Homecoming Week filled with fun, excitement, spirit Schedule

Mr. Kopp takes
students to
East Coast,
Page 3
Volume 97
Homecoming
Week
coverage,
Pages 4-5
Football and fall
sports coverage,
Pages 6-7
October 9, 2009
Taft Union High School, 701 7th St., Taft, Calif. 93268
Schedule
changes
‘break’ up
mornings
By Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
Above: Kathy Lopez is crowned Homecoming Queen. Photo by Sadie
Burton
Left: Ioane “Buddha” Savaii is crowned Homecoming King at the
Powder Puff Game. Photo by Krystle Holder
Homecoming Week filled with fun, excitement, spirit
By Monica Solis
Editor-in-Chief
Taft High became the “Happiest Place on Earth” this year when
Homecoming came early, but nevertheless, it was an enjoyable week.
This year’s theme was Disneyland.
Monday marked the beginning
of the festivities with the first DressUp Day. Tourist Day let students
rock their favorite attire from places
they’ve visited.
Lunch provided students the opportunity to show off their musical
chairs skills in a game of “ultimate”
musical chairs.
The Tough Guy volleyball game
also took place Monday night. The
Blue team came out victorious, winning two out of the three sets.
Tuesday’s Dress-Up Day, New
Orleans Square found students
dressed up as either a pirate or
ghost. The Great Race once again
took place at lunch in the stadium.
The race involved a lot of running,
puzzle solving and a giant water
slide.
Wednesday was Blue & Gold/
Adventure Day. Senior girls unleashed their inner football player,
whereas the senior boys unleashed
their inner cheerleader.
The Powderpuff game that night
ended with the Gold team coming
out on top 13-6. Also, this year the
Homecoming King was announced
during half-time rather than at the
Homecoming game on Friday night.
The nominees -- Stewart Bandy,
Blake Emberson, Eric Foch, Cory
Kidd and Junior “Buddha” Savaii -were escorted by their mothers.
After the usual anticipation,
Junior Savaii was announced as
the Homecoming King. The male
“cheerleaders” then entertained the
crowd with a performance to Miley
Cyrus’ “Let’s Get Crazy.”
Keeping with the Disneyland
theme, Thursday’s Dress-Up Day
was “It’s a Small World.” Students
dressed to depict various cultures
from around the world.
Lunch brought the All-4-Fun
crew to the San Emidio lawn and
Jamba Juice to the quad.
Finally, Friday came around with
Disney Character Day. Students
dressed up as their favorite characters, with couples receiving two
points.
The Homecoming Rally took
place before lunch in the Mullen
Gym. This year’s game was against
Coalinga High School.
The Homecoming floats represented certain areas in the Dis-
neyland Park. Freshmen had Toon
Town, sophomores had Fantasy
Land, juniors had Tomorrow Land
and seniors had Adventure Land.
Sophomores took first place,
freshmen took second, seniors third
and junior last.
Then it was time to announce
this year’s Homecoming Queen.
The queen nominees -- Julie Campos, Cicely Evans, Kathy Lopez, Katie Swope and Megan Thompson -were escorted by their fathers onto
the Sleeping Beauty Castle float.
Kathy Lopez was then announced
as Queen.
The varsity football team then
went on to defeat the Coalinga
Horned Toads 34-21.
The Homecoming Dance was
held in the cafeteria after the big
game and ended at 12:30 a.m.
Powder Puff game a close contest, until Gold pulls away
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
The annual Powder Puff game
was a huge hit, as always. The stadium was packed as the Blue and
Gold teams put on one of the most
exciting games to date. Both teams
had been practicing hard and were
packed with fierce competitors and
athletes.
“It was extremely fun,” said
Kathy Lopez. “I got to reconnect
with old friends and even meet some
girls I had never met before.”
The game started out with the
quickest touchdown in Powder Puff
history when Karlie Twisselman
scored on the very first play of the
game. The crowd was ecstatic and
the girls were dumbfounded by how
quickly the touchdown was made.
“It was amazing how Karlie just
flew downfield right at the very beginning,” said Blue’s left guard Emily Graham.
“I wouldn’t have gotten through
ing flags efficiently
and stopping everything Blue had
to offer, only allowing them one
touchdown for the
game.
“It was intense
looking across the
field, seeing your
friends
wearing
the opposite color
and knowing that
you were about to
tackle them,” said
Lopez.
The
game
stayed
close
until
Powder Puff players face off at the game on Sept. 23 Photo by Krystle Holder
Gold took the lead with their
second touchdown, scored by
the pack of people without my girls were showing some real skill
Juliana Campos. With only a few
blockers,” said Twisselman.
for football.
The game was close throughout
Though Lopez, the Blue quarter- minutes left, Blue just wasn’t able to
and the girls were pumped, jumping back, continued to throw fantastic make up the difference, resulting in
on to the field ready to play. Passes passes, they just weren’t connecting Gold taking the Powder Puff chamwere thrown left and right and the with the receivers. Gold was pull- pionship.
A Mandatory Nutrition Break
has been scheduled between second
and third period, which offers nutritious snacks and a chance to relax to
students and teachers alike.
“I think it’s a win-win situation,”
said history teacher John Usrey. “It
breaks up students’ series of four
classes, and it’s also great for teachers. It gives us a chance to grab a bite
to eat and plan lessons.”
However, not everyone is happy
with the change.
“I think it’s kind of stupid,” said
senior Tonya Rubio. “I think they
should have added it to lunch.”
The Nutrition Break is brand
new, but very similar to the breaks
that occur every year during STAR
Testing week. However, school officials have insisted that the break
is going to be more flexible than the
mandatory STAR breaks.
“It was nice to have that little
break during STAR testing, and we
wanted to maintain it,” explained
principal Dr. Mark Richardson. “It’s
nice for students who get here late or
ride the bus to get a chance to eat.”
However, nothing about the
break is set in stone.
“Depending on how long it takes
to distribute the snacks, we may reduce Nutrition Break to shorten the
school day,” Richardson added. “It’s
still a bit of an experiment.”
If everything goes as planned,
water bottles may soon be passed
out along with snacks during the
break.
However, Nutrition Break is not
the only change in the school schedule. Planning Day, which has been
on Wednesday for the past three
years, has been rescheduled for
Thursdays.
“During the school year, the
CAHSEE is administered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays,” Richardson
remarked. “We moved Planning
Day to Thursday to stop it from interfering with the CAHSEE, and to
provide a more stable Planning Day
schedule.”
Although changes in schedule
are drastic, they will eventually become a regular part of life in Taft
High.
Stacee McCarty at Nutrition Break
Photo by Will Palmer
News & Opinion
Page 2
October 9, 2009
Tips for freshmen success
By Monica Solis
Editor-in-Cheif
Welcome, Class of 2013. Since
you are the new freshmen on campus, we thought we’d provide you
with these simple tips to help make
your transition from junior high to
high school a little easier.
* DO NOT under any circumstances stand in the middle of the
hallways. This not only causes even
more crowding problems in the hall,
but it also annoys the upperclassmen.
* Keep the PDA to a minimum! It
can wait until after school.
* DO NOT run to the lunch line.
You are no longer in junior high, and
there’s no need to worry about food
shortages.
* We like to keep our campus
drama-free. For your safety, don’t
pick fights with the upperclassmen.
Chances are you’ll lose.
* Try to make friends with your
teachers. They’ll be able to help you
throughout your high school years.
* Start getting involved EARLY.
It’ll make your experience at Taft
High more memorable.
* Girls: Stay away from senior
guys. They’re too old for you.
* Challenge yourself. Take classes that will stimulate your brain and
benefit you in the long run.
* On a lighter note, just ENJOY
your high school years; they don’t
last forever.
Usrey joins Science department
By Nick Ramirez
Staff Writer
Nathan Usrey has joined the faculty as a science teacher this year. He
is 35 years old and has been teaching for 10 years. Usrey is the brother
of government
and economics
teacher
John
Usrey, who has
been working
here at TUHS
for five years.
“Having my
brother at Taft
High makes me
feel pleased,”
said John. “The
staff will find
him helpful, gracious and hard-working. “
“Usrey taught for five years at
Valley High School in Bakersfield,
and last year he taught at Independence High School. Usrey earned
his degree in Theology at Life Pacific College in San Dimas and his
master’s degree at the University of
Phoenix.
Usrey is also coaching JV girls
tennis.
“They are really nice girls and
play really well, but the most important aspect of these
girls is that they
never give up,”
said Usrey.
“He is a good
coach and very
supportive,” said
freshman Maria
Solis.
Usrey has also
coached golf and
football in the past.
He hopes to coach
swimming
this
year with his brother John, who is the head coach.
His favorite hobbies are backpacking and playing water polo
during the summer.
“If you bring humor and motivation, I guarantee you will pass my
class,” said Usrey.
Clason moves up to high school math
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
Stacey Clason is the newest math
teacher to join the Taft High family.
This is Clason’s first year teaching high school students. She has
been teaching middle school for a
total of seven years already.
Clason
received her bachelors
degree
from Cal State
Bakersfield. She
majored in liberal studies and
minored in math.
She also attended
University of La
Verne, where she
earned a multiple
subject credential
and a master’s
degree in education.
Math isn’t always a very popular subject, but it was an obvious
choice for Clason.
“It was always my favorite subject,” she said. “It wasn’t always
easy, but I like puzzles and figuring
things out.”
There are many things that she
prefers about teaching at Taft High
over her last job at Thompson Jr.
High. “There is a bigger campus and
a lot of activities,” said Clason.
“At Thompson Jr. High there
were two or three fights a week,”
said Clason. “Here there are only
two or three fights a year.”
Clason has several hobbies; she
loves to travel,
especially to the
beach or anywhere with water. She loves
crafts of all kinds
and is known to
tie bows on almost everything.
Clason
is
turning 30 this
year. She is exactly six feet tall
and is very comfortable with her
height.
“I used to
try and hide because of how tall I am, but it’s hard
to hide when you’re six feet tall and
blonde,” joked Clason.
Clason loves the students here.
“They are respectful and hardworking,” she said.
“Taft High is awesome and supportive,” raved Clason.
The band “gets down on it” as they practice a song for their funk show at Camp Condor. Photo courtesy of Amanda Posey
Band plays “that funky music” at Camp
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
This summer the mountains near
Camp Condor were full of music,
as the Wildcat band held their very
own band camp. The members of
the band, their teachers and some
parent volunteers spent one week
up at Camp Condor sleeping, eating
and playing funk music.
“Band camp was great. It was a
crazy week of music, fun, food, fishing and ghost stories,” said band
teacher Amanda Posey.
Though the camp was based on
music, participants also engaged in
More than 50 students attended
Kern County College Night at the
Rabobank Convention Center in
Bakersfield on Sept. 14. Almost 90
colleges and universities came with
booths packed with information
about scholarships, tuition and brochures about the schools.
Counselor Mike McCormick
supervised the 52 Taft students
who participated. McCormick was
pleased with the outcome, even
though 72 students had signed up
to go. Satisfied with the colleges and
universities, he thought it was great
overall.
Though many students found
College Night helpful, others found
it less functional.
“At first I didn’t know what
college I wanted to go to, but then
I found some that I was very interested in,” said sophomore Chan-
fire.
“They did an amazing job with
the food,” said senior saxophone
player Tylan Hoffmann.
The students were accompanied
by Amanda Posey; Vic Posey, drum
instructor; Mike McCormick, brass
instructor; Kelly Morris, colorguard
instructor; Wes Morris, medical
advisor, and Marlene Mudge, low
brass instructor.
“Band camp was overall a success; the music is good and we prepared the funk show, the upcoming
surfer show and pep-band music,”
said Amanda Posey.
College Concurrent program gives our
students a taste of college life at TUHS
By Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
Students now have the option of
enrolling in college classes at Taft
College while still attending regular
classes at TUHS.
“It just allows students to get a
head start,” said senior Emmanuel
Medina. “We get to have a peek at
college.”
The uses of such classes at the
college vary greatly, from earning
extra college credits to eating up
extra time for students who have already fulfilled the A-G requirements
for university admission. However,
no one disputes their usefulness.
“It’s a great way for students to
get their feet wet,” stated counselor
Tammy Sutherland. “As long as
they’re doing well in high school,
anyway,” she added.
Not only are classes offered at
the college, but English 1500 and
psychology, two popular classes, are
being offered at the school.
“We used to offer senior AP English classes, where students’ college credits depended on the AP
test,” said English teacher Caroline
Schoneweis. “But we replaced that
College Night lets students consider future options
By Grecia Almaguer
Staff Writer
your basic camp activities. Every
night they sat around the campfire,
singing songs, telling ghost stories
and playing games. Some of the students even went fishing in the lake.
“I caught a fish,” joked senoir
drum major Anthony Carino. “That
makes me a man.”
“I rolled down a hill like a ninja
while we were playing flashlight
tag,” laughed senior percussionist
Alexis Juarez.
Band mothers Vahnita Hooker,
Laura Robinson, Silvia Alita and Jill
Jackson prepared all of the meals.
They cooked breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks for after camp-
tellle Dockery. On the other side of
the spectrum, others found College
Night crowded and less practical.
“It would have been better if College Night had more well-renowned
universities and less community
colleges,” said senior Stephannie
Heerdink.
Even though students had various outlooks and opinions, College
Night was considered by most students to be a worthwhile experience.
with the more efficient English 1500
class.”
The class is offered 3rd period for
seniors. If taken at the high school,
the administration will not only pay
for the classes but will pay for the
books as well. Students can rent the
books from the school library.
“The psychology class is an allonline course offered by Taft College
to Taft students,” said Teacher John
Usrey. “It’s offered in the computer
lab in room 161. Administration gets
to determine the amount of success,
and if it’s successful, it’ll continue
next semester.”
“Students really seem to be rising to the occasion,” Usrey added.
The deadline for applying for the
first semester at Taft College has already passed. Students who are interested in enrolling for the spring
semester must talk to their counselor to set up a date to take the college
placement tests, which are scheduled for November and December.
The Gusher
Taft Union High School
701 7th Street
Taft, CA 93268
(661) 763-2300
Adviser: Bill Wolfe
[email protected]
The Gusher is a publication of the journalism class at Taft
Union High School. The Gusher is an open forum for students, faculty and alumni of TUHS. The opinions and views
expressed in The Gusher are the sole responsibility of the staff
and do not reflect the views of either TUHS, the TUHS District, or the Board of Trustees. Member, NSPA.
Editor-in-Chief/Photo Editor
Sadie Burton
Editor-in-Chief/Layout
Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief/Copy Editor
Monica Solis
Features Editors
Silvia Gervacio
Krystle Holder
Sports Editor
Rod Sanchez
Entertainment Editor
Miranda Landreth
Staff Writers
Grecia Almaguer, Karissa
Dixon, Nicole Frost, Shannon
Gillespie, Mersadies Gunter,
Julia Laguna, Devin Marie,
Winter Martin, Jill Maxcy,
Katarina Moore, Sarah Muro,
Tina Rivera, Taylor Pritchett,
Nick Ramirez, Brianna Rowden, Jesse Starks
Features
October 9, 2009
By Monica Solis
Editor-in-Chief
Over the summer, history teacher
John Kopp led a group of about 24
students on a 10-day tour along the
East Coast of the United States.
They visited Boston and Salem,
Mass.; New York City; Philadelphia;
Washington D.C.; Mt. Vernon, Jamestown and Williamsburg, Va.
It was the second year that Kopp
did not travel to Europe; last year he
took students to Australia and New
Zealand.
“I decided on this destination because for some people their dream
is to see the East Coast,” said Kopp.
“Going there helped fulfill those
dreams.”
They arrived in Boston on June
8 and were taken on a walking tour
of the city, where they had the opportunity to visit Quincy Market,
which was built as an extension of
shop space for Faneuil Hall in 1826,
and the Prudential Center Skywalk.
After a night of much-needed
rest, the group took a guided tour of
Boston and Cambridge, site of Harvard University, before moving on
to historic Lexington and Concord.
They finished off the evening by enjoying a nighttime Red Sox game at
Fenway Park, against their rivals,
the New York Yankees.
The next day, they headed
south to New York City. Their day
was filled with guided tours of
places like Times Square, Central
Park, Greenwich Village and SoHo
(South of Houston Street), as well
as the World Trade Center site. They
rounded off the day by visiting the
Empire State Building.
Day 4 in New York consisted of
visits to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Metropolitan Museum
of Art. They also had the opportunity to explore Times Square again.
“I loved Times Square,” said
senior Ashley Lynch. “The lights,
signs and people were so different,
especially the accents.”
Page 3
John Kopp brings history to life on 10-day
summer trip to East Coast with students
The students also enjoyed a
Broadway show titled “The 39
Steps.”
“The show was so funny. Anthony Carino and I couldn’t stop
laughing,” recalls senior Jordie Yarbrough. “We laughed so much, an
old man in front of us had to plug
his ears.”
The next day, the group traveled
to Philadelphia, where they visited
Independence National Historic
Park, which included Independence
Hall, Congress Hall and Franklin
Court.
After visiting the Liberty Bell
Center, they finished off their night
traveling to Washington, D.C.
“We had a lot of fun doing random things in the hotel rooms,” said
senior Chesney Doak. “We had a
toga party, played Truth or Dare and
Hide-n-Seek and did random dance
moves.”
The next day, they were taken on
a guided tour of the national capital.
This included visiting sites like the
Arlington National Cemetery, Marine Corps War Memorial, Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans
Memorial and the FDR Memorial.
They then visited the histori-
cal house of George Washington in
Mount Vernon. The group capped
off yet another hectic day with shopping and dining at Union Station.
Day 7 in Washington, D.C. was
an especially busy day for the group.
It included seeing important sites
such as the U.S. Capitol and Visitor
Center, the U.S. Supreme Court and
the Library of Congress.
They also had the opportunity to
visit the National Archives, Ford’s
Theatre and Petersen House. After
that they had their choice to visit
some of the Smithsonian’s museums. They toured the Museum of
Natural History and the National
Museum of American History. That
night included sites like the Lincoln
Memorial, WWII Memorial and the
Korean War Veterans Memorial.
The next day, the group took a
drive along Embassy Row. Then
they paddle-boated on the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial and
also visited the International Spy
Museum.
“I really enjoyed paddle-boating
on the Tidal Basin in D.C., staring at
the Jefferson Memorial,” said Kopp.
That night they traveled to colonial Williamsburg, Va., where they
enjoyed a spooky ghost tour.
In Williamsburg, they toured
the city and then visited what was
once the colonial settlement of Jamestown.
In their final day on the East
Coast, they returned to Washington,
D.C., where they visited the National Air and Space Museum and the
National Archives. There they were
able to see the U.S. Constitution,
Declaration of Independence and
other historical documents.
They spent a few hours in D.C.
before they headed back home to
California.
For Kopp, this trip was very
memorable.
“I had the opportunity to build
lifelong friendships with many of
my students,” he said.
Kopp was not the only one who
enjoyed the trip.
“My favorite part was seeing the
major sights in D.C., dressed up as
goobers,” said Doak.
“I saw a firefly for the first time
in Virginia,” exclaimed junior James
Byers. “It was awesome.”
For junior Devin Capela, it was a
traumatic event.
“I was accidentally left in Lexington in a place named Old Manse.
It was really funny.”
Next summer Kopp will lead a
tour group to European cities like
London, Paris, Vienna and many
more.
Nikki Kniep leaves Holland to spend Catrin Reichmuth exchanges life in Switzerland for Taft
year in Taft mastering U.S. English By Nicole Frost
By Miranda Landreth
Staff Writer
Have you ever felt like you didn’t
know exactly what your teacher
was talking about? Or found parts
of your textbook difficult to understand? Now imagine that English
is your third language. How much
more challenging would that make
school?
That is how Nicoline Kniep, a foreign exchange student from Holland,
occasionally feels. She speaks Dutch,
but has been studying English for
five years. Europeans usually study
British English, so when they come
to the U.S., they still have to get used
to American English, with slang and
rhythms that are
different
from
the
language
spoken by our
British cousins.
“I’ve
been
speaking English
for five years, but
I’d like to learn
how Americans
say things informally,” says
Kniep. “English
in America is
very different.
It’s harder to
learn than other
languages
because there are so
many rules and
things change so
much.”
Kniep decided to trade her small farm-like town
of Kudelstaart, Holland for something fun and different in Taft.,
“Being in Taft is like being on vacation in Spain,” says Kniep. “The
heat is nice and with the mountains,
it’s a pretty place.”
Kniep appreciates the size of
Taft High and the variety of activities offered. She plans on playing a
few sports while she is here, including volleyball, soccer and possibly
swimming.
“I love all of the choices the
school offers. There are a lot of
Staff Writer
things to choose from,” Kniep says.
“Back home we don’t have school
sports or things like that, so it’s a
nice change.”
The only thing she doesn’t like
about Taft High is the long school
day, but she likes how friendly and
welcoming everyone is.
“My favorite class is English 12-P
with Mr. Wolfe. He is a good teacher
and I enjoy his class,” says Kniep.
While at home, Kniep likes to
hang out with friends, go shopping
in Amsterdam or go to the lake.
“The thing I miss most about being away from home is my friends
and family,” Kniep says. “Also,
I have a lot more free time back
home.”
Nicoline
Kniep is a funloving person. So
don’t be afraid to
introduce yourself; she loves
making
new
friends.
“One of the
things that I
don’t like about
Taft is that it’s so
far away from everything,” Kniep
says. “Nothing
is really in walking distance. You
have to drive a
lot.
So far Kniep
has already spent
time in New York
and Santa Margarita. She’d also like
to visit Los Angles and Las Vegas
before she leaves the country.
“The most surprising thing about
America is the food. There is a lot of
junk food,” Kniep says. “Which isn’t
always a bad thing.”
After this school year is over, she
is thinking about traveling through
America with her sister.
“I’m looking forward to going
to a good college after graduation,”
Kniep says. “A couple of my friends
and I are also planning on traveling
through Europe for a year.”
While the blistering heat is something we all complain about in Taft,
foreign exchange student, Catrin
Reichmuth, sees it as a welcome
change. As an Oberwil-Lilie, Switzerland native, Reichmuth has a lot
to get used to during her stay in the
U.S.
This being the first time she has
ever been to America, Reichmuth
didnít know what to expect. She
decided to come here to learn better
English, learn to how to be more independent and try something new.
“I wanted to have a year for a different experience,” says Reichmuth.
“I also wanted to try to be on my
own from my parents for a while.”
In her home country, she spends
a lot of her time volunteering with
kids, playing soccer, hanging out
with friends, watching movies and
reading.
In addition to English, she speaks
French, Swiss-German, and standard German.
One of the most shocking things
she first came across was the price
and availability of fast food.
“The food here is so cheap! And
fast food shops are on every corner!
It isnít like that in Switzerland.”
School spirit was another thing
that caught her by surprise:
“In Switzerland I am in college
already and at my school we have
no spirit. There are no mascots, team
sports or even school colors.”
So far, Reichmuthís favorite
attribute of TUHS is our school spirit and her least favorite is the P.E.
clothes.
She is currently playing for the
varsity volleyball team and plans
on playing soccer and maybe swimming later this year.
“I enjoy playing soccer; itís very
popular where I live, especially for
the boys.”
While spending time in the US,
she wants to visit Los Angeles, San
Francisco and Disneyland.
If you pass by her inn the hallway, give her an American greeting
an say “Hi!”
Tanning may end up burning you in the end
By Silvia Gervacio
Features Editor
Megan Fox, Victoria Beckham,
Giorgio Armani. These are just a few
of the celebrities who are walking
examples of tanning publicity. Commercials, magazines
and superstars advertise
toned and tanned bodies
all the time. However, all
of these are simply showing a false and risky sense of
beauty.
In reality, tanning beds
might not be as beneficial
as many believe them to be,
compared to the many hazards involved in tanning.
“I like being tan, it makes
me feel extravagant!” said junior
Daphnee Kinsey.
The benefits of tanning span
from a golden glow to an increase
in Vitamin D and visibly reduced
symptoms of skin conditions such
as eczema and psoriasis.
Unfortunately, that‘s where the
positive points in tanning beds end.
There are several tanning dangers
that everyone should know for their
own safety.
“I didn’t care that it was unhealthy for me because I didn’t really know the dangers,” confessed
Kinsey.
For example, tanning beds release very high levels of UVB and
UVA rays, which are known to cause
skin burning and premature aging
to your skin and also increase the
risk of skin cancer in the most severe
cases. Therefore, tanning as little as
once a month can increase your risk
of a form of skin cancer by 55%,
and the danger is even greater
when done at an early age.
“Over the next several decades if this continues we’re
going to see a growing problem with melanoma,” Dr. Boris
Bagdasarian told ABC’s Denise
Dador.
Tanning beds have their dangers, but that doesn‘t mean you
should never go near one. Your
time limit in a tanning booth and
how often you tan can make a
huge difference. Don‘t be afraid to
ask the tanning salon staff any questions you have about your safety.
As long as tanning doesn‘t become a
regular routine, using a tanning bed
on a special occasion isn‘t bad. Just
make sure you‘re being safe as you
tan.
Page 4
Features
October 9, 2009
Homecoming Week brings spirit of adventure to campus
Monday: Tourist Day
Aaron Kolb and Anthony Black have fun on Tourist Day
Tuesday: Pirate Day
Photo by Tina
Perez
Thursday: Culture Day
Kendra Ray, Baily Green, Travis Edelen, Kecia Williams and Caity Ball “argh” awesome on Pirate Day Photo
by Jesse Starks
Friday: Disney Day
Jerry Barham shows off his native pride on Culture Day.
Photo by Jill Maxcy
Anthony Carino and Erica Miller enjoyed portraying Snow
White and one of the Seven Dwarfs on Disney Day. Photo by
Nicole Frost
The Great Race
Students and teachers participated in the
very challenging Great Race during lunch
on Tuesday of Homecoming Week. Photo
by Silvia Gervacio
Features
October 9, 2009
Page 5
Homecoming Rally
Mike Hagstrom and Leo Maino vie for the ball at Tough Guy Volleyball.
Photo by Devin Smith
Blue defeats Gold in annual
Tough Guy Volleyball match
By Devin Marie
Staff Writer
Tight spandex and jumping,
sweaty boys! No, Taft High, it’s not
a Richard Simmons video, it’s Tough
Guy Volleyball!
Sept. 21 kicked off Homecoming
Week with the senior boys bumping,
setting and spiking their way to victory.
As tradition stands, every year
the senior girls coach senior boys to
play volleyball, and each year the
senior boys are separated into two
teams, Blue and Gold.
This year was no different. Thus,
the age-old rivalry was reborn.
The air was saturated with
screams from cheering fans as the
Blue team took the first victory of
the three-game match. It seemed to
happen so fast and the Blue beat the
Gold 25-21 in a very close game.
The Gold admitted their defeat
in game one and made a comeback
to win the second game 26-24. In the
middle of the second game, Blue
team member Lio Maino switched
to the Gold team.
“I wanted to ignite a fire in the
Gold team,” says Maino about his
abrupt switch. In an attempt to
demonstrate the switch, Gold team
member Derik Casparis used Maino’s blue shirt to wipe the floor and
then, as a challenge, threw it at the
Blue team.
The suspense was building as
the two teams were tied. It all came
down to the third and final game.
At first, the game seemed like it
could go either way, but as it progressed, it became apparent that the
Blue team would come out on top.
With a final score of 15-8, Blue was
victorious, despite Casparis’s intimidation.
At the end of the game Blue announced their MVP, Stewart Bandy.
“I felt proud of myself and my
performance,” Bandy explained. “I
want to thank my mom for teaching
me everything I know.”
All in all, it was a fun game for
both teams.
“I don’t have any regrets about
losing because we had so much
fun,” reported Gold coach Katrina
Malone.
Courtney Houle (center) gets the varsity cheerleaders and the senior class to yell the Wildcat Shout-Out at
the Homecoming Rally. Photo by Sadie Burton
All-4-Fun
Sophomore Riley Gant shows that wild Cat spirit while participating in an All-4-Fun challenge on Sept. 24. Photo by Grecia Almaguer
Top left: The freshmen show off their Toon Town float. Top right: The sophomores brag they “argh” the best. Bottom left: The juniors have a blast in Tomorrowland. Bottom right:
The seniors set sail for fun as the last float. Photos by Sadie Burton
Page 6
Sports
Cody Shirreffs leaves the Exeter defense, and his own teammates, behind on a big run. Photo by Sadie Burton
Varsity team shows opponents
what Wildcat football looks like
By Sadie Burton
Editor-in-Chief
The varsity football team has
started a wildfire that can’t be put
out. The season started off with a
controversial defeat by Templeton, 24-21, but was quickly turned
around by the Wildcats’ pride.
“We just got a little ahead of ourselves going into the game and we
got out what we put in,” said quarterback Hunter Liljeroos.
The team dominated in their next
game against Avenal. They showed
the Buccaneers what Taft High football is all about, winning 70-0.
“If the boys stay committed we
will win SSL and Valley.” said Coach
Steve Sprague. We are capable of it,
but it’s up to them.”
The practices have been tough
because of the extreme heat, but
the boys stay hydrated and keep in
shape through rigorous practices
and conditioning.
“We practice hard and our
coaches are great helpers. They keep
us motivated,” said running back
Cody Shirreffs.
All of their strenuous practice
and motivation paid off in the team’s
third win against Exeter, 30-13. The
combination of Liljeroos’ cannon
arm and Shirreffs’ unstoppable running added to a team with spirit and
drive that can’t be matched.
This year’s varsity team is look-
ing to go all the way and take home
another championship by winning
Valley.
The premonitions of a championship continued to rise after the
Wildcats defeated Coalinga 34-21, in
the Homecoming game Sept 25. The
Wildcats could not be stopped, with
Sheriffs continuing to take the ball
to the end zone. The defence made
several interceptions, one in which
cornerback Brian Parsons broke his
ankle.
Although the season started
with a minor setback, it looks like
it is going to be a year to remember.
The Wildcats anticipate meeting the
championship standard that has
been set in the past.
Skateboarding,
rock climbing
added to many
P.E. classes in U.S.
Taft’s Daniel Panchi (center) leads the pack at the start of the
meet in Dinuba on Sept. 5. Photo courtesy of David Dennis
Cross-Country running opponents ragged
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
For Cross-Country this year is
one of improvements for the very
young team. “Our team is doing one thousand times better than last year,”
said coach Timothy Greer.
The team is very young; three
out of the top seven are freshmen.
Senior Megan Thompson is the
top runner for the girls, followed by
Daisy Guitron in second and Lilibeth Pedroza in third. For the boys
the top runner is Jeremias Xancale
with Rocky Hestand as number two
and Devin Capela as number three.
“Cross-Country is fun,” said
sophomore Daisy Guitron. “We are
working as a team, and there is a
chance we could even take SSL this
year.”
The team has been busy at races,
including Dinuba, Morro Bay, Tehachapi and even attending a race at
the Stanford University golf course.
The Stanford race is the largest crosscountry race in the world involving
7,000 to 10,000 runners.
On Sept. 26 seven runners from
the junior varsity team took place
in the varsity races during the Wolf
Pack Invitational at the Riverwalk in
Bakersfield.
“We have a really good team,”
said junior Devin Capela. “If we
continue to improve by the end of
the season we should be Valley contenders.”
The team is very excited to continue their work together this year,
and to be able to work together
again next year.
“It feels good when all your
practice pays off,” said sophomore
Lilibeth Pedroza.
Schools around the country have
been joining the “New P.E.” movement in the last few years, adding
activities like skateboarding, martial
arts, rock climbing and even yoga.
It’s part of the latest trend toward
physical education that entertains
students and provides them with a
convenient way to stay active and
healthy throughout their school
years and even beyond.
Skateboarding caught on in P.E.
classes starting in 2006, when a Colorado company called Skate Pass developed “curriculum kits” containing helmets, pads and skateboards
with special wheels that don’t harm
gym floors. The kits also come with
an instructional DVD for teachers
and students.
The program has caught on and is
now taught in over a dozen states,
including California, and several
other countries, including Canada
and Germany.
“Skateboarding is definitely a new
activity in school P.E. classes,” Paula
Kun, spokeswoman for the National
Association for Sport and Physical
Education told the Associated Press.
“Not everyone is going to love it,
but I’m sure it will be a fun, new activity.”
Experts say P.E. programs in the
U.S. are changing from competitive
team sports and fitness testing to
other options, often individual activities that feel less like “exercise”
and more like just plain fun.
The hope is that students will become more physically active, thus
reversing the worrisome trend of
couch-potato and mouse-potato
lifestyles that have led, in part, to an
epidemic of childhood obesity.
October 9, 2009
Junior Veronica Lehman, a standout on the varsity tennis squad,
shows good form in a recent match. Photo by Jim Carnal
Girls varsity tennis team
enjoying time on court
By Silvia Gervacio
Features Editor
It‘s the only sport where love
means nothing and the opposing
girls aren‘t the least ‘beat’ jealous
that you‘re getting it, according to
coach Jim Carnal. This year the Lady Cats varsity
tennis team is eager to get the season started.
“We have a strong team, with
nine seniors and two returning juniors,” said coach Jim Carnal.
Within their pre-season scrimmages, the girls did an outstanding
job. At home against Golden Valley,
Taft won 11-1.
“Consistency and moving our
feet is what we need a little more
work on,” commented Carnal.
Nonetheless, during a massive
tournament in Fresno on Sept. 11-12,
Taft placed 14th in the 32-team Division IV section, on Sept. 11 and 12.
In their first league game at
Shafter on Sept. 17, the girls added a
win to their record, dominating the
Lady Generals, 8-1.
The girls had to bring their “A”
game when they faced a 2-0 team,
the Wasco Tigers. The match was
tied 33-3 going into doubles, but Taft
won the third set tiebreaker, adding
Wasco’s first loss to their record.
On Sept. 24 Taft had another intense match with the visiting Arvin
Bears. The match was very close,
including 11 tiebreakers, but unfortunately ended with Arvin winning
6-3.
Halfway through the season, the
girls have really enjoyed being on
the team this year.
“I just like being on the tam with
all my friends,” said junior Hayley
Coker.
“We all get along really well and
always hve tons of fun, and everyone is very supportive of each other,“ explained No. 1 player, junior
Veronica Lehman.
With a respectable record so far,
the girls are ready to take on their
upcoming rivals, while still having
a great time.
The girls walk on more than just the golf course. Photo
courtesy of Mike Cowan
Girls golf tees off a good season
By Shannon Gillespie
Staff Writer
The girls golf team lost a few
matches early on but never gave
up. They went to the South Sequoia
League mini-T on Sept. 9 and came
in fourth place with 329 against Tehachapi, 298; Bakersfield Christian,
291; and Wasco 285. Sophomore
Taylor Kurtz had the lowest score
for the ladies with a 64.
“We have come in fourth place in
every match so far, including the SSL
Mini-T,” said Kurtz. She said their
biggest competition would have to
be Tehachapi, which finished first in
the SSL Mini-T.
On Oct. 1 Tehachapi won another SSL Mini-T with a low of 548. Taft
came in fourth yet again with a 616.
Moore had a 114; Chapman, 121; Alvarez, 123; Kurtz, 127; and Bhakta
131.
Coach Mike Cowan says there are
seven girls, with two returnees, but
all the rest are new to the Lady Cats
team. Even though the girls finished
in fourth place in matches, Cowan
said, “They’re having a fabulous
season. They all have great attitudes
and are very excited to learn.”
Some key players are Trisha
Moore, Kori Burch and Lavonna
Scott for the seniors. “I’m really
looking forward to seeing how
Taylor and Tatiana Alvarez do next
year,” said Cowan.
The SSL is in Wasco on Oct. 21.
The top 10 girls will move on to Area
and if the Lady Cats play well, a few
may get to move on.
Cowan encourages girls who
want to play golf next year to talk
to him. They will be holding summer practice, working very hard to
improve and prepare for the 2010
season.
Sports
October 9, 2009
Page 7
Cheerleading
considered
riskiest sport
for girls
By Shannon Gillespie
Staff Writer
Haley Walrath tips the ball in a recent match against Independence, as
Julie Campos (left) looks on and Angela Dickard (center) covers. Photo
by Nicole Frost
Varsity volleyball team performing
well overall, looking toward playoffs
By Rod Sanchez
Sports Editor
The girls varsity volleyball team
had a good preseason, finishing 8-1.
Here is a brief summary of how they
have done so far.
The Lady Cats went undefeated
in the South tournament on Aug. 28.
Taft beat Wasco 25-15, 25-18, 15-5.
After their Wasco victory, the Lady
Cats beat West High 25-15, 25-12.
Taft went to another tournament
on Sept. 4 against Foothill. The Lady
Cats won 25-10 and 25-7.
“We played good as a team during both tournaments,” said senior
Jordyn Grissom.
On Sept. 8 the Lady Cats defended well against Delano in their home
opener, 25-14, 25-20 and 25-21.
On Sept. 15 Taft took a break
from tournaments to beat Highland,
25-13, 25-20 and 25-18.
Taft started at a 6-2 advantage.
Highland managed to keep up be-
fore Taft went on to win the first set.
In the second set the Lady Cats
had an early 5-2 advantage. After tying each other four times, Taft won
the second set.
On Sept. 24 Taft lost to Independence 28-26, 26-24 and 25-21. Taft
kept up with Independence, but
couldn’t manage to win a set.
On Sept. 29 Taft beat Coast Union
25-20, 25-17 and 25-18.
In the first set Coast Union had
an early 8-1 lead. But Taft played
harder to win the first set. The Lady
Cats maintained control to win the
next two sets and claim victory.
The Lady Cats are off to a strong
start. The girls show promise for a
good season.
“The season will go great because the team is filled with dedicated players who want to make our
mark, and we expect nothing less of
ourselves,” said senior Angela Dickard.
Cheerleading is now considered
the riskiest sport for women, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times. However, some people
disagree with this assertion.
Cheerleading has become the
most serious source of catastrophic
injuries for young women, according to Dr. Amy Miller Bohn, a family
medicine specialist at the University
of Michigan Health System in Ann
Arbor.
The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research
says cheerleading accidents account
for 66 percent of all serious female
sports injuries in high school and
college. Data from the Consumer
Products Safety Commission show
the number of catastrophic injuries
- those involving death or disability
cause by head or spine trauma- have
grown from 5,000 in 1980 to 26,000
to 28,000 per year in the past few
years.
At Taft Union High School the
cheerleading coaches disagree with
this article. Emmy Lou Heber, varsity cheer coach, made the point that
playing any sport is dangerous but
people have just drawn more attention to cheerleading.
Dr. Bohn says that cheerleading
teams practice in backyards or on
hard gym floors, with no supportive surfaces to shield them from the
falls, and many teams also lack effective supervision, with parents or
untrained teachers overseeing practices.
Heber, on the other hand, said
she and Kelly Morris, JV cheer
coach, attended AACCA (American
Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators) for cheerleading coach training in order to be
a coach, and they learned about the
refocusing of cheerleading management and safety awareness.
The coaches at Taft High are
trained to teach each player how to
properly and safely perform their
sport so there are no accidents, and
they are prepared if an accident does
occur.
“If the coaches are trained to prevent accidents, which they are, then
there probably won’t be any,” said
Heber.
Athletic Director Marsha Eubank
says, “It would be nice to have more
padded floors and spring-loaded
floors but it is not necessary for our
cheerleaders to have them.”
The key to safety is complete
training and spotting by everyone.
Cheerleaders need to be paying attention completely in order to prevent accidents and look out for each
other.
Eubank is convinced that with
our well-trained coaches and cheerleaders there is little chance that
cheer is the riskiest sport, at Taft
High.
Sophomore Justin Miller gains ground against Avenal. Photo by Sadie
Burton
JV football has perfect season so far
By Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
JV football has had an interesting season so far, and school has not
even been in session that long.
“It’s been pretty good,” stated
sophomore Kevin Chavez. “We play
practice pretty hard, and I think it
pays off.”
The team has shown plenty of
promise this season, with a strong
scrimmage against Independence
and a 28-7 victory against the Templeton Eagles.
“We started off with big plays,
but we couldn’t get the ball going,”
coach Mike Goodwin told the Midway Driller. “Overall, I am thrilled
with the guys.”
The Wildcats won a 47-0 victory
against Avenal on Sept. 11, followed
by a 52-24 victory against Exeter on
Sept. 18.
Taft’s most recent win was
against Coalinga, a 16-0 shutout victory on Sept. 24.
“It’s just nice to play four quarters of football,” Goodwin told The
Driller.
While the season so far has been
flawless, only time will tell if the junior varsity team will retain such a
perfect standing in the league.
New coach Nathan Usrey, left, is having a successful debut year with
the JV tennis team.
JV girls tennis team experiences
success with new coach Usrey
By Brianna Rowden
Staff Writer
The J.V Lady Wildcat tennis
players find themselves on a
winning streak for the season. New
coach Nathan Usrey is guiding the
ladies on the path to success.
Though the season started a little
shaky with losses to Frontier and
BCHS, a flawless six-game streak
sent their spirits high, culminating
in 9-0 defeat of Independence High.
Overall, the junior varsity tennis
team has won 10 out of 14 games as
of press time.
“It’s incredible!” said freshman
player J.C. Yarbrough.
Sophomores Kristen Coke and
Trisha Adams performed so well
they were bumped up to varsity.
“I moved my two hardest hitters
because that’s what makes a good
player, a hard hit,” said varsity
coach Jim Carnal.
Adams stands in the spotlight as
the singles leader, Ana Estrada-Ruiz
leads in doubles and Brenda Teran
Lozano is the overall leader.
“We’ve had a really good season
so far,” said Usrey.
Elisha Yeley is about to serve another winner. Photo courtesy The Derrick
Upcoming Events
JV volleyball season has ups and
downs, but team work is excellent
By Sarah Muro
Staff Writer
The pre-season started off a bit
rocky but the JV volleyball team
picked it up in the end, 3-1, not including tournaments.
Coach Taylor Miller is hoping to
finish league play at 500 or better.
“We have great team work; we
just need to work on our communication,” says Miller.
Each girl needs to work on something to help make the team better.
“I personally need to work on
defense,” says sophomore Kimberly
Matthews.
Juniors Chelsea Dickard and
Talina Reed are two outstanding
and surprising players.
“Chelsea is a great setter. She just
needs to speak up a bit more. And
Reed is outstanding at passing the
ball,” says Miller.
Teamwork is essential for the
JV players. Having started off a bit
slowly, the team is determined to
have a great season. They have made
major progress but need to work on
their confidence.
“When one person falls, the
whole team falls,” says freshman
Suzie Arnold.
With some encouragement and
spirit, this team has the potential to
go a long way.
“I’ll be your cheerleader and give
you positive enforcement,” Miller
tells them.
Varsity Football
Oct. 16 - Arvin High School @Taft Union High School
Oct. 23 - Wasco High School @Wasco High School
Oct. 30 - Tehachapi HS @Tehachapi High School
Nov. 6 - Shafter High School @Taft Union High
Varsity Volleyball
Oct. 13 - Shafter High School @Shafter High School
Oct 15 - Wasco High School @Taft Union High School
Oct. 20 - Tehachepi High School@Tehachepi High
Oct. 22 - Bakersfield Christian HS @ Taft Union High
Varsity Tennis
Vanessa Talavera leads the crowd
in a rousing cheer at a football
game. Photo courtesy of The Derrick.
Oct. 13 - Arvin High School @Arvin High School
Oct. 15 - Bakersfield Christian HS @Taft Union High
Oct. 20 - SSL Championships @B.C.H.S.
Oct. 22 - SSL Championships @B.C.H.S.
Page 8
Entertainment
October 9, 2009
Recent rock CDs offer a little something for everyone
Cheap Trick
The Latest
By Rod Sanchez
Sports Editor
Cheap Trick’s latest album, ironically titled The Latest, proves that the
band has not lost its touch.
The quartet has remained intact
over the years since their debut in
the mid-70’s. But they have had
their share of less than stellar releases over the last 30 years.
The Latest, however, is possibly
the best of Cheap Trick’s later releases.
The album features some orchestration, but despite this it sounds
like the rockin’ Cheap Trick many
know and love. Also noticeable are
many Beatles influences.
The musicianship of each of the
four members is superb.
At age 56 Robin Zander can still
sing out a rock song without his voice
going flat or harsh. Rick Nielsen
continues to display the distinctive
guitar style that he has developed
over the years, one which has influenced bands like The All-American
Rejects and Jimmy Eat World.
The album’s opening track, the
orchestrated “Sleep Forever,” is
dedicated to a fallen friend. It transitions smoothly into “When The
Lights Are Out,” a cover of the hit
song by Slade, a popular 70’s English band.
“Miss Tomorrow” was originally
a demo for Zander’s solo album, but
the song fits in well with the rest of
the album.
“Sick Man of Europe,” the first
single and video, is a high energy
pop-punk song.
“These Days” and “Miracle” are
ballads that show a John Lennon influence.
“California Girl” is a 50s-style
rock ‘n’ roll song, cranked up Cheap
Trick style.
The Latest is a good album, but
it has some songs that just feel like
they don’t belong. “Smile” and “Everyday You Make Me Crazy” in particular, are two songs that just don’t
fit in.
“Smile” just sounds too over-thetop. “Everyday” might seem like a
typical Cheap Trick song, but it’s too
brief at 1:17, even for Cheap Trick, to
justify putting it on the album.
As a band that many modern
acts such as Green Day and Jimmy
Eat World cite as an inspiration,
Cheap Trick have a name to live up
to. With “The Latest” they definitely
prove their worth.
Cheap Trick still has it. You
should get it.
up the monotony of metal. Then, it’s
back into the fray with the second
half of the album.
“Ransom” is the heaviest song
on the album, while “Evil Unseen”
feels like filler before the superior
“How Great Thou Art,” a death metal rendition of the classic hymn. The
penultimate song, “Deep Heaven,”
features guest vocals by soprano Suzanne Richter and is probably one
of the most surprisingly poppy and
catchy songs on the album.
Dichotomy ends on a strong note,
with the best song on the album,
“End of the Age.” Strong, guitar-solo laden melodic verses and technical finesse finish off the album with
a strong twist.
Dichotomy is a step forward for
Becoming the Archetype, and a step
back toward the original technical
death metal displayed on “Terminate Damnation.” Dichotomy is, as
its name suggests, sectioned halves
of brutal metal and melodic verse,
and should be listened to by any fan
of metal.
Becoming the Archetype
Dichotomy
By Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
Christian Metal band Becoming
the Archetype’s third album, Dichotomy, was released to a skeptical
fanbase, after their last progressive
album, “Physics of Fire,” was found
lacking. Luckily, BTA has brought
back the technicality in their newest
and possibly best album.
Dichotomy starts out with four
heavy-hitting songs, “Mountain of
Souls,” “Dichotomy,” “Artificial Immortality” and “Self Existent.”
“Artificial Immortality” is no
doubt the most catchy on the first
half of the album, describing the
eternal struggle between mankind’s
search for perfection and his imperfect nature.
“St. Anne’s Lullabye,” a twominute acoustic instrumental, breaks
Sick Puppies
Tri-Polar
By Devin Marie
Staff Writer
The Sick Puppies seem to have
few redeeming qualities. It can be
inferred from their music that they
could very well be sick, though I
can’t imagine a virus that would
make one perform such terrible music. But if there is in fact some disease of that nature I would not be
surprised to find they have it. Not
to mention the fact that they lack the
cute factor that is so prominent in
puppies.
It seems that they are taking their
own advice and modeling each song
of their new album after their old
debut hit, “All the Same.” Consequently, each song has an air of redundancy and, in fact, feels all the
same.
It is hard for me to believe that
this band is Tri-polar, as their album
name suggests, because the only
theme portrayed is, “I’m so cool,
and I rock so hard. I can throw random profanities into my song because that is truly how rock star and
thuggish I am. Yes, be jealous.” Well,
I am not impressed.
Perhaps their tri-polar nature
comes from their contradictory lyrics. For example, in the song “I Hate
You,” sings, “I hate you when you’re
gone/ I hate you turn me on /I hate
the way/ I need you when I don’t
know where you are. I love it even
more/ when I find you on the floor/
I know you think you hate me/ but
I will always hate you more.” Yes,
Mr. Lead Singer, spoken like a true
psychopath.
I would also like to give the
lyricist a thesaurus. All the profanities are, well...unnecessary. It’s too
bad this Australian band was not
educated at TUHS. I’m sure our fine
English teachers would have taught
these potty-mouths a thing or two
about vocabulary.
It saddens me that this band
couldn’t live up to their first album,
Welcome to the Real World, which
had two excellent and very popular songs: “All the Same” and “My
World,” of which I was a fan.
In all fairness, I genuinely like
two songs on this album, “Riptide”
and “Odd One.” They are softer
songs compared to the raspy vocals
on the other tracks. Lead singer Shimon Moore sounds somewhat like
Incubus front man Brandon Boyd,
that is, when he’s not yelling the lyrics.
It’s as if Moore was trying to
force his otherwise good voice into a
stereotypically harsh, throaty rocker
scream. It’s obvious his best works
are on ballads like “All the Same.”
Tri-Polar is a disappointing-if not
devastating album. Aside from the
repetitive nature, absurd lyrics and
Moore’s strained voice, this band
has definite potential. It’s obvious
that the Sick Puppies are worth
more than this pathetic album. Tripolar is a classic case of a good band
gone bad.
Eskimo Joe
Inshalla
By Sadie Burton
Editor-in-Chief
From Australia comes an old
band with some new tricks. Eskimo
Joe’s most recent release, Inshalla,
is the change the 12-year veterans
have wanted.
The band comes from Fremantle,
Australia, where they are currently
on their Inshalla Australian Tour in
support of their fourth album. Being very artsy musicians, they decided to make a change when front
man Kav Temperly had an epiphany
while relaxing at an often-visited
coffee shop. Temperley wanted to
move away from what he thought
had become a fake rock ‘n’ roll persona and return to being the honest, real Eskimo Joe of their earlier
albums.
The new CD has a very multicultural, flowing, modern rock feel.
The band is extremely talented musically and Inshalla is full of great
guitar solos, inventive bass lines
and strong drumbeats. You can feel
the lyrical angst in Temperley’s entrancing voice.
There are a wide variety of song
types, from love songs to motivational songs about remaining steadfast with your decisions. Some of
the lyrics have a tendency to be repetitive, but they are balanced by
songs with great lyrics like “Losing
Friends Over Love,” “Childhood
Behavior” and the powerful closing
song, “Morning Light.”
Eskimo Joe is a well-balanced
band with catchy songs that should
appeal to a large variety of people
because of their ability to connect
with people’s heads and hearts.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Dear John tells story of love,
movie fails to live up to brilliance of book heartbreak and forgiveness
By Monica Solis
Editor-in-Chief
Upon its release this past summer, Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince was a major success,
breaking the all-time midnight
opening box-office record with $22
million, and grossing an estimated
$58.6 million in 24 hours.
It became the fourth biggest
opening day in the
history of American cinema after
The Dark Knight
($67.1m), Transformers 2 ($62m),
and Spider-Man
3 ($59.8m). No
other film in the
Harry Potter series has ever been
in the top 10.
The films are
often a good visual representation of the books.
The movie you’ve
been playing in
your head while
reading the books
finally comes to life
right in front of you on the screen.
The cinematography and special effects are incredible in the Half-Blood
Prince. From disapparating to dementor attacks, to all the magic that
is performed, the level of difficulty
was raised to a higher standard for
this film.
The film also does a great job of
showing the evolving friendships
between the characters. If you have
kept up with all the movies, you feel
like you have gotten to know and
understand the characters. It’s easy
to see the “magic” between the characters on-screen.
Although HBP experienced huge
success at the box office, HBP proved
to be a letdown to true fanatics of the
series who have read the books.
The film was action-packed, but
the focus was love and raging hormones, which is not representative
of the book since its purpose was to
serve as a set-up for the final installment. The movie was supposed to
portray Harry learning how to de-
feat the Dark Lord, and preparing to
do so in the final installment.
The films have been known to
skip over some major plot information. Two hours is just not enough
time to cover everything in detail,
and that was the biggest problem
with HBP. The film was incredible,
but it just threw information at the
viewers without clear explanation.
The books, on the other hand,
are much more
descriptive. They
give the reader a
fuller understanding of the plot and
the characters. Not
only that, but in a
sense, you’re the
director of the film
that plays in your
head.
One could argue that the only
negative aspect of
the books is that
they’re too long
and sometimes include unnecessary
information.
Harry
Potter
mania will live on
for at least a while longer. Fans will
no doubt be sad after the final film
is released. Warner Bros. will release
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I in November 2010, and
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II six months later in May
2011.
By Silvia Gervacio
Features Editor
From the author of nine best-selling books such as The Notebook, A
Walk to Remember, and The Guardian, Nicholas Sparks’ latest novel,
Dear John, is on top of the bestseller
list for all the right reasons.
In this heartwarming story,
Sparks writes about life-changing
moments, love and war. John Tryee, the main character, is a recent
high school graduate who, like all
his “buddies,” is living off his dad
and has absolutely no idea what he
wants to do in life. After a couple
of years of one-night stands, parties and booze, John realizes his life
is meaningless, so he enlists in the
army.
While on leave from his Army
tour in Germany, he comes back
home to Wilmington, N.C., to see
his dad, but spends his time surfing on the beach. He meets a young
lady, Savannah Lyn Curtis, after
he retrieves her purse after it was
dropped over the pier into the water, an incident that changes John’s
life forever.
Savannah is a college student
majoring in special education who
dedicates her time to helping others,
unlike most of her classmates, who
prefer partying, drinking and sex. In
this particular summer she’s helping with Habitat for Humanity and
staying in a rental beach home with
her working group in Wilmington.
She and John are from complete-
ly different families. John was raised
by a single parent, his dad, who is
very shy, lives his life on schedule
and, when he has a conversation, it’s
about the coin collection he loves so
much. As for Savannah’s parents,
they are happily married, living on
a farm, helping everyone out and,
of course, wishing the best for their
daughter.
Over the next two weeks, John
attends church with Savannah,
takes her out to dinner and eventually begins to fall in love with her,
while Savannah starts to feel the
same way. The story’s climax begins
when John must return to base for
the 9/11 cause, leaving Savannah
behind. They promise to meet during his next leave, a year later. In order to keep in touch, they write letters, email and call each other.
On his second leave he visits Savannah. They stay at her parents’
house, then at her college dorm.
John notices Savannah’s life has
changed drastically, but things seem
to fall back into place one passionate
night.
But as time starts to pass they
begin to drift apart. It doesn’t end
there, though; the two lovebirds
struggle over the next several years
before they meet up again, when
John has to come home for an emergency.
Nicholas Sparks does a fabulous
job making you care for his characters, drawing you into the story, and
keeping you stuck to the book until
the very last page!