreation Center is one of many locations that ASUCR has often used as a polling site for their spring elections. Due to ongoing construction at the SRC, senators may decide to bring polling sites to the residential halls. “We are discussing placing polling booths at the dining halls, such as A&I or Lothian for students to access,” stated Elections Director Harmony Chai, in an attempt to attract larger crowds of undergraduates.

The upcoming senatorial debates will take place from from April 15 to 19. Candidacy applications are due March 8 at 5 p.m. in the ASUCR office. Any undergraduate applicant who is interested in running for the 2013-2014 academic year may apply. The deadline to turn in a student referendum is Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. in ASUCR office or through email.

TASK FORCE FROM PAGE 1

“During my years here as a student, I’ve always received the UCPD emails and I don’t expect there to be absolutely no crime but the last couple months have really tested this campus and how we react to incidents like these,” said Jo. “The fact that campus administration is coming together to address these issues in the form of a task force is a huge step forward to innovating safety on and near campus.”

ASUCR Controller Crystal Kim has announced that the budget and finance hearings will extend for two extra hours per week. The extension provides student organizations with more appointment slots in order to apply for more grants provided by ASUCR. At the same time, the meeting time between a student club in a budget hearing will be reduced from 15 to 10 minutes. “This way, we’ll be able to get 10 more student organizations in per week,” stated Senator Kim. Early during the public forum period, a representative from the student organization MedLife had stated a complaint about the lack of available finance time slots. Senator Kim immediately addressed his concerns through her report.

On Feb. 4, UCOP released a campus climate survey to collect information about UCR student, faculty and staff experiences and how they are impacted by campus culture. “It’s like an opportunity to have your voice heard in ways that are not normally addressed,” stated ASUCR President Liam Dow. “It will be very beneficial to the administration at a campus level to understand more in-depth [and] get a really hands-on feeling about what’s going on.” ■ H Conoley wrote in her email, “Already UC Riverside is proactively focused on prevention of crime and keeping our campus and surrounding area safe.” She also informed students that they are welcome to propose more ideas to the task force.

Conoley ended her message by assuring students that she will remain actively involved in promoting a safe campus climate. No word yet on when the proposed changes to campus safety will take effect.

■H

Executive Vice President Armando Saldana reported that Senator Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, proposed SB 240 on Feb. 12. If passed by the state legislature, the bill would require all UC and Cal State campuses to have at least one official polling site on campus for the presidential elections.

Vice President of External Affairs Lazaro Cardenas reported on the Student Lobby Conference, where 52 UCR students will lobby in Sacramento from March 1-4. This is the largest number of students UCR has ever sent to the conference.

Senators Crystal Kim and Ashley Yee are collaborating to create an ASUCR undergraduate travel grant which will support studentled research.

Academic Affairs Director Shadi Matar is hosting the Tartan Research Showcase, formerly known as the Professor Symposium, from 4:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 28. Located in Life Science 1500, the event will highlight faculty research in the areas of physics, engineering, solar energy and political science.

The chancellor search advisory committee is hosting its first town hall meeting on Feb. 22. The meeting will help committee members gather public input about the selection of UCR’s next chancellor.

UCR’s second annual Dance Marathon will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight on Feb. 23. The event will be located in the Student Recreation Center and all donations will support the Guardian Scholars Program. The program provides a network of resources and support for foster kids who are pursuing higher education. Donations can be made on the Dance Marathon Facebook page.

The Outreach Committee is assisting Engineering Without Borders in promoting an educational spring camp for elementary kids.

The organization aims to support community programs worldwide and is geared towards the development of sustainable engineering projects.

UCSA representative Tommy Le held a special 20-minute presentation at the senate meeting. In his presentation, Le highlighted the organization’s history, its mission statement and work they are currently doing to serve students.

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. OPINIONS .

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

7

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST COMPETE TO PROVIDE FASTER SERVICE

HIGHLANDER STAFF Editor-in-Chief

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Chris LoCascio

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W

Slow Internet speeds will cripple the United States’ economy and capacity for innovation.

e are becoming more reliant on the Internet than ever before. The frustration and annwoyance that students experienced from iLearn going offline for a mere seven hours is testament enough to that. But it’s not just college students who are trading in the scritch of a pen on paper for the clicking of a keyboard—it’s everyone. Businesses can now conduct entire transactions without ever physically meeting the other person. Researchers are no longer forced to travel to a foreign country to view the Gutenberg printing press—all they have to do is find a computer near an Internet connection and they can access images of the contraption in their office.

This transition from the traditional method of doing things to this new online reality is a major breakthrough in how we interact with one another and how business in the 21st century is conducted. Our exchanges and conversations are more frequent than ever before, easier than ever before and faster than ever before.

But though our Internet speeds have been getting faster for years, further increases have come to a standstill in the United States. Right now, the United States lags behind countries like South Korea and Japan in terms of cost as well as average speed. But we also are slower than nations we should be soaring ahead of, including Bulgaria, Estonia and Moldova.

How did we fall so behind the rest of the world? We introduced the world to the Internet; why are we now at the bottom of the pack when it comes to both speed and cost?

The answer is the lack of competition.

Internet service providers have taken steps to protect themselves from outside competitors horning in on their business. Each company expresses tacit consent to allow one corporation to rule one market in exchange for unparallelled control over another. The result is that Time Warner and Comcast, the two largest cable providers in the nation, are each making profit margins of 97% with their current business model.

If these companies are content with providing their current services (and why wouldn’t they be with profit margins like that?) there is no incentive to provide faster connection speeds at lower prices. And short of a government mandate, nothing except that financial incentive will spur the changes that need to be made to upgrade our Internet speeds beyond third-world status.

This isn’t purely a selfish request. Sure, it would be nice to be able to access YouTube

videos faster than we do now, or to play Xbox Live without fear of the Internet connection cutting out in the middle of a tense, climactic moment. But there’s a lot more at stake than that.

With the Internet being increasingly prevalent, more and more companies are doing business online. Let’s imagine a South Korean business decides to hold a video conference with a company from the United States. How effective will that meeting be if the visuals are fuzzy, the audio is delayed and garbled, and a break in connection threatens to cut off the entire meeting? Communications delays like these result in production delays, leading to declining innovation and increased costs. The result is American companies producing fewer newer goods at higher prices than their overseas counterparts.

The movie and television industries, too, will be left out in the cold. Increasingly, people watch streams of their favorite television show or movie through sources like Netflix or Hulu. If the United States only has Internet speeds that move at the rate of turtles glued to molasses, however, these companies will not be able to prosper. An industry showing great promise will simply collapse in on itself instead of living up to its potential, especially as higher quality videos begin to be demanded. Not only is that a big blow to countless consumers and businesses, that’s potential tax revenue that the government can’t use.

This is especially pertinent for the entire industry of web development and design. As the amount of data on the Internet steadily increases, more processing power will be required to access that data. Websites will only continue to increase in complexity, and viewers stuck with the screen of eternal loading may decide the wait isn’t worth it.

Having a slow Internet in the United States means that other countries will be able to store more information and access it faster than our comparatively third-world Internet speeds would allow us to do. In the race to innovate in new ways, the United States would be left behind.

The federal government’s national security apparatus, too, would benefit from faster, more reliable connections. Cyber attacks are becoming more and more common as the rest of the world catches up to us and even surpasses us technologically. Allowing just one attack to breach our defenses could result in compromising huge amounts of private information or revealing vital military strategies. These government security forces

C o u rt e s y

of

O cc u p y c o r p o r at i s m . c o m

need to have the tools at their disposal to effectively reject incoming attacks, and with slow connection speeds, it will only make it more difficult.

Given all the positives of faster Internet speeds, the federal government needs to do its part to facilitate competition in the wireless market. First, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should flex its muscle and actually prohibit monopolistic practices.

Internet service providers need to be accountable, and the FCC must do its job and ensure that there is competition in the marketplace.

Furthermore, building a huge wireless network is time-consuming and costintensive. The federal government can help lower these prohibitively high cost barriers to allow other companies access to the market and give competition to the otherwise unchallenged titans. The high price of investing in a national network is one reason smaller companies have found it impossible to challenge the likes of AT&T and Verizon.

We should also take advantage of our huge network of satellites. Accessing the Internet by tying oneself to a cable is inconvenient and reinforces the grip cable companies have on citizens. Further developing the same technology that made 3G and 4G possible and allowing everyone access will go a long way toward breaking the monopoly on Internet speeds.

If you have only one company monopolizing Internet access in your region, then you don’t have the chance to choose the most economical option. In fact, you don’t have any option. This is the very antithesis of what the Internet should be. A huge number of people, organizations and companies rely on Internet providers and their service must be designed with consumers’ best interests in mind, not the monopolies’ bottom line.

The Internet must be made more swift and less costly; otherwise, we risk turning a veritable wealth of potential into a wasteland.

It’s time for the federal government to do its job and ensure that the telecommunications corporations stop resting on their laurels, compete with one another and improve the speed of the Internet. The future well-being H of the country may very well depend on it. ■ 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

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

I am an Eagle Scout and I know the ban on gay members is wrong J o s h ua W a g o n b l a s t STAFF WRITER

When a boy turns seven years old, he can officially join the Cub Scouts, an organization designed to prepare kids for the Boy Scouts. I was a part of the Cub Scouts until I turned 10 and crossed over into the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) where I would eventually enjoy the great outdoors and mature into a man with my compatriots.

The BSA’s National Council announced on Feb. 4 a vote to allow individual troops to make the decision on whether or not to allow gay members and adult leaders. This decision was deferred and will now be made sometime in May, but has already garnered much attention.

Both advocates for gay rights and the opposing side have expressed their opinions on the matter. I support repealing the ban on having gay members and leaders in the Scouts.

I would hate to discredit the organization that has provided me with the training to perform CPR, fire a gun properly, build a fire from basically nothing and countless other important skills and experiences. However, if the BSA’s vote allows the ban to stay in place then the good they do for people will be overshadowed by their discriminatory rule.

Banning gay members is

clearly a discriminatory policy.

To forbid a gay man from volunteering or joining the Boy Scouts would be similar to prohibiting a black man from joining. There should not be a rule in place that infringes on the Constitution’s, and in turn, America’s, “all men are created equal” policy.

...if the BSA... allows the ban to stay in place then the good they do for people will be overshadowed by their discriminatory rule.

The highest rank that can be achieved as a Boy Scout is Eagle Scout, and Eagle Scouts just like me have expressed their frustration on the gay ban and would prefer it repealed.

One such scout named Derek Nance has been camp director of Mataguay Scout Camp two years running and recently came out about his sexuality via a Youtube video. Nance is BOY SCOUTS CONT’D ON PAGE 9

C o u rt e s y

The Boy Scouts’ ban on gay members undermines their own Scout Oath.

o f b s at r o o p 356. c o m

Iran’s refusal to negotiate with the U.S. increases existing tensions Alexandria Camarella CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In a speech on Feb. 7, the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei refused once again to negotiate with the United States about its nuclear production program.

“I’m not a diplomat; I’m a revolutionary, and speak frankly and directly,” the ayatollah remarked in a speech. “If anyone wants the return of U.S. dominance here, people will grab his throat.”

Given the rocky history between the two countries, the ayatollah’s perspective is completely valid up to a point. During the Iranian coup d’etat of 1953, the United States played a major role in overthrowing the democratically-elected Iranian leader to replace him with a pro-American dictator. In the Iranian Revolution of 1979 Iranian revolutionaries took the matter into their own hands, overthrew the shah and put one of their own in power. The conflict culminated in a hostage situation later that year when 53 American diplomats were taken captive for 444 days. This constant tension has inevitably fueled the poor relations between the two countries to an alarming high. With all this in mind, Iran’s refusal to negotiate di-

rectly with the United States regarding the production of nuclear energy is completely valid.

Once nuclear production began to enter the picture, things between the countries intensified. After international inspectors found evidence of nuclear production

in Iran in November 2011, the United States launched several cyber attacks on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities in 2012. It was not long after that Iran returned the cyber attacks on U.S. banks like Citibank and Wells Fargo.

This type of back-and-forth fighting has only further in-

creased conflict between the two nations.

Although Iran feels it is necessary to defend itself against the United States, the fact of the matter is that this outright hatred of the American government is only increasing tension between the countries. The Iranian gov-

ernment will not be satisfied until the United States stops interfering in both its domestic and foreign law. The United States will have to withdraw from Iran with the agreement that Iran report more rigorously on its nuclear energy program. This is an implausible conclusion because the United States and Iran will never be able to compromise—thus, leaving the relationship between both countries constantly strained.

...there is no telling what this unpredictable government will decide to do with these types of [nuclear] weapons.

The New York Times reports the ayatollah stated that “The U.S. is pointing a gun at Iran and wants us to talk to them. The Iranian nation will not be intimidated by these actions.”

At this point, why should C o u rt e s y

o f w i k i m e di a . o rg

Negotiations between Iran and the United States are the only way to avert nuclear war.

IRAN CONT’D ON PAGE 9

OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER BOY SCOUTS FROM PAGE 8

proud of his Eagle Scout rank and says that he will hold onto it, contrary to most gay scouts’ decisions to send their awards back to the National Council in protest. He wants to “once again wear [the] badge with honor.”

Another notable scout is Zach Wahls, co-founder of “Scouts for All,” a nonprofit organization that is known for its “committed to scouting, open to diversity” tagline. In a debate with President of the Southern Baptist Convention Richard Land, Wahls, the son of lesbian mothers, makes the perfect point when saying that the ban is “discrimination.”

Land shockingly rebuts by saying the Boy Scouts’ core values “[don’t] include homosexuality as a morally straight lifestyle.” This argument that being gay is not “morally straight” has been the cornerstone of the opposition’s stance.

If one is not familiar with the Scout Oath, it specifically states that one will “keep [themselves] physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.” But how does being morally straight relate to being sexually straight?

Believing that not being sexually straight is also not morally correct is a false view. The assumption here is that homosexuals are people with malevolent values. Why would people associate immorality with the gay community? Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, gives an offensive answer

to this question. Perkins simply asks, “Why would I let a man who is attracted to other men go camping with my boys?”

Perkins assumes here that having gay leaders or members will lead to molestation and rape. I am surprised that the homosexual community is not more outraged.

Perkins is in the wrong here. Being gay does not make someone a pedophile. Being attracted to other men does not directly mean being fond of little boys.

Assuming that either [gay men or women] are automatically child molesters is horribly insulting.

And what about gay women?

Wahls mentions that his homosexual mother was a den mother for some time. No one is attributing gay women with pedophilia, only the homosexual men. Assuming that either are automatically child molesters is horribly insulting. There is a problem with the male and female leaders in general, not with gay men specifically. Gay members have always been banned and still there have been accounts of rape.

The reason that the ban has stayed in place for so long is be-

cause about 70 percent of all Scout units are sponsored by religious denominations. These endorsements can continue to be gratefully received, but the Boy Scouts should assert its independence and transition back to Founder Lord BadenPowell’s belief that “we hold no brief for one form of belief over another.”

Powell was correct in saying this because the Boy Scouts is a proud and honorable organization that abides by a morally straight policy.

Being morally straight means to be tolerant and to treat all men and boys with respect without holding “one form of belief over another.” I am not alone either because according to a Quinnipiac University Poll, 55 percent would vote to repeal the ban, compared to the 33 percent opposed.

The Boy Scouts of America is a morally straight organization and this means that they should be accepting of the gay community. Although the Boy Scout Oath says to keep oneself morally straight, it also requires members “to obey the scout law,” which reminds a scout to always be “helpful, friendly, courteous [and] kind.” The organization that once and continues to provide me with worthwhile and beneficial adventures and bonds needs to do the same to gay boys who are eager to have the same experiences. I am an Eagle Scout and proud member of the Boy Scouts of America and I choose to be helpful, friendly, courteous and kind to men of all races, H creeds and sexual orientations. ■

life is unbearable

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013 IRAN FROM PAGE 8

the American government even care what Iran is doing in the Middle East regarding nuclear energy?

The reason why Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities cause such a problem is that there is no telling what this unpredictable government will decide to do with these types of weapons. Because he views the United States as an enemy, it would not be a big surprise if the ayatollah only begins negotiations with the American government once Iran possesses leverage in the form of its own nuclear weapons. Even though the U.S. and United Nations are just trying to protect the world from a destructive nuclear war, Iran sees this as the Western countries attempting to build a hegemonic state.

If both countries negotiate now, it could save them from a potential misunderstanding and further conflict with fatal consequences.

Because Israel, a key ally of the United States, lies in the same region as Iran, the government

9

fears that Iran will attack once its arsenal is built. The Israeli government has asked that the United States support its attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities if Israel feels sufficiently threatened.

How far should the United States go in supporting Israel?

Because Israel is geographically very close to Iran, the United States does not wish to see one of the only allies in the Middle East—Israel—eradicated in a nuclear explosion. Once Israel deems that “enough is enough,” the American government is going to have to decide whether to support its strongest ally in the Middle East, or to let the two countries face off and deal with the consequences.

The Iranian development of nuclear production is a considerable problem that should be handled carefully by the Obama Administration. Even though the United States will soon engage in talks with Iran, the ayatollah remains opposed to bilateral negotiations. With a turbulent history, it is no wonder that these negotiations with the “evil” Americans are not really wanted.

However, if we want to see change, the American government and Khamenei are going to have to set aside their differences and focus on the issue at hand. If both countries come to an agreement now, it could save them from a potential misunderstanding and further conflict with fatal consequences.

■H

By Grace Kang

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

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

. FEATURES .

HIGHLANDER

resTaurant review:

Clockwise from top left: A sign advertises specialties outside the entrance to Canyon Crust; fresh tomato, basil and garlic pizza; restaurant interior with their CocaCola Freestyle machine on the left.

Canyon Crust Pizza

By Jessica Martinez, Contributing Writer Photos By Lin Chai RATING: ★★★☆☆

B

efore stepping into Canyon Crust, a new restaurant in the Canyon Crest Town Center, I was greeted by a small outdoor seating area. Inside, the dining area glows orange with dimly lit overhanging lights.

Alternative music can be heard above the soft chatter of the customers.

After quickly skimming the menu, I noticed that pizza by the slice wasn’t an option. I asked the cashier who explained that all their pizzas were 10 inches, the size of a personal sized pizza. The pizzas range in price from $12-13. Flat bread paninis were another option and also less pricier at $8. Starters like French fries, wings, salads and a kids menu consisting of grilled cheese and mini corn dogs are also available. The menu seemed to have something for everyone, including those with gluten allergies. Whole wheat or gluten free dough was an option for an extra $1.49.

Canyon Crust definitely isn’t your ordinary Pizza Hut. The choices included white pizza, carne asada , BBQ chicken, thai chicken, shrimp scampi, california club, and lemon pesto just to name a few.

I chose to go with the chicken florentine and the fresh tomato, basil and garlic pizza.

The chicken florentine consists of alfredo sauce, grilled chicken, spinach,

red onions, walnuts, mozzarella and fontina cheese. The fresh tomato, basil and garlic pizza consists of fresh sliced roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh garlic and basil topping. The cashier said this was the closest alternative to the traditional Margherita pizza.

I continued to scope out the restaurant and noticed a fancy soda fountain station.

It was a fun Coca-Cola machine that had 106 flavor options to choose from. While I waited for my pizza at a table, I relaxed in the dim lighting and with music playing.

During my whole visit I heard great artists like The Killers, Feist, Grizzly Bear, Arctic Monkeys, Band of Horses and The XX. When my pizza finally arrived, it was brought out in cardboard boxes (plates are available upon request). I tried a slice of the chicken florentine first. The slices are smaller than regular sized slices, considering that customers are basically getting an individually sized pizza.

Unfortunately, I did not taste the alfredo sauce. The fontina cheese had the strongest punch and it left a really dry aftertaste. In my next few bites, I encountered the walnuts. I had never tried walnuts on pizza and this combo was not appealing to me at all. The dry, crunchy taste of the walnuts did not mix well with the pungent taste of the cheese. The dough

was nothing special, except for the fact that it was toastier than most which gave the pizza a crisper taste. I was not satisfied with the chicken florentine, mainly because of the walnuts and lack of flavor richness expected from alfredo sauce.

I decided to move on and try the fresh tomato, basil and garlic pizza. Upon the first bite, the roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil combined together to make a fresh, tangy taste. Right away, I was reminded of a margherita pizza, just as the cashier had suggested. The taste was generally creamy because of the mozzarella cheese, but this element wasn’t too strong. I was satisfied. Although the margherita pizza traditionally has a thinner crust and less cheese, the resemblance was close. My taste buds were buzzing as I devoured each bite to the last.

Canyon Crust specializes in specialty pizza and has a relaxed and welcoming environment. The prices are a little steep, especially for students looking to get the most for their money. Don’t walk in expecting to see a Pizza Hut menu and serving size. Although their specialty pizzas vary, customers can also build your own which may be the best option if you are looking for something simpler. There is something for everyone to try, which is great especially when eating out in a group setting.

■H

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

11

The

DIGITALMICROSOFT World SURFACE PRO REVIEW with Ryan Simon

When I first heard about Microsoft’s newest Surface tablets, I remember thinking “Good idea, but just a little too late.” The Surface RT, which Microsoft released last October, is a straight competitor with the iPad and the plethora of Android tablets on the market. The hardware on the RT is fantastic, but its major shortcoming is that it isn’t a true Windows machine; it runs a mobile-friendly version of Windows 8 called Windows RT. Windows RT cannot run the impressive list of software that can be found in the standard version of Windows 8. Due largely to the limited number of applications available to

The Hardware Considering the size of the Surface Pro, one might not think it’s much of a powerhouse. I can confidently say that the Surface Pro hides its power level quite well inside its rather attractive magnesium enclosure. The Pro weighs in at about two pounds, which is light for a laptop or ultrabook, but a bit heavy when compared to other tablet devices on the market. It also seems a bit thick at half an inch, but when compared to something like the Macbook Air, the Surface Pro actually ends up being both thinner and lighter. In fact, the best hardware to compare the Surface Pro to is the Macbook Air due to their similar specifications.

Like the Air, the Pro packs a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor at 1.7GHz, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and comes with either 64GB or 128GB of onboard SSD storage. The Pro also has a microSDXC slot that allows for up to 64GB of

download for the RT, it has seen little success in the marketplace.

Where the Surface RT fails, however, the Surface Pro excels. This is because the Surface Pro isn’t a simple tablet: it’s a full blown Windows 8 laptop hybrid. The Pro is the type of machine I’ve been waiting for. It can be used for movies, music, PC gaming and most importantly to me and many other students and professionals, it can be used to actually get work done efficiently. The Pro isn’t just an iPad competitor and it’s not simply a laptop competitor either; it’s a bit of both.

additional storage, a single USB 3.0 port, a MiniDisplay port to connect an external monitor, a headphone jack, a volume rocker, a handy kickstand, forward and rear facing 720p cameras, a microphone, stereo speakers and a Cover port. The Cover port is an important one since that’s where you can plug in one of Microsoft’s Touch or Type keyboard covers. I received a Type Cover with my Surface Pro, and I must say its mechanical keys and touchpad both work incredibly well.

Along with all the stuff one comes to expect in a laptop, the Surface Pro brings along some tablet features too. Microsoft included a 10.6-inch 1080p capacitive touch screen, with 10-point multi-touch and a built-in Wacom digitizer that works with the included tablet pen. The Pro also has a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer. Of course, the Pro includes WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity.

Phew, that’s a lot of great hardware features packed in one slim package.

The Operating System The Surface Pro, as the name implies, comes with a standard installation of Windows 8 Pro. Out of the box, Windows 8 Pro has very little unwanted bloatware and actually includes a bunch of useful applications. Nevertheless, to truly enjoy the power of the Surface Pro, one must venture into either the Microsoft Store or search the web and start downloading applications. This is where things get a little weird for those of you used to using previous versions of Windows. See, Windows 8 includes full-screen applications, similar to ones you might have seen running on an iPad or Android tablet. These applications make full use of the beautiful 1080p screen on the Pro, whereas applications downloaded from other sources are run inside the Desktop environment.

Why the Surface Pro is Fantastic The hardware is impressive, and sure the operating system is a full-blown Windows installation, but what makes the Surface Pro a worthwhile device? The Surface Pro is an unusual piece of technology in that it’s more like two devices in one.

On the one hand you have a rather spectacular laptop replacement. Its ability to run Microsoft Office, complete design applications like Photoshop, software development environments, and even PC games like Starcraft II, is remarkable for a device of this form factor. On the other hand you have a gorgeous touch-screen, capable of capturing pen-input for drawing and note-taking, plus up to ten-finger input for games and other touch-friendly apps. It’s a hybrid device unlike anything before it, and it really works.

To test out just how productive I could be on the Surface Pro, I used it as my main computer for a few days. I used it in my classes to take notes with the pen, which works incredibly well; I was amazed at how accurate the digitizer is at picking

up pressure from the pen and displaying my handwriting just how I would expect it to show up as if I were writing on actual paper. I used the Type Cover keyboard and touchpad to work on documents (this review included), and also did some light programming while I was at it. For fun, I installed a copy of “Call of Duty 4” I had laying around, and it played the game with ease.

At the end of my little experiment, I came away quite impressed. My initial doubts about the Surface Pro being just another glorified tablet device melted away. I can actually work on this thing and have fun with it for what I would consider a small compromise: battery life. One of the minor qualms I have with the Surface Pro is its inability to hold a charge for more than five hours or so. In reality, five hours is great for most laptops close to the Surface Pro’s size and weight, but if I could get another two or three hours of battery out of it I would be even happier with the Pro.

The Desktop is an exact replica of the Windows 7 interface, minus the Start Menu button, which has been replaced by the Start Menu screen in Windows 8. Due to the high-density screen found in the Surface Pro, Microsoft uses DPI scaling in order to blow up the Desktop environment to a more usable state. When I tried setting the DPI to its normal levels, everything on the Desktop became so small that it was difficult to work with.

It’s a small gripe that shouldn’t impede the Pro’s usability for most users, but I did find that certain programs not designed with DPI scaling in mind did exhibit some quirks. Otherwise, the Desktop allows for Surface Pro users to run nearly any application that was compatible with Windows 7.

This is one of the many reasons why the Surface Pro isn’t just a simple tablet.

Final Thoughts Buy it! No, seriously, if you’re a student or professional in the market for a super light, portable, and versatile computer, the Surface Pro is an excellent choice. Sure, there are some areas for the Pro to improve upon, but as of now, there’s no other device on the market that is able to accomplish what the Surface Pro does. I don’t know of any other super portable tablet or laptop out there that lets me scribble out notes, type up reports with ease, play games, surf the web or read and annotate books without some sort of major compromise. With its $899 starting price, the Pro may be pricy for people looking at it as a tablet, but as a laptop/tablet hybrid ■H the Surface Pro is quite the bargain.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE! A consistent thrashing of the trends, tropes and traditions of the silly little world we live in.

DO THE HARLEM SHAKE

by Alexander Suffolk, Senior Staff Writer

Originally, the Brooklyn Shimmy started

people and labeled as “trap” by those who actually think correcting YouTube comments makes you more intelligent.

I was going to make a joke here, but I think this dead horse has been beaten into glue.

What It Involves Manhattan Wiggle videos all pretty much follow the same formula. You start off a setting that has multiple people apparently just going about their daily lives. However, the song is playing, and in the center of the shot is a single person dancing while the rest of the people ignore him like that strange uncle you try not to talk to every family get together.

The dancer is usually pelvic thrusting and wearing some kind of quirky mask—because goofiness and sexual innuendoes are some of the Internet’s favorite things. Then the song hits the first command of “Do the Harlem Shake” and the video cuts to everyone dancHARLEM SHAKE CONT’D ON PAGE 13

MEETINGS ON MONDAYS 5:15PM @ HUB 101

Where It Came From

off as an actual dance move that involved pivoting and popping your shoulders. It was somewhat known by people who, for some reason, take the time out of their day to memorize the names and motions of dance moves as if they are Dragon Ball Z attacks. But like every fat cow in the distance of the pasture, it was only a matter of time before somebody milked it.

In this case, said milking was done by the artist Baauer, who released the song behind all these videos this past May. The song constantly reiterates the command “Do the Harlem Shake,” and is thus brilliantly named “Harlem Shake.” It is composed of heavy electronic beats that are repeated over and over again for three minutes. It has been labeled as “dubstep” by a lot of less intelligent

WRITE FOR THE HIGHLANDER NEWSPAPER

Last week, some of you might have noticed a sea of people undulating around the Bell Tower with no real rhyme or reason.

Some of you who occasionally use that newfangled Internet machine might have noticed the surge of videos depicting people flailing about for half a minute. Now you might be wondering what is going on, or where this fad came from, and I can’t blame you; like most things online, while it is endearing, it is also weird and slightly stupid. However, I spend way too much time on the Internet so I know everything, and fortunately for you, I am a generous man. So let me walk you through the Harlem Shake.

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER HARLEM SHAKE FROM PAGE 12

ing and going nuts. The thousands of these videos all rely on this one great bait and switch shocking you into hysterics. Unfortunately it stops being surprising after your second video. And finally, each video ends with the growl sound lasting about 30 seconds into the song, which obviously means that everything should go into slow motion at the last second.

Because even after 14 years, apparently nobody thinks this has gotten old.

because nothing should feel too proud of itself. There really are some diamonds among the rough of this sensation. Before these videos came around, I never had the pleasure of seeing a fat motorcyclist make love to a chair or a man endlessly punch a stuffed giraffe while never breaking eye contact with the camera.

However, the second characteristic would be that it takes little to no effort at all to make. All you really need to do is find a bunch of people and get them all in the same room with you and then waggle about. This shouldn’t be hard if you tell them they will become famous; people are completely fine with looking like jackasses if they think that millions of other people will see them do it.

That’s how Johnny Knoxville made his career, after all. Or if all else fails you can do it all by yourself if you have things that would look strange when put together. Here, give me 30 seconds, and I’ll come up with something good.

Why It’s Popular

WEDNESDAYS @ 9AM

KUCR RADIO 88.3

HIGHLANDER NEWSROOM

The Bronx Charleston is as popular as any other meme you can find floating around various websites, and just like every other meme, it has swollen to popularity thanks to two key characteristics. The first is that it is funny. I may sound condescending to it, but that’s just

Internet Gold. Go like me on Twitbook and follow my faces.

How It Will Progress Like all memes, eventually the New York Buggaloo will eventually die. It will die the same death as every other thing popular online: being brought into the real world. Memes are to the Internet as Mermaids are to the ocean.

They look pretty in their vast and deep worlds, but once you drag one onto the mainland, it will begin to dry up, die and just leave a big stink. I’m calling it now, once there are t-shirts in Hot Topic that say “Harlem Shake” and Hollywood starts making a million of them, it will soon stop being funny. It’s already creeping more and more onto our TV screens. Pepsi already has a commercial employing the dance, and more companies are bound to follow, probably all thinking that they are unbelievably original. And Jimmy Fallon has made his own version because he is Jimmy Fallon.

But mark my words, this meme will soon meet its demise, and my guess will be that it will be at the hands of Saturday Night Live. I can see it now: it will probably start off with the original dancer being somebody like Ashton Kutcher or some other talentless dude that isn’t really funny but is

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

13

somehow considered a comedian. He’ll start dancing and then when the switch happens, there will be all sorts of shenanigans. They’ll probably get some old person like Betty White or Tommy Lee Jones because nobody expects old people to dance. They will have Psy pop up because he’ll be damned before someone usurps his rule of kooky dancing. And they will definitely have some highly attractive but approachable woman like Sofia Vergara bouncing around. And with Sofia’s bouncing, the Harlem Shake will die.

■H

Huh, maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT @ highl a n d e rr a d a r

Ev

Tuesday | 2/19 Pre-Oscar Academy Awards Night Forum @ UCR Extension Center, ........................6:30 p.m.

en ts th w ee k

Inland Empire Poets Poetry Workshop @ Coffee Bean on Mission Inn Ave, 7 p.m.

is

Wednesday | 2/20

Thursday | 2/21 Poesia Peligrosa @ The Barn, 7 p.m.

Friday | 2/22 “Central Station” film screening @ Culver Center, 7:00 p.m.

BLACKALICIOUS

p e r f o r m s at t h e

Barn

J i n y o u n g K o /HIGHLANDER

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

BOOK REVIEWS AMPED // DANIEL H. WILSON RATING:

P

★★★★☆

icture a world where diseases like epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia are cured by a small, implantable node. The implant is barely noticeable, save for a molelike bump on your right temple, but its effects are staggering. Disease: cured. Intelligence: heightened.

Humanity: amplified. But how far can technology improve a human being before they become more machine than man? What happens when the rest of the population grows to fear their enhanced capabilities?

What happens when these amplified individuals—or “amps”—are persecuted, discriminated against and vehemently hated?

“Amped,” the latest science fiction novel by Daniel H. Wilson, offers an answer.

In the near future, Owen Gray is one of five hundred thousand amps, living and working in the United States. He lives a quiet life as a Pittsburgh schoolteacher until Samantha, one of his amplified students and an outcast among her untreated peers, commits suicide.

Before leaping to her death, she tells Gray, “There’s no place for me here,” and we quickly learn that she’s right; the nation is turning against the perceived threat of amps, whose technological advances threaten to “pull apart the fabric of our society.”

By the way, this is all within the first 15 pages. Wilson starts his novel on a tense note and rarely pushes on the brakes. We don’t even receive any solace when Gray goes to his father in order to seek comfort after Samantha’s death. His father explains that Gray’s amp—which the schoolteacher previously thought was used to treat epilepsy—is actually a dormant, military-grade weapon capable of turning him into a superhuman killing machine once it is activated. Surprise, son!

Wilson does a fantastic job of maintaining a sense of credibility throughout the novel’s surreal opening conflicts by quickly laying down the science behind the amps.

The opening pages of the novel are a faux user’s guide to the Neural Autofocus MK-4, the brain implant originally designed to help mankind.

From there, things seem plausible, even as Gray goes into hiding with a score of other amped individuals in the boonies of Oklahoma. He teams up with Lyle, an extremist,

BY: REBECCA PAREDES, SENIOR STAFF WRITER self-proclaimed freedom fighter and fellow military-grade amp, who wants to ignite a civil war between amplified humans and the rest of the world.

This book packs a lot of content into just 288 pages of text, but it manages to beautifully grapple with big-time themes of humanity and morality. Between every chapter break is a fictionalized

Do we react with fear or do we embrace the evolution with open arms? news article, blog post or court ruling that follows the development of the fear, violence and legalized discrimination against amps.

Wilson stays true to form in these bits of mixed media, even dipping into historical cases like Plessy v.

Ferguson and the “separate but equal” doctrine. The resulting effect brings us to consider one of the big, overarching conflicts in “Amped,” which focuses on the inevitable advancement of technology. Wilson makes it perfectly clear that the dystopia Gray lives in isn’t just a fictional Pittsburgh; it’s a road we are very much headed towards as technology continues to advance.

What happens when we reach the point where mankind is capable of being enhanced? Do we react with fear or do we embrace the evolution with open arms?

This dilemma is carefully explored through Gray, who struggles between using his abilities to protect the Oklahoma amps, or joining Lyle’s civil war movement and potentially taking over the world.

Under its guise of science fiction, Gray’s choice is part of the larger, classic battle between good and evil. In the meantime, we meet Jim, a retired veteran who acts as Gray’s mentor; Nick, an eager boy whose amp cured him of fetal alcohol syndrome; and Lucy, Gray’s love interest. Most of the characters Gray interacts with are memorable in their own right and add greater depth to an already deep story—except Lucy, who is just an attractive doormat and

lacks any character development.

The forced relationship between Gray and Lucy is one of the biggest reasons why this book is only rated 4 stars. Way to go, Lucy.

But even though Lucy’s character wasn’t strong, everything else was.

Wilson’s prose is phenomenal—the novel is scattered with lingering phrases like, “It’s a fragile picture of normalcy, wavering in the reflection of a soap bubble.” Bam. That’s quality imagery. And even though the plot takes countless twists and turns between conspiracy theories and legalized chaos, Gray’s coolly ornate narrative makes the story worthwhile.

Regarding amps, Jim says to Gray, “It’s still only a tool. In the end, a man makes his own decisions. You decide, not the machine.” In the end, “Amped” can be boiled down to the power of choice. Just as Gray must decide whether to use his abilities for the betterment of humanity or its destruction, Wilson also asks his readers to consider putting themselves in Gray’s situation.

Technological advancement is happening. An amped future may be on our horizon. Once it arrives, what do we do with that power?

Whatever the answer, read H “Amped.” It’s worth your time. ■

Courtesy of Doubleday

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

17

MOVIE REVIEWS COMING OUT THIS WEEK:

SNITCH DARK SKIES BLESS ME, ULTIMA INESCAPABLE RUBBERNECK

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES RATING:

★☆☆☆☆

“B

e a u t i f u l Creatures’” debut on the big screen served as just another link in the chain of the new age teen paranormal-romance bookto-film adaptations that crowd the bookshelves in Barnes and Noble and rake in the cash at the box office.

Characterized by teen angst and sexual frustration in small towns, “Beautiful Creatures” (originally written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl) does deliver on the impossible, improbable and impractical. It falls short, however, on a critical element in the chase for fandom in the teenage heart; I am, of course, referring to the “sext” qualities prevalent in the recent surge of vampire and paranormal feels. Director Richard LeGravanese and the casting directors supplied a mediocre finish with a subpar cast for a more-than-enough creative idea, which made for a disappointing Valentine’s Day release.

The film begins with a young, fit male athlete who (surprise, surprise) is struggling to cope with his normal, everyday life as an intelligent stud stuck in a small town.

Portrayed by Alden Ehrenreich, Ethan Wate serves as an interesting, yet absurd combination of liberalism and southern hospitality; he reads Charles Bukowski and J.D. Salinger while walking out the door to drown himself in a blasting of incoherent country music. It is these absurdities in contradiction to the general flow of the movie that leave the audience confused as to whether the writer wishes to immerse viewers in a flow of Southern clichés, or paint a more liberal picture of a young individual who can rise above the growing cloud of insecurity and bigotry of the town.

Ethan Wate, of course, is already paired with beautiful high school sweetheart Emily (Zoey Deutch), and is followed around closely by his best friend Link (Thomas Mann).

The story quickly escalates as Ethan eyes one Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert), who plays the “Carrie” role of a misunderstood girl who moves into a Southern town, shrouded in mystery and suspicion. Ethan and Lena quickly develop a relationship, which contradicts the guarded, impenetrable trivialities that surround Lena earlier in the film.

Before long, Ethan and Lena encounter “Horcrux” issues as they come across an object cursed by the dark side witch Sarafine (Emma Thompson). These points in the film leave much to be desired across the board for both avid moviegoers and the casual audience alike. The scenes are convoluted by elements of magic, which are compounded with strange scenes of natural phenomena. In one scene, Ethan is nearly eaten alive before it is revealed that the house has been cursed by Lena’s uncle Macon (Jeremy Irons) for security purposes.

The relationship between Macon, the town and Ethan is rather trite and thrown together sloppily, with threads that are never fully developed

BY: MATTHEW GUERRERO, CONTRIBUTING WRITER or realized during the story.

Lena is forced by her ancestry and existence as a “Caster” to go through a transformation to either “light” or “dark,” and she has a limited number of days with her muse before she is “claimed.” Despite the banal concept of light versus darkness, I found myself wanting to appreciate the sense of helplessness that would arise from such a situation. But the characters failed to truly convey the emotion of the situation, as the relationship between the two lovers continues to develop and each individual fails to grow as a person.

Not only do the characters lack the sex appeal that is prevalent in movies today, but they lack fantastic performance and relatability as well.

The adaptation does benefit from an interesting plot twist from the

end of the original novel, though it is followed immediately by a predictable result, and an even more predictable anti-climactic battle that leave the viewer with a lukewarm taste. Although there were interesting performances by one-time young actress extraordinaire Emmy Rossum, and by rising actor Thomas Mann, the cast as a whole did not deliver in a genre that requires sex appeal. It seems as though a cast of complementary characters was forced into lead roles.

With competition like the new, flashy Bruce Willis flick and compelling dramas hitting the theaters, concept alone does not carry “Beautiful Creatures” at the weekend box office, as it falls into an ambiguous and undecided blend of clichés and poor acting.

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Courtesy of JuVee Productions

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

BLACKALICIOUS Gets Boisterous at the Barn

By Sean Frede, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Jinyoung Ko & Vincent Ta Left to right: MP of Rebels to the Grain opens with songs from their older album, Harvest Season. Gift of Gab of Blackalicious raps.

Counterclockwise from above: Cheddy of Rebels to the Grain. Chief Xcel of Blackalicious DJing. Gift of Gab of Blackalicious continues performing while sitting on the stage after falling off of it.

Northern California-based hip-hop duo Blackalicious and L.A.-based Rebels to the Grain filled the barn with dope beats and intricate lyricism last Wednesday, Feb. 13. Although Rebels to the Grain did a great job opening, they put the crowd into a bit of a lull. But Blackalicious soon came on and pumped life into the crowd with every turn of the record and quick, multisyllabic rhymes.

Blackalicious frontman Gift of Gab had me asking, how the hell can someone speak so fast?

Rebels to the Grain (consisting of vocalists MP and Cheddy) opened with their unreleased single, “Fine Wine,” just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s a good song to play with your boo next to the fire, but it was too slow to open a show with, and didn’t get the crowd very interested. They quickly redeemed themselves as they got into the swing of the music, especially with their song “Whatever You Do,” a heavy rhythm with a fast, bluesy guitar background accompanied by Cheddy’s smooth flow. He sang, “It’s time to roll the windows down / roll it up and take a pound / rock the show we in and out / at the crib Guiness’d out / everybody getting down.”

All the work Rebels put into getting the crowd bumping was lost when they invited Riverside-based group Herbalistics onstage for a song. The MC’s heavy monotone voice sucked the life out of the crowd. After Herbalistics, Rebels had their work cut out for them, but they won the crowd back with “False Power” and “Harvest Season.” Cheddy bounced across the stage, while MP kept a smooth rhythm in his rhymes, along with a positive message: “This a gathering of unity for the black and the brown / white, red, yellow; making green, holding it down.” Their non-judgemental, unifying lyrics attracted the crowd, but sadly Herbalistics kept Rebel’s set from reaching its full potential.

But that isn’t the summation of the whole night.

Things quickly turned for the better as Gift of Gab came on stage accompanied by DJ Xcel spinning the beats.

Xcel and Gab formed Blackalicious back in ’92 in Davis, Calif. While Gab is a large man in his 40s, which keeps him from moving around the stage a lot, he doesn’t let it stop him from capturing the crowd’s attention with his tongue-twisting internal rhymes and animalistic lyricism.

Imagine a bear with the ability to growl out intricate lyrics at ease and you have Gift of Gab. Blackalicious immediately commanded attention as they stepped onstage, shouting for everyone to step up and put “[their] hands in the air!” They began with one of their most famous singles “Alphabet Aerobics,” which starts with a slow, old-school beat that Gab spits to, but it slowly gains speed until the audience is left astounded by his mastery of articulation. He then got the crowd completely involved, teaching them to sing the harmony to his hit, “Deception.” The crowd belted out “La de da da da de da,” as he sang, “His first single was an overnight success hit / and now he went from wearing rags to his best fits / all his new acquaintances, gassed his head, taking it / to the point where he lost perspective.”

It’s refreshing to hear from a hip-hop artist that isn’t fascinated with new cars, chains and hooking up. In the middle of “Blazing Arrow,” Gab called for DJ Xcel to stop the music, and stated, “If you’re blessed with a challenge, utilize it, be true to yourself and smoke humble.”

Gab speaks about the real world and stays true to his roots; something that seems to have become lost in the mainstream rap game. Blackalicious is here to let the world know that true hip-hop still exists and indeed has a voice.

Gab’s lyrical style isn’t the only thing keeping him at the top of the game. The man is a true showman. During his hit “World of Vibrations,” Gab fell off the stage, but instead of letting this ruin the song he immediately stood up and, without missing a line, sat on the stage at eye-level with the crowd and kept rapping. It was like being at the HUB with a few friends, standing in a circle, freestyling back and forth. He broke the barrier the stage presents and became one with the crowd, something that led to this show to being truly unique.

Blackalicious finished their set with “Sky is Falling” and “Chemical Calisthenics.” The beats were the unsung hero of both songs, consisting of an old school hip-hop style with elaborate tweaks that made them their own. Roots to the Grain did everything they could to save the show, but Blackalicious was the hero. They are here to prove that lyricism is alive and well in the hip-hop world.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

19

MUSIC REVIEWS HOLY FIRE // FOALS RATING:

F

★★★★☆ BY: JAKE RICH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ull of ambient experimentation, hard jams and slightly removed vocals, the band Foals has created one of the most engaging albums of 2013.

“Holy Fire,” the band’s third release, captures all sides of the band—from the dancy, upbeat “My Number” to the desperate, confessional “Providence.”

The album begins with “Prelude,” an almost experimental, instrumental opener with hazy, nearly indecipherable vocals; it’s a good kick-off for a record that juxtaposes bitter heartbreak and danceable, upbeat tunes and a shredded guitar.

The next track “Inhaler” follows this description with relative accuracy. Short bursts of electronic beats are soon accompanied by a matching, fuzzed-out guitar, over which lead singer Yannis Philippakis moans, “Sticks and stones don’t break my bones, you make believe / It’s lock and load, it’s a dead end road to you and me.”

Philippakis’s voice swells to a growling howl at many

points in the song, imparting to the listener the emotional toll this relationship has taken.

“Numbers,” while also lyrically sorrowful, follows a more upbeat tune as Philippakis croons, “So people of the city I don’t need your counsel now / And I don’t need that good advice, you don’t have my lover ’s touch,” with cries of “woo-oh-oh-ooo” in the background.

Cliches of love are traded for true feelings of despair that come from even the best times in a relationship...

A highlight on the record comes in the form of “Bad Habit.” The song begins with a brief deep, electronic bass and industrial-sounding

Courtesy of Transfressive

drum taps, succeeded by a generally looser, higher, more optimistic guitar. Philippakis sings, “So I won’t / Let the flowers grow / Into the deep below / Oh, would you forget me now?”

“Late Night” explores the more ambient side of the band. Soft synths accompany an understated guitar riff and simple drumbeat, while Philippakis ponders whether he’s held on too long to a broken relationship. The lyrics, “I’m the last cowboy in this town / Empty veins and my plastic broken crown,” indicate his sadness at what he once thought could be great and lasting.

“Providence” may be the most frightening song on the album, portraying Philippakis at his wits’ end. A ferocious beat, accentuated by heavy electronic and guitar riffs, gives the song its edge, as Philippakas yells about spilled blood and how he’s “an animal just like you,” over and over again until the distorted sounds overwhelm the song to its end. “Stepson” and “Moon” prove to be good ending tracks; they are both

softer but pointedly expose the fallout from a breakdown like the one in “Providence.”

Though it may take a couple listens to understand the album, “Holy Fire” is without a doubt one of the most unique records of the year thus far, both musically and lyrically. Clichés of love are traded for true feelings of despair that come from

even the best times in a relationship, and the music accurately reflects this feeling—whether it be rage or sadness. Philippakis sums up the album’s feelings well in the song “Moon,” with the lyrics, “And all by the fooling round with daisy chains on our heads / It is coming now, my friend, and ■H it’s the end.”

MATT COSTA //MATT COSTA RATING:

O

★★★★☆ BY: JILLIAN RAUSA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ccasionally we come across people who were born in the wrong era. In Matt Costa’s case, he was off by a few decades. His past works already emit a very psychedelic aura that is just asking to be played on vinyl from the 70s. His self-titled fourth album still exudes a vintage vibe, but with a tone that is more commemorative towards a folksier styling.

Although the album carries a disheartened theme (“Good times are coming / To an end” from the song “Good Times”) Costa revels in the sorrow and makes it into something extremely impressive. His decision to focus on soft rock highlights the entrancing melodies that essentially built his musical career. He starts with the lyrical composition of each song, and sculpts the musical accompaniment around the words; this writing process really expands on the

meaning behind each piece.

“Good Times” and “Clipped Wings” demonstrate Costa’s abilities with transformative songwriting that is accentuated by the music. In the latter, the lyrics, “Once we were young and lived dangerous / But the rains poured down

Costa revels in the sorrow and makes it into something extremely impressive. / They started to change us / We both grew so ancient,” are truly felt in the ballad of entrancing string instruments.

The significance and strength behind the lyrics are prevalent on paper; however, his arrangement of dulcet violins

Courtesy of Brushfire Records

and Bob Dylan-esque vocals bring the song’s significance to life.

The record varies in style by combining aspects from the Simon and Garfunkel and Electric Light Orchestra era, which connect the wavering refrains into infectious numbers. According to Costa himself, his natural ability as a musician allows “the songs to start morphing and twisting [...which] begins to open up [his] sense of what’s possible with the melody.” His openmindedness creates a melting pot of various musical genres with the persistent percussion and plucky guitar.

“Silver Sea” is an exemplary track that demonstrates a heavy Bollywood influence with the repetitive guitar strums and tremulous inflection in the vocals.

Matt Costa brings a beautiful sadness to his album, and it delivers a delightful medium between happiness

and sorrow. The melancholy seems to come from a life of experience, in light of his gradual growth of success over the course of his career.

This body of work deserves to be self-titled, considering the

WRITE FOR THE HIGHLANDER MEETINGS ON MONDAYS AT 5:15PM @ HUB 101

development in songwriting and musicianship that has produced a highly eccentric tonality. His natural talents offer a refreshing change from the current popular music market.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER

A Column

Fashion Instinct Style Crushes of the Month:

Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

“And the winner is...”

by Thelma Annan, Staff Writer It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Yes, awards season is finally in full swing. With all the great movies that have recently been released, there has been some heavy competition this year, and I’m not just talking nominations.

“Silver Linings Playbook” is proving to make some promising moves at each award show, as are the film’s stars when it comes to the red carpet. Stumped on which trends are hitting it big this upcoming season?

Look no further than fashion icons Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. This month’s style crushes showcase the best ways to dress effortlessly, which makes us envy them all the more.

When she’s not shooting arrows or making us laugh during her late night interviews, Jennifer Lawrence finds the time to flawlessly rock the carpet.

Despite being sickness prone (i.e. showing up at the Golden Globes with the flu, and then catching pneumonia just before the SAG Awards), Jennifer lets her gowns do the talking. The 22-year-old leading lady knows how best to flatter her triangle-shaped body type. Jennifer wisely

favors strapless, slim-waist dresses that accentuate her hips, and richer hues which highlight her skin tone.

TIP: The best way to wear a strapless dress is with your hair either completely up or side-swept. This helps to draw attention to your face while showcasing your shoulders and collarbone.

Check out Nordstrom for a colorful selection.

Formerly the ‘Sexiest Man Alive,’ Bradley Cooper is no stranger to the red carpet.

Never have I seen a man look so consistently dapper as Cooper these past few months; he has been keeping it fresh on the carpet by selecting suit colors in blues and grays that make him stand out. Gentlemen, keep in mind that the fit is the most important aspect when it comes to selecting a suit. The shoulder area should actually be tighter than most men may assume. And depending on the occasion, a slim-fitted suit can help you look leaner and overall more appealing.

TIP: If need be, don’t be afraid to get the suit tailored to fit your personal body type more accurately. Suits can be expensive, but there are some great options out there, such as Express or J.Crew, to ease your budget.

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T o p : P h o t o c o u rt e s y o f k at e h a s a bl o g . c o m L e f t : P h o t o c o u rt e s y o f a c e s h o w bi z . c o m

Away from the Sprawl

by Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writer

THE MOWGLI’S BRING THE LOVE AND THE PARTY

P h o t o C o u rt e s y

“I’ve been in love with love / And the idea of / Something binding us together / You know that love is strong enough.” This line is from “San Francisco,” by up-and-coming artists, The Mowgli’s; the song sums up most things you need to know about this band—they love you, and they don’t care if you know it.

The band is a collective of eight members: Michael Vincze, Colin Louis Dieden, Katie Jayne Earl, Matthew Di Panni, Josh Hogan, Dave Appelbaum, Spencer Trent and Andy Warren. I first heard of them when they were announced as the first band (along with UCR’s own Pococurante) to play at the Barn this school year. I listened to a couple of their songs beforehand, but what was truly inspiring about this ragtag group of musicians was the energy poured into their live performance.

As you may already know, the Barn stage isn’t very big, but they utilized it fully by ceaselessly moving and jumping around; there were multiple instances of Vincze swinging from the rafters above him. Songs such as “Hi There Hey Hello” (which transforms from a homely, little folk song into a raucous stomping, folk-rock dance party) and “Gambler’s Hall” (which keeps a mid-tempo but hopeful ambience throughout) showcase the power of the eight voices singing live in such a small venue. Their cover of “I Wanna Be Like You,” from Disney’s “The Jungle Book,” also evokes a great childish but hopeful energy.

One interesting thing to note about this band is that nearly all of their songs are cheerful—even songs with more melancholy lyrics. “Colin’s Song” features the

o f m i n x s o ci e t y . c o m

line “I don’t speak when I know I won’t be heard,” and ends with the upbeat chant of, “Don’t go giving up.” Basically, if I ever need a band to cheer me up, it’d be The Mowgli’s. Their debut album “Sound the Drum” is full of these tracks that help bring the spirit of their live show to the record. Though their genre can’t readily be defined—they might be described as part-folk, part indie-rock, part-beach music and more—The Mowgli’s should definitely find a place in most listeners’ playlists.

Sometimes being overly earnest with a naive sense of optimism can get on people’s nerves—they’d rather you be realistic. In The Mowgli’s case however, it’s simply fun and games and love, and while that may seem idealistic, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

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HIGHLANDER

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

21

Staff Picks: Midterm Therapy TV Shows Now that midterm season has arrived, stressed-out students have been doing whatever we can to cope. The Highlander staff likes to retreat to our rooms, barricade the doors, stock up on a supply of ice cream and watch marathons of our favorite television series. These are our television picks to escape from the craziness that is midterms.

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HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

23

Men’s basketball loses a close one to Irvine; gets blown out by Long Beach Jayvee Valencia CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Feb. 13, 2013 Anteaters 52 - Highlanders 48

The UC Riverside men’s basketball team went on a late rally but was unable to pull off the comeback at UC Irvine, losing 48-52.

The Highlanders were down by as many as 15 points. Within the six minute mark, Austin Quick connected on two threes to cut a 12 point deficit to six. Two free-throws from Chris Patton decreased the deficit to four points.

The Highlanders forced a turnover and Chris Harriel nailed a three-pointer to make it a 45-44 game. This was another close game where playmaking, defensive stops, taking care of possessions and making shots were crucial for Riverside.

Anteater Adam Folker made a jump shot and Daman Starring clinched the game with two freethrows to increase the lead to four within the closing seconds of the game. Harriel was the leading scorer for the Highlanders with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Michael Wilder lead the Anteaters with 17

points. Wilder’s outside shot was key in helping Irvine build on its big lead.

Alex Young for the Anteaters was another player who scored in double figures with 10 points.

Both teams were great defensively and made each other’s offense struggle. Irvine shot 30 percent and the Highlanders shot 29.8 percent from the floor. Turnover rates were high for both team as UCR turned the ball over 15 times while UCI committed 11.

The Highlanders have now lost another close game for their sixth loss in a row.

Feb. 16, 2013 49ers 75 - Highlanders 35

A 40-point blowout gave the UC Riverside men’s basketball team its seventh straight loss against Long Beach State, 7535. It was a rough night for the Highlanders; they fought early and at one point were tied 12-12.

The Highlanders could not sustain the pace of the 49ers.

Long Beach went on an 8-0 run to increase the lead 20-12. The 49ers then would take advantage of their athleticism to push the tempo of the game.

Kris Gullet’s three and Keala

King’s layup increased their lead to 11 with the score 25-14. The 49ers outran the Highlanders to a 31-19 halftime lead. The second half was all Long Beach State as the 49ers outscored the Highlanders in the second half 44-16.

The Highlanders were not able to defend Long Beach State’s offense. On the other end, UCR could not make shots and turnovers gave the 49ers easy fast break points. Long Beach State connected on 52 percent of its field goals (27-51), 41 percent on 3-pointers (10-24) and 78% on free throws (11-14).

The Highlanders shot 23 percent (11-46) overall, 10 percent from three point range and made 12-23 free throws (52 percent). In addition to that, the Highlanders turned the ball over 18 times.

Taylor Johns was the only Highlander player that scored in double figures with 10 points. It was another bad night for the Highlanders as their record now stands at 5-20 overall and 2-11 in the Big West conference.

UC Riverside will look to break out of its seven-game losing streak on Wed. Feb. 20 against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at the Student Recreation Center.

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K e v i n D i n h /HIGHLANDER Junior forward Chris Harriel dunks in the first half during the game against CSUF.

Riverside softball unable to pull out a win in the Campbell/Cartier Classic the Huskies, pitcher Bryana Walker went all five innings, allowing one run and seven strikeouts.

The Highlanders lacked offensive production as only one UCR player, Dionne Anderson singled through the left side of the field in the fifth inning. Later she would steal second but would be left stranded as her teammates were unable to drive her in.

Washington recorded 10 hits on six RBI’s. Huskie Kylee Lahners went 2-2 with one run and an RBI. Her teammates Hooch Fagaly and Kimberlee Souza both recorded two RBIs apiece.

Darren Bueno SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Feb. 15, 2013 Sooners 7 - Highlanders 0

Facing off against a top nationally ranked athletic program is rare for Highlander Athletics. But the women’s softball team got the opportunity as it met #1 Oklahoma Feb. 15 at the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego, Calif.

Overwhelmed and undermatched, UC Riverside was pummeled by the Sooners en route to a 7-0 defeat.

As the opening bells sounded for the game, the bats of the Highlanders had difficulty finding their target as eight of their first 10 at-bats resulted in strikeouts. By the time UCR struck their first hit in the fourth inning (a Dionne Anderson single), Oklahoma had already crossed the plate three times. In the same inning, Riverside recorded their second and final hit of the day as Ashley Ercolano sniped a ball up centerfield. However, another strikeout silenced their best shot at a score.

The Sooners, who remain undefeated at 6-0, smothered the Highlanders’ offense and defense.

They tacked on runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to dispose of UCR, 7-0.

Oklahoma pitcher Michelle Gascoigne dominated the game as she struck out 16 players while limiting UCR to an abysmal two hits.

Feb. 16, 2013 Wildcats 11 - Highlanders 3

The tough times continued for the softball team as the Highlanders held their own early, but couldn’t

Feb. 17, 2013 Aztecs 9 - Highlanders 1

A rchi v e /HIGHLANDER Jessica Vasser dives and catches the ball, outing a Quinnipiac player.

weather a seven-run inning by #22 Kentucky in an 11-3 loss.

Riverside got on the board first when Ariel Shore raced around the plates and finally reached home on a Wildcat error at the bottom of the first inning. After a scoreless second inning for both clubs, the third saw excitement injected into San Diego State Stadium as both teams’ offense heated up.

The Wildcats struck first as catcher Griffin Joiner blasted a ball to right center earning an RBI that knotted the score at one apiece. A fly ball to right field and a Riverside error saw Griffin Joiner and Dari Richardson sprint to home plate as the Wildcats took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the third.

Not to be outdone, the Highlanders sent the morning crowd into a buzz as Marissa

Escalante stepped up and connected on a pitch for a homer. She watched the ball soar over the post tying the game at 3-3.

With the score tied at 3-3 going into the fourth, Kentucky put on the pressure and earned another run behind a Joiner triple to push their lead to 4-3. Riverside didn’t respond as it quickly surrendered the fourth inning and struggled to find its form.

The Wildcats (8-2) then showed why they are ranked #22 in the nation as they produced a seven run inning in the sixth that completely decapitated UCR’s chances of a comeback.

Riverside’s pitchers struggled at the mound as a plethora of Kentucky batters found success including two RBI’s by Kentucky pitcher Lauren Cumbess. The

Highlanders finally stopped the stampede when Alice O’Brien fouled out with the Wildcats up by eight, 11-3.

UCR (2-5) failed to score at the bottom of the sixth and were saddled with its second loss of the tournament.

Feb. 17, 2013 Aztecs 8 - Highlanders 0

The UC Riverside softball team played its first game of a doubleheader Sunday Feb. 17 against the #18 University of Washington Huskies. They fought hard but winded up with a 0-8 loss.

UCR pitcher Ashley Ercolano pitched two innings and allowed five runs, all in the second inning.

Ercolano also allowed five walks while striking out two batters. For

The UC Riverside softball team finished its weekend tournament against the San Diego State Aztecs en route to a 1-9 loss.

The Aztecs jumped on the Highlanders early when they scored two runs in the first inning.

Then the following inning San Diego State tiled on two more runs in the second for a 4-0 lead.

Riverside was able to score one run in the third inning but that would be it. The Highlanders allowed three runs in the fourth inning for a 1-7 deficit. To make things worse, Riverside let the Aztecs extend the deficit to eight runs when they gave up two more runs in the sixth.

Riverside pitcher Alyssa Razo went 5.2 innings, allowing 9 runs on 14 hits. She walked two batters but was able to achieve two strikeouts. The Aztecs pitcher Danielle O’Toole went all six innings. O’Toole allowed 1 run on three hits while striking out four batters.

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24

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER

UC Riverside women’s basketball falters down stretch, loses to Irvine 58-56

T s u n g S u /HIGHLANDER Jamila Williams looks to pass the ball while guarded by Camille Buckley (24) and Mokun Fajemisin (32).

Matthew Guerrero CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Feb. 14, 2013 Anteaters 58 - Highlanders 56

The UC Riverside women’s basketball team squared off against the UC Irvine Anteaters but fell short, losing 56-58. UCR’s home game against Irvine started the same way many of its home matches start: Natasha Hadley used her size to dominate an undersized opponent and the Highlanders jumped to an early lead thanks to a flowing offense.

In the second half the Highlanders coughed up a lead because of bad ball movement and foul trouble.

UCR has dropped back to .500 at 11-11 on the season.

Natasha Hadley scored 13 points and had 9 rebounds while Tre’Shonti Nottingham made 14 points for Riverside.

Jennifer Tsuromoto contributed 20 points for the Anteaters.

Hadley and the Highlanders dominated the first half. The ball was dumped into the

post for Riverside’s bigs to shoot jumpers and post hooks around Anteater ’s Camille Buckley and Methlyn Onogomuho. The strategic plan resulted in Hadley scoring 8 points and Janelle Kearney pitching in 7.

Riverside jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first six and a half minutes when the team went on a 15-5 run.

The run was capped off by a Brittany Crain jumper and would eventually push the lead to 13. UCR would end the half up by 10.

The second half was a very different story for the Highlanders, as foul trouble resulted in the lead slowly being chipped away. UCR had a nine-point lead with six minutes left.

Riverside was unable to hold onto the lead as it lost in the final three seconds of the game. Anteater Jennifer Tsurumoto drove in the lane and was fouled. She sank two free throws and the Highlanders were unable to get a shot up before the buzzer. Awful turnovers and poor shooting sealed the late

comeback win for the UC Irvine Anteaters.

Feb. 16, 2013 49ers 80 - HIghlanders 66

Fresh off a disappointing loss when Riverside lacked energy and defense down the stretch against Irvine on Thursday night, the Highlanders once again failed and fell to the Long Beach State 49ers 80-66.

The 49ers had four players in double figures while Tre’Shonti Nottingham dropped 25 points to lead the Highlanders. The bench for Riverside only combined for eight points to help aid its starters. It was defense, however, that ailed the struggling Highlanders as they allowed the 49ers to shoot 57.1 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the three-point line.

The Highlanders fell below .500 to 11-12, with just four wins in conference play this season.

The 49ers started off the game on fire, jumping out to a 6-point lead to begin the game. The Highlanders managed to tie the game during the first half at 16 before the 49ers went on a 9-2 run to scorch the Highlanders.

The 49ers eventually went into halftime with a 8-point lead, 43-35.

The second half was not as kind for the Highlanders as they couldn’t come back

V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER At a towering 6’2”, Natasha Hadley easily reaches over the Irvine team to make shots. Hadley had some close calls this game and even found herself knocked down to the floor more than once.

from their eight point deficit.

The 49ers managed to quell every rally with a rally of their own, even opening up the half with a 7-2 run. This was the phenomena that

plagued the Highlander ’s defense the entire game. The 49ers captured a 14 point lead and never looked back and improved their record to 14-11 on the season.

■H

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS BIG WEST GAMES Team

W

L

PCT.

Pacific Hawai’i Cal Poly UC Santa Barbara Long Beach State Cal State Northridge UC Davis UC Riverside UC Irvine Cal State Fullerton

9 9 8 7 7 7 5 4 4 3

4 4 4 5 6 6 8 8 9 9

.692 .692 .667 .583 .538 .538 .385 .333 .308 .250

ALL GAMES

W

L

PCT.

19 13 14 11 14 13 10 11 8 7

6 11 9 13 11 12 14 12 17 17

.760 .542 .591 .522 .450 .400 .500 .333 .522 .277

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

25

Riverside men’s tennis team defeats Northern Arizona 4-3 Darren Bueno SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Feb. 12, 2013 Tritons 4 - HIghlanders 3

The blues continued for the UC Riverside men’s tennis team as the Highlanders (1-6) fell yet again in a close encounter against the UC San Diego Tritons, 4-3.

After notching a victory against Riverside City College last week, UCR came out of the blocks strong as the doubles pairing of Kevin Griffin and Marcus Vizcarra overcame tough opposition to secure a 8-6 win. Following suit, teammates Julian Ruffin and Calvin Ngo disposed UCSD’s tandem of Truong/Porutiu to earn the Highlanders the double point.

In singles the Tritons (2-2) came out aggressive, attacking early and were rewarded as UC San Diego won four of the six matches held. UCR’s Luis Gastao edged out Kona Luu 7-6, 6-3 while Highlander Vizcarra defeated Porutiu 6-4, 6-2 giving the home team their only singles victories of the day.

The Highlanders, who slipped to 1-6 for the season, will need to start stringing together consistent wins if they are to compete in Big West conference matches, which begin in April.

Feb. 16, 2013 Highlanders 4 - Lumberjacks 3

Coming off of their sixth loss of the year, the UC Riverside men’s tennis team earned a hard fought win against Northern Arizona University, 4-3. The team has now won two of the their last three contests.

The formidable doubles team of Calvin Ngo and Julian Ruffin got UCR on the board first as they dismantled their opponents, 8-1. Simon Peters and Jimmy Roberts out-nerved the pairing of Robert Martin and Shaun Waters to secure a 8-5 victory and the doubles point for the Highlanders.

The singles proved to be crux of the match for the Highlander. UCR’s Roberts and Luis Gastao lost tightly contested matches. Ruffin for Riverside dropped the first set, but rallied back in the third to slide past Lumberjack Dominic Bermudez, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Ngo’s match also went three sets but the Highlander eventually pulled out a 7-6, 1-6, 6-2 victory. Lastly Marcus Vizcarra won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, to give UCR its second win of the season.

The UC Riverside men’s ten-

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER

Senior Kevin Griffin quickly returns a serve by a UC San Diego player.

Feb. 17, 2013 Wildcats 7 - HIghlanders 0

nis team finished its weekend play against the University of Arizona Wildcats, en route to an 0-7 loss.

In the doubles action the Wildcats defeated the pairs of Jimmy Roberts/Simon Peters 8-3 and Julian Ruffin/Calvin Ngo 8-1.

The singles play for Riverside did not have much success either, losing all six games. Roberts for Riverside fell to his opponent Giacomo Miccine 4-6, 1-6.

Luis Gastao was defeated 4-6, 3-6 against Wildcat Kieren Thompson. Highlander Ruffin lost 4-6, 2-6 against Sumeet Shinde. Kevin Griffin fell to Naoki Takedo 3-6, 2-6. Ngo was defeated 2-6, 2-6 and Marcus Vizcarra lost two close ones 4-6, 7-5.

The Highlanders will now head to Los Angeles to play a neutral site match against Saint Mary’s on Saturday, Feb. 23.

■H

MEN’S TENNIS STANDINGS All Games Team

W

L

PCT.

Pacific Hawai’i Cal Poly UC Santa Barbara UC Riverside UC Davis UC Irvine

4 3 5 2 2 4 1

4 3 2 2 7 5 7

.500 .500 .714 .500 .222 .444 .125

■H

26

SPORTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Golf tumbles at Farms Collegiate Invitational Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER

DARREN BUENO

BUENO’S BUZZ SHE GOT GAME With Michael Jordan’s 50th birthday and Lebron James’ historic performances fueling the sports headlines last week, the age-old debate of who is the greatest of all time has been reignited.

As the sports contingent focused primarily on Lebron vs.

MJ last week, thousands of miles away in Rotterdam, Netherlands, one of the greatest champions in professional sport quietly declared her retirement.

Tennis player Esther Vergeer retired after a decade of dominating her sport. 21 Grand Slam singles titles. 23 Grand Slam doubles titles. 22 year-end championships. You might wonder: why in the world have I not heard of her? Vergeer played the sport she loved in a wheelchair. She lost the use of her legs following spinal surgery at age eight.

Vergeer picked up her first tennis racket at the age of twelve and has not looked back since.

The 31-year-old Dutch woman retired with an active streak of 470 matches, her last defeat coming in January 2003, a span of over ten years. She surrendered only 18 sets during the streak and faced a match point once. Vergeer spent 668 weeks at number one, including every week from Oct. 2, 2002, to Jan. 21, 2013.

If it’s not totally obvious, the woman was off the charts. A pioneer for para-athletic sport, she competed in four Paralympics, not surprisingly, winning four gold medals in singles, including this past summer in London.

Tennis meant more from the start to Vergeer than it does for most able-bodied players. She stated in her autobiography that after her paralysis the sport gave her a life back. Vergeer is much more than a tennis player. She is an inspiration to not only disabled athletes, but to every person that is fortunate enough to come across her tale.

Her tale came to an end on Feb. 12 while the greater sports community was explicating James’ recent run of success in relation to Jordan’s career to a cringing-worthy degree. I’m not going to rip sports media, but this story and astonishing woman deserved more. A simple writeup in the Los Angeles Times. A 30-second clip on SportsCenter perhaps.

So while we continue to debate who is the greatest of all time and compare stats of different players, let’s not forget that one of the most dominant athletes ever has just hung up her racket.

■H

The Highlanders had a tough start to the Farms Collegiate Invitational this past week. The slow start and subpar finish ultimately resulted in an 11thplace finish out of 12 teams for the UC Riverside men’s golf team.

The Highlanders started their third event of the season in negative fashion with a score of 320 in the first round, which turned out to be the secondlowest score of the invitational.

UCR fared only a little better in the following round with a score 319 to finish the first day with a two-round total of 639.

That score was good enough for 11th place.

The Highlanders’ performances remained about the same on the third round as they managed to score a 318 on the second day of competition. Although that result was Riverside’s best of the tournament, it proved to be the worst of that single round out of any team.

UCR still finished in 11th place when it was all said and done with a grand total of 957. The Highlanders were 93 strokes over par.

UCR’s Bradley Fox played as an individual in this invitational and ended up with UCR’s best single-player score of 234.

He shot a personal best of 75

Senior Matt Fitzgerald drives in the third and final round to move from 46th to a tie for 39th place at the end of the invitational. BJ Doucett of UC Riverside shot a 238 and tied for 46th place.

TAKE PICTURES? Be a Photographer for the Highlander!

Meetings on Mondays at 5:15pm at HUB 101

the ball off the tee.

The winning school of the invitational was the University of the Pacific with an impressive score of 872. The best individual performance came from Missouri’s Emilio Cuar-

A rchi v e /HIGHLANDER

tero with a score of 215.

The Highlanders’ next event will take place on Feb. 25 at the North Ranch Collegiate Invitational in Westlake Village, Calif.

■H

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

27

Valentine’s Day heartbreak as women’s tennis falls to #65 Hawai’i C o dy N g u y e n STAFF WRITER

Feb. 14, 2013 Warrior 5 - Highlanders 2

The losses continue to pile up for the UC Riverside women’s tennis team as it dropped a 5-2 decision to #65 ranked Hawai’i Thursday afternoon at Andulka Park.

Missing from the lineup again was junior Kat Saltarelli, whom coach Mark Henry believes plays a pivotal role on the team. When asked about what is needed to turn the team’s fortunes around, he said, “I think we need to get Kat Saltarelli back in the lineup. That would do more to help than anything else.”

All three matches saw close finishes in doubles action, but Hawai’i was able to pull out the win in all three to clinch the point. Hawai’i’s pairings of Katarina Poljakova/Xenia Suworowa, Paulina Petriskova/Rebecca Faltusz and Martina Kostalova/ Kelsey Daguio defeated the Highlander parings of Jamie and Taylor Raney, Natalie McKay/Courtney Patugalan and Kate Bergeson/Thanh Doan 8-4, 9-8 and 8-4, respectively.

UC Riverside did not fare much better in singles play, only earning a win in two of six matches.

The number one match pitted Katarina Poljakova against Highlander Jamie Raney. Poljakova finished on top, 6-2 and 6-1 to give

KENDALL PETERSON

KENDALL’S FASTBALL It’s time for a change

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER J u n i o r K a t e B e rg e s o n f o c u s e s o n t h e i n t e n s e r a l l y a g a i n s t U n i v e r s i t y o f H a w a i ’ i .

Hawaii its first singles point of the match.

At number two, Highlander Taylor Raney was able to avenge her doubles defeat and pull off a win over Suworowa 2-3 when she retired from an injury. The win gave the Highlanders their first singles point of the match.

At numbers three and four, Hawai’i earned two points to secure its victory as Kostalova beat McKay 6-1, 6-0, and Hawai’i Petriskova

defeated Highlander Pattugalan 7-6 and 6-1.

UCR Bergeson took Hawai’i’s Dagui to a tiebreaking third match after splitting the first two matches 6-4, 4-6. The tiebreaker was hotly contested, but Bergesson was able to secure a point for UC Riverside and her first set victory of the season, winning 11-9.

In the final fixture, Hawai’i’s Faltusz defeated Riverside’s Doan, 6-1, 6-1.

Coach Mark Henry believes that the key to getting into the win column is “finish[ing] points more consistently. We’re doing a nice job setting things up but we haven’t finished like we need to.”

It will be a long nine days before the team will be able to seek retribution for their loss as they regroup for their road trip to San Diego. They will face Point Loma Nazarene on Feb. 23.

■H

I know that racism exists in sports but I didn’t know how bad it was for some soccer teams. On Feb. 12, ESPN aired a documentary shot in Nov. 2012 that exposed Israel’s racist soccer club and the backlash its fans displayed when the Beiter Jerusalem soccer team signed two Muslim players Zaur Sadayev and Gabriel Kadiev.

This is apparently nothing new. Beiter Jerusalem fans have been linked to racism and violence for the past 15 years.

While watching the documentary, I was appalled when I read what was in the subtitles. I heard the Beitar Jerusalem fans chanting and when translated, the subtitles read, “Death to Arabs.”

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I saw a clip that showed small children sitting on the shoulders of adults, yelling out chants and racial slurs like, “I hate all the Arabs.”

No one should have to go through such humiliation, nor should the children be raised like that.

At 5 a.m. on Feb. 8, four days before the documentary was aired, the offices of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team were set ablaze. The cause of the fire: fans acting out over the signing of the two new Muslim players.

Most of the ire has been directed toward general manager Itzik Kornfein of the Israeli soccer team. Kornfein has spoken out forcefully against racism and said that he will not stop having a diverse team. To that, I say all the power to you.

Kadiev made his debut for the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team on Sun. Feb. 10, despite fearing that he might be targeted by racist fans. But instead he heard more fans cheering when he entered the game, and was given a standing ovation.

I feel that Kornfein is on the right direction. This man has caught my eyes and could spark something in the world.

I think that it’s time that we put racism behind us. I mean hey, maybe the fans in Israel will come to their senses and follow suit. They should grow up and start acting like adults.

Otherwise, the world will always be divided.

■H

28

. SPORTS .

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

UCR baseball defeats Utah Valley 8-7 thanks to Phil Holinsworth’s three RBIs Matthew Guerrero CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Feb. 15, 2013 Bulldogs 6 - Highlanders 3

UC Riverside started its season off on a rocky note losing 3-6 as Gonzaga jumped all over Riverside’s starter Dylan Stuart.

Stuart was tagged for five runs with a little more than five innings pitched. Riverside experienced defensive lapses throughout the game, overworking its pitchers and giving Gonzaga extra outs.

Stuart started the top of the first inning in dominant fashion, striking out Gonzaga’s first batter Mitchell Gunsolus. However, Stuart would then give up a single, then a double to the number three hitter Clayton Eslick to put runners on second and third.

Bulldogs Zach Abbruzza and Marco Gonzales both singled to make the score 2-0.

Riverside was unable to score in the first inning. Gonzaga returned in the second inning and scored on an error made by Riverside first basemen Clayton Prestridge. Back-to-back singles helped knocking in the unearned runner to increase the lead 3-0.

Stuart managed to settle down and limit the damage, retiring batters in the third and fourth innings while Riverside’s offense lay dormant. In the fifth inning David Andriese dropped a ball that resulted in Bulldog Abbruzza knocking in two more runs.

Gonzaga’s Tyler Olson kept the Highlanders scoreless through five innings while striking out seven. Riverside finally scored in the seventh inning when Chavez crossed the plate on an Andriese sacrifice fly. UCR’s Joe Chavez and Prestridge both drove in runs in the eighth inning cutting the lead to two. Gonzaga scored on another Prestidge error in the ninth inning securing the 6-3 victory as Riverside failed to score in the bottom of the ninth.

Feb. 16, 2013 Highlanders 8 - Wolverines 7

After a loss to Gonzaga on the first day of the tournament,

UC Riverside bounced back over Utah Valley in Palm Springs in an 8-7 victory. Riverside was carried

by Phil Holinsworth’s three RBIs in the game and made a late comeback from an 3-5 deficit.

Riverside starter Jacob Smigelski pitched four and twothirds innings while giving up five runs, three of which were earned.

Andrew Freter fared just as well for the Utah Valley Wolverines, going six innings while giving up five runs.

UC Riverside scored first after Smigelski retired the side in the first inning, allowing just one hit.

Bottom of the first David Andriese drove in Clayton Prestige on a sac fly after Prestige walked and was advanced to second on an Eddie Young groundout.

Smigelski hit a batter to begin the third and the next batter doubled to have runners on second and third. The inning escalated when the Wolverines scored twice on an RBI single and a RBI groundout to bring the score 2-1 in favor of the Wildcats.

Holinsworth scored a run during the bottom half of the inning to tie the game up at two.

The Wildcats and Highlanders would trade runs in the fourth to keep the game tied. However, the Wildcats scored twice in the fifth to take a 5-3 advantage.

Holinsworth knocked the Highlanders back into the heated battle, tripling home two runs during a three run inning that gave the Highlanders a 6-5 lead.

The Wildcats scored again in the eighth to tie the game, but the Highlanders were saved by another Holinsworth RBI. Riverside was able to score two in the eighth inning to take a 8-6 lead, which secured the win for the Highlanders as the Wildcats were unable tie the game in the ninth to take it to extra innings.

Feb. 17, 2013 Beavers 14 - Highlanders 3

The Highlanders suffered through an excruciating six-run first inning against the Oregon State Beavers en route to a huge loss, 3-14. This followed after a

A rchi v e /HIGHLANDER Top to bottom: Nick Vilter at bat during a game against Bakersfield; Dylan Stuart pitching to Bakersfield.

great come-from-behind win at Palm Springs Feb. 16.

Oregon State knocked around the Highlander pitching the entire match, as the game was called after seven innings. Beaver pitcher Andrew Moore controlled the Highlander bats. Moore went 5.1 innings, allowed three runs on four hits while striking out six batters.

The Highlanders started off the game in exceedingly rocky fashion, as starter Ben Doucette gave up four hits and three walks,

SLG% .500 .500 .444 .333 .444 .333 .200 .333 .222 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000

Highlanders finally scored in the fourth inning, with three runs on an error and a groundout. The bottom of the fourth the Beavers countered and scored three more runs to extend the lead 10-3.

Oregon State also managed to tack on two runs in the fifth and sixth innings before ending Highlander misery after seven innings. Eddie Young led the Highlanders with two hits, H including a double and a walk. ■

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BASEBALL STATS BATTING Player AVG GP-GS AB R H HR RBI Prestridge, Clayton .500 3-3 10 1 5 0 3 Steponovich, Bart .500 1-1 2 0 1 0 0 Andriese, David .444 3-3 9 1 4 0 2 Rubanowitz, Alex .333 3-2 6 2 2 0 0 Holinsworth, Phil .222 3-3 9 2 2 0 3 Young, Eddie .222 3-3 9 1 2 0 0 Boudreau, Kyle .200 2-2 5 2 1 0 2 Chavez, Joe .111 3-3 9 2 1 0 1 Zarate, Drake .111 3-3 9 2 1 0 0 Bolasky, Devyn .000 2-2 4 0 0 0 0 Vilter, Nick .000 2-1 4 0 0 0 0 Tellez, Francisco .000 1-1 3 0 0 0 1 Forsythe, John .000 1-0 2 1 0 0 0 Ellis, Matthew .000 2-0 1 0 0 0 0 Hough, Cody .000 1-0 1 0 0 0 0

allowing a total of 6 runs in the first inning. Riverside starter Doucette lasted just two thirds of an inning with one strikeout.

The Beavers scored 10 points for the second straight game and knocked the Highlanders around early and often.

Tyler Smith scored on a groundout to third by Beaver Gabe Clark after reaching on an error, giving the Beavers another run in the second. The

MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME BB HBP 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 4 0 2 0 1 1 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

SO GDP 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 3 0 2 0 1 1 3 0 2 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

OB% .615 .500 .417 .429 .417 .462 .429 .250 .333 .333 .000 .250 .000 .000 .000

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