Issue of February 13, 2003
Vol. 86, No. 7
Click on a story link to view the story
News
Abortion protesters greet incoming students with grisly display
Human cloning: artificial intelligence?Opinions
Bush Administration pursuing loyal Arab-Americans
Can you fall in love in High School? YES!
Can you fall in love in High School? NO!
Does SEX sell?
Stylin'
My One and Half Cents (column)Features
Colton's own poetry
Dead poet's Society (bios of famous wordsmiths)
Poetry 101--the basics of writing verse
What is Poetry's appeal?
First comes love, then comes marriage?
Tagging...is it art, or merely vandalism?
Is love really necessary?Diversions
Archer reunites former athletes for coed soccer match
CHS's most eligible bachelor and bachelorette
The truth about 9/11 (Book Review)Sports
Boys and Girls Soccer
Water Polo
Human cloning: Artificial intelligence?
By Julia Arenas
February 13, 2003Human cloning, it boggles the mind to think that there is actually a possibility that human cloning is real. There is evidence stating that the process of making a clone is not a joke but a serious deal. I think it is wrong that human cloning is coming into the technology and that it is a very possible chance that in five, possibly ten years human cloning will be here in this world. Kids are going to be growing up looking like some one that has already lived on this life. Although, people think that human cloning is a person that is an exact copy of another person, which is wrong, the person that will come to be because of cloning will be like a late coming twin; they will both have different fingerprints. Giving birth, naturally, is fine, but there is something wrongwhen you're messing with fate. How far do we go to populate this earth? Human cloning was meant only for those that could not have kids; if God had intended for that particular person to have kids, he would have allowed them to. We are going to against the fates of life, taking life into our hands, producing kids for the sake of scientific results. I am not the only person who has said that human cloning is wrong; 72 % of people in a poll have voted that it is wrong, and that it is sick. People do not realize the deaths of many animals that have gone through this procedure. It is cruelty to animals, and it is cruelty to humans. There have been three human clonings' since first learning of Dolly; the very first animal cloned from an adult somatic or body cell; and now the House of Representatives has banned human cloning. There has also been a fine of 1 million dollars, or possibly up to or more than ten years in jail. Ten years is a long time, but for something that consists of making an artificial human being seems the biggest crime, especially since when the child grows up its going to have to know that it had to be forcefully created. It is wrong to force something that comes naturally to most people. Human cloning is wrong and it is sick, lets just hope that what they say about technology is not true.
Hey, wouldn't it be kind of cool to grow your clone? Well now, that can be done; but this procedure is not as simple as you think, you have to be truly devoted, and really want to have a clone. The materials you would need to have are -
· Human tissue: pure human cells of one tissue type, from the individual who will be cloned.
· Human tissue culture media: media in which these human cells will grow and divide.
· Minimal human tissue culture media: media in which cells will stop dividing, and enter a state of "quiescence" without dying.
· Laboratory supplies: incubator, Sterile Hood, petri dishes, microscopes, and tools capable of removing and implanting cellular organelles, such as the nucleus, from one cell to another.
· Unfertilized human egg cells
· Human egg cell growth media: media where fertilized eggs will grow and divide.
Hey, it looks like this is going to be an expensive project, and slightly confusing; and of course I guess that's expected. Now here is the part that you might want to write down and follow really carefully. There are seven steps that you need to cautiously do to be able to clone a human.
Grow the human cells to be cloned until you have a good supply
Transfer the cells to the minimal media. [For now, The Sheep Cloning Paper is a good reference for exactly how long.] This should allow the cells to live, but they should stop dividing and enter quiescence. This is likely the step in which the cells lose their differentiation, and revert to a more totipotent state.
When the cultured cells are in the quiescent state, get an unfertilized human egg cell.
Wow, that's a lot of work and barely the third step. Maybe you should rethink this and see if the hard work is worth the trouble of having a twin; or maybe waiting for a new way of technology to break through, if you really want a clone that bad.
Pro-life protesters set up grisly display in front of Colton campus, shock arriving students
Sean Durdle
February 13, 2003
The day started out like any other. Students made their way to school as they usually do. Just another complacent Wednesday morning in January. Then they saw it, a large board with a picture on it. At first the picture wasn't distinguishable, then it became clear: an aborted fetus's severed head. For most of the students it was the first time that they had seen anything like that up close.
At the main entrance of Colton High, members of a pro-life group titled the Survivors handed out flyers to students coming in the front school gate . According to the Survivors, "Any person born after January 22, 1973 is a survivor of the American Abortion Holocaust." The Survivors are a group that travels to high schools and colleges to warn people about the effects of abortion. The group is composed of eight members who make rounds in an RV. They feel the need "to speak out, on behalf of the one-third of our generation who have been killed by abortion," according to their pamphlet.
"We're not forcing this on people, if they don't want to see it, don't look," says Survivor member Michelle Chavez. "One-third of our generation is now gone because of the Roe vs. Wade decision." For those of you who don't know what Roe vs. Wade is, it was a Supreme Court decision made on January 22, 1973, that stated abortion is legal on demand in all 50 states. Why do they protest at schools? "Obviously teens are having sex and getting pregnant." Since they weren't actually on school grounds, they were legally allowed to be there. Assistant Principal Claudia Harris voiced the non-commital reaction of the school's administration to the display with a terse "We have no opinion."
The subject is a topic of controversy for almost all of Colton's students. "Abortion is wrong because it's just an easy way for a couple to get out of the consequences of their actions," says sophomore Phillip Salamanca. Almost everyone has a definite opinion on the subject. "If they're going to have a baby they should plan it because you have to consider what might happen and face the consequences," says sophomore Jo Anne Bonifacio.
The Survivors didn't stay long; shortly after school started they left. Later, they planned to go to a local college (they wouldn't say which) to demonstrate there at lunch. After that they were scheduled to be at another high school to get students on their way out of school. On January 22, 1998, the Survivors first came to be. That was the date of the 25th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.
Administration pursuing Unconstitutional investigations of "unloyal" Arab-Americans
By Sara Robbin
February 13, 2003In our nation today, many people are concerned about what is happening with terrorism and how our government is dealing with it. What the people of the United States don't know is that they are only getting half of the story. Did you know that President Bush is planning to do secret profilings on Arabs? Did you know that there is talk about Arab Americans being sent to internment camps? Perhaps you knew that our government is attempting to destroy people's aspirations for a better life simply because of their name or national/ethnic lineage.
Seeing as how the government is so afraid that the shadowy Arab "terrorists" might "strike again," they want to do everything in their power to stop it, even if it means putting certain people under surveillance. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Pentagon recently has funded a project that aims to create the most expensive electronic surveillance network in history. This project is called "Total Information Awareness." This would effectively provide government officials with immediate access to our personal information: all of our communications (phone calls, e-mails, and web searches), financial records, purchases, prescriptions, school records, medical records, and travel history. Under this program our entire lives would be catalogued, recorded, transcribed, posted and available to querying government officials. The atrocious thing about that is that they assume that person had something to do with the terrorist attacks. Innocent citizens are being labeled as potential terrorists by the list that is being made.
Arabs are afraid. They feel like they are being stereotyped and they cannot live their lives because of the constant judgment that is being passes by many people. Arabs and Arab-Americans are the principal targets for government abuse, but don't get comfortable just because you're not Arabic. It could be you next. History has proved it's almost impossible to put the genie back in the bottle once he's been let out.
The espionage against our own loyal citizens that is being proposed is unconstitutional, and morally wrong. The INS has been using secret evidence against Arabs so they can be deported. Basically, Arabs are considered so much of a threat that the government is withholding their civil liberties. All the things you see or hear on TV are the manipulation of masses and pure propaganda. They only tell you what you want to hear or what they think is relevant.
The parallels to recent history are real. We are in a similar place now as we were in the 1940s when the Japanese were sent to internment camps. Along with that possibility, now there is also infiltration, imprisonment, and secret profiling, all for a so-called social justice. With today's society and today's government we must accept the fact that imperialism is inevitable. People say that you learn from your mistakes, but you see today is history repeating itself.
Just because the government says that they are doing this because they have a probable cause and want to stop terrorism, it doesn't mean that the government should spy on us or investigate everyone. As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our constitutional rights and freedoms. Being proud of these rights, we must make every effort to promote and enlarge our privacy rather than sacrifice it in this time of anxiety and concern. We must not sacrifice our freedom and liberty in order to continue the "War on Terrorism."
BSN-pro-can you fall in love in high school?
By Marisa Cortez
February 13, 2003Who is to say when someone is allowed to love? Is there a certain place and time? As far as I know people can fall in love whenever they want. Those who say true love can't exist in high school are people who have never had it and don't know what it really is. One argument is that in high school is we're not mature enough or experienced enough. They say we're too young to know what it is, and yet we're able to love our family and our friends and a variety of other things (unless that type of love doesn't exist in high school either.) Granted, the love we're talking about here is somewhat different, but it's still along the same lines. If we're able to love that way, why is romantic love any different?
Sure there are some people in high school who are immature and who don't know how to have a relationship. They cheat and lie and say words they don't mean, still as much as this happens it doesn't mean that love is nonexistent. I'm very aware of the fact that sometimes the word love can be thrown around carelessly between couples when it is not genuinely meant, but this does in no way mean that it can't exist sometimes. It is very true that often people confuse love with infatuation. But it's not only because we're in high school. This can happen anywhere and at any time. And who ever said that love and infatuation couldn't go together? When you love someone why can't you also have an "extravagant passion or attraction" to them? No one can say how long it takes two people to fall in love. The fact is, it's different for everyone. It takes however long they need. True, it can take time, but sometimes you know right away when you love someone. Just because you're in high school doesn't automatically make you immature and incapable of loving. That's a very ignorant assumption to make.
BSN-con-can you really fall in love in high school?
By Ashley Ellison
February 13, 2003Can people really fall in love in high school? I don't think so! High school students may think they are in love, but they are really just infatuated with their boyfriend or girlfriend. Infatuation is a foolish unreasoning, or extravagant passion or attraction. The "in love" couples in high school just get sick of each other and then move on to their next victim which they proceed to fall "in love" with. Love is a magical thing. A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness. It takes time, devotion, and two people with mutual feelings. Love is an intense emotional attachment, which should not be mistaken for something else, such as infatuation.
People start saying they are in love when they have only known each other for a very short time. In such a short time you barely know anything about a person, no matter how many hours you spend with them. People think love is a word you can just throw around. People think that saying "I love you," when you do not really mean it, will make things easier. Then when you really do fall in love with each other, saying those three special words will not be as hard to say.
I am not saying that it is impossible to fall in love with someone you meet in high school; I am only saying that it takes more time then what high school students want to allow. Love is not something you can rush into, it develops over time. When you really do fall in love with that special someone, you will know it. We are still too immature to understand what love really is and what it really feels like. Students only care about the benefits of being in a relationship.
Does sex sell?
By Paul Heredia
February 13, 2003Sex sells to teens, especially here at Colton High. Just by walking around the campus and seeing all these pregnant girls, you know that sex is selling to the young minds of high school students. Sex sells through the sex scenes on television, through sex products on TV, and many other sex related products that encourage our young minds to have sex.
Take condom commercials, for example; comdoms are a big sex-selling product that purports to promote safer sex, but at the same time encourages some to have sex. These ads are saying that using a condom prevents kids coming along with the sex. But, what they don't tell you is that they have a 15% failure rate. You could recycle the old line: "What do you call Colton High students who rely on condoms? TEEN PARENTS!"
People who fall for this hype get hurt, and it makes me really mad at both the sex selling and the choices these people make. These choices are ones that affect your life in one way or another and the majority of the time the choice is made up for you when you find out you're having a kid. I don't know about you but I would like to have my youth and freedom for as long as I can. Sex is a choice that almost everyone has and the way sex selling works is by getting into your mind. It encourages you to do it with out letting you know about the consequences of having sex. When I see these girls at our school pregnant and down in a way, I know it's because they know that their life has been changed in the matter of one night.
It is hard for many people to walk around campus and see their friends that are going to have a baby. It is hard to deal with knowing that your friend was probably the target of a sex-selling ad. I see these young guys and girls who have their whole lives ahead of them, but blow it all for one night with that so called "special someone". That one night is all it takes to turn your life into adulthood and cause you to grow up that much faster. Sure, having a kid is a blessing, but would you really want your youth taken away in one night? Is it really worth it? Think about that the next time you see a condom commercial or an ad with a bunch of hot sexy bodies in a sports show.
Style: finding your own uniqueness in a sea of conformity
By Heather Weppler
February 13, 2003The dictionary states Style as "fashion", and it defines Fashion as "current custom in dress". Ummmmmmm...O.k.? That doesn't really help. How is it that we know what style is? When asked what about style junior Anna Tidwell replied, "Style is what you make it. It's who you are expressed through clothing."
I couldn't agree more. Style is some thing that you make, and it's not what makes you. I think that style is not something that is in the latest issue of Seventeen. I don't think that I should get rid of everything black I own because brown is the new color of the season. When did a season become a color? I think it's pretty basic: more clothes in winter, less in summer; doesn't seem so hard to me. But then again maybe I'm just not "stylish."
I can't help but think that we are constantly ruled by what we are taught is "fashionable," or "in." We look for acceptance from others by wearing "the latest." We work our way up the ladder of popularity, slowly winning our peers over, with every new article of clothing that has been pre-approved by the Mrs. or Mr. of popularity. Style is something that should defiantly be your own. I'm not trying to be down on those of you who are so-called "popular," or those of you who try so hard to be one of them. Trust me, I have had my years of trying to fit in. I just feel that we shouldn't be surrendering who we are so that we might feel like we're finally good enough. Weren't we all made with different likes and dislikes? Why does not fitting into the standards of fashion make us less important than the person who fits them to a "T"? I would hope that those who wear clothes really like what they wear. You should feel good about your clothes, not because they make you out to be something better than you are, or something that you're not, but because they reflect the person you are.
Another thing that I have noticed is that by wearing certain clothes we suddenly become a part of a group. We often feel comfortable in our cliques. We like being distinguished as one type of person. It makes it easier to feel like we belong, but soon it becomes too much we can't seem to keep up with everyone else that we seem to be competing with in our own little cliques that were once so comfortable. Where do we go from there? We move on. Yeah, that's right, what's next on our list of "things that I need to be" which goes right along with "things that I need to buy." I know that we get stereotyped either way, that's the way humans are, but I think that we shouldn't try to define ourselves as something and buy into "the scene."
Which brings me to my next point: what do you do when you feel like you don't fit in? You turn all the way around and rebel. Not trying to attack anyone, but you often see people who dress in all black or decided that they are "going to get away from the trends" by not buying into it. Well, sorry to say this, but you just did. By not going with everything that society tells us is "acceptable" or "trendy" is still being trendy. You may not be going along with all the others but in your own way you look for acceptance from those who have also found that they don't want to be everybody else. You go looking for "different" and you find once again that you're something you're not. Trust me, I've been there, and I'm not saying that those who wear black are like this, because if you happened to notice I wear quite a lot of black. It's just what I like.
The truth is that there is only one way that you can escape from the on going struggle of being "with it," and that's by being yourself. You may not know who that is yet but I would encourage you to start looking. I myself have a very picky taste. I know what I like because I stopped being who everyone else wanted me to be. Then I truly learned what style was. It's something inside you that shows what people don't normally see. Because we're human we identify people by the way we see them. I know that when I look at someone I can usually tell what they are trying to say with what they are wearing. It's an awesome right to have, but it's such a waste if you never even get to use it.
My 1 and 1/2 cents
By Lisa Namnath
February 13, 2003Have you ever seriously looked at a snail? Probably not, because you are too busy doing other "more important" things, like picking your nose, and trying to remember when you last cut your toenails. Then of course there are those learning the fine art of picking your nose while cutting your toenails, and if you're super-talented, all while burping the alphabet and thinking about why a dog's nose is always wet.
If you, for some apparently "odd" reason ever bothered to look at a snail you might discover that they are incredibly cute. They have a face that looks somewhat like a hairless, baby, slimy, bunny.
What I mean, is that if you look at a rabbit that was just born, it resembles a snail, minus the pink. Next time you step on a snail, imagine squishing a little innocent bunny. All of you sickos who are now going to step on snails for fun, (even more than you do now) I still don't like you and you are deranged (not a scientific fact, don't think you're psycho because of me. You should only think you're a psycho because you feel connected to other psychos, not because I say so).
I like the top of the world. Well, to burst my own bubble, there is not top to the world, the planet is round, I think. That-is-to-say, I've never actually been able to test the roundness of the planet. I've been told it's round, by people who probably haven't tested it either. Humans should be able to fly, that would solve it, then I could look for myself. It has been decided. Flying good, uncertainty about roundness bad.
Yeah, and I never actually had a bubble, only the "doubleplus" super popular people get bubbles, I only get the plastic wand and no bubble stuff. I pretend I get bubbles, it keeps my hopes up. (Having down hopes is just bad.) I bet snails never have down hopes, I mean they're so close to the ground there isn't much farther down they can get.
Bunnies on the other hand, propagate because they have hope. They hope that one of their snail looking little offspring will make something of themselves and move the family up in society. Maybe even marry into a family that belongs to the bunny country club. I don't think this works, I have yet to verify the existence of a rabbit country club, maybe it's like the roundness of the planet and of the plane, you can't see it but it's there.
Colton boasts its own set of poets
Compiled by Nicole Miller and Lisa Namnath
February 13, 2003A Just Fine Day
It's not exciting to wake up,
Being me,
I have very few reasons to leap from
Warm comforters and my own dreams.
But I do, I have to,
Would anything get done was I not there?
Yes.
I cannot think that,
It makes me unimportant
Useless, Replaceable
And I'm not.
Am I?Never mind I don't have time to ask stupid questions
That aren't really stupid
Today is supposed to be
A just fine day
Why ruin it with worthless wondering.
Ahh, good morning sun, that shines in my eyes
Temporarily blinding me to the tree
I just walked into.
Hello dirt that has mutated to mud
Now caked on my white shoes
How are you today-
You wandering pupils
Who are oblivious to my existence?
You heinous day
You've just begun and already you laugh at meOh well today is still good, it has to be.
Urgh! Jerk, don't step on my foot
World, don't ignore me
Teachers, please don't patronize me
Today has to be a good dayBrain don't quit on me
Life don't forsake me
Heart, have a heart
Nothing can ruin today
It is a good dayToday is a good day
F's don't scare me
Laughter doesn't faze me
Ridicule does not damage my pride
I realize that what he thinks means nothing
Sitting alone does not hurt me;
Solitarily walking is not so bad
Silence can be comforting,
Alone is nice
Because today has to be a good day, it is my birthday,
And I refuse to cry.
-LBN
Leaving Me
All fantasies forgotten, all dreams erased, all calls disregarded,
All glances, and smiles are gone forever all sweet aromas vanished,
In the memory of us evaporated in those special hugs,
Our lives melted in to the fluttering heartbeats,
The sorrow no longer lives in your heart you know not my name.
You still love me no more.
-Nicole Panek
Reality
Death to the dying,
And growth to the living.
Ahead and away these thought I am giving.
Running over the walls that confine your reality,
Your thoughts that matter but not to me.
Because what it is, its not and you forgot.
But did you know at all?
That I have long run over your wall?
A wall that exists only if you allow it,
But can you live without it?
Can you allow your eyes to see?
Or allow your ears to listen?
Do you dare explore the realm I live in?
-Dick Partida
(Untitled)
I look in your eyes and I see the pain.
Pain that you try to hide with fake smiles and laughs.
No one will ever know the pain that you have inside.
I long to know what hides behind those laughs.
But you have closed yourself off no one can touch you.
But my goal is to get inside that heart of yore's.
I want to know the real you,
I want to know the person inside.
-Ashley Cruz
The Mage
Beneath the stars to wonder with rage unseen yet heard,
Poisoned fueled words waiting to be burned.
A warrior's hidden rage shielding his sorrow filled eyes,
Poetry stirring in the depths of his soul grasping for the night
Sky,
A lost passion besieged and dry.
Breaking though the circle of fear and hate, he stands alone
Watching others slowly drift away.
Deteriorating with time, his soul watches the rain, hastily
Moving with the clouds full of pain.
As anger rushes through the veins of this vagrant warriors stage,
The sun sets in the land of hypocrisy awaiting for the have nots
To break the structure of this new kingdom of red.
My evil empire strolls and grows with each second now passed,
Not knowing of life was even worth to last.
To breathe each time I wake, only tests' the power of anger
Fragmented in the time as the possessor of possessor of posture reaping all that
Has been solved.
Growing deeper in rage of poisoned words, his sword awakened
Staring back at the page of his rival watching the beast gripping the demon in his
Mind to swirl in woe.
-Jesse Palomino
Wasted in Desire
It eats at me with a carnivorous rage,
Like a vulture in the desert stalking his pray.
Such a strong desire for comforts feel,
Such a strong desire for the pain to heal.
More thoughts contain me,
But contained I stay.
Unable to run away.
Like a child dependent to it's mother,
So cold in infinite rain.
I stand in the shadows and hope to gain.
I hope to gain what I have lost.
I hope to feel without the cost.
-Dick Partida
Dead poets society-a thumbnail sketch of some famous wordsmiths
By Victor Valdez
February 13, 2003
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) Edgar Allan Poe was a poet from Boston. He had written hundreds of poem before he died in 1849. Some of his most recognized poems include "The Raven" and "The Black Cat." "The Raven was even featured in an episode of "The Simpsons."
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) Emily Dickinson began to write poetry when she was in her 20s, all the way until she died in 1886. Her poetry was not printed until after she died. She had written over a thousand poems, including, "I Am Nobody, Who Are You."
Shel Silverstein (1932-1999) Shel Silverstein was an all around writer. He had written books for kids, Adults and he even wrote a few songs. But it seemed he was best at writing children's poetry. His greatest poems can be found in his books, "A Light in the Attic" and "Where the Sidewalk Ends."
Gary Soto (1952- ) Gary Soto writes poems and books for adults and high school students. He was a finalist for The Los Angeles Book Award and The National Book Award. His work includes the poems "Late Snack in Sicily."
Maya Angelou (1928- ) Maya Angelou was a poet, author, and a playwright, just to name a few. She had even met Martin Luther King Jr. Angelou is probably most famous for her book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) Henry Longfellow was an American poet who was a professor of modern language at Harvard and received honorary degrees from Oxford and Cambridge. One of His famous works includes "Paul Revere's Ride."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) William Shakespeare is probably known more for his plays then for his poetry. His poems include "Venus and Adonis" and "The Rape of Lucrece." Some of his timeless tragedies include "Macbeth" and "Hamlet."
Poetry 101: The basics of writing verses
By Claudia Gonzalez
February 13, 2003Writing poetry is fun from the beginning of Roses are red Violets are blue. There are many types of poetry that you might of heard of and that you can relate to. There are times when you know what types of basics there are and you don't know how to write poems for it. Some have learned that you can express your mind and your feelings when it comes to writing poems. Most of the basics that are used that you might have heard have are as follows: Free Verse, Repetition, Rhymes, Symbol and Tone. These are the most common poetry basics that are used now days and those we might know how to write or relate them to the certain type. Free Verse does not rhyme is what sets it apart from all other forms. Repetition is to give a certain flow to a style or structure of a poem. It can also be used to reinforce a feeling, idea or meaning within the poem. Rhyme are words that sound alike: for example "Rhyme" and "time" form a rhyme. Symbolism is another literary term in which something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance. We can say that it's a visible sign of something invisible, in other words most of us know that the lion symbolizes courage. One other basic that is used often is Tone. Tone is the style or manner of expression in speaking or writing, the "voice" or mood a piece has. One of the sites that might help you on how to write poetry is www.flyingarts.net/workshops/basics. The site has examples of every type of poetry there is and it explains it in the fact that you might be able to understand it and write it on your own. This is an example of a Free Verse;
The Dream by Jorge Louis Borges
While the clocks of the midnight hours are squandering
an abundance of time,
I shall go, farther than the shipmates of Ulysses,
to the territory of dream, beyond the reach
of human memory.
From that underwater world I save some fragments,
inexhaustible to my understanding:
grasses from some primitive botany,
animals of all kinds,
conversations with the dead,
faces which all the time are masks,
words out of very ancient languages,
and at times, horror, unlike anything
the day can offer us.
I shall be all or no one. I shall be the other
I am without knowing it, he who has looked on
that other dream, my waking state. He weighs it up,
resigned and smiling.
What is Poetry's Appeal?
By Gabriel Jorrin
February 13, 2003For centuries philosophers and writers alike have expressed their feelings through the art poetry. Many have been successful in capturing and influencing the minds of the perspective readers. Despite their diverse style of writing poetry, they all have one thing in common; their poetry is based on their deepest beliefs and feelings. How are they trying to appeal to the people? What are they trying to convey? The answer lies within their work. These very poets have laid the foundation for the future poetic minds of the coming years.
As William Woodworth once said in 1798, "Poetry is the breath of the finer spirit of all knowledge; it is the impassioned expression, which is in the countenance of all science." Many poets today write poems that express their emotions on love, relationships, society, and human characterization. It's another way for them to vent their frustrations, but to also inform readers that they too have feelings. For most people, poetry is an escape from the everyday stresses of society. It is another way for them to speak using captivating diction, rhymes, and limericks to make their point clear, which is the basis of their work.
Even Colton High School has its fair share of poetic minds. However, most have chosen to stay anonymous. This is out of fear of facing ridicule from those who can't understand the appeal of poetry. A student in Colton High chose to express his feedback on the appeal of poetry, but chose to stay anonymous. He said, "I think poetry has become a strong force in literature since it appeals to the people who can relate to their words and feel the rythym of the poem. Personally, when I write poems, I want people to know how I feel and see my words through my eyes."
First comes love then comes marriage?
Narmin Shahin
February 13, 2003It seems more and more that this little nursery rhyme we used to sing in elementary school doesn't apply to high school students anymore. Does it seem that sex had just become the next random thing a boy and a girl do? There are certain guys who will just ask a girl for sexual favors like they have no meaning anymore. Sometimes you don't even have to know the person, let alone go out or be in love with them. Sex used to be a way two people showed love for each other and it had great meaning. That's why so many people used to wait until marriage to give it to that one special person and that person alone. Nowadays it seems that you can do it with anyone at anytime. It loses its meaning more and more each day. It has become more common to have sex than to wait till marriage or even fall in love before you commit the "act."
It has become really easy for us to go out and buy the protection that we have no reason not to because we believe that we don't have anything else stopping us. For one thing, love doesn't even exist in high school so we shouldn't even be committing ourselves to sex with another person. There are so many consequences with actually taking the big step in your relationship you have to understand that this could change your whole life by just one mistake. I don't think a lot of us think of this when we are willing to just go out and have sex like it means nothing.
I remember being young and having my mother talk about the birds and the bees, telling me that it's one of the most of special things you can share with a person and that you should be in love and completely trust this person.
Penguins spend their whole lives looking for that special other penguin to mate with; when they find their significant other they spend their whole lives with just this one other penguin. Why can't we do this with actual people? Why do we even have to ask our significant other how many other people they have slept with before they were with you? It seems that in high school more and more kids are doing it without considering the effects of what they are doing. Most of the time a lot of people don't even stay together with that one special person they shared that intimate moment with. So I go back to my question, do we wait till marriage to do this with the one person we are going to spend the rest of our lives with? The answer is no we don't because the whole act has lost it's meaning to a person. As for me, I know I will be waiting until marriage to share that special moment with that one special person.
Is it vandalism or art?
Latoya Brookins
February 13, 2003Tagging-also known as graffiti-is a style of writing and drawing on public or private surface. Everywhere you look you will be able to see it in the public. It is in the background of music videos, on the walls of buildings and there are even pictures of it on the internet and on some cd covers. Even at school it is visible, whether it is on the bathroom walls, the desks, or the textbooks!
There are many styles of tagging. Slap Tag is when someone writes out the Tag crew's name or the individual's tag name on a sticker. The sticker is then slapped onto poles, walls, newspaper bins, etc. Others choose to create beautiful murals of their family, friends, important events or even replicas of renowned paintings. It is not a complete truth that taggers cannot spell. In fact, many purposely misspell words to attain a certain mood or vibe.
People tag for many reasons. They want recognition and respect among their peers or even self-recognition. Many believe that tagging is an artistic expression. You are able to express your views and emotions about subjects you were not allowed to discuss or had problems talking about. A tagger will get a sense of accomplishment from their work. Some want their work to say ''I was here," ''I am known" or even, ''I rule."
Tagging can be an expensive habit depending on what is used to tag. Some of the items associated with tagging include paint and rollers, paper clips, markers, pencils, pens, shoe polish rolls, etching tools, rocks and spray paint. They are basically trying to find anything that will leave a distinctive mark. The most common spots for tagging are on unused or blank walls of buildings in rural areas.
The cost to remove graffiti depends on where it is done and how large it is. If the tagger is under the age of 18 then the cost becomes the parent's responsibility. When no one is arrested then the responsibility falls on the taxpayer, business owner, homeowner or individual victim. Tagging costs cities and schools thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of work to clean up each year. It costs $200 to blast a surface with water or baking soda, and painting jobs usually cost $25 an hour.
If someone is caught tagging they could end up facing misdemeanor or felony criminal mischief charges. If the damage totals $250 or less, the result is a misdemeanor charge. For damage of more than that amount, the charge is a class 6 felony; for damage of more than $2,000, a class 5 felony; more than $10,000, a class 4 felony. The penalties could range from community service or probation to six months to a year in jail and up to three years jail time depending on the number of offenses and other circumstances. All penalties involve a range of fines from $300 for a misdemeanor to a maximum of $150,000 for a felony. They will be subject to arrest and taken to court for restitution of damages.
Students caught tagging could be dealing with suspension and possible expulsion. In some areas convicted minors will be sent to a type of boot camp led by officers. Once there, they will have to undergo numerous tasks and punishments until they have realized the severity of their crime.
Symptoms signs of Youth involved with tagging
1. Most taggers become obsessed with graffiti and will often have ''Tag Books" that they carry with them at all times to practice perfecting their tagging skills.
2. The taggers will collect pictures of graffiti from all over and will often hang the pictures up in their bedrooms.
3. The tagger will write graffiti in their own room, including furniture, desk, walls and personal possessions.
4. Look for a change in appearance (clothing, hairstyle), friends and grades.
5. Taggers tend to go on ''bombing raids" (tagging expeditions) between the hours of 2 am and 5 am. They often get little if any sleep on those nights and will be extra tired during the day. Look for a change in their sleep patterns such as naps during the afternoon when they never used to nap before.
Is love really necessary?
By Ryan Rivera
February 13, 20003"Te amo," in Spanish, "Je t'aime," in French, and "ti voglio bene," in Italian all mean the same three-word phrase that Americans use and abuse on Valentines Day. " I love you," is expressed in a variety of ways all around the world.
Valentine's Day can be one of the happiest days in a person's life and it can also be one of the most depressing as well--a day where two people can convey their love in actions, as opposed to speech. Most people think you have to have someone in order to have a special Valentine's Day, but in my opinion, you don't. It all depends on who you spend it with and what you decide to do. Numerous people feel you have to be in love for Valentine's Day; is this true?
For me personally, I think Valentine's Day is a special day in itself. If you have a certain someone you love with all your heart then it makes the day more special than it already is. Yes, its just another day in the year, but its also a day to celebrate the love you possess for someone whether it be your girlfriend, boyfriend, or even family and friends.
What is love? Many will spend their entire lives trying to find it and others will wait for it to come to them. Loneliness plagues the single person on Valentine's Day, filling them with motivation to find some one, ANYONE. For those that actually share a mutual love and affection for one another, the unique day is filled with gifts, and love proclamations.
You just have to be patient. Serenity, trust, and honesty are the key elements that will allow your heart to love someone. It's up to you to let yourself follow your heart. One thing to remember is that love can be the most wonderful feeling in the world, but it can also be the most painful at times.
Even if you don't have a special person in your life, Valentines' Day is the one-day out of the year you can show someone just how you feel. Whether it is the exchanging of the flowers, cards, or candy, that person will realize just how much they mean to you.
Archer reunites former CHS students in alumni soccer game
Ashley Ellison
February 13, 2003The Colton High School alumni soccer players reunited to play our current varsity soccer team on Saturday, December 28, 2002, at 11:00 a.m. This was the sixth annual alumni soccer game since Joe Archer has been coaching at Colton High. The alumni team played together as if no time had ever passed. They led with a 5-3 score throughout most of the game, but then decided to boost the 2002-2003 boys varsity soccer teams ego and let them win 7-5.
Our current varsity teams goals were made by: Seth Diggs (3), Jose Bernal, Anthony Hamilton and Cody Moore.
The five goals by the alumni were made by: Greg Ethier (2), Josh Zink, Dominik Heredia, and Jay Nix.
The alumni game gave these young men a chance to catch up on there former class mates lives, something which they may never be able to arrange if it was not for Coach Archer making it a priority every year. Many of the Colton alumni's are attending college out of the area and do not get home to visit that often, but this game is one they try very hard not to miss. Archer sends out letters and flyers to all the former Colton High School varsity soccer players to remind them of the special event and pray a lot of them will make it.
December 28 was a truly fun day for all. Many parents came to see the game and also to visit with the other parents and former students which they hardy get a chance to see. As a parent to see that your child has kept so many friends from their high school days is a great experience. Many of these 25 soccer players remain close friends with their former teammates to this day. Many play soccer for their communities, college or Intermurial College teams. It is very inspirational to know that friendships are very important to these Colton High School alumni boys. They will always be very grateful to Coach Archer for instilling in them the importance of teamwork, sense of fairness, and to remember where you came from and the people who contributed to who you became.
CHS's most eligible bachelor and bachelorette are…
By Ashley Ellison, Sandie Brown and Narmin Shahin
February 13, 2003A recent survey had been given to Colton High students to figure out who are the most eligible bachelor and bachelorette here at Colton High. Some students took the survey as a joke and took no time or effort to complete it, while others actually put thought and feeling into their survey.
Junior Frank Ramirez (pictured on left side of column ) and senior Sandy Lim (pictured on right of column), have been chosen by the Pepperbough staff as the most eligible bachelor and bachelorette at Colton High School. They were chosen for their feelings and honesty in their answers to our survey questions.
Frank Ramirez enjoys playing football and soccer, hanging out at people's houses, watching movies and eating ice cream. After graduating CHS his plans are to go to college and then get married. He likes rock music and classifies himself as being unique. An ideal bachelorette for him is any girl that can make him laugh and that he can have a good time with. He loves to see a pretty smile, pretty eyes, nice toes, and nice hair. What attracts Frank the most to a girl, is that she is nice, has a sweet personality and has smooth, silky hair. His idea of a perfect date is to go to the movies, go out to dinner (preferably Claim Jumpers), then go to a special place and cuddle. For Valentines Day his plans for whoever his sweetheart may be, is to buy her some flowers, maybe some chocolates and then take her anywhere she desires. "Love is a very special feeling, and loving someone can feel great, but being loved back by that same person is just very special," says our bachelor.
Sandy Lim enjoys hanging out with the people she loves. After high school she plans to attend University of Southern California or any four-year UC. She likes various types of music and classifies her style as her own. Her ideal bachelor is someone who is kind, caring and has a good heart. He has to be funny, smart and hot as well. The best physical traits in a guy is his hair, them his smile. Just being with that special person is good enough, on Sandy's perfect date. "Well considering that I do not have a valentine as of now… if I had a valentine I would spoil him to death, because its fun to buy gifts for someone you find special." To Sandy love is something special. To love someone and to be in love is a great feeling.
Our most eligable bachelor, Frank Ramirez and our most eligible bachelorette, Sandie Lim, have all the qualities you need to look for in your Valintine's Day sweetheart.
The truth about 9/11 (Book Review)
Nick Taylor
February 13, 2003Most Americans are slaves. You say that slavery ended with the civil war? Don't believe it. We are slaves to our government, believing whatever propaganda we see on the news, following these so called leaders in with every war it decides is best for our capitalist interests. Not worrying how many innocents will die or even the reasons behind the war.
The main reason for going to war with Iraq is that we have come to believe Iraq may have weapons of mass destruction including biological, chemical and/or nuclear. This supposedly gives us the right to invade a sovereign nation, take it over, occupy it, and use their resources all we want.
What about North Korea, they have nuclear weapons and considering they are a communist country and one of the main principles of communism is to overthrow all capitalism, shouldn't we be a little afraid of them as well? Has anyone wondered why we aren't screaming about them? The reason we don't go to war with North Korea is because they do not have oil. Iraq is one of the richest countries in the world when it comes to oil and Iraq has stopped our supply. Rightly so considering all the death we have caused the country by placing sanctions and embargos on the country. This stop of oil to the US is making all the oil tycoons of the US a little mad and they have expressed such anger to the president GW and considering our country is run by tycoons and other big businessmen it has grown into what it is now, war. Look at who's running our country-Texas oilmen, led by the oiliest oilman of all, President Bush.
Ideas like this and other related ideas are what you could find it you opened a book by noted author Noam Chomsky. For example in the book 9-11, Chomsky speaks out against the attacks on Afghanistan saying, "The US war in Afghanistan is being carried out to suit American interests. The US has no cared to show any hard evidence to prove that a particular person or a country is behind the September 11 attacks." Chomsky then goes more into detail saying, " The US leads the league of nations that carry out terrorism on smaller nations." In this book Chomsky criticizes the American government or rather the Central Intelligence Agency for nurturing Islamic terrorist organizations in the world. Osama Bin Laden and other Afghanistan terrorist groups were trained by the US in how to build bombs and use terrorist tactics against Russia during the Cold War.
Chomsky is a leader and inspiration for many people and groups of people, bands like The (International) Noise Conspiracy and the late Rage Against the Machine took a lot from Chomsky's messages and turned them into non-complacent lyrics and songs.
Chomsky is a great read and if you have interest in related material Chomsky's books are a must. A few of Chomsky's books to read are What Uncle Sam Really Wants, The Common Good, and 9-11. Fight The Power
Soccer season coming to an end; both boys and girls working hard to win
By Sandy Brown
February 13, 2003Both boys and girls soccer teams close out their respective seasons tomorrow against San Gorgonio.Both teams have a shot at the playoffs at press time.
Boys varsity soccer is currently tied with Pacific for first place with a record of 6-2. Following behind is Yucaipa with a record of 5-2-1. San G is currently in third place. These are the rankings prior to the game on Feb. 5th against Yucaipa. Losing against Yucaipa could push Colton boys back into third place, but beating Yucaipa would give Colton a little more secure of an outlook on ending the season in first place. Varsity coach Joe Archer said, " It would be a shame if this team did not win league, because on paper they are probably the best team in the league." Since the beginning of the season the boys have worked their hardest to beat every team in the league. The season kicked off on January 8th when Colton played Pacific and lost 2-1. Colton's next game was played against Cajon and they beat them 6-1. Their following game was played against Yucaipa and they beat them 3-0. Up next in their season was Arroyo Valley and the boys beat them 5-2. On January 22nd Colton beat San Bernardino 2-1. An upsetting loss occured when Colton lost to San G. 2-1. After the defeat at San G the boys decided that they didnt want to lose again and they beat Pacific 4-1 and Cajon 4-0.
Girls varsity soccer team is also working very hard, but unfortunately are currently tied for third place with Cajon with a record of 4-3-1. The girls still have a chance for CIF; as of right now they have four games remaining, and if they do not lose a game then they will make it to the playoffs. Coach Mario Mendoza said, "Expectations for the season were high, due to key injuries the rest of the team has to pull through. Being tied for third is a great accomplishment considering the loss of two key players." Since our last issue the girls have played four games. On January 22nd the girls played San Bernardino and beat them 9-0. The girls next game was against San G and they barely lost 1-0 in the last few minutes. After the loss they went to Pacific and beat them 5-0. The final game that could be covered was played on January 31st against Cajon and the girls left with a tie of 1-1.
Girls H2O polo concludes season
By Nicole Miller
February 13, 2003Water polo finishes their season tomorrow afternoon against San Gorgonio. At press time they have yet to win a match.
They started with a new coach Shannon Welch; she used to be on the water polo team two years ago as a senior. Now she has come back to coach the team on all the skills she learned over the years. The team enjoys having a captain that used to be their team mate because she can relate a lot to what the weakness' are on the team. The captains this year are Melissa Nicks and Christina Montoya. The team has six returning varsity players and six new in coming varsity players. The only problem the team faced was not having a pool at the school to be able to practice in. "It's hard to practice as much as the other schools because we are the only school in league without a pool" says captain Nicks. Even though they haven't won any of their games so far they put in a good effort and have given the teams a run for their water.
Water polo is a very difficult sport you have people climbing and grabbing you while treading water at the same time. "It's kind of like soccer and basketball in the water" says Nicks.