Volume XXII Issue 5 by La Cañada Spartan

La Cañada High School

Volume XXII Issue 5

lcspartan.com

Friday, February 3, 2012

Majority of ASB Reelected In Recent Elections By Paul Kim Features Editor

The 7-Elevens featured above, on Alta Cañada and Foothill (left) and Foothill and Angeles Crest (right) open soon.

How Two 7-Elevens Came to La Cañada By Jennifer Kim Sports Editor

or those who haven’t heard yet, La Cañada Flintridge will be welcoming two 7-Elevens: one will be an individual store replacing La Cañada Liquor, and one will be built into the Union 76 gas station on Foothill at Angeles Crest Highway. The individual 7-Eleven convenience store is currently in the works at the corner of Alta Canyada Dr. and Foothill Blvd. as the franchise obtained the permit from La Cañada Liquor last year. It was not an easy

feat for 7-Eleven to establish its convenience store in La Cañada as it has taken nearly a year for legal procedures for its permission to be finalized. In March of last year, a notice was released, providing that 7-Eleven would pay $280,000 for transfer of the license at the 1535 Foothill Blvd. location. The March 3 notice began a lengthy state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control approval process that included input from La Cañada Flintridge residents and city officials, as well as, local law enforcement. The biggest challenge 7-Eleven faced moving into town was the city

Photos by Michael Bishop 7-Eleven Continued on Page 2

TOP

The artist behind the gajillion-selling soul album 21, Adele proved this year to be that rare musician who is both inescapable and irresistible. Yes, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You” were insanely overplayed, but honestly, we didn’t mind.

PEOPLE By Sam Frederich| Copy Editor

OF Amidst the highest unemployment rates in decades, she held a ten million dollar wedding (that earned her millions in ratings) and got a divorce seventy-two days later. Gotta love the 1%.

Whew! Hell of a year, wasn’t it? Between the revolutions, the Occupy movement, the GOP nomination circus, and Greece’s economic meltdown, there’s rarely been a moment to catch your breath. In the midst of this chaos, here are the people that made the biggest news, caught the most flak, and turned the most heads in this whirlwind of a year.

e know that ASB elections are around the corner when those signs show up. Mass produced signs are taped over our walls emploring students to vote for a candidate. When the signs disappear, we know that the election is over and that the ballots have been counted. After a short lunch period of speeches on Thursday, January 11, votes were cast on Friday the next day during second period for our grade’s candidates. The final results for this election were posted on January 23 due to a close vote for senior secretary. This year, many people ran for various offices within the student government but only the highest voted candidates won positions. Although candidates for election utilized the mass production of signs, Brandon Nguyen had a different tactic. When asked about his reelection strategy, he gave me his simple approach. “People asked me if I was going to run again and I told them ‘yes I will’ and I told them to vote for me,” Nguyen responded. Nguyen also did not use posters like the other candidates but relied on the support from his first election. When asked about his plans for our school this semester, Nguyen gave an energetic and confident response. “I plan on bringing new

ideas to school to make it a happier environment. I’ll help out with anything that needs to be done in ASB,” he replied. Hopefully, Nguyen and the rest of the elected student body will actively pursue in the improvement of our campus.

Results Freshman President – Ben Valdez Vice President – Kara Thompson Secretary – Natalia Dudek Treasurer – Melissa Horner Sophomore President – Matthew Schwartz Vice President – Anise Applebaum Secretary – Sarah Borland Treasurer – Katherine Vavoulis Junior Vice President – Brandon Nguyen Secretary – Aubri Thompson Treasurer – Cameron AenlleRocha Senior Vice President – Karolina Dudek Secretary – Amanda Wojciechowski Treasurer – Katie Matthews Activities Directors J.C. Cooper and Mark Kilaghbian

Whatever Boats Your Float By C.C. Monroe Opinion Editor I don’t know about you, but floats give me a giddy feeling inside. Every Rose Bowl float is unique in its own special way, from the flower assortment to the use of mechanical contraptions. As per my usual routine, I watched countless reruns of the Rose Parade as I vegetated on my couch, with tissues and chocolates, blasting the soothing rhythms of the

great poet John Mayer. However, this was not a usual day of batontwirling babes and old people decked out in bedazzled cowboy outfits, riding horses with constant bowel movements. No, that fateful New Year’s day, oh I mean January second (woohoo traditions!) my eyes were opened to the outrageous injustice of the Rose Parade. And no, I don’t mean those smelly people that wore silly masks and carried a stupid sign after the parade. Floats continued on page 5

photo from thereallacanda.com La Cañada Flintridge’s float won the Bob Hope Humor Award

News

Reflections

Opinion

GOP Candidates

Sports

Basketball

Quick REsponse

Inside this issue

scan with a smartphone

News

In The News

February 3, 2012

The Winterland Experience

Police Finally Identify Murdered Man On January 20, authorities identified the victim of Los Angeles’ horrific murder case. The man whose severed head, hands, and feet were discovered last week has been identified as 66year-old Hervey Medellin. His head was first discovered on January 17 by a golden retriever that was walking with its owner below the Hollywood sign. Soon after, officers, coroner’s investigators, helicopters, all-terrain vehicles, a SWAT team, and mounted officers searched a seven acre section of Bronson Canyon, next to Griffith Park for additional remains. On Friday, police reopened Bronson Canyon Park beneath the Hollywood sign and urged hikers and other recreational visitors to be careful and not walk the trails alone.

Photo by Michael Bishop The Senior Class of 2012, having already torn their sign down, anxiously awaited the senior mascot video starring Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Gang.

Information gathered from CNN

Congress Delays SOPA and PIPA After a massive resistance from tech companies and their supporters, the controversial anti-piracy bills SOPA in the House (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA in the Senate (Protect IP Act) were indefinitely postponed on January 20. SOPA is a proposed bill that aims to crack down on copyright infringement by restricting access to sites—typically overseas—that host or facilitate the trading of pirated content. SOPA’s goal is to cut off the entry of users into pirate sites by requiring U.S. search engines, advertising networks, and other providers to withhold their services. Opponents claim that the way SOPA is written effectively promotes censorship and is laden with the potential for unintended consequences. Information gathered from CNN

Another Victim Found from Second Titanic Italian search-and-rescue teams have found another body aboard the partly sunken cruise ship Costa Concordia, bringing the tally to 13 confirmed victims. The discovery leaves about 19 people still missing since the ship hit rocks in the shallow waters off the coast of Tuscany. Captain Francesco Schettino is under house arrest and faces possible charges of manslaughter, shipwreck, and abandoning ship. There were roughly 4,200 people on the Costa Concordia when it ran aground, 3,200 of which were passengers and 1,000 of which were crew members. The vast majority fled the ship safely when it began to sink on January 13. Information gathered from CNN

Photo by Michael Bishop With some help from our fabulous Drumline, the Songies put on a great show.

Photo by Michael Bishop Connor Boyd went up for a dunk during the Winter Assembly on January 20.

Photo by Michael Bishop Chamber very graceful concluded the assembly with the Alma Mater.

Photo by Michael Bishop The Flaggies performance really lit up the gym during the assembly.

APES Students Visit Hyperion Wastewater Center By Armen Dingizian News Editor

n January 10th and 17th, the AP Environmental Science classes of Dr. Ewoldsen and Mrs. Wheeler, respectively, toured the grounds of LA’s Hyperion wastewater Treatment Plant near Dockweiler State Beach. Once a year, AP Environmental Science students are taken on the educational outing to learn about how wastewater treatment works and about the significant impact individuals have on water use. It took students nearly two hours to tour Los Angeles’ largest wastewater treatment plant. The field trips consisted of two primary components: a detailed fifteen minute video depicting plant operations, and a tram tour of the facility with periodic stops for students to exit the tram and witness the working plant first hand. Hyperion operates at all times, constantly treating wastewater from toilets, sinks, baths, garbage disposals, laundry machines, factories, hospitals, shopping centers, and more. Hyperion works behind the scenes and processes 350 million gallons of wastewater a day for Los Angeles, making it something we all rely on. On the field trip, students learned about wastewater treatment, which may be considered a three stage process. In the primary stage of water treatment, plants such as Hyperion remove 40 to 60 percent of the solids from the water. In the secondary treatment stage, 90 percent of the pol-

lutants are removed from the water, concluding the process for the liquid portion of the wastewater. In the third stage, all biosolids extracted from the wastewater are treated and disposed. After additional further treatment is carried out, Hyperion uses pipelines to send the treated water to Santa Monica Bay. “The trip to Hyperion is an educational experience, giving practicality and applicability as to how wastewater treatment works. Additionally, the trip gives students a memory to associate the wastewater treatment process with which helps them remember it with ease,” said Dr. Ewoldsen. That memory is one of a potent, dense mass of dung that has such a powerful odor, it stings the nose. Beyond teaching his students about the treatment process, Dr. Ewoldsen encourages them to do their part at home by simply only disposing of appropriate things in toilets and sinks. “The trip to Hyperion was a bit of an eye opener and it was surprising to learn about all the effort that it put in behind the scenes to keep Los Angeles a sanitary city,” stated senior Ryan Gokey. The field trip helped to illustrate for students the wastewater treatment process and to

make students aware of their contribution to the massive amount of wastewater Hyperion processes. “The tour of Hyperion helps 7-Eleven continued from page 1 zoning code that generally prohibits convenience stores from opening in La Cañada Flintridge. However, the 7-Eleven chain’s willingness to tailor-fit stores to fit nontraditional locations, as in this case, was the key to ensuring its move in. Before 7-Eleven could take possession of La Cañada Liquor’s license, the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control would consider any objections by the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, city Planning Department and the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. Ultimately, it was granted a license and is currently undergoing construction. Allowing the convenience store to be built may be a better choice than keeping La Cañada Liquor, as it provides goods for a larger consumer base. As for the 7-Eleven that will be

students understand the impact they have on water use, on the ocean, and on each other,” concluded Dr. Ewoldsen. a part of the Union 76 gas station that is reopening after two years of downtime, it had an easier time moving in. City Councilwoman Laura Olhasso said that although the city decided years ago that it didn’t want convenience stores, the shops are permitted when attached to gas stations. But the difference in the two stores is that the owners have chosen to do business essentially as a liquor store, which means that it must generate at least 60% of its sales from alcohol in order to conform to local zoning laws. Many residents have voiced opposition to the coming changes to the community, with the main objection that such a high-end community should encourage high-end retail. However, others are not completely against the two 7-Elevens as they are “convenience” stores and will satisfy customers who want quick and easy purchases.

We know what 250 of you did last summer

February 3, 2012

Calendar New La Cañada Royalty, Barsamian Chosen Miss LCF of Events

February 11 ACT Test @ LCHS February 14 Valentine’s Day @ Worldwide February 15 Backwards Court Nominations @ LCHS

Photo Courtesy of Toni LeBel/ OUTLOOK Miss LCF Lauren Barsamian (center) and Princesses Sarah Bartine, Joelle Dorse, Amy Young, and Kendall Millard (left to right)

Reflections Contest Winners Recognized On Wednesday, January 18, the PTSA recognized 15 Reflections Contest winners in a brief ceremony during second period. The students were presented certificates and cash prizes in front of a crowd of about forty parents. “The Reflections Contest is an opportunity for our incredibly talented LCHS students to showcase their skills and earn a reward,” explained director Christie Frandsen. In addition to the prizes, students were treated to a complimentary breakfast. Notable members of the community, such as High school Principal Dr. Luzak and Schoolboard member Susan Boyd attended. A more formal, reception to honor Photo and story by Michael Belcher the winners will be held at the District office on February 23. The contest winners received certificates of recognition for their accomplishments.

February 17 & 20 NO SCHOOL! @ LCHS February 22 Backwards Court Voting @ LCHS February 23 Backwards Theme Announcement @ LCHS Quad March 2 Backwards Assembly @ LCHS North Gym March 3 Backwards @ LCHS North Gym

Debutantes Dazzle and Dance By Will Swanson Spartan Staff This year’s Debutante program came to its sparkling culmination over the break with the December 30 Debutante Ball. The four candidates, Emily Killam, Katie Abbot, Shannon Burt, and Morgan Devaud, have completed a strenuous program emphasizing cultural, personal and intellectual development. The ball, celebrating the completion of this hard work, took place at the Omni Hotel and featured a night of eating and dancing with many parents and LCHS students in attendance. Many students appreciate the hard work and achievements of these young ladies. “I would like to personally congratulate all the young ladies on their magnificent achievements, I had a great time!” praised La Cañada student Coleman Monroe.

The night started very ceremoniously with a speech from the mayor of La Cañada, Dave Spence, and the candidates being introduced with their fathers, mothers and escorts. The escorts enjoyed a waltz with the mothers of the debutantes and then the debutantes waltzed with their fathers. After the ceremony and dancing, all guests were treated to a great dinner provided by the Omni Hotel, and then a fun night of dancing to crowd favorites like the YMCA. The dancing lasted well until the night and afterwards many students retired to hotel rooms to sleep off the fun night of eating and dancing. Overall, the program is once again a bona fide success, producing four outstanding individuals that La Cañada can and should be proud of.

News

In The News Republican Candidates Vie for Nomination The candidates for the Republican nomination to date are Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul. On January 3, Rick Santorum won the Iowa caucus and on January 10, Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire primary with 39.3% of the votes, followed by Ron Paul with 22.9% of the votes. On January 21, Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina primary with 40.4% of the votes, followed by Mitt Romney with 27.8% of the votes. Rick Santorum and Ron Paul trailed behind with 17% and 13% of the votes, respectively. Since Mitt Romney was not able to take both New Hampshire and South Carolina, it remains uncertain who will be the Republican nominee for the 2012 election. All eyes are on the Florida primary which takes place on January 31. Information gathered from CNN

Apple’s Stock Breaks the Record Apple’s stock briefly rose to $400 billion on January 19, a record high for the technological powerhouse. The company’s market cap slipped below the $400 billion mark by midday as Apple’s stock fell back from the alltime high of $431.37 it reached earlier that morning. Shares closed out at a slightly lower value, leaving Apple with a $398 billion market value. Only Exxon Mobil has a higher valuation, at about $420 billion, followed by both PetroChina at $270 billion, and Microsoft at $235 billion. Apple’s market cap is higher than the gross domestic product of Greece, Austria, Argentina, or South Africa. Information gathered from CNN

Giffords Resigns from Congress Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords announced on her website Sunday that she will resign from Congress this week to continue her recuperation from the brain injury she suffered when shot just over a year ago. Giffords, a Democrat, will submit a letter of resignation during the week of January 23 to House Speaker John Boehner and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. Brewer told reporters that, within 72 hours of receiving her letter of resignation, she expects to call a primary election sometime in April for political parties to pick their candidates for the state’s 8th congressional district seat. The winner will head to Congress for the rest of Giffords’ term, which ends in January 2013. Information gathered from CNN

Opinion

February 3, 2012

The Road to the White House

The Republican Presidential Nomination

By Will Swanson Spartan Staff With the announcements that Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman dropped from the presidential race, the GOP field rid itself of two more candidates that could never be President of the United States. All voters need to hope for now is for the rest of the poor candidates to drop out, specifically Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. “But that’s the rest of the candidates?!” you exclaim as your copy of the Spartan Newspaper drops to the floor and you stare perplexed at the ceiling. I know, it is indeed the rest of the candidates, but the rest of the candidates would make very mediocre presidents, but thankfully, they most likely will never get there. The frontrunner is Mitt Romney, who almost won the Iowa Caucus and then won New Hampshire Primary. Conservatives do not really like Romney; in fact, many contemplate and connive how to derail him. Romney has answered these critics by doing his best to alienate moderates and portray himself as a true conservative. This act of politics is precisely what republicans decry in President Obama, too. “He leads from behind,” they shout, “We need a leader,” they cry. Well, a leader will be hard to find in Romney, who has changed h i s

could very well win the nomination, but he would have to face some interesting questions later. For one, his own ethics: he was the subject of a House ethics investigation while Speaker and he cheated o n

How Would La Cañada High School Students Vote?

The GOP candidates have been mocked, investigated, yelled at, and impersonated since day one. The liberal media has effectively dehumanized the candidates into ridiculous caricatures, simply for voter amusement. Sadly, the defamation has altered the

Mitt Romney his wife while she had cancer. His own politics hinder him, too. Newt would struggle to win any moderate votes with his “Reagan” conservative views that shift from delusional to ambitious. Newt also attacked mortgage lender Fannie Mae while being paid over a million dollars by the firm for being an in-house “historian.” If those two frontrunners cannot overcome their problems, and they shouldn’t, then voters would have to choose between Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. Paul, an isolationist, would like to adopt the foreign policy we had before WWI. The fact that he has gotten one bill passed in 20 years in congress shows the practicality of his views.

perception of those who don’t thoroughly analyze each individual candidate. Luckily, I have made it my mission to alter the propaganda and give an honest look at each candidate and their platform. 1. Mitt Romney: The current frontrunner in the race, Romney is often noted for his Mormon faith. He is popular because many believe he has the strongest chance against Obama. With degrees from Brigham Young University, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business, Romney founded Bain Capitol and helped launch companies such as Staples, Domino’s Pizza, and The Sports Authority. With a background in the Private Sector, Romney was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002. This balance between an individual enterprise and government success makes him the ideal republican candidate. 2. Ron Paul: Paul is considered the “Dark Horse” of the election. His radical ideas a n d

Ron Paul opinion on gun control and abortion. Romney also points to his experience in the business world, as proof he can relate to and understand the people who are key parts of the economy. Well, many small business owners probably can not relate to Romney, whose business experience comes from his position as head of the corporate raiding firm Bain Capitol. Bain has a bad history of leaving companies debt ridden, which normally ends in them going under and all the workers losing their jobs. Those who agree with that summary normally turn to Newt Gingrich next. Newt is a crafty little debater who gets the crowds going when he goes after his opponents, the debate moderators, and President Obama. Newt

By Mark Kilaghbian Spartan Staff

Rick Santorum, on the other hand, is a former Pennsylvania Senator who, even though he could not win re-election there, thinks he can become President of the United States. He’s also religiously opposed to contraception and is without a doubt the most pro-life candidate in the field. That would in theory hurt him severely in the general election, where the independent women vote is important. Overall, it looks like a bleak year for the GOP field, and Donald Trump did not even run. Barring a run by an independent candidate, the 2012 Presidential election will be a showdown between President Obama and an enthusiastic Republican without a real chance.

Newt Gingrich

long history in politics make him unpredictable yet, excitingly interesting. Paul began with a career in medicine, delivering almost 4,000 babies. From there he won a seat in congress in 1976. While more Libertarian than Republican, Paul has been notably consistent in his ideology, a rarity among presidential hopefuls. Ron Paul has never voted for a bill to increase taxes, raise the debt ceiling, or encroach on individual rights. He believes in individual liberty above all things, and as a staple of the Libertarian philosophy, sees the government as an unnecessary forced invasion of privacy, prosperity, and welfare. 3. Jon Huntsman (Dropped out/ Now Endorses Mitt Romney): Often referred to as the most moderate candidate, Jon Huntsman served in Obama’s administration as ambassador to China. Before his days in the White House Huntsman served as CEO of the Huntsman Corporation and Governor of Utah. With strong ties to the private and political sectors Huntsman has been named by the New York Times as the most electable GOP candidate. His willingness to put his country before his party has made him unpopular in the GOP nomination. Huntsman attended University of Utah and went on to receive Bachelors in international politics from University of Pennsylvania. 4. Newt Gingrich: Newt is a constantly changing candidate whose poll ratings seem to fluctuate more than any other. With an education from Emory University and years of congressional experience, Newt is a classic career politician. He was named “Man of the Year” by TIME magazine in 1995, after ending the 40 year democratic control over the House. Many people see Newt as inexperienced in the private sector which is a vital part of the Republican platform. It’s notable that Newt began his campaign on the moral high ground by vowing not to put out attack ads against other candidates, yet switched his views recently to accommodate the increasingly heated election. 5. Rick Santorum: As one of the least respected candidates, Santorum is often bullied by his opposition during debates. Santorum began at Penn State University and eventually graduated from University of Pittsburg. Santorum has since been both a Representative and a senator in the U.S. Congress. With low standings in the i n

Of the 50 LCHS students surveyed from January 10-11, 14% would vote for President Barack Obama in the November General Election.

previous polls, he surged during the Iowa caucus only to be shot down again during New Hampshire. Since he is not a real threat to Romney, Santorum has acted as a stepping stone to other candidates looking for a higher standing. 6. Rick Perry (Dropped out/Now endorsees Newt Gingrich): Perry is a stereotypical Texan whose love of southern values has made him popular with social conservatives. Perry began with his service in the Air Force, and then in 1985 became a Representative for Texas. In 1999 he became Lieutenant Governor of Texas and then Governor in 2000. Rick Perry believes strongly in gun rights, the death penalty and Christian values. His beliefs aren’t just limited to ideology, he jogs with a .380 Ruger and has executed 234 criminals in Texas. While not the most outspoken of the candidates, Perry has the values of a strong moral leader which are vital to the America we live in today. His Texan roots enforce his beliefs in both private enterprise and low taxes. Perry became infamous after forgetting about the EPA, which he was planning on cutting along with education and the Department of Energy. While an embarrassing blunder, this misstep is understandable considering the immense pressure put on candidates during debates.

Rick Santorum

The Spartan Staff Kevork Kurdoghlian Editor-in-Chief Ailin Kim and David Rhee Managing Editors Sam Frederich Copy Editor David Belcher and Armen Dingizian News Editors Paul Kim and Daniel Rhee Features Editors Jack Finnigan and Ariel Vaisbort Entertainment Editors Jennifer Kim and Michael Belcher Sports Editors Paulina Galoostian and Michael Bishop Photography Editors Coleman Monroe and Carly Moore Opinion Editors

Ben Powers Advisor Reporters

Barack Obama

Kate Battaglia Tamar Bessos Jinny Choi Sharon Han Austin Hong Tammy Hsu Mark Kilaghbian Andrew Kim Esther Kim Flor Lee Anastacia Menemenlis Gemma Sokol Hannah Stewart Will Swanson Campbell Taylor

Opinion

February 3, 2012

Defining our High School Experiences by our Teachers Good Teacher vs. Bad Teacher By Ariel Vaisbort Entertainment Editor

hat makes a good teacher? Is it her enthusiasm for the course? Or is it his charming personality, the course subject, or her teaching style?

We have all had bad teachers. Whether they were mean, annoying, or just boring, every student has experienced a teacher that he just couldn’t deal with. I have had teachers who didn’t care about their subject. Therefore, the class was boring, I didn’t do homework, and spent most of the period comatose. On the other hand, I have had classes where the teacher loved what he was doing. I actually went to class and did well. A teacher who cares about the

course is by far the most effective. If he is enthusiastic about the topic, the students are more likely to care. Some teachers teach from the textbook, essentially giving their students handwriting exercises. Last year, in Geology with Mr. Traeger, I learned so much because he cared about the class. He knew what he was talking about, and would get excited about each day’s class. Let’s be honest: the less you care about a course, the more likely

student does work because she doesn’t want to let the teacher down. Even if the student doesn’t actually care about the subject, she still tries her hardest just because she doesn’t want to upset the teacher. We have to deal with all types of teachers. That’s life. And certainly there is no one mold of effective teacher, but those who want to motivate and inspire their students will almost certainly have the characteristics that I’ve described.

America: Land of the Free

Floats continued from page 1 Growing up in La Cañada, which led to playing little league baseball (LCJBSA RULES!), I was taught that everyone was a winner. Whether or not my team won a single game, I would receive a five-inch tall plastic trophy with a fake marble base after stuffing myself with Round Table pizza and some mediocre cake that the team mom bought at the last minute. This would ensure that no feelings would be hurt, which is what baseball, and modern day America, is all about. My little league days are now far behind me, but the lessons I learned is still with me today. That is why I fond it intolerable that some floats win prizes, but others don’t! Everyone put a lot of effort into the floats so everyone should get a shiny ribbon and a banner in front of their float held by Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts! Instead, this tyrannical, despotic organization known as the Tournament of Roses gets to pass judgment on these works of art. La Cañada usually is on the short end of the stick. Every year I watch some big wig float made by Wells Fargo or Honda stroll down Orange Grove with a big ‘ole “Best Float” or “President’s Choice” banner in front of it while the La Canada float, which is half the size, rides down the street naked. First of all, there are like twenty awards for mainly three things: best use of flowers, most creative, and most American or Californian (Whatever that means.) This is some pretty serious stuff and you would think the Tournament would have highly trained, master florists judge these bad boys, but in actuality they just have some local peeps of importance just choose the ones that look cool. I have a few award suggestions for the Tournament so everyone can be a winner. First of all, of all the wonderful human beings who should have their name attached to a float award, Jesus Christ stands out among the crowd. Therefore, I would recommend “The Lord’s Award” for the most religiously oriented masterpiece. (This year, the gargantuan floral Bible would be my pick.) In the spirit of American Capitalism, I would honor the costliest float in the Parade. Although these large companies use slave labor to build their float- they call them “volunteers”- the jobs they provide for flower-pickers in the Third World are innumerable. And for that terribly designed float that deserves no recognition but will receive praise nonetheless, I would present the “Coach’s Award.” There was always that kid on the baseball team that would strikeout at every at bat, but because his parents paid that $200, he will get that plastic trophy he did not earn! This year, La Cañada made a miraculous comeback. For those of you who don’t know, and shame on you if you don’t, La Cañada won the Bob Hope Humor Award. Anything with flying pigs is a sure win in this category. This award has restored our community pride and has shown the World that the little man can be funnier than corporate giants. But what about all of those floats that were not as good as ours? Surely they deserve something, too, maybe a tiny trophy or medal to take home. What if their feelings were hurt? I don’t know if I could live with myself. So I am pleading for the Rose Parade to change its policy of dolling out awards to only the good floats. This is America, and everyone needs to be a winner!

you are to cheat and copy work. A student could learn absolutely nothing, but pass a class simply by copying. However, if the teacher is interesting, and manages to make a subject (like nuclear biological engineering or basket weaving) exciting, then the student is actually more likely to learn. Some teachers understand that the more they care and make an effort to learn about their student’s lives, the more students are interested in success. Because the teacher cares, the

(when convenient) By Campbell Taylor Spartan Staff

fter finishing the novel, Mr. Valassidis asked our class, “Do you see any examples of 1984 in society today?” A low murmer broke out among my classmates, and I realized that one recent example came to mind. On January 18, Wikipedia went dark. Literally. It was an unsettling feeling looking at the home page, not seeing the friendly white layout, but instead a black and powerful statement entitled ‘Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge.’ Wi k i p e d i a t o o k a s t a n d against the government’s attempt to stop online privacy by publicly denouncing SOPA (Stop Online Privacy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) . These bills have created a media fi eld day. Wikipedia, along with 10,000 other sites, such as Google, Reddit, and Youtube, joined in the protest. By the end of the day over 4.5 million people had signed a petition to stop SOPA. So, with the inability to finish my homework, I clicked on one of the few links that Wikipedia would let me see-The SOPA and PIPA page. Unknowingly, I began to scratch the surface of information that I would research pertaining to these two bills. PIPA and SOPA primarily deal with the growing issue of copyright infringement. Backed up by the entertainment industry, the bills will be shutting down all “free” movies, slogans, unauthorized music streams, etc. I know what you’re thinking. Aren’t there already consequences for this criminal act? The answer is yes. Websites like Youtube take down videos everyday, and companies are sued. So what’s different? I agree that if a company or artist has the copyright to a product, and a third party takes that product and tries to sell it as their own, it’s wrong. However, now our Government is taking it too far. Let me explain. There are two different kinds of IP addresses in the Internet world. A domestic site is a webpage that is located in the US, and can be directly punished for

By Carly Moore Opinion Editor infringement. Then there are foreign sites, commonly known as ‘rogue sites,’ that are outside of the the US borders and therefore falling outside of government jurisdiction. So with hardly any way to control the content on rogue sites, the bills go into the topic of “censorship.” Here is where all CEOs of major tech companies must have thrown a chair at the wall. The bill lays out a plan of “screening” all rogue sites, in other words, checking each link posted on a search engine or page, to ensure that it isn’t one of the blocked domain names. Whether you know this or not, Google already censors out sites pertaining to various Internet pages such as child pornography, which is totally fine, but this new kind of censorship takes one step too far. Now, if a website like Google is found with a restricted domain linking a user to a rogue site, the government has the right to sue them, or cut the sponsors’ ads on those sites. This means that Google must monitor every web-page in their search engine. Not only will this ‘’censorship” put smaller websites out of business, but it will also give the ability for any entertainment company to sue any site they feel is infringing upon them. This idea of direct control over what we can and cannot see doesn’t just stop here. Not only will we be blocked from these sites, but we won’t be able to discuss how to unblock them. Conversations have to be watched, tailored, and probed to the government’s liking, taking the term “censorship” to a whole new level. Can you say breech on the First Amendment anyone? And it doesn’t just stop there. A judge who decides that the accused website looks like it’s a pirate site can restrict it. Websites that publish movie

Who does our government protect? The people? The rich? Itself? When our country builds pipelines across Alaska, evicts protestors from public places, and spends billions bailing out companies that have devastated the U.S. economy, who are they really fighting for? When our political establishment, which is supposed to be governed “for the people, by the people,” protects the interests of industrial monopolies and enterprises against the opinions and views held by the majority of its populace as indiscreetly as it has in recent times, something has gone seriously wrong. With the recent shutdown of the “Occupy” protests in Oakland, California and New York City, New York, we find that this government prefers a movement such as the Tea Party, an anti-government pro-big business protest to the Occupy Movement, a pro-government, antibig business protest. Many speculate as to why this is, but the answer is obvious. Our first amendment is less important to governing officials than the money they receive from so called “lobbyists.” (Lobbying is similar to a “legal bribe.”) With massive corporations sliding money directly into various senators’ pockets, our country cannot function democratically. Big businesses now have more political power than the other 99% of Americans who make up the lower and middle class. Late November, on the campus of UC Davis a crowd of Occupy Davis peaceful protesters were pepper-sprayed by a police Lieutenant while sitting, huddled together to protect themselves from the intensity of brutality officers were inflicting at the time. The lieutenant, John Pike of the UC Davis police force casually maced the students of the Occupy Movement until his weapon had literally run out of fluid. He then called over several other officers to continue to attack for him. The final straw should have been when police, dressed in full riot gear, forced hundreds, almost thousands, of protesters occupying Central Park back out into the streets. Sadly, we live in a semi-pacified country. Those intelligent enough to see what has happened and could possibly do something about it are often too quiet and continue on with their lives knowing most are much less secure socially and financially than themselves. We are living in a broken country that is slowly limiting the rights of its own citizens promised by the very document that founded it, the Constitution. Speak out while you still can.

clips, pictures, or songs, but where people express free thought and voice ideas, for example Tumblr or Soundcloud, could be misconstrued by the government as copyrighted entertainment. Ironically, the bill won’t benefit the economy. The Internet is the main cash cow when it comes to contributing, and dominates over entertainment’s product sales. Not only that, but the Internet is so complex, that any user could just type in the IP address, rather than the domain name, and access the blocked site. You can’t stop those hackers from hacking. With SOPA and PIPA, the government will be watching every move you make when you go online. So, if I can’t talk about a pirate site online, can I still discuss it by word of mouth? Will the Government restrict my speech next? How exactly will they do that, by installing telescreens in my home? SOPA and PIPA is bigger than you realize. It’s not the only bill that has been debated this year that has a direct impact on our freedoms (cough NDAA.) What’s going on at Capital Hill that’s keeping these politicians from seeing that this antiprivacy bill is just one step closer to totalitarianism? If the bill passes, it gives a huge amount of power to the Attorney General Eric Holder, the Entertainment industry, and the Courts. And everyone knows that with large amounts of power, comes large amounts of abuse. If the bill does not pass, however, it still gives a chilling reminder of how close we were to losing on our rights. During the 1984 Superbowl, Apple launched their first ever commercial, implying that by buying their computer, a world would open with endless possibilities. Apple proclaimed that their product would make 1984, nothing like 1984. Now it’s 2012, and the government is proposing to limit those possibilities. The only thing stopping this bill from passing are the voices protesting against it. So wake up LCHS. If you know about SOPA and PIPA, pick up a phone and call our Senator. If not, then it’s time to stop being ignorant, and get informed. Let’s not let 2012 All the stories in the publication reflect the opinion of each individual writer. be like 1984.

Features

February 3, 2012

TOP

Controlling the Rioting Masses

The Top Seven Ways to Contol a Riot

By Mark Kilaghbian Spartan Staff

ime magazine has named “the Protester” as the Person of the Year. It’s undeniable that, in 2011, protesting, both peaceful and violent, became a growing movement. With protests becoming increasingly popular, law enforcement and riot control officers have been forced to adapt to the massive gatherings. Since protests and riot control tactics go hand in hand, this article concerns the consequences rioters face, and which technique is truly the most brutal.

TOP 10 continued from page 1 I can’t pin down the exact point when the GOP transformed from the party of level-headedness and restraint into a total loony bin. All I can say is that I am LOVING THE RIDE.

6) Pepper Spray: It seems unusual that a small stream of foam is effective against unruly civilians; however, pepper spray’s effectiveness has been proven numerous times. The spray induces vomiting, burning, and extreme discomfort for hours. When sprayed into the eyes or mouth, the symptoms increase ten fold and cannot be subdued by washing or scrubbing.

*Dodges thrown tomatoes*

Love him or hate him, the Jesus-loving Denver quarterback was easily the most interesting and inspiring thing about the NFL in 2011. Until the Patriots game, that is. Ouch.

5) The Bean Bag Round: Fired from modified 12-gauge shotguns, the bean bag round can break ribs and incapacitate even the most motivated individuals. While only effective at close range, protesters all over the world fear it.

Two and a Half Men’s crazy star crashed and burned in perhaps the decade’s most memorable celebrity meltdown. His career is basically torpedoed at this point, but at least he provided twitter with some memorable quotes and got a 100 million dollar settlement from NBC (Can you say “#winning”?)

They killed Osama Bin Laden. ‘Nuff said.

7) The Baton: While simple, the baton can be a truly painful riot control weapon. The baton causes blunt force trauma and, if wielded by an experienced individual, can be more effective than a baseball bat. The tool can be used for both offense and defense, which makes it truly versatile.

Sure, it may have been the most over-reported story of the year, but in a world gone to hell, the lovable duchess’s marriage with the prince was exactly the fairy-tale escape we needed.

One of the great geniuses of our generation finally went to the big tech expo in the sky. He was a man who revolutionized technology, the music industry, and the way we connect with each other, and 2012 won’t be the same without him.

2011 Person of the Year Man, this was not a good year to be a terrorist, crazy dictator, or evil mastermind. 2011 was the year that Muammar Gadaffi, Kim Jong Il, and Osama Bin Laden all bit the dust (why do famous people always die in threes?), and dictators all over the world started shaking in their jackboots. No one can say what the future of their countries will hold, but one thing is for sure: things will be very different in 2012. Unless the world ends, of course.

Runners-Up: William McRaven, Mitt Romney, The Muppets, Foster the People, J.K. Rowling, Oprah, Zooey Deschanel, Bono, Arthur D. Levinson, George R.R. Martin, Donald Trump, The Pepper Spray Cop, Amy Winehouse

4) Rubber Bullet Gun: These guns rely on black powder to launch large surface area projectiles aimed at causing severe pain without penetration. These rounds are fired at velocities close to regular bullets, but are aimed away from vital organs to avoid life threatening damage. Officers trusted with these weapons are highly trained and very accurate.

CS Gas (Tear gas): Fired from a 40mm grenade launcher, these aerosol canisters induce tearing from the eyes, immediate vomiting, profuse coughing, restricted breathing, dizziness, disorientation, and skin irritation. The effects can last hours and have been described as being unrelenting.

Taser Shockwave: Formed by six Taser X26 Stun Guns, the shockwave covers a twenty degree angle with twenty-five feet of pure electricity. These large Taser systems are designed for “area denial” in which large crowds need to be quickly subdued. It has been said the system could “take out a herd of charging rhinos”.

Taser X12: Designed by Taser, this projectile fired by a modified 12-gauge shotgun uses Extended Range Electronic Projectile technology, or X.R.E.P. As described by the Taser website it is a “selfcontained, wireless projectile that delivers the same neuro-muscular incapacitation bio-effect (a fancy way of saying electric shock) as the handheld Taser, but up to 100 feet”. With Metal Storm’s MAUL technology the guns can fire five projectiles in less than two seconds. The technology is currently utilized by the Albuquerque Police department, curious that Occupy Albuquerque isn’t trending.

How to Sleep Better By Austin Hong Spartan Staff Technology is rapidly developing, making daytime work much more efficient. With the increase in efficiency, there are also more things to do, which leaves less time for sleep. Life would be great if the days stopped once the sun went down, but TOO BAD! The only option we have in this constantly moving world is to make the most of our sleep. Here are some tips to sleep better at night and feel more refreshed in the morning. 1. Keep a regular sleep schedule. Remember Kindergarten, when you had to sleep at 7:30PM and wake up at 7:30 AM, and then you got naptime during school? Weren’t those the greatest days? That’s exactly what you need—with adjusted times, of course. Making yourself a bedtime and waking up at the same time every day will create a sleep-wake rhythm. If you happen to lose sleep time, you can make it up with daytime naps, but make sure that the naps aren’t close to your bedtime because you won’t be able to fall asleep. 2. Naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, and it is controlled by light exposure, secreting more when in the dark. Minimize the use of sunglasses and spend as much time outside during the day as possible. Keep curtains open and move your desk closer to the window. At night, when trying to sleep, make your room dark. Don’t put yourself to sleep with TV or read before bedtime with a backlit device—yes, that means your iPad. Use low-wattage lightbulbs for your room, and when you need to take a bathroom break in the middle of the night, use a flashlight. Lastly, stay off the sleeping pills! It’s no bueno. 3. Create a relaxing environment. Keep noise down, make the room cool, and make sure your bed is comfortable. To drown out any excessive noises, use a sound-box, or drown out the noise with a fan. A comfortable sleeping environment is around 65°F or 18°C, with adequate ventilation. A bed is comfortable if you don’t wake up with a sore back or aching neck, and you have enough space to stretch. 4. Reserve your bed for sleep. Doing this will trigger your body to realize that when you step into your bed, it’s time to sleep. Don’t watch TV, eat, and especially, don’t do any homework on your bed. Not only will you get little homework done, but also you won’t get very good sleep at night. 5. Do all the other usual stuff. Here comes the lecture! Eat right and get regular exercise because it will help you relax more during your sleep. Stay away from big meals at night so that your stomach doesn’t have to work while the rest of your body tries to rest. It’s just not fair! 6. Lastly, just relax! Make your goal to relax, not to sleep. Breathe deeply and try not to think about anything and you’re good to go! Good luck on your sleeping adventures and embrace it while it lasts!

Features 7

February 3, 2012

Gum Makes You Smart By Austin Hong Spartan Staff

ou’re sitting in STEP with nothing better to do, and so you’re reading this newspaper’s funny articles. Here’s an idea! Reach under your desk and feel what’s underneath it. Feel anything bumpy? Now look at what you’re touching. Gum has been causing trouble for schools all over the country for too many years, leading many school boards to decide to ban the minty delight. Some folks, like sophomore Noah Kim, believe that gum is “a distraction… because I am using two different senses and thinking of two different things at the same time.” Little does he know that besides providing extra service hours for Key Club members, gum also gives much more to students. Recent studies support the claim that chewing gum –sugar or sugarfree, but specifically mint flavored – improves brain activity. The mastication of minty gum has been found to make people more attentive, help students earn better test scores, improve reaction times, and even put folks in better moods. In 2011, the Appetite Journal published a study on 160 undergraduate students who were asked to take mental tests, recite numbers in reverse order, and solve logic puzzles. This test showed that the gum-chomping students did better than those who went without. Likewise, Baylor College of Medicine tested eighth graders from a charter school and found that the students who chewed gum did 3% better own standardized math tests and ended

with higher final grades. In 2012, Coventry University and Cardiff University tested specifically on flavors of gum. Coventry had a third of its participants chew minty gum, another third pretend to chew gum, and the other third with nothing. The

photo from nymag.com

participants had their pupils measured for 11 minutes in a dark room to check their sleepiness. They found that those chewing minty gum had dramatically reduced daytime sleepiness. At Cardiff, 133 volunteers were randomly given different flavors of gum. They were all given demanding mental tests, but half of them were placed in noisy, stress-inducing environment, while the other half were put in a quiet room. The volunteers rated their moods before and after the test, had their heart rates monitored, and had their cortisol (a stress hormone that also measures alertness) levels measured. According to the results, those with minty flavored gum were more attentive, received better results, and were even in better moods. But don’t get too excited… St. Lawrence University found that the gum had to be chewed five minutes prior to the test. Even more unfortunate, the gum’s “powers” only last about 15-20 minutes into the chewing, so it should only be used when you’re trying to solve a difficult problem. The reasons for these phenomena are still yet to be discovered. However, studies speculate that the act of chewing gum stimulates brain activity from the physical act of masticating, which may increase blood flow to the brain. At least now we know. Gum is not a bad thing! “I wish that I didn’t feel like a criminal when I have some [gum] in my backpack,” says senior Sam Whitefield. To bring an end to the criminalization of gum, stop putting gum under the desk and on the floors. Save it for later so that, maybe, one day, La Cañada can beat San Marino on the STAR tests.

A Lesson in Charismatic Swagger By Campbell Taylor Spartan Staff While no introduction is needed, it is pleasantly given for such an interesting man of genius and comedy. With an SAT score of 2370, a 4.0 weighted GPA, and open options in the fields of law, writing, engineering, and medicine, senior Ben Levin dominates the halls of LCHS with his charismatic swag, abundant intelligence, and good looks to boot. On his daily walk to any of the nine academic clubs he is a member of, he struts down the hall with the only two things he needs in life; a sandwich from Pasadena Pine Burger and his girlfriend Masha Karelina. At least, this is the fashion in which he appeared for our interview. As we sat down I found I was attempting to understand a deep and dense man. Shortly after I began questioning him we got distracted and we began quizzing each other on the capitals of countries around the globe. After a heated debate over the position of Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, we settled down and continued the interview.

Any day of the month you may find him in Mock Trial, Speech & Debate, Science Club, Computer Programming Club, Aviation Club, Engineering Club, Comedy Sports, Young Democrats, or rehearsing lines for his next big part in the advanced theater shows. “The theater occupies a lot of my time, mostly because I enjoy the people and the atmosphere.” he says. Ben has participated in all three musicals that are performed at the end of each year and plans on finishing his high school career with a fourth under his belt. Although he has achieved success in the theater, he shows little interest in acting professionally, “It is fun for a small audience comprised of mostly friends and family, but I can’t imagine it being a full time job. There are too many borders.” He earns money as a tutor after the school day has finished and goes home to watch his favorite movie, High Fidelity and read his favorite book, Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card. Surely, a lengthy and successful life is promised to such a scholar as the handsome and daring Ben Levin.

Entertainment

February 3, 2012

Comics A Haunting The Oscars 2012 The Behind the Romance The Nominees Are... Screen Compiled by Hannah Stewart Spartan Staff

By Flor di Lee Spartan Staff

Best Picture

During winter break, I took a brief trip to New York City. Besides breaking my piggy bank and spending my future college fund in its entirety on clothes, I bought two tickets to the Broadway musical, The Phantom of the Opera. I had no intention of writing a review on this musical because, frankly, I did not expect anything spectacular from a supposedly sappy and antiquated love story. However, after a few laughs and chills down the spine, I decided that this Broadway musical deserves its highly acclaimed name as Broadway’s longest running musical. My seat was located in the center orchestra center, not so close to the actors where I would be able to feel their spit land on my face but not too far away from the stage where I would have to use binoculars to enjoy the show. I recommend buying tickets from the TKTS booths, which are located in several populated areas such as Times Square. Tickets are discounted heavily (from 20 to 50 percent) and the seats are not bad. The acting was fairly credible. The love triangle between the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul did not bring any tears to my eyes, but the plot was very easy to understand and follow. There was a tinge of comedy in the script, bringing a few sporadic laughs throughout the whole show. My favorite character was Raoul, a tall, somewhat handsome man who cares about Christine more than his own life. I don’t want to spoil the plot for anyone who may be interested in watching the show, but the final scene in which he watches Christine fall into the Phantom’s hands was chilling. Most would sympathize with the Phantom, but I felt compassion for Raoul and his hopelessness. The ending was quite sad, yet I left the theater with a smile. The Phantom of the Opera may not have swept me off my feet, but it surely inspired me to come back to New York for more Broadway shows. I recommend this show to any music or theatre aficionados meandering about New York City.

k, did anyone, anyone, actually expect this movie to be good? I mean, at this point Mission Impossible 4 has become a huge commercial and critical hit, one of the top-rated action movies in recent years. But seriously, it’s the fourth entry in a tired series, coming six years after the last movie underperformed, directed by a man (Brad Bird) whose only notable work has been in animation, starring an actor who’s gone the way of Mel Gibson in recent years. How could this movie possibly be any good? Heck if I know, but it is. Seriously, Mission: Impossible4 isn’t just good; it’s easily the best in the series. The acting is great, the script is funny, the effects are solid, and the action is mind-blowing. Overall, it’s a film that’s light on plot, but heavy on thrills, laughs, and, most importantly, pure

Beginners Nick Nolte Warrior Christopher Plummer

Hugo Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Max von Sydow

Midnight in Paris Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers Moneyball Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers The Tree of Life Nominees to be determined War Horse Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Actor In a Leading Role A Better Life Demián Bichir

The Artist Jean Dujardin

The Help Jessica Chastain

The Descendants Alexander Payne

Bridesmaids Melissa McCarthy

Hugo Martin Scorsese

The Help Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs Octavia Spencer

Midnight in Paris Woody Allen

Animated Feature Film

Kung Fu Panda 2 Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Moneyball Brad Pitt

Puss in Boots Chris Miller

Actress In a Leading Role

Rango Gore Verbinski

The Help Glenn Close Albert Nobbs Viola Davis

Art Direction

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Rooney Mara The Iron Lady Meryl Streep My Week With Marilyn Michelle Williams

Actor In a Supporting Role My Week With Marilyn Kenneth Branagh

Directing

The Artist Bérénice Bejo

Chico & Rita Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Gary Oldman

The Artist Laurence Bennett (Production Design); Robert Gould (Set Decoration)

The Artist Michel Hazanavicius

The Tree of Life Terrence Malick

Documentary Feature

Hell and Back Again Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky Pina Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel Undefeated TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Foreign Language Film

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Stuart Craig (Production Design); Stephenie McMillan (Set Decoration)

Belgium, “Bullhead” Michael R. Roskam, director

Hugo Dante Ferretti (Production Design); Francesca Lo Schiavo (Set Decoration)

Iran, “A Separation” Asghar Farhadi, director

Moneyball Jonah Hill

entertainment. That said, the story is easily the weakest element of MI: 4, mainly because it lacks both a memorable villain and tangible emotional stakes. The main bad guy is just a stereotypical Russian mastermind who wants to start a nuclear war (ho hum), and with Ethan Hunt’s wife now out of the picture, many of the movie’s thrills don’t hit as close to home as they did in the last movie. Overall, it’s not a bad plot, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.

War Horse Rick Carter (Production Design); Lee Sandales (Set Decoration)

Actress In a Supporting Role

A Cat in Paris Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli

The Descendants George Clooney

Midnight in Paris Anne Seibel (Production Design); Hélène Dubreuil (Set Decoration)

Canada, “Monsieur Lazhar” Philippe Falardeau, director

Israel, “Footnote” Joseph Cedar, director Poland, “In Darkness” Agnieszka Holland, director

Fortunately, the film ounce of humor, pathos, overcomes its unoriginal and excitement from the narrative with stylish script, coaxes terrific ease, largely thanks performances from to Brad Bird. The the talented cast, Ratatouille and tears into the director action scenes squeezes with the every same

I recently watched the new Spielberg film The Adventures of Tintin with my sister over Martin Luther King weekend. We are both causal comic book enthusiasts, and are familiar with the Tintin comics created by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. We were expecting the same charm and simplicity found in the comics, but instead we saw, basically, a CGI animated version of Indiana Jones, only with the lead characters replaced by our beloved protagonists. Where did Tintin’s dot eyes, egg-shaped head and plug nose go? Why isn’t Snowy talking like he did in the comics? And why does it get so dark and serious? The feel of the comic books is a completely different story. Yes, they do have a fair share of action, sleuthing and crime, but all this intense subject matter has a humorous glow in the comics. A high-stakes, drug smuggling investigation can have its occasional chuckles, even in the suspenseful scenes. The antagonists in the film seem life-threatening and potentially homicidal, whereas in the comic, they’re only greedy, gullible and rather unfortunate bad guys. Tintin doesn’t get out of trouble through tough and brawn, but by cunning deception, tricks and traps. Sometimes, Tintin bests his adversaries out of pure luck. Even the explosions are light-hearted, usually drawn as soft, fluffly pillows with sound effects written in bold rather than fiery bursts of violent red. Even though the movie understood the humor in detectives Thomson and Thompson and Captain Haddock, it sadly failed to portray the humor in Tintin and Snowy’s personalities. Tintin shares his moments of drunkenness, foolishness and ironic obliviousness. Even Snowy sneaks a drink or two here and there, and he sometimes conveys almost anthropomorphic emotions like mischevious grins and serious scowls. The movie was enjoyable, but there was something vital that was missing from it. Watch the movie, but also take a look at the actual comics to experience the original Tintin.

inventive flair he displayed in The Incredibles. Perhaps his smartest move, however, was giving more screen time to the rest of the characters besides Ethan Hunt. Whereas the last two Mission Impossible movies were essentially one-man shows for Tom Cruise, Ghost Protocol focuses much more on the ensemble dynamic of the original show. This allows the rest of the cast to shine, particularly Jeremy Renner and the always hilarious Simon Pegg, and gives the movie a buddy-cop sense of fun and camaraderie. But we all know

An Action-Packed Review of Mission Impossible 4 By Sam Frederich Copy Editor

By Andrew Kim Spartan Staff

the story and characters are only half of the equation in a Mission Impossible movie. How’s the action? Well, to put it simply: AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Seriously, Ghost Protocol has some of the most adrenaline-pumping set-pieces I’ve seen since Casino Royale. There were moments that had the entire theater gasping and cheering like stoners on a rollercoaster, particularly the stomach-churning money shot where Tom Cruise scales the world’s tallest building. Regardless of his off-camera shenanigans, Cruise has gained my undying respect for doing his own stunts in that scene. Anyway, if my gushing review wasn’t clear enough, I loved this film. If you like action movies at all, you owe it to yourself to check out Ghost Protocol while it’s still in theaters. And Brad Bird, could you do a James Bond movie? Please? Quantum of Solace could’ve been so much better…

February 3, 2012

Worthy of Watching: New Year’s Eve By Tamar Bessos Spartan Staff The holidays are officially over—no more caroling, no more Christmas trees, no more gingerbread cookies. If you’re like me, you’ll find this post-Christmas season incredibly depressing. So, in order to cheer up, I watch as many holiday movies as possible. My personal favorite from this holiday season was New Year’s Eve. The movie is based on the lives of several couples and singles in New York City and how they intertwine on New Year’s Eve. The movie explores almost every aspect of New Year’s Eve: the infamous Times Square ball drop, the anticipated midnight kiss, the New Year’s resolutions, and much more. As I watched the movie, I immediately wanted to spend the holidays in New York City; New Year’s seems much more magical

and full of life there. Some of the A-list actors featured in the film include Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Robert DeNiro, Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhmel, John Bon Jovi, Sofia Vergara, Jessica Biel, Seth Meyers, and Hilary Swank. New Year’s Eve is a sequel to Valentine’s Day, which hit theaters about two years ago. Both of the movies share very similar plot lines; they are both centered on the lives of a number of different people who, towards the end of the movie, are united. I won’t give all the specifics away, because I know that some people still haven’t had the chance to watch it. I highly recommend this movie to every one of all ages. With a combination of comedy, romance, and friendship, New Year’s Eve makes the perfect holiday movie.

Every Once in a While Someone Emerges By Tammy Hsu Spartan Staff Every once in a while, someone emerges from the ashes of autotune and shows the world that music still has hope. One of these “someones” is singer-songwriter Alyssa Bernal who made her name off YouTube videos. Alyssa first posted these homemade videos five years ago and never imagined she would get so many views. Since then, Alyssa has pursued her musical career, even teaching herself how to play the guitar. Sometime between her busy high

school life and singing to a camera in front of her room, platinumselling artist and producer, Pharrell Williams discovered her talent and knew he had to find a way to contact her. Alyssa has now signed with, Star Trak/Interscope Records and released her debut album, “Love Hangover”, that includes her singles, “Cali, Cali, Cali” and “Soaking Up the Sun”. Alyssa’s natural voice and willingness to challenge herself has brought her a long way, but it’s only the beginning. This YouTube sensation is sure to capture the hearts of many more YouTube viewers.

Entertainment 9

The People’s Choice Awards By Tammy Hsu Spartan Staff It’s that time of year again when people get to voice their opinions and vote for their favorite artist, actor, actress, you name it. The People’s Choice Awards took place on January 11 at the Nokia Theater. The dazzling night started with a bang as “The Big Bang Theory” cast kicked off the 2012 awards show. As Kaley Cuoco, the leading actress who plays Penny in the hilarious sitcom, got a “phone call” from her “agent” to be a seat filler, the audience was transported into a night of celebrities. Cuoco began the live show with a little bit of a flare. As fireworks shot up from behind the “blond bimbo”, a mysterious voice was heard over the crowd, and Neil Patrick Harris was revealed. The two had a little friendly showdown and soon enough, the show began! The first winner of the night was the fabulous Emma Stone, who won Favorite Movie Actress. The redhead was so excited that she tripped on the way to the stage and her stuttering and exasperation gave away how grateful she was. The crowd went wild when the much anticipated actors from the Hunger Games, Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence presented the award for Favorite TV Drama Actress. Those nominated included the beautiful blond on “Gossip Girl”, Blake Lively, and CW’s newest it girl, Nina Dobrev, on “Vampire Diaries’”. In the end, the winner was Dobrev. To junior Janna Johnson, an attendee of the People’s Choice Awards, Nina’s win was extremely exciting. “My favorite winner of the night was Nina. I love ‘Vampire Diaries!’” she gushed. Fast forwarding through the annoying “thank you” speeches, I found myself pausing when rising

We know what 250 of you did last summer Improve a Grade Work Ahead Free Up Your 2012-13 Schedule

The 2012 summer school session will run from June 19th through July 27th at La Cañada High.

Registration opens February 9th. For more information visit:

www.lcfef.org

English 1-4 • Spanish 1-3 • Algebra IB • Geometry Algebra II • U.S. History • World History • Gov’t/Econ Biology • Chemistry • Physics • P.E. • Health

star, Josh Hutcherson came on stage. I think we can all agree that he’s come a long way from Bridge to Terabithia, and is going to make a huge impact on the movie industry as Peeta Mellark in the upcoming movie The Hunger Games. The first musical performance of the night was by Demi Lovato, promoting her new single, “Give Your Heart a Break.” “I really didn’t like her performance,” commented Janna, “She was screaming rather than singing, and you couldn’t even understand what she was saying.” While I was watching the awards, I was astonished with just one winner, and that is Chloe Grace

Moretz. This young girl won the award for Movie Stars Under 25, but she was in the same category as Tom Felton, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, otherwise known as, the Harry Potter cast. Thankfully, Harry Potter won for Favorite choice for Book Adaptation for the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The night ended with the cast of “How I Met Your Mother “winning the award for Favorite Network TV Comedy. Although I was a little disappointed that “Big Bang Theory” didn’t win, it was still better than “Two and a Half Men” winning. Now that Charlie Sheen is off the show, it really isn’t worth watching.

The Notebook Continues to a Message in a Bottle By Gemma Sokol Spartan Staff

ritten as a preceding book to the very well-known novel The Notebook, Message in a Bottle does not live up to it’s predecessor. Nicholas Sparks creates attractive and slightly airy lead characters with not a lot of substance in this book. However, the book is an easy read, a good book for a day by the pool. Theresa Osbourne, a divorcee with a young son, is a writer for “The Boston Times.” The story starts off with Theresa visiting her editor and her editor’s husband at their beach house at the Cape. Running along the beach, she finds a bottle with a message inside. As a writer, she deems it necessary to find out who the letter belongs to, so she prints the letter, written by someone named Garrett to his dead wife, Catherine, in the paper. As responses come in from people all across the country, two

other people send in letters almost identical to hers, written by the same man to the same woman. Since her story has become so popular and she has fallen in love with the articulate and moving words Garrett wrote, she decides to track him down. As almost all of his books are set in North Carolina, this is where Message in a Bottle takes place. Theresa follows the trail of letters to finally meet Garrett in Wrightsville, North Carolina. Garrett is still suffering an unbearable struggle over his wife’s death. The book doesn’t contain any conflict until the end, when a horrible death tears Garrett and Theresa apart. There is almost no suspense in this book and I was predicting the ending after the first chapter. Although I was looking for a good romance book to read, I was sadly disappointed in my choice. If you’re just looking for a book to read on the plane or at the beach, this is a nice book to make time fly, but the plot will not be a surprise to anyone.

Are you an artist at

♥?

S U B M I T

artwork photography short stories & poetry

to the

Literary Arts Magazine

Submission boxes are located in Mr. Powers room, Mr. Kauffman’s room, and the front office. Submissions are due March 2* *date subject to change

10 Sports

February 3, 2012

La Cañada Boys’ Varsity Soccer Wraps Up League Play Spartan Boy’s Varsity Soccer Escapes Rams 1-0 By Daniel Rhee Features Editor Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - Coach Harrison knew that it was not the best performance by his team this season, but it was just enough for the Spartans to hold off a Ram last-minute push as Sophomore Austin Gartside prevented a tie. “We need to finish better than we did today. [We] had lots of missed opportunities and were unable to execute. We need to capitalize on all opportunities if we want to win,” Harrison explained. The La Cañada Spartans held the Temple City Rams to a 1-0 victory in a win that could have easily been a tie. Sophomore Filip Franke, in the second half, was able to score in a one-on-one situation against the Ram goalie from a pass from Senior Garrett Apel. “I saw the keeper go down, so I shot it up to the corner, and it went in,” Franke stated. The goal marked his third of this season. He hopes to score at least 10 before the end of the year.

Junior Marc Kaesler was unable to play due to a torn ligament in his wrist, and Junior Armand Bagramyan did not play because of a bruised foot. Junior Aidan Tourani had the only yellow card for the Spartans when he was forced to make a tackle to prevent the opponents from scoring. “I had to do what I had to do,” Tourani remarked. In the closing minutes, the Rams launched a barrage of shots, attacking the Spartan goalie furiously. One attempt was on target and almost went into the goal when defender, Austin Gartside ran in from 15 yards out to kick the ball out of bounds. “We have to find better teamwork and we have to finish. Games like these, we should be winning, not winning on luck,” Harrison stated. The Spartans took 21 shots, which mostly came from Seniors Apel(7) and Jeff Becker(6), and goalies Tyler Jones and Graham Labran-Boyd had 2 and 3 saves respectively. The team now stands at 9 wins, 5 losses, and 1 tie.

Photo by Paulina Galoostian Aidan Tourani (far right) oversees Tristen Aafshar (left) and Shant Hairapetian (center) guarding the ball

LC Spartans Fight the Wildcats to a Draw By Andrew Kim Spartan Staff

Photo by Paulina Galoostian

La Cañada Varsity Soccer finished its last league game on January 20, setting the team record at 2 wins, 3 ties and no losses. They started off the game strong with a goal shot by Jonas Demhel. Later on in the second quarter, Jonathan Quinteros of Monrovia scored a goal, tying the game. Mitchell Wong from Monrovia scored the next one, putting Monrovia in the lead 2 to 1.

To even the score, Hank Bly of La Cañada then scored a goal, putting the game at a tie of 2 to 2 before halftime. During the second half of the game, La Cañada and Monrovia were equally matched with each team struggling to break the tie. One player from the La Cañada team, Graham Miketta, sustained an ankle injury and had to withdraw from the game. Although the home team played a good, fair match against Monrovia,

La Cañada still believes it has room for improvement. “We’ve played well, but we mentally need to be on the same page. Our defense is playing very well, but we need our offense to play as well as defense so we can win the league,” said Coach Amen Van Dyck. Unfortunately, the tie was not broken, but the home team is optimistic for its next game. “We tried pretty hard,” said player Bijan Rahimi. “Hopefully we can show our talent for next time.

Garrett Apel (left) and Armaan Zare (right) attempt to capture the ball

Catching Up with Varsity Basketball South Pasadena Tigers Defeat Spartans Gemma Sokol and Jack Finnigan Spartan Staff Starting off the game with some fast plays in their fourth Rio Hondo League game, the Spartan Varsity Basketball team was up 6-0 against South Pasadena on Wednesday, January 18th. Jay Srinivasan (12), Conner Boyd (12), Darrell Dansby (12), Tim Kim (12), and Ryan Lee (11) played especially well. Unfortunately the Spartans were unable to be effective against the Tigers’ zone defense. At the end of the first half, the South Pasadena Tigers were just ahead of the Spartans with the score 15-18. The Spartan defense went downhill in the second half. South

Pasadena was easily able to get past La Cañada’s defense. La Cañada also had a difficult shooting night with seemingly no shots going in. Several missed free throws by the Spartans were also contributing factors to the low score at the end of the game. Scott Helbing, a senior guard, mentioned, “We were just altogether having a rough night.” He added that the team is “hoping to get better.” Even though this game was rough, the Spartans are looking forward to beating the South Pasadena Tigers the next time.

Photo by Paulina Galoostian Filip Franke runs to possess the ball from the Rams

Bad Luck Won’t Bring LCHS Soccer Down By Paulina Galoostian Photo Editor On Friday, January 13th , La Canada varsity boys soccer competed against San Marino. Unfortunately, team captain Armand Bagramyan was called out in the first quarter due to an injury to his foot. Moments after he was subbed out San Marino scored. This injury led him all the way to the Verdugo hospital. But, while he was being taken care of in the ER our team stayed strong by not allowing San Marino to score a goal. Center back Aidan Tarrani kept a firm defensive wall and helped get the ball back to center attacking midfielder Garret Apel. By the second half, Armand was back on

the field. Within a short 30 minutes, he managed to score two goals. This caught the team up to 2-1. Team captains Zaki Khan and Armaan Zare kept the center midfield tight and helped the ball move all around the field, keeping it way from the other team. The team was staying strong when San Marino’s midfield pushed up and scored in the last few seconds remaining in the game. The game ended 2-2 but the team was proud of its tied game for one of their star players who was rushed to the hospital, ironically on Friday the 13th , came back to rescue the team from a loss, regardless of his injury. The intense game demonstrated that team spirit and dedication are what leads a team to success.

February 3, 2012

Sports 11

La Cañada Girls Water Polo vs. San Marino On January 29, the La Cañada Girls’ Water Polo team played against San Marino at their home pool, and lost. From the beginning of the game, both teams were lacking in morale and excitement. La Cañada had previously played and beat the San Marino team at a tournament, and so they were anticipating a victory or at least a close game. Contrary to their expectations, San Marino managed to drop at least seven lucky lobs into the goal. The La Cañada girls pulled together during the final quarter, but they were so far behind by that point that it would’ve been extremely difficult to make up the difference. With that, the final score amounted to 2-9. Better luck next time!

By Anastacia Menemenlis Spartan Staff

Coach Kristen talks to the team during the fourth quarter Goalie Venora Chapman ready to cast the ball after a save.

Savannah Scilley (center) goes for a field block while Jackie Lendvai (left) guards set

Venora Chapman attempts to block a close shot made by Temple City

Spartan

Back Page February 3, 2012

Four Play Biggest Backpack

Biggest Wisecracker

Always on Facebook

Scott Helbing

Jonathan Cho

Neil Sitaramya

Daniel Zhuravlev

Darrell Dansby

Edwin Padilla

Isaac Kim

Steve Vassilev

Austin Kenwood

Ben Mares

Bliss Saleebyan

Justin Moh

Yasmin Shoar

Maddy Welk

Phillip Kwak

Camille Keh

Rosie Markowicz

Eric Bathke

Most Theatrical

9th

10th

11th

12th

By Campbell Taylor Spartan Staff

Alexa Radu

Evan Valencia

Winter Formal’s Single Ladies By Sharon Han Spartan Staff

ow that Winter Formal is over, I have realized that many fantastic ladies, such as myself, have been left as mere remnants, crumbs, leftovers of the glorious cake we like to call the minority of the high school girl population. Though many ladies opt out of school dances, claiming that these activities are “not their thing’ or that “they’re busy,” what they’re implying is that they need a date. It is unfortunate that the date for Winter Formal was on the Saturday right before finals, and I personally, find it to be rather irksome that such festivities are held right before my “make it or break it” point. Although these scheduling conflicts exist, a mere three hours out of an entire day can’t possibly be detrimental to one’s studies. A well-deserved break should be taken, and this excuse is quite convenient for those ladies who remain date-less. Why is it that we constantly have to make up excuses for not attending dances? Well, for our pride’s sake.

Many of our friends have been asked by the cutest of means, and we sit at home, pondering the thought of going to a dance… solo. Due to the fact that many of us waste our precious youth, waiting for a prince charming to sweep us off of our feet, I have come up with a proposition; not only to save myself, but to save the rest of the high school girl population. Boys must become men. Yes, I am aware of the fact that many boys will not fully mature into men until the opportune age of twenty-one. However, it is imperative that these young “men” take advantage of this dreary situation. He can ask a lady to a dance, making her weekend a little bit brighter, and he can gain satisfaction of getting accepted by a girl. It’s a win-win; what could possibly go wrong? Ladies, it’s alright. Your time will come, and quite frankly, who cares? Many of these boys are missing out on great potential dates, and it’s their loss. Let’s all have another great weekend of studying, dancing, and no Winter Formal.

Celebrity Look-A-Like

Photo taken from imdb.com

Photo by Ailin Kim

Jenna Dewan-Tatum

Mrs. Walsh

Female lead in the movie Step Up

Physics teacher

The Riddle Corner Riddle #1: There are two doors, one of them leading to life and the other leading to death. You don’t know which is which. In front of these doors are two twin brothers. One brother always tells the truth, and the other always tells a lie. But again, you don’t know which is which. These brothers want to help you! What is one question that you can ask either one to know which door you must go through? Riddle #2: You have eight pennies. One penny weighs more than the rest, but you don’t know which one. With a balance scale, how can you find the heavier penny by only weighing it twice? If you know the answers, claim your prize at Mr. Powers’ Room 203.