COMBATIVE CANINES

By Jereme Lua

Dogs have been active in the military, alongside the sturdy horses, camera mounted pigeons, and tech savvy soldiers. Dogs have been the friend of man on and off the field of battle, especially two dogs that have made a name for themselves: Stubby, the first dog decorated with the sergeant ranking, and Riley, the media famed gaming dog.

Stubby, the WWI hero, was the first animal decorated in the army through combat. Serving a year and a half on the western front, Stubby was a very successful Bull Terrier. When the Americans entered the Great War on April 6, 1917, Stubby was smuggled into the plane off to Germany in the 26th “Yankee” Division. He was named “Stubby” by the soldiers that smuggled him because of his tail being tiny. Since his deployment, he captured a German spy by biting his leg and dragging him back to camp. Stubby was also helpful in sensing a biological gas, Mustard poison. Mustard gas is color-less and odorless, but very deadly. However, the dog’s deployment came to an end when he was caught in a stray grenade’s blast, sending him back to America with a wound in his chest and leg. Stubby received a big homecoming and was awarded the sergeant rank and humorously outranked his owner.

In today’s internet-based society, a virtual dog named Riley has caused an uproar on social media sites. In the video game Call of Duty: Ghosts, announced on May 21, 2013, Riley has become a media figure and a status symbol. The dog even has her own fake twitter account! She is a virtual German Shepherd equipped with a har-ness that acts like armor. Just like in real time military operations, Riley is used for entering buildings, assisting take-downs, and hunting for mines and explosives. In the game, and in the real world, dogs like Riley have been stress relievers for their owners, and squad col-leagues. Even though it isn’t the year 2026, the date that the game takes place, Riley acts just like her real world counterparts.

Dogs have been very important in the military. They have saved countless lives, and they still do today. There is a program in the army called TEDD (Tactical Explo-sive Detection Dog). They are called upon to find IEDs (improvised explosives). Dogs like Riley and Stubby will help us stay safe for a very long time to come.

AUGUST 18, 2014

FREE

VOLUME VI, ISSUE I

CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2014

PETA Q&A

By Ivan Paz

PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Ani-mals – is a famous group that speaks up against animal abuse. We had an email interview with Emily Rohr, who is a team coordinator for PETA’s Silverlake office. Good Times (GT): Why did you join PETA and why do you think it is an important group? Emily Rohr (ER): I grew up in a vegetarian house-hold and after coming across peta2 I learned about what happens to animals that are used for dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream, etc.) and I knew that I had to do something to help! I joined the Street Team and was able to start helping animals by signing petitions and handing out leaflets at my school. I think that PETA is an important group because we give animals a voice and help people learn what’s happening to animals behind closed doors so that everyone will speak up! GT: Why do you think people abuse animals? ER: Sadly, I think that some people abuse animals simply because they do not know that animals feel pain just like you and me. Animals want to live and de-serve to be happy just as much as we do! Just because we may be more powerful than animals doesn’t mean that they are ours to bully. GT: Can you tell me about saving a particular animal and how it felt to help him?

ER: I adopted Tinker, my companion dog, from a local

GOODTIMESTHE LOS ANGELES ZOO

By Jason Lee

The Los Angeles Zoo has made major upgrades to ensure that visitors can have a great time as well as learn more about magnificent creatures that either aren’t native to North America or are native, but can rarely be seen in our backyards. The zoo recently opened its Rainforests of Americas exhibit, which features red-bellied piranhas, howler monkeys, tapirs, and more. Don’t forget other animals such as the Asian elephants, Campo Reserve gorillas, and the orangutans of the Red Forest. The zoo truly gave an effort to get out with the old to bring in the new. The zoo’s newest exhibit teaches visitors that every animal has a home. The exhibit houses majestic crea-tures that visitors can observe from many angles and learn about. But the main lesson that the zoo wants to get through is that every animal on this planet has a home and currently the living spaces for these animals in the Rainforest is vanishing bit by bit and humans can help make a difference to restore the rainforests of the Americas.

This exhibit is the last of the renovations that the zoo will do according to their plans. They first started off

with the Campo Gorilla Reserve in 2007. (Fun fact: the zoo had to build the Campo Gorilla Reserve exhibit when some of the gorillas, most notably Evelyn who led five, escaped from their enclosure which was intended for bears.) After that, in 2010, the Elephants of Asia, a 3.8 acre enclosure, opened. The zoo divided the enclo-sure into different sections to represent different areas of Asia where the elephants can be spotted. In 2012, the LAIR, a large house for amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles, opened (LAIR stands for Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles.) Finally, the zoo finished off their expansion plans with the addition of the new Rainforests of the Americas exhibit, with Giant River otters and howler monkeys as the main attractions.

The zoo also has enclosures like the Chimpanzees of Mahler Mountains, Red Ape Rain Forest, a nursery for infant animals and more. The zoo has added the Neil Papiano Play Park, a World of Birds Show, a Conser-vation Carousel, and more in the past. With the new additions, old animals and attractions, such as polar bears, trains, robotic dinosaurs, sea lions, and more, had to leave as well. These features may sound cool and exciting but with these gone the zoo can manage to add more features to make the zoo experience better. The zoo needed an upgrade and they have definitely gotten the upgrade they needed.

animal shelter. She was very lonely and sad when I first met her; she wouldn’t even pick her head up from the cold shelter floor. Days after I brought her home I began to earn her trust and she quickly became my best friend! It made me feel great seeing what a huge difference I could make in Tinker’s life. GT: Who started PETA and why? ER: Ingrid Newkirk is the co-founder and current president of PETA and she started PETA as she be-lieves that we need to respect all animals as our fellow beings and they deserve to experience joy and love as we do! GT: Do you let people who eat meat in your group? ER: Everyone can help animals regardless of what they eat. For example you could leaflet at a circus, save a dog from a hot car, or just choose not to buy fur! But, by switching to a vegan diet you do save 100 animals a year and that is pretty cool. GT: Have you saved any birds from cock fighting and do you think people should stop doing it? ER: I’ve never personally saved a bird from cockfight-ing but I believe that people everywhere should stop doing this! Roosters are very smart and beautiful and don’t deserve to be forced to fight for their lives. Before being thrown into the ring to fight many birds have their feathers plucked out and their combs (the red flesh at the top of their head) ripped off.

Ivan Paz, Age 11, School: GCS

http://adease.com/portfolio_page/rainforest-americas

http://www.nytimes.com/

VOLUME VI, ISSUE IGOODTIMES

ANIMAL ENTERTAINMENT

By Kylie Pimenta

It’s fun to look at animals perform, but is it fun for the animals? No, it’s not. Animals have feelings like us and they don’t like to be treated harshly or unfairly. They should be free.

Yes, they should be free away from the circuses. When animals are in circuses they travel in dirty cages and live in them. They are also forced to do tricks over and over again even if they don’t want to. And they must do the trick correctly or they are whipped with an electric prod. They are abused, hit, or beaten up just because they don’t do the trick correctly. But the terrible thing too is that they are separated from their families.

Animals as young as infants can be torn from their families and forced to perform. They live most of their lives in circuses traveling around the globe. It is sad, but true that these animals must face such a hard life from the time they are infants until their last breath. Help these animals be free and stop their performing lives.

My name is Kylie Pimentel and I am 11 years old. I am entering King Middle School in sixth grade. My favorite things to do are draw and read. I play the piano and I am learning to play the guitar.

OMG! I SAW BIGFOOT...JK

By Kaylin Lopez

Do people believe in cryptids? A cryptid is a creature whose existence has not been proven… yet.There are a lot of cryptids all over the world, but the most popular are the Yeti, Chupacabra, Loch Ness Monster, and Bigfoot. The Yeti is tall, walks on two legs, is covered with long white hair and doesn’t wear clothes. Chupacabra is a goat blood-sucking creature. The Loch Ness Monster is a big lake monster. Big-foot is said to be a seven and a half foot tall, ape-like creature that walks on two feet. These might sound scary but they are all known to be a myth. Mostly people try to prove the existence of the cryp-tid, Bigfoot. For example, Rick Dyer, a hunter, was claiming he found and killed Bigfoot. Later he ad-mitted that he lied and he just wanted to trick people into believing Bigfoot exists. Other people might try to prove a cryptid exists by creating an image on a computer. Sometimes the existence of a cryptid can really get proven. For example, people did not believe the platypus existed until the beginning of the 1800’s. The platypus was proven by George Shaw, but found by Captain John Hunter. Shaw thought the platypus was fake so he cut it open and realized it was real.

There is another giant sea monster other than Nessie. It is a giant monster with eight giant tentacles and a giant pointy head. It is called the Giant Squid. This creature was also known to be a myth/cryptid until 1861 when a piece of the squid was found. A video of a full giant squid was taken by scientists in 2002. There is more than just one giant squid, so watch out!

A survey was taken at 826LA Journalism to see how many people believe in cryptids. The question was, “Do you believe in any creature, which its existence has not been proven yet?” There were fourteen stu-dents and six tutors. Nine out of fourteen students believe in a cryptid and four out of six tutors believe in a cryptid. The cryptids that the students and tutors said are Bigfoot, mermaids, aliens, Nessie, and fairies.

There are a lot of creatures everywhere, real or not, so be careful out there! There can be creatures anywhere and anytime.

Kaylin goes to Bancroft Middle School and is in 8th grade. She is 13 years old and is a journalist at 826LA. She really enjoys Math at school and likes doing home-work. She likes journalism because she gets to meet and work with real tutors.

“Although sightings of Bigfoot have been on record since the late 1800’s, the Patterson-Gimlin film is one of the first sources that shows an actual image of the Bigfoot.”Patterson-Gimlin website

DOGS AND CATS - EDITORIAL

By Raeonnya Iverson

I saw a video with a cat in it and it was acting like a dog. It barked like a dog, it fetched like a dog, and it even licked like a dog. It also jumped really high. Even higher than the window of the house. A girl threw a stick in the air and the cat jumped up and caught it in mid-air. I’ve never seen anything like that.There was a girl that said she had a dog that used to be a stray. It was a Jack Russell. A girl had a cat and she is happy that it does the same thing.http://www.bizarbin.com/bigfoot-sightings/

http://rahulalvares.com/

TOP TEN REASONS WHY WE CAN’T TAKE WILD ANIMALS AS PETS

By Allie Kim

1. You could die.2. Some snakes could be poisonous. For example: Cobras3. Some animals have germs.4. Some animals have parasites that could make you sick.

5. People might choose the wrong habitat.6. People could give the animals the wrong food.7. Some animals could give you rabies, which is very painful.8. Taking them from the wild can endanger the species.9. You might get seriously hurt.10. They might bite you so much that you have a serious emergency.

Now you know why getting wild animals as pets is very dangerous.

EDITORIAL : LA BREA TAR PITS, GOOD OR BAD?By Rachael Kim

The La Brea Tar Pits are both good and bad. The La Brea Tar Pits are good, because it tells you about differ-ent kinds of fossils that were stuck in the tar millions of years ago. The La Brea Tar Pits are a little bad because sometimes people don’t really get a full understanding of things.

I think that I like the Tar Pits because it has many activities. I think I can understand things a lot and can learn a lot from the museum.

Scientists in the La Brea Tar Pits get fossils from many different sites called “Excavations”. They use a special tool to clean and dig out the fossils from the tar. Once when the LACMA parking lot was being repaired, scientists found tar pits and fossils there too.

Animals that come from the tar are investigated. Some animals that come from the tar are plants, saber toothed tigers, dire wolves, and much more. They sometimes find small animal bones, such as rats, birds, and even bugs. Some plants and animals still live to this day.

Rachael Kim is 9 years old. She is going in 4th grade. She loves journalism because she loves writing and literature. People think of her appearing funny.

GOODTIMES

THE COYOTE

By Ally Song

Urban coyotes live in cities and even in Los Angeles, where coyotes are seen on hills. Coyotes are only found in North America. Urban coyotes are larger than expected. Urban coyotes are much bigger than scientists thought. They live longer than their rural cousins. They are more awake at nighttime than daytime. The color of their fur is reddish. The body is 32-37 inches long and the tail is about 16 inches. The coyote is a member of the Canidae family and a relative of the domestic dog. Coyotes may occasionally assemble in small packs, but normally hunt alone. In spring, 3-12 pups aer born in a den.

Experts say don’t feed or provide water for coyotes. This practice normally attracts coyotes and promotes increased numbers of rodents, birds, snakes, and other creatures. Coyotes take food that people leave out even if the food is not meant for coyotes. Most coyotes are not dangerous. Feed pets indoors or feed pets outside and then clean the bowl and remove it.

Heidi Garbe from Ohio State University answered some questions about coyotes:

Good Times (GT): How do coyotes catch animals?Heidi Garb (HG): Coyotes are successful hunters because they are very quick, patient, and observant. They also have a great sense of smell, sight, and hearing that allow them to detect prey. The primary part of their diet is composed of rodents. If you ever see a coyote in a field pouncing, they are probably hunting for small mammals like mice or voles which they catch with their teeth or hold down with their paws.

GT: Where do coyotes like to live?HG: Coyotes have adapted to live in many environments. They require a certain amount of green space - that is places they can hide, feed, and raise their families. It may be very green, like a forest preserve or an agricultural area, or less green, like small parks in very urban environments. They try to stay hidden as much as possible so they need areas to stay safe (and out of view from people).

GT: Are cities good places for coyotes to live?HG: Sometimes. Cities offer a different type of envi-ronment for the coyote to live. Although coyotes have adapted to different types of homes, like big cities, that often creates a social problem when people do not want to share their space with wild animals. So cities can be great for coyotes, but they can also create management challenges for both people and animals.

GT: How big are coyote pups?HG: Coyotes are a type of wild dog so their pups are in size much like the pups of an equally sized domestic pet dog. Newborn coyote pups are under 1 pound, but they grow quickly! Adult coyotes average about 30 pounds.

GT: Why do coyotes eat animals?HG: Coyotes are carnivores - they eat animals in order to meet the energy demands that their lifestyle requires and because it is how they were designed. Your domestic dog and cat are both carnivores, too, but they eat pet food which is usually made up of animal sources, too. Coyotes also eat fruits from plants and are very good at adapting to eat whatever food sources are available to them. Coyotes are a very important part of the food chain and circle of life - they help keep other populations regulated so there aren’t too many mice, for instance.

GT: When are coyotes active? Are they nocturnal?HG: It depends where they live. Coyotes in the cities and suburbs are mostly active at night. They have adapted to their environment in order to stay hidden when humans are most active - it is safer for them and works out best for us. However, in rural country areas, coyotes are most active during the day. GT: Who found the first coyote? How were coyotes discovered?HG: This is a big question...observation is the beginning of many discoveries. Although there are several early records of coyote-like animals, Thomas Say is recorded as being the person to scientifically name/identify the animal a coyote (scientific name: Canis latrans).

GT: What do coyotes do? What are their activities?HG: Coyotes spend their time sleeping, hunting, protect-ing their territories, and strengthening family bonds. Certain seasons will see different types of activities. In the spring, when babies are born, packs will spend their time raising the young - feeding and teaching. In the fall, young animals may strike out on their own to find their own new homes/territories. February is breeding season when unmatched coyotes will look for a mate. Did you know that coyote mates stay together for life?

Ally Song is eight years old, turning nine this year. She goes to Wonderland Elementary School. Her favorite thing about journalism is writing questions.

SMALL PACKAGE, BIG CUJO

By Gem Galiciano

This is Cujo (a.k.a BigDog and LS3) in Hawaii on its first patrol on July 14, 2014 at the proving grounds. It is walk-ing behind a Marine, but he is not controlling it because it can automatically follow the leader through rough terrain, just like a real animal. It is based off a pack mule, but more metallic and it can withstand bullets unlike a real pack mule. It was built by Boston Dynamics in 2005 and funded by D.A.R.P.A. in 2012. They developed the Big-Dog system to give soldiers’ and marines’ backs a rest. It can be outfitted with a robotic arm that can pick up things and throw them. But the only downside is it is on its face, which makes it look even bigger and it gives the enemy a chance to locate your position.

Cujo is a very complicated piece of military hardware. For example, it has about 50 sensors built and programmed

into it by Boston Dynamic engineers. Its sensors can measure the altitude and the acceleration of its body, the motion and force of the joint actuators in its legs including its engine speed, and more. Just like any robot, it will have a low-level and high-level control, which does specific things like, position and force the joints (low-level), and velocity and altitude during locomotion (high-level). Cujo can be outfitted with an arm that can carry up to 50 pounds. Part of the 50 sensors in Cujo are located in the legs including joint position and ground contact. It also has a laser gyroscope and a stereo vision systems.

Boston Dynamics is working on another version of the BigDog transport system and it will be called AlphaDog. BigDog is the future of modern warfare because it can take the weight of the heavy packs that they carry and it can save lives.

My name is Gem Anthony G, I’m in 9th grade and I like to play video games and hockey

ANIMAL SACRIFICE

By Arianna Mah-Candelaria

Animal sacrifice has been practiced for millennia all around the world. Almost every culture has at least once practiced this method of godly worshipping. Some practiced this to symbolize the changing course of nature. To many people, animal sacrifice is the ritual of killing an animal as part of their religious practices. And this is true. Most cultures that still practice this sacrifice the animal to show their devotion or continuation of the religion. Some places where animal sacrifice is still practiced are: South Asia, Nepal, and Ancient Egypt.

People mainly practiced this in South Asia because of their culture and their strong beliefs in religion. In Nepal, 250,000 animals are sacrificed every five years as part of a Hindu festival in the Bariyapur vil-lage. At the beginning of the festival, thousands of buffalo are decapitated to honour the Hindu goddess of power, Gadhimai. Many livestock such as chickens, cows, pigs, rats, and pigeons are killed in thousands to worship their gods. They believe that once they sacrifice some thousand animals, in the next five years, their wishes will become true. This festival has become so popular that up to a mil-lion worshippers contribute to this practice to this day.

Ancient Egyptians also practiced this ritual. Many animals in Egypt had very short lives because of this tradition. Dogs and cats were the two main animals that were sacrificed. As part of the tradition, they would kill the animal, speak to the gods, and then mummify them. Many priests would keep hundreds of cats and dogs as pets just to sacrifice them some years later.

Animal sacrifice can be interpreted in many ways, but the main definition is the killing of an animal to praise or worship important gods. South Asians (including those from Nepal, India, and China), Romans, Athenians, and Egyptians were all different types of people with different religions that would practice the sacrificing of an animal. They all had different reasons or ways to sacrifice these creatures, but one thing’s certain: the sacrificing of an ani-mal was practiced very much in our history and in some cases is still practiced today.

Arianna Mah-Candelaria is 13 and entering 8th grade. She enjoys the freedom that writing gives and the way that writ-ing can move someone. She loves to swim, play basketball, and doodle. She lives with her mom, dad, brother, sister, and dog Charlie. She hopes to become a marine biologist one day, and maybe become a writer for the fun of it. She really enjoys com-ing to 826LA because it helps increase the skills of her writing.http://fineartamerica.com/

http://www.engadget.com/

http://bobbyrock.wordpress.com/

VOLUME VI, ISSUE I

GOODTIMES

GRUMPY CAT WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD!

By Ana Sotomayor

A lovable, grumpy-faced cat has taken over the internet, and she’s on her way to taking over our motherplanet. “Grumpy Cat,” the name our cool internet peeps have given the small feline, is an internet famous domestic cat that reminds us of our faces when dreaded Mondays arrive.

Grumpy Cat is a mixed-breed lady whose real name is “Tardar Sauce.” Tardar Sauce was born on April 4, 2012, and her owner is named Tabatha Bundensen. The Ari-zona-born “Grumpy Cat” has been the face of memes, a comedic picture that spreads like wildfire, and has captured our hearts. Grumpy Cat’s internet famous face is thought to be made by the most selling-overbite ever. According to the website grumpycats.com, “Her petite size and famous face is likely due to feline dwarfism and her rear end wobbles a bit when she walks due to this.” Tardar Sauce, interestingly, also answers to the name Grumpy Cat. Such a smart rich cat. Also, some of her profits are donated to animal shelters, which makes her a noble smart rich cat.

Tardar Sauce gained her fame from a picture of her that was posted on the website Reddit on September 22, 2012. The picture spread all over the internet and that was how

ARE YOU AFRAID OF SHARKS?

By Jiate Malvaez

Have you ever seen a shark attack? Sharks usually attack people because they are either curious or confused. If a shark sees you splashing around in the water, that may cause it to investigate, which could lead to an attack. Blood can also attract sharks, even if you are kilometers away. If you are bitten by a shark call for medical assistance im-mediately. If you don’t, there may be a chance that you will die. Can you guess how many shark attacks there were in the past 2 years? In 2012 there were an estimated 80 “unpro-voked” shark attacks. In 2013 there were an estimated 53 “unprovoked” shark attacks. A provoked attack means that a shark in its own habitat caused the attack. The 3 types of unprovoked attacks are: hit-and-run attack, sneak attack, and the bump and bite attack. Most shark attacks happen in North American waters, including Hawaii, the Carib-

bean, and Australia. The chances that a shark bites you are one out of 3.8 million. Do you know how to survive and/or avoid a shark attack? If a shark bites you, try to hit it back on the nose, eye, or gills. If you see a shark coming at you, do not splash around in the water. When you go swimming do not wear bright colors or jewelry because sharks could accidentally mistake it for a colorful fish. Do not try to play dead with a shark because it will not work. If you do, it will think it has won and start to chomp on you furiously. In my opinion sharks are dangerous and weird. I think they are dangerous because they have a serious bite and many razor-sharp teeth. I think they are weird because they have wrinkly gums and different shapes and sizes. I never want to be eaten by a shark. What about you?

Hi. My name is Jiate Malvaez and I’m going to 7th grade at Thomas Starr King MS. I love to play basketball and soccer but mostly I like to golf and ski. I like to be in the sun and snow.

ANIMAL SHELTER DEATH

By Christina Lee

In many animal shelters a dog or cat can be abandoned or left in the shelter. “Animals would be forced to live in cages and kennels for years, lonely and depressed,” says PETA. After a few days the dog or cat will get a shot so it can die in a peaceful way instead of a painful way. About 2.7 million animals are put into shelters each year.

“Euthanasia is a sad reality caused by people who abandon animals,” according to PETA. Euthanasia is the shot to die peacefully, if a dog or cat is ill so it won’t feel the pain. There are some shelters that accept animals without killing them. These shelters are called “no-kill shelters.”

Animals that have been “warehoused” in cages for years can become depressed or aggressive. No Kill Los An-geles says, “spaying and neutering means fewer animals going to shelters.” The Humane Society of the United States ( HUSUS) estimates that animal shelters care for 6-8 million dogs and cats a year. “Some animal shelters have no time limit for holding an animal. The animal getting euthanized depends on the type of shelter they’re in,” says HUSUS. It is also determined by the animal’s condition and behavior.

In some shelters, the time for the animal to get the eu-thanasia shot is five days or seven. In some communities they store the animals’ bodies in sheds and ultimately bury the shed. In larger communities, or with particular regulations, they freeze the body and remove it from the facilities. “In 2013, 3-4 million was the total number of dogs and cats that entered the shelter and were eutha-nized,” says the American Humane Association.

she was given the spotlight. But Grumpy Cat’s official site states that she isn’t always in front of a camera. Her well-being matters very much to her owner. They wouldn’t like to make Grumpy Cat just a money-maker. From Grumpy Cat’s official website, “Tardar Sauce is a member of the family before anything else!” Ben Lashes, Grumpy Cat’s agent, has made the domestic cat gain even more fame. Grumpy Cat now has endorsed a Honey Nut Cheerios commercial, with the well known “Buzz.” “Grumppuccino” has also hit the coffee stocks. How insane is that? And even more mind-boggling, Grumpy Cat’s second book, “A Grumpy Guide To Life” is coming out soon on August 5! The first one, “A Grumpy Book”, debuted at #7 on the New York Times Best-Seller List and was a hit with people. That 2-year old cat is making more money than I ever will. Oh boy.

Grumpy Cat is a very special cat. The big eyes, the purring, and the cute paws, will ensure she goes down in history, and our grumpy-loving hearts, forever. Maybe her invasion of the planet won’t be so bad.

Ana Sotomayor is a fourteen year old who goes to Ramon C. Cortines High School. She lives with her ‘mum’ and her Godzilla-like four-year old sister. She likes journalism because it lets her explore and savor the information of the world. She wants to become an author and live with a million cats. She goes to 826LA because it is awesome.

ENDANGERED ANIMALS

By Andres Mah-Candelaria

There are about 30 million endangered species on earth. Of these, from least to greatest, the top ten are the Arakan Forest Turtle, the Iberian Lynx, the Axolotl, the Spix’s Macaw, the Javan Rhinoceros, the Siamese Crocodile, the Brown Spider Monkey, the Mexican Wolf, the Baiji Dol-phin, and the Northern White Rhinoceros. There are only 10 White Rhinos left in the world, located in California and the Czech Republic.

There are many reasons animals are endangered. Atlantic salmon are endangered because humans are harvesting them in the ocean for food. Polar bears are threatened because of the loss of sea ice from climate change. The Short-Tailed albatross is endangered because of feather hunters. Sea turtles are endangered because of harvesting and climate change, as well as coastal development and pollution.

If people work together to stop poaching, then threatened animals won’t become endangered. Sometimes people poach animals like the elephant for their tusks to make money. This is a problem for two reasons. It is hurting the animal, and the person who kills it is poor and has no other way to make money.

There are about 25,000 polar bears left. They are dying because of air pollution, which creates global warming, which then melts the ice. That makes it harder for polar bears to hunt, so they starve to death. On the website List 25, it said, “The Arakan Forest turtle is so rare that it can only be found in the Arakan hills of Western Myanmar.” Also on the website, it said, “The Baiji Dolphin is one of the most endangered species on earth because there are less than 20 of them left. And there are only 10 White Rhinos left - if those were killed, they would go extinct.” If people don’t stop killing animals, they go from threatened to endangered, and finally to extinct.

My name is Andres Mah-Candelaria. I am 10 years old and I go to Eagle Rock Elementary. I like journalism because I can learn different things while I write.

wikipedia.org

SALEM THE CAT

By Jesenia Reza

Is Salem the black cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch evil or nice? Salem Saberhagen is a 500-year-old witch who has been sentenced to spend 100 years as a cat by the Witches’ Council as punishment for attempting to take over the world. But in the end, he has a soft spot for Sabrina and loves her dearly. He even calls her “Sabreeny”.

Salem is evil, but in a funny way. I remember one time they left him alone in the house and he had a party. He also says stuff like, “What’s wrong with this generation?” And if you ask him, “Do you still want to take over the

world?”, he’ll probably say, “yes” but he may also say, “no, that’s Spanish for no.”

At times, he can be helpful. In one episode he tries to help Sabrina figure out the family secret, but fails. People also believe that he is bad luck because he is a black cat.

Have you ever wondered where the name Salem comes from? Well, I have. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. Do you get it? The Salem witch trials.

Is Salem evil or nice? I don’t know. You decide.

VOLUME VI, ISSUE I

GOODTIMES

THE NIGHTMARES OF THE OCEAN

By Joon Kim

If there is someone who loves scary creatures, they should read this. Most of the actual creepy creatures live deep inside the ocean. Here are a few of them.

The angler fish is one of the most bizarre-looking fish. They are known for having a light source on their head. This is for luring fishes for a meal.

The dragonfish is a creepy creature with large teeth and a light under its chin. But instead of using it to hunt, it signals other dragonfish during mating. Nobody really knows about their mating habits, because they live in the deepest part of the sea.

The giant isopod looks like a huge, creepy roly-poly, but they’re not bugs! They’re actually crustaceans. They live between 550 to 7020 feet deep on a ocean floor. They’re also really huge. They are between 7.5 and 14.5 inches.

They can live for a long time without eating. But when they’re hungry, they eat fish.

The gulper eel is a real nightmare. They have something different from a regular eel: their large mouth. But they have really tiny teeth, so they don’t eat large fish much. Not much is known about this eel, though.

The vampire squid may sound like Dracula, but they’re barely like vampires. In fact, they don’t have suckers. No, the name comes from the red eyes and cloak like webbing.

The stargazer is a rough fish with eyes on top of their heads. They bury themselves in the sand and leap upwards to attack their prey. Their prey is fish and invertebrates like crabs. This fish is also poisonous. The spine produces electricity and electric shocks. Now you know the monsters of the sea. Hope you have a nice time sleeping

DEADLY ANIMALS

By Garland Church

In this article, I will be writing about a deadly animal: the Africanized Honeybee. This is about why it was made like that and who is responsible for this deadly animal.

First, it happened with Dr. Kerr bringing a European bee and bringing an African bee and breeding them together. It ended up bad and about 26 swarms escaped. This all happened in the 1980’s in Brazil.

The bees ended up in the USA in the 1990s and started to spread to the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The bee has spread all over Arizona.

What I liked about this topic is that I learned a lot of stuff and I know what to do when a swarm is after me. When a swarm is after you, you are supposed to run zig-zag.

http://cisr.ucr.edu/

http://philosophyofscienceportal.blogspot.com/

Q: When you start to write, what is the secret to get your ideas flowing?A: Put a vacuum to your ear and your ideas will defi-nitely start to flow out.

Q: How do you get a girlfriend?A: That’s easy. Be cool but not too cool, smart but not too smart, and kind of stupid, but not too stupid. And kind of don’t be yourself. And grow a six-pack.

Q: How do you accidentally steal a car?A: You don’t.

Q: How do you make time to do everything you want to do in one day?A: You can’t. Life is hectic.

Q: I posted an embarrassing Vine of my friend and now

she’s mad at me. What should I do to make her not angry anymore?A: One, embarrass yourself. Two, give her money. Three, buy her food. It’s as simple as it could be.

Q: I think I saw a vampire, what should I do?A: If you’re brave, look for it again and convince people that vampires are real.

Q: I bought lots of expensive games on my mom’s phone. She doesn’t know yet! What should I do?A: Get a job.

Q: How can I get more points in Flappy Bird than my friend?A: Delete the app on your friend’s phone. Or close yourself in a room with a charger for a week and see how that goes.

MOUNTAIN LION IN GRIFFITH PARK

By Sofia Mah-Candelaria

A mountain lion was sick at Griffith Park. It got sick from rat poisoning because the mountain lion ate an animal and the animal ate a rat with rat poisoning.The mountain lion’s skin had something called mange. It is kind like skin cancer. Scientists gave the mountain lion vitamin K shots and medicine to help the mountain lion. After they gave him the medicine he was fine.

The mountain lion’s name is P-22 and it weighs around 110 pounds. Scientists always have cameras up to watch mountain lions. A person looked at a camera that was in disguise and found out P-22, the mountain lion, was sick. P-22’s droppings were the same. P-22’s fur was fall-ing off kind of fast. He was making a face and it looked like a sick face.

Mountain lions can be found from Canada to South America. People have been studying mountain lions since 2002. Mountain lions sometimes have blonde fur or black fur. Mountain lions eat one deer per week. Mountain lions do not eat people. It is very rare if a mountain lion attacks a person. Mountain lions are dangerous to deer.

Sofia Mah-Candelaria is a dog lover and third grader at Eagle Rock Elementary School

ASK A KIDBy Kaylin Lopez and Monica Lee

VOLUME VI, ISSUE I

GOODTIMES

The Good Times is written by the students of the 826LA in Echo Park

Journalism workshop.

1714 W. Sunset Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90026

VOLUNTEER AT 826LA!826LA, a non-profit tutoring center for students and budding literary

enthusiasts ages 6–18, is looking for adult volunteers in every shape, form

and skilled capacity, and for all hours and days of the week.

Write to us at: iwanttohelp@826la.org

Check out our website at: www.826la.org

AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING

From Monday to Thursday, students rush to 826LA after school for free individ-ual tutoring in all subjects. Once homework is completed, students read books from 826LA’s library and write stories based on a monthly theme. Students sub-mit their writing for inclusion in chapbooks, which 826LA publishes throughout the year. To celebrate students’ hard work, 826LA unveils these chapbooks at book release parties, where students read their work to thunderous applause from their tutors, families, and peers.

IN-SCHOOL SUPPORT

Because not all students can come to us, 826LA brings specially trained volun-teer tutors into under-resourced public schools. There volunteers provide one-on-one assistance with writing projects. 826LA works with teachers to craft all projects, which are designed to engage students while targeting curricular issues. This year, 826LA will provide year-round programming at Manual Arts High School in South L.A. through a grant from AmeriCorps VISTA!

WORKSHOPS

826LA’s workshops bring students together with artists, writers, and profession-als for creative collaboration. Whether the subject is journalism or preparing for the zombie apocalypse, our workshops foster creativity while strengthening writing skills.

FIELD TRIPS

Weekday mornings, public school teachers bring their students to 826LA for a morning of collaboration, creativity, and writing. Whether the topic is Storytell-ing & Bookmaking, Choose Your Own Adventure, or something entirely differ-ent, these three-hour field trips are always in high demand. Every student leaves with an individualized publication of the finished story under his or her arm, complete with illustrations and an author photo! 100% of teachers report that their students take a new excitement for writing back to the classroom thanks to 826LA’s field trips.

ABOUT 826LA

ANIMAL ABUSE

By Monica Lee

Looking at an animal locked up in a cage. Scared. Whim-pering for help. Animal abuse is a nightmare for any type of animal. Animals are abused because the people who are treating them are emotionally hurt or they have emotional problems. Some people might abuse an animal without knowing that they are. They might want to train the animal so they beat them if the animal misbehaves or does the trick wrong. Another way that people might abuse animals is to see what the animal would do. Sometimes people might hurt animals because they feel powerful. When people want to hurt another human, they might hurt animals instead, so that they can let all their anger out. There are many ways that people could harm animals. People with emotional problems will usually beat, shoot, stab, or set the animal(s) on fire. There are different ways that people could abuse animals. Instead of beating them or hurting them, several people hoard them. Hoarding animals is a type of animal cruelty because the animals won’t have enough to eat or drink and they won’t have enough air to breath. Another type of animal cruelty is animal testing. Some people (such as scientists) believe that it isn’t animal cruelty. Some people would agree with those scientists. If it hurts the animals badly, then it should be known as animal cruelty. Other types of animal abuse could be at carnivals or fairs. A game that is abusive to animals is the game where you win a fish. In order to win a fish, you have to toss a small ball in one of the fish’s bowls. Some people would agree that this is a type of animal abuse since the fish has to dodge the ball.

People who abuse these animals should definitely be punished. Each different state has their own punishment. Several places have a huge punishment, such as California.

In California, the fine is 20,000 dollars and a year in the county jail or the state prison. Some places don’t really take animal cruelty as a huge deal, such as Iowa. In Iowa, the fine for animal abuse is 100 dollars and 30 days in prison. No one really knows how many animals have died since some people don’t know what animal abuse could or couldn’t be. In 2007, 1800 animals had been abused, but no one really knows the actual number.

There are different types of organizations that help prevent animal abuse. Some examples are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (a.k.a. ASPCA), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (a.k.a. PETA), American Humane Association (a.k.a. AHA), and other organizations. These organizations help animals, and if you donate 60 cents to ASPCA, they will rescue one mistreated animal. You can help save an animal with just

60 cents. You can become a hero.

Now knowing facts about animal abuse, try to donate money to some of these organizations. Animals can’t do much without our help. Although they aren’t humans, they are breathing and living, like us. We should treat them with the same respect. We can’t control these animals, but we should be responsible for them. We have to protect them, because they don’t know what is going on in the world.

Monica Lee is 13 years old and going into 8th grade. She goes to Eagle Rock Jr./Sr. High. She enjoys going to journalism, because she can improve her writing and can meet new human

http://www.cardonationwizard.com/

VOLUME VI, ISSUE I