SDA Mustang October 2008 by The Mustang Newspaper

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issue one volume xiii

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Kaylin Greene

Staff

Trekking teachers Every student has a few months off for summer; the unsettling fact about this time is that the teachers are on vacation too. The rough reality is that these educators could be sun bathing on a beach towel next to you. There were a few teachers, though, that you didn’t have to worry about bumping into last summer. Those were the ones that packed up and got out of town for some interesting adventure. Stumble over to the features section and you’ll read about two teachers, one on a motorcycle adventure the other on a bird watching trip with her parents. While you were trying to get your stomach as tan as your back, the theatre teacher Sharon Dasho was looking up into that blazing sun at a bird in Ecuador. And hopefully while you were riding your bike to the pool, auto teacher Eric Neubauer was on a motorcycle trekking through Serbia with a friend and some locals. You were glad that you didn’t find them in your summer, they were glad to be out exploring the world.

On the cover This portrait of senior Natalie Nugent was painted by Rieko Michelle Whitfield. Whitfield, a junior, said that she exaggerated the colors in it because she enjoys painting things with dramatic contrasts. She has been painting for as long as she’s been able to pick up a paint brush and is considering studying art design in the future. “It’s something I love to do and it’s a form of selfexpression,” she said.

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Make art, not war While longboarders searched for the perfect wave at the Roxy Longboard Jam, the SDA Art Wars club made their mark on a canvas just on shore. On both Sept. 19 and 20, members of the club, clad in orange T shirts, performed for the passing crowds. Among the crowd were SDA students observing and shooting pictures, children playfully enjoying ice cream, and adults quietly watching. While the musicians jammed, Eleanore Breidenthal (pictured below) and the other painters worked on the giant canvas with both deliberation and creativity. As always, when the collaboration was finished, pictures were taken for posterity and the piece was fragmented. These panels were then sent home in pizza boxes with their new families. It’s a shame you missed it, but, luckily, on pages 20 and 21 there’s lots of pictures for you to check out.

Editor in Chief News Editor Alex Matthews Opinions Editor Michelle Cancellier Features Editors Ads Managers Erin Donaldson Emily Walsh Arts Editor Zach Garcia Circus Animal Fun Editor Eric McCoy Sports Editors Eric Peck Sean Znachko Nicole Fisher Copy Editor Ben Johnson Photo Editors Kendall Daasnes Liz Mills Staff Writers Emily Bartram, Ariel Chao, Taylor Chapin, Alexis Cook León, Paige Ely, Nika Fate-Dixon, Dimitri Fautsch, Danielle Gradisher, Andrew Kasselmann, Kirby Lochner, Madison Lyon, Deanna Melin, Nina Moussavi, Emily Ratajkowski, Alysse Rathburn, Ana Reyes, Kerry Roberson, Kyle Shohfi, Robin Sickels, Mckenna Taylor, Savanna Vrevich, Shannon Wright Advisor Tim Roberts

Obama-rama As we move through election season, the ads have sharper attacks, the candidates give more rousing speeches, and the supporters grow ever more fervent. Both Senators Obama and McCain gave rousing acceptance speeches at their nomination ceremonies, escalating even further the intensity of the rivalry early on. Check out page 10 for the full story.

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

Notice 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.

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SDA gets a new top dog Principal Michael Grove talks about improvements for the coming year. andrew kasselmann

“I

believe that as human beings we need to constantly try to make ourselves better,” said SDA’s new principal, Michael Grove. He recently talked to The Mustang about his plans to improve relationships with students, API scores, and the campus’s appearance. Grove returned after teaching speech and debate here for several years when the Academy was San Dieguito High School. He replaced Barbara Gauthier who accepted the position of Director of Intervention in the Escondido Union High School District. Grove is making a concerted effort to get to know the students at SDA. He deeply values relationships with students and, during his interview with The Mustang, made clear that he believes that good relationships will be integral in making the Academy a better place. Working in the past as an assistant principal at Oak Crest and Carmel Valley middle schools, Grove usually met with students who were considered troublemakers, he said. At SDA, he wants to meet as many students as possible. He plans to establish monthly meetings with a randomly selected group of five students to find out about the concerns of students who do not normally interact with the administration. Additionally, Grove will continue to meet with the Principal’s Advisory Committee on a monthly basis. The Principal’s Advisory Committee is a set group of four students from each grade level that discusses student issues with the principal. Grove also provided an update on class sizes. He told The Mustang that average class sizes are right on par for this school year with about 34 students in a classroom. Ten new classes were added the week before school began in order to bring the average to a lower level. However, some classes have higher numbers of students. The largest class is AP Calculus AB with 48 students. Most of the

other classes with high numbers of students are AP classes, but Grove said that the strong students who make up those classes will be able to handle any difficulties arising from the larger class sizes. API scores are also an area of concern for Grove. SDA’s API score has fallen from 816 last year, to 810. The state wants all schools to have scores of above 800, or a growth target will be set for the school. If the target is not met for two consecutive years, more stringent measures will be taken by the state. Grove hopes to stop SDA’s declining scores and eliminate the possibility of the state taking an increased amount of control over the Academy. To improve scores, Grove intends to do a better job of identifying and getting help for students scoring below proficient on the tests. He wants to make the intervention programs already in place for such students more targeted toward their needs. Grove also intends to address the student attitude towards testing by communicating to the students that although the test does not go on their personal record, the scores can have consequences for SDA. He made clear that, in addition to improving scores, SDA wants to maintain its intellectual freedom, saying, “We have to do something without giving up what we’re about.” Upon returning to SDA, Grove noted the lack of athletic emphasis and smaller student population as different from his memories of San Dieguito High School. SDA’s appearance had also changed: “I don’t think the campus looks as good.” He realizes that although many great things happen inside the classrooms of SDA, the outside is what everyone sees first. Although major renovation is not foreseeable in the near future, smaller improvements can be done, such as getting live grass to fill in the areas that are dead or dying. Grove is looking forward to a productive new year. He said, “What I like about my job is that every single day is different.”

Liz Mills HOMEROOM VISITS Principal Michael Grove answers questions in biology teacher Michael Santos’s class. Grove has been visiting homerooms to meet students and give them a chance to meet him as well.

Principal Grove outside of the office Would you guess that Principal Grove listened to Iron Maiden? Favorite TV show? Probably “Entourage.” I think it’s hilarious. It’s a HBO show about a guy that becomes a hot young Hollywood star. I also love “Lost.” My wife teaches film, too, so we watch a lot of movies. Favorite movie? Apocalypse Now. [My wife and I] lean towards drama. We like independent films. We go to film festivals, like Sundance and the one in Palm Springs. Did for fun as a teenager? Things I’m willing to tell you about? I played soccer (club and travel). I was and still am really into music. I went out to parties with friends, chased girls (not very successfully!)… typical teenage stuff. Kind of music liked as a teenager? Throughout high school, I really enjoyed heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath… stuff like that. Then I got into punk. Kind of music you like now? Now I like alternative rock, like Radiohead and older Liz Phair stuff. I’m also a blues fan. I like System of a Down, and Cake, too.

didn’t do the work. I was very mediocre. I had the capacity to do well, just not the passion or drive. It took until junior year of college to figure it out. I started doing well when I could pick the classes I wanted.You follow your passion… that’s what we try to do at SDA. I wish I had that when I was younger but I also wish I had the maturity to apply myself at that age. What would you say to your 17-year-old self? I would tell myself to be more mature and to grow up. I wanted to be an architect, but I got hit in the face when I took my first engineering class. If you were a bumper sticker, what would you be? A boring, basic peace symbol, I guess.

Where he grew up: University City and Mission Beach areas. College Education: B.A. in English from CSU Chico; teaching credential and Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from USD; will defend his dissertation for his Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership in a joint program at UCLA and UC Irvine this spring. Past teaching experience: Taught English and Speech and Debate at San Dieguito High School for six years, at LCC for three years. Past administrative experience: Assistant principal at Oak Crest and Carmel Valley Middle Schools; principal at Carmel Valley Middle School. by andrew kasselmann

Are you a Wikipedia fan? He has a Wikipedia toolbar on his web browser. He says “I never Wiki.” by kerry roberson and savanna vrevich

Kind of student you were? I was not a great student. I wasn’t very disciplined. If I didn’t feel connected with the teacher I just

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Tyrannic Ceramics

For her senior project last year, MacKenzie Airies made a replica of a dinosaur that once roamed the land around San Diego. According to SDA art teacher, Mr. Wright, Airies used the dimensions of a dinosaur that was very similar to a T-Rex and created each component individually out of clay. She had an interest in paleontology and was inspired by movies like “Jurassic Park” and documentaries such as BBC’s “Walking with the Dinosaurs.” This project took her from the middle of her junior year to graduation day to finish. As her written goal says, she wanted to “contribute to the school’s mission statement of celebrating creative expression.” by Ariel Chao Kendall Daasnes

Tardy policy sticks around for the new school year Teachers and administration appreciate the shift of responsibility, while students have mixed reactions. paige ely

hile the new tardy policy was in effect in 2007-2008, tardies were cut in half from 29,834 to 16,676. “The policy used to be at 10 tardies, we would assign a Saturday school,” assistant Principal Jeanne Jones said. “We would track students down, the students wouldn’t show, then we would track them down again …It just didn’t work.” Now, with the new policy, the responsibility is shifted to the students. After 10 tardies or five truancies, students are put on the Loss of Privileges (LOP) list. While on the list, various extra-curricular activities such as dances, sports, and theater are restricted. The only way to earn the privileges back is to sign up

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for a Saturday school. “[The tardy policy] makes sense,” science teacher Leslie Gushwa said. “It’s the best it’s been since the Academy started.” Students are getting up earlier, leaving sooner, and racing to beat the bell. “It inspired me to be on time because I didn’t want to suffer the consequences…or for them to call my parents,” senior Alison McGregor said. For lunch, students are going to places closer to campus. However, they are speeding to rush back in time. “We would have to get out of the parking lot a lot faster. Then coming back everyone speeds to get into a spot,” junior Camryn Carroll said. “I felt scared because my friends were going too fast.” Put into effect second semester last year, the policy has only been changed once. When the

policy was first written, truancies were not included, Jones said. Fourth quarter, the policy was revised and students started to be held accountable for truancies. Despite this change, the amount of truancies was about the same. Both third and fourth quarters had about at 4,000 truancies. Many students affected by the policy believe it is reasonable, but could still be tweaked a bit more. Haley Arsenault, junior, on the LOP list last year said, “It sucks if you play a sport. You’re not allowed to play in the games. And I almost wasn’t able to go to Prom.” But she still said, “It’s fair; it should just allow more tardies.” Alex Arango, junior, also on the LOP list last year, says it is a fair policy. He believes, however, it should allow longer passing

periods especially between third and fourth. Others agree. “I barely have time to go to the bathroom,” Carroll said. Others still believe it should be changed completely. “There’s a problem with the policy,” senior Ryan Anderson said. “The punishments aren’t in conjunction with being tardy. No work permit doesn’t make sense to me [for being late]. It seems overkill for something that usually doesn’t disrupt class.” Teachers across the board argue tardies are a disruption and a form of disrespect. “It annoys me,” said calculus teacher Darlene Blanchard. “I have to take the time to enter [the tardy] in the computer. It takes time from class.” Teachers agree it interrupts the lecturer, the learner, and the overall train of thought. “It comes down to a respect

thing. Whether it’s true or not, it says, ‘This just isn’t important to me,’” chemistry teacher Russ Davidson said. “It’s so simple,” Spanish teacher Suzanne McCluskey said. “The goal is to build a relationship with another human being. The baseline for that relationship is for it to matter and be respected.” Year 2004-2005 2006-2007 2007-2008

Grade 9 10 11 12 Total*

Tardies 29,444 29,834 16,676

Tardies 332 263 589 533 1,717

Truancies 73 98 197 201 569

*as of Sept. 26 2008 for the 20082009 year

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Peace at the pole

Amid the chaos in the 30 minutes before school, Christian students pray at a pole. emily walsh

n the cold (well, cold for Encinitas) morning of Sept. 24, Christian students showed up in front of the school around 25 minutes before the first bell rang. “Meet you at the pole” is an annual event for Christian students to pray for the school as well as to publicize their religious views. This event is always held on the fourth Wednesday of every school year. This year around 15 students circled up around the flag pole accompanied by five adults, some faculty and some youth leaders from local

churches. “The students come to pray for the community, the city, and the nation,” said Justin Windham, youth pastor of Faith Community Church by the Sea. Other than saying prayers, students are “unashamedly standing here with Jesus Christ, and they will be asked why they were here,” said Windham. Some students silently walked by with obvious interest, while others showed little respect. At one point a girl yelled down the sidewalk to a passing friend, “What the f--- are you doing ho?!” Noisy cars and a loud bus pulled up to drop off chatting students.

Liz Mills Prayer San Dieguito students and staff surround the flag pole in silent prayer. This was part of an annual event called “Meet you at the pole,” in which students arrive at school early to partake in a group prayer. The event allows the students to pray for SDA and express their religious faith.

School board election includes challenger

Dance drama of another sort

Incumbent school board members Beth Hergesheimer and Joyce Dalessandro face an opponent in dentist Michael Klein.

savanna vrevich kerry roberson

n Encinitas dentist is challenging two incumbents for a seat on the San Dieguito Union High School District board in the Nov. 4 election. Challenger Michael Klein, an Encinitas dentist, said he is running for the school board spot because he feels that education is the foundation to everything that is achieved in life. He wants to emphasize this importance and do what he can to stop the state from constantly taking from education. “Now that I have both of my children in the district at the middle school and high school level, I feel that it is important to get more involved and have an active part in order to make a difference,” he said.

If elected, Klein feels he would bring to the board a better representation of the community. “Just like in business, there are always things that can be changed or improved. On that note, I feel that I can bring a fresh perspective to the board. A different way of looking at things and new ideas. It is important to always do the best that you can while making change for the better.” Beth Hergesheimer is running for a second term. “I hope to be a bit more involved with the legislature at a regional or state level,” said Hergesheimer. She wants to be able to speak up and tell the legislature to keep funding education. “We have an amazing school board that tries to keep cuts away from the classroom,” she said. Hergesheimer regards Klein’s challenge as an opportunity to

help her focus on her district work along with her campaign. Joyce Dalessandro, the other incumbent, said she is excited to maintain the momentum the district has. “I would like to continue building on what I’ve done in the past,” said Dalessandro. “I’ve been a big proponent of things like schools of choice, like the Academy and keeping the Academy how it was originally perceived.” Hergesheimer and Dalessandro recently joined campaign forces. “We have worked so well together up to this point. We are attempting to save money, and we support each other,” Dalessandro said. Klein has decided to run a “grass roots” campaign, meaning that he is trying to keep his expenses to a minimum because ‘times are tough.’

seniors: yearbook pages discounted deadline: oct.31 full price deadline: dec.12

Homecoming has a few new features this year. mckenna taylor ave a goofy wig, an eye patch, a Superman cape, a snorkeling mask, and a band T-shirt? Then get ready for homecoming week on Oct. 13-17. The week’s themed days include Music Day on Monday, Fake an Injury Day on Tuesday, Make a Splash Day on Wednesday, Hairy Day on Thursday, and Superhero Day on Friday. Make a Splash Day will have water slides and Music Day will have a stomp session at lunch. Fake an Injury Day and Hairy Day are two new themes that ASB came up with for this year. Fake an Injury Day is when people can pretend they are injured, wearing things such as bandages and fake blood. Hairy Day is a spin-off of Crazy Hair Day and includes all things hairy from moustaches and beards to Harry Potter, said Kiko Kolb, ASB president. Following the themed days is the homecoming assembly on Friday, Oct. 17. After school the student vs. faculty and staff flag football game will occur on the field from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Students who are interested should go to room 70 for more information.

During the football game, ASB is putting on a carnival, which is another new feature for this year’s homecoming week, Keillor said. ASB’s goal is to give different clubs the chance to set up a variety of booths with games and possibly food and drinks to buy. On Saturday, Oct. 18, the homecoming dance will take place from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. in the gym. “We are planning on building a haunted house and trying to play live music and give a more club-like feeling,” said Kiko Kolb. The dance will have a Halloween theme.

The Nominees Freshmen Girl - Michelle Berry Boy - Madison Miller Sophomores Girl - Thea Brown Boy - Luis Cervantes Juniors Girl - Sydney Nausler Boy - Florian Termin Senior Court Girls Kendall Daasnes Wynona Hendrickson Emily Pepper Emily Walsh Shannon Wright Senior Court Boys Rory Anderson Cameron Greene Mike Lauth Cody Reiss Sam Stern

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Mustang card returns After a two-year hiatus, the Mustang Card is coming back, bringing students discounts at local businesses. alysse rathburn

SB is bringing the Mustang Card back to SDA after a two-year absence, hoping to have it on sale beginning this month. The Mustang card is known by some students on campus while others know nothing about it. This is because ASB has not been printing any for the past two years. It is a card that gives specific discounts to listed places (mostly restaurants) and though some students have still been able to put their old, expired cards to use, new ones will bring in money for the school and give newer discounts to other places. After the 2005 – 2006 school year, publication of the Mustang card stopped; “our students weren’t on the ball and they didn’t get vendors,” said ASB director Rod Keillor. Arrangements were made to begin the search for committing companies again the next summer, but it never happened. Now, after two years ASB treasurer Cody Reiss, senior, has decided to get the card up and

running again. When a student in ASB mentioned the Mustang card’s long absence, Reiss decided to take action and bring it back. “I think it’s tight and I love discounts,” he said. Currently the students in ASB are visiting possible vendors, trying to make deals for discounts. Companies who could potentially be participating are Bubby’s, Encinitas Surfboards, Juanita’s, Kotija’s, Karina’s, Roberto’s, Dippin’ Dots, Noodles & Company, Subway, Java Hut, and Dairy Queen, among others. “I want to put money back into clubs and cool stuff,” said Reiss. Money made from selling the card will be put back into the school; it will cost 10 dollars to purchase but students with an ASB sticker will be able to receive the card for free. “We’re hoping to get some students who have bought an ASB card [to get the cards],” Keillor said. Once enough vendors have committed to the discounts and the design for the card is created, approximately 1200 new ones

ASB on Facebook? No. A Facebook profile masquerades as SDA’s ASB.

kyle shohfi

ours before the first day of school, dozens of seniors gathered at the SDA student parking lot to “claim” spaces for themselves using chalk, drawing a design representative of the “designated parker.” By the time students began arriving at school around 7:25 on Aug. 25, they found dozens of parking spots that contained the names of the senior class of 2009. Rod Keillor, ASB advisor, said that a student parked in a spot that was not his by chalkright, hence provoking the student who chalked the spot to retaliate by smearing food on the “trespasser’s” car. Participants said the scheme to chalk out the parking spots for themselves at school was originally commu-

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nicated to the senior class via Facebook. The Facebook profile known as “Asb Sda” created an event inviting many seniors to meet the night before the first day of school and claim spots. Although the Facebook profile takes the name of ASB, Keillor said that it is not an official source of communication. He said that when Principal Grove asked ASB who had access to the Facebook account, nobody came forward or suggested the name of somebody else. Grove then made it clear that since the ASB Facebook profile was not sanctioned by the school it may not be used in the future, because it gives the impression that the school is somehow involved. Keillor said that ASB does not and will not advertise events to students via Facebook.

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Hall property park plans rejected After residents spoke at a public hearing, the Encinitas Planning Commission rejected the plan for the park as is. erin donaldson

he Encinitas Planning Commission rejected the current plan for the Hall Property Community Park on Sept. 9 after reviewing the topics raised at a recent public hearing. They are currently debating how the park should be scaled back. Residents crowded the Encinitas City Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 3 in response to the release of the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) of the Hall Property Community Park. Local soccer leagues used strength in numbers as they rounded up their various youth teams at a protest. Their battle cry: “Build the Park! The soccer leagues did not stand alone. That evening, an estimated 300 residents attended a public hearing, in which they were given the opportunity to voice their opinion regarding the EIR before the Encinitas Planning Commission. Because the turnout was so great, the building exceeded its maximum capacity and many residents were forced to wait outside. “I would like to see the park

built as soon as possible,” said Mitch Meyers, a coach for the Cardiff Soccer League. Meyers was among the many residents not allowed into the hearing. He expressed concern for tax payers, explaining that the longer the park is debated, the more residents pay for it. Meyers added that, though he would love to see the park host countywide tournaments, the current plan is too intense. “There should be tournaments, but not the way these guys have designed it,” he said. Resident Peter Stern agreed. “You could probably fit a whale into a fish bowl, but it’ll look ugly and it’ll probably die,” he said. Many residents who spoke at the hearing were concerned about the 90-foot field lights included in the park’s plan, as well as traffic congestion and adverse affects on natural habitats. Stern also pointed out that many of those participating in Encinitas sports leagues are from surrounding cities like Carlsbad. “This community is under no obligation to provide parks for people from [outside of Encinitas,]” he said. Representatives of the San

Erin Donaldson

WITH SUGAR ON TOP Representatives from local soccer leagues of all ages protested how long it has taken for the park to be built.

Dieguito 4-H were also unable to get into the hearing. According to Emily Whitecotton, an SDA alumnus who founded the school’s 4-H club, the 4-H was forced to remove their stables and livestock from the Hall Property in 2001 when

the City purchased the land. The 4-H had been using the land for 16 years, Whitecotton said. The 4-H hopes to acquire a plot of land to keep their animals and plant produce gardens. In the meantime, the agriculture program is diminishing and

many club members must keep livestock such as pigs and beef cattle in their backyards, said senior Ray Willingham, president of the SDA 4-H Club. “The City said they would help us find land elsewhere and they didn’t,” Willingham said.

New school year brings new teachers

New teachers join the SDA staff. They discuss their teaching experiences, pet peeves, and other things of interest. danielle gradisher

wo world language teachers, Spanish teacher Laura Krogh and French teacher Kathleen Johnson, left last year for Canyon Crest Academy. This year some new blood were added to the SDA staff to fill French, English, and math teaching positions. These additions include the following teachers: Maryse Daitch Classes: French I and French III this semester and French II and IV next semester Teaching Background: After teaching Spanish and French in Los Angeles, she taught high school French at an all-girls private school in Maryland and, this past spring, at Rancho Bernardo High School. On SDA: “I came here with the hope of finding a positive,

warm, and enriching school environment, for both teachers and students. “While we’re only a few weeks into the school year, I have found that SDA is living up to my expectations,” she said. Pet Peeves: In the classroom: When students don’t take “ownership of their learning and responsibility for their success.” She says this is because she makes “every effort to help each student achieve the very best they can” and expects students to play a role in this process. In the real world: “Rude people bother me. I try very hard to be kind and pleasant with everyone, and wish the same could be said for everyone.” Birthplace: She was born in Rouen, a small town in the Normandy region of France whose claim to fame is being the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.

Her first experience in America was as an exchange student during high school, which engendered in her an everlasting love of America. As a High School Student: Because of the very hard exit exam called the “Baccalaureat”, she was a very serious student. “I pretty much spent most of my free time studying and focusing on academics, as well as tutoring younger students,” she said. Bryony Kinnear Classes: Algebra Readiness and Geometry Teaching Background: Kinnear was a student teacher/aide at Claremont High School, and University High School. She then taught math at Parkway Middle School. On SDA: She expected students to be more stuck up like the ones she went to high

school with. Kinnear found SDA to be mostly “chill,” friendly, and without cliques. Pet peeves: In the classroom: Students talking while other students are speaking. In real life: Negative people because she’s a very positive person. Birthplace: La Jolla As a high school student: She went to Torrey Pines High School, where she recieved mostly A’s and some B’s. “I think I got maybe one C in my time in high school,” she said. Her choice in friends kept her studying instead of in detention. David Tow Classes: English 10 and English 12 Teaching Background: Last year, he was a long term sub for English teacher Jennifer Leach when she left. He also worked as a student teacher and taught summer school this year.

On SDA: Tow said he got what he expected: “a small liberal arts [school] cultivating a life-long love of learning.” When seraching for a teaching contract, he contacted SDA as well as high schools in Portland and Seattle. “San Dieguito or bust,” he said. Pet Peeves: In the classroom: When students don’t listen to each other. In real life: People who throw cigarette butts out of their cars and people who aren’t kind to animals. Birthplace: He was almost born on the highway heading towards Riverside, but, luckily, his parents made it to a Santa Ana hospital. They then lived in Newport Beach. As a high school student: Tow was an AP student, but not, what he called, “a real student” until his sophomore year in college when he really started trying and taking part in class.

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Meet the candidates

Voting for your first time this November? Chances are, you probably know something about the two guys running for president. You know, there’s that one guy who’s, like, older than nylon stockings. And there’s that other guy, who, you know, is like, so “in” right now. The real question is, what about those other things you get to vote for? Planning to just vote the same way as your parents? Here’s an idea: educate yourself. Or better yet, let The Mustang do it for you. Alex Matthews talked to the two major contenders for the 50th district congressional seat. Where she was expecting to find two straightlaced, suit-wearing yuppies, she found a native surfer dude and a prankster with a chicken suit.

Brian Bilbray

ncumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray, Republican, is running for re-election against Democrat Nick Leibham this November. “I vote for the future,” he said in an interview with The Mustang. As the representative for the 50th district since 2006, Bilbray said that rather than casting expedient votes, he has voted in the interest of future generations regarding issues that affect them, including the energy crisis, federal expenditures, terrorism, and the environment. Bilbray believes that his experience serving San Diego County has made him the best candidate available on the ballot. Bilbray previously served as a mayor and then a congressman for the 49th district, among other things. “There’s a lot of lawyers in Washington right now,” he said of Nick Leibham’s experience as a prosecutor. Bilbray believes that it is more important to have experience in public service and the ability to work outside of party

“I’m willing to take on powerful people when I think they’re wrong,” he said. As an example, he cited his disagreement with the president and both presidential candidates on their policies of “amnesty” regarding immigration. Bilbray said his main priorities are financial and national security as well as the development

of alternative energy sources. He hopes to increase control over the federal government’s spending, including military expenditures, but still make sure the country and smaller communities within it are secure. He also hopes to find green fuel sources as an alternative to corn ethanol, which he said has negative effects on both the environment and the food supply. “I have actually been out there protecting the environment,” Bilbray said. Throughout his career in public office Bilbray has worked on bills such as the B.E.A.C.H. (Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000) bill to monitor the cleanliness of the coast as well as efforts to find alternative fuel sources such as algae petroleum. The mayors of North County came to him first, he said, when they needed sand for the beaches. Bilbray also intends to improve the economy, given a

second term. He believes both his clean fuel and immigration policies will improve the job market. Bilbray said that stricter immigration policies will especially help jobless teenagers who may be competing with laborers who are here illegally. In order to dissociate himself with the unscrupulous reputation of his predecessor Randy “Duke” Cunningham, who resigned after being caught in a bribery scandal, Bilbray makes all his budget requests public. “That kind of transparency is one of the big keys,” he said. He hopes that his actions will set a positive example in the House and contribute to less corruption throughout congress. The only thing Bilbray wants to do when he is done working as a representative is “to go surfing when I get home,” he said. His environmental efforts in Washington are well rewarded when he gets to enjoy the “clean air and sparkling water” of San Diego.

ing to pay for their education, Leibham said that, if elected, he hopes to make more Pell grants and federal student loans available. Though Leibham has never held an elected public office, he feels that his experience as a criminal prosecutor has taught him about holding people responsible for their actions. He also has experience working on Capitol Hill for New York representative Gary Ackerman, and he feels that his MBA provides him with an effective understanding of economics. “I will not be a vote to roll the dice with our kids,” Leibham said. He believes that environmental issues should be seen from a moral standpoint: today’s adults should be tak-

ing care of the planet for future generations. In order to encourage people to take responsibility regarding global warming and the energy crisis, Leibham hopes to take measure such as giving people tax breaks for installing solar panels on their homes. Leibham said that finding alternative fuel sources will alleviate the energy crisis and help the economy. Economically, Leibham doesn’t consider himself a traditional Democrat, describing himself as “fiscally conservative.” He said that he will be a vote to invest in infrastructure, entitlement reform, and the future generations, but he still wants to balance the budget and reduce the deficit. Leibham indicated in his

speech that he does not believe the government is using money wisely. He noted the money being used to bail out corporations and pay foreign creditors the government has borrowed from as specific examples of fiscal irresponsibility in Washington. “You can’t invest in America when you’re so far down in that debt ditch,” he said in his speech. While Leibham is considered an underdog, he is optimistic about the race. He explained that a number of polls have shown that voters are not satisfied with Bilbray and would vote for a Democrat in the election. “I share the values and the vision of the people and the families of this district,” he said, explaining why voters should choose him.

Photo courtesy of Brian Bilbray

THE INCUMBENT Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray sits at his desk.

lines. Bilbray described himself as a “moderate Republican,” noting that he has found it necessary to have bipartisan support in many of his congressional accomplishments. One reason Bilbray feels he has earned a second term in Congress is his commitment to standing up when he believes a mistake is being made in D.C.

Nick Leibham J

ust within the entrance of Democratic congressional candidate Nick Leibham’s office hangs a fuzzy yellow chicken suit. Seemingly nonsensical, this getup was used to challenge Leibham’s opponent, incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray, Republican, to a debate. Leibham said that after Bilbray dodged several of Leibham’s invitations to debate, he sent an intern wearing the suit to Bilbray’s office to deliver the final invitation. As the debate challenge was served, Leibham stood outside grilling chicken sandwiches. As a former high school teacher, one of Leibham’s top priorities is improving education. The disparities between schools in different areas are one

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of American education’s inherent flaws, he said. “It’s awfully difficult to teach a kid when they haven’t had breakfast,” he said in his speech at a “meet and greet” on Sept. 14, explaining the difficulties facing the educational system in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Leibham also understands the struggles faced by families and students paying for college, as he is still paying off his student loans, he said in an interview with The Mustang. Although he loved being a criminal prosecutor for the city of San Diego after law school, he had to find a different job because he couldn’t afford to pay off his debt, he said. Because he has experienced the same challenges faced by so many students try-

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mustang 10.03.08

A party that’s not Grand or Old Democratic Congressional candidate Nick Leibham has been focusing on “grassroots” campaigning such as house parties that provide a forum for voters to voice their concerns. Alex Matthews attends one of these “meet and greets,” and talks to the partygoers.

he exterior of Sunny Escovedo’s Rancho Bernardo home was littered with signs and balloons on the Sunday the Chargers played the Broncos. However, her home was not electrified with the usual gold and blue lightning bolts that designated so many of her neighbors as football fans. Instead, green and white signs printed with the bold words “Nick Leibham for Congress,” sprang out of the grass, complemented by green and white as well as red, white, and blue balloons. However, this was not the stereotypical rally put on by campaigning politicians; this was a “meet and greet.” The gathering was quaint; two or three groups of casually dressed people stood in the well-manicured backyard. At the start, each huddle was holding relaxed conversations that they were easily distracted from. Even one escaped balloon garnered a collective “Ohhh,” from the group. Democrat Nick Leibham’s campaign aims for intimate gatherings like this one, where voters can meet the candidate and ask him anything, campaign aide Josh Wolf said. “It draws an important differentiation between Nick and his opponent…. It means having an open door for your constituents.” This is a trait that incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray, Republican, lacks, according to Wolf. Leibham, the son of a bluecollar worker from Oregon, blended into the tranquil affair with ease. He made a subtle entrance and quickly started up a conversation with one group about their shared experience of living in Hawaii. When it came time for Leibham’s speech the number of people there had increased to a almost a whopping 25 people. While there was the occasional “Amen!” or woot from the particularly enthusiastic man in the back, Wolf’s earlier assurance that the voters would ask difficult questions was true. On more than one occasion, Leibham’s reply to a question was that he would have questions about the situation himself if elected to Congress, a

Liz Mills TALKING IT UP Democratic congressional candidate Nick Leibham speaks to voters at a “meet and greet” on Sept. 14. His speech was followed by a question and answer session.

response that voters like Khristina Martin appreciated. Martin likes that Leibham doesn’t make false guarantees, but instead says that he will try. “He doesn’t lie,” she said. Although it was a political event for the Democratic congressional candidate, the affair played host to everyone from die-hard liberals to people who

knew virtually nothing about the election. Even host Sunny Escovedo said she was an independent voter for years; this was the first year she had ever gotten this involved with either party. Two guests, Alan and Hazel Turner of Rancho Bernardo, had just emigrated from outside of London and were attending the party not as Leibham support-

ers but as voters looking for information. New to American politics, they said that the main differences between British and American elections are that the campaigns here are long and expensive. “Do you have sex scandals?” joked Laurie Hilles, a partygoer sitting nearby. “Yes, we do,” Hazel replied

with a smile and nod. “It just seems a shame that you have to belong one way or another,” Alan said of the polarized political parties existing in America. However, other guests seemed perfectly content belonging to the left. “[Bilbray is] incompetent, unconcerned, uncaring, and out of touch,” Phil Butzea (the particularly vocal listener during Nick Leibham’s speech) said. He cited the recent economic problems, particularly the recent government bailouts of finance giants such as Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae as reasons that it would be “insane” to reelect a Republican to Congress. Disappointment in the last eight years seemed to be a common reason for the partygoers to dislike Bilbray. “I knew I’d vote for whoever was the opposition candidate,” said Vince Consoli, who only recently got involved in the campaign and was meeting Leibham for the first time at the event. Despite the heavily conservative voting record of the 50th district, Leibham supporters seem optimistic. According to Wolf, Leibham has the ability to win over both conservative and independent voters because of his history as an attorney and image as a “fiscally conservative Democrat.” Only voters who don’t really know the issues will choose Bilbray over Leibham, he said. However, in the end, Leibham’s supporters recognize that his limitations in money and status have made him the underdog in this race. Escovedo compared the race to her father’s unsuccessful fight against cancer. “[I’m getting involved] because things have been so abysmal in the last eight years…. I have to do something,” she said. “You have to fight the good fight, regardless of the outcome.”

Editor’s Note:

The Mustang wanted to cover a similar event for Leibham’s oponent, Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray. However, Bilbray had none scheduled in September since Congress was still in session.

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Election inspection SDA students speak up about who they support for president and, in some cases, why. eric peck

n the politically charged climate of this election season, everyone seems to have an opinion: McCain or Obama? Palin or Biden? Corporate or personal tax cuts? Stimulus packages or tax credits? In or out of Iraq? Vouchers or goverment scholarships? This is the laundry list of questions voters will have to deal with this November, some of them being SDA seniors. The Mustang staff interviewed students, regardless of age, around campus to try to get a grip on some of the political ideologies found at SDA. Some interesting things were unearthed: the two most obvious being the overwhelming support for Obama (followed by “don’t know,” with McCain fans being in the minority), and the discovery that some McCain supporters were afraid to express their beliefs in public for fear of being mocked by their classmates.

analysis

There’s no easy way to analyze the opinions of people without some background info, but the easiest assumption to make is that a sort of snowball effect is going on, with younger kids liking Obama because their one friend who knows politics likes him, or because “he’s chill.” There were also many students that supported Obama simply because he was different than the previous administration, and his election would mean change. People seemed opposed to having another Republican in the White House, and it’s very possible Bush has already lost this election for McCain; at least on the SDA campus, that is. OBAMA Johnny Cox, junior: “Obama seems good.” Natalie Nugent, senior: “I support Obama because I saw many of his videos and I feel he has good ideas for healthcare.” Megan Bradley, junior: “Obama because he’s a Democrat; I hate McCain.” Miles Fairchild, senior: “Obama, because he supports

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change and has better policies for the country.” Zoe Fox, junior: “Obama, because Palin scares me.” Mieu Bry, junior: “I support Obama because he’s trying to end the war… It’s something we don’t have to be in. He also supports free healthcare to people in the U.S. and will cut taxes.” Caroline Pollock, junior: “I don’t want McCain to die because he’s old and have Sarah Palin be president. That would suck. I’m just irritated with McCain, but I do agree with Obama.” Huaxing Bai, senior: “If I were old enough to vote, I would do so for Barack Obama, because generally my views tend to coincide with those of liberals. I agree with the Democrats on issues such as regulation of the economy, social welfare, and draw-down of the military. I honestly don’t believe Obama will fundamentally change the way Washington works, but he’s still the best choice.” Logan Gallagher, junior: “Obama, because eight years of Bush is enough.” Kevin Shaw, junior: “Obama, because he doesn’t want war to keep going.” Max Oltersdorf, junior: “Obama, because I like his vicepresident.” [Joe Biden] Rachel Calsbeek, junior: “Barack Obama, thank you very much. He’s the face of change and by us having an African American president it illustrates that America is up for change. And if John McCain is elected it will be the same as having frickin’ Bush for another four years.” Allie Noble, sophomore: “Obama, because we’d be in the generation of the first AfricanAmerican president.” Connor McGinley, senior: “I think McCain is the lesser of two evils, but Palin breaks the deal for me so I support Barack Obama. Yay change?” Henry Sweat, junior: “I mostly support Obama because Oprah supports him… Yeah, that’s pretty much it.” Dan Schricker, junior: “Obama. Because I don’t wanna get drafted by McCain.” Mariela Dieguez, senior: “Obama. Like with the war in

Illustrations by Emily Ratajkowski

Iraq, I like his stance and he said he’ll bring back the troops. Also his ideas on global warming are good. I think he brings better ideas and it’d be good to have a change. I don’t agree with everything he says but I prefer him to McCain.” Katie Scardino, junior: “I don’t really like McCain that much; I guess I would choose Obama. I don’t really follow politics.” Tera Dannemiller, senior: “I don’t support Sarah Palin because she shot a moose, and I paid 20 dollars to sponsor a moose.” Jake Novak, junior: “My support for Obama stems from his policy choices compared to McCain’s. A foreign policy of diplomacy is much more prefera-

ble to current saber-rattling. His economic plans are more sound and real-world than his opponent’s and he is much more well rounded. Along with his ability to energize the nation, Obama presents the prime choice for a future America.” Laura Beiman, sophomore: “Simply, I feel that Obama will be better and able to change more than McCain. I don’t do position politics.” Kolten Horner, freshman: “Obama’s not a Republican, he doesn’t want offshore drilling and war, and he supports alternative energy sources.” Andrew Ware, senior: “Obama because he is a better leader and figurehead. I think he is someone who will give the entire nation hope. McCain could

be a good Cabinet member, but he strikes me as manipulative for choosing Sarah Palin as his vicepresidential candidate.” Paula Godoy, junior: “I’m going for Obama because he’s young and because we’ve had a Republican for the last eight years and everyone really doesn’t like him. We should strive for a Democratic view of America. I really don’t like [Palin].” Amanda Reis, senior: “I’m going to vote for Obama. I agree with his views… culturally and economically.” Kim-Ashleigh Mostert, junior: “Obama because this is a Democratic school and most young people are liberal.” Anna Sheridan, freshman: “Obama: he doesn’t support offshore drilling.”

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Another selection McCain is too liberal, Obama spouts “change” too much, Sarah Palin’s qualifications are too strange, and Joe Biden looks too much like Bill Maher for comfort’s sake. Ben Johnson examines third party politics for the indecisive.

Julie Poincenot, junior: “OBAMA! Because he doesn’t want war.” Mia Sprou, junior: “I’d vote for Obama, because he has a plan to help kids pay for college.” Katherine Hee, freshman: “Obama. He’d really make a difference and help our country a lot.” Bridget Whitfield, freshman: “Obama. He’s black, we need a black president. President Bush messed up and Obama can fix it.” Ben Breidenthal, freshman: “Obama. I believe in what he’s doing and in his cause. I think he can help.” Dylan Donovan and Shane Donaldson, sophomores: “Obama seems like he can change. He’s not Bush. McCain sucks, and he backs a lot of Bush’s policies.” Julianne Golingan, senior: “As the Republican Party has repeatedly stated, he [Obama] is the next coming of Christ. Let’s let Christ do his thing.” MCCAIN Nick Smith, junior: “I could go with Obama but if I had to I would choose McCain. The only problem with him is he does not support abortion.” Heidi Myers, senior: “I’d vote for McCain, because I’m a Republican, and I support the Republican Party.”

Jaime Navarro, junior: “McCain, because he supports offshore drilling and can get us out of the economic crisis.” Chad Timmins, junior: “I wanted Obama at first, but now because of Palin, I want McCain.” Sarah Kellogg, freshman: “McCain because he has more experience. Obama has made some campaign mistakes.” DON’T KNOW Reem Jubran, sophomore: “I’m kind of in between, because McCain is going to help the economy and Obama will help stop the war.” Alexa Dilley, senior: “I have no idea. I don’t even know who they are. Wait, it’s Mike and Kiko right?” Alec Asperslag, senior: “I really don’t know. I’d want to get more information. Most of what I know is from hearing from people. I don’t prefer one over the other.” Kelsey Olsen, senior: “I don’t really care because I can’t vote. If I could vote, I’d be more interested.” Alexa Thornton, senior: “I like both of them. I can’t decide. I like aspects of both of them.” Mitchell Chivetta, freshman: “I don’t like either because Obama’s sketchy and McCain doesn’t want to do anything.” Evan Moring, senior: “I do my very best to not know about

the election. I don’t even know who the vice presidential candidates are.” Nestor Tadeo, freshman: “I don’t really pay attention to those things, so I don’t know.” Michael Maya-Peinl, junior: “I don’t support Obama because he promises to lower taxes and give free healthcare because that won’t work. I don’t support McCain either because he is focused on oil and ending the war. I think it’s interesting because there is a woman and a minority in the mix, but I’m not interested in the actual outcome.” Chandler Kincaid, senior: “I do like both candidates actually, for different reasons. I like John McCain for his vast experience in passing bipartisan legislature, despite his recent conservative slant to gain votes. And I like Obama because of his speaking ability, charisma, and because of his political platform.” (Interviews by Mustang Staff)

The Libertarian Party: Last winter, the Mustang took a grand poll of the school, which included a small politics section with the candidates left in the race at the time. An unlisted man weaseled in with seven write-in votes. That man was Ron Paul, the little Pennsylvanian man inciting relovution, and the last Republican candidate to withdraw from the election. Ron Paul has been described as a Libertarian, and although he did not run Libertarian Party, he believed a similar outline for government. Make it small and mousy, with fewer taxes to feed it. Let it exist only to help protect the rights of the people and the free market. The Party’s motto says it all: Smaller government, lower taxes, more freedom. The current Libertarian nominee is Bob Barr, and his running mate is Wayne Allyn Root. Barr was nominated on May 25. Although he was formerly a federal prosecutor and member of the House of Representatives, Barr’s best qualification to run for president is “not so much his experience as his dedication to liberty,” according to Andrew Davis of the Libertarian Party. The Constitution Party: The Constitution party believes that the answers to all of today’s issues – Abortion, Foreign Policy, Social Security, Religious Freedom – can be found in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and, surprise, the Constitution. The Party’s platforms bear resemblance to a Libertarian-Republican smoothie, advocating limited government and non-intervention while standing in favor of Republican stances against homosexual marriage and stem-cell research. Along with the weathered revo-

lutionary documents, the Constitution party puts a lot of faith in the Bible. They put the three documents in the context of their Christian authors and signers, quoting John Adams, James Madison, and James Monroe in their national platform. Chuck Baldwin is the 2008 Constitution party nominee, alongside vice president Darrell Castle. Chuck is a minister at Crossroad Baptist Church, talk show host, author, and an Honorary Deputy Sheriff at Escambia County Florida Sheriff’s Department. He has also met political leaders such as Ronald Reagan and George Bush, Sr. Green Party: The Green party is part of a greater political ideology that first became successful in Germany (Green is actually a translation of the German word Grün, first coined by the organization called die Grünen). American Greens want to immediately withdraw all troops from Iraq. They want social justice, equal opportunity and they venerate diversity. But the most famous platform characteristic of the Green party is environmental awareness. Greens fear for the sustainability of the earth; they place great value on creating an energy efficient society, protecting resources, reducing and removing waste, and overall, realizing humankind’s place among nature rather than above. The Green party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates are Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente. McKinney’s desire to be involved with government spawned in part by her father’s struggles during the Civil Rights movement. She became the first African-American woman to serve Georgia in the House; she has been a part of the Green party since 2007.

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mustang 10.03.08

Same-sex marriage should be allowed

What’s up with...

The Mustang Staff voted a unanimous 25-0 against Prop 8.

f passed, Prop 8 would amend the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Should two people of the same sex be prevented from marrying if they’re in love the same way a “traditional” couple is? The Mustang doesn’t think so. By preventing homosexuals from marrying, we are essentially preventing them from expressing themselves completely, since, in our society, marriage symbolizes how committed two people are to each other. While those of a more traditional nature may be against gay marriage because they see matrimony as a sacred entity, there is a point at which a line must be drawn between legal recognition and traditional sensibilities. Even if the churches do not approve, couples of the same sex should be afforded the stability that a legally recognized marital union provides: insurance breaks, sick leave to care for their partner, Social Security benefits, tax breaks, and an equitable division of property, among others. As high school students, we

ought to care about this issue enough to realize that no one should have the right to say that gay couples cannot marry. While detractors may claim that permitting gay matrimony lowers the value of marriage itself, it does no such thing. What does “restoring the definition of marriage,” as Prop 8 supporters aim to do, even mean? The definition has not been defiled; the parameters have merely been widened. Same-sex marriage would not be forcing anyone to approve of gay or lesbian relationships, but simply “guarantees the certainty couples can count on in times of greatest need,” (according to the official voter information guide for the California General Election) in a way that domestic partnerships cannot. If our country is to pride itself on equality and freedom for all people, Prop 8 has no place being passed. This proposition would take away the rights of gay and lesbian couples and treat them differently under the law.

staff editorial

“...me only getting one hour of sleep each night?” Sami Maisel, Junior

“...Kansas?” Alex Grinberg, Junior

“...sexual predators?” Callie Mahlan, Junior

“...school starting so early?” Wyatt Kirwan, Junior

“...people still wearing the prom sunglasses?” Chloe Deis-groff, Senior

“...Chloe being such a...?” Cody Reiss, Senior Interviews and photos by Nina Moussavi and Kendall Daasnes

Falling gas prices: an oily situation Gas prices continue to fall, but is this really a good thing?

two peas in a pod!

prices are a relief. However, in nce a week, with a deep the long term, painfully high sense of foreboding, I pull prices may be the only thing that into a packed, fuming, moneycan push people to be proactive sucking gas station. I insert and realize we have a major crisis the nozzle into my 13-mile-peron our hands. Now that gallon Toyota we are spending so much Landcruiser, and on gas, people are actuwatch with agoally realizing we cannot nizing pain as the rely on oil forever, and are price ticks higher taking action to develop and higher. North alternative energy soluCounty reached maddie lyon and tions. a peak of $4.59 a taylor chapin Not only are high gas gallon on June 17, prices an incentive for people but since then, gas prices have to conserve gas, but the buzz dropped an average of 80 cents about alternative energy has throughout San Diego. caused even the most reluctant At one point, I was spendof car companies, such as Gening $100 per week just on gas, eral Motors, to buy into the new so you would think I would be trend. After years of avoiding relieved to watch gas prices fall the development of gas efficient steadily, but I’m not so sure I cars, GM has finally emerged am. My wallet screams at me to hope that gas continues to drop, with its own line of hybrids. Toyota’s coveted Prius no longer but another side of me realizes monopolizes this increasingly all the positive effects that have competitive new market. come out of the sky-high prices. Teenagers are usually the On an individual level, lower

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first to be blamed for consuming without giving back and without a second thought. However, I am finally seeing my friends giving some serious consideration to a gas-wasting drive across town now that this crisis directly affects them and their wallets. Nevertheless, with gas now going for under $4 a gallon, I’ve seen this mentality quick to change. People feel as though they’re saving money and are induced into a false sense of security even though the oil crisis is still as prominent as ever. I sit at the pump watching money flow out of my bank account and into my SUV, but before I allow that sense of dread to wash over me, I try to remind myself of all the new, positive changes that are occurring. We can’t be fooled by lower prices; we must continue to cut back on our consumption and focus on supporting alternate energy as a way to ensure our future.

Liz Mills Pump it The fullness of one’s tank is inversely related to the fullness of one’s wallet.

opinions

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mustang 10.03.08

Trapped in the infinite abyss of DVRland Some people play sports, some people paint quaint little pictures, some write profound poetry. I watch TV.

isn’t that veird?!

’m not going to lie; I was pretty bummed when my DVR michelle cancellier (Digital Video Recorder, if you didn’t get the memo) with hundreds of hours of quality programming was replaced with a new and supposedly improved model. With one swift pull of a few wires, all my hard work was completely eradicated: the selection of my favorite programs to record, the deletion of the boring shows my parents had unthinkingly recorded, and the time spent dealing with “schedule conflicts.” At that point I realized that those heart-wrenching, yet vital sorts of decisions I had been forced to make were all for nothing. There were the times when I could either erase six episodes of “The Best Years,” a program I had been meaning to watch since the summer of ’07, or delete the High Definition, space-hogging “Mrs. Doubtfire,” a movie which undoubtedly already stood, dusty and neglected, on the Cancellier DVD shelf. Regrettably, those times would become only distant memories… besides the fact that I’ve already begun to do it all over again on my new system. But this DVR love goes beyond the occasional anxiety-inducing “schedule conflict” – I’m talking about stressing whether the available recording space has reached 0 hours, 0 minutes, and the DVR has begun to eat away the very programs I had so thoughtfully selected, replacing

Kendall Daasnes

WORTH DOCUMENTING What an accomplishment, right? Things don’t get much better than a DVR full of people communicating quietly with their animals.

those with episodes from an ill-timed “Degrassi” marathon (really, who put that there). I imagined this particular and very plausible scenario while on my family vacation, and my vision went spotty from the mere thought that those irreplaceable new “Intervention” episodes wouldn’t be at my disposal for immediate consumption upon arriving home. Life’s rough, you know what I’m saying? Then again, my life might not be quite as rough as those of the people portrayed in addiction-recovery reality shows, but the satisfaction derived from

witnessing those sometimes clichéd, though never boring, transformations is unceasing. For example, one “Intervention” episode revolved around a guy so ruined by drugs that he thought he was a top DJ, despite having never had a gig in his life (unless you count the obnoxious techno noise radiating from his speakers at all hours of the night as some sort of performance). However, within the hour-long episode, this same guy transformed into someone who still craved drugs yet had come to the sad realization that his DJ skills were never quite Coachella-

worthy. It’s these invaluable T.V. moments that keep me coming back to the living room, ignoring the desperate texts of friends to “Leave NOW” on sweaty summer days. Yes, I am one of “those people.” Don’t judge me, but I will choose the television over the wonderful outdoors– so be it if I’m laughing alone at “The Soup” or, better yet, fast forwarding through reruns of late night Conan O’Brien, with his eternally voluminous ginger hair and gangly body. The beauty is that I can watch my favorite programs

whatever I want. And although I may sound like I’m selling this piece of hardware to you, I’m only speaking the truth. And you can’t deny it: there is that certain bond that comes from watching the same television programs as another person, similar to the connection created by reciting movie one-liners. When it comes down to it, there is an art to what we serious T.V.-watchers do. My work may not show, but the truth is that I spend a lot of time tinkering with the inner workings of this silly device. At least I’m passionate about something, right?

Monkeying around the medicine bush Evolution is getting booted to the bottom of the page, while the Dog Whisperer takes up the good spot.

His Humps

y tooth hurts, but rather than seek medical aid, I sit and wait for evolution to kick in. Ever since penicillin, mankind has been stuck in the mud. The modern man (or woman) eric mccoy has no self-reliance. Instead they seek herbs, witch doctors, and Viagra to solve all their woes. What they don’t real-

ize, however, is that their unwillingness to suffer is detrimental to my health. I am not a cruel person; I am not a mean-spirited person or an evil person. I am simply a man who is concerned with the fate of humanity. Ever since the medication industry has been expanded to what it is today, the human race has stopped

evolving. Like a mammoth in an epochal snowstorm, the human race is frozen in place. The small pills we take when we are feeling sick, despite their friendly guise, are actually preventing us from filtering out the population. When illnesses are cured, the weak survive as well as the strong. When both survive, the gene pool gets cloudy. Sure there are exceptions to this: those who win Darwin

awards, unfortunate lepers, and characters in Hemingway novels, but the truth of the matter is that we get off lucky. We provide a means for our weak to continue reproducing. Sentiments aside, what America needs to do is run a business with its people. If you are a performing member of society, with the right resume of working organs, you can continue to work. However, if

something should slip up, and you begin detracting from the country with medical expenses that will inevitably lead nowhere, you should be cut off. Productivity is the main thing this nation needs to focus on. The nation’s resources are scarce and should be used in the most effective way possible. Sometimes that means making sacrifices. Sometimes it means people.

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Trendy blendy Fountain of Youth beats out its competitors in terms of taste, healthiness, and in general, all around dankness.

balls!

Real setting in 2006. Two short h, the wonders of my dank weeks later, Abdul Ejedari was smoothie place. San Didiagnosed with cancer. Cheeguito High School graduate motherapy and months of Tania Ejedari and radiation were prescribed. her husband, Abdul Abdul was determined Ejeari, opened my not to give in to the disease. Encinitas safe haven, The couple researched and Fountain of Youth, learned the health benefits in July 2006. I wonand antioxidant qualities der what my life emily bartram of the fruit and vegetables was like prior to used to make the drinks at that fateful day. Actutheir juice shop. Abdul began a ally, I do know. It was filled with daily routine of drinking wheat canned juices and concentrated grass, organic vegetable juices, beverages. Yucky. Five percent and fruit smoothies from the real fruit juice my butt! I want bounty of Fountain of Youth. my 100 percent, damn it. I get According to Abdul, his docthat satisfaction at Fountain of tor noticed a remarkable bounce Youth. This place is pure holiback after each weakening ness and smoothie goodness. chemotherapy, and advised him: My first time at Fountain was when I had just come from a “Whatever you are doing, keep doing it.” After four months softball game—another loss, no Abdul was cancer free with no surprise—and needed a cheerradiation needed. The couple ing—up. I was quite pleased is convinced the pure, natural when I saw the walls covered fruits and vegetables helped cure with Padre gear. Fountain of Abdul’s cancer. I believe it. Youth screams Padres spirit like People, you need to experiAmy Winehouse screams rehab. ence this place. Their smoothies However, deep within the are the dankest creations, ever. walls of this “mom and pop” I would know; trust me. I’m juice stop is a touching story. on their “Wall of Fame.” But It was by sheer chance that the seriously, this place is the real couple found their El Camino

Emily Bartram CHILL OUT Besides selling the best smoothies around, Fountain of Youth is owned by San Dieguito Alumni.

deal. Yeah, yeah, Jamba is great fun, but Fountain of Youth is scrumptious, in a more, “Wow I’m drinking some legit fruit, not pure sugar!” kind of way. Oh, and while you’re waiting for your mouth-watering blended concoction, there are two computers conveniently located for you to use as you please. So, you can lurk Facebook while your drink is being

blended. What a deal! Now, what needs to be done is to get your booty off that couch and head to the Fountain. There’s no other place in Encinitas like it that has the “Central Perk” feeling. And, Fountain of Youth has class. Where else can you creep on Facebook and drink a delectable smoothie at the same time? Now that’s what I call posh.

Vote for a better Encinitas Local city elections are more important than they get credit for. Pay attention, SDA.

not emily bartram

cern to students is the governake a stroll down 101. Look ment that most directly impacts around. Maybe grab a burthem: the city council. The rito at Filiberto’s upcoming Encinitas elecor a used CD tion will have much more at Lou’s. The tangible results, as the city downtown area is council’s decisions shape dotted with small our immediate lifestyle. businesses and The reason our school historical buildis so united is because we ings. Maybe you erin donaldson are constantly striving to enjoy this. Maybe improve while maintaining you find it suffocating. However you feel about the “SDA culture” (i.e. welcoming, laid-back, creative, etc). In it, you find it impossible to igeffect, we set a very idealistic nore the stark contrast between standard for ourselves. Holding old Encinitas and the construcour community to equally high tion of the new Lofts at Moonstandards should return the light, which are three stories same results; however, a schism high and distinctly “modern.” among the city council candiWhile the 2008 presidential dates prevents such a triumph. election does affect SDA stuThe dividing question apdents, it is hardly as significant pears to be, “Does Encinitas as the media frenzy portrays it. What should be of a greater con- need to change?”

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“I am thinking that one day, Encinitas will not be a sleepy little beach town but an urban city by the sea,” said Encinitas Planning Commissioner Gene Chapo in an article in the North County Times (northcountytimes. com /articles/2008/07/30/). The current city council appears to share this goal. They have pushed through plans for modernization such as a sports park and three story artist lofts, both of which require rezoning of city ordinances and set a precedent for future three-story high rises and 90 foot flood lights. Other candidates, such as challengers Bob Nanninga, Joe Sheffo, and Harriet Seldin, stress the preservation of the town’s historical landmarks and natural habitats, such as the San Elijo Lagoon, which could be in dan-

ger if urbanization occurs. So which is it, sleepy beach town or urban city by the sea? Think about your neighborhood, your local laws (e.g. curfew, smoking in public, and the like), your favorite hang outs. If you are at all interested in the atmosphere of your community, take an interest in this election. If you are at all interested in the atmosphere of your community and are eighteen, vote. Make an educated vote though. Research the candidates and consider their political background. If you think Encinitas is due for a facelift, vote for the candidates in support of an urban city. If you are an environmentalist or traditionalist and are content with Encinitas the way it is, vote for the candidates in support of preservation.

Encinitas city council election candidates Betsy Aceti James Bond Tony Brandenburg Rachelle Collier Maggie Houlihan Doug Long Bob Nanninga Harriet Seldon Joe Sheffo Jerome Stocks

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Grin some more, we’ll win the war McCain is the man of the future. And the very distant past.

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na world where the threat of terror is everlooming, kyle shohfi where gasoline is nearly four dollars a gallon, where all the evils of the world are targeting the United States, we need a protector from terrorists, a savior of oil companies, an ignorer of “Global Warming.” We need John McCain. Experience is a very, very good thing. It doesn’t matter whether the experience is good or whether the experience is “bad.” “Bad” is just a word that the liberals use to confuse you into thinking that something is not good. However this is truly not the case in the least. McCain has served as an Arizona Senator since 1986. Barack Hussein Obama has only been an Illinois senator since 2005. I believe I would be hard-pressed to find someone who does not consider Arizona to be one of the most influential states in the nation. Arizona has Phoenix, Flagstaff, Yuma, Tucson, Cottonwood Gulch and many other cities with a population well over a hundred. Arizona has been known as the state leading all others in the war against terror and the battle

mccain.senate.gov WHEN YOU’RE SMILING Senator McCain gives the Iraq war effort the full support of his grin. However, he’s reserving his arsenal of tooth-showing smiles for Part II: Iran.

against motorcycle helmets. It has adapted to the concerns of today and tomorrow, all the while remaining true to the values of the Red, White & Blue. And who is leading this state that guides the rest? The governor? I don’t even know her name. The other senator? Isn’t old enough (only 66). The answer, my friends, is John McCain. John McCain is inarguably ready to lead. He is ready to go after bin Laden and chase him to world’s end. If you’re a tree-hugging, America-hating, Communist-leaning person (commonly known as a Democrat), you may have sinfully watched Barack

Hussein Obama’s nomination acceptance speech. In his speech, he called out The Maverick on capturing bin Laden, saying that John McCain “won’t even follow him to the cave where he lives.” This is an obvious lie imagined by the Loony Left to defame our candidate. John McCain does not live in any cave. I assure you, no matter what you hear from the clearly biased media, John McCain does not live in a cave, cavern, or any other spelunking venue. He lives in a house. Several houses actually; no one knows how many he owns for sure. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that he pays taxes on all of them.

John McCain is a fighter. He WILL get those terrorists, and he’ll get them good. To address the lack of public support for the war, McCain ended his nomination acceptance speech by yelling (as much as a 72-yearold hero can) “Stand up! Stand up and fight!” about twentythree times. Although the cameras soon panned to the pundits in the press box, I expect that his words were effective and that a massive brawl broke out among the crowd. McCain, being a natural fighter himself, would have surely entered the brawl himself had it not been five hours after his bedtime and 60 minutes since

his last laxative supplement. In our world of little certainty, one thing is known for sure. Benjamin Franklin said that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. Since McCain has ingeniously decided to cut taxes for the wealthy oil companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers, only one of these two remain. So, when he is sworn in on January 20, 2009, America will have a bright two years of success. After that, when that darn left gland starts acting up again, we can only hope that Sarah Palin is up for the job. Of course she will be! She’s a hockey mom, right?

Abortion rights under siege

Teenage girls have no say in Prop 4 which concerns their privacy and safety.

oh rata tat tata?

esterday, I overheard two fort, safety, and privacy while girls in my third period throughout their transition to talking about a trip adulthood. These rights to Planned Parentin California, however, hood “Are you going may be obstructed in to come with us?” one the November election. asked. “Yeah, I need to Prop 4, making its refill my birth conthird appearance on trol,” said the other the ballot, states that friend. parents of minors must This conversation be notified 48 hours emily ratajkowski is not something that prior to their daughter’s you could hear in just abortion. any state. I am happy that we live For some girls, this is no big where sexually active girls aren’t thing. One senior says that she unrealistically expected to pracwould tell her mom anyway, tice abstinence, but are instead because, she says, “My mom is a given options. Young hippie.” women should be offered comI wish that every girl could

have a hippie for a mom if it meant their increased safety and privacy. Sadly, many teenage girls feel extremely private when it comes to their sexual lives and their parents. “I wouldn’t go through an abortion clinic if my parents were going to know. I don’t know what I would do”, an anonymous senior tells me. Most girls would not want to come home to see a slip of paper alerting their family to their sexual lives and decision. Most girls would rather take an alternate route. Under Prop 4, the options for girls who want to keep their

sexual lives private are quite limited. Girls can either go to court to try to get a waiver by claiming abusive behavior in there home (some young women will not even have access to transportation to get to court), or go through an illegal abortionist. Unsafe abortions are dangerous and often ill-performed. Planned Parenthood works with certified doctors and nurses on their staff. I can’t imagine parents who would rather have their daughter get a back-alley abortion than be in the safe hands of a real doctor. I want honesty in the households of American teenagers,

but I think the choice of honesty is up to the underage girl, not the government. Government should provide options for minors, putting safety first and leaving honesty as a personal choice. This is the reality: Prop 4 robs underage women of their rights while tempting them to make dangerous decisions. The sad thing is, the ones most effected by Prop 4 are too young to vote. But being avid and knowledgable on the issues that effect us can still educate the ones who will be voting for this issue. So spread the word: No on Prop 4.

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A lack of apparel American Apparel attempts to strip young women. Of their dignity.

gothy mcgoth goth

am guilty. Guilty of buying a Cotton Spandex Jersey Double U-Neck Dress, black, size small, and overpriced by at least $20. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the garment, or because I know American Apparel will deliver a material that will stay comfortable nika fate through many a wash, but somehow I was convinced to hand over my wallet for the purchase. I can tell you that it was not, however, the advertisements of a young girl in gold lamé knickers lying spread eagle with the text placed across her crotch that convinced me to make my purchase. Our culture has devolved into one centered around antivalues. Capitalism and greed have changed us to where we find ourselves ignoring morals for money–sex and violence sell and so we exploit them. The neon dollar signs shine too brightly to let us see that we are

becoming a desensitized generation. The evil is not in that we are exposed to sexually explicit advertising, or violent movies with thin plot lines, but that we seem, if not unaware, then uncaring. When shown an advertisement from American Apparel’s holiday campaign, featuring a close-up of a lady wearing snug booty shorts with subtle creases of female genitalia and the ironic tag line “Get Stuffed!”, students from all grades and genders alike responded that it was a little risqué but not out of the norm, especially when marketing to the late teen-age group–never mind the sexual objectification of the female model. We must remember that once upon a time it was a common mindset for a woman to accept herself as property of her husband. These days we turn our noses up the thought of this ultimate dependence and lack of identity, so why are we unable to see our own

moral recession? It is because the corporate world has trained us to accept women as a gender that serves your sexual needs after cooking you dinner. The male deodorant AXE bases its campaign on sex-driven women chasing down the scent of a man. Shirtless woman are pulling down top hem of their brand jeans or completely nude, hidden only by a bottle of Absolut Vodka. The message of advertising transcends the market. We are not conscience of it, but the values displayed in pop culture penetrate malleable teen-aged minds. When the world of solicitation synchronizes the roles actors and models play, we begin to mold reality around it. Expectations of plastic beauty and simplistic sexual encounters are built up and acted out in attempt to recreate what we know–or rather what we see on advertisements. The inability to meet these standards not only creates unhappiness, but we find ourselves surrounded in smut. Apparently I stand alone,

MODESTY doesn’t sell This mock ad would be almost too trashy for the newspaper, but it is a common approach for American Apparel. Illustration by Nika Fate.

vomiting at such exploitation of the female body, trying to resist corporate manipulation, and reject my role in a false society as a sex object. If we truly are

just becoming a more accepting civilization, continuing our ride on the slippery slope, how crude will we have to become before sex is just too vulgar to sell?

Downtown Disney’s red-light district It’s not a small world, after all. Disney has given child stars appearances too adult for their ages and roles.

wrathburn

ifteen years ago, Disney meant Mickey Mouse, “Cinderella,” and even “Toy Story,” but this once lovable and childish cartoon haven has recently been corrupted by perky young adults dressed up in colorful outfits singing and dancing in alysse rathburn front of millions of teeny-boppers, who eagerly strive to be their little clones. What would Walt Disney think? My sanity is on the edge each time I walk into a store of any kind or switch on the television because I am forced to witness kids covered in cosmetics, phoniness, and Disney’s oh-so-reliable stardust stretching their mouths into the biggest smiles they can muster. When I find myself with urges to put my fist to a poster

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or commercial, something has obviously gone too far. It all started with the original Mickey Mouse Club, where the Disney Corporation began grooming their armada of young, untalented stars. When Walt Disney himself first organized this show, the youthful and innocent associations to Disney were still present in wholesome child stars such as Annette Funicello and Tommy Cole. Some of these children grew to be cast in movies as adults which contained morals and values– nothing like the popular movies of today. But after the founder’s death, Walt’s name and purpose were dropped and Disney started tumbling downhill. Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were children that this new, tainted Disney bred and threw out into the real world believing

they had talent. Unfortunately, more of these “musician” idols followed. Kids in kindergarten through high school go crazy over tweens that the new Disney channel has made famous within the past few years. Hannah Montana became an excessively popular Disney Channel show two years ago and the star, Miley Cyrus, is now plastered on every product available for purchase. When the Jonas Brothers were featured on her show, their careers and popularity flourished, as well. Now these pop music sensations, and others, are more rich and famous than some worthier people will ever be. And these children who have been stealing spotlights have only recently hit puberty. These teenage stars did have a head start with experience before the Disney Channel blew their talent act out of propor-

tion, though. Cyrus’ father is the former country star Billy Ray Cyrus, so for her to have musical talent was assumed and anticipated. The Jonas Brothers began their history in the music industry before they reached double digits in age. The middle brother received the trio’s first record contract early on and by 2005 they were recording covers of Disney songs; two years later Disney decided to make their faces well known and give them the power to be near-hypnotists to their uncountable young fans. Recent movies such as “High School Musical” and “Camp Rock” have also become idolized just for the voices and flashy image that Disney has produced for their stars. Young girls drool over Zac Efron from “High School Musical” and pretend to be Ashley Tisdale, not realizing that these are all just kids who tried out to be on a Disney show

and happened to make it big. “Camp Rock” has combined the “Jo Bros” with yet another group of kids who nobody had ever seen before and turned them all into glamorous little role models who wear too much makeup and deal with unrealistic replications of real life teenage problems. In addition to zoning out to these Disney creations’ movies, young children have increasingly begun to listen to their music. They have started to appear on the top of charts and are outselling notable bands such as Staind and even Kelly Clarkson. Today’s generation already has a generally bad taste in music; where will the music industry be in 10 years if this Disney pop is able to snake its way into the ears and minds of younger generations? It is a brainwashing, counterfeit “happiest place on earth” corporation that could produce a clueless future society.

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Murphy’s lot

Chalk Your Spot was a good idea, until it failed to stand up to common logic. This is why it was doomed. Story by Ben Johnson, photo by Kendall Daasnes.

he Gold Rush was a time of American dreams and nightmares; any man, woman, teenaged vagabond, or child could strike it rich with pickaxes, gold pans, endurance, faith, fortitude, and lots of spare time. But most crucial of all, they needed to register a claim on a piece of land to turn over. And land was scarce, so the smartest, cruelest, cheekiest ‘49ers sometimes tried to sneak a few acres of someone else’s land in the name of greed. Illegal, morally questionable (by rights, it should have belonged to the natives), and possibly fatal, people risked all for riches. What is SDA but a timeclouded mirror of the Gold Rush? What are parking spaces but claims? What are students if not the bumbling ‘49ers, blue-jeans-clad, scouting for the perfect site to maximize their own utility? The Gold Rush is the landconflict spiritual ancestor to a senior-organized, senior-exclusive new parking lot order known as Chalk Your Spot. It is founded on the principle of “one senior, one parking space (with lots of pretty chalk).” Just like 1849 except, unlike the decaying metaphor, Chalk Your Spot has no clearly explained rules. Though it sounded fun to begin with, it was doomed to end in chaos. Seniors only could own a chalked spot, and for this reason, Chalk Your Spot has since been condemned as an act contrary to the Academy’s spirit, as it includes exclusion. This is fair; the spirit of exclusion should never be allowed to reside in anyone’s heart. The administration’s attention was brought to Chalk Your Spot when a car was trashed for parking spot invasion. Chalk Your Spot seemed fun at first, but it couldn’t be adhered to for more than a week, perhaps even if people did take it seriously. It was also destined to provoke hostilities among classmates. In the beginning, most

seniors didn’t mind if you park in their chalked spot, but was bound to be a number that did, that would act upon it under the right conditions. Parking became a game of automobile Russian Roulette. Chalk Your Spot was also an exercise in paradox. While seniors were the first ones to chalk their spots (8:00 p.m., the night before the first day of school) and make up the biggest portion of student drivers, they’re the least likely to show up early enough to claim these spots. Many seniors have free firsts or “relaxed” first period teachers, and others are just lazy. Any po-

tential structure collapses. Utter. Parking lot. Chaos. The more vulturish juniors (meaning most of them), then jump the claim. This is probably why there were no juniors during the Gold Rush. Seniors are prideful creatures. In this situation, there were two options: defend our honor from juniors who think they’re hotter stuff than they are, or ditch the idea altogether. In the end, it’s just a parking spot. As seniors show up late or not at all, underclassmen steal their parking spots. The seniors then play the apathy game

(which we’re so good at) and no more Chalk Your Spot. Except for the one car that was trashed; that was the senior who took the defensive road. It was probably meant in a lighthearted spirit anyways., but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t inevitable. The chalk dust has since settled, but Chalk Your Spot poltergeists are gone. Every once in a while, when the first bell tolls in the overcast morning, you can still feel the ghosts of awkwardness wailing away as you park in a spot chalked for someone else. See page 6 for more on Chalk Your Spot.

XC MARKS THE SPOT These parking spaces were chalked in the spirit of fun, but have since become teenage fossils. In the immortal words of Tybalt Capulet, “This intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall.”

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Illustration by Emily Ratajkowski

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Cosmo Girls are I

HAUGHTIES

have an innate habit of assigning genders to abstract, non-living things like numbers, the alphabet, types of environments, colors, and more recently, magazines. Magazines have always fascinated me, probably because there is a magazine for virtually every monomaniac obsession like fishing, pottery, white supremacists, horticulture, goiters, performance art, naked ladies, marijuana, feet, African American power couples, hypochondriacs, etc. As I mentioned before, I naturally assign magazines personalities. Rolling Stone magazine is like your cool apartment complex neighbor, aged and world weary with a vast knowledge and resignation regarding music. Time magazine is like the revered semi-democratic political genius that pretends to not be really obviously liberal, but still wears a suit and claims to be apathetic regarding government and social issues. If Time magazine had an astrological sign, it would be a Capricorn. And then we have Cosmopolitan, the women’s bible of everything that is unholy. Now, I am hardly a religious person, but encouraging a woman to get down in a church just makes the trembling acolytes and me more than uncomfortable. God forbid churchgoers find sanctuary in their religious congregation without having to hear your pleasure-induced screeches coming from the broom closet. Although most sober-minded individuals claim to have some vague idea of Cosmopolitan’s monthly redundancies, I would still categorize them as ignorant in the subject. You see, Cosmopolitan is like a conventionally attractive, leggy blonde woman who honestly believes she has impeccable fashion taste and still likes to pretend she’s 22 when it’s actually been around 10 years since her 21st birthday. She’s under the impression that blondes get more enjoyment in life than brunettes and pays a lot of attention to her breasts, even more so than any man on earth would. Apparently, she’s not aware there is such a thing as showing too much skin. 712,9853 ways to please your man I constantly see meager attempts at embodying this type of woman by students who are apparently avid readers. I’ve had to exercise some restraint, but it is incredibly difficult to prevent myself from sadistically whispering to some doe-eyed virgin that her first time is not as great as Cosmopolitan would have you believe. I see why they’re so interested in the magazine; it elaborates on a particular taboo that no one else will talk about. It’s this combination of curiosity and

inexperience that make the magazine so alluring to teenage hopefuls. I have yet to meet someone of my age group that can successfully deny their fascination with sex, but learning about it through Cosmo is like learning about firearms from Charlton Heston. You see, the Cosmopolitan woman is desperately trying to convince herself that she’s this foxy sexpot, and while she might have been at some point, she’s been there, literally done that. We’ve all seen her mile-long legs because her gradually shrinking outfits are quickly evolving into her everyday casual wear. She’s no longer impressive and her worst fears have come to fruition; she’s boring and terribly predictable. “Guys, eat your hearts out! Come and get it! Is it hot in here or is it my sizzling bod? Men, prepare to melt!” Please! No one cares anymore! Every month you insist that you know the secrets to please your man into f--king oblivion, but really, Cosmo, that’s what you told everyone last month. I mean, if you honestly told us the real secret to pleasing our man in February, why does he still need to be pleased? And if you revealed the secrets to tent-pitching eye make-up four months ago, what could possibly be different now? Oh, wait, that’s right, nothing, you histrionic trollop.

How to lose a man in 5 minutes Articles like “Why Won’t He Just Propose?” and “Why You Should Be A Jealous Bitch” usually involve a picture of some attractive woman in a pencil skirt and seven inch heels on her way to work, shaking her head at her indolent loser boyfriend who has cruelly neglected the concept of hygiene and is playing Xbox 360 in a dirty t-shirt instead of looking for a job. According to Cosmo, if your lackey of a man has not proposed or is not even considering a proposal, it’s time to get rid of him, even if you have only been seeing each other for seven months. Because his lack of interest in marriage and a family is a glaring indication of the fact that he has no goals in life other than getting to level 16 in “Halo 2,” he should be kicked out immediately, regardless of whether or not it’s his apartment. When this happens, and it will, you should find another attractive, unassuming, clean shaven man and rub your slightly confused but sycophantic new boy toy in your ex-boyfriend’s face. But Cosmo would like to remind us that it’s necessary to keep a tight leash on this new one, forbid him from interacting with other women, and make sure he is completely unaware of your intentions

to bear his children. If he doesn’t want to shop with you for six hours and attend to your shrieking becks and calls, then he should be disposed of. He obviously is not committed to the relationship, if you would go so far as to call it that. Then you should repeat the steps above and keep doing this until your mountain of discarded ex-boyfriends and ex-husbands is rivaling Mt. Rainier.

These are completely real At this point, you will be a 50-year old shameless cougar in Las Vegas hitting on some kid celebrating his 21st birthday by gradually vomiting an entire plate of ribs into a fancy toilet. When the Botox will no longer keep your sagging mouth on your smug face and you have had to replace your breast implants for the third time, you know who to blame. Cosmopolitan, you aren’t fooling anyone. Actually, I take that back, as it seems you are fooling a hell of a lot of women, specifically high school students leafing through your magazine looking for the graphic article on spread eagles, who think pouring scalding chocolate syrup on a man’s crotch is sexy. And maybe it could be if it wasn’t for that messy skin graft ordeal. But it seems a number of myopic female students at our school are quickly heading down this phallus-focused path. You know who you are. I’ve seen you giggling and pointing to the section on how to achieve a coma-inducing orgasm. But consider the fact that this 50-year-old woman with the appletini, or I suppose a cosmopolitan, impatiently tapping her unnatural square nails surveying the crowd for innocent young boys could be you someday. Also, you can save a lot of money by only buying one issue, because, as it turns out, the content in the next publication will be exactly the same! Oh, Cosmo, you haven’t changed a bit.

Let’s talk about sex. All the time. When you’re in the bathroom. When you’re on the bus. When you’re at your gynecologist. Is Cosmo pioneering the unknown or visiting a bittersweet nostalgia? Story by Shannon V. Wright.

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art wars

During the joint-twenty-five minute painting session, senior Natalie Nugent and 2007 graduate Heather Green take rollers and stencils to the wall on Day 1 of the event.

As she waits for her turn to paint again, senior Natalie Nugent discusses with advisor Jeremy Wright colors and how the overall event is turning out.

On Day 2 of the event, seniors Elinor Breidenthal and Amanda Walker add bold colors to a pastel flooded wall.

Jamming on guitar and bass, La Costa Canyon senior Max Ernest and Torrey Pines graduate Justin Sanders provide the music on Day 2 for the painters and audience.

Four painters. Two Days. 200 panels. On September 20 and 21 at the Roxy Surf Jam, Art Wars went, performed, and raised money to fill a red tool chest full of art supplies to give to a local elementary school. The club, overseen by art teacher, Jeremy Wright, has held multiple events in the past for the same cause, but this was the first festival they had performed at. Story and Photos By Liz Mills

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Photo courtesy of Eric Neubauer THE ROUTE This winding road was one of many that Neubauer road on his motorcycle along the European Coast. DOCKED On the calm waters of this coast, a few locals tie their boats to the dock and retire for the day.

Photo courtesy of Eric Neubauer

No time to sleep Auto teacher Eric Neubauer wastes no time sitting around and vegetating in front of the TV. He shares his adventures on motorcycle in Serbia and proves that he is definitely living his life to the fullest. Story by Nina Moussavi.

n the 1960’s, “living the dream” involved exploring life’s mysteries, riding a motorcycle through uncharted lands, experiencing all there is to experience. This summer, SDA’s auto tech teacher Eric Neubauer lived this dream and took a motorcycle trip around Serbia, the former Yugoslavia, a land still haunted by the Croatian independence war that ended in 1995. Neubauer made the trip along with Kendall Younglund, a teacher at Canyon Crest Academy and three Slovenians: Rock, Marco, and Izo. They traveled for 17 days and 5000 kilometers, which is about the same distance from San Diego to New York. They took with them tents, sleeping bags, camera equipment, and a week’s worth of clothing, which were hung in sacks on the side of their Honda Trans Alp motorcycles. On July 1, Neubauer packed his bags and jetted off to meet up with the three Slovenians that he described as “friends of a friend.” Their initial plan: to travel from the Italian/Slovenian

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border to Istanbul, a route commonly known as the Balkans Tour. They successfully crossed 12 borders, including Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Albania. Unfortunately, they did not reach Istanbul because of lost luggage at the airport. Being in a foreign country clearly poses challenges, and on top of those inherent difficulties, they were riding on motorcycles for more than two weeks. Surprisingly, they only ran into one major mechanical problem. While in Montenegro, one of the motorcyclists ran out of gas, and on their search for a gas station, the group lost the rider for 45 minutes before they found him again at a nearby gas station. Also, in this area, there were many people who were hesitant in opening up to these American travelers because of the bad perception of the U.S in the eyes of the rest of the world. But, they did meet their fair share of locals who were eager to talk with them. In Albania they ran into an old woman who had never met an American before. She was cautious at first, but once she

warmed up to the group, she made them coffee and wanted to hear all about their travels. According to Neubauer, she became very fond of them. “Ninety nine percent of the people were very nice, because we were traveling with Slovenians, and everyone likes Slovenians in that part of the world,” Neubauer said. They had to be very careful of their behavior, though, because these countries were “much like Mexico; there’s a different set of rules and customs, so you had to be cautious,” Neubauer said.

Only being a decade or so past its independence war, the area still held the tension and memories of the battles that could be felt and seen be even those who were new to the country. In fact, they came across many fields planted with land mines, where they often found pins of grenades launched by soldiers left on the ground. This group saw firsthand evidence of the violence when traveling past the U.S Embassy that still had a hole from a bomb on the side of the building. Photo courtesy of Eric Neubauer

TAKING A REST Eric Neubauer, second from the right, sits on his bike and takes a break from their long trip with three of the four men he traveled with.

This explosion was one of many that was not repaired by the Croatian government to remind people of the past and its tragedies. Despite the reminders of the war, Neubauer described the area as “one of the most scenic countries I’ve ever seen.” On an island off the coast of Croatia, they stopped at a popular spot and went cliff jumping from a 35-foot cliff into the clear blue waters below. They also experienced a new diet; “it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Neubauer admits. The majority of the food included some form of fried bread and red meat; rarely did they have vegetables. On most nights they would camp in open fields or stay in hostels. Not only does Neubauer teach auto tech, and travel in his spare time, he also is a lead editor for a TV station, and avid videographer. How does he juggle two jobs and still manage to travel, lead a normal life, and find time for rest? “There’s plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead,” he said.

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Photo Courtesy of Sharon Dasho BIRD FEVER This summer, drama teacher Sharon Dasho traveled to Ecuador for a special bird watching trip. She observed many creatures, including paradise tanagers, toucans, pygmy marmosets, and kinkajous.

Bye bye birdie The Amazon region is known for its heat and humidity. Some might be deterred by this, but to Sharon Dasho, it means the perfect summer vacation. Story by Alexis Cook Leon.

lashy-colored birds, sweltering heat, and a kooky drama teacher lugging her scope and binoculars: it must be paradise! For Sharon Dasho, SDA drama teacher and animal enthusiast, a bird watching tour through the Ecuadorian Amazon was just the ticket to the perfect summer vacation. This was Dasho’s third international bird watching tour. She has been to a wildlife center in Peru and a tour all around Costa Rica, as well as several locations within the United States. Her mother is an avid birder, so the search for new and exciting avian species was a significant part of her childhood. Even as an adult, she still spends quality time with her family in nature: “I go to the Salton Sea every year with my parents,” she said. “There’s great birdlife there.” This year, Dasho went on two tours by Field Guides Inc, a com-

pany that sets up birding tours worldwide. Both tours started and ended in Quito, the capitol of Ecuador, and went on to explore the tropical cloud forests and rainforests of Ecuador. The groups started out before sunrise most days to catch the first signs of morning birdlife, and hiked around for most of the morning. The group would then return to the lodge for meals and afternoon siestas (you’d want a siesta too if it was that hot!), after which they would trek back out to look for the last birds of the evening. Some nights they would make another after-dinner excursion to search for owls and other nighttime birds. Dasho’s favorite birds from this trip include the paradise tanager, toucans and toucanettes, and ant birds. The paradise tanager is a bright, multicolored bird native to the Amazon. You all know toucans

from the Fruit Loops box, and toucanettes are similar while just slightly smaller. As for ant birds, Dasho called them “skulkers” because of the way they “skulk” after their tiny prey. Birds weren’t the only animals Dasho got to watch, though: “There was this big tree [behind the lodge] that these pygmy marmosets lived in. I spent hours just communing with them.” Along with the adorable pygmy marmosets, Dasho saw all kinds of other monkeys: howler monkeys, spider monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and kinkajous. Nature isn’t new to someone like Dasho. She spent her teenage years in Anchorage, Alaska going camping, fishing, birding, and all kinds of outdoorsy activities. Now that she lives in California, her favorite place to go is the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp in Yosemite: “It’s like my Mecca. I try to go every year.” It’s

the type of place you go just for the colors, the smells, and the peace and quiet: “It’s all about being out in nature and seeing pretty things!” is Dasho’s take. She recommends the experience to anyone who is physically active and doesn’t mind mosquito repellent. A successful bird watcher/Amazon trekker needs to be able to hike difficult trails and have the capacity to sit quietly for long periods of time, so as not to disturb the birds. A general appreciation for nature and the outdoors would help, too. From Dasho’s experiences, the members of these tours are generally older, but she believes that younger students would benefit at least as much from such an adventure. “It’s the challenge [that makes it interesting],” she said. “It’s like a game,” in the way you have to hunt around, searching. You could even call it fledgling hide and seek.

“

It’s all about being out in nature and seeing pretty things! -Sharon Dasho

”

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Tripping on the coattails Living up to the precedents of a sibling can be tough, especially when they’re super smart, super fast, and super strong. Story by Ana Reyes.

“Y

ou know, Ana,” my dad afraid that she feels hindered said, “because Andy because she is really intelligent.” made it to UCLA, you have a betFreshman, Joey Kobara, goes ter chance of getting in because through similar instances. “The they like to create legacies.” first things teachers ever say to “Yeah, Ana, all because of me. me is ‘Hey, you’re Anna’s little I guess you will always be riding brother’ or ‘Gia’s little brother.’ on my coattails,” Andy smirked. It’s practically my identity now.” Of course, my brother said When he was in middle school this in a sarcastic tone and and got into trouble, the princididn’t mean anything by it, but pal lectured him, saying that his I’ll admit, Andy’s educational sisters would never have gotten success has influenced my own into so much trouble. “It gets me because of the fact that we are mad that I have to live up to my related. great, amazing sisters.” Anna For instance, at Oak Crest Kobara, junior, said that she Middle School, I was easily able knows how her brother feels beto get on the good side of my cause teachers associate her with 8th grade English teacher, Renee the eldest sister, Gia. However, Sowers, because he had left such she is sure that Joey will do just a great impression on her. fine. “Nothing can hurt him if So, I guess Sowers assumed he puts his all into school.” that my brother and I would be To find out whether or similar and therefore was excited not teachers actually do make to see that I was her student. prejudgments of their students But as essays were assigned and based off of their siblings, I projects were presented, in the decided to just go ahead and ask back of my mind lingered the them. question, “Is she expecting me to Blanchard said that it is imbe as good as my brother?” possible not to make some kind Now, I know that I probably of judgment about students fret too much over the expectabased on their older siblings. tions that teachers may have for She has noticed that stume because of Andy, but it’s nice dents who are brought up with to know that structure and I am not the high expectations only one who are normally deals with this more similar; pressure. however, she is Shreya always surprised Chatterjee, by how differsophomore, ent they can be. also goes Although these through high expectations school trying do help push stunot to lose dents to achieve herself in her academic success, older sister’s they can become Kendall Daassnes shadow. Does harmful, especialshe ever feel ly to the siblings SISTERS Shreya Chatterjee(left) and pressure to of extraordinary Sheta Chatterjee hug for the camera. live up to students. her sister’s Blanchard academic success? “Yeah, did said, “I see students who are you hear Blanchard on the first intelligent, but their siblings are day of school?” she said, mensuper intelligent. Because they tioning calculus teacher, Darare always comparing themselves lene Blanchard. “She said that to their other sibling, they are Chatterjees know everything! convinced that they are stupid. Do you know how much presConvinced. And there is nothsure that is?” Older sister, Sheta ing you can say to get them to Chatterjee, a junior at SDA, said see differently. It’s actually really that not only is her sister under sad.” pressure at school, but also at Spanish teacher Suzanne Mchome, “She feels pressured when Cluskey said that she tries not she doesn’t have to be and I am to look at last names during the

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Kendall Daassnes O’ BROTHER, where art thou? Joey Kobara is under Anna Kobara’s arm receiving a noogie.

first few weeks of school to specifically avoid making any kind of connections between students and their siblings. “I like making those connections later, after students already made their personal impression on me,” she said. “It is an injustice to students to prejudge them on anything.” Ironically, both Blanchard and McCluskey said that they too once tried to live up to their older brothers. Blanchard’s

brother was a math wiz and she would try to surpass his knowledge of math by taking more advanced math classes than he did, but she never caught up. McCluskey said that her brother, Terry Calen, was perfect. During his high school days, Calen was the star of the high school football team and the homecoming king. Now, he is the principal of Oak Crest. Because of her experience of trying to live up to her brother, she

has become “hypersensitive” to prejudgments. Although most teachers try not to make preconceptions of their students based on older siblings, it is human nature to make some kind of judgment on others. So as long as we younger siblings bear the same last names of our successful siblings, we must continue to try and create our own coat tails while avoiding the ones that always seem to lie in our paths.

steeze

the

mustang 10.03.08

Backpacks: back or whack?

Backpacks represent classic school style, but are they on the outs? By Maddie Lyon and Taylor Chapin

uintessential school style dating back to before I can remember has always included a backpack. Even though the

clothes worn underneath the straps change by the minute, the backpack has remained pretty much the same. Nobody

can dispute it as the staple icon of being a student. However, it seems backpacks these days are increasingly exchanged for an

oversized tote or single binder underneath the arm. Have backpacks fallen by the wayside and become a thing of the past?

Students weigh in on style versus practicality and let loose their true feelings on “sporting a Jansport.”

Back:

Whack:

Jennifer Mayer, junior “Everyone likes to sport their Jansport every now and then, and that’s cool.”

Ryan Anderson, senior “Backpacks make it hard to flaunt yourself!” Liz Siemion, senior “I haven’t used a backpack in like eight years, but if I were to, it would be for a cool reason, not for style.”

Erin Rosenberg, freshman “People have used backpacks for forever; it’s more a matter of necessity, than style.”

Tanner Curtiss, junior “They crumple up your shirts and mess up your style so you can’t tell how cool your t-shirt is.”

Mariela Dieguez, senior “I think they’re fashionable, it just depends on what backpack you wear. They’re way easier to use; you can just get it and go!”

Daniel Alguire, freshman “Some backpacks are just plain ugly.”

Kaky Payne, sophmore “Backpacks are just classic and comfy!”

Kiko Kolb, senior “I don’t use one, so they’re definitely out of style.”

Mitchell Fierro, freshman “It’s not really a style; it’s just the easiest way to carry around lots of stuff.”

Ultimate Steeze

Illustration by Emily Ratajkowski

Junior Derek Myers and senior Megan Yoshitomi show off their steeze. By Maddie Lyon and Taylor Chapin Sunglasses: Ultimate Sushi Kiosk in Irvine Spectrum

Beanie: 99 ¢ Store

Headphones: Panasonic, Gift Shirt: Ezekiel, K-5 Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Bracelets: Mom Jeans: RVCA, Sun Diego

Pants: Urban Outfitters Shoes: Nike, Foot Locker Shoes: Aldo

Style Icons: Kevin Barth Personal Style: Sexy Beast Estimated Cost of Outfit: $150

Style Icon: Hannah Maxwell Personal Style: Urban Chic Estimated Cost of Outfit: $200

Kendall Daasnes

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Reviews Loyalty to Loyalty Cold War Kids

Dig Out Your Soul Oasis

Histrionic Kids

7.3/10

It Was Buried For a Reason

6.2/10

asis is widely known for being the most obsessively and deliberately British band since the Beatles invented the concept of British music. However, their newest album, “Dig Out Your Soul,” seems to be taking the band on a melodic voyage to America. The record exists at an uncomfortable musical juncture where the sounds of the muddier end of art-radio, groups like the Duke Spirit et al., bump elbows with the grating alt-rock choruses of VH1-style schlock rock within the same song. The old Oasis trademarks are still present, of course. Liam Gallagher sings with a voice indistinguishable from his 22year-old self in the heyday of Britpop. Noel Gallagher is still a master thief, “borrowing” all his choruses and hooks from the very best songs. (“Waiting for the Rapture” combines a verse riff from the Door’s “Five to

y the time I had finished listening to the Cold War Kids’ “Loyalty to Loyalty” in one sitting, I felt like I was in an abandoned theater, perhaps built in 1917, sitting in a dust-covered velvet chair, wondering where the hell everyone else went. The beginning of the album has that high-octane level of energy that gets the casual listener excited, but after the fourth or fifth track, it seems that the audience’s excitement would start to wane. I find myself a little frightened by the beginning tracks of this album—Nathan Willet’s vocal skills, while impressive, remind me of some sort of modern cabaret musical. Show tunes frighten me, and Willet’s stained-glass-shattering

One” with a series of descending chords in the chorus taken from T. Rex’s “Monolith.”) And he still has the most ridiculous lyrics this side of Mother Goose, including such gems as: “Love is a time machine/Up on the silver screen,” and “She put an apple in my eye.” But those occasional, hardto-define, but very clearly British moments—the moments that made classic Oasis distinct—are buried deep in the smoke-andmirrors production of this album. Part of the problem is that the album sounds like not much care was put into it by the band. The production tries its very hardest to make every song sound big and grandiose, but the songs and performances themselves sound rather simple and knocked-off, nothing to make them stand out as songs, leaving an album of empty noise.

voice tends to make me a little anxious. At times he is a little overconfident in his vocal abilities (listening to “Mexican Dogs” was like having the tendons ripped out of my joints), but in other cases, he demonstrates some degree of self-control Although the album began to impress me with “Golden Gate Jumpers,” I think that was the point when people began to slip out of the theater unnoticed, the rest of the album having failed to make any sort of connection with the people who were there for the fun. I suppose I didn’t notice, because it’s around this time I finally found the album much more enjoyable. -Shannon Wright

-Zach Garcia

Dear Science TV on the Radio

Not the Dismal Science

7.5/10

The Hawk is Howling Mogwai

Yes,Yes It Is

9.0/10

o hawk can be heard howling. The opening track, “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” is accurate but a non sequitur. Even the band name itself has no significance (it means “ghost” in Chinese). Mogwai’s wordless post-rock instrumentals are completely disconnected from the words that title them; every track, the album, and even the band would by any other name sound as sweet. Where one is normally guided by the relatable touch of the human voice, offering lyrics to describe what’s going on, there is nothing to grasp onto in

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“Hawk.” It’s easy to pass them by impatiently, mistaking them for unexciting or vague. But to pass it by might be the worst mistake you never regret. They aren’t exciting because they’re slow, deliberate, and looming. They aren’t vague, they’re open. Instrumentals allow a great amount of subjectivity on the part of the listener. When you spend your entire life divining a song’s meaning by words, you never have a chance to explore further. The guitar comes in long, drawn-out strands, on top of wandering bass lines, sprinkles

of keyboard and computer sounds (the band includes a member or two that “plays the computer”) and meaty, bassdrum-heavy percussion. Songs like “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” create an epic contrast of lightheartedness and doom. “Batcat” shows that their postrock sound has metal roots. “The Hawk is Howling” invites the listener to make of it what he or she pleases. The choice one has to make an interpretation, or just to float along in its deep, melodic drift, is what makes this a masterpiece. -Ben Johnson

am not one to lambaste someone’s new album while claiming that “their old stuff” was superior, but I initially felt a little confused by “Dear Science.” The opening track, “Halfway Home,” was unnaturally optimistic and boppy, and I wasn’t really sure what to think of it, except that it was nothing spectacular and I didn’t really like it. I was used to the brooding, deep-dark sounds that I had previously heard on “Desperate Youth” and “Return to Cookie Mountain.” Not that I have a hatred for happiness, but this new optimism really didn’t do much for me, until I realized that the lyrical mood directly contradicts the instrumental mood. The sound of the song “Crying” was not the sound I had anticipated by any means; it was much lighter than its lyrics, which included something

about Mary and David smoking dung in the trenches. I am sure this was intentional, but I still can’t adjust to this newfound giddiness. Tunde Adebimpe, and the entirety of TV on the Radio I suppose, seemed a little too ambitious in exploring different sounds. At times it worked, at other times it didn’t. (Adebimpe is a wailer, not a shouter, as demonstrated in “Dancing Choose.”) I appreciate what they’re trying to do, but I still find myself gravitating to darker, more familiar-sounding songs like “Love Dog.” “Dear Science” is not necessarily something you listen to and mull over in your head; it’s more of something you dance around to, spastically. I think I will just have to get over myself and settle with dancing for now. -Shannon Wright

arts

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mustang 10.03.08

The secrets of teens “Secret Life of the American Teenger” is the realistic answer to shows like “Gossip Girl.” robin sickels

“T

he Secret Life of the American Teenager” was a popular show this summer, winning a Teen Choice Award and sucking in millions of viewers. Its success lasted only for the summer, and now the average high school girl returns to the Upper East Side and Beverly Hills with “Gossip Girl” and “90210.” But “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” differed from those other teen dramas in that the entire basis of the show reflected the choice the main character made by having sex and becoming pregnant. This differs from “Gossip Girl,” where sex is played off as no big deal. “The Secret Life” also differed in that it didn’t portray teens with a bunch of money running around, but rather run-of-the-mill kids having to struggle in suburban high school.

Maybe it was a little overacted and lacked the best storylines, but it became a show to break through and tell teens that sex is a bigger deal than many make it out to be. It showed the consequence of one time having sex and that being all it took to make a 15-year-old freshman pregnant. These TV programs go to show there is nothing wrong with the rich kids living it up with extravagant parties and frequent sex, but when issues come to the suburbs, there’s no way to escape the troubles. Since the life of the average teen is so vastly different from that of “Gossip Girl” and “90210,” the wealthy upper class is more like a fantasy to the typical viewer. “The Secret Life” gave another outlook to the teen dramas typically shown in dealing with sex. While adolescent youth should be celebrated, there is a place to draw the line.

abcfamily.go.com Teenage Lifestyles “Secret Life” separates itself from the rest of the teen drama pack by focusing on more realistic issues.

9021Oh!

A classic television show is revived in celebration of teen drama.

Only by the Night Kings of Leon

emily walsh

Long Live the Kings... Or Not

7.2/10

hat happened to the old Kings of Leon? In their album, “Because of the Times,” Kings of Leon completely reinvented their sound. For the worse. This album, “Only by the Night” is certainly an improvement from the last one, but still not the Kings of Leon we knew from the first two records, “Aha Shake Heartbreak” and “Youth and Young Manhood.” Their sound used to be fastpaced alternative rock. “Only by the Night” is much slower. In fact, there isn’t a single up tempo song on the entire album. And instead of alternative, it’s more along the lines of indie. They used to be a band to rock

I out to, but now it’s more of a band to relax to. Vocals and lyrics are pretty strong; however, singer Caleb Followill dropped the deep, gruff voice for a more typical sound. But even without the rasp, Followill’s voice is still superior to most. The flaws: choruses aren’t strong, if even present, and the guitar, when audible, is a disjointed solo or a basic chord repeated over and over. It’s definitely worth an illegal download. Some tracks, such as “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” are even worth the purchase. But put your money to better use and buy the first two albums. -Paige Ely

n a split second Nixon, a prude Kansas teen carrying a condom in his wallet for four years, is transformed into a Beverly Hills student partying it up at fancy hotels. Nixon (not the President) is also 90210’s only black character and adopted brother of the lead character, Annie. The two siblings break into the popular clique as they quickly come to find themselves in the center of the high school drama. While I feel in the real high school social world this would never happen and could imagine the two of them awkwardly eating lunch together at least for a few months, in the show, the popular crowd is drawn to them right away. Annie finds herself the lead of the school musical as well as the school’s “it” girl who is suddenly snatched up in a relationship with handsome Thai (not the food). Haven’t lost you yet? Nixon is

cwtv.com drama queens “90210” celebrates the vapid and the vain in teenage lifestyles.

soon flirting with Silver (not the metal) the outcast hottie who blogs about the Beverly Hills drama. Silver, as well as all of the other female actresses in this show, look as though they haven’t eaten in a month, while the male characters are all overstyled. Though no eating disorders or homosexuality have been revealed, these new plot twists seem to be waiting to pounce like cougars. Speaking of cougars, the mothers of 90210 look not a day over thirty, which is disconcerting considering that’s the age of

the actors that play their children. To add to the tackiness, the sets that the show is filmed on are low budget. The sets and the plot line seem to be copied from a collage of soap operas. Though I can’t stand the plot or the characters’ names, though there have been no sex scenes yet this season, though the show seems to be promoting the body type of a 5-and-a-half foot, 90-pound girl, I still find myself in front of the television watching weekly. All and all 90210 is a pretty trashy show. It’s a dirty job and someone’s got to watch it.

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Battle of the Bands Oct.27-nov.7 during lunch

Alexis Cook Leon After school Senior Kaitlynn Floyd (left) and senior Alysse Lerager (right) rehearse their parts for the new play, while junior Eric Ward adjusts the lights.

Enter stage left! SDA thespians prepare for a new production: ‘Stage Door.’ ariel chao

“B

iiig booty, big booty, big booty! Uuuuh-huh! Big booty, number 2, number 2, number 3, number 3, number 9!” This is what echoes through SDA’s halls on show nights as nervous thespians prepare to go on stage. As is their ritual, SDA thespians stand in a circle to play warm-up games in senior court, singing together, playing “Big Booty” and “Follow the Leader”— literally. The catchy chant of the game “Big Booty” is accompanied by synchronized clapping and uproarious laughter, created to knock out pre-show jitters, and will echo in senior court on Oct. 23 when SDA thespians open their new play, “Stage Door.” Drama production teacher Sharon Dasho picked this play because, “We needed one with a lot of characters because of all of the people we have in this class.” This year 29 students signed up for drama production, 21 of whom are girls. Due to this unusual ratio of guys to gals, Dasho needed to adjust her search for a play that accommodated the number of girls in her class. She also sought a play with “a nice plot and fun characters.” “Stage Door” is a sentimental comedy that takes place in ‘30s New York, at a boarding house for aspiring female actresses.

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The actresses are young, 18 to 25, and have varying levels of success. Some have part-time jobs and others are jobless, but despite the differences, the women share a common goal: to launch their careers. Throughout the show, the audience follows the protagonist, Terry Randall (senior Christy Laubauch), through her various endeavors to become a stage actress. In the midst of struggling to land a spot in a play, she develops two love interests, Keith Burgess (senior Cameron Greene) and David Kingsley (senior Ryan Anderson). Burgess and Kingsley have opposing views on what Randall should do to promote her career. Burgess hopes for Randall to go to Hollywood and Kingsley encourages her to stay with the stage. This forces Randall to cope with her struggles in the business world as well as in her social world. Above all, Randall knows her heart belongs to acting regardless of the constant disappointment she feels trying to rise to the top, and she uses her mixed emotions to overcome her struggles. “Stage Door” will make its debut on Oct. 23 in the Roundabout Theater. If you go, you just might be able to hear “biiig booty, big booty, big booty! Uuuuh-huh!” and catch a small glimpse of what it’s like to be a part of SDA thespians.

arts

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mustang 10.03.08

Random recommendations

cwtv.com

Great recordings and releases recommended from throughout musical history, by a curmudgeon. zach garcia

fter three decades of bootleg swapping by the most fanatic, Polydor decided to release an assembly of rare Velvet Underground material for the rest of us. Spanning through the four years of Lou Reed’s tenure with the band (thankfully ignoring the legendarily awful post-Reed album “Squeeze”), Peel Slowly and See includes studio tracks, outtakes, and live recordings to fill in the band’s history. The music here needs little introduction. The line is firmly drawn between those who have and have not drunk the KoolAid. The grandfathers of punk and noise-rock, this group was responsible for every band you have never heard on the radio (and even some that you have). The collection itself is oddly assembled. It is a mystery why something so obviously for the hardcore, the only ones who would care about the differences between the single and album mixes of “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” would include all four studio albums that these fans already own. While the third, self-titled album is here in its original “closet mix,” which is certainly a better fit for the overall softer songs of that album, it still does not merit the amount of space given over to the studio albums, which could have been used instead for tracks from fabled bootlegs like “Caught Beneath the Twisted Stars,” such as the 1972 reunion concert recordings, or the “guitar amp” live version of “Sister Ray” (recorded from a mic taped to Lou Reed’s guitar monitor). This attempt to create a complete musical picture for those who don’t need it makes the box set price excessive (unless you use the magic of BitTorrent, which I would never recommend in a school publication).

In 1972, music critic and Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye, with the help of Jac Holzman of Elektra Records, compiled and released a doubleLP collection with the ridiculous name of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968. This collection, along with Smith’s debut album “Horses,” released three years later, was instrumental in sparking off the mid-70s punk genesis of CBGB’s, making Kaye the forgotten godfather of punk. “Nuggets” was designed as a compilation of singles by forgotten groups who might have only released one good song apiece, but as a movement created a substantial body of work. This release lent credibility to a then-ignored genre: the garage bands who strove in vain to imitate the Beatles, the Byrds, or the Stones, but accidentally created a whole new style of their own. This rough, stripped-down aesthetic struck a chord at the time, when the abovementioned heroes had either broken up or slipped into indulgence and excess, leading to the birth of punk, and also to the current garage revival movement of the Hives et al. A few clunkers, like “An Invitation to Cry,” sully the otherwise perfect reputation of this masterpiece, but overall, each of these singles is brilliantly strong, combining strong, catchy melodies with the thin, distorted guitars and nigh-comical Farfisa organs that were the hallmarks of the late-60s garage rock sound. This album inspired a legion of imitators: Rhino Records’ “Nuggets” series of box sets, along with “Pebbles” and “Rubble” series on other labels, all based around the same concept of packaging “lost” singles from the great garage era. But this work, the original, is the strongest and the most influential, is worth checking out by any rock and roll fan.

words of wisdom Megan Smith (left), a Yale graduate, just got a new job tutoring the wealthy Baker twins. She attempts to add some life lessons to the agenda, but Sage Baker (right) is resistant.

Tasteful, finally “Privileged” tries to restore some comedy and taste to televsion. erin donaldson

008 has been a sad, sad year for television. First the writers’ strike deprived me of a good ten episodes of “Heroes.” Then “One Tree Hill,” the only teen drama that I remotely respected, became something akin to “General Hospital.” I had about lost all faith in Hollywood’s ability to produce non-sensationalist (or at least slightly less sensationalist) television. Then I saw “Privileged.” I didn’t expect much from the show’s trailers, which depicted it as a Disney-esque Cinderella story, but the new CW series has proven to be, by far, the most down-to-earth show this season. The series follows aspiring journalist Megan Smith (Joanna Garcia) who, after graduating from Yale and writing for a tabloid in New York City, returns to her hometown of Palm Beach to tutor the twin teenage granddaughters of corporate tycoon

Laurel Limoges (Anne Archer). Unfortunately returning home also means facing her screw-up sister Lily (Kristina Apgar). Smith soon finds herself striving to solve the twins’ (Ashley Newbrough and Lucy Kate Hale) problems in an attempt to escaper her own. It is refreshing to finally watch a show that portrays real people and does not glorify materialism. Though “Privileged” is set in high society, it is from the perspective of someone who is not descended from the rich and glamorous. Smith is far from perfect. She is quirky, overly-optimistic, and has no filter between her brain and her mouth, but she is a unique, formidable protagonist that audiences can’t help but adore. Even the characters that have grown up in high society face real problems. For example, Rose Baker (one of the twins) found that she was in danger of repeating her freshman year of high school.

This is much easier for viewers to relate to than Blair Waldorf’s discovery that her ex-boyfriend is sleeping with her current boyfriend’s stepmom, who happens to be a duchess (a recent plot twist on “Gossip Girl”). “Privileged” is clearly the product of a witty panel of writers. The pilot opens with Smith fleeing her apartment down a fire escape in nothing but a bath towel. A little boy standing nearby with his mom responds by shouting, “Lady, I can see your va-jay-jay!” The show’s humor is to be epxected, as one of the producers is Rina Mimoun, who also worked on “Gilmore Girls.” This series has amazing potential Its only drawback is the nauseatingly girly soundtrack. It is obvious that the network is marketing the show toward a younger, female audience, which is a shame. Given a new soundtrack and new trailers, “Privileged” might actually gain a following and avoid being cancelled after its first season.

COLLEGE VISITS!

Seniors, don’t forget to check and sign up for college vists in the College & Career Center!

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circus animal fun

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Emily Ratajkowski

Personal vendettas

Craigslist for a long while has had a personals section.Very few take it seriously, and even fewer post legitimate ads. It’s riddled with satire and mock love letters of missed connections, made connections, and connections that never should have been. The satires range from angry tenants writing to those above them, superheroes writing to their nemeses, or to disgruntled customers writing to unsatisfactory businesses. All of them are somehow disguised as letters to a lover or something of that sort. Here are a few from SDA’s finest. One from English teacher Justin Conn and his former student Eric McCoy. Love hurts. This time it’s personals.

Dear Beloved Spring ‘08 Student, It has now been several months since you left me alone in my classroom. Yes, new students have filled your seat, but they will never fill the hole you left in my teaching heart. What I miss most are the days where I had the opportunity to interact with you as an individual. Remember the time that I took your phone away for texting and you borrowed your friend’s phone and went back at it? What a joy it was to see that you felt such fervor about my class that you needed to share your enthusiasm with friends and family. It broke my heart to take the second phone and make you face the wall for thirty minutes. Fortunately, I have the reminder of sweet nothings inscribed on several of the desks where you sat. Just this morning, I found a note from you gouged into a front-row desk stating, “This teacher is a KOOK.” You have no idea how much it means to be recognized for my creative approach to teaching. If only I had the opportunity to jam a pencil into one of your home furnishings to return my affections, I would be more than happy to come by your house. I find myself trying to fill the minutes at the beginning of class where you used to corner me to share your absurd and fascinating stories of why you did not do your homework. Sorrow consumes me as I write this. I only hope I have the opportunity to have you in class again some day. As for now, I will have to work to build bonds with the new monst… students I now have. Best, Mr. Conn

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Dear Mr. Conn, After receiving your letter, I realize that my heart too has a void. Ever since we’ve parted, my life has been void of syntax, diction, and of course, all the unfinished movies we started with the substitutes. Do you remember the whispers you used to share with the class every day? Why is it that I cannot remember what you were saying? Were you even whispering? Perhaps the clamor and disorder of the class just made me think your cries for silence were actually signs of affection. And how ever do I manage without the allotted nap time between lunch and fourth you used to provide for me? Weary I lie, after hour lunch, needing somewhere to rest. Now I need extravagant stories about how much homework I had the night before just to catch half a wink. It’s the little things though. The day to day activities. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t miss your lectures on politics, people, and foreign policy. How could I have forgotten the way you assumed my interest in these writers and “notable” figures? Or the way you swiftly dropped my grade when my feigned interest in them became apparent in my work? However, when I think of that empty place in my heart where your class used to be, it helps to think of the small remembrances you left behind for me. The stack of incomplete work, late work, and mediocre work you returned to me with your sentiments of sorrow scrawled all over them. Today, I return your sentiments. Best, A Beloved Student

circus animal fun

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Readers, digest! Come one, come all! Your favorite desserts made more miraculous! Find out how to spice up your bubble tea: candy, ice cream, and everything else your dentist warned you about, just in time for Halloween. Story and original recipe by Eric McCoy.

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/15131 APRIL 29, 1986 Jamie Livingston and a friend stand outside Shea Stadium holding tickets to a Mets game. They were long time fans.

Stumble upon a memory Staff writer Alexis Cook Leon used the StumbleUpon toolbar to find a site based on her interests. What she found was the memoirs left behind by a cancer patient. He took one Polaroid photo every day for 18 years. One photo every day until the day he died. You’re bored out of your mind. You open a browser window and see the toolbar…. You know you want to. Click. The page loads. It’s something boring. Click. This time it’s a nifty picture of sidewalk art. It looks cool, but how much time can you really spend looking at one picture. Click. Nothing. Click. Nope. Click. Click. Click… Hey, what’s this? I recently stumbled upon a site truly worth thinking about. It was a Mentalfloss.com blog about the complete Polaroid history of Jamie Livingston, a filmmaker and photographer from New York City. He took one Polaroid picture every day for over 18 years, until the day he died of cancer. He lived to be 41. He got the idea and started the project as a student at Bard College in New York when he was 22 years old. The pictures don’t have any sort of unified

purpose or theme, instead they seem simply to depict things that Livingston found interesting or meaningful, or perhaps representative of what was going on in his life that day. There are many pictures of random picnics and other types of events, assumedly family gatherings or parties with friends. There are also pictures of Livingston in the hospital (including a mildly graphic image of surgical staples on his head), to show the progression of his illness, as well as a picture of a silver band, to show his engagement and marriage shortly before his death. All of the pictures were collected and organized into a physical display at Bard College after Livingston’s death by two of his close friends. There is now also a website that contains the entire collection in order. It would take an eternity to

really go through all of them, but I strongly recommend checking it out to anyone interested in photography, cinematography, or even anyone with an interest in learning about one man’s touching story. Obviously, with over 6,000 total Polaroids, they can’t all be easy to understand, nor be of perfect quality, but the majority are impressive. He used a lot of techniques like double exposure, changes in depth, and fixed-point focus. The original blog site I stumbled on displays only a small sampling of the photographs, but also provides links to the collection’s website, and to other sites detailing Livingston’s life and works. They also explain how he could have achieved some of the techniques he used to make such impressive images with only a Polaroid camera.

While I was shopping for live lobsters and pickles at 99 Ranch Market for my most recent concoction, I stumbled across the dried form of the tapioca balls you all know, and presumably love, as boba. A light bulb went on in my head. Where has American intuition and ingenuity not taken this East Asian delight? Where can I go that no man has gone before? These aren’t the types of things your grandma would make. Elves were harmed in the creation process. So when you make this and start getting expectations of grandeur, just forget them. Man up, close your eyes, and chug. This time you’re not sure what you’re drinking. It’s wet, chewy, and tastes strongly of Halloween. This issue’s recipe is Boba Milkshakes; however, I’ve strayed away from the conventional tea or fruit flavors. I’ve ventured into the realm of sweets.Two recipes this time, but both of them are of the same caliber. One shake is made with Snickers bars and Milky Ways, and the other of Fruity Pebbles.

For the shake:

4 Scoops of Ice Cream (Flavor optional) 2 Candy Bars or 11/4 cups of Fruity Pebbles 1 cup of dried boba (Taro variety) 2 cups of milk 1 handful of ice Instructions 1. Begin by heating a graciously filled pot of water up to a rolling boil. 2. Add your 1 cup of boba to the water, and let it cook for 5 minutes. Immediately strain in a colander. 3. Season the recently cooked boba with a tablespoon of honey. 4. Now begin adding the ice cream, milk, candy bars or fruity pebbles, and the ice. The milk and ice should be measured for taste and consistency. 5. Blend up the mixture. 6. Add some boba to the bottom of your glass and pour in the milkshake. Stir and enjoy.

Original Stumble: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/15131 Actual Site: http://photooftheday.hughcrawford.com/ COOL YOUR BUBBLES The bubble tea mascot smiles upon you assuringly. “Don’t worry, this won’t be that bad. Trust me”

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Mustangs join the field hockey stampede The field hockey girls have some new players on the team, but it does not seem to be shaking them up. nicole fisher

ven though the girls field hockey team is in the Valley league this year, a league that is smaller than in the past, SDA still played against bigger schools like La Costa Canyon, one of their toughest opponents and biggest rivals. “They are good competition and have a strong team year after year. My girls want to beat them more than anything,” said head coach Brooke Wilson. “They have the complete potential to do so if they want it bad enough.” The team did not have their desired outcome against LCC the first time, but in the first round of the Serra tournament they won agaisnt LCC with a 2-0 shut out. That was not the only shut out that day; they ended the tournament that weekend with a 3-0 record, landing fourth of 16 teams. “Every last Mustang played their hearts out the whole tournament,” said Wilson. Along with ending the tournament with a perfect record, and finally beating their rival, the girls shut out another big sports school, Torrey Pines, with a score of 1-0. Also the girls are first in the league at the moment, with the second place team, Valley Center, two wins behind. The girls field hockey team is in a different league than last.

year. This year the team will be playing schools about the same size as SDA like Mt. Carmel, Canyon Crest, and San Marcos, Valley Center and Orange Glen. The girls team still succeeded in the bigger league last year, beating Vista twice, and Fallbrook once. “We are excited to see what the new league brings,” said Wilson. Last year the team ended with a record of 7-10, but Wilson believes they can do better than that. “Unfortunately, a team’s record is one of the biggest indicators of how good or strong a team really is. We were much stronger than a 7-10 record last year,” she said. One aspect that will affect the way the team plays this year is the chemistry that they have on the field. According to Wilson, there are eight returning seniors, five students that moved up from JV, two transfers from LCC and a new junior. “They are adjusting fabulously,” she said, “We as coaches tried them out in all different positions to figure out where we would need them on the field and they adjusted accordingly.” The players are also bonding. “Our chemistry is fantastic. It always seems like there is something new that’s weird to talk about so it’s fun,” said senior Liz Siemion. The Varsity team as a whole

Liz Mills STICKING WITH IT Sophomore Jessica Bloom fights for the ball during the game against LCC.

really stands out this year. Each player, according to Wilson, has skills that make the entire team great. “Liz Siemion has the ability to score in sticky situations, [and] Amanda Graeser is like a wall in the center midfield, hard to get through. Lauren Livingston has a fierce shot on cage that other teams should be aware of

Volleyball girls dive into new season Volleyball team is looking for killer season, with a starting record of 4-2. emily bartram

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Wilson. The girls seem to have a great start heading into the season and Wilson believes it’s only going to get better. “The girls have turned the corner and aren’t looking back. They are looking to win league this year, and as their coach I know they are beyond capable of doing just that.”

Field Hockey Valley Conference Standings

Field Hockey Scores

1. SDA (7-3) 2.Valley Center (5-3) 3. San Marcos (2-3)

his season’s girls volleyball team seems to be off to a strong start. Coach Dexter Harvey says, “This year is going fine. We lost only two seniors last year. Everyone is back, except for two new girls coming from LCC.” Senior Shay Goldberg, said, “I think we’ll go really far. We should at least get to [CIF] finals.” This year the team has a new plan. “I went to a new coaching clinic. The clinic runs along the UCSD and gold medal men’s team strategies. We are running

[while] Maggie Barry has the persistence and the fight of a pit-bull to win every ball,” said Wilson. Also on the team is senior Sam Sprau, who is “one of the top goalies in the county.” “Her hand eye coordination in the goal is impressive, making her hard to score on,” said

Girls Volleyball North Coastal League Standings Kendall Daasnes SETTING UP Varsity volleyball girls warm up before their game against Horizon.

practice differently as well. Now, we are not only doing routine skills practice, but adding scrim-

mages at the end of each day. My new philosophy is ‘less talk, more play,’” said Harvey.

1. Santa Fe Christian (6-2) 2. SDA (4-2) 3. Tri-City Christian (3-3) 4. Calvin Christian (2-4)

All statistics courtesy of North County Times.

Serra 3-1 Bishops 2-0 La Costa Canyon 0-1 Rancho Buena Vista 3-2 Torrey Pines 1-0 (OT)

Tournament at Serra High School La Costa Canyon 2-0 Otay Ranch 5-0 Fallbrook 2-1 RBV 2-3 Helix 6-2 Leading Scorers Elizabeth Siemion - 7 Emily Mecke - 7 Lauren Livingston - 4 Maggie Barry - 3 Amanda Graeser - 2 Saves Sam Sprau - 75 Jahna Jordan, Fallbrook - 63 Lindsey Warrick, Westview - 50

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Game, set, stretch Yoga, pizza, and the Padres prep the tennis girls for a season of early practices, improvement, and team challenges. sean znachko

Liz Mills SLICE IT Kinsey Volkart, sophomore, sends a spinner across the net.

ith a victory over Santa Fe Christian, the players are looking forward to a season of team challenges and bonding activities. Yoga is a new activity on the their practice schedule this year. According to Deb Abrahamson, JV coach, and Perri Callaway, a freshman on the JV team, team chemistry has been great. They will be participating in lots of team activities: “Pizza, yoga, and the Padres!” Abrahamson said. The team will be going to Padres baseball games and yoga. A yoga class has been added to the practice schedule as an extra activity to improve the players’ stretching and conditioning. Callaway thinks it is a “fun and creative idea” and plans on attending. Samantha Maisel, a junior on the varsity team, said that she really liked going to yoga as well, despite the class’s

intensity. “We were all sweating like pigs” said Maisel. Abrahamson wants to see “overall improvement in tennis, self-esteem and high academics” this season. Callaway is looking foward to improving her overall game. Maisel wants to be “more consistent [in her playing]” and bond with some of the new girls. On Fridays, the girls have 6:30 a.m. practices before school. Callaway said that she doesn’t enjoy the early morning practices, but she still had positive things to say about the team. Her favorite part of being on the SDA tennis team was “getting to meet new people while playing a sport I enjoy.” The tennis season will have its challenges. Abrahamson said that Bishop’s will be the hardest team to beat this year, since the school consistently has “a strong team” and is “highly competitive.” SDA’s rivalry with Canyon Crest will also be sure to produce.

Scores

VARSITY Our Lady of Peace 5-13 Carlsbad 1-17 La Jolla Country Day 2-10 Francis Parker 4-14 Bishops 4-14 CCA 1-17 Santa Fe Christian 12-6 JUNIOR VARSITY San Marcos 9-9 Cathedral 0-17 Carlsbad 8-10 Francis Parker 3-9 Bishops 11-7 CCA 5-13 Cathedral 3-13

Coastal league standings

1. La Jolla Country Day (2-0) 2. The Bishop’s School (1-0) 3. CCA (2-1) 4. SDA (1-1) 5. Francis Parker (0-0) 6. Tri-City Christian (0-2) 7. Santa Fe Christian (0-3) All statistics courtesy of the North County times.

Pain, misery, and loads of tears Coach Gordy Haskett jokingly describes a typical cross country practice, and this torturous training has already begun to pay off.

kerry roberson savanna vrevich

he cross country team had their first meet on Sept. 13. The meet went smoothly, just as Haskett predicted. “Everyone did really well,” said sophomore Julia Pederson, “Especially since the first meet is very nervewracking.” Pederson herself got 28th place out of around 100 for the girls’ varsity race. Freshman Evan Armstrong got second overall in the entire event. Their next meet will be today at Morley Field. Students are on the cross country team for a variety of reasons. “I really like running and I think it’s fun, amazingly enough,” said senior Eve Paxton. “I also just like the people; they

are really fun to hang around with.” Seniors Kelsey Saake and Laura Dushkin initially thought they were just going to have fun and get in shape when they joined the team as freshmen, and they ended up developing a love-hate relationship with running. The Armstrong siblings, Ashley, Nick, and Evan joined the team by force. “Our mother made us do it, actually,” said senior Ashley. “She told us we had to do a sport, and since none of us have real good hand-eye coordination (with the exception of Evan) we all decided to run because it doesn’t take any coordination at all.” For the girls on the team, a favorite alternative to the usual workout is jazzercise. They are

motivated by Dori, one of the assistant coaches and jazzercise instructor, because of her endless energy and contagious enthusiasm. Other conditioning activities the athletes enjoy during practice are beach runs and free runs. “The beach runs are the best. We just run down to Swami’s and everybody dives in the water,” said Ashley Armstrong. Everyone dreads the hill workouts. During these intense exercises, the team runs in packs and tries to reach the top of a hill in a certain time, and their times must improve with every repetition. Gordy Haskett is looking forward to a very successful season. “Team chemistry is fantastic. We are a team of 60 and everyone supports everyone.”

This season, Haskett would like to see everyone have fun, do the best they can, and see just how far they can push themselves athletically. Assistant coach Justin Conn said, “My goal for the team is always about growth and each individual growing as a runner throughout the season.” “Painful and brutal are the first words that come to mind,” said Haskett jokingly, when asked to describe a typical practice. “Misery and loads of tears, too.” The coaches hope that these practices will pay off by improving the runners’ times. “…Our team is serious when we need to be and a fun group of athletes the rest of the time,” Haskett added as a last thought. “By the way, I wish you’d come out for the team.”

Tips for Try-Outs

For anyone thinking of joining the cross country team in the future, here are some tips from the runners and coaches: -“Running over the summer would be a great start,” said Coach Haskett. “Get a blue card and show up on the first day of school dressed and ready to run. Everyone is invited to join.” -“Turn back now,” seniors Kelsey Saake and Laura Dushkin advised jokingly. -“Don’t be lazy during the summer,” said Zac Zonas, freshman. “If you don’t run at all it will be really hard.” - “Don’t mouth off to John [one of the assistant coaches],” said senior Eric Olsen.

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Timeout with: deanna melin

elsey Crowe, a four-year varsity veteran, is a force to be reckoned with on the volleyball court. As the setter, it is her job to loft the ball into the air so another player can spike it. According to the North County Times, Crowe is the number one setter in North County, beating the LCC setter by more than 100 sets. Crowe easily leads the pack with 400 sets in just 12 games, as of Sept. 23. The Mustang talked to Crowe to find out what she does to get pumped up for games, and her volleyball career in general. Q: Favorite pump up song? A: “Show Me the Money” by Petey Pablo. Q: Do you have any pregrame rituals? A: We used to have “Ride the Pony”- a song/dance warmup type deal that helped us get pumped up of the game. However, I don’t know if you heard, but parents complained to the administration about the dance - about it being too “promiscu-

ous” or something. We were pretty upset and so now we can’t do that anymore. But we are in the process of finding another dance that the parents can’t complain about. Q: Why did you get into volleyball? A: It’s a fast game, fun to play and watch. Q: What is an average practice like? A: We warm-up, stretch, do passing, hitting, and serving drills, then end with a scrimmage or toss game. Q: What is your favorite drill? A: Monarch of the Court. Four teams, with four players each. There are four rounds, played to 15 or 25 points. Q: Why is Monarch of the Court your favorite drill? A: Monarch of the Court is my favorite drill because it’s all play. It’s also competitive. It’s a fast game and you’re always ready for the next play. The way it is set up, everyone plays with each other at some point and it is fun to want to beat the girl opposite the net, but have her on your team the next game, then trying to beat someone else. I

think the majority of the team likes the drill so everyone gets really into it and it’s just so fun. Q: Who is your biggest competition? A: Canyon Crest Academy. They are a new school set up similarly to the Academy. They haven’t beat us yet, but they are out to win this year Q: How is the team doing so far? A: We’re doing really well. I love the competition we have among ourselves. I can’t wait to take that to the other teams and show them what we’ve got! Q: What would you say was the highlight of your volleyball career so far? A: Playing my first varsity game as a freshman against Horizon. I was so scared because I was the only setter, but it turned out really well. I had a really great time and got my name in the newspaper for the first time! Q: Do you plan on playing in college? A: I don’t plan on playing in college just because I would be limiting myself. I’m not making it a priority to play in college, but if it comes up or something, depending on where I go, I

Kendall Daasnes On the court Senior Kelsey Crowe sets SDA up for a win.

might play. I definitely want to continue to play...whether it is for the school, intramural, or just at the beach.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add? A: What do the Mustangs do?!?! They WORK it!!

Golf team tees off a new season Golf girls and their new coach work on communication, focus, and etiquette. sean znachko

Sean Znachko PUTT PUTT Chanelle Ankeney hits a ball during their match against Horizon.

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he girls golf team has begun its second year. In their first official match, the team lost to Francis Parker, 340-206. The team will be playing with a new coach this year, James Hrzina, but the girls will be in the same conference as last year. They will be aiming for personal and team development throughout the season. Since this is only the second year that the golf team has been a part of San Dieguito’s athletic roster, the team’s main goal is improvement. Hrzina would like the girls to perfect their golf skills, and has designed a multi-faceted practice schedule to achieve this goal. The team has two types of practices: range practice and a practice course of nine holes. During range practice, the girls work on the basics of hitting the ball, while during the practice

course, they practice playing as they would in an actual match. The purpose of this schedule is to allow the girls to fine-tune their skills while also learning rules, golf etiquette, and repetition. “It’s an ongoing process,” said Hrzina, who says learning the rules and etiquette of golf can be challenging, since there are many little guidelines. Senior Tracy Mander said that she prefers range practice because she likes practicing her swing. “I get to hammer down on the ball as much as I want without worrying about it getting into a sand pit,” Mander said. Junior Rachel Calsbeek prefers the nine hole practice because she finds range practice to be “super boring.” Calsbeek is the team’s number one returning player this year. The team will be working on focus this year. Maintaining mental concentration during the game is important, said Hrzina,

since golf is “so much more psychological” than physical. The SDA golf team is small. With only seven girls at the start of the season, their size presents some challenges. Six golfers play in a match, so the team must have good communication with their coach and each other to make sure that the team has enough players for each match. When players cannot miss their fourth period classes to go to a match, the entire team may not be able to play. According to Hrzina, this problem does not come up often, but the team would still like to increase its size to eight players. The team’s relaxed attitude also makes for a social atmosphere. “The team chemistry’s been great,” said Hrzina, who describes golf as a very social sport. They spend most of their time walking over the course, talking with other players and teammates. “It’s fun to just relax and play free golf,” said Calsbeek.

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SDA surf team gets Peru-fect waves This summer the San Dieguito surf team jetted off to Chicama, Peru to surf one of the longest lefts in the world. maddie lyon

his summer 19 members of the SDA surf team and I traveled across the equator to surf one of the longest left points in the world. Our final destination: Chicama, Peru, a small town in the northern reaches of the country. We arrived at the surf resort, and settled into each of our rooms, complete with a view looking straight out to the legendary left point. Days consisted of a 6am rise, followed by a morning surf session, a refreshing nap, a huge lunch of native food, an afternoon surf session, a jacuzzi, a feast, and ending usually with a highly competitive game of chess or foosball. It may not seem like anything special to non-surfers, but for those of us on the trip, we were living the dream. Surf, sleep, eat; that’s all we wanted. As the days wore on, the surf slowly began to build from 1-2

foot knee-slappers to 3-5 foot peeling lefts that rambled for miles down the sandy beach. Everyone waited anxiously for the large swell that was predicted to hit on the very last days of our trip. As the swell inched nearer and nearer anxiety grew, and many could be found constantly scouring surfline.com waiting for any update of the surf forecasts. Finally our much anticipated swell arrived, and it lived up to the high expectations. Pristine 7-9 foot lefts were surfed for miles by all, and by the end of the day everyone collapsed into their beds and prepared for yet another epic day of surfing. In much of our down time, when we weren’t surfing epic waves, we had an opportunity to venture out of our resort compound and experience the unique Peruvian culture and history. One afternoon we traveled about two hours to the ruins of the expansive city of Chan Chan, and toured one of the

Maddie Lyon SDA WAVES BACK The SDA surf team comes together for a group photo in Chicama, Peru.

eight palaces there. The ancient kingdom dated back to the 15th century. Overall, this trip was an incredible opportunity, not only

to surf some of the best waves, but also to see and experience a new culture. So what will be the exotic destination for next summer?

According to surf team coach Oly Norris, Samoa, Nicaragua, and El Salvador are the top options being looked at so far.

A healthy field at SDA John Labeta, SDA’s new athletic director, discusses improvements to the stadium field, track, and scoreboard. andrew kasselmann

or the past several years, it has been said jokingly that SDA’s home field advantage comes not from the cheering of its fans, but from the ability that only SDA athletes have to perform well on an uneven, lumpy, and almost grassless field. True or not, that may no longer be the case. Over the summer, the school district made a concerted effort to improve the track and field at SDA. SDA’s new athletic director, John Labeta, spoke about the improvements to the field and track, as well as the future of the scoreboard. The entire stadium field was re-sodded over the summer. Contrary to popular belief, this sod did not come from LCC. To

Photo Courtesy of Keith Kelley GROW, FIELD, GROW This is SDA’s field before it received its important repairs.

allow the roots to grow, no one was allowed onto the field during the summer from the end of last year’s graduation until Sept. 22.

Labeta explained that the original contractor did not level the field correctly, so the district sent in workers to fill in the low spots with mulch where the

grass had died. Bermuda seed is currently growing through the mulch and filling in those spotty areas. With the field leveled correctly, it will serve as a better playing field, and drain more efficiently. This year there is also a plan to preserve the fields until the end of the year, and help out the groundskeepers. Labeta said that, “this will aide them from having to reseed so many spots on the field that would be normally bare from all of the usage.” With last year’s removal of the field goal posts, the playing fields can now be shifted around the increased playable area to prevent the traditional wear and tear in the middle of the field and where the goalies stand. The grass will still wear down during the winter, however, because Bermuda grass goes

dormant at that time. The track also received maintenance over the summer. Its top six to eight inches were scraped off and replaced by decomposed granite compacted with water and a roller. According to Labeta, this material will create a smoother running surface. Fixing the unreliable scoreboard is also being looked into. A new scoreboard will cost around $10,000. The scoreboard will be inspected all over to determine if it can be repaired for a lesser cost. It is a goal of Labeta’s to get the scoreboard fully functioning. The district funded the repairs to the field and track. In describing the improvement he has seen in the short time he has been here, Labeta said: “The field is 100 percent better thanks to the efforts of our district staff.”

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Canaan Schlesinger, senior

Audrey Matthess, junior

Reem Jubran, sophomore

Erika Union, senior

Pop culture throwdown How do SDA athletes fit in to the pop culture scene? The Mustang finds out. interviews by eric peck. photos by kendall daasnes and liz mills. current song on your iPod...

last time you cried was....

Canaan Schlesinger senior cross country

Mississippi Queen -Molly Hatchet

Last weekend when I was watching George Lopez stand-up on Youtube

Audrey Matthess junior tennis

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun -Cyndi Lauper

At lunch with my friend Katie; I spit up all my food I was laughing so hard

Eric Peck MEET AND GREET Labeta encourages SDA students to come and talk with him.

Big man on campus (every other day) SDA’s new athletic director working at both LCC and SDA. eric peck

ohn Labeta is a busy man. SDA’s new athletic director is currently doing the work of two men, as he is officially the athletic director at La Costa Canyon as well. Labeta was hired to replace history and psychology teacher James Hrzina, who decided to devote all his time to the classroom this year. Labeta has years of experience running a large program at LCC, and he has now finally settled into his schedule: at each SDA and LCC two full days every week and at both schools for half a day on Fridays. Labeta has support from many people at SDA, the most prominent of them being his fellow rookie: Principal Michael Grove. Grove made sure to clear up the main issue of concern to SDA parents and kids. “I think there’s a perception out there that because our A.D. is serving two schools, that with the current arrangement SDA has somehow lost some of the support for athletics that we’ve had in the past. One thing I want to make sure everyone understands is that none of the schools in our district have fulltime A.D’s - all of our schools have, and have always had, parttime A.D’s.” Parent Gina Rivard of the Athletic Council was happy to

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have Labeta on board, citing Labeta’s experience at LCC as well as his success as a coach. Dan Vahalla, head of the Council, was very excited to have Labeta working at SDA. “When I heard that John took the job, I was really excited. I knew he did a great job working at LCC with their sports programs and I know he can help bring our sports program up yet another notch,” said Vahalla. Labeta looks forward to getting to know SDA’s athletes and improving the programs here. “We would like to enhance the athletic department with things like student athletes of the month, lunch with the A.D, and anything else that will promote a spirit of belonging to one of the biggest clubs on campusthat is when you put all of our athletes together,” Labeta said. Labeta has an open-door policy, and student athletes are welcome to come into his office anytime to express concerns or simply to talk. He looks forward to establishing relationships with the players and coaches here at SDA, and plans to attend as many games as possible. He said that it will “take time and constant communication” to really get things churning at SDA, but Labeta seems pumped up for the job. “We teach our student athletes to accept challenges, so why would I not want to accept this one?”

Reem Jubran sophomore volleyball

Erika Union senior field hockey

I’m Yours -Jason Mraz

Whatever You Like -T.I.

When I was making my lunch and put in olives instead of grapes I think when Amanda accidently hit herself with her field hockey stick at practice

one thing you wish you could do... Sing and play the drums at the same time Travel around the world

Fly

Go into outer space

the t.v. show you never miss is...

who would you play/ have play you in a movie?

Generation Kill

Elijah Wood

Gossip Girl

Mary Kate & Ashley

So You Think You Can Dance

Gossip Girl

Harry Potter

The girl from Superbad with red hair, (Emma Stone)

sports

the

Turning into trendiness

mustang 10.03.08

Longboards are carving out a slice in the skateboarding market, while the sales of shortboards are steadily falling. “You don’t have to be Tony

kirby lochner dimitri fautsch

Hawk or Ryan Sheckler to hop on a longboard. You can look just as cool going straight. ” -Garrett Ford Hurley

ver since “Dogtown and Z-Boys,” a 2001 movie based on the lives of southern Californian skateboarders in the 70’s, longboard skateboards’ popularity has grown tremendously. Until recently, the shorter versions of skateboards were the most popular, but lately longboard producers have seen a boom in sales due to the recent increase in gas prices, and as surfers and snowboarders skateboard in the off-season. Longboards come in a variety of sizes from a 24 inch “mini” to a 60 inch “Super Cruiser.” They are designed for higher cruising speeds and better stability. They generally have wider, looser trucks, which are the “axles” of the skateboards, making turning easier. In addition, softer wheels make bumps and cracks a breeze to traverse. A special thing about longboards is that someone can walk into a store, talk to the clerk, buy a longboard, and skate right out onto the sidewalk. While Sector 9 and Gravity are the best known longboard companies on the West Coast, GFH Boards is the biggest distributor of the skateboards on the East Coast, and with the recent increase in gas prices, more people are starting to use longboards as a mode of transportation. “The sales of longboards are increasing while the sales of shortboards are actually decreasing,” said Garrett Ford Hurley, owner and founder of Carlsbad based GFH Boards. Not only are longboards gaining popularity in the United States, but in other countries as well, he said. “We have over 700 retailers in several different countries, including Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and France,” said Hurley. In these countries gas prices can get up to the equivalent of eight dollars a gallon, making gas-free transportation a must. The popularity of longboards is evident in the increased sales of Sector 9 and other skateboards in local stores like McGill’s skate shop and Hansen’s surf shop. “I have seen a recent increase in the sales of longboards,” said a McGill’s

Kendall Daasnes SLIDING INTO A NEW ERA Senior Joe Wolin powerslides on his Sector 9 longboard, creating a symphonic harmony of polyurethane wheels against pavement. The powerslide is the quintessential longboarding move, demonstrating the versatility and flexibility of the skateboard.

employee. “There has been a definite increase in the sales of longboards,” added Mike Loughlin, the head of sales at the Hansen’s Boardroom. In skateboarding’s early years, longboarding was associated with the hippie lifestyle, but in the 90’s, Sector 9 made it mainstream. Michael Brooke, author of “The Concrete Wave: The History of Skateboarding,” writes that 85 percent of skateboarders quit before they turn 18, and it is this demographic

that is attracted to the longboard. Traditional skateboarders aren’t the only ones who are starting to longboard. Surfers and snowboarders are starting to hitch their cabooses on the longboarding express. Longboarding’s cousins, surfing and snowboarding, share many of the same carving and turning techniques. For this reason, many surfers and snowboarders are attracted to longboarding. Senior Joe Wolin,

a surfer and snowboarder, said, “I longboard because it’s similar to surfing and the smoothness is a lot more fun than the shortboards.” “I think longboarding is becoming more popular because as you get older you realize it’s way more sick to cruise than to trick,” said Wolin. Senior Canaan Schlesinger is among the many that has converted to the longboarding lifestyle. “I don’t worry about being hurt as much, but I like

The Native One of the many minicruisers produced by GFH boards. You can find more information on the board and others at GFHboards.com

to go fast,” he said. Schlesinger embraces peace, not war: “I bomb hills, not countries.” As they did in late 90’s, longboards have again carved down the hill of trendiness and power slid on the pavement of righteousness. Longboards are becoming the extreme tricycles of the skateboarding world; anybody can ride them. “You don’t have to be Tony Hawk or Ryan Sheckler to hop on a longboard,” Hurley said. “You can look just as cool going straight.”

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the

mustang 10.03.08

Away at home No coach for now It ain’t easy being green, especially in a sea of blue and yellow jerseys.

“D

J!E!T!S! Jets Jets Jets!

id you put on the wrong kid,” but others feel the need shirt this morning, to be verbal. Their comments man?” The voice came from over do not bother me. The fact that my shoulder, as a man pimped visiting fans at my stadium say out my green and white the exact same comments jersey. I looked behind that I heard that night is me to see an older man, what really gets me. Can’t decked out from head you guys be creative enough to toe in Charger gear, to do something other than grinning at his clever alter the Jet cheer into other comment. inappropriate four letter nicole fisher This was not the words? first, and definitely Yet even though you’re not the last comment I would in a different stadium, you still receive regarding my attire that bond with the other fans of your night. I was in the parking lot of team. Of course, you cannot Qualcomm, where there had to be verbal about it, because you have been at least 40,000 people don’t want to draw more attentailgating before a Monday tion to yourself. Instead you do night game in which my team, “the appreciation nod,” the lift the New York Jets, would go up of the chin to say, “I see you and against the Chargers. A crowd I’ll watch your back from these like that is always kind of intimi- crazy home fans.” dating. Now imagine wearing Occasionally you might go the “wrong” colors in that kind crash a tailgate party, intercept of crowd. Yeah, you’re screwed. a pass between two other fans of Being a die-hard fan of a your team; but hey, they are just team that is not based in the like you, nothing’s wrong with town you live in is hard. You a little enthusiasm. In the game, have to watch them on television if you’re feeling a little rowdy, all the time, never getting the you might high-five some other experience of being at the game fans around you when your team with your fellow fans. Sure, at scores, start cheers like you are home you get the pleasures of at home, and even be the only your own clean bathroom, no one who jumps out of your seat overpriced food, and the best when your team scores. Home part, the ability to use the fast fans get annoyed, but it wouldn’t forward button for commerbe a sport if there wasn’t some cials, the rewind button to see friendly (and even unfriendly) good plays over and over, and competition. the pause button when you just So when I was at Qualcomm need that extra second to get that night, I did just that. Before those chips you want to munch the game, my dad and I crashed on. But there is something about a tailgate party for radio stabeing at the game, watching it tion 1090 talk show, the Scott live, and being surrounded by and BR show. While there, I met overly emotional fans like yourex-Charger Billy Ray Smith, who self that is a thrill. So when I got at first was hesitant to shake the opportunity to see the Jets in the hand of a Jet fan, but then San Diego, I snatched it. warmed up. Of course, going to this game For the rest of the people would not be like the games at there, most were Charger fans, the Meadowlands, and I knew it but after the initial conversafrom the minute I stepped out tions of “why are you wearing of my car that afternoon. Sure, that” and “you’re going to lose the surroundings were the same, tonight,” it was fine. We talked but the array of colors was all about football in general, stats, wrong. I stood out. All eyes were the players and the games of the on me, and that’s when the com- past weekend. The colors of our ments began. Some people just jersey did not matter anymore. give you that look like “go home We were all fans.

That’s why the chicken crossed the road.

Comedy Sportz Friday, October 10 at 7 p.m. page 38

sports

The varsity boys are still waiting to practice. Without a coach.

nicole fisher

he coach of the boys varsity basketball team resigned over the summer, leaving the boys Varsity basketball team currently without a coach.

According to John Labeta, San Dieguito Academy’s new athletic director, the reason Segovia left was “because of personal issues in regard to his teaching load at Army Navy.” “Within the next few weeks we

will be conducting interviews for a replacement head coach for the upcoming season,” said Labeta. In the past, the varsity team has started practices, but without the coach, there’s no practice.

sports

the

mustang 10.03.08

Surfer vs. Skater

It’s Cuchna v.Wachob as senior surfer Charlie Wachob and junior skater Cody Cuchna battle it out ‘Law & Order’ style. The winner of this supreme battle will be crowned with the coveted title of “most mediocre.” This year, Dimitri Fautsch and Nina Moussavi are taking over, with special help from Maddie Lyon in this issue. 1)Why is it that rain drops and snow falls? Skater: A rainfall is a thing in the Amazon. Haha, wait, no. It depends if you’re chewing gum or not. Surfer: Rain drops are like drops so it like drops. Snow can’t drop too, so it falls. Flakes is close to fall, that’s why. Us: Skater, really, rainfall? What are you, a weatherman? This is high school. Our forecast shows -2 inches of rainfall with a chance of stupidity. Surfer, snow can drop, and if flakes sounds like falls, then it looks like your brain flaked out on you. You get three points because we pity the fool. 2)If you drop soap, does it get dirty? Skater: Wait, what kind of soap? A bar of soap or a drop of soap? Surfer: Obviously soap gets dirty. You just have to clean it off with water. Us: What does it matter what

kind of soap? Soap is soap, dope. If it gets dirty you clean it off. No points for asking a dumb question in response to our equally dumb question. And SORRY Surfer, we didn’t know that our questions were so obvious. Next time we will try to challenge you a little more. -346 points for insulting us. 3)If a turtle loses its shell, is it naked or homeless? Skater: Homeless because it lives in its shell. Wait well it has skin. Oh, then it’s naked. Well, whatever. One is more right. Wait, what kind of turtle is it? Surfer: It’s both. Wait, turtles are connected to their shells so this is a stupid question. Us: Really Skater, make up your mind already. You make as much sense as a jumbo shrimp. 10 points, because you gave us the opportunity to make fun of you. Surfer, again by insulting our questions, we are starting to wonder why we asked you to be

in Surfer vs. Skater. Have you not learned your manners? No points because we just don’t like your antics right now. 4)If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? Skater: Love is when chicks wear lingerie. Surfer: Love has eyes and I see lingerie. Us: Oh Skater, just when we thought you couldn’t get anyshallower, you manage to breach the two inches of rain water we gave you. Congratulations Skater, 150 points, for never ceasing to amaze us. Really charming Surfer. Is that how you woo all the ladies? We suggest a new approach, maybe one that isn’t so bad. We’ll give you 27 points, just because we feel bad that you’re still in the negatives. 5)Why is it that when you blow on a dog’s face they get mad, but they stick their head straight out the window in the car?

Nina Moussavi

WU-TANG Skater Cody Cuchna and Surfer Charlie Wachob smile for the camera as they rep their matching Wu-Tang gear.

Skater: Because it doesn’t like your breath. Surfer: I don’t even have a dog. I have a cat and it hates me. Us: Skater, OUCH, that was definitely a low blow! I thought we were the ones doing the insulting? No points to you Skater, for trying to take our job from us. Surfer, we aren’t surprised that

your cat hates you. If you treat it the way you’re treating us, it’d be expected. We guess we can give you 12 catnips, just because we are nice. TOTAL: Skater: 160 points Surfer: -319 points and 12 catnips

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2 5 3

1 7

About Face By Kendall Daasnes

1. Taylor Renteria, Junior 2. Amanda Graeser, Senior 3. Siddharth Iyangar, Sophomore 4. Mikayla Kwik, Sophomore 5. Calvin Smith, Senior 6. Evan Moring, Senior 7. Alexander Rothenberg, Freshman 8. Roberto Knapp-Ramos, Junior 9. Jack Connors, Freshman 10. Kayla Frost, Senior 11. Marisa Blanke, Freshman 12. Alex Caffrey, Senior

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steeze

the

mustang 10.03.08

Backpacks: back or whack?

Backpacks represent classic school style, but are they on the outs? By Maddie Lyon and Taylor Chapin

uintessential school style dating back to before I can remember has always included a backpack. Even though the

clothes worn underneath the straps change by the minute, the backpack has remained pretty much the same. Nothing can

dispute it as the staple icon of being a student. However, it seems backpacks these days are increasingly exchanged for an

oversized tote or single binder underneath the arm. Have backpacks fallen by the wayside and become a thing of the past?

Students weigh in on style versus practicality and let loose their true feelings on “sporting a Jansport.”

Back:

Whack:

Jennifer Mayer, junior “Everyone likes to sport their Jansport every now and then, and that’s cool.”

Erin Rosenberg, freshman “People have used backpacks for forever it’s more a matter of necessity, than style.”

Tanner Curtiss, junior “They crumple up your shirts and mess up your style so you can’t tell how cool you t-shirt is.”

Mariela Dieguez, senior “I think they’re fashionable, it just depends on what backpack you wear. They’re way easier to use; you can just get it and go!”

Daniel Alguire, freshman “Some backpacks are just plain ugly.”

Kaky Payne, sophmore “Backpacks are just classic and comfy!”

Kiko Kolb, senior “I don’t use one, so they’re definitely out of style.”

Mitchell Fierro, freshman “It’s not really a style; it’s just the easiest way to carry around lots of stuff.”

Ultimate Steeze

Illustration by Emily Ratajkowski

Junior Derek Myers and senior Megan Yoshitomi show off their steeze. By Maddie Lyon and Taylor Chapin Sunglasses: Ultimate Sushi Kiosk in Irvine Spectrum

Beanie: 99 ¢ Store

Headphones: Panasonic, Gift Shirt: Ezekiel, K-5 Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Bracelets: Mom Jeans: RVCA, Sun Diego

Pants: Urban Outfitters Shoes: Nike, Foot Locker Shoes: Aldo

Style Icons: Kevin Barth Personal Style: Sexy Beast Estimated Cost of Outfit: $150

Style Icon: Hannah Maxwell Personal Style: Urban Chic Estimated Cost of Outfit: $200

Kendall Daasnes

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