The Matador: Issue 2 - October 28, 2022

Why, when, and how to vote

Vote by

Vote in-person

Election day

“I voted”, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, Steve Rhodes All registered voters in Los Angeles County have been sent a Vote by Mail ballot. The ballot can be returned in three ways: by mailing it, dropping it off at any participating Vote by Mail Ballot Drop Box location by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8, or dropping it off at any Vote Center in L.A. County by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. (Source: www.lavote.gov)

“Election Day 2020”, CC BY 2.0, Phil Roeder In-person voting will be available beginning Oct. 29 at any participating Vote Center. Vote Centers are also a Vote by Mail Ballot Drop Box location. The last day to vote in-person will be on Nov. 8 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Source: www. lavote.gov)

“Election Day 2020”, CC BY 2.0, Phil Roeder

On your ballot, you will be asked to vote for eight statewide offices (governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, attorney general, insurance commisioner, and superintendent of public instruction), Board of Equalization, U.S. House member, state senator (depending on your district), state Assemblymember, local offices (depending on where you live), and seven ballot measures. Additionally, the U.S. Senate race will appear on your ballot twice: once for the term that ends Jan. 3, 2023 and once for the full term that ends Jan. 3, 2029. (Source: calmatters.org)

“Election Day: Vote Here, Vote Aqui”, CC BY-SA 2.0, Lorie Shaull The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 8. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be determined.

Fentanyl overdoses rise among high schoolers

BRIEFS

Group counseling now being offered

BY MEREL TAN

“Drugs”, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, Daniel Foster

Overdoses can lead to immediate death. For more information about opioids (class of drugs), visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at samhsa.gov.

MEREL TAN NEWS EDITOR

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50-100 times stronger than morphine which is used to treat severe pain, is being produced illicitly and has found its way to teenagers. Since early September, there has been a growing number of overdoses on fentanyl-laced pills among Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teenagers, resulting in hospitalizations or deaths.

“I think teenagers are naturally curious, so trying drugs, especially if their friends have tried them, seems like an obvious outcome,” said senior

Nikoloz Nadirashvili. “But trying drugs once is followed by trying drugs twice, then thrice, and so on.”

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), only two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on the consumer’s body size, tolerance, and past drug usage. The DEA has also reported discovering counterfeit pills ranging from 0.02 to 5.1 milligrams of fentanyl per tablet. There is a possibility that the consumer does not know a pill contains fentanyl. Moreover, in response to the rising numbers of overdoses and the death of a student at Bernstein High School, LAUSD has announced that it will distribute naloxone

to its schools. According to the National Institutes of Health, naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. It can be given in two ways: through a nasal spray or an injection. LAUSD administrators decided that they would administer naloxone via the nasal spray in the event of an overdose.

“My thoughts on LAUSD’s actions to distribute naloxone is that it’s nice of them to distribute it out,” said junior Kelly Liu. “Not only are they being [thoughtful], they care for the community and want everyone to be safe and healthy.”

Along with LAUSD, other school districts have taken action to spread awareness

about the dangers of fentanyl.

On Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. there was a Fentanyl Town Hall Webinar on Zoom featuring speakers from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health as well as the Pomona Wellness Community Substance Use Counselors.

“I think that it was a responsible decision and I think parents are very worried about the serious dangers of fentanyl,” said junior Robert Saucedo Castro. “Reassurance by the district will put parents and students alike at ease.”

In addition to educating students about the risks of taking drugs, the webinar also discouraged the use of drugs, but only time will tell whether or not its message was heard.

Iranian women protest for right to dress freely

JACOB GUTIERREZ REPORTER

Across the nation of Iran, women who have historically been forced to wear hijabs (a form of headscarf, intended to keep women modest under Islamic law) are protesting for their right to dress freely. Beginning on Sept. 16, a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Amini was killed by the Iranian police by improperly wearing her hijab, sparking a chain of protests. Three days later, the Iranian government shut down internet access in certain areas, later escalating to blockage of communication apps such as Whatsapp or Instagram across the nation.

“Any person that thinks that the protests are justifiable and want[s] to help should make an effort to aid Iranian women,” sophomore Adam Weng said. “I think the people in the U.S. wouldn’t be able to directly interfere with the laws in Iran, but any source of support through funding or charity [would help].”

Although Iran has previously had civil unrest caused by

mandatory hijabs, the protests after Amini’s death have had a more widespread impact on Iranian society. Both urban and rural citizens participated in the protests, as well as large numbers of school-aged girls for the first time.

“[Iranian citizens] have a right to protest,” sophomore Noah Gonzalez said, “but [the United States] tried for so long to fix their problems that it’s like they don’t want help. It’s not our problem anymore.”

The mandatory wearing of hijabs has been enforced in Iran since the revolution of 1979, where a relatively nonreligious monarchy was overthrown and replaced with a government based on the religion of Islam. Women have protested against hijabs multiple times since then, most notably in 2009, 2017, and 2019, but the Mahsa Amini protests have been more widespread than those. Multiple cities considered to be holy in Islam have seen protestors, unlike prior movements.

“I think the rallies and protests would help women in Iran,”

Protesters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands march in solidarity with Iranian protesters. The protest, occurring on Oct. 1, was intended to show international support for women in Iran.

junior Nhi Hua said. “One of the goals is rights for women, and the hijab law would hurt them.”

The Iranian government has downplayed much of the protests’ influence; Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameni called them “riots” and stated that they were a result of foreign influence. Counter-protests in support

of government actions have adopted slogans such as “Death to America’’ and “Death to Israel,” following Khameni’s strategy of shifting blame to other countries for the current instability across the nation. Estimates range between 41 and over 260 fatalities, although the exact number cannot be confirmed.

At the end of Sept. the Office of Counseling announced that it would start holding Group Counseling, where students can receive guidance from counselors on a variety of topics such as depression, building self-esteem, and career exploration. Group Counseling will take place during students’ M.E. time, although where it will take place is yet to be determined. To learn more about Group Counseling, students can email mental health counselors Denise Fernandez or Efren Monterroso at fernandez_denise@ ausd.us or monterroso_efren@ausd.us, respectively.

ASB hosting talent show auditions

BY JEREMY GUTIERREZ

ASB will be hosting a student talent show this year; auditions for the event will be held from Nov. 16-17 during lunch in the choir room. The event is fairly unprecedented, as a talent show has not been held on campus since at least 2018. Within recent years, school productions have been mostly limited to performances by Drama Club or the band. The talent show will allow many students, including those not involved in a VAPA class, to express themselves in a creative way. Previously, the only opportunities to do so were the Open Mic Nights hosted by Drama or the annual spring Musicals.

Midterm elections

BY JACOB GUTIERREZ

Two years after the beginning of a president’s term, midterm elections occur. Midterm elections serve to replace members of the House of Representatives, Senate, and many state governors. Midterm elections for 2022 will be held on Nov. 8. 35 seats in the Senate are contested, and 36 states are electing new governors. The primary issues tackled by midterm candidates are abortion after Roe v. Wade, immigration policies, economic downturn, gun violence, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. Many state- and county-level elections are also occurring.

Rosemead’s Trunk or Treat on Oct. 31

BY RICHARD MCCOLLUM

On Oct. 31 from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m there will be a “Trunk-or-Treat” and haunted house at the Rosemead Community Center. The event will consist of people going car to car picking up goodies and treats, carnival games, arts and crafts, a haunted house, and a costume contest. The costume contest will have categories for kids, adults, and dogs. The haunted house will be open from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 and 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 31.

“Persian-Dutch community’s demonstration in Amsterdam against the Islamic regime in Tehran,” CC-BY-SA 4.0, photo by Persian Dutch Network

MCCOLLAN

AsI was packing to move to California from Colorado, I thought about all the people I was leaving behind who I met throughout my life. While I thought of how much I would miss each person, I was also very excited about moving. This was also my first time going on a plane all by myself.

The morning of my flight I had gotten ready and said goodbye to my family; I arrived at the airport around noon thanks to my friend who had driven me to the Denver airport from Pueblo. At the Denver airport my flight had gotten delayed. At the time, I thought nothing of it, but since my flight had a layover in Las Vegas, it also made me miss my flight in Las Vegas.

When I landed in Las Vegas I had to get another flight for the next day, so I had to spend the night at the airport. From my experience, sleeping in an airport is not fun at all – especially since it was freezing that day. When I eventually went to go find my luggage, I could not find it until I had gone to the airline's office. By then, they said my luggage was already on the way to Los Angeles. Before they told me that, I thought I lost my own luggage. The next day I boarded the plane to Los Angeles around 6:00 a.m. and landed around 8:00 a.m. I finally found my luggage at the airline’s office in Los Angeles, and as I left the airport into Los Angeles I felt the warm breeze from the wind, as in Colorado it was colder.

Due to my flight being delayed, my ride had to pick me up in the morning so they had woken up late to pick me up so I was waiting another 2 hours at the Los Angeles airport. I learned from this experience to never fly a layover for something important unless it is necessary, because a flight can be delayed, and when that happens everything else will be delayed. I also learned how to go through the whole process of purchasing a ticket, going through security, and navigating my way through the airport.

Media exploits victims for its audience

BY STELLA CHEN

Staff Stance

True crime is problematic

There is a human fascination for acts of cruelty — not committing them, but solving them or understanding the psyches of the perpetrators. The mystery’s release of tension is cathartic, the immorality is an allure to a common morbid curiosity, and the experience of fear in a controlled environment is an attraction. It is no surprise that true crime is so popular — it has all the parts of good storytelling. However, there is almost always an inherent problem in true crime media because it exploits trauma, glorifies crime, and desensitizes viewers.

True crime’s definition of “a genre in which the author examines an actual crime and people involved” is, unfortunately, often a euphemism for an exploitation of trauma for money. In media like Dahmer–Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, no consent or consultation was given by surviving friends and family of victims; instead, some scenes were made up for dramatization. The show capitalizes on the trauma of victims and retraumatizes those who are alive

and were affected by Dahmer. While Dahmer does accurately depict what it was meant to, it seems more like a grab for money more than anything else.

Furthermore, true crime often glorifies the killer and dehumanizes the victim. Much of true crime media is told from the killer’s point of view; it provides the context and motives behind their monstrosities. While this heightens understanding of the killer’s mind, it also humanizes them and glorifies the crime. If you ask a person who watches true crime how many killers they can name, versus how many victims, it will be clear which one they know more. If you go on a true crime fandom’s website, it will not be uncommon to find posts on how to dispose a body, commit the perfect crime, or hide from the authorities. Though it sounds harmless, it is undeniably problematic.

However, some argue that true crime can also help raise awareness. It can teach viewers what to do, what not to do, and brings attention to the failings of the justice system. But

Emily Amezca, 9

"The way they talk. The way they show themselves or give gratitude. It hurts [be]cause

all of that can be done without the broken morality that is associated with true crime. Many true crime YouTubers combine their content with other things such as makeup tutorials or a mukbang. The combination of casually eating large amounts of food or doing makeup while retelling a violent crime removes empathy from the viewer. They are desensitized, and often do not realize that the events are real and happened to real people. When this happens, it is easy to question whether or not these true crime content makers actually care.

The genre is popular and will not go away for a long time; however, changes can be made in the way it is consumed. True crime media that contains untrue accounts of crime, glorification of killers, a lack of consent or consultation, or is not told in a respectful manner should not be watched or supported. Genres shift and change based on consumer wants and demands; so if enough people demand a more ethical approach to true crime, given enough time, it will happen.

Jefferson Lu, 10

not

Jacqueline Chavira, 11

"I feel like it hurts the people since the media is talking bad on their names.

people, it's entertaining

"It makes the audience numb while people are getting benefits from [those] who are [being] used. I don't think that's fair."

Andy Au, 12

"Exploitation is bad but as an audience member, it's not visible. It's ethnically and morally wrong."

BY VIVIAN NGUYEN

BY VIVIAN NGUYEN

New schedule is beneficial for students

classes. For M.E. time, teachers are also able to select certain students to grant further assistance regarding their grades. M.E. Time gives students extra instructional time during school hours instead of having to attend after-school programs, saving valuable time for everyone.

BY KELLY LY OPINIONS EDITOR

The school has recently adopted a new schedule for the 202223 school year. A similar block schedule to last year’s continues on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with regulating collaboration days on Mondays or Fridays to coincide with miscellaneous holidays in order to avoid disrupting students’ and teachers’ schedules. With more stable class times and the introduction of Matador Enrichment (or M.E. Time), the new schedule is beneficial for students, staff, and parents alike.

ILLUSTRATION BY KELLY LY ILLUSTRATION BY CARLA HAU

CARLA HAU FEATURES EDITOR

Despite spending hours at school, students are still expected to spend even more time after school to do homework. The issue is not students wanting to slack off, but is the fact that many teachers refuse to help students fully understand the concept within class time.

Large amounts of homework stress students out. Even though school should not necessarily feel like a breeze, it definitely should not put as much pressure as it does on a student. Most students’ bodies are still growing and stress can lead to many issues, such as stunting growth, heart problems, and diabetes. Not only is it physically affecting students, it is also mentally harsh; about 1-in-5 high school students struggle with stress-induced depression.

Having more homework means that students are more likely to cheat to get answers. The purpose of assigning homework is so that students can practice and understand the concept better, but that is not being achieved if students are just cheating. This is not the

While the new block schedule may be confusing at first, it is formatted conveniently to provide equal class time for all periods across three days. Previously, the time a student spent in each class could be uneven because of holidays and student free days cutting out classes, while collaboration fell on Wednesdays. As these days off commonly fell on Mondays or Fridays, they conflicted with the schedule. Now, with the block schedule being from Tuesdays to Thursdays, class disruptions are mitigated.

Additionally, M.E. Time is beneficial to both students and teachers. Occurring after a small break, students are able to sign up for extra time in one of their

The new schedule is not the easiest to memorize or adjust to; students and teachers may forget their schedule or what period they are supposed to attend. With the addition of M.E. Time, potential confusion could be brought upon students and teachers as their M.E. Time periods vary weekly due to the free choice of classes. Some students may forget or choose to not schedule their M.E. Time periods, bringing further confusion to teachers and students as the student is placed into a random open class. While these reasons are sensible, some uncertainty regarding the new schedule is expected as it was implemented only recently. Overall, students and teachers will continue to adjust to the schedule as it gradually becomes increasingly familiar over time.

The new schedule is keen on maximizing learning time for students while also providing equal opportunities to all of their classes. Although this new schedule is not perfect, it is a positive step forward for students, staff, and parents.

JORDAN MURIETTA REPORTER

student’s fault because sometimes, there is no time for them to complete it in time and students are not understanding enough to allow extensions. Since it’s a common occurrence, teachers should make homework optional so that students can get more practice in, but also not have the pressure of getting bad grades.

Students are given an average of six hours of homework a day. Some may argue that six hours of homework a night is not hard to complete, but most students don’t have that much time after school. Although school should be a commitment, it should not take up their entire day. It is not sustainable. A lot of students have extracurricular activities after school. For example, athletes have at least two hours of practice, working students have at least a four hour shift, and some students have to care for their grandparents or other family members.

On average, student athletes get home around 7 p.m. and by the time they shower and eat dinner, it is around 8:30 p.m. If they were to work non-stop for five hours straight, they would finish at 1:30 AM. Sometimes, on days where students have games or longer shifts at

work, they cannot sleep until 3:00 a.m.. It does not make sense for students to sleep that late because of work that could have been done in class if teachers were to use class time efficiently.

Teachers should stop assigning absurd amounts of work to students and start being more open to offering extensions when needed. That way, students can enjoy their time in school and also be able to live their fun life as a teenager.

opinion of

a letter

the

I’m

going to be talking about my online friends. Some people think that meeting people online is dangerous or scary but it’s not all that bad when you actually do it. I mean you just have to be careful with how you do it, like who you talk to. A couple years ago, I think in 2020, I found an old friend of mine on one of my communications apps, called Discord. We talked for a bit before he invited me to this server where I met a lot of people and made new friends. At this moment, I didn’t know my life was changing.

I talked for a bit with these people, you know just discovering our interests and passions. We were all about the same age. Not long after, another server was made and most of the main people I talked to just moved there. I moved along with them and we proceeded to talk like we did before. Eventually, we got an idea for this role-playing type deal and made yet another server for that. The story involved a character with a long head that one of my friends would draw, and for some reason my other friend’s character didn’t like that character’s head, so they made a battle out of it and everything unfolded like that.

Art and music were made, lore was written, my character got married, there were battles; a lot of stuff happened.

Tragedy struck when one of our friends’ parents discovered their account. They thought talking to strangers online was dangerous and the friend got taken away from Discord. We decided not to continue the story without this friend and made a vow to wait. The friend didn’t come back and the story just stopped.

Things were looking bleak and people were leaving the server. I’m still in it, and I remain on speaking-terms with my friends on the second server, while maybe half of the ones on the third aren’t even talking to me. We talk pretty much daily, mostly about video games. I think that parents should be less strict; whatever they think about strangers online is probably 10-times worse than what it really is. Of course there are plenty of bad strangers but you just have to be careful about who you talk to. I have fond memories of the conversations that went down in every server, and even if there were a few bad apples, everything was pretty much okay. I believe I made lifelong friends and that things are going good so far. I’d recommend you to get out of your shell and reach out to people online; it may not be as bad as you’d think it is. You could make new friends, have new experiences, etc. However, you should always remember to be safe

Y'etta' another chat

The Final Girl needs to die

BY RAMONA RIVAS FOCUS EDITOR

Throughout the countless retellings, subversions, and self-aware evolu tions of horror (á la Scream), the genre has remained shocking ly stagnant in terms of actually covering new ground. Everybody is always like “Look at the Fi nal Girl and how virginal and brunette she is!” For a moment, forget about the Final Girl. We have to talk about the First Girl, or the girl that dies first in the horror movie.

To talk about the First Girl, first we must talk about the Final Girl. In her book Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film, au thor Carol J. Clover defines her as “. . . the last girl standing at the end of a horror movie, espe cially a slasher.” Clover points to a series of traits that Final Girls commonly share: virginity, virtu ousity, a unisex name, and (usu ally) being brunette. She then explains how their existence is a mirror of how society consumes horror, and by extension, vio lence–how society sees violence, how it punishes people for their vices, and how it perceives gen der when it comes to horror.

The impression of the Fi nal Girl is often that of a person who is overtly feminine. Many are unable to access the “gender less” femininity of the Final Girl; she is beautiful without makeup and she dresses modestly. Rather than relate to this character, many women, especially those who are unconventionally attractive, are targeted by horror instead. Trans gender women are often explic itly made the villain (Dressed to Kill, Silence of the Lambs, etc…).

Clover herself addresses the way “nonfeminine” women suffer in movies. Instead of recognizing the hostility directed at women who don’t strictly adhere to American ideas of what a woman should be like, she writes these characters off entirely. “They were not wom en at all,” she argues, “because the narrative is simply coding them as men.”

In horror, the narrative pun ishes women who fall outside the small margins of a “proper woman.”

Clover says the bimbo is killed for being too feminine, while the butch is killed for being too masculine. The problem with First Girls is not that they are male-coded, or that they’re too feminine. Their problem is that they do not fit the “right” kind of femininity.

In her article about The Descent for Jezebel, writer Anna North observed “[The Descent] is pret ty misogynist. ‘These women die in order of masculinity,’ [a friend] pointed out, ‘the ones who act the most like men die first.’” A lot of people place female characters into this dichotomy of “girly girl” to tomboy; but in the case of the pro totypical American horror movie, the protagonist rarely ventures past the girly girl. When characters do break the feminine mold, as with many queercoded characters, they are usually swiftly (and brutally) done away with.

While Final Girl Laurie Strode (from Halloween) is not overtly feminine, she is: thin, manicured, and convention ally attractive. She wears light makeup and has long hair. She might wear dad jeans and long skirts instead of a micro skirt or skinny jeans, but she is not wearing anything that might attract attention. In fact, she is fairly average. And that is the point. The girls who die first are not being punished for their femininity, they are pun ished for performing the wrong kind. The root of their suffer ing is the same; they stray too far from the American idea of what a woman should be. Film makers–who are typically cis gender white men – inevitably weave their most tangible fear ofthe breaking of the status quo into their movies. That fear manifests in male killers who fail to embody masculine ideals (i.e. Buffalo Bill, The Silence of the Lambs).

The Descent is a 2005 British horror flick where a group of friends go spelunking and are killed one by one by “crawlers.”

At the end of the film Sarah (the protagonist) learns that her best friend Juno was having an affair with Sarah’s husband who died the year before. Sarah stabs Juno in the leg and leaves her to be eaten alive by the crawlers before running away, tripping

into a hole, and falling uncon scious. When she wakes up, she sees sunlight streaming into the cave. She follows the source and escapes. Not only does she get to live, she gets to take revenge on those who wronged her. That’s where the U.S. release ends. The UK release reveals that Sarah hallucinated her inexplicable escape. She never got out, and whether or not she will remains unsolved.

The Aug. 2006 issue of Enter tainment Weekly stated that the ending was trimmed because American viewers did not like the “uber-hopeless finale.” Lionsgate mar keting chief Tim Palen said, “... by the time you get to the ending you're drained.” This change encap sulates the weight of the Final Girl in Ameri can horror media. If horror is a mirror of the society it comes from, the prevalence and endur ance of the Final Girl as a trope serves to remind us how formulaic American soci ety continues to be. So may be it is time for the Final Girl to die.

Frightful films for the Halloween weekend

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The Bride of Frankenstein is technically a sequel to the 1932 movie Frankenstein but can be watched as a standalone movie. Frankenstein’s monster has survived the ordeals of the original film, and has come back to demand a wife from his creator.

Psycho (1960)

Arguably Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous film, Psycho follows Marion Crane–a woman on the run after stealing from her employer–to a Phoenix motel run by a young man with some serious mommy issues named Norman Bates.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

When a pregnant Rosemary and her husband Guy move into a haunted New York apart ment complex, Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated and worries that her baby is not of this world. It is not until after the birth that the diabolical truth is revealed.

The Exorcist (1973)

Infamous at the time of its release for making people faint and vomit in the theaters, it is based on the last (known) exorcism in the US. The film sees Linda Blair, whose parents are convinced that she is possessed by the Devil, undergo an exorcism by the hands of a heroic priest, Father Karras.

The Wicker Man (1973)

This British folk horror stars Edward Woodward (not Nicolas Cage) as Sergeant Howie, a devout Christian sent to investigate the disappearance of a little girl on an isolated island where the islanders practice pagan rituals and insists the little girl never existed.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

The film follows a group of friends road tripping to visit the grave of Sally’s grandparents that has been mysteriously desecrated. After they pick up a crazy hitchhiker, their road trip takes a turn for the worst.

Carrie (1976)

Based on Stephen King's first novel, Carrie stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White – a shy teenager who is bullied by her classmates and abused by her fanatical mother. Following a prank on her at the school prom, Carrie shows off her telekinetic powers and hell ensues.

The Shining (1980)

Possibly the most famous horror movie ever made, Stanley Kubrick’s movie is based on Stephen King's 1977 novel of the same name and sees Jack move his wife and son into an isolated hotel.

The Thing (1982)

The ultimate gross-out body horror, The Thing finds a group of scientists stranded in an Ant arctic base where they're picked off one by one by a mysterious thing. The thing can disguise itself as any of its unwilling victims. Stars Keith David and Kurt Russel's incredible beard.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Other than a controversial villain, there is a reason

Silence of the Lambs has remained iconic. Whether you have seen it before or simply heard the famous lines or seen the clips of Anthony Hopkins in that mask, the reveals and incredible plot will leave you not regret watching The Silence Of The Lambs.

GRAPHICS BY RAMONA

RIVAS, JEREMY GUTIERREZ, VIVIAN NGUYEN

WRITTEN BY RAMONA RIVAS

Fall Foods Around the World

Leavesdescending to their final home and a cool breeze

passing by – it is all reminiscent of the fall season. Jam-packed with warm colors and celebrations worldwide, autumn is quite diverse. However, if there is one thing in common, it is the wide array of foods from around the globe, all there to add comfort during a chilly, windy day.

Sweden and kräftskiva

To celebrate the beginning of a new season, the Swedes take quite a peculiar route. Rather than eating baked pie or some mashed potatoes, they instead hold crayfish parties called kräftskiva. Starting as a result of strict laws prohibiting crayfish in the summer, Sweden now enjoys crayfish parties every autumn, a place where friends and family can gather around a long table for some fresh, delectable crayfish.

Greece and Moussaka

Moussaka is a Greek comfort food made for fall. Similar to Italy’s lasagna, moussaka is an eggplant casserole with layers and layers of eggplant and spiced meat, which is then covered with a layer of béchamel sauce – a rich, white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk. Including ingredients such as fried or baked eggplant, ground meat or tomato mixtures, and béchamel sauce, moussaka is a dish that is flexible for any occasion, but most suitable for the colder months of fall.

Japan and Matsutake Dobin Mushi

Matsutake dobin mushi, a mushroom soup, is perfect for the fall season. Served in a teapot, which is where the term dobin comes from, matsutake dobin mushi includes a variety of vegetables, chicken, shrimp, mitsuba (an Asian herb), and mushroom–all culminating in a wonderful steamed dish ready to warm one up.

Whether it be light soup or a heavy meal that lasts for hours, fall foods are all there to warm one up from the incoming harsh, winter months, and even give some much-needed time with friends and family.

WRITTEN BY ADWIK CHATURVEDI

Inside the Holiday: Celebrating Dia de los Muertos

JACOB GUTIERREZ REPORTER

Día de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a traditional Mexican holiday that honors deceased family members. Typically occurring on the first or second day of November, it is celebrated throughout a large part of Latin America as a way to share memories and create things for relatives and ancestors.

One of the primary ways to celebrate Día de los Muertos is through the creation of ofrendas. The term is translated directly as “offering”, although ofrenda is often used to refer to the large and elaborate altars. They are typically dedicated

to deceased family members, usually holding their favorite things, including food or drinks. Ofrendas are places to pay respects to the dead.

Unlike many holidays based around the dead, Día de los Muertos is less somber; spirits are high as family members share stories of the departed. This is a main characteristic that sets apart Día de los Muertos from other, similar events, as most times of mourning are filled with far less joy compared to Día de los Muertos celebrations.

Another traditional creation during the holiday is the calavera, or skull. They are small sculptures of human skulls made out of edible sugar. Calaveras are

given as gifts or set on ofrendas as decoration. A somewhat related tradition is the calavera literaria, or “literary skull,” a short rhyming poem dedicated to a family member or a friend. Calaveras literarias

are typically based on humorous anecdotes–either true or fictional–from the person’s life and are mixed with death-related imagery, even if the person has yet to pass away.

Día de los Muertos as a

tradition allows a great amount of family bonds to be built. People can share and bond over a mutual love for their deceased relatives. With that, the whole family can come together.

“Dia de los Muertos Marigold Parade,” CC/BY 2.0, DODGE LAMSA

Street performers dress, paint their faces, and dance for Dia de los Muertos during a parade in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Skull face paint is typically worn to represent deceased family members.

“Matsutake dobin mushi,” CC/BY 2.0 MORI SUSHI, WEST L.A.

“Moussaka,” CAYOBO CC/BY 2.0

“Crayfish and mint,” CC/BY 2.0 WZDENKO ZIVKOVIC

Is Going to Hurt” reveals the injuries of the medical system

BY STELLA CHEN COPY EDITOR

Though labeled after a drama-comedy, This Is Going to Hurt is the cookiecutter of tragi-comedy. At first, there is not much that is appealing about the show–its synopsis is nothing special. However, as the pilot episode reaches its climax, This Is Going to Hurt proves itself that indeed, it deserves more popularity.

Titled after Adam Kay’s memoir of the same name, This Is Going to Hurt is a dramatization of Kay’s life as a junior doctor in the NHS. Adam Kay–played by British actor Ben Whishaw–is the cynical, sarcastic, and exhausted protagonist. In the first episode, Kay fails to diagnose severe preeclampsia in a supposedly “crying-wolf” patient and attempts a difficult surgery on her, nearly resulting in her death. A complaint is filed, and begins show’s conflict.

This Is Going to Hurt is witty as it is hilarious and tearjerking; the best thing about it is how it paints a painfully raw story of how a broken medical system forces normal medical workers to attempt superhuman

feats. It does a terrific job at showcasing the exhaustion of medical workers, domestic abuse victims, high (and ignored) suicide rate of health workers, idyllic lies about the life of a doctor to family, and the trauma it can cause.

The acting is phenomenal, and the other half of what makes This Is Going to Hurt remarkable. Whishaw’s performance of the heavily flawed Adam Kay is what gives the empathy and charisma to his character. Whishaw showcases his vulnerability –loneliness – in the undercurrent of his performance, hiding it with charismatic dark wit and humor. This idea is exemplified with every episode as Kay’s flaws and mistakes take a toll on him and his eyes get warier with a bloodshot desperation.

Ambitka Mod, actress of trainee doctor Shruti Acharya, should also be noted for her acting. Mod flawlessly shows the effects of an incessant depression as Acharya realizes the system she works for is not worth it. Acharya has less and less individuality every episode, bringing the notion that she is losing her sense of self as she is unable to adapt to the

Whishaw’s multi-layered performance of junior doctor Adam Kay is what gives the cynical character his humanity and empathy. While Kay toes the line between barely likeable and downright unlikeable, his prickly nature is a shield against the chaos and trauma of his profession.

unrelenting system that has altered her worldview.

However, all media has its faults – This Is Going to Hurt is no exception. Despite its compelling message, a large part of its meaning can be lost. Kay, compared to his book counterpart, is much more unlikeable in the show because the author decided to intensify his own flaws. Whishaw’s Kay is an unconventional protagonist

— he is either liked or disliked. Protagonists are supposed to be interesting and somewhat likeable; when they are not, the meaning they bring to the story is lost.

In the end, This Is Going to Hurt is a love letter to medical workers. It acknowledges the challenges given to all medical workers — how they are humans expected to perform Herculean feats — all while

managing to shift from hilarious to melancholic in a matter of minutes. It makes the statement that health workers do not put up with 90-hour work weeks, understaffed workplace, relationship strains, and high pressure for the money; they do it because they care. Yet their compassion is ignored and swept away by elites and media all while the system that failed them still stands.

A rectangular bar popped up on the blue screen of my phone; a notification that brought a smile to my face. It was from Mother, her half-broken English saying it all, filled with exclamation marks and reactions. My phone buzzed as another notification popped up; one after another, after another, eventually flooding my screen with an ocean of text.

“I’ll late, food’s in fridge,” one of them said.

My couch shrieked as I shifted around, spurring the roaming crickets to recite their songs. I always meant to remind Mother of the couch springs, but the chance never came.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

I texted away, replying to Mother. My thumbs tapped and tapped away, sending a series of messages; some telling her not to worry and others asking her how she was doing. Even under the constant barrage of texts, Mother did not reply. In fact, most of our conversations were quite scarce. It was mostly a flow of me blabbering away with sprinkles of responses from Mother. But, I couldn’t blame her, she was busy, especially with all the work that piled around her. Trust me, I couldn’t even take a step in Mother’s room without encountering flying pieces of scrap or crunched-up balls of paper.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

I sent my texts, yet the tapping still continued. It went on for longer this time, fluctuating between a low and high tone, the sound went on and on. It echoed through the apartment. Clicking the shut off button on the side of my phone, I peered around,

trying to see if there might have been a leak around. However, as soon as the blue glow from my phone vanished, so did the tapping. Pulling my head back as far as I could. I flipped my phone around, searching for the source of the sound, but it was to no avail.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Once again the tapping surged, louder this time. Instead of a simple sound, it was mixed with a rattling, similar to one of a door. Oh–the door.

Snapping my head to stare down an ongoing hallway, I jumped up, gripping onto my phone. However, as soon as my eyes met the stained, peeling pine paint of the door, the tapping stopped. And so, I began my cautious crawl toward the door. Flinching at any other sound I heard. A squeak, I twitched. A buzz, I gasped. The trek continued until I finally reached the door. Tap! Tap! Tap!

I almost screeched until I realized that the tapping was coming from my phone. Squinting from the blue glow, I realized that my keyboard was still open; my hands hitting random letters as a result. Letting out a sigh of relief, I was about to turn around when the notorious sound once again engulfed my ears.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The door rattled, the tapping turning into knocking. Scraps of peeling paint fell off as I continued to stare. I reached my hand out to turn the doorknob, hearing

it creak as I unlocked it. I tugged on the door and heard a sound almost identical to the taps I heard.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The tapping grew louder and louder, the rattling became louder and louder, and I tugged and tugged. The sounds fell silent, though, as my phone buzzed again.

“I home,” a notification said.

My breathing calmed and my hands quit shaking. With a final tug, the door creaked open.

But my phone buzzed one more time.

“Wait–” was all I read before I peeked my head through the opening, a chilly breeze and a figure greeting me.

It . . . wasn't . . . her.

WRITTEN BY ADWIK CHATURVEDI, ZUYUAN ZHOU

PHOTO COURTESY OF BBC & AMC

Matadors come up just short against Lancers

PHOTO COURTESY OF

Matador football team runs onto the field minutes before they’re hit with a wave of strength from the Lancers.

2022 Fall Varsity Sports Scoreboard

FOOTBALL

VS BELL GARDENS (L) 27-15

VS MARK KEPPEL (W) 59-0

BY GISELLE CARDENAS SPORTS EDITOR

Biggest game of the season, the last and final highschool football game for the Matador seniors. Class of 2023 took to the Matador stadium much energy and enthusiasm with a ride to the wild west “Our Last Rodeo”. On their senior night the Matadors knew they would have to give it their all going up against the Bell Garden Lancers. This was a team everyone feared, and rightfully so as they took home the win with a score of 27-15.

“No I am not [proud of the outcome] we came short but it’s alright, we have one more game on the 28th and we’re gonna do better.” Senior Aaron Hampton said.

It seems everyone was upset by the outcome, however what

went on during the game is most interesting. During the first quarter the Lancers went for a field goal and missed. Minutes later after a missed field goal the Lancers may have been upset as they did not take a knee when number 3 on the Matador team Robert Lucero was injured. Quickly after Lucero’s injury San Gabriel called a time out to regroup, it seems this time out is just what they needed seeing as number 10 senior Troy Lee went in with a great reception and took it to the 35 yard line.

With 2 minutes left in the first quarter Bell Gardens didn’t seem to get the memo and received a penalty for starting early. However, during the first quarter Bell Gardens was on top of their game with 2 great interceptions and advancements on the field. A 50 yard advancement would’ve been great, yet since the quarter came to an end it seemed devastatingly pointless.

“Watching us get hit hard and [us] not being productive with our plays [was the hardest part].” Junior Daniel Martinez said. “I was nervous a lot, I was walking back and forth very anxious. I would’ve changed our mentality for tonight.”

An anxious run on the field for the Matadors as the second quarter began. Within the first minute Bell Gardens makes an impressive touchdown followed by a field goal. As the game progressed with 7 minutes left in the game, San Gabriel got a penalty due to delay of game. Following the next few minutes the game continued on with nothing from either team.

“No I’m not [proud of the outcome] but it’s okay we fought hard, but we had little mistakes {that could’ve been fixed] and the energy coming in.” Senior Jacob Muniz said.

Little to no movement came about the 3rd quarter up until there was about a minute

left in the quarter that Bell Gardens was able to make a touchdown. Now as the 4th quarter was taking its run, so did number 10 with a touch down followed by a field goal from number 10. Both teams struggled to push through, however with almost 3 minutes left Tijani Dalyey took to the end zone for a touchdown. Adding to the touchdown Troy Lee goes in adding another 2 points to the scoreboard for San Gabriel. With 2 minutes left in the game the Matadors get a penalty and Bell Gardens gets another 2 points. This was a tough game for both teams and it appears they both called it quits with the seconds counting down. A game no one knew what to expect, Bell Gardens being a tough opponent and yet the Matadors pushed on and fought hard. A senior night to remember with family and friends as they celebrated a good season win or lose.

@ MONTEBELLO (L) 29-21

(W) 28-24

VS SAN MARINO VOLLEYBALL

@ SCHURR (L) 3-0

VS ALHAMBRA

(W) 3-1

PHOTO COURTESY OF NIA FU

Face to face with one of their biggest opponents of the season. The Matadors line up in preparation for their match against the Lancers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NIA FU

Everyone comes together to celebrate senior night with their loved ones. The Matador marching band, color guard, and drill seniors alongside underclassman pose for a photo.

VS MARK KEPPEL

VS BELL GARDENS

(W) 3-0

VS MONTEBELLO (W) 3-0

(W) 3-0

@ ALHAMBRA (L) 10-8

VS MONTEBELLO (T) 9-9

@ MARK KEPPEL (L) 14-4

@ SCHURR (L) 14-4

VS ALHAMBRA (W) 10-8

@ MONTEBELLO (W) 13-5

Tong rallies through Hong Kong, pursues normal education

BY JEREMY GUTIERREZ AND ADWIK CHATURVEDI EDITORS-IN-CHIEF, PRINT

She steps onto the court, her arms relaxed and head held high; sophomore Lily Tong is ready to play. Her teammates cheered Tong on, and with one final step, she swung — into victory.

Tong’s love for badminton started long ago, when she first began playing at only five years old. A rising star among her age group, Tong’s advantages in height and strength at the time helped launch her into the world of athletics. Growing up playing the sport, Tong quickly developed the key skills she needed to succeed. As a result, she was even able to play professionally for a time.

“I was a former professional junior player of the Hong Kong badminton team,” Tong said. “In Oct. 2019, I represented

Team Hong Kong and took part in U13 (under 13) women's singles and U13 women’s doubles in WONCHEON YONEX Korea Junior Open International Challenge 2019.”

Despite not placing in the tournament, Tong still gained a lot from the event. At the event, Tong was able to experience playing at a higher level and was able to better assess her own ability against more skilled opponents. Through competing with other strong players, and in combination with hours of hard work, Tong could only improve.

“In [the] [Hong Kong Sports Institute], we were obligated to run 4.2 km as warm up, one hour of technique training, one hour of playing simulated games, and one hour of physical training (e.g weight lifting, footwork, agility training),” Tong said. “Then we were obligated to stretch for 15 minutes before leaving.”

Dedicating so many hours

in a day would affect the worklife balance of nearly anyone, especially that of a child still attending school. Tong’s busy schedule left almost no time for other obligations, and eventually, she felt the impact.

“Being a professional athlete, especially in Hong Kong, was very exhausting and required a tough mentality,” Tong said. “In my secondary school grade one (equivalent to seventh grade), I was absent for three-fourths of school days due to tournaments and injuries. It was very physically and mentally demanding to

Drum major Zhou wows the crowd

get up at 5:45 in the morning, arrive at school at 7:00 [a.m.], and practice until 8:15 [p.m.] every weekday.”

As a result, her grades dropped sharply, and she often slept in class. Tong’s current routine is, according to her, nowhere near as difficult, especially as she is now trying to better maintain her grades.

“Right now I cannot really ignore my academic performance, so compared to my training schedule in Hong Kong, it is really inadequate (if considering the competition of professional players),” Tong

in the band inspired him to run for drum major. As a junior, Zhou’s previous drum major experience from his freshman year helped ease the nervousness. Without anything holding him back – considering that this was the moment he had spent years preparing for–Zhou dove straight into drum major tryouts with valor.

“I applied for drum major during my freshman year and started practice during the following Oct.” said Zhou.

“Two months before my tryouts, the pandemic came and everything was canceled. So, I had to try out again in my junior year.”

After performing his routine in front of the entire band in May, Zhou was overjoyed when the results for the 2022-23 drum majors were announced.

said. “I only have training on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays right now.”

Despite the less rigorous schedule, Tong has not slacked off, keeping up in school and on the court. Ultimately, it is Tong’s love for badminton that continues to motivate her for the years to come.

“I will consider my future plans, and hopefully become a professional badminton player in the future,” Tong said. “There are certainly many things to work on, but I will tackle them one by one, and am willing to give my 120% effort.”

up the opportunity to run for ASB president because I want to dedicate myself to drum major. So when they announced it, I felt like I had nothing to worry about anymore.”

Although this is his last year, Zhou hopes to restore the band’s former glory back to how it was during his freshman year. Despite all the obstacles, Zhou deeply cares and wishes nothing but the best for all the band members. His huge commitment and upcoming plans for improvement promise a bright future for the Matador band.

VIVIAN NGUYEN FOCUS EDITOR

His heart racing and body aching, senior Haoyang Zhou takes a much-needed break

from the tiring work ahead of him. During his freshman and junior year, Zhou would spend hours and hours practicing everyday after school to become the drum major for

the Matador band. After the pandemic, his freshman year was cut short and tryouts were put to a halt, but Zhou remained determined.

As a percussionist for six years and a member of Marching Band for four, Zhou’s passions and involvement

“I definitely felt relieved after the results. I started panicking about the results two weeks before they were announced. I felt that everything was worth it after I got drum major because I sacrificed almost all of my time to [become] drum major instead of studying for my AP exams,” said Zhou. “I also gave

“I was in band since my freshman year and saw how the band suffered because of the pandemic,” said Zhou. “My biggest challenge would be trying to do the best for the band and having fun while still maintaining expectations. There’re a lot of things that I want to do, but they are simply not possible or difficult due to the band’s current status. Obviously, I’ve been frustrated by situations like these, but I am working on trying to fix them. Hopefully, things will get better throughout the year.”

HK Badminton player moves to America and pursues an American education

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY TONG

Senior drum major, Haoyang Zhou, leads his first parade at the Arturo Sanchez Halloween Parade on Oct. 15.

PHOTOS BY VIVIAN NGUYEN

Sophomore Lily Tong receives a birdie with exceptional skill. Her prowess at badminton has made her a formidable foe to play against.

Tran overcomes fear of roller coasters

BY KYLIE CHUNG FEATURES EDITOR

“ I am absolutely terrified of roller coasters.” says junior Tiffany Tran. “My last time on a roller coaster was six years ago [at]Disneyland.”

Despite this, Tran was still willing to accompany her friends to Buena Park’s Knott’s Berry Farm toward the end of their summer vacation. The group spent the majority of their day on mild rides, allowing Tran to ease into the sensation of roller coasters while remaining in her comfort zone.

However, as the end of the day approached, the group decided to try something a little more daring.

“It was getting late, so we only had time left for one more ride,” said Tran. “They were really excited for it, and I didn’t want to diminish that.”

At the mercy of her friends’ choice, Tran found herself facing the GhostRider, a 118-foot-tall, three-minute-long monster of a coaster.

“[It] was just terrifying,” said Tran. “I heard about how fast and abrupt it was. My friend told me that the rush

I didn’t believe that. I wasn’t sure how I could get through the GhostRider when I still get uneasy on the baby dragon rides.”

The line for the ride was shorter than usual due to the late time, which did not help to quell Tran’s anxiety.

“I was dreading every second,” said Tran. “Even

seeing [roller coasters] above me with riders zooming by screaming always shivers my timbers.”

The trio were in line for no longer than ten minutes before they were being strapped into the ride.

“When we were set into the seats, I thought it wouldn’t be that bad,” said Tran. “I was wrong.”

It was Tran’s first time on such a big coaster. She clutched her friends’ hands as if they were the only thing keeping her from falling off the ride, hating the sensation of her insides moving about.

“I swear I was gonna start crying or screaming or both.” Tran said. “I very much wanted it to be over quickly.”

As scary as the ride was, Tran felt

a surprising sense of

accomplishment when it ended.

“The GhostRider was a huge deal for me, and I survived it. I truly slayed the day away, and that’s something to be proud of.”

Despite not feeling as if her fear was completely conquered, Tran says she would ride another roller coaster of this caliber if given the chance.

“It was absolutely terrifying,” said Tran. “But as Pitbull said, ‘I saw, I came, I conquered.’”