OPI 2015: Photo Gallery,50 Shades of Why You Should Not See

OPI 2015: Photo Gallery
Olympic Park Institute: a quaint, idyllic collection on cabins
nestled in the perpetually wet mountains of Washington’s
northwestern peninsula. Right on the shore of the historically
deep and stunning Lake Crescent, the hidden gem of Washington
captured Franklin D. Roosevelt’s heart in 1937, and continues
to capture the hearts of Miramonte seniors every year.
While only 60 seniors are able to attend the week-long trip
each year, along with seven teachers, everyone should have the
chance to get a taste of what makes the trip so special. With
nature hikes, backpacking, bonding, and zero-ort successes
galore, catch a glimpse of the Class of 2015’s OPI experience.
50 Shades of Why You Should
Not See This Movie
Now before anyone freaks out, you should realize I’m not
referencing any sort of disgust towards BDSM (Bondage,
Discipline/Dominance, Submission/Sadism, and Masochism),
erotic literature, or fanfiction. What people do in the
bedroom and whatever kinks they have is none of my business.
What I am referring to is the blatantly abusive, unhealthy
relationship that readers and viewers of both the 50 Shades of
Grey book and movie have passed off as “romantic” and even
desirable. The interactions between the two main characters,
Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, is anything but. The idea
of 12 year old girls walking out of a movie theater saying “I
want to be with someone like Christian Grey!” is absolutely
horrifying to me. No, you do not.
The biggest issue with 50 Shades of Grey, which film hit
theaters last Friday, is the portrayal of an abusive
relationship as sexy, alluring, and even idealistic. E.L.
James, the author of the bestselling 50 Shades series,
glorifies abuse and other seriously concerning issues.
Apparently, being stalked by someone you have just met,
contracts dictating sleeping, exercise, and eating habits, as
well as jealous and overbearing men are swoon-worthy.
There are several reasons why Anastasia and Christian’s
relationship is unhealthy. First off, Christian is aggressive,
short-tempered, and displays alarmingly stalker-like
qualities. After knowing Ana (her nickname in the series) for
only three days, he uses her cell phone to track her down,
supposedly to keep her “safe.” When she wakes up the next
morning, hungover, she finds out that while she was passed out
he stripped her down to underwear and a shirt and slept next
to her. This is NOT okay. Young girls, or anyone in general,
should not see this as normal. What knight in shining armor
undresses you when you’re knocked out from drinking too much?
Christian’s intense need for control of all things around him
leads him to propose a contract to Anastasia that dictates how
often she needs to sleep, what she can wear and eat, where she
has to shave, what birth control she must use, as well as what
kinds of substances she is allowed to use. As the story
continues, Christian shows his extensive knowledge of where
she and some of her relatives live, despite the fact that she
never revealed this information to him. Ana is unalarmed by
this, but remind me again why is this is considered romantic?
Another one of Christian’s most “charming” qualities is how
possessive and overprotective he is. When photos of Ana taken
by her friend are put up for sale, Christian buys all of them.
Not because he likes the pictures, but because he can’t stand
the idea of anyone else looking at her. When Ana doesn’t reply
to one of his emails, he calls and texts her several times.
After realizing this, she says “With a deep dread uncurling in
my stomach, I scroll down to his number and press dial. My
heart is in my mouth as I wait for him to answer. He’d
probably like to beat seven shades of shit out of me. The
thought is depressing.” If this were a healthy relationship,
Ana wouldn’t have to worry about being abused. Later on, when
Anastasia gets a job at a publishing house, one of the only
independent things she does in the entire series, Christian
buys the entire company to keep her “safe.” 50 Shades of Grey
normalizes these possessive, aggressive behaviors and displays
them as “romantic.”
Christian isn’t the only character in the novel at fault.
Anastasia places Christian and his needs above her own at
almost every single juncture in the book. Every time he is
angry, she assumes it’s something she has done. Everything she
does is to please him, and she suffers through emotional and
physical abuse to ensure his love for her. When discussing
their boundaries for the bedroom, Ana says “‘I’d never do
anything I didn’t want to, Christian.’ And as I say the words,
I don’t quite feel their conviction because at this moment in
time – I’d probably do anything for this man seated beside
me.” Although Anastasia is incredibly uncomfortable being
Christian’s submissive, she agrees to it out of fear that
he’ll never love her if she doesn’t. She endangers her mental
health as she repeatedly participates in BDSM encounters that
terrify her. Her deep rooted insecurities allow Christian to
exploit and manipulate her.
In addition to their individual issues, the co-dependant
relationship between the two has a Romeo and Juliet-esque vibe
to it. Not the romantic kind, but the “I will kill myself if I
can’t be with you” kind. Anastasia feels as though she can’t
live without him. This in itself is unhealthy, not to mention
the fact that she develops serious eating disorders in the
period when they are no longer together. Throughout the
series, Ana is drawn to the idea that she can “fix” Christian
with love alone, despite the fact he had some serious issues
as a child. This is both unrealistic and unhealthy. Later on
in the series, to ensure that she will never leave him,
Christian proposes to Anastasia, so now they can be trapped in
an abusive relationship ‘til death do them part!
Studies of the series and how it influences young women reveal
some disturbing connections. A study published in the Women’s
Journal of Health in Volume 23, Issue 9 showed that “In ageand race-adjusted models, compared with nonreaders, females
who read at least the first novel (but not all three) were
more likely than nonreaders to have had, during their
lifetime, a partner who shouted, yelled, or swore at them and
who delivered unwanted calls/text messages; they were also
more likely to report fasting and using diet aids at some
point during their lifetime. Compared with nonreaders, females
who read all three novels were more likely to report binge
drinking in the last month and to report using diet aids and
having five or more intercourse partners during their
lifetime.”
And in case you don’t believe my assertions in this article
thus far, another study published in the the Journal of
Women’s Health, Volume 22, on Number 9, 2013 compared the
Center for the Control and Prevention of Disease’s standards
for sexual violence and the abuse suffered by Anastasia in the
novel found that her treatment does qualify as intimate
partner violence. Their report states: “Emotional abuse is
present in nearly every interaction, including: stalking;
intimidation;
and
isolation.
Sexual
violence
is
pervasive—including using alcohol to compromise Anastasia’s
consent, as well as intimidation. Anastasia experiences
reactions typical of abused women, including: constant
perceived threat; altered identity; and stress managing.
Anastasia becomes disempowered and entrapped in the
relationship as her behaviors become mechanized in response to
Christian’s abuse.” They cited examples from the book as
evidence.
Studies aside, the book and movie are both readily available
to almost anyone who wants to see or read them. The book is
available in stores and libraries as well as online. The
movie, which is rated R, is playing in theaters in the US and
abroad. Despite the fact that minors cannot get into R-rated
movies without an adult present, many underage kids just buy
tickets to a different movie and sneak into the showroom.
Ironically, trailers for the movie advertised the release date
as Valentine’s Day, when in actuality it came out on Friday
the 13th. Coincidence? Although it got awful reviews,
27
percent rotten tomatoes and 4.1/10 IMDb, people continue to
buy tickets to see it. The film, which has already made $400
million worldwide, prompted over two million angry twitter
users to begin the hashtag #50DollarsNot50Shades. Users
encouraged people to boycott the 50 Shades of Grey film and
instead donate $50, or simply the price of a movie ticket, to
a local domestic abuse shelter. I heartily agree with them.
So please, do not go out and buy a ticket to see 50 Shades of
Grey, or read any of the books in the series. It’s
glorification and romantification of intimate partner violence
tell people that abuse is okay—and it most definitely is not.
The book has already sold over 100 million copies, been
printed in 52 languages, placed on the New York Times best
seller list for over 50 weeks, and become the fastest selling
paperback of all time in Great Britain. It doesn’t need any
more help spreading it’s messages of abuse.
ASB Rally Recap
Yesterday Miramonte had a rally for the students running for
ASB positions. The rally started with the Miramonte
cheerleaders doing a routine for the school. Then the four ASB
candidates, Liz Hofinga, Patrick Hallahan, Anna Casey and
Corrine Whitsett, spoke about why they want to be the ASB
Board members.
After the speeches, rally leaders Ray Barry Kivel and Jack
Conner brought out the winter sports captains to congratulate
and recognize them.
The festivities continued with each class singing a song. The
freshman got “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye
and Tammi Terrell. The sophomores got “Blank Space” by Taylor
Swift. The juniors got “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson and
the seniors got “Party In The U.S.A” by Miley Cyrus.
The rally ended with the classic class cheers.
Voting for the uncontested ASB officers took place today in
4th period classes.
Miramonte Men’s Soccer Wrap
Up
Junior Coleman Fine
Junior Clark Jordan
Sophomore Daniel Konstantino
The Miramonte Matadors men’s soccer team made history this
year by making NCS for the first time in eight years. Last
week the Matadors clenched their playoff position by trouncing
Las Lomas in a 4-0 rout. The Mats obtained a record of five
wins, four losses and six ties. Yesterday the Matadors played
De Anza High School in the first round of the NCS playoffs and
fell 2-0 at the end of regulation. The Matadors were one of
two teams to tie De Anza this season. The Dons had a record of
20 wins, two ties and no losses. Though the Mats may have lost
the game, they won the competition of best haircuts.
Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year is an important Chinese festival
celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar which is today,
Feb. 19. The celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New
Year’s Eve, the last day of the month on the Chinese calendar,
to the Lantern Festival. The Chinese New Year, or Spring
Festival as it’s been called since the 20th century, remains
the most important social and economic holiday in China and is
the longest celebration in the Chinese calendar.
The Chinese New Year is centuries old and is, traditionally, a
time to honor deities and ancestors as well as a time to bring
family together for celebration and feasting. The festival is
celebrated in communities worldwide and its celebrations may
entail activities such as fireworks, lion dances, family
gatherings, the giving of red envelopes, and decorating with
duilian or Chinese poetry. This poetry is placed on walls and
doors used to express happy and hopeful thoughts for the
upcoming year.
Chinatown, San Francisco, holds the largest Chinese New Year
celebration and parade of its kind outside of Asia. The
festival consists of two fairs: The Flower Fair and the
Chinatown Community Street Fair. Each year, the Chinese New
Year Flower Fair takes on place the weekend before the lunar
new year holiday so that families can purchase their
traditional holiday plants, flowers and fruits. The fair is
set in the heart of San Francisco Chinatown and provides a
festive atmosphere in which the community can purchase their
annual lunar new year flowers and produce while enjoying
traditional Chinese dance, music, art and cultural displays.
An estimated 400,000 people will attend this two day fair.
The Chinese Community Street Fair gives the public an
opportunity to experience Chinese cultural arts such as
lantern and kite making, calligraphy, fine arts
demonstrations, folk dance, and puppet shows.There will be
floats, dancers, firecrackers, martial arts, acrobatics,
school marching bands, and special units celebrating the theme
of this years zodiac sign, the goat. Traditional and modern
entertainment perform on the main stage throughout both days.
Family gatherings and feasting is a quintessential part of
Chinese New Year. Normally, this is the family reunion dinner,
especially for those with family members away from home. In
the New Year’s Eve dinner, customarily, fish will be served
and you can almost always find dumplings on the table. Other
dishes are served depending on personal preference. The
majority of people will eat New Year’s Eve dinner at home
instead of at a restaurant.
There are a few traditions people keep in mind when the New
Year approaches. First, the giving of red envelopes. Usually,
a red envelope containing money is given by adults and elderly
to young children in the New Year days. It was believed that
the money in the red packet will suppress the evil from the
children, keep them healthy, and give them a long life.
Sophomore Isabel Tran talks about her favorite part of the
Chinese New Year celebration: “My favorite part is gathering
together as a family. Every year, my father’s side hosts a
party that includes a buffet-style meal with both traditional
and American food. All of the cousins form a line to receive
red envelopes from the uncles and aunties. The festive spirit
is evident on each and every one of the kid’s faces as they
open and count their money. That same weekend, my family and I
usually drive to San Jose to watch the firework, firecracker,
and lion parade shows.”
Lastly, people will do a complete cleaning of the house as
preparation for the new year. Signifying the removal of the
old and welcome the new. Lastly, Shou Sui (translating to
“After New Years Eve Dinner”) is often carried out, as family
members will normally stay awake during the night. According
to tales and legends, there was a mythical beast named the
“Year.” At the night of New Year’s Eve, the “Year” will come
out to harm people, animals, and proprieties. Later, people
found that the “Year” is afraid of the color red, fire, and
loud sounds. Therefore, at the New Year’s Eve night, people
will launch fireworks, light fires, and stay awake the whole
night to fend off the “Year.”
Some of the best Chinese New Year celebrations are held in the
Bay Area. From the festivals and entertainment to the century
old traditions, Chinese New Year is a time of celebration and
festivities everyone should experience.
Oddballs in the limelight
In this social media age, celebrities attract tons of
attention via apps like Instagram and Twitter. Certain
celebrities who avoid the path beaten by so many boring and
ordinary people can attract more attention for themselves by
being something other than society wants them to be. Just
understand that these unique celebrities are living their own
lives. Keep in mind that I am simply reporting and not
advocating for anything that shouldn’t be done.
RiFF RAFF
Instagram: @Jodyhighroller
Twitter: @Jodyhighroller
Horst Simco, or Riff Raff, or Jody Highroller, is a 32-yearold rapper from Texas. Riff Raff hit the rap scene in 2009
when he was cast on the MTV show From G’s to Gents. He used
this popularity to catapult his career into what is is today.
Riff Raff has tattoos all over his body, consistently wears
crazy clothes with odd color combinations, and has lightning
shaped facial hair. He changes his hairstyle every couple
weeks but is best known for his blue cornrows, diamond grille,
and his caucasian descent. He is very open with his use of
alcohol and very illegal drugs like pot, Codeine, and Cocaine
in his music and on social media. Riff Raff makes rap music
but his music is just as unique as his look. His newest and
most successful album, Neon Icon, ranges from freestyle-esque
raps like Dolce and Gabbana and Tip Toe Wing in My Jawwdinz
with lyrics from the latter like, “I’m at a slumber party,
girls only, got you mad/ But you can sleep outside — here’s my
Versace sleeping bag”, to more serious sounding raps like Cool
it Down and How To Be the Man with lyrics from the latter like
“Show you to be the man, how to be the boss, how to buy the
car, how to buy the house”, then finally to hardcore rock like
Kokayne. His raps are unique because Riff Raff can be a good
break from serious raps to his comical and not so serious
style. You can also pay $28,000 to take Riff to prom and
$20,000 to bring him to your family dinner at
http://jodyhighroller.com/shop. Recently, Riff Raff has put on
loads of muscle, most likely from steroids, and is trying to
get to 250 pounds.
Dan Bilzerian
Instagram: @DANBILZERIAN
Dan Bilzerian is truly in a league of his own. With every
oddball comes a signature look, and Bilzerian’s is truly sexy.
His luscious beard is his identifying factor and it puts
whiskers like mine to shame. After being dropped from the Navy
SEALS program “for a safety violation on the shooting range”,
Bilzerian decided to just go to the University of Florida and
major in Business and Criminology because why the hell not.
Bilzerian made some serious coin after college by playing in
the World Series, of Poker, of course, because baseball isn’t
badass enough for Bilzerian. He won around 30k in the World
Series of Poker Main event. He then bet Tom Goldstein he would
win in a car race which he of course did because he is Dan
Bilzerian and walked away 385k richer. Bilzerian actually had
two consecutive heart attacks after a night of partying with
dangerous narcotics like Cocaine and Viagra. But this is not
why Bilzerian has one of the most sought after lives in
Hollywood and the world abroad. His Instagram account, a
product of too much money, time, and popularity, is caked full
of half-naked women and guns, most of which lead to his newest
nickname, “The King Of Instagram”. This account is responsible
for most of his notoriety and adds to his not so normal
lifestyle.
Miley Cyrus
Instagram: @mileycyrus
Twitter: @MileyCyrus
Miley had it all. She spent her teenage years starring in a
wildly successful Disney channel original show, Hannah
Montana, got engaged to Liam Hemsworth, but then the poop hit
the fan. Liam left Miley and she fell apart. Like, seriously
fell apart, and went from being the Disney star who everyone
wanted to have sexual relations with to the bald chick without
appropriate clothing who gets showered in ones five nights a
week. Miley decided that Draco’s hair looked good so she cut
her hair to a less than two inch length and bleached it coke
white. But, as Tyler Durden once said, “It’s only after we
lose everything that we are free to do anything.” Miley
switched from cute country and pop music to her newest album,
Bangerz, which features the song “Wrecking Ball”, one of the
most talked about songs in the last 20 years because of the
video that went along with it. The video shows Cyrus swinging
back and forth on a black wrecking ball, naked, and literally
licking a sledgehammer like it is a lollipop and showing off
her notoriously long tongue. Although the song may have come
from good intentions, the girl was naked on a wrecking ball…
interesting. Cyrus followed this up by having a professional
photographer take some prime nudes of her, which floated along
the internet for a while. Cyrus also transformed into one of
the most openly public, celebrity stoners. She received a Bob
Marley cake at her 19th birthday and had some interesting
comments. “You know you’re a stoner when your friends make you
a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much fu**in’
weed.” Then in an interview with W magazine during 2014, Cyrus
said “I just love getting stoned” and “I love weed”. Miley
went from a cute Disney Star to one of the worst role models
ever for her old fans. Miley was doing her own thing and I
respect that, but sometimes we all go too far and this is what
sets Miley apart from the rest. She went way too far, like her
Instagram bio that her 15.5 million followers can see: LA face
with an Oakland Booty. Classy Miley, real classy.
Letter to the Editor
I would like to salute the courage and leadership of
Miramonte’s journalism student, Sofia Ruiz, for her important
work in researching and writing the article, “Lamorinda Nudes
Dropbox Must Come Down.”
As The Atlantic Monthly established several months ago,* the
practice of teen sexting has become a national epidemic from
which no high school is immune. And yet, like so many
problems, it’s only a symptom of something else. Our challenge
is to look beneath the surface and learn from it, to use this
situation as an opportunity for growth. Dysfunction can only
thrive in secret. Through open, honest conversation, all
things return to balance.
The first question to ask is why girls believe they have to
share naked pictures of themselves in the first place? I’ve
heard it dismissed as either “no big deal” or “empowering,”
but neither of these responses go deep enough.
Today we can’t talk about power or empowerment without
considering the larger context, the fact that we are just now
emerging from millenniums of gender inequality, a situation in
which women were reduced to the role of object or servant. It
was a sad business and both men and women have suffered
because of it. Now, of course, we’re ready to be done with it.
But something so entrenched can’t be erased overnight. Even as
we work to change the paradigm, it’s still being played out in
social media, music videos, commercials, print ads, reality TV
and what sociologist Frank Furedi has called the
“pornographication” of popular culture.
While we don’t have to buy into it, we can’t ignore it either.
Degrading images are everywhere, seeping into our unconscious
minds (as only visual images can) and twisting our perception
of “normal.” In this instance, girls unconsciously accept
their objectification, while boys unconsciously demand it;
everyone says they’re fine and everyone secretly knows they’re
not. But if we want to stop being manipulated by unconscious
forces, we have to become conscious of them. That starts with
becoming conscious of ourselves, of what we’re feeling and
needing from one moment to the next.
When you are allowed to feel what you feel—to be aware of
yourself—you understand yourself: who you are, what you need
and how to live with compassion and integrity. But when you
are not allowed to feel what you feel, you become disconnected
from yourself:
confused about your needs and easily
manipulated and controlled by others.
I believe we are powerful because we can feel and because we
can imagine and because we can love. Love is the only real
power. Everything else is just playing a game.
No healthy girl feels empowered by pornographic depictions of
her body. Likewise, no healthy boy can enjoy a real connection
with a girl whose body is reduced to a pornographic object.
Every girl deserves to be loved, cherished and respected for
who she is as a human being, just as every boy deserves to
have a loving, respectful, grounded relationship with the
person he adores. Like brightly colored candy, pornographic
images titillate without nourishing. In the end, they just
make everyone feel worse. And yet, you have to be supported in
recognizing your feelings, before you can recognize something
unhealthy.
This is not a discussion about nudity. (The human body is
beautiful and deserving of reverence.) This is a discussion
about what we’re feeling—and actually needing—when we make
certain irreversible choices. Afterall, sometimes we think
we’re hungry when we’re actually thirsty. And sometimes we
crave junk food when we’re actually needing love.
We all need to be loved, accepted, and respected. The
strategies we employ to meet these needs may be misguided—even
dangerous or destructive—but the needs remain strong and
always valid.
It is time for both girls and boys to stand in their strength
and integrity and demand the kind of love and respect that is
their birthright. And it is time for all of us to talk about
what matters to us, what we value, what we long for, what we
need to lead meaningful lives.
This conversation is so much bigger than sexting. This
conversation is about creating a new way of living and
relating with each other in the world.
In the words of the author Doe Zantamata, “In a world full of
fear, be courageous… The world sees you. The world hopes for
you. The world is inspired by you. The world can be better
because of you.”
*http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/11/why-kidssext/380798/3/
Elizabeth Perlman is the founder and Executive Director of The
Intuitive Writing Project, an educational nonprofit that
supports girls in finding their voice, discovering their
strengths, and realizing their capacity for leadership.
Where Are They Now?
Remember the guy always greeting students in hallways and
showing up for home sporting events? It has been almost one
year without the legendary Adam Clark and the Mirador found
him to get an update on life after Miramonte. Now working in
the Liberty Union High School District in Brentwood, Clark has
taken on the position as Associate Superintendent of
Administrative Services. Clark’s job primarily consists of
overseeing the district’s special education program, all
discipline, attendance, expulsions, transfers, safety,
alternative school, foster youth, and homeless students.
Q- What do you miss most about Miramonte?
A- I miss interacting with the students. Talking to students
at lunch or visiting their classrooms are the two things I
miss the most. I also miss working with the Miramonte staff on
different projects. Miramonte is a special place where there
is tremendous support from the community and the school
district.
Q- Pros and Cons of both schools?
A- My heart will always be with Miramonte. The pros of
Miramonte include a great student body, tremendous programs
(Mirador, Public Speaking, Latin, Science Dept… I could go on
and on), robust technology infrastructure, lots of devices,
and dedicated staff. Pros for LUHSD include brand new school
facilities, school spirit, multiple visions of success after
high school, and small town feel.
Cons of both educational environments include high levels of
social anxiety, pressure to excel, students who feel they
don’t belong, alcohol and drug abuse, and rude chants at
sporting events.
I will say this, and this is what I stand for: “All young
people have an inherent worth, regardless of race, social and
economic status, or family upbringing. I see the positive in
the students I serve!”
And let’s not forget the guy who put down the hammer, Michael
McAlister had a strong three years working with the Matadors
and continues his work as Principal of Northgate High School.
McAlister was a great guy always bringing enthusiasm to his
work even when dealing with punishments.
Q- How do you like your new job?
A- I love my new job. It challenges me everyday but I
thoroughly enjoy being able to help write the next chapter, so
to speak, of a great educational institution.
Q- What do you miss from Miramonte?
A- I miss the students, faculty, staff and parents a great
deal. Miramonte will always hold a special place in my heart.
Q- Main differences with two schools?
A- Actually, the two schools are more similar than they are
different. For instance, both student populations are driven,
creative, curious and engaged. This is a blessing for those of
us that get to work with all of you. I’d also say that the
faculty and staff at both schools are a committed and caring
group of professionals.
What stands out most as a difference is that Miramonte has
been able to occupy a place at the top in terms of student
achievement and per-pupil funding while Northgate has
struggled in recent years. With this said, all the pieces are
in place for Northgate to excel in major ways in the time
ahead and I look forward to being a part of this process.
Frankly, I enjoyed my time with all of you at Miramonte
immensely. I loved the team I worked with and will carry the
lessons I learned from all of them as well as you students for
the rest of my professional career. What I like about what I’m
doing now is that I get to practice what I learned. I have the
entire Miramonte community to thank for being great teachers
whose lessons I now get to pay forward.
unkown
A Look Into the Life of an AP
Artist
More often than not, Miramonte students will notice the large
pieces of artwork commonly plastered to the large windows of
the art studio while on their way to or from the quad. The art
displayed shows a wide range of talents among the students of
the art courses provided, but always most impressive are the
pieces created by the AP Art students of Miramonte.
Advanced art students work on a separate level, with their
work produced based on the subject matters of their choice.
Students are given assignments and due dates but otherwise,
the themes and mediums of the art they create is entirely
based on their own discretion. Such self-expression and
interest in art-related fields are addressed and encouraged
throughout the course. Students participate in the exhibition
of their own work and constantly engage in advanced analysis
of themselves and the art they see around them.
The AP Art course, restricted to grades 11 and 12, is designed
to encourage the development of students’ creativity through
the investigation of art within the studio. The students,
already versed in the concepts of art creation through
previous years of Arts One and Two, further expand their
knowledge of the field with the advanced curriculum and
environment of AP Art. Students are often on their own,
encouraged to become independent thinkers who contribute
distinctly to the Miramonte community through the making of
art.
Worst Sports Jerseys
Staff Writer Jarrett Perches took his time picking out the
most questionable and oftentimes flat out horrid looking
jerseys that different sports teams don. Here are the worst of
the worst:
Baseball– MLB “Throw Forward” Jerseys: Instead of wearing
classic “throw back” uniforms, the MLB decided to try and
attempt a new movement in 1998. They called it the “throw
forward” movement in which the jerseys were supposed to be
from the future in the year 2027. Teams featured weird alien
looking batting helmets and tops with the team’s logo blown up
on the front. In my opinion,the worst of the throw forward
series included the Mariners’, Royals’, Pirates’ and Mets’. In
fact, the Mets even went as far as to call themselves the
“Mercury Mets” in which they featured a picture of the planet
Mercury on their jersey. According to this logic, I guess we
will all be aliens by 2027.
Photo: B. Williams
Basketball- 2014 NBA All-Star Jerseys: In past NBA all star
games, the jerseys always seemed to feature detailed and
exquisite designs. However, in 2014, that was certainly not
the case. Let’s begin with the fact that these jerseys had
sleeves. Something about sleeve bearing jerseys and basketball
does not go together. The players don’t like them and neither
do most of the fans. The only people that like these jerseys
are the 2k basketball players that insist on equipping their
team with the worst jerseys they have. In addition to the
sleeves, these jerseys also display an atrocious color
combination. The Eastern all stars chose to mix navy blue with
quite possibly the ugliest shade of green I have ever seen in
my entire life. While these were bad, the Western all stars
jerseys were not much better. Probably the worst part of these
jerseys was the giant fleur de lis logo on the front of the
jersey. This logo represents New Orleans and does look great
on the Saints helmets; however, it was not the same on the
2014 NBA all-star jerseys. Overall, these jerseys look nothing
better than t-shirts that nobody would want to buy.
Photo: S. Brown
Football- Steelers “Bumble Bee” Jerseys: The Pittsburgh
Steelers are the owners of easily the worst jerseys in all of
sports. Their black and yellow striped outfits make viewers
question whether they are hallucinating and watching massive
bees play football. Seriously, it’s like they are trying to be
funny by wearing that hideous attire. The Steelers first
brought out the “Bumble Bee” jerseys in 1934, a season where
they went 2-10. Factoring in the terrible season they had that
year and how terrible the jerseys look, it is beyond me why
the Steelers organization would choose to bring them back.
These throwbacks are guaranteed to make you want to throw up.
Photo: J. Bridge
Hockey- Vancouver Canucks Throwback Jerseys: (Honorable
Mentions: Santa Claus and Sheriff jerseys): Without a doubt,
the NHL has the most elongated list of ugly jerseys in all of
sports. Many hockey jersey’s provide a special factor that
will repel even the most avid supporters of ugly Christmas
sweaters. For instance, a minor league hockey team wore their
infamous sheriff jerseys which resembled something a kid would
wear if he wanted to be Woody from Toy Story for halloween. To
add on to this list of terrible jersey’s are the “Santa
Clause” jerseys which first which featured a design resembling
Santa’s suit and his beard designed around the collar.
However, the award for the most egregious jersey in hockey was
handed out when the Vancouver Canucks charged onto the ice
ready to celebrate kwanzaa. Or maybe, they wanted to represent
the beautiful colors of spaghetti? I honestly have no idea.
But I do know one thing; these jerseys were terrible.
Photo: N. Goss
Soccer- Hull City Throwback “Tiger Skin” Jerseys: In 1992,
Hull City’s new jerseys, meant to portray the intimidation and
ferocity of a tiger, ended up looking more like a silk women’s
bathrobe. It’s not like the jerseys were good luck either,
Hull City posted a 57-75 record in the four years they suited
up in the repugnant tiger skin. When the club posted a 5-25
record in 1995-96 they finally decided it was time to move on
and find another look.
Photo: P. Cockerton