Issue #1 — The Prospector — 2013-14

F RI DAY, S EP T EM B ER 27, 2013

The evolution of sexism

Punny Pangilinan

Online entrepreneurship

OPINIONS page 4

Don’t knock country music FEATURES pages 6 & 7

LIFESTYLES page 8 & 9

THE PROSPECTOR

VOLUME 55 NO. 1

Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

CHSPROSPECTOR.ORG

10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO, CA 95014

Not a single penny: Club fee ban enacted KATIE MARTIN editor-in-chief

Immediately after word of Governor Jerry Brown’s approval of legislation banning fees from public schools trickled down to students in the spring of 2013, seniors Jane Li and Curran Bhatia could not help but worry for the future of the club they had funded largely through mandatory membership dues in years prior.

The current Presidents of the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), one of the largest community service clubs on campus, Li and Bhatia are facing the same confusion that now plagues many school administrators as districts try to navigate the intricacies of the long-ignored law in the midst of a budget crisis.

Miscommunication about the legislation initially fueled many of their concerns.

Said Li, “We first heard that we

couldn’t have club fees, then that there were exceptions for clubs like CSF and NHS [National Honor Society] and then that we didn’t have an exception. We scrambled around.”

However, as the start of school marked the beginning of the first year in decades in which California public schools will be held accountable for violating this law, club officers were forced to forgo their usual tactics of soliciting fees and instead request donations from members. CSF will be asking for a $5

“

I think that if we show them a chart of all our expenses and explain to them why we need the money, then I think they’ll [donate] because we have dedicated members

- Curran Bhatia, 12

contribution per semester from each member to cover chapter fees, senior cords, the sponsoring of a child from Sri Lanka via World Vision and, of course, scholarships for members.

While the $600 typically raised from club dues is no longer a guarantee, Li and Bhatia remain hopeful that members will be willing to contribute.

“I think that if we show them a chart of all our expenses and explain to them why we need the money, then I think they’ll [donate] because we have dedicated members,” Bhatia said.

NO MORE FEES, continued on page 2

Middle East conflict affects students Construction update ANIRUDH PAI web crew

RISHI NAIR photo crew

Recently, violent rebellions in Egypt and Syria have been a major topic in the news. Although far removed from many Bay Area residents, students from these countries or with family members living in the conflict-ridden countries have felt the reverberations from these uprisings.

In Egypt, thousands of protesters rioted when President Mohammed Morsi was ousted. However, Morsi’s presence was still felt as police clashed with his supporters in a large conflict resulting in over 600 deaths over the course of two days.

“People in Egypt rebelled against Mohammed Morsi because they felt they were not equal to him ... Egypt is an anarchy right now. In a year or so, I

would feel safe enough to travel to Egypt to visit my family and hopefully by then things will be resolved,” said Youssef Sibh, a sophomore of Egyptian heritage.

The Muslim Brotherhood, one of the most unpopular political organizations in history, has been controlling the

“

People in Egypt rebelled against Mohammed Morsi because they felt they were not equal to him...

Egypt is an anarchy now - Youseff Sibih, 10

FLIP SIDE page 12

News briefs Ariel Castro Suicide Investigation: Corrections Officer Placed on Leave Ariel Castro, the notorious kidnapper and abuser of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, committed suicide by hanging himself with a bedsheet inside his cell on Sept. 3.

Colorado Lawmakers Ousted in Recall Vote Over Gun Law Although it was only confined to two small districts in Southern Colorado, the election in Colorado on Sept. 10 was more than just an ordinary election; it was a fierce battle between gun control advocates and opponents that ultimately ended in a win for the National Rifle Association and its supporters.

Colorado Flooding Beginning Sept. 12, Boulder, Colorado experienced a 1-in1,000 year flood. Its destruction left 18,000 damaged homes and 300 people unaccounted for.

Indian-American Woman Wins Miss America Pageant Miss New York Nina Davuluri was crowned the winner of the 2014 Miss America Pageant on Sept. 15. She is the first contestant of Indian descent to be crowned Miss America, eliciting both proud and hateful comments on social networking sites.

Gunmen Kill Dozens in Terror Attack at Kenyan Mall

DELANIE MEDINA flipside assistant

political spectrum of Egypt for over three years. They have been known to use violence in order to maintain order and in December, Brotherhood leaders rounded up their civilian followers and ordered

Over the last year, students and staff have grown accustomed to the many changes to the school campus because of recent construction. It has become part of daily routine for students at school to have to navigate through the few areas untouched by green construction fences. With construction coming to an end, there will be a variety of modifications

SYRIA & EGYPT CRISIS, continued on page 2

CONSTRUCTION, continued on page 2

On Saturday, September 21, masked gunmen took over a crowded Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, killing at least 62 people, while 65 are currently missing. Police investigations revealed that gunmen were sent to the mall in retaliation for Kenya’s involvement in an African Union military effort against the Somalia-based AlShabaab terror group, which is al Qaeda’s proxy in Somalia.

2

News

The Prospector

S TA F F 2013-2014

The Prospector

Construction continues on campus CONSTRUCTION, continued from page 1

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LV, No. I | 2013 editors-in-chief katie martin chris s. yoon news editor michael li opinions editor diana kruzman features editor keely zhang lifestyles editor ashley liu sports editor nirmit shah flip side editor jessica shin copy editors tanay tandon yane ahn photo editor thu dam web editor tanay tandon business manager ashley liu news assistants

laura shkouratoff jay shroff myung-ju song

opinions assistants

alex levine isabel lin

features assistants

serena ngan alex shieh joyce ye

lifestyles assistants

maithilee kanthi marvin wang

sports assistants

nikita devdhar brian zhong

flip side assistants

delanie medina jeremy zue

photo crew web crew

gloria choi anirudh pai gloria choi rishi nair adviser ann peck

Editorial Policy “The Prospector” is an open forum of expression for student editors to inform and educate their readers. It will not be reviewed by or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may and should coach and discuss content during the writing process.

The staff of “The Prospector” seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Cupertino community in an accurate, professional and unbiased manner. “The Prospector” will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.

If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in “The Prospector,” please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of “The Prospector” and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy.

“The Prospector” editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy.

Contact Us The Prospector 10100 Finch Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 prospector.chs@gmail.com

UNDER THE AWNING | The new building features

ings are connected by a glass bridge, on the second floor and will feature shutters to deflect the sun’s glare while still letting in its warmth. This will reduce the electricity usage, making the new student union increasingly eco-friendly. In addition, a two lane drop off zone will be added on Finch Avenue, to ease the hectic morning traffic.

The north building, next to the theatre, will have bathrooms, water fountains, a library, a computer lab, a cafeteria, a kitchen and a lounge for students, with seating available both upstairs and downstairs, made possible by retractable glass windows. The south building will be home to the new main office, along with the counseling and career centers.

The 200’s wing, currently consisting of the main office and library, will be replaced by nine new classrooms and is set to begin on the day the construction of the main building is finished. The estimated completion is sometime in the summer of 2014. There will be fences leading from the construction to the student parking lot through the back of the school.

While no plans for further construction have been announced, this may not be the last time the green fences grace the school with their presence.

many glass panels set into the framework of the building. Pine trees add a natural aspect to the buildings.

made to the school in the upcoming months.

Students can expect the new quad to be open and ready for use on Oct. 1. Students will finally have full access to the main hallway, a convenience to the large student population affected by the overwhelming congestion in the main hallway.

Said senior Naeema Kaleem, “Many people have to make a trip to their locker, or to classrooms across campus, and the traffic in the hallway not only makes that increasingly difficult, but also usually results in tardies.”

The new quad will feature an outdoor stage, plenty of seating and, contrary to popular belief, no senior lawn. However, there will be a variety of other spots for students to socialize, like the balcony, adjacent to the gym or the comma-shaped “hangout spots” around the quad.

The opening of the new buildings is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2014, five days before the arrival DOUBLEDECKER | The two-story building feaof the second semester. The two separate build- tures a balcony as well as an outdoor stage.

News briefs Starbucks CEO request: No guns in store In a Sept. 18 interview, Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz asked gun owners not to bring guns into Starbucks stores. Aware of how pro-gun activists have used Starbucks as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days,” Shultz said that the gun debate has become “uncivil and threatening.”

11 Killed in Shooting at D.C. Navy Yard A Sept. 16 shooting took place at a naval building not far from the White House, killing at least 13 people, including the gunman. Three victims are expected to recover from surgery.

Deadly Earthquake Strikes Pakistan’s Balochistan On Tuesday, September 24, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake left at least 45 people dead in a remote area of southwest Pakistan known as Balochistan. According to Pakistan’s chief meteorologist, Mohammad Riaz, the strong earthquake inflicted major damage on the region.

City bans plastic bags JAY SHROFF news assistant

The City of Cupertino will be banning plastic bags in an attempt to follow California’s regional San Francisco Bay Anti-Litter & Water Protection mandates. The city, which will enact this legislation beginning Oct. 1, is one of the last in the Bay Area to ban plastic bags, behind both Milpitas and San Jose.

The first city to wage war against bags was San Jose, when a law banning all plastic bags at major grocers and shops, such as Safeway, Rite Aid and many others, went into effect this past January.

Other cities including Cupertino followed this trend, proposing plastic bag bans on the council floor. However, the battle to pass such a law in Cupertino was much harder, as some thought it would “deter people from buying from small businesses.” The resolution, which was passed on July 9, will effectively ban plastic bags from major stories within city limits starting Oct. 1.

The state’s regional San Francisco Bay AntiLitter & Water Protection mandate states that Cupertino must reduce its total waste output by 40 percent by July 2014. This number rises to 70 percent by 2017 and finally 100 percent by 2022 — meaning no signs of visible litter.

Instead of offering plastic bags, major stores will be offering recycled paper bags, but for a price: 10 cents per bag. The price of a paper bag will increase to 25 cents after 2015.

September 27, 2013

Syrian, Egyptian rebellions hit close to home SYRIA & EGYPT CRISIS, continued from

them to brutally attack protesters.

Meanwhile, Syria has also been ravaged by revolution for the last two and a half years. The UN estimates that there have been more than 100,000 deaths and over six million displaced persons. Syria’s neighboring countries have accommodated a total of two million refugees since the revolution began, making Syria the world’s second largest producer of refugees, trailing just behind Afghanistan.

“It started two years ago, and since then it’s become a war between the rebels and the military, said sophomore Osama Badr, who is half Egyptian and half Syrian. “I think that one of my mom’s relatives was killed in the revolution, and my family in Syria is living in harsh conditions.”

In 2011, peaceful protests inspired by the Arab Spring resulted in violent backlash from the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 40,146 civilians have thus far been killed. Of this number, more than 4,000 were women, while children counted for 5,800 of the casualties.

Alleged chemical warfare has recently sparked debate regarding potential U.S. intervention. The usage of these weapons crossed what President Barack Obama referred to as a “red line” that may determine future action. The U.S. government claims that the Syrian government killed more than 1,429 people in one devastating chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21 in the suburbs of Damascus, including at

“

It started two years ago, and since then it’s become a war between the rebels and the military -Osama Badr, 10

least 426 children. Three days after this attack, the nonprofit organization Doctors Without Borders reported that three associated hospitals in Damascus treated about 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms on the day of the attack.

“I think Assad’s actions have been very oppressive towards the people. I don’t like the idea that he’s using chemical weapons against his own people. I think it’s unethical and it’s not what a leader should be doing at all,” Badr said.

President Barack Obama has called this attack “an assault on human dignity” and is currently collaborating with Russia to remove Syria’s chemical weapons stashes by 2014.

Said Badr, “I don’t really support these measures, but I do however support the revolution, because the Presidency of Syria has been more like a family dictatorship for the past 20 years and the people have suffered enough.”

When asked about visiting Syria, Badr said, “I don’t feel safe going there now, but hopefully when things calm down, I would want to visit my family and support them.”

September 27, 2013

The Prospector

News

3

Club officers concerned, hopeful for financial future of organizations NO MORE FEES, continued from page 1

But as senior and ASB Clubs Commissioner Colleen Chan explained, service-oriented groups such as CSF have less reason to worry about a ban on fees than clubs that frequently attend conventions or need expensive equipment. Robotics is one such club that has run into this predicament, and is now requesting $100 donations from members to offset the costs of the machinery. The club will also turn to fundraisers and grants from local tech companies as an alternative way of funding.

Although senior and Robotics President Lisa Lee, like Li and Bhatia, believes firmly that members will donate in acknowledgement of the club’s mission, Chan noted that complaints poured in following news of the

ban. Some students report that other schools does believe the new regulations simin the district continue to ignore the law, ply make funding more complicated. even in the face of pledges from the state of “It does make it harder for clubs to raise California to monitor its implementation. money. Membership fees are good because not only do they raise funds, but they show a member is committed,” Chan said. “Now But the spirit of of the law is there’s no incentive [for dedication. Students] one I fully believe in — that could just join as many clubs as they want.”

Ultimately, however, Principal Kami it shouldn’t cost you extra to Tomberlain says she simply cannot prebe a part of the school. dict the extent to which this law will impact the budgets of the school or clubs.

- Principal Kami Tomberlain “We may find we get the same as we always have by calling it a donation, or we may While ASB will be enforcing the law, not,” Tomberlain said. “But the spirit of the with violators facing potential disband- law is one I fully believe in — that it shouldn’t ment or loss of privileges like participat- cost you extra to be a part of the school.” ing in Clubs Day and Clubs Faire, Chan

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Timeline of Public Education Fees 1879: The California Constitution guarantees free publication education to all students.

August 2010: An investigation by the American Civil Liberties Union finds that public school districts frequently charge students for textbooks, sports uniforms and elective materials, among other items.

September 2010: The ACLU files a lawsuit against California, alleging a violation of the state’s free public education clause and discrimination against low-income students.

January 2012: The Los Angeles Superior Court rules the prosecution’s case legitimate and that the state is responsible for providing free public education September 2012: Governor Jerry Brown signs AB 1757, a bill that creates both specific school financial guidelines and a complaint process for violations.

January 2013: AB 1517 goes into effect.

Opinions

4

September 27, 2013

THE EVOLUTION OF SEXISM how gender roles and expectations, discriminatory and prejudiiced attitudes, and double standards are ingrained in us as children The environment surrounding sports editor a developing child tends to promote sexism and create gender stereotypes that, despite natural characteristics, make many feel out of place and uncomfortable as they attempt to fulfill these norms.

Throughout the entirety of male childhood, one key aspect of basic human decency tends to be overlooked – the ability to respect females as equals. As children, girls are subtly displayed as unable to perform certain actions.

For example, as a boy learns how to throw a ball, his gaffes are labeled as “girly” and he is taunted for “throwing like a girl.” Adolescent males discover further messages of feminine inferiority as women are objectified as the central theme in pornographic videos. These societal influences ingrain the false idea that women are nothing but objects submissive to the male species.

That being said, however, feminist activists sometimes do not seem to take a proper stand in reaching gender equality. If the argument flips from searching from equality to stereotyping males and describing every man as disrespectful and unchivalrous, the feminist movement has failed in its true purpose of reaching gender equality as it has now instigated a new stereotype while attempting to break out of previous stereotypes.

Additionally, gender roles go both ways, as NIRMIT SHAH

society tends to look down upon male sentimentality. If a man is unable to portray a certain level of strength and ability, he is often ridiculed as being homosexual. Television shows constantly portray females swooning over the guys with stereotypical male characteristics. An inability to build the right body type results in harassment in the locker room. Essentially, men have to meet hyper-masculine characteristics in order to be perceived as successful and proper.

By speaking out against the issue, men are perceived as losing more of their masculinity, thus exacerbating the problem.

Ultimately, the outlook on gender equality should not be one that creates a new society with new norms and a pendulum swing away from the current power balance, but rather empowers each individual to feel comfortable and confident in his or her self.

There should be no feminist or masculinist movement, but rather a joint movement toward

He she said said

A sad truth about the state of California is that it is depenopinions assistant dent on the car. California is known for its car culture — why would people take a bus or a train when they can instead travel in the comfort of their own car? Cars are simply more comfortable, familiar, and convenient than the alternative: public transportation.

However, despite the flaws in this system, it is in the people’s best interests to improve it so that this state has a sustainable system of transportation.

Commuting by car is generally more detrimental than beneficial to commuters and the environment. It is expensive — the IRS estimated that it costs drivers 55.5 cents per mile to commute considering all costs, including fuel and car payments. It is also harmful to the environment, considering that the average American car releases 300 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from one full tank of gasoline. Finally, it is time-consuming, as the top four longest commutes in the country are in California. However, though commuting to school or work by car clearly is detrimental to personal finances and the environment, public transportation in California is not sufficiently advanced to replace car travel, tending to be relatively slow, inefficient, and unreliable. Senior Erica Gao’s experience with the bus system shows the unkempt condition of public transportation.

ALEX LEVINE

OUT OF SERVICE

California’s public transportation problem

From the beginlifestyles assistant ning of a girl’s life, she is taught to be polite, dress modestly, and play by the rules. In comparison, a young boy is raised in an environment where he is encouraged to break a few rules if it means he can develop his own identity. These little discrepancies have built a society in which anything masculine has been placed on a pedestal, while anything feminine has a negative connotation.

Some cultures say it subtly, w i t h remarks of ‘you throw like a girl’, while others come right out with it and tell women they are incapable of contributing to society except by producing children.

This mindset has forced women to adapt, resulting in women thinking they have to be masculine to gain respect from their peers.

Furthermore, girls look down on others they consider ‘girly-girls’ to better be accepted by MAITHILEE KANTHI

the male dominated society. Issues such as slut-shaming and victim-blaming might not be so prevalent if it were not for the fact that even women take part in creating limits for each other. These limits come in the form of political inequalities and social behavior.

Feminists work towards gender equality in all aspects of society, but the protesters themselves are guilty of the same ideas and boundaries they are fighting against. Sexism itself is ingrained into humans’ perception of daily life.

Asking everyone to make the change for complete equality forces them to re-evaluate every sentence they say. For example, when girls say, “You scream like a girl,” or “You act so feminine!” as an insult, they live up to their own stereotypes, despite their every attempt not to.

Along with the misconceptions it promotes, feminism is directed at the wrong audience, making it a difficult battle. Centuries upon centuries of one entrenched thought process can’t be changed in a decade of protests aimed at young adults and adults. Raising a new generation with the idea of gender equality is the only possible option in order to create a society in which gender is not a predetermined personality. And when that generation raises the next and continues the cycle, perhaps it will be possible to have a world in which both males and females can work towards their ambitions without the limitation of sexism.

“The bus itself is often old, worn-out and uncared for,” Gao described. Issues like these with Bay Area transportation in particular are reflected in the fact that only 15 percent of workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont Metropolitan Statistical Area and 3 percent of workers in our San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metropolitan Statistical Area use public transportation in their commute.

Of course, these problems are not helped by the freeway-centric character of California cities, but the main problem resides with the unsustainability of current transportation and the need to improve public transportation to replace it.

Evidently, Californians have to innovate and update public transportation. California needs a system of fast and efficient public transportation that people will actually use. Many countries as industrialized as California operate popular high-speed rail networks.

For example, China, Japan and South Korea even operate maglevs, trains that travel at very high speeds by magnetic levitation. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has proposed what he calls the Hyperloop, which would propel passenger pods through electromagnetic tubes at 800 miles per hour. California needs innovative ideas like the Hyperloop, because its current transportation system will not work forever. Maybe California is built on the car and it would be difficult and expensive to change the infrastructure of this state, but this is a state of innovation and progressivism. And one fortunate truth about California is that it’s good at changing.

Opinions

The Prospector

September 27, 2013

EDITORIAL CARTOON

5

staff editorial In a world of interconnectedness and fast information, media sources - from newspapers to magazines to television broadcasts - have practiced sensationalism and failed to respect the wishes of their subjects.

CNN FOX

Why the media need to re-evaluate their ethical practices

MEDIA

the

whistleblower's dilemma

why information leakers have the wrong idea

ETHICS

Individuals often look towards the media as their first source of information. They search for credibility, clear, succinct writing and simplicity. They expect all these qualities in an article, but at the same time, they long for a story that will cater to their amusement, interest and pleasure. And who else is more willing to tend to these needs than the media?

As the competition for the best headline story grows fierce, media sources will often forget their manners and basic teachings. There have been too many cases in which the media have manipulated their audience, failed to respect their subjects’ preferences, or mindlessly disrespected another’s background.

Last April, University of Massachusetts student Dzhokar Tsarnaev set off several bombs during the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 20 others. Soon after, his photograph was featured on the cover of the August issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Even in such sensitive and dire circumstances, Rolling Stone, a widely read publication that features pop culture and music, chose to provide Tsarnaev with the attention that he desired and lavish not only an article, but an entire front page upon a widely known terrorist. Choosing to put Tsarnaev on the cover of Rolling Stone was not only insensitive to the victims of the bombing, but it also provided him with the fame he originally desired and thus, in a way, gave him a victory over the American public.

However, once the publication released its August issue, its online views increased substantially. Sales doubled that month. Sensationalizing as delicate a matter as the Boston bombings led only to fame and publicity for both the publication and the suspect; however, this blatant sacrifice of sensitivity for profit illustrates the mindless greed of today’s media.

Numerous other cases testify to the need for change in the media. Last year in one of the most publicized cases in recent memory, George Zimmerman was charged with manslaughter against a teenage African American boy by the name of Trayvon Martin. While the case was undergoing investigation, however, NBC purposefully misguided the public by editing parts of Zimmerman’s 911 call in order to excite the public and provoke controversy. Controversy garners attention and attention leads to profits, but by taking this action, they forsook the true and original purpose of the news: the promise of clear, straightforward reporting and unvarnished truth.

Simply stated, adherence to media ethics is declining and this needs to change. It is only reasonable that the media try and provide the information the audience wants to hear. However, it is high time they put an end to the morally reprehensible practices of dramatization and manipulation of facts to gain attention. They must realize that some topics require more care and respect than is currently being provided.

It all comes down to the fundamentals of ethics. Many of the media have become greedy, mindless and manipulative: their intentions have been twisted and it is time they untangle them.

The media code of ethics is based upon truth; unfortunately, they have strayed from the fundamental objective of presenting the news and instead morphed into an economically starved, sensationalistic institution that merely plays into the public’s morbid curiosity and desire for controversy. What is freedom of press if the media abuses this power? They have been given liberties for a purpose, and it’s time the media begin doing what they are meant to do and reporting the news: clear, objective news.

CO

U

T h e r e but overblown and sensationalized. Americans is a belief, get so caught up in the spirit of patriotism that opinions editor innate in the they ignore the damage these whistleblowers A m e r i c a n have done, not only to the credibility of the U.S. mindset, that the government is government, but to the safety and security that the enemy. This idea has been Americans value so much. present from the earliest days To begin, the intrusiveness of govern1869 of democracy; it stems from ment programs has been grossly overstat1877 - Ulysses S. the fear of being controlled ed. Programs such as PRISM only receive Grant’s presidency is plagued by political and subdued by a larger the email, voice and assorted Internet scandals power, and has ultimately communications of people that are susgrown into the manifesto pected of terrorism; occasionally, an errant that the best government is no email from an innocent citizen may end up government at all. From Enlightin the NSA’s system, but if it poses enment philosophers to modern-day screen- no threat to national secuwriters (V for Vendetta, anyone?), proponents rity, it is largely ignored.

1973 - W. of this mindset have criticized the government Government officials Mark Felt exas harsh and controlling, inter- are not intrusively siftposes the Wapreting any national action ing through personal tergate Scandal, 1971 as having an underlying emails on a daily baleading to Presidesire to create a uto- sis, as many protestors Former U.S. dent Nixon’s pian society. would like people to bemilitary analyst resignation T o - lieve.

Daniel Ellsberg day, this belief Even disregarding the leaked top-secret is evident in mechanics of the PRISM program, documents known the uproar many are irrationally upset over its methods as the Pentagon Pacaused over because they fail to consider its purpose. Ameri- might indicate terrorist plots or other threats she dumped a plethora of military secrets right pers, revealing the g o v e r n m e n t cans have unreasonable expectations of their to national security. People are so worked up in the hands of U.S. enemies, and although her U.S. government’s secrets leaked government, expecting it to protect them from about the idea that their privacy is being in- intentions may have been benign, her actions rationale behind by whistleblow- harm while simultaneously preserving their vaded that they forget — or choose to ignore have had and will continue to have far-reaching its decisions durers such as Ed- rights to the letter. In this, they fail to realize that — the fact that in return for an unknown NSA consequences.

This is not to say that Ameriward Snowden and such balance is impossible; safet y official in Maryland possibly, maybe having acing the VietPOLITICO.COM OF Y cess to their email, thousands of Americans cans should ignore true govChelsea Manning. and privacy are mutually nam War. ES RT every day can step onto an airplane or ernment corruption or Snowden uncovered exclusive concepts, 2010 1998 White enter an office building feeling just cover-ups; in cases such information about the exis- and in the quest to WikiLeaks puba little bit safer because the govas the Watergate Scantence of PRISM and other inter- achieve one, the House staff memlishes classified U.S. ernment is doing something dal, whistleblowers have net surveillance programs and disclosed other must, to a ber Linda Tripp releases diplomatic cables in to protect them.

Snowden exposed a truly corrupt these findings to the British newspaper The degree, be sacrecordings implicating the leak known as did not consider this when he administration and have Guardian, while Manning leaked hundreds of rificed. PRISM President Clinton in a sex leaked classified information worked to make things Cablegate thousands of documents to the site WikiLeaks, collects Interscandal involving intern on government programs to The right by the law.

However, revealing U.S. military intel and diplomatic net communiGuardian, and thus relinquished the before hailing whistleblowers cables. Popular opinion hails Snowden, Man- cations from U.S. Monica Lewinsky. security and safety of Americans for what such as Snowden and Manning as ning and others like them as heroes, viewing citizens, yes, but it he viewed as the pure and untainted right champions of democracy, Americans should them as supporters of democracy and natural does this in order to to privacy.

Manning did not consider this when consider the cost of this supposed freedom and rights; however, this view is not only simplistic, intercept messages that DIANA KRUZMAN

Features

6

September 27, 2013

Everyone has been through times when they features assistant freeze, think and realize that they’ve just forgotten their friend’s happiest day of the year — their birthday. Throughout the world, there are pre-made cards in every store that can fit the bill as a gift. However, many are hesitant to just purchase one of these generic cards, as it often cannot accurately present one’s love or appreciation for a friend or family member. Senior Kelly Lee offers a remedy to this predicament by way of KLee cards.

In times of holidays and special events, who could say no to creative and cute cards? These cards are only $3 and consist of designs of any animals, fruits or any customized order. Lee runs the small business entirely by herself, as it began as merely a casual venture.

“It was the time of the 2013 senior graduation and since I didn’t want to make posters, I decided to make cards,” Lee said.

The cards made a lovely gift and surprised her friends. However, after graduation time passed, she seemed to still enjoy making cards.

Lee’s mother supported her and suggested she turn the cards into a small business. News of the compa n y spread through word of mouth, and despite her overwhelmingly busy junior year, Lee still strived to get her small business off the ground. Donating cards to various people and causes proved to be a successful way of navigating the business waters.

Now with only one year experience, Lee receives regular orders through the KLee Card Facebook page.

As she is able to channel her enjoyment of art into a steady business, with each card comes two smiles: the person receiving the card and Lee herself.

ALEX SHIEH

THU DAM

1 the #1 activity on the web

2

Every seconds. a new members joins LinkedIn

#Instagrammys

Social media is

35.5 million

The phrase “Instagram famous” doesn’t copy editor roll off the tongue yet — the site is newer and receives less traffic than platforms like Tumblr and Facebook. Sometimes it is mocked as being the social media channel of shameless selfies, despite its versatility in allowing users to express themselves. Throughout all this, though, there are the photo gods who seem to understand how to make their follower counts parallel the app’s growth in popularity. For these Insta-list celebrities, a picture of food or an #ootd post will conjure up those little red hearts like magic.

How do they do it? There must be some kind of secret formula, some kind of skill granted to these people from birth.

Not really.

“It was just gradual,” sophomore Danielle Nagtalon said on the growth of her follower count. “I mostly post what I’m wearing, because I love fashion, and I like to post what I do during the day.”

Other than the

YANE AHN

Twitter users in China

Greater chance a Twitter user is a Democrat

23%

Facebook users

young people visit the site at rejected for a job due to the content on least 5x a day their social media profiles

55-64 year old age bracket: fastest growing demography on Twitter

100

1 in

would be red carpet material.

hours of video footage uploaded to YouTube every minute

33% 10

suggestion of hashtags, it seems that there were no simple path to gaining followers.

“I post pictures of myself and it seems like that’s when I gain the most followers,” senior Rochelle Singh explained.

But mostly, Singh said, she just “joined [to] share photos.”

There is no trump-all-strategy behind the high numbers.

Yet a pattern exists: the Insta-famous agreed that Instagram was the best for sharing photos as well as scrapbooking their lives on a day-to-day basis. Each user puts in a loving amount of attention into their accounts.

“I like to take a lot of pictures, and instead of spamming Facebook newsfeed, I just Instagram,” freshman Allyson Chiu said. “Photos-wise, Instagram is the best.”

Nagtalon had similar reasons for loving Instagram: “It’s just a way to post what I’m doing, and [for] everyone to see what I’m up to.” She uses it as an opportunity to be original and express herself.

Instagram was never meant to be a popularity contest.

Rather, it’s a creative, safe place where users can post pictures and videos, and other people can get to be a part of the audience. The Instagram famous may exist, but they got to the top by having fun sharing what they thought should be shared.

There are no #instagrammys, but even if there was, everyone

Sources: AllTwitter; Convince&Convert; jeffbullas.com

September 27, 2013

Features

The Prospector

Media marketing Sometimes, getting up to go shopping is just way too strenuous. Luckily, the majority THU DAM of stores now offer the satisfaction of browsing photo editor and buying with a single click of a button. This growing platform is extremely reliable for businesses, and now even the humble student can easily open an online store and reach a wide audience. Creativity is pervasive at the school, and seniors Emma Pickett and Kate Meng, as well as sophomore Gordon Iwigaki, have taken full advantage of this opportunity to share their ideas and products with the community.

As fall approaches, who can resist a warm crew neck adorned with a cute, handsewn and embroidered animal patch? Fully customizable and only $20, these pullovers made by Pickett and Meng are sold online at their appropriately named store Alpacute, which currently features five products that can be ordered and shipped to anywhere in the U.S. A project started in summer, Alpacute is publicized largely by word of mouth and its creators are still trying to reach a wider audience through social networking sites such as Tumblr. Although college apps and AP courses overwhelm the seniors, Pickett and Meng diligently meet up every week to put together their products with meticulous attention to detail, regardless of how busy they may be.

“It’s challenging to find time to meet up and work during the school year now,” Pickett said.

“I don’t think people really understand how much work and time it takes for us to complete one, but our ultimate goal is to make a profit someday and have a wider listing of products online.”

THU DAM

ANIRUDH PAI

Budding businesses are undoubtedly tedious to maintain, but Iwigaki has been able to experience the rewards of his labor. Otaki Clothing emerged during the summer when Iwigaki and his friend came up with a design idea.

Said Iwigaki, “We just wanted something to showcase our talents and ideas. Our clothing is for the youth of today.”

The design quickly gained popularity and Otaki Clothing has made over $800 selling tank tops online.

The early success has motivated Iwigaki and his partner to continue developing their clothing line, and new additions are to be expected this coming November.

Alpacute and Otaki Clothing surfaced out of a stroke of creativity and a lot of hard work and are now well on their way to achieving their ultimate goals of being well known businesses.

Social bankin’ What’s better than JESSICA SHIN new and nice flip side stuff? Cheap and nice stuff!

If, of course, you don’t mind if the stuff has been used by someone else before.

As the use of social media increases in everyday life, students on campus are starting to use these platforms not only to communicate with others, but also to sell used items. Students are successfully able to buy and barter items ranging from handcrafted pieces to clothing to used instruments with fellow classmates.

The process is simple: a student finds an object at home that they no longer need that may be useful to others. He or she snaps a picture of it and posts it online, left with the mere task of waiting for a hungry customer to come and buy it off them.

When selling SAT books, said senior Lisa Lee,“If [the books] were written on and used, I gave them out for free so that people could just reference the questions. If they were really new, like I bought it last year ... I sold it for something similar to what I bought [it for] because it seemed like a waste. If it was an old book that hasn’t really been written on, I sold it for two or three bucks.”

Many of the students selling used items were not merely selling for the profit, but rather because it seemed like a waste of a high quality item to be sitting at home when it could be useful to others.

7

Juniors Naomi Fuhrmann and Rona Yeh decided to sell their clothes together on Facebook because “the clothes either didn’t fit me or were not my style,” according to Yeh. Differing from the conventional way of laying out clothes on a flat surface, they decided to model their clothes in the pictures.

“I do it to have no try ons, because it would be a lot of work if I had to give it to them and get it back later. It’s much easier if I just wear it for them and show them what it looks like,” Yeh said.

However, the no try-on policy wasn’t the only reason that the two decided to model the clothes.

Said Fuhrmann, “We thought that if people saw how it looked when we wore it, they’re more likely to be interested in buying the clothes.”

In the busy days of high school students when going to the mall to shop or tracking down the perfect test prep book is a waste of time, buying items that were used by others may be easier, since they are more likely to be trendy items or helpful books for amazing prices.

SERENA NGAN

Lifestyles

8

Don’t slam on

Country

MUSIC DIANA KRUZMAN

editor-in-chief

Taking a Myspace-esque photograph with friends is nothing less than a daily ritual for many in this era of instant sharing. The very modern issue this poses, however, is that a slang term to describe this practice has not yet been popularized.

“I realized that ‘selfie’ doesn’t adequately describe a photo with more than one person,” history teacher Kelly Roush said. “It just incorrectly uses the English language to describe a photo with multiple people.”

The solution? An ussie.

According to online slang lexicon Urban Dictionary, an ussie is “a self inflicted group photo; when the participant of a group photo also acts as the picture taker.” Technicalities include the number of those featured in the ussie, since a camera at arm’s length can only capture so many, and whether the background or

PICKS Dancin’ Away With My Heart Lady Antebellum

Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain) Gary Allan

Hunter Hayes

My name is Diana Kruzman. I have a neck as red as a tomato, wear overalls over flannel shirts and enjoy perching on hay bales while chewing grass and strumming my banjo. Recognize me? I’m every teenager’s first mental image upon realizing that I listen to country music — despite the fact that I don’t own any overalls and have never held a banjo.

Is this stereotype overexaggerated? Maybe — but look deep within your heart, and ask yourself if you have honestly never released a snigger, a slight giggle of contempt, upon hearing that one of your peers is a fan of country music.

Upon introducing the idea for this article to the journalism class — the most accepting, loving group of people I have ever had the pleasure to know — I heard a very pronounced, very definite giggle, signifying their surprise and amusement that I would stoop to enjoying so low of a music genre. Upon my defense of country music when discussing music tastes with a group of friends, I was told, somewhat jokingly, that country didn’t count. Over the years, I have slowly come to realize that my love of this genre is singular and unique, mostly because people don’t take country seriously. People see country as reserved for hillbilly farmers and people who know what a tailgate party is, mainly because they haven’t actually listened

CHRIS S. YOON

TOP

I Want Crazy

opinion editor

#Ussies

September 27, 2013

to the music, only passed on the opinions of those before them.

So that’s why I’m here, writing in defense of country music — to show that those stereotypes really are just stereotypes, and that country is every bit as legitimate a genre as rock or pop. A music genre has two parts — lyrics and sound — and country music not only has both, but never ceases to astound me with the beauty and intricacy of both.

Country encompasses every possible scenario known to humankind - love, tragedy, life, death, friendship, partying, nature, and family, with a few random topics such as dogs and cowboys thrown in for good measure. Listening to country can take me to a summer day spent laughing with friends or move me to tears at the heartbroken story of love gone wrong, and elicits everything from laughter to tears to involuntary “aww”s. And it always, always tells a story — the best songs paint such a vivid picture in my mind that I can escape whatever mundane thing I’m doing and be somewhere else, even if only for a moment. The second outstanding component of country music — its sound — is one that I could spend hours describing, but which speaks for itself better than I ever could; take a listen and decide for yourself. (Note: I am a notorious gloater.)

I’m not saying everyone should love country music - I’m saying that everyone should give it a try, instead of simply judging an (album) by its cover. Meanwhile, I’ll be giving the stinkeye to anyone that looks at me condescendingly for belting out Brad Paisley — although no matter how much country I listen to, I promise to never wear overalls.

the people featured serve as the focal point of the picture.

Roush originally came up with the word near the end of last school year, but did not begin her efforts to promote it until just several weeks ago. Her ultimate goal is to spread the word and eventually get it into the Webster Dictionary.

“I’ve never taken a selfie before, but I’ve definitely taken an ussie. So I feel like people like me don’t have an adequate word to describe our photos. I don’t want a picture of just me. I want a picture of myself with people,” Roush said.

Currently, there are over 750 hits for #ussie on Instagram, though not nearly as many on Facebook. Roush wishes to use the school as a stepping stone and a tool, as well as the media and social networking sites, to help popularize the word.

Said Roush, “If it can catch on here and be a solidified [Cupertino] word and we can get hashtags behind it, I think that the power of this school, because we know so many people in so many different places, can really help ussies reach other places.”

Your Side of the Bed Little Big Town

Highway Don’t Care Tim McGraw

Ours Taylor Swift

Springsteen Eric Church

Glass Thompson Square

Should Have Been a Cowboy Toby Keith

The House that Built Me Miranda Lambert

Lifestyles

The Prospector

September 27, 2013

TOP 5

WHAT’S THE

(vaguely) educational

CREAM

news assistant

Suits is a captivating insight into the world of law firms and businesses, opening up student eyes to the adult world through an intelligent drama. Its thought-provoking conflicts between witty characters provide fodder for complex discussions and debates.

60 Minutes provides in-depth coverage of current events and delivers important information that forces the viewers to think and take a stance on an issue. Recent and notable 60 Minutes reports include the programs on the Syrian crisis, robotic intelligence and NSA surveillance.

Besides featuring some of the zaniest fantasy figures on television, this epic drama demonstrates the use of shrewd, cunning tactics to overcome dilemmas. Depicting the flaws and assets of each character, Game of Thrones compels viewers to think and predict which character will someday hold the power to acquire the crown.

Though often dismissed as simply a prime time melodrama, the frequent focus on medical procedures in Grey’s Anatomy features interesting information on surgeries, the human body and various illnesses and ailments for the doctor and casual viewer alike.

Revolving around the life of a former criminal, White Collar uses crime scene analysis to solve crimes puzzling to the federal authorities. Between the seemingly unlikely pair of a criminal and FBI solve crimes, viewers are tuned in not only to entertainment but to law, criminal methodology and critical thinking.

distance

The Sandwich

$$$$

BITTER+SWEET $$ $$

“

Pop quiz! How many works of fiction have: 1) two named female characters, 2) who talk to each other, 3) about something other than men?

Surprisingly, only around half, according to the Bechdel Test, a basic test created to expose sexism in media and pop culture. When young adult books are written about teenage boys, the boys most often go through lifechanging experiences, learn valuable lessons from them and become better people — all with minimal romance. The Outsiders and Unwind are great examples of these books.

However, when the protagonist is female, young adult books tend to suddenly center on romance and dependence on men. In addition, female protagonists can be categorized into two general groups: the shy girl who is too pretty for her own good and has men falling for her left and right — Isabella Swan in Twilight — or the tough, strong, and masculine girl who secretly needs saving — in the style of Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games.

What do these girls all have in common?

They need a man. In almost every single YA story with a female protagonist, the girl relies on a boy.

When the sheer number of teenage girls who read young adult fiction and the magnitude of this constantly growing genre is taken into account, it comes as no surprise that some girls aspire to be like the female protagonists in many of these works. However, because many protagonists are not independent or strong,

quality

$$$$

“

—Wall Streeter to a female financial journalist at an industry party, after hearing she didn’t write about his firm.

news assistant

price

MYUNG JU SONG

Now that I don’t have to worry about you quoting me, I can hit on you.

LAURA SHKOURATOFF

$

TV shows

9

Assertiveness is seen as a positive quality in males, yet this same quality is considered negative aggressiveness in women.

—ORACLE ThinkQuest

teenage girls are given the impression that such qualities are outside of social norms.

However, characters who defy these characteristics are often described as masculine, created mainly as a response to the soft and girly stereotype. They don’t enjoy the company of other girls, think that shopping and makeup are too “girly” and simply want to be one of the boys. Katniss Everdeen, from the Hunger Games, showcases these traits.

Said student teacher Aaron Monroe, “The story of Katniss is the story of turning her from a strong and masculine girl, the first stereotype, into the other stereotype. She starts off as the overly masculine girl who doesn’t want to rely on anyone, but the life lesson she learns at the end of the third book is that she does need a man in her life.”

Additionally, Monroe revealed that the editors and publishers are usually at fault for this, since the editor and publisher industry is dominated by men. Many people complain that even women authors cannot correctly portray teenage girls; but in truth, authors write in stereotypical girl characters because they are appealing to the people who are able to get their books published instead of following their own abilities. Although these characters are perfectly valid, there are precious few strong female protagonists who also have girlish tendencies. A happy medium is, as of yet, few and far between.

ParisBaguette

$$$$

Sports

10 Nathan Petrie kicks off journey to Stanford

September 27, 2013

Water polo coach waves goodbye, father-son duo makes a splash

Thu Dam

JEREMY XUE flip side assistant

Thu Dam

MICHAEL LI news editor

Senior Nathan Petrie has officially committed to Stanford University as a member of their soccer team and will most likely be enrolled as a student next fall. He is one of the select group of recruited student athletes nationwide who pursue their sports dreams to the fullest in high school in the hopes of being recruited by top schools.

Petrie began playing soccer at age five and slowly made his way up to the competitive Santa Clara Sporting Club. He has been with the club for seven years, now playing for a team ranked third in the nation in his age group, and travels all over the country to participate in tournaments. Two years ago, Petrie played in the San Diego Surf Cup soccer tournament and was spotted by Stanford recruiters, who, according to Petrie, showed some interest in him.

Stanford, ranked third in the PAC-10 league for men’s soccer and with stellar academic offerings, “was definitely a top pick” for Petrie.

This past summer, Petrie participated in a week-long summer camp at Stanford University in which he was able to play alongside some of the Stanford soccer team members and show off his skills to the coaches. Less than a week later, the coach called him, asking him to come to Stanford to discuss the possibility of recruiting him to the school team. Petrie accepted the offer.

The road to Stanford, however, was far from smooth. Petrie quit soccer briefly three years ago due to an injury that left him unable to play.

After he recovered, he had lost momentum and was not very enthusiastic about playing again.

However, he began training five days a week and improved significantly. Petrie says he owes his future at Stanford to this act of perseverance.

Despite his impressive soccer skills, Petrie currently does not envision himself pursuing professional soccer after college.

Said Petrie, “As of now, I hope to major in something substantial such as computer science or engineering so I can have a good life after I graduate from Stanford. I’m not really focusing on playing soccer for the rest of my life — I want to do other things as well.”

With over 25 years of coaching experience, Craig Robertson, the varsity and freshman/sophomore water polo coach for the 2012 season, was considered by many on the team as an excellent coach, albeit a frightening spectator. His speeches peppered with anecdotes alongside gameplay feedback, the team was also aware that Robertson was suffering from cancer and was in the process of undergoing treatment.

Last August, the team was informed that Robertson had succumbed to his illness and passed away the month before. The news came as a complete shock, as the team had not been forewarned of any decline in the coach’s health.

Messages flooded social media sites in memoriam of the coach.

“He was a great coach and an even better guy. Rest in peace, coach,” sophomore Jake Reichenberger soon posted.

Junior David Shen echoed these sentiments: “I wish I had spent more time with him at the end-of-the-season party.”

However, Robertson wasn’t dead. One team member noticed that Robertson had updated his LinkedIn account to a new workplace only two days prior. Sophomore Kamesh Vedula immediately pulled out his phone and called Robertson.

Sure enough, Robertson answered immediately and informed Vedula that his health had improved. He also stated that he was not, in fact, dead; he simply moved to Texas.

Since Robertson moved away, the school put an ad in the newspaper looking for a new coach. Swim coach Ian Oglesby and his son, Harrison, offered to fill the position.

“Water polo was so important to my sons; I hated the thought of it not happening. When Harrison said that he would coach varsity, I decided to step up and help him,” Oglesby said. “I am learning a ton about the sport just watching Harrison coach.

“I love coaching with my son. It is great seeing him work hard and seeing him as a leader and a teacher. This is a very proud time for me as a dad. The hardest part is remembering that on the pool deck, we are not father and son, but coach and assistant coach, and I am the assistant.”

Despite the tumultuous events outside of theseason, Oglesby is confident the team can once again succeed.

“I think we have a good chance to shine this season and also think that we are building a program that will put Tino polo back where it belongs — at the top of the league.”

Commentary: P.E. credit requirement a problematic hurdle for students ISABEL LIN opinions assistant

The unsightly view of P.E. students sweating profusely, wheezing heavily and coloring unnaturally has always filled me with extreme discomfort. Myself being a mediocre athlete, I have consistently regarded Physical Education as an unfavorable class. For many students, such an outlook — pessimistic as it is — is widely shared. Thus, it is of no surprise that the school graduation requirement of 20 P.E. credits has perpetually had poor, if not angry, student reception. Such a negative response is clearly within reason; after all, the P.E. credit requirement hinders many from attending classes of personal interest. Moreover, P.E. credits are unfairly not granted during freshman-year sport participation and to athletes taking seven classes. Due to such faults, the P.E. credit requirement ought to be reformed.

For the sole purpose of fulfilling the 20-credits quota, a multitude of students are often forced to unwillingly take P.E. 10-12.

Said an anonymous source, “[The P.E. credit requirement] is annoying because now I can’t take Orchestra, the elective I actually want to take. I’ve been in orchestra since sixth grade, and I hate quitting now because my schedule won’t allow it.”

Thu Dam

In having to take P.E., students are deprived of the opportunity to attend and pursue classes of actual enjoyment and intellectual curiosity. Frankly, schools should be encouraging students to pursue subjects of passion and interest; on the contrary, the P.E. credit requirement discourages students from exploring areas of enthusiasm and prospective career paths.

Yet another negative aspect of the P.E. credit requirement is the unfortu-

nate reality that P.E. credits aren’t given to certain groups of athletes — namely, freshmen and students taking seven courses. Regardless of the countless hours and physical efforts sacrificed by the athlete, his/her involvement in the sport is not recognized through P.E. credits.

Said sophomore Carissa Ko, who played basketball freshman year while taking seven classes, “I feel like I deserved P.E. credits because of the hard work that I put into basketball … twelve hours a week is a tough time commitment and it would’ve been great to get a little something back.”

Like Ko, many student athletes agree that the P.E. credit system should be reformed to reflect the contributions of freshmen athletes and those taking seven classes.

Although the school administration and the state of California may have students’ best interests at heart in enforcing the P.E. graduation requirement as it is, it’s time the P.E. credit requirement be reformed. With changes made, students would rightfully be granted the opportunity to enroll in subjects of enthusiasm; similarly, all athletes would be recognized for their contributions to their sport.

Maybe then the P.E credit requirement wouldn’t be such a problematic hurdle.

The Prospector

September 27, 2013

Sports

11

Controversy over sport status extends to cheerleading, marching band programs MARVIN WANG lifestyles assistant

NIKITA DEVDAR sports assistant

In our society, movies have depicted cheerleaders to be perky and shallow. “Band kids” have always been labeled as “geeks” and “klutzes;” however, in reality, they share one core problematic image — that they are both highly under-appreciated as athletes.

What truly defines a sport? To most people, a sport is an activity that requires extreme physical exertion. According to the clichéd definition from society, cheerleading doesn’t even come close to constituting as a sport. But there’s a lot more to cheerleading than what people tend to think; it’s not just about chanting inspirational cheers to a crowd or shaking pom poms enthusiastically.

“People think that all we do is sit there and clap around and remember all these cheers, but it’s really a lot of work. You have to be sharp and think about technique.

Plus, lifting and throwing around a person is a lot harder than throwing around a ball,” sophomore Shari Allen said.

But unlike cheerleading, the debate on band as a sport is much more controversial. Band is, as some may say, only a music elective. This statement might seem true to outsiders, but many beginning and seasoned band members disagree with this sentiment. Practicing for two to three hours, two days per week, members are quick to cite the difficulty of marching in the freezing cold while holding a 20 to 40 pound instrument. They are simultaneously expected to count beats and memorize the show music pieces — the entire show lasting about eight to 10 minutes.

Students argue for increased recognition for their participation in nontraditional athletic activities After all, band members are just as serious about winning as athletes of any other sports. Even when inclimate weather begins in September and October, band members come to practices anyway unless instructed not to, in “rain or shine,” as they say jokingly.

“Band members know what is at stake for winning the competition, [because of] their determination and hard work in practice and [because they travel] around the state of California to perform these shows,” sophomore Soohan Woo said.

Furthermore, marching band is very much resemblant of a traditional team sport too — band members march and play music together, give high fives together, eat together and go home together. Even in parades, they march forward in unison and work as a team. The camaraderie fostered in the environment of marching band is nothing short of identical to that of a sports team.

Although cheerleading and marching band pale in comparison physically, in the eyes of many, to traditional sports such as basketball and football, the popular conception of these two activities is easily disproved by a visit to a practice or glimpse of a competition. Though they not have a primetime spot on ESPN or be part of the Olympics, many participants hope to someday be recognized as the athletes they consider themselves to be.

Thu Dam

Flip Side

September 27, 2013

12

SEPTEMBER IN PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHUBHANKAR JAIN

JESSICA SHIN

NIRMIT SHAH

BACK TO SCHOOL RALLY | Seniors Jason Moon, Richard Son, Raunak Mehra and Robert Hou display their school spirit.

MARCHING BAND | Junior Annabelle Tseng holds her flag, waiting for the right moment to swirl it in formation.

ANIRUDH PAI

JASON CHEN

GIRLS TENNIS | Tennis players CROSS COUNTRY MEET | Cross smash the ball back to the op- country runners race to the finish posite side of the court during a line. game against Pinewood.

COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

FOOTBALL GAME | A JV player attempts to run the ball while being chased by Prospect players.

The Punny Marshall Pangilinan

Q: What inspired you to create these cartoons?

A: Reading comics on my own time compelled me to start cartooning. I consider puns to be my forte, so I wanted to put them in a right medium. I thought that a comic would be an awesome way to do that.

Q: Did you have any art experience prior to drawing these cartoons?

A: If you took Senora Keifer’s Spanish class, you might have seen the insane amount of Powerpuff girls that were on the folders. I actually drew all of those.

In general, I just like to sketch cartoons on my own time and draw simple things such as faces.

JESSICA SHIN

Debatably blonde ASHLEY LIU lifestyles editor

Q: What was your proudest achievement as a cartoonist?

A: My proudest achievement is definitely when I went online to my Facebook page and looked at the notifications. As I was scrolling through them, a complete stranger who I had no connection to at all had shared one of my comics. That was definitely a eureka moment for me, and looking back, the revelation was an important first step towards showcasing my art to the world.

Q: What did you learn from drawing cartoons?

A: I learned that I like to create just about anything.

For example, if I’m bored at home, I find that I will give myself a project, similar to how people have their own hobbies. I realized that I enjoy just dumping out my brain onto a piece of paper.

Q: What other interests do you have besides cartooning?

Q: What is your advice for aspiring artists?

A: I also enjoy scriptwriting for drama and for videos that I make with my friends. I don’t limit myself to just the comics in that it’s not time consuming. I could stop cartooning and go on with my life happily.

A: Do what you love to do as long as it’s safe — if you enjoy hurting people, don’t do that. Whether you want to be an artist, biochemist, or teacher, don’t let other people pressure you into doing what you don’t want. Just follow your heart’s desire.

COMPILED BY BRIAN ZHONG COURTESY OF MARSHALL PANGILINAN

NEXT MONTH: OCTOBER Tournament of Bands Saturday, October 12

Teacher Work Day - No School Monday, October 14

Club’s Day Friday, October 18

PSAT Saturday, October 19

Debut Choir Concert Wednesday, October 23

Challenge Day Tuesday, October 29

JOYCE YE

“Do brown cows make chocolate milk?”

As soon as that question was uttered by a fellow debate camp member, I thought: “That was so blonde.”

However, she was just one of 19 white campers at this camp of 21, and it didn’t take long for me to see that this was not a valid blanket statement. By the end of the first day, several of these campers had already gotten into a five-hour, late-night discussion about the ramifications of trickle-down versus Keynesian economic theory. By the second day, I started to feel slightly humiliated. For example, when I said: “Wait, how do you spell ‘kritik?’ Is it ‘C-R-I-T-I-QU-E?’” Instant silence.

Very quickly, I came to realize that my childhood environment had given me a subconscious, yet woefully incorrect stereotype of Caucasian students as “dumb blondes.” Virtually since birth, I’ve been spoon-fed an attitude that champions the intellectual superiority of Asian Americans— a mindset, it seems, that was thoroughly crushed as I lost my seventh straight debate in a row.

Perhaps it’s an inadvertent trap for other students as well. In an intriguing paradox, Caucasian students are now being treated with the same “dumbed-down” attitude that was directed towards minority groups half a century ago. With this cultural frame of mind spanning across all forms of popular media and permeating into our everyday speech and attitudes, its not surprising that I automatically associated one girl’s bovine comment with her racial background.

Exactly how popular media perpetuates such a distasteful trend is something that I have yet to comprehend. However, as for myself, a significant portion of the problem stems from my own fallibility. I admit that I’m often racist, even if I claim not to be; I’m caught off guard by people who look different simply because I’m afraid of the unknown. Unfortunately, this fundamental flaw had led me to imagine myself superior, rather than simply different. Now, that’s an amount of pride and prejudice that would make even Jane Austen roll in her grave.

Never in my life had I met such polar opposites of this detrimental Caucasian stereotype; in fact, when I asked another girl what she liked to do in her spare time, she gave me an extremely serious look and said: “Debate is life. The rest is prep time.”

As a student, I highly caution my peers to minimize inadvertent racism as much as possible. While there’s no instant solution, maybe it starts with the realization that some blondes would prefer to discuss economics over attractive males any day of the week.