The Phoenix Vol. 8, Issue 4

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PHOENIX

Vol. 8 Issue No. 4 jan. 31, 2020

Sexual Assault at FUHSD

fuhsd.expos.ed

...

telling my story my name is One. i’m telling my real life experience in hopes of shedding light on the kind of school district FUHSD is.

by Emily Wilson and Natalie Wolff Collaboration

Technology and social media have been improving for decades. As new varieties of social media have been created on the internet, so have new platforms. Social media has become a place for people, teens and adults alike, to raise awareness and share their stories.

On January 9, the Instagram account @fuhsd. expos.ed shared their experience with sexual assault. Through five separate captions on the account’s respective posts, the user claims to have exposed the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD). The account user, who goes by the name of One, told the following story.

One was dating a person, whom they called Two, but soon realized their relationship was toxic as they claimed Two forced them into performing “sexual favors.” Breaking off from their relationship, One was able to move on and forget about Two, living a much happier life. Then, Two was in the same classes as One, leaving One with no choice but to talk to their school counselor. As per the law, the counselor informed the police and One’s parents.

According to One, the police and district seemed to do nothing about the situation except remove Two from One’s classes. No type of punishment was inflicted upon Two, even after Two

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admitted to coercing One. One hoped that after posting their story on social media, maybe people would be able to empathize with those who have encountered sexual assault as well.

“I had the idea [to create the account] for a while,” One said in an interview. “I just wanted to forget about it, but I always had the thought, ‘What if I want to share this story?

Maybe I could not only get justice for myself, but for other people who might have been through similar experiences.’”

On January 15, an anonymous petition was created, with an intent to ensure that students are not treated the way One was treated, and to change district policy regarding the issue. As of press time, the petition has over 250 signatures.

“A lot of people responded saying they want to help,” One said. “They even started a petition; there’s a lot of people creating a lot of things, but I don’t want to get too involved.”

In light of these recent allegations, FUHSD promptly sent out an email to the students and parents within the district, covering their policies regarding sexual assault, which action can be taken and any mental health resources made available to students.

The email covered a myriad of topics, from explaining the district’s responsibilities under Title IX to the rights held by students within the FUHSD. Title IX states that no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from par-

Current Events: What’s going on around you?

by Asaf Shchory

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Staff Writer

ticipation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination. So, if a female student were to sexually assault a male student, they would be subject to the same punishments as if a male student were to assault a female student.

The email also stated that if a complaint were made, an investigation would follow around ten business days after. The district intends to treat all of its students fairly and equally. Whether one is the assaulter or the person being assaulted, the district guarantees that they will be treated with the exact same rights. This includes being treated with respect, ensuring safety at school and participating in conflict resolution procedures. “[After the initial complaint is made], I take up the situations, work with the sites and have an investigation,” FUHSD Title IX officer Trudy Gross said.

“The investigation is also guided by policies.”

These policies are mandated by the district and by extension, the state.

The process is extensive, and its intention is to protect all parties involved. In addition, the district takes specific measures to protect its students.

It may seem unclear to students what the process actually is and what actually goes on when a situation like this occurs. “[First and foremost], we are obligated in cases like in regarding assault to immediately contact the police department,” Dean Chris Moore said. “We have a resource officer that we

work with very closely.”

The local police and FUHSD staff work hand in hand to deal with situations like these.

“There’s two different things in play,” Moore said.

“There are school rules, which are Education Codes, and then there’s laws that everybody has to abide, no matter where you’re at, and those are penal codes.”

However, while this process is going on, the students involved might feel discomforted. The district tries to makes sure all students are comfortable.

There are what are called interim measures, which are temporary policies put in place during the investigation.

One wishes to remain anonymous; One said in an interview that they did not want to specify which school they attended in the district. In One’s specific story, Two was in some of their classes, and it took a while for that to be dealt with. “[Students involved in sexual assault cases] might be sharing classes, and this is where it gets a little bit tricky,” Gross said. “Similar to innocent until proven guilty, if students are in the same class, sometimes during that period of time we try to do no contact and that type of thing. We might not be able to say a student has to leave the class because we’re still trying to determine if they have broken the policy.”

The “no contact” approach to these situations is quite common. In fact, contracts referred to as “no contact” contracts can

be signed by the students involved in these situations.

The students promise to have no interaction whatsoever, including running into each other in the halls or communicating through social media.

“There’s also a component that says if you fail to comply, the following actions may take place and a lot of those include like school based consequences,” Moore said.

As for actually determining the charges against the person being accused, there are three major questions the district asks about the situation: whether it’s persistent, pervasive and/ or severe. If charges are pressed, there are specific actions that can be taken.

“We do what are called corrective actions and that can be things like changing their schedule again,” Gross said. “In some disciplinary situations, that could result in other discipline that means the student has not returned to the school.”

The FUHSD directly dealt with One’s case, and Gross identified an error in One’s story regarding the appeal process.

“It says it was appealed to the district,” Gross said.

“We tell, in the letter [sent to those involved], how to file an appeal; an appeal goes to the state.”

So, some of the complaints made by One are not directly the district’s responsibility, but the state’s. Still, One believes the district itself did not handle their case properly.

“There was so much [the system] could have

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- On Jan. 15, 2020, President Vladimir Putin proposed several constitutional amendments, which aim to give more power to the Duma, or Russian parliament, according to BBC News.

done,” One said. “They barely did the bare minimum. At first, they literally did nothing; what they did was only to protect themselves. I felt like they really didn’t care.”

Students involved may feel stressed and overwhelmed during this process. Due to this, the district has recently made available multiple mental health resources for students. These resources include high school support staff, such as guidance counselors, school psychologists and administrators, as well as other resources like phone hotlines and programs.

It took great courage for One to come out with their story, and similar experiences were shared in Hollywood in recent years.

The rise of the #MeToo movement featured women of all backgrounds who accused respective famous men of sexual assault. Since the women bonded over their shared experiences, it provided a sense of camaraderie.

“It’s really cool to see people all coming together to support this cause even if they haven’t been sexually harassed,” One said.

These cases can happen to anyone, celebrities and students alike.

“This could’ve easily happened to anyone,” One said. “I just hope to put a voice out there and for others to come and claim it. I don’t want it to just be my story; it’s everyone’s story.”

Graphics courtesy of iStockphotos and One

U.S. News -

According to NBC News, on Jan. 17, 2020, all passengers arriving from China to the U.S. have to get screened the coronavirus. The virus has now crossed over into the U.S. appearing in Washington.

- According to the NFL, the San Francisco 49’ers and Kansas City Chiefs will face off one another in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020.

- U.S and China officials have agreed to an agreement that would ease the current trade war between the two countries, according to BBC News on Jan. 15, 2020.

News

jan. 31, 2020

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Schoology replaces School Loop for the FUHSD

by Caitlyn Chan

Staff Writer

For the 2020-2021 school year, the Fremont Union High School District will be replacing School Loop with Schoology, a different learning management system (LMS) where teachers can post students’ grades. Both these services differentiate from one another and also include a varied number of other features for both teachers and students alike.

The FUHSD, for the past few years, has had teachers try other LMSs like Canvas. However, the district has decided to move forward with Schoology, not Canvas. A group of voluntary teachers in the district

have been testing out these new services for the past few years. The ultimate goal is to help the district reach a decision on which new LMS to adopt.

All LMSs all have their own pros and cons.

Freshman Anusha Bhat has started off the winter semester using Schoology in her biology class.

“It is easier to see grades on School Loop, but it has limited features,” Bhat said. “In Canvas and Schoology, you can take tests with lockdown browser, which is a helpful feature in biology because we take tests online.”

With the Schoology pilot program having launched just this semester, hardly any FHS students

have had prior experience with Schoology.

However, at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, Schoology has already been introduced there.

“Schoology is convenient because everything is in one

space, and you can easily access homework and daily updates,” SFHS Freshman Veda Srinvasan said.

“It has a calendar where you can view assignments, and it is easy to turn in work because you can export your work into Schoology

easily. Every assignment is turned in through Schoology, and the teachers post resources there. Schoology provides everything in one place.”

History teacher Geoff Beckstrom, was also asked to talk about the differences and similarities between School Loop and Schoology.

“It’s like Instagram versus Myspace,” Beckstrom said. “Schoology is the Instagram. School Loop has gradebook, locker, and loopmail. But there are more features in schoology. Messaging is better on schoology. Schoology allows for logical posting of assignments and grades.”

Beckstrom also described some of Schoology’s features.

“Schoology incorporates all assignments, and it’s a full digital classroom.

It’s all online,” Beckstrom said. “There’s also the option to take quizzes in lockdown browser, which gives grades back immediately. There’s also a feature called workload planning where you can see what assignments your students have in the future weeks so you can plan accordingly if you wanted to.”

While all LMS have their ups and downs, only one can be the next system for the FUHSD. Evidently, Schoology has come out on top.

Graphics courtesy of ELCO School District, YaWebDesign, School Loop and AllVectorLogo

New California laws have been implemented

by Isaac Tiscareno

Staff Writer

Laws, like all other aspects of the bureaucratic processes that encompass American democracy, are slow going and take time to implement. California laws, once voted and approved upon by the state legislature, must wait to be enforced.

Typically, laws begin being enforced at the start of the new year.

According to State Scape, a company that provides state

legislative information, “[In California] most bills go into effect on January 1 of the year following the bill’s enactment. Urgency measures take effect immediately after they are signed by the Governor.”

This means that laws passed last year went into effect a month ago. Out of the hundreds of newly enforced bills, one of them concerns an issue that affects nearly everyone, including many students at Fremont High School: the minimum wage.

According to 1182.12 of the California Labor Code, California’s first minimum wage law went into effect in 1916 at 0.16 dollars an hour; 104 years later, the state minimum wage is now 13 dollars an hour.

“My hope is that

the politicians did some learning and research with economists to find out the consequences of such a law,” Business teacher Aaron Eeg said.

California prioritizes ensuring that students get proper nutrition at school.

However, California has the highest child poverty rate in the nation, so a law was introduced to make sure students do not receive different options because of unpaid lunch bills.

According to Section 49557.5 of the California Education Code, “[A school] shall ensure that a pupil whose parent or guardian has unpaid school meal fees is not denied a reimbursable meal of the pupil’s choice because of the fact that the pupil’s parent or guardian has unpaid meal fees and

shall ensure that the pupil is not shamed or treated differently from other pupils.”

This California law is the most recent of many laws that add on to the National School Lunch Act, passed in 1946. This act was created to give low-cost or free school lunches to lowincome students through subsidies to schools.

An FHS student was asked why he thought the law was implemented.

“Maybe [the students] can’t pay, and like they need to be able to get food,” freshman Tal Berry said.

Another new change to the education code comes by

way of a law about student records, which is targeted at pupil name and gender changes. This law mandates that schools update student records to reflect changes in student’s name and gender, allowing the reissuing of high school diplomas in order to update this information.

“People get called by a name that they don’t

want to be called and that’s your name and it’s a part of you,” freshman Mariela Zavala said.

It is always important to be knowledgeable regarding the law, especially the rights students have and laws that are designed to protect you.

Graphics courtesy of TruDiligence and Tax Resolution Proffesionals

Fremont students beware; cameras are here

by Coral Scheffer

Staff Writer

Cameras are one of humanity’s best tools to safely store memories. They have several useful functions; for example, they can be used to capture an image for Instagram or to oversee the day-to-day actions of an area.

Recently, during winter break, new cameras were placed all throughout the interior of the Fremont High School hallways.

Many question whether the additions of these new cameras are necessary safety measures or an invasion of privacy.

Multiple staff members here at FHS view the addition of cameras as necessary because of the need to monitor attendance quickly, as staff members cannot be everywhere at the same time. The cameras help staff members immensely; they can know where students are congregating.

One reason as to why

the cameras are now on campus is to combat the attendance issues at FHS. “Because a lot of teachers were complaining about students in the hallways during class time, and by the time [the staff] would get there, the students would have left so we didn’t have the opportunities to speak with anyone,” dean George Bechara said. “So the cameras provide an opportunity for us to have those conversations because there are attendance concerns.”

When students are asked about their opinions on the new additions to the campus, the most common response is, “there are cameras?” showing how our student body is not informed of these new additions.

Although the staff views the new cameras as a necessary and helpful tool, some could argue that it is an invasion of privacy.

This is a cause for concern, as most students are therefore not aware that

they are being filmed.

“I understand that they want to keep students safe, but it’s an invasion of privacy even though we are on private property,” sophomore Sareen Prasad said. “I do not like the idea of someone watching me, especially when I’m at school and the fact that I didn’t even know about the new addition of cameras it makes it kind of worse” “The cameras show

that the school doesn’t really have trust in us but it’s good for monitoring people, I guess I can see why they did it but I don’t think it’ll actually prevent people from doing anything” junior Ashley Zou said.

Another concern for students at Fremont is whether or not the cameras will prevent students from committing illegal activities. Students may not be deterred or swayed by the presence of the cameras.

Even if they are everywhere!

But there are practical uses for keeping these cameras. They can be used to stop crimes such as pulled fire alarms, absenteeism and theft.

But some students do not believe that this is an invasion of privacy, but rather a helpful aid for the staff and administrators.

“I think the cameras are a good way for the admin to have a presence in school when they can’t always,” sophomore Eleanor

Patterson said. “I also think students keep misbehaving, and now that there are cameras, students know there might be someone who sees what they’re doing.”

The cameras can identify and hopefully dissuade troublemakers and

criminals from continuing their illegal course of action when no one else is present.

The cameras also have the added benefit of being able to back up student reported claims of misconduct, rather than having to rely solely on key eyewitnesses.

One of the questions you might be asking yourself is, does everyone get to see me walking through the

hallways? The answer to that is no; the information that is given is managed through a private company in correspondence with FUHSD guidelines.

The company takes extensive countermeasures to ensure that the footage does not get leaked or hacked. It is all reportedly kept on a secure cloud.

Whether or not one views these new additions to campus as a threat towards their privacy or a necessary action to deter crimes, they are here to stay.

Graphics courtesy of Clipart library and Web Stock Review

News

jan. 31, 2020

New VTA changes affect

by Leann Bast & Thomas Poplawski Collaboration

Public transportation is a widely used method of getting to school for students at Fremont High School. Recently, however, there have been significant changes to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus schedules and routes that may make it more difficult for students who use public transport to get to school.

Usually, the main reason that students have to take the bus is because their parents are unavailable to send them to school.

“I have to take the bus because my parents are not always able to bring me to school,” junior Jedric Rosales said. “I also prefer to take the bus because it allows me to be more independent and

encourages time management.”

The new changes to the buses, called the “New Transit Service,” were implemented on Dec. 28, 2019. This implementation involved major changes to 20 frequently used routes by FHS students. However, this change also introduced new transit centers in the area as well as new services like the Orange Line and Rapid 500.

The changes have not affected all students, but even the students who have personally benefited from the changes believe that they should be reverted.

“There were a lot of stops that bus 55 discontinued, and this affected many people,” Rosales said.

However, as eluded to before, the schedule changes have benefited

others, particularly students who either live closer or can access the bus routes easier. In these cases, these students are able to sleep in and wake up later.

“It’s helped me because it’s closer to where I live,” junior Alexa Garcia said.

Additionally, a post made on the VTA Instagram page stated that the new transit service would include several new improvements. Some of these improvements include better bus routes and more services that make transport more efficient.

To help people adjust to these new changes, the changes that the VTA made were available for everyone for free throughout New Year’s Eve. However, due to the fact that school was out during this time, this may

3

the have not been as useful for students at Fremont so that they could become accustomed to the new changes.

Whether or not these new services are more efficient is debatable. FHS students have contradictory opinions on the changes.

“For some, I think the bus route change is a loss because it can be a change in [...] routine,” Rosales said.

“Most times, that can take a toll on a person’s wellbeing.”

Whatever one’s opinion on the changes may be, the VTA has opportunities for members to give feedback through the VTA Citizens Advisory Committee. There are also opportunities to get in contact with them through any of their social media platforms.

So safe travels Fremont, each and every day, no matter how you get to school.

Graphics courtesy of Fremont, Clip Art, Net Clip Art and Clip Art Key

PHOENIX Editor-in-Chief Suryan Bhatia | Vivien Su

News Thomas Poplawski | Quinten Seghers Arts & Entertainment Trixie Rodriguez | Natalie Wolff Sports Kiana Thelma Devera | Emily Wilson Opinion Anahi Ruvalcaba | Sonia Wadher Center Spread Shira Agmon | Diana Piper Online Leann Bast | Michael Wang Copy Editor Lauren Panzer

Fremont’s hidden community

by Jael Ramirez

Staff Writer

According to the California Department of Education, there are about 1.196 million English learners in California’s public schools. 81 percent of those English learners primarily speak Spanish.

Even though the overall number of English Language Development (ELD) students has decreased in California since 2018.

English and ELD teacher Hannah Cooper has seen an increase of ELD students at Fremont.

“Last year I started with six or seven students, and that’s pretty typical for ELD one; it tends to be a smaller class,” Cooper said.

“This year, I started with over 30 students two weeks in. We’re noticing a huge change in number[s].”

With this sudden increase of ELD students, a question arises, “Is Fremont doing everything it can to sufficiently welcome

them into the FHS community?” ELD students have varying difficulties as compared to their fluent English-speaking students.

Certain routines and actions may seem quite easy to English speaking students but not so much for ELD students.

“Many of our ELD students coming from different countries [that] have differentiated education,” Cooper said. “So a lot of ELD one is of just about learning how to do school, like learning how to use a chrome book, how to use school loop, how to go to the office, [which are] things that a student who has been in the state for their whole life may find easy and you may not even think about. They have to learn how to navigate the school system.”

Academic struggles are not the only challenges ELD students face while learning to adapt to the U.S. school system.

“Socially wise, one of the biggest issues we see is how to connect [ELD

students] with other students on campus,” Cooper said.

Cooper is not the only one who has noticed the need for more inclusion around campus. Sophomore and ASB member Angie Gomez Quezada has made plans to create a Spanish FHS Instagram page in an attempt to make ELD students feel more welcomed.

“A while back, I got the opportunity to help explain the spirit week and other school activities to ELD students and other sheltered classes, and I thought that it was really great that we started thinking about making sure ELD students are included in our school activities,” Quezada said.

“They are the least included in our campus; they are not thought of as much as other clubs or sports like the football team or the basketball team. They are not that involved in our school culture.”

Quezada, from that point on, began the first steps of her plan to

integrate ELD students into the FHS community.

“I thought it would be very beneficial if I started a Spanish FHS Instagram account to help reach out to them and make sure they feel included and accepted,”Queszada said.

She also elaborated on what next steps would be taken after the launch of Spanish Instagram account.

“Right now, our main focus is [making] a Spanish Instagram page as that is the main language spoken among ELD students, but if the Instagram page is successful, then we will definitely look into including different languages.”

Queszada said.

While the Instagram page is in the works, Queszada suggests other ways to make FHS’s ELD students feel welcome.

“ELD students are learning the language and just simply introducing yourself and being friendly goes a long way,” Queszada said.

Staff Writers Hannah Azur Steven Bhirdo Caitlyn Chan Charles Chang Sara Chow Hana Duus Maddy Garcia Jay Ghate Chris Guzik Audrey Hambrick J.J. Hernandez Nivi Khatana Dalia Levy Sarah Madden Jeanne Merigot

Abby Mingus Jael Ramirez Serenity Ramon Emaan Rao Yashvi Rawat Alexis Rodriguez Anoushka Samant Asaf Shchory Tori Sheaffer Coral Sheffer Eva Tafoya Isaac Tiscareno Gianna Vargas Perla Verduzco Maya Zuljevic

Fremont High School 575 W Fremont Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408)-522-2400 | fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com Advisor | Emer Martin Mission Statement: The Phoenix, protected under the California Education code, is a public forum for the students of Fremont High School. The Phoenix staff will publish features, editorials, news and sports in an unbiased and professional manner. The Phoenix is the official student newspaper and is distributed free of cost to the students. The Phoenix publishes eight issues throughout the school year.

Editorial Policy Editorials are the official opinion of The Phoenix.

Opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Phoenix. All content decisions are made by the student editors and do not reflect the official policy of Fremont High School, nor the opinions of the administration, faculty, or adviser.

Advertise with The Phoenix Contact us for more details at fremonthighphoenix@gmail.com or call at (650)-300-9290.

Graphic courtesy of Toppenish School District and Cut Files

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Letters to the editor and questions for Ask Esteban may be submitted online through our website, Room A-206, Ms. Martin’s mailbox or emailed to us. Identities of those who submit questions will remain anonymous. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to styles and policy.

Opinion 4

Physical Display Affection is NOT cute

by Jael Ramirez Staff Writer

Almost everyone has seen physical displays of affection, also known as PDA. It is not a bad thing, but only if you know when to stop and what lines not to cross.

What exactly is PDA?

Eharmony defines it as “any form of physical contact between couples in a public setting. It includes everything from kissing and cuddling to holding hands or exchanging light touches.”

The key term in that definition, and I cannot stress this enough, is light touching, cuddling and kissing. It does not include making out, inappropriate touching or making weird and inappropriate remarks towards each other. To clarify, there is nothing wrong with giving your significant other a kiss and a hug or just holding hands. The problem is when couples do not know when to stop, and that kiss or hug becomes a full out make out

session in front of the entire school.

Fremont High School has a lot of couples, and that’s great, and I know being in a relationship can be amazing. However, it becomes an absolute pain when we have to see you making out in the middle of halls.

Most of us come

to school to learn and hang out with friends, not see people commit PG-13 acts at every corner of the school.

Although FHS has a lot of couples, there are also a lot of single people. We would like to not be constantly reminded of our failure to find a partner. So if you won’t stop your extreme PDA be-

cause of decency, then please tone it down out of pity for single people.

But, there is one more problem. This problem may not be a problem for you, but for many people.

This problem is a devastating and horrific event that comes every year and makes you want to make yourself blind and deaf for a day: Valentine’s day. Valentine’s Day is a day of showing your significant other how much you love them. The only request I make on behalf of everyone who considers this very special day annoying because of PDA: please be considerate and tone it down. Overall, relationships can be amazing and

Jan. 31, 2020

there is nothing wrong with showing a little affection, but please for the love of god, do not go overboard and make out in the middle of the halls.

Graphics courtesy of Clipart.com and Tiger Newspaper

Social media causes the loss of creativity

by Maddy Garcia and Abby Mingus Collaboration

As social media has taken off in the last two decades, people from all over the world, have access to a seemingly infinite amount of information, tutorials, DIYs, recipes, art ideas, etc. For many, seeing a cute hairstyle or drawing can spark the urge to follow the trend. Businesses that run on creativity such as nail technicians, or artists, can fall into the trap of trends of believing that they need to follow the latest trend in order to stay relevant. Trends aren’t necessarily bad. However, businesses that rely too heavily on trends blend in with the crowd, rather than stand out, and often fall short of trendsetting.

But, businesses are not the only ones losing creativity.

Teens all over the world have begun falling into similar traps.

Loss of creativity does not start when we are fifty or sixty it starts when we begin to just copy off others and stop thinking for ourselves.

Beauty technicians such as hair stylists, nail technicians, and makeup artists can have a hard time finding their creativity; this also depends on the client. If the client requests a design that has been done and seen by many, then the technician can’t really go outside of the box with their work.

Social media influencers like YouTubers and Instagram models can also experience loss of creativity.

YouTubers can begin sacrificing creativity by copying an editing style of another YouTuber. Instagram models can begin using props and the same poses as their “competitors” Even some sports teams can begin to lose creativity. I have experienced this first hand. I am a cheerleader and coach on a competitive team. When I had the challenge of coming up with

making a routine, I found myself looking up videos for ideas. Instead of using my own creative thoughts that I was being employed to do, I used the ideas of others.

Although I am unsure as to whether or not it is intentional, I have seen competitions where a lot of uniforms look the same and based off one another.

Cheer gyms are personal businesses and coaches are supposed to come up with the uniform ideas on their own. It seems as if they base their uniforms off of previous winning champions uniforms.

Similar to personal businesses that seem to be losing creativity, the children of today’s generation are surrounded by possibilities. With technology, they have access to the world. Social media connects everyone in a way that no other medium has ever

done before. But with this connection and access to virtually everything comes a major negative specificity for younger individuals.

Creativity is something that is explored from a very young age. Finger-painted, princesses and pirates, hide and seek and hundreds of make believe adventures. For most kids, these are things that were an everyday occurrence.

Using your imagination is one of the biggest parts of our childhoods.

But as many of us have noticed, things are extremely different from 10 years ago. With so many young kids having phones and access to social media and the Internet, the age of imagination has become shorter and shorter.

Sites like Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr have become major platforms for sharing our ideas and

creations. This is wonderful, but when it comes down to it, many young people are originally these sites for inspiration, but then resort to copying what they see.

Now, this can be seen as a positive. Art may be seen, and used, partially in a piece with small references from different pictures. This is still considered creative.

Don’t get me wrong, taking inspiration from someone else’s art or idea is not a bad thing but what can be a bad thing is relying on those references.

Whether it is art, outfit’s ideas or room decor layouts, we may find ourselves automatically searching for ideas and trends instead of thinking for ourselves.

In many cases, people most likely don’t even realize that they are doing this, but it has become more and more relevant for people of all ages.

I am not saying that we should never look for ideas from the Internet, but it’s important to not skip the brainstorming and go right to Pinterest. If this continues for too long, future generations will find themselves potentially un-

able to create and use their imaginations.

Sometimes it’s important to put our devices down and run around outside, get dirty, enjoy what’s around us and simply just be creative instead of relying on others’ imagination. By setting aside the distractions of the media, you can give your mind free range to think and make truly creative quality decisions on your own.

Graphics courtesy of VectorStock

World War III: outlet for hateful misogony

by Anahi Ruvalcaba Opinion Editor

Recently, there has been an excessive amount of World War III memes ever since President Trump ordered and successfully carried out the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. The millennials quickly started splurging memes onto the internet, as a means of coping with this event. They were especially apparent

all over TikTok and Twitter.

One trend I stumbled across was an endless amount of memes on social media of feminists joking around and saying they “never” wanted rights or that feminists should stop demanding and clarifying that their place as a woman is to be the best “homemaker and wife”.

Although the jokes were satire, it made me wonder, “If World War III were to happen what liberties would I as a woman be willing to give up?”

Memes are usually exemplars of larger trends, like cultural anxieties, and are ways to express fears or other emotions through humor. I even started joking around myself with my friends about how if women were to someday be drafted,

I would get pregnant to escape my draft. It was natural for me to fear the possibility that one day, the Supreme Court would mandate that women should be drafted, as it is fearful for men who face war every day.

What upset me was how I felt that in the face of war, I would conceal my comitment to women’s rights. It bothered me that I would stay quiet in fear of “asking” for too much. After contemplating this, I realized the reason for why when we demand equality, society has a tendency to throw out its negative aspects. Yes, it is understandable that in order to be equal to a man, we should be drafted for war as well; however, why is that issue put before equal pay and true equality.

As women, we know what we are asking for, but does society? We aren’t asking to be better than men; we just would like to be treated the same. Therefore, there is no reason to remind us women that being equal to men has its negatives in an attempt to make us doubt our wishes and desires.

As a young woman, it is difficult to imagine that one day, I will grow older and live in a world where a man is paid more, treated better and receives more opportunities than I do. There is no war, and the jokes were all fun and games, but I will not allow those who say, “be careful what you wish for” frighten me away from being equal in all shapes and forms.

Photo courtesy of me.me

Opinion

Jan. 31, 2020

Fires in Australia threaten their ecosystem

by Perla Verduzco Staff Writer

Wildfires are a current issue in the world, especially in Australia, and they are worsening every day. The places most affected by the fires are South Wales and Victoria. Millions of acres have been burned by these terrible fires. Homes have been lost. People and animals have been injured, burned and killed.

The government has promised to contribute 1.4

billion dollars to assist with the fires in South Wales, but I think that the government should do a little more than just donating money. For example, they could also try to put up signs where the camp sites are to remind others to always put out their fires and not to be careless about them. The government should also try to improve their fire department, perhaps by getting newer equipment or providing better training to help stop these fires from escalating.

Although the reason for the fires is much debated, I believe that the fires were first caused by arson. It could have been an accident. When camping, one can put out a fire but not entirely. If a fire is not completely put out, the fire becomes bigger and

spreads. Since the grass in Australia is dry and there are lots of tumbleweeds, the small fire grew, ingesting all dead wildlife in its path.

I also believe that the fires worsened due to climate

change. Climate change plays a big impact on the wild fires because when the temperatures are higher, less moisture is present in the soil of forests, allowing them to light on fire quicker.

And with a drought, the fires became unstoppable.

People around the world are aware of this issue and are working to combat it. Celebrities such as singer Iggy Azalea and actor Leonardo DiCaprio have donated thousands of dollars to help Australia. Ordinary citizens are also working to help.

People have also thought of creative ways to help out with these donations such as actress Phoebe WallerBridge who is auctioning her Ralph and Russo suit that she wore to the 2020 Golden Globe Awards. The suit is a black and gold tuxedo like suit with a geometric pattern. WallerBridge told the media that the money from the action will be donated to Australia.

Ralph and Russo supports Waller-Bridge and posted a

5

fundraiser on its Facebook page to help these fires.

With these donations, animals, people’s homes and people can be saved and helped. Organizations such as Australian Red Cross and GIVIT are accepting donations to help combat the fires. If you would like to donate, you can visit their websites and social media pages.

Graphics courtesy of NBC News

Drug companies now catering to teenagers

by Sonia Wadher and Alexis Rodriguez Collaboration

Recently, vaping has become publicized and therefore popular amongst people who are interested.

Many companies have argued that e-cigarettes have more positive benefits, and therefore, their overall health would be better compared to using cigarettes.

Their reasoning to switch-

ing to e-cigarettes include: better oral hygiene, better skin care, better circulation in your body, higher lung capacity compared to cigarettes, and an improved sense of taste and smell.

This is incorrect, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Ecigarettes may not contain tobacco, but they do contain nicotine, other harmful chemicals and small particles of harmful substances that cause inflammation to your lungs making people MORE susceptible to lung cancer. With this being said, more vape companies have begun to aggressively target minors with enticing flavors and alarmingly there are more teenagers using e-cigarettes than there are

adults.

These companies are using similar methods that tobacco companies directed to minors a few years ago in order to get them to start smoking. Although those methods have become illegal for the tobacco companies, somehow most vape companies have been allowed to continue with their marketing. Marketing to minors has become a bigger issue because approximately two-thirds of our teens are being exposed to the opportunity to vape.

According to ABC news, “During 2011 to 2014, current e-cigarette use among high school students soared from 1.5 percent to 13.4 percent, and among middle school students from 0.6 percent

to 3.9 percent,”stated by the CDC. “At the same time, spending on e-cigarette ads rose from $6.4 million to $115 million.”

Along with the deceptive advertisements, drug, ecigarettes, and even alcohol are very easy for kids to get.

According to anonymous sources, smoke shops no longer ask for identification cards due to the increase in profits in which they and their company are receiving. For substances such as marijuana and other drugs that presumably would be difficult to obtain are easier than many of us assume.

People all over the country in every city of America sell drugs that they have either created themselves or from a supplier, illegally. As this

is a very important and detrimental issue, many people continue to believe that substance abuse is a way to fit in.

However, the consumption of illegal products is only gateways to more intense drugs that further deteriorate who we are as people. When under the influence, people are not themselves; they are someone who no one can seem to recognize. Often times children, and even adults, do not realize what recreational substance abuse use can lead to. As you further progress in your usage, it may lead to something far more dangerous. Drug usage always has the possibility to develop into an addiction, which then becomes some-

thing that one is incapable of controlling.

A majority of students are under the impression that marijuana is a drug that is impossible to get addicted due to the lack of its addictive qualities in comparison to other drugs. However, people don’t understand that the increase in consumption causes an increase an addiction. As it becomes a more normal concept and activity in one’s life, it becomes a habit in which the consumer thinks they can control, but will eventually spiral out of control. Before or if you decide to consume any illegal substances, think of what it may lead to and the life you will be creating for yourself.

Community college over UC Berkeley

by Ari Feinsmith Guest Writer

At the beginning of my senior year, I really wanted to go to University of California Davis. In addition to having a good Civil Engineering department, it was the only school that I could truly see myself being at the following year. In November, I applied to the school, along with a couple of other universities, and felt optimistic that with my good grades, leadership experience and great UC essays would get me accepted.

However, in December I started having second thoughts about heading

off to college. I am very close with my family, and was worried that if I went away for college, I would get homesick. Would I be ready to live on my own by the time freshman year of college came around?

I kept this in the back of my mind when college decisions started coming in. I was excited to get into some very good schools for Civil Engineering, including California Polytechnic State University, San Diego State University and San Jose State University. However, I was waitlisted by UC Davis.

I was devastated. I had put so much work into my SAT, grades, subject tests, college application and everything else that was supposed to help me get into UC Davis — the one school I actually wanted

— and then I didn’t get in.

But perhaps it was a sign. It made me take a step back and consider other options that I had not previously considered for next year.

I decided to start touring local community colleges over break. Coincidently, my next-door neighbor is a physics professor at Mission College. When he showed me around Mission, I was really impressed with the campus. I appreciated Mission’s quiet and encouraging environment, and it had a nice STEM center. I had come originally thinking that community college was below my level, but after the tour, I realized that it might be exactly what I wanted.

Attending Mission College would give me the time to develop my independence in a supportive and relaxing environment.

Meanwhile, I could live at home, I’d get to keep my own room and I’d have a fully stocked fridge. I could bike to my classes and tuition would be free for the first two years. I would be taking many of the same classes as I would at university, but with smaller class sizes and professors who are focused on teaching, not research. I was just beginning to wrap my mind around the idea of going to Mission when life threw me a curveball.

I was accepted into UC Berkeley’s Civil Engineering program. I was shocked. UC Berkeley’s Civil Engineering program is number one in the country, according to US News, and with a 3.5 percent acceptance rate, it was an incredible opportunity. I was faced with a bizarre choice:

UC Berkeley or community college.

On April 13, 2019, I went to UC Berkeley’s open house, also known as Cal Day, to check out the campus. I was very impressed by the Civil Engineering program, and UC Berkeley has some incredible professors.

However, I have to say that I personally did not like the school’s vibe. Everyone seemed busy 100 percent of the time, which concerned me since I had nearly burnt myself out during high school. The Civil Engineering department was inside a monstrous windowless concrete building, and I thought the town of Berkeley was weird. I also was not excited about dealing with dorm life, and I was worried I would get homesick.

Community college

would work for me, and I knew I could be successful at Mission. While UC Berkeley is an incredible school with many awesome educational opportunities and a great reputation, I didn’t think I would be happy there, given who I am, my lifestyle, and my level of independence. I valued my personal wellbeing and happiness over the incredible status that going to UC Berkeley would have given me.

I have been having a blast making friends and taking interesting classes, and my parents and sister are delighted that I will be staying home for a couple more years until I transfer. I am still looking to go to UC Davis, but I am keeping my options open. Interestingly, the chances of getting accepted to a UC are significantly higher as a transfer student than a freshman, so we will see what happens!

Graphics courtesy of UC and CCC

Special Feature

Jan 31, 2020

6

War and Peace: Ame Major World Conflicts Significant

Critical

Severe

America’s waning power

By Suryan Bhatia

There’s no question that the U.S. is one of the most influential countries in the world. Boasting the third-largest population, the greatest military spending and the largest economy, the U.S. is a force to be reckoned with. But how did a country whose history began only 243 years ago become so powerful? And what does the future hold for the world?

The rise of the U.S. begins with imperialism. With no more of the North American continent available to conquer, the U.S. began to look abroad and took control of locations like Hawaii and the Philippines. Then, at the start of World War I, the U.S. declared neutrality, benefitting in the process.

“We stayed neutral in World War I for a couple of reasons,” Fremont history teacher Brian Irvine said. “One is, Woodrow Wilson wanted to be the diplomat of the world, so by staying out of war, we could exert a lot more power. At the same time, our economy was growing because we were selling weapons to both sides, so financially it was beneficial to stay out of the war.”

Eventually entering the war, the U.S. entered a period of isolation, lasting until World War II, according to Irvine. He added that the U.S. realized it could not stay neutral in global conflicts. Following the Allies’ victory, the U.S. and the Soviet Union (USSR) rose as superpowers.

During the Cold War, U.S. influence spread as the U.S. tried to install governments that supported its agenda. This, along with the U.S. assassinating many leaders, led to many Americans believing their government was corrupt and too powerful, according to Irvine.

Eventually, the USSR fell in December 1991, resulting in the U.S. reaching the height of its power. “[The U.S. reached its maximum power] right after the Cold War ended,” Irvine said. “Before that, we were fighting for power with the Soviet Union. We were sharing power with them; we were both accumulating allies, and influence and power. When the Soviet Union fell, there was no competition.”

Irvine added that the idea of U.S. power and American grandeur lasted for 10 years; then 9/11 happened. This event changed “everything.” Americans began to question if the U.S. truly was the most powerful country and prepared for war. Irvine said the war in Afghanistan and Iraq made Americans realize that although the U.S. military could start wars, it could not end them.

“Our military power is limited to starting wars and not focusing on the diplomatic power we have: using our ability to create peace and not war,” Irvine said.

So where is the U.S. now? Well, the U.S. military is stationed in over 150 countries, leading many to believe that the military is too spread out for its own good. This belief is coupled with the view that U.S. power is waning. For example, other nations independent of the U.S. are now supporting countries for their own national interests.

Irvine stated China and Russia are supporting countries economically, much like the U.S. For example, China is building stadiums for many African countries to generate money and allies for itself in the process, dubbed stadium diplomacy, as reported by World Policy.

“We are not going to be the world power so much anymore,” Irvine said. “We’ve seen other empires fall: the Spanish Empire fell, the British Empire fell, the German Empire fell. We saw all these empires come and go, and it would be foolish to believe that we are going to continue to be the strongest power in the world. Other countries are going to take our place eventually, and what will matter is how we respond to that.”

Dealing with world conflict

By Jeanne Merigot Wars have an enormous and negative impact on the world, especially on the countries and cities directly involved. However, wars and political issues also wield indirect involvement, affecting those at home.

Even though we civilians aren’t near the war or fighting at the front lines, we are still scared. Hearing what is going on in different countries and all the deaths of families and children that war is causing is absolutely terrifying. Furthermore, some worry over the possibility that the battlefield could easily come to them.

If it happened to other cities, why can’t it happen

to us?

War can be especially frightening for people with relatives in the military.

At any point in time, that person could be called to fight and the families wouldn’t know if they would see them again. What happened between the United States and Iran resulted in a very stressful time for army families. The fear of wondering whether or not their family member or friend has to go to war is maddening.

The effect on the home front during wartime has always been big, with World War I and World War AI being prime examples of this.

According to History,

during World W day life across th was dramaticall Food, gas and cl rationed. Comm ducted scrap me The home f United States du War II changed many people ba Since so many m drafted to fight, to take their spo tories and other which had neve before. In the pa would only stay with their kids, they left, the ch no one to take c The war caused effect in many h

Special Feature

JAN 31. 2020

7

erica in the World Ruinous US interference

By Jay Ghate

ts as an ordinary civilian

War I, “everyhe country ly altered. lothing were munities conetal drives.” front in the uring World lives for ack home. men got , women had ots in facr positions, er happened ast, women y at home but once hildren had care of them. a domino households.

On a more positive note, it ushered in the women’s rights movement and women’s right to vote.

The current war environment is not the same as it used to be, but waging wars would still create a big shifts reminiscent of the past.

“What can we do to help?” Many people ask this question when there is an ongoing war, anywhere in the world. No one likes to feel like they can’t help during hard times. However, when it comes to the root of the problem, there are only some things we can do. Civilians can donate to refugee, those who are

directly affected by ongoing wars. Another thing you can do is to look into the political reasons behind the war. Especially for teens close to 18, getting familiar with political events is really important for the future.

In conclusion, wartime is a very alarming time for everyone worldwide.

Whether you’re fighting the front line or thinking of the risks and consequences of war, there is no denying that the whole experience can be nerve-racking. However, it is good to remember that there is always something different people and communities can do to help and not let it take over our

On Jan. 3, 2020, the Trump administration assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. This caused a lot of problems, as Soleimani was well known by the people of Iran and soon became a martyr. This worsened the already tense relationship between the U.S. and Iran, which started in the 1950s, when the U.S. and British Intelligence orchestrated a coup against Iran’s then Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddegh.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo justified the action by saying that “[The U.S.] had specific information on an imminent threat and those included attacks on U.S. embassies.” Congress members have rebuked this reasoning on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

The response to this supposed intelligence has had several implications. As aforementioned, Soleimani was immensely influential in Iran, his demise sending the country into a three-day period of mourning and a desire to avenge him. Iran’s vengeance appeared to cool down in their military response though, attacking the U.S. military base in Iraq with no American or Iraqi casualties.

Despite Iran’s de-escalation, the U.S. still incurred harmful repercussions on other countries. Iraq’s parliament passed a bill demanding that American troops leave the country, weakening U.S.Iraq relations.

Soleimani’s assassination echoes America’s isolation in international affairs. Many countries who have signed the Iran Nuclear Deal, a treaty that would limit Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, were forced to choose sides. Many Middle Eastern countries have chosen to remain neutral as they do not want to be dragged into the crossfire.

“Though the European signatories are close security partners of the U.S., they will resist getting drawn into hostilities with Iran that America appears to be courting,” said Director of the Center for a New American Security’s Energy and Economics Program Elizabeth Rosenberg,. “This reality underscores just how isolated the United States is in its current posture.”

The acts of the U.S. have inspired the ire of dangerous organizations as well. In Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, feels responsible to avenge the general’s death, according to BBC. Some view Hezbollah as merely an Iranian organization based in Lebanon that promotes Iranian political and military interests in the Middle East. However, many in the Middle East Hezbollah is viewed as a legitimately elected party.

Hezbollah had been planning for this moment for decades, Foreign Affairs magazine reports. Labeled an unpredictable enemy to the U.S., the party has been building up military, terrorist and cyber capabilities in Lebanon. The Hezbollah could attack U.S. military bases in Lebanon, kidnap or assassinate U.S. officials, or commit a terrorist attack, as postulated by Foreign Affairs. The Hezbollah has a history of terrorism, having driven a truck bomb into the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992. That incident killed 29 people and injured hundreds more. However, many people in the region, see the U.S. as the aggressor.

This isn’t the first time that the U.S. has incited tension. During the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, the U.S. solicited an alliance with Iran’s enemy, Iraq, the U.S. made a deal with Saddam Hussein, the president of Syria. What the Reagan Administration didn’t consider was that Hussein was a murderer who terrorized his own people.

Because of Hussein’s help, America turned a blind eye for decades, resulting in him remaining in power in Iraq.

American civilians’ reactions have been mixed. Some have said that they feel safer as Soleimani has American and Iranian blood on his hands while others say that his assassination was a reckless and impulsive decision.

The United States and Iran have a very precarious relationship.

This is the result of an impulsive decision regarding a serious matter.

This isn’t the first time the United States has interfered internationally. But this might be the first time where the consequences have devastating implications for the people of the U.S. as well as the

Graphics courtesy of Pictorem.com, Icon Finder, and Pinterest

Arts & Entertainment 8

Jan. 31, 2020

Books that have left a mark on our childhood

by Nivi Khatana & Anoushka Samant Collaboration

Looking back on childhood can be sentimental.

Some of the most important aspects of childhood were the books that children read and treasured. These books taught kids some of the very first and most significant lessons that they now carry with them. Children may not be aware of the complexities of the world just yet, but the stories they read give them strength, inspiration and a sense of self.

Naturally, readers are drawn to stories with challenges they associate with, leading authors to write stories that young people can relate to.

Overcoming adversity, speaking one’s truth, using wit or cleverness, making a sacrifice, gaining powers or knowledge and enduring tragedy are some of the themes that translate into a young child’s behavior and beliefs today. Here are some books that defined young people as who they

are today.

One of the most popular children’s mystery series was Nancy Drew, which was written by bestselling author, Carolyn Keene.

The protagonist, Nancy Drew is a female sleuth who tackles many cases including robberies, murders and kidnappings. Drew served as a role model for many young children and inspired them to have curiosity with the world and taught them to question authority.

A popular series is the Babysitter’s Club, written by Ann M. Martin. The series focused on adolescence and responsibility. This series is built for slightly older kids.

The Babysitter’s Club set good examples of responsibility while encompassing the appeal of drama.

The comedy series, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, written by Betty Macdonald, revolves around a small woman who lives in a neighborhood mostly inhabited by children with bad habits.

She cures these bad habits using silly yet sensible cures

in wonderfully written whimsical tales. The Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series discourages bad habits while still entertaining children of all ages.

Another well-known story is the Ugly Duckling

by Hans Christian. It is a famous fairy tale following a baby swan raised by a mother duck who finds himself being bullied by ducklings around him due to his different and “ugly” appearance.

Despite this, the baby soon matures into a beautiful swan, much to others’

surprise. This story embodies the lesson of beauty on the inside as anyone is capable of unleashing their true potential and inner beauty.

An incredibly popular novel, Wonder, is by R.J Palacio. This story focuses on a young boy with facial deformities. The main character, August “Auggie” Pullman, desires nothing but to be treated normally.

However, his classmates bully him for his differences.

The perspectives constantly revolve in the book, converging into a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion and acceptance. Auggie embodies the idea that not everyone can blend in if they are meant to stand out.

Overall, the book focuses on his difference and highlights the uniqueness of his features, teaching kids to appreciate individuality, rather than to strive to be like the rest.

Finally, the famous novel, Charlotte’s Web, by E.B White, taught us the art of friendship and sacrifice.

The novel explores the story of Wilbur, a livestock pig, and his friendship with a spider, Charlotte. Despite the myriad of challenges thrown at both of them, Charlotte’s dedication to saving Wilbur’s life along with Wilbur’s dedication to saving her children demonstrates their devotion to each other and ultimately taught children about loyalty. Overall, Charlotte’s Web portrays the beauty of

having true friends and how love livens the world.

As a whole, the books we have read in the past created a lasting impact in our present day lives. The values taught in these precious stories help kids face daily challenges and persevere through life.

These books teach kids about empathy, curiosity, good behavior, individuality, responsibility, acceptance and true friendship. Eventually, adults will look back on their childhood books and remember the stories that they once treasured and the life-long lessons they learned, in order to selfprogress and become who they are today.

Graphics courtesy of Jing and DlPNG

The most anticipated movies coming in 2020

by Steven Bhirdo & J.J Hernandez Collaboration

2020 is a big year for movies. Throughout the year, fans are expecting many live-action remakes and lots of sequels to popular movie titles. Some of those titles have been talked about all over social media and throughout friends’ chats. Here, we refer to some of those titles and dig deeper into why they are so anticipated and talked about. From a traveling doctor to a Russian spy, these movies are our top 6 movies for this year.

The King’s Man is, according to Fox Movies, “a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds [gathering] to plot a war to wipe out millions, [and] one man must race against time to stop them.”

This movie is the prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service and takes place during World War I in Britain. The protagonist has to stop a group of criminals from killing millions of people while facing the struggles of living in a country at war. This prequel gives the backstory of how this British intelligence agency was created and who was involved in it. The movie is set to be released on September 18, after being pushed back around seven months.

Disney’s Mulan is the live-action remake of Disney’s 1998 animated movie Mulan. Although the animated movie was highly liked, this remake seems to have riled up people all over the world. Mulan has received a good amount of criticism, as it diverges from the original story line and

excludes one of the most loved characters, Mushu. In addition, Mulan’s actress, Liu Yifei, made a controversial tweet on August 14 against the Hong Kong protesters, garnering backlash from the protesters in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, the 2020 Mulan will soon be in theaters, coming out on March 27.

Gal Gadot reprises her role as Diana in Wonder Woman 1984. DC Comics’ Wonder Woman 1984 is the sequel to Wonder Woman.

In this blockbuster, Diana fights Maxwell Lord, played

by Pedro Pascal, and Cheetah, played by Kristen Wiig.

Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine, reappears mysteriously and thickens the plot. There is currently no solid release date; however, the predicted release date is June 5.

It has been 10 years since Scarlett Johansson first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as superhero Black Widow, and she is finally getting her first solo movie. Black Widow was announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2019. The movie stars Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz and O.T. Fagbenle. Many are confused when the movie takes place considering the events of Avengers: Endgame. According to the verge, the movie will take place in between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, but trailers suggest that it will also show the backstory of Black Widow. Black Widow hits theaters May 1.

Birds of Prey is the live action incarnation of the comic with the same name created by DC Comics it will

star Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Chris Messina and Ewan McGregor. Robbie reprises her role as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad but there is no connection between these two films.

After Harley Quinn (Robbie) and Joker break up, she joins some superheroes to save Cassandra Cain (Basco) from the Crime Lord Black Mask (McGregor). Birds of Prey will be the first DC Extended Universe movie to be rated R and will be in theaters on February 7.

A Quiet Place Part II is a mystery and thriller sequel to the hit first movie A Quiet Place where the Abbot family learns to live in a world overrun by aliens with enhanced hearing. The movie stars Emily Blunt, Noah Jupe, Millicent Sim-

monds, Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou, Okieriete Onaodowan and Wayne Duvall. The movie takes place right after the events of the first movie, but instead of being on a farm, the Abbott family go outside into the unknown. They will meet new people along the way and face new threats to continue surviving in the post apocalyptic world. A Quiet Place Part II releases March 20.

These are just six movies for 2020, but there are well over 50 more that are coming out. Movies have changed drastically within the last decade alone and the new decade is already looking very promising to entertain and satisfy all fans of every genre. The future looks bright for movie lovers everywhere.

The lukewarm disappointment that was Dolittle

by Serenity Ramon

Staff Writer

The famous Robert Downey Jr., most notably known for his role as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has come to theaters as a new character: Dr. Dolittle in the film Dolittle. Dolittle follows the story of a physician who recently discovers he has the ability to animals.

He goes on a journey to find a cure for Queen Victoria who has become ill.

This movie had several positive and negative aspects to it. What made the movie enjoyable was its exhilarating and adventurous action scenes. The comedic relief was also a nice aspect of the movie. This movie’s targeted audience is mainly younger children as they will most likely

laugh and enjoy themselves.

This movie is mainly really recommend for kids under the age of 11 because of its kid-friendly adventures. Kids also wouldn’t mind the confusing plot as it would most likely just pass right through them unlike the countless plot holes that older people would catch.

This film

would not be as enjoyable for adults as they understand the concepts more and will not find it as amusing.

An unenjoyable aspect to the movie was the fact that it had no background information on the characters, making the whole plot quite confusing. Since four different people wrote this movie, it seems they all had different ways of approaching the script.

Downy Jr. had

portrayed Dolittle’s role in a different way which angered many of its critics. Dolittle also had a questionable accent while the rest of the cast spoke normally, which created even more confusion. His accent just seemed completely unnecessary.

All in all, I would give the movie a 4.5 out of 10 because it is really cute and heartwarming, but there are so many irritating aspects

about this movie that they outweigh the positives.

I did have a decent time watching this, and it was a nostalgic film, but a majority of the time, it was hard to understand and is more of a movie for kids.

Graphics courtesy of Clipart

Arts & Entertainment 9

Jan. 31, 2020

Clairo, Still Woozy and the rise of Lo-Fi music

by Diana Piper

Center Spread Editor

A combination of meandering beats, breathy vocals and a spattering of smooth ʼ80s synth has pervaded the music industry as of late, carving out a new musical niche: Lo-Fi. The concept of Lo-Fi, derived from “Lo-Fidelity,” evolved in the 1980s to characterize indie music that intentionally uses musical “slips,” like grainy record crackles and misplaced musical notes. The style has ballooned in popularity in recent years, its individualistic design appealing to the younger generation.

One clear emblem of the Lo-Fi’s ascent is 21-year-old college student Clairo. The singer unveiled Pretty Girl in 2017, a song she made on Garageband on her laptop. The song was accompanied by a casual, un-

refined music video posted on YouTube, in which Clairo sits with earbuds in her ears, mouthing along to the song.

The Lo-Fi video went viral, currently sitting at 45 million views. This prompted a flurry of professional development, with the singer now going on tour for her new album, Immunity.

While Clairo’s new music is now enhanced with the professional expertise of a recording studio, she has retained an aura of organic individuality. Her soft voice blankets an array of instrumental and synth sounds, continuing the DIY aesthetic. This organic ethos continues to draw a vast audience, as listeners seek alternatives to contrived pop.

Music artist Still Woozy parallels Clairo’s rise in popularity. The alias, indicative of his hazy music style, Still Woozy represents Sven

Gamsky, a mettlesome musician who recently pierced through obscurity. He attributes his success to the internet, as the platform has projected his homemade music videos, like Goodie Bag (lying at 4.5 million views on YouTube).

Gamsky composes his undulating music in his garage in Oakland, evading any sort of professional glazing.

Still Woozy and Clairo’s growth is mirrored by several other artists. Girl in Red’s ethereal We Fell in Love in October has erupted in popularity, its sound flourishing on TikTok. Even Billie

Eilish began her career by publishing the Lo-Fi-esque Ocean Eyes on SoundCloud, a music service congested with Lo-Fi artists seeking a breakout hit.

In response to the expansion of Lo-Fi, a plethora of YouTube accounts compile soothing and languid Lo-Fi songs, posting them in hour-long videos. The videos are marketed as studying agents for students, attracting younger listeners.

The immense growth of Lo-Fi seems to represent a grassroots subversion of the canned pop industry.

The genre is experimental and individualistic, as each Lo-Fi artist creates their own twist, or flavor, for their music. The music feels raw, an intimate outpouring of emotion and thoughts. The selection of psychedelic sounds binds the artists’ soft voices to an incantatory anchor of speechless expression. The craft is individualized, a musical enclave of nuanced artistry.

Why did the genre begin to flourish now though?

It appears to be the workings of the new, idealistic generation. Online sites and social media have made it easier to find communities with the same outlook as yourself, validating your interests and affinities. This development promotes heterodoxy and dissimilarity, propelling the youth towards the experimentalism and individualism, which is exactly what Lo-Fi

engenders.

This musical era of selfassured individualism has produced a torrent of Lo-Fi content, while influencing other genres as well. This is most prominent in pop music, with singers like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Selena Gomez delving into more soulful and experimental musical styles. It has become clear that Lo-Fi has ushered in a new period of music: a fertile refuge for individualism and innovation and an escape from the confines of conformity.

Graphics courtesy of Tumblr

DollsKill: a clothing mecca for alternative teens

by Hana Duus

Staff Writer

As long as there have been clothes, there has been fashion. For centuries fashion has been a creative outlet that allows people to express themselves in different ways. However,

when people start to deviate from the normal fashion trends they risk judgement from their peers. But for those lovely and confident individuals that seek high concept, boundary pushing clothing unique brands are a dream.

The company DollsKill is a very popular alternative clothing brand that was founded in the ever so distant year of 2011 by DJ Shoddy Lynn. In recent years they have captured the hearts of many young Gen Z women thanks to their punk style street wear which screams “badass.” The brand started as an online store

but quickly gained popularity through social media.

DollsKill has all types of clothes including dresses, fishnets, shirts and jumpsuits. But they also have make up and accessories.

DollsKill has several different clothing lines to appeal to different styles.

For example, the line Killstar tends to feature more gothic inspired outfits.

They have a plethora of dresses that mirror Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice. The dresses have stunning black and lace accents. They also feature occult items that are to die for! One of the most popular Killstar items are

their Creepers, which are extra platform shoes with dark grey pentagrams and floral embroidery. They also have room decor to create a Tim Burton world of one’s own. Killstar features tons of gothic, witch-like outfits and shoes perfect for alternative style!

DollsKill tends to feature more punk clothing lines, but the line SugarThrillz is for those with a more traditionally feminine side. They feature pink and peach clothing with lace ribbons perfect for any online soft girl! Faux fur is also a signature aspect of SugarThrillz, usually sewed

on to their crop tops. They have faux pink fur robes for a bougieelegant look.

Lingerie is also a special feature of the SugarThrillz line. SugarThrillz uses tons of pastel colors to create an ethereal vibe which contrast with DollsKill sharp image.

Killstar and SugarThrillz are just two of the wonderful lines that DollsKill produces. There is a line for everyone at DollsKill which makes it one of the most exciting up and coming clothing brands.

Overall, the unique designs and quality of the clothing is what sets DollsKill apart.

DollsKill also uses market-

ing that allows people feel seen. They feature people of color, plus sized models and people with piercings and tattoos. So many in the alternative community love and wear this brand. Some might view the outfits as wacky, but who cares, dress the way you want! Be fun!

Be daring! Be you!

Graphics courtesy of Tumblr

Alex Trebeck leaves “Jeopardy” after 36 years

by Chris Guzik

Staff Writer

On Jan. 14, 2020 Ken Jennings, famous for his 74 game win streak and 4.5 million dollars in earnings, won Jeopardy greatest of all time. This episode of “Jeopardy” marked Alex Trebek’s last ever appearance on the show. Having taken over the show in 1984, he has hosted over eight thousand shows in 36 years.

Born in 1940, Alex Trebek was a Canadian citizen before gaining his American citizenship in 1998. According to the University of Toronto, his first TV appearance was on a music program called “Music Hop 1963”. After switching around shows in Canada for a few years, Trebek hosted two pilot

episodes of “Jeopardy” before the full revival in 1984.

Throughout his time on “Jeopardy,” he also hosted multiple one-offs with other shows such as Wheel of Fortune and the National Spelling Bee. “Jeopardy,” the show Trebek is most accredited to, has become a staple of game show television and American culture. The game is played by three contestants with a board of six topics, each with five answers ranging in value and difficulty.

After an answer is selected, the first contestant to ring in

must answer in the form of a question. This weird reverse format has been one of the principal rules of the show. On the board, there is a randomly placed double Jeopardy question; when it is selected, the participant who chooses it may wager money on the correct question, and when answered correctly, the contestant often gets a leg up on other participants when it is chosen.

On the final episode

on January 14, the game ended with the three most famous “Jeopardy” players: Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauzer.

Throughout the show, the running joke was that Trebek was retiring. On the final question, called Final Jeopardy, an answer and a category is given, and contestants must guess what the question was on a chalkboard and wager money.

If they get it right, the wagered money is doubled, but

if they get it wrong, all the money wagered is lost. Ken Jennings answered, “what is Horatio”, the correct answer, while contestant Brad Rutter simply answered, “You’re the best Alex!” in a simple tribute to Alex Trebek.

When watching game show TV, Alex Trebek is often the figure most people would imagine as the host. After hosting the “Jeopardy” series for over 36 years, Trebek’s retirement will likely have a massive impact on game show television and “Jeopardy” as a whole.

Trebek was forced to retire due to stage four pancreatic

cancer. The chemotherapy that he been put on has weakened Trebek, causing him to be constantly sick and ill, meaning he has lost the ability to host constantly.

Despite Alex Trebek retiring “Jeopardy” will likely be continued with a new host. Trebek expanded game show television into one of the biggest forms of entertainment and into a new stage internationally.

While Trebek will be gone, his legacy will live on.

Graphic courtesy of Google Images

Arts & Entertainment 10

Jan. 31, 2020

A look into one of the Bay Area’s best restaurants

by Vivien Su

Editor-in-Chief

To say that the Bay Area has a myriad of great Asian restaurants would be an understatement. Cupertino’s Gyu Kaku, located on 19620 Stevens Creek Blvd in Cupertino, is no exception.

Gyu Kaku is an internationally-renowned restaurant chain that serves delicious Japanese-Korean barbeque. Patrons grill the marinated meat themselves while enjoying a warm interior ambiance and refreshing drinks. The barbeque meat at Gyu Kaku is some of the best I have ever tasted.

The quality and grade of Gyu Kaku’s meat are topnotch, and their techniques of marination are beyond incredible. My favorite meat dishes there were the toro beef and the yaki-shabu.

I would definitely recommend these dishes to those who enjoy tender and very thinly cut sliced meat.

Those that like chewier and

richer meat dishes might enjoy the filet or chicken breast. Meat is not the only thing you can grill at Gyu Kaku. Patrons can also grill vegetables, like corn and zucchini, and seafood, including shrimp.

Even though Gyu Kaku is best known for its grilled dishes, the restaurant also offers a plethora of other delicious dishes that do not require grilling, such as the bacon chips. This is a small and hearty appetizer dish consisting of ten to fifteen small slices of fried pork belly fat. Another dish off the grill that was a stand out for me was their miso soup.

I have tried many miso soups from many different restaurants, and I can say with confidence that Gyu Kaku has some of the best miso soup that I have ever tasted. Their miso soup has the perfect amount of acidity. Furthermore, its seaweed is tender, and its tofu is flavorful. Besides

bacon chips and miso, another off-the-grill dish that I loved was the beef sukiyaki bibimbap. This is an entree meal that serves an assortment of sukiyaki-marinated

bap is a definite must-try.

Aside from the impeccable dishes, Gyu Kaku also has a great atmosphere.

Both the restaurant interior and exterior are nice and

beef, rice, white onions, green onions and sesame in a stone pot. For anyone who likes fried rice or stone pot dishes, the sukiyaki bibim-

welcoming. Even with a sizable grill in the center of the table, patrons have more than enough room to eat their dishes. There is

also ample space in between the spaces for customers to move in and out. The wait staff are great there too. My family and I really appreciated how attentive and kind the wait staff were.

The prices at Gyu Kaku are overall more than reasonable. Barbeque items can range anywhere from five to 26 dollars, depending on the quality of meat that is ordered. The sukiyaki bibimbap was 10 dollars, and given the large volume that was provided and its great taste, this was a definite bargain. Customers can even pay less for these items if they come in during Gyu Kaku’s happy hour schedule. Happy hour runs from 11:30 AM to 6 PM from Tuesday to Sunday and all day on Monday. On some days, there are also some later happy hours that go from around 10 PM to 12 AM. Happy hour is the best time to eat at Gyu Kaku, as every menu item is sold at a

bargain price.

Gyu Kaku, however, does have some minor flaws, such as its long wait times.

Unless a reservation is made a couple of days in advance, patrons should be expected to wait for around an hour for a table. Thankfully, Gyu Kaku’s reservation system is extremely easy and convenient to use. Another noteworthy issue is that the restaurant is a bit far for students who live in the northern Sunnyvale area. Those who live in the southern Sunnyvale area or Cupertino area will find the commute more than manageable.

Overall, Gyu Kaku is a great place to spend your lunchtime excursions.

Customers will surely walk away with a happy stomach.

Gyu Kaku has easily made my top ten list restaurants, and I see myself eating here very often.

Graphic courtesy of Yelp

How A24 built a new wave indie movie empire

by Trixie Rodriguez

Arts & Entertainment

It’s that time of year again, the time of year where families and film bros flock to the theaters and gather around the TV awaiting the verdict of The Academy (whoever that is, truly could not tell you).

That’s right! It’s award show season. In the past couple of years, there has been a noticeable shift in the types of movies that dominate the Oscars. The shift is a reflection of the changing times. As streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon begin producing critically acclaimed movies, there is a growing divide between them and more traditional movie studios like Columbia, Universal and Warner

Bros. It’s become a war against new wave giants and movie industry titans. However, among the chaos, there is one production company that has been playing their own game… and winning.

A24 has become the little indie film company that could.

A24 was founded in 2012 and quickly became THE choice for high concept, artistic directors. In the early and mid-90s, Miramax was the indie movie mecca creating beloved movies such as Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting and No Country for Old Men. A24 is following in their footsteps by providing a platform for movies with distinct perspectives, but they’re even taking a step further than Miramax ever did by hiring

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diverse directors, writers and actors to tell the stories that never found a home in major movie studios.

While A24 gained early on critical success with movies like Ex Machina (2014) and Room (2015), but it wasn’t until 2016 that everything truly came into place. In 2016, A24 released over 10 movies, each one unique and each one met with almost unanimous praise. The three most popular movies A24 released that year were The Witch (a suspense filled horror film directed by Roger Eggers), 20th Century Women (a heart wrenching examination of modern womanhood directed by Mike Mills) and of course, A24’s break out film Moonlight (a coming of age masterpiece, directed by

Berry Jenkins). Moonlight was an undeniable success, with critics boasting a 99 percent on Metacritic, making it one of the sites highest rated movies of all time. The movie also won Best Picture at the infamous 2017 Oscar ceremony.

All three of these movies were produced on shoestring budgets of less than 5 million dollars and still managed to become cultural touchstones. A24 recognizes that no amount of money or unnecessary production can make a bad movie good.

This commitment to artistic filmmaking over worries about commercial success is at the heart of the studio.

After Moonlight, A24 was launched into the stratosphere, and for the past four years, has been

producing some of the most original and exciting movies out there. There has yet to be a year where an A24 movie hasn’t been nominated for Best Picture, something not many major movie studios have accomplished in this time. A24 has become a beloved Oscar underdog and will hopefully continue to create fresh and exciting films for years to come.

Photos courtesy of IMDb

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: Reliving our Oakland

sports

11

Jan. 31, 2020

by Audrey Hambrick Staff Writer

On Dec. 15, 2019, the Oakland Raiders went against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the RingCentral Arena, attempting to win their last home game for their fans, also known as Raider Nation. They lost 1620, to the disappointment and anger of many.

That Sunday, the Nation had shown up in full force, sporting their battle colors of silver and black. Some fans had even braved the act of waking up early and began to line up outside the Coliseum at 4 AM, according to a tweet made

by KTVU Fox 2 News reporter Sara Zendehnam.

According to the game summary from ESPN, the RingCentral stadium had been filled to almost near capacity, 94 percent, with nearly 53 thousand attending.

Morale was high, along with a sense of sadness, for the Raider Nation. But as quarterback Derek Carr’s attempt to execute his “Hail Mary” play failed to score extra points as the clock ran out, many fans stood in shock and silence, as a few others angrily threw food on the field and booed as Carr walked off. The loss was made more painful by the planned 2020 move to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium due to the city of Oakland not being able to support the construction of a new stadium. But even through their loss, the Raiders stood as a uniting force for Oakland and the Bay Area, revealing that their departure was more than just a city losing their football team: it was a city losing their pride and symbol of their distinct culture of 45 years.

Starting as a football club in 1960 in response to Los Angeles Chargers’ owner Barron Hilton threatening to forfeit his franchise if there was not a second football team placed on the West Coast, the Oakland Raiders stayed in San Francisco for three years, before actually making Oakland their home for 18 years.

Although the Raiders were relatively successfully in their starting years, fans relate the rise of the Raiders to the addition of Al Davis as a coach in 1963. Thanks to Davis, the Raiders gained their silver and black colors for their uniforms, perfectly matching the grittiness of the city and painting the team as no-nonsense rebels.

This decision may have been due to the current age of “fighting the man” for Oakland in the 60s and the 70s: the biker gang, Hell’s Angels, UC Berkeley housed students who were familiar

to protests and drugs and the black rights groups such as the Black Panthers all had roots that tied back to the city of Oakland. The Raiders embraced this mark and were bolstered by the social change, with some players engaging in rallies with the Black Panthers or drinking in bars with fans, their actions a reminder of family.

The Raiders won their first Super Bowl in 1976 at the Super Bowl XI, bringing honor back to Oakland. Although initially upset when the team left to play in Los Angeles in 1982 after a legal battle between owners, fans rejoiced when the Raiders found their way back home in 1995. The Raiders were Oakland’s representation, a team that was often cast as a harsh and crude area of football, yet still, a community to the similarly treated city that showed its support in return from gaining it from their loyal fans.

The Raider Nation is known for its seemingly terrifying and brash nature.

Dedicated fans embody the pirate in the logo through black, white and silver face paint and wear accessories such as spiked shoulder pads or face masks of horror icons such as Freddy Kreuger or Chucky. “[I appreciate] the atmosphere [as a Raiders fan],” junior Marcus Cuevas recounts. “It’s just the way it is; it’s like a party back out there.”

Though their nature can come off as intimidating, the Nation has been able to pull together the citizens of Oakland and give them a conduit to place their worries and fears into, as they faded away into pride for their team. Raider flags and posters adorn the city, clear examples of how the team has become comfortable with its home.

The Raiders have stood as a symbol for Oakland for 45 years, and the move to Las Vegas signifies Oakland’s losing battle with gentrification. As the tech industry continues to grow and low-income residents are being pushed out to make room for new employees of those companies, residents feel like they are being left behind for a more sanitized version of their home. With

the Golden State Warriors having left to the Chase Center in San Francisco and the A’s considering moving if a new stadium cannot be built in Oakland, Oaklanders feel left behind and unrepresented.

Carr only further stoked the discontent surrounding this issue in a 2017 interview with Mercury News, stating that fans that would not follow the team to Las Vegas were not real fans.

Other players feel torn on the split such as former 2005 to 2009 linebacker Kirk Morrison. In an interview with The Guardian, he stated that he had the city on his back and wanted to support them. “I wanted them to say ‘Man, he plays hard, like the mentality of the city, hardnosed, not getting enough credit, unified in what they do, and a joy to be around.’

I tried to take on that mentality when I played.”

Even Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross has spoken out against the move of the Raiders, with his vote being the sole opposer in the 31-1 vote with league owners for the Las Vegas move in 2017. In a released statement from that same year, Ross said that the league had to uphold the communities that supported them Oaklanders felt like their requests were nothing to the NFL and that money was being prioritized over their loyalty. But even for many, their love for the Raiders will always remain, and they will never forget what the Raiders have done for Oakland.

“I think it sucks a lot,” Cuevas says. “I’m gonna stay a Raiders fan; it’s just in my blood, but I know a lot of fans [that] just gave up on the team and said, screw this, I’m out.’ I felt like that way too, but I’m gonna stick to them.”

The Raiders will be sorely missed by Oakland, as the city tries to hold on to their last professional team, the A’s. As the Raiders leave Oakland, so does a sense of unity and self-identity for the city as well.

“I think Oakland’s not going to be the same,” Cuevas sighs. “Especially like the rivalry between the Raiders and the 49ers, it’s so more than [what it seems like] in the Bay Area.

I know they’ve created a lot of memories with other people; it’s Oakland and everything. It’s not gonna be the same. Raiders belong in Oakland.”

Photo courtesy of Famous Fonts and Freebie Supply

by Kiana Devera Sports Editor

If you take a closer look at the city of Oakland, you will find many things the city’s residents love to do.

From their beautiful zoo, astounding museums and renowned ice cream shops, there are so many places that keep the spirit of this city alive. Along with all of these things and their close sense of community, another notable feature of the city of Oakland is their residents’ love of sports.

Many beautiful parks reside in the East Bay, but the most famous Oakland park is a not-so-beautiful, multi-purpose stadium known as the OaklandAlameda County Coliseum but better known as the Oakland Coliseum. This concrete stadium is home to the National Football League’s Oakland Raiders and Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics, or the A’s. In this circular jenga of steel, many memories have been made from the loud roars of football fans, cheering as another home run is hit, to musical performances from many notable artists.

Just a minute’s walk from the Coliseum is the Oakland Arena, more commonly known as Oracle Arena. This indoor center is where the National Basketball League’s Golden State Warriors resides and has been the Oakland Coliseum’s next-door neighbor since 1966. From 1967 to 1976, the Arena was also home to the city’s NHL team, the California Golden Seals. For over 50 years, this city has been the center of many championships, World Series and Super Bowls. But in recent sport news, the Warriors, Raiders and A’s have made the executive decision to once and for all leave this city by the bay for good. But why?

For the Golden State Warriors, they state that they are only leaving the building and not the city.

They still want to be involved with the community,

former home of champs and according to the Los Angeles Times, “the Warriors have teamed with Kaiser Permanente on a 20-year deal to keep the building open for basketball camps and clinics as well as nonprofit programs … focused on at-risk youth.” Others however think the Warriors were always branded as the Bay Area team from San Francisco Soon, the team will fully embrace the name as they soon move into Chase Center in San Francisco later this year.

The Oakland Raiders, however, want to permanently leave the city to Allegiant Stadium, a coliseum just off the Las Vegas strip.

For a long while, the Raiders had been desperate for a change as they were in need of a new stadium. Tired of sharing the coliseum with the A’s, they requested that Oakland make a proposal for a new stadium but the city failed to provide an adequate solution. After numerous attempts, the team was finally approved by the NFL to move to Las Vegas.

The A’s, soon followed suit and announced they were leaving the Coliseum as well. With an old stadium that has been arguably dubbed as one of the ugliest ballparks and is notorious for having numerous plumbing issues, it is not hard to see why the A’s are desperate to leave. The team has proposed to relocate to another part of Oakland and turn the old ballpark into a community site that would include part of the old field, youth sport facili-

:

ties, a technology campus, restaurants and more. With all the new renovation, it can bring the construction of thousands of new homes that can help solve Oakland’s homelessness epidemic. While the team is living up to their responsibilities of serving their town, others are skeptical about a sports team being a real estate developer as they hinted that they would move to Las Vegas, like the Raiders.

From an outside, nonsports related perspective, however, there are a numerous amount of other reasons these teams are leaving their city. Often stereotyped as a “ghetto city,” Oakland has over the years gained the reputation as a breeding ground for crime and poverty. Superficially, Oakland can come off as an unsafe and unappealing place with their seven percent increased crime rate from 2018 to 2019 and their 18.7 percent poverty rate in 2019, according to KTVU Fox 2 and welfareinfo. It is understandable why these teams do not want to be associated with such things.

However, despite all of these negatives, sports have brought many people in Oakland together. And while it is sad to see a city that is home to many professional sporting games becoming obsolete, the memories will always remain, and their loyal fans will follow and support them wherever they go.

Photo courtesy of artandsouldoakland

Club vs. school sports

by Natalie Wolff A&E Editor

Sports are a crucial aspect in many students’ lives, and student athletes at Fremont are no exception. Whether playing on the school’s varsity team or a outside club, sports play a big role for many.

However, playing school and club sports can be very challenging. Several students find the academic workload to be a handful when trying to balance it out with their extracurricular activities.

“You miss a lot of instructional time and there’s a lot of work to make up outside of class,” sophomore Aoibhe Walczak said.

“School soccer is a lot more strict as the coaches are more intense.”

A lot of the time, students have to miss class for their sports for away games, which means that a lot of classwork has to be made up.

Along with school soccer, Walczak agreed that club is challenging as well, yet she would still show more commitment to playing club over school. Sophomore Sanjana Checker disagrees. Both Checker and Walczak are both currently on the girls’ school soccer team and play for a club team during the year. “[Club] requires a lot of commitment,” Checker said.

“At times, it can conflict with other activities, but it’s worth it in the end.”

As a person who has played a sport outside of school, I always found it

frustrating that I was unable to receive P.E. credit, as I already spent so much time practicing. Although that aspect is frustrating, my experience from playing a school sport was a lot more stressful and intense as the practice hours were longer and required more commitment.

I also struggled a lot more keeping up with my schoolwork when playing at school.

According to US News, approximately 55.5 percent of high school students are playing some kind of sport.

This means that over half of the average high school population faces the stress that comes along with it.

It is crucial to find balance between the two, which can be difficult at times.

sports eastern conference

Jan. 31, 2020

12

western conference

by Emily Wilson Sports Editor

Though the Boston Celtics lost both Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, they are still speculated to show at the playoffs later this year.

Through turmoil with trading and free agency, the Celtics have been a consistent contender for Eastern Conference champions.

Will team leaders Jayson Tatum and Tacko Fall be enough to finally snag the conference win?

With the arrival of Jimmy Butler and rookie Tyler Herro, the development of Justice Winslow and more playing time for Bam Adebayo, the Heat may just pull off a conference win. The Heat started the season with a bang, so hopefully the heat of their team will be enough to fuel their fire for the rest of the season.

The Philadelphia 76ers have a unique set of talented players, as opposed to a single player that everyone has heard of, but still, you shouldn’t count them out of the playoffs.

Combining size and speed, the 76ers are going to be a hard team to beat during the nature of the playoff season. With solid superstars like Joel Embiid, Al Horford and Ben Simmons, the 76ers won’t be left in the dust.

When you think of the Milwaukee Bucks, you can’t help but think of Giannis Antetokounmpo, or the Greek Freak. The Bucks are far ahead of the other teams in the Eastern Conference, by around seven games. Last season, the team lost against the Raptors for the Eastern Conference championship. With most of the team remaining, the Bucks have a high chance of snagging the win.

Raptors, winners of the 2019 NBA championship, may not be able to defend their honor and pull off another championship win. This may be attributed to the loss of one of their then best players, Kawhi Leonard, but then again, one player doesn’t make the team. Rookie Pascal Siakam and veteran Kyle Lowry have been doing a commendable job of keeping the team on track. One question remains: can they continue to do this through the playoffs?

Led by forward LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers are a major contender for the championship. It helps when the team has two MVP candidates, James and center Anthony Davis. Laker defense, all in all, is solid.

While it’s not the best in the league, it definitely doesn’t hinder their ability to compete. The Lakers are hoping to bring a win to Los Angeles.

It’s safe to say that the Houston Rockets are not short on talent; they have both Russell Westbrook and James Harden. With few players leaving the team, the Rockets have had multiple seasons to cultivate their skill. What will be enough to pull the Rockets out of the constant tussle for the leadership position in the Western Conference between the Jazz, Nuggets and Clippers? Hopefully, the offense of the Rockets will be enough.

In the race to the NBA championship, the Denver Nuggets can be considered as the underdogs. Led by center Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are a solid team and might just pull off a Western Conference win. Something that stands out about the Nuggets is their help defense, a skill other teams in the NBA lack. In conclusion, while the team may not win the championship, they definitely shouldn’t be forgotten about.

The Los Angeles Clippers boast many key players, including Paul George and former Toronto Raptor Kawhi Leonard. Their head coach Doc Rivers excels in coaching defense.

The Clippers have a strong starting lineup and a good bench.

The battle in Los Angeles between the Clippers and the Lakers is something to watch for the remaining portion of the season.

The Jazz may seem like a weak choice for NBA champions, but with a solid point guard in Mike Conley and an already established defensive identity, they might just pull off a Western Conference win.

Defense is important in the NBA, especially going against powerhouses. A strong defense may just be the edge to push the Jazz over the edge.

Photos courtesy of NBA.com

Superbowl LIV San Francisco at Kansas City

by Quinten Seghers News Editor

Every year, football fans around America rejoice as the Super Bowl lights up screens across the nation. It is no wonder as to why millions of Americans tune in; from the spectacular halftime shows right down to the thrilling gameplay itself, the Super Bowl calls for lots of promising action.

Over the years, it may appear that Americans have been losing interest in one of their favorite national pastimes, with the average TV audience throughout Super Bowl LIII dropping 12 percent from Super Bowl LII. But the average TV audience from 2019 was 98.2 million viewers, indicating that the Super Bowl still holds a large viewership.

Either way, one must not forget the Super Bowl’s humble beginnings. Originally in America, from the mid-1960’s to earlier, there actually was no Super Bowl.

Before the NFL, there were actually several major professional American football leagues. The NFL’s biggest competitor and business rival at the time was called the AFL. With them both being so reportedly big and powerful and better than their counterpart, there had to be a way to settle it.

It was on Sunday, Jan. 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that the tradition that effectively created the Super Bowl was started. The Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 35 points to 10 points. It was quite the event, with tickets going on sale for only 10 dollars, and the halftime show included two men on jetpacks! The two rivals decided to call the event the AFL - NFL World Championship.

It lasted from 1966 until 1969, prior to the two rival companies actually merging in 1970. They both came together to create the harmonious Super Bowl that everyone now knows and loves today.

Now, 54 years later, the legacy continues at Super Bowl LIV, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Unfortunately, this year’s Super Bowl halftime performance is not planned to include jetpacks, at least according to Super

Bowl officials. But it will for sure include famous celebrity singers Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato and Shakira Ripoll.

Lopez and Ripoll will be singing during the halftime show this year, while Lovato will be singing the national anthem.

Many people consider this year’s Super Bowl as a momentous leap for Latin music. Especially when Hello Foros, a Latin news source said, “Will the Super Bowl Halftime Show Open New Doors for Latin Music?”

Either way, the majority

of the entertainment itself comes down to the actual teams playing and their respective players down on the field, which happens to be the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

To understand how these two teams have finally come face to face with one another in both their last battle for the championship, one has to know how the NFL is designed. At the beginning of the NFL season, 32 teams start, but only one can win it all. There are two conferences, the AFL and the NFL. There are 16 teams and four

divisions — North, South, East and West — in each conference.

Then, four division champions in their conference automatically go to the playoffs. Four wild card teams are chosen based off of how many wins they have.

Finally, the winners from the two conferences ultimately play against one another in the Super Bowl.

The winning team gets dubbed “Super Bowl Champions” for that year.

On January 19, the San Francisco 49ers played at home against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship, while the Kansas City Chiefs play at home against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship. With the winners being the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Both of them won their respective Conference championships and will now play against each other in the Super Bowl.

But the Super Bowl is

never just about the football anymore; thousands of families tune in just to watch the halftime show.

But what many families fail to consider is the funny and unique commercials!

Make no mistake; Super Bowl advertisement spots are by far the most expensive on commercial TV. Just buying a 30 second time slots can cost around 5.25 million dollars, which is roughly 175 thousand dollars per second. Therefore, advertisers want to make every single second worth the cost. This would up creating history’s most comedic, eye-catching and absurd advertisements. In any other circumstances, they would have most likely not been aired.

Remember the viral puppy monkey baby animal that aired during Super Bowl L for Mountain Dew’s Kickstart drink? Of course you do! It is also the birthplace of many other memorable advertising campaigns, such as Snicker’s 2010, “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” slogan and Tide’s 2018, “It’s a Tide Ad”.

Either way, good luck to the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49’ers in the Super Bowl, may the best team win!

Photo courtesy of the NFL