AP testing is done, finals are under way, and I’ll be leaving soon. If that’s not a good enough excuse to get a little bit crazy, then get off your high horse of prudery and come kick over some trashcans with me.

1. Dead Kennedys – “California Über Alles”

Hey Jerry Brown’s Governor again! Cool I guess.

2. Death From Above 1979 – “Dead Womb”

Great band. Girlfriend saw them live at Coachella for their reunion, it sounded chock full of sweat and blood and dance punk. Sound like Cyrstal Castles to you? It is! Crystal Castles sampled the beginning of this song for that one song they have with all the bleep bloops and stuff.

3. The Beastie Boys – “Heart Attack Man”

Did you know that before they were the super-famous rap group, the Beastie Boys were a punk outfit from Brooklyn? The more you know. RIP Adam Yauch.

4. Black Flag – “TV Party”

Soundtrack to my Sophomore Summer and Senior Spring.

5. The Sonics – “The Witch”

60s garage rock pre-punk perfection.

6. Mohammed Rafi – “Jaan Pehchan Ho”

Yes, this was in a Heineken commercial. An AWESOME Heineken commercial. And Ghost World. And this Bollywood movie. 60s Indian hip-shaking.

7. King Khan and the Shrines – “Land of the Freaks”

I have no witty comments to say about this song.

8. Ty Segall – “The Drag”

Ty Segall is pretty Calicool. I’m too tired to say anything else about this one too ugh. It’s great. It’s great.

9. Minor Threat – “Salad Days”

Minor Threat showed everybody you could be punk and not do drugs, and as this song is evidence of, write meaningful punk diddlies about your lame old fair-weather friends.

10. Minutemen – “Corona”

Yes, this is the Jackass theme song. But before that, it was a great diddly by California’s own Minutemen. Yayyyyyyyyyy.

11. Glen Campbell – “Southern Nights”

I like country music. Not just country music, but bad country music. Hardcore.

Listen to this playlist on Spotify!

According to principal Dwyer, the school is having to reach out to parents this year since the school has recently had a cut in its primary source of funding for the ceremony. Since two years ago, the school used to receive a budget of $10,000 from the school district to spend on graduation. However, this amount has been reduced due to budget cuts, and the school has had to find other ways of obtaining the money it needs.

When the amount of funding from the district was cut, the school set up a campaign called Falcontribution that aimed to encourage parents to donate whatever they could in order to provide the school with the funds that it was lacking. Additionally, the Academics and Athletics Booster Club has become more involved in helping the school acquire funding in the past two years.

Since the beginning of this school year, parents have donated over $12,000 at this point, which in combination with funds raised by the AABC and a few spending adjustments, this year’s graduation ceremony is still on schedule to be held at the end of the year.

In order to avoid future funding deficits, the school now plans to make several changes to the way that it raises money for graduation for next year. One of the biggest changes to be made is that during next year’s registration event, there will be a special booth set up that will ask parents for a donation to aid in the funding of the graduation ceremony. If this does not make enough of a difference, the school will likely hold another donation drive like the one  that was conducted this year.

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Let’s face it: we all enjoy music. Despite how hard the reality is to face, everyone has to eventually accept that different people have different opinions about what “good music” really is. We at Inflight don’t expect you, the reader, to forfeit your opinions about the natural and self-evident superiority of your specific taste. However, it wouldn’t hurt to check out what others are listening to this week, too, specifically us, the writers.

As the end of school looms and the endless prospects of summer near, Foothill needs a playlist that explores the entire emotional spectrum of the coming months. From the pressure to neatly wrap up the school year, to the joys of (relative) summer freedom, to the intense soul-searching that climaxes with the new year, we need the right music to “fit the bill.” I’ve purposely left out any descriptions for the songs below, partially because it’s late, but mostly because I believe that all mediums of art ought to be viewed as transient and not static; they take different forms and leave different impressions based on the environment of the listener. Each of the selected songs has a message that I believe to be relevant to the events to take place in the next several months for Foothill students, regardless of the differences among you.

So without further ado, it is my pleasure to present Inflight’s playlist of the week with only one request: please leave all Vanilla Ice and Black Eyed Peas jokes at the door. Seriously, they’re not funny.

1. David Bowie – “Under Pressure”

2. The Darlings – “Eviction Party”

3. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”

4. Arcade Fire – “Empty Room”

5. Electric Light Orchestra – “Livin’ Thing”

6. Dr. Dog – “Stranger”

7. The Beatles – “I’ve Got A Feeling”

8. Spoon – “The Underdog”

9. STRFKR – “Hungry Ghost”

10. MGMT – “Congratulations”

11. The Rolling Stones – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”

Listen to this playlist on Spotify!

Featuring Luke Nassar, Paige Hughes, Jenessa Ponco, Alia Griese, Kayla Haykin, Athena Lathos, Ryan Alley, Aaron DeVera, and Barron Kim.

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The weather finally agrees: it’s Spring! Although Spring Break will be over in a matter of hours, here’s a playlist to get through the homework you procrastinated on as well as the long Monday ahead…

Compiled by the InFlight staff.

1. Brown Recluse – “Impression Of A City Morning”

2. Yo La Tengo – “Beanbag Chair”

3. Karmin – “Brokenhearted”

4. The Very Best – “Warm Heart of Africa”

5. Holy Ghost! – “Wait & See”

6. Beirut – “No Dice”

7. Blu Mar Ten – “Black Water”

8. Brown Recluse – “Golden Sun”

9. Arcade Fire – “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”

10. Beirut – “The Gulag Orkestar”

11. DI – “Eringzo”

12. The Tallest Man On Earth – “The Gardener”

13. Jenny Owen Youngs – “Nighty Night”

14. Miles Davis – “Bye Bye Blackbird”

Compiled by the InFlight staff.

Listen to this playlist on Spotify!

Schoolwork got you stressed out? Family and friends driving you insane? Despair not, my friends. Let the A-train smooth out those kinks in your life with the finest collection of songs to chill out to. You’ll be ridin’ the rail to sweet nirvana in no time at all…

1. Nujabes- “Counting Stars”

Made by the late celebrated Japanese DJ Nujabes, this slow hip hop and jazz fusion will soothe your mind and literally lull you to sleep. Truly a work of art.

2. Ed Harrison- “Footprint” (NeoTokyo OST)

This composer was hired from a forum to work on the soundtrack for NEOTOKYO. The sounds in this particular piece are hard to describe. Starts off slow with a relaxing piano and soft beat. Later, it moves onto a mournful strings solo. Finally, the entire song “drops” towards the end and erupts in an epic performance that fills you with emotion. Incredibly unique and addicting piece. You can picture yourself walking along a boardwalk as the sun begins to set.

3. Goukisan- “The Travel of a Thought”

Newgrounds is a portal full of aspiring artists, and electronic composer Goukisan is no exception. One of his earlier works, this electronic piece is a hallmark of trance and techno. Give it a shot; I find it’s great for helping you think.

4. Waterflame- “Dark Dreams”

Yet another artist from Newgrounds, this track sounds like something straight out of a movie. An excellent beat combined with synthetic strings and other instruments makes this a great choice to listen to while doing something exciting, like typing an essay. Or something.

5. Sim City 3000- “South Bridge” [OST]

Who can forget this iconic PC game released just after the beginning of 1999? The live jazz performance has a rich feel and really makes you appreciate the sound of a skilled sax player. Don’t be afraid to check it out!

6. MachinimaSound- “Skirt Shaker”

If you’re into a song with slick bass, this is the choice for you! Composed by Jens Kiilstofte, it appeals to people who prefer heavier, club style tunes.

7. Karsh Kale- “Hole in the Sky”

A rather interesting selection, this was made by Indian Underground DJ Karsh Kale, notable for his skill in tabla drumming. He is well known for mixing traditional Indian music with electronica, rock, and ambient themes. It has a laid-back, almost eerie quality to it. Have a listen, it won’t disappoint.

8. Mychael & Jeff Danna- “The Blood of Cuchulainn”

Don’t let the name fool you. This is actually a lively and spirited Celtic piece composed by Canadian brothers Mychael and Jeffrey. Their music has earned them worldwide success, and it’s easy to see why. This piece fills you with inexplicable joy and sends your psyche on a journey through green fields and roaring waters. Then it mellows down to give a calming finale.

9. Approaching Nirvana- “Distorted Glass”

Not quite the American grunge band that so many love and admire, but the music is just as good. The composers Sam and Andrew use the power of the internet to collaborate and compose electronica pieces for all of YouTube to enjoy. This particular piece is upbeat and brings a smile to anyone having a bad day.

10. Jay Chou- “Fragrant Rice”

For those who want a little Asian flair, this song is the one for you. Produced by the popular Taiwanese artist Jay Chou, it provides an inspiring and encouraging message to anyone who might be feeling down. Don’t worry if you can’t understand it, the translation is on the bottom of the video and the music is great either way.

11. Vitamin String Quartet- “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

This group of Los Angeles musicians pays tribute to the band Green Day with a strings instrumental. Sure, the original song might be good, but it sounds pretty incredible when performed with violins.

12. Transglobal Underground- “Khalghi Stomp”

Made by the London-based world fusion group Transglobal Underground, this Indian-themed song is remixed by Thievery Corporation. It has an addicting tempo and relaxing melody. The exotic tones in this electronic piece helps you forget your troubles and sink into a state of relaxation.

13. Ronald Jenkees- “Stay Crunchy”

This feel-good composition by the American musician Ronald Jenkees is incredibly popular in Youtube and Pandora. He mixes a variety of instruments into a symphony that anyone can enjoy.

14. Trans-Siberian Orchestra- “Wizards in Winter”

A particuarly interesting piece is this one, made by the American metalk band Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It’s a unique rendition of Christmas tunes with progressive metal. It’s a brilliant combination and keeps you continually hooked.

15. E.S. Posthumus- “Nara”

This independent duo is notable for creating cinematic, “epic” style music. Named after the city in Japan, Nara is a blend of classical sounds with a modern twist. Strings gently serenade you at first. Then, the music slowly builds up with some woodwind. Despite being made electronically, one can almost feel the passion behind the melodies.

16. Tron Legacy OST- “End of Line”

Daft Punk is a must-have in any playlist, and this is no different. Taken from the soundtrack of the movie Tron Legacy, it has a great retro feel to it. Like a digital dance club, it makes you want to bob your head and look sexy while sitting on your white leather couch with an ice-cold beverage.

17. “The Office Theme Song”

Performed by “The Scrantones,” this classic tune makes anyone feel happy inside for about thirty seconds. Piano and harmonica, gotta love ‘em.

18. Black Violin- “Fanfare”

A rather good song for rapping or dancing, this duo skillfully manipulates the sounds of their strings to emulate a hip hop theme. It results in a surprisingly entertaining piece. Take a listen, it’s guaranteed to be worth your while.

Listen to this playlist on Spotify!

Also attending was a various assortment of parents, teachers, and administrators. Two of our own Inflight staff went to the luncheon: Evelyn Minaise (’12), an honorable mention, and Kauhleen Mangayan (’12) in fourth place. Not only were outstanding essays recognized, but artwork submitted in the contest was displayed as well.

The school spared no expense in the event. Everything was well-organized and stocked. Judi Palin and Vice principal Mr. Gorton were responsible for planning the luncheon. Gorton explained that “an amazing amount of work and preparation went into the event.” He was proud of the parents stepping up to be judges and that the “work is rewarding.” AABC Vice President Gillian Holmes managed to get Castlewood Country club to donate the food and utensils. In the back, students from the Foothill catering class were hard at work bring the plates of pasta and salad to the tables while clearing away used silverware. One of them, Jon Wright (’12) said it was “a good experience and pretty fun.”

The reception came after the guests had eaten. After a speech from administrators, the winners and honorable mentions lined up and received a thunderous ovation from the crowd. There was great variety among the students there. Honorable mention Vivian Hare (’12) wrote about tragedy and responsibility, and remarked that the event “looks classy.” Katherine Downey (’12) placed in the top five in both her junior and senior year. She told us that the writing “was very personal and that made it easier. It should not be forced.” Downey also noted that the food was delicious.

One of the parents, Roberto Mangayan, said that he was “proud and honored for the award. She will always be my sweet girl.” Afterwards, the first-place winners from each grade had a chance to read their essays in the front. They also received $100 in prize money. A full list of the winners can be found at http://foothillfalcons.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=244376&id=0.

In all, it was a highly successful event, and the students went away with a great accomplishment under their belts.