Crimson Dec. 2010

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Paso Robles, CA

Volume 70 / 12.15.10 / Issue 3

The Student Newsmagazine of Paso Robles High School

801 Niblick Rd. Paso Robles, California

‘Hearts turning ever to the Crimson and theWhite’

The first play against Junipero Serra High School brought sirens to the field as a Serra player was flattened by junior Elias Stokes during the kick off and transported to the hospital in the Dec. 3 CIF semifinal football game. Yet the JSHS Cavaliers got revenge, racking up 41 points in the first half and allowing only junior Max Blanton touchdown and a 35 yd. field goal by halfway.

Fans and sportswriters agreed the second half belonged to the Bearcats, who shut out the Cavaliers for the rest of the game and received 13 more points. The comeback wasn’t enough to beat JSHS, ranked 24th in the nation and third in the state, but PRHS did score the most points the Cavaliers allowed all season.

Senior and running back Jesse Felgenhauer pieced together a 67 yd TD. Corner back Blanton scored a 36 yd TD pass. Senior and corner back Jake Rodriquez picked up a fumble and scored a 3 yd TD. “We didn’t win the way we wanted to, but we still had a great season,” senior and tight end Jose Jimenez said.

—Torey Wise, Sports Editor Continued on Sports page 23 Photo by Emily Cone

Opinion 6 >> Cheerleader Controversy

Feature 11 >> PRHS’“Order of the Phoenix”

Fun and Games 19 >> “Movember” Results

T.O.C.

opinion

07 Parents not included

Pregnant teens avoid telling their parents and so does the health department

Volume 70, Issue 3

Crimson

December 15, 2010

center

12 Pirates plunder the movie industry

Crimson brings you the low down on downloading

food

15 Holiday drinks Staffers taste test holiday drinks from various places in town

in-depth

16 Clarifying spiritual customs Take a peek into a few of PRHS religious students’ lives

sports

22 3 things you should know about winter sports

Interesting and unknown facts about teams this season

feature

08 Vine street

History and traditions of the annual showcase

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Crimson 11.10.10

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

News

Teacher consultants evaluate PRHS

All ELD, math, English, and Strategic/Intensive teachers were placed under the magnifying glass Tues., Dec. 7 as seven Action Learning Systems (ALS) and administrative staff members visited 28 classrooms to evaluate teaching strategies using recently adopted textbooks and Direct Interactive Instruction methods.

ALS and staff members such as Principal Randall Nelson, Vice-principal Wendy Nielsen, and others conducted five to seven minute walk-through visits examining and gathering information on PRHS’s ability to employ DII tactics and to increase student activity levels. Many math and English teachers had already participated in DII training programs earlier this year and three weeks ago were also able to view demonstration lessons by ALS staff. This training along with ALS has guided teachers with the hope of having a focus on state-adopted material.

Visitors were pleased to find that 26 of the classrooms showed daily objectives, many teachers employed DII training, and 23 showed use of Holt and Glencoe material. In its first year, Read 180—a program for students scoring Below Basic or Far Below Basic in reading—received special praise from ALS consultants. Teachers showed off timers, miniature whiteboards, think-pair-sharing, and ticket-out-the-door strategies.

ALS did mention that some of the DII tactics were not being used to their full expectations.

Despite this, Nelson, who teared up slightly as he shared his thoughts with teachers, was happy with the day’s outcome.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am to work with teachers who can prove this clearly how much they care about seeking what works for students,” Nelson told teachers on Tues.

Freshman English teacher Anne Spohnhauer also found the positive side to ALS and the visits.

“I think it’s great when teachers are watched more than they have been in the past. We need input, and we need to have other people give us suggestions,” Spohnhauer said.

Teachers are not necessarily out from under the microscope yet, however. ALS returns in April 2011 and administrative spot visits are ongoing.

It is uncertain whether the changes will help or hinder students’ experience as a whole.

—Sarah Wilson, Reporter

Going out with a bang

English teacher James Costello left room 206 for the last time on Nov. 19 after 21 years of teaching at PRHS. Costello’s retirement came as an unexpected but understandable surprise to other teachers. He publicly announced his decision two days in advance. “‘So every bondman in his own hand bears the power to cancel his captivity,’” Costello said, quoting Act I of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” as he proclaimed his retirement.

English teacher Velva Hakim expressed how Costello felt he was in bondage at the school.

“He has broken that bond,” Hakim said, who was a friend of Costello’s.

Recent reforms in the school system put the idea of retirement into a better light each day for some teachers. Program Improvement changes, Action Learning Systems mandates, and demands that all English teachers teach simultaneously, have removed relationships between students and teachers, according to many teachers.

These reforms did not settle well with Costello. He felt the way he had been teaching was the most efficient way he knew. To change his ways would negatively affect the learning process, according to Hakim.

“He was an expert in his field. He was the king of trivia,” Hakim said. “He retired because he felt that he just wasn’t an effective teacher anymore with the school district looking over his shoulder.”

Costello didn’t gain anything financially from his rapid retirement and explained he did not retire for health or legal reasons; He had nothing else to say apart from that. His decision to retire shocked students and teachers alike. More teachers may follow suit due to the mounting stress, according to one anonymous teacher.

Principal Randall Nelson announced Monday, Dec. 6 former English teacher Scott Harvey will be returning to PRHS from Lewis Middle School.

“He is a very talented teacher with the experience necessary to help us meet the challenges we face,” Nelson said.

Hakim reported Costello is now happier than he has been in a while and is “the master of his fate and the captain of his soul,” quoting poet William Ernest Henley.

Teacher presents with first lady

ROBAMA: Yearbook teacher Maggie Roberts received a phone call from Washington D.C.’s Health and Human Services on Monday, July 12. They told her they read an article she had written about health care and her son’s battle with cancer. The caller asked her if she would present her article as a speech with first lady Michelle Obama in two days. Roberts agreed.

Roberts sat on a stage next to Obama in Washington D.C. and presented her piece about the necessity of preventive health care on Wednesday, July 14. The first lady turned to her and whispered in her ear, “Hey, is that your crew over there?” Roberts nodded her “yes” as she looked at her two healthy children sitting in the audience.

Photo courtesy of Maggie Roberts — Jessica Vaughn, Reporter

Manson’s sugary show Senior Sarah Manson sweetened up the holidays as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the 13th annual Nutcracker ballet at the Templeton Performing Arts Center. Manson performed the opening week starting Friday, Dec. 4 with her partner Colby Parsons. Parsons attended prestigious ballet academies.

Manson started dance at age nine and participated in “The Nutcracker” six times before. Her favorite part of dancing is simply performing.

“After one show I had about six or seven people come up and tell me that my dancing made them cry. To me that’s the biggest compliment you could ever receive. Knowing that I was able to touch someone like that is amazing,” Manson said.

The Christmas dream included juniors Alex Lambirth and Cayla Cavalletto, sophomores Brianna Long and Chelsea Farrer, and a number of other PRHS students. The dancers have been rehearsing since September.

“It’s an enormous amount of participation, but the show is amazing and worth it. The hardest part is juggling honors classes and going to rehearsals from 3:30 p.m. until at least 10 p.m.,” Farrer said, who danced as the Snow Queen, the Lead Spanish, and a flower.

Class Act Dance teacher Yvette Madrigal inspired a few of the cast members through the middle school dance programs. In the Nutcracker production, Madrigal helped with auditions, choreographing, and running rehearsals. She revealed every role is a rank; the dancers dedicate themselves to reach each point.

“The Sugar Plum goes to the best senior. It’s a huge commitment, it’s worth all the sweat, late nights, and sometimes tears—Sarah handled it unbelievably. She deserves it because she has worked all these years and has performed beautifully!” Madrigal said.

Manson continued the second week as the Dragon Queen handing her Sugar Plum role over to a Templeton senior.

Trimester

... task egaPforce txeN

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­­­­­­­­­­­—Maria Petiy, Reporter

—Amanda Hutchinson, Reporter and Daniel Hipp, Reporter

The new zoo arrives As visitors walk through the updated entryway of the Charles Paddock Zoo, a feeling of old plus new flourishes within.

Tickets are purchased at the new ticket counter, at a price of $5 for anyone 12 and up. The pond with the tiger still remains, but the new building, with a rustic barn essence with a stone border, and new entry way give away a sense of more modern ideas and understanding.

Along the gutters, there are giant white plastic containers attached to them. These containers collect rain water and send the water back to the exhibits for the animals to drink. This is just one of the efforts made to make the zoo environmentally friendly, along with automatic hand dryers, automatic sinks, and natural lighting in the new bathrooms done by Ravatt Albrecht and Associates Inc.

Changes have also been made to the animals and their habitats. The owls and the vulture have moved across from the parrots. A relative of the antelope, Rocky the red-flanked duiker, and the black-handed spider monkeys moved to new locations in the zoo. New features include alpacas named Lexie and Lacey and “Bugs Eye View,” which allows guests to look at different everyday objects from a bug’s perspective.

“The old zoo was getting to boring, nothing to exciting,” freshman Hannah Paul said. “But now with all the changes, more people want to go. Party at the zoo!”

But don’t fret, everyone’s favorite lemurs, snakes, wallabies, meerkats, emus, parrots saying ‘hello,’ and other classics of the zoo remain. Completion of construction is projected for 2015.

— Nicolette Jolicoeur, Culture Co-Editor

www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 12.15.10 |

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News

Trimester kicks butt— but not for long?

Task Force will meet to consider the effects of the trimester system Cartoon by Shelby Van Wagner

AP fee-asco

AP test fees due early

by Paul Cleland, Opinion Co-Editor This year the average AP test taking student at Paso Robles High School will spend $174 on two AP tests. Along with the rising $3 in price, AP test fees must be turned in three months earlier than previous years. Students taking five or more tests will not be given a free fee waiver for one of them any longer. Though these changes may not please every student, they are not without reason and are here to stay.

Some students aren’t sure whether they are up to the challenge of being tested on their knowledge of AP Physics or AP Calculus until a of couple months before the AP testing in May. With AP test fees due in March students always benefited given the time whether or not they want to take the AP test. Now with the fees having to be turned in months in advance, some students are now uncertain in their success. “[The earlier due date] makes it hard to decide whether or not I’m going to take a couple tests. I won’t even have been in AP Government for a month before I have to pay for my AP tests. I don’t understand why administrators couldn’t come to a compromise between December and March,” senior Nikita KinPRHS sell said, who could possibly take five AP tests this year. “And Evaluation Next Page ... it being Christmas time factors in on whether I can afford the tests.”

In previous school years, the AP test fees were due in early March, which is only weeks before the College Board’s Mar. 25 priority deadline for schools to order AP Exams. Sometimes PRHS wasn’t able to correctly verify and insure the accuracy in test ordering. With AP test fees due on Dec. 17, PRHS has plenty of time to verify ordering accuracy, according to Assistant Principal Chris Jones.

Students are also adversely affected by an insufficiency of a free test discount. This is due to a lack of available finances that the school district was able to provide in previous years that went directly to paying for a test if a student was taking five or more.

Though there are both advantages and disadvantages to the earlier test fee due date, it has been instilled for a reason. The new deadline ensure AP tests are accurately turned in on time. Thus, for now the due date deadline is staying as is.

by Lindsay Reed, Reporter A principal-organized task force meeting is set to take place to sort through faculty and student complaints about the trimester schedule after 14 months enduring its pace and requirements. Meanwhile, department heads mobilized around science teacher Mark Fairbank to determine consensus among teachers—even as most proclaimed opposition to the trimester’s intensity.

PRHS agreed in 2009 to adopt the schedule for at least three years to become accustomed to its challenges. The planned task force meeting will “determine how we move forward,” Principal Randy Nelson said.

Teachers are changing their minds PRHS faculty voted in 2009 for the trimester system by 63 percent—a 62-37 margin. Yet 93 percent of teachers now say they feel rushed, in a poll of 50 faculty members.

Social studies teacher Mark Bradford also found widespread teacher opposition in an independent survey in early December.

Results are being tabulated.

“The school district motto of ‘knowing every student by name and need’ has become a near impossibility as teachers get 140 students every 12 weeks,” Geometry teacher Don Volle said.

The majority of teachers’ concerns are their inability to truly connect with students and assure they absorb the curriculum.

“I have had to cut out important teaching strategies and practice activities that help students understand new material, simply because there isn’t enough time,” Spanish teacher Jim Fisher said.

Teachers are also torn about what to cut from the calendar so it fits in 12 weeks.

“Fitting my curriculum into the trimester schedule is like fitting a gorilla into a miniskirt… it’s a struggle to fit everything I’d like to include in a meaningful, student-centered way,” Psychology teacher Geoffrey Land said.

Nelson appeared open to receiving such feed back during upcoming task force meetings.

“I’m anxious to see and hear from people and get their insights and

thoughts on how things have gone for them and if they see us moving forward,” Nelson said.

Eighty-six percent of 50 students polled say the trimester is detrimental to their learning.

“We cover entire units in like a week. Half of my classes I don’t remember what we learned the next day,” junior Cayla Cavalletto said.

Eighty-three percent stated they felt an increase in stress because of the trimester pace. “[I feel] students were misled, and this schedule should be revised before it generates any more adverse affects,” senior Anthony Kalvans said.

Forty-nine percent of students stated they have too many electives.

“Some of my electives are classes I’m taking just to pass the time.

I would rather have fewer electives and actually use that class time for something to prepare me for my future or career choice,” junior Carson Gorman said.

In a meeting conducted by chemistry and physics teacher Mark Fairbank, department chairmen met to report their departmental perspective on the schedule. During the meeting, it was apparent that most were facing near impossible challenges while P.E. teachers and Social Studies senior courses were benefiting from the trimester system.

“There has to be some type of compromise that will assist all. We’re looking at possible schedule changes for next year,” Fairbank said.

Nelson reminded that a new schedule in 2009 was needed and a change in the trimester still must solve PRHS needs in elective counts and Program Improvement mandates.

“Had we not looked at a different schedule as we became required to put in intervention classes, it would have meant fewer students being able to take [elective] classes and those classes of being in jeopardy to even being offered,” Nelson said.

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New holiday sensation

Town gains a Christmas light and music show this season

by Kelly Munns, Reporter The lights are flashing, the music is playing, and the crowd is amazed. Welcome to the Cullen family’s holiday light and music show.

Paso Robles homeowner Judy Cullen and her family enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit by embellishing their house with over 15,000 lights which skip to the beat of melodies that can be heard in front of the show or on the 107.7 FM radio channel. “[The decorating took] probably 48 hours. That’s just installing the lights and the outside work and it was about 60 hours in programming,” Cullen said.

Programmed by a control box and computer, this light show began a week before Thanksgiving. It plays from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on

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12.15.10 Crimson

weekends.

Cullen has extravagantly decorated her house for five years. The light show started three years ago. Originally, the light and music show wasn’t their idea. “[My husband’s] mom and dad for years decorated big time down south. They won awards and trophies, but they did it because they enjoyed it,” Cullen said.

Like their parents, the Cullen bunch claims they do it for fun. They are also supporting local food banks.

“This year we will have a barrel out for food banks. People can come by and donate,” Cullen said.

Not worried about the time this project takes or the cost, Cullen stated “this is our gift to the community.”

Photo by Megan Rodrigues

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Editorial

Photo by Forest Erwin

Teachers being taught ­ Current mandates on teachers can easily restrict a multi-faceted learning experience

Students aren’t the only ones being tested at Staff PRHS. Administrators Editorial are looking for three specific criteria, a sacred trinity in their regular supervision of teachers. Their three: continuity between teachers teaching the same lessons on the same day; implementation of Direct Interactive Instruction (DII) by teachers (like posting standards on the board); and “fidelity” in English and Math classes to the Glencoe and Holt curricula.

These three aspects are imposing upon opportunities for creative thought and expression through in-class projects and exposure to the arts. The unfortunate emphasis on limiting teachers’ decisions on lesson plans, eliminates time for students to collaborate on projects that teach concepts through hands-on activites such as posterboards and presentations.

Guidelines are used to quiz students about the lesson, change teacher behaviors, and get students to demonstrate their understanding at the end of a lesson. Each teacher is notified a week ahead of time that an official evaluation is coming, but unofficial visits can occur at any time.

Yes, many of the new rules concerning teaching methods are due to program improvement, a plan implemented by the state after too many students didn’t pass their CSTs last year. This means the

techniques implemented are specifically tailored to help students who are behind.

But just how much is this trinity really contributing to students’ education?

“I think the standards make [learning] worse in a way; it only confuses me,” junior Megan Mensing said, who is one of the 48 percent of students who feel this way.

In a survey of 100 students, 48 said having objectives on the board didn’t help them learn more, while 35 said it did sometimes, and 17 students said it always helped. “I like learning through projects because it’s interactive,” Mensing said.

Therefore we have to ask ourselves if this could pose a problem by eliminating in-depth, creative, and spontaneous lessons in order to meet standards.

True, administrators will justify their campaign. “DII… is the only teaching approach which… displays positive outcomes for the three aspects assessed: basic, cognitive and affective skills,” said www.hemet.ka12.ca.us.com.

“I don’t think it’s really as restrictive as people are asserting,” Principal Randy Nelson said, “The standards-based curriculum has been in place in California for twenty years. No Child Left Behind now is requiring schools ensure they are teaching to the standards. Direct Interactive Instruction is a type of delivery system for teachers to use. It’s not the only one.”

Photo illustration by Jenna Wookey

English teacher Sean Pierce disagrees, believing the criteria to be too limited to accommodate the teaching of complex texts.

“My plan is not different; I do not put on a dogand-pony show just because an administrator is in the room. I may, however, be more explicit in my use of the DII ‘buzz words’ and techniques, since those are the main criteria by which we will be officially evaluated this year,” Pierce said.

Learning is a multi-faceted gem, and we’re lucky to be receiving it every day. But when learning is condensed too much, there is a problem. If things such as in-depth projects and artistic expression become surpressed, red flags should be waved.

There is nothing wrong with trying new approaches to learning, but when learning is being restricted in any way, red flags should be waved.

The humanities, creativity, and allowances for individual, alternative ways of learning are just as important as meeting standards, and shouldn’t come second in importance.

History Mark Bradford is right when he waxed philosophical. “‘If things cannot be accepted, then they must be changed. If things cannot be changed, then they must be accepted,” he quoted from Goethe. “‘There’s nothing more terrible than ignorance in action.’”

Lead writer Emily Cone, Opinion Editor

Monica Patel Editor-in-Chief Center Co-Editor

Ethan Baietti Managing Editor Web Manager

Alicia Canales Maddison Coons Managing Editor Front Page Editor

Managing Editor Center Co-Editor

Jeff Mount Advisor

www.crimsonnews.org 801EXT. Niblick Rd.601 Paso Robles, CA 93446 Paso Robles High School (805) 237-3315 5601 Room

Kimberly Boswell

Paul Cleland

Austin Ehrhardt

Kelly Munns

Sinead Schouten

Madison Butz

Emily Cone

Forest Erwin

Maria Petiy

Sarah Wilson

Photo Essay Editor

Reporter

Opinion Co-Editor

Opinion Co-Editor

Business Team

Reporter

Reporter

Reporter

Reporter

Reporter

Laura Callahan

Sheridan Cook

Daniel Hipp

C.J. Prusi

Kathryn Wingfield

Andrew Chang

Caitlyn Curran

Amanda Hutchinson

Lindsay Reed

Torey Wise

Dakota Cleland

Shanna Dowling

Nicolette Jolicoeur

Megan Rodrigues

Jenna Wookey

News Co-Editor

Sci-Tech Co-Editor

Sci-Tech Co-Editor

Fun and Games Editor

Business Team

World Co-Editor

www.crimsonnews.org

Reporter

Reporter

Culture Co-Editor

Food Editor

Reporter

News Co-Editor

Feature Editor

Sports Editor

Culture Co-Editor

Crimson is an independently funded, monthly Special thanks to the contributions of publication of the journalism class at Paso Robles High Reilly Newman, School. We publish monthly newsmagazines free to Shelby Van Wagner, and Lauren Rodrigues students and teachers. Subscriptions are available for US mail delivery for $15. Editorials reflect the majority t opinion of the staff and do not necessarily reflect the views of Paso Robles High School, its faculty, administration, or students. Crimson is an open forum for the exchange of ideas. We welcome feedback in form of letters or e-mails. Letters must be signed but names can be withheld upon request. All stories, graphics, typesetting, and layouts are completed by Paso Robles High School students. The staff actively pursues advertisement accounts but reserves the right to refuse those deemed overly controversial or aimed at illegal behavior. Crimson is designed using Adobe In-Design and Photoshop and prints with Atascadero News Co. PRHS • 801 Niblick Rd., Paso Robles, CA 93446 • prhsjournalism@pasoschools.org www.crimsonnews.org (805) 237-3315 ext. 5601

Speak out, save yourself Guest Writer

by KT Brooks, 12

Sexually abused children are as common as non-sexually abused children nowadays.

The sad part is how many of us there are around that haven’t told anyone. Children are sexually abused on a daily basis around the world, and in some countries it’s legal, but not in America.

Thirty nine percent of all U.S. prison inmates are in there for sexually abusing children and many more are yet to be caught.

Speak out and tell someone if you’re being abused. I did, and I will never regret it.

Millions of children are afraid to tell someone Cheerleadabout their experiences with sexual abuse. Whether it ers fight is because they don’t think anyone will believe them or ... egaP txeN they are afraid of the consequence, they don’t tell and bullying the abuse continues. In a magazine article, a young girl, Erin Merryn, tells us of being sexually abused by her older cousin. She was scared and ashamed to tell.

“I was too scared to tell anyone. They wouldn’t believe me. I’d get in trouble,” Erin Merryn said in an interview.

But then she found out that because she hadn’t told yet, her younger sister was now a victim as well. Erin confessed “it never occurred to me that Brian was doing this to anyone else, but then my sister Allie blurted, ‘Brian’s gross!’ Right then I knew: He’d done it to her too. If I’d spoken up, I could’ve protected my little sister.”

When Erin found out, she took her sister and told her parents of the horrible things her cousin had done. Her parents were devastated, but they believed her. And now years later Erin is helping many teens find hope and tell of their abuse too. In the end, her cousin (the abuser) even apologized and wished he could take it all back.

Don’t be afraid to tell. You haven’t done anything wrong, they have.

It is up to adults and peers to help those who can’t help themselves. Sitting by and letting it happen is just as bad as doing it yourself. If you know of a child being abused and you don’t take any action to stop it, you are just as bad as the actual person who is doing it because you are then permitting it. In a magazine article, I read of just how illegal not telling about someone else’s abuse is. In this article a young woman permits her boyfriend to sexually abuse a young child and is sentenced to three years of probation and 100 days in jail. By not telling, she was giving him permission. If you know of someone being sexually abused it is your job to tell someone. If you are being abused and if you have told someone and they didn’t believe you, they are in the wrong, tell another person.

In conclusion, don’t be afraid to tell someone. If they can’t help you, help yourself. I, myself, told my mother of my own sexual abuse, and she didn’t believe me and didn’t do anything.

So I took action and told the police myself. Now my abuser is in prison, as well as my neglectful mother. My life is difficult at times sure, but now I am free to be happy and grow. If you are being sexually abused, tell someone; and if you know of someone being sexually abused, do something about it. Stop being one of the millions, and start being you.

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Crimson 12.15.10 |

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Opinion

Button

Taking today’s hot and controversial issues, “Hot Button” rates the current flammability of odd discoveries, political incorrectness, and just plain slip-ups.

WHITE HOT The Kenya Episcopal Conference, comprised of 25 bishops and Cardinal John Njue, attempted to nullify the Pope’s new stance on condom use, saying, ”The Catholic Church as regards the use of condoms… as a means of addressing the grave issue of HIV/Aids infection has not changed and remains always unacceptable.”

—Daily Nation New Mexico Narcotics Task Force raids farm school for marijuana and finds nothing but fresh produce.

—Santa Fe New Mexican

PROUD AND CHEERFUL: PRHS varsity cheerleaders show their respect and pride for varsity football team.

Cheerleading team cheers at home games and travel to away games to support the varsity football team. Photo by Lauren Rodrigues

Teachers beingPage ...

Next tested

‘I’ve faced countless obstacles’

Self proclaimed “patriot hacker” the Joker launches Denial-of-

PRHS cheerleaders bullied and disrespected

by Megan Rodrigues, News Co-Editor

>>

Having cheered for over seven years, I’ve faced countless obstacles. I’ve found the strength to hold a 110 lb. girl over my head when a few minutes before I was lying on the floor from that same girl falling on top of me. Yet now a mental obstacle has appeared to me this year as First a cheerleader at PRHS: the blatant disrePerson spect towards our cheer squads.

For homecoming this year, Leadership decided that the cheer squads, dance classes, and other PRHS students would dance at half-time.

Over 50 cheerleaders, dancers, and students came onto the field at War Memorial Stadium to perform our dance on Oct. 1. The next Monday four cheerleaders heard a rumor about a petition going around campus that proposed cutting the cheer and dance programs, because the dances are too “slutty.”

“I just don’t understand why we always have to be the targets of stupid things like that,” senior and varsity cheer and dance captain Sarah Manson said.

Later on, a student created a quiz on Facebook named, “WHICH PRHS CHEERLEADER ARE YOU????” After one of my teammates texted me the following day, I decided to take the quiz. I found offending personal questions like “what size bra do you wear?” Out of the three results, two were my best friends.

Junior Evann Mickalson was featured as one of the results as well. “I think [it was] created to make people feel better about

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Service attack on WikiLeaks.com following release of confidential State Department documents.

—LA Times

12.15.10 Crimson

themselves... Bullying can be damaging to a person’s self esteem,” she said.

Before the Atascadero vs. Paso football game on Nov. 12, all 25 varsity cheer squad girls arrived early to put up balloons, posters and streamers on our side to show Bearcat pride. Later, we noticed people tearing the balloons off the fence. As I walked up to my dad a former school board member came up to me and started to yell at me that the red balloons we put up were orange. They were exactly crimson, but they were definitely red. I was yelled at by a well-known adult because of the color of a balloon. Rather than decorating the stands, we could’ve warmed up for our half-time performance. Instead, we were disrespected.

Unlike all the movies, TV shows, and books that portray cheerleaders as air headed and scandalous, PRHS cheerleaders are respectable women. We know that as cheerleaders we represent PRHS and the city of Paso Robles.

“PRHS is our home... Seeing our peers react to us in such a negative way is demeaning to our pride and honestly quite embarrassing. We have nothing but respect for our football players and fellow classmates and deserve nothing less in return,” senior and varsity cheerleader Kyleigh DePetro said.

Many students say they don’t believe the typical cheerleader stereotypes. However, its obvious to me and other cheerleaders, because of the bullying we face. I don’t understand the discourtesy towards us when we’re so respectful to them. Yes, people are entitled to their own opinions, but sometimes it reaches a point where enough is enough.

Paso Robles High School

Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes alleges NPR run by “Nazis.”

—Huffington Post WikiLeaks announced plans to release tens of thousands of “incriminating” internal documents from an unidentified major US bank early next year.

—Forbes ‘Refudiate,’ a nonsensical word accidentally coined by Sarah Palin, was added to the New Oxford American Dictionary.

—NY Times Senator Jay Rockefeller calls for an end to biased right-left paradigm broadcasting, chastising both MSNBC and Fox News.

—NY Times

BLACK COLD Photos used with permission of AP Images.

—Austin Ehrhardt, Business Team

www.crimsonnews.org

Opinion

Parents not included Teenage girls need to notify parents of pregnancy related choices

by Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor

Teen Pregnancy Facts One in four teen girls has a STD. —health.usnews.com Eight hundred and twenty thousand teens get pregnant each year.

—massteenpregnancy.org More than 10 percent of all U.S. births in 2006 were by mothers under age 20. ­—marchofdimes.com About 40 teenage girls get pregnant for every 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19.

—webmd.com Only about 50 percent of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by age 22, versus nearly 90 percent of women who had not given birth during adolescence.

—cdc.gov

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Imagine skipping class to await the results of a pregnancy test, or to endure the invasive procedure that terminates the life growing inside of you all alone beyond the knowledge of your parents. For many of the 820,000 teenage girls who get pregnant each year, this is the lonely burden they choose to carry.

Because opinions of confidentiality in adolescent pregnancy are widely debated, laws regarding it are splintered amongst the states. A teenage girl does not need consent from a legal guardian or even a notification for pregnancy related appointments and procedures, which grants her permission to leave school without her parents being alerted, according to CA law.

“Usually what we ask girls to do is go first thing in the morning. They can bring back the doctor’s note for an excused absence that way there’s no phone call home,” counselor Sandra Buck-Moyer said.

That’s precisely what one PRHS sophomore did this past May. After missing her menstrual period and suspecting she may be pregnant, Allison* skipped her third period class in order to discretely take a pregnancy test at the Paso Robles Public Health Department, one of the resource centers available for Paso Robles teens. She didn’t want her parents catching wind of her actions. She stated she went in “pretending like [I] had just had sex the night before.”

“The lady at the resource center basically told me to sneak around so I wouldn’t get caught and my parents wouldn’t know that I went there. She gave me an excused [absence slip] and said she could go in and change my attendance,” Allison said.

Allison received a pregnancy test from the Health Department and was relieved at the negative result. Still she admits she “went the wrong way” about dealing with the situation.

“I did it the wrong way; I should have turned to my mom.

She would have been mad, but it would have been better to tell my parents what was going on instead of trying to hide it from them,” Allison said.

In discrepancy with Allison’s experience, staff members of the Public Health Department adamantly denied involvement with encouraging adolescent girls to sneak around in order to cover their tracks.

“We don’t do anything with that, but we have HIPPA laws and confidentiality laws which mandate us to keep everything done here confidential. We encourage teens if at all possible to talk to their parents or trusted adult about their sexual behavior, but we in no way force them to or talk with their parents ourselves,” Supervising Public Health Nurse Lynn McCrudden said.

It is difficult to envision that 15 and 16 year old girls have acquired the maturity and life experience vital to care for a child when they are still children themselves. One of the Health Department’s main goals is to “educate teens about sexuality and make sure they are making healthy

Paso Robles High School

lifestyle choices.”

“When they come in, we discuss with teenagers the confidentiality laws we adhere to, and we hope to dispel any fear they may have regarding their safety. If they are eligible, we can put teens on the Planning Access Care Treatment [PACT] program, and it will pay for appointments for them,” McCrudden said.

An article developed by the California Family Health Council stated that, when surveyed, “80 percent [of teens] said their decisions about sex and relationships are influenced by ‘what their parents have told them’ and ‘what their parents might think,’” which suggests teens who have a close relationship with their mother and father are less likely to engage in risky behaviors that may lead to unplanned pregnancies; In turn, they are less likely to have the initiative to hide a pregnancy from them.

One million eight hundred and twenty thousand parents’ teens become pregnant each year, which is a concerning statistic in itself, let alone the fact a significant number of these parents are unaware of their child’s actions. In a state where minors cannot participate in field trips, drive a motor vehicle, or get a flu shot without the permission of a legal guardian, young girls can get pregnant, see doctors for consultations, and even request an abortion without so much as a phone call home. With strong adolescent confidentiality laws in full effect, California and 14 other states are conveying the message that this is not a startling issue, but a natural right of privacy that should be granted to girls who are not of age to be making such weighted decisions.

Teenage girls are in need of guidance to ensure they are headed in a direction towards a successful and healthy future. By choosing to keep more open communication with their parents about their actions, it would allow them to immerse themselves in safer activities and prevent early pregnancies from occurring. Giving birth is a sacred moment that is meant to be shared between two individuals who are in love, not to be clouded with shame and covered in lies by the great lengths gone to keep it hidden.

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*Name has been changed Photo illustration by Paul Cleland

Crimson 12.15.10 |

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Feature

‘O Holy Night!’

Vine Street Victorian Showcase offers a winter wonderland to locals and visitors alike

by Madison Butz, Reporter, Laura Callahan, News Co-Editor, and Ethan Baietti, Managing Editor A white Christmas? In Paso Robles? Please. In a city without friends and family stands a funny and touching history of both the snow, frost, sleet, or hail, where the weather is balmy and green until winter festival and the incredible houses that make it such a distinct mid-November, and where giant pine trees and costumed carolers piece of Paso Robles. This is the 24th year running for Vine Street are anything but commonplace, there’s only one place where local and the showcase, which is what most people are familiar with when Christmas junkies can go to get their winter fix: Vine Street. they use the phrase Vine Street and the parade.

Deep in the heart of Paso Robles’ downtown residential area, “In the parade, the community sits and watches as the floats and Vine Street is a prime example of mid-1800s architecture, but the bands go by,” Pucci said. “And at the showcase, the community nonetheless, it only worms its way into the soul of Paso Robles in walks the street to see the events of the evening.” relation to the holiday season. In December, “Vine Street” means a But everything at Vine Street is still cost-free, an annual demand lot more than just a lane lined with residents, dentists, and lawyers. of Moye’s and an original tenet of the showcase.

It refers to a festival of light. For one night, the street is blocked to car “We have no budget. We get lots of stuff donated from local traffic from 8th Street to 21st Street. All of the homes, offices, and businesses, but other than that we just put out jars and cross our schools are decorated and lit with everything from inflated Santa fingers,” Moye said. “The only thing that organizers of Vine Street dolls to trees strung with glittering ornaments within this 13 block pay for is Ebenezer Scrooge’s sound system. And that’s worth the area. Many homes have interactive activities such as mountains cost.” of snow, a grumpy Scrooge, carolers, actors in 1800s costumes, Vine Street is a virtual Victorian wonderland of whimsical Parents a jolly Santa Claus, and much more. “Please join us for some cupolas and crisp balconies—the vintage aura of the houses makes not Page ... Holiday Cheer! It’s magical and entirely free,” the Paso Robles the road unique, but it’s also a dead giveaway to the joy and oldNext included events website stated. The town turns itself upside down to soak fashioned wholesomeness behind the now-traditional event. The in the joy of the annual event.

Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce describes it as a “Christmas History present from the Vine Street neighbors, friends, businesses, the Norma Moye, a Vine Street resident since 1986 and Paso Robles Area Historical Society, the City of Paso Robles, and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, was inspired to create the the Downtown Paso Robles Main Street Association.” There’s event when she took a look at her uniquely Victorian house. no requirement or promise the residents of Vine Street continue “I just thought, ‘Wow. Wouldn’t it be neat to have an old- decorating over the years. fashioned Christmas on this street?’” Moye said. “Everything after “Neighbors participate because they enjoy the event and want to that came out of my own head. Crazy, I know, but I’m creative.” give something back to their community,” Pucci said.

Originally, the showcase wasn’t official; it was a neighborly affair “It’s a wonderful feeling to look up and see all the houses lit up,” between Moye and other residents, including Grace Pucci, volunteer Moye said. “It’s rained a few years, it’s been cold and windy, but bookkeeper for the Paso Robles Downtown Board of Directors, and people keep coming. And our reward was a year with snow. It was Rusty Smith, the man who now annually plays Ebenezer Scrooge. a miracle. I was with a woman from Europe who was certain she At the inaugural event, the area covered was only seven blocks from wouldn’t see snow. But when it started, she walked up to me crying 11th and Vine to 18th and Vine, short enough for a cart to carry and said, ‘Norma, this is a true Christmas. A true Christmas.’” happy boxes of locals up and down in a hayride.

“In the first year there were maybe 500 to 1,000 visitors.

Now the crowds top 20,000,” Pucci said.

The showcase has now expanded to 13 blocks, and the street is so busy that hayrides can no longer bluster their way through the throngs of attendants.

The Event “Our beautiful Vine Street comes alive at Christmas with all the charm of Christmases past,” the distributed flyers sent to Vine Street Residents read, reminding them to decorate starting in October and continuing through Dec. 11, the date of the showcase. The stately Victorian houses and sweeping gingerbread trim recall the frosty days of winter and the scent of fresh-baked cookies and cider, even during the dog days of a California summer.

“Last year was my first time going to Vine Street,” senior Francis Carpenter said. “I loved the festiveness of it all and the family atmosphere. I even went in the rain, and I still had LADY IN RED: Norma Moye poses for a photo outside her Main Street office. Moye is the founder and creator of the Vine Street Victorian Showcase. Photos by Lindsay Reed and a great time!”

Behind the memories made at this community event with Emily Cone

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12.15.10 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Feature

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The reluctant man in the red cap Photo by Austin Ehrhardt

Scrooge becomes a local legend

by Austin Ehrhardt, Business Team Notably lacking a cap and red nightgown, Rusty Smith sat at his desk sketching the portrait of a weatherworn cowboy. His Southwestern style art lays scattered about the room.

“When they tell me my pictures are good, I think to myself, ‘God, stop pitying me!’” Smith said sardonically. “And when they tell me my pictures are bad, I think, ‘Well what do you want from me?’ I’m beginning to think I might just have to cut an ear off.”

The graying artist and 24-year Vine Street veteran is perhaps better known for his role as Ebenezer Scrooge, a reluctant act that has brought him occasional joy and local celebrity.

Smith was approached by Paso Robles Main Street Director Norma Moye in 1985 and invited to participate in the first annual Vine Street Victorian Showcase. “At the time I was busy and I didn’t want to make food,” he said. “I thought instead I’d decorate the balcony to look like Ebenezer Scrooge’s bedroom.”

Smith donned the red nightcap and matching gown, not sure what to expect.

“When I got up on the balcony and began setting up the bed, people started shouting at me. I got real ornery and starting shouting back. I guess that’s how the whole thing got under way.” www.crimsonnews.org

[Childrens’] parents will tell me, ‘You are Christmas.’ That sort of makes it all worth it.

—Rusty Smith, Scrooge actor

The playful bandy of insults that followed quickly became a local tradition, and 300 attendees in subsequent years turned to 20,000.

Smith explained jestingly he still doesn’t quite understand the draw.

“They love it when I tell women they’re ugly,” Smith said. “I can look at the ugliest woman in the crowd and tell her she looks like hell, and they all just cheer.”

In response to the growing number of spectators, the Main Street Association provided Smith with a microphone and sound system.

The microphone has taken some of the strain off his voice for the threehour performance, and in addition has allowed for some of the more “subtle” sounds to be amplified.

Smith recalled a particular instance when he forgot to turn his microphone switch off while going to the bathroom.

Paso Robles High School

“I didn’t realize but the whole crowd could hear me peeing over this huge speaker system,” Smith said. “And then my wife called, ‘Rusty, everyone can hear you!’ which you could also hear — that didn’t help anything.”

And so began Scrooge’s era of bathroom humor, something he added to his arsenal of rude antics. The crowd, however, has proven to sometimes be harsh in return. Smith has been the target of eggs and flying canned goods, prompting the need for security guards.

Despite Smith’s claim the experience is nothing but “cold and miserable,” Moye, who has repeatedly been delighted with his routine, said otherwise. “He loves it, Rusty does. He’s such a good Scrooge,” Moye said, explaining that she has made him promise to resume the annual role of Dickens’ memorable miser until she dies. “Every year, I make him come back and play Scrooge. Once for a while he even moved to Washington. I still called him and made him come back for Christmas.”

Like Ebenezer of “A Christmas Carol,” this Scrooge has a soft spot. Smith said he enjoys getting big hugs from the children after his performance. “Their parents will tell me, ‘You are Christmas.’ That sort of makes it all worth it.”

Crimson 12.15.10 |

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Feature

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Scrooge

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Underclassmen enjoy the simplicity of a cold winter night

by Sheridan Cook, Fun and Games Editor

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12.15.10 Crimson

to get him to join her sister’s softball float, Brewer would have none of that.

“What? No way,” said the sophomore, who grew quiet until he noticed a group of his friends a little ways ahead. At that point, Raithel was left to follow behind while Brewer greeted his friends.

This was only the first encounter of the night, as the couple met with group after group of Raithel or Brewer’s friends­­, all of whom stole secret—or not so secret—glances at the mystery date. One of Raithel’s friends even went so far as to mouth “ooh, he’s cute” when she thought Brewer wasn’t looking.

After forty minutes of walking, the daters were ready to settle down with their hot chocolates from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory—Holiday Truffle for Brewer and The Jolt for Raithel—and begin to construct their gingerbread house which journalism had purchased for the special occasion.

Sitting down on a planter under a Christmas light-decorated oak tree in the park, Brewer immediately took control. He cut open the house and snagged one of the icing packets for himself and didn’t even look up as he carelessly tossed the scissors toward Raithel, who was having issues opening up the other packet of the sugar paste.

“It won’t open,” she cried out in mock alarm.

But when she finally got the scissors and cut it open, Brewer criticized her technique.

“That’s not how you do it,” said the sophomore chidingly as Raithel looked helplessly at her topless packet.

The daters each took a panel of the housing. Brewer blobbed icing on the roof while Raithel tried to daintily draw on decoration.

However, it quickly became apparent that Brewer’s method was more practical and the young freshman began smearing the frosting with her fingers until the entire side was covered. As they continued to throw candy at the slowly drying cream, Brewer took back his prior comment that Raithel’s side was ugly.

“Not gonna lie, it actually kinda looks good now,” said Brewer as he put the finishing touches on an M&M smiley face he had placed over his date’s panel as Raithel looked on quietly.

As the date drew to a close, the couple shared laughs over Brewer’s last-ditch attempt to convert the house in to a gingerbread rocket, which lasted all of two seconds before one of the wings fell off. The completion of the candy house signaled the end of the date, at which time Raithel headed toward her ride, Brewer following behind.

Paso Robles High School

Photo by Serina Lewis

Excitement and Christmas music filled the air and a chilly wind rustled the leaves of the oak trees in the downtown park as sophomore Kade Brewer and freshman Maddy Raithel walked up the stairs of the gazebo. After awkward hellos, when they both confessed to knowing the name of their date counterpart before-hand, the couple began their rendezvous down 10th Street, following the floats of the annual Christmas parade as they circled the downtown area.

As they walked toward Spring Street, Brewer set the tempo for the night, opening the conversation with a joke.

“You’re not that ugly,” said Brewer, a selfprofessed “funny boy,” with a short laugh, seemingly not quite sure how else to start the conversation.

However, Raithel took the remark lightheartedly, retorting, “Aw, thanks, you’re not too bad yourself.” Less than five minutes after the date started, the teens shared their first hug of the night, though they immediately separated and allowed nearly a foot of distance between them.

Walking past Poor Richard’s Printing press, Brewer teased Raithel by threatening to run out and jump on a passing float of elementary school children; but when Raithel tried

RATE THE DATE

What did you think when you found out who your date was?

Kade: Well, I was hoping it would be her.

Maddy: Oh, so it’s him, just like his friends said.

What would you rate the date on a scale of one to 10 and why?

Kade: 7. It felt like there were so many people intruding that we didn’t really have too much time to ourselves.

Maddy: 7. It was freezing cold and it was kind awkward because we are friends.

What was the best part of the date?

Kade: Just getting to know her better Maddy: The ginger bread!

Would you go on a second date?

Kade, who answered without hesitation: Yeah, I would.

Maddy: I don’t think so; he’s just kinda like a friend.

www.crimsonnews.org

Feature

‘Our nerdiness brings us together’ Student-created “Order of the Phoenix” unites unlikely members with common interest

by Kathryn Wingfield, Feature Editor “We don’t need a float for the Christmas parade. We’ll just fly!”

This sort of logic is nothing less than typical for the Order of the Phoenix. During Tuesday lunches, room 605 transforms from advisor Theresa Clark’s floral headquarters to what Headmistress senior Taylor Ciampi calls “the Room of Requirement,” the Order’s home base. In this welcoming, mystical room, members work their very real magic in an effort to bring students togethBy Shanna Dowling, Reporter er, whether it’s across the county or just across campus.

“Our goal is to promote acceptance because we’re pretty nerdy,” Ciampi said. “But yet we all get together with a common passion, people you would never expect to see together. Ever since the Order started, we’ve definitely become friends with people we never expected to.”

The Order was founded in October when Ciampi took notice of similar Harry Potter clubs around the county.

“I saw that Mission had a club, and I was jealous, so I started talking to Ashlee and some of my other friends to get it started.” With a flick www.crimsonnews.org

THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT: The Order of the Phoenix members strike their best wizard poses. The Order meets on Tuesdays in room 605 and thrives on Harry Potter marathons and butterbeer cupcakes. Photo by Kathryn Wingfield

of the wand, a Facebook page was created, and the club has gained fame and steadily expanded ever since.

What began with a simple idea has now grown into an enthusiastic club whose members are each given Potter nicknames and their own important role, from Harry himself to Headmistress.

“The ‘leader?’ She’s the headmistress!” senior Keegan Mullin said of club creator Ciampi. “And Ashlee [Juarez, junior] is the Head of Hufflepuff, and I’m the Minister for Magical Affairs, spreading love and knowledge of the wizarding world, teaching people how to use magic for the benefit of society.”

Mullin was host of the 15-hour Harry Potter movie marathon that took place in his garage from 10 a.m. on Nov. 11 to 2 a.m. the next day. The festivities included homemade butterbeer cupcakes, random trivia, and real-life wizarding duels.

The Order (not “Harry Potter Club”) is also working on a countywide Quidditch tournament, a popular activity for muggle fans. Juarez described “Muggle Quidditch” as a mix between soccer and basketball,

complete with a cross-country runner dressed in gold running around the field as the “snitch.”

“Originally we had the idea to break up into groups and compete between houses, but now it’s evolved to a competition between schools,” Ciampi said, who is currently communicating with other SLO County schools to organize the event. This tournament will add PRHS to the ranks of over 300 colleges across the world, including Harvard and Yale, which boast Quidditch teams of their own. Selforganized quidditch practices are already in action.

SLO County Potter Fans will also come together for the Yule Ball in December, hosted by PRHS’s Order.

Current members such as Juarez have come to take solace within the walls of the Room of Requirememnt and the welcoming community that was created for and by PRHS’s most extreme Potter enthusiasts.

“It’s somewhere you can just go and have fun because everyone feels so passionately about it,” Juarez said.

“Our nerdiness brings us together.”

Death eaters, deathly hallows, and deaths, oh my!

Low down

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A Crimson review of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”

by Dakota Cleland, Sci-Tech Co-Editor One of the biggest films of 2010, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1,” is finally on the horizon.

People have been coming in droves to see the penultimate chapter of the Harry Potter series. However, the big question is this: does it live up to the hype? “Deathly Hallows” doesn’t require exact memorization of the last six movies or books, but it certainly helps enhance the viewing experience. However, if you haven’t seen the other six movies at all, you would definitely be a deer in the headlights. The movie is more of an emotional experience, requiring the viewer to take the experience viscerally.

The movie specifically focuses on Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione’s (Emma Watson) mission to do two things: flee from the Death Eaters and to destroy the Horcruxes, the key to Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) immortality. Without their destruction, Voldemort would kill Harry and, ultimately, use his magic to take over the world. Throw in a love triangle, and plenty of laughter to lighten up the grim mood, and out comes a well rounded film.

The film starts with a meeting of the Death Eaters, as they conspire to kill the boy wizard. Soon after, the members of the Order of the Phoenix meet up and formulate a plan to help protect Harry. While the film has the whole cast involved in the beginning, it soon tapers off to just Harry and his companions in search for the Horcruxes.

Even though this film was two hours and 20 minutes, I never felt as if I watching something that long; it held my attention all the way through. But, I wouldn’t say this is the best movie of 2010, especially compared to such stellar movies as “Toy Story 3” and “Inception.” It feels like a story I’ve seen all too many times before: Harry Potter equals public enemy number one, Voldemort is the true root of all evil, and Harry Potter must not die. It seems almost rehashed, but with a thing or two changed. So while this is indeed a fundamentally sound film, it’s a little bit more of the same thing. On a star system, I would give this three and three-quarter stars out of five.

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 12.15.10 |

11

The low down on

Legal

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In recent years, pirating has become the norm for many online users. But what exactly are the motives and repercussions behind this phenomenon?

Many websites today send mixed messages on the legality of their content to users. Through research, surveys, and an one-on-one interview with a hacker, Crimson has gotten a few steps closer to decoding the obscurity of piracy.

PRHS Student Downloads Have you ever pirated? Do you know it is illegal? What site/program do/did you use?

Yes 155 No 45

Yes 198 No 2

What do/did you pirate? (all that apply)

Music 149 Movies 67 Programs 36 Books 10

Have you ever gotten in trouble with the law?

Yes 3 No 152 No Response 45

In the digital world of mixed media downloads and internet users scrounging to save on cash, it is in fact possible to get your goods the legal way. But how do you know if you are inside the boundaries of the law?

“Sites licensed by the artist themselves do not break any copyright laws,” according to ezinearticle.com, not to mention they allow for reasonably priced products that will not crash your computer with floods of pop-up ads and caustic viruses.

Legal websites can generally be identified by statements nestled in their “Terms of Service.” These statements inform you whether or not they are within the restrictions of the law.

If you are still unsure if your internet activity would fall beneath the legal category, there’s always the danger-free method of old fashioned store-bought products.

Grooveshark - Music

Video Palace - Movies

Usable at PRHS and free, and with unlimited access to its 7 million song catalog at any time desired grooveshark.com is one of the most popular music sites available. For $3 per month, get a VIP account with no advertisements, a desktop application, early access to new features, and a sneak peak of the mobile apps.

Located at 124 Niblick Rd Video Palace, now the only video rental store in Paso Robles, opened on Sept.

21 replacing Hollywood Video. Every genre of movie is included in the store’s 3000+ collection of movies, except pornographic of course. Its costs $3.50 to rent a movie for two nights. There are nearly 30 copies of each new movie. One or two copies of older movies are available and cost $3.00 to rent for two nights.

Tivo - Television

Spare Time - Books

What can record 45 hours of television, allows you to access Netflix, Youtube, Blockbuster On Demand, Pandora and more? Tivo can. Introduced in 1999, Tivo also includes a “Season Pass,” which records every new episode of the desired series, and “WishList” searches that will find and record shows that match your interests by title, actor, director, category, or keyword. For $99.99 set-up and a $19.99 per month for Tivo Premiere, Tivo Inc.’s latest and best product can be yours.

Spare Times located at 945 12th St # D is the place to go in Paso Robles if you’re looking for affordable used books. Containing approximately 30,000 used books, the genres available range anywhere from mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, to roman, western, and true crime. The book prices are half the prices of their original prices, $4 to $5 for paperback and $3 to $4 for hardback usually. Those who want to donate will earn 80 percent credit on any one book when donating two used books in reasonable condition.

Most used Limewire Utorrent Piratebay

How often do you pirate?

One or more times a day 1 One or more times a week 40 One or more times a month 36 A few times a year 15 Hardly ever 31 No response 77 —Ethan Baietti, Managing Editor

*200 students surveyed

P i r a c y, d o w n l o a d i n g , a n d y o u

Photo illustration by Monica Patel

Pirates plundered the movie industry

by Alicia Canales, Managing Editor

Why didn’t the pirates go see the movie? Because it was rated R—or maybe because they already had an illegal copy. Piracy has robbed the U.S. economy, and the government is ready to fight for the booty. The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of Homeland Security Investigations started an anti-piracy action “Operation in Our Sites” along with the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and nine U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.

The piracy crackdown began in June with the ICE shutting down nine websites that hosted pirated music and movies. “Operation in Our Sites v. 2.0” resulted in the ICE seizing 82 websites containing counterfeited goods (clothing, sunglasses, etc.) and copyrighted DVDs, music, and software on Nov. 29, according to the ICE website.

“We commend the action of ICE and the IPR Center in striking a significant blow against those who seek to profit from the copyrighted, intellectual property of others…The stealing of digital content is not a victimless crime; it’s also the theft of tens of thousands of American jobs,” Matthew D. Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, said, according to ice.gov.

Senior Harley Holt stated he doesn’t see piracy as a big issue.

“Movies are making so much money, who cares if a couple people get to see it early. I think it makes sense [the government is shutting down sites] because it’s illegal so I respect that. But I don’t think it’s the top priority; I think [the government] should be worried about other stuff,” Holt said, who use to

work at the Paso Park Cinemas.

The 82 seized websites have a government warning stating “willful copyright infringement is a federal crime” in which first time offenders will have “up to five years in federal prison, a $250,00 fine, forfeiture, and restitution.”

Those first time offenders “intentionally and knowingly trafficking in counterfeit goods” will face “up to ten years in federal prison, a $2,000,000 fine, forfeiture, and restitution.”

Ironically, piracy has helped at least one independent movie get recognized.

“Ink” was posted on pirated sites and became “the number one most downloaded movie on several sites having been downloaded somewhere between 150,000 to 200,000 times,” according to a letter the producer-writer-director Jamin Winans and fellow producer Kiowa Winans wrote in 2009. “Ink” also became one of the 20 most popular movies in the world in 2009, according to pronetworks.com.

“We’ve embraced the piracy and are just happy Ink is getting unprecedented exposure,” Winans wrote, according to prontworks.com.

However that type of exposure isn’t helping the economy. Film and TV production contributes nearly $80 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (mpaa) website. Motion picture piracy steals away more than $20 billion annually, according to a statement from Barry Meyer, chief executive officer of Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Brothers unit, in an article from businessweek.com.

> continued on page 21

> stories on page 21

Convicted downloader? >Two PRHS alumni caught illegally downloading The ‘Wire has been unplugged > Long time file-sharing service has died 12 | 12.15.10 Crimson

Q&A

Ever wonder what it’s like inside the head of a hacker? They have reasons behind their illegal activities— whether it be for entertainment use or financial reasons. A hacker from PRHS elaborates on his niche for pirating programs. He downloads it, gets away with it, and enjoys it.

Paso Robles High School

—Monica Patel, Ediitor-in-Chief

with a hacker

C Tell us about the first time you pirated something?

It was when I first got my own computer at age eight. Ever since I can remember, my dad had been downloading music illegally, so it came naturally to me. I knew in the back of my mind that it was illegal, but it really didn't register at the time, I figured if my dad was doing it, it was no problem for me! The first thing I downloaded was actually the Mission Impossible theme song, it took 20 minutes, but it was totally worth it.

C Why do you pirate TV shows/movies?

Despite Hulu and Netflix on Demand, there’s no way to get TV shows as fast as you can illegally. I can have a show downloaded in high definition, with all of the commercials cut, at right about the same time that it airs on the east coast, and watch it on my laptop. It makes more sense than watching it on TV and waiting through all of the commercials.

you ever been C Is it tricky to pirate? C Have caught?

I’ve always been interested in computers, so I picked it up quickly. It’s fairly easy, but it does require more knowledge than the average person.

To do it well, and fast, you need to have access to the right sites that are usually invite-only.

I have never been caught, and because the sites I use are private and invite-only, there’s an extremely small chance of it. If I did, I would continue, just being slightly more careful about what I’m doing to make sure it won’t happen again.

the best thing you C What’s have ever pirated?

Despite Hulu and Netflix on Demand, there’s no way to get TV shows as fast as you can illegally. I can have a show downloaded in high definition, with all of the commercials cut, at right about the same time that it airs on the east coast, and watch it on my laptop. It makes more sense than watching it on TV and waiting through all of the commercials.

kinds of differences are C What there between pirated and original editions of programs?

There’s no difference between a pirated and legal program. The pirated program is the same thing, only with a fake serial code or a few files changed to trick the program into thinking it was bought.

Quality wise, I can download a movie in Blu-Ray quality, as well as TV shows in the quality they were aired in

Illegal For some, it is tough to differentiate between what is legal and illegal when it comes to online activity, but it all stems from the copyright laws. A copyright law is the exclusive rights belonging to the creator of a work to distribute, copy, and adapt their product. Essentially, if you are downloading material online without compensating the owner with payment, you are escorting yourself into illegal territory which can result in five years in prison and a hefty fine reaching up to $250,000, according to the RIAA. Malicious pop-ups and destructive viruses serve as a good indication of risky web behavior.

Limewire - Music

Pirate Bay - Movies

On Oct. 26, Limewire ceased from distributing its files under a court order. However, the probability of its 200 million users being caught and punished for piracy was extremely low according to latimes.com.

With over two million tracks Limewire probably would have any mainstream song your heart desires, but coupled with the knowledge that over two thirds of the files being malicious and that being caught could lead to jail time or a hefty fine, it was advised to think twice before using this program or its spinoff program Limewire Pirate Version.

One can find seemingly any movie from a selection of thousands on one of the world’s most used illegal downloading websites, thepiratebay.org, a network of four million users. Typically a movie will be about 700 MB, so those that are significantly smaller or larger are possibly malicious. On Apr. 17, 2009 four members of the site were found guilty and ordered to serve a year in prison, and pay a combined $3,620,000 for “assisting in making copyright content available” according to torrentfreak.com. Since this prosecution many torrent sharing sites have since removed copyrighted content.

Letmewatchthis - Television

Manybooks - Books

Users of Letmewatchthis.com are open to view a selection of over 3,400 different television shows airing anywhere between 1930 and today. Yet these same users are also susceptible to annoying, loud ads randomly popping-up and possibly to fines, or even jail time if caught by the federal government. Chances are, the show you want to watch is available and if a new episode airs tonight it’s probably already online to view as long as it’s aired already on the east coast.

Containing over 29,000 ebooks in 35 languages, manybooks.net is seemingly the place to go for free, but illegal books. Manybooks.net also allows downloads compatible formats for devices including the Android, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Nook, PSP, and Zaurus. The site has counted over 15 million downloads.

—Paul Cleland, Opinion Co-Editor and Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor Photos by Maddison Coons

www.crimsonnews.org

Crimson 12.15.10 |

13

Culture

Everlasting Christmas

Christmas traditions make the holidays exciting. They extend the Christmas spirit throughout December and create humor and joy. Without traditions, this holiday would be only one day. But with the help of a few quirky things, below, the holiday spirit lasts for weeks on end.

Gingerbread houses

The man himself

The tradition of baking a gingerbread house began in Germany after the Brothers Grimm published their collection of German fairy tales in the early 1800s. Among the tales was the story of Hansel and Gretel, children left to starve in the forest who came upon a house made of bread and sugar decorations. It is possible however, the Brothers Grimm wrote about something that may have already existed. Early settlers from Northern Europe brought the gingerbread tradition to the New World by the 19th century.

The court of Queen Elizabeth I is credited to the first gingerbread man. The court impressed important visitors with charming gingerbread portraits of the visitors. Students like junior Christine Buckley enjoy making gingerbread houses every year.

“My first time making a ginger bread house was when I was 12. I enjoyed it because my sister and I made it together,” Buckley said. “We ate so much frosting that we felt sick but it was worth it because it’s just something that brings out the spirit of Christmas and something fun that every kid should experience!”

The Christmas time figure known as Santa Claus originated from Saint Nicholas, a Christian saint and Bishop for Myra in Asia Minor, now in Demere, Turkey. Nicholas was known for giving presents to the poor in the middle of the night. This eventually developed into presents for all the good children on Christmas Eve or Saint Nicholas Day on Dec. 6.

The Canadian and U.S. government created a binational association called the North American Aerospace Defense Command [NORAD] which took on the tradition of tracking Santa. NORAD volunteers have given up their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world since 1958.

Christine Buckley, 11

NORAD now tracks Santa using the internet. For all those who still believe, visit Norad.com on Dec. 24 to find out where Santa is in the world. But you might want to do it early, because “he knows when you’re sleeping and he knows when you’re awake.”

Kissing under the mistletoe

Low down on Next Page ... downloading

>> Chase Anderson, 9 Photos by Forest Erwin and Jenna Wookey

Kissing under the mistletoe originated in Greece. The Greeks thought the plant bestowed fertility and possessed life-giving power. Mistletoe was also considered a plant of peace in Scandinavia. Under the plant enemies could declare a truce and feuding spouses could ‘kiss and make up.’

At Christmas time in the 18th England, young women would stand under wads of mistletoe and could not refuse a kiss. These kisses symbolized a long-lasting friendship or a deep romance.

If a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life.

“I plan on kissing under the mistletoe,” freshman Chase Anondson said. “It’s really cool, but I don’t know where the tradition originated from. But whoever started it must have not gotten much.”

—Nicolette Jolicoeur, Culture Co-Editor

The holiday away from home

International cultures celebrate the New Year in their own way South America: To bring in

Laura Schafer, 12

Philippines: Filipinos

the New Year, South Americans put their focus on what’s happening below the belt buckle. South Americans slip on a pair of underwear that represents what they wish the incoming year to bring. If you desire a new beau, throw on a pair of red ones. If you wish to be the South American Bill Gates, wear yellow panties.

“We dress up in white clothes to represent renewal,” Brazilian and senior Laura Schafer said.

wear polka dots and eat spherical fruit, like cherries and grapes, to make sure the next year is affluent with wealth. “Other traditions on New Year’s is also jumping up at midnight so that we can grow and get taller,” junior Monica Morales said, who is from the Philippines.

12.15.10 Crimson

Year’s Eve, Panamanians create special monuments celebrating celebrities or politicians and burn them at the stroke of midnight.

Sophomore William Ford stated the New Year’s in Panama is like America’s New Year’s. “They dance to loud music, drink alcoholic drinks, and eat a lot.”

William Ford, 10 Photos by Forest Erwin

Monica Morales, 11

14

Panama: Before New

Paso Robles High School

—Megan Rodrigues, News Co- Editor

www.crimsonnews.org

Cinnamon, pumpkin, peppermint, oh my... taste buds!

Food

The typical winter drinks were around since pre-colonial times. One Aztec emperor drank 50 goblets of hot chocolate every day, and Captain John Smith drank eggnog in 1607, according to foodreference.com. Crimson decided it was time to find some new holiday beverages. Five Crimson staffers traveled around Paso Robles to find more current alternatives.

Drink:

Location:

Eggnog Shake

Calories:

Tastes Like:

Comments:

Overall Ranking:

Jack in the $2.70 Box

809

Vanilla ice cream with cinnamon

“Surely, Christmas in a cup!”

First Place

Peppermint Mocha

Starbucks

$3.75

330

Penguins skating on a frozen lake

“It smells so pepperminty, but you can only taste the chocolate.”

Second Place

Caramel Brule Latte

Starbucks

$3.75

330

Caramel, coffee, vanilla

“It’s really soothing, and it doesn’t really have a strong taste.”

Third Place

Gingerbread Latte

Starbucks

$3.75

250

Apple cider, cinnamon

“It is a very sophisticated flavor.”

Fourth Place

Pumkin Smash Smoothie

Jamba Juice

$4.25

390

Frozen pumpkin pie

“It’s like someone took a frozen pumpkin pie and threw it in a blender.”

Fifth Place

Cost:

A TASTE OF THE HOLIDAYS (left to right): Laura Callahan, Olivia Musial, Natalie Evenson, and Nicolette Jolicoeur try some seasonal drinks at Starbucks. Five drinks were sampled. Jack in the Box’s Eggnog Shake was the winner. Photos by Laura Callahan and Megan Rodrigues

—Megan Rodrigues, News Co-Editor, Nicolette Jolicoeur, Culture Co-Editor, Laura Callahan, News Co-Editor, and Olivia Musial, Reporter

Chocolate, spice, and everything sliced

customs

>>

Chocolate Angel Meringue Pie

by Maddison Coons,

Clarifying

... spiritual egaP txeN

Managing Editor

Crimson’s Maddison Coons joined her mom, Kelley Coons, and her grandmother, Chris Coons, to make Grandma’s original family Chocolate Angel Meringue Pie.

Ingredients:

Crust:

Combine egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in bowl. Beat until foamy. Add 2 tbsp. of sugar at a time, beating after each addition until sugar is blended. Then continue beating until mixture will stand in very stiff peaks. Fold in nuts (optional) and vanilla.

Spoon meringue into a 9” pie pan building meringue up around sides of pan ½ inch above edge. Bake in a 275 degree oven for 50-55 minutes. Allow to cool.

*Note the + means a little bit more of that ingredient

2 egg whites 1 Pkg. + German Chocolate Baking Squares 1/8 tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. + water 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar 2 egg yolks ½ cup sugar ½ pint whipping cream ½ cup finely chopped pecans (optional) 1/8 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. vanilla 1 Tbsp. powder sugar

Filling:

Photo

s by M

addis

on C oons

www.crimsonnews.org

Place chocolate and water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Gradually stir the egg yolk into the chocolate mixture. Return saucepan to low heat and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly; cool. Combine whipping cream, powder sugar, and cinnamon in a chilled bowl. Beat until cream holds its shape. Do not over beat. Spread about 1 cup of whipping cream into bottom of meringue crust. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture; blend together and spread on top of whipped cream already in meringue crust. Chill for several hours. Garnish with additional whipped cream and nuts if desired.

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 12.15.10 |

15

In-Depth

Clarifying Spiritual

With winter officially starting on Dec. 21, many students are participating in the well-known traditions of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza. However the customs of lesser known religions are unnoticed or misconstrued. Crimson took a look into a few rituals of three religions and asked a few faithful students if they participate in those customs.

Praying five times a day is one of the requirements in the Five Pillars of Islam told by the Prophet Muhammad.

Muslims pray the Fardh (required) prayers in order to remember God is in control. The first prayer is Fajir at dawn, followed by Dhuhur at noon, then Aasir at mid-afternoon, Maghrib at sunset, and finally I’sha in the evening. Each time they pray, they face the Ka’bah building in Mecca, as it is said to be the holiest place on Earth.

However, freshman Hebat Elsayed stated “during the summer I do [pray five times], but it’s really hard to keep up with that during school time cause two of the prayers happens during school. ” Muslims also fast from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. However, they are allowed to eat a meal before dawn and after sunset. Fasting is supposed to help practice self control and show how dependent people are on God.

The last ten days of Ramadan are the most spiritual days as everyone does good deeds to try to be closer to God. The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a three day festival called ‘Eid-ul-Fitr, Festival of Fast-Breaking. Mus-

am l s I

h's a v o h ness it

“I’m used to [fasting] so I have a lot of self control [around food], but sometimes when someone has really good food, I want to punch them in the face or something.” —Zarmeena Khan, 11

Photo by Forest Erwin

allowed to take the bread and wine.

Any demonstration of patriotism is a violation because all earthly authority is said to be controlled by Satan. Therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot sing anthems, pledge allegiance to the flag, run for public office, join the military, or vote.

“When I was little I did [pledge allegiance to the flag] because everyone was doing it, and I felt really left out. But then I felt really bad afterwards. [Now] I just stand there respectfully,” Goetz said.

W

Je

Holiday Next tastePage tests...

Jehovah’s Witnesses are not allowed to undergo blood transfusions because God views blood as sacred. It is “necessary… that ye abstain… from blood,” according to Acts 15:28-29.

Jehovah’s Witnesses also cannot celebrate any holidays because of the pagan roots of such days like Easter or Christmas. Early Christians “did not celebrate Christmas and Easter,” according to religiousfacts.com. Other forbidden holidays include Thanksgiving and birthdays.

“I can’t go to Halloween parties, or do Christmas stuff, and I don’t exchange gifts. It doesn’t really matter; I’m used to it now,” junior Kristen Goetz said.

The only celebrated holiday is the “Memorial of Christ’s Death” which is around Easter and Passover since Christ instituted it. Jehovah’s Witnesses gather in a Kingdom Hall and open the ceremony with a song and prayer. Bread, representing Christ’s body, and wine, representing Christ’s blood, is passed throughout the congregation. However only those anointed in the 144,000 people who will enter Heaven are

lims travel to the prayer ground to give thanks to Allah. Afterwards, they celebrate at someone’s house and give gifts to each other.

Another practice that’s optional for women is dressing in the burqa, a full-length dress covering the skin and obscuring the face. Women choose to wear the burqa as a sign of female modesty; burqa’s predominant purpose is to preserve a woman’s chastity.

“I don’t do it. I guess since I’m raised here [in the U.S.], I don’t want to look like I’m following a fad or trend. It’s our religion, but it’s a choice too. I know my parents want me to, but it’s not their decision, it’s mine. I feel like I should but I don’t think not at this time. Not for me at least,” Elsayed said, whose mother wears the veil.

“I’ve wanted to [celebrate my birthday] but not enough to do it. I was raised not celebrating so it’s almost like natural to me not to.”

—Thashous Robbins, 11

>>

Photo by Forest Erwin

Mormonism is a major denomination of the Latter Day Saints movement. Because of the early practices of polygamy in some branches of Mormonism, it is a frequent stereotype that Mormon families still participate in polygamy today.

Mormons believe in the ongoing instructions of God that may shift and change with society.

“We change our beliefs to what we believe God tells us to do, but we don’t believe he changes to fit us because God is always the same,” sophomore Isabella Rokes said.

“Everyone thinks that Mormons are involved with polygamy. The Lord commanded us to stop, but some people think we still do,” junior Logan Ham said.

Another common association with Mormonism is the rule that followers of the religion are forbidden to drink caffeine.

“We are told to stay away as much as possible because we are told to stay away from things that dim your judgment or change the way you act,” Ham said.

“Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself,” according to

M

nism o m or

2 Nephi 2:16 states.

The consumption of caffeine would violate this commandment.

Because of restrictions on dating, it is generally assumed that Mormons are not permitted to date outside of their religion.

“We are allowed to date outside of our religion even though it is encouraged to date in our religion because it is easier to maintain our standards,” Rokes said.

“The FLDS [The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] practice polygamy. I am LDS [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]. There’s a difference; FLDS are a break off from us.” —Isabella Rokes, 10 Photo by Emily Cone Graphics by C.J. Prusi and used with permission by AP Images

­—Alicia Canales, Managing Editor, and Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor

16

12.15.10 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Game n!

Sci-Tech

With Microsoft’s newly released Xbox Kinect and the still expanding Nintendo Wii now in competition, vying for the public’s favorite motion-sensor console Crimson has decided to review the two—and forms a love Kinect-tion...

HANDS FREE: While the Wii uses the Wii Remote to operate, the new Xbox Kinect discards the use of a controller for an even less button dependent interface.

The Microsoft Kinect puts an entirely different spin on video game consoles. While the Wii innovated motion sensor gaming , the Kinect takes it to the next level. The Kinect enables the player to use their entire body as the controller, leaving no buttons for the player to physically press yourself.

Favorite Game: Kinect Adventures!

Photo by Emily Cone

Microsoft’s Kinect

The debut game for the Kinect, “Kinect Adventures!” is similar to the debut game for the Wii, “Wii Sports,” in that they came with their respective consoles for free and are composed of five different games.

The game selection for this controller-less system at this point is very slim, but within a few months there will be a lot more games coming out, such as “Project Draco,” “Haunt,” and “Rise of Nightmares,” all to be released in 2011. The coolest part of the Kinect when compared to the Wii is that it uses cameras to see your physical shape and can actually tell you if you have been losing weight and even where on your body you’re losing it.

Xbox 360: $299.99 Kinect: $149.99

Photo by Paul Cleland

Photos used with permission of AP Images

... egaP txeN

Ads

>>

Favorite Game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Kinect’s competition, the Nintendo Wii, has been out for the past four years. While it’s an older game system, it’s still a capable one and a favorite among more casual gamers.

Nintendo’s Wii

“Super Smash Bros.

Brawl,” is not a motion game actually, but a 2D fighter where you can be your favorite classic Nintendo character. Mario, Pikachu, Link, and many others duke it out in this fun multiplayer game.

In the video game world, there is truth to the statement “you get what you pay for.” The Wii’s debut game, “Wii Sports,” gave a new spin to tennis and bowling, where someone could create their own personalized “Mii” character and then swing frantically at nothing and still feel like they are playing a sport. However, when the games began to get more complicated, the system became less reliable, and the graphics became less aesthetically pleasing. We found ourselves getting irritated with jerkiness of the system. It was a nice start to the new age of interactive motion sensor gaming, but still has a long way to go.

Photo by Andrew Chang

$199.99 Microsoft’s Kinect

Final Score

Ease of Use Game Selection

It was a very close comparison between these two fantastic gaming systems, but the Kinect ends up just barely ahead of the Wii in terms of superiority. But remember that while we had so much fun with the Kinect, the Wii can still be your fix for motion sensor gaming. www.crimsonnews.org

Nintendo’s Wii

Graphics Fun Workout Overall Rating

Paso Robles High School

—Ethan Baietti, Managing Editor and C.J. Prusi, Food Editor Crimson 12.15.10 |

17

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12.15.10 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Fun and Games

No, it’s not lumberjacks you’ve been catching glimpses of on the quad this past month—it’s the participants of the annual “No Shave November.” Started as a men’s cancer awareness campaign in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, NSN or “Movember” has become the month when males all over the world set aside their razors and let their chins grow wild with forests of facial hair. That’s right, it’s time to take a —Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor look at PRHS’ most impressive beards of the month.

Photos by Emily Cone and Forest Erwin Graphics by AP Images

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onds psee I i m e r cau se it becaure to me be d r a e r my b r they a “I weaow inferiohey don’t.” ple h oneand t 12 have n Zucker, —Be

ard.” our breen, 11 y o o p “Shamravis McLa —T www.crimsonnews.org

“They’re sophisticat ed.”

—Baris Akyuz, 12

“You go tta k —Matt eep your face warm!”

DeWitt , 12

e brac m e “They’r ld shou n —Chre sex y, manly e ” m .

2 o e 1 istoph r “W m mo Silva, er Haa , and robust! e r e g, 11 ” h t enc p S —

i ke look l e m s ke “It maBunyan.” l, 12 l Pau hard Cur —R ic

Paso Robles High School

>>

“Tho and wse who do thingomen, ann’t have b d I am eards —Ty s.” neith are bo ler D er of y ukes, thoses 12 Crimson 12.15.10 |

19

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Happy Holidays Crimson 20

12.15.10 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

greg BONE joe MANSON grant e. MARCUM MASONS mitchella WINERY dan and sally JOSEPH stewart EHRHARDT david and linda DOWLING aurelia SANEZ james NOURY katelin DEGARIMORE jim MINSHEW deborah LAGOMARSINO conny GUT debbie FILICE carolyn MCNAIRN audrey CURRAN eugene ARDANS dean and chris COONS david LEWIS kim MCCUE

www.crimsonnews.org

Piracy continued from center-spread

it’s only illegal if you get caught

alternativestorrent it’s free hacking $250,000 fine > continued from page 12-13

‘Pirates plundered the movie industry’ Piracy also doesn’t help the more than 2.4 million Americans who rely on the movie industry for a job, according to mpaa.com.

These Americans range from those on the set like directors to senior Angelica Carrillo handing out popcorn at the Paso Park Cinemas.

“In a way it [piracy] kind of does [affect me] because people aren’t going to the movies to watch it. They’re just like ‘oh I’ll just

get a pirated version of it and watch it at my house.’ So it kind of affects movies because they’re not making as much money and that cuts our hours down because it’s not as busy,” Carrillo said, who’s worked at the theatre for nine months.

Congress is currently reviewing a new bill, Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeit Act, which will allow the government to completely shut down “sites that are dedicated to infring-

ing activities,” according to a Nov. 26 nytimes.com article. If passed, this act will accompany past copyright acts like the Copyright Act of 1976, Piracy and Counterfeiting Act of 1982, Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, and the Family and Entertainment Copyright Act of 2005.

Winter

... sports egaP tfacts xeN

Convicted downloader?

by Caitlyn Curran, Business Team

Everyone loves free stuff, right? Not everyone. When a company tries to sell a product in stores that Americans can find online in five minutes for free, well, you could see their issue. The multitude of information found on the internet could either help you on your research project or become your black market.

Ostensibly innocuous and anonymous, the nature of internet downloading makes it difficult to prove in court cases. Most get a phone call from an ambiguous source concerned with internet ethics, letting the offenders know that they’ve spotted a download that shouldn’t be present, as with the case of alumni Jake Gersh during his junior year at PRHS. Few are surprised by a cease and desist letter from the FBI, but such was PRHS alumni Matt Ramos’ case.

Ramos downloaded a movie using torrents that incidentally hosted a tracker. The FBI noticed and sent Ramos a warning letter, threatening a fine of $250,000 or five years in jail if he did not delete the movie files from his computer and stop downloading.

In America, downloading music for free results in the loss of: $12.5 billion economically every year, 71,060 U.S. jobs, $2.7 billion in workers' earnings, and $422 million in tax revenues, according to the Institute for Policy Innovation. However, music isn’t the only thing people are downloading today. down. Movies and books are quite popular as well.

In 2008, Gersh tried to download Harry Potter e-books for a friend using Mininova torrents. He received a phone call from an internet ethics committee, but he had not yet downloaded the

books to his computer.

“The torrent must have had a tracker on it but it didn’t show that it did. They couldn’t do much because I hadn’t actually downloaded anything. It was someone about internet ethics [that called], whether that is a government or internet provider, I don’t know. I just had to delete it. I got lucky,” Gersh said.

When it comes to downloading online, it seems PRHS students need to know only one thing. It’s not which websites to use, because it seems they already know. But instead if it’s free and filled with flashing pop-up advertisements, it might just be illegal.

>>

The ‘Wire has been unplugged

by Dakota Cleland, Sci-Tech Co-Editor After five months of legal battles in the courtroom, the federal court and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) prevail and LimeWire has been laid to rest. But within the past few weeks, it hasn’t rested peacefully at all.

On Oct. 26, the file sharing service LimeWire was effectively shut down due to massive amounts of copyright infringements from over 200 million users who downloaded the software over the past ten years.

The bad news began May 25, when the RIAA and the United States District Court found that LimeWire was at fault.

Since there were many millions of LimeWire users, it was bound to affect students here. www.crimsonnews.org

“I was really bummed out when it was shut down for good. I had over 5,000 songs on there,” an anonymous junior who used LimeWire often said.

However, on Nov. 9, a new offshoot of LimeWire service came to be, calling themselves, “LimeWire Pirate Edition.” The “Pirate Edition” was created by a group of former LimeWire programmers known as the “Secret Dev Team.”

LimeWire is under a court order dated Oct. 26 to stop distributing the LimeWire software.

“We demand that all persons using the LimeWire software, name, or trademark in order to upload or download copyrighted works in any manner cease and desist from doing so,” LimeWire Paso Robles High School

said in an official statement on their website.

The PRHS junior is unphased by LimeWire Pirate Edition, LimeWire, or the courts.

“I'm using FrostWire to get my music now. While it's not as good as LimeWire was, it will have to do. I don't need a pirated edition of what I once used to get my music.”

Whether people are looking toward alternatives such as FrostWire, an offshoot of LimeWire, and the aforementioned Pirate Edition, or not, people have moved on to get their music somewhere else.

Crimson 12.15.10 |

21

3

Sports

Crimson investigates winter sports and finds the top three interesting and unknown facts about the teams.

Photo by Tyler Dukes

things you should know

Wrestling

Girl’s Water Polo

Boy’s/Girl’s Soccer

Boy’s/Girl’s Basketball

Boys Soccer

1

1“WeBefore every game the team gets in a circle and says a team prayer. say the prayer for a good game and team unity,” senior and goalie

Varsity girls water polo players, had to swim with shirt, shorts, and socks over their swimsuits during Nov. 15-19 morning and afternoon practices. Soffe shorts, skin tight t-shirts, or pedi socks were not allowed. Baggy basketball shorts, loose shirts, and knee high socks had to be worn in the Paso Robles Municipal Pool. “It makes it harder to swim with the clothes on, but once you swim without the extra weight you feel like you glide in the water,” senior Andria Posmoga said, who is team captain along with senior Maddy Rainey.

Daniel Fuerte said. This tradition has been going on for four years.

2applaud After every home game, when the whistle is blown, the team turn and their fans for their support. The fans are always at the games to

support the team, and the varsity soccer boys make sure fans know they’re

appreciated.

Next PiracyPage ... continued

2

Practices are held five days a week and take place 4:45 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. to 4:15p.m. On Nov. 12 the girls had a midnight practice to kick off the new season from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.

3

Some players choose to shave their legs during the season to avoid pain of having hairs ripped off by the tape keeping their shin guards on.

3

If they are late to the pool, they have to do in and outs, which consist of diving into the pool and jumping out. These must be repeated however many seconds they are late.

—Torey Wise, Sports Editor

>>

Boys Basketball

—Maddison Coons, Managing Editor

1 PRHS boys varsity basketball has the tallest player in the county: senior Richard Curl. This forward on the court stands at a whopping 6’9’’.

Girls Soccer 1.

2 At the end of every practice, players run about 97 lengths of the basketball court in sprinting drills.

Before their coaches get to practice, the girls varsity soccer team warms up by running and stretching. If they finish warming up early, they sometimes play tag so they don’t get tight until their coaches come.

3 Whenvarsitythe coach players in a game achieve a “momentum swinger,” or a charge, head Scott Larson gives the player a pair of white socks as a trophy.

2

There are five freshman girls on the varsity soccer team. Michalann Mott, Danielle Smith, Emilee brown, Morgan Ciampi and Lindsey Seebart.

“You sacrifice yourself for the team; it does not feel good,” senior and point guard Jake Murry said. So far Murry and senior Adam White guard/forward have received them this season.

—Torey Wise , Sports Editor

1

Girls Water Polo

Photo by Torey Wise

3 The girls varsity coach, Miguel Figouroa, played professionally in Argentina.

—Jenna Wookey, Culture Co-Editor

Girls Basketball

Wrestling 1 Both the Varsity and jv wrestling teams participated in the annual “Turkey Trot,” a six mile run. The Turkey Trot was on Thanksgiving Day and raised proceeds for

Head Coach Mike Gray uses analogies to describe their basketball team. Junior Kellie Reynolds and sophomore Molly Donovan said their favorite analogy is the comparison of their team and a flower. “In the beginning of the season, we’re planting our seed in the soil. Then roots begin to form; the flower starts to develop and at last, bloom,” Reynolds and Donovan said in their best Gray voice.

the wrestling program. The Bearcat wrestling team split half of the money with the SLO County Food Bank.

2

Varsity plans to do more than the usually tournaments they do that are a lot tougher, this will make them better wrestlers, according to two year varsity wrestler and sophomore Kevan Garcia. “This year the program has more determined wrestlers that want to win,” Garcia said.

2

Four seniors, seven juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman makes up this years varsity team. The only freshman is Emily Vallejos.

3 The last time the lady bearcats won league was in 2000.

—Torey Wise, Sports Editor

Photo by Emily Cone

3

The team is working hard get to CIF and place this year. “Our goal as a team is do beat Atascadero and win league as team this year,” sophomore Colton Madrigal said, who is also a two year Varsity wrestler.

—Nicolette Jolicoeur, Culture Co-Editor

22

12.15.10 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Bearcats

DEFEND

Sports

their PRide

Bearcats pounce first place title and prowl for history books

by Jenna Wookey, Editorial Co-Editor, with help from Torey Wise, Sports Editor What started as a rough preseason, being defeated by Central 25-54 on Sep. 3 and Centennial 28-62 on Sep. 24, quickly became an unforgettable season.

On Friday, Nov. 26, the Bearcats clinched a second round CIF victory and a trip to CIF semi-finals for the first time in X years by defeating Inglewood 35-21. This was last accomplished in **2001**.

Of the past 12 years, the Bearcat varsity football team has been league champs eight times and has won a total of seven CIF championships, the last of which was in early 2000.

This year, the Bearcats made their mark in history by “pounding the Atascadero Hounds” at their own stadium and finishing their season undefeated.

Their season began when the Bearcats battled victoriously on Oct.1 in their first league game against San Luis Obispo, winning 41-21. Soon the Bearcats were licking their opponents one by one as they defeated St. Francis 42-28, St. Joseph 21-20, Pioneer Valley 35-10, Righetti 31-6, and Atascadero 34-7.

For the first playoff game on Nov. 26 the Bearcats were matched against the Oxnard Yellowjackets. The Yellowjackets had an overall record of 8-3-0. They were 4-1-0 in league.

The Yellowjackets also had their own advantage. Terrell Watson, a 6’2” senior running back, averaged 20.7 points per game, 7.9 yards per carry, and scored 37 rushing touchdowns during their season, according to Maxpreps.

The Bearcat defense held their own against Watson and the Oxnard offense, only allowing 6 points, the extra point attempt blocked by Harley Holt.

“I heard the defense coach say before the game that when [Watson] was pushing and trying to drive the pile to just try to rip the ball out,” explained Koch. The speech apparently worked and the Bearcat defense forced 6 turnovers, ending in a 21- 6 victory.

Senior Matt Sepulveda let in on some of the Bearcats’ secrets of success. “We are really close, but during practice we work hard to improve,” added Sepulveda. “Jake Searcy is a player that really improved throughout the season.”

Senior Jacob Searcy, quarterback, has an average of 166 passing yards a game. Maxpreps also ranked Searcy as #1 in passing yards in the league.

“I thought we were going to have a good team [at the beginning of the season] because we had a lot of returners and starters, but I didn’t think we would be this good,” Koch said.

SEASON WELL SPENT: After the 41-23 defeat, the PRHS varsity football team huddled and sang the alma mater. Defensive line coach Tim Alvord walked off the field with a satisfied face from the team’s playing efforts. Photos by Torey Wise

Game

Report

Game San Luis Obispo St. Francis St. Joseph Pioneer Valley Righetti Atascadero Inglewood Serra

Score 41-21 42-28 21-20 35-10 31-6 34-7 35-21 41-23

Continued from Front Page In the middle of the field at the end of the semifinal game, the PRHS team gathered in somber pride as the Cavaliers celebrated the 41-23 victory on their side. Bearcat football players choked out the verses of PRHS alma mater to fans, who had arrived in charter buses and cars with Photo essay ... egaP txeN the team. The team left the field with helmets held high.

“That was a great football team that we played tonight, and we’re a great football team as well…My hat’s off to my kids. They never quit.

That’s what we preach, and I’m very proud,” head varsity coach Rich Schimke told the SLO Tribune that night.

2010 Bearcat football set several marks: it took its first trip to the semifinals since 2001 and first league title since 2005. The PAC 7 league champs started the CIF season defeating the Oxnard High School Yellowjackets 21-6 and Inglewood High School Sentiles 35-21.

Loyalty and school pride shone on campus Friday, Dec. 3 as the team departed for Serra. Hundreds of students exited class 15 minutes early to cheer the team’s send off as four football players waved school flags into the sea of cheering students and the team marched to the bus.

>>

DOWN AND DIRTY (left): Junior Elias Stokes watched the game from the sidelines. Stokes had an average of 14 points per game, according to maxpreps.com.

BROTHERLY LOVE: Junior Elias Stokes and senior Jacob Searcy embrace after the Dec. 3 CIF semifinal game against Junipero Serra High School. The Bearcat’s season ended with them as PAC 7 league champs and they made it to the third round of semifinals.

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GOOD SPORTS: Senior Isaiah Jackson shook hands with his Serra doppleganger, senior Marqise Lee. Jackson had a 12.39 yards per catch this season, according to maxpreps.com

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 12.15.10 |

23

Winter Spirit

PRHS students participated in a variety of holiday activities throughout town and campus two weeks prior to winter break.

From donating blood to marching in the Spring Street Christmas Parade, Bearcats show their holiday PRide.

Annual decorations adorn the winter wonderland on Vine Street.

Photo by Katie Wingfield

Foreign exchange students Haku Tsogbat, I-Chen Lo, Lada Flipovic, and Meta Roseman decorated the International Club float for the Christmas parade on Dec. 4.

Photo by Sheridan Cook

Jose Gonzalas was one of 85 students to donate blood in Bearcat Hall to United Blood Services on Dec. 10.

Photo by Serina Lewis

PRHS marching band members Sean Cain, Travis Wohlstader, Taylor Throop, James McClenathen, and color guard members Emily Taylor, and Sierra Bowman, performed at the annual Christmas Parade in downtown Paso Robles on Dec. 4.

PRHS welding students made Christmas presents for friends and family during the week of Nov. 29.

Photo by Katie Wingfield

Photo by Sheridan Cook

24 | Crimson 12.15.10

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org