THE AZTEC VOLUME LXXVIV NUMBER V
VIEWPOINT PG 3 Is taking the SAT/ACT necessary?
News in Brief Keppel's Got Talent Mark Keppel’s annual talent show is back! All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to audition at A114, on Thursday and Friday, January 19 & 20, 3-5pm. Auditions will be conducted by Mrs. Phillips.
Cal State LA "What's Next" presentation For students who applied to CSULA, this presentation will provide more information as to what to do next. Admissions and recruitment coordinators will give insight for upcoming deadlines and answer questions.
Cash for College With workshops in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and Vietnamese, Cash for College will help seniors apply for financial aid.
Your calendar 1/24- English Language Advisory Council #5 (6:30-7:30 pm at cafeteria) 1/25- Collaboration Day, MKHS Alliance Meeting (7-9 pm at cafeteria) 2/7- School Site Council #5 (1:45-2:45 pm at cafeteria) 2/8- Collaboration Day 2/9- Drama Boosters Meeting (7-8:30 pm at A114) 2/13- School Holiday 2/15- PTSA Meeting (7-9 pm at cafeteria)
January 19, 2017
FOCUS PG 4-5 Is social media taking over the youth?
FEATURES PG 6 Mandela effect explained
theaztecnews.com
SPORTS PG 7-8 Girls basketball stays undefeated in league
Taking a break from Calculus TIFFANY GUAN Staff Writer
The annual Calculus Airband took place on January 12th in the auditorium with a guest performance by the Calc BC group. Calculus Airband is a performance done by Calc AB students and was started in 1980 by Ms. Kimura. The performances are not associated with mathematics. Rather, it is an event where Calc AB students can take an academic break and escape their comfort zone. Calc AB teacher Mrs. Ling split her two classes in half and formed four rings, or groups, with approximately 16 students in each. The four ring leaders were junior Evan Sakuma, and seniors Caleb Kang, Kobe To, and Anthony Gabrie. The Calc BC group put their performance together in a week and danced to the Pokemon theme song. They were happy that they were able to relive the memories and performances they had done in Calc AB. Junior and Calc BC student Kenny Chang said, “We all still got nervous even though it was our second time.” In between the dances, band performed the “PPAP” song and the famous Trombone Suicide, and orchestra played “Viva La Vida.” To close off the show, Music director Mr. Lee
Juniors Celeste Nguyen, Nicholas Ng, Jonathan Chow, Justin Fong, Tommy Chao, and senior Yao Sheng performing "Let it Go." THE AZTEC/CHRISTOPHER HUNT
sang a parody about math while Calc BC teacher Mr. Gualcherani displayed his electric guitar skills. Sakuma said, “The best part of being a ring leader was to see growth in students who would never think to attempt a project like Calc Airband, which is a much less STEMbased assignment than our usual standardized chapter tests. Shout out to Mrs. Ling for this amazing opportunity!” After watching Calc Airband, freshman
Evan Ma’s interest in taking Calc AB grew. She stated, “It seems to me that students in Calc AB worked really well as a team, and I think that’s a good thing because sometimes not everyone in groups participate or help.” An estimate of over 200 tickets were sold, and the money earned goes to band. Although not everyone in Calc Airband were professional dancers, each student exceeded their own expectations.
Earthquake Preparedness Day JAMIE CHAU Historian
One of the most notorious earthquakes to ever hit California was the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Today, we have plenty of technology that can help minimize the damage of any earthquake. However, even with these advances, basic earthquake safety preparation is still crucial. Youth commissioner and senior Andrew Yam hosted a Earthquake Safety and Preparedness Day at the Monterey Park fire department on January 14th. The initiative of the workshop was to teach and train citizens for future natural disasters. “I was inspired by my mom to create this kind of event so that the community could have some awareness of how to respond in case of an earthquake.” Yam said. The event was split into four different stations. Firefighters demonstrated sidewalk CPR, how to use a fire extinguisher and to turn off utilities, and taught basic First Aid. Participants had a slip of paper that would be stamped after they had visited a station. A fully stamped paper was rewarded with a hot dog lunch. “This is the most amazing event I’ve ever seen put up by a youth commissioner,” Los
Firefighters demonstrate basic first aid.
Angeles Community College Board Vice President Mike Eng said. “Earthquake preparation is very important. It’s something we should know, but we don’t know.” Monterey Park Fire Chief Scott Haberle agrees. “It’s important for people to know how to shut off utilities and use the fire extinguisher.” Haberle said. “It’s a good thing for the community to experience and prepare.”
THE AZTEC/JAMIE CHAU
With over 300 participants, everyone was able to pick up a thing or two from the workshop. “All the stations really helped, so now I know how to use the fire extinguisher, I know how to do CPR, and I know how to turn on the gas valves,” junior Jeannine Tjandra said. With Los Angeles being right on top of the San Andreas faultline, everyone should have some basic earthquake safety knowledge.
Keppel showcases AP curriculm at annual AP Fair
Trump officially takes over White House
TOMMY GAO Staff Writer Mark Keppel High School hosted its annual Honors and Advanced Placement Fair (AP) on January 11, 2017. AP classes are offered to students to prepare them for college courses and have a competitive edge against fellow college students. Benefits of AP classes include a higher GPA, giving students an advantage of being accepted to more prestigious schools. The AP fair’s purpose is to inform students about the AP classes offered at Keppel and about college admissions and eligibility. This year, there was a total of 15 classes. Sophomore Sydney Gol said, “[The AP Fair] helped me learn what each AP course had to offer.” From 6:00p.m. to 7:00p.m., there was a presentation about grade-level expectations, college planning, financial aid and many other aiding information for parents and students in the 10th and 11th grade in the school auditorium. From 7:00p.m. to 7:30p.m. there was a Honors and Advanced Placement Fair in the cafeteria where parents and students could meet the current teacher teaching the class and former/current students. “I was able to decide which AP class I wanted to take because teachers informed me what they [teach] in class.” Gol said. The AP Fair is an informative event in which students can find valuable information.
DANIEL LU Copy Editor More than 50 House representatives that were invited to attend Trump’s inauguration as the 45th president of the United States on Friday, January 20, 2017 on the West Front of the United States Capitol Building chose to boycott the historic event. Representatives continue to tweet about their boycott to support Representative John Lewis’s decision to boycott the inauguration. John Lewis does not believe the president-elect can be a legitimate president. “I think they’re just protesting Donald Trump becoming president because they disagree with his policies
and comments,” said sophomore Nicholas Stratacos. “If they want to boycott as a form of protest, then they’re exercising their right to free speech.” Trump’s remarks on women and various ethnic groups have stirred up more than the resentment of the House; 900,000 protesters are expected to protest Trump’s inauguration and his plans in Washington. Despite a large number of House representatives boycotting the inauguration, there has yet to be a senator to join the protest. Former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama are to attend the
inauguration, in addition to former campaign rival Hillary Clinton. This 58th presidential inauguration marks the finale of the formal presidential transition when Donald Trump won the presidential election on November 8, 2016. “[There are] going to be a lot of upset about Donald Trump becoming president, but then again, there are always a lot of people unhappy with the results,” reflects Stratacos. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee are planning the inauguration.
Lunar New Year celebrates Year of the Rooster ANITA GOU Staff Writer Although it’s already a new year for most, the Lunar New Year lands on January 28th this year. Traditions include house cleaning, shopping, making dumplings, and reunion dinners with family members. Events such as the Lunar New Year Festival will also be held for people to have entertainment, relaxation, and get ready for a hopeful new year. Lunar New Year comes from the lunar calendar, which is based on the moon’s rotation. “It gives an opportunity for family members to have a reunion,” said Mandarin teacher Dr.Ye.
In China, people are given a one week break to celebrate Lunar New Year. Even Malaysia and Singapore have half-day breaks to celebrate the holiday. “People usually have a big house cleaning activity, to wash away
things that make you unhappy.” said Dr.Ye. Beside cleaning, people will also prepare the dinner for the New Year’s. The dinner on Lunar New Year’s usually called the “reunion dinner,” since everyone in the family will eat together that night. Mandarin teacher Ms. Wei states,“I’ll do some activities with the students here, who are learning Chinese, because learning Chinese is not just learning the language. They also need to know about the culture [as well]” San Gabriel will be hosting Lunar New Year festival on the day of in the San Gabriel Mission District from 11 am to 9 pm.
Academic Decathlon gets ready for annual competition NICOLE HERNANDEZ Staff Writer The Academic Decathlon team is fiercely preparing for their first official competition on January 28 at El Rancho High School where they will be tested in Speech, Essay writing and Interview before returning on February 4 to be tested on economics, science, math, literature, social science, art and music. The whole team has been preparing in earnest to improve their chances of success.
Senior and Academic Decathlon Captain Christina Tran explains the immense dedication the whole team puts into competition. “We have practice for a few hours everyday after school, and we generally just study the materials, practice our speeches and interviews, and take practice tests. Closer to the competition, we have ‘hell week’, where we basically stay at school and have dinner together until 9PM to
practice.” Being a part of team means making a huge commitment and sacrifice. Junior Cristina Ruiz explains the amount of time she puts into Decathlon. “I practice everyday. I started studying over the summer, but recently I have been studying more often due to the upcoming competition.” The Academic Decathlon team has done exceptionally well in past tournaments.
Senior Rachel Wang says, “We have been in the top five for many years; our best years so far have been winning first and second in two separate years. We always qualify for State in Division I and each year our scores have increased, [so] we either place in the top 10 or top 15.” Hopefully all of the team’s hard work will pay off through success at competition.
Junior Nam Truong and sophomores Michael Tran and Christine Wong study for competition. THE AZTEC/KENNETH LIU
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Should we keep the SAT/ACT mandatory for college admissions? “Please read the following passage.” MALIAH PIERRIBIA Staff Writer
KENNETH LIU / THE AZTEC NEWS
Average ACT - SAT Scores for Fall 2016 Admits
26/1170 31/1450 23/1070 of 36
of 1600
of 36
of 1600
of 36
of 1600
Please do not use these scores as the only indicator of an applicant’s chances for admission.
Fake news in influential sites
How Facebook deals with an internet phenomenon
TIFFANY LEUNG Assistant News Editor
Worldtruth.tv, an alleged fake news website, has an estimated 1.7 million Facebook readers, according to U.S. News.
Facebook strictly regulates its website by monitoring for inaccurate news stories that may contain false information. Facebook is one of the most well-known social media sites globally, hauling up 1.76 billion active users monthly. Their guarantee to keep its users safe is questionable on whether Facebook should have the authority to take away the ‘false’ news. Mrs. Fillpot, Keppel’s video game design teacher, have stated her concerns for users, especially teens that are exposed to the filtering of misleading articles. “There is a lot on the internet that is not credible”, says Mrs. Fillpot. “I would not go to
social media for my news.” Facebook users question their security on the network and how the monitoring system will affect them. To the respect of the company, Facebook is created under Mark Zuckerberg who should have complete control on what the website displays. Social media could be a source of breaking news, displaying the most, significant news in real time. For example, Facebook would have its “Trending” list to the right side of the website, displaying current news and conflicts. Similar to Twitter, this list is updated constantly and is accessible to all users. Therefore, Facebook emphasizes on providing accurate news, but that policy is challenged when there are more reliable branded companies that specialize in news, such as the LA Times. For example, Senior David Liu challenges the reliability of Facebook for accurate, professional news. “Facebook is not credible. I will depend more on, for example, New York Times for news.”
Most high school students that or SAT for admission. “[Colleges want to get into a good college stress and universities] recognize that over the ACT and SAT because neither the SAT nor ACT meatheir scores determine their future. sures an applicant’s high school Over the last five years, students record,” said FairTest Public Edtaking the SAT have risen from 1.6 ucation Director Bob Schaeffer. million to just under 1.7 million. Though the SAT or ACT isn’t It’s hard to stand out with that mandatory for some colleges, it’s many students taking standardized mostly recommended as it increastests. What’s the point of taking the es chances of getting into college. test if you’re getting the same score Testing in four subjects, the ACT as so many othhas “large margins er people? As the “About 800 colleges of error”, as its gradSAT is constantly ing scale goes up to and universities changing, students 36. Fairtest.org statare forced to pay aren’t requiring the ed “if a student were more money for ACT or SAT for to retake the exam, preparation classthere would be about admissions” es, which is a waste a two-thirds chance of money, teachers that her [or his] score will have to wait until new materi- would be 1.55 points higher...” In al is released. Junior Kirsten Kwan 1962, the ACT was allegedly used stated that “I took prep classes as a tool of racial discrimination. during the summer, but I’m scared Senior Kevin Tan said, “I took that I’m not going to remember the SAT to give myself a chalthe information because I’m tak- lenge.” Students still continualing the test in March and May”. ly take the SAT and ACT as Ivy According to the Huffington League, CSU, UC, and other uniPost, about 800 colleges and uni- versities that require the scores.” versities aren’t requiring the ACT
Metro Purple Line to extend further into West L.A. by 2026 Extension reaches L.A. tourist destinations KEVIN LIU Assistant Copy Editor The Metro subway system is expanding nine miles west the current terminus at Wilshire and Western to include destinations like Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, and Century City by 2026. Many Los Angeles residents have shown support for this project and are eager to have faster and more convenient access to jobs and recreation alike. Sophomore Tiffany La noted that “LA is notoriously known for its traffic and the metro would cut back [and] help with the traffic that we face.” Specifically, this rail line was designed to connect the Westside area and downtown Los Angeles. However, Beverly Hills residents and officials have fiercely protested the rail line because it runs under Beverly Hills High School. Junior Andy Lau sympathizes that the “construction of a subway directly under a school may give
the impression that possible damage may result on the land above.” English teacher Ms. Acuna says “I have friends who live near other Metro construction areas and it has been very disruptive to simple things like going to the grocery store. A five minute drive turns into 15-20 because of closed lanes and the ensuing congestion.” However, she “think[s] in the long run it will give UCLA students great opportunities to get more involved in the L.A. life. ...unless students have cars or want to navigate buses they are kind of cut off from the heart of the city.” The project is currently on the first phase, building a station at La Cienega and Wilshire from the current terminus. The second phase will require the spending of $1.6 billion to reach Century City, which was approved by Los Angeles voters last year.
4 FOCUS
THE A
The Social Media C What goes up never goes down
Always be aware when interacting online
MICHELLE DANG Staff Writer
Many teenagers nowadays will post things on social media without thinking about its consequences. There are many platforms that teenagers can use to meet others online, regardless if it is just a friend or a unknown character. But there are certain consequences to putting private information online to strangers and posting without prior thinking. According to a 2012 statistic from Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), 43% of teens said that they have posted something online that they later regret. Keppel Gateway counselor, Martina Lai, said that students should be aware of their digital footprint because although things may be deleted, anything posted online at any time remains in a database somewhere that can be retrieved. “Before you post something online, take a second and think...how will this post affect me if a future employer were to see this?” said Lai. Before putting something online, students should think about the consequences and how it would affect us in the future. People release personal information like the city where they live, their full name, school they attend, or their phone number with others. But it was reported by FOSI that 51% of teens have done at least one of the above to someone they don’t know personally. It also shows that nearly half of teens surveyed have befriended someone they don’t know personally on social media (49%) or have chatted online (44%). “Sometimes you meet somebody online and they are completely different in real life,” said Jessica Lam, a freshman. It is possible to be dishonest online, so you’ll never know if the person you’re talking to is actually who they identify themselves to be, whether they are a serial killer or a hacker trying to get your information. “Any interaction through the internet (social media, forums, etc.) needs to be taken with caution,” said Lai. There are Keppel students that are aware of online security. Lam said, “I care about online security because I wouldn’t want just anybody to find out everything about me by just searching up my name. In addition, people may be able to hack into other accounts and pretend that they are that person.” The internet is a place where people can just browse and relax, but caution should be taken when sharing private information or carelessly posting on social media since there can be unthinkable consequences.
Keppel Stats
Have you ever made friends with someone you met online?
YES: 61% NO: 39%
54 STUDENTS WERE POLLED
SOCIAL MEDIA ICONS BY AURORA ZENG
Count sheep, not likes
Millenials and their obsession with social media numbers
IRIS CHUNG Staff Writer
There is an oddity in today’s society, where likes and followers play a large role in people’s self-confidence. It seems that there is a certain standard when it comes to social media. Students have a habit of calculating their likes-to-followers ratio, purposely posting pictures and statuses at a certain time to maximize likes, and even going as far as to ask their friends to like their posts. However, is this behavior healthy? Junior Kevin Mu said, “Nowadays, our society is based off popularity; if you don’t get a certain amount of likes, comments, or followers, you’re considered a nobody and no one wants to be a nobody.” Despite social pressures, Mu personally does not care about likes or followers. In a society dictated by technology and social media, the power of the “like” has the ability to alter one’s self-esteem. According to Psychology Today, the “like” is a form of “virtual empathy,” that ultimately validates the person posting the picture or status. In a way, by liking a photo, another person is showing that they care about what you said or what you did last week. To add on, author Simon Sinek in a clip with Inside Quest says that kids get a “hit of dopamine” whenever they get a like or follow. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that allows a person to feel happiness. “In other words, [dopamine is] highly, highly addictive,” Sinek stated. “[Through social media posts,] we’re good at showing that life is amazing, even though we’re depressed.” Sophomore Trinity Wu suggested, “I think that kids get a sense of popularity and worth. If they like your picture, it feels like someone actually acknowledges you and is interested in your life.” On the other hand, even though students seem to care a lot about their like and follower count, they would not place a monetary value on it. In a survey of 66 Keppel students, only one student said that they would pay money for followers and likes, specifically for business purposes. Everyone else felt it would be a waste of money. Likes, comments, and followers seem to be a priority in many students’ lives, as it makes them feel loved. Whether or not someone gets as many likes as another individual, it should not diminish their self-worth.
Keppel Stats
Does follower count, number of likes, etc. on social media bother you?
YES: NO:
25% 75%
111 STUDENTS WERE POLLED
AZTEC
January 19, 2017 5
Challenge...PSYCH! Keppel Stats How many Snapchat streaks do you have? 0-10: 43% 11-25: 21% 26-40: 2% 40+: 5% No SC: 29% 95 STUDENTS WERE POLLED
Keppel Stats Have you ever done something simply because you see everone else doing it online? YES: 60% NO: 40% 134 STUDENTS WERE POLLED
Keppel Stats Do you care how aesthetic your Instagram feed is? YES: 28% NO: 53% No IG: 19% 103 STUDENTS WERE POLLED
Streaks & Geeks
Snapchat streaks and their sudden popularity among high schoolers
MAPLE DUONG Staff Writer There is nothing more liked in the world than a little, friendly competition on Snapchat, where users try to achieve the highest number of streaks on the app. “A Snapchat streak is basically an amount of days that shows up when you and your friends [send] snaps to each other every 24 hours,” an anonymous freshman said. But what does one get out of it? Though there is no internal scoring, users can still collect their fair share of awards and friend emojis, as well as making brand new friendships. Sreedhar Potarazu, a CNN reporter, has stated how Snapchat and other social media apps are ruining our kids. She said, “The advent of social technology may bear some responsibility for anxiety and depression in adolescents, teenagers and young adults.” But Keppel students had something different to say. “You get to connect with [people] on a different level,” sophomore Therese Du
said. Du currently has and maintained over 100 streaks over the course of several months. “It is a symbol for the bond you share and how willingly you are to have a [conversation],” freshman Aaron Ho stated. With this new Snapchat streak feature, users are able to communicate with one another through personal and real life pictures. Du advises other Snapchat users to “send one snap in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one at night” to sustain a streak. Despite the fact that there are no physical prizes, people still strive to create more streaks with excitement they never thought they had. “I am driven by 4% love, 37% loneliness and 59% bandwagon,” Ho joked.
Following the crowd KELLIE CHIN Staff Writer
Social media posts and how they influence the way readers think
Everyday, people reach out and turn on their smartphones as if the little black screened device is human instinct. People scroll through their Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram as if the social media sites are newspapers. Social media has been a considerably dominant factor that changed a human’s daily life for the worse. Many social media users are familiar with online trends, such as the recent mannequin challenge. The mannequin challenge is a challenge for a group of people to hold their positions while someone is recording. Sophomore Wilson Yeung commented, “It’s funny to see especially older people participate in the challenge in which the younger people would purposely give them a harder position to hold.” Trendsetters often develop trends to make an impression on social media. According to Gateway counselor Martina Lai, “People follow trends because they like the trend and because they want to feel included.” The popular trends continue to spread on social media, gaining massive attention from users. News on social media influence the thoughts of users on current events due to easy access and brief synopses of reports. People can easily read and share the information to other people via social media. The more popular and current the information is, the more likely people are going to read about it and discuss it. More people
will get on the current event and comment about what they think. Junior Joshua Lopez said that social media “showed [him] many people’s views of [current] events.” However, some news sources do not report the entire information. It can also be fake news spreading around, letting those who read it believe it because everyone is talking and sharing about it. Bias and fake information from social media may influence people’s decision making as well. For example, the 2016 Presidential Election was especially popular on social media. Videos, pictures, and comments provoked social media users into taking a side in the race. Social media allows people to interact by sending messages instantly without having a face to face conversation. Although this method of communication is easy, people will lose the ability to interact with other human beings. Lai said, “Our phones are glued to our hands and we are constantly checking our social media, email, [and] news updates that we sometimes forget to have conversations face-to-face.” Even though social media might be brainwashing people with updates and messages, social media is a great way to communicate quickly and efficiently. This marvelous means of communication, may not be what is best for people.
Feeding your aesthetic
SHERRY LIANG Cartoonist
Students’ priorty to make their Instagram feed “artsy”
Instagram is one of the most popular apps for posting pictures online. Many people tend to prioritize making their photo page, or “feed”, be aesthetically pleasing. They are sometimes very strict on editing their pictures to follow a theme or an idea. Some students like to take photos of the environment. They spend a lot of time editing their photos. “I’d spend a good one-hour editing on photoshop and crop [my photos] with a white border,” said freshman Emily Au. She makes sure her photos have similar filters and are the same size. It is the normal perfectionism that drives people to preserve their organizations: “Sometimes my feed varies from moody to bright and sunny, it does reflect my state of mind. “ said Au, whose photos go along with her mood. Aesthetic is a philosophy of the nature beauty. These nicely edited photos are not only to satisfy the owners, they also satisfy others’ views. “It satisfies me because I like to put quality content on my Instagram page, “ said sophomore Sabrina Sy, “and I want others to have the satisfaction of looking at nice photos on my page as well.”
However, a feed can just be full of families and friends. “It shows how appreciative I am of the people that surround me.” said freshman Chrystal Nhan, who often posts photos of her friends and family. Whenever people don’t feel satisfied with their posts that don’t fit into their themes, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) might occur. According to Wikipedia, it causes a feeling of anxiety because of unpleasant and interrupted images. “I do whatever feels right and as long as the colors of each picture in a row compliment each other,” said Au. Although this mental disorder makes people check things repeatedly, it helps them to catch their editing mistakes during the process. While every post might reflect a mood or a feeling, it does matter for some people to pursue perfection and satisfaction. People create their photo pages in various ways, but finding the way that satisfy them is more significant.
ALL POLLS CONDUCTED BY JAMIE CHAU WITH THE HELP OF ANTHONY GABRIE, BRENDA GIANG, CHRISTOPHER HUNT, BRANDON LAM, DANIEL LU, LYNA UNG, CAITLYN WOO, AND MEGAN YAN
Mandela effect or Mandella effect? MEGAN YAN Staff Writer In recent years, a new term called The Mandela Effect has come to describe a large group of people who remember a certain event that did not actually occur. This name traces back to Nelson Mandela, the well known South African president, who died on December 5, 2013. For a number of people, however, Mandela’s actual death occurred way before then. In fact, he apparently died in the 1980s while in prison. So which is it? This phenomenon doesn’t just end there. The Mandela Effect is also prevalent in films and shows. In the movie, Forrest Gump, the main character, says the famous line, “Life WAS like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get”. But for many, it’s not remembered like that. According to The Mandela Effect believers, the line used to be “Life IS like a box of chocolates”. Now, this might not seem like such a big deal, but it is often used by believers to support the existence of The Mandela Effect. Remember the show FLINTstones? Or was it the FLINstones? Junior Lauren Lu claims that the name consistently changed between the two. “I checked
Flinstones a thousand times for Mandela Effects because I swore it used to be FlinTstones. Everywhere that I existed, it was always Flinstones,” says Lu, “Then one day, I searched it again and guess what? It’s Flintstones. Seriously, I’m mindblown.” Many threads online also argue that it recently just changed back to “FlinTstones.” More famously, the Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back, is often used as proof of the Mandela Effect. Even those who haven’t seen the film is familiar with the Darth Vader saying, “Luke, I am your father.” But this isn’t the line. The actual line from the movie is “No, I am your father”. Many argue that it is merely just a misquoted line. Yet, James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, remembers “Luke, I am your father” instead of the latter. The cause of this is undetermined. Some believe that it is the doing of time travelers. Others argue that it is
Franchise Revivals
1000 degrees
JASPER DUONG Staff Writer
ANTHONY GABRIE ASST. PHOTOGRAPHER/ VIDEOGRAPHER Things heated up when YouTube Channel “MrGear” posted what would be the latest viral trend. The first of these videos, titled “EXPERIMENT Glowing 1000 degree KNIFE VS COCA COLA”, was posted on December 18, 2016. The video began with three blowtorches heating up a red hot knife with a series of clips where the knife was used to cut through various objects such as a soap bar, a ping pong ball, a pad of sticky notes, and even a bottle of Coca-Cola. Within a week, the video was quickly shared across the internet and skyrocketed MrGear’s Channel viewer count. The video is earns an average of 5 million views per day from its widely shared videos, with a total of 65,254,522 on the video as of January 13th. Monetized views make up 40% – 60% of the total views on a video.
The video is widely controversial due to the large spike in viewership. Many criticize that the video is “click-bait” to earn revenue for the content creator and that the video is exactly what people expect when cutting through something with a hot knife. Junior Dheyvn Lao said, “It’s dumb because it’s overhyped and people make memes out of it.” Additionally, the idea of heating a knife to 1000 degrees was originally done by YouTube Channel “Fire sweet Fire”, who has created similar content since 2014. Others argue that the video is simple yet oddly satisfying. Senior Henry Juan stated, “It’s pretty cool cause it’s satisfying and different then other content on the web right now.” Whether you enjoy or dislike this trend it’s currently one of the hottest videos on the internet, with little chance of cooling down.
Coming to ... January 19 Good Kids (2016)
January 28 Ripper Street S4
January 20 Fronteir S1 Papa (2015) Take the 10 (2017) Voltron: Legendary Defender January 21 Bates Motel S4
January 30 Antibirth (2016) Swing State (2016) January 31 Bill Burr Stand Up Special (2017)
January 24 Gad Gone Wild (2017) Kill Command (2016) January 27 iBOY (2017) Sharknado 4 (2016)
the result of parallel universes. But the Mandela Effect has its critics. People argue that it is just the result of failed memory and is merely an internet term for confabulation, which is a psychiatric term for false memories. Lu says, “When a few people remembered it a certain way, it is failed memory. But we’re talking about a very very large population of people who swore that’s how they remember something a certain way.” The question of whether The Mandela Effect exists is still in the air. Yet, we can’t deny that there is a large percentage of people who claim it does.
February 3 Santa Clarita Diet S1
February 10 Abstract: The Art of Design (2017) David Brent: Life on the Road (2016)
Moviepilot has been calling 2016 the year of the reboot, and it is not stopping anytime soon. Along with these reboots, or remakes, there are a fair share of spin-offs being branched from already-made films. Spin-offs and reboots are popular nowadays and have been for at least a decade. Most spin-offs are continuations of the original series, such as Boy Meets World (19932000) to Girl Meets World (2014-2017). “I think they should continue [with the original series], because the generation now, they don’t watch older shows,” said Junior Cindy Vong. Some spinoffs were very successful, attracting many viewers before they were cancelled, such as Girl Meets World. Unlike spin-offs, reboots are made with the same base-story, such as the soon-tobe three time remake of Spiderman. After
its initial 2002 run, the Spiderman series was first a trilogy, then a sequel in 2012, and soon to come again in 2017 although the number of films in this edition are still unknown. Along with the popular manto-spider comic, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) is also being remade this upcoming year. In the new Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, the characters touch a rock and gain powers. However, in the original movie, the Rangers had to work for their powers. Though interesting, the plot twist is not appealing to some people like freshmen Eugene Lee who said, “I would rather want the Power Rangers to work for their power so it would be more original.” Though it may seem like Hollywood is running out of ideas, remakes and spinoffs offer new avenues for old franchises that might return to the stage.
January 19, 2016
the aztec
sports 7
Girls Basketball overcome fatigue with victory against San Gabriel
Senior Sharon Taing (1) readies as her teammates juniors Zoe Atkins (2) and Maya Castelazo (4) fight for the ball.
THE AZTEC/ CHRISTOPHER HUNT
Girls Water Polo achieves second win in league match CHRISTOPHER HUNT Staff Writer
Yesterday, the Lady Aztecs added a second victorious game to their league record. “I think defensively we were superior and that is what contributed to our victory today,” , says Coach Wendy Centeno. The girls played a very defensive 1st quarter and finished with a score of 2-0. On the second quarter the Oilers began to close the gap by scoring one goal. The girls struck back in the 3rd quarter by scoring one to add onto the existing lead making it 3-1, regaining the two-point lead. In the 4th quarter the Aztecs continued to score, but the Oilers retaliated by tying the score with two goals, bringing the game into overtime. In overtime the Aztecs played a tough defense until the second half, when they managed to score and bring the game to a close. Girls’ Water Polo faced Alhambra last
Sophomore Noelle Frasher and seniors Alyssa Marquez and Christie Tan train after Tuesday’s game.
Thursday and walked away with a victory with a score of (12-11) in their first League game. In the first quarter, freshman Vienna Tan started off, but by the end of the quarter the Lady Aztecs fell short with a score of 1-2. By the second quarter the team was still sorting out their difficulties. “At first, the team lacked motivation, but after talking to them at half-time they truly stepped up and did what they needed to do to finish the game,” commented Centeno. They started the quarter with a threepoint deficit and finished the quarter adding one to their score, but Alhambra kept the deficit constant. In the 4th quarter the Aztecs scored one right off the bat, carrying onto the end with a score of 9-9. The Lady Aztecs and the Moors fought point for point until sudden death mode, where the Lady Aztecs pulled one point through and won.
THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ
Girls Soccer defeats the Oilers in a close 2-1 match CALLISTA LIU Photographer The girls’ varsity soccer team had defeated the Montebello Oilers in a close, aggressive 2-1 match. Before the league season began, the girls previously lost 0-1 to Montebello. In this game, Keppel’s team of 4 substitutes and 11 starters were outnumbered against Montebello’s. In the first half, both teams were dead even. Nearing the end of the half, Junior Grace Gomez, who played as a forward, shot and scored the first goal of the game. During the second half, Junior Nicole Hernandez, who played as a midfielder, scored the second and winning goal, pushing Keppel with a head start of two points. The Oilers played a rough defense, until they were able to take the opportunity to score a goal. During that goal kick, one of their players had been said to be offside. However, the goal still counted. They
were determined to make an equalizer, or another goal to tie the game. Coach Shahin, the head varsity coach, was concerned with the minor mistakes seen in the game which he fears could create openings for other upcoming teams to score, just like the Oilers did. “[Improving] is our whole goal”, said Coach Shahin. “We have to do little things better and better.” During this half, aggressive plays by players on both teams led to one person from each team sitting out for the remainder of the game. This opportunity favored Keppel and gave the Aztecs a free kick. However, the match was shortly over. The girls’ varsity soccer team moves on to San Gabriel in their third league match on January 19. “We’ll get better with every game,” said Nicole Hernandez. “I think this is a nice way to start off the season.”
TIMOTHY CHUMAN Copy Editor Playing in their fourth game since Friday, the Lady Aztecs overcame numerous obstacles to defeat the San Gabriel Matadors, 59-38 on Tuesday evening. The girls team is still reeling from injuries to their starting point guard, Vanessa Aguirre and Catherine Dea. Coach Jose Herrera has been impressed by how his other players have stepped up, particularly his seniors. Unfortunately, injuries were not the least of the Lady Aztecs problems heading into Tuesday’s match with San Gabriel. Following a 50 point win against Montebello on Friday, the girls headed up to Stockton to play in a showcase for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. After losing to West Campus High School on Saturday by 2 points, the girls basketball team had Sunday off before a matchup against Vanden High School on Monday. At that point, fatigue caught up to the girls as they lost to Vanden, 64-42. After returning home late Monday night, the girls were able to persevere through their torpor and beat the Matadors on Tuesday. Alyssa Lee (3) and Fanny Tu (4) led the team with 16 points a piece. Despite a slow start, the Lady Aztecs outscored the Matadors 15-5 in the first quarter and ended the half with a 31-9 lead. The Matadors began to heat up in the second half, but the girls team met them stride for stride. The Matadors outscored Keppel 29-28 in the second half, but the Lady Aztecs prevailed, 59-38.
Coach Herrera was convinced that the trip up north left his team jet-lagged and lackadaisical thus contributing to a performance that was adequate but could be improved. “Today, we needed to work on a lot of things, but they had a legitimate excuse. I know those [mistakes] are all correctable factors and there is nothing we should worry long term about,” Herrera said. Sophomore Esther Quon was impressed by how the team responded to the strenuous stretch of games. “Even though we were all really tired, [this win] really shows how great our work ethic is,” Quon said. Although they got the win, the players were insistent that rebounding was an aspect of their game that needed work. Senior Amanda Nishimura asserted that since they are a small team, it is important for them to box out and get rebounds. As the team looks on to Friday’s matchup against Alhambra, Coach Herrera is confident that his girls can get back into their groove. “It all starts with our conditioning and defense. We have better skilled players than a lot of schools in the area because they have been experienced. It makes the game a lot easier, but for them it all starts defensively,” Herrera said. The Lady Aztecs look to continue their success in the Almont League with a win against their rivals on Friday night. “We have to go into Alhambra and make sure we make a statement defensively. If we do that, it will get away from them very fast,” said Herrera.
JANUARY 19, 2016
the aztec
8 sports
THE AZTEC/ KENNETH LIU
Athletes Profile: Elizabeth Melendrez The Boys Basketball team warms up with exercises before the game.
THE AZTEC/ ANTHONY GABRIE
Boys Basketball loses league game against San Gabriel LAURA CHEN Staff Writer
The Mark Keppel Boys Varsity Basketball lost 45-56 against the San Gabriel Matadors. The Aztecs played their third league conference home game this Tuesday after winning the first two games against Bell Gardens and Montebello. There was much tension between the two teams during the first 3 quarters of the match. The Aztecs and Matadors were head to head with only a small point difference at the end of each quarter. However, in the last quarter, freshmen Michael Granados said, “There wasn’t as much communication. Usually, there is more communication on defense and our confidence [in winning] was low.” With the lacking defense, the Matadors were able to score many three pointers,
which cost the Aztecs to lose points to the coming their point guard, Jarett, because Matadors in the last quarter. in my opinion, was the best player there.” Another factor that contributed to their Tan had scored most of the points for San loss was due to San Gabriel’s numerous Gabriel in the last quarter of the game. amount of seniors. Senior Nick Fong had In the preseason games, Fong states mentioned that only two of the members that, “We bonded and communicatwere on their second year as a varsity play- ed better after a team dinner. After that, er. spending practice time and playing games He stated that “the rest of the members with them just seemed more fun.” Granaare all first years.” Granados said, “I think dos also believes that because of the team that San Gabriel had the upperhand on members’ close relationship, it helps ease leadership because the seniors had more stress when their teammates on bench experience than us as a varsity player.” cheer for them. Fong also said that since the Aztec playThough the Boys Varsity lost this game, ers aren’t as tall as the opposing team, the the Boys Varsity Basketball team will conteam often has trouble with rebounds. The tinue on and junior Brusen Hy believes Boys Varsity team also struggled with San that, “Overall, we are in a good position, Gabriel’s interceptions. but if we win the away game against AlMany of those interceptions were made hambra this Friday, it would be even better by #11, Jarett Tan of the Matadors. Grana- to win league.” dos said, “I believe we had trouble over-
Boys Soccer loses to Montebello 4-2 CALLISTA LIU & KEVIN LIU Staff Writer & Asst. Copy Editor The boys’ soccer team played against the Montebello Oilers last Tuesday, losing the match to the Oilers at a final score of 4-2. In the first half of the match, both the Aztecs and the Oilers utilized strong defensive and offensive tactics. Throughout the game, sophomore Andy Torres felt that they were incredible unlucky because “two of those goals [scored by Montebello] were made off of deflections [where] the goalie was going in the right direction, but when the ball bounced off
the defender it changed direction, making it very hard to block.” Kavian Jalali, a senior in Keppel’s boys’ soccer varsity, scored a goal from the center of the field for the Aztecs at the second half, taking the Aztecs closer to tying with the Oilers who already scored two goals. “When team captain Kavian Jalali scored a goal from almost half [a] field [away in the second half ],” recalls Torres, “it was a spectacular goal.” In the second half, Gabriel Vera, varsity player, “passed the ball to Shuon Olowu, and he managed to arc the ball right over
the goalie” only having to “dribble [the ball around opponents] prior to that”, according to Yuuki Muanpho, a junior on the varsity team. Although the team had scored two points, it was not enough to beat the Oilers and the team lost the game. However, it was a significant improvement from last year’s lost against the Oilers with a 7-0 score. Despite losing, it was a considerable improvement considering last year’s 7-0 loss against the Oilers.
KELLY YUAN Staff Writer Elizabeth Melendrez is a girls’ water polo player who has been in the sport ever since the beginning of high school. Before she became a proud water polo player that she is today, she often struggled with herself. “I’ve struggled to be as aggressive as opposing teams but as I kept practicing, I can now defend my player as well as [perform] shot blocking, stealing the ball and helping out on defending set. [I am] often the most aggressive player on the field.” However, practice is not the only thing she needed to play well. “Polo requires emotional resilience and control. With that a good player must not allow “trash talking” or physical contact to impact focus,” she said. Melendrez says playing polo produces many mixed emotions. “As we line up on the two meter and wait for the referee to blow the whistle, my teammates and I sprint to the middle… feeling energized and excited.” Sometimes Melendrez does feel pressured to make the right decision but at the end of the game she feels satisfied with the effort she and her teammates have put in. Melendrez says playing water polo has multiple benefits one of them being preparing her for college “ by teaching me time management and commitment”. It has kept her in good physical condition and also helped her build stamina. “The things that I enjoy most about this year’s team is that we get along with each other very well and we build strong relationships with each other.” Melendrez has created a family out of her water polo team, and “at the end of the game I feel content that my teammates and i had worked together and tried or absolute best.”
Sports Calendar Boys Basketball On 1/20 versus Alhambra at Alhambra On 1/24 versus Schurr at Schurr On 1/27 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/31 versus Montebello at Montebello On 2/3 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel On 2/7 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 2/10 versus Schurr at Mark Keppel
Girls Soccer On 1/19 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel On 1/23 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 1/26 versus Bell Gardens at Mark Keppel On 1/31 versus Alhambra at Alhambra On 2/2 versus Montebello at Mark Keppel On 2/7 versus San Gabriel at Mark Keppel
Boys Soccer On 1/19 versus San Gabriel at Mark Keppel On 1/23 versus Alhambra at Alhambra On 1/26 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/31 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 2/2 versus Montebello at Montebello On 2/7 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel
Girls Water Polo On 1/20 versus Los Altos at Los Altos On 1/21 versus Los Altos at Los Altos On 1/31 versus Schurr at Barnes Park On 2/8 versus Bell Gardens at Barnes Park
Girls Basketball On 1/20 versus Alhambra at Alhambra On 1/24 versus Schurr at Schurr On 1/27 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/31 versus Montebello at Montebello On 2/3 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel On 2/7 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 2/10 versus Schurr at Mark Keppel
Wrestling On 1/25 versus Schurr at Schurr On 1/28: Almont League Finals at Montebello