October 12, 2006

The Madden Curse
Page 4
Samo Crossword Puzzle
Page 6
Athletes of the Issue
Page 7
On the Internet:
www.samohi.smmusd.org/thesamohi
Circulation: 3,600
Vol. XCVI No. 2 Oct. 12, 2006
Lopez Memorial Wall No Longer Exists
ByHannahBernstein,StaffWriter and Goldey. Other students added
Saba Boradeh-Hamedy, Copy Editor messages in the following weeks,
The unauthorized memorial
wall commemorating former
Samo sophomore Eddie Lopez
located on the east wall of the Art
Building was painted over before
the 2006-07 school year began.
Following Lopez’s death on
Feb. 28, as the result of a shooting
on the corner of 26th St. and Pico
Blvd., the community mourned
with an official memorial service
held at Samo. In addition, grief
counselors arrived at Samo to
help students who requested
their services.
Shortly a�er Lopez’s death,
messages to him began to appear
on the wall outside of the Art
Building, rumored to have begun
with an unfinished mural by
former Samo student Alexa
because of the impermanence of mural was] the most appropriate
the mural’s medium, as tempera expression of their grief.” She felt
Lopez had been served in other,
more permanent ways, such as
the honorary plaque in the Greek
Theater.
However, students saw the
wall as an important tribute to a
loved student. “Taking the wall
down bothers me because it wasn’t
doing any harm,” said freshman
Michael Freedman, a close friend
of Lopez. “The art spoke for all
the students at Samo who lost
a friend, which is much more
meaningful then just a memorial.”
Sophomore Josh Hak agreed:
Photo by Ashley Osberg
“The wall represented the love
The memorial wall outside of the Art Building, last year.
everyone had for Eddie. When
people walked past the wall it
mostly in water-based tempera paint is not water proof. Art reminded them of how amazing
teacher Amy Bouse explained, a person Eddie was. It’s absence
paint.
The administration saw “My heart aches for his loved ones just makes students realize that
the wall as temporary, partially but I personally don’t feel that [the we no longer have him.”
Samo Library Re-Opens I-House Employs FourBy Zoe Young
Point Grading System
Samo’s book collection. “I thought
it was dust,” said Library Media
Teacher Meredith Rugg. “It
The Mortenson Library kept showing up and I kept
opened to teachers on Oct. 5 a�er feather-dusting it away.” An
removal of a mold that threatened environmental clean-up company
its books. Students will have full completed library sanitation on
access once the Santa Monica Oct. 5. Witnesses described the
Malibu Unified School District workers as wearing “E.T. type
(SMMUSD) officially approves space suits” while maneuvering
the facility.
vacuum-like machines over every
Five layers of plastic sheeting surface of the library.
covered the library’s double doors
Department Chair and
throughout September and early Library Media Teacher Dana
October to prevent the mold Bart-Bell sees this misfortune
(Claudia Sporium, among others) as a blessing in disguise. “The
from spreading. It accumulated library has needed various repairs
over the summer a�er windows for years,” said Bart-Bell. “The
in the Language Building were squeaky wheel gets the oil but
repeatedly le� open overnight, until now we ... haven’t been able
and, according to S-House to squeak loud enough.”
Principal Greg Runyon, is nonThough interconnected air
toxic but can cause asthma if vents in the Language Building
extreme lung over-exposure are allegedly mold-free, particles
occurs. Due to vacation, students traveled from the library to
and staff did not inhale the mold other classrooms. Administration
long enough for there to be any received verbal clearance that the
harmful effects.
amount of mold is negligible, and
The paper-consuming mold plans are underway to test every
appeared in over five isolated classroom in the building.
areas of the library, jeopardizing
Samo is not the first SMMUSD
facility to ba�le mold, as cases run
higher near the ocean. Measure
BB, which addresses building
safety, energy efficiency and
renovations, will appear
on the Nov. 7 ballot.
By Carl Nunziato, Staff Writer and
Bart-Bell urged,
Matt Weber, Outreach Coordinator
“ I f yo u wa n t
less mold and
• orth Korea claimed to have successfully
more books,
detonated a nuclear bomb on Oct. 7, prompting
pleasevote
condemnations from nations worldwide (cnn.com).
for this
bill.”
• epublican Congressman Mark Foley has stepped
Staff Writer
By Jennifer Galamba
Ad Editor
I-House Principal Eva
M a yo r a l s p e a r h e a d e d t h e
development of a grading system
that converts the traditional
percent method to a four point
scale. A small number of I-House
teachers have implemented the
policy, which currently effects
mostly freshman. The system may
become more widespread as time
progresses.
In traditional grading, one
failed assignment can drastically
lower a student’s grade. According
to Mayoral, this “one hundred
point system puts students in
peril,” because “if a student
receives a high grade after
receiving low grades, their grade
is still low.” The new system aims
to prevent this, with the hope that
students who receive one low
grade will rebound more easily,
and not give up on themselves.
Mayoral explained, “That sense of
hopelessness is the last thing any
of us want...we want students to
do well in I-House. ”
Under the new system, a four
is equivalent to an A, a one to a D.
Some teachers object to the new
scale, arguing that students can do
a minuscule amount of work and
still earn a passing grade. They
believe it does not hold students
accountable for their actions, and
does not motivate succeeding
students to push themselves.
While teacher views on the subject
contrast greatly, administrators
will determine the policy’s future
use based on any changes in
students’ quality of work.
As the policy is in its early
stages, it remains to be seen if
the program will prove effective.
Teachers are encouraged to test
the system’s effectiveness by
pu�ing it to use.
Published Biweekly
Straus
Leaves
SMMUSD
By Chelsea Rinnig
Opinion Editor
and Natalie Yadegar
Staff Writer
Former Samo CEO/
Principal Ilene Straus joined
the Beverly Hills Unified School
District (BHUSD) on Sept. 26 as
Assistant Superintendent of
Educational Services. After
20 years of employment in the
Santa Monica Malibu School
District (SMMUSD), she will
now work alongside new BHUSD
Superintendent Kari McVeigh.
During her tenure at Samo,
Straus frequently faced issues of
racialtensionandcommunication.
While on campus, her
accomplishments included
closing the achievement gap
between students and facilitating
small learning communities.
Straus resigned from her Samo
position last April, as a result of
her engagement and imminent
marriage.
The SMMUSD School
Board promoted Straus to
Assistant Superintendent of
Educational Services in July.
Straus then le� SMMUSD
to assume her new post at
BHUSD on Oct. 3, replacing
Interim Assistant
Superintendent of
Educational Services
Richard Malfatti.
SMMUSD has yet
to determine who
will fill her vacant
position at
the District
office.
World News
Top Four
N
R
down from office a�er exchanging sexual emails with one of
his underage male pages. Allegedly, leaders of the Republican
party were warned of Foley’s conduct as early as 2003 and
a�empted to cover it up (Reuters).
•American politicians examining ways to stop violent sexual
offenders from striking again are increasingly calling for laws
that would allow states to execute repeat child molesters (Los
Angeles Times).
•The Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan has declared that they are
growing in “every province, city, and village” and have adopted many
of their new tactics from the Iraqi insurgency (Associated Press).
Senior Jun Cha’s revised mural design (above) is currently under consideration by the Walls
Committee, which rejected his initial design on grounds that it was overly violent. Cha created the
original image last year for the student group Against All Odds, in response to gang violence.
Photo Courtesy of The Santa Monica Daily Press
OPINION
Fun in Homeroom by Sarah Deremer
Political Correctness: Poorly Conceived
By Bennett Rankin
Staff Writer
We as a society have progressed
to the point where exalting our cultural heritage has become taboo. I’m
surprised that St. Patrick’s day has
lasted, considering it exalts not one,
but two ethnic groups. Has there ever
been a more blatant a�empt by our
society to convert the masses to both
Catholicism and Irish citizenship?
Why are we so afraid to openly acknowledge our cultural differences?
Is it the fear of offending somebody?
Ultimately, this endorsement of political correctness is washing away
our cultural identity.
The Drake Pool is a Disgrace To All
By Kevin Katz
Staff Writer
To be blunt, Samo’s pool is a
disgrace. Known for the refreshing smell of mildew and
its rarely working heater,
the pool has earned a
special spot in almost
everyone’s heart. Everybody remembers their
freshmen P.E. swimming
unit and questioning
whether they could endure a swim without
picking up a friendly
rash or, if they got lucky,
the good old dangerous
bacterial infection. Unfortunately, some have to endure
the wrath of the Samo pool every
day, namely the water polo team.
Junior Adrian Stepien, a member
the water polo squad, said, “To
get the chlorine smell out, you
have to shower about three times
a day.” This season’s water polo
training regiment o�en means six
days a week, and at three showers a day, that spells quite a few
showers. Aside from constant
showering and strange ailments,
what’s great about having such a
fabulous pool is that it doubles as
a trashcan! There are wrappers,
papers, and now and then there is
stuff so shameful that you’d feel
awkward seeing it in your
own trashcan. You name
it, it’s there. With trash,
comes animals; there are
ants, cockroaches, and even
mice. Everybody knows
that infestations and water
don’t go well together. And
no one wants a rat as a team
mascot. The swimmers, beyond the horrible amounts
of chlorine, have to deal
with practicing where ants,
cockroaches and hopefully
only a few rats and mice dwell at
night. Maybe it’s time to look at
our pool and say: hey, it’s time to
do something about it.
where, especially when there’s a
Saturday school waiting for us at
the destination. If the school is
going to continue to implement
this polciy, they should at At
least have the decency to change
the wording. Don’t act like you
are being lenient or understanding–you’re not. Also, if you expect
us to “kindly escort” ourselves, we
don’t need you following us all the
way to the cafeteria, throwing in
snide remarks the entire way.
When making the new system, did anyone think there was
a chance that people coming to
school in the morning or a�er
lunch that are running late will just
stay off campus so they won’t get
caught for being tardy? We know
that’s what we’d do, because when
it comes down to it, what’s a more
appealing option: Forge a note for
missing a class, or go to the cafeteria, get a note, and take a Saturday
school. Obviously the first option.
It is clearly worse academically to
miss the entire class rather than
the first two minutes.
If the school was actually interested in fixing our tardy policy,
they would focus on the causes
rather than the punishment.
Today’s entire school system is
based on the idea of positive reinforcement, helping kids fix their
problems rather than punishing
them for them. Why is this idea
thrown out the window when it
comes to tardy policies? Parking is
one of the main reasons student’s
are late to first period. It can take
anywhere from five to fi�y minutes to get a spot, and usually it is
several blocks away. Anyone who
responds to that by saying “get here
earlier” is annoying and ignorant
and should be shot, as anyone who
parks in the area knows parking
is always bad, and it is a ma�er of
ge�ing lucky. If the school were to
focus its resources and a�ention on
identifying and fixing problems
like these, it could bring students
to the table and actually create an
effective and fair tardy policy. If
the administration made an effort
to help us get to class on time, it
would be perfectly reasonable for
them to enact such strict rules about
tardies. However, we doubt any
administrator relates, since we’ve
never see them trying to run from
the language building to the tech
building in seven minutes. It really
can’t be done.
In the grand scheme of things–
how much does being one minute
late for class ma�er? If someone
misses something, then it’s their
responsibility to get the missed
assignment from a friend. That’s
how it works in the real world , and
isn’t that what everyone’s trying
to prepare us for anyway? Taking away four hours of a students
weekend for five simple mistakes
a semester ignores the simple fact
The Tardy Policy:
Kindly Escort Myself, I Think Not
By Carl Nunziato, Staff Writer
and Matt Weber, Outreach
Coordinator
According to the administration, tardy students disrupt the
flow of class, and take away from
the educational experience. However, this ridiculous tardy policy
only enhances the problem and
generally frustrates everyone.
The plan not only penalizes
students by giving them various
punishments but also hurts the
students academically by forcing them to miss more class. It’s
counterproductive to reduce the
number of tardies by making
tardy students even later. What
ends up happening is the tardy
students disrupt class for everyone when they come in, taking
away from everyone’s class time,
which again is counter productive to the administrations goal.
If you disagree with this–what
do you think takes more time: a
kid walking in a couple seconds
a�er the bell rings and tiptoeing to
his seat trying to keep the teacher
from noticing, or a kid having to
“kindly escort” himself to the cafeteria to be processed, then return
to class, knock on the door, show
the teacher a pass and then go to
his seat?
That’s another issue we have
with this policy–we’re not going
to “kindly escort” ourselves any-
Page 2
Naturally, a certain amount of
political correctness is necessary.
Calling a mentally disabled person
a “retard” or using severe racial
slurs is inappropriate. It is for reasons like this that a certain amount
of self-censoring is necessary. But
through excessive censorship, we
do ourselves a disservice.
This year we celebrated Admissions Day, the day that California
joined the Union as a full state, on
Oct. 2. Oddly enough, the true date
of California’s admi�ance into the
United States of America is Sept .
7, 1850. Why wait a full month to
celebrate Admissions Day? It could
have something to do with the fact
that the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur
happened to fall between Oct 1 and
Oct 2. But why would the school
district fabricate historical events
in order to avoid the fact that our
school contains a substantial Jewish
population?
God forbid we acknowledge
the fact that we are granting a day
off for atonement that a significant
portion of our study body must
observe.
Christmas is guaranteed to fall
during “Holiday” break. Easter is
guaranteed to fall during “Spring”
Break. When Hannukah and Passover fall are le� up to chance. Is this
purely a coincidence?
Newsweek Controversy
By Analee Abbott
its US edition. The Republicans are
fighting to keep their slim majority
in both Houses of congress, and
Every American has the right are trying to conceal this harsh
to abolish their ignorance and criticism of the Bush administraexpand their global and political tion. But we must ask ourselves as
awareness. We are born with this Americans how this kind of poright and without it we cannot grow litical coercion has become someto our full potential. On Oct. 2, this thing that was allowed to happen.
potential knowledge was cleverly It is our duty as Americans not
concealed behind
only to honor
a magazine cover
our country, but
when Newsweek
to criticize it.
How can the
created a separate
public make incover story for its
US edition, omitformed decisions
about our counting the highly
controversial
try’s leadership
story “Loosing
if our Newsweek
cover features an
Afghanistan: The
irrelevant story
Rise of Jihadison photographer
tan,” from its covAnnie Leibovitz?
eted cover spot.
As a people, we
Serving as
can’t be blinded.
the cover story in
Europe, Asia and
Newsweek has
Latin America,
drawn the Amerthe article is highican eye from an
important story,
ly critical of the
one that the rest
Bush regime by
of the world is
pointing out crupaying a�ention
cial errors the US
to. How can see
made in trying to
in a proper light
rebuild Afghaniall that we have
stan. “Not long
done wrong and
ago the Bush adright if we are
ministration was
not being propfond of pointing
to Afghanistan as
erly informed?
a model of transIf the article
wasn’t a big deal,
formation… the
harsh truth is that From Top: Newsweek cover, World it wouldn’t have
five years a�er the edition; Newsweek cover, Ameri- been published
US invasion on can edition
as the cover story
Oct.7, 2001, most
in all the other
of the good news
leading nations
is confined to Kabul [the capital],” worldwide. The article was pubwrites Ron Moreau, Sami Yousafzai lished later on in the magazine,
and Michael Hirsh, the co-authors but it was pushed back, undeniof the article. Even Republican ably as some form of a cover-up.
Sen. Richard Lugar is referenced
Just as we didn’t let President
as saying that “the administration Johnson get away with lies and corand Congress have failed to create ruption during the Vietnam war,
a powerful nation-building czar, we must not let Bush get away with
despite their enthusiasm for regime downplaying affairs in the Middle
change.” The article brought up East. At Samo, we represent a new
many of the US’s financial missteps generation of American citizens, a
and had quotes from Taliban lead- generation that will be faced with
ers who seemed hardly threatened the task of bringing responsibilby Western efforts. Clearly, we have ity back to the White House. The
not done what we claimed we did. government may try to distract us
With a midterm election right with lies, fabrications, and misaround the corner, it is easy to see leading magazine covers, but it is
how Newsweek could be censored ultimately up to us to look beneath
by the government into modifying the surface and fight for the truth.
Managing Editor
Opinion—Page 3 The Samohi October 12, 2006
Virtual Violence is not a Crime
By Anthony Ramirez
Staff Writer
Have an
Opinion? Submit
a MyTurn or Letter to
the Editor via e-mail to
[email protected]
Submissions Due: October
17th and November 1st
Ever since the Columbine
shooting, violent video games
have been received with increasingly bad publicity. The two
shooters happened to have the
video game “Doom” playing in
the background during a prior
recording, adding additional
concern. Parents blame video
games for the violent actions of
their children, when in reality
the problem of teenage violence
isn’t that simple.
Many assume that violent
video games can increase one’s
agression; yet with more than
half of the world playing video
games, the violence seen in the
U.S. does not dominate their
cultures. As Dr. Joanne Savage
states, “There is no casual link between media violence and violent
crime”(videogamevoters.org).
In fact, the best games out
to date are all violent. “Grand
The� Auto San Andreas” received
significant press a�ention for its
graphic violence and profane
language. Ironically, this game
chalked up 32 million sales, making more than a top-notch hit
would make in theaters a�er three
weeks, with above average game
ratings to match. On a recent sales
chart from magazine Electronic
Gaming Monthly, more than half
of their top 10 sales have violent
images. Video game producers
should be allowed to make the
most profit possible, even if violence is what sells.
The reason why violent games
are the most popular is because
people are tired of the Pac-Man
phase. “Pac-Man games are past
their time, violent games are in
demand,” said senior Bryant Villa.
Non-violent games have become
a thing of the past.
We need to stop blaming violent video games for the wrongs
that people do. The shooters at
Columbine were harassed and
socially outcast in their school.
It is unfair to blame something
so trivial as video games for such
complex issues in society.
Pro/Con: Does Love Ever Exist in High School?
By Michael Bromberg
Staff Writer
My own definition of love (which I
learned courtesy of a Disney movie) is that
you know you love someone when they’re the
first thing you think of in the morning, and
the last thing you think of at night. For one
to have this kind of love, the most important
ingredient is passion. And passion
is something that we teenagers with
raging hormones have more of than
anyone. That is why, not only does
love exist in high school, it exists
here in its purest form.
The criteria for what makes a
good love interest between age 17
and age 30 is completely different.
While a woman at 30 is looking
for a man with a large net worth,
a girl of 17 is only worried about
whether a boy can make her happy.
Though teenage boys are usually
thought of as only wanting sex in
a relationship, this is a common
misconception. With puberty in full
swing, boys in adolescence are at
the most vulnerable stage in their
lives. And, while at first they may
be reluctant to admit it, any teenage
boy knows that this vulnerability
creates in them a wanting to be liked,
translating into a yearning to have
a significant other who puts him at
ease. A recent Time Magazine article
even went as far as to say that teenage
boys are “as emotionally invested in
their romantic relationships as their
partners” (Time.com) But, for a man
of 30, this insecurity is o�en replaced
by knowledge of the heartbreak that
comes with love, making men solely
want a sexual companion. Excitement that
comes with being new to love is lost to adults
who have already experienced it a few times
in their lives. And while women are o�en
preoccupied with the knowledge that their
biological clocks are ticking, among other
things, teenage girls experience completely
By Zoey Baldwin
unfe�ered love.
Now, I know what it’s like to be rejected.
I understand that heartbreak can o�en
make the most carefree teenagers cynical.
The very passion that I’ve discussed can
o�en leave one feeling alone and dried
up. For teenagers, love is a not a simple
composite of characteristics like it is on
match.com. But, because love o�en leaves
The ultimate goal in high school is to
be in a relationship, causing teens to constantly check out potential love interests.
Having a boy- or girlfriend has become a
sign of social status. We do it for a sense of
excitement, and while flirting is definitely
us teenagers feeling so exposed, we know
it’s real. Next time you see a teen girl crying because of a broken heart, don’t feel
sorry for her. Rejoice in the fact that she
has experienced love in its truest form.
And that’s something, young or old, we
all desire to do.
a nice distraction, one can hardly call our
juvenile crushes love. Lust, maybe, but
what we are feeling is mostly just that we
want a significant other to make us feel
appreciated. Sorry, lovebirds, but even the
most mature are not capable of romantic
love at this age—it just doesn’t exist.
Staff Writer
Freshman Year: Be Afraid...Be Very Afraid
By Natalie Yadagar
Staff Writer
By sophomore year, everyone
knows that the image we had
of high school back when we
were “fresh” out of the eighth
grade is false. And for those of
you who are looking forward
to high school for a new start,
new friends, or a whole new life,
you’re out of luck.
There are still so many rules
to learn as a freshman. You’re
running down the hall, running
to get to your second period before the bell rings, and you look
around, (look up is probably
more appropriate), and see that
everyone is slowly walking in no
hurry at all. Not only do you feel
abnormally short, but you’re the
only one running down the hall
to reach your class on time. Don’t
get hurt when the seniors point
and laugh. Rule #1: Don’t make
a fool of yourself. If in a hurry,
classily sashay down the hall.
During a pep rally, you feel
united, like you’re part of something, and you hear the seniors
shouting out their class, “’07!
‘07!” and you think it’s alright if
you just go ahead and shout yours
as well, “’10! ‘10!” Everyone stops
talking, looks at you, and boos
in your face. Rule #2: Don’t be
distressed, it’s only a ma�er of
time until you realize that you
should just sit down.
Any word that lends itself to
the phrase “fresh meat,” can’t
be good. As a freshman, you
may be called an assortment of
things, “Freshie” being one of
them. Rule #3: Don’t try and
object to any of these names, or
else you might end up ge�ing
robbed of your dignity and your
money, beat up, or stuffed into
a trashcan. And keep in mind,
although the lockers may seem
small, the seniors always find
a way to manage those minor
difficulties.
As an older, wiser, more
sophisticated sophomore, I tell
you that being a freshman kind
of sucks. But hey . . . look on the
bright side, there’s only about
nine more months until you can
consider yourself a sophomore.
Love develops over time and experience.
As high school students, we have hardly
seen the real world, so we cannot know
what love is. Comfort is confused for love
all the time. Two people can date for a
very long period of time because they are
comfortable with one another, but when the
relationship ends, all that is lost is a friend,
not a lover. And, when couples break up, so
much drama ensues that everyone
wonders if the relationship was
even worth it in the first place.
The costs outweigh the benefits in
high school relationships. When
people date, it gives two people a
limited period of comfortable bliss
followed by a severe mourning
period on at least one end. There
is no use in wasting your emotions
on something that will ultimately
let you down.
High school sweethearts,
people who meet in high school
and convince everyone they are
“meant for each other,” are no
exception. Throughout high
school, they simply grow comfortable with each other. They may
ultimately fall in love, but this
usually occurs once high school
is over, and a�er they have taken
a break to experience life. When
people spend time apart, they can
assess whether they should spend
the rest of their lives together.
Many couples take breaks for part
of college, get back together, and
then fall in love. In high school,
we are not seeking marriage, or
even love for that ma�er; we are
seeking validation.
Quite honestly, I’m sick of
people making out in the hallways, never
shu�ing up about their boy/girlfriends, and
shoving this fact in everyone else’s faces.
That is not love; that is a ploy for a�ention.
Love is not a competition, but in high school
we treat it as one. Competitive love can
hardly be called true.
Editor-in-Chief..................Emily Foshag
Managing Editor..............Analee Abbott
News Editor........................Molly Strauss
Opinion Editors............Jackie Berkman
Chelsea Rinnig
Feature Editor...........Marissa Silverman
Special Report Editor.....Jeremy Tramer
Campus Life Editor..............Nora Casey
Sports Editors........................Erin Nadel
Charlie Paris
Photo Editor...............Samantha Walters
Ad Editor....................Jennifer Galamba
Copy Editors.....Saba Boradeh-Hamedy
Sophia Young
Art Editor.......................Sarah DeRemer
Outreach Coordinator.........Matt Weber
Editor-at-Large...................Nick Barlow
Adviser...............................Kathleen Faas
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Published biweekly during the school
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90405. Unsigned editorials reflect the
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represent the opinions of the writer.
Staff
Zoey Baldwin, Hannah Bernstein,
Maisy Bragg, Michael Bromberg,
Sam Cotten, Aaron Eslamboly, Henry
Garf, Jessica Gerhardt, Owen Gorman, Gabrielle Hernandez, Jacquelyn
Hoffman, Jessie Grebler-Hull, Kevin
Katz, Jade Kedrick, Vincent Lai, Tina
Naderi, Carl Nunziato, Evan Perkins,
Bennett Rankin, Anthony Ramirez,
Leah Robinson, Danielle Worthy,
Natalie Yadegar, Zoe Young
FEATURE
Page 4
Child Stars Gone Bad: Prime Time to Porn
By Sophia Young
Copy Editor
In second grade, my best
friend decided to get her ears
pierced because she wanted
to be like the Olsen twins on
the TV show, Full House. Even
though I haven’t really spoken
to her much since then, I can
only pray that she is no longer
such a dedicated fan, or the next
time I see her, she’ll be looking
decidedly hungry and snorting
coke in a bathroom stall. Such
fond memories of our youthful
past-times may lead many of us
to reconsider the validity of that
old saying – when they fall, they
fall hard.
The Olsen twins’ descent into
the dark world of self-destruction
was really not such a surprise for
those of us who are familiar with
the general bad-assedness of most
child stars.
Following suit, it seems a slew
of other
child actors have
decided to
hop on the
drugs and
alcohol
bandwagon. Former
child-star
Macaulay
Culkin was busted on possession
of marijuana, as well Xanex and
sleeping pills for which he did not
have a prescription in September
2004. Just this past July, Haley Joel
Osment, the now 18 year-old star
of such “feel-good” movies as Pay
it Forward and Secondhand Lions,
was arrested for drunken driving and possession of marijuana.
Osment’s blood alcohol level was
measured at 0.16 percent – more
than twice the legal limit – a�er he
had crashed into a mailbox, break-
ing one of his ribs. At least now
we know the real reason why he
sees dead people.
The tragedy of losing the talent behind such acclaimed works
as New York Minute and Home
Alone 2 has
been not
quite
as
devastating as the
fact that
these were
once the
children
who had
so dutifully preached messages of love and
acceptance in movies like It Takes
Two, and Mary-Kate and Ashley’s
Christmas Caper. That being said,
ander. Alexander, last season’s MVP
and rushing title winner, suffered
a broken bone on his right foot in a
game against the New York Giants
on Sept. 24.
It’s going to be
kind of hard
for Electronic
Arts to find
cover boys.
H e r e ’s
the history: In
2002, Daunte
Culpepper was on the cover of Madden NFL. That season, he threw for
less touchdowns (2000: 33 touchdowns, 2001: 14 touchdowns) and
for fewer yards (2000: 3937 yards,
2001: 2612 yards). He also had the
worst Quarterback rating
in the league
that season.
Marshall
Faulk was the
next victim, after appearing
on the cover of
Madden in 2003. A�er five consecutive seasons with 1000 yards rushing,
he broke his ankle. Ever since then,
his career has slowly dwindled.
Michael Vick’s “cursed” season
took the whole
team down
with him. In
a preseason
game against
the
Baltimore Ravens,
Vick
broke
his leg and
was out for all but the last five
games of the season. This happened
a day a�er the game’s release.
2006 was the year of the Quarterback, but not Donovan McNabb.
He suffered a Sports Hernia in week
one of the 2005 season. He played
that year, but
had more interceptions in
nine
games
than he did
in the entire
season before.
Former
Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George
(Madden 2001) and current Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker
Ray Lewis (the cover boy of Madden 2005) are the only men that
haven’t been “cursed.” They both
had average, but not great, seasons with their respective teams.
The Madden Curse Strikes Again!
By Anthony Ramirez
Staff Writer
Put another one down for the
“Madden Curse.” For those of you
who don’t know, the cover boys of
the hit game Madden NFL Football
have either had a below average season, or sustain injuries the year that
they appeared
on the hit video game cover.
The latest victim is Sea�le
Seahawks
running back
Shaun Alex-
Zoom in on Zune: The New IPod
By Vincent Lai
Staff Writer
Microsoft has recently developed an mp3 player to directly
compete with Apple’s iPod. The
new 30-gigabyte Zune will retail
for $249.99, 99 cents higher than
the iPod, and contains features
that make it superior to the iPod.
Similar to the iPod, the Zune is a
rectangular media player with
a round click
wheel. However, the Zune’s
wider bulk and
largerthreeinch
screen make it
more compatible for viewing
movies.
Unlike the
iPod, the Zune
comes with an
FM radio tuner
and wireless
connectivity,
allowing users
to send photos
and songs to
one another.
To gain a further
edge
on the iPod,
Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace
music service, designed to compete with Apple Computer Inc.’s
iTunes store, will let user
buy songs individually or
listen to unlimited tracks for a
flat subscription fee of $14.99.
Other companies offer such unlimited plans, but Apple doesn’t.
In the long run, Microsoft is
hoping that the new Zune wireless music-sharing will be enough
of a draw to get people to buy the
Zune over the iPod. “The idea is to
legitimize peer-to-peer sharing in a
healthy way that works for everybody,” said J.
Allard, a Microsoft vice
president in
charge of the
Zune product line. “We
think of the
Zune platform and the
movement
here to be
more than
the device.”
Microsoft is
certain that
the Zune is
key to staying competitive, with
Apple but
it will cost
millions
of
dollars
and not pay off immediately.
The Zune will enter stores nationwide on Nov. 14 and will
also come loaded with 25 songs
and various pieces of content.
Photo courtesy of www.podcastingnews.com
Bang for Your Buck Value Menus
By Evan Perkins
Then again, who goes to McDonalds for the fajitas?
For the average high school
student, food money can o�en
be in short supply. Thankfully,
several fast food chains now offer value menus with ridiculously cheap eats that fill you up
(and hopefully don’t cause TOO
many gastro-intestinal ills). Here’s
look at a few of them (Most
items mentioned are 99 cents).
Jack-In-The-Box ****
Staff Writer
McDonalds ***
The largest fast food chain
of them all offers quite a large
selection of surprisingly good
food at rock bo�om prices. The $1
double cheeseburger stands out,
being respectably filling and savory, and it’s only a dollar! Order
this with a small order of fries, a
value soda, and the 2-for-1 dollar
Apple Pies, and you have a meal
fit for a king (a very thri�y one
at least.) for under $5. Unfortunately, the veritable cornucopia
of goodness is spoiled by the almost vomit-inducing chicken fajita (filled with nasty bell peppers
and american cheese product).
Though not quite as varied as McDonalds value menu,
Jack-In-The-Box’s value menu
offers respectable quality (o�en
be�er than McDonalds) at similarly low prices. For example,
their hearty and good Jumbo
Jack hamburgers are merely a
dollar, as are the chicken sandwiches and the delicious Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger. However,
unlike many of my classmates,
I found the 2-tacos-for-a-dollar u�erly repugnant and nasty.
But then again, who goes to
Jack-In-The-Box for the tacos?
Kentucky Fried Chicken **
Though lacking a real value
menu, KFC does have the tiny
and very good Snackers, small
chicken sandwiches that are
at once greasy and good, delicious and delightful. But unfortunately, KFC has recently
raised the price on these li�le
bundles of chicken and bread
from 99 cents, to a shockingly
the fall of stars like the Olsen
twins from the grace of the god of
a�ernoon specials should not be
considered entirely uncommon.
This September, Dustin
Diamond, formerly Screech
from Saved by the Bell, released a
40-minute sex tape in which he
performs a number of various
sexual acts with two women, entitled “Saved by the Smell.”Said
Diamond’s agent David Hans
Schmidt, “Just when you think
you have seen everything in this
business, mankind has raised the
bar another notch. Or lowered
it.” Hopefully, Diamond’s latest
campaign will be more successful than his last. With any luck,
he may even end up on Dancing
with the Stars.
Rock theVote
By Marissa Silverman
Feature Editor
The 2006 Election is quickly approaching, and now is the time to
register to vote. If you are 18 years
of age or older on or before Nov. 7,
a citizen of the United States, “not
imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony, or not currently
judged mentally incompetent by a
court of law,” (Rockthevote.org) it
is your right to vote and thus affect
this election. So stand up, speak out,
and follow these simple instructions
If you have internet access:
-- Go to www.rockthevote.org
-- Click “Register to Vote” and follow the instructions.
-- Click on any of the links to find
information about your party, learn
more about the issues specifically
affecting young voters, or even join a
local assembly group.
If you do not have a computer:
-- Pick up your voter’s registration papers at a local post office, or
request a form from the Office of
Elections:
For English: 1-800-345-VOTE
For Spanish: 1-800-232-VOTA
Voter registration must be
postmarked by Oct. 23 for
the Nov. 7 election day!
high $1.39. But then again, who
goes to KFC for the sandwiches?
Taco Bell *
(*** if you’re a masochist and
REALLY need a $1 burrito)
There is “good” bad food,
and there is ‘bad” bad food. The
Big Bell value menu is an example of the la�er. The bean and beef
burrito was nasty, as were the
chicken tacos. Worst of all was the
Fiesta Potato Bowl, a grotesque
combination of fried potatoes,
bland nacho cheese product, and
sour cream. I have a better name for
it: “Kill Me Now.” But then again,
who goes to Taco Bell for the food?
(British) Slang Word of the Issue: spod n/vb
e1.
1. to spend or someone who spends too much time in internet chat rooms and
discussion forums such as MySpace, Facebook, etc. “Jake is such a spod. He
will definitely win “Most Likely to be on MySpace” in the senior polls.”
SPECIAL REPORT: YouTube
YouTube.com: The Next Big Thing
By Jennifer Galamba
Ad Editor
In 2005, a website that has
turned into a global phenomenon
made its humble debut. That
site is called YouTube.com.
According to a recent
announcement by the company,
100 million clips are watched
every day, and 65,000 videos are
added to the site each day, which
has helped YouTube emerge as
the leader among similar video
sites. Since the time the company
was formed, it has engulfed
viewers with its versatility and
ease regarding the freedom of
expression that the site provides.
Three employees of PayPal
Web
payment
processing
service first imagined the
company. Because of the
venture’s success, the former
CEO of PayPal has invested $3.5
million in the site, and now is
an active member of YouTube’s
Board of Directors. The site is
so astronomically successful
that its growth has surpassed
that of MySpace.com (Answers.
com). Many television networks
initially fought YouTube and
demanded that they regulate
and remove television clips
that are copyrighted. However,
since millions of users log on
to the site every day, the site’s
50 person staff could not keep
up with every video published
on the website. Now, the same
networks, including CBS and
NBC, are partners with the
site for promotional purposes.
Casting directors, music
producers, and many more
regularly search on YouTube to
discover talent. Consequently,
millions have published videos
showcasing their talents in hope
that they will find international
stardom from their efforts.
Many performers have found
stardom, and have actually
spread their influence around
the world. Additionally, many
television
shows
feature
especially comedic videos from
the website on the air. Members
that have uploaded hilarious
parodies and homemade videos
receive their 15 minutes of fame
on the Internet circuit. This can
lead to more successful posts.
As one of the most popular
sites on the Internet, YouTube is
here to stay. The site has imitators
-- MySpace Videos, Xtube, Tiny
Pic, and many others -- but
YouTube is the true pioneer of
its time, and an example of the
internet at its best. As an open
place for expression, viewers
encounter any video imaginable.
On what other site can one
find both political discussions
and slapstick humor amongst
its most popular features?
YouTube: Ultimate Anti-Drug?
By Kristina Naderi, Staff Writer
The United States Government has begun posting anti-drug
advertisements on “ONDCPstaff,”its YouTube account. Why
would the government want to make an account for their antidrug ads on a website that already has hundreds of anti-government videos and even more videos showing one how to make
certain drugs in the comfort of his or her own home? There is
always a certain place and time for something, and for the government that place is not YouTube, and it never will be.
Google to Buy YouTube Samo’s YouTube Magnificent Seven
THE BEST OF VIDEOS FEATURING SAMO ON YOUTUBE.COM
By Jeremy Tramer
Compiled by Nora Casey, Campus Life Editor,
and Saba Boradeh-Hamedy, Copy Editor
Special Report Editor
It’s official: as of Monday, Oct. 9, Google will purchase YouTube.
com for 1.65 billion dollars. Yes, that is billion, not million. Google
plans to let YouTube continue to run as an independent company.
The deal is expected to be closed by the end of 2006. A top Google
executive explained that the purchase of Youtube is part of a
strategy to invest in the emerging online video market. The deal
will be an all-stock transaction, meaning that stockholders won’t
have to pay taxes as a result of the deal. Google reportedly has no
plans to discontinue its own online video service, Google Videos.
YouTube’s Brightest Star
By Jeremy Tramer
Special Report Editor
Last June, a girl supposedly
named Bree posted a video
on Youtube.com under the user
name lonelygirl15. From that
point on, she began posting
new videos at least once a week.
These videos, which featured
Bree talking openly about her
relationship with her friend
Daniel (who is later revealed
to have a crush on her) and
included references to Bree’s
strange, cult-like religion gained
a huge following due to their
candid and mysterious nature.
But the videos seemed a
li�le too good to be true; they
were very professionally shot
and produced. Several clues led
fans to believe that these were
not actually amateur videos,
but rather that Bree and Daniel
were actors, and that the videos
were professionally made.
Meanwhile,
lonelygirl15
began
receiving
national
a�ention, and was featured
on the front page of The Los
Angeles Times on Sept. 8.
Shortly a�er, three fans traced
a posting made by lonelygirl15
to a Creative Artists Agency
(CAA) computer server. CAA
is a prominent show business
agency. The jig was finally up.
On Sept. 12, the creators
of lonelygirl15 revealed their
true identities. The character
was created by film-makers
Ramesh Flinders and Miles
Becke�. On Sept. 13, it was
revealed that the actress that
plays Bree is actually Jessica
Lee Rose, from New Zealand.
To this day, lonelygirl15
continues to post videos on
YouTube.com, despite the fact
that her fictional nature has
been revealed. This is an
example of how video-hosting
websites are fast joining the
ranks of television and movies
in terms of media popularity.
The Samohi’s YouTube Favorites
• Notorious BIG Freestyle Age 17: Biggie Smalls on a street
corner in Queens. This is mind-blowing.
• OK GO Dancing on Treadmills: An OK band that spends their
time synchronizing dance moves. Enjoy.
• Jan Svankmajer: Meat Love One of the founding fathers of
Czech stop motion. Even geniuses play with their food!
• Pachelbel’s Cannon Guitar: This kid is the reincarnation of
Yngwie Malmsteen.
• Ghost Ride the Whip: But only the good 15-second one. The
other ones are trash.
• Extreme Explosions: These explosions are extreme.
“Samohi Pep Rally” 05:27 from: mexajew
Filmed at an 2005/2006 Pep Rally, this is a clip of the
Songs and Cheerleading performances. This footage shows a five
minute routine which features a bit of surprise swing dancing in
it. Filmed from the Choir section, so the footage is punctuated
with screams of “Aisha!” and “Marissa!” the whole time.
“Ian Pep Rally” 00:55 from: mexajew
A video from the heart of the Greek of the 2005/2006 Pep Rally
featuring Samo band “Parchment Farm,” playing “In the Street,” the
That 70’s Show theme song. Parchment Farm consists of Neal Cline,
Alex Talan, and Chris Parise of the ’06 class and senior George Hauty,
with ’06 graduate Ian Keighly singing vocals for this performance.
“Kanye West @ Samo” 02:54 from: Jenniferchuan537
Roughly three minutes of Kanye singing “Gold
Digger” in our Greek Theater. Sure, the sound is bad, there’s
a finger in the top of the frame the whole time, and the
bo�om is usually filled with the back of some blond person’s
head. But its a great view of Kanye, and he’s at our school.
“District Samohi” 06:59 from Slavemonkey42
A student film shot at Samo, spoken half in Japanese.
Although the plot is almost non-existent, there are a number of
impressively coordinated action sequences with fi�ing pumpup music as background. They make very good use of the Samo
campus to pull off choreographed fights in true action style.
“Equador” 02:05 by theocharis
A laugh-out-loud music video to techno song “Equador”
starring Samo students Michael Freedman and Harris Rousso
“Amsterdam” 05:19 from crazymike134
A music video set to the Coldplay song
“Amsterdam,” with senior Troy Hoover portraying a drug
dealer who ultimately finds redemption in the church.
“Fulcher: The Trailer” 05:30 by basementproductions
A hilarious video about the life of Samo AP English
teacher Nathan Fulcher a�empting to “make it in the big city.”
It was made by seniors John Alexander and Nick Leonard
and stars John Alexander, Nick Leonard and Casey Corn.
CAMPUS LIFE
Page 6
Time Warp:
Samo’s Past is a
Freaky Place
By Marissa Silverman
Feature Editor
The Romans did it, the Greeks
did it, the Egyptians did it, and we
can do it…for about 400 bucks; a
small price to pay for the thousands of people across the globe
finally being accepted by the art
community for their form of self
expression – graffiti.
Graffiti art has come along
way since its appearance in Pompeii, to the streets of New York
City, and now at Samo. There
are only a handful of writers
talented and passionate enough
to be dubbed graffiti artists, but
Samo is home to some of the
community’s finest.
When I talked to a few such
people, I was surprised to meet
four boys with completely different backgrounds, united by a
shared passion and appreciation
for their art form. They break the
stereotypes that many people
have about graffiti art and its
associated culture. “There are a
lot of misconceptions, but it’s only
because people are ignorant,” explained junior Pedro Coreas.
“Graffiti art has a hard, gangster image, like the guys in the
hood,” added senior Tiimo Schulze,
“but art has nothing to do with
gang life, and artists are not gang
bangers. With [graffiti] art, you’re
judged on your skills, not your
race.”
Sophomore Levi Schulze believes graffiti art’s diverse group
of participants is largely due to
the fact that it is one of the cheapest and most accessible forms of
art: “You don’t have to have a lot
of money to do it or even to enjoy
it. It’s just a great way to express
yourself and share your art with
other people…for free.”
And the popularity of the
“piece book” or “black book” has
helped to do just that. “Black books
were like a blue print to a piece,
but nowadays, they have really
evolved and artists put a lot of
time and effort into each piece. It’s
just one legal alternative to the art
Staff Writer
Photo by Owen Gorman
Samo: A Step Closer to Hogwarts
By Aaron Eslamboly
Staff Writer
They spin around in circles
10 times, run with eggs on spoons
as fast as they can, and doge the
balls thrown at them. Sounds fun,
yet painful. But hey, how else are
the houses supposed to prove
that they are the best?
Throughout the year, the
Samo houses hold competitions
to prove themselves. From relay
races to dodge ball and kickball
games, the houses of Samo, always get aggressive. The goal of
these competitions is to collect all
le�ers of the houses to spell out
“SAMOHI.” Houses forfeit their
le�er when they lose a competition. I-House has already begun
by posting the large ‘S’ in their
office a�er their victory in the
dodge ball game last year.
Still, these competitions
have never fostered a lot of
pride. “I don’t see what the big
deal is about being the best house
on campus,” says sophomore
Michael Katz, “What do we really get out of it?”
But there are still those on
campus that want to represent
their house. ASB has begun making plans for house competitions.
A new commi�ee, headed by
president Alexander Spence with
house representatives, has been
designed specifically for the planning and running of house competitions. The commi�ee is also
looking towards ways to hold the
competitions and increase school
spiriit. They will begin planning
and coordinating this week.
Until then, the friendly
competitions will continue and
the houses will be planning and
challenging other houses on
their own. I-House has ideas for
another dodgeball game and OHouse is planning. So the rivalry
between the houses keeps on
rolling.
By Bennett Rankin
Staff Writer
Oct. 12 1962-
Samo’s forensics club holds
victory dance in Girl’s
Gym.
Oct. 10 1969-
Samo bans all students from
participating in an on campus protest of the Vietnam
War.
Oct. 13 1972-
Samo receives first copy
machine for student use (the
problems have yet to stop).
What’s Up Samo?
Oct. 13- Last day to drop classes
Oct. 14- S.A.T.
Oct. 20- End of grading period
Oct. 21- Homecoming Dance
Oct. 23-27- Spirit Week
Oct. 27- Pep Rally
Ten Girls for Every Guy, Plus Mr. Blatz
By Jacquelyn Hoffman
Students rush to get food at the first H House Music Monday on
Oct. 9. The event was held in the bottom of the English building.
form,” said T. Schulze.
That’s where the real problems arise, because a�er all, no
ma�er what the artistic intention
behind graffiti is, writing on public
property is still vandalism, and it’s
still illegal.
“Yeah, it is illegal, but graffiti
is larger than life; you can’t really
express yourself on a piece of paper
or a canvas,” said junior Alessandro Canale. “Besides, there’s no
money for a canvas, the street is
the canvas.”
So the question still remains:
how can these artists display their
art? Canale seems to be on the right
track: “Maybe if they opened up
more legal spots like the walls in
Venice, there would be less problems with illegal graffiti.”
Until then, these artists will
continue to express themselves and
exercise their creativity through
graffiti art. As for aspiring writers, “Stop hating,” advises Canale,
“and don’t doubt yourself.”
Desks clear to reveal an improvised dance floor do�ed by turns,
crossovers, and moving feet every
Friday at lunch. The Ballroom
Dance Club meets in English teacher
Berkeley Blatz’s classroom.
Once dubbed “least likely to
survive,” Ballroom Dance Club is
now the oldest, continuous studentrun club on Samo’s campus. “It has
outlived them all,” remarks Blatz
with a smile on his face.
Since its founding in 1979, Samo’s Ballroom Dance Club has met
to explore new cultures and unify
students through dance. A group of
energetic seniors founded this club
a�er watching The Top Hat . Blatz,
an advisor since its first years, has
watched the club expand and grow,
noting its “golden age” in the 80’s.
He thinks Ballroom Dance is suc-
cessful because it engages students
“with 100 percent activity.”
There are no fancy dancing
shoes found here; music and
love for dance come together in a
comfortable, energized and professional atmosphere. In the past the
club used to focus on a different
style each year, like mambo or
swing. This year they work on a
different style of ballroom dance
each week; tango, swing, foxtrot
and salsa. Club members dance
in pairs and work on their
forward basics and swivels.
Blatz moves around the dance
floor offering words of wisdom
and demonstrating the harder
steps.
Club member junior Alec
Richker said , “The greatest part of
knowing how to ballroom is that
you can go up to another person
you’ve never met before and in-
troduce yourself by holding her
hands in yours and dancing in
perfect synchrony. Then as you go
into a dip, you look into her eyes
and say ‘Hi, what’s your name?’”
He adds, “The 10:1 girl boy ratio is
a plus.”
Down:
1. Choir Director
2. Victor and Vicky, for ex.
5. ASB Advisor
7. Based in the History Building,
first Floor
8. “Irish” Aquatics Director
12. Aca____
13. MTV famous
Samo Alum.
15. Last year’s fall
musical Guys &__
Dare to Cross The Samohi?
By Nora Casey
Campus Life Editor
Across:
3. Well known History teacher
4. Located @ 601 Pico Blvd.
6. Senior graffiti artist Schulze
(see “Graffiti” above)
9. Senior varsity wide receiver
Allen (see “Football” pg. 8)
10. Former CEO/Principal
11. Theater Director, abr.
14. Perform at Pep Rallies
16. Volleyball coach
17. Author of school-wide read
18. Accordion crazy Latin teacher
College Application
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incompatible. ~W.B. Yeats
Sports— Page 7 The Samohi October 13, 2006
Water Polo Suffers Heartbreaking Athletes of the Issue
Loss To Beverly Hills
By Erin Nadel and Charlie Paris
scored a skip shot, followed by a
goal on a six on five opportunity
cu�ing the lead to 5-4. Starting goalie junior JP Briggs kept
Samo’s lead with a nice save on
a lob shot from a fast breaking
Beverly Hills attacker. Then,
Carriere scored from the outside
flat position giving the Greenies
a 6-4 half time lead.
The third quarter opened
with Beverly Hills scoring a long
outside shot, but Junior Adrian
Stepien scored on a two on one
and an outside shot from Stepien
Sports Editors
tied the score at 10-10, sending
the game into overtime. UnforThe Greenies got off to a rough
tunately for the Greenies, key
start against Beverly Hills in their
player Nathanson was ejected at
game on Oct. 6. A�er losing the
the end of the fouth quarter for
opening sprint, they were quickly
three kickouts, and was unavailidown 2-0 within minutes of the
able for the over time periods.
game. Captain senior Skylar
Briggs had several nice saves
Nathanson scored a skip shot off
in goal at the beginning of the
a foul (outside the five meter) as
first over time period, keeping
the first quarter wound down,
the Normans off the scoreboard.
cu�ing the defecit to 2-1. The
However, the Samo offense was
Vikings then moved to defense
also held scoreless, and the
and senior
game went
Zac Carrito the second
ere made a
overtime still
great field
10-10. Carriblock from
ere scored on
the set guard
a fast break
position, and
again, with
then scored
an assist
on a fast
from captain
break tieing
senior Emthe game
met Bloom.
2-2. With a
Beverly Hills
li�le over a
then scored
minute le� in
off of a six on
the quarter,
five opportuNathanson
nity evening
drew a kick
the score at
out on a fast Junior Adrian Stepien (10) looks to pass out of the whole set position
a 11-11. The
break, creatto driving Senior Zac Carriere (2).
Normans
ing a six on
took the fifive oppornal lead with
Photo
by
Maisy
Bragg
tunity. He
a goal from
then scored
center, and
on a shot across the face of the fast break, assisted by junior
then clinched the win with a fast
goal from the le� hand side of Shane Keckin. But, the Normans
break goal. Beverly Hills added
the pool With 25 seconds le� in tied the score at 7-7 as the period
another late goal with an outside
the first quarter. Carriere tipped closed.
shot, and the game ended 11-14 in
another goal in a�er an assist
Beverly Hills took two risky, favor of visiting Beverly Hills.
from Nathanson on a two on but effective, outside shots at
The Greenies also lost 8-4
one fast break. As the quarter the begining of the final quarter
against
Chadwick on Oct. 7. On
closed the scoreboard read 4-2, pu�ing Beverly ahead 9-7. But,
with the two goal cushion in with another fast break from Oct. 10 the Vikings beat culver in
a blowout, 16-7. The Greenies
Samo’s favor.
Carriere, and a shot from center traveled to Milken Oct. 11 (scores
The seond quarter opened from Nathanson, Samo was able
with yet another goal from Car- to pull even at nine goals apiece. were unavailable at time of press),
riere on a fast break bringing the A�er giving up another late goal, and they play their rivals, the
score to 5-2. Beverly Hills then the Greenies rebounded quickly El Segundo Eagles, on Monday,
Oct. 16.
Cross Country
By Charlie Paris, Sports Editor
Boys
close [to a trophy].”
The boys also fared well at
the South Bay Cup on September 27, with yet another fourth
place finish. Racing against primarily former Bay League opponents, Fischer described the
race as “good preparation for
CIF. Those are the type of caliber
teams we will race against [at
the CIF Preliminary] and we
definitely held our own.”
On Oct. 7, the squad journeyed to East Huntington Beach
where the team placed 10th out
of 24 teams. Keslow (16:47.2),
running in the sophomore race,
was a mere three-tenths of a
second away from first place.
After a narrow victory in their first league meet,
the ladies cross country
team ran in a few invitational meets. At the Kenny Staub Cross Country
Invitational on Sept. 21,
sophomore Gabi Cruz led
the team with a time
of 21:54, good enough
for a 25th place overall finish. Though the team
finished 9th overall, head coach
Patrick Cady was still pleased
with his team’s performance.
“We’re running really, really well
right now.” Cady was equally
impressed with sophomore Beth
Morrison, who “broke into my
top five” with a time of 23:13.
The girls also a�ended the
Central Park Invitational October 7, where the team finished
19th overall.
Cady was also very enthusiastic about the young team,
commenting, “We’ve got a lot of
really exciting talent in the program this year.” With only one
senior running on varsity (Captain Helen Yu), the girls squad,
according to Cady is “set for the
future.” He continued, “I always
say I can’t retire because of all the
new talent coming in.”
Girls
Louis Adeyemi
Last song played on iPod:
“We Ride” -Rihanna
Favorite Movie:
Without a Paddle
Pregame rituals:
Listen to Stevie Wonder
Favorite meal:
French Fries
Last shoes worn:
Vans
Hobbies:
Going to the Promenade
Sam Einstein
Water Polo, Junior
Stevy Stovall
Cross Country, Freshman
Last song played on iPod:
“Freedom” -Jurassic 5
Favorite Movie:
Detroit Rock City
Pregame rituals:
Just don’t think
Favorite meal:
Sushi
Last shoes worn:
Vans
Hobbies:
Surfing
Zoe Rose
Last song played on iPod:
“Blue” -Joni Mitchell
Favorite Movie:
Matilda
Pregame rituals:
Eating
Favorite meal:
French Fries
Last shoes worn:
Pink Converse
Hobbies:
Golf, Sophomore
Theater
Compiled by Charlie Paris and Erin Nadel; Photos by Samantha Walters
Girls Golf Still Looking For That Lucky Bounce
By Michael Bromberg
Staff Writer
After handily defeating
rival Beverly Hills in their first
league meet of the season, the
men’s cross country team went
on to bigger and better things.
At the Kenney Staub invitational on Sept. 30, the varsity
squad finished fourth overall,
a mere five points away from
the third place prize. Senior
Julio Alba, 16th overall with a
time of 17:27, led Samo runners,
and was followed close behind
by sophomore Jordan Keslow
(17:31).
Head coach Tanya Fischer
was very happy with the results,
commenting that “We were very
Selected by their coaches for their hard work and dedication,
these athletes, among others, can be seen in the Breezeway.
Last song played on iPod:
“What You Gonna Do” -Tupac
Favorite Movie:
Scarface
Pregame rituals:
Music
Favorite meal:
Lobster and shrimp
Last shoes worn:
White on white Air Force I’s
Hobbies:
Madden, Hip Hop/ Rap
Football, Senior
The Lady Vikings suffered
a close defeat at the hands of
Palos Verdes, losing by four
strokes at the team’s home
course, Rancho Park Golf
Course on Oct. 3.
The girls’ golf team has been
going through some tough
times as of late. With losses to
both North Torrance and Palos
Verdes, the Lady Vikings are
struggling for ground in their
league. The loss to Palos Verdes
at the PV Country Club was
also by a significant amount,
instilling a sense of doubt in
some of the players minds.
“The team is really frustrated
right now, especially with
our results,” said junior Emily Bon.
But, on a more positive note,
despite the Lady Vikings’ loss
to North Torrance, they still
had their best game since coach
Veral came to power. Also a
close match, their loss against
Palos Verdes at Rancho Park
was only by 4 strokes, with
junior Gabi Page posting an
impressively low score of 49.
Making matters worse, a
historically weak team from
St. Monica dropped out of the
league, lowering the amount
of games played from ten to
eight, and making the girls’
chances of making CIF all the
more difficult. But, with hard
work and a little luck, the Lady
Vikings can send more than
one girl to the playoffs.
SPORTS
Page 8
Football Finishes Tough Non-League Schedule Volleyball Defeats League
emi. Collins, who started at
defense in his first game of
Editor-in-Chief, and
the season a�er si�ing out
Anthony Ramirez, Staff writer
with a broken hand, will
provide another li� for the
Vikings on offense when he
When it comes to schedis able to return to playing
uling non-league games,
wide receiver. Both Collins
programs have a choice to
and Adeyemi will likely be
make. While some choose to
available on offense for the
play weaker teams in order
playoffs, and Cuda feels
to pad their record with that
that the game experience
additional win, the Samo
sophomore running back
football program took the
Vincent Lawrence got from
opposite route. Last week,
the Los Alamitos contest
the Vikings took on the Los
will also make him a key
Alamitos Griffins, Los Angefactor come playoff time.
les Times’ 15th ranked team in
Prior to the loss last
Southern California.
week, the Vikings blew out
A�er steadily improvthe struggling St. Monica
ing on a 0-9-1 record in 2003,
Mariners, 52-0, on Sept. 29.
Samo’s football program is
Junior quarterback Ryan
now at the point where it
Katz threw an impressive
expects to make the playfour touchdowns in the
offs every year, according
first half, the first to senior
to head coach Zach Cuda.
Senior
Louis
Adeyemi
helps
the
Vikes
to
a
42wide receiver Geo Allen.
“Last year, we didn’t play
a playoff-caliber team all point first half against St. Monica on Sept. 29. Another highlight was
year long, so when we got
Adeyemi’s 33-yard run
to the playoffs, we weren’t
which set up a touchdown
ready for the faster-paced
Photo by Owen Gorman by junior Max Monbougame,” said Cuda. Playing
que�e.
Senior David Naylor ended a
against Los Alamitos gave the tling. Of the five touchdowns that
Vikings the opportunity to face a the Vikings allowed, four came al- strong first half with a 6-yard run
playoff-caliber team early on in the most immediately following Viking into the endzone to put the Vikings
season, an experience that will no turnovers that put the Griffins in up 42-0.
doubt prove useful as the season prime scoring position. “We moved
The second half, which was
progresses. “This year, we won’t be the ball well at times, but we made running clock the whole way becaught off guard in the playoffs,” critical mistakes at critical times, cause of the lopsided score, was
and we can’t beat a team like Los time for the future prospects to
explained Cuda.
Despite falling to the Griffins Alamitos doing that,” said Cuda. shine. The lone touchdown was
35-0 at Vets Stadium in Long Beach The Vikings were also without an 11-yard reception by junior
last Thursday, the Vikings were able standout running back senior Louis wide receiver Christian Ross from
to take several positives from the Adeyemi, who was diagnosed with back-up quarterback junior Nick
game. Samo’s defense showed great a broken hand earlier last week. Montanari.
The Vikings begin Ocean
improvement from the loss to Ven- “He’s a key player for us who would
ice three weeks ago, and although have made good plays on offense,” League play against Morningthe Vikings offense struggled all said wide receiver senior Cameron side tomorrow night with a 3-2
night long, the defense kept bat- Collins on playing without Adey- record.
By Emily Foshag,
HOMECOMING
DANCE!
October 21, 2006 at 7 p.m. at Sports Club LA
Tickets are $26 pre-sale/$35 at the door
Sponsored by the Samo Pep Squad
Rival Beverly Hills
By Gabrielle Hernandez
pion Beverly Hills, the team
showed their competitive
Staff Writer
side, leading them to a 4-1
victory. Despite a hard fought
Now holding a 3-6 overall
loss in game one, the girls rerecord, the girls volleyball
team is fighting hard to keep
gained focus by the middle of
up their comeback, cruising
game two to come back from
through their last two games
a seven-point deficit to win
with solid wins.
25-19. They maintained their
“Evstride through game three,
ery day we’re making a lot of
winning 25-20, and sealed the
progress in practice, and we’re
deal with a
all hoping
25-23 score
it will pay
in game
off,” said
four.
sophomore
Brittany
“Our
Neff.
level of
A�er a
competidisappointtiveness
is increasing 3-0 loss
to El Seing,” notes
gundo on
head coach
Sept. 26. in a
Liane Sato.
non league
“ We ’r e
play game,
learning to
the squad
maintain a
struck back
high level
in their
of play, no
Oct. 3 game
ma�er how
against
well the
Morningcompetiside, where
tion does.”
they domiHopefully,
that level
nated in an
will coneasy win
in three
tinue to imSophomore Jennifer Katona and prove, and
games.
“ [The senior Joanna Kubalski contribute o u r t e a m
El Segundo to the volleyball team’s victory over will keep
game] was Ocean League rival Beverly Hills u p t h e i r
winning
d e f i n i t e l y on Oct. 5.
streak.
not our
The Vibest,” says
Photo by Jesse Grebler-Hull
senior setkings will
take on Inglewood today, and
ter Joanna Kubalski, “but it
their next home game is Oct.
was good preparation for the
18 against Hawthorne.
Beverly Hills game.”
Come to the North Gym
During the team’s home
at 3:15 p.m. to cheer the girls
game on Oct. 5 against long
on.
time rival and league cham-
Making a Racket
Gymnast Works His Way to Top
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
TENNIS:
By Vincent Lai
The Lady Vikings recently
crushed El Segundo on Sept. 26 with
a score of 14 wins to four losses. The
fourlossesweretwodoublesandtwo
singles. “We had to sub in doubles
from junior varsity and our singles
that day just weren’t consistent,”
admi�ed head coach Wilston Poon.
“Otherwise we totally beat them.
[The Lady Vikings] singles one and
two are usually very strong and
we’re currently working on doubles
to be the backbone of the team”. To
prevent further losses from happening, doubles player sophmore
Alona Lubovnaya believes that the
team must “train more, work harder
and take the game more seriously.”
So far, the team has faith in Poon’s
training, “We’re doing decent” junior Sara Zerehi and other various
players on varsity commented. For
the moment, Poon will continue
executing a clean workout plan and
expects more victories in the near
future. “I feel our doubles team has
the potential to pull us through the
By Michael Bromberg
Sophomore Alona Lubovnaya
lobs a backhand to opponent
Culver City on Oct. 5.
Photo by Maisy Bragg
season,” said Poon, “but I know
we’re going to have to train if we
want to win.” Poon is confident that
the season will be a success as long
as the girls continue their routine.
WithwinsagainstMorningside,
El Segundo and Crossroads and
losses against Palisades, Mira Costa
(twice), and Beverly Hills, the team
holds a 4-4 record as of Oct. 10.
While many students here
at Samo often complain about
their busy schedules, one teenager knows the true meaning of
the words “good work ethic.”
Senior Michael “Gunner” Safron is a competitive gymnast
and has been since the age of
four. He practices five times a
week for three and a half hours
each day. Additionally, to get to
his competitions, he often has
to drive for hours, competing in
all events, which include rings,
pole vault, high bar and more.
Though two years ago Senior Michael “Gunner” Safron
Safron competed in a national gets ready to compete.
event, his season was cut short
last year with a leg break a week
before regional competition. Photo courtesy of Michael Safron
But this year, he is ready to
start competing again when the
season starts in January. And, nervousness,” says Safron.
though not having competed for
While his accomplishments
a year can have its nerve-rack- merit bragging rights, when
ing effects, “when I start, the asked what his favorite gymadrenaline wipes away all my nastic moment has been over
the years, this modest, amiable
teen doesn’t even mention his
multiple first place finishes.
Rather, Safron states, after a
little hesitation, “My proudest
achievement in gymnastics came
after competing in the Nationals two years ago. Not because
of how well I did, but because
I knew that my hard work had
paid off.” On a more somber
note, Safron adds, “this year
might be my last, seeing as to
how I’m going to college next
year, so I hope all my hard work
pays off.”
For Safron, this work ethic
is definitely going to pay off in
the future. While he is trying to
earn a gymnastics scholarship
for college, he says law is what
his mind is set on professionally. “I want to be a corporate
lawyer or a sports agent when
I’m older,” said Safron. Well, if
his accomplishments so far tell
us anything, the sky’s the limit
for Michael “Gunner” Safron, a
name you might see at the next
Olympics.