The Drake Jolly Roger

By Lincoln Robert Richards

As you drive around the corner of Highway 89, the usually-bustling hub of the north shore, Tahoe City, is little more than a ghost town. The snow that usually coats the town is nowhere to be seen. If you have driven through Tahoe City this winter, you have surely seen the effects the lack of snow has had for the locals and the Lake’s economy.

After last year’s unusually good season, the weather has taken a turn for the worse because of the La Niña weather pattern drifting in from the Pacific Ocean. The La Niña weather pattern has forced all the snow that normally would have hit the mid-Pacific up to the Northwest, up to the north of Lake Tahoe. Ski destinations in the northern states, such as Washington and Montana, are welcoming the abundance of extra snow and the skiers and snowboarders that followed the weather north.

Since 1902, there have only been eight years in which there was less snowfall than this year up until mid-January, according to the Western Regional Climate Center. Of these eight years, there were only four Decembers that saw no snow in Lake Tahoe.

Senior Sarah Melbostad witnessed the snow drought firsthand in early December. “[I went up the] first week of Christmas break. I looked outside of my house and normally you can sled down the hill, [but this year] it was just ground. There’s not enough snow to even sled, which is the problem,” Melbostad said. So far this ski season, Melbostad has only gone up to Tahoe once to check on her family’s cabin. “When I was up there it was 65 [degrees]. [If we went up again], I’d probably go hang out by the pool and play ping pong. Honestly there’s nothing to do [when there is no snow],” said Melbostad.

Melbostad is unaccustomed to travelling up the mountain so few times during the ski season. “[When there’s snow,] I go up like every other weekend or so. I ski at Northstar and Sugar Bowl, [and] every once in a while, Squaw [Valley],” said Melbostad. “At Northstar, the backside isn’t open and they’re charging $80 for a one-day lift ticket. If it was half price, sure, I’d go,” she added.

Almost all of the cities and towns surrounding the Lake have been hurt by the lack of snow this season. Restaurants and even the shopping markets are nearly vacant as the ski crowd has not arrived.

When ski resorts would normally be flourishing in February, they instead have to lay off their seasonal employees because of the devastation the weather has had on the Lake. Every week, the lack of snow raises concerns among the employees who count on snow to put food on their table.

The weather in Tahoe is surreal for mid-January. The lack of snow gives the illusion and feeling of summer. The only reminder of the season is the occasional ribbon of white, man-made snow stretching from the top of a mountain to the lake.

However, man-made snow fails to attract the skiers that usually pack into the Tahoe area this time of year. The normal congesting traffic that creeps all the way around the lake’s perimeter is virtually non-existent without the snow.

It’s no secret that some Tahoe locals have begun to think that winter may not even come this year. But luckily for them, a wave of storms came blowing across California two weeks into January. The storm system held warm, tropical water from Hawaii. While the storm did bring a few feet of snow in some areas, a good amount of the moisture released was rain because of the day temperatures at the lake.

While it was still not the storm anybody was hoping for, any snow is better than no snow, and resorts have taken full advantage of this opportunity to open more of the lifts that are usually running at full throttle this time of year.

While some resorts such as Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows have over ten lifts now running, the rocky and barren peaks surrounding Lake Tahoe serve to remind everyone that this is one of the worst years for snow on record.

Out of the foggy darkness, a single light illuminates a shining, silver ball of a creature dropping down from the top of the Grand Chapiteau. Amidst the sounds of nature, a curled figure elegantly descends from the scaffolding onto the stage. Upon reaching the ground, movement erupts all around the shimmering being, marking the beginning of life.

This opening scene depicts one of Cirque du Soleil’s newest shows, TOTEM. The show debuted April of 2010 in Montreal, and embarked thereafter on a world tour. As part of its tour, TOTEM will be playing under the Grand Chapiteau at AT&T Park until December 18. However, if you miss the show in San Francisco, TOTEM will play during the month of March in San Jose, after touring London.

Over the course of its two-and-a-half hour running time, TOTEM takes the audience on a tour of human evolution. This journey begins with man’s earliest beginnings as an amphibian and ends with cosmonauts trying to escape the confines of earth’s gravity. TOTEM includes 12 acts, all of which are uniquely spectacular. In between these awe-inspiring acts, there are short comedic skits performed by clowns and other actors. These often-brief skits serve as a welcome and hilarious break for audience members who may be trying to regain their breath after watching some of the more terrifying acts.

Five women ride unicycles, flipping metal bowls with their feet. CirqueduSoleil.com

Out of the 12 acts performed throughout TOTEM, six can be easily classified as death-defying. One of these acts includes five women riding around on ten-foot tall unicycles flipping metal bowls onto each other’s heads with their feet. Sometimes they even kick the bowls blindly over their shoulders onto the heads of their moving counterparts.

In another act, jumpers launch themselves up in the air off of Russian Bars no more than four inches wide. After flying stories up in the air, the synchronized jumpers come back down to land on the same four-inch landing strip. Then, some of the veteran jumpers transfer bars after doing flips 30 feet up in the air.

Although not all the acts have a major risk for injury, they are just as fantastic as the ones that do. Two women that appear out of the center of the earth twirl and juggle spinning pieces of fabric with their hands and feet, showing the creation of minerals.

A hoop dancer performs on stage. CirqueduSoleil.com

Two times during the show’s duration, the audience witnesses a Native American (called Amerindian) perform an enchanting dance with five hoops. He starts with no hoops and as the music picks up in tempo, he gracefully kicks up the other hoops with his feet. He spins the hoops in impressive patterns before manipulating them to form different animals. At the end of his second appearance, he effortlessly makes a globe out of the five hoops and holds them high above his head.

Along with the breathtaking whirling, swinging, and flipping prevalent throughout the show, TOTEM puts emphasis on humanity’s intimate connection with nature. This motif is portrayed numerous times, one of which is when an inconsiderate tourist has his camera crushed as a punishment for his careless and irresponsible littering.

Under the guidance of director Robert Lepage, the skits and acts all seem to blend together even when there are differences in the themes. The transitions between the acts allow them to merge into one another, even though they are supposed to take place in separate parts of the globe.

No show like TOTEM would be complete without a smooth collaboration of costumes, atmosphere, and music. The elaborate and sometimes wild costumes were designed by Kym Barrett. Before designing the costumes for TOTEM, Barrett had success as the costume designer for all three Matrix movies, as well as the version of Romeo and Juliet that starred Leonardo DiCaprio.

The show’s atmosphere is perfect for its theme. The crickets, and other sounds that one may expect to hear on a “Rainforest at Night” CD set the mood for a mysterious and captivating exploration of the world and human history. The fog and tall grass that line the back of the stage further the sensation of adventure.

The type of music differs greatly for every act, but never seems to be out of place. The music crescendos help jolt the audience when something extraordinary happens, without distracting the audience from the performance.

TOTEM’s intertwining of dramatic physical feats and artistic expression make for a truly special show. Not only do the performers captivate their audience, they also spread a message of peace and gratitude from beginning to end. In the show’s closing scene, the crystal man who descended to earth in the beginning disappears into the lagoon at the back of the stage leaving the audience content to be human.

Image Couresy of Savannah Whitman | JR

When most people hear the words “Let’s go to Target,” or “We’re going to Target”, their emotions are never ones of negativity.  Within its expansive walls, your typical Target store holds everything a person could want: clothes, electronics, furniture, office supplies, plants, and even groceries. Convenience is a huge priority for us Americans, and what’s there not to like about a store that has everything?

With the arrival of the new Shoreline Center Target in San Rafael pending approval from City Council, all a prospective fan can do is hope that the community makes the right decision. The primary argument against the installation of a new Target is that it would take business away from local and small businesses. While this may hold some merit, it’s not as if the people of Marin will mindlessly pour cash into Target’s wares. They’ll shop at Target because they want to, because there they can buy milk, browse an extensive CD collection, and pick up a new fern for the living room if they so choose.

Target may take away business, but that’s called a free market, an American privilege where only the most advanced businesses survive.

However, Target’s proposed site isn’t even that great. From any home, at least one grocery store is closer. If developed, Target’s San Rafael chain will be near the current San Rafael Home Depot – on a road past a tight knot of various lights and at least two intersections, a road that is a hassle to get to during any hour with traffic on the road, even from right off the freeway. There’s even a titanic grocery store on en route to the site. So to the righteous defenders of the common man’s business, stop whining. Your mom and pop stores’ will remain, due to the simple fact of location.

But Target didn’t completely forget the common man. Target estimates that it will create up to 300 jobs, potentially throwing the many impoverished, recession-effected members of the Canal district and elsewhere in Marin a lifeline. Also, the city’s Community Development staff estimates that the San Rafael Target will produce a colossal $657,000 in tax revenue, money that could be spent on community centers or children’s playgrounds. You don’t hate children, do you?

Lastly, aside from convenience and community benefit, Target (as far as stores go) is just a fun place to be. The open video game console stations and even just the spacious, high aisles for tag and hide-and-go-seek attract the Lil’ Targeters like moths to a discounted, accommodating flame. As for the adults, the sheer variance of Target’s wares are at least something interesting to look at, if the abounding racks of books and DVD’s don’t interest you, or the shelves upon shelves of home furnishings don’t whet your appetite for a new lamp or bean bag chair.

Target will most likely not harm the small businesses of Marin. Its removed location will protect the businesses that claim Target will destroy them, and even if it does (as harsh as this is), it will just be a product of American capitalism. It offers a variety of products that few stores rival, and prices that fewer stores can match. A San Rafael installation of Target can only be a good thing.

Dear Lincoln,

I really need your help. A few days ago on April Fool’s Day, I was absolutely humiliated!!! I was pranked sooooo much!!! I don’t know who did it, but whoever it was filled my locker with old Indian food and squished rotten bananas into my binders! They even put bleach in the new stainless steel water bottle my mom got me from Lego-Land during Ski Week!!!

I don’t know who would do this to me, but I don’t think that it was any of my teachers because I always sit in the front row and do all of my homework in every class — even in Web Design!!!

 And during P.E., somebody threw a dead opossum at me in the shower after swimming in the pool — gross! Then at lunch, since I couldn’t drink out of my water bottle, I went to the drinking fountain and while I was gone, they spit in the pasta I got from the canteen and dumped mayonnaise all over it!!!

After I threw away my inedible lunch, I was on my way down to meet my friend in the fourth corridor when three people in ski masks threw mud at me from the creek!!!             I went home and cried to my mom while telling her about my bad day, but she told me not to bother her while she was watching reruns of American Idol! I played seven hours of World of Warcraft to lift my spirits, but everyone online just made fun of me some more!!

I feel like none of this would have happened to me if I was cool. I’m so sick of being a nerd; please teach me how to be cool!!

Help me, Lincoln Richards. You’re my only hope,

Darthvader1337

Dear Darthvader1337,

The first rule to being cool is to never use more than one exclamation point no matter what you’re talking about. Furthermore, if the answer to what you did during Ski Week is really “Lego-Land!!!” then we have a serious problem. I went to Lego-Land once in the third grade and thought it was the coolest thing ever—but then I turned 8. You need to have more age appropriate interests—I suggest you take up a sport—and no, Wii Bowling does not count.

On a small side note, if you still have some of that bleach in your water bottle, you could drink some of it to whiten your teeth because all cool people have good dental hygiene. But don’t quote me on that.

Sitting in front of the class and doing your homework is highly overrated. Cool people have better things to do than sit at home reading The Alchemist for English. Instead of doing your math homework you should go hang out with your friends, not your mom.

 Another very important factor to being cool is listening to cool music. If you listen to cool music everyone will instantly like you, no matter what. In order to find out what music is cool, just go around taking people’s headphones out of their ears, even if you don’t know them. To rack up some serious cool points, you can also go buy huge bulky headphones in bright annoying colors and always play music even while you’re talking to other people. Also, make sure to tell people you listen to bands and artists that they’ve never even heard of. It’ll make you sound obscure, mysterious, and exclusive.

If you can manage to follow all of my advice, you will be the coolest kid in school and nobody will throw road kill at you in the P.E. locker rooms ever again.

Your welcome,

Lincoln Richards

Savannah Whitman | JR

With over 1,700 stores in 48 states, Target is looking to open its 237th in California. Although California has the highest population of any state in this country, it has far more Target stores than the runner up, Texas with 143. With so many Target outlets in California, does Marin really need to play host to the next?

This new Target would have been built on Shoreline Parkway near the already existing Home Depot near the San Rafael-Richmond Bridge but was strongly rejected by many after the proposal, and rightly so.

First of all, there are already two Targets within 12 miles of the proposed site of the new one in Novato and Oakland. Have we really come to the point where we need a superstore like Target every twelve miles? The proposed building would take up 137,000 square feet, about one-sixth the size of our entire campus.

 The Target Corporation employs 1.6 million people worldwide and a new Target may seem like it would create jobs for Marin residents. However, Target employs mostly part-time workers instead of full-time workers in order to save money on benefits. This notoriety shows that Target is actually not interested in creating quality jobs in San Rafael.

A Target in San Rafael, which would become the second in Marin, would almost surely devastate the hundreds of small businesses that already exist in the city with its incredibly cheap prices.     

In addition to probably destroying small local businesses, the proposed Target would have a negative impact on the environment. While people would save gas by driving fewer miles to shop at this new Target, this new giant steel box would have to be built and its shelves would need to be stocked on a continual basis. Seeing giant white and red semi-trucks emblazoned with the Target symbol delivering the latest sweatshop products to the behemoth would get pretty old after a few days as well as harm the environment.

With the economy slightly lower than most people would like, what is the harm in shopping at Target if it saves you a few dollars right? Support this corporation if you’d like, you have definitely heard about the factory conditions in which these nice, cheap little Dora the Explorer lunchboxes are made.

Target imports its $15 jeans and other such items from India, Indonesia, Guatemala, Mexico, Bangladesh, Vietnam, as well as many others developing countries with a cheap labor force.

 In a community that prides itself as eco-friendly and caring, it’s hard to believe that anyone would want a new store here that would pollute the environment as well as support sweatshop labor around the world such as Target.

After months of bated anticipation, the empty building that was once a Jack–in-the-Box has been replaced by Chinese-Japanese Fusion, Edo Grill.

Located on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. near Red Hill, Edo Grill has a tasty, yet cheap menu that is perfect for students looking for an alternative to Hot Wok.

The food at Edo Grill is made to order right in front of the customer, and takes less time than it takes to make a burrito at Burritoville.  Edo Grill has many upsides compared to nearby Hot Wok.  Since you can actually see how your food is prepared, you aren’t left to imagine what is happening in the back room, or allowing them to serve you food that’s been sitting in a tray for hours.

Edo Grill’s menu is fairly small, and revolves around meat, rice, noodles, and sushi. I had the Beef Yakisoba Noodles for $7, so much food I actually couldn’t finish it. The Yakisoba Noodles are very similar to the Chow Mein that you would expect to get from any other Chinese restaurant. The Yakisoba Noodles also come with Chicken, as well as just by themselves. Most items that include meat also come with vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, and zucchini stir fried in.

If noodles are not your thing, Edo Grill also has rice options, which include orange and teriyaki chicken, and beef. These are all served on plain white rice, but there is also Chicken Fried Rice available.

Say you do not want Chinese Food, Edo Grill also has Japanese dishes like Chicken Udon Soup, as well as two sushi choices from the menu: a California roll and a mixed sushi roll. These two items are reasonably priced at $4 and $5 respectively.

For those who don’t want a huge lunch, you can also get the kid’s portion of chicken and rice or the kid’s chicken and noodles. The only difference between these two choices is that they are about half the size of the normal versions and can save you about $2 per dish.

If you have a car available to you, or you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, Edo Grill also utilizes the old Jack-in-the-Box drive-through. The food is prepared in an efficient grilling process and is still healthy, despite its speediness.  

Edo Grill is about the size of Burritoville, but you do not feel cramped even though it is not a large space. There is plenty of seating – unlike the three small tables in Hot Wok – and the tables are new. The kitchen is in the open, and the large windows on three sides of the restaurant brighten it up. This makes Edo Grill feel open and spacious even though it isn’t that big.

While Edo Grill is a slightly longer walk than the other places at Red Hill, it is well worth it, and the amount of food that you can get for $6 or $7 makes it a good value. Even though Hot Wok sells its most popular combination for just under $5, Edo Grill is well worth the extra few bucks because of its quality and freshness.

As summer tans fade away and students are once again immersed in a world of textbooks and schedules, they may be feeling desperate for a reprieve from hectic daily life.

Whether you’re an experienced surfer, or just interested in trying something new, our stretch of the California coasts offers a host of great beaches. Assuming the cold water doesn’t scare you off, surfing could be the perfect outlet you need to remind you of more peaceful and adventurous summer days.

The Jolly Roger has profiled some of the best surf shops in Marin, which offer everything you might need to hit the beach including lessons, rentals, boards, and wet suits. As senior Ben Judkins, a frequenter of the surf shops under review, says, “They’re all legit; get out there and surf!”

Proof Lab
254 Shoreline Highway
Mill Valley, CA
(415) 380-8900
www.prooflab.com
10 am-6 pm everyday

3 1/2 Hooks

At Proof Lab, in Mill Valley, customers can choose from a wide selection of surfboards, skateboards, and other popular apparel in a fun and helpful environment. Although the shop only opened in 2004, owners Nathan McCarthy and Will Hutchinson have established a large following of surf and skateboard enthusiasts. “Overall, we are a family oriented surf shop,” said Zach Bloomenfeld, a former Drake student and part-time employee at Proof Lab.

This attitude carries over into their attitude towards helping their customers, especially those new to surfing. Proof Lab offers a summer surf camp through Big Dog surfing as well as private surf and paddle board lessons. For the more daring new surfer, the shop offers affordable equipment rentals.

While Proof Lab doesn’t offer student discounts, there are a lot of sale items for a student budget.

“We’re really good about working with people to give them different options that work for their budget,” said Bloomenfeld.

Live Water
3448 California 1
Stinson Beach, CA
(415) 868-0333
www.livewatersurfshop.com
10am-5pm weekdays;
10am-6pm weekends

4 Hooks

As one of the oldest surf shops in Marin, Live Water Surf Shop has a history of catering to the Stinson Beach community’s advanced surfers, as well as its beginners.

“For new surfers we have a lot of rental equipment and we’ll instruct them as well as we can from the shop or send them to a great surf instructor in Stinson,” said Spencer Norton, an employee at the store.

Live Water was opened in 1978 by Kirby Ferris in a renovated barn house, one of the oldest structures in Stinson Beach. The store opens up to a nice backyard where customers can hang out and relax before hitting the beach. Along with rental gear, Live Water also sells popular brands of surf boards like Bilt and Surf Tech, skateboards, wetsuits, and other clothing.

When asked which store he prefers, Senior and frequent surfer Kai Killion responded, “Live Water’s more of a tourist kind of thing.”

That being said, the current owner and Drake alumni Brenna Gubbins, has worked hard to make surfing at Stinson accessible for everyone. Gubbins does this by offering great sales on clothing and surfing equipment and keeping an hourly update on the weather and surf conditions for the day.

The store’s logo seems to embody their general philosophy of “sharing the stroke and energy of the ocean and the attitude of the beach with all and everyone who wants a taste,” as noted on their website.

2 Mile
22 Brighton Avenue
Bolinas, CA 94924
(415) 868-0264
www.2milesurf.com

5 Hooks

Just a short walk from a beach with great beginner waves, 2 Mile Surf Shop in Bolinas offers beginner long boarding lessons and all the equipment you might need to surf in Bolinas.

“Beyond Santa Cruz it’s the only surf shop on the beach with user friendly waves,” said Drew Reinstein, co-owner if the store since 2009.

Reinstein worked as a Marine Biologist for twenty years before taking an early retirement and purchasing Sonoma Coast Surf Shop in 2008, and then 2 Mile. He always intended to go back to his first career but admitted, “My heart wasn’t in it, running the surf shop is my passion and it’s what I want to do.”

2 Mile focuses on making surfing accessible for everyone. Their prime location is perfect for beginner or experienced surfers. In addition, customers who take surf lessons will get a discount on their gear at the store.

“Bolinas has this reputation of not liking outsiders, but the reality is that there is no attitude against beginners out on the beach or in the store,” Reinstein said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s your first time putting on a wetsuit or you surf all the time.”

MJ Jones crowded Science Fiction. The only empty seat in the photo belongs to the photographer. Alex Allen-Hyma | JR

The 2010 -’11 school year started out with larger class sizes, having an impact on materials, textbooks, and chairs; safety, and teachers’ ability to manage students in their classes.

The average number of students in a California classroom is 29. At the beginning of the Drake school year, more than 15 classes had 35 or more students enrolled.

According to Principal Don Drake, the situation was resolved, and classes became more average-sized during the first few weeks of school. New class periods were created for the overflow students, and classes with a small number of students were filled up so that there were no classes with wasted space.

Information from Jackie Lucero shows that even after these changes, there are still 14 classes, including P.E., that have 35 or more students in them.

Integrated Science and Physics teacher Barton Clark has a Physics section that has 34 students enrolled.  He said with relief that he has enough textbooks for everyone, and manages to work around the fact that there aren’t enough real desks, students sit back at his lab tables, which is not normal for lectures.

Labs don’t proceed as usual either, says Clark, “when I have projects, then there’s overlap right there, so the conflict is I can’t have my labs set out because my lab tables are my lecture tables.”

Vice Principal Eric Saibel said that while the beginning of the school year was hectic, the custodians worked quickly to make sure there were enough desks for the classes that did have a large number of students.

Classroom management is also an important issue when considering class size. “I feel pretty skilled at this point in my career at doing that, but yeah, it adds a whole new dimension of classroom management when you have 35 instead of 25. It’s amazing how different those classes are,” continues Clark.

Clark says he is lucky that his big classes are seniors, which, as a group, are better behaved than younger kids, but his heart goes out to the teachers who have freshmen classes with thirty or so kids in them. When you have too many freshmen, “it becomes, ‘Raise your hand before you talk,’ ‘Don’t hit your neighbor,’ ‘Don’t throw your chair across the room.’”

While most class-size related issues involve classroom management and textbooks and other supplies, overcrowded science classes present a whole new problem: safety. Science classes such as Chemistry use chemicals that are highly dangerous if handled or used improperly. If you have too many students in a class, the chance of an accident happening is that much greater with the added commotion brought on by the extra students in close proximity.

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) states, “Classes containing more than 24 students engaged in science activities cannot safely be supervised by one teacher.” Chemistry teacher Mary Buchanan says that she had a section of Chemistry that had over 30 students until that number was cut down to 28. While that number is still four students over the number recommended by the NSTA, she says 28 is not a problem because of her experience, as well as the fact that her room was designed to handle 28 students, not just 24.

Even without dangerous chemicals, Clark says that safety is still an issue. “Right now I’m going to have six kids around my lab tables, and there is an issue there because there’s only a two foot space in between the tables, so people are jostling back and forth and it does become an issue.”

While class sizes shouldn’t be too big, they shouldn’t be too small either. Clark states, “Having ten kids in class is kind of boring… If you have less than 20, then there’s not enough going on to make it interesting, and if you have more than 30, it becomes a classroom management issue.”

Both Buchanan and Clark have had classes with over 35 students in them a few years ago in this school district and they consider that number too high, especially in Chemistry. “I’ve had up to 160 students before in this district… It’s impossible to do the grading if the parents want me to give their kids personal feedback and write comments on their papers,” says Clark about his workload. “Teachers can’t be expected to do 500 minutes of grading every night.”

There are still 14 classes at Drake that have over 35 students enrolled in them, including P.E., and while the number of these classes was higher during the first two weeks of school, there is still room for improvement.