Volume 7 Issue 2

Wednesday, October 10 Volume 7 Visit us at www.stuystandard.org

Issue 2

Are Those New Locks Really Safe?

Your School, Your World — Your News

Stuywatch: Kids First, Yet Taking a Break by Rammiya Nallainathan, staff writer, and Jennifer Schlesinger, editor in chief

Although the new locks are bigger and heavier, they still have flaws in their design. by Kenneth Lam, staff writer

This year’s new locker policy has brought much comfort to the school administration, as they now know who is in what locker. But the new standardized locker system has brought up much resentment and a Facebook group called “Don’t Pay for Lockers at Stuy” Although the SU was ambivalent, minutes from the School Leadership Team meeting of May 1, 2007 state that “[student representatives] have agreed to support Teitel’s proposal of having students purchase lockers in the beginning of the year. In return, Mr. Teitel has agreed to work with the student body on other school issues such as the ability of students leaving the building during free periods.” This apparent communication gap has left some students feeling victimized by the administration, but the added peace of mind of having a heavy-duty padlock on the locker appeals to others. However, the keyhole in the back of each lock may disturb that peace of mind. Each year,

according to Teitel, approximately 300 locks are clipped off of lockers in order to empty their contents and prepare for the next year of students. With this system, a master key can unlock all of the locks and remove the contents, or inspect them, at any time. Teitel asserts that the two master keys are “in the school,” and safe and secure. However, The Standard has recently learned from an unidentified source that the keyhole in the back is a security compromise, and that weaknesses in the front and back of the lock present “inherent flaws [in the design].” In a little over a minute, the source was able to pick open a similar lock with two pieces of metal, in effect “creating [his] own copy of the master key” with approximately a week’s training. The source also provided an algorithm for determining the combination of the lock given based on their uniform combination pattern and master key This raises new questions about the locks’ security. The locks are bigger and heavier, but uniform, potentially putting students at risk.

Although Stuyvesant High School has only been in session for a little over a month, controversy has been widespread. With the institution of new policies, such as the locker policy and the use of the ID scanners at lunch time, students began to fear for their rights. To help the students, Stuywatch (www.stuywatch.com), a student-run online organization, was created by two anonymous people who go by the names of Hiro and Chase. The start of Stuywatch was accompanied by many brightly -colored posters around school. Many students became members of the website and its Facebook group. The site was unexpectedly closed on October 3, with a message that Hiro and Chase were taking a break. The website has since re-opened, but seemingly contains no changes, except for a post with a policy for removing posts and members. The website is a forum where students and teachers could post comments on the latest things happening in school. Although many students thought Stuywatch was against the administration, the founders disagreed. In posts before the site’s closure, they clarified their mission: “We’re not antiadministration, we’re pro-student.” They also responded to concerns by stating that instead of working against the administration, they plan on working with it and the Student Union (SU). SU vice president James Kim said he liked the idea of Stuywatch. “It's doing a pretty good job of relaying information to the student body. One goal of STUYWATCH continues on page 4

In this Issue Voices of Protest as Iranian President Speaks at Columbia News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4 Should We Listen? Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 8

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

NEWS

EDITORIAL A FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS “When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.”

The quote, taken from 1930’s journalist Emma Thompson, refers to the Nazi occupation of Germany during World War II. Stuyvesant students don’t nearly suffer to the same extent. The student apathy, however, is comparable. That is why we support the ideals of Stuywatch.

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

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

The gradual weakening of Student Union power, combined with their inability to communicate what’s going on to the student body, has resulted in the administration being able to propose whatever it so pleases. One must only be reminded of two years ago, when scanning out for lunch was proposed and then stopped shortly after due to student complaint. The student body doesn’t have nearly that power now. The ideals of Stuywatch are admirable. The student body needs a place where information can be gathered about what’s going on in their community. Students who still care about what happens now have a place to organize. However, there is still much work to be done. Every student must realize that comparing the administration to oppressive administrations in history is ill-informed. No one is sending students to concentration camps, as Adolph Hitler did. No student is being clubbed by a police officer like recent protests in Myanmar. Stuywatch will run into problems, like its misinformed counter site Watchstuy, which is run by a bunch of seniors who do not care what happens to student rights. Students should disregard Watchstuy as nothing more than a satire by some very bored seniors. What concerns the board the most is the new lockers. The reason why the keyhole was added is still a mystery. It does not provide extra protection, and it is against what the Student Union agreed upon back in June. In fact, the locks have now been shown to reduce student safety by making them pickable in less than thirty seconds. Was the keyhole added to allow the administration to search our lockers undetected? Perhaps, but it’s certain that the keyhole makes the lockers less safe. The time has come for the student body of Stuyvesant to stand up for the few privileges which they have. If the Student Union continues to fail to provide direction to the student body, then Stuywatch should take the lead to organize the students. These are the three issues which students can change. First, if students need to scan in and scan out when they leave the building, there is no reason why students can not go out during free periods. The website of the scanner’s manufacturer states that you can scan in and out unlimited times as opposed to the one time it currently does. If the reason is for our safety, why can we then go out during lunch? These questions have not been adequately answered by the administration. Second, students should not be penalized from returning to lunch during passing, whether the scanner marks them late or not. Students can indeed make it to class before the late bell. At the senior assembly, students were told that this would only be a problem if there was “chronic lateness”. Can lateness be chronic in only two short weeks? The student body and the Student Union must not rest until they fix these problems.

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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

The Stuyvesant Standard would like to thank Peggy Chen for her strong support.

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

NEWS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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THE STANDARD NEWS Voices of Protest as Iranian President Speaks at Columbia by Tim Chang, news editor

On September 24, Hundreds of Columbia students and other activists took to Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus to protest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his speech. Ahmadinejad visited New York from September 23 to 26, and went to the United Nations on the 24th to address the general assembly. Out of the 400 seats in the Lerner Hall auditorium where Ahmadinejad spoke, every single one was filled, and tickets for the event sold out within the first 90 minutes of online registration. Outside of the auditorium,

however, the mobs of protesters were not limited by space, and the rally afterwards brought many hundreds of people out to voice their opinions. One of the most vocal groups at the protest was Columbia University’s chapter of Hillel, an organization for Jewish students. Whether it was through posting provocative signs, creating matching T-shirts or handing out flyers, the organization did everything it could to “highlight the abuses of minority persecution and the oppression of ideas,” according to Ari Gontownik, a Hillel activist. “He [Ahmadinejad] denies freedom to his people to live, he doesn’t have the freedom to speak here today,” he asserted. Marco Bolano, a strong denouncer of the Iranian president, was found on campus carrying a “Hitler Lives” poster. He claims that Ahmadinejad is no different from Hitler, “a dictator, plain and simple.” Ahmadinejad’s denial of the Holocaust, which he told the Washington Post was “a myth today that they call the massacre of the Jews,” is, as Bolano put it, “despicable, and disrespectful to the entire Jewish community.” Considering all of this, Bolano is vehemently against Ahmadinejad’s coming to speak and believes that he does not have the right to speak at Columbia. However, some believe that he

Quick Information Ahmadinejad recently imprisoned 33 women for protesting government policies. “They have cr.eated a myth today that they call the massacre of the Jews and they consider it a principle above God, religions and the prophets” (Ahmadinejad to the Washington Post, Dec. 15, 2005). The US State Department cites Iran as the most active state sponsor of terrorism. Thousands of Iranians have been arbitrarily arrested for dressing or behaving “differently,” according to Human Rights Watch.

Of all Iranian students, 62% are women. Iran has the second largest Jewish population after Israel.

Iran was one of the first countries to publicly condemn the 9/11 attacks, and held candlelight vigils that same night. Iran has an 82% literacy rate.

Photos by TSS/ Tim Chang and TSS/ Bennett Hong

does have the right to be heard. Ryan Kasden, the president of “ E ve r yo n e A l l i e d a g a i n s t Homophobia,” a Columbia student group, draws a fine line between letting Ahmadinejad speak and supporting him. It is important to “engage in discussion as opposed to silencing the opponent,” as Kasden puts it. He feels that a speech he delivered at the rally addressed two points: outrage at the government and solidarity with the Iranian people. In a nation where two teenage boys were recently hanged for the crime of homosexuality, and where the president denies the existence of homosexuals in Iran, Kasden reminds us that homophobia is not only an Iranian phenomenon, and the rally today helped gain

solidarity on campus for his cause. Different messages were delivered at the rally, all for the same cause. Many demonstrators were alarmed at the idea of a United States-led invasion of Iran, and tried to highlight the fact that many Iranian people are in support of the United States. However, “no one is against the Iranian people, only against Ahmadinejad,” stated Yevgeniy, a member of Hillel, “Intellectuals are scared and intimidated against expressing their views against the government.” Overall, the demonstration was aimed at bringing many student groups together to voice their opinions and listen to each other. Hopefully, Ahmadinejad listened too.

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

NEWS

Meet this Teacher: Ms. McMahon

by Jimmy Zhang, news editor

All teachers make it a mission their to enlighten the lives of students, but few succeed like Kelly McMahon does. McMahon, originally from Michigan, attended the University of Michigan’s business school. She then worked as a business consultant for several years. Later, she decided to become a teacher and attended Teachers College at Columbia University. She has lived in New York for eight .years, and says that she loves it At Stuyvesant, McMahon enjoys working in the English department, particularly because she sees a “collegial” environment where everyone works together. “English teachers help each other out often,” McMahon says. In the past, McMahon worked as an SSR writer for three years and a teacher representative on the School Leadership Team for four years. Although writing SSRs for 140 students was a difficult task, McMahon enjoyed it because it allowed her to meet students in a new way. She particularly liked learning about Stuyvesant and the many amazing things its students are capable of. McMahon has a self-described “disciplined” nature. “To balance a

TSS/ Elissa Tam

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Meet this Teacher: Ms. McMahon Fast Facts Classes taught: AP English: British Literature - Society and Self, Freshman Composition, Sophomore Writing Seminar Zodiac sign: Libra Favorite color: Navy Blue Favorite food: Cake (no hesitation) Favorite TV show: CSI Favorite book: “too hard to answer”

large workload, you have to like doing things you have to do,” she remarks. When asked what her favorite part of Stuyvesant was, McMahon

didn’t even need time to think: she promptly replied, “Students.” She considers the Stuyvesant community a “tremendously amazing [group of] talented people.” McMahon espe-

SENIOR PAJAMA DAY Photo Credits: Vicky Chu Maggie Huang Tiffany Tsai

cially likes the genuine, thoroughly considered responses from her students. Her favorite class discussions revolve around connections made from the world of the story to the world of the reader. For her, the best responses involve a reaction or response that is an answer for the students themselves. As an English teacher, McMahon feels that literature is especially important to any person. “Everyone can find something important [in reading],” she said. She continued to comment on how a single text can have different effects on different people. She likes how literature allows a person to broaden his or her experiences. Outside of Stuyvesant, McMahon’s main pastime is rugby. She has been playing for twelve years, and has, without a doubt, a love and talent for the sport. Last year, she played for the United States team in the 2006 Rugby World Cup. Currently, she plays for New York’s team. As she puts it, rugby is the “ultimate team sport [because it] brings together all kinds of people who love passionate intense sports.” Of all the words to describe Stuyvesant, McMahon chose “powerful.” She feels that Stuyvesant is a place where wishes to realize power and potential come true.

STUYWATCH continued from page 4 glad someone is helping out.” However, he also did mention that he hopes this does not get out of hand and get carried away. This is a strong concern because of the number of members. One junior said, “It’s amazing to see the number of people on this site. Over 700 and still counting!” While some students familiarized themselves with Stuywatch, there were many that took little interest or knew nothing about it. About two out of every five people asked for comments had not heard about Stuywatch. As Jane, a junior, put it, “I have no idea what this is. I only see the posters around but it doesn’t motivate me to actually go on the site and see what it is.” Another student said, “As a student, I don’t really feel like the administration has oppressive policies. So I don’t really know where I stand on the necessity and effectiveness of Stuywatch. It all seems very mysterious to me.” Students must wait to see if any major changes will be made to Stuywatch.

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

SPECIAL

SPECIAL

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

$30 A WEEK

by Jennifer Schlesinger, editor in chief Rachel Ray may have 40 dollars a day, but I only had 30 dollars a week. Well, 30 dollars for a week’s worth of lunches. Not much for going to school in pricey downtown Manhattan, but I figured I would see how it went. During my time as a Stuyvesant student, I have rarely eaten in the school cafeteria, preferring the wide selection offered by the restaurants and cafés near school. As a vegetarian, I have found dismal the cafeteria’s selections of greasy pizza and cold French fries. I will always vividly remember going into the school cafeteria during freshman year and asking what was vegetarian, only to be told turkey. Despite going out so much, I never counted how much I spent on a lunch a week. Source: http://ceci-celapatisserie.com/flash/index01.html

On Monday, I went to Terry’s, located at 41 River Terrace Apt. 410, because I wanted a sandwich to eat in the park. The line inside was long, but it moved quickly. I got an egg on a roll sandwich and a bottle of water. The sandwich was good; the roll was nice and soft. However, there was more roll than egg. The total cost was $3.80, leaving me $26.20 for the rest of the week.

On Tuesday, I headed to Samurai Sam, 165 Chambers Street, for what was to be the most expensive meal of the week. I ordered a tofu teriyaki bowl with brown rice and a bottle of water. The food took much longer than expected to be ready, making it hard to finish it and get back to school on time. The portion of food was large and the sauce was tasty. It cost $7.50, leaving $18.70 for the next three days.

I wanted a smaller meal on Wednesday, so I went to Ceci-Cela Patisserie, 166 Chambers Street. I ordered a brie sandwich. As they do not sell bottles of water, my lunch drink staple, I bought a bottle at the vending machine in school. The bread for the sandwich was crispy, tasty, French bread. There was a good amount of cheese, but not too much. The cost was $4.00 total, leaving $14.70 for Thursday and Friday.

I went for pizza at Portobello’s Pizzeria, 83 Murray Street, on Thursday. Despite a large number of students, the line moved quickly. The owner was very welcoming to students. I ordered a slice of pizza and a small soda. The pizza was slightly greasy, but the crust was crispy. The cost was $3.75, leaving $10.95, more than I expected.

For Friday, I decided to hike to the Amish Market at 53 Park Place, a tough thing to do and still get back to school on time. The line to pay for food was long. I got a portion of precut, prepackaged watermelon, an olive focaccia, and a bottle of water. The watermelon was juicy and fresh. The bread, a favorite of mine, had many olives. The cost was $3.95, leaving me with a surprising $7 for the week. Unless noted otherwise, pictures by TSS/Elissa Tam

St. John’s Near Tragedy Hits Close to Home by Hesham Saleh, news editor

On Wednesday, September 26, a student from St. John’s University (SJU), located in Queens, carried a .5 caliber rifle into school. This event comes amongst at atmosphere of similar events, including the incedent at Virginia Tech. The student, identified as Omesh Hiraman, is a freshman at SJU. On the 26, he walked into school with a black sweatshirt and a mask that resembled George Bush covering his face. In his backpack, he had a black garbage bag partially covering the loaded

gun. As he walked through the school, many students looked at him strangely, but none realized he was carrying a gun. According to Newsday, at that time, an off-duty NYPD cadet, Christopher Benson, was in school. He was on the phone with his girlfriend as Hiraman passed by him. He got off the phone and began following Hiraman. He related that Hiraman turned the corner and was stopped by security guards. Benson and other security officers pinned Hiraman against the wall and took the gun from him. Hiraman, according to his father, had been on medications

due to back surgery, which may have caused this type of behavior. For many, this event emphasizes th ease with which a student can walk into school with a gun, loaded or not. While this event made many Stuyvesant students uneasy, some do not have any concerns. Junior Nicole Pavia said that she did not think such an event could happen at Stuyvesant because of the differences between the two schools. “St. John’s [University] is totally different than Stuy,” Pavia said. “It’s a pretty big campus, and people can go in and out.” When asked if she believed the incident

would affect the security issues at Stuyvesant, she said, “We have a lot of security as it is.” The chances of such a dreadful event occurring in Stuyvesant are unlikely, but not impossible. The student body must work together to ensure that such events do not happen. This can only be achieved by being alert at all times. As, the MTA’s favorite slogan goes, “If you see something, say something.”

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

OPINIONS

THE STANDARD OPINIONS by David Mannes, staff writer

Should We Listen? jad speak about his opinions. Even if, say, Ahmadinejad were a staunch supporter of women’s rights (which he clearly is not), it would not matter. When the ruler of a nation declares that he wants to obliterate another nation, and that he is developing his country’s nuclear capabilities, then that ruler’s

other opinions simply cease to matter. Obviously, there are many opinions on what to do about Iran, but, hopefully, every American can at least agree that Ahmadinejad is dangerous, and, to put it bluntly, evil.

Source: Ahmaddinejad.nytimes.jpg

On Monday, September 24, Iranian President Ahmadinejad gave a speech at Columbia University in New York City. Ahmadinejad has officially stated that he wants to drive Israel into the sea, that he doesn’t believe the Holocaust was a genocide perpetrated against the Jewish people, and that the nuclear program he is developing is meant solely for peaceful purposes. Regardless of how one thinks we should handle the conflict with Iran, everyone should be able to agree that the Holocaust took place. On November 2 of last year, Iran successfully tested the Shehab3, a missile that can be equipped with a nuclear warhead, and is capable of reaching Israel and penetrating its missile defense systems. Like his horrifying and controversial speeches, events such as this missile testing are Ahmadinejad’s

way of testing the waters, of seeing how far he can go before the international community takes action. These speeches are just another method Ahmadinejad is using to test the leniency of the international community. It is important to understand that refusing to let Ahmadinejad give a public speech in the United States does not violate the principle of freedom of speech. There are, and have always been, limitations to freedom of speech, meant to keep America and its citizens from harm, such as “you can’t scream fire in a crowded theater,” and “you can’t legitimize the dangerous and immoral views of an oppressive dictator by allowing him to speak at your schools.” Allowing Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia tells the world that we are willing to try to understand Ahmadinejad’s point of view, and reminds Ahmadinejad, yet again, that the international community will not oppose him. In short, there is simply no need whatsoever to hear Ahmadine-

On September 24, 2007, Columbia University invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak on campus. This invitation was criticized by many.

Stuy Voice: A Unanimous Bias by Amna Ahmad, columnist

It is often implied by the media through polls and individual pleas of dissent that the majority of Americans would rather Bush be the head cheerleader at the local school's football games than the first in command of the world power we call home. Yet despite our views of Bush’s actions and ideals we would expect him to be welcomed with respect in other nations and treated as any other diplomat of internationally recognized status. His position as president demands such respect, yet recent events have led me to believe that the treatment we expect of our leaders from foreign nations is not at all what we display toward other leaders who choose to visit our country. This double standard in the American political outlook was exemplified by the protests against the arrival of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at a forum at Columbia University on Monday, September 24. The Iranian president was bombarded with questions that implied a cer-

tain superiority of the U.S. over Iran. Students paraded like rebels in the streets, but just as they were actively voicing their views on the arrival of the speaker, Ahmadinejad was desperately trying to reach out to the American people on matters that seemed to concern him. I understand why people may think Ahmadinejad isn’t the most respectable person in the world, but I am nothing short of certain that if our president were to venture across the globe to Iran, he would never be faced with such disrespect. People would argue that Ahmadinejad’s reputation suffered most from claims that the nation was planning to use nuclear energy in the form of collective military offense, but who gives ― or denies ― a country the right to engage in certain activities? In a recent poll of the Stuyvesant community, 25 percent of students believed that the United States deserves the privilege of working with nuclear energy, and 25 percent believed that Israel should be granted the same right. A mere 9 percent of students believed that Iran should be allowed to develop

a nuclear energy program. Just what makes Iran any less qualified to develop nuclear energy than the U.S. and Israel? The last time I checked, Iran wasn’t at war with Iraq, and was not at all responsible for the devastating consequences of the atomic bomb decades before. It is simply preposterous to me that more students would allow two nations with arguably the most ruthless military histories against civilians to enrich nuclear energy and not Iran, a nation that currently poses no threat to us. Nevertheless, I am against the enrichment of nuclear energy as a whole; I do believe that the United States and other nations should not possess the right to dictate what another country is allowed to do. I’m also not exactly Ahmadinejad’s biggest fan either, yet I do recognize that he invited the president to Iran for a private conference to open discussion between the two nations a few months ago ― a proposal neither accepted nor rejected by President Bush. Accordingly, 70 percent of students argued that the U.S. handles the situation of a supposed threat to sovereignty better than Iran, while until this point in time, Iran seems

to have used words rather than war to propose solutions in the Middle East, whether or not the U.S. seems to agree with them. And so it seems that America under Bush is engaged in a neverending staring contest with Iran under Ahmadinejad, each side eagerly awaiting the moment at which the other will finally blink. I’m just hoping Iran doesn’t take the first move on the offensive, because if it does, we could expect Ahmadinejad’s head to be hanging by a rope just as the all-toounfortunate Saddam’s was. Of course this entire argument falls under the umbrella of evidence that the U.S. has for years understood other nations to be below it, establishing a certain hierarchy on the world stage, to be observed by all those wishing to engage in political matters with the United States. It is a certain unanimous bias unspoken yet understood by not only the governments of the international world, but also the population of high school and university students, that furthers the American divide from other countries such as Iran.

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

SCIENCE

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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THE STANDARD SCIENCE Sci in Stuy: Are Space Programs Really Worth Their Cost? by Omar Ahmad, science editor

With a budget of $16.5 billion per year, as of 2006, NASA is expected to be using its funds for research beneficial to the United States government and Americans alike. But how valuable is the information gathered by the country’s top aeronautical researchers and astronauts, and where could these immense finances be used more appropriately? To find the answer to this question I brought it to the halls of Stuyvesant High School. Sophomores Kasun Navarathan and Jack Li are supporters of NASA budget cuts. Kasun stated

that “[the U.S. government] should focus more on global issues, such as world hunger, as opposed to relatively ineffective space research.” Li concurred, stating. “yes, we should deal with problems on Earth before we go elsewhere.” World hunger is definitely not the only problem that our world must cope with today. Our country’s debt to others is a whopping $9 trillion, with an increase of about $1.35 billion per day. Our country is in no position to be conducting idle exploration, with 16,000 children dying every day of malnourishment: one child every five seconds. NASA’s 2005 mission state-

ment clearly states that “NASA conducts its work… to improve our ability to explore and [receive] that which will have practical applications on Earth and be reaping the benefits of Earth and space exploration for society.” Though most discoveries made by NASA have been proposed with a lack of sufficient background data, or are still being questioned, there have been instances where previously unknown information was found and applied to our outlook on the aeronautic sciences. Sophomore Betsy Soukup agreed that “the programs could give us valuable insight on how other planets, and consequently our own, might have been formed.” Among the Stuyve-

sant community, it was unanimous that the constantly increasing yearly budget of NASA is superfluous in a world where almost one-sixth of the population lives beneath the poverty level and the number of the impoverished increases yearly. So if the U.S. were to reduce the amount of funding supplied to relatively unproductive agencies, remembering that as a country we still remain in severe deficit, we would be able save countless lives and make better use of the finances set before us. NASA’s gamble with its large funds may pay off and we may learn invaluable information, but then again, is the return worth the cost?

THE STANDARD BUSINESS Letter from the Business Editor To all the loyal readers of the business section, I will be revamping the business section by shifting our focus away from the distant world of business, corporations, and economics to the very relevant world of technological innovations. I will also be adding new columns to reflect this change and changing article topics and content to further tailor to the needs of the Stuyvesant community. A new column is the Game of the Month column, where a reviewer will thoroughly playtest a relatively new game on the market and then review it. We will strive to write about the best or most interesting games in order to bring attention to a game you may have never heard of but might be interested in. This new column will include the detailed ups and downs of the game, technical data about the game, and separate ratings for aspects such as graphics, presentation, gameplay, value, and overall quality. Since a good portion of the student population enjoys video gaming and probably owns a platform for games, this column would be an invaluable resource for students who want to know where to look for a good time. Another new column that might appear is the TechTalk column, for which a writer would gather information about a new innovation in technology, such as the latest phone or gadget, and write an informative piece about it. The column would include the specifications of a product, how it has changed the market, what’s new or important about it, and, if the writer owns the product, a review of it. The column might also include alternatives to the product. The focus of this column would be on items that might be helpful in the student’s daily life or otherwise useful. Other columns might be created, but that all depends on feedback from you, the readers. Voice your expectations and desires for the business section at www.stuystandard.org. Create your own account and post on the forums what else you would like to see from the business section of the Stuyvesant Standard. Hanford Chiu, business editor

Halo 3, Microsoft’s Marketing Success by Hanford Chiu, business editor

In a scene reminiscent of midnights spent outside a Barnes and Noble before the sale of another new Harry Potter book or outside a Best Buy before the release of a next-generation console, thousands of hard-core and casual gamers alike lined up before video game stores across America. Waiting from as early as Sunday, September 23, people massed up in mobs in front of stores in anticipation of being the first to get a copy of Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 on its official release date, Tuesday, September 25. With over 1 million copies pre-ordered, over 4 million copies in retail stores, and over 75 percent of that stock expected to sell in as little as a day, Microsoft is sitting on what could be the most profitable gaming franchise in video gaming history. Indeed, its opening earnings of over $170 million make it the biggest opening-day seller ever. Halo 3’s release is epic in

scope, but is all the hype really justified? Schools and workplaces reported a decline in attendance on its release date. Children and adults alike are taking holidays and skipping work just to play this game. But just how much of this is due to game quality as opposed to the power of marketing? Sure, Halo 3 is the latest in a series of excellent first-person shooters with fun gameplay, a compelling plot, next-gen graphics and plenty of decent features, including a multiplayer mode on Xbox Live, but there have been other games of similar caliber and quality that haven’t received such a reception. This is where the power of marketing decisions comes in. Microsoft’s efforts in marketing Halo 3 have shifted away from the hardcore gamers toward the mainstream, appealing to more people and broader tastes. For starters, Microsoft’s decision to only release Halo 3 on the Xbox 360 platform is already a reach at HALO 3 continues on page 8

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casual gamers. Xbox 360 is arguably the most popular nextgen system on the market, with the PS3 often cited as too expensive and the Wii as too radical. Furthermore, the PC gamers’ market is notoriously a niche market, with even basic PC systems costing more than an Xbox 360. Games ported to the PC platform must often undergo extensive redevelopment from a console version. PC gamers have already given harsh criticism over Halo 2’s PC port, citing old lastgen quality graphics and its Xbox-centric design. Microsoft would have been taking a risk in selling this Xbox 360-centric game to the PC market and getting poor sales and reviews. Other marketing techniques Microsoft has used are extensive advertising through trailers distributed over television and the Inter-

BUSINESS Source: halo3.newsday.com.jpg

HALO 3 continued from page 7

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

net. The marketing team deliberately used cinematic techniques as opposed to emphasizing the game’s engine, gameplay or features in order to project a rich storyline to a mass audience. Furthermore, they used live action to further tell a tale rather than say anything about the game’s quality. For example, one commercial is entirely a live action scene involving a fictional character from the game’s universe telling a story (which was completely fabricated at the time because even the marketing department did not know the plot of Halo 3) while standing over a huge diorama of a generic battle scene, with real figurines of the universe’s characters. Another innovative advertising technique is effective product placement. Master Chief, the main character of Halo 3, appeared everywhere from cups and wrappers at Burger King to NASCAR to Mountain Dew. Furthermore, an alternate reality

In its first 24 hours, Halo 3 holds the record for the biggest opening day in entertainment history, making $170 million dollars.

game appeared on the Halo 3 forums and Circuit City advertisements, enticing people to follow hidden clues to websites that are incorporated into the game universe and appear to be made by game characters, in order to hype the plot to people who managed to find it. All in all, marketing is an

important technique in many industries, how it is done can dramatically affect the number of buyers from the hardcore to the casual, and Microsoft’s coupling of a top-notch game with an epic marketing campaign has truly earned it its hype and huge earnings.

THE STANDARD ENTERTAINMENT Big Shots Premieres

The Kingdom by Emma Rabinovich, entertainment editor

In terms of politically charged material, the U.S.’s presence in the Middle East is at top of the list. “The Kingdom,” however, does not really address any controversy, but rather takes a very American formula for movie-making and gives it a new, air-conditioned-less backdrop. “The Kingdom” opens with two horrific suicide terrorist attacks in an American neighbor-

by Emma Rabinovich, entertainment editor

hood in Saudi Arabia. The film stars Jamie Foxx as Ronald Fleury, the main badass FBI agent of a group of four ready to go down to Saudi Arabia to find who is responsible for the attacks while enjoying the unwelcoming glances of the officially Americafriendly local authorities. Obviously, trouble ensues when the terrorists responsible try to kill them in the middle of a THE KINGDOM continues on page 10 Source: http://www.courant.com/media/photo/2007-09/32847616.jpg

The Kingdom provides a blend of suspense and heroics while addressing the problems of our nation today.

Premiering as the first real male-centered show on ABC, “Big Shots” wasn’t only every bit as good as its lead in, Grey’s Anatomy, it was better. At last, a show without the annoying, all-knowing, soul-searching voiceover! Dylan McDermott and Alias’s Michael Vartan are the main eye candy in this attraction and together they pack more punch than McDreamy or McSteamy. Vartan stars as James Walker, a nice guy whose wife was sleeping with his boss before the boss mysteriously died at a cocktail party. Dermott plays a powerful executive, Duncan Collinsworth, who is caught with his pants down, getting sexual favors from a transsexual hooker, something that probably won’t go over very well with the stockholders. The other two actors filling out this ensemble drama are Christopher Titus, who plays Brody Johns, and Joshua Molina, who plays Karl Mixworthy. Brody Johns acts merely as the comic relief for most of the episode, while Karl Mixworthy seems to have forgotten that cheating on your wife makes you the bad guy. The show has some of the same bonding and “guys, what do I

do?” dialogue that’s characteristic of ABC’s female-friendly television ensemble comedies (like Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives) but fortunately there are fewer tear-stained moments and absolutely no hugging. Admittedly there’s some brooding, but if I found out that my wife was sleeping with an older, less attractive version of me, I would frown a lot too. While the show is mainly about the men, the women are also pretty significant. My favorite: Katie Graham (Nia Long), a highpowered executive whose chemistry with Walker adds more ambiguity as to what will happen next in his crumbling marriage, although judging by the pilot, reconciliation is already out of the question. Meanwhile, Wendy Moniz plays Stacey Walker (James’s wife) so discreetly you have no trouble believing that James never suspected a thing. It’s hard to tell if the pilot was just a lucky fluke or if this series will only keep getting better but right now, I just can’t wait till next Thursday night, when we find out what Duncan plans to do about the reporter who wants to publish an article about his costly sexual exploits or how James will deal with his wife’s infidelity. “Big Shots” is on ABC, Thursdays at 10 p.m.

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

PUZZLES THE KINGDOM continued from page 8

crowded highway as they’re going 150 mph. This scene is so vivid and heart-pounding that for a second it seems like the Americans might actually be in danger. And they are, as one is carried off to a scary looking building in “a bad neighborhood” to be executed on camera. Luckily, America’s wrongs are so numerous that by the time the executioner is done reading off the list and is ready to decapitate one of the FBI agents, the goods guys have gunned down the fifty or so well-armed terrorist guards and burst in a second before the knife is to slice his head off. You’d think that this scene would be exciting or at least cli-

mactic, but no such luck. The movie consistently plays it so safe that you don’t question the agents’ safety for more than a second, and therein lies the problem. Why travel so far and make so much fuss only to display that Americans are once again untouchable although thoroughly disliked? The Kingdom is perfectly timed and well directed (courtesy of Peter Berg), and the acting is superb. For an adventure movie, it is the perfect blend of suspense and heroics, but for a movie that aims to address a real problem facing the nation today, it does little to actually make you uncomfortable, something absolutely essential for a film like this.

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Finished with the Crossword? Check Your Answers! Only at www.stuystandard.org Visit our website for additional features, such as a student forum!

THE STANDARD PUZZLES Crossword Puzzle #2 1

9

10

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by Jeffrey Liaw, puzzle columnist

25

28

14 19

3

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8

15 20

12

7

13

26

5

18

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29

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21 22 ACROSS 1. To be Unpredictably changing 3. Anarchist 5. Member of the Decembrist revolt 6. _______ gun 7. Bitter 11. Site of a 2006 FIFA World Cup Stadium 13. Robert Jordan's poison

17. The Dog Star 18. A metallic compound 19. An easy one: Angela's ____ 21. A Shallow Drum 22. A type of Giant 26. Reminiscent of the past 27. A Feast 28 A Conspiracy 29. A Silk-like fabric

DOWN 1. A Choux Pastry 2. Yielding 4. Wildflowers 8. To be Unrefined 9. A rapid series of short loud sounds 10. A Salad 12. Ankle/Heel Bone 14. A Layered Structure

15. Container for 3 oz. of Liquor 16. To Excite 20. To be morally degraded 23. Eye disease affecting the cornea 24. 100 eyed giant 25. Greek Letter 30. A phenomenon that responds to sound

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

LITERARY

THE STANDARD LITERARY One Man’s Trash

Jared’s First Kiss by Robert Stevenson, assistant literary editor

by Amna Ahmad, literary editor

Halo Suit by Jesse Zhang, webmaster

Website Prize Code: 1246685292 Enter at www.stuystandard.org to be entered in our raffle Only open to current Stuyvesant High School students who are not and who have not been members of The Stuyvesant Standard. Special Raffle to be held for staff members.

Riddle: The Java Glitch

by Jeffrey Liaw, puzzle columnist

A blind man walked into a café and ordered a coffee. He complained that the cup was not hot enough and requested a fresh brewed cup. When it arrived, he complained that it was the same cup. How could this be true if there were no cracks or markings on the cup and the cup came back hot?

October 10, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 2

SPORTS

Sudoku

4

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5 6

1

8 2

9 1

8

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5

7 1

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2 3

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THE SPORTS BEAT continued from page 12

by Jeffrey Liaw, puzzle columnist

2

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

missed a game ever since he was named a starter in 2001. Yet, I am better than all the other coaches. If I hint that Tom Brady can’t play this week, then the opposing coach might game plan for career backup Matt Cassel, who never has started a professional or collegiate came. Teams will spend their entire week trying to find non-existant footage of Cassel playing and then BAM! We sneak Brady on them. I wonder which gray sweatshirt I should wear this week…” The Statement: “I was quite nervous, a lot of pressure, and I knew that I had to make some shots” The Culprit: Novak Djokovic, after losing to Roger Federer in the finals of the 2007 US Open Translation: “Had to make shots? I also needed super speed, a six-foot vertical, and a wingspan the size of Texas. Roger Federer doesn’t lose. He just takes those minor tournaments likely. Like when I beat him in Montreal a few weeks before the Open? That was warmup Roger. Roger doesn’t lose when it matters... in fact, the last time he lost a

major championship not held in France was when I was sixteen. This is what he’s suppose to do, isn’t it?” The Statement: "I just made too many mental mistakes, put myself in too many difficult positions…" The Culprit: Rory Sabbatini, after losing a one stroke lead to Tiger Woods at th WBC-Bridgestone Invitational, several months after calling Woods “beatable” Translation: “Woops, my bad Mr. Woods. I totally forgot that you pretty much own the entire world of golf. For example, though you played in only the minimum 16 events, you still managed to double everyone’s earnings. That doesn’t even include all the money you make from Buick, Nike, you new Gatorade deal, or your own video game. So please, Mr. Woods, have mercy on me, as well as every other golfer on tour.” The Statement: “I love being a Yankee” The Culprit: Alex Rodriguez, third basemen, New York Yankees The Translation: “I love the Yankees money.”

PEGLEGS continued from page 12 pumped. Attendance was a lot higher compared to the first home game, it would around 150. Mr. Teitel and Ms. Singer were in attendance, wearing their customized jerseys. The crowd was a lot more into the game also, as the crowd noise was significantly higher. The first score of the game was a safety by the Peglegs, and the fans exploded, even though it was only two points. The next score was also a safety, giving Stuy, a 4-0, which is very rare. AES responded with a huge rushing touchdown by Shamar Wright, the best running back in the division, who didn’t generate much more offense besides that. The defense shut down AES after that, with two interceptions by Goldin, and a huge sack by Matt Baumel. The offense started scoring touchdowns by the run, as two plays got stopped at the 1 yard line. Senior quarterback/wide receiver was the offensive hero of the second half, catching two balls on two separate occasions to get the team to the goal line. On the first, Dmitry Timmerman, also the backup QB, ran a one yard sneak for a touchdown. On the second, Timmerman lined up as a wide receiver and senior quarterback Shafi Alam hit Timmerman for his second touchdown of the game. The game ended 30-8. It was exciting, the team performed great, and a win in the next game against Staten Island Tech could put the Peglegs into the top 5 in the division. The new look Peglegs look to continue the recent success.

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After two tough losses to start the season against the top two teams in the division, the Peglegs have won back to back games against Adlai Stevenson and Alfred E. Smith.

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October 10, 2007—VOL. 6, No.

SPORTS

Peglegs Pillage Their Way to Victory

Lost in Translation

TSS/ Zakhar Shtulberg

Anyone with constant media presence is forced into a conundrum. Should I say what’s on my mind, or provide a really cryptic statement so that we have to figure it out? If you ever wondered what your favorite athlete was thinking, look no further, for I have figured out a way to translate athlete’s nonsense into sensible English.

by Zakhar Shtulberg , staff writer

After two tough losses to start the season against the top two teams in the division, the Peglegs have won back-to-back games against Adlai Stevenson and Alfred E. Smith. The win over Adlai Stevenson was a huge day for Nick Goldin, who scored every single point for Stuy (a receiving touchdown, a punt return touchdown, and both extra points). The reason for the win was probably the success of the offensive line, as Quarterback Shafi Alam was not sacked once. The defense played remarkably; they recorded 3 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, and 4 interceptions. This win brought Stuy to 1-2 and set them up for a big homecoming. The first few hours of homecoming was a match up between the J.V. Peglegs and the junior varsity of A.E.S. The game had a sloppy start, with Alfred E. Smith starting its first drive with

two false start penalties and then a turnover, which resulted in a short touchdown pass to sophomore Nick Berg to take an early 8-0 lead. Both teams offenses were ineffective throughout the entire game, as no drive crossed into opponent territory until the Peglegs very late in the first half. That drive was capped off by a 20 yard touchdown run from freshman Michael Bucaoto, and the Peglegs lead 14-0. The second half was filled with more bad snaps and shoddy offense. The game was sealed with a late interception from sophomore Robert Hess. The win was the JV Peglegs first of the year, and the points scored by the Peglegs were their first of the season. [insert notes here]. The more anticipated varsity match started just as the rain ended. This brought the cheerleaders back on the field and got the crowd PEGLEGS continues on page 11

The Statement: "We don't know what's going to happen down the pipe but we have to take care of ourself first." The Culprit: Willie Randolph, manager of the New York Mets Translation: “I had an idea of what was going to happen down the pipe. We were going to win the division. Then, our pitching staff started to pitch like… well, the way it should have all along. Guillermo Mota needs his steroids, Billy Wagner needs to step up, and Orlando Hernandez needs to stop getting hurt at the end of the season. Sure we might make the playoffs, but what accomplishment is that in the National League, where sub .500 teams were still in contention two weeks ago.” The Statement: “Probable: Tom Brady (shoulder)” The Culprit: New England Patriots (probably Bill Bellicheck, coach of the New England Patriots) Translation: “Let’s see. Tom Brady hasn’t THE SPORTS BEAT continues on page 11