La Cañada High School Volume XXII Issue 6 lcspartan.comWednesday, March 7, 2012

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BACK IN BLACK

Have you seen the new guy around school? He’s Mr. Szamosfalvi, the new

Calculus BC, Honors Precalculus, and Algebra 1 math teacher.

This year, Mr. Szamosfalvi is looking forward to working with and helping the students.

“One of my objectives is making them feel comfortable with math and helping them enjoy the subject while getting ready for the state testing in May,” he commented.

He hopes to help students see the beauty of math, to ease them into

it rather than stressing them about it. “My teaching philosophy is to try to decrease the students’ math anxiety and take them to higher levels of math,” stated Szamosfalvi.

Growing up in Budapest, Hungary, Mr.Szamosfalvi went to a dual language high school. He spent twenty hours a week as a freshman in high school learning English. He took six subjects in the International Baccalaureate, a test similar to the AP testing students take at LCHS. Then after high school, he went to Williams College for his BA and Harvard for education policy.

Mr. Szamosfalvi previously worked at charter schools in LA, teaching Algebra I, Calculus, and

Trigonometry. For the past two years, he has been teaching Algebra I to eighth graders in Santa Ana.

He fi rst heard about La Cañada when he took a hike up in the mountains, and became interested in the school district when he saw a job application online.

This mathematician isn’t just into numbers. Outside of school, Mr. Szamosfalvi enjoys a multitude of different activities. “I like hiking, white water kayaking, and white water rafting,” he said.

Along with these outdoor activities, he also takes part in a Cuban styled salsa dancing called Salsa Rueda. He also likes going to concerts in his spare time. Typically,

he listens to alternative or rock music. Some of his favorite bands are Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, and various Hungarian bands.

In high school, mathematics was one of Mr. Szamosfalvi’s favorite subjects. In college, he became interested in economics, so he majored in economics at Williams College.

Before teaching, he considered being a doctor or lawyer, but found that he really loved teaching.

Mr. Szamosfalvi looks forward to a great year working with the students and teachers of LCHS.

La Cañada Welcomes Mr. SzamosfalviBy Tammy HsuSpartan Staff

Katie Freeze and Lauren Streeter of Period 3, Kitchen 3 presented their chili with a great big smile!

The smell of competition and great chili fi lled the air at Kobeissi Properties during the fi rst La Cañada Chili Cook-Off on Thursday, Februrary 2, 2012. The competition took place between the students in Mrs. Stattler’s Culinary Art classes and the parents of La Cañada.

The sweet smell of slow cooked chili and baked goods as well as the sound of laughter, music, and friendly conversation fi lled Kobeissi Properties that night. Booths were set up all around the building where students and parents alike displayed their chili.

When approaching a booth, students dressed in their chef’s jackets would describe the ingredients of their chili and how they made their chili. They then served visitors sample cups of their hard work. Parents also held booths displaying their favorite chili recipes and shared the story behind their chili.

Besides chili, Mrs. Stattler set up a large counter of baked goods, desserts, and drinks. People gathered around the tables testing chili, complimenting the chefs, discussing the best recipes with each other, and meeting new people. This great gathering was fi lled with excitement,

great chili, and amazing people. Mrs. Stattler’s Culinary Art

classes prepared in extreme detail to make this Chili Cook Off so successful. During each period, her various classes made chili and then held an in-class competition to decide the best chili. Students brought their chili to a table of judges who would vote on the best chili recipe. The winning kitchens from each period then recreated their chili at home and brought it to the Cook-Off, which made all the various chili extremely well crafted and delicious.

Students and parents both worked extremely hard to prepare such great chili, and Mrs. Stattler put in many hours to set up the booths, organize the event, and make

the evening fl awless. At the end of the night, visitors voted on their favorite chili by fi lling out a slip of paper and placing it in a voting box. Although people raved about all the chili, Olivia Cain, Ysabella Espinola, Natalie Manoukian, Alyssa Ream, Amasia Yaghobi, and Mackenzie Zimmerman took the win at the Chili Cook-Off. The money raised at this successful event will be used by the Culinary Arts class to purchase necessary equipment.

“The students were very excited and pleased with their success,” stated Mrs. Stattler. “Their chili recipies are wonderful and students, parents, and community members have come to support everyone. We will defi nitely make this an annual event”.

Chili Cook-Off Draws Large Crowd; Raises Funds for R.O.P. CookingBy Michael BishopSpartan Staff

(right) Mr Szamosfalvi

(Left to right) Rico Berti, Kyle Patterson, and Gabe Villalobos served chili.

The Countdown Begins!days u

ntil g

raduation

2 March 7, 2012News

LCUSD Receives Two Million Dollar Donation

A generous donation of two million dollars was made to the La Cañada Unified School District from the La Cañada Flintridge Education Foundation to fund programs like the 7/8 orchestra, college counseling for the high school, art and drama classes, and the library support staff.

The check, made out to La Cañada Unified School District and dated January 19, 2012, awarded the district with almost

double the 1.2 million donated last year. The money was raised over the course of the 2011 school year through activities like the elemen-tary school jog-a-thons where the children run laps in exchange for donations.

The money was presented by Foundation President Paul Murray, and was accepted by School Board President Scott Tracy and Superin-tendent Wendy Sinnette.

A large amount of the money will be directed towards reducing class sizes. Hopefully this will im-prove test scores as teachers will have less students and more time to spend with them all.

By Hannah StewartSpartan Staff

La Cañada High School had the privilege on February 2, of hearing public defenders Jonathan Libby and Guy Iverson discuss the upcoming Supreme Court Case United States v. Alvarez. Mr. Libby will be arguing the case in front of the Supreme Court and La Cañada juniors and seniors were able to spend the better part of block period listening to him explain the historical, contemporary, and personal ramifi cations of the case.

The case centers on Xavier Alva-rez, an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Three Valley Water District. Alvarez violated the Stolen Valor Act, passed by Congress in 2005, when he falsely stated he was a marine who had won the Medal of Honor. After an investigation and an arrest, Alvarez pled guilty on the condition he could appeal to a higher court.

The higher court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, found the act unconstitutional. A subsequent, successful government appeal to the Supreme Court for a Writ of Certiorari brings the course to its present situa-tion, on deck to be argued in the most hallowed legal ground in America.

Mr. Libby’s presentation re-visited these facts and gave more insightful and in many times, humor-ous descriptions of the situations surrounding the case. Many enjoyed the characterization of Mr. Alvarez, who along with the lie the case centers around, claimed to play professional

hockey, and to have been wounded on a rescue mission for an American ambassador when he went to retrieve the American fl ag.

His client’s lying tendencies aside, Mr. Libby passionately and convincingly argued his case that the Supreme Court should fi nd the statute unconstitutional. Presenting argu-ments centering on the courts strict scrutiny standard and unprotected vs. protected speech metric, Mr. Libby was open to not only explaining his argument, but also taking questions from the student body.

“I thought it went really well,” said Mr. Cartnal who organized the event, “I was very pleased with the outstanding and thoughtful questions from the students.”

With his impressive presentation, the vibe in the room indicated that Mr. Libby seemed to at least convince most of the La Cañada student body that the statute is unconstitutional.

“I agree now that it is unconstitu-tional,” praised senior Scott Helbing, “with people like this defending the constitution I continue to have faith in this country.”

Only time will tell if the Supreme Court will concur and, even if they do not, La Cañada students have a lot to be thankful for.

“The reason its valuable is two-fold,” emphasized Mr. Cartnal. “First, I hope students appreciate rights in a free society only remain free as long as a citizen will protect them, and, second , that this is a once in a generation opportunity to have this sort of experi-ence with the Supreme Court.”

La Cañada High School Seniors and Juniors Get a Lesson in the LawBy Will SwansonSpartan Staff

The year of 2012 looks auspi-cious for the La Cañada marching band. This past semester was a col-orful progression for these Spartan musicians, as they received awards in several marching contests and were acknowledged for their efforts and talents.

With their new clean-cut black and maroon uniforms, band members hammered out their routines on the fi eld, earning titles and high rankings in stiff competitions just last semester. The band won fi rst place in its division in the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association and made it to the Western Band’s Associa-tion, according to Charlie Getzen, an assistant drum major.

“The band is getting better and better, and you can really see im-provement in all the students,” said Mr. Smith, the band conductor and teacher.

The sky is the limit for the Spar-tans. The band members are preparing for their concert season, in which they will be focusing on indoor per-formances.

They have been preparing for many songs, including songs for the assemblies and other indoor con-certs.

The band and orchestra held a Dinner Show and Fundraiser on Feb. 11. This annual music show offered a night of dining, music, and auction at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. Items and rewards, ranging from gift baskets to photos of the band, were put up for auction and raffl e for further fundraising.

“The fundraiser was a great suc-cess, a lot of people showed up and we were able to raise a lot of money for the band and orchestra,” said freshman Michael Seuylemezian.

The band members are also an-ticipating their trip to New York this spring break; they will be offered a chance to perform in front of a large audience. They will be performing at a clinic at New York University and the Lincoln Center.

“It’ll be my fi rst time going to New York, so I’m really excited,” said Philipp Wu, a freshman band member. “It’s also my fi rst state trip with the band.”

These Spartan musicians are constantly fi lling up their agendas to display greater performances and will continue to strive to become profes-sional musicians.

By Jinny ChoiSpartan Staff

Marching to the Beat of La Cañada’s Marching Band

Members of the LCHS Academic Decathlon team took home medals after

competing in the 2012 Southern California Academic Decathlon Competition, which took place during the two weeks following fi rst semester fi nals. The team could not hide its excitement after the Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 9.

“Competing in Academic Decathlon was more stressful than I thought, but it was a lot less academically intensive too,” said sophomore Megan Lee. “I have never seen so many kids willing to spend their free time taking tests on a Saturday, if you know what I mean.”

Megan is one of the three members in the Honors division of the team.

For a brief overview, Academic Decathlon is an annual ten-subject competition that involves teams from across the nation. Participating schools send one team to the competition, and each team is separated into three subgroups: Honors, Scholars, and Varsity. Members are placed into these three divisions according to their academic GPA, Honors being the highest and Varsity the lowest.

This year, the Honors members in the LCHS Academic Decathlon team were junior Julia Tam, sophomore Megan Lee, and sophomore Samantha Ko, all of whom endured the jitters and thrills of the competition.

All three members of this year’s Honors team received medals. Both

Megan Lee and Julia Tam shone in the Interview section of the competition. With a score of 976.7 out of a possible 1000 points, Megan came home with a gold, and Julia came home with a bronze by scoring 920. Though she did not receive a medal for an individual category, Samantha Ko was awarded the Top Scoring Decathlete of LCHS, with a combined score that topped the rest of the Academic Decathlon members.

The high-achieving Honors team, however, did not completely outshine the following Scholars team. Junior Bryan Wang scored 760 in Economics and 600 in Math, winning a bronze medal in the fi rst and a silver medal in the latter subject.

“I felt very surprised especially

at the categories in which I placed,” said Bryan.

When asked about how he studied for the competition, Bryan noted that having the competition on the week of fi nals was not too burdensome.

“Some of the material for AcaDec were similar to what I had to study for fi nals, so it was more benefi cial than anything else.”

The other two Scholars members, juniors Jonwei Hwang and Kelvin Zheng, did not return home as medalists, but they competed just as fi ercely as their friend Bryan. Jonwei scored the highest in Speech and Music within the Scholars team, and Kelvin’s score in Interview was nearly as high as that of Julia Tam.

Like last year, the LCHS

Academic Decathlon team could not muster up a Varsity team in time. Without the scores of three additional members, the team automatically lost an average of 10,000 points. This placed them at a huge disadvantage in the running to win a team trophy.

However, despite the big setback, this year’s Academic Decathlon team performed terrifically considering all six members were first-time competitors. Winning individual medals without prior experience is very diffi cult.

“It was a new experience to be in AcaDec,” said Jonwei. “I got to learn many new topics that I would never have learned in school before. And remember, we aren’t nerds. We just have athletic brains!”

LCHS Schools Academic Decathalon

The Lchs Academic Decathlon team stands proudly agfter their victory; (from left to right) Miss Hong, Megan Lee Julia Tam, Samantha Ko, Jon Wei, Kelvin Zheng, and Bryan Wang.

By Ailin KimManaging Editor

On Tuesday, February 7, nearly twenty booths were set up for the Career Fair, to provide students with a wide variety of career options, such as teachers, attorneys, nurses, fi lmmakers, and fashion merchandisers.

Students drifted along a wall of stands set up on the southern wall of the cafeteria. They moved from station to station, stopping to talk to presenters while getting fl yers and information provided on the way.

Senior Jenna Green was one student present at the Career Fair. She was interested in looking at a few options for both a summer job and a more permanent career in her future.

When asked which jobs at the fair interested her, she replied, “I found one for art, because I like art. And I found one for lifeguarding, because I thought that would be fun.”

But a majority of the students favored the booths that were able to communicate the specifi cs of the job and answer any questions from the students.

From the Fire Department’s booth, two women named Sara and Lernik talked with a particular interest to a few intrigued students.

As it turns out, Sara was a former graduate of La Cañada High School, who never found her calling in life until she joined the Fire Department.

“I was kind of lost when I graduated [high school],” Sara explained, “and I went to college and I was still lost. I was walking around with my degree and didn’t know what to do with it. You can go through all this school, and you can get all this information, but you still won’t know what to do unless somebody talks to you and fi res you up about it (no pun intended).”

By Kate BattagliaSpartan Staff

Career Fair Comes to

LCHS

AP Exam

Sign Up

Photo by Ailin Kim

until March 23

(no late sign-ups will be accepted)

3March 7, 2012 News

In the News

Blockbuster Goes Bust

After years of business, the Cres-centa-Cañada Blockbuster is closing its doors due to online and DVD by mail competition. Before the days of Netfl ix and Hulu Plus, La Cañada was home to two Blockbuster stores. On Friday nights lines would be out the door, and La Cañada would seem to come together as a community to rent entertainment for the night. With instant streaming the game instantly changed. The ability to watch movies without getting off the couch made physical DVD checkout obsolete.

While a seemingly easy choice, instant streaming takes away the per-sonal recommendations and friendly experience that the in-store employees

can offer.As I went by the store last

Wednesday, I couldn’t help but see a subtle disappointment in the manag-er’s eyes. The rainy weather seemed to perfectly accent the gloom inside.

After greeting the same custom-ers for years it would undoubtedly be difficult to move on. Currently everything in the store is on sale. Most DVDs are under $10 and many with-out cases are only $3. The shelves, furniture and games are also individu-ally priced to sell.

While customers seem to drift in and out, it seems many are simply tak-ing a last glance at a piece La Cañada. Although the digital age brings instan-taneous satisfaction, something must be said for the Friday night journey and the physical experience.

By Mark KilaghbianSpartan Staff

In the News

Despite resuscitation efforts, singer Whitney Houston died Saturday, February 11 in a hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey and died at the age of 48 on the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards. She had performed as late as Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event in the area. Whitney Houston’s funeral was held at noon on Saturday, February 18 at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.

Whitney Houston Passes on

at 48

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday, February 21 to handle a case involving the University of Texas’ race-conscious admission policies and to decide whether they violate the rights of white applicants. Abigail Noel Fisher individually sued the state university after her college application was rejected in 2008 when she was a high school senior in Sugar Land, Texas. The school defends its policy of considering race as one of many factors that help to create a diverse campus. A ruling will not likely be issued until early 2013.

University Brought to Court over

Alleged Racism

Two days of talks with Iran have failed to produce an agreement on how to verify that Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced Tuesday, February 21. Iran refused to allow a team from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency to visit its military base at Parchin, southeast of Tehran, during the two-day visit. Iran claims to be producing enriched uranium to fuel civilian power plants and has refused international demands to halt its production. Iran’s lack of cooperation may change its relationship with several neighboring countries.

Iranian Hostilities Increase

A South Korean court sentenced two teenagers to prison terms of three years and three and a half years respectively, on Monday, February 20 after they admitted to bullying a school classmate until he committed suicide. The two teenagers, both 15, were told by The Daegu District Court that their prison terms could be reduced by a year, depending on their behavior while in prison. The teens admitted to taking food from the victim’s home, pushing his head into the sink, and forcing him to eat biscuits off the ground, the court said. The victim killed himself by jumping off a building last December, naming his assailants in a suicide note. The incident has led police and prosecutors to crack down on school bullying.

South Korean Court Cracks

Down on Bullying

Oil prices rose Monday after Iran cut exports to Britain and France, raising worries that higher gas prices may soon follow. Iran’s oil ministry said Sunday, February 19 that it would stop exporting oil to French and British companies. The announcement came just days after Iran threatened to cut supplies to some European Union countries in retaliation for sanctions put in place by the European Union and United States. Oil prices have already increased nearly 9% from the start of the year in the U.S.

Oil Prices Increase, Gas

Price May Follow

On Wednesday, February 1, La Cañada High School’s St. Bernard Project Club

held their fi rst bake sale in front of Starbucks.

St. Bernard Project club works with an organization in New Orleans, Louisiana to help rebuild homes destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. The fundraiser aimed to raise money for the cause.

President Rebecca Villalpando noted, “A lot of people don’t realize that there is still so much destruction in New Orleans almost seven years later. Though the tourist areas like the French Quarter have been restored, there are many neighborhoods that

still lay in ruins.” The club’s focus is to raise money

to assist residents in the St. Bernard and Orleans parishes. It is the work of volunteers that really make SBP a special organization.

Club members began setting up in front of Starbucks at 8:30 A.M on the promising Wednesday morning,

setting out a variety of baked goods ready for the public to ogle. In total, SBP club raised almost $400 at their fi rst fundraiser.

“A lo t o f c lub member s contributed their time and effort to the sale. Everyone who baked made something delicious and really put effort into it!” said Rebecca.

The turn out this time was amazing. Generous donations were made not only for the delicious treats, but also because people were genuinely interested in the cause.

It’s crucial to SBP members in LC as well as New Orleans that people do not forget the devastation Hurricane Katrina caused. Homes are still destroyed and people are still displaced.

Rebecca stated, “It’s important that they (people affected by Hurricane Katrina) are not forgotten, for these neighborhoods are vital to the true character of New Orleans.”

Club members are planning a special Mardi Gras themed event in honor of their New Orleans based club. So for anyone interested in the club, feel free to contact stbernardprojectLC@gmail.com!

St. Bernard Project Sweet FixSaint Bernard Bake Sale Raises Funds for Hurricane Katrina

The bake sale raised almost $400 for Hurricane Katrina (From left to right: Kate Battaglia, Sahar Moheize, and Rebecca Villapando).

By Tammy Hsu and Tamar BessosSpartan Staff

Six LCHS juniors are all smiles as they aim to rebuild the St. Bernard Parish.

In these dark economic times, many in Los Angeles County are suf-fering. The postal service faces bank-ruptcy while entrepreneurs struggle to make ends meet. Even our school district, conveniently situated in up-per-middle class La Cañada, is losing money. Because this recession has

pervaded our community, Ms. Wendy Sinnette, LCUSD superintendent, has proposed a new system of donations to maintain a positive and balanced budget.

Ever since the inception of this economic downturn, the Govern-ing Board has warded off cuts by implementing other creative funding opportunities. Back in the June 2011 Board meeting, the Governing Board discussed the process and implementa-tion of naming various facilities after donations. The plan was to gain money through donations to increase district funding. In return, the facilities that the sponsors paid for would be named after them.

In a memorandum issued on October 7, 2011, Ms. Sinnette rec-

ommended to the Governing Board to apply this method of fundraising. For LCHS facilities, patrons can pay $100,000 to have a classroom named after them; $200,000 for each science lab, ceramics room, and computer lab; $500,000 for the choral room or band room; $250,000 for each conference room and culinary arts room. For other facilities, including the cafeteria, tennis courts, pool, weight room, and locker room, donors can pay $500,000 to have their names on them. Mu-nifi cent donors can give $1,000,000 to have facilities such as the Auditorium, IRC, football fi eld, and building or wings, named after them.

Another separate but related program seeks to name programs after donors for contributions of over

$50,000. Some programs that donors can support are the high school band, choral music program, orchestra, drama production, yearbook, and newspaper.

“I hope that members of this com-munities or organizations can match with this district and donate gifts for our facilities,” Ms. Sinnette replied when asked about this program.

Ms. Sinnette admitted that the do-nations required for names on facilities are lofty but said that “it is an incentive for people to be generous” and that “gifts can be contributed over a life-time.” As budget cuts deepen and signs from Sacramento have worsened, Ms. Sinnette believes that this program is a viable opportunity to fund programs and ward off more cuts.

Donation Innovations for Budget Defi cit By Paul KimFeatures Editor

4 March 7, 2012Opinion

The

Spartan

Staff

Reporters

Kate BattagliaTamar Bessos

Jinny ChoiSharon HanAustin HongMichal HronTammy Hsu

Mark KilaghbianAndrew KimEsther Kim

Flor LeeAnastacia Menemenlis

Gemma SokolHannah StewartWill Swanson

Campbell Taylor

Jennifer Kim and Michael BelcherSports Editors

Paulina Galoostian and Michael Bishop

Photography Editors

Ben PowersAdvisor

Kevork KurdoghlianEditor-in-Chief

Ailin Kim and David RheeManaging Editors

David Belcher and Armen DingizianNews Editors

Coleman Monroe and Carly MooreOpinion Editors

Paul Kim and Daniel RheeFeatures Editors

Jack Finnigan and Sam FrederichEntertainment Editors

As the end of a semester draws to a close, students break into a frenzy of last minute adjustments, attempting to raise their GPA’s by adding those few extra points to borderline grades. Cramming for fi nals can only get you so far, and if you end up with an 88% or 89%, it can be just enough to drive you crazy.

Students with borderline grades resort to checking Pinnacle hourly for updates, simply waiting for new scores to be inputted into Pinnacle. A thousand “what-ifs” run through their minds along with chastisements for all the moments they slacked off and ignored an assignment.

“The change stresses me out,” junior Madelyn Brown stated, when discussing the changing of semesters.

It is only after the fi nal scores are added onto pinnacle, and grades still sit on the borderline, that students resort to last-minute means of procuring an A. The most common method? Begging teachers to round

up. While some teachers announce

at the beginning of the semester that an 89.5 is a B, and therefore will not be rounded to an A, others are more lenient. Some go over all of their students grades, doing all they can to help their students achieve that just-out-of-reach A. When asked, these teachers will review one’s grades, seeing what they can do to help.

Once the end of semester panic is over, and the grades are cemented into the system, new resolutions are made about goals and grades. The end of the first semester, and the beginning of the second hold different meanings to everyone.

Some believe that the new semester offers a fresh start, a new beginning, and a clean slate.

“I like the idea of starting over,” said junior Kristine Seuylemezian.

T h e s e m e s t e r m a r k i s a recognizable accomplishment declaring you are halfway done with the year, inching closer to summer. It provides a chance to make new promises to oneself, and an opportunity to keep those promises, as to not have to resort to the panic

preformed at the close at the previous semester.

“It’s really good to have a clean slate,” junior Matt Carpenter commented. “You aren’t dragged down by old grades.”

Others are not so content with the idea of a new semester. The collection of points so painstakingly gathered over the months of hard work are gone, and everyone is forced to begin again. To have to start from scratch once more, working to boost one’s grades up, is anything but desirable. Seeing as the curriculum builds upon each other, the concepts become more elaborate and more details are required to be kept. Some students swear that the second semester is more diffi cult, making it that much more detestable.

“You have to start from scratch with a more diffi cult class,” junior Liza Upton reasoned when explaining her dislike of the new semester.

Few enjoy change, and fewer still are ever completely content with the grades received at the end of a semester. It is all we can do to take a deep breath, and dive in again.

End of Semester Panic and New Semester PromisesBy Kate Battaglia Spartan Staff

By Campbell TaylorSpartan Staff

The Right to Lie

Love is in the air. Cupid and his army seem to be attacking everyone in sight. As arrows rain down from the heavens, you are able to retaliate. While those intoxicated by love suffer around you, you stay strong and clear minded. You, my friend, are immune to the plague; you are independent,

rogue , and free, like a

mercenary in the battle

f o r l ove . You have no contractual

obligation, and can do as you please. The female

casualties of the war will be searching for a man like you, women who have been wounded and are in need of a cure. Suddenly, you are no longer a mercenary, but a knight in shining armor. You have the ability to slay the dragon that’s perpetuating those maidens’ loneliness, a task that takes bravery, not money from the

wallet. Valentines Day is a single girl’s

worst nightmare. As they see their friends in “love” they can’t help but feel forever alone. Men are different. To a man, Valentine’s Day is a money pit. Women constantly seek the best and most expensive gifts to brag about to their counterparts. This means he will be shelling out the big bucks, but not so much that he goes broke. After all, the poor lad needs to save some for a romantic dinner, assorted chocolates, and maybe a stuffed animal. So what about the single man? Is he to weep in despair, and denounce his loneliness?

Valentine’s Day is the single best day to meet single women. Not only are the women desperately searching for love, but they are simultaneously convincing themselves they don’t need it. They are waiting for a knight in shining armor, and that’s you. A few compliments, a rose from the neighbor’s garden, and you my friend, are in.

If you aren’t in the mood for a girlfriend or are indifferent to relationships, Valentine’s Day is even better. It’s an excuse to hang out with your single guy friends and play “Call of Duty” or “Fifa”, until your eyes refuse to open. You can gawk at the poor men leashed by their girlfriends. So whether you choose to be a mercenary or a dragon slayer, just be glad that you have the freedom of choice, and aren’t bound by the old ball and chain.

The day when love is expressed through chocolate boxes, expensive dinners and the color pink. In middle school, it was simple. Your friends got the cards that had a picture of Scooby Doo on the front, a lollipop on the inside and a message that read, ‘You’re better than any Scooby Snack.’ You passed them out to your classmates, and in a strange way, it was Halloween minus the costumes, and drenched in shades of red. Candy came in by the bucket load. Valentine’s Day was sweet. It was fun.

Now it’s more complicated. You don’t get a Scooby valentine

anymore. If you’re lucky, you get a rose, cheesy box of candy, or, wait for it- a Teddy Bear from Vons.

If you’re fl ying solo, that ‘Pink Candy Day’ full of smiles and laughter and rainbows, is turned into a ‘Single Awareness Day.’ A day of dark clouds and teardrops and forced alone time to evaluate your current relationship status. The only candy eaten is the chocolate that you purchased to compensate for your loneliness, as you listen to Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies.’

To top it off- it’s high school. Relationships are mini-soap

operas, so questions like “should I get a gift for the guy, I kind of have a thing with or would I look desperate, because technically we aren’t going out yet, but he texted me last Tuesday- wait where is this relationship going, what am I doing with my life?’,believe it or not, keep countless girls tossing and turning at night.

It’s stressful. Plus, we’re teenagers. We’re

poor. Gifts are normally under 20 bucks, if that. We get a rose, not a dozen. We get the chocolate on sale. We make cards. We get paid minimum wage.

You’re probably thinking that I’m going to take the ‘I hate valentine’s day because it’s stupid,’ standpoint, because I’m single and therefore miserable and bitter.

Well you’re wrong. Yes, last year I was contemplating

wearing black to school on February 14th, but that’s beside the point.

I’m digging deeper than the typical petty reasons to abhor this holiday.

Valentine’s Day in short is, ‘A day for couples expressing love everywhere.’

No. It’s a bank day for fl orists and

See’s Candy. Boyfriends have to buy fl owers, and girls have to look good in a new dress.

It’s a consumer’s holiday. Money is love.

Honestly, if Valentine’s Day is the only reason you are getting your girlfriend a necklace, or the only time that roses appear at your doorstep- then you should reevaluate your relationship.

Love should be expressed every day, rather than in twelve hours! You should be getting candy any day of the week, whether it’s a holiday or not! St. Valentine wouldn’t want his holiday to be packed into one day; he would want it to be intertwined into every moment of our lives.

To all you single kids out there, when that annoying friend runs up to you with nearly dead fl ower and card in tow, remember that sadly, their partner believes this is the highest expression of their love.

They didn’t get down on one knee. They didn’t stay up all night painting their faces on a mural. Or teach a bunny how to belt out and dance to a serenade they wrote. They got them a fl ower that’s dead by the end of the day, and a hallmark card that has a rose garden on the front. How romantic.

Just let the friend have their moment. Don’t roll your eyes when they describe how the i r person so

delicately presented it to them in front of all their friends, and how cute they looked blushing when they opened the card and read the monogrammed message inside. Let them go home and put that fl ower into a vase, and love it. Let them think that this is the best day they have ever lived.

Most importantly, throw that spite away. Turn it into quiet laughter. Be the better person.

By Carly MooreOpinion Editor

By Mark KilaghbianSpartan Staff

Some Advi for the XY

Can’t Buy Me Love?

All through history, the United States has shown a pattern of giving natural rights to more citizens, allowing more freedom. During the fi rst World War, a famous Supreme Court case took place called Schenck v United States of America. Charles T. Schenck was an anti-war socialist who spoke out against the draft, asserting that it was a clear violation of the Thirteenth Amendment. He was arrested and charged with violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and the court ruled, “When a nation is at war, many things that might be said in a time of peace are such a hindrance to its effort that their utterance will not be endured so long as men fi ght.” This is yet another shady occurrence from our past that we are as proud of as the rampant police

brutality that took place throughout the Civil Rights Movement.

Today we find ourselves in themiddle of a very similar situation in which the First Amendment is abridged for the enforcement of an unconstitutional federal law. United States of America v Alvarez addresses the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 and its legality regarding our Bill of Rights.

Xavier Alvarez claimed to have won the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War, but when informed that he was too young to have served during that time, he corrected himself and claimed it was Bosnia. Neither of these statements were true, however, the government has no legal right or ability to create any law restricting his right to lie about them. The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 specifi cally does that, violating the First Amendment to the Constitution which reads, “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech.”

Under the Stolen Valor Act, if you at work, at home, or even with a few friends and you were to claim, “I am a recipient of the Medal of Honor,” you would have committed a felony. Assuming there was a trial and suffi cient evidence was provided, you could be fi ned and thrown into federal prison for up to six months!

There are very few phrases that have actually been deemed ‘illegal,’ such as shouting, “fi re” in a crowded place or claiming that you have the honest intent of murdering another human being. Although this is unconstitutional, it is understandable. Such statements have the capacity of bringing real, physical harm to people and therefore should have some consequences for uttering them. Claiming to have won

Right on page 5

the Congressional Medal of Honor does not harm anyone physically and therefore should not be prohibited. The only arguable harm that could be brought about by such a lie is the disrespect towards those who have actually received the medal. Disrespect is not illegal, and thankfully so. If people were sent to prison every time they disrespected someone of authority or acccomplishment, we would be living in a totalitarian society. Without the right to lie and disrespect, we are nothing.

At this time, the Ninth Circuit

Court of Appeals’ decision to protect the First Amendment against the Stolen Valor Act has awaited judgement and trial in the U.S. Supreme Court for a little over a month now. The hearing took place February 22nd and the verdict can be found online.

Throughout American history, we have had a natural tendency to extend individual rights to a larger portion of the populace and increase out inclusiveness to the common man, not decrease it. This is a parttern we should continue, or we risk reversing it.

Justin Bieber, Indiana Jones 4, Rebecca Black, Kim Kardashian, Twilight, The Phantom Menace, Nickelback, Sarah Palin.

What do all of these things have in common? Believe it or not, they’re all people and things that I don’t hate.

I know, shocking isn’t it? Heck, even mentioning Justin Bieber without a hint of disgust in your voice has become a faux pas in most social circles. *Heck*, my editor wanted to censor Kim’s name from the story in case some offended readers decided to fi rebomb Room 203. But before you start lighting your Molotovs, hear me out.

Let’s be honest, there is a LOT of misguided hate seething in today’s popular culture. Chances are, if something is successful (and not Adele or Harry Potter) people detest it.

Sure, there will always be a natural public antipathy towards that which is uncommonly successful. Why else would everyone hate the 1%, or the one guy who gets an A on a test that everyone else fails? But our culture is really starting to go overboard. There is an entire department of the US Postal Service dedicated to celebrity death threats. Type “Twilight Hate” into Google and you’ll get 98 million

results. Rebecca Black had to pull her “Friday” music video off YouTube because it had so m a n y d i s l i k e s (but no one ever complained about “Charlie Bit My F i n g e r ” ) . O u r culture of hate has become almost Orwellian.

To understand just how far it’s gone, just take a look at YouTube. Visit any video that’s vampire-r e l a t e d a n d you’ll see at least t w o t h o u s a n d comments about how crappy Twilight is. Click on any music video and the top comment will in some way disparage Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga. Go to any Star Wars clip, and everyone’s talking about macabre ways that they’ll get back at George Lucas for making the prequels.

Perhaps the internet is to blame. When ideas and information flow so quickly and extensively, it makes sense that it would be a radicalizing factor. These days, if something sucks, chatboards, YouTube comments, Facebook, and Reddit make sure that everyone knows it sucks. Anyone

can state their negative opinions anywhere, and probably have it read or watched by a comparatively large number of people. And as a result, we’re constantly bombarded, propaganda-style, with contrarian opinions. It’s almost like self-infl icted propaganda, and it cajoles us into hating things that we otherwise would have accepted or outright ignored. That’s my opinion, anyway.

I’ll leave you with this. Before you post that comment lambasting Taylor Lautner, remember that in doing so, you’re not being creative or standing up to the system. You’re just perpetuating it.

5March 7, 2012 Opinion

We live in a world mirrored by screens. There are few experiences unique to the real world. Programs and coded sequences have taken the place of the outdoors and face-to-face socializing. America is addicted. It’s been proven that social media leads to depression and a feeling that your friends are happier than you. It’s been proven that those who spend more than 3 hours day in front of a screen are more likely to become obese, and have health issues. In fact, those who sit in front of a screen longer than 4 hours a day, have a 80% greater chance of dying from cardiovascular disease. Yet we do it anyway. Screens have become a drug, which numbs the mind and robs us of crucial life lessons and skills.

This is where “The Amish Project” comes into play. Participants are encouraged to disable Twitter, Facebook, email, texting, and television for 90 days. Many of those who have completed the challenge have left accounts disabled and screens off.

When asked about social media,

the founder of the movement, Jake Reilly stated, “I think that Facebook is the biggest waste of time, because everyone is just presenting such a filtered picture of themselves. You only put up your best pictures. People only check in when they are at the fanciest restaurant in the city. They only keep things up there that are fl attering to themselves”.

In essence, Facebook and other social media superficially express people as caricatures of

themselves. Many of us spend hours browsing how people want to be perceived. This valuable time could be spent with the actual person, communicating fi rsthand. Teenagers have become notorious for zoning out on the computer for hours. Those who completed the Project stated they had more time for homework and fewer distractions, leading to higher grades and better focus. Technology even takes a toll on fi rst hand conversations. I can’t count the times I’ve been in a middle of a conversation when I realize I’m being ignored due to a text or a game of words with friends. It’s not uncommon to see a table of teenagers sitting in silence as their phones turn them into mindless zombies. While it’s undeniable that technology is useful in today’s society, with so much information and so many applications, it has become a vehicle of distraction and lifelessness.

Jake Reilly summed his argument up by explaining, “There’s a real difference in the quality of that time. If I sit and play Angry Birds for an hour a day, I don’t look back and say, ‘You know, I had a really great Angry Birds session three weeks ago. That was a really great time,’ but if I share a sunset walk on the beach with someone, that’s a memory that I can treasure forever.”

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been considered as a quiet kid. Even during this rebellious age of adolescence, I still can’t build the strength to talk in front of a large audience. Seeing new people never fails in giving me an anxiety attack, and of all the dances I’ve been to (well, one actually), I’ve always broken a sweat not from the dancing, but from the awkwardness of dancing amidst a crowd of jumping people I’ve never seen before.

Like most introverted people, I sometimes want to be gregarious and assertive. Extroverts seem to have life easy: they’re charismatic, popular and energetic. I, however, seem to pale against these brighter lights. So I began to wonder, Why do I have to be something that I’m naturally not? Don’t I have qualities that are valuable, too? The abilities of the quiet and reserved are largely underestimated in our society of the loud and proud. And this neglect of our quieter peers will only continue to lower their self-esteem.

Introversion has long been associated with intelligence and creativity, and history has proved the truth of this idea. Introverts generally feel most at ease alone, and this embrace of solitude provides the mental stamina and concentration to perform and practice certain tasks for long stretches of time. A study on a select group of violinists at the Music Academy of West Berlin revealed that introverts tended to practice more hours each week. Furthermore, the players who practiced the most were usually considered the best of the class. It is not surprising that history’s greatest musicians, like Peter Tchaikovsky and Frederic Chopin, were remembered for their shyness along with their musical greatness.

Along with musicians, there have been many silent-minded and shy writers and artists as well. The cultural fi gures we are long familiar with – Vincent Van Gogh, Emily

Dickinson, Nathaniel Hawthorne – have all shared similar stories of childhood timidity and loneliness. Solidarity shields them largely from the concerns of peer pressure and groupthink, so their wild ideas can run free without the fear of social disagreement. The best works of art have been made under self-imposed isolation. What would happen to Thoreau’s Walden if Thoreau decided to spend the nights drinking with the lumberjacks rather than writing about them in the wilderness? How would Emily Dickinson gather the ideas for her poetry if she preferred to socialize with friends?

But that doesn’t mean that introverts don’t have the guts to be leaders. Sure, they might not be as easily inclined to public speaking as their more outgoing peers, but they have heightened sensitivity to others’ concerns and self-assuredness. Mohandas Gandhi was able to lead the Indian people to independence not through an iron fi st, but through “passive resistance”. Eleanor Roosevelt, considered during her childhood as a quiet, unattractive girl, had amazing powers of empathy, which led her to support various civil rights and humanitarian efforts. Her natural emotional instincts would later motivate her to fi ght for the passage of the UN Declaration of the Universal Rights of Man.

Mainstream society seems to suggest an ideal of the extrovert. Americans extol the confi dent and the opinionated, even when such qualities have the potential to backfi re and become toxic. Intellectualism is stereotyped as boring, and the quiet people who would rather spend time with books than at parties are characterized as nerdy or unsocial. But that’s not true. We must respect the strengths each of us has, not prefer one over the other. It is time that the introverts understand their place in the world without shame. It is time for them to speak out.

Conditioned Hatred

By Sam FrederichEntertainment Editor

Introverts, Speak OutBy Andrew Kim

Spartan Staff

The LED PlagueBy Mark KilaghbianSpartan Staff I’m sure many of you can relate

to the same panic I feel anytime I can’t feel my phone in my pockets, or the feeling of nakedness when I unintentionally leave my phone behind at home.

Living in the 21st century in a digital nation virtually requires ownership of gadgets and ability to use these new communication tools. The most innovative communication gadgets of this past half a decade are smart phones and tablet computers.

Smart phones have not only become a useful tool of necessary communications, but have rather become a form of entertainment. From games that eat away hours and hours of endless fun, to apps that allow instant access to the latest news and weather forecast, smart phones seem to offer everything at anytime.

It is evident that smart phones have become so integrated in our daily lives; they have become addictions for teens and adults alike. Since just a few years ago, I have noticed as I walk down the school hallway or the restaurant aisle, people are

constantly glued to their screens with their head down, oblivious to their surroundings.

One day, I came up with my own conclusion that as inseparable as our society has become with their iPhones and Androids, they’re just as unnecessary. In other words, cutting your iPhone in half is not akin to cutting your necessary supply of oxygen. I was led to this conclusion after spying on numerous people and carefully examining what they were doing so busily on their smart phones. Not surprisingly enough, they were wasting their precious hours on apps like Hanging with Friends, Temple Run, and Instagram. I was convinced henceforward, that with only a few exceptions (of intellectuals and business men), smart phones bring absolutely no crucial enhancements in one’s life. I am positive you do not receive enlightening lessons of life through playing Temple Run, nor by editing and posting your pictures on Instagram.

So next time you walk by a street, maybe perk up your ears for any street musicians, or take a second to smile at a stranger and brighten up their moment. Look up from your screens and catch a sight of a squirrel performing tricks and see the beautiful view from your own eyes not through your phone’s camera lens.

Get Off Your PhonesBy Jinny ChoiSpartan Staff

Image from Google

Man’s Struggle with Technology

Image from Google

Right from page 4Do YOU have

opinions?

Send your thoughts to The Spartan newspaper in

room 203!

6 March 7, 2012Features

Photo by Michal HronClara Johnson slides down a rock

Inspiration Point: View of El Capitan and Half Dome

Clara Johnson and Meghan Fuelling rest on a fence

Julie Kim and Emily Killam are ready to ski

Sasha Bonar, Teresa Vignale, and Savannah Vogh excited for Yosemite Institute

Emily Killam and Mckenzie Berkley squeeze into two pictures at once

Photo by Michal Hron

Photo by Michal Hron

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Photo by Alice Michell

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Photo by Nick McMenamin

7March 7 2012 Features

Ms. Nichols-Ali led her hiking group over a raging river in the forest.

Mr. Powers’ hiking group had a last up in Yosemite!

Teresa Vignale, Melissa Ha, Savannah Vogh, and Sasha Bonar

A quick snapshot at Curry Village

Zane Bodmer and Glenn Johnson resting on rocks

Savannah Vogh and Melissa Ha fully loaded

Photo by Michal Hron

Photo by Michal Hron

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Photo by Nick McMenamin

Every Valentine’s Day, the movie industry seems to think it’s necessary to remind single girls just how single they really are by releasing a recycled love story about a boy who meets a girl, and somehow they instantly fall in love.

This Valentine’s Day, the highly anticipated movie, “The Vow” hit the big screen, starring the novelist Nicholas Sparks’ movie alumni, Rachel McAdams (“The Notebook”) and Channing Tatum (“Dear John”).

As always, the fi rst scenes of the movie showed the main characters, Paige (McAdams) and Leo (Tatum), meeting in a busy metropolitan area. From the start, it seems as if the movie will be another crushingly sweet love story that will wrench the hearts of viewers and become an instant classic in the Romance Hall of Fame. However, the story line falls short of its expectations.

The couple eventually wed

and lived a typical city life until a “moment of impact” changes their lives forever. A car accident wipes Paige’s memory of ever being with Leo, and instead, she only remembers her life from fi ve years ago, when she was on a different career path and engaged to another

man. From then on, the movie centers on Leo’s attempts to make his wife fall back in love with him.

The initial story is sweet, and while it has potential, it lacks the certain spark that was exemplifi ed in “The Notebook.” Viewers have the expectation of another heartbreaking tragedy that ends as a perfect paradise, but the ending falls short: the two walking happily together on another mundane date.

Overall, the movie is a just another cute chick fl ick. Fortunately, McAdams’ and Tatum’s performances are exceptional, as they always are in these types of movies.

The most endearing part of the movie is at the very end, when the audience discovers that the movie is based on a true story, and the credits show a picture of the real Paige and Leo. Though Paige never regained her memory, the two fell in love again, had two children, are still happily together to this day. christiancinema.com

8 March 7, 2012Entertainment

For most boys, Super Bowl weekend was all about football, sodas, and bets. But for most girls, Super Bowl weekend was all about Madonna’s anticipated performance during the Half Time Show. The Queen of Pop’s 15-minute concert was a medley of new and old singles such as“Vogue,” “Hey Mr. DJ,” “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” “Open Your Heart,” and “Like a Prayer.”

The fi rst song Madonna sang was “Vogue,”coming out on an Egyptian throne, and setting the tone for a Cleopatra-themed performance. The song then merged into Hey Mr. DJ, which gave the whole stadium a club-like atmosphere with an array of colorful, fl ashing lights.

It was pretty surprising when LMFAO came on stage with Party Rock Anthem, but it seemed like everyone got a great kick out of watching Madonna shuffl e. Next came Madonna’s latest single, Give Me All Your Luvin’, which featured rappers Nicki Minaj and MIA. Overall, their collaboration was pretty impressive, but the continuous lip-syncing was disappointing. The following songs, Open Your Heart and Like a Prayer starred Cee Lo Green. It was a great idea to end the performance with Like a Prayer, since it is one of Madonna’s most popular songs.

Madonna’s performance did not meet all of her fans’ expectations. For one, they expected her to sing live, but she didn’t. She lip-synced the whole way through—even during the ballads. The worst part was that she made it terribly obvious by ending her notes too early and by not singing into the microphone at the right time. Sorry Madonna, but Britney Spears will forever remain the lip-syncing queen. But it is somewhat understandable as to why she did: she did not stop dancing once. At 53, Madonna can probably out-dance anyone. When I’m her age, I hope I’ll have the energy and the ability to move like her. Overall, I give the performance a seven out of ten.

Music: Legendary, Online, & LocalThe Queen of Pop is Back

By Tamar BessosSpartan Staff

fastcocreate.com

Kate McGill is the new Youtube Sensation

YouTube is quickly emerging as a place to discover new and talented artists.Christina Grimmie, Alyssa Bernal, Justin Bieber and many others were all aspiring musicians who found fame through YouTube. About two years ago, Tammy and I came across a young, gifted singer named Kate McGill. After listening to her songs for ten minutes, we were hooked.

Kate McGill is atwenty-one year old singer-songwriter from England. She gained Internet fame for her covers of songs by Adele, Mumford & Sons, Rihanna, Paramore, and Katy Perry. She posted her fi rst video, a cover of “Land Locked Blues” by Bright Eyes, four years ago, but did not become well known until two years ago, when she covered “Someone Like You” by Adele. The video reached more than three million views by February 2012, and its popularity continues to grow. As of 2012, she has gained more than 154,000 subscribers, making her the 13th most subscribed musician on YouTube.

Many say that Kate’s style and voice is a mixture between Ellie Goulding’s electro-pop beats and Angus and Julia Stone’s calm, Indie tunes. However, her most popular

covers on YouTube include “White Blank Page” by Mumford & Sons and “Fix You” by Coldplay.

Due to her popularity on the web, Kate won Tesco Entertainment’s 1Click2Fame contest, which is Britain’s most prestigious online talent competition, in 2010. She successfully beat over 2000 contestants, and walked away with the £100,000 prize.

In late 2011, Kate released her debut album Replaced, which attracted thousands of her subscribers from YouTube. Even though she has many incredible

songs on the album, my personal favorite is “Replaced.” Kate’s songs have been played multiple times on BBC Radio 2, a well-known radio station in England; she reached the height of her fame in late 2011, when she performed songs from her debut album in 34 Caffè Nero stores across the U.K.

Kate’s growing number of subscribers and popularity have turned her into an Internet sensation. If you are in dire need of some great music, then log onto YouTube and search for Kate McGill. I promise—you will not be disappointed.

By Tammy Hsu and Tamar BessosSpartan Staff

yorkshirepost.co.uk

Fairview TurnaroundTurns Heads

Five good-looking boys making great music. What more can a girl ask for?

The other day I was able to meet with Tommy Bartholetti and Matt Jones, two of the fi ve members of the high school band Fairview Turnaround. Fans of “the Morningbenders, the Strokes, and the Arctic Monkeys” would enjoy this band. With their amiable personalities and quirky sense of humor, the boys talked to me about their indie-alternative band.

Fairview Turnaround consists of Joe Kaufman (vocals, guitar, ukulele), Gordon Dean (bass), Matt Jones (lead guitar), Tommy Bartholetti (keyboard), and Steven Toyama (drums). Kaufman, Jones, and Bartholetti currently attend La Cañada High, while Dean and Toyama reside in Pasadena. Ever since December of last year, the band has striven to produce original, catchy songs and to “get their music out there.”

To produce the best music, the boys take a casual yet systematic approach.

“One of us comes up with the chords and then we all kind of jam on it. Then Joe [Kauffman] comes up with the lyrics,” said Matt Jones.

Matt and Tommy’s favorite song out of all of their original pieces is “Fire in His Eyes” because it opts for a cool ukulele intro and showcases

all of their instruments. One can easily access the band’s music by checking out their Facebook fanpage and browsing through the “links” section.

The remainder of the interview illustrated Matt and Tommy’s band bromance. The Spartan: If a fi ght occurs within the band—Barth: It’s always Matt. He’s always crying about not playing the drums. The Spartan: How do you guys resolve these fi ghts?Barth: We usually take a break from practice and just go home. Like straight up. Jones: But fi rst we get food.The Spartan: Who is the funniest person in the band?Jones: Most defi nitely me. Barth: No, the funniest member of the band doesn’t go to this school.The Spartan: Then who is the most good-looking?Barth: Matt Jones. Defi nitely Matt Jones. From fi rst impression, Fairview Turnaround seems like a talented group of high school students who also carry likeable personalities. Afi cionados of indie-alternative music should go check out their music and support this band (Facebook!). Although considered amateurs in the music industry, Fairview Turnaround defi nitely has the potential to be the next Jonas Brothers, but better. A lot better.

The Romantic Must Watch of 2012By Kate Battaglia and Tammy HsuSpartan Staff

By Flor di LeeSpartan Staff

Madonna waving to the crowd

Kate Mcgill, Youtube Sensation

The boys lookin’ fi erce for the camera

9March 7, 2012 Entertainment

Best (and Worst) Superbowl Ads

So the game was good…I guess. And I heard that Madonna put on a pretty good show. But what about the main event of the night: the famously high-profi le Superbowl Commercials?

To be honest, most of them were pretty lame this year, but there were still a few entertaining diamonds in the rough. We’ll start off with those.

The Best:

6. KIA: “The Sandman” – What happens when the Sandman accidentally overdoses someone on dream powder? Awesomeness, of course, in the form of Motley Crue, the world’s largest sub sandwich, a new KIA Optima, and plenty of scantily-clad women. A very funny and well-made commercial that taps into the male psyche with frightening clarity.

5. VW: “The Dog Strikes Back” – Superbowl commercials don’t get much sweeter and funnier than this one, in which an overweight dog embarks on a workout regimen so that he can chase the new VW Beatle. The best part, however, was the Star Wars-inspired fi nale, which worked in a cameo of Darth Vader himself. Good stuff.

4. Acura: “Seinfeld vs. Leno” – Probably the straight-up funniest ad of the Superbowl. Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno battle for fi rst dibs on the new Acura NSX, using dead aliens, the soup Nazi, and Leno’s fl ying squirrel jetpack to try and convince an average Joe to give up the car. It doesn’t get much better than this.

3. Chrysler: “Halftime in America” – Wow. This wasn’t just a great commercial, it was a genuinely inspiring short fi lm. The speech was moving, Clint Eastwood’s snarling delivery was pitch-perfect, and by the time it was over, my entire living room was left in contemplative silence. It wasn’t as hilarious as other ad frontrunners, and it may have drawn the ire of a few conservatives, but boy, was it memorable.

2. Honda: “Matthew Broderick’s Day Off” – If you haven’t watched the John Hughes movie, then this commercial – a tribute to Ferris Bueller’s iconic sick day – probably made no sense. If you have seen the movie, then this was easily one of the most enjoyable ads of the Superbowl. With over two dozen references to Bueller lovingly placed throughout, it’s a hilarious, fun ad that’s a defi nite must-watch.

1. Doritos – Forget the Giants; Doritos was the real winner this year. Their two commercials – in which a baby stole chips via slingshot and a homicidal dog bribed his owner with Doritos - were ingeniously absurd and laugh-out-loud funny. A few cat owners may have been offended, but these were easily the most entertaining spots of the Superbowl.

…And The Worst

1. GoDaddy.com – These were the two worst Superbowl Ads I have ever seen in my life. I don’t usually have a problem with racy commercials (the M&M’s spot was a lot of fun, for example), but GoDaddy’s double whammy of awfulness was just insulting. I mean, they paid 117,000 dollars a second for this?!? They could have fed a third world country for a year with the money they spent on this tripe. They really didn’t have any better ideas than this? They really thought that this would make people want their product? They really thought their commercials were worthy of 100 million people’s attention? GAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!Bottom line: these commercials were disasters. Don’t watch them, because you’ll only be giving satisfaction to their greedy and incompetent makers.

By Sam FrederichEntertainment Editor

A Separation, a Compelling Iranian Film

The thrilling domestic drama A Separation offers a poignant look into the lives of two Iranian families whose lives are turned upside-down by a very human incident. Renowned Iranian director Ashghar Farhadi (About Elly) paints a familiar picture of domestic life gone awry.

The story concerns Simin (Leila Hatami) and Nader (Peyman Maadi), an Iranian husband and wife who are seeking a divorce. The reason is that Simin wants to give their 11-year-old daughter, Termeh (Sarina Farhadi), the route to a better future abroad while Nader wants to stay home to take care of his father, a victim of Alzheimer’s. The rest of the plot exposes our reluctance to own up to the truth and the lies we create in order to protect ourselves.

One of the plot’s many fi ne

points is the lack of a clear-cut villain; no one has done anything out of pure malice and spite. The villainy simply lies in the system that surrounds the characters

The fi lm also offers vivid insight into true Iranian life through its juxtaposition of the comfortable middle class family and the desperate poverty of other families in the story.

Though the plot may seem to plod along to some viewers, it is made up for by having multiple twisting narratives and the release of new information as the story progresses.

The biggest standout is actress Sarina Farhadi. As the youngest character of the story, she serves as a purveyor of the untainted truth and the knowingness of childlike innocence. Her portrayal as the adolescent girl caught between the love of her parents and her duty to uphold the truth is brilliantly played. Her tears became mine.

Even hours after seeing it,

I continued to deliberate on the nuances of the plot and characters. Yes, the director did leave some things unexplained but that does not get in the way of the story.

At a time when more overtly political Iranian fi lmmakers like Jafar Panahi, are being jailed for the production of their critical fi lms, Farhadi manages to convey a political message without throwing its meaning directly in your face. The issues of gender roles, religion as it relates to life and law, class, and domestic life all arise in a way that makes one think not only about the situation in Iran, but also life a little closer to home. A Separation is a brilliant, heartbreaking fi lm that remains in my mind weeks after watching it. It is, without a doubt, one of the best fi lms of 2011, not to mention this year’s recipient of the Academy Award for Best Foreign fi lm. I highly encourage everyone to see it.

For the last two months our televisions have been invaded by the famous Award Season. The two biggest events were the Grammys and Oscars. Almost as important as who won what award, at least in some people’s minds, was who wore what.

The Grammys took place on Sunday, February 12, 2012. I honestly thought the theme of the night was costume party. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Worst dressed of the night would go to Nicki Minaj who wore a Versace costume that featured a Red Riding hooded cape. She didn’t decide to bring a simple clutch with her but instead was accompanied by a man dressed up as the Pope. Worst hair would go to Kelly Osbourne who tried and failed to rock a new washed out purple hair color.

Best Dressed would go to Rihanna, hands down, with the runner up Adele. Adele wore a slimming black-sequin dress with long sleeves by Giorgio Armani. She had unique louboutin-inspired nails with black nail polish on the fronts of her long nails and red nail polish on the other side. Rihanna looked stunning. With

a washed out hair style and slimmed body she stunned us with a low-cut, open-backed black Armani sheath with a thigh-high slit. Her gold jewelry was a great compliment to the outfi t. Both Rihanna and Adele have slimmed down and looked gorgeous.

At Sunday’s Academy Awards, the fashion was stepped up and looked better then ever. So many people were dressed nicely, but best dressed would have to go to Milla Jovavich in Elie Saab Couture. She rocked the old Hollywood glamour look with red lipstick, light skin, and tons beautiful white sequins.

My personal favorite and second runner up would be MIchelle Williams in her coral Louis Vuitton dress. Yes, she still has her signature pixie blonde hair cut, but she looked fabulous. Even though she didn’t win Best Actress, she did win both most unique dress and best dressed in my book. The coral-slash-red gown had a ruched bustline and a peplum skirt. With so many layers and ruffl es, it was a show-stopper.

Second runner up for best dressed with go to Emma Stone whose french inspired Giambattista Valli Haute Couture. Her high necked deep pink gown featured a huge bow

on the neckline that showed elegance, something that Hollywood has been lacking lately. And, of course, you can never leave out the stunning and sexy Angelina Jolie. She rocked the red carpet in Atelier Versace. The velvet dress was jet black, contrasting with her fl awless milky skin. The dress had a high slit where she constantly popped her leg out to show off her body. She was wearing her signature red lipstick but decided to try a lighter hair color, something fans weren’t too crazy about.

Worse dressed would go to Jennifer Lopez. Her stripped Zuhair Murad dress was so tight and unfl attering. The dress looked so tight and was so low cut, one wrong move and everything would be popping out everywhere! Ironically she had quoted Edith Head, “Your dress should be tight enough to show you’re a woman and loose enough to show you’re a lady.”

The fashion at these award shows were greatly inspired by the New York fashion week that took place in Manhattan during the Award Season. There were some fl ops on the red carpet but a lot more chic stars that will inspire what’s hot, what’s not, what’s in, and what’s out.

Fashion Award Season

The Grammy’s

(Spoiler alert! Adele wins!) Yes, this year’s award ceremony was something of a one-sided affair. Well, make that three-sided. Adele won all of the big awards, Kanye West took home all of the rap awards, and the Foo Fighters won in all of the rock categories. Normally I’d complain about the lack of surprises, but frankly, it was a great show and I agreed with most, if not all, of the picks.

Adele was undoubtedly the biggest winner of the night, walking away with six golden phonographs and tying Beyonce for most awards won by a female performer in a single ceremony. Included in her wins were Best Song (“Rolling in the Deep”) and best album (“21”), as if there were ever any doubt.

Adele also earned the night’s longest and most heartfelt ovation after singing a powerful rendition of “Rolling in the Deep,” proving that her vocals have fully recovered from their surgery.

The Foo Fighters were another success story of the night, walking

away with seven nominations and fi ve wins, including Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Frontman Dave Grohl triumphantly yelled “Long live rock n’ roll!” as he exited the stage.

In other news, Kanye West deservedly won Best Rap Album for his 2010 opus “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” “Otis,” part of his collaboration with Jay-Z, also earned a win for Best Rap Performance (though I personally prefer “N****s in Paris”).

The coveted Best New Artist award went to acclaimed indie-folk group Bon Iver, which (thankfully) beat out the more commercially successful Nicki Minaj. The decision

has gained its share of controversy, but I couldn’t be happier about it.

The ceremony itself was an odd blend of somber and cheerful. The heartbreaking tributes to fallen greats Whitney Houston and Etta James, for example, were offset by spirited renditions of Beach Boys tunes. It would have been jarring if the whole event wasn’t so well performed and put together. Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, and Bruce Springsteen, among others, fi nished the show in top form with a medley of classic Beatles tunes.

Overall, the 2012 Grammy awards held few shockers, but was nevertheless an entertaining, well-staged, and satisfying event.

highsnobette.com

highsnobette.com

By Paulina GaloosianPhoto Editor

By Sam FrederichEntertainment Editor

By Hannah StewartSpartan Staff

Adele posing with her awards

Mila Jovovich

1st Round- The lady Spartans battled and defeated Crean Lutheran High School in their fi rst CIF game on Friday, February 17 in Irvine. Their opponent was no match for their strong offense and defense as they prevailed with a score of 2-0, helping them ad-vance to the next round of CIF. Senior captain Talia Saleh (3) and freshman Megan Decker (7) each scored a goal, pulling the Spartans to victory.

2nd Round- During the 2nd round at home on Wednesday, February 22 La Cañada managed to beat Ocean View HS by a fi nal score of 1-0. With the goal scored by freshman Natalie Ra-gusa (11), Spartans narrowly defeated their opponent in the intensely played game, allowing them to advance to quarterfi nals. Because of the absence of LC Coach Louis due to personal

sickness, the Spartans’ goal keeper coach Anya Rosen stepped in. “She did a great job of calming us down and getting the team to focus on what

needed to be done,” shared sophomore Carly Post. Coach Louis attributed the girls’ success during their season and CIF to team chemistry as “they shared

the ball a lot.” He added, “The team is so coachable, and they played a more sophisticated style of soccer than usu-ally seen in high school, while having fun at the same time.”

Quarterfi nals- For what would be their third and fi nal game of CIF, La Cañada Girls Soccer traveled a great distance to Hemet, which is approximately a 3-4 hour long ride. And after many prior victories, the weary Spartans fi nally faced defeat by Hemet High School with a score of 4-0 in the quarterfi nal round of CIF on Friday, February 24. In the beginning, the Lady Spartans were off to a good start but slowly started to slip as Hemet scored goal after goal.

Commenting on the Spartans’ finish in CIF, Coach Louis stated, “I didn’t really have ‘expectations’ as this team is one of the youngest high school soccer team out there. 14 out of 18 players are freshmen or sophomores. So they exceeded others’ expectations.” It’s true--LC Girls Soccer won 18 out of 21 season games total and even climbed far up to quarterfi nals in CIF, both of which are big accomplishments. Congratulations to the Spartans on their intense effort and spirit of perseverance!

10 March 7, 2012Sports

Poised on top of an ice cliff, twenty vertical feet above pristine snow, a bold skier surveys his environment, masked from the fi erce wind. The air currents carry away his warm breaths in the frigid air. A path is chosen and the athlete’s shoulders lurch forward, twisting him off his sanctuary snow shelf and into the world he has anticipated conquering.

Several graceful turns and daring carves later, the chute of snow ahead bends out of sight and he loses his familiarity with the mountain. He stops for a moment to survey the battlefi eld. After his path is recalculated, he prepares to lean forward and defeat the hill that remains.

Just then, his eyes narrow and his teeth begin to grit, a snowboarder lazily slides past, facing the base of the mountain, his arms fastened to his sides and his legs relaxed as his board grinds awkwardly down the slope. The skier watches in dismay as his intended path is destroyed. The soft, powdery snow that would have been a graceful bridge from one side of the magnifi cent bowl to the other is obliterated under the weight of the graceless snowboarder. The stranger fi nally reaches the bottom and falls on his back, an obstacle in the middle of the trail below.

1998: the infamous year when snowboarding became an Olympic sport. Flocks of newbie, ignorant teens wielding snowboards began to dominate resorts such as Mammoth Mountain and Mountain High, fi lling the lodges and destroying black diamond runs. What used to be considered a skillful lifestyle became a common sport. What was once legendary became as lowly as hopscotch and handball.

So why has this been tolerated? Resorts and ski villages have found that snowboarders come to mountains more for the social benefi ts than the actual experience and thrill of dominating the most dangerous slopes. Because most of these middle class snowboarders migrate to the snow-capped hills of the Sierra Nevadas for different reasons than skiers, they often spend the majority of their day in the lodges that sit at the bottom of the mountain, eating and talking about how many “360s” and “rail-grinds” they did that day.

In turn, resorts turn a massive profi t catering and providing snowboarding lessons, lift tickets and food. Such paradigms have led to the creation of more ‘freestyle runs’, ‘obstacles’, and ‘bunny slopes’ for the incoming social groups and the dumbing-down of our beloved double-black-diamond runs. The target group for successful advertising was expanded to middle and upper class teenagers and people who live nowhere near snow. So, the simple answer to this question is that the people who would have otherwise ended this trend promoted it for their own fi nancial gain.

Those Who Ski and Those

Who PoseBy Campbell Taylor

Spartan Staff

Girls Soccer Finishes CIF at Quarterfinals

The La Cañada Boys Soccer team won their playoff opener on Thursday, February 16, in front of a large home crowd, topping Hacienda Heights Wilson 3-0.

Despite missing two key players, senior Garrett Apel and junior Austin Gartside, the Spartans controlled the game from the start. Creating numer-ous scoring opportunities from the very beginning, the Spartans broke through when junior Armand Ba-gramyan slipped a ball through the box

to junior Marc Kaesler. Kaesler put the ball into the back of the net and from there on out it was all La Cañada.

Minutes later senior Jeff Becker made the score 2-0 with another goal. Bagramyan ended all hopes of a come-back early in the second half, scoring a goal of his own, giving the Spartans an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

“We had only three seniors start-ing today,” said head coach Alex Har-rison, “but I thought they did a good job and they came out to play.”

The win sent La Cañada (14-5-5) to a second round CIF matchup at home against Mountain View.

LC Boys Soccer Won CIF Opener 3-0CIF Wrap-Up: How Well Did the Spartans Fight?

Senior Morgan Rittichier wrestles the ball away from her defender.

By Jennifer Kim Sports Editor

By Will SwansonSpartan Staff

Lady Spartans Dominate First Two Rounds, Yield Quarterfi nals

All-star games are a sport fan’s dream, as the best players in sports come together to play against each other, creating a “clash of the titans”, if you will, seen only once a year. However, the NBA All-Star game ranks higher in the sports all-star games because, simply put, the players play more and take it more seriously. So while there may be lapses here and there in NBA All-Star games of defense or effort, it’s a lot more serious compared to other sports’ premiere games and is therefore typically a fan’s favorite.

The game was full of spectacular plays and thunderous dunks, and I mean thunderous dunks (YouTube “Russell Westbrook in the All-Star game”. Good god.) But the game started off terribly, with the East somehow shooting 43.3 percent in the first half and the West getting out to a 19-point lead at the half, 88-69. The 88 points in the half by the West showed how weak the East’s defense was, as it set the record for All-Star scoring in a half.

However, the second half was different, as the players ramped up the intensity. LeBron James hit three three-pointers in the fi rst three minutes of the second half, bringing the East to within seven at the end of the third quarter.

Once Lebron came in from the bench, the best part of the game started. The East went on an 18-4 run behind James and Dwyane Wade

and got within one point twice in the fi nal two minutes. However, Wade could not catch a pass on a fast break that would have resulted in an easy two and the East’s fi rst lead of the game. The ball went out of bounds and the East was forced to foul Kobe Bryant, who made one of two free throws. The East got the ball back with 18 seconds to play down two.

The East took the ball out and got it into Deron William’s hands, who missed a three-pointer that would have won the game. But Carmelo Anthony was able to tip the ball to LeBron James on the miss and get the ball back to the East. In classic LeBron fashion, he tried to pass the ball but turned it over as Blake Griffi n got his hands on it, and the game was basically over; Griffi n hit one of two free throws after being fouled, giving the West a three point lead, and Wade missed a three pointer at the buzzer. The West once again was victorious, 152-149, and Kevin Durant took home MVP honors, scoring 36 points, 6 points away from Wilt Chamberlain’s All-Star scoring record of 42 in a game. Other records were also shattered. Kobe dropped in 27 points and moved past Michael Jordan to become the career All-Star scoring leader. Dwyane Wade also had a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, which was the third triple-double in All-Star history. The East made the most three pointers by a team with fourteen.

Full Coverage: NBA All-Star Game

Armand Bagramyan passes the ball to his teammate. Spartans take the ball away!

By Jack Finnigan Entertainment Editor

The Spartan basketball season came to an end at the CIF quar-terfi nals on Tuesday, February

21, when the Spartans lost a thrilling and heartbreaking game in overtime, to South Torrance 59-58.

The Spartans fal-tered early on, going down by 10 points just minutes into the game. Torrance’s big man, Gibran Se-wani, dominated the low post, scoring and grabbing

rebounds left and right. There was an answer, however, in the form of 6 foot 9 inch forward Conner Boyd, who en-tered the game, shutting down Sewani and sparking a Spartan rally.

“Conner did a great job defen-sively. He contained him very well,” said head coach Tom Hofman.

Senior Guard Jay Srinivasan helped the rally along with four three-pointers in the game, keeping the score close and the La Cañada fans electri-fied. Despite the all around gritty team effort, the Spartans still found themselves down by two with mere seconds remaining. Senior Guard Darrel Dansby proceeded to score

a clutch layup, sending the game into overtime.

T o r r a n c e capitalized on

overtime t u r n -

overs t o

achieve a fairly com-

for table four point lead with a

second remaining. True to form, the Spartans still never gave up and Jay Srinivasan scored a three as time expired, cutting the fi nal defi cit to a mere point.

The loss was tough to take for the Spartan

team that had fought so hard through-out the game.

“I don’t know what happened in overtime,” Conner Boyd said. “We let them score six uncontested points and we had to try and come back from that.”

That point was reiterated by Hofman who also put the season into

perspective.“We had so many chances to

score,” he said. “We didn’t do it. But it was a great season.”

The Spartans fi nished the season as Co-League champs with a 17-11 record and now have a strong team heading into next year.

11March 7, 2012 Sports

LC Basketball Faces Defeat in Quarterfinals By Will SwansonSpartan Staff

#12 Darrel Dansby

Photos by Michael Belcher

Coach Hoffman

Sebastian Lee is introduced at the beginning of the game and welcomed by teammate Scott Helbing.

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March 7, 2012

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The Riddle Corner

Riddle #1: What word can be written forward, backward or upside down, and can still be read from left to right?

Riddle #2: You’re in a place called Jack’s world and there is only one Law. There is a mirror, but no refl ec-tion. There is pizza with cheese, but not sausage. There is pepper, but no salt. There is a door, yet no entrance or exit. What is the law?

Riddle #3: Four cars come to a four way stop, all coming from a different direction. They can’t decide who got there fi rst, so they all move at the same time. They do not crash into each other, but all four cars go. How is this possible?

When one thinks of Dan and Dave, thoughts of artistic vigor, unending dedication, and pure sex appeal come to mind. These two fi lmmakers have been lifelong friends, but now the dynamic duo has brought their relationship to a whole new level: mockumen-tary. The countless hours of improv acting and editing has culminated in the cinematic masterpiece The Rise and De-mise of Moose. What started with a project for Media Arts class is now a cult classic and a favorite among LCHS stu-dents. If you haven’t already scene this artistic recreation of the story of Abercrombie, shame on you.

The movie begins with countless documentary styled

interviews of various La Ca-ñada students recalling their experiences with skateboard-ing, a middle school pastime in this fi ne town. You might be thinking to yourself, what does this have to do with the famous clothing store? Well, you have to stop asking questions and continue watching. The plot is centered on skateboarding; specifi cally the experience of the two protagonists, Dan and Dave, and then it effortlessly transitions to how the skaters became worldwide fashion icons.

When I interviewed the pair on the grassy knoll in front of the North Gym, they revealed that their biggest con-cern when fi lming the moc-kumentary was clarifying the transition from skateboarding to fashion. Anyone who has seen the fi lm would assure the

fi lmmakers that their worrying was unnecessary.

At the core of the movie’s success is its dialogue and superb cast. David originally wrote a script for the fi lm, but realized that improvisa-tion added an organic fl air to the production. However, this form of acting could only be executed by the two stars and an elite cast of trained profes-sionals. The majority of the actors in the production were in fact members of Advanced Theatre. “All of this couldn’t have happened without the help of the drama peeps,” ad-mitted David with a smile on his, “Especially Maddie Fra-sier, she was our rock.”

When asked how the two came up with the idea of a doc-umentary mocking the cloth-ing behemoth, Dan replied, “I had some help from my good

friend Daniel Jackson!” When I asked Mr. Jackson what gave him and Dan the concept, he smirked and said “Dan and I are good pals. I know how to make people laugh and feel good about themselves, it’s what I do! One night Mr. An-derson and I just clicked.”

It is almost impossible to portray the level of humor and raw talent that is sprinkled throughout this raunchy, yet eloquent pursuit of cinematic excellence, so I advise you to go out and discover the fi lm for yourself. The culmination of a lifelong friendship that has resulted in a production, which has an unprecedented caliber of wit and talent, will entertain any viewer. If you haven’t had the wonderful entertainment experience already, fi nd their video on Vimeo, The Rise and Demise of Moose.

If you know the answers, claim your prize at Mr. Powers’ Room 203.

By C. C. MonroeOpinion Editor

The Rise and Demise of Moose

We dedicate this issue to Mr. Meyers, aka

“Jesus.” Thank you for your unconditional

support! Love, The Spartan Staff <3