The Oracle (Feb. 2009)

Features

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Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, CA 94306 Palo Alto Unified School District

NON-PROFIT ORG

The Oracle covers the historical Inauguration

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Volume 45

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PA I D

Check out the bacteria at Gunn

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Ultimate Frisbee flies onto campus

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Construction at Gunn

Maverick Mallari

Some students, staff members and classroom activities have been affected by the ongoing construction.

Construction changes classes’ workspaces and procedures Joyce Liu Features Editor

The Industrial Arts (IA) building is set to be renovated as soon as the Gunn Robotics Team (GRT) finishes building their robot in mid to late February.

Students in automotive technology, journalism and video production all moved out of the IA building and into portables before winter break, and parts of GRT have moved into RC-8. The construction workers are currently working in the unoccupied rooms, disconnecting the fire alarms, removing asbestos and doing electrical work. Construction was originally planned to start at the end of

the semester, but that required GRT to move out while it was in the process of building the robots. According to GRT team leader senior Manyu Belani, staying in the IA building was important because that is where the workshop with all of the equipment and materials needed to build the robots is, and building in RC-8 was not possible.

At first, the district did not allow GRT to stay in the IA building. According to Belani, it was a firm decision, one that GRT advisor Bill Dunbar could not change despite his protest. During November and December of 2008, parents, students and alumni of GRT wrote personal letters to school board members asking the district

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Monday, February 9, 2009

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Permit #44 Palo Alto, Calif.

to reconsider its decision because it would greatly hinder GRT building its robots.

After receiving the letters, the school board was able to reverse the decision.

When the classes moved out before winter break, GRT also moved out of one of its rooms and into the “swing space,” or what GRT named RC-8. “We now have more floor space,” Belani said. “The biggest change for us is to have the team split up in two rooms. We use the swing space as a nice, quiet place to work, and that’s where all the computers are, where we can do CAD [computer-aided drafting] and the animations. There are also some small machine tools there.” However, there are still some disadvantages with working in CONSTRUCTION—p.2

Football coaches step down from positions Alvin Man & Niki Mata

Reporter & Features Editor

Head football coach Matt McGinn and assistant coach Brian Tuomy officially resigned at the end of the 2008 football season after coaching for three and seven years, respectively. A new coaching staff headed by Bob Sykes, who last coached at MenloAtherton (M-A), will take over next season.

During the last football season, parents raised concerns that provoked Athletic Director Chris Horpel to look into reevaluating the football program.

The previous coaching staff was composed of three adult coaches–McGinn, Tuomy and assistant coach Mark Weisman well as recent high school and college graduates. The administration and Horpel discussed making changes to the program, such as getting more adult coaches who would have more experience and making the team more inclusive.

“Ultimately, I felt the program would be better served with a new head coach and I strongly urged our current staff to continue as assistant coaches,” Horpel said. “I also felt we needed separate adult coaching staffs for our varsity frosh-soph teams.”

According to McGinn, Horpel had other changes in mind for the program on which they did not see eye-to-eye, including reducing off-season work outs and eliminating the mandatory 10-day practice in the spring so that students would only have to attend regular spring practice, which he felt would lower team standards. McGinn, however, felt that it was more important to have players who were in shape and prepared to play football, rather than having a larger number of players. According to McGinn, he and Horpel simply had different opinions about how the program should be run. “Essentially, we just had philosophical differences,” McGinn said.

The administration also became involved in evaluating the football program. According to McGinn, they backed Horpel and gave McGinn and the coaching staff little support in finding a solution. The situation was not improving, so Horpel asked McGinn to step down as head coach or take the position of FOOTBALL—p.21

Eating disorder issues brought into Gunn spotlight English teacher organizes first National Eating Disorder Awareness week on campus, Feb. 23 to 27 Libby Craig Editor-in-Chief

According to English teacher Kristina Gossard, one in three women have disordered eating, along with one in seven men. Additionally, she said, students are most prone to eating disorders during transition periods—like between high school and college—however, the disorders can affect them their entire lives. To this end, Gossard will host Gunn’s first ever National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW) from Feb. 23 to 27.

Gossard’s battle with her own eating disorder, which was diagnosed when she was 19 and treated last summer,

spurred her activism for the cause. “My experience with it has allowed me to see that it is a much bigger issue than people think,” she said. Gossard became involved with the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) last year. NEDA created the awareness week, and according to its website, the mission of the week is to “prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment.”

Activities will be held each day at lunch in V-6, including a discussion led by a nutritionist on how to eat right for your body type, a documentary showing about the healing process and an informational session about how to identify

and treat eating disorders.

NEDA member Nan Dellheim will visit Gunn on Tuesday at lunch to speak about the role of body image in society. Dellheim wrote the “How I Look Journal,” a journal for middle school students to help them feel comfortable in their own skin. “Negative body image has become pervasive by middle school with almost 80 percent of girls reporting that they ‘feel fat’ even though most are not fat,” Dellheim said. “This has resulted in a dramatic increase in disordered eating, obsessive exercise and smoking for weight control, and because of the link between body image and self-esteem, this phenomena can also play a role in

EATING DISORDER—p.4

WASC appraises Gunn’s performance

Teachers, administration concerned over ban

Palo Alto chosen as Most Educated

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The Oracle

NEWSBITES Palo Alto has been named one of the top ten most educated small towns in the nation in a recent Forbes report. Other cities that made the top ten list include Wellesley, MA; McLean, VA; Los Altos, CA; Lexington, MA; Potomac, MD and West Lafayette, IN. The top ten list was compiled by dividing the number of graduate degrees by the city’s adult population. Higher degrees were weighted more and a final average was given for each location.

Common trends that existed among many of the top ten cities included location near major universities, low unemployment rates, high salaries and high median property values. In Palo Alto, the unemployment rate is only 3.8 percent, while only 3.3 percent of residents live below the poverty level.

The Palo Alto Arts, Parks and Recreation department organizes community theaters, an annual film festival and an art center.

On Jan. 21, the Instruction Counsel (IC) met with Superintendent Kevin Skelly and Principal Noreen Likins to discuss a note added to the 20092010 and 2010-2011 district calendars stating that homework would not be assigned during winter break. The IC addressed concerns by staff members over whether the note overstepped the power of the school board.

The calendar was drafted by the calendar committee, a biannual meeting of representatives from the Palo Alto Educators Association, the California School Employees Association and the Palo Alto Unified School District. On Oct. 28, it was unanimously approved by the school board. “No assignments should be given over the winter break, and any long-term assignments given before winter break should not be due during the first week back from the break,” the statement read.

Teachers and administrators became concerned over the school board’s imposition. “I think there was a feeling that they were meddling in our classrooms,” Science Department Instruction Supervisor Lettie Weinmann said. “But the school board is ultimately responsible for what happens in our classrooms.”

School Board President Dana Tom argued that the decision to add the note was not enforceable, merely a recommendation. “It’s not a school board policy, the difference is between a suggestion and a law,” Tom said.

This year, Gunn will undergo assessment by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an organization dedicated to judging the education schools give to their students. In order to assess, WASC must prepare evaluations and set goals for Gunn. “The teachers, other students and I use evidence from other classes to prove that Gunn is a high school worthy of accreditation for the next six years,” senior Monica Datta said.

The WASC visiting committee, consisting of seven teachers and principals from other schools, will evaluate Gunn. To prepare for the committee’s arrival, students and teachers have met once a month to discuss Gunn’s future growth and goals. “During the meetings, we brainstorm and discuss strengths and areas of growth, and how those may be achieved,” Datta said.

The WASC visiting committee will interview random teachers and students about Gunn and evaluate teachers and student work. In the past, Gunn has not failed the accreditation process; the last examination was in 2003. WASC accreditation is a certification to the public that the school is a trustworthy institution of learning.

The WASC organization at Gunn now waits for the committee. “WASC has just finished pulling together our school report,” senior Ahmad Fayad said, “Now the process will involve the actual WASC team coming and checking out what our school does.”

—Compiled by Emily Glider, Alvin Man and Ryan Tan

Campus continues to improve with construction

enough chairs, and for the 58 students but this problem was resolved by folding chairs that the school brought in. Automotive tech (Auto) was another class that changed dramatically due to the construction. Auto teacher Mike Camicia and his students spent two months moving their materials and equipment from the IA building into portable T-11.

Although the school did offer movers, they moved essentially only the desks and textbooks. “They originally gave us cardboard boxes and labels, and I’m thinking, ‘How are we supposed to fit 14 engines into cardboard boxes?’” Camicia said. “But it was better that we moved the stuff ourselves because we knew where things were going and things didn’t get lost.” While they were moving, it was almost like opening up a time capsule. “I’d never emptied the room before,” Camicia said. “We found paperwork from the 1960s and magazines from 1955.”

Auto officially moved out of the IA building before winter break and the class has had to study more bookwork and videos and become less hands-on, according to Camicia. Nonetheless, there are some perks to being in the new classroom. According to Camicia, the old Auto classroom was very crowded, and there was no walking space between the desks. “Our current Auto room [T-11] is almost twice and large, and I’m using a whiteboard. I even have a projector,” he said. The old Auto room had a chalkboard that Camicia used for 12 years and no projector.

Maverick Mallari Camicia said he is looking forward to the new building.

Two construction workers labors over the work site. “Excited is an understatement,” he said. “The Auto program next year will be great because the facilities will be top-notch, The new building is scheduled to finish in 2010. n CONSTRUCTION UPDATE, from p. 1

two rooms,” he said.“Things happen a little slower and breakthroughs reverberate through shop slower than before.” In addition to communicating between the two rooms, GRT members have also developed ways to travel between the rooms more efficiently. “There has definitely been a culture change in GRT,” Belani said. “After school you’ll see people scootering or biking from the workshop to the swing space.” Although GRT currently has more space due to having two rooms, that will change once the IA building is finished. “After construction, our floor space actually decreases,” Belani said. “But it will be really nice for future teams. Right now, the voltage drops in the whole building when the welder is turned on.”

Maverick Mallari

The Komatsu back hoe tears down away at the old facilities making way for the new grounds.

Maverick Mallari

The newly constructed baseball field boasts a turf infield, erected fences and new bleachers.

For students in broadcast, relocating to RC-7, adjacent to the “swing space,” caused many changes in producing morning announcements. “The room feels three times smaller,” sophomore Paula Jung said. “We don’t have room to move around. We feel really restricted to do what we usually do.” The actual filming studio can only fit about six people at the maximum, and they had to remove the orange table that the anchors used to have in front of them in order to save space. “The anchors need to sit on stools, and it looks pretty bad,” Jung said.

In addition to coping with the lack of space, broadcast students have also had to work harder on communicating with one another. “There used to be a window between the people controlling the computers and the people filming, so we could use hand signals in addition to headsets,” Jung said. “Now we don’t have a window, so we need to be very clear when we’re communicating with the headsets.” Nevertheless, moving has allowed the broadcast crew to rethink their set design. “With the brand new room, our class will get to decide the new look and feel of TBN,” Jung said “We get to make a ‘new us.’”

Students of The Oracle also need to cope with their smaller room T-9, formerly known as P-20 and the PC lab, which it shares with the video production and web classes. These students also moved out before winter break, but the room became more cramped with the addition of 15 new reporters at the start of second semester.

During the beginning of the semester, there were not

we’ll get in real quick and the students will be able to help decide where things are put and start using the new room. Next year will definitely be the year to take Auto.” In addition, Camicia said he hopes to have a better workspace by having large tables instead of individual desks in the new room. “The school is going to hear what I want,” he said. “If you don’t speak up, don’t fight for it, it won’t happen.” According to Camicia, they will have a phase move-in, and Auto will move back into the IA building as soon as the room is finished, even if other rooms in the building are not done.

The new IA building is scheduled to be fully completed in January 2010 and will have two new biotechnology classrooms in addition to the GRT room, automotive tech room, journalism and video production room originally there. The school started its master plan process last year, and is currently deciding on future construction projects. The master plan committee consists of administrators and instructional supervisors who meet with architects to discuss constructions plans and costs. No final decisions have been made, but the first priority of the master plan committee is to have more classroom space as the student population increases. This could mean constructing a two-story building in the Village, which could start construction as early as July 2010. The ultimate decision will lie with the school board.

In the meantime, members of the community can participate in some of the master plan meetings to voice their opinions.

Sites that were recently unveiled are the baseball and softball fields. According to Jacoubowsky, the soccer field will not be available until April because of the hydroseeding and waiting until the rainy season ends. “We are essentially just waiting and watching the grass grow,” Jacoubowsky said.

News

Monday, February 9, 2009

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Greed, lack of regulation spur financial crisis iar with the background of our current situation. In a time ments,” essentially clearing the shaky loans as something when the end is uncertain, a firm grasp of the concepts is else and pushing the responsibility away. This act of providNews Editor & Managing Editor necessary to understand, reflect upon and evaluate today’s ing loans to borrowers who do not meet guidelines, who national and global events. In this issue, The Oracle de- cannot even pay back, is called subprime lending.

Unless you have just emerged out of a cave, you scribes in plain English the shaky foundation upon which Many Americans opted for subprime mortgages, have probably heard that America is now in a our economy has crumbled. thinking that once they made all the money from home recession (also known as The Financial While there is not a single isolated cause of the crisis, value increases, they would eventually pay back the debt.

Crisis). Students hear parents most economists agree that greed is the overarching cul- At first people made money with this method, but some and teachers talk about the prit. The American economy relies on credit to grow, but wanted even more. Hundreds of thousands wanted to cash nation’s economy, but when credit goes unimpeded, the economy can spin out in on the housing market, and soon, virtually all mortgage few a r e actually of control. When greed took over in the housing market, guidelines were ignored; brokers had no reason not to famil- mortgage loans, a type of credit, became overwhelmingly give you a loan. But, as we have seen, these empty loans untrustworthy. would eventually self-destruct, and in 2008, thousands of Here’s what happened: when the housing mortgages defaulted. market was booming, buyers were taking Banks and firms lost huge amounts of money, which out solid loans to finance their newly- pulled the drain on the subprime mortgage cycle—there purchased homes. But as home values was no more money left to loan people. Housing prices steadily increased, more and more spiraled down from the peak levels of 2006 and 2007. Some buyers took to investing in prop- homeowners abandoned their mortgages, while others erty—even those who were fi- were forced to leave with foreclosures. American credit nancially unable to support lost its value, and the economy stopped expanding—in a Ryan Tan On Dec. 1, 2008, neither the house nor word, recession.

Business Manager The National Bureau of the loan itself. MortSince the decline of the economy, the federal governEconomic Research degage brokers pack- ment has stepped in to “bail out” banks and firms that had Currently, there are 29 countries officially in eco- clared that the United States aged these risky lost money like Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup nomic recessions worldwide. A substantial number entered a recession in December loans as fanci- and Bank of America. The first of the $700 billion bailout of other countries have been affected as well by the 2007, citing production and unemful types of was issued when former president George W. Bush was ongoing economic crisis. A recession is marked by two ployment figures and third quarter “i nveststill in office. While it has kept some major banks continuous quarters of negative growth in a country’s decline in GDP. afloat, no one is sure where that money has been gross domestic product (GDP). A country’s GDP is the Since the U.S. housing crisis, the put to use, since the bailout did not stipulate market value of all final goods and services produced global economy has been affected greatly. banks to reveal its spending. Now, Presiin a country during a specified year.

Iceland almost went bankrupt when its major dent Barack Obama is pushing through Several indicators of an economic recession through- banks suffered tremendous losses. Iceland, which a second package, one aimed to res2008 out the industrialized world began to surface in 2008 depends mainly on its banking sector as its source cue and repair. The $815 billion with the emergence of high oil prices, high food prices, income, required a bailout from Russia.

Gross Domestic bill is currently in the Senate, a substantial credit crisis and rising unemployment.

Oil prices have been sinking lower and lower due and includes infrastructure In January 2008, oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel to speculators weary of energy usage. Organization of Product (GDP) plans for government for the first time in history, peaking in July at $147.30 a Petroleum Exporting Countries has consistently tried Quarterly Report spending, healthcare barrel before falling to below $35.00 at the end of 2008. to stabilize the price of oil, to no avail, as prices have service updates By the second half of 2008, the price of most com- fallen to as low as $20 per barrel. and more emermodities had lowered dramatically due to expectations In addition, the major stock markets of Hong Kong, gency funds Quarter 2: of diminished demand in a world recession. Trade fell Russia and Japan have all suffered major crashes. The for bail$11,727.4 billion and global inflation soared to historic levels. For many Dow Jones and National Association of Securities Dealouts. nations, domestic inflation rose to 10 to 20 year highs. ers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) have dropped to Furthermore, the International Labor Organization levels unseen before in decades.

Quarter 3: estimates that at least 20 million jobs will be lost in the China, home to the world’s fastest growing economy, $11,712.4 billion year 2009, bringing world unemployment to above 200 has seen its GDP growth shrink to about 7 percent, a million for the first time in history. drop of about 8 percent.

The U.S. recession stemmed from the subprime mortGovernments across the world have tried to stabilize gage crisis, a declining dollar value, the financial crisis of the problem of the crisis by injecting money into its 2007-2008 and a growing unemployment percentage rate. financial sectors. No major results have been seen so Quarter 4: On Sep. 5, 2008, the United States Department of Labor far. issued a report, which stated that the unemployment rate The only major country that has been weathering the $11,599.4 billion had risen to 6.1 percent, the highest in five years. economic crisis fairly well is Germany. The unemployTo counter the growing global recession, many coun- ment rate has remained relatively unchanged and its GDP tries such as China, the United States and those of the is fairly stable. Economic experts report that things may European Union have announced their own economic begin to improve beginning in the 2010. stimuli.

Jocelyn Ma & Tenny Zhang

Financial meltdown goes global

O

bama pushes stimulus package with new Congress

begins with a $75 billion injection into the economy in the form of tax cuts and direct Sarah Zubair spending by the people who need to do so Copy Editor most. The main objective of the plan is to improve the economy immediately as well To begin solving as in the long term. If the initial $75 billion the current economic crisis, President fails to improve the economy, Obama’s plan Barack Obama’s economic plan has taken reserves an additional $45 billion for another the center stage of his growing agenda. His jumpstart attempt. stimulus package for immediate economic However, social studies teacher Phil relief includes tax cuts for workers, relief for Lyons believes that Obama’s plan to further homeowners hit by the housing crisis and cut taxes is flawed. “I’m against tax cuts to expansion of unemployment insurance. stimulate the economy because Bush did “We need a middle-class tax cut now more this twice and neither one produced the than ever not five months from now or five multiplier effect that was hoped for,” Lyons weeks from now, but now,” Obama said. “I’m said. “People just saved the money or paid announcing a plan to jumpstart the economy off existing bills. Plus this will just make by putting money in the pockets of those who the national debt even worse.” Social studies need it most and will spend it quickly.,” he teacher Chris Johnson agrees. “Tax cuts are has said. good, but not at this time,” he said.

Obama’s economic revitalization plan In 2001 and 2003, former president George

W. Bush cut taxes to encourage spending among American citizens. But rather than the money circulating into the economy through material purchases, Americans who received tax cuts mostly used their rebates to pay off credit debts and bank loans. Obama proposes to cut taxes again with the hope that middleclass Americans will spend more to help stimulate the faltering economy. But Lyons believes that the government should address the mortgage crisis first. “If I controlled such matters, I would have the government take over shaky home mortgages and rewrite them,” he said. “Foreclosures must be halted, and banks need to start loaning again before we can expect any recovery to begin.”

With rates of growing unemployment steadily rising and citizens quickly becoming unable to maintain assets such as housing, some speculate that this economic crisis could spiral into a second Great Depression.

But Lyons disagrees. “The recession will definitely get worse, but won’t spiral into a depression,” he said. “This happened in the 1930s because of poor monetary policy (the supply of money was allowed to decrease), weak fiscal policy and the imposition of higher tariffs, which led to dramatically less international trade.”

While the worsening economic situation may seem bleak, Johnson has a different perspective. “After observing society and the economy for nearly a decade, I’ve always said we’ve needed a good economic emergency,” Johnson said. “People had and still have too much complacency, especially when it comes to major investments like houses. Now people will have to determine what they really need and make responsible financial decisions. I don’t mean to say my wish has come true, but this could really be a good thing in the long run.”

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The Oracle

The Oracle 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 http://gunn.pausd.org/oracle

Viruses run amuck, affect student networking Pop-ups and Facebook applications acting like viruses frustrate students

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Libby Craig Managing Editors Noah Johnson Tenny Zhang News Beth Holtzman Jocelyn Ma Carissa Ratanaphanyarat Forum Maya Itah Jon Proctor Features Joyce Liu Niki Mata Centerfold Amarelle Hanyecz Amy Yu Entertainment Danielle Edelman Veronica Polivanaya Sports Aviel Chang Wen Yi Chin Mari Ju Copy Editors Sophie Cheng Emily Glider Sarah-Jean Zubair Photo Ivan Yong Graphics Brian Phan

Staff Reporters Melissa Chan Jazreel Cheung Eugenah Chou Shaya Christensen Kevin Gao Henry Gens Tiffany Hu Sophia Jiang Stephanie Kennel Dana Li Joseph Lin Elaine Liu Alvin Man Nicola Park Matí Pluska-Renaud Rupali Raju Hannah Schwartz Annie Shuey Jeffrey Wang Bauer Wann May Wu Alice Yu Linda Yu Emily Zheng Business Managers Anne Hsiao Ryan Tan Circulation Managers Ann Abraham Danielle Aspitz Photographers Matthew Lee Henry Liu Maverick Mallari Philip Sun Cosmo Sung The Oracle is published by and for the students of Henry M. Gunn Senior High School. The unsigned editorials that appear in this publication represent the majority opinion of the editorial staff and The Oracle's commitment to promoting students' rights. The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor. Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Letters to the editor and ideas for coverage may be sent to gunnoracle@yahoo.com.

These letters and ideas need not be from current students. The Oracle publishes 10 issues annually. Subscriptions are $40/year.

Eugenah Chou Reporter

Although Gunn has not been affected by any serious computer virus threats, minor glitches have been the cause of general concern among students. “There was a pop-up on all of the computers that was driving my whole class crazy,” sophomore Raz Steinhart said.

Anti-Virus Scanner, a program installed earlier this year by the administration, shocked both students and teachers when it began exhibiting behavior associated with malignant viruses. “The same notification, from the same program, popped up every thirty seconds for nearly two days,” Mac lab instructor Sharon Cooper said. After receiving complaints from computer frequenters, the actual problem was uncovered by Gunn tech support.

As the name implies, the program’s purpose is to alert the administration of viruses. The scanner got caught on a common virus afflicting Mac lab computers. It was most likely spread through Word documents, and transferred through student e-mails or interaction with PCs. According to Cooper, the Mac Lab’s “permissions”, which bar certain activities from specific groups of users, were set up incorrectly and prevented the administration from wiping out the virus. “The program stopped in the middle,” Cooper said.

Fortunately, tech support was able to successfully wipe out the virus from all computers.

“The annoying pop-up was a one time thing,” Cooper assured. Students have also experi-

enced trouble with Facebook. “Viruses aren’t the worst thing out there on the internet,” junior Kevin Yang said. “Apparently there’s a Facebook application run by Burger King that asks you to delete 10 of your friends in exchange for a free Whopper coupon. Have fun explaining to someone that they’re worth a tenth of a $3 sandwich.” According to a number of anonymous sources, certain applications like the Honesty Box and Friends for Sale have also been cause of recurrent irritation.

On an international scale, historians confirm that a virus called “Brain” was one of the first ever to replicate from computer to computer. “Brain” was created by two Pakistani brothers, who claimed that the virus’ original purpose was to protect medical programs from copyright infringement in their home country. However, the virus’ domain quickly spread from just Pakistan, to areas across the world, including the United States, United Cosmo Sung Kingdom and several Middle Eastern Facebook applications are common sources of countries.

In terms of cost for removal and pro- agitation for students who network on the site. ductivity loss, the Love-Bug e-mail virus was to every contact in the victim’s e-mail address by far the most catastrophic virus ever. The book. The virus overwrote hundreds of files on virus, created by a college student from the both the corporation and home level scope. SysPhilippines in 2000, took a mere day to spread tems at the CIA and the Pentagon were forced to across the planet. Approximately 10 percent shut down in order to remove the virus. Because of computers worldwide were affected. The there are no laws against the spread of viruses Love-Bug virus worked by copying itself over in the Philippines, the perpetrator managed to documents, programs and files, and sent itself escape from initial charges unscathed.

Disorders addressed Feb. 23 n Eating Disorders, from p. 1

the development of depression and high risk behaviors.”

Dellheim had found many good curriculums for elementary school students on body image, but had yet to find something for middle school students. With her teenage daughter, Dellheim created the How I Look Journal. “While I had learned a great deal about the prevention principles that have defined recent body image and self-esteem programs, I was concerned that some middle school girls care too much about how they look to reject the ‘thin ideal,’” Dellheim said. “Then my daughter and I discovered the What Not to Wear shows and realized that you can make peace with the parts of your body you don’t like by learning how to dress in a way that flatters your particular shape.” Because Dellheim anticipated that many schools would not have enough time to spend on body image, she and her daughter were careful to make the journal relevant and friendy for both classroom setting and independent use.

In addition to speaking at lunch, Dellheim will also be one of four speakers at the PTSA-sponsored event “Be Comfortable in Your Genes: Wear Jeans that fit the True You,” which will be in Spangenberg theater on the evening of Feb. 24. Dellheim will speak about the detrimental effects of the media on self-image.

Along with Dellheim and Gossard, two specialists will be speaking at the evening event—Director of El Camino Hospital’s Intensive Outpatient Eating Disorder program Carol Dietrich, and Dr. Cynthia Kapphahn of Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

Dietrich said she will speak about the psychological perspective on eating disorders, and help the audience recognize that many things factor into the disorder. “Eating disorders are about a lot of things, but they aren’t about food,” she said.

Dietrich, who suffered from an eating disorder herself, believes the media is unrealistic. “There is no way you can pick up a magazine today and see and image that has not been altered,” she said.

Gossard agrees that the media displays a false model for appearance, and with NEDA week she hopes to combat the negative message. “I know I can’t change how the media dictates how we look, but hopefully I can change the way people perceive fallacies in the media,” she said.

News

Monday, February 9, 2009

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Surviving the next shake

Over the past year, scientists have predicted that there is a 99 percent chance California will experience an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater in the next 30 years. Due to the fact that the San Andreas Fault runs through the Bay Area, the chances of the epicenter being located nearby is 63 percent. The Oracle helps you prepare for the next “big one.”

—Compiled by Linda Yu

Ground-breaking science Melissa Chan Reporter

In other parts of the country, fears of natural disasters generally circulate around hurricanes, tornados and landslides. In California, the natural disaster most feared is earthquakes. Though earthquakes may not be the most popular topic, students should be aware of the danger.

Many still recall the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, which devastated many parts of San Francisco.

“I got home just about five minutes before the earthquake, it was incredibly hot in the afternoon, it felt like something was about to happen,” Principal Noreen Likins said. Likins was gardening at the time of the earthquake, so she had good view of the effect that the earthquake had on her house. “I remember thinking calmly that the windows were about to break...but they didn’t!”

So how prepared is Gunn if one of these natural disasters was to occur during school hours? “I think the school is very well prepared,” Assistant Principal Phil Winston said. “We have an entire shed in the parking lot devoted [to] emergency preparedness, [and] there are enough supplies in there for every student.”

Earthquakes are caused by shifting in Earth’s crust. If a large enough quake occurs in an inhabited area, there will be high risk death and

destruction. “The school is made of wooden structures which are pretty earthquake proof,” Likins said. “It would take a really big one to cause damage.”

People around the world have claimed to be able to predict earthquakes by studying things such as animal behavior or movements of planets. However, no method has been proven consistent. “I don’t believe that it is possible for anyone to predict the future with 100 percent accuracy,” sophomore Linda Zhang said.

The size of an earthquake is called the magnitude. The intensity of the earthquake varies depending on where the person location is when the earthquake occurred.

Seismologists (people who study earthquakes) use the Richter scale to express the seismic energy released. Earthquakes that measure less than 3.5 are generally not felt.

A measure of 3.5 to 5.4 can be felt but rarely cause damage. 5.4 to 6.0 ones may cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings. From 6.1 and up earthquakes can be very destructive, and often cause lasting damage.

Most geologists believe that we will someday be able to predict quakes scientifically, some also believe that we will be able to prevent some quakes from occurring, but before that day comes, preparation is all that we can do to protect ourselves.

Kimberly Han

Items to have in case of earthquake Essentials: • Water purification kit • Can opener (non electric) • Blankets/sleeping bag • Tarps and rain ponchos • Sturdy shoes • Heavy gloves • Knife/razor blade • Tent • Camping stove • Axe, shovel, broom • Tool kit (screwdriver, pliers, hammer)

Useful to have in your car: • Emergency flares, triangle cones • Portable radio, flashlight and spare battery • Extra pair of house and car keys • Light sticks • Candles and matches • First aid • Water (one gallon per person per day, a week preferably.)

• Food • Coil of rope —Compiled by Joseph Lin

Historical earthquake catastrophes Biggest Recorded Earthquake: In 1960, Chile had an earthquake of magnitude 9.2 Biggest Recorded Earthquake in the US: Prince William Sound Alaska 1964, magnitude of 9.2 Biggest Recorded Earthquake in California: Fort Tejon 1857, magnitude of 7.9 Deadliest earthquake ever: Shansi China 1556, magnitude of 8 • 830,000 deaths Recent deadliest earthquake Coast of Western Sumatra 2004, magnitude of 9.1 • 227,898 deaths

Historical Californian earthquakes: October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta: • 6.9 Richter scale • 63 dead • 3,757 injured • 8,000 to 92,000 estimated to be homeless • Epicenter in the Santa Cruz Mountains April 18, 1906, San Francisco: • 7.7 Richter scale • Most violent shocks lasted 45 to 60 seconds • 296 miles off the San Andreas fault • An estimated 500 to 700 deaths • 225,000 homeless • 28,000 buildings destroyed • $400 million in property damage Courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

—Compiled by Ann Abraham

6

News

The Oracle

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Forum

Monday, February 9, 2009

7

PETA’s tactics receive ridicule

Environmental organization employs questionable methods to achieve aims

E

nvironmental friendliness is on the rise. From food to clothing, it is hard to escape the flood of love for Mother Earth. This is a wonderful attitude, and as more and more organizations and individuals jump on the eco-bandwagon, the world is becoming united under the banner of a clean and sustainable future. No family is without its black sheep however. In the fight for animal rights and sustainable food sources, one organization has shown itself time and time again to be set firmly in the militant side of radical. For years they have used scare tactics, attacks and misinformation to get their message out. They have rechristened fish as “Sea Kittens.” They are among the most irresponsible environmental activist organizations in existence. They are the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

PETA is not an inherently bad organization. Their mission to end animal cruelty is admirable, and their many successes with regards to banning harsh animal testing and unnecessary slaughter are well deserved. It is the methods that PETA employs in order to reach these ends that are questionable.

PETA president Ingrid Newkirk is a prime example of the extremist attitude that drives the organization. After PETA supporters flour-bombed a fashion show in 2006 as part of an anti-fur protest, Newkirk said, “We’re stunt queens. We have to be.” Any organization that condones invasive protests, in-

cluding assault, is one that invites suspicion.

Although PETA also employs traditional methods of publicity (leaflets, celebrity endorsements, etc.), its true claim to fame is its reputation for theatrics and public stunts.

It seems that PETA has yet to learn that attention and action are not one and the same.

Although most of PETA’s activities rarely make news beyond the gossip pages, the organization’s members do not limit themselves to flour-bombing fur-clad fashionistas. The fact that it has been harder for them to pull off action-packed protests since the Animal Enterprise Terrorist Act in 2006 has not made them any less sinister.

According to a report in 2005, the FBI keeps PETA under surveillance as a possible terrorist group. While this could be seen as an overreaction, it does not change the fact that PETA is linked to notoriously violent environmentalist groups such as the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front, both of which are listed as domestic terrorist groups by the Department of Homeland Security. With their many assaults on individuals and events alike, it is clear that PETA is on the warpath for animal rights.

The defining characteristic of any organization is its public image. Where most groups tend to unify themselves with a clear identity, the diversity of PETA’s many campaigns verges on schizophrenia. In browsing PETA’s website, one can find anything from photos of bloody animal carcasses to advertisements that sexualize everything from vegetarianism to faux fur and pleather.

The newest members of this eclectic family

are no less bizarre. The first is a rejected advertisement that was meant to be played during this year’s Super Bowl: a pornographic film featuring vegetables getting busy with women. Television networks rejected the ad due to its sexual explicitness.

As if watching a porn star pleasure a pumpkin was not disturbing enough, PETA’s second new campaign, while seemingly more tame, is discouraging on a whole new level.

This campaign centers on the beloved “Sea Kitten,” a fuzzy new generalization for the diverse group of animals commonly known as fish, and smoothly blends child-friendly cartoons with misinformation. The premise: “Nobody would hurt a Sea Kitten.” One feature, playfully called Bedtime Stories, details the trying lives of Sea Kittens, featuring a suicidal farmed tuna, a clever trout whose flesh poisons his killer with mercury and a Sea Kitten who is driven mad with grief after seeing all of her friends dragged away on hooks. In a classic PETA move, this campaign takes an admirable cause, that of saving fish populations and ending bad fishing practices, and radicalizes it.

PETA’s call to end all consumption of fish ignores many key facts, including that the destruction of the fishing industry would adversely affect thousands of people’s livelihoods. Furthermore, universal vegetarian-

ism is an unrealistic goal. True, it is sustainable and arguably healthy, but not everyone can follow it safely. PETA makes living on vegetables alone seem easy, when in reality one must make doubly sure that his or her diet contains all the necessary vitamins and proteins. This radical approach greatly contradicts the fishing views of other conservationist organizations. Many, such as the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, advocate a middle road that discourages harmful fishing practices and informs the public about which fish to avoid eating due to endangerment or health risks. These groups use logic and public education rather than misinformation and scare tactics to convey their message. The Sea Kittens campaign exemplifies PETA in that it brushes Brian Phan aside compromise and reason in favor of an ultimatum.

It is impossible to deny that PETA is a powerful voice in the world of animal rights. Loud and flashy, PETA commands the attention of millions of supporters and non-supporters worldwide. However, the question must be asked whether attention and notoriety are the proper tools for facilitating change. A leaflet campaign may not get as much press as attacking celebrities, but in the end it attracts more support and less animosity. It seems that the only way to describe PETA is thus: there are responsible organizations, and then there is PETA. —Unsignededitorialsrepresentthemajority opinion of the staff (assenting: 48; dissenting: 0)

Palo Alto should kick its dirty habit right in the ‘butt’ Jon Proctor Every year, five million lives are lost to cigarettes—the only known product that kills you even when “used as directed.”

Last month, however, the city of Belmont took a laudable step towards ending this silent massacre. On Jan. 1, this Bay Area community passed one of the strictest set of anti-smoking laws in the United States, banning the use of tobacco anywhere within the city limits except for in private, detached residences. Belmont’s legislators have shown that it is possible to gain ground against the tobacco company giants whose intensive lobbying clips on many new laws in the bud. Palo Alto should follow Belmont’s lead and ban the sale and use of tobacco within its city limits as well.

A tobacco-free Palo Alto would save lives, reduce our carbon footprint and make our city a more pleasant place to live.

Last month a friend of my family, Maria, was diagnosed with lung cancer at age 42. Although she herself has never lifted a cigarette to her lips, both of Maria’s parents were heavy smokers. Sadly, Maria’s story is not unique. Every year, over 50,000 people in the United States die from diseases caused by secondhand smoke. That’s about

15 percent of the total death toll from tobacco. It is true that everything we do, such as driving or flying, poses some inherent risk to ourselves and others, but smoking is a luxury. Tobacco users may be aware of the risk that they are taking, but by smoking in public they are spreading the health risks to others who haven’t given their consent. Essentially, smoking a cigarette is like blindly firing a gun—sooner or later someone’s going to pay the ultimate price.

One could argue that America is a free country, and therefore people have the right to smoke. The public, however, also has the right to enjoy clean air and healthy lungs. A similar argument could be made for drunk driving—every U.S. citizen with a driver’s license should have the right to use a car.

However, driving under the influence is illegal because it could kill someone, infringing on his or her right to live. It is bewildering and frightening that our government ignores the 100 million lives that tobacco has claimed in the last 100 years alone—far more than auto accidents, hand guns and AIDS combined.

In addition to playing the grim reaper, the tobacco industry is a non-trivial contributor to global warming. Carelessly tossed cigarettes are one of the leading causes of human-induced fires. Tobacco manufacturing is also a substantial user of petrochemicals and pesticides. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 23

million pounds of pesticides (derived from oil) are applied to American tobacco fields each year, and far more than this globally.

Tobacco is also a significant cause of glob-

Dan Buckner

al deforestation—mainly as a result of trees being cut down to make charcoal for curing the tobacco crop. Remember that each of the 300 billion packs produced in any given year has to be inked, packed, cartooned, crated and then trucked to its final destination—all of which burns oil and consumes several petrochemical resources. Finally, smoking the tobacco releases a plethora of greenhouse and carcinogenic gases. Like many smokers, Mother Earth is starting to

feel the effects of tobacco’s toxins.

Palo Alto should take action, but we are not alone in this fight. There are examples and beacons of hope around the world, from Belmont to Bhutan, which in 2005 banned the use and sale of tobacco inside the entire country.

Bhutan is the only nation without traffic lights in its capital and has had Internet and television for less than a decade, yet it is arguably the most progressive anti-smoking nation in the world. If they can gain ground against the tobacco companies, shouldn’t we be able to as well?

People are dying and our world is warming, yet when we see someone put a cancer stick up to their mouth, we simply hold our breath and walk quickly out of their filthy cloud. Palo Alto and its people need to follow Belmont’s and Bhutan’s lead and rise together to fight the ongoing smoking epidemic. The easiest way an individual can make a difference is to not smoke themselves and help their friends and family avoid the demon weed as well. Writing letters to government officials such as our mayor, Peter Drekmeier, could also help our city quit for good. A tobacco-free Palo Alto would mean a healthier, greener and cleaner community.

—Proctor, a junior, is a Forum Editor.

8

Forum

The Oracle

Veronica Polivanaya

Leaf blowers, lose the gas

Danielle Edelman

AP classes, cut the bulk

Melissa Chan

Teachers, be wary of student gifts

Sophie Cheng

Non-Gunn athletes, get your due rest

It’s a typical Monday and you’re sitting in class, struggling to pay attention to the lecture at hand, when the sound of a leaf blower crushes the remains of your concentration. Gasoline-powered leaf blowers should not be used on school grounds. They harm air quality and disrupt classes.

Gunn uses both electric and gasoline-powered leaf blowers on a daily basis. Electric leaf blowers are technically permitted on school grounds, but use of gasoline-powered ones has been banned in residential areas since July 1, 2005. This law should be extended to all parts of Palo Alto, including schools. Gasoline-powered leaf blowers pollute the environment with toxic emissions. On average, a single gasoline-powered leaf blower emits as much pollution in a year as 80 cars do.

Leaf blowers are not only hazardous to the environment, they also generate unnecessarily high noise levels. While normally acceptable ambient noise levels in residential areas are at no more than 60 decibels,

leaf blowers generate about 70 to 75 decibels, which results in reduced accuracy of work and increased levels of irritation.

Gasoline-powered leaf blowers may do a great job of getting leaves out of our way, but in doing so, they also stir up mold, allergens and dust particles into the air, worsening allergies and increasing the prevalence of asthma attacks. Sure, having a few loose leaves around may be an inconvenience, but so is dirt, and we’re not about to rip out all of the grass and replace it with asphalt.

Although one way of fixing the problem at hand is to simply let the leaves be, another solution would be to replace the gasoline-powered leaf blowers with virtually noiseless leaf sweepers, which swoop up leaves into a handy collection bag.

Every year it seems that Advanced Placement (AP) class acceptance lists grow longer. This higher rate of acceptance is reassuring for many students, but it does not actually benefit anyone. Larger AP class sizes make both learning and teaching more difficult in already challenging classes.

Although AP classes are college-level courses, they are still taught in a high school setting. With this in mind, one would expect AP teachers to maintain a high school atmosphere, including class sizes conducive to a certain level of personal attention for each student. True, it is up to students to be self-motivated in advanced classes, but it is still up to the school to create an environment in which students can thrive.

Large class sizes also go against school policy. There is supposed to be a limit to the number of students in certain class, though the exact cap varies from department to department. The school established

these caps for the benefit of teachers and students, and their purpose is to maintain class sizes that make it easier for teachers to control and interact with students. Although teachers are trying to give as many students as possible the opportunity to take an AP class, they are actually doing themselves a disservice in swelling class sizes.

With so many high-achieving students at Gunn, it may be difficult for teachers to make cuts when creating AP class rosters. However, the practice of overcrowding AP classes must end. If the current, supposedly rigorous, standards for admittance to AP classes are no longer limiting class sizes, perhaps it is time to raise those standards higher. It may seem unfair, but in the end smaller class sizes will benefit teachers and students.

Come holidays, teachers receive a variety of presents. Most are given from the heart, but even if they are well-intentioned, they give the student a subconscious advantage over students who cannot afford gifts.

The teacher-student relationship should be centered around a student’s academic life. In an ideal world, students would be graded 100 percent on their academic performance. However, teachers are human. Everything that a student does, academic or otherwise, shapes the teacher’s opinion of that student. Though it is not obvious, a higher opinion of a student can cause the teacher to call on that student more in class, can turn questionable points to the way of the student and can curve the voice of a possible college recommendation. These opinions will widen the gaps between the social divisions of students, something that the school does its best to prevent.

Congress members must report every gift they receive and are prohibited from accepting gifts over $50. This is because organizations want their vote and donations are a reliable method of bribery. The ideas in this situation translate fairly clearly to ours here at school.

Teachers deserve thoughtful gifts from students who appreciate their work, not $50 Godiva chocolate boxes. The solution is to draw a line between thoughtful gifts and gifts meant (even unconsciously) to bribe. A thoughtful gift is something homemade: a batch of cookies, a heartfelt note or a hand knitted-scarf. Gift cards of any amount, boxes of chocolate or anything store-bought should be returned to the student. Thus, teachers won’t be put in the position of subconsciously catering to one student’s needs over another’s.

The idea behind giving students prep periods is to provide them with sufficient time to balance academic and athletic commitments.

Denying preps to certain student-athletes simply because they do not represent school sports teams is biased and unjustified.

Athletes who participate in club sports outside of school often dedicate the same, if not more, time to practices and games. By exercising rigorously and often, these students are already athletically fit.

Forcing them to attend additional physical education classes simply wastes both the students’ time and their parents’ tax dollars.

The state of California wants students to participate in physical education classes, especially as the percentage of obese children continues to rise. However, if a student can consistently run a mile under six or seven minutes, it’s clear that he or she is not obese and should not be wasting the state’s money. Skipping classes

isn’t even a new idea—students at Gunn can skip a level in math simply by taking a test. Can’t the same idea be applied to physical education?

Giving a prep period to these already healthy individuals is practical and realistic. However, in order to eliminate students who try to take advantage of this new practice, athletes should be required to present proper paperwork showing that they play for a legitimate sports team outside of school and to pass a fitness test.

Critics might point out that giving out preps to student-athletes who don’t participate in school sports could potentially weaken school sport teams, but this problem can be solved by limiting this policy to students who play sports that are either not offered or are currently not in season at Gunn.

—Polivanaya, a senior, is an Entertainment Editor.

—Edelman, a senior, is an Entertainment Editor.

—Chan, a sophomore, is a reporter.

—Cheng, a junior, is a Copy Editor.

Forum

Monday, February 9, 2009

9

Beth Holtzman After facing many years of hostility and violence, Israel is finally fighting back. On Dec. 27, 2008, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) launched Operation Cast Lead, the largest Israeli operation in the Gaza strip since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Bakar stated that the three basic goals precipitating the Israel government’s decision for Operation Cast Lead are to deal Hamas a large blow, to transform the situation in Gaza and to terminate the rocket attacks against Israeli citizens. Overall, Israeli’s military tactic is purely out of necessary self-defense from the terrorist organization Hamas.

Since the Israeli withdrawal of the Gaza strip in 2005, Hamas has bombarded Israeli citizens with over 6,000 rockets, more than 1,000 of which were fired in of December alone. This endangerment of its people warrants Israel the right to act defensively. According to Human Rights officials, the Hamas’ targeting of Israeli citizens is “[a] blatant [violation] of the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.” Although many people incorrectly accuse Israel of being aggressors and initiating genocide against the Palestinian people, it is evident that Hamas and its followers are the true assailants while the Israeli government is simply defending its people.

While visiting the Israeli town of Sderot, President Barack Obama said: “If somebody was sending rockets into my house, where my two daughters sleep at night, I’m going to do everything in my power to stop that.”

Obama relays the notion that Israel has every right to defend its people and should use all means possible, even full out warfare, in order to keep its citizens safe.

Hamas has been identified as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union and has been working to eradicate the Jewish state of Israel and its people.

According to the Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas’ charter, Hamas supports many outrageous ideas that greatly oppose U.S. beliefs. For instance, Hamas has dis-

owned Egypt as an ally because of the “treacherous Camp David agreement” with the United States and believes that Zionists seek the annihilation of Islam and are responsible for the drug trade and alcoholism as a means of expanding their Jewish empire. Clearly, Hamas’ ideals are both erroneous and ridiculous and it is deplorable that this terrorist organization receives tremendous funding and support from other countries.

With the aid of Iran, Hamas has enhanced its arsenal, purposely firing hundreds of rockets and mortars at densely populated Israeli cities, targeting private homes, schools, daycares, hospitals and recreation centers. The IDF has only targeted Hamas operation centers and puts the lives of its own soldiers at risk by carrying out advance warning to Palestinian civilians that it intends to have operations in specific locations. Additionally, Israel has been working with humanitarian organizations to send aid into the Gaza strip, including over 10,000 tons of food and medicine within the first ten days of the assault.

Although the number of Palestinian casualties greatly outnumbers the Israeli deaths, Israel is not to blame.

Hamas leaders strategically place their arsenals, weapons and meeting centers among their populace, knowingly putting numerous innocent civilians at risk. To prevent killing thousands of harmless denizens, Israeli soldiers warn the people about the future bombing.

However, Hamas prevents these citizens from leaving in hopes of earning international sympathy as their civilian death toll sky rockets.

Although it is unfortunate, it is not possible for peace to be achieved between Israel and the Palestinians because of the terrorist organization Hamas’ attempts to destroy the Israel. The only means for Israel to defend its citizens from Hamas is to retaliate and attack.

—Holtzman, a senior, is a News Editor.

CON

PRO

Was Israel’s assault justified?

Tenny Zhang Since the declaration of cease-fire on Jan. 18, the recent Israeli-Gaza conflict has claimed more than 1,300 Palestinian and 13 Israeli lives. Israel’s proclaimed objective was to strengthen its defenses and weaken Hamas, but the war has done neither. After the invasion, the rockets will likely continue to fire from Gaza, Hamas’ rule in Gaza remains steady and neither Israelis nor Gazans have gained any sustainable peace.

Ultimately, the operation failed because it was rashly decided upon. Israel’s invasion of Gaza cannot be justified because it did not benefit either side in the end.

To start, Israel certainly has the right to defend itself, as does any other state. But that right to do something in defense does not entail the right to do anything. “Defense” is not the word I’d use to describe the violence in Gaza. Beginning with bombs and following with a ground invasion, Israeli actions have killed over 1,000 Palestinians, a majority of them innocent civilians. To ignore the universal principle of proportionality in war is absurd—there simply is too great a difference between Hamas’ sparse, albeit wrongly directed rockets and Israel’s close-minded invasion. Indeed, even in the three years of withdrawal from Gaza between 2005 to 2007, Hamas rockets have killed 11 Israeli citizens, whereas the Israeli army has killed 1,290 Palestinians.

In the end, whether or not Israel had the intention to take the conflict so far in the first place is irrelevant; the situation at its worst was wholly unacceptable by the standards of the world community.

In addition to the loss of lives, the conflict created a humanitarian crisis in one of the most densely populated areas of the world. Israel’s “defensive” went out of proportions when it bombed a UN school in haste. The United Nations (UN) protested a “complete absence of accountability” for the high numbers of civilian casualties, and said that “the rule of the gun had taken over.” During the incursion, Israel claimed to be the victim while it inflicted a humanitarian crisis on the Gazans.

The “if people bombed you, what would you do” argument is too simple to stamp on the IsraeliGaza conflict. Friction

has existed for years, and while Hamas’ rockets are clearly wrong, they did not come out of thin air. Justifying all of Israel’s actions as defense towards Hamas rocket fire is oversimplifying the conflict. For one, Israel is also guilty of indiscriminate bombing, as well as a three-year old blockade that has brought the 1.5 million Gazans to the brink of depravity; this is one of the arguments Hamas uses to justify its own rocket firings on Israel. So, no matter which side “started it” this time, one must not ignore the historical conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel’s offensive targeted Hamas. But Hamas is in power because of a democratic election, suggested by none other than the Bush administration. Hamas, while a volatile organization, obtained its power legally and democratically. However it abuses its power now, Israel should not blame the victims for their unasked-for misfortunes. When the U.S. and the European Union joined Israel in witholding foreign aid to Hamas—and essentially—the citizens of Gaza, they ultimately created economic sanctions that turned the “oppressor” into the oppressed; the blockade subjected many to unemployment and malnutrition. The Gazans have lived under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel still controls imports and exports, and those who cross the border. As the occupying power, Israel has the responsibility under the Fourth Geneva Convention to see to the welfare of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip—a responsibility that it does not fulfill.

In addition, as demonstrated in the Israeli-Lebanon conflict of 2006, Israeli fronts only exacerbate the original problems. Palestinian terrorist groups are dispersed but organized, and it is impossible to annihilate them completely without full-scale war, which Israel obviously would not do in light of the watching world.

Incursions only galvanize the groups more, and create unity within the very enemies Israel seeks to destroy.

Israel failed to recognize this hard truth, and now it has another unsuccessful operation under its belt.

In a Jan. 15 Opinion Research poll, 63 percent of Americans felt that Israel was justified in taking military action in Gaza. But, we need to go beyond a simple category of “military action” and ask ourselves, what kind of action? How much? And most importantly, will that action do any good? Operation Cast Lead has not ended violence in Gaza, brought Hamas down, or permanently stopped the rocket fire from Gaza. Instead, since the incursion, Israel and Gaza have only entered another tense cease-fire, one that is not bound to last. Hopefully Israel has learned from this conflict that blunt military offensives will not fix its problems.

More often than not, they only worsen the situation.

During the conflict, then President-elect Barack Obama said that he was “deeply concerned” about the civilian casualties on both sides, and that, once sworn in, he would have “plenty to say.” Well, Mr. President, you’re here now—what do you have to say? Hopefully, the new administration has a better, fairer plan regarding Israel and Gaza—one that does not give blatant bias towards one side of the conflict or oversimplify the facts in an effort to provide “instant justification.” Both sides have been wrong, and both need a fair evaluation.

—Zhang, a senior, is a Managing Editor

Slang preserves subcultures, enriches languages Niki Mata In Gunn’s halls you’re likely to hear someone say they just “pwned” a test, or hear someone who is inexperienced referred to as a “n00b.” Slang is society’s method of personalizing a universal language.

Over time, regions came to de-

velop their own subcultures that slang helped to create. When we go to the East Coast for example, we hear words like “wicked” and “legit” and in England we hear “bloody hell.” These regional terms let people of various locales communicate privately, similar to inside jokes. For example, while “hella” is a frequently used word in Norcal, if you go to the East Coast and use the term, people are likely to stare at you, perplexed.

Aside from regional distinctions, slang stimulates creativity and makes our language more in-

teresting. Without slang, we would be forced to use conventional English, which although proper, is too formal for daily use. The English language without slang would be like ice cream without the chocolate chips or what some of us would call “weak sauce.” People would speak without enthusiasm and, consequently, language would lose its value. Slang is an extension of our right to creative expression.

Others might think that slang inhibits proper communication, for it can be hard for another person to understand what you are saying.

However, that can be the desired effect. For example, inside jokes, which are comparable to slang, are more fun when no one else understands them. When people from other regions don’t understand you, you are further strengthening the identity of the region that you are from. People may also argue that slang kills grammar; however, using proper grammar in speech creates tedious communication.

Grammar can simply be preserved in formal writing instead.

Slang has transformed the definitions of words like “sick” and

“hot.” This reversal can be confusing, but our ability to change the nature of words proves the versatility of the English language.

So, if you have already stored slang away as something negative, you are missing out on an exciting twist to current language. Not only will you be able to have more fun talking with others, but you will also be able to put your creativity to use and enhance verbal communication.

—Mata, a junior, is a Features Editor.

10

Forum

The Oracle

The road to college Legacy

Caution

may cause bumps

Senioritis ahead Maya Itah

Dana Li

Senioritis: technically, the word means “inflammation of the senior,” but high school students know it better as the term for that second semester state of brain-dead apathy. Some students start early, but seniors usually experience it after finishing their college applications; with essays written and transcripts sent, the goal often becomes keeping C’s to a minimum. That goal may serve a student who simply wants to enter college, but in the big picture, senioritis just doesn’t make any sense—and I’m not just talking about the literal definition.

People often give in to senioritis simply because it’s tradition: how can any student resist what is virtually pardoned laziness?

As seniors, we claim that we have the right to lethargy because we’re burnt out from slews of applications and standardized testing. A week or so of slacking is understandable, but after that week, we should be perfectly capable of getting back into gear. That doesn’t necessarily mean foregoing all weekend fun à la junior year, but at the very least, we should show up to school and get our weekly homework done. Senioritis doesn’t give us the right to abandon responsibilities that we’ve already taken on. It’s only fair.

Senioritis is also a waste of money. Beyond the fact that it leads to an alarming frequency of In-N-Out and Eugenah Chou Chipotle runs, it makes us squander an education that doesn’t cost a dime. I’m going to assume that most seniors will wind up paying for college. Many of According to the Center the top academic destinations for Gunn students of Research and Analysis at cost upwards of $40,000 a year, but right now, we the University of Connecticut, have the opportunity to learn for a grand sum of only 19 percent of surveyed nothing. The situation would be different if Gunn students believe colleges should were a mediocre school, but it’s at the top of the provide general education. This top. Very few things of such high quality will be rock-bottom figure begs the quesfree later in life. tion—why are students ignoring I can already hear people complaining that the liberal arts? Beyond preparation in spite of Gunn’s reputation, many of their for a specific career, college educaclasses are useless. First of all, I’m sure they’re tion doubles as an opportunity for not that bad compared to what’s offered in self-actualization, where students can dilapidated inner-city schools; second, with learn for the sake of learning. a little effort, one can always glean someVocational education often attracts thing valuable from class. It’s tempting to those with specific career goals. To many, write off a class after seeing no immediate focusing on logic, philosophy and the scibenefits, but we can’t predict what we’ll ences seems like a waste of time. This is a need in a few short months. College is almistake. A liberal arts education does more ready an intellectual leap, and that leap than just provide students with extra facts is going to be far harder for students and figures, it teaches students how to think. If who drop their duties altogether. I’m someone is placed in an environment where he not saying that senior year slacking or she is consistently encouraged to think beyond will create an abyss of F’s later on, the ordinary answer, he or she will be able to form but no one wants to re-learn study their own opinions. These distinct opinions and skills—I’m sure it was annoying moral guidelines are focal points upon which many enough the first time. life decisions are made. Of course, this is not to say Cutting down our slacking that a student’s opinions could not be formed outside will let us enjoy our last year the of liberal arts schools, but this path would help. Adway it should be enjoyed. Think ditionally, small class sizes enable close relationships about how nice it’ll be to drive with professors to the beach, filled with the The average American changes his career path five knowledge that nothing is to seven times, and almost everyone gets the urge waiting at home: no SATs, for change once in a while. The no personal statements— and no, not even a single Spanish assignment. I can tell you right now that the ocean will look a whole lot bluer.

We see them all over campus, in cardinal reds and royal blues, inscribed in letters of glaring, self-righteous gold and white. College sweatshirts are worn for many purposes: to express pride in a sibling, convey hope for the future and sometimes, advertise a legacy. In an era of rising college competition and national scrutiny, this last issue is inciting new debate.

As many accepted educational systems are being reevaluated, it is to be expected that legacy admission must take its turn on the chopping block.

In publications across the country, the question is repeated: Is legacy admission justified? Is it grounded in legitimate reasoning, or is it an antiquated vestige of an elitist tradition—one we must leave behind in pursuit of educational equality? Despite my own interests and Stanford legacy, I must concede that the new scrutiny is warranted. Though legacy admission is supported by tradition, the practice inevitably keeps our college admission system from attaining the standard for which it should strive: pure meritocracy.

When the legacy admission system was first implemented, the liberal arts provide somematter of merit was less of an issue. At the time, the gap between thing vocational educathe elite and working class was much more pronounced, and tion cannot—background. generations of a family of fortune were admitted to universities After going to liberal arts not out of preference, but out of a general lack of anyone else to school and discovering what admit. But the world today is not what it was then. The chasm you love and enjoy doing, it is of America’s social-economic landscape has been shaken, then time to seek out the proper narrowed and bridged by the middle class. The practice of degree. This is not a “waste,” legacy has become less of a natural cultural phenomenon because, after all, it is a lot better and more of an actively enforced practice. And with kids to make drastic changes in school striving to greater lengths to get themselves through those when the only thing really affected college gates, the prospect of giving some half-off deals is your grade, as opposed to making on account of their heritage is unjustifiable. those kinds of modifications to an The legacy debate holds special pertinence for Gunn established lifestyle. students. Nestled within the sphere of Stanford’s presThrough open forum, students ence, we take our high acceptance rates—22 members can identify their weaknesses based of the class of 2008 and 16 early applicants this year— on constructive criticism from peers. for granted. Our numbers are a source of pride, but in It is true that general knowledge begets light of our many legacy applicants, it is inevitable more knowledge and allows learning in that the effects of legacy be questioned. Since most the future to be a simpler task. One could legacy applicants are intelligent and talented stuargue that exploring so many areas would dents and already deserve acceptance, why the stretch a student thin and not result in any need for a legacy boost? Why undermine these real learning, but in reality, the liberal arts students’ achievements by suggesting that they constructs a stable foundation in logic and are judged based on their parents’? To give these reasoning, something entirely necessary in students the full credit their abilities deserve, it is all career choices. only fair to evaluate and accept them on equal While Gunn offers several vocational terms as their legacy-less peers. Legacy may education classes, general learning classes like be a source of confidence for some, but in light speech and debate or rhetoric should be introof its inequitable and unnecessary principles, duced as well. Admissions departments at liberal even legacy’s benefactors must recognize the art schools like Wellesley agree that choosing a need for its annulment. career, which is essentially your life path, while still But perhaps a call for change is unnecin high school is a difficult task. The truth of the matter essary in our current climate. It is possible is that there are virtually no issues with embracing the that the instruments of reform are already liberal arts. While it is argued that liberal arts lack focus, in action. In recent years, America has and are not appropriate for students who desire specific discovered a national fervor for change, jobs, liberal arts give students knowledge necessary in developed an unflinching ability to all walks of life — the ability to interact with peers. reevaluate old principles and electSchools should focus on giving students an education ed an improbable president—one that will prove valuable in life beyond high school. whose very attainment of office is the quintessential example of —Chou, a sophomore, is a reporter. the triumph of merit over legacy.

Perhaps it is not too idealistic to say that we are already gradually and naturally finding our way to an admission system without the legacy clause.

Liberal arts bypassed

—Itah, a senior, is a Forum Editor.

—Li, a senior, is a reporter.

Features

Monday, February 9, 2009

11

Students witness 44th inauguration Gunn community represented at Barack Obama’s historical ceremony Carissa Ratanaphanayarat

Reporter’s Notebook:

Presidential Inauguration Shaya Christensen Reporter

Friday Jan. 16 6 p.m.: It’s like all of America is converging on Washington D.C. While in the Metro from the airport to a family friend’s apartment, I’ve talked to six or seven people who are all from different states: Alabama, New York, Texas, Wisconsin, Idaho, California. All the locals are really nice too. One lady asks me which station I’m going to and gives me directions.

Funny thing is, I didn’t ask or look confused. I wonder how she knew I was a tourist. Later I realize my dad is wearing a cowboy hat.

Sunday Jan. 18 12 p.m.: I’m on the slope of a hill directly in front of the Washington Monument. The concert on the mall is a huge mass of energy.

People are crowded between the Lincoln and Washington monuments to watch the celebratory concert. As it starts, I can barely see the huge screen behind all the heads. It’s cold, and since we’re in the middle of a field, the sound from the speakers isn’t very good either. Sounds bad, right? But I’m having a really good time. I’ve realized that being here is not necessarily about going to the specific inauguration or having a ticket; it’s about being part of all the energy.

Tuesday Jan. 20 9 a.m.: The line to get into the yellow section, where our seats are, was long, even though we got there at 6:30 a.m. The hour and a half in line was freezing, or maybe I’m just a wimp to East Coast weather. Once the music started though, and the San Francisco boys and girls choir started to sing, it all went away. Just sitting in the crowd and looking up at the podium as our new president was sworn in was worth it all.

11 a.m.: I was surprised at how partisan it was. I naively expected the atmosphere to be subdued and respectful, but the crowd cheered loudly for certain senators, was quiet for others, chanted “O-BAMA” and even started singing “Na na na na/na na na na/hey hey hey/ goodbye,” when former president George W. Bush appeared.

2 p.m.: The Metro back to our friend’s apartment was crammed.

Everyone was sitting or standing as close together as possible— sardines in a can doesn’t even begin to describe it. But the mood was cheerful, happy and even excited. I think most people, myself included, were just basking in the vivacity of the city and the historic event that we were all part of. People were looking out for one another. When a man pushed someone else and cussed at him, I heard a lady yell, “Hey! Mr. Obama would not like that attitude!” Amen, sister, amen.

News Editor

On Jan. 20, over one million people gathered in Washington D.C. to watch former Illinois senator Barack Obama assume the position of the 44th President of the United State.

The inauguration consisted of performances, the swearing in of the President-elect and afterwards, the new president’s Inaugural Address.

“It was interesting to see so many people who are so different from me, from different walks of life, who were excited about the same things, about Obama,” senior Susha Roy, who attended the inauguration, said.

On Inauguration Day, the bell at Gunn rang five minutes early after E period so that students wouldn’t miss Obama’s swearing in. “We strongly encouraged the staff to do so,” Principal Noreen Likins said. “Everybody felt that it was a different kind of inauguration. Well, it was our first African-American President. It had a different kind of a feel to it. I don’t think that we would’ve seen as much interest [if Obama had not been elected].”

A few lucky students from Gunn attended the ceremony. Senior Sasha Guttentag went to the inauguration because of her family’s enthusiastic campaigning. “The fact that it was a revolutionary inauguration made it really special to witness,” Guttentag said. “It’s the first notwhite president. And it’s a big deal. It’s finally given younger people a chance to participate.”

Guttentag met up with fellow friends seniors Roy and Nora Boyd in Washington D.C. According to Boyd, the decision to attend the inauguration was last minute. “We got one of the last tickets to board the plane,” Boyd said.

Guttentag, Boyd and Roy stayed in Washington D.C. for five days, visited museums, toured the city and purchased Obama merchandise from street vendors. They also attended the Inaugural Welcome Event held at the Lincoln Memorial, which featured performances by Beyoncé, Usher, Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Garth Brooks and more.

“The best part was when Usher and Stevie Wonder performed ‘Higher Ground’ together, and the Obama family was dancing together, which was the cutest moment of my life,” Boyd said.

And of course, there was the inauguration itself. “The biggest part was the insane amount of people,” Boyd said. “You aren’t even standing on the ground anymore. The crowd just kind of moves you along.” Roy agreed. “We took the Metro, and it took about two and a half hours

to get there,” Roy said.

“Usually it only takes 10 minutes. It was sort of like, ‘okay, we really need to be good friends by the end of this.’ Everyone was really fun and excited. It was fun talking to everyone.”

Although they purchased tickets for the ticketed section, Boyd reckons that they were not in the correct spot. “We actually got a very good view,” she said. “I don’t think that we were supposed to be where we were. Somebody broke a fence, and the crowd pushed us towards a new area. I’m pretty sure that that wasn’t supposed to happen.” Roy thought the crowd’s enthusiasm turned up the volume of the inauguration. “Being in that crowd, you get a very good Courtesy of Sasha Guttentag vibe,” Roy said. “You can Seniors Nora Boyd, Susha Roy and Sasha Guttentag see the swearing in from in front of the Capitol Building on Inauguration Day. T.V., but being in the crowd made it special.” Guttentag claimed that the inauThousands of people with tickets were barred guration ceremony as a whole was the best part of from entering the ticketed section. “My dad actuher trip. “[The main highlight was] definitely the ally got shut out from the inauguration,” Chrisinauguration,” Guttentag said. “My two friends tensen, whose family attended the inauguration next to me were crying. It was crazy. It was so separately, said. “He waited in line for hours, but packed. The excitement was tangible.” they closed the gates for security reasons. He Boyd took great pleasure in bidding farewell ended up watching from a diner.” to former President George W. Bush. “[The best However, Christensen thought that attending part] at the inauguration was when George Bush the ceremony made it worth fighting the crowds. got on the plane to Texas,” Boyd said. “[The inauguration was the best part], especially Senior Annika Christensen had a slighty when Obama spoke about totally changing the different experience at the Inauguration. Chris- country and the arrival of a new era,” she said. tensen was invited to partake in the Presidential “It made me optimistic about the future and our Youth Leadership Conference (PYLC), a Lead ability to be a part of it.”

America program, with approximately 600 In addition to attending the inauguration, other high school students. They watched the PYLC students also had Colin Powell, Desinauguration and learned more about leader- mond Tutu and Al Gore talk to their group. “We ship. “I decided to take advantage of this great also went to an inaugural ball,” McAdam said. opportunity,” Christensen said. “Just being in “[Chris] Daughtry performed at our ball.”

D.C. with so many excited young people was Though these five Gunn attendees remember an experience itself.” Senior Taylor McAdam, differing highlights, all of them agree that the who also participated in the program this year, event was life-changing. “I just feel very lucky attended for a similar reason. “How could you to have had the opportunity to go to the event,” miss it?” McAdam said. “When Obama opened McAdam said. “It would take an extraordinary his mouth to speak, it was so quiet that you could event to put me in a similar situation.” almost here a pin drop,” McAdam said.

YCS’ two-part event promotes racial equality Amy Yu

Centerfold Editor

Jar Wars, Family Giving Tree and the Tijuana trip are just a few of the events that Gunn’s Youth Community Service/Interact club (YCS/Interact), have organized this year.

Recently, YCS/Interact has been a part of two events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Jan. 17, YCS/Interact joined Public Allies, a nonprofit organization that focuses on community service based in East Palo Alto.

On Jan. 19, YCS/Interact was also involved in a celebration dedicated to both King and then President-elect Barack Obama, at Palo Alto City Hall.

The first day included the Community Health Outreach Event and a Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. Both were to honor King’s fight for equality. YCS/Interact was joined by groups from Palo Alto High School (Paly) and East Palo Alto and Palo Alto middle schools. Club members asked people in East Palo Alto to support the opening of a local grocery store and to help inform them of local health care issues.

On Jan. 19, YCS clubs around the bay cohosted a ceremony to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. “I definitely think it was great

Courtesy of Charlie Chang

Public Allies, YCS and other attendees close the event with a group reflection. to see people in Palo Alto to get excited about [the Civil Rights Movement] even thought California wasn’t directly involved,” junior co-president of YCS/Interact Vivian Shen said. “It shows how far we’ve come.”

The ceremony was also held to thank volunteers in Palo Alto who helped the Obama campaign through community service. YCS/ Interact organized the letter writing event at the ceremony and manned tables where attendees were able to write letters to Obama, stating their dreams for the country and future. Paly sophomore Kevin Ward performed slam poetry on his views on immigration, and Shen and junior Jillian Du both read letters

in front of the crowd. “The community unity was very apparent; everybody was involved and eager to learn,” Du said.

YCS/Interact was also responsible for documenting people’s reactions and thoughts at both events. The video will soon be posted.

For more details, check YCS/Interact’s website.

Although these two events have passed, YCS/Interact is still busy planning future events like YCS Service Day on March 5 and Relay For Life at the end of May. YCS/ Interact are close to their fiscal goal of $5000, and all proceeds will be donated to HydrAid, an organization that provides water filters to impoverished countries.

“We don’t just promote community service and planting trees; we promote improving leadership skills,” Shen said. “[YCS/Interact] is the best experience you’d have. It’s such a big part of me.” Du shared similar sentiments. “[YCS/Interact] is a great opportunity to get involved with the community,” she said.

“I feel that community service is an outlet; it teaches me about devotion and commitment.”

YCS/Interact meets on Mondays in L-4.

For more information go to their Web site at http://gunnycsinteract.weebly.com.

12

Cente

The Oracle

Stop t he sick ne ss

Amarelle Hanyecz

You wake up feeling dizzy and sneezing. You can’t quite breathe and suddenly you’re coughing uncontrollably. If you were still in third grade you might get excited by this excuse to miss school—but you’re not. You attend an academically demanding school and have AP classes that you simply cannot miss. So instead of staying in bed to recover, you drag yourself to class.

This situation is not merely hypothetical. In fact, many students who are ill and even contagious regularly attend school to avoid falling behind. However, these students would get well faster and prevent other students and teachers from becoming ill if they stayed home for a few days.

Students are prone to getting sick, especially during the winter. Germ-infected surfaces are ever-present in high schools. Teenagers also often don’t get the sleep they need for their immune systems to run properly. Getting plenty of sleep, resting at home and drinking liquids are what most doctors recommend for the sick. Students who attend class while they are sick can’t focus as well and are instead straining their bodies by leaving the house.

When students go to school sick, they are not only harming themselves but are also putting staff, teachers and peers at risk of catching whatever infection or virus they have. It’s inconsiderate of students to expose others to sicknesses, and at school it happens all too often. If one student comes to school sick and gets a few others sick, a vicious cycle of illness occurs and wipes out many.

So, why do students ignore this common knowledge?

Stress. Students worry about having to make up work they missed in class as well as keeping up with new material.

With that mentioned, some teachers should alter their make-up policies and be flexible for students with different needs. When it comes to students with illnesses, teachers should understand that students don’t pencil violent stomach flus or mono into their already hectic schedules.

Teachers should not expect students to come back to school and have all of their work completed. Students have multiple classes they have to make up for, and if a student has a heavy workload after being ill, certain assignments should be excused while larger ones, as well as tests, should have extended due dates. Some teachers require students to e-mail them while students are sick and make up work within a day after returning. This request is unreasonable and unrealistic. Instead of adding on to student stress, teachers should be willing to negotiate the workload of ill students and even meet with them separately to ensure they get back on track more quickly.

All in all, students need to stop coming to school when they are sick. Teachers should also do their part to lower stress on students who are absent due to illnesses. They should loosen up their make-up policies and even encourage students to stay at home if they don’t feel well. Students who are sick need to realize their bodies crashed and need a break. If you’re sick and reading this at school now, stop.

Go home, get in bed, take some medicine and stay far away from Gunn until you’re all better.

—Hanyecz, a senior, is a Centerfold Editor.

Th e O rac le e x plore s di f fe re Airborne:

Purell and other hand s

The controversy surrounding Airborne is its false advertising and shoddy experimentation, claiming it can prevent colds or protect you in a germy environment. The fizzy tablet is helpful when one feels the bad omens of a cold, as that is when it is most effective. Premonitions of a sore throat, having an excessively runny nose or sneezing uncontrollably are usually signs that you should take Airborne. Airborne is essentially a multivitamin with herbal supplements, all of which can help boost your immune system. Placebo effect or not, Airborne does work—if you take it at the right time.

Recommended flavor: Grapefruit is simply the best. Original Zesty Orange is okay, but Lemon-lime just tastes like bad Gatorade.

Usage: Tablet dissolved in water, no more than three times daily, as needed.

Taking two 500mg vitamin C tablets (each 833% of the suggested daily value) should have a similar effect. The vitamins that your body cannot absorb will exit naturally.

Killing germs and improvi Purell can be found in many Gunn. The active ingredient is eth ture’s disinfectant.” After being ap rates and does not leave residue. of Purell is that it does not continu after it has evaporated. Purell o upon contact. Also, keep in mind t off all bacteria—good and bad— will also kill off the good bacteria t off the bad ones. In turn, your han more vulnerable. Hand sanitizers used if you can wash your hands w and water because hand sanitizers grease, dirt and grime.

Alter ing mindse t, percep t Certain people are able to heal from wounds rapidly and endure painful experiences, like surgery without anesthesia, without so much as a flinch. They must be superheroes, right? Wrong. Any human can do it, including you. Our perceptions of certain situations can affect our health both positively or negatively.

A well-known and well-documented case of specific mindset affecting health is the placebo effect. It refers to health benefits from medicines that should have no effect, such as inert pills and false surgeries.

In the 1960s, breakthrough studies showed the potential physiological effects of dummy pills—patients would react accordingly to what they were told they were given. For example, if a patient was told he was given a stimulant, his pulse and blood pressure would increase and his reaction rates would improve, even though he was given a placebo.

Similarly, “if you think you’re going to get better, you will get better,” psychology teacher Alice McCraley said.

Regretfully, a subcategory under the placebo effect is the nocebo effect. As the placebo effect has a positive effect on health, the nocebo, or “I will harm” in Latin, negatively affects one’s health. If patients believe in the worst, chances are, that is what they are going to get. “[Patients are] convinced that something is going to go wrong, and it’s

a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Arthur Brigham and Women’s Hospital, to But how does this happen? “Pa signals to the brain,” psychology tea it is the brain that perceives the pai how you feel the pain.” According t scious control of pain.

An example of the power of on experiment involving hypnosis, acc was hypnotized, or put into a state tion. Before her arm was submerged she would feel no pain. The other su before his arm was submerged. P the pain on a 10-point scale, 10 be hypnotized escalated to a ten rapidl at a one for the entire experiment. “ but the brain is making its own int According to Hebert, the trick t parasympathetic, or the “rest and down, relaxing muscles and pract

Th is se as o n’s p o Disease

What it is

Mononucleosis a.k.a Mono, the Kissing Disease

Viral infection (Epstein-Barr viru causes fever, sore throat, fatigue a enlarged lymph nodes. Can last fo weeks or months.

Common Cold

A bacterial infection, characterize by a wet, hacking cough, stuffy n sneezing and a sore throat.

Influenza a.k.a Flu

Viral infections (Influenza A, B a C). Infection of the trachea. Flu s son runs from November to Marc It is characterized by a dry cough fever, headache and tiredness.

erfold

Monday, February 9, 2009

e n t ways to pre ve n t sick ne s s

sanitizers:

ing sanitation, classrooms at hyl alcohol, “napplied, it evapo. The downside ue to kill germs only kills germs that Purell kills —so using Purell that help to fight nds may become s should not be with regular soap s do not remove

Zicam: Research conducted by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation showed that Zicam reduces the severity and duration of the common cold. Zicam makes zinc nasal sprays and swabs which are effective even when treatment is started as late as the second day after the onset of the illness.

The active ingredient in Zicam is zincum gluconicum, which is supposed to curb the growth of cold viruses and boost production of infection-fighting substances.

However, according to Consumer Reports, studies on animals and case reports suggest that the zinc nasal spray may cause permanent loss of smell. Roughly 340 consumers have sued Matrixx Initiatives, the maker of Zicam, claiming loss of smell.

Usage: A nasal swab or nasal spray. Use every four hours.

—Compiled by Joyce Liu

Rx

13

The dir t on G unn Let’s face it—a student’s life is hazardous. It’s undeniable that schools are hotbeds of bacterial incubation and circulation, but we fail to recognize and protect ourselves against pathogens. In an effort to help students defend themselves, The Oracle conducted an experiment to inform students about Gunn’s germiest areas. We swabbed areas with qtips and cultured the bacteria in petri dishes to examine microbe content.

Eating areas: the SAC couches (on left) and Quad benches (on right) show that the exterior Quad is more contaminated.

tions can improve health

Barsky, a psychiatrist at Boston’s old The Washington Post. ain sensors in your body send the acher John Hebert said. “However, in and your mindset can determine to Hebert, humans have some con-

ne’s mindset can be shown with an cording to Hebert. A young woman e of deep relaxation and concentrad in ice water, researchers suggested ubject wasn’t hypnotized or warned Periodically, each subject reported eing the most painful. The one not ly, while the hypnotized one stayed “Pain sensors are always reporting, terpretations,” Hebert said. to staying relaxed is to utilize your repose,” nervous system. Calming icing deep breathing patterns can

divert the brain’s attention to pain. Hebert used a relaxation technique similar to hypnosis during his nose surgery without anesthesia.

During stressful situations, the body is more vulnerable to illness.

“Stress leads to a physiological response,” McCraley said. “Your body basically has to fight something off.” Stress is linked with the sympathetic, or “fight or flight,” nervous system. “Being stressed is basically like fighting a battle,” Hebert said. “If you are unable to restore yourself to calm your immune system will eventually weaken.” Researchers have found a correlation between stress and cortisol levels in the body; the more stressed a person is, the higher the cortisol levels. Cortisol, a hormone, increases blood pressure and blood sugar and reduces immune responses. If a person is continually stressed and continues to have high cortisol levels in his or her body, exhaustion is the outcome.

This leaves the person vulnerable to the common cold.

Sleeping, not eating stimulants, like caffeine and not dwelling on stressful situations are all essential to staying healthy. “And of course, actually studying for finals would probably alleviate some stress,” Hebert said.

P.E. locker rooms: the girls’ benches (on left) are dirtier than the boys’ (on right).

Keyboards: the library keyboards (on left) were worse off than those of the Academic Center (on right).

—Anne Hsiao

o p u l ar d ise ase s i n ve s t ig ate d

us) and or

Ways to Contract it

Ways to Cure it

Ways to Prevent it

Exposure to bodily fluids, saliva, blood, etc. Most often occurs between the ages of 5 and 25. Statistically, 90 to 95 percent of all adults have had Mono.

Fluids Bed rest over the counter drugs; Tylenol and ibuprofen

Avoid exposure to infected persons and bodily fluids. After contracting mono your immune system creates the anti-virus so you can’t catch it again.

ed Contact with an infected per- There is no cure for nose, son usually in densely popula- the common cold, most tions, schools and offices. symptoms can be alleviated with OTC drugs.

Limit exposure to infected persons and use hygienic behavior.

and seach. h,

Vaccination, which is a defeated form of the virus and can caused mild symptoms. Also follow hygienic behavior.

Influenza is spread when infected droplets are inhaled or other exchange of bodily fluids

Treat the symptoms with Tylenol or ibuprofen (not asprin), bed rest, avoid dry air.

—Compiled by Ann Abraham

The interior handles of bathroom entrances: the girls’ (top) and boys’ (bottom) bathrooms are nearly equal in the amount of bacteria.

Door handles: classroom door handles (top) and desks (bottom) were almost spotless.

—Dana Li

Photos by Ivan Yong

Kimberly Han

14

Features

The Oracle

For singles who don’t want romance: Even if you are single, you can still enjoy the benefits of Valentine’s Day without the relationship aspect: —Share a potluck-style candle-lit meal with a large group of friends and designate certain dishes for each person to make.

—Gather around a campfire and roast marshmallows with your friends.

—Take advantage of the many Valentine’s Day service opportunities by volunteering and showing affection to the neglected at local retirement homes and soup kitchens.

—Hold a secret Valentine’s Day gift exchange with your friends. Pick names out of a hat, then write a card and give a gift to whomever you pick.

For singles who are ready to mingle: With all of the love in the air, it’s the perfect chance to start a relationship: —Ask out the girl or boy of your dreams in an extremely creative manner. For guys, designate an area to meet, deck it out with flowers and then spring the question with a box of chocolates. Girls, you don’t need to be as creative—bake him cookies or brownies.

—Throw a singles’ Valentine’s Day party.

It is a great way to meet new people and singles looking for a relationship.

—Hold a Valentine’s Day date-off with your friends. Pick names out of a hat, and set up whoever you choose with a blind date. The rules are that you try to make a good match, and the two people on the date cannot know each other. The person who sets up the most successful date wins a prize.

For couples: Here is where you can let your creativity show: –Take a walk on a beach during or after the sunset. The reflection of the fading sun on the ocean, the calm waves and the light breeze in the air all contribute to the perfect Valentine’s Day atmosphere.

—Watch a romantic drive-in movie to combine a live theater with some bonding time in a cozy environment.

—Decorate your house with rose petals and scented candles, and cook a homemade meal together, complete with an appetizer, main course and dessert.

—Participate in sports like ice skating at Winter Lodge or paddle boating near Stevens Creek. Doing something active can help couples build on their relationships.

For those with recent breakups: Don’t feel down—stay positive! Try to stay as far away from the romance scene as possible: —Watch a horror or comedy movie at the theater with friends. These genres will help you forget about your breakup.

—Spend time with family and friends.

—Indulge yourself with chocolates and junk food and boost your self-esteem by writing yourself a positive card.

—Have fun at hang out spots that couples usually avoid, like Laser Quest or the bowling alley.

—Compiled by Jeffrey Wang

Junior returns from The Mountain School Shaya Christensen Reporter

“At the beginning, everything seems so rare and special—the performances before breakfast and dinner, morning meetings, Friday night debates, bottle-feeding the baby lambs, broom ball,” Gunn graduate and The Mountain School alumnus Chloe Zelkha said. “But by the end, it’s just your life.” Sound like a different world? In a way, it is.

The Mountain School is a school of 45 juniors and seniors located on an organic farm in Vershire, VT. Zelkha is not the only one of the Gunn community to experience life at the school. Junior Michael Norcia spent his fall semester living and working with other students there as well.

According to its Web site, The Mountain School grows most of the vegetables and fruit eaten by the students during the semester as well as all of the meat, eggs and maple syrup used by the students.

“I can only describe the scene as ‘idyllic,’” Norcia’s mother Patricia Burchat said, describing her visit.

“It was a beautiful clear August afternoon. Flowers were in bloom. We got to see the animals—sheep, cows, chicken, geese, even a llama—and the vegetable gardens. The dining hall had a cozy feel and the homemade food made from fresh farm produce was very good.”

The students at The Mountain School contribute heavily to the farm. In the fall, students harvest vegetables, take care of cows and sheep in the pasture and make apple cider. During the spring semester, students plant new crops for the fall, work in the greenhouses, assist with lambing and produce maple syrup. The students also chop all the wood the school uses, which according to Norcia, was one of his favorite activities.

Norcia applied to the school for its reputation of having an excellent staff. “The first thing that struck me, wasn’t, ‘Wow, the people here are so interesting, though that did strike me,” Norcia said. “What really struck me was that the faculty was amazing.

They communicated really well.” The school has only 18 faculty members, and most class sizes are small. Zelkha, for example, had eleven students in her largest class. “The students, teachers and staff at The Mountain School rapidly become a very close-knit community because they live, work, study, play and eat together, every day, on a farm in a rural part of Vermont,” Burchat said. Zelkha had a similar reaction. “I got to be a part of a tight

Bauer Wann Reporter

Courtesy of the Norcia family

Junior Michael Norcia and his mother smile in front of The Mountain School in Vermont.

community in which adults and kids are on the same side, not just playing the cat and mouse game I was used to,” she said.

A typical day at the school starts at 7:30 a.m.

Students care for animals or clean dorms and facilities before breakfast, which other students help cook. Next, students take part in a “humble,” which, according to Norcia, is a “politically correct version of a prayer.” Four classes precede lunch, followed by a three-hour work period, during which students perform all kinds of farm work or education from making applesauce to chopping wood to going on orienteering hikes. Two more classes, dinner and study time finish up the day.

According to Norcia, the impact The Mountain School had on him went far beyond sustainability.

Although he acknowledges that the social atmosphere was “a little weird,” Norcia bonded with the other students through the fun moments they shared. “Dancing was a big thing my semester,” Norcia said, relating it to the fun he had on dish crew “dancing while dishwashing.” They also engaged in discussions and debates, and Norcia quickly became known for his style of taking up a debate in any disagreement. “You’re with people who think, and want to know what you think,” Norcia said. According to Norcia, the students and the learning they shared were the defining parts of the semester.

One of Norcia’s friends who applied to The Mountain School mainly for the organic farming program told him at the end of the semester: “The Mountain School could really be in any place,” Norcia said. “It could be on a rock in the desert.

The farm doesn’t really matter. It’s the place and the community you build there.”

Jan. 26 marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year, welcoming the Year of the Ox. Chinese New Year celebrations have been firmly established to take place in the first month of the Lunar Calendar since the Han Dynasty.

The legend of the Chinese New Year started with a battle between villagers and a beast called Nian, or “Year” in Chinese. When Nian came, it would destroy livestock and eat children. The villagers discovered that by offering food outside their doors, the beast would be content. In addition, they could scare the beast away by wearing red and setting off firecrackers. Thus began the traditions of the Chinese New Year.

There are various traditions and superstitions surrounding the celebrations of the Chinese New Year.

Traditions to attract good luck include opening doors and windows to invite good luck in, eating sweets to ensure a sweet year and cleaning the house to welcome the coming year.

There are also some superstitions, such as not buying shoes because the word “shoe” in Chinese is a homophone for evil, not buying books because the word is a homonym for “to lose” and avoiding the colors black and white because black symbolizes bad luck and white is a funeral color.

Also, let’s not forget about the money-giving tradition in which married couples give cash tucked into red envelopes to people that are still single. Science teacher Lisa Wu gladly accepts the red envelopes. “I’m not married yet,” she said.

The influence of the Chinese New Year may not be as apparent in the

United States, but various Chinese immigrants still celebrate this holiday.

Wu, who was born and raised in the United States, explained some of the tradition her family practices during Chinese New Year. “[My family] will have dinner together, eating boiled chicken and shark fin soup,” Wu said.

“My mom calls [New Year] a new beginning and she would clean the whole house and buy new clothes.” One of Wu’s more memorable Chinese New Year experiences was when she and her family participated in a Chinese New Year treasure hunt four years ago in San Francisco.

Junior Michael Pan also enjoys and celebrates Chinese New Year. “It’s a time when family and friends can come together to celebrate the end of the year, and the beginning of a new year,” he said.

Similar to Wu’s experience, food also plays an important part in Pan’s celebration of Chinese New Year.

“I remember the thick, greasy smell that the spring rolls would give off when my mother deep-fried them in the wok,” Pan said. “The spring rolls are definitely my favorite part of the whole feast.”

Pan further added that he will continue the Chinese New Year tradition, which stresses the importance of family. “Through the people in your life, you can attain true happiness, something that’s difficult to achieve in this modern, materialistic world,” he said.

For Wu, it is important for her to retain her Chinese traditions. “I have already lost my language, so I think it’s important to continue what traditions I know.” Senior Beverly Yu agrees. “My family still celebrates [the Chinese New Year], and I think it’s cool that other people at school celebrate it also,” she said.

Features

Monday, February 9, 2009

15

Featured Art Pieces 1. “Skull with Octupus” by Eliza Henderson (Ceramics/Sculpture) 2. “Vectored Self-Portrait” by Marion Hollar (Graphic Design) 3. “Breakdown of Humanity” by Minjie Yoo (AP Studio Art) 4. “Separation” by Sophia Perry (Advanced Drawing and Painting) 5. “Blue” by Leo Chen (Photo)

Art Spectrum

Art Spectrum is the beginning point for all students who are developing their artistic interests. Students are provided with basic instruction in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. It provides a solid foundation for students who wish to continue on to more advanced art classes such as Drawing and Painting or Ceramics/Sculpture.

“Art Spectrum is the foundation course to learn the basic techniques in drawing and painting, ceramics and sculpture and graphic design,” visual arts teacher Deanna Messinger said. “The curriculum is designed to help students gain confidence in expressing themselves through art, and hopefully spark their interest to take at least one of the advanced visual art disciplines.”

Ceramics/Sculpture

Students in visual arts teacher Erik Bowman’s Ceramics/Sculpture class work with a broad array of mediums and techniques to create different three-dimensional art pieces. “We work with clay, wax, bronze, different objects,” Bowman said. “There’s so much we can do, from sculpture to carving.” In the ceramics curriculum students learn wheel and glazing basics.

When students reach the sculpturefocused part of the class, they broaden their artistic spectrums to bronze, clay and other mediums. “It’s like an intermediate continuation of ceramics,” Bowman said.

He also noted that his students, in addition to excelling in three-dimensional arts, enjoy the creative process and can apply creativity to every aspect of their lives.

Graphic Design

Visual arts teacher Mark Gleason’s primary objective is for his students to be able to create art they can use. “Graphic Design isn’t just an art class,” he said. “There are skills people learn that they can use for a career later on in life.” According to Gleason, graphic design uses elements of drawing, but its focus is to communicate an idea. “Graphic design students should know that they can use art to change thinking,” Gleason said. Throughout the year, students use computer software such as Photoshop to complete their various assignments.

One of Gleason’s favorite assignments is one in which students create an artistic work on the computer, then screen them onto t-shirts. “It’s a really cool assignment where they can show off their creativity,” Gleason said.

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1

3 4

Photo

By the end of a school year, visual arts teacher Mark Gleason hopes his Photography students will walk away with more than a basic knowledge of photography. “I hope they hunger for more,” Gleason said. “They should always have this voice in their heads saying ‘I need more’.” Besides learning basic black and white photography, digital photography and development, Gleason wants his students to learn to appreciate visual statements and communication. “I want them to be able to manipulate images and make them their own,” he said. “They should be able to use photos as self expression.”

Photography students are presented with opportunities to display their creativity through different projects, one of which includes photographing the alphabet. “They find things that look like the different letters of the alphabet, photograph them and put them into s e q u e n c e,” Gleason said.

“They have the opportunity to view the world in a di f f e r e n t way.”

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Advanced Drawing and Painting

AP Studio Art

Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art is the highest level art class a student can take. “This is a College Board approved course that requires 24 high quality works of art to be submitted by the first week of May,” visual arts teacher Deanna Messinger said. “This is the first year that digital submission has been available, so this is a pilot class for this new method.” Students have already learned technique and have more freedom to express themselves through art rather than focusing solely on technicalities of artistic rules. “I want them to complete quality work that is masterful in technique, but still shows expressive content and personal meaning,” Messinger said. “They should be pushing the edges of their comfort zone to create meaningful work.” With the completion of AP Studio Art, students are equipped with the skills to apply their artistic knowledge and talents later in college and in potential careers. “My students should go away with the confidence to apply to art schools,” Messinger said. “At the end of the year, I hope they know they are truly artists.”

For higher level art students, Advanced Drawing and Painting offers the opportunity to broaden their horizons through more advanced techniques and mediums. “This is a ‘portfolio preparedness’ course, where students learn skill building in different media like printmaking, oil painting and any medium they didn’t get in Drawing and Painting,” visual arts teacher Deanna Messinger said. Utilizing the techniques learned in Art Spectrum, students continue to add to their technical skills and begin to focus more on expressing themselves artistically. “[Students walk away] having built more confidence and understanding of creating work with personal meaning,” Messinger said. “The structure of assignments becomes less as they begin to become more self-motivated to choose the media that fits their ideas.”

Visual arts teacher Deanna Messinger’s suggested list for class succession

Art Spectrum: the foundation course.

Drawing & Painting: the “boot camp”.

Advanced Drawing & Painting: first year of portfolio building.

Advanced Drawing & Painting II and AP Studio Art: final portfolio building and submission for colleges, AP College Board or personal enrichment. (Some students “portfolio out” to advanced classes without taking the course, usually because they are taking outside classes or tutoring.)

5. Advanced Sculpture: More advanced curriculum; continuation of Ceramics/ Sculpture portfolio-building, etc.

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–Compiled by Sarah-Jean Zubair

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Features

The Oracle

Bloggers record lives

Traditional pen and paper journals replaced by Internet blogs Wen Yi Chin Sports Editor

What ever happened to the leather bound diary with its crisp and pristine pages? Or the feeling of satisfaction as one fills each page with ink and memoirs? Nowadays, in the age of technology, more and more people are switching over to Internet diary keeping, otherwise known as blogging.

Online sites such as Blogspot, Xanga, Wordpress and LiveJournal are designed specifically for passionate individuals who find it meaningful to share their ideas and thoughts with the world.

According to Business Week, there were more than 15.5 million active blogs in April 2007. However, it should also be noted that the average blog is usually abandoned after three months.

For those who may not know, a blog is a Web site where writers can post written entries with various content, including pictures or videos. No previous computer science or technology knowledge is required: it is as simple as typing in a box and clicking the submit button.

While there are many supplementary sites from which bloggers can download layouts to

beautify their page, almost all bloggers agree that aesthetic appeal comes in second to content. Seniors Annie Chin and Ellen Su, who have been sharing a blog (www.orneryeyrie. blogspot.com) for about a year, draw almost all of their inspiration for each blog post from daily happenings.

“Everyday occurrences in life are amazing,” Chin wrote in an e-mail message. “Never underestimate the power of something just because it’s always there. If you just change your perspective or give things a little more thought, the most trite can become the most extraordinary; anything has the potential to be a blog post.”

Chin and Su both blog under aliases: Chin uses the name “Awkward Hawk” and Su uses “Flailing Quail.” According to them, the name of their blog, OrneryEyrie, is the result of combining the tagline of “Ornithology: the study of being ornery,” and their desire to have a bird-related title.

“There’s no central theme to our blog— it’s almost like a random thought generator,” Chin wrote. “I hope that visitors who check our page once in a while can learn something that they didn’t know before, or find humor in a place they didn’t know existed.”

For senior Hadas Moalem, who has had a

blog (www.xanga.com/frenchaddict88) since sixth grade, blogging is just another way to develop both as a writer and as a person.

“I blog to get my thoughts straight,” Moalem said. “Writing is like therapy for me.

It always makes me feel better. Blogging in large part also made me want to become a writer. It’s great to look back at entries from sixth and seventh grade and compare them to recent ones and look at how much I grew as a person. It’s the closest I can get to those early years, I guess.”

Moalem writes about her daily life and uses books, other active blog sites and random events as springboards for her entries.

Additionally, Moalem writes a recap post for all the significant events that have happened during each month.

“It showed me how eventful one year can be, because in past years, December would creep up and I’d have no idea what I did in the last 12 months,” she said.

Similarly, Su uses her shared blog as a medium of organization and comfort. “I blog because I like writing things down so I can look back at them and laugh,” Su said. “I like sharing things that I find amusing, in case it brightens up anyone else’s day. I feel like I should start trying to use the blog as a way

to express my opinions [about current events and issues].”

For those who think that blogging will just be another distraction from homework, like Facebook, fear not. Updating blogs daily is not a requirement. Hiatuses are common in the blogging world. “[We blog] whenever we can take a break from our exciting second semester senior lives and plethora of extracurrics,” Chin wrote.

“It’s usually around once a week for me, but when things are extremely busy, we’ve been known to go on hiatus for weeks.”

Junior Rainier Ruiz is just one of many who have been caught up in the blogging wave. He is thinking of starting his own blog, but hasn’t gotten around to it yet. “I just feel inspired to do things now,” Ruiz said. “Well, I guess people aren’t always around to listen, so if I start blogging, eventually I’ll get a response. And even if I don’t know the person [who is reading my blog], blogging will still give me a broader range of perspective than if I were just talking to people at school or at home.”

So when you find yourself with too many thoughts in your head, it might be a sign for you to start blogging.

Student trains rescued goats Anne Hsiao

Business Manager

Training pet dogs and cats to perform tricks like shaking hands or rolling over is quite common among students and adults alike. The thought of goats crawling underneath objects on command is rare, but that is just what junior Lisa Fawcett does in her spare time—she trains goats.

Fawcett began training goats when her neighbors saved three goats from being slaughtered through an organization called Goat Rescue. According to Fawcett, her neighbors obtained the goats so they would to eat the weeds in their animal pen.

“I met the goats shortly after they moved in,” Fawcett said. “But it took a bit of time for them to get used to people.” The goats were very hesitant to make human contact at first, but after she started to bring kitchen scraps to feed them, the goats became much friendlier—as soon as she would approach the pen, the goats would come running.

Soon, Fawcett discovered that goats could follow directions and perform interesting tasks. “I like animals in general,” Fawcett said. “But I like goats in particular because of their intelligence and how fun they are to be around.”

The first trick that Fawcett managed to teach the goats was to jump onto a box.

To accomplish this, she put food in her hand and raised it to signify for the goats to get on the box. It took approximately 20 minutes for the goats to learn the trick.

However, it took several days for the goats to learn to jump on the box with hand gestures. Fawcett also taught the goats how to crawl underneath a trough, a basin-like structure where the food for the animals is kept, on command. “[The tricks] are pretty useless, but they’re fairly entertaining,” Fawcett said. The only trick she has yet to successfully teach the goats is how to stay in one place.

Courtesy of Fawcett family

Junior Lisa Fawcett uses food to train a goat her neighbor rescued.

An interesting fact that Fawcett learned about goats is that they eat anything and everything put in front of them. Fawcett and her brother usually brought the food to the goats in buckets, but the goats quickly realized that they could knock the buckets down whenever they wanted food. Soon, Fawcett and her brother began bringing the goats their food in paper bags to keep them from eating it, but that didn’t discourage the goats—they just ate the paper bags along with the food. “Goats eat mostly anything,” Fawcett said. “They’ll even try to eat your shirt if you spilled something on it.” Finally, Fawcett and her brother had to resort to giving the goats food in plastic bags, although that never completely deterred the goats either.

Like many other animals, goats aggressively fight for food. “If one goat has a banana peel and the other one doesn’t, there will be war,” Fawcett said. Fawcett, said she once managed to get in the middle of one of their food fights and ended up tripping over one of the goats and spraining her hip flexor.

Although Fawcett enjoys training goats in her spare time, she is unable to continue due to time restraints. However, she said the most valuable lesson she has learned from her time working with goats is patience.

Entertainment

Monday, February 9, 2009

17

The Oracle staff gets the scoop on what guys really want for Valentine’s Day

Payat Mishra

Jon Proctor

Sophomore Payat Mishra has a traditional Valentine's Day schedule planned out—candy, flowers and a dinner. “First, I would give her heart-shaped chocolates with red roses,” Mishra said. “I do not need any tangible presents from her, just maybe her number and her love.” Mishra has also chosen a particular date spot. “We would go to an expensive Italian restaurant with candles, and I would make sure that my date saw me turn off my cell phone, so that she would know that I want to spend time with her alone. I would also order one big bowl of spaghetti that we would share. Obviously, I would cover the dinner.” Despite his planning, prior experiences for Mishra show that finding the right girl is never easy. “In eighth grade, I asked my friend, who unbeknownst to me, had a boyfriend,” Mishra said. “It didn’t work out.

I was quite depressed for a week.”

For The Oracle’s own junior Jon Proctor's date, this February 14th will be very surprising. “My dream date would be a romantic picnic on the beach. I would work my fingers to the bone to make the most amazing and romantic heart-shaped sandwiches ever.”

Proctor said. “The most meaningful gifts are based on inside jokes. We’ll have fun, but I’m no Donald Trump. I know my girl is more interested in me than my wallet.”

Proctor has an outfit ready for the occasion.

“I would wear a nice shirt, jeans and a jacket in case my date gets cold. After eating, we would swim and then sleep under the stars.”

Proctor is hoping that the upcoming Valentine’s Day will be better than the previous Valentine’s Day. “I have never actually had a date for Valentine’s Day, so hopefully this will be the year.”

Uwink blends food with technology Eugenah Chou Reporter

My first impression of Uwink, which is located on 401 Castro St, Mountain View, was how cozy the restaurant seemed. The constant chatter and spaciousness created a low-key atmosphere that helped in satisfying the one requirement for a good night out: comfort. Bar stools and tables are available to those seeking an informal excursion, and cushions to those looking for even more relaxation. Only one thing seemed out of place: the set of flat screen computers at every table. After ogling the restaurant’s niceties, I approached the hostess, who greeted me warmly.

As she escorted me to a table, I could only wonder about all the rumors I had heard about this restaurant. “It’s like a sci-fi film,” “the computers are addicting.”

The computers? What role could they have in my dining experience? As I slid into a booth, I glanced over at my neighbors. All I could see were the tops of their heads as they hunched over their monitors, whispering excitedly.

“Do you ever have a problem with greasy monitors?” I asked my waitress. “No, not at all,” she grinned. “People tend to get a

little over-protective with their computers.” I allowed a smile, not quite comprehending what she was implying.

And then she showed me the computer. Using the touch screen, she explained that I would do all of my ordering straight from the table and that I would be free to explore a number of computer activities as the kitchen processed my order. Individual activities like chess, word puzzles, trivia, “world-view” panoramas and movies are directed mainly towards those dining alone. However, there are also several games where customers can compete against each other, for a spot on one of the game standings lists projected onto the walls of the restaurant. Each monitor is equipped with its own interactive menu, through which customers can request anything from extra cheese to another fork or spoon.

Although I am usually a dedicated carnivore, a growling stomach prompted me to order the first thing that stood out to me on the menu, a vegetarian pesto pasta for $10. The food took a while to arrive, about a 20-or-30-minute wait. Now that I think back, that amount of time would have had me grumbling at any other restaurant, but I was distracted by an

interactive Truth or Dare game.

When the food finally did arrive, I was mildly disappointed.

The noodles that had looked so appetizing and healthy on the menu were practically drowning in semisolid sauce. I ended up having to scrape the majority of it off and into my napkin, to avoid feeling like I was swallowing a pesto soup. However, when my waitress sensed my obvious discontent, she offered to take back my plate and bring back something more satisfactory.

Relieved, as well as a little more cautious, I ordered a simple turkey club for $10.50. The service was much quicker this second time, with only a five-minute wait.

Fortunately, the food was a lot better as well. Although Uwink seems to enjoy rich sauces in large amounts, the food was easier to handle in between two slices of thick bread. Fries were provided on the side.

My initial disappointment for the food at Uwink was offset by my enjoyment of its computers and the dedicated service of the restaurant’s staff. Keep in mind that all computers require either a credit card or driver’s license to be unlocked. Five out of five stars goes to atmosphere and service, and two stars for the food.

Junhyun Kim This year senior Junhyun Kim has a special schedule for a special someone. “I’d first give her a love letter and a time capsule to open in five years, but only if she continues to date me,” Kim said. “Afterward, I would take her to Beque [and] eat a full course of traditional Korean food. It’s a really nice and formal place with lots of expensive food.

When it comes to money, I would probably pay.” Kim also has another spot picked out, set up especially for a Valentine’s kiss. “If we could, we would go to New York and at night, we would go to Times Square,” Kim said. Before this year, Kim’s past experiences has not always been exceptional.

“On Valentine’s Day, I would sleep and eat noodles at home, or sometimes I would get some chocolates and eat those at home.”

—Compiled by Joseph Lin

Wordoku See the solution on page 20 Letters used N, E, R, T, X, O, J, D, M

Unmatched Knowledge Thoroughness & Integrity Superior Marketing Skills Unsurpassed Service Invincible Spirit Superlative Results

www.wordoku.biz

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Entertainment

The Oracle

‘Notorious’ film exposes life story Commercials Biggie Smalls’ biopic reveals life and culture in the music industry

are culture Maya Itah

In light of the current economic crisis, America has collectively changed the way it views so-called inferior products. Fashionistas are learning to make generic brands work. Time Magazine recently featured spam—as a trendy ingredient for upscale chefs. Ramen isn’t just for college students anymore.

I think there’s something to be learned from this new approach. Obviously, one doesn’t pay for commercials, but they’re there, and they can get pretty annoying. What’s a Tivo-less girl to do? Like chefs have embraced spam, I’m going to embrace ads. Think about it: commercials often mirror real television series. In theory, it should only take a simple change of attitude to enjoy them.

I’ve already decided that infomercials are the reality television of advertising. They attempt to make you believe an utterly ridiculous concept; you watch bad actors pretend to be real people, and cringe at the fact that they’re actually getting paid.

But after a while, they become funny. Those actors aren’t that annoying if you spend the infomercial’s duration making fun of their hair. There’s a point where those ads become art, even. A blanket with sleeves? Genius! A tool designed specifically to cut tomatoes? Even better!

Then come what I like to call sommercials— commercials which are really just a series in disguise. For example, most Geico ads wouldn’t make an ounce of sense if you hadn’t watched at least a few of the older ones. Like the writers of “Degrassi” or “House,” writers of sommercials work off the assumption that they are dealing with a familiar audience. On the flip side, there are commercials that act as pure situational comedies, which don’t necessarily rely on developed characters or running jokes. One doesn’t have to watch a lot of “The Simpsons” to find the show funny, and likewise, one doesn’t need to be familiar with Red Bull commercials to understand what’s being advertised. There are no constant characters or settings. There’s just that one iconic punch line—and it’s enough to leave viewers satisfied.

If you can’t get yourself into that mindset, there’s another tactic I like to use: the game. If you just thought of “The Game,” you lose, because I’m actually talking about a counting pastime: try to count the amount of times you see 1) dancing animals, 2) token ethnic minorities, 3) unnecessary cleaning products or 4) doctors that look suspiciously like models. If you reach, say, six in one break, pat yourself on the back. Give yourself a bubble bath. You deserve it.

I’ll admit that this entire column is a very poor attempt at justifying an aspect of our evil, depraved consumerist society. But what else is there to do during breaks? If I stop attempting to attribute meaning where there is probably none, I will end up in one place: the kitchen. That’s no good. I don’t do well with a combination of boredom and food, and in fact, I’m not aware of anyone who does. I’m pretty sure the government could mitigate obesity quite effectively if it launched a mandatory commercial program. (This is why I will never run for high office.)

In short, no one really likes the run-of-themill television commercials. Unless they’re made by charities, they’re not likely to ever do society good. But let’s face it: they’re not going away.

And beyond the spam and chef argument, there’s a sweet irony in the espousal of commercials. We might as well use the same approach advertisers take with products, right? Let’s spin some negatives into positives.

—Itah, a senior, is a Forum Editor.

Eugenah Chou Reporter

Director George Tillman Jr. tackles a remarkable feat with Notorious, a biopic on the life of infamous rapper Biggie Smalls, also known as the Notorious BIG. Born Christopher Wallace, Smalls turns to the drug-hustlers and small-minded crooks of his neighborhood for guidance at an early age.

Smalls is a smart kid who, burdened by the expectations of his peers and his own pride, takes the wrong turn at precisely the wrong moment when he becomes a dealer during the peak of the 1980s crack epidemic. Drugs land him in jail as a high school dropout and a teenage father. While serving his sentence, Smalls turns to rap as an outlet for his boredom, discovering his truly astonishing talent for music. He takes his anger and blunt disappointment with a life he feels is going nowhere, and transfers his feelings into song. The rest, as they say, is history.

The film plays relatively true to the facts, and strongly emphasizes the significance of the rap culture movement. Tillman, whose experience in biographical dramas comes from directing Men of Honor, which covered the story of the first black Navy diver, takes good advantage of his creative control. The majority of this film is made up of highly detailed, close-action shots that manage to manipulate the audience’s emotions

quite well. Although many drawn-out moments in this two-hour movie could and should have been cut, the raw feeling and genuine emotion displayed by actors and on the excellent soundtrack is exceptional.

Jamal “Gravy” Woolard, a real-life rapper from Brooklyn, plays Wallace, and long story short, he does it superbly. Despite having a virtually non-existent acting career, Woolard proves to be a dedicated and promising new actor. The resemblance between Woolard and the actual Smalls, both in body and sound, is uncanny, and makes his story portrayed on the big screen all the more believable.

Woolard’s performance is additionally bolstered by the cameo appearance of Angela Bassett as Small’s mother, and Small’s real son Christopher Wallace Jr., who plays Smalls in his childhood years.

Unfortunately, beyond the excellent casting list, Notorious fails to satisfactorily deliver the unparalleled legend of Biggie Smalls. The script is filled with melodrama and irritating non-sequiturs. One moment Wallace is portrayed as a rags-to-riches hero from the slums, and the very next as a wife-beating maniac. The parallel of Smalls’ different sides does more to confuse the audience than glamorize his story. After being dragged from one extreme perception to the next, the audience is stuck with the question “Who was Christopher Wallace?”, an

Courtesy of www.imdb.com

The film Notorious documents the life of rapper Biggie Smalls.

effect assuredly unintended.

This film is a must-see for those who have not yet heard the story, or the music, of Biggie Smalls. It introduces musical greenhorns to a genre of music often misperceived as always being violent and immoral. Rhythmic American Poetry (rap) is about passion, and although Notorious lacks in some aspects, it persuasively conveys this fundamental idea.

This f ilm is rated R for drugs, sexual content, some violence and language. Viewer discretion is advised.

Recipe of the Month: Raspberry Duck

Courtesy of Jon Proctor

Ingredients:

•4 duck breast halves •2 teaspoons sea salt •2 teaspoons ground cinnamon •4 teaspoons demerara sugar

•1/2 cup red wine •1/4 cup creme de cassis liqueur •1 teaspoon cornstarch •4 ounces raspberries (or any other tart fruit such as apples or pomegranate)

Directions:

Duck is a seductive and succulent—perfect for a romantic Valentine’s dinner.

To start, score the duck breasts through the skin and fat. On medium-high heat, fry the duck skin side down until the skin browns and fat runs out, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the duck from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Return breasts to pan and fry skin side up for another 10 minutes. Remove breasts from pan, and rest on a baking sheet. Mix the sea salt, cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle generously over the skin. Broil the duck breasts skin side up until the sugar begins to caramelize, about one minute. Be careful—under the broiler they can burn very quickly. Once they are golden brown, remove them from the oven and let them rest.

To make the sauce, pour most of the duck fat out of the frying pan. Mix together the red wine, cassis and cornstarch and pour the mixture into the pan. Simmer for three minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Add the raspberries, and simmer for another minute until heated through.

To serve, slice the duck breasts thinly and pour a little sauce over the top.

—Compiled by Jon Proctor

1) Avé Lucifer—Os Mutantes 2) Misfit—Elefant 3) Roadrunner—The Modern Lovers 4) Caraluna—Bacilos 5) Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night—The Fratellis 6) Meadowport Arch—The Ladybug Transistor 7) Daydream in Blue—I Monster 8) Holland, 1945—Neutral Milk Hotel 9) J’aime Dire Je T’aime— Etienne & Moi 10) The Shock of Lighting— Oasis 11) Mr. Blue Sky—ELO 12) Lollipop—Framing Hanley 13) I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need to Be Nicer—The Cardigans 14) Mr. Dancing Bear and Violin—Page France 15) Sometime Around Midnight —The Airborne Toxic Event 16) Spaceman—The Killers 17) Step Into the Sun—Solid State Revival —Compiled by Veronica Polivanaya and Danielle Edelman

Entertainment

Melissa Chan Reporter

On July 17, thousands of fans will converge to San Francisco to celebrate the worldwide Harry Potter phenomenon. With one of the largest and most diverse fan followings, Har r y Potter has had a profound effect on fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. The Harry Potter Education Fanon’s (HPEF) sixth event, Azkatraz, will be hosted in the Parc 55 San Francisco Hotel. Its name is a combination of the Wizard prison Azkaban and the former San Francisco prison Alcatraz.

Azkatraz incor porates the best of

Monday, February 9, 2009

both worlds of an academic conference and a fan convention. The theme is social justice, something that J.K. Rowling has expressed in each of her novels. The conference plans to have lectures and panel discussions centered on this topic.

The convention will kick off with the midnight premiere of the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince movie in iMax. Fans will be able to get into the Hogwarts spirit with a welcome feast, pick-up Quidditch, video production at ZEUM, a fashion show and the Prison Break Ball. The leaving feast will give enthusiasts a final chance to enjoy the atmosphere before departure.

In addition to the events that are in-

cluded in the registration fee, Azkatraz is offering a cr uise around Alcatraz from the water. Wrock around the Rock is a four-hour event that will take place in the San Francisco Bay. It features games and music from the bands The Draco Malfoys, The Remus Lupins, The Whomping Willows, The House of Black and Ministry of Magic. The convention is for all ages, anyone under the age of 17 will be admitted with an adult. There will be examinations of religious perspectives, character discussion, Harry Potter in the classroom and bridging the gap between young and old. The convention is ideal for anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge and appreciation

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of the series. Azkatraz offers an opportunity for intellectuals to deconstruct and discuss the children’s classics.

T h e $145 b a s i c r e g i s t r a t i o n fe e i nclud es t he Su nd ay t h r oug h Mon d ay prog r a m m i ng t r ack s, ac c ess to the vendor room, an auction and inhotel film screenings. Merlin’s Circle Sponsorship-level and the Master’s of Potter Administration registration are upgrades that can be purchased for an increased fee to the basic registration.

Both have special and unique privileges that will enhance the overall experience for enthusiast. The fees will increase after Feb. 28. To register, go to www. hp2009.org.

And Then There Were Nuns to showcase staff, student talent Sophie Cheng Copy Editor

Students usually can only daydream of their teachers singing and dancing around in silly costumes, but they will get to experience it firsthand on Wednesday evening when And Then There Were Nuns, the choirstaff musical, opens.

Various staff members signed up to form the cast and ensemble along with the choir class. “This year’s musical is like Sister Act, but stars Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz,” choir director Bill Liberatore said. “The main character is a girl who is dying to be a Broadway star, but is locked up in a convent because she witnessed a murder and there’s a mob out to get her. The plot exists solely as an excuse to have fun and to include great songs and great dances.”

Since the 1960s, there has been an ongoing tradition for staff members to star in student drama productions at Gunn. The actual choir-staff musical is relatively new, however. Twelve years ago, Liberatore put together the first choir-staff musical, Heavenly Bandstand, to create more interest in the choir. “I just picked up an old Gunn tradition and expanded on it hugely,” he said.

Staff members who have participated in musicals in past years, like math teacher David Deggeller, return every year because of their passion for performing. “I think teachers, at heart, are really performers who love to be on stage,” Deggeller said. “For me, I’ve been doing music my whole life, so

singing is a thrill. It’s also great to interact with my math students outside of class and to see them in a different light.”

Nancy Hersage, the mother of a Gunn graduate, has traditionally written the scripts for past choir-staff musicals, such as Alice Down the Healthcare Hole and Totally Gone With the Wind. This year’s musical, And Then There Were Nuns, was also written by Hersage and has been performed twice before, once as a choir-staff musical and another time by students in the Little Theater.

According to senior Ella Cooley, who plays Mother Superior, this year’s musical does not offer a clear message like last year’s. “Last year, the musical was about health care, and there was a definite political message,” she said. “But this year, it’s just completely silly. We want everyone to come and have a good time watching all the girls and guys going crazy in habits on stage.”

Liberatore also encourages students to come out and support their teachers and the choir on stage. “I hope people come to see us, because it’s hilarious and a lot of fun,” he said. “All profits from the musical go to scholarship money for our choir tour, so it’s going to a good cause.”

The musical will play on Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. in Spangenberg Theater.

Tickets cost $10 for high school students or younger and $15 for adults, and are available in the Student Activities Center and online at http://www.gunnchoir.org.

Philip Sun

Juniors Michael Norcia and Sam Putney practice a dance routine for the upcoming choir-staff musical. The show will play on Wednesday and Thursday.

Spring 2009 Events Calendar Wicked Orpheum Theatre San Francisco, CA Roughly from Jan 29 to May 27

Celine Dion HP Pavilion at San Jose San Jose, CA Fri, Feb 20, 2009 8:00 p.m.

Lady Gaga Mezzanine San Francisco, CA Sat, March 14, 2009 10:00 p.m.

Fashion Without Borders Roble Field, Santa Teresa St. Stanford, CA Sat, May 2, 2009 7:00 p.m.

SAP Open Tennis HP Pavilion at San Jose San Jose, CA Feb 9 to Feb 15 Times vary

Jimmy Eat World The Fillmore San Francisco, CA Wed, March 04, 2009 8:00 p.m.

The Killers San Jose State Event Center Arena San Jose, CA Sun, Apr 19, 2009 7:30 p.m.

San Francisco Symphony Flint Center Cupertino, CA Sat, May 9, 2009 8:00 p.m.

—Compiled by Amy Yu

20

Entertainment

The Oracle

Online games gain popularity, promote social networks Jeffrey Wang Reporter

If you want the benefits of a social life in the comfort of your home, then try online games. Though multiplayer games may seem somewhat dorky at first, the variety of genres provides appealing games for everyone. The most popular categories of online games among Gunn students include massively multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPG), strategy games, shooter games and old-school party games.

MMORPGs are among the most popular and successful forms of online games, with over 70 million subscribed accounts in its top three games alone: World of Warcraft, MapleStory and RuneScape. In each, players control a character avatar within a fantasy setting, battling monsters, challenging and trading with peers, exploring the terrain and completing quests to gain experience and abilities.

World of Warcraft (WOW), a three dimensional representation of the Warcraft universe by Blizzard Entertainment, is by far the most successful of the three, with over 11.5 million subscribers who pay an initial fee of $60 for the three game components and a monthly fee of $15 to maintain an active account. In WoW, players must choose between two opposing sides—the Alliance or the Horde—and create specific characters in classes according to their faction. MapleStory,

an internationally famous two dimensional side-scrolling MMORPG, comes in second, with over 50 million free subscribers. Though it is free to subscribe, Wizet, the game company, generates its money from advertisements and game play enhancements that can be bought from a “Cash Shop” with real money. Players start as beginners and, with enough experience points, can develop into stronger characters and follow the path of one of five job advancements—warriors, magicians, thieves, archers and pirates.

Runescape, a three dimensional Javabased MMORPG managed by Jagex Software with over 15 million free subscribed accounts, is an animated browser-based game with similar features to the other two.

The Battle.net option in Blizzard Entertainment’s featured strategy games, Warcraft 3 and Starcraft, is popular among those who prefer more speedy and intellectual games with their friends. The objectives for custom maps in these games are the same— players must gather resources and create an army with which to defeat their opponents. In Warcraft 3, there are four races from which to base an army upon: Human, Orc, Undead and Nightelf; in Starcraft, there are three: Terrain, Zerg and Protoss. In addition to the normal scenarios, players have the option of creating or downloading alternative stages with unconventional rules, such as capture the flag, tower defense or the more well-known De-

fense of the Ancients (DotA), which is specific to Warcraft 3. DotA includes similar aspects from both strategy and role-playing games, in that each game typically lasts 30-45 minutes and requires quick improvisation, and that players choose a hero to develop and train with which to defeat the opposite team. The teams are split in two fiveman groups, either with the Alliance or the Scourge, and each team attempts to push past the defenses and destroy the foundation of the other team’s base.

In contrast to the birds-eye view perspective that MMORPG and strategy games offer, shooter games provide more realistic first-and thirdperson camera shots for those who seek live-action thrill. Activision and Steam are the two leading game companies in this game genre, with the Call of Duty and Counter-Strike series. In these games, players have the opportunity to fight with both practical and fictional ammunition as soldiers at war. In Call of Duty, the setting is of World War 2, and in Counter-Strike, it is a simple brawl between counterterrorists and terrorists.

For those looking to pass a few minutes either at home or elsewhere, party games such as those on www. iminlikewithyou.com are perfect for small groups of friends. Three featured games on this site include remade versions of Tetris (Blockles), Bomberman (Balloono), and Pictionary (Draw my Thing) with revamped items in Blockles and Balloono.

Nathan Toung

top ten symptoms of senioritis 10) Attending class is completely optional 9) If you choose to attend, you bring along an iPod and your pillow 8) You haven’t logged off of Facebook in two weeks 7) Your homework will do itself...or not, no matter 6) While you still care about school, you no longer lose sleep over it 5) You are getting so old you can’t hear the bell 4) School has become a loading zone on your way to the beach 3) Everything you’ve learned for the last 12 years seems to be slipping away 2) You do, however, know every word to your favorite shows’ theme songs 0) You’ve forgotten how to count

—Compiled by Danielle Aspitz

Wordoku Answers

Solve the puzzle on page 17

Courtesy of www.wordoku.biz

Diverse web browsers offer choices The Oracle staff gives an overview of the most widely used Internet browsers available for download today Bauer Wann Reporter

C u r r e n t l y, t h e t o p fo u r Web br ows er s a r e I nt er net Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Each has usages of 70.72 percent, 20.27 percent, 6.77 percent and 0.78 percent respectively. It is difficult to say which is the best tool for surfing the net, for each has its own specialty.

T he most widely pra ised web browser is Firefox 3. Free for download, Fi refox wins over creative and tech-savvy computer users with its easilycustomized interface. Firefox 3 has over 5000 add-ons, featuring blogging tools, entertainment, news, skins and themes.

One of the more popular add-on is the voice interaction feature, in which users use voice command to surf the Web. Firefox 3 is especially well suited for students, with tools such as the “virtual stickies” for aid.

Firefox 3 can be used on both PC and Macs, and although it lacks parental control, it does have site information.

Internet Explorers remains t h e m o st w id ely u s e d web browser. Despite recent decline in users, the latest version, IE8, still gathers much accla im.

Not only is IE8 user-friendly,

but it a lso has note-wor thy feat u res such a s M ic rosof t add-ons, user protection and a private mode. In private mode, no new infor mation will be added to browsing history, and the computer will not pick up temporary internet files, data and cookies. Google Chrome also has this feature, called “incognito mode.”

Google Chrome may be the new kid on the block, but its potential is evident. With its simple and innovative design, Chrome is an adversar y for Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Chrome features a tab centric design. In addition to the usual tab maneuvers, each tab is independent of each other so if one crashes the others will not be affected. Chrome goes further than IE8 in that not only can users turn off the problematic tab, users can also shut down the portions that are causing the problem, such as malfunction videos. Chrome also has a tasks manager for Internet browsing. In addition, Chrome has a tool bar on the top of screen instead of the traditional placement at the bottom, and it allows web applications, such as a movie, to be run without tabs, address bars or buttons.

The only downside to Chrome is that it is still new, so it does

not block ads and still has some glitches.

Safari 3.1 is the first nonbeta version able to r un on Windows. Like other Apple p r o d u c t s, Sa fa r i 3.1 h a s a simple and sleek design. It has a thin frame of only one pixel to maximize viewing pleasure.

Features include spell checking, snapback and resizable text boxes for any text on a web page. It is fast, compatible and blocks pop-ups, spyware and viruses. However, Safari 3.1 does not have parental controls and does not have anti-phishing technology.

In truth, all of these web servers have the basics, including tabs, blocks and virus protection, system support, bookmarks and more. So it really depends on user preference. If a user wants more customization then pick Firefox 3. But if the user wants to maximize his or her media experience, then Chrome and Safari might be a better choice. If simple usage is priority, then Internet Explorer 8 is the hot choice. It is also important to note that in order to enjoy the server fully, the computer itself should be in good shape. Computers older than 18 months are not recommended to use Inter net Explorer 8 or Google Chrome.

Sports

Monday, February 9, 2009

21

Cosmo Sung and Maverick Mallari

Left: Senior Gabe Kopito throws the disc at practice using his forehand throw. Center: Sophomore Ryan Griffiths lays out for a tough catch to keep possession of the disc. Right: Junior Nathan White leaps into the air and uses his full arm span to snatch the disc before it reaches sophomore Kevin Wachs.

Dana Li Reporter

With the fluid play of soccer, the team mentality of football and a unique aerodynamic projectile, Ultimate Frisbee is a mélange of a few of the most popular aspects of athletics.

Accordingly, Gunn’s Ultimate Frisbee team has become one of the most popular clubs on campus, with 40 active players and over 80 members of the club’s Facebook group.

However, the Ultimate Frisbee club is not only unique for its body count, but for its wholly student-run system.

The club’s founders, seniors Noah Johnson, Philip Sun and Gabe Kopito and junior Nathan White, are credited for organizing the group.

The team began as an informal meeting of Frisbee-fiends, and has since developed into a competitive team. For its leaders, the club’s popularity has been a pleasant but unexpected result of their passion for the sport. “We started just by trying to get games together on Thursdays, and a surprising number of people showed up,” White said. “I think it’s become

so popular because it unites athletes from different sports, and requires just some basic athleticism and willingness to practice.”

While the club organizers are quick to attribute the high number of members to the attraction of the sport, they also acknowledge that part of what makes the club enjoyable is its laid-back atmosphere. “Because we’re student-run, it’s much more relaxed than a school sport,” White said. “There’s no tryouts or health forms. We don’t have a coach, and I like that because it’s up to us to get motivated and we figure things out by ourselves.”

Members agree that Ultimate Frisbee club’s unique, peer-organized system lends the team a friendlier dynamic. “The club now is a mixture of informality and professionalism,” senior McKay Daines said. “It’s not a one-person-in-charge thing; we’re equal, but we’re organized.”

Sophomore Ryan Griffiths, the team’s only underclassman member, also stresses the welcoming attitude. “It was totally easy to get into,” Griffiths said. “There’s a wide range of skill levels. No one gets mad when you mess

up and they all just give you good tips.”

Though the club offers an enjoyable, relatively relaxed athletic experience, none of the members forget that it also requires hard work. After the club’s overwhelming reception, the founders have worked to match their members’ dedication by making the team increasingly sophisticated and competitive. In early January, Johnson promoted the club to a true athletic team by completing a charter for the Ultimate Players Association (UPA). With entry into the regional league, the club faced the new challenges of official tournaments and more sophisticated, school-run rival teams. In response to the new situation, the organizers increased the rigor of practices, meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays, rain or shine. They also set realistic goals for the members. “We’re trying to get everyone to have at least two throws, so that in case they’re being defended on one side, they can break out in the other,” White said.

In a recent tournament in Berkeley on January 18, the team played two games and tied.

White, however, is satisfied that their practice

has produced positive results. “We lost our first game to Berkeley High, but it was really close, 9-11, and they meet three times a week and have a coach,” White said.

After proving their ability to compete on the regional stage, the four club leaders are once again looking to new heights of improvement, this time at the state level. They plan to enroll Gunn’s team in the UPA State Competition’s high school division.

The team plans to heighten the intensity of the practices to prepare for the state tournament, but remains confident in its own capacity to meet the challenge. When asked if there were any major areas in which the club could improve, White was relaxed enough to crack a joke. “We want to get a team uniform,” White said, “Ideally, it will consist of short shorts, tight shirts that cut off right above the belly button, knee socks and headbands.”

The UPA state tournament date is set for April 25 and 26. The Ultimate Frisbee team, which welcomes new players, currently meets Tuesdays and Thursdays after school at Juana Briones Park and the Gunn turf, respectively.

Changes in proposed football program cause conflict

n FOOTBALL, from p.1

assistant coach or an “off-campus” coach instead.

“I felt that I have put in way too many hours and days developing the standards, philosophy and techniques of the football program Matt McGinn to step aside and allow Former head someone else to come football coach in and change everything,” McGinn said.

Before resigning, McGinn had a plan to evaluate the team after five years and make any changes if necessary. Both he and Tuomy were hurt by the lack of support from the administration. “I was frustrated by the process in which I and my assistant coaches were evaluated, and I felt that we deserved to be treated better,” McGinn said. “It takes a long time to build a strong football program. We were willing to put in that time and develop the type of philosophy and expectations that we wanted the players to understand.”

Likins said that it was not their intention to upset the coaches, and that they merely

did what they thought was necessary in order to improve the program. “I’m sorry they don’t feel supported,” she said. “It certainly was not an intention, but my responsibility is to improve programs and make them go forward.”

Like McGinn, Tuomy did not agree with the changes that Horpel had proposed.

“There was some action that transpired between the Athletic Director and the head coach and some of it I did not agree with,” he said. “I felt out of the loop. I felt that was an indication of things to come.”

After McGinn and Tuomy resigned, the administration moved quickly to fill in the spot. “Our job was to make sure we had a new coach,” Likins said. “So as soon as we found out [about the resignations], we wanted to make sure we had somebody in place to take over and continue to build the program.”

Horpel and the administration hired Sykes from Menlo-Atherton High School (M-A) to take the position of head coach once McGinn resigned. Sykes had previously coached at Los Altos High School and Saratoga High School, and at M-A had inherited a 1-9 team that reached the Central Coast

Championship (CCS). He will be bringing a new staff and a strong coaching record with him. Weisman will continue assisting under the new coaching staff, which will have four varsity coaches who are all adults. “Coach Sykes has never had a losing season no matter where he has coached,” Horpel said. “He played college football and has coached college football. He is very experienced.”

Even though the changes Horpel wanted were carried through, he said he feels bad about McGinn leaving the staff.

“Matt has given a huge part of his life to Gunn—director of athletics, assistant and head football coach, assistant wrestling coach and assistant track and field coach,” Horpel said. “I hope he sees what coach Sykes does with Gunn football and in time wants to be a part of it again. He is a huge asset.”

The administration is also thankful to McGinn for his contributions to Gunn football over the past seven years. “We’re very grateful to Matt McGinn for the time he has put into this program,” Likins said. McGinn, who coached for four years as assistant coach and three as head coach, says he has gained a lot of experience in learning how to run a

program. “As a head coach, you are forced to evaluate what you may not have as an assistant coach,” McGinn said.

According to Tuomy, being a coach allowed him to bond with the athletes.

“The hard part about leaving is that you’ve developed an emotional connection with the kids,” he said. “I think a lot of it is just from the everyday interaction—you’re at your wit’s end and somebody cracks a joke and it all just goes away. It was the easygoing attitude of the players even when things were hard.”

Tuomy hopes the change impacts the players in a positive way. “The thing I wish for them the most is that they continue to [play football] because they love to do it,” he said. “A lot of these kids don’t have the opportunity to play Division One ball, so I hope they continue to play it because it’s a part of them.”

Though Tuomy and McGinn are leaving, they still have high hopes for the team’s success. “Hopefully, they will continue the type of work ethic we started to establish,” McGinn said. “I still want the football program to do well and I am here to help in any way I can.”

22

Sports

The Oracle

Anne Hsiao & Joseph Lin Business Manager & Reporter

Initially starting out as a team struggling to even compete in matches, the wrestling team has improved almost beyond recognition. In recent years, the team has consistently ranked highly and individual wrestlers have continually pushed themselves to the limit, making an even stronger team for the future.

The average school wrestling team consists of about 30 wrestlers; however, when wrestling coach Chris Horpel came to Gunn six years ago, there were only about 14 athletes on the team and it was nearly impossible to participate in meets. This year, there are a total of 45 wrestlers on the team. According to Horpel, the current team is performing well. “[The team] has a strong core, composed of seven to nine competitive and solid wrestlers,” Horpel said. “We have a large team so we have the luxury of having a varsity and a junior varsity (JV) team in all but one of the 14 weight divisions [since] our 112-pounder outgrew the weight”.

To determine the team’s overall ranking, team points (points scored by how decisively individuals win matches for the team) are used. The wrestling team has a total of 497.5 points. Senior Phil Park is leading with 91 team points. Close behind is senior Zack Blumenfeld with a total of 87 points. Ranked third is senior Dylan Gorman with 70 points, followed closely by sophomore Stefan Weidemann with 65 points.

All of the athletes must go through extensive conditioning and they practice their technique often. According to Park, wrestling is a year-round sport for many of the team wrestlers. “During the offseason, we try to fine-tune technique we don’t have

time for during the season,” Park said. The wrestlers practice different finishes and takedowns or learn what to do when in certain situations. “Preseason conditioning is an essential part to the season because it is the chance where wrestlers can focus solely on increasing their skills without worry of competition,” alumnus Philip Hsiao said, recounting his experiences with the wrestling team.

To learn techniques, Horpel demonstrates a move or technique on, according to Hsiao, “a lucky wrestler who just so happens to be the right size. He then proceeds to show us various things we can do to crush their spirit.” Then the wrestlers will split up into groups of two or three and drill the moves. Wrestlers also have the option of staying after practice to get one on one coaching with Horpel.

With each team member training his or her hardest, the team is steadily improving from year to year. “Their record shows that the team has improved overall,” Hsiao said, comparing the current team to the team he competed with. “Individually, the [upperclassmen] who are now leading the team have made leaps and bounds in their wrestling.”

“The way I look at it, last year we were rebuilding from the very successful ‘07 season when we took seventh in Central Coast Section (CCS),” Park said. “Our team this year has a very strong senior class and will be expecting to do better than we did in 2007,” The team is currently ranked 15th out of 140 teams in CCS. The team’s record is 5-1, after losing their last match to Los Gatos. “[Los Gatos] is always the team to beat in our league,” Horpel said.

“We came up a little short [with a score of 30-35]. However, our biggest rival is Paly and we’ve lost to them only once in the six years I have been coaching at Gunn.”

Henry Liu

Henry Liu

Maverick Mallari

Above: Coach Chris Horpel demonstrates a wrestling technique for his team.

Left: Sophomore Shai Bruhis prepares for a live go with a teammate. Right: Senior Zack Blumenfeld works for a half-Nelson against his opponent.

Gunn bested by Los Gatos Danielle Aspitz

Circulation Manager

The Gunn wrestling team came closer to beating Los Gatos than they have in past years. The final score came out to 30-35, but captain senior Phil Park felt that the outcome could have gone either way.

“We could have beaten them,” Park said.

Both the Titans and Los Gatos came into the match undefeated. “We need to work on getting more pins,” Park said.

Seniors Dylan Gorman and Matthew Bordbari won their matches with pins, and seniors Zack Blumenfeld and John Blanchette won by decision.

According to his teammates, sophomore Stefan Weidemann showed a lot of strength, especially for a younger addition to the team. “A rising star of the Gunn team is definitely Stefan Weidemann,” senior Clayton Post said. Weidemann defeated junior Omri

Rahmil of Los Gatos, who holds a high rank in the division. The score was a back and forth battle for most of the first half, and Los Gatos began beating the Titans during the second half, in which the lightweights wrestled. “We need to not be intimidated by teams that are ranked higher, like Los Gatos, because we are just as good as them or many other teams in CCS,” Blumenfeld said. Senior Yonatan Rotman, junior Yoni Alon and sophomore Michael Baker struggled, but did not win. The lightweights on the Los Gatos team are mostly upperclassmen, in fact, only two wrestlers on the team are underclassmen which could account for more experience in some matches.

Park, unfortunately, had to forfeit, as did sophomore Shai Bruhis and freshman Jesse Grimes, because Los Gatos did not have a wrestler in their weight category. Next wrestling match is on Tuesday, February 10th at Milpitas.

Maverick Mallari

Senior Clayton Post leg rides a Los Gatos wrestler and locks his arm to gain advantage.

Sports

Monday, February 9, 2009

Q&A with

23

Rachael Fleischmann

6th Man Club President

The Oracle: What is the main purpose of the sixth man club?

Rachael Fleischmann: It is pretty much for students to represent their school for any game and to cheer the athletes. The sixth man club effectively motivates players Rachael Fleischmann when there are more people watching and (12) makes players want to do their best. The point of the club is to have spirit, cheer and be loud.

TO: Do you have any events or activities planned for the sixth man club this year, other than attendance at games?

RF: We don’t have any money right now to plan events, other than our tailgates before basketball games. We have a tailgate before the game on Feb. 12 to get people pumped.

TO: What was the main focus of sixth man club this year?

RF: One of the goals this year was to get the club to be the biggest it could be in terms of members. We sold over 100 t-shirts this year, so we should have at least 100 fans in the stands.

TO: Have there been any issues with the administration this year?

RF: Yes and no. People know that if they are kicked out once, they won’t be able to come back for the season. People watch what they do now, because they don’t want to miss any important moments at important games. Three of our loudest [fans] are James Barnett, Mark Reid and Joseph Welch, and if they were to be kicked out, we would not be as loud and we would lose a lot of motivation.

TO: Have there been any recent activity or issues with the Puck Faly incident?

RF: No new shirts or names have been made for Puck Faly, as far as I know. The rules are the same as last year–no wearing the shirts at school or games.

TO: Do you have anything else you want to mention?

RF: Just know that the Paly game is on Feb. 12 and it means a lot to the seniors for people to be there. This might be their last game against Paly, so they want people to watch, especially when they are playing well. For the girls, their biggest fan is probably Emily Foster, who goes to every single one of their games, so we need more consistent and motivated fans.

—Compiled by Jeffrey Wang

The girls’ varsity basketball team has surpassed the previous school record for having the most consecutive wins. Last year, they won 16 games in a row. Now, with a record of 21-0 overall and a 8-0 in the league, the girls have the second best record in California.

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24

Sports

The Oracle

S

ea s o n R e c a p

The regular season played out very differently for the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers boasted the league’s top overall defense, while the Cardinals possessed one of the most explosive offenses. Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner ended the year top three in touchdowns thrown (30), passer rating (96.9), and yards thrown (4583). Also, Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald arguably ended the year as the top wide receiver with 1431 reception yards and 12 touchdowns caught. The Steelers never lost a game by more than 16 points, and allowed only 13 points per game.

Overall, this translated to an up and down year for the Cardinals in which they won 9 games and lost 7. After starting 7-3, they fell apart losing 3 games by more than 20 points. The Steelers, however, played very balanced the entire year winning 12 games and losing 4. The Steelers were expected by many to have a shot at winning the Superbowl, while the Cinderella story of the Cardinals surprised the entire football world.

T h e Big Game

On Sunday February 1, 2009, Superbowl XLIII aired to millions of viewers across the United States. It featured the Arizona Cardinals representing the National Football Conference (NFC) and the Pittsburgh Steelers representing the American Football Conference (AFC). The Steelers won the matchup that many are already calling one of the most exciting Superbowls in recent memory.

The first quarter saw the Steelers playing tough defense that completely stifled the Cardinals’ high-flying offense.

The Steelers offense, however, could only muster one field goal after quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was stopped just inches short of the goal line. At the start of the second quarter Roethlisberger led a controlled drive for the eventual touchdown. However, the Cardinals rallied furiously, driving 83-yards for a score on the very next possession. Following an interception, Arizona then drove to the Pittsburgh 5-yard line where Warner’s pass was intercepted by linebacker James Harrison and returned 100 yards for the touchdown. This gave the Steelers a 17-7 halftime lead.

After an uneventful third quarter, Warner began the fourth by driving Arizona down the field and capping it off with a fade to Fitzgerald for the touchdown. With fewer than three minutes left, the Cardinals scored on a 64-yard touchdown pass to Fitzgerald, giving the Steelers a 23-20 lead with two minutes left to play. However, the Steelers drove down the field for the eventual win. Both of the biggest plays of the drive were passes to wide-receiver Santonio Holmes. The first was a 40-yard catch and run that put Pittsburgh on the 7-yard line of Arizona. Finally, Roethlisberger completed a pass in the back corner of the end zone to Holmes for the game winning score. The Cardinals turned the ball over on a fumble during their final possession to solidify Superbowl XLIII as a Steelers victory.

Faces in the Crowd: “How did you spend Super Sunday?”

Cody Grimes (10)

“We just got back from vacation so we just turned on the TV [when we got home] and watched it.”

Lisa Jackson (10)

“I had friends over and we watched the game together. We tried to bet on the game but it didn’t work because we didn’t have any money. We tried to bet Skittles and jelly beans but then we gave up and just ate them. “

“I slept in until the game started. I ate a lot during the game. Then afterwards I went back to sleep.”

Matt Mendoza (11)

—Compiled by Shaya Christensen, Kevin Gao and Joseph Lin

Nathan Toung

—Compiled by Aviel Chang