DivergencE T he C ypress C hronicle
Vol.VI Issue 6
s 0 9
April 2014
THE
E U S I S
CYCHRON.COM
A P R I L THE CYPRESS CHRONICLE
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The Self Help Festival certainly was a day to remember. Photographer Nikki Herbold took to San Bernardino to catch some wild shots.
IN
One thing we have today that we didn’t in the 90s? Selfies.
THIS
T
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ISSUE
he end of the semester is closing in on us, and with this new (and final) issue comes some nostalgia and food for thought. There is a new generation
present day. Those strange e-cigs you see people smoking around campus? Do they have the potential to set off fire alarms similar to regular cigarettes? What new technology is making its way into the broadcasting world?
of kids being born, and we are becoming an older generation. The nineties were a mere backdrop to some of the most important historical events in California history. Oh, and one can’t forget the joy of linking your Gameboy up to your friend’s so you could get that game-exclusive Pokemon for your Pokedex.
Or, perhaps you need a breather and require a short story and a poem or two to pass the time. We got that too.
The nineties were a decade of questionable fashion choices, silly but riveting shows, and tragedy. Of course, this issue still holds stories relevant to
Now excuse me while I turn on my Gameboy and become Pokemon League champion.
There is thirty six pages worth of material for you to read. Whether it’s fashion that piques your interest, or if the e-cigs are really making you curious, we have something for you.
DIVERGENCE / Sam Islam
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DIVERGENCE MAGAZINE
06 FEATURES
REGULARS
06 Uninspiring NAB
11 Firelord’s Library
Cychron.com editor Erik takes a look at the National Association of Broadcasters show.
08 The Attitude Era
The changes in the 90s wrestling world.
20 90s Tech & Toys
From floppy disks to Furbies, we’ve got ‘em all.
22 The Evolution of Boybands
A look at the boybands from the 90s to today.
29 History that Defined the 90s History was made in the 90s.
35 The Bach Show
Dead coyotes have never been this funny.
Cychron Tech Editor Erik Lucas heads to the National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas. Find out what else he saw, page 6.
Creative writing from students and staff.
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14 Dirt Roads
The continuing story of the life of Maria.
Ignite that creative spark with the Firelord’s new collection of poems.
16 Street Buzz
What do Cypress students miss most about the 90s?
31 Divergence Picks Get to know our staff’s favorite 90s movies, television, and music.
THE COVER Trisha Martinez, 19, Special Education Major, channels her inner 90s kid Photo by Christian Wray Illustration Gutierrez
by
Cesilia
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Who can resist a cute little puppy? Maria can’t.
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What exactly is this skeleton doing on the Cychron Media Network?
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It's easy for Trisha Martinez, 19, Special Education major to be "chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool." Her long leafed necklace accents the very 90's crop top. How else can you turn your outfits into retro-chic 90s wear? Turn to page 25 for “90s Style.�
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The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Join the conversation!
Editor-in-Chief Victoria Cardenas Managing Editor Gerard Avelino Divergence Editor Sam Islam Divergence Asst. Editor Rachel Dick Creative Writing Editor Kyo Okamuro Visuals Editor Cesilia Gutierrez Associate Editor Jacob Alarcon Web Editor Erik Lucas Social Media Editor Carolina Peralta Broadcast Editor Jeff Lopez Video Editor Carlos Carmona
TheCypressChronicle
cychron
CypressChronicleMN
Staff: Andrew Akers, Allyn Bernardo, Jamal Bostick Jasmine Donaldson, Angel Garcia, Nikki Herbold, Jean Poincelet Stacy Vannha, Christian Wray Faculty Adviser Robert Mercer
info@cychron.com
Mailing Address The Cypress Chronicle, Cypress College, 9200 Valley View St., Cypress, CA 90630 Phone: 714-484-7269
Š2014 The Cypress Chronicle unless otherwise stated; all rights reserved.
February 2014
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A Desert of Digital Obscurity
B
2014NABShow
roadcasting shows can be weird. But then again, first impressions are everything. For example, my initial foray into NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show featured custom aerial drones fitted with some high-end production gear buzzing around, while several men in black suits stared at women sitting in living set-pieces through high-resolution monitors. Off in the distance, another woman--this time almost completely naked--was having blue and red body paint applied to her while more men stared through several touch-screen enabled mobile monitors. Some were even brave enough to take pictures; most just stared uncomfortably. Every so often, I would be approached by a clunky-phone toting rep (usually a young girl) to "scan" me as one of their booth visitors. The NAB Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, boasts an attendance of around 100 thousand yearly. This year, the show was held from April 5 to 10; I was there for two days, on the 7th and 8th. It had been less than a half-
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hour into my first day at the NAB Show, and already my view of this convention was being wildly skewed. Fortunately my opinion would take an upswing for a few moments during day two, when I would get the chance to hold an Olympic silver medal and take a picture with bobsledding athlete Noel Pikus-Pace. Like most of you, at this point I wondered when I would encounter some of the cool, innovative broadcasting tech I had been promised. Thankfully I was able to find a gem in this bloated trade show, which had become a sea of garbled noise. One of the main goals I had coming into this show was to find gear and services which cater to, and sometimes even benefit the budget-minded broadcaster.
Story and Photos by Erik Lucas
We are living in the age of YouTube and Ustream, where anyone with a mic, camera, computer and internet connection can be a broadcaster and potentially reach millions. However, this type of broadcaster almost always has to sacrifice quality for frugality. Perhaps here at the showcase of the prime-time players in broadcasting, there would be a few solutions to their problem. One such solution comes in the form of Livestream, with its powerful live production suite and tools.
Livestream isn't exactly new to the game--they've been in business since 2007 and boast some pretty impressive user numbers. As of this writing, over 40,000,000 viewers watch events from their platform every month. They have a robust production community as well: 300,000+ users produce recurring events on Livestream apps and services. They already provide one of the best tools a budget-minded broadcaster can have: the aptlyContinued page 33
Phil Worthington, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Livestream shows off the new Livestream broadcaster app on a Google Glass headset, unveiled at their booth at the NAB show.
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
T he D angers
of
E-Cigs Story by Jasmine Donaldson
E
- c i g a r e t t e s m a y posoining in February 2014 alone, not be the benign mainly from children eating the e-cig. alternative to cancerous tobacco. Not only However, unlike tobacco cigamay the e-cig contain toxins, it may set off fire alarms. The electronic cigarette is becoming popular among young adults as an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. E-cigs are battery powered devices vapor filled with nicotine. The amount of nicotine varies from the lowest amount, 6 milligrams, to the highest sold in stores, 24 mg. However, studies have shown that people who use E-cigs actually puff more, inhaling even more nicotine than with cigarettes. Ludmilla Annenkoff, a business major at Cypress College said, “It seems like when I smoke E-cigs, I feel like I need to puff more. I spent 40 bucks on it, gave it try, and it didn’t even break my urge to want a (real) cigarette.” Nursing major Shelia Mer believes that students vape to look cool. “It’s all about image,” she said, “but they don’t understand that it is much more harmful because they would have to intake more nicotine.” The fluid in E-cig cartridges not only contain nicotine. The cartridge also contains toxic chemicals, according to Center for Disease Control. The CDC reported 215 incidents of e-cigarette
rettes and its cause of second hand smoke to non-smokers, there has been no studies that shown the vapor from E-cigs to be harmful to a person in the same facility. Smoking tobacco can increase risk for respiratory problems, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. According to CBS News, health effects from E-Cigarettes, and whether or not they raise risk for people to start using tobacco, have been unclear.
were set off in the humanities building this spring by the steam from a bag of freshly popped popcorn. Young also said there was another incident in academic computing when a technician blew the dust off a ceiling projector and set off the alarms. “The sensors may be too sensitive,” Young said. The theory that e-cigs set off alarms may never be tested at Cypress College.
“College policy is no smoking in any of the buildings, same rule applies to electronic cigarettes or any other electronic smoking devices,” said Young. However, Electronic Cigarette Consumer News (ECCR) claims in a YouTube video entitled "ECCR Xtra: Can Ecigs Set Off Smoke Detectors or Smoke Alarm?", experiment that the E-cig vapor, blown directly into smoke alarm, will set off the alarm. D
So if E-cigs have no effect on other people, and because it is a vapor oppose to actual smoke, the question arises if it is safe enough to smoke indoors. Eldon Young, the Dean of Language arts, said he knows e-cigs can set off fire alarms. In the Summer Session of 2013, Young was attending a meeting on the fourth floor of the complex building when the fire alarm rang. Young said he knew for sure it was due to an E-cig because he could still smell and see the vapor in the air. Young said he believed the particles from the vapor had set off the alarm. “It appears most any vapor can set off a fire alarm,” reported Young. He said maintenance and operations confirmed that the sensors
February 2014
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The attitude Era Story by Jamal Bostick
The era that changed the core of professional wrestling T he 90 s were a prime decade in the world of professional wrestling. In this era fans around the globe were taken in awe over their favorite superstars and h e r o e s, w h e t h e r t h e y we r e chanting "Get the tables", or you were yelling in excitement. Whether you were a hardcore fan back in the day or watched it every now and then, you understand. Wrestling was a huge part of our generation. People remember the action, the adrenaline
TOP 10 WRESTLING MOMENTS OF THE 90s Here’s a list of my personal favorite moments, and matches of the 90s. Hopefully this does bring back memories of the times when you would tune in and big giant cans of whoop a** being served, and if you if it didn’t help you relive great memories of pro wrestling in the 90s well I GOT TWO WORDS FOR YOU.... READ THIS!!!
Fo r e x a m p l e, yo u wo u l d try to rip your shirt off saying "Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you brother!" or you would tr y to "smell what The Rock was cooking". There is no doubt these were some of the most memorable catchphrases from your childhood memories.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
T he Monday Night Wars between WWE & WCW. The birth of Austin 3:16 (Attitude Era).
Hulk Hogan turns his back on WCW and joins the NWO. Vince McMahon ends Bret Harts career at Survivor Series 1997.
WCW Monday Nitro debuts September, 4th 1995.
Some may not watch wrestling anymore, or they still are die hard childhood fans who watch today. Thanks to modern technology, fans can relive all of these childhood memories whenever they want on the WWE Network. On this app you can watch all the content you want and soak in all of the greatest matches from WWE, WCW, and even ECW. D
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
M i k e Ty s o n m e e t s Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Ro n S i m m o n s b e comes the first African American world champion in 1992. The death of Owen Hart.
Harvey Whippleman wins the WWE Women's Championship. The rise of ECW.
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Photos: Mandy Coombes / Flickr
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rush, and the excitement that came from watching pro wrestling. Also people will forever remember the greatest catchprases ever created by your favorite superstars.
Self Help Festival Story by Nikki Herbold
The Self Help Festival all came together on March 22 in San Bernardino after two years of preparation. This was a fest that was created and headlined by the band A Day to Remember (otherwise known as ADTR to their fans). It takes a lot to bring a festival to a city: There is the gathering of bands, sponsors, venues, as well as getting the word out to the fans. On the line up for this one-day festival was a total of 15 bands. With the supporting bands came fans that did not just come to see their favorite bands play but that also drew a larger crowed for when ADTR played. It was held at the NOS Center in San Bernardino, which they had an indoor stage and an outdoor stage. There was about a 20 minute break on each stage before the next band would play, but if you had two bands that you wanted to see and one was playing on the indoor and one on the outdoor then you had to literally run from one stage to the other in order to see both shows.
Crowd surfing was at an all time high. Not only were members of bands jumping out into the crowd, but fans were showing their support by doing so as well.
The Word Alive put on one of the craziest sets. Everything from lead singer Tyler “Telle� Smith doing a backflip to guitarist Zack Hansen jumping into the crowd.
Zack Hansen of The Word Alive, starting his leap of faith hoping the fans will catch him as he jumps into the crowd of people while still playing his guitar.
The crowd that gathered to watch Issues play was the biggest crowd they said they have had ever. 10
Austin Carlile front man of Of Mice & Men put on a great performance and really got the crowd moving. The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Jeremy McKinnon of ADTR rolled around the crowd in a giant hamster ball as he continued to sing.
I want to be the one to burn you alive through teeth lain in fire and scolding scales at the heart i want to be the one to scorch all that you are turn you to ashes i am your hell and i made it out of you
Firelord’ s Library Creative writing from students and staff Curated by Kyo Okamuro
February 2014
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elcome to Firelord’s Library, Divergence’s own ode to creative writing at Cypress College.
W
Here you will find a curious short story, a char ming collection of poems by staff and student alike, amd finished finely with tastes of skilled storytelling as reviewed by Divergence’ own editors. Have you ever been consumed by the daunting danger of drag ons and shadows that kill? People who change the future by a means of time travel? Ever seen warlocks cast magic, werewolves rip into bloodsuckers? Did it scare you? Did it excite you? What exactly do you think is behind all that? It’s all words. Step into the flames, feast your eyes, sit back and burn with me. Writing is absolute abyss when it lacks the finesse of creative manifestation.
Finem Lauda
By Sam Islam, 22, Journalism major
T he door was rickety , screeching and wailing with each wave it threw at her. It welcomed in tufts of dirt, greeted each leaf with a shriek, and seemed to not at all be troubled by the breeze shoving passed its rusted hinges. The girl, hair dark and skin darker, tugged at the strap on her shoulder. A smirk slowly crept onto her face. A new place for her to sleep. The town itself was unassuming, not too old but not too new. It didn’t have the sparkling appeal of previous cities before it, but it wasn’t swallowed up by brush and trees either. The cafes were wellequipped, the motels clean with working outlets; nothing more than an ideal stop.
She ventured upstairs, noting how silent the steps seemed to be underneath her weight. Three doors counted upon reaching the top, three bedrooms she assumed. Thin fingers encircled the first doorknob, opening the door and peering inside.
The house looked like it had only two floors, so what the hell is this?
Nothing spectacular, she noted. Just an ordinary bed fit for a little boy, toys left strewn about as if it had been used just yesterday. Dust particles floated through beams of light from the window above the bed.
She walked towards the stairs, curiosity already getting the best of her, and quickly scurried up towards the open door on the ceiling. Her nose itched at the clouds of dust in the air.
The girl had seen many rooms in this condition. It was not even a bit noteworthy in her opinion. She closed the door silently and peered down the hall. In the darkness, she could make out another flight of stairs, something that puzzled the girl.
Boots crunched leaves on cobblestone, bringing the girl into the arms of the house that clung to the door for dear life and away from the windy autumn weather. Wood creaked underneath worn heels as the girl gently shut the door behind her and ventured inward. The house was dusty, worn but vibrant furniture still standing. Tall wooden cabinets still held glass figures inside. Upon closer inspection, the girl could see a thin layer of dust on those as well. This place must not have been touched for years, she thought to herself. Guess no one would complain about her staying for a night then, right?
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Firelord’s Library
She closed her eyes, then shook her head and sighed. An attic. Duh.
Again, she thought, nothing noteworthy. The attic was filled with boxes of junk, frames jutting from more boxes, all highlighted by the dim sun coming through the small window behind her. She shrugged and walked through the small room, eyes dancing from box to box.
How many homes has she encountered in these conditions? She lost count. I wonder what happened. . . She spotted a chest in the corner, small and unassuming, and it piqued her interest. I wonder. . . She strutted to it, falling to her knees as fingers unlatched the lock in front. The lid immediately flew open, making her smile. Chests with no key required to open? Just how she likes it. The chest presented her with small, leather-bound books, and sketches in clusters. She tilted her head to the side, eying them curiously. Hm. The sketches were rough, she thought. Shapes that made no sense, some seemed to detail architectural plans of some sort, and some were of animals she had never seen before. Hands fell on one in particular, a scribble of some animal with thick fur and horns the size of her arm. What the hell animal looks like that?! she thought to herself. Were these people breeders or something? She tossed the sketches aside before picking a book up from the pile, noting how worn it felt in her hands. She opened it gingerly, surprised to see what language the words were written in. An ancient language, not dead but not spoken as often as before.
Okay there Shakespeare.
What the hell? Her eyes glanced over the caption underneath.
By Donna Martinez, 21, Journalism major
“Go.” “What the fuck,” she cursed, tossing the book aside and shivering. Eyes glanced up and fixated on a dark shadow in the corner, unmoving. She blinked, feeling herself edge towards the object, curiosity yet again eating at her. She was greeted with horns and a head, but nothing more, leaning against the wall like a forgotten toy. Her throat went dry. What the. . .
My Addiction A case for every moment like a change of clothes Encased in a metal suit, lies your memory Beautiful in your snowy white coat, Aligned with three glowing buttons Your face pore-less, and instead smooth and radiant. Everywhere I go, you’re there... Making me patient as I wait Entertained in a multitude of uses Always helping me capture those special moments.
The girl stood up on shaky legs, heading towards the stairs. She glanced at the window, the beams of light now clear and pristine.
I look at your face expectantly, regularly Waiting, waiting for you to illuminate, to make a noise I take you in my hands and slide my fingers over you You light up and my thumbs dance, but then you evade my grasp
Her nose wasn’t itching anymore.
I’m sorry for not catching you in time as you fall, and face the impact of the crash, Repeating the process several times a day, For not letting you rest up until you’re fully charged I just can’t keep my hands off of you.
I wonder if they even were from around here.... She turned the page and began to read. Recipes? A grocery list? She wasn’t sure what that was.
Shadows playing tricks on her eyes, she thought.
“I fear for what has been done, for I was a fool who didn’t understand.”
My love, why have you gone cold? The frost has taken your soul, Ripping any warm feeling felt. Ice stings the heart, Piercing it till numbness. The light blazing in your eyes Has been smothered out, Leaving no embers behind. Please climb back into my arms, So I can bring you life.
She made it to the second page, surprised to see the same drawing of the oversized horned animal sketched crudely and almost violently. The eyes were different, however, almost beady. The girl frowned, feeling an involuntary chill creep up her spine.
She ran down the stairs and out of the house, the front door waving goodbye in the strong wind. She took a glance back, before making her way further down the path and away from the town now behind her.
She turned the page again.
Winter love
The girl continued to skim the book, rolling her eyes at whoever seemed to pen these words down. It seemed like nothing but gibberish to her. Was this person a dying poet? A bored housewife? Someone who had a few too many drinks a night?
I can sleep in the meadows again. It won’t hurt for a night.
If it makes you feel any better I get a heart attack every time your face is beaten into the ground You are my life line, Without you in my life, I would be like An addict without their obsession.
By Martha Cisneros, 20, Nursing major
February 2014
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Awaken
The Sublime
“Stop sleeping and wake up,” she says His pale cheekbones are coated in blush And his face is painted with youth and life But I know that this is all an allusion.
When the sun slowly descends From his heavenly throne, The sky erupts into a riot of colors: Bruises blossom on its infinite canvass Followed by ripe orange stains That seep and coalesce with Tender pinks.
His chest has fallen flat And his last breath has been released,... His hands are intertwined in a frozen pose and those eyes will be held hostage, and forever a captive in a never ending sleep.
These garish colors rage Against one another, Fighting for dominion Over the azure sky, Setting it aflame.
A rancid and putrid smell lingers on your perfume The smile that once greeted me is gone and the body that warmed me is now cold and unwelcoming This empty shell wears your best clothes And although he looks like you, he isn’t you
I sigh inwardly And my soul weeps, Weeps for the ethereal beauty That no human flesh can possess.
He is a portrait that can’t be engraved in my inner walls, An imitation of life, tainted by forgery Decaying flesh portrayed as living A memory that must be annihilated.
If only the sky could teach me To be beautiful.
“Stop sleeping and wake up,” she says He will awaken within my mind, When his soul possessed this crumbling flesh, When life oozed from his pores, And the lifeless figure will be forgotten like a serpent's carapace.
I gaze at its violent beauty, Gaze at the flaming orb That lowers itself For a sweet kiss from the horizon, The sun abandoning his reign For an affair.
By Martha Cisneros, 20, Registered nursing major
I envy the sun— I long to kiss the horizon, To touch it with my fingertips.
I envy the sun— I long to kiss the horizon, To touch it with my fingertips.
I gaze at the sky alone An insignificant speck On this vast world.
I gaze at the sky
I envy the sun and his reign, Envy his freedom While I remain tethered to the ground. When the sun’s union with the horizon is almost complete, And its final glorious rays graces the world, And the moon ascends to conquer the inky sky And subdues the riotous colors, And darkness shrouds the world I stand alone With only my shadow to accompany me.
By Anne Felicitas, 19, English major 14
Firelord’s Library
alone
Tradegy/Never Sleep In Too Long Because The Sun Shines For Those Who Call It When I can’t talk I write Write the words like pieces of myself Sometimes they barely hang on Dangle Keep me from ever communicating But then I remember Like clockwork The many ways you can view this world The first is so tragic like mothers losing their children Sad Yet in this sadness you must find your happiness Because losing is the first sign of improvement And even though it sounds so easy Its hard Hard to move on from things you lose The things you crave What eats at you But in this other perspective You must fight and never let tragedy destroy who you are Because the moment you do Whatever you lost becomes You.
U/What I Once Thought Were Answers Are Now Dirtclogs
tangents v i e w s
&
Game of Thrones is quite the show, for lack of a better descriptor. The popular HBO show has spawned an evergrowing fanbase, and I became a part of that recently. I'm personally quite picky when it comes to the shows I watch, but this one definitely hooked me in. The dialogue flowed, it was never awkward, and it wasn't nearly as pretentious as I was expecting. The tone for each scene was easily set, and important plot points were easily said with such few words. The symbolism with the house animals, and the enormous amounts of foreshadowing done each season was on point. For once, a show actually put thought into the bigger picture, and didn't have a short-sighted view on the plot. Then again, it was a book series previously; what did I expect? There have been only three full seasons thus far, with the fourth already in progress. I am definitely looking forward to how this story continues to unfold.
A remedy often suited for somebody much older
~Sam Islam
I’m not an electable candidate or processed party
Finding science fiction stories that can balance innovative ideas with strong writing and character development can be a challenge, especially in a medium like anime where style is almost always prioritized over substance. It’s a slice of life turned psychological thriller about a group of friends who discover they have the ability to send information to the past via text message, and the consequences that come with using it.
I am just a simple man biding time until departure Cannot contain the desires and responses burned Only excrete rebellion and rush blindly forward to Sounds of laughter so vile it makes ones eyes fall Forward and forget any sense of belonging it is off It is off and the crime paid is simply a remedy of u.
By Jacob Alarcon, 20, Communications major
The big gest strength of Steins;Gate lies with its characters and their development throughout the series. While the first 12 episodes are slowly and deliberately paced, it gives the characters a chance to de-
February 2014
r e v i e w s
velop naturally. When the show takes an extreme turn, we can understand their actions in a way that doesn’t feel forced. Since it’s a story about time and the repercussions of meddling with it, it’s only appropriate that the narrative structure reflects this. The first episode, which most people find confusing on first watch, becomes a stroke of genius when you discover the first and last episode of the series are taking place at the same time in the same place, with overlapping events. Moments like this give the show incredible rewatch value, and it continues to leave me in awe no matter how many times I watch it. ~Rachel Dick Cassandra Clare is the author of The Mortal Instrument series which consists of five books, the sixth and final installment is said to come out May of this year. Clare creates a world of urban fantasy, where one can easily get lost in the pages of her series. A lot of this is due to her writing style and how she makes it so easy for her readers to connect with the characters and how she brings the plot to life. Clare uses many adjectives to describe her characters, which helps the reader picture the characters in their mind easier. While I was reading the series I could feel the passion between the two characters, and I could feel how broken the characters were. With The Mortal Instruments, Clare completely crosses lines and addresses a very taboo topic. She writes about demons, angels, and love. She dips into the supernatural world and takes readers by surprise with the journey she puts her characters through. Clare is an excellent writer and she has created a world that many love to get lost in. ~Victoria Cardenas
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STREET B U Z Z E veryone remembers something about the 90s fondly, whether it be a favorite cartoon on Nickelodeon or that beloved boyband album. So, we asked Cypress College students: What is your favorite thing about the 90s? Interviews by Allyn Bernardo Photos by Andrew Akers
The simplicity of things. I was pretty young but everything seemed much easier. Carolina Leon, 19, Sociology major
The cartoons. They are just terrible now! Michael Moser, 21 Criminal justice major
Gas Prices! It was way more cheaper and you could fill up your car with 20 bucks! Ruben Asencio, 20 Criminal justice major
My pop star phase. I used to love Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys. I miss all the the songs and collecting posters to put them all over my room. Meghan Dichoso, 22 Biology/kinesiology major
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The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
I miss all the TV shows. It seemed less publicized then now. Most of the TV back in the day wasn’t all about fame but just making a good TV shows itself. Emma Krump, 19 English major
I’m a huge Batman guy and I really miss watching the Batman animated series. It was the only show that would come on TV after school and I really miss coming home to that. Eugene Paek, 22, Art major
The crazy outfits and hair styles. Everyone now seem more concerned about their appearance rather t h e n a c t u a l l y e x p re s s i n g themselves. Desiree Ponce, 18 Theater major
What’s your favorite thing about the 90s? Let us know and let your voice be heard. E-mail us at info@cychron.com February 2014
I miss reciving a special birthday card or personal calls in general when people would greet me. I also missed when people took the time to connect with you rather then playing Candy Crush. It really meant that they cared. Lisa Ikerd-Carradine Art major 17
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The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Dirt Roads ART BY Cesilia Gutierrez
February 2014
To be continued.19
T
here have been a lot of changes in the past two decades in terms of technology. Things have gotten smaller and thinner with people relying on them more than before. A lot of things have had completely different looks in the 90s compared to what they look like now and a lot of it is because multiple needs had suddenly become necessary for certain things.
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The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Cellphones Cellphones nowadays have cameras and LCD screens as a priority. How big can a screen, or rather a phone, become before it's too big? Before smart phones, cellphones were really just used for phone calls. Cellphones have had drastic changes in looks, considering many phones in the early 90s were flip phones and in black and white. The screen in size doesn't even come close to the four inches of an iPhone 5S or the five inches on a Samsung Galaxy S4. Aside from the larger screen, phones now have different features like GPS, cameras, an app store, and a connection to social media. People rely on their phone more than they ever have, considering that something so portable could hold their e-mails, online banking, and the web in general. There isn't even a need for pagers now that phones receive text messages. Many phones now are able to hold videos, pictures, and songs so why would anyone bother to carry around something extra? CD Player Before digital downloads, YouTube, and smartphones, CD players were the most common thing that was used to take music on the go. Even though the CD player was released in the 80s, it suddenly became popular because CDs were more mainstream in the 90s. The way they looked may have changed over the years, but they were still bigger than the size of pockets, and it wasn’t always convenient to carry multiple CDs to change with. Obviously with the change in technology, music became a priority as well, and now it’s easier to carry around hundreds of songs in the palm of your hand. Phones can now hold songs and those with data plans have access to YouTube or SoundCloud, which means that just about any song is at the tip of your fingers. There’s just so many
options now with apps and music sharing that people don’t know what to do with it. VHS/Movie Rentals There are a lot of different ways to watch movies at home now; whether it's with Netflix, DVDs, Red Box, or a digital copy that was purchased off of iTunes. Before all of this, there were VHS tapes and VCRs to watch it with, and by the time the movie was finished, the tape had to be rewinded. With so many different options now, there isn't a large amount of the population that bother to go to an actual rental store to get a movie. Blockbuster and Hollywood Videos were huge chains but they've slowly began to disappear. Many rental places are just hole in the wall shops that are hardly frequented but have enough business to stay open.
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und
of thes the dat e to fit a 2GB U on your SB driv e
Floppy Disk Going from a floppy disk that had different sizes, ranging from 8 inches to 3 ½ inches, it is much larger than just a standard USB drive at about 2.3 inches. The change in looks and portability has changed over time and obviously the amount of storage. For something as small as USB drive that could fit into a pocket, who would bother to carry around a floppy disk? The most common floppy disk used in the 90s was at 3 ½ inch Superdisk that held about 120MB, while a standard USB drive at 8GB could store more information. The obvious positive things about the USB drive are that it’s a lot easier to carry and there isn’t a need to worry about scratches unlike disks. The fact that so much can be stored in something so small is a lot more convenient than having to worry about damaging a floppy disk or a CD. It also processes a lot faster and when it comes to transferring files, regardless of how large the file is.
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Many laptops these days are very sleek and compact, some display screens even smaller than the average 15 inches, even reaching about 12-13 inches. The bodies of these laptops have changed to the point where a laptop from the 90s didn’t even look like something that could be easy to carry around. Early laptops were usually in black and white or in gray scale, but that soon changed when color LCD’s became big in the market. Another reason why laptops were so bulky was because of the batteries, which were changed multiple times so that it wouldn’t be so heavy. Once USB drives and WiFi came into the picture, laptops were much easier to carry around and to use away from work with similarities to a regular desktop computer. Many of the current laptops come with so many features that people don’t even use them unless they have to, and the main focus for most laptops is the LCD display and whether or not it has a web cam. The use of laptops in the 90s was strictly for work and although people do use their laptop for work, it’s common that they would also use it for social media.
tendo, Atari, PlayStation, Sega, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy were all popular systems in the 90s that seemed to break through and become more popular than most. Super Nintendo wasn’t remodeled like a majority of the models, but Nintendo came out with the Game Cube and Game Boy. Atari released an Atari Flashback 2 in 2005 and Sega came out with a Sega Firecore in 2009. The Game Boy did compete with the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx, but Game Boy seemed to be the most successful in sales. Nintendo soon came out with the Game Boy Color. PlayStation is currently the most recent gaming system that is continuously coming out with new models since the 90s, and Nintendo is also coming out with new versions of hand-held and actual gaming systems. Considering that these systems have been changing with society, it isn’t a surprise that they’ve incorporated online worldwide play with others. The looks of these gaming systems have changed, b e coming less boxy with more sleek lines and wireless controllers.
Gaming Systems
Easy Bake Oven
The gaming systems, like a majority of the technology in the 90s, were usually bulky. Super Nin-
The Easy Bake Oven was possibly one of the most popular toys in the 90s. It consisted of just a
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light bulb and cake mix but more modern ones use an actual heating element. Although it was first released in the early 60s, it suddenly became popular in the 90s. The simple fact that anyone could make a small cake with just mix, water, and a heating source that took about five minutes seemed to be what caused such an influx of purchases. Easy Bake Ovens were the only toy that was age appropriate for children that actually involved cooking, and it still is the only one that could produce small baked goods. Regardless of its popularity, Hasbro announced a recall on them in 2007, stating that children would get their fingers caught in the opening, with the possibility of being burned.
Furbies Furbies were electronic toys that were released in the late 90s. They were meant to look like hamsters or owls, and they spoke Furbish, which was its own language. Over time though, because of their programming, they would begin to substitute Furbish words or phrases with English. McDonald's soon began to give miniature versions of Furbies with their Happy Meals, varying in color and
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
design, like the originals that were sold in stores. Hasbro released a line of Furbies in 2005 that had voice recognition and many other changes with its facial expressions, but now it's hard to find Furbies for purchase. Happy Meal toys McDonald's has been giving toys with their Happy Meals for years now, and they were usually a hit or miss. They began giving out simple thing like flip cars, where if you flipped the car on either side, there would be a character. There was usually a toy that had people continuously need to buy Happy Meals to complete it. For example, with Inspector Gadget McDonald's gave out one part of his body in each meal, which forced people to buy more if they wanted a full action figure. There were even toys for movies, like action figures for Tarzan,stuffed toys from The Lion King, and the sliding pucks with Mighty Ducks on them. The one toy that was the most popular seemed to be Teenie Beanie Babies which were basically just stuffed animals and became popular collectibles. They were just miniature versions of Beanie Babies and the bears were possibly the most popular of the collection. D
BOYBAND EVOLUTION OF THE
W
hat Hit Clips do you have?” a friend of mine asked me as we climbed the monkey bars of our playground. We were not allowed to bring our Hit Clips to school, but being the rebellious child I was, I brought my Hit Clip player anyway. Showing it off, I mischievously smiled, “‘I Want You Back’ by *NSYNC, ‘All I Have To Give’ by Backstreet Boys, ‘Genie in a Bottle’ by Christina Aguilera, and ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears.” Fast forward to sixteen years later. My friend comments, “Well. One Direction takes up most of your space on your iTunes, don’t they? You’re what, nineteen years old? And still in love with boy bands?” I sigh, not offended by her jab since I receive this treatment frequently, “Shut up. Hey, according to Twitter, Harry Styles from One Direction is in LA right now. Do you think I’ll bump into him?”
Story by Angel Garcia
There is no doubt that times have changed since the 1990s, specifically with music. The evolution of the boy band started an entire decade before the 90s, back when MTV was still getting its footing and portable cassette players. Famous pop g roup New Kids on the Block formed back in 1984, and made a heavy influence on Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and 98 Degrees when they formed in 1993, 1995, and 1997, respectively. These bands formed the boy band stereotype: having at least five attractive male members, matching colored outfits, iconic dance choreography, catchy pop songs, being on the cover of every teen magazine, and a member that is every girl’s favorite. Another influence was the R&B, soul, pop, and disco band Jackson 5, formed back in 1964. Groups Boyz II Men, All-4-One, and 112 focus on the R&B and soul genre rather than pop, and were also inspired by the “Motown sound” the Jackson 5 had introduced. These bands also
90S TO TODAY
shaped the R&B groups B2K, Mindless Behavior, and JLS. Like Hanson, the band, Jonas Brothers were formed by three brothers in 2005. They received promotion from Disney, with star ring in Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock and Disney Channel series Jonas LA . The Jonas Brothers did not live up to the typical boy band image entirely; although they were all cute and sang about love, Jonas Brothers were a pop rock group, unlike most bands of the 90s. The Jonas Brothers are not the only boy band of today that focuses on the rock genre as well. The bands One Direction and The Wanted have definitely strained away from the boy band stereotype formed in the 90s. Rather than focusing on pure pop songs about love, both groups have rock-influenced music touching on a wider variety of subjects. Although both One Direction and The Wanted are from the United Kingdom, both groups have reached international suc-
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cess. Saying that One Direction’s fame is overwhelming is an understatement. Because we are living the digital era, in which we depend heavily on the Internet, especially social networking, on our smart phones. News spreads like wildfire across the globe due to availability of connecting with people around the world so easily. Much of the success of not just One Direction, but other popular boy bands like The Wanted and Big Time Rush, is linked with social networking. Every member of these bands has a Twitter account, as well as thousands of fan accounts who tweet daily updates of the band. Unlike back then, fans can easily find out where every member is on their favorite band in order to meet them. We no longer have Hit Clips, which consisted of only one minute songs from popular artists. We are no longer limited to only handwriting letters to our favorite singers in order to connect with them. Now we are able Continued next page
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to buy full complete songs and entire album, within minutes on iTunes and listen to music on our phone or iPods.
Ladies, you are lying if you say that you did not fangirl over at least one boy band.
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Boy bands are definitely not as huge as they were in the 90s. However, there is definitely a revival with groups such as One Direction achieving global success. Many 90s boy bands have reunited, such as *NSYNC at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, and O-Town and 98 Degrees publicly announcing comebacks. Although members of 90s boy bands may look back and cringe, it is important to remember that they have made a huge influence on not just other groups, but music and people in general. We have all grown up listening to these fun, catchy songs. You probably freaked out over at least one boy band. Or maybe you are like me, a fellow Directioner who still fangirls over a boy band, even after all these years. D
Debate of the Decade:
*NSYNC vs Backstreet Boys
Story by Allyn Bernardo One of the most talked They may not have created a b o u t f e u d s i n t h e 9 0 s an album since Celebrity, but was competition between the members of *NSYNC *NSYNC and the Backstreet have still made in on their Boys. These two bands may own successfully even though not have actually had a real "Bye Bye Bye" hasn't been dislike for each other person- perfor med in almost ten ally but many fans always years except for the 2013 made it such a competition to MTV Video Music Awards see which band is better. when they regrouped during Justin Timberlake's set. Even though both bands both had the same amount of Picking just one band may members, sing similar songs seem like a struggle since they and even has the same man- both are talented and unique ager at one point, choosing in their own way. *NSYNC between "*NSYNC vs Back- and the Backstreet Boys are street Boys," will always be both have their own simione of the greatest boy band larities as a band which is why debates of all time. these two are always comparable. The debate to see who The thought of deciding is better will always be a queswhether to choose between tion which many seem is so *NSYNC or Backstreet Boys hard to answer even with the is still a question after 14 many different comparisons years still hasn't even been between one another. laid to rest. The Backstreet Boys themselves are still acHowever in the end of the tive and even touring this day even if you can't choose, upcoming summer. *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys will always be one of the 90s’ most favorite boy bands of all time. D
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Photos by Christian Wray
Do whatever you want. That was the great thing about the 90s; there was no fear in how to dress. One day you could be wearing a short plaid skirt, and the next have baggy sweat pants with Rugrats on them. Scrunchies? Yeah let's add a bunch to the wrists. Anything goes! Wear outfits with pride! After all, confidence is a key element to making a pair of sneakers and black dress look good together. The more unique and odd the outfit, the more awesome one looks. ABOVE: From the purple tights, to the noisy patterned skirt, to the snapback hat, Cesilia Gutierrez, 21, Art major is a walking paradox that somehow clashes just right. Mixing business with sassy, the outfit is a bold image of the 90's.
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THIS PAGE: Winter coat on a warm Spring day? Maximo Gonzales, 21, Journalism major has that 90s attitude with his hooded fur jacket. He doesn’t care about the heat; he knows he looks cool.
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The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
ABOVE: A tricky piece of wardrobe that could either be a hit or a miss: the overalls! Channeling her inner Kelly from Saved by the bell, Angelyn Garcia, 19, Communications major finalizes her look with a a high ponytail and a classic scrunchy. RIGHT: With a thigh high dress and a classy con servative buttoned collar, Cesilia Gutierrez, 21, Art major manages to stay comfortable while doing research the old fashion way. Because everyone knows having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.
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LEFT: Denim jackets ruled during the 90’s along with representing your favorite boy band. Allyn Bernardo, 23, Communications major wears her favorite *Nsync T-shirt matched with a studded jean jacket to embody 90’s fashion. BELOW: Jamal Bostick, 21, Journalism major and his ‘besties’ , Stacy Vannha, 21, Undecided and Cesilia Gutierrez, 21, Art major, hanging out, being all that and a bag of chips. Along with their attitude, the shades add a “too cool for school” vibe.
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The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
Defining the 90s
A DECADE IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY Story by Jean Poincelet
T
he 1990's was a unique decade. Riots, earthquakes, high-profile murder trials, and (don't laugh) actual music on MTV. Giant steps forward in technology paved the way for the electronic world we know today. Email was a rarely-used alternative to writing letters. People went down to the creek to wash their clothes by banging them against a rock. Maybe not that last one, but you get the point - The 90's seemed like a million years ago. Those who grew up in the 90's tend to have pride in the decade. They were the last generation to be raised without social media, and most kids still opted to play outside even with the Nintendo/ Sega console wars luring them toward the couch and TV. Does that sound right? Children content with playing in the dirt? It's true. Kids loved going outside. As a matter
of fact, being held indoors for a particular amount of time was actually a common punishment given by parents. Can you imagine that in 2014? Mom: "Go to your room, young man". Child: "You mean the room with my 90-inch flat-screen TV? I just got NBA 2k14. I'll see you never". Of course, if you were inside, there's a good chance you were watching the news, as there was absolutely
no shortage of fascinating events unfolding all decade long. After the infamous 1992 Rodney King incident followed by the subsequent trial and acquittal of the four LAPD officers involved with King's beating, Los Angeles became a tornado of chaos and civil unrest. The LA riots are sadly one of the first things that come to most people's minds when asked about the 1990's. And when the "Not guilty" verdict was read on April 29, 1992, Los Angeles exploded. T he LAPD couldn't even handle the situation. The National Guard was called in, they couldn't help either. On the fourth day of the riots, 3,500 more soldiers arrived and provided a better grasp
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on the situation, although the violence didn't end until a few more days had passed. Tens of thousands of Southern California residents rallied for peace, hoping to bring a stop to the mayhem. But the damage had been done. Thousands of people were injured. 53 people were killed. Over 3,500 buildings were destroyed, resulting in approximately $1 billion of property damage. And although many believe that gang activity and racial tension has decreased significantly in LA since the riots, you could say things got a lot worse before they got any better. A/S/L? Remember that? Remember those discs you'd get in the mail offering a free 30-day trial? Of course you do. America Online had cast a
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monstrous, triangle-shaped shadow over the internet during the mid-90's. At one point, half of the CDs produced worldwide had an AOL logo on it. And there's a good chance at least half of those went straight to the garbage bin. Think about that. In today's green-thinking, garbage-separating, plastic bagbanning world, it's hard to imagine that 15 years ago we were shipping boatloads (literally) of free CD packages to millionsupon-millions of people who may or may not own a computer. Regardless of the waste issue, AOL did a lot of things right in terms of forming the way we use the internet today. It wasn't about information, it was about connecting with people. Remember your Buddy List? The chat rooms? Now think about it - Isn't Facebook just a big chat room inside of an even bigger Buddy List? When was the last time Facebook greeted you with a "Welcome!" or verbally alerted you when you got a new e-mail? Y'know what? Forget Facebook. Lets all go back to AOL. Not unlike the way AOL shook up the online world, The 1994 Northridge earthquake shook up the lives of thousands
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of Southern California residents.
quake even stronger than the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.
Instead of laughing at how awful that segue was, let get serious and talk about the effects of the event, and how we've evolved since it unfolded.
Don't quote me on that. We're all still waiting for "The Big One" to occur. I'm just saying, your house is stronger than you think.
Creating a death toll of 57, and causing billions of dollars in property damage, The Northridge 'quake was possibly the most important American natural disaster of the 1990's. Thousands of people were injured. Many lost their homes, their workplaces, even their churches. Where does one go to grieve when their personal temple of salvation is reduced to rubble? Many freeways received structural damage, forcing closures and transportation nightmares as Southern California's rail service and Los Angeles International Airport were also shut down for extended periods. However, like in most catastrophic situations, we learned from these horrors and adapted. Having a clear understanding of what kind of damage can be done by an earthquake of this magnitude has changed the way we build our houses and commercial structures. Often times, as I mentioned earlier, things have to hit rock bottom so that we may know what we're dealing with in our attempts to change things for the better. The city of Los Angeles has placed strict regulations on its building codes in an effort to stop the damage before it starts, and it's very likely that the building you're reading this in could withstand an earth-
Just sayin'. The final news story of the 1990's was one that we all heard about. It terrified a lot of us, as we had no answer for it's potential outcome. But guess what? It affected none of us. Many years ag o, when all the computers that make our world go 'round were being programmed, all the dates inside the computer began with "19". This was back when the new millennium was a handful of decades away, so the thought of programming dates that start with "20" apparently seemed unnecessary. Behold. The Y2K bug was born. As the year 2000 started getting closer, a few smart people began to wonder what would happen when reached it. Computers run pretty much everything around here‌.so if the computers aren't able to recognize the turnover from 1999 to 2000, surely, well‌. we didn't know what would happen. Many of those smart people frantically attempted to update all the computers they could get their hands on, working against the clock to prevent what might be our doomsday. New years eve drew closer and closer, and the speculation grew more and more. On December 31, 1999, we were face-to-face with potential catastrophe. Some of us believed it was nothing. They partied like
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
it was 1999. Others took no chances, pulling all their money from their banks and stocking up on food and water. Those people did not party like it was 1999. They should have. When 12:00am hit on January 1, 2000, the world stopped holding it's breath and let go a big sigh of relief as Carson Daly informed us from Times Square that apparently, we were all scared of nothing. Nothing! This was a tremendously serious issue that gripped the whole world, and looking back, it seemed so minor.
And for all those people who feared the worst, waiting with paranoia for the ball to drop - it was time to party. To party, perhaps, like it was 1999. *Whew*. It was nothing. Many people believed we had nothing to fear in the first place. Others believe that the hard work put in by computer programmers worldwide in the months leading up to the new millennium prepared us for the turnover. It certainly didn't hurt. Many speculated what the outcome would have looked like without their efforts. Whatever the case, the world was relieved. And for all those people who feared the worst, waiting with paranoia for the ball to drop - it was time to party. To party, perhaps, like it was 1999. D
DIVERGENCE
PICKS
T
he 90s was a great decade for entertainment. With new technology came new and more exciting ways to consume media, shaping a generation’s imaginations. This month, at Divergence Picks, the Cypress Chronicle staff gives you their favorite music, TV shows, and movies from the 90s.
Fångad av en
Digimon Adventure
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers
European pop was at its peak in the 1990s: from Ace of Base to the Spice Girls, and from Aqua to DJ BoBo, Europe was on top of the radio charts all over the world.
Digimon Adventur e, a stor y about eight kids getting sucked into a universe known as the digital world and forging friendships along the way, was such an important show to me as a child. Out of all the shows I had watched as a kid, this one made the most impact on me. Even now, when I rewatched it last summer, it amazed me how much I loved it.
One of my favorite shows from the 90s was the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers which was a live action TV show that was on Fox Kids. It was just about a group of teens that protected the world from alien invaders. Every single time they got huge, the Power Rangers would call their Zords and just combine all of theirs together to make just one big one.
stormvind
One of the forerunners of this golden age was the Eurovision Song Contest, and what better representative of the era than Sweden’s Carola with her 1991 winning single “Fångad av en stormvind” (Captured by a storm wind). Not only was Carola caught in the storm in her song, but she also captured the heart of Europe. Fluffed hair? Check. Bouncy dancing? Check. Wind machine? Double check. The entire performance screamed 90s. She had the perfect combination to win Europe’s most popular song contest, and this entry catapulted the Swedish singer to stardom across her continent. And it was a well-deserved win, too. It takes skill to sing perfectly on-pitch while jiving to an uptempo beat, but Carola pulled it off impeccably. ~Gerard Avelino
The Digimon world captured my imagination as a kid, and still makes me smile to this day. I highly recommend this series to anyone, young and old; the characters are great, the storyline’s cool, and you will not regret it.
As the years went on, there have been a lot of variations of Power Rangers after Mighty Morphin’ ended in the mid 90s. There were so many kinds, like ninjas and dinosaurs, but I wasn’t into that dino shit. I honestly thought that the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers were the coolest thing to have ever existed when I was younger. Compared to the other ones that they’ve been showing, they’ll probably always be the best one. They set the standard for me. I’m just being biased because I grew up with this show, but I just never really enjoy sequels or continuations of things that have already ended.
~Sam Islam
~Stacy Vannha
These eight kids came from different backgrounds, had completely different personalities, and somehow worked together and grew together (and sometimes separately) in order to become heroes and save both the digital world and their own world.
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InuYasha InuYasha is a feudal fairy tale written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered on November 13, 1996, and was adapted into an anime four years later. It follows the half-demon (hanyou) Inuyasha, and a fifteen year-old girl named Kagome. Kagome appears normal enough, but when she falls down a well and ends up in the Sengoku period of Japan, she discovers she is the reincarnation of a powerful priestess. Together with Inuyasha, Kagome tracks down the shards of a magical jewel before the demon Naraku can collect it, battles a plethora of demons, makes unbreakable friendships, and drastically changes feudal Japan. It’s a classic epic, and the storytelling is marvelous. Takahashi creates a world that neither manga nor anime since has been able to compare to. Inuyasha is a great adventure, a fierce love story, a dangerous journey, it is never backing down in the face of evil, and it’s friends who fight by your side no matter the cost. ~Kyo Okamuro
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10 Things I Hate About You
Boy Meets World
10 Things I Hate About You will always be one of my favorite movies for many reasons. Not only did it make me fall in love with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but also Heath Ledger.
Boy Meets World premiered in 1993 and ran up until 2000. The show followed Corey Mathews through his life starting at elementary school all the way up until college, and some time after when him and his friends decided what they were going to do with their lives after college. Through out the years the show, shows Corey falling in and out of love, his friendship problems, family problems and most of all the trouble with deciding what one wants to do with the rest of their lives.
Gordon-Levitt plays Cameron, the sweet new student, who has a crush on the most popular girls in school, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). Bianca’s father is very overprotective, and establishes a rule that she can only date when her sister, Kat (Julia Stiles), dates. However, Kat is the exact opposite of Bianca: an antisocial, intelligent, and independent feminist who refuses to conform to society’s expectations and is against dating. In order to date Bianca, Cameron works with Patrick (Ledger), who has a similar attitude as Kat and dates her. Ledger does an amazing job portraying the not so typical “bad boy” with his witty charm and subtle genuinity. He also performs “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” for Kat in front of everyone, which is a huge bonus.
I personally enjoyed this show for several reasons. One: even though it was a television show, Boy Meets World did have many realistic situations such as which colleges to go through, do you stay with your significant other or do you go further away from them and hope for the best for your relationship? The show was simple and it didn’t need any supernatural creatures to spice it up, like many of todays shows.
Although this is both Ledger and Gordon-Levitt’s first film, anyone could see the potential they have as young actors, and we were definitely right. This movie is guaranteed to make you laugh, and you will want to watch it over and over again.
As I got older, I slowly started to understand the show and what it stood for, a lot more. Boy Meets World will always be my favorite 90’s show and every time I watch it, it will always bring back memories and give me a sense of comfort.
~Angel Garcia
~Victoria Cardenas
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Titanic Titanic is a 1997 dramatic romance movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. This a classic love story between the rich and poor. Rose is a wealthy lady traveling to America with her fiancé to get married. She meets Jack the night she tries to jump off the back of the boat; Jack saves her life. Throughout the movie, the two find ways to be with one another. The fiancé figures this out and Rose is forbidden from seeing Jack, but that doesn’t stop Jack. After confessing his love for her, she decides that her life with Jack means more than a life of wealth with her fiancé. As the ship begins to sink, Rose and Jack stay together, afloat in the ocean, to be rescued. Jack eventually dies from the cold water, but Rose vows to never let go. Rose ended up being rescued and lived the life she and Jack were to live. When Rose passed away, her heaven was being reunited with Jack.
Humongous Entertainment The Humongous Entertainment CD-Rom games are quite obscure, but no less fun to play as a kid. I lived vicariously through Freddi Fish, the mystery-solving fish with a tomboyish nature and a knack for solving even the trickiest of problems. Pajama Sam had my namesake, so it was always fun putting on a red blanket as a cape and walking around my apartment with a flashlight having adventures just like him. Putt-Putt as well was fun for me to play, and made me wonder how a car was able to travel through time and go to the moon and still have time to do a car race. These games were the games I played religiously, since I never had a gaming system of my own. I had to rely on my bulky desktop computer instead.
This love story is all one dreams about. The movie is based on the true event of the Titanic’s voyage, but although the love between Rose and Jack was fictional, the emotion it ties into the movie and into viewers’ hearts is amazing.
These games were very fun, consumed hours of my time, and it surprises me that not many people know about them. They cannot be played on modern computers sadly. However, there is a trick to get these games to work on your desktop or laptop. Just google the method, and enjoy playing these not popular but very fun games!
~Donna Martinez
~Sam Islam
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
2014NABShow Continued from page 3
named Livestream Broadcaster. This little red box can transform any HDMI camera into an HD live streaming device, and can do it for up to 3 hours on one charge. With little effort, a user can go live via WiFi, Ethernet, or 4G USB modem. The $495 device can be used in combination with the standard Livestream player service or the higher-end Livestream Studio ($799), which provides a professional lineswitching console experience. Of course, all these successful products and services haven't stopped Livestream from creating new innovations to further the ease of use and quality of their communities' productions.One such innovation is the new Google Glass app, which Livestream unveiled exclusively at NAB. The app allows users to broadcast live from their Glass camera to Livestream’s platform with a single tap. Additionally, Livestream’s Glass app enables users to view real-time chat messages from audiences online and respond via voice. For more advanced live event production, Livestream’s Glass app can also be used as a HD wireless camera input for multi-camera live event coverage using Studio, Livestream’s live production switcher software and hardware. The output from Glass can be displayed in HD on screens in venues, stadiums and more while simultaneously being streamed to the web. With the addition of the Glass app, Livestream feels they have broken new ground in broadcasting and reporting. In a press statement, CEO Max Hoat said, “The possibilities of Livestream for Glass are endless. From a reporter covering a protest, to an athlete competing in a sports
arena, we believe that Glass will be instrumental in democratizing the future of live video streaming.” While hands on with the newly released app was not available, I was able to witness a live feed of a roving cameraman wearing Google Glass and broadcasting his view to a Livestream Studio application. Even in low-lighting conditions in the booth and sub-par video resolution coming from the tiny wearable camera, the experience of seeing a live feed from a persons point-ofview felt next-level--like I was getting a glimpse of what the next broadcast medium will be. A sublime moment indeed. Few other merchants were focused on catering to the low-level broadcaster or the budget-minded filmmaker, and those that were didn't have a huge presence and were a bit underwhelming. For example, the quirky stock-music startup Videohelper seemed to have a really cool product, but there just weren't enough people in the booth to make it seem like a big deal. I had to hunt someone down to explain the service, and even then the enthusiasm did not exist. Videohelper provides, in their words, production music for people who hate production music. They create libraries of music that does what video makers need it to do; music that not only sounds different and engaging, but was designed to give its users a palette of tools that would make editing and telling a story much easier. Sounds like a great pitch, but I couldn't get any sort of pricing out of the rep. Again, underwhelming. These sort of booths and vendors seemed to be in abundance at NAB, almost like they Continued next page
TOP: A pair of Google Glass is shown displaying the Livestream app in action; with the app, the wearer can broadcast their point of view to any system using Livestream software. MIDDLE: An attendee gets a closer look at Livestream’s flagship product, the Broadcaster streaming box. The $495 box will stream any hdmi feed to Livestream’s software. BOTTOM: Livestream streaming software is shown on a highend Sony camera. Livestream showed that their software and hardware can work with the most budget friendly of equipment to the most professional.
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knew they were playing second fiddle to the big players such as RED, Sony, and Canon; they were there, yet they didn't want to make too much of an effort. I suppose i just wanted more from these types of vendors. I wanted to hear and see more of what companies like Wooden Camera (camera mounts and accessories), Compix (budget graphics), and Shutterstock (stock images and video) had to offer the budget-broadcaster. Instead it was clear they were playing the same game as their more well-known competitors: try to sell to the upper and middle class broadcasters and filmmakers. Sure they all had products for the little guy, but that was not the focus of their showcases. It was usually the high-end product or service on display, while the frugal option was relegated to a pamphlet--or sometimes had no presence at all. This was a sad realization for the budget community who was in attendance; it had become apparent this was a playground for Hollywood and big corporate television.
TOP: Several broadcast-quality microphones on display at the Seinheiser booth. Seinheiser specializes in highquality microphones and speaker equipment. MIDDLE: A model has body paint applied to her at the Atmos booth. Atmos manufactures and sells touchscreen enabled portable monitors for cameras and mobile studios. BOTTOM: A model pretends to read a magazine at one of the many "living scenes" that were scattered thoughout the NAB showroom floor. The purpose of these models was to show off the picture quality high-end monitors and camera equipment they sat in front of.
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Before leaving the NAB show in the desert dust, I wandered over to Seinheiser and Audio Technica to do some window shopping for Cychron and perhaps test out some of the latest audio gear on display. It was at this point that I realized I had just passed three more booths filled with women, the dollhouse-esque types I mentioned at the top of this article, still being gawked at by dozens of slightly uninterested men and women alike. The 4K cameras and monitors did their job I suppose, displaying these women in all their flawless glory to generate some buys, but I just found the entire spectacle to be disenfranchising. The NAB show was now something I neither understood nor wished to understand. With the one exception of Livestream, this trade show had
The Cypress Chronicle / Divergence
little to offer the student or budget broadcaster/filmmaker--that is, unless you have deep pockets. It is truly a show that caters to the influential and important content makers, those who are reputable or have the appearance of being reputable. At the same time, it might very well be the case that I missed a few vendors who fit the budget broadcaster mold. If indeed that is the case, then it becomes an even sadder story of a show that buries these vendors so reporters and customers can't find them.
This trade show had little to offer the student or budget broadcaster. Perhaps in future years, the NAB will create a presence for this ever-emerging group of broadcasters--the YouTube, Ustream, and JustinTV commu n i t i e s o f t h e wo r l d . S o much as a small area of one of the lesser halls would do wonders for a show like this; it would bring new talent to the show, and in turn would make new sales for vendors--a winning equation for all parties. For now, however, we can't do much more than gawk at a gorgeous 6K RED Epic Dragon camera, or perhaps stare with bewilder ment into the monitor of a crisp Blackmagic Design monitor. And what will be shown on the other side of all that great tech we are staring at? Perhaps an informed representative with quality information on the amazing products? Not a chance. More paint-ladened women and creepy living movie sets, naturally. D
The Bach Show
Have you seen this dead coyote? The Bach Show, a Cypress Chronicle Media Network production, takes the undead to another level. Bach, a mere skeleton, has been raised from the dead and serves the underworld by bringing souls from this world back to Death himself. Or so he was supposed to; he instead gets tangled up in quite a few shenanigans instead of doing his job. He tries the college life, even asking a counselor for guidance, crashes a poetry slam, and even has a grand time at a renaissance fair. Bach is voiced and puppeted by Geo Estrada, and the show is produced by Yamilet Panduro, Hope Gettler, and Tudy Kelly. The group has created a quirky show with great gags and moments that will make you wonder what the hell is going on. Will Bach actually ever do his job? Tune in every week to see what The Bach Show has in store. D
RIGHT: Bach gets ready for his closeup on the epic, action-packed episode “Bach Second Blood.� BELOW: The Bach Show team. From left to right: Yamilet Panduro, Hope Gettler, Bach, Tudy Kelly, and Jhovani Estrada.
February 2014
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