Palisades Charter High School
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15777 Bowdoin St., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
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October 1 - October 13, 2008
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Lights, Camera, Ms. Kraus is in Action
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Volume 49 Issue 2 FREE
BY LAYLEE S ALEK Tideline Staff Writer
This year, Tami Christopher, Steve Burr, Monica Iannessa, and parent Patrice Fisher are bringing a revolutionary program called The Village Nation to campus. They aim to “Enable the African American students the opportunity and support system to take full advantage of all of the programs at our school,” said Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr. The Village Nation’s philosophy is derived from the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr said, “The purpose of The Village Nation is to create a small learning environment for African-American students utilizing a wide array of test prepping and test taking skills, attitude adjustment, academic strategies and historical reviews through seminars, workshops and small group meetings geared toward aca-
became dedicated to mentoring and tutoring students so as to raise the bar in African American academic and social success. Students are not only responsible for caring for themselves, but for taking care of each other and encouraging a sense of community that supports effective education. “As a disaggregated group, African American students are performing below their other Pali peers. A phenomenon that's a nationwide issue and that we are trying to change here at Pali,” said Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr. They are planning to hold three IMPACT assemblies, one in the fall and two in the spring. IMPACT assemblies cover topics ranging from negative vernacular in the African American community to the importance of educational achievement. “In addition to that we hope to revitalize the BSU, to build on the issues discussed during the IMPACT
Ms. Gilbert, who was a seal bearer in 1936, also ran the CSF program at University S enior High S chool before transferring to Pali. She has been working with chapters of the CSF program since 1956. “I’ve done it for so long that it’s second nature. When I first came to Pali, the principal wanted me to do it since I had experience. I continue to because I know what I’m doing and it’s also too complex to explain to other teachers,” Ms. Gilbert said. Admitting students to CSF is a complex process. To become an official member, sophomores, juniors, and seniors must have maintained eligibility for four semesters. Eligibility is only granted to students who have at least 10
points through grades. An “A” in a maximum of two Advanced P lacement classes counts as four points each, while an “A” in other classes is counted as three points. A “B” in a maximum of two Honors or Advanced Placement class counts as two points, while addition “B” grades count as one point. A student with a “D”, “F”, or “U” on his report card is not eligible to qualify. Students who are qualifying graduates, though, get an embossed seal placed on their diploma, a gold rope to wear at graduation, and are recognized in the commencement program. “I really like the rewards of CSF and the program itself,” Continued on page 2
Dial Disaster Page 5
Goodnight... Bush? Page 6
Cross Country Kicks Off Page 8
CA Scholarship Federation Continues to Honor Students BY S TEPHANIE TAFT Tideline Staff Writer
After decades of state-wide success, administrators continue to offer a chapter of the greater California Scholarship Federation in an effort to recognize and honor the academic achievements of students. The California Scholarship Federation (CSF) is a statewide organization that honors the academic performance of high school students. Currently the oldest scholarship institution throughout the state, CSF has also maintained a long presence on campus. “CSF has been at Pali since 1961.” said Ms. Rose Gilbert, leading teacher of the school’s CSF program. “I’ve been running it since the beginning.”
Batman Brain Bowl Page 2
WILL ANDERSON Photographer
Mama G brought the CSF program to Pali in 1961 and has been running it herself for the past half century.
Great Eats for Teens Page 3
Google Domination Page 4
From October 15 to 17, students will vote for the faculty representative for this school year.
assemblies, as well as tutoring and mentoring,” said Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr. The impact of the program in other schools has been clear. Before The Village Nation, in 2003, API scores for African American students had gone down six points, a significant amount. In 2004, the first year of The Village Nation, API scores increased by 53 points. Since 2004 API scores for African American students have increased a total of 136 points. Cleveland High School broke records in 2007 when it became the first comprehensive high school in LAUSD’s history to be recognized as a California Distinguished School and to have the African American API scores surpass 700. The success of the programs caught the attention of LAUSD, other California Schools, and even other parts of the country. On May 31, 2007 Continued on page 2
The Village Nation Comes to Pali demic and social success.” Through this comprehensive program the Village improves the learning environment of and brings inspiration and effective education to African American students. In the “Mission Statement, Philosophy and Objectives” on The Village Nation website, it states, “If you know anything about our history, then you know that the ‘Blackest’ thing you can do is to pursue an education.” Andre Chevalier, Bill Paden and Fluke Fluker created the Village Nation in 2003 at Cleveland High School in Reseda, in response to low-test scores. The program, which encourages making connections and building a healthy educational community where students can demonstrate their true potential, initially sparked controversy, as it focuses solely on African American students. African American faculty at the school
Tideline Editor-in-Chief
Students will soon have the opportunity to nominate and vote for the student-elected faculty representative on the Board of Directors to serve a single term during the next upcoming weeks. In the first Student Senate meeting of the year, which took place on September 23, 2008, forms will be distributed to those students who are interested in nominating a particular teacher onto the Board. The same form has also been distributed to teachers via e-mail on September 17. On this form, students must state the reasons as to why they chose to nominate a particular teacher. After the student completes that portion of the form, he or she must ask the chosen teacher to accept the nomination. The nominated teachers must then complete the form and also include a personal statement to address why he or she deserves to serve on the Board, before submitting the form to Ms. Iannessa, the Director of Student Services, by Friday, September 26. Additionally, a question and answer forum will be held on October 13 in either B101 or Mercer Hall during lunch. During this forum, all nominated teachers will be given the opportunity to speak, and the students will be allowed to respond and communicate with the nominated teachers at this time. “I think it is important to have a teacher representative on the Board because sometimes adults listen to one another better. It is good for the students to have that kind of vocal representation,” said Senior Natasha Milner. Currently, the actual election to decide upon the student-elected representative is scheduled to take place from October 15-17 for all grades nine through twelve. Su Kang, the ASB Vice President said, “If the Student Representative does not represent the students and their opinions, then policies such as the hat policy would be passed without a student voice. I want someone who will stand up for my concerns, a person who understands the way students feel about what is going on in the school.” Similarly, Mr. Lee said, “The Student Representative gives them [the students] a voice on the Board of Directors, which is the key decision making committee at Palisades Charter High School. Everyone has a responsibility to be involved in the political process. The students’ voice is just as important as every other stakeholder’s voice.”
Mr. Burr and Ms. Christopher are working hard to improve the academic opportunities and support for Pali’s African American students.
Tideline News Editor
BY DANIEL HARTONO
The Drama Department welcomes a new leader for its 2008/2009 school year. Taking over Ms. Iannessa’s former role as teacher, director, and supervisor for Pali’s theater program is Ms. Lisa Kraus, a Washington native, and an experienced drama teacher of six years. Along with a Masters degree earned in Theater Production from Central Washington University, Ms. Kraus taught English for fifteen years. After having taken a break from the teaching world to take part in a professional wardrobe and costuming career for a year, she realized her real passion was working with high school students. Pali’s open position showed to be an option for a new experience, one different from her usual Seattle, Washington students and surroundings. Once she confirmed to take a job in Los Angeles, Ms. Kraus was faced with the decision to choose between working at Santa Monica High School or Pali. “I thought it would be easier to make decisions at a smaller school [Pali], and I was also toldthat the play production students would be amazing, which they are,” Kraus said. Although she intends to maintain the department’s overall traditions, Ms. Kraus plans to implement some changes of her own. “My goal is to get as close to professional theater as we can. I plan to work on refining acting talent and continue building the technical aspect of the theater,” she said. In the mean time, however, Ms. Kraus is focusing her attention on the execution of the Fall Show. “I’m excited to see a fully realized fall production so that the students know what I’m about. I know what they are about, andwe establish a relationship working together,” she said. Students involved in the department are also anticipating the new changes for the year. Thespian President, Elizabeth Rich said, “She definitely brings professional theater experience to Pali, and that is something I’m excited to be a part of.”
MARY HOBBS Photo Editor
BY F IONA HANNIGAN
STUDENTS TO ELECT FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE
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NEWS
CSF Continues Band Marches to a New Beat to Aid Honors Students Continued from page 1 said Senior Lisa Weintraub. “I think the seals and rewards at the end help encourage kids to do well, but I think it’s really good to know that I’ll be personally acknowledged for my academic achievements.” While many students take in an interest in CSF for its rewards, others are repelled by its purpose. “CSF is not a great ‘motivator,’ to say the least,” said Sophomore Dalia Shamsian. “It’s just like every other honors program based only on good grades. Students should be recognized by other standards, too.” Although not all students qualify for or apply to the federation, every high school throughout California is eligible to take part. “It’s not mandatory for schools to have, but it’s an honor for student achievement and as a school, we want to be apart of that,” said Mr. Griffin, new principal of the school. “All the schools in California that I’ve worked with are CSF chapters.” Approximately 1,000 individual high school chapters currently participate in the honorary program. “I think it is great how we push this program hard at Pali. It’s a great honor and I think students who take part set a good example to their peers,” said Mr. Griffin.
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New S eati ng Area Provi des Respi te
Returning to school this year, students may have noticed a new seating area in front of the Library. Ms. Smith, Pali’s librarian, was determined to create a quiet and comfortable place where students could relax, do homework and connect to the wireless Internet router located inside the Library. “Dillon’s List,” a charity in honor of the late Dillon Henry, funded the project and Mr. Jefferson installed the benches in early July. The new seating areas have already begun filling up with kids. “It’s a great place to sit, and hang out with your friends,” said 9th Grader Brenda Hernandez, “It’s impossible to try and get work done in the quad, but I can actually concentrate over here.” - Will Anderson S tudents Evacuate Duri ng Fi re Dri l l
VAL KARUSKEVICH Photographer
Drum Major Evan Warfel watches Dolphin football from the sidelines. BY C AROLINE C OSTER
Tideline Entertainment Editor
Complete with percussion, woodwind, and brass instruments, the marching band starts off the season with fresh skills and a new staff. Made up of around 30 students, the program welcomes a new band instructor, Arwen Hernandez, a low brass specialist Yoske Miyoshi, percussion coach Jeremy Miller and marching instructor Jake Rivera. In the past, the marching band has brought spirit to the football games and due to the completion of the field this year, the marching band has the opportunity to support the Dolphins at every home game. During their seventh period practices, the marching band configures their lineup, and creates new shows. At a game, the marching band usually performs a few formations on the sidelines and in the middle of the field dur-
ing half time. After a point is scored, they often play a little pop tune. Because it is early in the season, no half time show has been established, but the band hopes to create and perform a show by the end of the season. Senior Claire Crollalanza said, “The marching band is the best part of the games. They pump the crowd up.” Like most sports teams, the marching band is hard working and dedicated, but considers themselves more of a family who enjoys music. “People do marching band just because it’s fun,” said Chauncey Hicks, who has played the tuba in marching band for two years, “and because we are pure dope.” They practice five days a week after school, and on Fridays, have an extended practice until after 5 p.m. They have competitions lined up for later this year, and a few for the fall, where they will compete against other high school bands.
The Village Nation Comes to Pali Continued from page 1 The Village Nation appeared on Oprah, where Oprah Winfrey said, "The Village Nation serves as a leading example for people who think out of the box.” “I actually first heard about it [The Village Nation] in a chance encounter with LAUSD School Superintendent David Brewer in late May. He mentioned the program and its success with African American students at Cleveland HS,” said Mr. Burr. A parent who
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October 1 - October 13, 2008
asked them to attend a Summer Institute regarding The Village Nation approached both Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr. The group initially involved Ms. Christopher, Mr. Burr, Ms. Iannessa, and Ms. Fisher, however, “since then it has grown to include a large number of Pali Faculty and Staff and eventually it will be a school-wide program,” said Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr. “The Village Nation is a support system to help them [stu-
dents] achieve the greatness that lies within them,” they said. Once the program is fully under way, it will have a huge impact on the school, as it has on other campuses. “The Village Nation will benefit Pali by creating a school-wide community that truly embraces all students; in essence allowing pride in school to be cool and acceptable for all students,” said Ms. Christopher and Mr. Burr.
At 11:15 on Tuesday, Sept. 16th, the fire alarm rang, and some two thousand students, along with teachers and faculty, poured out onto the football field. The regularly scheduled fire drill, the first of the new school year, took half an hour to complete, chopping third period almost in half. Many teachers regret the shortening of class time, but recognize the need for fire safety in a school with over three thousand people inside. Some students at Pali agree. “It was a lot more organized than drills in the past, but still quite a nuisance,” Junior Audrey Litvak said. Other students enjoy the chance at some fresh air and leisure time instead of being cooped up all period. “Yeah, it’s kind of pointless, but it’s better than being in class,” said Sophomore Kali BushVineberg. Whether the fire drill was a nuisance or a welcome respite, it successfully demonstrated Pali’s evacuation procedure. - Katy Pool S etbacks Confront Technol ogy Tuesday
Technology Tuesday meetings, which were planned to begin on September 16, 2008, are still in development and will not begin until further notice. These meetings were to occur one Tuesday per month with a purpose to gather teachers and staff and discuss technology including the electronic grade book, Teacher Web, Photoshop, and Connect Ed. Staff. Teachers are encouraged to attend these meetings for help or recommendations in regards to technology. However, these meetings have been delayed because they interfere with monthly professional development staff meetings. Ms. Perri, the Technology Coordinator, declined comment, but the Tideline will provide an update as soon as it becomes available. - Daniel Niknam S tudent S enate Opens as Forum for S tudent Concerns
Last Tuesday marked this year’s first Student Senate meeting, run by the Leadership class. Meetings take place every Tuesday with a 2,4,6 schedule, resulting in two to three meetings a month. Each classroom on campus either votes or appoints a student senator to leave towards the end of class and report to the library, where the meetings are held. These briefings allow the Leadership class to announce dances, Brain Bowls, due dates, and things of this matter while the senators write it down and share it with their period two class afterwards. Overall, they have proven to be Leadership’s greatest tool in communicating with the whole student body through only a handful of students. Nick Morshed, ASB President, said, “We plan to talk about upcoming leadership events and any student concerns.”
Brainbowl Tests Students’ Knowledge
- Negar Mahmoodi
PALI POLITICAL ACTIVISM HEATS UP BY HANNAH R OGERS Tideline Staff Writer
Making Waves Scores Silver
DANIEL NIKNAM Photographer
From left: A lison White, Mary Cappelli, A rya Davachi, Izabelle New, and Laylee S alek. This year’s Literary Magazine staff are excited to bring the best collection yet of student art, poetry, and prose. BY DANIEL NIKNAM Tideline News Editor
The 2007-2008 Making Waves Literary Arts Magazine, published by the Journalism class, received the coveted silver crown award in the Columbia University Scholastic Press Association contest. Submitted magazines are scored for their organization, content, and design. Making Waves scored 884 points, compared to 860 points earned last year and was a mere 41 points away from receiving a gold crown award. The magazine scored 140 out of 150 points for organization, 454 out of 500 for content, and 290 out of 350 for design for a total of 884 points.
Students around campus submitted everything included in the magazine. Elements in the magazine include art, prose, poetry, and photography. Compared to last year’s magazine, the judges gave feedback praising the poetry, stating that most of the poems had excellent style and imagery. However, judges said that the rhyme scheme in poetry could use improvement. Additionally, the cover of the magazine, created by Ricky Blake, received outstanding honors was judged as vibrant and exciting. Arya Davachi and Michael Blake of the Journalism class laid out the magazine and are very proud of their achievements. Arya Davachi said, “Although we didn’t score gold, we did improve and
learned what mistakes not to make in the future and that is more valuable than anything. We look to improve this coming school year and make next years issue the best that this school has ever seen.” Poetry editor Laylee Salek said, “The Literary Magazine is a work of art, and I encourage students around campus to submit anything that they think may help the magazine become better.” Ms. Cappelli, Journalism Class Advisor and Literary Magazine Sponsor said, “I am so proud of my students. They worked so hard and I am proud of their achievement as it is truly an exquisite work of art, and a celebration of adolescence.”
BY BEN LEVINE
Tideline Staff Writer
On September 25, Leadership hosted “The Dark Knight Brainbowl Trivia Challenge” which took place at lunch in Mercer Hall. This contest tested competitors’ knowledge about the recent Batman blockbuster, The Dark Knight, for the grand prize of an iPod, among others. This “Brainbowl” consisted of several teams being given a series of questions. Each team answered each question, and for each correct answer the team was awarded points. At the end of the competition, when all of the questions were posed, the squad with the most points was
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crowned victor, and received a prize. After the success of last year’s “Superbad Brainbowl,” many students showed up and matched wits with one another. Last year’s “Brainbowl” saw some one hundred students come to compete. Nearly as many students, if not more, attended this event. However, some were concerned that the number of attendees would not reach expected heights. Last year’s competition was based on “Superbad,” a comedy featuring the antics of several high school students, which was thought to appeal to students more than an action/drama superhero movie.
As the Presidential race heats up, students are becoming politically active, starting political clubs, and involving themselves in this year’s election. Seniors Diva Joshi and Michael Jones launched a Democratic Party club. “Besides supporting [Barack] Obama, we are trying to raise awareness for the Democratic Party values,” said Joshi. “That is our overall goal.” Jones and Joshi’s club registered voters in the quad Thursday, September 18 at nutrition and at lunch. Once the club gains momentum, Joshi said, “We plan on doing more voter registration drives, tabling, and phone banking in swing states.” The club hopes to inspire political interest among students. Joshi said, “We are also planning to have various discussions and debates with Republicans outside of the club,” so as to give varying viewpoints on different values. “But this all needs to happen soon because it’s really coming down to the wire.” Tyler Brewington, another Senior, is starting a debate club. “We mainly converse about hot topics in the news. Most of the people in our club are avid news watchers and have fairly strong opinions about what is going on in our world,” Brewington said. She too is promoting student involvement in the upcoming election with both democrats and republicans debating about current issues. Brewington said, “I would do anything to vote and people who can should exercise that power.” After the election, “We plan on getting back to other exciting headlines in the national and international news,” said Brewington. Students like Joshi, Jones, and Brewington show an enthusiasm for politics that demonstrates the significance of the 2008 election. If students are interested in either of these clubs, the Democratic club meets Thursdays in D104 and the debate club meets on Wednesdays in F104, both at lunch.
October 1 - October 13, 2008
CAMPUS LIFE
Embarrassing Moments
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BY BITA ESHGHIEH Tideline Staff Writer
practice. Every time I’d asked a cheerleader they just looked at me laughing. Later, when I walked into the bathroom to change for practice it turned out I had a giant whole in my pants right under my butt!” -Sparkle Hodge, 11th Grade
mbarrassing moments – we all have them. They’re what makes us human. Share yours with the Tideline Facebook Group. Just include your name, unless you would like to remain anonymous, and grade.
“I was at a Dodger game, about to take my seat that happened to be right next to American Pie’s Chris Klein and Ginnifer Goodwin. I pulled the seat down thinking it would stay down; of course it popped right up, and I completely fell on the floor in front of everyone and the celebrities.” -Sasha Kramer, 12th Grade
“Once when I was five my mom asked me to use the bathroom before ballet class. I refused and went to class anyways. So in the middle of the "plie" (when you bend your legs) I peed in front of all the other girls and ran out of the room crying.” - Amanda Saviss, 12th Grade
Muslim Club Hopes to Launch
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BY VAL KARUSKEVICH Tideline Staff Writer
“One time while I was on the swings at the park I was trying to impress this girl. I was swinging on the swing and all of a sudden the chains broke and I flew right onto my back in front of the girl.” - Brock Earnest, 12th Grade
BY KENE IZUCHUKWU
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“One day I was going around asking my team mates on the cheerleading squad if there was
O VER R AT ED Every kid at Pali knows what the village is. Yes it’s a great place to get food, or to walk around ocassionaly, but what makes it so special? All it is, is a patch of grass that kids stand around and gossip on, where they potentially get hit by whizzing cars, or fight in the middle of the street without care for the people around them.The Palisades village is a moshpit. Its nothing more than a packed and crowded place where kids topple on each other, throw their bags all over the place, create unnecesary fights, or escape to do all the bad things they wouldn’t do at school. In reality, the village is just a grassy area with some neighborhood restaurants.
Football
The football team receives the most funding. The stadium is dedicated almost entirely to their practices. They have the biggest crowd at their games. Even pep rallies are organized around them. With all that money for new gear, the extra field space, and hoards of cheering fans, shouldn’t they be one of the best teams on campus? Apparently not. BY BITA ESHGHIEH
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ith so many restaurants in Los Angeles, it’s hard to choose where to go. Here are a few appetizing restaurants worth checking out. Prices range from low to high, yet every type of spender is left satisfied.
1. Urth Café: Urth Café is located in West Hollywood on Melrose and on Main Street in Santa Monica. The atmosphere is always pact with LA’s youth, which leaves the café with a pleasant ambience. At the Urth Café, the menu contains healthy meals such as: organic sandwiches, delicious pastries, along with myriad expresso drinks.
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Pali Village
Choir
Mr. Elson’s talented choir consist of a diverse group of students from every grade. While it is only the third year that Pali’s choir has existed in any permanent form, these singers have already proven that their concerts can be just as entertaining, exciting and fun as any sports game. This year promises an even bigger success as Mr. Elson organizes a choir tour, as well as two choral concerts that will showcase a variety of music and vocal talent.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is by far, the most brutal and entertaining sport to watch. Even if you don’t play the sport, everyone can enjoy one armor clad player pummeling another, while he tries to deftly maneuver the blow while launching the ball at the opposing goal. For those not familiar with the sport, lacrosse is the perfect combination of physical brutality and subtle skill. We are fortunate enough at Pali to have a decent Varsity and JV team, yet the supporters are few. Why should our decrepit football team get all the funding and fans, when we have a much more talented bunch of students playing a far more interesting sport?
Great Eats for Teens
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2. Gladstone’s Located in Malibu, Gladstone’s 5. is the perfect place to go for fresh seafood, burgers, and clam chowder. When at Gladstone’s, going with a bunch of friends is all the more entertaining. Also, don't miss the seating on the deck that looks out over the ocean and beach. Because of the great
Welcome Rick Steil
EDWIN POULDAR Photographer
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“I was at the promenade with my friend Nezhla and I wanted to cut through the mall through Kenneth Cole to get out faster while she was going through the standard mall entrance. Then when I turned around to laugh at her because I was about to get out faster, I slipped and fell flat on my back into fruit punch. When I fell into the fruit punch, my shorts got really wet and it looked like I wet myself.” -Pauline Yasmeh, 11th Grade
EDWIN POULDAR Photographer
mid the chaos of being bombarded with homework, dazzled by schedule changes, and the buildup of extracurriculars, students find the time to manage and establish new clubs. The Muslim Club, which is trying to launch, is one of those new clubs. Islam is a monotheistic religion based on the teachings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Pali is known for its great diversity, but yet is without a club for the second-largest religion in the world. Ms. Korbonski, one of Pali's English teachers who sponsors the club, thinks that this should not be. "One of the greatest aspects of PCHS is its diversity," said Ms. Korbonski. "We have the Korean Club, Latino Awareness, and clubs focusing on Judaism and Christianity. However, there has been no organization dedicated to Islam, and I want to make this option available to our students." Take Ikuno, a Pali student, has observed many incidents when Islam has been sullied. "Sometimes I'm just talking to people and they bust out a joke about Saddam Hussein and how he is the definition of Islam," said Ikuno, "Or even in our current presidential election, Barack's middle name is Hussein, and the 9/11 attacks. The history of our country does not help Islam at all." One of the goals for creating the Muslim club is to see students celebrating Islamic holidays, their religion, and to have a place where they can be reminded of the significance of their background. Ms. Korbonski believes that these goals are achievable, but will be hard due to our society. "I think the Muslim students on campus have kind of gone underground to a certain degree about their identity because of the chronic bashing of their tradition that is everywhere from the White House to the quad," said Ms. Korbonski. "I want to give a voice to those who deserve one, and I'm really hoping kids will feel confident enough to come forward and participate in the club." Ms. Korbonski hopes to announce a date for the club to start meeting but for now she waits and hopes for the Muslim population at Pali High to become more apparent. Ms. Korbonski is currently using her room (F106) in the honor of the month of Ramadan for Muslim students who are fasting, allowing them to come from September 1 through September 30. Her room is to be used as a food-free environment, an environment away from the often-deficient respect for one of our world's most popular religions.
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new face takes over as the Photography teacher at Pali as Rick Steil replaces Mr. Doucette. With his 25 years of experience with cameras, this year Mr. Steil will be inspiring and showing the ropes to all Photo 1 students. With time comes change and change has come to E101, sort of. Rob Doucette has decided to retire, but will stay for one last year to finish teaching his last set of Photo 2 students before leaving Pali. In the meantime, Mr. Steil will be teaching all photo 1 students this year, and will be taking over and teaching both Photo 1 and Photo 2 classes in ’09. Rick Steil, pronounced “style,” is no amateur when it comes to photography. He shot for Eddie Bauer and Nordstrom, and has traveled the world doing what he loves best. He lived in New York for a couple years, in Paris for a few, and spent 7 months in Sydney, Australia. Photography took him around the world, but now Mr. Steil has arrived here, to teach at Pali. When asked what he wanted to accomplish as the new photo teacher, Mr. Steil said, “I want to inspire these kids and I want to spit them out so that they can express themselves with a camera.” In the advanced digital age that we live in now, photography to most has become a simple point and shoot process, but Mr. Steil is here to change that. “Photography is much more than it seems and I want to show these kids how cameras work and how to create art through photography.” Mr. Steil has excited his classes, and after the first day, Julian Berman, a junior in Photo 1, said, “Photo is gonna be mad fun.”
location, enjoying a good meal is even easier.
3. Rock Sugar Rock Sugar is a new restaurant located in the Century City Mall. The Cheesecake Factory management currently has control over this new establishment. Rock Sugar serves Pan Asian food to the table- family style, so that way everyone gets a share. Chicken lovers, make sure to order the Princess Chicken, it’s one of the hottest dishes there. 4. Mulberry Pizza This Pizza Eatery is not only known for their amazing pizza sauce, but also serves great pizza for cheap prices. Mulberry Pizza is located in both Beverly Hills and Encino.
5. Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles Roscoe’s has locations in Los Angeles on Pico, Ingelwood, and Hollywood. This House of Chicken and Waffle’s has a menu that you won’t find just anywhere in LA. Although the combination of chicken and waffles may not sound appealing at first give it a try, the combination really is delicious.
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TIDELINE PRESENTS
RIPTIDE
October 1 - October 13, 2008
Journalism n. - the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media Leadership n. - the capacity and ability to lead Government Controlled Media n. - unacceptable
E D I T O R I A L S
The Tideline
Publishing Manager: Diva Joshi
Editors-in-Chief:
James Bourne, Daniel Hartono, Elana Joffe, Dexter O’Connell
IT Manager:
Graham MacGillivray
Junior Editors: Jackie Rosen
Layout Editors:
Henry Conklin, Rex Kirshner
News Editors:
Fiona Hannigan, Daniel Niknam
Sports Editor: Justin Nam
Opinion Editors:
Alex Caan, Jackie Rosen
Entertainment Editors:
Caroline Coster, Arya Davachi
Campus Life Editors: Lexi Green
Photography:
Mary Hobbs, Graham MacGillivray
IT Manager:
Graham MacGillivray
Business Manager:
Edwin Amirianfar, Milana Kalimullova, Rex Kirshner
Faculty Advisor: Ms. Cappelli
TIDELINE POLICY S TATEMENT
Published twenty times a year, the student newspaper of Palisades High School (the Tideline) is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board. Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be published as space allows. Letters must be signed, although the staff may withhold the name on request. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy and disruption of the school process, as are all contents of the paper. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.
Student Poll Do you believe religion and government should ever mix? (513 students polled) Yes 10% No 90%
Who do you think should be reporting the news? (526 students polled 9/22/08) Leadership 20% Journalism 80%
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Break It Up
f you were approached in the past week by a shy student with a microphone and questioned on your favorite childhood TV show, then you are not alone. The Breaker, a new feature of Leadership, is now reporting the news through broadcast journalism. Wait. I thought I was in Journalism. Shouldn’t Journalism be reporting the news? Leadership’s job up until now has been to organize fun-filled events such as “Yellow Day,” and… others. An anonymous source from inside Leadership stated that a student complained of not being able to hear the announcements in the morning over the banter of waking students. The network administrator, Greg Munda, went to Leadership and collaborated with them on the idea of a video podcast, and provided the proper equipment for reporting and publishing news. The first episode of The Breaker features the groundbreaking of the Aquatic Center by Ms. Gilbert, as well as interviews with Maggie Nance (the coach of the Pali Swim team), Monica Iannessa, and Grace Lategola, the new director of instruction. Brittney Meritt also explicitly states that she is, “Reporting for The Breaker,” implying that Leadership is now also a Journalism class. It surprises me that Leadership has been trusted with the news on a whim while the Tideline, a nationally recognized newspaper for its firstrate reporting by the JEA, is dismissed as a student resource. Perhaps the administration does not trust an award-winning newspaper with broadcast journalism. If students from Leadership wish to report the news, they should join the Journalism staff. It is not the job of Leadership to report the news. Their job is to make student life more bearable. Just because the Tideline does not conduct spirit days does not mean that it will. If student organizations were allowed implied powers, the school would fall apart. What if the Red Cross Club were allowed to do blood drives? What if the janitor authorized Mr. Cacicedo to teach microbiology? Is this the new Charter Vision? “Journalism should do what it always has done: report the news,” Tideline Editor-in-Chief, James Bourne, said, “Leadership should do what it always has done: lead spirit days.” Journalism class does not feel that they have been outdone in any way, but simply that their significance has been undermined, and their jobs taken. On the Pali High website, The Breaker can be found in the “News & Info” section of the sidebar menu, while the Tideline is hidden in the “For Students” section only. We at the Tideline need a resolution and urge the student body to support the right of journalists to report the news.
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VOTE: Your School Depends on You
here are t wo cat egori es of ri ght s i n t he Uni t ed S t at es of Am eri ca: There are i nal i enabl e ri ght s , whi ch nat ure gi ves and t he governm ent cannot t ake away, and t here are al i enabl e ri ght s , whi ch t he governm ent can grant at i t s di s cret i on. As i de from t he i nal i enabl e ri ght s t o l i fe, l i bert y, and t he purs ui t of happi nes s , t he m os t i m port ant ri ght t hat ci t i zens of t he Uni t ed S t at es are grant ed by t he government i s t he ri ght t o vot e. The ri ght t o vot e i s t he ri ght t o com pl ai n, t he ri ght t o dem and, and t he ri ght t o have your voi ce heard. There is an election coming up. No, not the national election, in which millions of ballots will be cast, nor the local congressional election, which will see hundreds of thousands, nor the city council election, which will see tens of thousands, nor the judicial election, in which the candidate with the funny name will receive all two hundred or so of the votes. No - this election will have two hundred votes, and only if a miracle occurs. That means
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BY MARIEL REDLIN Tideline Staff Writer
that your ballot will count as more than half of a percent of the total votes cast. This election will not be for a presidential candidate who you know only from TV, will not be for a congressperson who sends you a flyer and has Magic Johnson’s recorded voice call your house, nor will it be for the city councilman who tries to appeal to the Hispanic community with botched Spanish. No - in this election, the candidates will be people who you see every day. They will be teachers at Pali. This election will not be for a candidate whose choices only affect your parents and your grandparents. No - this election is for a position that makes decisions that immediately affect you directly. He or she will choose how many days you have to file a change of program request, what the school schedule will be, and what you get to wear at school. This election is for the student representative on the Board of Directors. It’s coming up. It’s the most important election this year for people who won’t turn 18 by the fourth of November. Please vote.
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
All of my teachers are great but there is one that concerns me a little. I recently added on a 7th period (computers) and I only started yesterday. My friend told me that there was an assignment that we had to do and that he called on the students to give the answers. One student gave a terrible answer that was wrong and got a C but my friends gave a correct answer that I saw was right and got a D. I have a feel-
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s Americans, we have grown up with the awe-inspiring ideals of freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, and to petition the government for redress of grievances. We pride ourselves on being “free” individuals and having separation of church and state, which allows us to run the government without interference from any religious authority. But if McCain and Palin are actually voted into office, we will begin to see them chipping away at the wall that is the separation of church and state, which has already begun to crumble over the past eight years. Integrating religious beliefs into our country’s government is what we have striven to prevent for so long. Clearly, if we had wanted society to be based on religion, today, we would be living in a society where not attending church would result in severe consequences. We have accepted that religion should hold no place in our political agendas and one religion should not be favored over another; this equality amongst us has helped ease tensions in our country. The United States as a whole is religiously diverse, and following only one person’s beliefs for the “better” of the country seems outright absurd. If these two nominees are brought into the White House, not only will they use their beliefs in creating new policies, but they will also use their beliefs to influence
devout Christian who often talks about the power of prayer. Apparently, she believes the power of prayer is strong enough to protect our soldiers from dying. Speaking before the Pentecostal church, she said, “Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right, also for this country that our leaders, our
Sincerely, Anonymous, 9th grade Dear Editor,
Ninth grade has been good but the vending machines are always sold out. Also I think the marshmallows and coco puffs should be one dollar. John Lemoine, 9th grade
Takes Over the World
BY DIVA JOSHI
Tideline Publishing Manager
earching the Internet and Google.com have become one in the same. They are best friends, happy sidekicks, and a high-fiving super team combating the sometimestedious process of finding anything online. From search engines to online chatting, it is easy to say that Google has diversified their product in more ways than one. We use Google to search, g-mail to write, G-chat to talk, and Google maps to find our way. In fact, one of the only things Google has not yet provided Internet goers with is a web browser that runs applications faster and better while protecting privacy. Well, until now. Google released its beta version of its new browser, Chrome, on September 2. Google Chrome was introduced by an online 38page comic book explaining the details and new functions of its new browser. Google explains that Chrome is user friendly, safe, stable, fast, and secure in the comic book by way of six main sections; super tabs, scalable testing, speed (with Webkit and V8), security, sandboxing, and, finally, safe browsing. Chrome was built with a design based on the needs of today’s users with improvements in security, speed and stability compared to existing browsers. It’s a browser that does not need many computer resources to run and is therefore less likely to break down. Chrome has a browser window that is streamlined and simple, with thumbnails to your top sites and shortcuts to your favorite applica-
Church and State Will Mingle Again our country as a whole. To put it the kindest way possible, Palin would only be one heart attack or stroke away from becoming President if McCain is elected. She is a
ing race was involved and this concerns me.
national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure that we are praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan.
tions. In creating a browser, critics say that Google is going out of their way to hurt Microsoft. They say that all Google wants to have is a no need for applications or programs. All you need is a computer and a Google browser and you’re good to go. But what these reviews and critics don’t understand is the natural missing link Google is trying to fill between running applications and browsing the Internet. This breakdown of Google versus Microsoft tears at the entire thread of how businesses work. A business is a competition for survival. The only way to survive is being able to adapt to the environment by finding better ways to do things. It is entirely expected for Google to succeed in the business world because it has repeatedly shown the ability to evolve and meet demands. On the other hand, Microsoft has showed its inability to evolve and meet market expectations by its issues with their new operating system, Vista. In the business world, diversity, competition, and innovation are assets. No one can blame Google for being anything but a smart business. Anyone who does argue that Google should back off should really look at his priorities. Do they want to see web standards improve or do they just want to stick to their old notions of doing things because being loyal is better than being right?
even President Bush said, “God told me to invade Iraq”—which should surely make it just. The Anchorage Daily News said, “A significant part of Palin’s base of support lies among social and Christian conservatives. Her positions on social issues emerged slowly during the campaign: on abortion (should be banned for anything other than saving the life of the mother), stem cell research (opposed), creationism (should be discussed in schools), state health benefits for same-sex partners (opposed, and supports a constitutional amendment to bar them).” These ideas are not only backwards for the policies but are preventing us from doing scientific research to help move our country forward. Palin also supports the idea of teaching the theory of creationism (“intelligent design”) in science classes alongside the theory of evolution. Sure, why not? The teaching of Greek mythology in schools supports the study of literary allusions, but no one portrays these ancient deities and stories of creation as anything anyone believes today. Our president may be inaugurated with a Bible, but ultimately he vows to JUST-A-CLIP uphold our Constitution, not the Bible. So bless them with your prayers. Your For 8 years, there has been a steady siege prayers are protection over our soldiers.” I on the wall between church and state - the am not quite sure how the soldiers will feel wall has become weak - and if about this vast amount of protection they McCain/Palin are elected, the wall will will be receiving, but I am sure some of crumble, ushering in the fundamentalist them would rather have body armor. darkness that we have condemned abroad. McCain and Palin have said that they use their faiths as a guide to morality, and
October 1 - October 13, 2008
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TIDELINE PRESENTS
RIPTIDE
Recommendations Piggyback Four-Leafed Clovers
BY JACKIE ROSEN
Tideline Opinion Editor
t liquor stores all over Los Angeles, colorful lottery advertisements boast chances of winning millions of dollars. It is common knowledge that these chances are plainly impossible, with the exception of a slim less than 0.001 percent. Yet, Americans enter these drawings for the same reason a so-simple-that-it’s-complex mind torturer device that coincidentally takes the wheel in our car ride through high school hell. The future. The reason teenagers do just about everything. Entries into the lottery represent maybes and optimism that come from thinking too much about this broad concept. Sometimes they even represent last resorts and those final drops of hope for an unfortunate corner of the population. For many of the students at our school, vying for college recommendations from their favorite teachers has become parallel, in the sense that these letters, which are part of determining where they’ll be for the next four years of their lives, have become possibilities. No matter how much a student deserves a recommendation from a particular teacher in a particular field, a lucky placing of a name in a shoebox determines all. The lottery method has become a definite theme here at Pali. We first experience it while trying to actually get into the school, then with schedule changes that ultimately are not our faults, and finally at the end of our four-year terms with this last case (and I’m sure there are others that the students don’t know about). Luck should not be a way to narrow down who is admitted to their dream colleges and who isn’t, because often, who gets or doesn’t get his hands on these letters does just that. Recommendations are substantial gifts, and we are incredibly lucky to have so many teachers willing to put their time and effort into what is probably forty letters each (or more). They should, in fact, be given some sort of compensation for the extra hours they put in for us. However, when you think about the portion of students at our school that have worked their hinnies off day in and day out, forty letters per teacher is not that big of a number. Considering, of course, that all the people recommended are not these well-marked students as they are not in these lotterBY LIZ PAULY
Dial Disaster
Tideline Staff Writer
O
VAL KARUSKEVICH Photographer
ies.
The teachers who use the lottery system allow anyone in their myriad of classes to put their names into the pot. Fantastic students, horrendous students, mediocre students, incompetent students - if they have even a trace of desire to keep going to school, oh don’t fret, they’re in there. For students who actually use the letters, do go on and do well, it is completely unfair if they are not plucked from the heaps. This isn’t to say that we should be giving the teachers more work. Forty letters is definitely enough to keep anyone busy at all hours of the day or night (in addition to the hundreds upon hundreds of papers they have to grade). There should merely be requirements, or at least a better method for seniors that receive those magical Pali-official envelopes. It is either unfortunate or fortunate that colleges respect and sometimes demand these letters, depending on whether or not you found your four-leafed clover today. Your chance of that, everyone, is one in a thousand. This is only a couple hundred more than the total number of the senior class. Good luck.
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Let My People Go!
BY SAM ANDERSON Tideline Staff Writer
REX KIRSHNER Photographer
ne of the things a teenager craves most is a driver’s license; that special little card that we all dream about represents freedom, independence, and most importantly, a huge responsibility to keep the roads safe. Earning that card includes following those laws that are designed to get everyone to their destination safely. R ecently, legislation was passed limiting cell phone usage for adults while driving, and completely banning underage drivers from talking on their cell phones. While many teenagers are safe drivers, there’s no escaping the fact that we are all distracted by our beloved cell phones. When you add our generation’s adoration for the cellular device to a gas pedal and a steering wheel, the result is potentially catastrophic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading cause of teenage death is motor vehicle crashes. The fact is, we are not experienced, despite the numerous driving lessons we are required to take and the hours and hours we spend practicing with our parents. The CDC also said on their website, “Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.” Taking your eyes off the road for a split second is a risk, but focusing even a part of your attention on something else is a recipe for disaster. As teenagers, we are often distracted without the cell phones, due to insane homework loads and the stresses of everyday life. It’s not like the cell phones are being taken away from us; if the call is really that important, you are still allowed to pull over and talk, which is a much safer alternative. Any license distributed by the Department of Motor Vehicles is a privilege, not a right. As teenagers, we are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to drive at all, given the current movement to raise the driving age to eighteen. Yes, there many laws that dictate what we can and cannot do while driving, such as curfews and passenger restrictions, but these laws are created with our safety in mind. If we are required to drive without friends in the backseat or while using our cell phones, we are paying attention and getting the behind-the-wheel experience that makes us better drivers. Driving in southern California is a non-event because it is a part of our daily lives. Many teenage drivers take this for granted and often forget how important it is to focus on the road. Driving is not a video game; it is real life, and the consequences could be fatal if our attention is focused elsewhere. If you cause an accident because you were on an “important” phone call, your insurance rates will go up, and if you injure someone you will have to live with the guilt for the rest of your life. These laws are designed to prevent such tragedies from happening, and quite frankly, are a step in the right direction.
fter an hour-and-forty-minute long class, most of us at Pali are gasping for fresh air and scratching at the door by the time nutrition or lunch rolls around. As upperclassmen, we juniors feel it would be appropriate to spend this coveted break where we want to, but instead we are confined to the quad with the rest of the school. Granting off-campus privileges to juniors would not only enhance our general morale, but it would also shorten the lunch lines and make lunch a more enjoyable period for the rest of the school. Long food lines and a densely packed quad are familiar sights at Pali. With a record number of incoming freshmen this year, these problems are not going away any time soon. If juniors were allowed to leave at lunch, the throng of hungry people that occupy the quad would drastically shrink. Remaining students would not have to spend half of lunch waiting for a piece of pizza, or pushing themselves through an impenetrable mass of people standing in the quad. Vending machines would not be sold out by the end of nutrition, and the mob of lunchers would not leave a carpet of trash behind them when they went to class. Less kids on campus means less impact on campus property. While most of us are of legal driving age, we are forced to watch the seniors drive off while our parked cars, just steps away, beckon us. And according to most juniors, the gap of maturity between us and seniors is slim. “As upperclassmen, we are responsible enough. The higher up you go, the more mature you get,” said junior Geneci Marroquin. Not only does our age suggest maturity, but the amount of responsibility we are already
faced with should prove our competence. On top of sports, SAT prep, community service, and honors classes, being able to handle ourselves in public does seem basic and inherent. “11th grade is rigorous, and we should have time to ourselves.” said Ashley Navas, a junior. Being a junior takes responsibility and warrants certain privileges. While Ms. Iannessa could not provide a history of how offcampus privileges became exclusive to seniors, she said it is “a tradition for seniors” and is something to look forward to about staying at Pali all four years. Ms. Burgess, a member of the Policy Committee, which interprets all proposals of policy change and then passes them on to the Board of Directors, said the issue has never been raised to the committee. “If it was raised,” Burgess said, “the operating of motor vehicles would be a concern because of juniors’ ages. Statistically that is the number one cause of death among teenagers. Also, age may be a legal issue since many seniors are legally adults while juniors are not.” She also cited the environmental pressures of that many cars running at once as a concern. “Would juniors hate it if they could leave campus, but not in a car?” I believe I am speaking for most juniors when I answer “NO.” To me, current off campus restrictions smell faintly of Palisades community members keeping a lid on student intrusion on their white-picket fences and small-town atmosphere. If you think we can prove that juniors are mature and responsible enough to have off campus freedoms, make a proposal for the Policy Committee and see how far it goes. I believe off-campus lunch privileges for juniors in addition to seniors, with or without cars, is a justified request.
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Do you think juniors should be let off campus for lunch?
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Probably not, because mostly seniors have cars, and juniors don’t. Dash Wilson JUNIOR
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Ralph Ayala JUNIOR
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I do, if you have a car. As long as you’ll be back. A lot of people live around here and can go home for lunch.
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Yes, there’s too many ninth graders. I don’t like them and they’re annoying.
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Sophie Kiepe JUNIOR
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Yeah, ‘cuz I don’t like school food. Eric Avcaraz JUNIOR
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I think that they should be able to have that option. We’re just as responsible as the seniors on many levels.
Hannah Fagerbakke JUNIOR
How do you feel about being put into a lottery for a college recommendation letter?
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I think it’s fair if the teachers have too many requests to deal with. Jeremy Elkaim
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S ENIOR
S ENIOR
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Nobody wants to go to college anyway. S ENIOR
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A teacher should choose a student if they like them, not because of a lottery. Christian Thompson
Austin Squire
VAL KARUSKEVICH Photographer
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I feel that the teacher shouldn’t base their choices on a lottery. Ashley Stewart S ENIOR
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I wouldn’t like it. I think first come, first serve is better. Tyler Brewington S ENIOR
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CALENDAR
Tideline Goodnight Bush Shouts “Wake Up”
October 1 - October 13, 2008
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Kings of Leon - S ex on Fire The raspy crooning of frontman Caleb Followill and the madness of the guitar and drums give this southern rock song a sound every bit as good as its title makes it out to be.
M. I. A. - 20 Dollar Maya puts every mainstream rapper to shame, dropping political rhymes about Africa over an insane, monstrous beat. If you think Paper Planes is all this girl’s capable of, you haven’t been paying attention.
Empire of the S un - Walking on a Dream For fans of MGMT, check out this up-and-coming indie band. This super catchy tune bumps an infectious drum machine beat and has an intriguing 80s vibe.
Nelly, S noop Dogg, and Nate Dogg - L. A. Even though the piano sound has been recycled by rappers a million times over, it’s great to have a trio of modern day hip-hop legends coming together and giving us our city’s new rap anthem.
Timbalandand and T-Pain - S ay After a short break, Timbaland is returning with Shock Value 2 and this is the first single. The song is a ballad with some sick bass nonetheless, and sounds a lot like Timbaland’s last big hit “Apologize” featuring OneRepublic. - Henry Conklin
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Upon closer inspection, the cover of “Goodnight Bush” features a framed photo of an oil well, church outweighing state, and documents being burnt. BY JAMES BOURNE
Tideline Editor-in-Chief
Shoppers at bookstores may have been shocked when they saw the 1947 classic children’s book “Goodnight Moon” on the “New Releases” table this summer. A closer look at the title and cover art however, reveals “Goodnight Bush,” a wildly different story by Erich Origen and Gan Golan. “Goodnight Bush’s” cover depicts a factory-scarred view out the window of the famous green room of “Goodnight Moon.” It shows the ballot boxes of Florida 2000 burning in the fireplace, and a picture of a Middle Eastern oil field above the mantle. No clear skies, calm bedside fires, or cows jumping over the moon here. “Goodnight Bush” is a complex political commentary dis-
guised as a children’s book. Selfdescribed as “an unauthorized parody,” “Goodnight Bush” proudly wears its “Goodnight Moon” drag, even going so far as to include an after-word that relates President Bush’s tactics to the lulling tone of the children’s classic. Following the theme of “Goodnight Moon,” “Goodnight Bush” shows the green room darkening as a little boy (President Bush in the infamous “Mission Accomplished” jumpsuit) lies to bed. This darkness coincides with an increasing state of chaos in the green room, and is intended to highlight the weakening state of affairs in the nation. Origen and Golan parody the childish theme of “Goodnight Moon” in their commentary,
using toys to represent beheaded defense contractors and cute rhymes to list grievances: “Goodnight old growth trees, and goodnight detainees.” Despite the childish presentation, the seriousness of the subject matter is not lost on the reader. The sinister images of skulls, torture devices, war profiteers, burning ballots, and even a stuffed Republican elephant violating a stuffed donkey are in every frame. “Goodnight Bush” is not just meant to be read, rather the true message and depth of the book comes from viewing its vivid pictures. Everything in the green room is symbolic and important. From the books on the shelf, to the fox on the floor eating up Vice President Cheney’s news tapes, to the scale
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on the mantle slowly but surely tipping towards church and away from state. Depending on the reader’s point of view, “Goodnight Bush” may be distasteful liberal propaganda or a horrifying commentary on the national state of affairs. In either case, “Goodnight Bush” is a stimulating read (and the term “read” is used loosely) that shows political cartooning and subtlety in effective commentary at its best. “Goodnight Bush” is a light read at only 48 pages, but is heavy with allusion and political commentary. While the childish appearance and short lines may initially appeal to the uninformed reader, the book is most enjoyed by anti-Bush political junkies.
Tideline Staff Writer
BY S OL HAN
Tideline Staff Writer
Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live NBC
After leaving Saturday Night Live (also known as SNL) in 2006, Tina Fey, former writer and cast member, returns to the show to impersonate the republican vice president candidate, Sarah Palin. Amy Poehler, another cast member, impersonates Hillary Clinton. Both comedians are hysterical as they incorporate the look, voice and demeanor of the two political leaders.
Twilight Trailer Spoof
Even though Twilight is not yet released, it is definitely the most talked about movie. When
the trailer of the movie first came out, it was Most Viewed Video on YouTube for several days. The Twilight Trailer Spoof is every different from the original trailer of the movie. Craig Deering, the writer, director, and editor of the Spoof brought out light-sides of Twilight. The best part of the spoof is that you still understand the spoof without seeing the Twilight movie and will enjoy it because it twists the Twilight trailer.
Ashley Tisdale Meet Manly : )
Thanks to High School Musical, many celebrities became worldwide stars, including a dog named Manly. In real life, the dog belongs to Kenny Ortega, the director of High School Musical. On screen, Manly plays the pet of Sharpay
Evans (Ashley Tisdale). In this video, the audiences get to meet Manly along with the cast of the third High School Musical.
The Waldo Ultimatum The Imponderables
In Bourne Ultimatum, his identity is erased, his past stolen and his whereabouts are unknown. The Waldo Ultimatum is a parody of the movie, Bourne Ultimatum, which opened in 2007. You do not need to see the Bourne Ultimatum movie before viewing this video, but it would be helpful to know information about Waldo. This video is an excellent parody as It pokes fun at the original work. The Waldo Ultimatum is nominated for Best Web Clip in the 2008 Canadian Comedy Awards.
Kanye West Puts Love on Lockdown
Regarding the basis of what most people consider rap music, it is starting to change, paralleling the leader of the rap pack Kanye West. Kanye West is one of the top rap performers and has managed to reinvent his sound, and debuted his new song “Love Lock Down” at the MTV VMA’s on September 7th. This song is different from the rest of his albums, and has a new beat, and a new tone of voice. Some people have classified this song as Kanye West singing a cappella, but it’s far from it. Kanye took a chance by showing the public something far from mainstream rap (throwing down verses and lines). In his new song, he uses his voice to sing and harmonize to synthesized beats. Kanye has begun to inspire other popular rap artists. He is noticed to be the daring one, but has far surpassed all expectations and has stepped out of the box. With his surprising performance including samurai drummers, fluorescent red lighting, and a beating red heart pin worn throughout his performance, he captured his song in the eyes of all who watched. Raps main man, Lil Wayne said at the VMA’s, “ I love it, it’s totally different. That gives me the right to not have to put out another rap song for my next single. He’s the biggest artist in hip hop, next to me, so anything he does is cool for me to do.” It is evident that Kanye West continues to capture the music world, and manipulate it to his advantage. He has once again inspired the future of rap music. Kanye has set the precedent for a whole new type of music, allowing it to emerge within the rap culture. - Arianna Fisher
Born in Iceland, Made by Sigur Rós
BY HENRY CONKLIN
JUST-A-CLIP
S P O T L I G H T
Ahead of their upcoming concert on October 2 at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood, Icelandic band Sigur Rós, recently released an album of eleven new tracks. The highly anticipated “Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust” is expectedly melodic and gorgeous, just like the band’s past releases. Conversely, the first third of the album is characterized by uptempo, aesthetically different songs. Judging from the feel of the first few songs, there is an effervescent spirit never before represented in any of the band’s work. There is a sudden shift in the middle of the album to the more subdued, familiar Sigur Rós sound. Despite the album’s few shortcomings, the band demonstrates that they are continuing to grow musically and creatively, and are fully capable of much more than just frosty, balladic tunes. The album begins with the uptempo and explosive “Gobbledigook,” a song with a sound that the band has never explored before. Lead singer Jónsi sings over pounding percussion, hand claps, and acoustic guitar. The vocals remain heartfelt, but a playful, carefree sensibility encompasses
the song. Keeping the pounding percussion, but slowing down the tempo and adding an orchestra, Sigur Rós continue their upbeat playfulness in “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur.” The rolling vocals and floral, irregular orchestration present during the last half of the song are album highlights. “Gó›an daginn” is more reminiscent of earlier Sigur Rós, slow tempo, vocals expressing a yearning, and soft, complicated instrumentation. The glowy reverb that the band is known for, shows up for the first time in this song. In “Vi› spilum endalaust,” Jónsi’s falsetto follows a thumping, almost violent guitar chord through verses to an orchestral explosion of a chorus. The highlight of the album and the shift in tone from playful to somber comes with the nine and a half minute track, “Festival.” The song would have been a perfect fit on their third album “( )” considering its length, tempo, and melody. Subtle strings melt and shift together behind the bold, beautiful vocal that is the best Jónsi has ever sounded. Critics have argued that the Icelandic and Hopelandic (made up gibberish) languages which Jónsi sings in have always given Sigur Rós’ music an artistic advantage over English-speaking bands in the
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same genre, but with the English track “All Alright” concluding the album, the band proves that they are simply the better artists regardless of language. “All Alright” is a simple piano ballad with even simpler English lyrics and several string interpolations. It is a fitting end to a manic, moody album. Many students at Pali are huge fans of Sigur Rós, including Senior Olivia Franzen, who said, “When I’m listening to Sigur Rós, I feel like I’m on another planet. The sounds they create are so extraterrestrial, just so extraordinary. Jónsi Birgisson’s voice is euphoric and cathartic to say the least, and the level of passion and emotion given to an audience or record by Sigur Rós is beyond the expected.” Senior Sam Jaffe said about the band, “Their music is so relaxing and serene, I love listening to it while studying or falling asleep.” The constantly shifting vocals and instrumentation present on “Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust” give the music a living, breathing humanity that very few bands or artists are able to achieve. With this album, Sigur Rós continue to define and expand a sound that has impressed and mystified a vast community of music lovers and critics alike.
October 6 - October 13, 2008
Tideline
ON THE SPOT
Page 7
Girls Tennis Welcomes New Lineup and Coach
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BY ALISON WHITE Tideline Sports Editor
ith fresh faces and a new coach, the Girls Varsity Tennis Team attempts to maintain their dominant reputation as a tennis powerwith an house unprecedented fourth City Championship. Besides winning, Coach Sean Passan and Co-Captains Coach Sean Passan MARY HOBBS Photographer Rose Schlaff and Audrey Ashraf are encouraging the team to focus on improving their individual skills. Although the team has not showed any sign of weakness, the girls this year lost eight of their 2008 starting players. The team has started strong, however, defeating University High 7-0 in the first league game.“The girls have a lot of passion for the sport and are competing in a strong league,” said Passan. Players of the game, Anne Doyle and Rose Schlaff, look promising and are anticipated to help the team achieve further victories this season. In addition to new starting players, the retirement of former Coach Bud Kling from Girls Tennis has allowed for former Assistant Coach Sean Passan to assume the vacant position as Head Coach. Passan has had past experience coaching successful varsity teams in Connecticut. He was motivated to assume the position as Head Girls Coach at Pali because he felt it was a sport that he could see himself making a difference in. “I didn’t just want to babysit kids, I want to teach good tennis and I feel like I can,” said Passan. Coach Passan has played high school and college tennis, and is mainly focused on improving overall strategy and helping players to improve specific skills. “Above all, my number one priority is to help the girls enjoy the sport,” said Passan. Despite having to start with a completely new starting lineup, the team is optimistic. The team’s main goal for the year isn’t necessarily to win every game, but to make sure they put all of their effort in. “We may not be as strong as past teams, but we have a new coach and everybody loves him,” said Co-Captain Rose Schlaff. The team plays their next match against Fairfax High School on September 22 and plans to give them a run for their money.
Girls Volleyball Loses a Tough One
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KENE IZUCHUKUWU Photographer
Coach Forrest tries to motivate his Varsity team after the first game. crowd, and although Pali supportBY KENE IZUCHUKWU ers were present, it was not Tideline Staff Writer enough as the Dolphins lost another game 27-25. he defending City Champion The last game ended with Girls Volleyball team lost a utter defeat as Pali’s confidence tough non-league match seemingly vanished, leading to a against the Santa Monica High three game loss. “We need to School Vikings on September 18 at improve our serve-receive passing Santa Monica’s high school gym. and setting the most,” said Laura Pali had just come off a lengthy tourGoldsmith, Senior starting outside nament at Gahr High School and, hitter. She felt that the overall despite having played a match the preteam play was below average. “I vious day, still looked to win. think we can work on our setting The Lady Dolphins entered a a lot,” said Goldsmith. “I think hostile environment even before that we can work on our serving the game started. Posters and bantoo, and our passing and hitting is ners were put up on the gymnasiokay.” In contrast to Pali’s poor um outskirts with phrases such as, play, Santa Monica showed their “BEAT PALI!” and “KILL THE array of weapons ranging from the DOLPHINS!” in big bold green outsides to the middles. Although letters. On top of the threatening disappointed, Kelsey Kiel thought posters, the game was postponed, Santa Monica deserved credit for leaving the players stranded outtheir play. “They were good,” said side the gymnasium with only disKiel. “People said they weren’t couraging words hanging on the good, but they were good.” walls. After the suspicious wait, Goldsmith feels that it will take the girls were finally able to play, time to adapt to a new team after but Pali started off poorly by loshaving players like Jenna ing the first game 25-14. Senior McCallister (previous setter and Kelsey Kiel, starting middle Player of the Year) and Alex blocker, felt that the Pali players Lunder (previous outside hitter) were not on the same page. “We beside her in previous years. “I need communication,” said Kiel. think everyone feels that we need “We need to communicate and pass to step up a lot,” said Goldsmith. better.” Pali was without Senior The second game was a turnKelly Yazdi, starting middle blockaround for the Dolphins as their er, who was out due to an ankle play improved. Pali was able to injury. As the game unraveled, the rally from a 17-13 deficit to tie Dolphins showed fans, parents and with their opponent at 18-18, and most importantly themselves that eventually won an extremely long they will need more practice and rally, which lasted about a minute help, especially with the experiand thirty seconds. However, this ence of returning players, if they sudden burst of energy from Pali plan to win another City Section was met with a rise in noise from the clamorous Santa Monica title this year.
SPORTS
Cross Country Gets Good Start
Tideline
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October 1 - October 13, 2008
BY ERIC LOPEZ
Tideline Staff Writer
he Cross Country team started off the season on a positive note with three runners placing in the top 20 at a national-level meet, the Woodbridge Invitational, in the 3mile run on September 20. Junior Carlos Bustamante came in 3rd place with a time of 15:30, Senior Michael Fujimoto came in 13th with a time of 16:40, and Grant Stromberg, only a freshman, came in 18th place with a time of 17:34. “I felt good but not great; I can definitely do better,” said Bustamante, last year’s top Western League runner. Also racing on Saturday were Sophomore Danny Escalante with a time of 18:23, Junior Malcolm Suhr with a time of 18:32, Sophomore Ryan Bertwell with a 19:15, Junior Michelle Colato with a 21:10, and Senior Melina Vanos with a 22:43. “It was a tough race but they all fought through every single mile and got through it,” said Head Coach Ron Brumel. He was also ecstatic over Grant Stromberg’s record time. “He ran an amazing race; with that time, he could really shake things up,” said Brumel. The Woodbridge Invitational, held in Irvine, CA, is known as the early season starting point for great teams. However, while the team had a great meet, there are
Football Starts at Fifty Percent
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BY JUSTIN NAM
Tideline Sports Editor
ERICK LOPEZ Photographer
The Pali Cross-Country runners sprint off the line as they start The Woodbridge Invitational race. still some issues that need to be Frosh/Soph City Championship ent we can really make some worked out. “We have a lot of outright this year,” said Brumel. noise,” said Coach Brumel. problems with our varsity team The team holds high hopes Afterwards, the season truly startthis year; with only two great for next weeks meet, the ed with a Los Angeles City meet runners up there the rest are just Wiesenberger Invitational at at Pierce College on September plain question marks,” said Coach Elysian Park, as they go after 25 versus Granada Hills, another Brumel. Conversely, it may be a some of the top teams in the Los promising team on the rise. The great year for the Boys Angeles City Section. Present at Cross Country team’s last invitaFrosh/Soph Team, which has the meet will be arch rival San tional is the Pepperdine three boys already running under Pedro, who has out run Palisades Invitational in Malibu, CA on twenty minutes and three others the last two years for the top spot Saturday, September 27, which is who have shown promise during in the City. “If we race like we did another national-level meet. Pali’s time trials. “I predict that today, we could be good, but if we we can go out and win the push harder and get the right tal-
he Varsity Football team started off the new 2008-2009 season with a win and a loss in their first two regular season games. The team, which has come under a storm of criticism in the past, has attempted to revamp their system with Sophomore Quarterback Connor Preston and new play calling, and was able to show the results in a 28-6 beating of the Hollywood High School Sheiks on September 11. However, the final outcome was as bad the next week as it was good on Opening Day, with the Dolphins suffering an embarrassing 42-6 loss in front of a large home crowd at the hands of the Santa Monica Vikings. Pali Sophomore Quarterback Connor Preston had 167 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception, but only completed 10 of 24 passes. The Dolphins first received the ball on their own 20-yard line. The team looked jittery on the first possession with three false starts within four minutes, which nullified their attempts of trying to score on the opening drive. The Dolphins were forced to punt, and Santa Monica didn’t have any problems with penalties, as they received the ball on their own 30-yard line and advanced the ball all the way to the end zone on a 48 yard run for the first score of the game. After Pali’s second possession ended with a three-and-out, Santa Monica scored again, on an 11 yard run to make the score 14-0. The second quarter began with the Vikings scoring another touchdown and Santa Monica leading 21-0. Unearthing memories of last year’s 42-0 Homecoming shutout by the Venice Gondoliers, Quarterback Connor Preston connected with Senior Wide Receiver Joseph Hyman VAL KARUSKEVICH Photographer on an 82-yard touchdown pass to bring some life back into the Palisades crowd. Sophomore Quarterback Connor Preston winds up to throw. However, Pali missed the extra point and Khalid Stevens had an impressive game, rushing the score was 21-6. After a fumble by Santa Monica well and catching a few passes. QB Connor Preston on their possession, Pali had a chance to get back in had trouble hitting long passes, and often overthrew the game. However, Preston’s pass attempt was his intended receivers. However, he was very good picked off, and a 15-point deficit was as close as the at moving around and was a fast runner out of the teams would get, as the Vikings scored three more pocket when he saw openings. Penalties proved to times en route to a 42-6 rout. be the Dolphins’ undoing because drives were often The Palisades defense was unable to stop the interrupted by losses of yardage. run, leading to gains of at least five or six yards per As any good team does, the Dolphins are rush play by the Vikings. This was in part due to already looking ahead to the next game, which is on the loss of the injured Offensive and Defensive Friday, September 26 at 7 PM against Palos Verdes Lineman Juan Climaco, one of their better run stopPeninsula. Senior Linebacker Chris Hanuscin, who pers. Defensive Coach Donnell Williams admitted made some good tackles, knows what the team has that the team was a little out of sync. He said, “We to do if they want to avoid another blowout. “In just put in a new scheme, and we need more time to terms of penalties, we need to be more disciplined. play together.” He also discussed a little strategy for This loss won’t affect our season, we’ll learn from the rest of the season. “We’ve got to make sure that it and come back next week and win. We had a the defense stays solid, because that’s the best part breakdown against the run, so we’ll need to tackle of our team. Once Juan [Climaco] gets back, our better.” The Dolphins are currently in a four-way tie run defense should get back in order. We’re going to for first place in the Western League, and so a victogive a few new guys a try, but we will be keeping ry over winless Peninsula will be a positive boost the same front line.” for the team. On the offensive side, Senior Running Back
Girls Soccer Starts Over
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BY EMMA C ARTER Tideline Staff Writer
he Girls Soccer team kicked off early this year with tryouts that were held the second and third weeks of school on the baseball field. The turnout was even larger than expected, with over 60 girls hoping to make a cut of about 40 players. Last year, the varsity team was loaded, with about one-third of the players in 12th grade. The team had an overall record of 164-0, and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. This year, because of the graduation of most of those seniors, including last year’s leading scorer Kelly Mickel, there are numerous freshmen on the 08-09 team. “We just need to build up our back line as much as possible this year since we lost so many players. But I think we have the ability to go far this year if we work together,” said Senior Forward Kate Rosenbaum. At tryouts, the team found itself with only one of last year’s starting defenders. “Our coach is moving a lot of people around to try them out in new positions. But I think that if we work hard enough, we can do even better than last year,” said Junior Defender Molly Meek. The JV team also suffered some major losses, partly because of the graduation of some of the players from last year, and partly because of the players that have been moved up to the Varsity team. In the past both teams have always found a way to pull through. They have been the champions of their league for five consecutive years, and the players hope to continue their winning streak. The players are thinking positively and hope to do their best against the fierce pre-season competitors such as Marymount High School and Notre Dame Academy. Last year, the Dolphins lost both of these games, but they are hoping that they can get the team to come out strong earlier this season. “We have all the skills we need,” said Molly Meek. “We just need to communicate and work together on and off the field.”