Volume 6 Issue 3

TO THE COMMUNITIES OF STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL, TRIBECA, AND BATTERY PARK CITY

The Stuyvesant Standard “Your School, Your World—Your News” 

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Volume VI, Issue III

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Friday, October 6, 2006 Ethnocentrism at Stuyvesant

E. Coli Outbreaks Linked to Past Warnings

Opinions P/7

Science P/12

Students Relish the New Deli Bar

New Perspective on Harvard's Decision News P/3

Got a question? A comment? Visit our newly launched Website! www.stuystandard.org

News P/3

Chavez: President Bush is the “Devil” BY LAURENCE HUANG STAFF WRITER Getty Images

“The devil came here yesterday,” Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said, referring to Bush, drawing gasps and even giggles from the audience. On Wednesday, September 20, Chavez verbally attacked President Bush and the United Nations, while addressing the

This year, the PSAT/NMSQT will be given on October 18 and 21. Stuyvesant High School will administer the test on Oct. 18; it will be mandatory for all sophomores and juniors. However, many students and parents are unsure what the test actually is. PSAT stands for “preliminary SAT.” NMSQT stands for National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test. The test is a practice for the SAT Reasoning Test, and it also allows students to enter the National Merit Schol-

The College Board recently announced the scores for the new SAT on August 29. This was the first SAT to contain a writing section. According to Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, “The addition of writing has made the SAT a better measure of the skills students need to succeed in college and later in life.” Fifty-four percent of those who took the SAT were female, while 46 percent were male. On the new writing section, which

contained a multiple-choice portion as well as an essay, females scored higher than males. The average score for both males and females on the writing section was 497 out of a possible 800. Females scored an average of 502 and males scored an average of 491. The class of 2006 scored approximately seven points lower than last year’s class on the math and critical reading sections combined. This was the biggest score drop in 31 years. The College Board believes that this was beContinued on Page 4

Continued on Page 5

The PSAT/NMSQT: What Is It? BY JENNIFER SCHLESINGER EDITOR IN CHIEF

BY NEETA MALVIYA STAFF WRITER

corbis

Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, at the U.N. General Assembly.

U.N. General Assembly. He accused Bush of speaking “as if he owned the world” and recommended a psychiatrist to come in and analyze the president’s statements. Chavez further criticized Bush, who had spoken to the General Assembly the day before, by likening him to the devil. Standing at the podium, he exclaimed, “It still smells of sulfur today,” before continuing his rant on how America is a malicious empire. “As the spokesman of imperialism, he [Bush] came to share his nostrums to try to preserve the current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of the world. Holding up a book on imperialism written by Noam Chomsky, Chavez recommended it to the members of the audience, claiming it was an excellent book that encapsulated his arguments. “I think that the first people who should read this book are our brothers and sisters in the United

Results of the New SAT

ars Corporation (NMSC) programs. Included with the test is the Student Search Service, which students may opt out of. The service sends students’ names, addresses, genders, birth dates, schools, grade levels, ethnicities, e-mail addresses, and intended college majors to over 1,500 colleges, scholarship organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Students who do not opt out of the program will receive large quantities of mail and emails. On test day, students should Continued on Page 4

Inhaling the fumes given off at Ground Zero could result in unforeseen effects.

9/11’s Effect on Stuyvesant Alumni BY JIMMY ZHANG NEWS EDITOR

September 11 had a great after effect: the deadly fumes from Ground Zero. Even though the students attending Stuyvesant at the time were engulfed in a huge cloud of dust, they returned to school less than a month later, before the flames were even put out. Was that a smart decision? After the attack, the students were told not to drink the tap wa-

ter or open the windows. People in biohazard suits monitored the air of the school constantly. More than 170 Stuyvesant alumni have petitioned for a government-sponsored study of the effects on the students. Amit Friedlander (’02) recently earned a degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Not long ago, he discovered a small lump below his collarbone. Continued on Page 6

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Friday, October 6, 2006 NEWS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD  Founded 2001

      “Your School, Your World—Your News” 

Executive Leadership Team FACULTY ADVISER EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR CO-CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CO-CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER LAYOUT EDITOR COPY CHIEF NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SCIENCE EDITOR BUSINESS EDITOR LITERARY EDITOR WEBMASTER DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM FOUNDER EDITOR EMERITUS

Publication THE STUYVESANT STANDARD is a nonprofit and nonpartisan publication produced by the students of Stuyvesant High School. THE STUYVESANT STANDARD distributes 2,000 free copies on a bi-weekly basis to the students and faculty of Stuyvesant High School and throughout the adjoining neighborhoods of TriBeCa and Battery Park City. THE STUYVESANT STANDARD welcomes letters from its readers. THE STUYVESANT STANDARD reserves the right to edit any published material. The viewpoints of contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Standard staff. Copyright ©2006 THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Contact Us Please direct all correspondence to: THE STUYVESANT STANDARD 345 Chambers Street New York, NY 10282-1000 [email protected] Find us on the web at www.stuystandard.org

Advertising

BY KENNETH LAM STAFF WRITER

On September 16 and 17, hundreds of people filed into Brooklyn Technical High School near the Fulton Street Mall. Their objective was to gather information on high schools such as Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech. This was the New York City High School Fair. The High School Fair is an annual event geared towards informing prospective students about various New York City high schools. The specialized high schools set up shop in the gym of Brooklyn Tech. There, representatives of Stuyvesant, who were mostly Big Sibs and Arista members, would talk about Stuyvesant and all that it has to offer. The general audience for this year’s High School Fair comprised parents and eighth graders.

However, those were not the only people present. There were even sixth grade visitors. Tracy Mak, junior and Arista member, said, “[The] crowd [was] diverse with many parents interested in Stuy.” The atmosphere was also very

An aerial view of Brooklyn Technical High School, the location the High School Fair.

bright. David Yin, junior and Arista member, said, “It was very festive and crowded.” However, the fair was not all fun and games. Representatives Continued on Page 4

Pope Expresses Regret Over Speech BY SANGHEE CHUNG STAFF WRITER

On September 17, Pope Benedict XVI hoped to abate Muslim anger by offering an apology for an offensive speech that referred to Islam as “evil and inhumane.” “I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address which were considered offensive,” he said, according to the official English translation. “These were in fact quotations

from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought.” The statement was issued out of worry about recent violence and attacks as well as the possible change in the Pope’s status as a neutral figure for peace. His apology was reported as one the first recent statements of personal regret made by a pope. “This is really, really abnormal,” said Alberto Melloni, a history professor at the University of Modena. “It’s never hapContinued on Page 4 Reuters/Osservatore Romano

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High School Fair At Brooklyn Tech

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DR. JOHN NIKOL JENNIFER SCHLESINGER DEREK WENG DIANE CHEN KHOI NGUYEN FANNY TANG DANNY ZHU JIMMY ZHANG PRISCILLA MELO EMMA RABINOVICH ERIC MAYO JOSEPH KRUTOV HANFORD CHIU LADA KUKUY JESSE ZHANG BENNETT HONG DANIEL EGERS (‘03) ERNEST BASKIN (‘04)

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Pope Benedict meets Islamic nations ambassadors and Italian Islamic leaders at his summer residence in Castelgandolfo outside Rome.

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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Friday, October 6, 2006 NEWS

New Perspective on Harvard’s Decision lege using the early admission program can give a student an advantage in return for a promise to attend if admitted. Furthermore, the college saves money on financial aid because students accepted early have little room for negotiation and an admissions officer will not need to worry about the student attending a more prestigious college instead. Although it may be losing some of its potential students, Harvard still exerts a great impact on applying students. Although the U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Princeton as the number one college this year and other colleges may provide better education than Harvard does, students still ultimately choose Harvard over Duke, Princeton, Yale and Stanford, according to a study. There are, however, certain limitations to Harvard’s domi-

BY SANGHEE CHUNG STAFF WRITER

Harvard’s recent plan to end its early admissions program may be the start of a similar trend at other colleges. Often viewed as the model for other colleges, Harvard is known for setting such trends accepted by other schools. As of next year, Harvard plans to abandon its early admission process to increase financial aid opportunities and reduce the pressure of applying. Harvard officials, however, argued that the decision will also help well-off students who do not need to compare financial aid offers. “We’re thrilled,” said Laurie Kobick, a counselor at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, to The New York Times. “I think it’s going to make admissions better in so many ways.”

Students gathering in a grassy area inside the Harvard campus. Harvard recently planned to end early admissions.

By eliminating their early admissions programs, some colleges would be losing their best applicants. By admitting up to half of the freshman class, a col-

October 17: PA Meeting October 18: PSAT Exam (special schedule will be posted shortly) October 25: Distribution of Report Cards October 26: Open School Evening 6 - 8:30 p.m. October 27: Open School Afternoon 1 - 3 p.m. October 29: DST Ends Move Clocks Back 1 Hour

CLUB SPOTLIGHT

Cure the Kids BY MAY YEE CHOI SENIOR COLUMNIST

a lot of students were leaving to go to deli-style restaurants like Subway and Blimpie. “We want to feed the students in the school,” Nevins said. So far, the deli has been a large attraction for the students. The line is often as long as those of the more traditional lunch lines that serve pizza, burgers and chicken. “Some people have to wait for such a long time for a sandwich and now they just stand in a line for that,” said senior Taanzila Moin. Nevins agrees that having three lines instead of the previous two allow lines to move faster. Continued on Page 6 TSS/Bennett Hong

The new deli bar allows students to create their own sandwiches.

October 13: End of First Marking Period

Cure the Kids is a service club whose “primary goal is to raise money for organizations and foundations aimed at curing kids of disease,” as senior Mai Huynh, current president of the club, puts it. Whatever money is donated to or raised by the club through bake sales, candy sales, and other creative events usually goes to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), which is dedicated to finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Senior Wendy Shen, vice president of the club, adds that Cure the Kids “tries to provide opportunities to help diseased children in real situations.” Perhaps one of the most successful and popular events held by Cure the Kids last year was the Holiday Toy Drive in December. Huynh recalls, “It was an amazing event that I hope will continue for many years to come. We touched so many people and donated everything to shelters for the homeless.” Members of Cure the Kids, as well as many other Stuyvesant students, brought in toys and gifts to donate to the homeless during the holiday season. Cure the Kids collaborated with other Stuyvesant service clubs in the Holiday Toy Drive as well, including Arista, Key Club, and Building with Books. “People actually remember the toy drive. I’ve had people ask me

if we’re going to do it again,” says Huynh. In terms of hopes and expectations for Cure the Kids for this school year, Huynh responds, “I definitely hope to make a bigger impact at Stuy. I want to make it a tradition, and allow our ideas to continue even after my cabinet leaves this year. If we can do that, it will be amazing.” Shen jdrf.org

A new deli bar was opened on the first day of school in Stuyvesant’s student cafeteria as part of the School Food Service’s plan to get more students to eat in the school, said Maureen Nevins, the manager of the School Food Service. The new deli bar allows students to make their own sandwiches with a variety of breads and toppings. During colder weather, the deli bar will also sell hot drinks including hot chocolate, decaffeinated coffee and tea. Nevins made plans to start the deli bar after she noticed that

October 9: School Closed (Columbus Day)

Continued on Page 6

Students Relish the New Deli Bar BY APRIL DALEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

OCTOBER EVENTS

The logo of JDRF, a non-profit foundation that Cure the Kids helps fundraise for.

also wants to “extend awareness of the club, attract many new members, have more events, and hold another successful toy/book drive.” Cure the Kids may not be as huge a service club as Arista or Key Club, but Huynh feels that “last year, we brought new things to Stuy and other, less fortunate people. We’ve definitely made a difference.” In addition, “Cure the Kids is a tightly knit club. The officers basically know everyone,” describes Huynh. Anyone interested in joining Cure the Kids should e-mail Mai Huynh at [email protected] ◙

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Friday, October 6, 2006 NEWS

Remake of Segregation BY IVAN TSE STAFF WRITER

The PSAT/NMSQT: What Is It?

will be open next summer with a small initial fee to pay for the upkeep. Unearthing the pool also unearths painful recollections of racism. This pool was where the white children learned to swim and had their fun while black children had to find in other places. “These black boys around here… they wanted to use that pool,” said Lindy Goodwin, who once worked at the mill near the pool. “The boys, they used to go to the branches, anywhere where there was water,” said Goodwin, referring to the local creeks. The pool may have been closed because of problems with segregation. Many white children did not understand why the pool had to be closed and were outraged. “It just hurt their feelings awful, because they couldn’t un-

Continued from Page 1

bring number 2 pencils and erasers and an approved calculator (see www.collegeboard.com for details). The PSAT/NMSQT is two hours and 10 minutes long and is composed of five sections. There are two critical reading and two math sections, as well as one writing section. Students receive three separate scores, which are added to make their composite score. Each score is out of 80, with 20 being the lowest possible score. The three scores measure critical reading, math problem solving, and writing skills. The test is scored

mate of what the student’s SAT Reasoning Test scores will be. To qualify for National Merit, a student must take the PSAT/NMSQT during his or her junior year of high school (special rules apply for those who finish high school in less than four years) and be an American citizen or permanent resident who intends to become a citizen. The student must also be recommended by his or her high school principal, have strong high school academic records, and obtain high SAT scores. In the fall of every year, about 50,000 seniors receive eicollegeboard.com

A local real estate developer discovered something sticking out of the ground as he poked into the ground, trying to find the remains of old buildings at the area. It turns out that he found a pool, 100 feet long and 30 feet wide, that had been forgotten for over 30 years. It was a pool like any other, but since it was the 1970’s and it was located in Mississippi, the pool was segregated, only providing summer delights to the white children. Now that it has been rediscovered, Gilbert Carmichael, a businessman and a former political candidate, decided to take this opportunity to excavate the pool and open it to all races. He spent $25,000 of his company’s money for the project. The pool

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Continued on Page 6 New York Times

Information regarding the PSAT/NMSQT can be found on Collegeboard.com

A swimming pool in Stonewall, Miss., was filled in with truckloads of red dirt in the 1970’s. It is now being revived by Tom Sebring, left, and Gilbert Carmichael.

Results of the New SAT Continued from Page 1

cause of the new format of the test. Due to the new format some test takers might have changed their strategies, which could have led to the decline. Math scores fell two points and reading scores fell five points. Some people felt that the length of the test contributed to the lower scores, but research showed that fatigue was

percent of the essays required a third person to grade it. The average score was 7.2 out of 12. Eight percent of the essays were written in the standard fiveparagraph form. Half of the essays were written in first person and received an average score of 6.9 compared to 7.2. Fifteen percent of the essays were written in cursive and 85 percent were writ-

like the SAT in that there is a penalty for a wrong answer. A student gets one point for each correct answer, no points for questions left blank, and loses one quarter of a point for each incorrect answer. There is no wrong question penalty for free response math questions. In December, students receive their score reports from school. They contain the students’ answers to every question, the correct answers, and the questions’ level of difficulty. There are three levels of difficulty: easy, medium and hard. There is an analysis of what problems the student has in each section. The score report also contains an esti-

ther letters of commendation for their work or a letter stating that they are a National Merit semifinalist. Letters of commendation are awarded to students who score between the 95th and 99th percentiles. Semifinalists are those who score within the upper 99th percentile of their state. There are about 16,000 semifinalists in the United States each year. About 90 percent of semifinalists become finalists, which means they are eligible for scholarship money. ◙

The class of 2006 scored approximately seven points lower than last year’s class on the math and critical reading sections combined. This was the biggest score drop in 31 years. not a factor. An analysis conducted on 700,000 students showed no difference between scores on tests with or without a writing section. The essay for the 2006 SAT asked students to provide a point of view on an issue and support it with examples. Each essay was scored by two people. Only three

ten in print. Those who wrote in cursive scored slightly higher than those who wrote in print. This was considered to be purely coincidental and not statistically significant. The results also showed that those with longer essays generally received slightly higher grades. ◙ THE UNOFFICIAL PIZZA PLACE OF STUYVESANT

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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Friday, October 6, 2006 NEWS

Chavez: President Bush is the “Devil” Reuters/Mark Dye

Continued from Page 1

States.” “The American empire is doing all it can to consolidate its hegemonist system of domination, and we cannot allow President Bush to do that. We cannot allow world dictatorship to be consolidated.” Chavez did not waste time on condemning the United Nations either, claiming that the General Assembly was “merely a deliberative organ” that meets only once a year. He also drew attention to his personal doctor and his chief of security, who were detained in a locked airplane, instead of arriving and attending the General Assembly. Calling this injustice “another abuse, another abuse of power on the part of the devil,” Chavez was convinced that the United Nations should be moved to somewhere else. He recommended Venezuela. As he neared the end of his speech, the Venezuelan president declared that he is not an extremist. Instead, he explained how American imperialists judge peo-

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez salutes a crowd before his speech at a Baptist Church in the Harlem section of New York.

can imperialism. Chavez closed his speech as he was met with applause by saying, “It smells of sulfur here, but God is with us, and I embrace you all. May God bless us all. Good day to you.” The reactions from United States officials differed. John Bolton, the ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the speech, saying, “I think that

ple everywhere by their skin color. Despite his earlier comments about the “American empire” and President Bush, Chavez insisted he is a friend to the American people, referring to them as “people deceived by their dictator.” Chavez further insisted that the United States is on its way down and how a new movement will rise up against Ameri-

High School Fair At Brooklyn Tech

Pope Expresses Regret Over Speech Continued from Page 2

Continued from Page 2

against the Vatican and Christians on the Internet. In Somalia, an Italian nun and her bodyguard were shot several times and killed. It remains unknown whether the Pope’s words were the cause. Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

pened as far as I know.” The Pope’s comments led to the firebombing of five churches in the West Bank and Iraq and the questioning of whether his speeches were undergoing a bureaucratic transition. Some people felt that the reactions were caused by a misunderstanding of what the Pope actually meant. “The message the pope intended was a call for genuine dialogue of cultures and religions,” said Joann Sambs, a nun. “Resorting to violence to solve conflict is opposed to our deepest understanding of God, whether we are Jew or gentile, Muslim or Christian.” In his speech, he did not mention whether or not he agreed with his quotations on Islam and violence, but later distanced himself from them. However, protests still continued across the Muslim world. Tho usa nd s o f M usl i ms marched against Pope Benedict in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, waving green Hamas banners and condemning the pope as a coward. In Iran, theological students protested at Qum, a center for religious study. Several Iraqi groups also posted threats

Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful during his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican.

Benedict often chooses to write his own speeches. Vatican officials had previously expressed concern about the reaction among Muslims and how the media would portray it. Officials said that this concern was brought up by the chain of command, but it was uncertain if it had reached. ◙

[Chavez’s] rhetoric today shows exactly what kind of man he is.” At Capitol Hill, Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) was more passionate. “You don't come into my country; you don't come into my congressional district and criticize my president.” Rangel added that “it would be crazy to think that Americans do not feel offended.” Governor George Pataki called for a united front by Americans from all political parties to stand together against Chavez. “This person has no right coming to our country to criticize our president,” Pataki said. “He can take his cheap oil and do something for the poor people of Venezuela.” U.S. officials regularly call the Venezuelan leader a destabilizing force, and Bush has said Chavez is a threat to democracy. Chavez has called Bush a “devil” in the past. ◙

had to work constantly on their feet, answering questions, walking around with fliers and writing the date of the Stuyvesant Open House onto fliers for the convenience of parents. Over the course of two days, over 1,500 families visited the Stuyvesant table. By the end of the first day, representatives were exhausted. Yin said, “I felt very tired and worn out after being in the fair for three hours, but I felt that it was a fun experience.” Despite this, the main organizers of the Fair said that the turnout this year was in fact lower than that of previous years. Although the atmosphere was bright and festive, some of the prospective students were not. Many were uptight, and as Mak put it, “[They were] nervous and determined to try.” This attitude was reflected in the questions asked during the fair. Mak answered many questions during the fair. One such question was, “Is Stuy challenging?” This question was, in fact, on the tongues of many students who entered the fair trying to find some information about Stuyvesant. Eighth graders and parents weren’t the only people with questions at the fair. Students and representatives from the other

specialized high schools went over to the Stuyvesant table with their own questions. Some representatives came from LaGuardia, while others came from Bronx Science. Parent Coordinator Harvey Blumm has been in charge of the High School Fair on Stuyvesant’s behalf for four years as a parent coordinator. However, his experience as a Stuyvesant representative goes back about nine years; at first, he was a parent volunteer. Having represented Stuyvesant for many years, Blumm noticed a positive trend in the attitudes of the parents attending the fair. In describing this trend, Blumm stated, “Many families 8 or 10 years ago felt that if they didn’t get their child into any of the specialized high schools, their only option was to send their children into private schools.” When asked whether the fair had succeeded, Blumm summed up his sentiments into one word: “Definitely.” Parents were given a better chance to see a picture of Stuyvesant life and learn about the process of admissions. And how Blumm feels about the fair in general? “I love interacting with parents and the seventh and eighth graders.” ◙

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Friday, October 6, 2006 NEWS

Students Relish the New Deli Bar

New Perspective on Harvard’s Decision

bagel bar as well.” The only problem is the lack of space, said Nevins. Nevins said that school lunch in Stuyvesant will continue to improve as more varied things are introduced. For now, students can at least continue to look forward to the hot drinks in the winter. ◙

Continued from Page 3

“[The deli bar] is a great alternative to pizza because pizza really isn’t that healthy,” freshman Hui Ting said. A bagel bar could be in the works, according to Nevins. “Other schools have bagel bars, and salad bars. We already have a salad bar. I would like to start a

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Continued from Page 3

TSS/Bennett Hong

nance. Approximately 20 percent of students admitted decide to turn down Harvard. If early admissions did not exist, many more accepted students would still be able to resist the urge to attend Harvard. Meanwhile, MIT, Stanford and Yale allow students admitted early to apply to other colleges, opening up to the competition and deciding that a fairer admissions process is worth it. “There is no question about it: early admissions advantages the advantaged,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard’s dean of admissions. “It’s truly tilted.”

Some schools have praised Harvard’s decision, but have decided not to follow its path, while others felt it would enhance diversity. Currently, officials from Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, Princeton and Yale have stated that they do not have immediate plans for change. On the other hand, the presidents of Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Barnard and seven other liberal arts colleges have considered removing early admissions. According to the College Board, about 415 colleges currently offer early admissions programs. ◙

Remake of Segregation Continued from Page 4

Stuyvesant students waiting on the line for the deli bar.

9/11’s Effect on Stuyvesant Alumni Continued from Page 1 Corbis

Friedlander’s Hodgkin's disease could be linked to his exposure to the toxic fumes given off at Ground zero.

Now 22, he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a white blood cell cancer. He fears that his cancer may be linked to the inhalation of fumes on the fateful day. Friedlander will be undergoing chemotherapy for six months. Edna Golandsky, his mother, said, “When he was diagnosed, the air quality at his school was the first thing I thought about.” “I'm angry that I'm sick . . . and I think of how my Hodgkin’s could be linked to going to school at Ground Zero,” he said. Other students have become worried. Lila Nordstrom, the leader of the petition, got a wakeup call from all the reports of people dying and contracting illnesses from the deadly gases.

She used the EPA’s false assurances and the city’s promise that Stuyvesant had been completely cleared of poisonous gases to drive her petition. Four months after the incident, it had been found that the building’s vents hadn’t been properly cleaned. When parents filed a lawsuit, the school department agreed to clean the ventilation system — in the summer of 2002. “They'd say to us, ‘Everything is great,’” says Danny Newman (’02). “It was surreal.” As about 3,000 students were attending Stuyvesant at that time, Nordstrom has made it her goal to have lifelong health insurance for all who were affected, and medical monitoring and treatment for those who develop pollutionrelated diseases. Recently, Jerrold Nadler, the congressman representing lower Manhattan, filed a bill to provide health care coverage to anyone who has attended a school full of toxins from the World Trade Center disaster. ◙

derstand why they didn’t have a place to swim anymore,” said Ardell Covington, 87, a former mayor of the town. Pools all over the South closed in that period. Many pools stayed closed while others, such as the huge pool at Audubon Park in New Orleans, reopened over time. People couldn’t accept the idea of two races swimming in the same pool. In April 1960, a group of blacks went into an all-

white beach as part of an early civil rights protest. As a result, whites rioted and several blacks were beaten and shot. These conflicts and problems led to the closing of pools and “aroused all these racist fears,” said John Dittmer, a historian. The pool, soon to be uncovered and reopened, will bring back memories and experiences. It is a living piece of history being unearthed. ◙

Do you want to earn some money? Are you desperate to get rid of those review books that you will never open again?

There is a solution to your problem! The Stuyvesant Standard is now introducing new section – Sell Your Review Books, at the affordable and cheap introductory rate of 3 percent of the selling price. You can advertise your review books to not only the student community at Stuyvesant High School, but also to parents, teachers, the surrounding Tribeca area. An email with your books listed will also be sent to The Standard’s web group. Interested? Email Khoi Nguyen, The Chief Finacial Officer, at [email protected] with your Name, ID, contact info, and list of books with prices and conditions the books are in that you want to sell. This is an opportunity that cannot be missed!

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Ethnocentrism BY AMNA AHMAD STAFF WRITER

I think it’s about time the students of Stuyvesant High School took a few moments to reflect on what sort of facade they convey to other students across the city. Consider for a moment that Stuyvesant is a country with its own race of “Stuy –peoples”. If so, what would be thought of us by foreign peoples (students) from other countries (high schools)?

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Friday, October 6, 2006 OPINIONS/ BUSINESS

What’s a Broadway Show Doing At The U.N.?

dents, most responded “yes”, without even a thought otherwise. But if true, what makes us smarter, and what gives us the right to make such an ungrounded generalization? The answer would be absolutely nothing. Just as any race does not possess the right to call other races inferior, our high school population has no right to look down on other populations of high school students. It’s comforting to note that our school is held to such high esteem by its students. However,

book at the audience. Not surprisingly, when he finished his inspiring speech, he received a standing ovation, accompanied by giggles, from some of the world’s most powerful and affluent people. Who was this valiant man? It was not Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, whose speech was far less memorable. In fact, the most prominent speech this year was delivered by none other than Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, who held up Noam Chomsky’s “Hegemony Or Survival: The Imperialist Strategy of the United States” and

BY GUERGANA BORRISOVA STAFF WRITER

bths.org

The United Nations, as its name implies, is a place where leaders from around the world meet, discuss major issues and try to come up with resolutions that they can agree on, to help make this world a safer, more peaceful place for everyone. The most notorious speaker this year passionately criticized the policies of the United States administration, going as far as to call president Bush “the devil,” calling for major reform in the way the United Nations is operated, and frantically waving a

Continued on Page 8 Reuters/Jeff Zelevansky

Brooklyn Tech students, shown above taking a test, are looked down upon by many students at Stuyvesant.

In accordance with the insight I’ve gathered from interviews and past experiences with Stuy- peoples, the majority of students believe that Stuy-peoples are superior to other races of high school students in a multiplicity of aspects. When asked whether they are smarter than other stu-

what if such confidence has subconsciously transformed into a certain degree of conceit? What sort of impression is it giving our peers on the other side of the land bridge? All of these questions are difficult to answer simply because we’ve learned to antiContinued on Page 8

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez holds up a satellite map of the world during a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York, September 20, 2006.

Oil Prices Settle In 6-Month Low: Good Tidings or the Calm Before the Storm? BY HANFORD CHIU BUSINESS EDITOR

on United States offshore oil rigs. Also, the slowdown of conflict with the nuclear program of Iran, which is the world’s second largest oil provider, helped to allow oil prices to drop. Recently, BP P.L.C.’s restoration of oil production in Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay Corbis

On September 25, oil futures went below $60 a barrel, something that had not happened since March 10. However, the price shot back up nearly $2 to pass $60 before the market closed, perhaps foretelling that the market cannot handle oil prices below $60. As oil prices fell, gasoline prices fell with them. A study carried out by Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations in the United States showed that retail gasoline prices had dropped nearly 24 cents a gallon in the past two weeks. The national average for self-serve regular was about $2.42 on Friday, according to the survey. However, these amounts are still about 70 percent higher than the average gas prices in fall last year.

Oil prices have fallen by more than 20 percent since the July peak of above $78 a barrel, and they continue to fall, thanks to many factors such as rising global inventories, the end of the summer driving season, and the lack of further hurricane incidents

Oil prices have fallen by more than 20 percent since the July peak above $78 a barrel.

after a long shutdown also helped relieve oil demands in America. However, the price drops may not last for long. Iran is threatened with United Nations sanctions in the upcoming weeks if it does not stop its nuclear enrichment program, to which Iran responded with possible threats to cut off its oil exports. Furthermore, the Organization of Petroleu m E xp ortin g Co untrie s (OPEC) has insinuated that oil prices below $60 could prompt talk of a production cut. Nevertheless, unless there is a major conflict involving Iran or other major oil-exporting countries, a surge in American demand for oil, or changes by OPEC cartel members, oil prices can be expected to continue to fall and the American economy will benefit as a result. ◙

Page 8

Friday, October 6, 2006 OPINIONS/ BUSINESS

What’s a Broadway Show Doing At The U.N.? Continued from Page 7

was not afraid to use his freedom of speech to clearly state his opinions on the world as he sees it. Although his performance was very entertaining, the way our society and media responded to it was much less amusing. Newspapers printed front page stories, including plenty of “selected” pictures, that made

have something to say that is of great significance. Rarely can both of these qualities be found in the same person, much less used effectively at such an important world event. His performance was so impressive that it would not have been out of place on a Broadway show, and perhaps he should start offering acting lessons to his fellow politicians, who could use

him sound and look like a lunatic. They weren’t necessarily meant in a disrespectful way, but he was nonetheless portrayed as a very comical figure, certainly not someone we would take seriously when it comes to global issues. However, what he did was the only way to get our attention. The truth is, had he given a clichéd speech about global warming, war and how the United States needs to stop interfering in other countries’ policies, he would not have gotten any publicity. Today, it is just as important, if not more so, to be able to get people’s attention as it is to

some help in gaining the attention of the public. But in the end, Hugo Chavez is not only a revolutionary man, president of one of the world’s largest oil-producing countries, but also a hero to many. He has spoken up for more than just Venezuela, for more than South America. His ideas represent many nations who simply don’t have the courage to speak up, much less put up a show like that. Thank you, Mr. Chavez, for standing up to the bully. ◙

Ethnocentrism lar to: “I’m sure you think you’re all so smart because you go to Stuyvesant but...” or “Just because this is Stuyvesant doesn’t mean that you are above learning this.” Hence, I find it fitting to say that the population of Stuyvesant High school should halt its egotistical assumption that it is the supreme population envied by everyone. Just as a nation cannot consider itself above others, neither can a population of high school students call themselves

Continued from Page 7

assimilate with the other high school communities around the city. We further separate ourselves and find some sort of justification to claim we are the closest to perfect students. The only proof we have that we may be better performers than other students is one trivial and almost irrelevant exam that approximately 30,000 students take annually and only a small percentage pass. I asked whether these figures could indeed be used as evidence toward our intelligence. While many Stuypeoples were comfortable that the test may be used as legitimate proof of their intelligence, others changed their minds about their pre vious connota tion s an d thought that the success of our students may have resulted from individual incentive. If you ask me, the test examines self motivation and junior high school preparation far more than actual potential. Similarly, an anonymous Sophomore responded to the question of comparative intelligence with the following reply: “I think it’s true that we do better on tests, but that’s just because people here are mostly nerds.” Although most of us have been discomfited to admit it, we are often mocked by others since we believe we are smarter or more talented. After all, it is a sheer inevitability that one hasn’t heard from a teacher words simi-

bxscience.edu

Today, it is just as important to be able to get people’s attention as it is to have something to say that is of great significance.

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Many Stuyvesant students do not consider students of Bronx Science, shown above, are their intellectual equal.

superior, no matter what the nature of the other schools may be. This almost ethnocentrism needs to be exorcised out of the minds of Stuyvesant students in order to humble them, and for the Stuyvesant name to become more respected by outside groups with the current perspective that all Stuyvesant students are pretentious to an embarrassing degree. ◙

General Motors to Consider IndustryChanging Mergers Reuters/John Hillery

BY KENNETH YU STAFF WRITER

General Motors is in the midst of a groundbreaking move that has the potential to significantly impact the car industry. In a recent report from the auto trade publication Automotive News, G.M. has discussed a possible merger or alliance between industry players. Negotiations began in July after Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan and Renault discussed the possibility with G.M. CEO Rick Wagoner. Investor Kirk Kerkorian’s investment company, Tracinda Corporation, asked G.M.’s board to consider some kind of alliance with Renault and Nissan. Renault and Nissan are receptive to including G.M. in their partnership and purchasing a 20 percent minority interest in it for $3 billion. The deal is now in the process of a 90-day review by G.M.

Ford Motor Company world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. Senior executives at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have discussed a merger or alliance, industry newspaper Automotive News reported on Monday.

Tracinda currently has a 9.9 percent stake in G.M.’s shares. If Renault and Nissan each buy a 10 percent stake, they will collectively be the largest shareholder and could make much-needed

changes within the company. With such control, Ghosn could take over Wagoner’s post. Ghosn, the “miracle worker,” revived the failing Nissan company when he took over as CEO

in 1999. His policy of strict costcutting saved Nissan from bankruptcy and succeeded in executing a turnaround. By closing plants and culling 21,000 employees, Ghosn revived the Nissan brand and successfully launched Infiniti, its luxury car division. If the proposed partnership goes forward, it will reshape the global automotive industry and may give struggling G.M. the aid it needs to revive. G.M., the nation’s largest automaker, faces tough competition from Asia-based automakers and has been cutting budgets in an attempt to reverse multibillion-dollar losses; it lost $10.6 billion last year. The automaker unveiled cost-cutting measures that include concessions from the United Auto Workers on retiree health care, plans to close about a Continued on Page 9

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

General Motors to Consider Industry-Changing Mergers Continued from Page 8

dozen North American plants, slashing of 35,000 jobs, and cuts in white-collar benefits. Those moves are projected to save $8 Reuters/Rebecca Cook

General Motors North America Vice President of Sales, Service and Parts Brent Dewar spoke with reporters during the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit, Michigan.

billion a year. And while investors hope Ghosn, if appointed, would bring magic to the nation's largest automaker, there is no guarantee whatsoever that just because he succeeded with Nissan, he will succeed with G.M. In August, G.M. CFO Fritz

Henderson discussed a proposed alliance with Ford CFO Don Leclair. Ford is looking for deals of its own and has contacted Renault and Nissan in hopes of creating potential mergers. G.M. spokesman Tony Cervone said company officials “regularly talk to a number of people in the industry regarding business opportunities of mutual interest.” Auto executives talk frequently about “what-if scenarios” and possible deals large and small, said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor. These talks have yielded a growing number of joint efforts on everything from hybrid vehicles to better automatic transmissions. “These kinds of discussions go on all the time,” Cole said. “Collaborating is part of how they're doing things.” Amidst the wars being waged in the competitive auto industry, the creation of alliances may help the American car companies G.M. and Ford come back from their slumps. The creation of such alliances may also result in innovation and better cars for consumers everywhere. ◙

Desperate Housewives Enters Season Three BY EMMA RABINOVICH ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The hit ABC show hit a ratings slump last season, going from critics’ darling to getting heat for not being able to live up to breakthrough of its first season. Personally, I disagreed with most of the criticism I read about, but by the looks of things, “Desperate Housewives” has de-

the drama upset the fun. It seems to have worked. While I enjoyed season two, the lack of comedy did make the hour go by a lot slower. The premiere blended laughs with drama, the idea that made the series so wildly successful in its first season. Bree (Marcia Cross) discovers the pleasure of having the

“Desperate Housewives” has decided to return to its roots and try to recapture the critics’ favor with a fun-filled third season, starting with its premiere. cided to return to its roots and try to recapture the critics’ favor with a fun-filled third season, starting with its premiere. To spice up season three, producers hired new writers, putting greater emphasis on making the show lighter and not letting

Page 9

Friday, October 6, 2006 BUSINESS/ A&E

pleasure and the pain of finding out that your fiancé may have murdered his previous wife. Susan (Teri Hatcher) continues to sit by Mike’s (James Denton) bedside even though he’s been in a coma for 6 months. Lynette Continued on Page 10

The Last Kiss BY EMMA RABINOVICH ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The poster of “The Last Kiss,” a movie about four guys dealing with the pressures of being adults.

Zach Braff (John Dorian of “Scrubs”) stars in this film about four men who have trouble growing up. Jacinda Barrett plays Braff’s pregnant girlfriend, Jenna, whose talk of marriage and buying a house puts Michael (Braff) into a frenzy. Enter Rachel Bilson as Kim, a 20-year-old college student eager and willing to help Michael cheat on Jenna. Braff’s perfor mance is charming as he wills us to forgive Michael’s shortcomings and even the fact that he cheats on his pregnant girlfriend of three years.

What I can’t forgive, however, is the lousy supporting roles that detract from the main plot rather than benefit it. Michael’s friends quickly become a burden to watch as they behave like twoyear-olds with no greater depth than that of a whiny child. Kim’s character is somewhat more three-dimensional. She comes off strong and sexy but quickly debilitates into a clingy girlfriend who follows her boyfriend to work the morning after. Jenna’s parents provide even less comfort, squandering the talent of Blythe Danner (“Meet the Fockers,” “Will and Grace”) and Tom Wilkinson (“Batman Begins”). Anna (Danner) and Stephen (Wilkinson) are Jenna’s parents who go through a separation because Anna claims that Stephen doesn’t pay enough attention to her. The film is not flattering to men or to women. It paints a onesided portrait of young people today: the women are aggressive and hysterical (when Jenna finds out what Michael’s been up to, she comes at him with a knife), while the men are afraid of commitment and pathetically falling apart. The film creates such a discouraging view of love and relationships that even the somewhat optimistic ending can’t save the mood of this gloomy film. “The Last Kiss” overreaches its potential, so instead of being thoughtprovoking, it leaves you wanting to focus on your career rather than tackle the dating world. ◙

Your School, Your World, Your News Are all just a short click away.

Come visit our brand new website. THE STUYVESANT STANDARD WWW.STUYSTANDARD.ORG

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Friday, October 6, 2006 A&E/ LITERARY/PHOTO

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

abc.com

‘Twas Marvelous

BY PENNY MALAMUD STAFF WRITER

‘Twas a marvelous regression In a past beyond my sight ‘Twas a candle-lit procession Toward the limits of the night ‘Twas my barest, harshest longing In the realm of come-and-see ‘Twas my pale voice brightly singing What it means to mean to me ‘Twas a twilite conversation In the past that passed us by ‘Twas momentous integration With a sparrow flying high As you look into the morrow 'Twill be marvelous to behold And the palour of your sorrow 'Twill be malleable as gold

Desperate Housewives Enters Season Three Continued from Page 9

(Felicity Huffman) goes crazy, having to deal with the mother of her husband’s illegitimate child. Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) becomes exasperated when she has to take care of her maid (who is the surrogate mother of her child) while dealing with her divorce, and Edie (Nicollette Sheridan) has a hard time selling a house with such quirky neighbors. And so the plot thickens… It’ll be interesting to see

True Colors

BY STEPHANIE TAM STAFF WRITER

what’s in store for these capricious women next. Will Bree be able to go through with the wedding? Can Susan get over Mike enough to enter another relationship? Will Mike come out of his coma anytime soon? Only one thing is for certain: America will keep watching and so will I. “Desperate Housewives” airs on ABC (channel 7), Sundays at 9 p.m. ◙

Photo of the Issue

The photo of the issue, submitted by Nian Zhou, is titled “Fishing at a Village.”

Once upon a time, A girl feared showing her true colors And didn’t know if she belonged She hid her real, inner self But deep down, it just felt wrong. She pretended that things were fine And that her problems would disappear But she couldn’t hide forever It was everything that she feared. Scared that no one would like her For who she really was Terrified at the thought of loneliness And there was no one whom she could trust. This girl that feared being different Learned, in time, to stay true She couldn’t hide from her genuine self And neither should people like you.

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 11

Friday, October 6, 2006 LITERARY/ PUZZLES

Eternal Reflection

Stuyvesant Standard SAT Word Search

BY MAGGIE HUANG GUEST WRITER

BY HEYU XIONG STAFF PUZZLE CREATOR

The trees naked and deprived Of their usually vivid colors The wailing wind howling And screaming with joy But before the deadly cold conceals me Finishing off my hollow life An uncertainty holds me to thrive To thrive the rest of my afflictive Gloomy and melancholic life A queer place the wind blows me to Visions of darkness and memories Swarm and surround me Wickedness swirls in mists A tiny glint of light emerges Hiding in fright and terror Is it a ray of hope? A sign of peace? Or a sign of more danger to come? Leading to a black pool It shows me what I want to see It is her The one I have been searching for The one I had lost The one that was carried away By the dreadful wind In which I have searched far and wide for Crossing the seas and the lands It is my friend forever My lonely life is no more “Come, come!” shadow voices whisper The wind helps me in one last task Blowing me toward this dreary pool Thunder bangs and claps While the lightening roars and glares Quickly my friend swims away Disappearing in darkness Where is she? How can this happen again? I drift in this murky water All alone and insecure She was a reflection all along

T D L F X Y L H U D D S Q I K C M

S H S U O L U P U R C S N N C I J

F S X U G R D H Z C T F V S I T Y

D E U N Y T D Q O A Q Z E E Y H X W N E C L U C F H P N N F O O A D I P A C W C E V N M G G X Z M I B X P C I I L Y O G A L V E U S R M V P T I T C J R E S E A G A I T I U R T G G C C L G C Y O E I M A G N A N I M O N N X T P V T Z P M T M I G A Q O I B T R E T I A R M J S U O P H I G C T Z S G E Q S P E U T O J U X T A P O S E R W R T A M G O D P G I T H I P E S I T N A N L J X J Y L N T C P E R W M P B

I S E E I R V B U Q O R A A H A O

G Y J D W R J R S D T O E Y T L Y

WORD BANK ANTISEPTIC CLICHE CONCURRENT DEFAMATION DOCTRINE DOGMATIC FORTUITOUS

INFINITESIMAL JUXTAPOSE LARCENY MAGNANIMOUS QUIXOTIC SCAPEGOAT SCRUPULOUS

Riddle BY JEFFREY LIAW PUZZLE COLUMNIST

An interesting riddle I adapted from my math teacher Two men, a professor, and a colleague walk into a bar and order albatross stew. After a few mouthfuls, the professor writes a letter to the police, shoots the colleague, and commits suicide. Why? 1. He was not depressed or premeditating a murder suicide. 2. He had recently been on an island expedition where he had to survive on albatross and had recently become addicted to eating the bird. 3. He wrote on the note the reason why he committed a murder suicide. 4. The reason given referred to his expedition with a friend, and a colleague.

Cryptogram BY JEFFREY LIAW PUZZLE COLUMNIST

RXPZQPLW BCXWT VNHKBCWNMGD SNCG SMGPZPMN FCNQD FPBT VCLOJBPCLMZ DHLBMU KNJDJLBD OJUMBPCXD CRDBMVZJD. More Puzzles and Last Issue’s Solutions on Page 12

Page 12

Friday, October 6, 2006 PUZZLES/ SCIENCE

Last Issue’s Solutions

Sudoku BY JEFFREY LIAW PUZZLES COLUMNIST

2 7 3

8 9

3 4

1

7 5

3 5

6

4

7

2 5 4 9 6 3

1 8 7

9 3 1

8 7 2

4 6 5

6 2 8

7 3 1 5 4 9

1 3 4

9 5 6

2 8 7

3 1 9

5 6 8

4 7 2

8 9 1

6 7 4 2 3 5

7 4 9 8 3 1

5 2 6

8 5 4

3 6 9

2 1 7

9 7 5

6 1 3 4 2 8

2 9 7

1 4 8

6 5 3

8 7 4

3 2 1

5 6 9

4 3 2

7 9 1 8 5 6

8 6 5 7 1 2

4 3 9

2 6 7

5 1 4

3 9 8

1 4 3

9 7 8 2 5 6

8 5 6

7 3 2

9 1 4

6 2 5

4 7 9

1 8 3

5 6 7

2 3 9 4 8 1

Cryptogram 1:

9

Herpetologist meets, quickly weds mortician. Their bathroom towels are embroidered with “hiss” and “hearse.”

6 1

3 9

2

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

2

5

1

6

Cryptogram 2:

9

DNA? Undergraduate biology newsletter claims it might be short for National Dyslexics Association.

E. Coli Outbreaks Linked to Past Warnings BY SANGHEE CHUNG STAFF WRITER

this out,” said Acheson. The source of the contamination could have been from either farming or processing. According to the California Farm Bureau Foundation, approximately 74 percent of the nation’s freshgrown spinach is from California. We have a lot of work to do if we are to successfully prevent future outbreaks of this kind. ◙ AP Photo/Benjamin Sklar

According to federal health officials, there have been 19 food poisoning outbreaks linked to spinach and lettuce since 1995. They have resulted in over 400 cases of sickness and two deaths. With eight of the outbreaks traced to produce from California, the Food and Drug Administration wrote to California farmers, urging greater safety in produce. It may not have been enough.“In light of the continuing outbreaks, it is clear that more needs to be done,” wrote Robert Brackett of the FDA. The letter suggested discarding any produce that came into contact with floodwaters in California’s Salinas Valley, which are often contaminated with E. coli. The current contamination, however, is not considered deliberate. “There is always a question in the back of our mind whether it

The current outbreak has been traced to a California company’s spinach, but the bacterium has not been pinpointed. The FDA and the California Department of Health Services are examining irrigation methods, harvest conditions, and other practices that may be linked to the outbreak. “We’re going to put every bit of energy we have into finding

may have been a deliberate attack on the food supply,” said David Acheson of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Currently, there is nothing in the epidemiology to consider this deliberate.” The FDA reported that 171 people in 25 states had become ill by E. coli, and one died. Two other deaths are currently under investigation for possible links to the outbreak. Earthbound Farm, the country’s largest organic produce grower, stopped shipping all of its spinach products. Furthermore, the FDA has warned consumers not to eat fresh spinach, and grocery stores have pulled out their spinach products. “We’re not even thinking about the cost right now,” said spokeswoman Samantha Cabaluna. “We’re trying to do the right thing, to protect public health and get to the bottom of this.” Reuters/Kimberly White

(above) An unidentified produce employee restocks the shelf of bagged lettuce at a grocery store in Berkeley, California. (below) A worker packages vegetables in a field in King City, California. As federal and state health officials continued prowling spinach fields and packing plants for the source of a multi-state E. coli outbreak Tuesday, farmers started plowing under crops and laying off some workers. AP Photo/Jose Sanchez

An Earthbound Farm building in San Juan Bautista, California. California-based Natural Selection Foods LLC/Earthbound Farm said it had voluntarily recalled fresh spinach products sold in the United States, Mexico and Canada after the U.S. government said they could be linked to a deadly and worsening E. coli outbreak.

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 13

Friday, October 16, 2006 SCIENCE

Earliest and Most Complete Hominid Skeleton Discovered in Monumental Excavation Reuters/Euan Denholm

BY PAUL ROZENBERG STAFF WRITER

A recently discovered skeleton in Ethiopia may shed light on a little-known period of early human origins.. The 3.3-millionyear-old fossil is a member of the species Australopithecus afarensis. This is the same species that Lucy, an adult female found nearby in 1974, belonged to. Selam, the nickname of the female hominid, “represents the earliest and most complete partial skeleton of a child ever found in the history of paleoanthropology,” said Zeresenay Alemseged, the leader of the team that discovered and excavated the fossils. The discovered skeleton showed characteristics of both modern humans and apes, providing a link in the chain of evolution. The lower limbs show that Selam had the ability to walk upright much like humans. However, the torso, arms, and shoulder blades suggest that this species could have climbed trees. The shoulder blades resembled those of a young gorilla’s, and the fingers were long and curved, which imply that it could have traveled through trees. In addition, the head contained a small brain which was the size of a chimpanzee’s. Scientists have analyzed sediment found around the fossils and recreated the environment in which the child lived millions of years ago. The area was filled with forests, grasslands, and rivers. Periodic flooding may have caused the death of Selam and

Paleo-anthropologist Zeresenay Alemseged holds a skull named 'Selam' of a fossil discovered in an area of Ethiopia called Dikika. A 3.3 million-year-old skeleton of the earliest child ever found shows the ancient ancestor of modern humans walked upright but may have also climbed trees.

buried her in pebbles and sand, ensuring her protection from the elements. The team discovered the skeleton on a dusty slope, curled into a hard ball of sandstone. A member of the expedition, Tilahun Gebreselassie, spotted a small face in the rock with a smooth brow and short canine teeth, showing right away that it was an afarensis. The fossils were extremely difficult to gather—although the specimen was discovered in December 2000, it took over five years to dig out the bones. The years of work have paid off; the skeleton is more complete than Lucy’s. It still contains its cranium, torso, spinal column, jaws, and limbs. The most comparatively complete specimen of a human until now was a 300,000year-old Neanderthal infant in Syria. This discovery will have a major effect on several fields. A bone that holds open the throat, called the hyoid, was found, and will be used in research about the origins of human speech. This is the earliest hyoid found in a human-related species, and more similar to those of apes than those of humans. The discovery of this 3.3 million-year-old skeleton is a major milestone in paleoanthropology. It may provide more clues as to our origins. As Simon Enderdown of Oxford Brookes University said, “This tremendous fossil will make us challenge many of the ideas we have about how and why we came to walk on two feet.” ◙

The Stuyvesant Standard In-School News Out-of-School News A&E Opinions Business Sports

Science Literary Copy Puzzles Layout Fundraising Photo/Comics

Reason #18 Because saying that nothing here interests you in joining is just a plain bad excuse.

So join our team! Contact [email protected]

Page 14

Friday, October 6, 2006

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 15

Friday, October 6, 2006 SPORTS

SPORTS CALENDAR Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

OCTOBER 5

OCTOBER 6

OCTOBER 7

OCTOBER 8

OCTOBER 9

OCTOBER 10

OCTOBER 11

Cross-Country

JV

Boys Bowling

Girls Bowling

Boys Bowling

vs. Norman Thomas @Leisure Time Recreation 4 4:00 PM

Girls Bowling

vs. HS of Fashion Industries @ Leisure Time Recreation 10 4:00 PM

City Championships @ Van Cortlandt Park

vs. High School of Economics and Finance @ Leisure Time Recreation 4 4:00 PM

Fencing Boys

Vs. Long Island City @ Stuy 4:30 PM vs. South Bronx @ Brooklyn Tech Field 2:00 PM

vs. Alfred E. Smith @Alfred E. Smith Field 11:00 AM

Boys CrossCountry

Soph-Frosh Championship @ Van Cortlandt Park

Boys Fencing

vs. HS of Art and Design @HS of Art and Design 4:00 PM

vs. Washington Irving @Seward Park HS 4:30 PM

vs Dewitt Clinton @Dewitt Clinton 4:30 PM

OCTOBER 12 Boys Bowling

OCTOBER 13

vs. High School of Economics and Finance @ Leisure Time Recreation 4 4:00 PM

OCTOBER 14

Girls Bowling

vs. Murry Bergtraum @ Leisure Time Recreation 10 4:00 PM

OCTOBER 15 HOMECOMING!

vs. Laguardia HS @Stuy 4:00 PM

vs. AP Randolph @CCNY 4:30 PM

Vs. Julia Richman Educational Center @East River Park B 1/2 4:00 PM

Soph-Frosh Championship @ Van Cortlandt Park

Boys Soccer

vs. Hunter HS @ Thomas Jefferson Park B 4:00 PM

vs. Seward Park @Seward Park HS 5:30 PM

OCTOBER 18

Boys Bowling

Girls Bowling

vs. Curtis @Stuy 4:30 PM vs. Harry S. Truman @ Brooklyn Tech Field 11:00 AM

Girls Cross Country

OCTOBER 17 vs. Seward Park @ Leisure Time Recreation 4 4:00 PM

JV

Boys Soccer

Boys Fencing

OCTOBER 16

vs. Chelsea @ Leisure Time Recreation 10 4:00 PM

vs. University Neighborhood @ Leisure Time Recreation 3 4:00 PM

Boys Fencing vs. Hunter @Hunter 4:00 PM

Boys Soccer

Vs. Louis Brandeis @North Meadow A 4:00 PM

vs. Murry Bergtraum @Seward Park HS 4:30 PM

Girls Cross Country

Grand Prix #4 @ Van Cortlandt Park

Boys Soccer

Vs. Lab Museum United @East River Park Soccer C 5 4:00 PM

vs. Adlai Stevenson @Brooklyn Tech Field 1:30 PM vs. Bronx HS of Science @Lehman College

vs. Bard HS @ Stuy 5:30 PM

THE SPORTS BEAT

A Tradition Lost Continued from Page 16

of the players. The varsity game was much tighter than the previous year, with Stuyvesant needing a late heroic touchdown and a two-point conversion to send the game into overtime. However, the bigger, taller Bryant squad scored in their first overtime possession to win 20-14. Realistically, high school

football will never be as big in New York City as it is in Texas. For one, where high school football is the biggest is where professional sports are nonexistent. Take Odessa, Texas, the town that popularized the novel and movie “Friday Night Lights.” There’s nothing to do in that small west Texas town, except play high school football. Fans

wait for days just to get tickets. That is what they live for. In the city, we have professional football. There are also logistical reasons. Odessa, with a population of 90,343, can rally around one high school. In New York City, population 8 million, it’s harder. That doesn’t mean, however, that we can’t have team spirit. Yes, our football team isn’t the most athletically gifted team out there. Yes, the varsity team hasn’t had a winning season in over four years, and it just won its first win in almost two years. They are still

our team, and they deserve our full support. This year, homecoming will be October 15 at the Brooklyn Tech field. The junior varsity team will lead off against Harry S. Truman, with the varsity team following against Adlai Stevenson. Both games will be enjoyable experiences, even if you don’t know the least bit about football. So come to the Brooklyn Tech field. Support our team, and be part of an American tradition. ◙

Page 16

Friday, October 6, 2006 SPORTS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE SPORTS BEAT

A Tradition Lost birthday of Stuyvesant High School. Even though the game was televised, it wasn’t about the Peglegs. The Harlem Hellfighters were being televised as part of ESPN’s program “NFL Films.” Stuyvesant defeated Harlem 20-0, and a great homecoming was capped off.

BY ERIC MAYO SPORTS EDITOR

In Highland, Illinois, about 35 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, homecoming is kicked off by a parade the previous Wednesday. In Corbin, Kentucky, where Kentucky Fried Chicken was founded, the two local high

Realistically, high school football will never be as big in New York City as it is in Texas. For one, where high school football is the biggest is where professional sports are nonexistent. Last year was very different. The game, instead of being played at the larger Midwood field, was played at Brooklyn Tech’s field, which seats fewer people. The seats were also in the end zone, providing a poor view of the field. The weather was terrible, and very few people showed up outside of the families

schools both have their homecoming queen in the paper. In Fort Collins, Colorado, traditional festivities during homecoming week include a bonfire, a barbecue, and a dance. Two years ago, homecoming at Stuyvesant was indeed a big deal. However, it wasn’t as much about the event of homecoming as it was celebrating the 100th

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2007 NHL Preview BY ZAKHAR SHTULBERG STAFF WRITER Newslib.com

The Hurricanes lost goalie Martin Gerber to Ottawa.

The second NHL season after the lockout of 2004-2005 is almost upon us, and all things point to an outstanding year of hockey. Last year brought all-time attendance records, thanks to the rule changes designed to make the game more exciting. The most radical of the changes was to eliminate the tie, and instead of ending the game after overtime, have a three-player shootout. It is a certainty that the fast-paced

action of the new NHL will continue this year. Last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs had an eighth seed make it to the finals for the first time in history. The Edmonton Oilers originally knocked the best team in the league, Detroit, in the first round. This was a shock throughout the hockey world, and sent a message to all the teams trying to make the playoffs that it’s possible to make it to the finals without having the top seed. This year is also showing signs of having some of the most competitive hockey ever, with teams like Nashville and Atlanta finally showing off a packed roster. Atlanta has one of the best young forwards in the league, Ilya Kovalchuk, and also one of the best young goalies, Kari Lehtonen. Nashville added Paul Kariya, who is aging, but still is the leader on that team. Watch out for them to take the lower seeds of the playoffs, but still do damage. Last year’s Red Wings took some serious hits this off-season. They failed to re-sign goalie Manny Legace, and went for the old and injury-prone Dominik Hasek. Steve Yzerman retired, and Brendan Shanahan was signed by the New York Rangers. The team is a lot weaker, but the

Red Wings will make the playoffs, just not as a number one. Staying in the Western conference, the team to beat will be the Calgary Flames. Last year, they finished third, but lost to the Ducks in 7 games in the quarterfinals. They have the best goalie in the league, Mikka Kiprusoff, who had 42 wins last year, with a 2.03 goals against average. They still have superstar Jerome Iginla, and they added Alex Tanguay from the Avalanche. Putting Matthew

Goalie Ryan Miller of the Sabres is a potential MVP candidate.

Lombardi on the first line will make the Flames hard to stop. In the east, the defending champion Hurricanes will not do as well this year, but will still make the playoffs. They lost depth at goalie (Martin Gerber to

Ottawa) and Cam Ward, who had a good showing in the playoffs, will not perform at the same level. They have a very old team with the exception of Eric Staal, who will have a great season. The best team in the Eastern Conference is a New York team, and it’s not the Rangers or Islanders, but the Sabres. With Ryan Miller goaltending, and Daniel Briere leading the team in assists, they are sure to be contending for the finals. The New York Rangers will have another great start with Jaromir Jagr at the head, but they are sure to collapse again, just like last year. The New York Islanders will disappoint all their fans again, as their unprecedented 15-year contract with goalie Rick DiPeitro is already looking bad. The New Jersey Devils will most likely be the number two seed, with Patrick Elias scoring goals and Martin Brodeur not allowing them. The Finals will be a six-game series between the Flames and Sabres, with the Sabres winning it at home. The MVP of the finals will be Ryan Miller. The MVP of the season will be Patrick Elias, as he will score a huge number of goals and lead the Devils into the playoffs. ◙