Spring Gen Y: Smile by Will Anderson

GEN Y Presents S M I L E

Palisades Charter High School

SPRING

(2) TWO

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The Midnight Society

Smile for the Camera

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Pranks & Pratfalls: Class Clown Antics

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Hello Coachella

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Unique Perspectives on Art

Soft Shock

The Science of Laughter Say Cheese!

Arya Davachi

Daniel Hartono

Sam Anderson

Fiona Hannigan

Mariel Redlin

Elana Joffe

Rachel Levitan

A Night with Rosy Palm

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Eric Lopez

004

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Val Karuskevich

(9) NINE

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Will Anderson

(00) THOUSAND

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Justin Nam

Fiona Hannigan Will Anderson Katy Pool

Alyssa Kincaid

Rachel Levitan Arya Davachi Liz Pauly

Daniel Hartono

Chelsea Bailey Henry Conklin

Smile

BY JAMES BOURNE COLGATE ʻ13

Crack open your copy of SURF from last year and look at your photo. Are you smiling? For your sake, one might hope so. Aside from the fact that frequent smiles make people happier through the release of endorphins, recent studies suggest that people who are smiling in photographs are five times less likely to get a divorce. Yes, your yearbook may well be a tarot card to your future love life. In fact, one test that ranked smile intensity based on facial muscle tension found that not one of the subjects in the top 10 percent of “smilers” had divorced. Yet according to the same study, almost one-third of the lowest 10 percent had divorced. So what is a smile? A physiologist might say that a smile is the flexing of the Zygomaticus major and the Orbiscularis oculi muscles. A psychological behaviorist might say that a smile is physical reinforcement of an appreciated positive action or gesture. The average person, however, can agree that a smile makes both the recipient and the initiator happier. In simple terms, we smile when we are happy and are happy to do it. Smiling triggers the release of endorphins, which act as natural mood elevators and painkillers. Thus smiles reduce stress, and according to Susan Comer of Blue Cross Blue Shield, can lead to health benefits ranging from decreased chance of heartv

Will Anderson

disease to a stronger immune system. What’s more is that smiling makes you more attractive to others. In his research, psychology professor at CalState Long Beach Dale Jorgenson found that images of smiling people shown to individuals of another culture improved the individual’s perceptions and cultural attitudes. In a time of change, transition, fear and doubt, a smile is a true form of global communication that has the potential to bind us to our families, our friends, our neighbors and our world. In the pages of this magazine, you will read about the fun and freedom that is Coachella, the artists who inspire us, the class clowns that make us laugh everyday and the innocent, basic act of a simple smile. As you prepare for tests, tests and more tests, remember that there is much more to smile about than frown about. After all, CSTs, APs and Finals only reflect the truth that summer is around the corner. As you bog down for the last 10 weeks of 08/09, don’t forget that it is physically easier to smile than to frown. Tests and school are frowns. Life, love, happiness, literature, freedom, music, promise, art, opportunity and each other. So much to smile about, so little time.

By Justin Nam Northwestern ʻ13

oe Black arrives home from another day of high school just like any other teenager. He throws his car keys on the kitchen counter and grabs a snack of chips and a Coke. Realizing that his parents are not home, he decides to go up to his room, lock the door, and take out a Playboy. Scenes like this are duplicated millions of times throughout the world, with magazines, websites, TV shows or films dedicated to pornography. Porn has now become nearly universally accepted in American mainstream culture. Since ancient times, pornography has been an everyday element of society. Cave paintings discovered on walls in France depict pictures of naked humans. Some of the greatest artists in history have painted, sculpted, drawn or otherwise designed pictures of naked people, today classified as pornography. From “Venus of Urbino” by Titian to “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” by Picasso, pornography in all its different forms has been around for as long as documented human history stretches. When porn began to go mainstream in the 1970s and 80s, it was much harder to access because people had to actually go and buy magazines from stores. However, with the advent of the VCR, consumers could suddenly watch porn in the privacy of their own home. Finally, with the development of the Internet, pornography spun off into one of the more successful industries in

4 SPRING 2009 GENERATION Y

A Night WITH Rosy Palm

modern society. But is pornography the supreme and total corrupting influence that the moral culture touts it to be? An article in PC World in December 2008 credits pornography with helping make the VCR successful, boosting cable TV subscriptions and driving the explosive growth of the Internet. Lewis Perdue, author of How Sex Shaped the Internet said, “Without business and pioneers in the online sex business, the World Wide Web would have never grown so big so quickly.” From the pioneering of online payment systems now seen in virtually every Internet shopping site from Amazon to Macy’s, to the popularization of streaming content as seen on Youtube or CNN, porn’s influence on the Internet and by extension on popular culture is undeniable. With the growth and development of 3G phones like the iPhone and the Blackberry, a new phenomenon has also begun to take root, known as pocket porn. iRoticNet, a group that creates pornography for the iPhone exclusively, recently launched a service that allows users to pick from more than 1000 different movies for just ten dollars a month. Spokesperson Farley Cahen, a representative of the adult industry trade group AVN Media Network, says, “The iPhone already has a few hundred porn sites available.” A study by USA Today in December 2007 states that more and more college students are accepting of pornography, which the study claims is

probably linked to the easier access of porn. The author, Jason Carroll, claims, “We’re in an age of pocket porn.” Nearly half of the 813 students surveyed said that pornography was an acceptable medium of expressing sexuality. 86 percent of men surveyed said that they had viewed porn in the last year. Of those, 20 percent said that they viewed it daily or nearly every day. Porn is not without its drawbacks, for obvious reasons. There is first the moral issue, where underage students and children are simply a click away from pornography. Porn sites can also lead to viruses, malware, and even a criminal record. A story on ABC News in January 2007 documents the story of a 16-year-old Arizona boy named Matthew Bandy, who was charged with possession of child pornography, and threatened with 90 years in jail. Police found porn on his computer, and although he took two polygraph tests that confirmed that he did not know where they came from, he was nearly convicted because of the evidence against him. Although he was found not guilty, the government next tried to brand him a sex offender, which would have ruined the rest of his life. In the same study conducted by USA Today, pornography has been connected to increased tendencies towards misbehavior in college. Carroll explains that daily pornography users are more likely to go on drinking binges or have intercourse with multiple partners. Although the porn business is being hit by the recession, it remains a major part of the U.S. economy today. Hustler Magazine and Girls Gone Wild have asked Congress for a $5 billion dollar bailout similar to the automakers’ bailout. However, they admitted that, “The $13 billion dollar industry is not in danger of collapse.” Whether it is morally wrong or not, porn remains a mainstay of modern society, and the increasing technological advances only indicate its growth. Students like Joe Black and many others who, whether they admit it or not, have viewed pornography are part of an increasingly guilt-free wave of society who are doing something that gives them pleasure for free.

aughing with his friends, Junior Will Anderson raises a camera, focuses, and swiftly snaps several shots, catching their carefree expressions. Senior Gabe Lee stands ready on the sidelines of the football field, in anticipation for the perfect play to capture with his camera. After a day taking pictures around Los Angeles, Junior Val Karuskevich develops photographs in his dark room. Although these three student photographers discovered their passion for photography at different times and for different reasons, each shares skill and dedication in their chosen form of expression. “At first I just did it for fun, and mainly was just taking pictures of my friends. As I took more classes and learned more about photography, I began to take it more seriously,” said Anderson, who began photography in eigth grade. Photography has helped shape him into the person he is today. “I hope it has allowed me notice the world around me in greater detail,” said Anderson, “Everything around us is really quite beautiful if we just stop and look.” Lee, who took a serious interest in photography five months ago, said, “Photography captures the moment, and creates a visible memory.” Photography has also helped him see the world in a different light. “Being a photographer helped me be able to see things in a completely different way,” said Lee. “Now, I pay attention to more things surrounding me, like lighting and people, instead of just walking.”

The first permanent photograph appeared in the 1820s, marking the birth of photgraphy. Since its discovery, photography’s role in the fine arts world has been disputed. “It’s an easy way to be artsy, yes. Usually it's theft of what others have created,” said Karuskevich. However, “Sometimes photography requires learning and understanding just like any other class or subject.” Over the years, photography has gained acceptance as a form of artistic expression. Today, it presents a unique form of expression for students with an eye for capturing images in remarkably aesthetic ways. Photography has undergone more changes than any other art form, particularly in terms of technology. The camera has progressed from a daguerreotypes popular for portraiture, to the much more accessible “Kodak” camera of George Eastman, to the digital camera, widely used today. Some students, including Karuskevich and Anderson, make use of film in their photography, creating pictures with a distinctive, sometimes classic air. “For film, I mainly use my Nikon N90,” said Anderson. “I also love my Lomo LC-A, and recently I got a little Olympus XA2 which is great. For digital, I have a Canon 450D.” Others, such as Lee, who uses a Nikon D40 with a Nikon 70-300mm lens, embrace digital photography as their medium of choice. However, it is not the camera that makes the photographer, but rather the eye for images and artistic sensibility. “It’s so diverse; there are so many things to take pictures of, and so many ways to take pictures of things through factors like angle, lighting, contrast, focal compression and expansion of

subjects via wide and long lenses,” said Karuskevich. Each photographer has his own favorite aspects of and subjects for photography. “Sports would be my favorite thing to shoot,” said Lee. “My favorite images are ones of people,” said Anderson. “An image should tell a story, and invoke some kind of emotional response by the person viewing it. Aesthetically speaking, I want [my photographs] to be evocative with a strong graphic quality.” Anderson, Lee and Karuskevich all plan on keeping photography as an important part of their lives. “This summer, I’m going to go to New York for four weeks to study photography and imaging at NYU,” said Karuskevich. “I also plan on working as an unpaid assistant for some photo studio/photographer within the next year.” As for a career in professional photography, Lee hoped for the best. “It'd be the coolest job ever, and I’ll try to get as far as I can,” he said. “In the future I’ll probably do it as an expensive hobby,” said Lee. As for Anderson, he seemed determined to keep photography as a source of pleasure and enjoyment. Anderson said, “I am sure I will continue taking pictures as a hobby for the rest of my life.” In the present, students like Anderson, Karuskevich and Lee have taken advantage of Internet resources to share their photography with others. Lee shares his photos via facebook and his Flickr account at www.flickr.com/photos/24403933@N 05/. Anderson’s photos can be found at www.frescola.com. Karuskevich hosts his pictures at www.flickr.com//karuskevich and

By Fiona Hannigan UC Berkely ʻ13

valkaruskevich.carbonmade.com/. Photography remains an important and vital outlet for students on campus. With programs such as the Photography class, Yearbook and photojournalism for the Tideline, Making Waves, and Educere, students are able to further explore and learn in this still developing and growing field. It is the discovery of passions like photography that defines a student’s high school experience. “It makes you see the world differently it gives you a different mindset,” said Karuskevich. “It’s like taking your index fingers and thumbs and turning everything into a single frame, then comparing different frames, and seeing what you like more, and finally, capturing.”

GENERATION Y SPRING 2009

t is approaching midnight, and the typically crowded Echo Park neighborhood is void of any significant foot or car activity. The cold night has left the sidewalks of this area nearly empty, while stores and restaurants slowly begin to close shop for the night. However, just off Sunset Boulevard, a few bicycle riders are gathering in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. Soon a few bicyclists turn into dozens, and before the clock strikes 10, more then 1,000 bicyclists will have congregated to this intersection, ready to kick off for an all night bike ride. The group, known as Midnight Ridazz, is one of many “bicycle gangs” that meet to ride the nearempty Los Angeles streets during the early morning hours. Inspired by Critical Mass, a bicycling event held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world, the Midnight Ridazz originated in Echo Park, with rides taking place every month since February 2004. The Midnight Ridazz bike through the streets, using the late night to their advantage. “How often do you get to ride your bike freely in the roads and hills of Downtown LA?” asked Junior Sam Dubin. The ride’s route changes every month, but it typically lasts anywhere from 15 to 40 miles. “On my first ride, the length seemed daunting but it is so much fun, and everybody is having such a great time, you hardly notice your aching feet,” said Dubin. The riders are a diverse group of people, ranging from high school hipsters to 60-year-old hippies. Cyclists decorate their helmets with eccentric decoration like bandanas or sparklers, stringing lights and other ornamentation through their bikes. On any given ride, one is bound to witness a couple of Santa Clauses or bright yellow chickens rid-

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ing their bikes with the group. The bicycles themselves range from the odd to absurd. There are tricycles, old fashioned penny farthing bikes. Some riders weld together bikes on top of bikes, creating 10 foot tall structures that look like they’re fresh from a circus. “Fixed gear enthusiasts are well represented,” said Junior Matty Fishkin. “The serious riders always go fixed gear, which means no brakes, no gears, and you are constantly peddling with no ability to coast.” Once the mass of riders start peddling off, they are impossible to miss. Cyclists flood the entire street, blowing whistles, ringing bells, and blasting air horns. Everyone is talking, shouting directions, and playing music. Cars are forced to pull over, with the riders leaving little to no room for traffic. Traffic lights and signs are ignored, with riders rushing through intersections without even touching their brakes. “It sounds dangerous, but everyone is looking out for each other,” added Fishkin. “We have riders up front stopping intersecting traffic, and when there are 1,000 bicycles coming down Santa Monica Boulevard, cars notice and get out of the way.” C.R.A.N.K. Mob, another late-night Los Angeles bicycle gang, is known for party stops throughout the ride. Bikers swarm into empty parking lots to pour drinks, dance, and even set up bicycle jousting tournaments. “It’s like a carnival on wheels,” Kieron Menzies, a C.R.A.N.K. Mob cocreator, told LA Weekly. The popularity of raucous late night bike rides has led to increased hostility from Police Departments. Last summer, a video showed an NYPD officer shoving a Critical Mass bicyclist to the floor while he was peddling full speed, and then subse-

quently arresting him. The video was watched over two million times on YouTube, and led to the officer being stripped of his badge and eventually indicted. Frustrated police have attacked, pepper sprayed, and placed participants under arrest. During last month’s Midnight Ridazz ride, two cyclists were handcuffed and cited for not having a ‘bicycle license,’ a regulation that is almost never enforced. Moments later, another rider was cited for crossing the street against a flashing red hand. In 2007, over 70 citations were issued to riders in the Santa Monica Critical Mass, with offenses ranging from riding on a sidewalk to not having a forwardfacing front light. Additionally, hostile drivers, fed up with the disruption these riders can cause, have lashed out at them in the past. Last year, a Berkeley, California driver attempted to run down riders with his car while shouting, “I’m sick of you people.” Some see the rides as a protest against urbanization and restrictive laws against bikers, while others see it as a chance to have fun. “Communication and community can be lost when we are constantly using things like Facebook and text messaging,” said Beth Willow, a junior from New Roads school. “These rides bring all sorts of people together, in a common group, where we can have fun, be active, and enjoy the city that we all live in and love.” “The bike culture is kickin’, especially in Los Angeles,” agreed Fishkin. Today, there are over 45 documented LA rides, with hundreds of bicyclists meeting monthly, even weekly, to ride through the streets of LA together. “It’s about inclusion and fun,” continued Fishkin. “Everyone is invited. If you have a bike, come on out.”

By Katy Pool

s Willie Nelson and Devon Skinner walked into their eleventh grade English class last year, they very deliberately put down a bag of white powder on the teacher’s desk. The teacher stared at them for a moment and then opened her mouth to demand why they just put a bag of cocaine on her desk. When the two students laughed in reply, it was then that she realized that the bag was not full of cocaine at all, but instead baking soda from Nelson and Skinner’s chemistry class. “Got you,” said Nelson as he slid into his seat. The class was in an uproar with raucous laughter, and even the teacher had to laugh a little on the trick that was just played on her. After a year of similar antics, she had come to expect these kinds of jokes from them. The Class Clown is a high school archetype as easily recognizable as The Jock, The Nerd or The Teacher’s Pet. The characteristics of a class clown are an outgoing personality, a lack of self-consciousness, a heightened sense of humor and a whole lot of nerve. Class clowns are in just about every high school movie and television show, from Ferris Bueller to Will Smith (in his Fresh

Prince of Bel-Air days). Some class clowns tend to grow out of their perpetual hunt for humor, while others will have that joking nature for the rest of their lives. Still others go on to make a career out of their “disruptive” behavior. Jim Carrey, Jay Leno, Tina Fey and George Carlin all considered themselves to be “class clowns” when they were students. The one thing that class clowns all have in common is the propensity to make people laugh. Teachers, on the other hand, are often not as amused with the antics of class clown types, particularly when their antics border on being disruptive. “I’ve gotten my fair share of detentions. But most teachers seem to accept my joking nature and seem to laugh along with the rest of the class,” said Nelson, who is now a senior. “Most teachers are pretty cool with it,” said Skinner. “But I have definitely gotten detention for it before.” For most class clowns, joking around during class comes naturally to them. Whether it’s a wellplaced quip or a silly prank, they thrive on catching their class-

Mary Hobbs

mates unawares with bouts of humor. “I wait for the perfect opportunity to strike,” said Nelson. Some specialists, such as Dr. Rama Pemmaraju Rao, a former assistant clinical professor of child, adolescent, and adult psychiatric medicine at the University of Alabama Medical School, say that kids often act out in class in order to get acceptance from their peers. "Kids are always evaluating themselves through others' eyes, looking for positive feedback, and if they don't get it, they compensate,” said Rao in an interview with Edutopia. “If they have a talent for humor, that's when they appoint themselves the entertainment committee." Others say that class clowns act up to make up for their poor grades in school, or because of some issue that’s going on at home. “With a class clown, you almost always find something deeper going on, and our job is to figure out what's pushing them that way," says Margie Schwartz, counselor at Marin Country Day School. Nelson, however, disagrees with all of those analyses.

“I mostly just blurt out funny things because I find it funny. I have no real goal of doing it besides getting a couple of laughs,” he said. Skinner agrees, “I just make jokes so that class isn’t so boring.“ “I have no problem with kids who make jokes during class,” said Sophomore Kali BushV i n e b e r g . “Sometimes they can make a boring lecture a little more interesting.” Not everyone agrees with B u s h - Vi n e b e r g , however. “They make the class environment lighter at times but if they do it too often and at too high of a frequency, it can really detract from the learning experience," Junior Audrey Litvak said. “I think class clowns are acceptable to a certain extent. There's a distinct difference between a joke and a disruption,” Sophomore Justin Loar said. Whatever the prevailing opinion is about class clowns, they get noticed one way or another. From fake bags of cocaine to witty remarks about the 43rd president, the antics of class clowns are done with the intent to get their peers to laugh and lighten up.

GENERATION Y SPRING 2009

Unique Perspectives On Art Whether it is casually dood l i n g , s i n g i n g i n t h e s h o w e r, or memorizing the lines to a favorite movie, everyone, in their own way expresses themselves through an art form. People participate in these activities for a universal reason: because artistic expression makes them and

B r o o k e

o t h e r s h a p p y. F o r t h i s m a i n reason, among others, outs t a n d i n g a r t i s t s S e n i o r To s h a Sherman and Juniors Argo Ts e n g , B r o o k e G r e e n b e r g a n d Kevin Barrios have chosen to develop their talents within Paliʼs rich artistic community

G r e e n b e r g

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B y A LY S S A K I N C A I D

“Kitsch” is the name that has been used to classify Junior Brooke Greenbergʼs art. “There is not one particular thing that has influenced me,” said Greenberg, “but I like researching on the Internet in my spare time, or looking at my artist friendsʼ portfolios.” Despite the extensive amount of art on her Deviant art web page, which has received much commendation from her peers, she said, “I havenʼt discovered any ʻartistic talentʼ. Iʼm still trying to develop.” “I like to create art with many different mediums. Thereʼs music, paint, ink, computers, dance, etc,” said Greenberg of her personal style. Greenbergʼs artistic interests are quite diverse, and she has taken a variety of classes to supplement them. Among these classes are Flash Animation and Graphic Arts. She is currently a member of the yearbook staff, and is responsible for the majority of the graphics in the book. She also introduced the staff to Adobe Illustrator, which is her favorite program to use. Greenberg is very passionate about the yearbook and notes that they have gone in a far more artistic direction this year. Greenberg does not count herself unique in her artistic curiosity. “Iʼve always been interested in art, as are most children,” she said. Though she may not believe her interest unique, her obvious dedication is exemplified by her work on this yearʼs yearbook. “I would have to say that my interest really took off when I started using the computer to do some of my art and I began with the Adobe Creative Suite products,” said Brooke. Her interests outside the arts are could be described as eclectic. She says she would like to chase a career that is “not fully about art, but one that integrates math, science, and art,” and is therefore considering opportunities in architecture. “My interests outside of art are trying to keep up with school, playing the piano, playing the drums in the schoolʼs jazz band, and spending time with my life partner,” said Greenberg.

“Mainly everything I do has to do with art. Itʼs kind of a bummer reflecting on that,” said Junior Kevin Barrios, thinking about the life he doesnʼt really have outside

of art. On a more positive note, Barrios admits that this “lack of

life” outside art allows his artistic talents to flourish in a wider vari-

ety of ways, as displayed by his many artistic interests and accom-

plishments.

“My art consists mostly of digital illustrations, story-telling sort of things. A lot of it is pretty psychedelic or at least pseudo-psychedelic. Iʼm also an animator,” Barrios said about his varied inter-

ests. His most successful work has been in the field of flash ani-

mation, which he states is “all over the web” and for which he has received much praise. He could not easily pin point the wide range of

influences for his art, however, he was able to identify a main inspi-

ration. “I think that would be my super duper buddy, Nathaniel Milburn,” said Barrios. At age 10, he started to become more serious

about his reportedly Milburn-inspired art. “That was when I got Macromedia Flash, which is the program I use to make most of my illustrations,” he said. Outside of Pali, Barrios has not participated in art classes. “I signed up for some life drawing classes at SMC, but I dropped out,” said Barrios. At Pali, the

young artist has taken some classes, but his learning experiences in them appear to have been ineffective, for the most part. Of his 9th and 10th grade art

classes, he said, “I canʼt say I learned much, but I got a ton of

practice, and free stuff! The free stuff was really neat, and the prac-

tice did me good.” He wanted to continue on to AP Art Studio, but was, unfortunately, not admitted to

the class. Although Barrios has personally called his art “pretty crappy” he has sold his flash games to different companies, and plans to create and sell some of his finer art in the future.

K e v i n B a r r i o s

GENERATION Y SPRING 2009

Unique Perspectives On Art T o s h a S h e r m a n “One thing I find in common in peoplesʼ lives is the pursuit of true love. The kind of love that makes the spirit pry itself out of the fleshy armor it is restricted by and swirl with their loved one,” said 12th grade artist Tosha Sherman reflecting on her artistic influences. Behind many artists is a force that drives them to create their art. For Sherman, part of this is the love and happiness she shares with her boyfriend, Kellen. “I want nothing more than to show this love to those in pursuit of it,” said Sherman, which is exactly what she strives to do through her work. Artistically inclined from a young age, Shermanʼs interest began with her desire to recreate other peopleʼs drawings. Despite her love of drawing, her curiosity was not very

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strong at first. “My family accepted art as something I did,” said Sherman. “It was Kellen that found a drawing of mine and said it was wonderful, wonderful enough to consider seriously.” Since then, Sherman has considered art her current and future vocation. “I cannot imagine being anything other than an artist. It is in my spirit,” she said. Although art became an integral part of her life, she did not always see it as a feasible professional avenue. “I thought I had to attend a university and major in something ʻrespectable,ʼ but there are actually endless opportunities beyond the cookie cutter version of education and career,” Sherman said. In the past, Sherman has expressed her ideas through the use of watercolor, ink, tea, acrylic, and image transfers.

More recently, she has employed objects such as shoes, books and clocks in her work, along with collages and photography. “This year my art has been a reflection of my views on love, our purpose of existence, where we go, and where we come from,” she said. The artist has honed her burgeoning talents in many ways since the time she enrolled in her first art classes at school to working her way up to AP Studio Art. Sherman took her first traditional art classes at Ryman Arts at USC. “For a year and a half, I spent every Saturday there from twelve to five,” she said of Ryman Arts, from which she earned a scholarship. Sherman has received merit scholarships from the San Francisco Art Institute, the School of the Art Institute

of Chicago, and the Maryland Institute College of Art. In addition to being presented with opportunities, scholarship Sherman has had her art displayed at Pali Showcase Nights, and even at the California African American Museum. She contributed greatly to the revamping of the Dolphin mural on Bowdoin St. this year. Besides her artwork, Sherman has a variety of other interests, dance being one she is particularly passionate about. “Dance is as large apart of me as my art is. My dance influences how I view movement and my work as a whole,” said Sherman. When she is not devoting time to art or dance, Sherman spends time with her boyfriend Kellen, her family and friends.

A r g o T s e n g Motivated by the architectural plans her father created during her childhood years in Taiwan, Argo Tseng enrolled in recreational art classes, though she was not very serious about art. Moving to America would soon create a great change in her life, though her curiosity about the arts did not wane. This was the beginning of Junior Argo Tsengʼs artistic journey. “I feel that my interest in art began over a series of years rather than from a single beginning,” said Tseng. “The awareness of my inclination to the arts came from my habit of sketching.” Her sketches, and pieces in general, are done in a wide variety of styles, tending to be loose line works. She explains that though the final product retains a “feeling” of the first sketch, it does not necessarily contain the original idea behind it. Tseng professes that she “experiments” so that she can “provide [herself] with a broad view in regard to art.” Among the different styles that influence her work are Art Noveau, Impressionism, and Asian art. Though much of Tsengʼs art education comes from sketching with friends, she has received many formal art lessons. She began taking art classes in her freshman year and has since added Introduction to Art, Advanced Drawing and Painting, and AP Art Studio to her repertoire. “I have not yet participated in serious art exhibition, though some of my AP Studio classmates have had the privilege,” said Tseng. “I participate in Paliʼs annual Showcase Night, which is always an interesting time to see studentsʼ work.” In addition, Argo has been honored with a $2,500 scholarship from the Ryman Arts Program at USC, to be used for purchasing art supplies and taking art lessons. Art has taken many forms in Argo Tsengʼs life. On one hand, she says it has taught her perseverance, commitment, and work ethic. “Most of all, art has taught me to live up to my own expectations, instead of those of others,” Tseng said. Art has also given Tseng many career opportunities, as she has started to seriously consider a profession in the field for the past few years, mainly in Illustration and Animation. “I know people in these particular fields and they have found jobs in these fields to be practical and still satisfying.” Outside of art, Tseng is involved in other school activities, such as Marching Band and the school orchestra. “Being in the marching band makes up for any lapse of exercise,” she said. Argo spends free time between her many activities with family and friends.

GENERATION Y SPRING 2009

GOODBYE REALITY HELLO COACHELLA By Rachel Levitan

was the music, 25 percent answered that it was because their friends were going and 15 percent went to the concert for the experience. The large number of students who attended the festival for the music is largely due to the wide variety of musical genres and performers at this year’s event. The event has always been predominantly known for its alternative rock bands, but this year marks a change in the concert’s choice of artists. A large range of musical tastes other than the traditional “indie” rock, were accounted for in this year’s line-up. Students who enjoy electronic music, popularly referred to as “techno,” were drawn to Coachella by the famous DJs performing this year. The line-up of “techno” artists who played at Coachella this year includes Felix A KILLER FINISH: Fans cheer as The Killers, Saturday’s headliner, begin their final song of the evening, ‘When You Were Young.’ da Housecat, DJ AM, Steve Aoki nce a year, Riley Strom allows a thick coating of shot up to 17,000 in 2007. Despite this large number of and MSTRKRFT. Another notable addition to this year’s dirt cover her body. She lies down on a dusty guests staying in the tents, Pali students are not usually line-up was the rap artists. From older rappers like Pubfield and dances in the 99-degree humidity, among the crowds sleeping on the polo field. This is lic Enemy to the new up-and-coming artists like K’naan, slammed against thousands of sweaty strangers. Strom’s largely due to Coachella’s policy of allowing only legal the rap artists who performed this year at Coachella atannual escape from self-awareness and hygiene is just adults to use its campgrounds. Since most high school tracted the overwhelmingly large group of rap-enthusipart of the package when going to the desert for a three- teenagers don’t turn 18 until their senior year, even those asts. day concert. For those few days in April, she joins over students who do wish to camp aren’t always able to. SenWhether it be for Fleet Foxes, Girl Talk or Atmos100,000 others in saying goodbye to reality and hello to iors Lacey Carter and Carlye Packer were permitted to phere, going to Coachella definitely can create a predicastay on the campgrounds for the first time this year. “It ment for students. The concert is always held at the end Coachella. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an was really cool to finally be able to camp at Coachella. of April; traditionally it is during the last weekend of annual three-day music festival held in Indio, California. It’s right next to the venue and is really fun. This is the April, but this year was rescheduled for a week earlier. Although the concert is predominantly known for show- first time I’ve gone to Coachella as an 18-year old, so it’s With AP tests, SATs and mid-terms steam-rolling students ing alternative or “indie” rock bands, it has come to also nice to finally experience the campgrounds,” said Carter. at exactly this same time, Coachella can be a crucial defeature hip-hop and electronic music. With 2009 as its Despite having enjoyed her rural accommodations, Carter cision for a college-bound junior or senior. Junior Rhana 10th annual occurrence, the music ranged from Paul Mc- admits that many students would be happier with cleaner Tabrizi recently faced this dilemma of choosing between Cartney, the lauded Beatles veteran, to Etienne de Crecy, and swankier lodging. seeing some of her favorite bands perform live or studyMost students stay at hotels or rented condos and ing for the impending AP and SAT II exams. “Coachella an obscure French DJ. Since its origin in 1999, attendance rates for the con- houses. An extremely popular place to stay for Coachella is so much fun, but it’s really at the worst time ever. I had cert have sky-rocketed. Starting their first year with is the La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs. Strom stayed at a lot of fun but when I came back home, I just had an un25,000 guests, 2009’s numbers are estimated at 55,000 the hotel last year and said, “La Quinta’s great. You walk believably huge pile of work to attend to.” each day. The popularity has spread from hipsters in their around and right off the bat, you see so many people you The potential effect Coachella could have on aca20s and 30s to Los Angeles high school students. Ac- know from LA and from Pali.” The high demand makes demics certainly has not deterred the student body. Stucording to a campus poll administered on April 21 20 per- getting a room at La Quinta a challenge, as the resort dents take advantage of their proximity to one of the most tends to be booked solid months before the Coachella heavily acclaimed music festivals of the world. Strom cent of the student body went to Coachella this year. line-up is even released. In 2002, Coachella began to offer tent camping in a finds this to be one of the parts of high school life that is Although some plan their trip to the music festival hardest to leave behind for college next year. “If I wind up field adjacent to the venue as an option for the festivalgoers. According to the music festival, the camping at- before even knowing which bands will be performing, going to college out of California, it’s going to be really tendance has increased since then. The first year hosted most students go to Coachella for the music. In the cam- difficult to have to miss Coachella. For those three days, about 10,000 guests on the campgrounds, a number that pus poll, students were asked what was their reason for everything’s good,” Strom said. going to Coachella. 60 percent said their reason for going

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SATURDAY, 2:50 p.m. CLICK. I look at the screen of my camera and see the empty stage before me. Waiting has never been my strong s u it and now agitation is starting to take a hold over me. I wipe my forehead and tap my foot, one arm resting on the front railing. It is far easier than expected to get this close to the stage, but now the weather is shoving all my bad karma that I had accumulated on the way over here (I’d like to formally apologize to t he man in the purple Holy F* *k t-s hirt who I elbowed in the face) right back at me. I look at my watch, agitated at the lateness of the one and only Joss Stone.

FRIDAY, 11:55 p.m. I take a bite of my churro (my third of the day) and sip my fresh squeezed lemonade as the Beatle sits behind the piano. The sun went to bed five hours ago, yet the temperature is still hotter than the majority of the country during the early summer. The song starts and I nearly choke on both items still in my mouth. Hey Jude, don’t make it bad. We (meaning the 55,000 people watching his set, which just happens to include me) join Paul in one of his final songs of the evening. The man next to me, pushing into his late 60s, suddenly breaks into tears and I soon join him. The song progresses towards the end as Paul invites us all to sing the final coda with him. As the entire polo field erupts into a frenzy, I take another sip of my lemonade to calm myself down. Then I cry some more and join in until I can’t scream anymore.

S U N D AY, 8 : 3 5 p . m . I c a n ’ t h e a r a n y thing, let alone anyone. My Bloody Va l e n t i n e h a s t h e s p e a k e r s t u r n e d a l l the way up, and even though I am over 400-feet away from the stage, their musical still bleeds into my ears far louder than anything should be. This is the first time I’ve sat down all day and I have to listen to this while doing it? Great. I take a bite of my teriyaki chicken and see m y f r i e n d ’s m o u t h m o v e b u t I c a n ’t hear any words. I don’t even bother trying to respond.

SATURDAY, 5:20 p.m. I lie down beneath the twenty-foot metal snake and wipe the sweat from my forehead. I reach for my cell phone and see that

Graham MacGillivray

I have full service. I text my friend to meet me at the Main Stage in thirty minutes for Spearhead and press send. Nearly three seconds later a message pops up, “Error sending message, please try again later.” I put my phone back in my pocket and pray that she’ll just know to meet me in the usual spot. I look up at the bottom of the metal monstrosity and see all of its under workings. I get up to take a better look. As I approach the side of the beast, fire ignites from the top of each scale, sending me back nearly four feet. Talk about modern art.

Arya Davachi

F R I D AY, 1 1 : 1 5 a . m . As the doors swing open and the music begins, I know that I have indeed returned to the desert for a third round of Coachella. It has been one of the longest years of my life, but the wait is definitely w o r t h i t . We a l l m o v e f o r w a r d , t i c k e t s in hand, ready to head straight to the Sahara to dance the morning heat a w a y. A s I p a s s t h r o u g h t h e g a t e s a n d the woman in the bright yellow shirt s c a n s m y t i c k e t I f a l l t o t h e f l o o r, e m bracing every stem of grass that I can. Heaven in the desert has returned.

FRIDAY, 4:00 p.m. One, Two, WOOP, WOOP! Suddenly the beat drops and everything explodes as the bass line penetrates my body through the floor and my hand shoots towards the white ceiling of the 100-foot long tent. I look at my friend, his head bouncing up and down, seemingly breaking every rule of gravity. His face starting to turn red, I laugh and progress back to my typical state, hand in the air, feet off the ground. I look up at the DJ (the only Asian I’ve ever seen stand behind a turn table and drop the beat like a trained European pro) and watch him work his way around the table towards the crowd, who is still moving up and down to the synth, handclaps and woop woop. Sweat drops from my face to the grass while the beat drops again and the DJ jumps into the crowd.

M O N D AY, 1 : 3 0 a . m . N o o n e w a n t s t o leave. No one is ready for the weekend t o b e o v e r. B e c a u s e o n c e t h e w e e k e n d i s o v e r, s o i s t h i s d r e a m . A s T h e C u r e waves goodbye and head off stage, I grab at the grass, not wanting to say goodbye. I look at my friends, each having his reason to stay for another weekend or two. I look back at the Sahara, then the Mojave, then the Gobi, t h e n t h e S e r p e n t M o t h e r, t h e n t h e O u t door Theatre and finally at the now empty Main Stage. This is not goodbye Coachella. But rather thank you.

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ook around the quad at any given lunch hour. Students bask in the sun, animatedly chatting with their friends, eating their lunches, and taking a break from the classes that fill their days. Listen closely, and there is one sound that stands out from the indefinite chatter - laughter. Groups of students will almost certainly be howling at something, whether it is a joke or the clumsiness of a friend. This uncontrollable force is a part of everyday life, and its commonness leads many to disregard a laugh’s scientific qualities. The study of laughter is known as gelotology. It is derived from the Greek word geloto, meaning laugh, laughter or laughing. The emotional response that is triggered by something regarded as laughter-worthy comes from the outer part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, which is also the largest part of the brain. According to an article from howstuffworks.com called “How Laughter Works,” a charge passes through the cerebral cortex, and if the resulting charge is negative, laughter follows. But it takes much more than a charge to actually analyze the joke that triggers such a response. The left side of the cortex, which covers the entire surface of the front part of the brain, analyzes the words and structure of the joke, while the right side of the cortex carries out the intellectual analysis required to understand the joke. In addition, the hypothalamus, located beneath the cerebral cortex, is a major contributor to the production of hearty, unmanageable laughter. These major parts of the brain, along with some other smaller parts, contribute to the overall action of laughter. It takes something special to trigger the brain to create laughter. There are three major theories that explain why people laugh: the incongruity theory, the superiority theory and the relief theory of laughter. The incongruity theory of laughter consists of one main idea- that people laugh when the opposite of what they believe is what actually happens. Similar to situa-

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tional irony, the incongruity theory is one of the most popular explanations for laughter. In his book, “Taking Laughter Seriously,” John Morreal, founder of the International Society for Humor Studies, explains the humor behind the incongruity theory. “The basic idea behind the incongruity theory is very general and quite simple,” he said. “We live in an orderly world, where we have come to expect certain patterns among things, their properties, events, etc. We laugh when we experience something that doesn’t fit into these patterns. As Pascal put it, ‘nothing produces laughter more than a surprising disproportion between that which one expects and that which one sees.’” “I like awkward situational humor, puns, because of the cheesiness and just because they rule, and sarcasm, but not the mean kind,” said Junior Alison Ezard. When someone laughs at his friend’s follies, he is giving into the superiority theory. The superiority theory is simply an expression of someone’s feelings of supremacy over another person. This idea has existed since the time of Plato. For instance, the classic example of a person tripping over a banana peel has brought many laughs because those laughing are not in the unfortunate situation that the tripper has gotten himself into. “Usually something is funny only when the mistake is a direct result of the person’s stupidity,” said Junior Chauncey Hicks. “Like, when someone drops food all over himself - that’s funny. It’s easier to laugh when it’s something lighthearted like that.” The last theory is called the relief (or release) theory. In their book, “Spirituality, Health, and Healing,” Caroline Young and Cyndie Koopsen describe the benefits of laughter and explain the release theory as, “it [the release theory] claims that laughter occurs when the tension of anxiety or anger needs a release (e.g., nervous laughter).” Release laughter is known to be beneficial to health because it acts mainly as a stress reliever. There are many different benefits of laughter. Ac-

cording to the Mayo Clinic, the short-term benefits of laughter include organ stimulation, stress response activation and relief, as well as stomachache and tension relief. The long terms effects can improve the immune system and reduce food cravings and the levels of stress hormones in the body while increasing the levels of endorphins. Physically, laughter can also provide a good workout. “A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward,” said Elizabeth Scott, M.S., in her article, “Stress Management and Health Benefits of Laughter.” She explained, “It even provides a good workout for the heart.” “After I laugh, I feel like I can’t breathe,” said Senior Tyler Brewington. A study conducted by the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) proved that people with heart disease laugh 40 percent less than people who don’t have heart disease. The researchers at UMMC conducted the study using a series of multiple-choice questions, and out of 300 people, 150 of which had heart disease, it was shown that those with heart disease laughed less than the healthier subjects. Dr. Michael Miller, the director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the UMMC said, “The ability to laugh - either naturally or as a learned behavior — may have important implications in societies such as the U.S. where heart disease remains the number one killer. We know that exercising, not smoking and eating foods low in saturated fat, will reduce the risk of heart disease. Perhaps regular, hearty laughter should be added to the list.” Laughter is a common occurrence in everyday life. It has physical and emotional benefits that improve one’s well-being, and enhances the relationships in which people become engaged. e.e. Cummings once said, “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” No joke.

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eclined in her seat, Junior Erin Hanson stares into the white lights illuminating the room from the ceiling above her. She waits patiently for her orthodontist to greet her and make sure that her progress is following the planned schedule. After what seems like an eternity, her doctor arrives and tells her to open her mouth so that he can examine the steps that need to be taken next. He stares at her, jots down a few notes on his pad and then proceeds to readjust and tighten the wires of her braces. Like many other teens in America and the world, Hanson undergoes the process of orthodontic treatment in order to perfect and straighten her teeth both for self-image and for oral health. After needing braces for two and a half years, Hanson recalls her experience, “It was very painful at times. I remember not being able to eat multiple things which was often an inconvenience.” Braces were first introduced as a form of cosmetic teeth treatment in the early 20th century, according to “Orthodontic Treatments,” by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Additionally, the term “braces” was first used and coined in the 1920s. However, while the name stuck with the treatment, the process itself has evolved greatly since its initial introduction in the earlier years of that century. Today, according to “How are Teeth Moved?” by the AAO, the most common form of braces involves just two objects: brackets and wires. Individual brackets are attached to each tooth, and these brackets are then

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linked together by the “archwire.” This malleable piece of wire is the piece that actually provides the driving force to move the teeth in the appropriate direction so that they can eventually straighten themselves. In today’s society, braces appear to be a common aspect of teenage life as more and more teens seek orthodontic treatment in order to achieve the image of picture-perfect straight, white teeth. In fact, according to an article titled “Orthodontic Care and More,” by the Colgate company, “[a]bout 3 million teenagers in the United States and Canada wear braces, and millions more would benefit from treatment.” Braces were created to address a variety of issues associated with the natural development of teeth in an individual’s mouth. They are usually able to fix crossbite, crowding, deep overbite, underbite, open bite and spacing problems. Hanson had her teeth corrected for cosmetic purposes as well as for health issues. “I got braces to make my teeth straight and to make room for other teeth to come in,” she said. According to the AAO, having straight teeth may also be beneficial in the long run because it may lead to fewer chances of overall decay and oral disease. Having straight teeth does not happen without the orthodontics patient having to endure some pain. About her experience with braces Senior Abby Sarafian said, “Every time they tightened them, about once a month, it would hurt badly enough to give me a headache. But the day they put them on was the worst.” However, sometimes braces alone are not enough for those wishing to straighten their teeth, and extra, some-

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times painful steps, are required in order to achieve this image. Hanson had a total of 16 teeth pulled before she was able to complete treatment, 12 of which were baby teeth and four of which were permanent teeth. “I have been put under anesthesia three times for teeth extractions. The majority of these teeth were pulled to make room for incoming teeth because my jaw is small. Others were removed for health reasons,” said Hanson, recalling her own experience. “When they removed four at a time, it took a few days to recover from the surgery.” American society today appears to have a fascination and a requirement for individuals to have straight teeth in order to appear presentable and to boost self-confidence. In “Why Straighten Teeth?” by the AAO, it is said, “An attractive smile is a wonderful asset. It contributes to self-esteem, self-confidence and self-image [as being] important qualities at every age. A pleasing appearance is a vital component of self-confidence.” Many may wonder as to why this may be the case today. “It’s an image that people desire. Other countries do not have this obsession. People want to look perfect and the media has put in our minds that not having straight, white teeth stands in the way of perfection. This, however, is not to be confused with the fact that dental hygiene is an important aspect of health,” said Hanson in response to this commonly held ideal. Similarly, Sarafian said, “Because for the most part, a person's smile is the first thing someone sees when they meet you for the first time. It makes sense that people would want to look as good as possible when they meet someone

new, smile or laugh.” In response to whether or not straight teeth may boost self-confidence, Sarafian said, “As irrational as it might be, it feels better to smile with clean, straight teeth than to smile with crooked teeth.” Also, according to the AAO, one in every five orthodontic patients is an adult, meaning that every four in five is someone under the age of 18. About the fact that so many in today’s youth are undergoing such a cosmetic procedure, Hanson said, “I think it is fine for children and teens to have braces and other dental or orthodontic procedures. I don't believe that these procedures are wholly cosmetic in any case. As in my case, there is often a health reason for the procedures as well.” Yet despite the pain that may have resulted from the process of teeth straightening, many teens are pleased with the eventual outcome and result of their procedures. “If I were nine or 12, I would do it again. It would be just as annoying and painful, but in the long run, it was worth it. I got my braces off by the time I got to high school and I like how my teeth look now. I definitely hated it as I was going through it, but it made it easier [knowing] that so many people I knew had them also. I like my current smile and teeth,” said Sarafian. Hanson also shared a similar sentiment. “I don't regret it,” she said. “In my case, braces were necessary for my teeth to come in correctly. The way my teeth were before the procedures would not have been comfortable given the condition of my jaw. It’s nice to have straight teeth too.”

GENERATION Y SPRING 2009

PRESENTED BY THE TIDELINE