Staff:

Editor in Chief………………………. Justine Chiou

Editor…………………………………. Derek Chang, Jerry Jiang

Staff Writers………………………….. Emily Cheung, Howard Chou, Grace Tang

  

            Dance Dance Revolution    By Emily Cheung and Grace Tang

 

Step into the spotlight and enter a world of pure disco inferno!  A revolution is occurring for dancers and arcade gamers everywhere! This new game, called “Dance Dance Revolution”, combines both excitement and exercise into one exhilarating Play Station CD.  It features so many pulsating dance tracks that your feet are bound to get drawn into the dance and begin to dance.  And dance you will whether with a partner or solo.  Dance Dance Revolution is also the perfect game to bring to a party to serve as an icebreaker and to liven up the party.

Curious about how to play to Dance Dance Revolution? Here are some easy to follow steps to become a pro!

1)     Step on the dance pad.

2)     Choose any song that catches your attention.

*Hint- Slow songs seem like the ideal choice for beginners but due to their slow tempo, dance moves are hard to keep in rhythm.*

3)     When the arrow reaches the top of the screen, step on the appropriate arrow.

Once you’ve conquered these basic movements, you can begin to improvise and show off your moves to all your friends. 

Dance Dance Revolution is not only a game, but also a way to get a wonderful work out. “Its great for girls who love to dance and those who are constantly worried about their weight,” said Tiffany Tu (9), “It not only creates a fun way to improve one’s dancing skills, but also opens new doors to new dieting methods.”  There is a part of the game called The Diet Mode where after each round, it tells you the amount of calories you burn.  When playing to a upbeat song, the arrows move quickly and a quick reaction is needed in order to do well.  By doing this, you can train your mind to react quicker and more efficiently.

Although the concept of Dance Dance Revolution is very simple, it is so appealing because it taps into the instincts for rhythm in everybody’s hearts. J J J

 

 

Batteries   By Jerry Jiang

Here in California, the state that is considered the 5^th richest country in the world is having third world country problems. We are out of electricity. Since we live in areas where electricity can go off and anytime, and where earthquakes are a heartbeat away, it is a good idea to have flashlights and to know what batteries to put in them. Right now, Duracell and Energizer are the two biggest contenders on the market. There are also many other companies that make “heavy duty” batteries, which are usually cheaper than Duracell and Energizer ones. The reason why these batteries are cheaper is because they do not last as long. It is not only because Duracell and Energizer are bigger brand names, but it is simply because “heavy duty” batteries were made from lesser quality products and were purposely made as cheap expendable batteries for one-time quick uses.

While looking for batteries, look for alkaline batteries because they last longer than all the other kinds, such as lithium, nickel-metal, and zinc batteries. Alkaline batteries also have a longer shelf life, so when your power goes out, you can be assured that your batteries will still be just as good as when you got them. Alkaline batteries have a superior low temperature performance, and a high-energy output. For all you nature lovers, get this, alkaline batteries do not harm the environment, so when irresponsible people throw their batteries out their window when the batteries die, rest assured that it will do not harm the Mother Earth.

While living in this unpredictable state, where any day the lights can just go off, getting the right kind of batteries for your flashlight is essential. Next time you are off getting prepared for the next blackout or earthquake, remember to look for dependable batteries that will never let you down and always bring light, make it an alkaline battery.

 

 

California Snowboard Guide:         By Howard Chou

 

Worried about snow conditions?

Wondering where to snowboard this winter?

Fear no more, this nifty one-page-guide will hopefully help to solve your snowboarding questions or curiosity!

Favorite Local Mountains:

 

1) Snow Summit Mountain Resort:

·                                 11 chair lifts, 2-3 hour drive

·                                 most popular resort in So. Cal.

·                                 (909) 866-5766

·                                 www.snowsummit.com

2) Snow Valley Ski Resort:

·                                 14 chair lifts, 2 hour drive

·                                 good snowboard park/half pipe

·                                 (909) 867-2751

3) Big Bear Mountain Resort:

·                                 11 chair lifts, 3 hour drive

·                                 largest mountain in So Cal.

·                                 (909) 585 2519

·                                 www.bearmtn.com

4) Mountain High Ski Resort:

·                                 12 chair lifts, 1 hour drive

·                                 offers night skiing, good beginner trails

·                                (760) 249-5808

Favorite Mountains (in Northern CA):

Note: expect long drives to these resorts

 

1) Mammoth Mountain:

·                                31 chair lifts

·                                great mountain, lots of variety in trails

·                                (760) 934-2571

·                                www.mammoth-mtn.com

2) Heavenly Ski Resort:

·                                 29 chair lifts

·                                 The heaven of ski/snowboarders in California!

·                                 (777) 586-7000

 

Rentals and Gear:

Don’t own your own equipment?

No fear, just rent your gear!

Rentals go for around $20-30.

This is good for beginners, and first-time snowboarders.  If you snowboard more frequently, it is better if you buy your own gear.  The gear and equipment you usually need are: snowboard, boots, jacket, pants, bindings, gloves, and goggles.  All snowboard gear runs quite expensive so I suggest buying it after season’s over to get the best sales and bargains.  Also, you may want to invest those few extra dollars to get he warmer, more waterproof and durable equipment that will last you in the long run!  Before you buy, you may want to research and check out prices online.  Check out the companies’ web sites and check out their other gear too.

www.burton.com

www.eternalsnow.com

 

Recently, helmets have become very popular.  I’ve known a few friends how have suffered concussions before.  So, I suggest just spending $50-80 and buy your head some insurance before hitting that next big jump.

 

*For more information on resorts and prices, go to:  www.californiaskiresort.com

 

 

A Stereotypical Chinese Junior’s Life with the SAT          By: Derek Chang

If you are a junior born into a Chinese family, then you really know what stress is!  This stress is akin to climbing backwards up a mountain with two broken legs, carrying a mule, in a horrendous snowstorm. In reality, stress is studying like a night owl surrounded by the vast emptiness of darkness, bearing swollen red eyes and sore shoulders like an old man, growing gray hair like Einstein, and having exploding blood pressure like an active volcano! These symptoms are apparent when you are a Chinese junior in high school.

Parents and children often have different and distinct viewpoints towards the SAT.  Parents for the most part do not understand the burden we teenagers must bear when preparing for the test.  Many of them feel it is merely an exam their child must study for and take in order to make a pilgrimage to the college world.  The better we do on this test, the better the school that we will enter. It follows that we will get a good job and enjoy a bright and happy future.  However, if we do not fare so well, then it is time for a serious two-on-one chat.  On the other hand, we juniors do not look through the same eyeglass as our parents.  We see the preparation for the SAT as an obligatory, dismal journey through the clammy, muggy rainforest.  It is an extensive, sometimes treacherous, tormenting and laborious excursion.   This stringent preparation must be undertaken in order to meet our parents’ standards and to prove that we have done our share in learning, to our society, families, as well as ourselves.  In the Chinese realm, the SAT results seem more often than not a mark of success and self-satisfaction for us.  They indicate to all concerned that we have indeed learned enough to demonstrate our academic prowess. 

In order to do well on the SAT, there are some adverse consequences we have to bear.  First and foremost, we experience an enormous loss: that of a malnourished social life.  It is painful to watch other friends going to the movies, shopping at the mall, attending parties and concerts, and worst of all, ignoring the reality of the SAT.  Others go to Borders and Barnes & Nobles to meet and socialize with other friends, but we go there to rendezvous with SAT books.  They dish out interesting gossips and rumors while we memorize hideous vocabulary words. They exchange and share funny stories while we try to understand those dreadful reading comprehension passages.  They pay for their bagels and hot chocolates by simply adding and subtracting dollar bills, while we slave away with our noses in the books factoring and balancing complex equations.  It feels as if we are in solitary confinement: living off rice cakes and tea.  This bare-bone diet is unavoidable. It is virtually impossible to juggle the SAT and a booked social life and emerge victorious. 

SATs affect the family as well as the individual.  The family sacrifices for the sake of the SAT.  Family time is decreased and interaction greatly diminishes when SAT is prevalent.  Chores we normally perform now take a back seat to the necessary hours of studying and introspection.  It makes us wonder whether our parents will one day fail to recognize our faces that were previously so familiar to them.  However, one hopes that this calamity may never present itself. 

The dreadful test may eventually lead to a horrific picture.  As we continue to burden ourselves with verbal and math practices every waking moment, our body gradually becomes decimated.  This is a result of continuous sleep deprivation and truckloads of stress.  At first, we feel fine, symptoms are not pronounced or conspicuous, but as time slithers by, we begin to morph and deteriorate.  Immediate effects include dry baggy eyes, aching backs, sunken cheeks, stumbling gait, and agonizing moans as pages are flipped.  One can see that we juniors become increasingly emaciated as we continue to indulge in the Kaplan and Barron manuscripts.  However, despite the strains we go through, most of us are still youthful and full of vigor that we rebound quickly and survive to study another day.

Obviously, what has been written is an exaggeration.  I believe that success is achieving our maximum potential.  We are each created differently and thus have different capacities.  As long as we have done our best, we have arrived at success.  In order to go through this process and emerge triumphantly, we should view the SAT not just as a test of knowledge, but also as a test of maturity.  It assesses whether we have the determination to sit down and achieve our goals despite temptations and distractions around us.  Besides the test results, we should also consider the virtues and character-building blocks that we acquire during the process of the preparation.  As we journey through the deep channels of preparation, we find that we learn to set goals and develop important qualities such as self-discipline, responsibility, and focus in our lives.  We also learn organization skills in setting priorities, time management skills in scheduling our time efficiently, calmness in handling chaotic situations that may arise, perseverance in facing difficulties, as well as humility and grace in accepting failures. Those who are the ants that work diligently using every ounce of their energy, even though the grasshoppers are out playing in the fields, are the ones who will succeed in life.