Falconer December 2019 Issue

Vol. 45, Issue 3, 24 pages

Friday, December 13, 2019

HALFTIME TRESPASSERS ON A3

During the wave section of our routine, our music was cut and then after, that’s when the streakers ran onto the field and interfered with the senior section.

Nicole Demos (11) CHEERLEADER

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december 13, 2019

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS 4.

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PHOTO BY ANNA JEONG/FALCONER

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PHOTO BY LESLEY MOON/FALCONER

1. AROUND THE WORLD: TPHS graduate Brady Silverwood finishes his 10 month run around America at Powerhouse Park to raise money for charity, on Dec. 8. 2. JAM SESSION: TPHS and Carmel Valley Middle School jazz bands present the fall Jazz Concert in the PAC on Dec. 3. 3. FALCONS IN THE FRONT: The TPHS cheer team pulls off an impressive performance to motivate the football team in the second half. 4. THE HOMECOMING CORONATION: Sofia King (12) and Cade Caulfield (12) parade by the crowd during half-time as Homecoming King and Queen. 5. JUST SAY NO: In an assembly, former DEA agent Rocky Herron explains to TPHS students the short-term and long-term impacts and dangers of drugs. Herron’s mic failed in the second assembly, but that didn’t stop him. 6. CHARGING THE FIELD: The TPHS football team is fired up for the Homecoming game against the Oceanside High School Pirates.

TP Players use new PAC with ‘Don’t Drink the Water’ Neha Pubbi

SPORTS EDITOR TP Players officially moved into the PAC building with the play “Don’t Drink the Water,” which was held in the new experimental theater on Nov. 13-16 and Nov. 20-23.

Directed by drama teacher Marinee Payne, “Don’t Drink the Water” is about a clumsy U.S. ambassador’s son, Axel Magee (Nate Renzulli), running his father’s embassy in a country behind the Iron Curtain. Meanwhile, some American tourists played by Artemis Tsironis (12), Pavan Navani (12) and Ava Amen (11) are mistaken for spies and their drama at the embassy unfolds in the play.

This was the Players’ first transition into the new PAC, which Payne compared to “moving into a new house that feels like an old house”.

“I find the audience captivated by the show with the new lighting and with the new stuff we are able to do,” Nate Renzulli (12) said.

The new technology available in the PAC enhanced the experience for the team.

“With this building, we are using LED lights … they do so many things above and beyond what the conventional instrument

can do,” Payne said.

Other than the benefits, working with new technology presented unseen challenges for TP Players.

The new space presents us something to live up to ... and I really like the concept of that challenge.

Marinee Payne

TPHS DRAMA TEACHER “One of the challenges I was meeting with [the new technology] was the fact that we really weren’t as knowledgeable with the equipment as much as we would have liked to have been,” Payne said.

The new technology also changed the set-building process. In the old theater, scenes were made in the theater due to the lack of space, but the new building contains

a scene shop and other new features unavailable in the old blackbox.

“My favorite part about the experimental theater is the restrooms in the changing rooms,” Renzulli said.

The PAC building includes the experimental theater and a proscenium, the part of theater beyond the curtain but in front of the orchestra. The proscenium includes many custom features designed by Payne, such as an orchestra pit around the stage instead of under. Also, a divider was added to separate the upper house from the lower house. Payne is excited to use the new proscenium and its new features to improve performances.

“The new space presents us something to live up to … and I really like the concept of that challenge. We’ve got a big audience, and we need to exceed the audience’s expectations,” Payne said.

Payne was introduced to the space last year and transitioned all summer to be prepared to use the new building.

“The minute I got to walk in here by myself and walk down the hall, I felt at home, even though the proscenium is large,” Payne said.

Knowing the new building’s size, TP Players looked forward to the transition into the new, larger proscenium.

“I am very excited to perform in the proscenium. It is really big and can fit a lot of people. I am excited for how much room we have and how we can scale up our shows and really give [the play] character,” Renzulli said.

PHOTO BY ARIANA HUANG/FALCONER DON’T DRINK THE WATER: Pavan Navani (12) prepares the stage for the upcoming performance of “Don’t Drink the Water.”

Diesel, A Bookstore opens at Del Mar Highlands Jasmine Criqui

STAFF WRITER Diesel, A Bookstore, opened its doors on Oct. 31 as a part of the Del Mar Highlands Town Center expansion, making it the first bookstore in the Highlands since Barnes & Noble closed five years ago.

The opening marks the 30th anniversary of the indie California bookstore’s opening

ner

in Emeryville in 1989.

What started as a dream for owners John Evans and Allison Reid has turned into their 40-year-long career.

Evans said that he had wanted to work in a bookstore since he was 14, and he came to the realization in a music and book store while surrounded by cassette tapes.

He and Reid set out to create their ideal environment for a bookstore.

“We wanted a really respectful place in every way, so we created one,” Evans said.

Noelle Zenovic is a DIESEL staff member who has been working in bookstores for 15 years.

“I always think of a bookstore as a great community space for learning and experiencing new things,” Zenovic said.

“People can come and find books there or meet each other or be together.”

For those who are unsure of what choice to make, the store has a wall dedicated to staff recommendations,

which is meant to increase the personal feel of the store.

The staff also values making personal connections with customers to find the perfect book. Debra Ginsberg, a staff member and author of three memoirs and four novels, described an experience with a customer who was looking for a book to take on a plane flight.

“We wound up [becoming] new best friends because we found that we had all this stuff in common as we were talking about various books and making connections between things,” Ginsberg said.

In addition to its wide range of topics, genres and trending series, the store has a special focus on local authors and books that are important to people in the community. “[If local authors] want their books shipped to the store, we put them in the section because it’s just another book and they feel very appreciative of that. It’s great,” Freddy Gomez, a staff member who worked in the book trade, said.

The store also has books that are required in English classes, and employees would be happy to order a specific edition if necessary.

Katherine Drennan (10) is enthusiastic about the arrival of DIESEL to the Highlands.

“My dad and I would always go to the Barnes & Noble that used to be there, so when we heard that there was a new bookstore being put in, we were excited,” Drennan said.

Cormac Cadden (10) says that he is also excited to see what the new bookstore has to offer.

“When you don’t have a bookstore, you don’t really think about it. It’s good that we have another one close by after Barnes & Noble left, because it promotes more reading,” Cadden said.

Zenovic emphasized that one of their main goals as employees is to be friendly and welcoming.

“You’re not going to come into our bookstore and feel you’re not smart enough to be there,” Zenovic said.

Not to mention, buying books locally instead of from a major retailer or online store helps support the community and small business owners.

“It’s community, and it’s also keeping business on the local level, and that is really important to us as well,” Ginsberg said.

Two students storm the field during Homecoming Maya Satchell and Srishti Thapar

OPINION EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER At the Homecoming football game against Oceanside High School, Dalton Beeler (11) and Pedro Swart (11) ran across Ed Burke field in only pants and masks as the cheerleaders performed their halftime routine on Oct. 25.

The two ran onto the field and through the lines of performing cheerleaders, distracting both the students and the cheerleaders who were already sidetracked because their music had stopped.

The consequences for the two juniors’ actions included three-day school suspensions, 30-day sports suspensions and formal apology letters to the cheerleaders.

In the middle of the routine, the music stopped due to a technological disruption, independent of the streakers incident.

“During the wave section of our routine, our music was cut and then after, that’s when the streakers ran onto the field and interfered with the senior section,” cheerleader Nicole Demos (11) said.

The halftime performance was special for the seniors on the cheer team because they had been preparing for it since becoming cheerleaders.

Speech & Debate Damus Hollywood Invitational

Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Octafinalist

“It was disappointing that it was during our senior section and it was the last year for all of us,” Victoria Prouty (12) said.

After disrupting the performance,

We weren’t trying to harm anybody; we were just trying to have fun. I guess it was selfish because we ruined thei performance.”

Pedro Swart (11) STUDENT

Beeler and Swart ran toward the TP logo and over the fence where they “had a getaway driver,” according to Swart. The students were caught, after videos of Swart and Beeler streaking were provided to the school administration, and they were identified.

“When we have a disruption like that,

iGem Giant Jamboree

Novice Lincoln-Douglas Semifinalist & 1st Place Speaker Award

Silver Medal Award & Nominated for the “Best Poster” Award and “Best Presentation” Award

Wynn Chang (9)

TPHS San Diego Team

Jungwoo Seo (11)

INFOGRAPHIC BY DANIEL KIM

we never really know what’s going on, especially when you’ve got a situation where someone is wearing a mask. We don’t know if it’s one of our students or somebody from off site,” Principal Rob Coppo said.

Although their punishment was harsh, the two boys who ran across the field have few regrets regarding their actions.

“I just kind of thought it would be fun. I feel bad because I didn’t actually mean to do it during the cheerleader performance,” Beeler said.

Swart shares Beeler’s sentiments.

“We weren’t trying to harm anybody; we were just trying to have fun. I guess it was selfish because we ruined their performance,” Swart said. “I think it was worth it; it was a cool experience.”

Both boys feel their punishments were too severe, especially because it impacts their cross country team. “[The cross country team members] are mad at me for getting suspended because I’m not on the team anymore, but they’re not mad at me for [what I did],” Beeler said.

Although the boys have fully complied with their punishment, the clash between the cheerleaders and those who were defending Beeler and Swart continued.

“Mr. Coppo, the administration and

the cross country head coach, Kaitlyn Hildebrand, were all very supportive and handled the situation very quickly,” cheer coach Suzy Chodorow said.

After the two boys were issued their punishments, other students on the cross country team were upset with their teammates’ punishments and handed out flyers that read “Cheerleading is not a sport” to cheerleaders at school.

Despite the support that many on campus have shown to the cheerleaders after the Homecoming incident, the flyers further dismayed the cheerleaders.

“I’ve always been told that cheer isn’t a sport and [been] made fun of for it, so it doesn’t really affect me, but our underclassmen were definitely affected by the flyers,” Prouty said.

While the boys on the cross country team do not regret their decisions, they maintain that their aim was not to upset the cheerleaders. In the words of Chodorow, “I feel that all teams on campus should support each other regardless of their craft. We truly are TP!” The senior cheerleaders were given another opportunity in the following football game against LCC to perform their full routine again without interruption.

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1. AUSTRALIA

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3. MICHIGAN

4. MEXICO

The 2019 Australian fire season (from late spring to early fall and most severe during their summer -- now) has consumed about 2.5 million square acres of land.

An unusually large number of bushfires have warranted catastrophic warnings, the most severe danger warning possible, in Victoria and South Australia. In addition to the hundreds of homes destroyed in the fires, over a thousand koalas have been killed and 80 percent of their natural habitats have been demolished.

By creating a fake university, the University of Farmington, Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested about 250 immigrant students since the start of 2019. They were arrested on the grounds that their visas expired because they enrolled in an illegitimate school to meet the conditions of the visas. The recruiters for the fake school, who have pleaded guilty to criminal charges, lured students in with the promise of business and STEM programs.

INFORMATION FROM THE WASHINGTON POST, CNA, USA TODAY, VOX, FORBES, AP NEWS AND THE GUARDIAN

At Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, Nathaniel Tennosuke Berhow (11), shot five of his classmates, injuring three and killing Gracie Muehlberger and Dominic Blackwell before shooting himself in the head on Nov 14. With a 45-caliber semi-automatic handgun, Berhow opened fire on the school campus for 16 seconds.

Following the incident, Saugus High School students took a two-week break to recover from the tragic incident and returned to school on Dec. 2.

Since its start in 2006, the war between the Mexican government and the country’s drug cartels has exploded.

As of Dec. 13, over 33,000 people have been killed in drugrelated homicides. On Dec. 2, 23 people died in border town Villa Union, Mexico when the Northeast Cartel, an off-shoot of Los Zetas, a cartel known for its violent and militaristic operations, carried out an attack on local government offices, but military forces eventually chased off the cartel forces.

WORDS BY ESTHER CHOI AND DANIEL KIM

tphsfalconer.com

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the falconer

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The following question was posed to a random sample of 1,996 registered voters in a Morning Consult survey: Do you support or oppose social media platforms choosing to accept and display advertisements that include lies or fabrications?

41%

59% art by sam mathe /falcon artist

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answered

SUPPORT

OPPOSE

On Oct. 30, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey annouced that Twitter will ban all polictical advertisements on the social media platform starting on Nov. 8.

Piper Levy

STAFF WRITER Twitter was initially made to be a social network where people could quickly share ideas, thoughts, pictures and articles, similar to the chirpping of a bird and hence the name.

Being overpacked with political ads was not the original intention, which is why Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was correct in making this announcement, acting as a positive example for Facebook and other platforms to follow suit.

Twitter has declared that ads with “content that references a candidate, political party, elected or appointed government official, election, referendum, ballot measure, legislation, regulation, directive or judicial outcome,” will be banned. The company has finally realized that users don’t want countless ads, especially political ones, taking up their feed.

Twitter made $3 million off of political ads last year, while Facebook is estimated to gain $420 million, and this revenue is probably why they haven’t followed Twitter’s lead. Instead, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, continues to allow politicians to lie in their ads, which allows for the spread of misinformation and media manipulation.

Twitter’s main defense for banning political ads is that “a candidate’s message should be earned, not bought.” If followers decide to follow a politician and their campaign, that is

their personal choice. The audience should be able to decide what they see on their app, especially regarding their political views.

Facebook overflowed with political ads, especially after a video ad was released for President Trump’s campaign that targeted Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s relationship with Ukraine (something that hasn’t been proven to be untoward). In response to the video, other candidates released video ads targeting other candidates and Zuckerberg.

This is a perfect example of the outrage and confusion political ads on social media platforms can produce. Fostering the publishing of political ads on social media will only increase our country’s polarization, causing greater tension for many Twitter users.

Social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, are constantly collecting user data. With all of this data, advertisers are able to create a variety of user demographics.

Politicians can reach a specific, target audience that will be more responsive to their ads, so they often try to target people emotionally rather than factually. This is an invasion of privacy for people who may not want their personal user data to be available to anyone willing to pay for it.

Misleading political ads can have a negative effect on voters and the country as a whole. If what people are seeing on their screens are lies and half-truths, how can we expect them to be properly informed come election time?

Also, advertising on social media should not be used to drive political outcomes. Voters should be educated on campaigns and politics before they vote. Their judgement should not be clouded by expensive ads that purposely and possibly falsely make other candidates look bad.

Although it is not entirely clear how Twitter will police the numerous political ads already posted, the new policy is a step in the right direction toward authenticity and legitimacy on these social media platforms.

Unlike other social media platforms like LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tik-Tok that have also made the jump to ban all political ads, Twitter is more of a breeding ground for political commentary because users are able to quickly communicate and share news and opinions.

The announcement outlined the parameters of the ban on paid promotion in political ads, which includes “appeals for votes, solicitations of financial support” and references to candidates or political parties, in addition to others mentioned on their website.

Although completely banning paid political ads keeps the site neutral for voters, the new policy penalizes challengers and political newcomers who need inexpensive ways to advertise through social media.

Promoting political ads through a social media site is a much more inexpensive and modern approach to political campaigning than relying on simple TV ads. What makes social media ads especially important for campaigns is their ability to target niche voter groups and spread messages quickly through forwarding and reposting messages.

Additionally, politicians can use political ads to organize their campaign, build support, accept donations and register volunteers.

These ads allow politicians to reach a myriad of potential voters and spread their message.

Limiting the use of political ads can provide a big advantage to incumbent politicians or candidates with high name recognition and large financial resources, enabling them to maintain their power and influence, resulting in a static government.

Also, according to a study by Statistica, Twitter has a small platform of 330 million active users. It doesn’t have as great of an influence on voters as other larger platforms, like Facebook, which has 2.4 billion active users.

Also, Dorsey revealed that during the 2018 midterm election cycle, Twitter only generated $3 million of revenue from political ads, while Facebook earned $420 million. This heavily

Katie Lewis

STAFF WRITER weakens the impact Dorsey had originally intended because the scale that political ads advertise on Twitter is nowhere near other bigger platforms, such as Facebook.

There is one benefit: the blanket ban on paid promotion political ads will reduce clutter and prevent foreign countries from influencing voters like in the 2016 election, where 120 Russian-backed Facebook accounts created 80,000 posts that directly reached 29 million users through forwarding and reposting.

This political content policy also bans ads promoted by SuperPACS, which don’t associate with political parties but help raise money for certain candidates and parties. Twitter’s new policy may limit the advancement of politicians who need SuperPAC support most.

Overall, it seems that in the midst of the Facebook Russian election intervention controversy, Twitter naively created a new policy to ban political ads in order to look good in users eyes. But they underestimated the repercussions of their vague guidelines.

As the 2020 presidential campaign looms closer, a potential campaign management tool has been taken away from lesser-known candidates and the overly-simplistic guidelines hinders others from raising awareness for certain issues deemed too political, a blurry line and unnecessary new problem.

tphsfalconer.com

opinion

the falconer

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Foreign K-pop stars must meet Korean standards

Typically, on my runs to Jamba Juice at the Highlands, I order my usual Mango-A-Go-Go smoothie and continue on with my day. But it sometimes feels like the smoothie has next to no real mango in it, despite the fact that it literally has the word “mango” in its name.

Just as it feels weird to get a mango smoothie without any mango in it, Korean pop (usually shortened to K-pop) would be really weird without the “Korean.” But what defines K-pop? Is it the language, the songs or the members? What if a non-Korean wants to enter the K-pop industry, in the same way that many international artists have found success in the American pop scene?

K-pop could benefit from including nonKorean artists, so long as these international artists meet Korean entertainment standards and undergo the same processes that native Koreans do to become K-pop idols.

It’s undeniable that non-Korean artists could be, and have already become, assets to the industry. The popularization of Korean entertainment and culture around the globe in recent years has even led to the coining of the term “hallyu,” or the “Korean wave.”

Hallyu has inspired Korean entertainment companies to implement more internationallyfocused marketing plans. Interestingly, non-

Korean members of notable K-pop groups tend to be the most popular with foreign audiences and therefore the most marketable internationally.

Take the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, currently under the management of YG Entertainment. The group’s main dancer, Lisa, who is Thai, is the most-followed K-pop artist on Instagram, having garnered a staggering 27 million followers on the platform. Compare that to Jennie, her Korean bandmate, who has a total of 22.4 million followers and is the second most-followed K-pop artist on Instagram. As YG Entertainment’s ambassador to the west, Lisa gives her management a huge boost in Korean entertainment companies’ battle for popularity on American soil, where, arguably, the future of K-pop will be determined.

American consumerism plays a huge role in the success of K-pop groups, as made clear by the recent push Korean entertainment companies have made for international concert tours and appearances on American television.

However, many Koreans feel that foreign engagement in the K-pop industry should end there: buy, and then be on your way.

The main offense non-Korean artists commit is when they try to establish themselves in the K-pop industry without following the proper training from being scouted to making it big.

The infamously micromanaged K-pop industry is the way it is for a reason: successful K-pop stars are a package of impeccable dance moves, flawless complexions and charming personas which are put together in a way that makes them marketable to audiences. In order to mold performers into desirable images, idols typically undergo a grueling “trainee” period, which entails singing, dancing, rapping and acting classes, as well as Korean lessons if the trainee’s Korean is insufficient. Non-Korean artists tend to skip out on this training, which Korean citizens and entertainment companies

frown upon heavily. At best, that could leave international artists without proper education on etiquette and Korean culture. At worst, it could be taken as an insult to the customs of the K-pop scene.

The western music industry is a pretty barren place for Asian singers; in fact, Rich Brian is the only Asian-American artist that comes to my mind without me having to rack my brain.

The K-pop industry is a “safe space” for Asian artists, and a Caucasian singer simply “appearing” in the K-pop scene without undergoing proper training could come across as invasive and insensitive to the Korean artists for whom the industry exists, especially considering the more plentiful opportunities available to Caucasian singers. A notable example is the group EXP Edition (Experiment Edition), a boy group of four Caucasian members, that was created as a social experiment to “hack” the K-pop industry but was shut down due to its lack of Korean authenticity.

But this doesn’t mean that the gates to K-pop stardom are completely closed to foreigners. An interesting case is the recently-formed K-pop girl group UHSN. Formed through a reality TV show by the same name, a group of 10 international members were invited to Korea for three weeks to learn the country’s culture, music, food and history. After this “training period,” the group worked on its single “Popsicle,” which was released in July of this year. Although the group was predominantly Caucasian, with members from Norway, Russia and Sweden, and included

art by seyoung lee /falconer artist

no Korean members, it accurately replicated the “Korean vibe” in the song and its music video — cute and upbeat — and spoke Korean almost fluently. Most significantly, the foreign artists underwent the traditional Korean trainee period, and garnered the love and fanbase that previous attempts at international K-pop idols failed to receive.

All in all, how international K-pop idols are received depends largely on how authentically they uphold particular Korean standards and meet the elevated expectations Koreans have for foreigners who join the entertainment industry. It’s like when I go to Jamba Juice and take a sip from my artificially flavored Mango-AGo-Go smoothie. It may not contain real mango fruit, but as long as it tastes the same, I won’t complain. It’s just not as natural.

CA government intervention needed in PG&E crisis

In 2018, a malfunctioning high-voltage power line was the cause of the deadliest fire in California’s history, the Camp Fire, which blazed across 153,000 acres and took the lives of 86 people. Perhaps it was an accident on Pacific Gas & Electric Co.’s part, albeit a devastating and costly one. But according to Business Insider, PG&E’s equipment has caused more than 1,500 California wildfires in the past six years, and shockingly, our government continues to allow the company, also the largest provider of electricity in California, to prioritize profits over public safety.

Unfortunately, devastating fires, evacuations and “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” (PSPS) will be the new normal for Californians unless we make drastic changes, though no option comes without a costly or lengthy price tag. But unless we have not learned from the billions in fire damages, the likelihood of higher premiums for fire insurance or the looming threat of climate change, it is clear that we need to invest and create effective policies and strategies now.

Sources and experts weigh in on two paths the public should look into immediately. One, electricity companies like PG&E maintain ownership of their companies. But, they need to be heavily regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and both must be held accountable with a clear check and balance system in place. Their profits also should be determined by customer satisfaction, reaching goals in renewable energy, etc.

Or, two, perhaps the better option, there is a public takeover of utility companies, with the state solely in charge of regulating energy.

The most obvious reason supporting the latter is that PG&E is bankrupt. Owing an

estimated $30 billion on liability claims after admission that their faulty equipment caused the Camp Fire, the company’s priority is to mitigate further losses and avoid starting fires, so in October, the easy route was to create a “planned” power outage at the expense of 1.1 million customers.

Additionally, the company’s plans to get out of bankruptcy include clauses that “allow financiers to renegotiate or back out if PG&E ignites another fire that burns more than 500 homes or other buildings,” according to PBS. Evidently, the company’s goal is to avoid causing any more fires as well as the liabilities that come with them for many reasons — mainly financial ones.

How can the public be sure the company will prioritize safety over profitability and bottom-line investors’ returns? And what regulations and protocols will be implemented to determine PSPSs? These are legitimate lifeand-death decisions that must be backed by science and cannot be caused by careless mistakes or aging equipment that long needed to be replaced. Currently, PG&E is getting away with impunity; whether they fail to act or too hastily turn off the power, there are no proper regulations or fines to hold them accountable, which is precisely why we must allow the state, along with an assigned task force committee, to take over and regulate energy.

On top of that, the impacts of blackouts are devastating: in the NorCal blackouts, businesses closed, affecting both owners and employees; food rotted in refrigerators and hospitals operated on emergency backup generators.

But, the panic that ensued from the powershutoff is only the start, as according to NPR, PG&E CEO Bill Johnson forecasts it will be 10 years before outages are “really ratcheted down significantly.” This is unacceptable. How is it that California, the economic and tech powerhouse of the U.S. and of the world, is struggling with blackouts in the 21st century?

Other than being incredibly inconvenient, a blackout doesn’t even eliminate the risk of a fire. There are still issues with tree trimming, for instance; a tree or shrub can easily come into contact with a transmission wire, create a spark and cause a potentially deadly fire, and once again, PG&E’s track record has not been stellar.

In 2016, the company failed to cut around 5,000

trees identified as “hazards”; currently, it is less than one-third of the way through its 2019 treetrimming goals, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

In addition to trimming more trees, Johnson says that PG&E is using technology to shut down smaller areas of the grid versus having mass blackouts. But this is an extremely late effort that highlights the company’s lack of innovation and maintenance and investment in better equipment, which they should have been focusing on instead of raising executive bonuses and profits.

If the government takes control of electricity, it can make decisions without investor interests and will instead be able to focus on ways to move toward wind or renewable energy, versus being caught in the current situation, which is a vicious cycle of blackouts and wildfires that can cost thousands of lives in the crossfire.

It is important to note that these past devastating fires may have magnified the problems with PG&E, but other causes should also be examined, as this is a systemic issue.

One culprit we easily point fingers at is climate change. And it is true: higher temperatures, lower humidity and strong winds are part of the problem. Intense periods of rain promote the growth of underbrush, which then dries and becomes kindling.

To solely blame warmer temperatures or h i g h e r winds, though, would wrongly ignore o u r g o v e r n m e n t ’s malpractices and policies of forest management whose impacts have been exacerbated — and not caused — by climate change.

For instance, the practice of fire suppression in the 1900s resulted in massive undergrowth that serves as competition for trees and kindling for

much more dangerous fires. Only by 1970, when scientific research showed that fire was part of the natural cycle to replenish forests, did the government realize fire suppression had backfired, highlighting our need for science to guide policy-makers. Furthermore, according to Forbes, Governor Jerry Brown only passed two bills, SB 1260 and SB 901, which call for fire agency input when constructing in high fire hazard areas as well as forest management practices and prescribed burning, in 2018.

These are late efforts that will take time to be effective and only address a fraction of the issue; we also need politicians to consider forest-thinning to cultivate healthier forests, safe evacuation routes and homes that are built with fire-resistant materials.

Electric companies cannot be expected to take the entire blame or fix all of the issues we are faced with; the government needs to take control and implement policies and procedures by first addressing each issue separately, and then as a whole — and now, before any more lives are put on the line.

art by lesley moon

/falcon artist

opinion

A8 the falconer

december 13, 2019

Fraternity culture must change to prevent further hazing fatalities A fraternity event quickly turned into a tragic accident at San Diego State University when a student fell out of his bunk bed to his death on Nov. 8. According to USA Today, that was the fifth fraternity death in the U.S. this school year, which has led many to ask what must be done to prevent drug and alcohol abuse on campuses.

SDSU responded to the student’s death by suspending 14 of its fraternities. While this may seem like a good solution, suspending fraternities will not solve party culture on campus. To understand the true cause of these deaths, one has to look at what in the fraternities is killing students.Fraternities are not the cause of the deaths; the alcohol, extreme partying and hazing are.

Hazing is any type of ritual, often humiliating, intended to initiate a member into an organization, be it a collegiate Greek house or the military. Whether it be chugging hard liquor, branding, extreme dares and more. Hazing is illegal in all but six states and considered a felony if it results in any bodily harm.

Then there is alcohol. Underage students are often unaware of the physical consequences of drinking large consumption of alcohol, including alcohol poisoning or increased risk of accidents while under the influence. A prime example is the student at SDSU that drank too much and hit his head because he didn’t know his limit. As many students are often driven to drink out of stress, excessive alcohol consumption can build the foundation for future addiction problems and poor stress management habits, especially for those under 21.

While it is always a student’s personal choice whether or not they partake in these activities, colleges are legally responsible for all of their students on campus and cannot always rely on their students’ good sense to stop alcohol and drug use on campus. Large scale punishments like the fraternity suspensions by SDSU are often necessary to enforce frequently violated policies, versus less effective regulations.

While frat houses are often popular party locations, they are not the only places for students to party and get drunk. Suspending fraternities is just moving the party somewhere else. Getting rid of Greek life, an integral part of many campuses, is not going to solve anything if colleges are not prepared to acknowledge the weight the party culture holds in the balance of campus life — often, too heavy a weight.

These accidents aren’t just happening at “party schools,” but many colleges ranging from state schools to ones in the Ivy League. The stress of college often inspires students to engage in blackout drinking to attempt to relieve some stress and let loose. In truth, one of the main motives to join a fraternity in college is to party

with a group of like-minded peers. While fraternities may create a long-lasting brotherhood of young men, a lot of that bonding happens while being blackout drunk and getting into trouble.

Still, they also benefit colleges greatly. Alumni are more likely to donate to their alma maters if they were a part of Greek life because of the valuable experience fostered by their fraternity or sorority. Greek life cultivates school spirit on campus with increased school involvement, events, competitions between houses and more. Students involved, especially in sororities, also contribute to their wider communities through philanthropy.

One noteworthy fact regarding the casualties is that all five deaths were of young men at fraternities, not sororities. Sororities have a reputation for having much more rigid rules concerning alcohol and parties than fraternities and pretty much rely on neighboring frats to host the parties and obtain alcohol. This is because of the liability large parties pose, meaning that sororities pay a lower insurance premium than fraternities have to. If they were to throw parties they would have a high insurance premium similar to many fraternities. A possible solution to the crazy parties held at fraternity houses could be the adoption of party-related rules at fraternities similar to the rules at sororities. This change in policy would have to come from the organizations overseeing fraternities and sororities rather than the colleges, so it may be harder to achieve.

Another conceivable fix to this party epidemic is increased education on the impact of alcohol use in colleges. This could increase awareness about the potential dangers coming from a more neutral and friendly tone rather than a rule from the university president to flatline all parties. Often times, students ignore drug and alcohol awareness from adults as it does not feel as personal to them.

One way to prevent alcohol or drug-related deaths is to make more available resources for students in need of medical help after a party. Many students may fear getting in trouble and may not reach out for assistance from authorities. Yes, drinking underage on campus may not be allowed, but since this is a common issue at many universities, it should not just be ignored. You wouldn’t deny a cocaine addict rehab just because cocaine is illegal. A student’s life should be a top priority in any lifethreatening situation. Who knows, if resources for intoxicated students were more readily available, maybe more lives could have been saved.

student voices

Daniel Knapp (9) SDSU made a good decision. Colleges should get rid of fraternaties and sororities entirely, and they should just ban drinking on campus in the first place.

Sarah Kabban (9) I do not think that SDSU should have suspended all of the fraternities. It is not their fault that someone died. It is not fair to the other people.

Jacob Pearson (10)

art by amy ge /falconer artist

People should be allowed to drink and do that type of stuff if they are of age.

But in this case, since a lot of the people have died, the policy is pretty good.

opinion

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

A9

Hill’s resignation is a cautionary tale for all politicians

Miki Vogel

COPY EDITOR Democratic Congresswoman Katie Hill publicly announced her resignation after her inappropriate sexual relationship with an unnamed campaign staffer in her 20s was leaked to a conservative website. Hill’s identity as a bisexual woman should not distract from the fact that she recklessly disregarded her status as a government official to have a relationship with a younger coworker.

Amidst a messy divorce, Kenny Heslep, now Hill’s ex-husband, spread nude videos of Hill with her younger staff member. The videos arose on a popular conservative website, the RedState, along with texts illustrating Hill and Heslep’s abusive relationship.

RedState bloggers are known to be avid supporters of President Trump, so it is not surprising they were happy to expose a Democratic Congresswoman.

RedState managing editor Jennifer Van Laar was the political consultant for Steve Knight, a Congressman that Hill defeated in the 2016 election. As a “journalist” with an ulterior motive, it was unethical for Van Laar to distribute the explicit photos and write stories revealing Hill’s indiscretions.

Not only is Hill being held liable for sexual misconduct with the 22-year-old staffer, but she has also been accused of a raunchy affair with

her legislative director, Graham Kelly, which would be a violation of House rules.

Hill has admitted to the affair involving the female campaign staffer, but she wholeheartedly denies the second major allegation, claiming it is purely a rumor.

During the peak of the #MeToo Movement, nine Congressmen, including Patrick Meehan and Blake Farenthold, who used their status as leverage in sexual relationships, resigned due to allegations of sexual misconduct and gender discrimination.

Thus a rule was implemented by the House Ethics Committee in 2018 prohibiting relationships between lawmakers and their congressional staffers. Unfortunately for Hill, she is the first member of Congress to be affected by this new code of conduct.

Hill’s resignation sets a standard for future generations of government officials. Ideally, the rule could prevent high-ranking elected officials from preying on their subordinates and abusing their power for sexual gain. Power dynamics in a professional setting, let alone in the government, are inherently complicated and call for thorough investigations when violated.

This isn’t an issue of shaming female sexuality. Hill showed inappropriate behavior and was deservedly punished in the same way her male counterparts would be. It is important to embrace female sexuality in certain contexts, but in this situation, f e m a l e

empowerment is irrelevant and distracts from the real issue.

Sexual relations with subordinates are inappropriate regardless of gender, age or any other factors, but Hill continues to justify her relationship with her campaign staffer by claiming it was completely consensual.

Regardless of the consensuality, it represents an abuse of power when the power dynamic is inherently lopsided.

But just as Hill was not excused for her illegal behaviors, Heslep’s actions should not be swept under the rug.

Revenge porn is illegal in 41 states, including California, New York and Washington D.C. At the very least, Heslep should be fined $1,000, but the most appropriate punishment would be six months in jail.

T h e RedState blog that purposely leaked the photos to a larger audience deserves to be shut down or at least

art by amrita moturi falconer artist

suspended for committing a crime. Releasing the pornographic photos without Hill’s consent should be treated as an act of sexual violence.

In an era with speedy communication through smart phones, it is not surprising how quickly the photos were spread.

It is easy to see Heslep’s true nature after reviewing his and Hill’s case; lashing out at his unsuspecting ex and leaking intimate videos of her to get revenge is immeasurably immature and should be treated just as seriously as the allegations against Hill, if not more so.

So, Heslep’s interference in Hill’s personal life cost her her job. Regardless of whether her resignation was justified or not, his illegal, purposeful activity must have been traumatic for Hill.

And though Hill’s own actions were less than appropriate, she was admirable in her willingness to resign: evident in her letter annoucing the news.

“It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community and our country,” Hill said.

She took full responsibility for her actions and showed clear initiative by apologizing for her unethical behavior and choosing to resign to avoid further conflict.

“For the mistakes made along the way and the people who have been hurt, I am so sorry, and I am learning — I am not a perfect person and never pretended to be,” Hill said.

The methods to expose Hill’s behavior were unethical, but she has luckily lost her stance as a government official due to her unprofessional actions.

These allegations against Hill should act as a precedent for future government officials to avoid sexual relations with employers.

VLADA DEMENKO Entertainment Editor Vlada Demenko reminisces the development of her “resting b*tch face” and how it has affected her perspective on herself, and reflects on her newfound acceptance for her seemingly angry appearance.

“You didn’t look angry per se, you just looked like you hate everyone. And everything.”

My best friend told me this while we recounted our sophomore year art class, where we first met and became friends. I remember my first impression of him: funny and energetic. He, on the other hand, thought I hated him.

This isn’t any fault of his, I’ve actually run into this problem consistently as I’ve grown up.

I have Resting B*tch Face, otherwise known as RBF. It developed sometime around middle school. In eighth grade I went through my “edgy” phase, complete with red hair, combat boots and an unfortunate obsession with Fall Out Boy. Subconsciously, my face changed to fit this aesthetic. I noticed my change in facial expression during one specific occurrence; I was getting my passport downtown and a girl around my age kept staring at me with a scared expression. I asked my dad about it after we left and he hit me with reality: I looked scary. Even without the colorful hair and tight black jeans that apparently spooked this girl to her core.

My “affliction” worsened as I went through high school. Lack of sleep and stress somehow made me more introverted and silent, which only added to my bitter facade. I regularly enter a room and am asked “Are you ok?” or “Is something wrong?”

In middle school, I acted like I was embracing it. After all, it went with my “I love rock music, but only if it’s Panic at the Disco” aesthetic. But, I was not as ecstatic about it internally. Fears of not being able to make friends or have relationships

sprouted. I felt anxious about how people saw me and extremely self conscious.

Comments regarding my supposed emotional state jabbed harder and harder at my self esteem. I wasn’t angry. I was just scared and sad that people saw me as negative and uninviting, even if the “Is everything good?” concerns came from a good place.

I understand there are much worse problems to have than too many people caring about how I’m feeling (believe me, the last thing I want to do is make this into a Tall Girl story). I feel very entitled complaining about all this. But, I chose this topic for two reasons.

For one, it comes up constantly. Without fail, people have frequently asked me, either considerately or rudely, why I look like “that” everyday for the past three years.

Secondly, I figured that I could best address these concerns in one clear essay. For everyone reading this: yes, I am ok. Sometimes I’m tired, but that’s usually it.

No, I do not hate you (probably), especially if I just met you. I am no witch, I don’t just randomly wish evil on you, your family and your crops. I’m reasonable, I promise.

Eventually, I realized that I cannot just force myself to smile all the time, so I figured why try to convince people I’m not mean.

My frown is constant and my gaze is distant because my face is comfortable like that. If you look at me and wonder why I’m so upset, just know that I’m usually zoning out so hard that my body and face has essentially deactivated with relaxation.

Simmering in my “b*tchy” face and letting

photo by sam mathe/falcon photographer photo by sam mathe/falconer

myself look upset is much less effort than constantly trying to appease people that I don’t know by looking more approachable.

In other ways, my face is actually helpful.

When I walk down the hall or across the street, people usually get out of my way by looking forward and walking by quickly.

People are also more prone to doing what I ask them to, as they think upsetting me will make me lash out or murder them or whatever people think I’m capable of.

Honestly, I have the strength of an overly ripe banana and dexterity of a Chuck E. Cheese claw machine. Once, I spilled a bowl of soup, cleaned it up, and then spilled another bowl in the same spot; I swear, you do not need to be

intimidated by me.

Despite my initial fears of not being able to connect with others later in life, I’ve learned that the people I appreciate the most were the ones that chose to stick around.

People that saw past my furrowed brows and sullen eyes and saw the better parts of me. All of my closest friends, at one point or another, thought I harbored resentment toward them, even though I thought the best of them. I’m glad they were able to hold out long enough to get to know me. It’s very cliched and sounds a bit narcissistic, but it’s true.

While I’m not exactly proud of my “b*tch” face, I’ve grown used to it, and, fortunately, I’m sure the people around me have too.

A10 the falconer

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moon/falconer

And in the future, Zhang is considering going into the publishing business. “[My love for translating] has greatly influenced my career choice,” Zhang said.

After hours of jamming out to K-pop artist, Crush, Zhang finishes translating a few chapters of his most recent web graphic novel, “Release That Witch,” and downs the last dregs of his milk boba tea after a long night of hard work.

photo by lesley

Jesse Zhang (12) walks into 85°C Bakery Cafe and places his standard order of boba milk tea. Five minutes later, he pulls out his laptop, turns up the volume on the K-pop album NAPPA by Crush and sips his tea as he begins to translate an online comic.

Zhang got the opportunity to enhance his Chinese communication skills when he lived in China from second to sixth grade.

“I knew [Chinese already]. I went to Chinese school every week, but it improved [in China],” Zhang said.

Zhang has stayed fluent since returning by keeping up to date with foreign newspapers and practicing at home.

His skill combined with his pastime, reading translated comics, made him pursue translating as a job.

“I was reading as a fan and I saw that the translation quality for one of … [the comics] was horrible,” Zhang said. “I thought that I could do a better job … so I applied and I got [the job].”

Zhang now translates a multitude of media, including online comics and web novels.

“I mostly translate comics ... and web novels that are ... mostly written by amateur writers and [published] online,” Zhang said.

But balancing school and work can be difficult, especially when his job is so timeconsuming.

“A chapter takes me 15 to 20 minutes to translate, but for a novel chapter with 2,000 words … that takes an hour,” Zhang said.

It can be busy, but Zhang does his best to balance his work and school.

At his job agency, Zhang is in charge of recruitment and has inspired other bilingual students to pursue similar jobs.

Overall, Zhang loves his job because of the passion of the artists and writers he translates for.

“Not a lot of work is put into [most Chinese comics].

It’s the few with dedicated artists that make it worthwhile,” Zhang said.

Josh Ann (12) takes a seat in the learning commons, opens Google Docs, munches on his Jersey Mike’s #7 Turkey and Provolone Sandwich and finishes translating his most recent comic, titled “Sunday Idol,” all while listening to the Home Depot theme song on repeat.

Born and raised in Korea until he was five, Ann moved to the U.S. and learned English by immersion. And although he speaks English at home, he still stays in touch with his roots by reading books or watching movies in Korean.

“I already know how to read and write in Korean, so [translating] isn’t too bad,” Ann said.

In their AP U.S. History class last year, Jesse Zhang (12) introduced Ann to the world of translating.

Although a whole series with 40 chapters can take Ann a month and a half to translate, Ann prioritizes school over work because even if he is behind in his translations, his boss is flexible.

“The quotas I’m assigned are manageable; I can do them in a day if I have to. It’s not bad,” Ann said.

Not only is his schedule flexible, but through easily accessible online programs like Google Drive, he can access his webcomics anywhere, even on his laptop in a free period or during lunch.

Because Ann spends hours translating online graphic novels, he often gets immersed in the story.

“It’s hard not to [get wrapped in the story] since I spend so much time reading and trying to understand the dialogue thoroughly,” Ann said.

There is a faint ringing in Ann’s ears. He looks up from his work and sees crowds of students walking to class, realizing that lunch is over.

A12 the falconer

feature

december 13, 2019

One of the most daunting aspects of world travel is having to navigate a country’s language and culture. And, while enrollment in a world language class at TPHS isn’t exactly a vacation, the feelings of confusion and intimidation that come with exposure to a new language are still evident.

In TPHS foreign language classrooms, there seems to be a considerably wide gap between native speakers and non-native speakers.

Jeffrey Han (10) is one of seven native speakers in his AP Chinese class of about 30 students. He moved from China last year at age 13 to study in an American high school and soon realized that his peers are at a wide range of skill levels in the language classroom, resulting in differences in success during projects, tests or homework.

“For us [native speakers], we have more difficult tests because we hold more experience in Chinese,” Han said. “Actually, we are graded a bit differently too.”

But rather than feeling frustrated by this “special treatment,” Han appreciates this teaching style because it accommodates the skill levels of students who may not have had the extensive Chinese speaking experience that he has.

This evident gap in skill level between language students is not only evident in AP Chinese, but also in other language classrooms at TPHS, including AP Spanish.

AJ Castellanos (12) is a native Spanish speaker from Mexico who has developed strong Spanish

If [teachers] know you’re a better speaker ... they expect a little bit more out of you.

AJ Castellanos (12)

NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKER reading and speaking skills from a lifetime of speaking Spanish. In class, non-native students feel the pressure to stack up against students like Castellanos, leading to incidents of academic dishonesty to reach these often unreasonable expectations.

“It’s like comparing an elementary school student to a middle or high school student,” Castellanos said.

In fact, Castellanos often hid his level of fluency during class to avoid stricter grading. Unlike Han, he saw the calibration of the grading system as somewhat unfair.

“If they know you’re a better speaker or have some sort of fluency in the language, then they’re going to grade you harder just for that reason,” Castellanos said. “They expect a little bit more out of you.”

But, teachers of TPHS foreign language courses like Chinese teacher Hongqiu Zhang find that they must accommodate the needs of non-native students who may have a lower skill level than students like Castellanos. This calibration even influences the course materials, since teachers feel the need to organize projects and classwork to cater to each student’s individual skill level. This challenge is most evident in Zhang’s AP Chinese class, which is filled with students from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds.

“In my opinion, I would prefer two separate [classes] because in language classrooms, there is always a gap between different students,” Zhang said. “Now, in my class, I think the gap is so large. I have to continuously give them different tasks. If I give them the same task, [native speakers] will feel bored.”

Zhang sees a broad range of linguistic skills across her many courses. She often assigns homework for the native speakers to read additional Chinese books or to discuss deeper aspects of historical Chinese culture, tasks that match their language level.

Like students in the Chinese and Spanish classrooms, Sawa Suzuki (11) said there is a similar divide in AP Japanese courses.

Suzuki is a native Japanese student who took AP Japanese last year. Having lived in Japan for about 10 years before moving to San Diego, she has firsthand experience in both Japanese and American school life. While she has never dealt with it firsthand, Suzuki acknowledges that there have been a few instances of contentious feelings stemming from the difference in speaking, reading and writing levels.

“People [in AP Japanese] are really nice, but I heard that some people were upset about native speakers taking AP Japanese,” Suzuki said.

Han said it is not only his role, but also the role of other native speakers, to engage with their non-native peers to minimize possible tension between them.

“If we are trying to lessen this divide, it is our duty to approach [non-native speakers] because we have more experience and a higher level of Chinese to teach,” Han said.

So, even though the rift between native and non-native language students definitely exists, its socially divisive aspects don’t necessarily have to. Just like learning to navigate a foreign land or culture, everything takes patience and courage. It is simply a matter of treating language courses as a learning experience and not a race to mastery.

tphsfalconer.com

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the falconer A13

With students of various backgrounds and experience, world language classes often have a divide between native-speaking speakers and non-native students.

While some students have lived in a foreign country or spoken a foreign language for most of their lives, other students have only learned the material that school curriculums require. With no way to ensure that everyone begins at the same level of skill, there are bound to be some discrepancies in the way students perform in language classes.

Daniel Wang (10), a Chinese-American AP Chinese student, has noticed the effects of such a great gap in experience.

“The native students and the non-native students seem to have some type of tension between them and between us because some are sort of jealous of [the native-speakers’ ability,” Wang said.

This gap in experience has also led to a divide that transcends inequalities in achievement; it has created a social split between the two groups of students. This is evident even in the way students interact with one another. Native and non-native students have naturally gravitated away from each other, which is even manifested in the people they choose to associate with in the classroom.

“I don’t think [the native speakers] really notice us — they don’t. I feel like they’re sort of in their own world and they’re doing their own stuff,” Wang said.

On the other hand, Cailin Thang (12), a Chinese student in AP Japanese, thinks that having a diverse class is more helpful than harmful for classroom dynamics.

“It helps a lot having someone who understands what’s going on and it helps to not feel so stressed,” Thang said. “[The foreign students] are extremely nice and don’t hesitate to help anyone if they need help translating or help with homework.”

Sato Umabe, the Japanese teacher, also agrees that the effects of the gap are not very prominent in the classroom and only show up in certain situations such as when students of varying levels have to work together.

“Sometimes when I give a pair activity, non-native students are like ‘Oh, I got lucky I got [a native student as my partner],’” Umabe said.

By coupling a native student and a non-native student,

Because I wasn’t a native speaker, I had more of a work ethic to really try to improve.

Nicole Douglas (11)

NON-NATIVE SPANISH STUDENT they actually have the opportunity to learn from each other.

“When [natives] speak good Japanese without any accent, then the other students can hear that and learn from them,” Umabe said.

Unfortunately, for classes where speaking and listening skills are integral to students’ grades, it’s undeniable that native speakers have the advantage.

“They have it easier and don’t need to study as much to have a better understanding of the material,” Thang said.

On the other hand, this disadvantage has forced nonnative students to work harder to lessen the difference in skill, which can be seen as a benefit.

“Actually from being in those classes I recognize that — not saying this is for all native Spanish speakers, but for the most part — because I wasn’t a native speaker, I had more of a work ethic to really try to improve,” said Nicole Douglas (11), who took two years of Spanish in high school.

Fortunately, the divide in comprehension can easily be closed because students have the option to ask for extra help from their peers or teachers.

“If you ever need help, [Mrs. Umabe] would gladly do as much as she can to make sure you understand the material,” Thang said.

The disparity between grades is also usually mitigated by teachers’ policies and fair expectations. “[Mrs. Zhang, the Chinese teacher], has separate levels [for students] and within these levels, she has separate grading systems, so the way the natives perform in their own level doesn’t really impact ours,” Wang said.

Ms. Umabe has a similar system.

“There are two different levels and then the Japanese students have to take the harder test.

Whoever wants to challenge themselves can, too. But to make it fair, if the student takes this harder test, they can make four mistakes and still get the full credit,” Umabe said. “I think the students should always be learning something because if they know everything they shouldn’t even take the class.”

While the teachers are already working hard to “close the gap” between native and non-native speakers, Wang suggests more integration between students through assignments that require working in a team.

“I believe we can do more collaborations with them — maybe do some more new projects with them instead of creating two distinct levels,” Wang said. “The levels of performance aren’t really equal, but the separation doesn’t really allow us to interact and sort of learn from each other and have that type of experience.”

Fortunately, with more awareness of this problem, we can trust that both teachers and students in these classes are doing their best to help and connect with one another so that hopefully, one day, this gap may disappear completely.

A14 the falconer

feature

december 13, 2019

Information from The Washington Post / Infographic by Kevin Song

To be clear, I love Post Malone. I have donated hundreds of my minimum wage paychecks to supporting this man and buying his merchandise. I even decided the topic and design of this very page. Obviously, I don’t go that far for every artist; Austin Post is by far my favorite musician.

This love developed in my sophomore year when I heard his song “Psycho” off of his second album, “beerbongs & bentleys.” I had previously heard his other songs like “Congratulations” and “rockstar,” and while I did enjoy both of them, I never listened intently enough to develop an interest in Post. But, when “Psycho” graced my ears, I was introduced to Post’s versatility. Originally, I went along with the mainstream idea that he was a rapper, which is backed up by the recent American Music Award nominations that, for some reason, place his third album, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” in the rap album category.

But, once you further investigate his discography, it’s clear he is alternative.

He has acoustic, rock and pop elements strewn throughout his album and does each genre expertly, might I add.

When I heard that “Hollywood’s Bleeding” was dropping, I knew two things would happen: I would listen to

the entire album the second it dropped, and I would be getting tour tickets.

After my full listen through and my immediate love for the album was established, I directed my attention and funds toward the Runaway Tour.

He was coming to L.A. and Anaheim, and after looking at the prices for seats, I decided to settle for backrow seats on a Sunday night in Anaheim.

Not luxurious, I know, but I worked at Which Wich, not NASA. It was better that I see him at all than miss this opportunity when he was coming so close to San Diego.

I bought those tickets back in July, so November became “Post Malone Month” in my mind. The days edged closer to the performance date and whenever I would hear one of his songs in public or on my playlist, my whole mood lit up; I was excited to see him in person and experience his songs through bass-boosted concert speakers. Particularly, there is this one part in “Hollywood’s Bleeding” that I was dying to hear him sing live, and “Stay” is always played slightly differently every time Post performs it because he’s not the best at guitar.

I arrived at the Honda Center in Anaheim a little after doors opened and made a beeline for the merch

lines. I had saved up money to get an $85 sweatshirt, and out of the three available, I got a large black and orange one. While in line, I heard one of the openers performing. I didn’t care though, I was there for Austin, not Tyla Yaweh.

After buying a shirt and two hoodies, I went inside the stadium. We sat down and watched his second opener, Swae Lee, rap several tracks including the Grammy nominated “Sunflower” featured in the “Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse” soundtrack. After half an hour, Post made his entrance rather clear. Smoke bellowed off the stage and his humming was played over the speakers. Suddenly, yellow lights flashed on and the beginning of “Hollywood’s Bleeding” could be heard, right before he walked on stage. My soul left my body twice in the entire show, once when I saw him walk out, and another when he got to the part of “Hollywood’s Bleeding” I was waiting for: the drop. The stage exploded. Colors flashed violently and the speakers were deafening. I was euphoric.

The next song on the setlist was “Better Now,” off of his second album, and this song was more consistently angry, as he sung about heartbreak.

That performance outlined Post’s talent for performing, as he put his whole body into conveying the emotional distress behind the song.

It was pure emotion, or alcohol, as he informed us later that he was a bit drunk – very on brand.

The crowd favorites were “Take What You Want” and “Allergic,” both very good songs accompanied by intense lights and wonderful performance.

Post also performed his first hit, “White Iverson.” I thought it was a great addition to the setlist because it was nostalgic to longtime fans and showed newer fans the origins of Post, allowing them to see his musical progression.

My favorite performance by far was “Congratulations.” The vocals for this song were the best out of the setlist and brought me back to when I first heard his music. I actually shed a few tears, which was out of theme considering the upbeat song about success.

The show lived up to everything I was hoping for. I got to see someone that is so important to my everyday life. I’m sure I need to save up to get closer seats for the next tour. Austin, I’m coming.

by Vlada Demenko

art by vlada demenko/falconer

Dr e

a

a p c s es m

T h e Museum of Photographic Arts is currently displaying its 14th Annual Juried Youth Exhibition, which includes four pieces created by TPHS students: Addison Gonzalez (12), Lesley Moon (12), Andrew Wang (10) and Nanditha Krishnan (10). With only 100 entries selected from a pool of 875 submissions, judges rewarded creativity and mastery in photo manipulation.

This year, the theme of the exhibition was “Dreamscapes” and was selected by MOPA’s education staff and director.

“We keep a list of possible themes, which are added to and edited on a continuing basis,” Chantel Lane, manager of Youth and Visitor Engagement and organizer of the Dreamscapes Exhibition, said. “Each year, we also ask for input from youth artists on themes they are interested in. From the list, we select themes that have relevance to our other exhibitions or that may be trending for some other reason. It’s an organic process.”

With a theme as vague as “Dreamscapes,” each artist had their own unique interpretation of the prompt.

Krishnan’s piece, “Where Are We?,” depicts a shadow of a boy blowing bubbles filled with different locations.

“I wanted to create a picture of the head of a dreamy quality to it to incorporate this idea of dreams,” Krishnan said. “This idea that you could go to a different place in your dreams was what I tried to represent in my picture,” Krishnan said.

Wang and Gonzales used more abstract interpretations and focused on the surrealism of dreams.

Wang’s piece, “Surreal Art,” shows a combination of both realistic and unrealistic elements that were unified with thoughtful composition and photo manipulation.

“There’s a sideways building with a chess game on it and a woman in the clouds.

The woman was supposed to be like a moon watching over the chess

game,” Wang said.

Gonzales’s piece, “A Summer’s Day in the City,” merged realistic photos of a cityscape, Ferris wheel and a little girl.

“It was very surreal in the way like things aren’t real, but also had a lot of whimsical ideas, kind of like a fairy tale,” Gonzales said.

Moon also used surrealism, but combined images in a way that captures the mysteriousness of dreams in her piece, “Manifestation.”

“You’re kind of like ‘What’s that girl doing and why is there a purple butterfly?’ It’s in a very mysterious but realistic setting of a dark forest. So, it kind of brings out that surrealism part of dreams,” Moon said.

The submissions were judged based on originality, theme, quality and artistic statement.

“Each year, a panel of jurors are selected. The jurors are photographers, educators, museum professionals and community members that are connected in some way to that year’s theme,” Lane said.

Because it was very competitive, many artists were surprised when they found out their art was chosen, as they had submitted their art as a portion of a project in Jennifer Doerrer’s digital art class last year.

“I was really shocked when I found out my art got in because I just did it as an assignment,” Wang said.

The students chosen were invited to an opening reception, where they met industry professionals and other student artists.

“It was really fun and really cool to see all the other artists as young as eight and nine,” Gonzales said.

The exhibit features contemporarily styled architecture, colorful accents and free admission for the public, so these student’s art can be showcased to all. MOPA will continue to host the youth exhibition annually and hopes for even more entries next year.

“We have no plans to end this program,” Lane said. “It continues to be a high priority for the museum and its mission. This annual project is important because it provides an opportunity for youth throughout the county to engage with a wider community through their art and to have their perspectives shared.”

With publicity and interest increasing, this is a great opportunity to showcase the talent and creativity of teen artists in San Diego and at TPHS.

by Amy Ge

Kanye West’s new album, Jesus Is King, was supposed to be released on Sept. 27, after his wife Kim Kardashian confirmed its release on Twitter. But, after several Fridays of unreleased music, West finally released his gospel album on Oct. 25. This month-long wait was frustrating and ultimately unfair to the fans who devoutly waited for the release.

West pulled the same stunt last year. In Sept. 2018, West made the announcement of his new album Yandhi and a release date of Sept. 29. But, West never released the album on this date. Kardashian claimed the album would be released on Nov. 23, 2018, but West, yet again, did not release the album. Nearly a year went by without much indication of a new release date from the artist, until he announced the new album he was working on, which turned out to be Jesus Is King. However, there is much debate whether the two albums are the same and just got merged or if they are two different albums. West never specified these details.

To this day, an album titled “Yandhi” has not been released.

This already angered fans, so when West delayed Jesus Is King for the second album in a row, it was very unfair to his fans.

They understood it takes a long time to make an album, but it is not understandable that he promised a release date, made his fans wait anxiously and then not release the music.

While West himself never said Jesus Is King would be released on Sept. 27, he clearly communicated the details to Kardashian, which prompted her to tweet about it. Also, West updated his website with an image of a notepad with “Jesus Is King” and the rumored release date written on it. It is undisputed that West confirmed the original Sept. 27 release date. He apologized for the delay, but it does not justify his actions.

Jordan Carter, commonly known by his stage name Playboi Carti, did the same thing, as he has delayed his album, Whole Lotta Red, for months.

On July 28, Carter announced that he was trying to release the album within the next 60 days, implying that the album would be released by the end of September. September passed, and Whole Lotta Red was unreleased. On Oct. 15, he posted a picture on Instagram, captioned “<3 red incoming.” The next day, on Oct. 16, he posted another picture, and the caption read

“<48hours! locked in.” These posts made people think that the album would be released on Oct. 18. But, the album is still not release to this day.

Some musicians may argue that their music is their art, so how long it takes to produce is only their business. While this is understandable, artists should not tease release dates they do not adhere to. It would be a better system to only release dates when the album is fully confirmed and substantially ready to be released, to prevent raising fans’ hopes.

Fans do not have the right to complain if an artist retires or takes long to produce music since those things are strictly the artists’ prerogative, but fans are entitled to hearing music on the

date an artist initially promises.

D e l a y i n g albums, like West and Carter did, is disrespectful to fans because not only are they not sticking to their promise, but they are not even giving

notice beforehand. Fans wait until the scheduled release date, only to find out that the music is not yet available. It would not be nearly as annoying to fans if they were made aware of the delay ahead of time.

L a s t l y , never releasing an album after delaying it is utterly shameful

and disrespectful to the fans that built these artist’s careers.

by Nolan Ezzet

art by sam mathe/falconer

Now in the Del Mar Highlands Town Center, Happy Lemon opened a new smaller location than their original cafe along Convoy Street.

The boba place already has fans familiar with their original location, where the interior is extremely organized and clean, with lots of empty space and plainly-colored walls.

Unfortunately, it also includes low-hanging lamps that are very easy to hit your head on.

The Happy Lemon menu has a number of categories, including one that shows the cafe’s “Top 10 Most Popular Drinks,” which immediately caught my eye. After scanning the 10 drinks, I ordered the Milk Tea with Salted Cheese ($4.50), Milk Tea with Puff Cream and Boba ($4.50) and an Original Bubble Waffle ($4.25). You are given the option to choose, with no extra charge, how much ice and sweetness you prefer in your drinks, ranging from 0 to 100 percent in increments of 25 percent.

Once you order, you will receive a numbered plastic tag with the Happy Lemon logo on it to

claim your food and drinks when ready.

First, I tried the Milk Tea with Salted Cheese, which is milk tea with a layer of salted cheese foam on top. Although I thought the salted cheese would add a salty, creamy taste to

Tea N More is nothing like your average packed cafe. With the atmosphere of a college campus, this is the perfect place to chill, study and enjoy some tea. The menu contains a variety of bakery items including snow ice, smoothies and milk tea boba. Japanese paintings fill the wall and alternative music plays, giving the room an aesthetic ambiance. These drinks are available in a variety of flavors: strawberry, peach, apple, rose, orange, lemon and more.

With the helpful suggestions of the thoughtful cashier, I ordered the Royal Rose Milk Tea ($4.50) and the Mango Smoothie ($5.00).

As I took my first sip, I experienced a euphoric feeling, unlike any other boba place I had gone to before. These ice-cold refreshments left my mouth basically glued to the straw.

The Royal Rose Milk Tea tasted bittersweet and was similar to iced coffee with a touch of rose. Its light liquid contained mediumsized boba bubbles, and the chewy boba

complemented the tea perfectly.

The mango smoothie left a fruity taste in my mouth with a hint of vanilla. The boba balls were a size smaller than the previous drink’s,

Tucked neatly between a gold seller and a sporting store, Camellia Rd Tea Bar’s storefront would have been hard to notice, if not for the huge crowd of people gathered at the bar to get their daily tea fix and study session. From its first impression, the name handwritten in calligraphy on the glass front window, to the rustic wooden tables, the store exuded the aura of an aesthetically pleasing Pinterest board.

The menu boasted an impressive variety of drinks for such a small place, including classics like black and oolong bubble tea, and some more unorthodox flavors, like a chrysanthemum tea that immediately piqued my interest.

Customers could also adjust the sweetness levels, milk type and toppings in their drink.

I ordered the black, jasmine and chrysanthemum teas, each at regular sweetness and with regular full dairy milk.

Each was priced at $5 for an even $15, which is convenient for customers paying in cash.

Despite the many customers inside the cafe,

my name was called within five minutes, so I was already impressed.

I poked my straw into the chrysanthemum tea first, and the flavor was unlike any other boba I’d ever had, in a good way. I definitely

photo by katheryn yoo/falconer

the drink, mixing the two flavors enhanced the sweetness of the drink, creating a taste similar to a cream-based frappuccino.

Next, I tasted the milk tea with puff cream

photo by ariana huang/falconer

but it was a good decision on Tea N More’s part because the boba didn’t outshine the quality of the smoothie.

I liked that the drinks didn’t have an excessive amount of boba, but I would have

photo by seyoung lee/falconer

tasted floral hints, with an aftertaste similar to lychee. The honey boba pearls were satisfyingly squishy and tasted like real honey rather than artificial sweetening. With high expectations, I

after also mixing the contents. It lacked the sweetness of the salted cheese, but the puff cream’s sweet flavor and boba’s chewy texture made up for the missing sweet taste.

Finally, I tried the original bubble waffle.

The crust in between the bubbles was crunchy, while the bubbles had a chewy texture. Overall, the bubble waffle had very little flavor, but the unique texture made it incredibly satisfying anyway.

If you like sweet boba and tea, Happy Lemon is definitely a cafe to consider, as it boasts a wide variety of sweet beverages, add-ons and bubble waffles. But be prepared for a long wait because orders take awhile, especially during the new Del Mar Highlands store’s peak times.

Even so, be sure to give Happy Lemon a chance by visiting the new store at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center, which is close enough for Carmel Valley residents to at least pay a visit.

by Daniel Kim

preferred if they were not as cold. Still, the drinks were well-worth their cost because they were well-crafted with no artificial flavors or juices.

If I return to Tea N More, I would love to try the Snow Ice Blend to compare its texture with the Mango Smoothie. What’s special about boba is that it’s not something a person gets on an average day; boba is worth going out for. I was expecting this place to blend into the spectrum of standard, fast-paced “quantity over quality” cafes I have experienced. For instance, I often pick up drinks from Starbucks before school, and nearly every time, they are short-staffed, have little seating and execute inefficient customer service. Worst of all, my drinks are often made incorrectly.

Tea N More stood out from most cafes, including Starbucks, as it provided a safe space for anyone to relax, meet new people and drink refreshing boba.

by Micah Levy

moved on to the black tea.

Compared to the chrysanthemum tea, it was a lot more bitter, but after getting over that initial jolt, I couldn’t stop myself from drinking.

The “black tea” flavor was evident, a sign that the cafe made the drink in-house with real tea and milk, unlike many other places, where the “milk tea” is simply a blend of milk and sugar.

But, the tea’s bitterness wasn’t overpowering and complimented the boba’s sweetness well.

Finally, only the jasmine tea was left. As a Korean customer, I was well-accustomed to the flavor of jasmine tea, and it did not disappoint.

Once again, the drink had the real flavor of jasmine tea and a perfect balance between sweet and bitter.

Overall, each drink had very high quality for its $5 price point. As a frequent boba consumer, I can confidently say that this $15 was wellspent. For such a small cafe, it had high qualitea that left me feeling “bubbly” inside.

by Kevin Song

photo by lesley moon/falconer

Girls volleyball (39-2) swept Cathedral Catholic High Schools Dons (30-6) in a 3-0 match at CCHS to win the San Diego CIF Volleyball Open Division Championship on Nov. 9. The final set scores were 2519, 25-23 and 26-24.

The team continued on to win the state volleyball tournament against Marin Catholic High School on Nov. 23, solidifying their national first place ranking.

“The team was really working well during the game,” Megan Kraft (12) said. “We had a week of practice before that game where we worked on getting 1 percent better every time we stepped on the court and I think we took what we had focused on in practice and put it into the game.”

The Falcons began the first set on a high note, with Carly Diehl (12) serving and immediately scoring a point as

the opposing shanked the ball off the court.

Throughout the set, the Falcons maintained the lead against the Dons, with Kraft providing reliable spikes and defense throughout the round.

The set culminated as Delaynie Maple (12) scored the final point, with the Falcons easily winning 25-19.

“We were just communicating really well,” Diehl said. “Everyone was doing their part and filling their role on the team very well.”

The second set got off to a great start for the Falcons as they easily advanced to 7-0.

The Falcons remained ahead in the set, but the Dons steadily caught up, gaining momentum as the set continued.

Even as the Dons crept closer to the Falcons, TPHS Varsity Head Coach Brennan Dean believed the girls were “very poised yet confident.”

“We never gave up,” Dean said. “I love how we were calm photo by lesley moon/falconer

photo by lesley moon/falconer

and collected on the court and so supportive of each other.”

The set ended with a contested hit with the Falcons up 24-23. The ball remained in play for a minute, with the Falcons winning after Dons player Madison Endsley hit from the back court and the ball hit the net, allowing the Falcons to proceed to the next set with a 2-0 lead.

The tide began to turn during the third set. The Falcons caught up to the Dons, which had been leading the set at 6-6. As soon as the score evened out, the Dons gained momentum, leading the set 8-5.

The Falcons regained their pace, with Kraft getting a kill to even the score back out at 12-12. The set remained a series of back and forth, with the Falcons momentarily losing their synchronization as players bumped into each other on the court.

“The third set has always been a tough one for us because

it’s so hard to stay focused and finish strong,” Kraft said. “We just kept our heads down and knew what was needed to win.”

The game peaked as the Falcons trailed the Dons 21-24.

At set point, the Falcons made up the difference until the score was 25-24. The final point was scored when the Don’s middle attacker errored wide, missing the net and solidifying the Falcon’s lead and winning them the CIF Championship.

“We don’t really focus on what part of the match that we’re in or what point it happens to be,” Dean said.

“We play exceptionally hard for every single point and we compartmentalize it so we don’t get overwhelmed with the huge monumental task of having to win multiple sets or multiple subs in a row.”

The tactic worked and led the team to victory. With their recent win, they earned the title of the number one team in the nation.

Led by 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) James Harden, the Houston Rockets have been fairly successful since the acquisition of point guard Chris Paul two seasons ago, going to the Western Conference Finals in the 2017-2018 season and the semifinals during the 2018-2019 season. Unhappy with these outcomes, the Rockets traded Paul and first-round draft picks in 2024 and 2026 to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2017 NBA MVP, Russell Westbrook. This is creating a huge problem in Houston, as Harden and Westbrook are very similar players, but not in a good way.

The Rockets have one of the best offensive players in the NBA: James Harden. With Westbrook, who is also an offensive specialist, many people think this team will be a championship contender. But, this is not the case as both Harden and Westbrook are notorious ball hogs, wanting to take every shot themselves; last season, both players were in the top four for field goals attempted per game, but neither were in the top 35 in offensive efficiency, and Westbrook was outside of the top 150. Both players rely on volume, rather than efficiency, to fill their stat sheet.

While this might make the individual players look good, it hurts the team’s success.

Because Harden and Westbrook are such talented players, they cost the Rockets a pretty penny. In fact, they cost more than any duo in the NBA. Both players are top four in the highestpaid NBA players this season. While it is subjective, most people think the Los Angeles Clippers’ duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George or the Los Angeles Lakers’ combo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis air the best pair in the NBA, and both these pairs cost over $10 million less than the Rockets’ duo. In short, the Rockets used more money on a less powerful duo, which gives them a thinner supporting cast.

In previous years, the team maintained a strong bench to keep themselves in the game while their starters rest. However, not only do the Rockets lack eye-catching bench players this season, but they are also using barely bench-worthy players, like power forward P.J. Tucker, as starters, even though he has never averaged even 10 points per game in a full NBA season. This thin depth will hurt them throughout the season because championship-contending teams need clutch performances from players other than their stars, but it will affect them more toward the end of the season.

An NBA Championship team can play no less than 98 regular season and playoff games, so a star player who has repeatedly played almost the entire game will get tired towards the end of the season, as they are overworking themselves. Therefore, lesser known players will need to step up. Maybe someone on the Rockets will surprise us, but their roster’s depth is nearly nonexistent, and it seems unlikely that someone will emerge as a key player.

With Westbrook, the Rockets are going to have trouble distributing the ball because of how similar he and Harden are, and their roster’s little depth does not help either. Because of this, the Rockets will not have the success they anticipate, and it will be evident during the 2020 NBA Playoffs.

With her five-foot frame and sunny smile, you probably wouldn’t guess that Emily Sway (12) gets in a lot of fights.

But, as a rising star in wrestling and martial arts, Sway defies expectations based on her appearance.

Sway decided to try out for the TPHS wrestling team after being encouraged by a friend already on the team. Four more girls have since joined the team, but in her freshman year, Sway was the only girl at practice with her male teammates.

“It took time to get used to [practicing with male teammates], but everyone on the team is super nice and respectful. The most challenging aspect of the sport is just getting yourself out there on the mat,” Sway said. “At first it’s terrifying because you’re fighting someone. It’s scary.”

Regardless, by practicing Monday through Friday for two hours a day as well as going live, she rose to the challenge and is even thankful for her male teammates.

“Going against guys [has really helped] because they’re a little stronger ... [they] challenge me and push me to become better,” Sway said.

“And it feels kind of nice that I have the background to protect myself. Knowing I can go up against men; I can fight men.”

Practices include a variety of conditioning exercises to stay fit and weight-lifting to build muscle.

“You have to be really healthy and maintain your weight [to compete],” Sway said.

Weight is especially important because it affects the wrestlers she goes up against.

Sway currently wrestles in the 106-pound weight class, the second lowest weight class for girls wrestling at TPHS. If she didn’t make weight at competitions, she would have to wrestle in the next weight class up, where her opponents would have a greater advantage.

On competition days, Sway wakes up around 6 a.m and forgoes breakfast on those mornings to avoid any chance of not making her weight class. She has a peanut butter

photo by katheryn yoo/falconer

@tphsfalconer @tphsfalconer @TPHSports

and jelly sandwich ready for when her matches are over, and she and her coach usually go to Denny’s after the competition to celebrate the matches.

But during matches, Sway has to work around the height advantage most of the opponents enjoy.

“Usually they’re taller, so they have more leverage on me, like longer arms,” Sway said. “It’s hard to get close, so I usually have certain moves, like a throw.”

Sway prides herself on having represented TPHS in the state championships two years in a row: the first wrestler from TPHS (male or female) to do so in 10 years.

Aside from wrestling, Sway is also an accomplished martial artist.

She won a silver medal at the U.S. Youth Championships for judo in 2019 and competed in the Pan American Cadet World Championships as a member of the U.S. Youth Pan American Cadet Team, her proudest achievement in the sport.

Though Sway’s martial arts background smoothed her transition into wrestling, the two sports still have key differences.

“In judo, you mainly stand straight up; in wrestling you’re in a stance, kind of like squatting,” Sway said. “Judo is also chokes and arm bars, but in wrestling, you’re just pinning [opponents].”

When she’s not choking or pinning, Sway balances her busy life with activities like sewing, reading and drinking boba tea.

Despite her welcoming teammates and coaches, a certain stigma still exists surrounding female wrestlers. Sway said her friends were initially surprised by her decision to join the wrestling team, especially because of the design of the uniforms.

“They’re little singlets, kind of like a leotard.

Not that cute, but, I mean, I enjoy wrestling,” Sway said.

Nevertheless, Sway believes women’s wrestling has a promising future.

“I think [women’s participation in wrestling] is growing right now. Not a lot of women are in wrestling, and we’re trying to get more women to join,” Sway said. “I just think that not a lot of people know about it or women are kind of scared to start.”

Despite wrestling being a male-dominated sport, Sway believes in the benefits of wrestling for anyone who wants to give it a try, as it taught her positivity along with both physical and mental strength. She looks forward to continuing to push herself even further this season.

“It’s nice getting back into the mode of hustling,” Sway said.

Sway hopes to continue wrestling in college though she isn’t sure where. But for now, she’ll continue doing what she always does: using her talent, dedication and trailblazing spirit to fight for girls on the wrestling team and elsewhere, all with that sunny smile.

by Jasmine Criqui

Before the formation of the Premier League in 1992, Manchester City was considered an average team, at best, and not nearly as competitive as their crosstown rivals, Manchester United.

City have been crowned English football champions only twice since they joined the English Football League in 1892, comparable to the likes of Leeds United, Burnley and Derby County. The team’s transformation from a perennial mid-table team to a European powerhouse can be traced back to the purchase of the club by Emirati billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Mansour’s net worth is estimated at $22 billion, more than any other Premier League owner by a wide margin. This has allowed City to outspend every other Premier League club, making the league much less competitive and exciting.

City’s dominance was most evident in the 2017-18 season, which resulted in its third Premier League title since Mansour’s takeover. The team set Premier League records for most points (100), wins (32) and goals (106) in a season, and was able to feature one of the best lineups in history thanks to its massive transfer budget.

City’s manager during the 2017-18 campaign, and arguably the most vital component of their success, was Spanish mastermind Pep Guardiola, who was hired at the start of the 2016-17 season after successful tenures at FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Guardiola brought in five players at the beginning of the season for a combined fee of £202 million, most notably right-back Kyle Walker, midfielder Bernardo Silva and goalkeeper Ederson. In addition, they spent £57 million on centerback Aymeric Laporte midway through the

On Oct. 19, Muslim teen athlete Noor Alexandria Abukaram was disqualified from her cross-country race for a uniform violation — her hijab. The Ohio student was not told until after her race that she was required to submit a request for a waiver, which must be approved, to compete wearing the hijab. So no, hijabs and other religious head-wear were not technically prohibited. However, the fact that a student must go through an additional process to get permission to compete alongside her peers, just because she chooses to wear a headscarf because of her faith, is unacceptable. This waiver, a flimsy attempt to conceal the discrimination at play, is not required by the California Interscholastic Federation.

Abukaram’s incident is not isolated.

Muslim and Sikh athletes have been discriminated against for years, in and outside of school leagues. In 2012, the Quebec Soccer Federation declared a turban ban, which affected Sikh men. The entire Qatar women’s basketball team had to withdraw from the 2014 Asian Games after the International Basketball Federation refused to let them play wearing their hijabs. Time and time again, athletes are being singled out for their “uniform violations,” and each time, it is made increasingly obvious that the supposed problem is not with their clothing, but with their faith.

Forcing athletes to choose

season. This gave them a sizable advantage over the rest of the league, as no other club spent more than £220 million throughout the 2017-18 season.

City’s Premier League titles in the last two seasons can also be attributed to their lethal attack, which has scored the most goals in the Premier League and the second-most of any team in Europe’s top five leagues during those seasons. Most of their goals have come from five of their most expensive transfers: strikers Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, wingers Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane and midfielder Kevin de Bruyne. Aguero, the club’s alltime top scorer, was bought from Spanish powerhouse Atletico Madrid in 2011 for a fee of £31 million. In 2015, they added Sterling and de Bruyne for a combined price of £88 million. City paid £37 million to German club Schalke for Sane a year later, and £27 million to Brazilian club Palmeiras for Jesus. The £183 million spent on these five players, along with the tactics of Guardiola, allowed City to assemble the most successful attack in the Premier League.

The only team that has given City any sort of challenge is Liverpool, which finished just one point shy of City in the 2018-19 season and is first in the current Premier League season as of Dec. 5. Led by German manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool managed to score 89 goals in the 201819 season, just six less than City, despite spending significantly less money. Their attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah cost them just £88 million, and although they have made some expensive transfers, such as the £75 million move for center-back Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool has been able to contend with City while spending much less money.

The sum of the fees paid by Liverpool for their starting eleven was £299 million,

between sports and their religion is a horrendous injustice in our supposedly modern society. Not only is it immoral and demeaning, but it is also a blatant violation of the First Amendment freedom of religion. In America, in 2019, after centuries of fighting religious and racial inequalities, it is absurd that people still have to fight to wear a simple head covering.

The justification behind these regulations is that the head-wear is a safety hazard for other players. But it’s not hard to see that a tight, secure pinless garment such as a Sikh turban poses no threat to the wearer or anyone around them. Additionally, as in Abukaram’s case, Muslim women athletes typically wear hijabs that are designed specifically for the purpose of athletic wear. Since 2018, even Nike has sold athletic hijabs.

Religious head coverings do not cause a disturbance to other athletes, nor do they affect the wearer’s athletic ability.

The proof is in Ibtihaj Muhammad’s 2016 Olympic bronze medal in fencing, which made her the first Muslim-American woman to compete at the Olympics in hijab.

Abukaram is one of many athletes who have faced discrimination because of her personal choice of modesty. Religious intolerance in sports, from high school competitions to international tournaments, has been overlooked for far too long. Now is the time to finally bring longoverdue equality to all athletes, photo from huffpost

which is no small figure but not nearly as notable as the £444 million that City spent on their own starting eleven.

City’s enormous budget and lack of authenticity have made the Premier League duller every season, as it has become almost a guarantee that they finish

at the top of the table. The emergence of Liverpool has provided a temporary source of competition, but their success will most likely fade in the coming seasons due to their relatively small budget; meanwhile City will continue to reign over the rest of the Premier League. photo from manchester evening news

photo from economist

statements about his distaste for Trump’s social media activity indicate that there may have been other factors.

After the Nationals won the 2019 The Golden State Warriors may have World Series, pitcher Sean Doolittle caused the most controversy regarding declined a visit to the White House the White House visit after they won because he disagrees with many Donald the 2016-17 NBA Championship. After Trump policies. It has been tradition for Warriors’ guard Stephen Curry said that American sports teams to visit the White he wouldn’t go, Trump withdrew Curry’s House after winning a championship. invitation via Twitter. LeBron James of Since Trump was inaugurated in 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers then famously many athletes and teams have broken called Trump a “bum” on Twitter, in a tradition because of their opposition to tweet in which he also said to Trump, Trump, who has made these visits much “Going to the White House was a great more controversial and less prestigious. honor until you showed up.”

The first individuals to forgo the visit The 2018 NCAA Basketball were the 2016-17 New England Patriots. Tournament champion, Villanova, was About half of the Patriots’ 53-man roster not invited, along with the Warriors, decided not to attend for various reasons, who won the NBA championship again and for at least five members of the team, in 2018. Instead, the Warriors organized it was because of their opposition to an event with former President Barack Trump. Among these players was Obama to “celebrate equality, diversity the team’s starting running back, and inclusion.”

LeGarrette Blount.

Although skipping the White “I just don’t feel welcome in House visit has been more popular that house,” Blount said in an with Trump in office, declining interview on “The Rich Eisen the visit isn’t a new occurrence.

Show.”

For example, Matt Birk, a former In the first two-plus years of Baltimore Ravens center, President Donald Trump’s skipped the team’s visit administration, 20 major to the White House in sports teams have won 2013 because of his championships, but only disagreement with some 10 celebrated at the of Obama’s policies.

White House according While some teams to Business Insider. still visit the White The 2017 University House, there has of North Carolina frequently been basketball team some form of was the first whole controversy under team to decline the Trump. Regardless of invite to the White their reasons, teams should House. They cited focus less on politics and more scheduling conflicts on what they achieved in their as the reason, but respective fields and visit the head coach Roy Williams’ “people’s house.” photo from nypost

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The contents of this page were not actually written by Donald Trump; they are meant to be satirical and were written by Dhathry Doppalapudi. Any resemblance to Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actual wish list is purely coincidental.