The Oracle (Sept. 2010)

[Centerfold] MythBusters:

Food Edition, pgs. 10-11 [Forum] Islamic relations discussed, pg. 6 [Features] Awkward is not a Homecoming theme pg. 8

[Entertainment]

Staffers explore alternative ways to exercise, pg. 15

[Sports] Fall sports kicking off the season, pg. 18

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

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District adopts developmental assets Project Safety Net aims to build resilience in students and provide support Ashley Ngu

News Editor

ry Hen

Liu

A framework of school staff, physicians, parents and local organizations, collectively called Project Safety Net (PSN), has come together to promote the communitywide adoption of the Developmental Assets. The list, which originates from a PSN partner organization named Project Cornerstone, contains 41 assets and acts as a blueprint for a web of support from which young people can become resilient adults.

PSN was created in the summer of 2009 in response to the student suicides during the 2008-2009 school year. Along with numerous Palo Alto city representatives, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), the Palo Alto Council of ParentTeacher Associations, two local hospitals and several youth service organizations, PSN members have c r e at e d a c omp r ehen sive community-based mental hea lt h pla n gea red t owa rd s a dd r essi ng the overall health of youth in Palo Alto.

The plan recommends 22 strategies that are assembled into three topic areas: education, prevention and intervention.

As a central component of this plan, the developmental assets were introduced to the Palo Alto community as a resource detailing the essential components in successful and thriving youths’ lives. Forty assets were originally identified by the Search Institute, a non-profit youth research organization, while the 41st asset was added by Project Cornerstone to reflect the importance of cultural diversity in the Santa

Clara community. “The importance of the 41 developmental assets for all children and youth is most easily understood if we think of each one of them being one of the building blocks of healthy development,” School Partnership Director of Project Cornerstone Linda Silvius wrote in an e-mail.

The assets are separated into two groups. The first group consists of external assets, which include outside support, empowerment and the enforcement of boundaries. Building these external assets is outside the control of an individual youth. These assets, such as family support, positive peer influence and the involvement of adult role models, are the responsibility of other community members. “The Search Institute notes that adults build assets for youth ‘by creating thousands of moments in time when young people feel valued, respected and known’,” Silvius wrote. “What the children and youth of Santa Clara County tell us through the asset survey is that we adults need to do a better job in creating those thousands of moments in time.”

The second group, the internal assets, encompasses the individual’s own conscience, principles, identity and personal commitments. Silvius pointed out an example she discovered in article with Gunn student interviews.“What caught my attention was that those students wanted to have training in peer counseling,” she said. “Students wanted to be given the skills to make a positive difference in the lives of their friends— that is asset building at its best!”

In 2005, almost 14,000 students from fourth to twelfth grade were surveyed by Project Cornerstone. The results showed that those with more assets are increasingly likely to help others, maintain good health, overcome adversity and exhibit more positive behaviors overall. On the other hand, those with fewer assets are more likely to become involved with alcohol, skip school, exhibit anti-social and other negative behavior. “There is also a slight gender difference though it is not a statistically significant difference,” Silvius said. “Some of the thinking on why girls have slightly more assets on average than boys do is the fact that in general, girls are more relationship oriented than boys —but again, it’s not statistically significant.” On the whole, the hope for the promotion of asset building is for each boy and girl to eventually have 31-41 assets. From the 2005 survey, it was ASSETS—p.2

School, state budget reductions impacting district schools Tiffany Hu & Annie Shuey

Entertainment Editor & Managing Editor

District Budget This year, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has seen $3.8 million, or a little over two percent of the overall budget, slashed.

According to PAUSD Co-Chief Business Officer Cathy Mak, cuts made in order to balance the budget include increased elementary and secondary class sizes, the reduction of ten classified administrative and support staff positions, and the decision to close middle school swimming pools from November through March. However, PAUSD has not been as greatly affected as other districts in the state have.

“What brings Palo Alto ahead is

community support,” Mak said.

“Lots of basic aid districts have to make difficult decisions. With us, we have the backing of the community.”

As a basic aid school district, PAUSD receives only minimal categorical funding from the state for specific programs and mainly relies on property taxes and community support for funds. In contrast, the majority of school districts in the country are revenue limit districts that are funded almost entirely by the state based on average daily attendance. According to PAUSD Fiscal Services Manager Yancy Hawkins, California is requiring basic aid districts to take their “fair share reductions” in categorical funds while most revenue limit districts are cutting at least five

percent of their budgets, and often more. “As tough as it is for us, it’s tougher for other districts,” he said. “We’re lucky because we’re insulated a little more due to our community support.”

In addition to taking fair share reductions, PAUSD is also experiencing a downturn in property taxes, its main source of revenue.

“An advantage of being a basic aid district is that we have more resources,” Mak said. “The biggest disadvantage is the uncertainty of property taxes. Property taxes fluctuate from year to year because they reflect the economy. This year, it was almost flat.” According to Mak, another disadvantage is that property taxes do not adjust for student enrollment growth. “In Palo Alto, we have an annual student growth

of two to three percent,” she said.

“It is a cost we have to factor in—we have more students in the district, but no additional revenue.”

In an effort to regain some funding lost due to reductions and property taxes, the school board proposed a parcel tax, Measure A, in May. The measure passed overwhelmingly with a close to 80 percent yes vote, and will remain in effect for six years. “The passing of the parcel tax is amazing for our schools,” Principal Katya Villalobos said.

Hawkins describes PAUSD’s solution to the reduced funding as a three-legged stool composed of parcel tax funds, cuts wherever possible and the district’s savings reserve from when property taxes were booming. According to Mak,

open positions for employment are also being evaluated carefully by senior management and Superintendent Kevin Skelly with positions being filled only if necessary.

Gunn Budget Because of the district budget cuts, changes are being made at Gunn and Palo Alto High (Paly).

However, according to Villalobos, affectedsame,”d. “The goal is to be financially and fiscally responsible for our students.”

According to Villalobos, class periods were tightly allocated this year. However, despite the soft hiring freeze imposed throughout the district last spring, Gunn has been able to backfill staffing holes.

Unlike many other schools in the BUDGET—p.3

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Linda Yu Managing Editors Annie Shuey Sarah-Jean Zubair News Ashley Ngu Divya Shiv Emily Zheng Forum Regina Ahn Eugenah Chou Sam Hayward Features Kevin Gao Nicola Park Lydia Zhang Centerfold Sophia Jiang Yilin Liang Entertainment Samantha Donat Tiffany Hu Hannah Plank-Schwartz Sports Krishan Allen Monica Cai Copy Editors Sweta Bhattacharya Tara Golshan Mia Howard Eden Lauffer Photo Victor Kwok Henry Liu Graphics/Web Kimberly Han Tech Colin Chen Webmaster Charles Chen

Staff Reporters Boot Bullwinkle, Colin Chen, Utkash Dubey, Roya Huang, Josephine Jen, Jesse Klein, Elise Lee, Song Park, Jennie Robinson, Leon Sung, Felix Tran, May Wu, Kevin Zhang Business/Circulation Managers Elaine Liu Annie Tran Photographers Melissa Sun Jonathan Yong Alan Phan Wendy Qiu Graphics Artists Bonnie Cardillo George Hwang Andrew Lee Allison Paley Lisa Wu Adviser Kristy Blackburn 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 9 issues annually. Subscriptions are $42/year.

Graph information provided by the Search Institute

A 2006 research study by the Search Institute surveyed almost 150,000 students from grades 6 to 12. The findings revealed that the assets are powerful influences on the behavior of youth. Having more assets promotes positive behaviors and prevents negative ones.

Building assets promotes healthy youth In addition, several parent edudetermined that the average num- cation events have been planned ber of assets a a youth has steadily for the 2010-11 school year. A declines as the student becomes panel presentation addressing older. By high school, the average questions about the Developmennumber of assets a student has tal Assets program will be on Sept. ranges from 16 to 18. “I believe 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the PAUSD this trend is partly caused by Office. An introductory course to mental development,” Principal asset-building called Assets 101 Katya Villalobos said. “K through will be held on Oct. 9 from 9 a.m.

5 are at a stage where it’s all about to 12 p.m. at Lucie Stern Commubeing very close to the adults on nity Center. For people who wish campus. But as kids get older, to have more comprehensive trainthere is a transitional change and ing in asset building strategies, their views on adults and the the Palo Alto Asset Champion community changes. They want Training Series will be held every more independence, yet they still Wednesday for six weeks at the need us.”

YMCA facility on Ross Road on The survey also showed that Oct. 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. only eight percent of Santa Clara “Overall, parents can help build youth have the ideal 31 to 41 as- assets simply by being good role sets. To isolate the specific needs models and by being a positive of Palo Alto pa r t of thei r youth, PAUSD child’s life,” and PSN will Villalobos c onduc t t h e s a i d . “ T h ey “Overall, parents can Project Corcan suppor t help build assets simnerstone Sura sporting vey of Develevent, volunply by being good role opmental Asteer at school models and by being sets in place or take part in a positive part of their of the annual multiple other Palo Alto Reopportunichild’s life.“ a l it y C h e ck ties to get to —Principal Katya Survey. “The know students.

Villalobos What I think s u r vey w i l l measure stuthey’ll find is dents’ attitudes, behaviors and that if you treat teenagers with assets,” PAUSD Coordinator of respect, they will treat you the Student Services Amy Drolette same.” Drolette also echoed these wrote in an e-mail. “The results thoughts. “Becoming an assetwill provide a benchmark for our builder is not hard, complicated or community showing how well we expensive,” she wrote. “Simply atsupport the healthy development tend some of the events listed and of youth and will act as a signpost get involved. Your time will not pointing towards areas that need only be of benefit to your family, to be improved.” but to every family in Palo Alto Students from grades five, sev- and surrounding communities.” en, and nine through 12 from both Earlier this month, Villalobos Gunn and Palo Alto High Schools asked each member of the Gunn have recently received parent Instructional Council (IC) to consent forms. The survey will come up with ten things Gunn take place the first week of Oc- already does that supports assets. tober. “Youth voice is extremely “What’s important to stress is that imperative,” Drolette wrote. “The it’s not like the developmental assurvey is only administered once sets list tells us ‘This is the check every five years, so I encourage all list. Now do each of these,’” she students to participate in the sur- said. “That’s a little daunting. The vey as their responses capture the developmental assets are nothing framework of our future efforts.” new to our community. It’s just a The full results will be available new vocabulary and a new mindin January or February. set.” Collectively, the members of n ASSETS from pg. 1

the IC came up with six pages of necessary. Other PSN strategies material with items such as Not include items such as improved In Our School Week, Freshmen accessibility of counseling reOrientation, support from the peer sources and data gathering, mental support group, health trainRO C K, a n d ing for teachdaily studenters, reduction teacher interof ha rass“Becoming an assetaction. ment and sobuilder is not hard, Accordi ng cial bullying complicated or t o D r o l e t t e, and reinforcPSN has two ment of more expensive. Simply other top priorsupp or t ive attend some of the ity recommenschool enevents listed and get dations: to crev i r o n m e nt s ate an effective th roughout involved. Your time will and sustainable the district. not only be of benefit st r uct u re for “[The Deto your family, but to PSN that maxivelopmental mizes the reAssets] focus every family in Palo sources in the on the longAlto and surrounding Palo Alto comterm and big communities.” munity and to picture,” Silprovide mental vius w rot e.

—PAUSD Coordinator “[Our hope is health training of Student Services Amy that] the need to all school Drolette for intervendist r ict sta ff a nd yout htion services serving agencies. This training will be reduced over time because will teach them how to recognize the community has prevented so warning signs of risk and how to many of the problems from the appropriately respond to at-risk source, rather than in the middle students. Those who complete or towards the end. In essence, the training become Gatekeepers, the emphasis in all sectors of adults who ideally will be able to community life should be that “open the gates” between a student young people are to be valued and and a mental health professional if respected.”

Monday, September 20, 2010

3

Community groups help buffer effect of school budget cuts

n

ASSETS from pg. 1

state, Gunn was the also able to maintain its student-to-counselor ratio thanks to staffing funds donated by Partners in Education (PiE). “Some schools have thousands of kids per counselor,” Villalobos said. “I cannot fathom working in a system like that. We are extremely lucky.”

The operating budgets, or school funds allocated to each department, are also down 25 percent this year. According to English Instructional Supervisor Paul Dunlap, a large portion of English department operating funds go toward photocopying, and teachers are trying to cut back. “Everyone is more careful with photocopying,” he said. “We ask questions before spending.”

State Budget Education experts and advocates alike agree that California education first took a dive for the worst in 1978 with Proposition 13, which limited property tax increases and gradually shifted school funding control from local communities to the state. “California used to be the gold standard when it came to public education in the United States, but now we have fallen to 47th in the nation in per-pupil funding, [employ] 75 percent of [the number of] district administrators as other states and our ratio of staff to students is last,” Steffanee Taylor, cofounder of Educacy, a non-profit advocacy group recently founded by Bay Area parents concerned about the state of public education in California, wrote in an e-mail.

Belle Griffiths, one of three PiE liaisons to the Gunn site, agreed that California education’s biggest problem lies in its “incredibly convoluted funding system.” “In an environment where the state budget does not get passed on

the expected timetable, districts According to Villalobos, the struggle not only with contain- school and district will plan coning costs but also with predicting servatively to accommodate the the amount of funding they will uncertainty of the state budget. actally receive,” she wrote in an “You don’t know what is going e-mail. Griffiths added that dis- to happen in the future,” she said. tricts are affected by funding that “Education has been a huge target the state owes them but withholds the past few years because it makes from them. “Palo Alto is very for- up such a huge proportion of the tunate to have such a well-man- overall budget. Some people say aged business office (and to be a we are in a very slow recovery, Basic Aid district) so that delays others say that we are in a fullin payment do not cause us the on recession. Either way, it takes material problems that they cause two or three years to get back up.” other districts,” Taylor beshe wrote in an lieves that addie-mail. “I betional problems lieve the soluschools face “Education has tion likely lies include the gap been a huge target in a revamp between Calithe past few years of the entire fornia educaschool funding tion standards because it makes up system.” and the funding such a huge proporWhile the provided to suption of the overall state budget port achieving was due on those standards budget .”

June 15, it still as well as cat—Principal Katya egorical fundhasn’t been Villalobos ing restrictions, finalized. According to which can be Hawkins, there are two bills cur- changed by the legislature only. rently sitting in the legislature: “Categorical fund programs have the Republican-sponsored bill, ballooned out of control with over which funds education at the level 60 currently in place,” she wrote. proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwar- “This money is ‘inflexible’ in that zenegger in the May Revision, it cannot be used for anything othand the Democrat-sponsored bill, er than what the state designates, which includes additional educa- restricting the districts’ abilities tion funding but also additional to choose how funding should be taxes. “It’s been really difficult spent on its students.” because we can’t rely on the adGriffiths added that schools ditional funding proposed in the across the nation are also chalDemocratic bill,” Hawkins said. lenged to engage and teach stu“California is a boom or bust dents in an environment comstate. When things are good, our plicated by technology. Social system does well. When things pressures further complicate the are going badly, it takes us longer already difficult challenges they to recover.” Mak agreed and add- face. “Education in California ed that the district has to receive faces many of the same issues property tax projections and the regarding quality of education, state has to pass a budget before rising standards and achievement the district can finalize its own gap, innovation, and student embudget projections. powerment that the rest of the

country struggles to solve,” she said. “At the root of every discussion lies one of these fundamental issues; and how a school can provide the best quality of education in all areas when serving an extremely diverse community. In Palo Alto, the outstanding support for education exemplified by the community’s generous financial support, helps give our schools the resources to deal with the many challenges facing us.”

Helping Hands In light of the problems that plague the public education system statewide, community members are organizing and stepping up. Last year, PiE, the only non-profit organization devoted to fundraising exclusively for PAUSD schools, raised $2.9 million for school sites in 2010-11, up 13 percent from the prior year’s donation. Since its inception five years ago, PiE has experienced double-digit growth year after year. According to Griffiths, PiE has granted more than $12 in total million to PAUSD and the Teacher Grants program, a program that provides funding for programs that encourage innovation and collaboration. “We are extremely lucky to live in a community that values education as much as Palo Alto,” Griffiths said. “Each year seems to bring new challenges to our public schools and each year our community rises to the occasion.”

To fundraise, PiE chairs in each school in the district conduct a school fundraising campaign for about five months each school year. “At PiE, we have a dedicated team of volunteers,” Griffiths said. “During [the five months], volunteers are very active with various events and Challenge Grants which enable matching grants for contributions

to PiE.” PiE also puts together an annual community campaign that reaches out to corporations, local businesses and community members. “These efforts, together with the generosity of our community, have helped us achieve increasing targets for financial support of our schools,” Griffiths wrote in an email.

PiE donations have been used for staffing and programs that PAUSD has deemed most important. PiE donations fund the college and career help counseling staff, staff support for student guidance, additional courses such as Introduction to Engineering and technology mentors.

Griffiths believes that education is a cornerstone value and enjoys seeing the collective effort to improve it. “It has been extremely rewarding to see the collaborative efforts between the Palo Alto School District, Palo Alto parent community, student advocacy groups and business community work together to solve many of the education and funding issues that are facing our students in Palo Alto,” she said.

Educacy Educacy, the recently formed non-profit organization, aims to bring the parent community together in a non-partisan way to advocate for funding reform on behalf of students in the public school system. This would ensuring that more money is available for students. “We want to build a strong community that educates, connects and mobilizes parents to take action on this crisis through voter registration drives, workshops and candidate forums,” Taylor wrote in an email. “Developing a mass of educated and informed parents is one of the first steps to creating change.” Educacy plans to support a measure on

Graphic by Lisa Wu

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EDITORIAL: The Opinion of The Oracle

Administration, students call for improved communication

T

he Gunn student body has excellent representation in the form of the Student Executive Council (SEC), but the level of communication between the student body and SEC has room for improvement. Though Principal Katya Villalobos and Student Body President Ting-Ting Liu believe communication between the SEC and the administration is constant and thorough, the main lack of communication is between students and SEC, and in the notification of students about SEC and administrative decisions. This results in administrative actions that are not tailored to the needs of the students, and many students who are not aware of recent decisions and the reasons behind them sometimes become upset with the administration, which does not deserve to receive the negative reactions of the uninformed.

SEC members sit in on administration meetings once a week and give student input on campus issues.

However, Villalobos says that she would like to hear more student voice in administrative decisions. In PTSA meetings, junior Site Council Representative Sierra Fan gives her input on different project proposals, such as parking and the Homecoming barbeque, but she feels students do not communicate their opinions with her often enough about different activities and programs they would like to see implemented or changed. Additionally, SEC Site Council Representa-

Kimberly Han

tive Noelle Jung, one of five students on Site Council, says that SEC often receives information after a grant has been passed due to the biyearly timing of the grant votes. Sophomore Site Council Representative Laura Tao also says students need to talk to teachers and librarians about new educational materials they would like to see because the teachers and librarians are the ones who submit proposals. Students should care greatly about the actions of their student body officers, but many of the officers do their jobs with little communication from students. Part of the problem is that students are not kept up to date, and therefore do not have a stance on any current issues. This leads to insufficient student body influence in the actions of officers.

According to Liu, the main problem with communication is that the student body does not understand why the administration makes the decisions they do.

The administration should post an update along with the reasoning behind its decisions in order to make information more student accessible. The entire student body should be more aware of the projects SEC focus groups do every year involving campus issues like bathroom cleanliness, Homecoming sportsmanship, campus beautification and healthier lunch food.

There are already several communication outlets in place, such as the Updates from Gunn SEC Facebook page and the PTSA Gunn Spotlight website. The Facebook page is currently taking a poll on whether or not finals should be moved to before winter break, but not all students have a Facebook account and not all student Facebook users will take the poll. The Gunn Spotlight website has posted information on teen drug use and student emotional health, but many students do not check this website. Villalobos is taking steps this year to minimize the gap between administrators and students by being visible around campus, visiting classrooms, forming a diverse group of students to periodically meet with and talk to, possibly opening a blog on Gunn Spotlight with short updates and posted questions and sending messages to the student body through Infinite Campus for faster and greater student input.

These modes of communcation will exist in vain if students do not step up and take responsiblity of self-education of school events. Students do not check school websites as often as they should and are therefore uninformed of recent school-related developments.

Liu says very few students come to SEC members with their ideas. According to Student Activities Director Lisa Hall, some SEC positions are not publi-

cized enough and students do not recognize officers around campus who are relative to their concerns.

However, pictures and positions of all SEC officers are posted in the Student Activities Center for students to familiarize themselves with.

Ineffectiveness of communication to students from the administration and SEC can be solved through a periodic news printout posted on often-visited sites on campus, such as the Academic Center, the library, bathrooms, the gym and the office. The news post should include recent administrative decisions as well as their reasoning, the current status of the SEC focus group project and any important issues or upcoming events. Students should also take the responsibility to check updates on websites to stay informed so they can make useful suggestions. A solution to greatly increase student communication to the administration would be a biyearly survey posted on InClass on various issues such as traffic, Homecoming, educational materials, emotional health and campus environmental friendliness. From this information, the SEC can more accurately represent the opinions of the student body and the administration can make decisions based on the specific needs of the students. A better-informed student body would take a more active role in solving problems and vocalize its opinions on campus concerns to the SEC. —Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff (assenting: 32; dissenting: 5)

Effects of state budget cuts linger in classrooms Zoe Weisner California has proposed severe budget cuts in the upcoming year with a $24 billion deficit and K through 12 education is not immune to the impact. Education on all levels is predicted to lose around $2 billion, a figure that has frustrated many students and teachers due to its contradiction of Proposition 98.

Prop 98, a constitutional amendment approved in 1988, has four provisions specifying the state’s minimal funding for the education budget: local property taxes, school attendance, personal in-

come and general fund revenue.

Recently, the state has not met the same amount of funding it had in 1988, and according to California’s Department of Education, Prop 98 may even be suspended during the next year.

California’s alternative plan is to reduce funding in other areas of the budget in order to meet the present level of minimum K through 12 funding in order to receive financial support from the federal government. Without the suspension, the cost-of-living adjustment alone for the Prop 98 program may cost the state one billion dollars.

Lack of funding for K through 12 education equates to less support for each student and it is estimated that per pupil funding will be cut by 11.3 percent.

Thousands of teachers have

been given pink slips and public schools are facing a rise in class size. One school in Los Angeles has almost 50 students per class, with people literally crammed on top of desks and in corners of the classroom. In this extreme case, the classroom would present itself as a safety hazard, instead of providing a safe learning evironment. After school study programs and extracurricular activities such as art, physical education and music were the first to be cut in many schools. Free summer school programs are expected to be eliminated as well over the 2011-2012 school year.

Special education programs and adult education will also lose a heavy amount of funding. However, the biggest problem lies in California’s state universities. Students now pay a higher

amount of tuition for a decreased quality education and class sizes have decreased by the thousands.

According to the California State University System, 40,000 students have been cut from enrollment.

The reality of the deficit is an unappealing fact that cannot be changed easily over time. However, this does not mean California should drastically reduce funding for education, but should think of more creative ways to balance their budget. According to the Department of Finance, California spends five times more on prisoners than on students and spends an overall $10 billion dollars on state correctional facilities. Instead of cutting funds for education, California should shift some of the money for correctional facilities to education.

California should also consider cutting welfare programs rather than increasing taxes. Although it is for a good cause, California will not receive any money back from giving welfare to those who are unemployed, which would increase the overall loss. If public welfare is cut and taxes are not increased, California will see a greater investment in their choices of funding.

California should cut its budget in areas other than education, because not only will the budget cuts negatively impact students' learning, but the state will be losing the biggest investment of all: an entire generation of kids who will be making these kinds of calls and decisions in the future economic climate.

–Weisner, a sophomore, is a reporter.

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Religious intolerance rears its ugly head Tara Golshan Islam is popping up in news articles and broadcasts around the world.

From the Quran burning in Florida or the mosque building in New York to the veil ban in Paris or the minaret banning in Switzerland, the religion has become the center of controversy. On Aug. 30, an issue of Time Magazine was released, headlined, “Is America Islamophobic?” With this drastic increase in negative news coverage and growing tension around the religion, the answer may very well be yes. With discrimination against Islam on the rise, massive social change is needed.

The proposed mosque and community center Park51 in New York is one example of the United States’ suggested “Islamophobia.” The Muslim community center is set to be built two blocks away from the World Trade Center and its proximity to Ground Zero has ignited arguments across the country. People across the United States associate the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with the religion of Islam, and the Muslim Community Center’s location has been fuel to their fire. Some argue it is a disgrace to the families affected by the terrorist acts and others have gone far enough to say that Park51 would represent a victory memorial for the Muslim faith.

It is understandable for people to show great reverence for the area around Ground Zero, but the Muslim community has used the site as a mosque for years. Additionally, the surrounding liquor stores and strip clubs do not resonate well with the anti-mosque argument, which states the area would somehow be desecrated by the presence of a mosque.

This anti-mosque rage is not isolated to New York. Palo Alto, a city that prides itself in being tolerant and accepting, is experiencing a similar situation. In 2008, a Muslim group announced the plans for Palo Alto’s first mosque. Across the street from the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto’s mosque has already sparked controversy among the city’s citizens, as shown on the Palo Alto Online forum discussion board. Some residents claimed that the mosque’s proximity to the Jewish Community Center would create another Middle East in Palo Alto and additional complaints were made about the mosques’ building height, which would break city limits. These criticisms were made exclusively towards the Islamic community. Not once was an objection towards the Jewish Community Center’s building height publicized, and according to JWeekly.com, those buildings even got Roya Huang state funding, despite the “separation of church and state” policy. If one strolls down Middlefield Road, one is bound to see half a dozen churches. Alma Road, El Camino Real The French Senate, with a 246 to 1 vote, passed a law and Arastradero Road are all home to multiple temples and recently that would ban wearing full-face headscarves in churches. Not a single mosque has been built in this selfpublic. The law would impose a $185 fine on women who proclaimed progressive town, and the news of the city’s first wear the headscarf, and a $18,500 fine and a year in jail on seems to be as controversial as the Park51 in New York. men who force women to wear the veil. The law arrived in Palo Alto Online has the power to influence the minds the Senate this month amid political turbulence between of Palo Alto residents. While it reserves the right to censor the right-wing Union pour un Mouvement Populaire offensive comments, it should also highlight the Jewish (UMP) and the far-right Front National (FN) parties. The Community Center’s excitement to hold joint events, law has been disguised by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who as stated in an article by the San Jose Mercury News. is the head of the UMP, and the rest of his party as a step The web site should feature more pieces emphasizing to liberate women from oppressive husbands, but it is in solidarity, like “Faith leaders speak out against Quran reality a political move aimed at securing the xenophobic burning,” an article that is not even listed in the news far-right vote. The law is an unconstitutional violation archive. The message of Islamic tolerance must be of rights that goes against the French virtue of freedom. publicized, whether in a small town like Palo Alto, or The current party majority in national legislature for national news, like Park51. and the party is the UMP. Earlier this year, the antiThese concepts seem simple, but for the US as a immigration FN took several regional council positions whole to understand them, there needs to be a major from the UPM. The FN is not a threat to the UMP in shift in societal attitudes towards the religion. Acnational legislature, but according to The New York Times, cording to Oxford professor Tariq Ramadan, it is xenophobia among some voters is rising due to increased not that the Muslim community is not integrated immigration concerns over the past few years. Sarkozy has well in western society, it is that Westerners have taken other steps to secure this vote, including threats to not yet integrated the idea of Muslim faith in take away citizenships of foreign-born French citizens if their minds. Instead of focusing on the violent they commit serious crimes, threats to eliminate granting and offensive protests in other countries, the automatic citizenship to French-born minors who have media could focus on the Muslim Americommitted a crime and have foreign-born parents, and the cans, such as the two Muslims elected to exile of thousands of Roma. The Socialist Party, the second congress, the 2010 Miss America, Rima most popular political party in France, has not made any Fakih, or the first Muslim university being moves toward anti-immigration, so the UMP is taking this opened in Berkeley, California. The media opportunity to get further ahead with the far-right vote. should not confirm the preconceptions of Sarkozy is up for reelection in 2012 and is backing the full the nation, but should set the tone for a veil ban to increase his chances of winning. more accepting America. Social change The bill is passed easily in the Senate but will face a is not impossible, just difficult. Islam is challenge when it is reviewed by the French Constitutional one more religion, just like Christianity, Council. The Council’s job is to make sure the law does Judaism, Hinduism or Buddhism. The not violate the French Constitution, the Declaration of the acceptance of an entire community by Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and international treaties the American society is worth the effort. that France has signed. France has signed the European Convention of Human Rights, in which Article 9 states, —Golshan, a senior, is a Copy Editor.

Veil ban violates basic citizen rights

“Everyone has the…freedom, either alone of in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief [unless manifestation endangers society].” Any ban on an overt religious symbol is clearly prohibited in this landmark international agreement. Within national law, Article 10 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen says, “No one should be disturbed on account of his opinions, including religious opinions, provided their manifestation does not upset the public order established by law.” Article 5 states, “The law has only the rights to forbid such actions as are injurious to society.” According to The New York Times, there are already laws in place that require veils to be lifted at airports, at banks and for identification photographs. Wearing a full veil in public is not injurious to society or an upset of public order. The Declaration preamble states that the restriction of rights is the sole cause for social and political problems. The legislature has violated French values by passing this law.

To mask the obvious political and racist motives for the bill, Sarkozy and his party claim that the law is necessary to uphold the French ideal of equality of the sexes. Their main argument for the ban is that the women who wear the veil are often forced to wear it by their husbands. But the government has no right to take away a basic freedom to dress as one wishes based on an unsupported assumption.

It is quite ironic that the government says it is trying to liberate women by imposing a constraint on their freedom to express their religion. Many Muslim women in France are speaking out about their choice to wear the veil, which arises from reasons like humility before God and judgment based on personality and intelligence rather than appearance. According to the Interior Ministry of France, only 1,900 women out of a population of 62.3 million people wear the full-face veil. The law obviously targets and compromises the rights of a specific group of people.

If the government wants to stay consistent with its theme of oppression of women, it should implement female empowerment and education programs across the nation to help oppressed women rise to equal social status within their families. It should encourage women to report men who force them to wear the veil. The French government should not take away the freedom of women to manifest their religion based on an assumption of oppression.

—Huang, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Kimberly Han

Forum

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Monday, September 20, 2010

Carpe Diem, Seize the Day

George Hwang

Morning traffic slows to a stand-still. Well, at least Mother Nature’s happy.

Patents protect scientific secrets

Colin Chen

In the field of human genetics, many patents are given out to biomedical companies for their inventions or discoveries but recently these patents have come under fire. A company’s patented information should not be given to other companies, even if the product is not being produced sufficiently, because the patent is property of the company.

Let’s examine the case of the genetic company Genzyme, which manufactures the drug Fabrazyme. Genzyme had recalled Fabrazyme due to a defect in the manufacturing process in June 2009, which temporarily caused a shortage in production. While the drug helps patients cope with Fabry’s disease, a rare genetic disorder, the company still holds the right to refuse to hand over their blueprints to

other company’s on the basis that the patients need the medicine.

Patents are created for the sake of protecting a creator’s work, and in this case the work being protected are scientific breakthroughs in the human genome.

Since Genzyme owns the medical advance in Fabrazyme, it has the right, if it wishes, to decrease production of the drug or ration it. People may say that controlling the market for Fabrazyme is unethical, however, according to National Public Radio, Fabrazyme is only a $300,000 yearly market. In comparison to the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry, the reduction in production of Fabrazyme poses only a miniscule threat.

If patents on scientific technology were not issued, the biotechnology market would crumble. Many biotechnology companies rely on marketing and selling a set of drugs they formulated in order to fund new research projects, often in order to develop new pharmacutical drugs. Without patents, these drugs would be reproduced by other companies and sold at a lower price, which would hurt the company who

initially conducted the research and developed the drug.

Encouraging lowest cost prodution and retail could easily lead to low-quality products, which can potentially be life-threatening. Regulations will be skimped on in hopes of generating a higher revenue, and in turn, the consumers of genetic medicine will suffer.

Much genetic research has been performed in the past decade and significant discoveries have been made. It makes sense that this valuable bundle of information has a hefty price tag attached to it. The only way for companies to pay for costly genetic research is through income from existing products and grants. Without a patent, any company can sell that very same product, without any regards for those who invested time and money into research and development. The reasoning behind patents for the human genome is not the restriction and rationing of drugs, but rather the protection of these companies which revolutionize the biotechnological field.

—Chen, a junior, is a reporter.

High speed rail well worth the cost

Felix Tran

Every year, millions of northern Californians traverse the dry and deserted land to experience the warmer climate of southern California, clogging major highways such as 101 and 280. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average passenger car releases 0.916 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile, so therefore, the journey emits an obscene amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, further worsening the state of the atmosphere.

This has resulted in the discussion of more efficient transportation methods to Los Angeles.

On November 4, 2008, voters approved proposition 1A, which granted $9.95 billion towards the high-speed rail project.

Although this has drawn much criticism, the benefits of the rail far outweigh the

final costs.

According to the city of Palo Alto, expected numbers of passengers are very large. Current estimates by the CHSRA of HSR ridership are between 83 - 117 million passengers annually by 2030. Considering the 800 mile distance, the amount of carbon dioxide prevented would significantly aid the state of the atmosphere.

What does this mean for Palo Alto inhabitants? Well, the proposed high-speed rail travels through Palo Alto using the current Cal Train corridor, which would be expanded by leaving less room for cars.

Trees would also have to be removed for the sake of track alignment. Traffic would be significantly increased during construction, and the noise level would be several times worse. However, these changes aren’t permanent.

Luckily, there are methods being discussed to mitigate and almost avoid such changes. For instance, there is a plan to build a large tunnel where the current tracks are, which would greatly reduce the noise and space taken. This solution makes land acquisitions close to if not non-exis-

tent. The tunnel would also eliminate the necessity to remove trees. If the alternative is chosen, trees would also be replanted, alleviating the main environmental concern.

Traffic would also be less congested after construction is finished, and the standstill conditions on highways during seasonal parts of the year would also be avoided.

Additionaly, construction would create 600,000 jobs, which would aid the colossal unemployment rate. Of those, 450,000 jobs would be permanent, lasting up to at least 2035.

With the most environmental-friendly tunnel plan, the economic benefits and travel efficiency far exceed the minimal environmental change to Palo Alto. At this time, no plan has been finalized, but since voters approved proposition 1A, it is evident that the community favors the addition of the high-speed rail. Discussion is still underway, and public opinion is needed. Go out, learn more, and show your support for the CAHSR! —Tran, a senior, is a reporter.

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Sarah-Jean Zubair

It’s easy to feel like a lifeless sponge when you hear about people skydiving, scaling skyscrapers and hopping airplanes to Indonesia for spur-of-the-moment thrills.

That’s exactly how I felt after watching Dead Poets Society over the summer. For an ardent English lover like me, the idea of sneaking out of a straight-laced prep school in the dead of night to read Tennyson in a cave is the ultimate adrenaline-packed nirvana. Feeling mildly disgusted by my complacency with everyday monotony, I decided to grab life by the horns and live.

My plan was to be as spontaneous as possible, which is more easily said than done. I hadn’t factored things like laundry and homework into my quest for carpe diem beatitude. And the mundane, seemingly sleepy nature of the everyday really is an astonishingly formidable opponent when confronted as an adversary. Within the first day of my carpe diem challenge, I realized that I couldn’t just jump into the lake near my house whenever I felt like it, partly because the water is rather murky with who-knows-what and partly because there is an inordinate number of geese. I needed to go to SAT class and clean my room. I needed to practice piano scales and wash dishes. All of these obstacles rolled into one created a roadblock on my way to seizing the day. I couldn’t fly to distant lands because of this roadblock or jump out of planes (but that was just because I didn’t want to). I needed to find a way around it.

After a series of rambling ruminations, I came to the conclusion that the only reason I didn’t feel alive was that I was not engaging my senses in the everyday. I had quit paying attention to the little things people take for granted after a certain age. As a result, those things had no meaning. I saw them, but did I understand them? I heard my brother laugh, but did I turn to him to appreciate his smile? The beauty of this epiphany was astonishing in its simple logic. How can one fully embrace life if one’s outlets to the world are in perpetual standby? I decided that the principle of carpe diem (which literally means “to pluck or gather”) isn’t really “seizing the day” and twisting it into something wild. It’s gathering the small moments that make life beautiful into a bouquet to admire. It’s being able to feel things, not just literally, but figuratively as well. Like Vermeer did with his paintings, it’s taking something commonplace and transforming it into an almost religious experience simply by utilizing a different perspective and mode of perception.

Yes, the everyday can be boring. And we can’t always customize our lives to our every specification. But we always have the power to change our outlook on what already is.

What may seem like monotony might have greater meaning than one at first thinks. One just has to shake off the stupor of ennui and reawaken the senses. Being acutely aware of every moment physically and mentally and taking advantage of spontaneity whenever possible is what it means to be alive. Do whatever you need to do to wake up. Jump out of a plane if that’s your style. Take a swim in a rather opaque lake. Or simply enjoy the sensation of sunshine playing across your face. Whatever you do, “gather ye rosebuds while ye may,” because to have lived today is to have lived your entire life. Make it something extraordinary. ­—Zubair, a senior, is a managing editor.

8

Features

Well. . . that was really awkward

Two The Oracle staff members share a humorous story from their own HC experiences

Henry Liu

It’s the butter to the bread, the Santa Claus to Christmas, the nope to soap–awkwardness and homecoming dates are just meant to go hand in hand. Being far from smooth customers, we’ve seen the good dates, the bad dates and the things that remain uncomfortable no matter what.

Let me paint you guys the perfect scene. I dismount from my white steed with Godiva Chocolate and roses from the Garden of Eden. I stroll, in slow motion, with full swag on, up to her and then pop the question. Just kidding. That’s how I wish it went. Instead, I left everything to the last minute and all the goods in my car. Oh well, go big or go home, right? I felt so awkward asking her, but I twitched a smile and got out of there as soon as possible. Guess who has a hot date for Saturday night? This guy.

The Japanese place was booked so I hit up the next best thing, this shoddy Italian place. She looked stunning and I bet she was pretty into me because we were staring at each other for what seemed like hours—all of course, in eerie silence. I just can’t believe she ordered two entrees. And she finished both of them. How she still squeezed into that dress, I will never know. But there was no way I was going to pay for her last supper. She caught onto my vibe and took the bill.

What a doll.

So many options. Like, so many options. I just picked what I thought was good. I mean, I didn’t even know if she wanted to remember the night or not. I got up there and didn’t know how to pose so I started doing my own thing.

What if I sweat too much? What if she doesn’t like dancing? How do I ask her to dance? What if they lose my coatcheck? What if she realizes I can’t dance? What if she goes past 45 degrees?

All bad. Well I started dancing like no one was watching. Against all odds, she was so totally digging it. I took it to the next step and whipped out my secret bag of tricks. That part . . . she didn’t dig. I went to chill on the bleachers for a bit. DJ Dave shouted out that it was time to find my special someone, so I found her with her friends. Dave sure knew what he was talking about because we got cozy there.

It was ruined when all I could see were my bros giving me the creepy, smiling slow head nod.

Overall, I think we connected pretty well. That was the best date I’ve ever had, and I’m so glad that I asked her. I guess the secret to awkward situations is just to not make a big deal. I know she had fun too. We jived so well, and I bet there’s more to come.

A S K I N G D I N N E R P I C T U R E S

D A N C I N G

V E R D I C T

I guess it’s pretty cute that he asked with wilted roses and melted chocolates. At least he put in some effort. After all, you can’t expect it to be perfect. Still, the hug was pretty gross because there were pit stains on his shirt. Afterwards, I kept seeing him in the halls and went up to go talk to him. We made small talk and then carried along with our business. I guess he’s kind of cute.

Dude, I couldn’t stop staring at the broccoli in between his teeth and I think his eye has a twitching problem. He didn’t say anything most the time and I generally had to try to keep up conversation, but he’s actually pretty funny. He cracked a couple good jokes and I couldn’t stop laughing. The food was pretty good. I’m glad he chose Italian; it’s my favorite.

Plus, it was nice that he offered to pay, even though in the end I had to pay because he forgot his wallet at home. Yeah. It’s going pretty well so far.

We came to the photo booth and he bought a 9x11 and twenty wallet sizes. What’re you going to do with that? I got to admit, though, it was pretty awkward when we both didn’t know what pose to do and a line of people were staring at us wondering when we’d finish. Eventually the photographer just put us in a position. I could feel him shaking as the photographer counted to three. I wonder why he’s so nervous.

Getting onto the dance floor, my favorite song was playing. He immediately started dancing to it and hummed the lyrics under his voice.

He’s a good dancer. We swayed to the beat and then he really got down. It took me by surprise and suddenly I realized he wasn’t such a good dancer. In fact, he sucked. The first slow song came up on and we danced a good couple inches away.

We both looked over only to see two people making out intensely next to us. I quickly looked away and I could feel the awkward tension. His head seemed to be getting closer and I could smell his meatball breath, so I quickly asked him how his day was.

Overall, it was okay. Just okay. I mean sure it was awkward at times, but stuff like that is just expected. Prom date? Not preferred.

—Compiled by Kevin Gao and Sophia Jiang

Features

Monday, September 20, 2010

9

Spotted: proposals seen on campus

2

Alan Phan

Henry Liu

Victor Kwok

Henry Liu

1

3

Melissa Sun

4

6

5

Victor Kwok

1. Junior Remy Felsch and sophomore Chandler Gardiner smile as they pose for the camera.

2. Senior Boshiaw Hsu pops out of the trunk of his car to ask his future date to homecoming.

3. Freshmen Alan Coon and Stacy Chang hug after a successful proposal 4. Sophomores Zachary Munro and Andrew Mell ask sophomores Nikki Schwardt and Cassandra Kent at the Fall Sports Rally 5. Senior Cody Carefoot reveals balloons and a pan of homemade cake to senior Shivani Rustagi.

6. Junior Michael Rundell surprises junior Erika Cagampan, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers.

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Cente

THEORACLE

F

Have you been taught Green tea improves longevity

Throughout history, people have continually pushed to discover an ultimate panacea or cure-all and ancient Asian society may have discovered it. Green tea, used traditionally in the Eastern hemisphere as the cure for various ailments, has gradually made its way into modern Western culture. It is said to reduce fat and arthritis, lower risks of cancer and increase a person’s longevity.

Green tea is unique in that it contains high amounts of catechins polyphenols, antioxidants that inhibit the growth of cancer cells. These catechins are also capable of lowering levels of cholesterol, which is linked to obesity and heart failure.

Studies conducted and released by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2005 stated that people who drank green tea containing at least 690 mg of catechins over a period of three months had reduced body fat. Green tea has also been shown to increase thermogenesis, or a body’s rate of burning fat cells, while simultaneously increasing metabolism. The Yale University of Medicine has also performed over 100 studies on the “Asian Paradox,” which says that despite a large percentage of Asian smokers, the rates of lung cancer and heart disease are smaller in the Asian population because they drink so much green tea. Results of the studies indicated that the catechins are anticoagulants, meaning they prevent clots from forming in blood arteries.

In addition to studies on metabolism and heart disease, studies have also been conducted on green tea’s effects on reducing arthritis and promoting longer life spans, but without conclusive results. Regardless, the presence of catechins within this drink implies the presence of multiple health benefits.

Celery has neg

American society is obsessed with t and diet techniques are a huge market is that celery has negative calories, me to chew and digest than the number of anywhere from eight to 11 calories to c Celery is made up of mostly cellulose sible to metabolize by the human body, to break down so you avoid that hungr calories,” science teacher Katherine Mos insulin to rise and fall quickly causing can stave off hunger for a few hours. miracle. “I wouldn’t use it as a diet tec the amount of calories you burn is pro nificant,” junior Lucy Moore said.

While celery’s negative calorie effec be insignificant, it can be a good diet to if it “keeps you from eating unnecessary calories,” as social studies Brian Tuomy said.

Organic food is better than chemically treated food

In the last decade, there’s been an “organic explosion” in our society. After studies began to show that the chemicals some animals and plants are treated with could have adverse affects on humans’ health, much of the American public turned to buying organic foods, or foods not treated with chemicals. Some buy organic for ethical reasons, others out of respect for the environment and still others as a health precaution. But the question still stands: Is buying organic really better for you? For Home Economics teacher Cindy Peters, the answer is yes. “I definitely prefer organic over non-organic,” she said. Peters and her home economics classes help manage the organic garden at Gunn, and often use the organic produce in the meals they make in class. The plants aren’t treated with any pesticides, chemical fertilizers or hormones, like so many mass-produced products are.

The issue with these artificial additives is not completely concrete.

However, according to the National Organic Program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) some studies have shown that organically raised meat does reduce the risk of obtaining diseases such as mad cow disease. Eating organic can also decrease your exposure to the arsenic that is sometimes used to promote growth and improve the pigmentation of chicken meat. It has been shown that the hormones do find a way back to the environment, and can contaminate both water and land—and an unhealthy environment can lead to an unhealthy you. But, although there are much higher traces of pesticides in non-organic food, the amounts are still found to be well below the government-determined thresholds, and are not

considered dangerous to human health.

There are a few drawbacks to buying organic produce and meat.

However, the most frequently argued case is the cost difference between organic and commercially grown foods. In a series of data sets released by the Economic Research Service of the USDA, it can be seen that organic food can sometimes cost almost three times as much as unorganic food. In Oct. 2008 in San Francisco, a 10-pound carton of conventional tomatoes cost $10.50, while the same carton of organic tomatoes cost $20.13. This significant cost difference comes from the organic farmers’ need to make up for crops lost to insects or foul weather—produce not treated with pesticides or fertilizers is more susceptible to damage. Growing organic foods is also an expensive hobby for smaller, more local farms. It can take two to three years to get organic gardens certified, and the USDA has extremely strict regulations when it comes to labeling food as “organic.” In recent years, however, the gap between organic and conventional food prices has decreased. For some people, shelling out the extra cash is worth the added health benefits of eating organic, but for others, a few more chemicals in their food isn’t enough of an argument for them to open their wallets. When it comes down to it—and until scientific studies have solid evidence—whether eating organic is better for you or not is a matter of personal judgement.

erfold

Monday, September 20, 2010

FOOD EDITION

the right food facts?

gative calories

the skinny and fit and food myths t for these people. One such myth eaning that it takes more calories calories it began with. It requires chew an eight inch stalk of celery. se, a complex sugar that is imposand fiber. “Fiber takes a long time ry feeling on the same number of ser said. “A spike in glucose causes a hungry feeling.” Thus, celery However, eating celery is no diet chnique because obably insig-

ect may ool

Six meals are better than three

Many of us worry about what we put into our bodies, but what about how often we do so?

Depending on the person and how the meals affect their body, people have their own options as to how many meals they should eat per day. There are many factors that affect the choice of having six mini meals or three larger meals throughout the day. “A person’s age, lifestyle, metabolism, gender and size all go into the answer,” nutritionist Margaret Yule said.

According to personal trainer Chris Gaines, the number of meals affects your metabolism. “The more frequently you eat throughout the day, the higher your metabolism will get,” he said. If a person has slow metabolism, he can eat smaller meals throughout the day in order to speed it up.

If a person has fast metabolism and wants to speed it up, he can include interval training into a fitness regimen to help. But for dieters, eating six meals is not recommended. “For people who are not active and are restricting calories, having many meals through the day may be challenging,” Yule said.

Fresh fruits, vegetables and protein make up the ideal meal. Keeping whole food instead of processed food in a diet keeps fuel on board regularly and will keep the body using the food and not shifting in to starvation mode. According to Yule, consistency, a bit of variety and keeping food as fresh and high quality as possible will have the best impact on a person’s health.

“Be sure to be aware of the total portion size,” Gaines said. “Eat to satiation, not past that.”

An important thing to keep in mind when making the decision on how many meals to eat is how the meals affect your body.

According to Yule, people should keep a food diary for a few weeks, writing down what they eat and how it makes them feel. “If you track this then you can make some powerful decisions about what your body thrives on,” Yule said.

Açaí berries contain properties to improve health Used in tablets, juices, smoothies, yogurt, instant drinks, body wash, lip balm, hair products and diet pills, açaí (ah-SIGH-ea) is the berry many believe have a million magical properties. The inch-long, red-purple berry is a major component of the diets of natives in Brazil.

In the United States, the berries are made into a myriad of products, and the Internet is full of claims that it will shrink your waist, make your love life better and make you live longer. It’s a known fact that açaí berries are chock-full of antioxidants. But what exactly is this magical fruit and how does it work?

The truth about açaí may be disappointing to some. The shocking part is that none of the claims made by marketing companies have scientific confirmation.

Certified nutritional specialist Johnny Bowden explained the hype. “Virtually every berry­— blueberry, strawberry, goji, açaí­—are anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants,” Bowden said. “This particular one is exotic. It’s found in Brazil. It’s been marketed to have more of a magic ingredient. It’s been overhyped and marketed to death; there are claims of curing cancer, curing baldness that are all over the place.”

For those hoping to score high on antioxidants and lose large amounts of weight rapidly, the news is disheartening. Scientists are in the midst of learning more about “superfoods,” which are foods believed to have a high concentration of phytochemicals, substances believed to positively affect overall health. There is no evidence to

back up rampant weight loss claims (you can not lose 30 pounds in 3 days). A high level of antioxidants would contribute to weight loss, but there is no evidence that has proven that açaí has an abnormally high amount.

In antioxidant testing, açaí ranked below many more common fruits such as grapes and blueberries. To put it simply: almost everything you have heard about açaí is untrue.

It’s not all bad news, however. Açaí does contain chemicals called anthocyanins (the chemical that makes the red-purple color in fruit) and flavenoids. Both of these defend against stressors and protect cell protein. Studies show that these chemicals may neutralize free radicals (waste by-products of the body), and possibly reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Açaí oil is also a safe alternative to other tropical oils used in facial products and anti-aging therapies, and when it is processed and stored, the amount of antioxidants in it remain high.

So the next time you consider buying a product for the express purpose of consuming an açaí berry, think of these words before you act. “The expensive açaí berry is a triumph of marketing over science–that’s the bottom line,” Bowden said. “It’s not useless, but it’s not anything that people are claiming it to be.”

Graphics by Bonnie Cardillo, George Hwang, and Lisa Wu

–Compiled by Samantha Donat, Mia Howard, Jesse Klein, Elaine Liu, Jennie Robinson

11

12

THEORACLE

Science: Charles Castleman Ashley Ngu

Math: Gopi Tantod Yilin Liang

News Editor

Five years ago, science teacher Charles Castleman wasn’t planning on teaching environmental science and biology to high school students.

Instead, he was on track to passing the bar exam to become a lawyer. “At the same time I was attending law school, I also volunteered at a juvenile hall called Natural Bridge Juvenile Corrections Center in Virginia,” Castleman said.

“And I loved that more than the thought of being a lawyer so I switched careers after I graduated.”

Castleman, a San Diego native, received his Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of California, Davis. According to Castleman, he does not have a degree in science but he has always had a strong interest in the subject, even taking “more science classes than I probably should have” in college.

This is Castleman’s first year of teaching after student teaching at a small charter-based San Francisco school for year. He actually says his style of teaching stresses group learning by facilitating group discussions among students.

Castleman says he truly enjoys his job.

Features

Centerfold Editor

Wendy Liu

“Gunn is awesome,” he said. “The school has amazing support from other staff, especially with curriculums. The students are motivated, the parents are caring and the weather is nice.

I have large amounts of resources at hand and I haven’t met anyone yet that I didn’t like immediately. On top of that, the school spirit around here is great.”

Citing his enthusiasm for the Homecoming theme Nintendo, Castleman says that he signed up to dress up as a junior for the event. On Sept. 29, keep an eye out for a tall man in a Mario costume. It is probably Castleman.

Science: Todd Sherrett

Math teacher Gopi Tantod began teaching Introduction to Analysis and Calculus (IAC) this year. Tantod says that she first decided to become a teacher in high school. “In high school, I enjoyed my AP teachers but I also saw teachers that didn’t explain well,” she said. “However, I had a great AP Calc and Spanish teacher.

They really inspired me.”

Because of this, Tantod has greatly enjoyed her profession. “I enjoy especially when I am able to explain to students the material they don’t understand in simpler terms,” she said. “It’s great to be able to establish the communication between teacher and students.”

B efo r e coming to Gunn, Tantod taught in Santa Rosa and at Lynbrook and Milpitas High Schools. She has taught math subjects from Algebra to Calculus and college level math to a l l fou r g rades of high school. “I came to Gunn for a day and I really enjoyed the staff and students,” s h e

Soc. Studies: Ariane Richard

Kevin Gao

Lydia Zhang

Features Editor

Features Editor

Deciding to become a teacher after watching a World Series game may seem odd to some, but it’s a very real story for physics teacher Todd Sherrett.

Currently in his first year at Gunn, Sherrett has a long history of jobs outside of teaching. “I worked in industry for 20 years,” Sherrett said. He has filled in jobs in fields including manufacturing, engineering and aeronautics. Along his path of careers, Sherrett added to his physics background at a company that manufactured blasting caps, a rocket motor company and NASA. “I was a mechanical engineer, which has to do a lot with physics,” he said.

According to Sherrett, his peers always used to tell him that he could excel as a teacher, but he finally came to pursue teaching while watching a World Series game and helping his son with physics homework. “Every once in a while you get an epiphany,” he said. “I realized how much I enjoyed that stuff, so I said, ‘I can do this. I can be a teacher and coach baseball.’” As spring approaches, Sherrett is looking forward to becoming involved with the baseball team.

After being a teacher for at both Willow Glen and Yerba Buena High Schools, Sherrett appreciates the resources here at Gunn. Upon walking through the corridors of the Science Department, Sherrett became impressed with the new outlets to teach. “The resources here are incredible,” he said. “It’s like a junior college.”

Sh e rrett believes that his previous schools in the San Jose area had a less resources for teaching.

“It’s a real challenge teaching science in a school with meager supplies,” he said. “A lot of the time you have to teach straight out of the book.”

Alan Phan Sherrett looks forward to developing the Engineering program and is also interested in the small nuances found at Gunn, especially those involved with student activities. “Most high schools are similar, but it’s a chance to see how you guys do Homecoming,” he said.

Although this is a new school for Sherrett to teach in, one thing never changes for him. “I’m really enjoying teaching physics to these hungry Gunn students,” he said. “I just value helping students build a solid foundation to understand the world around them.”

she said. “It seemed like a collaborative and healthy place to work.”

Because she had taught Honors PreCalculus previously, Tantod began teaching IAC this year. “I am familiar with the subject, but the material is different and I enjoy that,” she said.

Tantod has especially appreciated the help people have given her and her students’ friendliness. “I’m looking forward to the ‘Aha!’ moment of my students and also establishing a relationship with them,” she said.

According to students, she has already begun to reach her goal.

“She’s a really nice teacher and she explains concepts well,” junior Isabelle Kerschman said. “She really is interested i n wh a t sh e teaches.”

Besides being a math teacher, Tantod enjoys Indian classical dancing and kayaking. She is especially looking forward to Homecoming Week, when she will be participating in airbands. “I am look ing forward to being more involved in school,” she said.

Alan Phan

As someone starting her first year of teaching, social studies teacher Ariane Richard is ready to bring something different to the Gunn community.

Richard was originally a paralegal in the corporate world, having developed an interest in law during her years at University of California, Berkeley. However, even then she was drawn to education. “At every job I’ve ever had, I’ve always ended up teaching people,” she said.

Eventually, she decided to change career paths from law to education. Last year, she was a student teacher for social studies teachers Brian Tuomy and Alice McCraley.

Richard says that during her time at Gunn, she has seen many students who are only interested in getting good grades and are not motivated to understand the material. She hopes that she can teach her students to look for more than “just the right answer” in her class.

“When you make learning all about getting the right answer, it becomes either really boring…or really

stressful,” Richard said. “It’s more about the discovery. Learning is a process.” She hopes her students will be as passionate about learning as she is about teaching.

A good learning environment for her classes is also important to Richard. “I want to create a classroom with a fun, relaxed atmosphere, where students know that they must do their best and are inspired to learn,” she said. “I am always self-ref lecting, thinking about what I can use in the classroom from the world around me to make my lessons relevant to my students’ lives.”

However, Richa rd has had to make some changes to her teaching attitude since her time at Gunn. According to Richard, as a student, she was a lot like Hermione Granger, her favorite character from the Harry Potter series. She says that as the oldest of four children, she was a pretty bossy sister and, like many students at Gunn, a perfectionist.

But Richard has realized that it is necessary to make concessions.

“I [had wanted] to be the perfect teacher,” she said. “[But,] now I know that it’s not about being a perfect teacher, it’s about being the best teacher you can be.”

Wendy Liu

Graphics by Lisa Wu

Features

Monday, September 20, 2010

13

Seniors rep big names and big numbers on Wednesdays Monica Cai Sports Editor

The middle of the week can be a tiring, boring time, but the seniors are making Wednesdays a lot more exciting. “We decided to spruce Wednesdays up,� senior Yotam Kasznik, co-creator of Basketball Jersey Wednesdays said. On any given Wednesday, a group of students, mainly seniors, can be spotted at school sporting their favorite basketball jersey. “There’s so much excitement on Basketball Jersey Wednesdays,�

Kasznik said. “It radiates happiness.�

The event was thought up by Kasznik and fellow senior Ori Herschmann on a Tuesday night during the NBA playoffs last year. “We just wanted to get out a little more,� Herschmann said. “We decided to try something new and it worked out.�

The trend soon spread to others in the grade and even branched out beyond seniors. “The last Wednesday of the year, maybe forty people wore basketball jerseys,�

Kasznik said. “I’m happy so many people liked our idea.�

Jersey wearing isn’t limited to basketball fans only or to the senior grade; any student, basketball fan or not, can join in. The

Wednesday is chosen randomly by the creators and the news is spread simply by word of mouth.

Another event that has recently been created is Lawn Chair Wednesday, also a primarily senior activity. Seniors bring chairs to the quad during lunch, usually participating in Basketball Jersey Wednesdays at the same time. Created by senior John Farhat, Lawn Chair Wednesday started accidentally. “I was with [Seniors] Anish [Johri] and Holt [Bowmer] and they said they wanted to get some hammocks for Gunn,� Farhat said. “I misheard what they said and said we should definitely get lawn chairs, and it went off from that.�

Although only seniors currently participate, any class can join in, according to Farhat. “The intent of Lawn Chair Wednesday is just to relax during lunch and make it feel like summer,� Farhat said. “Once it starts to be cold, Lawn Chair Wednesdays will be replaced with Sleeping Bag Wednesdays.�

With clear plans to continue the event all year, Farhat expects more and more people to participate. Together with Kasznik and Herschmann’s Basketball Jersey Wednesdays, the seniors are trying to guarantee that Wednesdays will never be boring again.

Q&A with

Artist of the Month Adrien Vandereyken (12) various aspects of the game (e.g. characters, levels, styling). I have always been fond of video games and the art [and] styling that goes behind the design of the game world. Perhaps when I am skilled enough I can consider joining a company.

Courtesy of Adrien Vandereyken

The Oracle: How did you become interested in doing art?

Adrien Vandereyken: I forgot when I really started doing art. It was freshman year when I really started to try improving my skills.

TO: How did you become interested in specifically doing graphic art?

AV: Well, I go on the Internet all the time and I saw pictures that were created using programs like Photoshop. I thought it was very cool, so I decided that I wanted to try creating it, too.

TO: What do you think about the art program at Gunn?

AV: I think that the art program is a very intuitive course. It allows students to have liberty though there is a guideline, which is good.

TO: What do you hope art will do for you in the future?

AV: I would like to pursue a career making concept art, perhaps for games, which involve making a visual representation of

Photos by Henry Liu

Top Left: Senior Ori Herschmann proudly shows off his favorite Orlando Magics basketball jersey.

Top Right: Seniors enjoy a relaxing lunch on lawn chairs on the quad. Bottom: Seniors John Farhat, Yotam Kasznik and Sarah Fleischmann participate in Basketball Jersey Wednesday earlier this year.

TO: What is your favorite art piece?

AV: I do not really have a favorite art piece because some of the pieces I’ve done I put no effort into them but they turn out really well, while others I put in a lot of effort and they don’t turn out as well. However, I do particularly like my piece on a cheetah.

TO: Have you ever taken any art classes outside of school?

AV: I have not taken art classes outside of school. I simply thought I didn’t need to when there are so many online tutorials.

I honestly wouldn’t want to take classes outside of school, as with online tutorials you can kind of do your own thing, and spin off the lesson and do what inspires or looks cool to you. That is what is so cool about Gunn’s graphic design class.

It allows for a lot of freedom in how you interpret your assignment.

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TO: What are your thoughts about the future of graphic design as a field?

AV: Graphic design is an emerging field and has lots of new opportunities in job fields.

TO: What are some of your future goals in graphic design?

AV: I want to incorporate graphic pens when doing art, like in photographs. If I am able to do that I will be proud. ­—Compiled by Elise Lee

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Entertainment

14 Reveal your inner nerd today Sam Hayward It’s inside every one of us, yet we are all so afraid to show it. No, I’m not talking about love, I’m talking about our inner nerds. Trapped inside our bodies, our inner nerds are suffocating. We hide them with excuses and lies, only in hopes to appear more popular or less, well, nerdy.

My guilty nerd moment came when I started to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

A couple days into reading it, some friends asked if I wanted to go see Inception with them. Instead of telling them the truth, I came up with this fabrication that I had developed a rare fever that no one had ever heard of and told them that a movie would only worsen my condition.

The real reason I did not go was that I was finishing the book. Rather than give my friends the real story, I shoved down my inner nerd deep into my closet of secrets.

In the history of the world, nerds have come a long way. Formerly ridiculed and mocked, these individuals are now some of the most productive and innovative people in our country. Jack Dorsey tried to build a map of New York City in his teenage years and later went on to be the creator of Twitter. Bill Gates, who once wrote a computer program to schedule classes, is the co-founder of Microsoft and now one of the wealthiest men on the planet. One can even trace the history of the nerd back to Spiderman, in which teenager Peter Parker was a four-eyed book-hound who ended up becoming a superhero and comic book legend. All of these people have led successful lives while embracing their inner nerd.

Contrary to our society’s portrayal of a nerd, nerds are really just everyday people who have that spark of intelligence and a passion for learning. Dictionary.com gives one definition of a nerd as a foolish, inept, unattractive person, but it is time that this stereotype is broken.

Don’t be ashamed of something that is a part of you. Let your friends know what your best Rubix cube time is or what book you are currently reading. People should be proud of their accomplishments, however “nerdy” they might be.

Many of us do not want to be perceived as nerds. But deep down, we all have that desire to perform well in school and satisfy our brain’s appetite. This year, let your inner nerd discover its freedom. Maybe you too will find that being a nerd is not so bad after all.

—Hayward, a junior, is a Forum Editor

Explore the California Academy of Science

Henry Liu

To p le f t: T he museum showcases it s arra y o f e xotic stuf fe d b irds . To p right: O ne o f many life - like in s e c t s f o u n d i n t h e n e w l y a d d e d A m a z o n R a i n f o r e s t e x h i b i t . M i d d l e r i g h t : T h e m u s e u m ’s n e w wa l kable field of meteor impact- craters. Bottom: The newly renovated food court during a t ypical lunch hour.

New Academy of Sciences worth exploring

Bay Area museum comes to back to life after four years of renovation

the “undergrowth to the canopy” while showcasing animals and plants from different rainforests Like most of the high-school around the world. The most restudents in the area, I have a alistic part of this exhibit is the vague recollection of the old Cali- atmosphere. Constantly operating fornia Academy of Science (CAS) mist machines and sprinklers in San Francisco. There are fuzzy produce humidity while the parts where I recall giant exhib- thermostat is cranked up to 90 deits of African grees in the animals and an glass build“You can almost astronaut exing. Couhibit that may p l e d w it h close your eyes and or may not have the real-life imagine yourself only existed in s o u n d s of my m e m o r y. tropical halfway across the But the newly birds and globe in the Amarenovated CAS, butterflies, zon Rainforest.” with its crisp you can new lines and close your window walls, offers a much- eyes and almost believe that you needed contrast to those blurred are in the Amazon Rainforest. recollections. Shut down for This new addition to the museum renovation from 2005 until its is the most remarkable improvereopening on Sept 27, 2008 the ment.

CAS is one of the oldest museums A close second is the gorgeous of its kind.

Living Roof that covers the whole The indoor Tropical Forest top of the CAS. Designed by is one of the most impressive Renzo Piano to be a push towards features of the whole museum. It green building practices, the is a tri-level walk that leads from Living Roof blends modern arElaine Liu

Business manager

chitecture with the natural design of parklands. The plants living on the roof are able to counteract the typical buildup of heat and carbon dioxide while reducing the temperature. Standing on the roof and observing flowers is one of the most relaxing things one can do, helped by the nostalgic feeling given by the Teletubbieslike hills.

What the museum has gained in exhibits such as the Tropical Forest and the Living Roof, it has lost in reducing the number of its classic exhibits it used to showcase. There is no longer a roundabout of Native American history or the space exhibit with a giant moon scale. It has managed to hold on to some of its old beauties though, namely the adorable penguin exhibit, the giant swinging pendulum and the Albino alligator that is just as lethargic and motionless as my childhood memories recall.

It is good to see that some things never change.

Despite the trials and tribulations the old California Acad-

emy went through, it still comes out standing strong. Visitors will always love the CAS for its ability to teach people. Upon leaving the building for the day, a staff member offered me a sticker in exchange for a fact that I had learned that day. I’m happy to say I walked off with a California poppy sticker proudly attached to my shirt.

Address: 55 Music Concourse Drive Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA 94118 Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Adult $29.95 Senior (ages 65+) $24.95 Student $24.95 Youth (ages 12-17) $24.95 Child (ages 4-11) $19.95 Ages 3 and Under FREE

Entertainment

Monday, September 20, 2010

15

The Oracle reviews exercise classes Krishan Allen

Leon Sung

Sports Editor

Reporter

Muay Thai:

Zumba: There are very few people that would

voluntarily wake up on a Sunday morning to do, well, anything. Yet here I was at the YMCA on Ross Road willing myself to keep going. Maybe I would discover a new passion in Zumba? Maybe this would inspire me to carry on as an exercise routine? Or maybe not.

Zumba is a popular dance fitness with a mixture of Latin and other international music. As I trudged onwards through the entrance doors, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Well, I soon found out.

Walking into the gym I saw my fellow classmates stretching and preparing for the hour-long class. The first thing I noticed was not the rainbow of multi-colored spandex and athletic garments that most of these women wore (although I really was amazed at how some of them managed to pull this off and still look fit). No, what I noticed first was that I was the only male in the room. After making a mental note to be more cautious of what stories I take in the future, the class began.

We started out with a slow pace. This was a chance to warm-up and gather energy for the hour ahead. For me, it was an uphill struggle in which I fought to create some sort of rhythm or momentum. Eventually, some of this work did lead to decent results as I progressively became more in-sync with the rest of the class. Everyone displayed such grace and poise in the routine that I continually tried to emulate (unsuccessfully). There will always be moves that I may never get the full grasp of, especially those involving the use of hips.

Eventually (read: after a long time) the hour came to its end. I walked out feeling refreshed, and a bit relieved. Humming “Waka Waka” (the last song to be played in the routine) to myself , I set out to go back home and recuperate.

An hour long Zumba class burns anywhere from 500 to 900 calories. And while its not for me, this fast-paced, energetic class is an easy way for people of all ages to excercise and have fun doing it.

Henry Liu

Tiffany Hu

If you know me, you probably know that I consider myself pretty athletic. I must admit though, I’ve met my match in Thailand’s national sport: Thai kickboxing, or Muay Thai. Known as the “Science of Eight Limbs” (two elbows and two knees added to the traditional four limbs), Muay Thai is a lethal art designed to weaponize the human body. As the most commonly used form of stand-up fighting by professional mixed martial arts fighters, Muay Thai has a reputation of ending fights swiftly and efficiently. Because Muay Thai spans the globe, I got to take a near-by class at Fairtex in Mountain View.

As an international organization responsible for producing countless world champions, Fairtex is no joke.

Upon walking into the training facilityat 6:45 a.m, I could feel that this place was different. For the duartion of the one-hour class, a three-minute timer regulates everything. Warm ups are three three-minute rounds of jump roping with thirty seconds of rest between each round. To put it in perspective, most people jump rope at a pace of about 100 jumps per minute.

After the warmup, the class shifted immediately to drills. Students paired up and, with one person holding pads, repeated combinations of punching, kicking, and kneeing that ranged from five to twelve strikes.

Since each strike is an explosive full-body movement, three minutes of striking is tantamount to sprinting. Six rounds of this will make sweat pour off your body and your muscles scream for mercy. If the drills weren’t enough, five minutes of sparring finishes the job.

Just an hour of Muay Thai amounts to at least 1200 calories. Though I was completely exhausted after the class, it was exciting to do something different. I’ve got to say, there is something therapeutic about hitting someone for a workout.

Fairtex is a great place for people of all ages. Being the youngest one there by six years, I can tell that the people who train at Fairtex really love Muay Thai.

Although classes are a bit pricey, you really get what you pay for. Whether you’re looking for stress relief, self-defense, or recreation,going to Fairfax is a must.

May Wu

Josephine Jen

Reporter

Reporter

Hot Yoga: As someone who had never done

Bikram (hot yoga) before, I was a little intimidated by the idea of sitting in a steaming room full of many other students (hopefully non-smelly ones) while holding muscle-straining poses. Going in, I imagined that the whole room would be quiet as we took the heat in a zen setting, slowly melting into a puddle of sweat.

While I filled out my first-time visiting form, a requirement for all newcomers, I could feel the heat pulsing out from under the cracks of the door between the yoga room and the office I stood in. When I walked into the yoga room, the dimmed lights, serene tranquility, and the instructor, Rebecca’s soft, voice brought out the spiritual qualities of the lesson.

At first, I felt awkward and silly trying to do the stretches but when no one laughed or scowled at my failed attempts, I began to assimilate myself to the serene overall mood.

As I lowered myself into the tree position, I was surprised by how hard it was to stay balanced and I could feel the muscles in my leg locking in. The class included 26 semi-rigorous stretches of various difficulty levels.

It was hot and every time Rebecca opened the door for some fresh air (every few minutes), I would breathe a sigh of relief.

But when she closed it, the glove of sticky heat enveloped me once again.

At the end of the class, we ended with two sessions of rapid breathing for cool-down and then the lights were further dimmed and the class was over.

Hot yoga was definitely worth going to and I was sore for about a couple of days afterwards (blame it on having no P.E.). For me, the sweating and the stretching exercises made me feel healthy and pure.

However, I would recommend going to a class with a friend since most other participants are over thirty.

The class is generally about an hour and a half or shorter depending on the instructor’s pace. It’s definitely worth it and I will be back for more.

Cycling: I woke up early on a Saturday morning

Henry Liu

Top: Senior Leon Song kicks at his instructor while taking a Muay Thai class. Middle: Seniors Annie Shuey and Krishan Allen show off their moves during a Zumba class at a local YMCA. Bottom: Senior Josephine Jen takes a cycling class at the local JCC.

CLASS INFORMATION Zumba: Palo Alto YMCA 3412 Ross Road, Palo Alto, on Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:25 a.m. and Sundays 9:05 to 10 a.m.

Muay Thai: 2044 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View, 94303, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hot Yoga: Yoga Source, 158 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, class times available on the Yoga Source website.

Cycling: Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, class times available on JCC website.

prepared to take a spin class at 9:30 a.m. at the JCC Family Community Center. I had no idea what to expect but that I would be sitting on a stationary bike, pumping my feet for an hour. It sounded easy enough.

I arrived just as the other students, women of all ages, were climbing onto their bikes. The bikes were arranged in a half circle with the instructor’s bike placed in the center in front of a mirror facing us. The instructor, a tall, lean male dressed in biking attire, introduced himself as Bruce and began blasting music on the speakers.

The cadence started off slowly, allowing us to become familiar with the bike. After a couple of minutes, Bruce demanded us to push harder and we began pumping our legs faster and faster until we were ordered, once again, to slow down.

This pattern of slow then fast then slow continued throughout the entire class. While it sounds relatively simple and easy, spinning proved to be very challenging. Since the stationary bikes are different from regular bikes, spinning bikes gain a momentum that is practically unstoppable. As I pedaled faster, it became increasingly difficult to stop, since it seemed as if the pedals were moving by themselves. There were even multiple occasions when my feet slipped off the pedals, but momentum kept the pedals rotating, causing them to slap against my shins. The bruises began to form in the afternoon.

However, spinning is great way to obtain an intense work out in a short amount of time. It gets the heart racing and works the leg muscles and by the end of those fifty-five minutes, you will be satisfied with your work out and content that you burned a fair amount of calories. I could feel the burn from my quads to my gluteus maximus.

The biggest advantage to spinning in a classroom environment is that it forced me to follow through, and there was even music to motivate me, while if I were alone I would have given up ten minutes into the routine.

16

Entertainment

THEORACLE

Homecoming shopping at its best The Oracle looks at the best places to find your Homecoming gear, from formal wear to costumes Eden Lauffer Copy Editor

There is one key piece of advice when it comes to shopping for Homecoming week outfits: be thrifty. The best costumes come from creative ensembles rather than store-bought costume sets. For example, this Homecoming, one of the themes for the senior class is comic book.

Maybe you’re looking for a lowbudget outfit, but you don’t have a cape, tights or mask.

With just a white T-shirt you can create your own superhero costume. Thinking outside the box is the way to go.

W hen creating Homecoming week costumes, what you can find around the house usually makes for a more original and less expensive costume than sets sold at Diddams. For instance, ladies, instead of buying a white dress, buy an extra-large T-shirt from Michaels, cut it up and belt it. That probably

saves about $15. Now you have extra money to purchase accessories or props you feel your outfit needs.

Props and accessories can make an outfit work. For example, if you wanted to dress up like a witch but you were lacking a pointy hat and broomstick, you would be a pretty sad-looking witch. If you are willi ng t o s p e n d the money on c o ol p r o p s or take the time to make them, it really adds to your ensemble.

Yilin Liang News Editor

Conveniently located in downtown Palo Alto near the popular frozen yogurt store Fraiche on Emerson Street, Romi Boutique offers a wide range of hip, urban clothing. This boutique sells mainly upscale clothing from a variety of both popular brands and less well known designers. Though the selection at this boutique leans towards the casual side, it is likely that something suitable for Homecoming will be hidden in the racks. This place is best if you are looking for something that is simple yet classy with atten-

George Hwang

Girls:

Sometimes, if your costume is still not very convincing, the right prop or accessory can make it more believable.

Before you st a r t your shopping at all, check with friends first. The expression “one man’s ju n k is a not her ma n’s treasure” really applies here. If your dress-up theme is Western but nothing in your house could work for this ensemble, see if a friend has a spare cowboy hat to lend you. Then, when your friend needs h e l p

tion to details. The sales at this store are not to be missed, and though the clothes are upwards of $50 in price range, they are worth it.

Another viable option for Homecoming is Bay Area chain, Therapy. These stores offer many styles of dresses that range from casual day dresses to elegant evening dresses. Dresses in stock at Therapy on Castro Street in Mountain View are varied in style: some dresses are sleek and urban, while others are casual and floral.

They are also quick to stock trends for each season. Therapy’s prices are usually reasonable and similar to the prices of Homecoming dresses sold at Macy’s or other department stores. However, the best

with another outfit, maybe you have something you could let your friend bor row. This type of clothing swap saves both parties money. Also, raid your parents’ closets. If your theme is 80’s, rather than going to American Apparel and spending all your money on neon running shorts and leotards, check out your mom’s closet for funky vintage clothes.

The key to a successful costume is pre-owned items, whether they are from your closet, your parents’, a friend’s or even Goodwill’s collection. If you search hard enough, your outfit can be original and affordable.

George Hwang

thing about Therapy is that their unique selection of clothing will ensure that you will stand out from the crowd.

There are many stores for guys to buy unique Homecoming formal wear.

First of all, guys, don’t be afraid to shop online. Asos.com offers basics for Homecoming (such as collared shirts) as well as some unique pieces that will set you apart from the sea of trite button-downs (think purple plaid). The prices can be a bit high, so be sure to look in their “Outlet” section, which has marked-down prices.

Though most people think of American Apparel as more of a casual clothing store, they do offer a variety of collared shirts and slacks, which can be formal.

At American Apparel, you can find a variety of dress shirts in cool colors. Try experimenting with their short sleeve button-down shirts or buy one of their bow ties to add a dash of style to your Homecoming outfit.

Boys:

Faces in the Crowd

Locations Costume: Goodwill 4085 El Camino Way, Palo Alto (650) 494-1416

Diddams 1952 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View (650) 965-0138

Michaels 2415 Charleston Rd, Mountain View (650) 968-8698

Formal: Romi Boutique 624 Emerson St, Palo Alto (650) 322-7664

Therapy 250 Castro St., Mountain View (650) 691-1186

American Apparel 170 University Ave, Palo Alto (650) 328-4900

Quick Tips for Homecoming Week 1. Plan ahead! Make or buy your outfits early for each day.

2. Plan on getting up 10 to 15 minutes earlier than normal each day to get dressed and ready.

3. Clean up after yourself–points are deducted for trash!

4. Bring as many random things as you can on Thursday for the Scavenger Hunt; keep them in your hands so they can be passed quickly to the front.

5. You can never wear too much red and black at the football game on Friday night.

6. Scream like crazy at the night rally so your voice is gone by the next day and your class gets points in the yell competition.

7. Participate–go to the games and ask your class president and vice president if you can join in on the competitions during lunch and brunch. ­—Compiled by Jesse Klein

Describe your perfect Homecoming date:

“I’m 5’3”, so someone who is a little bit shorter than me.”

Nicolas Diken (9)

“Somebody that would do something big, like, “out of the box” for me... Someone like Trey Songz.”

Priscilla Molina (11)

“Someone that can drive, who is also tall, nice and handsome.”

Melissa Chan (12)

“Someone with a good sense of humor, who also knows how to have fun.”

Jordan Leung (12)

—Compiled by Felix Tran

Entertainment

Monday, September 20, 2010

17

The Office: “under new management” The Oracle staffer takes a look at what to expect in Steve Carell’s seventh, and last, season on The Office Nicola Park Features Editor

I fell hard for The Office like Michael Scott fell for YouTube. “When I discovered YouTube, I didn’t work for five days,” Scott, played by Steve Carell, recounts. “I did nothing. I viewed ‘cookie monster sings chocolate rain’ about 1,000 times.” Like that.

So when I heard the news that season seven is Steve Carell’s last, I was horrified, then in despair, then more pessimistic about TV entertainment.

The casters are going to have to find a new boss just as interesting, if not also airheaded, pestering and unproductive. Some articles say that Scott’s departure may have a beneficial impact in that there will be a positive impact to the office environment with a fresh face. False. I find it almost impossible that someone can fill his shoes, at least in the same way.

But people, get psyched, because we have a lot to look forward to.

Rumors and hints from the end of the last season speak of the return of Holly Flax, played

by Amy Ryan, who is Scott’s love interest and, according to Jim Halpert, “kind of a major dork.” And with the end of the drama between the

presently happily married PBJ duo, the drama and awkwardness will live on not only with Holly and Michael but also with the romantic tensions between the glaringly awkward yet oddly adorable couple Andy and Erin.

If nothing else, there is always my favorite character Dwight Schrute, played by Rainn Wilson, who claims himself t o

What’s in your bag?

Bianca Kennel (11) gives us a peek inside her backpack.

1 2

3

4 6

7

1) Scarf: “A must-have for when it gets chilly.

I love accessories.”

2) Printed bag: “My makeup stash. You never know when you’ll have a breakdown and need a touch-up.”

3) Monster toy: “It’s nifty and cute. I got it in Santa Cruz.”

4) Sunglasses: “I like getting uncommon sunglasses.

5

I don’t like having the same ones as everyone else.”

5) Keychain: “I love rock-and-roll and alternative music, hence the guitar.”

6) Reading Glasses: “These help bring out my inner nerd.”

5) iPod: “You’ll never catch me without my iPod.” —Compiled by Hannah Plank-Schwartz

be faster than 80 percent of all snakes and generally likes his co-workers “with four exceptions.” There is little doubt that Schrute will be as “Dwight” as ever in the seasons to come, with his beet farmer alter ego, relationship with Angela that can only be described with “…” and his continual struggle to be

Scott’s No. 1. Along with Schrute is the rest of a strong and talented cast, each character adding to the show’s wry humor and ability to skillfully poke fun at social stereotypes.

When it comes down to it, the show is about finding humor in the most mundane details in life. “My mother used to say that average people are the most special people in the world, and that’s why God made so many,” Scott says. The Office embodies mediocrity, yet the show has a vitality, playfulness, and humor that make it so hilarious, enjoyable, and what I consider one of the best TV shows of our time. We’ll cringe at Scott’s inappropriate jokes and statements a little more, amuse ourselves with his glitches in speech and thought a little more, and sympathize with his pursuit of belonging and happiness just a little more this time.

And despite all of his shortcomings and knack for creating awkward moments, fans have a soft spot for his character nonetheless (and also because he is “not to be truffled with”). He made The Office what it has been these past 6 seasons from the start, and it will be difficult to let him go, let alone find someone new to fill in the massive void.

But for now, let’s enjoy Michael Scott at his best.

Andrew Lee

Sports

18

Fall sports end preseason, begin league competition 1

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5 3

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Photos by Henry Liu and Jonathan Yong

1. Junior JJ Strnad sprints past Yerba Buena High School’s defense. 2. Cross country runners race down a grueling course for the finish line. 3. Sophomore Alice Li smashes a backhand across the net. 4. Sophomore Lisa Yan and junior Allison Doerpinghaus put up a formidable block. 5. Junior Will Thorson lays out to protect the ball from his opponent.

Football:

After finishing with a record of 7-3 last year and reaching the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs for the first time since 2002, the Titan football squad will face tougher competition this year with the move to the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) De Anza division. “We are confident that our speed and athleticism will make up for our lack in size, although we do have some pretty big linemen this year,” senior wide receiver Miles Sturken said. “We have put in a lot of hard work the entire summer and now we have continued it through the start of the school year.”

Last season’s victories helped positively change the team’s culture. “They realize that they’re the league champs and that breeds a lot of confidence,” head coach Bob Sykes said. The Titans will have to face some of the best teams in the area such as Palo Alto, Wilcox and Milpitas High Schools and will need contributions from everybody in order to win. “We don’t just need one player to step up,” senior running back and defensive back Josh Jackson said. “We need the whole team to come through and be ready to play on those Friday nights.”

Cross Country:

As usual, the cross country team is off to a running start.

After a successful performance last season, the team is looking for a forward to a solid start this year kicking off its first meet Sept. 18 at the Stevenson Invitational.

Last year, the boys placed second in CCS with alumnus Paul Summers as the individual CCS champion. The senior girls placed first in CCS, with senior Erin Robinson, junior Kieran Gallagher, and alumna Claire O’Connell all named to the All-CCS squad.

So far, the season has been running smoothly. “Things are going well,” coach Ernie Lee said. “We have a good group of dedicated returning runners and so far have a large turnout of new runners.” This year, the team has a new assistant coach, Jake Petrali, who says he is excited for the upcoming season.

“I think that it is going great,” Petrali said. “There are a lot of great characters on the team that make it really enjoyable to come out and run.”

According to senior captain Ian Wilkes, the team has been training every day for the past several weeks. “We run six to seven miles on easy days which usually takes about seven to eight hours per week,” he said.

Girls’ Tennis:

The loss of seven seniors put a lot of pressure on the girls’ tennis squad, but according to coach Jim Gorman, this year will be just as strong as the last. The team also moved up a division to the SCVAL De Anza Division, and will be up against stronger teams like Monta Vista and Saratoga High Schools, both stacked with great players. “Finishing around the middle of the league and staying alive is really what we’re aiming for,” Gorman said.

To do well this season, Gorman says the team will need mental strength and the teamwork to pull through. “[The team]’s pretty solid and has the skill set, they just need to gain some confidence,” Gorman said. For senior Allana Booth, playing varsity one singles requires the most experience. “I have to be able to hold on even if I’m losing a match,” Booth said.

Booth isn’t alone when it comes to the mental aspect of the game. The varsity doubles one players this year are junior Cara Lai and sophomore Angela Juang. “We need to work on working together and being a team,” Lai said. “We worked well last year but we’re in a better division so we have to stick together.”

Volleyball:

According to second year varsity coach Kevin Hwang, this year’s team is looking forward to a season that is fun, challenging and unpredicable. As the team strives for success this season, these are all good qualities for them to keep in mind.

The 2010 varsity season begins without four of last years’ seniors. “Every year is always different,” Hwang said. “Even when we lose people, there are new personalities and the team feels different.” Neither Hwang nor senior defense specialist Audrey Waschura is worried about the loss. “We lost our middle, Teresa Skelly, but we have junior Allison Doerphinghaus and sophomore Molly McAdam who both improved a lot over the club season,” Waschura said. “We also lost our setter, Shelly Kousnetz, but junior Monica Cai will be taking that spot. All of them will make the transition easy.”

The team will be playing in the SCVAL El Camino division this year. “There are higher expectations because we moved down a league,” Waschura said. “But I’m not worried. We’re just going to take it as it comes.” Home games to look forward to are Sept. 23 against Milpitas High School and Sept. 27 against Wilcox High School.

Girls’ Water Polo:

Every year sports teams lose their seniors, but this year’s girls’ water polo team took an especially big hit. “Last year’s seniors brought a lot of speed, talent and intelligence to the team,” coach Mark Hernandez said. “[They] left big shoes to fill.” So far, the players have shown an understanding of the expectations Hernandez sets for them. “They know how I like to run practice,” Hernandez said. “As a result, we’ve been very efficient in practice thus far.”

Hernandez is optimistic about the season. “The players are in much better shape than I expected,” he said. “There’s a new energy to this team.” According to senior co-captain Emily Watkins, the team made league finals last year and hope that they will be able to make it to finals again. “The games against Palo Alto, Los Altos and Los Gatos [High Schools] will be our biggest league games,” Hernandez said.

Boys’ Water Polo:

This year’s water polo team, led by seniors Kevin Zhang and Ben Hendricks, is vastly different from previous seasons.

“Last year, our team’s starting lineup was very similar to the starting line up from the year before, but this year I’m the only returning starter,” Hendricks said. Due to the loss of several senior talents, many young or inexperienced players will be given the chance to start.

The team’s goal is to be efficient with a few basic schemes on defense and offense. “We want to keep our game plan as simple as possible and allow less experienced players to become more familiar with our schemes,” co-head coach Brian Rieben said. The team will also face some difficulties against league opponents Los Altos and Los Gatos High Schools and compete in more difficult tournaments. “[It] will make our overall record much lower than last year,” Hendricks said. “But I believe that it’s better to play good teams in tournaments and lose than play bad teams in tournaments and have a record that doesn’t really reflect anything.”

—Compiled by Utkash Dubey, Sam Hayward, Mia Howard, Josephine Jen, Song Park and Jennie Robinson

Sports

Monday, September 20, 2010

Football followers dream up squads

Judge rules cheerleading not a sport

Fantasy football allows die-hard fans to get into the game Mia Howard and Kevin Zhang Copy Editor and Reporter With the start of school comes the dawn of the football season. However not every football fan gets the chance to run with some of the finest athletes in the country. Fantasy football provides the perfect outlet for fans to get out their competitive juices and become part of the game. It allows players to create rosters with actual National Football League (NFL) players and play opponents.

Victors are decided based on true statistics

each week. “Fantasy football is the perfect method of becoming one with the game,” senior Adam Landers said. “I am able to enjoy America’s game by competing with my friends.”

What was once considered a hobby for dateless nerds has now gained widespread popularity. “We [just] started our first league,” senior Sam

Andrew Lee

Stein said. “We have a ten-person league and we’ve had to turn people away.” Since the NFL kicked off in September, fantasy football fans will be researching and choosing players.

With this game, fans are able to construct their own teams and strategically use their knowledge of football. “We like to watch football and if you have a fantasy team, football is more exciting,” Stein said. “It’s easier to get in the game.” Players are drafted, traded, and signed on a week-to-week basis.

All kinds of game formats exist, ranging from long-term commitments such as keeper mode, where users retain a few athletes year-toyear, and short-term commitments such as playoff fantasy football.

Although the online sensation provides users with the ultimate competitive experience, it has several drawbacks. The time commitment for serious football fanatics is quite intense with meticulous preparation for drafts, negotiations with other users, and constant updates to teams.

“I need to spend an average of 30 minutes per day to manage my rosters and make sure to strategically bench or play players,” Landers says. “However, all the time is worth it and really gives me an outlet to relax from school.”

Leagues, even at Gunn, have become so competitive that monetary prizes have become involved. “We always try to get a pot of money with a $10 buyin,” junior David Oyer said. “There are also paid leagues on the Internet.”

With or without money, fantasy football is a fun activity that has gained widespread popularity, and has become a common language for many men.

Q&A with

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Boot Bullwinkle Reporter

The cheers, the stunts and the lifts: all of these have been ruled not a sport by United States district Judge Stefan Underhill. In August of this year, Quinnipiac University in Conn. chose to cut the girls’ volleyball team due to budget issues and start a competitive cheer team to replace the volleyball squad in order to comply with the Title IX laws, the 1972 law that requires equal athletic opportunities for men and women.

A few disgruntled volleyball players and one of their assistant coaches took the decision of the university to court. The school’s defense was that it was compliant with Title IX, on the premise that cutting volleyball and creating cheer would keep an equal amount of opportunities to play sports for men and women While in court, Underhill ruled against cheerleading being considered a sport at the collegiate level. “Competitive cheer may, some time in the future, qualify as a sport under Title IX,” he wrote in his judicial opinion. “Today, however, the activity is still too underdeveloped and disorganized to be treated as offering genuine varsity athletic participation opportunities for students.”

Assistant cheerleading coach Nellie Gagloeva disagrees with the court’s decision, “We do equal amount of work, if not more work than other sports,” Gagloeva said.

In order for cheerleading to be recognized as a sport, it must have coached practices, competitions during a defined season and a governing organization. In short, it must have competition as the primary goal. “Everyone wants to compete, like they all have the drive,” Gagloeva said. “But we love being in front of the crowd.”

Sophomore cheerleader Kirsten Baird believes the ruling was unfair as well. “I do other sports too, so I know what sports are like, and cheer is definitely a sport,” she said. “I think that the judge was mistaken to say that cheer is unorganized; it depends on the team.”

Assistant volleyball coach Kristen Owen views both volleyball and cheer as legitimate sports. “I think the ruling is completely unfair,” she said. “I view both [cheerleading] and volleyball as sports because they’re both physical activities that require skill and discipline to perfect.”

The ruling, however, does not directly affect high schools. The National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) leaves it up to each state to individually decide whether or not cheer is considered a sport at the high school level, and currently, cheer is not a sport in California.

The judge suggested in his statement that cheer could eventually be a sport in the future, but until then, cheerleaders nationwide will continue their cheers and their flips on the sidelines of games.

Athletic Director Chris Horpel TO: How has being Athletics Director gone so far?

CH: I studied architecture when I was an undergraduate, and I am therefore lucky to be able to help guide the architects who are designing our new athletics facilities. I am fortunate to be in a position to help during this massive improvement. Small colleges will envy what we have.

Chris Horpel The Oracle: What are you in charge of as Athletic Director?

Chris Horpel: There are many facets to my job. I hire (and release) all the coaches at Gunn. There are about 100 coaches for our 50 teams [across all levels]. I make sure they have their certification as a coach, as well as updated CPR and First Aid Training. I try to hire the best possible coaches available in our community to coach our various sports teams. About 40 percent of our teams are open to all skill levels, while 60 percent are “cut” sports. This always poses some issues with kids and parents who feel like they should have “made the team.” Luckily, there are always other options for these kids.

TO: What do you expect this year for Gunn sports this fall?

CH: I always want everyone to be successful in terms of wins and losses, but my goal is to have each team have a positive experience. This means that each day the student athletes can say three things: I learned something new, I got in better shape and I had fun doing it. If the process is good, winning will be an automatic by-product of that good process.

TO: What are some dates people should know about?

CH: Last fall football won the league for the first time in nine years and our first home football game is against a tough opponent, Burlingame. I recommend that people come out and cheer for our other fall sports: cross country, girls’ tennis, girls’ volleyball and water polo. Our girls’ cross country team won Central Coast Section (CCS) last

year and our boys were second. Just about every fall sport made the CCS playoffs last year and they could do it again this year. So, I recommend that you help our teams and spirit squad by cheering us on to another great fall sports season.

TO: What does a normal day at work entail for you?

CH: I teach in the morning (three PE classes), attend occasional meetings in the afternoons and deal with answering a lot of questions from students, coaches and parents.

I then try to attend most of our home events to see how things are going. So, I often start at 8:00 a.m. and finish at 8:00 p.m. I also coach the wrestling team from October to March.

TO: What do you see for the athletics department in the future?

CH: Better facilities, which will help draw better coaches, which will help draw more Gunn students, which will help make Gunn one of the best places to be both a great students and great athlete. The future looks bright!

—Compiled by Elise Lee

20

Sports

THEORACLE

Morning: While few high school students are able to find the self-motivation to be early birds, there are some benefits to morning exercise. Studies show that people who work out in the morning show greater endurance than people who work out in the afternoon. However, the belief that morning workouts on an empty stomach can help cut down extra flab is just a rumor, according to Goaskalice.columbia.edu. Sustained exercise at any time of day will boost metabolism as well as alertness.

In order to gain the most out of a morning workout, one would have to acquire good sleeping habits. However, some Gunn sports teams, such as cross-country, may not find as apparent an advantage due to busy schedules, according to senior Ian Wilkes. “The benefit to running in the morning is probably that it is usually much cooler, and so we don’t have to deal with the heat,” he said. “The con is that for most people, having to wake up so early takes away from time they should be sleeping, and sleep is required to rebuild after hard runs and rest up for the next day.”

Morning practices can have performance benefits, too. Water polo practices utilize precious time in both the morning and evening to build endurance and improve teamwork. “Having a morning and an afternoon practice is almost essential to being able to play good, strong water polo,” junior Will Thorson said. “It all has to do with swimming endurance and team technique.” According to Thorson, both are essential to a team’s success. A player needs to be able to get out of the water and throw their body weight behind a ball as well as be fast enough to swim ahead of the defender and have an open shot. “That’s why having two practices is critical,” Thorson said. “In the morning we swim for those long hours so that in the afternoon we can work together as a team and be able to make some amazing plays.”

The Oracle explores the pros and cons of morning and night workouts.

Night: For many people’s lifestyles, afternoon workouts are ideal. They can be a great stress reliever after a hard school or work day. Physiologically, peak performance for most humans occurs at around 3 or 4 p.m.: body temperature is at its highestale, injuries are less likely to occur. According to Sportsmedicine.about.com, muscle strength is about five percent higher in the afternoon. Anaerobic performance like sprinting can also slightly improve in the early evening.

Varsity football has morning practices in the summer starting at 9 a.m. During the school year, practices run from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the evening. Sports not played indoors also have to consider the weather factor. “I think our team does better at night games, especially last year,” varsity football senior Nikkey Cardema said. “Mostly because during day games, we get lazy under the sun. The night is nice and breezy.”

Gym sports, like girls’ basketball, practice on weekday afternoons and weekend mornings. According to varsity basketball player junior Cat Perez, doubling practices would be demanding. “I like practices in the afternoon better,” Perez said. “If we ever had both, both practices would be hard. In the morning we would get off to a slow start, but get in practice mode by the end. The second practice would be slower. I definitely respect all sports teams that double days or double practices. I know that would take a toll on my body.”

Overall: Everyone’s schedule, filled with schoolwork and other personal responsibilities, is different.

Although studies show that most people’s athletic performance peaks around late afternoon, some people feel more alert in the morning.

And according to a study by University of North Texas in Denton, a person’s waking and sleeping cycle patterns can be adjusted to fit his environment and his behavior. Behaviors such as waking to an alarm clock, crossing time zones and eating regularly can reset these circadian rhythms.

Consistent practices will give the best overall results at that time of day. In other words, if a sports team always competes at around 4 p.m.; then that time of day is the best time for the body to get used to practicing. ­—Compiled by Regina Ahn

Graphic by Kimberly Han