TheUkiahilite Volume XXXVI Tyler Biscocho
Issue 2
October 26, 2012
Ukiah High Seniors Vote Blue Staff Writer
With Election Day less than two weeks away, both presidential candidates have kicked their campaigns into high gear. From simple mud-slinging to addressing the important issues of the people, President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney have delivered speeches across the nation. The speeches have included topics on the struggling economic recovery, the slow drawdown in American troops in Afghanistan, Obamacare, and foreign affairs. While economics have been the primary focus of campaigning, these topics, and many others, are being analyzed by people attempting to make sense of the massive amount of information the presidential campaigns have poured into the media. Mitt Romney has focused on the swing states as well as the Northeast where his support is minimal. On the other hand, President Barack Obama has focused more on keeping his majority in the swing s t a t e s which he already holds. Obama’s campaign office has had to deal with his decreasing support in the polls following the first Presidential Debate Wednesday evening, October third. Likewise, Romney’s campaign had to deal with the blunders he made when visit-
ing England. Both campaigns have recovered with prestige from their low points to make this election a closer one than anticipated. Unfortunately for President Barack Obama, the first debate had a negative effect on his standings in the swing state polls. President Obama, once holding a six point lead in Ohio, now only holds a one point lead, 50% to 49%, over former Governor Mitt Romney. Governor Romney has also gained points in the swing states of North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida. The first national poll released since the
presidential debate showed a huge swing in the race for presidency. Once holding a four point lead in the national poll, President Barack Obama fell in the polls
and tied with former Governor Romney with each candidate standing at 47%, according to CNN’s Polling Center website as of October 15th.
Along similar lines, the vice presidential debate took place on Thursday, October 11th and, although it did little to change the standings of the President or Governor Mitt Romney, the winner of the debate was hotly debated. CNN’s Polling Center found that a majority of Americans felt that Senator Paul Ryan won the Thursday evening debate. Currently the polls stand with Senator Ryan holding a four point lead over Vice President Biden with 48% to 44%. With the spotlight on the candidates, our senior history classes have paid particular attention to the election this year, debating the candidates, their policies and visions for America. Many of the Ukiah High School AI and US History teachers feel that the Wednesday debate will have little effect upon the actual election outcome in November. To grasp a better understanding of who Ukiah High seniors support, as future and current voters, a questionnaire was given to all AI classes on campus. A majority of seniors on this campus
have stated that Obama is the candidate for them. The small survey covered two things: first, who seniors would vote for President of the United States and second, the approval rating of both candidates among Ukiahi seniors. T h e questionnaire found that 59% of participating seniors who filled it out said they would vote for President Barack Obama for re-election, while 27% said they would vote for former Governor Mitt Romney with 12% undecided. Finally, the survey revealed the approval ratings of President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney. Students ranked each candidate on a scale of one to ten. The scale was then divided so that one through three meant poor, four through seven, stood for fair/good, and finally eight through ten was excellent. Concerning President Obama, 21% of Ukiahi seniors said he has done poorly, 46% said he has done fairly, and 32% said he has done excellently. When it comes to former Governor Mitt Romney, 39% of Ukiahi seniors said he has performed poorly. However, 48% said he has done fairly. Finally, 13% said that Mitt Romney has performed excellently during his political career. Among Ukiahi seniors, President Obama’s lead is obviously a large one. On campus, Obama is ahead by a huge 32 point margin. If this poll foreshadows the outcome in November, we are definitely looking at another term for President Barack Obama. Photo credit: Tyler Biscoho
What’s inside...
Centerspread Homecoming
Opinions: Obama vs. Romney
News: Foreign travel
A&E: New restaurant
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Advertisement Important Dates
Oct. 26, 2012
November 1, registration deadline for December SAT November 2, registration deadline for December ACT November 3, SAT reasoning and subject test November 12, Veterans Day observed- no school November 19-23, Thasnksgiving holiday December 1, SAT reasoning and subject tests December 8, Winter Ball, ACT test
AP Spanish Announcement Written By: Yareli Fuentes, Amairani Gomez, Zoe Lazaro, Janette Martinez, and Adriana Zarate The day of the dead is a long time tradition throughout Latin America whose origins can be traced back to nearly 2,500–3,000 years ago. The purpose of this celebration is to honor and pray for the dead and keep them in remembrance. Throughout history people have dedicated November 1st to children as The Day of the Angels, and the 2nd to the adults. Many families make alters where they place offerings such as pictures, favorite foods, and favorite drinks of their loved ones who have passed on, and dress up as skeletons to mock death. Although they are celebrated around the same time, The Day of the Dead is a day nothing like Halloween. Halloween is about dressing up in costumes, going trick or treating, and partying. At Ukiah High School, on November 2nd , Club Latino will be bringing Aztec dancers and are organizing a display in the library where people will be able to view offerings placed for the dead.
El Día de los Muertos ha sido una tradición por toda Latino America que se origina desde 2,500- 3,000 años. El propósito de esta celebración es para honorar y rezar para los fallecidos y mantener los recordados. Historicamente, la gente ha dedicado el primero de noviembre a los niños y lo llaman El dia de los ángeles, y ha dedicado el segundo de noviembre a los adultos. Las familias de muchas personas hacen altares donde ponen ofrendas como retratos, comidas y bebidas favoritas de los fallecidos, y a veces se viste como un esqueleto para burlarse de la muerte. Aunque se celebran a casi el mismo tiempo, esta celebración tiene nada en común con el día de Halloween. El día de Halloween se trata de disfrazarse, pedir dulces, e ir a fiestas. El dos de noviembre en la escuela, el Club Latino va a traer danzantes (bailadores aztecas) y ha organizado una exposición en la biblioteca de ofrendas puestas para los muertos.
Oct. 26, 2012
Sarah Niderost
News
2013 Brings Upcoming Trips for Wildcats
As the presidential election approaches, Ukiah High teacher Ms. Hoyt has planned a trip to fly students to Washington, D.C. to watch the inauguration of our country’s new leader sworn into the Oval Office. So far, eleven people have signed up to
This trip lasts six days and is filled with activities. Anyone that goes will get to go to their choice of Smithsonian Museums, a night tour of Washington, the inaugural ball, George Washington’s home, the Arlington National Cemetery, U.S. Capitol, Jamestown settlement, and lots more including the inauguration, of course.
go, and more can sign up to go for an extra fee. The cost of this trip is $1900 for students and $2100 for adults that would like to experience the inauguration too.
Each student will have a choice to visit any one of the Smithsonian museums including the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African Art,
Section Editor
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery. On the day of the inauguration, students will get to see the inaugural parade and even get to go to the Inaugural Ball. Students who are going will leave on January 19th, 2013 and come back on January 25th, 2013.For fundraising, Ms. Hoyt has said that they plan to fundraise by selling flowers bulbs, having an Applebee’s Night, and other fundraisers to help pay for the trip and to pay for food. This trip can be beneficial and memorable for any future leaders and aspiring politicians. Also on the road will be, Spanish teacher Mr. Bobby Taylor who has planned a student trip to visit Costa Rica. So far, about forty people have signed up to go and forty people are expected to go. The cost of this 10-day trip is approximately $2400 and will depart on March 27th, 2013. Mr. Taylor states that this trip will have adventure-based activities, but that is not the main point of the trip.
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The main point of the Costa Rica trip is to be immersed in Spanish culture and the world outside of Ukiah. On this ten day trip, students will get to visit Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose. One of the adventure based activities that students will participate in is zip lining and visiting a local school in Monterverde, w h e r e Monterverde students will greet our fellow Wildcats with traditional dances. Students will also get to go horse-back riding and tour through a jungle. In the Arenal region of Costa Rica, students will visit the still active Arenal Volcano and go to the Arenal Lake and hot springs. After the time spent in Costa Rica, students will return on April 7th, 2013. Photos courtesy of presstv.ir and benandalonna.com
Eyeonuhs Provides A New Take On Anti-Bullying
Kaley Keiser
Staff Writer
Eyeonuhs is a new program here at the high school that allows students to send a text message to the schools administration if someone is getting bullied. “It’s a safe and comfortable method of reporting things that are going on without having to fear repercussions.” said Ms. Pedroncelli. “After we receive the text message we will respond to the sender and ask for more information. Our goal is to respond to every text message within 24 hours of receiving it.” Eyeonuhs is confidential so other students cannot find out who the sender of the text message is. Only administration will have the information. To use Eyeonuhs text ‘Eyeonuhs” to 672-83 followed by whatever you wish to report. There was an increased focus on school bullying and violence in the early 2000s, because of school shootings like the one at Columbine High School where two senior boys shot and killed 12 students and one teacher. According to the anti-bullying organi-
zation I-safe American, in almost 58% of these school shootings, the shooter had been bullied. Most of the original anti-bullying laws only protected against physical attacks, and did not protect against threats or insults. West Virginia was the only state that had a law that addressed the need of increasing plans to protect students that are being bullied. By 2007, a total of 35 states had passed anti-bullying laws that protected against bullying, both verbal and physical. Only four years later, 47 states have passed a legislative law requiring all schools to have an anti-bullying program in place. In 2010, the National Youth Prevention Resources center did a poll suggested that over 75% of students is affected by bullying every day. Most bullying prevention laws were originally incorporated into school safety mandates that were already in place. Only nine states originally included a specific policy against bullying. Earlier this year, ABC News did a special on bullying that reported over 160,000
students will stay home every day because of fear of being bullied. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers. For every suicide there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Almost 7% of teenagers have attempted suicide and over 14% percent of teenagers consider it. A recent study in Britain suggests that more than half of suicides among young adults are related to bullying or cyber bullying. The first White House conference on bullying and cyber bullying was held in 2011, and since then several anti-bullying programs have been put in place all across the country. Motivational speaker Scott Bockovich came to our high school on September 28th and talked to us about bullying and the effects that it can have on people. He started out with a light-hearted and humorous approach, from talking about things like the different ways girls take pictures, to talking about an experience he had with a boy named Daniel. Daniel was a boy in high school who was constantly bullied. When Scott met him he thought that Daniel was shy and lacked confidence so
he brought Daniel up on stage to introduce him to the school. As soon as Daniel got on stage he was immediately booed, and some students even threw things at him. The students seemed to take on a mob mentality and soon even more people were booing and throwing things at him. Daniel ran off of the stage and out of the building, eventually someone went after him to make sure he was okay. Scott went on to tell everyone that there are a lot of people who go through situations like the one that Daniel went through. “I think Eyeonuhs is going to benefit Ukiah High School because it offers students a confidential way to let administration know about the bullying issues at the high school,” said Zephyr Girard, a freshman here at Ukiah High School. “Sometimes it’s more awkward to come forward and talk to an official then it is to just send a text message. I think it’s a better approach and that it will help end bullying here at the high school.” The administration hopes that Eyeonuhs is an opportunity for our school to come together and try to put a stop to bullying.
Opinions
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Romney for the Win
Romney was able to control the situation. Not only was Romney the better debater on October 4, he has been able to project Mariana Burns policies he wishes to institute if he is electStaff Writer ed. During the Republican Convention, he shook peoples’ hands with confidence and The elections have really taken off a bright smile, ready and willing to take these past few weeks as both Mitt Romney charge. Though he is 65 years old, tries to repand Barack Obama campaign around the resent people of all ages. His age makes United States. As Election Day draws closth him more experienced and able to institute er – November 6 , 2012 – both candidates policies that are for everyone and not just have been making it known that their pola people of a certain age or standard of livicies are the best; however, Mitt Romney ing. has been able to exemplify his policies His website clearly says with convicwith much confidence and power. tion and clarity that, “Mitt Romney is an The first debate that took place on exceptional man with unique qualificaWednesday, October 4, really brought out tions to lead our country through perilous an aggressive Mitt Romney and put him times, restoring our strength abroad and ahead of the game. Many people who at home.” Now, if that does not say Mr. watched the debate found that Romney was President, then what will? obviously the better debater as it seemed From the beginning, Romney has been like Obama was asleep and bored during the ideal candidate. After being elected to the debate. represent the Republican Party, he immeRomney has outlined his ideals and diately sprang into action to support his policies as being pro-education and trying ideas. to improve the unemployment rate. During Romney’s plans if elected President the debate, as Romney and Obama clashed would be as follows: and butted heads over their different poliWhen it comes to Health Care, he is cies, Obama tried to dog on him; however,
preparing to institute a proposal that will benefit all states in that states will be allowed to create their own policies for Health Care. For Social Security, he plans to slowly but surely extend the retirement age to account for increased longevity. He also wants to institute the idea that benefits for seniors of future generations should continue to grow, but should be lower for those with higher incomes. His tax policy is to cut taxes on big businesses, lower taxes on the middle class with the idea that cutting taxes, will allow businesses to have more money to hire, creating an influx of money in the economy (more money to spend). Mitt Romney, also known as Willard Mitt Romney is the best candidate. He can talk the talk, and walk the walk that is required to run a country. While his new policies that would be placed if elected are mostly for the middle class, he wants to represent every American in the United States. Becoming a president involves several traits that Romney has, and with these traits can make him a decent president. So, who should be elected?
Obama for the Win Andrew Anderson
Staff Writer
Barack Obama has done many things during his presidency. He has withdrawn troops from Iraq, closed the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and reauthorized the state children’s Health Insurance program that covers over four million children. He has boosted the economy with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which helps the economic stimulus package. During March of 2009, the Presidential Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, made further steps to secure the financial crisis. Today many experts believe that this was a beginning and, hopefully, voters will honor his promises to continue those steps. Also during that month, Obama helped the troubled automotive industry, by renewing loans for General Motors and Chrysler to continue their operations while reorganizing. In doing so, the reorganizing of General Motors has given the United States government a temporary sixty percent equity stake in the company. And on August 2 of last year, after a very long congressional debate over whether to raise the nation debt limit, Obama
signed the Bipartisan Budget Control Act, which enforces limits on the discretional spending until 2021 and also creates a procedure to increase the debt limit. Healthcare – or ObamaCare, as it’s popularly known, was Obama’s main campaign promise and top legislative goal. During Obama’s first year of office he called for Congress to pass legislation expanding health insurance coverage, helping uninsured to hold onto their coverage when they leave or change jobs. It would also make it illegal for an insurer to deny health coverage to anyone who has pre-existing conditions; the plan also includes medical spending cuts and taxes on insurance companies that offer expensive plans. This change began in July 2009, when House democratic leaders introduced a plan that was over 1000 pages long, giving the United States healthcare system what many Americans see as a much-needed overhaul. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes health-related provisions that will take effect over four years; but, if elected, Romney plans to cut funding for it, geting rid of it immediately. This is a strong reason for the many poorly insured citizens in our country to make sure
Obama’s re-elected as President. So, why would anyone want to vote for Romney? Perhaps it is because he says that he will create more “American jobs” like coal mining? But it is 2012, not 1812! The fact is that coal mining is one of most dangerous jobs in the world; dangers include a mine collapsing on itself, or a deadly explosion caused by one little spark, and then there is mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer common to mineworkers. The United States needs a more green & efficient fuel future and should be investing in biofuels, solar panels, and more; as Obama has encouraged. Obama is the right presidential candidate for the 2012 election. He has done many good things during his presidency and will do more, if re-elected. It is scary to think what Romney might do! Remember he said during the first debate with Obama that he would put oil rigs around the coast of Alaska, increasing the possibility of thousands of protected wildlife dying, and possibly making gas prices twice as high. Judging from his past actions, Romney might also continue to ship over thousands of jobs to China. So if anyone wants a better America, Vote for Obama!
Oct. 26, 2012
UKIAHILITE STAFF Volume XXXVI Issue 1 Sept. 28, 2012 EDITORS IN CHIEF Danny Selzer, Sydney Walls ASSISSANT EDITOR Julie-Beth Roberts HUMOR Hugh Pegan NEWS Julie-Beth Roberts OPINIONS Shania Robertson ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Sydney Summers Knight CENTERSPREAD Jenna Hester SPORTS Benjamin Cayler ADVERTISEMENT Danny Selzer PHOTO Robert Kelly ADVISOR Valerie Warda STAFF Andrew Anderson, Charles Barrett, Tyler Bisocho, Miranda Boesel, Mariana Burns, Taylor Cameron, Tess Clausen, Kaley Keiser, Robert Kelly, Delaney Kindopp, Jesse Neale, Monica Newell, Sarah Niderost, Bryon Nocross, Trevor Oldham, T. Abe Rawles, Jose Recendiz, Katie Reingold, Luke Robinson, Ashlynn Rose, Lorena Saucedo, Victoria Yanez
Letters to the Editor The Ukiahilite accepts letters to the editors. The Ukiahilite reserves the right to edit letters for length. Letters must be signed in order to be printed. The Ukiahilite may be contacted at ukiahilite@uusd.net or by mail to 1000 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, CA, 95482.
Oct. 26, 2012
Opinions
Secrets Of Sydney Sydney Walls It’s that time again! Election time! I find politics so interesting but I honestly have no clue why anyone would want to be President (sorry Tyler). I am thankful people do want to be, but I could never be. It is so much responsibility and so much hate. Politicians are really brave people, though. I would like to think that some of what they say is true, but so much isn’t, and that kind of scares me. People really don’t know half of what goes on in the government, and maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t think I’d want to know every little thing that goes on; because I am sure many things would frighten the American people. One of the most interesting things about election time is the commercials. Political commercials crack me up because some are just so out there. For instance, Silva-Brown showed my A.I. class a commercial of Herman Cain back from when he was still running. It is the weirdest commercial. Imagine it. Playing in the background is a song about America, and all the sudden Herman Cain’s face appears and he smiles. What were people thinking when they made that? How is a creepy face smile going to get him votes? I also find it funny how much every candidate bashes on the other. It is kind of like they are in middle school and dealing with drama, just on a more professional level. Either way, I still find politics to be exciting. This election is bound to be a close one. Once again, Homecoming didn’t fail to spread excitement. It is the most fun of the entire year and I will for sure miss it. Homecoming always brings out the war in people, but it’s fun! There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition. Staying up late and preparing the skit, dance, backdrop and float always make you super tired, but in the end it is always worth it. I am so proud of my senior class! We really pulled together this year and did a fantastic job. Thanks class of 2013, you helped make my last Homecoming the very best. Congrats to class of 2013 on winning the spirit bell! Also, good job to the other classes for doing a great job this year; it was a great week. Also, congrats to
all the Homecoing King and Queen candidates. You all looked so great and like royalty! And thank you to Mr. Smith for being our class advisor! I know we were difficult at times. Halloween is just around the corner and the excitement is definitely being shown. I am not the biggest fan of Halloween, but I do love scary movies and the marathon of scary movies that play on Halloween night. I like the feeling of being scared; it is a thrill to me. Certain people love the thrill that comes with riding a roller-coaster, and while that may be fun, I like the thrill of being scared. I can’t stand watching scary movies with my dad though; the entire time the movie is playing he will just laugh. He also makes fun of me when a movie says, “based on true events” and I believe it. You can’t ruin my fun forever, dad. I wish I could write a horror book, but I don’t know how to scare people. So many people scare me all the time, and then when I try and scare someone it never works. I don’t see how Stephen King manages to write so many good books that scare so many people. He is one of the greteast writers of all time and I hope one day I can write novels as good, and as long as he does. Hopefully I will one day. I really don’t like fall. I mean, I like the colors of the trees and the sweater’s you can now wear because it gets a little colder, but besides that there is nothing really appealing to me about fall. I think celebrating holidays and being around family and that comes with fall, so I do like some parts. I just hate the cold. Cold just isn’t fun to me, I prefer the heat. I do love Thanksgiving and Christmas break though, that is always something to look forward to! So, I guess it’s time to welcome the fall season, and all that comes with it. Thanks to all the teachers that dealt with the insanity of Homecoming and dealing with their students being insane and hyped up all week long. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you and we appreciate it. Have a Happy Halloween everyone!
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Hope for the Bullied in Our World Shania Robertson
Section Editor
“Nobody is perfect.” This is a phrase thrown around a lot in today’s society. However, when put to the test, time and time again America fails to show its commitment to accepting people for having a different view or opinion or even accepting people’s mistakes. The most notable account of non-acceptance taken too far is a self-told story of a sixteen year old girl named Amanda Todd. Todd’s admittedly poor mistakes frantically caused her to leave and enroll in many school districts in hopes of forgetting the constant bullying; each time, a sliver of guidance showed through in hopes of making new friends. However, Todd’s tormentors continued to follow her and the situation even escalated so far that a Facebook hate page was created and publicly shared with Todd, so her peers could view and mock. Facebook’s poor monitoring was just the beginning. Following this, horrible posts and pictures were shared on this page. Quickly Todd’s “friends” abandoned and avoided her. Feeling like there was nobody left to talk to, Todd uploaded a video to Youtube telling the world of her story and asking anyone to listen and help. Unfortunately, the help Todd was seeking was not received and Todd took her life. People make mistakes. It is not important what that mistake is, but more important is how to grow and cope with it. “It gets better. It seems hard, you know, I think being different is always gonna be a tough climb. There’s always gonna be people that are scared of it,” said Adam Lambert from goodread.com. But, Lambert continues that “at the end of the day you give those bullies, those people that are so ignorant - if you give them the power to affect you, you’re letting them win. And they don’t deserve that. What you’re doing by being yourself is keeping it real, and you’re being really brave.”
After Todd’s early passing, her story soon caught the attention of the media’s eyes and hearts. Soon enough students could not scroll through Facebook without seeing some account of her life shared and Todd’s video began getting millions of views a day as people began to feel remorse for Todd. Soon hundreds of Facebook pages were created in her honor. One page called “R.I.P Amanda Todd,” created by Todd’s family, told of Todd’s life and her last memories. Online, the families had the opportunity to plead for help and try to find the courage to forgive the students that wronged Todd and move on. This page also quickly turned into a place where people could seek help. On this page people who are seeking help like Todd was, or just someone to listen, can go here and find the help they need. Millions of people have volunteered their time and effort for these sorts of people who need a friend and someone to listen to or even report bullying. These web pages were created with the intentions of bringing bullying to a steer halt. This page currently has more than three million followers. With careful monitoring, this family created an amazing impact out of a tragic story that is now a resource for people that need help but do not have the courage to personally ask for it. Here the pleas can be answered by millions of people who donate their time. If more people did the same, maybe people would become more aware of the causes and effects that bullying can have on people. One mistake should not determine the rest of someone’s life. With that hope, if more and more people took time out of each day and put their energy towards making a positive impact towards something or someone, the world would become a better place.
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Oct. 26, 2012
Oct. 26, 2012
Trevor Oldham
humor
College Board is a Conspiracy Staff Writer
I’m going to warn you about the SAT because I don’t want any of you falling victim to the dastardly machinations of the power-hungry capitalistic fascists at the College Board. Actually, while there is no concrete, I’m pretty sure there is a conspiracy going on. First, you pay $50 for the SAT, unless you register by phone, which raises the price another $15. You missed the deadline? Don’t worry; you can pay an extra $27 for late registration. Then they try to sell their own “Official SAT Study Guide” for $31.99. If one is unhappy with his/ her score, it is possible to pay $18 to have the questions and answers sent home for further practice. It costs $11 per school to report scores, and the four free score reports are never used because juniors that take the test haven’t begun applying yet. Then there are the Subject Tests, and if you choose to take one, you
may as well take two or three, so get your mom’s checkbook ready. Sure it is costly, but it’s necessary to score well and get into a university, right. Wrong. Contrary to popular belief, the SAT is not a measure of academic capability; it is a form of eugenics; a plot by elitist white men in suits to keep minorities out of the middle class.
nation has a failing system of public education that doesn’t provide enough funding or support to inner city schools, or it could be because the College Board adjusts scores according to your gender and race. Think about it. When a student fills out that information section before the test, there is a team of geneticists
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average SAT Critical Reading for Caucasian students in 2010-2011 was 528, which is 29 above the national average. However, for minorities, the average drops to about 453 points. The same pattern can be seen in the other sections of the test. Why? It could be because our
sitting in a room ready to review your genome in search of the purest genes. The house is stacked against minorities. “Wow, I thought that the College Board was a reputable not-for-profit organization!” said nobody ever. The government is probably part of it, too. By lowering scores, they can lower the chances of minorities going to college.
Ham I Am
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Thus, statistically speaking, they will live shorter lives, have a lower standard of living, earn less income, and just generally have a tough time trying to succeed in American society. This introduces a gradual, hardly noticeable change over time in our genetic makeup as a society, with a rich, Caucasian middle class fighting an endless war of repression against a massive, growing proletariat composed of people of color who have been cheated by the system. The fields are being culled. Stalin is back from the dead, leading his racist purges against the minorities of America. And we have bought into it for too long. Boycott the College Board! Liberate the world from the SAT! In all seriousness, the difference in scores is a real problem, and the blame falls on either the failing government-run education, or the College Board. Take your pick. Disclaimer: None of this is true, and I highly encourage everyone to take the SAT, and study hard. Get your money’s worth. Thank you.
by: Trevor Oldham
Welcome back. I don’t have any For all the environmentalists that greeting today, but I will share the take offense from that statement, think fact that whenever I’m sad, I try to about this. You’ve probably seen the birds imagine Mr. Silva-Brown at Burning that build their mud nests in the rafters Man. It never fails to cheer me up. of our school. Those are barn swallows, I’ve had it with this Hydration Station. and they are protected by federal law. It has overflowed on me and spilled on Last year, I noticed that the nests the floor one too many times. What we on the north side of the J building had really need is a disappeared, and Pasteurization as I watched the S t a t i o n . swallows rebuild, There will I realized that be a large glass someone may tank where have tampered there is a cow with the nests. hooked up to An inhabited an automatic nest can only be milker, goes removed with a through a special permit pasteurization from the U.S. process, it Department of Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com dispenses milk. Fish and Game. For those of you who like your milk Be on the lookout for any suspicious raw, there is a button for that. You want activity, because these birds are chocolate milk? There is a button for that, too. our friends, and our school may be Think it’s animal cruelty? That’s fine, ordering the unlawful extermination you can still go use the lame Hydration of our peaceful, avian brethren. Station to fill up your recycled, plastic free, Here’s a good idea. We build a 100% locally grown soy, zero emission, very large canal around the equator handmade in America water bottle. of the Earth’s axis, and coat it with
frictionless lubrication so that as the Earth spins, the water maintains its stationary inertia, which would appear as a river flowing at 1700 km/h. Then you put turbines in the canal, and you are now harvesting the energy from the Earth’s rotation. You can thank me later. Here’s a similar idea. Dig a very large hole in the ocean that leads straight to the mantle under the Earth’s crust. As the ocean flows into it, use turbines to harvest the energy. Once it hits the molten core, you can harvest steam energy on the way up. The steam goes into the atmosphere and disperses as rain. You now have a sustainable way of harvesting heat from the Earth’s core, and we can all finally afford a BMW because gas companies will go bankrupt. And if you get a bunch of children to do the labor, you can call it a child care center and get subsidized by the government. We may have limited engineers, but there is an endless supply of orphans. Sad but true. Teak Larwood and I have an equal partnership as the founders of a future business that realizes these inventions. You can be a part of it too if you come up with a good idea, or you can simply buy a share for $7,000, payable directly to me.
This is a lucrative market, and I suggest that you hop in quick before the profit train leaves the station. You may think that all of these infinite energy schemes are impossible, and I forgive you for your ignorance. Think in terms of kindness. Positive energy is completely exempt from the law of conservation. There is an endless supply of positive energy in this world, and it doesn’t take any effort to create it. If you go out of your way to give a friend a complement, or return a lost item, or help with a problem, you are making energy out of nothing. THAT is lucrative. Why do we have war and disagreement when we have the power to revel in an ocean of free energy? I think if every person on Earth took a moment to think about this, we would realize that we really don’t want to kill each other. I happen to know two people who are victims of the hate and injustice in this world. Danny and Shane, I congratulate you for standing up for your rights as human beings and as Americans, even when the bullies and law enforcement were working so diligently to repress you.
Center
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Homecoming
senior: backdrop skits Float Parade Spirit
7533 1508 1542 1364 384
#1
sophomore: backdrop skits Float Parade Spirit
7274 1320 1280 1537 386
#2
Junior: backdrop skits Float Parade Spirit
7239 1452 1439 1270 366
#3
freshman: backdrop skits Float Parade Spirit
6118 1102 1080 1193 335
Paul Steliga
Breann Dunken
Katrina Ohleyer
#4 Grace Eversole
Spread
2012-2013
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Oct. 26, 2012
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Page 12
Frankenweenie
Sydney Summers-Knight Section Editor
Flix pix
Tim Burton’s black and white, stopmotion movie, Frankenweenie, premiered Friday October 5. It is a remake of his 29 minute short film of the same name, as well as a parody and tribute to Mary Shelley’s timeless novel, Frankenstein. The movie is about a boy, his dog and the everlasting friendship that binds them. In the small town of New Holland, where people are always being struck by lightning, Victor Frankenstein, voiced by Charlie Tahan, spends all of his time with his dog and best friend, Sparky. While Victor is working on his science project, his father encourages him to play baseball. When Victor hits a homerun, Sparky runs into the street after the baseball and is hit by a car. Deciding not to face his devastation over Sparky’s death, Victor goes to the cemetery and brings his dog home. He creates a makeshift lab in his attic and brings Sparky back to life with a blast of lightning. Along with all the problems that come with having a reanimated dog, Victor’s classmates learn about Sparky’s revival. Soon ev-
eryone is bringing their deceased pets back to life. Frankenweenie is an excellent example of a classic Tim Burton film. Throughout the movie, one gets a feeling of uneasiness, cringing at its grotesque humor. Parts of the movie seem disturbing and nightmarish. However, the message of the film is very moving and, at times, tear-jerking. The music in the film is menacing, yet playful. The movie uses classic horror film tunes that seem quite cheesy. However, Burton makes the garishness of it entertaining and purposeful as it adds to the uniqueness of Frankenweenie. The stopmotion animation is done insanely well, moving the entire movie along smoothly. The stopmotion immensely adds to the character of the film. The facial expressions and movement of the characters seems strange and eerie because the characters themselves are made out of clay. All of the settings that the movie displays are realistic, yet unworldly. The miniature movie set creates an amazing atmosphere of displeasure
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Taylor Cameron Staff Writer
Bad
The Nightmare Before Christmas, released in October 1993, was Tim Burton’s first film in which he was not in the director’s chair, but did have a major impact on the film. Considered a holiday classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas was based on a poem written by Tim Burton in 1982. The film uses stopmotion technique to create it’s 76 minutes of ghoulish delight to combine two of America’s most cherished holidays: Christmas and Halloween. The voice actor of our hero Jack Skellington, is done by Chris Sarandon. Sarandon is also known for his roles in Fright Night and The Princess Bride. Catherine O’ Hara voices Sally and is known for her roles in Beetlejuice and Best in Show. The movie begins by panning down on a forest, where a ring of trees stand, each with a symbol representing a holiday. It is Halloween night in Halloweentown. A night of celebration and classic fun, but it is an old and tired ceremony that never changes. Jack wanders off into the woods with his
Okay
ghost dog, Zero, frustrated at the fact that the celebration lacks any new creativity and stumbles across the trees. He peeks in the Christmas door and is blown inside. Jack is stunned by the sight of Christmastown and begins to hatch a plan: Halloweentown will take over Christmas. Jack teaches the town what his perception of Christmas is and persuades the town to believe him. Christmas approaches and Jack heads to the merry world, to spread his misconception of Christmas joy. Two holidays that do not belong together collide, ending in disaster. Burton may not have directed the film, but his dark style manages to make a big appearance. He uses monochrome tones combined with select, vivid colors to create a dark, mysterious aura. He shows this in his films such as the modern Alice in Wonderland, Edward Scissorhands, and Beetlejuice. In The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloweentown is very dark with the exception of a few key contrasts, such as Sally’s red hair, Oogie Boogie’s Vegas-style neon lair,
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Oct. 26, 2012
and wonderment. Frankenweenie is the first black and white and the first stopmotion film ever to be made in 3D. Development of the movie started in 2005, although filming began in 2010. There were around 200 puppets used for the film and 18 different versions of Victor. Burton worked with some of the same actresses he has worked with in other films: Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara voiced Elsa van Helsing and Susie Frankenstein, Victor’s mother. Both actresses worked in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, and O’Hara voiced Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Overall, Frankenweenie had all of the factors that one has come to love about a Tim Burton film. His iconic style shows in every aspect of the film and, in the end, it is all about the unbreakable friendship between a boy and his dog. “I was a boy once. I had a dog. It [Frankenweenie] was based on the first kind of pure relationship. It was quite unconditional, your first love in a way,” said Burton in an article from NorthJersey magazine.
and Zero’s orange jack-o-lantern shaped nose. The stopmotion is quite impressive and gives an effect that a computer cannot duplicate. It took three years to make The Nightmare Before Christmas’s raw appearance. Stopmotion is the technique of making an inanimate object appear as though it is moving when it is not. The stopmotion in The Nightmare Before Christmas is very smooth. The music has a sinister feel, even when parts of the movie are light and happy. The majority of the lyrics do not contain a positive message, fitting with the dark instrumental. When listening, one gets a feeling of fright that is strangely combined with joy. The Nightmare Before Christmas gives the younger generation an idea of what many older animated films looked like before computers and exposes people to an older, different technique. Stopmotion is unique and very authentic compared to modern computer animation. The Nightmare Before Christmas gave rebirth to stopmotion and assured viewers it would not easily fade away.
Great
a&E
Oct. 26, 2012
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New Lili Pad Rest aura nt Com es to Ukia h Katie Reingold & Ashlynn Rose Staff Writers There are plenty of businesses in Ukiah, but most do not get a whole lot of attention. However, this does not seem to be a problem for the brand new, family owned Lili Pad restaurant at 311 North State Street. Lili Pad was first opened on September 18th, by Mike and JoAnne Park from Sonoma County. They owned a bigger business in Cotati called D&D Deli, however they decided to retire from that business in 2011. In 2012, the Parks said they got tired of sitting around the house. With all of the spare time on their hands, they found a great way they could be more involved with the community. They opened their business back up, however, this time , changing the deli’s name and location for the better. “We love Ukiah, that’s why we moved here. It is so quiet and nice,” said the Parks. They had a big, week long grand opening event that lasted from September 18 to
September 24. They offered sandwiches for three dollars, and everything else for a special deal, to make sure word got out about the outstanding new hot spot. “We were stuck behind the counter. Many people came in,” the Parks said. The restaurants hours are 8am-5pm Monday through Friday, and 8am-3pm on Saturday. Sunday they are closed. Sandwiches are one of their specialties as well as ice cream, and customers can make their own. They have a large variety of meats, cheeses, and breads. They also have a vegetarian sandwich, which includes avocados on a sweet roll, cheese, and all their other special fixings that make this sandwich irresistible. The vegetarian sandwich makes their menu spectacular, as more and more people today are asking for meatless orders. This great new little deli has homemade waffle cones that hold amazing ice cream flavors of Rocky Road, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookies N’ Cream, Sorbet, Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Coffee. One of these delightful flavors will be sure to tickle one’s taste buds.
With crêpes expanding their popularity in many areas around the world, Ukiahans can now have this extremely tasteful French dish. A crêpe is a very thin pancake which is made by pouring a thin layer of batter onto a frying pan and is usually made with wheat flour. Crêpes can come with many different varieties of toppings, which include strawberries, bananas, kiwis, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and even Nutella. Eating any ice cream flavor with it make it an experience one’s mouth never forgets. The atmosphere of Lili Pad is very welcoming. It is clean and the design of it is open and decorative. With comfortable couches, tables, and chairs, it gives customers a relaxing place to enjoy their meals. Playing blissful music that brightens the place up makes it a very appealing place to eat or hang out. According to some feedback from multiple UHS students, the Lili Pad is an enjoyable place. It is close enough to the school that even during lunchtime, one can go there to get a quick bite to eat, or have a sit-down meal and still beat the rush of the
bell before class starts. After lunch, students are generally groggy, tired, and not ready to be attentive for another two full hours. However, the Lili Pad wakes one up after one eats, not just during. To sum it up, the Lili Pad is a great new addition to Ukiah. The restaurant brings customers to their feet, running to try this extravagant new café. A way to get ahold of the Lili Pad is by calling them at (707) 463-1446.
TV Shows Premiere On NBC, ABC, and More Sydney Summers-Knight Section Editor September and October have brought several new shows to TV channels, such as NBC, ABC, and FOX. Fresh dramas, comedies, and suspense series are proving to be watch-worthy. 666 Park Avenue premiered September 30 on ABC, and is based on the book by Gabriella Pierce. It is a suspenseful, supernatural show starring a young couple who recently moved to New York and land jobs as co-managers for an elegant, old Victorian apartment building. The couple, Jane and Henry, played by Rachael Taylor and Dave Annable, does not know about the unworldly things that go on in “The Drake,” the building they now manage and reside in. The two learn of demonic forces that control the building and the tenants. The show has had an amazing reaction from audiences and promises a successful first season, hopefully with many more to come. NBC’s Go On, starring Mathew Perry, whom one might recognize from the icon-
ic TV series Friends, is promised a full 22 episodes of comedic drama sitcom. Ryan King, played by Perry, is a sportscaster dealing with the death of his wife and working to make it through his day to day life. Ryan’s best friend pushes him to look for counseling and Ryan meets several other people dealing with their own grief. The series premiered September 11 and is a great family show. Old Friends fans and any that have gotten a glimpse of the show would agree that it is definitely watch-worthy. The comedic-drama warms the heart, making one want to laugh and cry all at once. This show is definitely a keeper. Another new series on NBC, Guys With Kids, created by Jimmy Fallon and Charlie Grandy, is a sitcom about a group of men all trying to raise their children without very much help from their wives. The show premiered September 12 and stars Anthony Anderson, Zach Cregger, Jesse Bradford, Tempestt Bledsoe, Erinn Hayes, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler. The show is a refreshingly classic comedy that is great for families. Adding to the new comedies is FOX’s The Mindy Project. Mindy Kaling, the cre-
ator and lead star, plays Mindy Lahiri. The show is about a single woman finding balance between her personal and work life. This show is great for audiences who have watched Ugly Betty, as it is relatable, especially, to older working women. It has a familiar feel to it but displays originality in the fact that Mindy Kaling is the first South Asian American to lead in a series. With its charm and comic-drama, The Mindy Project is sure to be a hit. Revolution is a science-fiction drama about a post-apocalyptic future in which all power has gone out from the world. The show was created by Eric Kripke and premiered September 17 on NBC. The stars of the show are Billy Burke and Tracy Spiridakos, as Miles and Charlie Matheson. The story takes place 15 years after the blackout and people have been forced to adapt to a world without electricity, batteries, or any kind of power. The Matheson family owns a flashdrive that holds the answer to the biggest question of all: why did the blackout occur? However, the Monroe Militia does not want the Matheson family to find a way to turn the power back on because the militia wants to rule. Charlie’s brother and father have been
abducted and she asks her uncle, Miles, to help her find them. Revolution is definitely a great new show that fits into the group of great science-fiction shows like Lost. The first season will be 22 episodes of pure gold. Academy Award winner Callie Khouri created Nashville, which premiered on October 10 on ABC. Connie Britton, along with being a producer of the show, plays Rayna James, a major country music star whose fame is fading. Juliette Barnes, played by Hayden Panettiere, is a rising teen star. The drama is based around the two characters and critics have said it could be the biggest show to come to ABC this fall season. With the show’s classic soap opera feel, it is sure to draw a huge audience. Some new shows have been cancelled within the first few weeks after the shows premiere. Made in Jersey was cancelled after 2 episodes. It premiered on September 28 and only ran until October 5. A lot of new shows means a lot of cancelling, and only the best shows are going to make it. With all of the new series coming this fall season, one can only hope the shows worth watching will push through.
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Sports
Oct. 26, 2012
UKIAH HIGH ATHLETES IN THE SPORTLITE
Athlete: Gretchen Roderick Sport: Girl’s Golf By: Charlie Barret
Athlete: Colin Murphy Sport: Boys Water Polo By: Kiki Yanez
Gretchen Roderick is a junior at Ukiah High School and has played for the Girl’s Golf team for the last three years. Roderick is one of the best players and brings much to the team. During her freshman year she tried out for the volleyball team but in the end she decided on golf and never looked back. She is very glad she made this decision. Roderick shuffles on the ladder between 1 and 2 (the matchup of top performers in a golf tournament). “Gretchen is in her third year and has shown continual improvement. She is a hard worker and very fun to be around.” Girls olf coach Chris Philbrick said There are not many girls in the league so this team excels currently boasting a record of 10-2. When asked how she thinks her team will turn out this year Roderick said “Really well considering how many freshmen we have.” During her last tournament in Deer Ridge Roderick played the best game of her career by going 15 over par and shot a 91.
Roderick has had a very successful High School career in golf with a lot awards to show for it. She has received the coach’s award and most inspirational golfer. She also won a medal at an NBL tournament. What it takes to play this sport she said “A lot of patience, coordination, motivation and confidence.” “Gretchen is motivational and supportive of everybody on the team.” Roderick seems to be well liked by her teammates. Freshman teammate Cassidy Schutz said Another freshman teammate Grace Eversole said “Gretchen is a fun person to be around and can always lighten the mood.” Roderick’s biggest influences are her parents, her coach and her best friend Zoe Lazaro. “My parents support everything I do.” said Roderick Reffering to her best friend Zoe Lazaro, “She is always there to support and encourage me,” said Roderick. Roderick is not only a golfer she has other extracurricular activities to keep her very busy. Aside from golf, she runs track
in the spring, and she is a member of the 6th Man Club. Roderick is not only a great athlete, but also an outstanding student. She has great sense of fashion, and takes advantage of that skill and takes as her elective. She is also taking Leadership, Advanced Placement Literature, and US history. She is also the Spirit Commissioner. She is still uncertain of where she wants to go to college and what she wants to study in college. She is a junior and still has time to consider her options. Although nothing is set in stone, she is definitely considering going somewhere in southern California. From the sound of it Roderick will be successful in whatever she chooses to do. Roderick is well liked among her peers as well as many adults. She continues to improve her golf game as evidenced by her new personal record in the last tournament. Roderick also has a strong support system within her family. Roderick is excited to finish this season off with a bang.
Ukiah High has been lucky for the past four years to have Colin Murphy be part of their boy’s water polo team. As a freshmen Murphy was on the JV team. The following years he has been on the varsity team. Ever since Murphy was young he loved water polo. “I started in seventh grade and I’ve loved it ever since,” said Murphy. Now as a senior Murphy still enjoys every aspect of the sport, whether it is competitive or just the water itself. After his freshmen year of high school, Colin went to New Zealand with coach Rick Cleland and other members of the team to compete in the Pan Pacific Water Polo Tournament in Auckland. That is largest water polo tournament in the southern hemisphere, which is held once every year. While in New Zealand, Murphy endured three weeks of intense training and tough games against national level teams, and, ultimately, he became a better player because of it. “All of my close friends have inspired me in my life,” said Murphy. While playing water polo Murphy learned how to be a teammate and
what integrity really means. Murphy’s teammates think very highly of him. “A gentlemen and scholar in and out of the water,” said Harris Bedford when describing Murphy. Teammate Wesley Franks said, “Colin is a beastly bear who I look up to like a brother.” “Murphy never gets rattled and always stays steady, despite the amount of violence that takes place,” said Coach Cleland. Coach Cleland also said Murphy has a great attitude at every practice and every game. Coach Cleland explained further that Murphy plays the hardest position in water polo, the two meter, or set position, which requires a lot of strength and aggressiveness while also being subtle. Murphy is not only an athlete, but he is an exceptional student. He is taking five advanced placement classes this year including AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus BC, AP Comparitive Government, and AP English. Murphy wanted to be different than all the rest of his family, who study only the foreign language of Spanish, so he decided to take French. He has taken French all four years of high school and is now taking
AP French 4. Taking 5 AP classes is a rigorous struggle alone, but on top of this, water polo is a time consuming sport, and an achievement to maintain a 3.8 GPA. Murphy definitely wants to go to college. Some colleges that he is interested in are the University of Chicago, Cal Berkeley, Southern California, and Pitzer University. In college, Murphy thinks he might play club water polo, but for now his goal is to get his team farther in the NCS playoffs than Ukiah High has ever gone before. “My parents are awesome!” Murphy said. Murphy’s parents support him in everything he does. His mother keeps him on task, while his father keeps him in good spirits and motivated. No matter what Murphy decides to do in his life, his parents will back him up. The Varsity team has seven seniors this year and is ranked first in the North Bay League, giving the team a good chance of winning more than one game at the NCS level. Wherever there is a pool, Murphy will be in it creating a splash.
Oct. 26, 2012
sports
Page 15
Ty Yanez: the man behind Ukiah High Athletics
T. Abe Rawles
Staff Writer This sports article is for students who are athletes and sport fans of Ukiah High. People sometimes wonder how this all comes together. Who makes it happen? The answer is Ukiah High’s beloved Athletic Coordinator Mr. Ty Yanez Four years ago, Mr. Willeford and Mr. Iverson approached Yanez and told him to consider being the high school’s Athletics Coordinator. Yanez thought about it and discussed with his family and he decided to take the offer. “THANK GOD HE DID!” said basketball player Adrian Mata. It takes a lot to be an athletic coordinator. Mr. Yanez’s job includes scheduling the school sports seasons, preparing the seasonal awards ceremonies, hiring referees and officials, checking athletes’ eligibility to play and apply for college scholarships. “As far as I can tell, the man is doing a great job,” said Kitty Britton Mr. Yanez’s secretary. “He is amazing. He spends a lot of time and effort on a job. He always has
been great at whatever he does since he was a teacher,” said Vice Principal Mr. Iverson. Mr. Yanez enjoys his job very much. “The best part about my job is anything to do with the athletes,” said Yanez. Mr. Yanez will admit his favorite sports are baseball and water polo. Any job ,though, comes with negative aspects. People or parents ocassionally hassle him or his voicemail with questions, concerns, or complaints that are not very supportive of the athletics department.
Another part of the job that is difficult is how much time consuming it is. “I do not think people know the other twenty percent part of my job. Most days I work from 7 am to 5 or 6 pm. Every week I have a twelve hour day for some reason. On football game nights if it’s a home game, I have 15 hour days.” The reason why Mr. Yanez’s day can be so long because he attends every athletic home game. Yet he is only required to attend one home athletic game for each sport. “That is what I call dedication,” said
Wesley Franks, a member of the water polo team. If a certain team is doing very well and perhaps they are in NCS playoffs, their game or match is away. Mr. Yanez is going. “I think Mr. Yanez does a fabulous job. I think he has the passion to see student athletes succeed. The man has an incredible work ethic,” said Coach SIlvaBrown. Mr. Yanez is very proud and pleased with the Ukiah High athletics situation. This school offers most sports that large and small schools offer. However, the school does not have freshman sports because there is no money to finance any other than Freshman Boys and Girls basketball because of a group of parents who fundraise for it. Mr. Yanez is happy about where the athletics program is, although he states there is always room for improvement. Yanez believes he could not do this job without the support and cooperation of his wife. Yanez partly took the job because his kds are pretty much all grown up, starting their college career. Mr. Yanez has had an impressive career and is not done yet.
ridin’ solo by: ben cayler This issue is starting off with something completely new; E-sports or electronic sports or competitive video games. It’s a thing I promise. It is actually a really big thing, bigger than I thought. One event, Dreamhack Winter in 2011 reached 1.7 million unique viewers. That is notable at the very least. Twitch.tv is a website solely dedicated to the broadcast of anything video game related, usually tournaments. Twitch.tv gets 16 million unique viewers monthly with an average of 13% increase in viewers. Already that is a ton of viewers, but more impressive is the growth rate of the viewers. Even better Star Craft II is the national sport of South Korea. A video game is the national sport of a country. Think of that. The best players are superstars overseas, and games are nationally broadcast over TV. I’m telling you, Abe, it is the sport of the future. Before you know it, you will be seeing League of Legends or what have you on ESPN. The future is now. On topic with something more relevant, the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers are going to the World Series.
Dear reader, I must admit something. When I began writing my article the Giants were down 3-1 and I wrote my column in advance predicting their lose. But, obviously I was mistaken and I feel I need to publicly apologize for my unfaithfulness. There are worse things to be unfaithful about though. The Giants pulled off a miracle really. Two awesome comebacks in a row. They came back two times. First with the Reds and now with St. Louis. Abe, if they suck, why do they win so much? I am disapointed regardless because I desperately wanted the Giants and the A’s to both make it to the World Series. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be interrupted by a massive earthquake again. In other news, Abe is telling me a highschool student kicked a 67 yard field goal.
Austin Rehkow from Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Washington did, in fact, kick a 67 yard field goal. Whether this is skill or luck, we may never know, but it is longer than any field goal in NFL’s record of 64 yards. I am always disappointed when that Oakland Raiders field goal kicker always attempts to break the record and fails. How demasculating is that for all the NFL kickers? A kid can kick a longer field goal than all NFL players. The NHL is still in their lockout, and I am a firm believer that there will be no season. But it is okay because everyone can still go out and buy NHL 13. In fact, if the season does not happen, I have made a vow to Abraham Rawles that I will buy the full $60 game. I am also going to call out Abe Rawles
on having faith in the Pittsburgh Penguins and this column being mine he may not defend himself. Abe claims that Sidney Crosby is the best player alive right now. I cannot argue with his stats; he does score quite a lot of goals. But ‘best player’ is such a broad term. Abe, you must factor in how he presents himself and as a player overall. Crosby is constantly whining, constanly getting injured, regularly has a creepy moustache, can’t fight to save his life, and won the gold medal for Canada in the 2008 Olympics. He won the gold for Canada. Even Abe can’t respect that. Alex Ovechkin, on the other hand, is one tough mother. He is Russian, though. But that may only add to his toughness. Everyone knows Russians wrestle grizzly bears and stuff. He is literally missing his two front teeth. He does not cry on the ice, has no creepy moustache, and is one of the best fighters in the league. Basically Abe’s favorite player is a little girl and Ovechkin is a burly, rugged man that wrestles animals and what not. Shout out to Amazon.com. Your day one delivery never fails me.
News
Page 16
Oct. 26, 2012
New Teachers Arrive for 2012-2013 School Year Jose Recendiz
Staff Writer
Ukiah High would like to welcome two teachers to the school.
Patricia Halpin, science teache r Before becoming a teacher Patricia Halpin was a Biologist for 15 years. “Timber companies or government agencies would hire me to track, trap, or find some animal that was endangered or listed. I worked in the woodlands all over Humboldt County and Washington State.” “It was beautiful work; I saw a lot of amazing landscapes, and I miss it sometimes,” said Miss Halpin. Patricia Halpin has been teaching for two years. She taught at Eagle Peak Middle School and at Arcata High School up in Humboldt County. She enjoys working at the high school
level. “It’s better than middle school. I like being able to have a reasonable conversation with students as young adults. I enjoy helping them plan for their adult future as much as I can,” said Miss Halpin. “I enjoy teaching higher levels of science.” She enjoys seeing students being really creative on a project they are really good at. “It’s so different being wanted and needed by 200 kids a day. I miss going outside, but I like this it’s different.” Miss Halpin likes the solitude of the Ukiah area the woodlands and the view of the hills from either side of the valley. “It’s a challenge; it’s a lot easier trapping bears. They are just more predictable than kids.” She recently experienced her first Ukiah High Homecoming Week. “It was fun! The school spirit was crazy; it’s good to see a school where the kids appreciate the school.”
Logan Silva, history teacher “It’s great to be working where I graduated,” said Silva who attended Ukiah High School and graduated in 2000. He loves reading, debating, and his favorite cartoon is Futurama. Before teaching, he thought work life was crazy. “I worked at a hotel for eight years, a gas station, with my step dad as a carpenter, and as an assistant professor. I worked 70 hours a week for 3 jobs.” He always worked graveyard shift. “You got to meet the most interesting people around that time.I did that for two years while I had three kids and going to grad school. It’s nice to be able to have stable hours now,” said Mr Silva He has been teaching four years. ”I taught at MCOE, River, OCC located here
at the high school and now, finally at the regular high school.” Silva notices massive changes here at Ukiahi from OOC experience. “It’s different teaching at OCC, it’s a little challenging, and it’s nice to see where kids go after being removed from the school system.” “You have to change your teaching style and get the students motivated. It’s a lot more rewarding when you help them accomplish something.” Mr. Silva enjoys working at Ukiah High. “It’s great. I love school spirit, and I love it when we beat anyone!” He likes the small town atmosphere of Ukiah. “It’s unique. There really isn’t any place like Ukiah. It’s so diverse and redwood trees are awesome,” said Silva. Photo credit Robert Kelly
Ukiah Enjoys 19th Annual Pumpkin Fest
Bryon Norcross
Staff Writer
The 19th annual Pumpkin Fest was held in Ukiah last weekend to celebrate Fall and Halloween. A contest for the biggest pumpkin was held the week before at a local grocery store. The biggest pumpkin weighed in at 758 pounds. It had to be lifted with a fork lift. The pumpkins that were entered were put on a trailer to be part of the Pumpkin Fest parade the following weekend. People lined up on both sides of the street to watch the parade. Many entries in this year’s Pumpkin Fest included floats, antique cars, horseback riders. A lot of fire engines were in the parade with their sirens blaring. During the Pumpkin Fest several floats started including one that had a miniature soccer field on it and another from the Girl Scouts who were dressed as zombie cheerleaders. Everyone watched for their favorite player on the soccer team floats. The entries threw a ton of candy to the children watching the parade. After the parade, everyone went to see what was offered at the Pumpkin Fest. This year’s Pumpkin Fest had sev-
eral things to do for all ages. The Pumpkin Fest covered five city blocks. Many people participated in the variety of activities. There was pumpkin smashing, baseball pitching, basketball tossing and other sports related booths. Many people watched the pumpkins be smashed. When people smashed pumpkins they would take a sledge hammer and hit the pumpkin on a wooden block. pumpkin pulp flew everywhere. Seeds landed 10 feet away. Bystanders saw one kid hit his mom in the ear with a piece of pumpkin. Some of the pumpkins had dye in them and some did not. Either way, everyone got a prize. The rock climbing tower was a big hit. A lot of kids tried to make it to the top of the tower. Some of the kids would almost make it and then let go. Some found it fun to watch them try their best. Some kids tried the baseball pitching booth. They had to throw two balls at the same speed to win the big prize. Some came really close. The big prize was a blowup alien. There were a lot of aliens in the crowd. The younger kids liked to play on the bouncy houses. There were several different bouncy houses to choose from. Some
were really simple and some were very fancy. The bouncy houses were very busy both days. The kids also like to have their faces painted. Their faces had unicorns, butterflies, rainbows and dragons. The toy train was a favorite of the kids that came to the Pumpkin Fest. They seemed to have fun because they rode the train repeatedly. Everyone seemed to like the carnival rides that included the merry go round and the ferris wheel. The ferris wheel wasn’t as big as those at the county fairs. The younger children could ride it and not be afraid. Some kids liked the mega slide. It was not as big as two stories, but it was perfect for the event. There was plenty of different kinds of food and drinks that people could buy, including lemonade and soft drinks. Attendees could buy tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries. A man walked through the crowd and gave samples of Kettle Corn. When it was time for dessert, there were cupcakes, cakes, cookies and fudge brownies for sale. Children could buy cotton candy or peanut brittle.
A lot of people entered scarecrows into this year’s competition. The scarecrows were all different and were very creative. One scarecrow was a bear in a shirt. People used a lot of things to make the scarecrows. Some had beads, cloth, jewels and basketball heads. A lot of people walked through and looked at the scarecrows to see which ones had won the best ribbons. The Ukiah High football players had a fund raising booth at the Pumpkin Fest. They sold cookies, brownies and cupcakes. The players were also selling football jerseys and tshirts with players’ numbers on them. The football players also walked around the festival with signs that said they would do a dare for a donation. Some signs said they would do ten pushups and some even advertised that they would give a kiss for a dollar. The Ukiah Pumpkin Fest seemed to draw a larger crowd than last year’s event. Many people came for the parade and others attended the whole two day celebration in downtown Ukiah. This year seemed very successful as a way for people to get together as a community and share a fun experience.