October 22, 2009

A paper so great,
they named a
school after it.
Today’s forecast: Sunny.
Highs from the lower to
mid 80s..
(weathercentral.com)
October 22, 2009
Santa Monica High School 601 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Volume XCIX, Issue 2
Cirque du Soleil
conquers pier and
Barnum Hall
Neil Thomas
Staff Writer
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
THE DAY THE CARS STOPPED: Principal Hugo Pedroza congratulates riders at the Bike It Day quad rally on Oct. 21. Over
1000 Samo students and staff participated in the environmental initiative, which was organized by the Samohi Solar Alliance.
CSU applications prove tougher than expected
Katy Cain and
Elena Kivnick
Copy Editor and
Staff Writer
After months of recession news reports, students
will finally feel the effects
of the economic downturn
applying to college as the
California State University
(CSU) system must cut enrollment by 40,000 students.
Out of the 23 CSU
campuses, 12 have become
impacted due to more applicants, fewer available spots
and a decrease in state funding to the campuses.
“Due to a dramatic reduction in funding support
by the state of California, the
CSU declared system-wide
impaction in 2008,” said
Erik Fallis, CSU spokesperson. “State support has declined even further in 2009,
as a result the CSU needs to
reduce enrollment by about
40,000 students over the next
two years.”
To achieve this number,
the CSU application process
is stricter and less malleable.
“Once an application is
submitted through csumentor.edu, students should work
with the campuses to which
they applied if any information changes or needs correction,” Fallis said. “This is
not different from previous
years. What has changed is
that certain CSU campuses
may apply ‘supplemental’
criteria to applicants as a
result of impaction. This is
especially true of out of area
students applying to impacted campuses.”
Of the 23 campuses,
those impacted are Fullerton, Long Beach, Pomona,
San Diego, San Luis Obispo,
Sonoma, San Francisco, Chico, Northridge, Fresno, San
Marcos and San José.
“These campuses will
not accept freshmen applications after midnight on Nov.
30, 2009 and may require
higher admissions criteria for
out-of-area students,” Fallis
said.
Most of the other campuses are not impacted and
will continue to accept applications until their enrollment
targets are reached. However,
Fallis said certain majors and
programs on these campuses
might close by Nov. 30.
Depending on the level
of state funding for higher
education in upcoming years,
these restrictions may also
affect current Samo juniors,
sophomores and even freshmen.
“I’m worried about kids
on the fringe,” said Samo
college counselor Frank
Gatell. “Are they going to
have possibilities?”
Gatell referred to what
he calls the “domino effect”
— when the recession causes
so many people to choose
public universities that they
are overfilled. Even eligible
candidates are forced to turn
In light of the
“Seinfeld” reunion...
What happened
to the cast?
Arts & Entertainment, p. 11
to junior colleges, which are
also full with a mixture of
first-year students and other
people hoping to expand
their skill sets in a tough job
market.
The advice Gatell gives
to students is basic — get
good grades, fill requirements and prepare for testing. However, Gatell especially stresses one thing in
particular: preparedness.
“Have backups!” he
said. “We need some kind
of reality. If you get in, hallelujah. If you don’t, what’s
plan B?”
Gatell’s advice applies
not only to current college
applicants, but future highschool seniors who can begin
the planning process.
“For those applying for
fall 2010, getting a completed CSU application in
by Nov. 30 is critical,” Fallis said. “For students who
are still a year or two away
from applying should visit
csumentor.edu, review application requirements and start
a planner.”
Despite these alterations, not all students find the
changes to be too drastic.
“Obviously I’m going
to work more on it,” said senior Gabie Levesque, who is
considering San Luis Obispo
and possibly Pomona, among
others. “I don’t think I would
[change anything], I’m doing
all that I can …”
Senior Hailey Sheridan,
feels the pressure a little
more.
“It makes sense, but
it sucks,” she said. “First I
thought is was really shocking, because they have a lot
of levels of education anyways”
Sheridan, who is also
applying to University of
California campuses, worries
she procrastinated too much
on her required tests because
the UC system allows test
scores to be sent in long after
the main application is sent.
Fortunately, the CSU
system still supplies many
of its accepted students with
scholarships.
“The CSU reserves
one-third of fee increase
revenue to enhance financial
aid,” Fallis said. “More than
187,000 CSU students will
pay no fee increase due to increases in the state university
grants, federal grants, CSU
fee waivers and newly expanded federal tax credits.”
Hopeful seniors must
submit their FAFSA forms
early on if they hope to be
eligible, and students of all
grades should inform themselves of deadlines and requirements in order to stay
on top.
More importantly, students should make sure they
are comfortable with all the
choices they make.
“Find the school that
you know you will be able
to succeed, and, if anything,
enjoy your four years in,”
Gatell said.
Cirque du Soleil has
returned to Santa Monica
for the first time since
“Dralion” 10 years ago.
This time they’re back
with a new twist: Cirque
du Soleil is collaborating
with the Santa Monica/
Malibu Unified School
District (SMMUSD) Education Foundation to put
together a presentation in
Barnum Hall on Nov. 16.
“We were originally
asked to make a donation
to the Ed Foundation,”
said Karen Gay, Director
of Global Citizenship at
Cirque.
They donated 250
tickets to the Oct. 30 show
of “Kooza” to be sold by
the Ed Foundation, a nonprofit organization, with
profits going to the For
The Arts foundation.
“[We said] we’d rather do something unique,”
said Gay. “So, Cirque has
agreed to take part in the
Ed Foundation sponsored
speaker series called “ED
LIVE!”
Barnum will host a
presentation by Cirque
du Soleil called “When
Cirque Comes To Town —
An Exclusive Look Inside
Cirque du Soleil.”
“It’s a behind-thescenes look at Cirque,
what it takes to set up a
show like ‘Kooza,’” Gay
said.
News, p. 2
Photo courtesy of cirquedusoleil.com
GRAND SPECTACLE: Cirque du Soleil performers pull some
crazy stunts in the “Charivari” act of Cirque’s new show, “Kooza.”
Big Fish in a Big Pond:
JACK
GERSTEIN
Samo fisherman
reels in the big
stuff.
Feature, p. 10
It takes over 300 people to work on one show,
and not all of them are
performers. Accountants,
marketing directors and
many others are essential
parts of any show.
Among the people
coming to speak are the artistic director, the tech director, the casting director
and two performers, one of
whom joined Cirque immediately after high school 16
years ago. Although still
in progress, the presentation will show, according
to Gay, “how you [too] can
run away with the circus.”
Coming to Samo is
another part of Cirque’s
“Global
Citizenship.”
And when they say global, they’re not kidding.
Cirque represents approximately 80 communities
spanning five continents.
In fact, the program that
facilitates Global Citizenship, Cirque du Monde
(Circus of the world, for
those of us less francophone), existed in South
America before any shows
toured there.
“Every year, we take
1 percent of our gross
revenue and give it to the
community,” said public
affairs coordinator Charles
Beraud.
Cirque’s global citizenship is divided into two
parts, social and cultural.
The social mission targets community, specifically at-risk youth, giving
them an opportunity to
College Visits
Campus Life, p. 5
Opinion.........................3
Campus Life....................5
Special Report...............7
Feature..........................9
Arts & Entertainment....11
Sports............................13
Photo Essay..................16
*If you would like to advertise with us, email [email protected]
News
Page 2
Oct. 22, 2009
Cirque du Soleil expands charitable outreach to SMMUSD
(Continued from pg. 1)
enrich their lives through
the art of circus. “The circus becomes a conduit to do
outreach with them,” said
Beraud, adding that the circus allows for these kids to
learn important skills like
teamwork
The cultural mission
also supports Cirque employees in their own art.
For example, if you worked
for Cirque and were also a
photographer, Cirque would
help you get your art off the
ground.
In addition, Cirque
works to support art within
the communities. This is a
topic near and dear to the
heart of Cirque founder, Guy
Laliberte. He started off as a
street musician working in
Canada.
“He[Laliberte] may not
have made it until someone
gave him a shot at the stage,”
said Beraud.
Why isn’t the Cirque du
Monde better known? Says
Beraud, “[Publicity] makes
the deed less about the giving, it makes it less good.”
Samo will become another beneficiary of the
good deeds of Cirque du
Soleil. “We’re very happy to
be back[in Santa Monica],”
said Gay, “It’s the least we
can do.”
For more ticket information, visit cirquedesoleilcom
Team Marine recyclables stolen
Joe Colajezzi
help,” Kilroy said.
The team suffered a
blow to their finances and
Eco friendly student
their morale.
organizations Team Marine
“The alleged thief is
and Heal the Bay Surfrider
from Samohi. It really is a
Club are Samo’s
shame.
We’re
most recent vicdoing this to
tims of theft.
save lives.” Kay
Thousands of
“The alleged thief is from
said. “I can hope
plastic water botfaculty and
tles and aluminum
Samohi. It really is a shame. the
staff can be role
cans worth hunof high
dreds of dollars
We’re doing this to save lives.” models
integrity. I thank
were taken from
writers of notes
the club’s storage
--Benjamin Kay
of sympathy.”
area on the weekKay
reend of Oct. 10, acquested that film
cording to Marine
from the North
Biology
teacher
and Team Marine leader Cambodia and Africa as part Lot surveillance cameras
be searched to identify the
of the LifeStraw program.
Benjamin Kay.
“Our plan is to double thief.
“Hundreds of hours of
“If it is an inside job, it
work have gone down the our efforts. Because it’s not
tube,” Team Marine student we who suffer, it’s the chil- makes me sick to my stomdren in Africa who need our ach,” Kay said.
activist Megan Kilroy said.
Staff Writer
According to Team Marine, they spent months over
the summer collecting recyclables to buy water filtering
devices which they send to
photo courtesy of cirquedusoleil.com
STRETCHED TO THE MAX: Cirque du Soleil acrobats perfom a feat of strength.
School Board adopts new homework policy
Taylor D’Andrea
Staff Writer
The Board of Education recently updated the
homework policy for SMMUSD (The Santa Monica
Malibu School District),
affecting the entire Samo
community.
At the last Board of
Education meeting, a new
policy was drafted to replace the homework/makeup work policy for SMMUSD schools. The new
policy consists of guidelines for the amount of
homework that should be
assigned per day for each
grade.
The suggested limit
for kindergarten is ten
minutes, and subsequently
increases ten minutes per
grade.
The guidelines for
high school, however, were
changed from the 90-120
minutes daily in the following statement: “Assignments should be designed
so that the typical student
can complete all homework
within a reasonable time”.
PTA president and
Samo parent Elizabeth
Stearns expressed her concern with the current policy,
and hopes to see change.
“I hear from my kids
and their friends that certain teachers are easy, that
others are harder. This inconsistency is what determines the amount of homework assigned,” Stearns
said.
Samo teachers were
not as concerned about the
change in the policy.
“I don’t necessarily
think that this will affect
Samo students significantly,” said chemistry teacher
Sarah Lipitz, “I believe
for the most part teachers
already assign what they
deem a ‘reasonable amount
of homework’”.
Some
students
at
Samo, however, showed
some nervousness about
the new policy.
“I just hope teachers
don’t start assigning more
homework because there
isn’t a time limit. I think
that homework is difficult
to finish when you also do
things afterschool, but it’s
fine if you don’t have too
much in one day,” said Natalie Sharooz, sophomore.
The Board Of Education revised their homework
policy at their October 1st
meeting, and SMMUSD
teachers are expected to adjust their homework practices (if necessary) as soon
as possible.
teraction involving a student,
be it sexual harassment, verbal
abuse, or physical violence.
General neglect includes children attending school malnourished, not bathed or clothed
properly, or emotionally unstable.
The SMMUSD has seen
an increase in the amount of reported abuses in the last year.
De la Torre believes the
increase is most likely attributed to heightened awareness.
“We’ve implemented training
workshops so that people understand what we need to do to
protect children and students,”
he said. “That’s why there’s
been an increase in the amount
of reports…We must do everything in our power to protect
young people.”
In comparison to incidents
of domestic violence, life at
school is relatively safe. There
was only one case last year of
abuse that involved a district
employee, which is still undergoing investigation.
The most prominent child
abuse case in the school district
occurred two years ago at Lincoln Middle School. Thomas
Arthur Beltran, an ESL teacher, was found guilty of several
charges of sexual harassment.
“Since then we have become very strict about our policies,” de la Torre said.
However, student-to-student abuse is also a growing
problem.
“Cyber bullying and peer
bullying present a real concern to the school board,” de la
Torre said. “That goes on a lot
in schools. Sometimes students
don’t even report it.”
Cyber bullying is consequently difficult to track. Social networking sites such as
Facebook and Myspace, along
with texting and instant messaging, have been used to communicate messages of hate both
at Samo and abroad.
It’s imperative that students and others in the SMMUSD district become aware
that most abuse and neglect
stems from people known to
victims. “Most cases of abuse
happen within families,” de la
Torre said. “It’s the unfortunate
truth. Kids are hurt most by
people they know.”
Educating the school
community about the signs and
symptoms of child abuse will
help improve the quality of
home life for students at risk.
District report reflects increase in
teachers’ awareness of child abuse
Chloe Director
Staff Writer
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
(SMMUSD) board of education released the Annual Child
Abuse Report on Oct. 1, 2009,
anouncing a total of 123 child
abuse cases during the 20082009 school year in district
children centers, preschools,
elementary, middle, and high
schools.
“Our schools have a zero
tolerance for any abuse,” said
school board member Oscar de
la Torre. Of the 123 reported
cases, 122 involved domestic
abuse or peer bullying. The
reports by the district are typically involved with children
and someone in their own
families; while teachers and
administrators often discover
cases of abuse, they are not often directly involved.
An SMMUSD Board
Policy (5141.4) requires any
suspicious physical evidence
or student behavior that could
possibly be a sign of abuse or
neglect to be reported by teachers and later investigated.
Abuse can cover any inappropriate or dangerous in-
Opinion
Page 3
Oct. 22, 2009
Happy Halloween from all of us at The Samohi!
Message from the Editorial Board: It has come to our attention that the editorial published in our Oct. 2 issue, “Student government should be a student voice,” has been interpreted as an attack on
ASB, rather than an expression of the message we intended. The editorial was meant to advocate for the necessity of student involvement in and input in administrative actions, and simply cited ASB
as our most likely channel for this kind of input. We hope this message erases all percieved ill intent.
Paying for Pride: are pep rallies an unnecessary expense?
You can’t put a price on
unity
We’ve got spirit, yes we do — but we
can’t afford textbooks?
Nishok Chetty
Staff Writer
Every day we hear about jobs being cut,
homes being foreclosed and companies going bankrupt. This is the sad reality we live
in today: the global economy is suffering, and
money is tough to get.
However, it seems that our school spends
money recklessly on “school spirit” events.
Pep Rallies are not cheap. They cost money
we don’t have and, to be totally honest, do little
to encourage school spirit. The school would
be better off encouraging unity in other ways,
and spending the money more wisely.
There are areas of the school that are truly
suffering from a lack of funding. Over the
summer, Samo was forced to make the tough
decision of cutting A-House for the financial
advantages the decision offered, but somehow, our school still finds a way to squeeze
in funding for “school spirit” activities. There
are excessive quad rallies, of which few bother
to watch, and wasteful pep rallies, which only
inspire students to become a rowdy crowd of
barbarians.
Not only do these activities waste money,
but they also require time and effort. ASB is
a leadership group that tends to spend lots of
time planning such events; the mind power
wasted in doing so could be put forward to more progressive ideas. But ASB is not the only group of students that
put their efforts toward these events. Band and orchestra,
Running with Speakers, and many other organizations
have to drop everything to help ASB run rallies.
A few years ago, it was unheard of to carry textbooks.
Every classroom had its own set. At Samo, we are able to
afford pep rallies but not an extra, scoliosis-preventing set
of textbooks. We could use the money saved from discontinuing these events to subsidize course costs. Or better
yet, we could hire more janitors in an attempt to keep our
bathrooms somewhat hygenic.
The terms “school spirit” do not come hand in hand
with expenses; they are in fact complete opposites. School
spirit is an intangible feeling that cannot be bought. It is
something that comes from truly coming together as a
school. Pep rallies do nothing to bring us closer. Instead,
they turn into a mess of chaos and loud demonstrations
representing various graduation years (An irrelevant debate, since ’11 is clearly the best).
There are countless other activities that can bond us
as a school. Friendly competition is always the best. We
could have a school-wide fundraiser, in which houses or
years would compete to raise the most money. This would
put us in friendly competition, while raising money toward our “needy” school.
School spirit does not necessarily entail spending
money; it only entails coming together and feeling more
pride for our school. In the face of our financial deficit,
it’s time we stop wasting our money, and seek less costly
unity.
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Editors-in-Chief:
Salonee Bhaman and Jane Kivnick
News Editors:
Jessie Geoffray and
Max Tamahori
A&E Editor:
Kourosh Shaffy
Salonee Bhaman
Editor-in-Chief
Samo is an extraordinary school. Anyone who
has walked down the Greek in the first months
of spring, seen the ocean from calculus or read
about us on Wikipedia knows that. It’s a school
that has its own vibe and the fondness it engenders isn’t rooted in logic.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to forget about Samo’s magic in the drudgery of daily life. Part
of Samo’s magic is its size — but that’s also
something that results in bureaucracy, disgusting
bathrooms and institutional policies that refuse
to recognize that sometimes it takes more than
eight minutes to get from the Technology Building to the Language Building.
It’s easy to forget (and hard to care about)
Samo’s enigmatic charm when you’re walking
toward your third tardy because you had to use
the bathroom and risk catching hepatitis, when
you’re sleep deprived because your computer
crashed and ruined your no-save brag sheet document or when a seagull relieves itself alarmingly near your head.
Which is why we need our pep rallies. When
the drudgery of daily routines becomes too much,
they remind us of why we love our school.
Never have I felt more like a Viking than
when staring up the stairs of the Greek at the astonishingly large mass of people that I go to high
school with: a writhing group of chanting,
chatting, snacking individuals who come together in entirety to celebrate the school we
all love, deep down.
Never have I felt more like a Viking than
at rep rally rehearsals that run until 10:30
p.m. — with students from Running with
Speakers, ASB, and various teams ready and
willing to go over their “dance off” routine
for the fifth time.
Never have I felt more like a Viking
than when the voices of my peers are louder
than four industrial speakers turned up to ear
drum breaking volume.
Cynics say that pep rallies are outdated,
that the money they cost (less than you’d
think!) would be better spent in other areas.
But these people forget that pride and unity
contribute to a school in a way that is impossible to measure in pennies and dimes; that
when we come together as students, we benefit just as much as we would from a shiny
new textbook or a fresh coat of paint.
It’s impossible to forget what makes us
Samo when the greenies do their run and
three thousand bodies cheer; when we dress
up in elaborate costumes; when face paint
is ubiquitous. Samo is alive for everybody
when we have a pep rally — and that’s
something worth the cost.
The Samohi is a tri-weekly student-run newspaper funded by ASB and Lexington. Our
goal is to inform the student body and Samo community the best that we can. We do
not represent the views of the Samo Administration or staff. Unsigned editorials reflect
the views of the entire editorial board. We do not endorse advertisements placed in our
paper.
Staff:
Opinion Editor:
Sports Editors: Art Editor:
Mya Anderson, Sam
Carlee Jensen
Campus Life Editor:
Pepito Escarce
Feature Editor:
Lindsay Reno
Sam Bleiberg and
Zane Four
Photo Editor:
Kira Yoshimura
Copy Editor:
Katy Cain
Special Report Editor:
Lulu Mickelson
Clare Sim
Ad/Business Editor:
Matt Rich
Adviser:
Kathleen Faas
Boloorcchi, Henry Boyd, Lily
Cain, Nishok Chetty, Lianna
Cohen, Joe Colajezzi, Philip
Dinolfo, Taylor D’Andrea,
Chloe Director, Oren Friedman, Anthony Garcia Taormina,
Gus Graef, Evan Kahn, Daniel
Karel, Elena Kivnick, Rose Kleiman-Weiner, Andrew Locke,
Tessa Nath, Neil Thomas, Jason
Reicher, Reva Santo
Opinion
Page 4
Oct. 22, 2009
The best medicine - if you know DVDs are a sticky business
what I mean
Anthony Garcia
Staff Writer
Like most people, I like to laugh. True
laughter, the laughter that lasts for minutes,
that makes your eyes water, that makes it
hard to breathe — there’s nothing better
than that. It’s nature’s gift to you; a world
without laughter is certainly the worst of all
possible worlds.
And like most people, the ones who make
me laugh most are my friends. The combination of the intimacy and shared sense of
humor we have makes for the pinnacle of
funny. I have never laughed more in
my entire life than
this past year, and
that is because I
have never spent
more time with
my friends.
There’s something special that
comes out of
friendships, a certain type of joke,
a joke capable of
simultaneously creating uproarious laughter
and dead silence: The inside joke.
If laughter is nature’s gift to us, then an
inside joke is our gift to us. They’re purely
selfish and aim only to please the select few
that will get them. But damn, are they funny. They’re the best form of self-indulgence
— the only form where you won’t feel terrible afterward.
As long as there is one other person that
will get it, I would argue that any situation
would be improved by the use of an inside
joke. Think of the situation as a bowl of ice
cream. Any topping you could add to that
ice cream would make it better; that topping
is the inside joke. That bowl of ice cream
is never going to taste as good as a bowl of
ice cream sprinkled with walnuts; it’s just
not possible.
For example, I was recently in a ridiculous situation. I can’t divulge details, but
trust me, things don’t get much more ridiculous
than what happened. I was almost distraught,
the situation was so tense. A friend decided to
look me in the eye at the time as a way to alleviate the stress. Needless to say, it worked, it
worked well, soley based on the fact that eye
contact was an inside joke between us. At the
time, laughing would have been the least apporpriate response possible, but we couldn’t
help it. We hid our faces, we hid our grins. We
choked from trying to cover the laughter, but it
was worth it. Boy, was it worth it.
This incident may mean nothing to you but in a way, that’s the point. Having an inside
joke with someone
is like belonging in
a secret club. Only
those who undestand the context of
the joke can ever
fully appreciate it,
and this creates a
unique sense of
comraderie
that
can’t be achieved
in any other way.
The great thing
about inside jokes
is that they require almost no thought to make
and can come from even the simplest of events
or objects. A friend of mine and I have an inside
joke about Fudgesicles and the number 93 — a
number. And despite the simplicity of the joke,
I laugh every single time he says it.
Inside jokes have become almost second
nature to me; there are certain friends of mine
that I converse with in almost exclusively inside jokes. If neither bikes, Australians, the
Magic Mountain guy’s dancing ability, pocket
pool, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, Kings
of Hip Hop, Youtube Freaks, peeling out, random outbursts of anger, Devil Hitler, sketch
rear-view mirror eye contact, Jake, or Tim is
brought up in a conversation, then it wasn’t a
conversation any of us were involved in.
That’s the true power of an inside joke; the
power to completely change the way you relate
to other people. And trust me; the change is
for the best.
If laughter is
nature’s gift to us,
then an inside joke
is our gift to us.
Kourosh Shaffy
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Yes! My brand new “True Romance” DVD
is in my hands at last. I know this bad boy has
traveled a long way from wherever it is that Amazon ships its movies from, and I’ve been waiting quite a while
for
it
(who
doesn’t do free
“Super Saver”
shipping?). I’ve
loved this film
for a while, and
now, it’s mine to
watch whenever
I please.
It is as thus, in
this jolly, dandy
mood, that I go
into the process
of opening this
DVD. I scratch
at the plastic a
little, but alas,
it’s stuck on
so tightly to
the DVD, and
my nails are so
short, that I’m
unable to find an
opening.
“Mom, can
you please cut
this plastic so
I can tear it off?” Of course, she too has some
difficulty, but because her nails are considerably
longer than mine are, she succeeds. I thank her
and return to my room, ready to pop that disc
in.
But wait, there’s another obstacle! There are
two of those infamous sticker labels wrapped
around both the top and the bottom of the DVD
case. Well, nothing a little scratch can’t solve, I
think. And onwards I go, scratching and scratching, scratching and scratching until finally, after
a grueling few minutes, part of the sticker on the
top is peeled off.
I grab the peeled-off part and pull for my
dear life, and notice that it’s coming off only oh
so very slowly. This, I soon see, is because the
sticker has been stuck on so well that it’s leaving
a whole glob of sticky residue on the DVD.
And of course, I encounter this same problem on the bottom of the case too: a sticker-long
sticky mark.
Now, I wouldn’t be writing this article if
this was only a onetime ordeal, but as
it plagues me every
time I buy a DVD,
I’m left with a case
that’s ready to pull
a Spider-Man and
stick to walls (that
is, assuming I get
mad enough at the
inferior packaging
to throw it at one).
I just don’t see
why DVDs have
to be packaged so
tightly. Plastic wrapping is no deterrant
to a thief who is going to steal the DVD
anyway. Who or
what are companies
trying to protect
customers from?
Oh wait, I know!
They’re
making
it child-proof so
that kids don’t acArt by Clare Sim
cidentally open the
DVD — because you just know that if they get
those stickers off, they’re going to eat it, right?
Right?
Really, there are millions of products out
there on the market today that are packaged in
impossible-to-open boxes, wrappers and other
assorted packaging, all of which usually come
with airtight sealing for your better “comfort.”
But all I ask, is why, why on god’s green earth
would I ever want to look into my DVD shelf,
decide on watching “First Blood,” go to pull it
out, and instead come out with not only the Stallone classic, but the films that stand before and
ahead of it on my shelf? Why, I ask, why?
:The Polanski Conundrum
Joe Colajezzi
Staff Writer
In what may be Roman
Polanski’s most famous work,
“Chinatown,” legendary actor
and director John Huston says,
“‘Course I’m respectable. I’m
old. Politicians, ugly buildings
and whores all get respectable
if they last long enough,” Now,
more than 30 years after “Chinatown” was released, I can’t help
but shake my head at the irony as
I consider the devastating, trialfilled life of Roman Polanski.
Polanski fled Germany and
the horrors of the Holocaust after
losing his mother. Years later, his
wife and unborn child were brutally murdered. Now, Polanski is
suffering once again over one of
the most controversial court cases ever seen in Hollywood.
In 1977, Polanski participated in sexual relations with
a 13-year-old girl; an act that
shouldn’t be condoned regardless of the fame or talent of the
individual. But here’s where the
situation gets complicated: both
individuals were under the influence of drugs.
Furthermore, last January, the
victim, Samantha Geimer, publically stated that she wants the
case dropped. Doesn’t this fact
in itself say something about the
entire ordeal?
There is a common presump-
Art by Clare Sim
tion that Polanski fled the country before
serving any type of sentence. To say that
he didn’t serve time is entirely false; Polanski spent 42 days in a mental institution.
He fled only when the deal he made with
the judicial court arbitor fell through, and
he was faced with the possibility of a 30
year prison sentence. In the face of losing
his deal and becoming an “example,” I can
understand how flight may have felt like the
only option.
I don’t believe that Polanski’s great
achievement in film or sorrow-filled life
should excuse his actions, but the media
and the American people shouldn’t be so
quick to say “Lock him up! Filthy rapist!”
to a man who didn’t even plead guilty of
rape, but of unlawful sexual intercourse
— two completely different charges.
Polanski’s case has caused a great deal
of suffering — for Geimer and Polanski — since it’s beginning. Thirty years after
the act was committed, both parties are still
paying for it. A story like this must keep
students wondering, “Do I consciously
think through every decision I make?” As
teenagers and human beings, we all make
mistakes; as we pass judgement on Roman Polanski, we should keep in mind that
someday, the consequences of our actions
could very well escalate into a media spotlight or an unnecessary exile.
I don’t believe Roman Polanski deserves a Citizen of the Year award; nor do
I believe our entire country should stop and
make him a priority. Looking at Polanski’s
horrific life, I can’t help feeling sorry for
the man who’s already lost everything. Pity,
pity Mr. Polanski.
The Facts:
• In 1977, director Roman Polanski pled guilty to charges of
unlawful sexual intercourse, the
lesser of five charges for which he
was indicted.
• Polanski was arrested in Zurich,
Switzerland, on Sep. 26, 2009.
The warrant for his arrest was
issued in 1978, when he fled the
United States to avoid conviction.
• At Polanski’s trial in 1977, his
victim, then 13-year-old Samantha
Geimer, testified that he drugged
her with alcohol and Quaalude (a
sedative once used to treat insomnia) and took nude photos of her
before forcing her to have sex.
• Numerous celebrities, among
them Woody Allen and Martin
Scorcese, have signed a petition
calling for Polanski’s release.
• Last January, Geimer (now 45)
filed a formal request to have the
charges against him withdrawn,
claiming that the continued publication of the case’s details was
causing emotional harm to her, her
husband, her mother and her three
children.
Source: London Telegraph & Los Angeles Times (online)
Jessie Geoffray
News Editor
Only 6 percent of rapists ever serve
a day in jail, according to the Rape,
Abuse and Incest National Network.
This statistic is alarming, but not surprising, because the majority of rapes
go unreported. As terrible as this is,
what is even more disappointing is
when a victim summons the courage to
testify against a rapist and her story is
heard but not acted upon.
Unfortunately, this is often the case,
as has been with the much publicized
trial of Roman Polanski.
In 1977, Polanski had ‘unlawful sex’
with a 13-year-old girl. She testified;
he was initially indicted of six felony
counts, the most serious charge being
rape by use of drugs, according to CBS
news. He plead guilty only to unlawful
sexual intercourse. The judge dropped
his other charges and sentenced him to
prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. Polanski fled, no doubt fearing
the extension of his sentence. He has
eluded arrest for over 30 years.
And here we are, in 2009, and Polanski has overestimated the freedoms
of being on the lam. Regardless of how
many times he had been to Switzerland before without being turned over
to American authorities, he was turned
over this time. And as rare as it is to
flee a sentence, it is nearly impossible
and most certainty inexcusable to do so
twice. Right?
Not according to a long list of celebrities including Martin Scorsese and
Woody Allen, who are now
advocating for Polanski’s release. They seem to believe
that his talent and their friendship is enough to excuse him
from the laws us mere mortals
have to abide by. But since
when does celebrity influence
the very core of our judicial
system? Last I checked, when
you are convicted of crime you
pay the time. So be my guest,
Woody Allen, write a screenplay that satirizes the crap out
of his situation. But thinking
that this pity party for Polanski is going to change anything
is just silly.
Along with what celebrities think, there are a lot of
other irrelevancies that cloud
the facts of the case such as
Polanski’s past, which was
admittedly far from ideal, if
not among one of the most
tragic to be cited on a Wikepedia page. But you know
what sounds like a good idea
for someone who lost their
mother in the Holocaust, their
family to the insanity of the
Manson cult, and reacts by
drugging and raping a 13year-old? A 90-day psychiatric evaluation.
The fact is simple: Roman
Polanski committed a crime to
which he was convicted, and
he has yet to serve his time.
Campus Life
Page 5
Oct. 22, 2009
Security chases mysterious intruder away, stays alert
COMMENTARY
Daniel Karel
Staff Writer
Last week the security staff’s aptitude was
put to the test when an man of apparent Hispanic
background and estimated to be in his thirties
tried to sneak his way onto campus.
When walking into school every morning the
thought of being unsafe at Samo does not usually
cross students’ minds. Students feel safeguarded
by the tall gates that surround our campus, and the
famed prowess of our security officers.
“He first tried hopping the fence at the softball
field, but was spotted by security and ran off,”
said H-House principal Leslie Wells. “He then
tried to enter at the Seventh and Michigan gate by
following a staff member onto campus, where he
was spotted again by a security officer and ran to
a waiting van driving off.” Tiani Thompson was
the only security guard who confirmed chasing
the man away. At least one other guard helped.
According to Wells, security officers and staff
followed proper procedure and handled the situation perfectly.
“Everyone did what they were supposed to do.
Security officers stepped up and properly handled
the situation,” said Wells.
Wells took time to emphasize the risk presented by strangers that wander into our school.
When their intentions are unknown, it is in our
best interest to alert administration. Those who
should be most relieved by the outcome are students, who are put in danger when intruders try to
get ontcampus.
“I think that the response was well coordinated but the fact that a man could still penetrate our
campus gives me a little bit of discomfort,” said
Senior Colin Rush.
Should the intruder have successfully made
his way onto campus, Wells said it would have
been cause for a lockdown. The campus has gone
four years since the last legitimate lockdown,
when students at lunch swarmed from building to
building, refusing to return to class. Police squad
cars filled the science quad within 15 minutes,
and brought an abrupt end to the rioting.
“One of the security officers got the license
plate number, which was given to SMPD,” said
Wells.
As of now there is no apparent motive for
why this anonymous man tried to come on campus, and no headway has been made into his his
identification.
Security should not be too heightened because
of the incident, but all the officers are keeping a
close lookout, especially the two who got a good
look at his face.
This has not been the first time an attempt to
infiltrate our campus has occurred, and it probably will not be the last. Preventing future breakins is a task that is at the forefront of security’s
minds.
positions to one and a half.
“We’re all in this together; we know that everyone
is feeling it,” said Dana Bart-Bell, Department Chair
and librarian.
“Everyone” includes not only the school itself, but
also the families of students that have been impacted
by the economic crisis. With expensive resources such
as printer ink more difficult to obtain, the librarians are
seeing more students using the computers and printers
to complete schoolwork.
The library’s tutoring resources are also being
taken advantage of more so than in times of economic
stability. The staff of the library has acknowledged the
struggle felt by many at this time and is now provid-
ing materials including project kits, markers, scissors,
glue sticks, poster boards, notebooks, and folders for
the use of students.
“Students come first,” Bart-Bell said.
As well as accommodating students through thiss
tough economic time, Bart-Bell and Bodok are working on making improvements throughout the library.
Bodok has a Spanish Credential and experience working with programming in the teen section of the Culver City High School Library.
“I feel really lucky to be a part of this high school,”
she said.
Bart-Bell responded to the opportunity of working
with a librarian with the credentials Bodok possesses
by describing the situation as, “a nice opportunity to
blend all experiences.” The librarians hope to make
technological improvements and work on programming. Their objective is to satisfy students.
“We want students to always find what they want.
Let us know if there is anything we can do,” Bart-Bell
said.
Freshman Amanda Bang described the library as
“helpful and easily accessible.”
Students in other grades also regularly take advantage of the library and its offerings.
“It’s nice; they’ve had all the books I’ve ever wanted and needed,” said sophomore Kate Mazur. “Plus,
the display cases are gorgeous.”
Library survives and thrives despite budget cuts
Elena Kivnick
Staff Writer
Susan Bodok, a librarian spending her first year
in Samo’s library, works half of the week at Samo’s
library and the other half at libraries in elementary
schools around the district. Both positions were once
full-time jobs and the result of eliminating positions
is that the same amount of work is done with fewer
employees.
Budget cuts have impacted many areas of the
school. The Santa Monica High School Mortensen
Library is no exception. One of the main cuts faced by
the library is the reduction from two full-time librarian
Vacation without information: college visits
“Unstack the chairs,” a
distant voice calls. A small
booklet is put in front of
me as a flustered woman
walks to the front. We
huddle around her, subconsciously trying to get
any edge on our competitors. “The University of
Chicago,” she says as she
begins her presentation
on the university in Hyde
Park. Sadly, the first things
we look at in the booklet
are the testing statistics,
either to boost our egos or
Art by Clare Sim
reconsider applying. She’s
sure to use certain phrases like “small student to faculty ratio” and “diversity of students” and, of
course, “plenty of financial aid.” As she tells me to fill out my information card, she brags about
how great the city is. The room gets full of disingenuous laughter as she recounts how crazy the
alums are to participate in a gigantic scavenger hunt, an annual pastime at UChicago. The picture
on the front of my booklet suggests it’s always 75 degrees and a blue sky over the Hogwarts-like
campus. It’ll be like living in Santa Monica except with a lake, and these things called seasons I
guess she forgot to mention. To us it’s almost as if every university in the country has meshed into
one, every representative sugar coating every part of the university. By now the presentation is over
as the distant voice calls, “Restack your chairs.”
Oren Friedman, Staff Writer
Editor’s Note: In the Oct. 2 issue, “A view to noise pollution: quad rally,” was written by staff
writer Philip Dinolfo. The Samohi Campus Life page regrets omitting the byline.
r
e
n
or
ub C
Cl
Spread the Love Club
Chloe Director
Staff Writer
Spread the Love Club is a new club at Samo that will begin on Oct. 21. The club will take place
in Gilbert Lopez’s room, L101. The purpose of the club is to promote school unity and make people
feel a part of the Samo community.
At Samo it’s sometimes hard to find one’s place. With a class size of about 800 and a school size
of about 3000, one can feel lost. Samo is like a small city and in such a big setting it’s important to
have the support you need. The Spread the Love Club’s goal is to bring people together creating a
place of acceptance. Club president Gola Rakshani will be organizing ice breaker activities, discussions about how one can get involved in the community, as well as games and activities that build
trust and friendship.
In addition to the club meetings, the Spread the Love Club plans to raise money at club day for
shirts that raise awareness about peer relations, tolerance, friendship, generosity, and being positive. The next step will be raising money for a valuable cause. Bring your friends and spread the
love.
“The Crucible” starts Nov. 5
THEATRE PREVIEW
Jane Kivnick
Editor-in-Chief
Just a few weeks away from opening
night, the cast of the Samo Theater Department’s production of “The Crucible”
is busily rehearsing. Daryl Hovis, who is
settling into his first year as director of the
theater program, developed a highly organized rehearsal agenda for the cast.
“I personally love what he’s doing —
we work on each scene three times,” said
junior Clea Decrane, who plays Elizabeth
Proctor. “The first time we talk about our
characters and their motivations, then we
do a speed through with limited blocking,
and by the third rehearsal we are expected
to be off book, or have our lines memorized.”
“The Crucible,” written by Arthur
Miller, tells the story of a family and town
during the time of the Salem Witch Trials.
Hovis makes an effort to blur the time period of the piece by modernizing the scenery and costume design, yet he firmly stays
true to the original text. Hovis created a
Samo theater website, where the rehearsal/
performance schedule, photos and notes from
the director are posted and updated on a regu-
Cast
lar basis. Performance dates for “The Crucible”
are Nov. 5-14 at 7 p.m. in the Humanities Center.
Contact Hovis for more details.
Betty Parris Tanya Choo
Reverend Parris Jon Ethridge
Tituba Tiana Randall-Quant
Abigail Williams Veronica Abergast
Susanna Walcott Gola Rakshani
Mrs. Ann Putnam Madeline Mann
Thomas Putnam TBA
Mercy Lewis Matilda Mead
Mary Warren Rebecca Noble
John Proctor Oliver Lundin
Rebecca Nurse Emily Kottler
Giles Corey Max Payton
Reverend John Hale Henry Boyd
Elizabeth Proctor Clea DeCrane
Francis Nurse Eric Harmon
Ezekiel Cheever Emily Rae Rosenstein
John Willard Alex Grande
Judge Hawthorne Chloe Director
Deputy Gov. Danforth Ayinde Ross
Sarah Good/Martha Corey Rebecca Redman
Hopkins Jorge M.
Understudies Sierra Plowden, Raven Bennett
ADVERTISEMENT
Find the Ultimate Cure
PROUDLY PRESENTS
Singing for a Cure
A benefit concert and dinner for
Parkinson’s Disease.
November 7th, 8 pm
Barnum Hall- SAMOHI
Tickets: $12 (students)
Purchase in room T217
www.findtheultimatecure.org
Campus Life
Page 6
Oct. 22, 2009
Calendar Art by Clare Sim
Full Calendar (including sports) at
www.samohi.smmusd.org/calendars/calendar.htm
Senior Fall Festival, Science Quad
12:35 P.M.
Hearing & Vision Exams (10th Grade
& New Students)
through Oct. 30
Invisible Children Presentation,
Barnum Hall, All Day
Senior Panorama Photo, Greek
11:30 A.M.
Jostens Ring Sales, Main Quad at Lunch
SAA Mtg., Student Cafeteria, 7 P.M.
ACT Testing
H House Italian Feast, Softball Field,
12:35 P.M.
Day of the Dead Art Show Opening,
6 P.M.
RWS Halloween Costume Contest,
Front of Barnum Hall at Lunch
SAT Registration Deadline for
12/5 test
English CAHSEE Testing 11th &
12th Graders
Math CAHSEE Testing 11th & 12th
Graders
Last Day to drop classes w/Appeals
Committee Review
Homecoming Pep Rally Rehearsal,
Greek
UC Application Process Begins
(Nov. 1 - 30)
Soccer Kickoff Dinner, Student
Cafeteria, 6 P.M.
Homecoming Pep Rally,
Greek
Herff Jones - Cap & Gown Class
Visits, All Day
SMMUSD Board Meeting, 5:30PM
SAT Testing
Baseball Conditining, N Gym 9AM
“Singing for the Cure” Parkinson’s Benefit
Concert, Barnum Hall, 8 P.M.
PTSA Meeting, 7 P.M., Cafeteria,
Math Department Night
Homecoming Dance
South Gym, 8:30 P.M.
ELAC Meeting, 7 P.M., Cafeteria
Dear Samo,
Do you know what lies beneath the
surface of our campus? Has anyone
ever told you about Samo’s archery
class, Fiesta Week, or the Samo parade
that walked through the streets of Santa
Monica during Homecoming Week?
The answer, sadly, is probably not. Before Mr. Lopez gave the ASB class a
presentation about the history of Samo
that included over 400 photos of Samo’s
past, neither did we.
The first thing we learned: Samo was
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
intentionally built on Prospect Hill, 120
feet above sea level, so that students
Ross Gordon
could have a great view of the ocean and
surrounding city while at school. (It beats looking at a florally camouflaged oil well from the grounds of Beverly Hills High School).
Speaking of Beverly Hills, we hope to see you all at the football game
this Friday.
A major goal this year is to bring back traditions of our school and
use them as inspiration for the present and future. While an archery
class and firing a daily cannon to signal the beginning of the Pledge
of Allegiance are aspects of Samohi that are a long shot to bring back,
there are many other activities and traditions that we want to revive
and educate the students about. Keep an eye out for the Samo that
your parents and our teachers once knew.
In addition, ASB has been supporting several clubs on campus
such as the Livestrong Club and Samohi Solar Alliance (SSA); SSA
members are widely known as the administrators of Bike It Day. We
are having our Jamba Juice fundraiser to raise money for ASB events
and for fellow Viking Cody Williams. For the second year we are
operating the OPCC Jean Drive, all the while planning the Homecoming Rally and Halftime Show.
We are more than willing to work with any club on campus and
encourage members of clubs to update ASB about what they are currently doing. Tuesdays and Thursdays are our meeting days and the
perfect time to come in, take the floor, and share whatever needs to
be brought to our attention.
Congrats on making it through the first six weeks of the 2009-10
school year.
Keep your V’s up,
Ross Gordon, ASB President
Senior Family Night,
Cafeteria, 7 P.M.
Special Education Coffee with
Faculty,
B200, 7 P.M.
Herff Jones - Cap &
Gown Sales,
Main Quad, 12:05 P.M.
Senior Class Fundraiser
- Graduation Ticket
& Parking Armchair
Auction
(through Nov. 23)
SMMUSD Board Meeting, 5:30PM
SCVA Honor Choir, Barnum Hall,
All Day
Baseball Tryouts,
10 A.M. (Nov. 22, 10 A.M.)
O House underwater breakfast stays dry
teacher.
The theme chosen for this year’s breakfast was “UnderNews Editor
water Dance Party.” However, there was no dancing and the
event took place above ground.
For as long as there has been an O-House, there has
Freshman seminar classes contributed to a festive atmobeen an O-House breakfast. This fall was no exception —
sphere by creating posters and spent time making flyers to
O-House freshman seminar classes busied themselves copublicize the event. For the finale, about 130 students parordinating the event, which is largely done in the name of
ticipated in a drawing for donated gifts such as an iPod and
creating an atmosphere of
restaurant gift cards.
community.
Students
also
sold
“The breakfast helps parents feel connected to
“The breakfast helps
Spongebob grams and doSamo and feel comfortable talking to their stu- nated the proceeds to the
parents feel connected
to Samo and feel com- dents’ teachers, something that tends to get lost annual O-House Holiday
fortable talking to their in high school.”
Gift Drive fund. Freshstudents’ teachers, someman Austin Gomez, who
— Amy Beeman-Solano,
thing that tends to get lost
attended the event, noted
O-House teacher leader
in high school,” said Amy
that it was successful,
Beeman-Solano, O-House
and that “people seemed
teacher leader and English
pleased.”
Jessie Geoffray
Feature
Page 7
Oct. 22, 2009
Bike-It Day lunch festival
Koroush Shaffy
Arts & Entertainment Editor
I had known of Bike Day since it first came
about in 2006. I remember witnessing more and
more people take part in the event every time
the Samohi Solar Alliance (SSA) staged it. I was
underwhelming at first, as I saw maybe 30 or so
people bike to school. When 160 or so people
participated last year, I was overwhelmed.
Up until yesterday, I was ashamed to say I
had only stood spectator to this all. But yesterday, oh glorious yesterday, I finally found the
initiative to participate in Bike It Day: I walked
all the way from my home at 19th Street and
Washington to school, a journey that took 30
minutes.
Of course it would have been a much better
idea to bike, but the great thing about Bike It
Day is that it promotes any and all eco-friendly
modes of transportation. Bike It Day teaches
you that even cars are acceptable, so long as you
compromise and carpool with others.
Truly, the whole experience was fun and
has taught me that not taking a car might not be
such a bad thing after all. I like all the other people who participated, am proud to have helped
a great cause.
Now hopefully we’ll all continue to be good
the environment — and even if only a few of us
do, that still means SSA and Bike It Day made
a difference.
MAKE SOME NOISE: Members of drumline performed in the Science Quad.
JAMMED RACKS: Bike racks near the Seventh Street and
Michigan Avenue gate entrance were packed with bikes. An additonal rack was also assembled outside the Business Building.
BIKING AND BUCKING: Members of Get Buck Club danced for onlookers at the festival.
PEDAL PARADE: Principal Hugo Pedroza, Samo staff members and parent volunteers participated in a Pedal Parade. Pedroza invited guests to the parade, and participants rode their bikes
around the the roundabout next to Barnum Hall.
ADDRESSING THE CROWD: Pedroza speaks to students at
Bike It Day in the Science Quad.
&
THE
... Something is missing
Tessa Nath
Staff Writer
Somebody dies. They pass away. They
slip out of earthly existence. The rest of us
are left here. Stuck behind. Holding on to
only memories. It’s a weird feeling.
Up until a few years ago I didn’t understand what it was like to remember
someone who I couldn’t just call on the
telephone. The death of my grandfather
introduced me to the experience of loosing of a loved one. And recently another
family member passed away.
I was close with my uncle. Not so close
that he would pick me up from school or
call for no reason, but I enjoyed the time
we had together. Actually, he was my
great-uncle, but it didn’t feel that way. He
was the one who gave me my prized Dalmatian stuffed animal when I was little,
but who also taught me that I shouldn’t
love anyone for the presents they give.
That’s just the way he was. Thoughtful, sometimes reflective, and always
ready to cry from laughter at something
that was only half funny.
And all too soon, he was gone.
I loved him, but I didn’t see him so
frequently that I noticed an immediate
change when he passed away. After he
died, I didn’t lament or cry. I didn’t realize it was over.
as I stood in temple on Rosh Hashanah,
wrapped in his tallit (prayer shawl), it hit
me. He wasn’t going to walk up the aisle
and sit next to me and sing. He wasn’t going to comment on how beautiful the cantor’s voice was. He wasn’t going to kiss
me on the cheek and wish me a happy
new year. He wasn’t there, but I felt that
somehow he should be.
It’s strange realizing things can change
so quickly from one year to the next. It’s
weird when someone so tangible and irreplaceable goes missing. And then, suddenly, things change — things go.
But I still remember the lessons my
uncle taught me. I like to pretend it was
a year ago on Rosh Hashanah, when we
could still ride to temple in his car and
talk about the kind of boy he was in his
youth.
He gave me one of my favorite presents, and now I realize that he gave me
something more — the realization that
everything in life is precious, worth living
for and enjoying.
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Sam (Sophocles) Bleiberg
... There were no second c
Sports Editor
I staggered down the scorching linoleum of the Technology Building, my
tongue parched, sweat marks blossoming
under my armpits. My backpack seemed
to grow heavier with every step.
Just as I was about to abandon all
hope, a metallic oasis came into view on
the distant horizon. The water gods had
heard my prayer and sent deliverance in
the form of a bubbling spring.
Solace was in sight.
I approached with newfound spirit; a
bounce appeared in my step. My lips prepared for the sweet, crystal water, liquid
of life.
And then suddenly,
a violent geyser erupted into my face, rejecting my homage and searing my nostrils. O cruel savior! I sought tender sustenance, and was handed harsh ferocity.
Next time, I am totally going to a
vending machine.
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—
“When I was 16, I was riding
down a hill on Halloween night
on my four-wheeler. And then
suddenly, a sewer pond came
out of nowhere and there was
no opportunity to do anything
other than take a nosedive into
its warm, stinky embrace.”
— Matt Mabrey, biology teahcer
“And then suddenly, my teacher sprung a huge test on us.”
— Emily Kottler, sophmore
Matt Rich
Business Manager
And then suddenly,
there was no senior theme.
But let’s think back. Remember making mistakes as a
little kid? For me, whether it
was something small or something big, I always knew that my
parents would patiently explain
what I had done wrong, and then
allow me to utilize my newfound
knowledge. They always intended that I learn from the experience.
If I broke a glass, my parents didn’t forbid me from using drinking glasses — they are
reasonable people. Even if I went
so far as to stick my hand in the
stove, they would instruct me of
the potential dangers of fire, rather than ban me from the kitchen
forever, because, really, who does
that?
Nobody can force a change of
character upon another. In fact,
these attempts usually result in
rebellion. This is why some wise
individual invented the second
chance — an opportunity to try
things again, an opportunity to allow people to change themselves.
Unfortunately, it seems that
whoever this individual was, they
were not wise enough for our administration.
Rather than being provided a
&EN
... I lost my home: A House
Kourosh Shaffy
Arts & Entertainment Editor
“It was
Manny
he wa
s injur Ramirez bob
ed,
ble
bases w
ere loa he wasn’t e -head night
and
Manny
ded for
v
the Do en playing.
Ramir
T
d
e
z
g
h
bat. A
nd the in to pinch-h ers. They cal e
led
it. He w
n sudd
at my
alks up
house
cut to enly, the ca
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ercial
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came b
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ack th
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en t
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ny Ram ’t see it you
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id
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– Kevi
ed a gr believe it.” M “If
n
and sla
chemi Morse,
anstry an
m.”
d phys
ics tea
cher
“It started in 8th grade where
I didn’t know that I could play
football. I was kinda scared.
We were playing and I caught
the ball. I threw it. And then
suddenly, it went farther
than I thought that it would.
That’s when people told me I
could play, and I figured out I
could be a quarterback.”
— Trevon Harris, freshman
Coming into 2009, I never thought I
could be hit this badly by the economy.
But in June, without much warning, I
found myself homeless, or rather, houseless.
At the end of the year, the school
board, as we all know, voted to cut AHouse from Samo, forcing me and dozens
of others to find shelter in M-House.
And thankfully, M-House has been
very welcoming and comfortable. Everybody who works there is super nice, but I
can’t help but feel home sick — it’s just
not my real house.
I’m sure had I been a part of M-House
since my days as a wee freshmen, I would
be writing an ode to the place right now.
But as it stands, my roots lie in AHouse, with its office neatly tucked next
to Mr. Dunn’s room and Ms. Glick ready
to give you a smile (unless you didn’t deserve it) whenever you passed by. It often
offered free muffins and cake to all its
students, and it hosted a myriad of events,
the most delightful being the annual barbeque. It was my support team and my
home.
And then suddenly,
A-House was gone.
But what could I do? As it turns out:
nothing. I made my spirited little speech
to the board just like all the rest of the AHouse faithful did.
But in the true spirit of democracy, AHouse was still voted out and our protest
amounted to nothing. Nada. Zilch.
And really, that’s kind of how I feel.
Like nothing. My three years with AHouse were awesome and memorable.
Now, I feel wronged, as if my memories
don’t matter. As if I don’t have a home.
denly ...
Chloe Director
Staff Writer
chances
second chance at appropriate pep
rally behavior, the student body
has been completely stripped of
even the potential to misbehave.
That’s safe enough, but it seems
to me that these newly imposed
restrictions merely cover up our
past indiscretions, rather than
address those indiscretions at
their source. Nobody I know has
learned anything from not being
able to wear a toga, except that,
maybe, those in power don’t
have faith in our learning ability,
which is a bit ironic, given the
setting.
I like my parents’ way better.
And, just for the record, I
don’t stick my hand in the fire
anymore.
Art by Gus Graef – Staff Artist
It was a hot night in the middle of summer. I had been walking for hours all over
Barcelona with a group of American students, along the Passeig de Gracia and the
Rambla de Catalunya, through the colorful
city streets to a Spanish flamenco club.
It was late by the time we headed back
to our hotel. There were about nine of us in
the group, plus our group leader, a Georgetown graduate named Arjun Pant. We
trudged down the steep stairs of the metro
in our summer dresses, talking about the
evening’s flamenco performance and the
Gaudi architecture. The metro smelled like
the ocean instead of the foul mystery stench
of New York subways. It was about 11 p.m.
and we were all getting sleepy.
Then, Arjun called out, “Last train you
guys! Come on! Hurry! We have to make
it.”
We all started to run. Rushing is not my
forte. Images ran through my mind of lag-
ging behind, jumping onto the moving train
and then falling onto the tracks, or worse,
having to ask a Spaniard for directions.
But wait, what’s the name of our hotel? I
paused to catch my breath because I was
starting to panic.
Just as I had imagined, I was far behind
the rest of the group. And I was wearing my
Steve Madden sandals, the silver ones with
a flimsy piece of cardboard for the sole.
But I ignored the bad shoe situation and I
ran. Everyone was in the metro. The final
boarding call echoed. I made it, barely.
But I had built up all this momentum. I
couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop!
And then suddenly, I
skidded like I was sliding into home plate
and fell flat on my face. I got up and my
entire group was in hysterics, not to mention the man with the black mustache who
had helped me up. I think I can proudly say
I made a lasting impression on Barcelona.
... I went for a Spanish trip
Feature
Page 10
Oct. 22, 2009
Big Fish in a Big Pond
Because we attend such a large school, the hobbies, contributions and special talents of many
students exist under the radar. Not anymore!
JACK GERSTEIN: Making a splash with his own coral business
Photo courtesy of facbeook.com
WHAT A CATCH: Junior Jack Gerstein runs his own business, in which he sells coral to
private tanks or returns the species to the ocean.
Rose Kleiman
Staff Writer
While most of us rarely venture off land,
Samo sophomore Jack Gerstein finds his
peace on the open sea. Gerstein has been
fishing ever since he was a little kid, when
his dad got him into the sport. Now that he
is older, he has turned fishing into a competitive hobby and a lucrative way of life.
Gerstein usually goes night fishing two
nights a week during the school year. During
the school week, he fishes on Tuesday until
around midnight or 1 a.m..
On weekends, he takes his boat, The
Gladiator, out from its Marina Del Rey
dock, and doesn’t come home until 4:30 a.m.
“I sleep the moment I get home,” Gerstein said.
He usually goes fishing with the soccer
coach at Crossroads, Dave Estes, whose boat
is docked near Gerstein’s.
“We have known each other forever,”
Gerstein said. “He is the person I fish with
the most.”
When Gerstein fishes out of the Marina, he usually goes three miles off the
coast, “where all the big fish are.” There
he catches bass and sets up lobster nets.
When he goes lobster fishing, he
wears rubber boots and rubber pants; otherwise, he will get drenched from retrieving the net. If he catches lobster, he turns
them into a meal. However, Gerstein is no
longer thrilled by the prospect of eating
his own catch.
“I have caught and eaten so many fish
over the years that it isn’t as special anymore,” he said.
To take his hobby to a more advanced
level, Gerstein regularly participates in
fishing competitions. This August, he was
invited to the Fisher’s of Men Invitational
in Cabo San Lucas, which raises money to
buy shoes and clothes for children. Gerstein was the youngest at this competition
by about 15 years.
Because fishing is a pricey hobby, Gerstein has organized a business to help fund
his passion. In the business, he “actively
propagates corals that are susceptible to
habitat deterioration;” in other words, he
breeds endangered corals so they can be
used in private tanks or returned to the
ocean.
Gerstein frequents conventions like
Reefapalooza and the Coral Farmer’s Market, where he sells his coral in a booth with
three of his friends. Remarkably, Gerstein
does all of this without help from adults.
Throughout his fishing career, Gerstein
has experienced his share of interesting
stories. When he was nine years old, Gerstein struggled for an hour and a half to
wheel in a 240 pound stripped marlin.
“I was strapped to the seat, the rod was
strapped to the seat; my dad and I like to
joke that we don’t know who won, me or
the fish,” he said.
And once, when Gerstein was in Mexico, he saw two dolphin-sized fish following his bait.
“These fish looked like small cars
coming out of the water,” Gerstein said.
In the future, Gerstein hopes to keep up
his coral propagation and to keep fishing.
One day, he believes he will want to study
marine biology or ichtheology, the study
of fish.
“I want to fish the Hurricane Bank next,
the lower third of Baja Mexico,” Gerstein
said, “They call it Cow Pasture because all
the tuna down there is over 350 pounds.”
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
YOUNG BOY AND THE SEA: Gerstein often goes fishing until
4:30 a.m. on weekends.
Spooky ways to spend Halloween
Tessa Nath
Staff Writer
Eyeball Appetizers
Ingredients:
Photo by Tessa Nath
• 2 (11-ounce) bags white chocolate chips
• 12 doughnut holes
• semisweet chocolate chips
• tube of red decorator frosting
Melt the white chocolate chips over a low heat. With a
fork, spear each doughnut hole and dunk it in the melted
chocolate to coat it. Gently tap off any excess.
Stick a semisweet chocolate chip with its point cut
off onto each doughnut hole, cut end first. Place the forks
(handle side down) in a mug and allow the chocolate to
harden.
Use a tube of red decorator frosting to add squiggly
veins pulsating from the pupils.
Halloween. Noun. Pertaining to the evening before All
Saint’s Day on Oct. 31. Formerly known as All Hallows Eve,
it is a day mainly celebrated by children who dress up in costumes and solicit candy or other treats door-to-door.
But what’s the definition of Halloween for those of us who
have outgrown the trick-or-treating phase?
Luckily, there are some local options that cater to the more
ambtious crowd.
Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights is a night of
Halloween-themed fun and plenty of hair-raising scares. They
feature new, frightening haunted houses and shows, eerie
mazes, various scare-actors and even a Terror Tram back lot
— not to mention that all of Universal Studio’s most popular
rides will be open to the public.
“The level of detail … staggering. The intensity and gore
factor … shattering. Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights is one hell of an amazing time!” writes
Rick West, themeparkreview.com.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is a separately ticketed event 16 nights in October from 7 p.m. to
around 1 a.m. (depending on the day). They ask that guests
don’t wear costumes to the event, but seeing as there are plenty of other things to do besides ogle other people’s outfits, this
isn’t much of a deal breaker.
If the theme parks sound too intimidating, the Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue offers a movie Horrorthon for Halloween diehards. Starting at 7:30 p.m. on Halloween, the featured movies are “The People Under the Stairs,” “Day of the
Dead,” “Society,” “The Brood,” “Maniac” (with director William Lustig in person) and “Terror.” It promises to be a night
full of entertainment with give-aways, free food and plenty
of surprises.
If you’re traditional, and would rather celebrate Halloween with a couple of friends at your house, here are some great
recipes to bring the Halloween mood to your party.
Whatever you do, try something new this Halloween.
There are hundreds of options—if you dare!
Bat chips
Ingredients:
Photo by Tessa Nath
•1 large flour tortilla per person
•one-fourth cup olive oil
•salt
•bat and ghost shaped cookie cutters
Preheat your broiler. Using Halloween cookie cutters
cut each tortilla into bat or ghost shapes. Lightly brush both
sides of each creature with oil. Arrange on a cookie sheet or
jellyroll pan.
Broil, flipping once when they begin to brown. When
brown on both sides, lightly sprinkle with salt.
For added fun, eat your Halloween chips with dip served
in carved out pumpkin heads.
C
A&E
Page 11
urb Your Enthusiasm
Jerry Seinfeld
Oct. 22, 2009
Kourosh Shaffy
Arts & Entertainment Editor
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” is a hilarious show. Created and written by Larry David, who is the show’s star, plays a version of himself (or maybe it really is the real him?) who always gets himself into hilarious, fantastic petty arguments with people.
David makes the show as real as he can, and usually this means that this HBO series, in line with the network it airs on, is full of
profantity. But the fact of the matter is, the profanity is funny. And now entering its seventh season, David, the co-creator, writer
and producer of “Seinfeld,” is finally giving us what all us “Curb”-faithful have longed for all these years since the show’s 2000
premiere: a “Seinfeld” reunion. Feauturing all four of the main “Seinfeld” cast and a storyline revolving around David creating
and writing a special reunion episode of the landmark ‘90s series in an attempt to court his ex-wife, the new season of “Curb
Your Enthusiasm,” is, simply, legendary. But what have the “Seinfeld” Four been doing since “Seinfeld”’s end? Well, let’s see …
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Jerry Seinfeld: What more is there to say
about this comedy god?
Some 11 years after his show ended, then
the single most watched show on television, it
remains perhaps the most watched and quoted
show out there today, and the results of this unprecedented success are that Seinfeld has been
a staple in household names.
Sure enough, Seinfeld deserves all the acclaim and popularity he has; after all, it was he
who dedicated himself and all is time fully to his
series, helping to write every episode and create
every episode idea. And of course, all the standup bits we see at the beginning of most episodes
are all Seinfeld’s own material.
Furthermore, as solid proof that “Seinfeld,”
was/is a very popular show, in addition to being either the number one or number two most
watched show on TV from 1994-1998, the show
has the third-most-watched series finale on the
record: upwards of 76 million people watched
the hour-long, jam-packed 1998 finale.
Unlike his fellow cast members, Seinfeld
has not had any new TV shows since the finale of
“Seinfeld,” and neither should he have, because
when you have something as amazing and as
Emmy winner for Best Supporting Actress
in a Comedy Series. Emmy winner for Best
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. All-around
very funny woman. Who else but Julia LouisDreyfus can fit this description? Nobody, in my
humble opinion.
Playing the one and only lead female role
in “Seinfeld,” Louis-Dreyfus always brought a
certain balance to the otherwise guy-centric series. Just as eccentric as all the other wacky and
crazy characters on the show, Louis-Dreyfus’s
Elaine was always getting herself into hilarious
situations at her job, such as when she made up a
fake office employee and her boss, believing this
made-up person existed, demanded that Elaine
introduce him to her, or when she was delegated
the duty of firing an employee from the company,
but couldn’t fire him because he seemed mentally
deranged and loony.
But aside from brightening our days way
back in the ‘90s, what has Louis-Dreyfus done
for us since then? Well, she certainly has been
hard at work trying to make us laugh, so we can’t
mark her down for that — we can, however, peg
her for choosing a horrible starring vehicle to act
as her return to the world of television comedies.
magical as a show like “Seinfeld” to attach your
name to, in this case quite literally, what more
could you ever possibly need?
And Seinfeld certainly is in no need of
money, as every year from “Seinfeld” royalties (it’s the most watched, most rerun show in
syndication in the U.S.) and money he gets for
performing his comedy routine at a variety of
high-profile venues, Seinfeld makes at least $100
million, according to Forbes.
And speaking of his comedy routine, Seinfeld is still hard at work making new routines and
touring the U.S. every year, in addition to making
loads of appearances on talk shows — so valued
is his presence that he was honored as the last official guest on “Late Night With Conan O’Brian,”
and the first ever guest on “The Jay Leno Show.”
Also, with a highly-touted guest role on “30
Rock,” and his animated movie “Bee Movie,”
which he wrote himself and starred in, Seinfeld is
without a doubt as successful as successful comes.
Starring in “Watching Eli,” from 2002-2003
on NBC, Louis-Dreyfus must surely have been
as surprised as everybody else to see the show
picked up for a second season. And the surprise,
considering the poor quality of the show’s writing
and acting and its paltry ratings, was certainly
justified. Sure enough, the show was cancelled
after airing only six episodes in its second season.
For a while, we could only catch LouisDreyfus on a couple hilarious 2001 and 2002
episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and four
equally hilarious episodes of “Arrested Development.”
But in 2005, Louis-Dreyfus caught a break
when her CBS sitcom “The New Adventures of
Old Christine,” proved a hit, and even earned her
lead actress Emmy in 2006. The show continues
its successful (albeit relatively under-the-radar)
run today, and there’s no denying that LouisDreyfus always gives us something to laugh
about — thankfully, it’s not her post-“Seinfeld”
career anymore.
Jason Alexander
Michael Richards
George Costanza is one of the most influential television characters ever — no, really.
After all, who else but George could
full-heartedly act like a major buffoon and still
come across as loveable and getting both our
sympathy and laughs at the same time?
George can be arrogant and conscientious,
or foolish and ignorant, maybe all four at the
same time, but without a doubt, the one constant in his endless list of bad characteristics is
funny. George is funny, and he’s funny because
he’s the guy who is, basically, a loser.
Or rather, Jason Alexander, the man who
so brilliantly plays him, is funny. Alexander
was great from the very first, very raw episode
of “Seinfeld” all the way back in 1989 (20
years ago!), and he remained amazing as the
over-top fool with whom we all love to sympathize throughout the series finale.
But perhaps the fact that Alexander was,
shockingly, the only actor of the Seinfeld Four
not to win a single Emmy should have been an
omen of things to come: since “Seinfeld” went
off the air, Alexander has seen literally no success in any of his ventures.
From bit parts in films to starring roles in
Since “Seinfeld’s” end, suffice it is to say
that Michael Richards, the one and only Cosmo
Kramer, has been completely out of luck.
His 2000 television series, “The Michael
Richards Show,” was canceled after only a few
airings, and since then, the last time he has made
the headlines was for a certain 2006 incident of
racism we all know about.
But this begs the question, why shouldn’t
this 60-year-old, three-time Emmy winner have
had more success post-“Seinfeld?” For nine years,
he played one of the most iconic television characters ever, and when the series bowed out as the
number one most watched show on television, it
seemed all but a guarantee that Richards would
find success in whatever his next venture would
be — obviously , he did not.
Nevertheless, some 11 years after the peak
of his career, Richards remains many people’s
go-to television actor for delivering the laughs:
just catch a “Seinfeld” rerun or pop in one of the
season DVDs — any episode at all, they’re all so
funny — and enjoy a solid 22 minutes of comedy.
And now that Richards is on “Curb,” he’s
finally back to what he does best: making us laugh.
He’s the last of the “Seinfeld” Four to appear on
his own TV shows, Alexander post-“Seinfeld”
career has been, in a word, a failure.
In 2001, Alexander made a much-touted
return to network television in the title role of
the ABC sitcom “Bob Patterson.” The show
lasted less than even its initial order of 13 episodes and left absolutely no lasting memories
or impact on anybody.
In 2004, Alexander got a second chance
at anchoring a TV show on his own when
he landed the main role in the CBS comedy
“Listen Up!” Sadly, the show lasted only one
season before being axed and few were sad to
see it go.
Since then, Alexander has been lowered
to bit parts in unsuccessful shows such as a recurring part in the now-cancelled “Everybody
Hates Chris.”
Perhaps the saddest statement of all: the
highlight of Alexander’s career the last few
years has been a guest role on an episode of
“Numb3rs.” Oh Jason!
Larry David’s HBO series, and to this we have
only to ask, why?
Why would it take Richards, who clearly
has had nothing else going for him this decade,
this long to finally pop up on the show? Jason
Alexander was there in the second season, Julia
Louis-Dreyfus apeared multiple times over the
course of the show’s first and second seasons, and
even the big guy himself, Jerry Seinfeld, showed
up in the season four finale. Why then would it
take so long for Richards to show up? It seems
like he should have been clamoring for a role.
What’s even more annoying about all this
is that Richards was genuinely funny, maybe
even hilarious, albeit very quirky and strange,
on “Curb,” and his only fault was not having
enough air-tme. It leads one to think that maybe,
had “The Michael Richards Show” proven more
successful and of a higher caliber, Richards would
today be the comedy staple he should well be,
the same household name he was back in his
“Seinfeld” heyday.
A&E
Page 12
Oct. 22, 2009
“A Serious Man” is some serious business
Max Tamahori
News Editor
A man’s life unravels before your eyes, and you
laugh. The man in question: the very serious Lawrence Gopnik,
portrayed by Michael Stuhlbarg in this newest picture by Ethan
and Joel Coen, “A Serious Man.” And like those that have come
before it, this Coen film has proved to be abstract, quirky, dark,
witty, insightful — qualities that have always found their ways
into movies such as the similarly black comedy “Burn After
Reading” or the frill-free, Academy Award-winning thriller “No
Country For Old Men.” But at first glance, “A Serious Man”
seems bleak, boring and very Jewish. However, this isn’t the
case at all; the Coens have tapped into a more bare-bones mode
of storytelling in order for them to convey a very serious — and
darkly comical — message.
Let’s start with Larry. He’s forty-something, a father
of two, a physics professor at a local university, a man of the
Jewish faith. He’s also experiencing marital problems with reptilian wife Judith (Sari Lennick), tension with his pot-smoking
and nose-job hunting children Danny and Sarah (Aaron Wolff
and Jessica McManus, respectively), masked hostility from
sweaty co-workers and Korean students, and a very nervous,
very serious religious breakdown. “A Serious Man” follows
Larry in his quest for understanding as he jumps from rabbi to
lawyer to junior rabbi to rabbi, running into all sorts of oddballs
and adverse characters along the way.
Which brings us first to the classic fits of laughter
viewers experience from the minimalist yet brilliant gems of absurdity the Coens so expertly embed within their creations. Yes,
“A Serious Man” has more of a philosophical tone than usual,
but the funnies are still ever-present. Take Danny for instance,
who prior to his bar-mitzvah, decides to smoke some weed in
the synagogue’s restroom. Or the Rabbi Marshak, who ends
up being a Jefferson Airplane listener rather a crusty old Jew.
Or even Larry’s failing Korean student Clive Park, who insists
that Larry “accept the mystery” of an envelope of bribe money
suddenly appearing on his desk. However introspective the film
may be, the Coen brothers certainly keep the comedic oddities
that have made their jokes so superb.
But it’s as Larry struggles to understand why things
happen to him — “Why me?” he often asks — that the Coens
make their statement, quirk by quirk: a serious man, alone in the
world, in the face of adversity, searches for the meaning of life.
Is it in his ignorant teenage children, his job, his lust for the girl
next door? Larry is repeatedly told that Hashem will guide him
to fulfillment, but it never really seems like he will get there.
“What’s Hashem trying to tell me?” he asks. Good question,
Larry.
A man’s life unravels before your eyes, and you
laugh. You laugh at his enemies, you laugh at his friends, you
laugh at him and his quest for the truth. But you also emerge
from the theater with the sense that maybe you, too, should be
considering how to answer Larry’s pivotal questions: “What
have I done wrong? What is Hashem trying to tell me? Why
me?” Nobody knows, laugh the Coens, nobody knows.
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
There’s no way you can resist “The Resistance”
Evan Kahn
Staff Writer
When “The Resistance” hit the streets, there were
many high expectations. The fifth album by the evermore-popular alternative rock band Muse, when released mid-September,
retained a third place in sales at the near top of U.S. charts.
If there could be one word to describe the new CD,
it would be ambitious. It’s almost as if the band’s motto whilst
writing the songs was “go big or go home;” each of the tracks
(excluding their three movement symphony) could probably
be released as separate singles. As it is, the album comes off as
almost pretentious in nature.
It certainly had a lot to live up to. The English band’s
last album with their trademark futuristic feel, “Black Holes
and Revelations,” sold more online copies than you can shake
a stick at. This is due in part to the tracks from said album featured in blockbuster films “Twilight” and “Watchmen.”
Muse released the CD’s single, “Uprising,” a week
before the album. It’s an obvious crowd-pleaser, with a driving beat and a catchy chorus that that stays true to its name: it
makes you want to rise up out of your seat and head-bang like
the best of them.
The title song “Resistance,” is equally catchy, if not
a little corny. It’s apparently inspired by the love story from
George Orwell’s “1984,” which the lyrics make blatantly obvious throughout (“kill the prayers of love and peace, you’ll wake
the thought police”).
Then there’s a the major flaw of this new CD: after
the first two songs, which are the sort of “Space Progressive
Rock” that Muse fans are used to, it’s almost as if you’re suddenly listening to a different band when the third and fourth
tracks come around. It seems that when a band goes this mainstream, they think they can do whatever they want, instead of
sticking with what they know.
The third track is repetitive and unremarkable and
sounds like a bad Justin Timberlake cover, but the fourth track,
“United States of Eurasia/Collateral Damage,” would make you
think it was a Queen song you had never heard if you didn’t
know you were listening to Muse. Seriously. They use the same
chord progression and guitar style as the famous 1970-80s rock
band, and it’s as if the lead singer is trying to channel Freddie
Mercury from the dead. The song ends with a minute-and-a-half
classical piano solo? Weird.
Strange trends continue with “Guiding Light,” which
is just a horrible song with corny, overdone lyrics. If anyone
knows who Depeche Mode is, it’s like a cheap mockery of
them.
However, the jewel of the album is the seven-minute
track “Unnatural Selection.” It’s what every hard rock enthusiast dreams of: a vocal solo opening with an accompanying
organ (yes, organ), followed by a verse with one of the best
guitar and drums pairings I’ve heard in a long time. Put that
with kickass chord progressions and driving, creatively satirical
lyrics and you have an original yet true rock song.
The next few songs aren’t worth mention, up until
the “Exogenesis: Symphony.” It’s one of those instances where
you’re thinking, “What the hell? A symphony on a rock album?
I mean, could be cool, but still.” Those kinds of thoughts
predominate while listening to the first movement, “Overture,”
which begins like it’s an actual symphony, but moves into accompanying drums and vocals.
The symphony tends to overstep its boundaries a
little. Somewhere between classical music and rock, it comes
off pretentious to rock enthusiasts and undeveloped to classical
music listeners.
The third movement, aptly named “Redemption,” is the saving grace of Exogenesis, bringing us a satisfying conclusion.
My Hidden Track’s “Hey Love” is catchy, cool and crazy good
Lianna Cohen
Staff Writer
Right now, I could count on one hand the number
of Samo students who have heard of “My Hidden Track.” The
Indianapolis-based indie band dropped their second album,
“Hey Love,” this summer.
Although it’s relatively short (eight songs, about
21 minutes), “Hey Love” is packed with catchy melodies, as
evident in the chorus of earworm “February 17th” as well as the
refrain of “I Hope to God You Are” that is repeated as “I Gave
Her My Heart, She Gave Me a Pen” winds down.
Some of the songs, like “I Can’t Believe I Gave My
Panties to a Geek” and “Chances” are driven by strong drums
and guitar riffs. But all the songs have strong, relatable lyrics,
courtesy of band members Nick Coffing and Chad Lehr. Personally, the lyrics of nearly every song on the album have helped
through tight spots just since hearing it in July.
“This record is a new sound for us; setting new
expectations,” said guitarist/vocalist Nick Coffing. “This is the
exact record we wanted to put out and thanks to Dare to Dream
Records we were able to do just that.”
My Hidden Track has been keeping busy, playing gigs
in Indianapolis with other bands like The Almost and Gasoline
Heart.
Sports
Page 13
Oct. 22, 2009
Samo prepares for Friday’s heated matchup v. Beverly
“My coach does let me
throw the ball more, and we
have athletic receivers who
know how to get open,”
After starting off
Safron said.
Ocean
League
play
The most important
with a win against the
preparation
for the team,
Morningside Monarchs,
however, will be mental.
a huge obstacle stands
“We need to be tough
between Samo and a 2-0
and
go hard for all four
league record: the Beverly
quarters
of the game,
Hills Normans.
something we seem to have
The league rival is
trouble doing,” said senior
generally a formidable
safety AJ Perez.
opponent, and this year is
Perez was referencing
no different. The past two
the
end
of the game against
years resulted in bitter
Morningside:
Samo was
Samo losses. Last year,
leading 34-7 with two
Beverly came back from
minutes left, but then gave
a two-touchdown deficit
up two touchdowns, leaving
late in the fourth quarter.
the final score at 34-21.
The year before, Samo lost
“We made the game
on a controversial twolook
as if it was close,
point conversion play in
when
in reality it wasn’t,”
which a false start penalty
Perez said.
was called but play was
This late-game surge,
not stopped. Both of these
although
meaningless
losses surely live on in
with regards to the game,
the minds of the team’s
is worrisome in a larger
veterans.
context. There may come a
“We have something
time when the Vikings are
like a five game losing
up by 14, or even worse,
streak to them, so no
seven, and need to be able
matter how good or bad
to rely on the defense to
they are, we’re coming
hold a lead.
ready to play,” said senior
“Having
mental
photo by Sam Boloorchi
linebacker Luke Zelon.
breakdowns
against
teams
STONE:
Senior
wide
receiver
Chris
Featherstone
(right)
catches
and
turns
up
field
during
Samo’s
Oct.
16
matchup
against
Morningside.
Samo
Unfortunately
for
like Beverly and Culver
Samo,
the
Normans went on to win the 34-21 in their first league game of the season. Tomorrow, Samo faces off against rival Beverly Hills for the first time this year.
is not going to work
appear to be the former.
Sr. Only a junior, Townsend already will have their hands full. The battle
“This week I’m focusing on
for
us,”
Zelon said. “We need to
Their premier player, Greg
has offers from Division One at the trenches should be a huge staying in the pocket and keeping
stay
disciplined
in our defensive
Townsend Jr., is the son of
schools such as USC, UCLA and U factor in the game, as good offensive drives alive,” senior quarterback
Oakland Raiders all-time
of Miami.
linemen play is essential to both the Garret Safron said. “All I need is a assignments.”
There is no doubt that the
sacks leader Greg Townsend
Needless to say, Samo linemen passing and running game.
little time and we’re good to go.”
Vikings
have talent, or the will to
Luckily, Safron knows what
to do outside of the pocket as well; win. The true challenge will be for
over the course of the season he them to put it all together for four
Rushing Yards/Game:
Tackles/Game:
has defined himself as a mobile quarters. If the Vikings play at their
quarterback, averaging almost 60 full potential, it shouldn’t matter
Brandon Taylor
79.0
Keelan Malone
12.3
who lines up across them.
rushing yards per game.
“We
just plan on staying
This can be attributed to the
Sacks/Game:
Passing Yards/Game:
focused
and
practicing hard like
increasing success of the pass
Jose Perez
2.0
Garret Safron
176.6
game, which spreads out defenses we have been,” said senior wide
and creates room for Safron and receiver Chris Featherstone. “We
Receiving Yards/Game:
Scoring/Tot Points:
running backs Shane Jones and have a goal to accomplish and that’s
Brandon Taylor, a senior and junior, to go undefeated in league, and
Mike Smith
66.3
Garret Safron
26
we’re not going to let this Beverly
respectively.
team ruin that.”
Sam Bleiberg
Sports Editor
Season Leaders
Cross-country: league reports Athlete of the issue: Kat Mozolyuk
Lianna Cohen and Danny Karel
Staff Writers
Boys
This year, the Samo boys’ cross-country team looks stronger than ever as they
continue to dominate league meets and perform at a high caliber during invitationals.
Two days after having raced at the notoriously difficult Kenny Hahn Park, they were
thrown into the Cal Poly Invitational and still managed to place as a team.
Senior captain Daniel Redick (16:59) managed to break the 17-minute barrier
as he climbed his way to first place last Thursday at Kenny Hahn. He was directly
followed by junior Nicholas Salazar (17:50) and five other Varsity runners, making
for an easy 1-7 sweep.
“I think we have our league championship in the bag, but we just need to focus
on doing the best we can individually,” senior Jamie Levinson said.
In addition, thursday’s outstanding performance is indicative of the potential
that the Vikings have, as they strive to maintain their winning streak, and add yet
another league championship to cross country’s already impressive track record.
Girls
After getting off to a good start, the girls’ cross -country team has remained
successful. At the Palos Verdes Invitational on Oct. 10, the girls showed their competitive
spirit. There are seven different varsity races on the two-mile course. Each school’s
number one runner runs in the number one race, the number two runner in the number
two race, etc. Junior captain Amanda Botfeld exhibited leadership yet again by coming
in fifth place as the number one runner, with a time of 13:26.
Junior captain Katya Mukhina (14:54) was impressive in the number two race,
coming in fourth place, and freshman Emily Berkin came in second place in the third,
with 13:57. “We did really well,” Botfeld said.
The second league meet of the season and Kenny Hahn last week, however, were
entirely different for the girls. After a tough defeat at the first league meet, where the
team lost to Beverly Hills by a devastating two points, the girls were ready for revenge.
Berkin ran an impressive 22:16 to come in fourth place. Mukhina (22:53) came in sixth
and junior Smilte Svilpaite (22:54) came in a close seventh.
Koroush Shaffy
Arts & Entertainment Editor
be something enjoyable for me.
“But of course, I was dead wrong. Playing for the
Senior Kat Mozolyuk is more than just any other tennis
team has been an amazing experience, and you know, for
player: she’s the number one varsity singles player for our school.
the first time in forever, we finally look like we have a
And rightfully so, with a great deal of talent and ability
chance at taking league! It’s all very, very exciting.”
stemming from years of hard work and practice, Mozolyuk has
Also exciting for Mozolyuk: college.
what all and sundry would consider a formidable game.
“I’m
definitely
She’s so good, in
going to play tennis in
fact, that she’s amongst
college, no matter what,”
the top 100 best
she said. “And right now,
players in her division
I’ve been talking to some
in Southern California,
of the college coaches
and what’s more, she’s
and am in the process of
nationally ranked.
getting scouted.”
Being
ever-so
Before
college
modest, she refuses
applications
can
be
to claim her good
completed,
however,
fortunes in the world
the girls’ tennis team
of tennis are the result
will attempt to win the
of anything more than
ever-elusive league title.
a lot of hard work and
Mozolyuk is convinced it
devotion.
can be done.
And when she
“We are absolutely
says she tries her
amazing this year and on
hardest to play as
a great hot streak,” she
much as she can bear
said.
every week, she means
Whether or not the
it — after all, even
photo by Sam Boloorchi
Lady Vikings can clinch
her job has her on the
courts. A teacher at a FIRST YEAR: In only her first season on the Samo tennis team, Mozo- the title is yet to be seen,
lyuk has proved to be, by and away, the number one singles player.
but what is for certain
year-round tennis camp
is that Mozolyuk has
here in Santa Monica, this job allows Mozolyuk the opportunity to
entered into a wonderful group.
make money out of the game she loves.
“I truly never thought the team could be such an
But then, for all her passion for the sport, why is this year,
awesome thing to be a part of,” Mozolyuk said. “No
senior year, her first year on the school team?
matter what happens, I just want my team to know that I
“Honestly, I didn’t know if the team was the right setting
love them so, so, so much. Thank you guys for all making
for me,” Mozolyuk said. “I’d always been more of an individual
this whole experience, this whole year, the best I’ve ever
player than anything else, and I was afraid that the team wouldn’t
had.”
Sports
Lady Vikings
lead the pack
Samo defeats
rival Beverly
Hills to start
league out 4-0
Oren Friedman
Staff Writer
After a shaky 3-3 start, the Lady Vikings are back in contention. Riding a hot
streak, Samo seems to have finally found
their mojo.
Senior co-captain Remy Nozik attributes
part of success to newfound confidence.
“I think the team has gained a lot of confidence,” she said. “This season we’ve realized that it doesn’t matter how much we’ve
improved if we don’t bring everything we
have when it comes to a big game.”
The Lady Vikings are yet to back down
from the big games.
On Oct. 6, they knocked off Beverly
Hills on the road, their first win over the
Normans in over a decade.
“This year we wanted the win against
Beverly more than ever before, and it really
came out through our aggressive and focused
match play,” said junior Lucy Walsh. “Now
that we beat Beverly we know that anything
is possible, and we are ready for the challenges that face us in upcoming matches.”
Senior Katerina Mozolyuk reaffirmed
the new confidence and excitement.
“I think that the team came together and
gave it their all,” Mozolyuk said. “Everyone
was positive and supported each other.”
Although the Lady Vikings are on a roll
Page 14
Oct. 22, 2009
they are still determined to fix their flaws.
Nozik expressed her call for more consistency in the lineup to establish more cohesion on the court.
“We still don’t have a set lineup and
it’s hard to keep switching players around
to different spots,” Nozik said. “We need
to figure out a lineup that really works and
stick with it.”
Furthermore, Coach Wilston Poon
echoed a call for perfection.
“We need to work on being more confident and trusting that our game is good
enough to beat even the best,” Poon said.
The victories are bringing the best
out of everyone. Their closeness off the
court is yielding positive results on the
court.
“We’re currently doing well in both
singles and doubles, but as whole we just
have to work on playing smart tennis rather than simply going through the motions
of hitting the ball,” Walsh said.
The Lady Vikings are riding high
but still know there is much to be accomplished. Getting farther in CIF is one of
this year’s goals and complacency is not
an option.
With a rematch against Beverly Hills
looming on the horizon, the team must
train harder than ever.
A win against the Normans would cement Samo’s place atop the Ocean League,
and give them huge a huge amount of momentum heading into CIF playoffs.
But, this will be no easy task, and will
require a great deal of effort.
“We have to continue working hard
and keeping that fire going,” Walsh said.
“Weekend practices are crucial, and we
Photos by Sam Bleiberg
ultimately need to keep winning in order
VOLLEY: Co-captain and senior Leigh Bushnell (top) and junior Lucy Walsh (bottom) rally in practice.
to allow the momentum to last.”
Greenies face triumph and tragedy
frustrating loss to the Normans, conceding
the game by only one point (and with the
same final score of 8-9 that would come 11
There is a certain karmic awkwardness days later at El Segundo).
“I think we went in a little bit too
in becoming the newspaper correspondent
to the same team you quit eight months ago. comfortable and didn’t adjust to the mistakes
The apprehension becomes pretty profound we were making during the game,” junior
sitting in the stands overlooking the El goalie Hunter McCarthy said. “I mean, the
Segundo swimming pool, surrounded by referees are never an excuse, but we weren’t
your ex-teammates’ girlfriends and parents, able to play above their calls, and just let
but the surreal feeling really reaches a head Beverly’s crowd and players get inside our
when actually watching the game. The job head.”
The defeat did serve to galvanize
of covering water polo necessarily means
covering their games, but actually being in the Greenies, for a mere week later Samo
the stands, watching a sport in which, if I was upstaged Bonita, currently ranked #2 in CIF,
never an integral member, I was at least a with a 15-10 end result.
“That was a huge
member, is admittedly
win,” McCarthy said.
pretty sobering.
“The loss at Beverly kind
What
being
a
of sparked something
spectator doesn’t do,
in everybody’s minds:
however, is diminish
‘we’re not the same
the
shock
and
team we were last year,
disappointment
when
everybody needs to step
the Greenies lose to the
up and be a leader.’”
Eagles 8-9, following
Clearly the Greenies
a tie-making goal by
are not in a position
junior Marc Vonderweidt
to despair: despite the
in the last minute of the
at El Segundo
game and a usurping
— junior Hunter McCarthy frustrations
and Beverly they still
goal from El Segundo
have the opportunity
mere seconds after that.
to tie for the Ocean
High school sports do
not get as gripping, or as heartbreaking, as League Championship, and their CIF
prospects remain encouraging and confident.
this.
The El Segundo game is yet another Another reason for optimism: following the
surprising chapter in a water polo season Eagles, all of the Greenies’ league games will
already marked with its share of ups and take place at home.
“At home we’re the most dominant,”
downs. In the space of less than three weeks,
the Greenies took on all of their rivals for the senior Mick “Spyder” Dobrofsky said. “We
Ocean League title, scoring sizable victories live and breathe in there, basically. We’re not
against Torrance (Oct. 5) and Culver City going to let anyone win against us at home.”
The next phase of the Greenie’s season
(Oct. 12).
But at Beverly Hills, Samo suffered a begins Oct. 21, against Torrance.
Philip Dinolfo
Staff Writer
“We’re not the
same team we were
last year. Everybody
needs to step up and
be a leader.”
Photo by Reva Santo
CHUCK: Junior Edwuardo Navarrete makes a pass against Bonita on Oct. 14. Samo won, 15-10.
Sports
A picture is worth a
thousand words...
Page 15
Oct. 22, 2009
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
OFFENSIVE PUSH: Football, after a period of shaky interleague play, defeated Morningside (pictured) in their Ocean League
opener on Oct. 16. The Vikings face the Beverly Hills Normans on Oct. 23.
Photo by Reva Santo
“NOOOOO!”: Water polo lost to league rivals El Segundo and Beverly Hills, but defeated other opponents such as Torrance,
Culver City and Bonita (pictured), who are second in CIF rankings. Samo won the match, 15, 10.
Photo by Sam Boloorchi
KILL: The volleyball team powered their way through the month of October,
going 4-1 in league. Pictured is their match against Inglewood on Oct. 15.
Photo By Reva Santo
Paige Onouye snacks on toasted rice crackers.
LUNCH
Photo By Reva Santo
A decorative birthday cake made with gummy
worms, swedish fish, and sour strips.
Chloe Chappe
makes pretzel
chip eyes.
Photo By Reva Santo
Photo By Reva Santo
Jessica Chappe eating a prosciutto
mushroom sandwich.
Photo By Reva Santo
Hannah Kummer enjoys a Garbanzo Bean Salad.
Photo By Sam Boloorchi
“I like sandwiches because they’re
convienent to bring to school.”
−Ellen Narfgren
Photo By Reva Santo
Photo By Sam Boloorchi
“I like eating pizza when I forget my lunch because
it’s good and affordable.” − Valerie Vance
Photo Essay by Kira Yoshimura
Ella Rogers displays her California roll
Sushi.