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Friday, February 26, 2010 Rancho Bernardo High School Vol. 22 No. 3

•March 1-5 - Disaster Drill week•March 12 - Spring Sports pep rally•March 16-17 - Sophomore CAHSEE testing•March 18 - ICC meeting•March 24-27 - Spring play•March 29-30 - Choir concert

•March 18 - ICC meeting•March 19 - Mr. Bronco competition•March 22-26 - Battle of the Bands

Upcoming Events:

Upcoming ASB Events:

Look Inside for...News: New budget cut crisisFeatures: iPhone vs. competitorsOpinions: AP classesEntertainment: Dear JohnSports: Boys’ basketballSpread: Love Month

jokes around

the campus

Philip Lee, 9thWhere do otters

come from? From otter space!

Read us online at

rbhs.orgRB’s talent show raised $4,000 for Haiti

The entire state of California is in a massive deficit, and public schools have not been spared from the burdens of the state. The Poway Unified School District is facing a possible debt as high as $24 million for the next school year. In a published statement, Superintendent Don Philips said he believes that drastic cuts will be necessary to counter this debt and avoid complete financial depletion.

Some proposals to reduce spending extend from reducing the school year by five days to initiating a 7.5 – percent pay cut for teachers. Other programs, such

By Brent GoldbergStaff writer

Cheer team gets a new advisor

You’ve seen them at every football and basketball game with smiles on their faces ready to perform. The RB High cheerlead-ers are a talented and organized group with precision and uniformity, but they were been faced with new advisors mid season.

RB High’s critical needs teacher, Rox-anne Hayes, and an Oak Valley teacher, Gagnon, are teaming up as the new cheer advisors. Due to the previous advisor’s

abrupt departure, Hayes and Gagnon have had their work cut out for them.

Darla Isaak was an English teacher at RB High last school year before being pink slipped due to the budget cuts. Though she was no longer teaching on campus, Isaak continued to advise the cheerlead-ers. Isaak’s father recently became ill and needed assistance, so Isaak moved to Fres-no to be there for him, resigning from her position as cheer advisor.

Hayes, parent of a freshman cheerleader and Gagnon went to Principal Paul Robin-

By Kayla MoncayoOpinions Editor son to ask about heading the cheer team.

As cheer advisors, Hayes and Gagnon, are faced with the many aspects involved in being advisors, like managing the fi-nances, interacting with parents, going to cheer camp, organizing the process of ordering uniforms, running fundraisers and events, organizing parent volunteers, checking grades, and assigning tutorial to those who do not meet the grade require-ments.

Hayes and Gagnon also had to tend to some immediate financial issues due to the

RB High students came together on Feb. 11 for the talent show: RB’s Got Talent. Acts included both groups and individual performances from students willing to participate in order to benefit Haiti. RB High’s ASB hosted the tal-ent show in order to raise awareness of the horrible natural disasters that tore

“Excellence costs, not on the backs of teachers”

abrupt departure of Isaak that may have caused some problems.

“It was just a matter of miscommuni-cation,” Hayes said. “[We] want to start fresh and new, and it’s our program now.”

As the cheer season comes to a close, and tryouts are on the horizon, Hayes, Gagnon and the cheer girls are working to get ready for the next season.

“The cheerleaders love the school,” said Hayes, “and they want to promote spirit.”

as athletics and music, may face possible elimination from school curriculum.

Many cuts have already been made in the past year, including the elimination of some elective classes. Additional cuts will probably significantly affect core academic classes.

Class sizes are likely to extensively in-crease, creating a less personalized edu-cation for students. Many teachers are against combining a pay cut with an in-creased amount of students to teach, and agree that the larger class sizes will be detrimental to student learning.

Larry Foster, a math teacher at RB High, believes that many students will

have a more difficult time in their classes because they will not get the individual help they need to be successful.

Over the past nine years, $48 million have been cut from the budget, and the district now has $235 million a year to operate on, without any additional cuts. Next year, the district may only have $211 million, inevitably resulting in the need to cut programs.

A recent meeting at Creekside Elemen-tary School was held on Monday, Feb. 22 for teachers and administrators to dis-cuss possible ways to solve the budget crisis. Many wore shirts that bore the words “Excellence Costs”, symbolizing

the fact that, in order to maintain the high standard of excellence that has for so long been a part of the Poway Unified School District, there must be sufficient funds to do so. Academic programs cost money to maintain, and without adequate funding, they will deteriorate.

Over the next few weeks, a deci-sion will be made as to how to solve the budget crisis. Although an op-timal amount of funding will not be possible, administrators and teachers alike are working towards a solu-tion that will affect student’s as little as possible, while trying to avoid a massive debt.

Kamal Obbad, 10thWhy did Dorothy get lost in Oz? She

had three men giving her directions.

Patrick Upchurch, 11thWhat do you call

a fish with no eyes? a fshh

through the country. Performances ranged from solo singing to group dances. Junior Audreal Gilette won the competition with her individual singing and guitar playing. The RB community came together for an important benefit and raised $4,000 for the disadvantaged people of Haiti.

Upper left: Stephanie Rey performs the Flamenco Bottom Left: Duet partners Ryan Park and Justin Moreno

Top: Winner Audreal Gilette(middle) is applauded by contestantsPhotos by Andrea Hansen

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010 NEWS2

Brent GoldbergBusiness manager

The woes of the Toyota recall

A Toyota dealership center. Photo courtesy of Google images

Toyota has been forced to recall many of its vehicles, affecting millions of car owners around the world. The reason for this recall is due to the accelerator, which supposedly could become stuck, causing undesired ac-celeration with limited ability to stop.

Many of Toyota’s models have been af-fected, including the RAV4, Corolla, Ma-trix, Avalon, Tundra, Camry, Highlander and Sequoia models built as far back as 2005. Some brands of Lexus, which is made by Toyota, have also been recalled.

Perhaps the most infamous incident of an accelerator sticking was in 2009, when an off-duty state trooper and his family were killed when the gas pedal stuck to the floor mat of the car. At the time of impact, the vehicle was traveling at a rate of over 120 mph.

Toyota is one of the most popular vehicle brands in the United States, and is consid-ered to be very reliable. The Toyota Pro-duction System has been the key to Toyota’s continued success. Also known as TPS, this

system ensures a maximum amount of qual-ity in every vehicle built by Toyota. The goal is to be as efficient as possible while creating flawless vehicles on a production line. Many automobile companies around the world, including Ford, have adopted the system.

This is arguably the reason that Toyota became the largest car company in 2007, and has had extreme success in the United States. The Rav4, Prius, Corolla, and Cam-ry are all in the top 15 list of best selling cars in America, according to AOL Autos. Longevity of the vehicles and consistent reliability account for Toyota’s continued success in the American market, as well as in markets around the world.

With the recall of America’s most suc-cessful automaker, American car companies like Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, should expect to see an increase in sales. Foreign competitors of Toyota will also find this recall to be beneficial, including Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai.

When a company undergoes a recall as major as this, it often takes time to recover from the loss in sales and often times never gain customer’s confidence in the product

back at the same level. The company is cur-rently facing numerous lawsuits from those involved in accidents related to the recall.

Toyota is currently working on a perma-nent solution for the faulty accelerator, and will repair all of the recalled vehicles. If you have a Toyota product that you believe may be affected by the recall, as millions of Americans do, the problem can be fixed at any Toyota dealer.

The newest problem to plague the Toyota product line has been the Prius. A complex brake petal problem is the cause for this, and is expected to affect nearly 300,000 vehicles world wide. The Prius has been an extremely popular car for motorists in the United States, and Toyota claims to be working on a fix for this problem.

Resale value of the Toyota line is on the decline. Edmounds.com, an auto research web site, estimates that resale values could fall as much as 10-percent.

Toyota has been a very reliable car brand in the past, and the company is continuing to work on solutions for the recent recalls. These recalls will continue to affect the car industry for years to come, and Toyota’s reputation may be permanently harmed.

President Obama addresses the nation in his first State of the Union addressParker ConleyStaff writer

President Obama recently laid out his plans for the country in his 2010 State of the Union address. Various topics were covered, such as clean energy, education, immigration reform, deficit reduction, and a specific emphasis on job creation.

Since 1966 there has always been a tele-vised opposition party response to what the President has said. This year, following President Obama’s speech, newly elected Republican governor Bob McDonnell of Vir-ginia gave the response. This well-presented response stood in stark contrast to last year’s heavily criticized speech given by Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, who sounded amateurish and over-rehearsed.

Obama’s speech had a very populist ring to it; topping his list of priorities for this year: job creation. This theme was especially pre-dominant throughout his speech. He spoke of building clean energy facilities and other in-frastructure job opportunities as well as a pro-posal of giving companies a $5,000 tax credit for every new worker they employ in 2010. Of course, no plan of such magnitude comes without a hefty price tag, this one estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.

When asked if Obama has significant plans to get us on the road toward economic recov-ery, senior Nathaniel Horgan stated,

“His plans, if any, are too obscure and non-descript to say as of yet; though it seems to me you shouldn’t fix money problems with money.”

Republicans, on the other hand think the

President should be putting more of an em-phasis on reducing the $1.4-trillion dollar deficit rather then spending costly amounts on government initiated job creation, some-thing proven not to work out so well with previous administrations.

An interesting thing to note is that Obama did not mention his health care undertaking until about 32 minutes in his speech; signify-ing that he might be slowing down on what was once the biggest issue in Washington.

Other topics including education, immi-gration, and national security were covered in brief, using a minimal amount of specif-ics.

We will just have to see how Obama can put his words into action, attempting to re-pair his image as an agent of change after a tumultuous first year. President Obama gives his first State of the Union address. Photo courtesy of Google images

San Diego rainstorm brought on high winds, floods

and a new record of rainfall

California’s Prop 8 court ruling changes

Celeste ConowitchEntertainment editor

Tavis LamStaff writer

More than a year ago California was di-vided on the widespread issue of defining gay marriage. Proposition 8 caused a battle of bumper stickers, lawn signs, and even high school Gay-Straight Alliance clubs to argue amongst each other.

In a pivotal decision, the protect marriage campaign largely spear-headed by the Cali-fornia Family Council, as well as Mormon and Catholic church organizations, walked away victorious with a three-percent mar-gin in Nov. 2008. They achieved the ad-dition of this clause to the California state constitution: “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in Cali-fornia.”

The decision, however, did not mean the end for the legislative decision. Soon after the Proposition was instated, two homosex-ual couples filed a claim of unconstitutional discrimination. The court hearings for this claim started January 1, 2009 and are now in the process of being decided.

Attorneys David Boies and Theodore Ol-son are arguing against Prop. 8, trying to prove that Proposition 8 was not founded on the desire to protect marriage but to dis-criminate against homosexuals largely for religious reasons, that it was motivated by anti-gay bias or unfounded discrimination.

Jan. 5 saw the beginning of one of the case’s most impassioned weeks. The de-fense of Proposition 8 was only able to bring two witnesses to the stand after the rest pulled out due to social and political pressure. Claremont McKenna College professor Kenneth Miller was called to the stand to testify that the gay and lesbian com-munity has been gaining social and politi-

From Jan. 18 to Jan. 22, as many might recall, Southern California experienced a quite vexatious rainstorm that left 82,000 people without power. Accord-ing to the National Weather Service, the water level of the San Diego River reached a high of 12.8 feet since Feb. 8, 1998. Sea level pressure also con-jured a new record minimum of 29.15 inches, according to Santa Clara Val-ley, breaking the 1983 record of 29.37 inches. In Rancho Bernardo alone, it rained up to 1.44 inches on the first day and acquired an astounding amount of 4.67 inches of rain before the end of the week. There have been claims that this is the biggest storm recorded in San Di-ego since 1960, five decades ago.

On the first day, the National Weath-er Service issued a flash-flood watch, which was followed by thunderstorm

cal power, making them equal contenders (therefore not discriminated against) in the passing of legislation like Proposition 8. Critical cross-examination by Boies called Miller’s expertise into question as well as eventually causing him to admit “Prop 8 does “create a distinction between the two groups.”

The defense’s second witness was Da-vid Blankenhorn, founder and president of the Institute for American Values. He ad-opted the stance that marriage was created to enable a safe and stable institution to ensure procreation. This was met with the evidence that not all married couples pro-create or even have the intention to have children. The witness was also unable to provide an example of a scientific study that had found growing up with homosex-ual parents caused harm to a child.

This powerful final week for those who wish to overrule Prop 8 by no means comes attached with a victory. The defense has past court rulings on its side, includ-ing rulings in the states of New York and Washington upholding ban’s on same-sex marriage due to the fact that without any evidence—“promoting traditional unions was good for children.”

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walk-er is the presiding judge over the case and has recently announced the close of the evidentiary part of the trial. Now the issue has become a 30-day waiting game for the gay couples and religious organizations that have the largest interest vested in the issue.

It is highly likely that the case will be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court, but for now the issue is a nerve-wracking waiting game for all parties involved.

warnings and mudslide warnings at burnt areas from last year’s fire. The third day of the storm caused more than 75 crashes in San Diego for each day of the storm.

With the pouring sky and strong gales of wind, cities were depressed with coastal and inland flooding, power out-ages, and average-exceeding traffic ac-cidents.

“It was the heaviest I’ve seen San Diego have in my whole life,” Michael Daniels, ju-nior, said. “It flooded my house twice! It’s prevented me from going out because…I had to get up every 15 to 20 minutes to bucket out the water…and make sure the water doesn’t damage anything else.” Ex-periencing such a huge storm, Daniels pre-dicts that there wouldn’t be another storm as big for at least the next 5 years.

There are also people who looked at the storms in a positive way.

“I couldn’t go to track practice or

play sports outside,” Sophomore Joe Ho said. “But San Diego needs this kind of weather at least one week per year.” He says that the rain was a nuisance, but it had made him spend more time with his family. Although this rainstorm might be big in view of those who had lived in San Diego all their lives, others see it as a small storm and nothing significant.

“The environment is going crazy,” Hyun Kwon, freshman, said. “I stayed at home...I would’ve been at the basket-ball court.”

The rainstorm and cold weather also produced up to a feet of snow in the mountains. Some San Die-gans took advantage of the desired sunny weather following the storm, fleeing up the mountains to go ski-ing or snowboarding, but the warm weather lasted only a few days be-fore San Diego was drizzled with l ight showers from a smaller storm.

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010OPINIONS 3What are the facts of g lobal warming?

Is it true?It’s one of those controversial questions

that always seems to cause quite a stir. Is global warming a lie spread for increasing government control or an ever-growing problem that should be addressed immedi-ately? The latter has been proven time and time again.

Climate change is a serious cause for alarm, so much so that our way of life as we know it is at stake. It is a widely held view among scientists that climate change is due to a high emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide which traps heat; a direct byproduct of our gas-guzzling SUV’s and environmentally unconscious business corporations.

Most recently, a poll conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago asked professional climatologists if they “believe that human activity is a significant factor

in changing mean global temperatures.” 75 out of 77 respondents agreed. Random members of the American Meteorological Society and American Geophysical Union were used in a Harris Interactive poll that determined 97-percent “agreed that global temperatures have increased during the past 100 years.”

Scientists who have been studying the Earth’s climate for decades at prestigious Universities are warning us of what is to come if we do not change our ways. These important statistics are not to be ignored.

Of course, there are the Al Gore’s out there who tend to exaggerate the truth at times, but we have to look past distractions like that. For one thing, Gore is a career politician, not a notable professor on clima-tology, so arguing that global warming is a farce, because Al Gore got his facts wrong, is completely absurd. Whether it’s Al Gore or maniacal talk-radio hosts, as humans who

live on this Earth, we need to band together to address a problem that nearly all profes-sional scientists agree is a major threat.

Another fact that consistently proves doubters wrong is the melting of Arctic ice. In September of 2007 the region had the lowest ever recorded ice coverage. NASA studies found that the ice is melting at an ex-tremely rapid rate of 9-percent per decade. Consequentially, this would create a sig-nificant impact on plankton blooms, ocean circulation systems, and the overall global climate. Without the ice reflecting sunlight back out into space, it is instead absorbed by the ocean and land, raising temperatures; therefore, increasing the rate of melting.

As you can see, this is not something to take lightly. We must heed the warnings of experts who have been pointing at this problem for years. Climate change is real and must be dealt with; the stakes are upset-tingly high.

Or, is it false?

Scientists have consistently argued against the extreme allegations that global warming is a serious crisis. Although glob-al warming exists, many people do not real-ize that it is simply a normal change in the earth’s temperature. It has been occurring for thousands of years, and poses no threat to society or anyone’s way of life.

So why is this issue so heated, and so widely talked about?

Many people want to help their environ-ment and are concerned for our Earth’s well being. With constant pictures of dying po-lar bears in the media and graphs showing the supposed rise of Earth’s average tem-perature, the government has done a classic job in misleading the public.

Those who do not believe in the extreme affects of global warming use facts to help prove their argument. These facts have not been altered by our nation’s government, and prove, without a doubt, that global

warming is a scam.John Coleman, a nationally acclaimed

meteorologist in San Diego, is at the fore-front of the argument against global warm-ing. He has uncovered many truths about Earth’s climate and has proven a motive behind the entire issue. The federal govern-ment has taken the opportunity to capital-ize on people’s fears by trying to implement taxes on carbon emissions. This means that you would be taxed even more than we cur-rently are for everything from using elec-tricity to purchasing gasoline.

Al Gore is a major political activist who started much of the debate on global warm-ing. He has led many to believe that our Earth is in danger, and has used his own version of data to prove it.

How, then, could one possibly deny the fact that global warming is real?

According to Coleman, the facts that Al Gore used were altered, on purpose, with the intent to send the public into a national frenzy. In the mid to late 20th century, sci-entists tested the Earth’s temperature from about 6,000 locations around the globe. The data was later taken from only 1,000

locations. The coldest areas, like the moun-tains, were not included in the data, inevi-tably causing Earth’s average temperature to seemingly increase. The data could not be compared to the original figures though, and became very misleading.

Many people believe that there are facts that undeniably prove the existence of global warming, including the decrease in population of the polar bears. This fact is completely untrue, though, as the popula-tion of polar bears over the last few decades has actually been steadily increasing.

Conserving our resources and develop-ing alternative fuel sources is still very im-portant to our society. We must not remain dependent on other nations for oil, and gas prices are again on the rise. All of us want to help our environment and produce a posi-tive impact for the planet; yet, our motives must change. We cannot consider global warming a threat, because it simply is not. Continuation of alternative fuel source de-velopment is vital. If we are correctly in-formed of the true impacts this will have, we can truly create a more prosperous and efficient society.

Students using “smart pills” to help concentrate

What would you do if you were having problems concentrating while studying for or tasking a test?

Most students put aside their distractions and try to focus on their school work, but some may resort to taking drugs.

Ritalin (methylphenidate) is usually tak-en by those with attention deficit disorder to help them focus and to improve their pro-ductivity.

But students have named the drug “smart pills” because it is known to accelerate learning and improve memory, which can help when someone is having a difficult time concentrating.

This drug increases levels of dopamine in the body, which helps the brain work more efficiently, so by taking this drug a person is able to comprehend more material com-pared to the traditional form of studying.

The side effects of Ritalin are headaches, nausea, vomiting, hallucination, and sei-zures, and if you were to overdose you

could die. Adderall (amphetamine-dextroamphet-

amine) is similar to Ritalin in that it is known as a “study drug,” but works differ-ently in the body. This drug increases levels of norepinephrine which helps relieve stress and anxiety; it calms you down so you can concentrate.

The side effects of Adderall are shock, irregular heartbeat, aggression, and addic-tion. You can die from an overdose of this drug.

Taking these types of drugs is not as com-mon in high school as it is in colleges. This is not only a legal issue, as unprescribed drug use is illegal, but it is also a moral is-sue.

Paul Robinson, RB High’s principal, said, “It hasn’t come to my attention that students [at our school] are taking prescrip-tion or over the counter medication to help concentrate for tests.”

Robinson went on to say that at this moment he is more concerned about alcohol abuse among teenagers, as the rates of students who drink are rising at an alarming rate.

How teens can party responsibly

As the weekend rolls around after a long and stressful week of studying, some stu-dents decide to go to parties. While relaxing and having fun is expected for a teenager, the poor decisions that students may make at these parties have costly consequences.

Many teenagers attend these parties with-out planning ahead and end up in predica-ments that not only hurt themselves but oth-ers too.

“It’ll cause unneeded stress and ruin whatever trust you have with your parents,” said sophomore Emily Zhao. “Your friends will judge you, and you’ll be labeled.”

In order to avoid situations that you might regret, students should attend parties with a good group of friends who will watch out

for one another. Though drinking alcohol is illegal for

those under the age of 21, unfortunately, many teens succumb to this temptation.

“It’s ignorant to say that drinking isn’t going to happen at parties,” senior Julian Peña said.

According to Monheit Law, drinking at parties is now considered commonplace. Approximately 12.5 million underage teen-agers drink alcohol a year. Binge drinking (having five or more drinks of alcohol in a row) is also not uncommon at parties.

However, the most dangerous act that can happen during or after a party is drinking and driving. It can lead to a tragic ending for not only the driver and passengers in the car, but innocent pedestrians and driv-ers who are at the wrong place at the wrong time. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, eight young people a day die from

alcohol-related crashes. Because of the temptation at parties, students should leave with a designated driver.

“It’s easy for someone to have fun with-out drinking,” Peña said. “They should drive everyone home to be safe.”

There are other ways to be responsible, such as being careful of what you drink and eat at parties.

“Don’t drink from opened bottles, and keep an eye on your drinks,” Zhao said.

Fortunately, many students know how to be cautious.

“I think, at least here, many people party responsibly,” Peña said. “They know what’s the limit and how to be careful.”

Because partying is inevitable for some teens, it is useless to simply discourage it. Instead, teens should be aware of the con-sequences of making poor decisions, and know how to be responsible.

A crowded street with the cars of partygoers. Photo by Michael Rupic

ProPosal to legalize Marijuana

A proposal to tax and regulate marijuana in California was approved by lawmakers on Jan. 12. Backers of the proposal have been gathering signatures to legalize mari-juana to qualify for the measure in the No-vember ballot. The initiative would treat marijuana the same way alcohol and tobac-cos are treated. It would make it legal for a person 21 years old or older to possess an ounce of marijuana.

Some students at RB High agree with the

legalization of marijuana.“I’m not against legalizing pot because

the taxes on them could help our economy,” junior Christina Song said. “Maybe it can even help our school budget.”

It is true that it could help our economy. Researchers say that it can raise up to a few hundred million dollars. If the law passes, it would also help fund drug eradication and awareness programs.

“I’m for legalizing pot because it’s not that bad for you. Cigarettes are actually worse,” senior Peter Oh said. “And I heard

it reduces the chance of getting a tumor.” Research showed that nicotine, contained in tobaccos, makes your lung bunch up, making it hard to cough up anything. But marijuana contains THC, which works like a cough drop and opens up your lungs. Ac-cording to Science Daily, studies have also shown that the ingredients in marijuana cuts tumor growth in half

But this does not mean that marijuana use is harmless. Scientists show that smok-ing any plant is bad for your lungs. You can eat pot instead of smoking it, which is less

harmful to your lungs, but it is not safe to eat tobaccos.

Although there are some benefits to legal-izing marijuana, there are also many cons.

“If pot is legalized, the majority will do it since they can have easier access to it,” se-nior Grace Kang said. “And people will find more illegal stuff because some people just like to rebel and like to do illegal things.”

Although we cannot know for certain, there is a good chance that the rate of mari-juana use among teens would increase, which could also mean more teens would be

dependent on marijuana and then eventu-ally maybe even worse drugs. Marijuana is often used as stepping-stone drug, leading to even harder drugs, like heroin, cocaine, and etc. And more widespread use could increase the dangers of secondhand smoke damage to bystanders.

If the legalization of marijuana is passed, people driving while high would increase as well. Even if marijuana may reduce tumor growth, it can still cause physical damage. Marijuana usage has been tied to brain dam-age, cancer, lung damage, and depression.

Parker ConleyStaff writer

Brent GoldbergBusiness manager

Carrie ChenFeatures editor

Sarah ChoStaff writer

Michael RupicOpinions editor

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010 OPINIONS4

Although the unemployment rate may be high across the nation, high school students, particularly seniors, are making the effort and time to get a job. Having a job as a teen-ager does not only help you gain experience and the chance to meet new friends, but it can also help teens take on more responsi-bility and teach them about how to manage the money they have earned after a hard day’s work.

According to The National Labor Com-mittee, those teens who hold a part-time job spend their income in the following order: clothes, food, candy and soft drinks, salty snacks, like chips, and compact discs, lunch, shoes, video games, jewelry, magazines and ice cream.

According to Michael J. Shanahan, the author of Adolescent paid labor and rela-tionships with parents: Early work-family linkages, learning how to spend the money one has earned can promote maturity. In a sense, a part-time job can teach students how to manage their money. But in reality, only a small percentage of students save their money for college or contribute to the family’s living expenses.

Senior Gil Aloni works at Cold Stone Creamery. She works two to three days a week and ten to 13 hours a week. Aloni spend the money she has earned from her job mainly on gas and clothes. From the tips earned, she uses that to buy food and saves the rest in her savings account.

“Having a job and earning my own mon-ey has taught me a great deal about respon-sibility,” Aloni said. “I know how it is to spend the money you worked for, and I feel a sense of pride that it is my own money.”

Kayla Allard, senior, works at Rolling Hills Elementary Extended Student Servic-es. She works with kids five days a week, for about three hours each day. Allard spends her money mostly on clothes and shoes, and she has recently started putting half of her earnings into her savings account.

“As a teen having a job, you start learn-ing the importance of money and saving,” Allard said. “I feel more independent, and it helps me manage my money and time be-cause I’m still a student.”

There are detriments and benefits of having a job as a high school student, but it seems that it can help students be more independent and help them learn about time and money management. In short, it could give teens a glimpse of what the real work-force is like

Ever wondered if AP classes are really worth it?

It was a typical, quiet Sunday morn-ing on the trails of Lake Hodges when an atypical event disturbed the community of Rancho Bernardo. A college student, Can-dice Moncayo, also referred to fondly as my sister, had just come from Colorado to visit our family for Christmas, expecting warm weather and warm wishes.

Moncayo was coming towards the end of her eight- mile run when she passed an overweight man in jeans. After a cordial “good morning,” Moncayo continued run-ning, thinking it odd that a man on a trail would be wearing jeans.

The moment she looked away, Moncayo was tackled and thrown to the side of the

running trail, caught off guard and with-out any warning. As an instinct, Moncayo screamed, flailing as the man’s weight drove her to the ground.

“Shut up,” the attacker grunted, a man about 6’2 with brown hair and eyes.

“I thought he was going to rape me,” Moncayo said, “so I told him he would have to kill me first.”

The man told her to shut up once again, and then asked for all of her money. Mon-cayo relaxed. As she was running, she didn’t have any money; she didn’t even have an ipod. Once Moncayo told her at-tacker that she had none, he picked her up by her shoulders, shaking her relentlessly,

which left bruises. With one hand still on the ground behind her, this college student brought her arm up and elbowed her attack-er in the nose, surprising and hurting him enough that he let go.

Moncayo ran.She claims she ran faster than she’s ever

run, and found the nearest house, where she used someone’s phone to call the police. The police were there in seconds, and all that was left of the overweight, jean- wear-ing, attacker were the bruises he left on her and the DNA the police were able to swab from her elbow.

“It is your responsibility to be aware of your surroundings,” said Moncayo.

As lucky as Moncayo was to come away from such an encounter, the incident still leaves the lingering question of safety. Is Lake Hodges as safe as we all have imagined and allowed it to be? Consid-ering the large number of elderly people in the community, and the yipping Chi-huahuas, Rancho Bernardo should not be automatically assumed as a completely safe area. One needs to be cautious of what is around, and not take for granted the stillness that Rancho Bernardo is known for.

Moncayo’s advice of being aware one’s surroundings is important. We should not live in fear, but we should be aware.

Top-three desired colleges among RB High seniors

Runner gets attacked at Lake Hodges

AP courses are college level classes that can give you college credit if you pass the AP test at the end of the school year. Not only can it give you college credit, it can boost your GPA because AP courses give 5 points for A instead of 4, and 4 points for B instead of 3, and so on. Honors courses are the classes that prepare you for an AP level class.

RB High offers many AP’s and honors courses. Students who like the AP and hon-ors programs have some various reasons why they like them, but the general reason is the same.

“It really pushes you to do better,” senior Kathleen Au said. “I think it helps you to bring out the full potential of your capabili-ties.”

Kathleen is taking three AP classes right now and she mentioned that it is challeng-ing, but she likes how it sets you up for col-lege. She also likes the intriguing ideas that come out from the lessons.

Since AP classes are college level cours-es, it goes depth in the subject. A lot of deep analyzing takes place, especially in classes like AP Statistics and AP English Litera-ture.

“The courses look good for my college admissions,” senior Jenny Byun said. “And

it helps you to prepare for college because they’re relevant to what you’re going to do in college.”

Jenny is taking five AP classes this se-mester and an off-role class. She likes the courses, and finds them interesting. She’s not stressed out that much thanks to her off-role class. And although she’s taking five AP classes, compared to four during her junior year, she said that this year is easier for her.

If you know how to balance your classes, you won’t be as stressed by your AP class-es. You can benefit from taking the courses because you will have an idea of what you should expect in college classes.

“I took the course because it will help with college credit and because I can get a high-er GPA if I do well,” senior Leo Lin said. “That’s still the main reason, but I came to think that they’re fairly interesting.”

Leo is currently taking three AP classes and he likes how AP Government helps you learn about how our government functions. He also said that his AP Environmental Sci-ence and AP Statistics classes helped him with reasoning, which will help him in the future.

Each AP courses focuses on different parts of learning skills.

Nowadays, high school students feel pressure from teachers, parents, and peers to take AP and Honors classes to pad their high school resume. While AP and Honors classes are suitable for those who learn at a faster pace, many who are not at that certain level take on the challenge because they are pressured to do so.

Many who take AP classes claim to take it for the “challenge,” yet others have a dif-ferent opinion.

“People just take AP classes just to boost their GPA,” said senior Gil Aloni. “No one would take AP classes if it weren’t for that.”

AP classes move at a faster pace, which leads to more homework, and generally a greater amount of stress. Unless a student had a genuine interest in the specific cur-riculum, the extra GPA point is the only in-centive students have to take AP classes.

Many students who load up on AP class-es sacrifice their sleep, their social life, and their sanity. Kaylee Yurczyk, sophomore, who is taking all AP and Honors classes, in-cluding AP Biology, thinks that AP classes definitely sacrifice a part of her social life.

“I go to sleep around 1 or 1:30 a.m.,” said Yurczyk.

For many AP students, a bedtime later

than midnight is considered the norm. It is all part of the deal when a student signs up for challenging AP and Honors classes: studying into the early hours of the morn-ing, struggling to stay awake while finishing an essay, and falling asleep on textbooks. However, there are many advantages to tak-ing AP classes, if the student is up for the challenge.

For many students, they must decide for themselves whether or not the additional stress is worth it.

“It depends on the purpose,” said Aloni. “If it’s just for the grade, then it’s not worth it.”

Others have a different view. Janelle Gar-cia, junior, believes that the extra stress is not needed because the AP class covers the same material as the regular class.

With Honors classes, students find less of an advantage to take the class because they don’t add points to GPA. However, honors classes are fitting for those who want prepa-ration for AP classes because the fast-paced nature of the class is similar to that of an AP class.

Although AP classes are suitable for many, students shouldn’t feel pressured to take more challenging classes because of pressure from parents and peers.

For many seniors going on to college this year, applying to the right ones is a big deal. Most seniors applies to a number of differ-ent colleges, but everyone has his or her top choice colleges. Choosing a college can be intimidating, but first you should decide

whether or not you would like to go to a big school, or if you would rather stay locally and in a small-school environment.

Second, you need to realize that you don’t have to choose a major before applying to college. Most college students change their

minds two or three times before they settle on a major, and they can still graduate in four years. Being undecided could be a good thing because it can leave you open to more academic experiences.

You should choose a college that is right for you and your interests. Try to get an idea of what you would like to do later on in your life, and find colleges that can help you expand on those interests. The right college does not have to be well known, it only has to be right for you.

Senior Joel Mallari has applied to many different colleges this year. Some of them include San Diego State, Irvine, and River-side. The colleges he really hopes to get into are Santa Barbara, Long Beach, and Santa Cruz. As of yet, he has only been accepted into Fullerton College, but he hopes to be accepted into more.

Kimberly Hariman has also applied to many colleges in hopes of being accepted into one. Some of her choices include Ir-

vine, Riverside, and Cal Poly. Her three first choice colleges are UCSD, Santa Barbara, and Long Beach. So far she has not been accepted into any colleges, but remains hopeful.

“I might major in psychology, but other than that I’m still undecided,” Hariman said

Lauren Tomicich is another senior who has applied to a multitude of colleges in hopes of getting accepted into one of her favorites. A few of the colleges she has sent applications to include UC Berkley, North Western, and La Jolla. Her top choice col-leges are Pomona, Claremont, and Occiden-tal. Lauren plans to major in Anthropology and Social Sciences.

With so many different colleges out there, the choice can be tough. But when you’ve found the right college, you’ll know. Good luck to all the seniors applying to colleges this year. Hopefully you can get accepted into your top choice!

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How RB students spend their hard-earned money

Breanna WillisStaff writer

Jin LeeEditor in Chief

Kayla MoncayoOpinions Editor

Sarah ChoStaff Writer

Carrie ChenFeatures Editor

Photo courtesy of Google images

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010FEATURES 5

The iPhone its Competitors The Blackberry

Since 2007, the great debate that has torn through the technological world has been between the preferences of the BlackBerry Smart Phone over the Apple iPhone. The BlackBerry was first introduced in 1998 with a model that barely connected to the internet and shockingly ran on AA batteries. Now, twelve years later, the BlackBerry competes heavily with Apple’s new product.

Clearly, the BlackBerry has upgraded its features and continues to do so in order to contend with the iPhone. These features include the following:

E-mail- BlackBerry offers the option of adding up to ten personal e-mail accounts from any site (yahoo.com, gmail.com, etc.), as well as the option of having a BlackBerry e-mail account. E-mails are able to be accessed, responded to, and attachments can be downloaded.

Text messaging- Typing on the BlackBerry differs from that of the iPhone. When typing on the BlackBerry touching a letter or icon lights up the key in blue, but the user must push the screen down in order to chose the highlighted key. BlackBerry offers spell

check on messages, and autocorrects misspelled words. Full QWERTY horizontal and vertical keyboards are also offered.

I n s t a n t messaging- The BlackBerry offers several different options for instant messaging. The

user can have accounts on any of the instant messaging sites that are offered via the internet (i.e.

Kayla Moncayo

Sports Editor

VS

Breanna Willis

Staff Writer

We’ve all seen the commercials for Verizon’s new Droid cell phone. But is it really the best you can get? Well, if you’re looking at Verizon’s Official website, it sure seems like it might be.

The droid can surf the web at high speeds, run up to six apps at a time, and you can even Google without typing. The phone uses voice recognizing technology, and also sports a touch screen. The screen slides up to reveal a full keyboard, making it a perfect texting phone.

You can also download thousands of

applications from the Android Market, and you can download mp3s from the Amazon Music Store. The Droid comes with a DVD quality video camera and a handsfree Bluetooth headset. But how does the Droid compare to the iPhone?

The Droid’s built-in apps don’t let you do

things such as pinch-to-zoom or multi-

touch typing. The iPhone, on the other hand, is a multi-touch monster. It’s fully and uniformly supported on every iPhone, in every app. And although the Droid has a physical keyboard as well as a virtual one, many reviewers say that the keys on the Droid’s keyboard are flat and hard to distinguish on from the other.

And if we aren’t just comparing the phones, the AT&T network allows you to simultaneously talk on the phone as well as use the internet; something the Verizon’s network doesn’t support. With all of it’s capabilities, the Droid is certainly a well-matched competitor for the iPhone as well as AT&T.

Google’s Nexus OneTavis Lam

Staff Writer

Early last month, the Google Phone, Nexus One, came out and emerged as one of the major competitors of the iPhone. The Nexus One is manufactured by HTC Corporation and is widely known for its ability of dictation with 90-percent accuracy, allowing users to transcribe voice into text.

Selling for $170, cheaper than the iPhone, the Nexus One is “unlocked,” enabling customers to buy the Nexus One directly from Google without having to be tied to a contract with other carriers.

Along with two hours more of battery

life than the iPhone, the Google Phone also includes a replaceable battery, which

allows convenient battery replacement; it also includes a program displaying what is being used with the battery power, allowing control and absolute awareness of the battery life.

Unlike the iPhone, which had been criticised for its

applications’ approval process, Google collaborates with

Android Market, which does not require approval and has the potential to change the app landscape.

Equipped with a flash, the Nexus One has a 5 megapixel camera, verses the iPhone’s 3 megapixels, granting photos to be taken in the dark as well.

The Nexus One has the feature of multitasking, enabling users to use the phone for multiple purposes simultaneously. The Google phone also has an extra mic on the back of the phone employed to reduce background noises. Being a low-cost and convenient competitor of the iPhone, Google’s Nexus One phone is certainly a phone to consider!

Robert Bojar

Photo Editor

It seems that the iPhone is untouchable by its competition. Google developed the G1, but not many have heard of it. Motorola then developed the Droid under Verizon Wireless, but it seems that your friends still want to play with your iPhone. Blackberry simply stays in its own niche of business smartphones.

Apple remains consistent with the development of the iPhone. Its history of well-rounded, exceptionally-designed, and simply powerful gadgets and computers has been enhanced by the iPhone.

While the competition tries to follow in the footsteps of the iPhone, it cannot because this gadget is not only a phone, but a gaming console, and a mini computer.

Sporting a 3 megapixel camera, the newest addition to the Apple iPhone lineup, the 3GS, is capable of recording video and trimming it on the spot. Then, after saving it, there is an innumerable amount of applications to choose from to edit and share the video.

S e n i o r Mateo Vargas an Apple enthusiast says, “I just like the iPhone because I don’t like to mess around with technical details. If I want anything, any gadget too on my phone, I just search it in the App Store and get it for free or really cheap.”

The concept of the application system utilizes the “App Store” in iTunes. This system is based on independent developers who create these “applications” or programs to enhance the iPhone, fulfilling an extraordinarily wide range of uses from photo editing, to gaming, to word processing.

This use of an open system that allows anyone to create an app to be approved into the app store creates a community of users

who rate and comment on the apps so that they can be created to peak performance with constant updates and improvements.

This integrated system that Apple developed is the dawn to popularizing the new software market, where users create and share their own creations and modifications.

“It’s really great because there are games for the iPhone that are far more complex

and well made than a Gameboy game I had when I was younger. And it’s on my phone

for a couple of dollars. It just seems so convenient and ridiculously too good to be

true. I don’t even consider this a phone, but a mini-computer in my pocket, and not to mention an Apple computer,” Vargas said.

So, with the apps, the iPhone is constantly

changing. It is infinitely

customizable and flexible.

And since this device is based on

programs created by

users, Apple is adapting

to the needs of its users, creating an

appealing device.

Another great thing

about the iPhone is that

the system is cooperative

with iTunes, allowing

applications, music, photos, movies, notes,

calendar dates, and

email to be synchronized

to the computer. And

if anything is bought on

iTunes or in the App Store on the iPhone or iTunes, it is automatically updated on the

other.Not only is the iPhone the most appealing

device, but it is the most popular, which coupled with the user-integrated system, makes it the most adaptable gadget as well. If the iPhone is too expensive, there’s the iTouch: it is basically an iPhone without the cellular connection and camera.

The iPhone is the most popular simply because it is the best. The competition smart phones are copying the iPhone and will die out shortly after their release. Apple’s wide understanding of customer needs and design are what create this monopoly and performance of the iPhone.

Yahoo Messaging, AIM, etc.) as well as an instant messaging that is strictly between BlackBerry phones. BlackBerry Messaging allows BlackBerry users to instant message each other with no limit on the characters typed.

Internet- All options that computers give to users the BlackBerry also offers. Browsing the web, accessing Facebook, Myspace or Twitter pages are all available.

Camera- BlackBerry cameras are equipped with a built in flash, color options for pictures, and auto-focus. Pictures can be sent via e-mail, text messaging, or instant messaging. All pictures from the BlackBerry can be transferred to the user’s computer through software.

Though the competition between the BlackBerry and iPhone is still in a heated battle, the BlackBerry offers several more options that are targeted towards organization, business, and world wide connection.

Liz Steigerwald

SPORTS EDITOR

the Silver SpurRANCHO BERNARDO HIGH

Kiana Said

ADVISOR

Jin LeeNEWS EDITOR

FEATURES EDITORS

Brent Goldberg

BUSINESS MANAGER

Silver Spur Editorial Policy The opinions expressed in the Silver Spur are not necessarily the opinions of the staff, administration, or the students of Rancho Bernardo High School. They are not necessarily the opinions of the Silver Spur staff as a whole. The Silver Spur is a public forum.

STAFF WRITERS

PHOTO EDITOR

EDITORS -IN-CHIEF

Kiana Said

Robert Bojar

Michael Rupic

Sarah ChoBreanna Willis

Tavis LamParker Conley

OPINIONS EDITOR

Carrie Chen

Jin Lee

Geoffrey BoganGUEST ARTIST

Maranda Li

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Celeste Conowitch

Broncos weigh in

Samantha Levine, 9“I prefer the iPhone, because it’s a computer at your hands, and you

can use it whenever you want. It’s sturdy and stable and you know it won’t crash on you when you’re

doing something important.”

Jacob Teal, 12“I appreciate the iPhone and Apple products, but I would rather keep

my phone and entertainment device separate.”

Droid

iPhone

Kayla Moncayo

High school is stereotypically full of drama. It’s the time in our lives where we realize what the opposite sex really is. Now, this may be a shock to many boys, so this time in our lives is inexpe-rienced and awkward at times. “Infatuation” is doomed to be con-fused with “Love”, and the end of the world seems to come every couple months for heartbroken teens.

“But love is possible. I mean, just because we are teens doesn’t mean we are incapable of feeling love,” said senior Mateo Var-gas.

Of course, Vargas is right: all of us do really love something, our parents, our pet rock, the Xbox, etc. But he’s talking about loving a girl.

“Of course there are a lot of couples who don’t really love each other. This is high school. There are always exceptions,” Vargas said.

How serious could it get? We high school kids don’t usually live on our own, have curfews, and most of us don’t even know where we will be within the next four years.

“That’s not a bad thing at all. It saves us from depression or obsession. I don’t think that relationships should be a big factor at this point. School comes first.”

That’s why we are here in high school, to learn. Math and Eng l i sh , the aca- demics aren’t the only things that are be- ing learned in high school. An-other popu- lar subject is the op- posite sex. Both aca- demics and relat ionships are important to develop for the future, but a balance needs to be established.

“I’m going off to college after I graduate,” Vargas said. “I’m still not sure where, so I can’t be looking for or expecting anything that’s long term.”

That could be a problem. So what’s the point? Practice? A lot of guys just want to have

fun, believe it or not, girls can be much fun to hang around with. And there’s nothing wrong with that as long as the feeling is mu-tual.

“Well, I’m at the point where I just want to live out my days here, and if anything comes across, then I’ll take it from there,” Vargas added.

But if something serious does come up, then there are many things to work around. For one, parents may not approve, school-work may get in the way, or one of the two is moving out to col-lege.

“If I really like the girl, then I’ll do my best to make it work. It’s as simple as that. I’ve heard long distance relationships are tough, but love is worth it,” Vargas concluded.

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26,2010 SPREAD6

High school relationships

The relationships that people have on campus are a big part of high school drama. Relationships are to be expected, as are breakups, and broken hearts. Girls, usually being the more emotional of the two, give their view on high school relationships.

“I think the point of a high school relationship is just having fun and exploring the territory,” said sophomore Emily Zhao. “Relation-ships are a part of the freedom you get because you’re old enough to know what you’re doing and act on feelings.”

R e l a t i o n s h i p s are merely a part of growing up, and many take it as a step- ping stone in gaining the experience needed for the future.

H o w - e v e r , m a n y girls may take high s c h o o l relation- ships too serious- ly. Con-s ider ing that high school re- lationships are not meant to be long- term, like marriage, some girls take things too far and expect the relationship to flourish far beyond high school.

“I think some take it way too seriously, saying ‘I love you’ only after two weeks,” said Zhao.

When asked why many girls take high school relationships so seriously, sopho- more Geraldine Cerna said, “Because girls are more sensitive and emotional.”

Girls may put everything into one relationship, and in the pro-cess may neglect their friends and other important areas of their life. While a relationship is important, it shouldn’t dominate and hold pri-ority over everything.

On the other hand, there are the girls in high school who date con-tinuously, jumping from guy to guy.

“Some take it too flippantly, and their relationships are only three to four days,” said Zhao.

This way, hearts don’t get broken as easily, but there isn’t any sub-stance or meaning to such a brief relationship. Girls who tend to date in this fashion may gain a bad reputation.

High school relationships should find a happy medium between a full-on, serious relationship and a superficial and brief one.

“I think they [high school relationships] deserve a lot of thought,” said Zhao. “If you’re going to do it, don’t make it a game, but don’t take it too serious and too far.”

A healthy relationship requires that both parties not be dependent on each other; yet, both people involved should make an effort in maintaining the relationship. Expectations shouldn’t be held too high, because a sudden break in the relationship could hold devastating consequences. Re- lationships, as complicated as they are, are just a part of high school drama.

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THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26,2010SPREAD 7

KISSING CAN BE HEALTHY...xoxo

With February being the month of love, one of the easiest way couples show their affection to one another is by kissing. Kissing is a universal lan-guage that does not require a translation. Besides being a way to express affection, kissing also has amazing health benefits for a long and healthy life.

First, kissing helps you lose weight. A long kiss makes the metabolism burn up sugar faster than usual, according to Cosmo’s Fitness Consultant Claire Potter. Kissing burns calories, about two to three calories a minute, so kissing is one simple way to diet, while showing affection at the same time.

Kissing is good for the heart because it creates an adrenaline which causes your heart to pump more blood around your body. Frequent kissing has been proven to stabilize cardiovascular activ-ity, decrease blood pressure and cholesterol. Also, those who kiss frequently are less likely to suffer from stomach, bladder and blood infections.

For those who want to have younger-looking skin, kissing uses 30 facial muscles, and it helps keep the facial muscles tight, preventing baggy cheeks. By kissing, you are helping slow the aging process because it helps tone the cheek and jaw muscles. The tension in the muscles caused by kissing helps smooth the skin and increases the circulation.

Kissing also prevents tooth decay, according to Dr. Peter Gordon, a dental advisor at the Brit-

For it Against it

Most people have either witnessed or participated in public displays of affection. Of course, in every relationship kissing and hugging is natural. But when it comes to cuddling and participating full out make out sessions in front of everyone, you really start to wonder what the boundaries should be for public displays of affection.

In public view of others, these displays of affection are often unpleasant, especially at school. In a school environ-ment, it is inappropriate because it makes students and adults uncomfortable with couples making out in front of them, or sitting on each other’s lap.

“I hate it when people show strong affection towards one another like groping each other or stopping in the middle of the halls to start making out,” senior Margaux Leffas Lopes said when asked where she stood on the issue of PDA. “It is okay for small kisses, but there are certain things that are not appropriate at school.”

“Nobody wants to see people playing tonsil hockey,” se-nior Maxwell O’Keiffe said. “It is ridiculous and should be saved for private time.”

Kissing shortly, hugging, and holding hands are okay be-cause it does not make people uncomfortable, and thus are acceptable when in most public places. When it comes to making out, touching your significant other in inappropriate places and making the people around you feel uncomfort-able, this type of affection should be avoided in public.

“There is a time and place for everything,” senior Linsie Francy said, “and the hallway is not there.” Francy believes that strong acts of affection do not belong in the middle of the halls, blocking traffic and grossing people out.

It is an issue that affects everybody. Whether you are at the movie theaters, school or even the grocery store, you are bound to see PDA.

It is better to be considerate about the people around you, and tone down extreme PDA towards your significant other. If you think your actions might make others feel awkward, then it is better to save it when you are in private.

Controversy of PDA

By Robert BojarPhoto Editor

By Kiana SaidEdutir-in-chief

In simple words, the “public display of affection” or “PDA” is the physical demonstration of affection for an-other person while in the view of others.

Many people find it offensive and disgusting.“I don’t know why people are so bothered by it. It’s a

sincere action, and you don’t even have to be looking. If it bothers you, then ignore it. It’s none of your business anyway,” Brittney Sager, senior said.

Even though we do live in a free country, there seems to be social rules against PDA. It’s a matter of the society around us. In some areas in the world, some cultures do not allow the neck of a woman to show. In other areas, it is not foreign to walk naked in the street. So, now it’s a question of our society, which happens to be a mix of cultures.

“What’s so wrong with being free with your affection toward someone? I think people are repulsed by it because they don’t know what it is to be in love and free to express it,” Sager said.

Because we live in such a mix of cultures here in San Diego, there are going to be many opinions on the subject. But, this is also a reason to allow yourself to be affection-ate.

“Other people might find it gross, but it’s not about them. I have a healthy relationship, and I like to be affection-ate. Last time I checked, there is no law against kissing in public. If people want to lead sheltered lives and be less tolerant, then they should go somewhere else. It’s not my problem,” Sager said.

It makes little sense for it to be taboo for a young couple to be appreciative of themselves as freely as they choose, and, yet, it is an everyday and normal thing for the movie theatres to show gore and guts for $10 a showing.

I’d rather see a couple expressing themselves than to sit through an hour and a half of war and death at the movies.

ish Dental Association. During a kiss, natural antibiotics are secreted in the saliva, and it brings plaque built up after eating down to a normal level.

Another health benefit is that kissing maintains a healthy heart by enhancing the level of blood pumped by heart. Also, it can help patients with hypertension to lower their blood pressure levels.

Besides helping your physical health, kissing can also help psychologically. Kissing relieves stress, boots self-esteem, reduces negative en-ergy, lowers stress and relieves tension. Kissing apparently makes you feel appreciated and helps balance your state of mind.

Lastly, believe it or not, those couples who kiss each other goodbye each morning live five years longer than those who do not.

Kissing is a quintessential and the simplest way to show love; in this month of love, try showing your affection more. With the health benefits of kissing in mind, show your affection to your boyfriend or girlfriend by kissing them, or even to your family by giving pecks of kisses to show them your love and the appreciation you have for them.

By Jin Lee Editor-in-chief

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If you are looking at trying to get to this sewer, it is advised to go at night so that there will be no golfers, it may take some time finding, but is worth it.

“I once went to the sewer at night with a few friends and someone else was already at the other end…scariest moment of my life,” said junior Courtney Reynolds.

Another spot worthy of talking about is the Lake Hodges dam. This spot is actually in Escondido, about ten minutes from RB High. This dam is divided up into many different chambers, each one going deep enough to where you are actually under the lake. There is also a balcony-like platform that runs through out, the only trouble with that, however, is finding how to get up. The walls of this dam are covered with artistic graffiti. From the trail head along the road, where you can park your car, it is a short hike to get to the base of the dam. Although, fair warning, there are “no trespassing” signs surrounding the dam, and it is about a 50-50 chance that you will get caught by one of the dam operators if you try to enter one the dam’s chambers.

“I’m not going to lie, I was a little scared when I first went to the dam,” said junior Louw

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010 FEATURES8

Hidden Secrets in the City

Geoff Bogan

Sports Editor

Some people think that Rancho Bernardo is a town that doesn’t have a whole lot going on. Most of the residents are elderly, and it isn’t really home to anything all that exciting. However, in Rancho Bernardo there are quite a handful of cool places to hang out that not everyone knows about. These hang-out spots are often perceived as “secret” because of where they are. These places can be found in sewers, on top of mountains, under bridges, or even inside of dams. These places are not easy to find or get to and are decorated with graffiti; this makes them unique and cool to hang out with friends.

The first spot is a sewer along the Bernardo Heights golf course. It is hard to find, but worth the time it will take. This sewer is more like a tunnel, you can stand inside without having to lean over, plus it goes about a quarter mile deep. Throughout this quarter mile you can venture underneath the freeway and eventually get to the other side.

On the walls there are streaks of paint that go all the way to the end, which makes the tunnel seem as if it is never end ing .

Scheepers. “It’s really creepy in there.” Next up is a cave that is right in the heart

of Rancho Bernardo. This “cave” is on a mountain side about half way between the RB Community Park and Westwood. To get there, you can start from either the trail head at the community park, or the one in Westwood. From there you will find a mountain with a small trail leading all the way up to it.

As far as the difficulty to get there, this cave takes the prize because you can only get there by foot, and it is quite the hike. The “cave” is actually just a bunch of rocks that have fallen in the formation of a cave.

You will know you ate there when you see things like “Mike was here” or “class of ‘99” painted all over the rocks. The view from the top of this mountain is quite scenic; you can see over all of Rancho Bernardo as well as all over Escondido. The cave is slightly less impressive than the other spots mentioned, but if you’re looking for something to do on a weekend this could be a good hike to go on.

This next place is not really a spot that one would go to “hang out”. It is just

covered in very artsy graffiti, which is why it is worthy of making the list. It is underneath a bridge in Torrey Pines, pretty close to the beach. This “spot” is right off the road, so it really requires minimal effort to get to; the only struggle is finding it. If you’re ever down in the Torrey Pines area, it’s worth trying to find.

“Sometimes I’ll go there with friends to just look at some of the newer graffiti,” noted junior Joe Nickless.

The last spot is another one that requires you to hike. This place is commonly referred to as “Bear Rock.” Of the other spots that have been featured, this spot is by far the coolest one. In addition to being the best, this spot is also the farthest away from Rancho Bernardo.

The infamous Bear Rock lies on a mountain right between Escondido and Temecula, and just getting to the base of the mountain is the easy part; you then have to hike up to the top where this rocks themselves are. At the top there are numerous, very large rocks. However, what makes these rocks so great is not their size, but what is on them. Someone has painted each of the rocks a different animal. These

animals include, a whale, a panda, a gorilla and more.

But wait, that’s not all, there is one very large and peculiarly shaped rock (bear rock), there are a few ropes which you can use to pull yourself up to the top. The view from the top of these rocks is incredible; you can see Rancho Bernardo, Temecula, Escondido, all the costal towns (including the ocean itself), so in short, virtually all of San Diego. This place is definitely worth taking time out of your day to find, no guarantee that you will though.

“It took me two separate days to find Bear Rock,” said junior Molly Grabill. “I went there at sunset, and I could see as far as I wanted all around me…it was worth the time it took to find.”

In reality, what makes all of these spots so “secret” is how difficult they are to find, which the way it should stay. Please note that this article does not tell you exactly where any of the infamous sports are, it just provides a general area. If you and a few friends one day stumble upon one of these spots, do everyone a favor are try to keep it to yourselves, that way these places can remain special for everyone.

Photo by Robert Bojar

All photos by Geoff Bogan

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010ENTERTAINMENT 9

Photos courtesy of Google

A Bronco Original by freshmen Bernadette A.T. Do who said “I Began writing stories and poetry in 6th grade. Writing stories took off at the end of 7th grade, but poetry lagged behind until about 7 months ago when I began to get serious in writing poems.”

LonelinessI awake to find myself drifting in space.

The Stars give me no comfort.FOr the stillness and silence,Battles for my eyes and ears.

The stillness of space feels like the emptiness of my soul.The aching loneliness that haunts my heart at its deepest depth.

Silence like the voice I no longer have.The strength that long left my body.

Leaves me to float for eternity in the quiet and eerie space.

Millions of stars of galaxies away.On the little blue planet called Earth.

Where I once stood with many of my friends.I wonder if it still exists.Does anyone miss me?

Do they even remeber who I am?Was I merely a fragment of their imagination?

How will people of the blue planet remeber such a lowly and loansome person?

People have forgotten the significance of every one person.The meaning life was given.

Yet everyday someone like me goes to wonder...Will anyone miss someone as lonely as me?

The lonely look so stron but truly they are weak.They feel weak, sad but won’t say anything.

Because they’re afraid of burdening others with their feelings.They become introverts scared to accept the kind hand of someone that wants to help.

Because they’ve gotten used to having no one around.No one to tell their feelings, their thoughts.

Because we don’t take the first step to open up and stand up for ourselves,we dig a hole too deep to climb out of

Physical pain is nothing compared to the mental pain.It can and could last a lifetime.

Help those who feel lonely for they could be your greatest ally

A bronco original poem

Looking back to old TV shows compared to those of today: what has really changed over the years

Movie Review:“Dear John”

If you enjoyed watching “The Notebook,” then “Dear John” would be worth while. Based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel, “Dear John” is a typical military love story where two people fall in love, and are then forced to make their long-distance relationship work.

A romance starts when soldier John Tyree (Channing Tatum) and college student Sa-vannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) meet on the beach in Charleston and fall in love. In the two weeks that they spend together, Tyree and Curtis are inseparable and prom-ise that when they part they will keep their relationship going with letters.

Their relationship is put to the test when the time comes for Tyree to go back to deploy-ment and for Curtis to go back to school. The bond that was portrayed in the movie was too good to be true, and throughout the years of exchanging letters, obstacles come their way. It was inevitable that a hardship would come up to ruin their relationship. Indeed a hardship happens on Sept. 11 that changes everything for Tyree and Curtis.

Tyree has to extend his duty, which puts a strain on Curtis who is waiting back at home. The next decision Curtis has to make leads to an unexpected turn of events.

The next letter Tyree receives from Cur-tis is not one of her usual updates on her life, but a break-up letter. When Tyree finds out that she is with someone else, his fo-cus changes, and he prolongs his enlistment in the military. This was hard to watch be-cause the audience knows that Curtis still loves Tyree, but she makes this decision to help one of her friends.

The movie goes on to show Tyree com-ing back from his duty after he finds out his father had a stroke. He then visits Curtis for the first time in years, which is an emo-tional scene in the movie that captures their reunion after so many years, where Curtis’s life has dramatically changed.

Although the last scene is of Tyree and Curtis together, there are many unanswered questions left for audiences to ponder.

By Kiana SaidEditor in Chief

ABC’s “LOST” began its last season on Tuesday, Feb. 3. The final episode from the previous season left viewers with a lot of questions, furthering “LOST’s” reputation for the most complicated show on televi-sion.

“I like how ‘LOST’ is complicated,” said junior Kyle Keller. “After every episode I always wonder what will happen next week.”

There is no doubt that dedication is re-quired. Missing even one episode could jeopardize your understanding of the show.

“LOST” is famous for its cliffhangers, such as how John Locke came back to life. What is up with all the time travel? Will Jin and Sun ever reunite? These are a few of the many questions that views have been left with.

“I started watching ‘LOST’ during the first season,” said junior Louw Scheepers. “Af-

ter that season things just got too compli-cated for me.”

J.J. Abrams, the producer of “LOST,” defi-nitely had his work cut out for him in set-ting up this final season. There are so many questions that still need to be answered. Some viewers think that there are too many to be answered, in addition to former secrets not revealed; the first few episodes of this season have given viewers even more to think about, like the temple that the survi-vors have stumbled upon. Who is in John Locke’s body? These are just two of the most prominent questions.

“LOST” airs on every Tuesday night at 9:00 PM. I am sad to say that if you haven’t been watching “LOST” all along, you would be wasting your time trying to watch it now. But, for all of you “LOST” fanatics out there, good luck with understanding the rest of the series.

The last season of LOST starts off with a bangBy Geoff BoganSatff Writer Photos courtesy of Google

The Silver Spur Needs You!

• Do you like to write?• Do you like to take pictures? • Or to keep up with current events around RB High? Then Journalism is the right class for you! Journalism is a class where you can write articles about diverse topics, and where

you can help design and edit RBHS’ school newspaper: The Silver Spur. If this class does not fill up next year, RB High could lose its school newspaper. If you or someone you know is interested, make sure to add Journalism to your CRF!

By Sarah ChoSatff Writer

Want your original artwork in the Silver Spur? Come with your poem or drawing to room 902 or email it to us at rbsilverspur@gmail.com

Then:

Now:

Ever since television was invented in the 1920s, it has been a major part of Ameri-cans’ lives. TV helps ease stress from work, and personal lives. Many people work most of the day, and when they come home, they relax by eating dinner and watching their favorite TV shows.

As the popularity of genres changes with the times, there are always different kinds of TV shows to watch.

“I was young, so I only watched cartoons during the 90s, but I think the TV shows are

more serious now. Like, dealing with preg-nancy and things like that,” said junior Ni-cole Cruz.

During the 90s, many of the popular shows were comedies. Like the “Cosby Show,” “Fresh-Prince of Bel-Air,” “Rose-anne,” and one of the greatest hit TV se-ries, “Friends.” Many of the main charac-ters from these shows became well-known through these shows.

Jennifer Aniston, for example, started out as a small character in various shows, and when she starred in Friends, she won many

awards. Now, she is one of the most well-known actresses in America.

Will Smith was a successful rapper dur-ing the late 80s, and when he was nearly bankrupt, he was offered a contract to build a sitcom around him, which was the “Fresh-Prince of Bel-Air.” This was the beginning of his acting career, which gained him a lot of popularity. Also, he is currently one of the most well-known actors in America.

The mood of the TV shows made its way from light humor to serious and scandalous drama. Currently, many of the TV shows

are more focused on serious subjects; for example, a lot of them deal with teenage lives. Popular shows like “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Gossip Girl,” and “Gilmore Girls” include main charac-ters that are teenagers. A lot of these shows deal with what goes on in a teenager’s life, including peer pressure. A well-known show aimed at an older audience is “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is about young doctors.

TV shows can be indicators of the trend of the times. So, who knows how the TV shows will change this decade.

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010 ENTERTAINMENT10

Photos courtesy of Google

The Tonight Show franchise, the third longest-running television program in American history, is going through a tre-mendously rough time. Popularized by the outgoing funnyman, host Johnny Carson, the show has been a dominant ratings leader for decades and has grown to become a part of American life.

The Tonight Show’s success continued under comedian Jay Leno until he was forced to hand the reins over to Late Night host Conan O’Brien in May 2009. NBC executives, not wanting to lose Leno to an-other network, signed him on to perform a new show during primetime.

David Letterman, host of CBS’s Late Show, attracted older viewers and snatched Leno fans who admired more of an old-school type of comedy. O’Brien, the fresh, new, and wittier comic drew a younger de-mographic, typically known to not be as faithful a viewer. As a consequence, his ratings fell flat, and he remained behind Letterman. In the meantime, the new Jay Leno Show was quickly becoming an utter failure.

NBC was faced with a dilemma, and they proposed a shaking up of timeslots, mov-ing Leno and his show to 11:30 and mov-

On Dec. 18, 2009, a James Cameron film had made its debut as the highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing Cameron’s Ti-tanic. Avatar, widely known for its devel-opment of 3D viewing and stereoscopic filmmaking, is somewhat a cross between

Starting out in a basement in the Midwest, Owl City has evolved into a musical project listened to by people worldwide.

Adam Young, the only member of Owl City, gained his inspiration for creating songs from disco and electronic music. Owl City’s genre can be classified as electronica, synthpop, emo, or alternative.

Since he uploaded his songs to MySpace in 2007, Young has received a lot of atten-tion.

In 2007, Owl City released the extended play Of June, which topped the Billboard electronic charts at number 20, and in 2008 the album Maybe I’m Dreaming was re-leased, also topping the Billboard electronic charts at number 16.

In the summer of last year, the album

RB High has gained a new edition to its entertainment sector: Displays of Absur-dity, the recently established high school Improv team. This high-energy theater form uses on-the-spot improvisations to create fun and comedic performances that often involve abusrd games and even audience participation.

The team recently put on its first show and seemed to get a great response from the audience. The show itself is divided like a team competition: four members on the blue team and four members on the oppos-ing red team. The teams have to participate in scene games based off of direct sugges-tions from the audience members. The team that receives the most laughter is awarded points.

The team’s coach, William Brode, is a re-cent graduate from the University of Irvine, where he was a captain on the college team. When asked why he started the team, Brode said,

“I started the improv team at RB High be-cause I really enjoy doing improv. It is one of the few activities these days that requires no props, no technology, and no money. Not to mention that it is tons of good old whole-some fun!”

The team itself is comprised of roughly fifteen regular students who attend practices every Tuesday and Thursday night. Senior Naseem Etemad performed in Displays of Absurdity’s last show; she said,

“I’m on the team I guess because I’m not

Brittney Sager, senior, draws eccentric fantasy characters in colored pencil. This may sound childish, but her art delves deep-er than just simple doodles. Even though her personality may also seem childish at times, Sager has sophisticated and devel-oped reasons.

Sager first became interested in drawing by watching her friend draw anime charac-ters.

“I thought it was cool, so I just started copying the style,” Sager said. “But draw-ing became something more than just copy-ing a cool style. It became a therapy for my problems.”

For Sager, drawing is now a therapy and a release from unnecessary stress about real-life problems.

“I create and design characters that are in a similar struggle to mine. By the time I’m finished with them, my head is clearer.”

Sager is very interested in outlandish char-acters and the landscapes that contain them. Through her eccentric personality, Sager is able to produce original characters from a seemingly random cloud of events, objects, and emotions contained in her mind.

Because of this talent, Sager would like to become a character designer.

“I’d really love to create characters for video games or movies. To see my ideas evolve from a raw emotion into a refined and rounded storyline would be my dream,” Sager said.

“I just like making something epic out of random thoughts. If I could see that in a movie or game, then I’ll be happy,” Sager said.

Because Sager approaches her design ob-jectively, she gains a more sensible perspec-tive on what her struggle is. Of course, this is a very effective technique to overcome stress and neurosis.

“And I have OCD, so I need to keep my hands busy to stay quiet in class,” Sager said. “My hands just have to keep moving, so my art is constant. I just can’t stop, even if it’s mindless doodling. And sometimes, I’ll find a good idea from my doodles and develop it into something complicated.”

Sager uses colored pencils mostly, but she is eager to try anything.

“If I had the opportunity to, I would try any medium of art without a doubt. I ab-solutely love trying new things, just pencils are very convenient and they’re versatile.”

“I want to get into anything I can find. It’s fun to experiment with new things, and I find it very therapeutic to learn something new about myself in these ways.”

For Sager, art is not only a release from stress and something to keep her hands busy in AP English Literature, it is also an ad-venture.

Artist Spotlight: Brittany Sager

New RB improv team takes the stageafraid to make a complete fool of myself and my peers on stage for the entertainment of others, and I understand that it’s all about having a good time when doing a game or scene.”

Another student, senior Edwin Carpio said,

“I am on the Improv Team to improve my skills at quick thinking and just have fun.”

Improv certainly includes both of those things. The weekly practices are focused on training the actors how to instantly create a scene with a developed conflict, setting, and relationship in a way that will be entertain-ing for audiences to see. Senior Christian Engelbrecht said his reason for being on the team was to,

“Share in another aspect of theater, one which I had never experienced before. I also wanted to get out and do something on the lonely weeknights.”

Brode explains his future goals for the team:

“My goals for the team are very simple: Get better at improv while having a great time doing it. I want to improve my ability as an improv coach and my team’s ability to make the audience laugh. Putting on shows is secondary to learning but it helps keep people motivated and focused”

Brode continues by saying, “I find it very rewarding to help people improve their skills.”

The team plans to have another show in a couple of weeks; they hope to make per-formances a regular campus happening. Tickets are free for all students, with only a

three dollar donation being asked of adults; a great deal for getting an hour and a half of laugh out-loud-comedy.

So, keep an eye out for fliers bearing the

Ocean Eyes was released with singles on it such as “Fireflies” that topped the charts.

“Fireflies” became the most-downloaded song on iTunes for a period of time and re-mains on the list of the most popular songs.

Recently released from the album Ocean Eyes, the single “Vanilla Twilight” has hit the charts at number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Vanilla Twilight” is about moving on af-ter losing a loved one. The song expresses how the memories that come along with love can be both happy and painful.

This project is known for its electroni-cally created songs, so it is rare to hear the works of actual instruments.

Owl City has a unique style and image in the world of music and represents that

through their distinctive song titles and their one-of-a-kind sound.

Album Review: Owl City’s “Vanilla Twilight”

The “Tonight Show” war rages on: Conan vs. Lenoing the Tonight with Conan O’Brien to 12:05. O’Brien adamantly refused such a proposition stating in a written address to the press,

“My staff and I have worked unbeliev-ably hard, and we are very proud of our con-tribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction.”

As serious negotiations continued with NBC, the late night hosts took advantage of the late night mess as material for their monologues, even to the point of attacking each other, comically of course.

“Hosting The Tonight Show has been the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me, and I just want to say to the kids out there watch-ing: You can do anything you want in life. Unless Jay Leno wants to do it, too,” ex-claimed O’Brien.

NBC executives finally negotiated a deal with Conan that would allow him to leave the network, at NBC’s cost of $32 million, and frees him up to have his own show by Sept. 1. As for Leno, he’ll get his Tonight Show back next month. So, whether you’re on Team Leno or Team Conan, everything seems like it’ll all work out for your favorite host in the end.

Movie Review: James Cameron’s Avatar, a digital masterpieceThe Matrix and Pocahontas.

Avatar is a story taking place in the year 2154 about war veteran Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who has lost his ability to walk. As a deal to get his legs back, he is sent to the moon Pandora in place of his brother to learn the ways of the Na’vi race that inhibits Pandora in an effort to relocate them and take over their world for a newly discovered element called unobtanium.

The beginning of the movie starts out slowly, introducing the history of how Jake had to take his brother’s place but with min-imal computer-animated graphics, which is unexpected by the people who have seen the trailer.

“I thought it was quite good, but I thought it was an advertisement at first,” said Hyun Kwon, freshman, who had watched the movie with his family in 3D. But even

people who’ve seen the trailer before didn’t expect much.

“I didn’t expect much,” said senior John Shaughnessy. “I wasn’t very interested in finding out what it was about.

The filming included the actors having to wear caps that had cameras, capturing their facial expressions, and translating them onto the face of the Na’vi people.

Avatar was originally developed in 1994 and planned to take place after Titanic, but the proper equipment and technology was not available, postponing the project to start in 2005, when Cameron started working on the Na’vi language.

Avatar is the perfect movie for those who enjoy action, sci-fi, adventure, and love sto-ries; so jump into this un-forgettable movie and experience the suspense that will thrill your mind!

Photos courtesy of Google

Photos courtesy of Google

Photos courtesy of Google

Photos courtesy of Google

Photo by Robert Bojar

By Parker ConleyStaff Writer

By Michael RupicStaff Writer

By Robert BojarPhoto Editor

By Celeste ConowitchEntertainment Editor

Horse by Brittany Sager

By Tavis LamStaff Writer

Team Logo drawn by Celeste Conowitch

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010SPORTS 11

Athlete Spotlights: Boys Lacrosse

When one thinks of California, they usu-ally think of the warm weather and beaches that it is home to. However, it is also home to many mountains that are used for both skiing and snowboarding. Of these moun-tains, the most popular among RB High students are Mt. High, Big Bear, and Mam-moth.

Although Mt. High and Big Bear are a shorter drive than going up to Mammoth, you will find better snow in Mammoth. “I have been to all three moun-tains this season,” said junior Louw Scheepers, who has been snow-boarding for four years, “and of them all, I liked Mam-moth the best; the snow up there doesn’t even compare to Mt. High and Big Bear.” This is because Mammoth is another four or so hours north of both Mt. High and Bear.

“I will usually take at least one trip up to Mammoth per year, and if I’m lucky, I’ll take a few day trips to Bear and Mt.

Being raised with the sport of lacrosse, junior Tyler Ekeroth’s skills have earned him the ranking as the number one lacrosse player in the West.

“Growing up, the Yeatmen’s were my neighbors, and they are the ones that started lacrosse programs in the RB and San Diego area,” said Ekeroth. “This made me start la-crosse at a very young age, and I have been passionate about it ever since.”

Ekeroth’s many accomplishments started in the 8th grade when his team won the San Diego Youth Championship. By winning this championship, Ekeroth was noticed by many colleges, and many of them started contacting him. Now, a third year varsity junior, Ekeroth is ready to take on lacrosse at the higher level at Denver University. Prior to making this decision, he had to choose between his top two choices: Den-ver and Maryland University.

“I love both teams,” Ekeroth said. “Mary-land has a stronger program, but the coach at Denver is the former Princeton coach.”

Although he has been contacted by vari-ous schools, such as Cornell, Syracuse,

Having played for six and a half years, junior Zach Weaver is an avid goalie on RB High’s varsity lacrosse team. As with any other sport that requires a goalie, Weaver’s position is imperative to team.

RB High’s lacrosse team made it to the semifinals last season, and Weaver person-ally made it to the second team all league last year and came out as second best in the team.

Weaver’s biggest accomplishment so far in his high school career so far is making the varsity team as a freshman. Then in his sophomore year, he was appointed the start-ing goalie for the team. The worst injury he has received so far was when he broke his hand while blocking a goal.

Being one of the star goalies on the team, Weaver has stood out to college recruiters. So far, Salisbury University and the Unit-ed States Military Academy at West Point have contacted him. Salisbury University’s lacrosse team has won eight NCAA Divi-sion three titles and has a NCAA record of 69 consecutive wins and West Point’s la-crosse team has won eight national champi-

Zach Weaver Tyler Ekeroth

Girl’s basketball pushes through its losses

Miscellaneous sport: wife-carrying

Cultural traditions allow countries to cel-ebrate heritage long past; for some these are long-reaching artistic traditions; for others, they are ancient courting rituals.

The sport of wife-carrying originated in Finland as a joke regarding the past tradi-tion where men would carry off village women they found attractive. Now, the sport has become world renown being of-ficially practiced in many North American and European countries.

The sport is simple: a man must navigate an obstacle course in the shortest amount

of time while carrying a woman on his back. The contestants brave two short heats which are composed of dry and wet terrain. There are three main methods in which to carry the female teammate: piggyback, fire-man’s carry, or Estonian style, which in-volves hanging upside down and wrapping legs around the male’s neck. The competi-tors aren’t allowed to wear any equipment, with the exception of a helmet for the fe-male participant.

The team who crosses the finish line in the shortest amount of time wins the com-petition, but prizes are also awarded for be-ing the most entertaining couple, having the best costume, and being the strongest car-

The girl’s basketball team is looking strong this year. With five returning var-sity players, they look to play strongly as a team. They are about mid-season, and hold a record of 5-16.

“Our goal this year is to play every game with a lot of heart and to be consistent,” Coach Amy Peck said.

In doing this, Peck said, “We will focus on conditioning and execution of our fast-break.” She also noted that the girls push each other everyday and practice to work hard and maintain a constant level of play.

Of the five varsity returnees, the team’s key players are juniors Courtney Reynolds (point guard), Madison Jones (wing) and Madeline McIntyre (post), as well as senior Nina Scheepers (post).

“I was really bummed when we didn’t beat Poway this year; they have always been big rivals of ours,” said Reynolds, “but we’ll get them next year!” She also said she wants the team to develop as a team and become a family.

“This team is a very fun team to coach,” Peck said. “They have a lot of heart and constantly work on building team chemis-try. We are small and fast but look to see lots of pressure on the court.”

The girls are entering the end of the sea-son and could really use your support. So come out and support your girl’s basketball team as they make their way through the end of the season.

Ski resorts around SoCal

rier. The rules state the woman may be your wife, your neighbor’s wife, or any willing participant over the age of seventeen. She must weigh at least 49 kilogram or 108 pounds.

The North American Wife-Carrying Championships take place on Columbus Day weekend in October in the town of Ne-wry, Maine. The winners of this competition then progress to the world championships held in Finland where 40 couples partici-pate. The last twelve years have been almost entirely dominated by Estonian competitors (not surprising considering their invention of a carry), several Finnish champions have managed to get mixed in.

Whatever the motivations, wife-carrying

High,” said Scheepers. Unlike Scheepers, junior Joe Nickless,

and president of the snowboarding club, prefers Big Bear to Mammoth and Mt. High.

“At Bear there is a lot of terrain and open space,” said Nickless. “Also, there is pri-marily snowboarders, which is always a plus.”

Last on the list is Mt. High, which is junior Courtney Reyn-olds’ favorite mountain. Un-like Nickless and Scheepers, Reynolds is a skier.

“I enjoy ski-ing at Mt. High because it is the closest. I can go up there for day trips,” said Reynolds who

has been ski-ing for ten years.

Mt. High may not have the best snow, but it is the most convenient for people who live in San Diego, which makes it a huge hit.

Of the three mountains all have gotten great snow this year and are worth the short, or long drive up. So grab you board, or skis, and get out there!

Celeste ConowitchStaff writer

Competiors at the World Wife Carrying Champiships. Photo courtesy of Google images

Geoffrey BoganSports Editor

Photo by Geoffrey BoganJu-nior Joe Nickless stands at the top of the mountain in Mammoth.

Jin LeeEditor-in-chief

Photos by Robert Bojar

Kiana SaidEditor-in-chief

onships and appeared in the NCAA tourna-ment fifteen times. With such outstanding records by both schools, Weaver hopes to attend either one of the colleges to continue lacrosse.

Their rivals are Poway High and La Cos-ta Canyon High.

Weaver has stated that Coach Yeatman is the reason he started lacrosse in the first place. Weaver looks up to Will Yeatman, Coach Yeatman’s son and former Bronco, as an inspiration. Will Yeatman plays for the University of Maryland, and Weaver is inspired by him because Yeatman came from the west and is doing very well in the east. Lacrosse does not have a big fan base in the west, so lacrosse players have a bet-ter chance of making it big if they attend and play for a college in the east coast.

Even though the west coast has no Divi-sion one lacrosse options and lacrosse is not a popular sport in the west coast, Weaver seems to have a bright future ahead of him, whichever college he decides to attend in order to further polish his goalie skills.

Maryland University and Notre Dame, he is content on his final decision because of its stronger foundation. When asked what his top three favorite colleges were, Eker-oth said Syracuse was number one, then North Carolina, and finally Maryland.

When he is not playing varsity lacrosse or football, Ekeroth seeks other sports to help him stay in shape. Yoga is one of the few exercises that help him stay flexible, and keep his back relaxed. Golf and basket-ball are the other sports that Ekeroth enjoys playing in his free time with his friends.

When it comes to being a part of the RB High lacrosse team, Ekeroth hopes to put last year’s lose against Coronado at the semi finals behind him, and win the cham-pionships this year.

“During practice, every time a person challenges another player, one of them gets better,” Ekeroth said, “then it re-peatedly happens, and in the end every-one improves.”

If Ekeroth were to be featured on any TV show it would be Jersey Shore.

Geoffrey BoganSports Editor

Photos by Geoff BoganCourtney Reynolds, 11th

THE SILVER SPUR - FEBRUARY 26, 2010 SPORTS12

Photos by Kayla Moncayo

Boys Basketball finishes the season strong

Senior Tanner Clayton dominates the court with his 6’9 height and ability.

“We win or lose as a team,” said Clayton, “and we beat Poway!”

What’s so different about the basketball team this year? Choe claims that last sea-son the team was guard oriented, lacking height, but this year the height has come in full force. Besides Clayton’s towering 6 feet 9 inches, other enormous players in-clude Tarren White (6’5), David Searson (6’6), and Richard Leisenring (6’5).

With memories of last year’s CIF, the basketball team has high hopes for this year’s CIF tournament.

“We have a solid group of players,” said Choe, “and after reaching the CIF Semi-Fi-nals last year, our players have aspirations of a league title and playing in the CIF Fi-nals.”

The basketball team gives up eleven months out of the year to practice, also giving up every winter, Thanksgiving, and holiday break, the RB High boy’s basket-ball team is prepared to end the season with a bang.

UPCOMINGEVENTS

Girls Basketball CIF 1st round Wed. Feb. 24

Roller Hockey CIF quarter finals Wed. Feb. 24 @ Es-condido Sports Cen-ter

Boys Soccer CIF 1st round Wed. Feb. 24

Boys Basketball CIF quarterfinals Fri. Feb. 26

Girls SoccerCIF quarter finals Fri. Feb. 26

Wrestling Masters Tournament Fri. Feb. 26 @ El Centro HS

Kayla Moncayo

Opinions Editor

Boys Soccer dominates other competitorsWe have all heard them on the

announcements,the unstoppable, uncon-tainable team of the 2009-2010 school year: RB High’s boys soccer team.

This season, the boy’s soccer team is undefeated, playing against some of our top competitors, such as Poway High, and not missing a step. This team is the team to beat this season.

Led by English teacher Kurt Trecker, this goal-chasing group of boys is kept moving thank to Trecker’s talent and pas-sion for the game.

Trecker began playing soccer when he was nine, claiming, “I didn’t have much success at little league baseball.”

Trecker still plays soccer today for vari-ous men’s teams around San Diego, both indoors and outdoors.

But who is the RB High soccer team behind the shin guards?

“Hard work and depth,” said senior Ross Candelore. “[We] know that we can achieve anything we want.”

The team’s hard work is impossible to question with such an incredible winning streak. Trecker said the team has been working hard during practices, and push-ing each other during games.

“I think there are some areas where we could improve and get better,” said Trecker, “but I think our work rate has been pretty solid.”

Several boys on the team have been developing their soccer skills since elementary school, like junior Conner Lachenbruch.

When asked what he thinks could at-tribute to the team’s success, Lachenbruch replied, “Our coach is very willing to listen to players and get their advice on things we need to change.”

This power house team has it together on the field, but their coach believes they need to work harder to bond from indi-viduals to a single unit.

“We need to support each other in games, practices, and off the field,” said Trecker. “If our team were to have a little better bonding, I think we’d be unstop-pable.”

With captians that push the limits, such

as Nick Grigoriev, who played with a bro-ken arm, players who have unanimously answered the desire for State Champion-ship, and a coach that is bringing the team to new heights, it’s easy to see where our boys soccer team is headed as their season winds down.

“My favorite quote for our team comes from the master himself, Snoop Doggy Dogg,” said Trecker. “‘Ball ‘til you fall!’”

“We appreciated the crowd that came out for the Poway game and would love to see more of that,” said Trecker. “Our boys are working hard to make RB proud and we’d love to feel the support from the student body.”

The boys soccer team is nearing the end of thier season as they enter the first few rounds of the CIF playoffs. So come out and support your boys soccer team as they look to finish their season strong.

Swooshing hoops, the sound of sneakers squeaking against the gym-nasium floor, and the overwhelming roar of RB High fans cheering are just some of what the Bronco basket-ball season is all about. With a suc-cessful season this year, our Bronco ball players made it to CIF playoffs.

Led by Coach Jim Choe, the basketball team is headed into CIF with a strong sense of deter-mination. With a season record of 14-10, and being in second place in league thus far, this team is cracking down on its competi-tion.

“Basketball players need to be able to perform on both the offensive and defensive side of the court,” said Choe.

But being proficient on both sides of the court is only the beginning of what basketball players need to do. Choe expects his players to have good grades, character, work ethic and commitment.

Kayla Moncayo

Opinions Editor

Above : Rey Ezray-Sambwa jugglingBelow Left: Conner Lachenbruch trapping the ballBelow Right: Ross Candalore jogging down the field

Photo by Ryan Davis