Sport Star: Chandrea Teran by Marytza Silva March 22, 2007

I had the pleasure to interview one of the fastest track runners, Chandrea Teran. She is an exceptionally talented athlete, who loves track. Here are some of the things we discussed about the sport.
Question: First of all, what made you want to run track?
Chandrea Teran: I just love to stay in shape. And running happens to keep me fit while doing what I am best at. I love the feeling of running
Question: Did you join track for fun or for other reasons?
Chandrea Teran: It was mostly because I wanted to stay in shape and be healthy.
Question: How many years have you been in track?
Chandrea Teran: Well, this is my third year in track at Foothill.
Question: Do you plan to continue track, after you graduate from high school?
Chandrea Teran: I am not sure yet, but more than likely I will not
Question: What are the main things that you do, in track?
Chandrea Teran: I run the 100 meters, 200 meters, the relay, and I do the high jump. My highest jump so far is 4’8 and I hope to get better this season.
Question: Do you have a role model?
Chandrea Teran: Yes, I do. Her name is Florence Griffith Joyner; she was an African American runner.
Question: Why is she your role model?
Chandrea Teran: She is my role model because I always aspired to be like her in the future.
Question: Well, our interview is over. Is there anything else you want to add before it ends?
Chandrea Teran: Yes, track is for everyone; not just for fast tall people. I mean everyone. It wasn’t meant to exclude anybody.
I really enjoyed my interview with Chandrea. I got to know a little more of what she does and why she enjoys playing track. She strongly encourages others to give it a chance, also.

RBD by Lillian Sanchez March 22, 2007

Most people who are reading this are probably asking themselves what RBD is. RBD is a musical pop band that originated from a telenovela (soap opera) called Rebelde. Rebelde began airing on television about two and a half years ago. There are six members in RBD, all of which come from the television show.
The six members are Alfonso, Christian, Christopher, Anahi, Dulce Maria, and Maite. The producer of the show then decided to make a band out of the cast members which turned out to be a great success. RBD has sold over 9.5 million albums world-wide. The group is also a huge success all over Latin America. Right now, the group is promoting themselves all over the U.S. with their recently released English album. They have appeared on American morning talk shows, aired on the radio, and performed in the Disneyland Christmas Parade. In addition, they have recorded three Spanish albums: Rebelde (2004), Nuestro Amor (2005), and Celestial (2006). These three Spanish sung albums have also been translated into Portuguese. Consequently, many people in the world listen to them because of how they can relate to their songs in many languages. Their music is clever and aesthetic; making them an excellent group.

Foothill lacrosse by Jazmine Solorzano March 22, 2007

Lacrosse is a sport that I, personally, find very amazing and interesting. I have seen the Foothill High School lacrosse team practice, rigorously, many times on the field. When the guys play lacrosse, they get violent and very competitive. With lacrosse sticks, they are not afraid to hit each other on their backs. My friend, Melody Lopez, was recently in lacrosse junior varsity. The girls’ team just had two games; they won both of them. I found that exceptionally amazing. She told me how they train and prepares for games; let me clarify that it is not painless and dull. It demands a lot of physical strength as well as endurance. The teams practice almost everyday for a large amount of time, however in the end they have fun as a team. Foothill High School has a talented lacrosse team, which is always read for action. Although the guys get violent in the field, the girls do not. This is good because when girls get violent they are ferocious. Lacrosse is such a fun game and the people that they play against are so friendly. Even though they lose once in a while, they are still happy and they act like they have won the game.
I believe there is a game this weekend, so go and support your knights!

No One Goes Home by Ashley Ryan March 22, 2007

No Ones Goes Home is a pop-punk band, which originated from Detroit, Michigan, but now resides in Long Beach, California. The band includes three remarkably artistic musicians of this time: Craig Broombaugh, Jonny Zink and Nick Stout. Their fans’ captivation is due to the music’s flow and excitement; it moves the entire audience at every show. It is as if the band’s music stream out of their instruments. These boys are not just musicians; they are pure entertainers, from their subtle melodic voices to their hearts-of-gold.
Within the ten short months the boys have been in California, they have triggered quite a stir in the local music scene. No One Goes Home headlined in numerous shows, before their debut CD was release on January 16th. It became evident that their popularity was rising when the crowd of fanatics, at their shows, increased. Subsequently after The New Era was released, they were on top of the world. They have just recently finished their first nation-wide tour; traveling to over thirty-five states in two months. Everything they touch turns to gold.
However, despite their skyrocketing popularity, the band remains humble. With all of their newfound success, the boys of No One Goes Home are still nothing but sweet. At each show, they walk around and converse with each of their fans, until they have spoken to everyone. The band introduces themselves in the wackiest ways possible to new faces, making them very memorable. But they remain down-to-earth; nothing can stop these boys from taking over the world, one fan at a time. They have some of the most original senses of humor, always extracting a laugh from everyone in the room when they stand on stage and announce, “What’s up, Socal? We’re No One Goes Home, and we just might be your new favorite band!”

Brush Fire In Retirement Commuity by Ricky Oseguera March 22, 2007

In Loganville, Georgia, three boys were accused of burglary in a welding company. The boys stole the tools to start a brush fire, which destroyed several homes. The community that they lived in was intended for retired elders. Due to the brush fire they created, a fireman and a local denizen were rushed to a near hospital for minor injuries. The officers have not yet confirmed a reason why the children caused such delinquency. The officers believe that they were following an undisclosed tip. The boys are to be seen in juvenile court on Tuesday March 13th, 2007.
The parents of these children should have shame on how they have raised them. Children, at such young ages, should not even be considering burning down forests. With moral values taught, they may have turned out to be better individuals then they are now. This is an example of how the children today have been crossing the line. These children need adults to explain the law and rules; they should not cease being strict. To be a positively effective role model in a child’s life, parents need to consistently converse with their children. Parents should take advantage of their position, especially when their children are young. At these ages, kids begin to discover who they want to become, in the future. I believe that parents ought to become better role models, teach their children better morals, and to incisively inform their children what is acceptable and what is not. Most parents assume that a pat on the back and saying, “Don’t do drugs” can solve bad situation. I believe that these children are not at fault, nevertheless I hold the parents accountable for not teaching their children essential principles. An ethical parent molds a virtuous character for their child, and the child uses their values to attain a civilized future.

The Lucky COlor Green by Alexandra Rought March 22, 2007

Lucky green men, who dance around pots gold at the end of a rainbow, have been included in folklore stories in Ireland for centuries. There is another folklore that almost everyone in America and Ireland have known or heard of, the story of St. Patrick. It is remarkable how many people have no idea why we celebrate the holiday. Nonetheless, most view this celebration as a time to drink and party because it is believed that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
St. Patrick was the patron Priest of Ireland, who was born in Whales in 385 AD. He was six years old when he was taken into slavery by a group of Irish marauder, raider. His infamous name began spreading when found god, while in captivity. He became a saint when he turned the young age of sixteen. He was determined to turn pagans to Christianity. Although many people disputed with him and frowned upon his quest, his determination made it last for thirty years. He finally returned to his home country where he died on March 17 461 AD. Since then, it has been his day ever after.
The legend of St. Patrick is that he chased all of the snakes out of Ireland and they drowned in the ocean. Though snakes are not natives in Ireland, the legend still rings strong in the green hills of Ireland. A huge symbol for this day is the four leaf clover, which originated from a unique and odd shaped week St. Patrick used to describe the trinity. The color green is also a huge part of the day because it is the national color of Ireland and because St. Patrick days is commemorated a few days before spring. Therefore, it represents the first green of the season.
The holiday was first celebrated in the United States in 1737 in the Boston, Massachusetts. Now over 100 United States cities hold St. Patrick’s Day in honor of the great Saint himself.

Dance Battles by Johara Alomari March 22, 2007

A dance that releases rage, tension, and bad energy, which could be performed by two or more dancers, either a single person or as a team, is known as a dance battle. There are various methods of interpreting a dance battle.
For example, another way to perform a battle would be krumping, which is a form of dance that originated from the African-American denizens in Southern Los Angeles. There is also a new style formed by the “Urban” African-American [Black] dance movement. These battles are a technique to express one freely and energetically. The majority of the dancers paint distinctive designs on their faces to show their emotions and feelings as they battle.
Another type of dance battle is when a person “gets hyphy. ” Hyphyness is expressed by movement, pounding rhythms, and is coined “crunk music” from the Southern Bay Area. The artistic grasp of the movement has few comparisons to crunk, such as the more decisive up tempo beats. A person “gets hyphy” when they act or dance in a sort of distorted, confused, and ridiculous way. Those who acknowledge themselves as part of the hyphy movement would define this action taking place as acting “stupid” or “gettin’ dumb. ” These are just a few of the many ways of interpreting a dance battle. A little music with a creative, exciting beat, a fast pace, banging rhythm, and the urge to get “amp’t up,” is all it takes to get hyphy and crunk. Dancers can battle by themselves or with group of friends.

Taco Bell by Alvaro Ramirez March 22, 2007

Taco Bell is a hot spot that is known by everyone, in Tustin. The menu has a great variety of delicious mouth watering food. Numerous students from local high schools hang out at Taco Bell, while enjoying the scrumptious food. Although there are many more hot spots, Taco Bell is definitely one of the best. I have been going to Taco Bell for years and it is most definitely a great hot spot. Just about every time I go, I see at least one person from Foothill. Taco Bell has been around for many years and will be there for many more to come. From what I see, the great publicity it has will make it even bigger. Taco Bell is also a hot spot because, not only has everyone been there, but they keep on coming back, which proves that it is an outstanding fast food restaurant. The menu is good because it always includes the original meals however also new ones so consumers would not get bored of the same stuff. Just about every time you go, you can get a new meal. My favorite part is that they have salads too, in case you are not feeling like eating a whole meal or whatever else is on the menu. Next time you are around Taco Bell, go give it a try if you have not already.

Student Interview: Brittany Dickens by Noelle LeBlanc March 22, 2007

This is an interview with a random student at Foothill High School, Brittany Dickens.

Question: Name?
Brittany Dickens: Brittany Dickens

Question: How old are you?
Brittany Dickens: I am eighteen years old.

Question: What grade are you in?
Brittany Dickens: I am in twelfth grade.

Question: Who do you live with?
Brittany Dickens: My parents.

Question: Did you grow up in Tustin?
Brittany Dickens: Yes.

Question: Are you close with your family?
Brittany Dickens: Yes.

Question: What do you like to do?
Brittany Dickens: I like to hangout with my boyfriend.

Question: What are you involved with at school?
Brittany Dickens: Cheer.

Question: Do you have any interests or hobbies?
Brittany Dickens: I enjoy dancing.

Question: Who is your favorite band?
Brittany Dickens: Guns and Roses is currently my favorite.

Question: What is your favorite song?
Brittany Dickens: I like listening to Sexyback.

Question: Who is your best friend?
Brittany Dickens: My best friend right now is Breezy Silva.

Question: How long have you been friends?
Brittany Dickens: About one year.

Question: Where do you want to go to college?
Brittany Dickens: Probably, Santa Ana College.

Question: What do you plan on doing after high school?
Brittany Dickens: I plant to join the Fire Academy.

Question: What is the most memorable part of high school?
Brittany Dickens: Cheerleading was fun.

Question: Who is your favorite teacher?
Brittany Dickens: Mr. McKinley.

Question: What is your favorite subject?
Brittany Dickens: I like economics the most.

Question: What is a random talent that you have?
Brittany Dickens: I can do the worm.

Question: If you had one day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
Brittany Dickens: I would definitely play with orphans.

Question: What are the most played songs on your iPod?
Brittany Dickens: Anything by Justin Timberlake.

Question: Who knows you best?
Brittany Dickens: My boyfriend, Scott Posa.

Question: Do you have a lot of just regular friends or a few close friends and a lot of acquaintances?
Brittany Dickens: Just a few close friends.

Question: If you were stuck on an island, who would you want with you?
Brittany Dickens: My boyfriend, of course!

Question: What is your favorite sport?
Brittany Dickens: Certainly Football.

Question: What is your favorite sports team?
Brittany Dickens: Dallas Cowboys!

Question: Who do you admire most?
Brittany Dickens: My grandma.

Question: Why?
Brittany Dickens: She always is there and helps out and gives advice.

Question: Do you think you’ll keep in touch with most of your friends after you graduate?
Brittany Dickens: Only the really close ones.

Question: If you could describe yourself in just a few words, what would you say?
Brittany Dickens: That I’m hardworking, caring, supportive, dedicated and loving.

Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Hobbs by Kyran Johnson March 22, 2007

On July 18, 1971, the world drastically changed for the best when Mr. Sean Hobbs was born. The city of Fontana, California would have to make room for this soon-to-be world history teacher. Growing up, Sean was a slacker in school. He was in and out of trouble and was always chastised for his lazy behavior. He was a flop with chicks and he did not look like he would grow up to be the great man he is today. When he graduated high school, he briefly attended Concordia College, until he transferred to the California State University of Fullerton.
He majored in history and education. To pay for his schooling, he enrolled in the Army Reserve. He was stationed in New Jersey, where he also went on his summer vacations from college. While he was out in New Jersey, he and his army buddies went to hockey games, which lit this flame of desire inside of him to play hockey. Now he plays for the Anaheim Hockey Club League, where he plays both ice and roller hockey. After college, he was a lifeguard at El Modena High School for a brief amount of time. His hobbies include: not playing baseball (which he considers “is not a sport”), not playing golf (for same reason), and spending time with his nine-year-old and six-year-old daughters and his wife when he has time. He has now been teaching for 13 years and has taught every grade level from fourth to twelfth. He loves watching South Park when he is not spending time with his kids or wife, and his statement of encourage to all of his students is “Do it once, do it right. ”

Gears of War by Mike Horan March 22, 2007

Anyone who have been attentive to new videogames, in the past six months, would know exactly what Gears of War is. Gears of War is the best game ever created due to its clever plot and artistic graphics. Marcus, the main character, is in jail for a crime he committed, meanwhile, the Locus Horde is waging a war on the entire world, from beneath the earth’s crust. Emergence Day, which is also known as E-Day, is when the war started. To kill the Locus, the people need Marcus’ help. There are five acts that one has to complete to defeat the game. In addition, there are three different levels one can play on. However, in order to unlock the hardest level, one must beat the game on easy or medium difficulty.
As far as the exceedingly innovative weapons go, Gears of War is known for a certain gun. This gun is called The Workhorse Coalition; it contains a modern-day bayonet. The bayonet is a chainsaw that is very practical while playing online. There is also a shotgun, a couple hand guns, a sniper, smoke grenades, frag grenades, smoke grenades, grenade launcher cannon, and mounted machine guns as well. With all those different weapon, the player is bound to have fun beating the Locust.
Playing by oneself is not the only thing the player can do. Many people can play on the verses game. Gears of War is also fun on XBOX Live and gives the choice of playing against friends or random people. Other games are not nearly equivalent to Gears of War; its unbelievable graphics will keep the player on the edge of his seat or otherwise it will make him leap into the air with excitement. Overall, Gears of War is amazing.

Ford vs. Chevy by Tim Hopkins March 22, 2007

If you own a Chevy or Ford truck, odds are you hate the other company. But which one is reasonably better? There are a lot of things that Chevy owners say to disparage their Ford rivals. For example, since Ford’s initials stand for “Found On Road Dead”, competitors jokingly altered it to “Fix Or Repair Daily. “However one can not choose a side based upon opinions. Other factors that might persuade a car shopper, such as the difference of Ford’s and Chevy’s sales numbers. Clearly, as seen on the road, a significant number of Ford’s used cars is still on the road and one can find that Ford is sell many more automobiles. Additionally, more Ford vehicles are used for paramedic, fire, police and state vehicles. If they are truly as ineffective as people assume, then why are they so widely used? For off-road use, Ford trucks are far more dependable and much easier to fix than Chevy trucks. Furthermore, that their stock suspension system is simple to modify and is overall stronger. Ford was also one of the first American car companies, and is known for their greatest contribution to automotive manufacturing, which was the moving assembly line. So how can the first not be the best?

Today’s Street Racing by Joey Hurtado March 22, 2007

Today, people illegally race on the street and cause severe collisions. Countless accidents have caused injuries or even death. However, most racers, with commonsense, instead compete in closed course tracks. There they can race and do whatever they want to with their cars. Events have been going on all over the United States that support the sport of racing. There are different types of racing that are being done on these tracks. For example, there are: time attacks, drifting, drag races, and show cars. All these types of events attempt to bring street racers to the tracks, where they can race for fun and get in trouble, with the law. It is saving many innocent lives that do not even relate to racing and money on car damages. There are unwise people out there who race because they think it is cool and fun. It is fun, but when a racer gets in a wreck, it is not so amusing and cool anymore. For car enthusiasts, the closed courses help them improve their skills, which they might use to pursue a racing career or to just show off a talent to the public. To partake as a racer, in these events, one is required to pay an entrance fee. People come to these events to have fun and observe what others are doing to today’s cars performance.

Teaching Lacrosse by Greg Gordon March 22, 2007

The first athletes to invent and compete in Lacrosse were the Native Canadian Americans. Missionary Jean de Brebeuf observed a tribe settling a disagreement by playing Lacrosse. However, it was also method to prepare for war.
Foremost to learn how to play lacrosse, one will have to become familiar with the positions. There are four essential positions: goalie, middy or midfielder, attack and defense. To inaugurate the game, there is a face-off. A face-off is when two middies, from opposite teams, would fight for the ball that is placed on the floor. While fighting, there are four other teammates; two from each team, running in to facilitate the middy obtain the ball.
In addition, the defense can go over the line towards the offense, however, only if one of the middies stays behind half way to take the defense spot. There is only one thing differentiating defense and middies: the defense has a longer shaft or stick. The attacks’ purpose is to score goals with the support of the middies.
After a ball is in the goal, the face-off starts over again. However if the ball is thrown behind the cage or goal, whoever is closest to the ball gets to obtain it first. If it was a pass and goes out behind the cage, then it is the opposing teams ball. Four long poles or defense sticks are allowed on the field one time and can sub people out at any time. Also, whenever there is a foul due to a lack of players on the field, it is called “man down”. Subsequently, the team with the foul has to play with one less person for 1 minute.
This sport is full contact and favors athletes who are tough; however anyone who has speed and agility can also play. This sport is not only about brute force but also about skill, with a Lacrosse stick. Lacrosse as been gaining members and fans and has been said to be one of the most gaining sports ever. To those who have not played Lacrosse, I recommend you to attempt to play it once. From them, it is guaranteed that you will love it.

Teacher Bio: Interview with Mr. Rausch by Franklin Garrido March 22, 2007

Mr. Rausch is one the many great brilliant teachers at Foothill High School. His students know him as a talented teacher and as great person. However, the same knowledge about Mr. Rausch is limited. Luckily, I had the opportunity to discover more about him. And that exclusive information will be publicized here. For example: Mr. Rausch was born in North folk, Virginia.
Mr. Rausch’s inspiration to become a teacher sparked when he read a book called Up the Down Stair Case. This book led him to consider educating others. He has also taught in Vietnam during World War II, specifically GED. Mr. Rausch has been teaching for a total of sixteen years and fortunately has taught nine of those years at Foothill High School. He attended the prestigious Pepperdine University and earned his masters within five years. He then discovered the Industrial Arts degree, which persuaded him to begin teaching the subject to others.

Teen Dieting by Annalissa Daniel March 22, 2007

A lot of girls today grumble and whine about how “fat” they are or how they are becoming fat. As teenage girls admire the majority of today’s celebrity entertainers, with the best looks and slim bodies, they want to imitate that look, onto themselves. Young girls cut back on food for their boyfriend, upcoming dances, or just to please their own mind.
Studies have shown that teen dieting is drastically insalubrious. Conversely, it is also said that teens, who diet for the purpose of being a few pounds thinner, are more likely put on more weight than their peers who do not diet at all. Skipping breakfast and eating less does the reversal of what is really intended and helps put on a few extra pounds. Strategies like eating more fruits and vegetables and getting more exercise are healthier and more effective.
“We really want to discourage teenagers from dieting,” said Dr. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Recent studies have shown that most teen dieters use damaging weight control strategies, which includes smoking, fasting, and skipping meals. Recently, studies have shown that fifty-six percent of girls have reported dieting while only twenty-five percent of boys have dieted at least once. The finding suggests that kids who diet are in more danger of developing unhealthy physical activity and eating behaviors.

Movie Review: Ghost Rider by Francisco Castro March 22, 2007

The movie I thought was worthwhile to evaluate is Ghost Rider. The hero, Ghost Rider, is performed by Nicholas Cage and other characters include: Blackheart played by Wes Bentley, Roxanne Simpson played by Eva Mendes, and Mephistopheles played by Peter Fonda. The main conflict in the story begins when Johnny Blaze, or Ghost Rider, wanted to help his father and cure him of his disease. He was a young teenager so he did not understand the circumstances. Later, he meets a crucial character, Mephistopheles. Mephistopheles makes a bargain, with Johnny Blaze: for Johnny’s soul in exchange for Mephistopheles help. Once Johnny agreed, an unknown chemical was injected into him, subsequently transforming him into Ghost Rider.
Mephistopheles explains to Johnny that to remove the curse, Johnny would have to fulfill a task of finding a contract. In order for him to complete his mission, Johnny would have to face four strange creatures, including Mephistopheles’ son, Blackheart. Along the way, Johnny encounters Roxanne who becomes the love of his life. Although he wanted to be with her, it would put her life in danger because Mephistopheles would use any of Johnny’s family, friends, or lovers against him. Inevitably, Roxanne was taken hostage and the only way to rescue her was agree to an ultimatum. Johnny agreed, however instead, he surrendered the contract to Blackheart. Unfortunately, Blackheart wanted to create a real extreme hell.
In the end, Johnny had to choice to liberate himself of being the Ghost Rider. However conversely, he denied the emancipation because he knew one day evil would rise again and he wanted to be there to protect. Overall, I thought this movie was one of the best I have seen so far.

Dirt Bike Riding by Matt Bennett March 22, 2007

Dirt bikes, quads, three wheelers, dune buggies, and whatever else that you can ride in the dirt can be explained with one word: fun. Unexpectedly, going out to the middle of nowhere in the desert riding your dirt bike is fun. And when you crash, even though it may hurt like hell, its really apart of the whole experience: the dirt in your eyes, your mouth, and all over. Not to mention that you look like a badass when you’re in full gear. But on a serious note, you really should wear your helmet and as much other gear that you can wear which will protect you from a hard fall when you are riding, because it hurts to fall.
Personally, I have a 500cc Polaris quad called “The Outlaw. ” It is a beast and it is fun, however also dangerous. But then again, the dangerous part is almost half of what makes it fun. I also own a nice, fast 4 stroke 200cc dirt bike. All my buddies that I know went dirt biking with me out towards Las Vegas; on a two hour drive out from our little town of Tustin, we reached a place called Hodge Road and Outlet Center Drive. And the races there allow any class of off-road vehicles to participate in. Riding on your dirt bike while watching these cars blow right by you and never knowing if you are going to get hit is all part of the experience. Back to riding, it takes time a lot of hours in the seat to become good at riding. It is not a skill that you can attain overnight. Nonetheless, riding with friends and family is always fun to do, as long as you play it safe and do not mess around with the machines. Give the bike respect and it will respect you.

Rap is Dead? by Jason Alexander March 12, 2007

I recently found an intriguing article that perfectly fit my current event topic. Journalists are now saying rap may be close to its end of time. They are saying that sales are down and growing tensions of the negative impact on the music is rising. People are finally starting to get upset of the rude and immature lyrics of the modern day rap songs. According to research, rap sales are 21% down than last year. In the first time of 12 years, no rap album was among the top 10 sellers of the year. People were recently polled and a whopping 50% said that rap had an extremely negative effect on our modern day society. I can see why this is assumed. With cursing in every other line and lyrics talking about sex and violence in every song didn’t convince me to disagree with the poll. Some people say that we just don’t have any great artists out now. Tupac is gone, 50 cent isn’t pumping out albums like he used to, and it is just not the same anymore. I believe rap does have a negative effect on our society. According to research, rap looks like it is heading downhill fast and can’t get back up for awhile, so get ready for a bumpy ride in the rap industry. What do you guys think? Is rap really ready to enter the coffin?

The Fast Goodbye by Leo Villa March 12, 2007

He certainly looked fast in Toronto’s Rogers Center, though it was hard to measure him against Stewart and Reed. That is because a Tuff Block knocked him off his bike when he got too close to it on the second lap of the main event. That left him in the back of the pack, racing to catch up. With James and Chad looking exceptionally fast, winning was hopeless for Carmichael, but the last step on the podium was easily in his grasp. This fantastic trio remains head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. This was Carmichael’s last race and got in 3rd overall. He had the lead in points but now he gave it all up. Carmichael earlier in the year said, “Toronto will be my last race of the season. It’ll be a fast goodbye for my fans.” Is this the last we will see Ricky Carmichael? Knowing RC it won’t be the last time.

The Beauty of Science by Kirsten McKee March 12, 2007

You go outside for a walk, and you look up into the dark night sky to see a bright orange object hanging there. You stand in wonder, and now you realize. A lunar eclipse has struck you with a memorizing trance. A lunar eclipse was among our sky on Saturday, March 3, 2007. This world wonder was barely visible to North and South America. This beauty was perfectly clear to view in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon. Although the Earth’s shadow will completely cover the Moon, light from the sun will still reach the moon after being refracted through Earth’s atmosphere, giving the moon its shades of crimson and amber. Although it seems that everyone can see this, it is not true. Alaska, eastern Australia and New Zealand will miss the show altogether. The next lunar eclipse will occur August 28, 2007.

The Messengers by Cassidy Brizzolara March 12, 2007

Directed by brothers Danny and Oxide Pang The Messengers seems to be the ultimate scary movie. The story is set around an unhappy Chicago family moving to South Dakota . Denise (Penelope Ann Miller) and her hopeful farmer husband, Roy (Dillon McDermott) move their troubled teen daughter Jess (Kristen Stewart) and baby Ben (Evan and Theodore Tuner) to a deserted farm. Besides the family who lived there previous mysteriously moving, the house seems to be normal; except for a large black stain on the wall of the master bedroom. Ben, being a child, is more susceptible to see all the ghosts and haunts in the house. The first night they move in, he is already seeing them, and assumes they are friends. When the sunflower farming isn’t going as well as Roy thought, he hires a friendly neighbor to help him out. At this time, Jess is seeing the haunts as well, but through her persisting to her parents, they don’t believe her, and spend another night in the home. Through some research, Jess finds out why the ghosts are haunting their home. The ending comes as a wonderful surprise. This movie was not as scary as the commercials let it up to be. But the scare factor is high. The Messengers has gone out of theaters now, but when it comes out on rental, you should defiantly give it a try. If you like scary movies with a big twist you’ll love this movie.

Winter Formal by Melanie Titterud March 12, 2007

Dress: 100 dollars
Shoes: 50 dollars
Having a great time at the Winter Formal: priceless
Most people in high school don’t have much to look forward to than minimum days and the occasional assembles. But when the school sets up a dance it a lot of times is a great way for people to hang out and make friends. There are only about three dances a year in high school, not including prom which is only for juniors and seniors. So when Winter Formal comes around, most of the school finally has something to look forward to and make plans for. For girls, it is a whole different story than it is for a guy. This time it was the girls who had the ask the guys and had to pay for the tickets which ranged from 90- 100 dollars based on which day one bought them and if one had an ASB card or not. Girls usually have to either make hair and makeup appointments or do it all themselves which causes even more stress. For some reason, yes girls do stress about dances even though our hair and make up will be ruined by the end of the night. Besides the hair and make up, girls usually spend time looking for the perfect dress and shoes to match. Guys on the other hand just rent tuxedos and they are good to go. All they need it the color from the girl to be able to get the right colors and match together. For a dance like Winter Formal, many groups, big and small, all rented a limo and go out to dinner at a restaurant. Groups usually meet up at one person’s house and take pictures then have the limo pick them up and go out to dinner. There are many different places that groups can go for dinner, some popular ones are Buca de Beppos and of course the famous BJ’s restaurant. Both are located in the Tustin Market Place, a busy hotspot for teens with restaurants to movie theaters. After dinner, the group is taken to the dance, where it may be held. This year, our Winter Formal was held at the Angel’s Stadium. There was karaoke and drinks and food in a club above the field and the dance floor was held at the outside patio. Groups were able to take pictures at the dance and couples pictures were taken before at Foothill High School. All in all, it was a great night with good music and a lot of people.

Interview with Mr. Case by Haley Cordova-Stavis March 12, 2007

• What’s your Full name?
o Scott Edwin Case II
• Where were you born?
o Long Beach, CA
• Why did you decide to become a teacher?
o I like working with students, I first started coaching and from their decided I wanted to be a teacher. Most of my family are teachers. It is fun being a teacher; you get summer off, and are able to do fun projects.
• What college did you go to?
o Cal State Fullerton
• What do you do on your free time?
o Video games, work on cars, exercising, hang out with friends, and movies
• Did you play sports in high school?
I played football all four years. Baseball 9, 10 grade and track in 11,12.

A Trip to Peru by Catherine Watters March 12, 2007

Out of the 10,000 twirlers that competed at the 2006 National Baton Twirling Championships, there were 8 girls chosen to perform at the Festival de la Primavera in Trujillo, Peru. I felt honored to be one of the 8 girls chosen to travel to South America to serve as a United States delegate and performer at the various events occurring in Lima and Trujillo, Peru this past October. Every October, tens of thousands of South Americans travel to this coastal region of Peru to celebrate the “Festival of Spring” by watching many events, performances and a huge parade, which can best be described as the Rose Parade of South America! My experience began as I exited the plane at midnight in Lima, Peru. The president of the sponsors of our trip, the Trujillo Lions Club, was there to greet us, along with TV cameramen, and members of the press to photograph and interview the visiting baton twirlers, called “bastonares or waripolas”. With just a few hours of sleep, the next morning we were asked to perform on 6 different TV shows and press conferences with interviews. The following day we flew to Trujillo and that night participated in the coronation of the Queen of the festival. Throughout the entire week we performed on several more TV shows, orphanages, hospitals, sporting events, a horse show, and a beautiful parade, where each girl was given her own marching band to lead. Socially, we attended many grand dances/balls, a fashion show, and several parties where many government officials attended. We were truly treated like celebrities. For example, one day while shopping, we actually heard our names on the radio. Personal bodyguards also protected us and police escorts wherever we went. Although this was a stressful week with little sleep, it was an experience of a lifetime and one that I will never forget.

Music at it’s Greatest by Eric J. March 12, 2007

The title really is going to make you want to listen to this article. When I walked from the car to the inside of a Target, I was looking for some music but didn’t know what type of music. I got a tip from a friend saying I should pick up this new CD called the Carter II. The rapper, Lil Wayne, makes the album. If you don’t know Lil Wayne you should either buy his music or look him up. When I bought that CD my friend was talking about how amazing it was so, I took it home burned it to my computer and listened away. I listened to what he was saying and he was amazing like no other, spit straight from the heart and put his heart and soul into this. Lil Wayne was not the only one on the CD; his partner Birdman was too and he’s been known to work his way in the music biz. What I saw was a great album making two people become great rappers. I advise you to pick this CD up and listen and be amazed at what two men can do.

Paintball by Steven Biard March 12, 2007

After a few months in the off-season, the players and vendors are enthusiastic for 2007. The past month, before the February 16th-18th tournament, was busy as teams tried to fill in empty spots in their line-up and squeeze in extra practices. The XPSL (Xtreme Paintball Sports League) kicked off its 2007 season on the grass fields at the Kern County Fairgrounds in desolate Bakersfield, California. 120 teams from Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Nevada made up four divisions; Novice, Intermediate, Rookie, and Young Guns. The preliminary rounds were held Friday and Saturday, and then the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals finished the tournament on Sunday. The Novice and Intermediate teams played Friday and fought for the 24 open spots in the quarterfinals. The 54 Rookie teams played all day Saturday in the warm weather battling for 12 spots in the quarterfinals. The competition and desire to start the season strong made for three great days of paintball. G4H, in the Novice division, scored 614 out of a possible 800 points in the prelims ranking third going into Sunday. They carried their strong play into the finals beating Destiny to capture first place. Congratulations to Enigma who won the Intermediate division, Sacramento Ambition who won the Rookie division, and Chims Kidz who won the Young Guns division. The next XPSL event will be held at the Nation Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California from April 27-29. Expect more great competition from all teams.

I Phone by Aurielle Weiss March 12, 2007

I am sure we’ve all heard of the ipod, idog and so on and so fort, but the newest addition to Apple is the iphone. It is a mobile phone, and ipod with touch controls, Internet communications device with email, web browsing, maps, and searching. It lets you control everything with just your fingers. The phone is a Cingular exclusive for $499 with a two-year contract. These phones are already the hottest item we’re looking forward too, so save up your money!

Chipotle by Michael Quinn March 12, 2007

Chipotle is a restaurant that serves “gourmet burritos and tacos”, as their slogan says. If you didn’t already know, our school had a competition with Tustin High School to see how many people would go from each school on a given date and the winner (who happened to be us) gets a free burrito for everyone in the school. A surprising fact is that Chipotle is owned by McDonalds, the food is amazing, and the prices are reasonable. The menu is limited but delicious – tacos, burritos, and salad combined with sauces that vary from mild to extremely. Chipotle has random and modern art that was made from metal and wood in their restaurants and always has a lot of people waiting to make their burritos. Luckily, you can now order online now. The website is user friendly and can remember previous orders. You do, however, get a confirmation call, which is needed because they do not offer online payment yet. A visual presentation of the menu is available on the website and all you have to do is click on the items that you’d like in the burrito or taco, as done in the restaurant. Once the order is placed, and the confirmation call made, the food is ready by the time you reach the restaurant and the best part is that you do not need not stand in the food line. Instead, you can go straight to the billing counter and pick up your food. So, next time you get the urge to eat great Mexican food, try Chipotle. Their burritos are about one pound of great taste.

Theory of Lent by Thomas Waldron March 12, 2007

First off, I would like to say this is not a way to convert anyone. It is just a theory on how we could all be friendlier to each other in our daily lives. Lent is the time, 40 days before Easter, which you give up something, like say I give up Myspace or give up drinking soda. Seriously, I don’t think it’s needed. Why would you need to spend 40 days a year to give up something when you could just give it up for the rest of your life and not have to deal with giving it up every year? That is messed up. I’m not giving up anything for lent. I am giving up worrying, doubt, expectations of other people, emotion or say even grudges for life. We worry too much about things. We doubt our choices we make. We expect so much of people that we don’t realize how much pressure we put on them. We get worked up over the stupidest things. We hold grudges to the people who get us worked up sometimes. The things we don’t think about are what we need to give up, not materialistic stuff that really doesn’t make us corrupt. It’s our mindset that makes us corrupt. Just apply being more patient with people because in the long run, it makes our lives less stressful and your life as well.

Student Spotlight: Jimmy Botheras by Corey Schultz March 12, 2007

Jimmy Botheras is Foothills 145 pound wrestler who placed in every single tournament entered and placed second in league finishing with a solid record.
Q: How was your 06-07 season?
A: My season went very well, I thought I could have gone a little further than I did but I came up short. My record was like 29-8.

O: Anyone you want to get revenge on next year?
A: There was this one kid from Trabuco Hills, Brian Davis, he pinned me the first match and beat me in the following matches by like ten points. I got closer in the last match lasting about thirty seconds till the end. But next when I see him again in league I’m going to beat him bad.

Q: Do you think you could have trained any harder?
A: Yeah I probably could have. I could have lifted a little bit harder and pushed my body harder learning more effective techniques and take down moves. Also I should have trained harder a year ago when the season ended instead of doing nothing.

Q: How do you think you placed in CIF?
A: I went into the tournament feeling confident knowing that I was ranked 11th. My first match at Chino Hills high school was against a MLK student who beat me like 11-5. Then I won the next three matches the first day and lost only one the second day. All I needed to go on was one more win in order to go to masters.

Q: What are you going to do to prepare for next season?
A: Starting now I get up every other day and weight lift before school and jog occasionally on the weekends to keep in shape. Also I am going to start participating in freestyle tournaments on the weekends. So hopefully with all this work I can have an even more successful season next year making it to state.

Q: What are your goals?
A: Make it to state, and place in the top 8 in order to go on to nationals. I’ll try my best to accomplish this.

Bridge to Terebithia by ?? March 12, 2007

Based on the popular Newberry Award winning book, Bridge To Terabithia is a fantasy/adventure story of friendship, family and the power of imagination. The story is about Jesse Aaron Jr. and Leslie Burk, who are both loners at the school, Leslie because she’s new. They both become best friends after they tell each other there secret Jesse likes to draw and Leslie likes fantasy books. My thought about this movie was that it was very boring and very short. It was so boring that I couldn’t keep my eyes open for most of the movie. Towards the end there was a tragic event that I admit caused me to shed a tear and the people around me to full on cry. I don’t recommend this movie anybody above 10 to watch this movie. I am sorry for the people who have to take their sisters or brothers to watch this movie.

Art Review by Elaine Nishiyama March 12, 2007

As expected from the advanced and studio art students, the walls of Mr. Gillette’s art room are filled with exquisite art pieces that reflect the artist’s talent. Mr. Gillette himself is a very talented artist who has hosted art galleries of his own. However, at Foothill High School we have our own art gallery. Near the office, by the ASB room, the walls exhibit some of Foothill’s finest art pieces created in the art room. The walls display Mr. Gillette’s favorite drawings that the students in his advanced and studio classes construct. As an artist, some of my own work has been on placed on the walls of the art gallery behind glass frames. It gives the artist a sense of pride to see one’s artwork displayed for the entire school to see. Unlike beginning or exploratory art, the advanced and studio classes have the freedom to choose their projects. Art is an expression of one’s imagination; it reveals the emotion of the artist, thus giving the artist his or her own style of art. The artworks displayed in the gallery are creative and beautiful and reveal the artist’s personality in many ways.

Irvine Spectrum by Courtney Kuskie March 12, 2007

The Irvine Spectrum is one of the hottest spots around Orange County. It is practically an outside mall, which has many different variations of stores, entertainment, and restaurants. The crowds of people that go there are generally all mixed: old, young, middle-aged, and every other age in between. For entertainment there is a movie theater, carousel, Ferris wheel, live bands/singers, Dave and Busters, and even ice-skating during the winter. There are also a ton of restaurants to choose from including California Pizza Kitchen, Champs, The Cheesecake Factory, Fox Sports Grill, Johnny Rockets, and also a lot of others including a food court and other causal or fancy places to dine. Shopping is the main hot spot at the Spectrum and mostly every store you need to shop at is located here. You’ve got a wide spectrum of stores to choose from all the way from Nordstrom down to Target. The Spectrum provides fun for all ages and it attracts large crowds. Go out and treat yourself to a night on the town at Irvine Spectrum! It’s well worth it.

School Beat Down by Darcy Lobitz March 12, 2007

It’s the end of the semester and you know what’s coming through the mail and soon resting inside of your mailbox, your report card. Parents get disappointed when they believe you aren’t achieving to the best of your ability. You sit and tell them that the class was hard, the teacher was horrible, or that plainly you just didn’t study. The punishment is never easy. At times, I bet that you have thought, “If only I could beat up my teachers and principal for putting me through this.” Well believe it or not in Bari, Italy this actually happened. A very upset Italian family physically beat up a principal because they were unhappy about the grades a relative had received and the newest rule of banning cell phones on campus. Three male relatives, including the father and grandfather of the student, met him in a hallway and attacked him. They punched and pushed Principal Ugo Castorina while school was in session at Lombardi Middle School in Bari. Principal Castorina was taken to the hospital and treated for mild concussions. Police escorted him back to school the next day.” Some people may not like it but standards must be set and rules must be respected if a school is to function,” Castorina told reporters. All of this happened because of a child’s lack of responsibility to take action for his own grades and mistakes. There was no punishment for this child, but instead the principal was punished when he was only trying to improve the education for the students. Is it fair to have this boy back at school when he took such aggressive and abusive action on his own principal?

Foothill Sports, Chloe Valenuela February 21, 2007

At Foothill High school, we are known for our athletics. Sports at foothill are very competitive. Our football team did very good this year. They won League!! Our football seniors did there job to have a very successful year. Some our sports need improvements and adjustments. But that can always be fixed during their physical practices. Our spring sports are right around the corner. Foothills division 1 softball team has a successful year in front of them. They have strong defense and offense. The softball team has great potential and strength to win CIF. Our boys lacrosse team returns with a lot of there starters. The lacrosse team has been very successful in the past year, and has no problem being a strong team this year. Their offense and defense is very strong. At foothill high, we treat our athletes like gold. But we do expect them to perform in the classroom just as well as their sports. We as a team need to keep everyone on track. Good luck to all of our sports at Foothill High school!!

Babel by Marcelo Duarte February 21, 2007

According to the narrative in the Genesis Chapter 11 of the Bible, the Tower of Babel was a tower built by humanity to reach the heavens. God, observing the humanity working as a collective group towards that goal, observing the unity in humanity, decided to destroy the tower, and confuse the previously uniform language of humanity, in order to prevent such attempts. In the same chapter, Babel is etymologized by association with the Hebrew verb Babal “To confuse or confound”.
Through a series of misunderstandings, Babel interweaves many stories that are seemingly unrelated, but are actually tied together by a string of events. It tells the story of a Mexican immigrant who goes back to Mexico to attend her son’s wedding, with the children she baby-sits, and has troubles coming back in, the parents of those kids who traveled to Morocco, where the wife is accidentally shot by two boys, whom are part of a different storyline, of the boys and the family. The rifle they used was bought by a man who acquired it from a Japanese hunter who traveled to Morocco. The Japanese family is part of another storyline, depicting mostly the Japanese man’s deaf-mute daughter and her struggles with society.
The movie depicts a series of tragic events in all storylines, switching back and forth between each, to show how the world is so out of touch with itself, and our difficulty communicating in society. Those are demonstrated in each of the storylines, and helps tell the tale of all these families. The characters are brilliantly portrayed by the actors, whom are interlinked in an almost random way. Each story has problems that they must face up to, and it makes for some incredible emotions showcased in different ways by different people, in different situations, but yet so alike. Nominated for 7 Oscars, including Best Picture of the Year, and 2 nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, 142, rated R. Starring Brad Pitt, Kate Blanchett, Adriana Barraza, Rinko Kikuchi. This movie is definitely worth watching.

Havasu Landing Resort and Casino, Henry Eickhoff February 21, 2007

Havasu landing is one of my favorite getaways for the weekend. The drive from Tustin can take anywhere from three hours to five and a half hours to get there from door to door. This resort isn’t what you think it is it is a mobile home park but it is not your average park. This place has lakefront views and some of the best desert riding in California. This place is great, my family owns a house there and we go all year round, we go there in the summer to go on the lake and take our boat out then we also go in the winter to go dirt biking it is always fun and we have a lot of friends that have houses out there. I love this place so much that I will be going there the rest of my life hopefully buying a house out there. Everyone I have talked to about this place they never say anything bad about Havasu. If you don’t want to spend the whole time on the lake or in the desert there is also a casino for you people twenty-one and over, or you can take the ferry across the lake and go to the city of lake Havasu city in Arizona. One could possibly go shopping or going to see a movie. This place has many good things about it and that is why I love it and I know you will too.

Buddhism, Christina Duong February 21, 2007

Buddhism is an interesting religion that one does not recognize most of the time. At times the religion is so scarce that it is almost forgotten. Buddhism is a religion that shows you how to live life to the fullest. Buddhists believe in following a path to enlightenment. Siddhartha Gotama, also known as Buddha, has brought Buddhism upon us. Buddhism is a religion that focuses on the beauty of life. To that, Buddhism believes that luxury and wealth should be the least of our concern. Buddhism is usually represented by a statue of Buddha with hands laid gently on its lap, with a compassionate smile. The statue encourages one to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. Buddhism is taught in many different ways depending on one’s custom. One thing that one can learn from Buddhism is that in life there are many obstacles one must go through, and it may not be easy but if one can know how to live one’s life it can lead them to true happiness. It also can teach one to always stay moral. “The moral code within Buddhism is the precepts, of which the main five are: not to take the life of anything living, not to take anything not freely given, to abstain from sexual misconduct and sensual overindulgence, to refrain from untrue speech, and to avoid intoxication, that is, losing mindfulness.” Overall, Buddhism teaches one to always stay true to oneself and not only should one believe in the words of Buddha but to go and actually experiment for oneself. Be responsible for ones action and understandings.

Is Homework Too Much? by Amber Carrillo February 21, 2007

When you enter your freshmen year you don’t realize how much work is put into high school, its very eye opening for most students. But as the years go on, students start to get part time jobs they become more involved with school activities and they become more independent as they get older. Now with all of this busyness going on, one would believe that school work could be manageable, but to the students it is a harsh reality. Some teachers don’t realize that students do have other classes and have other obligations. Not trying to say that teachers are unsympathetic but they need to realize that students have other commitments in other courses, and my also have jobs or planning on taking the SAT’s. It becomes almost impossible to manage all of these things at once. One student says, “I have limited time on my hands, but yet I struggle to turn in all of my work on time even if that means sleeping for only five hours.” When you think of it home work is supposed to be a very useful tool trying to get one to further understand the concept that they are learning not to keep them up half of the night. Another student had said, “at times I don’t even remember what we did.” So if teachers are going to give us work at least make it more meaningful and something that we are going to use in the future, but that also meets the requirements of graduating high school. A recent study from Duke University found out that after a maximum of two hours of homework, any learning benefits start to diminish for high scholars. Some countries have come to a conclusion of the homework overload so Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic teachers are assigning less homework on average than their U.S. counterparts. And when to come to terms that whole process of no child left behind, most teachers really disagree with that process every child has different abilities. Since everyone is always talking about how not to cheat or commit plagiarism maybe if the stress and work load is reduced then the need, or urge to cheat will moderate. If you feel like homework is ruling your life, experts suggest having a conversation with the teachers who are overloading you. If discussing the problem solo sounds intimidating, you could get a group together to formally discuss home work with your principal, or attend school board meetings and put homework on the agenda. Another option is considering a change to your schedule. Being realistic about your free time after school could lead to less stress in the long run.