Chancellor Timothy White officially resigned from his position on Dec. 31, 2012, ending his term as UCR’s leader of four years to spearhead the California State University system. In his wake, he leaves what many in the campus com-munity see as a lasting legacy that ranks among the most fondly remembered UCR chancellors.

Among Chancellor White’s many accomplishments since he took office in 2008 are his pursuit of the accredita-tion of the School of Medicine, address-ing student demonstrations and protest guidelines, encouraging greater discus-sions of campus diversity through the Chancellor’s Diversity Education Pro-gram, strengthening community bonds with weekly Friday Letters, and launch-ing the School of Public Policy—all dur-ing a period of diluted state funds for the UC system.

The momentous ripples of achieve-ment do not include the impression-able marks that Chancellor White left on many friends, companions and even

strangers. The Highlander took a glimpse at Chancellor White’s last few weeks in office, where he reflected on his fondest memories at UCR and expressed his part-ing words for the campus.

Upon first stepping on campus, Chan-cellor White summed up his first im-pressions of UCR as a “diamond in the rough.” At the onset, Chancellor White made it his goal to invest in strategic communications, with hopes of increas-ing UCR’s national visibility as a cam-pus. White would later aid in the devel-opment of various departments, such as media relations, video production and creative design services.

When comparing UCR today with his first impression of the campus, Chancel-lor White used the term “swagger,” and defined the word as civility, compas-sion, confidence and destination. “Maybe [swagger] was all here when I got here, but I have enough evidence and enough people to say that it wasn’t. So I certainly know that it is here today and I’m actu-

UC officials have promptly re-moved a modern UC logo, after re-ceiving much backlash from the gen-eral community about its design and apparent lack of prestige. The logo, which was slowly introduced on sys-tem websites and documents as early as spring 2012, garnered attention once students began sharing the news via social media.

In a December press release, UC Director of Marketing Communica-tions Jason Simon announced that the new monogram would no longer be used and was hereby suspended from being utilized on any products. Simon added that the monogram created “debate, dialogue, and divi-sion,” but that “it’s too much of a distraction from our broader effort to communicate UC’s value.”

Among the many dissatisfied in-dividuals was UC alumni Reaz Rah-man, who created an online petition against the implementation of the new logo and successfully garnered over 50,000 signatures.

The UC’s century-old seal is de-signed with an open book and a ban-ner underneath it reading “Let There Be Light”—an emblem that repre-sents all universities under the gov-ernance of the UC system. The mod-ern logo displayed a blue “U” and faded “C” atop of it.

In Nov. 2012, a Youtube video released by the UC Office of the President promoting the new logo re-ceived thousands of views. In a short span of time, the video went viral, receiving thousands of views and a deluge of shares on various social media platforms. The widespread news of the novel logo was noticed by many individuals throughout Cal-ifornia. After learning of the new monogram, students across the state took their opinions onto social media to express their disappointment.

Several students like third-year UCR student Cesar Toledo com-pared the modern logo to the histori-cal symbol and was concerned that the modern logo was not dignified enough represent the university. To-ledo said, “It was too simplified and lost its message it has been histori-

cally spreading and that is to ‘Let There Be Light.’”

Due to the plainness of the logo, many believed that the new mono-gram resembled that of a vocational or technical institution. One user on Change.org commented, “This looks like we paid a cheap graphic design-er.”

Fourth-year business major Karina De la Cruz said, “The idea to change a logo is to improve it by bringing excitement,” but she added that new-ly discontinued logo does the oppo-site, and it “has suddenly become as-sociated with a ‘toilet,’ making UC look boring, dull and confusing.”

Designers and those who support-ed the new logo were not expecting the controversy the revamped logo would bring. After the video gained

HigHlanderU n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , Rivers ide

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

Serving the UCR community since 1954

UC discontinues new modern logoCalifornia Poet Laureate starts Unity Poem for Newtown, CT

In response to the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting that took place Dec.14 in Newtown, Conn., California Poet Laure-ate Juan Felipe Herrera took to his Facebook page and posted a heartfelt poem entitled, “Little Ones We Carry You.”

Much like a previous project of his, “The Most Incredible and Biggest and Most Amazing Poem on Unity in the World,” Herrera not only included his own effort but also the contributions of any-one inspired enough to write a poem pertaining to the incident.

According to UCR Today, “By the morning of Monday, Dec. 17, nearly two dozen individuals had contributed their thoughts as well, some in Spanish, most in English.”

Even afterward, poems contin-ued to make it to his page and on Thursday, Dec. 20 Felipe post-ed, “Keep the Unity with New-town poems coming—we will be collecting them Saturday... And I will send the entire ca-nasta to Sacramento for further news and all points beyond. To Pres. Obama and Newtown as you know. Thanks so much once again—let your heart flow...”

One particular contributor was Melissa Garcia, who posted her poem on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

“Truthfully I wrote the poem even before Professor Herrera

Ri c h a R d Li n/hiGhLandER

Mi c h a e l Tu rc i o sCONTRIBUTING WRITER

De a n Mayo rg aSENIOR STAFF WRITER

Chancellor White will head the CSU system after leaving the University of California, Riverside.

Sandy VanSENIOR STAFF WRITER

Chancellor Timothy White reflects on his leadership at UCR

highlandernews.org UCR Highlander Newspaper@UCRHighlander UCRChannelH

Issue 12Volume 61

UCOP withdraws logo following a firestorm of online criticism and national media scrutiny.

LOGO CONT’D ON PAGE 3

NEWTOWN CONT’D ON PAGE 2

CHANCELLOR CONT’D ON PAGE 4

INSIDE:

FEATURES

Jaijeet Kakkar shares his expe-rience juggling coursework and starting a successful business.

PAGE 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wheels Up showcases the art of five incredible artists at the Riv-erside Art Museum.

PAGE 14

Highlander Editorial: The Edi-torial Board writes an open let-ter to UCR’s new chancellor.OPINIONS PAGE 7

UPCOMING EVENTS PAGE 2

STAFF PAGE 7

co u Rt E s y o f u c o p

Some students mistakenly believed the original UC logo (left) would be replaced by the new one (right).

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NEWS2 TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013 HIGHLANDER

asked for poems,” stated Gar-cia. “I am a graduate from the creative writing program [at UCR] and I write poetry. When I woke up that morning and saw the devastation on the faces of the people affected by the mas-sacre I truthfully couldn’t stay at home so I went on a walk with my sister and that is where the poem stemmed from. The poem is just speaking in retro-spect to my life and paying re-spect to the lives lost that day. I decided to submit the poem to not only myself but give voice to them, to allow others to understand how precious our lives are and that believe that my words—poetry can heal and [unify] people.”

The Connecticut school shooting is the second deadli-

est in history, after the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007. The shooter, Adam Lanza, is re-sponsible for 26 deaths, 20 of those being children. He was also found dead by first re-sponders due to a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

“I just think it was one of those life changing moments for people,” said Peris Wam-bui, a fourth-year English ma-jor, about the shooting. “When I heard about it, I couldn’t be-lieve the number of lives that were lost. And most of them be-ing children. Its like, you don’t even feel safe just living your life,” she said.

Although she didn’t contrib-ute to the Felipe poem, she also shared what she thought about it.

“I wasn’t even aware that he

did that but I think that’s a great sentiment,” Wambui said. “I’m sure people will really appreci-ate that. The idea of including other people’s poems is inter-esting too. I think it allows peo-ple to heal together,” she said.

Nick Ohashi, a senior ma-joring in public policy, shared a similar reflection of the inci-dent. “For me it really brings to light how easily life is de-stroyed and how massive an impact one person’s actions can be,” said Ohashi.

Karen Mai, a fourth-year English major, stated about the poem, “I think that’s an awe-some thing to do. There was so much negativity going around, I think having someone actual-ly showing empathy and unity gives back hope to people,” she said.

at highlandernews.org

Photo of the Week

Freshman Janelle Kearney looks for an open team-mate during a game against Hawai’i on Jan. 5. Women’s basketball lost the game, shortly after losing their previous game against Northridge.

Brya n Tu T T l eSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Quotebook

“You know I was worried. When you wear a tie or suit or sport coat, you separate yourself from the people that you embrace the most. But our students have the confidence that they can talk about anything with me.”

- TIMOTHY WHITEFORMER UCR CHANCELLOR

January

8Tuesday

9Wednesday

10Thursday

11Friday

12Saturday

13Sunday

14Monday

Community Engagement Alliance Meeting

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.Olmsted Hall 2312

On-Campus Interview Workshop

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.HUB 379

Finding an Internship

11 – 12 p.m.HUB 268

Interview Skills featuring U.S. Foods

1 p.m.– 2 p.m.HUB 379

Welcome Event for Chancellor Jane Close Conoley

2:00 p.m. University Theatre 400

Annual MCLE Madness8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

UCR Extension Center

Applying to Graduate/Professional School

5 p.m. – 6 p.m.Surge Building Room 108

Women’s Basketball vs.Cal State Fullerton

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.SRC Arena

co u Rt E s y o f WE n n.c o m a n d ucR to d ay

Professor Juan Felipe Herrera wrote and collected poems for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting.

NEWTOWN FROM PAGE 1

Annual Rose Pruning Demonstration 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

UCR Botanic Gardens

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NEWS 3HIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

Nearly a month after Jane Close Conoley was named the interim chancellor of UC Riverside in October 2012, a 17-member search committee was appointed to find a per-manent replacement for for-mer UCR chancellor Timothy White. White stepped down from his post to become chancellor of the California State University system last week.

The appointment of the search committee, announced Dec. 20, 2012, will include faculty, staff, students, alum-ni and foundation representa-tives to the advisory commit-tee whom were all nominated by UC President Mark Yudof. Additionally, five UC Re-gents were also appointed to the committee by UC Board of Regents Chair Sherry Lan-sing.

Acting as an advisory group to Yudof, the search committee will not directly choose the next chancellor of UCR. The committee mem-bers will be involved in the recruitment, interview and screening of the applicants interested in the position.

According to Steve Mon-tiel, UCOP media relations director, additional meetings may be scheduled between Yudof and candidates, who are ranked most highly by the committee. Yudof will then recommend a possible candidate to the regents, who will vote on the nomination in the summer.

While the committee has yet to convene, they are scheduled to visit UCR on Jan. 10 for an event known as “Campus Day.” According to Student Regent Jonathan Stein, an advisory committee member, the event is a chance for the group to engage the campus and assess what is-sues are the most pressing.

“You spend an hour with students, and an hour meet-ing with staff, and you spend an hour meeting with faculty and so on,” stated Stein. “I guess the idea is, you get a sense of what the Riverside campus values and wants in its next Chancellor.”

Also among the 17 mem-bers of the search commit-tee is UCR physics professor Jose Wudka. In an interview with the Highlander, Wud-ka talked about some of the qualities he feels are impor-tant in finding a new chan-cellor.

“The chancellor will be the most important emis-sary of UCR to the outside world. She or he should sup-port, foster and, if needed, produce UCR’s drive to-wards increasing quality in research, teaching and ser-vice to the state,” said Wud-ka. “The UC in general and UCR in particular have gone through very rough times, partly because the public of California is not aware of the benefits to the State the system provides... The chancellor should be part of the information system that transmits this to the public,

emphasizing the unique sta-tus of UCR.”

Regent Stein also talked about what he will be look-ing for in the next chancellor.

“Riverside is a really spe-cial place,” said Stein. “It is a place where the UC mis-sion is truly upheld. I see

the UC mission as combining research and academic excel-lence with education access for underrepresented com-munities and for low income students...it’s important that the next Chancellor under-stands what makes UC Riv-erside so special.”

De a n Mayo rg aSENIOR STAFF WRITER

Search committee launched for ninth chancellor of UCR

BRya n tu t t L E/hiGhLandER, co u Rt E s y o f ucR to d ay

Designated by UC President Mark Yudof, a search committee will identify possible candidates to take the post as UCR’s ninth chancellor. Pictured left is former chancellor Timothy White; center is Interim Chancellor Jane Conoley.

more views by the week, a petition was quickly generated asking for the sus-pension of the modern logo.

From websites Change.org to Twit-ter, the logo was not well-received and it was quickly mocked. Soon enough, the “C” on the logo was redesigned as a computer cursor waiting to load.

Due to the widespread dissatisfac-tion for the new logo, Senior Vice Pres-ident for External Relations Daniel M. Cooley said that it was necessary to lis-ten and respect the negative responses coming from the public. Cooley also believed that over time, many would have accepted the logo, but because many were visibly passionate about the change, action had to be taken.

De la Cruz conceded that under cer-tain circumstances, the public might possibly accept the logo “as long as there is some kind of inspiring story

behind this look. Students need some kind of confirmation for such a dras-tic look that currently seems unneces-sary.”

Before the discontinuation of the new logo, it was perceived that the new monogram would replace the old pres-tigious seal in all places. There were a few students like fourth-year history major Lizbeth Juarez who were cer-tain that the new simple logo would replace the historical one. Juarez said, “I was not convinced the seal would be changed initially because I figured that there would have been a wider study done first.”

The introduction the new monogram was part of an effort to rebrand the UC on its systemwide marketing, such as merchandise and letters soliciting pri-vate donations. UC officials were hop-ing to implement the modern logo on the main websites and other public relations documents, but not on the diplomas or other official letterhead

documents. Fourth-year UCR student Peter Huu

Tran believes that having a unified logo is easily recognizable. Tran said, “I like the idea to use a unified logo. A friend of mine actually pointed out that the school was already implement-ing the logo on our school insurance cards…I don’t see how it hurts to use this logo to market and fund a research-based institution system.”

Although the logo has been indefi-nitely suspended, the modern mono-gram will not soon disappear, despite its announced discontinuation. In fact, the newly suspended monogram was embedded in recently-printed publica-tions and was implemented on mate-rials in print production. The modern logo can be found on the newly distrib-uted UC medical insurance cards.

It is still unclear if a new logo will be designed and whether or not the pub-lic will be more accepting of any other alternate design by UC officials.

Mi c h a e l ri o sSENIOR STAFF WRITER

co u Rt E s y o f ucR to d ay

The ident i ty of UCR’s ninth chancel lor wi l l be unknown unt i l summer 2012.

LOGO FROM PAGE 1

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NEWS4 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

ally very proud about that intan-gible piece of us—how we feel about ourselves and each other, this place and what it means to our society,” stated White.

As an Argentine native, Chan-cellor White brought with him a diverse background. A product of California’s higher education sys-tem, White attended Diablo Val-ley Community College, Fresno State, Cal State Hayward and UC Berkeley, where he earned his doctorate in exercise physiol-ogy. Prior to heading UCR, White was president of the University of Idaho from 2004 to 2008.

“I think he’s a great repre-sentation of diversity and reach-ing unattainable goals. There’s no words to describe his heart and commitment to students and his community. In doing so, he strengthened bonds between the city and university by furnishing a symbiotic relationship,” stated Clara Vera, staff employee in Hinderaker Hall.

As the fifth most diverse campus in the nation, UCR has pushed for an open campus cli-

mate through the Chancellor’s Diversity Education Program. The program is a six-month course, where students gain the skills to apply a diverse education in a workplace environment.

Second-year graduate stu-dent of mathematics Aaron Jones thought fondly of his first encoun-ter with Chancellor White, during a National Collegiate Athletic As-sociation meeting in 2008. “[The] NCAA meeting is held every year and it invites a lot of members from the community. He’d only been working [as chancellor] for a few months and he invited all of us to a room to meet us. He intro-duced himself as ‘Hey I’m Tim, what’s your major?’ He showed...an interest in students in terms of who we are and being hospitable to our needs.”

Chancellor White also es-tablished connections with the Barbara and Culver Center of the Arts in downtown Riverside, where UCR has used the interac-tive art space to showcase student exhibits and works.

Following a frustrating re-jected accreditation bid in 2011,

UCR was able to obtain the funding it needed to establish its

medical school in 2012, thanks in large part to the support of local hospitals and private orga-nizations. “Under his guidance, UCR can now happily state that it has established a public medi-cal school against all odds, which is an impeccable accomplishment and milestone for UCR and future students,” stated ASUCR Presi-dent Liam Dow.

In the same sense, Chancel-lor White further connected with the campus through his much be-loved weekly Friday Letters. “In retrospect, I didn’t realize it in the front end, but one of the more powerful things in having people understand and feel connected to us was the Friday Letters. Once I realized that, I made sure that I never lost focus about what I was trying to do there,” said Chancel-lor White.

“I mean I started them for a different purpose, almost a selfish purpose. Forcing myself to share my thoughts about the commu-nity once a week, about what’s on my mind. Really telling our story in different ways...helped people realize that ‘Whoa, UCR has an amazing family and I want to be part of that.’” From his ear-liest emails dating back to 2009, Chancellor White reflected on the importance of communication through his letters.

UCPD Chief of Police John Cook reflected on one of his most impressionable moments of Chancellor White, which oc-curred during the UC Regents meeting on UCR’s campus in January 2012, at the same time a student demonstration was tak-ing place. “I had a moment where I kind of understood the world from his eyes because it’s al-ways easy to look at it as a police officer...I watched the chancellor take into consideration the po-lice, students and the regents side and I thought to myself, ‘That’s a man who understands leadership, management and is very good at it,’” he said.

On Jan. 19, 2012, members of the UC community protested

against continuing tuition hikes and the perceived privatization of higher education in California.

“It’s a real...pushed-back kind of experience and...my regret is that I didn’t communicate in ad-vance to this campus....to expect a large group of people, that may have nothing to do with our cam-pus but folks who are interested in our topics plus law enforce-ment. You know at one hand you could say, ‘Yeah I regret that hap-pened,’ but what I would regret is if we did not respond quickly and properly when the situation arose,” stated White.

Prior to the UC Board of Re-gents’ meeting, the release of strict UCR protest guidelines led to immense outcry from the stu-dent body and faculty alike. The guidelines were ultimately re-moved, yet the implications were perceived as a negative reflection of UCR leadership.

“Although the release of the protest guidelines [was] unwise, when it came to light, I said ‘That was a mistake, we’re pulling them down.’ I guess I am really an ide-alist and a pretty pathologically opportunistic person, but I’m not naive and I do know that mistakes happen,” said White.

As one of his final acts as chancellor, White released a set of “Guiding Principles to Protest” in December 2012, which high-lighted the core values of free speech at UCR.

Through the implementation of the strategic action plan, UCR 2020: the Path to Preeminence, Chancellor White set specific goals for UCR in the areas of aca-

demic excellence, civic engage-ment and campus climate. The plan was compiled by Chancellor White and nearly 140 students, staff, alumni and faculty mem-bers.

“What I think we are so uniquely positioned to do is to bring in very bright students, but not for reasons not of their own doing, despite not having all of the opportunities in elementary and middle school...but be given the opportunity to flourish and blossom,” said Chancellor White

at his farewell reception in De-cember. “So we’ve gone about our work, we’ve rolled up our sleeves together, we have lived the promise together, and I im-plore you to continue to live up to your individual promise to make this institution proud.”

During the reception, Vice Chancellor of University Ad-

vancement Peter Hayashida an-nounced the establishment of a student scholarship endowment fund, which was dedicated to Timothy and Karen White. As a parting gift, he was presented with a photograph of the UCR campus taken by Ansel Adams in the 1960s. Also during the event, Dow bestowed a hand-grip exer-ciser to Chancellor White, which would serve as a reminder of the thousands of hands he shook of graduating students at com-mencement ceremonies.

On the day of his exit interview with the Highlander, Chancellor White highlighted the sudden rain storm at UCR, which was quickly followed by a rainbow that leapt from the Interdisciplinary Build-ing to the Box Springs Mountains. In an analogy for embracing both the changing weather conditions and life’s obstacles, White said, “To recognize how you deal with those dark moments really is...the test of being a highlander [and] a productive member of society, to come even closer together dur-ing the hard times when we really need each other.”

At his farewell reception, Chan-cellor White addressed the state of the university. “As you can tell, leaving is difficult, very difficult, but like that All-State commercial says, ‘UCR is in great hands.’ But I thank you for most importantly...leaving an enveloped and proud mark on me, one that has made me, I think, a better and wiser person and for that I am eternally grateful.”

When asked about his greatest accomplishment as chancellor of UCR, White explained that it is still on its way. “I think my greatest joy has yet to be at UCR. I don’t think I’ve experienced it yet. I think it’s what our graduates and students will do for this country,” said Chancellor White.

CHANCELLOR FROM PAGE 1

Culture and diversity

UCR: Living the Promise

Efforts for community outreach

The campus he leavestoday

“I think my great-est joy has yet to be at UCR. I don’t think I’ve experienced it yet. I think it’s what our graduates and students will do for this country.”

“So we’ve gone about our work, we’ve rolled up our sleeves togeth-er, we have lived the promise together, and I implore you to continue to live up to your indi-vidual promise to make this institution proud.”

“To recognize how you deal with those dark mo-ments really is...the test of being a highlander [and] a productive member of society, to come even closer together during the hard times when we re-ally need each other.”

Regents meeting, free speech and protest guidelines

Stay tuned for the launch of the Highlander’s new video network

COMING SOON TO A SCREEN

NEAR YOU

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NEWS 5HIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

Cardio kickboxing is one of many leisure classes offered at the UCR Student Recreation Center (SRC). As an invigorating alterna-tive to a regular workout routine, the fitness classes are popular with students and thus, oftentimes overcrowded, leading many to do their exercising outside the corri-dors of the multi-purpose rooms. The Recreation Facilities Govern-ing Board (FGB), a student-run committee that oversee campus recreation, sought to address such issues by working on an expan-sion to the SRC to fit UCR’s ex-panding student body.

A $37.2 million construction project is currently underway, which will grow the SRC by about two-thirds its current size. The new facility will ease the burden of increasing student enrollment and limited availability of fitness equipment and rec classes, espe-cially during peak hours from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Construction be-gan during winter break of Dec. 2012, but the initial planning stag-es date back to 2008.

“The SRC was busy and crowded and we did not think it was meeting students needs, so we started getting feedback from students in 2008 and 2009 through

several surveys where we learned how students felt about the current rec center and what they would like to see in the future,” stated Jenni Deveau, psychology gradu-ate and member of the FGB.

Largely viewed as a student-centric initiative, the construction project was spearheaded by the FGB, which consists of six under-graduates and three alumni. In an effort to provide greater student accessibility to the SRC, the FGB first explored the possibility of an expansion through surveys and fo-cus groups.

Approved during the spring 2010 elections, the student refer-endum fee increase of $149 per quarter was dedicated to fund-ing the expansion. The additional charge will raise the SRC student fee from $59 to $208, once the two-part construction is complet-ed in the winter quarter of 2015.

According to the final survey results by Brailsford & Dun-lavey—the program management firm hired by UCR—prior to the elections, approximately 65 per-cent of students were very likely or likely to support raising stu-dent fees to fund the expansion. The firm, specializing in strategic operations and provides financial consultation, provided an assess-ment of the SRC student surveys.

“From these results, we set

up a referendum that focused on having a expansion with a larger weight room, more multipurpose rooms (MPR), as well as a swim-ming pool among many other items,” stated fourth-year biology and statistics major Gerry Young, who is also the secretary of the FGB. “Then based upon the bud-get that was allocated for the proj-ect along with the overall design of the building, the number and size of these rooms and fitness ar-eas were determined.”

Most notably, construction will not disrupt the regular hours of operations for the SRC, which will remain open for the duration of the expansion.

“I think it’s much needed. We have a large student body and if you compare the student body to the rec room size, then it is obvi-ously disproportionate,” stated SRC employee and second-year business and law major Troy Hall.

As SRC Director of 13 years, Lindy Fenex commented on the major issues facing avid gym-goers, which led to a greater push for the expansion. “The current SRC [of 18 years] was designed for a student population of 11,000 and is unable to fulfill or satisfy the student demand for recreation programs, services or facilities,” he said. From 2011-2012, the en-rollment rate at UCR surpassed

the 21,000 mark, which is up 4,000 from just four years ago.

The first stage of the two-part construction project involves the addition of nearly 75,000 gross square feet and is scheduled for completion by June 2014. The second stage of the expansion will involve a major renovation to the existing SRC in order to free up additional office space and multi-purpose rooms. The latter of the two stages is expected to be fin-ished by winter quarter of 2015.

New facilities include an out-door Olympic-sized pool, 20,000 square feet of weight room and cardio fitness space, along with an indoor jogging track that sur-rounds a rock climbing wall.

“I love to do cardio as well as play basketball, so the expansion of the cardio area is going to be great because it allows for a vari-ety of different machines as well as less waiting time for a tread-mill or elliptical machine,” stated Young, in regards to the inclusion of a multi-athletic court (MAC).

The MAC includes a full-sized basketball court, which may also be used for recreational events such as indoor soccer or volley-ball. The opening of a new aquat-ics facilities will contain a lap pool, recreation pool and a vortex pool. Basketball and volleyball courts will be built on the south-

east portion of the SRC while construction takes place on the outdoor area adjacent to Lot 25.

“I’m just excited that it’s go-ing to be bigger, to be honest. It’s packed. I don’t like waiting for machines...it’s like really unmoti-vating,” stated fourth-year ethnic studies major Frances De Ruyter. “I commute so it’s like I’m not go-ing to wait an hour to use a ma-chine and I have to drive all the way back to my house which is like another half an hour.”

Selected in fall 2012, the desig-nated construction company C.W. Driver will accompany the archi-tect, Cannon Design, to complete the LEED Silver Certified build-ing and support environmentally-sound practices.

“There has been student repre-sentation and input on all aspects of the design and construction of the new building, with several student members on all decision-making committees,” said Jenni Deveau, a psychology graduate and member of the FGB. “This is one area where students have a voice on [what] happens on the campus, and I think they have made their voice heard.”

The public can view the day-to-day construction through a live feed that is is available on the SRC main website, recreation.ucr.edu.

sa n Dy Va nSENIOR STAFF WRITER

Student Recreation Center begins multi-million dollar construction project

a Rt i s t R E n d E R i n G

Big changes are underway for the UCR Student Recreation Center, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a larger weight room.

MAC CourtJogging Track

Cardio Room Lobby

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NEWS6 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JAUNUARY 8, 2013

On Dec. 13, 2012 UC Riverside held a ceremony for administrators, elected officials and community supporters as it unveiled the UCR School of Medicine Education Building.

Visitors received a preview of some of the building’s new features, which include a medical simulation laboratory, a lecture hall, patient examination rooms and rooms for group discussions.

The simulation laboratory was among the most talked about topics at the ceremony. According to the School of Medicine Dean and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs G. Richard Olds, the lab will allow students to take a more hands-on approach to solving problems that physicians will likely encounter. Dubbed the “Problem-Based Learning rooms,” these areas will serve as a sort of practice facility for students.

Manikins, life-sized dolls that emulate real-life functionalities of human beings, will be used by medical students to practice various operational skills. For instance, the manikins can bleed, display limited joint movement, contract its pupils and also includes infusible vein systems that will allow students to practice medical procedures such as intravenous injections.

“The first patient a student touches should probably not be a real human being,”

said Paul Lyons, the senior assistant dean for education about the manikins in a press release. “There are a lot of technical skills and motor skills that they should learn and master before they touch their first real patients... [The manikin] gives the student the opportunity to learn and to make mistakes in a low-risk situation, before they touch their first real patient.”

The renovated building will also include examination rooms where students will be able to practice their interaction skills with future patients. Actors will portray patients with different kinds of injuries and illnesses.The interactions will be recorded on video, which can later be used by students and teachers as course material.

Formerly a building for labs and classrooms for

statistics and computer courses, the building has since been renovated in order to make room for the School of Medicine.

“This facility is not merely a building, or a node in the network of campus research, it is the builder of dreams, a vehicle to serve the urgent needs of our community,” Chancellor Timothy White said about the School of Medicine Education

Building in a press release.Other buildings that

make up the UCR School of Medicine include Webber Hall and the School of Medicine Research Building.

The university is currently accepting applications for the inaugural class of 50 students, who will be entering in Aug. 2013. The final day to apply for the UCR School of Medicine is Jan. 15.

Mi c h a e l ri o sSENIOR STAFF WRITER

da m i n G yE/hiGhLandERAnatomical human models are among the many dif ferent resources that the UCR School of Medicine will have available for students.

School of Medicine Education Building shows off high-tech features

NEWS IN BRIEF COMPILED BY MELISA BIVIAN, conTriBuTing wriTer & LAUREN GREEN, conTriBuTing wriTer

UC Riverside was recog-nized as one of the nation’s 100 best values in public col-leges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for 2012-2013. This is the fifth time that UCR has ap-peared on the magazine’s list.

UCR is acknowledged by the magazine for its four-year graduation rate of 49 percent, low average student debt at graduation, abundant financial aid, a low “sticker price” and

overall great value. Begin-ning on Jan. 1, the February 2013 issue will be available in newsstands and online.

UCR Financial Aid Man-ager Jose Aguilar said, “It’s a great honor to be on the top 100s and you know it’s always good to be on that list. It shows that Riverside is a top choice and that UC Riverside is a top choice.” Being recognized also allows future undergradu-

ates to make their decision in applying to the college of their choice.

UCR continues to be rec-ognized amongst several pub-lic colleges in the country for offering “We put a financial aid package according to the financial need of the student. Tuition packaging policy that we put together, we award our students is making it more af-fordable,” states Aguilar.

UCR NAMED “BEST VALUE” BY U.S. FINANCE MAGAZINE

UCR graduate student Mi-chael Maroun has won the Ken-nedy Award for “Best Theoret-ical Research.” The Kennedy Award is presented annually by the American Physical So-ciety’s California-Nevada sec-tion and graduates who win the award receive a $250 check.

Maroun was recognized by his peers and his mentors who entered him for a chance to win the award. Maroun gave an oral presentation entitled “A

Metric on the Space of Quan-tum Fields,” on Nov. 2, 2012. His presentation took place during the American Physical Society California-Nevada an-nual meeting and explored the origins of the quantum field.

With the help of his graduate thesis advisor, Michel Lapidus, Maroun is on the path towards a doctoral degree in math-ematical physics. Maroun’s Ph.D committee has also sup-ported him in his endeavors.

Dr. Shan-Wen Tsai, member of the Ph. D committee states, “He will be both a very good researcher and teacher. I have worked with him and he was a great [teaching assistant]. I expect him to continue doing well.”

The Kennedy Reed Award for Best Theoretical Research is awarded to graduate students from California and Nevada for their phenomenal work at insti-tutions of higher education.

KENNEDY AWARD GIVEN TO UCR GRADUATE STUDENT

Jennifer Doyle, UCR professor of english, was among the winners of a $35,000 Arts Writer Grant. Founded by the Andy War-hol Foundation, the grants ranged from $8,000 to $50,000 and were awarded in four categories: articles, blogs, books and short-form on Dec.3.

Doyle will use the grant to support her book, “The Athletic Turn: Contem-porary Art and the Sport Spectacle.” Her inspira-tion to write the book re-sided from her 10-year experience on the soccer team. Since Doyle wanted to learn everything she could about the sport, she began a soccer blog. “Artists have a lot to say about the sports they love. I thought: how cool would it be to write a book about the politics of sports, as

told to us by painters, per-formance artists and cho-reographers?” she said.

Finishing up “Hold It Against Me: Difficulty and Emotion in Contem-porary Art,” Doyle’s book will be published next year by Duke University Press. Her research focuses on American literacy, cultural studies, visual and perfor-mance studies, contempo-rary art history, and gender studies.

The Andy Warhol Foun-dation is administered by Creative Capital, a na-tional nonprofit organiza-tion that provides financial support to artists pursuing projects in all areas. The Warhol Foundation awards grants to professors like Doyle, in hopes of preserv-ing their creations, presen-tations and documentation related to the arts.

UCR ENGLISH PROFESSOR AWARDED $35,000 ANDY WARHOL GRANT

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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Dear Chancellor Conoley,

We at the Highlander would like to warmly welcome you to the University of California, Riverside. Adjusting from the cool seaside breezes of Santa Barbara to the dry Santa Ana gusts of Riverside is quite the transition—no doubt it is as large as the transition from serving as the dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to helming the chancellor-ship of one of the top research universi-ties in Southern California. Moving is difficult. But we believe that you’ll feel at home before you know it and do a won-derful job as the 13th leader of UCR.

The previous chancellor of UCR, Tim-othy White, left a remarkable footprint on our campus. He managed to guide the university through massive budget cuts and skyrocketing tuition, maintained UCR’s top national standing in campus diversity, and shepherded UCR’s School of Medicine through a turbulent accredi-tation process. But above all, he main-tained a personal connection to students, be it through his town hall meetings, Friday letters, or romps around campus during Finals Week with cookies and his dog. Chancellor White understood that the way to enact positive change at UCR was to generate a positive connection with students and the UCR community as a whole. He accomplished this not only through communication, but by advanc-ing projects that the students of UCR sup-ported. Talking to students is one thing. Chancellor White ensured that those words resulted in concrete actions that benefitted the students of UCR.

We urge you to follow in Chancellor White’s footsteps by further supporting the UCR community. The first place to start is the beautification of campus and the cultivation of a campus identity. Many places on campus—the Rivera Lawn, the plaza by the bookstore, the patch of grass in front of Hinderaker Hall—are dull and in need of character. They don’t speak of a UCR with a strong community identity, a devastating irony given UCR’s ranking as ninth in the country in terms of univer-sities that contribute to the community’s public good. UCR can begin a program to display the artworks of student artists in order to liven up the otherwise bland and lifeless areas that students pass by daily. Furthermore, other than the Bell Tower and the big UCR letters situated nearby, UCR has no widely-known identifiable landmark. Likewise, the only landmark that announces a visitor’s arrival on the UCR campus is an out-of-the-way dis-crete stone slab that is easily missed by any pedestrian. We should invest in a

large landmark at the entrance to campus that can showcase the unique spirit and identity of UCR and be something that everybody at UCR can be proud of.

We can build on this by accelerating the planning and construction of the C-Center, a multipurpose sports complex that would replace the aging structure of Bannockburn. Alongside the ongoing expansion of the Recreation Center, the C-Center would refocus attention onto the campus’ athletics program by hous-ing a modern sports arena for athletic games and give the UCR community a new building and sports identity that is uniquely UCR. Though Bannockburn is affordable and houses a great deal of UCR history, it is old and incapable of ac-commodating an expanding campus pop-ulation. In addition, moving forward with the C-Center would not only liven up the UCR campus and promote UCR school pride, but it would also generate income through ticket sales of sports games and leasing of unneeded space.

Similarly, UCR needs to construct and renovate housing units to accommodate more students. Aberdeen and Inverness, Glen Mor, and Lothian are simply not enough living area for students should UCR continue on its expansion trajec-tory. And though Glen Mor 2 is under construction, it won’t open until 2014. In the meantime, UCR can upgrade its exist-ing habitations to make the space worth living for UCR students. The current residence halls are cramped, with three people squashed into rooms originally designed for only two. Happiness begins at home, and revamping the residence halls would be the perfect place to start.

Finally, you can lead the way in the development of a more community-ori-ented classroom by increasing the fac-ulty-to-student ratio. Sometimes it’s dif-ficult to feel like an individual in a sea of thousands of students. Hiring more fac-ulty to teach additional classes would not only alleviate the feeling of being a mere sardine in an ocean crammed with big-ger fish, but provide more class variety and enable more students to take classes interesting to them. UCR can innovate a new path forward for universities with large student populations by maintaining student growth and a faculty-to-student connection.

All of these actions can further a sense of community and identity among the stu-dents of UCR. However, they all require money. And although Prop 30 passed, state divestment from higher education is still a serious threat. With no certainty of funding from Sacramento, UCR needs to return to its roots: the Riverside-based community. UCR’s very own School of

Medicine provides a case study for what UCR needs to do in the future. When the school was originally rejected for not having sufficient funding, it embarked on an ambitious plan to raise $100 mil-lion. 80% of those funds came from the Riverside community. In stark contrast, endowments were only 0.31% of UCR’s overall income for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

Relying on the state for funding may not be tenable in the long-term. Instead of facing a situation where UCR is forced to rely on ever-dwindling funding from California, we can pioneer a new path by increasing partnerships in the local community. The University of California is the second-largest employer in River-side and has received incoming classes of over 4,000 students for the past three years. This means it has a large network of employees, alumni, students, and in-terested local citizens that it can turn to for fundraising. If every person living in the city of Riverside were to contribute five dollars, UCR would net over $1.5 million—and this number would only grow when alumni no longer living in Riverside are taken into account. To be sure, this is only a drop in the bucket in a budget that totals more than $500 million. But it’s a start.

UCR shouldn’t limit itself to fund-raising in the local community, either. The people of the state of California and

throughout the country have an interest in the success of UCR, and we should take this opportunity to expand UCR’s fund-raising network in order to provide more for UCR students, staff, and faculty.

This is a lot to ask of an interim chan-cellor. But an interim chancellor has all the power—and responsibilities—of a chancellor of UCR. And further foster-ing a sense of UCR community spirit will not only make each student feel more at home at a campus where it’s still easy to get lost. It’ll also help UCR attract more students, top-tier professors, and help make our athletics department something to be proud of.

Gordon Watkins served as UCR’s very first provost. After he retired, he was called upon to become dean of the school of education—at none other than UCSB. Chancellor Conoley, you can live up to his legacy and be the driving force to make the UCR community even better than it is now. Or at the very least, we’d be pleased with the chance to munch on delicious cookies and pet a friendly dog during Finals Week.

Sincerely,The Highlander Editorial Board

Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the As-sociated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

AN OPEN LETTER TO CHANCELLOR JANE CONOLEY

WE s L E y nG/hiGhLandERChancellor Conoley, welcome to the University of California, Riverside.

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OPINIONS. . 7HIGHLANDER TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2012

When tragic shootings like the one at Columbine High School in 1999 oc-cur, the public immediate-ly debates the subject of gun control. Recently, the shootings in Newtown, Con-necticut have sparked the same controversy. On Dec. 14, 2012, 26 people were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in New-town. The devastating trag-edy has struck a chord with the entirety of our nation. As a result, many questions are being raised. Does this recent massacre mean that there is a problem with cur-rent gun regulation? Should our Second Amendment rights to bear arms be re-analyzed to determine if i t is appropriate in accordance with modern times? More importantly, does this el-ementary school massacre justify making the names and addresses of handgun permit holders public?

I do not believe so. But this is exactly the law that Connecticut’s state Repre-sentative Stephen Dargan hopes to implement, and this is just one of many pieces of legislation that will rouse argumentation between gun advocates and their crit-ics. There are faults to the newly advocated bills, and when it comes to Represen-tative Dargan’s newly intro-duced proposition, I take a firm stance on supporting the privacy of gun holders.

Eight bills support-ing “more restrictions and tougher laws on those who own, sell , or want to own firearms” were introduced to Congress on Thursday, Jan. 3, said USA Today. Like Dargan, political rep-resentatives are becoming wary of the United States’ right to bear arms and are beginning to believe that the answer to shootings, l ike the one at Sandy Hook Elementary, can be solved with tougher regulations on firearms. Representa-tive Carolyn McCarthy has proposed the High Capacity Ammunition Feeding De-vice Act, which would ban “the sale or transfer of am-munition magazines hold-ing more than ten rounds,” according to CBS News. Fox News reports that Con-necticut State Senator Mar-tin Looney, for instance, would like to make it i l le-gal for anyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor from buying bullets. Strict-er propositions are not the answer, especially if one is aiming to ban just the am-munition. Similarly to Mc-Carthy and Looney, Dargan is taking steps in the wrong direction.

Americans want to feel

secure and protected in their own homes. It is an American’s right to feel protected behind a loaded gun. It is also their right to use a gun recreationally, meaning hunting or firing at a shooting range. Releas-ing information of gun per-mit holders is not a solution to future mass killings, and neither is banning the sale of ammunition for that mat-ter. The Second Amend-ment may not specify a gun holder ’s privacy rights, but I doubt that the nearly 180,000 handgun permit holders of Connecticut want their personal information to be made public. Parents probably don’t want crimi-nals to find out where they can find a gun either, and if the names and addresses of gun permit holders are made public, they’ll know exactly where to go. Mak-ing information of various gun holders public is just another opportunity for the wrong person to get a hold of a weapon.

Members of Congress may simply be trying to make the acquisition of a gun or ammunition more difficult. The more difficult i t is to obtain these things the more unlikely a mass shooting should be, right? Well, if someone wanted to purchase bullets, they would find a way to do so.

If someone wanted to get their hands on a gun, they would also find a way to do so. Take, for instance, Adam Lanza, the killer of the 26 victims in Newtown. In ac-cordance with the law he would not be the one whose information would be made public because he “went to the school with guns he took from his mother,” re-

ports the Huffington Post. Adam’s mother would be the one whose name and ad-dress would be made public, not her son’s. Authorities could not have predicted that Mrs. Lanza’s son would have stolen her guns that morning and begun firing at innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary, and the new proposition by Rep-resentative Dargan would not have stopped him. If a mentally disturbed person, or criminal of any sort, had the intention of procuring a weapon they will find a

way to step outside of the bounds of the law. In this case, all Lanza had to do was go through his innocent mother, who spent her time obtaining her guns and am-munition legally.

Readers may believe that having greater re-strictions on guns and am-munition is a solid way to cut down on gun violence. Less guns therefore less murders sounds like a ra-tional assumption to make. However, in a country like Switzerland, famous for its neutrality in many wars and having one of the wealthi-est economies, the opposite stance is taken. Aside from their wealth and peaceful-ness, there are 4.5 million guns present in a population of just 7.9 million. Granted, their population is small-er than that of the United States. Conversely, the na-tion’s gun related crime is amazingly low. By low, I mean almost none, with 0.5 gun homicides per 100,000 residents in 2010.

Here in the United States, debates rage on about how guns kill and representa-tives like Stephen Dargan are ready to make changes. But these changes may not be necessary. Citizens of Switzerland are not required to make anyone’s informa-tion public, even though al-most every citizen has a gun

in their household and there are virtually no gun-relat-ed murders. In fact, people are allowed to carry their weapons around in pub-lic and “kids as young as 12 years old belong to gun groups in their local com-munities, where they learn sharpshooting,” according to Time Magazine. Perhaps our nation should learn a lesson from the Swiss and develop a sense of pride for our weaponry, rather than viewing handguns and other firearms as solely deadly in-struments. Congress needs to find a better solution.

Dargan seems to be pro-posing a law that practi-cally accuses gun permit holders of probable future violent action. Some people are simply gun enthusiasts, not murderers. Like Lanza, criminals and murderers who intend on committing a mass murder will not do so in the confines of the law. They will also most likely premeditate their assault. Dargan has one thing right: the problem doesn’t l ie with the weapon, but with the one who wields it . The only problem is that his proposed bill will ostracize respect-able hobbyists and firearm aficionados, and possibly make them victims of pos-sible robbery by those who plan on using their weapon for actual il legal activity.

In mass shootings, are firearms really the problem?Jo s h ua wa g o n B l a s T

STAFF WRITER

im a G E c o u Rt E s y o f L E G a L i n s u R R E c t i o n.c o m

The map displays the addresses of gun permit holders in a New York county; laws that force their publication would actually make people less safe.

If the names and addresses of gun permit holders are made public, [crim-inals will] know ex-actly where to go.

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OPINIONS8 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

HIGHLANDER FEATURES. . 9TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

Among UCR’s student body are full-time student athletes, artists and even self-starting entrepreneurs. Jaijeet Kakkar, who goes by Jai, is a third-year engi-neering student and one of the founders of IMPRUE, an internationally recog-nized company devoted to the manufacturing and de-signing of cases and ac-cessories for all of today’s major cell phones. The com-pany only consists of 12 people throughout Califor-nia, including five in their Fremont headquarters, but is also host to warehouse employees, associates, manufacturers and design-ers from ages 17-40 all over the world. Kakkar, who is obviously committed to IM-PRUE part-time due to his status as a student, still says “I consider myself on the job 24 hours.”

Looking back now, he never imagined his small business coming so far. In 2009, during the release of Apple’s iPhone 3GS, both Kakkar and his father an-ticipated the massive de-mand and dependence on smart phones in the near future and realized that this was the industry to get into. “I needed someone to fund the project because in high school, I was broke,” says Kakkar with a laugh. Driven by a simple idea to beautify and protect phones, father and son had the first ship-ments of products delivered

to their own home before eventually buying and open-ing their own warehouse, then hiring employees.

In high school, Kakkar recalls having very little lei-sure time in between class-es, football practice and IMPRUE. “My friends were always like, ‘Yo, where you

at?’ and I was like, ‘I’m working.’” However, Kak-kar realized that his commit-ment to his business made him stand out among oth-ers: “I felt good about the way people respected me.” At age 17, when convers-ing over the phone with new business partners, they were later shocked when Kakkar revealed his startling young age: one that is always dis-guised by a deep voice and a steady confidence in what he is doing.

Currently, Kakkar is ex-cited about the designs and molds that will come out of collaborations with new art-ists. One of his proudest ac-

complishments is the Sikh design iPhone case that was released in 2012, patterned with the Khanda symbol, in-spiring unity and bringing awareness to the tragic Wis-consin Sikh temple shoot-ing in August. “The whole idea for this case was not to market our religion or our brand,” Kakkar explains, “but just to educate about Sikhism; for example, a lot people assume that we’re Muslim, but we’re not.” His favorite collaboration right now is with the Pink Dol-phin clothing line, which he has admired for a long time.

When balancing college and work now, Kakkar blunt-ly describes his lifestyle in three words: “I don’t sleep.” Between academics, he is constantly researching new ways to improve the prod-ucts, discussing with engi-neers, and traveling back and forth between UCR and IMPRUE’s headquarters in Northern California. As a full-time student at UCR, he is currently undeclared but is taking mostly engineering classes, aiming to eventu-ally major in Computer En-gineering. “There are many times I’ve actually thought of dropping out of school,” Kakkar admits. Although his parents support his com-mitment to IMPRUE, they won’t allow Kakkar to drop out of school and demand that his first priority is not losing focus. “Everyday I find ways to motivate my-

self to find that balance,” he says. School offers other options in his life just in case IMPRUE doesn’t work out. “But it will,” says Kak-kar. “We’ve all worked so hard on this, and the future is limitless.”

Kakkar, who is a huge football fan, says that if he does have free time he spends it with friends, watching football , or play-ing video games. However, maintaining that equal at-tention to both school and work, as anyone can imag-ine, is extremely difficult . “I sometimes have to skip classes,” he reveals. Dur-ing spring of 2012, Kakkar missed an entire week of school to attend a cellular trade show in New Orleans. Sometimes he will need to work at the headquarters of-fice in the bay area during random weekends, prompt-ing him to leave Fridays immediately after his last class. “I’m always on the fly,” Kakkar says as testi-mony to his hectic schedule.

On the bright side, Kak-kar describes his struggle between school and work as “the best of both worlds.” In relation to being a col-lege student, he says that one of the things he appre-ciates the most is the chance

to meet so many good peo-ple on campus. “It’s not l ike high school,” says Kakkar. He realizes that the people at UCR are so much more mature, have their own goals and extraordinary talents. Often times when he meets unique artists on campus, Kakkar will ap-proach them with offers to work with him and design for IMPRUE. “I’m blessed to even have this opportu-nity,” he says about his en-vironment, “so I’m going to make the best of i t .” He is also open to giving advice about entrepreneurship and helping to open new doors for his talented peers to business opportunities.

“I try to give back,” says Kakkar, who sees his gen-eration as one that is full of potential . In the 21st centu-ry, the individuals of youth really are capable of start-ing their own businesses or becoming their own boss-es, Kakkar has discovered through his own ambitious struggle. Individuals today are empowered to grow, produce, and to share their knowledge and success among each other. “If you have a talent or l ike what you do,” says Kakkar, “go for i t . Don’t be stuck doing something you regret .”

by Toni Louie, Senior Staff Writer

Best of Both Worlds: Entrepreneurship and College Life

Third-year engineering student Jaijeet Kakkar balances working on his successful cell phone accessory company while managing the demands of full-time college studies.

“If you have a talent or like what you do, go for it. Don’t be stuck doing something you regret.”

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FEATURES10 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE: A NEW COLUMN

SWEAT & SELF-LOATHING:

by Alexander Suffolk , S enior Staff Writer

We all know that the start of the New Year is the only time you can get in shape. I mean what is a better condition for running and dieting than the cold winds of January? It’s not like there is a season where the temperature is mild and veg-etables are fresh and abundant. And besides, that would be too easy, and easy makes you weak. Remember, as the wisest of men once said, “Work it hard-er, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger.” Still, to the uninitiated, the dangerous realm of fitness can seem daunting. But that is where I come in; I shall be your guide on a step-by-step journey through this strange world. So just sit back, relax, and let my expertise wash over you.

Step #1: Observe Your Sur-roundings.

When you first arrive at the gym, the sheer amount of run-ning shoes you see and constant crinkling of water bottles you hear may take you aback. Fear not though, there is always an abundance of those who have undergone the holy Ritual of Resolution, although they come in a few varieties. There are the First-Timers, a rare species you can identify by their wearing of jeans. There are the Obviously-Very-Importants who mainly workout their fingers on their cellphones and their counter-parts The Artists, who take the time to upload mirror pictures to their Instagrams and Facebooks as if any of their friends actu-ally care about them. You would do best to avoid all of them. In fact, avoid everyone; obnoxious chit chat is for the movie the-

atre, not the gym.

Step #2: Get on the TreadmillNow then, one of the most

common sights for a gym is a row of people mindlessly run-ning and staring at TVs like brainwashed hamsters. These are the treadmills—wonder-ful devices that you should re-ally take advantage of. They’re a great way to spend a lot of energy while not actually go-ing anywhere, serving both as a great workout as well as a grand metaphor for life.

Get ready to stand in line though, this attraction is almost as good as the Dumbos at Dis-neyland and always seems to build up just as long a line dur-ing the first weeks of the year. Just remember to be patient and avoid the urge to kill the two or three jackasses in sweat pants that just walk for twenty min-utes. Also do not concern your-self with any women that choose to wear a gallon of make-up to the gym for they are obvious-ly just trying to attract creepy leers to get them to run faster and really break a sweat. After all, there is nothing as sexy as looking like a Geisha in a hur-ricane.

Step #3: Avoid Medieval Tor-ture Devices

Step #4: Brave the Weight RoomAh yes, the Weight Room, where

there is enough loud grunts and clang-ing of metal to make you think you have stumbled into a Rammstein con-cert. Here you will find the natives of the gym, the tribe of #TeamGetSwoll. They are a rambunctious group that seems to derive satisfaction from the constant action of picking objects up and putting them back down. Join them in their strange practice of con-stantly picking things up, but do not engage in their conversations of “sets” and “protein,” else they will know you are not one of their own.

And if that happens, you must as-suredly suffer the torture that they bestow upon outsiders: unwanted ad-vice! You will get bogged down by in-formation detailing what muscle group is where, and which one you should feel tension in, which is only slightly less horrible than water-boarding. So keep your head down and let your muscles do the talking, for your own sake. There are some forms of wrath in this world no person should have to be subjected to.

Step #5: Be ConsistentIt must have been terrifying to

get in and out of the jungle alive just once, but you have to dive in it again and again. You will notice that as the weeks go on, less and less people will show up, having lost faith in their Ritual of Resolution and awaiting the give-it-a-go-again in twelve months. Don’t be one of these slackers. This is Survivor, ladies and gentlemen. If you start to give up, it’s only a matter of time before Jeff Probst tells you that the tribe has spoken and that you need to go. Force yourself to sweat and feel pain for the entire year, else you will be like every other February Failure

lined up under the welcoming beacon of the Golden Arches, getting ready to drown their sorrows with an extra-large soda for just a dollar.

Well, that’s all I have for you guys.

Follow the five steps I have laid out here and go forth into the realm of sweat and self-loathing, for you shall come out a stronger person. You can do anything you set your mind to, pain is weakness leaving the body, the ear-ly bird gets the worm, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, inspiration, in-spiration. So here’s to a New Year and to a New You. Go out there and make the best of both.

Perfect, just like that.

Seriously, what the hell does this thing do?

“You jealous bro? You jelly? Yeah, you’re jelly. You’re so jelly, your name is

Smuckers.”

Replacing training with trans-fats since ‘63

A FITNESS GUIDE

You’re on your way, kid.

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HIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

radar

Li o n s G at E“tE x a s ch a i n s aW 3d”

Events this weekTuesday | 1/8 Back to the Grind open mic | 7 p.m.

Saturday | 1/12 Closing reception for Painting in Pixels: An

Thursday | 1/10 Rusty Perez at the Riverside Plaza | 7 p.m.

Friday | 1/11 “Daisies” at the Culver Center | 7 p.m.

Exhibition of Concept Art | 7 p.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT12 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

COMING OUT THIS WEEK: GANGSTER SQUAD A HAUNTED HOUSE ZERO DARK THIRTY STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

DON’T BOTHERRATING: BY: GRACE KANG, SENIOR STAFF WRITERTEXAS CHAINSAW 3D

Courtesy of Lionsgate

MOVIE REVIEWS

Let me make it simple for you and state now that the opening credits montage was without a doubt the best part of “Texas Chainsaw 3D.” This is largely due to the fact that the clips used in the montage were from the original “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” The hour and half or so of asinine monkeyshines that ensue wiped nostalgia right off the 3D glasses and into the gutter of screenwriters Adam Marcus, Debra Sullivan and director John Luessenhop’s (“Takers”) collective imagination.

The reboot-sequel picks up where the original “Texas” left off in 1974, and we learn the fate of the Sawyer family. Short story shorter, a small mob of enraged townsmen shows up at the Sawyer residence, shoots the inhabitants to death and burns the house to the ground. As the men later pick through the rubble for bodies, Gavin Miller (David Born) discovers that Loretta Sawyer and her newborn are still alive; somehow unnoticed, he kicks the woman to death and proudly presents the baby to his wife (Sue Rock), saying, “I got it for you, Arlene,” with all the suaveness of a man who must have forgotten one too many anniversaries.

Skip forward 20 years to 2012. Now if you’re among the numbskulls who thought that 20 years after 1974 should be 1994, you must be feeling shamefaced right about now. I’m assuming that sometime after the writers decided they couldn’t bear to make this movie without Alexandra Daddario’s bare midriff they realized she probably can’t pass for a 38-year-old, which is, of course, why they decide to go ahead and bend the laws of time. Nevertheless, in present day, Heather Miller (Daddario), a.k.a. the living time anomaly, works as a butcher at a grocery store, far, far away from Texas, and her hobbies include making art with bones and interacting woodenly with her boyfriend Ryan (Trey Songz). Upon being notified that her grandmother Verna Sawyer has passed away, Heather learns that she is in fact adopted, and heads out Texas to check

out the estate bequeathed to her in the will. Once they arrive at the manor, Verna’s attorney Farnsworth (Richard Riehle) shows up with a set of keys and a letter from Heather’s grandmother that she is repeatedly instructed to read, which is obviously why she doesn’t. And so the attractive cast of 20-something lambs for slaughter (Tania Raymonde, Keram Malicki-Sánchez, Shaun Sipos) enter the mansion unaware of Jedediah “Jed” Sawyer—fondly known as “Leatherface”—(Dan Yeager) who lurks in the basement with his chainsaw collection.

Daddario makes a valiant attempt at the role of last girl standing (or “final girl,” as coined by horror expert Carol Clover), though she seems to struggle with the “standing” bit; after her first encounter with Leatherface, in an impressive display of coordination, she trips down the front steps of the mansion and gets up only to trip again over the 2-foot-tall graveyard fence. She then proceeds to hide from her chainsaw-toting assailant in a wooden coffin. While it’s glaringly evident that the filmmakers aren’t mathematicians, they apparently aren’t aspiring logicians either. Supporting actress Tania Raymonde delivers an equally brilliant performance as Nikki, the best friend who once seduced Ryan behind Heather’s back. After the unfaithful pair locks themselves in the barn to escape Leatherface, guess who picks up a conveniently present shotgun, opens fire at the door and screams, “Welcome to Texas, motherfucker!” It’s true that Nikki had no way of knowing whether Leatherface is a native Texan, but forgetting that she herself just arrived in Texas less than 24 hours ago is a remarkable short-term memory trait usually found only in blue surgeonfish who go by the name of Dory.

When Heather finally makes it to the police station, the movie takes a break and splits off into a reading lesson/iPhone advertisement, as one unfortunate cop follows the red blood road into the mansion. Once he reaches the basement

Officer Marvin (James MacDonald) realizes too late that he’s not in Kansas anymore, but soldiers on at the command of his superiors who observe his progress from miles away at the station thanks to FaceTime video call. If that’s not enough motivation to send every sheriff scrambling for the nearest Apple store, I don’t know what is.

Despite my prior comparison of the filmmaker’s creativity to a gutter, there is surprisingly no nudity in the movie. There is, however, one scene where Daddario’s shirt is completely undone for no apparent reason; the writers justify it as a key plot device, but why the shirt was unbuttoned in the first place is a mystery I’m not interested in solving, much like the entirety of “Texas Chainsaw 3D.” People get sawed in half, phalanges are amputated and blood overflows, but it’s pretty conventional fare as far as gory slasher flicks go. Audiences will be hard-pressed to find any of the subtle social commentary on the monstrous Other that made the original film legendary in American horror. Although the laughable dialogue and gaping holes (I don’t

just mean the ones in Leatherface’s victims) in the story are a disgrace to the franchise, the worst move “Texas Chainsaw 3D” made was its attempt revamp Leatherface into a lonely giant who just misses his family and happens to also be a cannibalistic maniac. In one fell swoop the writers completely misconstrue the crux of Hooper’s villain.

In a nutshell, it’s as though Luessenhop gathered a mostly attractive cast and said, “Hey guys, let’s make an idiotic parody of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” that everyone will make fun of.” I did find this re-quel to be a nonstop laugh riot, but I can’t say it has much merit as a horror film. Audiences of “Texas Chainsaw 3D” will either laugh their keisters off or pray for the chainsaw flying at the screen to end their misery. Either way, there’s no sense in spending 15 bucks at the theater when you can find the same quality of work on YouTube.

POST-CREDITS COOKIE

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21ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13HIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

★★★★★RATING: BY: DIANA S. HUANG, STAFF WRITER

“AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM” MID-SEASON PREMIERE: “THE NAME GAME”

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television

TELEVISION REVIEWS

Things have been bumpy in the last few episodes of “American Horror Story: Asylum.” Between the arrival of an Angel of Death, a serial killer Santa Claus and the untimely demise of some of the most pivotal characters, the series has really stepped up its game in terms of character and plot development.

Frances Conroy returns to the show in “Dark Cousin,” this time as Shachath (an ancient Hebrew word meaning “decay” or “to corrupt”), the Angel of Death. She appears to those who call for her and offers them the choice between life and death; should someone choose the latter, she seals their fate with a kiss. Her presence perturbs the devil inside Sister Mary Eunice, and the two supernatural entities face off in one of the most gripping scenes on the show. Meanwhile Lana has escaped Dr. Thredson’s lair only to land in the car of a suicidal misogynist who crashes the vehicle; she is injured and eventually taken back to Briarcliff. It was particularly frustrating to watch Lana lose nerve during the perfect opportunity to end Thredson’s life. At this point, her misfortune seems almost comical, and it’s difficult to pity her when it’s clear the writers get a kick out of constructing the most absurd mishaps around her character.

“Unholy Night” was a far less satisfying episode. Ian McShane does a phenomenal job of portraying the deranged serial killer, Leigh Emerson,

who hates anything related to Christmas and Santa Claus. However, his story felt unnecessary in light of the preexisting abundance of storylines floating around, and it’s a shame to bring in such a fascinating character so late in the season and for only two episodes. Shachath and the alien mystery are put on the back burner as Emerson takes center stage, eventually falling in with Arden and Sister Mary Eunice as a pawn in the possessed nun’s scheme to rid herself of the thorn in her side—Sister Jude. The attempt on Jude’s life proves unsuccessful, but the former nun is rendered powerless and unable to stand in the way of her enemies.

Stakes have risen for everyone in the aftermath of a critical shift in power dynamics within the asylum, turning up the heat in “The Coat Hanger.” The change of pace was a much needed reprieve from the increasingly formulaic nature of the second season. Lana learns that she is pregnant with Thredson’s child—a boy, according to Mary Eunice—and fails to abort the fetus. First season veteran Dylan McDermott is reintroduced as Johnny Morgan, a disturbed man who reveals his true parentage to a therapist. Morgan’s quietly menacing demeanor is a clear nod to Oliver Thredson, and it would seem that Bloody Face’s legacy continues on in present day. Despite the refreshing revelations, it felt as

though the writers were overly preoccupied with focusing on every single character, from Jude’s fall from grace to Arden’s discovery of the aliens. Kit had become a stick in the mud in recent episodes, but he heroically saves Lana and formulates a plan to force a confession from Thredson.

“The Name Game” borrows its title from the popular 1964 rhyming game (Shirley Ellis), and is perhaps the most startling as well as the best episode of the season thus far. Tables are turned and death knocks on the doors of central characters. To keep it simple, Monsignor Howard finally makes himself useful by casting out the devil from Mary Eunice—but not before the possessed nun takes his virtue by demonic force;

the tryst is witnessed by Arden. In spite of his despicable character, the Nazi doctor’s death is strangely fitting and even poetic, as he immolates himself with Mary Eunice, the one person in life who mattered to him. Jude (now Judy Martin) is as good as dead in her near-vegetative state, but she reaches out to the Mother Superior Claudia, asking her to liberate Lana. Thredson gains the upper hand over Kit when he discovers that Grace (yes, the dead girl who was abducted by aliens) has returned. As the situation spirals out of control, Monsignor Howard emerges as a potential new threat as he loses himself further to his dreams of becoming Pope.

Lily Rabe has been sensational this season, often

stealing the spotlight from Jessica Lange with just the right amount of sass and femme fatale attitude; the thin veil of innocence over the monstrosity within makes her character all the more captivating. Judy’s imagined musical number in the common room, however, is a bizarre yet ingenious way for writers to convey her descent into madness. It was disappointing for the Monsignor to exist as a background character, a waste of Joseph Fiennes’s talent, earlier in the season, but it’s becoming apparent that this episode is a turning point for “Asylum.” The series is ready to shake things up, as they focus on new storylines that may diverge from what viewers may have originally predicted. ■H

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT14 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

A t face value, w h e e l s are simply circular tubes of rubber

that help transport us from one point to another. But for the artists at Riverside Art Museum’s latest exhibit, wheels embody an alternative method of personal expression. On Thursday, Jan. 3, the museum opened its doors for a demonstration and reception for “Wheels Up: The Wheelchair as an Artistic Vehicle.”

The exhibit showcases selected works by five talented individuals who each possess a unique story. Despite their disabilities, the artists—Tom Doyle, Martin Vogel, Tom Tostado, Nikita Wang and Jhovana Cecena—illustrate their emotions, inspirations and subjects on canvas, using acrylic paint and alternative tools as a medium. In “Wheels Up,” the aforementioned tools

are wheelchairs, and the end result is fascinating.

As I stood in the Riverside Art Museum’s atrium, facing the three canvases on display, I was overcome by a sense of juxtaposition. The atrium is a curious bit of interior design; its faux stone flooring and upper-level balconies are designed to emulate the exterior of a Venetian building, but the setting is firmly planted on the inside of the museum. Similarly, the triptych of canvases presented as part of the demonstration for “Wheels Up” seemed paradoxical. The paintings, created by Martin Vogel, exhibited a curious cacophony of curves presented in the form of swirling, psychedelic shapes that combined to form an abstract presentation of movement. One of the side effects of using wheels as brushes is that the curves follow perfect lines, which

Wheels Upat Riverside Art Museum

“The Pier” by Jhovana Cecena, acrylic on canvas.

By Rebecca Paredes, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Daming Ye

Tom Doyle next to one of his works. WHEELS CONT’D ON PAGE 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTHIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

made the paintings seem almost mathematical and computer-generated—and yet, they had been painted by a man dipping his wheels in paint and rolling over the canvas with calculated movements. By doing so, Vogel captures the dynamics of action in a uniquely captivating way.

The upper level of the museum housed more paintings by Vogel, as well as works by the other artists of “Wheels Up.” I found one of Vogel’s pieces (“Diablo”) to be breathtakingly arresting. Vogel’s wheels create a tableau of arcs that merge to fashion an abstract shape reminiscent of an eye against a muted, deep background. The overall effect is a sensation of racing while standing still, and the painting’s varied hues of purple, magenta and red evoke a sense of enclosure within its quiet, powerful atmosphere. It was surreal to stare at the painting and feel as though it were staring right back at me.

During the reception I chatted with teen artist Tom Doyle and his mother Kathleen, who is a special education teacher in Alhambra, California. Tom indicated that he does not draw from any specific inspirations or influences, and Kathleen explained that her son’s paintings do not involve any prior planning. “We just lay out the colors in front of him,” she said. Tom uses the front wheels of his chair to manipulate the colors on canvas, and he uses a paint stirrer to produce splatter effects and fill in empty spaces. The outcome is something that Tom discovers alongside his audience, which leaves the piece open to interpretation.

One of Tom’s larger paintings (“Untitled”) possessed such emotion and contrast that it drew an impressive crowd. The composition depicts just 4 major colors: black, white, orange and yellow, but is presented with the symmetry and abstraction of a Rorschach inkblot test. I interpreted the diverse splatters throughout the painting as a stylized expression of anger, but members of the audience suggested “power,” passion” and “tiger stripes.”

As I navigated the reception’s sea of well-dressed attendees, I was struck by the outpouring of patronage present among the museum’s donors as well as members of the Riverside community. The Academy of Special Dreams and the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) were credited with providing generous support for the exhibition. At least 30 guests discussed the exhibit with museum staff and IEHP members, and directed questions to Vogel and Doyle as they lingered around the atrium and reception hall. A video presentation was screened to showcase artists not present at the event.

The support shown at RAM was inspiring, especially given the significance of the exhibition to its artists. Todd Tostado, an artist who lost the ability to use his arms and hands due to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), stated

in a video presentation that his art is important because “it is one of the few things [he] can do by [himself].” Tostado uses design software to create digital prints, such as “Friendly Faces,” a bold, distorted arrangement of smiling faces deconstructed into a swirling tornado.

Vogel’s website testifies that “limitation in any form is an unknown concept to Vogel,” but I feel that this statement can extend to all of the artists featured at the “Wheels Up” exhibit. Nothing is stagnant on the upper floors of the Riverside Art Museum; each artist’s distinctive style portrays expressions ranging from anger to repose. These artists purely represent the curious contradiction of being faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and overcoming them despite the odds. It is success against failure, expression against physical restraint.

“Wheels Up” is at the Riverside Art Museum now through Thursday, Feb. 21. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday.

Works by Martin Vogel on display. Vogel paints elaborate shapes and colors utilizing his wheel-chair’s wheels.■H

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WHEELS CONT’D FROM PAGE 14

★

Merchandise - “Children of Desire”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT16 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

For the past few years that I’ve been doing this list, I’d been able to identify a certain theme that had permeated the particular year’s music. When taking a look back at music in 2012, the most dominant motif was not necessarily a result of the music re-corded, but music played live. Now, I understand that this assessment may strike someone as odd, given the fact that this is list of the best recorded music of the year, but the connection is there—just hear me out.

More than any other year in recent memory, 2012 demonstrated a striking departure from what the world knew as the tra-ditional live music experience. The year destroyed boundaries of what is and isn’t a live performance, and challenged how live music can be enjoyed.

One of the most talked-about live music phenomena of the year was the technological triumph resulting in Tupac’s appear-ance at Coachella. Thanks to a complicated set-up of—literally—smoke and mirrors, Tupac Shakur joined the real and very much alive Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg onstage at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio for a couple renditions of the deceased rapper’s classic songs. To the crowd’s amazement (and my own), despite his faint purplish glow, he looked clear, lifelike, and undeniably enthusiastic about being there. Ever since, people across the world have asked the question, “Must a performer be alive to per-

form live?” Before 2012, who would have thought that question would be so difficult to answer?2012 was also a year filled to the brim with reunions or rare appearances of classic bands. From legendary acts like the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and Black Sabbath giving it

another go, to once-underground and little-known punk bands like Refused, At the Drive-In and Quicksand now headlining festivals, it seemed as though we were all caught up look-ing to the past last year.

The selection of the albums on my best of the year list was not predicated on any sort of theme or definable criteria other than what I feel were the “best” albums released in 2012. With that said, there was the spirit of a live performance on many of the albums, whether it be sonically or thematically. “Celebration Rock” needs to be listened to out-loud in the company of a group of friends, while “All We Love We Leave Behind” was recorded by Converge and Converge’s live instruments alone, creating a sonic experience that rivals the band’s raw live performances. In 2012, it was all live and well.

Best Albums of 2012

Jamming

rd3 AnnualRadar

-“Celebration Rock” begins and ends with the sound of fireworks bursting overhead. In between, eight fuzzed-out anthems beg listeners to kick down the walls of their cubicles, flip off their bosses and storm out of adult life with a reckless abandon most twenty-some-things just dream about. It is the perfect soundtrack to a life of fun and romance, blissfully ignorant of respon-sibility and reality.

-Like the man staring at a mysterious, UFO-like object in Daniel Danger’s artwork for “Information Retrieved,” Pin-back screens listeners with a patchwork of ominous, sci-fi-inspired tableaus. Fittingly, indie veterans Pinback write some of their most experimental music of their decade-plus career, which luckily for the listener, succeeds. Per-haps the song that best finds Pinback exploring uncharted territory is the Sgt. Pepper’s-esque “Denslow, You Idiot!” a rhythmic wonder that chastises this “Denslow” fellow with a light-footed grace unlike anything in the band’s catalog.

-Converge has built its legendary reputation on passion-ate songwriting and the gripping technical talents of its musicians. But the real star of the band’s latest album,“All We Love We Leave Behind,” and what sets it apart from all others in the band’s 22-year career, is its production. The stripped-down record not only features no guest mu-sicians, but it also eschews all artificial effects and sounds. Combine that with the fact that the album was mastered differently for vinyl, CD and digital, and you have a pow-erful shot in the arm of unadulterated Converge at its best, regardless of how you’re listening to it.

-On “Provincial,” John K. Samson delivers an album filled to the brim with creative, unique songwriting, just as we’d expect from him as part of the Weakerthans. Samson has a distinct way of capturing life in mini-narratives he weaves into his diverse music. In the university setting, there was likely no more relatable song released in 2012 than “When I Write My Master’s Thesis.” The song is a snapshot of a day as a grad student procrastinating on his thesis, dreaming of life after grading papers and citing sources. Who knows, I’ve probably had him as a TA.

-“Bloom” is a nightmare set on a dancefloor. Beach House’s gloomy, expansive songs beg to be moved to, but in the same way gothic masterpieces by the Cure might—with a heavy dose of melancholy. But there’s a beauty in “Bloom’s” darkness, heard in standouts like “Myth,” and “Troublemaker,” and it’s thanks to Beach House mastering their craft.

-As a self-avowed G-funk devotee, Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” hits the spot, which is no sur-prise given the legacy his hometown of Compton has in the history of G-funk and its main proprietor, Dr. Dre, who serves as executive producer on the album. You can hear it on throwbacks “good kid” and “m.A.A.d city,” which appropriately serve as the album’s climax. “Good kid, m.a.a.d city” follows Lamar’s growing up in Comp-ton, telling a story that puts the listener in the back seat as Lamar and his peers ride around getting into trouble. By the end of album closer “Compton,” one feels as though they just walked away from a drive-by, unscratched, but unable to forget about what just transpired.

-Perhaps the surprise of the year, Cloud Nothings’ “Attack on Memory” seemingly came out of nowhere with the strength of a band that has honed its sound over a long career. Their blend of low-fi garage rock and punk urgency, which blends well with dips in and out of Sonic Youth-esque noise, fits the album’s “us against the world” rebellious tone. “Wasted Days” and “Fall In” might be the best back-to-back song 1-2 punch of 2012.

-By now, no one should be surprised by the awesome songwriting juggernaut that is John Darnielle, otherwise the principle man behind The Mountain Goats. “Tran-scendental Youth” is yet another folk triumph. It opens with “Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1,” an ode to throwing caution to the wind and doing absolutely anything and everything one may desire, with the sole rule repeated “Just stay alive.” By the album’s end, on “Spent Gladiator 2,” we’re bloodied and crawling on the battlefield, and once again, the chorus advises, “Just stay alive.” Here’s to hoping The Mountain Goats fight on.

-Killer Mike may have made his name by collaborat-ing with OutKast, but on “R.A.P. Music,” he justifies his credibility with an album that marries his trademark harsh Southern-rap with El-P’s masterful, synth-heavy producing. Killer Mike captures Atlanta culture with a political punch and documents clashes with authority with a ferocity in his narratives on tracks like “JoJo’s Chillin” and “Don’t Die.”

-”Children of Desire” is a seamless mix of post-punk, new wave and shoegaze that would make the ghost of the Smiths roll in its grave. Merchandise soaks the trudging guitars and crooning on their latest record in a thick layer of synthscapes that almost invites the listener in with its melodic pop sensibility, only to then shove back in its cacophony of sounds. But what that creates is a sense of discomfort that keeps listeners on the edges of their seats.

Killer Mike - “R.A.P. Music”

The Mountain Goats - “Trancendental Youth” Cloud Nothings - “Attack on Memory”

Kendrick Lamar - “good kid, m.A.A.d city” Beach House - “Bloom”

John K. Samson - “Provincial”

Japandroids - “Celebration Rock”

910

8 7

6 5

4 Converge - “All We Love We Leave Behind”3

Pinback - “Information Retrieved” 21

by Chris LoCascio, Senior Staff Writer

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTHIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

Honorable Mention Albums

1) “www.ipetitions.com/petition/rivertonrifle/” - John K. Samson2) “Wasted Days” - Cloud Nothings3) “The House That Heaven Built” - Japandroids4) “Self Immolation Family” - Self Defense Family5) “Revelation Blues” - The Tallest Man on Earth6) “All We Love We Leave Behind” - Converge7) “When I Write My Master’s Thesis” - John K. Samson8) “m.A.A.d city” - Kendrick Lamar9) “DMT” - The Sidekicks10) “Only Heather” - Wild Nothing11) “Denslow, You Idiot!” - Pinback12) “Troublemaker” - Beach House13) “True North” - Pinback14) “I Got Nothing” - Dum Dum Girls15) “No End Left In Sight” -Hot Water Music16) “Comet” - The Bouncing Souls17) “Junior” - No Joy18) “Wanted Criminals” - The Evens19) “Ghost Fields” - Murder By Death20) “Zeros” - Minus The Bear21) “Poltergeist” - Deftones22) “Turn Away” - Forgetters23) “My Eating Disorder” - Titus Andronicus24) “Lathe Biosas” - Pelican25) “Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know” - Dinosaur Jr.

(In no particular order)

The Menzingers - “On the Impossible Past”The Tallest Man on Earth - “There’s No Leaving Now”The Bouncing Souls - “Comet”Classics of Love - “Classics of Love”And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead - “Lost Songs”Bob Mould - “Silver Age”Pallbearer - “Sorrow and Extinction”Burning Love - “Rotten Thing to Say”Hot Water Music - “Exister”Death Grips - “The Money Store”Black Breath - “Sentenced to Life”Lee Ranaldo - “Between the Times & the Tides”The Men - “Open Your Heart”Unsane - “Wreck”Wild Nothing - “Nocturne”The Evens - “The Odds”Night Birds - “The Other Side of Darkness”The Gaslight Anthem - “Handwritten”Crosses - “EP 2”

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Best Songs of 2012

To listen to these songs, check out the Highlander’s “Best Songs of 2012” Spotify playlist on highlandernews.org!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT18 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

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

LES MISERABLES

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Director Tom Hooper’s (“The King’s Speech”) adap-tation of “Les Miserables,” starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, blows most other films of 2012 right out of the water in a display of incredi-ble acting and risk-taking cin-ematography, topped off with a beautiful music score.

Based on the stage musi-cal and Victor Hugo novel of the same name, the film fol-lows the story of Jean Valjean (Jackman), who is incarcer-ated after trying to steal a loaf of bread for his impoverished family. He attempts to escape from prison four times, which lengthens his sentence to 19 years and fuels the contempt of policeman Javert (Crowe). When Valjean is eventually freed, he steals silver from a kindhearted bishop who, in-stead of turning him over to the authorities, says it was a gift. From then on, he is in-spired to lead a moral life, and eight years after break-ing parole and assuming a new identity he becomes the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. In this city, he meets Fantine (Hathaway), who must resort to prostitution after losing her job. She is unable to care for her daughter Cosette (Aman-da Seyfried), so Valjean takes the girl in and raises her as his own. Although Valjean hides his criminal past from his ward, they both become involved with French revolu-tionaries and join them in the fight to end the monarchy.

Hooper takes a unique ap-proach to the musical by hav-ing the cast sing live during filming rather than lip-sync prerecorded tracks. Though some of the vocal clarity was lost, it proved to be worth the extra emotion the actors were able to display firsthand. This effect, accompanied by an incredible orchestral score, added great drama to some of the film’s most passionate

moments. One cannot for-get the relationship between Cosette and Marius (Eddie Redmayne), her prospective lover and leader of the French revolution. Both Seyfried and Redmayne displayed extraor-dinary vocals and dramatic skill in their coy longing for each other.

The film’s unique, if some-times over-dramatic, cin-ematography is not to be overlooked; dynamic angles conveyed the chaos of certain situations. Sweeping shots of the city gave a great impres-sion of 19th century France, and the mise-en-scene, es-pecially during more up-beat numbers, helped create a sense of frantic fun. In the midst of all the drama, comic relief was brought to the table by Thènadier (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Madam Thènadier (Helena Bonham Carter), who housed Cosette briefly before Valjean took her away. Their facial expressions, physical-ity and amusing mannerisms while singing added genuine laughs to an otherwise histri-onic musical.

Though the film was bril-liant overall, the length—at 158 minutes—could hinder some audience members from enjoying the film from start to finish. At times, the cinema-tography added unnecessary melodrama to scenes where the singing should have been the focus. Even with its few detriments, the high moments in this musical film truly outweigh the low points and more than make up for them. Anne Hathaway’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” alone is worth the price of admission.

“Les Miserables” should be a heavy hitter this award season. Jackman and Hatha-way in particular both deserve Oscars for their tremendous emotional depth throughout the film, and I fully expect the feature to be in the conversa-tion for Best Picture. ■H

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTHIGHLANDER TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013 1919

★★★★☆RATING: BY: JOSHUA WAGONBLAST, STAFF WRITER

DJANGO UNCHAINED

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Anyone who has seen the first 10 minutes of “Inglourious Basterds” knows how talented Academy Award-winning actor Christoph Waltz is. The film’s success was not only owed to Waltz’s performance, but also to Quentin Tarantino’s legendary, stylistic filmmaking. Lucky for audiences, the two have teamed up once again, showcasing their talents in “Django Unchained.” This picture revolves around Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a dentist-turned-bounty-hunter, and a heartbroken, beaten down slave named Django (the D is silent) played by Jamie Foxx.

The story begins in 1858 with Schultz making his way through a darkened Texas forest on his caravan in search of the Brittle brothers, a trio of abusive slave owners. Django is locked into a chain gang of two slave traders who are also heading through the same forest; Schultz is then confronted by these men when he gets uncomfortably close. The traders engage in subtly threatening but comical dialogue with the retired dentist, who is hoping to purchase Django. After some kind words and gory outcomes, Django and Schultz end up becoming partners since Django is able to identify the Brittle brothers, who will yield a hefty bounty. During their quest they encounter many outlaws, plantation owners, slaves, racists and bandits—some of the many things that made the South a hell of a place to live at this time. A bond is quickly established between the bounty hunter and his protégé, and although Django supposedly grasps his bounty hunting skills swiftly because of his natural aptitude, it is too hasty a move.

Tarantino’s dark sense of humor is one of his many

strengths. However, this time around the dialogue is a bit campier. I assume this was done because slavery is a sensitive subject. The audience does have to sit through brutal whipping scenes and degrading dialogue toward African Americans. Waltz’s exchange with the aforementioned slave traders is brilliantly executed, much like all of his witty encounters throughout the movie (e.g. when the German-born dentist uses words like “parley” and is told to “speak English!”), but with lines such as, “Did you simply get carried away with your dramatic gesture, or are you pointing that weapon at me with lethal intention?” conversations at the beginning of the film seem cartoony.

One fault I found was that the beginning of the film went by faster than I had expected.

The dialogue seemed rushed, and as a result you never get a sense of Tarantino’s slow paced but masterful and realistic use of dialogue. Perhaps I was merely eager to see more as an avid fan of Tarantino. Nevertheless, the film makes up for these minor pitfalls once Leonardo DiCaprio enters the picture, playing the brutal, immoral and spoiled Calvin Candie, owner of the plantation “Candyland.”

On the surface, Candie is a man of southern hospitality and a proficient gambler for the sport of mandigo (a “game” where two slaves fight to the death). Schultz and Django need to entertain the plantation owner in order to distract him from their real intention of freeing Django’s wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) who is now “property” of Mr. Candie. The two bounty hunters propose a substantial offer to

purchase one of Mr. Candie’s champion fighters, catching his attention and snagging a ticket into Candyland.

The events at Candyland glue your eyes to the screen, especially the climactic battle to come. Every single scene with DiCaprio is phenomenal; he pulls off the role of a cigarette smoking, mint julep-drinking plantation owner with ease. Tarantino once again proves himself a fantastic writer and director, achieving a perfect performance from DiCaprio whose Candie spitfires lines like, “No, we weren’t talking business yet. We were discussing my curiosity.” Of course, be warned of the gruesome violence in store. Personally, I thought that the massive amounts of carnage and the constant use of the forever vulgar “N word” was used by Tarantino as a reminder

of why the word is deemed as such a profanity today; it is exclusively applied in the movie to debase black slaves. Above all, Tarantino has crafted another brilliant film.

“Django Unchained” is not Tarantino’s best, but has hopes as an Oscar contender. I doubt it will yield a Best Picture award, but fans may see Foxx, Waltz and DiCaprio receive nominations for their performances. “Django Unchained” is violent, obscene and ridiculous, but serves as a purposefully over-the-top reminder of a historical American tragedy and one of the funniest movies of 2012. ■H

POST-CREDITS COOKIE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT20 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

★★★☆☆RATING: BY DIANA S. HUANG, STAFF WRITER

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Director Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy) has brought us yet another epic with J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Set 60 years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings,” it follows the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) and 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) as they reclaim the once great dwarf kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch). Composer Howard Shore returns to helm the score, and the breathtaking and nostalgic music enhances the film experience tenfold as the new company travels across Middle Earth for their quest.

The lead cast is impeccable, with British actor Richard Armitage (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) capturing the grimly determined countenance of Thorin Oakenshield perfectly. Armitage has made a name for himself playing solemn, brooding characters in both film and television. Martin Freeman (“Shaun of the Dead”) is spot-on as Bilbo, a hobbit who reluctantly joins the dwarves on their quest after some heavy-handed persuasion by Gandalf. Ian McKellen’s iconic performance as the beloved wizard makes the movie worth watching. Gandalf has always been a pivotal character for the series, but in this movie audiences realize the extent of his sagacity in comparison to Saruman (Christopher Lee) and even the elf-lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving). His prediction about the threat Smaug poses is what initiates Bilbo’s departure from Bag End.

The screenplay, written by veterans Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Jackson himself, suffers

no shortage of humor, including a particularly playful scene that involves three trolls arguing over how to cook the dwarves. Sadly, not all dwarves get their fair share of screentime, but a notable few include Kili (Aiden Turner), Fili (Dean O’Gorman), Balin (Ken Stott) and Gloin (Peter Hambleton), father of Gimli, the only dwarf member in the Fellowship of the Ring. Andy Serkis reprises his role as the vicious and schizophrenic Gollum, and does a remarkable job of emoting the emaciated creature. One of the best moments in the film entails a game of cat-and-mouse riddle between Bilbo and Gollum; if the hobbit loses, Gollum promises to bash his head in and eat him whole. The underlying danger in the otherwise comic turn leads to some of Freeman’s finest acting.

One commendable aspect of “The Hobbit” is its attention to detail. The dwarves’ motives are clearly and logically established, and Thorin’s backstory rationalizes his obstinacy and prejudice against the elves. Jackson’s incorporation of elements from Tolkien’s other novels and archives was a nice touch, transforming what would have been a straightforward, light-hearted children’s tale into a more complex, adult-themed work. This move suits del Toro and Jackson just fine, as both are accustomed to making big-scale movies with sweeping cinematography and dark, multi-layered storylines.

From the homely Shire to dreamy Rivendell and the rickety bridges of the vast Goblin hole, the varied changes in scenery are a welcome refreshment in the almost 3 hour-long movie, and serve to emphasize the shifting attitudes of the group.

It’s satisfying to be able to feel the character growth and building camaraderie as the company of 14 finally begin to come to together in a solid and trusting alliance.

“An Unexpected Journey” lives up to its name as the first installment in the latest trilogy, with plenty of pleasant surprises in store for audiences. Despite its differences from the original novel (e.g. Radagast the Brown never appears in the movie, whereas Galadriel, who is not in the novel, does), fans of Tolkien’s work may want to check out the adaptation at the very least for its outstanding performances and cinematography. Jackson has crafted a praiseworthy film that deserves a chance to shine in its own right. ■H

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTHIGHLANDER 21TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

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★★★★☆RATING: BY: NEILL CHUA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TORO Y MOI // ANYTHING IN RETURN

Courtesy of Carpark Records

MUSIC REVIEWS

Chaz Bundick’s—the mastermind behind Toro Y Moi—musical output can be described as amorphic; he helped pioneer the chillwave genre in “Causers of This,” while channeling his inner dance music enthusiast through the side project Les Sins. In a recent interview with Pitchfork, at his album pre-release event, Bundick stated that he “wanted to make a pop album…because [he] really liked that kind of music with big studio-sounding synths and auto-tune,” because if it was “done tastefully and properly, it can be enjoyable.” “Anything In Return” neatly marries the hip hop funk beats of Toro Y Moi and the poppier sounds of Les Sins. Toro Y Moi’s production values have steadily increased with each successive album, and his ability as an arranger is evident in the new

album’s beautifully retro-chic vibe.“Anything In Return” kicks off

with what is arguably its catchiest track: “Harm In Change.” It shies away from Toro Y Moi’s trademark syncopated rhythms that brought chillwave to popularity and instead opts for a steadier baseline accompanied by driving melodies and a palette of piano chords. Bundick’s airy vocals whisper over the rich instrumentals and finely-placed female vocal samples, creating a mellow yet groovy ambiance for the listener. “Say That,” another standout number, unites the best elements of past experiments. The rippling beat works busily behind arpeggiated harmonies in an endless head-bobbing sensation. Vocals take a backseat in this song, which accentuates the punchier bass

as it takes center stage in this instant crowd pleaser.

The lyrics, “How’s it wrong / Where I want it / I’m only built to show,” pose a rhetorical question for listeners, as it asks them to search for weaknesses in the music in the album closer “How’s It Wrong.” Moreover, it reveals Bundick’s never ending quest to enhance his musical voice and perfect his passionate approach to composing enjoyable tunes.

Bundick presents 12 delightfully danceable tracks in a medley of club-friendly cadences and iconic synths that date back to his chillwave era. Toro Y Moi’s music is infectious, intricate and no doubt time consuming, and “Anything In Return” manages to underscore his aptitude for warm, inviting sounds despite taking a poppier approach.

KUCR RADIO

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HIGHLANDERSPORTS. .22 TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

KENDALL PETERSON

In the midst of a 3-10 season that many Highlander fans have dismissed as a lost cause, a glimmer of hope was cast in the form of a standout performance by Chris Pat-ton, who elevated the team to a 65-64 road victory over the 14-point favor-ite Northridge Matadors.

A tightly contested match from start to finish, the Matadors were poised to be en route to a victory with a 64-60 lead after a three-pointer by Matador Josh Greene at the 42-sec-ond mark. This appeared to land the proverbial dagger in the struggling Highlander squad.

Then, in an unthinkable turn of events that one could understand-ably attribute to divine interven-tion, Chris Patton scored on a layup while subsequently drawing a foul and converting on the and-one op-portunity. On the ensuing Matador possession, the Highlanders forced a Landon Drew turnover and fed a red-hot Chris Patton yet again to give the Highlanders a 65-64 lead with 11 seconds to go. Tension filled the Mat-adome as the Matadors took the final possession in a do-or-die scenario. With four seconds to go, Allan Guei shot up a prayer that fell on deaf ears, sealing a UC Riverside upset.

The Highlanders were solid in both sides of the ball in their best win of the season. Offensively, three play-ers reached double figures in scoring (Chris Patton – 19, Josh Fox – 13, and Chris Harriel – 11) while shoot-ing an efficient 53.8 percent from the field. Defensively, the Highlanders successfully suffocated the Matador offense, holding Northridge to a pal-try 38.9 percent from the field.

Two days removed from their thrilling victory over the Northridge Matadors, the Highlanders made a

trip to the Aloha State in hopes of upsetting a red-hot Hawai’i team and improving to 2-1 in Big West play. However, their hopes were bro-ken when UCR fell to the Matadors 76-61.

With the score tied at 8-8 early in the first half, Hawai’i freshman guard Brandon Jawato took the game into his own hands, facilitating a 14-0 run by connecting on four straight three-pointers, giving Hawai’i a 25-10 lead with 6:55 remaining in the first half. Jawato would proceed to

put the icing on his stellar first half performance with three more shots beyond the arc, giving Hawai’i a commanding 40-21 lead going into the locker room.

The Warriors’ dominance would continue in the second half, as they were able to push their lead to as much as 20. The Highlanders were able to open up a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 48-35 early in the second half, but the offensive juggernaut of the Hawai’i Warriors proved to be too much to handle as UC Riverside

was incapable of a comeback. The Highlanders appeared to be

a different team than the one that upset the Northridge Matadors on Thursday Jan. 3, struggling might-ily in all phases of the game. Offen-sively, the Highlanders shot a pitiful three for 16 behind the arc to go along with a 39 field goal percent-age. Hawai’i had their way with the Highlander defense, shooting 63 percent from three-point range and converting on 55 percent of their to-tal shots.

c o Dy n g u y e nSTAFF WRITER

Jan. 3, 2013

Highlanders 65 - Matadors 64

Jan. 5, 2013

Warriors 76 - Highlanders 61

Men’s basketball wins big against Northridge, falls hard versus Hawai’i

KE v i n di n h/hiGhLandER

MEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS

Team W L PCT. W L PCT.

Hawai’iCal PolyCal State FullertonLong Beach StatePacificUC IrvineUC Santa Barbara UC RiversideUC DavisCal State Northridge

3322111100

BIG WEST GAMES ALL GAMES

0011122223

1.0001.000.667.667.500.333.333.333.000.000

9786775449

5668799

1196

.643

.538

.571

.429

.500

.438

.357

.267

.308

.600

It’s a new season for the NBA, which means a new champion will be crowned. Or will there be? The reigning champs Miami Heat could win back-to-back championships. You can say that’s good for Miami and its fans, but I rather think there are teams in the league that threaten to crush the hopes of all Heat fans.

One team that can give the Heat a run for their money is the New York Knicks. If the Knicks can sustain their great three point shooting throughout the season and into the playoffs, they have a shot to beat the Heat. First off, you have the pure scorer Carmelo Anthony. He will be matched up against Lebron James, going tit for tat in points. Lets not forget the height difference in the front court with Tyson Chandler who stands at seven-foot-one. He stands as a big body in the paint when Dwyane Wade or James drives to the basket.

My first choice would have been the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, I can not get over their collapse in the 2012 Finals. Yet, they have the three-time scoring title winner Kevin Durant who will put the team on his shoulders. The dynamic backcourt of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Martin, along with Durant will keep them close enough in games as long as they play fundamental basketball.

The third team is my Chicago Bulls.They are a great threat against the Heat because they play team basketball. The Bulls rebound as a team, they are third in the league for points allowed with their stingy defense and they share the ball. But lets face it, the Bulls aren’t the team that made it to the Eastern Conference finals two years ago. However, they recently beat Miami without Derrick Rose on the floor and the Heat’s big three played. Once Chicago gets Rose back from his torn ACL the Bulls will be an even more of a threat.

The one team that is up and coming are the L.A. Clippers. Clipper fans may believe they could make it to the finals and win. But they haven’t proven themselves. Even though they had a perfect record in December, they must get past the San Antonio Spurs, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year and win in the playoffs.

So to all the Heat haters, may luck be on your side and the Heat get knocked out of the playoffs. Personally, I think the Thunder will be the team that ends the Heat’s reign.

KENDALL’S FASTBALLTaking the Heat

Freshman guard Dayton Boddie dribbles past a Fresno defender on a fastbreak.

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SPORTSHIGHLANDER 23TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

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Meetings on Mondays at 5:15 PM at HUB 101

While UCR students were out enjoying the holiday sea-son, the basketball programs at UCR exchanged their jovial hats for work helmets as both teams continued play through-out winter break. The men’s team struggled to string togeth-er wins but the ladies of blue and gold completed a solid out-ing, finishing the month with three victories in five games.

At the forefront of the Highlander’s Christmas attack was center Natasha Hadley, who averaged 11.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in the month of December. The six-foot-two junior equipped with offensive potency scored 19 points and grabbed a team high nine rebounds to lead the High-landers to a 71-43 romping of Northern Arizona University on Dec. 2, which was the larg-est margin of victory for River-side in nearly two years.

Her fervent play during the opening week of Decem-ber earned the Perris native Big West Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors as well as College Sports Mad-ness Big West Player of the Week. “I feel that when I was doing well enough to be rec-ognized it had a lot to do with two important things; one the hard work of my teammates, and two the hard work of my-self,” Hadley explained in an interview with the Highlander. “Truly I am only as good as my

team and the work that we all put into it.”

She continued her efficient form versus nationally ranked Oklahoma on Dec. 20, shoot-ing 60 percent from the floor while recording 12 points and six rebounds for the game. In the last non-conference match of the season against Universi-ty of Nevada Las Vegas, Had-ley recorded her second dou-ble-double of the year tallying 22 points and 10 rebounds while tying her career high in points. The center stated that her recent success is due to team continuity rather than just sole individuality. “Offensive-ly I have been working to do the right things, in that I have been looking to be a threat and put myself in advantageous po-sitions,” she said. “...when I score it is mostly due to a col-lective effort and everything clicking in that instance.”

To cap off an already im-pressive list of achievements, Hadley was a recipient of the “Budweiser Responsibil-ity Matters Good Sport of the Month,” which is an award giv-en to UCR athletes that show-case responsibility both on and off the court. As the women’s basketball team battles for po-sition within the Big West Con-ference, Hadley is certainly go-ing to be an instrumental part of the puzzle. Her dynamic play in the month of Decem-ber has earned several honors and she is adding yet another as the Highlander’s Athlete of the Month.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTHNatasha Hadley

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

DECEMBER STATISTICS

Games played Minutes/game Points/game Rebounds/game Blocks/game FG Pct

5 30.4 11.0 7.2 1.0 58.1

#31 Hadley, Natasha

Da r r e n Bu e n oSTAFF WRITER

Junior Natasha Hadley makes a free throw during the Hawai’i game.

BRya n tu t t L E/hiGhLandER

MICHAEL RIOS

For the first time in a long time, UCR has big players down in the paint who can actually score effectively. Chris Patton has been the Highlanders’ best scorer all season, while freshman Josh Fox has become one of the most consistent big men on the team.

Although the Highland-ers didn’t earn a good re-cord against non-conference opponents in the first half of the season, there is certainly a lot to look forward to in the remaining games for the team with their big men run-ning the show.

UCR can definitely change its record against Big West teams in the sec-ond half of the season. The conference usually isn’t known for their abundance of big players and that’s where UCR can be effec-tive.

For instance, we saw how well Patton performed against Northridge last week. In that game, he scored 19 points and shot an amazing 80 percent from the floor. In the closing minutes of that match, Patton scored five straight points to erase a four-point deficit and to give the Highlanders a win, while clearly out-matching UCR’s Big West opponent with his six-foot-ten stature.

This guy is simply amaz-ing. One could even argue that he has a little bit of magic of the Gasol Brothers in him. He has post moves, he has a soft touch around the rim and he can actually shoot well.

UCR’s other big man, Josh Fox, is not too shabby himself. Although he’s only a freshman, he has started just about every game for Riverside and has become the team’s third best scorer.

The bottom line is that when UCR’s big men are ef-fective, UCR usually wins. In their last two victories, both big men scored in dou-ble figures and combined for over 50 percent shooting from the floor. It’s no secret that when they play well, the Highlanders usually get wins.

It’s going to be excit-ing watching this team play from this point forward. Look for the big men to have big performances in big games for the Highland-ers the rest of the way.

RIO-SIDEPost players will be key for UCR

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SPORTS24 HIGHLANDERTUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

UC Riverside entered the game against Northridge (7-4) but struggled with their offence against Northridge, allowing the Matadors to pull out the 65-49 victory.

UC Riverside managed to start the game on a good note with a 5-4 lead after Natasha Hadley made a few free throws and a jumper; Hadley scored all of Riv-erside’s first five points. However, Northridge went on a 5-2 run and took a 9-7 lead with 15:20 left in the first half. That was as close as the Highlanders would get to beating the Matadors. Brittany Crain nailed a three-pointer for the last bucket of the half to bring the deficit from nine to six going into the second half, allowing UC Riverside to take some confidence heading into the second half.

Northridge opened up the sec-ond half with a 20-4 run which proved fatal for the Highland-ers. UCR’s defense was unable to match Northridge’s offensive in-tensity. Two blocks and a steal by the Matadors fueled their offense and took a 45-30 lead with about 15 minutes left.

Riverside could only cut the lead to 16 by the end of the game. Camille Mahlknecht and Marta Masoni led Northridge with 13 and 11 points. UC Riverside re-lied once again on Brittany Crain with 15 and Nottingham who de-livered eight points in an anemic night in which Riverside shot just 35.2 percent from the field and shot under 20 percent from the three point line.

UC Riverside women’s bas-ketball team had played well in the beginning of the season, but have recently fallen on hard times. The Highlanders failed to score more than 50 points and shot just 34.8 percent from the field in a 50-65 loss against Hawai’i.

The game was tied 4-4 before Hawai’i ran away with the match to take a 15-5 lead, capitalizing on Riverside’s weak offense and transition defense. Tre’Shonti Nottingham scored the final sev-en points of the half and helped Riverside cut the lead down to three points.

The second half started posi-tive for the Highlanders. Britta-ny Crain nailed a jumper for the first bucket and Kiara Harewood hit clutch free throws as she has all season long to put Riverside up by one point. Hawai’i took back the lead at 33-27 with 15 minutes left in the half. Riverside cut the lead down to six, but was unable to capture the comeback.

The Highlanders turned the ball over 20 times and shot 16.7 percent from three point land. Hawai’i outscored the High-landers 39-27 in the second half and relied largely on their inside game. Hawai’i took six three-pointers and made two of them for 33.3 percent shooting from behind the arc. UC Riverside struggled on their jump shots and made just two of their 12 three pointers.

Riverside takes on Cal State Fullerton at home Saturday, Jan. 12 and hopes to get their offense going in a week of practice.

BRya n tu t t L E/hiGhLandER

UC Riverside women lose two in a row at home against Northridge and Hawai’iM a T T h e w g u e r r e roCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jan. 3, 2013

Matadors 65 - Highlanders 49

Jan. 5, 2013

Warriors 65 - Highlanders 50

Jim Wooldridge has been coaching since 1978 and has been a head coach for 24 years in the NCAA, accumulating over 400 wins. Wooldridge is enter-ing his sixth season at UC River-side’s men’s basketball program after being named the sixth head coach in team history on May 2, 2007. Ever since, he has turned around a program that went 7-24 with one win in Big West Conference play in 2006-07 and had yet to experience a winning season after making the transi-tion to Division I in 2001-02.

In 2007, the first year that Wooldridge was in Riverside, the team exceeded all expecta-tions by finishing seventh in the league and defeating Cal Poly

62-54 in the first round of the conference tournament for just the second Big West Tourna-ment win in the program’s his-tory.

The 2008-09 season saw the Highlanders cement their stand-ing as a team on the rise in the Big West, breaking numerous Division I-era program records including posting the team’s first-ever winning season (17-13), winning the most games ever at home (11) and on the road (6), winning the most con-ference games ever (8) and fin-ishing in a tie for fourth place in the Big West.

Two years later, UC Riverside once again made Division I his-tory as the Highlanders upset second seeded Cal Poly in the first round of the 2011 confer-ence tournament, advancing to the semifinals in Big West post-season play for the first time ever. The 2011-12 squad entered its name in the record books by earning its highest seed ever for the Big West Conference Tour-nament.

Before coming to UCR, Wooldridge traveled across the country, building up a diverse basketball resume in both col-

lege and professional levels. His first shot at a head coaching job came at Central Missouri State in 1985. At the time, he was a member of Lynn Nance’s staff

as the programs chief recruiter. When Nance left in 1985 af-ter winning a championship, Wooldridge was named the head dog. “They promoted me to the head coaching position at a very young age. I think I was 28 years old at that time,” Wooldridge said. “It gave me my first head coaching break.”

After taking two other head coaching jobs with Texas State (1991-94) and Louisiana Tech (1994-98), Wooldridge took

the step up to the pros as an assistant coach with the Chi-cago Bulls from 1998-2000. “I thought it was something in that juncture of my life that I wanted to leap into. It was a real learning experience for me, one that I will always cherish; I think it made me a better basketball coach.” Wooldridge was considered the staff authority on the triangle offense, having taught it at Loui-siana Tech, and learning it from friend and triangle “guru” Tex Winter.

While in Chicago, Wooldridge helped the develop-ment of 1999-2000 Co-Rookie of the Year Elton Brand and Ron Artest, who earned All-Rookie team honors that same year. “They were talented players,” Wooldridge recalls. “They were fun to be around. The talent lev-el we have seen throughout their long careers in the NBA is very high.”

The development that Wooldridge brings out of play-ers has shown here in Riverside. This season he has helped the junior Chris Patton into a star player for Riverside. He is aver-aging 10.6 points a game on 47.4 percent shooting and 65.7 per-

cent from the free throw line. He averages 5.4 rebounds and uses his six-foot-ten body to bang in the paint.

After being an assistant with the Bulls, Wooldridge took a head coaching job with Kansas State in 2000-2006. He lead the Wildcats to their first winning season in six years in 2004-05 when the team posted a 17-12 mark in the Big 12. Wooldridge said there wouldn’t have been another type of situation that would have drawn himself away from the NBA besides that kind of Job.

This season the men’s basket-ball team has been struggling. They are an exceptionally young team with eight freshmen on the squad. Coach Jim Wooldridge has been a winning coach throughout his long coaching career, but this season has posed a particular challenge for him. For now, the team’s success for the rest of the season remains a question unanswered. “I don’t think about anything other than trying to make this program bet-ter and do the things within this program I think that need to im-prove and be better. Take it day by day.”

Ke n Da l l Pe T e r s o nSENIOR STAFF WRITER

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS

Team W L PCT. W L PCT.

Long Beach StateCal State Northridge PacificCal PolyHawai’iCal State Fullerton UC Santa BarbaraUC DavisUC RiversideUC Irvine

2211111000

BIG WEST GAMES ALL GAMES

0000000000

1.0001.000.500.500.500.500.500.000.000.000

98

117555574

552689976

10

.643

.615

.846

.538

.385

.357

.357

.417

.538

.286

Men’s basketball coach Jim Wooldridge turned Riverside into Division I competitors

“I don’t think about anything other than trying to make this program better and do the things within this program I think that need to improve and be better. Take it day by day.”

Senior guard Tre’Shonti Nottingham jumps up the air for a shot against Hawai’i

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