Wednesday, January 27, 2010 VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE IV DIAMOND BAR HIGH SCHOOL

DBHS Musicians Perform in Southern California High School Honors Concert

COLUMN ONEU.S. Helps Haitian Residents Recover from Earthquake

The U.S. State Department is supporting the Red Cross, which has already raised over $21 million through various donations as part of its relief effort for Haiti.

Ruby HwangStaff Writer

The Bull’s EyeFLICKS THAT KICK

Movies that blew our mind in 2009 come back to remind us of their successes. Read and reflect on last year’s most memorable movies.

Please see page 9.

TOP TACO TALKSOnce upon a time, a DBHS student set out on a quest to find the best taco in Diamond Bar. Read about her incr-edible discoveries.

Please see page 8.

PROS VS. CONS Should more funding go to schools or prisons? Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of giving money to higher education.

Please see page 5.

TIME FLIESWithin the first decade of the 21st century, sports made history. Find out which events will be remembered from these last ten years.

Please see page 11.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PCA Organizes Upcoming Annual Field Trip

Look, listen, and play... All-Southern Symphony Orchestra students prepare to perform three compositions for the audience. Courtesy of Steve Acciani

MELODY: Auditions for this performance were held in December. Students had to prepare a concerto and scales and sight-read for the live audition.

Elizabeth LeeAsst. News Editor

City Brings Snow to Pantera Park

[Please see “BOND” on page 3]

Sledding down the fast lane... Volunteers help attendees sled down the track. Christine Song

[Please see “SNOW” on page 2]

DB Forum to be Hosted by Peer Counseling

[Please see “QUAKE” on page 3]

SPEAK: Students interested in the forum are welcome to pick up a form in room 226. The first 100 students that turn in their application will be able to attend the forum.

Elizabeth LeeAsst. News Editor

FUN: Pathways Communications A c a d e m y ’s a n n u a l f i e l d trip, orignially scheduled on Wednesday, January 20, was postponed to a later date due to heavy rain.Matthew HapenneyContributing Staff Writer

PLAY: Winter Snow Fest is a family festival featuring a snow play area, snowman building, children’s game booths, a holiday craft boutique, tree decorating, and photos with Santa.

Eric LeeAsst. News Editor

[Please see “GATHER” on page 3]

Diamond Bar High School’s Peer Counseling will hold its 8th semiannual Diamond Bar Forum in the DBHS gym on Monday, February 8, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The forum will provide an opportunity for students to discuss issues that they face on campus. “Recently, the district expressed an interest in developing a district forum to address issues like bullying and drug abuse. They selected

[Peer Counseling’s DB Forum] to come and observe and to use our program as a model,” explained Peer Counseling Advisor Sandra Davis.

Previous DB Forums were only open to students at DBHS. However, this forum will also be open to students from Chaparral Middle School, South Pointe Middle School, Suzanne Middle School, Ron Hockwalt Academies, and Walnut High School. “In the past, many representatives from the district have attended our forums, liked what they saw, and are now implementing a district-wide forum for students,” stated former Peer Counseling President, senior Agnes Lee.

During the forum, several different events will be held,

such as a “stereotype bingo” and student skits. These activities will help attendees become more comfortable with each other. “Students needed a safe venue and opportunity to experience connecting with a diverse group of their DB peers,” commented Davis. She added, “I also wanted to give the advanced peer counselors the opportunity to use their training to assist their peers in a meaningful experience that would benefit many students and staff in a workshop-type setting.”

At the event, participants will be broken up into groups, each led by a Peer Counseling facilitator and a teacher. The

Diamond Bar High School’s Pathways Communications Academy will be holding their second annual field trip at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton on Wednesday, February 3, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All Pathways students will attend the field trip. “[The goal]

is to integrate [the students] because the unfortunate part, as small as we are, [is that] the sophomores don’t know seniors and seniors don’t know sophomores. Even sometimes juniors don’t know seniors because we don’t have that cross-curriculum,” commented Pathways technology teacher Eleanor Reza.

During the field trip, Pathways teachers will divide students into seven groups, each consisting of seniors, juniors, and sophomores. The groups, each led by a teacher, will be coordinated by color. The

team will also have their own wristbands so that students stay within their designated groups.

“The kids push themselves to try something different and find new limits for what they can achieve,” said history teacher Christian Calero. He added, “Part of the Pathways grant is to give the students outside-of-school opportunities. These grants give them the chance to grow, build, and achieve outside the classroom setting.”

The academy will host the “Pathways Olympics”, in which

The City of Diamond Bar hosted its 10th annual Winter Snow Fest at Pantera Park on Saturday, January 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Winter Snow Fest featured a wide selection of games, entertainment, and

food. The event also included two snow slides and two areas to play with snow and build snowmen.

About 80 tons of snows were used to create a snow field and two 100-foot-long snow slides.

“This year featured a mini snow hill for the younger children that weren’t ready for the big hills, [and they had] fun,” said Andee Tarazon, the Community Services Coordinator for the City of Diamond Bar.

The event featured 21 games and craft booths, with

activities like Frosty Toss, Moon Bounce, Snowball Toss, and Snowball Bowling. The booths were run by many different clubs and organizations from Diamond Bar, including Diamond Bar High School, Diamond Ranch High School, and Walnut High School.

Members of DB 4Youth and the DBHS Leo Club hosted their own games and craft booths at the event. Leo Club members ran a face painting booth, while DB 4Youth members ran a

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake caused mass destruction in Haiti on Tuesday, January 12. Its epicenter was near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, and as many as 200,000 people have died as a result of the earthquake. President Barack Obama has promised continuous support for the country and its survivors as it recovers from the tragic event.

Firefighters from the United States and other countries in the United Nations were sent to rescue victims caught in the rubble of collapsed buildings. Although there have been civilians saved from the ruins of the Haiti earthquake, thousands are left homeless, impoverished, and hungry. Haiti’s already deficient medical system has been ravaged by the disaster and injured Haitians have been left to sleep outside due to a lack of resources such as medical

[Please see “MUSIC” on page 3]

Thirty-two students from Diamond Bar High School performed in the All-Southern California Honors Concert at California State University, Long Beach on Sunday, January 24 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Out of approximately 50 DBHS students who auditioned, 32 students were chosen to participate in the concert. These members included three flute players, sophomores Michael Cheng and Mickeala Tu and freshman Michelle Sung; two clarinet players, sophomores Nick Hale and Lea Pandy; one bass clarinet player, junior Eunice Lee; one saxophone player, senior Ryker Cook; three bassoon players, junior Jennifer Chai and sophomores Crystal Lee and Evelyn Na; two trumpet players, senior Spencer Lau and sophomore Bradley Davy; one French horn player, sophomore Christine Kim; five trombone players, juniors Joshua Choi and Wesley Peng, sophomores Pearl Lee and Andy Leung, and freshman Casey Lam; one euphonium player, senior Richie Chen; four percussion players,

juniors Christina Chang, Joyce Ho, and Gabriella Momah, and sophomore Aimee Cha; five violin players, senior Eunice Lee, juniors Tim Chin and Esther Lim, and sophomores Tess Charng and Joy Yi; three

viola players, junior Ryley Lee, sophomore Abigail Choi, and freshman Erica Chae; and one cello player, junior Alvin Ma, were selected to perform in the Southern California High School Honor Groups.

These groups consisted of a symphony orchestra, symphonic band, and a wind ensemble.

“Having 32 students make the group set the state record, so I am extremely pleased with the quality of our individual

players,” stated Band Director Steve Acciani. He continued, “The exciting part is that only five [of the students who were chosen] are seniors, so the

NewsNewsTHE BULL’S EYE2 Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Friendly RemindersPlease do not stop or park your cars on Evergreen Springs Drive from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days. Police are handing out tickets to those who do not abide by the traffic laws. To pick up or drop off your student, drive futher down Evergreen Springs.

The Sheriff’s Department has indicated that they have begun issuing tickets to jaywalkers on Brea Canyon Road.

On Target USB Welcomes New E-Board and Commissioners

Guess Who?... Seniors Michael Sarmiento, Raely Saldana, Sabrina Liu, Katie Cardoza, and Marc Inocencio (from left to right) roleplay as different USB members during their “Year-in-Review Skit.” Ruby Hwang

N E W : F o r m e r U S B Commissioners of Hospitality Candace Luo and Rebecca Chiang presented gifts to their USB advisors, Petria Gonzales and Cathy Norys.

Andrew JohnAsst. Sports Editor

EYE OF THE TIGERAre you ready for another big New Year’s celebration? You’re in luck, because Chinese New Year is just around the corner! There will be tons of lion dances, firecrackers, and food to ring in the Year of the Tiger. Don’t forget to spend the evening with your family enjoying a big feast. Who knows, maybe you

will even receive some red envelopes filled with cash!Chinese New Year is on Sunday, February 14.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR Have you been waiting for a day when you can send your sweetheart roses and love notes? What about expressing your feelings for that special someone with a romantic poem? Maybe you are one of those who would rather celebrate Single-Awareness Day. Whatever you decide to do, channel your inner Cupid and make sure the people you love know

how you feel about them on the day of love. Valentine’s Day is on Sunday, February 14.

HOLIDAY GETAWAYAdmit it—you are tired of waking up to the sound of your irritating alarm clock on Monday mornings. Luckily, Presidents’ Day is approaching so you can get those hours of sleep of which you have been dreaming. Catch up on your homework, hang out with your friends, but don’t forget to thank our presidents for

what they have done for our country. Presidents’ Day is on Monday, February 15.

TIME ON YOUR SIDEHave you been feeling overworked from the stress of a new semester? Does the thought of finishing all of that homework make you want to scream? Don’t worry, because the time has come for you to catch up on homework or maybe even some of that much-needed sleep. This is your chance to make up

for lost time, so put it to good use!Late Start is on Tuesday, February 16.

BOOM BOOM CHOW Are you sick of eating the same old ham and cheese sandwich for lunch? Do you wish for a hot, delicious meal to satisfy your stomach? All Club Food Fair has come to offer you a variety of mouth-watering treats! So before you are on the supersonic boom, go get your plate overloaded. This event is definitely

one you gotta get-get.All Club Food Fair is on Wednesday, February 17.

Diamond Bar High School’s United Student Body held its annual Installation/Extollation in the DBHS Theater on Sunday, January 10 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 pm.

This event was held to welcome the 2010-2011 USB members into their new positions as the 2009-2010 USB members retired from their old positions.

“I’m hoping [the new commissioners] are going to be as good. I always strive for better. [The new commissioners] have big shoes to fill,” commented USB Activities Director Petria Gonzales.

The new executive board consists of juniors USB President Sarah Neeley, Vice President Rachel Scott, Speaker of the House Stephanie Stauffer, Inter-Organizational Council Chairperson Katy Honda, Secretary Alexa Markovich and Finance Director Sean Perfecto.

The evening started off with a dinner outside of the theater. Former USB president Marc Inocencio began the meeting with a call to order, approval of agenda, and attendance check.

The 2009-2010 E-board then performed a series of short “year-in-review” skits. Following the skits was a slideshow created by junior Britannie Fuentes that showcased memories of the 2009-2010 year.

Individual senior members of the USB Senate gave speeches, each reflecting on

their time in USB. Orations by the former executive board followed, with Inocencio concluding that portion of the evening.

Former Commissioners of Hospitality Candace Luo and Rebecca Chiang presented gifts to Gonzales and USB Activities Secretary Cathy

Norys. Members of the 2009-2010 USB received gifts from the advisors.

“I look forward to the memories USB will bring with the activities. Every year is so different but each year is memorable. For transitions, we just have to be open-minded,” said Neeley.

Continued from page 1SNOW: It cost $5 for unlimited rides on two 100-foot-long snow sleds and $1 to particiapte in four games or crafts.

coloring booth. “Leo Club members helped

pack down the snow on the snow slide and at the end of the event, we got free rides on the snow sled,” commented senior Leo Club member Jasmine Chai.

Admission to the event was free and attendees were able to access the snow area

for free also. They were able to buy wristbands for unlimited sled rides for $5. It cost $1 to participate in four games or crafts.

“This was the first time I have ever seen snow outside of ski resorts. I was insanely overjoyed and I almost cried,” commented Tyler Mok, a junior

at DBHS.During the event, a wide

selection of food was sold. DB Breakfast Lions sold pizza, Isiah’s Rock sold shaved ice, Walnut Rotary sold lemonade, Walnut Xtream Youth Sports sold cotton candies and caramel apples, and Y’s Men sold hot dogs and hamburgers.

“I think the event turned out great, the weather is always a question, but the day turned out to be beautiful and everyone seemed to really enjoy the day,” stated Tarazon. She added, “Just [come next year and] be ready to have fun! The event is growing and getting better and better every year.”

NewsNews THE BULL’S EYE Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3

Continued from page 1GATHER: Several activities will be held at the forum, such as a “stereotype bingo” and student skits.

news bits

Lions’ pride... Three DBHS Leo Club seniors, Adeel Mohammadi, Dominic Bell, and Brandon Chan (from left to right), pose in front of the Lions Clubs International float on Thursday, December 31, 2009. These Leos marched with the Lions Clubs Interntaional in the Tournament of Roses Parade the following day. Courtesy of Brandon Chan

Looking through their lens... Four seniors, Mar, Amayreh, Chan and Reginaldo (from left to right), smile for the camera. Peng was not present for the photo. Nicole Ongpoy

Five DBHS Seniors Placed in the Diamond Bar Photo ContestSNAPSHOT: Selected photos may be displayed in the Diamond Bar Calendar and Services guide, on the city website, in the city newsletter, or in other ways to promote the city.Eric LeeAsst. News Editor

A North Carolina man was startled by a cell phone while driving northbound on an interstate, causing him to steer his car into a creek just off the road. The trapped driver, a security guard at Thunder Valley Casino in Northern California, used his handgun to shoot out the windshield and free himself from his vehicle.

Women in Portland, Oregon, have fallen victim to a series of haircuts. Twenty-two-year-old Jared Western Walter pleaded not guilty to several charges including robbery and harassment. Walter allegedly cut several women’s hair while sitting behind them on local buses. He also has an outstanding warrant pertaining to a similar incident involving glue.

A 12-year-old boy robbed a convenience store in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, with a toy gun. The boy held up the store, and left with an undisclosed amount of money after ordering the store clerk hand to it to him. After the clerk complied with the demand, the boy thanked him before leaving. A state deputy later found the boy walking on a highway.

A blood center in Tacoma, Washington, began giving coupons for a free pint of beer from participating bars and pubs for every pint of blood donated. Donors were required to wait for four hours before they could use their coupons. This new way of attracting customers worked so well that more blood centers will begin to use this technique.

The City of Diamond Bar and the Diamond Bar Community Foundation co-sponsored the 2nd annual Diamond Bar Photo Contest 2009, “Diamond Bar Through My Lens.” Winners were awarded at a City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 15.

Five Diamond Bar High School seniors placed in the photo contest.

Freddie Peng and Allysn Reginaldo both placed in first and second in the youth divisions. Peng placed first in the “Youth Nature” category and second place in the “Youth People” category, winning a total of $125. Reginaldo placed first in the “Youth People” category and second in the “Youth Places”, “Youth Nature” and “Youth Black and White” categories, winning a total of $175.

Farris Amayreh, Matthew

Chan and Diana Mar each won $100 for placing first in the categories of the “Youth Pets”, “Youth Black and White” and “Youth Places”, respectively.

“[The Diamond Bar Photo Contest] is a great way for Diamond Bar residents to be involved,” commented Lauren Hidalgo, Public Information Specialist for the City of Diamond Bar.

The contest was opened to Diamond Bar residents of all ages and skill levels. The contest was separated into two divisions.

The adult division was for photographers that were 18 years of age and older, and the youth division was for anyone younger than 18. The city accepted entries from April to October.

Over 200 entries were submitted, surpassing last year’s number of entries by 50.

Ten people placed in the adult division and another ten people placed in the youth division.

“We had a great contest this year and we got some great quality photos,” stated Hidalgo.

The subject categories for the contest were “People”,

“Pets”, “Places”, “Nature”, “Black and White” and “Historical Reference.”

There was no entry fee to participate in the contest. Participants were able to submit photos to all categories, but could only submit one photo to each category.

Cash prizes were awarded to first and second place photos in each category for each division. For every category, first place photographers received $100 and second place photographers received $25.

The grand prize of $250 went to Sharon Hodges, who placed first in the “Adult People” category.

Diamond Bar Community Foundation representatives, city staff members, Diamond Bar Mayor, Carol Herrera, and community members selected the winning photographs in each category.

“I think that the contest should get more people involved because there is a lot of talent out in Diamond Bar,” commented Reginaldo.

“A lot of people don’t know about the photo contest, and I hope that more people participate next year,” stated Mar.

supplies and beds in the few hospitals that are still standing from the earthquake. American doctors have been flown in to treat the survivors, but several patients have already died from treatable injuries while waiting for assistance.

In addition to the many lives lost in the disaster, there has also been an increase in crime and violence. As the U.S. and other organizations send supplies to the country, the people of Haiti have begun to engage in violent attacks to obtain the much needed food and water. The U.S. military has begun to restore order in Haiti. Helicopters have also arrived to take Americans and other foreigners out of the dangerous country.

Currently, the U.S. is

sending helicopters carrying supplies to about twelve landing posts throughout Haiti. In addition, a naval hospital ship to treat the injured victims of Haiti has been sent by the U.S. and 600,000 rations are being sent to the city daily. The U.S. military plans to build outposts throughout the city to hand out food to the residents of Haiti. There are still several relief packages filled with supplies such as food, water, and medical supplies that have not been delivered from the U.S. due to a lack of helicopters. The rescuers’ main focus has now shifted from finding survivors to facilitating the recovery of the country.

Although Obama is not currently planning to visit Haiti, he has started a fundraising drive led by Former presidents Bill

Clinton and George W. Bush to bring relief to the devastated country. Clinton has also been chosen by the U.N. as the special envoy in charge of rebuilding Haiti. The U.S. State Department is supporting the Red Cross, which has already raised over $21 million with help from citizens through donations online and through text pledges as part of its relief effort for Haiti.

In addition, individual non-profit organizations have raised millions of dollars of aid for the Haitian people. The U.S., other countries, and non-profit organizations will continue to work to assist Haiti in any way they can. Hopefully, their assistance will bring about a successful recovery for the devastated nation.

facilitators are advanced peer counselors at DBHS that have auditioned to help run the forum. “Teachers contact me if they are interested in participating. We have a waiting list for veteran staff participants because they love having the opportunity to ‘get real’ and connect with their students outside of the

classroom,” explained Davis.“[Peer Counseling] hopes

that students will have a paradigm shift and further break the stereotypes at school,” commented Lee.

Through the forum, DBHS’ Peer Counseling hopes to have attendees make new friends, break down social barriers,

promote student leadership, and improve campus culture.

“I hope that all of the student participants leave the event feeling positive and empowered to be their best selves and confident to take a leadership role in spreading more kindness on our campus,” stated Davis.

Continued from page 1QUAKE: President Barack Obama has promised continuous support for Haitian residents.

the teams will compete against each other.

Students and teachers will participate in numerous team-building activities such as a ball toss, name game, relay race, and a three-legged race.

The all-academy field trip will be held at Craig Regional Park again this year. “We will try

[having the field trip in Fullerton] again and see how it works out,” commented Reza.

Pathways Communication Academy has taken trips to Universal Studios in the past, but the costs for these trips were very high.

She added, “We needed something that was local and

Continued from page 1BOND: Pathways Communications Academy teachers will divide students into seven teams.

future is bright at DBHS.” Three groups played at

the event, the All-Southern California High School Honor Symphony Orchestra, All-Southern California High School Honor Symphonic Band, and All-Southern California High School Honor Wind Ensemble.

“I feel refreshed after a weekend of performing great music with great musicians. It was tiring, but it was worth it,” stated Charng. She added, “I’m going to work harder for the audition [next year]. I want to be in the first row.”

The Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Itkin, played “Egmont Overture”, “Slava!”, and “Symphony No. 4.” The Symphonic Band, conducted by Doctor Lawrence Stoffel, performed “Symphony No. 3, ‘Slavyanskaya’”, “Sursum Corda”, “Epinicion”, and

“Knightsbridge March.” The Wind Ensemble, conducted by Frank Ticheli, performed “Postcard”, “Children’s March”, “Sanctuary”, “Baron Cimetiere’s Mambo”, and “Blue Shades.”

“Ticheli is beyond amazing. He is old but he has such a fiery, passionate vibe that just has enough fire to light each fire of passion in each person,” commented Pandy. She added, “All-Southern was honestly extremely fun; I met many interesting and talented people. I have learned and grew through this experience.”

Auditions for All-Southern were held in December. Students had to prepare a concerto and scales and sight-read for the live audition. “[The band and orchestra department] brought in professional musicians to run classes and lessons to help the students prepare [for their

auditions]. We also ran mock auditions to help [the students] get over their nervousness,” explained Acciani.

Over 1,400 students from throughout Southern California auditioned, and only the top 150 musicians were selected to perform in All-Southern.

The concert was sponsored by the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association.

“There is no school that has the depth of talent we have. Because of Diamond Bar’s commitment to the four A’s—academics, arts, athletics, and activities—we have incredibly well-rounded students. We have all league athletes, honor students, and school leaders who are still able to find the time to be world class musicians. This is a very special school,” said Acciani.

Continued from page 1MUSIC: Only the top 150 musicians from Southern California were selected to perform.

inexpensive. We were trying to keep costs down by just having bus fees and possibly paying for reservations at the park.”

“I hope that [with] this year’s field trip the sophomore class feels welcome and totally integrates itself into the program,” said Calero.

EditorialTHE BULL’S EYE4 Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Editorial

Blazing Trails of Satire

In 2009, California took a huge step back when a new law, restricting drivers from using cell phones without a headset, was passed. The state has been focusing too hard on the wrong aspects of driving. Rather than making driving a fun experience for everyone, safety advocates took notice of a meager number of accidents due to a few reckless drivers and gave everyone a grade school punishment: no more cell phones.

Despite this major setback, automakers and Internet giants have found a way to add to the enjoyment of the ride. The basis of their brilliant idea: no drivers want to think about their laborious drive; people want to be distracted during the driving process. Bad drivers, pedestrians crossing the streets, and traffic lights are not things drivers want to think about when they are driving. All of these safety hazards are too distracting from the technology in your car. There is a serious lack of technology in today’s cars; most automakers stop short with nearly prehistoric technology (iPod adapters, navigat ion systems, DVD players). We need more.

Cleverly, the auto industry has borrowed from the essentials of the common household and

Just Google While You DriveMarcel BoubionStaff Writer

is pioneering Internet capabilities on the car dashboard. This new tool uniquely sets itself apart from your average smart phone with new ways to keep you distracted. The dashboard screen is much bigger and can even be used with touch screen technology. This is important considering that technological devices without touch screen

are not enough of a distraction. It is vital that the driver takes his or her hands off the steering wheel as much as possible in order to maintain a good driving experience. Big screens help keep drivers engaged in surfing the Web so they will not have to think about what is going on around them. In essence, this new technology brings everything that is important to people (e.g.

restaurant reviews, photos, and social networking) and packages it into a bundle that can be used in the car.

This year, companies such as Audi and Ford will be the first to use this new technology, upgrading from safety to comfort. These companies, however, are gracious enough to slip helpful tips before the Internet functions

are enabled. When driving, Audi reminds drivers to use these new functions only when traffic c o n d i t i o n s allow for it. T h i s w a y, there is no way that the compan ies will be liable in the rare instance that you ge t in an accident b e c a u s e y o u w e r e

paying too much attention to the road ahead of you. After this advancement of in-car technology, it will soon make sense to go to your car instead of making that dreaded walk to the office. Bring your keyboard along and you can plug it in and search the Web. Ford offers a car that will also come with two Universal Serial Bus ports and Wi-Fi capabilities, replacing the

need for computers.Consumers will no longer

have to be separated from the Internet. This year, new progress will leave consumers believing that they will never have to be without the latest tweets and Facebook updates. From now on, all of it will be accessible 100 percent of the time. No more wondering what your friend ate for breakfast or what the new high score on the latest Facebook game is; it can all be viewed in your car via this new software. As well as keeping you updated with your friends, you can stream up-to-date weather conditions. So instead of looking out your car window, you merely have to check the screen conveniently located on your dashboard. Keeping priorities in order is an obvious goal of this new equipment; tweets before fatal accidents and updates before dead pedestrians.

Having Internet capabilities on your dashboard is one step forward in making the drive in your car that much more immersive. Soon enough not even red lights or sirens will bother you. With these new gadgets and gizmos, you will be focused enough to drive at everyone else’s risk. It is no longer just you and the purr of your engine, but you, your engine, and the sound of the shiny new computer in your car.

Before the Terror

The majority of anti-terrorism efforts have been focused on the countries of Afghanistan and Iraq. However, the United States has started to focus more of its attention on a different country, the most obscure nation of Yemen. U.S. General David Patraeus visited Yemen in early January and declared that the U.S. will more than double its $67 million counterterrorism aid package in order to try and stop the spread of al-Qaida influence through a country that has long been plagued by terrorism. Yemen is a country that has been dealing with civil war for a very long t ime, and a powerful i n f l u e n c e like al-Qaida can br ing this country t o g e t h e r , but not in a good way. A l t h o u g h this plan is a good start, more needs to be done to stop al-Qaida influence in such a vulnerable nation.

Thanks, in part, to the attempted bombing of a Detroit airplane this past Christmas, Yemen has been under much scrutiny recently. The would-be attacker, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, is known to have been trained and armed in Yemen.

Also, due to a report that al-Qaida was planning an attack, the U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital of San’a was closed for nearly a week. However, this would not have been the first attack; as in 2008, 19 people were killed in a bombing of the U.S. Embassy. Additionally, in 2000, the USS Cole was bombed during a refueling stop in Yemen. With such acts of violence, it is obvious that the U.S. needs to do more than just send money to support counterterrorism in Yemen.

The Obama Administration has recently ordered multiple strikes on suspected al-Qaida sites in Yemen. One of the sites was an al-Qaida training ground north of San’a and another was a site where, according to administration officials, an imminent attack was being planned. Although these pre-emptives were a good start, there is much more that needs to be done.

Many experts agree that money will not be enough to stop the spread of al-Qaida in Yemen. One expert said that it will be too difficult to eliminate terrorist factions because the Yemeni government does not have full control over all of its lands.

A n o t h e r e x p e r t o n t e r r o r i s m a g r e e d , saying that because the government is not in full control, it is not really a s o v e r e i g n p l a c e . H e t h e n compared it to the Wild

West due to its many tribes, separatist groups, and terrorist organizations.

B e c a u s e t h e Ye m e n i government does not have very much true power, it would not be very difficult for a major terrorist organization to unify these factions. If al-Qaida can bring all of these rebel groups together and focus their energies on a much bigger target than each other, the results can be catastrophic.

The U.S. needs to stop this before it is given a chance to happen. Although the Obama Administration has already started to act, more is still needed. If the administration acts quickly, we can mitigate a huge threat before it can have devastating effects around the world. The U.S. got lucky when the “Christmas Bombing” did not happen. Next time, we may not be so lucky.

Kevin AccianiAsst. Sports Editor

Two Democratic Senators have decided to retire from the Senate, leaving the Democratic Party in a defensive situation due to an uneven number of representatives from each party. This will mean further opposition from the Republican Party on issues dealing with many of President Barack Obama’s goals, such as his plans to improve the environment and the educational system. With the likely shift of power in the Senate due to upcoming elections in November and the departure of two more Democrats, Obama now faces a greater impediment to his presidential agenda.

Wh i l e t he Democra t s currently hold a 59 percent majority in the Senate, the loss of two senators, including

Senators Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, who will unfortunately not seek reelection, can easily change that.

W i t h t h e i n c r e a s i n g disappointment of the Democrats’ pe r fo rmance , the upcoming Congressional e lec t ions w i l l very likely see R e p u b l i c a n v ic tor ies ; the Democrats will face even more danger of losing representation. The elections in November will great ly a ffect the number of representatives in each party and Republicans can very possibly gain the open

seats, especial ly because Republicans are leading in the Senate polls. Even Republican Senator-elect Scott Brown from Massachusetts has already been elected to take Senator Ted Kennedy’s vacant seat. It is

unlikely that the Democrats will be able to regain their rule in the Senate any time soon, which means that there will be many key bills that will not pass due to the collective opposition from the Republican Party.

A t a r a re t ime when Democrats rule the Senate, it is unwise for two of Obama’s strongest allies to retire so suddenly. Although their reasons for retirement, such as Dodd’s recent battle against cancer, may be justified, Democrats will face

great difficulty in overcoming the strong Republican opposition against Obama’s plans for the country without an upper hand in the Senate.

With the pressure that Obama is already under from the public to keep his promises and fix the state of the country, the loss of two Democrats in the Senate can do nothing but harm Obama and the entire country. As a result of these retirements, there will be greater skepticism over Obama and his lack of action. His popularity has already decreased significantly throughout his time in office so he must act quickly to execute his plans before a decline in the number of Democratic supporters causes his bills to be voted down and forces him to break the promises he made before he was elected president.

The Democratic Party cannot afford to lose this advantage. It is a very important time for the Democrats with their president working to get all of his planned bills passed. Nothing positive can come from this disruption of stability and these retirements will do nothing but put our country back further than it already is. One can only hope that the upcoming elections do not cause too great of a power shift and that a sense of balance will still be maintained in the Senate.

Here Come the RepublicansRuby HwangStaff Writer

Just two days after his inauguration, President Barack Obama promised the American people that the Guantanamo Bay detention camp “would be closed no later than January 22, 2010.” Guantanamo’s planned closing was part of Obama’s policy to defy the previous administration’s questionable approach to homeland and international security. However, as the deadline has passed and the closure of Guantanamo seems to be distant, Obama leaves many in disappointment. It is apparent that although the closing of Guantanamo will be delayed, its removal is vital for maintaining a public image that is consistent with American ideals and policies.

At one point, 775 inmates who were thought to have links to al-Qaida or the Taliban were held at Guantanamo. The majority has already been freed or transferred to foreign governments and only three have been convicted by United States military tribunals, an often criticized and slow legal process for detainees in which the American military acts as jailer, judge, and jury. The suspension of habeas corpus by the U.S. government has also been severely criticized, and has been seen as a violation of the Geneva Conventions and basic humanitarian law. The harsh treatment of detainees at Guantanamo is further received in infamy as it is also where torture was allegedly executed as part of interrogations for the war on terror during the Bush Administration. Consequently, Guantanamo, now a blot in America’s public image, ironically acts as fuel for terrorism because it symbolizes America’s injustice toward those who participate in terror. Guantanamo becomes not only a matter of national security but also a symbol of

America’s failure to comply with its own standards of moral and judicial decency.

Obama’s plan came up short due to improper planning and preparation in acquiring information on detainees and their backgrounds. His plan has already been shot down once by the Senate in a landslide vote of 90 to six due to ambiguity in the information of released inmates and the proposed $80 million budget during an unforgiving economy. However, his failure to achieve previously was the result of an incomplete plan that needed revision. Although this has resulted in a missed deadline, Obama is still firm in closing Guantanamo.

In response to c i t izen protests, Obama has been trying to accelerate the process of closure by haphazardly transporting detainees out of Guantanamo. Twelve detainees have been released and are being distr ibuted amongst Afghanistan, Somalia, and, after a temporary break due to the recent bombing attempt by a Nigerian, Yemen. Obama’s botched job leaves nearly 200 detainees in prison without formal convictions, some of whom can be imprisoned indefinitely. Without thoroughly investigating the effects of sending these individuals to these respective countries, Obama should not have committed to a deadline he could not have kept.

Obama, who has sought to usher in change, acted too decisively on the closure of Guantanamo which has resulted in an inefficient process. This issue, however, all stems from the president preemptively closing off his options by trying to set an impossible deadline. Obama’s self-appointed deadline leaves many Americans in dismay as it has changed from what was originally an appealing image of hope into a disappointing but expected failure.

Broken PromisesCY TanContributing Staff Writer

With such intolerable acts of violence, it is obviously of the utmost necessity that the U.S. do more than just send money to support c o u n t e r t e r r o r i s m and the government i n Y e m e n .

At a rare time when the Democratic Party is ruling the Senate, it is unwise and senseless for two of Obama’s closest allies to retire so suddenly, especially when the Republ ican opposition against Obama’s vulnerable plans for the country will have a strong upper hand in the Senate.

Editorial THE BULL’S EYE

Editorial PolicyThe Bull’s Eye is a public forum that welcomes the views of our readers. Letters to the Editor will be accepted only if they are signed. The author may, however, request anonymity. The staff reserves the right to edit letters without changing content. Forward letters to Ms. Chen, Room 250.

Sports Editor Ryan DeVore

Asst. Sports Editors Kevin Acciani Rachel Halpert Andrew John Photo Editor Ashley Chen

Asst. Business Managers Andrew John Eric Lee

Editorial Cartoonist Katie Lee Staff Writers Marcel Boubion Ruby Hwang Laura Moffitt Nicole Ongpoy Megan Quiamas Christine Song

Advisor Connie Chen

Diamond Bar High School21400 E. Pathfinder Rd.Diamond Bar, CA 91765

Editors-in-Chief Adeel Mohammadi Desiree Wang

News Editor Iris Li

Asst. News Editors Elizabeth Lee Eric Lee Editorial Editors Sharon Lin Adeel Mohammadi

Asst. Editorial Editor Katie Lee Feature Theme Editor Justin Kong A & E Editor Jane Park

Asst. A & E Editor Kevin Kang

Feature Editor Desiree Wang

Asst. Feature Editor Ashley Ahn

THE BULL’S EYE STAFF

Editorial

Out of the Box

The Editorial Board invites The Bull’s Eye readers to submit original commentary based on current events. All submitted work should be in accordance with the Editorial Policy in the staff box. Selected entries will be published in a subsequent issue of The Bull’s Eye.

If Hurricane Katrina is any indication of the American will to help people out, Haiti will only be a concern for 6 more months.

—Camille Tecson

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5

A constitutional amendment that will require the state to invest more money each year in its public universities than in its prisons has recently been proposed. It is a plan that seems reasonable, but is actually inappropriate given our current economic state. Many legislators and voters are rightfully skeptical of the weak plan for its lack of a long-term solution. Because the rising prison population calls for increased spending, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ’s solution of taking money from the prisons will only present bigger problems. The state will have to deal with the prison population which might result in the privatization of prisons or the release of criminals.

The view of the majority of voters and the reality of the state’s budget crisis do not complement

each other. The budget crisis has caused severe money shortages to many institutions including both universities and prisons. In contrast, the voters are too idealistic and expect easy investments at hand. At

first glance, voters might support the proposal, but the plan is impractical because the current economic state cannot validate the plan the way the voters do. Prisons are a priority because when a prisoner is sentenced

to serve time, the need for accommodating housing is imminent. In contrast, schools are long-term investments in which there are other options for students. Because money i s l im i ted , m i t i ga t i ng an

urgent situation takes precedence over the long-term investment.

A s o p p o s e d to at ta in ing money desired for universities by increasing revenue or cutting spending on less vital expenditures, Schwarzenegger has foolishly proposed to take the money out of prisons and reallocate it to the universities. Though

higher education doubtlessly deserves more funding, prisons deserve no less.

Ever s ince voters and politicians agreed to stricter sentences for parolees, the prison population has greatly

risen. But it can be resolved by reducing recidivism, which is a relapse into criminal behavior, or by making parolee sentencing more permissive. The latter is a faulty option because if criminals’ sentences are softened, criminals will be able to commit crimes that would normally put them behind bars, but in this case, would not put them in prison. Proper sentencing for prisoner rehabilitation takes funds. If the legislation diverts these funds to colleges, there is no other choice but to unreasonably resort to the criminals’ early release.

The real question is whether or not legislators and voters are willing to sacrifice safety to improve education. In most scenarios, education would be the top priority; however, safety is obviously the more reasonable choice. It is not worth the release of tens of thousands of dangerous criminals to funnel more money into universities.

Con: Universities over PrisonsKatie LeeAsst. Editorial Editor

In early January, Governor A r n o l d S c h w a r z e n e g g e r proposed a new amendment: spend less money in locking people up and invest more in California’s education system. Providing more money for colleges and universities around the state will prove beneficial in the future, and putting aside funding for our future leaders will provide for a stable and healthy economy in the long-run. Allocating more money to universities instead of prisons is the only way to permanently solve the prison problems and guarantee a bright future for California.

Today, a hefty 11 percent of the state’s general fund goes to prisons, and only 7.5 percent goes to higher education. For some reason, we are spending more on the living space of

criminals than on the education of our future doctors and lawyers. Our state tax fund investment in higher education has dropped a disappointing 40 percent since 1980. This is nothing but a perfect equation for California’s

ultimate educational failure. It should be apparent to anyone that putting more effort into our future will only yield good results. Schwarzenegger’s new plan will include a cap of seven percent of the state budget for prisons

and a minimum of 10 percent on the state’s universities, starting in 2014.

Schwarzenegger’s solution is being unduly criticized largely for the mere fact that it involves the privatization of prison security

and staff , meaning that private firms will be running the prisons and employing prison officials. Opponents claim that lowering prison funds is not the answer. They also wonder how S c h w a r z e n e g g e r ’ s so lu t ion wi l l a ffec t t h e c u r r e n t c r i m e situation. Yet those who challenge the proposed amendment all seem

to be overlooking the fact that there are other answers to crime beside prison and that these alternative remedial techniques like community service and classes will do more to rehabilitate criminals. Passing the legislation

and acting now will be better for our future.

Our governor is only one of the many politicians who realize that we should be utilizing our taxes to brighten the future, not to ensure comfortable housing for convicted criminals in over-funded prisons. He understands the immediacy of our education dilemma and has crossed party lines to find this nonpartisan solution. By accepting his proposal, California would be taking the first step toward getting our much needed education back on track. With the enhanced funding, our higher education is sure to take a turn for the better.

It is obvious that Governor Schwarzenegger has a brilliant proposal for the state. We cannot spend so much money on both our higher education and correctional facilities. He is putting California’s education first, as he very well should.

Pro: Universities over PrisonsLea ChangContributing Staff Writer

A new legislation was signed earlier this month by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that will call for districts to aggressively pursue reforms in fa i l ing schools. The two education reform laws are clear signs that there has been a shift in the balance of power in education, from teachers’ unions to where it ultimately belongs, with the parents. While only a select number of schools will be able to exercise this legislation, this is a key moment in the California educational system as it will shift concerns to substandard schools. As experience with the legislation is gathered, there is no doubt that it will spread to schools statewide.

What gives parents more power is the “parent trigger,” a highly contentious feature of the legislation. The “parent trigger” gives parents the right to legally institute considerable reforms at fai l ing or low-performing schools by collecting signatures that represent at least 50 percent of the school’s current and future students. If the majority of parents in a failing school successfully petition for a reform, the district must take action. The district must replace administrators, such as principals, convert to a charter school, or make other sizable changes.

If a school is doing very poor ly or is not meet ing standards, local organizers, which can include parents or community organizations, have the ability to call together the parent community and consider whether or not to

“pull the trigger.” The trigger wil l undoubtedly increase parental involvement. Increased involvement will push school and district administrators to act and make changes before parents move to “pull the trigger.”

It is a mechanism that pa ren t s and commun i t y members can now use to have a greater involvement in the improvement of education. As it stands now, the power behind education reform stands with elected officials and some activists, but the “parent trigger” will transfer some of that power to those the reforms will affect the most: students and their parents. Most of the power will lie with parents, who are the best judges and advocates of their children’s education. Parents who take action usually have their children’s best interests at heart. Unlike the supporters of past attempts to transfer power to parents, advocates of the “parent trigger” do not aim to destroy public education. Rather, they want their schools to be in working order to give their children what is expected of the schools. The trigger will help communities achieve the quality education that all students deserve.

While the law only applies to schools in at least their third year of being in the federal “program improvement” status, the “parent trigger” is innovative and trailblazing. The enactment of the parent trigger is a crucial move that signals to incompetent officials and administrators that if their schools are not up to par, serious action will be taken.

Eye of the Editors

“Yes, because they do what we want and we can persuade them in what to do.”

–Richard Wu Freshman

“Yes, because my parents just want the best for their children.”

–Kin Lok Leung, Senior

“No, because we need to learn how to handle stuff on our own, without our parents.”

—Erica Garcia,Junior

“No, because parents are too touchy and clingy and it scares me.”

—Kathryn Salazar,Sophomore

“Parents do not know the legal ways of school; all they will do is try to make their student’s life better, when they [actually] do not know what to do.”

—David Gamboa, Sophomore

Do you think it is OK for parents to have control over school administrators and a school’s educational

system?

Providing more money f o r c o l l e g e s a n d universities will prove beneficial in the future, and putting aside funding for our future leaders will provide for a stable and healthy economy.

If the legislation foolishly diverts these important funds from prisons to colleges, there is no other choice but to unreasonably resort to the release of tens of thousands of criminals.

You know you’re a true Californian when you get excited for a tornado warning.

—Helen Cheng

Feature8 Wednesday, January 27, 2010 THE BULL’S EYE Feature

TACO TALKNicole Ongpoy

Staff Writer

Girl: Aren’t there only 52 states?

Boy: Hey, you want to hide in the bushes? Boy: I want to be an alien

doctor! I think it’s going to be a promising job in the future.

Boy: My fat jeans just became my skinny jeans.

Boy: Your Asian pencils are embarrassing.

Boy: Obama needs an afro.

Every month, we will bring you some of the most ridiculous, hilarious, fl at-out idiotic, and sometimes insightful things we hear around campus. So beware—we’ll be listening.

Boy: Is that a freshman? Hah, I can see it in his eyes.

Teacher: Okay guys, put a let-ter “G” next to the questions you guessed on, so I can take points off.

We read the books, we saw the movies, and now we can experience the magical world of Harry Potter in a whole different way. Warner Bros. has teamed up with Universal Orlando Resort to create the theme park The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is scheduled to open in spring 2010, in Orlando, Florida. This is around

the same time as the release of the seventh movie, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. Located in the uniquely themed islands in Universal’s Islands of Adventures, miniature versions of the Hogwarts Castle, the village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest and other scenes from the Harry Potter

books will act as backdrops. Along with shops and

restaurants, attractions mimicking the parts from the books and fi lms, such as The Dueling Dragons and The Flying Unicorns roller coasters will be available. One attraction featured in the park gives visitors

a chance to drive a fl ying car just as Ron and Harry did on

Megan QuiamasStaff Writer

their way to Hogwarts. These designs are being made by award winning designer Stuart Craig who also worked on the fi lms.

This virtual world is inspired by the captivating stories and characters from J.K Rowling’s compelling books. This one-of -a-kind experience will let fans experience the magical life of Harry Potter and be a part of his journey. The expectations of this “theme park within a theme park” are high; fans will expect all the action and adventure that Harry Potter and his friends have faced in the books and movies. Harry Potter has been such a success and will continue to spark the imaginations of many people.

A Ideaoverheard

in DB

The storybook ending: A prince, a castle, and woodland creatures singing alongside you all day everyday. Now, was it always like this? Defi nitely not. Imagine, stepsisters cutting off their toes and evil witches danc-ing in metal shoes across hot coals till they drop dead. Not your typical happy ending, but the ending the creator intend-ed, for these are the origins of the stories that once put you to sleep.

The beloved Sleeping Beauty is about a girl put under a spell causing her to prick her fi nger on a spindle and fall into a hundred year coma only to be awaken by her prince’s kiss. The original version, however, is about a young girl who gets a piece of a plant lodged into her nail putting her to sleep. While

she is sleeping, the prince has his way with her and she is awakened by the kick of the baby inside her.

Next fairy tale victim? The stepsisters and stepmother in Cinderella. Eager to fi t their feet into the glass slipper, the step sisters mutilate their feet. Talk about bloody toes fl ying left and right. When the prince fi nally realizes the slipper belongs to Cinderella, birds come to peck out the eyes of the stepsisters and stepmother. A gruesome twist to the oh-so-happy version told to children today? Yes.

Along with these few, almost every fairytale you’ve heard has its own grisly version. The new and improved adaptations are a lot more pleasing to read, but the horrifi cally shocking details that come with the originals will send chills down your back and capture your interest. These, are scarytales.

Scarytales

It has been a little under two years since I fi rst became a vegetarian and, to be honest, I have lately veered a bit off course. I started out very dedicated to a life of soy and even went out of my way to make sure that absolutely no meat went into my body. Gradually, for many resons, I began to loosen my strict diet and went from eating plants and beans, to s e a f o o d , and fi nally to chicken.

M y reason for becoming a vegetarian b e g a n with an aversion to the taste of meat and the cruelty the industry infl icts upon animals, not to mention the annoying feeling you get when meat gets stuck in your teeth.

As time passed, I began to lose the disgust I felt for the chewy, heavy, metal-like taste of muscle torn from the limbs of a once living creature.

During my brief time as a devoted vegetarian, I found that the selection of food available for a vegetarian was enough to make

me want to starve. Perhaps one of the most discouraging factors of being a vegetarian stemmed from my family. They constantly complained about having to eat vegetarian food when they ate with me. My dad would always

sneak a little beef into my dinner hoping I wouldn’t notice. I always did.

D e s p i t e my occasional i n d u l g e n c e s , my goal has not changed; I still consider myself a part-time vegetarian. The only thing that is different is my motivation. I now choose to live

w i t h o u t meat for a heal th ier l i fes ty le . Meat may give you prote ins, but I have to admit that being vegetarian forces you

to make your own food and buy healthier ingredients. With that said, the lack of disgust and guilt as motivation does give me a whole lot of chances to slip.

So, I suppose you can call me fl exitarian. I still love animals and I still hate the fact that they need to be tortured, but I have just come to realize that a little meat from time to time does not hurt. Meat is not a treat for those being eaten, but I suppose it can be for those who do the eating.

Unpledged

Veg

Ashley AhnAsst. Feature Editor

A Idea

Ruby HwangStaff Writer

S

nail putting her to sleep. While

Most artists start a work with a blank canvas and let their imagination take it from there. A poet starts in the same way; he gets a blank page and allows his pen to interpret his thoughts into concrete words on paper. One poet in Austin, Texas, h o w e v e r , developed his own particular method of creating poetry involving the exact opposite process. His name is Austin Kleon, and instead of creating poetry from scratch in the traditional method, he gets a newspaper article and just covers the words he does not

need.Kleon is a writer and

cartoonist. He is most well-known for his “newspaper blackout poems.” To create a poem, Kleon will start by selecting any article in the

newspaper. With a black

permanent marker, he skims through the article and boxes any words or phrases that he feels he can use to construct a fl uid poem. Then, he just colors the rest of the entire article

in black, leaving only the words he wants, and thus, creates a poem.

His fi rst book, Newspaper Blackout, which contains over 150 poems in the style, is scheduled to arrive in stores this April.

Andrew JohnAsst. Sports Editor Here’s a snippet from an article in the LA

Times. Go ahead, make your own Blackout poem. Let’s see if it can compare to Kleon’s

D.I.Y.Read Between the Lines

Del Taco

It’s an all-time favorite Mexican food that you can get for $1 on Tuesdays, and no, it’s not a burrito. It’s those munchy, crunchy, tacos your stomach has been craving. But the question is, which taco place do you go to satisfy your taco needs? The Bull’s Eye has decided to travel to four of Diamond Bar’s taco restaurants to give you the scoop on the best chicken tacos.

Rubio’s

Taco Factory

Taco Bell

Aside from the tiny portions, the taste is superb. Congratulations to its customer service and delicious tacos.

The chicken looked micro waved and the cheese was just tossed onto the taco proving that this was the furthest thing from Mexican food.

The lettuce was soggy making this taco positively gross.

Taco Scale

Taco Scale

The taco was only a tad bit warm and the chicken was heavenly, but aside from that, the guacamole was heavenly.

Taco Scale

Taco Scale

Ruby’s Journey:Vegetables

Beans

Meat

VegetablesVegetables

BeansBeansBeansBeans

VegetablesVegetablesVegetablesVegetables

Arts & EntertainmentWednesday, January 27, 2010 9THE BULL’S EYEA&E

progresses with their ensuing adventure and the development of their humorous friendship. Disney and Pixar have again set the standard high with this loveable film.

Like Disney and Pixar, Director James Cameron has an extremely well-respected reputation, with his tremendous success with Titanic in 1997. Just like Disney and Pixar, this movie faced and met high expectations. Avatar focuses on the story of ex-marine Jake Sully, who becomes part of a project in which his mind can be transferred into an alien body. In his alien Na’vi body, he ultimately falls in love with the people and their culture and chooses to fight against the very military force he had been working for. The visual effects and incredible detail in character development and scenery contribute immensely to this amazing movie.

I Love You, Man is the story of successful real estate agent Peter Klaven, who has just

2009 was ful l of many m o v i e s t h a t e n t e r t a i n e d audiences worldwide. There were several movies that would make excellent contenders for the “best movies of 2009.” Though these movies may have been thematically powerful, they were not necessarily universally appealing. The following five movies, however, have proven to be the most entertaining to the general audience.

Disney and Pixar Studios have consistently created quality movies that win the hearts of all who watch them. With Up, the film makers did not disappoint. The movie follows the journey of grumpy 78-year-old Carl Fredrickson, who ties thousands of balloons to his old house and flies away in it to South America. However, he realizes that the bubbly, young wilderness explorer Russell has stowed away on the house. The story

Andrew JohnAsst. Sports Editor

Reel Back On ‘09

become engaged to Zooey Rice. Everything in Peter’s life seems to be going excellent, except that he does not seem to have any male friends. This is duly noted by Zooey when they are discussing who Peter’s best man will be. The movie then proceeds to follow his hilarious quest to find a best male friend. A recognizable c a s t a n d e x c e l l e n t acting make t h i s a n i n c r e d i b l y e n j o y a b l e movie.

Although many remakes or sequels fail to meet to the standards of the original, 2009’s Star Trek pleased even the most diehard fans of the Star Trek f r a n c h i s e . Directed by t h e w e l l -known J .J . Abrams, Star Trek combines o r i g i n a l elements of the franchise with a contemporary style and effects that appeal both to passionate fans and new aud iences unfamil iar with the story’s background. The movie follows the adventures of James T. Kirk as he joins Starfleet and battles the sinister Nero. Superb acting, along with humor integrated into an action-packed plot, make this movie entertaining for all audiences.

District 9 takes a new twist on the concept of aliens visiting the Earth. Instead of an advanced race of aliens bringing new technological advances to the human race, District 9 takes place in a time when aliens have been living as refugees on Earth. The movie’s protagonist, Wikus

van der Merwe, becomes the top target of Multi-National United, a company focused on harnessing alien weaponry. When his DNA begins to mutate after exposure to alien biotechnology, outstanding effects and great acting contribute to the movie’s success as a sci-fi thriller.

With all the excellent movies released in 2009, 2010 will hopefully bring another new set of top movies.

creating Project Natal is to attract gamers of all ages and skill levels. By using an interactive gaming experience similar to the

Nintendo Wii’s, which is popular among players young and old, Microsoft hopes to achieve the same results by changing their system altogether.

The one difference between

Only a few years ago, the thought of someone virtually entering the gaming world was implausible. However, with today’s innovative technology, the impossible is gradually becoming possible. By this year’s holiday season, Microsoft plans to release the next chapter of gaming through a new game system called Project Natal. Project Natal was introduced for the first time at the electronic convention, E3, in June 2009. The exact price of Project Natal has not been announced yet, but it is projected to cost around $200.

Over the years, Microsoft’s one crippling flaw was that its Xbox series only attracted a select group of “hardcore” gamers. Therefore, one of Microsof t ’s main goals in

Kevin KangAsst. A&E Editor

the Wii and Project Natal is that Project Natal does not utilize any handheld controllers. Instead of a conventional video

game controller, Project Natal will have an infrared camera that picks up on the gamer’s movements. It also operates with a distinct voice recognition device that will clearly distinguish one player from another. For example, in the popular racing game, Burnout, the gamer steers by holding his or her hands into the air, as if holding a steering wheel and accelerates by moving his foot forward as if stepping on a gas pedal; to use the turbo, the gamer has to do a gear-pumping movement with his right arm.

The wor ld o f gaming has come a long way. From y e s t e r d a y ’s j o y s t i c k s t o tomorrow’s control ler- f ree systems, the future of gaming is already being anticipated.

gamEvolution

A double whammy... With the new year and this year’s Grammys. Courtesy of www.billboard.com

misunderstood and like weird things to be a great artist? Dove is your overall average guy that enjoys the same things that the normal stick figure drawing folk do, great conversation and an endless supply of Netflix movies coming in one after the other in the mail. The small things overlooked by all the busybodies that live the urban lifestyle have

become a jackpot of creativity and inspiration to an average man with a unique perspective.

Referencing back to many 19th century painters like Manet and Courbet, Dove uses a convincing sense of light to add perspective to his art. He uses light to add more depth and atmosphere to his artwork. The wrong touch of light in the wrong place and the painting could become something else entirely. The off-beam lighting could also make the painting become less convincing when trying to portray

By adding his own creative spin to everyday objects and real world events, Daniel Dove takes a unique perspective when creating his oil on canvas masterpieces. Alongside many great artists, his artwork is easily misinterpreted by the untrained eye. A recurring theme in most of his paintings s e e m s t o be that they have endless possibilities to their meaning. The meanings change w i th time, but one thing will always remain constant, Dove has a way to keep viewers on their toes.

The urban l i festy le that Dove focuses on when making his paintings, is filled with the things that Dove is attracted to. The main thing that interests Dove is the mystery of the landscapes that are generic or invisible to the natives of urban life. Overgrown parking lots, family themed restaurants, and fading factories are only a few of the things that inspire Dove. He is also widely inspired by the irony of things that can be found in everyday life, such as an inspirational sign that has fallen to the ground decaying and covered in rust.

Who said you needed to be

Ashley AhnAsst. Feature Editor

the message to viewers. Being conscious of all the different aspects that go into making a painting is what makes Dove’s artwork divine.

When it comes to planning out a painting, a variety of sources are used to bring the big picture together. 3D forms, manipulated photography, and real models are all used in the planning process.

Although most of a painting is preplanned, transferring it onto the canvas is where Dove o p e n s u p the creat ive process once m o r e . T h e inevitability of a paint smear or accidental brush mark is what makes his paintings so unique and special. The imperfections come together t o m a k e a s e e m i n g l y

perfect painting. Over the years, Dove

has been a part of many exhibitions, from his first solo show “Hopelessnessless” in 2004 to his most recent group show “More is More: Maximalist Painting” in 2007. His newest solo exhibition will be funded by Cherry and Martin, the company that is currently representing him, The exhibit opened on January 16 and will continue to February 20, located on the west side of Los Angeles at 12611 Venice Boulevard.

Follying from nowhere

Daniel Dove... The bigger, the better. Courtesy of www.artscenecal.com

Gaming becoming fatal... with Project Natal. Courtesy of www.microsoft.com

Weighing the Grammy

Dave Matthews Band, and Fearless by Taylor Swift are all competitors in the running for “Album of the Year.” I Am... Sasha Fierce is, without a doubt, the best album of the year. It has a wide range of genres, ranging from pop to rhythm and blues, which outshines other albums that have a constant, unvarying style.

Though “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year” sound like the same award, many people do not know that the “Song of the Year” category is actually a songwriters’ award. The “Song of the Year” nominees are “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga and RedOne, “Pretty Wings” by Hod David and Musze, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” by Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, and Christopher Stewart, “Use Somebody” by Caleb, Jared, Matthew, and Nathan Followill, and “You Belong With Me” by Liza Rose and Taylor Swift. Though criticized as an inexperienced songwriter, Taylor Swift is undeniably one of the most inspirational voices for the youth. Her lyrics to “You Belong With Me” serve as a reminder to audiences of long lost years of adolescent innocence that has been worn away with time.

There are many other categories in the Grammys, like “Best New Artist” and “Best Short Form Music Video.” To find out who takes home their own gramophone statuette, tune in to CBS on January 31 at 8 p.m.

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards are coming up on January 31 at 8 p.m. 2009 was packed with many great hits from both old favorites and new voices alike. Since this year’s nominees all seem to be neck and neck with each other for the awards, the winners must stand out from the crowd if they want to win.

Every artist hopes to make the best song of the year. For many artists, just being nominated for “Record of the Year” is an honor. This year’s nominees are “Halo” by Beyoncé, “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga, and “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift. The most likely winner of this category is Lady Gaga, with her song “Poker Face.” The song has already been a top selling single in many countries like Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It also stands out from all the other nominees because of its eccentric nature and never-before-heard or seen style. This time, being the black sheep of the music industry may be a major advantage for Lady Gaga.

I Am... Sasha Fierce by Beyoncé, The E.N.D. by the Black Eyed Peas, The Fame by Lady Gaga, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by the

Elizabeth LeeAsst. News Editor

Don’t whine... Here’s the best of 2009. Ashley Chen

AdvertisementAdvertisementTHE BULL’S EYE10 Wednesday, January 27, 2010

SportsSports THE BULL’S EYE Wednesday, January 27, 2010 11

Andrew JohnAsst. Sports Editor

The Diamond Bar High School varsity wrestling team won at Chino 40-33 on Thursday, January 21. Although the team was missing several key wrestlers due to injuries, it was still able to pull off a victory.

“We did fantastic. A lot of our kids are actually out, so we moved some of our [junior varsity] guys up. The JV guys really stepped up,” said coach Bill Schafer.

The match started out well for the Brahmas, with junior Desmond Hernandez winning his match by minor, earning the first three points for DBHS. Wrestling in the 152 weight division, junior Shane Lee unfortunately got

Brahmas Pin Cowboyspinned. Junior Andre Bonafe, who was wrestling in the 171-weight class, was the next Diamond Bar winner. Bonafe also won his match by minor. In the 189 weight division,

sophomore Troy Lanning lost by pin. Senior James Grigorian, who was wrestling in the 215 weight class, quickly pinned his opponent, winning six points for

the team. Junior captain Brian Ryu also pinned his opponent in the heavyweight class.

Sophomore Nathan Pike and junior Andrew Stilkey started off the light weights well, each

winning by fall. Unfortunately, junior Andrew Jun lost by pin. However, senior Alex Imahara pinned his opponent in the 125 weight division match. Senior

Matthew HapenneyContributing Staff Writer

Senior Amber Ortiz is the captain of the girl’s varsity soc-cer team and an inspiring stu-dent athlete.

Ortiz impressively main-tains a high Grade Point Aaver-age while keeping soccer a top priority. Determined and hard-working, Ortiz balances both her studies and athletics.

In a spontaneous decision, Ortiz began playing soccer in fourth grade because her broth-er started playing. At first she was not interested in the sport, but now Ortiz is glad that she started playing soccer.

Ortiz has played varsity soc-cer for two years, and this year, was chosen to be the team cap-tain.

“I try to get the team moti-vated and pumped up,” com-mented Ortiz when asked how she prepares for the soccer season.

This year she hopes the team will grow closer together and play better as a team, re-sulting in more wins.

Ortiz plays soccer nearly year round. Before the soccer

Athlete of the Month:Amber Ortiz

season begins, she plays for the City of Diamond Bar. After Diamond Bar High School’s season ends, she practices in the high school off-season. It is rare for Or-tiz to get even two w e e k s off from s o c c e r practice.

O r t i z dedicates huge amounts of time to the sport she loves. She usually practic-es with her team for two and a half hours each day.

Soccer has taught Ortiz valuable life les-sons in determination, self-discipline, hard work, and optimism. She knows that in soc-cer, and in life in gen-eral, you cannot afford to get yourself down.

Academically, Or-tiz maintains high marks and continues to receive good

James Chen won by major, winning four points for Diamond Bar. Although senior Chris Robinson lost the last match of the night, the Brahmas still came away with a 40-33 win.

“I am extremely proud with what [the team] did because they put a lot of heart into it,” said Ryu.

The Brahmas managed to do extremely well in spite of the absence of many regulars, demonstrating the strong potential of the team.

“[This match] puts us in good standing, so we will be strong contenders for the league

championship,” commented Schafer.

The team’s next match will be at home on Thursday, January 28 against Damien.

Getting in position...Junior Desmond Hernandez scores points as he controls the match. Courtesy of Diana Romero

grades. She maintaines a 3.5 GPA and keeps her education a high prior-ity. She works hard and considers herself a good

student. Whether in the classroom or on the soccer field, Ortiz has learned that “you only get out what you put in.”

Being on a team has also taught Or-tiz that the team is more important than any one individual. As team captain, she has learned that leadership in-cludes taking other peoples’ feelings

into consideration. “Even though I

might want something, other people might not want the same thing

and so I have to con-sider that,” said Ortiz.

Ortiz is an excellent athlete who stays deter-mined and positive. By balancing both soccer

and her academics, she is an inspiration to all stu-

dent athletes.

Kevin AccianiAsst. Sports Editor

A new era is beginning in the world of the University of Southern California football program, and its name is Lane Kiffin. When former head coach Pete Carroll left town for the Na-tional Football League’s Seattle Seahawks on January 11, he left USC in a troubling predicament. Due to possible recruiting viola-tions involving former USC Tro-jan superstars Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight, rumors are swirl-ing that the National Collegiate Athletics Association will soon be starting a major investigation into USC’s recruiting practices. If this is proved to be true, USC could be facing extremely harsh penalties. With such a dark fu-ture ahead of them, the Trojans were expected to sign a head coach with experience. How-ever, USC shocked the college football world on January 12 by signing 35-year old, untested Kiffin to the head coaching po-sition. The Trojans should have signed a more experienced coach, as Kiffin has done almost nothing to show that he can be

The Trojan Warriora successful coach in a troubled program.

Despite taking the Univer-sity of Tennessee to a bowl game, Kiffin has done very little to deserve this position. He is the football embodiment of the American Dream. Only ten years ago, he was a lowly Graduate Assistant for Fresno State University. Just seven years later, he was signed on as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, where his record was 5-15. Last year, after being fired from the Raiders, Kiffin became the head coach of the University of Tennessee, where he went 7-6. When he became the coach at UT, he became the youngest head coach in Division 1 his-tory. Tennessee, however, lost the Chick-Fil-A Bowl to Virginia Tech.

Kiffin has only been a col-lege head coach for one year, and his team was mediocre at best. USC has had a long tradi-tion of success, and most Trojan fans will agree that they need someone who has experience coaching at the college level to deal with the difficult situation USC is dealing with.

However, Kiffin does have one credential that makes him as perfect for this job as Pete Carroll was-he is both disloyal and untrustworthy. He left Ten-nessee with five years left on his contract, after many of his recruits had already enrolled in the school. Kiffin abandoned his recruits in this situation, and be-cause of this atrocity, he should be punished by the NCAA. It is also now known that Kiffin was attempting to lure some of the signed UT recruits away from Tennessee to go to USC, which is illegal, according to NCAA rules.

One other thing that Kiffin does very well is to bring the spotlight on himself and his pro-gram. Last year, he made head-lines by accusing heralded Uni-versity of Florida Coach Urban Meyer of recruiting violations. He also made many over-the-top predictions to attempt to get UT in the news, such as stating that they would beat UF, which did not happen.

Lane Kiffin has very few qualifications that make him worthy of USC’s head coach position.

Kevin AccianiAsst. Sports Editor

On behalf of college foot-ball fans around America, I would like to say I am sorry.

It is wrong what Florida State University did to you; practically forcing you to retire and taking away your real du-ties while you were still there. It feels as though I, along with all other college football fans, have to take some of the blame. Because we followed FSU so rabidly (only because of you), FSU developed an inflamed ego, thinking they could do whatever they want with no re-percussions.

You are easily one of the most respected coaches in col-lege football history, and FSU thought they could just run you out of town? You are the rea-son they are commonly known as a powerhouse team. Even though you had 14 wins taken away from you for academic

Dear Coach Bowdenproblems with your team, you still had 379 wins, the second most by a Division 1A football coach . You had 14 straight seasons in which your team fin-ished within the top five in the Associated Press poll.

You are the reason for their success. What they have done to you is a terrible crime. Before you “retired” you were one of only four active coach-es to be in the college football Hall of Fame, along with Joe Paterno, Chris Ault, and John Gagliardi.

But what I love most about you is how even after FSU committed this heinous crime against you, you still publicly stated that you would have liked to stay there longer. Truly, you were the better man in this.

Once again, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to you. Even though Florida State does not still care, your fans do. We love you, Bobby Bowden, and we always will.

SportsSportsTHE BULL’S EYE12 Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Boys Soccer Shuts Out Chino Hills, 1-0

Kevin AccianiAsst. Sports Editor

The varsity boys basketball team played hard the entire game on January 22, but still lost to the Chino Hills Huskies 74-53.

It was a well-played game the whole way. Both teams played strong defense in the first quarter. The score at the end of the first quarter was 13-14 Huskies.

“We played great defense the whole way,” stated head coach Ty Watkins, “especially in the first quarter, I felt that we shut them down pretty well.”

By the end of the first half, the Huskies were leading 34-25.

At halftime, there was very little for Watkins to talk to his team about.

“The biggest thing I talked about during halftime was fine-tuning our offense,” c o m m e n t e d Watkins, “we ran our defense well, we just have to be able to put the ball in the basket.”

The Brahmas kept it perfectly even in the third quarter, thanks to a strong performance by senior forward Kacy Barlow. Throughout the entire game, Barlow scored 18 points and also grabbed eight rebounds.

“We stumbled a little bit and

Huskies Steal One From BrahmasGirls B-Ball Turns Game Over

The girls varsity basketball team lost their home game 66-30 to Chino Hills High School on Friday, January 22. The loss brings their league record to 0-5 and their overall record to 6-12.

The Brah-mas struggled throughout the first half, forc-ing their shots and passes. This ultimately resulted in sev-eral turnovers. The Huskies’ full court press in the first quarter caused multiple turnovers before reaching half court. Each time, these turnovers led to layups for Chino Hills.

The Brah-mas’ passes were easily antic-ipated and many were intercepted. In the end, the Huskies’ defense was unstoppable, and the Brahmas only managed to score 14 points by halftime with the score being 36-14.

“In the first half, we knew they were good but we still didn’t know what to ex-pect. We weren’t focused,” stated sophomore captain Katie Jag-odka.

When Diamond Bar came back in the second half, they continued to play without confi-dence and teamwork. However,

they worked hard to cut down on the amount of turnovers and their defense improved. “The defense picked up in the sec-ond half and we played smarter on where to pass the ball,” ex-plained senior captain Jen Mill-er, “It wasn’t our best night but we had a lot of good shots that

didn’t go in.” As the game went on and Chino Hills continued to dominate, the team lost focus.

The fourth quarter was most likely the Lady Brahmas’ strongest quarter, as their full

court press and overall better defense forced the Huskies to make errors.

Freshman Tiffany Nguyen suffered a minor injury in the middle of the fourth quarter. “I was going up for a layup, and my leg extended and I landed on the floor wrong,” she said.

Diamond Bar struggled once more as Chino Hills turned three Brahma turn-overs into easy points within the last few minutes and ended the game with a score of 66-30. “We need to learn how to focus better,” said Miller.

The Brah-mas are a very young team with only one returning varsity senior, Miller. “We need to start seeing more players step up”, said Hol-mes.

Al though no single player domi-nated in the game, sopho-more Jasmine Nguyen, Ja-godka, and

Miller were all praised by Hol-mes for their

tremendous effort throughout the game.

The Lady Brahmas’ hope to turn things around in their next game today at St. Lucy’s at 5:15.

Megan QuiamasStaff Writer

Diamond Bar High School’s boys varsity soccer team com-peted against the Chino Hills Huskies on Friday, January 22.

Despite the rain and difficult field conditions, the Brahmas were still able to pull through, winning 1-0. This was Chino Hills’ first loss against the Brah-mas in league for three sea-sons.

Right from the start, the Brahmas played strong. In the first ten minutes the team scored their first goal. Defender Adam Camacho threw the ball into play, which then rebounded off one of Chino Hill’s defend-er’s foot. This resulted in the Brahmas being the first team to score.

Throughout the game, there were multiple shots on goal. However, the team failed to put the ball in the net. Cap-tain Suraj Pathak had a shot on goal from the half line, but was blocked away by the Huskies’ goal keeper.

The Brahmas’ defense did not allow any goals or break-aways throughout the game. The Brahmas were first to the ball at the beginning of the game and had more ball control, keeping the ball in their possession for most of the game.

“[The team] was really mo-tivated and fired up for Chino Hills who hasn’t lost [to DBHS] in three seasons, and I am hap-py that we got one under our belt. This game was a boost of confidence for the team,” com-ment captain Matt Jean.

A key player throughout

the game was goal keeper Mi-chael Luzzi who made many crucial saves that kept the Brahmas in the game. Luzzi made two saves during the second half. One save in-cluded Luzzi making a dive save against the oppos-ing team who shot toward the far post. The Huskies’ goal keeper also made

saves that made it difficult for the Brahmas to increase their

lead. To add

to the poor w e a t h e r conditions, the Brahmas were miss-ing some of their key players in-cluding Alex Perez and Zack Kintz. Perez, one

of the strongest defenders, was injured in their previous game

against Glendora. Since he was absent from the game, the goal kicks were shorter and Jean had to retrieve the ball from Chino Hills on numerous occasions.

“[Perez] is one of our key players, and without him in the game, it sets a different tone for the players. [The team] would have to perform at their best”, stated coach Kemp Wells.

The Brahmas were also short one forward, Kintz who was also injured.

Going into the second half, the Brahmas pushed hard and managed to maintain their lead. In this half, the strategies of

both team changed. Chino Hills brought their defense forward and attacked harder, while the Brahmas shifted their focus to defense and kept their midfield-ers back.

Offensive center midfielder Ozzie Alfonso received a yel-low card for misconduct on the field. In addition, the Brahmas also gave away an indirect kick to the Huskies when Camacho participated in a dangerous play. He was then taken off the field and replaced by midfielder Moises Roldan.

“[The team] really did well, we marked closely and listened

and adapted to the coaches’ in-structions. Also throughout the game, many calls were made that could [have gone] both ways,” commented forward Er-nesto Maldonado.

Head coach Wells stated, “All the teams in league are bal-anced; some games will be very close. All we have to do is play at our best and show that we want it more.”

DBHS’ varsity boys soccer is currently fourth in the Sierra League. Their next game will be away against Damien High School, today, January 27 at 3:15.

Rachel HalpertAsst. Sports Writer

“All we have to

do is play at our

best and show

that we want it

more”

Under Control... Senior Ozzie Alonso tries to get past a Chino Hills player. Courtesy of Diana Romero

weren’t quite able to get back up,” said Watkins.

A major reason for this stumble was turnovers. The Brahmas were not able to take care of the ball very well, as they gave the ball up 20 times, 13 in the first half alone. The Huskies ran a very good full-court press for most of the game, forcing

the Brahmas into numerous turnovers.

“Its hard to win when you commit 20 turnovers like that,” stated injured senior guard Aaron Wong.

Rebounding was another difficult aspect of the game for the Brahmas. The Huskies were absolutely dominant in the low post, as they were able to capitalize on many second-chance opportunities.

“Our biggest problem was definitely our rebounding,” stated Barlow, “That and we

couldn’t take care of the ball.” H o w e v e r , things were not all bad for the Brahmas. Senior center Kevin Scott had a good game in the low post, scoring 12 points and grabbing six r e b o u n d s . Scott was playing his best on f a s t b r e a k s against the H u s k i e s ’ , stifling full-court press. Diamond Bar also got a great game from junior f o r w a r d J o h n a t h a n M u n o z . M u n o z d r a i n e d three three-p o i n t e r s en route to a 13 point

performance.“Our boys

never gave up; they played hard from beginning to end,” acknowledged Watkins, “They should be proud of themselves for playing well the whole game.”

Rising above it...Senior Kacy Barlow shoots over the Huskie de-fender. Courtesy of Diana Romero

Laying it up... Junior Ifeoma Kpaduwa goes in for a close shot for the Brahmas. Courtesy of Diana Romero