www.urbanlegendnews.org Please recycleHappy holidays!

The Embarcadero ice rink is more than a fun place to watch young kids do spins as you hold onto the wall for dear life. Last Sunday, Dec. 15, it was an island, frozen in time at San Francisco’s Embar-cadero Center, on what was one of the biggest shopping days of the year, just 10 days before Christmas. “The holidays used to be about gather-ing as a family. It was about sharing and Christmas spirit,” said Jill Davis, 44, who is a 20-year resident of San Francisco. “Consumerism has really taken away from that. Now it is all about shopping,” Davis said. One only needs to take a look at the start times of Black Friday sales to understand Davis’s nostalgia. Several years ago, it was uncommon for stores to open their doors

before 6 a.m. on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. This year, however, many stores opened on Thanksgiving, including Toys R Us, which unlocked its doors in many states at 5 p.m. “Of course (consumerism) has taken away from the holidays, but there is nothing we can do,” said 53-year-old Phil Thomp-son, from San Francisco. “It’s reality and this is a free country.” Despite his pessimism, standing next to the ice rink watching skaters with Santa hats play on the ice, Thompson seemed to have found a place where holiday spirit was alive. Holiday spending in the United States has increased by an average of 3.3 percent for the last 10 years and it’s expected to reach $602.1 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation.

Spirit of Christmas, wrapped in retailIce-skating reporter finds nostalgia for non-commercial holiday

ON DISPLAYAn unidentified man walks past a poster on the wall of the M.H de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, which aims to lure locals into an exhibit of the artist David Hockney's work.

photo by Niki King Fredel

by Niki King FredelStaff Writer

by Jacob WinickStaff Writer

December 2013 Volume 14, Issue 2The Urban School of San Francisco

ART IN THE PARK

With frivolous figures, radiant colors, and intimate portraits, David Hockney’s “A Bigger Exhibition,” which is featured at the M.H. de Young Museum until Jan. 20, is a must-see. The exhibit includes more than 300 of the British artist’s pieces, from iPad draw-ings to camera obscura photographs, and his well-known fantastically colorful landscape paintings. Today, Hockney is considered to be one of the most influential British artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. According to the deyoung.famsf.org, “Hockney has produced an extraordi-nary array of memorable images using

a vast range of media, from panoramic paintings to lush landscapes, and sub-tle portraits to lavish stage sets. “His ambitious pursuit to find new ways to create art has found him using cam-eras, iPhones, iPads and videos to repre-sent nature and reveal his own personal and intimate relationships through a variety of techniques,” the web-site notes. It adds that the exhibit is “the first

comprehensive survey of (Hockney’s) 21st-century work and represents one

of the most prolific decades of his career.“ Though it has re-ceived much praise, any exhibit this big receives some criti-cism on how it works together as an entire piece. “It was probably a little bit too big, but that didn't make me like it any less,” said Gabe Pine (’15). “The big colorful nature paintings didn't

fit well with the mocking camera obscura photo album piece," Pine added. Some students were less enamored with his work, and called Hockney out for a lack of creativity. “I felt he was kind of overrated,” said Urban student Mariel Solomon (’17). “I applaud him for being innovative and incorporating modern technology into his work, but I just didn't find his art to be anything special,” said Solomon. With 16 days of winter break ap-proaching, a visit to this about-to-end exhibit might be worth adding to your calendar. Ticket prices range from free for five and under, $16 to $19 for youth (ages 6 to 17), to $26 to $29 for adults.

CHECK OUT NEW STORIES ONLINE

SAT prep is beginningearlier than ever, students say by Olive Lopez

Staff Writer

Winter break begins on Friday, but for many Urban students, the Grinch has arrived, and he’s bearing the SAT. Urban juniors received their PSAT results recently and will begin to meet with Urban college counselors in January, after winter break, to receive their Naviance ac-counts in order to begin the process of researching, organizing information, and applying to college. Some students will begin a class after winter break focused on learning SAT tricks and techniques, hosted by Revolution Prep through Urban. Looking towards the college ap-plication process, specifically the SAT and ACT, it’s hard not to feel like you should start as early as possible. But how early is too early to prep for the SAT or ACT? Lena Galinson (’16), a sophomore, has been prepping since freshman year. “I do the question of the day…online,” she said. Galinson added that she is prep-ping early because “standardized tests Twitter takes wing

with strong IPOLegend reporter boldly goes to Star Trek convention

are not my strong suit, and also my mom really wants me to do well.” Natalie Sears (’15), a junior, says that she’s been studying “since mid-summer” and has had “12 two-hour tutoring sessions” so far. “With my schedule and playing sports it’s better for me … to get a head start so that I don’t have to prioritize other things over it,” said Sears, a three-season athlete who plays varsity volleyball, basketball, and soccer. On studying so early, she added, “sometimes I don’t wish I did, but my parents are looking out for me.” Nikki Kimzey (’15), also a junior, said that she is " not prepping early because I don’t have time ... I’ll prob-ably start during break since that’s when I’ll have time.” Her plan is to take a prep course and study on her own. See collegeboard.org for ques-tions of the day, sample SAT prob-lems, and study plan generators.

"(The exhibit) was probably a little too big, but that didn't make

me like it any less."

—Gabe Pine '15

TV SHOWS

ALBUMS

"Breaking Bad"If you have not fi nished the fi nal season of "Breaking Bad," clear your calendar. The series will make you rethink everything from what it means to be a drug dealer to what your science teacher does outside of school.

"Homeland"Every episode of “Homeland” will leave you on the edge of your seat, begging for more. Its plot twists and unparalleled action scenes will keep even the most cynical viewers captivated.

"Bob's Burgers""Bob’s Burgers," Fox’s new cartoon, follows the hilariously sarcas-tic and snarky burger-cooking Belcher family. The fi rst season is on Netfl ix and is worth binge watching over winter break.

Best of 2013"Modern Vampires of the City" — Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend's third album, "Modern Vampires of the City," continues to incorporate many of the percussive rhythms and African-inspired melodies that made their fi rst and second albums, "Vampire Weekend" (2008) and "Contra" (2010), widely successful. "Mod-ern Vampires of the City" can be classifi ed as indie rock, but has a preppiness that the band refers to as "Upper West Side Soweto."

"Pure Heroine" — LordeLorde (Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor), a 17-year-old songwriting prodigy appeared out of nowhere and took over the music industry with true regality. Her fresh pop-alternative songs of feminism, struggle, and everything else you don’t hear on the radio captivate au-diences all over the world — Urban included.

"Home" — RudimentalThe upbeat alternative British band’s newest album, “Home,” features a plethora of British guest artists including John Newman, Alex Clare, Ella Eyre, and brings together a harmoni-ous mix of electronic beats and repeated vocals.

MOVIES

SONGS

Best of 2013"Roar" — Katy PerrySet in the jungle, Katy Perry's uplifting breakup ballad, “Roar,” makes you proud to be single.

"Bound 2" — Kanye West“Uh-huh honey,” yes — this makes the cut. Don't let the music video fool you: Bound 2's honest and cruel lyrics — “Hey, you remember where we fi rst met?/Okay, I don't remember where we fi rst met/But hey, admitting is the fi rst step” — are worth a careful listen. For some serious entertainment, be sure to see “Bound 3.”

"Buzzcut Season" — LordeSoft and feminine beats enchant as Lorde (see also "Pure Heroine," at left) hauntingly sings of harsh reali-ties and false fantasies in "Buzzcut Season," one of her top songs on her album, "Pure Heroine."

"Catching Fire"Jennifer Lawrence, America’s new awkward and clumsy sweetheart, stars in "Catching Fire," the second installment of "The Hunger Games" trilogy, a tale of courage and rebellion in the face of institutionalized oppression.

"Blue Jasmine"Cate Blanchett falls to pieces in "Blue Jasmine," Woody Allen’s pseudo-San Francisco story of insanity, pride, and life after luxury.

"This is the End"Seth Rogan, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Rihanna, and every other famous person ever, come together for this hilarious apocalyptic scenario, in which Michael Cera shines.

Here is a selection of the Yetis' picks for the best movies, TV shows, and music of 2013 — a year of full of new re-leases and artistically diverse works. Head to the Legend website at urbanlegendnews.org after the holiday break for coverage on the 56th Annual Grammys on Feb. 9.

Selections and descriptions by the Legend staff

Layout and design by Tessa Petrich

New Year 2013resolutions —eat, win, smile

Caboosewww.urbanlegendnews.org

The Urban LegendDecember 2013

4

Please recyclewww.urbanlegendnews.org

by Aideen MurphyStaff Writer

I want to...

"Write in a journal every day."-Nikki

Kimzey '15

"Havedinner with

Parisa"

-Julian

Larach '15

"Never diet again."-Allegra

Agabian '14

"To smile

more :D"

-Nicholas Fong

'14

"Get into college."-Elijah Howard '14

"Start eating

more eggs."

-Maia Bruno-

Basaing '16

"Win some bike races."-Karan Desai '11

Ozone depletion, polar ice caps melting, oceans rising, more natural disasters than ever. Can oil made from microalgae end our worries about climate change? On Friday, Nov. 1, Jill Kauff-man Johnson came to Urban to talk about sustainable oil, which could be the future of energy. Kauffman Johnson is the director of sustainability at Solazyme, a company that turns microalgae (which, according to Wikipedia, is “microscopic algae, typically found in freshwater and marine systems”) into re-newable oil. Founded in 2003 and based in South San Francisco, Calif., Sola-zyme’s aim is to help slow down the effects of climate change. During her visit and in

follow-up interviews with the Legend, Kauffman Johnson explained everything a person would need to know about the future of renewable oil. According to Kauffman John-son, while studying microalgae researchers found that the uses for sustainable oil made from it are broad and numerous: It can be used in food, beauty prod-ucts, airplane fuel, soaps and detergents and other household items, lubricants and solvents used in manufacturing. But how is this seemingly ideal product created? “Most microalgae grow by using sunlight in a photo-synthetic process,” Kauffman Johnson wrote in an email. “We grow microalgae that are heterotrophic, meaning they grow in the dark (in fermenters, or containers in which the algae

By Ariane GoldsmithStaff Writer

go through a fermentation pro-cess) and eat sugar that comes from plants that have already harnessed the sun's energy." Solazyme uses microalgae that are genetically modified so that they produce as much oil as possible. “After the algae grow plump with oil through the fermenta-tion process, they are pressed to squeeze out the oil,” wrote Kauffman Johnson. This sustainable oil may seem foolproof but it does come with complications. According to the Solazyme website, “standard industrial fermentation equip-ment” must be set up before any oil can be produced. This equip-ment is expensive. The actual algae used are developed to raise the oil content without genetic modification. “We also have some strains

junior year,” said Julian Larach (’15). “As (a) junior, even in my easiest term, I haven’t found time to indulge myself into any TV shows.” Larach plans on catching up on “Teen Wolf” (all epi-sodes available on mtv.com), because “I need some hot wherewolves in my life every once in a while.” Frieda Baldonado (’16) also

Winter break is a beautiful, two-week beacon of hope in a stormy sea of winter-term stress and hard work. With all this extra time, students will have a chance to catch up on their favorite TV shows. Chances are, they’ll do that catching up by spending time — a lot of time — on screen. A Legend survey con-ducted from Nov. 5 to Nov. 7 showed that 83 percent of the 58 students who responded are planning on binge-watching TV (watching consecutive episodes of a TV show at a time) over winter break. Luckily, Netflix, Hulu, and DVRs have enabled easier access to full seasons of TV shows at the flick of a finger. But what exactly

Holiday break plan: Binge on "Breaking Bad"by Olive Lopez

Staff Writer

will students be watching? Of the 58 stu-dents surveyed, 17 percent said they were plan-ning on watching “Breaking Bad” over break (Seasons 1-5 are available on Netflix and Season 6 is available via cable providers, such as Infinity). The series, which ended on Sept. 29, is the story of a high school science teacher turned meth dealer. Catching up to "Bad" may be a pretty big time commit-

Urban visitor describes new energy source —algae

ment. Jessica Steinberg (’15) is planning on re-watching all six seasons. That’s more than 62 episodes, or roughly 46 hours and 30 minutes in all. For academic reasons, ju-niors may be among the most avid binge-watchers. “There is a very noticeable difference in workload from sophomore to

plans to catch up on “Teen Wolf” during break, before the last 12 episodes of Season 3 air beginning on Jan. 6. “Wolf” is a “great sci-fi/fan-tasy show, especially for those who like watching potentially mindless drama unfold in the lives of ridiculously attractive high-schoolers," Baldonado

BAd Over BreAk The AMC drama "Breaking Bad" is on the syllabus for students looking forward to some downtime over the upcoming holiday break. Above, Legend staffer Jacob Winick checks out an episode on Netflix. Photo by Olive Lopez

said. Kaya Bandele (’15) intends to rewatch “Drawn Together” (available on comedycentral.com). "It’s literally the exact op-posite of Urban, and really, (U.S.) society," she said. "It’s extremely crude and inappro-priate, so it’s the perfect escape from school.” By contrast, Charlotte Dean-

da (’15) says she aims to watch “Law & Order: SVU” (seasons 8-12 available on Netflix) over break. Deanda called "Law and Order" an “educational” series, but also “very gripping.” Willa Barnett (’17) plans on watching “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (seasons 1-7 available

on Netflix). Buffy “has lots of episodes and it’s a really engaging, fast-paced show," Barnett said. “Joss Whedon is the creator and you can’t go wrong with something made by him,” she added. Barnett also wants to watch more of “Torch-wood” (avail-able on iTunes or Amazon), which she described as “sort of a British version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” No matter

what the pref-erence, there are plenty of viewing options thanks to the increasing of-ferings available at

web-based providers such as Hulu and Netflix. Hulu offers up to five of the most recent episodes of most television shows currently airing. Netflix often entire runs of shows, including “Orange is the New Black,” “House of Cards,” and the fourth season of “Arrested Development.”

that we are developing that are optimized for specific fatty acid profiles – in some cases to mimic the high value parts of palm oil or other oils that have signifi-cant carbon and water impacts,” wrote Kauffman Johnson. On its website, Solazyme says “the average wild algae only has 5-10 percent oil content” while its microalgae are highly produc-tive and contain more than 80 percent oil. While this oil could be a ben-eficial energy source, whether or not it will be able to compete in the oil market is an open ques-tion. Got an idea for a story about energy, sustainability, the environ-ment, or the future of our planet? Contact Features Editor Hannah Berk at hberk@urbanschool.org, and your story might be part of the next Legend!