Volume 7 Issue 4

Wednesday, November 21 Volume 7 Visit us at www.stuystandard.org

Issue 4

Cleveland School Shooting Raises Safety Concerns

Proud Members of the National Scholastic Press Association

The (Empty) Glass Boxes

TSS/ Jschlesinger

by David Yin staff writer

Security cameras watch students exiting school on the bridge of Stuyvesant High School by Garry Chien staff writer with additional reporting by Tim Chang news editor

On October 10, a 14-year old student, dressed in a black Marilyn Manson concert shirt, black jeans, and black-painted fingernails, opened fire at his local high school, SuccessTech Academy, in downtown Cleveland. The shooter, Asa H. Coon, wounded two teachers and two students before killing himself. The shooting began after Coon bumped into fellow SuccessTech student Michael Peck while coming out the bathroom. Peck punched Coon in the face and was shot as he began to walk away. Coon had been suspended for a fight over the existence of God. After his suspension he said, “I’ve got something for you all.” The SuccessTech Academy shooting could have been prevented with metal detectors and security guards. There was only one security guard on duty on that day, and the metal detectors were not being used. Also, Coon had

managed to sneak past 26 security cameras into the school. Despite being suspended from school on that day, nothing stopped Coon from entering the building with two handguns. The last two school shootings in New York City were in 1992 and 2002. Two students at a Brooklyn high school were gunned down in 1992, while two were wounded in the 2002 shooting at Martin Luther King Jr. High School located in the Upper West Side. Since 1992, the city has installed metal detectors and stationed police to patrol 130 of the roughest schools. Teachers have also been given special training, and students are taught conflict resolution. Laws on bringing guns, knives, or other weapons have been tightened. Since then, the number of confiscated guns and assaults on teachers has fallen dramatically. The possibility of a school shooting in New York City is now a lot lower than in other regions of the country. At Stuyvesant High School metal SAFETY CONCERNS continues on page 4

Scattered throughout the building, fixed between tiles, are the glass boxes that previous generations have filled with objects of their time. These glass boxes embed within them pieces of Stuyvesant history for future generations such as ours to admire. The boxes were built into the old building back in 1904. They are located all across the school, from stairways and hallways to the glass walls in offices and classrooms. Many of the boxes are labeled with a year, signifying the year that the object was placed into the box. Others do not have a specific year and instead are filled with objects to note important events or scientific specimens. Mr. Teitel estimates that the boxes that have dates go all the way up to year 2100. Teitel said, “I’ve seen 2084 and there is a 2074 right outside my office.” Who decides what gets placed into the glass boxes each year? The senior committee of the graduating class that year works alongside with Mr. Lonardo to determine what will be placed into the box. Over the summer, they get together to figure out what should be inside the box. Most of the time, the objects placed in the box represent a major event or something important that happened during that year. For example, the former principal left the school in 1994, so the comTHE (EMPTY) GLASS BOXES continues on page 4

In this Issue Child-rearing Styles Can Justify Cheating Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5 Bye Bye Birdie — The Strength of a Stuy Production Entertainment. . . . . . . . . .. p. 9

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

NEWS

EDITORIAL

Safety and Security The Executive Board JENNIFER SCHLESINGER ERIC MAYO DIANE CHEN ANGEL WONG SANGHEE CHUNG DANNY ZHU TIM CHANG HESHAM SALEH JIMMY ZHANG AMNA AHMAD EMMA RABINOVICH RICHARD MAI OMAR AHMAD HANFORD CHIU 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 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

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

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

It seems that we often hear stories of shootings, violence, and theft taking place in the school setting. In this environment of crime, one wonders what kids are really learning from schools these days. When security overtakes education on a student’s list of priorities, the student loses out on a valuable education. The numbers are clear: Stuy students feel a definite distrust towards the safety of their lockers. The school safety officers (SSOs) are seen primarily herding students off of floors and confiscating items rather than protecting the student body. Whether the floor policy or the cell phone policy is justified or not, SSOs at Stuyvesant have a more difficult job than most students would believe. There are not enough guards to cover every floor of the building at all times. Even with the security cameras, not everything can be seen. SSOs are only trying to do their job, contrary to what the student body might think. With the recent attacks on our fellow students on the rise, students need to take caution. Just because you feel safe inside the halls of Stuyvesant doesn’t mean that you are safe on the streets outside of Stuyvesant. The best thing the student body can do is take extra precaution when traveling after dusk. Traveling in well lighted areas in groups will decrease the risk of students coming under attack. It is our hope that no more students need to be attacked before Battery Park City and the New York City Police Department step up patrol of the park area and surrounding streets.

NEWS

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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THE STANDARD NEWS Attempted Robbery Leads to Shooting by Nada Elmany staff writer

pistol, which was taken as evidence of the crime. Sergio was seriously injured and was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital. The shooting caused chaos in Miami. Police arrived at the scene of the crime at 11:27 a.m. after receiving a 911 call. Immediately, the cops put five schools under lockdown while they searched for the suspect. Three people were taken for questioning by the police. After two were released, 19 year-old Patrick Lively was arrested. He was charged with

On Tuesday, November 6, an eleventh grade algebra teacher at Carol City High School in Miami, Florida was shot across the street from his school. Sergio Miranda was on a cigarette break with another t e a c h e r wh e n t h e y we r e approached by the suspect. The suspect had intended to rob the teachers but, upon encountering resistance, shot Miranda with a

attempted robbery and attempted first-degree murder. Miranda underwent surgery later that day. Jackson Memorial Hospital refused to release any information about his post-surgery condition. Statistics show that there is a continued increase in the rate of shootings of this type in the United States. However, these statistics are not being acknowledged. This crime did take place in Florida, far awa y from Stu yvesant High School.

However, some students still feel affected by this incident. Freshman Aia Sarytcheva, said that the fact that this event occurred so far away tends to decrease the worry. However, Sarytcheva also said that, “Regardless of this, we should still try to increase awareness about these crimes. Just because this particular crime is happening in Florida, doesn’t mean it can’t happen in our community.” ◙

Meet this Teacher: Mr. Dibbs by Jimmy Zhang news editor and Kenneth Lam staff writer

Starbucks, which would provide better quality coffee as well as donuts. He also wants the school to sell a greater variety of food,

TSS/ TKhan

Brian Dibbs is a teacher well known for his sarcasm and cutting sense of humor. Dibbs currently teaches AP Chemistry and Regents Chemistry, and enjoys his job very much. This year marks his fifth year as a Stuyvesant teacher. Prior to his Stuyvesant career, Dibbs taught at the High School of Graphics Communication. While there, he despised the hard work that went into being a teacher. At Stuyvesant, though, Dibbs enjoys the atmosphere, and does not mind the workload as much. He feels, though, that with the lack of a common meeting place, he cannot meet as many people as he could in other high schools. His favorite part of Stuyvesant is the swimming pool. Dibbs goes swimming every morning when he has the opportunity. Dibbs fills his free time with many hobbies. One such hobby is the guitar, which he played as part of a band in college. He also enjoys photography and painting, as well as gardening and hiking. Dibbs also enjoys reading very much, and he had trouble deciding which book was his particular favorite, having read so many. His policy on balancing work with family and leisure is simple. “I don’t balance. I do it.” After finishing work, he helps around the house. Dibbs remarked that teaching “pays the bills,” highlighting his sarcastic yet humorous side. For

Dibbs, his career defines who he is, as he believes is the case for 90 percent of all men and 50 percent of all women.

Meet this Teacher: Mr. Dibbs Fast Facts Classes Taught: AP Chemistry, Regents Chemistry Favorite Animals: Dog (particularly his black lab “Jupiter”) Favorite Book: Pale Fire Favorite Show: Seinfeld Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius Favorite Food: Lobster (dipped in butter) Favorite Color: Brown

In the classroom, Dibbs has high expectations for his students. He truly expects students to try to do the work he assigns and to do each assignment to the best of their abilities. He wants students to be aware of the environment and how science affects it, “Because we’re all surrounded by s c i e n c e . ” H o we ve r , D i b b s dislikes some aspects of the Stuyvesant community. For one, is disgusted by the coffee served in school, and feels that the rights to sell coffee should be franchised to

although he is against candy selling. “My third period class is getting fat right in front of me,” he exclaimed about candy sales. “Why not sell drugs or bullets?” He quipped. He would rather his students sell his old exams or periodic tables than candy ,he further joked. Dibbs has solutions to many of the problems he sees at Stuyvesant as well. If he had his way with it, Stuyvesant would be run differently. Not only would Dibbs have school uniforms, but he’d also mandate that students

joined a sports team in order to get fit. In his eyes, the students today are too fat, and eventually would graduate with a “size 10 cap!” Many of Dibbs’s ideas came from how high schools were run during his high school days. In Brooklyn’s Midwood High School, students would lift weights for fitness. “Look at this body!” he said to prove his point. He also feels that a science section in the admissions test should be implemented, to help students realize that science is in their lives everywhere as well as making Stuyvesant the “showcase school in the city.” Dibbs is well known for his in-class demonstrations. After completing a demonstration, Dibbs has mixed feelings. If a demonstration goes as planned, then nothing went wrong, and he has less to explain. However, if something does go wrong, then he can go into what exactly caused the error. Unfortunately, demonstrations nowadays are not what they used to be, he laments. During his high school days, schools had better equipment, such as an electric balance to each table. Less attention was paid to safety when he was in school. Demonstrations that involved potentially dangerous chemicals were done, such as the creation of chlorine gas. With today’s emphasis on safety, all the fun is taken out of learning. If there’s no element of danger in learning, after all, then learning becomes less fun. The schools have “taken the chemistry out of Chemistry.” ◙

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

THE (EMPTY) GLASS BOXES continued from page 1

The New gPhone On November 5, Google and the Open Handset Alliance announced the Android platform, or the gPhone, as it is called on online forums. Currently there are three major mobile development platforms: Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Mac OS X. Symbian and Windows both run on a wide range of devices and currently have an SDK. Mac OS X is the most relevant, but unfortunately only runs on the iPhone and doesn't yet have an SDK, although Apple does promise to create one within the first quarter of the next year. The premise behind Android is

SAFETY CONCERNS continued from page 1 detectors are not used. However, there are security guards who patrol the hallways and the two entrances to the school. Despite this and new, more secure locks, there is still much distrust among the student body concerning locker safety, as indicated by a Standard Mini-Poll shown to the right. The students responded using a scale in which 1 was strongly disagree and 10 was strongly agrees. ◙

that developers want an open platform. As such, Android is based on the Linux kernel. Since Linux is so flexible and powerful, Android is capable of supporting a virtually infinite number of configurations, ranging from real VGA to smart phone resolutions, from standard number pads to touchscreen-based interfaces, and dozens of audio and video formats. The advantages are clear, but nobody would take Android seriously if there weren’t any serious corporate powers behind it. Android is pushed by the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of several tech and mobile phone companies, among them Google, TMobile, HTC, and Qualcomm. ◙

Source: googlephone2.yahoo.com.jpg

by Gosha Kolyshev staff writer

Google Inc. has developed a cell phone and plans to offer consumers free subscriptions by bundling advertisements with its search engine, e-mail and Web browser software applications.

Freshman Average

Senior Average

Total Average (All Years)

I feel safe in the school building.

8.82

9.13

8.75

I am comfortable leaving my valuables in my locker.

7.57

6.13

7.02

The same for gym lockers?

7.18

5.00

6.27

I can walk around school without fear of intimidation.

8.86

8.56

8.88

The school safety officers work to keep me safe in the building.

7.68

6.50

7.10

Outside of school, I can walk around TriBeCa without fear.

8.57

7.62

8.41

I feel safe walking alone outside the school building.

8.43

7.86

8.41

Statement

NEWS

mittee decided to place a picture of him in the glass box. The Yankees had also won the World Series that year, so they added a pair of Yankee tickets as well. Some have noticed that the boxes of the past few years, namely 2004-2007, have been empty. Mr. Teitel commented that he was “aware that some have not been filled in.” However, he cannot offer an explanation as to why this is the case because Mr. Lonardo and the senior committee of that year oversee the filling of the box. Many of the students find an interest in observing the various boxes around the school that help piece together the school’s history. When asked what her favorite box is, senior Nancy Zhu replied, “I like the scientific ones such as the one with the beetle and the one with sand.” There are also others who really do not care about them. When asked the same question, senior Linda Ng replied, “I don’t look at them.” Whether or not these students take interest in these glass boxes, it is clear to see that they play an important role in saving a piece of Stuyvesant history. ◙ For suggestions about what to place in your year’s box, contact Mr. Lonardo at [email protected]

OPINIONS

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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THE STANDARD OPINIONS Stuy Voice: Child-Rearing Styles Can Justify Cheating by Amna Ahmad opinions editor

Pare nts assum e that you know better than to cheat.

19%

81%

Pare nts explicitly discourage cheating.

When are your parents harsher on you? 37%

63% When you get a bad grade. When you do som ething w rong that is academ ically irrelevant.

Source: cheating.wikimedia.org.jpg

Stuyvesant, as we all know, is acclaimed (or in other instances envied) for its highly intelligent, creative, gifted, and motivated student body. After all, it is the students who are responsible for developing a reputation, and for setting standards for the school they attend. However, there are many elements of Stuy life that are bluntly unapparent to others looking at Stuyvesant from the outside, with its seemingly well-

behaved, moral, and honest students. As the misanthropist that I am, I’d like to direct attention to some internal corruption. I apologize for pointing out the obvious, but it’s clear: Stuyvesant students cheat for personal gain. Although oftentimes we fail to recognize it, there is an underground market for cheating, and everyone has access to it, because whether one is tempted to steal a copy of the test administered first period, or to pass someone else’s work as one’s own, one is indeed cheating. Teachers have had no choice but to take extreme measures, because ultimately, they have no reason to trust in the honesty of their students after they have been forced to do otherwise. Hence, I find it all the more inconvenient that although I myself do not cheat, it is an inevitability that I must be indirectly punished for it. By junior year, I had basically gotten used to all the cheating I had seen floating around the school, until a recent discovery re-established my disgust of the underground cheating community. When flipping through a history textbook of mine, I discovered a piece of loose-leaf paper folded in fourths. I had opened it, and read it over, realizing that what I

held in my hand was a “cheating contract.” It was dated and signed by the people to whom the terms discussed in the contract had applied, as well as a witness to the transaction. One student had agreed to do the homework of another student for a month among other terms in the contract while code names were used to hide the identities of those involved should the contract be found, which was definitely a smart move. As much as it tempts me to publish this document, I must refrain for obvious reasons. It may be possible that the parents of the Stuyvesant student body have served as the “silent STUY VOICE continues on page 6

Motivation for Community Service Debatable by Marina Tawfik staff writer

Performing community service is a great way to help out in the world and earn credit for college at the same time. However, it is questionable how many people participate in community service activities for either reason. Everyone knows that being an active member in a community service group is a rewarding way to show colleges that you are interested in helping out, and with over 25 community service clubs at Stuyvesant, finding one to join is definitely not a difficult thing to do.

Stuyvesant is home to clubs that assist in building schools, helping underprivileged countries, and cleaning up areas to promote an all-around clean world. Many students who join these clubs do so not because they care about the issue the club is tackling, but instead because they simply think that the premise of the organization sounds like something colleges would love. Sophomore Elsa Thomas believes that “Most [students at Stuyvesant] volunteer because they are either forced to by their parents or they volunteer for college. They don’t really care about ‘helping the community.’”

Indeed, at a school where academics rule and students do all that they do so as to gain admission to a top-notch college, not much thought is put into joining clubs just for fun. Students are too concerned about scoring that perfect 100 on their genetics test to think about ways to entertain themselves. If a school administration wanted to promote community service, an easy way to do so would be to make participating in community service mandatory for all students. While it would do the world a great service to have so many students helping to make it a better place, it is not likely

that the hearts of the students would be in their work. Students would do the work reluctantly, hoping to get it over with and move on to do things that they find more amusing. In our current era in which the world relies considerably on technology, many students find that they have better things to do than help others. I believe that the motivation for community service should not be a compulsion by school regulation, nor should it be the COMMUNITY SERVICE continues on page 6

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD STUY VOICE continued from page 5 catalysts” to such an obvious rise in ch ea ting an d d is hon est academic behavior. In a recent poll of the Stuyvesant community, 81 percent of students noted that their parents simply assume they know better than to cheat, rather than explicitly discouraging such behavior. A considerable number of students (37 percent) also admitted that their parents are

notion that it will guarantee you a spot in that Ivy League college you’ve been dreaming about since you were ten. Instead, people should start to get involved in their community and take some initiative to stop the world from crumbling. Some students are completely oblivious to the fact that people are dying of starvation and poverty. Even worse, some students pretend that

academic performance of their children. It is unfortunate that morality has taken a back seat in the world of academics, and that students worry about “failure” before they weigh the possible c o n s eq u en ce s o f t h e La s t Judgment, if even they believe in an eventual moral evaluation. Nonetheless, I don’t see the situation getting any better as the population of the school continues to rise each year and inter-peer competition seems to be escalating

harsher on them when they get a bad grade than when they do something wrong but academically irrelevant. Correspondingly, 31 percent of students agreed that they are punished by parents if they receive a bad grade. These statistics seem to indirectly imply that the parents of our generation have taken it upon themselves to take a very Machiavellian “The ends justify the means” approach to the

SCIENCE with every newly admitted freshman. As is intimated by the mentioned statistical information gathered on the relationship between one’s upbringing and academic standing, I believe it is fair to conclude that such a system of child-rearing renders cheating justifiable, as unfortunate as it may be for the Stuyvesant community to acknowledge. ◙

Source: communityservice.yale.edu.jpg

COMMUNITY SERVICE continued from page 5

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

they do not realize it. If we can get a handful of students to raise some money for a cause that they believe in, the results would be tremendous. Students who participate in community service because their parents force them to will not make any noteworthy impact on the world, because you only help out when you are doing something you believe in. I think students should help out because they care, or not help out at all. ◙ Performing community service is a great way to help out in the world and earn credit for college at the same time.

THE STANDARD SCIENCE The Reincarnation of a Goddess or a Developmental Mishap? by Qi Fan Zhang staff writer

Two years ago, a girl named Lakshmi Tatma was born in India with eight limbs. She suffered

from Ischiopagus, a rare condition that causes twins to conjoin at the front pelvis and the lower spine. During her mother’s pregnancy, one of the two fetuses stopped developing. As a result, Lakshmi, Source: eight-leggedgirl.keprtv.com.jpg

After 27 hours on the operating table, a 2 year-old Indian girl who was born with eight limbs is now on the road to recovery.

the surviving fetus, absorbed the limbs and kidneys from her “parasitic twin.” When Lakshmi was born into a poor, rural Indian family, villagers in the remote settlement of Rampur Kodar Katti, in the northern state of Bihar, believed she was sacred. As news of her birth spread, locals waited in line for a blessing from the baby. Her parents, Shambhu and Poonam Tatma, named the girl after the Hindu goddess of wealth, who also has four arms. However, they were forced to keep her in hiding after they were approached by men offering money in exchange for putting their daughter in a circus. It’s horrible,” said junior Francine Yung. “You can’t buy humans.” Junior Jak Phu expressed similar sentiments. “It’s morally wrong because you are taking advantage of someone who cannot make their own decisions.” Fortunately, the Spanish hospital, located in Bangalore, India, was willing to surgically remove

Lakshmi’s extra limbs. The operation, which had never been performed in India before, totaled over $625,000, but Narayan Health City was willing to perform the surgery free of cost. During the grueling twentyfour hour operation, over thirty doctors transplanted a functional kidney into Lakshmi from the parasitic twin, removed her extra limbs, and reconstructed her pelvic area. In an interview with Gavin Rabinowitz of the Associated Press, Sharan Patil, who led the operation, said, “[The operation was] beyond our expectations, the reconstruction worked wonderfully well.” Lakshmi is scheduled to have another operation to fix her clubbed feet. Currently, Lakshmi is in a stable recovery period, expecting to return home on short notice. She awoke from her operation and was able to move her two feet and her two arms. Nevertheless, doctors plan to keep her for further observation and monitoring. ◙

BUSINESS

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

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THE STANDARD BUSINESS The Dollar’s Rocky Ride by Si Hong Huang staff writer

half as much as it used to be worth against the euro, and an American who bought a house eight or nine years ago sells it for twice the amount of what it was worth when he bought it, he really doesn’t make anything from it if he wants to invest it in Europe. With so many foreign investors buying or renting up property in the U.S., the supply of housing in many major cities such as New York has decreased. This is bad news for New Yorkers who are trying to rent an apartment and have to deal with the high prices thrown into their faces due to increased demand and diminishing supply. An apartment that could be rented for a few hundred dollars five or six years ago is now nearly impossible to obtain unless you have at least a thousand dollars available. According to Chistopher Orndorff, head of equities for Payden & Rygel, whenever the dollar turns, it will probably mark the beginning of the next bear market, but many investors are still harboring hope that Federal chairman Ben Bernanke will be able to fight inflation without

ruining stocks and curb the descent of the ever-falling dollar. I personally hope the dollar strengthens — I don’t know about you guys, but I would like to visit Europe without having to spend too much money. ◙ Source: dollar.corbis.jpg

The U.S. dollar has been gradually weakening for the past few years. Concerns about U.S. account deficit, the difference between America’s import and export of goods and services, a budget deficit, and a president who appears unconcerned about dollar weakness all contributed to the dollar’s fall. In addition to all of that, the U.S. is running a nearly $60 billion trade gap per month, further pushing the dollar downward. Statements about the dollar being absolutely weak are questionable, but there’s no doubt that the dollar is significantly weaker than it was a few years ago. It seems highly probable that the dollar will continue to weaken as Asian countries that were protecting the dollar by boosting their own exports are starting to back off. For business owners out there, if your competition is primarily international, then a weakening dollar is sublime, but if you import goods and sell them domestically then you’re in a sticky situation.

“If you’re competing with overseas companies or selling overseas; you’ll like this,” said David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor’s Corp. “If you’re importing stuff from overseas, you might want to look around to see if you can get it cheaper somewhere else.” The dollar’s weakening may deter many people from visiting European countries where Americans were originally able to purchase many goods and services for cheaper prices than in the United States but now have to pay $1.47 per euro. On the other hand, American tourists can still enjoy cheaper prices in many Asian countries such as Japan and China where the weakening of the dollar hasn’t had too big of an impact (more on Japan’s yen, than China’s renminbi). As the dollar weakens, more and more foreign investors are looking to acquire property in the United States as it is cheaper here and would financially benefit them. For Americans, however, the weakening dollar will mean bad news for them in terms of housing. For example, if the dollar is worth

The monetary value of the one-dollar bill has been decreasing steadily over the past few years.

Mega Man ZX Advent Review by Jonathan Xikis staff writer

Mega Man ZX Advent, the sequel to Mega Man ZX, is the most recent “direct” descendant of the Mega Man series of platformer games. Like its predecessor, it offers a number of different areas to blast your way through, along with a colorful assortment of bosses and a double storyline. While it has instituted some interesting new features, the developer, Inti Creates, sticks too close to the overdone Mega Man formula to be called innovative in any way. ZX Advent offers a meager storyline, as is traditional with Mega Man games. It is based on the events of past series, and takes place a century after the finale of the Mega Man Zero series. In a nutshell, sentient armor, called “biometal,” allows a certain “chosen one” to become a superhero of sorts. There are many different models of biometal, each with its own characteristics. The game’s main character starts out with Model A, a biometal with the

ability to change shape, much like the T-3000 from Terminator 2. Then, they must embark on a quest to decipher their mysterious past…but you don’t really care, do you? The real fun in any Mega Man game comes from gameplay, and ZXA is no exception. However, it seems that the developers have lost focus of the real goal of the Zero series: to slice and dice robot foes with your trusty energy sword. Biometal Model A is only equipped with a weak buster and a weaker homing shot, leaving you without a sword of any kind for half the game. Its transforming abilities are equally lacking, since most of the bosses are situational, and therefore only useful to pass obstacles. Basically, instead of obtaining the actual biometals, you get to become bootlegged copies of them. Whoop-de-do. A major improvement from the previous game is the new map system. No longer is the map extremely difficult to read — now it is crystal-clear, and even includes a cursor. This is complemented by

“Warp Points,” which allow you to teleport to different sections of an area; however, teleportation between save points is now prohibited for no good reason. ZXA’s graphics are incredible for a sprite-based game, with superb animations and lifelike backgrounds. There are also a couple of cutscenes thrown in for good measure. The game’s music includes some great tunes, and important lines are fully voice-acted. Unfortunately, some of the voice acting leaves much to be desired. It’s not very intimidating when a bomb-throwing gargoyle robot

talks like your mean elementary school lunchlady. This is one aspect of the game that could have benefited from better directing skills. To sum it up, Mega Man ZX Advent is an enjoyable game, with polished graphics and an amazing atmosphere. Its lack of any real replay value, unemotional voiceacting, linear gameplay and subpar plot subtract from its value. The continued absence of multiplayer battling is also frustrating, when this feature could be easily implemented. ◙

Quick Rating Graphics: 9/10 Clean, animated, side-scrolling graphics. There should have been more cutscenes, though. Gameplay: 8/10 The game is decidedly linear, and, in some parts, annoyingly difficult. Content: 5/10 The plot is very sparse, and resembles many other Mega Man games. Replayability: 6/10 Hard mode, boss medals, and an assortment of minigames give some replay value. There is barely a multiplayer mode to speak of. Value: 6/10 With its length of only 10+ hours, it could have easily sold for cheaper. Overall score: 7/10 (Rent)

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November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

ENTERTAINMENT

THE STANDARD ENTERTAINMENT Bye Bye Birdie — The Strength of a Stuy Production “Bye Bye Birdie” debuted on Friday, November 9 amid the singing of “We Love You Conrad.” Two additional shows were done on Saturday, November 10. As the play proceeded, the audience was wowed with the t a l e n t i n t h e S t u yv e s a n t community. After the singing gave the audience an introduction, the first scene began, setting up the conflict that was played out over the course of the play. Albert Peterson (Robert Stevenson) is the head of a record company in financial distress. He would like to dissolve the company but is controlled by his domineering mother, played by Miryam Coppersmith. Albert’s secretary and love interest Rose Alvarez (Hannah Temkin) wants to resign as she feels that Albert will never change. At the end of the scene, a plan is hatched to go to Sweet Apple, Ohio with the record company’s main singer and teenage heartthrob, Conrad Birdie, who has just been drafted in the army. Conrad will give one last kiss to a teenage girl from there before leaving for the army. This will solve the company’s financial problems. The opening scene includes the singing of “An En gli sh Te ac her. ” Te mkin powerfully sang the song; however, the choreography, done by Valentina Zarya, seemed to become repetitive. On the chorus of the song, Temkin always put her hand up above her head in the same way. Overall, the acting is the first scene was decent.

TSS/ G Kolyshev and TSS/ E Tam

by Jennifer Schlesinger editor in chief

Stevenson seemed a little nervous, while Temkin was sometimes hard to hear. The next scene opens with teenagers singing into their telephones. It was hard to follow at the beginning as some singing was hard to hear. The scene reveal that Kim MacAfee (Ella Gibson) is now seriously dating Hugo Peabody (Issac Miller). As Scene Two melds into Scene Three, the MacAfee family is introduced. Kim decides that she is a woman now and must give up her infatuation with Conrad. Her parents (Samantha Shokin and Billy Ferrer) are confused by her changing behavior. While Shokin is not particularly maternal, she managed to add touches of humor. Then, Kim receives a call that Birdie is coming to kiss her, and she reverts back to being a teenager. The fourth scene takes place in the train station where Rose, Albert, and Conrad are getting ready to leave for Sweet Apple. Albert notices a “Sad Girl” (Allison Weiner) and decides to cheer her up. The choreography shone during this number and Stevenson seemed more confident. His singing was well done and he added a new

dimension to his character. In this scene, the audience meets Albert’s mother, Mrs. Peterson, and sees her domineering nature and her dislike of Rose. Coppersmith pla ys up M rs. Pet erson’s character without going too far and accurately adds a subplot and humor. As the first act continues, other strong characters begin to emerge. Kim’s father, Mr. MacAfree, adds humor through exaggeration. The first act culminates in Conrad singing “One Last Kiss” to the frenzy of Conrad’s teenage fans. However, Rose has had enough with being ordering around by Albert and controlled by his mother. Hugo is upset that his girlfriend is being kissed on TV. The act closes with Hugo punching Conrad right before he kisses Kim and Rose taking the blame. In the second act, the actors seemed more confident. Rose and Kim are fed up with the men in their lives and, along with the teenagers and Conrad, seek new experiences. Conrad and Kim run off together while the teenagers decide to stay away from their parents. Rose begins to act promiscuous and invades a meeting with local

town men. As she convinces them to become more carefree, she realizes with horror what she has done and decides to run back to Albert. The choreography in this scene began to border on ridiculous as it came to an end. In the meantime, both Albert and Rose find the courage to stand up to Mrs. Peterson. Mr. MacAfree finds that Conrad has run off with Kim and has the police arrest him. Albert manages to free Conrad and he leaves on the train with Mrs. Peterson. Kim and Hugo reunite. Rose then arrives at the train station to find only Albert there. Albert confesses his love for her and that he has finally stood up to his mother, bringing the okay to an end. The play ended with a standing ovation from the audience. Overall, while there were occasional lapses in “Bye Bye Birdie,” the performance was very well put together. The acting and singing were strong. The play showcased Stuyvesant’s talented theater community. Please note: Robert Stevenson nor any other Standard member associated with the play was involved in the writing or editing of this article. ◙

PUZZLES

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Writers on Strike by Emma Rabinovich entertainment editor

Writers Guild went on strike on November 5 as contract negotiations broke down over what share of internet revenues writers are entitled to. As watching television shows online has become more popular, writers have demanded a greater share of the profits. How this will affect television schedules depends on how long the strike will continue. Late-night talk shows, like the ones starring Jay

Leno and David Letterman, have already started airing reruns, and soap operas are likely to be next on the list. Most networks ordered enough primetime episode scripts in advance to last through next year, but what happens next is anyone’s guess. The majority will probably lean heavily on reality shows to help fill in empty spots. Fox has the strongest reality lineup with “American Idol” and “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?” while CBS is preparing a winter season of “Big Brother.”

The last strike to hit Hollywood took place in 1988 and lasted 5 months, resulting in over half a billion dollars in lost revenues. It’s still unclear who will end up caving in on this one, since both sides have a lot to lose. While networks now have more financing than ever before, they also have to face the fact that the Internet is becoming an increasingly popular entertainment medium and a delayed schedule could cause viewers to abandon television for good. Meanwhile, writers need to eat and their

financial resources can only support them for so long. TV viewers are probably going to be the ones who suffer most, however. Some may even have to start watching the news. Moviegoers are going to end up feeling the strike well into 2009 as most big-budget films usually start production about two years prior to release, which means all of the upcoming year’s releases have already been prepared and it’s the ones further on that are in jeopardy. ◙

THE STANDARD PUZZLES Crossword Puzzle #3 by Amna Ahmad opinions editor

ACROSS 3: Bush publicly insinuated the death of this still, very much alive African activist. 6: Day of the week in which the first day of autumn fell this year 9: A tendency common among teachers 10: Uneasily pleased or satisfied 14: Official language of Sudan 15: Zodiac sign of Principal Stanley Teitel 19: Former Peruvian President to face charges of corruption 22: Architect responsible for the design of the recently praised Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain 23: Synonym for the verb "revere" 24: The condition of having conflicting emotional attitudes toward a person or situation 26: City where missing child Madeline McCann was recently sighted twice 27: Last name of winner of best actress in a drama category during the Emmys 30: Month in which independent film actress Camilla Belle was born 31: University at which President Ahmadinejad visited 32: Last name of winner of best actor in a drama series during the Emmys 33: Name of the popular video game series of which the third game was released on September 25th

DOWN 1: Birthplace of British singer Natasha Khan 2: Synonym for unpredictable 4: Country in which the birthrate remains at a disappointing low 5: Fashion designer with a new fall line in Kohl's 7: The anthology of the preferred poems of this popular Latin American socialist was released recently in Mexico. 8: Complications of Palestinian

government forced many Gazans to refrain from making a religious pilgrimage to this city. 11: Host of the 2007 Emmys 12: Holy month of fasting for Muslims 13: Country in which chewing gum is illegal 16: Capital city of Iran 17: Chef made millionaire due largely to efforts by Oprah Winfrey 18: Last name of poet after which the new Arabic studies school in

Brooklyn is being named after 20: State University at which two students were shot on September 21st 21: Middle name of lead actress in "Across the Universe" 25: Feature film star to have recently experienced a motorcycle accident 28: Unable to be corrected 29: Synonym for quarrelsome

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

LITERARY

THE STANDARD LITERARY Freshman Woes

by Robert Stevenson literary editor

It’s Getting Cold!

By Jensen Cheong staff writer

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Word List MITTENS HOT CHOCOLATE SWEATPANTS SWEATERS

THANKSGIVING RUNNY NOSES WINTER IS NEAR

BROWN LEAVES BARE TREES SKIING HOCKEY

SPORTS

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD THE SPORTS BEAT continued from page 12

NBA Season Preview Source: bostonceltics2.espn.com/

by Ankit Singh staff writer

It has been said that a basketball team can’t win a championship with only one amazing player — you need two. I always thought this was wrong until I saw that the only teams winning championships were teams like the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs: teams that featured two stars as opposed to one. I had to admit it was right; the more talent, the easier it is to win a championship. So if that is the case who is going to win it this year? Lots of teams feature multiple stars with a lot of talent. Let’s now take a look at every division to see what teams might be going to the playoffs: Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: The Boston Celtics are the best team in this division, if not the Eastern Conference. They have the inside-outside game with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and also have Paul Pierce who can simply do it all. They are the most efficient team in the league, scoring an average of 16 more points than their opponents. I take them to win at least 60 games and the division and possibly enter the playoffs as the number one seed. The only team in this division that doesn’t have a shot at the playoffs is the Philadelphia 76ers. Which means the Nets, Raptors, and, yes, even the Knicks can still make the playoffs without winning the division. In this conference teams with 30 wins make the playoffs, so don’t count out the Knicks just yet. Central Division: Just because the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs last year doesn’t mean that they can win this division this year. That honor still belongs to the Pistons. Their ability to play as a team on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball makes them a force in this division. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a very good team, as long as LeBron James stays on the court. It seems that when LeBron exits the court so does the Cavaliers’ offense. They have to find a way to score with LeBron on the bench, because let’s face it — no one can play all 48 minutes of every game, not even LeBron James. The only other team in this division that can make the playoffs is the Chicago Bulls; any team that makes Ben Gordon come off the bench has to be a very good team. The Bucks and the Pacers just don’t have the talent to win consistently as the season progresses.

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.

Southeast Division: It is safe to say that neither the Atlanta Hawks nor the Charlotte Bobcats will be making the playoffs this year. That brings this division down to three teams: the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic. Washington is really just an average team; they are not very good. The talent is there but a combination of injury, lack of hustle, and ver y inconsistent scoring makes it hard for me to believe that they will be going anywhere this year. The Magic on the other hand will make the playoffs because of their hustle in combination with their talent. However they will not win this division. The Heat may struggle early on until the return of Dwayne Wade, but when he is back this team will return to its former glory and win this division. Shaquille O’Neal is still the best post player in the league and when D Wade returns this will be the best onetwo punch in the league. Western Conference Northwest Division: With the arrival of Kevin Durant the Seattle Supersonics may be a better team, but they are still not a playoff team. Nor are the Portland Trail Blazers or the Minnesota Timberwolves. So that leaves the division to two teams, the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz, two very good teams. This will be a fun race to watch down the road but I can’t imagine a team with as much talent as the Denver Nuggets not winning this division. The Nuggets have two of the top ten scorers in the league, Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, and former defensive player of the year Marcus Camby. The magic number for them is 100; the Nuggets have a 90 percent chance of winning a game if they score 100 points, and they only have a 20 percent chance of winning if they don’t. If they can score

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a hundred points night in and night out they will win this division; if they can’t the Jazz will win it. But I give the edge to the Nuggets. The Jazz will make the playoffs but will not win this division. Pacific Division: This division is a joke; the Phoenix Suns are one of the best teams in the league, and the rest of the teams in this division are only average. The Kings and Warriors are terrible, the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers will be terrible, and the Clippers are average. The Suns are too good — they win this division hands down. Southwest Division: Probably the best division in basketball, four teams from this division will make the playoffs — everyone besides the Memphis Grizzles. The Dallas Mavericks are still a very good team; the San Antonio Spurs are the returning champions and also a very good team, the New Orleans Hornets are better than most people take them to be, and the Houston Rockets are again a very good team. The team that will win this division will be the Houston Rockets, but it will be very close. The Rockets have a lot of talent, and I think this is their year. For most of these teams it is not about winning the division, it is about getting a ring. Tune in to the next issue for an in-depth look at the playoffs.

most people began to realize why Americans don’t like soccer, or hockey, or any sport where there’s low scoring. You can control an entire half like the Ballerz did, and end up with nothing to show for it. Once the second half started, Flushing started controlling the tempo. Three breakaways in the second half led to a Flushing victory. Although everyone was disappointed, it was definitely an experience. Yet my da y was onl y beginning. After the bus ride back, I hopped on the R train to Long Island City to watch the Penguins take on Curtis. The heat generated from the pool was a welcome relief from the polar climate of before. Although the water was cold, the competition was hot. If you go to any swim meet, you’ll notice that the swim team is loud. Artificially-pumpednoise-into-the-RCA-Dome loud. They are easily louder than the cheerleaders, and have a few more creative cheers in their repertoire. During each and every race, all the swimmers scream at the tops of their lungs for their teammates, making a usually individual event a true team sport. Did I mention the Penguins can swim too? After claiming the nine out of ten points in the 200 medley relay, the Penguins never relinquished the lead. They didn’t win every race, but they never let Curtis catch up. A slow and efficient victory propelled the Penguins to take on Townsend Harris in the finals. Spending an entire day with Stuyvesant sports teams allow you to recognize the dedication these athletes have to their craft. They all practice after school, sometimes before school, and sometimes on weekends. They play for other clubs, in addition to their regular schoolwork. For all that dedication, the least I can do is show my support by attending the game. Thank you, athletes, for making my Election Day a

Upcoming Event: The 22nd Annual Medical Ethics Symposium, "Designer Bodies: The Cutting Edge." is on Thursday, December 13, at 3:30 pm, in the Murray Khan Theatre. There will be free food and raffle prizes!

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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

November 21, 2007—VOL. 7, No. 4

SPORTS

Penguins Waddle Into Finals

TSS/ RMai

Following Stuy from Grass to Water Stuyvesant defeated Curtis 55-43 in the semifinals before losing to Townsend Harris in the finals." by Richard Mai sports editor

On Tuesday, November 6 Stuyvesant’s Girls’ swim team defeated opponent Curtis High School 5543 in the Manhattan/Bronx Division Semifinals. Held at Long Island City High School, the Penguins battled Curtis to advance to the championships, where swimming powerhouse Townsend Harris will be waiting. There were two meets being held simultaneously at the crowded pool that day. First seed Townsend Harris faced fourth seed Bronx Science at one side of the pool, while second seed Stuyvesant faced third seed Curtis on the other. The pool was filled with the cheers and chants of girls, supported by the packed stands. The first event was diving. Both Stuyvesant and Curtis had few divers, and tried their best to squeeze points for the event. Stuy was unsuccessful, however, as both their divers were disqualified. The 200-yard medley relay was next, in which Stuy’s B Team placed first at 1 minute 72 seconds, with the A Team finishing a close second. The Penguins did pretty well in the relays, which are important because they earn the team more points — up to 6. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the Stuyvesant A and B Teams placed first and second place, respectively. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Curtis’s A team finished first at 4 minutes 99 seconds, while the Stuy B team finished only 1.3 seconds later. In individual events, the Penguins swam strongly as well, earning points in key areas. In the 200-yard individual medley, junior and co-captain Abigayle Erickson won first at 2 minutes 21.72

seconds. For the 50-yard free, junior Nora Cunningham sprinted a fast 26.38 seconds to finish first, and in the 100-yard free, junior Marta Sowinski also placed first with a time of 58.87 seconds. Even when Stuyvesant did not earn the top spot in an event, they made up for it by placing second and third, which are the only other places that score points. In the 200-yard free, sophomore Stephanie Jou and junior and co-captain Kei Okochi’s second and third place earned a combined 4 points. For the 100-yard butterfly, freshman Maria Torres and junior Gayatri Malhotra finished second and third as well. The 500-yard long-distance was one of the closest races of the meet, culminating to a final showdown between Stuy’s Erickson and Curtis’s Caputo. Erickson finished less than 2 seconds behind, a very narrow margin considering the length of the race. The Penguins’ next challenge is swimming against defending champions Townsend Harris. Asked on her outlook against Townsend, senior Jennifer Sung replied, “Townsend is an extremely fast team with many crazy fast swimmers, but we have a chance of beating them. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s possible. It’s definitely going to be a crazy exciting meet.” The Penguins lost to Townsend Harris Turtles on Tuesday, November 20th by the score of 6438. The Turtles took nine out the possible ten points in the 200 yard medley relay and never looked back. Stuyvesant finished one-two in the 50 yard freestyle with a strong swim from juniors Marta Sowinski and Nora Cunningham. Stuyvesant's only other win came in the 400 freestyle relay. ◙

“Hi, my name is Eric, and I’m a sports addict.” Thankfully, Sports Fans Anonymous doesn’t exist; otherwise I’d probably be a member. If writing college essay after college essay about my love for sports failed to make me realize how obsessed I am, Election Day 2007 probably did. The Boys’ Soccer team had their quarterfinal match against Flushing at 11:30 at New Dorp High School on Staten Island. The girls’ swimming team had their city semifinal against Curtis at 4:00 in Long Island City. Could I attend both games without running into a transit delay? Ten hours, four boroughs, and 75 miles later, the answer is that I’m a lot more addicted than I thought. The soccer game was the equivalent of a Stuyvesant home game. There were around thirty of us, bundled up to avoid the polar winds that invaded Staten Island. The Ballerz seemed to enjoy the support. After all, most of their “home” games are nowhere near their actual home. That isn’t a problem at New Dorp, though. While Stuyvesant teams have to transverse the borough for most home outdoor sporting events, New Dorp has their own personal Pier 40 a few steps from the school. Miller Field, a 187-acre former Air Force base, is right across the street. If that were in Manhattan, the site would be the Miller Field Condos. After a few close calls in the first half, THE SPORTS BEAT continues on page 11