FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
Highlander University
Volume 61
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C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Issue 17
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Special Valentine’s Day Edition
Highlanders in Love
Special Report: Update on Chris Dorner manhunt — News, Page 6 Highlander Editorial: the media’s unconscionable portrayal of sex as a transaction.
UCR Student Relationship Profiles: Up close and personal with Highlander love lives.
Opinions, Page 8
Features, Page 14
The Highlander explores the art of rejection. Is there a right way to reject someone? Features, Page 15
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
LGBT Resource Center celebrates milestone with UQ Conference Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER
UC Riverside LGBT Resource Center celebrated its 20th anniversary on campus by holding its first University of Queer (UQ) Conference on Feb. 2. Over 300 people from nearly 60 college campuses turned out to the event to honor the progress the center has made since its inception in 1993. The organization also celebrated its distinction as the first LGBT center in the University of California system. The event began with a brunch and was followed by a speech by a number of coordinators and directors, including UCR Chancellor Jane Conoley. The conference then broke out into individual sessions throughout the Highlander Union Building. Amongst these breakout sessions included roundtable discussions, youth mentoring and outreach groups, religious oppression discussions and a talk about gay student-athletes playing in the NCAA. Later in the conference, a two-hour panel was held by seven of the nine founders of the LGBT centers across the system. “There is still work to be
C o u rt e s y o f UCR T o d ay Left to right: UCR Chancellor Jane Close Conoley delivers an opening speech; Founders of the UC-wide LGBT centers hold a two-hour panel.
done, but compared to where things were in the beginning, our fight for basic rights such as domestic partner benefits and an inclusive non-discrimination policy, things have really come full circle,” said the founder of the LGBT center director at UC Davis, Allison Subasic. Former UC Riverside chancellor and current chancellor of the California State University system Timothy P. White was honored at the conference with an award named after him. The award, formerly known as
the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on the Status of LGBT’s Outstanding Ally Award, was renamed in honor of White because of his support of the LGBT community in his time at UC Riverside. UCR LGBT coordinator Toi Thibodeaux spoke with the Highlander about the choice to rename the award in White’s honor. “He was an amazing ally and he was our first chancellor to get [the award],” she said. “We figured that since he was leaving, it’d be a great idea to rename it after him.”
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Kevin Dinh STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshman guard Josh Fox dunks the ball against CSUF Saturday night. UCR lost the game 79-67.
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White was unable to attend the event, but he did publish a letter to the center. “The lessons you taught me and the insight you gave me I carry with me to the CSU system where I hope that your messages and those of our own LGBT communities will continue to build a safe and enriching environment for every member of the queer community,” the letter read. The conference ended with closing remarks by UCR LGBT Resource Center Director and conference organizer Nancy Jean Tubbs.
February Forest Home Information Table HUB Mall 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Choreographies of War and Conflict Serier ATHD 102 4:10 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.
Black History Month Nooner featuring music by Lakin Bell Tower 11:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Wellness Wednesday: Midterm Massage! HUB 260 4:10 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Singles Awareness Day Everywhere All Day
Women’s Basketball: UC Irvine SRC Arena 7:00 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Veterans, Military Members and Families Group Luncheon Hinderaker Hall B154 Noon - 1:15 p.m.
CEPCEB Seminar BPSC 252 Genomics Auditorium RM 1102A Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Day UNLH 1000 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Women’s Basketball: Long State Beach SRC Arena 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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The Calder Quartet Culver Center of the Arts 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sunday
18
Monday
“The UQ Conference brought together a diverse group LGBT people and their allies and allowed us together to reflect on our progress and aspirations for the future, as we lead the way for LGBT-inclusion on campus,” said Tubbs. The LGBT Resource Center and university have made substantial progress since 1993. In 1996, the school established a minor in LGBT studies and in 2005, the University of California provided transinclusive health benefits to all employees. ■H
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NEWS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS IN BRIEF COMPILED BY CARRIE MENG,
staff writer
HIGHLANDER
& CHRISTINA POURHABIB, contributing writer
MICROELECTRONICS: A WAVE OF THE FUTURE The Center for Spintronic Materials, Interfaces and Novel Architectures (C-SPIN) is a new nationwide research center seeking to unearth the future of microelectronics. Headquartered at the University of Minnesota, C-SPIN will focus on the development of spin-based computing and memory system technologies.
On Jan. 17, three UCR scientists and engineers—who are members of C-SPIN—received $3 million of a $28 million grant to develop microelectronic technology. Ludwig Bartels, Roland Kawakami and Cengiz Ozkan are on the verge of changing the systems of basic computers with the introduction of a spin-based sys-
L e e n a B u t t /H i g hl a n d e r
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A $5 million research grant given to five BCOE professors will be used to improve the energy efficiency of electronic devices.
tem. The technology “will process and store information through spin, a fundamental property of electrons,” according to Iqbal Pittalwala of UCR’s science news. The grant was awarded by the Defense Advancement Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Semiconductor Research Corporation. The team has set out to research and test several spintronic devices and monitor the production of two-dimensional metal dichalcogenides—inorganic materials consisting of electronic components. Spin-based computing will merge memory and logic, which will increase the efficiency of a device. “Spin-based logic and memory based on the hybridization of magnetic materials and semiconductors have the potential to create computers that are smaller, faster and more energy-efficient than conventional charge-based systems,” stated C-SPIN’s director Jian-Ping Wang. ■H
ENGINEERING PROFESSORS RECEIVE $5 MILLION NANOELECTRONICS GRANT Five UC Riverside professors received $5 million as part of a $40 million research project aimed at improving nanoelectronics. They will be developing materials and structures that enable more energy efficient use of electronic devices, including cell phones and computers. Professors Alexander A. Balandin, Alexander Khitun, Jianlin Liu, Jeanie Lau and Roger Lake are part of the electrical engineering department, materials science and engineering program in UCR’s Bourns College of Engineering. Lau is also a professor of physics and astronomy. “This is the next generation of electronics. They will be advancing the state of art for the nanoelectronics… it’s a very non-conventional approach,” said Reza Abbaschian, Dean of BCOE. “It is a kind of project that is very much in our mis-
sion and vision for our college.” Research will be conducted at the Center for Function Accelerated nanoMaterial Engineering (FAME), which will be located at UCLA and led by Jane P. Chang, a UCLA professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. Five other research centers will be located across the nation at UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of Minnesota. The six centers were recently established with $194 million over the next five years from the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The funding supports the continued growth and leadership of the nation’s semiconductor industry. ■H
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
5
ASUCR SENATE UPDATE
Senators report on crumbling “C” and statewide student resolution Sandy Van
HIGHLIGHTS:
ASUCR’s Feb. 6 senate meeting witnessed a series of reports ranging from the upcoming spring elections, a resolution to support a statewide student association and wrapping a “crumbling C” in green vinyl wrap for Earth day. Due to sediment erosion over the next five years, the “C” on the Box Springs Mountains is expected to fall apart, according to ASUCR Senator Chris Salvador, who is also a member of the GCAP committee. He has been in touch with the physical plant department and Assistant Dean of Students Tonantzin Oseguera. The department is responsible for the maintenance of academic facilities and landscape services on campus. Senators initially wanted to paint the “C” green for Earth day in order to publicize sustainability efforts made at UCR. Due to the current state of the monument, the “C” holds the risk of crumbling if it is repeatedly painted over within a short period of time. “If we put primer and then paint the ‘C’ green and [back to] yellow again, it actually might cause the C to [create a] landslide,” Salvador said of the shaky state of the “C.” He proposed the use of a green vinyl wrap as an alternative to repainting the “C” altogether. Built in 1958, the “C” falls under the ownership of ASUCR. The Box Springs Mountains is federallyowned land, which preserves the species of wildlife that currently inhabit the area. Senators plan to help rejuvenate the monument, but are awaiting a response from the physical plant department before moving forward. Senators Ian Cavasos and Kristina Morelos have co-authored a constitutional amendment to permanently proportion the number of elected senators to each college. The process of proportional representation is traditionally used to elect senators, but it was never incorporated into the ASUCR constitution or bylaws. “All students pay the same tuition and therefore deserve equal representation on our campus,” said Cavasos. The amendment will be voted on by the student body during the upcoming spring elections and, if passed, will go into effect fall 2013. Kareem Aref, the ASUCR legislative affairs direc-
In collaborations with CALPIRG, senators passed the Citizens United resolution, which condemned the 2010 ruling in the Citizens United Supreme Court case. The ruling allows corporations and unions to donate an unrestricted amount of money to a political campaign. Riverside is the second UC campus to pass such a resolution.
SE N IOR STA F F W R I T E R
Senator Aaron Johnson suggested the idea of offering more supplementary instruction classes for CHASS classes that have low pass rates. The GCAP committee held a “Cash Can Rufurbery” demo day Feb. 7 in Corporation Yard. Committee members spray-painted old trash cans to encourage better waste management and recycling initiatives.
D a m i n g Y e /HIGHLANDER S e n a t o r A a ro n J o h n s o n re p o r t s o n t h e p ro g re s s o f his plan to better serve the needs of CHASS students.
tor, took to the public forum and proposed his caucus initiative to establish a statewide student association. In collaborations with a UCSB undergraduate, Aref aimed to create the California Union of College University Students, which would represent all three tiers of California’s system of higher education. “As powerful as we are as UC students, we are a very small number...compared to the community colleges and Cal States,” Aref said. He emphasized the need to reach out to a larger demographic of students under one umbrella as a means to effectively lobby legislators. “There’s not united force putting students together and stating that this is what students need.” In response to Aref’s proposal, Vice President of External Affairs Lazaro Cardenas emphasized the impact of statewide and nationwide associations such as the United States Student Assocation (USSA), the Student Senate for the California Community Colleges (SSCCC) and California State Student Association (CSSA) that made past initiatives possible. He also offered support for mobilizing a larger student body and continuing activism in the state legislature. ■H
Senator Spencer Castrellon is seeking to increase the limited stock of reserve books by meeting with William Folden, a librarian at the Tomás Rivera Library. There is supposed to be one book for every 100 students, yet many books are often refurbished or misplaced. Senators are verifying cost estimates, environmental impact and health and safety concerns encompassing the food truck initiative. The project will allow food trucks access to university grounds, although they are prohibited from selling food in the county of Riverside. Influenced by local shops in Los Angeles, Senator Niela Darmani is negotiating with vendors to bring clothing shops with familiar brands back on campus. She is reaching out to various vendors that can set up shop near the Bell Tower. In collaboration with Director of the Academic Resource Center Michael Paul, Senator Sai Patadia has implemented Wiki SI. The supplementary system allows SI leaders to post their notes on ILearn for students to access. On Feb. 19, Senator Megan Crail is hosting a dodgeball tournament, demoing engineering projects and holding banquets prior to Engineering Week. Senator Ben Pengson is planning to create a “feedback group” for students to rate the proficiency of a professor’s teaching through the Academic Senate.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
Ex-LAPD cop on murder spree throughout Southern California S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Former LAPD officer and Navy reservist Christopher Jordan Dorner is suspected of murdering three people last week, including one Riverside police officer in a shooting rampage throughout the Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange Counties. In an 18-page manifesto released by Dorner on Feb. 3, he declared revenge on the Los Angeles Police Department for alleged corruption and warned of more killings. Dorner managed to elude capture and a statewide manhunt for the suspect is currently underway. Officials last tracked Dorner to the San Bernardino mountains, where he is believed to be located and heavily armed with as many as 30 weapons. LAPD Tribunal The series of events dates back to August 2007 when Dorner worked for the LAPD and reported the use of excessive force by a fellow police officer. In 2008 he was relieved of his duties by the LAPD following
“Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD...” -Chris Dorner’s manifesto the report. The LAPD charged him for making false statements which Dorner claimed was an attempt to cover up the supposed corruption within the police department. Dorner appealed to keep his job, but was denied by the LAPD Board of Rights. Former LAPD Captain Randy Quan represented Dorner during the tribunal, but Dorner accused him of being incompetent and responsible for the outcome of the
ruling. Dorner reportedly held a grudge against Quan following the decision. In the online manifesto that he released online last week, Dorner mentioned Quan and accused him of wrongdoing. “Your lack of ethics and conspiring to wrong a just individual are over,” the manifesto read. Couple Murdered in Irvine The first of the series of shootings occurred on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013 when the bodies of Keith Lawrence, 27, and Monica Quan, 28, were found shot to death in Irvine, Calif. Quan was an assistant basketball coach at CSU Fullerton and the daughter of Randy Quan, the LAPD officer who represented Dorner when he was tried by the Board of Rights in 2008. The couple was sitting inside a car in a parking lot structure. Authorities indicated that the shots came from outside of the vehicle and were baffled for days with no clues as to who the shooter was. On Wednesday, Feb. 6, three days after the shooting, Dorner was named a suspect in the murder of Lawrence and Quan. Dorner posted the online manifesto that day, implicating himself as responsible for the murders. “I know most of you who personally know me are in disbelief to hear from media reports that I am suspected of committing such horrendous murders and have taken drastic and shocking actions in the last couple of days,” he said. “Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD and reclaim my name.” He also made violent threats to multiple police officers. Authorities were assigned to protect the people mentioned in his manifesto. Escape attempt in San Diego Authorities believe that Dorner attempted to steal a boat in San Diego, Calif. at the Southwestern Yacht Club. On the night of Wednesday, Feb.
6, the 81-year-old owner of the boat was on his sundeck cruiser when a man that matched Dorner’s description approached him with a gun and tied him up. According to the owner, the suspect wanted to steal the boat in an attempt to flee to Mexico. The engine of the boat would not start due to a failed propeller, so the suspect fled the scene of the crime.
“The issue with this suspect is that he’s actually targetting law enforcement officers on and off duty.” -UCPD Chief of Police Mike Lane Corona shootings Dorner was spotted near a Corona Arco gas station off Weirick Road in the early morning of Feb. 7. A local man spotted Dorner’s Nissan Titan pickup truck and called the police, informing them of Dorner’s whereabouts. Two LAPD officers who were guarding one of the targeted individuals named in the manifesto, raced to the scene. Officials followed Dorner onto the 15 freeway, where he stopped near the exit ramp of Magnolia Avenue. Dorner pulled out a weapon and opened fire on the officers, grazing one by the head. Dorner managed to escape. “Due to damage to the police vehicle because of his gunshots, the officers were unable to pursue him,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck explained in a press release. Officer killed in Riverside Just minutes after the Corona shootings, Dorner drove to Riverside and allegedly ambushed a couple of officers in the corner of Magnolia and Arlington. The two Riverside police officers were fired at by Dorner. Michael Crain, 34, was killed at the scene of the crime. His partner was seriously wounded and has yet to be identified. The sec-
C o u rt e s y
of
ABC N e w s
C h r i s D o r n e r, a n e x - N a v y re s e r v i s t , i s a c c u s e d o f m u rd e r. ond officer underwent surgery the That day, UCPD released an morning of Feb. 7 and is in stable email to the students of UC Riverside, detailing the shootings that condition.v A worker at the 7-Eleven con- took place earlier that morning, askvenience store near the scene of the ing students to remain vigilant. “There are no immediate threats crime spoke with the Highlander to the UCR community,” said and detailed the events that transUCPD Chief of Police Mike Lane in pired. “[Dorner] pulled out from an phone interview with the Highbehind them and started shooting lander. “The issue with this suspect at them,” he said. “One of [the of- is that he is actually targeting law ficers] died and the other called [for enforcement officers on and off backup] on the radio. So they came duty.” right away and blocked the area.” Torrance bystanders shot Following the shooting, officials barricaded the streets between Just hours after the Riverside Magnolia and Brockton with orange shooting, seven LAPD officers in cones and yellow tape within a one- Torrance, Calif. came across a truck mile radius. Local businesses were that was similar to the description of forced to close down shop for 15 Dorner’s car and fired at the two inhours in the aftermath of the crime. DORNER CONT’D ON PAGE 7
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HIGHLANDER DORNER FROM PAGE 6
-dividuals inside the vehicle. Neither of the two individuals were Dorner. Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother Emma Hernandez, 71, were injured while delivering Los Angeles Times newspapers. “Tragically, we believe this was a case of mistaken identity by the officers,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said during a press conference. They were taken to the hospital and treated for gunshot wounds. Carranza received minor injuries to the hand from shattered glass. Her mother was shot in the back and placed in the ICU at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she is in good condition. Police also shot another pickup truck in Torrance resembling Dorner’s vehicle later that day. No one was injured in that incident. The officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave. The Highlander contacted the Torrance Police Department for further explanation, but no details were released. Vigil at City Hall and later developments A vigil was held by Mayor Rusty Bailey outside Riverside City Hall on the night of the shooting in honor of the fallen officer. Riverside residents and family members of the offi-
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
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cers were in attendance, holding candles and praying for the slain policeman. The flags outside City Hall flew at half staff during the night. “This is my 11th line of duty death that I’ve been involved with,” said Steve Ballinger, a Riverside PD chaplain who held close ties to the slain officer. “You would think it would get easier. It doesn’t get easier.” A devastated Ballinger continued to voice his initial reac-
“It kind of sucks the breath out of you. My first thought was, ‘not again.’” - Steve Ballinger, Riverside PD chaplain tion upon learning of the shooting. “It kind of sucks the breath out of you. My first thought was, ‘not again.’ This world is just getting more evil than ever before.” A Nissan Titan was found on fire in a wooded area near Big Bear Lake on the afternoon of Feb. 7. Officials checked the vehicle identification number and confirmed that the burnt truck belonged to Dorner. The Big Bear Lake Fire Department stated that the set of footprints discovered near the truck was believed to be Dorner’s, but of-
D a m i n g Y e /HIGHLANDER
Dorner is suspected of shooting two Riverside County police officers, leaving one dead and another injured. ficials were unable to locate the ing of many Big Bear ski reThe city of Los Angeles is suspect. sorts. The Bear Mountain and offering a $1 million reward The charred remains of guns Snow Summit reported that the for information leading to the were found inside the burnt snow-lift count was down by capture of Dorner. The amount truck, but officials believe 15 percent last Friday is “the largest local reward ever Dorner could still be heavily “The possibility exists that offered to our knowledge,” acarmed. he is here, somewhere in the cording to Police Chief Charlie Police searched hundreds of forest, so we’re going to keep Beck. homes in the San Bernardino looking, until we determine On Feb. 10, Beck announced mountains on Thursday and that he’s not here,” said spokes- that the LAPD is reopening the Friday but were forced to tem- woman Cindy Bachman of the 2008 case in which Dorner porarily suspend the search San Bernardino County Sher- was dismissed from duty by due to snowfall. Search crews iff’s Department. the Board of Rights. Beck asstrongly believe that the susSix police cars were as- sured the public that the case pect is hiding somewhere in the signed to protect Los Angeles is being revived to address mountains. With law enforce- Police Captain Phil Tingirides, Dorner’s termination. It is not ment officials carrying tactical who is chair of the disciplinary intended to resurrect his allegear and automatic weapons, committee that stripped Dorner gations of the use of excessive the search resulted in the clos- of his badge in 2008. ■H force by the LAPD.
Christopher Jordan Dorner: Timeline and trail of events 1
Location: Irvine, Calif. Date: Feb. 3 Event: The bodies of Keith Lawrence, 27, and Monica Quan, 28, were found shot to death in a car.
2
Location: Irvine, Calif. Date: Feb. 6 Event: Dorner was named key suspect in the Irvine murders. Authorities said he posted a manifesto on his Facebook page, in which he outlined plans to kill the families of police officers.
3
Location: San Diego, Calif. Date: Feb. 6 Event: Dorner attempted and failed to steal a boat. The owner of the boav said Dorner had tied him up and said he was heading to Mexico. The engine would not start and Dorner fled instead.
4
Location: Corona, Calif. Date: Feb. 7 Event: Dorner fired at two LAPD officers. One was wounded.
5
Location: Riverside, Calif. Date: Feb. 7 Event: Two Riverside police officers were shot in the corner of Magnolia and Arlington avenues. One was fatally shot.
6
9
10
5 8 4
6 1
2
Location: Torrance, Calif. Date: Feb. 7 Event: LAPD officers shot a truck matching the description of Dorner’s vehicle. In a case of mistaken identity, police officers shot at two innocent individuals.
7
Location: Big Bear, Calif. Date: Feb. 7 Event: Dorner’s vehicle was found burning in the woods near Big Bear Lake.
8
Location: Riverside, Calif. Date: Feb. 7 Event: A vigil was held outside Riverside City Hall to honor the fallen police officer.
9
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. Date: Feb. 10 Event: City of Los Angeles offers $1 million reward for information leading to the capture of Dorner.
10
7
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. Date: Feb. 10 Event: LAPD reopens Dorner’s 2008 termination case
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
. OPINIONS .
HIGHLANDER
HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
THE MEDIA’S UNCONSCIONABLE PORTRAYAL OF SEX AS A TRANSACTION
HIGHLANDER STAFF Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
Chris LoCascio
Kevin Keckeisen
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C o u rt e s y
of coloribus.com
The media devalues Valentine’s Day by portraying sex as a commodity which can be bought and sold.
R
eclining on a bed clad in a black sequin dress, a woman pulls black stockings over her feet as the camera gives an ample shot of her brown thigh. Giving a sultry look to the camera, she lets her jet-black, long, silky hair down as she saunters to a mirror, applying crimson lipstick to luscious lips and allowing the camera a shot of her exposed back. As a deep, heavy percussion-driven music is played, a female vocalist sighs and groans. The woman turns to the camera, leans in and murmurs in a light Latin accent, “Give, and you shall receive.” This is a flower commercial. Yet this Valentine’s Day advertisement is definitely selling more than flowers. When Teleflora created this commercial to sell a product, they needed to spur a desire in the consumer to spend his paycheck on their wares. So they also created something else: an idea. This idea isn’t exactly subtle— it’s said outright by the model Teleflora hired to move their product. ”Give, and you shall receive.” What is to be given? Teleflora’s bouquets of red and white roses. In turn, what will be received? If there is any doubt, the commercial ends by wishing the viewer “Happy Valentine’s” before the word “night” is added in a feminine, cursive hand. This 2012 commercial that aired during the Superbowl is not the only one of its kind. An ad for Victoria’s Secret during the 2013 Superbowl features numerous women wearing revealing lingerie amid pink-cushioned sofas and billowing drapes set to a chorus of “Love Me.” According to Pajamagram, all one has to do to “bring out her wild side” is buy her pajamas, and the company thoughtfully provides a free do-not-disturb sign just for the occasion. Purchasing a “Hunka Love Bear” from Vermont Teddy Bear for your significant other is “sure to pay off for you.” The same company has also produced a short clip entitled, “Give Bear, Get Love,” featuring a large teddy bear that steadily finds itself covered in women’s clothing before giving a knowing wink. Some retailers are more than explicit about their motives. Kay Jewelers’
ubiquitous slogan is one of the worst offenders. “Every kiss begins with Kay” outright states that the purchase of a diamond ring is a necessary prerequisite to romance. These commercials are only a cursory glance at the deluge of advertisements that all spout the same message throughout February: Valentine’s Day is nothing more than an exchange of goods. The man gives the woman one thing, be it flowers, teddy bears or jewelry. In exchange, it is expected that she give him another— sex. This media portrayal of sex as a good that can be bartered is destructive to the values Valentine’s Day supposedly stands for: recognizing and rejoicing in love for one another. Sex becomes nothing else but a transaction in this view, with the guy expecting his woman to have sex and the girl acquiescing to the man’s request because it is expected of her. These advertisements lamentably succeed in prostituting women by perpetuating the societal stereotype that every woman has her price. In this case, the currency used for the transaction is an expensive box of chocolates or a diamond necklace. Once that price is met, she will happily reward the “purchaser” with his request of sex. Men are maligned as well. By broadcasting these commercials, men are characterized as being driven solely by sex. After all, according to the advertisement’s logic, what’s the purpose of hauling an impractically oversized teddy bear through the bedroom door if it doesn’t “pay off” for him later? Apparently, these companies and the advertising agencies they hire aren’t aware of two simple facts fundamental to a romantic relationship: sex is not something that men purchase, and sex is not something that women give out. Sex is an experience that is shared. Both people in a relationship together decide when to make love. It is not thrust by one person onto another— that’s rape. There is no relationship rulebook which states that sex is a requirement on Valentine’s Day. If a couple
decides to not engage in sex, that’s their prerogative. Neither partner in a healthy relationship should be pressured to have sex with the other, regardless of whether that’s through violent intimidation or simply the social pressure associated with giving a gift on Valentine’s Day. If both people share the desire to express their feelings for one another in a sexual manner, that’s fine. But if a woman has a bad day at work and doesn’t feel like having sex, she shouldn’t be pressured to. And men should not be buying gifts for their partners because they want sex out of it. This is because the gifts given on Valentine’s Day do not symbolize sex. They symbolize the relationship itself. The act of sex can serve as an affirmation of this relationship, just as a present of earrings or a music box can, but not if it is expected as a reward for good behavior. At that point, it becomes representative of an imbalance of power between the couple that is to the detriment of a healthy relationship. The commercials presenting Valentine’s Day sex as a commodity to be traded, bartered for and given away only serve to devalue and defile the act and the holiday. Valentine’s Day means much more than just sex. It is the celebration of the relationship of human beings with one another. It is rejoicing in the time that two people are able to spend together. It is sharing a unparalleled bond with another person. All of these Valentine’s Day commercials fail to recognize that basic premise in their attempt to increase their profit margins. Even though relationships are not things that can be bought and sold, the media unfailingly presents them as such every Valentine’s Day. This portrayal only succeeds in perpetuating negative stereotypes of both men and women, and turning a day of jubilation into a commercial convention. ■H Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.
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OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
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Blame Disney’s poor depiction of women for your Valentine’s Day blues Colette King CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It’s time again for the annual dilemma of young girls everywhere. Do you haul your butt on campus to find yourself a date for Valentine’s Day, or just plan out your evening of solitude as a strong independent woman? Whoops, I apologize for the reference to loneliness. I’ll now refrain from adding to your daily dose of subliminal messages. It’s true: your life is full of subliminal messages, but they aren’t ones linked to a cult or mysterious religion. There is a pervasive theme running through our consciousness that tells women— insists—we need a deep desire for company on Valentine’s Day. Why do we either express despairing loneliness or ecstatic desire on this specific day? As your designated armchair psychologist, I’m going to analyze your childhood for insight. Let’s take a step back and dissect the popular culture of our childhood. The hopes, dreams and daily concerns of little girls revolved around a few things: hopscotch, four corners and our mission to find Prince Charming. The first two are natural enough. But that last idea is something we have been brainwashed into. Much of the television we watched consisted of fairy tales that started out with our heroine going through rough times and ended with her getting a beautiful young man at the end. In return for the blissful ignorance Disney gave us for 90 minutes, we suffer the aftereffects of subtle desperation every time Valentine’s Day comes around. You think to yourself: I’m a good person. I clean my room (every month or so), and I keep on top of my school work. I’m even
ambitious, funny and attractive. But why are you even using these qualities as the reason why you should have someone for Valentine’s Day? Because Disney instilled a message: if you clean the dwarves’ house (“Snow White”), respect the three strange women looking after you (“Sleeping Beauty”) and silently take maltreatment from your elders (“Cinderella”), you deserve a handsome and rich— emphasis on rich—man. That was the reward at the end of every movie—a man. Now, I’m not shooting down the idea of good people deserving true love, but why is it always the ultimate measure of happiness? Let’s delve deeper into Disney’s 1950 rendition of “Cinderella.” Disney made it obvious she was mistreated, and no matter how many good deeds she did it wasn’t enough. Honestly, she shouldn’t have kept trying to do good deeds for her family at all; it wasn’t worth it.
“Women can have a higher place in society more than just a trophy wife or a homemaker.” But you sympathize with Cinderella because you know she is a kind and beautiful spirit who hasn’t done anything wrong. Later on, she meets the love of her life, encounters more exploitation from her sad excuse for a family, and gets the young handsome prince before the movie ends with the timeless quote “And they lived happily ever after!” This is when Disney logic enters into your mind
C o u rt e s y
of disneyscreencaps.com
Disney’s movies only reinforce the idea that a woman cannot be successful without a man.
and the idea that good deeds equal a handsome young man enters into your life. With this education provided by Disney we entered into life. Although we didn’t live the life of a Disney princess, we still held onto the mentality that we would someday gracefully dance into the arms of our lover, saving us from the daunting pain we endure every day. But we live in an age where women can make it on their own. Women can have a higher place in society more than just a trophy wife or a homemaker. However, even though throughout the years women have been moving up the ranks in society, it still hasn’t changed the need to have a companion. We used “Cinderella” previously, but let’s also take into account the movie was made in the 1950s when the nuclear family was the norm and the role of women would be considered docile today. So Disney should be creating a little
more modern storyline, right? On Dec. 11, 2009, Disney released a new princess film: “The Princess and the Frog.” I’ll admit, I was excited for this movie but was slightly disappointed to see more Disney Logic. The movie began with a woman who worked hard and wanted to be a professional chef and own her own restaurant. This was a great step forward from the archetypal princess, even rejecting the prince in the beginning of the movie! But it is all shattered at the end of the movie when she accomplishes her dreams through the money of the man she fell in love with, negating all her hard work and independence in the story’s beginning. This movie is “acceptable” because Disney Logic is already embedded in our mind and the new generation is just now learning from it. Disney movies are not the only films promoting this way of thinking; this logic has
bled into the plot of other movies: the only way you can be happy is with a lover. There is still hope for Disney to improve its portrayal of women, beginning with the recent movie “Brave” which relinquishes the idea of marriage as the ultimate goal and ends with a happier mother-daughter relationship. Thankfully, Disney seems to be making strides in portraying more realistic expectations, rather than the impossible fairytale, that until recently had been the status-quo. So why for so long couldn’t Cinderella, instead of marrying a prince, establish a business making glass slippers to flee her evil family? Because that’s boring! Our Disney Logic does not allow us to even consider it a “happily ever after” possibility. Disney may now be moving to a more modern perspective, but its history is still of establishing that the peak of our life is not independence but dependence, on a man. ■H
Today’s valentine: where has the special meaning of Valentine’s Day gone? C o u r t n e y P a rk e r CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Roses are red, violets are blue, Valentine’s Day is near, are you going to buy me something new? Valentine’s Day sparks romantic, loving feelings within those in committed relationships, as well as single individuals. Expressing love and care towards anybody is not only considerate, but also necessary. Yet Valentine’s Day seems to be the only day where showing love towards a loved one determines the status and outcome of a romantic relationship. Take this opinion for what you want. Call it a sad, desperate message from a single, lonely young woman. Call it a cry for help from a girl who has nothing better to do than watch Netflix on her Friday nights. But the societal problem associated with Valentine’s Day remains. In order to truly understand why we celebrate this day in the first place, we have to look back on its history.
C o u rt e s y
of murphyjewelers.com
We forget that the meaning of Valentine’s Day is to celebrate our relationships with each other.
Valentine was a saint of the Catholic Church during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in the third century. Claudius II had prohibited all acts of young marriage because he believed younger, unwed men were more suitable for becoming soldiers. St. Valentine then performed marriages of all ages in secret, and was sentenced to death by the Emperor. This saint in particular was a true soldier
and defender of romance and love. Now, the long-time popular holiday of St. Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. The true meaning of Valentine’s Day is an expression of our own love for others. But this does not mean we are required to shower our loved ones with gifts that
have absolutely no meaning to them. A simple reminder of our feelings for one another is priceless compared to a dozen roses that will be dead in a short week. According to statistics from Time, in 2012 each person in the United States was expected to shell out an average of $123 for the holiday. Expected? I understand this is a statistic, but the term “expected” only makes
me want to run for the hills— fast. Why are people spending so much on this particular day? Why does Valentine’s Day seem to be one of the few days when love must be outwardly, physically and materialistically expressed out of the year? Perhaps we should follow the actions of St. Valentine and simply defend our love for the ones we care for. Giving gifts and fancy dinners is always an immense amount of fun and enjoyment, but among couples, it seems as if these rituals are expected. It is natural to enjoy being showered with love and affection—both emotionally and materialistically. However, Valentine’s Day in particular serves as a condition of the relationship. It honestly baffles me that receiving diamonds, candy and flowers can make or break a relationship after just one day. Flowers that die, candy that causes cavities and jewelry that may be outgrown or lost should never determine VALENTINE’S CONT’D ON PAGE 10
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013 VALENTINE’S FROM PAGE 9
the happiness of any relationship. The people who are not in a committed relationship— including myself—have been taught by society that we are supposed to feel left out, sad and lonely; that Valentine’s Day is intended for “happy” couples to shove their artificial affection straight into our faces with bright red balloons and teddy bears as tall as we are. As singles, we are expected to mourn our pathetic loneliness at home, indulging in empty calories and watching sappy romantic comedies that lack any relevance to our lives. All in all, in order to enjoy Feb. 14, we are required by the norms of society be in an intimate, impassioned relationship. What about our families? How about our friends? Just because one is not romantically involved with another should not mean love cannot be expressed in other ways towards other people. I enjoy expressing my love towards my family and closest friends. As singles, we should not languish among the many couples
HIGHLANDER
out there, but be happy and content with ourselves. Another ridiculous part of this specific day pertains to women who feel a competitive edge based on whether she has received a gift, as well as what the gift is. I have witnessed several scenarios of young women and girls who walk around with a huge teddy bear in their arms next to an emptyhanded girl with the envious look in her eyes.
“A simple reminder of our feelings for one another is priceless compared to a dozen roses that will be dead in a short week.” To many women, Valentine’s Day is “the big game”: to show off those flowers to single girls, to gloat about the romantic surprise from the boyfriend,
C o u rt e s y
o f r o w h o u s e 14. bl o g s p o t . c o m
Love should be expressed throughout the year, not just on Valentine’s Day. and then to ask, “What did being held by another ecstatic an excuse to be superlatively your boyfriend get you?” woman. However, Valentine’s affectionate and loving—that This problem—among Day is not the day to dwell in should be expressed every many others—is just one the single life. It is a day to day of your relationship— reason why the meaning of honor your love for anybody but a day to simply remind your life: mothers, others around you of how Valentine’s Day is lost and in fathers, sisters, brothers, much they mean to you, with wandering in the abyss. I used to be the bitter cousins, grandparents, and or without clichéd Hallmark and crowded, woman who hated anything yes, significant others. This messages ■H red, pink, or heart-shaped holiday is not about having expensive restaurants.
life is unbearable
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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MISC Thursday Lunch with Bill Noon - 1 p.m. Discussion St. Andrews Newman Center 105 Big Springs Road, 92507 ---------------AA Information: www.inlandempireaa.org 909-825-4700 ---------------Tuesday Big Book Study Noon-1 p.m. St. Andrews Newman Center 105 Big Springs Road, 92507 Own room in house for $550 12 month lease - all utilities included - cable, internet, laundry, alarm system included. Call 562-274-5165
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---------------How I hate your laugh and sorority sisters. Just sleep with me, please. ---------------It started with Blue Moons on the roof & now we watch Battlestar naked in bed. I wouldn’t have it any other way, L.A. - SF ---------------Seeking Krispy. Reward! Why’d you leave my honey buns for tall, dark and steamy? Will trade one sweet bite for any info ---------------Like trees? Like vulgar smells? Our Bradford pear tree tours will you coming back for more! Call BJ. ---------------To my lil nuggety nugget of joy - congrats on Cal Poly! I love ya and am wicked proud. Sincerely, Dragon Jennifer ---------------F seeks surly M with one broken limb and minor chest lacerations. Must have a proclivity for making black iced tea and reading morbid
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013 children’s books aloud. Lemon, raspberry, and peach is okay, too. Bring cats. ---------------ROCK, sparkly bits, caked in red...paint, in exchange for Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. No trade-backs. ---------------Karina - Happy Valentine’s Day and congratulations on your new job! Love, Kendall ---------------Mandy - From Riverside to Tucson, “All My Loving” to you :) See you soon! Love, Jake ---------------In Desperate Need of Fear? 19 a.m., Four steps east of the blooming sidhe. We will petrify you. Free. Costs one legendary mollusk for literal petrification. Bring your own orange mocha frappuccino. ---------------ROOMMATE WANTED: No BR, 1/4 closet, frigid temperatures incl., Monthly Rent: 3 sacrificial rocking chairs, pets or no deal. Communications via carrier pigeon.
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---------------Dear Ralph I Choo Choo Choose You Love, Lisa ---------------Norman Reedus. Your nonexistent use of apostrophes kills me inside, but my fascination with your face and your cat and your titanium eye-socket is too fierce. I’d ask you to be the Rosencrantz to my Guildenstern, but I realize they’re both dead, which is why I’m going to ask anyway. You should probably get a restraining order before we ever get a chance to meet. I like a challenge. By the end of the night, I’ll be crooning lyrics from breakup songs in your ear as you do body shots off a sweet, sexy RC helicopter. Try not to let the anticipation kill you. ---------------Partner wanted. Must appreciate sassy dogs, late night taco runs and sitcom marathons. Plan on being the best part of my day. Call 10-13-2007 ---------------MISSING PHONE BOOTH. Blue police box last seen at corner of Linden St. and Rustin Ave. It’s bigger on the inside. Reward if found - can offer all of time and space. Call 1-800-THEDOCTOR ---------------My heart beats for you One eighty over one ten Instant heart failure -Anonymous ---------------This is a message from your future self: do not do that thing you were thinking about doing. Just don’t. ---------------Leena, U r so kewl <3 Love, a penguin ---------------Hi <3, Anonymous ---------------You have a secret admirer. ---------------Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 ducksized horses? ---------------This is a haiku I love Scotty, yes I do How about you too? ---------------Dear sleep, I miss you. Love, sanity ---------------This spot is worth one free hug! Use whenever necessary. ---------------Hope you have a fantastic day whoever you are. You’re awesome and you should know it! ---------------What is the average airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? ---------------This is a classified ad. You should date me. Pretty please? ---------------What is love? Baby don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me. No more. ---------------Happy Anniversary Photo, Love, News.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
. FEATURES .
HIGHLANDER
36th ANNUAL
Writers Week Last week UCR hosted its 36th annual Writers Week Conference showcasing award-winning poets, novelists and journalists alike. Students and faculty gathered in INTS 1128 and the University Theatre to listen, discuss and learn from the diverse crop of guests.
Kicks off with 45th Annual
Hays-Press Enterprise Lecture By Lauren Green, Contributing Writer // Photos by Jinyoung Ko
D
avan Maharaj, editor and executive vice president of the Los Angeles Times Media Group, spoke of the changing face of journalism at the 45th Annual HaysPress Enterprise lecture Monday, Feb. 4 in UCR’s University Theatre. After being introduced by UCR Professor Tom Lutz, Press-Enterprise Publisher Ron Redfern and UCR Chancellor Jane Conoley, Maharaj approached the platform. Maharaj talked about how journalism is shifting with the high speed technology of today. He described the Internet as the new frontier. “Digital journalism allows us [journalists] to reach more people than ever before, and to package our content in ways that were not too long ago thought impossible.” He also emphasized the necessity for accessibility and speed regarding news. According to Maharaj, the adage “The news never sleeps” has never been as relevant as it is today. No longer are newspapers the only way to get current information. In a connected, globalized society, journalists must always be ready to accurately and swiftly disclose the news in a fashion much quicker than the printing presses.
02/05 1:00 PM Jacqueline Berger 2:00 PM Sheila Sanderson 3:30 PM
Christopher Buckley
5:00 PM Patricia Hampl
By Sean Frede, Senior Staff Writer
Those who came to Professor Nalo Hopkinson’s reading were in for treat of science fiction and fantasy. Born in Jamaica and recipient of the Warner Aspect First Novel Award, Hopkinson engages in complex genre crossing with urban realism, fantasy, folklore and near future speculation. She shared a story from chapbook “Report From Planet Midnight” and a passage from her upcoming novel “Sister Mine.” The first, entitled “Shift,” was a second-
Maharaj also addressed the universality of the news. Although physical boundaries remain, technology has helped bridge the world together through increased communication and reporting. “The foreign is local,” said Maharaj, in the sense that an event in Los Angeles can inspire changes in other cities, states and even countries around the world. The ubiquity of information makes every place in the world relevant to local news. The emerging face of news is not located on a paper outside one’s door, but instead on television and computer screens. The face of the newspaper is not disappearing but changing, said Maharaj, and “We need to keep developing our presence online.” The expansion of the news into new streams of media also demands new applications to maintain the principles of journalism. Maharaj addressed the need to maintain accuracy and integrity while still being efficient. “While the principles of our profession remain unchanged, we need to explore new methods of telling and delivering our stories,” Maharaj said. “Today, there are any number of front pages... readers get their news where they want and can decide for
themselves what is the main story. This basically means we’ve gone from publishing one product a day to publishing many, and doing it in real time while keeping our standards high.” Though the methods of journalism are changing, the quality and verifiability of the information must not, Maharaj explained. He described his view on how to move the LA Times forward to further support Southern California. His plan continues the “watchdog mission with investigative reporting” that has sustained and informed the public of Southern California, as well as continue “the great narrative mission with superlative storytelling.” Maharaj expressed his belief that newspapers like the LA Times have to make tough decisions when fulfilling their social responsibility to inform readers. He told a story of how the LA Times recently published photos of American soldiers degrading Afghani corpses. Although strongly warned not to, the newspaper published them anyway. In this case, the power of journalists to reveal real events is political and brave, albeit dangerous. Maharaj explained, “At the end of the day, our job is to publish information that our readers need to know.”
Top to bottom: Interim Chancellor Jane Close Conoley gives an introductory statement; Editor and executive vice president of the Los Angeles Times Media Group Davan Maharaj gives his lecture on the evolution of journalism.
Day two of writer’s week kicked off without a hitch. The reading started with Jacqueline Berger, a poet from San Francisco, who was followed by Sheila Sanderson who hails from Kentucky. UCR Professor Emeritus Christopher Buckley then presented before the night departed from poetry, and Patricia Hampl closed the evening. Berger read from her latest book, “The Gift That Arrives Broken,” which won the 2010 Autumn House Poetry Prize. The passages were filled with provocative, close-up, concrete details and images that smack you in the face with their directness. The poems from these
books focus on family—she wrote the book after her parents became sick. Sanderson read with a Kentucky twang and sipped from her mason jar of iced tea in between poems. The first poems she read are from her book, “Keeping Even” and were inspired by her homeland. They took the audience and placed them in a Kentucky bar or grassy plain. The audience got to really know small town Kentucky life; how they talked, what they felt and how they even breathed with her keen attention to detail. The audience was then transported to Arizona where she captured the desert mountains
of northern Arizona where she now resides. Her mastery of landscape kept the audience riveted. With an introduction by Juan Felipe Herrera, Christopher Buckley was up next. Buckley read from his most recent book, “Varieties of Religious Experience,” which blends metaphysics, cosmology, religion and pop-culture. While his poems take on a desperate and longing voice the mood stayed light as he easily joked with the crowd in between poems which the other poets failed to do. It felt like we were sitting at his kitchen table as he recited. Hampl finished the night and
person narrative of a young African American man and a “golden girl” whose relationship is interrupted by his goddess mother and mischievous sister. Themes of identity and gender peeked in this story as Hopkinson energetically read section in Jamaican dialect. These ideas were revisited in the second reading with celestial beings and family tensions. In the Q&A that followed, Hopkinson said, “I’m a fairly organic writer.” She writes, workshops and then
sees how that sparks new ideas. The room was popping with quiet laughter when David Shields shared an excerpt from his new book, “How Literature Saved My Life.” With essays and stories in New York Times Magazine as well as the author of 14 books, Shields explained that this book is a “practicum” and “reconstitution” to “Reality Hunger,” his last book that “in some ways burned literature down.” The excerpts were jovial and essayistic in
Shield’s first-person narration. He made a hilarious comparison to the qualities of George W. Bush that he also “despised in [his self].” In another chapter, “Love is a Long Close Scrutiny,” his character secretly reads his girlfriend’s journal. It was entertaining to say the least. In the Q&A, Shields said of his non-fiction, “Memory is pure fiction in many ways… I’m interested in human consciousness, and that’s what the essay foregrounds.”
read excerpts from her current novel in progress. She said that this new novel focuses on qualities of leisure and daydreaming. “We daydream our way into writing,” stated Hampl. During her reading of the excerpts, daydreaming is exactly what happened. The whole audience became lost in the world of St. Paul, Minnesota that she created. There was a delicate and precise touch to her descriptions that enwrapped all five senses and provided tenderness to the characters that kept the audience wondering what next. It was a great ending to a beautiful day filled with masterful poetry and prose.
02/06 12:00 pm Nalo Hopkinson 3:00 pm David Shields 5:00 pm Wanda Coleman
By Jacqueline Balderrama, Staff Writer
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02/07 1:00 PM Rebecca O’Connor 2:00 PM Aimee Phan 3:30 PM Ruben Martinez 7:00 PM Jamaica Kincaid
By Alexander Suffolk, Senior Staff Writer
Photo by Cameron Yong Award-winning author Jamaica Kincaid reads a section of her novel “See Now Then.” Day five of Writers Week was characterized by immersive fiction, intense poetry and a slideshow of eclectic photography. Novelist and recent UCR MFA graduate Mariah Young began the day by reading the title story from “Masha’allah,” her new collection of short stories. A native of San Leandro, Young characterized Oakland, California as she presented her piece about a cab
Day four of Writer’s Week kicked off with Tom Lutz introducing UCR alum and former student of his own, Rebecca O’Connor. O’Connor started off with her short story, “Birdsong and Gunshot,” which can be found in “Get Out of My Crotch,” a collection of nonfiction dealing with women’s health and rights. The piece dealt with accounts of abuse suffered by herself and the female members of her family, the personal intensity of them all juxtaposed with the legal classifications of each act. After such a heavy story, O’Connor discussed her passion for bird-training, and its influence on her latest novel, “Flight,” which she then read a short excerpt from before departing. Next up was Aimee Phan, novelist and current professor at the California College of the Arts. She read from her most recent novel, “The Re-Education of Cherry Truong.” The story revolves around a young Vietnamese woman going back to Vietnam to discover more about her family’s history, but also switches perspectives between her, her grandmother, her father and some of her cousins. Phan talked about her fascination with multiple perspectives in narrative and how it gives one the
driver tasked with speeding a pregnant woman to the hospital. Marisela Norte, a Los Angelesbased poet and fiction writer, followed Young with an entertaining and personal discussion of the merits of “observing the little things.” She read a poem she wrote en route to Riverside and shared a series of sometimes ridiculous, sometimes surprising and consistently beautiful photographs
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013 opportunity to present an event in many different ways. In the brief Q&A afterwards, Phan discussed how she used historical and family pain to craft her fiction. Susan Straight then introduced her friend and colleague, Ruben Martinez. He started by introducing his nonfiction book “Desert America: Boom and Bust in the New Old West.” The excerpt he
“Inspiration is not magical, it’s something in you. You can find it in yourself.” -Jamaica Kincaid read dealt primarily with the inhospitable situation of the Mexican-American border, specifically with Redford, Texas, a town declared the drug capital of the southern U.S., where 75 percent of the population is apparently involved in drug trafficking—even though said population is only a little over one hundred. Both his story and Q&A
she snapped around Los Angeles, from which she draws her inspiration. “I couldn’t make this up,” she said as she looked at a photo of a lone unicorn figurine abandoned at a bus stop. The evening ended at the Culver Center, where award-winning novelist Jayne Anne Phillips presented the Stephen Minot memoriam reading for 2013 as the conclusion to UCR’s 36th annual Writers Week. ■H
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focused on the need for hospitality and openness that is sorely needed on the border. “If we don’t open the door,” Martinez said, “then I think something inside us dies.” Finally, the night came to a close with renowned novelist Jamaica Kincaid. Kincaid was sweetly soft-spoken, but the poetic and often long-winded prose of her reading from “See Now Then,” her latest novel, packed a literary punch. Afterwards, she held a more lengthy Q&A, in which she addressed many questions from a room packed with admiring fans. She admitted that growing up only having access to a bible, a dictionary and Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” she almost can’t help writing sentences that can span entire pages. She also discussed the American concept of happiness, namely that “we speak of happiness as something we step into,” when really it is just a part of life. When asked why she started writing, she answered that it was because she couldn’t do anything else. One of her last questions was on the subject of inspiration, to which she told all aspiring writers in the room, “Inspiration is not magical, it’s something in you. You can find it in yourself.”
02/08 2:00 PM Mariah Young 4:00 PM Marisela Norte 7:30 PM Jayne Anne Phillips
By Rebecca Paredes, Senior Staff Writer
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
FEATURES
“Space is really necessary because you don’t want to overwhelm the other person.” -Tania Hurtado “My friend once told me fortune favors the bold, which means not to think too much about things. If you want to ask someone out just do it.” -Michael Torres
“... if you don’t have trust it’s not going to work” -Martha Pineda
HIGHLANDER
WE ASKED, UCR ANSWERED: up close and personal with student relationships by Jessica Martinez, Contributing Writer // photos by Vincent Ta & Jillian Rausa With Valentine’s Day coming up, I took it upon myself to explore the dating scene here at UCR. A lot can be learned about the trial and error of relationships from reading other people’s stories in the media, magazines or books. Everyone is different yet we all crave companionship. The dating scene can get quite messy. Rejected? Get back up and try again (with someone else of course). But the first problem may be how to ask someone out. Michael Torres, a fourth-year creative writing major who has dated since he was 16, said that he likes to get to know someone as friends first before asking them out. Once a date is set, his pre-date routine includes going to get a haircut the day of the date and picking out his outfit. Torres also believes in holding the door for his date and paying if he initiated the date. “I think I can still believe in equality between men and women with the idea that men should still hold the door open.” Torres is a forward person who does not let one rejection discourage him from asking others out. “My friend once told me fortune favors the bold, which means not to think too much about things. If you want to ask someone out just do it.” This is a great piece of advice for those of us that are shy or worry too much about the outcomes. Tania Hurtado, a third-year anthropology major, has been in a relationship for four and a half years. She met her boyfriend in high school but they didn’t attend the same school until this year when he transferred to UCR. A high school relationship that has continued to grow even in college can be difficult to keep up, so how has Hurtado maintained a strong relationship? ”I feel like giving each other space is what’s kept our relationship going. If you do things separately you have stuff to talk about and you miss each other. Space is really necessary because you don’t want to overwhelm the other person.” A simple piece of advice but it works for her. Martha Pineda, a third-year sociology major has been in a relationship for almost three years that began in high school. She has had to overcome the obstacles of long distance dating for nearly a year. When it comes to long distance relationships, most people are skeptical and always point out the negatives. Pineda, on the other hand, figured out a way to make things work. “We just kept in contact a lot and we both knew how we felt about each other so we were confident.” “You definitely have to have a lot of trust because physically the other person is not there so if you don’t have trust it’s not going to work,” says Pineda. Trust in any relationship is important, but in long distance relationships it is the ultimate
foundation that keeps it together. Catalina Macias, a fifth-year psychology major, shared her most memorable date with us. “This guy took me on his motorcycle to the beach and then we had dinner right by the beach. It was my first time on a motorcycle so I could see how it could be someone’s worst date but he made sure I was comfortable.” But with memorable dates come embarrassing dates as well. For Macias it was when she fell asleep at the drive-in. “I had worked a really long shift earlier that day but I still really wanted to go on the date so I didn’t want to cancel. During the second movie I fell asleep through the whole thing. I remember waking up to the credits and I think he was shocked but I think he took my explanation as genuine.” Everyone has an embarrassing moment, what matters is how you handle the situation. The guy Macias was at the drive in with eventually became her boyfriend, so embarrassing moments can lead to more memorable ones. Esmer Garcia, a fourth-year media and cultural studies major, approaches dating as something more casual. “I don’t think of dating as dating, but as hanging out.” “I’m not someone that freaks out about going on a date. It’s not my priority. My priority is me,” stated Garcia. This is a really confident mindset that some may not have developed yet; in college people are always changing and growing. Garcia is attracted to guys that are confident in themselves as well. James Bartolo, a third-year biochemistry major, has been in a relationship for almost two years. He met his girlfriend in his hall freshmen year and they became friends. Bartolo stated he did see a lot of people at first, but she never judged him. He grew out of that lifestyle and wanted to have that one person that would always be there for him. “We had been studying for a while, and we decided to go to a movie. I held her hand and she smiled and put her head on my shoulder.” From there the relationship slowly progressed from a friendship to a relationship. Going from being good friends to more than friends can be a turbulent transition that people might not be willing to go through. But for Bartolo, he didn’t want to wait around. He thinks men should be the ones to initiate the move. It can be tough to meet that special someone in college or to go on successful dates. Still, it’s important to remember that everyone has experienced good and bad dates. It is through trial and error that you learn about yourself and how to approach different situations. If you are single or in a relationship, remember that college is a growing experience and just one point in your life. ■H
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
15
REJECTION
is there a proper way?
A
By Matthew Ward, Contributing Writer, Single s Cupid shoots his arrow this Valentine’s Day, be weary of the unsuitable suitor. The unsuitable suitor takes many forms: the boy or girl from that one night or even worse, the boy or girl you have never met! The story of this suitor is that he or she is not often aware that the person they are pursuing genuinely does not share the same romantic interest and this, Pepé Le Pews and Penelope Pussycats of UCR, is where our dilemma begins. So how does one reject another and is there a proper way? In the event that at this very moment you are reading this very sentence and an unsuitable suitor is in the process of asking you on a date, I have prepared a quick list of lines that you may or may not want to use. • • • • • •
I have to organize my sock drawer. I have to feed my fish. I have to polish my bowling ball. I have to fluff my pillows. I have to iron my ties. I have to sort my recycling. Right now. Sorry. Bye.
Assuming you do not posses the radiant beauty of Scarlett Johansson or Cupid’s lover Psyche, I encourage you to understand that rejection is not something one can run away from. Using Snapchat to reject someone or quickly fabricate lines like, “I’m sorry I have to grind my coffee beans that night” are, in fact, not appropriate responses to someone asking you for a date. When it comes to the process of rejecting guys, student Megan Wipff recognizes that “a lot of girls just ignore guys.” However, she also understands that when girls “make themselves more unavailable, guys seem to want them more.” Ah, the thrill of the chase. The attractive yet sensible Wipff knows that despite maybe “being seen as a bitch” it’s important to “be straight” with whoever you are rejecting. On the other hand, Wipff ’s sorority sister, Cassie Freeman, sees lying as the best option for rejecting a pursuer. I asked Freeman how she would respond if someone she didn’t like asked her out. She would say, “Oh, I already made plans.” Lying works, but it may not always be the best choice. To Freeman’s credit she actually has a boyfriend and could simply say “I have a boyfriend.”
WRITE, SHOOT, OR DESIGN FOR THE HIGHLANDER
Meetings on Mondays at 5:15pm at HUB 101
When asked if there is a proper way to reject someone, student Basel Hijjawi acknowledges it’s important to “let them down soft.” However, Hijjawi did admit his answer to a girl’s request could be altered “depending if there is chocolate involved or not.” What sweet guy doesn’t like sweet things? After better considering the prospect of a girl asking him out on a date this Valentine’s Day, Hijjawi concluded, “saying yes would actually be harmless. Why not make someone’s day?” Like any challenging question, there is usually a wide range of answers and
rarely an all-purpose correct answer. For student Sherin Barvarz, when it comes to properly rejecting someone, “it depends.” “If the other party is being considerate and you’re not interested, then rejection should be polite,” said Barvarz. “On the other hand, if the person trying to get your attention is annoying, unnecessarily persistent and a bit rude, you can stop trying to avoid hurting their feelings.” In the event one must face a pursuer who is, in fact, annoying and unnecessarily persistent, a stage five clinger, or for all purposes an
unsuitable suitor, remember you have the most secret rejection weapon of them all, the Rejection Hotline. Phi Kappa Sigma’s Austin Longwell calls it his “go to” and after all what’s a more effective method of rejection? (Use only as a last resort: 951934-5940). Come Feb. 14, despite this article, I really hope the last thing on your mind is how to reject someone. But in the case that it is, I know that I have equipped you with the tools to execute the art of rejection to its utmost perfection and or catastrophic failure. Happy Valentine’s Day. ■H
C o u rt e s y o f M at t h e w W a r d Don’t send this Snapchat, especially for nine seconds.
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
HIGHLANDER
17
3rd
annual
SUM OF ALL
E Q U A L S
C H A N G E Clockwise from top: Students take turns saying things about society that concern them while clapping at the Art of the P.O.O.R. workshop; Artwork created by youth for Art of the P.O.O.R.; Paris Finnie reads a collaborative poem written by attendees of the Art of the P.O.O.R. workshop.
Sum of All Equals Change Conference co-director Jared Mitchell.
On a beautiful afternoon on Saturday, Feb. 9, a swarm of student attendees ran up and down the stairs of the HUB to their perspective workshops during ASPB’s third annual Sum of All Equals Change conference, covering topics ranging from the subculture of “hipsters” to campus climate. The day was composed of four sessions, with a one-hour lunch break in between. Each session featured three to five workshops each, which were hosted in different rooms in the HUB. The 2013 Sum of All Equals Change conference aimed to bring awareness to many problems relevant to UC Riverside’s student population. HUB 302, where the first lecture was held, was set up like a banquet: complete with round tables, a slide show, and pumping feel-good alternative rock music from bands like Imagine Dragons and Phoenix. Free drawstring bags were handed out to all registered participants filled with a pamphlet summarizing the day’s agenda, a Sum of All Equals Change pin, as well as an adorable eco-friendly notebook and wooden pen, all branded with the conference’s logo. At 10 a.m. William Ibekwe and Jared Mitchell, directors of the Contemporary Culture department of ASPB, welcomed participants to the event that they had slaved over for several months. Associate Director of Student Affairs for University Honors Scott Silverman then followed as the keynote speaker. He opened by sharing with the audience that he was a “big believer in the students.” His lecture aimed to show students how to unlock their passions and achievements by putting aside just 10 minutes a day. Silverman encouraged students to actually pursue the changes they want to see, instead of just complain about them. “Not that I’m asking all of you to protest or anything,” he joked. However, his recommendations did not stray far from that realm. Silverman has had a long history at UCR (about 15 years) and has seen magnificent changes take effect. For example, he compared the shabby facilities of the past, such as a tiny learning center that was beyond falling apart, to the resources the campus has now—the HUB. By demonstrating how a small group of frustrated students managed to petition and gather 1,500 signatures, which was a big deal for a then-population of just 9,000 students, Silverman proved his point about student potential for action. The following slide displayed a quote by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” After receiving a round of inspired applause, he paused to identify with student attendees. “There’s nothing special about me,” said Silverman. “All I know is
by Toni Louie, Senior Staff Writer // photos by Wesley Ng
that I saw a problem, and I asked myself what I could do about it.” He also shared that because the state does not fund student-use buildings, projects like the HUB depend on student fees. Since the survival of major improvements depend solely on student initiative, he opened up the panel and asked the audience what they wanted most to see change about their school. A few requests included longer library hours, more attention paid to safety concerns and more funding for Costo Hall on campus. Silverman reminded students to anticipate and be prepared for rejection. “People typically oppose change,” he said. However, because UC Riverside operates under a “shared governance” system, meaning that student committees and the university work together, students actually have more power than they think. Silverman didn’t shy away from the problems that
“...students actually have more power than they think.” UCR students face today, such as the unequal ratio of food cost and food quality, parking and class limits due to budget cuts. The lecture ultimately encouraged students to go beyond remaining uncomfortable or quiet with what bothered them, and instead, actively pursue the appropriate steps to make a difference in their campus and community. Silverman provided a list of tactics, strategies and useful information to the audience which many of the attendees eagerly jotted down in their notebooks. He effectively broke down what was ideal for students into what was realistic in a series of very achievable steps. Still, he maintained that what happens after the students leave the conference depends on their own initiative as individuals. After Silverman’s speech, the freshly motivated students were free to disperse into their respective workshops. The first session included three choices. The first
choice brought awareness to queer invisibility in the Middle East; the second workshop was titled, “Freakin’ Hipster: Exploring the subculture everybody loves to hate;” and the third was a seminar on how to better approach, befriend and work with disabled people. I chose to attend the second workshop, which was fully packed. The lecture was hosted by Tim Grove, chairperson of ASPB and a fifth-year media and cultural studies and theatre major. He began his workshop by asking the audience what they thought of when they heard the term hipster. Some sporadic answers included “big ol’ square glasses without rims” or “pretentious about everything,” both which triggered hearty laughter from the audience. Then he asked, “Does anyone identify as a hipster?” No one said anything. This then led to the question of exactly what connotations are associated with hipsters. Some positive ones include good taste in music and interest in witty banter and philosophy. Some of the negative ones included arrogance as well as denial of their own identity. However, Grove asked this: “Can we ever truly identify something that doesn’t identify itself?” For example, if someone says that they are not pretentious, then one could argue that they are being slightly pretentious. Could the same be applied to hipsters? Another attack of hipsters is the trademark irony in their fashion. For example, they are known to wear clothes that are so ugly and outdated that they somehow become endearing and unique. “Any hate is damaging,” said Grove. “But why do we hate hipsters?” After some struggle with the topic, the audience came to the conclusion that hipster fashion can be offensive when it borrows certain ideals without actually embodying them. Grove gave an example of a wealthy white individual wearing Native American patterns without actually knowing anything about the cultural history, and “growing a mountain-man beard without ever touching an axe in his life.” Grove went on to expand about a society of consumerism that fetishizes certain concepts, manifesting in material products and thus leading to this subculture of hipster that is everchanging. Session two offered five workshops. The workshop topics included the impact of “Trap” and “Drill” music as related to the experience of the black community, the relationship between critical thinking and confidence, the difference between pursuing a degree and pursuing a career, the media’s distortion of body image and beauty and a workshop exploring sexuality. I followed the giggles and rapid scurrying of attendees toward the fifth workshop. Hosted by Vincent
Clockwise from top: Audience members participate in a game at the Improv Anonymous workshop; Freddy Lopez introduces himself and Art of the P.O.O.R. by rapping; Army Muslim Chaplain James Yee speaks about Islamophobia and America’s prejudices against Muslims in his keynote.
La and Alex Chan, who are both med school students, their workshop titled “Let’s Get it On” was probably one of the most controversial and exciting topics of the day. Walking in, the first images to strike people were a desk displaying a variety of sex toys, and the walls were covered in post-its with titles like anal sex, drugs, STD’s, love and polygamy. The hosts began the ultimate icebreaker by asking each participant to introduce themselves as well as their favorite sexual position or one that they were curious about. Despite a few shy people, most participants openly answered. “This is a safe space,” reassured La. Both La and Chan made the audience laugh but remained professional and very knowledgable about the body, being in the medical field. The hour was filled with close identifying, laughter, sincere questions and sharing personal experiences.
“Can we ever truly identify something that doesn’t identify itself ?” -Tim Grove, chairperson of ASPB Participants walked out in good spirits with better knowledge and more awareness about safe sex, which extends beyond protection and also includes notions of respect, honesty and communication with a sexual partner. Vincent La came up with the concept as well as the logo for the Sum of All Equals Change conference since its first debut in 2011. “This is my brainchild,” he said. “Everything you see here has a little bit of me behind it.” He was passionate about the idea of students educating each other, did plenty of research and watched documentaries before pitching the idea to the rest of ASPB. “I never anticipated a second one, let alone a third,” said La. After Session two, ASPB provided a hearty lunch of falafels and wraps from Extreme Pita, as well as bags of chips and water for everyone. HUB 302 was filled with chatter, heated debates and networking. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Sandoval and Dean of Students
Susan Allen Ortega walked around, chatted and sat with participants at their tables. Lara Repko, a freshman English major, showed initiative and came out to support the conference. Repko, a huge supporter of UCR’s events and activities, wanted to experience the conference so that she’s “not always sticking to [her] comfort zone in the dorms.” In reference to all these students coming as strangers and leaving with new knowledge and friendships, she said, “I think it’s so amazing.” After lunch, session three kicked things back into momentum with topics such as stereotypes and social justice, Mexican culture and Mariachi musicans, the media’s representation of the LGBT community, an open mic performance and the socio-political consciousness in entertainment. I joined the third workshop, which was hosted by UCR’s LGBT Resource Center. The discussion centered upon the problem of the mainstream media’s under-representation of the LGBT community as well as their lack of a realistic portrayal of it. Members are often utilized simply for comedic relief, occupational stereotypes or one-liners. Another detriment is that they are also typically attractive, wealthy and express ideas of homonormativity: a preconceived notion of what LGBT folks should look like or act like. Just a few minutes in, the audience took over and had a heated debate about LGBT community’s role in the media. After the seminar, participants left with plenty of useful contact information to get involved, keep discussing and spread awareness. The final session consisted of four topics. The first explored how college might be teaching students to see the world in a one-size-fits-all perspective while the second introduced how students could make a difference through the ASUCR Senate. The third explored student leadership and potential on campus and the fourth was a series of games and exercises building trust and teamwork. Once students completed their workshops in the fourth session, they reconvened in HUB 302 for closing keynote speaker Chaplain James Yee, a former U.S. Army Muslim Chaplain. Yee witnessed religious abuses against prisoners in Guantanamo. Because of this, he has developed a passion for spreading awareness and preventing crimes and prejudices against American Muslims. 2013’s Sum of All Equals Change was an opportunity for ambitious students to utilize their power and bring about the changes they want to see most. Students left on Saturday afternoon with smiles on their faces, pins on their shirts and a newfound appreciation for their own potential. ■H
Sum of All Equals Change Conference co-director William Ibekwe introduces keynote speaker James Yee.
HIGHLANDER
R adar
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT @ h i g hl a n d e r r a d a r
Events this week Tuesday | 2/12
Wednesday | 2/13
Saturday | 2/16
Mardi Gras Gala @ Riverside Art Museum, 6 p.m.
Blackalicious @ UCR Barn, 8:30 p.m.
Poetry workshop @ The Calder Quartet Cellar Door Books, 3 free concert, 4 p.m. @ p.m. Culver Center
Daniel Bambaata Marley
passionately sings during a performance at the barn .
Sunday | 2/17
J i n y o u n g K o /H i g hl a n d e r
20
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
HIGHLANDER
V
V
V
Love 6
Date Movies: The
Styles
By Grace Kang, Senior Staff Writer
L ★: Editor’s Pick
ove. At a glance it’s just an umbrella term for the well-recognized red or pink symbol on Valentine’s Day cards, three-quarters of your family tree, that tingly feeling that can mean anything from infatuation to paresthesia on your buttocks. Good old, all-encompassing love. But in 1973, psychologist John Lee decided that there are six different styles of love, slapped them on a color wheel with pretty Greek names and published them as “The Colors of Love.” So for those of you who plan on spending a night indoors this Feb. 14 but aren’t sure of what to do, we’ve gone ahead and compiled a compendiary list of movies that may appeal to each respective “love style.” Because, come on, you can’t possibly have anything better to do with that special someone on a warm, inviting couch in the darkening evening, except watch movies to commemorate a centuries-old saint’s martyrdom. It’s going to be fun. ■H
Ludus There are a lot of people who like to approach love as a game, and that goes especially for individuals who fall in the vein of Ludus. Commitment and monogamy is treacherous territory for these people, and they’ll jump ship at the first sign of trouble, or worse, boredom. But when spun for the silver screen, Ludus can be entertaining and even romantic. Just remember the wise proverb: “Don’t try this at home.” Jeux d’enfants/Love Me If you Dare ★ “Cap, pas cap? [Translation: Game, or no game?]” How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days “Before the 10 days are up, I’m going to have this guy running for his life.”/ “True or False: All’s fair in love and war.” Cruel Intentions “Happy hunting.”
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Mania: (Eros + Ludus) Everyone has their obsession, and for Mania lovers it’s their relationship. It’s decidedly questionable to think that Mania is the best of both worlds with a heavy dose of possessiveness and paranoia, but that doesn’t stop people from falling into this little love trap. One or more characters in these movies display Mania characteristics (literally, in one manicdepressive’s case), and it gets ugly fast. Daydream Nation “The sexual revolution is just like any other revolution: there's going to be casualties.” Silver Linings Playbook ★ “You know, for a while, I thought you were the best thing that ever happened to me. But now I'm starting to think you're the worst.” Thirst “[Translation:] Though my face may seem cold and rigid my heart only beats for you.”
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Agape: (Eros + Storge) Not everything has to be about romantic love. It’s true that there are romantically involved couples that fall into this category, but Agape is often seen as the purest love with a capacity for spiritual connection and self-sacrifice. That doesn’t mean you can only find this kind of love against a painted backdrop of plump cherubs and doves—Agape can come from the cruelest of circumstances to the perfectly dysfunctional. V for Vendetta ★ “Even though I do not know you, and even though I may never meet you, laugh with you, cry with you, or kiss you, I love you. With all my heart, I love you.” Little Miss Sunshine “I’m so glad you’re still here.” Winter’s Bone “I'd be lost without the weight of you two on my back. I ain't goin' anywhere.”
V
Eros You know when something is given the name of the Greek god of love (Roman: Cupid), there’s got to be passion and fluff involved. Eros is all about on-the-spot chemistry and a healthy blend of physical and emotional love. It may verge on delusion of fairytale proportions, but hits the spot for hopeless romantics. Here are a few picks that embrace the fantasy and still manage to be halfway decent at the very least. Moulin Rouge! “The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” A Knight’s Tale ★ “Even the peasants can marry for love.” The Princess Bride “When he was saying "’As you wish,’ what he meant was, ‘I love you.’”
Storge So, you’ve got A and B sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, but some people like to actually get to know each other on a deeper level before they get to that part. Storge lovers often start out as friends or cohorts of some sort, and mutual interests are often what eventually get them on the road to mutual attraction. Their relationship is their comfort zone, like a big, cushy couch. Penelope “I had a friend, once, who liked to gamble.” It’s Kind of a Funny Story ★ “Do you like music?” She’s the Man “Ask me some questions, and if the chemistry's right, things will just start flowin'.”
Pragma: (Ludus + Storge) Now, we move onto the “secondary colors.” For the Pragma lovers, love is a system— one that must be logically organized and kept tidy for optimal productivity. Practicality is the key to success, and that goes even for romance, so it’s no surprise that they’re not a popular subject in the glam and grit of Hollywood. The couples featured in these movies go through varying levels of the Pragma style over the progression of their relationship. The Proposal “You have four days to learn all this about me. So, you should…probably get studying.” Mr. & Mrs. Smith ★ “There is no room for mistakes, whatsoever. No mistakes. No spontaneity.” The Young Victoria “Every suitor will come with strings attached.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
21
BOOK REVIEWS X MARKS THE SCOT // VICTORIA ROBERTS RATING:
I
★★☆☆☆
BY: REBECCA PAREDES, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
was sorting through new releases for a book to review this issue when Victoria Roberts’ romance novel “X Marks the Scot” captured my attention with its cover art (Fabio in a kilt) and its horrendous title (is he a Scottish pirate?). I expected smut set in Scotland—nothing more, nothing less. But “X Marks the Scot” surprised me. Not for its sex scenes, of which none occur until halfway through the story, and not for its role in the larger Scottish romance genre, which is actually a thing. I was surprised because “X Marks the Scot” toes the line between a trashy romance novel and an unlikely love story. It has decently developed characters and a good sense of humor, and while the plot is full of incongruous dialogue, repetitive phrases and overabundance of clichés, it manages to be entertaining in its absurdity—and oh, is it absurd. We begin the story with Declan MacGregor, a Scottish manly man hailing from the Highlands, whose two main concerns in life are women and drink. But after Archie Campbell, an enemy of the MacGregors, is killed following his attempt to take the king’s throne, Declan is assigned the role of escorting his dead enemy’s sister to court. Liadain is a healer whose life is spared after she helps the MacGregor sisters escape. She hates the stuffy pretenses of the court and also wants to return to the Highlands, because this makes
her character unique and unconventional, or something. She bonds with Declan, her kilted bodyguard, over long walks in the garden and their mutual attraction. We know they dig each other because Roberts shoves their sexual tension into her audience’s face with quality descriptions like, “She wore a gold-colored gown that clung to her curves in all the right places” and “His fingers gently rubbed her [shoulders, you scoundrels].” From this point, the story is predictable. It’s a romance novel. They fall in love. Tartan and haggis and ale for everyone. But as aforementioned, their unsurprising love story is not what captured my attention; I was immersed by their conversations, which are a cacophonous hodge-podge of 17th century Scottish brogue, the occasional foray into Gaelic and modern turns of phrase. “Ye donna realize how truly painful
“If I never have to read “wanton desire,” “bonny lass,” “her long raven tresses” or “pure masculinity” again, it’ll be too soon.” that was for me,” Declan jokes after he admits something civil to Liadain. “Cease, ye rogue,”
she says. In truth, the relationship between Declan and Liadain is one of the novel’s redeeming qualities; at certain moments, the couple is adorable in a kind of ridiculous way, particularly when Liadain must apply a mud salve to Declan’s bare “arse” after he falls into a pile of nettles. It was arguably the weirdest scene in the novel and intended to be a bonding moment between them, but really, an ass rash is hilarious and Liadain’s awkwardness made the moment memorable. Secondary to the relationship between Liadain and Declan is the assassination conspiracy that serves as the story’s central conflict; fans of “V for Vendetta” will appreciate Roberts’ allusion to Guy Fawkes. In all honesty, this subplot has a lot of potential, but it is diluted by
Courtesy of Sourcebooks Casablanca
the appearance of forgettable characters and a too-easy resolution. I was also distracted by the double entendres Roberts scattered throughout the story, which I’m still not sure were completely intentional. “Declan would show Dunnehl a High-
“It’s a romance novel. They fall in love. Tartan and haggis and ale for everyone.” land barbarian when he shoved his broadsword up the lord’s English arse,” the narrator warns. Even more unfortunate is the sheer number of repetitive
phrases and worn-out romance tropes that drag the story down into trashy novel territory. If I never have to read “wanton desire,” “bonny lass,” “her long raven tresses” or “pure masculinity” again, it’ll be too soon. “What had ever happened to a pleasant evening of satisfying each other’s lust and just saying fare-thee-well in the morn?” Declan pouts, and for a moment, the Highland barbarian ventures into metacommentary. The novel’s cover and title suggest a conventional kilt down, tresses up smut fest, but the story itself tries to deal with themes of marriage, love and sacrifice. I would love to see Roberts expand her pretty awesome assassination plot and place less emphasis on the Liadain’s and Declan’s by-thebooks love story. ■H
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
Marley lights up the Barn by Kevin Keckeisen and Colin Markovich, Senior Staff Writers Photos by Jinyoung Ko
D
aniel Bambaata Marley and Riverside-based Natural Heights lit up the Barn with some much needed peace, love and reggae on what would have been Bob Marley’s 68th birthday, Feb. 6. While Natural Heights gave a decent enough performance, Marley (son of Ziggy Marley) electrocuted the crowd with jumps, chest pumps, highs and a feel of unmatched authenticity. There must be something groovy in that Marley blood. Natural Heights opened with “Nation Vibration,” a mellow jam characterized by lead vocalist Scott Hall’s distinct high-pitched voice. He sings, “Ooh this is the vibe / this is the rhythm / Can move a whole nation / So buh! buh!” While a bit slow for the head-bobbing crowd, the band pumped some adrenaline into their lazy sound with “Wake Me Up” and “Hold Me Down.” Lead guitarist Juan Canales did a great job keeping this rapid pace throughout the night, and he even tore up a few solos. At one point he hopped off stage and kept playing. For all the glory their more upbeat tunes brought, Natural Heights killed their momentum with many of their slower songs such as “My Escape,” “Moon Dub” and “Slightly Eleven.” They’re nice and calming and all, but damn do they start to sound the same after a while. Hill relies too heavily on belching out long vowels in lieu of actual words—almost to the point of pure annoyance. I can’t even count how many “oh oh yea yea yeas” there are in nearly every song; “Right Time” sticks out in particular. Like scatting, this use of nonsensical syllables helped Hall improvise a few melodies and rhythms, but it got old—fast. Had Natural Heights kept their slow jams low, and instead focused on keeping the energy high and infused with the classic reggae off-beat and two-chord arrangements found in “Cruisin Cali” and “Next Life,” people might have started skanking. But the night soon turned around with the headlining artist of the night. Hailing from Jamaica with dreadlocks and a lion T-shirt, 23-year-old Daniel Bambaata Marley may appear to be only a typical reggae artist at first blush. But one taste
“There must be something groovy in that Marley blood.” of his music is enough to convince anybody otherwise. Marley spat fire with his unique fusion blend of reggae/rap to the backdrop of funky guitar licks, fat bass lines, snappy snare drums and a deep synthesizer and piano. Following a similar vocal harmony and high wails, hints of his famous grandfather Bob Marley and father Ziggy Marley are subtly intertwined in his own work. But rather than cowering in that shadow, Marley also raps over many of his tracks. As testament to a new generation, Marley’s rap skills shine as he makes use of new electronic sounds, elements of music nonexistent during his grandfather’s time, all while keeping that smooth reggae sound. Featured prominently was one of his most well-known singles, “Live it inna Fear.” Singing, “the chosen young / Get pushed to guns / And that how blood go flow / Need for a change is high / But rage go reside in them soul / 96 degrees / And still so many hearts are cold,” in a low voice that rose in volume and intensity along with the song’s progression, Marley’s stand-out vocals were punctuated with rhythmic piano beats and a tropical wood-block soundfont hailing from the time of his grandfather. During each of his songs, Marley showed off the dynamism characteristic of his live shows. Moving from one end of the stage to the other at a speed ranging from a fast-paced trot to a full-on gallop, he did as much to infuse energy into the audience as the pulsing beat. At one point, he stole away via a side exit before making his way through the crowd of gyrating bodies to the stage front, and proceeded to work up the crowd by grooving alongside them.
Top to bottom: Daniel Bambaata Marley sings and raps in honor of Bob Marley’s birthday; Scott Hall, lead singer of Natural Heights, opened for Marley and warmed up the crowd.
Though the audience’s collective mind began to wander before Marley’s performance, he called them back, saying, “Please come closer to the stage. I need to feel your energy and your breath.” And though not extraordinarily large, the fact that most everybody stayed for the entire performance attests to Marley’s musical skill and charisma. In spite of the medium turnout, the energetic performances of songs like “Cowboy” made the atmosphere of the Barn feel more like a large concert hall packed with people rather than a partly empty restaurant. Once Marley was on the stage, the crowd was fully engaged.
Marley offstage was a down-to-earth person who sold his own merchandise and had no problems mingling among the crowd to take pictures and sign autographs. But he still keeps the music close to him, and will be releasing a mixtape in the spring. “Music is the heartbeat, is the soul... music is vibration,” he explained after the performance. Though Natural Heights left something to be desired, Marley’s performance saved the show from being a complete wash. Between the two artists, the night was a good one for the new generation of reggae, and truly fitting for the birthday of Bob Marley. ■H
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
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MUSIC REVIEWS SMOKEY MARY // HARRY CONNICK, JR. RATING:
H
★★☆☆☆
BY: JILLIAN RAUSA , CONTRIBUTING WRITER
arry Connick, Jr. transports listeners to the Mardi Gras parade with his latest album “Smokey Mary.” Its release is timed perfectly to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his Krewe of Orpheus. This group is one of the largest super krewes that organize momentous parades. Connick reprises a unique jazzy style in the fashion of his previous album “She” to welcome the carnival season in a traditional fashion. Connick utilizes the anniversary as an opportunity to stray away from his traditional ragtime tracks, and instead dabble in funk and R&B, both of which highlight the good times of dance and costume during Mardi Gras. “Smokey Mary” introduces another side to his musical ability that has proved to be a very solid fit for the offbeat style; the combination of syncopation and easy-flowing lyrics set an upbeat, celebratory tone. His nonchalant vocal inflection really enhances the timbre of the record. Even the gospel-like number “S’pposed to Be” (featuring Tara Alexander) is surprisingly fitting sound for his brooding voice, which transforms from track to track and establishes a funky rhythm variant from his traditional bebop. However, Connick does fall short with the more R&B songs, like “Wish I Were Him” and “Dang You Pretty.” Poorly worded verses and strained vocals emit an unwanted sexist attitude that exudes from ob-
Courtesy of Sony
jectifying lyrics like “Well oh well / dang you pretty” over a 3-minuteslong song. Amidst the groovy, stimulating tracks, “City Beneath the Sea” concludes the album in an ode to Connick’s hometown of New Orleans. Connick’s success with “Smokey Mary” relies heavily on an ensemble that supports the easygoing vibe. Accompaniments from standout musicians, such as saxophonist Branford Marsalis and trumpeter Mark Braud, control the tempo throughout each piece, but without the strength of musicality the album would be extremely dull. If the big band combo wasn’t such a major contributor, the listener would be left with plodding lyrics. His vocals alone cannot embody the spirit of carnival; it is really about the magical groove that is maintained throughout the album by the horn and percussion. Still, it doesn’t save this float from sinking. This album deviates from Harry Connick, Jr.’s typical easy listening, smooth jazz approach by using Creole brass band as his standard. His divergence seems to resonate with his love for carnival as well as his Creole-inspired collections. The syncopation and power behind the ensemble hold the celebration together. “Smokey Mary” may not satisfy all listeners with its underwhelming songs and absence of variation in rhythm, but it doesn’t fail to bring the essence of Mardi Gras in all its funky glory. ■H
Away from the Sprawl
by Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writer THE ART OF WOOING: HOW MUSIC BRINGS COUPLES TOGETHER
As Valentine’s Day approaches, many of us think of what to get for our significant others: candy, flowers, cards, possibly a nice dinner. One thing that is highly undervalued, however, is music. Whether it be sung to you by your significant other, or played on record at an opportune time, the art of wooing is most certainly helped along by a good tune. If you’ll forgive the outdated reference, just ask John Cusack in “Say Anything.” But playing just any song won’t work. If Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” inconspicuously comes on the car speakers on the way home after your first date, subtlety is not working in your favor. Start out slow—maybe with an early Beatles love song (“I Want to Hold Your Hand” is a good one), or something more modern, like “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers. A simple “I belong with you, you belong with me,” is a better start than “Oh baby let’s get down tonight.” Still, songs that are straight up about love are not the only things that work. It’s all about context and circumstance. For instance, a year ago, when I was driving home from my first date with my girlfriend, I popped on “First Date” by Blink-182, just to be cheesy. I realized too late that I had accidentally left the music player on alphabetical play instead of shuffle when, a few songs later, “Flake” (Jack Johnson)—which, for those who haven’t heard it, is a song
about a bad relationship—started playing. Despite being unfitting for a date, albeit with a great tune, it became our song. Sometimes a mutual love for something dumb or out of place can be a defining and endearing moment as you get to know your significant other. Every time you hear that song on the radio, you are likely to think of that person. Of course, the more musically gifted of us can do something even more desperately romantic. A simple love song played acoustically will often seal the deal for at least a second date (again, “Sexual Healing” is probably not a good idea the first time around). A mix-CD (Tape? Playlist? Whatever you want to call it) can be a fantastic idea. It also gives you the chance to include more than just love songs, and set a mood or sentiment for that prospective special someone to remember you by; this is also a great tool for long-distance relationships (I speak from experience). Oftentimes, when your own words fail, what music you choose to play can speak volumes for your feelings. Whether that’s a well-placed “Yellow” (Coldplay)—I think that’s old enough to be considered nostalgic now—or, well, “Sexual Healing,” know what you choose to play can make or break your date. As for me, Jack Johnson will be playing in the background as I make the trek to Arizona, this Valentine’s day weekend, to visit my girlfriend. ■H
C o u rt e s y
of
Gracie Films,
npr.org
John Cusack did things right in the the 1989 film, “Say Anything;” Though Marvin Gaye’s good looks and smooth voice may sooth you, playing his music on a first date is coming on too strong.
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HIGHLANDER
Staff Picks: Valentine’s Day Music
To listen to these songs, check out the Highlander’s “Staff Mixtape Mood Music” and “Staff Mixtape Breakup Songs” Spotify playlists on highlandernews.org!
What are your best mood and breakup songs? Go to highlandernews.org and comment to let us know.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
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A Column
Fashion Instinct Valentine’s Day
DRESS CODE
by Thelma Annan, Contributing Writer
Valentine’s Day can be stressful enough in itself—booking the right restaurant, ordering the right flowers and chocolates; it’s enough to go insane. Picking out the perfect outfit for the holiday is another story entirely. But have no fear. I’m here to help you cross at least one item off your V-Day to-do list with some tips on what to wear.
ROMANTIC DINNER Mastering the Valentine’s Day dress code can be a challenge for anyone. Have something upscale and classic planned? Well, now is the time to dress up and show up. Ladies, a dress is ideal for this situation. A red form-fitting number is the perfect match for this love fest of a holiday, and if that doesn’t work for you a little black dress will never do you wrong. Search for something above the knee that shows off the right amount of leg action. Looking for more pizazz? Choose laced or sequined embellishments to take it up a notch. If you’re over dresses, a burgundy velvet skirt and black top is the perfect blend of surprise and texture. Justin Timberlake has recently reminded us of the appeal that comes with a suit and tie. Fellas, showing up in a slim fit suit will definitely have your date swooning. Dark colors are always flattering, but if you’re feeling extra whimsical, feel free to add a splash of color with your tie. Not exactly a tie man? A bowtie is a quirky, yet equally acceptable substitute. Photos
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Neiman Marcus
CASUAL DATE Going on a first date or a low-key night with your crush? There are plenty of ways to look stylish without appearing too high maintenance. Girls, high-waisted dress shorts are a great option. Tuck in a fitted shirt or lightweight sweater and throw in a leather jacket to give your look an edgier allure. Guys, a sweater and nice dress pants will suffice. Nevertheless, try to opt for boots or dress shoes over sneakers; show that at least some amount of effort was attempted. And if you absolutely must wear sneakers, make sure that they’re nice and clean. Photos
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ASOS
FRIENDS’ NIGHT OUT/IN More on the singles awareness train? This doesn’t mean you can’t dress to impress. If you’re spending the night with some pals at the local bar or on your local couch, you still have an opportunity to dress up. To accommodate the more laid back atmosphere, try an oversized sweater with black tights and strappy heels; the peek-a-boo of the tights between the straps will give your outfit a fashionable twist. Gents, a nice button-up layered with a cardigan will do. If you’re aiming for a more polished feel, try a dark fitted vest. Stuck on color options? Blacks and grays match perfectly, or even plaids in beige or tan. Of course, an all-black ensemble will never fail you. Now, who says couples can have the only fun? ■H
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HIGHLANDER
Men’s basketball gives up lead, loses to Cal State Fullerton Jayvee Valencia CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Feb. 9, 2013
Titans 79 - Highlanders 67
The UC Riverside men’s basketball team lost their fifth straight game when they blew an 11-point lead against Cal State Fullerton 79-67. The Highlanders took on one of the highest scoring teams in the nation, averaging 81 points per game. That average is fourth out of all Division 1 teams. In a regionally televised game, the Highlanders came with energy early in the first half. Five minutes into the game, UCR recovered on defense against Cal State Fullerton’s drive and kick spread offense. Riverside looked inside with post feeds to Chris Patton, resulting in layups and a dunk. UC Riverside led 11-5 seven minutes into the game. Even when Cal State Fullerton switched to a 2-3 zone, the Highlanders were still able to get points in the paint. An open three-point shot by Robert Smith gave the Highlanders an eleven point lead 28-17. With 4:30 left in the first, Austin Quick fouled Alex Harris on the three point line. Harris made all three free throws. On the next possession Patton committed an offensive foul and Sammy Yeager hits a three to cut a 29-19 deficit to six as the Highlanders led
K e v i n D i n h /HIGHLANDER
S e n i o r g u a rd R o b e r t S m i t h d r i b b l e s a ro u n d C S U F d e f e n d e r S e n i o r S a m m y Ye a g e r.
29-25. A couple of dunks by Chris Harriel and Josh Fox energized the Student Rec Center. Steven Jones ended the first half with a three-point shot giving the Highlanders a 40-29 lead entering halftime. As a team, the Highlanders defended the three-point line forcing the Titans into 17 percent from beyond the arc as
they shot 3-17. UC Riverside controlled the rebounds with a 20-11 advantage. They controlled the game with their rebounding, however, the Titans would not go away in the second half. In four minutes they cut an 11 point deficit to three as they started to attack off the dribble drive and the Highlanders missed easy opportunities at the rim.
Fullerton’s zone defense affected the Highlanders as they turned it over multiple possessions which led to Sammy Yeager’s free throws and another three pointer to take the lead 49-47 with 14:00 remaining. Patton scored on a layup to regain the lead with nine minutes left 55-54 Yeager responded with a three to take back the
lead 57-55. After that point, the Highlanders kept giving up drives to the rim and open shots from three point range. Titan Yeager drilled a dagger from three with 1:14 left in the game and sealed the game with a dunk a possession later to increase their lead 76-64. The Titans ran the clock and the Highlanders lost 79-67. Coach Wooldridge was asked about his team’s defensive effort for 40 minutes. “We couldn’t sustain the effort for 40 minutes and we gave a lot of life, you know, early in the second half. We got to stop people and we weren’t able to do that. We just didn’t have any answers. We tried to find something to disrupt the offensive tempo and the rhythm, but that didn’t seem to work. Just a lot of breakdowns in the second half.” Chris Patton talked about his thoughts on the second half. “Their guards definitely had a different look in their eye in the second half. We just beat them so bad in the first half, I thought they were dead in the water. I just feel like we kind of backed away. [It] just shows you that an 11-point lead is really nothing,” said Patton. The Highlanders hit the road next with with their first game of the week on Wednesday, Feb. 13 against UC Irvine. ■H
Track and field continues to topple records in Husky Classic C o dy N g u y e n STAFF WRITER
Highlander freshman thrower Breana Jemison finished in fifth place in shot put and 10th place in the weight throw at the Husky Classic. Jemison shot 14.26m (46’ 9.50”) and came within less than two feet of breaking the school record of 48’ 1.0”—which is still held by ex-Highlander Evangela Dixon. Shooting 16.06m (52’ 8.00”) in the weight throw, Jemison brought herself within 10 feet of yet another school record, a 19.05m (62’ 5.75”) shot by Brittani Daniels just two years ago. Briana Kennedy-Feldhaus also had a chance to best her record set last week in the 60m hurdles. Feldhaus’ 60m time of 8.71 seconds clinched seventh place in the meet. Also competing for UC Riverside in the 60m hurdles was Jazmine Lewis, finishing in 24th place with a 9.16 second time. In the women’s 400m, Amber Wright finished in seventh place with 57.23 second registered time. Noelle Abboud was not far
behind and finished in 14th place with a 57.68 time. Other Highlanders competing in the event were Jazmine Harper (59.06 seconds, T39th) and Asha Blades (1:00.41, 53rd). In the women’s triple jump, Jacquelyn DuBois finished in a respectable 10th place with a 11.42m (37’ 5.75”) leap. Sophomore jumper Ted Hooper broke the school record for the second week in a row. After setting the record of 7.11m (23’ 4.00”), as well as breaking a 12 year old school record last week at the Mountain T’s Invitational, Hooper decided that once was not enough and outdid himself with a 7.19m (23’ 7.25”) leap at the indoor tournament, good for second place in the meet. Ryan Swafford also had a shot to three-peat after setting records twice in as many weeks. However, he came up just 7.5 inches short at 15.57m (51’ 1.00”), though it was enough to clinch first place in the meet. Travis Smith took the top spot in the men’s shot put competition with a heave of 18.87m (61’ 11.00”). Carl
A r ch i v e /HIGHLANDER
UCR leads the opening laps of the 1500m race during the 2009 Big West Championship at UCI.
Nahigian also competed and took home a 13th place finish with a throw of 15.09m (49’ 10.00”). In the men’s 60-meter dash finals, Michael Hern took 10th place with a time of 6.90 seconds. Following him was teammate Justin Harris, who finished in 16th place with a 7.04 second time.
In the men’s 400m, Michael Koger headlined UCR’s performance with a 49.21 second time that earned him a sixth place finish. Other Highlanders who competed include Dylan Gates (50.52,), BJ Smith (51.11) and Michael Pare (51.50). Running for UC Riverside in the men’s 4x400 relay
were BJ Smith, Justin Harris, Dylan Gates and Michael Koger. With a three-second margin separating them from first place, UCR finished in a respectable fourth place out of 11 contestants (3:18.87). The Highlanders will stay at home in anticipation of the UCR All Corners Meet on Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. ■H
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UC Riverside softball stumbles at Fresno State Kickoff tournament D a rr e n B u e n o SENIOR STAFF WRITER
February 8, 2013 Highlanders 10 - Golden Eagles 2
On Friday afternoon, the UC Riverside softball team opened it’s 2013 season with a 10-2 victory over Southern Mississippi at the Fresno State Kickoff tournament. It was UC Riverside’s first opening day win in over five years. Alyssa Razo pitched all six innings for the Highlanders, allowing just six hits and two runs. Southern Mississippi’s Kimberly Wagner suffered the loss on two innings of work allowing five runs on just one hit and four walks. The Golden Eagles (1-3) struck first at the top of the third inning as Morgan McKeever cleared the bases with a one-out single up the middle allowing two runners to score. Riverside responded, however, racking up seven runs at the bottom of that frame to lead 7-2. Nicollete Lujan started the blue and gold charge with a walk to leadoff the inning. Kayla White singled to left field and Ariel Shore reached on an error, allowing Lujan to cross the plate for Riverside. Another Highlander score prompted a Mississippi pitching change, but it didn’t stop the momentum as UCR continued to tee off on pitches. A pair of tworun singles from Brittanie Akey and Meagan Esteban allowed Riverside to take their largest lead of the day, 7-2. UCR added their eighth run in the next inning as Shore got a leadoff triple and scored on a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, UCR chipped in two more to enact the eight-run mercy rule and end the game at 10-2. Friday’s triumph was the first career win for head coach Linda Garza, who took over the team last summer. February 8, 2013 Bulldogs - Highlanders 3
The UC Riverside softball team
(1-1) finished the last game of their double-header Friday afternoon against the Fresno State Bulldogs (2-0). The lady Highlanders came up short as the home team engineered a six run inning en route to a 7-3 triumph. Looking to earn their first victory over Fresno State since 2002, UCR drew first blood with a single run in the top of the third inning. It would prove to be the first and last lead for the blue and gold as the Bulldogs countered with six runs in the next inning. The home team took a 2-1 lead behind a Highlander mistake before a wild pitch brought in another runner increasing the deficit to two, 1-3. Two more singles saw three Bulldogs cross the plate as the lead stretched to 6-1. The Highlanders rebounded with RBI singles from Dionne Anderson and Ashley Ercolano narrowed Fresno State’s lead to 6-3. Another Fresno run at the top of the sixth, however, made it a 7-3 ballgame. UCR failed to move a runner into scoring position in the seventh inning giving Fresno State their second victory of the day, 7-3. Errors proved costly as the Highlanders committed five compared to the Bulldogs’ one. Pitcher Ercolano took the loss for Riverside as she allowed six hits and seven runs in 5.2 innings. Kayla White was the only bright spot for Riverside as she batted 4-4 with two runs. February 9, 2013 Highlanders 2 - Hornets 1
The Highlanders (2-1) broke the hearts of the Sacramento State Hornets as UCR withstood late game pressure to pull out a 2-1 win. Sacramento (2-1) got on the board first, scoring one unearned run in the second inning to lead 1-0. The Hornets had the bases loaded and no outs, but could only convert the single run. Riverside punished the missed opportunities as they scored
two runs at the top of the next inning. A pair of singles drilled up the middle, including an RBI single by Alexis Pickett, gave the Highlanders a 2-1 advantage. Sacramento State offered resistance in the sixth inning with two outs and bases loaded, but the lead runner was called out after attempting to steal home. The Highlanders allowed a base runner at the bottom of the seventh, but closed out the inning to earn their second victory of the weekend, 2-1. On the mound Alyssa Razo nabbed the win for Riverside, giving up five hits and one unearned in seven innings. Balanced offense was key for UCR as eight different players tallied at least one hit in the game. February 9, 2013 Miners 9 - Highlanders 1
The UCR softball team Saturday night clashed against UTEP but was pounced on by the Miners en route to a 1-9 thrashing. Playing their fourth game of the weekend, the Highlanders (22) gave up a run early as UTEP scored in the first inning. Kayla White responded by belting a home run to lead off the bottom of the opening inning as Riverside knotted the score at one apiece. White’s homer would prove to be the only jovial moment for the Highlanders as UCR remained scoreless for the rest of the game. The Miners added to their lead, scoring two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, and three in the sixth to lead 9-1. The three runs scored in the fifth were unearned when the Highlanders committed two errors in the inning. UCR got a base runner at the bottom of the sixth, but could not convert as the Miners won in six innings courtesy of the eight-run mercy rule. Riverside only achieved two hits in the entire game as the University of Texas at El Paso reached double digits (10). Outside of White’s home run, the only other
A r ch i v e /HIGHLANDER
UCR’s Jessica Vasser gets Quinnipiac player Christy Cabrera out in a home game held last March.
player to connect on a hit was Ariel Shore, who went 1-3 at bat. Taylor Alvarez started the mound for the Highlanders as she allowed three runs and six hits in 3.2 innings. Ashley Ercolano came in to save Riverside but gave up four hits and six runs in the remaining 2.1 innings. February 10, 2013 Miners 5 - Highlanders 3
In the final day of the Fresno State Tournament, UCR took on UTEP once again in hopes of reversing the result of the previous night. Lady Luck wasn’t on the Highlanders side as they fell to the Miners 3-5 after leading for the majority of the contest. The Highlanders (2-3) scratched first as a wild pitch from the Miners saw Ariel Shore slide into home, giving Riverside a 1-0 lead. With two on base Kayla White drilled a single up the middle allowing Marissa Escalante to run in for another score in the second inning as UC Riverside stretched
the lead to 2-0. At the bottom of the frame UTEP (2-3) finally got on the board as a Highlander throwing error resulted in an unearned run for the Miners, 2-1. Both teams went scoreless in the third and fourth innings as the teams only connected on one hit combined. Riverside took their largest lead of the game at the top of the fifth as an Escalante single to right field resulted in a Dionne Anderson score, giving the Highlanders a 3-1 advantage. The Miners, however, responded with an offensive surge in the bottom of that frame. With the bases loaded Ashley Collazo stepped up to the plate and smacked a single to right field resulting in two runs and a tied score at 3-3. Riverside came up dry in sixth inning before two more runs by UTEP sealed the contest, 5-3 in seven innings. It was the Highlanders’ third loss in five games. They next travel to San Diego, Calif. to compete in the Campbell/Cartier Classic on Feb. 15. ■H
Wo m e n ’s t e n n i s r e m a i n s w i n l e s s , l o s e s t h r e e s t r a i g h t C o dy N g u y e n STAFF WRITER
February 7, 2013 Lions 7 - Highlanders 0
The UC Riverside women’s tennis team was shutout for the third time this year with a 7-0 loss Thursday against Loyola Marymount. UC Riverside’s only win came in doubles action when the pairing of Kate Bergeson and Thanh Doan defeated LMU’s Lisa Piller and Adriana Radinovic 8-6. However, Loyola Marymount defeated the other two Highlander pairs of Jamie Raney/Taylor Raney and Natalia McKay/Courtney Pattugalan, sealing the doubles point. UCR was handily defeated in singles play, unable to register a single win against the Lions. The most closely contested match up came when Taylor Raney
took Claudia Razzeto to a rubber match. She would eventually fall to Razzeto 10-3 in the tiebreaker. Pattugalan also had a chance to register a point for UC Riverside, but was downed by Miya Jin 6-4 and 6-3. Among the other Highlanders who competed were: Highlander Jamie Raney against April Bisharat (0-6,0-6), Taylor Raney against Claudia Razzeto (7-6, 1-6, 3-10), Natalie McKay against Reka Rohonyi (3-6, 3-6), Kate Bergeson against Kristine Kouyoumijan (0-6, 0-6), and Thanh Doan against Lisa Piller (0-6, 0-6). February 9, 2013 Gauchos 6 - Highlanders 1
Jamie Raney provided the UC Riverside women’s tennis team with its first singles win of the season when she defeated April Scatliffe 6-2 and 6-3. Though
Raney was able to record a rare win, the rest of the team was not able to find the same pot of gold as the Highlanders fell to UC Santa Barbara 1-6. In doubles action, the Gauchos made short work of the struggling UC Riverside squad, earning the doubles point relatively easily. Santa Barbara’s pairings of Megan Carter/Priscila Garcia and Erica Cano/Stacy Yam dismantled UCR’s pairings of Natalie McKay/ Courtney Pattugalan and Kate Bergeson/Thanh Doan 8-1 and 8-0, respectively. Singles play did not provide any solace for the Highlanders. Jamie Raney’s sole singles win prevented the team from getting shutout for the third straight time. Taylor Raney was able to take a set off of Gaucho Kiersten Meehan before eventually falling in three sets, 1-6, 6-4, 2-6. Among the other fixtures were
Priscila Garcia (UCSB) defeating Natalia McKay (UCR) 6-3, 6-3, Stacy Yam (UCSB) defeating Courtney Pattugalan (UCR) 6-4, 6-2, Erica Cano (UCSB) beating Kate Bergeson (UCR) 6-2, 6-2, and Megan Carter (UCSB) defeating Thanh Doan (UCR) 6-3, 6-2. February 10, 2013 Thunderbirds 4 - Highlanders 3
After dropping two straight this week, the Highlanders hoped that a match against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds would net them their first win of the season. They left the game disappointed as UCR dropped a 4-3 decider on Sunday afternoon. In doubles action, the Highlanders were again unable to secure the point. Though Jamie and Taylor Raney won the first doubles match 8-1, the ensuing two fell in Southern Utah’s favor, 8-4 each.
Even though the doubles point was lost, UC Riverside could have still won the meet by winning four singles matches, but fell just short and split 3-3 with Southern Utah. Jamie Raney was taken to a tiebreaker, but pulled off the win in the first singles match against Olya Kunz 3-3, 7-6, 10-5. Thunderbirds Veronika Rogova and Alex Ivanova would take the next two against Taylor Raney and Natalie McKay. UCR showed resilience though, with Courtney Pattugalan and Kate Bergeson taking the next two matches to set the stage for a gamedeciding number six. Southern Utah’s Afton Staheli was able to make short work of Rachell Andra 6-0, 6-0, sending the Highlanders home looking for answers yet again. The women’s tennis team remains at home as they prepare to take on Hawaii at on Feb. 14 at Andulka Park. ■H
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UCR baseball defeats alumni team; start season Friday vs. Gonzaga
C a m e r o n Y o n g /H i g hl a n d e r
Clockwise from top: UCR alumnus Rob Waite pitches the ball to a UCR batter; Sophomore Drake Zarate runs home to score; UCR alumni congratulate each other after one of their teammates touches home plate.
M a t t h e w G u e rr e r o CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Feb. 9, 2013 Highlanders 6 - Alumni 3
UC Riverside baseball held it’s annual alumni game Feb. 9 at the Riverside Sports Complex, beating the alumni squad 6-3. The Highlanders used a myriad of pitchers, who at times seemed to lack control, but never wavered in their efforts to stymie the alumni offense. The alumni badgered the Highlanders all game long. The Highlanders managed to push runs across the board on two RBI hits by Bart Steponovich and an RBI double by third baseman Nick Vilter. Eddie Young also contributed to the cause when he laced a double to left field in his second atbat of the game to continue the Highlander dominance.
The Highlander alumni team lacked some of its more prominent individuals like Mark Rzepczynki and Joe Kelly, who both attended
“The Riverside alumni dugout proved to be a colorful bunch, commenting and making jokes with the Highlander team... ” the event in the past but were unable to attend due to spring training. Even so, UC Riverside alumni Eric Richter and Ryan Getz attended the event. Getz acted as the leadoff man while Richter cheered from the dugout.
The Riverside alumni dugout proved to be a colorful bunch, commenting and making jokes with the Highlander team as the game wore on. The alumni team kept the game close for the majority of the game, scoring runs on passed balls and used fresh arms to keep the young Highlander bats at bay. But their rust began to show as errors by their infield and passed balls behind their catcher all contributed to UCR runs. The offense of the alumni grew stagnant in the middle innings as Riverside’s offense proved too strong this year. The game marked the first appearance this season of the diamond girls, who help support and promote UCR baseball. Fans who go to the games have a chance to sing, dance and possibly win prizes
if selected by a diamond girl. Fans also get to experience the new patio down the right field line near the snack bar. The alumni game provided current Highlanders with a look into the team’s veteran
“The alumni game provided Highlanders with a look into the team’s veteran leadership and the ability to compete in the Big West conference.” leadership and the ability to compete in the Big West conference. Many alumni seemed excited with the prospect of watching the team play this season with many
returning players to anchor the squad’s lineup. Eric Young and Bart Steponovich will be big parts of the offense, with Young’s speed and versatility at the top of lineup and Steponovich’s advanced bat at the bottom of the line up. The game was an opportunity for both players to showcase their talents. Young demonstrated his speed when he advanced two bases on an error. Steponovich plated two runs on hard singles into centerfield to fuel the Highlander offense. These two seemed to overmatch the alumni squad during the friendly yet competitive game. The Highlanders start their season Friday, Feb. 15 in Palm Springs. They will participate in the Palm Springs Baseball Tournament hosted by Oregon State. ■H
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Riverside men’s tennis captures first win of 2013 season Ngo downed Danny Garcia, 6-0, 6-1. Kevin Griffin faced the most trouble during the day, dropping six games on his way to a 6-3, 6-3 thumping over Gustavo Carvalho. Marcus Vizcarra and Kelly Dickson completed the sweep with straight set wins, 6-3, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-3. Rounding out the doubles play, the duo of Rufin/Ngo steamrolled to an 8-0 win, which resulted in the second match being left unfinished as UCR clinched the title of victor. Downey focused on improvement and positivity as the key to his team’s success. “Constant improvement is what we are all about here,” he explained to the Highlander. “More than just wins, we need to improve our games in training and matches. We can only go up from here. We have a great group of young players to complement our seniors. As long as the work ethic remains high and the atmosphere stays positive, we will excel beyond our expectations.” UC Riverside was playing for the first time at Andulka Park as the reconstruction of the Student Recreation Center has prevented them from competing on UCR turf. The Highlanders will remain home as they host UC San Diego on Feb. 12. ■H
D a rr e n B u e n o SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Feb. 7, 2013 Highlanders 7 - Tigers 0
The UC Riverside men’s tennis team swept Riverside City College 7-0 to earn its first triumph of the 2013 season. After starting their 2013 campaign with five consecutive losses, the Highlanders traveled to Andulka Park in Riverside, Calif. for their victorious home opener. UCR (1-5) won all eight singles and doubles matches as senior Jimmy Roberts led the way defeating Jordan Gobatie, 6-1, 6-4, at the top of the singles bracket. Roberts also partnered with Simon Peters to secure the team’s first win in doubles. Tim Downey nabbed his first win as head coach of the men’s tennis program and was elated to finally get the W. “I am glad we posted a win,” he said. “The team has been working very hard to improve. A number of guys are beginning to step up their games and make an impact for the team. We need to bring this type of effort and execution every time to post more wins on our schedule.” In the singles matchups, UCR dominated, winning all six contests. Freshman Julian Ruffin routed Aliaksandr Pesniak, 6-3, 6-1 while Calvin
Men’s Tennis Doubles Winning Player
Losing Player
Score
Roberts/Peters UCR Gobatie/Pesniak RCC Griffin/Vizcarra UCR Garcia/Moreno RCC Ruffin/Ngo UCR Ramos/Carvalho RCC
8-3 DNF 8-0
Men’s Tennis Singles Winning Player
Losing Player
Jimmy Roberts UCR Julian Ruffin UCR Calvin Ngo UCR Kevin Griffin UCR Marcus Vizcarra UCR Kelly Dickson UCR
C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER
S e n i o r J i m m y R o b e r t s ( l e f t ) s e r v e s t h e b a l l t o a n R C C p l a y e r w h o re t u r n e d t h e s e r v e . T h e re t u r n w a s q u i c k l y s h u t d o w n b y R o b e r t s ’ p a r t n e r, S e n i o r S i m o n P e t e r s ( r i g h t ) .
Jordan Gobatie RCC Aliaksandr Pesniak RCC Danny Garcia RCC Gustavo Carvalho RCC Ulises Banos RCC Eliott Moreno RCC
Score
6-1, 6-4 6-3, 6-1 6-0, 6-1 6-3, 6-3 6-3, 6-1 6-2, 6-3
Men’s Tennis All GAMES Team
W
L
PCT.
Pacific Hawai’i Cal Poly UC Santa Barbara UC Davis UC Riverside UC Irvine
4 2 5 2 4 1 1
2 2 2 1 3 5 7
.667 .500 .714 .667 .571 .167 .125
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Riverside men’s golf completes 18-holes as Western Illinois drops out D a rr e n B u e n o SENIOR STAFF WRITER
MICHAEL RIOS
RIO-SIDE UCR, CBU to create rivalry Rivalries always add to the excitement of competition. In sports, there is no better feeling than the one you get after beating your most hated opponent. We see that in basketball with the Lakers and Celtics. We see that in baseball with the the Red Sox and Yankees and we even see that in soccer with Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. For the longest time, UC Riverside has lacked that kind of rivalry. Now, with the creation of the Riverside Mission Cup, UCR will finally get that rival with cross-divisional opponent California Baptist University. It’s an exciting move by both campuses, but to be completely honest, I have mixed feelings about it. For starters, CBU is in a lower division than UCR. The competition the Lancers face is not as tough as the ones the Highlanders go through each and every week. I think the win column will easily be lopsided in UCR’s favor. That kind of takes the excitement away. Secondly, it feels a little too forced. With other rivalries, there is some sort of history involved. UCR and Cal Baptist rarely play against each other so there really isn’t much to add to the thrill of competition. On a positive note, however, the interesting part of the rivalry is that these two universities are located in the same city. In a community as big as Riverside, it might actually be a good idea to integrate the residents of the city in some form or another. After all, we all know very well that UCR could benefit from more and more community involvement. A cross-town rivalry could do just that. Although I may not be too thrilled about who our rival will be, I am pretty excited about the potential the Riverside Mission Cup has. If nothing else, this rivalry could bring new life to the community and in turn, to the sports program here at ■H UCR.
Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” has become a sports stadium anthem worldwide and on Feb. 8, the UC Riverside men’s golf team was playing by themselves as their opponent Western Illinois pulled out midway due to poor weather during their dual match at the Oak Quarry Golf Club. UCR completed their 18 holes as David Gazzolo paced the eight-man team shooting a respectable score of 74. Christian Rajcic tallied 78 while the duo of BJ Doucett and Robbie Mamo each fired a 79. Four other Highlander players scored in the 80s: Ryan Smith (80), Bradley Fox (83), Matt Fitzgerald (85), and Jason Semthiti (86). The start of the 2012-2013 season was one of the best in recent Highlander history as they finished in third place in both their opening tournaments, a feat the team hasn’t completed since the 2004-2005 campaign. UC Riverside’s season has since gone awry as they have placed near the bottom of their last two tournaments’ standings (19th and 12th place finishes). The Highlanders look to get back on track as they compete at The Farms Collegiate Invitational on H Feb. 11 in Rancho Sante Fe. ■
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Robbie Mamo attempts to hit out of a sand trap at a tournament in 2009.
A r ch i v e /HIGHLANDER
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Highlanders beat Titans; Fullerton honors slain basketball coach Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER
UCR’s Feb. 9 match against Cal State Fullerton began with a moment of silence to honor the Fullerton assistant basketball coach who allegedly lost her life to the hands of Christopher Jordan Dorner last weekend. Monica Quan was only 28 when she and her fiance were killed in Irvine. The Highlanders would end up winning the game, but the spotlight was on the Fullerton coaches and players. During the post-game press conference, they addressed the emotions they felt throughout the game. “We are very sad to be here for this situation—for this tragic situation today,” said a tearful Marcia Foster, the Cal State Fullerton head basketball coach. “My kids, they played with their hearts today. It was hard for us to get out on the floor because a part of our family was missing.” Fullerton never led in the game as the Highlanders took command of the match from start to finish. UCR slowly built its lead to as many as 10 points in the first half and had a comfortable advantage going into the locker rooms. They led 30-24 at halftime. The Titans attempted to get things in order in the second half, but the Highlanders would not budge. UCR led by 10 midway through the second half and would go on a huge run to extend the lead. The Highlanders outscored the Titans 25-4 in that span to take a commanding 21-point lead with three minutes remaining. The game was all but sealed at that point. UCR went on to win it, 6445 over Fullerton. Tre’Shonti Nottingham propelled UCR with 23 points. She shot a perfect 12-12 from the free-throw line. UCR’s Natasha Hadley added 14 points for the Highlanders on 55 percent shooting. Fullerton had a subpar performance all across the board. The Titans turned the ball over 22 times and shot just 28.6 percent from the floor by the end of the game. After the match, the Fullerton
KENDALL PETERSON
KENDALL’S FASTBALL Enough of the PEDs
T s u n g S u /HIGHLANDER Top:Highlander Akilah Martin dribbles against Pacific defenders Shanice Bulter #32 and Gena Johnson # 24asldBottom: Highlander Jamila Williams jumps over Pacific defender Kendall Rodriguez for a rebound
players talked about their performance and the difficulty they had during the game in dealing with the loss of their coach. “Today was definitely difficult for all of us,” said Alex Thomas, one of the Fullerton captains. “We tried to use it as fuel. We tried using it as motivation, but it’s hard. We wish we could have pulled it
out and had a better performance today.” “I wish we would have played better,” said Foster after the game, agreeing with her player. Shortly after learning about the death of their coach, Fullerton actually asked the Big West conference to cancel the game. Due to scheduling conflicts, however, the conference was
unable to comply and the game went through as scheduled. Throughout the game, both teams also pinned bright orange ribbons over their warm ups to honor Quan. This was the final meeting of the regular season for both teams. UC Riverside will go on to play UC Irvine Feb. 14 at the Student Recreation Center. ■H
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Sports aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability, but at the same time it provides entertainment to the viewers. Sports are suppose to build sportsmanship and the players should have integrity. But sadly, not everyone does. Instead they use performance-enhancing drugs. The fans go to the games to see the players. However, in recent years more and more attention have been drawn to the illegal use of PEDs. For decades PEDs have been associated with sports, especially baseball. This has affected the way I view sports. They are showing that it is okay to cheat, to lie and to gain advantage over players that are playing fair. This year stars like Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and Melky Cabrera have been accused of taking PEDs. All of these icons that kids are idolizing have diminished their integrity. It’s sad really. Kids are losing role-models to look up to. I grew up idolizing Chipper Jones from the Atlanta Braves, and if were to find out that he used PEDs, I would be upset. Everything that I thought was great about him, all of his success, was because he had to use a drug to get it. Now the use of PEDs are being associated to football and cycling. Lance Armstrong’s comeback from cancer was the greatest sports story. But as many of you know, he had denied doping allegations since 1998 and finally admitted Jan. 14 in an interview with Oprah. Armstrong had already been stripped of all his wins and awards, including his thenrecord seven Tour de France wins, but his admission was a confirmation of the suspicions of sporting fans across the world. Then this month we had the accusation of the Super Bowl champ Ray Lewis from Baltimore Ravens. A Sports Illustrated report claimed that he sought help from a company that makes a certain PED to speed up his recovery from a torn triceps. Who knows if he really did dope or not. But hopefully the athletes think about the children that look up to them when they decide whether to dope, because H every kid needs his Chipper. ■
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Athletics Director Brian Wickstrom talks changes at UCR and C-Center progress
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER Wi t h b l u e p r i n t s a n d c o n c e p t d e s i g n s s p r a w l e d o n h i s m e e t i n g t a b l e , Wi c k s t ro m h a s a b i g p l a n a h e a d f o r U C R a t h l e t i c s . H e h o p e s t h e n e w C - C e n t e r a re n a w i l l s e a t n e a r l y 7 , 0 0 0 f a n s .
Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Brian Wickstrom will celebrate his 600th day as the UC Riverside athletics director later this month. Since taking over for Stan Morrison, Wickstrom has overseen the development of numerous projects on campus. Fan attendance has soared, facilities have been renovated and his goal of constructing the brand new C-Center is well within reach. Since Wickstrom’s hiring in 2011, the athletics department has thrived. UC Riverside’s total fan attendance has increased by 41 percent, fundraising has risen 190 percent and sponsorship revenue has gone up 283 percent. Last year, the athletics department even recorded the highest student attendance in school history. But numbers aside, Wickstrom has also been instrumental in changing the look of UCR athletics. Last year, he led a campaign to redesign the logo of UCR sports in hopes of creating a “brand identity” that would make the department more recognizable. In addition, the department has also made renovations to numerous facilities on campus. The track and field stadium was renewed, the soccer stadium also received upgrades and the renovations to the Physical Education Building are well underway.
“Everybody’s been jumping on board for this project.” -Brian Wickstrom, UCR Athletics Director In an interview with the Highlander, Wickstrom talked about the success he has had, the people who influenced his work and the development of UC Riverside’s facilities—namely the construction of the long-sought-after C-Center. After months of planning, the project of the C-Center now appears to be a realistic possibility. According to the Wickstrom, the development of the proposed arena has generated a lot of momentum in the past few months. The long list of supporters includes the dean of the UC Riverside Extension Sharon Duffy, former UCR Chancellor Timothy P. White, current Chancellor Jane Conoley, members of the city council of Riverside and UCR students. When the Highlander last spoke to Wickstrom, the C-Center was still in the early phases of development. Now the project is starting to come together and new
details have emerged about its progress. According to Wickstrom, the city has given the university clearance letters, informing them the site where the arena will stand has been approved for construction. The sewage system may need to be adjusted, Wickstrom noted, but the power lines for the center have all been cleared and are good to go for construction. Wickstrom says that he wants the arena to include anywhere between 5,000 to 6,700 seats. As he put it, he wants to make it big enough for people to show up, but not too big where empty seats will be glaringly obvious. “We don’t want it to be too big,” he said. “It won’t be this big, empty arena like the Citizen’s Business Bank Arena.” Wickstrom assured that the university will not use any student fees or state money to complete its construction. “This will be from philanthropic fundraising, from sponsors and from people that want to see this project work,” he said. He went on to detail the enthusiasm people have showed about the center. “I get endless phone calls from people excited to have an arena on campus,” he said. “I haven’t gotten any negative feedback from anybody. Everybody’s been jumping on board for this project.” The group most excited about the changes at UCR appears to be the students. Hylander Hype, the student-run organization devoted to increasing fan attendance spoke with the Highlander last week and offered its input on the project. “The C-Center could make money not only in athletics, but in general,” said Hylander Hype Vice President Josh Zozaya, referring to the numerous events that the arena could potentially hold. According to Wickstrom, these events not only include sports games; the facility will be able to accommodate commencement, convocations, concerts, and even circus performances. Riverside student-athletes are also on board. They emphasized the need for more fans at sporting events and they feel that the C-Center can provide that. “I think more people will start coming,” said UCR volleyball player Ashley Cox about the arena’s potential for fan attendance. “If the atmosphere changes, that would make a difference,” said UCR men’s basketball player Austin Quick. Student involvement has been a major concern since upgrading to Division I. In 2011, Stadium Journey, a website that reviews college facilities gave UCR’s SRC Arena poor reviews. It condemned the fan attendance, the atmosphere, the return investment and the food and beverage availability of the arena. “Honestly, I don’t disagree with the
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER F o r w a rd - t h i n k i n g d e s i g n s b e i n g p u s h e d b y U C R a re l a i d o u t o n t h e t a b l e .
ratings,” Wickstrom commented. “Now that UC Riverside is in Division I, I think there’s a certain standard. The Student Rec Center is a good place to play temporarily. When visiting teams walk in there or students come in there, we lose credibility as a Division I program...This arena will help make this [school] be a legitimate Division I program... The whole student experience will be unbelievable,” he assured. He added that the development of the center is a product of the collaborative work of the many people involved in the project. “Our department has made a lot of progress because we have great people in positions working together,” he said, “not just one person.” He went on to thank three influential figures that have helped UCR’s programs move forward. Mike Alden, the director of athletics at Missouri, was the first person he mentioned. “We grew our operating budget from 13.4 million to 23 million in my three-years there,” he said about Alden. “Ross Bjork, the director of athletics at Ole Miss,” he continued. “He was my day-to-day mentor and taught me to roll up my sleeves and work tirelessly to make the program better. Bob Stull, the director of athletics at UTEP, gave me a lot of freedom to get the community involved. We turned a city of 700,000 people into several sold out events
involving UTEP athletics.” Wickstrom’s work and impact have not gone unnoticed. Over the past few months, he has received local and national recognition for the work he has put in. Mike Alden, one of the mentors Wickstrom mentioned, also spoke about the changes UCR’s athletics director has made. “The many traits exhibited by Brian professionally and personally are a huge asset to UC Riverside,” Alden said. “It doesn’t surprise me that Brian has made an immediate impact. It also wouldn’t surprise me to see these initial successes for the Highlanders continue well into Brian’s tenure.” “I actually have really noticed [the changes],” said Duffy, a long-time member of the UCR community. “I’ve noticed many more students wearing UCR gear. I don’t remember noticing that until the last few years.” Wickstrom hopes to get the C-Center up and running by the start of the 2015 basketball season. As previously noted, it will include up to 6,700 seats, it will cost as much as $90 million and it will be built in the area that is now the Bannockburn Village. The athletics director also added that despite the new and expensive state-of-the-art arena, tickets to the sporting events will remain free for students. ■H
“This arena will help make this be a legitimate Division I program... The whole student experience will be unbelievable.” -Brian Wickstrom
