December 2010 2011 by The Mustang Newspaper

THE MUSTANG

issue 3, volume 15

Dec. 17, 2010

December 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG Editor-in-Chief News Editor

Best kids’ movieBest reality showSong

Alexa Shapiro

stuck in your headBest new artistShow to be cancelledBest adaptationBest commercialBest casual video gameBest YouTube videoWeirdest music videoBest action flickBest rap album

Opinion Editors Kerry Roberson Kaylin Greene

Features Editor Cara Reichard

Arts Editor Thea Brown

Sports Editor Pauline Disch

Assistant Sports Editor

BEST OF EDITION

Anna Sheridan

2010

Steeze Editor

Tatiana Skomski

CAF Editors

Ari Brin Eleanore Hendrickson

Welcome to The Mustang’s annual Best Of edition, 2010 version. The Mustang surveyed 492 students to find out the year’s best in movies, music and pop culture-from Lady Gaga to Harry Potter. Stories begin on page 20. Also, from concerts to double rainbows, SDA students have had a pretty awesome year. Look for SDA students’ best memories of 2010, beginning on the bottom of this page.

Copy Editor Amy Dushkin

Photo Editor Jocelyn Lee

Ads Manager Katy Swanson

Staff Writers

Natalya Ballard Katherine Berriochoa Katherine Bueche Samantha Bueche Elisa Figueroa Rachel Huddleston Erica Lee Cherise Lopes-Baker Emily Maxwell Erika Lynn Mazza Ashlynne McLean Charlotte Ohrbom Cassia Pollock Jack Rushall Kai Schlesinger Opal Theodossi Anna Williams Angela Zhang

on the cover Shane Donaldson, senior, has been creating art for as long as he can recall. For the piece on the cover, Donaldson drew a bird’s skull embellished with watercolors. “I wanted to show the meaning in references to my acceptance of death and the fact that there can be beauty in death,” he said. His favorite medium to work with is pens, usually in black ink. He occasionally uses watercolors to add depth and interest to his pieces, like the one on the cover. He rarely incorporates life experiences into his art pieces. “Only in times of desperation and melancholy. I prefer cantaloupes to honeydew.” Donaldson sees art school as a possibility in his future and will continue to produce unconventional art.

Numbers

396

1,000 40

365

students who voted in the temporary tattoos printed letters of recommendation by Rachel Weinfield, candi- counselor Julie Velasco will ASB elections. date for ASB VP. have written by January.

tables used in the pingdays teacher Jeremy Wright grew out his beard pong tournament. before shaving.

BEST

MEMORY

Advisor

Tim Roberts

booths at the SDA Bazaar on Dec 9.

20,160 492 minutes in winter break.

“Realizing where I’m going next year! San Francisco State University.” -Erin Macnabb, senior.

“I got a new horse named Luna.” - Alissa Martone, sophomore.

students surveyed for the Best Of issue.

“Playing for the Cross Country Cuties against the teachers in the flag football tournament.” -Lane Jackson, senior.

Notice

San Dieguito Academy Room 93 800 Santa Fe Drive Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 753-1121 x5161

The Mustang is the student newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Mustang is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to room 93, emailed to sdamustang@hotmail.com, or mailed to the above address.

news

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

A Burn book of our own

Social networking sites that allow for anonymous comments are leading to malicious comments and cyberbullying. Story by Alexa Shapiro.

anya Koraltan, junior, used to have a Formspring. However after a number of “terrible comments,” that led to “pointless drama”, she deleted her page. “I responded as nice as I could so that people would quit the immature behavior. I cared a bit at first about what was being said, but over a couple days, I got really over giving them what they wanted to see,” said Koraltan. Formspring was created as a free social networking site in which users could ask one another anything and receive answers. Due to the anonymous nature of the questions, students have used the site for cyberbullying and malicious comments towards others, even causing a 17-year-old from New York to commit suicide in March from comments on her Formspring, according to the New York Times. Students like Koraltan are running into similar problems as they become degraded by comments plastered across their own Formspring. “People would mostly make fun of my appearance,” said a male junior of his Formspring. Although the male tried to ignore each comment, each comment “would really damage me inside,” he said. “I’ve had students come in and tell me they were upset about [comments from Formspring],” said Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones. Some of these students were upset about comments said about themselves and others from comments said about friends, said Jones. Becoming vicious Before, students could choose not to publicize certain comments or chose to delete their pages. Recently, however, students have lost their ability to regulate the comments about themselves on Formspring as students are anonymously creating “SDA” Formspring pages to discuss who hooked up with whom and the appearance of their classmates.

BEST -

MEMORY

“I think the Formsprings for SDA are degrading for many students,” said junior Kyle Dever. Many students agree. “I think the school’s Formspring websites are hilarious, but really hurtful to some people,” said the junior boy. “It’s terrible. Just because it is anonymous doesn’t mean you can say it,” said sophomore Hope Budman. Others cannot seem to draw themselves away from the pages. “I have to read the SDA Formspring,” said Koraltan. “It is interesting to see what they have to say about people,” said sophomore Rachel Bernstein. Emotional help To combat emotional damage from these sites, administrators can talk to students and help empower them to not be upset towards other’s comments. As for putting an end to the pages, SDA administration has “no jurisdiction,” said Jones. “The reality is because it’s outside of school, we have no jurisdiction and no way of knowing who’s doing it.” However, if administrators discover who is behind the comments, and it is interfering with another student’s learning, “it becomes school business,” said Jones. When asked, all three counselors were unaware of the “SDA” Formspring websites, as well as the website Formspring. Why do they do it When questions are submitted to the owner of the Formspring page, they are allowed to review each question and decide whether or not to answer it. If the user chooses to answer the question, they make it visible for all to see. Some students admitted to wanting to know what others think about them or believing this must be why students subject themselves to the degrading comments associated with Formspring by answering questions on their own pages. “I think Formspring interests people because they are curious

“My best moment would be SDA’s bomb day being on my birthday, cancelling STAR tests.” -Jenny Fisher, junior.

about what people think about them,” said junior Eric Rumble. “The comments attract people because everyone wants to know what others think about them,” said senior Branden Anderson. “For some people, bad attention is better than no attention at all. That’s why Formsprings are so popular,” said junior Ryan Peterson. A positive site As more students become engrossed in these pages, new Formsprings were created to shed some positive light on SDA students. “With new additions [of ‘SDA’ Formsprings], who are just s--- talking people, SDA needs a self esteem boost,” said one such site. The students who set these sites up post positive comments about students, saying that virtually every SDA student is a sweetheart and very pretty. However, the sites still concede to numbering the top five hottest students in each grade and which students have the best personalities. Despite their good intentions, some question the problems even the nice Formsprings present. “While your intentions are good, [and] you want SDA to be a better place, websites like this encourage s--- talking, gossip, [and] promotes talking about an obsession [with] “popular” people or people known for certain questionable actions. It just needs to all stop,” said a comment posted on a Formspring page trying to boost self-esteem at SDA. A number of students have been hurt by comments posted on Formspring, however Principal Mike Grove does not believe cyberbullying has “risen to the level for a whole school educational assembly.” Regardless, Grove is “disappointed because of the nature of our school.”While SDA paints itself as an accepting community, things like Formspring seem to contradict that characteristic of SDA, he said.

“Best moment of 2010 was the cobra star ship concert 3OH!3. It was so much fun.” -Xana Young, junior.

What are

students saying on ‘SDA’ Formspring sites?

She’s a stupid, ugly skank.

I hope she looks in the mirror and thinks she’s super and ugly cause she totally is. Heard he was a player.

fat

Smokes bud. Hooked up with quite a few.

Likes four loko. Most people hate him.

Looked prettier without her bangs. Big boobs, kind of

saggy.

People question his sexuality.

I hate her guts. “When rafting in Costa Rica, my friend fell off and our whole group just started cracking up.” -Kyle Filley, senior.

“I went to Europe and it was a great experience. I loved seeing the towns in France.” -Laura Breidenthal, freshman

news

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

on drinking

Students are becoming increasingly comfortable with alcohol, but many are unaware of the consequences they could face. Story by Angela Zhang. least once in their lives; the same survey was run in 2009, when the reported lifetime alcohol use was 55 percent. The Mustang conducted an informal survey of 109 SDA students, asking students to estimate the percentage of their classmates who would be willing to drink alcohol on special occasions. The average estimate was 55 percent. Despite the nonchalant attitude some students have shown towards alcohol, some have had dangerous experiences. “A few weekends ago, I drank so much at a party that my vision went very blurry and I couldn’t walk properly,” said a senior girl. “I almost fell into the pool. The cops showed up and I ended up passing out right in from of them. People picked me up and helped me to my car, [where I began puking everywhere].” Students caught in posses-

sion or under the influence of alcohol at school or school-related events face serious consequences, said Jones. “On second offense, we can go for involuntary transfer to another school. On sales, even a first offense could go for expulsion,” said Jones. “Students who are expelled are generally not permitted to any public school in the state of California. They can go to court school or private school, if the private school will accept them at the parent’s expense.” Jones emphasized the difference between expulsion and involuntary transfer. “expulsion means you can’t go to a public school in the state of California,” said Jones. “Involuntary transfer means you lose your seat at SDA.” Involuntary transfer will still be carried over onto a student’s permanent record. “You’ll

100%

Lifetime Drunk Driving or Riding in a Car With Someone Driving Drunk San Dieguito Academy

75% percent

hile a staff writer for The Mustang spoke with Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones about Four Loko, Jones reached into her desk and pulled out a water bottle containing vodka. She had confiscated it from a student. The student “was staggering, and had a water bottle [containing] vodka,” said Jones. Underage drinking remains a problem for some students. “There have been two expulsions [this year], but we have had several involuntary transfers,” said Jones. Some students exhibit a largely relaxed attitude towards drinking. A freshman boy said, “I drank, got drunk, and liked it.” In the Healthy Kids survey run by University of California San Diego in spring 2007, 56 percent of high school students reported consuming alcohol at

50% 37

25%

0% 9

11 grade

Above is a graph displaying the Healthy Kids survey results showing the percentage of SDA students who have driven under the influence or been a passenger in a car driven by someone under the influence. Graph by Pauline Disch.

have to explain that to a college. Many, many colleges ask for a secondary school report,” said Jones. “A secondary school report asks, ‘has a student ever been suspended or expelled and if so, why?’ That makes a differ-

ence.” “Drug use and alcohol use occurs with the best of kids. It’s a poor decision that a student makes, but it can happen to anyone. Students have to think clearly,” said Jones.

Loco for Lokos

An alcoholic energy drink creates controversy as it becomes an increasingly popular beverage for high school students. Story by Katy Swanson.

any high school and college campuses have witnessed growing popularity of an alcoholic drink called Four Loko. “Four Lokos are definitely popular,” said one junior girl. “I have never had one, but I’ve seen them at parties and know people who get really drunk off of them.” With the alcohol equivalent of five beers and a caffeine equivalent of more than three cups of coffee, Four Lokos have gained quite a reputation—especially among young people.

University were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning after drinking the beverage at a party. At Ramapo College in New Jersey, 23 students were hospitalized at the beginning of the fall semester for similar reasons. The Washington State Liquor Control Board banned the sale of alcoholic energy drinks, which began on Nov. 18. Other universities followed closely behind. The drinks have not been

What causes the ‘loko’ Jones stated that the drinks are especially dangerous due to the large amounts of caffeine, which stop the consumer from feeling the effects of the alcohol until the person has already consumed too much of the beverage. According to studies at Wake Forest University, college stu-

dents that consume alcohol with caffeine are also more likely to injure themselves compared to students who only drink alcohol. Many consumers have also questioned the marketing techniques used to advertise Four Loko beverages. The drinks, which come in eight fruity flavors, are wrapped in colorful packages that look like an ordinary energy drink. Although they are placed in the liquor section of stores, the actual amount of caffeine and alcohol is often unclear to consumers. “The wrappers on [Four Lokos] look just like an energy drink can, so I figured it was more of an energy drink. I had no idea there was so much alcohol in them,” said a second SDA junior boy. The first junior boy said, “The advertising is kind of misleading. I split one with a friend, and the effects were still strong.” The colorful packaging and low price is also a selling point. Four Loko cans are sold in 23.5 ounce cans, and cost around 2.50

dollars. “Four Lokos taste awful, but get you very drunk really quickly. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than buying a six-pack,” said a second junior girl. “I’m sure the cost [of Four Lokos] is a main factor, but the effects it causes also attract buyers,” said Jones. While Four Loko is undergoing changes to their product to avoid being banned completely by the FDA, Phusion Products has been going public with their company commitments by stating their policies to avoid underage drinking, along with their standards for retailers who have sold their products. “Responsible alcohol consumption requires cooperation from everyone - federal, state, and local governments, law enforcement, retailers, community leaders, parents and consumers,” said Phusion Projects on their official website. “We are proud of the work we do to ensure our products are used properly and only by adults of legal drinking age.”

“I got sponsored for surf. [I] got to meet new people and surf a lot.” -Sarah Schwab, freshman.

“Meeting new people and making team captain of our new water polo team.” -Kolten Horner, junior.

“I got my license on my sixteenth birthday, which is as early as you can possibly get it.” -Katie Clinton, junior

have noted the drink’s prominence at parties. “I’ve been in social situations where students were drinking Four Lokos, and I’ve also seen underage kids wearing Four Loko shirts,” said an SDA junior boy. Four Loko has been questioned by the Food and Drug Administration. On Nov. 16 Phusion Projects, the creator of Four Loko products, decided to remove the caffeine from the product. This statement was released days before the FDA planned to ban all alcoholic energy products due to the potential hazards and health risks they have been shown to cause.

“I had no idea there was so much alcohol in [Four Lokos].” -junior boy

Four Loko questioned Four Loko drinks have stirred up a large controversy regarding consumer safety. In October, nine students from Central Washington

BEST

MEMORY

an issue at the San Dieguito Academy. “There have been no issues of students possessing Four Lokos,” said Dr. Jeanne Jones, who is a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Many students drink them outside of school and others

“I met and took picture with all of the ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ dancers, like the gorgeous Robert Rolan.” -Nikki Hwang, senior.

news

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

prescription addiction

After a staff meeting about students consuming prescription drugs San Dieguito is becoming more aware of an increasing trend. Story by Ari Brin.

an Dieguito teachers were given a presentation on the growing problem of prescription drug abuse last month as part of a push to increase awareness of the adolescent trend. “While we have recently found students in possession of Adderall and Xanax, I personally haven’t seen a huge increase,” said Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones. “The reason we are anxious is because all the research shows that it is on the rise.” The number of teenagers addicted to prescribed medication has risen substantially from years past. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), prescription abuse is the fastest growing drug problem among minors. It is now the second most commonly abused drug, just behind marijuana. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported that around 20 percent of Americans 12 and older had abused prescription drugs. On a 2009 Healthy Kids survey question, 15 percent of SDA students answered that they had abused a

prescription. Joseph Olesky, a district substance abuse counselor, runs the district’s Recovery Education Alcohol Drug Instruction (READI) program, which treats 160-200 kids a year. “We’ve addressed this before... we saw the [prescription drug] tidal wave coming,” he said. Prescription use San Dieguito Academy students are split on the severity of the issue. One freshman boy did not believe that drugs were prevalent around the school. “I haven’t heard anything about prescription drug abuse. I don’t think it’s a huge problem at this school,” he said. However, many of those interviewed had first-hand experience with the matter. When asked, three upperclassmen boys estimated that 70-75 percent of SDA students were involved with some variety of drugs. They all knew someone who had misused a prescription. “One of my friends abuses her prescription and overdoses on it,” said a junior boy. “It changes her entire personality and makes

her an unpleasant person to be around.” A sophomore girl abused Vicodin, a prescription painkiller. She described the experience as “stressful and difficult.” “You know that you’ll regret it later,” she said. “But it solves the current state of mind you’re in.” Many students said abusing prescription medication is a common way for their peers to face the stress of teenage life. “They use it as a way to deal with whatever problem they are having,” said a sophomore girl. Jones views this as a dangerous misconception. She believes that the abuse of prescription drugs, especially during the teenage years, can have lasting effects on a student’s health. “Adolescents feel invincible. They feel that experimenting is a natural rite of passage,” she said. “But students who use drugs under the age of 21 have a greater chance of developing an addiction.” An increasing trend According to ONDCP, when painkillers are used outside of a prescription, they trigger

parts of the brain that develop an addiction. If a dependence is cultivated, the user is at risk for several long-term symptoms which include oversensitivity to pain, forgetfulness, and changes in character. Jones described prescription drug abuse as the “latest trend” for adolescents. “Schools have to work in partnership with parents and the community to combat addiction,” she said. The senior girl commented that there was a prevalent drug environment at school and that it would be difficult to stop drug abusive behavior. “There are lots of people here who like to experiment. Because of that, people will become addicted to drugs.” A way out Olesky’s READI program provides a second option to students who are addicted to drugs: a chance to remove the violation from their records by means of completing an intensive recovery program. The school has a strict policy on drugs, which outlines a second-offense expulsion. Action

may be taken on the first offense, including a referral to Olesky’s READI program, depending on the severity. The sophomore girl, whose friends have gotten into trouble with faculty, described the system as harsh. “It’s shocking that I haven’t gotten caught,” said the sophomore girl. “But the school shouldn’t be punishing them. That will cause them to get into more drugs.” Jones views the disciplinary actions of the school to be a reasonable answer to the growing drug problem. “We want to show students that there are consequences for the choices we make. Drugs are illegal. If we can open the eyes of one student that there is a different path for them in this world, it’s worth it.” Students felt concern regarding the future of drug use at the school. A junior boy expressed frustration at the troubling addictions among his friends. “It is a serious problem, and it’s hard to stop. Friends can say stuff, but they don’t have control. People have to have the willpower to change themselves.”

news

Students voted on the top 10 news stories cover by The Mustang during 2010. Results posted below. Stories by Rachel Huddleston, Amy Dushkin, Ashylnne Mclean, and Anna Williams.

Report cards posted on Aeries Dec. 18, 2010

Top News

THE MUSTANG

A bomb threat during California State Testing in May caused students to miss school for nearly two hours while law enforcement officers searched the school. Students were kept in the bleachers during the search. After no bomb was found, class resumed. Testing was rescheduled for the following day. Officials are still unsure who was responsible for the hoax.

The new theatre project cost an estimated $9.7 million and began construction in April. The visual and performing arts building is scheduled to be finished by July.

While a survey showed that SDA students favored Prop 19, a measure to legalize marijuana, it was defeated in the Nov. 2 election. Prop 23, which proposed suspending the Global Warming Solution Act until unemployment was at five percent, was opposed by SDA students and did not pass.

WINTER BREAK No school Dec. 20-31 2010 School resumes Jan. 3, 2011

The bell tower was taken down for the theater’s construction in April. The bell that was inside the tower is now in the principal’s office. The original bell will be placed in a new tower after it is rebuilt, said Principal Mike Grove.

Dec. 17, 2010

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Got milk? Graduates Alex Finden and Zachary Simmons do. The former seniors won the school $2,500 to benefit SDA’s arts program. The two filmed a scene from the Milkquarious rock show about the main character, White Gold. The contest was sponsored by the California Milk Processor Board.

English teacher Kerri Leonard shared her three-month journey eating on a dollar a day in her book, “A Dollar a Day.” Leonard and Christopher Greenslate, a teacher at LCC, decided to start their experiment when they realized they were spending too much money on groceries, but ended up learning about the different economics of eating.

Finishing the 2008 to 2009 year with sinking API scores, SDA was in danger of having the state exercise increasing control over how the school is run in order to boost scores. The school’s total API score failed to meet the state-mandated growth requirements after STAR testing in 2009. After homeroom visits by Principal Mike Grove and other administrators to increase motivation for STAR testing, SDA reached a score of 841. Students were invited last year to discuss with Principal Mike Grove and their peers what should be done to beautify the school. In between the two rows of trailer classrooms on the 30’s hill, students participated in a gardening effort: digging and planting native succulent plants, shrubs, and flowers.

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Academy Awards night was changed last year to increase attendance and give students more individualized recognition. The freshman, sophomore, and junior awards took place at a barbeque with the teachers during hour lunch. The senior awards night stayed as a nighttime ceremony, but the number of awards teachers were allowed to give out was reduced so each teacher could talk about why the student was chosen. Naviance, a program that aids students in the college application process, made its debut this year. Naviance keeps track of all of the applications a student submits, stores them in one central location, and records test scores and GPA information.

BEST

MEMORY

“I climbed White Mountain, which is 14,237 feet and I did not pass out.” -Eila Miller, senior.

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“Sea World trip and a Pokémon party with my friends.” -Michelle Xu, junior.

“I got straight A’s for once!” -Allison Thompson, freshman

“Playing in my first Comedy Sportz game.” -Mitch Lange, junior

news news

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

uc tuition fees discourage apps An increase in tuition fees for UCs present problems for potential applicants.

katherine bueche Above juniors Nolan Gallagher and Paeten Tenser sell silk screened t-shirts to junior Jeffrey Kuo at the SDA Bazaar. The Bazaar was held on Thur Dec 9 during lunch in front of the gym and functioned as a flea market. For more pictures from the Bazaar, visit the Mustang Online at www.sdamustang.com.

Bazaar

Student Election

School clubs and individual students became vendors at the Dec. 9 Mustang Bazaar. A variety of items were sold, including baked goods, bows, and other interesting trinkets. TOMS member, junior Marie Santore, said “We’re selling handmade head bands, ribbons and bows. All our profits go to the TOMS organization.” “We have Exhibition Day second semester so clubs and R.O.P classes have a chance to sell their items. However, first semester we never did anything. Mustang Bazaar was just another way to get everyone involved,” said junior and an ASB student, Alex Goldstein. natalya ballard

After the polls closed Tuesday, junior Evan Eichenberg was declared ASB president. Junior Casey Carlson was elected vicepresident and Maddy Overlock became secretary. Junior Austin Scott was elected treasurer and juniors Sonja Gerber, Isabelle Morales, and Karen Altick were elected as senior directors. jocelyn lee Sophomores Clayton Juniors (left to right) Kyle Dever, Austin Scott, Ryan Peterson, and Eric Rumble advertise for ASB elections. Bishop, Amanda Godfrey and Bree Lundgren were elected junior directors. Freshmen Jesus Aguilar, Olivia Lancaster, and Emily Ross became sophomore director. The newly elected president Eichenberg, said that he ran for office because he wants “each and every student to feel they can be a part of their school. I want them to be able to use any of their talents to contribute and feel connected.” As president, he has one idea in particular he plans to accomplish: “Once a month, every month, I want to have a day that is dedicated to our students, for our thespians, debaters etc. Each day will be dedicated to each one, so they can show off what they are good at, hopefully making each person feel they are part of their school.” Carlson ran because she cares about making a difference at SDA. As vice president, I plan to ask the school what they would like to see from ASB, and try to get everyone involved in making a better place.” natalya ballard

Mustang Bazaar is a huge hit.

BEST

Students run in the recent school ASB election.

MEMORY

“I climbed White Mountain, which is 14,237 feet and I did not pass out.” -Eila Miller, senior.

“Sea World trip and a Pokémon party with my friends.” -Michelle Xu, junior.

Study NHS starts a tutoring program. National Honors Society presidents, seniors Sammy Young and Sam Housekeeper, have recently founded a new after school tutoring program for SDA students. NHS, a society for academic minded students intent on volunteering and giving back to the community, provides tutors from its members in any subject. “I do it because I am happy when I see the kids understand,” said senior Nikki Hwang, a tutor for the NHS program. Tutors are available after school from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m Monday through Wednesday in the library. cherise lopes-baker

Increases in tuition fees are discouraging some high school seniors from applying to University of California colleges. “I care because I don’t have a lot of money in my family,” said senior Audrey Willis. Other students were surprised at the most recent eight percent increase. “I think it’s outrageous!” said senior Cameron Lilledahl, who continued, “I’m still going to apply to both UC’s and Cal State’s, but I think the increases will definitely be a deciding factor.” Campuses have been reaching out to international students who could bring in $23,000 more than California residents. However, school officials say that the number of students accepted from California will remain the same. Emily Aughinbaugh, from the creative services sector of the admissions office of UC San Diego said, “It’s [out-of-state students] not displacing at all; just adding to the overall pot.” The tuition fee was approved 15-5 by the UC board of regents on Nov 18. Those with annual family incomes of $120,000 or less will be eligible to forgo the fee increase for the first year of schooling. Students attending UC’s for the 2010 to 2011 year are currently paying $10,302 for tuition, but the increase for the 2011 to 2012 year would bring costs to approximately $11,124, an increase of $822. With campus costs, this brings yearly costs to $12,150, according to the UC Office of the President. Some students felt that the fee increases shouldn’t impact their decision to apply. “Finances shouldn’t affect [college applications] in general, but definitely not for UC’s,” said senior Evan Angelico. Current practices of providing financial aid to cover basic education fees to those with annual family incomes of $70,000 per year will be changed to include those coming from families with an annual income of less than $80,000 per year, according to the UC Office of the President. Although tuition hikes and greater outside recruiting may affect potential UC applicants, Aughinbaugh said, “The UC system is still committed to every eligible student. We’re confident that we’ll provide space for every eligible California resident.” anna williams 2009-10 $10,302

10,000

2010-11 $11,124

8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Above is a graph containing the UC tuition fees for the last twenty years. Graph by Pauline Disch.

“I got straight A’s for once!” -Allison Thompson, freshman

“Playing in my first Comedy Sportz game.” -Mitch Lange, junior

opinions

08 They made Justin Bieber Barbie dolls. I mean come on! How far can they go…..seriously?

Getting to return a tiny white puppy to his owner. I was really happy I got to do that.

Being a senior. STUMBLE UPON. It’s so addictive, but where else can you find such a perfect cure for boredom.

Achieving the Girl Scout Gold Award after putting in more than ten months and 160 hours of work.

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

Huntley’s beard.

Getting my license and a car.

I got a new baby cousin.

The midnight premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

I was part of the only Japanese group participating in the World Languages Airbands. We learned the whole dance two days before the competition, and we ended up in first place.

Watching the World Cup while buzzing my vuvuzela in glee as Spain won over the Dutch.

The Padres dominating the National League West.

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

best worst and

Every year, the Mustang staff comes up with its personal Realizing that the FIFA World Cup is the only time most Americans watch soccer. And driving myself insane with my vuvuzela. Ke$ha’s trash bag dress at the VMA’s. Senior year definitely isn’t as easy and carefree as I thought it would be.

Huntley’s beard.

The Padres blowing it at the last minute.

I’m graduating.

I can now paint my nails with Justin Bieber nail polish! Yes, they went even further. My life is now complete.

The oil spill. Those poor fishies!

Bottoming out and crashing the front of my car two weeks in.

Taking the AP Euro test first period the next morning after the Harry Potter midnight premiere.

of 2010

There were a lot of earthquakes. Haiti, Chile, San Diego... The end of the world is approaching.

The WikiLeaks. Bummer. The volcano that erupted in Iceland, spewing volcanic ash and grounding planes in Western Europe for weeks.

Hannah Montana getting into Stanford.

Wrong way, America

Charlotte Ohrbom thinks that America should try something else for federal drug policies. Drive 2700 miles east towards Washington, D.C. and take a sharp left. Maybe Congress will get a hint that all those drug legalization rallies actually have a point.

ince we were in first grade, Retro Bill taught us in D.A.R.E. classes to “just say no” to drugs. And as high schoolers, we now must make the choice of saying yes or no. But the system that is forcing us to make this choice of saying “no” is flawed. President Nixon should have been looking somewhere besides the streets when he declared the official War on Drugs in 1971. With drugs now being “public enemy No.1,” $47 billion has been spent, according to DrugSense.org, and there seems to be little to show for it. If it is really a pressing problem to get rid of drugs in America, the best thing to do is not to throw money at the problem, but actually lift the ban and make the drugs legal, thus taking away the

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“forbidden apple” aspect. People could be taken to rehabilitation for addiction instead of being thrown in jail. The costs of those incarcerated on drug charges would drop, giving tax payers a break. Portugal, in 2001, decriminalized all street drugs. While this bill initially was thought to have no positives, the Cato Institute, a libertarian “think tank,” published a study five years after the initial bill that showed that the nation improved. In the five years, fewer drugs were actually used and drug possession by minors dropped significantly. The number of overdose deaths and HIV/AIDS cases fell as well. It seems a good idea to try Portugal’s program since the war on drugs in America is failing. Even though more than $40

billion and 40 years have been spent, a study by the government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that 57 percent of the American population said marijuana was fairly easy to obtain. Programs for children aren’t working either. A study by the University of Illinois said that kids who were enrolled in D.A.R.E. programs used the same amount of drugs as kids who weren’t enrolled. The system is flawed and inefficient. One of the big problems with this war is the cost of all those in prison on drug charges. If the United States would use a system to determine whether those arrested should be in rehab or prison, the American tax payer would save 70 per-

cent for each person who went to rehab instead, according to a White House study. The study also suggests that 57 percent of those who need help for addictions did not receive it. If we sent more addicts to rehab instead of jail, taxpayers could save a lot. If America was to use this system, all that money could be used in classrooms and to help out the homeless. In this economic slump, money should be going where it will actually do some good. The money could be used to research a cure for cancer or heart disease, which is the No.1 killer in America. If they really wanted to stop drug usage, it seems best to decrimi- nalize them and take away the forbidden fruit aspect. I know it’s hard to admit, but maybe we were wrong.

“I got chocolate poured all over me when I was in a dress.” -Matt Benedetti, senior.

“Getting elected VP for marketing in robotics.” -Lonnie Safarik, junior.

“Going to Comicon was really exciting. I got to dress up and meet lots of people.” -Jilly Haynes, freshman.

How much is the war on drugs costing you? - 56 percent of people in prison have committed drug-related crimes. (Bureau of Prisons) - In Portugal, the death rate due to overdose has dropped 50 percent. (Cato Institute) - About $2,000 is being spent on the war on drugs PER SECOND. (DrugSense.org) - 1,771,029 people are in prison for drugs-related crimes in the USA for 2010. (DrugSense.org) - $83,238,363,000 being spent for drugs charges in prison in 2010. (California Legislative Analyst’s Office)

“I ate the best watermelon in China and it was yellow. It tasted the same as the green one.” -Betty Huang, sophomore.

opinions

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

Out of my way

Pauline Disch just wants to wash her hands. At popular times, the girls’ bathroom sinks are being taken over by female students putting on excessive amounts of makeup. Going to the bathroom should be a relatively quick process, but recently has been significantly slowed down by these girls.

he girls bathroom is strictly business, there’s no time for lollygagging. The lines are usually out the door, so as a common courtesy to your fellow females you’re in, wash your hands, and you’re out. However, it’s known that most girls take longer in the bathroom than guys, and I believe this is due to girls’ concerns with their appearances. Every girl should be using the precious time between classes and at lunch wisely. We can take care of private matters, maybe a quick hair and face check for any irregularities, and leave. It’s that simple and easy. Unfortunately, our school is facing an epidemic of girls taking way too long in the three bathrooms we have. These princesses do not stick to the plan and tend to wander off course when they reach the casual hair and face check stage. They pull out their purses and

begin the long and meticulous process of putting on their make-up and fixing their hair. This can happen as early as after first period! These girls were just at their house where I’m sure they put on make-up and made sure no hair was out of place before they left, so why are they putting on another layer at school? Most of the time these princesses are inconsiderate and block the mirrors because they need to examine their faces as close up as possible. Meanwhile the rest of us who follow the rules are trying to stick to the “in-n-out” policy and have to maneuver around these obnoxious sink-blockers. Even if you politely ask the girls to move so you can wash your hands and do the quick check, they ignore you because their appearance is clearly more important than your request. Plus there’s a time of the day

where us nonprincesses don’t stand a chance: lunch. At the beginning of lunch when you’ve held it in all morning and need to use the restroom there is a line stretching into the halls! As you walk in to see what all the crowding is about you find that the bathroom has been infested with princesses. There they are blocking others from washing their hands and carefully curling their eyelashes with intricate metal devices that I swear I’ve seen surgeons use. These girls who care so much about their appearance are disrupting the order in the female world. The bathroom is a place to actually go to the bathroom, not a salon to put on too much eye shadow that just makes you look like a clown anyway. Princesses, if it’s a passing period, lunch, or homeroom stay out of the bathrooms! That is crucial time for us to actually use them, if you’re so worried

There is so much crowding around the mirrors that it is nearly impossible to reach the sinks for a simple hand washing. Photo illustration by Katherine Bueche.

that some guy will think you are hideous because you aren’t wearing enough mascara to look

borderline goth, then you need help because nobody else cares. So get out of my way!

“The best and worst was witnessing Eleanore Hendrickson and Daniel Alguire kiss in the play.” -Trevor McCarver, freshman.

“The best was Koda and Stimson’s homeroom zombie races.” -Emily Falkner, junior.

Come support your fellow students! One-Act Play Festival Jan. 26- Jan. 28 7 p.m. Roundabout Theatre

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MEMORY

“I went to Maine. I’ve never been there and it was really cool. It was in the fall and all the leaves were changing.” -Courtney Haller, senior.

“I flew on a plane by myself. It was da bomb.” -Morgan Joel, senior.

opinions

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

not a Kindled spirit

Cara Reichard thinks that curling up with a good book makes a lot more sense than curling up with a cozy... Kindle? This holiday season, remember your favorite paperback when you snuggle up to your hot cocoa and cheery fire. Leave your Kindle in the cold.

he floor of my bedroom is covered in books. I buy them from bookstores, thrift stores, and garage sales. I steal them from my parents’ bookshelves, and I pile them against my back wall. I doubt I’ll ever be able to read them all, but there’s something comforting about having them all there, knowing that I’m surrounded by so many books each time I curl up in my bed. When I can’t sleep at night, I reach over, pick one up, and turn to the first page. It’s like a lullaby. The comfort of it, the reassurance of the ever-constant gray text, the familiarity of the rustling pages, can clear my head of all distractions and lull me to sleep. While I always expected books to be a constant presence in my life, the past few years have marked the onset of a new era for reading: the Kindle, book of the twenty-first century. People have flocked to Kindles for convenience—they can store thousands of books at once in one sleek and easy-to-use device. Reading, however, is not about convenience. There is a magic in books that no technology could ever reproduce. A Kindle does not rub that

Skyler Mckee This is a picture of a kindle fighting a book, but we all know the book’s going to win because it’s just better in every category.

familiar crease in the space between your thumb and forefinger when you hold it for too long. A Kindle will never adopt the floppy, well-worn look of a favorite book read over and over again. A Kindle does not have that familiar musty smell, and

cannot be glanced at to gauge the pages read and the pages left to come. It cannot be dog-eared or annotated, and its spine will not become a little more cracked and wrinkled each time the page is turned. The thing is that reading is not just about the intake of

words—it’s a physical exhilaration that can’t be replaced. Of course, this is the generation of technological advancement, and nothing seems to be able to pass through it unchanged. In the past 50 years or so, music has passed through

the phases of the record, the 8-track, the cassette, the CD, and the iPod, and some people lament the closing of record stores and the supposed demise of the music industry. But when you close your eyes and listen, music is still music in any form. A Kindle, however, could never be mistaken for a book. And if this new technology means the end of the printed word, then I think it’s time to fight back. I’m not suggesting we turn against technology by any means—I love my MacBook as much as the next person. I am merely suggesting that, maybe, some things were done right the first time and don’t need to be changed. People have been reading for thousands of years. Books have, at various times, been banned, burned and neglected, but they have somehow always managed to bounce back, proving that there is always a need for them in society. It’s foolish, then, after all that, to think that we need to change them, to make them slim, glare-resistant and WiFi accessible. Books have been an integral part of human life for practically as long as we’ve existed, and there’s no need to try and update them now.

Formspring follies

Amy Dushkin thinks that Formspring is the ultimate form of cyber-bullying. When SDA students say mean things about each other, especially in such a public, online way, it destroys the atmosphere of acceptance that makes SDA so special.

try my best to stay away from the Formspring craze. When my Facebook friends first began to post their Formsprings on their walls, stating, “Ask me anything,” I didn’t really know what it was, only that my friends claimed it was “addictive,” so I stayed away from it. Formspring first became popular about a year ago, as a public forum in which people can anonymously ask their friends questions. Its popular-

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ity died out for a while and so did my attention to it. But a few weeks ago, my friend’s showed up on Facebook and I decided to find out what it really was. It was sickening. I couldn’t believe what kinds of things were asked, or just stated, to people who supposedly are their friends. Of course I saw the cute little things written by that person’s friends, but as I kept looking at the page I only found more and more comments just calling that person a slut.

Personal Formsprings are voluntary, as in the person willingly signs up to be subjected to nasty comments. I went on to find Formsprings related to SDA. There is not just one, but close to six. Six online forums solely dedicated to talking about other SDA students; countless people trashing each other just for the fun of it. As I scrolled through one of the various SDA Formsprings, all I saw was post after post just completely trashing other

“I figured out Tokyo’s train system in one day while I was in Japan.” -Ben Lang, senior.

“My speech team and I won a tournament in Vista and got In-N-Out.” -Eli Brown, freshman.

people. They weren’t things that anyone would say to anyone’s face, so why would anyone have the authority to ask it online? Formspring, especially when used to spread gossip throughout a school is useless and offensive. I didn’t think that anyone actually cared enough to speculate over rumors that may or may not be true. I thought that SDA students treated each other with some basic form of respect, at the least. I guess I was wrong.

“Coming back to school and seeing all my friends that I hadn’t seen all summer.” -Charlie Beck, sophomore.

I know that gossip is inevitable. I’m sure that almost everyone, including myself, has been guilty of saying something negative about a friend or classmate behind his or her back. But to put it out online, where it is public and can be viewed by everyone can only lead to drama and tears. I never thought that people would take so much time to just slander each other here. These online forums are detracting from the unique, accepting attitude here at SDA.

“Having my bridge go to finals.” -Jamila Michael, senior.

features

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

Growing Up With Harry From pre-school to high school, from the Sorcerer’s Stone to the Deathly Hallows, we all have our memories of Harry Potter through the years. Pre-school

Kindergarden

Thea Brown Seniors Connor Brownell and Ryan Santore get excited as they wait in line for the midnight premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One.”

generation hp

First Grade

The release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One marks the beginning of the end of the 13year-long era that the students of SDA grew up in. Story by Cara Reichard.

few weeks ago, people around the world gathered in celebration. They put on black capes, crooked glasses and pointed hats. They drank Monster and Diet Coke to keep themselves awake. Hours later, they crawled into bed both exhausted and exhilarated. The occasion? The midnight premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One.” It was the beginning of the end of an era, and, across the globe, millions came out in celebration. SDA students were no exception. They piled into cars and arrived at the Ultra Star La Costa Theater in packs so large that it seemed nearly the entire SDA student body had shown up for the event. “SDA kids filled up an entire theater. It was pretty cool,” said senior Connor Brownell. The students arrived all decked out in their best wizardly garb: capes and scars and broomsticks and handmade scarves of maroon and gold. They crowded into the theaters, choosing to ignore the fact that they would be sitting in first period in a few short hours. They chanted Harry’s name. They cheered when the familiar lettering appeared on the screen, announcing the movie’s title. They cried when Dobby died. “It was a

magical experience,” said senior Sam Houskeeper. But why? Why was it so magical? Why was it that people were willing to forego their precious sleep, swarm the theater in droves, hold their spot in line for hours, with nothing but caffeine and the camaraderie of the wizarding community to keep them going? What is it about Harry Potter that makes it so very worth it? The Beginning Thirteen years ago JK Rowling released “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and in its 309 pages she managed to strike the perfect combination of literary ingredients: relatable characters, enthralling plot, comic relief in the form of, among other things, the beloved Fred and George Weasley, and, most importantly, a fantastical new world that had every child who opened the book willing to do just about anything to get there. “When we first started reading the books in elementary school, they introduced us to the wizarding world and we were able to fantasize about Hogwarts and Bertie Botts Beans,” said senior Rocky Keefe-Oates. Indeed, it seems pretty

safe to say that everybody, at some point or another, felt that chill go through their body as they read the description of Diagon Alley or the Hogwarts corridors. Because what made JK Rowling such a success was her ability to tug at the back corners of our mind, strip away the reason and the logic, and make us believe that maybe this could all be true. “I didn’t understand that it wasn’t real,” said junior DJ Swan. “I remember waiting for my letter on my 11th birthday and it was the most bittersweet day of my life.” That right there is what sets this generation apart from the

“happily ever after,” to one of long-term consequences with dark and gloomy undertones seemed natural, hardly to be thought twice about. “With each new book release we were getting older, and by the time of the last release, in eighth grade, Botts Beans and Hogwarts had disappeared almost altogether and we had to face Voldemort, the end of the series, and high school,” Keefe-Oates said. In those awkward years of our own pre-adolescence, Harry led the way out of childhood and into that tenuous middle ground of young adulthood. The characters gave us something to hold onto as we struggled to find ourselves. “I don’t know any girl in my generation whose deepest desire hasn’t been to be Hermione since they were like six. She’s such a frickin dynamic woman,” said junior Kianna Eberle. And now, after thirteen years of growth with these characters, and with the final movie only a few months away, it is finally almost time for the end. For many teenagers out there, Harry Potter has been a constant presence for as long as we can remember, and it’s hard to imagine a world with no midnight premiers or book releases to look forward to.

“I didn’t understand that it wasn’t real.” -DJ Swan rest. The books might resonate with people of all ages, but this is the generation that grew up with Harry. We started reading these books right around the age that Harry started Hogwarts, and, as such, we all waited by our mailboxes on our eleventh birthdays for a letter that never came. And as Harry grew up, grew tall and angsty and responsible, so too did we. Set against the progression of our own lives, the shift in the books from a childish world of

Second Grade

Fourth Grade

Sixth Grade

Eighth Grade

“Every night my dad would read the first book to me, but when there were a hundred pages left I couldn’t wait so I read it myself. It took me all day to get through but from then on I was hooked.” Catherine Oswald, senior.

“My brother and I would listen to my mom as she read the second book aloud. My ritual was to eat cherry tomatoes while I listened to my mother. I probably had about 46 per chapter. That’s a lot of cherry tomatoes.” Haley Lewis, senior. “I was halfway through the third book at 10 at night. I finished reading that night and looked up at the clock, only to find out that I had school in 20 minutes. It was the next morning. No sleep for me.” Trevor Wright, senior. “When the fourth book came out my family was going through a hard time with divorce. I found shelter and comfort away from the whole mess submerged in the world of wizards.” Alec Small, senior.

“I was reading the fifth book as my family was driving through the Alps, and I was forced to put it down and get out of the car and look around. And I was pissed. But I guess you only get to see the Alps once.” Connor Brownell, senior. “We were on a road trip to Yosemite and I had cut my whole leg open and had stitches and I was pissed because I couldn’t go rafting. But then Harry Potter came out and I got to sit on the bank reading and it wasn’t so bad.” Sammy Young, senior. “My brother waited till twelve to get the last book, and when he came home he was tired so he went to bed. I then stole it out of his room and read it till I finished It. I was done by the time he realized I had taken it.” Ariana Crow, senior.

sports

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

hoop there it is! Boys basketball is ready to compete in their new league of competitive teams.

katherine bueche Sophomore Jon Viles follows his Brawley opponent up the sidelines to break his momentum, steal the ball, and dribble down to his side of the court.

wrestle this New faces make for a strong team.

SDA wrestlers are having one of their best years yet. “I’m stoked for the season. Our team has grown to full roster. The original three, DJ Swan, Sam Housekeeper, and Samantha Caras, are still with us and have helped it grow since day one,” said coach Eric Wilson. The team is progressively building with the addition of new members. “This year’s cool because we have a lot of people. We have 15 wrestlers, so the team is growing even though it’s small,” said Housekeeper. sammy bueche

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kick off

Boys soccer constructs a new defense after alumni loss. After a week of trying out over 85 boys, the varsity and JV soccer teams are set. According to coach Craig Dean this was the biggest group they had ever seen. The newly formed varsity team has a record of 2-2-1 as of Dec. 15 according to maxpreps.com. This season the boys’ weakness will be their defense due to the graduation of 12 seniors. This year it will be young of mostly sophomores and juniors who will try to match last year’s team. The 2009-2010 Mustangs finished first in the Coastal North League with a record of 19-4-2 and advanced to the second round of playoffs, beating CCA in the first round. “They have the talent and desire and have been working extremely hard in practice. I have confidence that they will perform very well for our team,” said Dean. Whatever shape the defense is in, you can count on the offense. The Mustang offense will be strong and lead by veteran varsity seniors Efrain Olvera and Edward Guzman according to Dean. “We have a great time in training, but at the same time we are really serious,” said team captain Olvera. Like others, the boys moved to the Valley League which is much stronger than last year according to Dean with teams like CCA and Orange Glen. pauline disch

MEMORY

girls bball

The team is going back to the basics.

“The coaches are really cool and everyone likes them, but anything can happen this year,” said sophomore Ryan Blasena.

“The team is pretty good this year, but it’s going to be a struggle getting to CIF’s because we are in a harder league,” said junior Pablo Gomez.

Maxpreps.com says the Mustangs are 2-3 as of Dec. 15 which puts them second in their Valley League. Senior Haylee Bell believes the team is quickly improving. “I think we work together better than last year. Everyone’s willing to pass and we’re becoming a man on man team on defense,” she said. Senior Delaney Sztraicher believes the girls need to work on turnovers. She says they play timidly and throw the ball away, but by the end of the season they will be able to avoid bad passes. pauline disch

The team is confident their veteran players can lead them to victory in the new league with help from the senior captains Tor Syvrud, Brandon Anderson, and Josh Pupping. Coach Luke Stuckey said boys basketball had the best turnout ever for tryouts. With four returning starters and six returning lettermen, this season should be as strong as ever. Stuckey emphasizes team chemistry. “Most of the guys have played with each other for two or three years now. They know each other and our system,” he said. The team is now competing in the Valley League and look forward to forming new rivals and playing LCC. “Our toughest teams look to be CCA, Valley Center, and Del Norte,” said Stuckey. “The season is going well. With our team captains leading the way we should be able to learn from our mistakes in the first few games. I’m looking forward to seeing how we do against the tough competition,” said junior Jordan Golden. “I think we are an up and coming team. We will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come,” said Kiarash Jalali, senior. As of Dec. 15, the team has a record of 3-4-0 according to maxpreps.com. anna sheridan

kick it like adidas Girls soccer is fit with young players.

Sixty-five girls tried out for the 21 coveted varsity spots and are now 2-1-0 as of Dec. 15 according to the North County Times. “We had a very talented and fit freshmen class. I was very pleased with the turnout and the enthusiasm,” said coach Rebecca Bailey. Thirteen girls have previous varsity experience on the team, more than usual because the team only lost five key players last year. Gerber says there are many girls who are up for the challenge to fill the old seniors’ spots. As with every sport, so much is dependent on team chemistry. It is something that the players have to work on constantly. “You can have amazing talented individuals, but it’s usually the teams with chemistry that play together and WIN,” said Gerber. Gerber said she looks forward to starting sophomores such as their goalkeeper Leena Gonzales. “Being a sophomore on the team this year, as a goalie, is a great experience. I think we have more potential than last year, ” said Gonzales. The team looks forward to joining the Valley League this year and playing CCA for the coveted Academy Cup. “We are going to beat CCA. That’s a team goal. Once we develop team comradery we will be unstoppable,” said senior Julia Pederson. anna sheridan

“New York jets are at the “Go to the basketball games. “ Vuvuzelas echoing through top of the AFC East so far.” We are the best- just like the the land after the world -Jenny Fisher, junior. Celtics- just more white.” cup.” -Tor Syvrud, senior -Sammay Ness, junior.

“Wrestling has exposed me to so many different people and experiences and I really changed my outlook on life. Ifg you know what I mean...”-Sam Housekeeper

sports

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

jocelyn lee Sophomore Genesis Castrellon dribbles away from her University City opponents during a game at SDA on Monday Dec. 6th. The Mustangs went on to lose that game 0-3 according to maxpreps.com.

Dreading Tryouts Every sport season begins with the week of hell that we call tryouts. Story by Anna Sheridan

t’s winter sports season, which means many student athletes had to suffer through the dreaded tryouts season. The pressure to make the team can even be overwhelming in some cases. The girls’ soccer tryouts just might be the most intense of all. The girls trying out have been playing their whole lives, making the week more competitive than ever before. Soccer tryouts are not just about how well you play soccer though, there is a whole conditioning aspect that is involved with making the cut. “SEBCOE is a long, complex timed running exercise that we do in tryouts and during the season that involves pushups, sit ups, sprinting, kicking, and ball handling skills,” said Jenna Asperslag, junior, who has played on San Dieguito’s Varsity soccer team since she was a freshman. The girls have to deal with the physical stress as well as the

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mental stress. “I try to think as positively as possible,” said Elissa Gibb, senior. As a senior, this will be Gibb’s last chance to make the Varsity team. CIF rules state that seniors cannot participate in Junior Varsity sports. As with many other sports, there are more girls trying out then there are spots on the team. “It’s really hard because there are more than 60 girls at tryouts and you really only get one or two chances for the coaches to look at you,” said Isabella Prior, freshman. There are only two coaches to look at 64 girls, so the athletes try to show off as much as they can. It really does involve a bit of luck to make sure that the coach does not catch a mistake and then write that player off. Despite the stress of making varsity and starting, some of the girls just want to make the team. “It doesn’t matter to me because the coaches always give players

equal playing time,” said Danya Schulman, junior. To other girls, starting is everything. “I think being a starter is very important. To be a starter, you have to work hard. Being a starter means you get to play instead of just sitting on the bench. The most important thing to me is playing,” said Asperslag. Even though being cut could be the end of these student athlete’s high school soccer career, the majority of the girls say that they will continue pursuing the sport. “Not making a team would not stop me,” said Asperslag. “I would definitely continue playing,” said Schulman. Every girl that was interviewed in this article ended up making the Varsity team. All of the athletes that were interviewed said that facing family and friends after being cut from a team is not hard because they surround themselves with supportive people.

jocelyn lee Senior Lindsey Marshall is about to send the ball downfield in a University City game.

“Girls field hockey going to the finals. It was raining hard and made it more intense.” -Morgan Joel, senior.

“Mexico girls’ soccer team having bad sportsmanship.” -Lindsey Valenzuela, junior.

“Serena Williams yelling at the referee for a bad call.” -Bianca Rice, junior.

“The World Cup.” -Hugo Tapia, freshman.

sports

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

Fall wrap-up

Many teams and athletes advanced to CIF playoffs last season and demonstrated that the Mustangs should not be athletically underestimated.

All-County Teams and Stat Leaders

GIRLS TENNIS

jocelyn lee Senior Courtney Haller fights for the ball in a game against University City.

field hockey On Nov. 20 the varsity field hockey team walked away from their season as CIF finalists. The Mustangs traveled to Rancho Bernardo and played Serra High School, but lost 0-1. This put the team at 16-7-1 overall according to maxpreps.com and 10-0 in their Valley League. According to head coach Brooke Wilson this was the first time ever field hockey went to finals. However, the players had mixed feelings about their last game. “Most of our team seemed disappointed, but I was proud that we gave it all and fought until the end,” said sophomore Lauren Shumate. Wilson was named coach of

the year by the North County Times. Senior Kailie Pasko was also acknowledged. According to Wilson she was named player of the year in the Valley League by all the league coaches. She was a standout player and most of the coaches knew who she was and how she played. These coaches voted for her because they believed she was the most deserving according to Wilson. The team lost seven seniors and will have a fresh set of girls. “We have a lot of juniors coming up next year from JV. With work we can make 2011 just as great as this year,” said junior Grace Collins. pauline disch

The girls tennis team may not have made it as far as other teams, but ended the season at 8-1-1 according to the North County Times and many girls advanced in playoffs. Freshman Samantha Hodges competed in the singles matches and made it to the first round. Along with Hodges, juniors Perri Callaway and Julia May qualified for CIF playoffs and advanced to the second round according to junior Jenai Machhi. Machhi and senior Kinsey Volkart advanced the farthest in playoffs to the third round of doubles which put them one match away from the quarter finals. “The team did really well this year we got second in our Valley League. Five people going to CIF is actually quite a few there are only nine people on a varsity tennis team,” said Callaway. She also said it will be hard losing their only senior, Volkart, next year, but hopefully they will get new freshman who are good players. pauline disch

Volleyball:

courtesy of phil colla Senior Maddie Scarlett passes.

GIRLS VBALL

After losing to Canyon Crest the girls volleyball season ended on a low note. The Mustangs lost to their rival on Nov. 17 0-3 at CCA. This put the girls at 17-10 overall according to maxpreps. com and second in their Valley League. Although the girls made it to CIF semi-finals, they were disappointed. “It was hard to cope with. We worked so hard to get there and when it didn’t end in our favor we were disappointed,” said senior Alyssa Neal. Varsity coach Rebecca Bailey was also frustrated with the results. Despite the loss to the Ravens Bailey was proud of her team for making it that far. “I thought the girls played

timeout with: santos

Kim Rabbi (12) - North County Times first team - 15th in San Diego with 198 kills - 34th in San Diego with 201 digs Maddy Scarlett (12) - North County Times second team - runner up Libero of the Year - 15th in San Diego with 318 digs Sydney Crowe (12) - 8th in San Diego with 486 assists Catherine Oswald (12) - North County Times first team - 48th in San Diego with 123 kills -21st in San Diego with 39 blocks

Field Hockey: Kailie Pasko (12) - North County Times first team - 2nd in San Diego with 15 assists - 7th in San Diego with 23 points Arianna Crow (12) - 1st in San Diego with 57 points - 1st in San Diego with 25 goals Teesa Lhota (11) - 2nd in San Diego with 84 saves according to www.maxpreps.com

well until the third game. CCA was a very good team this year so our goal was to play our hardest and compete with them. Although we didn’t do well the third game, I thought the girls played with a lot of heart,” she said. pauline disch

Enough talk about students, what about our teachers? They used to play sports in high school too, but what did they play? Story by Pauline Disch.

ometimes we forget SDA teachers were students once too. They took the same classes, got their driver’s licenses, and acted as goofy as we do. We may not think about it, but many staff members played sports in high school as well. During assemblies and student versus faculty games it’s not hard to miss science and AVID teacher Michael Santos. Almost every time he is one of the best and hardest to beat, but which sport did he dominate in high school? The Mustang investigates his past to find out.

BEST

MEMORY

Mustang: What sport did you only sport left was badminton. It play in high school? Why? is only a varsity sport and I Santos: I played badminton. I started as the #3 doubles and chose it because my mom #3 singles. As a senior I was wouldn’t sign the #1 doubles and permission slip for #1 singles and we me to play football. made it to CIF. I was too short for M: Anything exbasketball and my tremely embarrassschool didn’t have a ing ever happen? soccer team at the S: Hmm...I was time. I also missed pretty clumsy the try-outs for field in high school hockey (since they and sprained my didn’t have a male ankle nearly every equivalent they had game. One time I Santos shows off his rackets. to take up to two gave my opponent guys if they make the cut). So the a black eye with the birdie. He

“Real Madrid versus Barcelona.” -Sergio Gonzalez, freshman - Jose Moreno, freshman

“Varsity field hockey going to CIF finals for the first time since 1993.” -Katherine Ozorio, junior

mis-hit it and set me up for a smash. I took advantage and did a jump smash and got him in the eye. He had the gnarliest black eye that swelled so much. I felt bad and went to him to apologize, but I think he just hated me. M: Did you ever make an amazing or memorable play? S: I remember a time when I scored a point by having the birdie bounce off my head and barely making it over the net. Nothing amazing...I just have a hard head. M: What high school did you go to? Did you continue afterwards?

“Conor Paris’ dance moves and speech before each meet in cross country.” -DJ Swan, junior.

S: I went to Samuel F.B. Morse High School in Southeast San Diego. They had a team at UCSD and I joined as a singles player and a doubles team. We played UCLA, UCI, Cal Poly and around Southern California. M: Do you still play today? S: I don’t play very often, but when I do it is usually when I make it back down to Morse and play with the school team. I try to help them with their game. The other place to play is at Balboa Park where they have a state of the art activity center that has room for 15 badminton courts.

“Philip Rivers being amazing and the Chargers are going to the playoffs,” -Jake Echeverria, junior

sports

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

Surfer vs. skater

Senior surfer Elise “Genius” Courtois and senior skater Trevor “Young Einstein” Wright prove that ignorance is bliss with answers that defy space, time, and all commonly accepted logic. An impressive feat. Story by Ari Brin. When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs? Surfer: Maybe they write: “These are the signs of bad things to come.” Skater: Um, yeah, they write “strike” on their signs cause that’s what they’re doing. ME: Skater… (sigh.) They are going on strike from writing on signs! Minus 10 points for this lapse of judgment. Ooh Surfer, how ominous! How witty! Too bad their signs would probably say: “I’m confused, Surfer! And I don’t get it! Minus 17.3 points!” Their words. Not mine. Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round? Surfer: They want to be contradictory. Skater: Cause otherwise people would get bored if all the food is the same shape in their sandwiches. ME: I know I sure get uncomfortable when too many things in my meal are the same shape, Skater. It really boils my blood

when I’m eating something square, and then some other square thing gets all up in my eating business. Heck, if I’m just staring at something square for too long, I get real stressed and have to look at something circular! Two points for feeling me, bro. Surfer, I guess you feel me too. One point. I GUESS. If ghosts can walk through walls and glide down stairs, why don’t they fall through the floor? Surfer: I think they call is ghostin.’ It’s like coastin.’ Skater: Cause that would hurt and they don’t want to hurt themselves. ME: 100 points, Surfer, but don’t be boastin’! You should throw away your board and pursue a career in rapping. Yo yo yo, Surfer in da house! ...and then there was Skater. I didn’t see a single rhyme in your answer and I was disappointed. -50 points and learn how to spit dem versez. Can you cry under water?

Surfer: Yeah, because someone had to make the ocean. Skater: If you have goggles on, you can. ME: A straightforward answer, Skater. But we have a problem. Not too many tears fit in a goggle. If you are ever really troubled and underwater, you’ve got yourself yet another trouble that involves blindness and a loss of 12 points. Wow, Surfer! That is a LOT (31.5 points worth) of tears! How does one even get so sad? It was probably the haters. The haters got to them. But haters gon’ hate, Surfer. Haters gon’ hate. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle? Surfer: Maybe cause glue doesn’t stick to other glue. Glue is mainly just plastic, so they shouldn’t stick together. Skater: Cause it’s made out of material that doesn’t stick. ME: Surfer, I don’t understand your wording. So I’m going to pretend that you said something that really offended my family.

thea brown Elise Courtois pulls a double-shaka-surprise out of her ears while Trevor Wright picks a comparable surprise.

How dare you! Minus 67 points! Skater, are you trying to tell me that glue… doesn’t stick? I hate to tell you this, but whenever I’m trying to keep two things from sticking, I don’t pull out a bottle of superglue. Minus 34 points.

Clearly, the concept of how glue works hasn’t stuck to you. Skater: -104 Surfer: 48.2

arts

THE MUSTANG

Best of 2010

2010 was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a year of celebrity drama and Haitian trauma. “Inception” blew minds at the box office, while the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull just blew up. Anthems were created for California gurls, billionaires, soul sistas, and G6’s. The tanning booths of Jersey Shore were quite hot, but not nearly as steamy as Gossip Girl turned out to be this year. Both Ceelo Green and Julian Assange sent “Forget You”’s to the world. Lady Gaga had her Little Monsters, and J. Biebz had her his Beliebers. Miley Cyrus continued to break out of her Disney image, while breaking in a new bong. So check out who you voted as the best, and for even more head over to sdamustang.com.

Stories By: Thea Brown, Cara Reichard, Kerry Roberson, Eleanore Hendrickson, Ari Brin, Cassia Pollock, Kai Schlesinger, Angela Zhang, Erika Mazza, Erica Lee, Emily Maxwell, Anna Sheridan, Katy Swanson, Katie Berriochoa, Amy Dushkin. Art by Thea Brown.

arts

“‘Due Date’ is one of those movies that you could see more than once in theaters and still laugh as hard.” -Lauren Williams, 12 “‘The Other Guys’ was hilarious. I love all of Will Ferrell’s movies. He always does a great job.” -Perry Anderson, 9 “I thought the best comedy was ‘Dinner for Shmucks.’ Something like that hasn’t been attempted before.” -Eli Brown, 9

ot Tub Time Machine” is exactly the kind of movie that the title would suggest: a lighthearted bro comedy that clearly does not take itself too seriously. John Cusack, Craig Robinson and Rob Corddry star in the film as three friends reliving their better memories in the Kodak Valley Ski Resort, where they spent much of their younger days. Tagging along is Cusack’s character’s nephew, played by Clark Duke. As the title blatantly suggests, things go awry when the friends’ hot tub magically becomes a time machine after a character spills an illegal Russian energy drink, Chernobly (get it?), into the Jacuzzi’s control panel. The friends plus nephew are transported back in time to 1986, where the

characters realize that they are living in their own 20something-year-old bodies, except for the nephew, who is inexplicably still in his adult body despite not having been born yet. The four realize that unless they want to irHot Tub Time Machine

“‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ is so hilarious-I laughed throughout the full thing…it has to be the funniest movie made this year.” -Hannah Alguire

THE MUSTANG

best comedy

25% almost best of

Due Date... 24% Kick-Ass... 19% Date Night... 18% The Other Guys... 14%

revocably alter the future, they must re-live their days exactly as they had occurred, including: breaking up with a girlfriend, consequently being stabbed in the eye with a fork and performing a mediocre gig at a ski lodge. Along the way, the characters are able to discover new insights and experiences that they had missed the first time

mgm.com Hot fuzz. With a magical jacuzzi and four twenty-year-old bros, things are bound to get a little wet n’ wild.

through. The movie, despite a tally of over 160 f-bombs, two projectile vomits and two instances of pee spilling everywhere, has a strange appeal to it. Its bro-charm manages to salvage its flaws, ending

best kids’ movie Toy Story 3

strings while watching this movie. Not only does this thoughtful threequel remain true to the other two movies, but it has lots of character development. The toys discover that if you push the wrong but-

toystory3.com Ole! Ole! The Toy Story gang adventures on again as Buzz Lightyear gets tongue-tied into a Spanish twist.

oy Story 3” celebrates childhood from the teenage perspective. We follow our childhood hero, Woody,

on an adventure to return to Andy who is about to leave for college. The entire film is riddled with nostalgia as Andy debates what to do with his favor-

Dec. 17, 2010

ite toys, as they struggle to remain there for him. Whatever your story is, no honest teen can claim there’s not one toy that tugged at his or her heart

49% almost best of

Despicable Me... 22%

How to Train Your Dragon... 19%

Megamind... 7% Shrek Forever After... 3%

ton on Buzz Lightyear, he transforms into a Spanish speaking Casanova. Meanwhile, there is also a newfound respect for Barbie. In one scene, she ties up Ken and tortures him by ripping his outfits to shreds until he starts talking. Although

the movie with a – dare I say it? – sweet aura, as the characters are able to make the choices (albeit a little late) that allow them to return to a happier future. Surprisingly, the movie is able to leave viewers departing with a hint of a

she retains her ditzy blonde aura, she kicks some serious ascot in this movie. The last scene is bittersweet as Andy reluctantly gives away all his toys, including his best friend Woody. An emotional tug-of-war occurs with Bonnie, but in the end, big brother instinct wins over. Bonnie gets her very own cowboy to have pretend tea parties with. Passionate music can be heard in the background as Andy walks away from the little girl who has not just inherited a box of toys…but also a little piece of his heart. Do not be ashamed if you cried manly tears while exiting the theater, or at some part during the movie. You’d have to be made of Lincoln Logs not to. -c.p.

message: to live life as fully as possible, while they still can. It is truly a sign of better times indeed when a movie titled “Hot Tub Time Machine” can actually teach something. -e.h.

“The jailbreak scene beats everything in ‘Toy Story 3.’ Especially when Buzz Lightyear was talking in Spanish.” -Taylor Pyle, 12 “ ‘Despicable Me’ is the funniest and cutest movie I’ve seen in a while.” -Kaiya Inouye, 12 “‘How To Train Your Dragon’ was absolutely adorable.” -Christa Inouye, 12 “‘Toy Story 3.’ Wow. It lived up to the expectation. There was good humor in it and it was also touching.” -Roya Chagnon, 9

arts

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

most mind-blowing movie

Inception

of mind and takes it to a whole other level by creating different realms. In the movie, characters create and explore the world of their dreams. Cobb (Dicaprio) is hired to invade people’s dreams to steal busi-

inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com Right now, are you awake? Or is this a dream? How would you know? They sure look too dreamy to be real.

“ ‘Harry Potter’ had to be the best movie this year. The characters are relatable and the plot is enticing.” -Harper Crickmore, 11 “I really liked the new ‘Harry Potter’ movie. I was really excited by how they ended it because I was worried that the ending would be lame.” -Eileen An, 12 “‘Scott Pilgrim’ should be the number one because of how mindblowingly genius it was.” -Ben Briedenthal, 11 “The seventh Harry Potter was the best thing of 2010. I love Hermione.” -Austin Stubbs, 11

can’t deny that “Inception” effortlessly lives up to its title for most mind blowing movie of 2010. “Inception” definitely wasn’t one of those cliché chick flick

t’s been thirteen years since the start of the Harry Potter era and nine years since Harry and Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world were first brought to the big screen. Over the years, we’ve watched Harry grow from a newly orphaned baby to a moody, angsty teenager, to a young adult with the fate of the world in his hands. And now, finally, we’ve reached the end—or at least Part One of the end—and I can’t imagine anyone’s disappointed. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One” is without question the best adaptation of the seven. Following the path laid down in “The Half-Blood

summer block-busters; its unexpected intricate plot kept viewers wanting more. “Inception” emphasizes one’s subconscious state

almost best of

Shutter Island... 27% Black Swan... 5% I’m Still Here... 2% Buried... 1%

ness secrets from a rival’s subconscious. Cobb is put to the test by having to create three layers of dreams within dreams in order to get the job done. If something goes awry, the dreamers may not ever wake which will result in the character being stuck

“‘Inception’ had a lot of crazy concepts and a lot of hot men.” -Elissa Gibb, 12 “‘Inception’ made you think beyond the boundaries of imagination.” -Ryan Harrah, 12 “The plot of ‘Inception’ was interesting because it proved that you couldconfuse the hell out of an audience.” -Derrik Marrow, 11 “When I was watching ‘Inception’ my friend asked me if it would have been cool if the movie had been called ‘Conception’ and I couldn’t stop thinking about a baby inside a baby within a baby.” -Will Chu, 11

best adaptation Prince,” the movie focuses less on cramming as much action as possible into the two and a half hours—a strategy that resulted in short and jerky scenes for movies one through five— and more on development of characters and plot.

Harry Potter

ome people would like to call it a psychological thriller and others would just say it’s pure genius. Whatever it is, viewers

70%

in “limbo” which is when one becomes trapped in a dream layer forever. The story line kept viewers hooked by bringing in characters from Cobb’s past and jumping from the present and past memories. In the end Cobb is forced to choose between reality and his subconscious. To make the movie that much more exceptional, it included a lineup of outstanding actors and actresses including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Marion Cotillard. Its cliff-hanger ending made viewers eager for an explanation. With different dimensions and constant suspense, “Inception” left spectators possibly questioning reality. -k.s.

48% almost best of

Alice in Wonderland... 20% Scott Pilgrim V. the World... 16% Eclipse... 12% The Last Airbender... 4%

The result? While the whole book couldn’t be fit into the movie, what was there was the best it could be. Hence, parts one and two. So, instead of nonstop action, this movie got to have drama as well. It got

to take the time to examine the characters, focus on their personal conflicts as well as their relationships with others. The audience laughed at the witty banter, cried when Dobby died, cringed at the cruelty of Bellatrix Lestrange, and held their breath in that awkward scene where Harry and Hermione dance a little too close. Most importantly, throughout it all, the movie managed to stay remarkably close to the book’s original storyline. Even if a few too many overeager toddlers allowed “Tangled” to take the lead in the box office, there really cannot be any doubt that Harry Potter is the true winner this season. - c.r.

harrypotter.warnerbros.com Dobby conjured a spell as millions of die-hard HP fans watched in awe.

arts

“Emma Watson is the best actress, but it was hard to decide because Natalie Portman was in Star Wars.” -Bri Jakawich, 12 “Rachel McAdams is dank. She is surprisingly also a good actress and I would love to meet her.” -Logan McGinley, 11 “Keira Knightley has immersed herself into her roles well enough to be considered one of the best actresses of our generation.” -Beau Davis, 11

ritain’s 20year-old Emma Watson has been chosen by SDA as the best actress of 2010. Not only is she the beautiful face of Burberry and a current student at Brown University, she is also an extremely talented actress most commonly known for her role in the beloved Harry Potter series. Even in the midst of filming for Harry Potter, Watson found time to be involved in other acting jobs. In 2007, Watson voiced a starring character in the film called “The Tales of Despereaux.” She was also a cast member of television’s interpretation of the novel “The Ballet Shoes.” More importantly, though, Watson’s fame can largely be credited to her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. The first movie, released

in 2001, skyrocketed to the top of the box office, taking Watson and her costars with it. Since the first movie’s debut, Watson has received countless awards for her phenomenal acting playing the brilliant and

Emma Watson

“[On Kristen Stewart] If by actress you mean expressionless lip biter then sure.” -Elliot Horen, 10

almost best of

charismatic Granger. Even when Daniel Radcliffe and Ruper Grint were criticized with lackluster reviews, Watson has continued to rake in much deserved commendations for her sophisticated and convincing role-playing. The most recently released Harry Potter film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part

emmawatson.com Emma Watson’s more than a beautiful face. The talented actress is most commonly known for her role in HP

One” is no exception for the accomplished actress. Her praises continued to be sung by almost every movie critic, from the Washington Post to the Daily Telegraph in the U.K. Her talent won’t be

going to waste now that all of the Harry Potter movies have been filmed. Although Watson wants to focus on her education, there are wide-spread rumors that she plans to continue to be involved in

the movie-making industry. It doesn’t matter what role she takes on; she is a gifted actress that captivates and enthralls not only SDA students, but people around the world. -k.r.

face of the planet (except a little bit more). I have heard only good reviews about the actor’s earlier films and television shows, namely the remake of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew,” “10 Things I Hate About You”, but

Gordon-Levitt worked his magic again while playing Arthur, point man to Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Dominic in the mind-blowing new movie “Inception.” Gordon-Levitt seems to take the mold of each character he plays with excellent versatility, and manages to bring his own personality and style into every role. Joseph Gordon-Levitt studied French at Columbia University. He plays piano, guitar, and sings. In short, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the closest thing to a perfect that will ever grace our very imperfect world. -a.z.

“Joseph Gordon-Levitt is so hot. In ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ to ‘(500) Days of Summer’ he just gets hotter and hotter.” -Micah Stimson, 12

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

best actress

Natalie Portman... 31% Amanda Seyfried... 13% Kristen Stweart... 11% Carey Mulligan... 4%

josephgordonlevitt.org

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has it all: looks, obscene amounts of talent, and the perfect amount of scruff.

when he played the beautifully distressed Tom Hansen in the indie film “(500) Days of Summer.”

Dec. 17, 2010

41%

best actor

can’t lie to you—the first time I really paid attention to Joseph Gordon-Levitt was

THE MUSTANG

Of course, I have been in love with him ever since, exactly like every other human being on the

26% almost best of

Robert Downey Jr... 25% Zach Galifianakis... 23% Leonardo DiCaprio... 23% Daniel Radcliffe... 3%

also the more profound “Mysterious Skin,” a tale of a troubled teenager struggling with his sexuality and repressed childhood. Just this year, Joseph

“I like Leonardo Dicaprio. He has really good movies.” -Hale Abels, 10 “Zach Galifianakis was really funny in ‘Bored to Death.’ -Robert Hylton, 11 “Zach Galifianakis’s standup is super funny.” -Lucas Foster, 10

arts

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

worst horror movie Human Centipede

doctor Heiter’s. “Are you alone?” he hisses when they knock on his door. It is the voice that could connect a mouth to a rectum. Pure evil. He drugs them and they wake up with a Japanese guy screaming

ifcfilms.com Dr. Heiter approaches the future centipede with his medical instruments... don’t worry gurls, it’s disinfected.

“‘Walking Dead’ is nice and gory and delivers the thrills.” -Zach Lauer, 9 “I heard ‘Hellcats’ was pretty dramatic and interesting because of the new, fresh cast.” -Chloe Rock, 9 “‘The Event’ is a crappy show because it’s attempging to be like ‘Lost,’ the acting is terrible, and the writers have no answers to anything.” -Alex Rosengarten, 12 “‘Hellcats’ is a terrible show but addicting. They all have supple figures and the men are sexy.” -Rocky Keefe-Oates, 12

characters are not connected mouth to rectum, eating defecation as the only means of survival. The movie begins with two New York girls driving along a creepy, dark road in the woods. They’re lost. Cliché. Their car breaks

ime to grab your Zombie Survival Guide. You know, the one stowed away in your basement, coated in dust and rat droppings that your nerdy friend Dexter gave you for your birthday? It’s right next to the sweater, folded up with a smiling cartoon cat’s face knitted onto the breast. Now, why would I be asking you to do this? Well, you never know when you might wake out of a coma to find a bunch of smashed up people running around, covered in blood and guts that probably aren’t just their own. Better to be safe than bitten by a woman with a half torn off mouth and loss of leg usage. I mean, that’d just be a little pathetic, right?

down. Reiterate the cliché. There’s no service. …Seriously? It is raining, and at last the two gurls stumble upon a house among the trees. And out of all of the houses in Germany, it’s just gotta be mad ole’

Or at least, this is what Rick Grimes tries to prevent throughout “The Walking Dead,” just being the complete and utter bad-ass he truly is. His style is very much equivalent to that one college kid who smokes cigarettes,

Walking Dead

he Human Centipede” is an independent horror film, because no major studio would agree to make it. Let me start out by saying there is not much of the movie in which the

32% almost best of

Piranha 3D... 26% Paranormal Activity... 19% Wolfman... 13% The Crazies... 10%

in his evil lair. Heiter has long dreamed of creating a being out of three people which has a single meal running through its system. Finally, the surgery is enacted, in gruesome detail. (I read Seventeen’s Winter Fashion Guide during this part.) But the result is beauty incarnate!

“My sweet centipede,” indeed! And then there is no dialogue. The screenwriter made the wise decision to attach the only Englishspeakers to the back. And if you picked up what I threw down last paragraph, you know dialogue isn’t in the cards when your mouth is connected where the sun don’t shine. I would not call “The Human Centipede” an enjoyable experience. It is mostly cheesy one-liners, blood, and… other bodily fluids. It is disturbing, and was understandably voted the Worst Horror Movie of 2010. I would suggest only watching it if you’re into the sort of things that this article described. If so – to quote “The Human Centipede”“You’re a sick man!” -a.b.

“‘The Human Centipede’ made me want to become a doctor.” -Kyle Dever, 11 “The blood and violence [in ‘Saw 3D’] was actually creepy and seemed pretty real.” -Carlos Lopez, 11 “I really enjoyed the actors’ screams [in ‘Paranormal Activity 3’] because they made me on edge the whole movie.” -Suzanna Wright, 10 “[‘The Human Centipede’] is a really creepy idea. I haven’t seen other movies that are so creative in being gross.” -Matt Benedetti, 12

best new show

29% almost best of

Raising Hope... 27% Hellcats... 18%

Boardwalk Empire... 14%

The Event... 12%

leaned against the wall with one foot pressed against it and the other on the ground, black shades covering the portals to his soul. Except Grimes just shoots the brains out of dead people all of the time and creates a diversion to

amctv.com Well if the world does get infected with zombies, these gentlemen do look serious enough to handle it.

save everyone which almost always work out. He even wins over the ladies. Or at least, his old lady, and only sort of. So, in some ways, the

walking dead are here. This time, they come with great cinematography and a somewhat realistic plot. Or, at least, the zombies look pretty gross. Props

to Frank Darabont, for making all of us viewers a tiny bit more skeptical of people mimicking the mummy walk. -e.m.

arts

“I like ‘Dexter’ because it’s dark, but at the same time has redemptive qualities and takes you into the mind of someone who doesn’t fit into society.” -Garth Stevens, 11 “I think ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is terrible but addicting so I still watch it.” -Paige Kutilek, 11 “I like watching ‘Weeds’ because the scenario is funny about a woman turned drug dealer.” -Jordan Golden, 11

ot as long as ER’s neverending storyline, but better than “Grey’s Anatomy” (perhaps due to the more attractive doctors in “House”), “House MD” is still going strong with it’s 7th season that began in September. Although the theme song, Teardrops, is still the same, the show has some new elements to it. This season started out with a few new surprises, including a new cast that is Thirteen less it’s original number and a relationship budding between House and his boss Cuddy. Still the same, House is the ever so popular misanthropic medical genius with the cane and the motorbike. “House MD” has experienced everything from Vicodin-popping inci-

dents to lockdowns at the hospitals to a death of a doctor to missing patients to relationship conflicts, but what’s new this season is something unexpected: a baby, who proves more difficult to handle, yet more

best tv drama

36% almost best of

Weeds... 25% Dexter... 17% Grey’s Anatomy... 15% Mad Men... 7%

endearing than House presumed. An unconventional doctor with a common flaw of stubbornness, Dr. House may be the cure to your boredom, at least it has been for me as I’ve tuned into the show every Monday at nine when I should be doing my home-

bring it back!

abc.com/house It’s an autonomic disease! It’s a parasite! No! It’s Dr. House, here to save the day through sass and medicine!

work. An addictive medical drama that takes place at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, with a diverse

cast of doctors, ranging from an attractive British intensivist to a sentimental oncologist to a bisexual diagnostician, “House

straight through with originality and quirkiness. As the murder-mystery/ love-story marched on through the first season, sending fans into fits of laughter and outpours of tears. But soon it met what would be its doom: the

ing Daisies” was a dark day for television. Instead of having an intelligent show that actually cared about things like cinematography, ABC put full support behind “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” I understand that ratings are a big deal, but the level of sophistication presented in “Pushing Daisies” should count for something too, right? It’s fun to imagine “Pushing Daisies” on the air again. Maybe it’s good that the show ended when it did, before it became too repetitive and almost a cliché of itself, like “The Office” or Chuck Palahniuk. Regardless, I can’t see myself ever being able to look at ABC the same way ever again. Though Ned was able to bring his beloved Chuck back to life, there doesn’t seem to be hope for the shows resurrection -t.b.

Pushing Daisies

30%

Chuck and Olive welcome you into yet another scheme to bring justice to the world.

ryan Fuller loves giving us sassy girls with boy’s names. In 2004 with “Wonderfalls” he gave us Jaye, an intelligent girl stuck in a dead-end job that has inanimate objects telling her to do good deeds. Then in 2003 with “Dead Like Me,” we met

the ever sarcastic George, a recently deceased girl brought back as a grim reaper. Then finally in 2007 we got “Pushing Daisies: with the lovable Chuck. Bound as a girl to live with her neurotic aunts, Chuck only got to live for a short amount of time until she

Dec. 17, 2010

House

“You never know what will happen around the next corner [in ‘Dexter’].” -Ty Gibson, 9

THE MUSTANG

abc.go.com

met her untimely death. But soon she was brought back to life by her childhood sweetheart, Ned. But just as Fuller loves to give us sass, ratings love to see his shows get canceled. “Pushing Daisies” was a masterpiece compared to most television shows. The plot was just soaked

almost best of

10 things I Hate About You...

29%

Arrested development... 27%

Dollhouse... 10% Veronica Mars... 6%

writer’s strike of 2007. Instead of airing the full 22 episodes in the first season, the show was cut down to only nine. This resulted in a loss of views during the first season, and when the show returned for a second, viewership had dropped so low that ABC decided not to order anymore episodes beyond the show’s initial 13. The canceling of “Push-

MD” may just be the right prescription if you’ve been diagnosed with feeling down. -e.l.

“Bring ‘Pushing Daisies’ back. It was such a good series.” -Amber Gallant, 10

“‘Veronica Mars’ should not have been cancelled. That drama needs to come back into the TV world. -Catherine Oswald, 12

“‘Rocket Power’ was the sickest show ever and super realistic.” -Ryan Santore, 12

“I wish ‘Lost’ wasn’t cancelled because it’s good for your imagination and keeps you watching.” -Vanessa Lee, 9

arts

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

steamiest tv show Gossip Girl

be possibly the steamiest season yet. In the beginning of the season, Serena and Blaire are vacationing in Paris, but even the distance can’t keep the usual drama away. Meanwhile, Chuck is M.I.A. and Dan and Nate

cwtv.com

Like OMG did you see? S and B are like totally BFFs again, but who knows how long that’ll last.

“I watch every season of [Top Chef ] and I love it.” -Bethany HartunianVaughn

“‘Jersey Shore’ is pretty steamy. JWow has a bangin’’ booty.” -Jonny Ford, 12

“I like ‘Jersey Shore’ because they fight and it’s funny.” -Tanner Sladavic, 9

“The Situation is super fine and Snooki is a grenade. Oh, and JWow is a beast.” -Lucas Foster, 10

notoriously steamy show, “Gossip Girl.” With drug overdoses, identity theft, and a complicated web of hookups, it’s no surprise “Gossip Girl” won the title

e all remember Jersey Thursdays. At around 10 pm, we would all guiltily pile into our living rooms and “get crazy, get wild” living our lives vicariously through the orange tinted, scandalous, alcohol pounding cast members of the reality show Jersey Shore. Now, while no one wants to admit it, Jersey Shore is a very common secret pleasure among teenagers. It’s one of those reality shows that has the normal topics, events, fights, and relationships, but somehow Jersey Shore stands out. Perhaps it’s the catchy lines that we all remember – Mike “The Situation” and Pauly D singing “Tttttt shiiiirrrttt timmmeeee,”

of steamiest TV show. Whether it’s Dan’s baby mama drama or Chuck and Blaire’s on and off relationship, the fourth season of Gossip Girl proved to

almost best of

Vampire Diaries... 27% True Blood... 17% 90210... 16% Melrose Place... 5%

battle it out in the ever present love triangle with Serena. Nate’s new love interest, Juliet, manages to spice the show up with her superficial demure, later to have her hidden agenda revealed. While the show took an exciting turn when

“‘Gossip Girl’ is definitely the steamiest. I mean, they’re having sex on the piano!” -Kailie Pasko, 12 “‘World of Jenks’ is pretty steamy because his face is just like daaaamn.” -Alex Kiwan, 12 “‘Desperate Housewives’ [is the steamiest show] because I’m a middleaged woman at heart.” -Brianna Vogel, 12 “[Gossip Girl] has a lot of hook-ups and high school drama and murder which is scary but really scandalous. -Caitlin Mckinley, 11

best reality show

“Ah yeah, champagne, yeah”, “I invented the freakin’ pouf ” – and quote very often. Or maybe it’s the fact that the Jersey crew lives such a different life than us Southern California kids, slamming down shots

Jersey Shore

f you’ve been flipping through channels this year and come across a scandalous hookup scene, chances are you were watching the

35%

Chuck was shot last season, with the return of season four, the east-siders are all back to their usual gossip and backstabbing, which becomes slightly monotonous by the fourth season. Viewers can hardly be shocked by the drama that takes place this season; however they may find the show’s repetitive nature surprising. The show’s melodramatic scenarios are not always believable, but they are sure to leave drama-lovers feeling fulfilled. Although the dramatic scenarios seem to repeat themselves every season, there’s no doubt that the writers will always find ways to maintain the show’s scandalous reputation. -e.m.

40% almost best of

Top Chef... 21% Project Runway... 17% The Kardashians... 13% The Buried Life... 11%

in techno-house clubs and getting in fights on the boardwalk or Miami beaches. But regardless, Jersey Shore offers a good bubblegum concept for the mind. It’s a show that we can all laugh at, enjoy,

mtv.com/shows/jersey_shore Looks like we’ve got a situation, and judging from this year’s ratings, looks like he is here to stay.

and frankly be thankful that we are almost nothing like the crazy characters

that make their debut on MTV weekly. Either way, it’s pretty popular and an

obvious favorite. Good job, Snooki. -s.b.

arts

“‘Desperate Housewives’ should not be cancelled. That is a no-no.” -Ashley Muñoz, 12

“‘American Idol’ should be cancelled because there’s new judges and it’s not gonna be the same.” -Amanda Gresock, 11

“‘NCIS’ [should be cancelled] because I’m just not interested in the actors.” -Lucas Savoy, 9

“‘Ice Road Truckers’ should not ever be on TV. The title pretty much says it all.” -Hollis Potts, 10

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

should get canceled

or the past seven years, Sunday nights watching ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” have been a staple for menopausal women. These ladies tune in weekly to follow the complex lives of the middle-aged residents of Wisteria Lane in the fictional Fairview, USA. However, it seems that the very demographic the show does not try to appeal to has overwhelmingly voted to give this program the axe. Probably to make room for “Modern Family” or something. “Housewives” is basically a nighttime soap opera, with its plot lines including, but not limited to: faked murders, real murders, suicide, serial killers, rape, assault, cheating, teen pregnancy, grocery store hostages, mentally disabled sons locked in basements, comas, amnesia, two neighborhood sluts, Italian environmental extremists,

divorcees, sudden middleaged lesbian feelings, European gold diggers, fires, plane crashes, and sexy cleaning websites. Keep in mind that this is just one show with basically the same characters. Clearly this program Desperate Housewivwes

33% almost best of

Degrassi... 29% One Tree Hill... 17% The Office... 11% House... 10%

model is not doing the show any favors for SDA students, especially considering that this isn’t even the whole list of crazy story arcs the writers have come up with. It is rather difficult to give the residents of Fairview a fair view when the show’s writers are constantly pitching them in such ridiculous and contrived plots, just for the purpose of stirring up trouble.

abc.go.com The recycled drama attempting to make “Desperate Housewives” good is just too desperate.

Considering that this is the last season the actors are contractually obligated to act in, it is probably a safe bet to assume that the plots are just going to go downhill as the actors announce their departure one by one. I’m just waiting for the episode where a character

finds that the daughter that she has been raising for nine years was actually switched at birth and that her husband has been keeping this information secret for months, only to find that her real daughter’s parents are illegal immigrants who are on the run from the Immigration

and Naturalization Service. Oh, wait. That’s already happened. After seven years on air, it is pretty obvious that “Desperate Housewives,” which is made for people past their prime, by people past their prime is, indeed, past its prime. -e.h.

fallen in love with the extended combinations of family and laughing through their hilariously awkward situations. Some of the humor in “Modern Family” is insensitive, such as making fun of Asian babies or thick Colombian accents, but the true humor is found within the strange and vibrant traits of each character. Wednesday nights are no longer for slaving away at pages of homework, but it is now fulfilled by the corny yet hilarious jokes on “Modern Family.” “Modern Family” was obviously voted by SDA as the best television comedy because of its crazy, although sometimes dumb, humor. -a.d.

“‘Glee’ should be picked for best TV comedy. It’s really interesting and I really like it.” -Olivia Cuevas, 9

best tv comedy Modern Family

in love with the oddly loveable combinations of Jay and Gloria (an older white man married to a younger Colombian woman), Cam and Mitchell (a gay couple with an adopted Asian baby), and Phil and Claire,

Gotcha! Modern Family’s humor is so gripping that it will never let go.

ince “LOST” ended last year, my Wednesday nights have been cold and lonely. But now, “Modern

Family” has filled that void. “Modern Family” is a show for the modern family. It is the epitome of the happy dysfunctional family. The

abc.go.com

combinations of quirky jokes embracing awkward situations bring about a new interpretation of family values. Fans instantly fell

30% almost best of

Glee... 25% 30 Rock... 17%

The Big Band Theory... 17% How I Met Your Mother... 11%

two parents struggling to raise their three kids – the popular yet not so intelligently gifted daughter, the bookworm daughter, and the just plain awkward son. SDA students have

“I think ‘Big Bang Theory’ should win because you can’t not love Sheldon Cooper. It appeals to the nerd in all of us. -Emily Nathan, 10 “Best new TV show is ‘Glee’ because it’s awesome and the kids on it are really talented.” -Katherine Ozorio, 11 “‘Modern Family’ [is the best comedy] because Phil cracks me up.” -Keenon Rodewald, 9

arts

Dec. 17, 2010

best pop album

THE MUSTANG

Katy Perry

as Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Ke$ha, and Beyonce in recent years, she has managed to maintain her loveable quirks that have captured the attention of millions of listeners and devoted fans. “Teenage Dream” has proved to be successful

katyperry.com The glittery Katy Perry mesmerizes her audience with her ballad-filled new album, “Teenage Dream.”

“‘This new [Kanye West] album is truly a magnicifent piece of art. It goes far beyond the boundaries of music by allowing you to explore different emotions conveyed through different songs.” -Beau Davis, 11 “Eminem talks about real things, so we can relate.” -Elizabeth Jacobson, 11 “Eminem had a massive comeback and the songs are about real struggles, not just hitting women.” -Lindsey Valenzuela, 11 “Lil’ Wayne, ‘I’m Not a Human Being,’ because we are both not humans.” -Katherine Fidel, 10

most recent album, “Teenage Dream.” Whether she is flipping off gummy bears or lamenting about pillpopping boyfriends, Katy Perry has created a fun,

e’s come out of hiding. Yes, Slim Shady is back with the same “I’m going to kill the world” sound, but with new meaningful lyrics. In his new album, “Recovery,” Eminem deals with the topics of relationship abuse, facing the world, and haters. He even calls himself out stating in the lyrics of his hit song “Not Afraid” that his last album was a failure and that he promises that he will never go back to that. Eminem shocked the world when he started rapping in 1997, and broke all racial stereotypes in the rapping world. He has no qualms about writing lyrics with violence, vulgarity, or homophobia, and is often criticized for the

sassy album that is enjoyable for every listener. Although Perry has had a lot of competition in the pop music genre with artists and fashion icons such

almost best of

Ke$ha... 24% Taylor Swift... 20% Rihanna... 17% Justin Bieber... 13%

because it captures many aspects of Perry’s California upbringing. While her album has its share of flirty flair, it also touches bases on more serious issues, such as drug abuse in “Circle the Drain”, and questioning the meaning of life

“‘Justin Bieber should not be on the list for best anything.” -Peri Anderson, 9 “‘Fireworks’ by Katy Perry was my favorite song of 2010. Her eyes make me feel like I’m in a perfect dream and I never want to wake up.” -Ryan Peterson, 11 “I really liked the Ke$ha CD this year. I can really rock out to it.” -Kendall Running,11

“‘My World 2.0’ is the best pop album because Justin Bieber is really awesome and dank.” -Ellie Creighton, 9

best rap album realness of his music. He writes about his daughter and calls in other personal experiences. When Eminem first reappeared, the musical audiences didn’t know what to expect, but he has sure delivered. Slim Shady collabo-

40%

Eminem

aty Perry, best known for her controversial, catchy lyrics, is back and spunkier than ever with the release of her

27%

in “Who Am I Living For?”. Though her music is not always wholesome, Perry’s latest album digs deeper than just partying and hooking up. Perhaps Katy Perry’s new album is so appealing to listeners because of its reminiscent, walk-downhigh-school-memory-lane type feel. You can’t help but feel like you’re being sucked into the movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” with all of the fun-in-the-sun California vibes, romance, drama, and heartbreak all wrapped up in one package. Katy Perry has skillfully captured the trials and tribulations of being a teenager, without losing her funky edge or her mischievous attitude. -k.s.

almost best of

Kanye West... 22% Lil’ Wayne... 20% B.o.b.... 12% Usher... 6%

rates with some top artists on his new “Recovery” album. He led the charts with “Love the Way You Lie,” where he collaborated with pop singer Rhianna. His collaboration with Lil Wayne in “No Love” earned him the top billboard spot. The rest of the

album showcases collaborations with other top artists like P!nk, Slaughterhouse, and Kobe. Despite his controversy, Eminem’s lyrics have a power to touch everyone, regardless of their personal situations. We can all relate to wanting to feel unafraid, or feeling like we are stuck and we can’t get out. He deserves this title because two of the songs off of his recent album “Recovery” have made it to the number one spot on Billboard 100. It is no wonder that Eminem was voted the best rapper of the year. He has earned himself countless awards including 12 Grammy awards and leads the 2010-2011 Grammy nominations with 12 nominations. -a.s.

eminem.com Marshall Mather’s massive comeback album chronicles his “Recovery”

arts

“‘Wolves in the Throne Room’ is technical and melodic and brutal.” -Isaiah Glen, 12

“Oceano’s new album is amazing. It’s rad because the lead singer is black.” -Maddy Miller, 11

“The new Iron Maiden album is the best heavy album this year. This sounds like their old stuff” -Taylor Johnson, 12

ron maiden is undeniably one of those bands that most people just know. Whether it’s their most well-known song “The Trooper,” the overplayed “2 Minutes to Midnight,” or on Tony Hawk’s “Downhill Jam” record, chances are you’ve probably heard an Iron Maiden song. This year they released their fifteenth studio album, “The Final Frontier.” With a name like this, many hardcore Maiden fans are distraught in the speculation that this may be their final album. After nearly 35 years of producing music, touring the world and putting out album after album complete with personas revolving around the band’s alter ego Eddie, it’s about time that Iron Maiden quit the music making and enjoyed the fruits of their labor. The new album is good, no doubt, but not

particularly outstanding in the grand scheme of their work. The album cover is interesting, per usual Iron Maiden albums, showcasing some creepy skeleton-

34% almost best of

A Day to Remember... 30%

Eluveitie... 14% Veil of Maya... 12%

The Obsidian Conspiracy... 11%

like creatures with cracked astronaut masks and a large beast wreaking havoc upon them and what appears to be a spaceship. The album is very traditional to Iron Maiden, no funny business here. The most remarkable fact about this band is that they’ve continued to put out music after being really, really freaking old. The band currently consists of 54 year-old bassist Steve Harris, 54 year-old

guitarist Dave Murray, 53 year-old guitarist and backup vocalist Adrian Smith, 52 year-old vocalist Bruce Dickinson, 58 year-old drummer “Nicko” McBrain, and additional 53 year-old guitarist Janick Gers. Many skeptics claim Iron Maiden has outlived their expiration date, like a really old can of soup you just keep pushing back to the back of the pantry. When it comes to “Frontier”, fans consider it to sound remarkably like their old songs and albums, a feat not simple for a band that’s been around for so long. The truth is they continue to be really good musicians that just love what they do. Only time will tell if this will be their final album, but chances are their music will continue to be current and relevant to their genre regardless of age. -k.b.

ironmaiden.com The extremely heavy album by Iron Maiden was among SDA’s favorites.

best alternative album

he Gorillaz released their latest album “Plastic Beach” in March 2010. The album is a beautifully put together bundle of electronic, synthesized sounds and intriguing lyrics.

29%

Gorillaz

almost best of

gorillaz.com The recently released album Plastic Beach frequently is played on 94.9.

Dec. 17, 2010

heaviest album

Iron Maiden

“I would like ‘Veil of Maya’ to win because it is the heaviest album on the list.” -Nick Fidel, 12

THE MUSTANG

Vampire Weekend... 25%

The Black Keys... 25% Arcade Fire... 13% Broken Bells... 9%

The music, much unlike most mainstream pop, seems to have a depth to it in its unexpected cleverness. Probably most wellknown off “Plastic Beach” is the track “Rhinestone Eyes,” quite frequently

played on alternative music radio channels like FM94.9. A plus of the album is the large number of excellent collaborations, featuring appearances by Snoop Dogg, Kano, Mos Def, De La Soul, Gruff Rhys, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, The Fall’s Mark E. Smith, Little Dragon, Lou Reed, Bobby Womack, The Clash’s Mick Jones, and Paul Simon. However, I find it difficult to call the Gorillaz’ music style “alternative.” In fact, I can’t find a single word that could describe their stylistic blending of electronic, rock, and rap. Regardless, the album is hip ‘n happenin’, and mighty fine to drive to. An especially charming and surprisingly symbolic

song off of Plastic Beach is “On Melancholy Hill.”. To soothing synth croons lead singer 2D: “Up on Melancholy Hill/There’s a plastic tree/Are you here with me?/Just looking out on the day of another dream.” All in all, “Plastic Beach” is an excellent but slightly confused blend of calm electronica and rap that doesn’t always quite seem to fit in. In all honesty, the Gorillaz are just a confusing band in general. I can’t say that I support “Plastic Beach” as the best alternative album because whatever strange amalgamation of genres it qualifies as, simply does not seem to be as true to alternative music as, say, Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs.” -a.z.

“I didn’t think ‘Plastic Beach’ had enough mainstream appeal compared to ‘Demon Days’ but it had more depth.” -Brian Mcpherson, 12 “Vampire Weekend is a good band and ‘Contra’ was fun.” -Jessie Barbeau, 12 “The new Black Keys is really fun to drive to with the windows down.” -Hailey Flowers, 12 “I love Vampire Weekend, especially their performance on SNL.” -Camryn Eakes, 9

arts

Dec. 17, 2010

found out that this band may be involved in said scene, but they are one that has gone widely main stream. Their song “Little Lion Man” has been at the top of various big time song lists for a while now.

Mumford and Sons

best new artist

mumfordandsons.com Hittin’ the radiowaves with songs they made up in their own heads, Mumford and Sons are new arrivals.

“The video for ‘Alejandro’ was weird and awkward and I didn’t enjoy it.” -Amber McFadden, 9 “‘California Gurls’ takes a fun family game and turns it into a slutty wonderland.” -Daniel Sullivan, 10 “I just saw that Ke$ha music video and it was just about dancing as usual.” -Stefan Schweitzer, 11 “The Hannukah parody of ‘Dynamite’ was one of the best music videos I’ve seen in the last three months. -Yoshi Leavesseur, 12

style are coated in facial hair and flannel, and inside dingy coffee shops. They’d be using honey bears filled with change as maracas to attract girls in floral printed dresses sitting around a table not too far away from stage.

And of course, these girls would be chatting away about Bukowski or Plath or some other tragic author while holding teacups of some unnamed, obscure and most likely rather asian tea. However, I recently

30% almost best of

Nicki Minaj... 27% Mike Posner... 19% Willow Smith... 15% Broken Bells... 8%

Not to mention, almost anyone I talk to about the band has known them, and possible liked a few of their songs. Whether they’re obese nerd kids who barely come outside for air, due to obsessive World of Warcraft action, or short blonde stick-girls in crop tops and short shorts with exaggerated vowels in their

speech, they’ll know of Mumford and Sons. And who wouldn’t like such catchy lyrics, summing up the basic nostalgia of any modern youth? It makes no sense to me not to, unless you’re one of those coffee shop kids, in which case you probably just like all of the bands people have never heard of and that are really obscure. Mumford and Sons is truly a band that has a lot of potential, and that has already made it far. I listen to them only too often considering they are perfect for any sort of mood, with both upbeat and fairly somber songs. I’d recommend them with high regard. That is, as long as folk music is something you’re into. If not, you’re probably better off listening to a bunch of screaming men in tootight jeans, covering their faces with hoodies. –e.m.

“Cee Lo Green’s ‘Forget You’ is catchy and easy to groove to. It has my dream car in the lyrics, a Ferrari.” -Bree Lundgren, 10 “Bruno Mars is just really new and different. His songs are catchy and usually have some meaning.” -Alex Goldstein, 11 “Nicki Minaj has definitely made her way to the top this year. Plus that male model in her music video ‘Right Through Me’ just adds a whole new level to her music. -Megan Hatfield, 11 “Nicki Minaj is the best new artist because she’s the female rapper in the industry right now.” -Elise Titcomb, 9

weirdest music video

outube is loading slowly the day I watch the video. It takes twenty minutes to watch the nine minute masterpiece. It starts off with four white letters that take up the entire screen. GAGA. A man in fishnets is lounging around the bar. ALEJANDRO. This is looking quite strange already. There are men in uniform… are they soldiers? Nazis? But soon it doesn’t matter, for they lose the uniforms a few seconds in. Hot. Lady Gaga finally decides to make an appearance in her own video about a minute in, just as Ke$ha would be getting to her second chorus. And finally, there is some sort of music in this music video.

It is a lonesome violin. This eerie sound will be playing on repeat for the next 70 seconds, as Lady Gaga parades through the snow with her half-naked military men. Something seems to be missing. It’s her eyebrows. Where are

Alejandro

hen I first heard Mumford and Sons on 94.9 FM, I was a tad confused as to why they were even being broadcasted. Usually bands of their

THE MUSTANG

27% almost best of

Telephone... 25% California Gurls... 23% Your Love... 18% Power... 8%

they? Someone who hates long, incomprehensible introductions and likes eyebrows might have clicked away by now. But then the dance music starts! And it’s glorious. As one of the top rated com-

ments on Youtube says: “soft porn clip.” Says the other: “This is soft porn.” I believe a consensus has been reached. Gaga dances in her underwear (as she does), eats rosary beads as if they were a delectable snack, and engages in some questionable humping with her half-naked military men. It all begs the question: what is the message here? Please keep in mind that this is the same lady who wore a meat dress as a statement against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Well eat this rosary bead, eyebrow-less lady, I don’t get your deep message. SDA students voted this the weirdest music video of 2010, so clearly they don’t understand it either. –a.b.

ladygaga.com Lady Gaga is hawt like Mexico. Well, from the eyebrows down.

“I like COD because I can play against all my friends. It is really fun.” -Mycah Ayala, 9

“I like [World of Warcraft]. It is the best.” -Logan McGinley, 11

“I like Black Ops because you can play it on the PS3 and it is the most realistic.” -Robert Hylton, 11

“COD is the best because the graphics are good, everyone is always on.” -Hale Abels, 10

arts

THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

best serious video game

know we all were hoping that maybe this fall would be full of male re-attentiveness and not all about predator missiles and tactical nuking. But just as the hype from Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 2 was starting to dwindle down, Treyarch games attacked us yet again with a new droolworthy and time-consuming version of the ever popular war game. The 7th installment in the Call Of Duty series, “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” offers more of what COD fans have always loved the most; first person shooting, online gaming with X-Box live, and yelling at other COD players over microphones. You know, the usual fun video game stuff. Part of the appeal of

Black Ops is that it’s really just another installment in the very appealing COD series. Most say that the game is hardly different or any more exciting than previous versions, but, hey, new levels, new maps, new

Call of Duty:Black Ops

67% almost best of

Halo Reach... 11% Red Dead Redemption... 10% Fallout New Vegas.. 8% Dead Rising 2... 5%

players, and another shiny new package seem to have some sort of spell over the gamers of SDA. Black Ops has stirred up quite a buzz here at SDA, a buzz that is sure to keep sounding strong, or at least until the next Call of Duty, that is. -s.b.

www.callofduty.com COD seems to be capturing the people instead of the people capturing the COD. Like fish.

best casual video game RockBand 3

more enticing and realistic. Up to seven of your friends including yourself can play at once, however only four profiles can be open at the same time making it impossible for each and every

www.rockband.com/games/rb3 For a mere three hundred dollars you can be in a band. By your talent-less, lonesome self.

eleased on Oct. 26, Rockband 3 has become an activity for all ages—interactive, fun, and social. The new feature, which adds the touching

sound of a keyboard, takes the living room band stand to a new level. Though the $79.99 add on keyboard seems pricy, the overall experience is much enhanced with the

tickle of each note. Not only can you sing, strum, and blast along to your favorite songs, but the easy to view menu and 83-song selection list makes the game all around

43% almost best of

Super Mario Galaxy 2...

28% Lego Rock Band... 13% PokePark... 8% Kirby’s Epic Yarn... 7%

player to be able to have their own profile open. Different song challenges keep the game stimulating and player’s eyes set on the prize—newly added music and levels. If you are up for the challenge, the pro op-

tion, which does indeed cost extra, has long term effects. It actually helps a player learn how to realistically play the desired instrument while progressively tracking each note plucked, strummed, banged and executed. Overall, though the idea behind Rockband 3 is not new and exciting, and ends up being a bit pricy (an overall cost of around $370) the added features and new layout does indeed turn a plastic rhythm fantasy into seemingly the real deal. This enhanced version is definitely worth the extra costs due to the added entertainment and SDA thinks so too! -k.b.

“FIFA World Cup should have been the best video game.” -Elissa Gibb, 12 “Deer Hunter 2 is a very intriguing game.” -Louis Peiser, 11

“The Kingdom Hearts video games are always my favorites. They unlock secrets.” -Lindsey Valenzuela, 11 “One of my favorite casual video games is Rock Band 2 because I really like the music in it and it’s not too challenging.” -Dakota Speas, 11

arts

Dec. 17, 2010

THE MUSTANG

best youtube video I <3 Justin Bieber

who kept biting his brothers finger. And David, who has over 75 million views on the video of him being loopy after a tooth surgery. Now those were actually funny. Your video was nothing too special; kids cry all the time over even

youtube.com Little Cody feels the brutal sting of love at the mere age of three, capturing America’s hearts and attention.

“The Betty White Snickers commercial is so funny.” -Hannah Wolfe, 9 “I really like the Orville Redenbacher commercial about the tough guys dressing up for a tea party to eat popcorn.” -Taylor Lara, 12 “The best commercial is the Most Interesting Man commercial, because he’s an interesting man.” -Dakota Speas, 11 “I like the Most Interestng Man in the World. The man looks like my dad.” -Jennifer Minick, 9

three years old. And how is it that you, crying for four minutes and 43 seconds, can attract so many people to watch your video?

adies, you all sigh when the Old Spice commercials come on and wish that your man could smell like him. Isaiah Mustafa has captured the attention of every female in America as the Old Spice Guy, or Hotty McSwoon, as I call him. He left his football career to join Old Spice’s “Smell Like A Man, Man” campaign to convince the male populace to, well, smell like men. The self-proclaimed “pain deflecting pillar of strength and wisdom and muscularity” is now the role model that teaches men to bake us gourmet cakes in kitchens they hand build for us and give us tickets to the things we like, which turn into

I guess it makes sense, though; adorable kids seem to frequently flood the streams of viral videos. Take Charlie for example,

almost best of

Marcel the Shell... 26% Trololo... 24% Maru... 7% GloZell... 7%

more patently ridiculous subjects than Bieber Fever. You and your family were also lucky enough to meet Justin Bieber himself. Jimmy Kimmel invited both parties to his set one day, and you got the surprise that thousands of girls (and boys) would die

“It’s a really hard decision between Marcell the Shell and Glozell. It’s a close call.” -Erin Nogle, 12

“Dramatic Cat is quite a great video. I laughed so much I cried.” -Ela Ohlson, 9

“Marcell the Shell is a quirky character. I posted in on my Facebook wall and lots of my friends enjoyed it.” -Haley Lewis, 12 “Double Rainbows! Now everyone freaks out when they see one.” -Samantha Lamiranda, 9

best commercial

diamonds. Hotty McSwoon, who will make you swan dive into the best night of your life, gained over 50 million views on YouTube for his commercials. The Old Spice channel

Old Spice Guy

o you love Justin Bieber so much, you have to cry about it? You don’t have to cry; you’re only

35%

for. You had the privilege to hang out with him that day, and he sung you a few songs. He even sang happy birthday to your older sister-something she’ll never forget. Don’t let this fame get to your head though. You’re only a little girl, and you didn’t do anything special in this video. Some people have to organize giant Rube Goldberg machines to help promote and sell their band’s new album. A man may even choreograph a circus troupe to help propose to his wife. All their hard work is rewarded by the internet, and the viral video is something they can be proud of. See little girl, it’s hard getting a viral video. All you did was cry. -j.l.

39% almost best of

Most Interesting Man...

24%

Betty White... 22% E-Trade... 10% Smart Phone... 6%

also uploaded 30 responses of Hotty addressing Tweets from people, including celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres. He also proposed to Jsbeals’s girlfriend, Angela A. HuttChamberlin, for him. She said yes. And why wouldn’t

oldspice.com Though he may not look Old, he sure is Spicy. But unfortunatly, he’ll rack up your water bills. Turn it off.

she? That voice, smooth as honey, could make anyone say yes to anything. But it was too good to last forever. In his departing video, Hotty McSwoon signed off from responses

and commercials, telling us “. . . there are giant oaks that need chain sawing into yacht boats, Bermuda Triangle mysteries that need solving with giant magnifying glasses, and

one or 12 medals that need to be won for exotic car throwing competitions.” And as he drives off on his jet ski lion, remember ladies—he loves us. -c.o.

sdamustang.com

CAF

San Dieguito Sentinel

Novel-sized package carries bomb threat

THE MUSTANG

Featuring award-winning editors... how did that happen?

By Ari Brin

courtesy of kyselak The streets of downtown Laayoune are strife with destruction, but ASB candidates are blisfully unaware of the travesty.

Candidates ignore African riots By Arinore Brindrickson

ASB elections are still taking place despite occurring in the midst of riots in Laayoune, Western Sahara. The riots, fueled by the cold war between Morocco and Algeria, have left a trail of death and destruction in the African desert. However, campaign posters around school are bright and humorous, showcasing jokes and a shocking disregard for all amnesty in Laayoune. Student voters are increasingly aware of the severe situation, showing frustration at the candidates’ ignorance in the subject. “I just don’t feel the inclination to vote for someone who has no idea what’s going on in Laayoune,” said freshman Polly Tickle. “Laayoune is the number one issue in this upcoming election.”

Most students feel that the school voter guide is a testament to the candidates’ lack of knowledge of the crisis in Laayoune. Candy Ditt, who is running for Sophomore Director, wrote in the school’s brochure: “Me for Sofomore Direkter!” Freshman Ed Yucated believes that the bio showed a total disregard for the plight of the nomadic Sahrawi tribe, which has been heavily oppressed by wealthy Moroccan emigrants in Laayoune. “These people are struggling against oppression,” said Yucated. “And all these candidates can say is ‘Vote for me!!!1!!1’ This is a disgusting political trend, and it must end now.” Presidential candidate Eli Lection has been running under

the campaign platform of “Kool skool dancez!” When asked if he thought the killing of 30 innocent people at a protest against the socio-economic conditions in Laayoune was also “kool,” he fell noticeably silent. Treasurer candidate Nick Ehl reportedly said “Laa-what?” at a debate last Friday when pressed about the Laayoune situation. The aftermath of this statement has since forced Ehl to drop out of the race. Citizens of Laayoune are also displeased with the candidates in the elections. “We need an ASB president who can stop these riots,” said Western Saharan resident Ashanti Meelah, whose family has been affected greatly by the conflict. “The future of Laayoune rests on the outcome of this school election.”

Friendster founder angry over ‘Person of the Year’ selection By Arinore Brindrickson

The founder of the nowbarren social networking site Friendster, Jonathan Abrams, expressed disappointment and anger this week over the naming of rival Mark Zuckerberg,

BEST -

MEMORY

70¢

NEW SDA wikileaks surfaces

By Eleanore Hendrickson

Authorities were summoned last Thursday to the home of San Diego resident Al Armed to investigate a suspicious package wrapped in holiday wrapping paper that had been delivered to Armed’s home. “I was just minding my own business at home when all of a sudden this brown guy jumps out,” said Armed, referring to the suspect’s uniform. “He dumped the package on the ground, and drove away in a van marked ‘UPS’!” “What’s this world coming to? I can’t even enjoy life without someone trying to blow up America?” Armed said. Authorities arrived a few minutes later to examine the package using the “poke it with a stick” method. When nothing happened, the bomb squad was called to the house. The package, about the size of a hardcover book, was stamped on the side with the word “Amazon.” Authorities believe “Amazon” may be the name of a tribal terrorist organization that uses primal weapons like poison darts to intimidate civilians. When government agents in D.C. peeled back the wrapping, a book titled “The Deathly Hallows” emerged. Authorities suspect that the book details a future attack on the country. “I’m just sick of all the issues with security in this country,” Armed said. “I just want to seclude myself at home and read that Harry Potter book I ordered online weeks ago.”

Dec. 17 2010

creator of Facebook, as Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year.” “Friendster started this whole social network thing,” Abrams said Wednesday. “Sure, maybe we didn’t execute it the same way Facebook did, and maybe we haven’t had a regular user

of the site since 2007, but that doesn’t mean that we didn’t change history.” The purpose of Time’s “Person of the Year” is to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to the world’s culture and news over

“Double rainbows, all the way across the sky!” -Sammay Ness, junior.

“I pulled an all nighter watching Dragonball Z.” -Jill Pickrell, freshman.

the year. Past Persons of the Year include Charles Lindbergh and Queen Elizabeth II. “That list of winners is missing one big name,” said Abrams, alone in a dark, cobweb-filled office. A tumbleweed made its way across the floor. “Mine.”

“I found out what ‘legit’ means.” -Sarah Little, senior.

Shocking information was brought to light last week when a quarter of a million confidential documents were released to the San Dieguito Academy WikiLeaks page. The files included students’ transcripts, private emails, and every paper ever turned in to every English class ever. The website, previously ignored by faculty, has seen an 800 percent increase in traffic and popularity, despite reports that it has been slowly but surely ruining lives. Senior Anne Oying’s college recommendation from math teacher Cal Kulus was one of the first files leaked to SDA Wikileaks on Friday. It immediately spawned a flurry of backlash against the site. “[Oying] is surely a noticeable addition to the classroom, but she’s not great at addition… her voice is the sound of a thousand screeching, beached sea-hyenas,” wrote Kulus. “I’m offended, to say the least,” screeched Oying. The website has also served to turn teacher against teacher, with the release of thousands of faculty emails. A personal exchange between freshman English teacher Luna Tick and an anonymous friend has revealed a mutinous plot against Principal Tyra Nee. The scanned file includes 17 pages of Tick’s hand-written scrawl, which goes into detail about the planned school takeover. The writing becomes illegible nine pages in, and eventually degrades into messy sketches of knives, Nee’s face, and the symbolic conch shell from “Lord of the Flies.” When questioned, Tick vehemently denied the matter, saying that the website was “probably Principal Nee’s doing, the sly ferret!”

“When Cuddle Dungeon (the band I was in) placed first in 2010 Battle of the Bands.” -Ben Breidenthal, junior.

steeze Dec.17, 2010

steeze

THE MUSTANG

Best of 2010

2010 was quite a steezy year for SDA students. From wearing thrift store wonders, to being laced up and ready to roll in combat boots. Working chromatic blossomed floral patterns to high rise shorts. Out of 492 students surveyed, here are the results of the best trends of 2010: 47% of students voted vintage as the top trend while 22% voted military, sheer recieved 16% of votes, 8% voted for floral, and 7%. voted high rise as the best.

floral

katie berriochoa Sophomore Kelsey Taylor wears a denim and floral dress.

military

katie berriochoa Junior Dominique Etzel shows off her military style.

BEST

2010 was taken over by the allure of chromatic blossomed floral designs. From light-weight dresses to blouses and skirts, floral patterns, though once known as a simple way to express spring and summer-time glee, are now a style that has transcended itself into a year long trend. Mostly worn with some type of texurized material such as denim jeans or high waisted shorts, it is best to even out an outfit by pairing this busy pattern with something more simple and less distracting. Floral is an easy way to brighten any day and any mood. “It’s fun, pretty, and it makes me feel more upbeat when I wear floral,” said Sophomore Kelsey Taylor. Story by Katie Berriochoa.

The military inspiration rocked the runways of 2010. From trench coats, to combat boots, this rough and tough style has become a staple in fashion. With the contrast of fitted brass buttoned trench coats with loose and billowy cargo pants, the military style has been seen around SDA. Combat boots have become a popular trend for the students at SDA. From the runway to the hallways, combat boots have taken over the feet of students. Whether they are worn with jeans or contrasting a feminine floral dress, students have embraced the rough and tough look of these feet accessories. The military trend of 2010 made a lasting impression on the fashion world, and surely is here to stay. Story by Tatiana Skomski

MEMORY

“High waist shorts because they are funky but cute at the same time!” -Mycah Ayala, freshman

vintage

Katie Berriochoa Sophomore Marisa Garris wears a vintage knit sweater. katie berriochoa

Sophomore Marisa Pierce wears a vintage cardigan with a striped sweater.

What does SDA consider to be the winning trend of 2010? Previously “loved” vintage clothing. These thrift store wonders continue to sweep the halls of SDA, and the older it is, the cooler it really seems to be. Vintage clothing can be unique and distinctive, and for a modern day recessionist, is the purest form of delight. Not only will no one else will be donning your individually thrifted goods, but the low costs are definitely a desirable factor. That is, if you know where to shop. Though the real finds do take some searching for, don’t be discouraged. Places like Amvets, the DAV, and Buffalo Exchange are the gold mines for awesome vintage clothing with lower price tags. No matter how old it is, it can be pinned back, tied about, stitched up, and it’s good as new. Whether you’re just trying to compete with those artsy kids’ flawless outfits, or just pick up some unique clothing that’s easy on the wallet, vintage is easily the best choice. Story by Katherine Bueche and Katie Berriochoa.

“I always think denim is a classic trend. Denim jackets seem pretty trendy right now.” – Erin Nogle, senior

The high-waisted trend appeared in everything from skirts to jeans this year in fashion. Creating longer and leaner shapes, designers like Chloe, Phillip Lim, Calvin Klein, and Emilio Pucci embraced this 2010 style primarily in pants. Each utilized their own types of fabrics and designs to enhance the look. There have been many adaptations to the trend this year, with skirts and pants ranging from skin-tight to loose and breezy. High rise shorts were just as trendy. Incredibly versatile and never short of looking chic, the highwaisted trend was a favorite this year and will undoubtedly continue to appear in the year to come. Story by Natalya Ballard.

Elegant fabrics such as lace and sheers have become extremely popular not only at the Academy, but everywhere during 2010. They add a touch of feminine, classic beauty to every ensemble. But females pursuing style, beware! A little lace or a slip of sheer goes a long way. At that, sheer fabrics drape beautifully and have a unique texture to them, but even the classiest sheer blouse can become the uniform of a tramp when not properly disclosing to the public what should not be constantly on display. That’s what we wear clothes for anyways. And when it comes down to it, lace and sheer garments are, in fact, clothes too. Story by Angela Zhang.

“Cuffed everything. Cuffs cuffs cuffs. Oh, and short shorts for guys, so fantastic.” -Nolan Gallager, junior

high rise

katie berriochoa Sophomore Courtney Houle wears high waisted blue jean shorts.

sheer/lace

katie berriochoa Freshman Marin Callaway wears a trendy lacey and sheer top.

“Plaid... it fits a lot of people and is a very fashionable piece of clothing.” – David Yuter, senior

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THE MUSTANG

Dec. 17, 2010

3 1. Stimson and Hovey’s fourth period physics class anxiously watches a fellow classmates bridge as it is tested for strength and durability.

2. Juniors Sarah Kellogg and Mitch Lange center the precarious weighing apparatus onto the bridge.

3. Seniors Daniel Kusher and Kinsey Lloyd-Coles work together for last minute bridge reinforcement, right before it is about to be tested.

4. Junior Emily Huang nervously looks on as her bridge is assesed during the semi-finals.

5. Junior Lonnie Safarik fills the bucket with water, adding weight and stress to the bridgey victim.

bridging the gap Physics teachers George Stimson and Trish Hovey gave students the arduous task of building, then breaking, their balsa wood bridge design. Story by Opal Theodossi. Photos by Jocelyn Lee. “Yeah, mine can hold babies…oh crap never mind I’m gonna fail this,” said Kendra Scruggs, junior, realizing that part of her bridge was broken as the weighing apparatus was being placed upon it. On Friday Dec 3 the 28th annual physics class bridge breaking competition began. This year too many bridges made it to the finals so there were semi-finals held the Friday before finals. The weighing device consisted of a bucket connected to string and a metal bar which was positioned atop the bridge. Hours of hard work, and numerous super glued fingers later every student brought in their bridge into class. Thursday the bridges were voted by the class into the categories “most beautifulest,” “most imaginative-est,” “strongest,” and “most likely-est (to fail).” On the day of the competition one by one the students were called to the table to place their bridge as delicately as possible so as not to break it within the first few seconds of the bucket filling. Students watched, eagerly willing their bridges to make it to 20 pounds for the finals. Snap after crack kids were crushed (no pun intended) at the sight of their bridge in ruins, and were made to walk back to their seats all while secretly wishing no other bridge did better. At the end of the day an abundance of students went home emptied handed. For those bridges that held strong the finals were started during hour lunch on Wednesday, but were not finished.