NEWS Paris Attack: On Nov. 13, Paris was unexpectedly attacked by terror- ists, taking the lives of 129 victims.

Moment of Silence For Paris

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

On Nov. 13, Paris was hit with attacks in various locations, leading to tragedy as hundreds were wounded and many killed. As of now, it is known that six places were targeted in France and three groups of terrorists that were working together to carry out this attack. Across the different sites, over 129 people were killed in the attacks in Paris.

An attack was placed at the Stade de France, the national stadium of France, while there was an ongoing soccer game between France and Germany. The President of France, François Hollande, was present at the game and was immediately escorted out of the stadium when the attack began. Other locations included the restaurants Le Carillon and Le Petit Cambodge, diners La Casa Nostra and Cafe Bonne Biere, eatery La Belle Equipe, cafe Comptoir Voltaire, and the Batclan concert hall.

The place affected the most was the Bataclan concert hall, where over 89 people were killed. The attackers entered the concert hall with their weapons and held the people in the hall hostage on the stage. Police were able to carry out a rescue plan and enter the concert hall successfully to stop the situation. According to a CNN affiliate, six of the attackers involved had stayed in Syria for some time. In response to the

attack, France sent out planes to target Islamic State group (ISIS) located in Syria. The attacks are aimed for Raqqa, which is the center of the ISIS organization that claimed to have sent out the attacks on Paris. Moreover, raids have been conducted in cities in France by police forces. As for the U.S.’ response, over half of the states refuse to take in Syrian refugees because of the potential dangers. However, there are still six states that will accept Syrian refugees. Currently, there appears to be no imminent threat to the U.S. from ISIS. Some of the attackers are dead, while roughly 23 people have been taken in as suspects. Police are still in search of other suspects who have not been arrested as of yet. 1,500 troops have been sent out to guard specific locations and maintain the security of Paris. In the meantime, France is tightening security, especially on the borders of the country, to prevent any more possible attacks as well as catch any of the people involved in the Paris attacks.

klo@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of LATIMES.COM

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

Launched on Oct. 28, YouTube Red is a monthly subscription service for YouTube offered to people who want to enhance their viewing experience. This idea was first developed as YouTube Music Key, which lets customers listen to YouTube music videos without ads. However, the name was later changed to YouTube Red and the no ad feature was made available for all YouTube videos as long as one has a subscription. Right now, this service is only available in the U.S. Perhaps the biggest perk to YouTube Red is that endorsements have been blocked, but a subscription to this service does not really get rid of all the ads. Only ads on the YouTube website or ads in YouTube mobile applications will be gone. On the other hand, paid channels, purchases, or rentals may still have ads that come with the content. YouTube Red can be used on several devices including consoles like the Xbox One and Playstation 4, Android TV, Apple TV, Android, iOS, Chromecast, Roku, and some Smart TVs. Another huge benefit to this subscription is offline viewing. Viewers can download content that will stay available on the device for thirty days for one to watch at any time. Of course, not all features will be available with offline viewing. For instance, liking a video and making a comment on a video will not be available. Also convenient is the option to listen to videos with the screen off. When one is just listening to the audio, the screen can be turned off and battery can be conserved. Not only will there be more features to the app, but there will also be exclusive content starting from the early months of 2016. Subscribers of YouTube Red will be able to see shows and movies from YouTubers in advance. Revealed works are “Scare PewDiePie” by PewDiePie, “A Trip to Unicorn Island” by IISuperwomanII, and “Sing It!” by the Fine Brothers. Not to worry, though. Eventually the exclusive content will be open to all YouTube users. Subscribing to YouTube Red comes with a free subscription to Google Play Music. Usually, the subscription fee for Google Play is ten dollars, but this gets two services for the price of one! Similarly, if one subscribes to Google Play Music, he or she will get access to YouTube Red also. The subscription fee for YouTube Red is also just $10 a month, and people can register for a free trial for a one month period. All in all, YouTube Red is an upgrade of the regular YouTube service that offers great benefits at an affordable cost.

klo@apachepowwow.com

s t a f f

Editors

Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisements Editors Photography Editors Executive Copy Editors Fundraising Chairs Webmaster

Victoria Yu and Erika Zheng Yoko Chan Justin Tang and Emily Wu Amber Chong and Tiffany Liu Jacqueline Chang and Katie Huang Briana Shen and Terri Shi Michelle Fang and Jessie Hui Charles Xu and Pearl Yang Simone Chu and Veronica Yu Elaine Chung Kristen Tran Kaitlyn Liao Tiffany Chen and Andrew Muliadi Ryan Fann and Debbie Moon Michelle Gu and Hafsah Umerani Julia Lin and Flora Ung Elyse Yao

Writers

News Staff

Opinion Staff

Features Staff

Performing Arts Staff

Student Life Staff

Sports Staff

Academics Staff

Calendar Staff

Campus Focus Staff Center Spread Staff Advertisements Staff

Photo Staff

Copy Editing Staff

Web Staff

Adviser

Aaron Chan, Trinity Chhay, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn Hu, Vivian Kwang, Eileen Lee, Eric Chen, Yanhui Li, Andrew Lim, Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Andrew Muliadi, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natividad, Chloe O’Connor, Ha Eun Park, Christina Read, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Andrew Wang Eric Chen, Simone Chu, Justin Cun, Christy Kang, Yanhui Li, Julia Lin, David Llacuna, Ha Eun Park, Pourobee Saha, Kayli Temple, Cindy Tse, Faisal Umerani, Maggie Wong, Titus Wu, Elyse Yao Trinity Chhay, Christy Kang, Christine Law, Yanhui Li, David Llacuna, Andrew Muliadi, Noelle Natividad, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan ,Cindy Tse, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Andrew Wang, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong Eric Chen, Trinity Chhay, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn Hu, Thomas Hui, Christine Law, Eileen Lee, Pourobee Saha, Nadine Templeton, Victoria Tovmasyan Liani Chan, Eric Chen, Trinity Chhay, Thomas Hui, Eileen Lee, Ellie Lee, Andrea Liu, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natvidad, Chloe O’Connor, Ha Eun Park, Nadine Templeton, Kyle Wang, Maggie Wong, Titus Wu Trinity Chhay, Justin Cun, Ellie Lee, Andrew Lim, Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Christina Read, Danielle Santoyo, Timothy Yen Jocelyn Hu, Andrew Lim, Kimberly Lo, Noelle Natividad, Pourobee Saha, Nadine Templeton, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Katie Wen, Titus Wu Vivian Kwang, Christine Law, Andrew Lim, Andrea Liu, Danielle Santoyo, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Cindy Tse, Andrew Wang, Sunny Wu, Elyse Yao Maggie Wong Christy Kang Cassandra Gonzales, Christy Kang,, Kyle Wang, Timothy Yen Aaron Chan, Vivian Kwang, Andrea Liu, Joshua Ma, Danielle Santoyo, Nadine Templeton, Titus Wun, Christine Law, Ellie Lee, David Llacuna, Christina Read, Pourobee Saha, Cindy Tse, Kyle Wang, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong, Elyse Yao, Aaron Chan, Christine Law, Chloe O’Connor, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong Mr. Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $250 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

4 OPINION

November 2015apachepowwow.tumblr.com

Amazingly Average

By JULIA LIN

Fundraising Chair

Speaking as objectively as possible, I’ve always been one of the brighter students in a classroom. Yes, there were times when I couldn’t completely wrap my head around a subject, but those times were scarce. I understood that I was smart, as I never had to study hard for a test or practice my skills.

In second grade, I won an Accelerated Reading contest. In fifth grade, I won the Scholarship award. In sixth grade, I won the Spelling Bee. It was around seventh grade that I realized that I wasn’t as intelligent as I liked to think. I struggled in first semester with Algebra Honors. I hated it so much. The fact that I didn’t do well in a subject for once really dented my confidence. It sounds completely dramatic, but I felt I had an identity crisis. After five semesters of Straight A’s in middle school, I finally ended up with a B in Algebra Honors. Despite that, I won the Student of the Year in eighth grade. The point isn’t for me to brag about my achievements. I was overfilled with joy and guilt at the same time: I was happy to be recognized, but I knew I didn’t deserve the award. There were far more well-rounded students that deserved the title, students with flawless grades, kinder personalities, and better reputations. Honestly, I am average. I was above average in middle school, but in high school I’m pretty much middle ground in a Hunger Games-esque sea of 3,600 students. I’ll probably never score 2400 on the SATs or graduate as the valedictorian. The thought that I am easily replaceable and just a forgettable face haunts me sometimes. Even so, it is that very thought that motivates me to be my best average. Comparisons are the bane of my existence, and likely the bane of many other students’ existences as well. Never smart enough, never pretty enough, never talented enough. Never enough. Never enough according to what, though? One’s own standards or someone else’s perceptions? I want to accomplish great things without having to question its value through a pair of lenses that aren’t mine. Maybe being average is the best I can do in Arcadia, and that’s perfectly okay. I’m going to be an average of which I can be proud. Winning, winning, winning. I was accustomed to that. Now, it’s the little victories that count.

jlin@apachepowwow.com

The Golden Turkey: A Short Story

By YANHUI LI

Staff Writer

There’s a certain path I take when I go to my volunteer meetings, past the park and the library. I know every nook and cranny‒the trash can in the corner and the worn park bench, the homeless man and the birds on the powerline, singing away the rain.

It’s Thanksgiving, so this afternoon, Cora is even more energetic than usual.

“This is it, folks,” she says, clapping her hands together. “Our goal is to raise $5,000, so that our less fortunate friends can have a happier holiday season. Let’s make this Thanksgiving count.” She finishes to a warm round of applause.

I tiredly go through the motions of volunteer work. At the end of the hour, Cora calls us together to congregate before we all go our separate ways. “Good work today,” she says. “I expect to see each and every one of you back here same time next week. Have a good Thanksgiving!”

As I start walking home, my mind darts to the roast turkey waiting for me. I think of the mashed potatoes and the pumpkin pie; and my mouth waters. I think of the crackling fire in the fireplace, and I can almost feel the warmth in this chilly autumn air.

I’m so absent-minded that I walk right into a giant sack propped against the wall.

No, not a sack. A man.

“I’m sorry, dear,” he says quickly, eyes cast down.

That’s when I take a good look at him.

And I realize, I know him.

He may not remember me, but I remember him. I pass by him on my way to and from the volunteer meetings. He’s always covered in the same grime and the old blood of dying hope—he’s always wordlessly begging with his eyes. But it won’t make a difference, because people walk by this place every day, and yet no one is able to hear his silent pleas for help.

He won’t be going home to a warm meal this Thanksgiving night, surrounded by a loving family. He won’t be stuffing himself to his heart’s content or drifting off to the music of sweet dreams.

I have a sudden impulse to give him something, anything, but some teenage boys rolling by on skateboards eye his dirty hair, and snicker horribly. The poor man looks up, looks right at me as if challenging me to laugh too, and I lose the nerve.

All throughout the dinner, I can’t seem to get him off my mind. Meanwhile, I have to endure constant fawning from various members of my extended family. Look how tall you’ve grown, they say. You’re going to go on to do great things, they say. How do you know? I want to ask. You know, I’ll bet people used to fawn over the poor homeless man when he was a kid. Then, Grandpa Bill presents me with the Golden Turkey, and I feel sick to the stomach. In our family, the best parts of the turkey, christened the Golden Turkey, are given to a child of an elder’s choice. It’s supposed to be an honor to be a recipient, but I don’t touch my Golden Turkey that evening. Why do I get all this, privileges that I’ve never really earned, while someone is out there freezing on a Thanksgiving night?

Everyone deserves to have a nice Thanksgiving.

I know what I have to do now. It may not be much, but sometimes, it’s the small acts of kindness that matter most.

When all my relatives are fast asleep, I quietly open the front door, and head out into the night, the plate of Golden Turkey clutched tightly in my hands. When I find him, I give him the best gift I have ever given. His face lights up with gratitude, and my heart swells at the sight. I’ll never forget that feeling.

All those times I’ve raised money for the volunteer organization, I’ve never really gotten what it was all about.

But I think I get it now. I really do.

yli@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTBEST.COM

Coffee Stains and Messy Papers

By ELYSE YAO

Webmaster

My desk is nestled in the corner of my tiny little room.

Its cherry wood surface, once smooth and glistening like new, has been gradually worn down through the years. It has followed me through my childhood, poor thing. There are signs of abuse everywhere. A darkened circle marks the home of my coffee mug. The dents and scratches on its cheap surface are as familiar to me as the veins on my hand. Then there’s the surface itself. A stack of textbooks takes up half the space, teetering and threatening to topple over at the slightest nudge. A dusty old computer monitor and a set of speakers rest in the dead center, surrounded by a mess that would make any clean freak scream for mercy. The pencil holder in the top left hand corner, only halfbalanced on the edge of the desk, is empty save for a few unused pens. Markers, erasers, and other various supplies join their rank, forming a completely disorderly whole. Stacks of binders, boxes, and papers form a halo around the desk, as if they were a border between the mess of my desk and my otherwise organized room.

To a stranger, it’s no small wonder how I get anything done here. Don’t misunderstand—it’s not that I’m too lazy to organize anything. In fact, I normally would find organizing a relaxing task, not a bothersome one. However, while typically such a mess would bother me to no end, I love my messy desk.

Really, what’s the harm in a messy desk?

I’m familiar with the disorder of my desk. It’s easy to find things, despite the clutter. The environment is also liberating. Unlike the world outside, with all its strict rules and conventions, my desk carries no order whatsoever. Papers go wherever there’s space. There’s no need to follow some set of guidelines, no need to apply superficial labels to everything. At times when I’m just about ready to tear my homework into a million tiny paper flakes, the presence of the desk calms me down. It smells soothing, of old

wood and coffee, and sometimes I spend a few moments smiling at the worn, trusty old surface. It’s like an old friend—it’s grown up alongside me, watching as I struggled through all the ups and downs of life. The mess atop is my inspiration. The shapes and strange angles of the heaps of “junk” are interesting: there’s no end to the weirdness I can draw out of it.

Sometimes, when I’m wringing my hands in frustration and trying to pry off the heavy weight otherwise known as art block, the messiness whispers to me. Just relax, it says, stop trying so hard. It’ll come to you. And it does.

It comes to me in the form of shapes and thought-scapes, of dreams and strange fantasies.

It comes in the form of the messiness of the desk, and all the experiences it’s followed me through. More than anything or anyone else, it’s my trusty old companion, like me in all its disorder and strangeness.

There’s a certain charm to the beaten-up desk and the rather “terrible” mess that surrounds it. I grew up with my desk, perpetual messiness and all. The cold sterility of a clean desk, although perhaps visually attractive, depresses me. Meanwhile, the disorder of my messy desk is strangely comforting: it’s familiar, and makes me feel at home.

Every rut, every worn down nook and cranny, every discoloration on its surface—I know inside and out. Echoing the disorder of my own life, my desk is chaotic, but comfortingly so. I have company in my confusion of the world, comfort in the form of the never-changing chaos of the desk.

My desk is my old friend, my companion. It’s my inspiration, my trusty little helper. It’s stood with me, tall and upright, through the years. And maybe it’s hard for others to understand my love for this messy desk of mine, but to me?

It’s difficult to imagine a life without it.

November 2015

theopinionsection@gmail.com

OPINION

By SIMONE CHU

Academics Editor

Ah, yes. November. The leaves are falling (well, I mean, kind of), the weather is cooling (as much as it cools down in SoCal, that is), and pumpkin spice fever is still going strong.

But for me, the month of November is more than just Thanksgiving and Uggs—it’s also about the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge.

The object of the NaNoWriMo challenge is to motivate aspiring writers to produce a 50,000-word novel within 30 days. Difficult? Yes. A good thing to try out during junior year? Um... maybe? Or maybe not. This should be interesting, to say the least.

Day 1

3,000 words in. 47,000 more to go, but I’m not going to think about that too much. Beginnings are hard, but it’s a bit like jumping into cold water: you just have to jump in, scream a little, and flounder around until you start to warm up.

Day 2

No time to write today. Oops.

Day 3

Squeezed in 1,000 words! Small victories still matter. Like Andrew Jackson winning the Battle of New Orleans...after the War of 1812 was already over.

Day 4

I’m stuck.

Day 5

There’s this method of moving past stumbling blocks called the Elephant Method. It’s where you replace whatever words you’re blanking on with “Elephant,” just so you can keep your momentum going. Can’t decide your secondary character’s last name? Just type in “Elephant” in its place, and when you’re done, you go back through and use the Find and Replace tool to fill in all of the appropriate Elephants. So far I have two Elephants. Hopefully this elephanting works!

Day 6

6,000 words and counting.

Day 7

Everything is an elephant and I don’t want to go back and address all the elephants in the room.

Day 8

Couldn’t write on the computer, so I grabbed a few sheets of lined paper and went old school. Hopefully I remember to type these up later.

Day 9

So I took out my archetypes packet from sophomore English and I’ve started to work the Journey of the Hero into my story. It’s a lot more fun being on this side of things.

Day 10

I’m told that re-reading is the worst thing you can possibly do during NaNoWriMo, because re-reading leads to editing, and editing leads to self-doubt and lack of motivation and all sorts of fun things. Must... not... re-read...

Day 11

I had all day to write and I did nothing. I don’t understand what’s wrong with me. There was no school. I sat down at the computer and opened Google Drive. And then... I spun around in the swivel chair for half an hour with Smash Mouth’s “All Star” playing in the background. I don’t even know.

Day 12

Writing? Or homework? Homework it is, then.

Day 13

Has anyone smirked within the last few minutes? Or chuckled? Or how about gritted their teeth? Hmm. I’ll have to scroll back up to check. Did Els ever uncross her arms? Or has she just been sitting there with her arms crossed for the entire conversation?

Day 14

Detail is very important, kids. Employ all five types of imagery. Otherwise your characters could just be standing in a white box for all the reader knows. Like mine. I’m terrible at this.

A sneak preview:

The catacombs are dimly lit, but Eirik almost wishes that they were completely dark. That would be better, he thinks, than watching the light from their torches flicker across the walls as they pass. Whoever had stacked the aging yellow bones in the walls had done so with a loving hand; the placements were done artistically, almost. But he can’t shake the feeling of being watched, even though he knows that the grinning skulls in the walls haven’t had eyes for a long, long time. Juho turns around to leer at him. Eirik still hasn’t figured out if that’s the man’s actual smile, or if he just really doesn’t like Eirik. Or maybe it’s a little bit of both. He wishes that he had his friends with him. Following Juho alone through the catacombs is probably one of the worst decisions he’s ever made, and that’s saying something. “Fascinating, aren’t they?” Juho bursts out, those beady eyes of his glinting in the torchlight. Eirik starts at the boom of his voice. It bounces down the tunnel. There’s a vague fear in the back of mind that the skeletons will wake up if they make too much noise. “Beg your pardon?” he stammers. Juho gestures grandly around them—like a king proudly showing off his gilded throne room. “The tunnels, of course!” That awful smile of his stretches wider, and Eirik is suddenly struck by the terrible mental image of the man’s face tearing apart at the seams...

Struggles of Reaching Out

By MAGGIE WONG

Staff Writer

There was a girl in my fourth grade class. She was part of my table group, and while I knew of her, I didn’t know her. I’m not sure what her first impression of me was, but I was definitely scared to talk to her; I wasn’t big on making new friends or being the first to speak when I was younger. The teacher assigned the class a science project, and we were in the same group. It could’ve been so easy to just finish the project, and never talk to her again.

She could’ve been just another kid in my class. Sure, I’d most likely get closer to her throughout the year, but she would’ve been a class friend at most, someone that I’d talk to once in a while about homework. If I really wanted to become her friend-friend, I’d have to reach out and talk to her, which is exactly what I did. We started out by bonding over our mutual love for Taylor Swift, and five years later, we’re best friends.

Even now, I still reach out to strangers if I know that we have the same interests. I’ll see someone wearing a shirt with a band that I love on it, and I’ll go up to them, tell them that I love their shirt, and try to start a conversation about it.

More often than not, they’ll just say thank you and our days would go on.

It doesn’t bother me that my compliments don’t always lead to a meaningful friendship. That’s never my goal when I compliment people I don’t know.

Whenever someone compliments me on my outfit or test score, it’s on my mind the whole day. There’s just something about a complete stranger going out of their way to say something nice to me that makes me so happy. If I can bring a stranger just a little bit of extra happiness, that’s just as great as becoming friends with them.

In this day and age, it seems like everyone is insecure about something, especially in a competitive community like Arcadia. Everyone seems to be getting straight A’s, running five minute miles, and getting perfect SAT scores. It’s hard to feel like your existence is significant when everyone seems to be overshadowing you.

But when someone notices the little things you do, like the band on your shirt or the drawing you did in the margin of your homework, it makes you feel important, if just for a little bit. It reassures you that you do matter, that all of your actions, no matter how small, are contributions to something meaningful.

It’s not always easy talking to people. It’s even harder talking to strangers. Believe me, I get it. I’m intimidated by pretty much everyone I don’t know. There are people that seem to be perfect, and, forget talking to them, I don’t feel like I’m worthy of even being in their presence. That fear of being judged is something that has to be forgotten.

Everywhere you go, there’s always going to be someone judging your actions. There’s going to be good judgment and bad judgment.

If you don’t mind turning in homework and having the teacher judge your work, then why should you be worried about what people think when you reach out to strangers? And if people do think you’re weird for talking to people you don’t know, then that’s all the more reason to do it more! I mean, teenagers are known for rebellion, right?

I’m not saying you should go out and become friends with everyone you see. I’m saying that sometimes, you should be the one to reach out to people.

And who knows, maybe that really intimidating girl in your math class will turn out to be the best friend you’ve always wished for.

Black Friday

By CINDY TSE

Staff Writer

Shopping for the holidays is stressful, there’s no doubt about it! Between picking out presents and balancing a budget, most people have turned to discount opportunities to make seasons a little easier. Among these promotions and sales is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that is generally characterized by long lines at five or six in the morning and crowds that have ten times the power of a stampede. If there is anything that even remotely resembles The Purge, this would probably be it. Where did this phenomenon begin?

Retailers have long held the tradition of holiday sales. However, the term “Black Friday” began in Philadelphia around the 1960s. In Philly, every weekend after Thanksgiving brought the Army-Navy football game. Crowds flooded the stadiums and squished through traffic. They added to the already dense herds of shoppers, and Philadelphia cops began to refer to the two days after Thanksgiving as “Black Friday”: a reference to the mayhem and madness. A decade before that, it had been a way to refer to employees who would call in sick the Friday after Thanksgiving to get a four day weekend. Another origin of the name was that the shopping season was the one time of the year when stores began gaining profit and moved from writing in red ink (denoting negative earnings) to black ink (denoting profit). Over the years, Black Friday has managed to spread from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and various other countries.

There has been much controversy surrounding Black Friday. Some speculate that it took away the importance of Thanksgiving, as more shoppers began to go to stores earlier and earlier. Some businesses even began holding “Gray Thursday”, where they would open with deals on Thanksgiving; “Cyber Monday” was created for online stores and held the Monday after Thanksgiving. Others felt it was unfair to make working employees have to go through long, tiring shifts over the holidays. Concern was also raised over the health hazards of having so few employees try to maintain control over the large number of crowds.

Whether an avid shopper or not, if one were attempt to battle the masses, there are some safety tips to ensure the least number of trampled fingers and toes. The National Crime Prevention Council recommends that consumers do not buy more than they can carry. If one must purchase a large item, it is advisable to bring a friend. Receipts should be saved in case there is a problem or damage to the product. Wallets and cards should be kept close to the body; large hordes of people mean a higher risk of pickpockets. But most important of all, enjoy the holidays and don’t push too far. That new game console or computer can wait for a bit!

ctse@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of CREATIVEMARKET.COM

By YANHUI LI

Staff Writer

As the weather cools and autumn rolls in, we begin to see more and more pumpkins and pumpkin themed snacks and desserts in the supermarkets. To fans of pumpkins, it’s a beautiful sight‒‒the aisles of orange leads to giddiness and excitement. The chilly autumn air brings so many possibilities: pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice cakes and lattes, pumpkin carving, and pumpkin decorating.

The first pumpkin pie appeared around 5,500 BC in Central America, and when Columbus discovered the New World in the 1400s, the pumpkin pie was one of the first foods that Europeans brought back with them. Hundreds of years later, the pumpkin pie still receives a warm welcome at the table.

It is believed that the idea of pumpkin carving originated in Ireland, although the original jacko-lanterns were carved from turnips and potatoes. The name “jack-o-lantern” comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stringy Jack. Irish immigrants to the Americas brought the idea of carving vegetables over, and the tradition of pumpkin carving was born.

While pumpkins are native to the North and South Americas, they are now grown on six different continents. Over time, various countries have developed their own pumpkin traditions.

Australians cook pumpkin as part of an entrée, but rarely use it in desserts. Roasted pumpkin is by far the most popular dish in Australia; when roasting meat, a piece of skinned pumpkin would be placed in the broth, along with potatoes and carrots.

Pumpkins are commonly used in Southern China, especially Canton. They are used to make congee and soup. Roasted pumpkin seeds are also popular. The pumpkin is usually cooked and prepared like a vegetable, and is not used in desserts. Occasionally, it is also used as medicine.

Pumpkins in Germany are traditionally eaten as soup or compote, pumpkin pieces with vinegar, cinnamon, and sugar. However, pumpkins are usually considered “poor man’s food”, and they tend to gain popularity in years of hunger. Some regions place more importance in pumpkins than others. Generally, pumpkins are also used as decoration, placed alongside corn cobs and other vegetables.

Besides using pumpkin in pie and soup, Europeans also use pumpkin in salads and a dish called gnocchi, a small ball of pumpkin and flour which is cooked in boiling water. The Swiss make chocolate with pumpkin seeds, and certain regions infuse meat products with pumpkin seeds. Some salad oils are also derived from pumpkin seeds.

Although Halloween has come and gone, Thanksgiving is approaching, bringing with it plenty of opportunities to incorporate pumpkin. Around every turn, pumpkins bring the spirit of autumn to life.

yli@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of AZFONTS.COM and POLYVORE.COM

COMIKRAZE

By DANIELLE SANTOYO

Staff Writer

This year’s Comikaze, held at the convention center in Downtown Los Angeles from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, hosted some of the biggest stars of the year, including Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia from the original cinematic release of Star Wars) and Stan Lee, the founder of Marvel and creator of most of the superheroes known today. Comikaze was the staple of comic conventions this year. Rising to fame after only five years, the convention has expanded into two halls of the convention center this year. Rows and rows of the halls were filled with vendors at booths selling collectible comic books, as well as new series, action figures, and anything remotely along the lines of “geeky”. There was even a booth dedicated to selling Harry Potter wands, robes, and books. The prices of some of these items were extremely high, with hardcore collectors paying about $5,000 for one vintage comic book. Cheaper collectors items were sold too, such as Stan Lee bobbleheads that went for $25 each and came in four different designs and colors. Even though they’re still quite pricey, the overall experience wouldn’t be complete without getting a souvenir. Panels at the conventions included discussions about upcoming comic books with the writers and artists, fandom debates between Marvel and DC, and panels that taught writing comics, drawing the illustrations, and making animations. Stan Lee was also signing autographs at a price of $80 and pictures taken with him cost $100. Although too pricey for me, it was well worth it after I got to meet him at the signing for one of my comic books. Carrie Fisher was also signing autographs for all of her fans at the convention. Even though the line was long, attendees were steadfast in their devotion, waiting hours for her autograph. At the main Hot Topic stage, the annual cosplay contest was held, where countless hours of hard work and dedication paid off, as large sums of money were the prizes, totaling $10,000. One of the first place winners was a “Hulkbuster” costume (as seen in the newest Avengers film), and another winner was a group of people dressed up as the Justice League. It’s important to note that these are not average, Party City purchased costumes; people spent money and long hours putting these together themselves, and the final products are full blown, movie quality cosplays. Seeing all the costumes on stage inspired me to think about dressing up for next year. Although this year’s Comikaze convention has passed, it’s a great time to start getting a costume ready for next year’s cosplay!

By ELYSE YAO

Webmaster

One by one, students drag themselves into S-104. Especially after lunch, most of us seem about to collapse at any moment, sleep-deprived and exhausted as we are. When we leave the room, however, it’s with renewed energy and fresh knowledge. Students’ energy levels and stress rise and fall throughout the week, but one thing always remains the same: each day, Ms. Kuso greets students with the same eager smile and contagious enthusiasm.

The first time I walked into her class, I thought she was a student, perhaps a TA. Unlike the teachers I’m accustomed to, with their laid-back, calm, and almost distant attitudes, Ms. Kuso is approachable and energetic. As she talks to any of her students, there’s always a bright smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. I’ve never heard her speak slowly. Instead, she launches into lectures, discussions, and labs with a speed that almost rivals her zeal. Although her pace can be strange to adjust to at first, her rapid-fire way of talking brings energy back to the tired class and catches students’ attention.

I can’t claim to be a model student. Especially on days when all I really want to do is go home and sleep for 20 hours, it’s difficult to concentrate in class. When it comes to fifth period in Ms. Kuso’s class, however, it’s impossible to not be drawn along into her breakneck pace, to not be affected by her boundless enthusiasm. When she talks about chemistry, there’s an excited light in her eyes. The passion she holds toward the subject, toward the class, and toward her students shines through with every word she speaks.

She is kind, patient, and empathetic. On a good day, I can’t go more than a few minutes before my hand shoots up for a question. Some are out of genuine confusion, some for the sake of clarity, and some purely for satisfying my own curiosity. No matter how many questions I throw out, however, she always answers them in an easy-to-understand, concise manner. It’s not restricted to questions, either: no matter the problem, instead of simply summarizing, she patiently explains new concepts, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

The dedication she shows to her art—what she does can’t be described by as mundane a term as “job”—is nothing normal, either. While other teachers may teach by-the-book, relying on online tests, resources from others, and textbooks, the majority of Ms. Kuso’s papers are her own original material. Lectures are taught, not from textbook lessons, but from her own set of lecture notes and explanations. She uses her own stamp sheet system for homework, and drafts tests from scratch. Test review is creative and immersive, incorporating games of Jeopardy, Grab-the-Mole, and worksheet competitions to motivate students into diligently studying. It’s difficult to imagine how much work she must do for all this, but it only goes to show her diligence in helping her students truly understand the material.

The passion, enthusiasm, dedication, and kindness Ms. Kuso shows make it easy to connect with her, and my admiration of her only grows with each day. She brings life to the classroom, filling the dreary bleakness with her vibrant personality and eagerness to teach. She’s not just a teacher. Instead, she provides guidance and support, and is one of my role models: if the world were full of

people like Ms. Kuso, it’d be a much better place. Though school is still, as always, a harrowing, stressful experience, chemistry in Ms. Kuso’s class is always a breath of fresh air.

eyao@apachepowwow.com

Photo by DEBBIE MOON Graphics courtesy of PINTREST.COM and SCIENCENOTES.ORG

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD MOVIES

By MAGGIE WONG

Staff Writer

Every year, there’s a huge, highly-anticipated movie about astronauts traveling to space, and inevitably, something goes horribly wrong. They’re probably the most stressful movies to watch, but also the most entertaining. These are just a few movies that, after watching, might have you rethinking a career with NASA.

The Martian: This movie was released in October of this year, and is based off of Andy Weir’s novel of the same name. The main character, Mark Watney (played by Matt Damon), is part of the Ares III crew, a group of astronauts who are part of a manned mission to Mars. The crew is hit with an unexpected wind storm, and forced to evacuate the planet. Watney is hit with debris while heading back to the space vehicle, and is presumed dead. However, he survives, and finds himself alone on an unknown planet, with a limited food supply and no way to contact anyone back on Earth. He must find a way to survive until another mission can bring him home.

Interstellar: Interstellar was released in 2014, and stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, and Anne Hathaway. Earth has begun to fail as a habitable planet. It’s nearly impossible for crops to grow, and frequent dust storms threaten the existence of humanity. Joe Cooper (McConaughey), a former NASA pilot, finds patterns in the dust on the floor of his daughter’s room. He realizes that they’re coordinates, and he and his daughter, Murphy, follow them to a secret NASA base. There, they learn that missions are being sent through a newly found wormhole in hopes of discovering a new habitable planet. Dr. Brand, one of Cooper’s college professors, assigns him to be the head of the spacecraft Endurance, which is in charge of checking out as many planets through the wormhole as possible. Cooper is faced with the choice between staying with his family on Earth, and saving the human race. Gravity: This movie, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, was released in 2013. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (Clooney) are working together to fix the Hubble Space Telescope when they receive instructions to return to the space shuttle. Debris from a nearby missile strike is coming towards them, and the shuttle is hit, sending both astronauts, untethered, spinning wildly into space. Kowalski, wearing a thruster pack, attaches himself to Stone and flies them back to the shuttle, where they find the shuttle damaged and the rest of the crew dead. He then uses his thruster pack to fly them to the International Space Station, which Stone barely manages to grab ahold of. Kowalski, realizing that he’s pulling her back, unattaches his tether. While he floats through space, he radios her with directions on how to get to China’s Tiangong Space Station, where she will be able to use their shuttle to get back to Earth. With him gone, whether or not Stone survives is entirely up to her. These movies should all be taken with a grain of salt, seeing that not all astronauts end up stranded on Mars or thrown into a fifth dimension. While they may not capture space travel all that accurately, they’re definitely entertaining movies that some argue are so good, they’re out of this world.