Opinion
Thursday, February 10, 2011 - Tiger
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World issues and the role of social media By Jackson Atwater Assoc. News Editor Have you ever written a Facebook status about something consequential? Can you remember the last time you posted a video to your YouTube channel in which the main intent was something other than entertainment of your audience? The answer to both questions is probably no. Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are often used to broadcast details of the user’s personal life and often simply to amuse feed subscribers. We often focus on updating social media sites with entertaining or compelling pictures, videos, and text. But when’s the last time you saw an intelligent post about politics or world events that didn’t devolve into a shouting match? If you live in Egypt or Tunisia, however, your answer might be different. The potential power of social media has certainly been realized by
protesters in the Middle East. Facebook and Twitter are being used as a forum for complaint and an outlet for unrest, being utilized to organize mass protests, avoid police, and boost protester morale. Perhaps the most influential story of the revolution so far is that of Khaled Said, a 28-year-old Egyptian businessman who was pulled from an Internet café and beaten to death by two police officers because he was in possession of evidence of police corruption. Pictures of Said’s battered body in the morgue and stories of his murder were posted on Facebook, and YouTube videos honoring his life and protesting against the Egyptian government soon followed. His death put a human face on the police brutality in Egypt. Obviously, residents of South Pasadena live under different social conditions than residents of Cairo. Accordingly, the content of discourse on social networks between these two
populations differs. But this doesn’t mean that the nature of discourse should be different. Just because we don’t live in a police state doesn’t mean we should be silent on matters of state. Just because we’re not trying to oust the president doesn’t mean we should ignore his decisions. Conversely, preparation of Eggo waffles does not demand a status update. This is not to say that social media users should never post things about their personal lives or share amusing links, as it those are some of the original purposes of these networks. But social networks now clearly have the ability to serve as forums for discussion and exact real-world change. We, as users of these networks, have a responsibility to set the tone of discussion and create an environment where a relationship between discussion and action is commonplace. These networks offer great potential, and it’s up to us to capitalize on it.
Daniel Willardson
Parking at SPHS: daily drag that needs immediate reform By Jake Folsom Senior Staff Writer When I started driving to school I assumed that there was a certain protocol to ensure that everyone arrived on time and that as many people as possible received parking spots. I was shocked when I witnessed the numerous parents stopping to drop their children off, talk to them, and hug them good-bye in the middle of the road and the terrible way students were wasting the very limited parking spaces. Parents, I have something to say to you. Please refrain from stopping in the middle of Rollin Street to drop off your children when there is a line of cars behind you waiting to get down the tiny street. What are people are thinking when they decide to just stop their cars in the middle of the road to drop their children off. There is a simple solution to this problem. Go down another street and drop off your children, or drop them off a block or two away. There are simple ways
to make this right that would require little extra energy on behalf of both the students and the parents. The administration could also minimize this problem. At the middle school, volunteer parents come every morning to direct traffic. If the high school were to set up a similar system, the problem would not be as extreme. The other major problem that students encounter when driving to school is the lack of parking. I have suffered through searches for spaces many times, getting to school 15 minutes before class and having to park all the way down near Oak. This isn’t because there are too many people driving to school and not enough parking spots. It is because many students who drive to school don’t understand how to park efficiently. There are many spaces between cars that could be used to make room for more cars. There are simple solutions that would solve these problems and leave
everyone happier, like pulling all the way up to the car behind you when parking. It may seem unimportant and not something to get upset about, but think about it. How many times have you been running a little bit late for school and had to
Life in the South Pas lane By Harry Yadav Staff Writer Quiet streets and an abundance of trees make South Pasadena the ideal setting for bike riding. But one thing essential to riding bikes is sorely missing: bike lanes. When you consider their advantages, it is hard to understand why our city government hasn’t taken action. Bicycle lanes would make transportation safer for bicyclists, drivers, and pedestrians. They would prompt city residents to use more eco-friendly and efficient modes of
An obvious gap in our historical education By Libby Rainey News Editor Headlines today are dominated by international affairs. News of the momentous, groundbreaking events in Egypt is the source of debate and discussion worldwide. So why is it that if asked, most students would be unable to identify Egypt on a map? The importance of keeping up with current events is clear: knowledge of the world, awareness that can broaden perspective, understanding issues that can be applied to life and used to affect change. The value of geography should be regarded as critical when it comes to world awareness. In order to connect to important issues beyond a second of passing remorse, an idea of where such significant or heartbreaking events are taking place is vital. It puts the events into a physical context that can make global news influential instead of easy to forget. Knowledge of geography allows for a more informed perspective of the world as a whole. Significance of geographical knowl-
curriculum is a direct result of the lack of a 9th grade history course—a Global Studies class that was previously provided and required for all freshmen up until the 20062007 school year, when it was eliminated due to budget cuts. Geography was a prominent part of the curriculum and was good preparation for the more advanced history classes in later years. Naturally, cuts are necessary in today’s economy, but geography was an unfortunate casualty in the budget war, as it is a skill that some may never acquire after they leave high school. Fortunately, the administration is looking to bring back Daniel Willardson the Global Studies class as soon “Traveler IQ Challenge”, a location guessing as it becomes economically feasible. “We didn’t even expect it to be gone game on Facebook, than they have gained from a lifetime of schooling. A key part of for this long,” said Principal Janet Anderson. It can only be hoped that despite the history is where the events that shaped our modern world took place, and how those dismal fiscal situation the school district faces, locations affected the course of key proceed- South Pasadena curriculum will be able to include the important concept of geography ings in the past. The absence of geography in SPHS as soon as possible. edge goes beyond current world affairs. In social science curriculums at South Pasadena High School ranging from World History to Civics and Government, geography is notably absent. Many students have learned more about the world’s layout from playing
park all the way down the block because some people didn’t take the extra 2 seconds to pull their car forward an extra couple of feet? Students, parents and the administration can help to make this problem a non-issue with minimal effort.
transportation. They would make it easy for kids who are too young to drive to get around the city. And, most importantly, bike lanes would bring the community together by making the far corners of the city accessible to all citizens. The establishment of bike lanes would bring an immediate increase in safety to city streets. The present lack of lanes has caused many kids to ride on the sidewalk. This causes incredible confusion for cars, because now they have to worry about bicyclists who follow the rules of pedestrians, and bicyclists who follow the rules of cars. Additionally, kids who walk to school hold the constant fear of getting run over by bikes. Just as the sidewalk is designated for pedestrians, and the street is designated for cars, there should be a special lane designated for bikes. The city’s only substantial lane runs for twelve blocks on Marengo. Senior Jacob Kabealo, who uses the lane on his way to school most mornings, knows first hand the advantages of bike lanes. “They reduce stress because you know what the cars are doing. It would be helpful if there were more in our city,” says Kabealo. Perhaps the best example of the positive impact bike lanes can have on a city is that Amsterdam, widely regarded as the most bike-friendly city in the world, was recently ranked twenty-second in a survey of the safest cities in the world. Amsterdam has over 280 miles of lanes integrated into the city, serving as network that allows 40 percent of the cities commuters to use bikes. Bikes provide an eco-friendly alternative to driving that is truly practical in South Pasadena. Because of the small size of our city, riding a bike to go run errands is a realistic choice. Bikes may never replace cars; however, the establishment of bike lanes would be a helpful step to reduce pollution and increase safety in South Pasadena.