King VOLUME III, ISSUE I

Cobra KING MIDDLE SCHOOL

JANUARY, 2011

Swear at Your Own Risk By Samantha Whitty For those of you who don’t know, a new rule at King calls for any use of profane, vulgar, or obscene language to result in detention. Seventh-grade Vice Principal, Ms. Sing, said the swearing policy is in place so the school can better follow it’s “Three B’s” behavior policy -- Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe. “There is a lack of respect toward others when profane language and cussing are used at school,” said Ms. Sing. “Most adults will remind students first as a warning, but if a student continues, then detention is given.” Many students are wondering if this really a good way to deal with things. Some people agree that this See: Swear Page 4

From the 1982 yearbook: The junk-food serving Snack Shack was nothing like the Dining Commons

King Kids May not Know How Good They’ve Got it

By Cleo Osheroff Young Evan and his classmates walk down a garden path where birds are singing. They walk by a pond run by solar power, past a glass greenhouse, and under fig tree branches, finally coming to a halt in front of a large tool shed where they collect pitch forks. Then they proceed to spread hay as cover crop onto nearby strawberry beds. As the students work, they chat quietly with each other. They work tirelessly and enthusiastically until the sound of clanking bells resonates through the trees. Back to the shed they go, where chickens cluck

noisily and claw at the dirt, looking for worms. Then, they make their way to a circle of hay bales where teachers and students alike talk about what they did in their groups. The bell rings. As the kids walk away, heading along dirt paths to their next class, they begin to miss the peaceful sanctuary already. Evan, especially, feels this way. “Before the Edible Schoolyard, I thought about food a lot less. I didn't really know where it came from, and coming out here, we harvested it and then just cooked it See: Then and Now, Page 2

Inside this Edition News

Opinion

Food

Is the new dress code too harsh?

Coverage of issues from around the King Middle School community Page 1-12

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Entertainment

Puzzles/Comics

True Grit: A Western Worth Seeing Page 19

900 Grayson a great brunch spot. Page 18

Sports Eighth-grade hoops team looking strong so far Page 32

Test your skills against the improved crossword puzzle Page 27

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Then and Now (cont. from page 1) in the kitchen. It's really eye-opening. I'll definitely carry this experience for the rest of my life,” Evan (now 26) said. Evan was lucky. Many students went through King never having set foot in such a place. In 1993, the Edible Schoolyard wasn't even a thought. Then, 16 years ago, the abandoned lot adjacent to King, became the beautiful and calming Edible Schoolyard garden. Michelle B, a former King student from 30 years ago recalls the King’s computer lab in 1986 used dreary schoolyard that the Commodore Pet. Yes, the discMLK used to have. drive actually used cassettes. “There wasn't a garden, just concrete and dirt where we would hang out,” she said. Mr. Dalton, a current PE and Journalism teacher, remembers the same sad yard when he went to King in the mid-80's. “Back then, the school was kind of a mess. The garden was a vacant lot of cement and weeds. The baseball field was overgrown with weeds, where people would dump trash. It was like a junkyard. I remember there were a bunch of gigantic big-rig tires. Students weren't even allowed on that part of the yard,” said Mr. Dalton, “It was kind of depressing.” The garden isn't the only thing that has changed. In August of 2008, the new Dining Commons were constructed with the help of Alice Waters and Ann Cooper (director of nutritional services in Berkeley). Beth Sonnenberg, who has been teaching at King for 20 years, saw the Dining Commons being built. “There wasn't a cafeteria until we got the Dining Commons. Only a snack shack with cookies, candy, soda and all kinds of junk like that. It's much healthier now; organic milk and fresh fruit, it's much better,” said Sonnenberg. The Dining Commons now has a daily salad bar, and freshly baked pizza every Monday and Friday. Many teachers appreciate the new lunch program including Lara Collins, a math teacher at King, who thinks the program helps the students with better learning focus. “I love our food service program. I love how healthy the food is, and the healthy food seems to be having a positive effect on the kids' behavior (in school),” said Collins. This may be true, but the DC isn't such a hot thing for some ex-King students. Miranda Taylor, a freshman at Berkeley High School, mentions how she was unhappy with the new arrangement. “I didn't like how after sixth grade we had to eat in the Dining Commons. I was perfectly happy eating outside.” Sierra Baggins, now a junior at Berkeley High, didn't even get to have a Dining Commons. “There really was no lunch program. We just sat anywhere we wanted in the yard. They were still building the cafeteria,” she said.

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Although the Edible Schoolyard and Dining Commons have greatly affected the King environment, they aren't the only programs that have changed drastically over time. Up until recently, there was very few sports teams at King to speak of. When Mr. Dalton went here, he would have loved the chance that today's students have. “There was only one sports team at King: Boys Basketball. Nothing else. Now they have all kinds of sports, like ultimate frisbee, soccer, volleyball, flag football, crosscountry, track, softball and basketball,” said Dalton, “And for most sports, they even have one team for every grade and gender.” The new sports program is full of possibilities, but it's not the only extra curricular activity that King has to offer. Many more students take zero period music classes, and even more are participants of clubs and after-school programs such as Drama or even lunch-time activities like the Knitters' Corner. Current eighth-grader Nailah McGee loves zero period music. “I like chorus because it allows me to express myself in ways words can't,” said McGee. Also, technology has changed drastically over the past years. Up until recently, kids didn’t have cell phones, or iPods. And today, the computers are better, faster and there are definitely more of them. Many students use computers in class; for research, typing or AR quizzes. Most of these students take computers for granted. Mr. Dalton, doesn't think students should. He recalls a much more slow computer from his time at King. “The labs at King had one of the first-ever computers, the Commodore Pet,” said Mr. Dalton. It actually used cassettes instead of discs. It was very primitive. Plus, we didn't have any word processing or the Internet didn’t exist.” Many other things have undergone changes over the years, including the school's disciplinary system. In the 80s, there may have been a lack of security in and around the school; and a lack of student respect for the school may have contributed to vandalism and pranks at King. “There were a lot of pranks,” says Michelle, “A boy and his friends did the best prank with these huge (10' by 10') tires in the baseball field. They put the tires in all the King entrances. Then they chained them to the door handles. When the custodians came, they couldn't get in. We [the students] eventually got in, but to my knowledge, the school never found who did it.” Mr. Dalton also agrees that there was much less discipline or student regulation when he went to King, compared to how it is now. “Safety was a concern, and bullying was a concern just as it is today. I do think today we have more supervision and more awareness for the safety of kids,” Dalton said. A number of things could be said when considering how much King has changed. The Edible Schoolyard was probably the biggest change, but also, the whole sixth grade wing was built five years ago, when the entire school building was gutted and remodeled. The building, as well as the environment has changed so drastically, it is probably hard for current King students to accurately imagine what King was like before. Dalton believes that his students are very lucky. “I tell the kids all the time how fortunate they all are to have these great resources at here at King,” he said.

Vol. III, Issue I

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Teen Drug Use in Berkeley Higher Than National Average By Adam Meehan

It’s no big secret that Berkeley has long been considered one of the more liberal towns in the U.S. However, a recent survey sponsored by the California Department of Education shows that Berkeley teens may be taking this too far. The results stated that drug and alcohol use in Berkeley among teens is double the national average. As compared with the state and national statistics, twice as many Berkeley 9th graders (31%) and 11th graders (52%) were reported to have been drunk or high on school campus. Also, twice as many teens in Berkeley said they had used marijuana in the last 30 days. Even teens that don’t use drugs say that they’re easy to get. Twentynine percent of Berkeley High students said that drugs were available to them on school property. Nationally, nearly 40% of teens in public schools said that drugs were usually available, while only 23% in private schools. Teens in upper grades reported easier access to drugs than lower grades. Also,

nearly 70% of the students said that street gangs are present to sell drugs. King eighth graders recently watched an informational performance called “Secrets,” which promotes abstaining from sex. Along those same lines, most parents would likely agree that abstinence from drugs is the smartest move, that the best way to stay away from a drug addiction is to not start drugs at National Drug & Alcohol Use Stats

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Underage Drinking costs the U.S nearly 58$ billion. Alcohol kills 6½ more teenagers than all other illicit drugs combined. Teens that drink are nearly 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers who never drink alcohol. Teens whose parents talk to them about drugs and the danger of addiction are 42% less likely to do drugs than those whose parents don’t. 20% of 8th graders say they have tried

Berkeley Drug & Alcohol Use Stats

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52% of 11th graders and 39% of 9th graders said they had consumed alcohol over the past 30 days. 33% of 11th graders and 21% of 9th graders said they had engaged in binge drinking (5 or more drinks in a couple of hours) in the last 30 days.

all. In a recent editorial about teen drug use in the Berkeley High Jacket, BHS student Ben Johnson writes that drug awareness needs to happen early on to make a difference. “The adults in charge of BHS need to realize that drinking, smoking and using other drugs are common acts by the time a student walks into high school,” said Johnson. “The New York Times, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and countless other organizations have all realized it. Giving advice to students who are already in the process of using alcohol and drugs will not be nearly as effective as giving advice to the younger children in our community. Eighth-grade counselor Anthony Santangelo stated multiple causes of teens doing drugs. “(They do it out of) curiosity, peer pressure, reducing stress, inappropriately dealing with unpleasant feelings, and because it ‘feels good.’” said Mr. Santangelo. Unfortunately, the percentage of teens that realize the harmful effects of drugs like marijuana and alcohol, See: Teen Drug Use, Page 6

Obesity: One Step at a Time Toward Being Healthy By Claire Inman Within the last 50+ years, all sorts of new fast food restaurants have been popping up in and out of the US. Restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken are everywhere. And while they may taste wonderful, and may be affordable, underneath it all, are what many consider to be horrible substances that if not eaten in moderation, could put your whole life hanging on the end of a string. Some people think that since they are young, they don’t have to worry about their health, that kids shouldn’t have to worry about those kinds of things. And to an extent, they are right. The only thing is, they get to carried away, and become obese, which can have terrible consequences. “It can lead to high blood pressure; diabetes; it creates fat cells, for the rest of their lives that hey will never get rid of. So you have high blood pressure, diabetes, and lack of self esteem,” said Jeff Inman, a

college major in physical education, and retired football coach. So why wasn’t this a problem 100 years ago? “People had to endure more physical activity in order to put food on the table and provide a shelter for the family,” said Ada Grizard, a scientist who specializes in research to detect diseases. Obviously, times have changed. Now that there are so many restaurants, people don’t have to work as hard to make their own food. When you make it yourself, you can control what goes into it. At restaurants, even if the food is familiar to you, you can’t know if they added something to it to make it bad for you. While obesity is a big problem, it can be cured. And though it takes hard work, it can even be fun. “It can be controlled,” said Dan Hyder, a nurse at a Santa Cruz Nursing Home. “(You need) proper diet and proper exercise -- gotta do exercise.” So there is hope. You can change yourself around. This can be cured. Even if you start by taking baby steps, maybe by just switching from regular soda to to juice and water. Or, maybe start exercising a couple times a week. Everything counts toward something.

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Our Feathered Friends Bring Fun, Help to Garden By Cleo Osheroff Ducks wattle through the grass in a row and chickens watch them curiously, tilting their heads from side to side. The sun shines brightly through the trees as kids throw seeds on the ground for the chickens. The chickens chat noisily and argue about nothing in particular. It's just another regular day for the Edible Schoolyard chickens. This scene may be very normal to other King students, but not every school has it's own farm. The chickens at King are a fixture. Most of them were either raised by foster families when they were chicks or were donated by King students' families when they were grown. While there are actually different accounts of when the first chicken appeared on the King campus. Mr Geoff, an ESY gardener said the first chicken in the was actually a rooster. He said an Americore student (garden teacher) rescued the abandoned rooster and brought it to the garden. The kids loved it so much, the garden decided Chickens feed from the compost pile. to get permanent

chickens. Sixthgrade teacher Ms. Burke, also said that she had a large hand in getting the chickens The Ducks, who like to stick together, are into the new to Garden. garden. She actually is somewhat of a chicken aficionado. While she has been teaching at King for 12 years now, before that she taught at a school in Vallejo that had five acres of garden, complete with many of the standard animals you’d find on a farm Ms. Burke is a big a fan of chickens. She even had a bumper sticker once that read,“Have you hugged a chicken today?” She remembers a class she lead afterschool about chickens. She thinks that the addition of the chickens to the garden is great. “The reason I wanted animals at the Edible Schoolyard is that I had watched lots of kids learn to hold them and care for them,” said Ms. Burke. “They loved them so much. I am not surprised that they are so popular in the garden. It’s wonderful to learn how to hold them and catch them.” Mr. Jonah (Jonah Mossberg), a gardener in charge of the animals in the ESY said he likes the ducks better than the chickens. “They have more personality and I really like that they hang out together. They have a sense of community and compared to the chickens, they really See: Feathers, Page 6

Swear (cont. from page 1) policy might not help at all, but instead make a bigger deal out of the issue. Rachel Siskin-Lavine a seventh grader at King, said the policy is a little harsh and that students should receive a warning instead of detentions. Fellow seventh-grader Honey Motley agrees. “Even with the policy, people will still swear,” she said. Siskin-Lavine said that the rule isn’t really working, because students are still swearing when teachers aren’t around. One student, Ashlee Davis, stated what many teachers may have already known. “A lot of us like to swear,” she said.

Mr. Cohen, who teaches science, said that it’s important to teach “situationally appropriate” language. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with certain words,” he said. “It’s just using them in the right situation.” When students were asked if swearing bothered people, many -as one might expect -- said no. Siskin-Levine and Motley said they’ve gotten used to swearing at King. On the other hand, Mr. Cohen said that he is bothered by swearing in school, and that it’s not an appropriate place for foul language. “It’s my job to make sure students feel safe in the classroom and in the halls. I’m concerned that

students are forced to hear language that makes them feel unsafe.” One student, who asked to remain anonymous said it’s only natural for teenagers to do what they’re “not allowed” to do. “By making swearing something ‘bad’, you increase its use,” said the student. “Kids swear because they think it’s cool to be rebels. When you make it against the rules, it will only make them cooler.”

Vol. III, Issue I

Dining Commons Doing its Best to Cut Back on Waste By Emily Wert While King students eat breakfast and lunch, they probably don’t think too much about what is left behind. Every school day, trucks come to the Dining Commons to collect massive amounts of waste in the form of garbage, compost, and other food products. These are the byproducts that we rarely think about, but must be composted, recycled, or otherwise removed from the school grounds as often as it is produced. There is one type of waste we can easily dispose of -compost. “Every Friday, we go to the Dining Commons and get prep waste, such as broccoli stems, or other uncooked vegetables, and we compost that in the garden,” said Jonah Mossberg, a garden teacher here at King.“ On top of that, other cooked foods are taken to the Berkeley Marina, where there’s a huge composting project. People can drop off Don’t worry; if these sixth graders don’t eat all of their food, they know to scrape it into a compost green waste and pick up finished compost as well. bin Unfortunately, a largescale composting program with both cooked and uncooked foods would not be possible to have at King because of sanitary issues. However, between the composting the garden provides and the city’s program, compost is taken care of at King. The staff in the dining commons are paying constant close attention to the output. Almost everything from the kitchen and lunch room is either composted or recycled. Bags made of cornstarch are used for compost to ensure minimum garbage production. On average, 18 large cans of waste have to be removed from the grounds every day. Besides the green bags, the Dining Commons is trying it’s best help the environment with energy efficient dishwashers, and compost-able materials for any to-go orders. Of course, the eaters have to make sure they’re doing their part as well. “We rely on the students and my (the dining commons) staff to separate all the compost and recyclable materials from the trash, though that might not always happen,” said Bonnie Christensen, who heads up the kitchen staff. “The program is only as good as its participants.” The King Dining Commons, as well as the school as a whole, has made extensive progress to go green, and it’s hoping to keep the positive An former King student scrapes his uneaten movement progressing. food into it into a compost bin.

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Garden Holding a Community Work Day By Mia Rain Torres and Danielle Walton Enjoy a day in the garden with your family and friends. Come to the community work day, 9 am. to 1 p.m., on Saturday, Mar. 5. It’s open for all King students and their families. At community work day you will be doing projects that you usually aren't able to do in the garden class. Garden teacher Sasha said it would get people and their families to start caring about the garden. It would benefit the garden more if people would take care of it. Around 12 p.m. the kitchen will be preparing a healthy delicious lunch for the people who help out

that day. Ms. Cook said that she does not know what main dish she and the kitchen staff will be making. However, she absolutely knows that they will be making a big salad, a snack, and a wonderful desert. There will be a couple of work days throughout the year. So if you can’t make it to this one come to the next. There will be sign up sheets in the kitchen and the garden if you are interested. The sign ups sheets will be out this week, so come help the Edible Schoolyard and sign up now. Bring your family and you will enjoy a beautiful day in the garden.

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Feathers (cont. from page 4) look out for each other. I like that (about them),” said Mr. Jonah. Many King students agree with Mr. Jonah. Maria MacArdle, a seventh grader at King, is among them. “I like how they walk in a little line and wiggle their tail feathers,” said Maria. What exactly is their purpose though? The garden journal (on the ES website) explains how the ducks eat lots of slugs, a pest in the garden, and their poop makes for excellent fertilizer. Also, they will soon begin laying eggs. Ms. Sasha (Sasha Harris-Lovett), a King graduate who participated in growing the first Edible Schoolyard crop, says the chickens are also very helpful. “They lay eggs, their manure is really good fertilizer, they scratch through the dirt (which aerates the soil), and they eat snails and slugs which are pests in the garden,” said Ms. Sasha. The chickens are also great for the community. Families and little children come to the garden to see the chickens and ducks, to chase them or laugh at them. Jay Cohen, a science teacher at King, who has two daughters and a wife that works in the ESY office, comes to the garden on his off time. “I love the ducks. I come here on the weekends with my daughter, who absolutely loves the chickens and the ducks,” said Cohen. One interesting thing about the relationship between King students and the ESY chickens, is that many

Teen Drug Use (cont. from page 3) is decreasing. One recent federal government survey conducted by the University of Michigan showed only 60% of 10th graders know that marijuana isn’t healthy. The rate for 12th graders is even lower (46%), and is said to be decreasing. At a recent Berkeley Board of Education meeting, board member Shirley Issel said Berkeley needs to tackle it’s issues surrounding drugs, especially in light of the new survey regarding Berkeley teens. “There’s a certain agreement that drugs are OK,” Issel said. “This is an adult problem that adults have to deal with. There needs to be a conscious effort on out parts to adopt an approach to deal with it. I know the city of Berkeley is eager to help us, but the high school is going to have to open up the community and be more frank about who’s using what and when … A fear of this survey often keeps principals from discussing things openly.” Some of the board members said the fact that Berkeley has a higher tolerance of drug culture than other places could be part of the problem. Of course, in California, there have been arguments recently for the legalization of marijuana. Some say that the government could save billions if they didn’t go after marijuana users. According to the International Business Times, $ billion dollars was spent on confiscating marijuana, with $5 billion of that just in California. There’s also the medicinal argument, that marijuana can be an effective way to minimize pain from cancer and

King Cobra

students barely know anything about the chickens or chickens in general. Some students are scared of them and others are not careful about their handling. Others chase them constantly, thinking of them as entertainment. Below are ten facts about chickens to enlighten King students. Ten Facts About Domestic Fowl (Chickens):

• Chickens can lay up to one egg every 25 hours (about a day), and only hens, not roosters, lay eggs. • The color of a chickens earlobe corresponds with the color egg they lay • In chicken slaughterhouses, the birds usually live up to six weeks before being killed. Our chickens stay in the garden until they die naturally or are eaten by raccoons. • Chickens live five to ten years if left on their own. • Chickens are social being and live together in flocks. • Hens are particular about nesting & love to lay in places that already have eggs. Sometimes chickens will move eggs from one nest, to their own. • Chickens don't have teeth. They have gizzards that grind their food instead. Sometimes they eat small pebbles to stick in their throat and help with this. • There are no chicks in the eggs that the ESY chickens produce. Only fertilized eggs have chicks in them, and rooster, which the ESY does not have. are needed for that. • Chickens cannot fly long distance. They will sometimes jump in the air if extremely startled, but will come back down immediately. • In a flock of chickens, a pecking order will be established. This means certain chickens will have priority to nests and food.

other ailments. Medical marijuana has been used in different countries throughout world history. Even though the proposition to legalize marijuana, Prop. 19, was shot down last November, the fear among many adults is that teens may be using some of the arguments for legalization as justification for their own usage of marijuana. Cameron McCrea, an eighth grader here at King, said that if he was able, he would have voted yes on Prop. 19, mainly to help our state’s struggling economy. “It would take drug dealers off the streets,” he said, “it would make California more money, and it would actually make it harder for kids to get drugs. Ultimately, the cons outweighed the pros, at least to the voters. Many voters felt the legalization of marijuana posed a threat to public safety, and public health. Prop. 19 opponents say it is addictive; it interferes with fertility and injures the lungs and the immune system, among other things. Also, studies have shown that teen usage of Marijuana can lead to experimentation with harder drugs, like cocaine. One of the biggest challenges in parent’s lives is keeping their teenagers away from drugs. Communication is one of the strongest tools in this area. Mr. Santangelo said that parents must set the standards and talk to their children about drugs. He also said there are two things that make it hard for parents to raise drug-free children. “The parents’ lack of scientific knowledge of the brain and what drugs effects have on certain people,” he said. “And parents need to clarify their own values so they can share them with their children.”

Volume III, Issue I

King Celebrates the Birthday of its Namesake By Sarah Edgar On Thursday Jan. 20th, 25 years after Martin Luther King's birthday was declared a national holiday, King Middle School students celebrated with a special assembly.   Students honored the life of Dr. King through speeches from faculty, members of the “I Have a Dream” club, a video of Dr. King's famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and even a spectacular dance performance from Ms. Trujillo’s class. The assembly captured the spirit of a time when the country was awakening to an awareness of the need to end segregation and ensure equality for all.   Speaking of his own journey through life, King counselor Albert Williams recalled the way things were when he went through the years of segregation. He said that during the civil rights movement, when Ms. Trujillo’s after-school people marched for dance class performs to equality, they often faced Brandy’s “Warm it Up (with tear gas, water hoses, and love)” beatings. At the assembly, our generation honored the struggle those people went through.   Speakers at the assembly made it clear that although much progress has been made since the years of segregation, many problems of inequality still exist.

AR Program Gets Kids Reading By Elias Joseph Accelerated Reader (AR), is the world’s most widely used reading software and has been adopted by over 72,000 schools, including King Middle School. AR is extremely important at King, and is a significant part of a students grade in English. It works like this: When a student finishes a book, they will look it up on the AR website and take a reading test that asks them questions about what they’ve read. After completing the test, they receive a certain amount of points that go toward an overall reading goal for the quarter. According to some, AR has its ups and downs. Some students think that the amount of points rewarded is not very well thought through. “They grade books badly,” said seventh grader Blake Johnson. “For instance, Moby Dick is the same amount of points as Eragon. ” Seventh Grader Nikhil BhatiaLin also agrees, saying kids might avoid books because they’re not worth enough points Sixth-grader Lashay “(Some of) the books that are Senegal reads in the low scored, take a long time to read, courtyard. but are enjoyable,” he said. Others, however, think the AR

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  “We have made undeniable strides in the fight against racism,” said Ms. Fallarca, an active member in the community fighting for social justice, “But we still have a long way to go in making Dr. King's dream of equality a reality. What you do, not just tomorrow, not just in the future, but right now, that’s what’s important.” Eighth-grader Kendra Navarro, along   King student with students from the “Dream” club, Manjulah Kuriyan speaks at the Dr. King assembly addressed the assembly and urged that Dr. Kings vision not be forgotten. “Martin Luther King tried to give everyone rights in this world. Since he's passed away, we are taking his place,” said Kuriyan. “Just Like Dr. King, I have a dream.” P.E. teacher Frank Martin, who has worked at King for nearly 15 years, was touched by Counselor Albert Williams recalls the the event. Civil Right’s movement “That was a really nice assembly,” he said. “Definitely one of the best we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

points are fine the way they are. “The way they decide them is very accurate, (which is) based on if it’s a good book, bad book, long book, or short book,” said seventh-grader William Kudsk. Mr. Sinsheimer, an English teacher at King also approves of the AR points. “They’re based on length, reading level, theme, and depth.” he said. There also seems to be another problem with the AR system. Some think that kids will start reading books that are past their level just so they can get more points. “They would only read books with the most points, and wouldn't enjoy reading,” said Bhatia-Lin. The King librarian, Mr. Holmes, thinks the AR system can be a great motivator, but that it can also make students read above their level to get more points. “People are sometimes looking for points rather than a good book to read,” he said. But he agrees that there are many positive traits to the system as well. “If you’re excited about reaching a goal, you can do things that you couldn’t otherwise do,” he adds. Mr. Sinsheimer agrees the system isn’t perfect, but he also thinks that it’s still very successful. “I don’t think that there aren't any problems with it, but I do think it’s a good system,” he said. “I think that reading is the best way to learn grammar; it’s the best way to learn vocabulary; it’s the best way to learn sentence structure. It may not be the best system, but if it’s getting people to read, then it’s pretty good.”

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GSA Gives Kids a Safe Place by Mia Elser While most teachers and staff have their lunch break, once a week, Humanities teacher Ms. Thornily decides to skip the break to lead a GSA club. GSA stands for Gay Straight Alliance. It’s a national organization that has many clubs throughout the U.S. It originally was created for high schools, but over the last five years has spread throughout middle schools. Many middle- and high-school students are bullied for a number of reasons. One common reason is their sexuality. This has been an even more common occurrence since the emergence of modern-day technology, which has led to cyberbullying. Amy Spector, a seventh-grade counselor, praises King’s adoption of the GSA club. "I think it is really important to have a GSA club at middle schools and high schools,” she said. “They

help students that are gay by giving them support, (as well as) others by giving education." One student, seventh-grader Randie Klabbatz, is thankful for the opportunity to come to the GSA meetings. "It helps us because we get to learn about the history of the GSA posters can be found throughout the hallways at King gays," said Klabbatz. The Williams institute at the In the GSA meetings, Prop. 8 UCLA School of Law, a sexual has been a source of discussions. orientation law and public policy But it’s not the only thing the GSA think tank, estimate that there are talks about. Mainly, the GSA is a 8.8 million gay, lesbian and place where you are taught bisexual persons in the U.S. based acceptance, and can feel safe. on 2005/06 American Community "I think that all students would Survey done by the U.s. Census benefit from learning to accept Bureau. others, but I think that the idea Acceptance is not an issue for should be taught everywhere,” said just children and teens, but also for Ms. Thornily. “We would be better adults. Recently, California voted off if everyone could be more on Prop. 8, a proposition against compassionate and caring of letting homosexuals marry each others.” other.

A New Zodiac Sign? Really? By Sofia Jacob There have been many changes in the New Year. One change, however, you may not be aware of. There is a a new zodiac sign. There used to be 12, and now there are 13. The new sign, Ophiuchus, was discovered by the Minnesota Planetarium Society. Most signs have now moved up a couple weeks. There have been many mixed emotions about the new zodiac signs. There are a lot of people who are

The discovery of a new Zodiac sign, Ophichus, may mean what you’ve thought all along has been bogus

pleasantly surprised. But there are others who aren’t that happy. “I don’t care if I’m a Taurus, I still think of myself as a Gemini,” said seventh-grader Monicah Ison. The reason for the new sign: Apparently, the change over the years in the position of the earth in relation to the sun has created a need to change the astrological sign system. There is a lot of debate as to whether there should be a new sign. Until publications like the San Francisco Chronicle and New York Times adopt the new sign, the King Cobra will stay with tradition. Oh yeah, just in case you’re curious about the new Zodiac signs, here they are: Capricorn: January 20 to February 16 Aquarius: February 16 to March 11 Pisces: March 11 to April 18. Aries: April 18 to May 13 Taurus: May 13 to June 21. Gemini: June 21 to July 20 Cancer: July 20 to August 10 Leo: August 10 to September 16 Virgo: September 16 to October 30 Libra: October 30 to November 23 Scorpio: November 23 to November 29 Ophiuchus: November 29 to December 17 Sagittarius: December 17 to January 20

Volume III, Issue I

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News from Around the World Compiled by Adam Meehan

A lazy man in Abington, Massachusetts used military-grade explosions and powders to blow up snow banks so he didn't have to shovel it.

In Oak Lawn Ill., a car salesman was fired for wearing a Green Bay Packers tie. He said he wore it to honor his dead Grandmother, a Packers fan. Oak Lawn is near Chicago, & the Bears had just lost to the Packers for the rights to play in the Super Bowl.

A woman in the UK was called by Apple who were awarding her a $10,000 itunes gift card for buying the 10 billionth app. She hung up, thinking it was prank call.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered Internet service for the entire country be shut down as protests against his autocratic government are reaching boiling points.

In Buenos Aires, a woman threw herself from a hotel window, fell 23 stories, landed on a taxi and survived.

The employees at a zoo in Kiev, Ukraine, didn't believe a woman who said a crocodile had swallowed her phone ... until it started ringing ... inside the croc.

In Berlin, a new animal star has emerged. Flipper is no more. Now there is Heidi, the crosseyed opossum.

A robber in Vienna Austria, is wanted for six crimes. No-one knows who he is because he has been wearing a Barack Obama mask.

A macaque monkey in Japan recently escaped from captivity. He was placed there for biting 120 people.

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King Cobra

10 Ways to Avoid Getting Sick

by Samantha Resnik Cold and flu season is here. Here are some tips to make it through.

“Secrets” Brings HIV Awareness to King By Sarah Edgar King eighth-graders were recently treated to a touching, presentation in the auditorium, called Secrets, a Kaiser Permanente Educational Theater production written specifically for teenagers about HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Though there were some funny moments, the play was a little sad. Still, it was very important for everyone to see. Though Secrets, emphasizes STD prevention, its main character, a teenager, tests positive for HIV and takes the lifechanging news really hard. Luckily his girlfriend and friends are supportive during the ordeal. It's a very eye-opening message for teens and makes the audience members think hard about how they would react if they knew someone infected with HIV. Direct contact with people our age really makes a difference; live performances are often more realistic than videos and give more reason to believe this kind of thing can actually happen. It's surprising to learn that, as of 2003, nearly 40,000 teens had been diagnosed with HIV in the U.S. And more than 10,000 young adults have died from AIDS, making it the sixth-leading cause of death among people ages 15-to-24. What's really shocking is that the number of new HIV/AIDS cases are rising fastest among teenagers. Overall, Secrets is an important play because it connects effectively with teens, sends a message that resonates, and equips them with accurate information about HIV/ AIDS and other STDs.

1. WASH YOUR HANDS - Some of the best times to wash your hands are after coughing, sneezing, touching a basketball, and going to the bathroom. I recommend washing your hands in warm water for at least 20 seconds, or the amount of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. 2. EAT A LOT OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES - When you eat food that represent the colors of the rainbow -- from dark leafy greens to bright orange carrots -- you will benefit from all of the antioxidants. 3. TRY TO EXERCISE - Regular cardiovascular exercise -- where you get your heart rate up -- as well as strength and stretching exercises are essential if you want to maintain good health. 4. EAT GARLIC - Believe it or not, by eating garlic, you are actually helping your body ward off colds and flues. Garlic also helps to prevent cancer, because a lot of antioxidants protect the body against damaging free radicals. Some studies even say it reduces bad cholesterol, and it kills harmful bacteria inside your body. 5. GET ENOUGH SLEEP - Getting eight-to-ten hours of sleep allows your body to be rested and ready to start a new day. It also helps relieve stress, and muscle pain. Without enough sleep, you risk lowering your immune system. 6. LAUGH HARD - Watch a funny movie. Doctors say if you laugh hard, you can boost up your immune system and strengthen your heart. 7. DRINK LOTS OF WATER You should drink at least 8 cups of water per day. See the graphic for reasons why. 8. DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE Cold and flu like to get into your body through your nose and mouth. Also, by touching your face, you are putting yourself in “danger” of getting acne because there is a lot of dirt and bacteria on your hands. 9. EAT WHOLE GRAINS Eating whole grains can also prevent cancer and Type-2 diabetes. They’re also full of nutrients like Vitamin B, dietary fiber, and minerals. 10. DON’T GET STRESSED - Stress breaks down your immune system and in result, you could get sick. Make sure you have some down time. When you are at school and soccer practice for eight or nine hours altogether, and then have to do homework and chores, you need to balance it all out. Maybe go see a movie with a friend or do something else you enjoy.

Vol. III, Issue I

Page 11

New King Drama Production Set to Debut by Henry Bazakas and Juzo Greenwood The curtain is set to go up on this year’s winter play, “House of Mirrors,” directed by King Drama teacher Richard Silberg. The play will be performed on Thursday, Feb. 3 and Friday, Feb. 4. There will be two daytime shows for the school and one in the evening on Friday. The play is a combined effort from both Silberg and the kids. “It’s a play I wrote with the collaboration of all the students,” he said. Silberg said the play was based on mirrors and people overvaluing their reflection. “It was inspired by the idea The latest King drama production, Mirrors, shown here in rehearsal. of mirrors and reflections, and we tell a story through our acting out King parent Jennifer Cooper whose son does drama of what happens when people become too obsessed with with Mr. Silberg is incredibly grateful for the program. mirrors,” said Silberg. She said it is a great chance for kids to learn drama in a Thanks to Silberg direction, King’s drama program fun, safe, environment. is recognized for its high-level productions and quality. “I think it’s a terrific program; it’s well run; it gives Many of the drama students, like eighth-grader Aya kids an opportunity to work on lots of Newman, love being in program. different areas of development, including social “It gives me something to do after school, and I like development, speech, confidence, and it gives performing for people,” she said. See: Mirrors, Page 13

BHS Gives Kings a Peek at it’s Performing Arts Program by Kiana Jardin Movement, art, and song, were combined all in one great show when Berkeley High School performing arts students came to King on Thursday, Jan. 13, to let King eighth graders know about the variety of music and art programs they offer at Berkeley High. Berkeley High is divided into five different small schools; AC (Academic Choice); AHA (Arts and Humanities Academy); BIHS (Berkeley International High School); CAS (Communication Arts and Sciences); CPA (Community Partnerships Academy) and Green Academy. But even if you want to sing or dance or play an instrument, you don’t necessarily have to enroll The high-energy Afro-Hation dance class performs at the King assembly

See: BHS Performs, Page 13

Page 12

Mirrors (cont. from page 12) them a place to feel included, which is really terrific,” Cooper said. “I think it is a really safe environment for kids.” Jennifer’s son Eli is also enthusiastic about drama. He has Down syndrome, and drama is a great environment for him to feel accepted and included. “To sum it up in two words: Da’ Bomb!” he said. The latest King play will once again be accompanied by the Modern Music band, directed by Michael Hammond. In addition to instrumental pieces, the band will be accompanying a song called “Reflections,” written and sung by King seventh grader Taylor Holland-Fiske. Silberg said it compliments the performance to have a live musical accompaniment.

King Cobra

“I think its definitely more exciting to have student musicians,” said the long-time King drama teacher. “It can also help tell a story.” Ma’ayan Godner-Abravanel is an 8th grade student who has had the opportunity to watch several performances the King drama department. He said that the plays have been great to watch. “From what I’ve heard, Mr. Silberg is awesome and drama is really fun,” he said. “I can say from the audience’s point of view, that the plays put on by the drama program are very entertaining and are better than typical school plays. “Mr. Silberg has put on great shows throughout the years and you’d have to be a pretty good teacher to accomplish that,” he said.

BHS Performs (cont. from page 12) in AHA to do so. There are a number of clubs you can sign up for outside of that particular campus. People in these programs rave about all the amazing things they offer and what benefits they have for students. “It gives kids an opportunity to find what they’re interested in,” said Freshman modern dancer, and King alumni, Olivia Mohr. “You can express yourself through creative arts.” The assembly performances started off with the BHS Gospel Choir singing a beautiful and touching song, “How Great is Our God.” Next, performing “Night in Tunisia,” was the 9th grade Jazz lab. This tight performance showcased the stepping stone Berkeley High’s legendary Jazz program, featuring the worldtraveling Jazz Ensemble. Next, Dijon Jackson, a three-sport athlete, and drama enthusiast, performed a stirring monologue from “The Merchant of Venice.” After that, the BHS Chorus serenaded the King students with “Hallelujah,” sung in perfect harmony and accompanied simply by piano. This was followed by the BHS Orchestra, performing “March,” by Sasong, which was joyful, uplifting, and a great combination of woodwind and strings. Last, were the dancers. They started out with an Afro-Haitian dance performance, taught by beloved teacher “Mama Washington,” where lively dancers were accompanied by crisp drumming and high energy, which left King Students speechless. The Modern

dance class came after that. This dance included many interesting flowing movements, acrobatics, beautiful illusions, and the theme of “braiding hair” The BHS orchestra performed an uplifting version of “March,” by Sasong and finding your place in the world. BHS wanted to emphasize that joining one of its programs, you can acquire many different skills that will help you later on in life. Eric Angell and Caleb Chen, both seniors in the orchestra, said it enables you to make a lot of friends, develop patience, build character, and get into college. Being a part of one of these programs is also great for people who want to overcome shyness. When asked if the BHS arts program has helped her socially, AfroHaitian dancer, Alexes Liek, was eager to answer. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “Naturally, I’m a pretty reserved person, but dance helps me become more outgoing and find people who share my passion!”

Volume III, Issue I

Page 13

Opinion Is the New Dress Code too Harsh? By Dora Beilin

In the first weeks of school king girls began seeing their vice principal more and more being talked to about their attire. My vice principal came up to me in the first week telling me I could no longer wear the short denim shorts I had on “You can’t wear those shorts to school anymore,” he said. Of course I asked why I couldn’t and he replied saying my shorts were too short and in the future had to at least end about where my arm ended when I put them against my sides. As I walked away I put my arms by my sides and realized my shorts were about 3-5 inches shorter than the required length. Capri pants instantly popped into my head. Those aren’t bad, but there’s not the style a lot of us girls are going for. I decided to talk to my friends about this and find out if they had similar stories. “He came up to me too,” was the usual answer, “its not really a big deal I don’t think it will be really enforced”. Those girls are beginning to question the intentions of the school. “Its weird to have a vice principal, especially when its a man, to tell you that your shorts are too short.” said eighth-grader Chloe Campbell. I was told the Cobra (school handbook) has all the dress code rules, so I looked and saw some things I didn’t know were actually rules. There was a list of examples the

King staff considered inappropriate: An exposed torso; exposure of undergarments; the usual no clothing with profanities and or drug/gang relations; no “sagging” or pants falling of; and no “short shorts and/or miniskirts.” First I don’t know anybody that has been confronted about an exposed torso or “belly shirt” because I don’t think the staff really looks for shirts like that. and not that many people wear shirts with profanities. But sagging? please, its hard to find boys at the school that don’t have at least 1-3 inches of their boxers showing. Sagging doesn’t strike me as being that bad right now because it’s the style for boys, just like short shorts are for girls. Eighth-grader Jonah Barton said he’s not too worried about the new rules. “It doesn’t really apply to me, I don’t sag.” he said. After, I wondered what sagging really means ... is it having your boxers showing? I think if the school is going to make the rule that they need to be more clear. And why is the school suddenly enforcing this new rule? Shouldn’t kids be able to express themselves in anyway they want? It just doesn’t seem right that we cant wear what we want. The school should really focus on things like getting more people on the honor role before they start targeting people for their clothing. Now that its winter, there are not a lot of shorts seen without some kind of legging underneath. But when spring starts girls, will need to wear something cooler than skinny jeans, so we will see what happens then.

ROVING REPORTER What Would you Like the Cafeteria to Serve for Lunch? “I would like to

food because it's really warm and nice for the winter”

have chicken nuggets because they are salty, crunchy, and tender.” “They should have good spaghetti, without vegetables in it, and a piece of garlic bread on the side.” Alex Arriola

“Ribs, because they’re meaty and there’s no way you can spoil a good rib.” - Tarin Kim

“Probably Chinese

- Jacob Sarahson

--Aaron Sanstad

“I would like hard shells for the tacos so they will hold together better.” - Aya Newman

“I would like to make it meatball sub day more of the days because they are the best thing on the menu.” -Kyron Shochat - Compiled by Izzi Rothenberg

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King Cobra

Running may be a sore spot for kids, but it’s wise By Izzi Rothenberg It's here, the day you have been two main causes of obesity in America are fast food dreading all week. Students worry about it before the and lack of exercise. The U.S. is being taken over by big day even arrives. It's time for the mile run, an event fast food chains like McDonalds and Burger King feared by many and enjoyed by few. Although running because they are easily available and low in price, is required for all physical education classes, the despite not being a very healthy choice. question some have been asking is: why? When you don’t have nutrients in your body, it On September 1st, 2010, six San makes you sluggish and tired. You are not Francisco pediatricians did a study on going to want to exercise. This is why it is 178 minority third graders (47% important to eat healthy foods and exercise, Latino, 25% Asian, and 18% African because if you just do one of them it is American). The study revealed 52% of harder to complete the other. them to be overweight or obese. Also, PE teacher Ms. Weiner believes that according to the World Health running is very important for maintaining a Organization, the U.S. is the thirdhealthy lifestyle. fattest country in the world, with “It’s important for getting your rate up 66.7% of our population being and staying active,” she said. overweight. We may not top the list, Ms. Weiner also said it is important to but we only fall behind American be consistent when you run. Samoa and Kiribati, two small island “It is better to run laps (at least) once a nations. week to stay in shape and condition yourself,” she said. Is this a wake up call for the United States? Is Ms. Wiener still tries to run after work at least once a someone trying to tell us that if we don’t change our diet week. and exercise habits, we too can become victims of Here’s another reason to exercise: According to the obesity? Possibly, but this health problem will not be Women Sports Foundation, female high school athletes solved unless we make some changes, like getting more are 92% less likely to get involved with drugs and 80% exercise and running. less likely to get pregnant. They are also three times When asked if he liked running the mile, seventhmore likely to graduate than non-athletes. This is grader Lamont Henderson was quick to show his because the brains of athletes are more efficient, so they displeasure. produce the desired result with help of fewer neurons. “I hate running the mile,” he said. “I always run out David Rothenberg, a King parent, believes it is of energy.” important for children to exercise. But even though Lamont does not enjoy running, he “It clears their head to get ready for schoolwork,” does think it is important for people who need to lose said Rothenberg, who ran as a child, despite having weight. asthma, “I also sleep better when I have exercised.” And there are a lot of people who need to lose Even though most people do not enjoy exercise, it is weight. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight still an important building block for staying healthy. and one-third are obese. Also, the number of overweight This is why all PE classes are required to run the mile, children and adolescents has doubled since 1970. The and do other activities that get your body moving.

Vol. III, Issue I

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Are Girls too Worried About Appearance?

by Dora Beilin Before lunch starts, girls crowd the bathroom As far as statistics about what girls think of their looking at themselves, make-up bags in hand trying to appearance go, most of them are just mind boggling, and fix the mascara smudge that happened in 2nd period, or will open your eyes to hear how many girls really aren’t the lip gloss that seems to disappear off their lips in P.E., comfortable with their natural look. Here are some of or rubbing foundation on those cheeks that lack that the statistics: “airbrushed look.” • Studies show that across the nation 50% of girls There always seems to be something wrong with the engage in unhealthy activities such as injuring and face we were born with. Too long, too round, small cutting themselves and developing eating eyes, dull eyes, pimples, thin eyebrows, thick eyebrows, disorders. short lashes, small mouth, big mouth, • Seven-out-of ten girls believe they are not good chubby cheeks, not tan enough, not red enough or do not measure up in some way Did you know? enough, not clear enough, not pretty. Fact: including their looks, performance ,school and Researchers generating a relationship with friends and family members. us girls,are never satisfied with what we computer model of a have. • 62% Girls are insecure about themselves. woman with Barbie-doll How do girls get the thought that they are proportions, found that • 75% of girls with low self-esteem report ugly without make-up? In an interview with engaging in negative activities such as eating her back would be too the King Cobra, school counselor Ms. disorders, cutting, smoking, drinking when weak to support the weight of her upper body, feeling bad about themselves. Sanders had this to say: and her body would be Q: How do girls get the thought that • 92% of the young women in the USA want to too narrow to contain they aren’t pretty without makeup? change some aspect of their physical more than half a liver A: Mostly from this consumer culture, and a few centimeters of appearance. that is always selling things that promotes bowel. A real woman • Seven million females in the U.S. have eating built that way would better looks, there is always something to disorders, compared to one million males suffer from chronic buy to make you more “appealing.” The industry tries to control everyone, diarrhea and eventually Q: In your mind, why aren’t girls telling them they can look so much better, that die from malnutrition. comfortable with how they look? girls and women don’t even stop to think that A: I think its because of advertising, the they might just be a pretty, naturally. Girls are illusion of perfection, so much involvement with just so amazed by the beautiful pictures on the media. billboards and magazines, that they’re blind to how Q: Do you think having a low self esteem can airbrushed and computerized the photos actually are. lead to eating disorders? So is it really true that you look ugly without A: Definitely, girls compare themselves to all make-up? Or have you just forgotten how good you these slender bodies which leads them to go to the look without it. Are you too short or too tall or are extreme with diets. you just unclear that everybody’s bodies are Q: What advice do you give girls to help them different. Do you think your hips are too small or accept who they are and how they look? does ideal beauty decide that for you? A: Start with cultivating your inner self. When The only person standing in the way of you you think about things like being kind to others you excepting yourself and your body is you. Dare to go start cultivating those inner qualities. I know its and leave the need for everybody’s opinion about the opposite on TV. On TV the mean girls are cool you behind. It’s your life and you should be able to which isn’t very accurate outside of the media live it without any doubts of looking bad. world. What is being done?

There is hope. As awareness to these problems grow, so does the help: In 2004, Dove launched the Campaign for Real Beauty which features real women, not models, advertising Dove's products. The advertisements focus on promoting real, natural beauty, in an effort to offset the unrealistically thin and unhealthy images associated with modeling. For years, the beauty industry has been constantly reinforcing the ideal body standards set in today industry. Dove’s mission, starting in 2004, was to make women of all shapes and sizes feel beautiful no matter what. The message is important: Be who you are.

Ten Ways to Boost Your Self Esteem 1. Dress to impress yourself not others 2. Be POSITIVE, make sure you smile at least 20 times a day. 3. Stop Comparing yourself to others; compare yourself to your best self. 4. Be healthy and exercise. 5. Know you are beautiful in your own way. 6. Focus on your achievements not your failures. 7. No one is perfect. When you find yourself being self critical stop and give yourself a compliment. 8. When you see those pretty models in magazines, know the industry creates an illusion of perfection. 9. Drop your negative friends to be around people that support you. 10. Always know you are contributing something of value.

King Cobra

Page 16

Q&A with Mr. Silberg By Maya Wong and Emily Wert

You would have a hard time finding a drama program at another middle school that is as successful as the one at King. Thanks to longtime drama teacher Richard Silberg, King has had a run of high-quality, original productions for the entire community to see. Silberg, who has been teaching in the district for 22 years, and at King since 1991, was recently awarded, a “Literacy Leaders in Berkeley Schools” by the Berkeley Public Education Foundation. The King Cobra caught up with Mr. Silberg to ask him a few questions.

RS: I wish the after school performing arts were not competing for talented students. KC: Which do you like more, teaching classes, or writing/ directing the plays? RS: I can’t say better, they’re so different; but I can say that I wouldn’t want to do just one. KC: How long does it take to prepare a school play for performances?

Richard Silberg: I have an excuse to learn something new everyday.

RS: Our devised pieces (the first play) take about six months including training and writing. The second play takes about eight weeks, because it’s been prewritten, and we’ve already trained.

KC: What is your least favorite part?

KC: Which do you like more, teaching, directing, or acting?

RS: When I don’t learn.

RS: Teaching and directing.

KC: If you could change something about the arts program at King, what would it be?

KC: Why is that?

King Cobra: What is your favorite part about your job?

RS: I can’t do both. I’d be teaching, and get a phone call for

Mr. Silberg keeps track of scenes on his laptop during last year’s production Romeo and Juliet

Mr. Silberg, the man behind the great King drama productions

an audition, but couldn’t follow through because I was busy. KC: What’s something not many people know about you? RS: I used to be a bubbleologist for two years at Lawrence Hall of Science. I’d go to schools and teach K-12 students about physics using bubbles. I had a van I would drive to schools in, and on the side, it said: “Richard Silberg, Bubbleologist.” KC: What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen happen at King? RS: When we first started the sixth grade, I taught drama classes in the old cafeteria, which is now the sixth grade wing. We were playing twizzle, (a game in which a caller shouts commands and the group, who’s walking in a circle, must perform the commands.) And when everyone jumped, the middle of the floor collapsed. Four kids fell into the basement, but no one was hurt. A big hole started growing, and a 12-foot wall was built in a square around the hole to cover it. That was the craziest thing I’ve seen here.

Vol. III, Issue I

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Are You Prepared for the Big One? Earthquake Do’s and Don’ts By Evan Cragin Living in California, we know earthquakes are a threat. None of us want to be trapped during a quake and not know what to do. You can get seriously injured or even killed. It’s important to stay as safe as possible during a quake, and to be aware that some earthquakes are actually fore-shocks and a larger after-shock(s) might occur. If you find yourself in a quake, don’t panic; try to minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and if you are indoors, stay there until the shaking has stopped and you are sure it’s safe to exit. Here is a quick list of more “Do’s and Don’ts During an Earthquake”. Do’s Before an Earthquake: • Repair deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations. • Anchor or brace overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling. • Always follow local seismic building standards. • Fasten shelves securely to walls, and place large or heavy objects on lower shelves. • Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches. • Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks. • Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor. • Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely

Necessary Quake Supplies • Flashlight and extra batteries. • Portable battery-operated radio and extra batteries. • First aid kit and manual. • Emergency food and water. • Nonelectric can opener • Essential medicines. • Cash and credit cards.

The infamous San Andreas fault runs right through the Bay Area

in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves. • And once and for all: have an earthquake kit in a safe place. Indoor “Do’s”: Drop to the ground, and take cover by getting under a table or other furniture; and hold on until the earthquake stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face, head, and neck with your arms and duck in an inside corner of the building. • Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake happens. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place. • Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported doorway. • Be aware that the power may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on. Indoor “Don’ts”: • Stay close to glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture. • Use the elevators. • Leave until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave. Outdoor “Do’s”: • If in the open, stay there until it stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls. Many fatalities from earthquakes occur when people run outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the

direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquakerelated casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects. Outdoor “Don’ts”: • Stay close to buildings, streetlights, and utility wires. • Go inside, or move close to buildings or structures that could fall. In a Moving Vehicle, “Do’s”: • Stop as fast as you can (without being unsafe) and stay in the vehicle. • Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. In a Moving Vehicle. “Don’ts”: • Stop near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires. • Go on roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

• • • •

If trapped Under Debris, “Do’s”: Cover your mouth with a handkerchief, clothing, or a wet towel. Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust

If trapped Under Debris, “Don’ts”: • Light a match. • Move about unnecessarily or kick up dust.

King Cobra

Page 18

Food Brunch spot is one of Berkeley’s Gems waffle, served with either gravy or maple syrup or both. The chicken is especially good. It is crispy, salty and spicy. Don’t be discouraged if you see a crowd waiting to be The gravy also adds flavor. Meanwhile, the waffle has a bit seated at the front of 900 Grayson. That’s an indicator of of sweetness, and a nice balance between chewy and the quality of the restaurant. With delicious food and crispy. A nice drink to compliment your meal is the Rickey friendly service 900 Grayson, (which is also the address) is a house-made drink made with ginger syrup, sparkling the ideal restaurant for a hearty brunch. water and pomegranate or lime juice, or both combined. Co-owned by brothers Chris and Anthony Saulnier, While 900 Grayson has lots of delicious breakfast and and Joshua Pearl, 900 Grayson was formerly a run-down lunch items, you don’t want to forget about the desserts. diner. The owners have made the building into Notable desserts are the hand-sized chocolate 900 Grayson a very nice place to chip cookies from Phoenix bakery and the 900 Grayson St. , Berkeley, CA Alfajores, a delicious caramel sandwiched eat. Art hangs from the walls and light between two shortbread cookies. A great ★★★★ music plays in the caffeinated background. alternative The place is small, but with is the Affogato, which is the bar, community table and a scoop of vanilla ice outside seating, it can cream in a shot of accommodate a fair amount of espresso. The best people. And if you can’t get a dessert has to be the seat it’s worth the wait. The caramel Pot de Crème. You may have noticed owners give you an accurate It is a caramel custard 900 Grayson tucked away in West Berkeley amount of time before there is with whipped cream on an open table, and it would take top. There is a bit of sea Yummm...Chicken and Waffles more than a long wait to stop me from eating there. Their salt added for a nice menu contains a range of tasty breakfast and lunch meals, contrast. It is deliciously made from delicious ingredients including local Acme smooth and sweet and is a great way to end your meal. bread. In addition to great food, 900 Grayson has a nice One of their best sandwiches is the Grayson Burger, a casual atmosphere and good service. The friendly Chris juicy creation with bacon, N.Y. cheddar, onion rings and and Anthony are usually at the front and always do their house made BBQ sauce. Herb fries and ketchup are also best to get you a table as soon as possible. The waiters are served with it. It is very flavorful, between the smoky also friendly and even give you some candy with the bill, a bacon and the tang and sweetness added by the sauce. The nice gesture. 900 Grayson’s food is comforting, and fries are also delicious, well seasoned and crispy. appealing to a wide-range of people. However since it only The Piggy, a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw, is a serves breakfast and lunch, and is closed on Sundays, King smoky and tender alternative. Another fantastic meal is the students will have to likely go on a Saturday, or during the Demon Lover, which is spicy chicken and a buttermilk summer.

By Juzo Greenwood

S o ft P re tz e ls (M ak es six )

Rec ipe of t h e M o n t h

Who doesn’t like soft pre chewy delicious treats tzels? These make, but make sure are easy to yo check out how to twist u get online to them properly. Ingredients: • 3 1/2 Cups Flour • 4 Tablespoons Brown Su gar • 2 Teaspoons salt • 1 Tablespoon yeast • 1 Cup warm water • 1 egg scrambled (optio nal, for egg wash)

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Mix the yeast/water solut ion with Sugar and salt in a large mi xing bowl. Add

flour and mix until do ugh is smooth. Add more flour if sti cky. Divide the dough int o six pieces. Roll each pie ce into a thin rope, than shape into a pretzel. We recommend going on line to Youtube to see exactly how to shape a Drop the shaped doug pretzel. boiling water (TIP: Ad h in d Baking soda to the bo 1 TB iling water) for approximately 30 seco nd desired, brush with eg s, then, if g wash, and bake in a 450-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until brow n. Serve with mustard.

Vol. III, Issue I

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Entertainment Teenage Girl Has True Grit

father is murdered by his tenant, speech Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Vengeful, she is out to bring Chaney to justice. Steinfeld was a great find for the Coens and ★★★★ without her the movie probably By Juzo Greenwood wouldn’t have been as good. At 13 years of age, it was a With engaging characters, gamble for the directors to realistic settings and exciting action, cast someone so young, “True Grit” the new western now in because if badly cast she Jeff Br theaters, is well done on many could have ruined the movie, id Rooste ges & Haile e Stein r Cogb accounts. but it paid off. Steinfeld f urn & Mattie eld star as M Academy Award winning portrays Mattie’s confidence ar Ross, in “True shal Grit” directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, and toughness extremely well, triumph in their remake of the 1969 especially for an actress of film “True Grit” which starred legend, middle school age. as well as the setting. The film takes John Wayne, and was based on It is truly inspiring to see place in Arkansas in 1877. The setting Charles Portis’ novel of the same title. someone our age taking on that big of has a realistic sense about it in The Coen brothers’ film a role and nailing it so well. The depicting the wilderness and the introduces young teen actress Hailee Coens keep pretty true to the book, See: Grit, Page 21 Steinfeld, as Mattie Ross a girl whose with Mattie’s dialogue and style of

Stellar Acting Elevates The King’s Speech ★★★★ By Samantha Whitty The King’s Speech, directed by Tom Hooper, is the story of Prince Albert (later King George VI) and his struggle with a speech impediment. Prince Albert played by Colin Firth (Mama Mia, A Single Man), has had a stutter all his life, and has always struggled with giving speeches and public announcements. His wife Elizabeth, Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter), has hired speech therapist, after speech therapist, to help her poor husband with his disability. Still, no one has helped. After Albert gives up hope, Elizabeth decides to try one last man, speech therapist Lionel Logue. Played by Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean). Lionel tries to cure him with his strange, unorthodox methods. At first, Albert is put off by his odd ways, but he strikes up a friendship with Dr. Logue. When everything seems to be going his way, his father, the King (played by Michael Gambon, from the Harry Potter movies) dies. His older brother, Edward played by Guy Pearce (The Hurt Locker) must take the throne, but is unequipped to do so. He steps down and gives the position to his brother. After assuming the role

Cobra

★★★★ Excellent, no hug e f laws

of King, Albert – now King ★ ★★ Pretty Go George VI- is faced with od, but f la wed his newest problem. War is coming, and he must ★★ So-so, too help his country in this incons istent time of great need. ★ Not worth The acting in the time or money Kings Speech was amazing, and quite believable. Firth’s portrayal of Prince Albert was excellent, and really showed the struggle that Prince Albert/King George went through with his stammer. Also, Geoffrey Rush was very funny with lines such as: “What should I call you?” “Prince Albert.” “How about Bertie?” The seriousness of the plot was toned down and relaxed by the fun that Lionel and Bertie have together. The Kings Speech is rated R for language, but there is only a bit of profanity during the King’s speech therapy. In the movie, Prince Albert doesn’t stammer when he cusses, so he cusses a bit to calm down. Really there isn’t that much, so I wouldn’t worry about it. The acting in The King’s Speech is wonderful, the dialogue rich and funny, and the story very good. If you like a funny but serious movie this is for you. I think both students and teachers would enjoy it. I’m also crossing my fingers that Colin Firth wins best actor.

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Singer Branches out to the Big Screen By Vanessa Pozos

★★★

Burlesque, written and directed by Steve Antin is a great movie about a girl named Ali (Christina Aguilera) who decides to leave Iowa and look for a job in Los Angeles. Ali is a kind-hearted, ambitious and talented young lady who sings and dances. Tess (Cher), is the owner of The Burlesque Lounge, a club in Los Angeles, which is about to be foreclosed. Tess is a talented singer and a very strong-willed businesswoman. Ali buys a one-way ticket from Iowa to Los Angeles to start a new life as a backup singer or backup dancer. She ends up getting a job as a waitress at the Burlesque Lounge to try and work her way up to becoming one of the dancers. While Ali is in the middle of performing a dance routine, a woman named Nikki, who doesn't like Ali, pulls the plug while the music is playing. But her plan backfires, as Ali gets up the courage to sing a cappella to save the show. After Ali`s grand

performance Tess decides to build the show around her, hoping she can bring in more customers and make enough money to pay the bank what she owes. In the end, Ali helps save Tess from losing the club by giving her valuable information she learned from a customer, which allowed Tess to qualify for a bank loan. The club is able to stay open and does very well with Ali as the main attraction. A memorable scene was when Ali called Nikki a drag queen. I liked this part because Nikki was being conceited and mean to Ali. Perhaps the film’s best character was the part of Sean, played by Stanley Tucci. He always kept the jokes coming. For example, when See: Burlesque, Page 21

On DVD Inception Bends Rules, as Well as Minds By Juzo Greenwood

★★★★

idea in someone’s mind, because if he and his partner Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are able to complete the Expectations were high for Christopher Nolan’s task for a wealthy businessman, Mr. Saito, Cobb will be latest film following up his extremely free to go back to the U.S. and see his children again. successful “The Dark Knight,” in Their target is Robert Fischer and the goal is to use 2008. Inception does not inception to get him to split up his dying father’s disappoint. Now on DVD and business empire, which is a competitor of Saito’s. Blu-Ray, Inception is Cobb assembles a team to perform the inception, dazzling in visuals and which includes a forger who can take the form of concept and has a great different people in dreams, a chemist who makes ensemble cast. It also has sedatives for the team, and an new architect (Ellen plenty of action, most of Page) who is responsible for creating the dream which is unique and worlds. amazingly filmed. The team uses their skills to create a set of Inception stars dreams within dreams to perform the inception on Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Fischer. However, their missions are endangered by Cobb, a man who has been cut Cobb’s violent subconscious projections of his late wife off from his children because he Mal, whose death he feels somewhat responsible for. is suspected of killing his Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Arthur Mal haunts his dreams and sabotages his heists, and wife, Mal (Marion as he battles a subcon in a revolving Cobb has no control over his projection of her. Cotillard). Cobb uses his hotel hallway in Inception Inception is extremely well done. The ideas in skills of extraction, or the movie about dreams seem true, when you think about stealing ideas from people’s minds, to try to get his name it. For instance, the movie captures how dreams can be cleared in America. difficult to recall. Inception does a good job of thrusting In Inception, dreams can be shared, and the people in us into the dream and confusing us about how the them are called Subcons, projections of the dreamer. characters got there. And in the film, a falling sensation Dreams are ideal for stealing ideas because your defenses “kicks” you out of dreams similar to real life. are down when you’re sleeping. Cobb decides to perform the more complex job of inception, the act of planting an

See: Inception, Page 21

Vol. III, Issue I

True Grit (cont. from page 19) town. I’ve been to an old western town and they seemed to have a similar way of showing the conditions and feel of the town like the interiors of houses and the dull, simple colors. To track down Chaney, Mattie hires tough, one-eyed Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn, played by Jeff Bridges. He triumphs in his role of the drunken U.S. marshal, who has killed 23 people in his four years of service. Bridges has everything down, from Cogburn’s slightly drunken, western voice and attitude, to his quick draw in gun fight. Bridges did a fantastic job of being both tough and hilarious. Mattie and Rooster also team up, on and off, with stuck up, Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (pronounced LaBeef) played by a superb Matt Damon. He is skeptical of Mattie and becomes a bit of a rival because of his wanting to take Chaney to Texas instead of Arkansas, where Mattie wishes him to hang. They must trek through the wilderness after Chaney who teams up with “Lucky” Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper) and his gang, and Mattie must prove her strength and endurance to Rooster and LaBoeuf. “True Grit” is enjoyable for many reasons. There are many memorable scenes, such as when Mattie rides across a river to get to Rooster and LaBoeuf, barely clinging to her horse. This is quite a pivotal moment because it is one of the first ways she proves her courage to them. Mattie’s “grit” is also on display when she negotiates with with the stubborn horse trader.

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It was certainly entertaining when Cogburn is in court, because you learn about his history and rough personality. Bridges’ acting, and the deadpan way he describes the incident, is rather funny. The film also did a great job using contrast. One moment there is someone injured in a fight, the next Rooster and LaBoeuf are arguing and having a drunken shooting contest with cornbread. I found the scene with Cogburn throwing around bottles and food to shoot, falling over his coat, with drunkenness extremely funny. The acting in “True Grit” was particularly strong. Steinfeld and Bridges aren’t the only ones who bring a lot to their characters. Matt Damon doesn’t exactly seem like the type to play a smug cowboy, but he is extremely good in the role and I like how his character clashed with Bridges’. Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper are also great as the main antagonists, murderer, Tom Chaney and gang leader, “Lucky” Ned Pepper. The script is part of what makes the characters so great and the formal use of language makes the movie more realistic. Usually movies, like Harry Potter, have trouble living up to the book both in replication and quality, but “True Grit” comes pretty close. “True Grit” is a must see for middle schoolers and up. It has lots of action, some fun, a good story, and great performances. Thanks to their casting and skills in adapting books for the screen the Coen brother have made another great film.

Inception (cont. from page 20)

Burlesque (cont. from page 20)

Cobb’s team uses music to give signals through dream layers, which is also like how you sometimes hear and feel things in reality, while you dream. Also, dreams go faster than reality (five minutes in reality equals one hour in the dream world). Inception does a great job detailing different levels of a dream, and showing how time speeds up with every level. With all the dream levels and mind-warping ideas, Inception would seem to be confusing and hard to follow but the movie was pretty strong in keeping you on top of what’s going on. Inception had some memorable and unique scenes. One particular scene that stands out is when Cobb is teaching Ariadne (the new architect) about the workings of the subconscious and how it helps you understand the key concepts of the dream world. Amazingly, Ariadne folds the dream onto itself, creating one of the most stunning visuals of the movie. Perhaps the best scene, however, is when Arthur fights one of the Subcons while the dream is spinning. Rolling around a hallway, leaping from the walls and the ceiling, this fight scene could rival those of “The Matrix.” Maybe even more amazing are the special effects; the fact that they actually built a hallway with giant motors turning it gives a great visual of how fighting would look in changing gravity. While Inception has plenty of action, it also has an emotional story. DiCaprio does a good portrayal of Cobb’s desperation to see his kids again and his guilt regarding Mal’s death, and it was touching how much he loved his family. Renowned composer Hans Zimmer’s spectacular music adds to the feel of the movie. There are beautiful piano parts for emotional scenes and heavy brass and synthesizers for action sequences. I especially liked Johnny Marr’s guitar music. This film is great for middle school kids to adults. Inception is brilliant on almost all accounts with an emotional journey, plenty of action, and mind-bending concepts about the alternate reality of the dream.

Ali (short for Alice) introduced herself to Sean he said, “Well, Welcome to wonderland!” If I could change one thing about this movie it would be for Jack -- a smart, funny and creative bartender, who plays Ali’s love interest -- to marry Ali in the end. They’re just the perfect match. They get along well, and are both interested in music. Ali sings and dances, and Jack writes music and plays the piano. Burlesque is an excellent movie because it has an engaging plot and extraordinary dancing and singing. I think everyone (including parents, teachers and kids) will love it because of its great story line, amazing choreography, and beautiful singing. However, it is rated PG-13 so it may not be appropriate for younger children because it has some light sexual content.

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Video Games Take a Break from the Standard Video Game: Just Dance By Mia Rain-Torres

★★★★

After playing Just Dance 2, I not only realized that I was hot and tired, but also that its one of the most fun games I’ve ever played. Manufactured by Ubisoft, Just Dance 2 can be played on the Wii. This game is all about dancing. Considering the fact that your main controller is the Wii remote, you have to use your hands, arms and legs the whole time your playing. Just Dance 2 is a great game to have around when your having a party and it starts to get boring. You can play with up to four players at a time. Generally, it’s for ages 10 and up. Just dance 2 is for anyone that likes

to dance and have a good time. Also, it’s almost impossible to get bored with it, because of all the random songs, and weird dances that go with them. And each of the songs have their own themes with realistic graphics of people dancing. There are a few flaws. For example, if you play for too long when you first play, and you're out of shape like me, there is a possibility that you may be sore for a couple of days afterwards. Also, some of the songs on Just dance 2 are very lame because they are cover songs. Other than that, Just dance 2 is a fun way to get exercise; a good game to play with friends/family; and just something cool to do when your bored. I highly recommend getting this game if you like to, just dance.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops” Takes War Games to Next Level By Brandon Aragon

★★★★

When “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” came out in 2009, it set the bar for graphics and shooting games. In late 2010, “Call of Duty: Black Ops” went above and beyond that bar, with more graphics, better guns, and more interesting missions. The first-person shooting game is produced by Treyarch and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. When you play the story mode, the missions become very realistic. The locations in the mission are very exciting, as the player gets to visit countries all over the world. You play as a variety of characters in the many missions. The first mission takes place in a tropical setting. Once you’re deep in enemy territory, you try take on the enemy as stealthily as possible. You will infiltrate this swampy village while weaving between huts, kneeling behind tall grass and fences, and making your way around pigs and chickens. You will engage in a few

skirmishes, but must do so as quietly as possible. If not, you might wake up the whole enemy village. As you sneak up on an enemy soldier, you instruct your teammate to provide a well-trained distraction. You plant C-4 under a house. Then you detonate the explosives once you reach dry land and take cover in a forest. Each character will perform ridiculous death defying acts. The graphics in this game are very real and impressive compared to other action shooting games. This game is one of the best shooting games of 2010 and can be played on one console with up to four players, or -- perhaps the most fun -- online with up to 18 players. This is a war game and it is rated M for 17 years and up, so check with your parents before playing.

Vol. III, Issue I

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Books Finally, a Book a Girl can Relate to By Sofia Jacob Finally, by Wendy Mass is a must read. The story is about a girl named Rory, who lives in the town of Willow Falls. Rory plans out everything she wants for her 12th birthday, like a cell phone; to wear makeup; to go to a girlboy party; and to meet the famous movie star, Jake Harrison. Then there’s Rory’s mom. She’s overprotective and is trying to face the fact that her only daughter is growing up to fast. There’s also Annabelle, Rory’s best friend, whom Rory spends most of her time with. The first part of the story is about Rory looking at her “Finally” list, and trying to talk her parents into letting her get her first cell phone. Her parents are trying to convince her that she’s growing up too fast. But she doesn’t listen because she’s practically got her whole life mapped out. In the middle of the story, Rory and Annabelle get accepted as extras in a movie that is being held at their school. She tries to make herself look more like a movie star by wearing makeup.

But that doesn’t work because she has a really bad reaction to it. Then she tries shaving her legs, but only ends up cutting and scarring herself. At the end Rory goes to her first boy-girl party, and is pressured to play the “Kissing Game.” She didn’t want to participate and goes home. She kind-of realizes that she’s growing up too fast and decides to take it easy and be more like the free-spirited, funny person she was before she turned 12. It was nice that she figured this out on her own, without her parents nagging. I like the scene, where Rory stays home for the first time, and acts as if she is scared for her life, because it reminded me of the first time I stayed home alone. I also liked the part when she received an IM asking a girl to go out with her thinking that is is boy. The one thing I might change about this book is Rory’s personality, which sometimes she seemed too unrealistically girly. The story never mentioned playing sports, video games, or her having any guy friends. This was a great book. It taught me that you shouldn’t try to grow up to fast, and that you should enjoy being a kid while you still can. I’d recommend this book to girls in middle school because I notice a lot of girls here with makeup, and trying to grow up faster. If you’re one of them, you’ve got to read this book.

The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart Four children must endure mindboggling tests so they can be worthy of completing a mission that could affect the world’s future

Warriors Series Powers on with “The Site” By Madeleine Wren

Three kits are born into Thunder Clan and are bound to this prophecy: “Three, kin of your kin, shall hold the power of the stars in their paws.” Warriors: Power of Three: The Sight, by Erin Hunter, is about three cats born with the power of the stars in their paws. Jaykit, Lionkit, and Holllykit are those three. Jaykit is a cat who was born blind. He has the ability to read and feel other cats’ thoughts and feelings. Lionkit, who loved to play when he was young, now wants to be the greatest warrior that ever lived. Hollykit, at first, wants to be a medicine cat, but later strives to be the greatest leader that ever lived in Thunder Clan. The story begins when Jaykit wakes up one morning and finds his brother and sister playing catch with a mouse. Later in the book, Jaykit, Lionkit and Hollykit are made apprentices. See: Warriors, Page 24 Jaypaw Cirque du Freak By Darren Shan A 12-book series on the living of a young vampire who gave up humanity for his friend, who now seeks revenge on him

The Book Thief By Marcus Zusak The story of a teenage girl who steals books from Nazi bookburnings, and hides a Jew in her foster family’s basement - Compiled by Elena Wiedlin

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Warriors (cont. from page 23)

A Great Viking Adventure By Kyra Traynor

Daughter of the Wind, written by “Michael Cadnum,” is a teen fantasy story, full of action and adventure. Though it’s not a romance novel, it does have some secret crushes and a forced marriage.. This story takes place in the northern lands of Europe, in a small town named Jarls, during the Viking Era. The book is about two teenagers. One is Hallgerd, the beautiful, adventurous who is facing an unwanted arranged marriage. The other is Gauk, a brave, strong young warrior. The plot begins with Gauk, hunting on the ice. He’s trying to become a warrior called a “Berserkir,” and the only way to accomplish this is to kill a white bear. He works hard to become a Berserkir. In the end, he ends up almost getting killed. Off the ice, the beautiful Hallgerd gets kidnapped and taken away from her home in Jarls. She is taken to the Danish land to be married to the Danish prince. She tries hard to escape, but fails. She is very spunky, stubborn, and is not afraid of dying. Gauk comes home to find that Hallgerd is gone. He teams up with one of Hallgred’s friends, Hego, to rescue her. Meanwhile, Hallgerd escapes with the

help of a servant in the place where she was imprisoned. While escaping, she accidentally bumps into Gauk and Hego coming to her rescue. In the end Hallgerd finds her way home, with, of course, some more adventure along the way. A great part of this book is how the scenes are always switching places. Sometimes they are on the sea and sometimes on land. The evil characters were very well designed and there are a lot of fun details. People who like teenage fiction would love a book like this because it’s easy to read. People who are younger than 10 may not like this book as much because there are some scenes in the book with bloody, messy deaths. The book is very thrilling in some ways and pretty plain in others. At times the plot seemed predictable, and the kidnapping scenes may have been overdone. Overall however, Daughter of the Wind was enchanting and fun to read.

and Lionpaw are warrior apprentices and Hollypaw is a medicine-cat apprentice. Toward the end of the story, Jaypaw discovers that he can walk into other cats’ dreams. The medicine cat that Jaypaw follows to the Moonpool says that he is destined to be a medicine cat and with Firestar’s approval, Hollypaw and Jaypaw switch apprenticeships. The two most likable characters are Jaypaw and Hollypaw. Jaypaw, because he is is just so unique. Hollypaw, because she is kind and sweet and she also wants to be leader. Though Warriors has some parts that are pretty sad, it’s an amazing read. Someone who has a great imagination, between the ages of 10 to 15, would like this book.

WHERE WE STAND on pop culture Name

Julian Rulofs, 8th

Song No One Knows I Listen To

Anna Nalick, 2 a.m Tara Pruzanski, Traveling Soldier, Dixie Chicks 7th

Zane EllisRector, 7th

Beethoven’s 5th Emma Hide & Seek, Moriconi, Imogene Heap 8th

Mila Moldenhawer

8th

All the Right Moves, One Republic

Celeb I Would Want to Have Lunch w/

I Would Never Eat...

If I Could Be On a TV Show it Would Be...

Person I Wouldnʼt Want to Meet in a Dark Alley A teddy bear

Bull testicles

Skins

Justin Bieber

Brussel sprouts

CSI

Eminem

Milo Whitburn

Jersey Shore

Eminem

Snails

American Idol

Chris Brown

Megan Fox

Carrie Underwood Jim Carrey

Jonah Barton’s cooking

Chuck

Lil’ Wayne

Stinky - Compiled by Dora Beilin

Vol. III, Issue I

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Music Aguilera Plays with New Sound By Kiana Jardin

★★★

Christina Aguilera, the fabulous pop and R&B singer, is known for amazing vocal range and truly inspirational songs. She was born December 18, 1980, and made her singing debut in 1990, on a show called “Star Search”, before singing on the Disney Channel as a Mousketeer, along with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. After the show, Aguilera made her first album “Christina Aguilera” which came with many famous singles, like “Genie in a Bottle,” and “What a Girl Wants.” She continually made popular albums after that. One of her well known singles , “Beautiful,” from the album “Stripped” showed her incredible range and created a worldwide anthem for outcasts. Aguilera’s new album, “Bionic” features a mix between pop techno dance beats and soulful R&B songs. The album is very sensual and at the same time somewhat robotic. It gives you a good amount of songs to dance to, such as “Not Myself Tonight,” “Woohoo,” featuring Nicki Minaj, “Elastic Love,” “Prima Donna,” and the title song “Bionic.” As much as these songs are fun to dance to and sing along with, I felt that Aguilera did too many pop and techno party songs and not enough soulfully beautiful songs, which is her strength. However, she did include some songs that expressed her maturity as a singer and as a person such as “All I Need,” “I Am.” “Lift Me Up,” and “You Lost Me,” a gorgeous emotional song which gives me chills. She used great technique with her voice and the lyrics

were very touching. She says in the song “I feel like our world's been infected, and somehow you left me neglected, we’ve found our lives been changed Babe, You lost me.” These words are so inspirational and true in the world today. Although this is a excellent album that I’m sure you will love and enjoy listening to, I feel that Aguilera went a little bit out of her comfort zone with the techno aspect of the album. Sure, techno is a popular style of music that can be a lot of fun to listen to, but in this case, I feel that Christina Aguilera tried too hard to make a pop album and the ending product sounded similar to Lady Gaga. She is an exceptional artist with a unique powerful sound and that’s what she should be known for, not auto tune and funky dance beats. I recommend this album to people who have enjoyed previous Christina Aguilera albums, but also would enjoy a new edge of pop techno, that is becoming a major fad in the music industry! This is an album you are going to want to get!

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Advice: Ask Cobra Jo Dear Cobra Jo, My allowance is really low. I am so desperate for money! How do I get my parents to raise my allowance? I already do lots of chores, but it’s still not working! Help! - Poor Person in Berkeley Dear Poor Person, You can raise this issue with your family. Hold a family meeting, and make a persuasive list of why you should get more allowance. If not, you can also make money other ways. You can baby sit, dog walk, deliver newspapers, clean up yards, and other stuff. There are lots of opportunities for money out there. You just have to find them!

Dear Cobra Jo, I’m an athletic person and all I do is sports and some boys don’t expect that girls can do sports. I’m a girl and I want to prove that girls are better than boys and [that they] can play with boys. Can you HELP me please? Thank you. - Athletic Girl in Berkeley Dear Athletic Girl, You should just do what you do. If you are good at something, you should enjoy it. Don’t worry about the boys; they’re probably just not used to having girls around. However, you can make them used to it. You should just show them how good you are, and they’ll learn to respect you.

Dear Cobra Jo, I always drink Red Bull in the morning to keep me going, or else I fall asleep in class. But when I drink it, I go nuts and get in trouble for being so hyper in class. How do I solve this problem? - Roaring Red Bull Dear Roaring, Instead of drinking Red Bull to stay alert, you should get more sleep. Go to bed earlier for a better start in the day. Even if it is a little hard at first, overtime, you can work this into your routine and get used to it. Dear Cobra Jo, I’m moving out of Berkeley next year. I will miss my friends and family who live here. What should I do so that I don’t miss them so much? - Missing Berkeley Dear Missing Berkeley, Moving is a hard step in life, but it all happens for a reason. Spend as much time with people you are close to now and show how much you appreciate them being in your life. That way, they will never forget you. Also, you can have them donate a little thing that you can take to your new home so you can always remember them. Once you move, you can be pen pals with them. Always keep in touch!

Dear Cobra Jo, I have a boyfriend, but I like some other boy! Should I dump my boyfriend and go after the other boy I like? What should I do? - Boy Problems Dear Boy Problems, It is hard to decide between two boys. However, there is a way to deal with it. You should make up a list of good and bad things for each boy. Whichever list has more of the good things you are interested in, go with that guy. If that doesn’t work, think about your current boyfriend. What did you see in him when you first said yes? Do you still see that? Then, look at your crush. Can you imagine him as your boyfriend? Would that be a good thing long term? Evaluating can never hurt. Dear Cobra Jo, I am broke. I need some money, man. Can I “borrow” some money? I will totally pay you back. You can trust me… -Broke in Berkeley P.S. When I say “some money” I mean like fifty bucks. Dear Broke, Sorry but I don’t have that kind of money. We are in middle school everyone is broke. Can you lend me some money? I will definitely pay you back! Always trust Cobra Jo… P.S. In your dreams!!!

Horoscopes Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18): Your English teacher will do some unexpected things. Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20): The half moon will soon be gone. Make your move before it is too late. Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19): Your star is shining bright. Go out there and try something you never would think you would do. You might be surprised. Taurus (Apr 20-May 20): The planets are not aligned for you. Be careful and watch your back. Gemini (May 21-Jun 20): The twin suns are rising above the horizon. Go take that test with confidence. Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22): The black holes are gone for you. You will come upon a large amount of money.

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22): You will soon find courage within you that you’ve had all along, but never knew. Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22): Meteor showers are in the forecast. Make sure to bundle up, and make sure you have a sturdy umbrella. Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22): You may not have balance in your life right now, but take heart. Two stars will meet tomorrow and balance will be restored. Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21): The scorpion’s stinger is down. Put your guard down and you will be pleasantly surprised. Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21): The archer and the crab are crossing paths. Don’t be shy, and speak to that person you’ve been admiring from afar. Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19): The Comet Cobra is scheduled to streak across the sky tonight. Use that energy to run those laps.

Vol. III, Issue I

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Comics & Puzzles Sleep Wars

By Julia Ceia

Zeb

By Emily Wert

Don’t Forget to Buy Your Yearbook Preserve Your Memories www.jostens.com

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King Cobra

Cobra Crossword 1 2 3 Across 1. MC Hammer hit 6. Sibling of Sis 7. Night before 12 13 12. Calvin's cartoon friend 18 14. Garden tool 16. Taco Bell Dog 18. Rip 19. Not off 21 20. Computer screen 21. City with canals 22. Hint 27 23. Wet weather shoes 25. Diary of ___ Frank 30 28. Pub 29. Common pet 32 33 31. It's needed to end a drought 32. Seven Days 33. Largest lake in South America 41 42 34. Jewish Potato Pancake 37. Decay 44 38. Right Away! 50 41. All Star shoes 43. Type of skirt 51 52 45. Gobbling foul 49. Knitter' need this 56 50. Dr. Seuss turtle 59 51. Pizza edge 53. Napoleon Dynamite's lunchroom favorite 56. Typical Classroom Utensil 64 65 58. No sound 67 59. An antlered animal 62. Donkey 71 63. Farthest Northwest state 64. Auto 72 73 65. I smell a ___ 66. Pa's wife 76 77 67. Southern CA. City 82 68. Temporary Tattoo 69. Love birds 86 71. American _____ 72. Female TV "Vampire Slayer" 87 74. Wal ____ 89 75. Two-wheeler 77. Car Insurance giant 80. Popular texting abbreviation Down 82. Toy Story Creator 2. Christmas's official hater 83. School Subject on the Past 3. Detectives solve this 85. Big Mac competitor 4. Writer of Discworld Series 86. Scare 5. Use your eyes 87. Diamond or ruby 6. To exist 88. Blood-sucking insect 8. Household duty 89. Tramps who hop trains 90. Successful fast-food franchise 9. Attila the ___ 10. Famous Martin Luther King Line 11. Dangling jewelry 13. Skeletons Answers will appear 15. Mythical horned animal 17. Sweet mexican rice drink in the next issue of the 18. Workplace TV sit-com 20. Jewish candle holder Cobra 24. Common PE wear 26. I said __!

4

5

6

7

8

14

15

9

16

10

11

17 19

20 22 23

24

25 28

26

29

31 34

35

36

37

38

39

40

43 45

46

47

48

49

53

54

57

55

58 60 62

61

63 66 68

69

74

70

75

78

79 83

84

80

81

85

88 90

27. Grass yard 30. Tube-shaped sea animal 34. King of the jungle 35. Famous Shakespeare Line 36. Bronzed 39. Las Vegas: ___ City 40. Type of cone 42. Chocolate peanut butter candy 44. Middle-school students carrier 46. Team sport played with a frisbee 47. Not fake 48. 50-50 52. New England Patriots Quarterback 54. An Italian island 55. Twenty in Spanish 56. Prefix meaning "after"

Don’t Be Left Wondering “What if?” Get your yearbook at www.jostens.com

57. It's delivered in the morning 60. 7th-Grade math teacher 61. Symbol of marriage 63. Obi ___ 66. Half woman half fish 67. Serious jail sentence 70. Charlie Brown's "best friend" 73. Popular warm boots 76. Favorite after-school hangout for King students 77. Possible result of eating beans 78. Baby Bird 79. Sometimes they're slammed 81. It's not you, it's __ 82. Stick you bounce on 84. Sign of tiredness 85. Sweater material

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Vol. III, Issue I

By Mason Gutierrez

Easier

Sudoku

Slacker Dude

Directions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. There is only one solution to each puzzle which will be revealed

King Cobra

Harder

The Cobra is a newspaper published by a class of seventh and eighthgraders at Martin Luther King Middle School 1781 Rose St, Berkeley, CA 94703 Our Staff Henry Bazakas, Dora Beilin, DeShawn Boyd, Michael Contreras, Evan Cragin, Sarah Edgar, Mia Elser, Coulson Fry, Eduardo Gonzalez, Juzo Greenwood, Emily Hearst, Claire Inman, Sofia Jacob, Kiana Jardin, Elias Joseph, Sicily Masuret, Adam Meehan, Amanda Melgar, Cleo Osheroff, Vanessa Pozos, Margaret Reager, Samantha Resnik, Isabella Rothenberg, Mia Rain Torres, Kyra Traynor, Danielle Walton, Emily Wert, Samantha Whitty, Elena Wiedlin, Madeleine Wren Have Something to share? Put it in Mr. Dalton‛s mailbox in the front office or email: [email protected]

“Gioia Pizzeria would like to thank the King students and staff for all of your patronage. Go Cobras!”

1586 Hopkins St Berkeley, CA 94707

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The Magic Well Fairy

Oops

King Cobra

By Akiha Uesugi

Penguins

By Nile & Rose

By Annika Helmer

Vol. III, Issue I

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Cobra Sports More Popular Than Ever By Coulson Fry & Elias Joseph The King sports program has been growing so, fast that the athletic department is having to figure out ways to add more teams. The number of participants is at an alltime high and the students seem happier and more enthusiastic for Cobra sports than ever. King offers a wide variety of sports for its students, including football, cross country, volleyball, soccer, basketball, track, baseball, softball and even ultimate frisbee. All sports either have their own boys and girls teams, and some, like football and soccer, are coed. Some sports have really grown in popularity. For instance, more than 50 girls tried out for the eighth grade volleyball team, more than 35 people were on the cross country team this year, and more than a 100 boys tried out for the four different boy’s basketball teams. “Each year we see more students trying out, so we want to give them more opportunities,” said King Athletic Director Skyler Barton. “When I came here we didn't have an ultimate frisbee team and we’ve gone from slow-pitch softball to fast-pitch softball,” said Barton. With so many students participating in sports, there’s been a need for new teams to meet the growth. “For the first time, we’re gonna try a boys volleyball team in the spring,” said Barton.

PE teacher Mr. Martin, who also coaches the seventh-grade boy’s basketball team, has seen the sports program boom over recent years, and said it’s now at the height of its popularity. “There seems to be a lot more enthusiasm surrounding the afterschool basketball program,” he said. With so many students playing sports, it may actually be having a positive effect on overall academic performance at King. Studies have shown that kids who play sports, on average, do better in school than those who don’t play sports. “Its good for a lot of kids because they have to keep there

grades up,” said Mr. Martin, “for a lot of kids, it’s an incentive.” Still, it’s not always easy to balance athletics and academics. “When practices and games end at 5:30,” said eighth-grade soccer player Eduardo Gonzalez, “I get home and I’m too lazy to do my school work.” It must get done, because if you don’t get threes and twos on your report card, you won’t be able to play for a King team. And that’s something that so many students don’t want to miss out on. “I think students enjoy the chance to represent their school,” said Barton.

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King Cobra

Sports Eighth-Grade Basketball Team Shows Promise By Henry Bazakas & Juzo Greenwood The boys’ basketball season is two games in, and the eighth-grade team has already had a chance to size up its cross-town competition. The Cobras kicked off their season with a double digit win over Willard on Wednesday, Jan. 19. They followed with a last-second defeat at the hands of Longfellow. King has many returning players and a few new faces, and third-year big man Ricky Plascencia said the team is looking even better than it has in the past. “We’re a really strong team,” said the 5’11” returning starter. Guard Gionni Brown, expects the Cobras fast-paced style of basketball to translate to a successful season. “I think we will push it up the court a lot,” he said. “We could be really good.” The eighth-grade boys basketball team is hoping to flex it’s muscles against the competition King has lost some size when last year’s reboundgobbling center, Sam Wilkins, moved to England. Now The players agree that the team’s strengths will the team is unsure of how they’ll make up for that include their guards, speed, bench and outside shooting loss. Many players seem to think that rebounding will be ability. one of the biggest challenges for the team this season. “Our strengths are speed and depth,” said Jake Price, “Our weakness is that we lack big men,” said the a third-year guard. third-year guard David Langer. Casey Roquemore, a guard -- notice a trend here? -King hopes it can compensate for its lack of size who played two years for Claremont Middle School and is with conditioning. The rigorous practices the team has in his first season at King, is very optimistic about the been going through will pay off later, said Plascencia. He season. thinks they will help the team stay fit so they won’t get “This year, I believe we’re gonna bring home a tired late in games. championship,” he said. “We’re gonna King 8th-Grade Boys Hoops Schedule have to stay in Date Opponent Location Time/Result shape,” he said. “We gotta play the hardest 1 – 19 -11 Willard King Gym Win (we) can.” 1 – 26 - 11 Longfellow King Gym Loss The team looks 2 – 2 - 11 Martinez King Gym 6:10 forward to all their 2 – 3 11 Albany Albany Middle 6:15 games, but figure School 2 – 8 - 11 Benicia Benicia Middle 4:15 Stanley and School Martinez, as usual, 2 – 14 - 11 Orinda King Gym 4:00 will represent its 2 – 15 - 11 Stanley Stanley Middle 5:00 toughest competition. School 2 – 16 - 11 Longfellow Longfellow 5:10 “I think our 2 – 23 11 Martinez Martinez Jr. High 6:10 hardest opponent will 2 – 24 - 11 Moraga King Gym 4:00 be Stanley, because of their experience 3 – 1 - 11 Stanley King Gym 5:00 and height,” said 3 – 2 – 11 Orinda Orinda 5:00 Langer. “ (And) Intermediate 3 – 3 – 11 Albany King Gym 6:10 Martinez is always Third-year guard Ryo Miller shoots a 3 – 7 11 Willard Willard 5:00 layup in a recent practice tough.”