Volume 6 Issue 8

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

The Stuyvesant Standard

www.stuystandard.org

“Your School, Your World—Your News” 

Volume VI, Issue 8

Free

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 Corbis

The Death of a President:

Corbis

Who Never Aspired To be President NEWS P/3

PLUS

Work for Stress OPINIONS P/8

The Life of a Smoker SCIENCE P/12

Saddam Hussein’s Execution P/3, Club Spotlight P/3, Meet Dr. Niglio P/4, Ask the T: Grades P/7, and much more inside...

Leak Exposes ‘08 Giuliani’s Plans Corbis

BY TIMOTHY TONG STAFF WRITER

A political leak regarding Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, as well as exposed his highly confidential, 140-page plan to run for president, possible donors for his campaign, and possible future liabilities. This document could be deleterious to Giuliani’s reputation as a leader who emphasized security issues and strategic planning. He was known for tightly surveying public information and this leakage not only served as a humiliation for him, but also allowed his political opponents to foresee his plans. But why did this document pose such significance in the political world? His political opponents now know that Giuliani planned to reap in $100 million in 2007, with hopes to collect more

Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, at work in his office.

than a fourth of that in the first three months, and to spend $21 million of it in the same year. In the document, he seemed slightly ambivalent about the presidential issue. On one side, he wanted to climb the political ladder and be-

The Final Frontier: What’s Next? BY PAUL ROZENBERG STAFF WRITER cscout.com

On September 18 2006, Anousheh Ansari became the first female tourist traveling into space.

A new era in space flight is set to begin. For decades, government agencies such as NASA have been the only organizations able to send anything into space. These trips required large sums of money, meaning that private companies would not be able to fund commercial trips into space, or

even develop their own spaceships. In the past few years, the entire scenario has changed. Encouraged by prizes such as the $10 million Ansari X-Prize, billionaire entrepreneurs have founded and invested heavily in companies that seek to create new, inexpensive types of spacecraft. The Ansari X-Prize, awarded in 2004, was given to the team that built the first reusable private spacecraft and flew it to suborbital space twice in one week. The team of engineers that built the spacecraft, named SpaceShipOne, was backed by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. The total development costs for SpaceShipOne were $25 million dollars, half as much as one flight of the space shuttle costs. As young as they are, these Continued on Page 11

come president. On the other hand, he wanted to continue his personal ambitions, which include becoming a consultant on security issues and leadership, continuing to practice law, and expanding on his investments. On one page, he

stated that he might “drop out of [the] race” due to “insurmountable” political and personal concerns. These concerns included Donna Hanover, his third and current wife; Bernard Kerik, his consulting practice; and “social issues,” as he has a more liberal position than other Republicans. According to the Daily News, the donor of the document was anonymous and was “sympathetic to one of Giuliani’s rivals for the White House.” This donor went even further by claiming that Giuliani left the document in one of the cities he had campaigned in. Giuliani’s spokesperson, Sunny Mindel, did not contradict this statement. She stated “Because our staffer had custody of this document at all times except for this one occasion, it is clear that the document was reContinued on Page 4

PSAT/NMSQT Report: How Did Juniors and Seniors Do? BY JENNIFER SCHLESINGER EDITOR IN CHIEF

The College Board recently released the information on how college bound juniors and seniors did on the 2005-2006 PSAT/ NMSQT.

in the sophomore class. The junior scores, in general, went up. The average critical reading score was 47.5, a 0.6 increase from 2004. The average math score was 49.2, up 0.4 from 2004. The average writing score went down 0.8 to 49.3.

The junior scores, in general, went up. On the other hand, in 2005, the average sophomore scores went down. In October 2005, 1,467,667 juniors and 1,299,546 sophomores took the PSAT nationwide. In the junior class, 54.5 percent were female and 45.5 percent were male, compared to 53 percent female and 47 percent male

On the other hand, in 2005, the average sophomore scores went down. The critical reading score stayed at 42.5. The average math score fell by .2 to 44. The writing score had the largest drop, Continued on Page 2

Page 2

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 NEWS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD  New Year’s Celebration Founded 2001

      “Your School, Your 

World—Your News” 

Executive Leadership Team 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)

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

at Times Square BY NEETA MALVIYA STAFF WRITER

New Year’s in Times Square has become a global tradition. Every year on December 31, hundreds of thousands of people gather in Time Square from around the world to watch the New Year’s Eve Ball make its descent. Millions of people nationwide and billions from around the world gather around their televisions to watch this magnificent event. The New Year’s celebration in Times Square dates back to 1904. This was the same year the first subway line opened and the neon light was introduced. The first New Year’s Eve Ball was dropped in 1907. This ball was five feet in diameter, weighed 700

pounds, was made of iron and wood, and was adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. It was done as a substitution for fireworks, which were now banned. The New Year’s Eve Ball has celebrated every new year since 1907, except 1942 and 1943, because of the war-time blackout of the city. The New Year’s Eve Ball was placed upon the rooftop of One Times Square on Wednesday, December 27, 2006. The ball used for 2007 was the same one used every year since 2000. It was designed by Waterford Crystal. It is a geodesic sphere that is six feet in diameter and weighs 1,070 pounds. During the 2007 New Year’s celebration, 72 of the crystal triangles on the ball contained the new “Hope for Peace” design, Continued on Page 6 timessquarenyc.org

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 If you would like to advertise in THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, please e-mail [email protected] to request an advertisement form. We offer a broad range of options including full color capability for your advertising needs.

Subscription THE STUYVESANT STANDARD SUBSCRIBE TODAY 1 YEAR — $15 Delivery Information Name:______________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Billing Information Please circle your choices below: Check Money Order Cash Billing Address:______________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Please cut and mail to THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, 345 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10282-1000 OR send the above information to [email protected].

The aluminum New Years Eve Ball, used between 1955 and 1980s.

PSAT/NMSQT Report: How Did Juniors and Seniors Do? Continued from Page 1

a decrease of 1.5 to 44.9. In New York State in 2005, 127,276 juniors took the PSAT. Of them, 46.2 percent were male and 53.8 percent were female. The male to female ratio was similar to the ratio for the nation. The ethnic background breakup of students in New York was similar to the national percentages, with the majority of juniors coming from a white ethnic background. In general, the breakup of scores of juniors in New York State reflected the national breakup. However, it is noteworthy that for critical reading, math and writing, New York mean scores were lower than the national mean. The same is true for the mean scores of females and males in each section compared to the

national means. In 2005 in New York, 68,710 sophomores took the PSAT. Similar to the national percentages, 53.9 percent were female and 46.1 percent were male. The ethnic breakup was also similar to the national percentages. Unlike the junior scores, the New York means for all three sections were higher than the national means, showing a surprising disparity. All of the female and male New York means were higher than the national means. Based on the data, the College Board did not draw any conclusions about New York. Due to disparities in the test between years, scores in each state and across the nation normally fluctuate. The scores must be compared with those of previous years in order to see trends. ◙

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 3

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 NEWS

CLUB SPOTLIGHT

The Death of a President Who Never Aspired To Be Corbis

BY ANNA GINZBURG SENIOR STAFF WRITER

BY YANA GONTCHAROVA COLUMNIST buildingwithbooks.org

Former President Gerald R. Ford died at age 93 on December 26, 2006. President Bush remarked that “President Ford was a great man who devoted the best years of his life to serving the United States of America. He was also a true gentleman who reflected the best in America's character.” He was in fact nothing short of Bush’s comments. He served as president for just 896 days and was the only president who was neither elected as president nor as vice president. Although his time in office was short, it occurred at a pivotal time in American history. It was an era in which America had been defeated seriously in a war for the first time, and there were many traces of corruption in American politics. Ford, however, stayed away from corruption and became known for his integrity and common sense. He was identified as a common man who was predict-

Former First Lady Betty Ford pauses at the casket of former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford as it lies in state in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Ford lied in state at the Capitol until January 2, 2006, when a funeral was to be held at the National Cathedral.

nightmare is over.” He worked hard to move the nation in a positive direction and both inflation and unemployment rates fell while he was in office. He tried to control federal spending with vetoes on spending bills. He also led negotiations for a treaty that would allow Panama have control

able, safe and reassuring. He once said, “The harder you work, the luckier you are.” He sure was a lucky man, considering how many problems the nation faced when he took the oath of office on August 9, 1974. In the most important line of his speech that day, Ford announced, “Our long national

Continued on Page 4

Saddam Hussein, Executed After 13-Year Reign BY SANGHEE CHUNG COLUMNIST

after its revolution, believing that he could seize a waterway and spark Iranians to rebel against their Persian rulers. Often, when his strategies failed, he accused the commanders of unfaithfulness and cowardice, and had them executed. The wars that he caused, however, also resulted in significant changes in the citizens’ daily AP

Saddam Hussein reigned as the undisputed ruler of Iraq from 1979 to 2003, when his regime was overthrown by an invasion from the United States. Saddam was born on April 28, 1937 near Tikrit and was raised by landless peasants. In 1956, he joined the Arab Ba’ath Socialist Party, which was formed to push the belief that secularism was the path to Arab unity. However, it only resulted in the imprisonment and execution of all possible rivals. The party later assigned Saddam and nine other members to assassinate Abdul Karim Kassem, the despotic ruler of Iraq. The assassination failed and Saddam suffered from a gunshot in his leg from the dictator’s bodyguards. His life was often filled with bloodshed. By 1969, Hussein was appointed vice president and deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council by the president Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, who was, in essence, controlling Iraq. Hussein first attempted to control the region of Iran in 1979,

Building With Books

In a last act of defiance Saddam Hussein refused to wear a hood.

life: highways were built, universities and hospitals were constructed, and the arts of Iraq were the most accomplished in the area. In 1980, the Iraq-Iran War began, originally from a dispute over a piece of land. A more immediate cause was Iran’s Islamic Revolution, which was stirring up

Shia Muslims in Iraq. During the war, Saddam had used secret police and chemical weapons to stifle opposition and crush rebellions. By 1987, his army had become the fourth largest in the world. In August 1990, he invaded Kuwait and refused to listen to UN orders to retreat. By 1992, Iraq evidently still possessed many weapons and UN investigators assured that all attempts to use them would be thwarted. After the Persian Gulf War, Saddam refused the inspections and the United States and Great Britain bombed Iraqi communications and other military targets in the hopes that it would not create any more weapons of mass destruction. After the September 11 attacks, coalition forces invaded Iraq after hearing about the “Axis of Evil” and weapons of mass destruction. In April 2003, United States troops brought down a statue of Hussein in central Baghdad, marking the end of his rule. A tousled Hussein was captured by American forces on December 13, 2003 near his homeContinued on Page 6

Like many clubs in Stuyvesant High School, Building with Books (BwB) works hard to raise money for charity. However, BwB is unique in many ways. This organization actually sends two to three Stuyvesant students to third world countries every year to help build a school. The goal of BwB is to promote education by raising money so that schools can be built in poor communities that cannot afford to build schools themselves. However, the club is not limited to building schools. At every club meeting (the club meets every Monday), i n f o r ma t i o n a b o u t v a r i o u s volunteer projects for the weekend is given out. During meetings, fund-raising ideas are often discussed. In fact, BwB is responsible for the well-known and highly successful pie-ateacher event, in which students buy raffle tickets for a chance to throw a pie dish of whipped cream in teachers’ faces. Other meetings are filled with the actual preparation for these fund-raising events. People are generally split up into several committees, often including public relations, decorations and food. All in all, BwB is a wonderful organization that spreads cultural awareness while helping people both far abroad and in our own communities. ◙

Page 4

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 NEWS

Meet Dr. Niglio! BY SANGHEE CHUNG COLUMNIST

Classes Taught: FSE1 (Spanish Enrichment 1), FS5 (Spanish 5)

Leak Exposes ‘08 Giuliani’s Plans moved from the luggage and photocopied.” She even added that “voters are sick and tired of dirty tricks” and praised Giuliani. She also skeptically said, “I wonder why such suspicious activity is occurring and can only guess it is because of Rudy’s poll numbers in New Hampshire and Iowa.” In the document, the Daily News found a list of potential donors. It includes Lew Eisenberg and Larry Bathgate, New Jersey fund raisers; Fred Smith, a FedEx executive; and Henry Kravis, a

The Death of a President Who Never Aspired To Be Continued from Page 3

“I want to teach my students everything I possibly can about the language. I want to raise awareness of different cultures.” tion to English and music appreciation. “I want to teach my students everything I possibly can about the language,” he said. “I want to raise awareness of different cultures.” Despite its competitive atmosphere, Niglio has found Stuyvesant to be a warm community. “The students are very friendly and supportive,” he said. “You need to support your peers and colleagues in a respectful way.”

lived and attended school in Europe and has traveled to the continent nearly 40 times. He has traveled to Brazil 20 times and visited Japan once. In the past, Stuyvesant students have also taken part in trips with him. Several students had the opportunity to visit Brazil to learn about its history, visit museums and carnivals, and take tours. ◙

Books for Sale Books For Regents Preparation: • Barron's Regents Exam and Answers: Math A (Red Book) 2005 Edition • Barron’s Regents Exam and Answers: Physics: The Physical Setting (Red Book) 2004 Edition • Barron’s Regents Exam and Answers: Chemistry: the Physical Setting (Red Book) 2005 Edition • Barron’s Regents Exam and Answers: Math B (Red Book) 2006 Edition • Barron’s Regents Exam and Answers: French (Red Book) 2005 Edition

financier. This part of the document implied that it might be outdated. These four donors have already helped fund Senator John McCain’s campaign, who is also running for president. Right now, it is still unclear whether or not Giuliani will run for president, as he has withheld answers regarding the issue. Last April, he had already met with potential supporters, and by October, his advisors had drawn up a plan for a serious presidential bid. ◙

Continued from Page 1

Corbis

Raised in New York City, Dr. Patrick Niglio has dedicated numerous years to foreign language through his own extensive knowledge and vast travel experiences. His first teaching experience was working as a bilingual coordinator of both Spanish and Italian for District 32. He has worked with teachers, helped at special events, and even taught parents English as a Second Language. Niglio first arrived at Stuyvesant in 1984 after he realized that he wished to work with intelligent students. Since then, he has taught a multitude of classes, including various levels of Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese, in addi-

He is very fond of the students, and thinks the “everchanging rules and regulations” are extremely irritating. “I think that if a student does something wrong, he or she shouldn’t be punished by the rules,” he said. “They should become more involved in community service. I want to get kids to participate in various activities.” Dr. Niglio’s foreign experiences also extend outside the school. He dedicates several hours each week to home instruction, mandated by the Board of Education, to teach Italian. Furthermore, he enjoys watching movies, seeing friends and spending time with his family. Dr. Niglio particularly takes pleasure in listening to pop vocal and classical music, although he is willing to listen to anything but rap. Travel is also an essential part of Dr. Niglio’s life. He has

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Former U.S. President Gerald Ford passed away on December 26, 2006.

over its canal. His most controversial act in office was actually one of his first: his pardon of Nixon. The pardon was considered unbelievably unpopular at the time, and was one of the reasons why Ford was not elected when his term

ended. He seemed to have sprung it on the American people instead of preparing them for it. Later, however, it became viewed as the correct approach to the Nixon issue. In May 2001, he was honored with a Profile in Courage Award at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. Senator Edward M. Kennedy spoke at the ceremony and said that although he originally opposed the pardon he now saw “that President Ford was right.” He was in the right in many of his policies and it is funny to remember that he never aspired to become president. Nevertheless, for somebody who did not desire to be president, his influence over the American government was certainly a positive one and he will be remembered as a strong and caring president. ◙

All prices are negotiable. Please contact Jennifer Schlesinger with any inquiries at [email protected]

Conditions

Comments

List Price

Selling Price

Good

- Barely used; not written in

$6.99

$3.00

Good

- Barely used; not written in

$6.99

$3.00

Good

- Barely used; not written in

$6.99

$3.00

Good

- Barely used; not written in

$6.99

$3.00

Good

- Barely used; not written in

$6.99

$3.00

- Never used; original - Barely used; not written in -Great for extra practice (AP + SAT)

$14.95 $19.00

$9.00 $12.00

For PSAT/SAT/SAT Subject Test Preparation: • Barron’s SAT II Physics 8th Edition • Princeton Review PSAT/NMSQT 2007 Edition

New Like New

For AP Test Preparation: • Barron's AP European History 3rd Edition

Like New

- Used but not written in $16.95

$9.00

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 5

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 CALENDAR

Looking Ahead: Important Dates to Know in January, February, and March

January: • • •

January 26- end of finals January 27– SAT and SAT Subject test given January 29-31– no student attendance

February: • • • • • • • • •

March: • • • • • •

March 9– ACT registration Deadline for April test March 10– SAT given March 10-23– late Act registration March 11– Daylight Savings Time begins March 17– St. Patrick’s Day March 20– first day of spring

February 1- spring term begins February 2– regular SAT registration date for March test February 5– SSR forms due for Juniors February 6– administration of AMC February 12– Lincoln’s Birthday February 14– Valentines Day, March SAT late deadline February 19– Presidents Day February 19-23– Midwinter break February 22– Washington’s Birthday

Page 6

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 OPINIONS

Saddam Hussein, Executed

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Corbis

New Year’s Celebration at Times Square fireworks went up, Auld Lang Syne was played, and the people cheered and shouted. The New York City Police Department was very tight with security. All access points to Tines Square were controlled. Bags, backpacks and alcohol were not permitted into Times Square. After the New Year’s celebration had finished, 42 tons of debris had to be removed from Times Square, which topped last year’s 37 tons. This included confetti, party hats, noise makers, gloves, wrappers and glasses. Confetti alone made up 3.5 tons of the debris. The clean-up was completed by 2 p.m. on New Year’s Day. The cost for this year’s clean-up has not been determined, but last year’s total cost was $27,648. Visitors spent tens of millions of dollars during this celebration on food, alcohol and souvenirs. Some say that this was New York’s busiest year for tourism. ◙

Continued from Page 2

A frame grab from Al Iraqiya television moments before the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's execution in Baghdad.

on December 30, 2006. The former Iraqi leader, 69, carried his Koran to the gallows and made sure he would not die with the hood on his head. He recited the Shahada, a Muslim prayer, until the floor beneath him dropped. One of the onlookers shouted, “The tyrant has fallen.” ◙

Continued from Page 3

town. He was imprisoned at Camp Cropper and was kept in solitary confinement. After a yearlong trial, Hussein was sentenced to death over the murders of 148 Shias from Dujail in 1980. His execution was held at Camp Justice, an Iraqi compound,

Using Nukes to Preempt Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions BY DAVID MANNES STAFF WRITER

Corbis

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, has called for the total destruction of Israel.

it would be willing to use military means to do so. According to Israel, Iran will have nuclear weapons in two years. Since Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called for the total destruction of Israel, I believe it is imperative for the world to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons at all costs. Because the Iranian nuclear facilities are extremely well protected, and far underground, the

Continued on Page 7

Goodbye Snow, Hello Sun! BY HUI TING STAFF WRITER Keloland.com

Recently the British news reported that Israel is planning a limited nuclear strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel denied the allegation, but did say that, should diplomacy fail to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,

only type of bomb strike that would incapacitate these facilities is a nuclear one. I believe that diplomacy will fail and a military strike will be necessary to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability. However, I don’t think that Israel, America, or Britain can afford to be the one to bomb Iran. Anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli feelings are already widespread. Should Israel launch any kind of nuclear strike against Iran, despite how much Iran has provoked it, Israel would be seen as having started the ensuing conflict. This would give ammunition to antiIsraeli forces worldwide and give justification to an Iranian counterattack and to the revival of the severely weakened Iranian nuclear program. The same would be true if the United States or England attacked Iran. I believe the solution is for Israel, America and Britain to have other nations stop supporting Iran, or better yet, to have a now neutral nation take military action against Iran. In general, anyone who is supporting a cause for their own secondary purposes, such as money or hatred, can be persuaded and made, with enough effort and focus, to do what someone else wants. The nations who

which consists of dove patterns symbolizing peace. The symbols from the previous six years were also included, which were Hope for Fellowship, Hope for Wisdom, Hope for Unity, Hope for Courage, Hope for Healing, Hope for Abundance, and Star of Hope triangles. The ball contains 696 lights and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors in total, which were computer controlled. This is what creates the kaleidoscope effect that the ball makes as it descends down the 77-foot flagpole. People began to gather at Times Square in the afternoon in order to secure the best viewing spots. At 11:59 pm on December 31, 2006, Mayor Bloomberg pressed the button for the New Year’s Eve Ball to begin its descent. People in the crowd began to count down to the New Year as the ball lowered. When the ball completed its descent, the sign for 2007 lit up. Confetti was tossed,

The weather has been so unpredictable lately. One day it is bright and sunny, while the next it is gloomy and raining. The drastic change in weather has been pondered by many people. Some, like Jane, say there is nothing wrong with the weather and insist it’s actually improving her mood because “[she] can play tennis now and let out [her] anger.” However, like most informed citizens, we know the one problem causing this rarity in the climate: global warming. Global warming is an increase in the global temperature which results from air pollution. Simple everyday things such as charging your phone, turning on the computer or switching on the lights contribute to this horrendous epidemic. The above listed activities all use electricity.

Where do companies like Con Edison get the electricity to supply our superfluous needs? If you guessed wind turbines or solar power, you are dreadfully wrong. Electric companies derive electricity from burning fuels. The burning of these fuels release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide into the air. The emitted gases cause air pollution which leads to the greenhouse effect. Although global warming has positive effects such as the sun’s being out in the middle of winter and making the season more enjoyable, its negative effects are more serious. Mabel, a student, exclaimed, “I can go outside again!” When asked what she thought about global warming, she replied, “The ozone layer is repairing itself.” I guess not everyone is well notified. Some negative effects include the melting of the polar ice caps, which could lead to global flooding. Anyone who has seen the movie “The Day After Tomorrow” might be surprised to find out that might happen sooner than experts thought. The rest of the world has already thought of a solution: the Kyoto Protocol. Over 160 counContinued on Page 7

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 7

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 OP/ED

ASK THE T

Editorial

Grades Hi T, I am concerned over my grades. Although my grades are what some people might call high, I am inclined to say that my grades are low. Some may call me an overachiever, but I personally feel that my grades are truly low. Although my average grade in all my classes has not been lower than a 90 since fifth grade, I am still concerned that I am not doing the best that I can do. I’m spending more and more time studying, but my grades are only going up bit by bit. Also, my social life is struggling because I have less time to get out and have fun with my friends. Because I can’t go out anymore, I’m become reclusive, and I’m not getting along with people the way I used to. This is getting to be a problem, because now I’m obsessing over the smallest things that have no real impact on anything I do. I don’t know what to do, though, and everything has suddenly become extremely confusing. Can you help me? A Worried Student

consequently, a decline in mental health. The way I see it, you are stuck in a cycle. You study really hard, yet your grades only go up by a little bit. This motivates you to study harder, and make your grades go up by a tiny bit more. All the while, your mental health and life are spiraling downwards, leading to the solitude that you have described. As for your obsession over trivial matters, this is a result of applying your work ethic to the world around you, which might alienate those who don’t share your work ethic. My advice to you is to take it down a notch. While you have many career paths open ahead of you, you only get to go through high school once. So make the most out of it, and enjoy life as much as you can. No trivial increase in your average is worth a sacrifice of time that could’ve been spent with friends. Although grades are important, only concentrating on grades keeps a student from being well-rounded. When you get older you will want to remember your experiences in high school, not just your grades.

Patrick Henry, a great American patriot, once said, “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government — lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.” Though it is certainly unlikely that the Student Union will ever dominate our lives, Henry’s message is clear: a constitution exists for a reason, and should be followed.

no one seems to care that rules were broken. We understand that it was a time of change for the Student Union. For most of the officers this was their first budget meeting, and both COSA’s were new in student affairs. However, it took our writers little time to go on the Student Union’s website and find out who should be on the budget committee. There’s no reason why the members of the

The SU can only be as strong as the students make it. The issue stems from the September 28 budget meeting. People who were not on the budget committee voted on budget matters, a direct violation of the SU constitution. The minutes that resulted from the meeting were not produced until a month afterward, at which time they were incomplete and lacked an official attendance record. We reported about this in our December 4 issue. Yet the SU has fallen silent about the issue. No one in the SU has asked to see our sources or investigate further. Worst of all,

SU could not do the same. The SU may indeed be innocent of the accusations, but we need their help in understanding the situation. Ignoring the problem will benefit nobody. It will only further isolate a student community that is already apathetic towards the SU itself, as shown by the poor voter turnout of the recent fall elections. The SU can only be as strong as the students make it. We urge everyone in the Stuyvesant community to ask the SU why this happened and take steps to prevent this from occurring again. ◙

I am really glad that you take your grades seriously. You give every subject 110 percent of your effort. However, what effect does this have on your personal life? Don’t get me wrong, your grades are your own prerogative, but maybe there is a way that you can pull off high grades while still enjoying your social life. I think the first question you might ask yourself is: Is all that extra studying really pushing up your grades? Sure, you could study your butt off, but is the sacrificed time worth that tiny 0.1 percent increase in your average? Aside from a decline in your social life, excessive studying could also lead to a lack of sleep, and

Corbis

Dear Worried Student, Enjoy life! The T

A scene from the movie "The Day After Tomorrow," a movie about global warming.

Goodbye Snow, Hello Sun! Continued from Page 6

Using Nukes to Preempt Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions Continued from Page 6

are supplying Iran, such as China and Russia, for money and oil, and out of competition with America, could be enticed to withdraw their support for Iran. Yet other nations could be persuaded to use military action against Iran. While this effort is in progress, Israel, America and Britain

should be preparing to launch a limited nuclear strike on Iran as a last resort. Israel is already practicing for such an attack by having its planes fly to Gibraltar, which, like Iran, is approximately 2000 miles from Israel. An Israeli nuclear strike on Iran would be regrettable, but Iran obtaining nuclear weapons would be disastrous. ◙

tries have joined this agreement to control the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in their respective country, but the United States and Australia have refused to ratify the protocol and put it into effect. On June 11, 2001, Bush said, “This is a challenge that requires a 100 percent effort . . . unwillingness to embrace a flawed treaty should not be read by our friends and allies as any abdication of my responsibility.” I disagree on the matter. I thought the United States was an example for other countries to follow. Over 200 years ago, the American Revolution commenced and our victory encouraged the French Revolution. I asked several peers on their stance on President’s

Bush decision. Timothy said, “I don’t know . . . that’s why they had the protest,” referring to the protest that occurred last October. An anonymous freshman bashfully replied, “. . . I don’t know what that is.” Unfortunately, many students are happy with the change in climate. Sophomore Lily even joked about sunbathing in the weather. “It’s so sunny outside! I should go sunbathe.” I laugh at the ridiculous idea. However, it might not seem so ridiculous in a few years. Seeing the temperature change now is a warning to reduce our use of electricity and riding in cars. Even as I’m writing this, I feel like a hypocrite. I’m using the computer. Guilty as charged, Your Honor. ◙

Page 8

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 OPINIONS/BUSINESS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE CRITICAL LENS

Saddam: Infamously Dead BY ALVIS YUEN COLUMNIST

There had been speculation for weeks that Saddam Hussein was going to be executed in the near future. While the rest of the world was discussing reasons to kill him or not, the former dictator was executed. Ironically, Saddam was hanged in the very gallows to which his fellow citizens were taken to be tortured and executed, in an Iraqi army base in northe astern B aghd ad no w dubbed “Camp Justice.” People who were against Saddam’s execution cited Sunni retribution. People supporting the execution pointed out Saddam’s crimes against humanity. Human rights organizations say that the trial was unfair. Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki supported the trial. Who was right? The legacy of Saddam Hussein was not unlike those of many other dictators. While it was true that he committed many atrocities against his fellow countrymen, we

cannot just overlook Saddam’s contributions. In the 1970s, Saddam, as vice president, modernized Iraq to such a degree that Iraqis enjoyed the highest standard of living in the Middle East. He promoted universal free education, even allowing females to

No matter how terrible a man some perceive him as, I do not agree with the amount of humiliation he has been subject to. attend school. Saddam built numerous public works, including hospitals, roads and public housing. His administration granted free health care and provided subsidies to farmers. For his efforts, Hussein earned an award from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Despite his contributions in modernization, Hussein also bru-

Work for Stress BY PRISCILLA MELO OPINIONS EDITOR

volunteers. Calling their coordinators during the weekends, grabbing a couple of friends or siblings and showing up is all it takes to have fruitful hours making your neighborhood a nicer place to live in. Helping out in your community, besides being a good deed, can be a great way to spend time with friends and you can even make new friends. The same monotonous schedule and the tired faces of Stuyvesant High School may add a lot of stress, but meeting new people and spending time away from your computer screen will help relieve it. Of course, if contributing to your community, being active and making friends do not interest you, perhaps college will. The infamous college applications that have been on our minds since freshman year always need more embellishment than your 98 average and perfect boards. Stating that you did a trillion hours of community service is always a plus in applications, but this should really not be the true incentive for service. In the end, community service is a win-win situation. Your health will benefit, your neighborhood will benefit, and, without so much stress to keep you awake at night, your grades will too. ◙

and Shiites to take control of the government. To maintain his stronghold on the nation, Saddam committed one of his worst atrocities, bombing Kurd villages with chemical weapons. The later war with Iran left Saddam so desperate for oil money that he attacked Kuwait in hopes of controlling the world oil supply. As a result of the invasion, the UN placed sanctions on Iraq. These

Trailer Park Millionaires BY HANFORD CHIU BUSINESS EDITOR Corbis

Everybody has New Year’s resolutions, but very rarely do they follow them. This year, I propose a resolution for the entire school to assuage the pesky little problem of stress. There are too many people stressing out over stress, but one remedy may help more than just the person involved: community service. Community service may seem to some like a court order and something that will actually bring more stress instead of lessening it. It may bring up memories of paint on your clothes, hair and sneakers, or hours of backbreaking work for a flimsy piece of paper recognizing your efforts. Typically, people do not do more work to relieve stress, but community service is not your usual work. There is no actual monetary gain, but there are so many more benefits. Some service may be stationary, like voter-registration drives and such, but a lot more are active. Everybody knows exercise is a great way to relieve stress and what better way to burn some calories and worries than raking leaves or beautifying a park? For many local public places, like parks, schools, recreational centers and certain community centers, helping out does not need a special time or a battalion of fifty

sanctions, coupled with war losses, annihilated the Iraqi economy. Iraqis, once among the most prosperous in the Middle East, were struggling to get food. Simply put, Saddam Hussein created Iraq and he tore it down. Such is his legacy. No matter how terrible a man some perceive him as, I do not agree with the amount of humiliation he has been subject to. He has a right to fair trial in international court, as his crimes are a violation of international code. I believe that bystanders should have been more respectful than to videotape the execution with their cell phone cameras. He should have been hanged with a little dignity. Saddam was barely finished saying his final words when the platform dropped. Some applaud Saddam’s death. Others mourn it. Only time will show us the consequences. With so much uncertainty around his death, the only sure thing is a chaotic Iraq — one that has to be rebuilt, without its architect. ◙

talized his citizens. After the Iranian revolution, Saddam feared that his secular government would be taken over by radical Shiites. In a country as diverse as Iraq, it was extremely difficult to foster unity, especially since Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran urged the Kurds

A toddler playing on the beach of Briny Breezes, a trailer park community in Boca Raton, Florida.

On January 10, 80 percent of the residents of Briny Breezes, a trailer park community, approved the $510 million sale of the 47acre area to Boca Raton, Floridabased Ocean Land Investments, a local developer interested in creating condos and hotels over the land. Almost all the owners of the 488 trailers in the community will become millionaires if the sale goes through, although the vote is not binding and residents will not receive money until 2009. Ac-

cording the trailer park’s finance office, 97 percent of the community voted. However, before the sale can actually go through and development can begin, state officials must approve new zoning to accommodate the 900 condo units, a luxury hotel and marina proposed by the developer, and neighboring communities will have a chance to comment on the decision. There have already been concerns about adding another highdensity development to South Florida's cluttered coastline. The community is currently located in a hurricane evacuation zone and has few ways in or out. Furthermore, residents of other nearby communities are concerned about the disruption that could be caused by the extra tourist traffic, and the urbanization of the area. “We think we can immediately allay any concerns they might have,” said Logan Pierson, Ocean Land’s vice president for acquisitions. “We are not going to build a concrete jungle on the barrier island. We live here.” Briny Breezes is currently run as a corporation by a board of directors, with the residents owning shares based on the size and location of their lots. ◙

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 9

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 BUSINESS/A&E

Trade Deficit Decreases in November Corbis

BY HANFORD CHIU BUSINESS EDITOR

The trade deficit, which is the amount of money spent on imports subtracted from the amount gained on exports, fell for a third straight month due to the lowest spending on foreign oil in 16 months and American export levels’ being at an all-time high. Over November, the deficit declined by 1 percent to $58.2 billion, the lowest since July 2005, the Commerce Department reported. The deficit hadn’t fallen for three consecutive months since early 2003. The Bush administration took this opportunity to praise its freetrade foreign policies. “When we

The Chinese yuan is undervalued by as much as 40 percent against the dollar, making Chinese imports cheaper and more attractive to American consumers.

Blood Wedding BY AMY QUI STAFF WRITER

Continued on Page 10

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

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

trade surplus with the world jumped nearly 75 percent. In response to this, United States industry and labor groups are pushing for Congress to pass legislation that would penalize China unless it allows faster appreciation of its currency. While American consumers benefit from cheaper goods imported from abroad, American industry suffers due to increased competition and thus cannot sustain a larger workforce. Since President Bush took office in 2001, the country has seen one in five manufacturing jobs lost, a total of 2.96 million lost jobs, with automakers and textile companies particularly hard hit. ◙

A Legend that Reshaped Its Own Ending, But Is It For The Better? BY ROBERT CALLHOULN STAFF WRITER

In the year of 1976, an epic in the box office was born. Sylvester Stallone took a long shot in writing and producing “Rocky,” and it was a magnificent success. It was originally intended to be a single movie, but then the movie became so successful that the standalone movie became the first part of a series that “ended” in 1990 at the fifth installment. Yet Stallone was not satisfied (along with every other Rocky fan), and “Rocky Balboa” was made. Originally thought of as a joke, and expected to be horrible (considering Stallone’s age), it has surprised many critics, and turned out to be a much better ending to the legend than “Rocky V.” Unfortunately, this is not saying much. “Rocky Balboa” is a heartwarming story that shows how deeply Rocky’s character believes in certain values, but the dialogue and the final anticlimactic fight dragged it down. The recently widowed Rocky Balboa is in retirement from his boxing career, but he is running a restaurant named “Adrian’s” honoring his late wife. Unfortunately, his son’s distance from him and his wife’s death haunt him incessantly, as well as his dead boxing career. A news program one night reminds him of his boxing career by showing a simulation of a young Rocky defeating the current “undeserving” heavyweight champion of the world, Mason

“The Line” Dixon. Inspired by this event, he decides to try and prove himself once more, by renewing his boxing license and getting into a few local fights. Of course, his brother-in-law and his son, along with virtually all of Philadelphia, are alarmed and try movies.yahoo.com

This year's winter drama, “Blood Wedding,” was performed on December 15 and 16. The play open with a conversation between a mother and her son, where they discuss his plans to get married. The mother is clearly feeling quite stressed, but not only about his marriage. The main source of her angst is Felix, a man who killed her husband and her other son. Later on, it is revealed that the girl whom her son wants to marry used to have a relationship with Leonardo, who is from the same family as Felix. Like all good dramas, things do not stay the same for very long. As the play progressed, it was interesting to see the different connections between the characters develop. The bride (Laura

Genes) is less than enthusiastic about her wedding, mostly because she has her old love Leonardo in mind. The bridegroom (Joe Kopyt) is surer about getting married and seems like a good person who truly loves the bride, though this image of him is slightly changed when we see that he has a thing for the girl’s servant. Of course, good characters are ones who have different sides to them, and there were certainly many different personalities that could be found among the characters in the play. The play picked up momentum in the second half. By then, everyone seemed to have gotten more into the characters and the voice projection was consistent. It was also in the second act where the best scene of the show was

open overseas markets, American companies, consumers and workers benefit,” said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. However, the deficit is still significantly high, mainly because of America’s dealings with China. The Chinese yuan is undervalued by as much as 40 percent against the dollar, making Chinese imports cheaper and more attractive to American consumers and United States exports more expensive in China. Furthermore, there have been accusations of currency manipulation, the altering of the money supply in order to prevent appreciation or depreciation of currency, in order to compete unfairly in the global market. China reported that its

The poster of “Rocky Balboa.”

to talk him out of it, but after getting an offer for fighting the current heavyweight, he begins his road to disproving everyone’s doubts. Stallone’s direction in this movie clearly is not boxing. It mainly portrays Rocky’s relationship with those around him and his devotion to his late wife and his estranged son. There are two Continued on Page 10

Page 10

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 A&E/LITERARY

Blood Wedding Continued from Page 9

performed. It was the part with the bride and Leonardo (Aleksander Kitaygorodskiy), where she had just run away with him from her wedding. Both the actor and actress made their characters so believable that if the audience were not told they were watching a play, it could have actually happened. One could really sense the tension and the inner conflict that the bride was having about what had happened. It was one of those scenes that made the audience feel something good. Another scene worthy of noting is the one between the moon and the beggar. The moon (Hannah Freiman) is both graceful and slightly bloodthirsty, and the actress was able to bring out both of these qualities at the same time. The beggar (Stacey Lee) is somewhere between sane and insane, and the part was acted in a

way that was not overemphasized, which was perfect. Throughout the whole play, the scenery complemented the actors on stage. The orange with the silver satin fabric was simple and very unique. It added something extra to the show. After about two hours the show ended with several of the characters on stage giving a poetic speech. All of the actors had on certain facial expressions as they spoke, which emphasized the meaning of their words. The ending was very memorable and a great way to end the show. In terms of the plot, however, the ending also seems abrupt. There are a lot of unanswered questions and we really cannot tell what is going to happen to the characters. Of course, this has to do with the way the script was written rather than the performance. ◙

Throughout the Terms BY STEPHANIE TAM STAFF WRITER

What a wonderful term That’s come and past Filled with stress and homework Along with no time to relax Thought winter vacation Could be a time for rest But I was wrong, very wrong There would be numerous tests A new year had dawned So back to school I went And not one day since school started Could I sleep to my heart’s content Now finals week approaches With tests on AP’s this and that Oh, what a wonderful term One that nothing can surpass

The Fight BY HANNAH WU STAFF WRITER

The broken cookies some burned some underdone grin at me a smirk from the wooden platter on which they die they are not consumed.

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

A Legend that Reshaped Its Own Ending, But Is It For The Better? Continued from Page 9

US actor Sylvester Stallone attends the premiere of "Rocky Balboa" at the Auditorium in Conciliazione street in Rome.

supposedly inspiring speeches by Rocky in this movie: one when he goes to get his license and the other to his son. Aside from a few great lines, the movie almost

makes you laugh because of its ridiculousness. It seems that when Rocky tries to get philosophical, he starts to speak quickly and slurs his words together, making the already somewhat incoherent thoughts sound comical. Again, this movie was not about boxing, yet one can’t help be disappointed at the ten-round exhibition that was shown at the end of the movie. They tried using modern camera angles and zooms, making it pale in comparison to every other Rocky fight. Awkward and ridiculous moments make it very difficult to watch. The only upside is the tremendous emotion that goes along with it. “Rocky Balboa” has a lot to offer to any Rocky fan or casual dramatic moviegoer, but not for a boxing fan. ◙

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Title less BY LUCY SIMKO SENIOR STAFF WRITER

she loved. but whom did he love? that took courage a quantity of which he did not have enough even to look at a beggar to read her problems and to even consider her existence it was a moment of weakness, that glance was. it was a weakness that he thought he might love.

The Final Frontier: What’s Next?

Sudoku BY JEFFREY LIAW PUZZLE COLUMNIST

7

5

8

2

6

Continued from Page 1

3 5

6

4

1

4 9

5

1 7

2

9 4

8

7

4 7

4

3

2

1

Riddle BY JEFFREY LIAW PUZZLE COLUMNIST

So a swimmer, feeling strong, jumps from his boat to swim in the Mediterranean. He swam and swam until he just sank and drowned… why? • • • • • •

independent companies have already shown that they have the ability to manufacture new types of technology. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, started a space flight company called Blue Origin. In January, Blue Origin released footage of its first spacecraft in action. The spaceship took off and landed vertically, rising to a height of 85 meters. Eventually, Blue Origin wants this type of spaceship to be able to take three passengers into low earth orbit. As of now, the process of taking civilian tourists into space is still a few years away. Virgin Galactic, the company started by businessman Richard Branson, is accepting deposits for suborbital space flights aboard Virgin SpaceShip. The passengers will go into a suborbital flight that will last three hours, after which they will land, just as a shuttle would, back on a landing strip. The entire trip will cost $200,000. These commercial flights will start in 2008.

No cramps, physical/mental problems It was calm water, gentle waves No foul play (sharks, pirates, etc) He was not tangled in anything No other swimmer could have survived The water was a few degrees warmer where he sank

Final Grades by Robert Stevenson

Corbis

Through the demure tunnel he trudged daily head down music on Beatles never varying in route, posture, or thought not sure why he dared not glance at the Indian woman who begged daily with one of those customary signs beggars have, explaining for the world to see their sordid affairs not sure if it was perhaps because he would then vary in his routine drop a sliver of silver and maybe spare her a thought an emotion during his solitary supper no no if he did that he might miss his train. yet one day she wavered in her hapless gaze, he noticed from the corner of his eye and his eye twitched. he looked at her while she looked away for possibly half a second he looked right at her and her sign and began to read it, her “Love --” it claimed only he couldn't finish because his eye stopped twitching because she turned back and renewed her knowing gaze and because his other foot came down and carried him forwards but her feet were on the ground quite firmly and his were in danger of slipping tripping backwards

Page 11

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 PUZZLES/LIT/SCI

A model of Virgin Galactic Spaceship One on display at the WIRED NextFest festival, at the Javits Center September 30, 2006 in New York City.

NASA has announced plans to develop its own type of spacecraft, called the Crew Exploration Vehicle. This vehicle would be constructed so that it could detach a special crew module once in orbit. NASA’s long term goals for this program involve facilitating a return to the moon with the next 14 years. While NASA and other space agencies will certainly continue their space programs, the greatest expansion in space technology will most likely come from independent companies. In the next several years, private space flight will certainly became safer, cheaper and eventually commonplace. ◙

Page 12

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 SCIENCE

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

$150 Laptop To Be Used in Undeveloped Countries MIT Media Lab

BY PAUL ROZENBERG STAFF WRITER

The students of the world’s poorest countries may have their own laptops within a matter of years. The nonprofit project One Laptop Per Child figured out a way to drastically cut the cost of a laptop to $150, even though the cheapest laptops available today cost $500. Mary Jepsen, the head designer of the project, modified the screen of a conventional laptop so that the cost of the display was cut in half. In addition, the power consumption of this notebook is 80 percent less than that of an ordinary laptop. Argentina, Brazil, Libya, Nigeria, and Thailand have made commitments to buy three million computers and distribute them to students for free. There are no plans to sell the laptop to the general public; even so, it may become the best-selling PC in the world. Juan Daboub, director of the World Bank, said “Several years ago, I thought it was an illusion or a utopian idea, but this is now real and encouraging.” Originally, the laptop was meant to cost $100, but as of now,

A research project at the MIT Media Lab has a plan for getting $100 laptops in the hands of millions of people around the world. The laptop will prominently feature electronic ink capabilities, in addition to its keyboard functions.

the price is $50 higher. Nicholas Negroponte, the founding director of the M.I.T. Media Laboratory, said that the price would fall as more machines were preordered. Power for the system is provided either by conventional electric current or batteries. However, many of the countries that have ordered the laptop do not have electrical power available in

the areas in which the laptop will be used. A wind-up crank on the side of the laptop was originally proposed, but the designers settled on a foot pedal to produce the power. Unlike previous efforts to create inexpensive educational computers, this one has wireless network capability built into each laptop. In Libya, satellite

downlinks will be used to connect to the Internet. In some places, Wi-Fi antennas will expand Internet connection into isolated areas. The software is based on the free Linux operating system. It does not use a traditional desktop display, but a user-friendly interface so that students can easily use their programs. A web browser, e-mail service, word processor and several learning programs are available in the computer. The OLPC project has been met with significant opposition and controversy. India refused the offer to buy a million laptops because it felt that the money should be spent on primary and secondary education instead. Several education researchers have stated that the project places too much importance on getting equipment to students, rather than training more teachers. The distribution of such large quantities of notebooks is also a large challenge. This laptop is part of a larger trend in which companies are developing low-cost personal computers to give people access to the Internet. As of now, only 10 perContinued on Page 13 Corbis

Serious Thwarting Dangerous BY LOREN OUMAROVA STAFF WRITER

“Don’t have sex . . . Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up, just don’t do it, okay, promise? . . . At your age, you’re going to have a lot of urges. You’re going to want to take off your clothes, and touch each other. But if you do touch each other, you will get Chlamydia . . . and die.” Anybody who saw the movie “Mean Girls,” probably laughed when Coach Carr made this dramatic announcement to his sexual education class. These crazily overcautious views on sexual intercourse were obviously put into the movie for some comic relief. However, much of what he said in the movie was, unfortunately, based upon factual information. Presently, statistics show that over half of the American people will acquire at least one sexually transmitted disease (STD) during their lifetimes. And yes, an overwhelming majority of STD patients are teenagers. Is it really because teens are that careless

and irresponsible? As much as our egos may be hurt by that statement, in regard to STD’s, it is true. Many teenagers impulsively decide to become sexually active, without first becoming well-informed. This is what leads to bad choices and serious consequences. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the different types of STD’s. They are usually separated into two different forms: those that are curable and those that are not. Curable diseases are caused by bacteria; these include Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. The incurable ones, such as HIV, HPV, hepatitis B and herpes, are caused by viruses. However, even though these diseases are not curable, there are many treatments available to keep them under control. Obviously, the best way to remain safe is to practice sexual abstinence. It is safer for a couple to express their affection in more basic ways, such as kissing and caressing. But at our age, sexual intercourse seems to be getting Continued on Page 15

Life As a Smoker BY JOHN YOON STAFF WRITER

If, like most Stuyvesant students, you have a long commute to the city, every day you see the many parts of New York. An inescapable side of being a student, and even of being an American, is the constant exposure to smoking. Passing by The Wall, you always see a few smokers hanging around. In the subway stations, bus stops, and street corners, someone is always lighting a cigarette. Smoking seems to have formed its own subculture within our society. In an interview with a student who smokes at Stuyvesant, many conditions of smokers were re-

vealed. When asked if his health had been affected since smoking, he replied, “Yes, I can’t run a full block. It’s harder for me to do physical activities like sports I used to love.” Upon further questioning, the powers of the chemicals in cigarettes, such as nicotine, were shown. The student was asked if he has ever tried to stop, and what some of the difficulties were. He answered, “I’ve tried quitting officially about two times. If you count all the times I’ve said I was gonna stop, it’d literally be over a hundred. Those two times I had any success, I lasted for a week once, and almost a month Continued on Page 14

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 13

Tuesday, January 19, 2006 SCIENCE

Corbis

Robots to Become Commonplace wrote an article in the January issue of Scientific American, called “A Robot in Every Home,” in which he described the likelihood of a world full of robots. He pointed out many statistics indicating that the robot industry is booming. For instance, approximately two million personal robots were in use around the world in 2004, and perhaps another seven million will be installed by 2008. This is an enormous development. Though there are many obstacles to the development of robots, Gates thinks that the robot industry will find ways to overcome it. The high cost of the hardware of robots has been a problem, but the price is dropping drastically. For example, laser range finders that used to be around $10,000 a few years ago have now dropped to a price of around $2,000. More and more obstacles are being overcome. Gates wrote, “I can envision a future in which robotic devices

BY DAVID FENG STAFF WRITER

There is no doubt that our society is advancing, and that technology is rapidly evolving. In the mid 1970s, computers were still luxuries to most people; now, they are basically accessible to almost everyone everywhere in the developed world. It is not even surprising to find more than one computer in a home. Computers are now indispensable in this age of information. Many think that the world of robotics is about to undergo similar growth. “We agree wholeheartedly that the growth of the robotic industry . . . will continue,” said a spokesman for Kuka Robotics Corp., a key robotics technology company. The growth of the robotic industry seems to be a sign of the eminent arrival of the Age of Robots. Bill Gates, the leader of the computer revolution and the founder of the software company Microsoft, speculates that soon there will be robots everywhere. He

Continued on Page 14

Would You Eat the Cloned One? BY RAMMIYA NALLAINATHAN STAFF WRITER

Cloned animals may soon become a major food source. On December 28, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a report stating that it was safe to eat cloned animals such as cattle and pigs. However, the report created many concerns as to whether or not it was a step in the right direction. Corbis

Gloria, the first calf born to a cloned cow, Vitoria (left).

Cloning animals essentially fuses cells from an adult and other cells before putting them, as an embryo, into the female that will give birth to the cloned young. The government feels that if cloned animals are used, more milk and meat will be available. It feels that eating cloned

animals or drinking milk from cloned animals is no different from eating meat or drinking milk that comes from normally bred animals. By doing so, the quality of meat and milk will become better because cloning enables people to reproduce the best of the herd. With this technology, it is possible to know exactly how the offspring will be, and what characteristics it will have, eliminating any undesirable possibilities. “You now have a new cow with a known pedigree,” said Dr. Pariza, the director of the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin. However, there are also bad effects of cloning. The process of creating clones is not perfect and may produce deformed or stillborn offspring. A large problem is whether or not harmful effects of cloning can be detected with current testing methods. Dr. Pariza says, “These are edible animals to begin with — they are not going to suddenly start producing toxins,” but there are people who say otherwise. Cloned animals also present ethical issues. “There’s something Continued on Page 14

An aerial view of New Orleans before the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Louisiana Sinking into the Gulf of Mexico BY LIWEI MAO STAFF WRITER

We all know that Venice is sinking. It is also acknowledged that our own historic city, New Orleans, is losing ground as well, but the recent report that Louisiana is not merely sinking, but actually slipping into the Gulf of Mexico comes as bit of a shock. Scientists have long known about the sinking of southern Louisiana. Houses are tipping, porches are cracking, and new areas of marshland are steadily appearing in the area. Records show that more than 2000 square miles (one-twentieth of Louisiana's total land area) of the coast were recorded to have sunk or eroded since 1930. The report, published in the December issue of Geophysical Research Letters, is based on GPS data collected since 1995 by an array of stations in the Mississippi River delta. According to the report, a heavily populated area in southeast Louisiana is breaking away at approximately the speed at which fingernails grow. The area, 250 miles long, encompasses the delta of the Mis-

sissippi, which was created by sediment dropped by the Mississippi over the last 8000 years. The slippage, the report explains, is caused by deep underground faults that are slowly collapsing under the massive weight of the delta. Roy Dokka, head researcher of the project, describes the slide as “a kind of avalanche of material” that's moving “about the width of two credit cards” a year. For this reason, Dokka comfortingly assured people that they are not going to just “fall into the Gulf.” However, even the width of two credit cards makes a difference in building projects such as levees and floodgates. Engineers and planners take this into account as they evaluate the areas that need to be protected. Many projects and plans have already been drawn up to protect New Orleans’s famous historic sites, with their rich Cajun culture. Windell Curole, a levee and hurricane expert on the state board’s protection project, said the board is “aware of it,” but would not include it in their project until more information and better understanding is reached. ◙

$150 Laptop To Be Used in Undeveloped Countries Continued from Page 12

cent of the global population has Internet access. Giving Internet access to more people in countries such as China, Russia and India has become a focus of many large computer technology companies. These companies agree that producing a lower-priced PC will help sell more products in countries with very high populations. An Indian company called Novatium has plans to produce a small home computer for about $120. Microsoft is trying to create low-

cost versions of Windows XP, while Intel discussed making lowcost processors for these markets. The OLPC laptop is still at least a year away from beginning to be mass-produced. All of the prototypes made by other companies have remained on the drawing board as well. However, it is foreseeable that in the near future, a larger population will have access to personal computers, and eventually the Internet. A cheaper laptop, many hope, can change the world. ◙

Page 14

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 SCIENCE

Would You Eat the Cloned One? Continued from Page 13

about the cloning term that makes consumers uncomfortable," said Dave Schmidt, president of the International Food Information Council. The FDA will have to make its final decision as soon as public comments end in April. Although the government may approve this, cloned foods may not appear until a few years from now. However, labels that say “clone-free” may show up on food items. For example, Ben & Jerry’s wants customers to know that its ice cream does not come from cloned cows. “We want to make sure people are confident with what’s in our pints,’ company spokesman Rob Michalak said. However, others argue that it is impossible to tell the differences between animals that were

cloned and those that were not cloned. “You can’t tell them apart,” said L. Val Giddings, a vice president of BIO and a former Agriculture Department geneticist. “There is not an analytical, scientific test you can use to tell one from another. You just can’t do it.” Different polls have shown different results among consumers. Some polls show that consumers will buy cloned products, whereas other polls show that consumers will not buy cloned products. However, the debate will still continue on whether or not cloned animals should be put on the food market. The decision is ultimately up to the consumer: you. So think about it, because it is coming sooner that you might think. ◙

will become a nearly ubiquitous part of our day-to-day lives.” Robots may become omnipresent, but what exactly will they contribute to our society? According to Gates, they will do all manner of dangerous tasks that humans find hazardous. They will also help to give assistance to handicapped and disabled people. There is always a chance that robots may malfunction and do things that are harmful to humans, as described by a plethora of science fiction novels. This is just

Life of a Smoker Continued from Page 12

Robots To Become Commonplace Continued from Page 13

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

one of the problems that we will face if we live with robots, if we do indeed develop artificial intelligence. Only time can tell if humans can exist in harmony with robots. The constant advancement of our society will inevitably turn the Age of the Robot into a reality. To many, it is exciting. To others, it is frightening. Of one thing we can be sure: when — not if — intelligent robots are developed, they will transform our world dramatically. ◙

the second, but those attempts were about a year or so ago. My New Year’s resolution was to quit, and at 12:00 a.m. me and a few friends smoked our so called ‘last cigarette.’ The next day, we met up at our usual spot and we all had a cigarette in our hands even though we all said we quit. We’re all tired of saying, ‘oh this is our last pack’ and not being able to keep our word on that.” Most people know at least one smoker, but then again, over 22 percent of high school students smoke, so it is almost impossible not to be in contact with one. While some try to help their addicted friends quit smoking, others disassociate themselves with the smokers because of their habit. To condemn and judge them, however, is the most common reaction, and yet most nonsmokers only have a vague knowledge of smoking. Cigarettes harm the body to such an extent that they can cause fatal damage. To delve into further detail, the contents of a cigarette must be examined. A cigarette contains anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 chemicals, of which the vast majority are harmful. To name a handful of them: arsenic, cadmium, butane, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide are deadly. For those who do not know what these chemicals are used for, arsenic is used in rat poison, cadmium in batteries, butane in lighter fluid and ammonium in floor cleaner; hydrogen cyanide is

the poison used in gas chambers. The most notorious of the substances in cigarettes is nicotine. Nicotine is a neurotoxin, which is one of the most potent types of toxins to man. It is also a very powerful stimulant in mammals such as humans, and its addictive quality is one of the main reasons that so many smokers cannot stop smoking. Nicotine directly interacts with the part of the brain that handles pleasure. This toxin is in fact so powerful that many consider it to be more addictive than cocaine and heroin. Taking this into account, smokers have an unimaginably hard time quitting. They themselves acknowledge everything harmful that is occurring inside them: their lungs are slowly eroding and burning away, while the rest of their bodies become increasingly vulnerable to colds and diseases. Even more signs can be seen from their outward appearances. Their skin becomes pale and unhealthy-looking, while they develop bad-smelling breath, clothes and hair. Their overall health begins to decline the more they smoke. Smoking is serious, and though this may sound like one of those advertisements to stop smoking, smoking can kill you. So if you are smoking, try to quit. If you are not, do not start. For more information, visit http:// www.kidshealth.org/teen/ drug_alcohol/tobacco/ smoking.html. ◙

Engineered Cows Lack Mad Cow Disease Corbis

BY ALEXANDROS KALIONTZAKIS AND OMAR AHMAD STAFF WRITERS

Mad cow disease, or bovine s p o n gi fo r m e n c e p h a l o p a t h y (BSE), is a crippling affliction that took the world by storm not too long ago, but recently, there has been an enormous breakthrough involving the disease. In San Francisco, scientists have engineered 12 cows that cannot contract mad cow disease. On Sunday, December 31, a team of scientists from the United States and Japan announced that they had removed the genes in the cows that create the proteins that cause the brain-rotting disease. Certain mutations can cause proteins in the nervous system to be more likely to spontaneously deform; the deformed proteins are called prions. When they come into contact with normal proteins, the normal proteins become deformed as well. An international team of

A farmer holds syringes that he uses for injecting his cows with genetically engineered growth hormone to boost milk production.

Japanese and American scientists joined to experiment with these prions. They claim to have successfully deactivated the harmful

genes and that the cows they experimented with would not be able to develop mad cow disease. Although this new breakthrough can offer more protection to the people who are concerned about eating the infected beef, all genetically engineered products must first be approved by the FDA. To create the cows, a team of scientists scraped off the skin of cows and turned off the gene that creates the prions. Using those cells, they cloned twelve calves by inserting the cells into the eggs of cows. Three were slaughtered so that their brains could be studied, and the remaining nine are still living. The surviving cows are now being thoroughly tested by being directly injected with the disease. The results of this testing will not be known until later this year at the earliest, according to Hematech, the Sioux Falls, S.D.based company that sponsored the

research. In addition to making beef safer to eat, this research could also be used for diseases that destroy the human brain. The cloned, prion-free cows were born healthy and are currently in good condition. However, as they are only two years old, they will have to be watched to see if the lack of prions has any effect on their health or behavior. There is a lot of research and testing to be done before any conclusions are reached. Barbara Glenn, who works at the Biotechnology Industry Organization, another sponsor of the research, says that mad cow disease is a very small risk to the United States at the moment, largely because of government efforts and regulations. Scientists believe that people eating infected beef can contract the human variant of the disease. Within the last 20 years, at least 180 people have died of it. ◙

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Page 15

Tuesday, January 23, 2006 SCIENCE/SPORTS

Sports Calendar Tuesday January 23

Wednesday January 24

Thursday January 25

Friday January 26

Saturday January 27

Girls Gymnastics

Indoor Track: Mayor’s Cup

Sunday January 28

Boys Basketball

@ The Armory

Vs. Dewitt Clinton @ Stuy 4:30 PM

Vs. Louis Brandeis @Louis Brandeis HS 4:30 PM

Boys Wrestling

Boys JV Basketball

Vs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt @ Franklin Delano Roosevelt 5:00 PM

January 30

February 1 Boys Wrestling

January 31 Boys Basketball

vs. High School of Art and Design @ High School of Art and Design 4:30 PM

Vs. MLK @ Stuy 4:30 PM

Vs. Brooklyn HS of the Arts @ Stuy 5:15 PM

Monday January 29

Vs. Bayard Rustin Educational Complex @Stuy 4:30 PM

February 2 Boys Basketball

February 3

February 4

February 5 Boys Basketball

Vs. Beacon @ Wagner Middle School 6:00 PM

Vs. HS of Math, Science, and Engineering @ CUNY @Stuy 4:30 PM

Boys Gymnastics

Vs. Bronx High School of Science @ Stuy 4:00 PM

Girls Gymnastics Vs John F Kennedy @ John F Kennedy 4:30 PM

Serious Thwarting Dangerous Continued from Page 12 Corbis

A scanning electron micrograph of treponema pallidum, the causative bacterium for syphilis, being grown on epithelium cells of a cottontail rabbit.

more popular. In fact nearly half of all teens have lost their virginity by the age of eighteen. Methods other than abstinence have been introduced to significantly lower the risk of contracting an STD. The cheapest and most common way is using a latex condom. Another good tip is to limit one’s number of sex partners. It is suggested that teens should choose only one partner who has already been tested for STD’s and stay consistently with him or her. Regardless of the measures

taken to stay healthy, it is important to get tested regularly, especially after having unsafe intercourse or if any symptoms of disease appear, such as bumps, rash, itching, burning or an unusual discharge from the primary sex organs. Teens should not be afraid to talk to their family doctor and parents. They are the ones who can help with the situation, and some STD’s can be fatal. Anyone who is diagnosed with an STD should immediately contact all of his or her sex partners, so that they can be examined as well. Most STD’s require very simple treatments, but they should be taken care of as soon as possible, or serious complications may develop. STD’s are very serious and can lead to sterility or death. Do your research and be careful, and your chances of success are significantly higher. For more information, visit http:// www.ashastd.org/learn/ learn_statistics.cfm. ◙

The NBA Changes Its Ball (Again) the midseason change in balls. tober. Continued from Page 16

Stern employed a testing crew to test out the complaints regarding the new ball. Many of the complaints were in fact true, and some explanations were given. For example, the cuts on the players’ fingers resulted because the ball’s surface had too much grip held on to the players’ skin. Finally, Stern decided to change the ball midway through the season. He brought the old leather ball back into the NBA as of the new year. The first teams to play with the “new” ball were the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Charlotte Bobcats. Immediately the players showed their happiness. Mike James, point guard for the Timberwolves, said, “This is what everybody wanted. People felt more comfortable with the leather ball.” That was evident from the way the players performed. Kevin Garnett, for example, scored 12 out of 18 field goals and ended with 32 points. “Hallelujah for the new ball,” Garnett said after the game. Adam Morrison, forward for the Bobcats, also showed his approval of

“It’s just a real basketball. It’s not a toy store ball with any seams. It’s a real basketball,” he said. Though many players approved of the change in balls, there are some who thought that the switch should have been delayed until the end of the season. Sean May, forward for the Bobcats, said, “I’d rather just finish it out this year and go back to the old ball next year.” Stern has not given up on using a synthetic ball. He said that he still plans to work with Spalding in the future to come up with a more improved ball that will be to the players’ liking. But until then, the old leather ball is in. ◙

Page 16

Thursday, December 21, 2006 SPORTS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

The NBA Changes Its Ball (Again) Corbis

BY HESHAM SALEH STAFF WRITER

After 35 years of using the same leather ball, David Stern, the NBA commissioner, decided to start the season with a new ball. This ball, created by Spalding, was supposed to be better, with micro fiber technology replacing the old leather surface. It was supposed to provide the players with better grip, and it would be more durable. However, players immediately criticized the new ball, and flooded Stern with complaints. The ball had too much grip while it was dry, but once it became wet from sweat, it was extremely slippery. Also, the ball “died around the rim” and sometimes didn’t bounce. Most importantly, however, many players complained of cuts they received from the ball. Stern wanted to keep the ball, but was determined to give the players what they asked for. “Right now our plans are to stay the course, but we will monitor it and if we find there is something

A Phoenix Suns fan holds up a sign during fourth period NBA action against the Dallas Mavericks. The sign referred to NBA's new ball and NBA commissioner David Stern.

to it and it is a serious issue, we will take the appropriate steps because the most important thing to us is the game,” he said during the NBA Europe Live tour in OcContinued on Page 16

THE SPORTS BEAT

I Want to Be a Mediocre Pitcher BY ERIC MAYO SPORTS EDITOR

Kerry Wood can stay healthy. This was part of the Cubs’ overall spending splurge, putting down over $300 million in the next five years in guys such as journeyman Corbis

As a kid, the occupations you want to have tend to be limited to the more popular ones like astronaut, doctor or professional athlete. The dream of every kid who ever played baseball was to be a star, to pitch Game 7 of the World Series and win it for your favorite team. However, this is no more. Due to the general weakness of most major league pitchers, mediocre pitchers are being paid what great pitchers of the last 10 years have dreamed of. Take Gil Meche, who recently signed a five-year deal valued at $55 million with the Kansas City Royals. All Meche has done in his six seasons is fail to live up to his expectations. He has a 55-44 career record with a 4.65 ERA pitching for the Seattle Mariners. Yet the Royals, who have a terrible team and a small payroll, felt it was worth investing $11 million a year in him. Why strive to be the best when you can be $50 million dollars richer just being mediocre? Ted Lilly has had a serviceable career as a fourth or fifth

starter on several major league teams, including the Yankees from 2000-2002. His career stats are not much better than Meche’s, with a 59-58 career

Barry Zito will earn $126 million over the next seven years, a record for any pitcher.

record and a 4.60 ERA. This time, the Cubs, who spent like their money grew on trees, gave $40 million to who most people expect to be the Cubs fourth starter, assuming Mark Prior and

Jason Marquis ($21 million), utility man Mark Derosa ($13 million), and free-swinging exYankee Alfonso Soriano ($136 million). Though Soriano is among the best players in the

game, he is not the fifth best, which is where his new salary ranks. It’s not only the mediocre players that are getting more money. The good players are getting richer as well. Barry Zito, a longtime pitcher on Oakland with a good track record, will earn $126 million over the next seven years, a record for any pitcher. He’s a very good pitcher, piling up a 102-63 record with a Cy Young award in 2002 and three all-star appearances in the past 5 years. However, he is not considered one of the elite pitchers in baseball. Players like Johan Santana of the Twins, Dontrelle Willis of the Marlins, and Carlos Zambrano of the Cubs should expect to command the same amount of money, if not more, when they declare free agency in the next three years. Mediocrity is not what we strive for in life. However, when mediocre means $50 million dollars, maybe we should. ◙