Highlights Volume 87, Issue 10

highlights

March 7, 2014 Volume 87, Issue 10 Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, Calif. beverlyhighlights.com

Model UN hosts BHHS convention

Attention increases for gay athletes

Robert Katz web editor-in-chief

Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief

Beverly’s internationally-minded students convened at the fourth annual Beverly Hills Model United Nations conference on Saturday, March 1. The conference allowed for all students in the district’s high school and middle schools to attend and experience being a member of a high school Model United Nations (MUN) committee.

“We created an easy, open environment for students who are basic beginners to model UN debate and we opened the doors to our debating competitions to anyone within our school,” MUN President Justin Kim said.

The conference, which hosted nearly 100 students, was based on the real conferences Beverly’s MUN students have attended in the past.

“We basically take all our experience and exposure that we’ve had in conferences...and we design our own conference, usually using committee topics that are very similar to topics we’ve been exposed to in previous conferences,” Kim said.

The committees were the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Environment Organization (UNEO), the first Disarmament and International Security discussion (1st DISEC) about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the World Health Organization (WHO). They were headed by chairpeople Amir Kashfi, Jessica Lu, Dan Park and Rachel Eshtiaghpour, respectively.

In committee, each representative gave their position in an opening address regarding the committee’s topic. Afterward, countries discussed their views and aligned with each other to create resolutions addressing the committee’s problem.

The committee sessions were followed by lunch and a concluding ceremony, during which awards were given to representatives with the most well-researched and impressive speeches.

Although several awards were given to countries in each committee, one member of each committee was named Best Delegate.

Junior Richa Vijayvergiya won as Ghana in the WHO, senior Aaron Karlin won as Haiti in the Continued on Page 3

Within the past decade, rights of those in the LGBT community have become more globally recognized than ever before, according to The New York Times. In the United States, laws allowing same-sex marriage have so far been passed in 17 states, protests regarding gay rights rose to the surface during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and even the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, believes that gays “should not be marginalized...[and instead] integrated into society.”

As the world progresses, the matter of gay rights is becoming more widely discussed. However, the emergence of gay athletes in professional sports is a relatively new phenomenon, and the coming out of Jason Collins, a professional basketball player on the Brooklyn Nets, and Michael Alan Sam, Jr., the soon-to-be first drafted gay NFL player in its history, have become the center of public attention.

“I think it’s really great that athletes are becoming more comfortable with themselves and their sexuality in the society that they live in,” senior Paloma Bloch said. “Which gender you’re attracted to doesn’t affect how you play a sport, so it’s good to see people supporting athletes accepting who they really are.”

Though Bloch believes that all the media buzz and public attention that these two athletes are receiving can be interpreted as nothing but positive, Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has adopted a nonchalant attitude towards the hype and believes it is simply a “non-event,” according to his interview in Bleacher Report.

“I think it’s no big deal and that’s exactly the way it should be,” Cuban said. “It’s a non-event now. It actually, literally, is a non-event.”

Cuban believes that the coming out of these two athletes should not be built up to such an extent because society should be advanced enough to not allow the sexuality of a person to matter in Continued on Page 12

ARMAN ZADEH

Seniority Rule

Seniors celebrate their comeback during the dodgeball game at Junior-Senior Night on Thursday, Feb. 27.

All-level committee works on new bell schedule for next year Marguerite Alberts spotlight editor A committee consisting of teachers from all departments and administrators are currently working on changing and updating the bell schedule for next year. The committee includes Principal Carter Paysinger, House A Assistant Principal Amy Golden, science teacher Chris Bushée, math teacher Michelle Stern, English teacher Bill Hiatt, physical education teacher Vonzie Paysinger, special education teacher Gregg Riesenberg and guidance counselor Kate Marks.

The driving factor behind the desire to change the current bell schedule is the school’s desire for regularity. According to Golden, “The one thing that held true among teachers, parents and students was that they would really like consistency.”

The differing day-to-day schedules confuse faculty, teachers and students alike.

“Neither one of [the bell schedules] is especially intuitive when they begin and end, and that kind of thing nobody seems to remember,” Hiatt said. “If it

were just me, I’d contribute it to age, but seeing as my teenage students can’t figure out when things are beginning and ending either, it’s probably just overload.”

Hiatt doesn’t anticipate there ever being an elimination of either period one or period seven, even if students view it unfavorably.

For the entire school year, the state of California requires that public-school schedules consist of a total of 64,800 minutes; however, those minutes must consider contractual minutes described in the teachers’ contract that are further broken down into instructional minutes. Furthermore, by contract, lunch has to occur at a set time.

“It’s a huge puzzle,” Golden said. “The teachers’ contract says you can’t go over seven and half hours of a workday. That gives [teachers] 15 minutes before their first class so we have to look at that. Then there are a certain number of instructional minutes that they are allowed to have in a week and we can’t go over that.”

Students generally prefer the Wednesday-through-Friday schedule to the Monday-Tuesday schedule. Junior Matthew Sater, who is involved with multiple extracurriculars including volleyball, Radio Airlift, band and robotics, finds the Monday/ Tuesday schedule particularly obtrusive.

Continued on Page 2

“The one thing that held true among teachers, parents and students was that they would really like consistency.”

“I don’t think they would have existed in the first place if some people didn’t need them. It’s the students that take seven classes that drive those [seven periods],” Hiatt said. “So, no, I don’t think we can or should eliminate it. I think if we could find a way to time the differently, that might be helpful.”

The committee has several factors to take into consideration to create an effective bell schedule.

spotlight

news

Anotha Yeara Samoas Highlights explores the century-long history and 12 various flavors of Girl Scout cookies as well as the girls at Beverly who sell them.

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comment

An In-Depth Look at

Homophobia at Beverly

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On Putin’s Aggression Russia’s claim of acting as “the mother country” of Ukraine is not an excuse to invade and threaten to start war; all Ukraine wants to do is westernize.

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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS MARCH 7, 2014

DOES THIS RING A BELL? Teachers, administrators collaborate to form new bell schedule for 2014-15 school year Continued from Page 1 “Leaving to away games at lunch on Mondays or Tuesdays forces athletes to miss that day’s period 6 academic class, but our schedule later in the week allows student-athletes to not miss any of our time as students,” Sater said.

The three main issues that the committee is taking into consideration are block schedule, the length of the school day and when the school day begins and ends.

“We are trying to do what we can to provide as many instructional minutes as possible within the realistic

constraints,” Hiatt said.

As an English teacher, Hiatt would prefer a bell schedule that consistently contains block periods and starts later. This year, he has noticed that students are having more trouble with the early starting time of first period.

“It’s not a natural time,” Hiatt said. “More of my students this year are really having trouble with a seven class schedule with one starting at 7 o’clock in the morning.”

Block schedule is highly debated among teachers and students. Some believe that more block would be

helpful, while others would prefer not to have block at all.

“A lot of teachers also say, especially people that are a proponent of the block schedule, if you’re only going to give me a block once a month, don’t, because there is a rhythm along with the block schedule and getting used to that,” Golden said.

The committee aims to have a completed draft of a new schedule by Spring so that they can present it to the Board of Education, who will then decide if it will be enacted in subsequent years.

MARGUERITE ALBERTS

MARGUERITE ALBERTS

“I prefer the daily schedule over block. I am really a creature of habit and throwing a block [day] in is pretty random for me; it can throw me off.”

—Max Minniti, 11

“I prefer the daily schedule [over block schedule] because that way I only have a small dose of the classes I don’t like.”

—Johnny Berdugo, 12

MARGUERITE ALBERTS

MARGUERITE ALBERTS

“I like block because we get more stuff done in the classes and we don’t get as much homework. I like how we get out earlier on block days.”

—Tiffany Bina, 11

“I like both [schedules]. I think that sometimes it’s nice to have a break in class and it’s also good to have longer periods so we can have longer discussions or labs.”

—Elianna Scheide, 10

Service Learning to partner with Ronald McDonald Audrey Park staff writer Service Learning will visit the Ronald McDonald house in midMarch to cook for and give gifts to families and children.The Ronald McDonald houses are designed to provide a home-away-from-home for families who travel to receive medical treatment for their children.

A committee of 10 Service Learning students led by senior Michelle Abramov, senior Daphne Levy and junior Camellia Sayani are assigned to plan meals to cook, fundraise money for goodybags and write cards.

“Service Learning does a lot within the school and local community. But a lot of the time we don’t get to interact with the people who are receiving our help,” President Leora Hakim said. “The Ronald McDonald visit gives us the chance to physically interact with these people. A few hours sitting down, talking and laughing with these families goes a long

way.”

Beverly has visited the Ronald McDonald house in previous years, but could not attend last year due to scheduling conflicts. However, this year, Service Learning made sure to leave space open in their schedule so that they could participate in this event.

“We couldn’t go last year because we were swarmed with other events at around the same time,” Abramov said. “I’m excited to be able to take part in this event because we’re usually used to helping kids with a ton of fundraisers, such as Answer for Cancer which was specifically for pediatrics, but this time we’re working with adults at Ronald McDonald.”

In the spirit of Easter, according to Levy, Service Learning decided to create Easter-themed goodybags to distribute out at the event as well.

“We’re making the goody-bags to give to the children at the Ronald McDonald house,” Levy said.

“I decided to be a part of this

event to see the reaction of the people we’re helping.”

Because Service Learning had not participated in the Ronald McDonald event last year, Hakim is thrilled to have the opportunity to take part in it before she graduates this May. “I’ve actually never been there, and I heard from the class two years ago about how much fun it is to go,” Hakim said. “I’m expecting great things from this visit and hopefully, this will become one of our yearly projects.”

S e r v i c e Learning director Michelle Halimi is proud of her students

for choosing to use their personal time to help others.

“It’s great that our students are taking the time to not just raise money but also make a difference in peoples lives by giving up their time to prepare the lunches and

create the easter baskets,” Halimi said.

Service Learning is still in the early stages for planning the event; the specific date has yet to be decided.

MAR. 7

MAR. 7

MAR. 9

MAR. 14

MAR. 21

Golden Anniversary Scholarship app due

“Then and Now” NAHS show

LA Marathon

Pi Day

Medical Science Academy apps due

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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS MARCH 7, 2014

BHMUN invites middle, high schools to international debate

Robert Katz web editor-in-chief Continued from Page 1 UNEO and junior Camila Monchini won as France in the 1st DISEC. The largest committee, the IAEA, was formed of middle schoolers, about 40 of which attended the conference after Beverly’s MUN decided to start recruiting talent from the middle schools for the first time in the club’s history.

As part of MUN’s expanded recruiting tactics, the group contacted eighth-grade history teachers, who invited members to explain the conference at the middle schools.

MUN adviser Malia Frutschy

in the headlines

was pleased with the turnout from middle schoolers.

“It was really great,” Frutschy said. “All four middle schools were represented. We really wanted more from Horace Mann because they have a debate team and we were sort of targeting them. We only got three of them but even one of those delegates [Samantha Boudaie as Syria] won Best Delegate.”

Kim believes MUN is the most appealing club available to middle schoolers on debate teams.

“We’re probably the most competitive and most similar to what those middle school debate teams are familiar with,” Kim said.

Junior Shayna Eshmoili, who represented Canada in the UNEO, was pleased to have learned studying techniques from researching for her debate and enjoyed the debate process itself.

“I thought it was fun and it was nice being able to debate with my peers on a mutual topic that doesn’t really affect our daily lives,” Eshmoili said. “It was interesting researching the topic [and] I did learn research techniques and how the UN is run.”

Kim was pleased the results of the event, although he was irritated by a schedule issue.

“I’m very grateful for all the people who turned out. I think

NATIONAL President Obama sent in his 2015 budget plan to Congress. The provisions have been described as a “Christmas-list” for the Democrats.

It includes taxes on the rich, spending for education and research funding. Whether or not Congress will pass parts of the budget is debated, but for now the budget is something to consider for mid-term elections.

Photo courtesy of MALIA FRUTSCHY The delegates convene for the opening ceremony.

[the conference] went very smoothly. [However,] there was a time when the lunch, In-N-Out, came late and I had to stall all the committees from leaving. [That was] about 10 to 20 minutes of stalling.”

The issue Kim most noticed, however, was a lack of high school students.

“Typically we have more high school students, but it seems the high school students this year are much less motivated than in previous years,” Kim said. “Most of the seniors who were involved with the MUN graduated. This year we only have Lu and I. That definitely is a big factor.”

Frutschy believed the lower senior headcount was due in part to fewer seniors being offered an extra credit opportunity in their government class. “[That is] okay,” Frutschy said, “because when we’re recruiting we don’t really want seniors because they’re going to be gone.”

Students interested in joining MUN proper are invited to MUN’s next meeting on Friday, March 14, which will discuss the April 26 conference at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach.

Prior to either, BHMUN will appear at its next competitive conference at Berkeley on Friday, March 7.

INTERNATIONAL Russia’s parliament has approved the use of force in Crimea to take control of the region. Recent protests and political instability in the country, along with the disposing of Viktor Yanukovych, have lead to increased tensions between the two countries. Ukraine has begun mobilizing its troops and called for international help.

JESSICA LU. Sources include editorials.voa.gov, www.politico.com

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HIGHLIGHTS NEWS MARCH 7, 2014

‘Tagalong’ the Girl Scout Cookie circulation around campus Zoe Kenealy staff writer Girl Scout Cookies went on sale in Los Angeles County beginning in February. At $4 a box, Girl Scout Cookies sell in 12 flavors.

The History According to the Girl Scouts website, the start of these cookies goes back to 1917 in Muskogee, Okla., when the local Mistletoe Troop needed to raise money. In the kitchens of Muskogee’s Mistletoe Scouts, the first Girl Scout Cookies were made. Originally, the cookies were but simple sugar cookies wrapped in wax paper and sold to family and friends at 25 to 35 cents per dozen. However, come the 1950s, Girl Scout Cookies began selling in three different flavors: Peanut Butter Sandwich, Shortbread and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints.)

As the years progressed and Girl Scout Cookie manufacturers began to increase in number, the signature names of the cookies came to life, and an array of newer flavors began to appear.

With the three flavors of Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos and Trefoils selling famously, the Girl Scout organization looked to sharpen the appearance and notability behind the trademarked Girl Scout Cookie. It was in the early 2000s when Girl Scouts modified the appearance of the cookie boxes, packaging the cookies in the bright colors and bold

designs of today’s flavors.

The Cookies in Beverly Hills The cookies are seemingly sold on every corner; in front of grocery stores, in classrooms, at your doorstep — essentially anywhere a Girl Scout can sell her baked treats to consumers.

Senior Sasha Park is a Girl Scout and looks forward to cookie season as it gives her an opportunity to stack up on her favorite flavors and to brush up on her entrepreneurial skills for the future.

“Whenever it’s time for us to sell our cookies, I actually get most excited

because I can buy a million boxes of Thin Mints for myself.

It’s the time of year I wait for as a Girl Scout,” Park said. “Also, and this comes with being a Girl Scout all the time, but I feel as if I’m better preparing myself for the future and increasing my people skills and becoming more ‘business savvy’ when I make cookie sales.”

It is not only the Girl Scouts who look forward to cookie season, but also the consumers of the trademarked treats. According to student sources, the allure behind the cookies comes with the wait for cookie season in Los Angeles to begin.

“Well, my favorite flavor is by far

the Savannah Smiles. I immediately bought two boxes off one of my friends who is a Girl Scout and finished an entire box for lunch with two of my friends,” junior Myra Molloy said. “I think it’s the fact that they [the cookies] only sell once a year that makes them as tasty as they are.”

Senior Justin Kim expressed

a similar enthusiasm toward the cookies.

“Girl scout cookies are what I live for,” he said. “Every year I earnestly wait for the season when I hunt down the girl scouts and stock up.”

WHERE TO FIND THEM!

The Facts One hundred percent of the net revenue of these kosher cookies stays within the local council and troops. While the profit is used to fund Girl Scout activities such as trips to museums, community events, etc., the Girl Scouts may also choose to put the earned money toward a Take Action project, which benefits the troop’s community.

If a troop, at the end of the sixto-eight-week period of cookie sales, has leftover boxes, the Girl Scouts organization works with local

charities so that the cookies are given to food-relief services.

The safety of the Girl Scouts throughout cookie season is ensured through a set of guidelines.

Rules such as mandatory adult supervision in cookie sales must be followed, and all online sales must be made with an agreement to the “Internet Safety Pledge.”

AROUND CAMPUS Find a Girl Scout like senior Sasha Park or junior Rachel Eshtiaghpour to purchase or order some cookies.

CRUMBS Crumbs offers four Girl Scout Cookie cupcakes: Thin Mint, Chocolate PB Creme, Caramel Coconut and Lemon Shortbread.

SPRINKLES Sprinkles Ice Cream offers a Thin Mint flavored ice cream.

JESSICA LU. Top photo by AUDREY PARK. Middle image from sec.gov, bottom image from defense.gov

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HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE MARCH 7, 2014

Behind the sushi craze: Trust us on Sugarfish

Courtesy of SUGARFISH

Braden Bochner staff writer Juliette Deutsch social media director Sugarfish has taken over the L.A. sushi scene by storm. Known for its clean and simple sushi, the dishes served at Sugarfish are unlike any other traditional sushi restaurant. Chef Kazunori Nozawa, known in Los Angeles for his strict no-substitution policies, developed the Sugarfish menu out of his original restaurant Nozawa Bar. Nozawa Bar closed last year, after being open for 25 years. The restaurant was a discreet hole-inthe-wall in Studio City. The lo-

cation had no sign, reservations were not taken and there was no menu. Diners had to trust Nozawa’s multiple course menu. This philosophy inspired Nozawa to develop a line of more casual restaurants: Sugarfish.

Sugarfish opened in Brentwood in 2009, and now has eight locations throughout Los Angeles, including ones in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

The Sugarfish menu consists of three “Trust-Me” style meals, in addition to alacarte items. Spicy tuna on crispy rice and California rolls are not found at Sug-

arfish. Menu items at Sugarfish include fresh salmon with toasted sesame seeds, tuna sashimi in a ponzu sauce and Albacore Belly.

The name “Trust Me” was derived from his old restaurant where the daily specials were listed under the phrase “Trust Me”. The sushi melts in your mouth and gives a wow factor which Nozawa described his first time eating a sugar cube as being like.

What sets Sugarfish sushi apart from any other restaurant is the quality of the sushi-rice. The rice at Sugarfish is warm and loose and complements the coldness of the

fresh fish. Handrolls at Sugarfish include the popular toro roll and the blue crab roll. The aesthetic of Nozawa`s philosophy at Sugarfish is all about bringing it back to the basics: serving the highest quality of fish, at modest prices.

“It’s purism...simplicity. I wanted to make the Apple Pan of sushi,” Nozawa said to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Beverly Hills location is designed similarly to other Sugarfish restaurants. The intimate and modern space seats 45 people and is open for lunch and dinner.

In addition to serving at the sushi

bar, Sugarfish has developed its own bento box for take-out orders.

It takes time to get completely addicted to Sugarfish sushi.

“After I tried Sugarfish for the first time, other sushi did not compare. The simplicity and distinct taste of it makes any other sushi not as appealing,” senior Amanda Deutsch said.

The simple sushi served at Sugarfish is fresh and consistent. Chef Nozawa`s traditional approach to sushi makes one continue to dine at Sugarfish. Nozawa has perfectly crafted a unique blend of modern and traditional Japanese cuisine.

Meet the Teachers

Joanie Garratt volunteers for Israeli War, studies at Harvard

AUDREY PARK

“[Volunteering in Israel] was one of the most memorable experiences of my life and I learned a lot about life, myself and the world.”

Eunice Kim staff writer While attending high school in Switzerland, history teacher Joanie Garratt traveled to Israel each summer to work on a kibbutz, or a communal farm, on the

Syrian-Lebanese border. Garratt’s fondness for Israel grew each time she visited. When the Israeli War broke out, Garratt traveled to Israel not to work on a kibbutz, but to volunteer to make food for the soldiers. “[The volunteers] can work and

live there for free,” Garratt said. “ I would work in the fields during the morning and then spend the afternoon on the Mediterranean beach.”

The Lebanese border on which Garratt worked was a dangerous place, and Garratt risked her life

volunteering. “[The Lebanese border] was very dangerous and at night we slept in bomb shelters,” Garratt said.

After volunteering, Garratt stayed in Israel and attended Tel Aviv University, where she majored in political science, international relations and history. Her experiences in Europe and Israel and her desire to learn more about the Arab-Israeli conflict encouraged her to take these courses.

“Unfortunately, I was unable to solve the Middle East’s problems during my short stay there,” Garratt said.

After two years in Israel, Garratt returned to the US in order to graduate college. She graduated from UCLA and earned her Masters Degree in government from Harvard. Garratt explained to her students that her college recommendation letters that described the events during the war might have been one of the major factors of her acceptance to Harvard.

“I was also a teaching fellow at Harvard and had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant with some very interesting students and visiting scholars,” Gar-

ratt said.

Even after experiencing sleeping in the bomb shelters in Israel, Garratt found studying at Harvard to be more demanding.

“The main thing I remember about Harvard is working around the clock,” Garratt said. “I experienced more stress at Harvard than the combined two and a half years I spent in Israel, but it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life and I learned a lot about life, myself and the world.”

Garratt’s emotional connection to Israel didn’t end after she moved back to the U.S. to continue her education. In fact, Garratt visited Israel right after the Camp David Peace Accords in 1979 and many times after.

“During that summer I was hired to teach at Hebrew University for English speaking students.

It was great,” Garratt said Her fondness for the time she spent in Israel has influenced Garratt to motivate her own students to enter study abroad programs that take place in Israel.

Further information on such programs will be provided in a counselor meeting that takes place on March 14.

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HIGHLIGHTS SPOTLIGHT MARCH 7, 2014

Fear not: homophobia in perspective LEGAL ASPECTS Ariz. Gov. Jan Brewer vetoes anti-gay legislation Dani Klemes web editor-in-chief In light of a recent bill known as SB 1062, which would have allowed businesses with strongly-held religious beliefs to use their faith as defense against lawsuits over inequity, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed the proposal on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Although the bill did not directly indicate sexuality as its driving factor, most people assumed that it was a ploy against homosexuals. If passed into law, SB 1062 would have enabled companies to refuse service to gays and lesbians, thus legalizing discrimination.

The bill, coined a “Jim Crow law for homosexuals” by various online sources including townhall.com, received wide opposition from a number of groups, including businesses. Companies such as Delta Air Lines, Marriott and Apple Inc. (which is opening a sapphire glass manufacturing plant in Mesa, Ariz.) urged Gov. Brewer’s veto, claiming that the bill countermanded their goals for an equal workplace.

Further controversy entered the field of sports. The National Football League (NFL) threatened to move the 49th Super Bowl, set to be held in Glendale, Ariz. in 2015, if the anti-gay legislation passed.

In a written statement, the Arizona Super Bowl host committee stated that

it “shares the NFL’s core values which embrace tolerance, diversity, inclusiveness and prohibit discrimination.”

Physics teacher Kevin Bowers, a native of Arizona, claims one of the reasons he moved from Arizona was “to get away from the homophobic and racist overtones” present in the state.

“I grew up in Arizona so it is very shocking to me how people could be so clever in their closed-mindedness.

Most people in Arizona are very nice and open-minded but there’s a very loud group that is pushing these kinds of things that I don’t agree with,” Bowers said. “It’s scary to me that people are taking discrimination so lightly.”

John Borsum, a mathematics teacher who is openly gay, shared similar sentiments, offering the idea that certain theological beliefs overlook injustice among specific groups.

“If you look throughout history, religion in the Bible, unfortunately, has been used frequently to condone prejudice of various groups,” Borsum stated. “I think it’s time that we don’t use religion as a reason to be biased against people.”

Tension is yet to cease in Arizona, but similar discriminatory legislation that has surfaced in Kansas, Georgia and Missouri has raised public concern and is prevalent in the ongoing battle between homosexuality and homophobia.

BEVERLY REACTION “It’s frightening to think that some Americans are so willing to take away rights of other Americans. We need to make sure that we live in a world where everybody is entitled to equal protection under the law.”

Dan Moroaica, social studies teacher “It’s incredible to me that these sorts of things are still happening in 2014. This law is basically legalizing discrimination--it’s setting us back 50 years.” Aurora Hamner, senior

Calif. transgender rights law faces opposition Dani Klemes web editor-in-chief Despite opposition, California’s AB 1266 law, the first of its kind to allow transgender students to choose which bathroom they use and which sports team they join, is still secure.

The bill was signed into law by California Gov. Jerry Brown on Aug. 12, 2013, and went into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Its goal is to enable student choice and offer students the opportunity to involve themselves in activities that match their identities, regardless of their birth-gender.

Though California is viewed as one of the most liberal states in regards to LGBTQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transexual Questioning) rights, the bill recently met resistance. Opponents of the bill received 487,484 valid signatures—not enough for the placement of a referendum to repeal the law on the upcoming November ballot.

According to the Gay-Straight Alliance Network, California is the first to require these protections in each of its public school districts.

In an interview with CBS, Carlos Alcala, the spokesman for the bill’s author, Tom Ammiano, stated that “some parents are clearly not going to like [the law].”

Those who are challenging the bill claim that it violates students’ privacy while those who favor the bill are working to promote statewide consistency and improve the rights of kids who choose to align with a different gender.

Though there haven’t been any issues at Beverly regarding the new law, Athletics Director Jason Newman stated that “athletics and administration will determine what needs to be done if and when [a situation occurs].”

“I believe that laws have to be respected, so we would have to make adjustments,” Newman said.

A total of 327 students were polled.

BEVERLY REACTION “I think that the concept of being transgender is not widely known or understood, so I think it’s good that people have the support they need in a place that would otherwise be unsafe because of intolerance and ignorance.”

Zoe Tran, senior

POP CULTURE

ON CAMPUS

Facebook expands gender options for users Dami Kim culture editor Facebook showed its support for the LGBTQ community on Thursday, Feb. 13, by adding 56 different gender options for people’s profiles and allowing users to choose their preferred gender pronouns.

This change was reportedly motivated by the LGBTQ advocacy groups’ and Facebook’s push for greater diversity on its social network website. Additionally, the custom gender option better defines the ambiguity between gender and sex.

According to the American Psychological Association, there is a clear distinction between sex and gender. Sex refers to a person’s “biological status” and physical features. It is often categorized as male, female or intersex. Gender refers to the “attitudes, feelings and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex.” Facebook’s new gender options demonstrate Facebook’s movement to allow users to take pride in their identity.

“When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self,” the company wrote in a post on its Diversity page. “An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just ‘male’ or ‘female.’”

According to a CNN article, Facebook has been cooperating with many leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups to create accurate gender options. Some of these options include bigender (one who identifies as male and

female at different times), agender (one who does not identify with any gender) and male to female (one who is transitioning from male to female either physically or in terms of gender identity).

Former Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Vice President Allison Palmer, who has been working closely with Facebook on this initiative, suggested that many of the LGBTQ members were pleased with the change.

“Facebook users from across the country have been asking for the ability to reflect their gender accurately, and [on Thursday] Facebook showed they have been listening,” Palmer said.

Although there have been many positive reactions, Facebook’s new change has been criticized by Fox News host Clayton Morris and members of the Catholic Church.

Upon hearing the news of Facebook’s various gender options, Morris ridiculed the option and declared that he has updated his gender to “intersex, whatever that is.”

According to an article in the National Catholic Register, a Catholic news source, a moral theology professor at The Catholic University of America, John Grabowski, mentioned Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks on the idea of separation of “gender” from “sex,” which could be “one of the great errors of the modern world leading to the dissolution of the concept of human nature.”

“We become our own creators by naming our own reality — sexual and otherwise,” Grabowski said.

Facebook’s new gender options are not available to users outside the U.S. as of now.

BEVERLY REACTION “I feel like this is a big milestone for the LGBTQ community, especially since Facebook is used all over the world and most countries are still not open about gender options.”

Sarah Rudolph, freshman

“I support whatever makes people happy, and if adding extra options allows them to feel that their gender is being represented, I guess I support that as well.”

Luca Amato, junior

Normans find Beverly more tolerant of homosexuality Marguerite Alberts spotlight editor According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, homophobia means an “irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.”

Senior Tommy Marcus, who is openly gay, feels that this definition is inadequate.

“Homophobia is a very complex idea, but at its core, it is a form of bigotry towards a creed, in this case homosexuals,” Marcus said. “Anyone who is hateful or discriminating towards homosexuals can be considered homophobic.”

While Los Angeles is generally thought of as a liberal city, some students and faculty members still feel that homophobia is an issue on campus.

the situation is better at Beverly than at other schools.

“I do not believe there is as much homophobia in this school as there is in other schools nearby,” Marcus said.

“There is homophobia though, and in the few cases that I have noticed it, it is very severe. There are people that blatantly say that they hate gay people and do not think they have a place in this world, but [homophobia] is very limited, as I said before.”

Outside of Beverly, math teacher John Borsum has been a victim of homophobia a few times in his life.

“One time my partner and I were crossing the street in Portland, Ore., and as we stepped off the curb there was a car slowing down to the crosswalk and as they got right up to the crosswalk, they stepped on the gas and tried to run

Keep in mind while interpreting this graph that 95 percent of the students who answered “very” identify themselves as heterosexual.

At school, openly gay math and science teacher Marla Weiss, who has also taught Health, witnesses homophobic acts on a regular basis.

“Very regularly, as I walk through the halls at Beverly, I hear students saying things like, ‘that’s so gay’ or using the other ‘f’ word,” Weiss said. “This is homophobia.”

Furthermore, due to the state’s decision to cut Health as a graduation requirement, Weiss feels that, “one place where these issues were discussed is now being removed as well.”

While teaching Health, Weiss would have members of Parents Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) speak. During one discussion, one of her students expressed his personal thoughts on the issue by recalling a story about a person who felt uncomfortable sharing their sexuality with their friends and family for fear of rejection.

The subject of the story didn’t feel able to speak up when they would hear their friends use derogatory comments on a daily basis.

“He said this is not the right culture for students to go to school in,” Weiss said. “It’s a culture that needs to change and it’s not easy to do so.”

Although Marcus agrees that homophobia is an issue, he believes that

over us while they were yelling out the window a bunch of gay slurs,” Borsum said.

Borsum and his partner have also been denied a hotel room because of their sexuality.

However, Borsum finds that both his students and his colleagues are very tolerant. According to Borsum “[Beverly’s] administration and the other teachers are all pretty open-minded people,” even those who have traditional values.

“I can even think of a couple of teachers who have pretty strongly held religious beliefs yet they are open minded enough to be very welcoming and friendly to me, so I actually think that Beverly is, in general, pretty good [in regards to tolerance of homosexuality],” Borsum said.

Although Weiss has felt like a victim only once in her life, she emphasizes that anyone who has friends that are in the LGBTQ community and have “heard homophobic remarks, or seen someone being pushed or harmed physically, verbally or silently, then [they] are victims too.”

“We all have to speak up when we hear slurs in the hallways,” Weiss said.

“We all need to speak up if we see someone being harmed in any way, and for any reason.”

8

HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE MARCH 7, 2014

Unearthing acres of history

Greystone Mansion opens doors to events, mystery

Courtesy of GREYSTONE MANSION AND PARK

Braden Bochner staff writer Greystone Mansion and Park is an iconic symbol of Beverly Hills.

The property is owned by the city and has undergone multiple restoration projects to conserve its history. Today, Greystone Mansion and Park is open to the public and is a popular venue for filming and photography, as well as an event space for weddings and performing arts. In 1976, the mansion was recognized as a historic landmark.

History of the mansion In 1926, Edward Laurence Doheny, a self-made oil tycoon, gifted his son Edward “Ned” Laurence Doheny, Jr., 12.58 acres of land. In 1927, Ned and his wife Lucy began construction on the site. Three years and $3 million later, Ned, Lucy and their five children moved into the Greystone Mansion.

The mansion, 46,000 square feet with 55 rooms, was the most expensive home in California at

Upcoming events at the Greystone Mansion

the time. The Greystone Mansion received its name due to its stone construction and dark appearance.

According to the recreation services manager Brad Meyerowitz, the most interesting room in the mansion would be “the bowling alley and billiard room located in the lower level of the Recreation Wing…The bowling alley was in a dramatic scene in the movie ‘There Will Be Blood.’ The adjacent billiard room has a prohibition bar; the bar is hidden behind a wall that you have to push up to expose.”

The original grounds included tennis courts, a fire station, a bowling alley, a swimming pool, two waterfalls, two lakes and a greenhouse.

In early 1929, only six months after the family had moved in, Ned Doheny was found dead in the mansion. Doheny, along with his secretary Hugh Plunkett, were the victims of an apparent murder-suicide.

Lucy remained at Greystone with her family until 1955, when she sold the majority of the land

to developers for $1.5 million.

In 1965, the City of Beverly Hills purchased Greystone Mansion and Park with plans to install a 19-million gallon water tank directly on the property. The water tank now serves as the city’s largest reservoir. In 1971, the City of Beverly Hills designated the 18.3 acre estate, including the mansion, as a public park.

Greystone Mansion today Greystone Mansion and Park is used for a variety of events and special occasions. From January to June, chamber music concerts are held in the living room of the mansion monthly. Every May, the annual Greystone Mansion Concours d’Elegance car show is held, where cars and motorcycles made before 1975 are displayed throughout the grounds Another annual event is the Design House International, where a select group of interior designers are each assigned a room of the mansion, and are given the ability to express their design style and

Tea and Talk Ligt tea prior to lectures on “The Landscape Designs of Doyle Herman Design Associates: Sunday, March 23 3p.m.- 5p.m.

aesthetic. Last year’s theme was “Titans of Business and the Best of Design.”

Theatre Forty, a community theatre group based in Beverly Hills, has performed over 100 performances of “The Manor,” a play loosely based on the Doheny Family.The interactive show travels from room to room of the Mansion.

In addition to events held at the Mansion, the park is open to the public. On the first Saturday of each month, Park Rangers offer tours that are known to sell-out quickly.

“I think the main drawing point is the fact that it [Greystone] is a beautiful tranquil venue in the heart of the city,” Meyerowitz said. “People come up here with a book and a blanket and escape from the urban sprawl.”

The fact that the mansion and grounds have been in many television shows and films make it a draw as well. Over 50 films have been filmed on the mansion’s grounds, including “Spider Man”, “The Big Lebowski” and “Ghostbusters.”

5th Annal Concours d’Elegance in celebration of the City Centennial and the 60th anniversary of the Porsche Speedster Sunday, May 4 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

For the first time since 1930, the City of Beverly Hills has opened the doors of the Mansion to the public to host special events. Just this past year, a catering kitchen was built and air conditioning and heating were installed. The Speciality Restaurants Corporation (SRC) Event Group has collaborated with Greystone to host numerous industry events, including weddings and events for destination management companies.

“People are very excited about this beautiful destination,” Vice President of Special Events for SRC Connie Armijo said. “The history [of the Mansion] is what attracts people to host their events at the Greystone. I don’t think there is any other estate in Beverly Hills with the history, architecture and providence of the entire mansion and its grounds.”

Armijo’s talent and skill has allowed her multiple clients to create their events with the opulence and lavishness of Greystone.

“It has everything California loves: murder, sex, mystery and wealth,” Armijo said with a smile.

Foodcrafting Classes partnered with the Institute of Domestic Technology Please visit www.institueofdomestictechonolgy.com for more information and list of classes.

HIGHLIGHTS COMMENT MARCH 7, 2014

9

Paradoxically, mobile games stave off age of isolation Robert Katz web editor-in-chief In Damon Albarn’s newest single, “Everyday Robots,” the Blur and Gorillaz frontman decries cell phones as dehumanizing devices that transform us into “standing stones, out there on our own.”

The song echoes a sentiment held throughout the modern world, with many outspoken thinkers and scholars concerned about the isolating effects of personal technology.

One of the most visible culprits is the mobile video game, which has developed over seven years (whatever you had on your Motorola RAZR V3 back in ’05 doesn’t really count) into a

cultural centerpiece. With the Angry Birds series at over 2 billion downloads since December 2009 and Candy Crush Saga at over 500 million downloads since April 2012, it is pretty obvious that someone is playing these games.

Their prevalence is noticeable, especially in school. These days, smartphones are ubiquitous, a fact made clear when we look up from our miniature screens to see others in the hallways, outside of class, or even at the lunch table, immersed in their own. So, yes, perhaps the musical philosophers of our day got part of it right (ahem, Arcade Fire), but if we step back we can take into account just what these games are doing for

us, instead of to us.

The current virtual fad is Flappy Bird, a charming ornithological adaptation of the Greek tale of Icarus (an eerie interpretation given creator Dong Nguyen’s recent clash with fame). In other words, tap the screen to make the bird flap its wings and try not to hit the pipes extending from off-screen voids. For many, its difficulty is what makes them keep coming back to it.

Such is the beauty of Flappy Bird. For a generation that has been labeled as entitled and self-pitying, it is refreshing to see the birth of another culture of competition and selfimprovement. Of course, this attitude is inherent to academ-

ics, but what is crucial is that these games (including Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga) do not matter. Our fate in life is not tied to whether or not we dodged 77 pipes or cleared every world. As they say, it’s just a game. But that’s why this trend matters. When we share screenshots of scores and monitor leaderboards, we strive to succeed at something that doesn’t involve riches or social standing or charity. It barely involves reputation. We care about the raw satisfaction of getting better at something we enjoy. We care about sharing that progress with the people we esteem, and building rivalries in which we can afford to hassle and tease each other. We are in an era of

sportsmanship on the go.

It can be (and is) argued that young people spend too much time staring at screens and sitting inside. But I believe that other concerns in life keep us chained to our devices far more than the occasional three-minute game of Tetris does. Is the rise of the mobile video game having much more critical and deep effects on our teenage minds, perhaps in ways so diabolical that we may wake up one morning with our rooms unadorned, our bookshelves bare, our credit cards practically stuffing the wallets of corporate shadows, and our brains pumped with intellectual soma?

Maybe, but I have a game of Super Hexagon to get to.

Five more Californias won’t solve anything Max Stahl comment editor Tim Draper is little more than the latest one to the party. In December, the Silicon Valley millionaire proposed to divide California into six distinct states, the most recent of a long string of plans to partition America’s most populous and richest state. Obviously, all previous efforts have failed. And for good reason.

The partition of a state is not wholly unprecedented. In 1861 West Virginia seceded from Virginia in order to side with the Union in the Civil War. In 1820 Maine seceded from Massachusetts, from which it had been (and remains) geographically separated. But to divide California into six states is a different story. California is not – remarkably – polarized to Civil War proportions, nor is the state territorially discontiguous. It’s diverse, and it’s spacious, but that might actually work to its advantage.

California benefits from an incomparable variety of climates, populations, ideologies, economic activities, cultures, and so on.

Draper seems to think that dividing the state would give individual groups or sectors greater representation in the state government, which in turn would be able to specialize its policy toward these more homogeneous interests. That may very well be the case, but such a system runs a crucial risk that California, as one state, has never had to deal with.

Assume that, for one reason or another, farmers in the Central Valley yield a particularly small crop one year. In our current state of California, this certainly would be a setback, but one from which the state could rebound. Worst case scenario: California loses some business and has to import more food from other states until crop yields return to normal levels.

In the proposed state of Central California, though, a poor harvest would be a disaster. The agricultural industry would dominate this hypothetical state, which encompasses the entire Central Val-

ley. There wouldn’t be sufficient economic fallback, because Central California wouldn’t have enough industries in other sectors to compensate for the drop in business and food supply. The state would, in short, lack the means to effect its own recovery. One could imagine a similar scenario in the other states — a struggling movie business, say, or a decrease in tech revenue.

Perhaps worse, Draper’s plan could serve to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. It’s hard to deny that Silicon Valley would see some pretty noticeable benefits if it were its own state, and one might expect that West California, which would include Los Angeles and some surrounding cities, would experience similar economic growth.

The same can hardly be said of the other four prospective states, which, as part of California, have benefitted from the ample tax revenue the state has collected from upper-income residents in and around Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to Time Magazine, Draper’s partition would create America’s wealthiest state, Silicon Valley, but it would also create one of America’s poorest: presumably Jefferson, the northernmost of the proposed states. Draper’s notion that, once separate, these states would be able to lift themselves up is ludicrous. California’s power to invest in infrastructure, business and education, and the facility with which California’s different regions can engage in commerce provides far greater opportunity for economic growth than the six-state plan.

Still further problems arise from California’s established programs and systems that run across the hypothetical state borders. The most relevant example to high-school students would have to be the state’s two public university systems, the UCs and CSUs. Reorganization of the state colleges would almost certainly be clumsy, confusing and costly, leaving few of the schools better off in the end. Similarly, California cities’ water rights would have to be reexamined and restructured. Draper has explained that his plan takes water rights into consideration, but, given the

Jefferson

North California Central California

South California

Silicon Valley

West California

DANI KLEMES

complexity of the current system (Los Angeles gets its water from Owens Valley, which would be in a different state if Draper’s proposal passed), his solution must be anything but perfect. Flaws such as these abound in the six-state plan.

Draper’s strongest argument points to the inefficiency of California’s government. And it’s true, this state does have serious problems, both institutional and political. However, a partition of California wouldn’t solve much in that respect. The state’s greatest failure is its ballot initiative system, which allows California voters to amend the state constitution with a simple majority vote. This system has produced harmful and often unworkable laws, and it’s the system through which Draper intends to pass his proposal.

Rather, Draper plans to create five new governorships, five new legislatures, five new bureaucracies. The Senate would have 10 more members. Each case would lead to greater inefficiency and greater polarization, with no guarantee that these governments would respond better to their citizens. As a single state, California has proven

an exemplar of compromise and moderation. Its top-two primary system and anti-gerrymandering initiative have both served to keep California politics relatively close to the center of the political spectrum. If California were divided, two very liberal states — West California and Silicon Valley — would emerge, as would potentially three very conservative states — South California (which includes Orange County and San Diego, historically conservative areas), Central California and Jefferson. North California, which comprises Sacramento and surrounding cities, is a bit of a question mark, though it appears to lean to the left. With California as a single state, these regions check each other politically, and the result is usually a moderate, stable, if somewhat fraught political arena that leads the rest of the country by example. California enjoys prominent status in the US government because it is populous, wealthy and, most of all, a pioneer in compromise and moderation.

Divide California into six states, and that power disappears.

Moving beyond politics and economics for a moment, let’s

consider how dividing California might affect its population’s identity. Even though they may not be conscious of it, most Californians share a sense of pride and a perspective on life peculiar to this state. This is the state of the Bear Flag Revolt, of the Gold Rush, of John Steinbeck and John Fremont and John Muir (among other Johns), of natural wonders like Big Sur, Yosemite and Death Valley, of man-made wonders like the Golden Gate Bridge and Disneyland. Many of the state’s residents share that laid-back attitude exemplified by SNL’s “The Californians” sketch. To divide them into mostly arbitrarily defined and unimaginatively named (North California, South California, West California, Central California) states would be severing their identity. They’re not a people that needs to be divided, and they’re not a people that wants to be divided.

Californians should be open to discussion. They should be open to creative solutions to their state’s numerous and growing problems.

They should be open to new ideas.

But Draper’s isn’t a new idea. And it’s not a very good one either.

10

HIGHLIGHTS COMMENT MARCH 7, 2014

Teenage smokers ignore warnings, common sense Jackson Prince sports editor “SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy.”

In 1985, the Surgeon General warned the American public of the specific dangers cigarettes pose.

Since then, our country has attempted to make smoking less of an American standard, as powerful non-smoking campaigns have tried to push the message through time and time again.

Yet we’re not listening.

Our educational system has generally ensured that we were given sufficient knowledge of the risks involved in each inhale of cigarette smoke.

Yet we’re not taking it.

The message has yet to find its way to the minds of many teenagers today. It seems that these attempts to end teenage-smoking may be futile because telling us that we’re going to die if we continue smoking goes in one ear and out the other.

Like the cigarettes from which we are persuaded to avoid, the warnings have been sucked in, and then puffed back out.

According to the FDA, about 10 million teenagers are open to or already smoking cigarettes. These kids can be found across the country, from Nowhere, Okla., to Beverly Hills, Calif.

How is it that our generation now chooses to ignore one of the fundamental lessons of our childhood?

Smoking is bad for you.

DARE was a part of our lives when we were little, as the group attempted to instill its message at an early enough age that it would stick with us for the remainder of our lives.

Perhaps we were too young to fully grasp the meaning of a cigarette.

A cigarette is more than just tobacco and rat poison. It’s peer pressure. It’s “fitting in.” It’s “I swear, I won’t do it again” and then failing to abide by the promise. It’s the loss of old friends and the gain of new ones, toxic ones. It’s disregarding the fact that we might have to think about other people when we’re older, people like our own children and grandchildren. And it’s the acceptance of a selfish and unattractive lifestyle.

It’s stupid. It’s just so stupid.

At Beverly, the solution (or a major portion of it) was supposed to be a class called “Health,” a semesterlong course, covering the bases of safe sex, drug and alcohol use and cigarettes.

For current freshmen, however, the class is no longer a graduation requirement and thus, will not reach the entirety of the student population. Incoming freshman will enter high school unprepared to face the pressure of the puff.

Our society is sort of stuck in a situation more severe than that of our parents. They smoked to be like celebrities, who were seen smoking in movies, TV shows and advertisements. They also modeled the behavior of their own parents, for whom smoking wasn’t scary until well after their teenage years. Cigarettes were glamorous, that is until they signified a death sentence, and this inspired many adult smokers to change their ways.

Today, there is no easy answer to why 23 percent of us use tobacco products.

At a recent party, when offered a cigarette, I asked two fellow Normans about what they got from smoking. The first enjoyed the lightheadedness of the experience, and the second said that she didn’t know

AJ PARRY

what she liked about it. Others often point to cigarettes as a way to keep a diet.

Our generation, now at the age of a false sense of immortality, is taking this ignorance to a new extreme.

Unlike our parents, who were simply rebelling against scientists’ relatively new findings, we are ignoring accepted facts.

If this scenario occurred in any other aspect of life, our generation would feel incredibly dumb. What morons continue to do something that is bound to kill them at an early age? Unlike base-jumping or highline tightrope walking, there is no adrenaline rush or heroism to smok-

ing a cigarette. The thrill of puffing smoke isn’t quite worth the loss of a few decades of living.

People should only put their lives at risk for something that they wouldn’t be able to live without. Increasing one’s chance of dying early, as a medically proven fact, without even knowing what they like about the hazardous experience is, in short, really stupid.

“SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy.”

There it is, 30 years later, still clearly labeled on the pack: the real cost of cigarettes.

A war of proposals: Putin challenges West Dami Kim culture editor Near the end of the Cold War, then-leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev’s radical reforms eventually led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unraveling of the communist Soviet states in 1991. When Gorbachev introduced the idea of glasnost, openness with the rest of the world, and perestroika, a policy that permitted limited economic benefits to Soviet citizens, he assumed that these changes would improve the unmoving Soviet economy and strengthen his nation’s identity. What he brought with these reforms, however, was an additive for independence among Soviet states. As voices begging for freedom in Poland, the Baltic states, Ukraine, the Caucasus and the Central Asian states grew louder, Gorbachev failed to act on the issue and the 70-year-long Soviet regime collapsed.

Now, 23 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is experiencing a similar problem. Though Ukraine has been independent ever since the fall of the Communist Party, the tension between Russia and Ukraine has persisted. With

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych aligning with Moscow instead of the European Union, and many Ukrainians wanting to be incorporated into the more westernized alliance, the confrontation within the state led to bloody protests in late November 2013. Since then, Yanukovych, now residing in Russia for refuge, has fled Kiev while Russian troops have taken over Crimea without a battle.

The fight for control, however, does not stop with just Ukrainian protesters and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The European states as well as the U.S. have been accusing Russia of aggression in its efforts to seize control over Crimea with military action. This is an unjust violation of international law and is simply unnecessary on Russia’s part. Russia’s claim of acting as “the mother country” of Ukraine is not an excuse to invade and threaten to start war, for all Ukraine wants to do is westernize.

The accusations against Russia for invading Crimea seem to be true.

Though it may not be as extreme as the former Soviet government, President Putin has been demonstrating authoritarian and arbitrary tendencies in his recent years of presidency,

acts that negate the “on the paper” desire of Russia to become a more democratic nation. By employing acts of totalitarianism, Putin is not only acting against the Russian constitution, but is acting in a way that is unacceptable to us Americans, who value fairness, equality and democracy as a nation.

Along with the invasion of Georgia in 2008 and the imprisonment of the Pussy Riot (a band) members in 2012, according to the New York Times article, President Putin recently used his arbitrary powers to get rid of Andrei Zubov, a history professor at a “prestigious Moscow institute” with close relations with the Russian Foreign Ministry, for writing that Russia’s actions with the Ukraine crisis mirrored that of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Austria in 1938. Professor Zubov was not the only one who compared President Putin’s involvement in Ukraine to Nazi Germany. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly commented at a Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach fundraiser that Putin’s actions “sound familiar” to “what Hitler did back in the ‘30s.”

But the accusations of the U.S. do little to calm the tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Though the

U.S. can remove Russia from the G8 and maybe even establish economic barriers, Russia’s active role in stopping chemical warfare in Syria has made America indebted to the country; Europe is more economically involved with Russia. Without the European leaders pushing to stop Russia from annexing Crimea, the U.S. is estimated to simply fight a battle of words rather than one with swords. Though there have been suggested measures to exclude Russia from the Group of Eight, a league of eight leading industrialized countries, and selective economic sanctions and bans, Europe does not seem to carry a punitive attitude toward Russia, although countries like Germany do not support the seemingly rash actions of Russia. Instead, it is aiding Ukraine in support of their protests by offering $15 billion over the next two years. With this new approach, it may be questionable if President Putin would pull back on his initiatives.

The world is too globalized for a second Cold War, and if it were to happen again, it’s not surprising that the aggression that would result was proposed during Putin’s undemocratic presidency, or in an extremecase, his possible dictatorship.

Highlights Mabel Kabani and Danny Licht editors-in-chief

Jessica Lu news editor

Max Stahl

comment editor

Dami Kim

culture editor

Marguerite Alberts spotlight editor

Arman Zadeh and Jackson Prince sports editors

Michelle Banayan graphics editor

Robert Katz and Dani Klemes web editors-in-chief

Juliette Deutsch social media director

Braden Bochner, Audrey James-Anenih, Zoe Kenealy, Eunice Kim, Brenda Mehdian and Audrey Park staff writers

Nicole Leibman, Audrey Park, Sasha Park and AJ Parry cartoonists

Gaby Herbst adviser ­— The mission of Highlights is to deliver community-relevant news in a timely manner while adhering to professional ethics.

Highlights is a forum for student expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.

Visit beverlyhighlights.com Follow @bhhighlights on Twitter and Instagram.

Ads are not endorsed by BHUSD. Beverly Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.

11

HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS MARCH 7, 2014

Beverly athletes prepare for upcoming spring season

Senior Nathan Shaw participates in a pitching drill with the team on March 4.

Baseball Max Stahl comment editor The varsity baseball team may seem a bit more youthful this spring. In addition to a couple unexpected developments — former pitching coach and JV manager David Cantrell has not returned

Girls Lacrosse Audrey Park staff writer The girls lacrosse team will debut this spring with a new assistant coach, Susan Kolko, and a new league: the Ocean League.

The addition of two new schools boosted Beverly to the Ocean League from the Bay League.

Head Coach Kathryn Marks believes that this will be a “great season” because of the combination of “amazing returning players,” “key newcomers” and a new coach.

“Our key returning players are Natasha Kashani, MVP from last season, Inbar Avrahami, our goalie, and Sami Shah. Our key newcomers are Dani Nabatkhorian, Landry Bearden and Kate Ganon,” Marks said. “I’m also happy to have Susan Kolko coaching alongside me this season. Susan is a great resource for the team to have.”

The girls have been learning

ARMAN ZADEH

“We’re a really young team, but we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” he said.

Fernandez and Martin are two of only three returning varsity players this season. The other is senior Jackson Martin, captain and starting catcher. The three of them are largely responsible for adjusting the remaining varsity players to a new level of play.

“It’s been tough,” Maxwell Martin said. “We have to teach these guys a new standard than they had the year before, and they’re figuring it out. We’re starting to get it rolling as season’s approaching.”

Part of this instruction involves mundane tasks like raking the infield dirt and putting out tarps, but there’s an important psychological element as well.

“We have to teach them how a varsity practice works, the intensity of it, and just being mentally there the whole practice,” Jackson Martin said.

It’s not just the new varsity players who need to adjust to a higher level of practice; because the JV team currently doesn’t have a coach, the players have been practicing with varsity.

“There’s definitely a feeling

where we’re trying to get [the younger players] to stay more on task, and because we’ve got a ton of sophomores this year, the upperclassmen are definitely telling the younger kids how to stay in line and how to do things the right way,” Maxwell Martin said. “And we don’t have that many coaches, so it falls on us to keep them in line.”

The JV players are dealing with increased pressure to perform now that they practice with the varsity squad. They view it as a chance to grow.

“It’s a great opportunity to improve and an all-around amazing experience,” sophomore Jacob Hankin said.

The Martins are excited about this year’s varsity team and they are looking to Fernandez, seniors Nick Kleerup and Kenneth Kwon, and juniors Joe Maisterra, Jackson Prince and Mason Leib to have standout seasons.

“We have a bunch of guys that are good baseball players, but we’ll see if they step up. A few of them are going to, for sure,” Maxwell Martin said.

The team’s first preseason game will be today at Alhambra.

for this season, and JV players, out of necessity, now practice with the varsity squad at La Cienega Park — sophomores and juniors will outnumber seniors on this year’s varsity baseball team. But, despite these changes, the team’s goals remain very much the same.

“Our goals are the same as always: try to make the playoffs, try to get as many wins as you can.

W’s at the end of the day, that’s what counts,” junior Rigo Fernandez, captain and starting center fielder, said.

Senior Maxwell Martin, captain and starting pitcher, added that he hopes the team will finish higher in league than it did last year, when it placed third. Fernandez is confident the team is up to the challenge.

and reviewing important concepts during practice in order to improve this season.

“Practice has been pretty intense. We’re running a lot more and working hard on our stick skills,” Avrahami said. “I’m very hopeful that the crowd will expect more wins from us this year.”

Through practice, Avrahami hopes to beat her record of 230 saves from last season and help the team make CIF. “My personal goal is to make more than 300 saves this season,” Avrahami said. “I hope to achieve this by working hard and practicing with our new goalie coach, Susan.”

According to senior Shanny Lee, many of the seniors, including herself, are hoping for this season to be the “best one out of the past four years.”

“I’d like to see our team get into playoffs this year. Last year we were so close and, this year, with the fresh players, I’m confident that we’ll make it,” Lee said.

“I’m looking forward to playing with both my old and new teammates.”

Though lacrosse players are eager to start the season strong, flu season has coincided with their practice, and has already begun to negatively affect the team, according to Lee. “Although practice has been rough and AUDREY PARK the weather has The girls lacrosse team gathers around Coach Kathryn Marks during a timeout against Peninsula. made some of our teammates sick, I’m confi- top.

Peninsula High school with a dent that in the end it will be all “With the addition of some score of 18-6 on Tuesday, March worthwhile when we win,” she newer teams to our league, in- 4. Avrahami had 21 saves, but said. cluding Samo, we hope to se- the opposing team got the upIn order to achieve the team’s cure our position on top early,” perhand and won. The girls will goal of making the playoffs, Marks said. next compete in an away game Marks believes that it is “critiThe girls lost their first game against Mira Costa High school cal” to secure a position in the of the season to Palos Verdes on Friday, March 7.

Three teams enter spring under new head coaches Track Jackson Prince sports editor The 2014 Beverly track season will be the first without Coach Jeff Fisher in four years. Along with Fisher’s departure, many of the junior and senior distance runners runners will not return to the team, meaning that the squad is generally young.

However, there is a lot of “potential,” according to sophomore pole-vaulter Amanda Block.

“The team seems to be doing well even under the new circumstances,” she said.

Last year, 15 girls and eight boys qualified for CIF, highlighted by seniors Sydney Segal, Chanan Batra and Alex Rohani. Though it might be difficult to reach the heights of the 2013 season, the team has “high expectations” in Coach Dwayne Washington’s first year as the head track coach, according to Block.

Boys Swimming Jackson Prince sports editor The boys varsity swim team will begin its 2014 season without Coach Rob Bowie for the first

time in eleven years. However, the swimmers aren’t calling this a lost season by any means.

“We expect nothing short of first place in league,” junior Justin Shegerian said.

The team, coming off of a perfect season, looks to repeat the success, according to senior David Kotlarenko.

“Hopefully we can pull off another undefeated year,” he said. “I want to break all of my past times, too, but that has always been a goal of mine.

The team looks to remain dominant in the Ocean League with Kotlarenko and senior Mason Segal at the helm.

Boys Volleyball Jackson Prince sports editor With a new coach, affectionately known as Coach D by the players, the boys varsity volleyball squad is aiming high this year, according to outside hitter Amir Movassaghi.

“Though I was a little worried because we lost a lot of good players from last year, I see this season being better than 2013,” he said.

According to Movassaghi, Coach D is a “improvement” in the team’s leadership.

“Coach D an experienced winner, and he has us focusing primarily on our speed and our defense,” he said. “[Coach D] will steer us in the right direction.”

Last season, the boys lost in the second-round of CIF to South Pasadena, who went on to win the entire tournament. The volleyball team’s goal this year it to take first in league and win more than once in the playoffs.

Led by standouts Lucas Wohl, Ronan Massana, Brian Masjedian and Ibraheem Agaba, the team is in a position to reach new heights.

Previews continued on page 12

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HIGHLIGHTS SPORTS MARCH 7, 2014

Media attention rises for homosexual athletes Mabel Kabani editor-in-chief Continued from Page 1 his or her overall significance. Cuban believes the “real world” doesn’t care about your sexuality; something he believes to be “a beautiful thing.”

Though Americans such as Bloch and Cuban have a more progressive attitude towards gay athletes,

others, such as Jack Burkman, an arch-conservative lobbyist is to believe that by allowing gay athletes to play professional sports, “[America is] losing [its] decency as a nation.”

Burman has recently proposed federal legislation banning gay athletes from the NFL. “If the NFL has no morals and no values, then Congress must find val-

Statistics on homosexual athletes in the NFL ESPN conducted a survey among 51 anonymous NFL players regarding gay team members and homophobia within the sport. ESPN asked four question with possible answers of “True”, “False” or “No Answer”. Two of the questions are presented below.

Does a players’ sexual orientation matter to you?

Would an openly gay player be comfotable in an NFL lockerroom?

ues for it,” Burkman said, according to the New York Daily News.

Though Burkman’s proposal is receiving nationwide attention, much of it is has been negative, for his firm has lost clients and the support of his openly gay brother, Dr. James Burkman.

“It’s really shocking that there are people in America, a country that prides equality to such an extent, who are so opposed to allowing athletes be who they really are,” senior Mike Redston said. “Maybe since I’m constantly surrounded by people who identify themselves as socially liberal, it’s hard to imagine people being so prejudiced about serious issues such as abortion and gay rights. Being against allowing gays to play in professional sports is a whole new level of prejudice.”

Though students like Redston and Bloch heavily support the rights of homosexual athletes to participate in organized sports, a freshman, who prefers to remain anonymous, sees “eye to eye” with Burkman and his legislation.

“People can feel very uncomfortable when they are surrounded in the locker rooms and in the showers by gay people,” he said. “I am on a sport and if there was a homosexual boy on my team, that would affect me personally.”

Though there is legislation regarding the ban of homosexual athletes in the NFL in circulation, the sexual orientation of a player “does not matter” to 86 percent of NFL players of the 51 polled, according to a recent poll conducted by

ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network). However, 63 percent of those same players have heard their teammates use homophobic slurs during practice and games.

Sophomore Eli Mandel, who has been openly gay since his freshman year, is a part of the track and crosscountry teams and feels that unlike homosexual athletes in the NFL who “probably feel awkward about [their] sexuality” around members of their team, he himself is “...comfortable with [his] sexuality” around his friends on the track team since he considers most of them “very close friends.”

“I never really officially came out....People just knew because I think I set myself up pretty well. My friends and family all knew before

I said anything,” Mandel said. “I’m very comfortable with my sexuality as a person and especially as an athlete.”

Mandel describes his experience as a gay athlete to be “pretty fortunate” since he has never been bullied or victimized.

“We live in Beverly Hills in California so most of the people I’m surrounded by are very open with and okay about my being gay,” he said.

“My coach, my teammates...I’m sure many people perceive me a certain way associated with traditional gay men stereotypes, ARMAN ZADEH but nobody has ever said anything to me. It still bothers me that people think this way, of course, but I feel like there is nothing I can do about how others think.”

In regards to the national hubbub regarding gay athletes, Mandel feels that it is “absolutely ridiculous” to outlaw gays playing in the NFL. “If you’re built for the sport and you can play it really well, I don’t understand why anyone would allow sexuality to get in the way of talent,” he said. “In regards to people feeling uncomfortable in locker rooms and showers, I’ve never paid attention to that and haven’t felt uncomfortable about it. But again, I think it’s just the environment I’ve been brought up in...I have supportive friends and family.”

Softball, lacrosse lose first games in spring campaigns Previews continued from page 11

Softball Audrey James-Anenih staff As the 2014 softball season rolls around, the girls varsity team prepares to face a new season. Even with the approach of a new season, the team is staying true to its traditional practices from last year.

“We’ve been getting into positive mindsets and the flow of the game. We’ve settled into the new season by doing our same practice routines as last year,” left fielder Nicole Yuan said.

With only 12 girls on the team, it makes for a more close-knit family.

“The team is really friendly towards each other. Our team is small this year and everyone gets along,” Yuan said.

While the team received five new members this year after the loss of seniors last season, the dynamic on the field has not changed negatively at all, but in fact the team

has been able to keep a good balance of personalities.

“There’s no bad competition between us because softball is such a team sport. The new players on the team don’t even feel like new players. We all just get along and there’s nothing cliquey,” Yuan said.

This year the team is adapting after the loss of a former coach, Coach Edison Locke. Coach Leonard Mitchell will be the sole manager. Although the team has not been able to figure out whether or not this will change their team dynamic, with the bonds they’ve formed, a negative seems unlikely.

“We will miss Eddie, but I think it’s up to the players on the field when it comes to game time, not the coaches. It means that now we will have players stepping up as captains and taking responsibility,” Yuan said.

Their first league game was on March 4 against St. Monica High School, in which Beverly lost 8-2.

Boys Lacrosse Audrey Park staff writer The boys lacrosse team, having yet to make CIF, will look to their experienced upperclassmen to carry them to their first playoff bid.

“We’ve been really serious and practicing really hard,” senior Eli Eshaghian said. “We’re more serious this year because we really want to get into playoffs. We’ve never been before.”

Although practice has been a bit “bumpy,” according to junior Sammy Edwards, Edwards aims to “work hard and carry his teammates to many victories.”

“Practice has been going alright.

We have a lot of beginners and we began practicing very late. We started [practice] a week before our first game,” Edwards said.

Unlike last season’s team of experienced players, the audience this season can expect a larger number of new faces.

“We’re going to be a lot younger and hopefully experienced in the

sense that we have some returning players from last year,” coach Steve Taylor said.

Despite the fact that 12 seniors graduated, Taylor believes that the combination of returning players and new key incoming players can help the team achieve playoffs.

“Our key players are all the seniors, especially seniors Morgan Henderson and Yaniv Sadka,” Taylor said. “We also have some newcomers, such as Charles Sager, who we hope will help us out tre-

AUDREY PARK

mendously.”

Edwards, who plays on a nationally recognized team, the LA Lazers, and has already committed to Loyola-Maryland for lacrosse, hopes to average a “good number of points this season.”

“I want my stats to reflect my capabilities and potential,” he said.

“The crowd can expect to see a new leader on the field in the Number Two jersey. I will give my best on the field for every game I play.”

According to Taylor, the boys have been getting a good workout, despite the recent rainy weather, and he is confident that the boys will have a successful season.

“In order to make it to playoffs, we definitely need to finish above .500 and in order to do that we need to win at least eight games,” Taylor said. “I think we could do it.”

The boys’ lost their first game, with a score of 11-9, against Chaminade on Monday, March 3 .

Their next game is an away game against Viewpoint High School on Wednesday, March 12.