Month: December 2016

Dear Gabby,
I am a freshman and I don’t know what I want to do in the future. This is troubling because a lot of people I know have their futures planned out already. I can’t even choose a college because I don’t know what to major in. I also doubt I’ll earn any scholarships, either.
I don’t know what my passion is, and so I don’t know how to plan out my future. What should I do?
I Need Options

Dear Needs Options,
There are very few fourteen-year olds who have their futures mapped out already. Even those who think they do will most likely change their minds a few time before it’s all said and done.
You don’t need to know what you want to major in to apply to college. Look at schools which don’t require you to declare your major right away — most private schools are like this. Public schools generally do, but you can always change your major.
More importantly – you have three years left to make up your mind. Freshman year is too early to worry about your major. If you explore different things now and find out what you’re interested in, your major will take care of itself.
I can’t tell you what your passion should be. But I can give you a couple ideas.
If you want to do something really meaningful, go into STEM. Climate change will be the critical issue of our generation — become the person who engineers a carbon-dioxide sucking machine, or invents a faster, longer range rocket that delivers a colony to Mars. You could save the human race.
If you want to impact lives more immediately and directly, go into law. For example, the government is not required to provide undocumented children detained by immigration services with a public defender. The few who can get an attorney have a 500% better chance of remaining in the US than those who can’t. Do pro-bono work and help people out.
Or, if you want to make money, go into investment banking!
The world is yours.

When Bee Movie debuted in 2007, no one thought much of it. Fast-forward to 2016, where it has made itself an internet phenomenon.
Bee Movie is a movie by Jerry Seinfeld that tells the story of Barry B. Benson, a fresh college graduate that’s making his way into the working bee industry. Along the way, he decides to stray from the path of work that is expected of him, and makes his way into the human world. There, he meets Vanessa, a human he develops a close bond (arguably one of attraction) with. Yes, it’s a human and a bee. A bee and a human. It’s weird, I know. Barry finds out that people are taking honey from bees, and decides to sue the whole human race. When they win the trial, flowers everywhere start dying off. They eventually save humankind and beekind by preventing a plane crash (?) and pollinating the world’s flowers.
Seinfeld’s movie has received negative feedback from reviewers and audiences alike. Sites like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb consistently put the movie at around 50%. The consensus at Rotten Tomatoes is that “Bee Movie has humorous moments, but it’s awkward premise and tame delivery render it mostly forgettable.”
With the horrendous reviews, it’s no surprise why would the Internet spend so much time celebrating the quality of this movie. In 2015, Seinfeld’s movie became a meme when people sent around the entire Bee Movie script, all 9,478 words of it. The script became a meme in it of itself, making its way onto mugs and shirts (I should know, I own one.) Ever since, a movie that had virtually no popularity with movie reviewers has had unprecedented popularity with the Internet.
In late November 2016, an upsurge of Bee Movie memes flooded the Internet once again. The first video to make it big this year is titled, “The entire bee movie but every time they say bee it gets faster” uploaded by Avoid at All Costs. This video has 13 million views, and every day since, hundreds of new Bee Movie memes are making their way into popularity at groundbreaking levels. Some of my personal favorites include, “The bee movie but it zooms in on random things,” “bee movie but it’s in 10 seconds,” and “Bee Movie Trailer but every “Bee” is replaced with another letter”. These videos gain thousands of views each day, and it’s hard to pinpoint when any other recent meme has had such consistent success.
The Bee Movie may not be universally loved and enjoyed, but the internet has given this movie a bee-autiful place to spread laughter and happiness to all that find humor in these memes.

Background:

In the aftershock of Donald Trump’s election, disbelief quickly morphed into anger on the left. Demonstrations were held in cities across the nation, from Chicago to New York to LA. Students staged “walkouts” at their high schools. And of course, many protested on social media, catapulting hashtags such as #NotMyPresident to online fame.
It’s unclear what protesters hope to accomplish. Some may have concrete goals, like pressuring politicians to fight for recounts. But there haven’t been any collective demands or stated objectives, aside from the expression of outrage.
Should they fight on?

Yes:

Protests against the Trump presidency are creating unity between marginalized groups. In a time where queer individuals, people of color, women, and other marginalized groups are fearing what may come in the next four years through a Trump administration, taking to the streets and expressing discontent for a political system that is not in their favor is an incredibly empowering movement. People who feel that they are losing their rights in a Trump administration find that in a world where politics excludes the voices of the marginalized, social demonstrations of anger are the only way to express their opinions of anger, or even fear.
The goal of a protest is not necessarily to change the results of the election. It is to object against a system deemed unjust. It shows that Trump will not be able to get away with the violent, sexist, and xenophobic rhetoric that was prevalent in his campaign in his next four years. It is a mode of resistance that tells the Trump administration that the big, flowery promises made on the campaign trail will not be met with compliance.
Protests are an effective strategy to raise awareness. Staged walkouts, protests on freeways, and in front of government buildings spread awareness about the oppressed groups under his campaign. Protests are proven to spread awareness on social issues. Things like Black Lives Matter protests and protests for Standing Rock would not have been as well known were it not for public displays of anger. Trump protests raise awareness of the fear felt as they watched more and more states turn red in his direction.
Whether or not you think these protests are effective or not, it is a person’s right to protest a government they see as corrupt. Dissent is undeniably important, and our right to speak out against something we disagree with is a right that should be used in situations like this one. We cannot let Trump’s power and rhetoric go unchallenged, and public protests is a way to challenge him in these next four years.

No:

Those who protest Donald Trump have legitimate concerns. But if you can’t accept President Trump because he won the election, accept him because refusal to do so will hurt your cause more than it will help.
Say your goal is to change the results of the election, by calling for recounts or pressuring electoral college voters to defy their constituents. First, the odds of either of these working are slim to none. Second, the danger of any attempted election reversal outweighs the tiny chance they might.
Imagine you are a Trump supporter. You are angry at a government dominated by a small cohort of elites who don’t seem to care about you. Along comes Donald Trump, with his promise to drain the swamp. You believe him, vote for him, and he wins a glorious upset against the ultimate political insider. But the “establishment,” all those politicians and coast-dwelling liberals you raged against, is in denial, and fights to reverse his win through a technicality. Are you angrier than you were before?
Any effort to unseat Mr. Trump would reinforce his supporters’ belief in a rigged system. It would sustain the anti-elite sentiment that favors Trump-like candidates over competent leaders in elections. His movement would outlive his term, and protestors would be rewarded with more politicians like him. Nice.
Even if the protest is purely symbolic, a statement of defiance rather than a call for change, protesting is damaging. “#NotMyPresident” has more serious implications than the casual Tweeter might think.
In our ultra-polarized political climate, the right and left approach each other as enemies, not as fellow citizens — or even as human beings. Whether it’s former House Speaker John Boehner rolling his eyes behind President Obama during the State of the Union Address, other GOP lawmakers refusing to shake his hand, or Hillary Clinton calling Trump supporters “deplorables,” America’s dominant ideological factions are more warring clans than countrymen with different ideas for improving a shared home.
We can’t work together, so the government doesn’t work at all. The government can barely pass a budget, and the two parties battle each other into gridlock.
Now, we’ve achieved a new level of antagonism — even the democratic election of a president isn’t recognized.
As liberals, we have two choices. The first is to continue protesting, and drop the already bitter relationship between left and right to a new low.
Or, they can pass on their turn to throw a fit, and try to break the cycle of malice. It’s easy to be talk about healing in victory, but as the losing team we have the opportunity to make a profound statement. We can be dignified in defeat when others were not, and perhaps restore some unity to our democracy. We can make public discourse civil once more — a necessary step towards making government functional, which is a necessary step towards progress of any sort. But only if we get off the picket lines, and soon.

As the gift-giving season approaches, it’s easy to spend a lot on someone you care about. But if your wallet is a little empty or you want to get crafty, making the gift yourself is always a good option. Here is a compilation of a couple ideas.

1. Homemade Scrub: Whether it’s scented or simple, a body scrub is a great DIY gift. All you need is olive oil, sugar and a scented oil. You could even add food coloring to make it extra festive.
2. Homemade Cookie Mix: Everyone loves cookies, but making them takes time and for the lazy people of the world, (myself included) it can be hard. SO by mixing together the dry ingredients of cookie dough and giving it in a cute mason jar, the hard work is all done. Be sure to include instructions of what still needs to be included and the baking temperature.
3. Customized Mug: If you have a friend obsessed with caffeine, make them a customized mug. All you need is a plain mug and ceramic marker. Draw whatever design or saying you think they would love and bake the mug in the oven to set the marker so it won’t smudge.
4. Spa Jar: If you have a friend that is constantly stressed, this gift is great. All you need is a mason jar and a couple drugstore finds. Fill the jar with anything you think your friend would like from a face mask to nail polish to a picture of the two of you. This gift can be easily personalized depending on what they like.
5. Picture frame: This is a simple one but everyone loves photos. All you need is a great picture of your friend and yourself and a frame. The gift is easy, but most people love framed photos because they are ready to go on the way right away.

It’s no secret that it’s been a challenge to keep the Prospector alive this year. First, the class was cut, and then students had to fight for funding. The class was only funded again after students got over 500 signatures and made a genuine effort to talk with the administration. It’s been a tough year for journalism, to say the least.
In a regular year, the Prospector aims to produce around one newspaper per quarter. This all depends on the number of staff writers and the number of articles that are turned in every week. Because the class isn’t at capacity, the newspapers are barely longer than a few pages. However, this year the newspaper has taken a different approach to many different mediums.
This year the Prospector published the first “Hallozine”–a fall themed mini magazine to display the artistic side of the writing staff. This publication style is quite a bit different than the usual newspaper, which encouraged the staff writers to step out of their comfort zone by writing poems, playlists, and articles on a specific holiday theme.
However, this year the Prospector plans on venturing beyond just a zine. The journalism class has just decided that they will be moving into broadcast journalism as the future of media changes. As newspapers all over dwindle in size, the journalism program hopes to move into video news in addition to the quarterly newspaper.
The way in which this new broadcast announcement will manifest itself is still unclear. There is talk of easing into video news by creating a YouTube channel and posting one video to see if it picks up any momentum. The idea is that teachers can show the video to their students in order to hopefully increase student interest in the program.
Middle schools and high schools all over Sacramento have long had broadcast journalism. California Middle School(Cal) has a successful broadcast program that announces news every morning. In fact, several of the staff writers for the Prospector were first introduced to journalism in this form at Cal.
“I think it’s smart to introduce at McClatchy, because it’s a lot more attention-grabbing than a regular newspaper. Broadcast journalism would make for a more active class,” said Allie Seifert, a former Cal broadcast student and current Prospector staff writer.
One of the main challenges of producing two kinds of publications is finding a balance between the two. Because journalism is just a zero period, there is not a lot of time to devote equally to both newspaper content and producing videos. Until journalism generates more student interest, it may be tough to achieve a full on broadcast program.
In a perfect world, a video produced by journalism students in coordination with ASB would replace the second period morning announcements. While this certainly wouldn’t happen for a long time, producing a daily video to report news and events for students is the ultimate goal of journalism and the purpose of starting a broadcast program in the first place. In a high school filled with underused TV screens, a broadcast journalism program seems just within arm’s reach.

The American people have been bleeding media coverage from their ears and eyes for the last eighteen-months as the Presidential Election has approached. Pounded senseless with statistics, heated debates, and multitudes of other facets from the race, the American people have been wrapped up in the what the nation fundamentally stands for and who exactly they are.
Thus, with so much self-analysis, a reflection on American culture and the election itself from the perspective of the British exchange students McClatchy recently hosted, provided some fresh and interesting commentary.
The three exchange students spoken to were: Natasha, Iohan, and Will. Each of them are from Manchester and are seventeen years-old. When initially asked what they generally thought about the culture just at McClatchy, Natasha commented, “People have group discussions in classes here. They are more eager to talk and give their opinion. I prefer it to the English way where our teachers have to call on us to respond otherwise it’s just awkward silence.” This ushered the group conversation/interview into a discussion about the way Americans, to them, seem less introverted in expressing themselves. Whether this was putting their input into a class discussion, singing on the street, or starting up a conversation in the grocery line, Americans overall to them seemed to be more demonstrative.
As the conversation gravitated towards the subject of American politics and the comparison to English politics, Will initially commented that, “back home it is a bit more professional.” The three expanded, however, that Trump being elected reassured the American philosophy and ideal that anything is possible here. It was a bitter-sweet comment. Iohan remarked, “He proved that in America anybody could really run for President and win even. In England, qualifications and regulations are much more rigid.” They let across the idea that it was both a negative and positive of American culture.
On the topic of the lash-back the election has received and the extreme polarized divisions between citizens, they attributed the extreme factions to the American attitude they identified earlier. The desire to share an opinion and to stand by it, they felt, was rooted in what has seemingly split the nation. Natasha concluded, “I feel like the views here are more extreme and that’s why America has seen the divisions it has lately.” The notion of American conviction being both a highlight and downfall of the culture resonated with accuracy.
Natasha, Iohan, and Will all also commented on their nation’s own recent controversial politics. They discussed Brexit and even drew a parallel between it and Trump’s election. “I think just like with Brexit it wasn’t real to people. Then they were like ‘Oh lord did we actually just do that’ when they realized afterword what they’d just done.”
Their observation on the entirety of American culture and the recent election was a combined comedy and insight. They painted a picture from an outside perspective that examined our nation with a casual, but exposing fashion.

The LGBTQ+ community has long been strong at McClatchy, but this year, Rainbow Coalition is impacting McClatchy in a different way. Rainbow Coalition, with the help of Student Union, has worked for gender neutral bathrooms at McClatchy to replace some of the single stall staff bathrooms.
The McClatchy administration, along with the Sacramento Unified School District, were already making strides to convert some of the many bathrooms on campus into ones labelled gender neutral before students got involved. Little conversion is actually necessary, apart from a change in the signs outside the restrooms, and keeping the bathrooms unlocked so access is unrestricted.
Junior Tommy Yoder has taken an active role in ensuring that the bathrooms are made available to students. “I started suggesting gender neutral bathrooms to Student Union and talking to Mr. Lambert and the Rainbow Coalition more this year because it’s something that Rainbow Coalition has been working toward for a long time now. And now that the legislation is on our side, we figure that it was about time that we got the school up to date.”
Talk of gender neutral bathrooms at McClatchy follows Governor Jerry Brown’s approval of legislation in late September that requires all public single-occupancy restrooms in California to be considered “gender neutral” with proper signs by March 1st, 2017. After this date, health inspectors will be permitted to check that the correct gender neutral signs are displayed.
While the deadline for the proper gender neutral signage isn’t until 2017, McClatchy is not wasting time on the issue. In a school as diverse as McClatchy, having the proper restrooms to accommodate all students is absolutely critical.
“Adding gender neutral bathrooms to our school is definitely a huge step forward for gender variant youth. We already have improved a small amount by allowing these students to use a staff bathroom of their choice, but to do this, students still have to find a hall monitor and explain to them their situation. This still creates an uncomfortable environment for students because not everyone wants to come out to a staff member every time they need to use a restroom,” Senior and Rainbow Coalition President Andy Summerhays explained.
“Gender neutral bathrooms will provide a safe space for gender variant students to use the restroom without having to choose between the two most common genders,” Andy continued.
The gender neutral signs have yet to be put up at McClatchy, but students can expect them sometime this year.

My dog and I always walk in a park teeming with squirrels. Invariably, we encounter some during our excursion, and my dog tries to catch one. But she never has.
It goes like this. My dog spots the bushy-tailed mammal and stops in her tracks, hair standing on end. With eyes locked onto her prey she begins to stalk, ever so slowly, without regard for her leash, me, or anything else. Certainly not of her impending failure. Dogs have short memories when it comes to these things, you see.
The squirrel eyes her indifferently. Unlike my dog, the squirrel has full awareness of the situation. It’s aware of its superior quickness just as it knows the location of the nearest tree. It knows my dog cannot catch it. So it idles, in no rush to endure the inconvenience of escape, watching my dog’s earnest pursuit with what must be amusement.
The staredown continues. My dog steps ever so cautiously, like a kid sneaking out of a house with creaky floorboards – then springs forward.
With lithe movements and a calm demeanor, the squirrel darts away and up a tree, to safety. I bet it’s real smug up there.
My dog circles the trunk, brow knitted in sincere confusion, before loping back towards me with the goofy, open-mouth smile dogs wear when they’re panting. Her tail wags – “Oh well.” Never successful yet never disappointed, she is an irrepressible light.
I want the squirrel’s confidence. I also want my dog’s unyielding, stupid optimism.
What I really want, though, is for my dog to catch the squirrel, just once. Not because I’m cruel, but because I resent that wisdom can thrash a pure heart so mercilessly.

As bad as it may be, I watch a lot of Netflix. That being said, I’m always on the hunt for a new show, and I’ve found that Netflix has many quality shows that don’t get enough hype. Below are some of my top five favorite shows on Netflix.

1. House of Cards: With the results of the recent election, American interest in politics seems to be increasing. This is a great show if you’re interested in politics. It tells of the inter-workings of Washington, no matter how fictional the show’s premise may be. While usually considered a more adult show, I find it extremely fascinating.

2. Master of None: This show is great because Aziz Ansari’s isn’t scared to tackle the social issues prominent in our society today. Not only is the show hilarious, it tells of the presumed experience that Aziz has had living in America, and the stereotypes he faces on a daily basis. The show is funny while also having deeper underlying themes. Worth the watch for sure.

3. Damages: This is definitely one of the more underrated shows on Netflix. I don’t know if it’s just because it’s an older show, but I’ve never seen anyone talk about it. It is essentially about New York lawyers and the drama they face in their cases. If you like How to Get Away with Murder, this is an older show with a similar premise.

4. Gilmore Girls: This show was on for years in the early 2000s, but it recently it has come back for a revival mini series. This show tells of a mother and daughter and their unique relationship living in a small town in Connecticut. If you want to watch a cute show, pick this one. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that this is a typically “girl” show, watch it anyways!

5. Spotlight: While this isn’t a TV show, I didn’t think this list was complete without this movie. The movie details a group of journalists who uncover one of the biggest scandals in the Catholic Church. It is extremely well done, and won an Oscar for the Best Motion Picture of the Year. Definitely worth watching.

Morning pump-up song: Alive by Empire of the Sun
Mid-morning jam: I Don’t Wanna Be by Gavin DeGraw
Feelin a throwback: 21 Guns by Green Day
An even bigger throwback: Vienna by Billy Joel
Embracing the fall weather: Sunrise by Norah Jones
After a failed math test: Bad Day by Daniel Powter
Español: Dile Al Amor by Aventura
Alt. Vibes: Heart it Races by Dr.Dog
Study Jams: Beach or The Real McFarlands by Antonio Pinto
Always solid choices:
Kangaroo Court by Capital Cities
Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind
Eloise by the Lumineers