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11.07.13
Read how homecoming has evolved throughout the ages on
1974 student rides a tricycle for a homecoming event.
Did you know there used to be a copper mine at the end of Lone Jack Road?
The new boys water polo coach brings a fresh perspective to the team and helps them rebuild. Read about the team on
Read about the origins of local street names on
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Senior Jackson Wagner
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I find it alarming that ‘faith in humanity’ is something that can be lost or gained on such short notice.
Which SDA teacher was menaced by Neo-Nazis?
Student Artist:
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cup of pumpkin has more potassium than banana
Taylor Altenbern
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Read Wendy Disch’s fun facts about this seasonal squash on
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Teacher Tidbit
Read Dylan Hendrickson’s thoughts on an overused internet phrase on
My main inspirations come from things that I see every day. That’s what I love about art; you can take something from reality and transform it into something more wonderful than before.
Find out at www.sdamustang.com NEWS EDITOR Nicole Smith
FEATURES EDITOR Katie McPherson
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Elise Echeverria
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR HEALTH EDITOR Elise Gout
ARTS EDITOR Gabby Catalano OPINIONS EDITOR Kira Elliot SPORTS EDITOR Sarah Kochanek PHOTO EDITOR Tacy Manis
BUSINESS MANAGER CAF EDITOR Lily LeaVesseur ONLINE EDITORS
Sam Winter Sierra Zounes
ONLINE ARTS EDITOR Sara Portnoy
STAFF WRITERS Linden Amundsen Peri Anderson Mycah Ayala Anne Bilse Terren Brin Caroline Daniel Wendy Disch Dylan Hendrickson Reiko Inouye Devin Lasek Michael Leslie Kevin Moody Katrina Olsen Alynne Powers Ivan Ramales Jessica Rowan
Michael Schulte Lauren Shaw Keely Thompson Alex Weingarten Manon Wogahn STAFF ARTIST Roya Chagnon ADVISOR Tim Roberts
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 98, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the above address.
San Dieguito Academy / Room 98 / 800 Santa Fe Drive / Encinitas, CA 92024
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‘Blackfish’ brings controversy to prom
Potentially holding prom at Sea World has brought up controversy about the park. Story by Elise Echeverria. Contributed to by Nicole Smith.
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he recent release of the documentary “Blackfish” has sparked student discussion, and some opposition, regarding having SeaWorld as the venue for this year’s prom. “Blackfish” primarily explores the story behind an orca, Tilikum, who is responsible for multiple fatal accidents and SeaWorld’s role in trying to cover up these events. It aims to reveal the inhumane conditions that SeaWorld’s orcas live under by interviewing SeaWorld trainers and whale experts. After seeing the movie together, SDA’s Animal Care club felt adamantly about the issues brought up in the documentary. “When Tilikum was brought to Sea World, they didn’t tell any of the employees what had previously happened; they lied about the whole thing,” Animal Care Club President Mckenna Klink said. “SeaWorld doesn’t have good intentions for the
whales.” The club’s strong feelings about the issue prompted them to set up a meeting with ASB to see if there was any way that the location of prom could be changed. “I asked if I could find another location if they’d be willing to switch. I just hope that they are going to,” said Klink. This meeting was when the prom committee first learned of the fuss surrounding prom, Junior Director Bo Templin said. The Junior directors and Animal Care Club expressed their opinions, brainstormed other locations, and discussed a potential killer whale fundraiser if prom’s location was to be kept at SeaWorld, Templin said. Besides the Animal Care Club, ASB has had minimal opposition from other student regarding prom’s location, Templin said. Some students were initially not on board with supporting
SeaWorld by holding prom there. However, over time, many changed their views, realizing that boycotting SeaWorld would be more of a hassle for ASB than an activist move. Students felt that there were effective ways to support the animals at SeaWorld, like fundraisers for animal rights. “I used to be very angry and concerned,” Senior Carmen Lugo said. “But now that I’ve thought about it, it’s sort of a good way to get the word out there and get people informed about SeaWorld. There is no possible way to change the location, so we might as well appreciate their hard work and go with the flow.” Some students felt that there were more effective ways to support the animals at SeaWorld besides boycotting the company. “I think that no matter where we hold prom, someone is going to use that space, so us refusing to use it won’t really make a continued on page 04
Blackfish
Review by Wendy Disch In the new documentary, “Blackfish”, she unravels the life of Sea World’s primary attraction: Shamu. Despite the amusement park’s promotion of a family friendly entertainer, Cowperthwaite depicts a history of Shamu-induced tragedies that have occurred over the years and argue the park’s treatment of their whales is to blame. “Blackfish” follows the history of one orca in particular with a history of tragedies. Tilikum was kidnapped from the North Atlantic at the age of two and bought by Sea World after killing a trainer at a separate park. Despite the whale’s violent history, he was used for breeding, bullied by the female whales and even brought out to perform at the end of shows. Dawn Brancheau, an experienced trainer, was one of many to work with Tilikum. While preparing for a show in 2010, Dawn was dragged into the water by her arm and brutally killed by Tilikum. Sea World executives claimed the orca dragged her in by the ponytail and continue to use Tilikum in shows. “Blackfish” interviews a number of orca experts, OSHA officials, and retired Sea World trainers reflecting on their experience with the orcas and the continual dishonesty amongst their employers. All trainers shared concerns over the whale on whale brutality that took place before their eyes. One trainer claimed he continued working with the park for so long solely so that he could ensure that the orcas were being taken care of. He felt that if he wasn’t there, “Who else would take care of them?”
News about
PALs address date rape
PALs fight misconceptions about sexual assault. Story by Lily LeaVesseur.
Senior Keaton Crow talks about date rape statistics in the PALS informative video that they will be shown to students in November and December.
SDA Peer Assistant Listeners (PALs) will be visiting homerooms Tuesdays throughout November and December to inform students about date and acquaintance rape. During visits, PALs will be showing a short, student-made video to provide clear definitions, statistics, and instructions on how to prevent date rape. The video defines date and
acquaintance rape as “forms of sexual assault involving coercive sexual activities by a person you know.” An example shown in the video: “Because a woman may act interested, the man may believe she [wants to have sex], even though she has been saying no all night.” PALs advisor and head counselor Ann Nebolon said that part of the decision to
make the video came from reactions to the 2012 case of the Steubenville High School rape, in which a teenage girl who was incapacitated by alcohol was sexually assaulted by her peers, who documented the assault and posted it on multiple social media outlets. Several members of the community blamed the girl for her own rape, and several news reporters were criticized for biased coverage that appeared sympathetic to the rapists. “It came to my attention after talking to many students about [date or acquaintance rape] happening to them, but also after sitting in on discussions about [the Steubenville case]. I was surprised how many kids [at SDA] thought it was the girl’s fault,” said Nebolon. “Events like these can really traumatize somebody, and we’re trying to spread awareness that if this does happen, it is a crime and it’s not the victim’s fault, which they often feel it is,” said senior PAL Dane Pendleton. “The goal is to get the point across that these things do happen in high school, and I believe that is something that most people don’t realize.”
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‘Blackfish’ controvesy
continued from page 03 difference,” Senior Kathryn Chapman said. “I think that they should still have prom at Sea World, but allow students to raise money for an animal organization.” Senior Atticus Salmon agreed that protesting prom night would not accomplish much.“I believe that the options for fixing this problem involve convincing SeaWorld to allocate funds along with donating funds to organizations to create larger tanks for these orcas or retrain them to be released into the wild.” ASB has been working to find a solution to address all of SDA student’s concerns. “All of us were assigned to watch the movie and we have received SeaWorld’s response to the addressed issue,” junior director Austin Keillor said. “We also brought the topic to the SDA student run forum; we are doing our best to investigate the problem.” Prom’s location has not been determined yet, Keillor said. If prom were to be moved, the cost of tickets could potentially
go up due to the loss of a down payment on SeaWorld. There is also the possibility of having a killer whale or animal rights fundraiser coincide with ticket sales or be added into the price of a ticket. When considering ticket cost, most students don’t seem to mind an increase, as long as the change was within $10 to $20. “If Prom were more expensive but still under $100 I would not be deterred; however, if it was more than that, I would have to consider attending,” Salmon said. As of now, ASB is still considering all of their options for the location of prom. “Because prom is not until May, we will continue to investigate the topic and hope to get to a resolution soon!” Keillor said. If ASB decides to keep SeaWorld as the location of prom, students will have to decide for themselves whether they would still like to attend. Some students will not go in an individual effort to protest SeaWorld’s actions. “I wouldn’t want to buy a ticket to support that[SeaWorld’s treatment of its animals] ,just because it goes against what I believe,” said Klink.
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Campus Scoop
District Data
Healthy kids survey results released Results shows that E-Cigarette use on the rise. Story by Katie McPherson.
Meatless Monday in the Mosaic Café. Photo by Caroline Daniel.
Meatless Mondays at SDA
The Mosaic Café goes vegetarian with its new Meatless Mondays. Story by Terren Brin.
Sterilized steel counters, crispy turkey pesto sandwiches, and workers are common sights to the average Mosaic goer. However, changes were recently made that will change many people’s lunch week. The Mosaic has gone meatless on Monday as part of a national movement. According to meatlessmonday.com, the official site of the movement, Meatless Mondays was an idea started in 2003 in association with the John Hopkins School of Public Health. It started because many thought that Americans were consuming excessive amounts of meat, which is an unhealthy and environmentally unfriendly trend. Oly Norris, Advanced Business teacher and head
of the Mosaic Café, said, “We heard about it from our food and services department here in the district that came to us with this challenge to see if this is something we were interested in doing.” There are drawbacks to this system, such as potentially alienating their “dedicated carnivores,” who might have a beef with Meatless Mondays, Norris said. This could potentially lower the number of customers and decrease profit. However, he said, when the Mosaic Café administration crunched their numbers, it was discovered that sales of vegetarian foods such as their cold Mediterranean sandwiches and cheesy garlic bread have been increasing on Meatless Mondays.
They are planning to introduce more options such as tomato and basil soups and salads made from the produce of their student-run garden. “I haven’t heard any complaints from parents and actually we’ve seen an increase in teachers actually shopping or purchasing items at the Mosaic on those meatless Mondays,” Norris said. The Mosaic will be expanding the meatless options to be in line with the state senate’s school nutritional requirement and to the vegetarian population at SDA. “We have had a lot of people ask not for a meatless Monday, but for more vegetarian options… We’re looking at expanding into vegetarian and gluten-free options as well,” Norris said.
Rendering of the plans for a new classrooms. Photo from SDUHSD.
Construction to begin this upcoming summer
The results from the Healthy Kids Survey were recently published and San Dieguito Academy students have slightly higher substance abuse rates than those of other schools in the district including the abuse of alcohol, marijuana, prescription pills and E-Cigarettes. Every year high school students from all over California participate in the Healthy Kids Survey, administered to obtain information about teenagers’ use of illegal substances and their behaviors both during and outside of school. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey Website, the survey is intended to better understand “the relationship between students’ health behaviors and academic performance.” The survey allows for a comparison of results with other schools in the district and also provides an assessment within the different grade levels of a single school. Results from previous years are also included to allow for comparison. “The increase in prescription pills is very concerning to me,” said Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones. “Unlike alcohol and marijuana it’s very hard to pinpoint when a student is under the influence.” This abuse appears to increase
According to Hornig, the plans for the new buildings and locations are currently not absolute. Things that are being considered in making the plans include impact on parking and flow for students as they move from class to class. “[Construction] really won’t impact instruction this year,” said Hornig. As far as for instruction next year, the school will be
losing 18 classrooms. They will be replaced by portables so that classes like Culinary Arts and Sculpture can continue undisturbed next year. Hornig predicts: “What will probably happen is we will have to place the internal classrooms prior to the end of the year. We want to make sure that those classes are ready so they will be ready in February.”
Sample Statistics Lifetime Student Substance Abuse (%)
SDA District
Alcohol
51.8
Marijuana
37.4
49.5 32.0
Perscription Pills
15.4
11.1
Student Substance Abuse in the past 30 Days (%) E-Cigarettes
12.5
8.5
Alcohol
25.5
26.9
Marijuana
20.3
17.6
Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bands started this week with performances in front of the PAC. Story and photos by Caroline Daniel. for students and teachers and show off their musical talents. Two of the featured bands included the rock band, Vinegar Tom, and Halfro (pictured below), a jazz band. This showcased the immense diversity of the bands performing.
Demolition of the 90s and 100s buildings is scheduled to begin immediately after this school year to make way for new math and science classrooms. Story by Nicole Smith.
Demolition of 90’s and 100’s classrooms will begin “immediately after the end of this school year, for completion in fall 2015,” said Principal Tim Hornig. Over the summer, buildings will be demolished to prepare for the construction of new buildings. “Hopefully kids will come back [next year] and see construction and not destruction,” said Hornig.
as students get older, as 9th graders were often below the district mean. Another finding in the survey showed the students here felt happier and more part of the school than at other schools in the district and felt teachers cared about them more. The report shows that 5.1 percent of students were unhappy compared to the district mean of 8.3 percent. In comparison to years past, most of the substance abuse has actually decreased, comparing 2011 and 2013. The only big jump was in E-Cigarette usage, as the rate rose from 8 to 24 percent. “We are still fighting a big battle,” said Jones. “Part of a teenager’s description is to think they are invincible and to enjoy taking risks. If that risk can result in the death of a student or a change in the direction of their life, that has great significance to me.”
San Dieguito Academy’s annual Battle of the Bands began this year from Nov. 4 to 15. Performances happened in front of the performing arts center during lunches. Different bands from every walk of life and many genres came together to perform
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11.07.13
Staff Editorial
Prom or protest
The Mustang Staff wrestles with what might be ethically and morally right, and what would be a memorable high school experience.
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his year’s prom location has sparked quite a bit of moral confusion. With the release of “Blackfish,” a documentary that accuses Sea World of mistreating its animals, the SDA Animal Care club has raised concerns about hosting prom on May 17, 2014, at Sea World and supporting a company that they believe is mistreating their animals. The problem is that, with “Blackfish” raising so many heated emotions, people aren’t seeing the whole picture. They are seeing one side of a corporation. That’s what Sea World is: a corporation that
is fighting for its place in the economy just like any other business. It might be good to keep in mind that San Diego’s Sea World helps the community by providing aid to local marine life. It’s not just this evil company that kidnaps baby whales and makes the them fall into a sort of psychosis. If it was, then it would’ve been closed years ago. The San Diego Sea World is a part of something bigger than itself. It’s just one location, one site. No amount of prom boycotting will make the corporation crash and burn. That may seem pessimistic to
some, but the fact of the matter is that there simply wouldn’t be enough of an opposition to make a difference. Sure, it’s bad that the Sea World company is mistreating its animals at some of their sites. Sure, boycotting Sea World would put economic pressure on the company and perhaps make them change their terrible ways. Let’s put this into perspective: by boycotting prom, you are not boycotting Sea World. By not going to prom, you are missing out on a key high school experience, not protesting for the rights of animals. Nothing will come of
boycotting prom – no movement will be sparked, no march on Sea World’s headquarters will be organized. There are other ways of protesting Sea World’s treatment of their animals. The site for prom may even change by the time it actually comes around. In sum, the Mustang Staff is bothered by the allegations raised in the documentary “Blackfish,” but will still attend prom and promote school spirit.
The Staff Editorial is the collective voice of the Mustang staff. After a moderated discussion, the Opinions Editor then holds a classwide vote and writes up the staff’s opinion.
Photo courtesy: blackfishmovie.com
Photo courtesy: blackfishmovie.com
Is your friendship sinking? When that friendship goes from symbiotic to parasitic, then it is time to either talk it out or walk away. By Linden Amudsen.
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very so often I’ll be talking to someone, and the subject of “bad friends” comes up. Nonchalantly adjusting the bracelets on her wrist, this girl briefly summarizes her latest friendship gone wrong, and proceeds to hit me with the, “so I just stopped being friends with her,” line. And I’ll think, “How do you DO that?” I mean, honestly, how could you just end a friendship? I don’t care how awful the person is to you, how much torture you are enduing in the process of dealing with said crazy b***h, ending a friendship is hard. Once I’ve committed myself to a relationship, I have difficulty abandoning it. Perhaps this is a personality flaw on my behalf, because lately, it seems this way of living is causing me nothing but pain. If only I could stop trying to “fix things”, wasting precious time and energy trying to hold onto a friendship that’s sinking faster than a block of lead tossed into the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes I really wonder why I even bother scrambling to
of you are helping each other, maybe it’s time to consider taking further action.
Where to go from there
It’s hard to fix a ship that’s falling apart. Art by Michael Schulte.
salvage the broken pieces, gluing them back together, only to watch the whole thing shatter again, and again.
Identifying a “Bad Friendship”
What constitutes a bad friendship anyway? How can you distinguish between a friend who needs support, and a friend who’s making you need support? I guess the best way to
identify a bad friend is when they complicate every aspect of your life without the slightest bit of concern or responsibility. A good friend respects you, cares about you, and will always make time for you. Sometimes a person we really care about just isn’t the right friend for us. Sometimes we care more than they do, and sometimes it’s necessary to
realize that we are wasting our time on someone who doesn’t deserve it. It’s important to know that sometimes even the best of friends can make you miserable; it all depends on whether they make an effort to mend the bridges they’ve burned. If they never make an effort to resolve problems, when neither of you are getting anything positive out of the relationship, and neither
Once you’ve identified a friendship as negative, the first step to improving your situation is talking to friend-in-question about the problem. Let your friend know you have something important to talk about, set time aside to talk about it, and when the time comes- talk to them honestly about it. Try not to center the conversation on what they have done “wrong”, just let them know you’re concerned by the direction your friendship is going, and tell them you care about them. There’s a possibility what’s been bothering them doesn’t even have to do with you, and it would be best just to wait things out. Overall, just respect them, show them you care, but don’t smother them. Remember, a good friend respects you, cares about you, and will make time for you. Once you’ve out this into consideration, you should know where to go from there.
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I have a confession: I’m kind of obsessed with myself. I tell this to my friends a lot and they laugh and I feel validated because it means they think I’m funny. And they should, because I am funny. I’m the best damn thing since sliced bread. And I keep thinking that if I love myself so much, I should easily be able to type out how wonderful and impressive I am in a college essay. But to be honest, not a lot of noteworthy things have happened to me. I feel that I have great potential and that going to college might bring out all sorts of tangible greatness. But how do I tell an admissions officer about “an accomplishment or event that marked my transition from childhood to adulthood” when the biggest one I can think of is when I switched from Barbies to real friends? And then here’s what happens. I’ll hear stories about kids I vaguely know, white noise in the background about their various problems that mean so little to me, that I know will never touch me. Kids who go home every day to attend to their diseased parent, who get sent to psych wards for self-destructive behavior, kids whose families are evicted from their homes and living out of their car. And my sick, twisted little self-loving heart sinks and I think, “Lucky you. You’ll probably have something great to write about when you apply to college.” It’s loathsome, isn’t it? And I suppose I do feel a little compassion, about as much as you would when you hear about some civilian deaths in the Middle East. But I’m more worried about what I will write, safe and sound at my computer. At this point I process every tiny, insignificant occurrence first by
assessing how I might spin it into a tale of dedication, intelligence, leadership, etc. This happened the other day when a friend and I found an iPhone in a toilet in the girls bathroom. We told the front office who sent a janitor to take care of it. The rest of the day we kept going back to check if it was still there, fancying ourselves good Samaritans. Jokingly I suggested we write about it for our essays. That night I went home and seriously considered it. Did we not display dedication to our cause and our community by standing outside the bathroom for 20 minutes waiting to see if the janitor got it out? Intelligence for knowing just what to do, leadership for taking initiative, and adversity overcome for all the grief we gave each other for potentially having deprived our fellow students of bathroom use? Is that not an admissions officer’s wet dream ? I can’t really remember when I started to do this, when I started to filter my thoughts and actions to fit my college apps. Probably before I started counting my extracurricular activities on my fingers to make sure I was using both hands. When did I start looking at things as an opportunity, as something to exploit for my greater good? Cause I think that’s when I stopped doing things for “fun.” Maybe that’s what it means to be an adult. Doing things because you care, because you have to rely on yourself not to lose your job/future/reputation. Making sacrifices because it’s not just a free-for-all where we can run around naked and wake up when we want and eat what we want and have what we want and go wherever just because our feet think it’s the softest spot. Where
everyone thinks you’re special, where everyone thinks you’re sliced bread and cheers you on for being able to walk. The dumb thing is I wish that by complaining about the college application process I could somehow be exempt from it. That by resisting all their gross ploys to make me do stuff to get them to like me, the world will somehow like me more for being independent, colleges will choose me anyways, people will just hand me jobs like when the boy picks the cool, indifferent girl at the end of the movie because she was able to resist his charms. But Girl always liked Boy, she just acted like she didn’t. And as much as I pretend to be disgusted with this bout of self-analysis/obsession everyone in my class is going through to determine whether or not they’re worthy for higher education, I’m completely and totally immersed in it. Girl acting like she hates Boy because she wants him to like her. I know it will all be over in a few months. I know that as soon as the new year hits and we click send, senioritis will kick in and all our efforts to be good will go bad and we can go back to running around naked and getting mediocre grades and ditching after third, and eventually picking ourselves back up and making new promises for freshmen year, then seniors again, then stepping out into a new, bigger world, trying to impress employers. Rinse and repeat. Hopefully in the thick of it we’ll all learn to be ourselves. I don’t think any UC will accept it, but that’s what I have to say. There’s my personal statement.
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Can’t stop that Cyrus wrecking ball Miley Cyrus’ popularity shows that her methods are (t)working. By Katie McPherson
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f you’ve been on YouTube recently, you may recall watching a video that features a naked Miley Cyrus swinging from a wrecking ball while having questionable interactions with a sledgehammer. In fact, I’m positive you’ve seen it. The video, entitled “Wrecking Ball,” has a total number of 210,540,627 views. And despite the slew of criticism Miley is receiving in the media for her scandalous performance, this is one viewer who sees fit to defend the pop star. Ok, so here’s the thing – we all know Miley Cyrus from back when she portrayed Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart on the Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana” at the age of 13. She was a tween idol and young fans, myself included, fawned over her and countless
“Tennessean” catchphrases. Remember “yee doggies” and, my personal favorite, “sweet niblets?” Well, that’s the problem: we can’t get that 13-year-old Disney image out of our heads. So, here we are in 2013, freaking out because Miley found a new dance move she is particularly fond of (known as the twerk) and because she may be somewhat… completely naked in a music video. You know what? Kudos to you Miley Cyrus; you know how to be famous. Honestly, I don’t know what the big fuss is about. She’s not having a Brittany-esque meltdown nor is she attending rehab for the fifth time like a certain red-head we know; she is making millions of dollars and millions of fans and doing it in a legal way. I cannot attack her for that.
The one argument I can bear in mind is that Miley’s “Wrecking Ball” video could be considered pornographic and, for the sake of the children, her video should contain a warning. This argument is especially valid, considering her fan base mostly consists of kids and younger teenagers. Fine. But don’t be mad at Miley. She is desperately trying to break out of her former role and isn’t purposefully corrupting the children of America. Yes, she is accomplishing this in a risqué way, but only because the clues society has given her suggest that we like sex and partying, and guess what? We do. The true mark of a talented celebrity is being a talented salesperson. From the mouth of Cyrus herself: “People like controversy because that’s what sells.”
Art by Alynne Powers.
Thicke in controversy Take a look at the blurred lines. By Tacy Manis.
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She’s a good girl because she’s afraid of what others would think of her if she wasn’t. Art by Tacy Manis.
heard that “Blurred Lines” was about rape before I heard the song itself. Robin Thicke’s chart-topping single has caused quite the stir about the meaning behind it. Now, I will gladly admit that the lyrics themselves are uncomfortably vulgar, which for most would suggest something violent like nonconsensual sex, but I think there’s another way to look at the lyrics. Personally, I think the song revolves around the taboo of women wanting sex. It’s like that line from “The Breakfast Club”: “Well, if you say you haven’t [had sex], you’re a prude. If you say you have you’re a slut. It’s a trap.” It’s just as true now as it was in the 80’s. There’s a “blurred line” between women wanting sex and being seen as a whore. The chorus repeats, “I hate them lines/ I know you want it/
But you’re a good girl” which laments the fact that women must hide behind this “good girl” persona in fear of public scorn for their sexual activity. Despite his slightly douchey, fame-filled ego, I applaud Robin Thicke for what he’s done by making this song. People are talking about rape, which is, admittedly, a very unpleasant topic to understand let alone discuss. I think it’s necessary, though. This isn’t an issue that should be left in a corner because people are too uncomfortable to bring it to attention. One of the things I’ve learned from AP Art History is that the best art makes you think, question, and discuss. In that regard, “Blurred Lines” is a work of art. At this point, it doesn’t matter what Robin Thicke intended his song to be about.
11.07.13
No hope for humanity
The phrase“I have lost faith in humanity” has become commonplace, but what do we mean when we say it? By Dylan Hendrickson.
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umanity and the internet have a complicated relationship. There are endless stories about how people are amazing and we laud those who help the world. There are also endless stories of people thinking only for themselves and we go on the internet and spew forth how the state of humanity has reached the lowest rungs of malevolence and self-obsession (or its highest rung, depending if you’re Satan). I find it alarming that ‘faith in humanity’ is something that can be lost (or gained) in short notice. Sure, we’ve heard about the drunk driver who ran into a small car full of children and robbed a Civil War veteran of his Medal of Honor while burning an American flag (this definitely happened), but can we really determine the state of our collective being by the actions of one person? And if we’re basing the entirety of civilization onto on the mistake of one not-sopleasant member of society, then what do we actually mean when we say “I hate humanity”? And I’m not going to assume
that any one actually hates all of humanity, from the Egyptian pyramids to modern medicine to the “User-Operated Amusement Apparatus for Kicking the User’s Buttocks” (US Patent No. 6,293,874). Since the question “Why do you have no hope for humanity?’ comes off as insensitive and/or awkward to 79.8% of strangers on the street, the only place where it’s possible to find any sort of discussion of hating humanity is on the internet. Obviously, trying to find serious answers on the internet is going to be…hard. If we were to take the internet seriously, it would be a surprise to see that half the world isn’t just a bunch of recluses grumbling to each other about how the other half is completely worthless. For example, people on the internet have “lost” faith in humanity due to the following: Facebook posts, YouTube, the internet itself, 50 Shades of Grey, Kids’ Choice Awards, gaming tattoos, bad help wanted signs, a badly designed ‘hours open’ sign, Google auto-search queries, and so on.
How to Lose Faith in Humanity
Art by Reiko Inouye
If something stupid has been said or done on the internet, you can be sure that someone has commented, “I have lost my faith in humanity.” So it’s hard to determine if losing faith in humanity is even a common-held sentiment that people hold, or an exaggerated phrase designed for some kind of “oh no you didn’t!” reaction that shocks the hearts of Tumblrites. Perhaps one did lose their
Save the spandex
faith in humanity a long time ago in the dark ages of the mid2000s and created an invisible generation of hopeless internet users who are constantly disappointed with everything humans do. Whatever the orginal meaning/ reaction of the phrase was, it has become the go-to expression for any feeling of disapproval held against any aspect of the human race.
The process of losing faith in humanity usually involves posting an emotional (i.e. enraged/potentially bigoted) comment on the page from where you first lost hope, and follows the template, “I have just lost my faith in humanity.” Feel free to expand on that using a personal story (factualness not needed), a contrived analogy, or any other pathetic element of choice. After posting said comment, do whatever you please. Maybe you can continue your spiral down the faith gradient and stay on the internet. Or maybe you can hang out with your friends or go to a couple of parties, but only to observe the state of despair that your kind has fallen to.
While the administration cracks down on spandex at dances, volleyball girls keep wearing it to exercise in. Story by Alynne Powers.
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Compare and contrast: the girl going to practice, and the girl going to the dance. Photo by Alynne Powers.
very day before volleyball practice, the girls of the freshman, JV, and Varsity team enter the locker room to switch out of their “artsy” school outfit into volleyball attire. This outfit consists of athletic ankle socks, a pretty ribbon securing their ponytail, a club-related T-shirt, and last but not least... spandex. Stretchy, short, and sweatabsorbent, these “bun huggers” are the most comfortable and useful piece of clothing women can wear when performing in sports such as volleyball, crosscountry, and other sports that require running. The tight fitting shorts give you access to move without dealing with all that extra fabric. It is uncommon for a volleyball player to be wearing anything other than spandex. A typical athletic color
is black, yet many stores carry sparkly pink, neon green, gold, or other fancy colors for costume coordination. Despite this common clothing athletic woman wear, a new dress code has been enforced for the past two years banning spandex. Not only have people’s style been confiscated by administration, but the people in charge of supervising the dances have made it clear that spandex shorts are not permitted to be worn on account of too much skin being shown. Is it not clear that the volleyball girls are diving, squatting, and bending over in these spandex material shorts? If administration will let the volleyball girls wear this type of attire while playing a sport, it is only fair that girls should be able to wear spandex in order to dress
to a theme at a dance. According to Google, a sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment; therefore, dance is a sport. To administration, the spandex shorts are eye candy for high school boys who are scouting the dance floor for a female to “grind” or “freak” with. But is spandex really that big of a deal? SDA is located in a beach town, and it is not uncommon for one to see someone walking around in a bikini on her way home from the beach. If it is normal when that amount of skin is shown meandering the streets of Encinitas, then it is only logical for one to be able to wear spandex at a dance. Save the spandex, and be logical.
11.07.13
San Dieguito Sentinel: Lifestyle sdamustang.com
Horoscopes
Helping you help yourself
1 almond
Science-based life predictions by Peri Anderson.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- Jan. 19) In California, it is illegal to refuse a duel. You’ll do well to remember that particular piece of information this month. Now would be a good time to brush up on your mandolin skills. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Remember that person you saw last week on the corner, as the sun was just about to set? Remember them. Remember their face. They’ll be important when you testify. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Trust no one. Don’t trust the milk, either. It’s already spoiled. Your cereal will be ruined.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) You don’t know what that creaking noise downstairs is, the one that happens every night just before you fall asleep. Don’t investigate. It’s better that you don’t know. LEO (July 23-August 22) You are currently headed down a very interesting pathway. It is filled with unexpected turns, rocky times. Maybe even a bicycle or two. Drive carefully. Cyclists tend to have good lawyers. VIRGO (August 23- Sept. 22) Make as many strange noises as possible. You might end up attracting wild birds, perhaps an endangered species. Endangered once they come near you, anyway.
ARIES (March 21- April 19) If you go bowling, you’ll have success in financial aspects of your life. Play chess, and your social life will thrive. Skip rope to prevent an infestation of invisible demons. There’s nothing you can do about the oncoming disappearance of your favorite socks, though. Sorry about that.
LIBRA (Sept. 23- Oct. 22) Now would be the perfect time to come out of your shell. Really. There are things out there. Good things. Important things. Things that absolutely don’t involve clever traps or nets falling from the ceiling and landing just outside of your shell. Come out.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) There are so many possibilities coming, you won’t know where to start. So don’t. Sit on the sidelines, wave at them as they pass by. Remember, success is fleeting. Crippling regret is forever.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23- Nov.21) You will find great success in any attempted practical jokes this month. Be wary, however, of sensitive victims. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. A blinded, vengeful roommate leaves your grandmother tarred and feathered.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) You haven’t been doing well in your Japanese lessons, have you, Gemini? Fret not. By the end of the month, you will be able to 外国語を使 用することによっ てあなたの敵を破壊する easily.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.21) Every year, Congress inexplicably takes millions of tax dollars from the defense budget to fund research on brown tree snakes. This month, you will find out why. It’s a shame they don’t dedicate the same sum of money toward producing an anti-venom.
This young couple found love after using The Sentinel’s dating tips. Photo by Manon Wogahn.
Dating tips for dating When it comes to dating, many of today’s youth find themselves lost and unprepared. If you are an aforementioned youth who is lost and unprepared, follow this expert advice from Manon Wogahn and Lauren Shaw, and you will be certain to find the significant other of your dreams. STEP 1: How to ask someone on a date First tell potential meat outright how attractive he or she is. It is best to use modern slang words, such as “sexy” or “meow”, so that they know you are serious. Also, be sure to comment on all of their undesirable features. They will appreciate your honesty. Take up a lot of their time when you ask them out. Lead up to it slowly. Again, this lets them know that you’re serious. Following Romeo and Juliet’s example, only ask someone out if you’ve known them for a week or less. This way there’s an element of surprise. STEP 2: Preparation Guys: make sure you have showered and donned a shirt and jeans. Make sure to forget a belt and let your pants sag (girls love that). A gelled hairstyle and your strongest-smelling Axe body spray are also essential. Girls: this process is the longest step. After washing your hair, step
into your sexiest outfit that shows the max amount of skin possible and load up on the perfume and mascara. This will show him your interest and dedication to a longterm relationship. Watch Bravo TV for hair, makeup, outfit, and attitude inspiration. Guys: If you’re picking her up, make sure to have a Nickelback CD in your car to play for her on the way to dinner. It shows that you are considerate of her feelings. STEP 3: The Date Make sure everyone in the restaurant knows that you’re on a date. Let the server know, let the cooks know, let the other diners know. This lets everyone know you’re actually desirable. The most essential part to remember while on the date is to make it as awkward as possible. Ask the server multiple questions about the “free-range” chicken. Discuss your dream career as a cheese carver in Wisconsin. When you leave for the bathroom, ask your date if you can borrow some Preparation H.
Include key phrases such as “I’d love to get married in Hawaii, hint hint” and “We’d make good-looking babies.” Never bring your wallet. When the paycheck comes it will appear as a though you forgot it and you will avoid having to pay for the dinner. At the end of the date, tell your partner that you love them in your most serious manner. Again, you’re trying to show off your serious side. STEP 4: The Follow-Up Allow a grace period of a few weeks. Don’t call, don’t respond to their texts, don’t make eye contact in the hallway. Kids these days need room to breathe, you don’t want to scare them off. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. When you do speak to them, play hard-to-get. Studies have shown that it’s the most effective way to attract a long-term, committed lover. Combining all of these steps will be sure to match you with the girl or guy of your dreams. Don’t forget to thank us.
11.07.13
Students sport fake blood and bandages for Fake Injury Day. Photo by Sierra Zounes
Traditionally Timeless Homecoming spirit transcends the ages. STORY BY KATIE MCPHERSON
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Junior Ty Goering portrayed physics teacher George Stimson on Freaky Friday. Photo by Sierra Zounes
Seniors Kirstin Mattioli and Nina McKendree dressed as Carl and Russel from the movie “Up.” Photo by Katie McPherson
Students watch the Austrian exchange students perform a dance on pajama day, which saw no shortage of participants. Photo by Sierra Zounes
During Homecoming Week of 1974, students embrace to complete the three-legged race, a tradition which has carried on to Homecoming 2013.
hirty-nine years ago, students at SDA took “milk breaks,” senior court was “center court,” and the homecoming football game was played by a real football team. This year, the homecoming flag football game was postponed to spring when the new field will be completed, but students still showed school spirit by participating in the week’s events. As can be seen in the black and white photos, students from 1974 were no strangers to the activity filled week. On Friday, the SDA royalty was revealed at the homecoming dance. This year’s homecoming queen, CamRyn Eakes explained why she loves SDA: “The accepting atmosphere is really encouraging and motivating
and the freedom to do whatever you want is encouraged and taking risks is encouraged and I think that’s super important in a high school.” Decades ago, the 1974-1975 Homecoming Queen Linda Maskiewiez expressed her view on the school: “From the very first day I stepped foot on the San Dieguito campus, I could feel the relaxed atmosphere and deep sense of pride in the individuality of the school. San Dieguito exists for the students. Our moods, our feelings, and our ambitions create the entire atmosphere.” Every year, Eakes and Maskiewiez’s words are fulfilled in a week whose traditions have stood the test of time. A few homecoming events and activities have changed, but the spirit has remained the same.
Students struggle in a game of tug-of-war on “Dress in Class Colors” Day. Photo By Sierra Zounes
Students stumble through the threelegged race in Homecoming week of 1974.
Seniors Sam Junge and Ty Gibson, both portraying Sam Junge for Twin Day, work together to win the three-legged race. Photo by Katie McPherson.
11.07.13
The Road to History Encinitas has changed remarkably over the span of its history, but traces of the past are found in the names of the town’s neighborhoods and streets. STORY BY ROYA CHAGNON AND SAM WINTER
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ost Encinitians don’t think twice about the origins of their neighborhoods, but a rich history lurks beneath the surface of these seemingly mundane boulevards. While Encinitas doesn’t have many streets named for presidents or national heroes, there are a number named for early Encinitas residents and local figures.
Leucadia, settled by a group of English spiritualists, was named after a Greek island whose name means Place of Refuge. Because of its Greek namesake, according to the Leucadia 101 Main Street Association, Leucadian streets are named for Greek and Roman mythical figures including Vulcan, Daphne, Neptune, Athena, Orpheus, Hygeia, and Piraeus. Elizabeth Briggs, one of the early flower growers in Encinitas, has Briggs Street named for her. Paul Ecke’s famed poinsettia farm is the namesake for Ecke Ranch Road on the land that was once his property. In addition, Bumann Road, Cole Ranch Road, Teten Way, and Wiegand Street are all named for early Olivenhain colonists, according to the City of Encinitas. Near SDA, Mackinnon Street bears the name of the Mackinnon family, who first settled in what is now Cardiff in 1875.
Just north of Cardiff proper, the composer district owes its namesake to its streets named after various musicians—Mozart, Schubert, Rubenstein, and Bach, to name a few. This can be accredited to early Cardiff developer and former music publisher Victor Kremer, who envisioned Cardiff as an artist colony, according to the Cardiff 101 Main Street Association.
Other Encinitas streets took their names from the local geography. Copper Crest Drive, in Olivenhain, was named for the copper deposit that was found near the end of Lone Jack Road and served as a mine from 1887 to 1917, according to the City of Encinitas. Closer to SDA, Lake Drive is a reminder that there once was a man-made lake where many houses and a dog park sit today, as evidenced by aerial photography dating to the 1940’s.
Art by Roya Chagnon
Thirty-five years after the Mackinnon family first settled the area, the Cullens purchased their land and began laying out the town. Esther Cullen, a native of Cardiff, Wales, convinced her husband to name the community after her birthplace and give the streets English names. According to the Cardiff 101 Main Street Association, Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Stratford, and many other streets, are the remaining legacy of the Cullen family’s heritage.
11.07.13
Pumpkin Bread Eats An easy go-to recipe just in time for the A Seasonal Delight holidays. Recipe by Wendy Disch.
Gym Buff
Pumpkin’s nutritional benefits can help justify all the eating. Story by Wendy Disch.
Ingredients
2 c. oat flour ¼ c. flax seeds 2 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. baking powder 1½ tbsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. ginger ¼ tsp. nutmeg 2 bananas, mashed 1 ¾ c. pumpkin puree ¼ c. agave 1/3 c. milk of choice
Senior Keely Thompson practices kettlebell swings with near-perfect form. Photo by Keely Thompson.
Senior Keely Thompson tests her athletic abilities with a kettlebell workout class. When was the last time you got eight hours of physical activity in one day? No wonder you don’t stand up straight. Let’s face it, we sit the majority of the day, causing both an incorrect pelvis position and rounded shoulders. To battle this, Carolyn Brumfield and Robert Budd teach classes at the Encinitas kettlebell gym, Phyzyks, to build muscles so you “don’t have to try to stand straight; you’re there naturally.” The beginning of the free, workshop workout started with Brumfield assessing the alignment of our spine and knees to design custom workouts. Apparently, I’m a hunchback with one weird knee. So, that’s cool. Then we were all told to lie down on the ground and picture the nervous system. I could sense the brain power of my companions, seniors Annie Goodstein and Serena Saake, as they envisioned their AP Biology textbook. I just lay there looking at the ceiling. All of the exercises involved “anus winking.” What that means, I’m not really sure. But, it made me incredibly sore and hobble around the house for the
next couple of days. Finally, after two hours, we got to do what we really came for. KETTLEBELLS! Brumfield’s first direction was “tighten your abs. I’m going to punch you.” And yes, it did hurt. We started with just the simple swing and worked on our basic motions: not overarching our back, not over accelerating the kettlebell on the down swing, and not “throwing it at our crotch and getting out of the way,” as Brumfield called it. After, she told us to work on switching hands. Coordination is not my greatest talent…that’s why I run cross country. So I started swinging this kettlebell back and forth. Exhaustion was setting in and my hands were really sweaty, resulting in me throwing the kettlebell across the room. I was so shocked by how hard kettlebells are, between the strength of lifting the weight and the cardio of doing the bendand-snap-like swing. Overall, the class was very interesting and non-traditional. If you would like to have better posture, eliminate pain, and get in better shape, then this is the class for you.
For many, fall consists of a gloomy, post-summer depression that seems to last far too long. But after September drags by, an entirely new sense of excitement emerges with the season’s first pumpkin. Not only does it ignite the anticipation of candy filled jack-o-lanterns and Thanksgiving feasts, but it also offers a chance to bring some nutrition to the season’s typical belt-bursting treats. I’m not alone in my admiration. Coffee shops and grocery stores alike realize the potential profit of the ever-alluring pumpkin. Pumpkin spice lattes, Directions pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pie are among the 1. If oat flour is too pricey, process 2 ¼ cups of most popular of this fad. Panera Bread manager rolled oats in a food processor for about a minute. Laura Alcaide said, “It’s definitely the flavor of the 2. For the pumpkin puree, find a pumpkin (the season [and] one of our most sold items.” smaller, the better). Cut off the stem and scoop out When we’re not carving misshapen faces into the seeds, then put the two halves skin-side up on them or smothering them in sugar, pumpkins a cookie sheet. actually present some impressive health benefits. 3. Sprinkle the halves with sea salt and It is a vegetable, after all. With under 50 bake at 400° for 40 minutes. calories per cup of cooked of pumpkin 4. Let pumpkins cool for at flesh, there is more potassium than least 30 minutes. your average banana and zero 5.Peel off the skin and grams of fat. Also, the incredibly process the flesh in a high amounts of vitamin A are blender or food processor natural boosters to the immunity until fully pureed. system and are good for the 6. Preheat oven to 350° skin. While particularly high in 7. Once all ingredients calories, one cup of these seeds are prepped, mix all dry will get you more protein than an ingredients together in a equivalent serving of chicken. medium bowl. It’s not hard to see why the pumpkin 8. In a larger bowl combine wet Art by Alynne Powers trend is greeted with such enthusiasm. ingredients and slowly fold dry into wet Their health benefits are just another plus. until completely mixed. Whether used for business, decoration, or dinner, 9. In a greased bread pan, pour in the batter and this seasonal monument will never fail to return bake for 45-60 minutes. each year and spread warmth and comfort to all 10. Allow bread to cool before serving. who need it.
Psychology Don’t worry, be happy
New research is starting to provide insight on ways to influence everyday positivity. Story by Sienna Zounes. School can be tough to handle. It can become hard to leave the comforts of your home and say, “Carpe Diem.” Still, we can’t stay in bed forever, so we might as well find things t0 make us open the curtains to a brand new day.
Smile
When you’re happy, you smile, and when you’re not, you frown. It’s the simplicity of human emotions. But, these expressions could actually lead to the emotion itself. Research from various institutions, like the University of Cardiff of Wales, is beginning to suggest you can make yourself happier by pretending to be.
Ever heard of “fake it ‘til you make it?” You’re making your own happiness, and by smiling, making others happy, too.
Making others happy
“Treat others the way you want to be treated.” While most people learned this “Golden Rule” back in kindergarten, it can also apply to keeping a positive attitude. According to a study by psychologist Michael Steger from University of Louisville, Kentucky, treating people with respect and preforming good deeds not only makes others feel cheerful, but it can increase happiness in yourself. Minus the
sociopaths of the world, people are geared to feel empathy. When you make someone else happy, you can practically feel the goodnatured vibes bounce back.
Making yourself happy
Doing things that make you happy isn’t being selfish. We can get so caught up in our responsibilities that we forget we deserve time to ourselves, too. So put down that homework for an hour for something that makes you happy, whether it’s being with friends or playing Minecraft. You have to start from your own home first before you can branch out to the people outside.
11.07.13
Sound and cinema
Sound and cinema reviews some of the best releases this year. From a senile delinquent, a tormented telekinetic, punk vibes, techno beats, and an indie-rock flair, these films and albums do not disappoint.
Credits: Official Bad Grandpa website
Credits: Official Carrie website
Bad Grandpa
Carrie
Burials
Icon for Hire
Reflektor
The office smash “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” is another collaboration of Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine (the director of every Jackass movie). Basically it’s a mash up of films that are centered on characters that traveled across America and got themselves involved in mischievous situations such as “Borat,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” and, of course, every Jackass movie. “Bad Grandpa” had its perks, but the elaborate stunts and reactions from civilians were a bit old halfway through the film, combined with inappropriate humor. Knoxville’s character exceeds the general morality of the elderly and destroys his dignity by the decisions he makes that were perfectly described as ridiculously embarrassing. Probably the scene where I laughed the most was the beauty pageant, with horrified public reactions to Billy’s performance of a striptease while dressed in drag and ending with his wig falling off. The sheer unbelievable quality of the various stunts pulled off undermined the content quality in certain parts, though the initial purpose was to make an impressionable comedy and a new take on slapstick currently popular in Hollywood, which they achieved with top of the box office. Ultimately, I felt like this continuation of the Jackass series had redeeming quality, as it was hard not to laugh when Knoxville almost cracked up mid performance in every prominent scene, as if he couldn’t take his character seriously, even the less than humorous parts. I think that was the biggest joke of the movie.
“What did Carrie White ever do to you?” That question is asked several times in “Carrie,” and it plants a seed of sympathy in this new adaptation. In the original 1976 film, Carrie was portrayed as a wide-eyed, and in my opinion, ditzy teenager played by Sissy Spacek, who had the height of a college student and the voice of a six-year-old girl. This made the character less realistic to a high school student. However the “modern” Carrie played by Chloe Grace Moretz perfectly fits the genre. Although Moretz is more conventionally pretty than Spacek, her gawkiness is internalized. Carrie’s horrific home life physically and psychologically damages her. Her religious-fanatic and manipulatively abusive mother is the least of it. Carrie is locked in a closet and required to pray on a regular basis. She cannot engage in any activities or have a typical social life. She was also never taught the basic knowledge of womanhood, and thus she is tormented by her classmates. My level of sympathy for Carrie is high. Everyone has been a victim of, a witness to, or a suspect of bullying. It hurts to sit through a movie while watching a teary-eyed girl get called a “freak” and “ugly.” I felt embarrassed and pained when watching the “mean girls” dump galloons of pig blood on Carrie at the prom. However it is an appalling moment to watch Carrie unleash her powers and take revenge in the end, which Moretz did exceptionally well. In short, “Carrie” wasn’t a horror movie. It was an eye-opener to bullying, a mix of fiction and non-fiction themes, a tragedy.
After viewing the song list for AFI’s new album, “Burials,” I was a little skeptical. With most of the song titles having some sort of negative connotation, I thought that this album would be depressing and have lyrics with a punk rock edge. However, my expectations weren’t met. “Burials” was a nice change of pace from the typical top 40 hits that are constantly playing on the radio. Lead singer and songwriter Davey Havok put a lot of emphasis on certain emotions like panic, anxiety, and desperation at the loss of self. Songs like “I Hope You Suffer,” “A Deep Slow Panic,” and “Anxious” felt very heavy and eerie, displaying AFI’s transition from the horror punk sound in their earlier albums to a darker and heavier ambiance. This album was filled with an enormous amount of crushing and thumping beats, which made it difficult to distinguish the vocals in some of the songs. I have to admit the album wasn’t really the most soothing, but the darkness and intensity that “Burials” was able to put forth really made it worth listening to. My favorite song would most likely be “Greater Than 84” because the band was able to construct a well-balanced contrast between the tempo and the melodies. It’s nice to see that AFI is trying to progress as a band. They were able to transition from their earlier heated and enthusiastic tone to a more post-hardcore type of feeling, and I think they did a successful job with their new release.
For a band that says they are “a copy of a copy, everything we’ve sworn not to be,” Icon For Hire is far from another cookie-cutter band. Their punk rock music has all the beat and catchiness of a Paramore pop song, but their lyrics and clean guitar riffs keep it as dark and aggressive as Flyleaf. They had a modest beginning in 2007 in Decatur, Illinois, but have since gathered a swiftly growing, dedicated fan base and have been compared to other female-led rock bands such as Paramore and Flyleaf. The band’s new self-titled album, released Oct. 15, is a brilliant step-up from their debut album “Scripted.” It has all of the elements of a metal band and a pop artist mixed into one, with some rap and hip-hop elements thrown into the mix. Their song “Pop Culture” rages against society’s mainstream ways while keeping a catchy beat, and “Cynics and Critics” introduces what could be called “scream-rap.” Ariel, lead singer and founder, put it best in a video of their live performance in Boston of their new song “Cynics and Critics”: “With our first album, we learned all the rules. With our second record, we broke all the freaking rules.” They tear down the barriers between multitudes of genres while still keeping their dark emorock undertone and embracing the new wave of techno-music. Breaking the rules, however, has made them more popular than ever. “Icon For Hire” has reached #5 on iTunes within the first 24 hours of its release. The band is touring the United States on their “An Evening with Icon For Hire.”
The very secretive Canadian indie-alternative band released a smashing hit. “Reflektor” is the subsequent to their Grammy award winning album The Suburbs, taking an edgier approach. With the single “Reflektor” already having been out for a while, a preview of their new songs on “Saturday Night Live,” and a 20minute long film/performance on NBC called Here Comes The Night, there was a lot of hype building up around the album. With big stars jumping onto the background vocals like David Bowie, many fans were gearing up for the album of the year, and it’s hard not to give Arcade Fire that title. (In my opinion, Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” will hold album of the year this year.) The new album is edgier, taking a grunge approach to a combination of their previous albums “Neon Bible and The Suburbs”, which is a very cool combination from the band. The lyrics are just as deep as they have been in the past, with amazing stories being told in each song, and the vocals are as haunting as ever thanks to the talents of husband and wife duo Win Butler and Regine Chassagne. Songs like the title track Reflektor, with the dark backing vocals thanks to David Bowie, and We Exist, with its terrifying lyrics about a group of people begging to be recognized for their existence, makes this album a haunting call out to humanity. The album is mind-blowing, and definitely the new soundtrack to many people’s nightly adventures.
By Michael Schulte
By Gabby Catalano
By Sara Portnoy
By Kira Elliott
By Caroline Daniel
11.07.13
Reggae on the rocks
Chase Brokaw, SDA alumni and lead vocalist and guitarist for the band Simple Green, entertains San Diego residents during happy hour by the beach. Story and photos by Gabby Catalano
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s the sun sets and the surfers wrap-up a day on the waves, The Beach House in Cardiff grooves to the smooth reggae sounds of Chase n’ Dale every Sunday during happy hour. Chase Brokaw, an SDA alumni and lead vocalist for the band Simple Green, and guitarist Dale Hauskins played both reggae covers and self-written songs that resembled the likes of Bob Marley, Slightly Stupid, and Tribal Seeds. They also treated the happy hour crowd with a tasteful cover of Neil Young’s “Old Man.”
With only two guitars and a microphone, these musicians succeeded in delivering a refreshing performance that had the listeners swaying in their chairs. Brokaw, who graduated in 2012, first met Hauskins about one year ago at Swami’s in Encinitas. “We just started talking and decided to play music together. It has been a year now, and we love doing it,” said Brokaw. Not only do they play in Cardiff, but they travel around San Diego County and schedule bookings to play for private parties. The Beach House is a great venue for the Chase n’ Dale reggae duo. Though it’s a happy hour and bar scene, it is still very family friendly and the infamous upstairs whale bar is a well-known Cardiff By the Sea community spot. Brokaw and the band Simple Green are very familiar names to SDA students. Crowds of students and teachers watched the band play last year during Exhibition Day. “We performed at SDA last year for exhibition day, and we hope to play sometime this year again.
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Chase Brokaw (left) and Dale Hauskins (right) play catchy reggae beats and smooth sounds in the Whale Bar.
It’s great being at SDA and seeing friends,” said Brokaw. Simple Green is still performing while Brokaw is studying at MiraCosta Community College. He plans on transferring to UC Santa Barbara in the near future. “We [the band members] meet up during the breaks and work on new songs,” said Brokaw. “We all write the songs together, but I sometimes write the lyrics.” “Music will always be a part
of my life. I’ve been playing the guitar since fifth grade and singing since sixth,” said Brokaw. Over a year ago, the band introduced five of their songs on iTunes, which is highly impressive considering that they are all high school and college students. The songs “Spread the Word” and “Relax” are must haves and worth putting on your playlist. The band has a goal that they
hope to accomplish in the future. “We plan on one day recording an album,” said Brokaw. Simple Green’s music and band information can be found on their Facebook page and on their official band website, www. rebernation.com/simplegreen. Head out to The Beach House in Cardiff this Sunday between 4 and 7 p.m., order some fish tacos, and watch the sunset while listening to great reggae music.
11.07.13
You can’t wait to see this
Ravenswood
“Pretty Little Liars” spinoff spins off course. Story by Katrina Olsen
This dramatic comedy has everything. Story by Alex Weingarten
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he second period drama production class will be performing “You Can’t Take it With You” Nov. 14-16. This multi-genre play of comedy, romance, and drama is based in the 1930s and tells a heartwarming story of two families, the Sycamores and the Kirbys. The Sycamores are a caring family that is in constant disarray, whereas the Kirbys are an unhappy family who focus on structure. These two opposite families clash when Tony Kirby, played by sophomore Will Fletcher, and Alice Sycamore, played by sophomore Emma Daughters, fall in love. As the love story plays out, the Kirbys discover the importance of living life to the fullest. “It is a larger production than most of the other plays done before and it requires a large ensemble,” said drama production teacher Stephanie Siers. “This play required two and a half months of rehearsal.”
Senior Cameron Waggoner, an actor in the play, said, “It’s chaotic because we have to make everything happen at once. I’m playing a Russian character, and I’m trying to do a Russian accent.” “You Can’t Take it With You” is different from previous plays, mainly because of the time period and the background. Throughout the show, the characters face different problems with comedic flair. Tickets will cost $8 for students and $15 for adults. As junior and actor Johnny Menhennet said, “Although it’s a lot of work, I can’t wait for production. We’ll overcome everything in the end.” Following this production will be the produtction of “Ash Girl” put on by Siers’ third period Drama Production class in January. This show will feature a dark twist, similar to the classic story of “Cinderella.” Be sure not to miss this one of a kind production.
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Sophomore Alec Maskiewicz fixes a light for the play. Photo by Gabby Catalano
Junior Ben Ellerbrock saws wood to build the set. Photo by Gabby Catalano
ith the popularity of “Pretty Little Liars” and no book series to loosely hold back ABC’s phantasmal fantasies, the spinoff TV series, “Ravenswood,” has the funds and freedom to do any clichéd horror plot they so choose. In an earlier episode of “Pretty Little Liars,” Miranda (Nichole Anderson) goes off to find her estranged uncle with Caleb (Tyler Blackburn). But they find two grave stones with their names and pictures dating back a hundred years. They get so excited that they decide to stay in the town, Ravenswood, and research long enough to make a series out of it. Probably because Caleb’s medium of choice is the local newspaper’s paper archives. As they get down with the books, we move to a new family whose mother is publicly blamed for her husband’s murder. This logic spreads over to her daughter, Olivia, who is also taunted for being a murderer.
Credits: Official Ravenswood website
Merely living in a funeral home with moving dead bodies and vengeful ghosts that’s across the road from a magical graveyard which is in a town of crazy people wasn’t enough. The writers had to throw in a curse too. Our two teens, the twins, and a funky newspaper girl come up with a somewhat controversial idea that every time a veteran comes home, five teens die in a car crash the next week. Despite all of this, the show still managed to score licensing for The Civil War’s “The One Who Got Away.” Really, the most enjoyable scene is the Pretty Little Liars themed “don’t text and drive” advertisement telling me not to “A team it while driving.” There you have it, people, ABC’s solution to the high teen car crash rates: just stop fangirling over Pretty Little Liars while driving.
11.07.13
11.07.13
New coach, new chances
The Mustangs get a new coach and rebuild in preparation for a successful 2014 season. Story by Anne Bilse.
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he SDA boys water polo team has improved throughout their season with their new varsity coach, Scott Kling, and the junior varsity coach, Daniel Sullivan. The water polo team practices at the Monroe Pool in Carlsbad from 8 to 10 p.m. The seniors on the team say that although the hours are tough, they are thankful to have pool time. Under their new coaches, they have made many improvements from their past seasons. “We doubled the amount of games won and our overall number of goals this season has tripled,” said sophomore Collin Stewart. “We have made huge progress. Already, we have gone from basically getting blown out of every game and being really behind, to being caught up with other teams. If we concentrate on getting better, the wins will come,” said Kling. The team’s overall record is 5-22 and this season is a stepping stone for the goals the team aims to achieve in future years. Accord-
ing to King, their motto is “better than we were yesterday.” The water polo team does conditioning all year long to get in shape and build stamina to compete in back-to-back weekend and school tournaments. They attend Crossfit, which is an intense body weight workout. Said sophomore Sean Patty, “Crossfit is a good team building exercise that makes us stronger physically, and mentally.” The water polo team is known for running around in their speedos on water day, even in the pouring rain. The team also builds camaraderie by participating in school events and having fundraisers such as bake sales. They even have sing-a-longs on bus rides with songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Sophomore Nick Johnston said, “[This year] we really like our coach. As a team we have improved overall in our awareness and understanding of the game. We plan on playing off season on a water polo club team.”
Senior Matias Marquez battles an opposing player. Photo courtesy of Scott Kling.
Senior Jared Davis passes the ball to one of his teammates. Photo courtesy of Scott Kling.
Senior Zach Dahl shoots the ball. Photo courtesy of Scott Kling.
11.07.13
Tennis wins league
Girls tennis goes undefeated in league for the second year in a row. Story by Sarah Kochanek.
F Freshman Jennifer Kerr digs for a ball. Photo courtesy of Amy Stout.
Sophomore Kate Bilse reaches for a volley. Photo courtesy of Tracey Weingarten
Senior Sam Hodges gets ready to slam a backhand. Photo courtesy of Amy Stout.
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or the second year in a row, the girls tennis team went undefeated in Avocado East League play. This season, they earned the title of league champions and have an overall record of 10-3, also the first in their league. The other schools in SDA’s league are Mission Hills, San Pasqual, San Marcos, and Escondido. “The best part of being undefeated was that the girls are closer now than ever and they feel good about themselves,” said Coach Deb Abrahamson. The team participated in bonding activities such as tournaments and a fundraiser held at Bobby Riggs Tennis Club that raised $4,100 for the SDA tennis program. According to the coaches, it was the leadership of the varsity players that helped the team this year. Some of the JV girls had trouble “balancing tennis, school, homework, and family. The attitude of the team influenced their success this season,” said varsity coach Joe Tomasi. The students feel equally appreciative of the coaches. “My coach played a big part in us winning. He pushes us and although we don’t always appreciate it, it pays off in the end,” said senior
Sierra Gallant. Although the team had a great season, there was a setback regarding the location of their home courts. The construction on the field has caused the shutdown of the tennis courts here at SDA. As a result, the girls had to practice and host matches at Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad. This meant little to no student support at SDA’s home matches, as well as attendance issues for student athletes who couldn’t miss fourth period. “The JV team fell apart at the end [of the season]. It takes nine girls to play a match; October matches found only five Mustang JV players on the bus,” said Abrahamson. Regardless, the Mustangs pushed through the challenges they faced to have their most successful season in years. Abrahamson reflects on a highlight of the season: “Our most significant match was against Coronado because the win came down to the 3rd round of sets played.” Said Gallant, “Beating Coronado was great because we haven’t beaten them in years. It’s a good way to finish my high school tennis career, and I’m really going to miss my team next year.”
11.07.13
Girls golf
Field hockey
Overall Record: 6-3 Avocado East League Record: 3-1 Team Average: 251 Senior Abby Novack had the best overall score average with 39.5.
Junior Corin Luckhardt swings for the ball. Photo courtesy of Al Zamora.
The varsity field hockey team defends their goal. Photo courtesy of Dave
Overall Record: 2-11
Girls volleyball Sophomore Annemarie Moffatt beats her opponent. Photo courtesy of Dave H.
Avocado West Standings: RBV 4-1 LCC 4-1 Vista 5-2 Fallbrook 3-4 SDA 0-4 Mission Vista 0-4
Cross country Jaguar Kit Carson Invite Oct. 25
Boys varsity placed third amongst larger Divsion II schools. Girls varsity placed sixth.
The varsity volleyball team huddles for a peptalk before a game. Photo courtesy of Phil Colla.
Avocado East Cluster 2 Oct. 31
Overall Record: 20-11
Boys varsity placed second, and the girls varsity team placed fourth.
Avocado East League Standings: SDA 6-0 Escondido 4-2 San Pasqual 3-3 Mission Hills 2-4 San Marcos 0-5 Senior Amanda Colla has the best hitting percentage in the league with .308. Senior Laura King has the best number of digs per set with an average of 5.3.
Sophomore Megan Scherer sets the ball for a teammate. Photo courtesy of Phil Colla.
The boys varsity team shows off their third place medals. Photo courtesy of Tommy LaVake.
11.07.13
Surfer vs. Skater:
Senior skater Keenan Rodewald and sophomore surfer Karla Killeen compete against each other to win pride and glory. Story by Lily LeaVesseur. Where do forest rangers go to “get away from it all”? Surfer: Paradise. Skater: New York City. Skater, what an interesting perspective. I wonder if forest rangers are driven crazy by the quiet of the forest, stuck in their heads all day. Who do they have to talk to? The birds? The bees? Would they have “the talk”? If a forest ranger falls in a forest will the trees hear and try to help him up? For all the limbs they have, trees don’t have many helping hands to offer. So the forest rangers must love the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. If they fall on a street corner, they’ll probably find a man selling Life Alert outside of Neiman Marcus. Maybe they should set up an exchange program for overrelaxed rangers and over-stressed stock brokers to cultivate crossoccupational understanding. Wow, what a great idea, Me. Hey, thanks Me! And thanks to
you, Skater, for inspiring such a brilliant idea. Plus 50 points for every Nobel Peace prize I’ll win for promoting equality and abolishing stereotypes between forest-y hippies and gruff city folk. Surfer, I’m not sure how to work with “Paradise.” After Skater’s nearly-flawless and ingenius answer, I feel like I’m seeing the world in a new light. While before I might have mindlessly rewarded you with points for no reason, I can no longer return to the cave. As an enlightened judge, I will instead mindlessly take away 30 points. Can you be a closet claustrophobic? Surfer: No. Skater: Yeah, I am one. Surfer, I like your one-worded answer. Not only does it show that you are strong in your opinion/don’t waste no time foolin’ around, it also gives me
more room to drone on about myself. And we - at least I - know how much I like the sound of my own voice. Or, rather, the sound of my own hand typing. While it may make the same sound as everyone else’s hands, I find that there is something distinctly special about my hand typing. Anyways, plus 60 points for letting me talk about me. Do you hear that? That’s the sound of one hand clapping for you. Skater, if you just went public about bring a closet claustrophobic, I think that means you are no longer in the closet, which means you have nothing constraining you, which means you are no longer closeted, which means you have no reason to be claustrophobic, which basically means you have nothing defining you anymore. I would pity you for your sudden loss of identity, but I feel like I should punish you for not using logic instead. Unless you were being
Photo by Tacy Manis.
ironic? All the same, there is no place for irony in this column. Minus 20 points. Can you grow birds by planting birdseed? Surfer: I guess that’s an option, if you believe. Skater: I’m trying to in my backyard, but it’s not working. Surfer, I’m not convinced that you believe your own words. Is that any way to lead a country? To declare yourself a prophet and start your own religion? How will the bird-seekers grow birds if they don’t believe in you because you don’t? I don’t know, Surfer, I just don’t. Minus eight points for
each of your empty words. Skater, that makes me kind of sad. I can tell that you are honestly trying to grow a bird in your backyard from birdseed. I can see it in your sad, birdless eyes. But you know what, if you scatter a bunch of birdseed, a hungry bird will come along eventually and you two will become the best of friends and you’ll fly off on its back into the sunset. Plus 10 points to aid you on your bird-bonding journey. Surfer: 22 points Skater: 40 points Yay Skater! You win nothing.
11.07.13
Fashion Fancies
Three of SDA’s fashion icons share what influences their unique styles. Story, photos, and illustrations by Manon Wogahn
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ach of these three fashionistas has her own sources of inspiration, whether they be runway designers, blogs, or online retailers. These inspiration depots range anywhere from Prada to Pinterest, and hold just as much imagination. “If I try something on and it makes me feel confident and happy to be wearing it, it’s something I’ll want to buy,” says junior Taylor Altenbern. “That’s what I think clothes should do for people. They should make them feel radiant, confident, and unique.” Here, our subjects are shown modeling an outfit inspired by their favorite brands. Behind them are illustrations of these brands’ designs and logos.
Prada
Meadham Kirchhoff
Comme des Garçons
Hayley Earnest, senior
Miu Miu For Love and Lemons Ralph Lauren
Taylor Altenbern, junior
Mango
Jacquelyn Teza, junior