Volume 7 Issue 3

Friday, November 1 Volume 7 Issue 3 Visit us at www.stuystandard.org

Freshman Knockout

Proud Members of the National Scholastic Press Association

Watchstuy: Protecting Students’ Rights? by Liwei Mao staff writer

by Eric Mayo managing editor and Rammiya Nallainathan SU Correspondent

Four out of the five tickets running for Freshman caucus were disqualified for online campaigning, forcing a new election to be held. According to Board of Elections (BOE) cochair and senior Joyce Greenbaum, all candidates signed a statement that they would only campaign on 8 ½ by 11 sheets of paper. This includes online campaigning, and specifically Facebook. “It’s designed this way because this way everyone is on an even playing field and makes campaigns easier to monitor,” according to Greenbaum. The infractions began to occur Wednesday, October 17. According to BOE policy, each campaign gets two strikes. A strike is received for various campaign infractions, such as online campaigning or improper signage. A strike results in a loss of one day of campaigning, and two strikes would disqualify the candidates from the election. However, on the day before the election, one strike would have candidates disqualified. The infractions began to quickly occur on the social networking site Facebook. They ranged from posting on other people’s walls to vote for

them or changing their status to say vote for the name of their candidate and running mate. This was noticed that night by Greenbaum and cochair, senior Glenn Kim, but they were unaware of the full extent of the infractions and let the election continue until Thursday, October 18. It was not until Saturday, October 20, according to freshman and disqualified candidate Chris Lee, that he was informed he had been disqualified from the election. “It was very short,” Lee said of the e-mail he received from the BOE. “It just said everyone was disqualified other than Taylor [DeGiovanni] and Elana [Shapiro]. Another short reply told me I was campaigning online, and then I was told to come to the SU.” Lee wasn’t the only one confused by the disqualification. When reached through Facebook, few had any idea why there disqualified. “I actually have no idea why anyone was disqualified,” said Elizabeth Tso, a candidate. “I'm sorry but I don't know why it is that we were disqualified. We were all told that we could go tomorrow after tenth to the SU office to find FRESHMAN KNOCKOUT continues on page 4

A new website, www.watchstuy.com, was created recently in response to stuywatch.com, a website created by two anonymous Stuy students under the pseudonyms of Hiro and Chase. Senior Shane Sheehy, using the pseudonym “the Boss,” first launched the website on September 28. According to Sheehy, Watchstuy was created both to protest against the “corrosive corruption” of stuywatch.com and to offer practical solutions to problems between the students and the administration. Members of watchstuy.com distributed over 1,200 boldly-lettered fliers around the school during the last week of September alone, protesting against stuywatch.com and showing the motto of “Security, Order, and Justice.” Both WatchStuy.com and its related Facebook group are technically managed by WatchStuy’s Minister of Information, senior Heng Li Ren. As of October 10, 439 students have joined watchstuy.com and 63 students have joined the Facebook group. “These stats need to be taken in context,” Ren said. “We have done nothing to promote the Facebook group and all of our efforts are focused offline. The online community is only an extension of the organization; the majority of work WATCHSTUY continues on page 4

In this Issue Spending Money Wisely: Cheaper Prices Near Stuy News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5 Video Game Review Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 8

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

NEWS

EDITORIAL Campaigning in the 21st Century 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 OMAR AHMAD HANFORD CHIU AMNA AHMAD ROBERT STEVENSON JESSE ZHANG KIRIL GOURUV ELISSA TAM MS. 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 BUSINESS EDITOR LITERARY EDITOR 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 bi-weekly basis to the students and faculty of Stuyvesant High School and throughout the adjoining neighborhoods of TriBeCa and Battery Park City. THE STUYVESANT STANDARD welcomes letters from its readers. 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

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

The time has come for the Student Union to consider serious election reform after the freshman primary debacle. If the Student Union and the Board of Elections truly wants to get more people involved in the political process, election rules must be updated for the changing times. When presidential candidates are building support networks through Facebook and Myspace, Stuyvesant students are forbidden to even mention that they are campaigning on their personal Facebook accounts. This policy does not allow for Stuyvesant students to use their creativity to garner support. The Board of Elections can’t have it both ways. If they want the campaign to be solely about the issues, they need to provide the candidates with every opportunity to express their views to their peers. Live debates should be scheduled between the candidates so their peers can hear their views on the various issues that affect them. If the Board of Elections feels that slander is what is holding them back from allowing online campaigning, then give each campaign a webpage hosted by the Student Union website. That would allow for more students to become informed about the issues. The Board of Elections should be finding ways to involve more underclassman in student government, not disqualifying them for petty infractions. Yes, the rule clearly states that no campaigning can be done on anything other than an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper. But does that rule benefit the student body? Absolutely not. By restricting the ways in which candidates can campaign, the election ironically turns into a popularity contest. Whoever can get the most friends to the ballot box will win. The only way to stop election by popularity is to involve everyone. The Board of Elections will have nothing to lose by allowing online campaigning. Election turnout can’t get much worse (around three out of every ten sophomores voted in the caucus election), and efforts to improve voter turnout for last year’s general election failed, actually resulting in a decrease in the number of votes cast for the general election as compared to the primaries. This space believes that there are students who truly want to be informed, but are turned off by the way the election system works. If the BOE made campaigning a more invigorating exercise, perhaps more students would be willing to run and vote.

The National Student Press Association: NSPA The Stuyvesant Standard is dedicated to providing you with all the news students need to know. It is with this goal in mind that we have joined the National Scholastic Press Association. The NSPA was founded in 1921 with the goal of improving student publications through awards, critiques, and conventions. Boasting members from all fifty states and across the world, the resources the NSPA provides will be invaluable to the editors and their staffs. The best high school in the world deserves the best paper in the world, and with these new resources available to us, we hope to get closer to that goal.

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

NEWS

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THE STANDARD NEWS Hate Crime Strikes Columbia by Nada Elmansy staff writer

Stuyvesant is minimal. “Everybody is used to diversity and culture, which leads them to

have no intention of committing a hate crime,” Shabbir said. ◙

Source: Reuters

Hate crimes are extremely ,prevalent in the United States especially in New York, with the presence of great amounts of racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity. On October 9, a disturbing hate crime occurred on the campus of Columbia University, in Upper Manhattan. A noose was found outside the room of Professor Madonna G. American-Constantine, an African .professor Professor Constantine, unsurprisingly, was very upset that such a crime took place but felt that the teachers’ community should stay strong in the face of crimes like this. She said that the crime was despicable and simply an act of cowardice. The noose caused protest throughout the university. About 100 students protested against the incident and felt that it was an insult to both the teacher and her

students. Teachers also complained against the action of President Lee Bollinger, who they believe should have acted faster and more decisively. Police are doing their part and are investigating the crime but there are currently no suspects. Police are suspicious of certain teachers, and also students who may not be happy with their grades. As of now, investigations are still being carried out in an attempt to identify the person guilty of this hate crime. Several similar incidents have occurred in New York in the past. Although statistics show that the number of hate crimes in New York is decreasing, they do still occur. These incidents bring up the question of whether similar hate crimes are possible at Stuyvesant High School, especially due to the high diversity. Sehrash Shabbir, a freshman at Stuyvesant High School, believes that the chance of such an incident happening at

Professor Madonna Constantine went to work on Tuesday and shockingly discovered the noose hanging outside her office at Columbia's Teachers College.

Faculty Focus: Ms. Brown! by Muhammad Tambra staff writer

Faculty Focus: Ms. Brown Fast Facts Favorite Animals: Cat and giraffe Zodiac Sign: Virgo Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights Favorite Food: Gumbo Favorite Show: As Time Goes By Favorite Color: Purple Favorite Subjects: Foreign language and art history

Having nowhere else to go, many people wander to the library during free periods. It is a great place to catch up on homework, read a book, or talk with friends. At the end of last year Ms. Mets, one of the librarians, retired, and in her stead there is a new addition to the library. DeLisa Brown is the brand new librarian. Walking around with a cheery smile, she helps students with their problems concerning books and monitors the library’s constant chaos. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Brown attended L.S.U, The Institute of Fine Arts at NYU, Hunter, and Pratt. Her high school experience, though, was “terrible”. “I grew up an unhappy teenager. I grew up in the South. It was tough in the sixties and seventies. I suppose it still is tough,” she said, referring to the Jena 6. She chose to become a librarian because of reading. “I loved reading. I always read a lot as a kid. It saved my life as a teenager. I want to turn other people towards reading too,” she explained. She believes being a

librarian is not tough at all and is in fact a wonderful experience. She chose to come to it ,Stuyvesant because, as she put it is “the gold standard of high schools.” “I hope we can make this the gold standard library some day as well,” she joked, referring to the periodic chaos in the library. She finds the community at Stuyvesant very different from that at typical high schools. Coming from smaller schools where fewer students meant a better chance of knowing everyone, Brown still finds Stuyvesant an energetic and lively place Everyone is helpful and “ .friendly,” she commented Out of school, Brown enjoys many activities. She likes to ride her bike, go to the beach, and attend the opera. She is also fond of knitting but admits to not being very good at it. Being a librarian is a busy job, especially at Stuyvesant, where there are hundreds of students constantly going in and out. Brown is up to the task of constantly patrolling the library and helping students. Some advice she gave the students at Stuyvesant is: “Choose to do what makes you happy in life.” ◙

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

NEWS

Meet our Faculty Advisor: Ms. Breslin! by David Feng staff writer

This issue features one of the most enthusiastic teachers at Stuyvesant and The Stuyvesant Standard’s faculty advisor: Megan Breslin. Compared to other teachers, Breslin is relatively new. She started teaching at Stuyvesant in spring 2006. Prior to her Stuyvesant career, she taught at Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities and was also a private tutor. She completed her bachelor's degree at Haveford College and her master’s degree at NYU. Breslin holds Stuyvesant students in high regard. “The students are fantastic,” she said. “I always want them to learn for the sake of learning. But I often find myself confronting the reality of their interest in pursuing points for their grade point averages, so I do my best to oblige.” Despite students’ overemphasis on grades, Breslin’s favorite part of Stuyvesant is still the students. She enjoys listening to their ideas and works. “Stuyvesant students have a sense of humor and are very imaginative.”

TSS/ Elissa Tam

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Meet our Faculty Advisor: Ms. Breslin Fast Facts Classes taught: Modern European literature, Classical literature, Early British literature, Later British and world literature Zodiac sign: Pisces Favorite color: Green Favorite food: Indian Food Favorite TV show: Lost Favorite book: Lolita by Nabokov

FRESHMAN KNOCKOUT continued from page 1

WATCHSTUY continued from page 1

out why,” said Daniela Gilsanz, another candidate. Lee found the initial instructions about online campaigning vague. “It banned anything that could be construed as online campaigning” Lee said. “Basically, that meant facebook posts, groups, etc. “In the future, we’ll try to make it more clear to the candidates what constitutes online campaigning” said Greenbaum. According to her, candidates will have the opportunity to appeal the decision to the BOE and SU; however “We’ve printed everything out so it would be pretty hard to win.” The only candidates not disqualified were Taylor Degiovanni and Elana Shapiro. However, according to Greenbaum, they received the least number of votes from the freshman class. The election process will be re-opened to all freshmen, and a new election will be held sometime next week. The eight people who were disqualified from the primary election will be disqualified for the new election. Said Greenbaum, “If you’re not capable of following rules, you’re not going to make a good class president.” ◙

goes into the grassroots, offline organization.” According to Ren, the website has also “experienced expotential growth in terms of views and hits”; it had 5 visits the first day, 100 the next day, 400 by October 2, and 1300 a week later. “Although the site did not come up until September, Watchstuy as a movement was created during the first few days of school, when I began to notice the corruption that is Stuywatch infesting our hallways,” Sheehy said in an online interview. Among Watchstuy’s many objections to stuywatch.com is its goal of uniting the students against the unfair policies made by administration, particularly against the new policy that revokes the out-to-lunch privileges of students coming back from lunch late. Watchstuy.com supports this policy for its effectiveness in getting students to class on time after their lunch period. “It works,” Sheehy said. “I've noticed [that] ever since the administration implemented the ID scanners during lunch, kids have actually come back to school on time. Going outside the school building to lunch is not a right, it is a privilege…Before they had the new policy, a lot of students abused this privilege. As you may

have noticed…some students were regularly 5 to 10 minutes late every day.” Sheehy also claims that stuywatch.com is ideological and offers no real solution. Stuy’s administration, he believes, is essential to preventing Stuy from becoming “one of the many other public high schools in New York where students are subject to [consistent] apathy from their supervisors…” Unlike Stuywatch, Watchstuy has no plans to fight the administration. Sheeny posted on WatchStuy.com: “our ideas are practical; they involve working inside the already existing school system to make positive changes for the students of Stuyvesant.” On the subject of the Student

As an English teacher, Breslin thinks that it is very important to “make sure class assignments are well thought-out and prepared.” After all, she argues, the teacher’s job is not to overload the students with work, but rather to educate them in a way that best fits their needs. Breslin believes that Stuyvesant makes a big effort to educate its students. “The English department provides them [the students] with a range of books to read and gives them an opportunity to explore creative writing,” she said. Outside of Stuyvesant, Breslin has many pastimes and hobbies. She likes to cook, go biking, and do yoga. She is also a member of the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society. As the faculty advisor for The Stuyvesant Standard, Breslin has high expectations. She appreciates The Standard’s empasis on allowing all students to explore journlaims. As for future changes in it, she comments, “I am confident that the increased focus on original reporting and more rigorous training of new staff in proof-reading and developing a style guide will be successful.” ◙

Union, Sheehy admits their “dealings with the Student Union have been ineffective, to say the least,” but they do “respect it for the body that it is.” As for exactly how Watchstuy members will go about “making positive changes for students of Stuyvesant,” few details are revealed. Sheehy claims they “have quite a few plans, which will take the entire course of the year to fully implement.” “While I can't reveal all of our plans, it suffices to say that we are in the works of some projects which will be completed soon. We hope to hold a grand rally sometime near the end of the month, and launch our news network around the same time,” Sheehy said. ◙

Do you have a teacher in mind for our Meet the Teacher column? Email any suggestions to: [email protected]

SPECIAL

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

SPECIAL Spending Money Wisely: Cheaper Prices Near Stuy While Stuyvesant High School has no tuition, going to school in downtown Manhattan is not cheap. However, if one knows where to go and is willing to do some extra walking, one can save money.

by Jennifer Schlesinger, editor in chief

Between eating lunches outside school and afterschool snacks, many students buy food from the local community. Terry’s has fairly inexpensive sandwiches, such as an egg on a roll for $1.99. Most of their sandwiches are less than five dollars, so they are a good choice for lunch. College Convenient (Chambers Street, between Greenwich and West Broadway), or “Hole in the Wall” as it is called, has candy bars and other snacks for about $0.75, as well as bottled beverages for one to two dollars. It’s an easy stop on the way home.

Photos by TSS/ Jennifer Schlesinger

Dee & Dee (97 Chambers Street) is a good stop for many things. While their selection is constantly changing, there are some items that are regularly on sale. On the first floor, right near the entrance, there are bags of brand name miniature candy for $1.99. They also have bags of generic brands for $1. It is a good place to buy candy to give out at club meetings. Their selection of clothing is also on the first floor. If you are willing to dig, you will find good bargains. The store gets closeouts from stores like Target, Kohl’s, and New York and Company. In Dee & Dee these items usually cost between four and ten dollars. On the lower floor, they have school supplies, such as pens and notebooks for $1, including brand names such as Bic, Elmer’s, and Mead. Dee & Dee gets beauty products, usually with slightly older labels, which they sell for much less than drugstores, with reduction between 50 and 75 percent.

Some food chains have more than one location near Stuy. In some cases, the prices at one may be cheaper than the other. For example, the Dunkin’ Donuts located on Church Street and Murray Street sells most of its items for approximately 10 to 50 cents less than the one located on Chambers Street and Church Street. It is only about a half a block further, so if one is ordering a lot, it is worth the walk. However, it does not have tables or ice cream. However, both SUBWAYS near Stuyvesant, located at Chambers Street between Greenwich Street and West Broadway, and Chambers Street and Church Street, have the same costs.

As part of being in downtown Manhattan, there are many banks near Stuyvesant. ATM fees range from $1.25 to $2.50. Those at the closest bank to Stuy, North Fork (Chambers and West Broadway) are $1.75. The bank near Stuy with the lowest fee is Emigrants Savings Bank (Park Row and Church Street). It is a hike from Stuy, but unlike North Fork does not have long lines.

Another store with a varied selection is RHX Closeouts (Chambers and Broadway). They usually have different watches which are copies of expensive brands like Swiss Army Knife, for between $3 and $10. They also usually have full-sized bottles of men’s and ladies’ perfumes, such as DKNY and Chanel, for $16.99. There are doubts as to whether they are real, but they smell like the real ones. The store also has inexpensive beverages, such as 16-ounce bottles or Poland Spring for $.49, liter bottles for $1, and cans of soda for $.49.

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

OPINIONS

THE STANDARD OPINIONS Racial Profiling: Acceptable or Wrong? by Nada Elmansy staff writer

“It's a bad time to be named Ahmad right now,” said MuslimAmerican comedian Ahmed Ahmad, referring to the racial profiling he often experiences. Racial profiling is a big issue in searches in airports and by the police. It is used too often and is not always necessary. Some people believe that using racial profiling to single out individuals because of their race is acceptable in order to ensure our safety. However, others believe that there are better ways of insuring the safety of Americans. Everybody wants to know that they are traveling safely and that can mean using racial profiling in airports. People of color are constantly being searched more thoroughly than whites. For people that are for racial profiling, this seems to be good, because most terrorist attacks are committed by minorities. Racial profiling has also become more acceptable to most Americans since September 11,

by Hui-ting Jiang staff writer

Every student knows that the best way to avoid going to school is to feign illness. It is simple to

2001. If most of the public agrees to it, then why shouldn't it be used? I personally believe that racial profiling is not acceptable to use no matter how much of the public agrees to it. Racial profiling causes minorities to always be at the risk of a random search and takes away certain rights. Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans especially suffer from racial profiling every time they travel. Muslim-Americans know exactly what to expect when they are in a United States airport. They can have their bags searched inside out and can be labeled as terrorists. Many times they end up getting dragged out of the airport in handcuffs simply because they are Muslim and appear suspicious. Ahmed has experienced this kind of treatment. In fact, whenever he travels, he wears a shirt that says “Got Rights?” Azhar Usman is an American-born Muslim with a heavy black beard who has also experienced racial profiling enough times to know what to expect at an airport. Usman says that other passengers fear him and that

the look in their eyes says, “We’re all going to die.” Many MuslimAmericans feel as if they have no rights and are feared by other Americans even though they are Americans themselves. Similarly, African-Americans feel as if they have no rights just driving down the street. Many studies have shown that AfricanAmericans are most likely to be stopped by the police. In fact, a study done in New Jersey showed that blacks traveling on the highway are five times as likely to get stopped by the police as whites. Even in schools, black boys are labeled negatively simply because of their clothing. Baggy jeans and a big shirt can give a black boy the title of another one of those thuggish black kids. Racial profiling seems like it is becoming very common in the United States. The truth is that it racial profiling becoming very common all over the world. Even in Moscow, a study showed that minorities are 22 times as likely to be singled out as whites. People who are not fair skinned can expect to be singled

out frequently by police. This makes dark-skinned Russians feel like second-class citizens. They are often singled out for no reason whatsoever. Out of one group of 1,500 people checked, only 3 percent had committed any infractions. If this is true, it means that racial profiling is not an effective way of insuring our safety and frequently targets the wrong people. Then why should it continue to be used? All over the world, people are singled out just because of their race or ethnic background. Most of the time, these people haven't committed any crime. Racial profiling is not the best way of keeping our country and its citizens safe. To stop racial profiling from becoming a bigger issue, I think we should find a better way of maintaining our safety. Until then, racial profiling should not be thought of as an acceptable method. ◙

Health vs. Grades fool parents with constant coughing, fake sneezing and the obscure “24 hour flu.” However, this is uncharacteristic of Stuyvesant students. We prefer to attend school despite having a fever of 103 de-

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/WIntkey/

Rhinoviruses are the most common viral infective agents in humans. There are over 105 types that cause cold symptoms.

grees or a cough that produces enough phlegm to fill a bathtub. It is our dedication that brings our ultimate downfall. What is the use of getting a 100 on your report card if you become so sick that you become immobile? It is rather meretricious to please not only our parents, but ourselves, with a good grade. It is far better to take care of your health and worry about school later. You disagree? Then I invite you to read on. As of now, the most common illness is the cold. There is at least one person in every class who sneezes like it’s going out of style. The common cold is caused by a rhinovirus, which is transferred through the air, explaining its rapid travels. Due to the high mutation rate of the virus, it is not possible to produce a vaccine for the common cold. However, a healthy immune system is capable of responding to and eliminating a cold within a few days. But that is no excuse to go to school and spread it to those with weak immune systems. The fever is also a common

symptom of disease, distinguished by an abnormally high body temperature. Even though taking an aspirin will treat it, it might get worse if left untreated. When a fever reaches 105 degrees, it can cause weakness. When it reaches 108 degrees, a fever may lead to seizures and, sadly, death. Even a mild fever can lead to other lifethreatening fevers such as puerperal fever, hemorrhagic fever or rheumatic fever. The paradoxical thing is that a fever is a method your body uses to fend off infectious diseases with leukocytes and antibodies. So it is better to treat your fever with lots of rest, fluids like chicken noodle soup, and keeping toasty. Hopefully this article has convinced you to stay at home when you are not feeling well or experience some of the symptoms mentioned above. Don’t worry about missing schoolwork or falling behind in class; your teachers are not out to get you. They care about not only your academics, but your health as well. So take care of yourself! ◙

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

SCIENCE

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THE STANDARD SCIENCE Sci in Stuy: Are Stem Cells Worth the Controversy? by Omar Ahmad assistant science editor

erty of the donor. The same student brought up a question that challenges both sides of the debate: “Is the reason being that we kill our cells all the time justification for the murder of them?” If so, killing large masses of what some consider “intelligent life” is justified by the thousands of other cells which are killed while performing daily activities. If not, then killing these cells, while still of equal worth and competencym is considered a murderous act on the part of everyone. Another student, Robert Colgan, firmly supports his belief that “[people who] don’t believe in the use of stem cells are ignorant towards their uses in science. Who has the right to define life, and if so, stem cells can’t feel, or consent anything involving what they are doing. Inside [the amniotic sac] they are destined to die anyway, why not make use of them?” If stem cells are considered to be live cells, then why do we not try our hardest to keep these “potential beings” alive? If they are to die, no

matter what death, I personally find that the most responsible means of carrying this out, is that which provides for the spread of information in a very dimly-lit subject. ◙

Source: Corbis

Curt Mercadante, a spokesman for the stem cell research facility Cures Without Cloning, charges that stem cell research is both unnecessary and brutal. The organization’s primary goal is to overturn the 2006 statewide initiative that supported the goals of stem cell research. Cures Without Cloning favors an amendment that reads, “No taxpayer dollars should be used to research or experiment using a human organism derived from cloning or attempting to clone a human being.” But they failed to mention the most recent form of derivation of stem cells for research: amniotic fluid. A small sample of this fluid is drawn from a mother’s amniotic sac, hurting neither her nor the baby. The stem cells present are then separated from other, less valuable, cells. Though the cells are indeed stem cells, they may not be as useful in bioengineering and replacement of organs.

“Our hope is that these cells will provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well,” said Dr. Anthony Atala, head of Wake Forest University’s regenerative medicine institute and senior researcher on the project that pioneered the use of stem cells from amniotic fluid. The project was carried out in affiliation with Harvard University, and after seven years of research, Atala truly believes that stem cells “can be used to produce a broad range of cells that may be valuable for therapy.” Even so, there are still further inquiries in this field to be pursued. With this controversy in mind, I set out to Stuyvesant’s halls ask students their opinions on the occurrence. A sophomore said, “ I don’t think a stem cell is living to the extent that it can be called an individual. I mean, if a single cell, regardless of potential, is to be considered life, is a haircut genocide?” It is difficult for scientists and researchers to say what is intelligent life, and what is the prop-

Participants at the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Conference called the study of stem cells "robust."

Three Nobel Prize Winners Develop Effective New Gene Technology by Devyn Buckley staff writer

Three self-described research “outsiders,” one of whom abandoned a coveted Ivy league position for a school that left his former colleagues smirking, and another who was once an “immigration criminal” forced to leave the U.S. by immigration authorities in Wisconsin, were notified this week that they, along with a third researcher, had been selected to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The team was awarded this prestigious prize for developing far-reaching “genetic knockout technology,” which permits researchers to develop models of human disease in mice. Those sharing the $1.54 million prize are Mario Capecchi, 70,

of The University of Utah in Salt Lake City; Oliver Smithies, 82, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill; and Sir Martin J. Evans, 66, of Cardiff University in Wales. Ever since the Nobel Prize winners first presented their findings, other scientists have used the powerful research tool the winners developed. With their technique, researchers are able to determine the functions of particular genes in the mouse genome. The effect of the procedure is to “knock out” or restrict the gene of interest from being expressed. In doing so, scientists can discover the gene’s function by observing the results of its being blocked. Thanks to the research performed by the Nobel winners, the mouse equivalents of over 500 human diseases and disorders, including cancer, diabetes,

and cystic fibrosis, have been engineered. The Nobel Prize Committee recently reported that more than 10,000 mice genes have now been knocked out and studied, which is approximately a half of all genes in the mouse genome. These small rodents have been extremely helpful due to the striking similarities between the genome of mice and the genome of humans. Approximately 95 percent of the mouse genome is identical to that of humans. It is no wonder that they are frequently chosen as model organisms in scientific research experiments. In fact, scientists have termed them “pocketsize humans.”Mice have always played a key role in genetic research, but since the development of knockout mice, their importance has drastically increased. Scientists can manipulate the genetics of

mice, down to the expression of distinct genes. The “gene knockout” technique has been applied not only to embryos but also to fully grown adult mice. A recent and important adaptation of the researchers’ experiments allows scientists to attach “reporter” genes to other specific genes. Reporter genes cause color changes in cells where a particular gene is functioning. One Bronx scientist, Dr. Bill Jacobs, has been instrumental in developing a variation of this technique. Dr. Jacobs developed a means of inserting the luciferase gene, which causes fireflies to glow, into the genomes of bacteriophages. When these bacteriophages attack a bacterium, the luciferase gene is injected into the GENE TECHNOLOGY continues on page 8

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

BUSINESS

THE STANDARD BUSINESS Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Developer: Retro Studios Publisher: Nintendo Rating: ESRB: T Platform: Wii I was very skeptical when a friend called me up the day Metroid Prime 3 came out and said that it was one of the best new first-person shooters. I had had bad experiences with the previous two games of the series; each of them got very dull after a while. Over the next week, many others told me that Prime 3 was a very interesting game. My curiosity took hold and I just had to check it out. It just so happened that my birthday was that same week so I went out and bought it with my parents’ money. I was pretty satisfied with the results. The events in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption take place directly after the events in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. The game is a first-person shooter about a lethal bounty hunter named Samus who protects civilizations and planets from space pirates. A decent background, but the plot becomes more bare-threaded from there. Her main nemesis is Dark Samus, a mysterious being of darkness who looks just like Samus, except, well,

GENE TECHNOLOGY continued from page 7 DNA sequence of the bacterium, thus causing live and DNAexpressing bacteria to glow. This allows scientists to differentiate between live bacteria and dead ones. Dr. Jacobs has been performing extensive field studies on treating and curing tuberculosis. This method could be useful when testing whether or not a particular drug is effective against a specific strain of tuberculosis in an individual. Rather than administering the drug to the individual and hoping for a beneficial result, a doctor could extract and plate tuberculosis from an individual. After inserting the luciferase gene into the tuberculosis bacteria via bacteriophages, all healthy tuberculosis bacteria would glow. Thus, if the drug in question was effective, the bacteria would die and no longer glow. This method is vastly more efficient and less time-consuming than testing various drugs on an indi-

darker. Basically, the previous game set the stage for Corruption by showing Dark Samus materializing in space after being defeated, and now we get to try to defeat her all over again. Talk about a fresh storyline. Of course, I wouldn’t put too much weight on a good tale in a first-person shooter, as long as there is something to point and shoot at, and Metroid Prime 3 definitely isn’t lacking in that department. The gameplay is tremendous. I felt immersed into the world of Samus as if I were looking right through her battle visor and running around in her clunky suit. The control in the game breathtaking. It can be compared to arcade shooting games, only requiring fewer quarters. It is clear that a lot of work was put into making it all tie together. Accuracy is essential in this game. Just mastering a control stick will do absolutely nothing in this case (sorry, Halo players). It is truly a big step in next-generation gaming to have actual hand-eye coordination and movement back in first-person shooters, rather than just pushing a mouse or analog stick around. It is much more immersive to actually have to flick your wrists to fire a grapple shot or to actually aim with your arm to shoot. If there is one other downside to this game, it is the last-generation graphics that it has. If I didn’t know vidual over an extended period of time, a method which can allow resistant tuberculosis to multiply. Dr. Jacobs has worked closely with many Stuyvesant students to discover new bacteriophages, some of which he hopes may be used to combat tuberculosis. One high school student discovered a new phage from a sample of ice tea at Six Flags and thus named his discovery “Nastea.” Dr. Capecchi and Dr. Evans have both said that they’ve felt, at times, that they were “lone scientists who cried out against the consensus.” While applying for grants, Dr. Evans said he was told that many of his ideas were premature and could not be done. Then, he said, “I find everyone is doing the same thing [his proposition]” five years later. While he admits it has sometimes been a long road, Dr. Smithies has said that “it’s actually a rather peaceful feeling — of culmination of a life of science.” ◙

I had a Wii control in my hand and judged it based on what I saw on the TV, I would have thought that it was for the Gamecube. This doesn’t mean the graphics are bad, but compared to the other games of its generation, it just didn’t cut it. Maybe a few years ago it would have been among the best, but with so much graphical excellence and advancement available in today’s next-gen games, I just found it lacking. However, the visual effects and the sounds are intense and well made. The musical score remains true to the game. They are all generally mysterious and subtle, building suspense. The music portrays the different worlds as well. For example, on the desert planet of Brryo, an Arabic theme for music is incorporated. As for bugs, the game doesn’t really have any major flaws, which is a relief. Something unique about the Metroid series is the fact that Samus can morph into a compact sphere and travel through pipes and air ducts. All in all, I think my friends were justified in their praise and that my birthday money was well spent. Those who are interested in turning into spheres and causing simulated havoc upon space pirates should definitely check this game out. ◙

Source: Wikipedia

by Aneem Talukder game reviewer

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, released on August 27, 2007, is a video grame for the Wii published by Nintendo and developed by Retro Studios.

Rating System: 0 - Don't play it even if they pay you 1- Don't play it even if it’s free 2- Don't play it until it’s abandonware 3- Complete waste of money: 4- Not recommended even for a niche player 5- Unless you love the topic or genre, don't get it 6- Horrible but redeemable 7- Average fodder 8- A good game, not a perfect game 9- Excellent, memorable, next to perfection 10- An instant classic

Meteoroid Rating Graphics- 5/10 - The graphics are rather disappointing for a next-gen system. The game in general looks like Metroid Prime for the Gamecube. The cut scenes are also very “Gamecubish.” The graphics are smooth but don’t have the next-generation feel to them. Gameplay- 10/10 - The gameplay is fantastic. Many gadgets are used through interaction with the revolutionary Wiimote. For example, in order to activate the grapple hook, the player has to actually thrust the controller forward and then bring it back close. The actual shooting is very similar to arcade shooting games in which the player has to point at the screen and Content- 5/10 - The story gets a bit dry and not fun. It is the same old going from world to world busting up space pirates and solving puzzles. There is never really any twist that makes the story interesting and worth following. The gadgets used are pretty cool. There is a new “phazon” shot which gives the player full authority while they devastate their enemies. Longevity- 10/10 - It’s just as fun playing the game right from the start after beating it. After beating the game, I started right from the beginning Value- 10/10 - Definitely worth buying for $49.99 because it really is one of about only 3 games for the Wii that are good. TOTAL- 8/10 - A good game, but not a perfect game.

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

A&E

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Myspace vs. Facebook

by Hanford Chiu business editor

MySpace and Facebook are two of the largest social networking websites, with MySpace having over 100 million members and Facebook trailing with about 40 million members. Both are also very large and successful companies, with both sites pulling in more than 100 million dollars a year in revenue through advertising and attracting the attention of many investors. But what is it that makes them both popular to use and great investments? One of the differences between the two social sites is the level of customization a user is allowed. MySpace has the more open and creative design, allowing users to use HTML (or a profilegenerating website that bridges the gap for casual users who don’t know how to code) in order to al-

leaves visitors susceptible to viruses and worms that a malevolent coder might try to spread on their pages. Facebook doesn’t have much of this problem since there is no coding allowed in profiles. MySpace is also more open in terms of privacy, letting many more people generally view random profile pages, although both Facebook and MySpace allow limited profiles to deter strangers. However, Facebook does not allow the viewing of profiles of people who are out of the viewer’s networks unless they are friends, a restriction MySpace does not have. Most other aspects of the two sites are basically the same, with both sites providing classifieds, videos, music, and general messaging. MySpace was created in August 2003 by an Internet trading company called eUniverse, and since then has grown by the millions. In July 2005, Rupert Murdoch, the owner

low for a huge array of possibilities, from colorful backgrounds to embedded videos and music. Facebook limits customization to plain text, but allows the use of usercreated applications in order to decorate a page with loads of information like political compasses, top friends, and even naughty gifts to send to each other. All in all, Facebook applications add flavor to profile pages, and introduce new ways to interact with friends (such as poking people), while MySpace allows massive personalization of individual profile pages, but doesn’t have as much peer interactivity. The extreme freedom to personalize, unfortunately, sometimes leads to profile pages so saturated with encoded features that they become slow to load and might deter friends and visitors with bad Internet connections from visiting. Another difference is the privacy and security settings. MySpace’s use of HTML coding in profile pages

of News Corporation, purchased the company for $580 million, which was well over the estimated value of $327 million at the time. Since then, the company has grown even larger, tapping into international markets such as the UK and the PRC. Facebook, on the other hand, was created in February 2004, as a private social network just for the students of Harvard University. Since September 2006, it has become available to all users above a certain age, with specific strata called networks in order to associate people with schools, workplaces, and regions. Unlike MySpace, Facebook was not created for profit, and it remains under the ownership of its original creator Mark Zuckerberg, although many companies, including Microsoft and Viacom, are seeking to take over the company after seeing the potential profit from online advertisements. ◙

THE STANDARD ENTERTAINMENT Better Luck Next Grey’s Anatomy Time, Chuck by Emma Rabinovich entertainment editor

by Robert Colbourn staff wrtier

After passing numerous posters of one movie hung up in subways and on billboards, many were probably thinking, “Wow! Jessica Alba and Dane Cook in the same movie!” Then it dawned on them that recently, those actors’ movies have been, well, flops. This new romantic comedy, Good Luck

Chuck, did not stray far from this pattern. Its plot was extremely typical and predictable, and its comedy was littered with the basest humor imaginable. As a young boy, Charlie (Connor Price/Dane Cook) was cursed by an “admirer” of his (Sasha Pieturse). Any woman that GOOD LUCK CHUCK continues on page 10 Source: imdb.com

Good Luck Chuck is a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Jessica Alba and standup comedian Dane Cook.

After some extremely disappointing episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy” last season, it seems like the worst is over. This season has been progressing nicely and everyone seems to have recovered from last year’s massively depressing season finale. George (T.R. Knight) finally confesses he’s in love with Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and tells Callie (Sara Ramirez) about their affair. Now the whole thing gets to play out in full view of the hospital. Yay! Think of the drama. Meanwhile, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) is off being Meredith, jerking Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) around like there’s no tomorrow. Plus, the unmistakable chemistry between Derek and Meredith’s half-sister Lexie (Chyler Leigh) is simply scrumptious. I can’t wait till that triangle develops. My personal favorite scene from the last episode was when Karev (Justin Chambers), who was interested in Izzie long before she fell for George, finds out about them and announces that he’s embarrassed for her. Who can blame

him, though? All the plotlines are developing more slowly this season, giving audiences some time to breathe. It’s taken Derek four episodes to finally get a backbone. Not to mention the fact that the relationship between Izzie and George has finally established itself enough so that it is more believable. Izzie has also calmed down a bit after all her rants and crazy speeches last season. Now that she’s a likable character again, it is easier to forgive her for everything she did to Callie. Unfortunately, Callie isn’t ready to forgive and forget. Her constant mental turmoil seems to indicate that she might be leaving the show. After the divorce, her character is likely to run out of plotlines and leave just like Kate Walsh’s Addison Shepherd did. It’s great to see that the show is finally fun to watch again, and that the addition of some new interns has allowed the writers to make fun of their own material, like the trademark “seriously” that got thrown around a lot in the first two seasons. This season’s episodes are available online at abc.go.com and new episodes air on Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. ◙

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD GOOD LUCK CHUCK continued from page 9

he had sex with would marry the next guy she met. Naturally, he became quite popular with the ladies when news of the curse spread. It was great for Charlie at first, but it quickly became the worst thing imaginable when he met the girl of his dreams (Jessica Alba). Charlie’s ultimate goal was to defeat the curse so he could fi-

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

nally get the girl. The first thing that needs to be said is that this movie truly deserves its “R” rating, so if you’re offended by nudity and language, skip this one. Unfortunately, even if you don’t care, it’s these two things that make up the shallow “comedy” of this movie. All the jokes are based on either perverted little innuendos or puns, or deal with the “ditsy cute girl” that Jessica Alba is supposed to play. Both

ideas get old very fast, and that’s when it becomes a very typical romantic comedy, with nothing distinguishing it from the rest. The only good thing that can be said about Good Luck Chuck is that, well, the physical comedy isn’t bad in the beginning of the movie, before it gets repetitive. Dane Cook and Jessica Alba are able to do some pretty funny things involving personal injury at Cook’s expense. However, most of

LITERARY these scenes were shown in trailers prior to the movie’s release, so maybe plunking down 10 dollars to see something that exists for free online (with some added filler) isn’t the best idea. An unimaginative plot, terrible chemistry between characters, shallow comedy, and bad acting really should turn anyone and everyone away from this movie. ◙

THE STANDARD LITERARY Another Inconvenient Truth

by Robert Stevenson assistant literary editor

Lunchroom Rations

By Amna Ahmad literary editor

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

SPORTS

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

A-Rod on the Move For the city of New York the baseball season is basically over, but for Alex Rodriguez, third baseman of the New York Yankees, the adventure is just beginning. Rodriguez will almost ,certainly opt out of his contract which is still good for three more years and worth about $75 million, and continue his career at some other ball club. He has had enough of New York and all the pressure that comes with being a Yankee. After his third consecutive dismal playoffs, it is time for him to move on to bigger and better things in a .different uniform Even though he led the league this past season with 54 home runs and 156 RBIs and is undoubtedly the American League’s MVP for the third time in his career, the market is still very small for him. This is mainly due to the fact that very few teams can actually afford him (he makes $10 million more than the entire Florida Marlins organization). The ten richest teams in baseball are, in descending order: The New York Yankees, The Boston Red Sox, The Los Angeles Angels, The Chicago White Sox, The New York Mets, The Los Angeles Dodgers, The Chicago Cubs, The Houston Astros, The Atlanta

Source: Newsday

by Ankit Singh staff writer

Alex Rodriguez, since his first season as a Yankee in 2004, is faced with a decision whether he will opt out of hs contract after 2007 or remain with the Yankees.

the Cubs will probably have to pay him around $6 million more, along with an extension that will lock him up for about a decade. A-Rod wants to be associated with one team; in other words, he wants to become the face of the franchise. For all you Yankee fans who want to keep A-Rod, the only way that that he is going to stay is if he gets offered an extension on his contract, probably involving a lot more money, which should not be a problem for the richest team in baseball. Unless, of course, it is time for the Yankees to move on as well. ◙

Braves, and The San Francisco Giants. Chances are, one of these teams will have A-Rod by the beginning of next season. The leading candidate would probably be the Chicago Cubs. After disappointing playoffs this year the Cubs are looking to bounce back by improving their lineup to one of the best in the Majors and adding the final piece of a championship puzzle, a great hitter who stays injury-prone. This would also allow A-Rod to return to his natural shortstop position and reunite him with Lou Piniella, his first manager in the pros as a Seattle Mariner. In order to acquire Rodriguez,

Big Blue’s Big Comeback The defense of the New York Giants was absent before week 3, a game against the Washington Redskins. Before then most of the Giants’ fans were wondering where the defense had gone, since the Giants had given up 80 points in only two games, and when Tom Coughlin, the head coach, would be fired. The two games ended in a 35-45 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and a 13-35 loss to Green Bay Packers. In both games, the Achilles heel of the Giants was their defense. Leading up to that game, the Giants’ defense was questioned relentlessly by reporters until were sick of it. In the final minute of the game, the team finally had the chance to prove itself. It was a first and goal at the one-yard line for the game-tying touchdown. After three unsuccessful plays by the Redskins, the Giants stopped them on fourth down to preserve the lead. This is due to the different

play-calling of the defensive coach, Steve Spagnuolo. He started calling more blitzes and stopped letting the defense end the game for the Giants, and giving the offense an opportunity to win. Since that game, their defense has been known as one to be scared of, mainly because of its leagueleading 27 sacks. Although the defensive turnaround is a big factor, another one is the offensive line. This line gives the offense a chance to not turn to Eli Manning every down. The rushing game is starting to balance out the passing game, giving the offense more options. Also on the offense, Eli Manning’s emergence as the leader of the Giants’ offense is a big part of it. He has been avoiding sacks better, and is making better throws. The future of the Giants looks good as they are only barely behind Dallas for the division lead. All the Giants need to do is beat Dallas in their game in week 10 and they have the division title in their arms, in my opinion. It won’t

be as easy as it sounds since Dallas is considered by many to be the best team in the NFC. However I believe the Giants will beat them in a game where it will be a defensive game unlike the last one. Season Projection: 11-5 ◙

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/334583605_a585e4bbeb.jpg

by Brian Liu staff writer

Eli Manning

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THE SPORTS BEAT continued from page 12 were the glory days. The days when players played to have fun, win a championship, bathe in glory, feed the family, and get printed on cards so that underage kids could get the cards in cigarette packs at their local grocery store. Those were the days that you could not only idolize athletes, but also respect them. Last week I was shopping for women’s basketball shoes to ship back to Russia because the league is running out of talent when I heard a little boy say, “I want to grow up and be a basketball player and make millions of dollars and ask to be traded when I and my team do not succeed. I don’t care about how fun the game is and I have no dignity.” This bothered me because I thought that kid had better grammar than I did, and also because I couldn’t help but wonder what the parents were doing, so I confronted the father. The father turned out to be Kobe Bryant, who is demanding a trade right now. Bryant has never had to deal with image problems (see sexual assault case, 2003) but this is about to change. Kobe’s constant whining about his team will lead to a trade, but it shouldn’t. He signed a contract with the Lakers that says he must play through at least 2008, so he should. The fact that his team is incapable of scoring, passing, and rebounding should not be a factor in his demeanor towards it. Bryant doesn’t realize what he is doing by requesting the trade. Superstars can’t be traded for nothing; the NBA is nothing like the NFL (see Randy Moss). Kobe will be traded to an up-and-coming team for the players built the team, and then he won’t be happy there. Not only is his demand illogical, it’s unethical and sets a bad example for kids, such as Andrei Kirilenko, who had an abysmal year last year and wants to be traded. The Jazz made it to the Western Conference Finals — why would you want to leave? The same thing goes for Shawn Marion — he made it to the Conference Semifinals without breaking a sweat because they have the best point guard in the league, what makes him want to leave? NBA players are beginning to give the wrong message to kids by preaching and showing how being selfish and egotistic prevails over management. This can easily be solved by the commissioner; David Stern can follow Roger Goodell’s lead and suspend anyone who acts up, such as Kobe Bryant, Shawn Marion, and Andrei Kirilenko. Jose Juan Barea can stay because he won’t make it out of the D-league. The petition for this type of suspension starts here, because the image of the NBA is in danger and what’s happening must be stopped. ◙

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 1, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 3

SPORTS

The End of a Dynasty

The NBA’s Problem by Richard Mai sports editor

For many New Yorkers, the Yankees have been expected to make the playoffs each year just as one would expect the sun to rise each morning. For many Yankee fans, seeing Joe Torre’s slow, even walk to the mound for a pitching change has always been met either with applause or boos. Year and year, Joe Torre was always there. Now, after 12 memorable, exciting seasons, that familiar face will not be here anymore. When the Yankees were playing miserably against the Cleveland Indians during the early American League playoffs, George Steinbrenner reverted back to his old ways by doing what he did best: scare tactics. He announced that if the Yankees didn’t win the World Series this year, Joe Torre would be fired. It was a final, desperate attempt by the Boss to place blame of the Yank’s recent woes on someone, and Torre, with his expiring contract, was targeted. Steinbrenner felt something was very wrong; how could the team with the highest payroll in baseball and the manager with the highest salary not get past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year? After the Yankees lost the series 3-1 to the Indians, Torre’s head — and fate — was on the block. Even then, the decision to oust Torre was undertaken with caution in private meetings by Steinbrenner and his sons. After several weeks of controversy and speculation about whether or not the Yankees manager would return next season, the final decision was made by Torre himself, rejecting a $5 million, diminished salary for one year that was an insult to a person with his experience and Hall-of-Fame-worthy legacy. Stein-

brenner and Co. came crawling back, but not without making a point. After 12 consecutive playoff runs, 4 World Series titles and countless stars and dreams made come true, the Torre Dynasty has ended. Many of us who grew up with the Yankees remember those wild years since Joe Torre took over as manager in 1996. Since we were little 6 yearolds, we knew Yankees baseball was synonymous with Torre’s management. Those unforgettable games when we loyal Yankee fans stayed up till 12 to watch those last frantic at-bats, those awe-inspiring moments when Bernie Williams or Aaron Boone hit the game-winning homers, those celebrations we had when the Yanks won the World Series…all of it seems reminiscent of the Torre era. There was a certain electrifying magic to Yankees playoff baseball that captured the hearts of the entire world. Joe Torre may have decided not to return irrespective of the contract, because of the neverending media frenzy that surrounds the Yankees. It wouldn’t be a bad idea. However, he had wanted to continue with the team if given the choice or if they won the World Series. The top prospects for the new opening are Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi, and Bobby Valentine. It will certainly be strange to see a different face sitting in the dugout next year. Torre may even manage another team next season, which would be both bittersweet and interesting. The end of the Torre era may just be a management change, or the signal of a new, revamped Yankees in the works, but for Yankee fans it’ll be just like Torre said, “Whatever happens from here on out, I’ll look back on these 12 years with great, great pleasure.” ◙

Kobe Bryant has put up MVP numbers every year and won three championships in Los Angeles. Now, he wants to be traded. Shawn Marion has been a leading candidate for defensive player of the year every year, makes the playoffs every year and wants to be traded. Andrei Kirilenko averaged 8.3 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game last year and thinks he deserves to be traded. Jose Juan Barea wants out of Dallas because he can’t make the roster with the likes of DJ Mbenga, Jamal Sampson, and Renaldas Seibutis getting more preseason playing time and taking up roster spots. A player’s ability to request trades consistently is the reason so many people are starting to be turned off by the NBA. One-game suspensions for stepping onto the court during an altercation and head coaches shouting sexist slurs at employees and not being punished by the league are also culprits. But mainly it’s the trade requests. The first agent in sports history was Yves Lejeune. He wasn’t athletic or female enough to play in the Russian Women’s National Basketball Association, so he decided to represent Ekaterina Sytnyak because she wasn’t being paid enough for her league-leading 10 points per game (which is still more than Kirilenko, don’t forget). This started Lejeune’s career, who now represents household names like Sacha Massot of the Belgian Women’s National Basketball Association and Seimone Augustus, formerly of the WNBA (her departure to the Russian league is what caused ESPN2’s ratings to plummet). The day that Lejeune represented Sytnyak in negotiations, professional sports was kicked in the knees by really hard Russian boots, giving it a permanent limp. The days when players represented themselves and didn’t play for more money

THE SPORTS BEAT continues on page 11