Volume XIV, Issue III: November 2, 20124515 Portola Pkwy. IrvIne, Ca 92620www.thehowleronlIne.org

wesley Chen The Northwood Howler

PUMPED UP: Students show school spirit by cheering at the first Homecoing rally, which was held Oct. 26. Members of the Homecoming Court were announced, and the class councils performed dances that coordinated with their themes.

SPOILER ALERT:TV LAND Homecoming

By JaIme maCDonalDStaff Writer

Tonight’s Homecoming Dance will be bigger and better than those of previous years, according to senior class president Sabrina Alonso. ASB has set up the gym in a new format and different activities have been planned.

“I know Northwood is going to love the dance we’ve planned for them,” said Alonso. “We added new things that I am so excited for and feel that the student body will love too.”

One of the new additions is something usually reserved for formal dances: professional photos. Photog-raphy company My Free Shots will be at the door taking photos of students as they walk into the dance. The backdrops of the photos will match each class’ theme: Cartoon Network for seniors, ESPN for juniors, Animal Planet for sophomores and Travel Channel for freshmen.

Also, students will have the op-portunity to take these photos with entire groups of friends, instead of just in couples.

“I feel that the majority of stu-dents will have a lot of fun taking these professional pictures with all their friends as they pose right before entering the gym,” said Alonso. “They can do funny poses or whatever they

want to keep as memories.” The photographs will be avail-

able online for viewing a couple days after the dance.

In keeping with the theme, TV LAND, a 20-foot circular television screen will be a decoration used to transform the gym’s interior with im-ages. There will also be more room to dance, as the DJ’s equipment and platforms will be arranged in a new way to provide more space.

Outside, a blow-up obstacle course and casino tables will be avail-able to provide a variety of activities

throughout the evening.ASB and class councils have

worked since August in order to create a memorable dance for students. The Homecoming Dance is a collaborative effort among all class councils and ASB, as opposed to other dances, which are planned only by specific class councils.

“A lot of effort and time went into planning this dance,” said senior Rachel McMains, ASB secretary. “I am positive the students will think this dance will be the most fun informal dance yet.”

Presidential Election of 2012

Fragile Children

Brush up on the election with The Howler’s election guide.

CENTERSPREAD 8-9 VIEWPOINT 10

Howler E-in-C Megan Nazareno and News Editor Aleena Karamally debate on whether Irvine students are too sheltered.

[Homecoming] will be the best informal dance yet.

“

“

NEWSNovember 2, 2012 The Northwood Howler2

Nine candidates are running for three open positions on the IUSD School Board in the November elec-tion. The candidates participated in a forum and released public statements. Some candidates were also present at the IPSF Spirit of Excellence Gala on Oct. 27.

Michelle Ollada Alipio is a school nurse and parent at Eastshore Elementary. In her public statement, she said she believes her experience interacting with education stakehold-ers will be a valuable addition to the board. At the forum, Alipio encour-aged the district to draw funding from local partnerships instead of being entirely dependent on Sacramento.

Paul Bokota is a local busi-nessman and father of three IUSD students. At the forum, he encour-aged IUSD to generate local revenue to support schools. He has experi-ence on the IUSD Finance Commit-tee, PTA President and School Site Council member. According to his public statement, his top priorities include finding top teachers, provid-ing accountability with taxpayer dol-lars and ensuring that Irvine schools maintain their reputation as world-

class schools. Lauren Brooks is a business-

woman and educator. She said that she supported the implementation of new technology to help students bet-ter apply learned information. Brooks intends to preserve Irvine’s world-class schools, retain top teachers and protect programs that distinguish IUSD from other school districts, ac-cording to her statement.

Margaret Brown is a school planning director. She has more than two decades of experience as an ad-ministrator, according to her public statement. She plans to focus on im-proving the infrastructure of the dis-trict, pressuring Sacramento to fund arts and science programs and ensur-ing that the state, not parents, pay for education.

Omar Ezzeldine is an educator and finance commissioner. He said the budget is the district’s top prior-ity and encouraged the development of an appreciation for Irvine’s arts and sciences program at the forum. According to his statement, he be-lieves he will be an asset to the board because he knows education, finance and the city of Irvine well.

Carolyn Inmon is a retired teacher. She said she supports the protection of arts and science pro-

grams and encouraged a holistic ap-proach to education. In her public statement, she said she is committed to advocating for Irvine’s schools and students.

Michael Parham is the current IUSD School Board president. He encouraged further development of IUSD’s local partnerships. Parham is an advocator of sports, music and extracurricular activities that produce well-rounded students, according to his statement.

Bob Vu is an educator, scientist and entrepreneur. He believes that he can use his skills in innovation and education to create new solutions to control the budget and create pro-grams that help make students in-novative thinkers and keep Irvine’s schools performing at top levels, ac-cording to his statement. Vu hopes to use the education system to help students become innovative thinkers who will be competitive in the job market.

Cyril Yu is the Deputy District Attorney. At the forum, he supported the development of a new funding model that is not dependent on Sac-ramento. In his statement, Yu said he is committed to maintaining a safe environment for Irvine schools and students.

Three IUSD School Board seats are up for reelection in November

By AleenA KArAmAllyNews Editor

PArAm ShAh The Northwood Howler

SUpporterS of eDUcatIoN: Some board candidates were among the 400 major donors, local dignitaries and corporate, civic and community leaders that attended the IPSF gala to honor notable IUSD alumni and participate in an auction, whose proceeds will support education in Irvine.

Over the past month, Northwood’s Speech and Debate board and Adviser Vernon Brock have worked to organize a Speech and Debate league tournament, which will be held Nov. 3.

“We’ve put in a lot of time and effort into making this happen,” said Brock. “It’s going to be great.”

According to Brock, Northwood has been hosting an league tournament around this time since last year. To make sure that everything runs smoothly, all Speech and Debate members are volunteering while they compete.

“[Despite last year being] our

Northwood will host Speech and Debate tournament Saturday

Photo provided by ASAd KArAmAlly

focUS, teaM: Senior Jay Gopal, Speech and Debate president, delivers a pep talk to his team members before a competition.

first year, it still was very organized,” said senior Hannah Kim, publicity officer of Speech and Debate. “I'm confident that the tournament will be great this year as well.”

On the morning of the tournament, Speech and Debate students will prepare Northwood’s campus by setting up signs and posters to direct the hundreds of students arriving from various schools to designated classrooms.

During the day, Northwood students will also go around school with constant updates on scores and room numbers for competitors.

Because everyone in the class is required to help out for class credit, senior Saurabh Patil, treasurer of Speech and Debate, said the team has set up different shifts to accomodate each class member’s competition schedule.

“It’s important that members of the team contribute in any way we can,” said sophomore Kevin Lee.

As the host school, Northwood will be opening dozens of classrooms for the competition. Student volunteers are also responsible for maintaining the rooms.

Senior president Jay Gopal said

parents are also a very important part of the tournament. In addition to serving as judges, they will be in charge of the food booth, which raises funds for the team.

“Compared to last year, I think we are a lot more prepared for this tournament, as we have worked out the minor details that we missed last year,” said Brock. “We are looking forward to a great tournament, both as a host and a competitor.”

By ChriS SunStaff Writer

NEWSThe Northwood Howler 3November 2, 2012

Northwood’s Amnesty International hosted its annual Freshman Discussions on Oct. 19 and Oct. 22. This event was run by student facilitators, who led human rights discussions in freshman history classes.

Thirty-nine volunteers went through a training seminar to understand the human rights topics introduced in their discussions. Of these facilitate, 19 were members of Amnesty International and 20 were volunteers.

“I was willing to miss class to facilitate Freshman Discussions because of my belief that encouraging

fellow students to really think about human rights and other issues is well worth my time,” said Amnesty International member Brandon Chen. “Regardless of what stance any of us may take on a particular topic, it is important to be aware that these issues exist and form our own opinions of them.”

Some of the issues discussed include universal health care, birth control, the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques,” the death penalty, gay rights, the Taliban attack on the child activist Malala Yousufzai in Pakistan, and illegal immigration in America. Amnesty’s board members selected these issues for their relevance to human rights.

President Aditya Tadanki said

he and other club members felt that introducing these controversial issues is important to understanding and being aware of what is happening around the world and is also the initial step in improving the world.

"This was a truly great experience,” said senior Annette Lee, who volunteered as a facilitator. “I got a chance to hear about the different views of the freshmen. I am impressed by the fact that they were all open to new ideas and also how knowledgeable they are on the issues we discussed.”

Tadanki said he hopes that the Freshman Discussions raises awareness of various human rights issues around the world. These discussions give freshmen the

opportunity to share their ideas in a healthy environment where everyone is encouraged to share their beliefs.

“I really thought this discussion was rewarding,” said freshman Lisa Olsen. “I learned so much about various issues that I was not familiar with before.”

Mary DeLuca, the Amnesty International adviser, said Freshmen Discussions are important because they often introduce students to the concept of human rights as a natural right. After the discussions, she said some students looked deeper into the issue of human rights.

“Northwood students are future leaders, so the more informed they are as global citizens, the better the future will be,” said DeLuca.

Staff WriterBy Tiffany Tsai

Marine Science teacher Everett Yee demonstrated how to use Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) gear in the Northwood pool for his classes on Oct. 24-25.

"Mr. Yee is the best teacher in the world,” said senior Sara Alcaraz. “What other teacher teaches you how to scuba dive at school?"

Yee first demonstrated how to drink a Capri Sun underwater. He said drinking underwater without taking in seawater is possible as long as the container is collapsible.

“After a long dive, the air makes your throat dry,” said Yee. “So it's nice to be able to take a drink toward the end of your dive.”

Yee then showed how to make a lift bag that can be used to recover heavy objects. He blew up a plastic bag with air from his air tank.

During Period 2, senior Chris McFadden demonstrated the scuba gear for the class while Yee, on the deck, explained what McFadden was doing. There were two certified lifeguards in the class, and, since McFadden is a certified scuba diver, it was legal for him to demonstrate.

McFadden said he volunteered because “it sounded like a lot of fun.”

“I mean, who wouldn’t want to be the first and only student to scuba dive in the Northwood pool? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said McFadden.

Yee said the best way to observe marine life is to get in the water, and that SCUBA is one of the tools that can be used when scuba diving.

“I recommend it to anyone who likes the ocean and its organisms,” said Yee. “I want my students to pursue a certification if this is something that interests them.”

Yee began to exhibit these demonstrations last year and hopes to continue them in the future.

Amnesty Freshman Discussions inspire Northwood’s freshmen

News EditorBy ChrisTina Ko

Northwood celebrates Red Ribbon Week

Yee scuba dives in Northwood pool

The City of Irvine launched an updated its first mobile application, Access Irvine, on Aug. 6 to allow Irvine residents to stay connected to their community while on the go.

The application offers a variety of services from city event information and teen resources to maps and public contact information. For example, the “City Events” button takes users to a list of upcoming events, along with the date, time, location and contact information for each event. And, to help residents find the location of these events, the “Parks and Facilities” button provides interactive maps to different community park locations.

In addition, there is a section specifically targeted toward teenag-ers, which includes phone numbers and emails that allow teens to contact youth volunteering centers and local businesses with available job op-

portunities. It also provides resources that can help teens deal with stress, thoughts of suicide and other problems they may be struggling to handle on their own.

The application also has a feature that enables residents to contact the Irvine Police Department and submit crime tips with the press of a button. The crime tip submitter can include a picture and location of the crime, along with a description. The tip then makes its way to the police, who determine its urgency.

“Sometimes you want to report a non-emergency crime like a stolen bike, and the app makes it easier to contact IPD,” said Northwood senior Crystal Hsieh.

Hessing Software originally de-signed Access Irvine with the intention of providing teenagers with a simple way to anonymously submit crime tips to the police department. How-ever, Hessing Software later decided to redesign the application to make it

more versatile in order to appeal to a wider variety of Irvine residents who have more diverse needs.

“The app was originally intended for teens, but developed to provide on-the-go for residents, businesses and visitors with a connection to city services via their mobile devices," said Irvine’s director of public affairs and communications, Craig Reem, to the OC Register.

The updated version of Access Irvine includes an improved “Crime Tip” location selection and added warning messages saying that the crime tip was unable to be submit-ted in the event of a crime tip upload failure. If the crime tip is unable to be submitted at the time, the application provides direct contact information to the Irvine Police Department.

The application can be down-loaded for free on the iPhone, iTouch, iPad and the Android. The city plans to release another updated version within the next month.

The bubble becomes high-tech

Staff WriterBy KaTie haines

Staff WriterBy Jaime maCDonalD

niCole Wu Northwood HowlerAccess IRvINe: The City of Irvine released an app that allows residents to stay informed about city events.

Wesley Chen Northwood HowlerReD RIbboNs: ASB hung decorations around the school in celebration of Red Ribbon Week, which promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Wesley Chen Northwood Howler

niCole Wu Northwood Howler

scubA At school: Mr. Yee sits on the deck of the Northwood pool, about to demonstrate the correct use of SCUBA gear to his students.

A red balloon arch welcomed students to school on Monday morning, marking the beginning of Red Ribbon Week, which was held Oct. 22-26.

The purpose of this week was to bring awareness of the consequences of drugs and alcohol and promote healthy living for the adolescents of Northwood.

“The activities and dress-up days during Red Ribbon week are super fun, but I think it’s important that we don’t forget what we are really supporting,” said junior

Grace Kim-E, ASB community representative.

To draw more attention to this week, ASB incorporated games, prizes and spirit days. For example, students who wore red on Wednesday of Red Ribbon Week were offered free Bruegger’s bagels by the Oak Tree as they walked to their first period. Also, lunch fests located by the Oak Tree featured music and dancing. During the second lunch fest, a police officer visited to speak

about and demonstrate the negative effects of being under the influence with “drunk goggles.”

In addition, red bracelets were given to students in TA as symbols of students’ stances against drugs and alcohol abuse, and could be used for discounts at local eateries during the week.

“Food places around the area were really excited to contribute with these discount opportunities,” said ASB secretary Rachel McMains.

McMains said that these types of discounts will also be available next year. Baskin Robbins, Subway and Carl’s Jr. were just a few of the shops that offered special deals this

year.ASB also continued the tradition

of the Penny War, a competition in which students could donate money to support Northwood and the City of Irvine’s community projects by putting pennies into their respective class jars.

In total, Northwood students raised around $95. Two-thirds of the money went to Northwood and the rest was donated to community projects by the City of Irvine.

ACCENTNovember 2, 2012 The Northwood Howler4

An average Northwood student can spend hundreds of dollars each school year on things ranging from school supplies to gas to Chipotle burritos.To combat these costs, some students have gotten jobs. Four of such student share their job experiences.

Annette Lee - Youth Action TeamThough, for many students at

Northwood, working with the Youth Action Team (YAT) is just another extracurricular activity, for Northwood senior Annette Lee, it’s a job.

“I love working for YAT,” said Lee. “Most of the time it doesn’t feel like a job. I can’t believe I’m getting paid [to do] this.”

As a representative of YAT, she works with the city to plan forums, community service projects, dances, and other activities for teens in Irvine. Lee said she enjoys working with different people and has learned how to collaborate with them.

“I’ve learned that communication is really important in a job,” said Lee. “You have to interact with and relate information to not only your co-workers but also other people.”

Matthew Kupferer - Chick-fil-AEven though he works at Chick-

fil-A in the Marketplace, senior Matthew Kupferer has never made its famous chicken sandwich. He has, however, helped customers, cleaned tables, and taken, bagged, and delivered orders.

“I love working there,” said

Kupferer. “I work with a lot of great people [and] have made several friends on the staff.”

Though Kupferer has found many customers to be good people, some of them were more difficult to serve. At the end of the day, however, he said communicating with those trying customers has taught him an important lesson.

“I have learned a lot about having to deal with people that are rather mad at you,” said Kupferer. “When customers are complaining about something with the food, having to keep your cool has taught me a lot.”

Chelsea Strong - KumonWhile tutors at our own tutoring

center help other Northwood students,

senior Chelsea Strong teaches kids of ages three to seven in math and reading at the Kumon at the Woodbridge Village Center.

“I really like teaching there,” said Strong. “The kids are so adorable! Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming when there are six kids all asking for my help but it never gets boring.”

Though she can give lessons on her own now, when she first began teaching, Strong needed to be trained by other teachers.

“They showed me how to teach the basic things,” said Strong. “At first, I wasn’t even sure of how to teach a kid single digit addition.”

Having a job isn’t easy; Strong said she has found time management to be a challenge.

“I’ve already had a handful of late nights struggling to finish AP Government and Biology homework,” said Strong. “”[I’ve learned] to do as much work whenever I can.”

Kaylee Compton - Blaze PizzaAt the Chipotle-esque eatery

Blaze Pizza, customers get to choose their toppings, watch their pizza cook, and, between bites, speak with Northwood senior Kaylee Compton. While working the cash register and making and cutting pizza, she enjoys the company of her coworkers.

“We are always laughing about something,” said Compton. “[We have fun] making inside jokes or laughing at people who ask if bacon counts as a vegetable.”

Though working at Blaze Pizza can be entertaining, Compton said that having a job is like taking a step towards becoming a responsible adult.

“It’s really taught me how to manage my paychecks and my time,” said Compton. “[I’ve learned to put] pride and effort into every action,” said Compton. “When you get a job, no one is held accountable for what you do except yourself.”

Jobs can provide opportunities for students to meet new people, become more responsible and experience the work environment and ethic. Timberwolves interested in making money or becoming more independent should consider joining their classmates in the workplace.

From homework to work: student workersBy ElainE luStaff Writer

Param Shah The Northwood Howler

Spectacular StudentS: Seniors Annette Lee, Matthew Kupferer, Chelsea Strong and Kaylee Compton show off their work uniforms.

Hidden treasure: Sunset Beach

Driving down Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), you pass by the well-maintained streets of Newport Beach and the bustling boardwalk of Huntington Beach Pier. Farther down PCH, chain restaurants and retail stores begin to fade away and are replaced by quirky beachfront homes and family-run businesses. You’ve come upon a pearl that stands out from other beachfront cities: you’ve come upon Sunset Beach.

Although technically part of Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach is a unique community that can been described as Huntington Beach’s less popular, yet just as magnificent, sister. And visitors of the area instantly see why: Sunset Beach is less hectic and attracts a different type of crowd.

There’s a variety of small businesses, ranging from pet salons to psychics to inns and motels. A trip to Sunset Beach wouldn’t be complete without kayaking or paddleboarding through Huntington Harbour and gazing at the luxurious waterfront homes and their equally grand yachts.

Sunset Kayak Rentals (16862 PCH, 90742) offers rates as low as $15 for two hours.

Afterwards, you can dine at one of the many restaurants, each with its own spin on the classic salty, sun-dried character that pervades Sunset Beach. A popular option is Harbor House Café (16341 PCH, 90742), with its vintage movie posters on the walls and ceilings. Harbor House is a 24-hour diner that draws jolly, old men early in the morning and hipster college students during the late hours.

And of course, Sunset Beach boasts a quality beach with gentle waves and a view of the horizon unobstructed by oil rigs or boats. Although lacking barbeque pits and volleyball nets, these shortcomings are a gift. One can enjoy a peaceful tanning session, without having to endure rowdy tourists and loud masses of teenagers.

Sunset Beach, with its separate identity and enchanting character, stands apart from its more trendy neighbors. A visit to the area will reveal a hidden side of Orange County that has been largely unaffected by time and commercialization.

A sandwich is a typical American meal, but proves to be as versatile as it is delicious. Which Wich, a sandwich shop located near UCI, claims to create “superior sandwiches” that are made to fit everyone’s appetite.

Distinct from Quiznos and Subway, Which Wich provides a different method of choosing your sandwich, with 50 types of customizable “wiches.” When you first enter the store, you are greeted by a rack containing 10 separate piles of different paper bags. Customers choose a certain paper bag depending

on what type of sandwich they would like. Which Wich has everything from the more common sandwiches, such as turkey and chicken, to its own specialties like “The Wicked” and “comforts.”

After choosing the paper bag, you grab a red Sharpie from a silver tin and mark all the desired ingredients. Upon completion, you can head over to the cash register, wait for your sandwich to be made and enjoy.

In addition to sandwiches, the store also sells chips, treats and shakes. The shakes are offered in various flavors such as vanilla, banana, pineapple and more.

Besides the great eats, Which Wich is a fun and innovative area to hang out with your friends. It has become a favorite place for many college students who come for its healthy food and lively environment. After you are done eating, you can doodle on the back of the paper bag with a red Sharpie, and hang it on the community wall.

Whether you want a meaty sandwich with five different types of meat layered on your bread, or a veggie sandwich with fresh avocados and lettuce, Which Wich can meet your needs. Next time you get hungry, ask yourself: which wich are you craving?

Which wich for you?

By mEgan nazarEnoEditor-in-Chief

latimesblogs.latimes.com

reFreSHing Serenity: This hidden jewel offers both a calm atmosphere and a variety of activities from dining to kayaking.

By ChriStinE lEEStaff Writer

ChriStinE lEE The Northwood Howler

one-oF-a-kind dining: The unique style of service allows costumers to choose their own sandwich ingredients. Would you like some cheese on that?

ACCENTThe Northwood Howler 5November 2, 2012

During this festive season, I can’t think of a better way to impress someone than by cooking an utterly fancy morning feast, complete with numerous fixings. “Decadent” is quite an apt word to describe such a recipe as this: a waffle recipe so fancy it could even be classified under the dessert category. These waffles, made from scratch with a caramelized banana topping, are easy to execute and have a real wow factor

when presented. Try them out at your next party, brunch, family gathering, social friend breakfast or simply by yourself. “It’s-made-from-scratch!” Waffles with Banana Topping

What You Will Need:Waffle Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour1 cup whole-wheat flour½ tsp. baking soda1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. salt3 tbsp. sugar

Waffles, bananas and breakfast with Rohan

Teachers Speak: advice for writing college applications

It’s that time of year when many of you seniors are stressing over college applications. What schools to apply to, whether to apply early or not, what to write about in your essays, and if you could even afford such ridiculous college tuitions. Let’s take a step back and see what teachers at Northwood have to say about college applications.

“Don’t write what you think colleges want to hear. Write from your heart.” -Kathi Smith

“The best essays I’ve read are ones where the writer’s voice is clear, verbs are powerful, and there are no clichés.” -Jeanna Heck

“Begin college essays early so you have time for multiple revisions. Write from your heart. Let your voice and character be heard, so the person reading it can imagine that you are telling them about your life. And more than anything, write about yourself and what makes you impressive, no matter how inconsequential it may seem to you. Show them what you have learned or learned to appreciate about life.” -Erik Emery

“Don’t worry about the name. Go somewhere where you will be happy…unless it’s USC.” -Eric Keith

“Do not wait until the last minute to ask teachers for recommendations. It takes us a long time to write them”- Aruna Reduchintala

“Apply to schools that specialize in your areas of interests. Don’t focus so much on overall school reputation.” -Kimberly Hermans

3 whole eggs, beaten2 oz. unsalted butter, melted16 oz. buttermilk, room temp.Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

Banana Topping:1 ½ sticks of butter ¾ cup light brown sugar4 or 5 large bananas, cut into hghcoins on an angle¼ tsp. of vanilla extract

How to Cook Them:The Waffles:

Preheat your waffle iron

according to the manufacturer’s directions.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Allow to rest for five minutes.

Spray the waffle iron right before placing batter within. Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer’s recommendations,

after having of course sprayed the pan. Close the iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron. You can serve them immediately or keep warm in a 200° F oven until ready to serve.

The Bananas:In a large skillet, melt butter.

Using a wooden spoon, add brown sugar and stir together. Add the banana slices and cook them on one side until caramelized, flip and leave until browned on both sides, over medium-high heat. Then turn down the pan for a couple minutes to low, to let the caramel slowly change color to a color a tad past light brown or to whatever degree of caramel you like, as long as it is not burnt. Once ready, add the vanilla and then shut off the flame keep aside for the ceremonial preparing of the waffle and topping.

Final Presentation:Take a waffle, enrobe it with the

banana topping, and the rest is up to you. The possibilities are endless. For example, freshly whipped Chantilly cream, which is nothing but cream, a couple tablespoons of sugar and a splash of vanilla extract, all whipped together. Or perhaps you could add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even a quickly whipped up cream cheese icing to surely send this dish over the top. Simply combine equal parts of butter and cream cheese, sugar to your liking, a very small pinch of salt and a hint of vanilla extract. The one key part of this all is to serve with either a fresh strawberry as garnish or with a sprig of mint.

“Don’t put applications off until right before the deadline. Plan ahead, read directions, look at deadlines, and take time to revise essays and applications (proofread everything!). Set up a meeting with your counselor to go over college choices, letters, and any other questions you have.” - Jessica Peterson

“Just calm down!” -John Olivares

“In Soviet Russia, you don’t choose colleges. Colleges choose you.” -Vadim Rubin

“Do not wait until 11:59 p.m. to press submit. Just do it!” -Natalie Hamilton

“Don’t stress! Do your best at writing a captivating essay and keep polishing your statement. Get input from your English teachers, your family, your friends and keep rewriting your essay, so its publish-worthy!” -Melanie Hanley

“Target your application. Don’t fire out 60 applications!” -Steven Plette

“Catch the admissions officer’s eye. Do something different, maybe a distinct opening statement. I would do something that might be totally off the wall. Don’t forget that it doesn’t have to be anything super fancy.” -Terry Trank

“Feel comfortable with who you are and apply to a school that fits that.” -Sandy Banks

“Please spend some time early on with your counselor and let us help you! This should be a special time in your life and you should not go it alone.” - Anne Klenk

By Rohan RamananContributing Writer

Photo PRovided By Rohan Ramanan

BliSSful BReakfaST: The completed dish is pictured on the left. The brains behind this creation, Rohan Ramanan, is pictured on the right.

By BRandon ChoiJunk Editor

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTNovember 2, 2012 The Northwood Howler6

By Tim Shieh & YaSh GupTaBusiness Manager & Sports Editor

Orange County is home to many talented young musicians. One such group based here in Irvine is the high school band, Breach the Summit, with members Olen Kittlesen, Sam Beresford and Jacob Berger. The band has started to gain popularity and recognition in the music industry.The Howler sat down with the up-and-coming band for a few questions regarding its path to success.

Tim Shieh: Can you tell us a little bit about how you guys got started and what motivated you to begin?Breach the Summit: About five years ago, Sam and Jacob had a mu-sic teacher whose name was Todd Larsen. He formed a bunch of his stu-dents together and taught them how to play music. We started out playing mostly covers and small showcases for our parents for about two years, but after two years Todd Larsen came down with leukemia. Eventually he passed away, but we decided to keep going and do everything on our own.

Yash Gupta: Could you tell us a bit about your performing experience?

BTS: We played our first Battle of Bands three years ago, in which we won the preliminary round but not the best of Battle of Bands. The next two years we won best of Battle of Bands, and through that time we just contin-ued to grow as musicians. We were able to get a little attention from these competitions—not as much as we

have now—but we got our foot in the door. Over the summer, we teamed up with Josh Kim, [who] plays bass at UCLA, and went up and down the coast of California and did a mini-tour. It wasn’t professional, but we really just wanted to get a taste of the industry and team up with bigger bands to get our name out there. The

tour really was a humbling experi-ence and really enjoyable as well.

TS: Are there any musical influences that you guys have?BTS: You know, the main thing for us is that we really want to keep our musical integrity. We don’t want to sit and play songs that are catchy

but mean nothing. As for inspiration, we listen to a lot of Young the Giant, which is awesome because they are also from Irvine. We also listen to bands called Hey Rosetta, Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats and Walk the Moon. A lot of those bands have that good, almost jazzy feel to their songs, combined with great singing.

YG: What are your future plans for the band?BTS: After we came back from our tour, we were really fortunate to have met with an executive from an independent label who wanted to work with us. We chose not to work with them, but it was awesome get-ting to know that we have a place in the industry.Then we spent the next two months going to Los Angeles and meeting with record labels and producers. We met with Aaron Reid from Epic Records, which was huge for us. It was just a great experience and awesome that they really want-ed to meet with us. In the future we want to be signed into an Executive Production Deal, which will include the release of a four-song EP. We just want to continue making great music.

Photo provided by Jacob Berger

Bandtastic: (from left) Breach the Summit members Sam Beresford, Olen Kittlesen and Jacob Berger are already gaining traction in the music industry, and are aiming to produce even more music in the future.

The sky’s the limit with Breach the summit

As the summer ends and the new season begins, there are many fall performances to anticipate this school year. Dance Theater Com-pany and Dance III will be holding their fifth annual fall show, Fall Out V, in the Northwood theatre on Nov. 15-16.

Directed by dance teacher Judy Scialpi, the show will feature dances that capture a variety of styles, rang-ing from jazz to contemporary to lyri-cal. This year, Dance Theater Com-

pany plans on performing a total of 15 dances while Dance III performs nine.

“The dance show looks amaz-ing so far!” said senior dancer Diane Kang. “The dances are extremely dis-tinct and creative, and the dancers are more than ready to learn and improve the dances for this upcoming show!”

The dance classes have been working on this show since the begin-ning of the school year and hope that their hard efforts will encourage peo-ple to see the show, since Fall Out is traditionally held as a fundraiser for the dance team and its spring show.

“The entire production will be done by students,” said Sciapli. “I am really excited about the high level of outstanding choreography from both classes and I am really proud of how we pulled this off so early in the school year.”

Pre-ordered tickets are available for $7. The box office will also sell tickets on the opening week of the show for $8. Come support North-wood’s dancers and watch a spectrum of unique performances.

“Fall Out is a unique experience that students won't want to miss out on!” said Kang.

By TiffanY TSaiStaff Writer

Fall in love with Fall Outnovember nightsBy Zoe BurGer & param ShahCopy Editor & Photo Editor

STeven hornG Northwood Howler

The weather is starting to cool down and you are (hopefully) finally get-ting into the swing of school. Sometimes you need to remember to take a break from homework and relax. Why not kick back and listen to some great fall music, and get back to those AP Physics problems later?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTThe Northwood Howler 7November 2, 2012

By Zoe Burger & Param ShahCopy Editor & Photo Editor

Param Shah Northwood Howler

painting prowess: Junior Grace Su works intently on one of her pieces in the Northwood art classroom.

You come home and sling your backpack on the couch, plopping yourself down right beside it and letting out a long sigh. After struggling to meet deadlines, working through grueling practices and keeping yourself awake through it all, it’s been a long day. Put on your headphones and get lost for a moment with new music produced by The Killers, Mumford & Sons, The xx and Muse.

The Killers - “Battle Born” Lead singer Brandon Flowers

and the members of The Killers have recently released their new album

new november albums

painting with grace

By Tiffany TSaiStaff Writer

Junior Grace Su expresses her creativity through canvas. She has participated in art classes since she was 6 years old and started art again during her freshman year after a brief two-year break. Su is currently enrolled in Portfolio Art.

“I remember when I was filling out my course list before freshman year started, I was contemplating whether or not I should take up art again,” said Su. “What finally convinced me was how relaxing and engaging it was. I thought I might as well give it a try again and pick up from where I left off.”

Su works with many mediums including acrylic paint, oil paint, watercolors, charcoal, pencil, colored

pencil and pastels. These various textures gives her an outlet to express her creative ideas.

“As an artist, I feel that it’s all about creating your own style and coming up with techniques that set you apart from other artists,” said Su. “I usually will paint or draw in black and white because I love how easy it is to use just two colors; yet you can make the final piece more complex and interesting.”

As relaxing as art can be, Su comments that it can be a frustrating task. However, the learning experience is rewarding. Mistakes are inevitable in art, but Su notes that these mistakes have created some of her best pieces. She recalls an instance when she was working on an acrylic painting of a Coca-Cola

vintage glass bottle in which she accidentally dipped her paintbrush into white paint instead of black. The idea of integrating a pop-art style that showed the inverses of the shadow of the bottle gave the painting a new angle.

“Those mistakes end up enhancing the piece,” said Su. “Some of my favorite pieces I’ve painted and drawn are the ones that I would have never envisioned before I started it.”

Art has been both an enjoyable and challenging experience for Su, but she welcomes the opportunity to create new pieces.

“Art is one of the few things that gets me completely absorbed; I can put aside academics and the rest of the world and be in my own little bubble,” said Su.

For the first time ever, students can take part in two exciting new ad-dition to Northwood’s art program: Screen Printing and Drama Tech’s Costume Design.

Screen PrintingThe Screen Printing class, led by

instructor Rob Stuart, educates stu-dents in the art of creating and print-ing transferrable images and designs. Students create an image by using Photoshop or drawing it by hand and then transfer the design onto a sten-cil. This stencil is applied to a silk screen and inked onto T-shirts, post-ers or a variety of other items.

“This class falls across a lot of different disciplines,” said Stuart. “An integration of art, math, tech-nology and English, screen printing is a creative option for students with many interests.”

While Screen Printing is not one of the traditional art courses that people take at Northwood, the 32 students that are currently enrolled in the class prove that it can be a prom-ising course that can appeal to many different crowds.

“It’s the opportunity to create something you can wear, to make a statement,” said Stuart.

Students have already created their own unique versions of the Northwood Timberwolf design, just one of the many creative classroom activities that they will do during the year.

He also believes this class might

lead to students being able to create T-shirts for Northwood clubs, sports and other organizations. Screen Printing may prove to be one of the most exciting and useful classes of-fered at school, especially with its potential to appeal to a variety of other students.

Costume DesignStudents in the new Costume

Design class are learning to design and create costumes, many of which will be used in future drama produc-tions. The class has already started work on costumes for Northwood’s upcoming plays, “Mulan” and “Alice in Wonderland.” According to drama teacher David Weiss, each student in the class is able to have his or her own sewing machine, thanks to generous donations from Northwood families. In addition, a professional seamstress and former Northwood parent has been hired to help and work with the students.

“This class is not only beneficial for the drama department, but for the whole school. It teaches people new skills,” said sophomore Marcelle Belmes, one of the students in the program.

Weiss also hopes the Costume Design class will grow over the years into a program big enough that stu-dents will be able to hold a fashion show at the end of the school year, presenting original designs and out-fits created by Northwood students.

There are still spots available for students who wish to join. Cos-tume Design meets during period 8 in Room 605.

By Jennifer ParkStaff Writer

new Classes, new opportunities

WeSley Chen Northwood Howler

art masters: Students from the Screen Printing Class create their own images that can be reproduced on a variety of different surfaces.

“Battle Born,” a mix of powerful vocals and pulsing beats peppered with a little soul. The album starts with “Flesh and Bone,” bringing together guitar and dance music to create a resounding theme of triumph that contrasts with the poignant tone of “Be Still.” Listen to the somber “Miss Atomic Bomb,” a story of broken hearts, and end singing along with Flowers’ vibrant voice in “Runaways.”

Mumford & Sons - “Babel”Mumford & Sons, the folk rock

band from London that topped the UK charts with their debut album “Sigh No More,” has won acclaim again in the UK and the US with the newly released “Babel.” With an eclectic mix of instruments ranging from

the mandolin to the banjo, Mumford & Sons speaks their mind through “Babel,” weaving stories of past love and hope for the future. In the lead single, “I Will Wait,” the quick rhythm of the banjo compliments the low bass vocals of Marcus Mumford to create an intricate composition. “Holland Road” will take you on a chase for love in the middle of London, and “Whispers in the Dark” will tug your heartstrings with its delicate yet firm lyrics.

Muse - “The 2nd Law”“The 2nd Law” by British rock

band Muse marks the band’s sixth studio album, but has received mixed reviews across the board. Compared to other albums by Muse, like “Resistance” and “Black Holes and Revelations,” this album was a huge step out of their normal comfort zone of a slow and resonating bass and understated vocals. The sounds are somewhat disconnected from song to song and sometimes in the track itself. “Supremacy,” the first track sounded like a bad Bond theme or background music for a Tom Cruise movie. Later in the album, the music got even more out of character. Muse’s first Dubstep track, “The 2nd Law: Unsustainable,” left people thinking why Muse had hired a Skrillex copy-cat to produce for them.

The xx - “Coexist”British indie band The xx

mixes electronic music with subtle dance beats in its amazing new album “Coexist.” Very impressed and enraptured with the band's first album, “xx,” people were initially somewhat skeptical of "Coexist.” Although it was advertised as a dance beat album, The xx is no Carly Rae Jepsen. Different from other bands

who overwhelm listeners with loud beats and powerful lyrics, members of The xx are masters of minimalism. Their beats and lyrics are concise but meaningful, letting the listener input their own thoughts and meaning in the song. This is the quality of music that other bands struggle and fight to achieve, but is difficult to come by.

Compiled by Brittney Kuo

Northwood Speaks!

November 2, 20128 CENTERSPREAD 9November 2, 2012

President Obama looks to continue what he has done since the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which attempted to stimulate growth by expanding federal government investments. He focuses mainly on unemployment benefits for those who have lost their jobs and new opportunities for workers in public sectors like education and infrastructure.

President Obama’s track record also indicates a particular emphasis on manufacturing jobs, specifically those in the auto industry. During his term, he has brought back 230,000 jobs to the automotive industry.

Lastly, President Obama is a firm advocate for a strong middle class. He has openly stated that he plans to let Bush-era tax cuts expire for those making over $250,000 a year, while preserving them for middle class families.

Ultimately, he has taken on the philosophy of stimulus spending in order to employ more people and increase economic activity. The Keynesian economics approach that the Obama administration has implemented has since created nearly 4.4 million jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and has lowered the unemployment rate to 7.8%.

Barack Obama aims to continue working with the United Nations and achieve America’s goals with the assistance of different countries and allies, as opposed to working alone. One of the administration’s greatest foreign policy triumphs was the successful raid on May 2 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where Osama Bin Laden was assassinated by Seal Team 6. In terms of energy, Obama promises to not only tighten standards for domestic oil practices to prevent future spills, but also to explore domestic oil as an energy resource. If elected for a second term, Obama will try to rebalance military spending, strengthen existing foreign alliances and create new alliances, as well as withdraw troops from Afghanistan throughout the next two years. He will try to increase cooperation with China and trade agreements. Obama has been criticized for souring relations with Israel by calling a halt to construction in Palestinian territories, as well as taking credit for the assassination of Osama bin Laden. In an address to the UN general assembly, Obama said, “the United States will continue to support those nations that transition to democracy—with greater trade and investment—so that freedom is followed by opportunity.”

Mitt Romney’s foreign policy goals are centered on ensuring American exceptionalism by working independently to achieve America’s goals, without reliance on other countries. Recently, Romney has condemned the Obama administration’s foreign policy by saying that the United States currently has “no trade agenda to speak of and the perception of our strategy is not one of partnership but of passivity.” Romney advocates making America energy-independent from countries in the Middle East through the usage of biofuel, nuclear power and oil drilling. If elected, he promises to strengthen military power, increase army funding and modernize the Navy and Airforce. He wants to grow the American nuclear arsenal, a controversial international issue, and continues to advocate his position against Iran’s potential of gaining nuclear capabilities and weapons. He has been criticized for calling Russia as America’s “number one geopolitical foe,” and insulting the London Olympics. By promising to arm members on the opposition in Syria, he hopes to eliminate Iran’s allies in the Middle East. Romney will try to bring troops home from Afghanistan as soon as possible and tighten US-China trade regulations. In terms of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Romney said that he “will recommit America to the goal of a democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel.”

Barack Obama Mitt Romney

“President Obama strives to support the middle class economically and make America move forward socially. He recognizes the fact that it’s unfair for the middle class to pay more taxes instead of those who can afford it. In addition, foreign policy is one of his greatest achievements: he brought Osama Bin Laden to justice. Also, he strives to do something about the outrageous amount of college tuition that we have to pay today. Barack Obama is not only the hope for the middle class, but he has also lived the part himself. And that is what makes me trust him.” -Prianka Sharma, Senior

“If I could vote, I’d vote for Obama because his economic plan works out better for the middle class and will be more effective than Romney’s plan in relieving our debt and improving our economical situation.” -Brandon Chinn, Senior

“Amidst 16 trillion dollars of debt, our leader must be stimulating our economy, not stifling it. Incumbent President Barack Obama’s proposal to raise corporate taxes on small business has proven in the past to have an adverse affect on growth, and the morale he has instilled in this country is insufficient to stimulate domestic investment. It is time for our leader to own and encourage the hardworking rugged individualism that earned America its international standing, not apologize for it. President Obama has ignored this staple of the American success story, prioritizing entities over individuals and spending billions of taxpayer dollars on the now bankrupt Solyndra and similarly failing social programs such as welfare to work. Mitt Romney can and will use the experience he gained from Bain Capital to restore the America we once knew by granting America’s biggest asset the economic freedom they need to succeed.” -Arjun Ghai, Senior

“For me, the most important issue in this election is everything. In fact, if I went through all of Romney’s views, I would not find a single one that I agree with that Obama doesn’t agree on. For me, the choice comes down to marriage equality and equal rights in the military. Their economic policies really aren’t that different. I’m not 100% in agreement with what Obama has done.“ - Mr. Plette, History teacher

“I think Romney is the best choice because although Romney may have ran out of his binders full of women, Obama won’t ever run out of his binder full of excuses.” -Dallin Murphy, Senior

Governor Romney is planning to take on the economic crisis with a very different approach than President Obama. With his conservative background, he is not a fan of excessive government involvement in the free market. In essence, he wants to give entrepreneurs and small businesses more opportunities with tax breaks for job creators thus creating a trickle-down effect to the middle class.

In the recent presidential debates, Governor Romney has referenced a five-point plan, which includes American energy-independence through increased production of oil and natural gas, opening up more trade with Latin America, balancing the budget, fixing training programs for workers and promoting small business.

As an executive at Bain Capital, Romney was well-versed in the task of maintaining economic stability, while as Governor of Massachusetts, he implemented “RomneyCare,” requiring minimum insurance coverage for all residents in the state.

If elected president, Romney promises to create 12 million new jobs while cutting the $16 trillion deficit by cracking down on loopholes within the law and reducing regulations that encumber economic activity.

Gay RightsPresident Obama is the first U.S. president to support same-sex marriage. However, gay

rights include more than the right to marriage. Obama also supports gay adoption, saying, “It is important to ensure that all qualified caregivers are given the opportunity to serve as adoptive parents, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or marital status.” In order to stop discrimination against the community of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, Obama has signed a number of acts and also launched StopBullying.gov, a website with resources to assist bullied youths, including specific information on bullying of this community.

Energy President Obama’s energy plan relies on a three-point plan to increase domestic production,

improve energy efficiency and modernize America’s clean energy resources for the future. Obama has tried to speed up oil and gas production on public lands by creating competition among private companies by revoking leases for companies that are not actively developing. However, Obama disagrees with Governor Romney on the level of importance given to oil production over renewable energy, indicating that Romney’s plan “is to let the oil companies write the energy policies.” While Obama is supportive of new investments in clean coal, he wants to eliminate federal subsidies that go towards fossil fuels to increase funding for clean energy research and development.

EducationIn his stimulus package, President Obama directed $100 billion to education. According

to him, this funding has saved about 300,000 jobs. This stimulus also funded his Race to the Top grants, which have received praise from both parties for school turnarounds and better teacher evaluations. Obama also wants to focus more resources on the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, specifically to help the lowest-performing schools. Although Obama is not always lockstep with teacher unions, he emphasizes collaboration with them.

Gay RightsGovernor Romney signed a National Organization for Marriage pledge a year ago, defining

marriage solely as between one man and one woman. Romney believes that gay adoption should be left to individual states to decide. In ending discrimination towards gays and lesbians, Romney believes that signing legislation enforcing anti-discrimination would “open a litigation floodgate and unfairly penalize employers at the hands of activist judges.” This means that he will not sign anti-discrimination laws because of potential lawsuits. In general, he has stated that he “doesn’t see a need for new or special legislation.”

EnergyGovernor Romney’s energy plan relies in large part on increasing America’s traditional

energy resources: oil and gas. Romney wants regulations to be simplified and not subject to constant reviews and lawsuits that hamper energy development. He emphasizes that Obama’s regulations are purposely meant to hurt the coal industry. Romney explains that government should be involved in research and development of new technologies but should stay out of subsidizing certain energy industries, which ask the government to take a less active role.

EducationInstead of government funding education, Governor Romney wants to embrace a private-

sector role in providing education. Romney’s campaign website includes spending proposals that implement immediate cuts of 5% on education spending and much larger eventual reductions. Paul Ryan, Romney’s running mate, wrote a budget blueprint that would cut $115 billion from K-12 and higher education over 10 years. Romney wants to remove NCLB as a mandate, replacing the school-intervention policies of the NCLB with a national assessment, as many state standards are believed to be lower than this test. “More funding for the status quo will not deliver the results that our students deserve,” said Romney.

Democrat Republican

Written by: Zoe Burger, Tim Shieh, Chris Sun, Yash Gupta; Layout by:Sooyun Choi; Graphics by: Eugene Choi

VIEWPOINTNovember 2, 2012 The Northwood Howler10

Fragile children: are we too sheltered?

When I was four years old, my parents decided to move my family to the United States. Of the thousands of cities to choose from, we ended up here, in Irvine. So why did they choose our bubble?

Irvine has some of the coun-try’s best public schools, and as we all know, is famous (or infamous) for being the safest city in the United States. Having a safe and secure envi-ronment to grow up in is an important part of becoming a well-rounded and confident adult.

As a child, being sheltered is not a bad thing: living in a neighborhood where I could safely walk to and from school, play outside, and not be afraid to ring a neighbor’s doorbell for a lost basketball is something that I was and still am grateful for. Attending a school with passionate and intelli-gent teachers has better prepared me to continue my education and do well in college.

The opportunities and diversity that Irvine offers are unparalleled. We Irvinians can participate in and learn virtually any sport or activity. Growing up, I took tennis, gymnas-tics, horseback riding, soccer, and art lessons, to name a few, all within 15 minutes of my house.

The cultural and religious diver-sity of our schools and the willing-ness of most Irvine residents to em-brace these differences have allowed me to gain an understanding of the world outside Irvine and develop a broad foundation and world-view.

In school, I had the opportunity

to learn about and celebrate cultural and religious holidays and traditions from all around the globe, thanks to Irvine’s diversity. I learned about ev-erything from Chinese New Year to Diwali and, as a result, am able to keep an open mind and appreciate diversity.

There is, however, an important balance between having a sense of security and becoming caught up in our own lives.

Too much safety and concentra-tion on our own lives and problems can make us unaware and unpre-

Definitely! Nicole Wu Northwood Howler

A FrAgile ChilD: Future Timberwolf Caleb Lee, brother of senior Jenny Lee, is one of the many Irvine children and teenagers faced with what may seem like a bubble-wrapped reality. Will the sheltered mindset prevalent in our local community affect his ability to succeed in the real world?

By AleeNA KArAmAllyNews Editor

Irvine is often called the “Bub-ble.” But what are the true implica-tions of this title? A bubble separates a small volume of air from the sur-rounding environment. And that’s what Irvine is: the Bubble encloses us, protecting our bodies and mind from reality.

But most of us won’t be living in Irvine forever. Eventually, we will be forced to face the harsh elements of the real world. Irvine may be the ideal place in safety and convenience, but because both our homes and com-munity are neatly bubble-wrapped for us, we lack the experience and the perspective to face the realities of the world beyond our precious suburbs.

Living in Irvine, we take high-speed internet, luxury cars, and smart phones for granted. And with wealth comes indulgence. Some parents have changed the standards of punishment to suit our generation; confiscating one’s iPhone or car keys for a day is considered a grave consequence.

Luxury has deprived our genera-tion of genuine struggles and the les-sons that arise from them. Most of us lack the experiences that allow us to face the fierce world outside the Bub-ble. In the future, we will no longer lose our smartphone or car privileges for our mistakes; instead, we may risk our careers and reputations.

Even outside the home, Irvine kids are surrounded by urban luxu-ries. The closest thing to graffiti are remnants of “Lost Dog” and garage sale flyers on the sign. And the watch-ful eye of the Irvine police is always

there to keep the city free of crime. Those who have lived in Ir-

vine their whole lives know nothing of homeless people except for their “funny” cardboard signs they see online, nor of crime except for what they see on television. We “bubble-wrapped” kids can’t grasp true pover-ty or filth, not their causes and reper-cussions. Our perspective is limited

“ “

Having a safe and secure environment to grow up in is an important part of becoming a well-rounded and confident

adult.

pared to face the world as adults, so it is important to remain connected to people and life in the rest of the world through community service and knowledge of current events.

Although Irvine may not be the most exciting city in the world, it is an amazing place to grow up and I can fairly say I am proud to be a bubble-ite.

Not at all!By megAN NAzAreNoEditor-in-Chief

“

“

by our sheltered environment. But these flaws are sacrifices we

readily make to live in such a city. Ir-vine is safe and clean, which allows us the mental freedom and boundless optimism to explore new ideas and dare to achieve our goals.

However, parents should be re-minded that there is a world beyond the Bubble, one where their child will have to fend for themselves.

Discipline, in appropriate amounts, is necessary. And we our-selves should know that the perfect conditions we have in Irvine are not the norm; they are, by far, the excep-tion. An average Irvine teenager is only minimally aware of the political instability in Syria or the fragile eco-nomic situation in Europe. Once we have our perspective in check, then we can appreciate Irvine and be better prepared for what our futures hold.

“Irvine lacks personality in that we live in a bubble.”

Rohan Ramanan, 12

Nicole Wu Northwood Howler

“We live in a very safe city with a very low crime rate, but this kind of sheltering shouldn’t be seen as bad.”

Melanie Franceschini, 11

PArAm ShAh Northwood Howler

“Living in Irvine can lead to a lack of understanding of worldly issues.”

Franklin Zhang, 12

PArAm ShAh Northwood Howler

“We don’t realize that the safety we get, the quality of our education, and the high standards that we live by are

not actually universal.”Leena Shankar, 9

PArAm ShAh Northwood Howler

“We’re not too sheltered because many of us are extremely connected

with the world around us.” Jeremy Wang, 10

Nicole Wu Northwood Howler

“Although we have a strong educa-tional foundation, we are unaware of

circumstances outside Irvine.” Courtney Widerman, 10

PArAm ShAh Northwood Howler

The Bubble encloses us, pro-

tecting our bodies and mind from

reality.

VIEWPOINTThe Northwood Howler 11November 2, 2012

Doing good, the good wayBy Jenny Lee & Christine yangAccent Editor & Copy Editor

Psycho Pabrai: why exercising is gross

To advertise in the Howler: Please contact our Business Manager, Timothy Shieh, at nhshowler@gmail.com or (949) 812-1166.

Classifieds: Northwood High students and faculty members may place classified ads in the Howler by contacting the Business Manager at

nhshowlerads@gmail.com

The Northwood Howler is published by Northwood High School as an open forum for the exchange of news and ideas. Views expressed in The Northwood Howler do not necessarily represent opinions of the NHS administration or the Irvine Unified School District. Signed Letters to the Editor are welcomed and encouraged. They can be placed in Adviser Tim Horrigan’s mailbox or delivered to Room 1102. The Northwood Howler reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and clarity. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the opinion of the newspaper.

Mission Statement: To serve as a medium for school news and the expression of student ideas while adhering to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

Editor-in-ChiEf

Megan nazareno

Managing Editor

Monsoon Pabrai

thE howlEr onlinE Editor

Jennifer yu

advisEr

tiM horrigan

Copy Editors

Christine yang

zoe burger

layout Editor

eMaan baqai

photo Editor

ParaM shah

photo pagE Editor

niCoLe Wu

graphiCs Editor

steven horng

aCCEnt Editor

Jenny Lee

CEntErsprEad Editor

sooyun Choi

viEwpoint Editor

sonaLi seth

nEws Editors

Christina Ko

aLeena KaraMaLLy

a&E Editor

brittney Kuo

sports Editor

yash guPta

Junk Editor

brandon Choi

BusinEss ManagErs

dennis KiM

tiM shieh

staff writErs

tiffany tsai

JaiMe MaCdonaLd

franCesCa riCaPito

Chris sun

angeLine nguyen

Jennifer ParK

eLaine Lu

Christine Lee

Karina Lee

Katie haines

photographErs

WesLey Chen

Josh nathan

By Monsoon PabraiManaging Editor

My life is sore—or maybe it’s just my calves. My mother just renewed my gym membership, as if I wasn’t busy enough with college apps, school work, extracurriculars and some sort of a social life.

On top of that, my body is taking some serious criticism from my mother. Apparently my waist is too jiggly, my legs are too scrawny and my arms are not toned. I’m basically a blob on two sticks. But what can I say? I hate exercising.

At gyms, people force themselves through the pain of running on a stationary treadmill and weight lifting just to get in shape. What’s so great about being fit? Oh! You live longer and healthier. But I want to eat my junk food and be

as unhealthy as possible, until I’m satisfied with being an anti- exercise and anti- health fanatic.

I absolutely can’t stand warming up and stretching my muscles. I thought the workout was unbearable, but the stretches are even worse. Bend this way, contort your body that way. All these physically unnatural postures go beyond the human capability. I am not a superhuman. I am a normal unfit person who hates pretending to be some kind of insane acrobat.

The thought of a run on the treadmill and stair stepping fills me with irrational anger—no matter how much my mom says it will build my quads and gluts, whatever those are.

And don’t even get me started

It’s no secret that community service is a must for college. Yet sadly, the more that schools have been emphasizing this requirement,

To be honest, the start of my journey in community service may have been focused on working towards the hours.

Otherwise, I would probably have never agreed to drag myself out of bed extra early to face eager 2 to 4 year olds.

However, my Sundays are now empty without my students. I can’t help but look forward to the smell of crayons, the sound of rubber soles, and the energy of each hyper toddler.

Each journey to help them

understand lessons and be satisfied with their hard work has allowed me to feel 10 times as much contentment and pride. And here, I discovered my love of teaching.

I continued to pursue teaching in various ways: tutoring students in all subjects and helping Korean mothers become better English speakers.

Unfortunately, passion can’t be found with a quick glimpse, but I’ve learned that each experience must be given time before you can reap the joys and benefits.

Jenny Lee: Teaching kids reaps rewards

niCoLe Wu Northwood Howler

community work. I began as any other freshman by participating in three to four clubs every week. But soon I narrowed it down, not because any club is better than another, but because making community service meaningful requires dedication and focus.

I found my perfect fit for service through Key Club, a club on campus that is geared to improving the health and well-being of children in the community. Not only did my involvement give me the chance to put a smile on a patient at CHOC Hospital and raise funds for kids suffering from trauma, but it also gave me the opportunity to meet

some amazing people along the way, people whom I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

I wanted to do more than just participate, and now as lieutenant governor of the Key Clubs in Irvine, I create new events and manage the inner workings of the clubs. To keep the organization running smoothly, I put in about 10 hours a week, so if I had been doing community service only for that hour log, I would’ve stopped a long time ago. But it has been these experiences and the incredible memories that have kept me going. So I hope you’ll give service another chance, because it’s actually pretty amazing.

Volunteering can benefit us more than we give it credit for. By helping your community, you can discover opportunities to pass your weekends, make new friends, and become a model for others to follow. Count the moments, not the hours.

Christine Yang: The key to a “perfect fit”

niCoLe Wu Northwood Howler

about lifting weights. My arms ache even before I get started, and even afterwards I’m still as skinny as a stick and as muscular as a piece of silly string.

Cycling is probably the worst. Up, down, up, down—it’s so repetitive it makes me want to vomit all over the machine. At the end, my calves are neither toned nor defined.

It’s safe to say that I’ve pretty much given up on exercising. Or at least I have less faith in it.

Fed up with the blasphemy that is known as exercising, I completely stopped going to the gym my junior year. But interestingly, I didn’t put on weight. No, instead, something worse happened—my emotions went off-key and my stress level skyrocketed.

Exercise improves your general mood. Junior year could have been so

much less stressful if I had worked out. Exercise gave me confidence, energy and relaxation when I really needed it.

Exercise is also a fantastic energy booster. I’m usually full of energy, but when I stopped working out my junior year, I was tired and irritated with school work, homework, projects, tests, and class lectures. Had I taken time out of my schedule to work out a little bit, I would have had more , lasting endurance to understand my lectures and homework assignments properly.

I guess I have to thank my mother for renewing my gym membership. She’s given me what I need to be the best me, both mentally and physically.

ParaM shah Northwood Howler

TireD of Being TireD: Caught in a vicious cycle, generally scrawny Monsoon fails miserably at completing a push up. Her hatred for exercise makes her weaker, which in turn makes her hate exercise even more.

Personally, I think the key to enjoying service is experiencing many different environments for

ParaM shah Northwood Howler

The True vaLue of CommuniTY serviCe: Sophomore Dylan Huynh and freshman Haylie Wong show that the greatest gift to the world is indeed your time. Look for opportunities in the community to help out.

the more volunteering has lost its meaning. The daunting 25-hour minimum can intimidate students or urge them to settle for quick, easy ways to fulfill those hours.

Doing so may achieve a mark on a transcript, but will prevent students

from discovering their interests, even while giving back to the community. Hundreds of opportunities are available through organizations in and outside of school; so now all that’s left for you to do is ask yourself: Which one and why?

SPORTSNovember 2, 2012 The Northwood Howler12

Belinda Mo: En GardeSetting up for success

While many of us still play with marker swords and fight with meter sticks, sophomore Belinda Mo is tru-ly practicing the art of combat. The Howler sat down with Mo to learn more about her experience with fenc-ing. Starting this strategic and agile sport at only 12 years old, Mo, who ranked ninth in the nation in her age category, has come a long way in the past two years.

Christine Lee: How did you get started with fencing?

Belinda Mo: My older sister first introduced it to my brother and me. We got interested in the sport after watching the “Parent Trap,” where the twins fence against each other. Right now, all three of us fence and compete regularly.

Angeline Nguyen: How long do you usually practice?

BM: It depends. Usually, I prac-tice three to four times a week for about three hours each. But when I have a national or international com-petition coming up, I practice around five times a week for three hours. My sport is considered physical chess. It’s sort of a mix between a mental and physical activity, so many hours

of training has to be put in for me to be successful.

CL: How do you manage every-thing with fencing, school work, and other extracurricular activities?

BM: My mom helps me a lot. She supports me and drives me back and forth from the fencing studio. I attend two different studios. One in Burbank and one in L.A., so the drive takes about an hour depending on traffic. I try not to be absent from school too much. But when there is a big competition I do miss around one to two days of classes.

AN: Do you look up to anyone?BM: I look up to my brother,

Kevin. He actually graduated from Northwood and right now he’s the president of the fencing club at Stan-ford. Out of the three of us, my broth-er takes fencing the most seriously and I admire his talent.

CL: What type of sword or weapon do you use when you fence?

BM: I use an épée. There are three types of weapons used in fenc-ing: épée, foil, and sabre. These three are also the types of events fencers compete in.

CL: How do these three events work?

BM: The way matches work is that your weapon is connected to

fantaStic fEncEr: Northwood student Belinda Mo, a nationally-ranked fencer who has achieved great success in the sport, hopes to one day fence in the Olympics.

Param Shah The Northwood Howler Param Shah The Northwood Howler

With girls volleyball winding down and wrapping up their stellar season, the underclassmen members have played a huge role in the success of this relatively young team. Only three of the 14 members are upper-classmen, and four are freshman. The Howler sat down with freshman Han-nah Holder to talk about her experi-ences on the team and in high school so far.

Zoe Burger: What position do you play?

Hannah Holder: I play middle blocker. I block at the net and hit. It’s the only position I have ever played.

ZB: How does it feel to be a freshman on Varsity?

HH: It’s really cool! Playing volleyball for Northwood with all of my friends is such a neat experience! It’s a lot of fun especially because we don’t get to play together in club.

ZB: Is it more comfortable play-ing on a team mostly made up of freshmen and sophomores?

HH: I really love all of my fresh-man friends, but I also enjoy compet-

ing and playing with the older girls. The level of play is a lot higher, but I try to hold my own.

ZB: Do you get along with the upperclassman?

HH: Actually, they are really nice and I’m going to miss the se-niors next year! I really get along with Mckenzie May, who’s a junior, and I’m so glad that I get to play with her next year. I will miss both Emma Wroblicky and Maddie Levinski when they graduate.

ZB: Do you play outside of school, like on a club team?

HH: Yes, I do. I play for Saddle-back Valley Volleyball Club. I’ve played for four years and it’s basi-cally my second home.

ZB: What is your favorite part of high school so far?

HH: I love that I get to have more freedom, and obviously I love playing volleyball!

The Northwood team finished their season ranked second in the Pacific Coast League behing Corona Del Mar High School, advancing to CIF in the process. Be sure to drop by the gym to see this amazing North-wood team in action.

wires going down your arm and is able to detect when your sword hits the other player’s body. Matches are usually scored up to 15 points. With the épée you can hit the entire body and it’s more mentally demanding than the other two. The foil requires only hitting the torso and the sabre in-volves a lot of speed work where the matches go by really quickly.

AN: What equipment do you use when fencing?

BM: For the equipment, people only think of three things: the helmet, suit, and sword. But underneath the white suit, we wear layers of clothing and material to protect ourselves. We cover everything except our hands.

CL: Do you get hurt a lot in fencing?

BM: Not necessarily. It does hurt when your opponent flicks you with the side of their weapon. But other than a couple of bruises, no bones break or muscles tear.

AN: What are your goals for the future, in regards to fencing?

BM: I hope to one day make the Stanford fencing team like my brother, Kevin. As a career or even in the Olympics, I want to see how the future goes. For now fencing is an activity I really enjoy and hope to continue in the future.

By angeline nguyen & ChriStine leeStaff Writers

By Zoe BurgerCopy Editor

Among the sports that are regu-larly covered at Northwood, such as basketball and football, taekwondo is an activity that is often overlooked. Al-though seen mostly in movies featur-ing acrobatic actors like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, taekwon-do is an art just like any other. Senior Ishaani Saha, who currently holds a third degree black belt, is one such martial artist and sat down with the Howler to discuss her special talents.

Tim Shieh: When did you start doing taekwondo and what rank are you currently?

Ishaani Saha: I started taekwon-do when I was five years old, so I have been doing it for a total of 12 years. I am currently a third degree black belt and I’ve been training for my fourth degree for the past three years. Hope-

fully I can reach that level before this summer ends!

TS: What are some interesting facts about taekwondo that we normally don't know about?

IS: When it comes to technique, taekwondo is different because it com-bines a vast number of kicks with tacti-cal strategies that makes the leg the pri-mary weapon. Taekwondo also teaches you how to defend yourself with nun-chucks and several other Korean weap-ons or sticks.

TS: What lessons have you learned from taekwondo?

IS: I have learned so much from taekwondo. Not only have I learned to defend myself, but I definitely have also become mentally stronger. It is re-ally hard to pass a test at my level, so it makes me even more determined to ac-complish my goal. The feeling I get once I reach my goal is indescribable because I know I truly worked hard for it.

taEkwondo MaStEr: Senior Ishaani Saha competes in many taekwondo competitions and has been doing taekwondo for 12 years.

niCole Wu The Northwood Howler

By tim ShiehBusiness Manager

taekwondo: Saha style

Brilliant BlockErS : The girls volleyball team here at Northwood has had an extremely succesful season thus far.

SPORTSThe Northwood Howler 13November 2, 2012

The battle of Los Angeles: take a side

I have been a Laker fan all my life and am confident that the Lakers will have a stellar season. Although the Lakers have not had an amazing past couple of years, it is still the most entertaining team in the NBA, and has found a way to stay in contention for the championship by pulling off multiple blockbuster trades. For many avid fans, there is a reason that the first team that comes to mind when they think about the NBA is the Lakers. This past summer, after the Lakers traded for all-star center Dwight Howard, it instantly went from a decent team to a championship favorite, with

only the Miami Heat being seen as a stronger team. Adding to an already impressive offseason, the Lakers acquired future hall-of-fame point guard Steve Nash who, despite being 38-years old, placed second in the league in assists last season. By acquiring these two players and only giving up Andrew Bynum in the process, the Lakers have shaped what is arguably the best starting lineup in the NBA today.

My prediction for this season is that the Lakers will incorporate their new players quickly and will end up winning anywhere from 55 to 60 games this season. The Lakers, with a talented starting five and above-average bench, should be able to get the first or second seed in the

Locked and loadedBy Austin LeeContributing Writer

ReAdy to RumbLe: The Lakers, who picked up all-stars Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in the offseason, are primed for a successful season and hope to be the best team in Los Angeles.

golpedeestadio.com

Western Conference and make it to the conference finals.

While many will doubt Kobe Bryant’s ability to share the ball, Bryant, a 16-year veteran in the league, should know when to take the backseat. While the other prominent Los Angeles team, the Clippers, should have strong season, it is only expected to be the third or fourth seed in the Western Conference. Although the Clippers have improved as a team, and could win championships in a few years, the Lakers currently have the upper hand. The Lakers, the true basketball team in Los Angeles, is primed for a great season and at this point, it’s seems tough for any team to win four out of seven games against this talented squad.

Lob city returns to LA

trojan pride

true blue is better

For years, two colleges have dominated the hearts and lives of Southern Californians: USC and UCLA. While both colleges are outstanding in their own right, when it comes to athletics, USC clearly holds an upper hand for a variety of reasons. There shouldn’t even be a debate as to the superior athletic school, because USC is so overwhelmingly better at almost all sports it has to offer.

“USC is better in every aspect compared to UCLA,” said junior Dalton Tran. “USC has more money, better recruits and long-lasting traditions, all which make it an excellent school for sports.”

One sport USC exerts its dominance over UCLA is football, a hallmark of USC greatness. Often considered one of the greatest football schools in history, USC has 11 football national championships. On the other hand, UCLA, which claims it is an athletically and academically superior school to UCLA, has zero. In addition to measuring USC’s football greatness in terms of championship, it is evident by looking at USC football alums that USC creates some of the greatest football players ever. Players like OJ Simpson, Marcus Allen, Reggie Bush, and Clay Matthews all

owe their remarkable careers to USC and its outstanding football pedigree. Overall, USC maintains a 46-28-7 record against UCLA football.

“Football is just one example of USC’s dominance over UCLA,” said sophomore Bharat Vishnubhotla. “USC’s football team is overall deeper and stronger than UCLA’s team and has been for many years.”

While football is a prominent indication of USC’s great athletics, other USC athletic programs have also long been superior to those of UCLA. USC has won a total of 117 national championships collectively in all of their sports, while UCLA has won only 108. Most recently, USC won the 2012 Men’s Water Polo championship, and has shown great promise in other sports such as volleyball and soccer. In reality, only UCLA’s basketball program can claim superiority to USC’s. However, UCLA only leads that match up 129-104 games, and in recent years, USC’s basketball team has grown more formidable.

USC has long been considered a top-tier school for athletics and still continues to succeed today. USC has had better athletics for many years and is well known for its athletics program. There is no doubt that USC is the best athletic school in southern California, and UCLA pales in comparison.

By Kishen BerAContributing Writer

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Uni-versity of Southern California (USC), have long been symbols of outstand-ing athletics. However, although both of these universities are well-known for their accomplishments in sports, UCLA athletics clearly dominates those of USC. UCLA demonstrates not only exceptional athletics and amazing performance in these sports but also wonderful sportsmanship and fair play, qualities for which USC is not known.

Currently, while USC holds only 95 NCAA championships, third among all Division I schools, UCLA holds 108, the greatest number of titles out of any other college. A suc-cessful dynasty in basketball, the UCLA basketball program, which has 11 championships, has produced some of the greatest basketball play-ers in the history of the game, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Wal-ton. Additionally, one of the greatest coaches ever, John Wooden, coached the UCLA men’s basketball team to over 10 NCAA championships.

“UCLA athletics comes at a frac-tion of a cost, has better teams, and has a camaraderie that can only be

found at UCLA,” said history teacher Eric Keith. “Also, OJ Simpson did not go to UCLA. All these reasons make UCLA superior to USC.”

UCLA, the only college to have produced a number-one overall pick in baseball, football, basketball, and soccer, continues to produce remark-able talent even today. Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook, two UCLA alumni, are currently two of the best players in the National Basket-ball Association, while MLB player Chase Utley and NFL player Maurice Jones-Drew are also prominent sports stars. Even today, UCLA continues to show potential in all their athletics as well as with new stars such as golf player Patrick Cantlay and basketball player Shabazz Muhammad.

While for many years USC has praised itself for being a high-level athletic school, its integrity and sportsmanship have suffered in recent years. Former USC football player Reggie Bush disgraced the university when he accepted improper benefits to attend USC. As a result of Bush’s actions, USC has suffered many sanctions and was banned from the postseason for several years. USC’s failure to maintain a fair and honest athletics program is yet another rea-son that UCLA is the undoubtedly better athletic college.

There is no question that the Los Angeles Clippers are not only the most exciting team in Los Angeles, but also in the NBA.

The Clippers have shown great promise in recent years, thanks in large part to all-star forward Blake Griffin, one of the biggest names in the game. Griffin electrifies crowds with his jaw-dropping dunks that have excited basketball fans for the past two years. Led by Chris Paul, one of the best point guards in the league, the Clippers have become relevant again, coming out of the shadows of the Lakers.

In fact, the Laker’s time has

passed, with most of their players now past their prime. Despite the fact that the Lakers picked up Steve Nash, a future hall-of-fame point guard, Nash is now 38 years old and has lit-tle left in the tank. By adding Dwight Howard, the Lakers have improved, but have also added an arrogant and argumentative player. Finally, Kobe Bryant, although generally regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, is showing his age and is simply not the Kobe Bryant of old. All-in-all, the Clippers is a newer, fresher and better team that has replaced the Lak-ers as the best team in Los Angeles.

In addition to its youth and en-ergy, the Clippers also hold the up-per hand to the Lakers in its bench and supporting players. According

to ESPN.com, “The Clippers’ bench could be one of the best in the league, highlighted by a pair of former Sixth Man of the Year award winners. The Lakers’ bench could be one of the worst, at least among the contend-ers, highlighted by Jordan Hill, who played in just 19 regular-season and playoff games for the Lakers last sea-son.”

Regardless of whether you are a Lakers fan, a Clippers fan or neither, this season is sure to be an exciting one. Both teams have changed in the offseason and are sure to provide some exciting basketball. The growth of the Clippers and the decline of the Lakers have set the stage for an amazing rivalry that will determine the better team in Los Angeles.

bAck foR moRe: The Clippers, led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, hope to use their depth and team chemistry to dethrone the Lakers as Kings of Los Angeles and build on last year’s successful season.

isportstime.com

By ZAch PierceContributing Writer

By Andrew thAiContributing Writer

NoRthwood RuLes: Students ruled in favor of the Lakers and Trojans. wesLey chen The Northwood Howler

Brandon’s BasuraNovember 2, 2012 The Northwood Howler14

Umms...Umm... every president with a

beard has been a Republican.Umm... Barack Obama applied

to appear in a pin-up calendar while in college, but was rejected.

Umm... Obama won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, “Dreams From My Father.”

Umm... in 2009, Romney’s 70-year-old cousin was kidnapped in Mexico and held for ransom in a cave for three days.

Umm... by tickling his friend’s ear while he was riding a bike, Obama broke his friend’s arm.

Umm... in 1965, Romney was arrested for sliding down the slopes of a golf course on large blocks of ice.

Umm... Barack Obama had a monkey named Tata while in Indo-nesia.

Umm... Romney created contro-versy when in 1983 he had strapped the family dog, Seamus to the roof of the family station wagon for a 12-hour drive from Boston to Ontario.

Umm... Obama had a job at Baskin Robbins as a teenager, but he doesn’t like ice cream.

Umm... while at Bain Capital, Romney shut down the company so that workers could help find a part-ner’s missing daughter.

Umm... Obama collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian com-ics.

Umm... while serving as a mis-sionary in France, Mitt Romney was involved in a potentially fatal head-on car crash cause by an intoxicated priest.

Umm... Brad Pitt and Barack Obama are ninth cousins.

Connect the dots...

By Sonali Seth & emaan BaqaiViewpoint Editor & Layout Editor

By megan nazarenoEditor-in-Chief

The 5 students you meet at Northwood

1. The Pencil-Case Girl: This girl is always ready. She’s

got at least three pencil cases: one for normal notetaking with pens and erasers, another for more creative endeavors with colored pencils and markers, and the last for you-never-know-when-you’ll-need-it supplies with a mini stapler and compass. Her notebooks and folders are similarly organized, each identified by printed labels she made at home with the appropriate class, teacher, period, and “IF FOUND” contact information. She has never used a late pass.

2. The Mysterious Hoodie Dude: What does this guy do at home? He’s never awake. He comes to class with the sole purpose of taking a nap; he’s even managed to intricately fold his hoodie into a makeshift pillow. He doesn’t even have paper or pencil on his desk to take notes on. But when exam day comes around, he’s the first to finish the test and goes back to sleeping once he’s back in his seat. Like, seriously?

3. The Questions/Comments Guy: This guy has got his hand up

even before the teacher has finished saying “Any questions?” And it’s

usually a two- to four-part question or comment. You’re torn between the annoyance at the unwelcome delay in class and bitterness because you couldn’t think of anything to say yourself. But this guy isn’t all bad. On other days, he provides a conveniently lengthy distraction for your teacher so class runs out of time for a “fun, learning” activity. “Darn.”

4. The Quiet One: “How long has she been in this

class?” You never see her outside of class, and you’re shocked every time you hear her voice when the teacher calls on her. You repeatedly try to remember her name. Was it

Stephanie? ... Or was it Marisa?

5. The Disorganized Guy: This guy should get tips from

Pencil-Case Girl. When he opens his backpack, all you see are papers in no order whatsoever, an empty chips bag, and the flyer from last month’s Howler. He doesn’t feel the need for binders, notebooks, or any sort of organization. He scrapes by scavenging for supplies in the Lost and Found bin. When passing up papers, his row has to wait for him to dig through his backpack and locate his assignment. When he finds it, it’s completely crumpled and torn in two places, but hey, he did it.

nicole Wu The Northwood Howler

faNtastiC five: Seniors Franklin Zhang, Aditya Tadanki, Sungkyu Park, Stephanie Seto and junior Tiffany Zhang sit in class. Who is who?

Brandon’s BasuraThe Northwood Howler 15November 2, 2012

I continued to hum Hannah Montana’s encouraging lyrics under my breath as I strutted past the theater towards the white gates of the swimming pool.

The time trials were my chance to impress Rachel, a.k.a. hot girl, who seemed to be so unmoved by my rugged good looks. Usually the hair flip always gets them...I mean how did that not work with her? I’m so good-looking...

Focus Lochte, I mean Rocktee. OMG. It’s Rachel. Must...stop...staring...but I can’t. She’s too hot.

“Hey! I just finished my time trials and I think I’m going to make varsity this year. Why don’t you try out too? Did you bring your speedo? Lion, Lion!” she snaps her fingers in front of me.

“Huh. What? Yeah. I’m totally stoked to go!”

“Cool. The time trials start in 15. Go get warmed up,” she says, flashing her gorgeous smile at me.

Now’s my chance. She’ll never be able to resist me after I swim with record-breaking Olympic speed. Good thing I always wear my lucky Speedo under my clothes.

I take my place near the starting block and start stretching my fabulous muscles.

Oh yeah baby. Take it in. Focus. I look to the right and left of me. One kid, white blond hair, stares straight ahead. Totally in the zone. What’s his name again...John...John Hartshorne? Whatever, I know I can outswim every one of these guys in my sleep.

The coach starts to bark,

The Chronicles of Lion Rocktee: Lion Rocktee versus the crush

Top 10 high school students’ struggles

10. When you're walking to class and you have to walk up the back staircase in the 1200 building. It’s so dark. You might be talking to your friends, but you can’t help but share a nervous laugh about the creepiness of the situation. Maybe it’s a portal to the Underworld.9. When all of the boba is already sold out. And you just stand there near the oak tree, $2 flapping in the wind with ev-

eryone drinking their boba around you. Or there’s not enough/too much boba in your drink. Just boba in general, really. 8. Those little skateboards you see all of those “skaters” have. Are they really skaters? Or can they just not handle a

full-length skateboard? Do they really need to keep cutting you off when you try to walk home? Just think about it. 7. Constantly being torn between keeping or throwing out the ads in the Howler. You sit at your desk, ambivalent feel-

ings swirling through your head. You think: “I don’t really want these!” but “The Howler staff got here at 7 a.m. just to put these in just for me!” Decisions, decisions. 6. Wanting to start singing “Reflection” from Mulan because no one understands you. Or maybe YOU don’t understand

yourself. Either way, people stare at you and think you’re weird. 5. Having all your hard classes on the same day, followed by an insanely easy schedule. All of the stability and balance

in the world shatters to pieces as you’re left to deal with the remnants of your life as you knew it.4. Late starts. They only give the illusion of more sleep; we all know late starts just mean going to sleep an hour later

the day before.3. Bringing your odd day binder on even days. It’s a pretty odd occurrence, but one day you’ll get even with your

schedule.2. Eating your lunch the period before. At lunch, all you get to do is gaze at your backpack longingly, the desire of food

tugging at your soul.1. Not having any actual struggles.

By Anonymous???

“Swimmers Ready!” Of course I’m ready. I’m Ryan

Lochte. This is what I was born to do. “Take your mark. Get set. Go!” The whistle pierces the air and

I’m flying. The water, crisp and welcoming, surrounds me, moving out of my way, as I glide through it. Glancing to my sides, I see that I’ve surpassed all the other swimmers in the first few seconds. Like taking candy from a baby.

Time goes by in a flash and it’s the last lap. I can already see that everyone is falling behind.

Oh Crap! Someone’s going to notice me. Tone it down. Tone it down. My strokes start to waver and I lazily swim the last few feet, letting Hartshorne take the lead. Second place. Still impressive, but not suspicious. Nicely done, Rocktee.

“That was incredible! Second to Hartshorne, but you definitely made the team! Get dressed and we’ll go get ice cream to celebrate!” exclaimed Rachel.

Perfect. I knew my swimming would put her under my spell.

“I’ll be back in 10.” I smirk and flash her a wink, flipping my hair.

I’ve got the best gold medals. Swim it out. Win the race. Then you have a chance with Rachel. Channeling Hannah Montana’s spirit, I walked towards the end of the changing rooms when suddenly the coach runs up to me out of nowhere, intent written all over him.

“Wait a minute! I knew you were familiar. I’d recognize those dolphin kicks and biceps anywhere!”

Oh my Montana... I knew that I should have gone for third place. This is going to be a problem.

By Zoe Burger & sonAli sethCopy Editor & Viewpoint Editor

Politics meets Basura

Adrienne nguyen The Northwood Howler

PaTrioTic Brandon: Brandon pledges his allegiance to the United States of America after interviewing Mirack Robama and Bitt Omney.

By BrAndon Choi Junk Editor

This weekend, I was fortunate enough to run into President Mirack Robama and Governor Bitt Omney at our local Starbucks. Curious to see whether they would avoid my questions, like in any other interview, or genuinely respond, I added a bit of a Basura twist. Their responses went like this.

Brandon Choi: So... I hear you two are 27th degree cousins? Is that true?

Mirack Robama: Great question, Brandon. This nation is a great country to live. If I am re-elected, I will be sure to improve our education system so that more students can afford a college education. I believe that your generation is our future.

Bitt Omney: While my opponent promises to improve the education system, he fails to mention how he will accomplish such a task. If I become president, I will be sure to

inform the people beforehand on how I will accomplish all my goals. Indeed, America is a nation abundant with opportunities for success so it is only logical that we improve our education system.

BC: Statistics show that many citizens base their votes on the candidates’ favorite colors. What are your favorite colors?

MR: Speaking of foreign relations, I have accomplished so much as president. My priority is protecting the people of America. My goal has been and if re-elected will be to pull all our soldiers out of war to prevent unnecessary deaths.

BO: The President says his goal is protecting the American people, but he fails to mention how he will accomplish such a task. This has been consistent throughout his presidency. He has failed to live up to many of the promises he made during his campaign.

BC: So are you guys like Republican or Democratic?

MR: If the wealthy who are making millions of dollars annually were to be taxed slightly more, then improving the economy would be much easier.

BO: See, here’s where my opponent is completely wrong—government didn’t build my business, or any of their businesses.

BC: Uhh...

I worry about politics, Northwood. Whatever happened to those genuine debates where candidates would fight it out and argue for policy, rather than merely answer or avoid the moderator’s questions? By the end of the interview, they had not answered any of my questions. Amused but frustrated at such ridiculous responses, I flipped a coffee table and stormed out of Starbucks, never to return again to the world of politics.

PArAm shAh The Northwood HowlersTrUGGLinG sTUdEnT: Junior Zoe Burger struggles to purchase boba because they are all sold out.

Cartoon provided by Alexa Kreizinger