THE
SBHS
FORGE
Volume 99, Issue 4
Email: forge.sbhs@gmail.com
December 14, 2012
Summer vacation on hold
The school year has been extended by one week due to the passing of Proposition 30. Photo Credit: Matthew Wallock Niki Freeland Staff Reporter
Even if the world is coming to an end, the school year isn’t. School now ends on June 6th instead of May 30th due the passing of Proposition 30. The school year has been extended from 175 to 180 days. Proposition 30 was passed on November 6th to fund public schools. The funding will come from an increase in taxes on individuals earning more than $250,000 for the next seven years, as well as a quarter of a cent increase on sales tax. This will provide an additional $6 billion dollars annually through 20182019. In Santa Barbara County, Proposition 30 was passed overwhelmingly, with 56.2 percent of the vote. Through-
out California, the Proposition won by a smaller margin: 53.9 percent of the vote in support, and 46.1 percent in opposition. Santa Barbara High School sophomore William Belfiore comments, “I support the addition of the extra week of school because, all that happened is that we got back furlough days. If the state wasn’t broke, we wouldn’t have lost them to begin with.” Junior Mian Laurain has a more impartial stance on the issue. “I don’t think an extra week makes that big of a difference.” Sophomore Emma Cisek agrees, “it sounds like it kind of sucks, but I probably won’t notice when it happens. It’s only five days; it’s really not that big of a deal. I couldn’t care less.”
On the contrary, sophomore Maddy Holroyd is outraged. “I do not support having an extra week of school. That is taking away from my precious summer. What would we even do that would be important in the last week? I probably won’t go. I’m just here to party.” Many students remain in the dark about this school extension. When asked about his opinion on the controversial topic, Junior Nico Rivera commented, “I don’t know what that is.” Miles Hogan, a sophomore, reacted similarly. “Wait, it adds five days to the end of the year? What? Why?” Another sophomore, Mali Brown, was in disbelief when she was informed of the change. “What? Wait. What are you
What’s Inside? Will we fall off the fiscal cliff? Eating disorders at sbhs Prop 37: Labeling GMOs Your worst holiday memories How to survive a zombie apocolypse Spatchcock like a pro The Drowsy Chaperone comes to sbhs
saying? Can they do that? That shouldn’t be allowed.” Santa Barbara county citizens may not be overjoyed with having to pay higher taxes, but the money will provide additional and much needed funding to our schools. What do you think? Is the extra school week important for students’ education, or is it an unnecessary expenditure? Are the tax increases worth the five extra days at the end of the year, or is the additional week a waste of students’ and teachers’ time? Please share your thoughts with us at forge.sbhs@gmail.com or at facebook. com/sbhsforge!
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December 14, 2012
Staff News Editors
Emma Deardorff Matthew Wallock Editors-in-Chief Sandy Campbell Layout Editor Yvonne Murillo La Forja Editor Griffin Saxon Entertainment Editor Anthony Spann Sports Editor Adam Betters Website Editor
Staff Reporters Anna Acuña Emma Cisek Shannon Comstock Muriel DeAragon Nicola Freeland Edoardo Kaplan Mian Laurain Felicia Rich Jill Rogers Theodore Smith James Sperlin Sky Ulep Courtney Werthman Noa Williams
Managing Consultant/Mentor
SBHS alumnus elected editor of Harvard University student newspaper
Matthew Wallock Editor-in-Chief
On Friday, November 16th, Santa Barbara High School alumnus Rebecca Robbins was elected Managing Editor of The Harvard Crimson for the spring and fall of 2013. Robbins served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Forge when she graduated Santa Barbara High School in 2010 (with an impressive 4.8 GPA). She is now a junior at Harvard University, where she has been writing for The Crimson for two years. Her coverage of the infamous Government 1310 cheating scandal thrust her into the national spotlight earlier this fall. Upon her election, Rebecca has big— no, gigantic—shoes to fill: past Managing Editors of The Crimson include two former Presidents of the United States (Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy), as well as a multitude of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists. Rebecca is currently studying journalism and history, but she excelled in all subjects as a Don. English teacher and Yearbook Advisor Maggie Light de-
Advisor
Stephanie Rivera
Ashlen Weddington ads.forge.sbhs@gmail.com
A sign stands in the quad. Photo Credit: Stephanie Rivera
Contact: Ashlen Weddington
Business Manager ads.forge.sbhs@gmail.com
publication since its founding in 1873, making it the oldest daily college newspaper in America. Rebecca Robbins will serve on the 140th Guard. As rumors swirl about the 2016 Presidential election, the real question is 2028: could Rebecca Robbins be on the campaign trail?
Kate Connell Guest Contributor
on a public address system. The event was organized in honor of Veteran’s Day by groups that include Santa Barbara High School’s student Social Justice Club, Chapter 54 of the Veterans for Peace, the SBHS Associated Student Body, parents, and staff members, as well as representatives from the Santa Barbara Friends (Quakers) Meeting, the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors and other community members. This unique display was insightful and moving.
To observe the high cost of war, a display commemorating teen service members killed in action in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars was set up in the Quad at Santa Barbara High School on Thursday, November 8th. The display consisted of grave markers on which student and staff volunteers attached placards with the names and photographs of the more than 400 teen soldiers killed in action. Students and staff were also able to read the names of the service members
Will we fall off the fiscal cliff? Adam Betters Website Editor
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scribed Robbins as “incredibly academically brilliant. She was able to guide, lead, and instruct seamlessly.” Former Forge Advisor Tony Sandrich noted Rebecca’s strong work ethic. “She would take the newspaper home with her on the weekend and come back to school with it completely finished on Monday.” The Crimson has been in continuous
Veteran’s Day display at SBHS
Micah Kilimann
Business Manager
Rebecca Robbins in 2010, as Editor-in-Chief of The Forge. Photo Credit: The Forge
There has been a lot of talk lately of the United States’ fiscal cliff, but not many people actually know what this means. The fiscal cliff is what will occur on the first day of the new year, 2013, if Congress and the President do not come to an agreement by December 31st regarding the national debt. So what does the fiscal cliff actually consist of? Two major things will occur. The first is the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, which were passed in 2001 and 2003. This will cause taxes to increase for nearly every American. The lowest income tax rate would rise to fifteen percent from ten percent. The highest rate would rise to nearly forty percent from the current thirty-five percent. The other income tax brackets would increase in a similar way. Most people would see a
roughly five percent tax increase on income. Taxes on capital gains and dividends would also change. Falling off the fiscal cliff will also cause automatic spending cuts to be implemented in areas such as defense and social welfare. Most defense programs would face a roughly ten percent budget cut; over 1,000 non-defense programs, such as Medicaid, would see an eight percent cut. However, programs such as Social Security and veterans’ benefits are exempt from cuts. So what could result from the fiscal cliff? The majority of economists as well as the Congressional Budget Office predict that the combination of budget cuts and tax increases would send the economy back into a recession. Budget cuts alone could cause over one million job Political cartoon about the fiscal cliff. losses. Photo Credit: usnews.com
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14 De Decembre 2012
LA
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SBHS
FORJA
La epidemia del habla en “chat” Yvonne Murillo La Forja Editor
Las redes sociales se han convertido en la epidemia de nuestra generación y de las generaciones que vienen. Hoy en día los jóvenes no tienen otra opción más que depender de mensajes de texto, Facebook, Myspace, y otros medios similares. Las cartas fueron lentamente remplazadas por el teléfono, el cual fue después remplazado por correos electrónicos y finalmente por mensajes de texto, comentarios en Myspace, Facebook, y abreviaciones como “JK” y “LOL”. Estos medios de comunicación han producido una multitud de oportunidades para todo tipo de individuos. Con la capacidad de las redes sociales, una plática con un amigo al otro lado del país es mucho más accesible. Incluso trabajos para la escuela son más sencillos de completar, como se ha ilustrado en el comentario del Senior Irene Ricardo: “Con Facebook, tenemos la oportunidad de hablar acerca de tareas y de nuestras clases más fácilmente, mientras también es posible el intercambio de medios; más fácilmente. No tengo que caminar a la casa de mi amigo para obtener información acerca de proyectos y tareas.” Ahora los negocios también poseen la capacidad para conectarse con sus mercados a través de las redes sociales. Según
David Meerman Scott, autor de The New Rules of Marketing and PR, los negocios necesitan poner particular énfasis en los medios sociales y no pueden confiar en otras formas de comunicación. Ya que todo el mundo depende de las redes globales, no será posible volver atrás. Aunque muchos de estos cambios en la transferencia de información con el paso del tiempo han sido beneficiosos para muchos, este cambio en los medios lingüísticos ha resultado en una multitud de efectos dañinos a la vida y lengua humanas. Esta adicción ha hecho de la conexión y la comunicación entre seres humanos, algo casi robótico. Salir con un amigo ahora es mirar una pantalla del computador por horas. La risa ya no es un sonido, sino tres letras “LOL” Un Senior anónimo mencionó que ella es “culpable de decir LOL cuando en realidad debería de estar riendo. Es horrible y se siente antinatural.” Una de las consecuencias más desgraciadas del movimiento de las redes sociales es la desaparición del habla elocuente. Los jóvenes ya no son capaces de adquirir un dominio léxico superior porque simplemente no hay tiempo para escribir palabras largas para comentarios o textos largos. A causa de que los jóvenes no se comunican por otro medio de lenguaje
que estos textos cortos, lo que se pierde es la elocuencia, la gramática y ortografía correctas. Por consiguiente se degrada la dignidad de la población estudiantil. Mientras chatean en Meebo o Facebook, los usuarios olvidan el uso adecuado de las mayúsculas y son desalentados del uso correcto del lenguaje. El hábito de usar lenguaje altamente abreviado a menudo se convierte en una corriente principal en todos los tipos de comunicación. Hábitos como este pasan rápidamente a otras áreas de nuestras vidas, como en el escribir ensayos para nuestras clases de inglés y en aplicaciones para colegios. Los maestros de inglés y oficiales de admisión están más que molestos por la falta del uso apropiado del idioma. A la profesora Ruth, quien enseña ingles, le molesta tanto el uso incorrecto en el idioma mientras platicamos por medio de redes sociales, que expresó su punto de vista sobre Myspace y el lenguaje utilizado en mensajes instantáneos de la manera siguiente: “Ni si me pagaran tendría una presencia en un sitio de web social aunque otros en mi profesión han optado por hacerlo.” El hábito de omitir completamente la puntuación y la ortografía correcta por causa de nuestra pereza puede causar la pérdida del Inglés. Nuestra generación no
The epidemic of chat speak Social Networking has become the epidemic of our generation and generations to come. Youths these days have no choice but to be reliant on texting, Facebook, Myspace, and countless others. Letters were slowly replaced by the telephone, which was replaced by e-mail, which was replaces by texting, Myspace comments, Facebook posts, and “JK’s” and “LOL’s”. These means of communication have provided a multitude of opportunities for all different types of individuals. With social Networking capability, a conversation with a friend in the other side of the country is much more accessible. Even school work has been made more easily done, as illustrated in Senior Irene Ricardo’s comment: “With Facebook, we have an opportunity to cram and talk about classes and homework more easily, while being able to exchange media online more easily. I don’t have to walk to my friends’ house to get information for projects and homework.” Businesses now too have the ability of connecting more easily with relevant target markets through viral web marketing and social networking. According to David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR, businesses must be specially attentive to social networking and cannot rely on other forms of communication. Everyone is so “hooked” in the ever growing global net-
work that there is no going back to former means of communication. Although some of these changes in information transference over the years have been beneficial to many, this change in linguistic medium has resulted in a plethora of detriments to human life and language. This addiction has made connection and communication amongst human beings almost robotic. Hanging out with a friend has now become staring at a computer screen for hours. Laughter is not a sound, but rather, a mere three letters: LOL. An anonymous senior noted that she is “guilty of saying lol under [her] breath while [she] should be laughing. It’s awful and it feels really unnatural.” One of the most unfortunate consequences of the social networking movement is the demise of the eloquent spoken word. Youth are no longer able to foster higher vocabularies because there is simply no time to type out lengthy words for short comment or texts. Because more youth do not communicate through other forms of language, eloquence, correct grammar, correct spelling, and the dignities of the student populace are consequently compromised. While chatting on Meebo or Facebook, users forgot correct capitalization and are discouraged from proper language usage. The habit of using heavily abbreviated
se siente orgullosa de su aptitud lingüística, lo que ocasiona que ciertas formas de arte como la poesía, ya no sean apreciadas. Lo mismo se puede decir de los ensayos escritos, y otros tipos de composiciones que requieren inteligencia y sofisticación en el uso del Inglés. Y claro, esto puede indicar que la generación de Facebook sea más Flexible, abierta al cambio y más innovadora que generaciones pasadas. Muchos proponen que el lenguaje gira en torno al significado, y no depende de reglas rígidas de tiempos verbales. Después de todo, la meta de las redes sociales no es la elocuencia ni la corrección gramatical, sino el transmitir información de una manera más rápida. Sin embargo, algunos estudiantes afirman que existen maneras correctas de decir ciertas frases. Un estudiante conocido como Pequeño Jimmy, aseguró: “los muchachos usan LOL con frecuencia, pero las mujeres lo hacen mucho más seguido.” El aspecto del lenguaje que es indudablemente cierto, es el hecho de que está cambiando constantemente. Independientemente de si el lenguaje usado en redes sociales es apreciado o no, este va a continuar siendo usado y afectado por las próximas generaciones.
Originally published in The Forges’s Volume 96, Issue 8 in 2010 by Katherine Gray
language often become mainstream in all forms of communication. Habits like this carry over into other areas of life, such as writing English papers and college applications. English teachers and admission officers alike have been more vexed than they ever has by the lack of correct language. English teacher Ms. Ruth has such a vehement dislike of social networking language that she expressed her thoughts on myspace/instant messaging language in the following way: “You could not pay me to have a presence on a social networking site although others in my profession have chosen to do so.” The habit of entirely omitting all punctuation and correct spelling for the sake of sheer laziness may mean the demise of the English language. Our generation takes little pride in linguistic talent, and as such, cannot as easily appreciate certain art forms such as poetry, easy writing, and others that require an intelligent and sophisticated use of the English language. Of course, this may indicate that the Facebook generation is more flexible, open to change, and more innovative than previous generations. Some argue that language is about meaning, not rigid laws about tenses and declensions. The goal of social networking is after all, not to be eloquent or grammatically correct, but to convey information in a fast-paced manner.
However, some students claim that there are proper ways to say certain phrases. There are even social restraints on certain phrases. Freshman little Jimmy claims “guys say lol sometimes, but girls use it a lot more.” The one aspect of language that is undoubtedly true is the fact that it is constantly changing. Whether social networking language is appreciated or not, it will continue to be used and affected by generations to come.
Wanted: La Forja reporters!
Can you speak and write Spanish? Contact: Yvonne Murillo La Forja Editor
murilloy95@yahoo.com
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December 14, 2012
Editorials Eating disorders at SBHS
We are told in health class that anorexia usually appears in mid to early adolescence as the result of poor body image and the media’s portrayal of the “ideal” body. What they don’t tell you in class, what no one can tell you unless they have been through it themselves, is that anorexia can appear in your life without warning, and if it does, you will feel powerless against it. They don’t say in class that you’re surrounded by people whose lives have become facts and statistics, or that eating disorders don’t exist only in graphs and warnings about the implications of “poor body image,” but also in the people around you, the people you talk to and sit next to everyday. The instructors cannot convey the true experiences of anorexics for whom disordered eating is a deeply personal and secretive part of their life. Imagine lying in bed until eleven o’clock so that your day starts later. In your mind, that means that you can skip breakfast and just eat lunch, there’s no need for one of the two meals. You get out of bed, careful not to stand up too fast for fear of fainting. You measure your food out perfectly, place it into a bowl, and choose the smallest spoon from the drawer so that you can eat as slowly as possible. You only eat things requiring a
bowl and a spoon. You don’t know why, it just seems like the best way. The only way you’re allowed. While a skeletal physique is a reality for some anorexics, many sufferers do not “look anorexic.” They may be at a normal body weight, or just slightly below, but they are still starving themselves and destroying their bodies in the process. An anonymous tenth grader at Santa Barbara High School who knows what it’s like to live with anorexia said, “it got worse when I told my friend about it, and she said ‘I wasn’t that skinny, but I shouldn’t lose more weight,’ like that would make me feel better.” This student also said that when her friend finally intervened, she was 5’8 and 108 pounds. Anorexia’s high mortality rate is partially due to the fact that it is an extremely secretive disease. Another anonymous tenth grader at Santa Barbara High School commented, “all I wanted to do was to tell someone. I really wanted to tell my friends or my family, but I didn’t because I knew that once I told them I would have to stop.” It is very common for people with anorexia to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Another student said, “one night, my mom cornered me when I was measuring the cereal I ate every night in a fourth-cup measure. She said, ‘you need to stop. You can maintain
“You smell good Santa Barbara!” yelled the lead singer of 311, Nick Hexum, during a recent concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl. The Bowl was packed… if you know what I mean. Probably half the crowd was baked, and I’m sure at least half the musicians were blown. Then it occurred to me that security at the Bowl has given up trying to prevent people from smoking marijuana at concerts. It’s a hopeless fight, just like trying to enforce laws prohibiting marijuana in California and the rest of the United States. According to the MLO (Marijuana Legalization Organization) the government spends 10-14 billion dollars enforcing anti-marijuana laws each year, but there have been no serious impacts or changes. Instead of spending (wasting) 14 billion dollars every year, the government should
be making 14 billion in revenue by taxing marijuana. People will smoke regardless of these laws, so it would seem to be in the government’s best interest to legalize marijuana. “Just because something is illegal doesn’t stop anyone from doing it, it just makes people do it anyways but on the down low,” exclaims Christy Jacobs, a junior at SBHS. Washington and Colorado have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for citizens over 21 years old. The legalization law passed by 5% margin in Washington and the state predicts that taxes from legalized marijuana will bring in approximately 500 million dollars a year. Tax revenue from medicinal marijuana in California only brings in about 100 million dollars every year. The benefits from legalization greatly outweigh the disadvantages of keeping weed illegal. We could help reduce the national debt, give more money to schools, or help pay for the thousands of alcohol related car crashes, injuries, and brutalities every year. Is marijuana really worse than alcohol? The possibility of over-dosing on marijuana is 0%, unlike alcohol, which results in hundreds of over-dose deaths in the Unites States every year. “Marijuana’s illegal status has had essentially the same consequences as prohibition of alcohol in the early 20th century. It has brought crime and monetary damage (in 2010, the federal government spent an estimated $500 per second fighting the inconspicuous War on Drugs), as well as unnecessary and unfair incarceration that targets minorities and feeds the prison-industrial complex. The War on
Forge Reporter
this weight. I want you to feel like you’re in control. I want you to know that you can’t keep losing weight, because there’s nothing left to lose.’ I know this sounds really bad, but I remember thinking that this was exactly what I wanted. I wanted there to be nothing left.” Anorexia also has a way of taking over one’s mind and controlling their thoughts. All that they can think about is food and their weight, which often leads to comparing. Anorexics will compare their bodies to their friends’ bodies, and what they eat to what everyone else eats. One of the anonymous students added, “for eight months I denied that I had anorexia. I tried to rationalize my starvation by saying that I wasn’t at a certain weight yet, or that I didn’t have any anorexic thoughts. I said I was just trying to lose weight. In reality, I was calculating the stranger’s BMI’s and planning meals for the next month in my head.” Anorexia is romanticized in books like Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, and by magazines showing pictures of very slim celebrities. These media, among others, contribute to creating a distorted understanding of anorexia in the public. Most people do not understand that they live in a society riddled with bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating. The truth is that anorex-
Why marijuana should be legalized
Mian Laurain Staff Reporter
Marijuana was recently legalized in Washington and Colorado. Photo Credit: facebook.com
One pro-legalization ad features an eagle with a blunt in claw. Photo Credit: blog.wheresweed.com Drugs needs to stop. During this election, we saw brave progressives in Washington and Colorado successfully fight for a trail-blazing, forward-minded drug policy. Hopefully other states will follow suit and we will be able to end this ludicrous war,” stated SBHS junior, Will Howard. Alcohol is more addictive than marijuana, and it can result in painful physical and physiological withdrawals, while marijuana withdrawals are purely psychological. Also, alcohol can make people dangerous, aggressive, and more likely to risk their lives and the lives of others. You never hear stories about the “that super baked guy that beat his girlfriend into a coma,” but you might hear about “the super baked guy that stole three Twinkies from the local gas station.” I am not saying that marijuana induces good behavior in people, but I do believe that alcohol ruins peoples live
Isabelle Caro, an anorexic model. Photo Credit: The UK Independent ia, among other eating disorders, isn’t just something that you learn about in textbooks or see on the cover of magazines. It’s present at Santa Barbara High School and in many other schools across America. Chances are, you know someone suffering from an eating disorder, too. I know I do.
more frequently than weed does. SBHS sophomore Anthony Spann claims, “cannabis provides a euphoric stress release while alcohol and cigarettes create a depressive, addictive, deadly situation.” On average one out of three car-related fatalities involve an alcohol-impaired driver, and 3 out of 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lives. If marijuana is considered dangerous, then alcohol should be made illegal as well. Marijuana is the most trafficked drug in the world, and drug deals are taking place as we speak. By legalizing marijuana we could decrease drug trafficking and illegal activities such as smuggling, dealing, and gang related activities involving marijuana. If marijuana was to be grown by the government, it could create jobs, be kept clean (marijuana can be laced with dangerous and toxic chemicals), and be grown organically. The government would be able to impose extremely high taxes on it. The truth is, marijuana is not going anywhere anytime soon, so we should embrace its benefits and take advantage of this opportunity to make money and hopefully improve our economy. “It’s going to happen eventually. We might as well get ahead of the game and legalize it sooner rather than later,” declared former SBHS student, Mary Kujan. So why is marijuana still illegal? It’s up to the American people to change this policy. Hopefully our generation and future generations will see the obvious solution to these issues: legalization.
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December 14, 2012
Editorials Overcrowded: English building bridge
Five times a day, a massive traffic jam occurs on the bridge connecting the English building to the rest of the school. One minute into the passing period, people from the first and second floors of the English building, the VADA rooms, and from the main building all converge on the bridge to make one gigantic gridlock. The resulting mess makes the walk across a fifteen foot bridge, which should take a mere four seconds to cross, take up to a minute. “It is always a race against time to get to my next class whenever I cross over that bridge,” complained sophomore Gerardo Zavala, whose opinion is shared by many. Sophomore Matthew Jimenez vented his frustrations about the bridge and brought yet another issue to light. He said that he and his friends “always pack Edoardo Kaplan
Staff Reporter
up early and rush to get out the door just to avoid the bridge traffic.” Matthew and his friend are not the only ones facing problems while making the troublesome journey. Another sophomore, Liam Cetti, feels “like someone makes it their duty to flat tire [him] every time [he’s] in that jam. Also, [he] always get knocked about by the other thirty people on the bridge.” In order to fix this problem Santa Barbara High School needs to implement the solutions used to control actual traffic jams on the road. The school should encourage students to use “back roads” to get to and from classes instead of crowding on the bridge. For example, the ramp that starts at the construction site near the base of the English building and ends next to the quad can provide a less hectic and faster alternative for students traveling from the lower level.
The views and opinions published in The Forge newspaper are not necessarily those of The Forge or any of its affiliated organizations, including Santa Barbara High School, advertisers, and so forth. Each editorial represents only the views of the specific reporter(s).
Students crowd onto the bridge during passing period. Photo Credit: Sky Ulep Another solution is for the school to raise money for the addition of extra “lanes” to expand the bridge. A project like this could be completed over summer vacation, avoiding disruptions to students during the school year. High school students already have a lot
to deal with in their day-to-day lives, so school officials need to crack down on the bridge situation and alleviate some of their stress. After all, students are losing class time because our school hasn’t bothered to fix the bridge issue.
Ashlen Weddington Buisness Manager
that has had its DNA altered. DNA from genetically modified seeds are spliced with other plant species to make the final product larger, produce a higher yield, and have a longer shelf life. Monsanto introduced GMOs in 1996. Since then, scientists have not been able to conduct an experiment that accurately measures their long-term effects. They have, however, been able to link GMOs with increased allergic reactions, degenerative diseases, birth defects, lowered nutritional value of foods, and antibiotic threats. GMOs also lead to the extinction of certain varieties of seeds, kill beneficial insects, contaminate organic crops, and cause economic harm to small farms. It is truly a disappointment that Californians will continue to be denied the right to know what they are eating. The failure of our state to pass this proposition illustrates how much of an influence money has on voters’ decisions. Coca-Cola, Con Agra Dole, General Mills, Kellogg, and Kraft (all popular household brand names) voted against Prop 37 and told the public to vote against it as well. They are hiding the truth from us, and they don’t care about our health or well-being. They only care about their own wealth. They will shove anything down our throats just to make a dollar by keeping consumers in the dark, hiding the negative effects of GMOs from our knowledge, and doing everything that they can to keep their products in our kitchens. The future of Prop 37 looks promising because it has gained the support of citizens, local farmers, and even students such as sophomore Spencer Glesby who believes “that the labeling of genetically modified crops is akin to the listing of ingredients. It’s important that consumers [are] aware of what they are putting into their bodies.” We, as the citizens of Santa Barbara, need to fight tyrannical, self-obsessed corporations by buying organic foods, eating local, and continuing to fight for GMO labeling.
Prop 37: GMO’s
Prop 37, also know as the Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food Initiative, was rejected by 56 percent of California voters during last month’s election. Sadly, the proposition was not as popular as expected because it was bought out by major food industry corporations. A shocking $45,600,000 was donated against Prop 37, while only $8,700,000 was raised to support it. With their vast financial resources, the opposing side was able to brainwash voters with a flood of misleading advertisements. The opposing side misinformed the public, claiming that labeling GMOs would raise the price of food. In truth, prop 37’s passage would have simply required the words “Genetically Modified Organism” to be printed on the label of certain foods, which should not have been very costly considering how often most companies reprint their labels. Despite the opposition’s claims, farmers would not have been forced to switch to “higher-priced, non-GE or organic ingredients” because GMOs would still have been allowed to sell in California. The only thing that would have changed was the label. Santa Barbara High School junior Erin McGeoy believes that “the public should be informed on what is in their food and how it gets there.” Why did corporations such as Monsanto and Cargill spend so much money to ensure that three little words would not be printed on the labels of their products? They did it because many people may not want to buy their food if they knew that it contained GMOs. Senior Tanner Lewbel thinks differently. “It’s a bummer we can’t know exactly what we’re eating, but I don’t think [knowing] would stop Americans from buying GMO foods.” Even though 60-70 percent of food sold in grocery stores contains GMOs, many people are not even aware of what a GMO is, much less what problems they can cause. A GMO is an organism
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December 14, 2012
Features
Artist of the Month: Chuck Palma
Chuck’s artwork. Photo Credit: Shannon Comstock Shannon Comstock Staff Reporter
Chuck Palma is one of many amazing artists enrolled in the Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) at Santa Barbara High School. He is currently a senior and has been a member of VADA for two years.
Chuck’s collection of artwork consists mainly of black and white depictions of monsters and other menacing creatures, with the occasional splash of blood-red. He describes his work as “strange, different, and creepy with lots of dead things and skeletons.” Chuck’s favorite place
Staff Spotlight Anna Acuna Staff Reporter
Mrs. Cutrell is an Algebra Two teacher at Santa Barbara High School. Her teaching career began when she was twenty years old, at Lighthouse Private Christian School. Since then, she has taught at many other schools throughout California. “My favorite part about teaching is when I get to help a kid who is struggling, and help them really understand what is happening,” said Mrs. Cutrell. Her pas-
Mrs. Cutrell teaches Algebra Two in the Math Department at Santa Barbara High School. Photo Credit: Anna Acuna
sion for teaching was inherited from her mother, who was also a schoolteacher. She taught Cutrel many valuable lessons Mrs. Cutrell was born in Atlanta, Georgia but has lived all over the county. When she was a child, her family moved almost twenty times! She is currently settled in Arroyo Grande, and commutes to SBHS five days a week. In order to get to her classroom on time, Ms. Cutrell leaves her home at 5:00 in the morning every day. From Arroyo Grande, she drives to Santa Maria. Next, she gets on a bus for two hours that drops her off at the Courthouse. Finally, she travels the last couple of blocks on foot. Mrs. Cutrell has a much different background than most people who live or work in Santa Barbara. At the age of fourteen, she decided to change her religion and lifestyle because she wanted a change in direction. Mrs. Cutrell met her husband while riding on the bus in 1997. They hit it off and became close friends. After a long time, they realized they had feelings for each other and got married. They had their first kiss on their wedding day! Mrs. Cutrell has now been married for six years and has a two-year-old daughter.
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to work on his drawings is in the VADA room because he enjoys the atmosphere and likes the fact that everything that he needs is available to him. When asked what inspires him, Chuck says that his artwork is influenced mostly by “the way [he feels] during the day, music, and the other artists [he knows].” Some of his favorite artists include Tim Burton and Yoko Tanji, whose artwork has a similar vibe to Chuck’s own creations. VADA students admire and appreciate Chuck’s artwork. His fellow classmate Sophia Alvarez describes his art as “very unique.” Another student, Malaya Tuyay, says that she “really likes his art and finds it really inspiring.” Art is a huge part of Chuck’s life, and he often has a pen or pencil in hand. Even when he is not drawing or painting, Chuck “goes to a lot of music and art shows.” Chuck hopes to continue studying art and illustration after high school. After he graduates SBHS, he wants to attend either the Art Institute of Chicago or the Rhode Island School of Design.
Chuck poses with a piece of his artwork. Photo Credit: Shannon Comstock
The Forge Vault: December 13, 1963
The Forge staff of 1963 wishes you a happy holiday season! So does The Forge staff of 2012!
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December 14, 2012
Features ASB Corner Important announcements from your SBHS Staff Relations Commissioner! December 10th-14th: NHS and CSF applications available in the business office before school, during lunch, and after school. They each cost $2.50 and cannot be purchased after 4:00 p.m. today. December 11th-19th: Candy grams for sale in the quad and main hall. Teddy bears and a note for $3, or a candy cane and a note for $1. All the proceeds help fund senior events including Grad Night and Prom. Come support the Class of 2013 and send a gift to someone special! December11th-20th: Canned food drive before school. Help support the Unity Shoppe by bringing canned foods to Santa and his elves in the main hall from 7:00-7:50 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday or from 8:00-8:50 a.m. on Wednesday. Many teachers are offering extra credit. ASB students will be handing out slips as proof of your donations. December 12th-19th: ASB seniors are preselling tamales to raise money for prom. If you are interested in eating tamales and supporting the senior class, order forms can be found in the ASB room and in the offices. They are $2 for one, $5 for three or $20 for a dozen. Get your tamales on December 19th on the senior lawn! December 21st: Ugly Sweater Day! Come to the lunchtime festivities and sit on Santa’s lap or enjoy a nice warm cup of cider or cocoa! Lastly, good luck to all winter sports this season. GO DONS!
Ten things to do over winter break 1. Shop: The day before Christmas is officially crunch time, so make sure that you have presents for everyone on your list before stores close. Pick up some See’s for the boyfriend or girlfriend, an Aerie gift card for the sister, Vans for the brother, comfy pjs from Nordstrom’s for Mom, and new pair of Columbia gloves for Dad. Or head out to Ventura and hit up Target. 2. Ski or snowboard: Whether you take a day trip to Mtn. High or Big Bear, or a weeklong trip to Mammoth or Kirkwood, set aside some time to hit the slopes. Remember: helmets are a must! 3. Ice skate: If the mountain is out of reach or you just have a thing for the cold, ice-skating is a great way to make it feel like the holidays. The Channel Islands Ice Center in Oxnard is just a 30-minute drive away. 4. Drink hot chocolate: What’s better than drinking hot coco and sitting by the fire on a cold winter day? Either head to the store and buy some hot chocolate powder, or try this really simple two-ingredient recipe: Take out 1 cup of milk, 2 squares of Hershey Milk Chocolate, and a cup. First, place the chocolate squares in the cup. Next, slide the cup into the microwave and heat for 35 seconds. When melted, put in 8 oz. of milk (a cup). Mix it together until you get that warm brown color. Next, slide it back into the microwave for your desired time or until the milk is well heated. Enjoy! 5. Visit Santa: If you celebrate Christmas, visit Old Saint Nick at the La Cumbre Plaza mall and receive a free gift now through Christmas Eve. 6. Decorate the house: Put up a Christmas tree or light the menorah. Bring the holidays indoors with lights, ornaments, tinsel and some DIY popcorn garlands.
7. Sleep in: There’s no school, so take advantage of not having to get up early and get some extra sleep. After all, studies show that getting sleep improves memory, reduces stress, and keeps your heart healthy. 8. Eat yummy food: Roast a ham, cook a turkey, bake a kugel, some challah, a batch of cookies, and maybe even an apple pie. 9. Read: Winter vacation is a great time to do some recreational reading instead of assigned reading. It’s always fun to break out some holiday books like ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas or The Polar Express, but you don’t necessar-
ily need to read something holiday themed. Maybe it’s time to reread the Hunger Games series, Harry Potter, or Eragon. Or, maybe it’s time to go to the library and find a new series to read. 10. Watch TV: You can catch some great holiday movies on ABC family during their 25 Days of Christmas, and there will also be holiday themed movies and shows on the Hallmark Channel, TBS, Life, FX, the CW, and so on. If you would rather skip all the commercials (and you don’t have TIVO), pop in a classic holiday movie from your own collection (or RedBox) like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, or Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.
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Holiday
December 14, 2012
“The day before Christmas Eve, my famly and I go to my grandparents’ house for a pre-family Christmas. After dinner my sisters, cousins, and I sat around the Christmas tree while my grandfather passed around presents. When my gift got to me, I opened up the box seeing something fuzzy. At first, I thought it was a blanket, but then I pulled it out and noticed it was a sweater. Taking a closer look at it, I saw that on the back was a gaint pegasus with a rainbow and peace signs all over it. And that was probably the worst, most embarrassing gift I’ve ever gotten.”
“[The] worst gift I ever got for Christmas was a stocking full of coal from Santa.”
“Some of my dad’s family is a little bit crazy. Just don’t ask my Uncle Hale about soy and cheetahs.”
Eden Williams Grade 9
“For Christmas last year, I got a bunch of old books that were about weird things like sorcery. I got them from my grandma.”
Connor Dougherty Grade 11
“My dog die d Christm on as one year.”
Laura Lea Davis Grade 10
Chris Wagonhurst Grade 10
“Last Christmas when I asked for money, one of my uncles thought I was four years old and said, ‘pish posh’ and sent me a Thomas the Train engine instead.”
Gavin Gaitan Grade 10
Tony Villa Grade 12
“My worst Christmas wa s when I stoppe d getting Christm as presents.”
Atzirri Herna ndez Grade 11
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Worsts:
December 14, 2012
“One time for Christmas, I g ot a gift card to a store that just went out of business.”
SBHS students share their not-so-typical holiday experiences
“When I was thirteen, me and my family visited our family in Peru and we got lost in the Amazon looking for our hiking guide.”
Kai Zhang Grade 10
“I got socks for Christmas once. That wasn’t a very good present.”
“ got I on a stuck s four ki lift f hou or rs.”
Sebastian Herice Grade 11
Will Ra mire Grade1 z 2
Danielle Baeza Grade 12
I “When ot le, I g was litt all that cy b a boun iece of p a e k i l looked ied for five r coal. I c tes.” minu
“One time I was on Lake Powell and it was storming and the gas station was out of gas so they had to feed us and a bunch of other people canned food cause we were stuck there.”
Roy Cannon-Berg Grade 11
Maddy Holroyd Grade 10
“My worst holiday memory was learning Santa didn’t exist.”
Diana Weisz Grade 12
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December 14, 2012
How to: Survive a zombie apocolypse December 21st is the end of the world. Zombies will rise, the sun will burn out, and all the volcanoes on Earth will erupt at once. This is your guide to surviving in a world of the walking dead: James Sperlin Staff Reporter
Step 1: Before the world ends, you’ll need to find a group of survival partners. Your group can be made of friends, family, or even strangers (although they are not recommended) and should consist of at least three strong members, two medical aids, and four fast members. Step 2: You should agree on a home base with the rest of your group. Seeing as you are in Santa Barbara, consider the Mission, the SBHS main building, or any of the other large buildings in town as your shelter. Step 3: On December 22nd, you are bound to encounter your first batch of zombies. After your fist living-dead sighting, contact the rest of the group
and tell them to meet you at your agreed upon home base with weapons, canned foods, and first aid supplies. During the following weeks, try to befriend other groups of survivors to form a more stable unit. Step 4: Killing zombies is very important and is a necessary skill to have for your survival. When a zombie is rushing towards you, stay c a l m . Plant your f e e t firmly on the ground and wait for the zombie to be close enough to ensure that our weapon will make contact. You must aim for the zombie’s head, as it will not stop until it is fully incapable of moving. Remember to announce zombie sightings to your group members by categorizing them as walkers, undead, runners, or even freaks. If you have made it this far into the end of the world without dying, good job. Now, just try to stay alive for as long as possible and search for any ways to overpower the zombies and reclaim the world for the living.
Lie effectively Matthew Wallock Editor-in-chief
Let’s start with the basics: there are two types of lies, under one of which every lie can be categorized. The first type is the conscious lie, where one party knowingly speaks a fallacy to another party (presumably to avoid stating a truth that the second party does not wish to hear or that the first party does not wish to acknowledge). The second, and just as common, type of lie is the unconscious lie, where one party unknowingly speaks a fallacy to another party (they are either unsure of the validity of their claim or simply believe that whatever they said is true). In other words, the first type of lie is intended to mislead, and the second type of lie is resultant of having been misled. Clearly the first type of lie is seen as more devious, and the second as more naïve, but what is it that truly differentiates these lies?
I think it is necessary to define what makes a lie effective. If the overall effectiveness of a system is determined by how well a purpose is achieved, then an effective lie is one that successfully achieves its purpose to convince. It is important that I take this opportunity to establish that both types of lies, conscious and unconscious, share a common purpose of convincing an audience of something that is not true. A convincing lie is one that is believable, so the effectiveness of a lie basically translates into its relative believability. How believable is the lie itself, and how believable is the lie considering the circumstances under which it was produced? How much justification accompanied the lie? How did the liar’s vocal intonations change? Most importantly: does the liar believe the lie himself? I propose that to lie effectively, one must not actually believe the lie himself (although it is exponentially helpful to), but rather appear to believe the lie himself. To create the necessary air of confi-
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Business Manager ads.forge.sbhs@gmail.com dence that adorns most skilled liars, one must mimic honesty. In the same way that somebody cannot fully value beauty until they have seen tragedy, liars cannot perfect the manipulative art of dishonesty until they recognize and understand truthfulness. What does it really mean to say something that is factually correct? What unconscious behaviors, mannerisms, and patterns are associated with speaking a truth? I don’t necessarily know the right answers to these questions, but they are also prevalent in the second type of lie—the unconscious lie, where one thinks that they are telling the truth, thus resembling honesty. In general, the level of awareness of a lie is inversely proportional to the effectiveness of the lie. If you know you are lying, you are most likely not doing a very good job at it (seeing as modern society and Judeo-Christian teachings value honesty).
If you don’t know that you are lying (or think you’re telling the truth), you are most likely doing a better job at it. The knowledge of the potential consequences of a lie is also inversely proportional to the effectiveness of the lie. One is less likely to lie well when there is more at stake. Again, this is just a generalization. Of course there are exceptions to this, because the circumstances surrounding the lie are just as important as the content of the lie itself. All in all, to be an effective liar, you must appear to be telling the truth. What does that mean, though? Be concise, but not too concise. Be confident, but not too confident. Be bold, but not too bold. Don’t say too much and don’t say too little. Don’t freeze up. Don’t change your story. Don’t deny an allegation that is clearly true. Don’t panic. Don’t do something stupid. Just remember what you’re parents always taught you: don’t lie.
Holiday Special
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December 14, 2012
Turducken 101 Turkeys and ducks and chickens, oh my!
Muriel DeAragon Staff Reporter
Serve up some southern comfort this holiday season with a turducken! For those of you that have absolutely no idea what a ‘turducken’ is, it’s a chicken, inside of a duck, inside of a turkey. Though this dish may seem a bit odd, it certainly is not new. Yorkshire Christmas pie is a dish consisting of five different birds layered together and it dates back to 18th century England. In 1807, gastronomist Grimod de La Reyniere invented his Roti Sans Pareil or Roast Without Equal. His recipe consisted of a buzzard stuffed with a turkey, a goose, a pheasant, a chicken, a duck, a guinea fowl, a teal, a woodcock, a partridge, a plover, a lapwing, a quail, a thrush, a lark, an ortolan bunting, and a garden warbler. That is a bit too much bird for my taste, but this Turducken recipe by Paula Deen will keep your guests coming back for more! You will need: 1 cup kosher salt 1 cup brown sugar 1 gallon water 18 to 21 pound turkey (skin intact and boned except for drumsticks) 3 to 4 pound duck (boned) 3 to 4 pound chicken (boned) Paprika Directions: To make the brine: Mix salt and sugar with the water. Brine is ready when the mixture is completely dissolved. If the water is heated to quicken the process, make sure it is cooled to room temperature before placing meat in. Let the 3 birds sit in brine in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat roaster to 500 degrees F. Lay turkey skin side down on a flat surface. Dust turkey with House Seasoning and add 1/4-inch layer of cornbread dressing [see recipe below]. Lay duck skin side down on top of dressing [see recipe below]. Dust duck with House Seasoning and add 1/4-inch layer of dressing. Repeat with the chicken. Begin trussing up the turkey at the neck. Insert metal skewer about 1/2-inch from the edge and up through the other side. Run butcher’s twine between skin and skewer and tighten to draw both sides together. Continue down to legs. With every other skewer, draw together the duck and chicken skin. Tie together turkey legs to resemble standard turkey.
Dust turkey skin with paprika. Roast turducken for 15 minutes. Then turn the roaster down to 225 degrees F to finish, approximately 3 hours. Remove turducken from roaster once the internal temperature in the chicken reaches 155 degrees F. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Cut across the middle of the breast completely through. Plate thin slices containing turkey, duck and chicken. House Seasoning: • 1 cup salt • 1/4 cup black pepper • 1/4 cup garlic powder
1. Turkey
2. Duck
Mix ingredients together and store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months. Cornbread Dressing: Cornbread: • 1 cup self rising cornmeal • 1/2 cup self-rising flour • 3/4 cup buttermilk • 2 eggs • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Dressing: • 7 slices white bread, dried in warm oven • Cornbread • 1 sleeve saltine crackers • 2 cups chopped celery • 1 large onion, chopped • 8 tablespoons butter • 7 cups chicken stock • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon dried sage • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning • 5 eggs, beaten Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To make the cornbread, combine all ingredients and pour into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. To make the dressing, crumble dried white bread slices, cornbread and crackers. Mix together and set aside. Saute chopped celery and onion in butter until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour over corn bread mixture. Add stock, mix well and add salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Follow instructions above to stuff birds. Yield: 8 to 10 servings
3. Chicken
4. Turducken
How to
Spatchcock Another great way to cook your holiday turkey is to spatchcock it! To spatchcock your turkey, take out the backbone and lay the turkey flat before cooking it. This is a good method to use because it cooks that turkey very evenly and crisps the skin to perfection. The dark meet on the outer layer of the bird cooks slower than the white meet towards the inside. The only downside of the spatchcock method is that you can’t stuff it!
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December 14, 2012
Sports The “Don’s House” needs a new lawn
The stadium is Griffin Saxon Entertainment Editor packed and the crowd cheers as the golden tornado takes the field. We love to congregate at our school’s athletic core. Fredrick Forrest Peabody donated Peabody Stadium to Santa Barbara High School on Thanksgiving Day, 1924. 88 years later, we still gather in the bleachers and cheer on our sports teams. But something isn’t right. Maybe you’ve taken a trip to San Marcos and have seen their beautiful Astroturf field printed with a giant Royals seal; or maybe you’ve been a member of the cross-country team and have ran on the famous Dos Pueblos course that finishes with that threequarter lap on their cushioned track, but, either way, you know that SBHS’s field simply isn’t up to par. So you might wonder: why doesn’t our school have a quality stadium and track as the others? Money comes to mind. It’s been discussed in the Santa Barbara News Press throughout the years: where should or shouldn’t our money go, and where are our tax dollars being used? I first learned about this issue from a staff member at SBHS who was concerned about students’ safety on the field and track. “The track is made of asphalt, which is incredibly hard on runners’ feet. Because of this flaw in our track, we haven’t been able to host a meet in all the years I’ve been
here.” Most athletic facilities use tartan, the rubbery tracks you might have seen at Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara City College, but SBHS has yet to make that alteration. Our athletic field compromises the safety and ability of our football and soccer players. Many schools have changed their field from grass to synthetic materials, but our school’s field is actually a field, and just like with any real field, when it rains, there will be mud. For now we get by, but the possibility of a mudless field would significantly help our soccer team. Muddy fields are incredibly hard to play on. Cleats and shin guards help, but having a sound and secure field is safer. It turns out that the issue is not just about money. In 1875, SBHS was the third high school founded in California (at its original location on East Cota Street), and the track is a Santa Barbara city historical landmark. Changes to any local landmarks are strictly regulated and nearly impossible to get approved. The process is even more lengthy and expensive than simply getting a run-ofmill building permit, which is what most facilities are required to do. One SBHS teacher explains that, “there are certain rules and regulations that we’d have to follow in order to change the track and field, and the fact is we just don’t have the money for it.”
Captain Interview
McManigal and Roberston. Photo Cedit: Noa Williams Noa Williams Staff Reporter
Connor McManigal and Evan Robertson are proud to be the cocaptains of Santa Barbara High School’s boys varsity water polo team. Both players are seniors this year, and they are happy to have finished the season with a record of 8-1. Their only loss was in the CIF Division II finals against Agoura. How long have you been playing water polo? E.R.: I have been playing since I was ten years old. C.M.: I have been playing water polo since middle school. I started late compared to most guys, but my older brothers played for the high school team, so I’ve been surrounded by water my whole life. Do you plan on playing water polo in college? E.R.: Yes, I plan on playing at a collegiate level. C.M.: I do not plan on playing in college. Coach Walsh and his program have been amazing to me, but I think I’m ready to hang up the speedo.
How has water polo impacted your life? E.R.: Water polo has definitely taken away a chunk of my free time when I could be spending time with family and friends, but I love it! C.M.: Water polo is the most physically demanding sport in the world. It is responsible for my work ethic, but I never quite learned how to wake up at five in the morning. What are your responsibilities as captain? E.R.: As captain my responsibilities are keeping all our players motivated and on the same page. C.M.: Lead by example; effort in every practice and weight-room session goes a long way. What are you thoughts on this year’s team? E.R.: I could not be more proud of this team. We worked hard three mornings a week before school, and every day after school including Saturday mornings. C.M.: This year’s group of guys is amazing. Our summer Europe trip was an unforgettable experience. We are proud [to be] undefeated in Channel League and [to have] made it to the CIF Championship game. Are you interested in other sports besides water polo? E.R.: Yes, I will be swimming for Coach Walsh this spring. C.M.: I am also on the varsity baseball squad for SBHS. High school has been an awesome experience as a two-sport athlete.
The SBHS field and track are not up to the standards that they should be. Photo Credit: Griffin Saxon So, for the students who think that our stadium is “crappy”, “outdated”, and “worn down”, just know that there’s not a lot we can do about it. We already spend a large sum of money on our sports teams, and we currently face the possibility of many extracurricular classes being cut due to lack of funding. It will take more than our coaches’ complaints to change our field. It will require a grassroots effort by the community. Students, parents, alumni, and community businesses, must join together to start raising funds to make this field of dreams a reality. Build-
ing a new stadium may not seem all that important in benefiting the education of SBHS students, but it is necessary for the safety and skill of our sports teams. Besides, when you come back to Santa Barbara when you are older, and want to see a sports game, that may not be possible if our track and field remain as they are today. Helping to raise money and update the track would ensure that future generations have the opportunity to play sports in a safe and beneficial setting.
A Channel League Championship doesn’t come without hard work. Saralisa Ortega embodies the essence of hard work and what it means to be a champion. The long road to victory started at age five when Saralisa was handed her first golf club by her father. Saralisa’s commitment to excellence began long ago when her father taught her “everything she had to know about
sports and life.” Ever since then, Saralisa has loved the game. As a senior, she plays multiple varsity sports (golf and basketball). Not only did she take home the title of golf champion, she also finished 50th overall in Central California. In previous years, Saralisa has come up short of her own lofty expectations, but this year, “[she] just gave it her all,” and finished first overall in Channel League. Her golf performance was so strong that she elevated her teammates’ confidence, and together, they placed second overall in Channel League. Saralisa expects to continue her golfing career at Santa Barbara City College, where she will work to become an elite female golfer. Ortega will bring the winning attitude and commitment to excellence that she showed in golf to the varsity girls’ basketball team this spring. She will play a prominent role on a team with aspirations to attain a guard position. Her golf coach, Ryan Throop, sees a promising future for Saralisa. “She drives [the ball] about 265 yards,” says Throop with a mild look of disbelief. “I can’t wait to see her talents go to Santa Barbara City College.” Throop continues, “she’s a rare talent and I think we will hear more of her in the years to come.” On and off the field, Saralisa continues to excel. “She is not only an outstanding athlete,” remarks SBHS art teacher Mrs. Gerimia, “but a promising scholar.” We can rest assured that the proud tradition of the Dons will live on so long as people like Saralisa continue to carry the torch though Santa Barbara High School’s halls.
Channel League Champion
Anthony Spann Sports Editor
Ortega plays varsity golf and basketball. Photo Credit: Anthony Spann
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Fun and games Easy
December 14, 2012
Hard
Holiday Wordsearch
CONTEST!
Send your original poetry to forge.sbhs@gmail.com and it could be published in the next issue of The Forge!
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December 14, 2012
Entertainment The Drowsy Chaperone comes to SBHS
Emma Deardorff Santa Barbara High Editor-in-Chief School’s latest theater production was of the famous musical The Drowsy Chaperone. The play was full of romance, humor, and suspense as the audience watched the hours leading up to what was meant to be the marriage of Robert Martin and Janet Van De Graaff, played by Jordan Lemmond and Emma Robbins. Despite many serious and humorous obstacles, the young couple, as well as three other couples that had formed during the play’s time span, said “I Do.” This was not your traditional play; it featured a play within a play. “The man in the chair,” played by Clayton Barry, shared his favorite musical, The Drowsy Chaperone with the audience which he constantly interrupted with his unintentionally humorous comments. He not only talked about the similarities between porn and weddings, but also informed the audience of the original production of the musical and the history of the actors and actresses who performed in it. However, “The man in the chair” was not the musical’s only entertaining character; Clayton Barry’s talent was matched by his fellow actors. In one scene Robert Martin tap-danced while singing about his cold feet. This scene led one member of the audience to proclaim that it made them “want to get up and learn how to tap dance.” In another scene, the play’s self-described “King of Romance,” Aldopho (Emilio Madrid Kuser), sang a song about himself to the Drowsy Chaperone (Elli Harb). The comedic lyrics, com-
Emma Robins as Janet Van De Graaff sings a solo during the SBHS performance of The Drowsy Chaperone. Photo Credit: Adam Betters bined with Emilio’s own musical talent, made the scene one of the most memorable in the play, and left students and parents alike talking about it for days after the curtains had closed. The performers’ singing was accompanied by SBHS’ own live orchestra, conducted by John Douglas. However, the
theater staff seemed to be having some trouble with sound quality. The pilot, played by Shung Cvitanic, went unheard by the audience during two of her solo performances. Sources tell us that they school’s usual sound person was absent during the play’s performance, which fell on the same evening as the midnight pre-
miere of Breaking Dawn. Despite the technical issues, the play was a great success. The theater department should be proud that they were able to put on yet another entertaining production!
Movie Reviews by Emma Cisek
Life of Pi
The Life of Pi movie poster. Photo Credit: Online source Based on the novel of the same name by Yann Martel, the movie Life of Pi follows young Piscine Molitor Pate, known as Pi. The movie depicts the incredible story of how Pi survived on a lifeboat for 227 days with a Bengal tiger named
Richard Parker after being stranded by a shipwreck. Pi and his family own a zoo in India, but, due to the country’s political instability, they decide to take the animals and move to Canada. During the journey to their new home, Pi’s family is killed and he is left on a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a tiger. The rest of the animals are killed, and Pi is left navigate the seas while trying not to be eaten by his hungry companion. During their journey, the duo encounters storms, sea creatures, a mysterious carnivorous island inhabited by meerkats, and other strange obstacles. When the lifeboat reaches the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker disappears into the jungle, leaving Pi with an unbelievable. Life of Pi is a mentally and physically intriguing movie that demands viewers to search for deeper meaning through its, amazing special effects, and hint of light humor. Sophomore Ruby Sapia thinks that, “even though the concept [is] a little difficult to grasp, it [is] a beautiful film.” Whether or not they have read the novel on which the movie is based, everyone should consider seeing Life of Pi.
Breaking Dawn Part II
The Breaking Dawn Part II poster. Photo Credit: Online source A buzzing theater filled with Twihards of all ages suddenly goes silent as the lights dim and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 begins. The final movie of The Twilight Saga follows the Cullen family as they team up with the Quileute wolf pack and a large group of vampires from other covens. With this alliance, they aim to prove to the Volturi, the largest and most powerful vampire coven,
that they are not guilty of turning a child into a vampire, and that Renesme is actually the daughter of Edward and Bella. The Cullens face the Volturi in an actionpacked and romantic movie, leaving every fan with tears in their eyes. Twilight fans have been anticipating this finale since the first movie hit the theaters, and the end has left everyone with melancholy feelings. Sophomore Sabina Friden attended the midnight premier, stating that “[her] life is complete and over all at the same time.” The final movie tied up the saga wonderfully, leaving fans fully satisfied. Another sophomore, Aurora de Leon Johnston, thought that “the ending was amazing and totally worth seeing. It was the end of an era and [she’ll] never forget it!” This grand finale was definitely satisfying to the Twilight community. Sophomore Gabe Reali said “it was an event that will live in [his] memory forever.” Although devoted fans of the saga were absolutely gaga over the finale, don’t walk into the theater expecting to enjoy it without having seen the first four movies. If you haven’t, do some research and watch the rest of the series first. You’re in for a real treat!
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Entertainment
December 14, 2012
Concert Review: George Watsky comes to Velvet Jones On December 5th, Velvet Jones hosted a rapper by the name of Watsky. This was Watsky’s first appearance in Santa Barbara, part of his second headlining tour. It was a sparse but enthusiastic crowd, including several fellow Santa Barbara High students. George Watsky’s gained fame on January 17th of 2011 when he uploaded a video to YouTube with the title “Pale Kid Raps Fast”. The video soon went viral and currently has over 22 million views. This video gained its recognition mainly because of Watsky’s almost unintelligibly fast rapping. His poetry and rap lyrics connect with his audiences, using humor and real life experiences that many can relate to. At Velvet Jones, he was accompanied by a talented backing band. He opened his set with “Energy” from his second mix tape “A New Kind of Sexy.” Due to the intimate nature of the show, the crowd was treated to an extra helping of Watsky’s spoken word. A definite highlight was his performance of his original “I Don’t Give A F***” as a medley with his take on Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.” As Watsky does at every show, he made a point to personally meet each and every member of the audience, sign autographs, take pictures,
Sky Ulep Staff Reporter
Watsky raps on stage at Velvet Jones. Photo Credit: Sky Ulep
and talk. When asked what he loves most about music, Watsky replied, “in a nutshell, I like music because its communication and celebration all in one.” Junior Adam Parker was ecstatic about the show. “I thought the show was amazing and I loved every goddamn minute of it.” “It was the bee’s knees, bro”, added sophomore David Coryat. Even with a small crowd, Watsky proved to be a clever lyricist and dynamic entertainer. He has played to much larger crowds around the world, but on this night, there were a lucky few in Santa Barbara. To check out Watsky, go to georgewatsky.com.
Album Review: The xx release Coexist Earlier this fall, The xx, famous for their song “Intro”, released their sophomore album titled Coexist. Band members Jamie xx (formerly Jamie Smith), Romy Madley Croft, and Oliver Sim joined together to create something beautifully haunting. Their new album consists of dark and mysterious indie rock songs. The fact that Coexist sounds so similar to the band’s self-titled album has sparked some criticism. “Bands with a unique signature sound generally stick around by growing as songwriters and staying open to the possibilities of produc-
Jill Rogers Staff Reporter
tion. Coexist shows no growth,” writes Mark Richardson of Pitchfork Music Magazine. Oliver Sim disagrees, “I think it could be a dodgy path if you intentionally try to do something different. We were just making songs that came out of us. I’m glad it sounds like the band.” Ryan Dombal agrees with Sim, stating that “Coexist is a heartbroken sigh of an album that trades in careful longings, clicking grooves, liquid guitar, and not much else”. The sheer beauty of The xx’s music finds a way to thrill, relax, or astonish listeners. I highly recommend that you check out Coexist; you will not regret it!
Corrections from Issue 3: Noa Williams was a photographer for Artist of the Month and Staff Spotlight. For advertising, contact Ashlen Weddington at ads.forge.sbhs@gmail.com!
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December 14, 2012
Calendar December 2012
NHS/CSF Application Week (Counseling, AP, and Business Offices)
Jazz Band and Combo Winter Concert, 12:30 6:00pm (SOHO Restarant and Music Club)
VADA Early Application Due
Harriet Miller Youth Leader Scholarship Essay Due
Winter Break
Winter Break
January 2013 Winter Break
PLAN/PSAT Scoreback/College Information Night (5:00pm cafeteria)
SAT/ACT Registration Help (Room 43 computer lab) MAD Application Due Martn Luther King Jr. Day (no school)
ELAC Meeting (6:00pm library)
Open House Financial Aid Workshop (Room 42 computer lab) Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation Application DEADLINE
End of First Semester (Minimum day)
SAT Test