MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 55, NO. 5
January 31, 2020
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
by t h e n u m b e r s : st u d e n t ta r d i n e s s By Megh Basu, Mahek Bhora, Maggie Lai & Amanda Pang Staff Writers
START 7:59 AM
Have you had an unexcused tardy in the past month?
OVERVIEW
59.3%
Tardiness results in various consequences ranging in severity, from attending Saturday school to receiving tardy contracts. Widespread conversation about such schoolwide penalties has risen in recent years, so to better inform MSJ students about this issue, the Smoke Signal collected 200 survey responses across grade levels from six classes on January 13 and interviewed members of the MSJ community. Are you currently on a tardy contract?
NO YES
EXPERIMENTATION
CURRENT POLICIES The current policy requires tardy students to turn in an office slip explaining the reasons for being tardy to their teachers. If a student arrives later than 30 minutes to class, it is considered a truancy — an unauthorized absence — and the student will attend Saturday school. After accumulating six truancies, FUSD sends a letter to parents as the first warning. Subsequent letters are sent at nine tardies, and students are placed on tardy contracts at 11 tardies.
89.9%
NO YES 10.1%
In 2010, Assistant Principal Jeff Evans investigated the tardy situation and implemented several changes. He said, “I heard the talk of extending the passing. It used to be five minutes, and kids complained that [there] wasn’t enough time to get to class, and then we made it seven minutes. There wasn’t a drop in tardiness; in fact, there was an increase.” While working on his master’s degree, Evans conducted a study on tardiness and punishment practices by putting himself in students’ shoes. “If you walk from the farthest end of the school to the other end at a regular pace, it takes three minutes, so we then reduced the passing period to six minutes to build time for advisory and did not see a rise in tardiness,” he said. How often does a teacher give you consequences for a tardy?
TARDY CONTRACTS
In addition, the school issues tardy contracts for continual tardiness. Assistant Principal Jeana Nightengale said, “There are first, second, and third tardy letters ... The third letter is a tardy contract.” Continuing, she said, “You’ve been warned the first letter, you’ve been warned the second letter, so it’s not until the third letter that they’re placed on a tardy contract at 11 unexcused tardies, and then they’re sent to Saturday school for two hours.”
17%
24.2%
lOSiNg iNfOrmatiON
39.2%
19.6%
iNtErruptiNg claSS NO advErSE EffEctS bEiNg diSrESpEctful
10.3%
0% Of
thE timE
25% 50% 75% 100%
75.3%
EFFECTS ON LEARNING Tardiness often has adverse effects: late students cause distractions for the class and often miss out on vital information. History Teacher Brian Soria said, “If a student is habitually tardy, it means they habitually miss part of class. I usually start my class right away.” Overall, late students have less time to get work done and disrupt those around them, decreasing the class’s productivity. This behavior is also rude, showing a lack of commitment to the educational opportunities presented. Math and History Teacher Kim Mathis said, “When a student is tardy and we’ve already started, we have to pause to catch that person up. I find it a level of disrespect to the class because you think you need us to stop for you.”
CONSEQUENCES What do you think is the most adverse effect of tardiness?
40.7%
Consequences for tardiness normally depend on the teachers, but can develop into larger repercussions at the administrative level. Teachers often establish classroom rules to enforce timeliness among their students, including lowering participation points and overall grades. Math and History Teacher Kim Mathis said, “[If you’re tardy] in my math class ... you don’t get to turn in your homework — that’s an embedded consequence.”
STATISTICS & TRENDS
ARRIVE 8:05 AM
ONLINE
THIS MONTH
www.thesmokesignal.org
In the past month, 40.7% of surveyed students received an unexcused tardy, with 26.2% receiving two or more. When the bell rings, there are still many students who are either purposely or unpurposely late to class, indicating there is still more to be done regarding how the tardy policy is enforced. Additionally, out of the students who are tardy, 56% are late for one to five minutes and 2.5% are later for more than five minutes. This statistic demonstrates that a majority of students do not miss much class time — only a few minutes each day. However, the time does accumulate. History Teacher Brian Soria said, “Say, I’m only late 10 minutes. Well you have been late 10 minutes 30 days so add that up. 10 minutes worth of 30 days [means] you are missing whole classes.”
How many minutes are you late on average?
Among the students surveyed, 66.7% listed causes for being late — such as using the bathroom and having a long distance to the next class — that could be solved by longer passing periods. This trend is also reflected in the responses to reducing tardiness, as 60.2% of the responses believed longer passing periods would mitigate tardiness. ▪
THE RISE OF SKYWALKER REVIEW
SMOKIE PODCAST EPISODE 2: EDITOR Q&A
The Rise of Skywalker made history as the last movie of an incredibly iconic series. Check out the Smoke Signal’s review of the final episode of Star Wars.
In the second episode of the Smokie Podcast, listen to editors from the Smoke Signal answer questions submitted by the MSJ student body.
i am NOt latE tO claSS
41.4%
1 2 3
8.1%
21.2% 18.2%
4 5+
FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG
2 News
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NEWS IN
BRIEF Compiled by Sumani Alem, Nishi Bhagat & Sakshi Umrotkar Staff Writers
LOCAL iawards.eastbayeda.org Ohlone College is the first and only community college in CA to offer Smart Manufacturing Technology.
Ohlone College Program named finalist in East Bay Innovation Awards. On January 13, Ohlone College’s Smart Manufacturing Technology Program was announced as one of the finalists in the East Bay Innovation Awards. These prestigious annual awards, sponsored by the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, honor inventive companies and organizations headquartered in the East Bay that have achieved continued success in the fields of manufacturing and design. Ohlone College was named one of two finalists in the education category.
NATIONAL bizjournals.com The N3 Ranch went on the market in July of last year with an asking price of $72 million.
Newsom proposes $20 million for new CA state park. On January 9, CA Governor Gavin Newsom declared that he wanted legislative leaders to dedicate $20 million from the $222.2 billion state budget to purchase new public parkland. Newsom declined to say where that park might be, suggesting the price could go up if he revealed details. If approved, however, the money would combine with a $30 million commitment from The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Lands to likely purchase the N3 Ranch, an 80-square mile ranch in Livermore home to elk, deer, and hundreds of species of birds.
INTERNATIONAL macleans.ca The plane crashed in Parand district, southern Tehran, Iran.
Deadly Ukrainian plane crash escalates tensions between the US and Iran. On the morning of January 8, a Boeing 737-800 was struck down by Iranian missiles shortly after takeoff from Tehran, resulting in the death of all 176 passengers, including 82 Iranian and 63 Canadian citizens. A statement from Iran’s military on January 10 stated that they mistook the civilian plane for an incoming US missile. The plane crash followed Iran’s attack on US bases in Iraq in retaliation of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani’s assassination on January 3. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the incident saying, “The families of the victims and all Canadians want answers. I want answers.”
The Smoke Signal
MSJ Science Olympiad takes fourth at Mira Loma Invitational Team A placed fourth out of 30 teams at the seventh annual competition. By Christine Dong & Lily Oh Staff Writers
Tensions ran high as students carefully propelled their model planes into the air, some flying smoothly while others plummeted to the floor. MSJ Academic Challenge Club’s Science Olympiad Team A competed at the Seventh Annual Mira Loma Science Olympiad Invitational held at Mira Loma High School on January 11. The team placed fourth out of 30 teams, surpassing Monta Vista High School, which placed fourth at state tournaments last year, by one point. Team A, one of the club’s three Science Olympiad teams, competed at the invitational. The team of 15 students participated in 23 total events that reflect many fields of study, including earth science and mechanical engineering. Each member of the team competed in three to four events. In a Science Olympiad tournament, students are ranked for each individual event, and then the team is scored by combining points that equal their ranks for events. At the end, the team with the lowest sum of points wins the tournament. MSJ’s score was 218, just six points more than third place winner Lynbrook High School. Prior to the event, team members prepared by practicing regularly for their respective events. The club even organized a mock competition between the three teams for possible team restructuring. “The last week of Winter Break, I spent around 40 hours on Science Olympiad ... For an average team member, I would expect maybe one to two
The team, referred to as Team A, consists of Co-Captains Senior Christina Yu and Junior Caleb Chiang; Build Captain Senior Eric Ma, Summer Lead Junior Jack Burd, Seniors Angela Gao, Tiffany Tsai, and Tanishq Vaidya, Juniors Jeffrey Cheng and Raymond Qian; Sophomores Alexzendor Misra, Anvay Panguluri, Tanmay Panguluri, Inimai Subramanian, and Titus Tsai; and Freshman Chris Ge.
hours per event per week,” Co-Captain Junior Caleb Chiang said. Sophomore Titus Tsai’s performance stood out; he earned first place in Astronomy, third place in Dynamic Planets, and sixth place in Geologic Mapping. Freshman Chris Ge, the only freshman on the team, earned fourth place in two of the three events he participated in. Co-Captain Senior Christina Yu is optimistic about the team’s potential for the rest of the season and believes they should continue working hard. “Getting fourth is
a great thing, but we should not ever settle for ‘this is good enough.’ We should always have the mindset of continually improving, and hopefully that will reflect in our results,” Yu said. Chiang accredits Science Olympiad for helping him broaden his horizons. He said, “By being a part of the Science Olympiad team, you learn to learn. I guess that’s the main thing. You learn how to learn science, and you develop your interest in different fields of science; sometimes, those that you never thought of previously as interesting.” ▪ PHOTO COURTESY ERIC MA.
New “By-Trustee” System Bids Goodbye to Traditional Voting The system divides Fremont into five different voting areas to each be represented by an elected trustee. By Anya Agarwal & Gokul Ramapriyan Staff Writers
FUSD adopted a new trustee voting system on December 10 after they received a letter from the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) on July 31 calling for a change. The letter stated that the CVRA prohibits the “At-Large” system, which was used by the district in the past and allowed every Fremont resident to vote for any trustee running for election, regardless of where the resident or the trustee lives. Other districts were being sued by the CVRA in violation of their
new act, so there was an urgent need to remodel. Leading up to the decision to adopt the plan for the new “By-Trustee” system, district officials convened in five public hearings to decide which of the six proposed maps would be implemented. The new “By-Trustee” voting system now divides Fremont into five different areas. Residents can only vote for trustees running for a position in their own areas, and only one trustee is elected from each area. The maps play an integral part in this new voting system as they decide how
Washington HS Trustee Area: 1 American HS
Trustee Area: 2 Mission San Jose HS
corrections for the DEC. 19, 2019 issue
News P1. CA Community Foundation is misspelled. News P1. Margaret DeVecchis is misspelled on second mention. News P1. Abode Family Services Homeless Shelter is misspelled on third mention. News P1. LEO Club should be spelled as such. News P1. Macy’s is misspelled on second mention. News P1. Kanchan Raju is L2 Commmunity Committee Co-Head. A&E P13. adamgryu is misspelled. A&E P13. Marta Cabrera is misspelled on third mention. Sports P14. Ben Alamar is Director of Production Analytics. Sports P15. WrestleMania 31 should be spelled as such. Sports P15. The SAP Center’s seating capacity is 17,496.
January 31, 2020
Trustee Area: 3 Kennedy HS Trustee Area: 4 Irvington HS
voters will be grouped together and represented. Through two different public hearings, the district gathered input from the public regarding how the maps should be drawn. After the six final maps were completed, district members researched Fremont’s population distribution and voted for the map they believed would most benefit the residents of Fremont. When discussing how she personally decided on her vote, FUSD Board of Education Member Dianna Jones said, “I was looking at ... the purpose of the California Voting Rights Act, which is to empower protected classes and preserve communities of interest, so I was really evaluating the maps based primarily on those two criteria.” On December 10, the board finally voted in favor of Map Plan #1. Jones hopes that the changes in the Fremont community after the transition to the new system will be free of conflict. Although the CVRA has good intentions in forcing districts away from the “At-Large” voting system, some Fremont residents fear how it will divide the community. Trustees must be able to avoid voting on policies that will benefit their represented area but at the cost of the rest of Fremont. However, if the system is executed well, each trustee can make personal connections with the voters in their area while still keeping the interests of the city as a whole in mind. Jones said, “I hope that we will be able to maintain what is a unified district and behave not just as trustees, but as a community — to act in the best interest of all of our students and not fall victim to territorialism.” ▪
Following the adoption of Map Plan #1, the Governing Board will submit a petition to the Alameda County Committee on School District Organization for review and approval. GRAPHIC BY DDP.MAPS.ARCGIS.COM.
Friday, January 31, 2020
THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 55, No. 5 | January 31, 2020 www.thesmokesignal.org 41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-3600, ext. 37088 MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums.
SCHOOL POPULATION 2055 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Lucia Li, Shray Vaidya NEWS Jonathan Liu, Sabrina Wu OPINION Josephine Chew, Aria Lakhmani FEATURE Tylor Wu, Kelly Yang CENTERSPREAD Karen Li, Shreya Sridhar A&E Jennifer Xiang, Jessica Xu SPORTS Ian Park, Yusuf Rasheed GRAPHICS Kimberly Huang, Selina Yang WEB Riya Chopra, Gregory Wu TECH Anika Arora, Christine Dong BUSINESS Alisha Chhangani CIRCULATION Sreetama Chowdhury ADVERTISING Sabrina Cai, Carolyn Qian EVENTS Gokul Ramapriyan, Monisha Saxena WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Anya Agarwal, Sumani Alem, Megh Basu, Nishi Bhagat, Mahek Bhora, Kruthi Gollapudi, Anvi Kalucha, Maggie Lai, Tavish Mohanti, Haneul Oh, Amanda Pang, Larry Shi, Tanisha Srivatsa, Sakshi Umrotkar, Varun Upadhyay, Mingxin Wang, Alina Zeng, Brooke Zheng
ADVISER Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@ thesmokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length. To advertise in the Smoke Signal, email ads@ thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the pages of, or carried within, the Smoke Signal, is paid advertising, and as such is independent of the news and feature content. The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. All policies on distribution, corrections, and bylines can be found at www.thesmokesignal.org/about.
The Smoke Signal
JOSEPHINE'S JOURNAL
Finding your peace with food
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ARIA'S APPROACH
The myth of happiness By Aria Lakhmani Opinion Editor
By Josephine Chew Opinion Editor
The summer after sophomore year, I decided I needed to be healthier. In hopes of achieving that goal, I started working out daily to videos by a popular fitness YouTuber. At some point, I stumbled upon one in which she promoted what was then a novel concept to me: clean eating, which from what I remember essentially involved cutting out processed foods. From that, I logged off with the impression that I would be healthier if I slashed a sizable chunk of my customary diet. Invigorated by the thought that I was making a healthy choice, I started eating only minimally processed foods — whatever seemed like it was close to its natural state. It went wonderfully for a while — I felt powerful every time I opted for cashews instead of chips or bananas instead of brownies — but once the initial excitement wore off, I found myself craving all the supposed junk foods that I’d swept off the table. Thoughts about food constantly crowded my mind, leaving little space for anything else as I unsuccessfully attempted to focus on math problems. Unable to continue restricting myself, I started relapsing with forbidden food binges, much to my immense guilt. I’d categorized most foods as strictly healthy or unhealthy, so I felt disgusted with myself every time I indulged in something I’d deemed the latter, convinced that anyone who knew what I was doing would also find me repulsive. I’d then compensate by restricting again, toggling between extremes in a vicious cycle fueled by shame. I reached a point where I felt
like I was eating things simply because I’d told myself I couldn’t eat them, not because I truly enjoyed them; I craved a respite from the constant battle of restriction. It took me about a year and a half to truly rebuild my relationship with food. I had to entirely overthrow my ingrained perception of the foods I’d demonized just to be able to eat a cookie — or five — and not hate myself for it. I learned to break down the tight boundaries between healthy and unhealthy, tossing the labels in favor of eating what I wanted, enjoying it in the moment, and moving on afterwards with complete acceptance of my choice. Some foods might be more nutritious than others, but that doesn’t mean that a delightfully nutrient-void donut can’t be just as nourishing in a different way. The mindset of everything in moderation, including moderation, is more sustainable than an all-or-nothing attitude — according to a study published on ScienceDirect in 2015, “rigid dietary control is connected to higher psychological distress, including disordered and disinhibited eating.” I’m not the only MSJ student who’s struggled with it, and I won’t be the last. Eating habits rarely come up in our daily conversations — the first time I heard someone honestly describe an experience similar to mine was three months ago, when a friend casually mentioned that she’d just eaten five chocolate bars. Simply hearing her say that helped me come to terms with my struggle, and eventually grow comfortable enough to share my story with the world. ▪
The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board
Let others enjoy their content “You liked that movie? But action films are so overdone!” “You seriously liked that song? It’s so mainstream!” We hear comments criticizing media on the basis of its popularity like these all the time, especially from friends — it seems like everyone tries to impose their opinion on others. Sometimes, however, these judgments result in policing other people’s happiness rather than providing considerate suggestions. While these comments are rarely illintentioned, they create a judgemental environment; people become hesitant to admit their enthusiasm for mainstream entertainment for fear of being criticized or labeled as “basic.” This culture reinforces an unhealthy, predetermined standard of what people should and shouldn’t enjoy, playing into stereotypes across gender and personality. People should be able to have personal preferences simply because they do — they shouldn’t need to articulately defend their media preferences at all. Criticizing a movie or album objectively, such as for its cinematography or production, is generally fair. However, this line is crossed when we begin to judge others’ characters personally for their entertainment choices. Why critique others when their choice in entertainment simply brings them personal happiness? The urge to pass such judgment stems from the societal expectation to appear “cultured,” which often includes looking down on mainstream movies and music in favor of media that is less well known. Although the motivations for this desire vary, they usually involve an attempt to improve our image. In order to make sure others know we aren’t sheep, we end up disparaging these popular works. However, this mentality is inherently flawed — mainstream media would not be popular if it weren’t enjoyable in some form, so it would
follow that a large number of people like it. Moreover, opinions are subjective; just because we don’t enjoy something doesn’t mean that others have to agree. It doesn’t give us reason to make others feel insecure about their interest in a particular show or album. The need to police others’ happiness also plays into other cultural stereotypes and norms. By boxing people into specific palates of media, grouped by personality type, ethnicity, or even gender, we further limit what people can and can’t enjoy. People should never have to worry about crafting their taste in entertainment around broad generalizations, such as pop music being a feminine genre and hip-hop being a maledriven genre, or romantic comedies being for women and war movies for men, all of which are untrue. Neither should somebody be concerned about watching underground and obscure TV shows, simply because they can appear “quirky” and “cultured” in the eyes of their peers. Setting standards across these stereotypes creates an unhealthy environment at school, work, and everywhere in between; people are also much less likely to share if their entertainment falls outside of these standards. So, the next time we feel the urge to criticize the content people enjoy, we should consider the consequences of perpetrating a negative social trend, and whether we’re trying to make a fair and objective critique, or simply inhibiting others’ enjoyment in an attempt to appear cultured. ▪
Opinion 3
I’ve spent a decent chunk of my life believing that happiness should be the ultimate goal of my life. Every few weeks, I used to make myself a resolution: to continue being happy regardless of what comes my way and not let negative occurrences impact my mindset. I always adhere to this goal for the first few days, smiling in the face of any problem, but before I know it, a seemingly insurmountable issue pops up, and I crash hard. Then, there’s the inevitable guilt that came along with breaking that resolution, and when I had wallowed in sadness for too long, I again made the same resolution of happiness to myself, perpetuating a vicious cycle. I never really stopped to wonder why I could never keep this promise to myself because I always blamed it on my failure to maintain an optimistic mindset. However, after facing some of the toughest moments, I’ve realized that what I’ve been looking for is peace, not happiness. That’s not to say that happy moments are not important to me anymore. However, that’s all that they are: fleeting moments. Happiness is not a constant state you can exist in simply because it is conditional on other occurrences, which are determined by our personal definition of happiness. To me, happiness is achieving and being surrounded by people I love, which are two things that may not be attainable in every situation. Furthermore, happiness
isn’t something you can collect and store for later. Spending so much time chasing an ideal that is dependent on many factors was frustrating, and I found myself either chasing the futile pursuit of happiness or fearing that I’d lose my momentary happiness. Inner peace is a much more permanent state than happiness, making it more suitable to be a long term goal than happiness. Rather than trying to avoid negative emotions in favor of being constantly optimistic, maintaining an inner peace means accepting circumstances that are out of your control and giving yourself permission to process what you truly feel. Instead of living in fear of losing happiness, inner peace is the reassurance that you will find happiness again, allowing you to face adversity more bravely. Attaining this inner peace is not instantaneous, and it involves some soul-searching. Being comfortable with yourself and embracing the negative and positive aspects of your personality is crucial. Rather than trying to project yourself as what you wish to be, accept yourself as who you are today and define goals to help you become what you idealize. Another important aspect of inner peace is accepting what is not in your control and that your ability to bounce back is not rooted in trying to be constantly happy but rather in allowing yourself to experience both highs and lows. So instead of chasing the ideal of happiness, take a step back and start making peace with yourself. ▪
By Lucia Li & Josephine Chew Editor-in-Chief & Opinion Editor
EDITOR-IN-CHIIEF LUCIA LI
OPINION EDITOR JOSEPHINE CHEW
4 Opinion
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, January 31, 2020
(6&45 KIRAN PATEL, 11
Every year, the Smoke Signal invites the student body to express their views through guest graphic opinions. Below is a selection of the submissions we received.
JULIA ZHAN, 10
TIFFANY LI, 10
NAVEED SHAKOOR, 10
EMILY MARCELIS, 10
JIAHUI HUANG, 11
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Opinion 5
Positive stereotypes have negative impacts A second glance at stereotypes disguised as compliments By Sreetama Chowdhury & Sakshi Umrotkar Staff Writers “Black people are all athletic.” “He’s gay? That makes sense; he dresses so well.” “Of course you’re good at math, you’re Asian!” To the speaker, comments like these may seem like harmless flattery or moraleboosting compliments, but these stereotypes, however well-intentioned they may be, are far more insidious than they seem.
Despite comprising 50% of all undergraduate STEM degrees, Asian-American students only made up 4.3% of all humanitiesrelated degrees in 2015 according to a report compiled by the RAND Corporation. More often than not, positive stereotyping, racial or otherwise, is the result of historical oppression, bigotry, and broad misconception. The stereotype of the wealthy, successful Jewish person, for example, stems from centuries-old anti-Semitic ideas of Jewish people being greedy and miserly. Another example is the assumption that African-Americans are inherently good at sports: this stereotype has a background in institutionalized racism. In the past, elite universities often shied away from granting African-Americans admission through the usual application process, making collegiate-level sports scholarships their only means to attend university. The assumption that all African-Americans possess
innate athleticism is evidently rooted in decades of marginalization. Perpetuating these outdated stereotypes reinforces the bigoted standards marginalized communities are still held to today — all the while ignoring the struggles they face trying to meet them. A familiar example of this is that of the math whiz Asian. Despite comprising 50% of all undergraduate STEM degrees, Asian-American students only made up 4.3% of all humanities-related degrees in 2015 according to a report compiled by the Rand Corporation. Such a glaring disparity can be credited to Asian-American students facing societal, cultural, and often familial pressure to pursue STEM fields, which were historically the best way for Asians to be "successful" in America. The history created a stereotype of Asians as an intelligent model minority, which is continually reinforced and eventually creates
implicit barriers to other fields. Such positive stereotypes create crippling pressure on Asian-American students that pushes them away from pursuing a diversity of fields. Furthermore, even after some students succeed in meeting these standards and embodying the quintessential Asian stereotype, society accredits these accomplishments to their Asian identity rather than personal merit. Such pressure is also seen in the assumption that all Asian-Americans come from financially stable families, a generalization that disregards many of the Asian nationalities that make up America’s vast immigrant population. A study by Pew Research Center found that in the past 50 years, income inequality has surged drastically among the AsianAmerican/ Pacific Islander community, causing spe-
cific ethnic groups such as Indian and Chinese-Americans to be among the top 10% of earners in the US, and groups such as Burmese and Nepalese-Americans to be at the threshold of the bottom 10% of earners. Asian-Americans are expected to meet unrealistically high standards that require resources that many marginalized groups do not have; as such, these standards overlook the financial struggles that they face. The assumption that vastly disparate Asian ethnicities are equally privileged hurts groups such as Cambodian-Americans that are already massively underrepresented in higher education and universities.
The assumption that vastly disparate Asian ethnicities are equally privileged hurts groups such as Cambodian-Americans that are already massively underrepresented in higher education and universities. Positive stereotyping is an easy mistake to make: common and unquestioned, these assumptions slip into compliments, casual comments, and jokes. They’re not as harmless as they seem, though, and we are responsible for recognizing and curbing their perpetuation. Rather than making generalizations that hold people to unrealistic standards and propagate historical bigotry, we should educate ourselves and compliment people based on their achievement alone. ▪ GRAPHIC BY STAFF WRITER MINGXIN WANG.
Zhu, 11 my A
Required Reading
do you think that high school required reading lists should be updated to include a greater diversity of perspectives or are they suitable as they are ?
Etta S
Sr
vi Ash
Sharma, 11
Mi n
"Yes. They should include everyone’s culture, religion, sexuality, and etc, without it forcing people to feel a type of way. Most books that I have read include straight white males or have been written by white males. More diverse options that talk more about historical events would also be fun to read."
Chloe
G up
ta, 9
"I feel like the lists are somewhat outdated. Although they're for learning, I feel like they should also reflect more perspectives because I remember in sophomore year, the books revolved around themes in history, like women's rights and slavery, but there wasn't much about futuristic or even just modern views."
Ch 12
C h ah a k
bal, 9 l Iq i h
, an
"I think they should be updated because many new books are being published and would be suitable for high school required reading lists. Readers could relate more to the new books as they are written from a more modern perspective. This will make high schoolers want to read the books instead of thinking of them as a chore."
"I feel that we should not change the classics because they are the only source of the older principles and more fundamental principles of society. We don't see a lot of news articles on old issues, so books indirectly point those issues out. So they are a good source to know what happened and how to improve society."
"Yes. Especially in more modern times, there is a lot of diversity within students. It would make a lot more sense to diversify the books to help students in minority groups feel represented. Additionally, many books are outdated and harder to relate to.”
a
vasan, 9 ini
ka
ou
,9
Anany a "It should include more modern writing because all ... we read about applies to older societies, so when we’re writing essays, we’re really just writing about what society was like decades and centuries ago rather than modern times. I want it to be more relevant to me so I can actually learn something about our society today. ”
"An updated list would be great, especially if the novels are related to a particularly controversial time period. However, we also shouldn't be removing any books that are currently on the list to make room for new novels-- the designated classics that we currently read each have their own merit and have been used for decades in the curriculum."
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS SUMANI ALEM, TANISHA SRIVATSA & SAKSHI UMROTKAR.
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Feature 7
Dear Diary: TikTok By Kruthi Gollapudi Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 1: Well, today is the day. I have finally gotten a life! Yes, I, a mere TikTok account, have been created by a desperate teenager for the sole purpose of allowing them to access modern-day entertainment and gain a sense of validation from their generation. The way kids spend their time these days seems so ridiculous to me, but I can’t help but be excited to become a member of this community! Just you wait until I propel my user into TikTok’s global spotlight — this is truly the opportunity of a lifetime, and I swear to do my duty with the utmost pride, respect, and responsibility. Monday, January 6: After spending the past few days observing and exploring, I have to admit that this platform is nothing short of extraordinary. There’s truly nothing I can’t find on TikTok! From viral dance trends to memes about a supposed third World War — as if the first two weren’t already enough — my user has found an interest in watching almost all the available content. They have even started to create their own videos as well, and I’m quite proud to have my dashboard filled with their flawless renditions of Charli D’Amelio’s most famous dances. Honestly, my user’s originality continues to astound me! Saturday, January 18: It has been a couple of weeks, and life has been moving pretty steadily. It is really quite exciting to be such a relevant part of people’s lives and today’s society. I mean, practically every teenager uses TikTok daily. Their lives revolve around it. This platform has literally shaped an entire generation. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how big — how revolutionary — this platform is, and then it hits me. That’s me. I’m TikTok! Yeah, yeah, I know. Don’t toot my own horn and all that. But come on — I’m pretty amazing. Monday, January 20: I’ve learned there is more to TikTok than what meets the eye. After studying my user carefully these past couple of days, I’ve come to the conclusion that TikTok is not just an application — it’s also an addiction. Just yesterday, my user spent six hours on TikTok. Six whole hours. On a school night! I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is great for me. I’m thriving! But my user’s sleep schedule definitely isn’t. Or their time management skills. Or even their work ethic. But who cares about that! I’m having fun, they’re having fun, everyone’s having fun — that’s all that matters, right? Friday, January 24: I have a confession to make. Things might not be as great as they seem. Generally speaking, my user is doing great! Their videos have recently acquired some attention, and their rise to TikTok fame has only just begun. While this is a great success for me, I can’t help but notice what my user is going through. As it turns out, social media stardom and school are not the easiest things to balance. They don’t sleep, they rarely relax, and they’re just constantly stressed. And I know, I should be happy — I completed my mission for heaven’s sake. But I just can’t shake the feeling that while I fulfilled myself, I failed my user. Sunday, January 26: My days as a TikTok account are now over. I guess today is the last day I will ever write a journal entry, and the last day of ever serving my user. After reevaluating their situation and personal health, they made the right choice in choosing to delete TikTok from their life. But boy, what a ride it has been. Yes, I will miss the self-deprecating and deadpan humor popularized by teenagers these days, as well as watching everyone’s For You pages being dominated by Renegade dance videos, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t what my user needed. I wish I could do more to help, but that’s all I can do. I made a promise to do my duty with the utmost pride, respect, and responsibility. And I kept it. GRAPHIC BY STAFF WRITER MINGXIN WANG.
GRAPHICS COURTESY ART PAL.
8 Feature
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The Smoke Signal
[ Meatless Meats ] BEHIND THE
Friday, January 31, 2020
By Megh Basu, Nishi Bhagat, Tavish Mohanti & Monisha Saxena Staff Writers
the impossible burger The plant-based meat alternative has exploded in recent years after Patrick O. Brown founded Impossible Foods in 2011. The mission of Impossible Foods is to provide a sustainable substitute for the national meat industry, which has recently come under fire for its immense carbon footprint and land usage. In its mission statement, Impossible Foods says, “We’re making meat from plants so that… [we] can eat all the meat we want, for as long as we want. And save the best planet in the known universe.” Impossible Foods recently released a meatless pork substitute and plans on expanding its arsenal of alternatives.
e n v i r o n m e n ta l b e n e f i t s Animal agriculture not only generates more pollution than any other industry, but also consumes the most water. The upkeep of livestock uses 45% of the Earth’s land surface and produces 18% of greenhouse emissions worldwide. One pound of beef requires 1,799 gallons of water to be produced. In contrast, the Impossible Burger is advertised to generate 85% lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional beef burgers, as well as use 75% less water and 95% less land.
nutritional benefits For many vegetarians and those attempting a meatless diet, it is often difficult to find substantial sources of protein and other essential minerals like iron. With plant-based substitutes like the Impossible Burger, protein is derived from soy and peas, and it contains comparable protein content to beef and other meats. The Impossible Burger also provides vitamins primarily found in animal sources like Vitamin B-12. Though, arguably, the Impossible Burger contains more saturated fats than actual meat.
How it's made The Impossible Burger, manufactured by Impossible Foods, consists of five main ingredients, water, soy protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil and natural flavors. Heme, a molecule found abundantly in animals, gives it a meaty flavor to imitate a real hamburger. The oils allow the patty to cook like a burger patty, and other ingredients like food starch and methylcellulose hold it together. The Impossible Burger uses two main bioengineered ingredients, soy protein and soy leghemoglobin. Heme is also fermented of genetically engineered yeast.
Friday, January 31, 2020
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Feature 9
[ Meatless Meats ] THE DIEHARD TRYHARDS:
megh I’ve never had a veggie burger. Ever. And frankly, I don’t see the appeal. I’m probably the closest thing to a carnivore that I can be without getting scurvy. I guess it might be worth it to broadening my horizons, but I don’t think a tofu burger is going to change my world. Without any meat, should it even be considered a burger? Plus, it’s tofu. Tofu literally tastes like nothing. I’m not worried though; I cook pretty frequently, and even though I’ve never made a burger, how hard can it be?
nishi
monisha
tavish
Despite having burnt everything from grilled cheese to scrambled eggs, I have spent countless afternoons enviously watching MasterChef, and hopefully I’ve absorbed their talent to not only cook an edible meal, but also incorporate fungi into a beloved American classic. To prepare, I scoured the internet in desperation, hunting for any recipe that could hold a light to the mouth-watering joy of a regular burger. Finally, from the corners of YouTube, I found a video that drew inspiration from the beloved Shake Shack ‘Shroom Burger™. I figured if it’s a fan favorite, it has a good chance of winning the hearts of the judges.
Advertised as the harbinger of a new era of plant-based meat substitutes, the Impossible Burger is a revolutionary step towards a more eco-friendly meat industry. As I take on this new culinary challenge, I am both excited and terrified about handling this small patty — which very well may hold the future in its meaty, soy flesh. In keeping with the trend of ground-breaking, I have decided to make an In-N-Out™-style burger with special Animal sauce and caramelized onions. It may be delicious. It may be inedible. But it will definitely be fun!
Out of all the food groups, meat comes out on top. I don’t know what it is about a carefully cooked hamburger patty or a roasted chicken, but they are as mouthwatering as it comes. A carnivore like me has no place in trying “fake meat,” but here I am, making a veggie burger. However, in the best interest of my arteries, I feel like a transition towards a less meatfilled diet might be a good move. I’ll try my best to make a combination of beans, quinoa, and onions into a delectable burger.
AFTER I severely underestimated how hard this would be. I thought my competition was Nishi, Tavish, and Monisha — turns out it's tofu. I had no idea you have to dry and press tofu before cooking with it, and my burger patty made of tofu, badly chopped onions, way too much garlic powder, and soy sauce kept falling apart on the skillet. And my misfortune didn’t stop there. I had three failed attempts at toasting the buns. My tofu burger with avocado, tomatoes, and sriracha aioli earned last place. How is it possible that, after years of stress-baking, I can’t make a simple burger? I guess this is the sad consequence of never eating my vegetables.
I went into the competition feeling calm and collected, knowing that my frantic search on the internet had left me with a solid plan of action. While my counterparts were burning their buns and picking up pickles, I was able to bake, stuff, and bread the mushrooms with ease, but then came time to fry these bad boys. Placing the giant portobello mushrooms into a pot of hot oil seemed daunting to say the least, but they thankfully came out decent. Somehow, I even managed to pull off a win against my competitors; my days of burning grilled cheese are clearly over, so Gordon Ramsay better watch out, because my burgers are DieHard TryHard approved.
Chaos. Screams. Toothpicks spilling everywhere. Butter flying across the kitchen. Tears mixing with ketchup and mayonnaise to make a pain-filled Thousand Island Sauce. The smell of burnt burger buns and broken dreams filling the air. Making this burger was definitely an experience, but definitely not impossible. In fact, the patty was quick, easy, and straightforward. Instructions on the packaging were clear, and the patties themselves were not difficult to handle. Winning second place has definitely somewhat validated the pain of chopping those onions.
Cooking anything besides instant noodles is outside my skill range. I realized that when it took me 30 minutes to cut up three vegetables. From forgetting to add my egg into my mushy patty concoction to not realizing the gas wasn’t on 10 minutes into “cooking” my buns, I resigned myself to last place. After making a complete mess in the kitchen and nearly slipping on what we called “floor pickles,” I finally served my black bean burger after a mere hour and a half of preparation. I was pleasantly surprised with my third-place ranking, the only highlight within the chaos. I’m not sure that I’ll give up hamburgers, but maybe it’s worth trying some alternatives.
4th place
1st place
2nd place
3rd place PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS MEGH BASU, NISHI BHAGAT, TAVISH MOHANTI & MONISHA SAXENA.
10 Centerspread
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reconstructing
MISSION
The Smoke Signal
Friday, January 31, 2020
Since its founding in 1964, MSJ has adopted many campus beautification modifications. To highlight the evolution of MSJ’s facilities, the Smoke Signal interviewed administrators and compiled pictures of significant improvements to infrastructure.
By Sabrina Cai, Alisha Chhangani, Amanda Pang & Gokul Ramapriyan Staff Writers
Then... Friday, January 31, 2020
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The original HVAC system in the library
ing in front MSJ students from 1968 pos of the iconic amphitheater
A view from the horseshoe overlooking the N-Wing arches by the library
MSJ’s first layout of buildings from a bird’s eye view
TRAFFIC SAFETY Traffic loop improvements were introduced in 2017 when having only one horseshoe caused heavy congestion, illegal drop-offs, and safety concerns from the neighborhood. FUSD and Robson Homes constructed two new drop-off loops in the last two years to alleviate the Palm Avenue traffic. One loop redirects cars through the student and staff parking lot, while the other routs cars through the horseshoe in front of the school. In September 2017, Robson Homes finished the construction of the third drop-off loop along Mission Boulevard behind the C- and E-Wings. Although improvements helped traffic become smoother and more organized, Mission Boulevard still remains jammed. Since traffic is inevitable, Director of Secondary Education Department Zack Larsen said, “There are things that the community can do, like bike riding or walking...to get [their] blood flowing before sitting down for six hours.”
N-Wing Improvements As part of a yearly effort by Leadership 2 (L2) to improve the campus, the bushy and marshy grasses just outside the entrance of the N-Wing were redeveloped in 2019. In regards to the project, L2 Advisor Ben Breazeale said, “We just wanted to create a serene, peaceful area where students could hang out, eat lunch, and relax.” Among other improvements, the renovation included a fountain, three benches, and newly planted trees. L2 students, who designate funds for yearly campus improvement projects, planned out the design and budget. To the campus at large, Breazeale said, “Subconsciously or consciously, people are affected by their surroundings so we wanted to create a peaceful environment to cater to that.”
Murals MSJ’s planned infrastructure embodied a very plain design. To augment the exterior design elements, students painted murals all over campus. The first mural, finished 15 years ago in the C-Wing, represented the Science Department. Ever since, Art Teacher Edie Christensen, along with her AP Art students, have made an active effort to dedicate a mural for each department. First, students brainstorm individual ideas for the specific site; afterwards, art students as well as staff vote on the best design. Over the years, all the murals painted have received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Christensen said, “When you see a positive influence [in the murals] … those are images that get your mind to start to think and accept those [messages.]”
Centerspread 11
The initially barren field surrounding our campus
environmental improvements hvac systems The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system was implemented in 1964 when the school was founded. The HVAC system is comprised of two large boilers, one located in the E-Wing and one in C-120, that pump hot water through pipes to heat classrooms. The first modernization of the HVAC system took place in 2000, when air conditioning units were installed on the roofs of some classrooms. With this improvement, classrooms provided both heating and cooling for MSJ’s students. However, according to Larsen, the insufficient design of the original system often causes the coils to get too hot, which consequently leads to breaks and leaks in the system. Currently, MSJ can only temporarily patch these leaks, though Fremont voters have passed a Measure E Bond Program to improve Fremont school facilities. According to the Sept. 21, 2017 Smoke Signal issue, this bond plans to replace the old boilers with new, quieter, and more efficient air conditioning by 2025.
MSJ first initiated new environmentally friendly installations during the construction of the A-Wing. In 2009, MSJ had to cut down six giant trees for the building of the A-Wing, which led to some protests by community members and parents. In response, MSJ committed to planting additional trees and plants around campus. Soon, the corner of Palm Avenue and the central part around the library and gym were flourishing with native plants. In recent years, L2 has been involved with new pavers and trees between the B- and C-Wing as well as additional plants surrounding the N-Wing and the portables. The addition of plants not only reduces MSJ’s carbon footprint, but also provides a better environment for the staff, students, and community.
and now
Over the years, along with tree planting, students have beautified the campus with dozens of gardens
Portables showing individual HVAC units on their rooves
The current N-Wing walkway with new improvements
mural brings Painted by art students, this life to the amphitheater
The new traffic loop built to maximize drop-off and pickup efficiency PHOTO COURTESY COSTANOAN YEARBOOK CLASS OF 1965 & 1968. PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS ALISHA CHHANGANI, AMANDA PANG & GOKUL RAMAPRIYAN.
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The Smoke Signal
Guide to Gacha Games By Anya Agarwal, Christine Dong & Amanda Pang Staff Writers
Friday, January 31, 2020
Gacha games encompass a popular game genre that virtualizes the gachapon, a vending machine that dispenses random toys. Some of the most popular games are mobile games from Japan, which is where the gachapon originated. MSJ students often play gacha games as a convenient, entertaining way to pass time, enjoying the unique progressions of the games and the satisfaction of receiving a rare prize from the gacha. Introduction
Mechanics
Fate
/Grand Order
Gacha games come in many genres, but all of them share the gacha mechanic. Players spend a fixed amount of virtual currency, which can be earned slowly in-game or purchased quickly with real money for a chance to earn in-game prizes. Though prizes are randomized, more desirable rewards are significantly harder to obtain.
Delightworks and Aniplex’s Mobile role-playing game (RPG) Fate/Grand Order is one of the most popular gacha games today, being the most talked-about game on Twitter in 2019, according to the Washington Post. Part of its popularity comes from its connection to the beloved Fate franchise. The gameplay features a turnbased battle system where the player commands various characters called Servants gained by completing storyline chapters or engaging with gacha mechanics.
Love Live! School idol festival
The gambling aspect of gacha games is the most common topic of criticism. In popular games such as Fire Emblem Heroes, the chances of getting a desirable outcome after spending money are remarkably low. In 2012, a specific gacha game format, kompu gacha, was banned in Japan because it too closely resembled gambling with its extremely low chance for a high payout. Another controversy is power creep, where developers release new items that far outweigh similar items in skill, forcing players to spend more money to obtain these new benefits.
Love Live! School idol festival is a mobile Japanese rhythm game based off and incorporating characters and music from the multimedia Love Live! franchise. To play the game, players tap on-screen icons to the beat of various songs, organizing teams of up to nine character cards drawn through the gacha mechanism to improve their scores. Developed by KLab Inc. and published by Bushiroad, it was first released in Japan in 2013 with the English localization released worldwide a year later.
Azur Lane
Azur Lane is an extremely popular Chinese mobile gacha game, developed by Manjuu and Yongshi and published by bilibili. Released for the first time in 2017, Azur Lane is a shoot ‘em up simulation game where players collect characters personifying World War II warships and create their own fleets. The popularity of Azur Lane grew instantly: the player count reached five million within four months of its release in Japan in 2017.
Controversies
Dragon Collection, the first gacha game, was released to GREE, a Japanese social network in 2010. The game combined the RPG genre with the mechanism and collectibility of gachapons to give rise to a simple game with many micro-transactions.
Timeline
2010 The first gacha vending machine was released in Japan.
1965
Puzzle & Dragons, released in the US in 2012, introduced gacha games to Americans and became a huge hit. Since then, many other gacha games have seen popularity in the US.
2012
Fate/ Grand Order becomes most talked-about game on Twitter according to the Washington Post.
2019
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Arise: A Simple Story is far less than the simple story it advertises — it is just plain boring. This single-player/co-op game takes players on a progressively unremarkable journey through the memories of a man who has recently passed away. Arise: A Simple Story released on December 3, 2019, and is out now on PS4, Xbox 1, and Windows PC via the Epic Store.
Arts & Entertainment & Feature 13
Arise: a simple story By Varun Upadhyay Staff Writer
OVERALL: 2.8/5
Arise: A Simple Story features an amazingly unremarkable six-hour storyline which only becomes more boring as players progress through the narrative. The story is divided into 10 thematic levels — Hope, Romance, Joy, and Ashes, to name a few. Players are occasionally rewarded with an unsatisfying cutscene after completing a task; however, in order to get the full story, players must tediously find collectible items scattered throughout the map, which, after a certain point, becomes trivial. The immense lack of action combined with the relative ease of each level makes it extremely difficult to develop an engaging story. The only entertainment comes from how fast players can speedrun levels to simply be finished playing the game.
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The cartoon-like graphics of Arise are similar to that of an animated movie, and one of the only notable parts of the game. Throughout the game, players are able to traverse visually appealing landscapes ranging from snowy mountains to jungles. In particular, during the aptly titled “Romance” level, players are treated to an impressive display of gorgeous scenery while traveling along a river atop mesmerizing, colorful rose petals and lilies. This artistry with the graphics is persistent throughout the course of the game, demonstrating an applaudable amount of attention to detail, and gives players something to marvel at in an otherwise uninteresting game.
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Impressive graphics and an above average soundtrack are not enough to make up for the lackluster story and bland, repetitive gameplay of Arise: A Simple Story . The game simply does not have enough compelling, immersive features to justify a $19.99 cost, nor does it have enough engaging moments to make players motivated enough to play the game to completion. Arise: A Simple Story is an overstatement of what the game truly is — “Arise: An overpriced, boring story” is more fitting.
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With the entirety of Arise being devoted to solving simplistic puzzles and easy parkour jumps, the game becomes extremely repetitive with no real challenge to motivate players to continue playing. The facile nature of the game forgoes any sense of achievement or reward for players as they progress through the levels. The only unique feature in the game is the ability to fast forward through time to remove obstacles that may stand in their way or go back in time to when an obstacle was not present. However, this mechanic quickly becomes tired, blending in with the rest of the relatively easy controls.
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In the absence of spoken dialogue in Arise: A Simple Story, the soundtrack carries discernable emotion and passion with it, which aids tremendously in story-telling. Each level has its own thematic soundtrack as well, which accurately sets the mood for cutscenes and passionately portrays the expressions shown by a mute main character. The immersiveness of the soundtrack helps players feel what the main character feels, making traversing throughout the map a little more personal and slightly more enjoyable.
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GRAPHIC BY ARISE-GAME.COM
Student Spotlight: Jason Zhang By Larry Shi & Alina Zeng Staff Writers
Channel Beginnings What started out as a $3 sixth grade bet has flourished into a phenomenal YouTube channel that has garnered more than 40 million views. Sophomore Jason Zhang, co-founder of the channel Gaming Hacks and Tutorials (GHT) Productions, creates non-commentary video game videos, with his most popular content being focused on Brawl Stars, a mobile game from the developer Supercell. GHT Productions was created in April 2016 when Zhang was in sixth grade. He and his friends made a bet to see who could get the most YouTube subscribers. At first, Zhang set a goal for 100 subscribers within the first month of launching his channel. However, Zhang and his co-founder Junior Derek Zhang reached 8,000 subscribers and 3 million views by the end of their first year, thoroughly exceeding his expectations. At first, the content was solely based on diep.io, an online game. However, his channel then had a two-year hiatus from 2017 to 2019 due to Zhang’s unwillingness to move onto other games after the popularity of diep.io died down. This hiatus ended last April when Zhang created a gameplay video that wildly blew up and kickstarted his channel again. To date, Zhang’s channel has a total of 40 million total views and 377,000 subscribers. Typically, Zhang spends more than eight hours recording and editing each of his five minute videos. Zhang’s most popular video, with more than 6.7 million views before being taken down, took more than 20 hours to produce. “[Recording these videos] has often resulted in very late nights,” Zhang said. In that month, Zhang’s video was the most viewed non-official Brawl Stars video of the month on YouTube.
Looking Forward In addition to being a hobby, Zhang’s channel has also produced revenue. A typical video generates around 40 cents per thousand views. Zhang’s total revenue includes around $23,000 from his videos and $3,600 from his sponsorships, most of which he’s accrued within the last nine months. Two video game developers, Magic Sword: Storm strikes and RAID: Shadow Legends, have reached out to Zhang, requesting to put their ads into Zhang’s gameplay videos. Although Zhang is not looking to pursue YouTube as a career due to its instability, he hopes to continue making content for his channel for the next few years to come. Currently, he will stick to creating Brawl Stars videos, but he hopes to expand his content to include videos of other games in the future. “I hope that my videos entertain my viewers and maybe inspire them to make their own videos,” Zhang said. PHOTO BY STAFF WRITER LARRY SHI, GRAPHICS COURTESY SUPERCELL.
14 Arts & Entertainment
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, January 31, 2020
Sequel-itis: The Death of Original Movies By Sumani Alem & Alina Zeng Staff Writers
Sequel-itis, the tendency of well-received works to spawn many, typically inferior, sequels, had its first appearance with the 1916 film sequel The Fall of a Nation. This film was successful, but it didn’t live up to the quality and ingenuity of the original The Birth of a Nation. Since then, according to film data researcher Stephen Follows, the number of sequels has continuously increased, peaking in the 2010s. Sequels such as Frozen 2, Toy Story 4, Avengers: Endgame, and Captain Marvel dominated the box office, holding positions in the top five highest grossing films of 2019. Although many of these films were immensely successful, sequels, with few exceptions, receive lower critic and audience ratings than the original. Constantly making sequels is simply a cash grab that involves minimal effort to produce films. The recent rise in sequels can be accredited to the profits already established franchises bring, as it is much less risky to develop a story that is already familiar to audiences than to create a new movie that may not be received as well. Although sequels significantly lack originality, they churn out millions for their production teams; in fact, 17 of the top 20 highest grossing movies of all time are sequels.
Sequels, with few exceptions, receive lower critic and audience ratings than the original. Even though there are many quality sequels that are highly reviewed and utilize innovative ideas, film series may eventually
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become lackluster due to the recycled material. Box Office Quant compared Rotten Tomatoes ratings of sequels with those of originals and concluded that, over time, series films have progressively gotten lower and lower ratings. “These films are not good films. They don’t have the magic of the original and they certainly didn’t try as hard as the originals,” said Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations, regarding last summer’s Godzilla: King of Monsters, Black Phoenix, and Men in Black: International. Most audiences would prefer to watch a movie with innovative, creative ideas rather than constantly seeing the same content. For this reason, award shows like the Oscars often end up honor-
ing films that are groundbreaking and highly reviewed rather than high grossing popular sequels. For example, of the eight films nominated for best picture, seven were critically acclaimed but lesser known original films.
Award shows like the Oscars often end up honoring films that are groundbreaking and highly reviewed rather than high grossing popular sequels. Evidently, original films will both earn more recognition and financial windfall than poor sequels; thus, filmmakers should produce original films rather than relying on previously developed characters and
plots, and audiences should watch these films rather than sticking with sequels that they are familiar with. Ultimately, the viewers are the driving force of the film industry. Moviegoers should display more maturity and avoid franchise films out of sheer, blind loyalty. Going to original films both supports creative thought and allows the viewer to see movies out of their comfort zone. Making sequels is simply a way for big studios to stay in a narrow zone of tried success; however, groundbreaking, revolutionary films such as this year’s Knives Out or Ad Astra can only be created when producers take risks with original content. ▪
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Arts & Entertainment 15
C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R little women stands tall on screen
selena gomez is made rare By Anika Arora Staff Writer
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By Mingxin Wang Staff Writer Greta Gerwig’s warm-hearted adaptation of Little Women transforms the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott into a bracingly contemporary movie that touches on the March family’s struggles with finding acceptance in society as well as overcoming poverty and war. Without sacrificing any of the novel’s charm, Gerwig has fashioned a movie that centers on a tight-knit family, meaningful life lessons, and an appetite for adventure. The film follows the story of the four March sisters — aspiring novelist Jo (Saoirse Ronan); pragmatic Meg (Emma Watson); pretentious and self-centered Amy (Florence Pugh); and fragile, delicate Beth (Eliza Scanlen) — as they embark on the journey from childhood to adulthood. The film takes place over a seven-year period, capturing the March sisters’ struggles to find their own identities while coping with the harsh realities of the ongoing Civil War. One of Little Women’s major successes is the lushness of its cinematography. Through a varied
Under the Radar
palette of colors, shots, and music, the film’s atmosphere changes noticeably as the years pass. A combination of radiant reds and yellows warms the March sisters’ childhood and fades out to pale blues during their adulthood, as if their separation has deprived the world of its colors. What sets Gerwig’s Little Women apart from other adaptations is her unique splitting of the narrative into two timelines, adding contrast between the chaos of adolescence and the solitude of adulthood. Through vibrant flashbacks and memory fragments, Jo March narrates stories of the plays her sisters used to put on, the squabbles they constantly had, and their sentimental Christmas mornings. While Gerwig’s take on the chronology of the film is clever, it could be executed more artfully. At times, the film jumps back and forth between timelines too abruptly and without a sufficient lead-in, leaving the audience unaware of sudden shifts in time. Despite the slight confusion, the film still provides an incredibly intimate and insightful look into the bustling March family home and
highlights the cast’s impeccable acting. The cast’s acting fully developed each character’s arc. Ronan develops Jo’s struggles as an intrepid writer to build credibility for herself in a time when women’s stories were largely judged as inferior. She reconfigures the dialogue to embody her own perspective of the story’s era: women’s lack of civil rights, the expectation to marry, and the limited range of roles a woman is expected to play in society. Additionally, through Pugh’s performance, Amy is portrayed as a heroine as compelling as Jo; Pugh’s ability to heighten Amy’s subtle shift from petulance to undeniable intelligence underscores her propensity for acting. Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women is a coming-of-age story of women overcoming societal barriers to find their path in life. Given the emotional realism of every crackling conversation and intimate scene, Gerwig manages to retell Alcott’s story in a graceful, classic masterpiece. ▪
After taking a five year hiatus from music, 27-year old Selena Gomez made her way back into the industry with the release of her third solo studio album Rare. Her most mature work yet, Gomez reflects on her recent journeys revolving around finding independence and self worth through whispery, emotive vocals and a dynamic production. For how much Gomez has suffered since the release of her 2015 album Revival — a diagnosis of lupus, a kidney transplant, extended stays in mental health treatment centers, and a highly publicized break-up with artist The Weeknd — Rare is amazingly upbeat and joyous. Through her strong, inspiring lyrics, Gomez boasts of a newfound self confidence. In the title track “Rare,” she declares: “It feels like you don’t care/Why don’t you recognize I’m so rare.” Other songs, including “Fun” and “Kinda Crazy,” talk about Gomez’s struggle to break free from toxic relationships, and discuss strength in vulnerability. On a more serious note, closing track “A Sweeter Place” featuring Kid Cudi reflects
Rating: A-
on Gomez’s near death experiences battling lupus in what may be the most personal song on the album. The lyrics and mature song topics — definitely a step up from Gomez’s previous works — are just a part of what makes Rare so special. Production wise, Rare showcases a type of versatility unlike many other modern pop albums. From the old style, guitar-driven beat of title track “Rare,” to the high energy funk of “Dance Again,” each song has a distinct sound that accurately reflects Gomez’s emotions. Amidst the general upbeat tone of the album, Gomez is able to incorporate the piano ballad of early-release hit “Lose You to Love Me,” as well as two Latin-influenced pieces “Ring” and “Let Me Have Me.” Yet what really glues the album together are the featured songs with 6LACK and Kid Cudi, which perfectly juxtapose Gomez’s breathy vocals with the tuned rap of two of R&B and hip-hop’s most famous male artists. It is apparent why Rare took five years to create, considering the diverse production and storytelling, but the lack of memorable melodies makes it dull at times. Although the songs are distinguishable in the first half of the album, repetitive rhythms are noticeable towards the end. Songs like “Vulnerable” and “Kinda Crazy” cling to the rigid tempo and structure established through earlier parts of the album. Despite its few drawbacks, Rare is a confident return from one of pop’s most underrated stars, and it portrays an authentic side of Selena Gomez unseen in Revival and Stars Dance. Filled with catharsis, clarity, and motivation, its release marks the first great pop album of the new decade. ▪ Rating: A-
GENIUS.COM
cats Leaves Audience Feline Some Type of Way
Speedy ortiz By Tanisha Srivatsa Staff Writer Led by singer-songwriter Sadie Dupuis, Speedy Ortiz presents itself as a 90s-esque indie rock band for a 21st-century audience. Dupuis founded the band in 2011, naming the band after a character by the same name from the comic series Love and Rockets, as she related to his struggles with mental health and suicide. Formed in 2011, the group released their first album Major Arcana in July 2013 and was lauded by critics for their unconventional rhythms and melodies. Utilizing poetic lyrics and jarring vocals, Speedy Ortiz manages to produce psychedelic, off-kilter rock that listeners can easily vibe with. Most of their songs reflect the issues of the modern world, with overtly political tracks about President Donald Trump and domestic power dynamics. Dupuis’ dissonant riffs and biting wordplay make a nostalgic throwback to 90s rock artists such as Liz Phair and Pavement. Accompanying their songs are artistically directed music videos that follow each piece through its acerbic, jagged lyrics. In “Lucky 88,” Speedy Ortiz uses vividly colored shots of a slime monster and a lesbian couple to represent a feeling of existential dread in the song. Speedy Ortiz has released three EPs and three albums with Carpark Records, including successful Twerp Verse and Foil Deer. In an interview with Pitchfork, Dupuis described the band’s new work, calling it “a more textured and calculated record than its volcanic predecessor, the writing more measured and less reactionary.” In 2018, the band went on a US and UK tour, including a performance for NPR Music. In the upcoming year, Speedy Ortiz plans to write more music and potentially plan another national tour. ▪
IMDB.COM
By Tavish Mohanti Staff Writer “Cats was a wonderful homage to the longest running Broadway musical in history of the same name,” said no one ever. Cats garnered major media attention after memes about the shoddy and slightly disturbing special effects, which looked as if they had been hastily done by an eightyear old, became hugely infamous. Audiences were laughing at the tackiness of the film even before it came out, and yet, it was still worse than expected. The film follows Victoria (Francesca Hayward), an abandoned cat, who chances upon a tribe of cats called the Jellicles. Each year, the Jellicles select one cat to send to the Heaviside Layer, which is essentially cat heaven, and the film in-
troduces several different cats competing to be selected and details the competition. The backstory of the film obviously has many different details, and it fails to explain each detail clearly. The beginning of the movie is twisted and convoluted, poorly explaining a complicated backstory. As a slew of characters are introduced right at the start, the fast-paced musical numbers only make the setting and exposition more difficult to understand. With a cast boasting A-list actors like Jennifer Hudson, Judi Dench, Taylor Swift, James Corden, Jason Derulo, and Rebel Wilson, how bad could it be? Bad. Not just bad, though. Downright paw-ful. Granted, it did not hurt to have a variety of good performances to provide a refreshing release from the hourlong trainwreck of a film. Wilson gives a hilarious performance as
Jennyanydots that has the audience in stitches. Hudson demonstrates the depth of her acting abilities as she puts on a touching performance as the estranged Grizabella. Ultimately, however, even these actors were unable to elevate Cats’s one-dimensional characters. The film barely scratches the surface of their motivations, and thus, it is difficult for the audience to form any kind of emotional connection, especially since every character looks like and has the emotional depth of a hairball. The musical numbers are un-fur-tunately also a disaster. Most of the songs lack the energy and excitement that gave the original musical its charm, and the dance numbers are plain boring. There is nothing about the dances that make them dynamic and enthralling. “Memory,” sung by Hudson, is the
only exception. She takes Andrew Lloyd Webber’s powerful lyrics and beautiful harmonies, and she delivers them in an engaging, passionate way. Honestly, there is no need to watch the whole movie, since every good thing about it can be summed up in a three-minute clip of Hudson’s performance. My favorite part of this film was when it ended. As the theater lights turned back on and the movie screen faded to black, it was a genuine joy to know that the film — completely devoid of charm and excitement — was over. As time passes, we can only hope the memory of the film will dim, and the horrifying faces of those CGI human-cat mutants will only be a fleeting image in the audience’s nightmares. ▪ Rating: F
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It’s not Dope to Dope
On Dec. 9, 2019, an emergency meeting of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) unanimously voted to ban the Russian national team from competition in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This decision follows a 2015 report claiming that at least 643 cases of doping from the Russian national team went unpunished, which had originally banned 111 individual athletes from the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Doping and the unregulated use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have recently emerged as problems in the sports world due to the ever-present pressure on athletes to constantly produce record-breaking finishes and performances. As a result, there has been a growth of doping culture in sports, especially cycling. In data compiled by WADA and The Guardian, cycling had the highest average percentage — compared to other summer sports — of doping athletes during the 2012 Olympics. In October 2016, British National Road Race champion David Millar admitted to a Paris judge that he used PEDs during the 2002 Vuelta a España and the 2003 Tour de France to enhance his aerobic performance and ability to recover from a harsh training regimen; however, more alarming was the fact that he attributed his actions to a much more problematic drug culture. Millar said, “I wanted to win the biggest races and compete against the best riders on the same terms. In order to do that, I accepted what had to be done — and there were enough people around me who’d been waiting in the wings to facilitate it.” In a time where win-
By Mahek Bhora & Tanisha Srivatsa Staff Writers
ning is synonymous with success, athletes face immense pressure to place well at competitions at all costs; over the years, this toxic mindset has contributed to a professional community that condones and even facilitates doping. When some competitors are using PEDs to augment their capabilities on the field, clean athletes are at a physical disadvantage — no amount of grueling training and hard work can overcome the insurmountable benefits of steroids and stimulants.
When some competitors are using PEDs to augment their capabilities on the field, clean athletes are at a physical disadvantage — no amount of grueling training and hard work can overcome the insurmountable benefits of steroids and stimulants. Opponents of stricter PED regulations often cite the drugs’ effects on the advancement of sports as a positive. The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics Professor Julian Savulescu argues, “Steroids augment the effects of training. They are like more effective training, which has been achieved in other ways. That does not corrupt the nature of sport.” Theoretically, PEDs could serve as an equalizer for athletes who have varying levels of natural ability and would promote new levels of athletic achievement today. However, if all athletes took steroids to boost their abilities, doping as training would soon become the norm, permanently making fair play a concept of the past. In addition, PED use presents a myriad of health concerns for athletes. The Mayo Clinic states that the use of anabolic steroids increases the risk for high blood pressure, heart and blood circu-
lation problems, and psychiatric disorders such as depression. Furthermore, many drugs used illegally are also not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), presenting a higher risk of preventable health issues. Doping drugs often have long-term negative effects and take a much larger toll on the body than if an athlete was competing cleanly. According to the National Anti-Doping Agency, doping can cause infertility, hypertension, liver and kidney dysfunction, and joint disorders, among other health issues. As more instances of doping come to light, more effort is being put into taking precautions to combat this dilemma. Even though sports associations around the world are investing more money into anti-doping agencies, the only way to stop doping in sports is to get to the root of the problem. It is easier said than done to simply tell athletes to stop using PEDs, but regardless, society must encourage clean competition for the sake of a level playing field instead of promoting a fundamentally flawed doping culture. ▪
GRAPHICS BY ANALYTEGURU.COM & GENETICLITERACYPROJECT.ORG.
spor t sby t es
Sports Graphics
By Nishi Bhagat Staff Writer
By Amanda Pang & Tanisha Srivatsa Staff Writers
february M 3
GRAPHIC BY STAFF WRITER AMANDA PANG.
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Girls Varsity Soccer vs American 7:45 p.m. @ Tak
Boys Varsity Soccer vs American 5:45 p.m. @ Washington
Girls Varsity Soccer vs Kennedy 3:45 p.m. @ Tak
Boys Varsity Soccer vs Kennedy 5:45 p.m. @ Washington
Boys Varsity Basketball vs James Logan 7:00 p.m. @ James Logan
Wrestling vs Newark Memorial 5:00 p.m. @ MSJ
Boys Varsity Basketball vs Kennedy 7:00 p.m. @ MSJ
Girls Varsity Basketball vs James Logan 6:30 p.m. @ MSJ
Girls Varsity Basketball vs Kennedy 6:30 p.m. @ Kennedy
11 Girls Varsity Soccer vs Moreau Catholic 3:45 p.m. @ Tak Boys Varsity Basketball vs Moreau Catholic 7:00 p.m. @ Moreau Catholic Girls Varsity Basketball vs Moreau Catholic 6:30 p.m. @ MSJ
GRAPHIC BY STAFF WRITER TANISHA SRIVATSA.
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Boys Varsity Soccer vs Moreau Catholic 6:00 p.m. @ Moreau Catholic
Girls Varsity Soccer vs James Logan 5:45 p.m. @ Tak
Girls Varsity Basketball vs American 7:00 p.m. @ MSJ — Cheer Senior Night
Boys Varsity Basketball vs American 7:00 p.m. @ MSJ
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trainer Spotlight: Alexander mausisa By Anvi Kalucha & Varun Upadhyay Staff Writers Following the departure of MSJ’s former athletic trainer Darby Broeker, Alexander Mausisa took over the position earlier this school year. After practicing athletic training at The King’s Academy in Sunnyvale and Stanford University, he is at MSJ to gain experience for physical therapy school. Mausisa attended classes at Chabot College and then transferred to San José State University (SJSU). While he was at SJSU, he stumbled upon an introductory class for athletic training. After learning the components of what the course entailed, he was instantly drawn to it — however, his interest stemmed from a unique perspective. “I know a lot of athletic trainers are getting into athletic training because they love sports or they used to be an athlete themselves … I am geared
towards the rehabilitation, so I favor being with the athletes here in the training room and taking care of them,” Mausisa said. He is also an athlete himself, having participated briefly on the wrestling team in high school and in judo and triathlons in college. Outweighing his interest in sports is the time he spends in the training room with athletes, helping them recover from their injuries.
“As an athletic trainer, we’re not just here just to tape you up. We’re also here to be someone that you can talk to and help you out in general,” Mausisa said. The convenience of having an athletic trainer on campus is often neglected, but it comes with many benefits. “We’re hands-on
— our eyes are out on the field on the athlete so we can actually see the exact injury that happens versus something where an athlete gets hurt and has to go to a doctor,” Mausisa said. According to him, an athletic trainer is also familiar with sports-related injuries, allowing them to prescribe specific exercises for the individual athlete to perform. “An athletic trainer is also, since they know what happened, able to prescribe … the proper treatment or care throughout the duration of when they first get injured to the time they need to go back,” he said. Through his experiences, Mausisa has learned that many of these injuries are easily avoidable if the athlete is disciplined. He said, “The biggest thing is a lot of people believe that stretching before a game is enough, but they should actually do dynamic warmups before and then stretch afterwards.” Because it is his first year training at MSJ, both Mausisa and the athletes are unfamiliar Mausisa treats Senior Suhail Vaidya for an ankle injury.
with each other. He wants to build a strong relationship with each individual he trains as they advance through their season. “As an athletic trainer, we’re not just here just to tape you up. We’re also here to be someone that you can talk to and help you out in general,” Mausisa said. After spending time with MSJ athletes, he has found that they are a respectful group, whether it’s coming in for a check-up or doing their prescribed exercises. “At least I know I’m making progress with them and I know that they trust me to help them get better,” he said. In the future, Mausisa plans on studying physical therapy, using athletic training as a stepping stone between college and higher education. By working with the Washington Hospital Sports Medicine Program, he hopes to earn his required working hours and apply for physical therapy school. ▪ PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER ANVI KALUCHA.
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Sports & Photo 19
Warriors defeat Kennedy Titans 60-24 By Anika Arora Staff Writer Girls Basketball faced off against the Kennedy High School Titans at MSJ on Wednesday, January 15. Playing with consistent aggression and strong defense, the Warriors outscored the Titans in every quarter, winning 60-24 and advancing to a 4-0 league record. The Warriors started off hot in the first quarter, scoring eight unanswered points within just two minutes to gain an 8-0 lead. Captain and Center Senior Starla Murillo drove aggressively to the basket and drew a foul, followed by an and-one from Point Guard Sophomore Haylie Wakayama and two consecutive drawn fouls from Power Forward Junior Isha Nambisan. With stel-
Senior Meghna Nair scans the court for an open teammate.
lar defense leading to easy fastbreak opportunities and a three-point shot from Point Guard Senior Meghna Nair, the Warriors kept the Titans from scoring until the quarter’s one minute mark, and ended with a 29-3 lead. “We got off to a good start… It gave us a nice cushion for the rest of the game.” Coach Doug Sakamoto said. During the second quarter, the Warriors were able to maintain their effective gameplay. Players drove to the basket and passed the ball behind the arc for two three-pointers. On the defensive end, the Warriors fought for every ball, often physically driving the Titans to the ground and gaining possession. By
the end of the half, the Warriors led 408. Their success was a team effort as almost all players had scored — Nambisan and Wing Freshman Reina Shimomura led the team with eight points each. After a strong first half, the Warriors’ bench and younger players were able to step up for the remainder of the game. Looking to make a comeback, the Titans started off well in the third quarter, scoring a few jumpshots and bank shots. However, the Warriors battled for offensive rebounds and kept the ball out of the Titans’ possession for the majority of the quarter, frequently putting up contested shots. The Titans scored a game-high nine points in the third quarter, but the Warriors still led 51-17. The fourth quarter began as Center Sophomore Chloe Lin stole the ball from the Titans and ran down court for a fastbreak, immediately leading the Warriors’ bench to run on court in excitement. Through the rest of the quarter, the Warriors continued to secure offensive rebounds and shut out the Titans on the defensive end. After an impressive performance, the Warriors finally clinched the victory, 60-24. Despite emerging victorious, both Murillo and Sakamoto believe they could have done better. “I think we can improve our communication [by] getting on the same page for our plays, and also [improve] getting back on transition [...] but overall, we still performed well and just played our game.” Murillo said. Looking forward, Sakamoto hopes for the team to maintain their strong defense and improve their offensive execution. Currently undefeated, the team’s goal is to win the league championship for the first time since 2012. ▪
Freshman Reina Shimomura drives past two defenders for a layup.
Captain Senior Starla Murillo waits in the post. PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER ANIKA ARORA.
protected natural habitats of fremont By Alisha Chhangani, Carolyn Qian & Brooke Zheng Staff Writers
Mission Peak Mission and Monument Peaks, located steeply to the east of Fremont, form a beautiful backdrop to the South Bay. Hiking, biking, paragliding, and horseback riding are popular activities available in the Regional Preserve. Hikers who reach the summit of Mission Peak are rewarded with an aerial view of Fremont and its surrounding cities. Hawks and vultures populate the air at the summit, and feral goats and cows roam the cliffs. Wildflowers, like woodland stars and wild pansies, populate the hiking trail. This year, the park’s main priority is to restore the natural beauty of the hillside near Mission Peak. TOP: Clouds blanket the hills of the Regional Preserve during sunrise. BOTTOM LEFT: A California golden poppy blooms in the grass. BOTTOM CENTER: A Pacific gopher snake slithers over rock. BOTTOM RIGHT: A cow grazes on a hill. PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER CAROLYN QIAN.
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protected natural habitats of fremont
cont.
common wildlife
MALLARD DUCKS: Mallard ducks are one of the most familiar wild ducks to people around the world. They are mainly omnivores with diets consisting of plants and small organisms. Because of the rapid expansion of cities, however, they have begun relying on human handouts in city parks.
GULLS: Gulls are ground-nesting carnivores and scavengers that nest in large, densely packed colonies. They are intelligent and inquisitive birds that exhibit tool-use behavior and have successfully learned to coexist and thrive with humans.
Fremont Central Park
A beloved destination for Fremont natives, Fremont Central Park offers various amenities, including picnic sites, playgrounds, a skate park, and a dog park. The centerpiece of the park is Lake Elizabeth, which has a man-made trail circling around it. The lake’s Duck Island is a nesting site for heron and egret colonies to protect their declining populations.
TOP: Lake Elizabeth and Duck Island at sunrise. TOP LEFT: Canada geese flap their wings in the water. TOP MIDDLE: Duck Island in daytime. TOP RIGHT: A gull and a coot face off.
Quarry Lakes AMERICAN COOT: American coots, also known as mud hens, are known for looking chicken-like on land and having long lobed toes to help them swim. American coots change feather color as they grow older, from a rust color as juveniles to black when they become adults.
CANADA GOOSE: Canada geese are a common, large wild geese species with black heads and necks, white cheeks and chin, and a brown body. Canada geese have also proven to be able to establish breeding colonies in developing areas, which offer food and few natural predators.
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area is known for its two lakes, Horseshoe Lake and Rainbow Lake, where boating, swimming, and fishing are popular. The park is home to more than fifty species of wildflowers including bull mallows, rose clovers, and poppies. Mandarin and berry fruit groves populate the peninsula of Horseshoe Lake and harbor migratory birds in the autumn and spring. The two lakes are also stocked regularly with rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and channel catfish for fishing. TOP: Canada geese fly across the surface of the Quarry Lakes. TOP LEFT: The shoreline of Quarry Lakes. BOTTOM LEFT: Ducks swim across the lakes.
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CAROLYN QIAN & BROOKE ZHENG.