THEMIRADATheater proposal gains tractionBAND

INSIDE

DRIVING

Rio Americano Band Boosters have proposed that some of the money the school will be receiving from Measure N go to-wards building a new band performance room called the House of Music next to

the existing band room.The band room is just

a wish right now and its in its first stages, Principal Brian Ginter said.

The Band Boosters approached me with this plan. Its just a proposi-tion.

Measure N was a local

bond proposition that passed in November which guarantees 350 million dollars for improving facilities in San Juan schools.

The House of Music would be built adjacent to the large gym and

www.riomirada.com RioAmericanoHighSchool Volume51,Issueno.5Apr12,2013

GIRLS SOCCER GIRLS SOCCER RANKED NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION, BEATS MIRA LOMA | PAGE 12

BAND | PAGE 2

PHYZ

The 19th annual Explor-atoRio in B8 last Wednesday taught elementary school students from across the Sac-ramento area the wonders of physics through exhibits made in Dean Bairds Phys-ics class.

Preparation for the ex-hibits began before February Break.

We started planning be-fore Ski Week, Baird said.

Pretty much every day after school for all of March one or two exhibits came in. The students and I would talk about them and make sure they understood the physics behind it all. It takes 6 weeks of preparation for a

short show.When the big day came,

Bairds students welcomed 300 to 400 elementary stu-dents from schools around Rio. Dozens of exhibits taught them physics related concepts.

Our project is that we have a fish tank filled with dry ice and were spraying the dry ice with water, ju-nior Erin Cherovsky said.

This creates a vapor. Then the kids can blow bub-bles and the bubbles float on the denser layer of the vapor. There is a semi permeable membrane and then, finally, the bubbles sink.

My exhibit is called the Bernoulli Levitator, senior Nate Ansbach said.

It illustrates changes from high to low pressure. Im just really excited every-ones enjoying their projects.

PHYZ | PAGE 2

DRIVING | PAGE 2

Briana Smith | Sports EditorJunior Aggie Johnson demonstrates her lab to elementary school students. ExploratorRio welcomes guests to experience the wonders of physics every year.

Surveys show young drivers engage indangerous behavior

Students make physics experiments for elementary kids

Teens takebig risks behindthe wheel

By Kayla McArdle | Mirada Staff

A Mirada survey of juniors and seniors who have their drivers licenses found that Rio students are more likely to engage in risky be-haviors while driving than teenag-ers nationally.

Nationally, only 13 percent of teens said that they send and respond to texts while driving. 32 percent, almost one third, of the Rio students surveyed do.

According to Sacramento Sheriff Daniels, the advent of new tech-nologies in cars such as cell phones and CD players distract teens, mak-ing driving riskier for them.

Cars have many more distrac-tions built into them, he said.

Of course there are cell phones and text messages, but there are many more drivers on the road fac-ing all the same distractions.

An even greater discrepancy was found when Rio drivers were asked how much they speeded.

While 55 percent of teens with licenses nationally admitted to ex-ceeding the speed limit by over 10 miles per hour, over 90 percent of the Rio students say they have.

Slightly less than half of the surveyed Rio students, 48 percent, admitted to driving over 20 miles over the speed limit.

I often feel that students at our school feel privileged and that they can get away with breaking the law, senior Tessa Stangl said.

Especially Prius drivers.Sheriff Daniels says that as

people get more experienced, they become more complacent.

The same way many adults do, teens simply get over confident in their environment and begin sneak-ing a look at the phone, speeding up a little bit, or getting away with a close call, Daniels said.

News 2 Opinion 5Features 7Sports 12

NEWS SPORTSOPINION FEATURESInteract club involved in helping the community and the world. Page 4.

Should 17-year-olds be able to vote in primary elections? Page 5.

Baseball beats number nine ranked team in na-tion. Page 12.

All the tips you need for the perfect prom night. Page 8.Afteralsee-

By John Ferrannini | Editor-in-Chief

Kidsexplorephysics

By Wally Harmon | Editor-in-Chief

Briana Smith | Sports EditorElementary school kids look at how text becomes illuminated when exposed to a certain kind of light.

Ryan Burns | Sports EditorLast fall, the band held Playathon in the cafeteria. A new proposal would give the band their own room to play in.

Imjustreallyexcitedevery-onesenjoyingtheirprojects.Thesmilesarewhatwedothisfor.Senior NateAnsbachon ExploratoRio

Infographic by John Ferrannini

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013Page 2

DRIVING|Professionals urge parents to be better examples for teen drivers

The smiles are what we do this for.

The enjoyment of showing the kids something new and unique was echoed by students throughout the day.

Its always fun for me to bond with my buddies in physics, se-nior John Price said.

Its fun making the kids smile and giggle.

We have a bubble tray that

makes larger bubbles than usual because they include a sugar mol-ecule that makes them more prone to expand, junior Darian Rosen-gard said.

Mr. Baird has been there a long time and has done an amaz-ing job putting this all together. It gives kids hands on experiences who may not be able to go to the ExploratoRio in San Francisco. The chance to come to their future high school and see this is great.

Baird sees ExploratorRio as a

great opportunity to introduce kids to physics and to make it fun and relatable for them.

Weve been doing this every year since 1994, Baird said.

It was only a few years in that we discovered we should invite fourth graders. When youre in the fourth grade, a high school student is like a god. When youre a high school student, you think youre a god. So everybodys on the same page.

Baird loves meeting people

who one day will become future students of his.

I have pictures of when Walker Hershey and Carly Tyer were here about eight years ago, Baird said.

All seemed to agree that the an-nual ExploratoRio event educated, inspired, and gave everyone some-thing to be happy about.

Its fun seeing the kids reac-tions to our experiment, junior Matt Dodge said.

They look like theyre having a good time.

Dean Bairds own physics students showed younger kids how physics can be demonstrated through exhibits.

PHYZ|Baird loves to meet future studentsFROM Page1

BAND|Esteemed program proposes House of Music

FROM Page1Law enforcement officers

cant be everywhere, and I dont think thats the answer anyway. The police do their part by stop-ping vehicles and either advising drivers or citing them. While a citation is not fun for anyone, it is a reminder.

Daniels thinks people under-play in their own minds just how dangerous they really are.

I think most teens, like most adults, tend to stretch the truth when they discuss things like safety and awareness, he said.

We all have the best inten-tions when we hit the road but, like many things we do, the more familiar we are with something the more careless we get.

Tessa Zertuche of the All Good Driving School says that parents share some responsibility in their childs behavior.

Parents should change their driving habits for not only their own safety, but for the sake of their watching teens, Zertuche said.

The parents may have the skills to avoid accidents that teens simply have not had the driving time to develop. This is largely due to the simple lack of experience.

Sheriff Daniels echoed this sentiment.

Parents stay vigilant, and most importantly set the example, Daniels said.

Most teens will figure out their own bad habits, they dont need to learn it from their parents. Parents may try and set the tone with the do as I say, not as I do mental-ity, but we all know actions speak louder than words.

85 percent of the Rio students surveyed admitted to violating restrictions on driving between 11pm and 5am and having friends under the age of 20 unless ac-companied by a licensed driver 25 years or older.

The effects of not driving with friends in the first few months of having a license and driving between 11pm and 5am have been studied and have been proven to reduce accidents and save lives, Zertuche said.

As grandparents, and as citizens, the goal is to protect our youth and the ones we love. If that can be accomplished by enforcing a few simple laws, why wouldnt we? In this case, the consequences are just too harsh not too.

By excluding friends from the car, the issues of peer pressure and distraction are removed. Excluding cell phone usage of any kind solves the same problem and serves the same purpose. Time curfews parallel the physical curfews for teens. Teens are not permitted to be out without a purpose after 10pm [in Carmichael]. The driving limits take the regular curfew into account and allow time for teens to get home. The goal is to remove as many of the distractions as pos-sible and to allow new drivers to build and reinforce the skills and good habits they learned in driver training. Learn, practice, and re-inforce positive skills. I think you will find this true for everything in life.

would include a lobby, 350 seats, a stage, and both storage and practice rooms.

According to band teacher Josh Murray, the House of Music wouldnt infringe much on parking space.

It would be placed where there is currently a faculty parking lot and eliminate about ten parking spaces, Murray said. We have plenty of overflow parking.

Murray said that the proposal has come from the fact that despite the bands international recogni-tion, they dont have a room of their own. In fact, the most recent Playathon was held in the cafeteria.

We dont have an adequate performance space, Murray said. Rio bands travel over the world and perform in great venues and concert halls. Then we come home and have nowhere to play.

Murray said that Principal Ginter is supportive of the idea.

Ginter supports me on this, Murray said. We have plans and were starting to build up support. Weve been waiting fifty years for our band to have a room of their own, so we can wait a few more years.

Junior Robbie Crandall is also supportive of the idea.

Our music program is one of the best music programs in the country, Crandall said. They really deserve it considering that theyre one of the best high school bands in the country.

Senior band member Harrison Smith is enthusiastic.

We are a band that has played at Lincoln Center and in the Sydney Opera House, Smith said. We should have our own home here at Rio. When bands from other schools visit us, I want them to have a sense of awe.

Briana Smith | Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Josh MurrayThe proposed layout and design of the Rio Americano House of Music.

FROM Page1

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013 Page 3

Students prepare for bon voyageThis summer, students in the

French program will engage in the most effective means of learning the French language by actually going to France. On June 14, students will board a flight and cross the Atlan-tic. 26 students will spend 16 days abroad, travelling across France and gathering cultural and histori-cal experiences. I am very excited and somewhat nervous for this trip, junior Michael Wu said. It is the first time I have really tested by language skills. Some students have already been to France, but are look-ing forward to returning. I went to France over Spring Break two years ago, said junior Corbet Kaniff. But this trip will be much different due to the family stay, which I am super-duper excited for. The first week will be with a French family. Students often report this to be the

most enjoyable and rewarding part of the experience. After the family stay, the world travellers trek to the historic Normandy Coast to visit the important battlefields of World War II, and pay respect to fallen soldiers by exploring the D-Day beaches of Arromanches and the American Cemetery. Then the group will make their way to St. Malo, a for-tified city converted into a prison during the French Revolution. They will climb the cobbled streets of the Mont St. Michel. They will also see the Tapestry of Bayeux, which nar-rates William the Conquerors vic-tory over England in 1066. Next on the trips itinerary is the Loire Valley, called the Garden of France due to its gorgeous landscape. The region in central France is famous for its sprawling vineyards. The Chteau de Chenonceau is also on the itiner-ary, one of the most elegant castles in all of France. The next destination is Paris, and on the way they will vis-

it Chartes, one of the best examples of Gothic Cathedral architecture in Europe. The town around the church was devastated by Ameri-can bombing campaigns in World War II, and the only reason that the church is still intact today is because an American Army officer chal-lenged his orders from superiors to

destroy it. Spending the last three days in Paris will allow the students the ability to explore their personal curiosities and practice their French in the capital city. The final days in Paris will include sightseeing and enjoying the city, with its bridges, cafs and museums. At night, ev-eryone will have dinner atop the

iconic Eiffel Tower and reflect upon the experience they have had. The next day, they will catch a flight back to the United States, leaving France behind them, but keeping memories forever. The students will not be alone on their trip. History teacher William Taylor and his wife Mrs. Ocken-Taylor, an English teacher at Arden Middle School will be the chaperons. I am really looking for-ward to their company, junior Mi-chael Wu said. They both know a lot about the country. Mr. Taylor will bring tons of historical knowl-edge to the trip, Im especially look-ing forward to visiting Normandy with him because World War II is his passion, junior Trey Athey said. The students and chaperons alike should bring home excellent sou-venirs, but also lifelong memories of their incredible adventures in France. Bon voyage, America, ju-nior Ryan Burns said. We are going to France.

FRENCH

By Connor Jang | News Editor

The Mirada is planning to expand its online presence in the 2013-2014 with a new multimedia class and multiple staff roles ex-clusively devoted to online report-ing and editing and audio visual storytelling.

Mirada adviser Michael Ma-honey hopes that Rio will offer a new Journalism class on campus that focuses on more regularly updating the Mirada web site, www.riomirada.com, but which also teaches students about the new world of online journalism, blogging, and how old fashioned reporting can stay relevant, and even thrive, in a digital age.

This is the direction journalism

has been moving in, Mahoney said. Weve had a web site for years, but we need to become more interac-tive, more integrated, and more involved in school life.

English teacher Adam Bearson would teach this class.

He wants to use it to teach stu-dents the manifold skills they can learn from working on an online publication.

Im very excited to teach this, Bearson said. Part of the challenge of this class is rethinking the whole purpose of a newspaper as more and more people get their news online. The skys the limit when it comes to online journalism. We want to give students the opportu-nity to produce a news aggregate site that relates to Rio specifically.

Current Web Editor senior Da-vid Egan believes having a new class is an excellent idea.

I think its a great idea to create a class that puts together platforms that almost all high schoolers al-ready use, Egan said. All the class is doing is organizing it.

Sports Editor junior Ryan Burns,

who will be an editor-in-chief of the print Mirada next year, is also excited about the opportunities presented by the expansion of the Miradas online presence.

I think its going to be a great way to expand the newspaper to those who dont receive the monthly copy, Burns said. It will also give people better periodical updates through video and other mediums.

The Mirada currently updates its web site once a month concurrent to the release of the papers print edition. The web site often includes extra content and interesting stories that cant fit in the sixteen page newspaper.

Coming out once a month, the Miradas print edition is an award winning nationally recognized publication and along with the Tesoro yearbook forms the heart of Rios journalism program under the leadership of English department head Michael Mahoney.

Colleges take notice of experi-ence on a high school newspaper, and being an editor-in-chief is

equivalent on applications to other major leadership roles such as stu-dent body president.

With the Mirada expanding its online presence next school year,

there are now new opportunities to be a part of things in producing a superior publication - online or in print - during Rios fiftieth anniver-sary year.

By John Ferrannini | Editor-in-Chief

Mirada to expand online presence next yearJOURNALISM

The current Mirada web site is updated once a month and is edited by David Egan.

Fashion Club brings style to clothing driveIts the season to go through

your closets and clean out last years trends and replace them with the styles of the new year. By donating the trends of yesteryear, you can help Rio Americanos Fashion Club support the homeless teenagers in Sacramento.

All items will be donated to the Wind Youth Services. WYS is a non-profit organization that provides homeless teens safety from the streets and supplies them with resources.

We chose the Wind Youth Ser-vices to donate to because they are a local charity organization that will help our homeless teens in our area, not some random city. said junior Fashion Club president Cleary Chizmar.

Items that are accepted are T-shirts, coats, pants, shorts and shoes.

All girls should help out to give back to our community and help homeless teen girls that are less fortunate, said Chizmar.

Not only can girls help, though they are known to hoard lots of

clothes, boys can help as well. You may think youve worn that T-shirt or blouse too many times, but to someone else its brand new and something like the one theyve always wanted.

I founded this club to express styles I had interest in and pick-up styles from classmates, so Im glad that now were doing an activity where we are reaching out and sending our styles to people outside of our school especially those un-able to provide themselves with clothes. said Chizmar.

Its really simple to help out, all you have to do is go through old clothes that sit in the back of your closet never worn. You may see it as worn out or out of date, but to someone else it means much more.

Its easy, convenient and you can sleep better knowing the needy can benefit from your slightly used clothing.

Bring any of your items to the main office and place in the Fashion Clubs box during the week of April 8-12th. The box can be found on the left-hand side of the office. Please help Rios Fashion Club along with those less fortunate!

By Jaden Perez | Mirada Staff

Junior Cleary Chizmar posts a sign to raise awareness about the Fashion Club. Students willing to donate any items of clothing can drop them off in the drop box in the office.

FASHION

New class to focus on multimedia reporting

Victor Lam | News Editor

John Ferrannini | Editor-in-Chief26 students will be traveling to France accompanied by teachers Hodgins and Taylor.

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013 Page 4

By Kayla McArdle and Ashton Nazeri | Mirada Staff

Irina Gederavich | Guest Photographer

Junior Prom

8-11pm

Elks Tower

Small Ensemble Night

7-9pm

Music Rooms

Academic Luncheon

Lunch

Small Gym

STAR Testing Senior Ball

8-11pm

C.A. Auto Museum

Spring Concert

5:00-Midnight

Cafeteria

Apr 22-26Apr 13 Apr 17 Apr 19 May 4May 3

The Interact club is one of the most well-respected and longest running clubs on campus and is dedicated to serving people not only throughout the community, but throughout the world as well.

A friend introduced me to this club, sophomore Blythe Nishi said. I love helping the community. We have a lot of unfortunate people and I love giving back.

Associated with Rotary International, an international service organization, activities the club participates in include a yearly event at Raley Field called Winter Wonderland when club members help feed the needy and create fun activities for the children to do.

Last fall, the club once again participated in the pinkies for polio project wherein an individual donates $1 to help eliminate polio in those countries still plagued by the crip-pling disease and, in exchange, get to have their pinkies painted purple.

Senior Victor Lam is the president of the Interact club.

Interact accepts any and all who enjoy to find meaning in a meaningless life, Lam said.

The club not only gets to know each other through their community service, but they also spend time bonding with and getting to know one another.

I love being a part of Interact, senior Karina Bodemeijer said. My favorite memo-ry was definitely the clubs bonding party at Wenellis where we played ice breaker games the whole time, and then we got to deliver the painted pumpkins and then decorate outside for the Halloween fair for the kids there.

Junior Divya Alla observed that her work in the club not only helps those in need now,

but will help her in the future.It helps on college applications and in

communities, Alla said. We did a troop drive in Afghanistan and it was really helpful to have others loving what you do. I love to give back to the homeless and people in need.

Alla hopes to see more people join the club.

I would recommend people join this club, she said. Its not as stressful and you dont get charged to be in this club. We actu-ally get stuff done in this club and its really student active.

The people in the club face with real life disasters that they can help with. It makes everyone involved feel happy and love doing what they do. When seeing a smile from the people they helped, it makes them feel like they did a really good deed. It tells the people that are being helped that there are people out there that care, and helps them realize that they can do the smallest of things, but it will be the biggest of things to them.

It teaches people not only that giving back to the community is worthwhile, but also leadership and being in situations that they never thought they would be in.

The club helps the school with the elec-tions, and they also have students do speeches to help them help themselves.

Interact engages students to do little things for the community, giving you auton-omy to choose how much effort you want to put in, so it can help people who really want to make a difference but have limited time, senior Kyra Sanborn said.

We not only interact with our commu-nity, but we interact with the community in-ternationally, Alla added.

The Interact club meets Mondays at lunch in Jolynn Masons room, A1.

TEACHERS

Alexis Bates | Mirada Staff

CALENDAR

ORGANIZATIONS

What kind of student were you in high school?I was a pretty good student and was interested for

the most part.Where did you go to college? What did you ma-

jor in?I went to Sonoma and majored in English.Why did you want to become a teacher?I grew up in a house of education and discovered

that I like kids.How do you engage the class in a lesson?I try to relate what Im teaching to them and how

they will need it.What is your favorite teaching technique?Posing questions and discussing them.What was your worst teaching experience?A kid one time told me that I couldnt teach him

anything. It was horrible.What was your best teaching experience?One of my best experiences while teaching, and

Ive had many, was when I really wasnt teaching at all. Some girls in Avid last year were having a seminar about beauty and what it means, so with 17 boys in the class, we read an article about what it means to be a man in America. Then I sat back while they all discussed their views on being a man and what kind of a man they wanted to be. It gave me a lot of hope for our country seeing these boys in school, who sometimes get into trouble, talk about manhood. That was awesome.

What is your favorite part about teaching English?The fact that you can relate so many things to it.

- Alyssa Campbell

Club President senior Victor Lam leads the weekly Monday meeting of the Interact club in room A1.

By Kayla McArdle | Mirada Staff

Flash mobs are fun to see and a joy to watch. However, for others, the thrill is par-ticipating in one.

The president of the Flash Mob club, senior Macaulay Porter, couldnt wait to make and join the club.

I wanted to make the Flash Mob club be-cause I thought it would be a fun activity for everyone to participate in, she said.

I joined the Flash Mob club because I wanted to be a part of one, she added.

Flash mobs are spontaneous, they grow to hundreds, and disappear almost just as quick-

ly it appeared. The Flash mob club is also a place for peo-

ple to put on a performance and dance. People who are in flash mobs feel like they

have gotten to be a part of something special. They express themselves to make others and themselves happy.

Anyone can make someone elses day by creating joy through surprise.

The club is also a good way to meet and get close to more people.

Ive made new friends, Porter said. Ive

also grown closer to old ones.The club brings many people together to

have fun and be silly. Flash mobs bring joy for both the receiving

and giving party. It creates a show, lifetime memories and

friendships people wont forget.The fun is also in creating the choreogra-

phy with everyone, and coming up with fun ideas.

It could be the Harlem shake, Soldier Boy, the Shuffle, or creating an original. Making

the flash mob is only part of the fun.The clubs goal is to dance once every cou-

ple of months, so theres enough preparation in making the dance.

It makes it easy for anybody to learn and feel comfortable and confident for what theyre going to perform.

Theres no peer pressure because everyone in the club supports and helps one another.

Can anybody join? Anybody can join and our meetings are Friday in C10 at lunch, Por-ter said.

English teacher Jolynn Mason cements students knowledge of language

Flash Mob Club prepares for a fun, thrilling experience

Interact club interacts with world

THE RIO AMERICANO MIRADA

5OPINION

The Mirada www.riomirada.com

riomirada2013@gmail.com

Rio Americano High School4540 American River Dr.Sacramento, CA 95864www.rioamericano.com

Editors-in-ChiefJohn FerranniniWallace Harmon

News Editors Victor LamConnor Jang

Opinion EditorsCian ONeillGrant Webster

Features EditorDerek Popple

Sports EditorsRyan Burns

Zachary SampoBriana Smith

Photo EditorBrad Conidaris

Web EditorDavid Egan

Staff WritersAlexis Bates

Alyssa CampbellMargaret HastingsIsabel JacobsonMadeline JangJohn MacrissKayla McArdleRachel MoseleyAshton NazeriJaden Perez

Hannah Thompson-Davis

AdviserMr. Michael Mahoney

mmahoney@sanjuan.edu(916) 971-8921 ext. 80

Published monthly dur-ing the school year by stu-dents in Rio Americanos newspaper class, the Mirada is the independent voice of the students and the campus.

The Mirada welcomes story ideas, comics, letters to the editor and opinion pieces from all members of the school community. Submit articles to the box in A3 or the main office.

Contact the business manager (by visiting room A3, writing to the above ad-dress or calling the advisers voice mail) for information on advertising. We welcome advertising, but reserve the right to refuse any ad.

RIOEMOTICONOPromandBallIts that time of the year again ladies and gentleman. Get ready to spend a whole lot of money on suits, dresses, and nice dinners. Luckily for you, our very own Derek Popple has put together a Formal Dance Survival Guide.

ScholarshipsIts so stressful jump-ing through the hoops of letters of recommendation, essays, and other time consuming activities without even knowing if youll get the money in the end. Maybe itd be easier to pay out of pocket.

NorthKoreaSupreme Leader Kim Jong Lil Kim un (and best friend to Dennis Rodman) is threat-ening to destroy America. Most likely to be President Tessa Stangl says Sorry, Obama already did that.

ProposaltolowervotingageagoodideaFor years, students have been

taking government and civics classes to help them develop their own opinions about politics.

Many Rio students have even participated in mock elections for the state and federal government.

Now, for the first time, these stu-dents may actually be able to use all their political knowledge in the real world before senior year, with the proposition and possible passage of ACA 7.

The law would amend the state constitution to allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they would turn 18 by the general elec-tion.

Of course, this potential law raises one big question: Is it a good idea to let teens vote earlier?

In a word, yes. The students who take the time

and consideration to vote early will probably be the most motivated and informed.

In fact, the early voting students would be arguably more informed and wiser than many older voters.

Furthermore, the high school classes to which these youth are exposed give students a broader perspective on politics and history than most news stations or other forms of media.

Someone who solely watches FOX News or MSNBC as his only form of news will receive far more biased information than students in government classes.

On the other hand, however, though many students are already

very politically informed, many may be easily swayed by external factors as well.

For example, due to their

inexperience, young voters may be persuaded to vote for a certain candidate simply because of his or her sex, race, religion, or even how cool they appear to be.

Normally, it would seem that students who do not care enough to inform themselves about candidates would not take the time to vote, but aforementioned external labels might be enough to convince some otherwise apathetic students.

However, of course, adults are not exempt from such bias either: not digging deep and researching candidates is certainly a widespread problem for all age groups, so it may simply be a drawback voting automatically comes with.

Hopefully, though, the school could help compensate for this potential problem by making basic

information about candidates ideas and policies easily accessible to all.

Another possible down-side of ACA 7 (depend-

ing on your party) is that younger voters tend to lean Demo-cratic, a fact which upsets the GOP.

However, both parties would benefit from being able to better gauge how large their voter bases will be during the general election.

This affects how campaigns will conduct canvassing and mailing programs during the fall election season.

Recently, the Republican Party did an online survey of thousands of young people to figure out how they can better tailor their mes-sage to a generation which has been largely against their brand of conservatism.

Maybe if convincing younger people to vote more Republican is successful, such as it was in the 1980s with Generation X voters,

elections on the national level would became more competitive and both parties can welcome more people with dissenting views.

I think its great, junior Ethan Webster said.

It means we get a political voice just that much sooner.

Lowering the primary voting age to 17 would guarantee first time voters an opportunity to vote on campuses where general polling places are set up.

This means high turnout solely due to convenience; if you can vote at school, why wouldnt you?

By lowering the voting age we are encouraging students to remain informed on relevant political mat-ters and raise turnout.

In a time when people are won-dering if democracy can survive in a world where life is increasingly defined as living within the confines of consumerism and materialism, especially with the advent of new technologies, we should welcome people who are interested in the political process and not exclude them.

In a time when winning elec-tions often means appealing to the lowest common denominator, we should welcome a breath of fresh air in the political process and not slam the door on it.

This is a good idea.

Grant Webster | Graphic Artist

| FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013

This editorial represents the views of the editorial board of the Mirada.

In a time when winning elections often means appealing to the low-est common denominator, we should welcome a breath of fresh air in the political process.

Those who forget history...

If theres one piece of knowledge that the Democrats took away from the 2012 election, its that its going to be a long time until the Republicans once again gain control of the White House because of demo-graphic shifts.

The argument goes that because of increasing numbers within the electorate of Hispanics (who went for Obama 71-27), Youth (who went for Obama 60-36), and Black Ameri-cans (who went for Obama 93-6), a Republican presidential candidate is no longer able to win a national cam-paign as long as they are associated with social or fiscal conservatism.

I will concede that the basic facts behind the myth are true. More His-panics, Youth, and Black Americans are entering the political process and these groups are Democratic trend-ing. But history has shown time and again that as issues change, political allegiances change too.

The textbook example of this is what has happened over the past 50 years to the Roman Catholic vote. In 1964, President Lyndon John-son won election with the greatest percentage of the vote America had ever seen - 61.1 percent of the vote. Catholics gave 79 percent of their votes to the Democratic candidate. Catholics credited their assimilation into the mainstream of America in part to Democratic Party New Deal pro-union policies. Similar numbers had voted for Democrats all the way back to 1928. Catholics had never in all of American history voted for a Republican candidate for Presi-dent -- not even once. In just eight years, however, Republican Richard Nixon won re-election with the third greatest percentage of the vote in U.S. history and Catholics voted for him over his Democratic challenger 54-44. Why? The issues changed. Irish, Italian, and Polish-Americans in large measure blamed Democrats for Vietnam, the hippie movement, the decay of the big cities, increased crime, racial tensions between blacks and whites, and inflation.

They moved to the suburbs, the power of the big city machines fell apart, and they felt less like a minor-ity group and more like any other American. Catholics have voted Democratic for the most part since 1972, but never as high before. In 2012, they went for Obama 50-48.

The point of this story (other than that I love talking politics and religion) is that as issues change, politics change. Many Hispanics and blacks are anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. As the economy improves and those issues come more to the forefront, whos to say that they wont vote more increasingly Republican?

And yet Obama didnt win 61 per-cent of the vote in 2012. He won only 51 percent. A shift in just 4 percent of the votes cast, one in 25, and wed be talking about the victory of President Mitt Romney. The Democrats need to stop acting like just because they won one game by a narrow margin, theyre going to sweep the season. They need to remember that the continued popularity of the President has a lot to do with enthusiasm for him personally, not for the Demo-cratic Party.

They need to remember that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

Senior John Ferrannini is editor-in-chief of the Mirada

John Ferrannini

2ndAmendmentneededtoprotectliberty

Junior Sam Prosser is a guest writer for the Mirada.

Guns: some people want them gone, others dont want to give them up.

Our Founding Fathers put the right to bear arms as one of the main pillars on which our Bill of Rights stands.

Say what you want about guns, and whatever else suits you, but the right of the individual to keep and bear arms is a Consti-tutional right.

Now why was the Second Amendment put into place, and how does this conflict or coincide with circum-stances today?

People in the late 18-century relied mostly upon them-selves for food.

Even in some parts of the world today, a gun can feed you and your family for genera-tions.

A gun was a staple until the concept of mass consumption was introduced, essentially making society reliant on the store rather than the bullet.

Whilst it is a valid argument as many people in isolated regions of the US rely upon weapons for survival, they are not necessary for such survival in the urban sprawl of the city.

But there is another reason why the right to bear arms is enshrined in the Constitution.

As Congressman Larry McDonald (D-Ga.) said, There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and

ammo. Please use in that order.Now, when you think about wars of the

past century such as World War I and World War II, you usually think of the European powers and how, regardless of the massive civilian population in the cities and towns, couldnt stop the Nazis from conquering almost all of Europe.

Well, ironically, before the rather predict-able start of WWII and the Nazi invasion of Poland, France had banned the owning of large gauge weapons that have been used by the military since 1880, restricting it to smaller weapons.

Whilst that wouldnt have stopped the Nazi invaders, it wouldve helped slow the advance.

As a matter of fact, after Adolf Hitler took power in Germany, he banned the owning of private firearms, which allowed the Nazis to

take over without much resistance. Even in places with mildly restrictive gun

laws, people are limited to what they can buy or even use.

In Vietnam, it is illegal to own a pistol or handgun, and you are restricted to owning a single shotgun/rifle and must provide reason-able proof for need of the firearm.

The primary reason the US has the freedom and the right to bear arms in our Constitution is to allow for the citizenry to defend against all invaders, both foreign and domestic, and to overthrow a government that has committed abuses against its citizens, as was also stated in the Decla-ration of Independence, When a long train of abus-es and usurpations, pursu-ing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce then under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw of such Government.

And amongst other historical tidbits, during World War II, when Japan was planning an invasion of the US mainland, the com-manding admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto, was supposedly quoted as saying, You can-

not invade the mainland United States, there would be a gun behind every blade of grass.

Whether guns are needed to defend against all enemies of these United States, or are becoming indeed an archaic and soon useless tool of human invention, Americans intend to hold on to theirs.

Thelawofunintendedconsequences

Senior Derek Popple is Features Editor of the Mirada.

In todays progressive society many people are obsessed with the notion of being politi-cally correct, but has it gone too far?

I experienced this in December when I submitted the Rio Americano Sports Center video to the administration, which I had spent over 20 hours editing, to be played at a rally. It was rejected because they deemed several scenes inappropriate. However, their claims are riddled with double standards

The administration had qualms about the Muscle Milk commercial scene, saying that Wes Plumley shirtless was inappropriate, but they had no problems with senior Jordan Vin-son. If their motive was to prevent men from being shirtless in the video, why single out Wes Plumley? The next issue was regarding the scene with the two Jesuit students philandering by a wall on their campus. Most people who viewed the video realized the true intention was to show them flirting, but the administra-tion saw it and drew the conclusion that they were engaging in inappropriate activities.

It seems that the administration is look-ing for excuses to deem things inappropriate. They see a normal scene and assume the worst, giving it sinister new meanings that no one else saw before. Another complaint against the video was the scene showing seniors Madeline Arnett and Alex Engleburt playing basketball in Jesuit jerseys. They purposely missed the shots in an attempt to poke fun at the ability of Jesuit athletes. It was denied on the grounds that it furthers the stereotype that girls cannot play sports. This is ridiculous because the administration viewed girls blatantly and pur-posefully missing shots and decided it was de-rogatory towards women Even though I helped

film and create the concepts for the video, I was shocked by the accusation that I was mak-ing fun of women. The scene was so satirical, it couldnt possibly be misconstrued for a slam against women, but the administration took it a step further and decided it conveyed that women are bad athletes. I find this especially funny, because Alex Engleburt played basket-ball for Rio her freshman and sophomore year. She would have played her junior year as well, but she had to recover from a surgery. If I was truly seeking to portray women as bad athletes, why would I have used one of the best female athletes at Rio? Finally, Principal Ginter said that the use of a teacher in the video was not appropriate, regarding physics teacher Dean Bairds appearance at the end of the video. Why would it be inappropriate to use one of Rios finest teachers, a man who won the Presi-dential Award for Math and Science Teachers when he agreed to be featured in my video?

My intent was to bring the teachers and student body closer together through coopera-

tion in projects like these as well as to excite the students of Rio with a humorous display that incorporated curriculum into the comedy. Many people would be upset if their video was censored by an overly conservative administra-tion, but I am not. The rejection of the video made it an online sensation in high schools across Sacramento and gave it over 3,500 hits on YouTube, which are much better results than I ever could have hoped for.

In todays society, when something is held down, it draws much more attention than it ever would have received. This is evident across society, but also here at Rio when Darren Millers article A Modest Proposal re-ceived so much attention it made the national news.

The administration may continue to censor content that is deemed inappropriate, but Muscle Milk will live forever.

By Derek Popple | Features Editor

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013 Page 6

By Sam Prosser | Guest Writer

Grant Webster | Graphic Artist

Suppressed videofound viewers on line

2ndAmendmentneededtoprotectliberty

Thelawofunintendedconsequences 7FEATURES

THE RIO AMERICANO MIRADA| FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013

By Victor Lam | News Edi-tor

By Rachel Mosely Hannah Thompson | Mirada StaffA simple movie scene has turned into a huge phenomenon, as fans of Pitch Perfect sing while keep-ing rhythm by clapping and bang-ing a plastic cup. Pitch Perfect, starring Anna Kendrick, was a major hit with girls. The movie starts off when freshman Becca Mitchell first ar-rives at her new school Barden University. She gets pressured into joining an all girls acapella group and experiences the extreme ten-sion the competition has to give. To audition for the group she sings When Im Gone, accompanying herself by turning a cup over, tap-ping it and clapping. The song has become known simply as The Cup Song, and numerous fan versions have at-tracted attention on youtube. As the Cup Song sweeps the nation, many Rio Americano students are picking up the hobby. It was actually pretty easy to learn, freshman Jordan Davey said. I rewatched the scene from the movie over and over until I got it, Freshman Mia Fahn agreed that the song is easy to master. It took me about two minutes to learn completely, Fahn said.

Sometimes I perform it for my friends but nothing big. Not only was that particular scene in the movie a major hit, the movie as a whole received numer-ous awards for everything from

Best Musical Moment to Favorite Comedy Movie at the MTV Movie Awards.. The cup song originated from Lulu and the Lampshades, and was added to the movie because

Anna Kendrick (Beca) already knew it.Kendrick mastered the song all on her own, and even performed it on David Lettermans Late Show. The audience gave her a standing

ovation.The cup technique came first, and was put to the song Youre Gonna Miss Me after a few years, the Lampshades Luisa Gerstein said in an interview with Brenna Eh-rlich of the O Music Awards blog. The chorus is taken from an old folk song and I made up the vers-es. The first time we performed it I was leaving to cycle to Ber-lin the following day; it was kind of meant as a song to persuade friends to come with me, hence the long way round etc Since Pitch Perfect, the cup song has gradually become very popu-lar among fans of the movie.Ive known how to do the cup song since the movie came out, freshman Meghan Shellooe said.While the cup song is easy to mas-ter for Anna Kendrick, not every-one got it on their first try.Emily Gomes taught it to me and then Julia Davis taught me again because I forgot it, Shellooe says.Even if it takes a couple tries, peo-ple from all over are tapping red solo cups to the popular tune.Lulu and the Lampshades, who loved the Pitch Perfect version, said I just like the idea of people in kitchens all around the world trying to master the rhythm and then the singing at the same time. Its fun, the response has been in-credible.

CupSongclickingwithkidsFreshman Mia Fahn shows off the many steps to the pitch perfect cup song without even standing up.

Freshman Jordan Davey demonstrates the steps to performing the famous cup song

The FIRST competition staduim where the Radicons competed

Robot meet a FIRST for schoolLast month, more than a dozen students achieved a Rio Americano first. On the twenty-first of March, students from John Agostinellis Robotics class convened at the UC Davis Pavilion for the Sacramento Regional FIRST Robotics competi-tion. For the first time Rio was able to experience the radical mechanical competition of high school teams.Since 1992, the FIRST Robotics competitions have allowed high school students from throughout the region and across the country, to prove their technological prow-ess through a series of tests and obstacles. This year, a team of Rio students was allowed six weeks to design and construct a robot deft enough to beat all the others from 53 high schools.Over the March 21 weekend, one thousand high school students par-titioned their robots off into 3-team alliances to participate in the FRCs unifying ideal of Coopertition. The concept lies in behaving maturely, being respectful of other teams, and creating robots capable of cooper-

ating alongside each other. Three years ago, the competition consisted of machines playing soccer. Two years ago, the robots had to collect plastic tubes and place them on pegs a couple yards off the ground as rap-idly as their metal appendages could allow them. Last year, robots learned to hoop. This year, instead of play-ing basketball, the robots reached new heights as they sought to climb pillars as well as to grab and chuck discs in The Ultimate Ascent.The job of the robot was to scale a tower and get Frisbees into a basket. And it did, well, OK. Pretty Much, said Senior Elizabeth Meyer.The young engineers completed the project in 6 weeks, working independently of outside help, that is, other than the instructional guid-ance of their advisor. Mr Agostinelli showed us how to use tools, but we did all the work, said senior Eliza-beth Meyer.The Rio team was able to come together through their Robotics class. There, the students learned to program computers, draft designs, and complete electrical circuits.

Hannah Thompson | Mirada Staff

Hannah Thompson | Mirada Staff

Rio students prepare to have a ballWith prom and ball season

approaching, upperclassmen are rushing to plan their special night.

For some it may be a romantic night, for others a memorable night with friends.

Prom and ball are the perfect opportunity to summon the cour-age and ask the girl of your dreams or to enjoy a night of food and music with some of your closest friends.

I loved Junior Prom because thats the dance you remember the best and its just with your class, senior Justin Carrido said.

Although this season can be very stressful trying to get dresses, tuxedos, reservations, and bouton-nieres or corsages, the Mirada staff is here to help!

Girls have many wardrobe choices, with peplum, high-low, or a classic floor length gown just being a few of the possible styles. Long dresses are the traditional attire for girls, but if it is only a re-laxed night with your best friends, then a shorter dress is acceptable.

I would definitely say wear a long dress, senior Allie Mering said.

Its so fun getting super fancy and you can wear a short dress to any other dance.

Color is also a crucial decision as the right color can make the right dress.

Often times many girls will jump for a certain style of shoe, but comfort is also an important factor. We have all seen those girls who stumble across the floor while walking into the dance; dont be that girl.

Some people go out and buy different shoes for every dance, said senior Brittany Hagedorn.

Ive worn the same heels to every dance since freshman year.

In order to complete the en-semble, girls must also select the proper hairstyle, nails, and accesso-ries. The key to looking good is to keep it classy, and not over do the adornments.

Senior Claire Upton looked through magazines to determine

her hairstyle and makeup. I had my nails done so that

they would match my shoes and dress.

For guys, these dances are much simpler to prepare for. All the clothes the guys will need will be included with the tuxedo rental.

The common place to rent a tuxedo is Mens Warehouse.

They will do you up with slacks, a shirt, and a vest and bow tie.

Make sure the color of your vest and bow tie complement what your date is wearing.

Blake Reed advises to go big or go home on your special night.

Dont be afraid to step it up and look classy. Youll remember this night for the rest of your life, said Reed.

However allow plenty of time to get a tuxedo fitted because rental shops get quite crowded by people who put it off until the last minute.

Picking the right restaurant can be the key to a great night.

Dinner is where you get the most social and face to face

interaction with your date and or friends.

Just keep it classy, says senior Ben Davis.

Avoid garlic or anything that can get stuck in your teeth right before you try to pull the move on the girl of your dreams.

Just like with Homecoming or Gala, the color of the corsage is a pivotal decision.

Nothing makes a girl melt like a flower that perfectly matches her dress.

Last year I went with my boy-friend. Sometimes I joke that the corsage he got me was so good that I had to marry him, said Kelsey Showler.

I do save all my corsages as a keepsake of the night.

Girls love when guys get cre-ative when asking them.

Figure out what the girl likes and do some deep thinking to find a very personal way to ask them.

A good way to ask a girl is in front of the whole school so you can make her feel really special,

said Carrido.Senior Ball is especially memo-

rable as it is the seniors last formal dance in high school.

Senior Alex Remiticado asked fellow senior Darci Naftluin in a creative way - by serenading her and several of her fellow varsity cheerleaders with some guy friends of his in front of an assembled crowd at lunch.

Make sure you buy tickets early as the prices increase as the dance gets closer and the line on the last day will take your whole lunch.

While at the dance make sure to make the most of it, since it only happens once. Also, dont wait in line for the outside pictures, it will waste your whole night! said Mering.

Junior Prom is tomorrow, Sat-urday, April 13, from 8 to 11pm at the Elks Tower on 921 11th St.

Senior Ball is Saturday, May 4, from 8 to 11pm on 2200 Front St.

Relles Florist2400 J St 916-441-1478

Arden Park Florists564 La Sierra Dr916-482-9848

Bouquet Florists & Gifts1120 Fulton Ave916-488-4888

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO KNOW

Last year, juniors danced and had a very special night at Prom. Last years venue was the Tent at Haggin Oaks golf course, an elegant location where fun was everywhere.

FloristsProms to Beaches7251 Galilee RdSuite 120 Roseville916-783-1107

Krazy Marys3230 Folsom Blvd916-442-6279

Davids Bridal 1140 Galleria Blvd916-787-0668

Promgirl.com

Dress ShopsMens Warehouse 1701 Ethan Way916-921-5330Mention Josh Kleeman!

Tuxedo Den1601 Arden Way916-924-6163

Tuxedo RentalsChicago Fire2416 J St916-443-0440

Cafe Vinoteca 3535 Fair Oaks916-487-1331

Zinfandel Grille2384 Fair Oaks Blvd916-485-7100

Ruths Chris Steak House 501 Pavilions Ln916-286-2702

Miyagi Bar and Sushi2580 Fair Oaks Blvd916-485-2299

Zocalo Resturant1801 Capitol Avenue916-441-0303

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013Page 8

By Derek Popple | Features Editor

Restaurants

Photo courtesy of the Tesoro

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013 Page 9

By John Macriss Kayla McArdle | Mirada Staff

Courtroom artist wins county award

That Rio did not repeat as Mock Trial champions this year may have been luck of the draw. That Elizabeth Meyer won the title as best court-room artist was definitely skill of the draw. The seeding of this years competition pitted the varsity and JV teams against each other in the quarter finals. While the JV team won, they were narrowly defeated in the next round. Meanwhile, Meyer went to claim the title as best artist. The Mock Trial competition simulates a trial-level proceeding in which students portray the roles of pre-trial counsel, prosecuting and defense attorneys, witnesses, court clerks, bailiffs and jurors before a single presiding judge and 2-3 scoring judges. It includes the Courtroom Art competition, in which artists from participating schools create courtroom sketches during the competition.At the very first meeting in my freshman year, I joined the mock trial, Meyer said. I didnt know that they had a courtroom artist when I first joined, and my next year, I decided that I wanted to be the court-room artist too.Since then, Meyer has drawn mock trial courtroom scenes while they progress using dry art mediums, specifically using colored pencils and regular drawing pencils.Unlike many courtroom artists, Mey-ers is a member of the team, and she said that may give her an advantage. She traveled with the team to scrim-mages to hone her skill. Santa Barbara was where I learned both more in mock trial teams and as the courtroom artist, Meyers said. We spent three days there and it gave me a lot of time to develop my skills in arts and had a lot of fun.Artists are usually inspired by famous people like Van Gogh and Leonardo Da Vinci, but Meyers inspiration came from somewhere else. The art in her house since she was young was done by her cousin who is an animator. Other inspira-tions are Mary Blair, who designed Its a small world ride and heavily

influenced the designs of the Alice in Wonderland animated movie, she said. Art for Meyer takes up most of her life, and makes her happy.Art just gives me a good way to ex-press myself and it gives me some-thing to do with my hands.I love to do stuff that makes other people and

myself happy.Art comes in many ways to artist, and during the Mock Trials it comes a different way for Meyer.I look for scenes that have a lot of action and emotion in it, and I like to find colors that draw the eye in to help me focus on a certain character or element of a scene, she said.

Im usually supposed to draw the courtroom background; theres the flag, the judges desk, witness stand,and at least a character in the room. I like to draw at least three, which are the judge, an attorney, and a witness.When you love something, you go to college for it.Im going to major in mechani-

cal engineer or robotics, and from there, I am going to hopefully be an imagineer at Disneyland and design the animatronics. I programmed the robot in the robotics competition, which is furthering my future career towards animatronics.

Elizabeth Meyers draws best artist prize for mock trial

Top Senior Elizabeth Meyerss courtroom artwork depicting an attorney questioning a witness in one of the many Mock Trials they participated in. Bottom Left Elizabeth Meyers hard at work as her teammates compete on Bottom Right Elizabeths own interpretation of the judge pre-siding over her and her teams case. This was drawn during the actual court proceedings

Robotics| First Competition

Right One of the 52 robots Rio competed againstLeft The exposed robot on display for the whole competition

We were really good at working together. We were really efficient, Meyer said of the team effort. In the workplace, you have the AP students and the regular auto shop students, and you have to work with everyone. But through our diversity, we got to know a lot of people better. This was one of the best experiences I have had in school.On the day of the competition, Team Rio was set back by various techni-cal difficulties.We did pretty well for a first-year team, said senior Tylor Reeves. We were off by a few inches so we had to take the robot apart and cut two inches from the inside and then put it back together so it would still work, said Meyer. Because of the

on-the-spot fixes the team had no practice rounds. We also had issues with our coding and we realized that a few parts werent going to work so we dropped those too.In spite of the unfortunate circum-stances, the team viewed their situa-tion with prudence.We [got to] have the experience of learning about what it was like in real life where we had a problem and we had to solve it, said Reeves.Meyer agrees, We had to get things done fast. People had to figure out what needed doing and then coor-dinate. We finally got it working.[and] Got in for round three!Team Rios students worked not only with their fellow students, but also with other teams from the bay area,

Davis, and Sacramento. We talked with other teams about strategy and formed alliances for the rounds,Although Rio was not able to take first place in the Ultimate Ascent, the first-year robotics class gained valu-able experience towards careers in engineering and imaginative designs for next year.The job of the Rio students, who built the schools first entry into the FIRST robotics competition, was to learn a lot, work together and have fun, said Agostinelli. And they did, by all accounts, great. Definitely great.As with their robot, the Rio FRC team aims to maneuver and trouble-shoot their coming competitions by trial and error.

To break into the White House, one would need a lot of firepower, planning, and tricks up their sleeves. In Olympus Has Fallen, someone did.

The story starts with the president of the U.S., Ben-jamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart), his wife, the First Lady Margaret Asher (Ashley Judd), and their son Connor Asher (Finley Jacobsen).

The three, along with several members of the White House, are leaving for Camp David for a meeting.

On the way to the meeting, one of the cars gets hit in the windshield, putting it off course and falling off the bridge they were driving over.

The presidents limo gets hit first, being thrown off course as well, until finally ending with the front half over the edge of a bridge.

As the limo threatens to go off the bridge completely, the president is trying to save his wife who was knocked unconscious during this predicament, while the presi-dents men try to save him and his wife.

Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), the lead Secret Service agent, manages to save the president, but fails to save his wife, who fell into the frozen water below.

18 months later, Banning works for the Treasury De-partment, demoted for reminding the president too much of his wifes death.

The same day, the president is having meeting with the prime minister of South Korea when the White House is attacked from the sky and the ground by North Korean-led guerrilla forces.

After trying to get to safety, the president, along with several top officials, are now held captive in their own

safety bunker by Kang Yeonsak (Rick Yune), an ex-North Korean terrorist.

Being the only American, alive and free, in the White House, it is up Banning to get the president and anyone else held captive in the bunker free, get Connor out be-fore if he is still in there before he is captured, and stop America from being destroyed.

Using all weapons he can find from dead White House men and Korean terrorists, as well as what is hid-den, Banning must use his surroundings to his advantage to outsmart Kang and his men, while also communicat-ing with llan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), the Speaker of the House who is now the Acting President, to make sure Kang cant get out with the president.

This R-rated Die-Hard-in-the-White-House movie is rated R for a reason.

With excessive overkill shooting, stabs to the head, and accuracy better than a Storm Troopers, be ready for a lot of blood, dislocated, and dead bodies.

The movie has been a big hit, already making over 76 million worldwide.

I highly recommend it. The cinamatography and direction makes the action

sequences all the more real. It feels like you yourself are involved in the rescue

operation as you watch the film in the theaters.Morgan Freeman is perfect for the role and his acting

is, as always, supurb.If youre an action, special effects, or war movie fan,

this film is perfect for you.

(500) Days of SummerThis film stars Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gor-

don- Levitt as two young co-workers who begin the have feelings for each other. Tom (Gordon- Levitt) has strong feelings for Summer (Deschanel), but she doesnt return his feelings to the same extent. The story is told out-of-order, covering all 500 days Tom was involved with Summer. The movie is funny, sad, and adorkable. Why its for everyone: The movies so well done, so it doesnt resemble a typical chick flick. It portrays a more realistic relationship and break-up.

BridesmaidsBridesmaids is more of a comedy than a chick flick,

but its centered around five bridesmaids and one bride. The film stars Kristen Wiig & Friends as women who must go through hilariously awful obstacles just to get Lillian (Maya Rudolph) to the altar. Annie (Kristen) deals with the pressures of being maid-of- honor while trying to get her own life in order. Her two British roommates also evict her from the apartment they share, and she is fired from her job. She manages to hit rock bottom, while her best friend is only concerned about the wedding. Why its for everyone: Bridesmaids incorporates the guy humor

of the hangover, but it replaces the main characters with women.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 DaysHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days starts like every

romantic comedy ever made. Its about a writer in New York City, and Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are in it. However, it isnt as sappy as most. Kate Hudson plays a writer for Composure magazine, writing How- Tos for every issue. She is set up on a task to find a man and drive him away in ten days. Matthew McConaughey plays a man who must get a girl to fall in love with him in ten days. Andie (Hudson) pretends to become borderline obsessed with Ben (McConaughey), calling him constant-ly, acting clingy, taking him to a Celine Dion concert, and buying him the ugliest dog youve ever seen. However, Andie can never lose Ben. Its because they truly fell in love, or its because Kate Hudson has probably never been dumped in her life. Why its for everyone: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a movie for everyone to enjoy because it sort of satirizes the overdone romantic comedy that comes out every year. It makes fun of the overly clingy girl, who probably watches romantic comedies.

The sun is coming back, the weather is getting warmer, and new faces are breaking to center-stage in the rap game. Leimert Park native Dom Kennedy hopes to kick off the Summer season right with his new mixtape Yellow Album.

Dom puts together sets that capture the warmth of Summer while showcasing his smooth flows. Beat-smiths like THC, Cashe, and Chase N have helped Dom Kennedy produce a line-up of warm weather bangers that youll be hearing all season. DK has dropped tracks with rap game heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar and Casey Veggies reaffirming the flexibility of his style.

Doms talent comes from his heavy West Coast influ-ence. Growing up to the sounds of 808s and NWA, Kennedy had the chance to draw the best from every artist he heard. De La Soul, Lauryn Hill, and Eazy-E naturally found their way into DKs creative works. Dom Kennedy is Californian to the core.

Every time Dom Kennedy drops a song, its clear to see that he has found his comfort zone. His lyrics are witty, his beats are classy, and his flow simply slays. For Dom, its all in the delivery. DK stays smooth no matter what. This is proven by his collaboration with Maybach Music

kingpin Rick Ross in the song Gold Alpinas; Doms jazzy rhymes nicely contrast Rick Ross Gorilla-type rap stylings.

Doms album avoids any quasi-intellectual discus-sions, so if youre expecting a New Nas youre going to be disappointed. However, Kennedy stays committed to kicking solid verses and working with other artists that help him showcase his art. The self-proclaimed Leimert Park Legends Yellow Album has set fire to the up-and-comers fan base.

Never one to lag, Dom hasnt let the potential of social media go to waste. From flooding instagram with photos of products that he endorses, to nearly collapsing DatPiffs servers following the upload of his second mixtape, DK has stayed on point.

Smooth yet punch-packing, Kennedy brings back a little bit of class to todays rap. He might not be better than his contemporaries, but he certainly leaves the impression.

Yellow Album showcases Dom Kennedys laid back but engaging flow. This release reminds the hip-hop com-munity that Dom Kennedy has what it takes to remain an ambassador of the New West movement.

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013Page 10

Olympus Has Fallen a victory for action fansMOVIE REVIEWS

By John Macriss | Mirada Staff

Chick flicks even guys can dig

By Cian ONeill | Opinion Editor

Photo courtesy of Millenium Films

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

MUSIC REVIEW

California rapper Dom Kennedy kicks off summer season right

By Molly Vincent | Features Editor

Photo courtesy of Other Peoples Money

- Briana Smith

Briana Smith | Mirada Staff Alyssa Campbell | Mirada Staff

Briana Smith | Mirada Staff

COUPLE OF THE ISSUEHow long have you been together?Ivy: A year and 2 months.

How did you meet?Mark: I responded to one of her tweets on Twitter.Ivy: We met on twitter. I tweeted that I was really bored and he tweeted back saying im bored too and you look nice...

What was the first thing that attracted you to him/her?Mark: Her smile and her laugh.Ivy: He is very athletic.

What is your favorite thing about him/her?Mark: Her personality and how smart she is but she can also be laid back and have a good time.

Ivy: He can always put me in the best mood.

What is the nicest thing he/she has done for you?Mark: One time I was really sick and she took care of me all day.Ivy: He has done a million nice things, like when he left a box of tissues, fuzzy socks, chapstick, cough drops and candy on my porch when I was sick.

What is your least favorite thing about him/her?Mark: When she brings up things that she doesnt like about herself.Ivy: When he pouts like a little girl.

CAR OF THE ISSUEBACHELOR & BACHELORETTE

DONT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED

What kind of car do you drive?A 1988 Mitsubishi Montero

How long have you had it?Since October

Favorite thing about your car?It turns on.

How many miles is on it?A lot

What is your dream car?1989 Mitsubishi Montero

Fastest youve ever gone in your car?Like almost 70.

What kind of music do you listen to while driving?The kind without bass. 80s speakers cant handle bass.

Do you have a nickname for it?Carl

Have you gone on any fun trips?

Not yet!

Why did you buy your car?It was my grandpas so I just got it.

Have you ever hit a car?Nope! Almost been hit though.

What radio stations do you listen to?94.7,93.7,96.9,93.1

Have you ever gotten a ticket?Parking ticket for parking on the wrong side of the street.

Favorite place to drive?On the road

- Briana Smith

Dana Lites, 12, and Mark Ledbetter, 12

Mark Lyon, 12, and Ivy Reich, 11

The very popular fish and chips eatery Tug Boat serves up some clas-sic London style Seafood in this weeks Restaurant Review. Tug Boats food is served fresh and affordably with great service. But to call it great service would be an understatement. Tug Boats service is the second best and if not tied for the first best service I have ever received. If you order a one piece you usually get an extra piece no charge just because they want to be nice and enjoy your business. That brings me to the food. Fish and Chips is not the only thing on the menu but it could be and I would still be giving them a good re-view. The One, Two, and Three piece fish and chips is all you need theyre are perfectly cooked and perfectly filling with a little added salt and vinegar. With all these positive fac-tors Tug Boat has its hard to believe that it has stayed under the radar for a long while within the schools community. So if youre a student who wants to diversify the places they eat at Tug Boat is definitely a good and viable option. Which I highly recommend and know a few other cool kids would too. Tug Boat #1 is located at 7601 Fair Oaks Blvd. Carmichael, CA 95608.

I give Tug Boat #1 three out five Wally Heads

Jim Dennys is a classic Ameri-can diner located downtown. It has been around since 1934 and its claims to fame are burgers and pancakes. Man vs Food visited the restaurant and attempted to eat the Hubcap Pancake, a pancake the size of a hubcap. Gavin White, Maddie Jang and I did not even finish half of it. We gave away the leftovers to everyone in Ms. DeVilles second period APUSH class. Except we had four to go boxes and failed to get rid of them all. So we took to the hallways, calling out, Pancakes! Free pancakes. As it was freshman hall, everyone was timid to take the leftovers, except for Maddie Jang, who was upset we were giving away her precious food. And for $9, there is no way to go wrong. The food is made right in front of you, and the waitress immediately realized that we were first timers at Jim Dennys. Just use the rip and drip strategy, she said as bowls of syrup were passed to us. It is a little bit of a drive to downtown, but a perfect way to spend a morning. Fill up on pancakes, get a coffee or something, then walk around the great city of Sacramento. Theres nothing better in the morning than pancakes. Jim-Dennys is located at 816 12th Street in downtown Sacramento.

I give Jim-Dennys 4 and a half Connor Heads out of 5

CONNOR &WALLYS BITE OF SACRAMENTO

-Wally Harmon and Connor Jang

-Grant Webster

Cruz Martinez, 11

TUG BOAT #1

JIM DENNYS

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12 , 2013 Page 11

What is your biggest turn on?A button up shirt, a tie, and a great laugh.

What is your best pick-up line?If we were a garden Id put our tulips together.

What do you look for in a guy?I like my men like I like my cof-fee. Dark, with a dash of sugar.

What is your dream date?A yearbook work night. Ill buy the food.

What is the weirdest thing a guy has done for you?The cashier at Chipotle asked if I had lost my boyfriend and that he would fill in for him.

What three words describe your dream guy?John Andrew Ferrannini

What is your biggest deal breaker?Guys that are loud, obnoxious and complain like a girl.

What is your biggest turn on?A challenge.

What is your best pick-up line?If you like water then you already like 72 percent of me, so we should make out.

What do you look for in a guy?Im not really into that.

What is your dream date?So much cuddling.

What is the weirdest thing a girl has done for you?In fifth grade a girl stabbed me multiple times with a pencil.

What three words describe your dream girl?Dimples, Thighs, Innocence.

How do you get a girls atten-tion?I dont feel comfortable an-swering that question.

- Alyssa Campbell

THE RIO AMERICANO MIRADA

12SPORTS

March has always been the time of year that we can expect David to slay Goliath. We all look forward to March for the, well, Madness.

The NCAA Tournament guar-antees excitement and rightfully gets its month in the spotlight in the sports world, but for the wrong reason.

The problem is ESPN and the Bracket Challenge.

Admit it. You made a bracket. You were watching a close game and rooting for a team because you had them in your Final Four.

The team you were cheering for was Georgetown and they were playing Florida Gulf Coast.

FGCU catapulted to the top of the sports world in a matter of three days by knocking off George-town and San Diego State in two colossal upsets. If you say that you had Florida Gulf Coast in the Sweet Sixteen, you are a blatant liar.

But while you were cheering for Georgetown because of your bracket, I was enjoying one of the greatest tournament runs of all time. Andy Enfield led the cocky underdog fifteen seed to the Sweet Sixteen.

If you switch to the New Mexico v. Harvard game, I was able to laugh at Jeremy Lins celebratory Instagram post while you tore up your last perfect bracket.

Almost nobody had Harvard, La Salle and FGCU winning their first games. Even fewer correctly guessed the Sweet Sixteen, all of which most likely are friends with a Sherman Brown or another Florida Gulf Coast player.

With those examples in mind, allow me to get to the point. I did not make a bracket this year. Call me crazy.

I was rooting for upsets and was in awe with the spectacle of FGCU especially. Dunk City impressed me endlessly, at least until the Eagles season was ended.

La Salle overcame the odds to win the play-in game in addition to its next game.

Harvard put that last corner of your bracket into the paper shred-der.

March Madness has become just a game, but for the spectators rather than the players. Actually, it has become less than a game. It is just an activity now.

That brings me to my proposi-tion: ESPN deletes its hugely popu-lar online bracket in order to allow more people to enjoy the games and the Madness they bring.

So next year please do not make a bracket. Trust me from first hand experience. It really does make March Madness better from a fans standpoint.

It will be the same David vs. Go-liath, and a few trees will be saved in the process.

By Ryan Burns |Sports Editor

Less than a game

| FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013

BaseballRios baseball team recorded a memorable victory against the national no. 16 Buchanan Page 14

2HOTHANDLE

Story on page 14

Freshman Katelyn Chandler takes on the Mira Loma de-fense. The Raiders are ranked number two in the nation.

Ryan Burns | Sports Editor

With the mens volleyball season well underway and the team domi-nated in pre-season and is currently sitting in fourth in their league. They brushed aside teams such as Placer, Roseville and Folsom.

The new coach Eric Houston, is coaching the team to win. He has practice everyday of the week, except on game days. He fills the competitive practices with running, hitting practice, and running plays.

With a successful pre-season the team was prepared for their first league game against El Camino. The team was pumped and ready to take on their main rivals.

El Camino won the two first games of the match. However, Rio fought back and won the next three games to win the best of five match.

The team started the season on a high and have been riding on that euphoria throughout the season. Playoffs in right around the corner and the team is well on their way to qualifying.

They won their last league game against Bear River and are projected to win their next 3 games ahead of their next El Camino meeting.

Last weekend the team went to the Brian Nolan Varsity Invitational Tournament where they crushed Jesuit 2-0.

In a preseason game the Raid-ers lost 3-0 to the Marauders, but evidently picked up their game. The Raiders have had trouble beating the Marauders in past years but

have found the formula to domi-nate jesuit in volleyball. The win showed how far along the team has come from the beginning of the season. The team has bonded more and have developed a winning mentality.

That was a great feeling to beat Jesuit for the first time in who knows when, said junior captain Luke McDonald.

They also played their league op-ponents Whitney in the invitational and beat them 2-1. The team had a strong showing in the tournament against some of the best teams in the state and look ready to carry their momentum into league play.

We are going to pull it together and come out with the win. Be-ing captain I need to make sure everyone is playing their hardest and then hopefully come out with a win, said senior captain Cole Mier about the Raiders rematch against neighborhood rival El Camino.

Along with both Mier and Mc-Donald, the third captain is Corbett Kaniff. Mier is the only senior captain, meaning more of the lead-ership responsibilities fall on him, both on and off the court.

Rio is tied for third with El Camino in league; the two teams next meeting will decide which school will take the last CAL playoff spot.

The next time the two teams will face is on April 18. The game will ultimately decide who advances onto playoffs.

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013 Page 13

By Zach Sampo |Sports Editor

Volleyball spikes way through league

Junior Trey Athey goes for a kill against Whitney. The Raiders won the game 2-1 (20-25, 25-22, 15-12).Ryan Burns | Sports Editor

The young team has exceed-ed expectations, but needs to perform in playoffs

Softball season heads towards homeTheres nothing soft about the

performance of this seasons varsity womens softball team.

Whether they are catching, bat-ting, or pitching a ball, the women are sure not to disappoint.

The team is composed of two freshmen, two sophomores, four juniors and seven seniors. Many of the seniors on the team have played softball for Rio since their freshman year.

Although a small team, with only 15 players, this seasons women have shown skill unlike any other team in the last few years.

If we win 7 games this season, we will have won the most games by the softball team at Rio in 6 years, said senior Kelsey Showler. We only need one more win to reach this goal.

Breaking this record only lays the foreground for more broken records in the future.

Coached by Chris Martinez, the father of two of the girls on the var-sity team, the women train hard in practice to better their performance in games.

Practices cover a range of con-ditioning and drills. The women do hitting and fielding drills to improve their ball handling skills.

The team holds impressive sta-tistics. Junior Sarah Murphy, despite her limited chances, has recorded the teams only perfect fielding percentage. Similarly, senior Haley

Boyer holds the teams second high-est batting average of .361, behind sophomore Chelsea Martinez who bats .500.

As a team tradition, the girls wear a bow on their heads to each of their games and plan to keep this tradition alive.

The women all agree their ca-maraderie plays a vital part in their successes as a team. I love playing because being on the field helps me forget about everything else going on and I like being with my friends every day, said senior Kara Lavenda.

One of our greatest strengths is that we are best friends and we can left each others spirits, said Boyer.

As the players goals differ, they all see more wins in the future.

We have five wins so far and we are all hoping we can get a even more to further beat last seasons record, said Showler.

My last year on the team I hope to win a lot of games and improve myself as a player, said Lavenda.

The players are also very versa-tile in the positions they can play, which is required over the course of a long season.

I play a lot of positions: left field, right field, catcher and first base. I like getting to alternate around, said Lavenda.

As their season rounds the bases, the wins to come are next at bat.

By Briana Smith |Sports Editor

Ryan Burns | Sports EditorSophomore Chelsea Martinez winds up to pitch. She has played on varsity both of her high school years along with her older sister, senior Sierra Martinez.

THE MIRADA | FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2013Page 14

Sophomore Josh Savea warms up to pitch for the inning. He played varsity baseball fresh-man and sophomore year and has been a large difference maker in the Raiders season so far.

Rios womens soccer team is ranked second in the nation. In the entire country, the Lady Raiders are the second best team.

The national praise is nothing new for the two-time reigning sec-tion champions, though.

They finished last year in the top ten teams after defeating fellow CAL competitor Antelope.

Coming into this year, the returning players would definitely miss some of the graduated seniors. The top goal scorer, Alexa Heinzer, graduated, so there was a gap to fill.

That task has been no prob-lem to this years squad. Captains Elizabeth Hutchison and Meloria Hoskins have accepted the chal-lenge of increasing their contribu-tions to the goal scoring and are leading the team in goals with five and three goals respectively.

Freshman striker Katelyn Chan-dler has burst onto the scene with two goals and four assists, too.

Chandler is one of a few fresh-men who have already made their impact on the varsity level. Caroline Kaniff and Annie Ware are the oth-ers, and have already fought their

way into the lineup.The obvious talent on the squad

is complemented by a great team chemistry that is shown on the field with a fluid and crisp pass and move style.

To be second in the nation is quite an accomplishment and I wouldnt want to experience it with anyone else, said senior striker Elizabeth Moulton, who has scored two goals this season.

After two ties in tough preseason games against St. Francis and Bella Vista, the Raiders dominated in their signature 3-0 victory against Davis.

Rio has already risen above its league competition with victories against rival El Camino, Cordova, Whitney, and Mira Loma.

The road game against El Cami-no was a tough one, but the Raiders pulled off a well-earned 2-1 win.

The next game was a simpler task against Cordova. Rio swept aside the Lancers in a commanding 6-0 victory.

After a tough road win against Whitney, the Lady Raiders looked to defend their home turf against Mira Loma.

They did so in dominant fashion through a balanced attack. At

halftime, Rio was already winning 3-0 with goals coming from Kaniff, Hoskins and Hutchison.

Hoskins scored a beautifully floated header across goal over the Mira Loma goalkeepers outreached arms. Kaniff and Hutchison both scored their goals from well worked attacks finished with individual runs of skill followed by clinical finishes.

The Raiders showed up in full force to remain atop the league standings at a perfect 4-0, already showing postseason form that has been good enough for a section title in each of the last two years.

The team needs to stay on the track that has already catapulted it to the no. 2 ranking in the nation. They plan to do so while having a good time dispatching opponent after opponent for the next month or so.

These girls are so much fun to be around and play with, and I cant wait to see what else is in store for us, Moulton said.

Who knows. Maybe the Lady Raiders can be crowned the best team in the country.

All individual stats are prior to the Mira Loma game.

Dana Lites | Tesoro Staff

By Ryan Burns |Sports Editor

Womens Raiders rank No. 2 in U.S.

The varsity boys baseball team hits off their season with hopes it will end in a home run.

In the Boras Classic baseball tournament which took place over spring break, the boys came out with a 2-2 record. However, this record could not reflect perhaps one of the most victorious wins of the season.

The Raiders beat the number nine team in the nation, Buchanan High School. The game seemed endless, going seven innings with-out a run on either teams end.

In the eighth inning, with two players on base, senior Guillermo Salazar hit a homerun, thus raising the score 3-0. The Raider lead held tight and the boys celebrated their underdog win.

It was the most adrenaline Ive had in my four years playing base-

ball for Rio, said senior and team captain Alec Kazanjian. Nothing even compares.

After their win in the Boras Classic, the boys set their sights on league. With a pre-league record of 6-5-1, the boys swung into league in their opening game against the El Camino Eagles.

With a total of 15 league games, are set to face off against El Camino, Cordova, Whitney, Mira Loma and Antelope.

The teams attitude about league play holds strong. I feel like if we continue playing well as a team, we should not lose many games in league, said Kazanjian.

We have a chance of making playoffs considering teams we have beat in preseason play, said junior and outfielder Auston Chastain.

Despite wins or losses, the team remains dedicated and motivated. We are gaining a lot of confidence and startin