STUDENTS GAIN DEEP INSIGHT Wears Hearts on Sleeves Toby Maggie Promoteliu Awareness Staff Writer

Entertainment.....2 Read about the most Learn about Lunar Follow Boys Opinion...... 3 popular applications New Year traditions Basketball as they Focus...... 4-5 for smart phones. such as lion dancing. finish their season. E.Lee, R.Tran, & H.Lin E.Lee, R.Tran, Feature...... 6 page 2 pages 4-5 page 7 Sports...... 7 INSIDE PHOTOS/ PHOTOS/ TEMPLE CITY HIGH SCHOOL RAMPAGE Volume 55 Issue 08 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010 tchsrampage.wordpress.com

Gay Straight Alliance STUDENTS GAIN DEEP INSIGHT wears hearts on sleeves toBy Maggie promoteLiu awareness Staff Writer

Participants of Gay Straight Alliance’s event, Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve day, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, wore heart stickers on their sleeves as part of a campaign to raise student awareness and under- standing about teen dating violence throughout the month. Although schools and communities across the nation have acknowl- edged the seriousness of dating violence since 2006, the U.S. Senate finally declared February as the official National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month on Jan. 15. GSA is collaborating with Peer Listeners, organizing events and putting up posters so they can make a bigger impression on students about what they can do to stop dating violence. Counselors and Peer Listeners on campus are available to speak confidentially with indi- viduals who are in or have experienced an abusive relationship. “I hope that after this awareness event, it will bring more to light so that more victims will be able to receive the aid they need,” Sopho- PHOTO/ Christine Keung more Claudia Chen, GSA Activities Officer, said. “There’s help and Seniors Stanley Fang, Brian Wong, Wayne Ho, and Christine Be conducted an experiment, on the AP Environmental there has always been help; people just need to know how to get it.” Science field trip, to measure the depth of the water in the port at the Long Beach Aquarium on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Outside of addressing the seriousness of abusive teen relationships, GSA hopes to clarify that domestic violence does not only occur between opposite-sex relationships but also in same-sex ones. They also emphasize that help is always available for anyone seeking aid from an Pretrial begins for Piazza defendants abusive boyfriend or girlfriend. By Alice Wang for the $75 million venture. Both counts of perjury and one of Po- “[It is important to] stress that this is not just for abusive relation- Co-Business Manager Wang and Liyanage, as two of the litical Reform Act violation. The ships,” Chen said, who speaks from personal experience. “It really 12 witnesses for the prosecution, defendants are set to appear in applies to any sort of relationship that you may have with someone, lmost a year after pros- will be testifying against the de- court for a pretrial hearing on whether it be family, friends, or just someone you’re dating.” ecutors indicted her for fendants during the trial. March 1, when a trial date may Domestic abuse can range from physical and sexual to emotional Asoliciting bribes, former be fixed. and psychological. According to the American Bar Association, 57 per- Temple City Mayor Judy Wong “The trial itself might take cent of teens knew someone who had been in an abusive relationship. will soon go on trial along with “A decision might from three weeks to a month, and The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that about 10 percent of ex-Mayor Cathé Wilson and for- never be reached.” then it’s up for the jury to decide,” youth nationwide were in a physically violent relationship. mer city council candidate, Scott attorney Sanford Perliss, who is “I’m looking forward to coordinating with GSA and Peer Listeners Carwile. Mr. Sanford Perliss representing Wong, said. “A deci- and see if we can make a bigger impact for students here on campus,” The charges resulted from al- sion might never be reached.” Ms. Susan Hook, Peer Listeners director, said. “[People in abusive re- legations of bribery made last Absent from the proceedings Wong faces a maximum jail lationships] have choice and they don’t have to take it and stay quiet.” year by developer Randy Wang, is Capra, who pleaded guilty to a sentence of 10 years if convicted, builder of the stalled Piazza proj- misdemeanor and agreed to ten- while Wilson faces a maximum ect originally planned for the der his resignation as a council- sentence of nine years. Both were February Feb. 12: Lincoln’s Birthday, empty lot at the intersection of man in June of last year in return offered a settlement of two years No School Ram Calendar Las Tunas Drive and Rosemead for protection against the charges in prison, which the defense re- Feb. 15: Presidents Day Holiday, Su M T W Th F S Boulevard. According to Wang, that Wong and Wilson are now fused. No School former councilmembers Wilson, facing. Both women continue to “I don’t think it’s a jail case,” 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 Feb. 18: Art Show Wong, and David Capra asked maintain their innocence. Robert Wilson, Cathé Wilson’s 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Feb. 19: ComedySportz Show for and received a total of at least Wilson was indicted on six lawyer, said in a Pasadena Star- 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Feb. 23: Mr. Temple City $23,100 in bribes from him and counts of solicitation of bribes News article that appeared in Jan- Feb. 25: Musical Road Show 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 project manager Jay Liyanage, in and perjury under oath, with uary. “That’s where the disagree- Feb. 26: International Food Day 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 2007 in return for their support Wong on 10 and Carwile on four ment lies.” N EWS B RIEFS By Veronica Lin rino. There were also two guest speakers Winter Formal Video Contest sical Marathon on Friday, Jan. 29. The Exchange Editor from California Institute of Technology. Senior Andrew Torres won the first -an groups performed a total of 100 songs. nual Winter Formal Video Contest with Green Dream Festival the aid of an Arcadia police officer. The The Environmental Club face-painted in police officer, the father of Torres’ friend, a booth at the third annual Green Dream stopped Senior Haylie Ellingsworth on her Festival on Saturday, Jan. 16 at Gabrieli- drive home with the pretense of giving her no High School. The festival, a celebra- a ticket. Instead of handing her a ticket, he tion of social and environmental justice, handed her a slip with “WF?” written on it. raised money to purchase water purifiers As the confusion settled in, Torres stepped called Lifestraws for people in third world out with a bouquet of flowers. countries. There were approximately 500 attendees and over 150 volunteers. Many PHOTO/ Veronica Lin Musical Marathon PHOTO/ Julia Chen local schools aided in the effort, including Senior Elaine Tong paints a young girl’s face at Brighter Side Singers, Concert Choir, and Seniors Benjamin Henry and Alex Martinez Rosemead High, Polytechnic, and San Ma- the Green Dream Festival on Saturday, Jan. 16. Women’s Chorus, performed in the Mu- sing a duet at Musical Marathon on Jan. 29. 2 | February 11, 2010 ENTERTAINMENT RAMPAGE Meatless diet a success Too weak to last a week By Jessica Meza some cheap ice cream. However, I had By Serena Smalley tempted to eat other, more delectable food. Staff Writer heard rumors that the fries are not vegan, Feature Editor I also ate almonds as a snack. Even if you so I asked the person at the cash register if aren’t thinking of trying the no-carb diet Vegan diet this was true. She told me that the fries and No-Carb Diet it’s a good idea to eat a handful of almonds eing a big hash browns have beef flavoring in them, It was a bitter before a meal because they will fill you up meat lover rendering them not vegan. Since I was Friday night and I and prevent you from completely gorging Band a picky hungry, I ate an orange while my friends hadn’t eaten carbs yourself. eater, I thought the stuffed themselves with fries. in over five days. A good dish that I made for myself that transition of having As I searched online for other food op- No homemade was high in protein was avocado and crab. to be vegan for a tions, I found out that Whole Foods Market pasta, no pastries This simple meal is made of an avocado cut week would be too in Pasadena has a bigger selection of vegan left in the fridge, in half lengthwise with crab in the middle. difficult. food than Trader Joe’s. Everything you’d and no sourdough Put the crab meat in a skillet with finely For those who want at a regular supermarket is available bread covered in cut garlic that you can sauté in oil with salt are not familiar with in vegan version, including pepper jack butter. My tongue and pepper. Then add in some paprika and this diet, vegans PHOTO/ Ashlee Nguyen cheese made from almonds, chocolate chip quivered as my PHOTO/ Charlene Choo garlic salt. Once you’ve cooked that, throw don’t eat animals Meza eats salad and cookies without eggs, and soy pizza. hand reached out Smalley eats avocado the crab into the little avocado pits. This or any products a vegan soy burger. In the morning I stuck to eating fruit, for the chocolate- with crab for lunch. is a really easy item to make and I think animals produce. This includes gelatin, sometimes with peanut butter for protein covered macadamia on the table. it’s pretty good since it is both filling and which is made from animal skin or bones, and at lunch I ate salads.To change it up a About a week ago, my fellow editor healthy. and honey, which is made by bees. Some bit, I ate red quinoa salad, edamame quinoa asked me if I could go a week without carbs. I also ate other food, such as salmon, vegans don’t even use beeswax products. salad, or cranber- I didn’t think that steak, and salads. The key to making the However, this doesn’t mean that all vegans ry almond cous- Vegan burger Seasoned it would be that salad is to add meat, cheese, and nuts. If eat are salads. During the week I learned cous. For dinner eggplant hard but perhaps you do so, then the salad will actually be that there are many meat substitutes other I made myself I had forgotten filling. Before you rush to the dining room than tofu to add pizzazz to a vegan’s meal. as normal a meal who I am. table with your salad, look at that creamy In the days leading up to my diet, peo- as possible using A no-carb diet bottle of dressing in your hand. Balsamic ple commented on how hard being vegan meat substitutes. may not seem that dressings, oil, and vinegar are your new is, which made me think that I wouldn’t be I made burger difficult because best friends. able to handle it. However, in the course and fries, spa- you can indulge In the course of the five days that I kept of seven days I learned that eating vegan ghetti and To- in juicy meat, but to the diet I lost four pounds. Rather than prevents me from eating unhealthy foods, furkey sausage, let me tell you filling up on empty carbs like chips, fries, and that eating healthily actually tastes a and sloppy joes. something: you or pizza I ate high-protein meals that left lot better than I thought it would. Between these are wrong. Carbs me more satisfied. High-protein meals take P On my first day as a vegan, my mistake meals I found H ey are delicious and longer to be broken down in your body so OT all O Sm was going raw for the majority of the day. myself grazing S/ J. Meza & S. can make a smile you stay full for a longer duration of time. By the end of the day I was craving meat on raw foods break across your With this being said, the diet would be both Seasoned Grilled so much that I bought Boca burgers from but didn’t feel face and quickly effective and healthy for someone trying to long-grain rice chicken Ralphs. The next day at Trader Joe’s in guilty. I felt like soothe your emp- lose weight. Pasadena, I found soy chorizo, which ac- I had much more ty stomach . The lack of carbohydrates didn’t leave tually tastes better than meat chorizo, and energy than usual, especially on days when Later on in the week, I realized that the me feeling that lackluster so I still went rice milk. Though I didn’t like the bland I ate lots of raw food. Whenever I had crav- key was to find filling food that wasn’t to the gym at least every other day in the taste of rice milk, Trader Joe’s Thai Kung ings for salty junk food, I just thought of chock-full of carbs. If I was tempted to midst of my busy schedule. It’s a little Pao noodles were so savory that I plan how lethargic it would make me feel after. eat food at break while watching my draining but it’s not that bad. I’m a weak- to buy them regularly. I tried sticking to Eating vegan opened my eyes to dif- friends scarf down breakfast burritos I just ling and I managed. healthy meals but found it difficult to stay ferent foods that I probably would have ate string cheese. Little healthy snacks So, back to that bitter Friday night… away from junk food the first few days. never tried before. I thoroughly enjoyed a throughout the day helped me keep going. okay I cheated. I ate the enticing macada- While out with friends on the third day, peek into this extreme diet and plan to eat I think it would be hard to just eat three mia nut covered in chocolate. Then I ate we decided to go to McDonald’s to grab healthier because of it. healthy meals a day because you would be two more. Sue me.

Phone apps for the “smart” Havana & Banana By Elise Luc company called Bovinedragon. Production Editor “Kevin was in my AP Physics class, and I Havana Club think it’s really cool because the game has art The entrance of Ha- If you don’t have a cell phone, you might as and physics mixed together,” Physics teacher vana Club is covered well be living under a rock. If you don’t text, Mr. Kevin Slattery said. “My five-year-old in colorful stickers: gi- you’re probably the person in the movie the- nephew loves to play it.” ant palm trees to the left ater whispering into your phone. Nowadays if and right, pink hearts, you don’t have a “smartphone,” then you’re Flood-It! and HAVANA printed missing out. Smartphones are advanced cell Flood-It! is free and avail- boldly in the middle phones that have computer-like features, com- able on smartphones such as of the door—it’s hard monly called applications. the Google Phone and iPhone. to miss this obnoxious The game starts off with a board decoration. However, as Bible Reader composed of different colored squares, and the I stepped inside, expect- Bible Reader is available on objective is to have only one color in the end ing plastic tables and almost all smartphones, and it’s by “flooding” the squares and changing their chairs with heart pat- PHOTO/ Charlene Choo perfect for anyone who likes colors. It’s a pretty straightforward game, but terns, I was taken aback The Havana Club, located at 3831 N. Peck Road, El reading the Bible a lot. There’s it’s also a little tricky trying to solve it within by its elegant décor and Monte, is decorated with colorful stickers outside. a search function, so you don’t have to flip a certain number of steps. clean atmosphere. through pages of the Bible to find a specific “I play it every night before I go to sleep,” After four years of living in Temple City, I felt strange sitting in a restaurant phrase or passage. This app is completely free Senior Jennie Wong said. “It’s so addicting. in El Monte. However, the manager of the restaurant was friendly enough to sit and it’s stored on the phone, so you don’t need Whenever I solve it, I feel accomplished.” down with us and recommend his favorites. My friends ordered sandwiches and internet connection to access it. fries, but I decided to order the shredded beef and rice in order to fully experience “I think Bible Reader is really useful,” Se- Facebook a Cuban meal. nior Danny Ng said. “I don’t need to carry the Need to let all your friends The beef and rice is drenched in savory sauce, warm and soft for a chilly Feb- Bible around with me, and I can find verses know about that delicious or- ruary day. The exact flavor is hard to pinpoint, but all I know is that it was hard quickly [on my Nokia XpressMusic 5800.]” ange you just ate? You can to put down the spoon even when my stomach was full. My favorite part of the download a free Facebook app meal was the sweet bananas, or platanos, which are sufficient to be a side dish Trace on any smartphone. You have to for the rice or even dessert. The sweet and bitter flavors blend together well, and Former TC student Kevin pay for the internet plan when you buy the they left me craving more. Calderone created this iPhone phone, but then you can access the website The price is a bit expensive for students, since my meal was about 12 dollars; game app with the help of his anywhere that has 3G internet. however, even after stuffing myself, I still had enough to take home and enjoy for brother, Taylor, the summer af- “I use the Facebook app [on my Google an entire meal. My friends were also extremely satisfied with their orders. The ter he graduated in 2008. You have to help a Phone] the most when I’m on the road,” fries were crispy yet soft, and the Midnight Sandwich, which is a fusion of Cuban person get to a different spot on the screen Sophomore Ted Chang said. “I like the com- and American flavors, would fit anyone’s picky taste. Now I know that when I by drawing paths with your finger around the munication and social network apps—any- receive my semester report card, I don’t have to splurge on fattening chocolate or obstacles. The game is really popular now, thing to let people know I’m still alive.” ice cream because I can always go to Havana Club for some sweet bananas. and the two brothers have their own software GRAPHICS/ Erica Lee RAMPAGE OPINION February 11, 2010 | 3 Newly elected senator Shenanigans

By Michelle Shen reveals poor judgment Editor-in-Chief tirely exposed. Although the photos made it crystal clear that he is not in With the release of its newest social product, Buzz, By Jessica Meza did receive attention, they’re not all favor of any bills that involve health- Google officially declared war on Facebook. Staff Writer the controversy surrounding him. He care reform. Any bills that do make This addition to Gmail allows users to convert their e- is currently causing an upheaval be- its way to the Senate will be filibus- mail accounts into social networking sites similar to Face- cause he is the Senate’s 41st Repub- tered, or obstructed, by Brown’s 41st book; it’s so similar, in fact, that many of Buzz’s special ude pictures have recently lican vote, breaking down President vote, allowing Republicans to pos- features seem to be tailored specifically to outdo some of surfaced of someone in the Obama’s hope of universal health- sibly force the withdrawal of some Facebook’s most prominent flaws. Nspotlight, but it isn’t another care reform. bills. Although I understand Brown’s With the widget called “auto-following,” Buzz attempts Miss USA contestant; it’s Republi- Brown calls himself a fiscal Con- economic perspective in these tough to eliminate the time it takes to manually add each friend can Senator Scott Brown from Mas- servative, meaning he is in favor of times, it’s sad that our country is by automatically making our top 40 e-mail recipients our sachusetts. as little spending as possible. If he still putting prices on lives. It’s even “Buzz friends.” It’s a nice perk, but realistically speaking, These photos were taken in 1982 had the choice, his ideal budget for worse to think that the person who is who still uses e-mail to chat with friends? I use it to commu- for Cosmopolitan’s “America’s Sex- spending would probably be noth- changing so much is someone who nicate with my college admissions interviewer, but I don’t iest Man” spread. Fortunately, his ing. However, some projects are made poor judgment in the past. want to spend Sunday afternoons sifting through photos of hand is placed so that he is not en- worth spending money on. He has Being frugal in today’s economy him. is one thing, but Brown was stingy Google acknowledges that we don’t really care that even when the nation wasn’t facing Mitch popped a water blister or that Shelly ate a doughnut, this economic downturn. After the so it tries to separate posts that we do or don’t want to see terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, Brown by observing our habits and ranking the posts from “most voted against providing relief to re- interesting” to “least interesting.” Other features include the covery workers. Of course there are ability to monitor who gets to see what on our pages, access times in which the decision to spend our Buzz accounts through e-mails it sends us when we get money is difficult. On the other hand, notifications, and look at photos and videos as thumbnails what else would he rather spend that can be enlarged on the same screen. money on than provide aid to those If this was it, I would say that Buzz would induce lit- working to save lives after a terrorist tle more than some brow-raising intrigue, but nothing that attack? would make our fingers clamor to create a Gmail account. When the rest of the country was However, after years of social media failure, Google is still coming together to help 9/11 vic- determined to solidify its position as the Internet’s jack-of- tims, Brown looked the other way all-trades. This time, it is attempting to target not the PC by refusing aid to volunteers. With or Mac computer user, but the smartphone fanatic. Rather, Democrats in the Senate apprehen- Google has invented a new vision for social networking sive about the power of Brown’s that functions around the current location of the user, which vote, the rest of the nation can only makes plenty of sense, seeing that cell phones are practi- wait to see how he changes the Sen- cally extended lifelines for most people. ate. Although his revealing photos Buzz will zero in on where we are through the GPS on from almost 30 years ago can’t tell our phones, convert the latitude-longitude coordinates into the type of Senator he may be, his actual words and post something like “Bobby is next to Bet- judgment in the past might be an in- ty’s Bridal Shop.” If we’re restaurant searching, Buzz will CARTOON/ Veronica Lin dication. also turn up lists of searches and reviews in the neighbor- hood. Our location will also determine how Buzz will rank our posts. For example, it will assume that if we’re in L.A. we will be less interested in knowing where our friend from Start early, end early: win-win Vermont is, and place it closer to the bottom of the page. Google is obviously distinguishing itself with the GPS get the benefits of extra study time by starting early, win- system. And while Buzz has definitely patched up some of By Elaine Wu ter break could be a time for more relaxation rather than Facebook’s limitations and then some, like most new prod- Opinion editor having to worry about work to do. ucts, it will take time to tear us away from Facebook’s ad- If the school year started earlier, then the semester dicting games and get us interested enough to see what all could end at the start of winter break. Students would the Buzz is about. The end of May last year was supposed to be quite have finals the week prior to the holidays and because a glorious time. Advanced Placement tests were finally of the review that comes with finals, there would be less over and nearly all of my classes were relatively laid reviewing time for standardized tests. Many students are back. However, while my peers and I were still stuck at not mentally prepared to take tests and exams after a re- school learning almost nothing new, my sister was al- laxing winter break, so why not spend the holidays luxu- Wanted: Letters to ready on break due to the semester system most colleges riously without worrying about studying and homework? use. Some schools such as Burbank High School have the editor and editorial Changing the high school’s calendar to a semester already adopted this type of semester system. Nearly system that resembles that of colleges has many advan- all colleges end their quarter or semester before winter cartoons tages. Although students have a chance to take a much break so that students can learn new material when they Comment on school, local, state, national needed break from all the studying leading up to the AP come back. tests, it would be much better if school ended with the One may argue that students might forget everything or international issues. Limit letters to the tests in late May. they learned after coming back from winter break. How- editor to 400 words. Send submissions to To make up for the three weeks of class time that ever, students have just as much potential to forget what [email protected]. would be shaved off at the end of the year, school could they review regardless of when they review it. It is more start in mid-August rather than in early September. That an issue of continually going over old concepts. would give us three extra weeks to prepare for CST test- As a senior, I would have liked to start the year earlier FOR THE RECORD ing and APs—studying that most of us could definitely and end after testing and college admission decisions. Entertainment: Sophomore Renessa Lopez’s name was use. Though seniors will not be able to get this privilege, misspelled. The correct address for Planet Funk is 372 E. Though people who do not take AP classes would not hopefully the school will consider this idea. Colorado Blvd.

TEMPLE CITY HIGH SCHOOL News Editor Feature Editor Business Managers Humphrey Lin The articles on the Opinion page express Christine Keung Serena Smalley Veronica Lin Maggie Liu only the views of their respective writ- RAMPAGE Alice Wang Jessica Meza ers. In the case of an unsigned edito- 9501 E. Lemon Ave Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Ashlee Nguyen rial, the article reflects the views of the Temple City, CA 91780 Charlene Choo Richard Kim Photographer Jennifer Su staff as a whole. Articles do not reflect Joshua Liu Raymond Tran the views of the student body or the Editor-in-Chief Opinion Editor Photo Editor Jason Wu administration. Letters to the Editor are Michelle Shen Elaine Wu Erica Lee Staff Writers welcome, but Rampage reserves the right Julia Chen Advisor to publish these at the discretion of the Production Editor Focus Editor Exchange Editor Aaron Chua Wendy Van Thiel staff. They also may be edited in regard Elise Luc Vicki Chang Veronica Lin Angela Li to space. 4 | February 11, 2010 FOCUS RAMPAGE I L L U S T R A T I O N /

E r i c a

L e e

Calculating the dates By Humphrey Lin A single holiday calls Staff Writer not going crazy. This just means that a new month has begun. Then, as the Lunar New Year never occurs on moon begins to grow and fade away, the day you expect it to. Instead, it al- this marks the completion of a lunar forBy Jason Wu multiple traditions ways lands on some funky day in late month. Staff Writer January or mid-February. Sometimes What we recognize as New Year’s it lands on finals, so you have to study Day isn’t just an excuse to party; it ust because most Asian cultures celebrate after a huge party and on a full stom- marks the day that the Earth completes the Lunar New Year doesn’t mean that ach, and this year, it’s an especially a full orbit around the sun. Lunar New Jthey’re all the same. Each culture has its big pain because it’s on Valentine’s Year, however, is a little more compli- own variation of this holiday. Day, which means you have to choose cated to keep track of. In Chinese culture, the house is cleaned ex- between going out on a date and cel- According to the Yin calendar, tensively during the days before the holiday in ebrating with your family. So which New Year’s Day and the excuse to order to “sweep in” good luck. On the eve of insensitive dork chose these Lunar party is marked by the second month the New Year, people hold feasts and set off New Year dates? Well, here’s how it after winter solstice. Because we were firecrackers. Depending on geographical loca- happens. all preoccupied with the beginning of tion, people make dumplings called jiaozi or As most of you might know, Lunar winter break on Dec. 21, most of us rice cakes called niangao. Decorations include New Year is based on a rather differ- failed to notice that day as the shortest posters embellished with Chinese characters, ent calendar than the one hanging in day of the year, or winter solstice. Just plum blossoms, and kumquats. your kitchen. Whereas the movement count 60 days after that date and you “My favorite part of the holiday is when the of the sun decides when your birthday have Lunar New Year. Simple, right? whole family can gather together for dinner,” is or when it’s time for finals, Lunar Wrong! Since leap years happen a Senior Jaycie Chan said. “We basically just eat PHOTO/ Jason Wu New Year is decided primarily by the lot more frequently in the Yin calendar, for Chinese New Years.” Many Asian markets sell rice cakes such as the movement of the moon. Lunar New Year never lands on the The Vietnamese New Year, called Tết, is Chinese niangao and Vietnamese banh chung. This calendar is known as the Yin same day twice in a row. This makes derived from the Chinese New Year, so most or the agricultural calendar, and it is it extremely complicated to calculate of the customs are the same. The most popu- a big dinner.” used in many East Asian countries. Lunar New Year. Don’t worry though, lar food to eat during this time would be banh On the Filipino New Year’s Eve, people This calendar divides the year into 12 there are scientists who take the liber- chung, a roll of glutinous rice, mung bean, and clang pots and pans, shoot guns, and set off fire- months and has 29 to 30 days each ty of doing it for you. Next time Lunar pork wrapped in leaves. Many Vietnamese peo- crackers. The Filipinos eat noodles and eggs as month, making the year consist of only New Year conflicts with an important ple snack on roasted watermelon seeds because well as more traditional rice cakes like malag- 353 days. This means that you are 12 date, you can blame it on the moon. the seeds are lucky. People of all ages also play kit and biko. People also believe that the money days older in the Lunar calendar for a gambling game similar to roulette called bầu you have on this day is what you’ll have year every year of your life. Dates for the Lunar New Year cua. round. In the Yin calendar, the months Feb. 3, 2011 Jan. 23, 2012 “My family goes to the Tết festival in Santa “[My family] prepares and does feng shui,” are marked by the lunar cycle. You Ana each year,” Senior Nelson Luu said. “We Senior Christy Magalona said. “We also drink know those times you just can’t seem Feb. 10, 2013 Jan. 13, 2014 also make bánh chưng and bánh tét and have apple cider and shake money.” to see the moon? Don’t worry, you’re Lunar New Year does Luck found in red envelopes By Angela Li Staff Writer printed on these envelopes. The pending on the giver’s financial not guarantee day off image used on the front of a red situation and the relationship be- To most Asian children, the envelope represents the giver’s tween the two people. Age also By Aaron Chua best part of Lunar New Year is re- blessings and good wishes for determines how much money a Staff Writer populations don’t have school on ceiving Ang Pow red envelopes, long life, prosperity, and good person gets. these days because a large portion which are considered extremely health for the receivers. Com- “For each red packet I would Lunar New Year is the most of their student body wouldn’t at- lucky because they have money monly used designs include carp receive about 100 to 150 dollars,” important Chinese holiday and tend anyways. inside. swimming among flowering -lo Junior Stephanie Wong said. the longest festivity on the lunar Another key factor is the The story of Ang Pow dates tus, dragons and phoenixes, Chi- “Usually I receive two from my calendar. It lasts for 15 days, from Asian mentality itself. While this back to the Song Dynasty when parents and one from my grand- the first day in the Chinese calen- holiday is important to the Asian a giant demon terrorized ma, and also some from my rela- dar to the Lantern Festival. culture, here in the U.S. we cel- a village called Chang- tives. I would have four or five The San Gabriel Valley hous- ebrate on the weekends. Why? Chieu. Though many packets and it would add up es eight of the 10 cities with the Because Asians value education great warriors and to around 300 dollars.” largest Asian communities in the above holidays. Most of you statesmen came to Students with small- U.S., yet no school in the area might not agree, but your parents challenge the demon, er families, or families takes Lunar New Year off for two do. How many times have they none succeeded. While who have members reasons: they want money, and made you go to school sick? How people were losing from different racial most Asians attend school during many times have they sent you to hope, a young orphan, backgrounds, generally those days anyway. summer school to learn instead armed with a magical receive less red envelopes Schools receive money based of “doing nothing” at home? Our sword he inherited from than those who have huge on attendance on any given day. parents’ desire for us to receive his ancestors, fought the families. They keep track of their student a good education overrides any evil demon and eventually “Both my parents’ families ILLUSTRATION/ Angela Li population and try to get students sense of relaxation during Lunar killed it. are really big. My mom has seven to show up to school every day New Year. The villagers held a spectacu- nese zodiac animals, peonies in siblings, and my dad has five. for that money. Personally, I’d like to have lar party to thank the young man, full bloom, the three immortals, And every married couple would Days off for holidays such as Lunar New Year as a holiday. It’s and to show their appreciation, golden pineapples, Buddha, and give me two [red envelopes],” Ash Wednesday and Rosh Hasha- another day off from school, but the elders presented him with a children playing with fireworks Senior Joanna Chin said. “I not nah are not created to honor the the reality is that it will never oc- red envelope that was filled with or lanterns. only receive them from my direct specific day but instead are called cur. We just have to be content money. Since then, the Ang Pow Today, families in America are family, but also from more distant “floating holidays” and serve with celebrating Lunar New Year has become a part of traditional still celebrating Lunar New Year relatives, so we get a lot —prob- to save the school money. Cit- on the weekends or at home after Chinese customs. with this tradition. The amount ably forty.” ies with large Catholic or Jewish school. There are a variety of designs in each red envelope varies, de- Source: fengshuiweb.co.uk RAMPAGE FOCUS February 11, 2010 | 5

School of zodiac zoology By Vicki Chang What do you know Focus Editor To said. “I am a bit eccentric and I would definitely say I am timid at times.” The Chinese Zodiac Calendar is based on an an- Dogs Byabout Ashlee Nguyen superstitions? cient legend, in which 12 animals debated one day Tailing the rooster in the race is the Staff Writer as to who was to lead the cycle of years. The ancient dog, born in 1994. Dogs are loyal and gods held a contest, and the animal that reached the faithful and true, so it’s no wonder they 1. What can you not use on Lunar New Year? opposite bank of the river would be first, and the are known for being a man’s best a. an iron because it flattens your luck remaining animals received a year according to their friend. While dogs are good listen- b. a blow dryer because it symbolizes blowing away your money finish, resulting in the Chinese Zodiac Calendar. ers and always willing to help those c. scissors and knives because they cut your fortune Monkeys in need, they can bark at those around Monkeys, born in 1992, are them and become critical of others who may not 2. Based on traditions, red envelopes are awesome because known as the geniuses of the zo- share their same sense of honor. a. they contain a lot of money diac cycle. They are clever, skill- “Just like the dog, I am stubborn because I always b. people of all ages can receive them ful, remarkably original and can stand by what I believe in,” Sophomore Deborah c. they represent wealth and luck solve the most difficult problems Koh said. “I also want to be an inspiration because with ease. They tend to be quite fickle and have a it’s so amazing that something I do would cause 3. Why should your house be cleaned on Lunar New Year’s Eve? habit of being too agreeable. people to do something greater.” a. You will be more prepared. “I guess I’m like the monkey in the fact that I Pigs b. It is rude to decide to clean the day after your elders will be usually try not to step on anyone’s toes,” Senior The pig, who finished last in the race, symbol- celebrating. Phillip Zhuo said. “I just go with the flow and agree izes the year 1995. Pigs are intellectually curious, c. Your fortune will get swept away if you don’t clean on this day. with the current situation. If things aren’t going the hardworking, honest, and relied upon for their ever- way they’re supposed to, I get angry easily, but the lasting loyalty. They often sacrifice their well-being 4. They say on Lunar New Year that it is wise to eat anger cools down pretty quickly.” for the greater good but may also be naïve and taken a. protein only Roosters advantage of for their idealistic nature. b. any type of Asian foods People born in 1993 are roosters, who are loyal, “I am similar to the pig because I am a very stu- c. vegetarian meals trustworthy, sociable, and very accomplished. They dious person and I have to work out are shrewd and daring, but at times shy and intro- problems with my friends no matter 5. What color should you stay away from on this day? verted, and have a tendency to always what,” Freshman Tiffany Yeh said. a. white because it represents ghosts and the afterlife think they are right…and very often “I don’t have many friends, but I b. purple because in Asian cultures it stands for greed they are. have known [my friends] since second c. black because it symbolizes death “Even when people doubt me, I grade and I still hang out with them.” stick with my instincts,” Junior Benny Source: c-c-c.org ILLUSTRATIONS/ Alice Wang 6. Why is the number nine associated so much with Lunar New Year? a. According to fables, a lonely man was saved by nine fairies that helped bring him fortune and prosperity. LionBy Raymond Tran dance roars in celebration b. It signifies the amount of money you should get as a teen. Staff Writer “The biggest problem with sharing a lion with c. In Cantonese it means “sufficient.” someone is accidentally ripping it,” Tan said. “We The Temple City Lion Dance Association kicked really have to move together; if we go in different 7. What is considered bad luck? off Lunar New Year with their first performance at directions, the entire lion falls apart.” a. eating meat Temple City Park on Jan. 30. The traditional dance is always accompanied by b. making your bed in the morning The TCLDA was formed by Monrovia’s Tzu Chi Chinese instruments, and the sounds of the drums c. wearing a moustache Academy and interacts with high school students to and clanging cymbals drown out communication perform a traditional Chinese Lion Dance through- between the performers. The TCLDA dancers have 8. On Lunar New Year, money represents wealth and good out the San Gabriel area. In the ritual, the larger lion to memorize the routines, along with specific shifts fortune, but which way should it not be handled? dances with the smaller lions to scare away evil spir- in the music tempo that signal which direction the a. given to families, friends, and aquaintances its and usher in good fortune for the New Year. lions should move. b. burned because its ashes are said to scare away demons The bigger lion features two dancers, who focus The group is currently training for their upcom- c. lent or borrowed more on integrated movement, and if possible, acro- ing performances at Longden Elementary and Live batics. The smaller lions have one dancer each, and Oak Park on Feb. 17, and they will also be in the 9. If children misbehave on Lunar New Year, why should parents their primary role in the performance is to follow Camellia Festival. The dancers hope to be creative or elders avoid punishing them? the big lion and entertain the crowd. During each yet strictly traditional in their routines, all the while a. It is the one day that children are allowed to act mischievous and performance, one large lion and two small lions having fun when they do it. get away with it. rhythmically dance to the beats of Chinese drums, “It has been a great experience so far,” Junior b. It is bad luck for parents to yell because it involves anger or and receive traditional red envelopes. Raymond Loong said. “It’s nice to see how we frustration. This year, the TCLDA performs at retirement can make others happy and bond with each other.” c. This will cause the children to cry and if they cry on Lunar New homes, elementary schools, and community centers. Year, it means they will cry all year according to superstitions. The participants are all Temple City High School students, and they practice three hours every week The correct answer to all the questions is C. in Monrovia. Junior Thomas Choi, one of the main organizers of the TCLDA, helps choreograph the If you answered 3 out of 9 C’s: Lion Dance routine along with other Tzu Chi advi- It seems that you are clueless when it comes to these superstitions sors. because you could be carrying scissors on you and totally not know it “The Lion Dance is a great way to earn com- cuts your fortune! munity service hours and to get in touch with our Chinese culture,” Choi said. “We’re lucky to have If you answered 6 out of 9 C’s: those special opportunities to perform in front of our Celebrate Lunar New Year much? It seems like you’re on the right friends and family.” direction to keeping the good fortune and luck because of your lucky As returning members to this year’s group, Ju- guesses and/or B- knowledge on these superstitions. niors Steven Tan and Van Dao work together to play the crucial role of the big lion. They practice special If you answered 9 out of 9 C’s: moves like acrobatic jumps, and also focus on how Lucky you! It seems like you’ve covered the superstitions almost per- to correctly move the lion and its facial features. Of PHOTO/ Raymond Tran fectly. Just remember to pass the superstitions so that the next person course, both students feel that these tasks are not Juniors Leslie Yim and Raymond Loong practice you see cleaning the house on Lunar New Year will know they are easy to fulfill. to perfect their routine for the Camellia Festival. sweeping away their good fortune. P H O T O /

J e n n i f e r

S u 6 | February 11, 2010 FEATURE RAMPAGE

ByPep Richard Kim teams move to their own beat Sports Editor

pom-poms, they use a pair of flags that they twirl in the air while incorpo- rating fancy steps matched to a signature techno beat. “Whenever we perform, we always have a techno song in the back- ground,” Pep Flags Co-Captain Senior Kimberly Scinta said. “Techno has just always been a style of our group for a long time, and if we hit everything, we should do well in Nationals.” In Nationals, Pep Flags will face off with elite schools such as Channel Islands, a school that has taken the Pep Flags title for a number of years. “The girls from Channel Islands are terrifying,” Sophomore Carrie Say- phraraj said. “They’ve always won for the past few years, but I’m sure we’ll do fine.” Even if Channel Islands happens to win the Pep Flags Nationals this here’s more to Pep than just year, our pep girls will surely be strong competitors. As long as the girls bringing sports fans to their don’t drop their flags, they should perform well above expectations. Tfeet and making heads turn. Last but not least is Song. This group of girls might get offended if you Though the members can always be seen with bright refer to them as just cheerleaders, for they are essentially a freestyle dance smiles, don’t let their exteriors fool you. Deep down, the team that just happens to use pom-poms. Much of their dancing focuses girls are serious about competing against the best pep squads in Cali- on freestyle and a more hip-hop feel. With a win in the Regionals, Song is fornia and promoting school spirit at athletic events. confident in their ability to deliver, thanks in part to their new coach, Mr. Just recently in the Pasadena Star-News, there was an article titled, Daniel Huynh, an alumnus of Temple City. “Top five venues to enjoy a game in the WSGV,” written by Miguel “We are expecting a lot of really good teams this year at Nationals,” Melendez. According to Melendez, the number one gym to play in was Senior Katie Nguyen said. “But thanks to our new coach, we learned more Temple City High School, for its high-spirited crowd, commenting that routines to help prepare us.” he “always left with a ring in his ear.” It’s safe to say that much of the hype And if you’re in the mood to ride a few roller coasters and watch Song and school support is because of the presence of the pep team during these compete, come to Knott’s Berry Farm on Feb. 20 and watch the girls per- activities, but many a time we fail to recognize their dedication. form. “We’re really competitive at what we do,” Sophomore Andreanna Luu In the previous years, the Pep team was unable to place among the top said. “We consider ourselves more than just the typical cheerleaders.” spots in Nationals, but with their new coaches and also a new advisor, Ms. What makes our Pep squad so much more than typical is that all three Marta Bourjeili, prospects in Nationals are promising. teams qualified for the Nationals this year held in Anaheim on March 6. Pep is ready to take on the other pep squads at Nationals. It’s time for Leading up to this, the teams demonstrated excellence in local competi- us to recognize the dedication and hard work these girls put in to represent tions, with Pep Flags and Cheer taking first at the Sharp sponsored com- our school. petition in Duarte on Jan. 9. During the Regionals held at Agoura Hills on Jan. 23, the Song team placed first in the competition, with Pep Flags and Cheer qualifying as well. “When we prepare for competitions, we usually add an hour to our practices,” Cheer Captain Senior Cassy Yang said. “The practices are every day and we prepare for events other than competitions like the Dance Con- cert.” Pep is divided into three diverse groups called Cheer, Pep Flags, and Song. Each team sports their own uniform and performs their own type of dance that reflects the style of the group while representing school spirit. “Cheer performs stunts and lifts that require more teamwork than the other groups,” Yang said. “It requires a lot of trust because you need to be sure that the girls beneath you will catch you.” The Cheer team is the largest group of Pep by far, but the friendships and trust that they share is comparable to any smaller team. However, the Cheer team has encountered some obstacles this year with the coaching ILLUSTRATION/ Erica Lee staff and is currently working with a new coach, Ms. Kyleen Hurtado, who just began her term this week. Though the team needs to learn to adapt to the coach, they are confident things will run smoothly because their routine PHOTO/ Richard Kim is still the same. Seniors Debra Lee and Haylie Ellingsworth practice their flags routine in the Pep Flags is the most unique group of the three. Rather than using quad as they prepare for the Pep Nationals this upcoming March at Anaheim. Senior Gregory Morgan cycles to the scene of an emergency By Julia Chen entrance to get the attention of the fire de- were brought together that day and that he saw was an individual who needed help. Staff Writer partment and the ambulance, which arrived [Morgan] was meant to be there.” Unfortunately, the situation turned out to Senior Gregory Morgan bikes to school roughly two minutes after the emergency The man’s daughter went on to say that be much worse than what he had originally on occasion, but he’s no professional cy- call was placed. her father had been extremely healthy and expected it to be. He did everything that clist by any stretch of the imagination. The couple had attempted to give CPR had biked along the same path everyday could have been done under such circum- Wheels get him from point A to point B, to the man while Morgan was gone. The for 30 years. stances. but last month, one day in the park quickly paramedics arriving on scene tried to re- Luckily, Morgan noticed something was “I am not worried about how this has turned from a carefree bike ride to some- suscitate the older man, but they were not wrong. If he had not been at the scene, her affected me other than what kind of a thing far more serious. successful. In around ten minutes, the am- father would have died alone. chance this had been that I had been there On Saturday, Jan. 16, Morgan was re- bulance crew had depleted all of their op- Morgan’s response wasn’t prompted by at that exact moment to be able to try to turning home from Peck Road County Park some invisible hand calling him to action. help,” Morgan said. “More than anything I in Arcadia when he saw an older gentleman He was given no prior warning that some- am worried about how this is affecting the biking along the path swerve off the road “She needed to tell me about thing would happen on his way home. All family.” and fall onto his back. Morgan assumed what an outstanding student that the man had slipped on the gravel path we had.” and ran over to help. “The older man was not responding,” Ms. Robin Penn Morgan said. “I began calling 911 to at- tempt to get an ambulance to our loca- tions and took the man to the hospital to try tion.” to help him further. A couple who had been walking ahead Shortly after the incident, Ms. Robin heard the sudden commotion and also Penn, the high school’s administrative of- rushed over to help. Morgan and the cou- fice clerk, received a call from the victim’s ple stayed by the man’s side hoping that he daughter. would respond. “She needed to tell me about what an They explained their location to the outstanding student we had,” Ms. Penn 911 operator and Morgan biked to the park said. “She felt like [Morgan and her father] RAMPAGE SPORTS February 11, 2010 | 7 Rams Basketball find their rhythm By Humphrey Lin Staff Writer

urrently 6-3 in season, the Boys Basketball team does not have far Cto go in the journey towards league title. Despite many of last year’s starters graduating, the team continues to fight hard and started season with high hopes. Addi- tionally, the teams in this year’s league are weaker, improving the team’s chances of placing. “Last year, everything revolved around James Chen [former captain of basketball team],” Senior Denny Chong said. “This year, however, we don’t have just one guy doing everything; we play more as a team now.” However, the road did not start off smoothly for the boys as they suffered crucial and unexpected losses. Overall defense was lacking, and the team experienced a surprising defeat against South Pasadena, which had never posed a significant threat before. They lost to Monrovia by a margin of a mere point, 58-57, and also a crucial PHOTO/ Humphrey Lin game to La Cañada, who proved to be a Senior Denny Chong attempts a three-pointer over the outstretched arms of a South Pasadena defender. Though not an outside tough opponent this year. shooter, Chong demonstrated his versatility in all areas of the court. The accurate shooting contributed to the Rams’ 63-37 victory. “[South Pasadena] was supposed to This turn of events put Temple City in a to an easy win. place, erasing all hope for Temple City. be an easy win, but we weren’t focused,” three-way tie for second place, with Blair “We anticipated to win against San Ma- Whether the Rams win or lose their Junior Leo Chu said. “If we lose focus in and Monrovia. rino,” Sophomore Jordan Hill said. “We game today against the Spartans, they will the upcoming games, we might lose some “We entered these games with a seri- were ahead the whole game.” proceed onto to play in the California In- pretty important games.” ous mindset,” Chong said. “There was a On that same day, however, the Rams terscholastic Finals. However, this remains Over the next week, however, the Rams greater sense of urgency, so we were really also received news of South Pasadena and an important game for the team. got their edge back with two straight wins focused.” La Cañada’s victory against Monrovia and “This is our last game of league,” Hill against Blair and South Pasadena by a com- These wins brought the Rams one step Blair, respectively. Although this means said. “We never want to end the year on a fortable margin, 64-55, and 63-37 respec- closer to placing first in league. Then they that Monrovia and Blair are out of the run- bad note.” tively. The team was focused and played played San Marino the following week ning for second place, the Spartans’ vic- Come watch the Rams play against La two of their best games of the season. with a positive morale, which contributed tory secured La Cañada the position of first Cañada today at home at 7:00 p.m. Boys Soccer gains steam Saints’ historical end By Jennifer Su little more meaningful than [those made] on JV.” Staff Writer Besides the changes in the team, they also received an assistant coach. A Temple City alumnus Arthur Al- to Super Bowl XLIV Despite their third place in league last year, the Var- varado Jr. graduated in 2003. The soccer team being By Richard Kim sity Boys Soccer Team is currently second place. Alvarado’s first high school coaching job, he has ex- Sports Editor The team’s preseason record did not end on a high pectations for the team. note, going 2-1-5. However, as the Rams entered sea- “I think we have what it takes to become league Who would have guessed that a disorganized football team son, their performance on the field changed dramatical- champs,” Coach Alvarado said. “If not, I think we can led by an injured quarterback could come together under a com- ly. Now 6-0-2, the team is beginning to come together. do well in play-offs.” mon cause and win the Super Bowl in one of the greatest show- “We had never really Outside of condition- downs in history? I sure didn’t. played with each other so ing during practices in To be truthful, I had been pulling for the Minnesota Vikings it was hard to trust each school, many of the play- all year because my favorite quarterback of all time, Brett Favre, other but we are getting ers devote their free time had taken the reins. I was sure that this would be the year that I to the point where we do,” to soccer. would share the glory with Favre, but I was wrong. Junior Tim Herington “We run at practice During the semifinal match up between the Vikings and Saints, said. “The team is work- and on Saturdays,” Bro- Favre made a costly throw that resulted in an interception, which ing together so far and cato said, “But we mostly set up the Saints to score a field goal and win the game in over- this is what we need.” run on our own outside of time. I can’t publish the things I said, but I’ll just say that I was In addition, the loss practice.” not happy. It must have been destiny that the Saints were able to of valuable senior play- At the recent games capitalize on the errors made by the Vikings, because they went ers last year affected their against Monrovia, Blair, on to win the Super Bowl. But it’s not the ending that makes the performance on the field. and San Marino, the Saints so interesting but the road that led up to it. “We lost a lot of good Rams won, 2-0, 9-0, and After the disastrous Hurricane Katrina struck, thousands in players in defense,” Ju- 4-1, respectively. New Orleans were left homeless and hopeless. The image that nior Troy Brocato said. PHOTO/ Jennifer Su “There’s a ton of talent was instilled in everyone’s minds of New Orleans was of terror, Senior Matt Xiao dribbles the ball past the pursu- “The team started out not ing Blair defender as his teammate rushes forward. on the team,” Sanderson destruction, and definitely not a good football team. the best but we have im- said. “I hope that we keep In the beginning of the season, the Saints received Drew proved greatly.” our winning streak alive and possibly win league if Brees, an injured quarterback who was traded by the San Diego This year, Sophomores Benji Sanderson and An- things go right.” Chargers who believed that Brees’ heyday was over. There was drew Oronia are the only two who were moved up to If the Rams continue to play as well as they have Reggie Bush, the star runningback from USC to help out the Varsity from JV. been, it is very likely that they will be able to win Saints’ offense, but Bush had played far below expectations, so “It feels good to be on Varsity,” Sanderson said. “I league. Support the players today as they go head to his performance this year was not promising. The Saints’ de- think that any accomplishments made on Varsity feel a head against La Cañada at home. fense, was not the most outstanding, so the opposing team would be able to put points on the board easily. Everything for the Saints seemed as bleak as the mood in New Orleans— hopeless. Sports Update But Brees rose to the occasion, throwing the most accurate passes in league, to bring the Saints to a 15-3 record. When Pey- Boys Soccer Girls Soccer Boys Basketball Girls Basketball ton Manning, the quarterback of the Colts, and the Saints met in the Super Bowl, the Colts were projected to win because Man- TC vs. La Cañada TC vs. La Cañada TC vs. La Cañada TC vs. La Cañada ning was hailed as the “best quarterback of all time.” The experts Today @ 3:30 p.m. Today @ 3:30 p.m. Today @ 7:00 p.m. Today @ 3:30 p.m. were wrong though, because although they calculated all the sta- @ Home @ La Cañada @ Home @ La Cañada tistics of the players, they forgot to calculate the motivation and drive Brees had to win not only for himself, but for the hopeless New Orleans city that needed a hero.