Volume 7 Issue 1

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Monday, September 17th Volume 7 Visit us at www.stuystandard.org

Issue 1

Student Union Reforms

Your School, Your World — Your News

Presenting Our Principal: Mr. Stanley Teitel by Kenneth Lam, staff writer and Jimmy Zhang, co-news editor

The SU Constitution governs how the Student Union is run by Rammiya Nallainathan, SU Correspondent

The new Student Union (SU) Constitution came into effect on the first school day. Many changes were made to a document which had not been updated in several years. One change within the constitution includes a new commitment for all presidents and vice presidents of each grade. This is to “Promote spirit, unity, and activity within his or her grade”. Jamila Ma, President of the Student Union and member of the committee which revised the constitution, elaborated on the new clause. She stated that before, the duties of the class president were a bit more “technical” in the sense that they would describe what committees they would be on rather than the actual duties of a president and vice president. The duties of the class presidents include organizing and preparing for special events in their grades , including but not limited to comedy nights and grade-wide dances. Ma explained that this would make the

TSS/Eric Mayo

presidents and vice presidents responsible for making their grade more “functional and cohesive.” Another change was that the directors of all committees would be able to vote as a member of the Budget Committee and Executive Council. When Ma was asked about this, it was discovered that this change had actually been in effect for some time. The problem was that no one officially updated in the Constitution who was voting at these meetings. When asked her opinion on why this was a smart choice she said, “Many issues that the Executive Council and the Budget Committee vote on will affect the communications department, as well as the other departments, so it is only fitting that they should

REFORMS continues on page 3

In September 1983, Stanley Teitel entered the Stuyvesant community as a chemistry teacher. The following year, he began teaching physics. Soon afterwards, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Principal for Chemistry and Physics. Then, in 1999, Teitel was appointed principal of Stuyvesant High School. Even with this position, he still retains a passion for teaching his students, and still teaches freshman physics. This year marks Teitel’s 25th year as a member of the Stuyvesant community and his eighth year as principal. As both the principal and a teacher, Teitel often has to juggle the two jobs at once. In an interview, he happily replied that the physics half of his job was the easy part because he was already accustomed to it with years of teaching experience. Being a principal requires that Teitel deals with three main bodies: the student

PRESENTING OUR PRINCIPAL continues on page 4

In this Issue Arabic School Causes Controversy in Brooklyn News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 3 Is Celebrity Coverage Excessive? News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4 The Enigma of Peer Evaluation Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 8

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

NEWS

EDITORIAL COMMUNICATION

The Editorial Board MS. MEGAN BRESLIN JENNIFER SCHLESINGER ERIC MAYO DIANE CHEN ANGEL WONG SANGHEE CHUNG DANNY ZHU JIMMY ZHANG TIM CHANG HESHAM SALEH PRISCILLA MELO EMMA RABINOVICH RICHARD MAI JOSEPH KRUTOV OMAR AHMAD HANFORD CHIU AMNA AHMAD ROBERT STEVENSON JESSE ZHANG ELISSA TAM DANIEL EGERS (‘03) ERNEST BASKIN (‘04)

FACULTY ADVISER EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE LAYOUT EDITOR COPY CHIEF NEWS EDITOR NEWS EDITOR ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SCIENCE EDITOR ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR BUSINESS EDITOR LITERARY EDITOR ASSITANT LITERARY EDITOR WEBMASTER DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM FOUNDER EDITOR EMERITUS

Publication THE STUYVESANT STANDARD is a non-profit publication produced by the students of Stuyvesant High School. THE STUYVESANT STANDARD distributes 2,000 free copies on a biweekly 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. For a letter to be reproduced in print, a name and method of contact must be provided. 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 ©2007 THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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.

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

A new locker system and new scanner policies were introduced as students made their way back to school. Though the policies themselves have in the most focus of the students, we need to look at the bigger issue surrounding all of these policies: Communication. Did the Student Union really accept the new locker policy, as reported last year, or were they “strongly opposed” to this, as Student Union President Jamila Ma said in a Facebook posting on August 31? If the Student Union was strongly opposed, why didn’t they attempt to organize the students to rally against the new lockers? The Student Union’s failure to communicate with the student body is the reason why the administration can get away with imposing restriction after restriction on students. Students last year received zero information directly from the Student Union about what was going on in the Student Union. Media outlets cannot report about everything that’s going on. It is the responsibility of the student government to make sure students are informed about important issues effecting them. Another example is the new constitution. The new constitution refers everything about the Budget Committee to the “Budget Committee Meeting Procedures”. These procedures, if available online, would have explained our Budget Article (Volume 6, Issue 6). However, we were led to believe that an error was committed. The Student Union can’t rely on outside sources to rally the students against a cause. Stuycom is clearly not what it used to be, and Facebook can only do so much. If the Student Union feels that student support can help their agenda, that’s fine. It must be their responsibility then to seek out the students to tell them what’s at stake.

LETTER TO STUYVESANT The Stuyvesant Standard is excited about the start of a new school year. We are looking to continue to improve our paper to make it the best it can be for our readers. To help us further achieve this goal, we have redesigned the paper with easier to read fonts and bigger pictures, so you can get your news quicker and easier. For those of you new to Stuyvesant, we welcome you to our community. The Stuyvesant Standard is a newspaper of Stuyvesant High School. We are dedicated to providing the Stuyvesant Community with information to allow them to be informed about not only their school, but their surrounding community as well. We are entirely student run with a faculty advisor, Ms. Breslin. The editorial, which you see directly above this letter, is written by the Editorial Board, a group of seniors, juniors, and sophomores. We publish bi-weekly, but more up to date information can be found on our website, www.stuystandard.org We will be holding recruitments later this week, for all sections. This includes more than just writing, such as business, layout, photography, comics, and web. Information will be posted on posters and our website. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions. We are also taking ads now. Ads are a great way to reach Stuyvesant High School as well as the local community. Please contact [email protected] if you have more questions. Welcome back to Stuyvesant, and we wish you success in your new school year. Sincerely, The Stuyvesant Standard Editorial Board 2007

NEWS

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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THE STANDARD NEWS Arabic Language School Causes Controversy in Brooklyn by Hesham Saleh, assistant news editor

On September 4, all NYC public schools reopened their doors for the thousands of students in the NYC public school system. One new school, Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA), which opened in Brooklyn, faced much controversy from the community even on its grand opening day. A group of 60 11-year olds entered the doors of KGIA on Sept 4, which is currently open only for sixth graders. KGIA is a NYC public school that teaches the regular curriculum, but with an emphasis on the Arabic language. There were large groups of protesters outside KGIA on Sept 4.

One major group, which called themselves “Stop the Madrassa” (“madrassa” means “school” in Arabic) tried to fight their way to City Hall to protest the opening of this school. Supporters of this group claimed that the new school had not clearly explained its curriculum. More importantly, these protesters accused the school of planning to teach its students how to become terrorists. KGIA released little information about its curriculum. The principal, Danielle Salzberg, made it known that many of the books in the curriculum were directed toward teaching Arabic, and included English novels, released by “Scholastics,” which were translated into Arabic. But opponents of the school want more information,

Parents’ Camp Stuy by Tim Chang, news editor

29 August – After two months of slumber, Stuyvesant’s lobby was once again abuzz with the energy of orientation. But this was not a student orientation. Rather, hundreds of anxious parents poured into the lobby to sign in for the first ever Parents’ Camp Stuy, created and coordinated by Eleanor Archie, Stuyvesant’s Assistant Principal for Pupil Personnel Services. After having sandwiches at the snack table, parents sat in the auditorium and listened to various speakers, including Alec Klein, Stuyvesant alumnus and author of the new book “A Class Apart.” But this meeting would be of little practical use unless, as Sumei Chan, representative for the student leadership team, stated, the program took “the whole child” into account. Speakers on stress management, parent-child relationships and other important topics were brought in to bring the parents into the Stuyvesant commu-

nity. “It is important to let the parents know,” Chan said, that “there are people to help empower them to raise their child.” Knowledgeable parents lead to less stressed, happier students, which means better academic performance. Parents’ Camp Stuy was Archie’s brainchild, but the Parents’ Association (PA) and the Big Sibs brought it to life. Over 50 Big Sibs and tens of parents volunteered to help in order to keep everything running smoothly. The PA spent approximately $14,000 on the event. The PA was surprised at the turnout. According to Chan, from the 831 students enrolled for the class of 2012, over 700 parents showed up, a very high turnout considering that the event fell during the vacation and right before Labor Day weekend. As for the Big Sibs, Chan believes that the Big Sibs showed “wonderful enPARENTS’ CAMP STUY continues on page 4

to ensure that the school is neither a religious nor a terrorist school. One critic, Brian Rooney, told Cybercast News Service (CNS) of his and many others’ suspicions about the school. “It [the school’s withholding information] continues to raise suspicions that KGIA is an anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-Jewish propaganda center operating as a public school,” he said. According to CNS, NYC Schools Chancellor Joe Klein, supported the opening of the Arabic school, saying, “Khalil Gibran will add a new, important option for our students who are interested in a rigorous academic program with an international and Arab language theme.” Allen Rabinovich, a junior at

Stuyvesant High School, summed up the major reason for the controversy surrounding this school. “People just associate the Arabic language with Islam,” Rabinovich said, “and Islam with terrorism.” This stereotypical view, along with several other reasons, has indeed been the reason for the large number of people protesting the opening of KGIA as a NYC public school.

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The Stuyvesant Standard Raffles Code: 0704911112 Click here to win free prizes! From buying textbooks for AP classes to going out to eat during lunch, many students in Stuyvesant just don’t have enough money to buy themselves the latest gadgets. Many are dying to buy the latest PSP-2000 or the recently released iPhone but can’t seem to muster the money needed. Well, starting this year, The Stuyvesant Standard will be having a number of raffles for prizes such as these and more. Though there are no set prizes, The Standard team hopes to have gift certificates to Best Buy and other stores as well as some technological gadgets for the drawings starting this December. So, how much do you have to pay for these raffles? None whatsoever! All you need to do is sign up on The Standard’s website (http://www.stuystandard.org/). Each issue, a small box similar to the one this article is printed in will contain a special code. Just enter this code on the website and you’ll automatically get a ticket. The alternate method to acquiring these tickets is to utilize The Standard website. When you are logged in, you can post comments and vote on articles. Also, you can chat on the Forum with other Stuyvesant students. Whenever you do so, you will get a certain amount of points. After acquiring 50 points, you have an option to purchase a ticket for the current drawing. It’s simple and it’s easy to do! So, when you get home today, turn on your computer and enter in this code to redeem your free ticket! REFORMS continued from page 1 have some say in the matter.” The other major change to the constitution came under the Budget Committee. As reported last year, there were several inaccuracies concerning the members of the Budget Committee and whether they were actually eligible to vote. The new constitution refers students to the Budget Committee Meeting Procedures, a document not available online. In the procedures, how a budget meeting works is clearly laid out, including the members of the committee and their responsibilities.

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September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

NEWS

Is Celebrity Coverage Excessive? by Liza Pincus, special to the Standard

PARENTS’ CAMP STUY continued from page 3

PRESENTING OUR PRINCIPAL continued from page 1

thusiasm” and that showcasing the school’s kids gives the school pride by casting a positive light on the student body. Parents were just as pleased with the program as the PA was. Freshman parent Judy Li was especially impressed with the “range of programs that the school offers” and felt that the session overall was very helpful and informative. Li was also impressed with the guidance counselor system and the many services the guidance counselors offer, and said it was “good to know about them.” There were some aspects of the program that the PA did not believe went so well. The problem of the language barrier always exists in a multicultural school. While parents fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean were brought in to help interpret some items, about 5 percent of Chinese parents experienced language problems, according to Chan. Unlike many PA meetings, there was no simultaneous translation to help parents understand speakers on stage. Also, the program was a bit lengthy, and Chan believes that future programs of this nature should be cut shorter. But judging the event by its success, this helpful program will be repeated in years to come. Chan, the parent of a senior, only wishes that “they had it for themselves.”

body, the parents , and the faculty, each of which must be dealt with in “a fair and equitable manner.” And while these three constituents are indeed distinct, he finds that the parents often side with the student body. Teitel’s main concern regarding Stuyvesant is student safety. He guarantees that while students are in school, they will be kept in a safe environment. However, he acknowledges that while students have no reason to worry inside of school, life outside school is a different story, one which Teitel has no control over. Students often have commutes that take over two hours a day. He also notes that these commutes often take place in the dark, and as to their safety, “Who can say?” That being said, Teitel has great expectations for the students in Stuyvesant. He believes that the students already have the qualities necessary for the school. “My job is to provide them with a good education,” he said. “Your job is to take advantage of what I’m offering.” This year, Stuyvesant is certainly offering something new. In keeping with his concern over safety, Teitel stated that one such new aspect of school life is the locker initiative, where students are assigned a locker and are given

much about celebrities? Robert McClory, associate professor emeritus at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, said it is human nature to be interested in scandals. “It’s not anything we should be proud of, but there’s a human

interest and satisfaction in other people’s troubles,” he said. McClory said people are interested in celebrities because they CELEBRITY COVERAGE continues on page 5 Source: http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_02/parisL2606_468x272.jpg

MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” anchor Mika Brzezinski recently used a lighter and paper shredder on live television to destroy a script about Paris Hilton’s release from jail. The Associated Press reported on July 8 that two million people have since watched the clip that made a British Web site call Brzezinski “woman of the week.” “My skin was crawling,” Brzezinski said after the show. “This was our lead? On a day like this? To me, it was just the ultimate Paris Hilton out-of-control moment. We've gone too far and we've got to stop.” However, analysts say public obsession with celebrity news does not seem to be peaking any time soon. The AP reported on its website that the Hilton story ranks fourth after the Iraq War, the death of Anna Nicole Smith and the Virginia Tech shootings with the most clicked upon stories of the year.

Media experts say teenagers tend to concentrate on celebrity news. Limor Peer, research director at Northwestern University's Media Management Center and Readership Institute, said a recent study showed a definite interest in this topic. Actions like Brzezinski’s are rare among members of the media, even those who say they dislike the Hilton coverage. According to the AP, when Anderson Cooper’s CNN broadcast immediately followed Larry King’s June 27 interview with Hilton, Cooper spent an hour talking about the celebrity. Nielsen Media Research, which is in charge of TV ratings, found that Cooper’s viewers doubled that night to 1.89 million people. Pew Research Center reported that in mid-February, 38 percent cited Anna Nicole Smith as the person they had heard most about in the news, while 28 percent cited President Bush. But why do people care so

The Associated Press reported on its website that the Hilton story ranks fourth after the Iraq War, the death of Anna Nicole Smith and the Virginia Tech shootings with the most clicked upon stories of the year.

a choice of whether or not they wish to use it. A second such new aspect is lunch scanning. Previously, ID scanners were introduced to help maintain a safer environment as well as to streamline attendance taking. They were restricted to only scanning into school during the morning. This year, ID scanners are to be put into effect not only during mornings, but also during lunch periods, where students will have to scan in and out of school for lunch outside. When asked about a theme for this year, Teitel responded, “Using data to improve instruction.” By collecting student progress data from various classes in Stuyvesant, the faculty can assess different approaches to instruction. By improving instruction based upon this data, Mr. Teitel hopes that student grades will rise, indicating better performance on the part of the faculty and the students. Outside of school, Mr. Teitel enjoys a variety of different activities. Like many people, he enjoys a good book. His duties as both a principal and a teacher provide a constant block to this pastime, and during the school year, he rarely has

enough time to sit down and read. As a result, it takes him nearly a month to finish a book. During vacations, on the other hand, Mr. Teitel can read at a much faster rate. During the past summer alone he read four books. On top of reading, Mr. Teitel also enjoys traveling. One facet of travel that he particularly likes is wintertime travel, as he sometimes gets a chance to ski. For Mr. Teitel, skiing is an enjoyable pastime and one which he is very good at. While it is a busy job being both a principal and a teacher at Stuyvesant, Mr. Teitel enjoys his job very much. When asked to give one word that described Stuyvesant, Mr. Teitel opted to give a list which included, “wonderful, terrific, enjoyable, vibrant, energetic and exciting.” Although these words are used to describe Stuyvesant, Mr. Teitel also feels that these words can describe how he feels about his job. As for his favorite aspect of Stuyvesant? “Students.”

Presenting Our Principal: Stanley Mr. Teitel Fast Facts Favorite Color: Blue Favorite Food: Linguine alla vongole Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

NEWS CELEBRITY COVERAGE continued from page 4 feel like they know them. “When people hear that their neighbors are getting a divorce, they’re interested,” he said. “Thanks to TV and movies, people regard [celebrities] as their neighbors.” David Standish, the magazine editorial adviser at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and previous editor and staff writer for Playboy said there has been an increasing fragmentation in American culture over the past 20 years and that there are fewer common threads between people. He said he thinks celebrities act as a common thread. Standish said in a society where most people are living in big cities, it is a “more anonymous experience.” “Our interest in celebrities is a way of dealing with that hunger to feel like we’re a part of something we all know,” he said. Shirley Halperin, a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly and former west coast editor for Teen People and Bop Magazine, said after 9/11, the public needed an escape from reality. She said that lead to an appetite for more trivial news. Callie Schweitzer, 18, an intern at People, said people idolize the celebrity lifestyle. She said people think that all celebrities have to do is wake up, look pretty and party at night. “People don’t think acting is that hard,” she said. However, Cynthia Wang, the Los Angeles associate bureau chief of People, said people read about celebrities to feel better about their own lives. “The conventional wisdom used to be that the grass was always greener on the other side,” she said. “People liked to read celebrity news simply to see how the rich and famous lived. Now it’s almost the other way around — people like seeing how those they once felt were out of their league now have the same problems and foibles the average person does.” Wang also attributes teens’ obsession with celebrity news to the fact that many stars themselves are young. She said there are teenagers who have grown up along with Hilary Duff, for example. “It’s easier to get caught up in celebrity when you can follow your favorite stars’ every move on their website or MySpace page, or see new photos of them daily on wire websites, or publicize your thoughts on them on your own blog,” Wang said. Halperin said teenagers concentrate on celebrities because they

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1 have more time and fewer responsibilities than adults do. She also said celebrity gossip serves as topics of conversation for teenagers with their friends or boyfriends and girlfriends. Peer said she calls celebrity news “news with a small n,” though she doesn’t necessarily see that as a bad thing. This “news with a small n” has become a large part of today’s media. Standish said the abundance of celebrity coverage is a direct result of public demand. He said he thinks too much celebrity coverage is a fault of society, not of the media. He said the media is an expression of the culture. Jane Hirt, editor of RedEye,

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

toward world events is indicative of a much bigger problem than the media’s response to public interest. She said it’s the fault of parents, educators and the community that teenagers are not better informed. “You’re a product of the environment you’re raised in,” she said. Wang said the problem with hard news is that ratings may conflict with a publication’s directives. However, she said although hard news publications think they can’t survive without celebrity coverage, they probably can. Bret Begun, the National Affairs Editor for Newsweek, said cable news networks may be able to survive without covering celebrities b u t there is “real competitive pressure.” He said with 24 hours of coverage everyd a y , n e t works need to fill the MSNBC Anchor Mika Brzezinski lights her Paris Hilton story on fire. t i m e somehow. The clip generated hundreds of thousands of hits on Youtube and a “There’s nothing wrong with doing things in modthe free daily edition of The Chieration,” he said. “Watching Paris cago Tribune, said in an e-mail Hilton leave her house to go to jail that she thinks celebrity coverage is pretty compelling coverage.” is fueled in part by traditional news Begun, said teenagers tend to sources which are expanding “ape” what their parents do, which i n t o mo r e n o n - t r a d i t i o n a l he said is true of anything, not just news areas in order to compete celebrity news consumption. Howwith the web. ever, he said he doesn’t think parMedia experts say a publicaents are at fault for this. tion’s type of coverage should depend on its mission statement. “If a parent wants to watch Wang said People’s mission statecelebrity news, it’s perfectly lement is to tell the stories of exgal,” he said. traordinary people doing ordinary Wang said teens whose parthings, and ordinary people doing ents enthusiastically watch movies extraordinary things, so both ceand talk about music naturally follebrity news and more serious low in their footsteps. She said in news is reported. households where parents “rely on the television to be the babysitter,” “However, a magazine such as young children grow up more inStar or US Weekly caters to young terested in celebrities. readers interested in celebrity news “With less reading in a house and fashion, and it would be inconand more consumption of the megruous if all of a sudden those dia there is a more celebritymagazines started to feature Iraq obsessed culture,” she said. stories,” she said. Begun said he thinks paying Halperin said she thinks attention to world events is a perthere’s a place for celebrity issues, sonal choice. He said publications and it’s not necessarily on CNN. such as Newsweek can’t force peoShe said she thinks there’s a reple to care about what is going on. sponsibility for CNN to cover sto“It’s not my job to be didacries that will “really affect people’s tic,” he said. “If we’re a nation that lives.” cares more about ‘American Idol’ Halperin also said hard news than presidential elections, it doessources are just looking at ratings n’t bode well for our nation.” and that’s “kind of sad.” In 2006, Newton South High Halperin said teenage apathy

School in Newton, Mass. surveyed 164 students on political trivia and pop culture. While 39 percent identified the purpose of the Patriot Act, 80 percent identified Johnny Depp’s character in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. Katie Sanders, a senior at Newton South High School, said the survey didn’t surprise most students. “It just goes to show that despite our strong educations, we spend so much time focusing on what's not important that we lose sight of what arguably is” said Sanders. Begun said he doesn’t think teens’ interest in celebrity news is an entirely negative thing. “Life is hard,” he said. “If you want to escape a little, there are many worse ways you could do it.” Standish said he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with a certain amount of “fluff,” manifested in entertainment magazines. “We can’t be all serious all the time,” he said. Wang said she doesn’t think heavy celebrity news consumption is a problem. “But what would make me pause is if teens don’t acquire the skills to break down the information they read,” she said. McClory, who said many of his students read teen magazines, said he doesn’t condemn the interest in celebrity news. He said teenagers need excitement to take them away from a lot of “awful things in their lives.” However, he said it’s an extremely negative thing if teens aren’t paying attention to anything else. Begun said because teenagers today have so many more options for where to get their news, hard news is often boring to read. However, though he said habits are formed early, he said he thinks as teens get older, more serious issues such as how an administration “lied to get us into war” become more interesting. Carley Lake, 17, from Los Angeles, Calif., said although she closely follows celebrity gossip, she thinks she will grow out of it. “I’ll always go on the celebrity blogs but as I get older I’ll concentrate on more things that will affect me as an adult like social security and health care,” she said. Media experts proposed ways to strike a balance for teenagers between celebrity news and hard news.

CELEBRITY COVERAGE continued on page 6

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

PHOTO ESSAY

NEWS

THE BACKPACK

The backpack is probably the most ubiquitous accessory around Stuyvesant. From Jansport to Northface to all the lesser known brands, backpacks and their attachments can almost tell something about the person wearing them. What kind of differences in backpacks do we see between freshmen and seniors? Standard correspondents David Yin and Kenneth Lam decided to investigate: Harrison Wong - Senior

David Huang - Freshman

David Gong - Freshman

Jason Tong - Senior

Alex Wang - Senior

Daniel Zhang - Freshman

CELEBRITY COVERAGE continued from page 5 Begun suggested an impetus such as a Facebook news channel that will inform teenagers while they leisurely surf the web. Halperin suggested more efforts by celebrities to inform teens of world issues. McClory said public obsession with celebrity news, especially

among teenagers, is “not leaving us.” Wang said the appetite for celebrity news is healthy and will stay that way for awhile. “As long as celebrities continue to do newsworthy or notorious things, there will be outlets

around to cover them,” she said. Acording to experts and statistics, public interest in celebrities is not peaking anytime soon. Brzezinski told the AP that the news lead on Paris Hilton that day made her “feel stupid.” She also said even she will not stop covering

celebrities. “It's not like I'll never cover a Paris Hilton story again and it's not like I'm never going to listen to my producer again,” she said.

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September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

OPNIONS

THE STANDARD OPINIONS Nine Tips for the Ninth Grade

by Hui Ting Jiang, staff writer

It is your fprestigious School (affectionately Stuyvesant known as Stuy) and you are so nervous that your hands are dripping with sweat. You don’t see anyone you know, and when you think you do, it turns out to be a complete stranger. Embarrassed, you turn the other way and proceed .to find your homeroom Those were my first few minutes at Stuy. Hopefully that did not happen to you because yours truly will provide you with a basic guide to Stuy. Read on to find out proof your first year-how to fool .here 1. Be loquacious. Your first year of high school is meant to be a learning experience, educationally and socially. Strike up a conversation with whomever you sit next to in your classes. Even talking about a ‘boring’ subject such as the weather can be stimulating due to this year’s insane climate. However, be careful not to be too longwinded, or everyone will turn the other way when they see you! 2. Update yourself. Both students

and teachers at Stuy are incredibly up-to-date. Don’t hesitate to buy the paper and read it on the train. If you can’t afford to put 25 cents aside, then grab a copy of the complementary Metro or AMNY and skim through it for international and national news. 3. The bridge. Also know as the TriBeCa Bridge, it is regarded by some as the ‘passageway to freedom’. It is the bridge you walk to go outside during your lunch period and the bridge you walk once school ends. As an added bonus, the bridge has two elevators on either side that will take you down if you are too tired (or lazy) to take the stairs. 4. Your lunch period. When you eat really depends on your luck. There is the brunch-like lunch during fourth period and there is the dreaded eighth-period lunch, before which your stomach is already grumbling for a decent meal. The good thing about high school is that you can ditch the brown bagged lunches and purchase your own lunch outside of school. Eve-

ryone raves about the sandwiches from Terry’s, a store right next to school, so it would be wise to try them at least once during your four years here. But remember to go back to the bridge 10 minutes before your next class! 5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Remember when you used to persistently ask “why?” and adults would say in return “because”? Those days are over. The faculty at Stuy are more than happy to answer your questions, because they genuinely care about your curiosity and desire to learn. Here, no one ridicules you for raising your hand consistently. So ask away! 6. If in doubt, go to the library. That may sound nerdy, but the library is actually a great place to go during your free period! Students flock there in droves, so be sure to get there early. Although it is a bit on the noisy side, it gives you a place to relax with your friends or catch up on some homework.

7. Opt for the stairs. Although the escalators may seem ritzy and exciting at first, they are not very practical. They are usually immensely crowded and not very fast. If it isn’t crowded, there are always those dreaded groups of upperclassmen who block your way on the escalators. Be smart and take a walk. 8. Learn to walk. That may seem silly, but students have places to go and people to see. The hallways are filled with people who rush from room to room. It can be hard to navigate if you walk at the pace of a turtle and don’t know your way around the school yet. 9. The half floor. Yes, it exists. It is one of the many hangout spots in this school. Don’t be afraid to venture there. We don’t bite! As a side note, it is usually occupied by self-proclaimed musicians at the end of the day. So if you are interested, then go check it out.

Big Brother at Stuy? It all started innocently enough — but the path to hell is, like they say, paved with good intentions. At first, it was a stricter lunch policy, so the mice wouldn’t find their Utopia in our halls and classrooms. Then it was the ID scanners, which some were infuriated with, but all in all, it helped the administration with attendance. Then came the iPod/cellphone ban, which many have blatantly disregarded and with good reason. But the new locker assignments and the usage of ID scanners during lunch is, I fear, the beginning of the end. Since the school does not have lockers with integrated locks, it has always been left for students to buy and use their own locks. Some bought Master locks with a 25number combination to safeguard their most precious possessions, while others naively bought mea-

sly “designer” locks. Their mistake will hopefully make them into more responsible young adults, as the high school experience should do. Now, equipping the school with bulky black locks and demanding that everyone pay 11 dollars for their lockers is a bit too drastic for the mistakes of a few students. Besides, the beauty of Stuyvesant halls depended in part on the diversity of locks and their colors; taking that away is like taking part of our individual expression. Putting aside aesthetics, the amount of control and bureaucracy that the administration is wielding and relying on is scary. Stuyvesant, like any other school, has a few deranged souls that would steal coats and blow up bathrooms, but overall, the student population is quite sane and responsible. There is not such a history of widespread and general violence, gun possession, and other illicit phenomena to have all of us under

such scrutiny. We, as students, should receive more respect and trust. This invariably means that each individual student will also have more responsibility, that each student will have to suffer any consequence for their actions. This is perfectly okay. However, what the school administration is instituting now is not okay. Their ability to check our lockers if anyone “tips them off” is a violation of our privacy, especially in a school where the average student wouldn’t dare go above the law if it would lower their chances at Harvard. This extra security is superfluous and is chipping away at our already limited freedom. Sure, it may just be the lockers now, but metal detectors and security cameras on every hall are just around the corner. I am glad that I’m in my last year and will not be here to witness Stuyvesant students calling the principal “Big Brother.”

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/1984first.jpg

by Priscilla Melo , opinions editor

Big Brother is a fictional character in George Orwell’s 1984. In the novel, Big Brother is the dictator of a totalitarian state where everyone is under surveillance through telescreens.

OPINIONS

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Cheap Labor Comes at a High Price Source: matteltoys.yahoo.bmp

On August 2, Mattel's Fisher-Price Unit recalled almost a million Chinese toys because of possible hazards due to the toys coated in lead-based paint. by Guergana Borissova , staff writer

The thought of Barbie dolls, Matchbox cars, Dora the Explorer kitchen sets, and SpongeBob SquarePants journals brings to mind the carefree days of childhood. Until recently, rarely would one associate these popular children’s toys with learning disabilities, stunted growth, comas, and even death — all as a result of lead poisoning. But how has this come

to be? The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is responsible for testing products and ensuring that those that pose a safety threat to the public stay off the market. Over the past thirty years, their work has contributed to a rapid decline in deaths and injuries associated with consumer products such as household chemicals, power tools, and toys, as stated in their mission overview. After budget cuts from the Bush admini-

stration, the agency has decreased in size, leaving only about 420 people responsible for testing products for hazards. The current chairwoman of the CPSC, Nancy A. Nord, believes that the agency is doing its best to protect the consumer, but could certainly do even more if it had the resources. Seeing that the agency is responsible for a growing industry that made nearly $1.4 trillion last year alone, why is the budget of the CPSC declining? Cameras, televisions, toys, and cosmetics, used by millions of Americans daily, are often not screened as thoroughly as they should be, until an official report is filed with the CPSC of an injury or death resulting from one of these consumer products. Even then, the agency can only investigate 10 to 15 percent of all reports received. It is simply too late to wait for the brain and central nervous system of an innocent child to get permanently damaged from lead poisoning before taking a closer look at a favorite toy. Recalls often come too late and are tedious for both the manufacturer and consumer. If we invested more in proper testing of these potentially lethal products, we could prevent many kids and their parents from unnec-

essary suffering caused by these defective goods. However, it is unlikely that government funding for agencies such as he CPSC will increase any time soon, at least not until the war in Iraq, which costs an estimated $100,000 per minute, ends. Just like artists tend to occasionally take a step back and look at their work from a distance, we need to stop for a moment and examine the condition of the society we have created. Sometimes we start to delve into the trivial details of life and lose sense of the bigger picture of what really matters.

“If we invested more in proper testing of these potentially lethal products, we could prevent many kids and their parents from unnecessary suffering caused by these defective goods.”

Stuy Voice: The Enigma of Peer Evaluation by Amna Ahmad, literary editor/ columnist

Peer editing is a widely used method employed by teachers with the hope that grades will rise and papers will improve. In my experience as a high school student, however, no reasonable improvements or pertinent marks have been made on a paper of mine through the process of peer editing. However, the pizza stains and torn page corners serve as constant reminders of the lack of effort displayed by peer editors on the high school level. I often get the impression that peer editing falls under the category of ideas that appear to be

“Forty-eight percent of students noted that as a result of the peer editing process, grades either declined or remained constant.”

flawless in concept but are in reality nothing short of faulty. The model of having a student edit the work of another, more or less equal in scholastic aptitude, characterizes an adequate system, yet when one factors in a few other noticeable facets of the peer editing process, the method begins to lose integrity. Seventy-three percent of students polled in a recent survey of the Stuyvesant community agreed that peer editing is an effective tool in the revision of a paper. However, 48 percent of students noted that as a result of the peer editing process, grades either declined or remained constant. From these contradictory survey results, it is possible to deduce that the trust in the sincerity of one’s peers is responsible for what appears to be the “success” of the system that for a great deal of students who deemed it effective had failed in terms of scores. If peer editing is considered an the writing effective tool in process by a substantial number of students who experienced no improvement in grades as a result

of it, then what makes peer editing Perhaps the entire peer editing system acts as a confidence booster for students whose papers are returned with few corrections merely out of the incompetence or passivity of a peer editor rather than the actual quality of the paper. This grants the writer a false sense of confidence and success

unmatched in numbers when scores are finally retrieved from .teachers While I strongly disagree with the Stuyvesant community with regards to the effectiveness of peer editing, I do understand why peer editing would seem to be more successful a practice than it actually is.

Is peer editing an effective tool in the revision of a paper?

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September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

BUSINESS

THE STANDARD SCIENCE When It Rains, It Pours: Bottled Warer by Jonathan Xikis and Amy Qiu, staff writers

the price,” said the World Wildlife Fund, according to reporting from USA Today. Concerns have been raised even further by the fact that since bottled water is considered to be a “food” by the FDA, it is not subject to the stringent regulations and constant monitoring that tap water is. Natural “spring water” has not been free from scrutiny either. Although it is not necessarily equated with tap water, its purity has been questioned by those who point out the surface pollution the water may be exposed to during the engineering processes associated with the spring source. These safety concerns present the possibility that filtered or boiled water may actu-

ally be the healthier way to go. Although bottled water may have been run through complicated-sounding filtration systems such as reverse osmosis, tap water is also given a thorough sand filtering and infused with minute amounts of chlorine, which kill off any harmful germs, as well as fluoride, which improves dental health. In fact, says Richard F. Daines, M.D., commissioner of the state Department of Health, “some of the world’s best-tasting and highest quality drinking water is found in New York State.” The next time you pick up that bottle, maybe you should consider bringing one from home instead.

Source: bottledwater2.corbis.jpg

There's nothing like a cold bottle of water on those hot summer days, but if given a choice, would someone pick the bottled H2O or filtered water from the tap? The general consensus is that bottled water is the more pure and natural choice, so it may come as a shock for consumers to find out that, in many cases, there really isn't much of a difference between the two. Recent studies have shown that about 25 percent of bottled water consumed comes from the same municipal water supplies as tap water. Water bottles have become as ubiquitous as textbooks in Stuyvesant, thanks to their ability to provide refreshment without a student having to leave class to drink at a questionably sterile water fountain. Brands such as Poland Spring, Dasani, and Aquafina charge one dollar or more for 16-ounce bottles filled with purified water, which are available at every reputable restaurant or deli. Paying for this “quality” water may not be worth it, according to environmentalists who say that every plastic bottle produced is taking an increasing toll on the Earth’s well-being. According to recent environmental studies, more than 8 billion gallons of bottled water are consumed every year in the United

States alone, fueling the industry’s boom. The energy required to make the 25 million plastic bottles that are produced annually consumes about one and a half million barrels of oil, and only 10 percent are recycled, meaning that the other 90 percent end up in landfills and as litter. Although beverage companies are pushing recycling and decreasing bottle weight to make up for this, only 11 states have deposit laws, according to the Container Recycling Institute, and PET bottle recycling rates have almost halved in the last 10 years. If this immense environmental impact isn’t making one question their water-buying habits, consider the findings of the National Resources Defense Council — that bottled water is essentially the same as tap water. According to Jane Houlihan, the president of the Environmental Working Group, “you don't have any assurance of better safety [with bottled water],” which is tested for contaminants less than municipal water. The issue of concern, though, is that consumers are not being adequately informed about the real nature of the water lining their store shelves. Misleading labels illustrated with images of mountains and flowing water don't exactly clear things up. “Bottled water may be no safer, or healthier, than tap water in many countries, while selling for up to 1,000 times

Bottled water may taste better than tap water, but in fact, they are very much alike.

Panspermia: A Theory on the Origin of Life by Rammiya Nallainathan, staff writer

People have always had fantasies on how they think life on Earth actually originated. Some follow the somewhat mundane lightning-and-primordial-soup theory, while others may just leave it up to their imagination. However, one theory that has recently gained traction is the theory of panspermia. This theory states that life is distributed through the universe in the form of spores or germs. The idea behind this is that early lifeforms were found inside comets, and once the comets hit the Earth, life was scattered on the

planet. Recent evidence for the theory came from NASA’s Deep Impact probe. The probe hit a comet with a 370-kilogram projectile, causing clay particles to be ejected. According to Chandra Wickramasinghe of Cardiff University, since clay needs water to form, the presence of clay suggests that the comet may have once had a warm liquid interior due to heating by radioactive isotopes present. This in turn would allow the idea of clay being present as a catalyst to change simple organic molecules into complex polymers to PANSPERMIA continues on page 10

While You Were Away by Omar Ahmad, assistant science editor, andJonathan Xikis, staff writer

Everyone falls behind on their current events awareness during summer vacation, when they have better things to worry about, like sleep. Now, it’s time to turn back the clock and recap some of the summer’s most important scientific events. Hurricane Dean Hurricane Dean was the first major Atlantic hurricane in the 2007 storm season, and the ninth most powerful one ever recorded in this region: it was a Category 5 at its peak. Dean formed due to lowpressure waves traveling west from the coast of Africa. After passing near Jamaica, Dean bulldozed

through the Yucatan Peninsula by August 21 and continued on to Mexico before dissipating. Luckily, Hurricane Dean inflicted only $2 million in damage and caused only 42 deaths, since its landfall was in a relatively low-population area. In comparison, the last Category 5 hurricane to make landfall, Hurricane Andrew, caused more than $38 million in damage and 65 deaths. To r n a d o i n B r o o k l y n No, it’s not a B-movie from the Sci-Fi Channel. A tornado actually touched down in Brooklyn on August 8, ripping the roofs off buildings and causing tens of millions WHILE YOU WERE AWAY continues on page 10

SCIENCE

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Planet Formation: Is the Mystery Finally Solved? Scientists have long known how planets begin to form, yet there has never been an explanation of how a planet resists the many dangers in its environment until recently. When a star is in its developmental phase, known as star infanthood, an accretion disk, a diskshaped collection of gas and dust, forms around it. Dust particles bunch together to form clumps around the infant star. After these boulders form, they are faced with a deadly obstacle. The remaining gas from the accretion disk, which is not moving as quickly, forms a “headwind” which pulls the boulders toward the forming star and ending in their doom. But Mordecai-Marc Mac Low, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History, said recently that “if the gas is sped up, the boulders don't see a headwind. By getting the gas going with them they conserve energy and stay in orbit.” A more simple way of looking

PANSPERMIA continued from page 9 become true. Because of the large volume of clay and the role of clay as a catalyst in converting simple organic molecules into complex ones, Wickramasinghe argues that comets are a more likely source of life than the Earth itself — 24 orders of magnitude more likely, in fact. The whole idea of clay from a comet being found as the origin of life has created even more controversy now than previously. Water on early Earth would have evapo-

at this concept is using trucks on a street as opposed to boulders in orbit. Each boulder is similar to a truck "pushing" the gas in front of it, creating a pocket of air behind it that other trucks can travel in without using up as much fuel. If the boulders do end up remaining in a steady orbit, they will most likely join together to form an orbiting planet. Even so, these boulders may dust. Mac end up colliding to form Low concurred. “You've got thousands, millions of boulders swarming together like a hive of bees. In my nightmares I imagine that they grind each other down to dust and it all goes away.” If this were to happen, the particles would either form to make new boulders and restart the process, or .never come together at all Alan Boss, an astrophysicist with the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C, said that this theory of planetary formation was an encouraging approach to understanding how something happened that we know must have happened, at least for the terrestrial planets.

rated within a thousand years, not giving enough time for life to develop. However, in a comet, clay and water stay mixed over a longer period of time (1-2 million years), providing a stable place for life to form. However, the main problem is that no clay samples have been found in the samples NASA’s Stardust mission collected from a different comet. Even though there is still a dispute about this controversial topic, scientists still continue to research and document their findings in the investigation of the theory of panspermia.

Source: planetformation3.nasa.gov.jpg

by Omar Ahmad, assistant science editor

Planet Formation remains a puzzle for scientists

If this theory does reach as far as Mordecai-Marc Mac Low hopes, this concept may reach the influence of the scientific world and be recorded in textbooks worldwide as an accepted theory of planetary formation. There is

WHILE YOU WERE AWAY continued from page 9

Source: panspermia.yahoo.bmp

of dollars in damage. After causing minor damage in Staten Island, the storm moved eastward into Brooklyn. Starting in Bay Ridge, an F2 tornado spread a path of destruction through a church, over the BQE, and into Prospect Park South. The 2007 tornado was the strongest ever recorded in New York, and its accompanying storm caused major subway disruptions during the morning commute. When asked if the tornado was a result of global warming, a NASA scientist stated that “the answer seems to be ‘yes.’” China Recalls China, hailed by companies worldwide for its dirt-cheap manufacturing facilities, has come under fire after a fair number of exports were found to be harmful towards the health of consumers. It started with toxic pet food and toothpaste, which were discovered to contain a chemical commonly found in antifreeze. A later recall involved toys that had been manufactured with lead paint, as well as various other safety problems. China executed the head of its food and drug administration in July, citing bribery and irresponsibility as some of the charges. In August, the head of a company that supplied Mattel with toys committed suicide, probably due to the recalls.

Panspermia is the hypothesis that "seeds" of life are prevalent in the Universe and that these seeds landed on Earth and propagated.

New Developments in Human

much more research being done in this study, and this information provides a substantial base for further research to come.

Genome Race Dr J. Craig Venter, famous for leading and founding the genecoding company Celera Genomics, has decoded a large portion of his own genome. His rival, a consortium organized by the government, was said to have beaten him in the race in 2003, but he has recently released a report on his own genome which unveils that different human genes are far more different from each other than previously assumed. His results are also deemed far more accurate than those of the government consortium due to the fact that the consortium’s subjects were all of different races, genders, etc., whereas Venter used his own specific genome to compare to others. New Jersey Teen, George Hotz, Hacks the iPhone AT&T and Apple had a strict agreement over the iPhone, making the iPhone exclusive to AT&T consumers. But seventeen-year-old George Hotz, of Bergen County Academies in New Jersey, has hacked the iPhone, making iPhone service available to T-Mobile buyers as well. T-Mobile is the only other phone company whose phones can support the iPhone, but international companies are sure to take advantage of this lucky occurrence. Hotz has already traded a Nissan 350Z and 3 more iPhones for his hacked iPhone.

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September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

BUSINESS

THE STANDARD BUSINESS Home Security-Protect Your Property How safe are you in your own home? Chances are, you are one of the nearly eighty percent of Americans that do not have some sort of home security system installed. Granted, property crime rates in New York City have dropped almost 80 percent since 1990, but there are still nearly a thousand armed robberies and burglaries a week. Nevertheless, now is as good a time as any to equip your property with the latest innovations in preventative and responsive security measures. The home security market has been growing at nearly nine percent a year since September 11, which drove safety-concerned consumers to the market. Prices have been spiraling downward as well, with home security systems costing an average of $1500 in 1990 and $1000 in 1999; now a simple monitoring system can cost as little as $100 plus a monthly fee. The technology involved has also changed dramatically, with products such as fingerprint scanners and wireless cameras easily acces-

sible to consumers. But what kind of security system is appropriate? The most highend security systems used by America’s richest such as CEOs and Middle Eastern Sheikhs and princes are practically military grade. Panic rooms, purified reserve air supply, bulletproof glass and building materials and even protection from biological attacks are almost the norm for the upper class. Of course, the cost of one of these systems can be up to several million dollars. For more budgetminded consumers, there are security measures that range from about $25 to several hundred dollars. There are basically three categories of security measures one can use: preventative, responsive and defensive. Preventative measures are things that scare away opportunistic robbers, such as security cameras, which can be wireless or hooked up to an Internet cable and viewed on a computer; motion sensor lights that turn on automatically; fancy locks such as one that reads fingerprints or uses a pass code to unlock; or even just a cheap dummy security camera.

Source: homesecurity3.yahoo.bmp

by Hanford Chiu, business editor

Home security equipments and systems may range from 25 dollars to over hundreds of dollars.

Alternatively, even if a robber has enough courage to smash a window or break in through a door, a loud alarm system could also prevent a burglary in progress from going any further. Responsive measures are those that call for help in the event of a burglary. Home monitoring systems generally send alarms to the security company, who will then send for the police to show up in a matter of

minutes. Defensive measures are those that are used to stop a burglar or armed robber, such as a gun, mace, or for the most highend security, an on-site security guard. In the end, a basic home monitoring system is a must. For a small installation and monthly fee, a security company can provide you with peace of mind for your home and belongings.

The Rise of Personalized Advertising by Hanford Chiu, business editor

“Ad retargeting is the collection of data from users about the sites they visit, and then the display of ads pertaining to products of interest from websites that they previously browsed.”

Fetchback, one of the earlier companies to utilize this technique, is hoping to create a large network of advertisers in order to reach a large target audience with products they might purchase. Some of its retarge ting cl ient s i nclude YouTube and MySpace, which don’t sell any product but reach a large amount of potential consumers. While this system is far from

perfect in linking consumers to their products, it’s an important step toward an ultimate goal, an Internet where a user’s shopping habits and interests are tracked and advertisements from all sorts of corporations are displayed, so a video gamer would see ads for the latest games in his favorite genre when they come out, and a clothes shopper would see all the latest fashion in their favorite color, brand or style. Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bd/Spike_TV.png

Advertisements with specific groups of consumers in mind are nothing new. Since the beginning of advertising, products have been recognized to have a higher demand within some specific groups of consumers than others. For example, watch Lifetime, a channel for women, and there will be commercials for skin care and beauty products. Watch Spike TV,

a channel for men, and there will be commercials for pay-per-view wrestling and beer. With the rise of the Internet, more consumers and groups can be reached with relevant ads. Visit Facebook, a social networking site generally for high school and college students, and see ads for private colleges and job offers. However, even with all this exposure and targeting, advertising companies spend over $20 billion a year on online advertising in return for a 2 percent view rate, meaning that only 2 percent of people who see the ad actually follow the link, and even less make any purchase. A new innovative technique in advertising is hoping to change this rate and bring consumers more of what they want, and it is called ad retargeting. Experimented with by major online advertising agencies, ad retargeting is the collection of data from users about the sites they visit, and then the display of ads pertaining to products of interest from websites that they previously browsed.

Watch Spike TV, a channel for men, and there will be commercials for pay-per-view wrestling and beer.

A&E

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THE STANDARD ENTERTAINMENT Fall Movie Preview by Emma Rabinovich, entertainment editor

The Heartbreak Kid Source: theheartbreakkid.imdb.jpg

Ben Stiller’s first R-rated comedy since 1998 is a remake of Elaine May’s 1972 classic of the same title. Fortunately, aside from the title and the basic plot, a lot has been changed. Eddie Cantrow (Stiller) is now more sensitive and sympathetic and, played by a brilliant comedian, he’s also a lot funnier. The film comes out October 5.

Source: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809745897/photo/970438627

Based on a true story, “American Gangster” is period drama about the 1970s Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and the incorruptible cop Richie Roberts, played by Russell Crowe. Washington plays a cunning drug smuggler who deals in heroin and murder. Directed by Ridley Scott (“Gladiator”), the movie comes out November 2.

The movie is loosely based on a true story about a group of journalists chasing a Bosnian war criminal. Writer and director Richard Sheperd describes the film as “a broad comedy about a very serious subject,” which makes it difficult to categorize, as the film’s trailer focuses mainly on suspense. Starring Richard Gere and Terrence Howard, the film came out September 7.

Enchanted

The Jane Austen Book Club

Starring Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) and Maria Bello (“Thank You for Smoking”), this movie is set in modern-day Sacramento and revolves around a group of women whose love lives resemble those of Jane Austen’s heroines. Written and directed by Robin Swicord (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), the movie comes out September 21.

Source: janeuastenbkclub.imdb.jpg

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2007/09/07/2007-09-07_hunting_party_is_search_for_monster__clu.html

The Hunting Party

Finally, Patrick Dempsey on a big screen! The “Grey’s Anatomy” heartthrob stars in a completely new spin on the Disney fairy tale. Giselle (“The Wedding Crashers”) gets tricked into leaving her fairy tale world by the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), who doesn’t want Giselle marrying her stepson (James Marsden). She winds up in New York City and quickly runs into Dempsey’s character. The new Disney musical hits theaters on November 21.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/enchanted/gallery.php?

American Gangster

Blockbuster season may be over, but there’s still plenty to see at the movies this fall. Here’s what to watch out for as you’re filling your closets with long-sleeve shirts and putting the flip-flops away till next year.

Unfortunately, the “Champ” Decided to Stay Dead for This Bout by Robert Colbourn, staff writer

When this new “boxing mo vi e , ” “Res urrec ti ng t he Champ,” started getting publicity, no one knew what to expect. At first glance, it seemed like an odd tale that would have taken place if Rocky became homeless and senile by the time of his sixth movie. However, this initial reaction disguises a film that tries to delve deeper into a different aspect of sports entertainment: the journalistic side of it. Unfortunately, while this film tries to shed light on mod-

ern journalism and a man’s relationship with his family, it takes each concept, waters it down, and creates a movie with an interesting concept, good acting and a terrible telling of its own plot. Erik Kernen Jr. (Josh Hartnett) is a journalist who is trying to live up to his father’s name, but he is churning out articles with “no personality.” He finally finds his perfect article when he bumps into a homeless man who calls himself “Champ,” a.k.a. former heavyweight Battlin' Bob Satterfield (Samuel L. Jackson). Kernen now

believes that this story is his one shot at achieving his father’s former glory, reconciling with his estranged wife (Kathryn Morris) and truly connecting with his sixyear-old son (Dakota Goyo). The initial concept of a former champion losing everything and the journalist trying to help him recapture his former glory is enough to entice one to see this flick, but the execution came out sloppy and poor. The film touched on very important issues regarding the decline in modern journalism, living up to a “code of honor,”

remembering the past and seeing the truth instead of what one wishes to be see. These are all interesting topics, but unfortunately the film is unable to coherently piece them together in its 111minute running time. However, while “Resurrecting the Champ” fails to give insightful commentary, it provides truly stellar acting. Champ is portrayed perfectly by Samuel L. Jackson, who plays a retired ex-champion better than RESURRECTING THE CHAMP continues on page 13

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Muhammad Ali does. When it comes down to it, the film is actually very enjoyable until the last half-hour. At that point, it seems that to be just filler until a tacked-on ending is presented and finally the credits roll. It seems to lose sight of a conclu-

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1 sion and start to focus on new themes that just become progressively shallower and shallower. It’s understandable why the movie had poor ticket sales on its opening weekend: it’s simply a “down and out” story that ends up being a cheap movie rental at best.

PUZZLES

Finished with the Crossword? Check Your Answers!

Source: resurrectingthechamp.yahoo.jpg

Only at www.stuystandard.org And enter in a free raffle too! (With valid code found inside Today’s issue) Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) is a good Samaritan when he saves a homeless guy (Samuel Jackson) from out-of-control college kids. The man was known as Champ and hopes to restore his reputation as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

THE STANDARD PUZZLES Crossword Puzzle #1 by Amna Ahmad, literary editor

ACROSS 5:State for which Mitt Romney served as governor 6: Telephone service carrier for which the iPhone is exclusively programmed 7: Acronym for the institution that neighbors Stuyvesant 11: Temporary or lasting for a moment 12: Age at which a person qualifies for a driver's permit in N.Y. 13: Selfless with regards to others 15: Elected party of the Palestinian people 19: Host city of the 2008 summer Olympics 22: University that ranks #1 in the U.S. according to U.S. News 24: Nation with the 2006 World Cup's winning team 25: Repetitive 28: Without fear or unafraid in nature 29: High-end automobile company 30: One who flatters; yes-man 33: Something people write on 35: First name of former first lady DOWN 1: Author of the Oedipus Cycle 2: Daily travel to and from home 3: A fierce storm 4: Coin containing George Washington's face 6: Famous Italian clothing designer 8: Acronym for one of N.Y.C.'s most famous museums 9: One who avoids interaction, and acts as a hermit 10: First name of the queen of Jordan 14: Unable or incapable 16: A French-speaking province of Canada 17: Recent hurricane that hit Mexico 18: Name of President Bush's recently

engaged daughter 20: The recently released 6th Smashing Pumpkins album 21: To seize the status of another in a fraudulent manner 23: Iraq's neighbor

26: Actor who plays Jason Bourne in The Bourne Ultimatum 27: One who takes advantage of situations without considering values or moral reason 28: Asian country in which Obama

lived for a time during his childhood 31: Arrogant; proud 32: Last name of the artist whose work is displayed atop the roof of the Metropolitan Museum 34: Recently elected president of France

LITERARY

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE STANDARD LITERARY A Swift Realization

Humble Expectations

In Homeroom

by Robert Stevenson, assistant literary editor

by Amna Ahmad, literary editor

by Robert Stevenson, assistant literary editor

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SPORTS

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Like What You See? Join Stuyvesant’s only paper devoted to your world and your school Recruitments will be held Wednesday and Friday in Room 836 Visit us on the web www.stuystandard.org Look for the raffle!

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS continued from page 16

THE SPORTS BEAT continued from page 16

in total. Unable to get into a rhythm, the Peglegs only scored one touchdown late in the fourth quarter, on a run by senior Amos Dai. It wasn’t all bad. The player of the game was Junior Nick Goldin, starting Wide Receiver, Safety, and Kickoff Specialist, who ended the day with more receiving yards than the rest of the team combined (102). He had as many receptions as John Adams. had passing attempts. Dai averaged 12 yards per carry. Dai also led the team in tackles with 5 and a sack. Stuy outplayed John Adams in terms of offensive yardage (256139). The game was lost on turnovers. Alam threw 4 interceptions, including the one that was returned for a 70 yard touchdown return. The next game is against the Franklin K. Lane Knights on the road, who the Peglegs beat 24-8 last season.

It doesn’t even need to be a similar mascot in order to show school unity. It can be as simple as finding out what our school colors are. If you go by the football team, it would be blue and red. The girls’ swim team wears green bathing suits. The track team wears white with red lettering. Finding a common color could unite Stuyvesant athletics across the board in pursuit of athletic glory. In order for this idea to have a realistic effect on school spirit, everyone has to get involved. It started last week. Though this will have printed after the Peglegs’ first legitimate home game at Pier 40, no more can students use the excuse about the field being nowhere near Stuyvesant. Pier 40 is a short walk up the Hudson River. The three home games at Pier 40 are all Friday nights at 6 p.m., so there’s no reason why students can’t stay a few hours to come and cheer on their team. Stuyvesant sports will never come first. Can we at least try to make the athletes feel important?

USA Basketball Bounces Back

by Richard Mai, sports editor

This summer, countries in North and South America participated in the FIBA Americas basketball tournament, trying to qualify for two team spots in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Team USA, headlined by young stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, tried to keep USA basketball afloat in what has been for them a turbulent world of basketball. In 1992, when the first Dream Team, with Michael Jordan, was established as the go l d i ma ge o f A m er i c an dominance and skill, there was little doubt during the following years who would win the basketball championships every time. Each year, Team USA didn’t just defeat opponents, they made them look bad, averaging 43.8-point margin wins with scores that looked like 127-83. In recent years, especially after the disappointing bronze medal loss to Argentina in the 2004 Athens Olympics, the team hoped to revitalize its image as the birthplace and champion of basketball. In a team already studded with young stars, Kobe was the newest member of the squad that expect him to lead them to their gold. Leading these young stars who were just like him when he

first came into the league, Kobe was a selfless and effective leader, as seen in the way everyone passed the ball. Bryant, James, and Anthony are some of the top-scoring players in the NBA, but the way they played was so selfless it seemed like a competition to see who could pass the most. The important thing was that the strategy worked, and while players averaged scores only in the teens, almost everyone on the starting lineup and the bench had a chance to score. Jason Kidd, a veteran who had missed previous Olympics due to injuries, had hoped his possible last run would lead to a gold medal. Kidd was the only member of the team who knew what it felt like to be a gold medal winner. Along with his pinpoint passes and eclectic game play, he brought along wisdom and leadership that the young team needed to nurture its ego and skill. This summer, veteran lea de rs hi p an d yo uth fu l determination were a winning combination as Team USA went undefeated in the Olympic qualifiers. They played selfless and excellent basketball throughout the tournament, defeating Puerto Rico 135-91 in the semifinals and defeating defending gold medal champion Argentina 118-81. The U.S. and

Argentina, the first and second place winners, will join Spain, Iran, Angola, Australia, and host China as teams that have already secured their Olympic spots. The team is relieved to have come out on top once again, but they’ve learned enough from previous

years not to get too pompous now. Since the days of the Dream Team, the rest of the world has woken up and risen to the ch a l l en ge . If Te a m US A continues their teamwork and effort, they can hope to soon become Olympic gold medalists once again.

Source: http://www.2007lasvegas.fibaamericas.com/pages/eng/fe/07/fibaAmer/men/news/lateNews/p/competitioncode//cp//eventid/3965/langlc/en/newsid/21884/playernumber// roundid/3965/searchstr//season//teamnumber//zone//FE_news_lateNews_arti.html

Medal ceremony of the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, held at Las Vegas.

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

September 17, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 1

SPORTS

Friday Night Lights

What’s in a Name?

by Zakhar Shtulberg , staff writer

A staple of Middle America came crashing down on the Hudson. For the first time, the Stuyvesant Peglegs played Friday night football at their new home at Pier 40. The game met the hype leading up to it by far, despite the outcome. Every available bleacher seat at Pier 40 was filled, and the total attendance was over 100 students. The game came complete with free drinks, a halftime cheerleading routine, and live commentary. There was a game too. The Peglegs played the John Adams Spartans, a team that went 0-9 in the Bowl Division of Public School Athletic League (PSAL). They were relegated into the Cup Division. The fact that they went winless in that division raised the confidence of many Stuyvesant players, some of which guaranteed wins. One of these players was junior wide receiver and defensive back Aaron Ghitelman, who

said, “If I get touches, we will win.” He didn’t get touches. The Peglegs lost 22-8. The Peglegs started off strong, holding the Spartans out of the endzone on a fourth and goal play. On the ensuing drive, unable to get anything going, the Peglegs were forced to punt. A bad snap set up incredible field position for the Spartans, who scored their first touchdown to go up 8-0. Later in the first half, senior quarterback Shafi Alam threw an errant pass on third and goal, which led to an interception ran back for a touchdown, but Adams was unable to hit the two point conversion, leading 14-0. The Peglegs were plagued all game with offensive line problems. Even with Alam setting up in shotgun for every play, two or three Adams defenders were in the backfield before the play had a chance to develop. Adams had seven sacks FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS continues on page 15

It’s right there in the first chapter of Alec Klein’s new book “A Class Apart” — when talking about the Peglegs, Klein says, “Such associations don’t seem to inspire athletic greatness on the football field.” Team names should strike a sense of fear into the heart of the opponent. The Michigan Wolverines, the Florida Gators, the Penn State Nittany Lions, to name a few teams, all have mascots you probably wouldn’t want to pet at the Bronx Zoo. They give the team a persona that they can carry out onto the field. They give the fans an object to rally around. That’s the reason you will never see the Anywhere University Fuzzy Pink Bunnies anytime soon. Right after the opponent finishes laughing at your bright pink uniforms with white pants, they will humiliate you mercilessly. What image does a pegleg represent? A swashbuckling pirate that couldn’t run into battle on account of a wooden leg? Is it a governor of New Amsterdam from the late 17th century? The Peglegs nickname does not suit the game of football. What Stuyvesant needs is a new, unifying nickname. Each of the 32 PSAL teams has its own nickname, which is great for team identity. Everyone knows that the Penguins are the girls’ swim team, or that the Hitmen are the boys’ baseball team. There is no common thread for Stuyvesant athletics. As fans, we can not say, “We are…” like Duke can say about the Blue Devils or Stanford about the Cardinals. THE SPORTS BEAT continues on page 15