January 2014

Staffers debate marijuana legalization.

The Oracle investigates Gunn’s lunch culture.

Netflix shows that you should check out.

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Friday, January 24, 2014 Volume 51, Issue 5

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Superintendent switches position on bullying policy Noa Livneh

Entertainment Editor

Superintendent Kevin Skelly has recently proposed that instead of approving a general bullying policy, the district will split the bullying policies into two tiers. The first tier would consist of the “protected class,” which includes bullying regarding sexual orientation, disabilities, gender and race. The second tier deals with the bullying that doesn’t involve people from the “protected class” and therefore adheres to the “average student population.”

According to Skelly, school staff members have said that the confusing procedures are complicating even the smallest bullying cases. “We want a process that is simple, that people can follow and that works,” Skelly said. “First and foremost, we take care of the victim, but also guard the rights of the student accused of bullying.” Skelly affirms there needs to be a dramatic update to several rules in order to protect all students. This will be later discussed in a meeting scheduled at the end of the month. “The first thing is to take care of what we have, and that will bring us up to full compliance with the law,” Skelly said.

The Gunn administration doesn’t believe that Skelly’s reversal will affect its approach to bullying. “Whatever the system is, even if it’s a twotiered system, I think we’ll just follow what those procedures are,” Principal Katya Villalobos said.

“We’ll do it as long as we know that the idea of the procedures and the policies are to protect the students.” According to Villalobos, the main concern is how to use the new system. “[Skelly] obviously supports the safety of our students and obviously we all do,” Villalobos said. “So how do you align that into board policy and procedures?”

Villalobos believes that Gunn already had disciplinary actions that have kept the school largely free of bullying. “We didn’t call it bullying policies at the time,” Villalobos said. “I think that’s where people are confused; they don’t realize that we already have procedures in place.” According to Villalobos, the way the administration handles BULLYING—p.3

Above: Excavators sit in the construction site near the location of the proposed Miranda Avenue dropoff.

Miranda Ave dropoff undergoes construction Lawrence Chen News Editor

After being in progress for a month now, the construction near Miranda Ave should be complete by this June.

However, according to Assistant Principal of Facilities Kimberly Cowell, because of favorable circumstances regarding the weather and the construction crew, the project has been going efficiently and may even be completed earlier. “We’re in the midst of no rain, and while we would all like to see rain, [it] is actually not good for construction, so having no rain means that the project moves along fairly

nicely as there are no delays,” Cowell said. “So we may see this project completed sooner and it could be done even up to months sooner. [In addition,] at the moment, the general contractor is working well with the subcontractors and that is one of the most important elements in any construction project.”

The master plan implemented in 2009 by the Board of Education put the Miranda Ave changes in motion.

At the time the changes were proposed, Gunn had around 1500 to 1700 students, but the Board of Education wants Gunn to be able to support up to 2300 students, thus increasing the

amount of in-and-out traffic. Because the Board wanted Gunn to be able to take more students, administrators began the Miranda project. “Rather than have just one ingress and one egress, in terms of dropoff, the decision was made to take the [Miranda dropoff] and to make another dropoff area,” Cowell said. “And particularly since the buildings, especially the new buildings, the N buildings, are located on that side of campus, it made sense to ‘divide and conquer.’”

While the actual construction is going smoothly, a big drawback is the MIRANDA—p.2

Above: The Veterans’ Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System building is visible because of the dropoff construction.

Photos by Stephanie Kim

Gunn hosts student-organized TEDx conference in Spangenberg Pooja Belur

Sports Editor

On Friday, Jan. 17, Gunn hosted its annual TEDx conference, an independently organized event dedicated to the spread of ideas and messages throughout communities. The event featured 14 speakers, four of whom were Gunn upperclassmen. The other presenters included professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds and occupations including environmental

By the numbers

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technology, tennis and economics. The speakers were chosen for their relevance to the event’s motto, “be the variable,” which means that individuals can work together to make an impact on the world as long as they pursue their passions.

The speakers at the event told stories of major passions that impacted their lives and spurred their desire to give back to society. They spoke not only of achieving success, but also of undergoing failure, having conviction and learning how to think outside the box. “People

Billions of dollars of revenue generated by the marijuana industry per year

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can learn from TEDx without worrying about getting an A,” TEDx club co-president junior Maya Ram said.

“They can listen and collaborate to spread messages through the community. TED is about stories of people going for it, regardless of the results.”

Entrepreneur Hunter Franks was one of the event’s notable speakers. He spoke about the Neighborhood Postcard Project, his nonprofit organization that exchanges postcards among random strangers to work tow-

Million blood donations received every year

TEDx—p.4

of days Martin Luther King, 11 Number Jr. spent in jail for his protests

News

THEORACLE

Construction closes alternate parking lot

—Nia Gardner

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From Feb. 31 to March 3, the Millard Fillmore Trivia Club will compete in the annual Millard Fillmore Trivia Hunt. Teams from across the Peninsula will receive a list of questions on Friday afternoon and will have until 7 p.m. that Sunday to find not only answers, but print sources proving them. “The questions themselves are not always difficult; it’s the documentation we have to find,” club advisor Lynne Navarro said.

On March 3, adjudication, when the points are tallied, will take place at Gunn with all competing teams present. “The answer has to be absolutely accurate, including punctuation and spelling,” Navarro said. “That’s where people lose the most points.” Most of the research occurs in libraries, but some of the questions lead participants around town to, for example, take a photo with the oldest person they can find.

The trivia hunt requires many skills, including perseverance, teamwork and communication skills, according to club president senior Brittany Westly. “You have to talk to [your teammates] and see who has the answer, who’s searching for what, and who’s where to be able to find it,” she said. As well as drawing on existing skills, the trivia hunt teaches new ones. “It teaches [participants] how to do actual research instead of just Googling things, which I think is a skill that we are losing,” Navarro said.

According to Westly, the team is looking for additional students to take part in the hunt. The club meets on Wednesdays at lunch in C4, and there will be an informational meeting for participants after school on Jan. 29 in the library.

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Stephanie Martinson, founder of the health organization known as Racing Hearts, is using the “Spot the Box” campaign to raise awareness for automated external defibrillator (AEDs) installment throughout Palo Alto. Martinson believes that the positive statistics regarding AEDs gives reason for their implementation. “It is a simple solution to a huge medical problem,” Martinson said. “It should be the standard of care for everybody.”

Using information from three months of research, Martinson persuaded the city council and the school board about the necessity of AEDs in Palo Alto. According to Martinson, the city council installed 52 AEDs around Palo Alto in August 2013, and another 38 defibrillators are going to be placed within the district’s schools by June 2014.

In addition to these installments, Racing Hearts uses the “Spot the Box” campaign to educate the public about what these AEDs do. The campaign also sponsors the AEDSpotter App to locate a defibrillator nearby. “If everyone knows where the nearest AEDs are and know what it looks like, that would be phenomenal,” Martinson said.

Although awareness has increased, Martinson continues informing others about the campaign. She wants AEDs to become more accessible, especially around public events with large crowds. “We should have life-saving heart defibrillators at all events, and everywhere just like fire extinguishers,” Martinson said. “Anytime there are a lot of people, [there should be] an AED on site.”

—Aayush Dubey

MIRANDA—p.1 randa now have to park in the main make a right turn and people aren’t fact that it occurs during school lot. “Staff parking gets tight because a going to want to do that,” Peters hours. The teachers of the science lot of us used to park along the spaces said. According to Cowell, because building and K building have been [near Miranda] and they could be of this new configuration, people the most affected as the construcall filled [very quick- who usually turn left out of Miranda St e p tion site is in very close proximity to may make an illegal U-turn to comha n ie K mute faster. This means that traffic those buildings. A key problem has im been the amount of noise that enforcement will increase along the construction machines Miranda Ave. “We are going cause. “It’s just really loud,” to tell people not to do that foods teacher Cindy because they may end up Peters said. “Though with a ticket,” Cowell said. we’re starting to get “Having said that, I am used to [the noise], sure it’s going to hapit’s the vibration pen anyway, but during that caused some of the peak traffic times, the teachers to have you’re going to see Palo to stop teaching Alto police department because it’s just so traffic enforcement. So disruptive. [For expeople [using the dropample], they were right off] will just have to plan at the door with a big on going that direction.” earthmover and the whole Many of the adjustments a that will be made to the area beroom was shaking, but I was str u p e c ti lucky I didn’t have a class.” n u ing remodeled are mostly aesthetic on e v co n In general, the students have sufto adapt to the fact that the area aA ti n u e s and r i M a e t h t fered from the effects of the construcwill become a second pick up and tion but the extent of the disturbance drop off point for students. Accordhas not been very significant. “The ly],” English teacher Ginny Moyer ing to Cowell, there will be both a construction hasn’t affected my class- said. “So now [we] are all going to the sidewalk on the far side and a waitroom experience to a great degree,” front, and definitely I think in terms ing area that will span from the scijunior Ebrahim Feghhi said. “How- of the pressure of the staff parking up ence building to the auto yard. The ever, occasionally the teacher had to front, it has gotten tight.” organic garden will be moved next pause the lecture for a few seconds Though much of the construc- to the English Language Learning because of the noise, but that’s about tion occurs inside the Gunn campus, building and the K building. Fruit it. It hasn’t posed a huge problem.” there is one worrisome aspect. “My trees will be planted there as well.

As the construction continues, concern is that we are not going to be The lockers have already been rea minor problem rose from the fact able to make a left turn on Miranda moved and some seating will be that the 70 to 80 staff members who for people to go towards Los Altos added so people can have cover used to park in the back near Mi- Hills, so people are going to have to when it rains.

Co

Campaign aims to increase defibrillator awareness

NEWS BITES

Gunn prepares for annual Peninsula-wide trivia hunt

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MLK, Jr. assembly features civil rights documentary

teach the audience to know that they can make an impact just like the civil rights movement did,” Farquharson said. “Regardless of race, disThis year’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. as- ability and sexual orientation, they can change sembly featured “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” a the world.” Golovinsky believed that the Gunn documentary directed by Stanford professor Bill audience should learn that anyone can make a Guttentag that focuses on the civil rights move- difference. “I think the most important concept ment in the mid-20th century. “Soundtrack for that they learn about [is] understanding and aca Revolution” incorporated various music artists cepting people,” he said. performing songs from the civil rights movement.

Student reactions to the MLK assembly were Guttentag named the documentary “Soundtrack generally positive. “I thought the film clips were for a Revolution” because music was an integral very eye-opening because they made the whole part of the movement. “Often, in African-Amer- thing seem much more real,” freshman Margaret ican history, people sang what they couldn’t Redfield said. “The impact of the songs they sung say, so music was really part of the DNA of the to keep hope was really striking.” Senior David movement,” he Schwartzman found the assaid. “The idea sembly effective in reachof the film was ing its audience. “I felt that to take an imit elaborated on some of the portant subject sacrifices made during the that was fading civil rights movement and from memory the monumental importance and give it a of the movement,” Schwartznew life fit for a man said. “People nowadays new generation don’t always understand the of people.” Gutatmosphere of overt racism tentag believes and legal administration that that the story is was faced during the days of a universal one Martin Luther King, Jr.” and can be apBoth Diversity Complied to many missioners would like to different sceAnthony Tran strengthen the impact of the Guest speaker Bill Guttentag presents an abridged ver- assembly, if possible. Acnarios.

The assem- sion of his documentary, “Soundtrack to a Revolution.” cording to Golovinsky, a sinbly, which was gle assembly is not enough held on Jan. 21 in Spangenberg Theater, was or- to prompt the student audience to make a difganized by Diversity Commissioners senior Kara ference. “Similar to how we have [Not In Our Farquharson and junior Danny Golovinsky. Both Schools] week and kind of how it’s a gradual procommissioners put in a significant level of effort cess throughout the week, I think that it would in order to create and run the assembly. Accord- be neat if we could have a multiple-day lesson ing to Farquharson, they began preparing for the plan,” he said. “We show these different aspects event in September. “It was a huge commitment in the assemblies, but we never say how one can because we had to speak to lots of different peo- make a change and what one can do as a person. ple while we were trying to get this event to hap- If we could add that extra piece, that would be pen,” Farquharson said. According to Farquhar- significant because it’s one thing to understand son, this documentary is meant to educate the and empathize, but it’s another thing to take acGunn community on acceptance. “We hoped to tion.”

Kathleen Xue Reporter

News THEORACLE 780 Arastradero Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 www.gunnoracle.com

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Catalina Zhao Managing Editors Mitch Donat Lucy Oyer News Cooper Aspegren Lawrence Chen Nabeel Chollampat Forum Ben Atlas Leon Cheong Klaire Tan Features Rebecca Alger Chaewon Lee Danielle Yacobson Centerfold Rachel Lew Stephanie Zhang Sports Pooja Belur Alvin Wang Entertainment Sam Acker Misheel Enkhbat Noa Livneh Photo Audey Shen Graphics Jasmine Garnett

Staff Copy Anuva Ganapathi Kavya Padmanabhan Tim Wang

Friday, January 24, 2014

Superintendent revises bullying policy position BULLYING—p.1

each case depends on what the victim would report. “It would be me or any one of the administrators who would get the facts, who would investigate,” Villalobos said. The severity of the circumstance also affects what disciplinary actions the school needs to take.

If the bully were a first-timer, a school administrator would give an official warning. This

Photographers Stephanie Kim Anthony Tran

Danielle Yacobson Features Editor

Adviser Kristy Blackburn

whatever procedures are in place to make sure that the student is helped, healthy, safe and wants to be at school,” Villalobos said.

The district staff has recently been trained to handle the bullying cases appropriately.

Skelly believes that the policies are not yet ready and will need much more revision before being presented to the board at the end of January.

Today, the Stanford Blood Center is transforming the library into a blood donation center for the annual blood drive.

Staffed with nurses and organized by the Student Executive Council (SEC), the drive aims to collect at least 100 units, or draws, of blood from those students participating.

“Donating blood is extremely important in any community,” Stanford Blood Center’s account manager Tim Gilmore said.

“There are not many ways to directly affect someone’s life in such a big way.” Although registration is only open to those students who weigh over 110 pounds and are at least 16 years old, on-campus blood drives have proven to be extremely successful in past years. Mobile drives at high schools and colleges collect over 30 percent of the Stanford Blood Center’s annual blood supply and provide an opportunity to expose young adults to donating. “This is a great way to educate and recruit new blood donors,” Gilmore said. “We know that only 30 per-

cent of the general population a pint of blood is later separated are eligible to donate blood, and into red blood cells, white blood only about 3 percent of the pop- cells and platelets at a Stanford ulation actually donate blood.” lab. Separating the blood into Upon arriving at the library at its components allows each inthe scheduled time, the student dividual patient to receive donor will talk to a medical hisprecisely what he or she torian and briefly go over his or needs. her medical history in order to A DRBC donation ensure a safe blood supply. uses a machine called “They might have to turn the Alyx to collect some people away if they two units of red have a history of illness blood cells from or have recently been a single blood sick,” blood drive draw. Since event team mema larger ber junior Dakota amount Baker said. of blood At that is being point, a lid r aw n censed nurse than and phledurbotomist will ing a conduct the whole blood draw, blood which lasts apdonation, proximately six to the autoeight minutes. The mated machine Dave Zhu blood drive is equipped to extracts the red blood facilitate two types of blood do- cells and returns the rest of the nations: whole blood and double components back to the donor. red blood cell (DRBC) dona- Red blood cells are needed by tions. most patients, so a DRBC donaThe more common is the tion allows the Stanford Blood whole blood donation, in which Center to collect a vital compo-

INBOX

The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor and Comments. Comments are generally shorter responses, while letters are longer pieces of writing.

Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one.

Letters to the Editor and Comments and ideas for coverage may be sent to oraclegunn@gmail.com or posted on our Facebook page.

These letters need not be from current students.

I’d like to see more poetry, but I doubt anyone will put it in since I’ve been writing the same thing for a year.

—Anubhav Jaiswal, 12

December 6, 2013 I think The Oracle is a great way to be updated with the trends and stuff that’s been going around within our community.

—Misty Hong, 10 I’d like to see a story about cheap fashion for guys (designer vs. discount).

—Max Cai, 12 The Oracle is a great way to learn about current events, both on and off campus.

—Chloe Sorensen, 9

nent in one appointment. The DRBC requirements, however, are more extensive than those for a whole blood donation and use gender, weight and height as crucial factors in determining eligibility for donors.

SEC representatives urge all eligible students to participate in the cause. “[Students] feel good about themselves because they help save lives,” Baker said, pointing out the bonuses of getting cookies and missing class.

Those with type-O blood are especially encouraged to donate, for their blood can be used for anyone in an emergency.

“When talking with recipients that received blood to save their life, they are always extremely grateful to the healthy donors that took time from their day to do something selfless,” Gilmore said while explaining the direct impact that a blood donation can have on the community. According to Gilmore, each student that comes to donate blood has the potential to impact three patients in a local hospital. “When over 100 Gunn students donate blood, the impact can be up to 300 patients, and that’s huge,” he said.

Letters and Comments may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

I would like to see Ari Ameri, the legendary diamond League of Legends master in the next The Oracle.

—Victor Kao, 11

Graphics Artists Paige Anderson Ally Gong Anton Oyung Allison Paley Carolyn Zhou Dave Zhu Reporters Elinor Aspegren, Lena Campbell, Shawna Chen, Ian Cramer, Aayush Dubey, Kush Dubey, Nia Gardner, Matthew Hamilton, Prachi Kale, Yuki Klotz-Burwell, Esther Kozakevich, Hayley Krolik, Emily Kvitko, Joanne Lee, Ryeri Lim, Christine Lin, Alex Man, Naina Murthy, Arjun Sahdev, Henry Siu, Isaac Wang, Erica Watkins, Justin Wenig

policy was in action before a family in Palo Alto decided to file a claim with the Office for Civil Rights, sparking the recent proposals.

Skelly still believes that with the new changes, the administration cannot just take care of the issue at a disciplinary level, it must also make sure that it gives the required support to the victims. Villalobos feels similarly.

“A good teacher and administrator will follow

Stanford Blood Center, SEC collaborate on blood drive

Tech Lisa Hao Roy Shadmon Business/Circulation Erica Lee Shireen Ahsan (Asst.)

Matt Niksa (Asst.)

Regina Tran (Asst.)

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I thought the issue was a very good incorporation of the winter and holiday spirit. I’d like to see stories about upcoming sales, best holiday season deals, and best clothing finds of the holiday.

—Joy Jin, 11 I really like The Oracle and its formatting.

It is professional and informative but at the same time interesting for all grades.

—Paige Ogawa, 11 Cooper’s Corner should become a regular fixture in future The Oracle issues. It is always interesting to read movie reviews from one’s peers, instead of simply checking Rotton Tomatoes.

—Antonio Puglisi, 12

I liked the Centerfold idea. I think the graphics were really cute. I liked finally learing what Torsten Wendl’s truck was about since I always see it around.

—Jennifer Wong, 10 I loved the coverage of the girl’s water polo team and the front page collage.

—Lauren Johnson, 12 I liked the information that The Oracle had. It was really interesting and useful.

—Lisa Wang, 10 I liked the front page water polo story because sports aren’t usually on the front page, but it really was an important story.

—Edut Birger, 11

The Oracle is a 2013 NSPA Pacemaker Award winner.

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News TEDx speaker series event Orchestra performs at Chicago event presents notable individuals TEDx—p.1

-ards changing stereotypes. “According to Chimamande Adichie, a single story leads to stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is that they are incomplete. They don’t tell the whole story,” he explained in his talk. “I thought, what if you could just write a little note, explaining the misconceptions of your neighborhood. That was the beginning of the Postcard Project.”

Cofounder of Anki Robotics Boris Sofman was another speaker who talked about his experience in robotics and in starting a company. He developed AnkiDrive, a fast-paced racing game that combines artificial intelligence technology and toys. In AnkiDrive, players can race their toy cars, without needing any opponents since the cars are individually programmed to function independently.

Sofman believes that products such as these will define the future of children’s toys. “Robotics is a science of having a physical world meet a virtual program,” he said. “I think that [its] future is very bright.”

The conference was organized by Gunn’s TEDx club, which began in 2011 when students became inspired by Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) speeches that were being played in the library. Because of the club, Gunn earned recognition as the first high school to organize its own TEDx conference, and this year, the club made history yet again. It became the first high school to host a large-scale conference with over 1,000 attendees from local schools, companies and the community.

Organizing the annual event took a significant amount of preparation; the club began planning the event during the early part of 2013. They distributed surveys to the student body to understand what topics students would be most interested in hearing about.

“We tried to find a diverse range of speakers —people from the arts, nonprofits, so on—so that it would interest everyone,” co-president junior Jamie Shen said. After developing a shortlist, the students sent out letters and emails to potential speakers such as actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Chief Executive Officer of IDEO Tim Brown.

The club also organized lighting, decided on a date and location, and ran the entire event.

Roy Shadmon Tech Editor

audience members show their appreciation was amazing.”

Co-concertmaster sophomore William Copeland thought his orchestra directors did an excellent job preparing the class for the conference. “Our teachers did a really good trying to reduce the pressure,” Copeland said. “The performance went really well.”

The conference included performances from only four high school string orchestras this year; Gunn is the first orchestra from California to perform at the clinic in over ten years.

The other three high school orchestras that performed were from Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas, Louis D. Brandeis High School in San Antonio, Texas, and Highland High School in Gilbert, Arizona. The orchestras performed in three separate concerts.

Copeland thought that the other orchestras sounded excellent, but believes that Gunn performed the best. “We have an amazing orchestra,” Copeland said. “[We are] probably one of the best school orchestras in the world.”

The orchestra’s next goal involves submitting a recording to American String Teachers Association (ASTA) next year or the following year.

The orchestra performed on Dec. 20 at the Annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago, IL. At the conference, students in the orchestra performed ten compositions from a wide variety of genres in front of an estimated six to seven hundred band and orchestra directors and professional musicians. “We tried to make the concert program very eclectic so that the audience heard a wide variety of styles and genres,” Band Director and Assistant Orchestra Director Todd Summers said. “The piece I conducted—there was a Latin dance flavor to it, and a ton of mix meter, so it fit really well into the overall program because it was different than the rest of the pieces.”

The conference organizers required the orchestra to include at least 40 percent of the pieces in the program as compositions from the year 2013. In addition, for every piece designated with a high difficulty level of five or four, there had to be an easier piece, with a level of difficulty ranging from a level of one to three. “I picked things that I thought would be unusual and challenging to the listeners ear as we performed our concert,” Orchestra Director Sandra Lewis said. “I am extremely proud of each and every one of them; they all showed personal and musical maturity.”

After its performance of an hour’s worth of compositions, the orchestra received a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes from audience members. “It was really amazing,” Lewis said. “We were the last concert of the Courtesy of Todd Summers convention, and just Above: Orchestra students pose by the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicato have that many elite go, IL, where they traveled to participate in the Midwest Conference.

Robotics team gears up for build season Kush Dubey Reporter

Stephanie Kim

Above: Malcolm Young presents his work as a pastor as part of the Tedx Conference held at Spangenberg Theater.

Gunn Robotics Team (GRT) is preparing for the 2014 season, with high hopes of winning regionals. The team looks forward to its first tournament of the year in March, the Hub City Regional in Texas that will feature foreign and unfamiliar competition. The Wisconsin Regional will take place from March 20-22 in Milwaukee, about two weeks after Hub City.

In April, GRT will face tough Bay Area teams at the Silicon Valley Regional. However, team captain senior Catherine Nguyen believes their sufficient preparation and new prototyping process called the alpha bot will result in success. “This year we’re stronger as a team, and I have high hopes that our robot will do better at regionals because of the higher level of participation and dedication from all students and our new implementation of alpha bot,” she said.

Each season the First Robotics Competition (FRC) creates a game with objectives for robots. The 2014 game is called “Aerial Assist,” in which robots assist each other to move 24-inch game balls down the field and into low or high goals to score. The more the robots assist each other, the higher their bonus points will be. According to Nguyen, the objective is similar to that of 2008’s event, and a bit easier than last year’s game.

This year, GRT plans on improving in specific areas in order to provide for a more cohesive game strategy. “Last year we had integration problems, which is the flow from one mechanism to the other, so this year we’re looking for smoother transitions so that the ball gets from A to B,” Nguyen said.

In order to construct an effective robot, GRT goes through three stages in a period of six weeks. GRT has already concluded the alpha stage of producing the robot, which includes going over rules, offensive and defensive strategies, and brainstorming potential mechanisms for catching, shooting, picking up the ball and defending. The team of 54 separates into groups to synthesize their ideas into a concept represented by a rough, wood prototype. After evaluation of these prototypes, the beta stage of computer-aided designing and metal machining commenced. Soon, the robot’s final stage, called omega, will begin to finalize assembly and hardware and software assimilations.

Each regional competition lasts three days, consisting of 40 to 50 teams competing in alliances of three in each round. The first day is devoted to practicing with their robots and controls on actual playing fields. Qualifiers occur on the second day, and the last day is the last qualifier round to determine the best eight teams to move on to the playoffs. According to mentor Katrina Granlund-Moyer, if GRT is on the winning alliance, they are invited to the championships. “It’s three days of intense, really loud and engaging competition,” she said.

“Even when we aren’t competing, we watch other teams and collect information on their robots.”

By the end of the season, GRT’s mentors hope for a proud group of students regardless of the outcome of the competitions. “My goal, along with the other mentors, is to have the students experience the real workplace environment; independently and collaboratively creating concepts, testing them and increasing their self-confidence,” Granlund said.

Forum

Friday, January 24, 2014

Editorial

5

The Opinion of The Oracle:

Complicated dismissal process for tenured teachers hinders student learning

Last year, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) hired 76 new teachers to replace 15 retirees, 20 tenured resignees who were mostly on leave and five temporary teachers who were not rehired. In addition, 43 formerly temporary teachers were tenured. According to California law, a teacher must be either tenured or dismissed within his first two years at a school with open positions. Before receiving tenure, which is permanent employment at a school, teachers who do not meet state and district standards are let go at will. However, when it comes to firing tenured teachers, PAUSD must undergo due process. The process, in its current state, is time-consuming and costly, as well as plagued with contractual limitations. This makes it excessively difficult for the district to fire tenured educators who are incompetent or problematic, thereby putting the quality of student education at risk.

Insufficient Hiring Evaluations

Superintendent Dr. Kevin Skelly and Board of Education Vice President Melissa Baten Caswell have both expressed that two years cannot necessarily indicate a teacher’s compatibility with PAUSD. This is partly due to PAUSD’s hiring process, which largely focuses on an applicant’s resume and interviews. Although the district screens prospective employees for impressive credentials and credible transcripts before thoroughly interviewing them, most future employees only have to teach one demonstration lesson to complete their application. A real ability to guide and instruct others—the skill that ultimately decides a teacher’s success in the classroom—cannot be legitimately observed through one lesson.

Though PAUSD cannot defy California’s tenure deadline, it can improve its hiring process to better assess the abilities of potential employees, thus preventing the hiring of incompetent teachers in the first place.

A Lengthy and Flawed Complaint Process

According to Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Scott Bowers, the district expects students to express concerns about problematic teachers directly to their schools and PAUSD. This “unified complaint process” requires a parent or guardian of the student to meet with the employee in question and the employee’s supervisor before formally complaining to the school’s principal. If the principal’s solution is unsatisfactory, only then may the parent or guardian submit a written complaint to the Superintendent’s Office, and then to the Superintendent. The whole process may take over 40 days, allowing the problem to affect the student’s learning for over a month.

Additionally, Caswell has expressed her understanding of how students can be hesitant about publicly approaching administrators with any problems. Students may be afraid of the teacher retaliating by lowering their grades

in the class. Consequently, they often restrict themselves to sharing complaints with friends about the problematic teacher, instead of approaching an Instructional Supervisor with their concerns.

While teachers are required to ask for student feedback, these end-of-the-semester forms are far from an appropriate forum for urgent issues. Students are typically expected to fill out the “anonymous feedback” forms during the class period while teachers and peers are present. This hardly encourages hesitant students to spend quality time divulging any personal concerns they have, rendering the feedback forms ineffective for important matters.

These issues with the district’s methods of feedback lead to a lack of genuine student input, a problem which ultimately prevents the district from accurately gauging teacher quality, even in the presence of serious issues.

Putting Teacher Development First

Furthermore, the school district’s firing process currently places teacher development above student learning.

All PAUSD teachers, tenured and non-tenured, follow one of five continuous evaluation plans, during which they are observed by and receive feedback from administrators. If a tenured teacher is reported to fall short of the district’s conduct and teaching standards, PAUSD responds with closer inspection. The teacher is given a warning period of four to eight weeks. Continued failure to teach up to standards leads to 18 weeks of more focused observation, more frequent progress reports and advisory meetings. Should the school find the teacher’s performance satisfactory at this point, the complaint is considered “resolved,” and the teacher returns to the standard evaluation program.

If performance issues still persist, evaluation proceeds to the final stage. During this phase, the teacher undergoes district administrative evaluation, which may last up to nine weeks. A PAUSD teacher can only be fired if he or she is found dissatisfactory at this stage.

Altogether, this evaluation process can take up to 175 school days out of the school year’s standard 180 teaching days. All the while, educators are still permitted to continue classes, despite existing concerns with their performance.

According to Skelly, educators must always be guiding one another, and should improve accordingly. However, while this lengthy process strives to improve inadequate

Pa P ige ai Ange A de nd r s o er n son

teacher performance and fulfill the district’s obligation to follow due process, it does so at the sacrifice of student learning. For nearly an entire school year, a teacher lacking significant skills or discipline continues to actively teach students. Students should be able to expect the school to always put their education first. Therefore, instead of allowing student learning to be compromised, the district should pursue more prompt dismissal of incompetent teachers.

High Costs of Legal Cases

According to Skelly and Caswell, substantial legal expenses are a major reason PAUSD chooses to follow this lengthy evaluation process instead of promptly pursuing dismissal. Once the district has decided to fire a tenured teacher, a complex legal negotiation ensues.

In its attempt to avoid this possibility, the PAUSD instead chooses to implement such an extensive, exhaustive evaluation process before considering dismissal. However, this causes the district to spend effort, resources and valuable learning time on re-training employees who have created problems in a school that nearly 2,000 students depend upon for education and career preparation. Despite the price tag that comes with the legal dismissal process, the truth remains that incompetent or ineffective teachers have no place in PAUSD schools, and the district and the Board should do their best to eliminate such instructors or avoid such issues in the first place.

Ensuring Quality Tenured Staff

To achieve this, PAUSD should expand its hiring system to more thoroughly evaluate prospective teachers. Potential employees should be required to teach multiple demonstration lessons. This allows the district to thoroughly observe the prospective teacher’s abilities in a classroom setting.

Once an individual has been employed, the district should take assessment of the non-tenured teacher seriously. PAUSD needs to take full advantage of the short two-year period it has to perform in-depth evaluation.

Any non-tenured teacher who gives any indication of being below PAUSD standards and who is not making progress should be quickly dismissed.

In addition, once the district receives complaints regarding a tenured teacher, it should pursue more effective actions instead of focusing solely on evaluations and feedback reports. PAUSD should provide struggling teachers with additional training that educates the instructor on better teaching techniques to implement in the classroom.

—Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff (assenting: 49; dissenting: 3; abstaining: 11)

6

Forum

THEORACLE

Should marijuana be PRO

Erica Watkins For decades, kids have been taught to “say no to drugs” and that drugs will “ruin your life.”

Although drugs do have the potential to catastrophically affect human life, marijuana is not one of those drugs.

Because voters have been told that marijuana is a hard-core drug, they’ve been blinded to the reality that the legalization of marijuana c a n do more help t ha n ha r m.

Legalizing marijuana will decrease risks, grant citizens their right of selfdetermination, allow police forces to focus on catching more serious criminals and increase federal revenue.

Recent Gallup polls show that 58% of Americans support legalization of marijuana. States likely to legalize marijuana within the next two years include Oregon, Arizona, Alaska and California.

Government Regulation

If the government decriminalizes marijuana, it will be able to regulate the production much more than before, actually decreasing the already few risks of the drug. One of the most dangerous threats of smoking marijuana is that it can be contaminated with trace amounts of harmful substances. If legalized, the Food and Drug Administration will have control of marijuana and will be able to regulate the chemicals allowed into the drug, making it safer for the users. Marijuana is less addictive than tobacco and alcohol, yet it’s illegal while tobacco and alcohol are common occurrences in everyday life. According to the 1999 Federal Institute of Medicine study, fewer than 10 percent of those who try marijuana ever reach the criminal criteria for dependence, while 32 percent of tobacco users and 15 percent of alcohol users do.

Law Enforcement

In 2012, police carried out 749,825 arrests for marijuana violations, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual uniform crime report. Marijuana related incidents comprise 48 percent of all drug arrests in the United States. Eighty-eight percent of marijuana arrests were for possession only. Focusing so much attention on inconsequential arrests like possession of marijuana has distracted police from catching criminals who are causing more damage. Of course, the police are here to ensure that we are safe and our laws are enforced, but the 40-year-old woman doing henna in her backyard and smoking weed is not putting me in any sort of danger. If marijuana were to be legalized, the government could start treating drug abuse as a medical issue rather than a criminal one.

Washington

Constitutional Rights

The legalization of marijuana is not only a matter of prohibition, but also one of personal choice. Citizens of the United States are entitled to certain amount of individual freedom, especially when their actions are not harmful to those around them. Americans put massive amounts of false faith in the belief that these rights will never be taken away, but our right to self-determination has vanished. We, as citizens, should be allowed to do whatever we want on our own. We have the right to determine our own fates. Legalizing marijuana will not force people to do the drug; it will simply give people the choice to treat their bodies how they please.

Increased Tax Revenue

Legalization will allow the government to access the very profitable business of marijuana. According to a 2010 study from the Cato Institute, legalizing marijuana would generate $8.7 billion in federal and state tax revenue annually. On top of the massive amounts of income from taxes, the government would save up to $7.7 billion that they currently use to control marijuana use. With a federal deficit of $1.7 trillion, the United States government should take any source of reasonable income that it can get.

Contrary to popular belief, the legalization of marijuana won’t have the drastic negative social effects that people expect. Restrictions like Colorado state law will maintain the 21-year age limit and driving-under-the-influence penalty to keep marijuana use at a controlled level.

—Watkins, a junior, is a reporter.

Recreational marijuana plant sales in Colorado reached $1 million on January 1, 2014, the first day of legalization. The recreational marijuana market will generate $130 million in state tax revenue in the 2014-15 year.

Friday, January 24, 2014

legalized in America?

7

CON

Naina Murthy Throughout middle school and high school, teenagers have been constantly reminded that marijuana is harmful to them. Recently however, there has been an increasing effort to legalize marijuana in various states.

More than 25 million people in the U.S. have smoked marijuana in just the past year. Of those 25 million, 25 percent were high school students. Because of this high rate of usage, legalization of this drug will only cause problems.

Marijuana should not be legalized because of the health hazards it poses, the burden on the government and the fact that it could lead to consumption of other more dangerous and addictive drugs.

Health Risks

One of the major problems from the use of marijuana is the health risks. There is a mainstream idea that marijuana is not unhealthy, but there have been multiple studies showing the risks that marijuana use poses. Scientists in California examined 450 daily marijuana smokers and found that the smokers had more sick days for respiratory problems than those who did not smoke. According to a 2008 article published in the European Respiratory Journal, smoking just one joint of marijuana caused the same amount of lung damage as smoking 7 to 10 cigarettes. Marijuana smoke also contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, and sometimes contains even higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana has also been seen to increase users’ heart rates by 20 to 100 percent after usage, rapidly increasing the risk of heart disease. In addition, human medical studies have shown that marijuana impairs the ability of T-cells to fight off some infections.

More than 7,000 marijuana plant business applications have opened since Washington s legalization of recreational use of marijuana in 2012.

The Washington campaign to legalize marijuana raised $1.1 million.

’

Accessibility and Profits

Legalizing marijuana raises its accessibility by effectively encouraging the use of the drug. It creates a situation in which the price can drop substantially.

One RAND study indicates that prices could plummet by up to 90 percent. Because prices will drop and legal fears will disappear, usage is likely to increase. The Obama administration also has explained that marijuana taxes may not be able to cover the costs for legalizing it, because tobacco does not even carry its economic weight when taxed. Each year the government spends more than $200 billion for costs associated with cigarette use and collects only about $25 billion in taxes.

Usage Among Teens

This problem also affects the younger generation.

According to a 2013 study published in The Journal of Addiction Medicine, 23 percent of high school students have used some kind of tobacco product while 40 percent of teenagers have tried marijuana. Marijuana use has increased rapidly among teens, while tobacco use has started to decrease. Studies also link regular marijuana exposure during the teen years to a lowered IQ, higher dropout rates and further drug use. The Dunedin Study in New Zealand followed over 1000 individuals from birth to age 38. The individuals were tested for IQ and brain function at ages 13, and again at 38. Participants with no reported use showed a slight increase in IQ between the ages of 13 and 38. Those who showed dependence on marijuana lost an average of up to six IQ points.

Colorado

Gateway to Harder Drugs

Furthermore, marijuana is a gateway drug that leads many consumers to try cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines. Studies by the National Institute of Drug Abuse show that consumers smoke marijuana assuming it’s harmless, but when it causes a “high,” the user desires a bigger and better “high,” so they turn to stronger drugs. Adolescents who smoke marijuana are 85 percent more likely to use drugs like cocaine than adolescents who don’t smoke.

Proponents of legalization believe that it will benefit our society. In the short-term, it may lead to increased revenue for our government to solve other problems. But in the long-run, legalization will result in increased usage among teens, increased accidents on the road and workplace and reduced stigmatization of harder drugs, thus negating all the shortterm benefits. Moments of the “high” are definitely not worth the consequences and risks.

—Murthy, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Graphics by Allison Paley and Paige Anderson; Background by Carolyn Zhou

8

Features

THEORACLE

Student-directed play highlights female sexuality Lena Campbell Reporter

At 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, 15 and 16, theatre students will perform a student-directed version of the Broadway production: “The Vagina Monologues.” “The Vagina Monologues” is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler, made up of a series of monologues inspired by interviews with over 200 women about their sexuality. Ensler once stated that the purpose of the show is to empower women by encouraging them to be comfortable with themselves and feel safe discussing the struggles of womanhood.

The play first premiered in 1996 at the Here Arts Center in New York City. It has since been performed internationally and was made into a show by Home Box Office (HBO) that starred Ensler. It has also become a charitable cause, raising money for V-Day, a movement working to end violence against women across the world.

Gunn’s proceeds will be given directly to Bay Area Women Against Rape.

The monologues address issues including, but not limited to, menstruation, sexual pleasure and rape. “The monologues were created with the intent to normalize the idea of vaginas and bring awareness to the sexuality of women,” senior Addison Kamb said. Kamb has been a member of the theatre department since her freshman year and believes that this play is more powerful than anything else the Gunn Theatre Department has produced during her time here. “It was awkward doing the show and I think it will be awkward for the audience, but that’s the point,” Kamb said.

“We want people to realize that it’s weird for us to

be uncomfortable.” Kamb and the cast want members of the audience to leave more aware of the common experiences women share and be comfortable saying the word “vagina.”

Since the show covers some intense issues, the cast of 14 female students has worked hard together to become comfortable with all the topics. “We have become so close over the last couple of months that it feels like I have 14 new sisters,” senior co-director Holly Wright said. According to Wright, the cast is now able to discuss and perform every aspect of the monologues, and they hope that this comfort will help the audience be more at ease.

Although the play is focused on the issues women face, the cast wants men to watch it as well. “This show also gives men a chance to see and listen to what women have to say and recognize they can do something to make both sexes equal,” senior producer and co-director Wendy Kraemer said. “To me, there is nothing greater than having men support the show because it shows that they recognize the injustices done to women and they want to help.”

The show is designed to target people of all ages, so that the message can be easily spread. According to Wright, the play’s global perspective makes it easier to relate to. “It doesn’t only discuss women; it discusses the world and what’s happening to it,” Wright said. “Destruction to the bodies of women is often mirrored by some other conflict in that area: wars, unstable governments, and unjust laws.”

Stephanie Kim

Clockwise from top left: sophomore Nina Shirole practices her monologue. Senior Wendy Kraemer directs sophomore Gillian King. The poster was designed by senior Paige Anderson. Kraemer looks over her notes. King listens to Kraemer’s instructions.

Artist of the Month: junior Sondrine Bontemps The Oracle: Who or what is your inspiration?

Sondrine Bontemps: I mostly do musical theatre, so all the musicals I see inspire me and help make me a better performer. I have some personal favorites, like Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel and Lea Salonga. I won’t say that there’s one particular person who inspires me, because musical theatre is such a diverse art form. But definitely, Laura Osnes’ voice or Sutton Foster’s dancing inspires me. I’ve picked people in different spots.

TO: How and when did you get into singing?

SB: I’ve been singing my entire life, and I say that literally. I’ve grown up singing show tunes. My parents both love musicals so it was just part of my childhood. I think I discovered my love for singing at age three and my first musical, “Little Red Riding Hood,” was when I was in first grade. Ever since then I’ve been doing musical theatre and other performing arts summer camps. I’ve never not been singing.

Audey Shen

TO: How much time do you spend practicing?

SB: If we count all the singing I do just around the house and with my friends, I would say I “practice” for around three to four hours a day. Most of that comes from choir and various voice lessons, but I also spend a lot of time on my own singing and learning new songs. However, it’s harder to practice for long periods of time because I could blow out my voice, which I’ve unfortunately done before. For Gunn Theatre productions, rehearsals are every day except Wednesday, and on some weekends closer to the show it’s ten-hour rehearsals. So, it’s a lot of time but it’s definitely worth it, because it’s a lot of fun and it’s what I love to do.

TO: What’s your favorite aspect of singing?

SB: My favorite part about singing is the ability to express an emotion through music, and to be able to create a feeling in yourself or in the audience through your words and through the power of your voice. Also, singing makes me really happy.

Singing is one of those things for me that if I’m in a bad mood and I sing, I will actually make myself feel better.

TO: Do you plan to continue music in the future?

SB: Yes, my goal is to get a Bachelor in Fine Arts in musical theatre. My dream is to get on Broadway, and I’ve been told by so many people (others in the theatre world) that if there is anything else you would be happy doing for the rest of your life, you should pursue that instead, because this business is so hard. But there isn’t anything I’m as passionate about as musical theatre.

TO: How has music affected other aspects of your life?

SB: I definitely think music has been beneficial for my life. I’ve always considered myself very lucky because I’ve known from a very young age what I want to do with my life, and what I’m truly passionate about. Other people are still on that search.

But pursuing musical theatre has definitely changed things like how much time I’m allowed to give for homework, how much social time I can have and family time. However, I wouldn’t say that it’s a burden. I’m very fortunate to have a very loving and supportive family, and more often than not, if I’m singing a song around the house, so is my whole family.

TO: What has been your favorite performance so far?

SB: I’m going to have to go with “Legally Blonde.”

That show will always have a very special place in my heart because it was my first Gunn musical, and I got to play my favorite character that I have had the opportunity to play: Elle Woods. It was amazing to play this character who was so fun, but also very intelligent, very friendly and very lovable.

Also, wearing all the pink was a lot of fun, working with the dog was fun, and my cast was awesome.

That whole experience was amazing, and I would definitely do it all again in a heartbeat.

TO: How do you challenge yourself with your singing?

SB: I am constantly looking for new songs. If I find one that I like or I think would fit my voice well I will definitely try it. To constantly challenge myself I practice different genres of music, like pop, jazz and opera. I also have to work on going between the three voices, like chest voice, head voice and blend.

Breath control and the fundamentals are also things that I can always improve on. You can never forget the technique, and with each song it’s different.

TO: What are you currently working on?

SB: Right now, I’m working on “Let Me Be Your Star” from SMASH and “Let It Go” from Frozen.

I’m actually looking for songs for college auditions for next year, so my voice teacher, my mom and I have compiled a file of songs that I’m currently working on.

—Compiled by Elizabeth Zu

Features

Friday, January 24, 2014

9

RSI Club project reuses food waste to create biodiesel fuel Joanne Lee Reporter

Members of the Research Science and Invention Club (RSI)—junior Victoria Wang and sophomores Jocelyn Liu and Audrey Cheng—are constructing a project called “From Food to Fuel” for the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge that will be proposed on March 5. Wang, Liu and Cheng concluded that by extracting the oil from the food that would have used landfill space, they could develop a new method of reducing food waste and provide another alternative energy source. “Their project is an innovative way to harness the energy that is still in the food waste,” RSI club president senior Emily Wang said. “This project not only solves the problem of wasted foods, but also sheds light on a potential alternative energy source, which is highly useful.”

While doing research for their project, Wang, Liu and Cheng learned that food waste, while detrimental to the environment, contains energy that can be reused.

“Our group discovered food waste when we first came across carbon dioxide and how to deal with fossil fuel emissions to get less greenhouse gases,” Liu said. “We decided to use food waste because of its waste of resources and the methane it

emits. We also found that are currently testing three there were existing food methods to extract the oil waste-producing plants, from food wastes: pressure, however, none of which solvent extraction and centook out oil because it is an trifugation. inefficient energy intensive So far, they have discovprocess.” ered that using pressure, with In their research, Wang, a screw press, works well with Victoria Wang Liu and Cheng bumped solids and forces the oil out into the possible solution of of the waste. However, this biofuel: a type of fuel that is method is inefficient beproduced from a renewable cause it takes too much time biological resource. Howand energy. Their second ever, the production of conmethod, solvent extraction, ventional biofuel consumes is more efficient but deals water, uses land for feedstock with highly flammable vainstead of food and as a pors at high temperatures, result, leaves behind a large which can potentially be Jocelyn Liu carbon emission footprint. dangerous. Wang, Liu and As an alternative, Wang, Liu Cheng’s last method, and Cheng suggested transcentrifugation, reforming food waste into an quires high-speed environmentally-friendly spinning to sepafuel. “We were also thinkrate the liquids ing about finding a source and solids by for alternative fuel, and weight. For so from there we looked liquids, the Audrey Cheng at biodiesel,” Liu said. food waste is “Because biodiesel is made from waste mixed with water in order to oil, and food waste has a high oil content, bring out non-oil substances. we decided to combine the two together Then the food waste is run for our project.” through a centrifuge. Lastly, the With this information, Wang, Liu food waste settles in a cold environment and Cheng stated their hypothesis: food so that gravity separates and stabilizes it, waste could be efficiently converted allowing it to clump together at the bottom. into environmentally friendly For solids, the food waste needs to be products. They squeezed through a cheeseAllison Paley

cloth or blended together, first extracting the liquid and oil. Then the food waste is run through a centrifuge with varying speed and duration. The waste undergoes different trials to get the best results for variables, speed and duration. The remaining food can be processed with anaerobic digesters to extract the remaining energy sources in the form of biogas.

Wang, Liu and Cheng hope that their project will impact a variety of communities by implementing special trash cans used only for depositing food waste. The food waste would be collected by schools, organizations and restaurants and then processed to become biodiesel. By reducing the amount of food waste in landfills and minimizing fossil fuel combustion, harmful carbon and methane emissions are minimized.

“Our goal is to institute another type of bin at Gunn that sits next to the trash bins, recycling bins and compost bins,” Wang said. “This bin, however, wou ld on ly hold oily food waste products such as unfinished pizzas and more. Oily products in the trash cans would be brought to other compa n ie s to be made into biodiesel.”

10

Cente

Gunn Lun

Graphics and photos by Jasmine Garnett, Antoinette Nguyen, Paige Anderson, Audey Shen, Stephanie Kim and Anthony Tran

The Oracle takes a trip through the campus to bring you an overvi

Snapshots around campus Roast beef sandwich

Eel and eggplant

Manon Piernot (10)

Sara Ma (12)

Chicken salad

Samosas

Zoe Tal (9)

Nicholas Christians (12)

Q&A at the Academic Center (AC) with junior Byungchan Lim

Q: How many hours do you spend in the AC per week?

A: Four hours.

Q: Why do you spend lunch in the AC?

A: First of all, there are a lot of computers, so if you didn’t do your homework, you can do it. And there are textbooks....it’s comfortable because it is not too quiet, it’s not really loud; the talking level is fine.

Q: Do you play any games in the AC? What is your favorite game and why?

A: I used to play games when I was a freshman, but not now. Tetris on Facebook, because it was fun playing with friends. And also I saw in an article that people like Tetris unconsciously because they have an instinct to put things in an orderly fashion.

Q: What is your favorite AC food?

A: The Cup Noodles.

Q Q: A:

I pre

Q: A:

is usu

Q: A: Q: A:

—Compiled by Hayley Krolik

Senior offers opinion on lunch off campus Christine Lin Reporter

I remember as a freshman watching the seniors screech out of the parking lot far above the speed limit, blasting earsplitting rap songs and yelling at the top of their voices. They would return ten minutes into the next period, sauntering with their Starbucks cups or Spot’s pizza. It was a dream for us underclassmen, the chance to escape the confines of the campus and go out to explore the world. As sophomore year rolled by, a lucky few of us received our licenses early, and so began our era of going out for food.

The food on Gunn campus is decent, and in recent years the school has made an effort to expand cafeteria and brunch line choices, so we are no longer stuck with only chocolate chip cookies and cheese pizza. Driving out to eat, however, presents unparalleled opportunities: first and foremost, it extends our freedom. As we grow older and near the conclusion of high school, we need to be prepared to be out on our own, to manage our own budget and time. Freedom to explore the local cuisine and extend our independence makes driving to eat out a valuable experience that never fails to entertain.

As a senior, I’ve experienced my fair share of restaurants and cafés; I have discovered the classics that never disappoint. I don’t hesitate, however, to expand my options and try something new. And so I’ve compiled a list of my personal favorite eateries in the vicinity, ranging from those always filled with Gunn students to the hidden gems of Palo Alto.

w y sa

nch Culture

erfold

Friday, January 24, 2014

11

iew of how students and staff members spend their lunch period.

Lunch on the Freshman Quad Lucy Oyer

Managing editor

It’s 12:52 and the lunch bell has just rung. Lunch starts as a trickle but soon becomes a stream of students filing towards the concrete platform that faces the Little Theater. Some come to a stop on the concrete, others on the steps, while still more congregate on the grass directly surrounding it, but they all have one thing in common: they are ninth-graders at the Freshman Quad.

Students who eat there relish the familiarity of the crowd. “It feels more comfortable to know more people here as opposed to if I went to the Senior Quad where it’d be really awkward,” freshman Jenny Kram, who eats on the Freshman Quad on a near-daily basis, said. While the smaller quad is not officially designated as a “freshmen” area, classes of ninth-graders have been eating there for years.

In addition to providing a welcoming environment, the Freshman Quad helps foster a sense of class unity. “The Freshman Quad brings the class together and encourages interaction between different friend groups,” freshmen class president Tim Sun said. “With everyone hanging out in the same area, it encourages communitybuilding.”

Lunch culture: Staff edition Klaire Tan

Q&A at the Lunch Line

with sophomore Brooks Faulkner

How often do you choose the sandwich line?

I choose the sandwich line most of the time. The line is shorter and efer eating a sandwich than the usual food.

What's your favorite meal and why?

I like the sandwich the best because it is better for you, and it ually a lot healthier and tastier than the other foods in the line.

What has the time spent waiting in the lunch line done to your life?

It has definitely made me more patient than I usually am.

Forum editor

When the lunch bell rings and students begin to file out, English teacher Diane Ichikawa follows suit. However, instead of heading towards the Quad, she makes her way to the English Office, where she has a brief 39 minutes to eat her lunch and spend some quality time with other teachers in her department.

Lunch for Ichikawa used to mean eating alone in the Village.

However, after the construction of the N building, there have been more opportunities for teachers to eat lunch together in the new department offices. “The ‘commute’ [to the office] isn’t as far, so there’s enough down time for us to enjoy the ability to have a chat with colleagues,” Ichikawa said.

According to social studies teacher Chris Johnson, teachers in his department occasionally visit other classrooms to spend lunch together. However, most of the time, they spend lunch alone. “We are social to begin with, so lunch time is our opportunity to get away from things,” he said.

For teachers, the lunch period still remains a time crunch as teachers balance helping students, hosting clubs and eating. The average lunch is something easy to eat, and teachers usually don’t have the opportunity to go off campus for a meal. “There’s more time now because the office is closer,” Ichikawa said. “However, it’s always nicer to have a bit more time.”

Other food recommendations?

—Compiled by Elinor Aspegren

Make your own lunch.

Christine’s Top Restaurants for Lunch

Posh Bagel 310 Main Street, Los Altos 94022 $$

Discover the simple joys of life. The store offers a warm, inviting atmosphere with every type of bagel you want. If you’re not in the mood for its bagels, try a andwich—you can never go wrong at Posh.

Corner Bakery 3375 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 94306 $$ A newer addition to El Camino Real, this café has a packed menu of scrumptious breakfast entries and amazing pastries, and more importantly, coloring books with crayons.

Ryowa Ramen House 859 Villa Street, Mountain View 94041 $$$ A smaller, less-known ramen restaurant in downtown Mountain View, Ryowa offers perfectly cooked noodles accompanied by addictive fried rice and drool-worthy potstickers. An added bonus: there is always some Japanese game show playing, so you can be inspired to try crazy obstacle courses while melting into your ramen.

Driftwood Deli and Market 3450 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 94306 $$

A Gunn classic. This is pretty much where you’ll find the best sandwiches for the cheapest prices. Name your combo, no matter how crazy, and you won’t be disappointed.

—Compiled by Christine Lin

12

THEORACLE

Exploring the

adoptive parents

im

­—Written by

Sophomore catherine schwarzwalder:

Stephanie K

When sophomore Catherine Schwarzwalder goes out with her family, curious onlookers glance at her. With a last name like Schwarzwalder, you would not expect her to be Asian. “When people see that I’m Asian, they have this puzzling stare,” she said. “It’s kind of funny because people are too weirded out to ask. People don’t connect us to being family.” Schwarzwalder, a native to Suzhou, China, was adopted at nine months old by white parents. During the adoption, the agency told her parents that they had found her on the street in front of a fire station.

Though she may not look like her parents, she feels she is a part of the family, and the social attention now seems ordinary. “I feel like the relationship between my family and me is like that of a normal family,” she said.

Throughout her childhood, Schwarzwalder maintained an open and honest relationship with her parents. “[My adoption] was never something my parents kept a secret from me,” she said. “It’s something I grew up knowing.”

However, according to Schwarzwalder, her adoption made her upset when she was younger. “Little kids don’t really like to be different,” she said. “They’re afraid.” Now, she doesn’t think much of it.

Every now and then, thoughts about her biological family pop up in her mind. “Sometimes I think about my biological family and wonder what they are doing,” she said.

According to Schwarzwalder, her adoption can be a conversation starter, but she usually keeps it to herself. One person she can talk to freely about her adoption is her sister, Michelle Schwarzwalder.

Michelle was born in the south of China and was adopted by the Schwarzwalder family when she was a year and three months old. Catherine was able to experience and see the process of adoption as her sibling became a new member of the family. The girls’ biological difference does not stop them from having a close relationship.

“We’re basically just like normal sisters,” she said. “She bothers me a lot.” Because they do not have biological references of what their future appearances will be, the sisters joke about what they will look like.

Catherine feels that adoption has enriched her life. “It has opened me up to differences and has taught me to not judge someone right away,” she said. If given the chance to be born under different circumstances, she would not change a thing. “I definitely would choose to be adopted,” she said. “It’s crazy because they just pair up families with children randomly. They could have mixed up the stack and I could have been somewhere completely different right now. But I couldn’t imagine my life in any other way.”

Emily Kvitko.

Ally Gong

Stepha nie K im

Sophomore Viva Rose: gay parents

For many, the word “parents” may bring to mind a mom and a dad, but for sophomore Viva Rose, it brings to mind two moms. Rose’s parents are a married gay couple, one of around 115,000 samesex households with children living in the United States. They have been married three times: once unofficially due to California’s ban on same-sex matrimony at the time and twice legally. The second marriage took place after California lifted its ban, but was not recognized again almost immediately due to Proposition 8. Only after the third time did the marriage stay official.

Rose was aware of her parents’ sexuality from a very early age. Since she was only a few months old, her family attended Camp Tawonga where there were sessions in which same-sex families shared time together. The camp not only gave her a sense of her unique family situation early on, but also provided an accepting environment. “My parents really wanted to envelop us as kids into a community where there are other kids like us,” she said. “It was really nice to be in a community where I could meet people who are similar to me.” The camp also instilled in her values that are central to her character today. “It taught me a lot about accepting people,” she said.

Outside of the camp, the Palo Alto community and people close to her have also been supportive of her family. “All our family friends are just so accepting of the choices we make,” she said. According to Rose, she has never felt openly judged or attacked for her parents’ sexuality.

However, misunderstandings about her family still do arise from time to time. “There’s always the common misconception that we have different ways of life or traditions,” Rose said. “But [being gay] is not a religion. My parents aren’t different from other people."

In some ways, her parents’ sexuality has contributed to a unique family dynamic. Rose is not fully related to anyone in her immediate family; she and her brother share the same biological father but have different mothers. Still, the biological difference has no effect on the family’s closeness. “[My brother and I] don’t ever look at it like, ‘Oh, that’s my real mom;’ they’re both my real moms,” she said.

Because she has two moms, Rose does not have a father. The circumstance has not negatively affected Rose, but it has piqued her curiosity. “I’ve never really felt empty or like I was deprived of something,” she said. “It’s more like sometimes I wonder what it’s like for people who have dads just because I’ve never really had a close male figure in my life. But as far as parenting goes, we have a very complete family.”

Ultimately, Rose feels that having gay parents does not make her family different from others.

“Yeah, I have two moms, but there’s nothing that pegs my family down,” she said. “We’re just a normal family.” ­—Written by Chaewon Lee.

Ally Gong

Friday, January 24, 2014

13

Sister, sister: the bigger the better?

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, around 40 percent of all marriages end in divorce, affecting roughly every other citizen, including sophomore Tiffany Yang.

Yang’s parents officially got divorced in December 2013, but the process took approximately three years to complete. “When the divorce trial started, in the beginning of eighth grade, that was the hardest part,” Yang said. “They were together for 25 years, and I grew up with that.”

The divorce brought change, both bad and good. The separation of Yang’s parents makes her feel caught in the middle. “It’s hard because I want to talk to my dad, but sometimes I feel like I can’t because there’s that tension between them and I live with my mom,” she said.

“I don’t want to feel like I’m betraying her.”

Although the separation of her parents was difficult, Yang became more self-reliant and emotionally stable. “I think I became a stronger person and now I’m extremely independent,” Yang said. “I think divorces always make people stronger.”

Not only did Yang become more self-sufficient, but her relationship with her two older brothers also strengthened. Yang says that her brothers were there to support her during the adversity, and the experience brought them closer together. “Vincent helped a lot, and Andrew was kind of like my second dad,” she said. “They would try and shelter me from everything.

That’s why I’m close with them.”

Since Yang’s mother has full custody, Yang has gotten much closer with her. She mentioned that although the divorce was difficult, her mother was able to become a more successful parent. “[She] has stepped forward a lot because she had to take care of three kids by herself being a single mom,” Yang said.

Without her dad, Yang has gained more independence since the divorce. “Before, life was a lot more strict,” Yang said. “I was way more restricted. I couldn’t sleep over because I was a daddy’s girl, so he wouldn’t let me do anything. Now I live with my mom and since there’s only one parent, rules become more flexible and I gain freedom.”

However, the absence of her dad was bittersweet, as it also affected activities that she used to do with him. “I used to golf with my dad, but now I just golf with my friends or by myself,” Yang said. “I still play golf, but not nearly as much as I used to when my parents were still married.”

Additionally, the divorce changed Yang’s attitude towards relationships and love. “Now, I’m kind of cynical on the outlook of marriage,” Yang said. “I kind of think that it’s really rare to find your ‘one true match.’ I don’t know if I’ll find the one guy that I’m going to be with forever, ‘cause forever is a long time.”

Yang also mentioned that while dealing with a divorce can be a difficult experience, it does not mean she is not okay. “Often I get, ‘Are you okay?’” Yang said.

“I absolutely hate getting that question because people assume that just because your parents are divorced, you’re broken. It’s a sensitive question and it’s nice, but it’s just like, ‘Yes, I’m fine!’”

—Written by Lisa Hao

Stepha nie K im

Sophomore Tiffany yang: divorced parents

and Yuki K lotz-Bur well .

Ally Gong

“Family is family. Whether it’s the one you start out with, the one you end up with, or the family you gain along the way.”

–Gloria Pritchett (from Modern Family)

Shawna Chen When my two sisters and I were younger, our rivalry was all about who ran to the car first, who finished her dinner first, who climbed into bed first. But as we grew up, “first” was replaced by “best,” and now, it is the awards for which we compete. Though Ashley at 11 has not yet entered our race, 13-year-old Tiffany has already edged past me in many different ways.

Our tangle began with music and writing, two activities we both discovered around the same time. Her poetry was what kicked off the rivalry. She has always been a writer, but when she showed me a poem she wrote for a contest, I was floored. She had a talent for creating images in your head while mastering prose and fluency all at once. I’d tried my hand at poetry before but had not succeeded, and it was slightly discomforting to witness my sister’s superiority.

Soon, the tortoise seemed to surpass the hare in musical talents as well. One day, Tiffany stopped by my room as I was practicing a new piece. “Kreisler? I thought it sounded familiar.”

Turns out, she’d already mastered the music I was just beginning to learn.

My parents had high aspirations for my sister; they wanted her to have the best teacher, orchestra and performances. They were content with me just getting by, and somehow, that made it even worse, as if they didn’t expect me to go above and beyond and succeed. But their intentions were never to provoke or sadden, so my jealousy reflected badly within the family, and rightfully so. I wanted to be the best in their eyes, and now that my sister was catching up, I was pea green with envy. In hindsight, it was unfair to my sister and to me, since I should have been focusing on my own strengths instead of pining after hers.

I finally realized the extent of my jealousy while on vacation in Sea Ranch, when Tiffany and I decided to take a dip in the spa. Lighthearted teasing soon developed into a deep, heart-baring conversation. Then, Tiffany quietly told me, “I’m not trying to best you. I want to be as good as you, too,” and immediately, I felt like the villain. Here I was, pitying my selfish self while my sister was having just as hard a time living up to expectations. At the end of that talk, we promised each other we’d work hard to be all we could be in our respective areas of strength.

Because of the competition aspect, our relationship has grown. Since pressure never strays far from our minds, the sweet, uncompetitive moments we share have become that much more precious. When we scare our youngest sister together, dance crazily to John Newman’s “Love Me Again” and tickle our dog to death—these are the moments I treasure the most. It sounds sappy, but our rivalry showed me that what I need to focus on isn’t whether I’m better at writing or more talented in music; it’s whether we’re smiling together or laughing with each other.

At the end of the day, I’m okay with the sibling rivalry in my family. Not only does it give me incentive to push myself and tackle on challenges, but it also gives me an appreciation for the sisterly interactions in which we engage when competition is completely out of our minds. Our paths will diverge as we delve more into our individual interests, and sometimes I can’t wait for the competition to fade, but I know it has helped me love all that we do, no matter what we win or lose.

Ultimately, I’ll be proud of all that they achieve, but I’ll always be most proud of being able to call them both my sisters.

—Chen, a sophomore, is a reporter.

14

Sports

THEORACLE

5

1

Steps to an Aerial with sophomore Alex Kim

4 5

2 3

Look at the ground. Raise your arms while jumping forward off of your nondominant leg.

Plant your dominant leg in front in a deep lunge. Your chest should be forward and down as the back leg lifts up.

Whip your back leg up and push off of your dominant leg to bring yourself into the air.

Let the momentum carry you around while swinging your arms towards your thighs.

To stick the landing, bring your back leg down and snap your upper body back to the upright position in a whipping motion.

—Compiled by Arjun Sahdev

Photo by Audey Shen

Sports

Friday, January 24, 2014

15

Senior Zoe Zwerling

Boys’ Basketball

After a first-place finish in Central Coast Section (CCS) last year, the girls’ basketball team is 3-1 in the league and 4-2 overall. After a spectacular season last year, expectations are high for the girls. “Coming into the season we had big shoes to fill,” junior Paige Ogawa said. “A lot of people doubted us, but as the season has progressed we’ve really come together. We’re stronger than ever.”

The team has high hopes for the upcoming season. “We are really using this time to refine our skills and execution. We’re also preparing physically putting in extra time lifting and conditioning,” Ogawa said. They are putting in their full effort in order to follow up their spectacular performance from last year, and also urge students to cheer for them as they reach for the CCS champion title again. The Lady Titans will play against Mountain View on Tuesday, Jan. 28 in the Titan Gym.

Girls’ Basketball

Winter sports stay fierce halfway through season Currently ranked third in the El Camino League, the boys’ basketball team is 2-2 in its league and 10-5 overall.

The team has been working hard on refining its technique and improving its overall performance this season.

“We don’t focus on just winning,” head coach Brandynn Williams said. “We focus on working hard and getting better and we know that if we do that winning will come.” Williams encourages the student body to attend all the home games in order to cheer for the team and boost overall morale. “When we play at home with friends and family cheering, we play a lot harder and do really well,” Williams said.

The team plays its next game at Gunn against t he f i f t h- s e e d e d team Monta Vista on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Junior Chris Russell

Audey Shen

Junior Guy Kasznik

Boys’ Soccer

Eight games into t he season, t he girls’ soccer team has a record of 4-2-2 and is in very good form coming out of pre-league play. Gunn is currently 0-1-1 in the El Camino League and hopes to win. Co-captain senior Michelle Carson thinks the team will improve its performance in the Santa Clara Varsity Athletic League (SCVAL).

“In the future I think we will win our games, but we will have to work hard,” Carson said.

The Titans have a full roster of 26 players, with few changes from last year. “I think our team is really strong this year because we only lost two seniors last year, so there is already that strong bond,” co-captain senior Ming Ming Liu said.

The team’s next game will be against Wilcox on Jan. 27 at home.

Girls’ Soccer

Junior Kastania Dahlen

Audey Shen

Almost halfway through the season, the boys’ soccer team has an overall record of 3-5-1.

Senior Paco Covarrubias is confident better results will come; it is just a matter of time b efore the team can establish chemistr y. “We have a bunch of really good individuals and if we can just work as a team, we will be a really good team,” Covarrubias said.

He thinks the team could improve on its defense.

“It starts by doing well in practice, focusing and then executing during the games,” Covarrubias said.

The team will be playing its next game against Wilcox on Monday, Jan. 27, at Wilcox High School.

Anthony Tran

Anthony Tran

The varsity wrestling te am won 6 5 - 1 2 ag ai nst S a l i nas Hi g h School, lost 44-33 against Fremont, and won 50-27 against Los Gatos. “We will be very ready by the time the league tournament arrives,” wrestling coach Christopher Horpel said. “That is our qualifier for CCS and the CCS is our qualifier for state.”

Senior Stephen Martin is aiming for state championships.

According to him, the team improves after every match and learns from one another. “The main reward lies in the triumph of confronting challenges no matter how things pan out,” Martin said. “It’s about learning to not to fear taking a risk, even when you have an audience watching you.”

L a s t y e a r, s e n i o r C a d e n c e L e e h e l p e d t h e t e a m p l a c e f o u r t h i n t h e CCS Championship and believes the team can do it again. “We take the season step by step and just focus on how we can improve ourselves in the next dual or tournament,” Lee said. “With this mentality, I think the team has the ability to place in the CCS tournament.”

—Written by Ian Cramer, Matthew Hamilton and Prachi Kale.

Wrestling

Sophomore Tanner Kerrins

Anthony Tran

Sports 16 Sports For Your Personality Type THEORACLE

Do you have good balance?

Do you like animals?

Yes

Yes

Do you lift weights often?

No

No

No

Yes Are you an outdoor person?

Are you a strategist?

Equestrian Sports Yes

No

Yes

No Are you sure?

Equestrian sports range from traditional horseback riding to horseback gymnastics, also known as equestrian vaulting. The performer must have a sense of balance coupled with a feel for the horse’s movements.

Yes

Curling

Yes

Do you like cold temperatures?

No

No

Snowboarding Snowboarders must be steady on their feet.

While maneuvering their way down steep, icy slopes in cold weather, snowboarders are at a relative risk for bumps and bruises.

Ping Pong Surfing

Martial Arts This indoor sport will teach you strength and balance where you lack it. In most forms of martial arts, success depends more on how you use your body than how you build it up.

Nicknamed “chess on ice,” it combines both strength and strategy. Using “brooms,” curlers work in a team to slide heavy polished stones into target circles in an ice rink.

This outdoor sport is similar to snowboarding in its thrill and in the fact that the athletes need a good sense of balance, although hitting the water doesn’t hurt quite as much as hitting the snow.

Popular in Asia, this indoor sport requires dexterity and speed but relatively little muscle power.

Though the sport may look simple in the arcade room, professional players can send a tiny plastic ping-pong ball flying at more than 50 miles per hour.

— Compiled by Rachel Lew Graphics by Dave Zhu

Sports

Friday, January 24, 2014

17

The Oracle staffers predict NFL Super Bowl champions Broncos

Seahawks

Justin Wenig Reporter

A Seattle victory may not be the popular opinion in the Bay Area, but I see the Seattle Seahawks winning the Super Bowl over the Denver Broncos.

The Seahawks are simply more talented than the Broncos.

On offense, the Broncos probably have a slight edge, with all-world quarterback Pey ton Manning and more than five legitimate receiving threats. Denver’s offense is one of the most intimidating offenses in recent National Football League (NFL) histor y. T he Sea hawk s, however, also have a great offense. If Russell Wilson does not t u rn t he ba l l over, something

he rarely does, it will give plenty of opportunities to Ma rshaw n Lynch, who may be the b e s t pl ayoff running back any of us

Dave Zhu

has ever seen. The Seahawks also have a talented receiving core that is just a notch below Denver’s.

The real difference between the two teams is on defense. The Broncos’ defense is by no means bad, but it also isn’t elite. They have an aging secondary and their best player, Von Miller, is out for the season. During the playoffs, Denver’s defense has had a hard time controlling the pass game, and by no means has shown dominance.

In contrast, the Seahawks defense is unbelievable. They were ranked first in the league this season and have performed even better in the playoffs.

Their pass defense is so good that they are on the same level of pass defending that Manning was at this season. With Richard Sherman at the helm, I don’t see the Seahawks defense giving up more than 25 points.

As is often the case, the Super Bowl is a complete crapshoot.

The game will consist of t wo te a m s t h at h ave fought hard enough to get to the pinnacle of NFL success. Both teams will be fully rested and convinced that they will dominate the other team.

Usually the difference comes down to the talent level, and that is why I give the slight edge to the Seahawks with the best defense in the league over the Broncos with the offense in the league.

— Wenig, a junior, is a reporter.

Leon Cheong Forum Editor

Seattle’s offense. In the postseason, the Broncos defense has done phenomenally well; it was able to shut down run games that were terrifying.

New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount, who ran for 166 yards and a whopping four touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round, was held to a meager six yards and no touchdowns against the Denver defense in the conference championship. The Broncos should have no trouble handling Marshawn Lynch in the Super Bowl.

Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio did a fantastic job of shutting down the air game as well; touchdowns were scored against the Broncos only when he put in the Prevent Defense towards the end games. Russell Wilson will need his best form if he will want to compete against the Broncos.

U lt i m ately, t he biggest strength that the Broncos have going for them is offense. While the game will be decided on the defense, Manning will bring all he has into the Super Bowl. With an average of over eight yards per passing attempt and 340 yards per game, Manning’s performance should be spectacular. The Broncos will especially be in full force with the receiving corps in full health to give the Legion of Boom a hard time.

Come Super Bowl Sunday, we will know what happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object. For the first time in National Football League (NFL) history, the best offense and the best defense, in yards and scoring, will face off in the big one.

This is the most important game of Peyton Manning’s career. As he comes close to retirement, another Super Bowl victory may give him the “Greatest of All Time” title. But a looming question awaits: does defense win championships? The Seattle Seahawks have played some of the most impressive defense this season. They are seventh in the league against rushing and first in the league against t he passing ga me, thanks to the legendary Legion of Boom. Not to mention that Seattle’s offensive talent Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch are both a Ground-and-Pound threat.

Despite this, it looks as though the Broncos are the most likely champions for the 2013 NFL season.

While the main battle will be fought between the mighty Denver offense and Seattle defense, the game will be won on the other side— Dave Zhu between Denver’s defense and

— Cheong, a senior, is a Forum Editor.

18

THEORACLE

Entertainment

Sitcoms distort viewers’ perception of reality The Oracle staffers recommend TV shows from Netflix streaming Esther Kozakevich Admit it: when you feel sad, binge watching shows is your therapy. Whether it’s seeing Ross and Rachel get back together and break up again on “Friends” or being reminded continuously on “How I Met Your Mother” that you hate Ted and his constant whining (seriously Ted, get it together), TV gives you an escape from the real world, even if it’s for a brief twenty minutes. You get engrossed in the imaginary lives of these characters and you feel like you’re there through their struggles and hardships. And although sometimes you learn from their mistakes, are the lessons we learn from sitcoms always true? Here are some of the things I learned from my favorite shows.

Where to begin? Oh, “How I Met Your Mother,” how I love you so. You have put me through a lot these past years, and coping with your ending will be hard. First of all, you taught me that informing your children of all your sexual escapades over the span of nine years is perfectly normal, if not encouraged. Your children would rather do nothing else than sit on a couch and listen to you complain about every woman who has ever let you down, including the one you made eye contact with for two seconds on the subway that one time. “Friends,” “That 70s Show” and basically any other sitcom in the history of the world has taught me that everyone in the world has a close-knit group of friends that they do everything with and tell everything to. This supportive group of friends will also come with a super cool hangout spot like a basement or a coffee shop. Along with that, “That 70s Show” taught me that dating every single guy in your friend group is acceptable and encouraged (I’m looking at you, Jackie).

“The Office” taught me that any time somebody in your vicinity acts stupid or ignorant, there will be a secret camera to capture your shocked and hysterical reaction. Finally, “The Big Bang Theory” taught me that being an arrogant jerk and pushing away everyone who loves you will definitely not impact your life negatively. In fact, acting this way will ensure a strong group of friends with a cool hangout spot (definitely not a common trend) as well as a girl who loves you.

In all seriousness, sometimes it’s easy to laugh about the ridiculousness of the shows that we love. But among other things, sitcoms ruin our perception of reality by turning undesirable character traits into lovable quirks.

Unfortunately, life does not work that way.

Sitcoms tell us in every show that we will always have people by our sides, even if we act stupid, selfish or arrogant all the time. In the real world, a person like Sheldon Cooper or Michael Kelso or Nick Miller from “New Girl” would not be able to make and maintain loving relationships with anyone. I realize that not everyone takes television as seriously as I do, and this observation in no way undermines the brilliance of these sitcoms.

But keep this in mind next time you become engrossed in a show. While the characters on screen will not experience consequences for their actions, you most likely will if you choose to not work on your own flaws.

—Kozakevich, a junior, is a reporter.

Grey’s Anatomy (2005-present)

House of Cards (2013-present)

“Grey’s Anatomy” is a medical drama that revolves around a group of doctors and residents at a hospital in Seattle.

The show shows you what life is like as a surgeon.

Political thrillers don’t get much better than this. An alarmingly dark portrait of Washington politics, this show is sure to hook you from its first, unforgettable scene.

Futurama (1999-2013)

Scrubs (2001-2010)

“Futurama” is an animated science fiction sitcom that is good to watch any time. It follows the daily lives of the Planet Express workers and the ordeals they go through in each episode.

“Scrubs” is a comedy show set in the fictitious Sacred Heart hospital. The show follows JD and his associates as they go through their daily lives at the hospital.

—Compiled by Nabeel Chollampat, Alex Man and Regina Tran

Cinema

Graphics by Dave Zhu

Top 5 Movies of 2013 1. 12 Years a Slave

“12 Years a Slave” reveals the horrors of slavery as effectively as any film released in the modern era. Stunningly crafted and hard-hitting, “12 Years a Slave” stands without a doubt as 2013’s most impressive cinematic achievement.

2. Fruitvale Station

“Fruitvale Station” was perhaps the most emotionally raw cinematic experience of 2013. The film impeccably examines the last hours of slain San Franciscan train passenger Oscar Grant in a simultaneously celebratory and critical manner.

3. The Wolf of Wall Street

Leonardo DiCaprio gives the finest performance of his career as a drugged-out, crooked tycoon in the most entertaining film of the year. “The Wolf of Wall Street” accomplishes the dual task of evoking gleeful hilarity and making the audience as uncomfortable as possible.

4. Her

Perhaps the most socially relevant film to grace the silver screen this past year, “Her” thrives by somehow rendering its premise, involving a writer who falls in love with his computer’s artificial operative system, a plausible one.

5. Inside Llewyn Davis

Some viewers might be put off by the fact that “Inside Llewyn Davis” places style over plot in focusing on a New York folk singer who’s down on his luck.

But the film marks yet another treat from the Coen Brothers and one that should have been rewarded far more heavily by the Academy.

For more top movies of 2013, visit walkofframe.com —Compiled by Cooper Aspegren

Carolyn Zhou

19 Revealed: secrets of a fellow procrastinator

Entertainment Isaac Wang reporter

Ever notice how you never see superheroes procrastinate? I mean, you’ve probably never heard Batman say, “Only minutes to save Gotham from nuclear destruction? Sounds urgent… but I wonder what’s in the fridge....” I’ve always thought that if movie directors really wanted to make a hero to whom audiences could relate, they’d have one who procrastinates all the time.

His name would be something mundane like “Steve, the Average Joe,” and he’d have 24 hours to save the world, but spend the first 23-and-a-half shut up in his bedroom, eating junk food and watching reruns of Friends.

As you may have gathered, the purpose of this article is to teach you how to end your difficulties with procrastination (or as I like to call it, “extreme time management”). But why should you take advice from me, a self-admitted procrastinator? Because I alone have plunged into the deepest pits of laziness, taken dillydallying to extents you couldn’t imagine and lived to tell the tale. I’ve been told, “Just get a planner, and stay organized!” as many times as you have, and I understand that it will take more than a couple of binder reminders to save people like you and me. I can teach you to master the monster that is procrastination, to take charge of your own life—that is, if you’re brave enough to try.

You’ve surely heard the saying, “no pain, no gain.” I’ll tell you now that I take those words very literally. My first method of reducing procrastination involves placing yourself in dangerous/potentially life-threatening situations that can only be escaped by completing whatever assignment you’re putting off—be it sitting in an enclosed tank that gradually fills with water

Friday, January 24, 2014

until you solve 15 geometry problems, or being pinned down beneath a slowly descending chainsaw that will stop for nothing but an in-depth analysis of how the US economy was affected by World War II, written in complete sentences and using examples from the text.

Nothing is quite so

as classical conditioning. You’ll need to select two food items—one to serve as an incentive and another for punishment. In my case I used Starburst candies and peanuts, to which I’m allergic. Over the course of a few months, every time I completed a project I’d reward myself with a piece of candy, and whenever I put off an assignment to do something like watch television, I’d pop a peanut in my mouth (normally followed by several Benadryls).

By doing this repeatedly, my mind formed a link between the negative behavior (procrastinating) and a negative effect (swollen face and trip to the hospital) while also being taught to associate productivity with a delicious explosion of fruity Starburst flavor. After a certain period I began to lose the ability to distinguish what was causing what, to the point where I could hardly say the words “I’ll do it later” without breaking into hives. Now having followed this method myself Paige Anderson for the past semester, I can honestly say that homework has never tasted so good. motivating as the threat of serious physical injury, Anyone can stop procrastinating; the trick is doing wouldn’t you say? Before trying this productivity- it now. I hope reading this has helped make you a more enhancing technique, make sure you have a trustworthy productive person. friend to assist you (though a mortal enemy may be more willing).

My second method utilizes what is commonly known —Wang, a junior, is a reporter.

Gunn students share items on their bucket list 1.

Learn how to surf.

—junior Nieku Barkhordarian

2.

Learn to fly a helicopter.

—junior Everett Spackman

3.

Go backpacking across Europe.

—sophomore Rachel Gates

1.

4.

Eat an entire chicken.

— —freshman Chloe Sorenson

5.

—

6.

Take a bike ride around New York City.

—freshman Anaiya Raisinghani Sit in courtside seats at an NBA game.

— —freshman Tim Sun

7.

Date Ariana Grande.

— —senior Faramarz Munshi

8. —

Find the end of a rainbow.

—sophomore Tia Cheunkarndee —Compiled by Matt Niksa

Ally Gong

20

Entertainment

The future of technology

The Oracle staffers predict the future of tech gadgets using a Jetson-like mindset Sola

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—Compiled by Mitch Donat, Erica Lee and Arjun Sahdev Graphics by Jasmine Garnett and Anton Oyung