Epigraph Fall 08

The Epigraph

Fall 08

A News News Magazine Magazine for for the the Yucaipa Yucaipa High High School School Community Community A

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Yucaipa High

Journalism

Journalism is a class created for and by the student voice. We are journalists that serve a purpose to represent reality and the student body with creativity, credibility, and concern.

Editors:

EDITORS IN CHIEF:

Matthew Darrow and Marilyn Newell COPY EDITOR:

Stephanie Sanchez BUSINESS MANAGERS:

Svea Nau and Kendall Olivares NEWS:

Roberto Manjarrez SPORTS:

Justin Benway ENTERTAINMENT:

Kellie Ferguson FEATURES:

Madeline Cain CAMPUS LIFE:

Vanessa Beall COLUMNS:

Elizabeth Tompkins LAYOUT:

Elaine Hayworth PHOTOGRAPHY:

Joy Newell LIASSON:

Edward Timmons

Advisor:

Mr. Scott Kennedy

Reporters: Katie Boddy, Michelle Carrizosa, Anna Contreras, Aaron Cortez, Michael Craver, Cassie French, Michael Gillum, Brittany Hammons, Alma Hernandez, Katelyn Johnson, Steffen Kjellberg, Andrea Lee, Carl Little, Jonathan Main, Alex Stolze, Daniel Sutton, Krista Ybarra

“Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.” - Joseph Pulitzer

Letters From The Editors

Influence photograph by Joy Newell

Influence

After two and a half strenuous months of work, we send off a single file to the printing company in anticipation for its return and praying that we did not miss an edit. As the first issue of this school year, putting out this magazine has been one of the most rewarding and most shockingly difficult things I have ever had to do. I have unquestionably developed a better amount of respect and admiration for my last year’s Editors in Chief, as well as started to settle in to my own shoes in this position.

Going through this process, the issue theme of “influence” seems rightly fitting; not necessarily for how I feel that I have influenced the issue, but for how the issue has influenced me. Whether it is a sit-down interview with our new principal, the tough pro-life vs. pro-choice decision or a fervent council on campus, every topic covered in our magazine reflects the issues that are going to dominate our near and distant future.

Especially with the latest elections, it is easy to feel like the major issues that dictate our lives are too far out of our grasp, especially when most of us are not yet at voting age.

In reality, too many of us (including myself) focus so much on the issues outside of our influence that we fail to realize how much our actions can affect the here and now.

As journalists, our imprint on society is through our writing. Our job is to produce the Epigraph not for our own credit and gain, but to influence you - the student body - and reflect your voice. With more content, student opinion, and art than ever before, we hope that we can continue to do just that as well as address the issues that you want to read about most.

I hope that you will delve into this issue and discover what it

“America is not a blanket woven from one thread, one color, one cloth.” – Jesse Jackson After weeks of vigilant work, The Epigraph is finally hot off the press! To be honest, it seemed like it would never happen, even when it was down to the last minute. Now I have been proved wrong. Now it is in your hands, completely subject to all means of scrutiny. Surely there will be some means of imperfection. This, however, does not undercut the exceptional effort that is so incredibly visible on each and every single page of this magazine.

This was not created by any one person. It was no less than a coalition of reporters that made it possible for this to take place. This issue’s theme, being “influence,” was exactly what kept the staff going. It was last-minute interviews, awesome photo editing skills, and countless hours spent after school that helped shape this award-winning newsmagazine.

Just like in the newsroom, we influence each other at school. Nothing is as important as recognizing the impact our friends, families, and teachers have on us. I like to believe that our lives are not entirely based on our choices, but also the choices of others. I think this spices things up a bit.

America operates as a collection of people. Our newsmagazine could not run without our reporters, editors, and advisor. Our school could not run without its teachers and students. Not even Starbucks could run without the help of the baristas as well as the loyalty of its customers. We all have the ability to influence each other’s lives. There is just one question: will we take advantage of that influence?

means for you now at YHS.

-Marilyn Newell

Editor in Chief

-Matthew Darrow

Editor in Chief

Campus Life

Club Highlight:4-H New club on campus

by Marilyn Newell Reforming Athletic P.E.

by Michelle Carrizosa API Scores

by Emma Buck Lockdown The results of a recent city-wide drill

by Matthew Darrow What Influences Me Student opinion

by Joy Newell Mrs. Smith Gets Real

by Joy Newell YOUniversity

by Brittany Hammons Head on over to the Entertainment section to read Book Review: Twilight Saga photograph by Joy Newell

News

“People often think of community colleges as inferior to the typical four-year university....they have the same quality of education if not better as four year universities,�

Air Car

by Alma Hernandez Hurricain Hits Haiti The outcome of a recent disaster

by Carl Little Current News Fresh off the press Facing The Facts Breast Cancer Awareness month should not end in October

by Stephanie Sanchez Cancerous Cosmetics

by Katelyn Johnson Diet Frenzy

by Madeline Cain

-From YOUniversity in the Campus Life section

Features Legacy Your impact on the world

by Stephanie Sanchez Haunted Places and Ghostly Places

by Katie Boddy Wacky Weddings

by Cassie French Cover Story The Art of Diversity

by Matthew Darrow and Marilyn Newell

Entertainment Hats Off Upcoming movies

by Kellie Ferguson Two Voices Touch The Mic Hip Hop VS. Rap

by Kendall Olivares Best Rapper Alive?

by Michael Craver Concerts and Prices

by Andrea Lee

See the Features section for “Two Voice Touch The Mic”

Book Review: Breaking Dawn

by Marilyn Newell Internet Insanity

by Carl Little

Sports

photograph by Kendall Olivares

T Birds Dominate

by Marilyn Newell Man or Machine

by Steffen Kjellberg Respect The Surf, Respect The Shore

by Krista Ybarra Flutes, Purcussion And Tubas, Oh My!

by Alex Stolze Athletic Highlight

by Svea Nau

Remembering Our Animation Fascination African American Disney princess movie in the making

by Elizabeth Tompkins

Columns Texas Schools And Guns

by Elizabeth Tompkins The Power We Hold Are animal’s rights comparable to human rights?

by Anna Contreras Miss Bimbo

by Elizabeth Tompkins Mutated Cow

by Roberto Manjarrez The Green Thumb

by Brittany Hammons OpinioNATION Abortion

by Justin Benway and Elaine Hayworth

Turn to the Sports section to read all about our Athletic Highlight photograph by Joy Newell

Campus Life Club Highlight: 4-H

Reforming Athletic P.E. Why it is gone and the chances of getting it back

by Michelle Carrizosa

Head, Hearts, Hands, and Heath

by Marilyn Newell

illustration by Katie Boddy

illustration by Katie Boddy

The 4-H Club has been around since 1902 and now, over 100 years later, Yucaipa High School has one to call their own. With a focus on hands-on learning, the 4-H Club aims to develop citizenship, leadership, and life skills in the youth of America.

Although the emphasis of a 4-H Club can span a wide spectrum of topics from knitting to various forms of science, this year’s club will have its main focus on Environmental and Agricultural studies as well as photography. Already, a broad aray of students are starting to show interest in this newly founded club. Senior Nicole Idiart said, “I would like to pursue a career in Forestry and Environmental Management, so the experience I am gaining in the 4-H club is really helping to further my career goals.”

The club has many activities and campaigns planned for this year including a recycling campaign through bottlesandcans.org, trips to the Wildland Conservatory in Oak Glen, nature walks, and photography lessons at club meetings. If you would like to find out more about the 4-H Club and how you can get involved, visit one of the upcoming meetings. The 4-H Club meets every other Wednesday in Mrs. Knopp’s room,E1, at 7:00 AM.

As many students signed up for their classes for the 2008-2009 school year, the athletes noticed sixth period Athletic P.E. was not available. This has negatively impacted the student athletes throughout the campus. Not having Athletic P.E. caused students to miss more classes. Student athletes cannot prepare as well as other schools for their season because there is limited practice time. The new high school administration changed the students’ schedules at Yucaipa High with the limited classes offered. “This is the toughest year for education in California,” said Mr.Anderson, the Athletic director here at YHS. This is a tough year for education which caused budget cuts and the changes in classes available at our school.

There were many reasons in why sixth period P.E. was removed for the 2008-2009 school year. The difficulties of sixth period Athletic P.E. consisted of coaches making commitments in which they could not meet, which left students unsupervised.

There was also not enough framework for sixth period P.E so students were ditching class or leaving early. There was a position lost for P.E. teachers and they did not have a coach for each particular period. Some of the coaches teach at other Yucaipa schools, so it was difficult with their schedule. Also, sixth period Athletic P.E. was not covering the state standards, yet students were receiving elective credit. “ [We are] hoping to get the program back solid. We are the only CBL school without it,” Mr. Anderson said. Throughout the Citrus Belt League we are the only school in which sixth period P.E. was cut from our curriculum.

Therefore, there are local teams that we compete against that have more time to prepare for competitions.

There can be a change but it needs to cover standards and become a strong program. “Mr. Anderson and I are eager to start researching and exploring how other schools are making it happen,” Principal Mrs.Smith said. It would be impossible or extremely difficult to get the class back this year, but would not be difficult to get it back next year. “If it is brought back it needs to be brought back correctly following state standards, regulations, and meeting the school district’s criteria,” Smith said. Mr. Anderson, as well as Principal Smith, are looking forward to improving Yucaipa High School’s future. Hopefully removing this class has not caused much damage for many of the students and we are excited to get it back soon.

API Scores

by Emma Buck

illustration by Anna Contreras

Believe it or not, Yucaipa High’s test scores are higher than ever, and the highest in San Bernardino County School District. Our API scores rose from 2007’s 735 to 754 of this past year. YHS beating REV’s sinking score of 746 from their previous year at 748. We also surpassed Redlands High School and the rest of our rival schools in the district. In reference to our accomplishment, Mrs. Pierce said, “We have the highest API scores in San Bernardino County, we scored 754 but at some point we need to hit the 800 mark. Although we made API numbers, we need to mark it in our subgroups.”

Our “subgroups” for testing, which are Hispanic or Latino, White/Caucasian, and the socioeconomically disadvantaged, passed with flying colors. However, we need to help encourage and motivate our students with various disabilities to “study, study, study!” Overall, our achievements outshined our contenders, Redlands East Valley and RHS, and put us as number one for the district. Congratulations, Yucaipa High!

Lockdown

by Matthew Darrow

illustration by Michael Gillum

On October 24, 2008, Yucaipa High conducted its first emergency drill of the year. This drill was not for disaster preparedness, nor was it the elimination of illegal substances. It was a lockdown enacted in order to prepare for potential shootings at the campus.

Even the seniors attending the school this year have never been exposed to such a serious and determining drill. It would make sense for anxiety to run high at the time of the drill, but the reaction was not as anticipated. When the unprecedented series of bells rang as expected in second period, only a few were able to grasp the gravity of the situation. Most students, however, could not help but interpret this as a sort of break from school. Some students entertained those around them, telling comical stories what what would have happened if something truly wrong were to occur. Apathy, unfortunately, reached an all-time high.

Some students viewed it all as no less than a neusance. Teachers were instructed to group their classes on the floor in a secluded corner until the end of the drill. Some teachers, such as Mrs. Fletcher, took full precautions and treated the situation as if it were the real thing. Others, however, were not so adament in enacting this worstcase scenario.

No less can be expected, with the lack of efficiency in the past pertaining to this form of security. Nevertheless, Mrs. Smith and the new administration knew that it was time for a change.

The project was viewed as an overall success. Mrs. Smith plans to hold a series of drills throughout the year to ensure maximum security potential.

Campus Life

Wyatt Padget - Junior If I want to go to college and play sports I have to get good grades. My family and church also help me remember who I am and what I stand for.

Mauricio De La Torre - Junior I am really influenced by those that make a difference in the world.

Kim Pistilli - Senior Ghandi’s ideas about non-violent protest and the influence he has had on today’s culture.

What InfluencesMe Interviews and photographs by Joy Newell

Rachel Haxby - Sophomore Rachelinfluences Haxby - Sophomore Music my mood Music mood and myinfluences outlook onmy life. and my outlook on life.

Chad Musgraves (L) - Junior Evan Musgraves (R) - Senior Our faith in Jesus Christ affects the way we live every aspect of our lives.

Tlaloc Juarez- Junior My friends influence me the most.They help me make the right choices.

Mrs. Smith Gets Real interview and photograph by Joy Newell

NEW BEGINGINGS The Epigraph - How do you like being Principal here at Yucaipa High School so far?

Mrs. Smith - I love it! It’s a really awesome campus. The first thing I realized was the maturity level of the kids; just being able to have those types of conversations.They understand you and they’re developmentally on a different level. The teachers are awesome and they are very serious about what they do. I know Mr. Cavanagh was well loved, so I was a little nervous about that, but they didn’t hold that against me in any way. They embraced me and showed me what I needed to know. I’ve just been really really pleased.

RUNNING THE RACE What is one thing you love most about your job?

I was an elementary school teacher, an elementary principal, and then I’ve worked my way up to a high school principal.

One of the neatest things, no matter what level I’ve been at - but especially with the older kids - is interacting with [them] and helping them find that ultimate goal: graduation. I’m not necessarily all about, “Every kid is going to a four year university” -that’s not true, but I like being able to guide, to mentor.

Right, just being a part of the whole process…

Exactly. Also, I live in Yucaipa, this is my community. My child goes to a Yucaipa public school. I’m a member of the society, so I love buying groceries and working here and taking my son to soccer…so that is one of the things I love most; I feel like I’m giving back to my community.

“One of the neatest things is interacting with them and helping them find that ultimate goal: graduation.”

CUTTING BACK

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

With all the recent budget cuts, what is your game plan to keep the spirit of the school alive?

You have to be creative. You have to say, “Okay this is the pie, but what’s around the pie that I can still get my hands on?” So we start looking for things like grant money. There is a lot of money out there for specific programs if you’re willing to ask for it. We’ve got to find creative ways to make cuts as far away from the kids as possible.

It is hard when you find the students looking towards the staff during these times…they have to realize that, in the big picture, it’s coming from the state level and it’s what has to happen sometimes.

That’s exactly right.

What is something you have learned from your profession?

I would have to say, to be a good listener. The higher up you go in your profession and the more responsibilities you have, the more people you start to affect. So it’s important to listen to all stake holders and just really take in everyone’s opinion. Still, once you have that, you have to make the right decisions and not necessarily the most popular.

LAWS OR PAWS If you weren’t a principal, what would you be?

I always thought I was going to be a lawyer because I talk a lot. I’m also a huge animal lover and was interested in veterinary science as well.

A WORD OF ADVICE Now on a more student basis, what is something you have learned or a piece of advice you could give to the students on this campus?

Everything you’re doing this day, this minute, as a young adult in high school is going to affect you for the rest of your life. Whether right or wrong, good or bad, everything has consequences - both positive and negative.

So we should constantly be thinking about the future….

Always remember that, especially at this age. It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now, but you’ve got to be thinking about the future.

It’s about making good decisions because they will affect you later on in life.

YOUniversity

Getting into the right college for you

by Brittany Hammons

Choosing a college to attend is one of the most important decisions one will make. Choose the wrong one and you could end up feeling stressed out and trapped.One out of every four-college freshman will drop out of school every year.

However, there is no need to despair because there are a variety of routes you can take to choose the right college for you.

Before you start your quest to find the perfect school there are a few necessities you must know yourself. These are reoccurring elements in selecting the right school. "There is a college for everybody, " Mrs. Gorman, YHS counselor, said. Realizing things that are important to you like your dreams, abilities, and goals for your education is a step in the right direction. The most important aspects of choosing the right college is your major, cost, location and size.

1) Choosing a major can be difficult for students because it feels so final, but consider going to college undeclared if you cannot make the decision. If you have decided on your major it is essential that your college has the major and it can be even more rewarding if your college specializes in that particular major.

2) Cost is extremely important to consider as well. However, it is not everything when choosing the right college. "There is financial aid out there, there is hope out there. Don't be held back based on money," said Mrs. Brossia.

3) "Location, Location, Location.” We have all heard the phrase applied to real estate but it also applies to college. Where you go to school whether it is urban, suburban or rural is very important. It will largely determine many qualities of your college experience. Whether you want to be able to walk from your dorm room into a busy city, full of commotion and art, to some trendy café with live music, or exit your dorm room and enter a vast forest that lies just beyond your hidden campus.

4) "Size does matter!" The size of your campus will immediately tell you how many resources your school has or how much attention you as a student will personally receive.

Schools can range in size from less than five hundred students to more than fifteen thousand students, so it is easy to be overwhelmed or underwhelmed if you do not consider this factor.

illustration

by Anna Contreras

Campus Life

When considering your options you may decide that a two year university or community college is the next step for you. Now it is vital to acknowledge the stigma that follows two-year colleges, but it is simply a bad stereotype. Mr.Sternard said, “Most community colleges guarantee equal education as a four year campus, which ensures that you can transfer smoothly. When colleges look at transfer students compared to twelfth grade graduates, they often feel more comfortable accepting the older more mature and stable transfer student. This is because they have proven they can handle a college load. You most likely will not have "the college experience” on a Twoyear campus as you would on a four year campus, but if you transfer over to a four year college you may still be able to have amazing college football team spirit or an incredible college radio station.

You may wonder at some point what colleges look for or what kind of students they accept. "Colleges look for students that are a good match for the school," Mrs. Gorman said, “in order for them to have a high retention rate.” This means they do not want to accept a student that will be overwhelmed or go too much against the grain. So it is important to know what a college’s visions, missions and values are because colleges do not want you to drop out. They will not accept you if they are unsure of your compatibility with the school.

So for the bewildered student, do your research and get out there.

"Students should feel free to come ask us about college," Mr.Sternard said when asked about "clueless students." Each student on YHS campus has a specific counselor that they can meet with if they have questions about college, regardless of grade level. Counselors are there for you and your obnoxious amount of questions. Actually, the sooner the better is how it works when preparing for college or whatever post secondary education you decide to get. So do not be intimidated by the counselors or afraid of asking a stupid question; they will gladly help you.

So with all this to consider it is important to remember that you are the key element in which school you go to .who you are is important but deep inner searching is not essential. Just know the things you enjoy like the places you love going to, the subjects you are interested in, and what you enjoy doing on the weekends. Simple questions will often reveal a lot about you .You don not have to have it all figured out or even "truly know who you are." I would be sixty years old going to college if I had to know myself before I decided on a school. No shrink needed for this decision…. unless that makes you more comfortable .Just do your research, ask if you have a question and remember this is one of the only times in your life that it is all about you.

Sea of People photographs by Joy Newell

At a school as big as Yucaipa High, we pass by crowds of unknown faces every day that may have some kind of unspoken influence on us. Despite our seemingly seperate lives from each other, we are all delicately interconnected by teachers, classes, hallways, and even by our goals for the future. The decisions of the people around you indefinitely affect your life as well as the the lives of everyone at YHS.

News

Air Car

illustration by Anna Contreras

The car that will take your breath away

by Alma Hernandez Many people have heard about cars that run on vegetable oil and even electric cars, but never of a car that runs on air.

Car makers in New York have found a way to make cars that will run on air tanks. Shiva Vencat, Vice President of Zero Pollution Motors of New York, is planning on producing this car at a price of $18,000 in New York. By manufacturing the air car many people will be able to afford it. The car will be able to hold up to six people inside. Normally cars are made of steel and plastics but this car will be made of fiberglass and injected foam. For the chassis (the frame on the motor’s vehicle), the aluminum rods will be glued together and not wielded so that the car can be lighter. As for the speed, it will run about one hundred and six miles per gallon.

Gas is still involved in the process of running but it depends on how fast the car is going. If it is running less than thirty-five miles per hour it will run on air but it will not be able to go on a fast speed. After a certain speed is reached, fuel comes in and helps with the external combustion. Fuel is burned to create hot air in order to increase the car’s range.

In order to refill your air tank you will either have to use an air compressor or plug it into a power outlet for four hours.

Experts say they are unsure about people using the car since its maximum horsepower is one hundred and six miles per gallon. They also say that not anyone can prove a car can have a six seater passenger, and have seventy-five miles to the gallon. This car will not come out until 2010 for economic reasons. It will be manufactured by private plants where it can generate at least four thousand vehicles a year. People are already getting interested in the car, including Tata Motors and X Price Foundation of India. New York will be the first to build these cars, but until then we await the arrival of these modern cars.

Hurricane Hits Haiti

by Carl Little Hurricane Gustav pounded the gulf coast causing damage and driving thousands of people from the Southern regions of our country. Hurricane Gustav also ravaged some of our neighboring countries, Haiti being a perfect example. This country of nine million has been hit by almost all of the hurricanes that go through the gulf coast and Gustav was no exception. In some areas of the country there were up to twenty-five inches of rain causing deadly floods and mudslides throughout Haiti. Hurricane hunter aircrafts reported that there were winds reaching an excess of one-hundred and thirty kilometers an hour, battering the coasts and hills of the country.

Haiti had only just recovered from Tropical Storm Fey when Gustav hit. The death toll for the combined storms has reached a total of fifty-one people. On a positive note these storms were not as severe as the 2004 Tropical storm Jeanne, which killed roughly three thousand people. As a result of the frequent storms, the island nation has become extremely prone to flooding. Another problem is the excessive logging in the region. Many of the local trees were cut down to serve as charcoal, consequentially leaving the whole country vulnerable to mudslides. Gustav was forecasted to go northwest through Haiti and near the Gulf of Mexico. Computer simulations are said to have disagreed but the information has not yet been released. The Haitian government promptly declared a state of emergency. However, hundreds of people turned a blind eye to the warnings and instead protested the high living prices.

The majority of the enraged protesters reacted violently to their economic position by assaulting the local police force with rocks; U.N. peacekeepers were forced to use teargas to disperse the rioters. The hurricane was forecasted to reach speeds of one hundred and ninety kilometers an hour after leaving Haiti and would soon become a category three hurricane. Ultimately the only thing that canheal Haiti and all other countries hit by these storms is time.

Film Goes Back To The Future with New 3D Glasses

by Alma Hernandez

illustration by Svea Nau

1,000 Dinosaur Footprints Discoverd

by Joy Newell Geologists are amazed at the recent discovery for over 1,000 dinosaur footprints by the Arizona-Utah border.

Though at first glance some considered them to be huge potholes, further research and investigation confirmed that they were indeed the footprints of at least four different species of dinosaurs. Located in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, the tracks range from one to twenty inches in length and are believed to have been laid approximately 190 million years ago. Geologist are referring the area as a ‘dinosaur dance floor’ due to the amount of prints found. Researchers have not been able to match the prints to their specific species, however they have been given names based off of their size and shape such as, Anchisauripus, Sauropodomorph and Eubrontes tracks.

In London England, movie audiences will find themselves amazed with high-tech 3D glasses that will make the movie experience come alive. However, these glasses will not be the typical red and green cardboard that everyone is annoyed with wearing. Instead, they will have the same shape and form of sunglasses. The only difference between them is that these glasses with be high-tech. Already, Hollywood’s production of 3D movies has had hits and this encourages them to do a better job of making movies more realistic for audience entertainment. Some of the upcoming 3D movies are “Avatar” and “The Hobbit”. Dreamworks, the studio behind animated films, is excited about the ideas of these movies and is looking forward to seeing how the third dimension of movies will work. illustration by Svea Nau

Consumers Can Cash in Gift Cards

by Marilyn Newell As of January 1st, 2008, a new California law was passed allowing consumers the right to cash in partially or unused gift cards if the value of the card is less than ten dollars. Senate Bill 250 by Senator Ellen Corbett, is now in affect.

Prior to this law, gift cards worth less than five dollars were subject to dormancy fees a store could refuse to give the remaining value back to the consumer, no matter how small the value.

Businesses had profited considerably from millions of gift cards with small balances that are never redeemed. Among the leading companies benefiting from unredeemed gift cards was Home Depot with forty-three million dollars in profit, Limited Brands with thirty million dollars, and Nordstrom with eight million.

Richard Holober, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California said, “B-250 was based on the simple, common sense notion that consumers should get their money’s worth without having to buy something they don’t really want.” With this new law, California is now leads the nation in consumer protections for gift card users. As the holiday season approaches, gift cards may appeal to a wider range of Californians now that they know their money will not go to waste.

News

Searching Does A Brain Good

A study held at the University of California at Los Angles measured the brain activity of older adults as they searched the web.

According to Dr. Gary Small, a professor at UCLA, “One result of this study is that these technologies are not all bad. They may be good in keeping our brains active.” To conduct the experiment Dr. Small used two groups of people; one that have very little computer experience and one that was internet savy. Members of the group with more experience had more than twice the neural activation than the others while searching online. Activity took place in the decision-making and reasoning part of the brain. “The way I theorized is that when we are confronted with new mental challenges, we don’t know how to deal with it, we don’t engage neural circuits.

Once we figure out a strategy, we engage those circuits.”

illustration by Anna Contreras

by Madeline Cain

Grandma Gets Out of Jail

A Georgia grandmother was released late Thursday morning from a North Carolina jail where she had been held on charges for the death of one of her five deceased husbands. Betty Neumar, 76, is charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the 1986 death of her fourth husband Harold Gentry. Prosecutors claim that Neumar tried to hire three different men to kill Gentry in the six weeks before his brutal murder. Since her arrest in May, police have begun to investigate the deaths of her son and her three other husbands. Neumar faces no charges in those cases at this time. Police have recently closed their examinations of the death of her fifth husband John Neumar, saying they have no evidence that she was in any way involved. Neumar posted a 300,000 dollar bond late Thursday morning at the Stanly County jail where she had been held since her arrest in May. Authorities are still in the dark as to how Neumar came up with the money needed to post bail. Al Gentry, the victim’s brother, is outraged by her release. “I can’t believe they let her out. It’s just wrong, flat out wrong. I don’t understand,” Gentry said.

illustration by Anna Contreras

Facing The Facts The disease that kills at lightning speeds

by Stephanie Sanchez illustration by Katie Boddy

For years people have come across a life altering moment: the second they are diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is a disease inside the breast tissue. Every woman contains the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. When these genes contain abnormalities or mutations, you risk of becoming diagnosed with breast cancer increases. Most women with abnormal BRCA genes often have a family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both. One thing to remember, however, is women with breast cancer often times have no family history of the disease.

Men also contain breast cells, although the cells in men are less developed than those in women. Therefore, men are also at risk for breast cancer.

There are no perfect solutions to preventing breast cancer, but there are many things you can do to reduce your risk of being diagnosed. Practicing a well-balanced diet, getting the nutrients you need, exercising, keeping a healthy weight and becoming aware of your family’s medical history will keep your body strong and healthy. Knowledge of this deadly disease is the biggest power you can carry. Rather than living in the dark of myths and misunderstandings, know your pragmatic risks and defensive actions.

With breast cancer being one of the top ten causes for death in women, your best defense is a good offense. Breast cancer is not preventable, but it is treatable. Communicating with your doctor even at an early age, mammograms, and self-examinations will help you to find the cancer early, thus making it more treatable. Some facts include: your risk for breast cancer increases as you get older, a lump can indicate breast cancer but swelling, irritation, dimpling, redness and discharge are also signs that can indicate breast cancer. One out of every seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, with a result of 182,460 diagnosed women and 4,480 deaths in the year 2008.

One of those statistics could be you.

While there are many well known facts of the causes of breast cancer, there are still myths out there that people believe as facts. Drinking out of re-used water bottles and from water bottles that are left in the car are the most well-known myths out there. This statement, in fact, was a thesis to a graduate from the University of Idaho. The FDA has proved this thesis false. Another one, which says that freezing your water bottle releases dioxins that cause breast cancer, is obviously incorrect. There are no dioxins in water bottles and if anything, the freezing works as a defense in the release of dioxins. Microwaving your food in plastic containers is said to release chemicals into the food and to cause cancer. Once again, another myth in which the FDA has proven false.

Breast Cancer is not something that people can just ignore.

It is something that causes death in women as well as men and if not treated at an early stage, will be extremely fatal. Being aware of your risks, treatments available, and the facts of breast cancer, could save your life.

illustration by Michael Gillum

photograph by Alex Stolze

Cancerous Cosmetics

Beauty may be skin deep, but the affects could be deeper

by Katelyn Johnson One out of every three people are affected by cancer. Some of these cancers are caused by simply applying cosmetic products daily. More than twenty-five thousand cosmetic products are purchased and used by consumers. The warnings for these products have not been outspread to many because the companies that sell the chemical products have fear of decreasing sales. Many citizens do not take this alarm personally because they do not understand the effects cancer can give you.

Cancer is not gender specific because boys and girls both use personal hygienic care. One may think that any enhancer or reducer that one practices regularly is not of any concern, but think again. Eighty percent of the U.S. personal care products contain carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, plasticizers, degreasers, and surfactants. From items like sunscreen, lotions, baby care, to oral care, fragrances, and nail care all house hazardous elements. Make-up is one of the most commonly used items that can cause cancer of a period of time.

The Environmental Working Group has experiemented with products because no premarket safety tests are measured.

Cosmetics are designed to penetrate the skin, so it does at it is intended. Many studies remain to be researched with health risks and exposure levels. A suggestion from the Enviromental Working Group asks to use more organic products sporadically to better yourself from stregnthening an infected tumor. They have also made a web site www.cosmeticsdatabase.com , which campaigns for safer cosmetics. Since 2004, over 80,000,000 people have searched this homepage for their product inqueries. This site grades a cosmetic on a scale; 0-2 has low hazard, 3-6 has moderate hazard, and 7-10 is high hazard. Be sure to use this to your advantage while you still can.

Features

Diet

Frenzy

How “healthy alternatives” are weighing in written and photographed by Madeline Cain illustration by Katie Boddy

You blast through the front door after a long, tedious day at school. You are utterly exhausted as you walk lethargically towards your kitchen. At last, you reach the fridge and you open the door.

You catch a glimpse of what could be the two most beautiful things you have ever seen. An un-opened can of Diet Coke and a low fat fudge cake is calling your name. You take the soda off the top shelf and save the cake for later. A tear comes to your eye as you open this sacred vessel. As you take your first wonderful sip of heaven, you begin to think, “Is this too good to be true?”

Unfortunately it is too good to be true. In fact, each beloved can of diet soda contains a reasonable amount of a well-known chemical called aspartame. You may have heard it mentioned on the news and you may have even been fully aware that you were putting it into your body on a daily basis, but you probably did not know the full effects of this horrid chemical on your body.

Aspartame is a neurotoxic and potentially carcinogenic high intensity sweetener. However, this sweetener is not as “sweet” as one may think. Aspartame has been blamed for an array of frightening maladies, which include diabetes, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, birth defects, and arthritis. Want more bad news? When aspartame is paired with carbohydrates, it slows the production of serotonin in your brain. You need a good level of serotonin to be happy and healthy. The FDA has had more complaints about aspartame than any other ingredient to this day.

Aspartame is not the only thing to worry about in your drink of choice. Nothing in diet soda, or any soda for that matter, is good for you. When a component of aspartame called methyl alcohol enters your body it forms formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is used in laboratories by scientists as a disinfectant or preservative. They do not drink it. Formaldehyde is toxic and cancerous. The most frightening thing is that this horrible beverage does not even have to enter your body for formaldehyde to form. It can form inside the can or bottle from which you are consuming it.

When asked which of the two beverage choices—diet or regular sodas— students at Yucaipa High School felt were better for their bodies, a significantly greater amount of students said diet. In fact sixty-four percent of the fifty randomly selected students surveyed

said that diet was the better choice. Only thirty-six percent were correct in saying that full calorie soda was the better choice. “Diet sodas are better for you because they are made with no sugar, so they don’t make you fat,” a Yucaipa High School senior, Nathan Finks said.

To the astonishment of many, those who drink diet soda have a greater chance of becoming overweight than those who drink regular, full-calorie soda. Diet beverages, regardless of how many calories they contain, wreak havoc on weight loss efforts and ultimately cause weight gain. “There are mechanisms to see this is causing serious problems for some [people].

I don’t recommend it for anyone frankly. Many patients find it stimulates the appetite.” Dr. Arthur Foreman, M.D. said. There are two major reasons why diet beverages cause weight to increase. First, the sweet taste in diet soda causes an insulin spike, which blocks the body’s ability to burn fat. Second, the artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas disrupt satiety, or the feeling of being full.

Therefore, the calories that diet soda lacks are made up for in the extra food you consume in its place.

As for that low fat fudge cake you were saving for later, “fat free” or “low fat” food products are no better for you than diet sodas. Despite what you may think, these foods are not made of miracles. They contain products and byproducts that are as fattening and unhealthy as the products that are not “fat free.” A fat free diet does not insure weight loss. Fat in foods delivers the sense that one has had enough to eat. If there is no fat in the meal, one can keep on eating and eating until they are truly stuffed, ending up with many more calories than there would have been in the first place.

People who drink or eat diet or fat free products also tend to over eat these because they think that these foods are not going to count towards their daily intake. When something claims to be “Fat Free,” it does not mean you can over-indulge yourself with these “lower fat” versions.

Drinking diet soda and eating fat free or low fat foods can leave you sick, fat, and unhappy. The next time you rush to your refrigerator for a diet soda and a low calorie snack, think twice about what it is that you are putting into your body. If you truly want to live a healthier lifestyle or lose weight, you may want to consider sticking to nature’s sweetest treats: good old fruits and vegetables.

“Those who drink diet soda have a greater chance of becoming overweight than those who drink regualr, full calorie soda.”

Legacy

Leaving your mark on the world

by Stephanie Sanchez If you were asked today to write one last statement before your death, what would you say? How would you conjure up the last page of your written legacy? The fact of the matter is, you cannot just write your legacy down; it has to be lived. Life provides no guarantees of waking up tomorrow morning. If that is the case, all we have left of someone or ourselves is the will of who we or they were. Legacy can be considered the history of a normal persons dreams, hopes, and what they lived for. Thus, the question: What can we do today to start living the legacy we will leave behind?

There are no set guidelines to live by to make sure that your name is in newspapers every year on the anniversary of your death. There is no book that will give you a week by week plan to help you achieve such a success. The people who have left a mark on this world and in our lives most likely did it on their own, and with their own strength.

Take for instance, Martin Luther King Jr. King’s passion for racial equality. It gave him the strength to lead so many people to acceptance of color. Although this change did not happen right away, in the long run it made an incredible impact on our society. King is known and remembered, even with his own holiday, because of his strength and perseverance. Clearly it is difficult for someone to achieve such accomplishments like King did, but perhaps that is not what you are destined to do.

Now take a look at someone close to you; someone who you

Haunted Placesand

illustration by Anna Contreras

look up to. What is their legacy? Is it the way that person enjoyed life? Perhaps it is the way they fought for what they believed in, or their perseverance. Often times we do not need to look further than our own ancestors, parents or grandparents, to realize that even their legacy, their influence that lives on into our lives. It may be as simple as the way they conducted their lives that are leaving such an impression on us today.

These days so many people are forgetful and live insanely busy lives. Stopping to think about what they desire to leave behind never crosses their minds. In reality, that might be what matters most. Simply existing and living life without regrets and fighting for what you believe in can be a legacy worth more than leaving a lasting impression to the billions of people in this world, let alone the city you live in. One thing to keep in mind is no ones life is meaningless. In fact, they are the exact opposite. Every action we take part in, every accomplishment, little or small, makes us who we are. Everyone has an opportunity to “make an impression on the world” per say, and it is up to us to decide what that will be. A legacy is someones history and accomplishments. What will your legacy be?

Ghostly Spaces

by Katie Boddy photograph by Joy Newell We all know that feeling that we get when we are alone in a dark room late at night; that feeling of someone watching you from the window or the door that you casually left ajar or the “noises” that come from the darkest corner at random. Everyone, typically, just pushes those thoughts and feelings out of their head in order to calm down, but have you ever questioned them? With the “Haunting Season” upon us, there are more questions and interests arising left and right. According to legend, there are multiple spots in the Inland Empire which ghosts, or spirits, call home. For example, the well known Pendleton Road here in Yucaipa is supposedly haunted by a woman who was killed in a car accident in the late 1950’s. She reportedly tried crawling out of the car, but died a few feet away due to injuries.

Another well known spot is Mariposa Elementary School in Redlands.

A few decades ago, a young boy was killed by a school bus and died in the nurse’s office on school grounds. A few reports say that if you knock on the nurse’s door someone will knock back when no one else is around. It has also been said that if you swing on the swings, you will hear someone swinging next to you as the swing moves back and

forth. There are no promises that one will encounter a spirit lurking around dark corners at night, but if one does, do not be alarmed. Many people that have had a one on one encounter have reported ‘friendly’ and ‘nonchalant’ spirits, unlike the ones depicted in movies and novels written by Steven King.

If you have ever driven up through Oak Glen, you have most likely noticed the set of stairs that lead to absolutely nowhere.

Ever wondered what they used to lead to? As the story goes, an older woman used to live in a house perched upon that hill and the townspeople accused her of witchery. As time went on, the woman died and the house was demolished, with the staircase as the only exception.

Rumor has it that a few boys were playing around when one of them went up the stairs to retrieve their ball and never returned. When his counterpart went to see what was wrong, he found his friend lying dead at the top of the stairs. Their spirits reside there to this very day. There have been reports of two “ghostly figures” walking around upon the hill and at the top of the stairs, but no one has had actually contact with the two. With the knowledge of these areas, keep in mind that they are not to be disrespected or tampered with.

Happy haunting, everyone!

WaCkY

by Cassie French illustration by Anna Contreras

Features

WEDdiNgS

There was once a time when a young woman’s dream wedding would be held in an enormous chapel. The bride would wear a long, flowing white dresses while the groom would wear a cleancut tuxedo. Times have changed since then and people have been choosing to have weddings in odd places.

Jason Storm and his wife, Rachael, had unusual plans for their wedding, which took place in early September of this year.

Just what was their chapel of choice? A funeral home in St. Joseph, Michigan.

"This room is usually filled with sadness and contemplation, but today it is filled with joy and celebration," Reverend Greg Prather said at the start of the wedding ceremony. The Storm’s may have had an unusual location for their wedding but it was nothing compared to the strangeness of other rising trends.

When younger women plan their weddings, they often want to recreate an old fairytale favorite for the event. However, one recent wedding was more scientific than fantasy. It seems like Star Wars has been popping up everywhere, but one would not expect it to show up in a wedding. Rebecca D’madeiros and Bill Duda were married in their backyard in Portland, Oregon. The couple requested that all of the guests dress as characters from the Star Wars films. The intergalactic wedding plans took over nine months to prepare.

"Rebecca and I are massive fans of the films and when we were planning the wedding we thought, why not Star Wars?" Mr. Duda said after the wedding ceremony. "It was a lot of fun - after all, it is not every day you get to be married by Yoda."

Dressed as the characters Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar from the Star Wars series, the bride and groom were led by Storm troopers into their garden.

Even so, Star Wars is not everyone’s dream wedding theme. Some couples want to get married at the beach. For others, a wedding on a beach is too boring and they have to take it even further. Sure, you can get married on a desolate island or in a cemetery, or even on a freefall sky dive, but for the crazier couples, tying the knot underwater is the best way. Many couples choose to spice up their beach weddings by taking the plunge. Who could resist the magnificence of an undersea wedding? There is a certain beauty in being surrounded by sea life and getting married in a world that is completely different than ours.

Even though people think that chapel weddings are traditional and should be used, there is really no limit as to how and where a couple can be married. Whether it be saying vows at the bottom of the ocean, an intergalactic ceremony, or even an old traditional wedding, your wedding is your choice. You may not be facing this choice right now, but when it comes up remember to express your creative side.

The Art of

DIVERSITY

How a new council at YHS plans to turn ignorance and intollerance upside-down written by Matthew Darrow and Mariyn Newell photographed by Joy Newell

S

itting in the musky library during lunch, one would not expect this usually isolated area to be bustling with commotion. Looking over the busy-body atmosphere taking place, it would be difficult not to have attention drawn to the extreme diversity of the room. In his oversized t-shirt and sagging stressed shorts, one whom most would view as intimidating or “gang-related� strides toward a quiet table. Whereas it would usually be understood that the group of competing valedictorians should awkwardly shy away, they welcome him with smiles and beckon him to sit down. Behind them, a lanky boy in ultra-skinny jeans and well-adorned with piercings and bright accessories is collaborating with a bubbly cheerleader. This unlikely array of students has come together with a mission to combat prejudice, segregation, and a lack in school involvement that have plagued the student body.

This is the Leadership Diversity Council and they are here at Yucaipa High School.

Hidden behind the façade of beautiful rolling hills and sunny afternoons, discrimination is alive and well at YHS. Where nameslandering and acts of hate are left to thrive, it seems as if every attempt to mend a corrupt community faces a hopeless cause.

Nevertheless, whether bigoted acts are based on apathy, personal choices, or outside factors, the council has decided that these issues need to be faced head on.

One of the issues that every student encounters on a daily basis is name-slandering. With an egotistical world, being complacent with the criticism of others has become implanted in the culture of teenage society. Whether it is as a form of entertainment or an indication of camaraderie, slandering gives one a sense or purpose and superiority. Speaking down to someone can even elicit a way of communicating an otherwise undesirable truth without having to suffer the full consequences. It is easy to understand the insecurities that many high school students face, but most people are struggling to find the correct way to deal with this. Unfortunately, many opt out by pulling attention away from their imperfections by focusng on the impurities of others.

Additionally, the discretion of others’ values is one of the major driving forces behind seditious acts. Allowing religion and politics to dictate friends and social circles is a further pain of intolerance.

It is one thing to grow close to those who share similar values and another to rebuke those who do not.

Intolerance can even manifest itself through the lighthearted use of derogatory terms. Whether it is flippant jabs at sexual orientation, race, gender or religious figures, it can be interpreted as an incredibly ruthless attack. Emma Kane, a member of the Leadership Diversity Council said, “Intolerance is not just happening in LA or Compton, but it is happening in Yucaipa and at our school as well.”

There are uncontrollable factors that many students use to determine how they should treat the people around them.

Social cliques based on monetary income are one of the more irrational ones. After all, the level of income for a particular student is inherited rather than gained by that individual. The harsh truth of it is that Yucaipa has its very own “caste system,” with designer brands at the top and clearance racks crowding the bottom. This is a severe problem because unmerited judgment based on materialism - or even self expression and race - causes social isolation and exclusive attitudes, both of which are prevalent at YHS. It eventually distracts from the learning environment and hinders everyone from making the most of their high school experience.

When people fear coming to class to the point that they view school as an obligation rather than a privilege, attendance and performance take a dramatic plunge. Teens become “anti-school.”

Cover Story

Everyone has had an experience or at least the desire to skip class for various reasons, from a bad hair day to the fear of harassment. Poor attendance, however, is the least of negative effects.

After the recent school lockdown drill, the reality of a Columbine shooting is fresh in the minds of students at YHS. However, too often such drills bring to the mind the effects of the problem, rather than the manifestation of.

Yucaipa High School, in a middle class and predominantly Caucasian community, perfectly fits the very profile of a school shooting. When students bully their peers because of differences and beliefs, they do not often understand the full potential of their actions. Harassing and bullying have been linked to 75% of schoolshooting incidents, and one out of every ten students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying.

The way that people are treated in high school often determines how they act the rest of their lives.

These issues and more are what spurred the forming of the Leadership Diversity Council. It is supervised by Mr. Brunette, Mrs. Aranda, and a variety of other teachers passionate about the cause. Staff members from all around campus nominated more than sixty students to be on the council. Motivated to unite the student body and abolish these uncalled-for hindrances to the “high school experience,” they meet several times a month as an entire group and also in committees.

The staff leaders went through a two-month process reviewing nominations and interviewing students in order to come up with just the right group. Mr. Brunette said, “We really wanted to have students from every group on campus,” and that he is hoping their actions will, “have a ripple effect on the community.” Simply stated, the main purpose of the council is to, “help people learn,” by breaking down the barriers of intolerance and segregation to remove the negative distractions from the school environment.

According to Mr. Brunette, the idea of a Leadership Diversity Council is not exactly foreign to YHS. In the 1980s, a “Diversity Club” was founded, but did not achieve its purpose, probably due to inactivity and lack of movement. To prevent this from happening, each year the members of the council will re-apply for positions and new members will be nominated. This way, the students will stay passionate and highly motivated.

“Intolerance is not just happening in LA or Compton, but it is happening in Yucaipa and at our school as well.”

R

eef Spelman is the active President of the Leadership Diversity Council. Though he may seem like the average teenager this seventeen year-old had to deal with more than one would assume. These struggles, however, have given him a passion for the goals that the council hopes to achieve.

Reef’s father past away on December 25th of last year at approximately 6:00 PM due to an extensive aggression of a form of skin cancer. Only ninety days stood between his diagnosis and his passion. “I watched him die every day,” Reef said as he recalled his father’s final days. As with anyone sturggling with grief, Reef’s family needed all the support they could get, and they certainly recieved it. Friends became family, and family became even closer.

The inability to understand the full extent of lossing a loved one until one experiences it first hand is a sad yet incredilous truth. Reef, however, prefers to remember the better of the situation. “It made me stronger,” Reef said. His father, no matter his measure of health, taught Reef a set of values that are instilled in him to this very day and that are surely not about to be forgotten.

“He really taught me how to be kind.” It takes a great deal of compassion and determination to face the incoherant upredictability of life. While this loss might hinder some from staying social and making new friends, it merely inspired Reef to do the opposite. This might explain his nomination as President of the council.

Reef is determined that the council will make a dramatic impact on the student body this year.

He has taken it upon himself to check on every committee at any chance he can get. “I have at least one meeting for Diversity [Council] a day,” he said.

Being the student with the tremendous resposibility of being President for the newly formed Leadership Diversity Coucil, he puts exreme effort into the job. He has made a special request regarding his role in the council: he would like to dedicate his role as this year’s President to his father. “I know you’re watching over me, and I can only hope that I will make you proud and teach the rest of the world what you have so spiritedly taught me.”

A

nother noteworthy member of the council is Emma Kane. She is particularly fervent about the council because the issues of intolerance and prejudice hit close to home. As an Asian-American and an adopted child from Korea, she knows better than most what it is like to feel out of place. Both of her adopted parents are Caucasian, and she has a brother who is also adopted from Korea but not blood related.

Growing up, she always felt accepted in early grade school and on. That is, until she started attending a private Christian school. There, where they even had a special cultural program, she felt largely discriminated against. When she came to Yucaipa High, though, she had a different experience. “Surprisingly, Yucaipa High has made me feel more accepted than a private Christian school ever did.” Encompassed by a loving group of friends, she was free to be her fun and peculiar self without ever feeling prematurely judged. “I just want people to feel as accepted as I do here at YHS,” she said. As a cabinet member and committee leader in the council, she is excited and geared up to help people do just that.

W

ith highly ambitious goals for the future of YHS, if they do not have a strict plan of action the Leadership Diversity Council will seem like nothing more than a group of lofty idealists. However, they have a mission and they know exactly what they need to do to accomplish it.

The way the group is divided up, each committee has a specific undertaking and leaders within the group to help them fulfil it. The lunchtime committee is already worked on its first assignment: Homecoming week. The coucil will be hosted an array of exciting activities every day of the week at lunch. The council members also plan to make items such as shirts, stickers, and other accessories that will promote diversity throughout the school.

Cover Story

Another committee within the council hopes to primarily spread awareness of the council itself. Others help with fundraising, and the communication committee heads interaction with other school clubs and organization. For example, the recent can food drive was a biproduct of a collaboration between the GSA Club, Interact Club, and LDC. Perhaps one of the most interesting committees within the council is the Peer Counseling committee. This exists to allow trained students to counsel each other about personal and academic issues.

With student leaders that help them stay revved up and subgroups within the council that are designated to do specific tasks, they are well on their way to making a real difference on campus.

Reef Spellman, student President of the council said, “I know that

this Leadership Diversity Council will be a success and in later years, maybe become a nationwide experience.�

At the core of the issue, the ideal is not one of tolerance. To tolerate something brings forth the idea of blocking out the noise of something obnoxious or intrusive. However, on the other end of the spectrum some would view the idea of complete acceptance of all beliefs as a trap that will painfully chip away at their personal convictions. Rather, a very fragile balance must be obtained between the annoyance of blocking out our differences and compromising them. This is the mission of the council, and the mission they hope to spread to the entire student body. After all, you can not have harmony without signing different notes.

Hats Off

Entertainment

to the movies

Bolt November 21, 2008

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Look for it on DVD

Bolt is a dog who stars as a superhero in a TV show. However, the poor dog believes everything that happens in the show is real, and when he is accidentally sent to New York City, he embarks on an adventure to find his owner Penny, who he believes is kidnapped. He attempts to find Penny with the help of a house cat and a hamster. This movie is guaranteed to bring smiles to the faces of movie goes of all ages.

In this fun sequel to the first Madagascar movie, all the original characters try to escape from the jungles of Madagascar. Unfortunately, their poorly manned aircraft lands in the wild plains of Africa.

As hilarity ensues, the animals make amazing discoveries and find out their true identities. But will this fun new landscape ever compare to their hometown of New York City?

Twilight November 21, 2008

Based on the popular books by Stephenie Meyer, this movie tells the story of an immortal vampire named Edward, and his mortal, human girlfriend, Bella Swan.

Just when it seems these two are beginning to see past the obstacles in their relationship, enemy vampires show up in town and threaten Bella’s life. Can Edward resist his instincts to keep Bella alive? And more importantly, can he stop the others from killing his one true love? Sure to be packed with action, adventure, and romance, this movie is a must see.

*all images provided by movies.com

Marley and Me December 25, 2008

Based on the book by John Grogan, this movie is about a reporter who moves to Florida to settle down with his wife. When he decides to buy a Labrador puppy named Marley, however, both their lives are in for a change. A heartwarming tale of life and life lessons, this movie will bring a touching moment into the lives of anyone who watches it.

illustration by Anna Contreras

illustration by Kendall Olivares

Contradicting genres guilty by association written and photographed by Kendall Olivares

The term rap, which means to discuss or debate informally, derived from a variety of backgrounds. One of the terms originations was in the African-American communities of New York City. In Great Britain, “rap” in the sixteenth century was slang, meaning to converse. Rapping is also known as flowing, spitting, and emceeing. It is poetry interwoven with music or a beat, and a flow is the dynamics and patterns of vocal rhythm.

The “flow” is injected with similes, metaphors, alliteration, clever wordplay, and of course, rhymes. In order for emcees to successfully deliver a satisfying flow, they must develop vocal presence, enunciation, and breath control. Vocal presence is the originality and distinctiveness of a rapper’s voice. Enunciation is also essential to a flow; which some choose to use to exaggerate it for comic and artistic effect. Breath control is a technique used to prevent unexpected pauses in the flow to be aesthetically pleasing to the listener. These varieties of techniques make rapping an art form.

Hip-hop is not only a genre of music, but also a cultural phenomenon that has swept through both the urban and suburban cities of America. Hip-Hop is controversial and often referred to as the “cancer of our society”. Many declare that the music genre is a “disease”. Others argue saying that statement is a bit overexaggerated; it is more of a symptom. A disease is what consumes the body; something that is a problem. A symptom, on the other hand, is one of many signs of what the problem could be. Hip-Hop is nothing more than a device used to voice these issues. The artists pen their negative experiences and the listeners have the choice to be influenced, or simply entertained. Many can identify with this music, which is another reason hip-hop has become more mainstream throughout the years.

One difference between the two genres is that hip-hop is universal and rap is regional. Countries all over the world have adopted hip-hop and while the music style stays consistent, the different cultures heavily influence the sound the artists produce in the specific region from which it originates. The reason for this is rap is a sub-genre of hip-hop. Hip-Hop has infused with other genres as well such as jazz, reggae, funk, soul, rock and Latin styles, which make for interesting sounds. Rap is the wordplay aspect of HipHop and varies in style depending on its origin.

Hip-hop is considered the art while Rap remains the sport. The

elements of hip- hop consist of Graffiti, BBoys, DJs, and emcees. These elements take hip-hop from just a music genre into its very own role in the culture, which makes it bigger than just a music genre.

Graffiti is the visual expression of Hip-Hop while B-Boying is the physical expression. “DJing” is the instrumental illustration and MCing, which we know as Rap, is the vocal expression of hip-hop.

Rap resembling the sport-like realm of hip-hop, is a constant competition in which emcees are relentlessly striving to be the head of their art. This is known as “battling or beefing”. Battling is usually set in a location where both emcees clash head to head to prove they are better than their opponent. Beefing is a tension between opposing artists in which they ridicule each other on records they have released. One prime example of this is the beef between Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace. Sadly, this beef ended in tragedy. Both were gunned down by unknown assailants on separate occasions. To this day both artists remain martyrs for the harsh consequences of how far a few words can go.

Despite its acceptance in society, some still condemn the music’s vulgar and explicit lyrics and misconstrue the intentions of the content. Although it is true that some artists promote lifestyles that no one should have to experience, it all comes back to what the listener gains from the music. It is an eye-opener to the oblivious flaws in society and people. With understanding and/or revelation, the art can be seen from a new perspective. Hip-hop as well as rap, share entertainment value that brings people of many backgrounds together as one.

Regardless of their distinctions, understanding their differences is essential to the appreciation of both.

Entertainment

Best Rapper Alive?

Or reasonably the most popular

by Michael Craver Three o’clock in the afternoon; you get in your car and turn on the radio. Guaranteed, you will hear the latest track from today’s biggest pop stars. This has been the norm for almost as long as all of us can remember. Over the last year, the routine of this pop-media cycle has not changed much, but a new habit seems to be forming. A relatively new but fast emerging artist has been making his way onto the airwaves in almost all of today’s big hits. His name is Dwayne Carter, but you may know him as the infamous Lil’ Wayne (or for die-hard fans, Weezy F. Baby) Undoubtedly, he can be claimed, and has even been known to coin himself, “the best rapper alive.” Over the past six months with the release of his highly anticipated album The Carter III, which shattered previous records by selling over one million copies in the first week out, it looks as if his title as best rapper alive has evolved to flat out rock star. His guest appearances on “chart topping” hits have progressed from hiphop and rap hits to more popular rock hits. Being the most popular performer in the media right now (aside from that of The Joe Bros or Miley Cyrus) we are posed with the question that everyone seems to arrive at blank-mindedly: Where did he come from and why does everyone obsess over his tracks?

To one of our questions, the answer can be found relatively easy. Dwayne Carter hails from New Orleans, Illinois. It has been stated that he started rapping at the age of eleven to get signed by respective hiphop label Cash Money Records as a young teenager. It seemed that Wayne began to be focused on training and practicing relentlessly to achieve the title as best rapper.

By the age of twenty, he made his way to the big league; MTV with the release of his album The Carter II. Maybe some of you remember his first hit, “Fireman.” From there on out, he began appearing on tracks with more relatively known artists such as R&B group Destiny’s Child and pop-singer Rob-

in Thicke. Li Wayne’s unique style of fluent analogies and asthmatic-like laughing made a mark on popular music and helped him gain his independence from most rapper and performers alike. Over the next two years, Wayne hit the studio relentlessly and began creating a plethora of songs that would soon find their way to the internet.

Little did he know that the misfortune of a year’s worth of leaked tracks and possible, profitable tracks would create a spark for himself that would soon be followed blazing across the web like wild fire.

With this, Wayne officially caught the eye of the mainstream and with the intensity and rapidness of how fast he began putting out songs, his next plan was clear: take over the mainstream.

Wayne began his next endeavor with the mix-tape game. For those of you who do not know what a mix-tape is, a mix-tape is a collection of songs put together for strictly

began sprouting up all over the internet.

Weeks later, the completed Carter III had been leaked onto the internet in its full entirety by an anonymous source. Wayne retaliated by stating that most of the songs that managed to find their way online probably would not make the final cut for the real album. Regardless of his loss of material, it is clear that the eighteen leaked tracks helped even more towards his popularity and reputation, and the overall hype and excitement of his work.

The following months of Carter’s life were dedicated towards the final sessions of making the REAL Carter III album. Although he has stated that the songs leaked in the previous months were not actual material, one can only wonder why the official release date of the album was pushed back 6 months. He then hit the studio for the actual release and kept his material under very tight wrap while he worked on bringing his fans excitement up to a previously unseen level.

Come early April 2008, he released the first official single from the Carter III, “Lollipop”. The song quickly rose to the top of the billboards as Wayne’s first release of his highly, and long-waited, anticipated album. On May 25th, Carter III was released world-wide and sold over a milli, one million, copies in the U.S. alone in the first week.

Since the release, Wayne has received various awards for music videos and astronomical amounts of airplay with his tracks, and almost routine-like guest appearances on other tracks. From as far as I can tell in a popular-media sense, it seems that Wayne is adamant about keeping his spot as number one until he reaches ‘a billi.’

“Regardless of his loss of material, it is clear that the eighteen leaked tracks helped even more towards his popularity and reputation.” non-profit previewing and to showcase an artist’s latest creative style and aim. For Carter, this was “The Drought 3”. He and several producers collected 2006’s biggest hit tracks and put his own special brand of verses and touches over the music. This launched Wayne into complete recognition. He encouraged popular downloading of the tracks, as he frequently announces on the mix-tape- “free of charge.” Now that Wayne had successfully ignited the hip-hop and popular rap scene, his career had completely launched as he began appearing on many rap and hip-hop artists tracks.

The success of his mix-tape became apparent so Wayne began to work on the already highly anticipated, Carter III. After complete isolation in the studio, rumors of Wayne completing his next album had

With the increasing popularity of the music scene, more people are indulging themselves in the music atmosphere. In the midst of all the tours that are coming up, people are going to be rushing to be there. Here are some of the anticipated shows that you might be interested in.

by Andrea Lee

Hip Hop/Rap

Rock Noah and The Whale Location: Troubadour, West Hollywood When: December 18 Time: 8:00PM

Kayne West, T.I. Busta Rhymes Location: Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk When: December 11 Time: 7:15 PM Lil Wayne Location: Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk When: December 21 Time: 7:45

Kotton Mouth Kings Location: Grove of Anaheim When: December 26 Time: 7:30 PM

Pop Band of the Month Bloc Party Location: Grove of Anaheim When: December 15 Time: 8:00 PM

Katy Perry Location: The Wiltern, Los Angeles When: Janurary 31 Time: 8:00 PM

Country/Folk City and Colour Location: El Rey Theatre When: January 28 Time: 7:30 PM

by Aaron Cortez

Jon Young is a new, up and coming hip-hop artist and music producer. He has roughly 160,000 fans and nearly thirty-four million total song plays on his Myspace profile. He is becoming one of the biggest rappers from Orlando, Florida. His home town fans are huge supporters, and it shows with the nine million plays of his song “City I Luv”. His songs have a downsouth feel to them that could only come from the state of Florida. Even though some of his songs have more of a R&B feel to them, he still puts out songs that appeal to people who enjoy rap.

While most rappers are rapping about negative things, Jon Young takes a more optimistic approach with his songs. In the music he produces, there is not much mention of drugs or even violence. His song “Now They Wanna” featuring fellow rapper J. Cash, tells the story of him being ditched when he was younger because he refused to take part in drinking and smoking. Now, looking at his success, it seems that he made the right choices. While staying out of trouble, he got into rapping and from there it was a hit. He currently has three albums, all of which can be found on iTunes. For a while, Young was making albums without any labels. He and Cash decided to make things more official, so they went ahead and created their own label. Cash came up with the label name based on one of their track titles, “Sky Skrapin’.” He says the name reminds them that “the sky is the limit.”

Young is still only an aspring rapper, but with the way things are looking he will have a major impact on the music industry.

Book Review: Twilight Saga

by Marilyn Newell photograph by Joy Newell

Although it is almost completely void of any profound symbolism, philosophical themes or other marks of great literature, the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyers has still taken our generation by storm. Written at simplistic level about a romance between a vampire and fragile human girl, this series of books appeals to more than the stereotypical weak hearted teenage girl, and for good reason.

Edward Cullen is a debonair teenage vampire but unlike the orthodox vampire, he only eats animals, and only in areas with overpopulation. This eco-friendly fact alone would make any girl swoon. When he falls for the selfless mortal Bella, two worlds collide into a whirlwind romance. Disgustingly perfect for each other and both ridiculously sacrificial, their relationship is utterly unrealistic and yet completely worthy of envy.

For the sector of readers not quite so interested in the romance, this series is equally packed with gut-wrenching thrills and adventure. Beyond the gushy relationship of Bella and Edward, extreme hunts, runaways, and run-ins with werewolves keep things interesting. The fact that one is never quite sure which “side” of the good VS evil battle they should be on makes the escapade that much more worth getting in to.

The cult-like mania that these books have inspired evolved because of that very idea. Even teachers at YHS sport “Team Jacob” and “Team Edward” clothing to express which side of the “fight,” they’re on. Often compared to the Harry Potter series, the tales of Edward and Bella are so captivating that the mere turn of a page will make you feel like you are a part of a completely new world, and one that is hard to come out of once you are done.

Despite a great deal of criticism focused on how impractical the storyline is or the ridiculous expectations that the “Bella and Edward relationship” supposedly imposes on teenage girls, no one can deny the fascinating story it holds.

With beautiful unpredictability and Meyer’s brilliant way to make every reader happy with the outcome, the Twilight Saga craze has only just begun.

Internet Insanity

by Carl Little photograph by Alex Stolze

In the last fifteen years the World Wide Web has taken the globe by storm. Millions upon millions use this portal to the rest of the world to express beliefs and share knowledge.

Its warm reception from all people and cultures is attributed to one thing... freedom. The internet is a limitless source of knowledge where any man or woman can find whatever they want to.

Unfortunately private companies have been attempting to bar down the internet. Something as horrible as this is a great threat to all that the web has accomplished.

Comcast has started enforcing their limit on internet use for their customers and many have responded in outrage. George Nussbaum is one of these people. He expected high speed internet with the intent of heavy use. He said many things about the resulting letters from Comcast which threatened him with the termination of his service. Nussbaum said, “Until last summer the service was advertised as unlimited.” When he got his first warning he had no problem with cutting back, but there was no clear number given to him. He inquired with the company and they had no answer for him, so he was blindly trying to keep from going over the limit. Nussbaum and his family used the internet in great quantities so the new policies hit them especially hard. He received another warning threatening termination from Comcast only a few months later. “How am I supposed to know what my limits are?”

Nussbaum said, “It was actually kind of ridiculous.”

Thousands of people with the same problems as George have posted complaints and have discussed the issue on the net with the same problems as Nussbaum. Even people on the inside of

the company protested the change. A well distinguished Comcast employee, who wished to remain anonymous in fear of losing his job, said, “Letter trigger usage alone uses about one-hundred gigabytes a month!”

DSL providers are taking advantage of this foolish move by Comcast. They have lowered their prices to amounts as low as twenty-seven dollars a month to beat out the competition. David Willis, an analyst explained what Comcast is doing. “The cable companies in the U.S. have this history of trying to engineer multiple, tiers, multiple grades of service,” said Willis. “So far they’ve been highly unsuccessful in doing that.” Comcast flaunts their power by threatening “over users” claiming they decrease the quality of their neighbors service, but they have yet to come up with even a smidgen of evidence. Hopefully Comcast will continue to be unsuccessful in their risky venture because if they succeed there may be huge consequences that no one could have foreseen.

Consumers are not the only ones with a problem; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been hounding Comcast about their new “restrictions” also. There have been ongoing lawsuits filed by the FCC towards Comcast for severely cutting internet speed for users of file sharing programs like Bittorrent or Limewire. The FCC demanded internet equality for the customers and Comcast eventually had to give in. To fight the equality that they were forced to put in place Comcast put the “caps” that were stated earlier. They finally announced the number. Two hundred and fifty gigabytes a month is the cap for their customers.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin openly spoke against Comcast and their nonstop effort to chain down the internet, as reflected in his writing. “I believe that the commission must remain vigilant in protecting consumers’ access to content on the Internet.” said Martin. “Thus, it is critically important that the commission take seriously and respond to complaints that are filed about arbitrary limits on broadband access and potential violations of our principles.” Martin said. “Indeed, I have publicly stated that the commission stands ready to enforce this policy statement and protect consumers’ access to the Internet.” If the FCC fails in its efforts it may be a dark day indeed for the millions of people around the world using the internet.

Remembering our Animation Fascination Classic animation for new African-American Disney princess

by Elizabeth Tompkins Some of our earliest childhood memories are of Disney movies, from classics such as Snow White to the more modern animation, like Cars and Finding Nemo. As we mature media wise , most of the original animation is lost to computer graphics, creating a more finished look, which seems to appeal to the younger audience.

It is also apparent that these digital creations are lacking character, and leave us ‘old timers’ filled with nostalgia for a simpler time. Very few of these movies have captured the immortality that the Disney we grew up with did. Who will ever forget Disney’s rendition of Cinderella, or Peter Pan? These new flicks have a short spurt of popularity, are merchandised at retail companies like McDonalds, then die away to a cheap memory.

Perhaps the heads at disney had the same thoughts, because they have let it be released that they are releasing a new movie… and a new disney princess to boot. How can she compete with the firsts though, like Belle,Snow white, Cinderella?

Well, she might just be up to par. For one, she is Disney’s first black princess. Disney started using multiracial princesses in 1992 with Jasmine from “Alladin”, all other princesses up till then were white. They are calling this an American fairy tale, though in all technicality, “Pochahantas” was truly the first, being set in the discovery of America itself.

Set in 1920’s New Orleans, Princess Tiana is an AfricanAmerican girl living in the french quarter in the Jazz age, and the story plot? Well, it is as self explanatory as the title, which is The Frog Princess! Thank god they are once again taking an original fairy tale to do this, instead of a over commercialized topic that no one has ever heard of before. It will be directed by the same people who did ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘Alladin’, and ‘Hercules’ . A large influence of the making of this movie comes from Hurricane Katrina; the New Orleans setting is largely in honor of the storm that ransacked the city in 2005 . The movie is set to be released in 2009.

illustration by Michael Gillum

Columns

Texas Schools and

Guns How a local school district is doing a bang up job of protecting their students

by Elizabeth Thompkins The thought of a teacher bringing a gun to school sounds ludicrous. You almost expect the next line to be a body count of the victims. Not here though, as a Texas school system has made it legal for teachers to bring at least a small handgun on school campus to keep in the classroom. A little more than one hundred students attend classes at Harrold Elementary, but the school is a good thirty miles from a town. The thought behind this decision is in hopes to ward off a massacre as was seen in the Columbine attacks in 1999, though it seems that ten years to take action and pass a protective law might be a bit long when it comes to a school safety precaution. The district superintendant David Thweatt said that the school board unanimously voted the new procedure in, and so far, no parents have complained. This is false according to the statements of one mother, Traci McKay, who has three children that attend.

She said, “I should have been informed, if something happens, do we really want all these people shooting at each other?” She is afraid, however, to petition against this issue, lest her children face the repercussions. “We were pretty much told to deal with this or move.” She was not informed to this new method of school security until a mere two weeks before school started.

Several other residents have complained that the school board did not get public opinion before making this momentous decision. Other options explored were as severe as Tasers, tranquilizer guns, mace, and armed security guards, but they were vetoed because all were found ‘lacking’. Why is there now this sudden need for security though? What was the triggering event for all this paranoia? Maybe there was a horrible massacre, or maybe some misplaced, misunderstood villain who attacked the school of innocent children, but as far as can be observed, none of this has ever occurred here.“ I’m not exactly paranoid,” Mr. Thweatt said, “I like to consider myself prepared.” But it may have been a little more than hasty, as long time residents are “hard- pressed to recall a single violent incident there.” To even further violate the parents’ slight vestiges of security left, the school has refused to release the names of the teachers carrying, as they assume that if it were public knowledge it would be easier for the possible attackers to target and or avoid the armed staff.

Will other schools take up this method of protecting their children? Hopefully not. Most people probably like knowing which of their teachers has the capability to lose it and shoot them if they act up! Next week’s headline might read … “Crazed Teacher Goes Nuts and Murders Innocent Student with Lame Excuse!”

illustration by Michael Gillum

The Power We Hold Are animals entitled to the same human rights?

by Anna Contreras Each year over one hundred and fifteen million animals are killed from research, testing, retail and other causes we humans rely on. Over two hundred companies use animal testing, including Aussie, Clean and Clear, Pantene, and even Axe. More than half the products we use are tested on animals just like the pets we have sleeping in our bedroom. Little do we know there is much we can do to prevent this from happening.

There is also the twenty-five million animals that become homeless every year and the nine million that die on the streets from disease, starvation, exposure to chemicals, and deadlier symptoms. Sixty thousand die by euthanasia (being killed painlessly for reason of mercy) in animal shelters every day because they clearly cannot hold them. All animals are living creatures, domestic and undomesticated. They only hope to feel compassion, have offspring, and avoid any pain. The only reason we test on animals is simply because we are smarter, not because we are worth more than they are. “They may be stupid, but they can still feel pain”, on-campus teacher Tamani Cheek said.

These animals are stomped on, tortured, kept in metal crates from birth until death, and some are even hung up by their feet and endure more pain after that. Others are still alive when their fur is ripped off them to make the leather purse or the fur-lined coat you may have worn today. Each time you take a bite of a burger, a steak, or even the occasional KFC Snacker, an animals life is being taken.

Some people are against animal cruelty and testing, yet they do nothing to stop it. “I guess you could say I am a hypocrite. I still eat meat, and have the animal products”, Ms. Cheek said.

Cutting down on product use and meat consumption could make such a difference. You do not need to completely abolish meat from your lifestyle, but you could limit it. Other protein alternatives could be soy meat, soy milk, organic foods, fruits, and vegetables. For example, right now you could be eating meat more than three times a week. You could possibly narrow that down to less than three times a week and eat more fruits and vegetables. As for care products, Merlot is a great beauty product that offers cleansers, body wash, and moisturizers for both female and male. Other company products that do not test on animals are as following Almay, Aloe Vera, Burt’s Bees, Avon Products, Palmer’s and Aveda. Animals have feelings too, so why do we continue putting them through such torture? Can you cut down on your meat fetish? The choice is simple and not necessarily easy, but it can be done.

Miss Bimbo

The internet game that should drive parents insane

by Elizabeth Tompkins

Ever since Barbie came out almost fifty years ago, the average childrens’ perception of the human body has been grossly distorted. In 1959 Mattel toy companies came out with a ‘modern toy’ that was supposed to be the ideal playmate for girls everywhere. True to its promise, little girls still beg their parents for the idealistic plastic woman and most parents give in, remembering their own fond memories of their plastic playmate.

Now modern entertainment has taken this “Barbie body” craze another step further with the launch of a new computer game known as Miss Bimbo.

This game caters to girls from the ages of nine to sixteen, and from the opening title you can see the corruption possible as a minimally clothed icon pops up. The players start out with their very own naked Bimbo and must join beauty contests in order to make money to buy clothes and go clubbing. The goal of the game? To have the ‘coolest, richest, most famous Bimbo in the whole world’. The players are given missions, such as ‘give your Bimbo breast implants’, or ‘find a billionaire boyfriend’. Going on crash diets, keeping her weight down with diet pills, and avoiding chocolate is the best way to keep your Bimbo ‘healthy’.

If this continues, girls will grow up with certain expectations, such as boyfriends who are astronomically rich. What is even more tragic is that if you compare all the Bimbos, each of the virtual women has the smallest waist, richest boyfriend, and the biggest breasts possible. The girls are led to believe that

M

they are not ‘pretty’ if they are not so physically altered.

The game was introduced over a month ago and, despite some parental complaints, it has over 200,000 British players alone. If they happen to want some fast cash, they can text in for a pound fifty, or use PayPal. Bill Hibberd, spokesman of the parent’s rights group, Parentkind, said, “It is one thing if a child recognizes this as a silly and stupid game, but the danger is that a nine year old fails to appreciate the irony, and sees the bimbo as a cool role model. Then the game becomes a hazard and a menace.”

This game’s twenty-three year old designer, Nicolas Jacquart, says that this game is not bad for children, that in fact it can help them learn responsibility and good health habits by encouraging the eating of more fruits and vegetables, and avoiding chocolate. On the plastic surgery factor, however, he gives a feeble cop out. ”The breast implants are just one part of the game and we are not encouraging young girls to have them, we are just reflecting real life.” In the past year, virtual worlds for children have popped up everywhere, and this may not be the only harmful site out there. If pixel playgrounds like this continue to flourish, the average person’s idea of the ‘perfect body’ will continue to mutate into impossible proportions.

tated Cow

What is the beef with the meat?

by Roberto Manjarrez illustration by Svea Nau

Everyone eats food every day, so chances are you have seen the food labels conveniently placed on the back of the item. These ingredients include polyisobutene, cetearyl, and erythritol; Ingredients that no one knows how to pronounce, let alone know what they actually are. However, you will probably never find “mutated cow” on many labels.

Research of the Food and Drug Administration shows that it does not require food companies to indicate genetically

modified organisms on their products. The FDA feels that GMO foods are equivalent to non-GMO foods so there is no need to label them According to healingdaily.com, only forty percent of people know they are eating genetically modified foods. Also, one in every four people believe these kinds of foods are not being sold in the United States. Other countries however, have taken steps to show whether or not a product has bio-engineered substances.

Nations like Japan require labels on genetically modified food. The United States government, on the other hand, says that labels like that are not necessary because genetically modified foods “poses no inherent safety risk”. Despite this statement however, there is a possibility that introducing a new gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in many individuals that are susceptible.

Some food companies have taken an extra step and decided to label certain products or ingredients “non-GMO” to indicate that their foods are natural. Companies such as “Matisse & Jack’s” have labeled their Bake-at-Home energy bars as “non-GMO”.

Currently the FDA’s standing on food labeling is governed by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which is concerned only with food additives rather than with whole food or food products that are “generally recognized as safe”. If all GMO foods and cloned animals are to be labeled, Congress must take action in the food-labeling policies of today.

The

Green

Thumb

illustration by Svea Nau

Making the world a little greener

by Brittany Hammons

Becoming environmentally conscious is not about turning into a vegan or living in a dark house to save energy. Becoming environmentally conscious means becoming aware of your effect on the planet. Going “Green ,� so to speak, is about the little things you can do from day to day to help the planet. As teenagers we do not have much of control over how our parents run their household, but there are six simple and reasonable things you can do to help the environment.

1. Reduce: Waste reduction is key in protecting the ecosystem.

Reducing your water waste is essential because only two point five percent of the planets water is fresh water. If you do not know where to begin, a good place to start is with your daily routine. Your shower should take around five minutes , not thirty. Do not let the water run from the faucet the while you brush your teeth. These are probably things your mother yells at you about anyway. Generally reduce your consumption and be logical. You do not have to skip showers to help the planet.

2.Reuse: Carry a reusable water bottle. Most water bottles that you buy in bulk at the grocery store are meant for one time use only. One time use items are harmful to the environment because of their accumulation and heavy build up in landfills. Try to carry a canvas bag with you to the grocery store because plastic bags are another landfill problem.

3. Recycle: Nearly everything can be recycled. Paper, glass, aluminum, and plastics are the basics that can go in your home recycle bin. Recycling does not end at the trashcan. You can also recycle clothing, cell phones, computers, and wood.

4. Hoof-it: Walk, ride a skateboard, bicycle or whatever you enjoy as much as possible in order to reach your destinations. An awesome rule is to walk or bike everywhere within two miles of your home.

5. Un-plugged: Un -plug all appliances you can after usage, this will not only reduce fire risks but will lower your parents energy bills. Maybe then they will find some extra cash for your allowance.

6. Turn off the lights: Do not leave lights on when they are not being used. When you enter a room turn on a light and when you exit turn the light off.

While on your quest to become a humanitarian and protector of the planet it is important not to become discouraged .No one is perfect ; there will be days when you feel like you have messed up and are a wasteful planet-hater, but take one small step at a time because the worst thing you can do is nothing.

OpinioN ABORTION Pro Choice

by Justin Benway

When the topic of abortion is discussed it usually concerns one of two points: the legality of the issue and the morality. Abortion is currently legal in the state of California. However, individuals who are opposed to abortion, commonly referred to as “pro-life”, would like to change this. We as Americans cannot let this happen. In California, the law states that any woman has the right to an abortion, so long as the pregnancy has not surpassed the first trimester.

The legal dispute over abortion is centered around one argument: when does life begin?

Pro-lifers believe that a child’s life begins the very instant that the egg is fertilized by the sperm, but the pro choice argument is that this is the equivalent of calling a seed a flower.

Life, in the human sense of the word, does not begin until the child takes its first breath.

Most fetuses are unconscious until days, or even moments, before birth. Pro-life propaganda tries to convince you that a fetus has detectable brainwaves as early as eight weeks. This statement is not a complete lie but it is definitely a stretch of the truth because the presence of brainwaves does not mean that the brain is functioning. Brain function, in the crudest sense of the term, does not start until the third trimester of pregnancy. (Remember that it is illegal to get an abortion this late in the pregnancy). In 1973, the famous Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade established that the rights on a woman to get an abortion were protected by the constitution under the fourth amendment, which guarantees citizens the right to be secure in their person, which includes a woman’s uterus and its contents.

From the moral standpoint of the issue, the only question is: who has the right to dictate the functions of another person’s body?

Certainly not the government, and certainly not pro-life lobbyists.

Only the women who is pregnant should have any say in the matter. For example, if the law is passed and abortion becomes illegal, what will happen to rape victims who become pregnant? Should they be forced to carry the rapist’s spawn; to carry a daily reminder of one of the most heinous, traumatizing experience a human can endure? Many pro-lifers including Republican Vice President nominee, Sarah Palin, believe they should.

Making abortion illegal will not end its practice. The sad truth is that if young girls cannot get an abortion, they will choose to give themselves “clothes hanger” abortions. If you do not know what a cloth hanger abortion is, it is essentially shoving an unfolded clothes hanger into a womans uterus in hopes of terminating the pregnancy. It is a very gruesome, bloody practice, and it often endangers the the woman’s life. In many cases the woman dies or gets an infection. Since abortions will continue if outlawed, why take away the safety of a doctors office?

Please do not confuse being pro-choice with pro-abortion. There are many people who are pro-choice that do not believe in abortion. For example, YHS senior Tracy Rangel said, “I would never personally receive an abortion, but I believe that others should be allowed the freedom to choose based on their own personal beliefs.” Being pro-choice is simply stating that you respect the rights of others having a different opinion than your own. Scientists and doctors have yet to reach an agreement on when the life of a fetus actually begins. Until the day that there is a definite answer to the question, the logical stance is to be pro choice and let every person live by their own moral code.

“Being pro-choice is simply stating that you respect the rights of others having a different opinion than your own.”

Features

Nation:

Pro Life

by Elaine Hayworth

Abortion: the act of voluntary removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. Notice the use of the words removal and end. To end. To remove a life. is this the same as murder, if not worse? To end a life is murder, no matter what the age of the victim. So what is the difference between murdering a full-grown human being, and aborting a pregnancy? They are both ending a life. The difference is; one had a life, the other didn’t get the chance.

In the state of California, it is legal for a woman to get an abortion in the first trimester of her pregnancy. The first trimester lasts eleven weeks.

Within those eleven weeks, the woman can choose to keep her baby or not. It seems insane how we can decide to keep a life or not. It is just that simple.

Some say a baby is not really a baby for months; it is just a helpless, mindless, ball of mush; a collection of cells. Even at six weeks, it still seems inferior. Nonetheless, it is a life. It is a life the second it is conceived. At three weeks, the heart beats. At five weeks, the baby has fingers and toes. At six weeks, brainwaves. In just eight short weeks, the fetus is fully formed and within two weeks of that, it is fully functioning.

By twelve weeks, the baby can smile.

If someone murders a pregnant woman, they are charged with the murder of two lives. Think about that: two lives. Yet a woman can voluntarily take the life of her own innocent child and it is legal.

It is the “pro-choice” believers that are keeping this legal. Murder is illegal. Abortions should be as well. Pro-choice people believe that a woman should have a choice to have an abortion in the first trimester of her pregnancy.

In simpler terms, one can murder, as long as the victim does not get old enough to have a fighting chance at life. A woman could

have an abortion for several reasons, but one of the most common reasons is for the woman’s own convenience. She is not ready, it is a bad time, or she does not want the child. Is it convenient for that baby to be aborted? Should that baby be forced to leave the earth before it even gets the chance to experience it?

We must consider the realistic situations of life, such as rape.

As terrible and unfair as it may be, rape does occur. If a woman is raped and gets pregnant, it is understandable that this would be an extremely traumatic experience that she would not want to be reminded of. Ending that new life would be even more haunting.

That life has the potential to grow and blossom and become something.

It has a chance to make a difference. By having an abortion in this situation, the innocent life is being punished when the rapist is the one truly deserving punishment.

There are, in fact, other options to solve an unwanted pregnancy. In the state of California, there is the Safe Arms Act. This act ensures immunity from criminal prosecution to the person who surrenders an unharmed baby, seventy-two hours or younger, directly to an employee or volunteer at a hospital emergency department, no questions asked. The parent then has fourteen days to reclaim his or her child. This is a safe solution. The baby is monitored and the hospital makes sure it is healthy, and then it is placed in an adoption center. This is a better solution, on both ends, than abandoning the innocent life to die. There are other solutions to an unwanted pregnancy; destroying a potential life should not be one of

“So what is the difference between murdering a full-grown human being, and aborting a pregnancy?

The difference is; one had a life, the other did not get the chance.”

them.

T-Birds Dominate Why winning is not everything for YHS sports

by Marilyn Newell

Man or Machine Once the gates drop he can not be stopped

by Steffen Kjellberg

illustration by Anna Contreras

It is no grand feat to convince a yapping RHS terrior or REV Wildcat of the Thunderbird’s clear dominance. However, if one were to get in a specific discussion about our athletics - presumably football - such a debate is bound to result in cutting words, heated emotions, and in some rare cases, violence.

Year after year football draws more popularity and attention than any other sport at YHS. Although this sometimes irritates members of other sports, the fact of the matter is that football is and always will be more than just a sport. It is the fire behind school spirit as well as the major monetary producer of the entire athletics department. Besides, at what other high school sport game would it be appropriate to paint your entire body blue and yellow and dance around in circles to the high school marching band?

Still, Yucaipa High’s football team has been getting considerably negative flack for our “not-quite-so-winning” streak. When students were questioned about why they thought our football team wasn’t dominating the field, replies similar to, “I guess we just stink,” prevailed. However, according to Athletic Director Mark Anderson, the capability of our players has absolutely nothing to do with the performance of our team, and that the real issue is time rather than ability.

“Redlands coaching staff has been together for 14 years. For us, 14 weeks is closer,” Anderson said, “it takes a long time to put things in place, a steady hand, and a lot of patience.” Despite the substantial amount of time it takes to rebuild a program that has a new coach, “we will see the fruits of it each year,” he said.

As for Coach Hallebeck, Director Anderson is proud and appreciative toward him for stepping up to take the position. “I am very grateful to him and his coach staff for coming to lead and accepting the position… they were working hard while we were putting the pieces together.”

What that means for this year is that although we may not be number one in the league, we are well on our way to meeting our three goals for the athletics here at YHS: 1. Help Kids Grow 2. Produce successful student athletes 3. Be the very best that there is Sports and football will forever be an entity that unites the entire student body spirit and whether or not we are always number one, we will always be the best by virtue of the fact that we are Thunderbirds.

REV and RHS might seem ahead of the game now, but their time is running out. In the end, their barks (and meows) will be worst than their bites.

Team Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s James “Bubba” Stewart is hands down the fastest man to ever throw a leg around a motorcycle. He is considered the Tiger Woods of motocross and is the first African-American to have success at the top level of the sport. With over seven titles, including 2003 AMA 125 West Coast Championship, 2004 AMA 125 Motocross National Championship, 2006 FIM WSXGP Supercross Championship, 2007 AMA Supercross Championship and his newest 2008 AMA Motocross National Championship, which he swept going 24-0. He is now only the second person in history to ever go undefeated in an AMA National Championship. There he led a whopping three-hundred sixty-nine out of the three-hundred and eighty-two laps this season.

James had never planned for a perfect season but started to consider it after the eleventh round of the Toyota AMA National at Southwick. “It takes a lot of luck to do this” said James with a million dollar smile and his name in the record books. Even with all of his speed and talent James has still struggled in the AMA Motocross class making this his first title in the 450 class in Nationals. Last year he almost had the series wrapped up but a crushing knee injury took him out, giving the title to Grant Langston.

Over the past couple of years in the 450 class James has matured as a rider and has worked his way to the top of his performance. From the start he has had amazing talent but has not always been consistent. Things started to finally look up for James after his main rival Ricky Carmichael, otherwise known as the “GOAT”; who retired two years ago. The two had amazing races against each other and Carmichael really made Stewart work for his wins. Now with Ricky gone James is too as soon as the gates drop because there is no other rider out there who can match his speed.

Now with James the fastest man on the planet the only competition left is himself. His plans are limited for the future and he is not sure if he is going to race Nationals next summer. As of now, its sertiant will still be racing in the 2009 AMA Supercross series but on a new team. Since his contract with Team Monster/ Kawasaki is up James will now be riding for L&M racing on the Yamaha 450F.

Sports Respect the Surf, Respect the Shore

Different outreaches to help our beaches stay clean

by Krista Ybarra

illustration by Anna Contreras

Surfing is an elaborate and competitive sport. It is exhilarating with exciting outcomes. Many wait for the perfect wave to come, yet every wave is worth catching. Many people stereotype surfers as “lazy beach bums,” but most of them are the total opposite. Not only do they own those waves, but they also positively contribute to the environment. Every year the trash at the beaches double, which is affecting our beach friends such as jelly fish, fish, seals and many more. As the shore line increases and decreases, the debris floats into the ocean. According to Surfing Magazine, when the sea animals mistake an old chip bag as kelp they often consume the trash and choke Many of popular beaches such as Laguna, Newport, Huntington, and La Jolla are known for their frequent visitors. Along with their regular visitors come repercussions. Many of our beaches are beginning to become polluted with trash, cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles. These popular beaches are accumulating more and more trash. Every year “Surfing the Mag” hosts a popular event where approximately one hundred surfers help keep our beaches clean and restore native plants. This year, Surf Rider members collected almost two hundred bags of trash while also saving a total of three hundred and four native plants.

The surfers want their beaches to be a place where they can enjoy doing what they do best on a clean beach. While the surfers enjoy the beach they are also helping the environment. Not only are they pro at surfing, but they also give back to us in a great way, by maintaining their beaches with their love and care.

Flutes, Percussion,

and Tubas,

Why Yucaipa’s TMR is the fiercest sport on campus written and photographed by Alex Stolze

Believe it or not, the Thunderbird Marching Regiment should be considered a sport. It takes skill, determination, stamina, and discipline to achieve the the things that band members do. The effort and hard work that these kids put into each practice is unbeliveable. Tuba player Josh Fellenz said, “Marching band should be considered an official sport because it gives you that feeling of physical and mental stress that you put on yourself.” While they practice, they even have to work hard just to do their stretches.

Every movement has to be in time to the beat that is presented while questions about different time are shouted at them. When performance time comes around, they have the routine down perfectly. “It takes a determined and disciplined person to actually do the things that we do. Trust me, it’s not easy,” said clarinet player Robert Nguyen.

It is all sweat and tears out there. So many of the band members put all of their hard work into the music and routines that they must perform at football games and competitions. They have to memorize all of their music pieces and steps in every routine. Everything must be completely synchronized or the whole thing will be ruined.

Kami Moore, flute player, was asked if she thought that every band member was hardworking and disciplined. “Everyone

OH MY!

puts so much hard work and effort into what they do,” she said.

“They expect the discipline. Each member that joins knows that they’re entering a group of other determined students who want to make each year better than the last. In the end it’s all worth it because we know that we did an amazing job!”

The student body does not seem to give the marching band any recognition for the hard work that they do. “Everyone seems to think that marching band is just a bunch of people walking around in pretty shapes. It’s more than that,” said Hanna Kinsinger, another flute player. Not many of people seem to understand how much work they put into their music and performances. At the football games, pay attention to how perfect every routine seems to be; how awesome their music sounds. Regardless of their age, they win many awards and medals every year. With the outstanding number of competitions that they have won, they are a high school sport that deserves our attention.

Athletic Highlight

by Svea Nau photograph by Joy Newell

Kaylee Festa’s competitive nature has been instilled in her since childhood.

Growing up with type two diabetes, athletic activity had always been a challenge, but when she started playing tennis at the age of eleven, the disease met its match. She has competed for the YHS Thunderbirds since ninth grade and still continues to play. She soon realized that along with stressing about practice and games, she has to deal with a problem that most of her teammates do not. Festa said, “It tends to get in the way if my blood sugars low…but other than that I just cope with it.” Despite her easy going disposition, low blood sugar can be really frightening at times.

During freshman year at practice the team was undergoing a vigorous run on a hot day, and unbeknownst to her, her blood sugar dropped and she fainted. Everyone was worried but her sister woke her up and helped bring her blood sugar back to a sustainable level with some orange juice.

“It was scary, but I [was] fine,” said Festa.

Along with battling diabetes, she has to deal with heavy school work, like most athletes, which is a challenge when she is tired from practice and does not go to bed until late. Nevertheless, it never stops her from doing her best. Kaylee manages to be a great student, supportive friend, and amazing addition to our talented and dedicated athletes.

At YHS, diverse backgrounds come together for a uniting purpose. Despite conflicting ideas, we have the opportunity to positively influence others around us by lending a helping hand. Photographed by Alex Stolze.