Pulse Volume 14 Issue 3 by Annie Lu

Volume 14 Issue 3

Letter From the Editor Spring is on the horizon for sunny San Diego. Seniors are succumbing fully to senioritis just as college results roll in, and other students are gearing up for AP season. As the cold weather recedes, we at Pulse hope that CCA continues to reflect on itself and go on to do even greater things. We continue with the theme of wellness in a profile of Tahoe the service dog on this issue’s center spread—don’t miss out on seeing the beautiful photo of him on page 16. Our anonymously written wellness column is also back on page 4, while some other Pulse writers examine world events: get Luke Williams’ guide to Brexit on pages 10-11 or Ella Lifset’s breakdown of the government shutdown on 20-21. Caleb Posner and Jake Berman examine recent incidents through the lens of the Jewish community on pages 14-15. In addition to highlighting social and political concerns, we also courageously investigate the culture of staff pranks here at CCA on pages 28-29 and close out with Lily Lin debunking the phenomenon of FOMO—fear of missing out. This year’s seasonal theme is taking a new turn with cover artist Soyon Kim. Her piece’s serene blue landscape and drifting petals belie the rapidly growing heart and spirit that embodies spring. Pulse’s staff is bigger than it’s ever been at 30 total members, and we hope that our growth and enthusiasm reflect CCA’s own inimitable culture. With hope for the future, we’re excited to leap into the new season with you all. We are proud to present Pulse, Volume 14, Issue 3. Sincerely,

Annie Lu

Wellness Column

The Path Less Taken

Smoke and Mirrors

6-7

CCA’s First Generation College Students

8-9

Brexit for Dummies

10-11

Down The Rabbit Hole

12-13

Anti-Semitisim

14-15

Tahoe

16-17

Concerts To Go To If You Can’t Afford Coachella

Opinion: The Anti-Vaccination Epidemic

Long-Term Effects of the Government Shutdown

20-21

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

You Are Being Watched

Who Dunnit?

28-29

FOMO

30-31

Wellness Column by Anonymous

“How can a student feel at home at CCA?” I recently attended Community Day at CCA. An especially common topic that the students brought up were the teachers at CCA. We all agreed that the teachers here in particular go above and beyond in their efforts to aid their students. Being able to turn to teachers who care deeply for their students is one of the most amazing things that CCA is fortunate to have, and connecting with them to get to know your school better is always great. Another revelation that Community Day helped me come to was that I wished I had attended more school events. Going to plays, school board meetings, dances, and participating in wellness days are events that I wish I had done more of because they helped me get to know and understand the people at my school. In short, investing more of yourself into CCA will make it feel like a home, whether that means doing a sport or a club, or cheering on fellow Ravens at events.

“I’ve been struggling with sleep deprivation lately. Do you have any tips for getting better rest?” I would say, first try to figure out why you’re not getting good sleep. Is it stress over your classes or grades? Are you staying up way too late because you’re worried about the following day or you have too much to do? Personally, I lose sleep when I haven’t been managing my time well. It’s not always just laziness and procrastination though. Even if you might be blaming yourself for having a bad work ethic, you should give yourself time to rest and recharge. Sometimes, procrastinating has a purpose--breaks are important! Without them, you burn out and end up in a worse mental state than before. I’ve also found that setting reminders and to-do lists helps to keep track of everything that I need to complete, but even then I acknowledge the necessary incorporation of breaks and resting time.

“I don’t know what major I’m going into. How can I figure out?” CCA’s 4x4 schedule was ultimately designed so students could fill their time with electives and test out curiosities. As an underclassman, you don’t need to have it all figured out. Despite pressure to take multiple AP courses, I would strongly encourage you to get a healthy serving of fun classes. And you also don’t have to go to a four-year college. There are so many more options besides that, and if you find that you’d rather take gap years or attend vocational colleges, that’s a completely valid and promising route. If you’re an upperclassman, know that many colleges offer an undecided major. You can test out classes and see where your curiosities lead. The downside is that college, unlike public schools, require a tuition. While you should try to complete college within budget, you will definitely have time to explore in your first year, as long as you keep track of your GED requirements.

The Path Less Traveled

by Kaylynn O’Curran

iking in San Diego? For most, Torrey Pines comes to mind. Of course, there is the iconic picture of you and your bestie up on the bluff, wearing your new Free to Be Wild Lululemon sports bra while “admiring” the water. Although that is fun, there is so much more to get out of San Diego hikes if you’re looking for it. As a self-proclaimed hiking expert, I’m here to help you follow the path less traveled, literally. Potato Chip Rock is a solid starting point. It’s popular enough for you to boast about it on your Instagram while providing a satisfactory change of scenery. There are two ways to get to the Chip. You can go the easy way (lame) where you come in from Ramona. This is roughly a four mile out-and back trail. However, if you want to really challenge yourself, I suggest going in from Old Poway Park. Sure, you might collapse in a pile of sweat and dirt by the end of those 7.6 miles (if you make it), but your workout of the year will be a good one! The line for the infamous picture on the edge of world may be a long one. Be prepared to watch every member of a seven-person family get their individual picture while

everyone else in line yells at them to go faster. If you aren’t quite ready to give up the picturesque beach hike,

Ho Chi Minh is the trail for you. This is Torrey Pines’ prettier but sketchier cousin. While you’re walking along the slippery, skinny sandstone trails, or across the single log of wood above a shallow ravine, or even shimmying down the rope to the beach, you will have a ton of greenery to look at. With the temperature slowly rising, nothing is

better than finishing this descent to the beach with a dip in the ocean. However, swimmers beware, one beach over is the only nude beach in San Diego, Black’s Beach. So if you aren’t in the mood for full nudity, you can just turn around and go back up. This next trail is for the pros. Devil’s Punch Bowl, or Cedar Creek Falls, is an out-and-back fivemile trail in Ramona that requires a day permit. The permit is $10 for up to six people, available for sale at www.recreation.gov. However, this is not the trail to do during summer, as the temperatures can reach upwards of 100 degrees. Spring is a great time for it though. The descent into the valley ends with an oasis of waterfalls, oak trees, and maybe even some water snakes. You’re allowed to take a dip in the water, and there are some smaller boulders you can jump from (it’s not technically legal to jump, so if you get caught, I told you nothing). No matter what trail you go on, remember to bring a water bottle! Hydrate or die-drate, my dudes. Have fun on those trails. and I hope to see you out there.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS by Amanda Benbow

The battle between youths and smoking has raged on for decades, with great progress being made in recent years. Or so we thought. As it turns out, about 4.7 million middle and high school students in the U.S. use at least one tobacco product regularly, the majority of these products being e-cigarettes. To us students, it’s not exactly shocking to hear that e-cigarettes have taken our generation by storm. Terms like “Juul” or “vape” are about as commonplace in conversations as talking about last night’s homework assignment. There are a great deal of people, however, that aren’t aware of this highly-addictive trend that has been sweeping the nation in the past few years, and especially spiking in popularity this past year. The first non-tobacco, smokeless cigarettes were developed by Herbert A. Gilbert in 1967, with

the intention to create a device that was less harmful than conventional tobacco cigarettes and that could act as a “healthier” replacement. This was not a very successful pursuit, however, and it seemed unlikely that his invention could ever take the place of the cigarettes to which everyone was already addicted. It wasn’t until 2003, when Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist, created the first e-cigarette using a revolutionary technique to vaporize liquid nicotine, giving way to a safe and clean way to inhale nicotine without the harmful ingestion of tobacco and its toxic combustion byproducts. After Hon’s success in Asia with the e-cigarette, a number of American companies sought to match his prosperity, leading to brands like Blu and Juul gaining recognition and retaining their popularity today, especially the latter. The product that originated with the intention of helping adults quit smoking has transformed into a hazardous habit among teens. These e-cigarettes, more specifically the Juul, appeal to teens for a number of reasons, with many blaming the large variety of flavored nicotine pods. In 2009, the Tobacco Control Act was signed into law, which specifically prohibits the inclusion of flavored additives to conventional cigarettes in an attempt to reduce youth smoking. This act, however, does not apply to e-cigarettes. Juul offers eight different flavor options for their pods, some of the most popular ones being mango and mint. Other e-cigarette companies offer choices such as cotton candy or strawberry. It’s difficult not to appeal to younger generations when the flavors of their favorite childhood candies are replicated in these nicotine products. Another explanation for e-cigarettes’ popularity among teens is the marketing of the products, but not

in the way you may think. In the New Yorker article, “The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul,” Jia Tolentino remarks: “The FDA can control the behavior of companies advertising nicotine for profit, but it can do nothing about teens advertising nicotine to one another for free.” The presence of the Juul, among other e-cigarettes, on social media has skyrocketed recently, with fan accounts flooding feeds with videos and pictures of “cool” kids taking hits and passing a Juul around to other “cool” kids. Teens are especially impressionable, and that mixed with ample peer pressure can drive teens towards this addictive trend. The way the companies markets their products is not entirely innocent either. While the FDA has the right to monitor the way nicotine companies market their products, some harmless marketing tactics can appeal to youths the most. Examples of Juul’s advertisements from 2015-2016, when the product first launched, show attractive younger models dressed in alternative and distinctly youthful clothing styles while holding or using the product. The company claims that the Juul is designed to offer adult smokers a healthier alternative, but their advertisements seem to target the adolescent demographic. With all this being said, it’s important to know how smoking e-cigarettes affects a teenager’s health. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, one of the most heavily used addictive drugs in the United States. It acts as a stimulant when ingested, promoting the release of dopamine in the brain and leading to feelings of pleasure and motivation. The CDC states that it can also hinder the brain development of teenagers. Several studies have shown that nicotine exposure during adolescence can

lead to various long term effects, including disturbances in working memory and attention span. A lack of activity in the prefrontal cortex, a section of the brain that plays a role in personality expression and decision making, has also been linked to early nicotine exposure. E-cigarette vapor does also contain carcinogens, though they are not in as high a concentration as traditional cigarettes, and scientists are still conducting research about how e-cigarettes are linked to cancer. Currently, e-cigarette use among teenagers is climbing at a hazardous rate, increasing by nearly 78% just in the last year, according to a survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control. Smoking is a dangerous habit, and one that is difficult to break. Nicotine consumption should not be taken lightly.

30%

70%

70% of CCA and TP students in an anonymous voluntary survey conducted by the writer said they had used an electronic nicotine-based product before

44% 56%

44% of those who had used e-cigs before said they used an e-cigarette product at least once a week

CCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS by Sam Ramirez

Being a first-generation college student represents progress for a family. Due to expenses for textbooks, housing, food, transportation, and overall tuition, many students are intimidated by the cost of college and may decide they cannot afford a higher education. The process of being first in your family to attend college is filled with many stressful challenges. Alejandro Benitez and Jose Gonzalez, 11th graders at CCA, both look up to their older siblings who previously graduated from CCA. Their siblings’ journeys towards higher education inspired them to attain the goal of attending college; the choice created a non-stop chain within their families to attend college. The older siblings set a standard for other younger siblings and cousins — the belief that going to college is well worth every sacrifice. Angela (Angie) Suastegui, a 12th grader at CCA, will be the first in her family to create that non-stop chain. She shared some of what she has encountered in the process. Suastegui comes from a Hispanic background. Growing up in a Mexican household in La Mesa, she first attended a La Mesa school where the most common language spoken was Spanish, but her family eventually needed to move because of her parents’ new work opportunity. Due to Spanish being her first language, transitioning into a new area of San Diego was challenging. Adapting to a new home, creating friendships and doing well in school was difficult. Immediately starting at the new school, Suastegui found the language barrier overwhelming, and finding academic support was a struggle. She describes the continuous tears streaming from her face when she arrived home from school every day

feeling full of anxiety. Throughout Suastegui’s life, she has learned to admire her mom and feel comfortable about the similar experiences they’ve shared. Suastegui’s mother immigrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of 14 with the companionship of a few close friends. Unfortunately, she and her friends were all separated once they arrived in the United States. Suastegui’s mother is an inspiration to her because she was forced to deal with so much difficulty at such a young age. Similar to her mom’s experience, Suastegui had to learn to cope with a language barrier and new environment in her childhood. Suastegui credits the organization Reality Changers (RC) for her strong support system, as do Benitez and Gonzalez. RC is a program for first-generation college-bound students and emphasizes the importance of higher education. RC has supported Suastegui on a personal and academic level. In addition to RC, she describes how CCA has helped her grow out of her shell, and she’s met people with very different backgrounds. She’s quickly realized over her four years here that many CCA students have more privileges than her, especially in guidance about college applications. Most CCA students receive guidance from parents and may also have parents’ friends lined up to provide job opportunities after the students graduate. However, for students like Suastegui, guidance with college applications and school is much needed but often lacking. RC pushed Suastegui in school with her courses, gave her access to opportunities such as attending leadership camp and doing multiple job shadows,

allowed her to complete over 25 hours of community service each year, and helped her through the entire process of submitting college applications. Suastegui confesses, “At times it is difficult knowing that the people around you have easy access to academic help and job searching, but you have to learn to not let any of that get to you.” Suastegui uses that as her motivation to do double the work herself and reach her goals. Because she was able to transcend her circumstances, Suastegui has developed a belief that education is her superpower. With higher education, Suastegui believes she will be able to pursue a career in health, provide for herself and family, and also have a family and home of her own someday — the American Dream. What concerns Suastegui the most about college is the campus size, difficulty with classes, finances, and finding another “RC Family.” However, she won’t let those things intimidate her. Her advice to herself and all students similar to her is, “Don’t let people push you and make you feel smaller or worth less… It’ll all be worth it for a better future.” Hope is represented by each family sending a child to college, and it sets a precedent for future generations. The younger siblings or cousins will look up to the family member who attended college and want to follow in their footsteps, creating a non-stop chain that helps the entire family desire to achieve more. A chain that demonstrates going to college is a very good decision lifting everyone. Growing up with a role model will make the younger ones fight harder to get there and keep the chain active.

BREXIT by Luke Williams

WHAT IS BREXIT? Brexit, short for British Exit from the European Union (EU), is planned to take place on March 29th, 2019 (at the time of the writing of this article). It is the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) exit from the the EU. The UK includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Brexit was officially voted on on June 23rd, 2016, through a referendum in which England and Wales voted “Leave,” as opposed to Scotland and Northern Ireland, who voted “Remain.” However, Brexit was successful, as the popular vote favored “Leave” 52% to 48%. WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN UNION? The EU was created after World War II in order to promote peace and a unified Europe, both economically and militarily. Many felt that the reason Germany was so dominant in the war was because it was able to take each country down one at a time; it was argued that a unified Europe could have prevented this, which led to the creation of the EU. Today, the EU consists of 28 member nations (including the UK), most of which

have adopted the common currency widely accepted across the EU known as the Euro.** Other benefits of being in the EU include trading advantages such as tariff restrictions, economic benefits affecting businesses, free travel for citizens to other EU countries, and better relations with a variety of other countries. **It’s important to note that the UK has not adopted the Euro, electing instead to use the pound sterling as its central currency

“The UK first attempted to leave in 1975 with a referendum, but voted ‘Remain’ 67% to 33%.” WHAT IS THE UK’S HISTORY WITH THE EU? The UK first attempted to join the EU in 1961, but their application was rejected by the French government first in 1963 and again in 1967 before

finally being accepted in 1973. The UK first attempted to leave in 1975 with a referendum, but voted “Remain” 67% to 33%. To cover the increasing costs faced by the EU, in 1980, the introduction of taxing a fraction of member countries’ tax revenue led to the UK becoming one of the largest contributors to the EU’s budget; however, 70% of the EU’s budget focused on agriculture, from which the UK benefited little. The British felt they were being cheated by paying too much of the EU’s budget. Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher took action and was able to garner a brilliant deal for the UK known as the rebate. The rebate was ratified in 1985, and it is still in place today, giving the UK a deduction of about 33%. This controversial deal isn’t in place in other countries in the EU. WHY IS THE UK LEAVING? The UK has held referendums questioning whether they should leave the EU before. However, the 2008 economic crash took a toll on the people of the UK. In addition,

a massive flood of immigrants from other EU countries into the UK also convinced many to vote “Leave.” EU countries don’t have control over their own borders with regard to immigration from other EU countries. While immigration helps economies in the long run, in the short term it can put immediate stress on medical facilities, increase competition for jobs, and, during a recession, increase an already struggling unemployment rate. Although the rebate is still in place, it wasn’t enough to encourage the British citizens to remain. WHY IS THE UK HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME WITH AN EXIT PLAN? (SOFT BREXIT VS. HARD BREXIT) Even though the UK has voted to leave, the exit plan needs to be negotiated with the EU before being passed by UK lawmakers. The previous prime minister, David Cameron, who opposed Brexit before the vote, resigned and was replaced following the vote by Theresa May. May was put into office to get Brexit negotiated, but has found that her own Conservative Party has been less than helpful. May has run into criticism from all sides. Some say she has given up too much, while others suggest that she is asking for too much. There are essentially three types of Brexit deals that lawmakers want. A soft Brexit is preferred by the left. In short, a soft Brexit aims to minimize the impact of the UK breaking off from the EU by keeping the UK and EU closely aligned. UK businesses and other trade agreements would be less affected by a soft Brexit, but it could complicate the UK’s ability to make new trade deals and potentially

control its borders. Even though a soft Brexit is preferred for the left, Labor Union lawmakers would prefer to stay in the EU; therefore, some members will likely never vote to support any Brexit deal of any kind. A hard Brexit is preferred by the right. Generally speaking, hard Brexit advocates want to take control of their own borders and immigration. A hard Brexit would cause major disruption to the economies of both the EU and the UK, but the UK would be able to draw up their own trade agreements.

“Even though the UK has voted to leave, the exit plan needs to be negotiated with the EU before being passed by UK lawmakers.” The third option, which is seeming increasingly likely and is probably the least appealing option to most, is a “No Deal.” Far right lawmakers prefer this option rather than a compromise or soft Brexit, making passing a compromise even more difficult. A No Deal doesn’t prevent the UK from leaving the EU on March 29th. It just means that there is a lot of uncertainty about what happens next. Theresa May’s challenge is trying to navigate the EU and finding a compromise. Her past proposals have been compromises between the two, but neither side seems

willing to give her anything. WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THERESA MAY? To make matters even more complicated, May’s leadership has been challenged by her own Conservative Party and many others. It was first challenged in a vote of no confidence triggered on December 12th by members of her own party, which she survived by 200 Members of Parliament (MPs) votes to 117. Then, in a vote of no confidence triggered on January 16th by the leader of the Labour Party, she survived by a vote of 325 MP votes to 306 MP votes. This makes it even more difficult for a Brexit deal to get passed because May doesn’t have the confidence of the Conservative Party or the positioning to rally support from other parties. Consequently, May’s effectiveness and negotiating power, even with the EU, all deteriorate. With her negotiating power decreasing and a compromise seeming less and less likely, it seems that the UK, and arguably the EU, are heading into uncharted waters. WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? Although it may seem easier to turn your head away from complicated or intricate issues like Brexit, it’s actually important to follow for a variety of reasons. Despite it most likely not having a direct impact on your life, understanding the potential effects it has on economies worldwide, foreign relations, and the stock market is integral in becoming an informed citizen, activist, or successful investor. The company you work for one day might have ties to the EU, or you might want to live there someday.

hat picture does the term “fanfiction” paint in your head? A cringy, poorly-written short story? Or a suspenseful, enthralling tale? For many, it’s the former. The mere thought of reading a fanfiction might send shudders through your body. Oh, the horror! Reading in itself is amazing. It is about as close as you can get to opening the doorway to another dimension. When we read about things we like, it sparks excitement and joy. Floating around the Internet are works of fiction that reflect what people enjoy reading. These stories are written by avid fans of some subject, and have been aptly called “fanfictions.” In theory, they should spark as much excitement as any other book… but they don’t. Let’s take a look at the underlying ideology of “fanfiction.” Fanfiction is exactly what it sounds like— works of fiction written by a fan that features characters, concepts, and settings from movies, books, television shows, etc. It doesn’t seem bad when you think about it. So why is fanfiction taboo? Generally speaking, it isn’t, but for some reason, we’ve just chosen to shun it and shy away from it. To us, they just don’t carry the same status as books written by “real” authors. It’s the prefix “fan-” that implies the writing is of a lower quality. Many fanfiction authors write about questionable topics as well—topics that we might not want to talk about in a school setting. As a result, it now takes guts for one to admit that they are partial towards fanfiction, as saying

that out loud will mean getting labels slapped on you left and right. And some of those labels aren’t exactly flattering. Our qualms about fanfiction are not unfounded. It’s not unknown that much of the genre is composed of awkwardly written pieces composed by awkward individuals, many of whom are likely firsttime writers taking their first steps into the depths. But despite the albeit large amount of people who are only testing the waters, by no means does that mean every single fanfiction is horribly written. The genre is also rich in diversity; there is something for everyone, and authors from all over the world publish fanfictions daily. Fanfiction can challenge whatever preexisting notions we have about a subject, and we don’t like that. We don’t like having decisions forced on us, so when a fanfiction writer completely screws up a character’s traits it suddenly gets personal. A lot of works out there are also borderline lewd, if not completely over the top. And the worst thing about that is many of these novellas don’t bother to warn us ahead of time before launching into the nitty-gritty details. These topics, though specific to certain dark corners of fan domains (fandoms), somehow manage to define entire groups of people. We are led to believe fanfictions are weak in structure, filled to the brim with unnatural dialogue and bland characterization. But aren’t books the same? Certain books, despite being approved by their

publishers, might not live up to our expectations after being hyped up. The disparity between actual books and certain fan novels is not as great as you think it is. What about a movie? Some movies fall way below our expectations, sometimes even further, to become huge letdowns. The widespread antifanfiction sentiment many people harbor is

just a culmination of fears society has imposed upon us. Simply because it was not professionally written and because a few are less than great, we don’t want to give it a try. We are taught not to judge books by their covers, yet we judge entire fandoms by the

actions and words of a few people without knowing the full story. Stereotypes run rampant in the fanfiction community when really, many books written by allegedly “real” and “experienced” authors can be just as bad, if not worse, than novellas written by fanfiction pioneers. Just how strong of a hold do these

stereotypes have? To what extent do they reach? We contacted some students from Canyon Crest Academy and asked about their opinions on fanfiction. From their responses, it is evident that these stereotypes have even made their way into a school that

is generally thought to be diverse and accepting. When prompted about her perceptions regarding the genre, a student who wishes to remain anonymous responded saying that, “Fanfiction is nice, as it allows people of a particular obsession to express creativity and shape an already existing universe to their whims. However, there’s an obvious lack of proper grammar and punctuation, as well as promotion of romantic activity that should be illegal. Like actually. I’m talking about statutory rape. [And] although fanfiction can be an outlet for fans to publish their desires, it can be pretty toxic.” Calvin, an 11th grader, also shared his insights about fanfiction: “Fanfiction is for furries and furries are bad. We must extinguish the fanfiction for this reason.” Some fan novels are awfully underwhelming on the surface. But look underneath the iceberg and you will stumble upon the cream of the crop, the nonpareils of the fanfiction world. The beauty of fanfiction is that there is something out there for everyone. Are you into a Star Wars AU where Luke Skywalker kills his father? There’s a fanfiction for that. Looking for an alternative ending to Infinity War? There’s a fanfiction for that. There’s a fanfiction for everything out there. When a book or movie lets us down, we can either sulk and be disappointed or we can turn to fanfiction and find the perfect alternative ending. All aspects of this form of writing boils down to speculation. Through fanfiction, you can

continue to achieve what books and movies often let us do: imagine beyond the end. It is an art form, admittedly a strange one at that, but no lesser an art form than rendering oil paintings. Writing is a way of expression, for an individual to realize a hope or a dream or a passion. It doesn’t matter what genre or type of writing it is. In the end, it is still writing. Creating and publishing fanfictions is by no means an easy task; no easier than releasing an actual novel through an esteemed publisher. Authors are authors no matter which way you look at them. No matter the platform and no matter the means, the author is always at the mercy of their readers. They are pouring out their hearts, opening up their minds for you to pry, and they are doing it with stride. Embrace fanfiction; it’s not what you think it is. Professional writers won’t meet your every whim no matter how much you beg. The paths for their books are set in stone by themselves and their publishers. That is when you turn to the general populace and hope that someone out there had the same vision as you, and put it into words. Someone who has taken your dream and has laid it out for you and the world to see. It’s all out there somewhere on the Internet, universes upon universes that are ready to be explored by those willing to experience something new. All the stories you’ve ever wanted to read. All the dreams about books and movies you’ve ever had. There is nothing to not be had. And all you have to do is look.

by Carolyn Cui

aturdays mean various things to different people. It could be a soccer game, early morning cartoons, sleeping in until 1:30 P.M., or getting brunch with friends. For Jewish people, though, it is much more than that. Saturday is Shabbat. It is a day of rest and spiritual connection for Jews everywhere. We go to synagogues to worship as a community in morning services. We partake in meals together and spend time with friends and family. Whether Jewish people go to synagogue every week, occasionally, or never, Shabbat is one thing that brings us together as a community. On the morning of October 27th, 2018, members of the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh did just that, gathering there to partake in communal prayer. However, things quickly took a turn for the worst: their services were abruptly interrupted by an anti-semitic shooter whose sole goal was to kill as many Jews as possible. By the time his shooting spree had ended, 11 innocent people had been tragically killed. The entire Jewish community was shocked to the core. As a Jew, it is hard to explain the connection that we as a tight-knit community feel for one another. There is an instant connection when you find out someone is Jewish, a sense of belonging to something greater than yourself. An attack on Jews somewhere is an attack on Jews everywhere. The reactions within the Jewish community after the shooting exemplify this. In the days following the shooting, Jews all around the country feared for their lives. There was heightened security at synagogues everywhere. At my own temple, our youth director stood outside, checking everyone into Hebrew school that Sunday in case of a follow-up attack. On the other side of that coin, it brings out the best of us. The Jewish community was able to come together as one and mourn the loss together. The San Diego Jewish Community Center

held a vigil, serving as a reminder that standard. Omar responded by tweeting Jews, no matter the circumstances, are “It’s all about the Benjamins baby!” (referring to $100 bills). While Omar always hopeful and supportive of one another. apologized, her remarks are still unacThis attack was something that ceptable. Although legitimate criticism shocked the country, but to me, the of Israel is perfectly valid, this merges magnitude of the attack was the most criticism with the anti-semitic stereotype of Jews controlling American surprising part. Although the idea of freedom of religion is a core American politics with their wealth. It’s absurd value, it doesn’t always seem that way that something like this can be said by for Jews. The massacre in Pittsburgh a modern-day American politician. may have been a wake-up call for These issues aren’t confined to the U.S. many in the United States, but for me either. The United Kingdom’s Labour and many Jews, it was a reminder of Party and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, something that sadly I’ve grown accus- have been embroiled in controversy tomed to. for the past two years over anti-semitI’ve witnessed anti-semitism both ic incidents and the party’s refusal to firsthand and through those I care condemn them. about. I’ve been told to my face that While these examples of anti-semour people are beady-eyed rats that itism are quite obvious, many smaller infest the world. I’ve heard stories from instances can be perpetuated from colmy grandfather (who was an Ausleagues and even friends. While these chwitz survivor) of Jewish fraternities people may not intend to cause harm, sprayed with swastikas, and bomb they often don’t realize the seriousness threats to our local Jewish Communiof their jokes. Due to both the size of ty Center. These are just some of my the Jewish community (just 0.2% of many firsthand experiences, but I am the world population) and the severity not unique. The ADL (Anti-Defamaof the Holocaust, many Jewish-Amerition League) reported that the number cans have ancestors who went through of anti-semitic incidents was nearly 60 one of the worst atrocities of human percent higher in 2017 than 2016, the history. Many anti-semitic statements largest single-year increase on record. come out of ignorance, and while I Gabby Grunfeld, a senior at a modern don’t believe these people have ill will orthodox Jewish high school in Los towards Jews, they should certainly be Angeles, thought the concept of anaddressed. Personally, I’ve had people ti-semitism was foreign until a church ask me if my Jewish summer camp was group protested outside of her school a concentration camp. A good friend carrying signs and shouting anti-seof mine had a gas leak in her school, mitic chants. This turned the stories and many people were asking her if it she had heard about anti-semitism into was like the Holocaust. While some a reality. perceive these “trivial” remarks as any Anti-semitism can also be seen other edgy, borderline-offensive joke, in politics, both domestically and such language is unacceptable due to worldwide. Recently, Congresswomen the close ties we have to these jokes. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were This issue isn’t going away anytime condemned by House Minority Leader soon, and there isn’t any tangible Kevin McCarthy for anti-Israel rhetosolution to solve it. However, one step ric. Many people called for Democratic at a time, we can slowly make it better, leadership to condemn them after the eradicating the ignorance of the plight Republicans condemned Rep. Steve of the Jewish people. King for comments on white nationThe content of this article reflects the writers’ alism, calling out a perceived double opinions and not those of Pulse Magazine.

A N T I S E M I T I S M

by Jake Berman and Caleb Posner

T AH O E 16

by Amy Cheng and Justin Wang

ngelina Olmedo doesn’t really believe in miracles. But Tahoe, her ten-year-old service dog, is “one of the closest things to a miracle” in her life. Although she knew Tahoe when he was only a few days old, Olmedo was originally looking to adopt his brother. However, before they could make a decision, his brother was adopted by someone else. Olmedo’s family didn’t think much of it, but Tahoe would eventually become one of her closest companions and most loyal supports as he pads alongside her on campus. As a puppy, he was much more excitable, though he’s since mellowed out. Much like his parents, he enjoys being pet on his rear end (Olmedo believes that this preference is genetic), eating peanut butter, and welcoming friendly faces with a short “awooo!” A purebred Australian Shepherd, Tahoe was first trained as a show dog, where he competed in obedience shows. He was a stellar performer— Olmedo has a container overflowing with Tahoe’s satin prize ribbons. Many show dogs are also trained as therapy dogs because the obedience training that show dogs undergo often overlaps with therapy training. Both courses prepare the dog to be comfortable with loud noises and strange people with an emphasis on discipline. Tahoe became a therapy dog so he could visit nursery homes and hospitals to provide comfort to the patients. While the terms therapy dog and service dog are often used interchangeably, therapy dogs are meant to be pet and played with to cheer up a large group of people. A service dog, on the other hand, is “designed to help one person with a specific disability,” Olmedo explains. They are trained to perform tasks meant to support their owners alone, and the tasks are specialized for the individual disability their owner is struggling with. As a result, petting a service dog while they are working is discouraged, as it is often distracting for the dog and the owner.

Tahoe is trained to help Olmedo with her depression and anxiety. Since Tahoe already had the training to be a therapy dog and the two of them grew up together, Olmedo’s psychiatrist suggested teaching Tahoe to become her service dog to give her a more constant level of support as she goes about her daily life. Tahoe knows commands like Rest, where he will lay his chin in her hand and make extended eye contact, grounding her if she is feeling overwhelmed. At the command Paws Up, he will put his paws on her legs and apply pressure as another grounding technique. If she is showing signs of impulsive or destructive behavior, he will notice and distract her by pawing her hands away. Tahoe’s other tasks are similarly designed to help calm her down through grounding behaviors and distractions from stressors. While Olmedo is not sure if Tahoe realizes he’s working when he wears the service dog vest, she is sure that “he’s happy to be here anyway.”

“The very nature of a service dog means that the service dog is helping somebody” The process to have Tahoe approved for school presence was, for Olmedo, something of a last-resort measure—other conventional treatment options had not been effective for her. In late November of last year, “There was a lot of talk about whether [she would] be able to keep coming to school” considering her mental wellbeing at the time. For a couple weeks, she completed assignments at home while her psychiatrist wrote to the school to confirm the benefits of allowing Tahoe to serve Olmedo on campus. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal “must be permitted to accompany the individual with a disability.” Despite

this, there was a delay in approving Tahoe for school because of the lack of precedent—he is the first service dog to work in the San Dieguito Union High School District. Olmedo and her family had to plan for various situations that might arise from bringing Tahoe on campus. For example, they had to coordinate a location for him to relieve himself on campus where it wouldn’t be disruptive. Although it is very unlikely for Olmedo to lose control of Tahoe, her family had to decide who would be legally responsible for his behaviors. Over winter break, these topics were finally resolved, and Tahoe finally approved. He made his debut at CCA in January. Since Tahoe has started working at CCA, Olmedo confesses how much he has improved her experience at school, saying that Tahoe helps her almost constantly with “little things… I know there have been a lot of tests and quizzes that might have ended up a lot worse, had Tahoe not been there.” In addition, since Tahoe has been coming to school, all her grades have raised to A’s and B’s where previously she had been struggling with multiple classes. Olmedo believes that since “the very nature of a service dog means that the service dog is helping somebody,” the presence of more service dogs like Tahoe would be beneficial to CCA’s environment. However, Olmedo does acknowledge the problems surrounding other students’ needs: conflicts may arise if somebody is scared of or allergic to dogs. Although these situations will need to be addressed on case-by-case basis, laws tend towards favoring the individuals that are navigating their disabilities with the aid of an animal companion. Through having Tahoe approved by the district, Olmedo hopes that the process will be smoother for the next person looking to bring their service dog to school. She welcomes the idea of more service dogs following in Tahoe’s pawsteps.

The content of this article has been written with the express consent of Angelina Olmedo and Tahoe the service dog.

CONCERTS TO GO TO IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD

by Emily Gao Some consider Coachella the musical event of the year. Some consider it the fashion show of the year. Most consider it to be both. Whatever you may think of Coachella, we can all agree on the tremendous amount of talented musical artists that are part of the Coachella lineup, including some of the current biggest stars in the industry. As overrated as you may think it is, you cannot deny the fact that there are very few music festivals that are comparable to what is presented at this event. With over 50 artists playing this year, a weekend at Coachella will con-

Vince Staples: April 2nd - San Diego

sist of performances from Blackpink, Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Khalid, Juice Wrld, Dermot Kennedy, and much more. Getting to see such iconic artists perform live comes at a steep price. The tickets start off at $429 for a single weekend, and this number inflates drastically as ticket resales start. If you add in hotel, travel, and parking fees, the grand total can easily come out to be in the thousands. We can’t forget about the additional hundreds of dollars that must be spent on the mandatory “Coachella prep” festivities, such

Bottlerock - Imagine Dragons, Logic, Pharell Williams, AJR, Mumford and Sons, and more: May 24th-26th - Napa Valley

T-Pain April 9th - San Diego P!nk: April 13th - Anaheim April 15th, 19th - Los Angeles BlackPink: April 17th - Los Angeles

Jennifer Lopez: June 10th - San Diego Goo Goo Dolls and Train: June 14th - San Diego

Julia Michaels: April 20th - San Diego

BET Experience - Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Nicki Minaj, Migos, and more: June 20th-23rd - Los Angeles

Ariana Grande: May 6th, 7th, 10th - Los Angeles

Shawn Mendes: July 8th - San Diego

New Kids on the Block: May 23rd - San Diego

Billie Eilish: July 13th - San Diego

as shopping sprees and extravagant self-care regimens. For those of you who will not be attending Coachella this year (including me), whether it is due to financial constraints or the fact that you didn’t get tickets soon enough, don’t fret. Concerts near San Diego are plentiful. Although these are not going to get you the infamous Coachella ferris wheel picture for your Instagram feed, they might be able to cure your case of Coachella FOMO.

Beck and Cage The Elephant: July 20th - San Diego Carrie Underwood: September 10th - San Diego John Mayer: September 11th - San Diego KAABOO Del Mar: September 13th-15th - San Diego Lukas Graham: October 27th - San Diego The Chainsmokers and 5 Seconds of Summer November 24th - San Diego

Please note that these dates are subject to change and tickets may sell out.

OPINION: THE ANTI-VACCINATION EPIDEMIC by Elan Berger

On January 25th, the governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency. This was not the result of an alien attack, nor was there a supervolcano about to erupt. There wasn’t a tsunami barreling towards the Pacific Northwest coast, either. The governor called a state of emergency because of a measles outbreak. Measles is a contagious viral disease that results in symptoms such as fever, dry cough, inflamed eyes, skin rash, and white spots inside the mouth. Worldwide, over 100,000 people die each year from measles, most of them under the age of five. The tragedy is that measles has been preventable by vaccine since 1963. Considering that in the year 2000, measles was declared eradicated from the United States, the fact that there is currently an outbreak of the disease may come as a surprise. According to public health officials, vaccination rates between 90 and 95 percent are generally enough to prevent an outbreak. However, vaccination rates have fallen across the US in recent years, and in Clark County, Washington, the epicenter of the crisis, the vaccination rate is only 78 percent. There are various factors that contribute to this low rate, primarily the proliferation of misleading information regarding the measles vaccine. In addition, despite the requirement for all school-age children to be vac-

cinated, Washington is one of seventeen states that allows for “philosophical exemptions” from this rule. What this means is that parents are able to excuse their children from being vaccinated based on personal beliefs. This has resulted in some schools in Clark County having a vaccination rate below 40 percent.

Clark County’s director of public health, Dr. Alan Melnick, says “I think there’s a lot of misinformation on social media and elsewhere that looks pretty sophisticated. And I think some parents who are otherwise well-meaning are scared and they don’t know what to do, and some of them choose not to vaccinate their kids.” The hazard in this comes not only from the danger of the measles virus to the affected patient, but also in the fact that it is an incredibly contagious disease that can spread through the air

and linger in an area for hours. If you’re unvaccinated, measles may only be a day at school or trip to the supermarket away. This illustrates the fact that the purpose of the measles vaccine is not only to protect the person who receives the vaccine; it protects anyone who comes in contact with the person as well. Most significantly, the vaccine serves to protect the group of people who are most vulnerable to the virus—infants too young to be vaccinated. The bottom line is that it is safe to be vaccinated. Dr. Melnick reiterates the importance of protecting against this disease and explains, “Our message is that… we need to protect our children. And… regardless of what you hear on... social media, the vaccine is safe, effective, and inexpensive.” There exists a slew of misleading information regarding protection against measles. However, there is far more scientifically-backed evidence supporting the measles vaccine as a safe, effective means of preventing the virus. It goes without saying that no one would ever voluntarily choose to contract measles—there is an easy case to make in favor of the vaccine. Progress must be made in terms of the information out there that leads to low vaccination rates, but if anything, this incident in Washington displays the importance of protecting against preventable diseases like this.

LONG TERM EFFECTS OF THE 35 days. That’s how long it takes to fly around the world 12 and a half times, to binge-watch every episode of Friends seven times back-to-back, and, of course, to reopen a government. Stretching from December 22nd, 2018 to January 25th, 2019, this shutdown became the longest in United States history. The government shutdown was caused by a stalemate between the Democrat Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and Republican President, Donald Trump, over $5.7 billion dollars in funding for a border wall. As the shutdown carried on and on, government workers and government-supported businesses began to feel the pinch, with 800,000 federal employees’ paychecks on hold. However, now that President Trump has signed a bill to reopen the government, many have felt the worst is over, since many of the short-term issues, such as the furloughed workers and affected national parks, would be solved. Unfortunately, the longest government shutdown in history has had consequences that are still going to be experienced in the coming months. Here are five long-term effects that it will have on the U.S.: THE ECONOMY: Although the government is now open, that doesn’t suddenly pay back the millions of dollars lost during the shutdown. The government shutdown came at a point when analysts projected a economic downturn—with Brexit, economic conflict with China, and unpredictable oil price fluctuations also occurring at the same time. But, the shutdown, as the sort of “cherry on top,” led to a dip in customers’ faith in the economy and subsequently, a dip in spending. This overall lack

of confidence in the system, along with absent paychecks for federal employees, has understandably led consumers to reconsider long-term investments, or in other words, to “drop out of the market.” For example, during the shutdown, Delta Air Lines reportedly lost $25 million in revenue, profits that they may never make back even after the government reopened. Although seemingly inapplicable to Southern California, as the state with the largest number of federal workers, the California economy could be potentially left reeling after the shutdown.

“But, the shutdown, as the sort of ‘cherry on top,’ led to a dip in customers’ faith in the economy...” NATIONAL PARKS: During the shutdown, the U.S. National Parks were hit hard, with many locations, such as Joshua Tree, forced to utilize their recreation fees to stay partially open. Parks had to operate without National Park Service facilities, like bathrooms, campgrounds, and visitor centers. Emergency relief services were also delayed. While reports of garbage mountains and overflowing park toilets have thankfully concluded, permanent ramifications of park ranger and employee absences have already occurred. Restricted area hiking and vandalism, among other National Park rule transgressions, plagued several locations across the U.S. However, once park rangers returned to their jobs, much of their

effort was put toward solving the short-term goals, such as picking up visitor trash and removing newly-painted graffiti. Although essential to the process, this will impede other projects that may be able to reverse some of the environmental damage generated from the shutdown, potentially setting back years of environment recovery and affecting flora and fauna indefinitely. CYBERSECURITY: Back in 2017, President Trump released an executive order demanding an explanation for the insufficient cybersecurity workforce in the country, especially for the federal government. A report was subsequently presented regarding the issue, stating that a higher and more stable salary was necessary to draw more employees to the field. Since cybersecurity is a chief concern as elections draw closer and allegations of Russian hacking become more numerous, it’s no wonder that the proposal of a wage increase was immediately approved. These increases understandably led to a noticeable increase in the government cybersecurity workforce, since these workers specifically sought dependability in a field where job security is tough. Unfortunately, the shutdown furloughed many of the government cybersecurity workers in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and removed the stability that employees sought before accepting their positions. When the government was reopened, many members of the cybersecurity workforce left their jobs to work in private industry. Now, the government must increase their efforts in hiring new cybersecurity employees who don’t necessarily value job dependability (spoiler alert:

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN by Ella Lifset this will be exceptionally difficult). Thus, not only did the shutdown decrease the DHS workforce, but it also effectively discouraged new talent to join the government cybersecurity division, further undermining governmental cyber-safety for the future. THE INFLUENZA VIRUS: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (more commonly referred to as the CDC), the nation’s health protection agency, has a tremendously important position during the early winter and late spring: to monitor the influenza virus. This surveillance allows for swift feedback to differences in the virus from this season to past years, predictions as to where the flu may hit hardest, rapid treatment options, and more. Last year, an astonishing 80,000 Americans died from the virus, making it the deadliest season in four decades. This year, between 69,000 and 84,000 people have been hospitalized for the influenza virus. Although the death toll has not yet been finalized, experts from the CDC believe that this season is on track to be extremely deadly. To make matters worse, the facilities in which this monitoring takes place were deserted, since many employees who studied this season’s outbreak were furloughed due to the government shutdown. Without this data, the CDC will be unable to follow the virus, making it difficult to respond and provide aid. The 2013 government shutdown left the unorganized state laboratories to continue surveillance without guidance from the furloughed CDC epidemiologists, which, according to Tom Frieden, the former director of the agency under the Obama

Administration, was “the only time I felt I couldn’t do my job of protecting Americans.” Fortunately, no flu deaths were documented as a result of the 2013 shutdown. However, since the 2018-2019 shutdown was more than twice as long as the one in 2013, the amount of people left dead or suffering from the virus because of the shutdown is unknown. Ultimately, the government shutdown will have undoubtedly impacted the health of the U.S. population in the months to come, as well as those living in California. In-state influenza-like illness reports and hospitalizations are reported to be significantly above expected levels after the shutdown, but exact numbers are inconclusive, due to the government stalemate. Thankfully, the CDC has finally restarted its efforts in the influenza surveillance system, hopefully something that was not restarted too late.

“... the amount of people left dead or suffering from the virus because of the shutdown is unknown.” THE 2020 ELECTION: Whether dreaded or eagerly anticipated, the 2020 election is undeniably approaching. And with the shutdown, the far-reaching political effects have already impacted the incumbent President Trump for the next election. His overall disapproval rating at the end of the shutdown was at 57%, with 54% of voters blaming

Trump and the Republicans for the stalemate (Politico.com). With Trump’s border wall as possibly his most substantial campaign promise, and a considerable reason for his election, it’s understandable that he would want to fulfill his pledge. It would put him in an extremely tricky political position if he were unable to meet the border wall expectation of his supporters, and as we have already seen, may hurt his future poll numbers. However, the shutdown also directly affects Democrats as well. The president has a history of making accusatory declarations, and there is almost complete certainty that this will happen during the 2020 election campaign. If Trump can successfully shift the accountability of the shutdown on Pelosi and the Democrats, then the party will find itself in a disastrous political stance: pro-illegal immigration. Therefore, the Democrats cannot afford to take a completely anti-border security position. Superficially, the shutdown may not seem like it has affected much politically, merely reinforcing the already gaping political divide, but in reality, it may have influenced the election even more so than the nation has realized. With 380,000 government employees left on furlough during the government shutdown, it’s no wonder why the American people focused on short-term relief and effects of this stalemate. However, it is often easy to overlook the longterm effects of the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Hopefully, another government shutdown will not occur again, but with the current political climate, anything could happen.

by Noah Gaines and Dillon Leung Fake IDs have taken U.S. students by storm over the last decade. Though it impacts mostly older teens and college students, recently, the trend has shifted to younger age groups. Fake IDs are used by minors to purchase alcohol and drugs, as well as to enter nightclubs. In addition, they are the cause of millions of dollars lost through imposter fraud. Over the years, counterfeits have become increasingly realistic, as producers have begun to include details such as holograms, magnetic strips, and ultraviolet markings. Usually, fakes are either manufactured or purchased elsewhere where consumers can simply input their personal information and upload a photo. Students often purchase IDs in groups from overseas companies in China to reduce costs. This process is more present in the college sphere rather than the high school one, but the same situations appear in both. Keep in mind that fake IDs have been on the rise in recent years. A 2002 study suggested that roughly 20% of college freshman have used fake IDs to get into clubs or obtain alcohol. This number has increased over the years as the IDs become easier to obtain and more underage kids insist on consuming alcohol. As complicated of a network the fake

study on college graduates from the Midwest found that around 32% of the students surveyed owned a fake ID by the end of their second year. Today, that number has only increased on college campuses around the country due to increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting methods. In America, obtaining a fake ID may seem like a rite of passage into adulthood. A solution to this issue is increasing technology available to law enforcement officers and distributors of liquor that will enable them to catch more fakes and ensure that no one under the age of 21 is able to obtain alcohol. Some have even suggested that lowering the drinking age can help both with the fake ID epidemic and the binge-drinking problem for students in college. By introducing alcohol earlier, reckless drinking habits can be lessened when drinking begins in regulated and supervised environments. However, these solutions both require time to implement. In the meantime, fake IDs will continue to run rampant throughout America.

In a voluntary survey of 17 upperclassmen at CCA, 100% of respondents said they did not themselves possess a fake ID. 100% of them also said they knew at least one person who did have a fake ID and stated their grade level(s). 20

Number of students

FAKE IT ‘TIL YOU MAKE IT

ID industry is, there are new means of regulating and detecting it. Alcohol enforcement agencies are in the midst of developing apps to read illicit cards. The app allows officers to scan the card to determine if it’s legitimate. Since the implementation of the application into the hands of enforcement officials, use of fraudulent IDs has decreased quite significantly. This new technology is still in development, however, its effect isalready significant. The benefits will be even greater once the app can be widely accessible to all ID regulators. In an effort to crack down on fake IDs, the state of New York released a new type of driving license in 2013 that they claim to be “unforgeable.” These ID’s have ghost images which float in a transparent window that are almost impossible to replicate. New York is the second state after Virginia to begin distributing such cards and, if proven successful, the rest of the country could soon follow suit. However, some forgers have found a way around these new developments and regulations. A 2007 University of Missouri

10th grade

11th grade

12th grade

Grade levels of students who respondents indicated had a fake ID

<YOU ARE BEING WATCHED> by Manit Bishnoi George Orwell coined the term “Big Brother” in his novel 1984 as a character and symbol who watches over a totalitarian state. Social media has since adopted this term, referring to surveillance being conducted on the people. Many feel insecure even in the safety of their own home, as they put tape over the webcams installed in their laptops or leave their phones in separate rooms to avoid being listened to by “them,” whoever they are. However, in the present day of 2019—when even everyday people have access to surveillance equipment such as video doorbells and home motion detectors as well as surveillance cameras—is that really enough? Items such as these may well be relaying all the activity they monitor back to their respective companies. This all falls under the field of personal data, one of the most sought after types of information by companies and governments in this day and age. Surveillance doesn’t just refer to the physical world either. Most of what the government or anyone can find out about you is from your online activity. The first thing that pops into mind is social media; however, this can also include various other forms of digital footprints. From where you order your food to where you buy your clothes, companies have access to this information. Have you ever browsed a website and seen an ad of something you were recently shopping online for? These are thanks to companies such as Facebook and Amazon, who sell the information they gather from your activity to companies who can use it to their advantage. Such information wasn’t available in the early 2000s, and its widespread availability in recent years has led to the boom of the companies that sell such valuable data. Of course, new surveillance technology and methods are beneficial to

us, as we are able to keep ourselves safer with products such as home security systems. Additionally, our country is able to protect its citizens better due to the increasing amount of information that they gather. However, foreign countries also have access to new emerging technology in this field and the U.S. needs to compete with the likes of China and Russia to make sure that national security isn’t put in danger as a result of sensitive information leaking. Government surveillance isn’t just flying high above countries with radars or capturing satellite images of the terrain anymore. A good amount of surveillance is digital, with most important projects, plans, and codes of a company being stored in the digital world. With the world rapidly immersing itself in the digital age, corporate and government spies are sadly out job hunting. Their replacements? Hackers. With digital information being the key item many companies and governments are interested in, hackers around the world are being employed for purposes both good and bad. Sony’s 2011 hack is a prime example of the power that modern day hackers possess. The Japanese electronics corporation came under massive fire after Playstation Network, an online service for gamers using the Playstation platform, was hacked and the information of approximately 77 million users was

compromised. This outage lasted an unnerving 23 days before Sony could flush all the intrusion malware out of its system. The cost of the attack was an astounding 171 million dollars to Sony. The group that attacked the company referred to itself as “Legion.” This isn’t the only time that something like this occurred, although it was indeed one of the largest hacks of this type in history. Other examples include the Sony Hack of 2014 and the 2007 TJX hack. Information has a market of its own as it is being traded like currency on the higher corporate levels of major companies. With technology developing at the rate that it is, there is no indication of this market dying down anytime soon. Information will always be useful to developers as they wish to know how consumers are responding to their products and want to know what the public is really calling for. So the next time you want to post online, think about how okay you are with what other people see.

WHO DUNNIT? by Amy Cheng, Annie Lu, & Justin Wang The classroom is quiet but for the scratching of pencils. You work industriously at your desk until—suddenly, the door opens. An unknown student walks in and sets something down on the teacher’s desk. A poop hat. The student leaves. Moments later, another unidentified messenger comes in bearing a breast implant. Then a gorilla suit. Then a bicycle. What is going on? Journey with us, your intrepid investigators, as we examine a chain of curious crimes occurring across campus. Tipped off by some relatively confidential sources, we examine our first suspect: Mr. Lockhart, history teacher, room C101. Early one morning, we arrive at his door to hear his testimony. He is all too happy to turn himself in, showing off a mug printed with three images of Mr. Killeen guarded watchfully by a regal German shepherd. Aided and abetted by Yearbook, the pranksters told Killeen he needed to

MR. LOCKHART

do a photo shoot demonstrating the “faces of CCA.” According to Lockhart, “The beauty behind this prank was we got him to participate in his own prank without him knowing it.” Lockhart made sure this masterful collage was also printed onto Christmas cards and distributed to CCA faculty. Killeen’s initial response to this misdemeanor was shock, but it wasn’t really a surprise, he says. “This is a fun staff and creative students, so you have to be prepared for some good, clean pranking.” Lockhart has also spearheaded projects to photoshop Mr. Stiven’s face onto the “Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?” propaganda poster, and Profe Sanchez’s face onto Rosie the Riveter. Other instances of his crimes include hiring a five-piece mariachi band to follow around past-CCA principal Mr. Mueller for two hours, hiring a mime to follow around Mueller on his birthday, hiring a vampire to follow

around new assistant principal Ms. Brunache, and the list goes on. Lockhart graciously informed us whom he considers his partner-incrime: Ms. Aguilar, social science teacher, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. We contact her via email since she’s on maternity leave. As retold by Lockhart, Aguilar once bought $65 worth of fake mustaches right before the meeting where Mueller first introduced himself to the staff several years ago. Mueller looked down at his notes for a moment, and when he looked back up, his audience had miraculously grown facial hair. Aguilar’s testimony to us is simple: “Pranks are timeless and bring joy to the workplace… The only prank I’ve been able to play this year is on the CCA admin… I got pregnant and had a baby, just to get out of working for a year.” Onto our next and oft-implicated suspect: Mr. Farrar, math teacher,

MR. KILLEEN

MR. FARRA

Photographs by Jamie Marsal, edited by Amy Cheng

D106. Like Lockhart, he leaps at the chance to own up to his deeds—much to our dismay, because we, as dedicated investigators, spent countless hours rehearsing and preparing for a long interrogation. He even hands us printed evidence of his latest email “from” Mr. Keenan. Farrar admits that Lockhart is the king of elaborate, ostentatious pranks like the mariachi band, but Farrar prides himself on being subtle. “You don’t know what’s happened to you until someone tells you about it.” His weapon of choice? The email ambush. Seizing upon unattended computers, he will send suspicious and inexplicable emails to CCA staff from other teachers’ accounts. He explains that he’s simply punishing people for not locking their computers. “I’m trying to teach! I’m a lifelong teacher.” One of his other go-to’s is hiding timers in other teachers’ rooms. He’s so well-known for this that when a mysterious timer went off in Mr. VanOver’s room one day, he automatically assumed it was Mr. Farrar. Farrar claims he is innocent of that one. “I didn’t do it, but I love that you think I did.” Next, we interview Mr. Keenan, math teacher, E202. Mr. Keenan left his computer unlocked recently—an opportunity that Mr. Farrar took full ad-

vantage of. In an email signed, “Shawn Keeeeeeeeenen, Maph Department,” Mr. Keenan made a desperate plea for love from fellow teachers on his “birthday.” In a previous incident, Mr. Farrar had been entrusted with substituting for Mr. Keenan while he was at a meeting. For the rest of the day, Mr. Keenan’s classes were interrupted by the piercing alarms of multiple timers, set to go off at random times and hidden in obscure locations that made it nigh impossible to stop them. When we questioned Mr. Keenan’s willingness to exact vengeance through retaliation pranks, a slow grin spread across his face. “I would never stoop to that level. I always maintain the utmost integrity.” Yet, there was that curious occurence when an army of green plastic soldiers made a pilgrimage, one by one, from Keenan’s classroom to Ms. Shultis’ desk. And let us not forget the time “Old Mama Shultis” was featured in several word problems on every stats student’s test. Ms. Shultis, math teacher, B104, tells us resignedly of the many times she has been victimized, and not just by Mr. Keenan. “Mr. Farrar has played too many jokes on me.” From the timer pranks to sending joke emails to other math teachers when they still shared a

MS. SHULTIS

classroom, he’s been a constant source of mischief. Shultis also tells of a time Farrar benevolently offered to change her license plates for her. After getting her keys, he kindly moved her car so she couldn’t find it later. Ms. Shultis isn’t sure why she’s such a popular target for practical jokes—she’s certainly not nice to her pranksters, she states, but maybe she’s just too easy to prank. Going back to the beginning: what was the mysterious procession of items appearing on teachers’ desks? This is perhaps the most classified prank we came acros, and it traces back to Mr. Minnick, special education teacher, F203. Unfortunately, the information remains too precious to be disseminated publicly, so Minnick has only one thing to share: this tradition began in the spirit of giving, but “not everyone likes receiving gifts.” To Mr. Lockhart, these school-wide pranks serve as social activities that bring together a rapidly growing staff: “We work hard, we’re professionals, but we know how to keep it light.” It’s traditions like these that truly bring to life CCA’s culture. Before your courageous investigators sign off, Lockhart has one last reminder for all to hear: “Mr. Thornton, you’re next.”

MR. MINNICK

MR. KEENAN

O by Lily Lin

M O

Waking up in the morning, you see your phone screen light up. You squint at the screen, your mouth upturned at the thought of messages from your friends. But then, you notice that they aren’t messages for you. They’re text conversations that other people are having in your group chats and notifications from Instagram telling you that someone has posted. That little feeling inside your chest reels over all the things that you’re missing out on. Once again, you’ve been struck by the fear of missing out. FOMO. Everyone has experienced FOMO at least once. You know the signs: stress-eating, obsessive refreshing of Snapchat, paranoia that there’s a conspiracy against you. It’s impossible to be there for everything that happens within a group of people, so you’re bound to miss some inside jokes. We all are familiar with that moment when someone retells a funny moment that happened and everyone else’s faces light up with amusement and you’re there just nodding and smiling along, secretly dying inside because you weren’t there. Some people suffer from chronic FOMO. Each morning, they have an internal battle over every little decision and anxiety. Avery Mubarak, a long-time sufferer of chronic FOMO, says, “It’s just waiting at the back of my mind ready to pop out at random times. I’ll just be thinking of something and my mind will wander over to someone else and what they’re doing. BAM. Just like that, FOMO sets back in.

Sometimes it can be hard, especially when all my friends are in the same class together.” FOMO strikes particularly when you’re the only single friend. Now, there are some couples that have been dating for so long that they practically become the same person. They smile at the same time, laugh at the same time. They even start to talk the same way. After seeing them together for so long, you start to wish you had that same relationship. But at some point, you’re glad that you’re not dating anyone when that relationship ends in a dumpster fire…again. Society has trained us to enjoy the presence of pairs. Ordinary objects come in twos. Socks. Shoes. Skis. Even the week births a set of twins: Saturday and Sunday. Although let’s be honest, we all know that Sunday is the sadder one of the two. We even get a little bit sad when we see that one banana sitting by itself on a shelf in the grocery store. We’ve grown to like things that come in bunches, so it’s natural to envy people who come in pairs, or people who have friends in general. At times, it can be a struggle between having plans and not having plans. On the one hand, you might be really excited to go out over the weekend and actually have some fun for once in your life. Sometimes though, when it’s 4 P.M. on a Friday and you’re already curled up in bed binging on an addictive TV show, you have the insane itch to cancel plans and just

stay right where you are. Part of you is saying, Yes, I want to be a social butterfly who hangs with my friends and does fun things, but the other part of you is reasoning, Well, I’m already in bed and it’s comfy, so do I really want to put on clothes and go outside? We’re all secretly hermits. Some of us are just better at hiding it. Well, don’t entirely blame yourself over your increasing paranoia about everything. Social media is partially to blame. By being able to see what everyone is up to at all times, our biggest insecurities about ourselves take over and we ask ourselves, Is there a reason I’m not there? How come I’m not doing that? If you’re wondering how you can lessen your anxiety over what everyone else is doing and what you’re not doing, consider decreasing how much time you’re spending on your phone. You also have to remind yourself that if you weren’t invited to someone’s plans, it doesn’t mean you were purposely excluded. You don’t always need to have plans or be in the middle of everything to be happy and have fun. Once you are content with yourself and with spending time alone, you’ll start to feel more secure in your relationships with others. Your FOMO will start to subside, but it probably won’t ever completely leave you. But whenever you’re feeling doubtful, just remember that your friends still love you. Even when you’re acting a lot little crazy.

Editor-in-Chief Annie Lu

Creative Director Libby Edwards Managing Editor Ali Youel

Editorial Director Derek Li Head of Design Amy Cheng Online Editor Josh Golden

Staff Writers Amanda Benbow Elan Berger Jake Berman Manit Bishnoi Becca Clark Carolyn Cui Noah Gaines Emily Gao Milad Ghaemi Jordan Goldmann Audrey Hsu Mara Khabie Dillon Leung Ella Lifset Lily Lin Rebecca Lutz Kaylynn Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Curran Caleb Posner Sam Ramirez Alex Shahla Dom Stearn David Sun Justin Wang Luke Williams

Advisor Christopher Black Guest Artist Jamie Marsal Cover Art Soyon Kim

The opinions expressed by the writers and the content of the advertisements does not necessarily reflect those of Pulse, Canyon Crest Academy, or the San Dieguito Union High School District.