Volume 15 Issue 2
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Welcome to 2020, CCA. With the new year comes new beginnings: eager students scrambling to their second semester classes, New Year’s resolutions that will definitely be kept, and countless opportunities for us to grow. Here at Pulse, we have been hard at work for the past two months writing, reporting, and designing this issue. Our team of writers, editors, graphic designers, and artists are constantly striving to capture the identity of Canyon Crest Academy. To reflect our diverse student body, our staff has created a collection of stories ranging from politics to arts to sports. Learn about the upcoming election with Ella T. Lifset’s piece briefing the current top democratic candidates--now you can finally sound knowledgeable whenever people start talking about politics. Or turn to Hidden Food Gems, written by Izzy Ster, which will give any anxious upperclassmen a complete run-down on 92130’s tastiest lunch spots. In need of a good story? Take a look at Alex Reinsch-Goldstein’s piece about Leonard Peltier--a true tale that some may view as one of the greatest failures of the US justice system. If you want something more on the relatable side, don’t hesitate to flip to The Mind of a Procrastinator, by Sophia Larson, as she goes on her journey to investigate and cure this full-fledged epidemic to which many of us have fallen victim. For those that are easily confused by sports, no need to worry. Peter Hong explains the ins and outs of March Madness in his piece on page 14. To contrast the bold and timely topics featured in this issue, we have included artwork in hopes of also creating a sense of calmness and tranquility for the season. This issue features the artwork of several extremely talented individuals, including Grace Chen, Natalie Kim, Lucas Hong, and our very own Angela Zhang and Isabella Kwon. Small but mighty describes our staff perfectly. With great excitement, we here at Pulse are honored to present Pulse Magazine, Volume 15, Issue 2. Sincerely,
Emily Gao and Justin Wang
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Your Guide to the Top Democratic Candidates
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- Ella T. Lifset
China’s Seven Deadly Sins - Emily Gao
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What Do You Do in EVA?
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Artemis
- Angela Zhang
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- Alex Reinsch-Goldstein
Teachers’ Pets - Isabella Kwon March Madness for Dummies The Period Piece.
12 - Peter Hong
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- Maxine Mah
Hidden Food Gems
Burning Questions
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- Izzy Ster
Prisoner of Conscience
- Alex Reinsch-Goldstein
- Justin Wang
The Mind of a Procrastinator
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- Sophia Larson
The Artists of this Issue - Natalie Kim, Lucas Hong, Angela Zhang, and Isabella Kwon
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Your guide to the
Top Democratic Candidates By Ella T. Lifset
Joe Biden
Age: 77
“One of the things I’ve never been accused of is not caring about people.”
Policies that Biden supports include a substantial increase in federal funding for low-income public schools, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and a firmer stance on climate control that mirrors the Green New Deal. Biden’s primary campaign strategy revolves around his promise to return to an era that mirrors the Obama administration. Biden initially led the polls, although his polling numbers have since experienced a decline, largely due to voter uncertainty regarding his age and potentially antiquated political views.
Michael Bloomberg
Age: 78
“We will go forward... we will never go back.”
Bloomberg has consistently supported abortion rights, gun control, and environmentalist legislation--topics that would be considered socially liberal. However, in regards to foreign and economic issues, Bloomberg generally backs more conservative viewpoints. These include support for the Iraq War as well as balancing the national budget. Early polls show Bloomberg as an unpopular candidate in comparison to the other Democratic candidates. Additionally, as the eighth richest man in America and mogul of Bloomberg News, he has an obvious advantage in terms of advertisements and campaign funding.
Pete Buttigieg
Age: 38
“Greatness will come by looking forward--untethered from the politics of the past and anchored by our shared values--and by changing our nation’s future.“
The Mayor of South Bend, Indiana has supported several policies, including stronger climate change legislation and criminal justice system reform. However, Buttigieg’s most prominent proposition is his more moderate healthcare plan, or “Medicare for All Who Want It,” which gives citizens a choice to opt-in for a public program. As the only openly gay candidate running for the presidency, Buttigieg has risen considerably in popularity throughout his campaign. However, he still polls less than 1% with African American voters.
All photos credited to Gage Skidmore
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Bernie Sanders
Age: 78
“Democratic socialism means that we must create an economy that works for all, not just the very wealthy.”
Despite being the oldest candidate, Sanders is known for his leftist views as a selfdescribed “democratic socialist.” His supported policies include tuition-free college, estate tax increases, and the Green New Deal. Of course, perhaps his most contentious plan is Medicare for All, which would create a government-run program with no private insurance option, except for elective procedures. Sanders primarily draws support from young, diverse voters and is one of the top contenders for the nomination.
Elizabeth Warren
Age: 70
“What I’ve learned is that real change is very, very hard. But I've also learned that change is possible-if you fight for it.”
Jokingly referred to as the candidate with “a plan for that,” Warren has supported and rolled out numerous policy ideas such as stricter environmentalist regulation with the Green New Deal, a tax plan that would target those above a certain pay grade and could fund a universal child care program, and a Medicare for All healthcare plan. Although similar to Sanders, Warren is more of a social democrat, believing capitalism needs to be adjusted in order to properly function. The senator has risen considerably in the polls, appealing to a variety of voters across the Democratic Party.
Andrew Yang
Age: 45
“I’m a capitalist, and I believe that universal basic income is necessary for capitalism to continue.”
When Andrew Yang comes to mind, people often do not focus on his support for vocational training as opposed to free college tuition, three-tiered gun violence prevention system, or a combination between a government and private healthcare structure. Rather, his unique Universal Basic Income (UBI) proposal, or the plan to give every American adult $1,000 each month, has captured the eye of the American public and has increased Yang’s popularity with those looking for a more moderate candidate that supports capitalism. Shown below are two polls, with CCA’s opinions on the left and national opinions on the right. National opinions sourced from the Harvard-Harris poll.
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AN OVERVIEW OF THE TRADE WAR By Emily Gao
We have all seen the headlines of the infamous trade war between the United States and China. At first glance, it may seem like a petty dispute over monetary profit between the two nations, but the underlying economic and political intentions of Trump’s recent decisions stem from much more. To fully understand this ongoing trade battle, we must first dive into China’s economic history. Its role in the global economy started in 1978 with President Deng Xiao Ping when he opened the nation’s markets to foreign trade.
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Since then, China has established itself as the world’s manufacturing center, leading to unprecedented economic growth. According to The Economist, China’s GDP was a mere 6% of that of the United States in 1978. In 2018, China’s GDP was 66% of that of the US, and if one assesses based on local spending power, China has exceeded the US in that realm. In 2001, Bill Clinton encouraged China’s entrance into the World Trade Organization (WTO), an organization that ensures the smooth sailing of international commerce via rules and regulations. Clinton believed that this would
stimulate the economically symbiotic relationship between the two nations and also urge the communist nation to adopt more of a western capitalist approach to its economics. In Trump’s eyes, as well as the eyes of many economists, the latter was not achieved. The Trump administration claims that China achieved such rapid economic superiority by cheating its way through the system. David Rennie, the Beijing bureau chief of The Economist, points out that China heavily subsidizes its companies by giving advantages such as free land,
tax breaks, and federal funding. This uneven playing field gives Chinese businesses a leg up in foreign markets and harms what Trump is concerned about: American companies. A perfect example is Huawei, a Chinese technology company that manufactures cutting edge technology sold at cheaper prices due to copious amounts of government subsidies (Center for Strategic and International Studies). In addition, Trump has accused China of stealing foreign countries’ intellectual property. This includes menial things, such as China’s creation of an unauthorized brand called New Balahne as a cheap knock-off to the American sportswear brand New Balance. However, this stolen technology could also affect national security. According to ABC News, the US alleges that the Chinese J31 weapon system was modeled off of the American F35--and the information China gathered to complete this was done via hacking. Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade advisor, has listed seven things that the US wants from China. These are infamously known as the Seven Deadly Sins: 1. Stop stealing intellectual property 2. Stop forcing technology transfers 3, Stop hacking US computers 4, Stop dumping into US markets and consequently putting US companies out of business 5, Stop giving their state-owned enterprises heavy subsidies 6, Stop giving the US fentanyl (an easily abused narcotic) 7. Stop manipulating its currency
Jim Cramer of CNBC and Wayne Kaufman of Phoenix Financial Services have also pointed out that these trade policies largely parallel Elizabeth Warren’s foreign policy plans, minus her emphasis on combating climate change and prioritizing human rights--an interesting and surprising piece of information. To urge China to make internal changes to its market structure, Trump imposed a 25% tariff, or tax, on Chinese imports in July of 2018. This would require American buyers to spend more money to purchase things manufactured in China. The goal was to deter American companies from purchasing Chinese goods and thus hurt China’s economy, pushing the nation to reform. It should come as no surprise that China did not cooperate. Instead of converting to fairer free trade practices, China simply instituted tariffs on US goods, resulting in negative effects on both American and Chinese businesses. Many economists have speculated that these tariffs have resulted in a loss of jobs on both sides, as American businesses are resorting to laying off workers to compensate for the extra money they have to pay on imports, whereas Chinese businesses are having to deal with increased international manufacturing markets. In October 2019, the US and China negotiated a ceasefire: the United States suspended tariffs valuing $368 billion in Chinese imports, and in return, China agreed to buy $40-$50 million in US farm products. Numerous economists have noted that many key issues,
including most of the Seven Deadly Sins, were not addressed in the terms of the ceasefire. On December 12, 2019, Trump and President Xi JinPing released that they had reached a tentative deal between the two superpowers. The conditions of the deal generated mixed reviews among analysts. Trump agreed not to impose new tariffs on China (which were originally planned to be put in place on December 15th) and in return, China agreed to increase purchase of US agricultural goods. Once again, many skeptics have pointed out that “details about the other aspects of the agreement--including structural changes to intellectual property rights that China is said to have agreed it would make--remain unclear” (CNN). The official “phase one” trade agreement between the two superpowers was signed on January 15th. Trump has claimed that “phase two” negotiations are to start soon thereafter. The deal includes agreements for China to place restrictions on counterfeit products and establishes new international protections on intellectual property. In return, the US has agreed to cut tariffs on Chinese products by half: from 15% to 7.5%. Both powers seem desperate to outlast each other. China has gone to exporting goods to other nations and Trump has stated that he will continue tackling the unfair trade practices of China, even if it has short term negative impacts on the US economy. In Trump’s words, “We can’t continue to let China rape our country, and that’s what they’re doing.”
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What Do You Do in EVA?
By Angela Zhang
If you ever visit Canyon Crest Academy, you will notice the artwork embedded into the campus. From the wall murals to the poles next to the Learning Commons, from the painted staircase to the sculpture garden, visual arts is undoubtedly one of the many strengths of CCA. The Envision Visual Arts Conservatory, or EVA, directed by Mrs. Mortensen, is a place for the passionate artists of CCA to take their artistic style to the next level.
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So, what exactly happens in EVA Conservatory? As a proud member of EVA Consevatory, I can say that our first and foremost duty is... snacks. Satisfying everyone’s afterschool munchies seems to be the priority of EVA members after the fourthperiod bell rings. Twice every school year, each member of EVA is responsible for bringing snacks to feed the entire art conservatory. It is one of EVA’s most cherished traditions, as it is essential to feed the starving artists of CCA so they can create
gorgeous art pieces for the next two hours. The school year in EVA Conservatory is generally split into two components: figure and portraiture. Figure drawing dominates the first half of the year. Towards the second semester, the focus shifts towards creating portraiture pieces. Both figure drawing and portraiture are important but difficult skills to master when trying to establish a solid foundation in visual arts. Especially when drawing from life, these skills help
the artist to better see in three dimensions, which enables an artist to capture the volume and shape more convincingly on paper. Senior portraits are this year’s portraiture assignment for EVA artists. Some students chose to paint a photo of their relatives or grandparents, while others chose to paint from a photograph of a senior from the Carlsbad Senior Center. The finished art pieces were showcased at FOTA earlier this year. Apart from figure
Artemis By Alex Reinsch-Goldstein
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It has been fifty years since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin piloted their spacecraft Eagle to a landing on the lunar surface at the Sea of Tranquility. The images of Armstrong’s first steps exiting the spacecraft were marveled at in every corner of the Earth. Sometimes, while looking up at the pale face of the moon in the night sky, one is tempted to ask: how have we not been back? Since that brief three-year stint of exploration between 1969 and 1972, in which six missions touched down on the lunar surface, humans have not been outside of the confinements of Earth’s atmosphere. But now, NASA hopes to change that. In May 2019, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the Artemis program, with the goal of landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024, by any means necessary. With Artemis, NASA hopes to build upon the legacy of Apollo, furthering scientific study of the moon while obtaining the knowledge necessary to support humans actually living and working on other worlds. NASA’s sudden declaration of intent---land humans on the moon in four years---raises a good number of questions. Firstly, why not sooner? Why have we not been back since those Apollo missions fifty years ago? It’s not for lack of trying, of course. Even before Apollo was over, there was the Apollo Applications Program, which sought to extend upon Apollo’s accomplishments; its grandiose visions of lunar bases, Venus flybys, and Mars missions never got off the ground due to budget concerns. George H.W. Bush tried to break from previous Earth orbit-focused NASA policy and announced the Space Exploration
Initiative, a vague series of proposals about going back to the Moon and to Mars, which failed to gain Congressional approval due to its lack of concrete funding or timeline proposals (Vice President Dan Quayle, who Bush appointed to head the National Space Counsel,
Artemis hopes to reverse these fortunes. By imposing a rigid deadline of 2024, NASA hopes that Artemis will not suffer from the sooner-or-later attitude of previous programs. saying that there was water and breathable oxygen on Mars didn’t help matters either). George Bush the younger likewise attempted to jumpstart deep space exploration (in a more contrete fashion than his father had done) with the Constellation Program, which frittered about over budget and behind schedule for five years before finally being cancelled when Barack Obama took office. While the Space Shuttle lumbered dozens of times into Earth’s orbit and plans for further exploration were perpetually delayed, it seemed the US space program was going nowhere fast. In fact, “going nowhere fast” adequately describes US space policy since the end of Apollo. Artemis hopes to reverse those fortunes. By imposing a rigid deadline of 2024, NASA hopes that Artemis will not suffer from the sooner-or-later attitude of previous programs. It is indisputable that America’s space program has lost much of its luster, with its inability to build on what Apollo did decades ago or its dependence on Russia to
launch Americans into space at all since the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011. Artemis hopes to bring some of that luster back. How will they do it? The first critical component of NASA’s plan to return Americans to the moon is the rocket which will take them there. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), it is an enormous machine--over three hundred feet tall. The SLS will be the most powerful rocket on Earth once it flies for the first time on Artemis I. Belonging to a class of rockets known as Space Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles, it will repurpose hardware originally built for the Space Shuttle. The SLS is composed of an enormous Core Stage, powered by four RS-25 engines (the same engines used on the Shuttle), with two powerful solid rocket boosters bolted to either side. Various upper stages will sit atop the SLS core to deliver different payloads to the Moon, Mars, or beyond. To carry America’s next moonwalkers to the lunar sphere, NASA will rely on the Orion spacecraft. Originally conceived during Constellation, Orion was redesigned and repurposed for Artemis. Orion is designed to take four or more astronauts to lunar orbit, from which a lander would then carry them to the surface. Using a capsule design similar to that of Apollo, Orion will carry its crew in a conical Crew Module attached to the European Service Module (ESM), built by the European Space Agency. The ESM will provide life support and propulsion, firing its rocket engine for the crucial burn to return Orion to Earth. One complete Orion spacecraft has already been built, with a second under construction.
Getting humans from Orion onto the lunar surface will be another task entirely. NASA plans to deploy a small space station into lunar orbit, known as the Gateway, to which Orion will dock. At the Gateway, the crew will climb from their Orion spacecraft into a lander placed there by an early lander, placed there by an earlier unmanned launch. To build this lander, NASA has solicited contest entries from almost a dozen companies to build a complete spacecraft or components. For the initial Artemis landings, the lander will be expended after one use. For later missions, the lander will be reusable and will carry the whole crew down the surface (as opposed to leaving two astronauts at the Gateway as in the earlier missions). In only three missions, Artemis aims to achieve its goal. Artemis I, the first flight of the SLS, will send an unmanned Orion around the moon as early as the end of this year. Artemis II, the first manned flight, will follow on a similar trajectory next year. In 2024, Artemis III will land on the lunar south pole. Following Artemis missions will spend longer durations on the lunar surface and deploy a manned lunar base in 2028, and a mission to Mars is projected to follow sometime in the early 2030s. It sounds like a lot, right? The enormous SLS rocket still has to fly, a lander design to be selected, a space station to be deployed to lunar orbit... all in a span of four years. Much of Artemis’ hardware is untested, and the money to fund the program has yet to be appropriated. Budget and technical problems have a way of bringing even the loftiest of dreams crashing down to Earth.
With the impressive legacy of the Apollo program weighing on the mind of NASA, as well as an aggressive goal to give them direction, Artemis has an impetus that many previous NASA programs have lacked. Additionally, Artemis plans to rely on already proven technologies, whether from the Space Shuttle or other sources, saving time and money that would have to be expended on starting from scratch. If everything goes to plan, a 2024 landing may well be possible. It will be no small challenge to put humans on the moon in five years, and everyone in and out of NASA knows that. But it is also a fact that NASA hasn’t progressed anywhere based on small challenges. NASA has the capability to do great things and they have done so in the past. The question now is whether NASA has the determination, efficiency, and money to do it again. The optimist would tell us that we are at a historic moment in the history of spaceflight and our country, and that may well be true: in five years, if we are lucky, we just might be the witnesses to humanity’s next small step... and its next giant leap.
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Mr. Farrar PULSE: What are the names of your snake and cat? MR. FARRAR: Snake is Brock Samson (the cartoon character) and the cat is Kitty. PULSE: What breed of snake and cat are your pets? MR. FARRAR: The snake is a Ball Python (called a Royal Python in Britain), and the cat is a Russian Blue Mix. PULSE: How long have you owned them? MR. FARRAR: I have had the snake for 11 years and the cat for five years.
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PULSE: Could you describe how you decided on this strange combination of a cat and snake? MR. FARRAR: Very weird for sure. Started with the snake because I wanted something like an aquarium but didn’t want the maintenance and cost that went along with it. Kitty was a former roommate’s, and they couldn't take her so I did. PULSE: What is the extent of the relationship between your pets? MR. FARRAR: They really aren't aware of each other. Brock is always in his terrarium unless I am taking him out. They have been in proximity with each other, but the cat doesn't really want
Teachers’ anything to do with the snake. If it came down to a fight, the cat would probably be the victor. PULSE: Do you have any memorable stories of your pets that you would be willing to share? MR. FARRAR: So cats are mischievous, or at least mine is. She used to like sitting on the top of Brock's tank. One night, she was sitting on top of it when she inadvertently broke it and fell in! I was in bed and heard the “thunk” of her falling in and didn't think much of it because she gets into shenanigans at night all the time. When I get up the next morning, I saw that the tank was missing a lid and, more importantly, a snake! That's when I realized
what I’d heard last night. The cat was fine, so I started my search for the snake. He’s really a low key guy, and just wants to hang out in a dark room all day. So I looked in the dark crevices of my place and found him in the corner, just chilling. So now with a new top, Kitty hasn't been back to check it out. PULSE: Could you describe the personalities of your pets? MR. FARRAR: The snake is Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, just kinda around and moving slowly about. Kitty is a kook for sure. She can be super loving when I haven't been around all day, but then she will sometimes give me a little bite out of nowhere. Thankfully the snake doesn't do that!
PETS
By Isabella Kwon
PULSE: How many animals do you own?
PULSE: How long have you owned your pets?
MS. MORTENSEN: My husband and I have one dog, two cats, and ten fish. My mother is currently staying with us and brought her two dogs.
MS. MORTENSEN: I've had Luna for 16 years, Ransom for 10, Koi for 14, and the fish for 1-3 years. My mom's dogs have been here since June.
PULSE: What are their names and breed?
PULSE: What is the temperament of your pets?
MS. MORTENSEN: Ransom is a shepherd/husky mix age 11. Luna is a black tortie calico, age 17 (and stone deaf). Koi is 14 and is a Maine Coon. The only fish we named is a white sparkly one, Elvis, and a silver one with a mask, Lone Ranger. Hubble (9) is a chow/golden retriever and Comet (6) is a chihuahua/shepherd (Mom’s dogs).
MS. MORTENSEN: Ransom loves everyone and everything and checks on all of them constantly to make sure they are okay. Koi only loves her food, while Luna will curl up with anyone warm. PULSE: Could you describe the personalities of your pets? MS. MORTENSEN: Ransom is a rule follower and plays Mr. Policeman if anyone is breaking
Ms. MortensEn them. Luna is too old and deaf to care anymore, but she once saved my life by alerting me to a gas leak and also chased off people trying to steal my Jeep. Koi just wants food all the time. Hubble is the most stubborn animal I have ever met, but loves everyone. Comet was a rescue and is slowly becoming less afraid of the world. PULSE: Are there any memorable moments that you have had with your animals that you’d be willing to share?
with us in the Jeep. My husband was the only person I ever dated that he liked, so I knew right away he was a keeper! PULSE: Is there anything else you would like to add? MS. MORTENSEN: I've always been an animal lover. I grew up in Delaware on seven acres of land, and we had chickens, huskies, shepherds, tons of cats, rabbits, and a horse. Also, I would love to get a baby goat someday. I think they are hilarious.
MS. MORTENSEN: We plan vacations around Ransom--last year we got a cabin in Idyllwild just so he could play in the snow. He also loves offroading
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With the college basketball season well underway, many sports fanatics are eagerly anticipating the best time
of the year for college basketball: March Madness. First introduced in 1939, this NCAA Division One Men’s Basketball Tournament features 68 college basketball teams in a single-elimination style tournament. This month of chaos holds 67 games over the span of 21 days
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and serves as a showcase of talent to NBA scouts. In the tournaments, spectators support teams composed of a large spectrum of talent ranging from inexperienced yet talented freshmen to veteran upperclassmen who have earned their respect by previously competing in events of this caliber. To compete in this prestigious contest, top college basketball teams are given two ways
under certain circumstances. A special selection committee chooses several losing teams that are considered worthy or talented enough to earn an invitation to the tournament. All regular season games are thoroughly considered when the committee makes these crucial decisions. Furthermore, this same committee is responsible for seeding and bracketing the selected teams in the
in which they can enter. The first method of entry into the grand competition for a team involves winning the postseason tournament in their respective conference. The 32 different Division I basketball conferences across the country can each award one ticket for the NCAA March Madness Tournament to the team that wins their respective conference tournament. However, teams unable to win their respective conference can still enter the March Madness Tournament
infamous March Madness bracket, a visualization of all the teams in the tournament and the path each team must follow to compete in the championship game. Annually, there are tens of millions of people that attempt to accurately predict the results of each game, and this notorious bracket is regarded to be nearly impossible to predict in an entirely correct manner. In fact, the chances that one devises a perfect bracket is one in 9.2 quintillion (that’s 18 zeros). Whether one wants to participate in
The Period
Everyone sneezes. It may not happen often, and some people sneeze differently than others. But just because we sneeze doesn’t mean we need to hide it; everyone already knows that it’s a normal bodily function that one should not be ashamed of. The same should be said for periods. “Menstruation: the process in a woman of discharging blood and other materials from the lining of the uterus at intervals of about one lunar month from puberty until menopause, except during pregnancy.” Yes, the forbidden subject. The word that makes most men squirm and fills most females with dread: periods (and not the kind
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found at the ends of sentences). Unfortunately, this topic has been deliberately ignored by most since the beginning of time. So here I am, a sophomore at CCA, who is one hundred and ten percent not awkward and one hundred and ten percent open to talking about periods.
The word that makes most men squirm and fills most females with dread... First, let’s start with the basics: the menstruation cycle starts when a woman’s body gets ready for pregnancy. Since
the egg does not get fertilized, the lining of the uterine walls (a.k.a. the womb) deteriorate and are flushed out with blood. A standard menstruation cycle usually lasts around 28-30 days, while the actual bleeding can last anywhere from 3-7. However, some girls can have abnormal periods due to stress, excessive exercise, or other hormonal imbalances (Miller 2018). The process of ovulation is also included in the menstrual cycle. This is the period (no pun intended) when a woman is most likely to get pregnant since that is when her egg first gets released from the ovaries (the place where eggs are made).
Additionally, periods can include many, many symptoms, including cramps, moodswings, bloating, acne, fatigue, and soreness. The list continues with less common symptoms such as sleep disturbances, migraines and weight gain. These can vary from girl to girl, as some have no cramps and a light blood flow during PMS (premenstrual syndrome), while others may feel like their uterus is being brutally strangled. Periods can also vary by age. Some girls get theirs early, as young as age nine, whereas others have the privilege of waiting until they’re fifteen or sixteen. But when it comes to menstruation, age doesn’t
Piece. By Maxine Mah
matter. There isn’t any prize awarded to the girl who gets her period first because it’s just the pace your body chooses to take. On top of this, women can spend around $18,000 on their periods throughout one lifetime, which includes the cost of underwear, cramp medication, birth control (birth control, for those who don’t know, lessens period flow and cramp pain), and of course pads and tampons. It’s safe to say that menstruation is an inescapable expense (Kane 2017). In 2016, both houses in California State Legislation voted to combat the Tampon Tax-the tax put on feminine products such as pads, tampons, and cups. But it
was vetoed by Jerry Brown, the state’s governor at that time. Periods are an uncontrollable event that takes place for around 3040 years of a woman’s life, therefore making feminine products a basic necessity that should be free (or at least free of sales tax). Periods happen to girls across the globe and some don’t have the money to afford luxuries like that of a simple tampon. The tax brings forward the plain and simple: females have periods, so why would it be treated as a luxury expense? The additional price that comes with menstruation is only the beginning. The fact that it's the 21st century and saying the phrase “PMS”
still comes with an awkward silence afterwards is concerning. One in every seven women that you talk to today is on their period. It is such a huge aspect of every girl’s life, yet it almost feels as if we must act like it doesn’t exist. This lack of
Women can spend around $18,000 on their periods throughout one lifetime
discussion causes young girls to feel ashamed when it actually does happen. Just asking for a pad or tampon must be done so quietly; sometimes it’s better to suffer the leak than just ask.
The bottom line of this entire piece is that periods are normal and no girl should ever have to be shy about it. Reading this, hopefully you know a little bit more about what women have to deal with, or at least have become a little less weirded out or awkward when it comes to PMS-ing (if you weren’t before, then hats off to you). I don’t expect every woman to go out into the world after reading this article and tell everyone they know about a horrendous period story, but if a girl can go to school confident with herself and willing to talk about her period without being ashamed, it would be a win. Period.
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Hidden Food Gems By Izzy Ster
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Prisoner of Conscience The life and persecution of Leonard Peltier
By Alex Reinsch-Goldstein Flawed trials, jailed activists, and efforts to suppress political opponents are the sort of thing that we associate with backwards dictatorships in distant lands. But that sort of injustice does happen far closer to home. An innocent man remains behind bars following a prosecution that bears all the hallmarks of the fraudulence and brutality that we condemn in others. This is the story of Leonard Peltier. On the morning of June 26th, 1975. FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams sped down a narrow road on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, looking for a young man named Jimmy Eagle, who was wanted for stealing a pair of cowboy boots. At about 11:50 in the morning, they spotted a red pickup truck matching the description of Eagle’s--following it, they turned off the road and onto a dirt track which led up to a small settlement called Jumping Bull. On the rise ahead of them were a few ranch houses and, concealed in a gulch, a camp of American Indian Movement (AIM) members who had come there to escape the violence of the reservation. Somewhere on the track below Jumping Bull, someone fired the first shot--we probably will never know who. Bullets began flying back and forth between the agents and the occupants in the truck, who were later joined by those at the Jumping Bull camp who heard the firing. The agents radioed that they had followed a red pickup to Jumping Bull, they had been fired on, they were wounded,
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and they would be killed if help didn’t arrive soon. Help didn’t come, and within ten minutes Coler and Williams were dead. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs police surrounded Jumping Bull in the afternoon. After one AIM member was killed and others were arrested, the manhunt immediately began for those who had escaped. Among them was an AIM activist named Leonard Peltier. AIM members who were suspected of taking part in the shootings were tracked down and arrested. Several months later, AIM member Bob Robideau was driving Peltier’s station wagon on a Kansas highway when ammunition in the car exploded and caused a fire. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found Agent Williams’ rifle, as well as a rifle belonging to Peltier. Another AIM member who had been present at the shooting, Darrelle Butler, was found and arrested--and Agent Coler’s gun was later discovered in his car. Peltier had meanwhile fled to Canada. He was declared a prime suspect--though the FBI felt that Butler and Robideau’s possession of the agents’ weapons was enough to build a case against them separately if they could not immediately get Peltier. A federal jury acquitted Butler and Robideau--them taking the agents’ guns was not enough to convince the jury that they had fired the fatal shots. After the acquittal of Robideau and Butler, the US government sought to get its hands
on Peltier. An extradition warrant was issued, and on February 6, 1976, seven months after Coler and Williams were killed, Peltier was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and sent back to the United States to face trial. In April of 1977, Peltier was convicted for the murder of agents Coler and Williams. He was given two consecutive life sentences, condemning him to die in prison. Who was Leonard Peltier, and what led to that fatal day on Pine Ridge? Peltier’s life began as was common for native people in the middle of the 20th century: hardship, poverty, alienation, forced assimilation. Reservations were being broken up and recognition of tribal sovereignty ended under the Termination Act. Thousands of Native Americans moved to the cities; it was there that they founded organizations like AIM. Born the 11th of 13 children in 1944, Peltier was sent to an Indian boarding school where native language and customs were forbidden, and they were forced to dress, act, and speak like white men. He dropped out in ninth grade and moved around the West. It was in Seattle that he first discovered activism, founding a halfway house for native former prisoners and working with Seattle’s native people to legally regain confiscated land. In the early ‘70s, he joined AIM. Originally founded in Minneapolis in the late 1960s, AIM was at its zenith in those days--staging protests
from sea to sea, holding marches, and occupying Alcatraz Island for nineteen months. In 1971, Peltier joined thousands of AIM members in marching on Washington DC, where they occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs building and turned its American flag upside down as a symbol of distress. AIM activism soon reached Pine Ridge--one of the most underprivileged areas in the nation. Even forty years later, conditions are not much better. Pine Ridge has the lowest life expectancy of anywhere in the Western Hemisphere beside Haiti--fewer than half live to be fifty. Infant mortality is the highest of anywhere in the United States. On Pine Ridge, then as now, life was often hard and short. AIM activists and other traditionalists had tried to remove the fed-friendly tribal chairman, Dick Wilson, from office. In retaliation, Wilson founded a private militia, the Guardians of the Oglala Nation (GOONs), which began killing AIM members. AIM members seized control of the Town of Wounded Knee, and a 71-day siege ensued. Leonard Peltier, then living in Milwaukee, was heading west to join the Wounded Knee activists, but the siege had ended before he got there: the AIM activists had agreed to stand down after being starved out and demoralized by the killings. Things got no better after the siege. Killing by the GOONs continued, and the FBI either declined to investigate them or attributed the deaths to natural causes. The reservation become so lawless that the FBI took over much of the day-to-day policing. It was in this atmosphere of rampant violence that Agent Coler and Agent Williams were killed.
Peltier was well known to the FBI before the killings, and in the months that followed, he was catapulted onto the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list. Learning that he had escaped to Canada, the US government contrived to get him back. To meet the standards necessary to extradite him, the FBI invoked the testimony of Myrtle Poor Bear, who claimed to have been Peltier’s girlfriend and to have seen him participate in the killings. It later turned out that Poor Bear didn’t even know Peltier and hadn’t been at Jumping Bull during the shootout. Poor Bear admitted that she had lied, but clarified that the FBI had coerced her into doing so in order to get some material evidence against Peltier.
Now extradited, Peltier went to face trial. The prosecution built its case on ballistics evidence and witness testimony--both of which were later revealed to be flawed. Now extradited, Peltier went to face trial. The prosecution built its case on ballistics evidence and witness testimony--both of which were later revealed to be flawed. The FBI claimed that it had been Peltier who Coler and Williams had followed to Jumping Bull, even though Peltier drove a white and orange station wagon, not a red pickup truck. The FBI later revised the agents’ description to fit Peltier’s car, and made no mention to the jury of what Coler and Williams had actually described. The prosecution further stated that ballistics tests (tests later found unreliable in
nature) had matched Peltier’s gun to cartridge. A more reliable test of the gun’s firing pin, which could have determined more conclusively whether the bullets came from Pelter’s gun, was not performed during the investigation. Following a Freedom of Information Act request in 1993, the FBI did perform such a test and found that Peltier’s gun was not a match. The FBI also relied on testimony from witnesses saying that they had seen Peltier, along with Butler and Robideau, near the agent’s cars. These witnesses later said that FBI agents had threatened them, tied them to chairs, and denied them their right to speak to an attorney in order to extract that testimony. Based on the mountain of contrived evidence, the jury found Peltier guilty. He has been behind bars since then--writing, giving interviews, and fighting for his release. The government has turned down his appeals each time, in spite of the fact that the Parole Commission “recognizes that the prosecution has conceded the lack of any direct evidence that [Peltier] personally participated in the executions of the two FBI agents.” Leonard Peltier is now 75 years old, and will die in prison if he is not pardoned or paroled. As the years have passed by, the case against him is ailing too: in all likelihood, the man who killed Coler and Williams is still out there. Justice for the deaths at Jumping Bull has not been forthcoming. And a man remains in prison guilty of only one thing: being an activist for the rights of his people. The U.S. government keeps a prisoner of conscience behind bars.
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BURNING QUESTIONS by Justin Wang Although our fire department is
invaluable to our community, especially in the fire-prone climate of California, many of us don’t know what really goes through the heads (and hearts) of the brave men and women that pull us from burning wreckage and coax scared cats out of trees. To help provide perspective on this life-saving profession, Pulse interviewed former Fire Captain and current Community Outreach Officer Micah Doan. Recorded here are just a few of the most standout questions--for the full interview, visit ccapulse.com!
PULSE: What is the daily routine of a firefighter like? What happens when you aren’t putting out fires or rescuing cats stuck in trees? DOAN: [Usually] we show up in the morning, about 7:00, [although] our normal shift change is 8:00. We usually relieve each other a little early. It’s common courtesy we do so that people can get out the door and beat traffic. We’ll usually have a morning meeting at about 8:00. We have 4 people on a crew, so
we’ll all sit down together and go over the routine for the day. [Then we’ll] have to do equipment checks, where we check out the entire fire engine and make sure that all the equipment is functioning properly and nothing’s missing. We’re at the station for 24 hours a day, and we’re supposed to stay fit for our job. If we don’t... well, one of the most common killers of firefighters is heart attacks, and we’ll start to see these real impacts with cardiovascular fitness. Sometimes, we’ll go out get exercise. And then we’ll go shop--we live at the station for 24 hours, so we have to cook lunch and dinner each day. After 5:00 and after dinner, [we] do all the dishes, clean the station a little bit, [and] hopefully get some rest and some downtime. Our days usually don’t go that smoothly though. Keep in mind, all this stuff happens in between calls. At anytime throughout our shift, we have to be prepared to address emergencies and save lives. And that’s one of the things people don't know when they see us exercising or see us shopping--we carry our radios with us so we can hear incoming calls. That’s why we stay together all the time. This way we’re available when a call comes. PULSE: Has the Fire Department ever been stressed for resources in the past? And if so, what is your course of action? DOAN: Definitely. On a day to day basis, we respond to medical calls. Many people assume it is the job of the ambulance to respond to medical calls, but the fire department does too because we’re cross trained as EMTs and paramedics. We get there first, usually within 5-7 minutes of the 911 call, and we’re able to render aid. And a lot of times we’ll be waiting on an ambulance because
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Procrastination. Many students tend to argue that it is the complex art of using any and all means necessary to avoid the schoolwork that is due by tomorrow morning. Many parents would claim that it is the rueful habit that their children possess which causes them to stay up late in the night, resulting in nonstop complaints of sleep deprivation the next day. Many teachers would describe their experience with student procrastination by talking about the annoyance they face when yet another panicked student sends an email asking for a deadline extension. Experts define procrastination as the voluntary delay of some important task that we intend to do, despite knowing that we'll suffer
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as a result. Let's be honest: everybody procrastinates. Whether it is for a homework assignment or taxes, procrastination is a natural human instinct. I do it, you do it, everybody does it to some extent. As a procrastinator myself, I can confirm that the art of procrastination increases in intensity over the years of high school. Let me draw it out for you... During freshman year procrastination usually settles in three nights before the assignment is due. But the work is usually done without any mental breakdowns, so we assure ourselves that waiting until the last minute to complete assignments really isn’t that bad.
Sophomore year narrows down to two nights before. AP Chemistry lab calculations are stressful, but as long as you have a good group to work with, procrastination won’t be too detrimental. Junior year’s panic sets in the night before--the day before an on-demand essay in English, frantically clicking around College Board’s website when you realize that you have no idea what a synthesis essay is. Yikes. Senior year procrastination hits the hardest. Assigned work isn’t even thought about until it appears as a red zero in Aeries. By that time, it’s too late.
In most cases, the steady increase in procrastination throughout the years of high school is a direct result of high school burn out. If a student pushes themselves to take insanely hard classes, they are more likely to become unmotivated, unenthusiastic, and burnt out with school. The development of senioritis is inevitable in most scenarios. But in the worst cases, the onset of the disease may even occur before the student is a senior. Many CCA students, as well as myself, procrastinate. I asked students around campus about the subject and found that 83% of students interviewed procrastinate. It seems to be a consensus among experts that
Artists of
Lucas Hong class of 2022
Isabella Kwon class of 2021
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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
STAFF WRITERS
ADVISOR
Emily Gao Justin Wang
Bri Cateriano Peter Hong Isabella Kwon Sophia Larson Maxine Mah Liam McGuerty Alex Reinsch-Goldstein Angela Zhang
Christopher Black
ONLINE EDITOR Izzy Ster
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
GUEST ARTISTS Grace Chen Lucas Hong Natalie Kim Isabella Kwon Angela Zhang
Ella T. Lifset
SPECIAL THANKS Jennifer Travasos
