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Charter High Academic Times
17189 Sheridan Street
Pembroke Pines, Florida 33331
Volume 11 Issue 7 -March 2011
Pembroke Pines Charter High School
New talent
see page 14
Pep rally
see page 5
Student poll
see pages 9-12
Student Life
March 2011
2
I N
M E M O R I A M
A plethora of pancakes pervades PPCHS
Dedicated Key Club members and sponsors, including Costco, Mary Kay, and the
Kiwanis Club of
Greater Pembroke
Pines, all helped
this
wonderful
event come to fruition.
“The pancakes
were really good,
and I’m really
glad I went,”
states junior Gabriel Rodriguez.
The money raised
at this event will
help fund various
events sponsored
by Key Club, inFlapjacks for a cause: Guests lines up for their unlimited pancakes. Photo By Gail cluding visits to
Fletcher
the Joe DiMaggio
As soon as students and parents entered
Children’s Hospithe PPCHS cafeteria on Sunday morning, tal and holiday parties for the Children’s
they were welcomed with the overwhelm- Harbor. The money will also be used to
ing scent of fresh pancakes and sticky syr- help members of the club attend their Disupy. Smiling faces and bursting stomachs trict Convention, also known as DCon.
filled the cafeteria for the Key Club Pan“During these 4 days there are workshops
cake Breakfast.
that help Key Clubbers learn more about
Tickets for the event were $6 if bought the organization, better and easier ways
prior to the event, $8 at the door, and $4 to fundraise and create service projects
for children 7 and under. From 10 am to 1 throughout the year, and train the newly
pm this ticket guaranteed guests unlimited elected officers,” states Key Club Vice
pancakes, pastries, drinks, and entertain- president Matthew James.
ment. Some of the performances included
“I think the turnout was great! We had
a presentation by PPCHS’ very own drum great performances from PPCHS students
line, a tae-kwon do demonstration, and a and delicious food,” said Key Club presidance performance to “All That Jazz” by dent Kimberly Willoughby. “Our club
PPCHS students Ivanna Juliusburger, Mar- would just like to think everyone for comianne Lopez, Lucia Gonzalez-Llanos, and ing out and supporting us.”
Andreina Jergovic.
Kevin
Burton
Eliza Barrocas
Managing Editor
Erin Jones and Nicolette Sponer
STAFF WRITTERS
On March 9, 2011, Pembroke Pines
Charter High School lost one of its
beloved students. Junior Kevin Burton was known around the school as
a carefree, loving person who had impeccable style. To his friends, Kevin
was the music man, always making
beats and listening to music. “He
would Tweet just lyrics, even have
a conversation full of nothing but
lyrics,” says junior Naomi Samuels.
Originally wanting to be a neurosurgeon when he was little, Kevin leaned
more towards the music industry as he
grew older, where he gained a passion
for hip-hop and rap. He would spend
hours producing the perfect beats and
listening to music. He dreamed of one
day making it big as a rapper. Unfortunately, that was before a tragic accident in March abruptly ended his life.
Dubbed the “swag king” amongst his
friends, Burton took his appearance
seriously. He had an impressive collection of sneakers including Jordan’s
and Nikes. Polo shirts, hipster glasses, and distinctive sneakers contributed to Kevin “unexplainable” swag.
“Kevin was just a person who loved
to laugh. Who loved life and was a joy
to be around. His style and personality were just inspiring to be around,”
said junior Brianne Stewart, a close
friend of Burton’s.
Kevin was a very funny, friendly,
genuine person who had friends in
every grade. It’s fitting that Kevin’s
life motto was “Jet life to the next
life.” His parents hope that from
Kevin’s passing, teens will learn how
to “cherish life and value their family.”
Charter’s very own Mozart
Brianna Cha-Kim
Staff Writer
Born with a gift: Justin Yeh shows off his piano playing abilities. Photo By Adrian Tabraue
Daniel Quevedo
Editor-in-Chief
Eliza Barrocas -Content
Rebecca Murillo -Layout
Managing Editors
Eddie Baffa
Asst. Julia Baca
Business Managers
Everyone has a special talent, an ability that is unique, distinguishing one from
a crowd. Today, most teenagers
spend their leisure time on the
internet or wrapped up in some
form of savvy technology. But
despite the average hobbies that
high school students take to joining, a junior at PPCHS lives a
much different type of lifestyle.
Blessed beautifully with musical
talent, Justin Yeh portrays a gift
that touches the soul of anyone
lucky enough to hear the magic
his fingers produce tapping the
keys.
Starting at the age of four and a
half years old, Yeh was encouraged to play the piano. His first
teacher was his mother who promoted his playing and wanted
this strength for her son. It’s
no secret Justin was fortunate
enough to be born with an ear
compatible to music, but these
successes of his are not only
due to his blessings from birth.
They’re the result of hard work,
dedication, and a pure desire to
continuing playing to the best of
his ability. As Justin got older, he
and his mother differed in opinions about
the songs he chose to play and the tech-
Anyssa Gonzalez
Entertainment Editor
The C. H. A. T. Staff
Kevin Kennedy
Sports Editor
Lorraine Oyola
Photo Editor
Erin Jones
Technology Editor
Maria Flores
Cartoonist
Isabella Jones
Features Editor
Mr. Fagen - Content
Mr. Simon - Layout
Advisers
Nicolette Sponer
News Editor
Kenneth Madera
GraphicsEditor
Bianca Rodriguez
Student Life Editor
Jordana Cutajar
Environmental Editor
niques he decided to use. “My mom and
I ended up clashing heads as I got older.
Looking back I see just how stubborn I
had become as a teenager; I really see the
reasoning behind my parents getting me a
private instructor,” Yeh said.
Now at the age of seventeen, Yeh currently takes one-on-one lessons with a personal
teacher named Mrs. Greene. His most preferred pieces to play come from the work
of prodigies Beethoven and Chopin.
Yeh has also come to realize that playing the piano is the instrument for him.
Throughout middle school,
he played the French horn
for the three years. Although
he excelled and proved to be
capable of successfully playing another instrument, the
piano remained his absolute
favorite through the duration
of the thirteen years when he
first began to play.
Last year Justin won a state
competition in Jacksonville.
With many people enlisted in
the competition, Justin says it
was such an honor to be mentioned among the four top
young musicians. “I look forward to more competitions
my senior year. Right now I’m focusing on
school and making sure I perform my best
Mr. Bayer
Principal
Content Staff:
Victoria Alvarez, Paul Austria, Julia Baca,
Enrique Batista, Troy Bottom, CassidyRae Brantley, Brianna Cha-Kim, Matthew
Coolidge, Taylor Engelman, Alexandra
Mangano, David Nabors, Carissa PerrySmith, Melissa Sullivan, Anjali Talwar,
Danielle Solomon
Layout Staff:
Daven Castillo, Nicholas D’Agostino,
Sarah Deluca, Scott Gil, Julian Graves,
Diego Vidal
Photography Staff:
Gail Fletcher, Fabiana Gonzalez, Taylor
Neita, Lissette Rivera, Adrian Tabraue
academically this junior year of mine. Next
year I’ll be able to get back into competition mode,” Justin said.
Able to balance phenomenal grades and
fulfill his desire to play the piano, Justin
proves to be a well-rounded teenager who
has already accomplished many successes
at a young age. Blessed with brains and a
talent that warms the heart of many, Charter student Justin Yeh is paving quite a
bright future for himself.
Practice makes perfect: Justin puts in hours of practice to help strengthen his talents. Photo By Adrian
Tabraue
The C.H.A.T. is an official publication of
the Pembroke Pines Charter High School
(PPCHS). The content of our newspaper is
not necessarily the opinions of our advisers and administration. The C.H.A.T.
staff welcomes any comments to the editors and/or staff.
Pembroke Pines Charter High School
17189 Sheridan Street
Pembroke Pines, FL 33331
Phone: 954-538-3700
Email: chatnews@pinescharter.com
Student Life
March 2011
3
From the CIA to CHS
Danielle Solomon
STAFF WRITER
For the past four years, Charles White has
roamed the halls of Pembroke Pines Charter High School as a psychology teacher.
The man who occupies room U230A isn’t
simply a modest instructor, but a former
CIA agent. Mr. White not only worked for
the CIA but for many other national security agencies like the NSA (National Security Agency), FBI and DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). Imagine waking up every
morning knowing that today you might
make decisions impacting the national security of our country. This was his reality.
Born and raised in Ohio, Charles White
knew from the very beginning that he
wanted to work for the government. “I
always wanted to work for government”
said White. “When you grow up in a small
town, you had to make decisions as to what
you want to be when you’re older. I wanted
to do something interesting and not live
that quiet life.” After a year of attempting
to teach, White ventured off to graduate
school at Howard University in Washington D.C. From there he was exposed to new
things and drifted off into the government
sector. White said “After all Washington is
a government town.”
Working for National Security became
White’s career choice; he ended up working in the department for 23 years. “People
think of the CIA as being out in the field
and spies and all that. In reality a large part
of CIA is management and administration,
which was my field,” said White. Between
the several different groups of national security, the fluidity of communication was
crucial. This meant that White had to ex-
ecute the job
effectively. He
was a coordinating function
who had to keep
the communication flowing
throughout all
the agencies to
reach some kind
of
uniformity
and agreement to
minimize problems.
With everything that Mr.
White did with
the government,
his network of
people became
innumerable and
he traveled the
world. In fact,
many of the people today in government
positions are people
that White used
to work with or
even work for.
White held many
positions, which
is why he clarified the fact that
he did not only
work for the
CIA. In his own Living a double life: Mr. White’s CIA past is something most
words, “I wore students were unaware of. Photo By Lorraine Oyola
many hats,” states Mr. White.
too busy traveling, White
While at the Pentagon, White was as- chance to settle down and
How to:
Fill out a Job Application
that you can’t follow directions on an application, let alone in a job setting.
If you are out on a job search and you’re 3.
Don’t rush- Take your time and
not having too much luck, don’t lose hope. fill out everything. If an employer sees you
These few tips and tricks for applying for that you’re not putting effort on something
a job that may just help you land that job as important as a job application, they may
you’ve
been
assume
that
longing for.
you won’t put
1.Come
effort on tasks
prepared!
at work. RushCome with the
ing may lead
knowledge of
to misspelled
basic
things
words, which
like addresses,
may make the
phone
numemployer think
bers, etc. Bring
that you won’t
a pen; a pencil
be
thorough
seems unproand your poor
fessional and
attention to dethey tend to
tail could imsmudge. You
pair your job
want the emperformance.
ployer to be
4.B
e
able to read
positive! -Avoid
everything you
being negative,
write. Also try
don’t write or
to do some resay anything
search
about
negative to the
the job you are
employer. Reapplying for.
frain from lyGo
through
ing; eventually
questions and
you WILL be
scenarios the
caught. Even
employer may
if the company
ask you.
doesn’t check it
2.R e a d
out first, it will
before
you Applying for a job: Advanced technology allows PPCHS students be revealed in
write- This will to fill out job applications online. Photo By Gail Fletcher
the end.
help you avoid silly mistakes and put the 5.
Don’t be nervous- This is one of
information in the correct place. If you’re the main problems for teens who apply for
not careful when you read you might get their first jobs. Be the three C’s: cool, calm,
the information wrong and the employer and collected. This will sure help you get
will see you can’t follow directions cor- through and complete a marvelous job aprectly. They might automatically assume plication.
Bianca Rodriguez
STUDENT LIFE EDITOR
signed
by
the Secretary
of Defense
to create a
Holocaust
Exhibit
at
the
Pentagon. White
went through
all of the Archives and
worked with
the Art Department to
create the exhibit. However, when
the United
States Holocaust Group
and
Press
showed up,
vice president
Dick
Cheney took
all of the
credit.
Not only
is getting to
know people one of
the government’s perks,
but you are
able to travel
around the
world
as
well. Being
never got the
start a family.
However, one of his fondest memories of
working for the NSA was his trip to southern Germany and the meetings at the White
House.
“Going to southern Germany had to be
one of my best memories. However, I really wanted to go to Berlin but they wouldn’t
let me!” said White. “It was around World
War II and there was too much involvement over there already so I wasn’t able to
go.”
When having meetings at the White
House, White was able to meet members
of the president’s administration. He was
not able to actually tour the White House,
but all his experiences while working in
government can definitely earn Mr. White
bragging rights.
“Going into government is better than
pursuing a business career,” said White.
“Government jobs are more interesting, it
gives you a better living, and it gives you
the sense of family.”
‘Going into government’ may seem impossible to achieve but you don’t really
have to go into specific fields for government. They take people with all sorts of degrees, especially those with specializations
such as accounting and even doctors. All
of the different National Security agencies
will most likely provide you with the necessary education for the job they want you
to perform with several programs for this
need. However, if there is one thing you
should do to go into a government job, it’s
going to Washington D.C. “Government
jobs wouldn’t be the same in Tulsa, Oklahoma compared to how it is in D.C.” White
said.
Japan quake worries PPCHS
Victoria Alvarez
Staff Writer
damage in broad areas in northern Japan,"
said Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, at a news
conference, reported by NPR. The Tokyo
Electric Power Co. was hit by a series of
blasts from the tsunami, causing radiation
levels around the facility to hit a dangerous
level. Scientists are afraid that Japan will
soon be exposed to more radiation.
On March 11, a tsunami struck the coast
of northeast Japan after an 8.9 magnitude
earthquake took place about 80 miles offshore. It crashed onto the shore of Honshu;
Japan’s most populous island. News of
the quake, recorded as Japan’s largest in
its history, resonated with PPCHS
students.
“I have grandparents, cousins, and
many friends in Japan, but they’re
all safe. The only problems they are
having is some power outages and
some home damage, nothing too
severe,” said senior Ishin Iwasaki.
Junior George Ikemizu has family located in Japan as well. Fortunately, since his family lives in east
Japan, they only felt a few aftershocks, causing no harm to them.
“Everything that happened in Japan came as such a surprise,” said
freshman Justin Martinez. “I wasn’t
expecting such a horrible thing to
just happen. I can’t imagine how
all of those people are feeling right
now; it’s devastating.”
Fox News reported that the earthquake unleashed a 23-foot tsunami,
and was followed by over 50 aftershocks for hours -- many of them
more than magnitude 6.0 on the
Richter scale. Water began to enter
the mainland and swept many objects, such as vehicles, boats, and
buildings, off the road. According
to BBC, “the tsunami caused extensive damage with residents trapped
inside their buildings”, causing police to recover over 9,000 bodies.
Worry for a home land: Senior Ishin Iwasaki expresses conThe death toll is expected to con- cern for those in Japan. Photo By Taylor Neita
tinue given the circumstances.
"The earthquake has caused major
Student Life
March 2011
4
How to study: AP exams
Daniel Quevedo
EDITOR-IN-CHEIF
Those pesky AP exams are coming up in May (May 2-13) and it is never too early to begin studying. A problem many students have is to figure out exactly how to study for these
exams. AP classes cover an entire semester’s worth of college material, sometimes even more, and the hardest part of studying is deciding what to study. To address this common
problem, the Independent talked to the school’s AP teachers and past students that did well on the exams to see what they suggest.
Science:
No monkey business in APES: The AP Environmental students study the important
environmetal prblems that are plauging our . Photo By Taylor Neita
AP Biology: Mrs. Hernandez-Davis recommends studying with either Kaplan’s AP Biology 2011 or
Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP Biology Exam, 2011 Edition. She also has review books that accompany the textbook available in her classroom that nicely outline the course material. A way to study
is to look over the outlines, and if you come across something you don’t remember, you can look back
at the textbook for more in-depth explanation. Junior Natalie Maria, who got a 5 on the exam last year,
stated, “I intimately read the Campbell [AP Biology] textbook and took extensive notes throughout the
year. I then put on my trusty red socks (which help) and studied from the Princeton Review book 2 week
prior to the exam.”
AP Chemistry: Dr. Glenn recommends Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP Chemistry Exam, 2011 Edition. According to her, studying is much more efficient with the review book than the textbook, since the
textbook is so in-depth that it’s easy to lose yourself when trying to study from it.
AP Physics B: Mrs. Invernizzi stated that she believes that either the Kaplan or the Princeton Review
books are fine choices when studying, but she personally prefers the Princeton books, since the practice
problems in the book tend to be more realistic. She also has review books that accompany the textbook
available in her class for student use. UNF Student and 2010 Charter alumni Brian Etchechury stated that,
“I made a study group with other students from the class the days before the exam. We used mock exams
that Mrs. Invernizzi provided and the Kaplan review book to quiz each other on concepts. These things
really helped me get that 3 on the exam.”
AP Environmental Science: Mrs.Haviland, one of the school’s two AP Environmental teachers, recommends that students use the Kaplan book or Barron’s AP Environmental Science study book. To study for
the exam, she recommends that students take practice exams, assist the AP reviews she holds, and study
case studies of different environmental cases.
History:
AP World History: Mr. Velasquez prefers the 2011 edition
of the Princeton Review book. He suggests using the helpfu
l summary that is included in the book as a review of the
entire course material, and if you come upon something that
you don’t recognize or remember, to look it up in the textbo
ok as a refresher.
AP United States History: Dr. Lou has an extensive list of
books from which students can study for the exam, availa
ble at his room. The books that he recommends the most are
the Kaplan books, the REA AP US History Book, or the Fast
Track to a 5. He also provides his students with several resour
ces, such as cram packets. To study before the exam, he
recommends that students make a plan for their whole year,
and do timed practice essays. An essential part of the AP US
exam is knowing outside information, or info not learned
in class, so it is recommended that students memorize as
much information from outside sources as possible. Senior
Jared Moljo, who got a 5 on the exam, said that he “studi
from the Princeton book, and read over the cram packet that
ed
Dr. Lou provided to us several times before the exam.”
AP European History: Mrs. Hughes recommends the Prince
ton Review book as a good and easy way to study for the
exam. Senior Tia Rowe, who got a 4 on the exam, stated
that she “studied from the Power Point presentations that
Mrs. Hughes made available to us and used the flash cards
that we made throughout the year as a quick and easy review
for the exam.”
AP Art History: Mrs. Hughes, who also teaches this class,
recommends REA’s AP Art History review book over the
other review books, and to use the note cards that students
are assigned over the year to study.
Languages:
AP English Language and Composition: Ms. Sunshine Phelps recommends staying
aware of the world around you by watching the news and reading the newspaper constantly, since this will give you an invaluable source of information that will greatly help you
in the essay portions of the exam. Senior Isa Jaramillo, who passed the AP exam last year,
said that she “studied the different rhetorical devises before the exam and read over different examples of high scoring essays to get an idea of how to write in order to do well.”
AP English Literature and Composition: Ms. Sarah Phelps stated the best way to study
for the exam is to use the resources that are given to all students by the College Board
website, and practice writing skills. “The more practice you get, the more you can recognize your weaknesses, and the better writer you can become” is a key piece of advice that
she will give any student that is hoping to pass the exam.
AP Spanish Language: For this exam, Ms. Santiago suggests using the Princeton Review book to study, and for the speaking portion, to practice speaking Spanish with people that you know speak Spanish well.
AP Spanish Literature: Mr. Santiago suggests using online poetry analyses and literary
critiques to study for this exam. These can be found on websites like Geocities.com. She
also suggests using the online recourses provided by the College Board.
Practice makes perfect: The AP Lit students study important writing skills. Photo By Taylor Neita
Mathematics:
AP Calculus AB: Mr. Gonzalez sugg
ested using the Princeton Review boo
k as a supplement to his class, but that the best
way to prepare is to practice the diffe
rent kinds
of questions that you will encounter
on the exam and to try your best on
the different
mock exams that he gives throughout
the year.
AP Statistics: Mrs. Lopez stated that
the easiest way to pass the exam is to
“just pay
attention in class”. She stated that
she cov
but if you need any more help, you shou ers all the material extensively in class,
ld use either the Princeton or Kaplan
review
books for help. UCF student and 201
0 Charter alumni Chris Hixon state
d that, “ I
didn’t use any extra study material besi
des Mrs. Lopez’s notes. She prepared
us very
well for the exam, and I feel that as
long as you pay attention during the
class, you
should do very well on the exam.
Studying in groups: Marc Rojas, Natalia Jimenez, and Santiago Guarin review the AP Spanish workbook to
prepare themselves for the upcoming AP exam. Photo By Gail Fletcher
Art:
AP Studio Art: This class doesn’t have an exam, but instead student create a portfolio of several creations that are sent to the College Board for scoring.
What’s the probability of passing
the exam?: Ms. Lopez’s fourth perio
d AP Statistics class engages in
class discussions to prepare for the AP
exam. Photo By Gail Fletcher
An important thing to remember when choosing which books to buy to use as study materials is to buy the most recent edition of the books. They change every year as
each individual exam evolves and the subject matter changes. This is especially important this year due to the changes that have been implemented in the way the AP exams
are structured. Just remember to study hard, and study early!
Pep Rally
March 2011
5
Quarter ends with Spring Pep Rally
Jordana Cutajar
STAFF WRITER
It’s that time of year again! On April 1,
PPCHS hosted its Spring Pep Rally. The
stands were loaded with students ready to
see what this year would bring them. The
gym had been transformed into a beautiful
room of celebration filled with hundreds of
red and white balloons and banners. The
second pep rally started off with a presentation of the Star Spangled Banner sung
by Sophomore Tavia Brown with a select
few students from sign language class interpreting the song. After which the fun
really began, with a performance by the
Mr. Jag contestants dancing to Beyoncé’s
Single Ladies. The crowd was roaring with
laughter!
After the Mr. Jag dance, the Jewel Team
took the stage. “They did a great job!” said
sophomore Erin Favus. When the Jewel
Team finished, it was time for the sports
teams to have their shining moments.
The first team to make their grand entrance
was the girls’ soccer team followed by the
boys. Then came the Junior Varsity baseball team after which the varsity. Both
teams ran out cheering and dancing. The
lacrosse team came out in two groups with
the first kneeling on the ground positioning
their sticks in the opposite direction as if
they were bracing for battle. The rest of the
team ran out attacking the defenders in a
hilarious quarrel.
The Book Club came out as colorful as ever
with every member dressed to the nines in
the costumes of our beloved characters and
had the whole room chanting with them,
“Books, books, books!” as they ran across
the gym. Next came the volleyball team
with all of its members jumping up and
down in a spirited huddle. The basketball
team sprung out with one team mate running ahead and making a victorious slam
dunk. “That was my favorite part of the
pep rally!” said senior Josh Vega.
Then the track team ran out. With two
members holding a girl in their arms they
had three of their teammates run and hurdle themselves over the human bar. The
girl’s flag football team was the last team
to come out. The dance team then appeared overflowing with energy. They had
students dancing in the stands with them.
The Step Team too brought smiles to everyone’s faces. The Pep Rally closed with
a surprise performance by the Drum Line.
“The drum line was my favorite part they
were so great!” said Freshman Aya Elamtawy.
Sophomore Faizah Saber said, “The Pep
Rally was pretty good; I loved the Mr. Jag
dance -- it was so funny! And the prom invites were so cute!” During the pep rally
the boys showed their romantic sides with
surprise invites for their girlfriends that had
everyone screaming, “Awwww!” This Pep
Rally was one that will not be forgotten.
Spring spirit: SGA prepared a great pep rally that
brought together clubs, sports, and organizations
for a great day that brought up the school spirit of
the entire school. All photos by Chat Photographers
Entertainment
March 2011
6
Paul Austria
STAFF WRITER
As Blockbuster continues to enter
the early stages of bankruptcy, the fall
of the company can be attributed to
the exponential expansion of Netflix.
Netflix continues to make watching movies easier and their service more accessible. World Geography teacher Mrs. Deturk
knows of Netflix’s conveniences. She uses
Netflix Rules: World Geography teacher, Mrs.
Deturk teaches her class using Netflix Photo By
Adrian Tabraue
Netflix runs luster out of Blockbuster
the online streaming to her advantage during class so her students can watch documentaries and various geographical movies.
“I think that it’s awesome. I use it for
teaching. They have a much better variety than Blockbuster does,” says Deturk.
Subscribers of Netflix can not only receive their movies through the mail, but
also electronically, through the Xbox 360,
Nintendo Wii, and Playstation 3 systems,
as well as Apple products such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, and the iPad. Many Bluray players can also provide access to your
Netflix account if they are Wi-Fi compatible. Netflix, just like Blockbuster, also has
machines set up at many convenience and
grocery stores that can dispense movies that
you can hold for about $1 per day. But Netflix’s initiative to increase access but keep
membership prices at a reasonable price
is suddenly running the once-immensely popular Blockbuster out of business.
“It was going to happen eventually,” says
freshman Sean Teng. “Netflix has things that
Blockbuster didn’t like steaming online.”
In Dec. of 2010, Blockbuster revealed that
it is over $900 million in debt. This past
February, Blockbuster revealed that it is
possible they would not be able to make
up financial obligations from their Chapter
11 bankruptcy filing in September, which
April Concerts
would lead to a conversion to a Chapter 7
bankruptcy in which would lead to them immediately selling the company to creditors.
On February of this year, creditors put in a
bid to buy the company for $290 million.
“This will ... allow for the consolidation of ownership of the company
to those with a clear and focused vision for Blockbuster’s future,” Blockbuster Chief Executive Jim Keyes said.
Blockbuster has already closed some of
their stores -- 900 of their 3,300 stores
were closed by the end of 2010. Most recently, the Blockbuster on Pines Boulevard
across the street announced their closing.
“All these Blockbuster stores closing really
makes me want to try Netflix,” junior Crosby Olinto said. “I have an iPod Touch, so the
whole Netflix making their movies more
accessible thing would definitely help.”
Blockbuster closing: Certain locations are closing down including this Blockbuster located on Pines Blvd.
Photo By Lorraine Oyola
Troy Bottom
STAFF WRITER
Lil Wayne at the Bank Atlantic
Jimmy Buffet at Cruzan
One of the best rappers in the business
is coming to the Bank Atlantic Center,
in Sunrise. His name is Lil Wayne and
he will be touring with Rick Ross and
Nicki Minaj in the I am still music tour.
The date is Apr. 5, and selling out quick,
so get your tickets while they still last.
For all of the country fans at our school,
there are two country stars coming to South
Florida. The first is Jimmy Buffet and the
Coral Reefer Band at the Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach on Apr. 23. The
second is Tim McGraw with Luke Bryan
and the Band Perry at the Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach on Apr. 30.
Usher at Bank Atlantic
Lady Gaga at the Bank Atlantic and
American Airlines Arena
She is known for her extravagant outfits and crazy personality, but fans still
seem to be goo-goo for Gaga. Lady Gaga
will be at the Bank Atlantic Center on
Apr. 12 and at the American Airlines
Arena on Apr. 13 on her Monster Ball
tour. Lady Gaga is raffling off tickets on
her Facebook page, but if you don’t win
you can always purchase your tickets at
Ticketmaster.com or at LadyGaga.com
OMG! Yes, that’s right, chart topping
singer Usher will stop in South Florida
on his OMG tour. He will be preforming with singer Akon at the Bank Atlantic Center on Apr. 27. Tickets are
on sale now, so get them while you can.
Music is chorus of junior’s life
Carissa Perry-Smith and
Anjali Talwar
STAFF WRITERS
Tucked away deep inside the soul lays
the artist within, waiting to leap out and
show the world what music means to them.
Victoria Greene is a good example of how
expressing one’s self is important, and she
does so through her extraordinary talents.
Known by her friends as Tori, writing music is simply what she does. Victoria is also
involved in activities such as playing the
guitar and piano, attending the Lovewell
summer acting workshops at Nova, acting
right here at PPCHS in Troupe 6153, and
writing music of various genres.
“Music has always been in my family,”
says Victoria. Her family owns an entertainment company that they have been
running for quite a while. Watching her
parents do what they do had a tremendous
effect on her.
“When I was little, I would always rush
to be on stage and steal away the microphone,” Victoria says.
Her biggest inspiration is her Grandpa
Casper; he took her to lessons and found
her music teachers. Since then, she has
learned to play the guitar and the piano,
working on various music projects from
writing somber music to her more satirical
lyrics.
“Realistically speaking, I want to be a
songwriter, not a future Ke$ha or anything,
though that would be nice.”
Music is Victoria’s first priority in her life,
stating, “[music] is the only thing that exists to me, a feeling that is always present.”
On top of that, though, it is crunch time to
decide whether or not she wants to pursue
her music career in college.
“I am considering colleges such as Berkeley, Florida State University, Florida Gulf
Coast University, and maybe University of
Miami,” says Victoria. “I live in the moment, but I always have a plan that’s will-
ing to be changed and is constantly changing.”
Most of the well-known artists today write
songs about cliché things such as life, love,
loss, friends, and other topics they see in
their daily agenda. Victoria is “above the
influence” in this matter, however.
“We went to the Bahamas one year and
visited the Atlantis hotel,” she says. “As
we walked through the hotel, I noticed the
fish tanks and thought about how the fish
are really the ones trapped behind the glass
or are we the ones actually trapped behind
something else.” She sees life from a different perspective than a lot of people and
is open to new things. Victoria feels that
enjoying life is what it’s all about.
She has received new and improved
equipment, so she expects to be recording some music soon. She also relishes the
idea of having her own band but she says,
“I don’t want people to play for me, I want
people to play with.”
Listen to your heart: Victoria Greene sings to ger own
tune. Photo By Lorraine Oyola
7
News
March 2011
Jordana Cutajar
ENVIRONMENTAL EDITOR
It’s midnight, and lying before you on
the table is a stack of work assignments
that need to be completed, but you’ve
only made a pitiful dent in the large mass
of work. The time that flashes before you
on the clock just adds a sinking feeling of
dread as another yawn escapes. We’ve all
experienced one of those late nighters in
which we cram every ounce of energy we
have into completing projects, homework,
and even studying. Not all of us are able
to become these hardworking night owls
without a little help from our friends Red
Bull, Monster, Full Throttle, and Rock Star
energy drinks. To some, these drinks are
magic in a can, giving them the strength
to resist exhaustion and do what needs to
be done when it seems that there aren’t
enough hours in the day. Some even find
the taste to be refreshing and drink it when
there is no need for an energy boost, but
rather a craving. However, on Feb. 14, the
journal Pediatrics published a study that
believes that these coveted energy drinks
can damage the health of children.
Freshman Tiffini Portillo said, “I drink
them [energy drinks] but not every day
because they contain bull urine. But if
I’m tired or have to work I do use them.”
Taurine is an amino acid found in meats
The monstrous truth of energy drinks
and fish that is
to the fact that the
commonly used
drinks are considin energy drinks
ered dietary suplike Red Bull.
plements,
they
Animals use it
are not regulated
along with bile to
by the FDA, the
digest food and
Food and Drug
it can be isolated
Administration.
from ox bile.
This government
Sophomore
agency imposes
Tommy Power
strict rules on inagreed, stating,
gredients that can
“I’ve had an enbe harmful, like
ergy drink becaffeine. Therefore, but I just
fore it is believed
don’t drink it
that some of the
because it seems
ingredients would
that all of those
have been reenergy boosting
stricted had they
ingredients
in
been
inspectsuch a high quaned. Since they
tity seems a little
haven’t, there are
unhealthy.
It’s
mounting fears
just not natural
of the drink’s
for your body.”
health
risks,
Teens and
which
contain
young adults are Unhealthy:Students, (Ariel Metts pictured) often have to turn large amounts of
unhealthy eneergy drinks to get by their workloads everythe main users to
caffeine. If large
day. Picture by Adrian Tabraue
of energy drinks,
amounts of this
accounting for the largest demographic in addictive ingredient are ingested for a perenergy drink sales that earns roughly 9 bil- sistent time period it can begin to disrupt
lion dollars a year in the United States. Due the blood flow and reduce insulin sensitiv-
New planet a possibility
Victoria Alvarez
STAFF WRITER
Five years ago, Pluto was demoted from
its planet status, leaving us to say that there
were eight planets in the solar system instead of nine. However, a new discovery
shows that there might be a new planet in
our solar system, bringing us back to the
original count of nine planets.
One of NASA’s telescopes, Wise, gathered evidence that a gas giant might be
hidden in the Oort Cloud, the most remote
part of the solar system. The new proposed
planet has been named Tyche by Daniel
Whitmire and John Matese from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Tyche
is suspected to be four times the mass of
Jupiter, with an orbit around 15,000 times
further from the Sun than Earth’s. It’s also
375 times further from the sun than Pluto.
This newly discovered planet is probably
composed mainly of hydrogen and helium,
with an atmosphere just like Jupiter’s. The
two scientists said that the planet should
reveal itself within two years and that the
first batch of data on the planet will be released in April 2011.
“Anything that orbits our sun is a planet
with the exceptions of comets, which have
have to change their teachings of the planets, once again. “I find it weird that no one
found the planet in the first place, however
it’s good that we might go back to saying
we have nine plants again,” said freshman
Natalia Cevallos. If the gas giant is given
the status of a full planet, textbooks will
be changed with solar system diagrams as
well, changing students’ ways of learning.
Supermassive: (Above) A chart comparing the relative masses of Tyche compared to Jupiter and Earth.
(Right) If Tyche becomes a planet, then teachers like Mr.Dean will have to reteach how the solar system is
formed. Graphic by Diego Vidal. Picture by Lorraine Oyola
a different orbit, and asteroids, which are
just fragments,” said Physics and Forensics
teacher, Mr. Dean. “I still think that Pluto
should be considered a planet, due to the
fact that it falls under one of the three classifications of a planet; dwarf planet. The
other two being giant planets, and normal
planets.”
However, according to a NASA spokesperson, it is still too early to tell if Wise
data confirms or rules out the object in the
Oort cloud. After data is collected for a few
years, the hypothesis that Tyche exists will
be tested.
With the possibility of a new planet,
comes the possibility that classrooms may
Beware of stall stalkers
Anjali Talwar
STAFF WRITER
While shopping through
the Bealls outlet, a man
was taped taking vulgar
photos and videos of girls
undressing in the fitting
rooms.
Conspicuously
walking through public
dressing rooms, the man
was able to get in and out
with the vulgar photos.
After watching him take
pictures of her daughter,
a woman ran the culprit
out of the store while others called officials to arrest him. Police are hoping that the video which
recorded the man can be
used to catch him. According to the Sun-Sentinel, what worries officials
and parents is “if the man
is capable of doing this,
what else could he have
planned.”
Students at
our school react to such
ity. The other main ingredients in energy
drinks include guarana, yerba mate, and
coco, all of which contain large amounts
of caffeine. These ingredients can alter a
child’s sleeping patterns, leading to sleep
deprivation and possibly insomnia.
The main risk of drinking too many energy is its effect on heart rate and blood pressure. The caffeine quickens the heart beat
and can cause irregularities. The have been
instances in which energy drink addicts
have died. Although it is believed that the
drink led to the demise there is no actual
proof. The drinks can also lead to serious
dehydration which can be fatal. With every
sugar high comes the fall leaving the user
unsatisfied and craving more sugar. Dehydration also occurs when the drinks are
mixed with alcohol. There is also the risk
of weakening ones immune system.
The drinks can be especially dangerous to
children with diabetes seeing as the drinks
contain large amounts of sugar. They are
also not recommended for those who have
ADHD and heart disorders.
If you’re looking for natural energy and
not a stimulant, you may want to try incorporating bananas, almonds, and orange
juice into your diet. Also, apples are said to
give you more energy than a cup of coffee.
You know what they say; an apple a day
keeps the doctor away.
Beware: Always be sure to check your surroundings
when in a stall. You never know who’s watching. (Jonathan Munoz pictured) Picture By Taylor Neita
instances
in
various
ways. Many
girls
now
feel a little
shy and paranoid
when
walking into
dressing
rooms. Junior
Tomia Dixon
says that she
is now going to check
twice when
walking into
a
dressing
room
and
be very cautious of her
surroundings
when she is
changing.
“You never
know who is
watching you
while you are
changing,
everyone has to be careful,” says Dixon.
Boys see the same instance in a similar
way. One would think that boys would find
it funny, however Junior Brandon Villa said
“I respect women and would never take
part in any such actions. I find it desperate
and disgusting!” He also believes that “no
matter how much guys laugh at these kinds
of things, most would not do things like
that.” Each and every adolescent should
be aware that there are people out there that
are willing to take part in obscene actions
like this and should be careful. Always
take a friend with you into private places
and don’t leave personal belongings unattended. Next time, don’t forget to look
both ways before closing the curtain.
News
March 2011
8
Tradition will be graduating with the class of 2011
Erin Jones and Isabella Jones
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR and
FEATURES EDITOR
It has been a tradition every year since it
was established in 1972. It has been a once
in a lifetime opportunity many high school
students are thrilled to experience where
they get to spend a night in the happiest
place on the planet where dreams truly do
come true. For one night all seniors across
the state of Florida are invited to enjoy
Magic Kingdom. They are the only ones
in the park where they are free to roam
around till the wee hours of the morning
riding rides, listening to live performances,
and hanging out with friends one last time
before they graduate. For forty years, this
occasion has been titled Grad Nite. However, students will no longer be permitted
to attend this magical event because on
Wednesday, Mar. 9th, Walt Disney World
announced it will no longer be hosting this
popular celebration.
The reason for this? Disney has seen an
increase in their park attendance in the
springtime which make scheduling Grad
Nite, an afterhours event, very difficult.
The company also loses a chunk of money
annually due to closing down its parks so
many times in the spring just for the senior
celebration.
Sure, it may not be a big deal for the senior class of 2011, being that they will be
the last generation to experience this, but
for their predecessors, it’s a different story.
“It’s sad because it’s an experience in my
childhood but I also feel complacent. Universal Studios and Busch Gardens have
better rides It has been a tradition every
year since it was established in 1972. It
has been a once in a lifetime opportunity
many high school students are thrilled to
experience where they get to spend a night
in the happiest place on the planet where
dreams truly do come true. For one night
all seniors across the state of Florida are
invited to enjoy Magic Kingdom. They
are the only ones in the park where they
are free to roam around till the wee hours
of the morning riding rides, listening to
live performances, and hanging out with
friends one last time before they graduate.
For forty years, this occasion has been titled Grad Nite. However, students will no
longer be permitted to attend this magical
event because on Wednesday, Mar. 9th,
Walt Disney World announced it will no
longer be hosting this popular celebration.
The reason for this? Disney has seen an
increase in their park attendance in the
springtime which make scheduling Grad
Nite, an afterhours event, very difficult.
The company also loses a chunk of money
annually due to closing down its parks so
many times in the spring just for the senior
celebration.
Sure, it may not be a big deal for the senior class of 2011, being that they will be
the last generation to experience this, but
for their predecessors, it’s a different story.
“It’s sad because it’s an experience in my
childhood but I also feel complacent. Universal Studios and Busch Gardens have
better rides getting to experience trips. It’s
kind of fitting that Grad Nite gets canceled
right before we get to go,” said junior Kenya Neal.
The class of 2012 sponsor, Mrs. Ogonowski, has responded pretty positively towards
this new change assuring that no matter
what future classes will have to do, they
will start a new tradition and “still have a
good time!”
Although many students are upset by the
sudden cancelation of one of high school’s
most fun traditions, most feel like as long
as there is a substitution for Grad Nite
they’ll be satisfied. In the end, no matter
where the new “Grad Nite” is, students
only have one goal- to celebrate one last
time with their friends before they have to
say their final goodbye.
“I’m mad. I don’t like it; it’s really unfair.
What are we going to do instead?” –
Pamela Delgado, junior
“That’s not fair for all other lower classes
that were looking forward to it.” –Sean
Teng, freshman
“Don’t [underclassman] have Grad Bash?
That’s so much better- you get to sleep
over. I’d rather have that.” –Oneisha Ford,
senior
“It’s funny and I’m glad it happened after
[our class]. It doesn’t really bother me.
It just sucks for them I guess.” –Donny
Felix, senior
All Photos By Adrian Tabraue
Bright Futures Scholarship may lose some of its shine
Victoria Alvarez and Melissa Sullivan
STAFF WRITERS
With the constant rise of college tuition
prices for Florida schools, many students
from PPCHS rely on the Bright Futures
scholarship program to help with the cost
of attending a state university. The scholarship program is expected to suffer major
budget cuts this year, with the loss of $100
million in funding.
With the ever rising prices of college tuition in Florida, students across the state are
struggling to gather enough money to pay
for tuition. The Bright Futures program,
funded by the Florida Lottery, has been
helping students attend in-state universities of their choice for over fourteen years.
The program awards students with college tuition money for their achievements
throughout high school.
“I’m hoping to get a Bright Futures scholarship next year; it’s hard enough to get
into a good college. I also have to get the
money to pay for it too,” said junior Shan-
Mr. Greenbaum helps students plan their college futures and educate them about programs like Bright
Futures. Photo By Lissette Rivera
non Card. The Sun Sentinel recently re- Futures. Now that the standards have been
ported that students who qualified this year low for so long it’s such a shock to those
for the top scholarship of $3,750
might only receive
$2,900 next year.
For the last fourteen years, Bright
Futures has helped
to pay for between
75 and 100 percent
of the tuition fees
for
high-school
graduates in Florida. Many believe
that the state has
been able to fund
so many students
due to the fact that
the program calls
for such low requirements from Bright Futures is a program that rewards students for focus and hard work, and
can be researched online. Photo By Lissette Rivera
graduates.
To
receive the Florida Medallion Scholars students who have to now try harder. The
Award, students are obligated to withhold state put themselves in this situation, and
a 3.0 weighted GPA, a score of 970 on the now they need to get themselves out of it.”
SAT and a 20 on the ACT.
Without the tuition amounts that the pro“The budget cuts are awful; every stu- gram once provided, many students will
dent should be given the opportunity for a be expected to strive for better grades so
scholarship,” said PPCHS BRACE advisor that they may receive better opportunities.
Mr. Greenbaum. “Personally, I think they Many graduates will be struggling to reshould have had higher standards to be- ceive a scholarship without the maximum
gin with. Everybody who’s been accepted help of Bright Futures within the upcoming
to a Florida university is there on Bright years.
Features
March 2011
9
School wide polls: What are the students thinking?
Question 1: What stresses you out the most?
a. Preparing for the upcoming college experience?
c. Sitting poolside almost everyday a.
0%
b. Traveling to new destinations
d. Meeting tons of new people
24%
b.
40%
c.
b. Hoping that cute
boy/girl I’m crushing on feels the
same about me
d.
a.
36%
0%
28%
b.
22%
c.
d.
c. Never being allowed to do what
the rest of your
friends do due to
strict parents
50%
2%
a.
b.
39%
c.
30%
d.
29%
77%
a.
d. Mapping out
your future lifecolleges, occupations, etc.
10%
b.
c.
3%
d.
10%
Question 4: What is your most favored relationship as of now?
Question 3: What angers you most currently in life?
a. Finding out my “friends” talk about me behind your back b. Realizing what I hoped in life may not always go as planned
c. Having so much to do in so little time d. Never getting enough sleep
a. The one I share
with my boyfriend/
girlfriend.
38%
a.
6%
c.
b. The one I share
with my parents.
26%
d.
30%
35%
a.
b.
March 2011
Question 2:What are you looking forward to most this summer?
a. Balancing time
between homework
assignments, extracurricular, jobs,
volunteering, etc.
b.
10 Features
10%
c. The one I share
with all of my closest friends.
15%
c.
40%
d.
16%
a.
29%
b.
c.
d. The one I share
with my siblings.
35%
d.
20%
15%
a.
47%
b.
c.
18%
d.
20%
What stresses you out the most?
“Schoolwork because I have a lot of
homework and a lot
of work, friends, and
stuff.”
“School is stressful
because I worry about
getting good grades.”
What are you looking forward to most this summer?
Freshman
Sophomore
Key
Junior
“Jet skiing,
gym, and the
GTL life.
Also, vacation
and going on
trips outside.”
“Looking forward to
getting a job to buy
a car, and the beach
and parties. Also
going on vacation
to Jamaica and New
York.”
Senior
*Total of 1,000 students included (Evened each class out so 250 students is included per class)
Arianna Campos,
sophomore
Julian Amerally,
junior
Ashley MchGhie,
junior
Fabian Rairan,
junior
Features 11
School wide polls: What are the students thinking?
March 2011
Question 5: About how much time do you spend on Facebook?
a. Working hard and
achieving my goals
70%
a.
6%
d.
4%
62%
a.
26%
b.
c.
d.
c. Socializing with
friends outside of
school
10%
2%
33%
a.
50%
b.
c.
10%
d.
d. Excelling in any
sports team I’m involved in
7%
30%
a.
61%
b.
c.
d.
b. Having fun no
matter what is being done
20%
b.
March 2011
Question 6: What pleases you most currently in life?
a. At least three hours a night
b. Whenever my busy schedule permits me to do so
c. Almost never
d. I’m not a member of Facebook.
c.
12 Features
8%
1%
Question 7: What form of transportation do you use to get around town?
a. My parents’
car…still…
Question 8: How do you prefer to spend the weekend?
a. At the beach soaking in the sun with friends b. Attending any parties people have been talking about
c. Strolling around the city at local museums,
d. Simply spending family time at my art galleries, theatres, zoos, etc. house
b. With my friends
who own their own
cars
29%
a.
40%
b.
11%
c.
d.
20%
34%
a.
c. I drive my own
car.
40%
b.
c.
9%
d.
17%
45%
a.
d. The city bus
35%
b.
c.
5%
d.
15%
45%
a.
20%
b.
15%
c.
20%
d.
How do you prefer to spend the weekend?
“I like to hang
out with friends,
tan, and relax.”
“At my house just
chilling with my
boyfriend.”
“I prefer to spend my
weekend going out
hitting a lot of clubs.”
“Chilling with my
friends at the pool.”
Freshman
Sophomore
Key
Junior
Senior
*Total of 1,000 students included (Evened each class out so 250 students is included per class)
Natasha Viloria, freshman
Hannah Colson, sophomore
Tomia Dixon, junior
Graham Morrison, senior
Sports
March 2011
PPCHS Roller Hockey
13
Sport Update
Matthew Coolidge
Staff Writer
Garcia, Eyrich powering baseball;
water polo still strong
SPORTS SECTION Writers
The varsity baseball team has around a
.500 win percentage. Early season slugger
is senior Catcher Aramis Garcia who has
a staggering .500 batting average. Along
with Garcia, junior C/1B Nicholas Eyrich
has 10 RBI’s. Top Pitcher early on is senior Brett Kelly Jr., who has a dependable
2.05 ERA. With disappointing tournament
results in Sarasota, the team looks to get
back on track in their following games.
Photo By Julia Sarduy
Before Spring Break, the girls and boys
water polo teams played in the Palm
Beach invitational. They played against
10 private schools; the girls beat Miami
Beach High School, and the boys were
victorious against Suncoast High School.
Seniors Patrick Gould and Daniel Quevedo
lead the boys while senior Bridget Wlosek,
and junior Carolina Silva, lead the girls.
The tournament didn’t count towards their
season records, so both teams have near
perfect win seasons.
The Jaguars Roller Hockey Team has returned after a two year hiatus and look to
make their comeback in grand style with
a district championship. The team is bolstered by Senior Captains Matt Schindler,
AJ Rondon, and Stephen Tapanes, who use
their veteran leadership to help lead the
team to victory.
The sport of roller or inline hockey is
played on a smooth surface ranging from
wood to concrete, instead of ice. Other options include specially made surfaces like
Sport Court, which are made with a special
mixture of plastics and concrete to make
the court very smooth so the puck can slide
across easily. The rink is enclosed like ice
hockey, with full boards usually around
two meters or higher. The rink also includes two benches—side-by-side—one
for each team. The other side of the rink
is usually composed of one or two penalty
boxes, where players go when they are
caught committing a penalty or rule infraction. The Roller Jags home rink is located
at Spring Valley Park, and it is a layered
kill scenarios. Finally a team’s center is the
most important offensive position on the
team and is responsible for the team’s offense and its penalty kill. The team’s center
Matt Schindler is positioned at the center
of the rink, and is responsible for participating in the face-offs for each team.
The Roller Hockey Team was scheduled
for extinction due to a large amount of seniors leaving, but thanks to the dedicated
Schindler, Rondon, and Tapanes, the club
team was brought back into existence for
another season; they hope that the other
players on the senior laden team will recruit others and keep the club going next
year. The team’s strong defense and offensive scoring ability has helped them to
keep the playoffs within their sights as they
strive for greatness.
Sophomore forward Jake Pare is “stoked
that the team came back, and believes that
the team should be very competitive thanks
to their strong defense.”
“We have a great team this year and are
looking forward to making a deep run into
the playoffs,” said senior AJ Rondon.
This season the Jags have gotten off to a
decent start under the leadership of coaches John Scozzaro and David Schindler,
with a tie against St. Thomas Aquinas, a
disappointing 8-0 loss at the hands of the
Cypress Bay Lightning, and a win against
Columbus High 7-4. The Jaguars modus
operandi is tough defense and good goalie
play, combined with timely goals and efficient passing.
For those interested in watching the
Roller Jags in action there games are every
Wednesday at 7:30 at their rink in Spring
Valley Park.
Photo By Adrian Tabraue
The tennis teams have enjoyed similar success this season. The boys are coming off a
tough loss to South Broward 4-3 while the
girls’ team dominated with a 7-0 win.
Photo By Lorraine Oyola
The Jags’ track season has gotten off to an
amazing start with first place finishes by
Tim Taylor in the 800 meter relay, Andres
Camacho in the mile, and Andy Iglesias
in the two mile race. Also, Camacho took
second place in the two mile race for the
boys and Jessica Davis has won second
place for the girls.
Photo By Gail Fletcher
The PPCHS boys’ volleyball team has
gotten off to a rough start this season with
losses against Flanagan, Chaminade, and
South Broward. All of the Jaguars four
opening games have been away, giving
them valuable road experience that will
come in handy later in the season and the
playoffs. The team’s next stretch of games
will be played at home. The team has been
led by Junior outside hitter Jerry Oommen
and Senior outside Hitter Kroy Hevia, who
have helped keep the team in games and
provide veteran leadership to the team’s
younger players.
Photo By Adrian Tabraue
The JV baseball team is staying around a
.500 win percentage and has been playing
solid baseball of late. By far the early season pitching star is Junior Christian Acosta. Top slugger so far is sophomore Jesse
Gonzalez, who never fails to deliver a pair
of doubles and a couple RBI’s
Photo By Taylor Neita
form of Sport Court and is fully enclosed
with boards and plastic sheeting.
Each team is allowed five players on the
rink at any time, usually a goalie, one or
two defenders, one or two wingers, and a
center. The Roller Jags goalie, Nick Karagiaous, is positioned in front of the team’s
goal, and his job is primarily to defend
the net from opposing players who try to
shoot the puck into the net for a goal. The
Jags defenders, Devin Cowan and Stephen
Tapanes, are a team’s last line of defense
before the goalie, and their job is to help
defend their teams side of the blue lines,
which separate the rink, and to pass the
puck out of their teams side of the rink. The
Jaguar’s wingers, AJ Rondon and Fabian
Rairan, are positioned on either side of the
center, and are responsible for both scoring and defense, who also help in penalty
Roller Hockey: Freshman right wing, Stefano Karagiaous (above) and Senior Matt Schindler (left) at
the West Broward game. Photo by Adrian Tabraue
Lacrosse sets bar high
Paul Austria
STAFF WRITER
The PPCHS lacrosse team is coming off
a 1-6 season and is looking to make improvements in the 2011 season. Coached
by PPCHS teacher Christopher Muñoz, the
team is led by seniors Nathan Freystaetter
and Jeffrey Cabrera.
“I’m very confident in this
year’s team,” Muñoz said.
“Hopefully, we can win all
six or seven of our games,
but all we’re really aiming to
do is improve from last year.”
PPCHS lost 18-2 to Miamibased LaSalle in the season
opener Feb. 25, with the
team’s lone goals by seniors
Philip Sokol and Jordan Lee.
Freystaetter is expected to
carry the load for the team
with his 6’3” build, giving
him an advantage during
competition. He is enrolled
early at Broward College but
still maintains his eligibility for the high school team.
Teammates feel Nathan has a
chance to earn a scholarship
to play at the next level.
“Nathan makes it so much easier for us,”
junior teammate Jonathan Comparan ex-
claimed.
Muñoz is entering his third year as coach
of the lacrosse team, and is the fourth
coach in team history, succeeding coach
Lemmon, Mr. Bayer, and coach Deluca.
The team started the month of March 0-1
but all spirits remain high and hopeful.
Leading man: Nathan Freystaetter is expected to
do big things for the Jaguar lacrose team. Photo By
Lorraine Oyola
Sports
March 2011
14
New face forecasted as rushing force
David Nabors
STAFF WRITER
You might know Jeremy Donaldson as
one of the many new students becoming
immersed in the crowd at Pines Charter.
What you may not know is that he is the
best
running
back in Broward
County, and he
will be suiting
up in a Jaguar
uniform for his
senior season
this fall.
After a stellar
junior season
that
included
over 1,700 rushing yards, 22
touchdowns,
leading
the
county in rushing and breaking the singleseason record
for
rushing
yards at Hollywood
Hills
High, Donaldson still jumped
at the opportunity to make the
switch to Charter.
“It’s a great
college
prep
school,” he said.
“Overall, the program is just better. I feel
like it’s going to get me ready for the next
level.”
Football has always been a priority in
Jeremy’s life. He credits his brothers with
arousing his interest in the game. At the
tender age of five, he began playing contact
sports, and he hasn’t stopped since.
“I’m a physical person and I like contact
sports,”
said
Donaldson.
“I’m a handson type of guy.”
In his early career, Donaldson
was an offensive lineman
and linebacker.
He had a deep
love for the
game, and was
willing to play
wherever the
coach wanted
him to. In some
games that got
out of reach,
he was given
the
opportunity to take a
few handoffs
at the running
back position.
Ever since, he
has considered
himself a backfield
player.
Somewhere in
those blowout
wins and losses, his true talent was discovered.
One of the best characteristics that Donaldson brings with him is his work ethic.
He has his own practice routine, working
out every day during the week and running at T.Y. Park every other Saturday, but
he says is also really looking forward to
training with Coach Bell. The main skill
he’s looking to enhance before next year
is his speed, the most important attribute
for a running back. Listed at 5’11” and 185
pounds, Donaldson’s strength aids him in
breaking would-be tackles; however, he is
looking for that right blend of speed and
strength.
“I’m just always motivated to work hard,”
he says. “Every day, I just work hard and
listen to whatever the coaches have to say
to me.”
Head football coach Steve Bruns is ecstatic to have Donaldson as part of the offense.
In addition to his on-field production, there
will be some added benefits to his presence
on the practice field.
“He is a dynamic running back, the best
in the county,” said Coach Bruns. “And he
fits in perfectly with our run-heavy style of
play. We’re going to have a lot of college
coaches watching us at practice this year,
and that’s going to put our program on the
map.”
Donaldson’s success has turned the heads
of several Division I college programs. He
currently holds offers from Boston College, University of Miami, University of
Central Florida, University of Wisconsin,
and Florida International University. UCF
is high on his list, but he is most intrigued
by Wisconsin’s run-heavy offense. He
has attended several events to improve
his recruiting profile over the past weeks,
including a UM junior day and an Under
Armour Combine at the Miami Dolphins
practice facility.College scouts will have a
spotlight on him for his senior year, and he
is planning to produce big-time.
“My goals for my senior season are to
lead the county in rushing again and break
the school’s single-season record for rushing, like I did at Hills,” said Donaldson.
A promising football season awaits this
September. When it kicks off, be on the
lookout for the new face lining up in the
backfield.
New star on campus: Jeremy Donaldson, junior,
might be new to the varsity football team but he is
ready to play. Photos By Lorraine Oyola
Coach Bell:
Aiding kids No . 1 coach’s regimen
Kevin Kennedy
SPORTS EDITOR
Lyndon Bell. Most know him as Coach
Bell, the hardest, nastiest, toughest, meanest coach ever to step foot at PPCHS. His
ways of teaching and coaching are thought
of as over-the-top to some, but there is a
method to the madness.
“Football and my parents made me who I
am. With my dad being in the military and
the ups and downs of football, it really influenced who I became,” said Coach Bell.
Lyndon Bell was the youngest of four
children. Leon is the oldest. He didn’t really get the chance to get to know Leon –
he was in and out of jail for more than ten
years.
“I never really got the chance to talk to
him that much. He’s been out for a while
now, and he recently shared some things
with me. I knew it was drugs and some
other stuff,” said Bell.
Brian, his other brother, was a quiet guy.
His academics were good, and he attended
UCF. He majored in electrical engineering. After his third year of attending college, he quit out of nowhere. He got a job
at Publix, and has been working there since
quitting college.
One day, Bell decided to pay a visit to
his sister, who lived in a below average
neighborhood. It was night time when he
arrived. He knocked on the door. “Who is
it?” “It’s Lyndon!” “How do I know it’s
you?”
Eventually, he managed to get her to open
the door. As she cracked open the front
door, there was a barrel to a shotgun staring
him right in the eye. His sister was afraid
that someone was going to rob her or even
worse.
Lyndon Bell took a different road -- he
wanted to be a positive influence on the
lives of young ones.
Coach Bell grew up in the city of Lakeland, Florida, a town just east of Tampa.
He was brought into Santa Fe Catholic
High School to play football. The teenaged Lyndon was an all-around athlete. He
was on varsity track for four years, varsity
football for three years, and varsity basketball for two years.
“Find a way to play. That’s what it comes
down to,” said Coach Bell.
Bell maintained a 2.2 GPA at Santa
Fe—not great, but it was enough to continue playing sports. He gives credit to his
teachers and coaches for being there for
him whenever he needed help.
Thanks to his talents in football, he was offered a scholarship to play ball for the Presbyterian College Blue Hose, a small college in South Carolina which was affiliated
with the Presbyterian Church. The football
team there was Division II. He Majored in
Modern/Foreign Language, and he doubleminored in Athletic Coaching and Physical
Education.
Even though he chose the route of both
his minors, his major still has a purpose. If
he asks the team or class to lie down with
your knees bent, and someone lies down
with their legs straight, he’ll try something
else. “Establecer con las rodillas dobladas.” It’s the same thing, but in Spanish.
When they give him a funny look, he’ll say
“I thought you didn’t understand English,
so I said it in Spanish!”
“I wanted to stay involved in sports and
compete. The human body interested me,
and I wanted to work with all the sports.
I like the diversity of the field,” said Bell.
His goal is to change the world—one student, one athlete at a time.
James Kerr is a football player that just
finished his senior season. He started
playing football his freshman year of high
school. Simply put, he did not look like he
belonged on a high school football team—
not even JV. Coach Bell took him under
his wing, and transformed him. He was a
two-year starter on the varsity team.
“Most strength coaches target your physical workout; with Coach Bell, it all starts
Working out: Coach Bell tranformed the weight
room just how he plans to transform the athletes at
PPCHS. Photo By Lorraine Oyola
in the mind. Coach Bell had taught me that
everything begins in your head. If your
mind is right, you can accomplish anything,” said James Kerr.
Kerr was given the Jaguar Dedication
Award, which is presented to the player on
the football team who has shown the most
improvement and dedication.
After getting himself prepared for life and
comfortable, Bell moved in with Ms. Gaylor, a teacher at Pompano Beach Elementary School.
During her first year of teaching the third
grade, she met a student whose mother
had died that year, and the student and
Ms. Gaylor developed a good relationship.
Bell and Gaylor kept in touch with the student as he grew up, and their attachment to
him became stronger.
Although the student was in and out of jail,
he eventually made it to Ely High School
in Pompano Beach. Coach Bell tried to get
him to go to Pines Charter. That way, he
would play football, and Coach Bell would
have more of an effect on his life. Later, the
student found himself in prison on some
serious charges. Coach Bell and Ms. Gaylor still visit him often in prison to check
up on him and see how he is doing.
Unlike the reputation that he has earned,
Coach Bell is just a person who is trying to
make a difference in students’ lives. All the
110 yard sprints, all of the bench presses,
even all of the verbal thrashings he gives
as a consequence have a meaning. Coach
Bell’s main goal is to prepare his students
and athletes for life. He is trying to make
sure everyone he comes in contact with has
a better life because of him.
Technology
March 2011
15
“There’s a… WEIRD app for that!”
Isabella Jones
FEATURES EDITOR
Living in this futuristic era, one undoubtedly knows there
ly is an app for everything your iPhone, iTouch, or smart phone
sires. Some- useful, others- simply entertaining, pointless, and just
ally strange. Here are some really weird yet entertaining apps to check
trudereout:
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useful in these adolescent years. This application will project either a red or blue
light onto one’s face, which supposedly
will kill all of the unwanted bacteria and
promote collagen growth. Is it effective?
It never hurts to try…
Photo By Adrian Tabraue
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Technology
March 2011
16
Beware of technology that steals
Cassidy-Rae Brantley
STAFF WRITER
In today’s technology, things are being designed to make things more efficient. However there’s ‘evil’ in the midst to remind
us that, depending on its user, good things
can be used to do bad things. Being aware
and protected when it comes to things
like account information, passwords, and
credit card information become important
because of that. Communications and
technology teacher, Mr. Roberts says, “Security is, a lot of it, common sense.” You
have to be careful. Here are some things
to be aware of:
When you lose or get your iPhone stolen, remember to immediately change
passwords that you had stored. Recently,
a test done by two researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology using a fast jailbreak
technology was able to obtain passwords
and screen names - not just the phones
security code - in as little as six minutes.
Sophomore Ana Herrera, who has had her
iPod stolen, knows the “disgusted” feeling
of having something taken from her; she
agrees these kinds of things will just advance even more. “It’s going to get worse,”
she says.
Along with the worries of ATMs not giving cash and showing up in unusual places,
is the worry of ATM skimming, in which
devices that can fit on the card slot of the
ATM and get information off that card being used. That’s an additional responsibility for students that are getting their debit
cards, a practical source of spending for
teens that we’ll have to worry about. “Try
to be wise,” says Pre-Calculus teacher
Ms. Kim “I rarely use an ATM… When
I go to the ATM, I try to go inside.” Going inside the bank, is safer with this as a
worry. And try sticking to familiar ATMs.
Junior Arianna Anda does that. “I only go
to Chase,” because that’s the kind of card
she has. There’s also a small camera either
on or near that device that records the PINs
punched into the keypads. Things and tips
to remember: watch out for ATMs that are
in the open, check for hidden cameras, anything sticking out of the ordinary on the
machine, and survey and test the card slot.
And remember to somehow cover your
hand when putting in the pin code.
Another thing to worry about: without
even taking your bag or touching your wallet, thieves can steal credit card information and numbers. Why go through all that
trouble when they just have to walk past
you? Because of tiny Radio-Frequency
Identification (RFID), chips now embedded in a lot of newer credit cards, it’s possible. The chip enables the cardholder to
just wave the card in front of a credit card
reader and make a purchase without having
to swipe it. “It’s convenient,” says junior
Hanna La Salvia. But now thieves have
Credit Cards: Credit card codes are being stolen using different types of technology. A lot of people are
uaware of the dangerous, identity stealing technologies out there.
Photo By Lissete Rivera
taken that to their advantage. “It becomes
dangerous,” agrees La Salvia. Thieves can
easily get their hands on an RFID scanner,
scan you, and have the information saved
on the scanner’s receiver as a data file. To
help prevent these scanners from taking
your information and becoming a victim,
have sheets of foil lined in your bag or
carry your cards in radio wave prevented
wallets.
Technology can be a helpful tool that if
used the wrong way can turn extremely
harmful. So always be aware of what dangers might be lurking in everyday electronics.
Stick to the plan – phone plan that is
Erin Jones
Technology Editor
Phone Plans: People being held hostage against there will by their phone plans.
Photo By: Lorraine Oyala
Almost everyone will have to make this
two-year commitment. The commitment
can be a serious struggle that could have
one questioning their sanity. It is one that
requires an overwhelming amount of patience. It’s the commitment that comes
with the most popular source of communication in the world- the cell phone plan.
According to the CTIA Wireless Association, in 2010, about 91 percent of Americans owned a cellphone. In fact, more
Americans owned cellphones than house
phones. But the standard two-year commitment that snaps the ball and chain between customers and cellphone is one that
many struggle to stick with. People change
a lot in two years because trends are constantly changing. It’s a constant cycle -- as
soon as you decide on one cellphone plan
or choose the perfect cellphone, something
better comes along. Many students agree
that this is exactly the reason why they are
always eager to escape their plans.
“You should be able to get a phone whenever you want. Instead of two-year phones,
there should be a plan that you can break
whenever you want so you can upgrade
your phone anytime you need to,” said
freshman Jordan Beeker.
Beeker says it takes him about six months
with a new phone before he wants another
one.
Junior Kenya Neal says she’s gone through
so many phones that at one point her phone
company would not send her anymore.
“I kept breaking my phone hoping to get
a better one. After about four upgrades my
cellphone company just told me I had to
stick with my phone”.
The best way to avoid going overboard
with constantly updating your cellphone
is to simply stick with your plan. It cost
about $175 on average to break a plan
while paying for a new phone can also be
in the hundreds. In this economy staying
with your plan can save you a bundle. The
key is picking the best plan for you at the
time and thinking ahead to what your future needs might entail.
“The best way to keep a phone plan is
to just find one that fits the way you talk;
if you talk and text a lot I would suggest
Metro [PCS]. If you travel the U.S then go
AT&T. I change my phone every month so
I can test and see the best for my customers,” said AT&T retailer Suhail Pirani.
Even if you constantly crave a new phone
without breaking the bank, ordering an affordable phone online from sites like letstalk.com and puremobile.com allow you
to buy a phone, and put your sim card in it
without having to go through a whole new
plan.
Breaking plans might get you the latest
phone but it only helps cellphone companies make money while you scrap your
piggy bank to keep up fads. In this economy, the most important way to save money
with electronics is simply sticking to the
plan no matter how challenging it may be.
Environmental
March 2011
17
How you can help:
two great causes
Cause 1 –– Florida’s Everglades
Clearing that ‘drain it, dam it, and divert it’ way of thinking
Jordana Cutajar
ENVIRONMENTAL EDITOR
Where:
reach from the
miles from the
Florida Bay.
When: On May
that Everglades
come dedicated
ness.
The Florida everglades
east to the west for 300
Kissimmee River to the
30th 1934 it was decided
National Park would beto preserving the wilder-
Who
: The Florida Everglades is home
to some of Florida’s most beloved animals and plants. The most common species known to exist in the area are at risk
of becoming extinct. Many of the species
have suffered greatly from loss of habitat,
but that is not the only thing they have to
worry about. Invasive species compete and
hunt on native species, causing already
weakened populations to continue dwindling with less a chance of survival. Species like the American crocodile and alligator, the Florida panther, the manatee, and
snail kites.
Why
Our school’s “mini-Everglades”: A view of the wetlands behind our school which has similar plant
and animal life as the everglades. Photo By Gail Fletcher
: It is imperative that we try to
restore the everglades. It is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, with
over 67% of them being threatened or endangered such as the American crocodile,
the green turtle, and the Florida panther.
The loss of habitat and the alterations to
the flow of the water are the reasons for the
endangerments. All the animals and plants
that are a part of the everglades all combine to form a chain reaction; when one
becomes extinct another follows closely
behind.
What:
Florida’s Everglades was a
monstrous sea of grass, but now it’s been
reduced to half its original size. In 1905,
N. B. Broward was elected governor on
his promise to wring the last drop of water
out of that “pestilence-ridden swamp.” 56
miles of canals were dug up in the everglades. The idea was to ‘drain it, dam it,
and divert it’. Miles of the everglades was
replaced with bustling new cities, towns,
and shopping centers. As the cities grew
so did the pollution; fertilizers seeped into
water ways. Plants and animals became at
risk of becoming extinct. By the 1980’s it
became apparent to environmentalists that
the everglades was ‘dying’.
How
: You can help save Florida’s
ecology by getting involved. Join the environmental club, recycle, reduce and reuse.
Every little thing we do can help benefit the
dying marshes. Websites like http://www.
environmentflorida.org, http://www.evergladesplan.org, and http://www.nwf.org
are dedicated to educating people on how
to help our environment.
Cause 2 — Tropical rain forests:
Who:
Endangered animals include
the Sumatran tiger, javan rhino, chimpanzee, toucan, jaguar, Bengal tiger, gorilla,
and orangutan. Endangered plants include
thousands of species of orchids, and the
rafflesia flower.
When: In 1989 Sting and his wife
were inspired to found the Rain Forest
Foundation after they witnessed the horrible destruction that was occurring to the
land and the natives who lived there. At
first the main objective was to protect the
lands of the Kayapo Indians in Brazil. The
efforts of the organization escalated over
the years, with the last twenty years three
other organizations stemmed from Stings
efforts, Rainforest Foundation US, Rainforest Foundation Norway, and Rainforest
Foundation UK.
Why
: The rainforest makes up fifty
percent of the world’s plants and animals.
It is the lungs of the earth taking in carbon
dioxide and releasing clean oxygen. There
are many plant and animal species that
have yet to be discovered, it is believed
that when discovered they could serve
important medical innovations. With the
destruction of the rainforest there will be
several climate changes. There will also be
severe water pollution and soil erosion.
How: Websites such as http://www.worldwildlife.org are dedicated to informing the
public of the dangers that the wildlife is
facing and how to help save the species and
environment.
The lungs of the Earth
Where: Brazil, Indonesia, Southeast Asia.
What:
Much of rainforest destruction is caused by logger companies that
clear much of the land. Also tourism, agriculture, shifted cultivators, cash crops,
cattle ranching, fuel wood, construction of
dams, mining, and industry. Every year we
lose fifty million acres of the rain forest!
Beautiful Ecosystems in Danger: Beautiful, along with helpful, ecosstems like this Indonesian
rainforest are in danger due to logging operations. You can do your part to help stop the destruction Photo By Google
Amazon deforestation: The above shows the Amazon, which is a rainforest in South America that
encompasses several different countries. This map color codes the untouched and deforested areas of
the Amazon. Photo By Google
Columns
March 2011
18
The opinions shared in these columns express the views of only the writers of their respective columns, and do not neccesarilly represent the views
of PPCHS students, staff, faculty, and administration, nor do they neccesarily represent the views of the rest of The CHAT staff, editors, writers and
layout artists.
Julia
Baca
Columnist
A question that has both perplexed and
caused many an argument between the two
sexes for centuries is: Who has it worse,
males or females? While many would think
I would take the feminist (and easy) stance
in saying obviously girls have it worse, I
must inform you I am placed more towards
the middle. I think there are obvious challenges that both males and females face,
but I’m sure there are some that the less
neutral people don’t take into consideration about the opposing gender. For those
of you not in the middle of the ‘who has
it worse’ spectrum, I am here to enlighten
you, and maybe make life easier for both
girls and guys.
Girls: our problems are blatantly obvious
thanks to the fact that many of us are open
(whiny) books who like to make everyone,
particularly boys, aware of exactly what
challenges they face and why their lives are
so hard. The physical challenges girls face
are definitely more prominent than boys’;
I think most people would agree with
that. For example, they have to deal with
more pressure from the media to look appropriate and specifically like models that
are on the cover of every magazine. The
constant struggle to have the perfect body,
hair, and blouse is an ongoing nuisance in
most female’s life and can more often than
not cause self-confidence issues and stress.
Other obvious physical challenges that add
points onto a girl’s amount of challenges is
Which gender has it worse?
The answer’s not sexy
that they have to deal with that time of the
month, pregnancy, and things along those
lines.
They have to deal with the fact that everyone is easier on boys when it comes to their
reputations and what is socially acceptable
for them to do. By that I mean if a boy does
something a little promiscuous, for lack
of a more appropriate word, he’ll usually
be thought of as cool and his actions will
be celebrated by his friends. However, if
a girl does the same thing or something
similar, her reputation will go from being
a good girl to being considered a sloppy
disrespected mess, both by boys and other
girls. Whether the action was appropriate
or sloppy is up to your own interpretation, but next time you judge a girl based
on something a little promiscuous that she
did, just think of all the times you probably heard of a boy doing the same thing
and didn’t think twice about what kind of
person he was. This double standard just
doesn’t make sense and certainly isn’t fair.
Boys: Yes, their reputation is definitely
easier to maintain, but I think that it’s a
lot harder to be a boy than most girls give
them credit for. Boys are faced with a lot of
scrutiny from the media to have a perfect
body as well, maybe not as much as girls,
but the pressure is certainly still there. The
other societal pressures they face are also
great. The standards by which boys must
live up to in order to be seen as ‘a man’
Ishin
Iwasaki
COLUMNIST
In my column, I try to apply a lot of influences from George Carlin’s style and manners without being too close to the way he
writes to avoid any plagiarism. If there’s
something remotely funny in a column,
you can bet it has some Carlinesque influence. If there’s something that’s attempting
to be funny, then, you can bet it’s my personal idea.
Right now I’m going to completely steal
a quote from him when I say: “I enjoy chaos and disorder.” It’s hard to center funny
lines around things that make sense. If you
try too hard to do that, you end up like
Dane Cook.
Luckily for me, there are plenty of things
in this world that just don’t make a lot of
sense.
Let’s start with the good story, something
cool that’s happening. A team of snazzy
engineers in the UK, led by the chief engineer Mark Chapman, is making a car that
can go up to one thousand miles per hour.
Understandably, with an unfortunate name
like Mark Chapman (hint: if you’re a Beatles fan, you should hate it), he has to do
something great.
Looking past the fact that testing this will
probably set back environmentalists’ efforts back about five thousand years, it’s
instead of pansy ap- Cartoon by Maria Flores
pear to be very difficult. If a guy has
any sort of feminine
feature or acts a little
femininely, they are
almost guaranteed
to be chastised for
not being masculine
enough. Another societal pressure they
have is always being the one to make
the first move with
girls and that they are
always expected to
be chivalrous while
girls are just expected to put in no effort. are taught to hide their emotions and to not
While I have no problem with both of these be vocal about their feelings, while it is sofactors that are unfortunate to boys, as it cially acceptable for females to cry about
benefits me from ever having to be the one any little issue they might be having. Botto put effort first, I can understand why tling up how you feel so that you don’t get
some boys that are maybe a bit more shy called a girl can’t be easy for guys.
What I hope you gleaned from this analyfind this unnerving.
Guys are always expected to ask the girl sis regarding the hardships of both sexes
out, pursue her, text her first, while always is that while you, whatever your gender,
in danger of being embarrassed and reject- might think that your life is incredibly difed. It’s easy for a girl to say no when a boy ficult and the opposite sex lives life like a
wants to be more than friends, but it’s not walk in the park, not everything is black
so easy for a guy to actually be rejected. and white. Each gender is in the gray area
In fact, a situation like that might actually on the ‘who has it worse’ spectrum. Both
give a girl more confidence because she have perks, and both have challenges. It’s
knows a boy likes her, where as it can only this balance that allows us to coexist as we
hurt a boy’s ever so important ego. Boys do.
Flying cars, mold, ipods
what are we coming to?
pretty cool. It looks like a car from the
future: sleek, thin, rockets mounted on the
back. Actually, if you look at it, it looks
like a giant blue ballpoint pen turned on
its side. Who knew Pentel held the key to
making the world’s fastest car?
The coolest part about this whole thing is
what Chapman had to say about the car. He
said that “[t]he biggest challenge is keeping the car on the ground.” That has to rank
in the top 5 most intense things ever to be
said by an engineer, ever. He just pulled a
Ron Weasley – in real life! We should all
be ashamed for ever complaining about
a trivial matter. “I can’t write my essay.”
This guy has to tame a dragon-car that
wants to run rampant across the world.
Here’s where the world starts making a little less sense. Apple’s been at the forefront
of innovation for a while now. Macbooks
are gaining fast popularity (despite their
seizure-inducing prices) and the iPhone
completely changed the way people use
cell phones. If there was any company that
I could trust to have a dilemma that matches “Sorry I wasn’t at work yesterday Dave,
I needed to keep my car on the ground,” it
would have been Apple or Google.
What’s Apple’s latest problem? Apple
can’t make a white iPhone 4. Something
about the white material is messing with
the camera and proximity sensors. What?
Halfway across the world you’ve got
“Darn, my car goes so fast it slaps gravity in the face” and here we have “Darn,
I can’t slap white paint onto my iPhone’s
face?”
And why does that even matter in the first
place? I can’t name a single person I know
that doesn’t have some sort of protective
covering around their iPhone or iTouch.
Even if you had a white back, you wouldn’t
be able to see it over the cover! And if you
say “Well, I’ll just get a white cover,” well
then who cares what the original color on
the back is? As far as I’m concerned the
new iPhones can have Steve Jobs in his
swimsuit engraved in the back; I’ll just get
a cover!
By the way, as if the paint problem wasn’t
dripping with embarrassment, let’s compare the names of these two products.
Apple’s got the iPhone, the iPad, and the
iTouch. How cute. That UK-brand machine of unparalleled epic is called the
Bloodhound SSC.
I just don’t get how two companies can
have such a big gap when it comes to what
problems to solve. It happens all the time;
two people will have completely different
problems, one a much grander scale than
the other, and yet they’re both formidable
challenges.
Speaking of formidable challenges, one
more item to add on to the “world not making sense” topic is this new type of fungus
discovered to be able to take over minds.
Native to Brazil, these fungi hijack ants’
brains and take complete control, usually
leaving the ant to die. 2012 seems really
possible now. I know what will happen.
Some deranged geek living in his mother’s
basement will get some of this fungus and
experiment on it until some crazy mutation
happens. Then that fungus will take over
human brains and you won’t be able to
trust anyone. All social order will collapse
and - hey! Chaos and disorder! At least I’ll
have an easy job.
By the way, thanks to this news I find this
year’s prom theme so much more exciting.
I think I’ve got my idea for my prom costume. I’ll come dressed to this “Night at the
Brazilian Carnival” as a mind-controlling
fungus. Maybe that might get me a date for
prom. What can I say? I’m a “fun-gi.”
Graphic by Maria Flores and
Daniel Quevedo
Photo Gallery
March 2011
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