Vol. XLVIII, No. 3

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. XLVIII, NO. 3

November 16, 2012

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

Go online for lost-and-found

Bull in a China Shop

By Irisa Lee Staff Writer

By Aamir Rasheed Staff Writer

This past summer, Juniors Kushal Chatterjee, Basava Jonnala, and Abhinav Prasad have been developing a lost-and-found website for MSJ. Chatterjee and Jonnala were trying to create an iPhone app when they realized they could create one to improve MSJ’s lost-and-found system. When Prasad joined their project in the fall, the trio focused their energy into creating a website.

On the new website, a student can easily submit an online form for lost items. Lost-and-found items are classified into five sections: Clothing, Electronics, Wallets, Textbooks, and Other. Each section then has forms with specific questions about the item. For example, in a form for a lost Electronics item, students can answer what type of device they lost and provide its description or model. This organization will be more efficient than the general paper forms used right now. Students could later check the ‘Found’ page of the website to see if their lost items were recovered.

The current lost-and-found system is largely based on paper forms and campus supervisors’ efforts. A student would fill out a form with information about the lost item so that it could be identified if it was found. If the item was recovered, the staff would then try to return it or the student would come pick it up.

Campus Supervisor Brandi Speier currently has a large stack of such forms in addition to a miscellany of found objects on the shelves by her desk.This system is still functional, albeit time consuming. Speier says that while the current system does have a fairly good success rate, some of the more unusual items often cause complication.

Hopefully, the new lost-andfound system would be a huge improvement for both students and staff. “We want to reduce the paperwork that Brandi has to go through and make it more efficient for the students,” says Prasad. Chatterjee adds, “We hope this will centralize all the data to make life easier for MSJ’s hardworking staff.”The online system also makes the lost-and-found system more accessible for students, who often ignore the lost-and-found during school. “A lot of people don’t bother looking and people don’t listen to the bulletin for lost items,” says Jonnala.

Bull in a China Shop follows the actions of four elderly ladies who’ve become sensually fascinated with their neighbor, Mr. O’Finn, a detective in the homicide department of their local police station. To satisfy their desires, the women lure him into their house, entrapping the poor detective in a situation that turns out to be much more than a routine murder investigation. Throughout the play, suspense, humor, and plain audacity keep the audience on the edge of their seats. ▪

See LOST NEWS Page 2

November 16, 17 at 7:00 PM Doors open at 6:30 PM Tickets: $10 General; $8 Child/UP. Order your tickets online (www.msjpups.org). You may also call (510) 668-6077 or email up.msjhs@ gmail.com.

staff writer aamir rasheed

(Top Left) Aashka Pandya, 10. Cierra Facha, 9. (Top right) Sumedh Bhattacharya, 12, Cierra Facha, 9, Ardele Shen, 9, Akshatha Muralidhar, 10.

(Bottom) Sumedh Bhattacharya, 12, Sonam Bhupathi, 9, Aashka Pandya, 10, Akshatha Muralidhar, 10.

Investigative Report: Pushing for policy changes

By Laura Chen & Nina Krishnan Staff Writers This month, the Smoke Signal talked to District Superintendent James Morris, MSJ administrators, and Mission Possible PFA Treasurer Christina Broadwin to investigate the most effective ways MSJ students can take action on issues of concern at the school and district levels.

Students and parents should first talk to Principal Sandra Prairie and Vice Principal Zack Larsen to better understand the administration’s views about the pros and cons of the change, especially because the same issues may have been brought up before. Planning ahead of time to push for changes to the school schedule is also essential, as the staff votes on the schedule the spring before the new school year. “It definitely is something that would have to be a year ahead,” said Assisstant Principial Carli Kim. Although certain causes have substantial student support, petitioning is not the most effective way to bolster the platform. Instead, it is often more effective to conduct a survey for the student as well as teacher population. Kim said, “Any proposal for change has to involve all different stakeholders.” A survey frames a proposal in a way that shows movement towards a cause and gets feedback from the parties that would be affected by the change. For instance, instating a block schedule would require teachers to revise their curriculum to adapt to longer class periods; a survey can help a student understand whether or not different stake-

11/19 - 11/23 Thanksgiving Break

December 21 Winterball 7:00 PM Gym

12/24 - 1/4 Winter Break

Policy Change at the School Level

holders in the reform are on board with it and the reasons behind their stances. Meaningful survey questions might include the following: “How significantly will curricular scheduling need to be adjusted to make use of block scheduling?” and “What are the benefits of block scheduling to students?”

Attending the Mission Possible Parent and Faculty Association (Mission Possible PFA) and School Site Council meetings is the next step to take to voice an opinion. The school site Principal, as well as dedicated parents and faculty members, are present at the meetings, which take place monthly and are welcome to everyone. Mission Possible PFA Treasurer Christina Broadwin said, “It’s a very effective way if students want an issue tackled. Students should bring it up there first before the district level because the school can handle a lot of things on its own.” Before Mission Possible PFA meetings commence, the platform is open to the public for any comments or concerns.

To prepare for a proposal presentation at a Mission Possible PFA meeting, students should be organized, do thorough research on the topic, and anticipate what questions they would be asked. By politely asking key PFA leaders to make the motion to vote for their proposal or create a small PFA committee to look into the proposal further, students will have a

canned food drive L2’s canned food drive ended on 11/15. Check out how many cans were donated.

Feature

See IR NEWS Page 2 spanish cinema Spanish class students are participating in a Spanish film festival.

News

lance’s fall

World-renowned cyclist Lance Armstrong’s Tourde-France’s titles were rightfully erased from the books.

Opinion

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News in Brief

The Smoke Signal

Friday, November 16, 2012

IR| Policies continued from page 1

Spray tans for the unemployed Free spray tans are on the agenda in an effort to lower the unemployment rate in areas of Wales, Australia hit hardest by the economic downturn. In the city of Aberdare, candidates for the free spray tan are sent to the Well-being and Training Academy. The spray tan is meant to give the unemployed confidence and incentive to get reemployed. The beauty treatment will only be given to those serious about job finding.

The Academy is a non-profit whose goal is to get people back to work through improving their physical and mental health. Whether or not a free spray tan will prove successful in the job hunt is something only time will tell.

qz.com

The Well-being and Training Academy believes that spray tanning gives Australians confidence.

SEALs punished for video game leak Seven US Navy SEALS have been reprimanded for giving classified information to the video game company Electronic Arts for their video game “Medal of Honor: Warfighter”. All seven were denied pay for two months and barred from any future promotion in their military careers. At least one of the members has been reported to have been involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden..

medalofhonor.wikia.com

The US Navy SEALS have allegedly given information to Electronic Arts for the video game “Medal of Honor: Warfighter.”

Coding for the community Alameda County plans to hold its first ever “hackathon”, December 8 at Castro Valley Library.

Participants in the hackathon will build mobile and web apps beneficial to the community, covering everything from “digital education” to “civic engagement”. Alameda County will open files to the public such as transit boundaries and crime reports for interested developers. Applications must be opensource and free, and there are prizes for the top three applications. First place receives $3000, second place receives $1500, and third place receives $500.

better chance of getting their voice heard.

If the vote passes, the idea is subsequently examined in multiple meetings. From here, progress depends on student interest, and factors such as funding. Planning to involve the other stakeholders along the way in a collaborative effort will help to make the reform happen.

“Any proposal for change has to involve all different stakeholders.”

-Carli Kim, Assistant Principal If the issue needs to be resolved at the district level, students can coordinate with Washington High School Senior Kyle O’Hollaren, the student representative from Students United for the Representation to the Fremont Unified School District Board of Education (SURFBoardE) who sits in at FUSD Board of Education meetings. O’Hollaren can bring up issues at the meetings and push for a solution or answer from the Board.

Students and parents should keep in mind that most school policies are offsets of standards in the California Education Code. However, if they garner support for a cause by communicating effectively with the student population and administrators, school and district reform will be a more efficient process for all.▪

Three Siemens Competition semifinalists

continued from page 1

By Genevieve Huang Staff Writer On Friday, October 19, the Siemens Foundation announced the semifinalists of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology (STEM), three of whom are MSJ seniors: Hairuo Guo, Brian Yuen, and Charley Zhang. Every year, the competition features thousands of individual students and teams across the US submitting their research projects in hopes of winning prizes and recognition.

Guo, Yuen, and Zhang were among the 322 semifinalists from 2,255 students who submitted their work to the prestigious, nationally-renowned competition.

The Siemens Foundation was established in 1998 to encourage research and learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. In hopes of inspiring future young scientists, the Siemens Competition, administered by the College Board, awards a sum of over 7 million dollars annually in various prizes to recognize the enormous efforts of exceptional high school students, teachers, and schools (prizes range from $1,000 to $100,000).

staff writer irisa lee

(From left to right) Seniors Hairou Guo, Charley Zhang, and Brian Yuen are MSJ’s 2013 Siemens semifinalists winners.

Hallmarks of the Siemens Competition include its focus on the paper itself and project applicability rather than the project author.

Within the extensive fields under STEM, the projects span the range from biochemistry to genetics to computer and material science.

During the summer, Guo, Yuen, and Zhang conducted research on their respective projects in various places around the world. Starting in January, Guo worked on a novel approach to a fiber optic sensor design that could detect small quantities of fluid on contact while reducing the model’s size and complexity and

for the october 26, 2012 issue

data.acgov.org

Alameda County’s “hackathon” will be held on December 8 at Castro Valley Library.

COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS PETER QIU, SANJAY SREEKUMAR, PETER XU

LOST| Website

News page 1: Not 24 schools, but 24 communities of different schools were selected nationally to participate in the Students Spaceflights Experiments Program.

News page 5: Supriya Yelimeli wrote the “Mixed reviews from online donations” article.

Opinion page 8: Sophomore Lesley Lu’s name was misspelled.

Feature page 12: Staff Writer Irisa Lee’s name was misspelled.

CS page 14: Sahiti Vemula’s name is misspelled.

Photo page 17: Staff Writer Hairol Ma also took pics at the Homecoming Dance.

A&E page 21: Lindy Zeng wrote the “Here Comes the B-oom” article.

Sports page 26: Meredith Hirsch is pictured in the Girls’ Golf article. Girls’ Golf captains are Junior Amy Huang and Senior Lucy Shen.

Photo page 28: Photo credits to Staff Writer Nina Krishnan.

augmenting its accuracy. Over the course of seven weeks Yuen studied the Coulomb structure observed in complex dusty plasma that takes the shape of a two-dimensional crystal lattice. Zhang was able to shorten the synthesis of YD-3, a bioactive compound that can potentially aid in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease, in ten weeks’ time.

The applicability of such thorough projects is also fairly broad.

Guo’s sensor design capitalizes on the sensor’s increased maneuverability in confined spaces and extreme conditions. The structures Yuen observed provide important models for studying objects in space, and Zhang’s work helped make YD-3 more affordable and readily accessible. Yuen and Zhang both conducted their research at universities, Yokohama National University and Scripps Research Institute respectively, and Guo set up his model in his garage while borrowing equipment from friends.

The three are all thrilled to be semifinalists; “I was pretty elated

In addition, the online system would alert students about announcements, such as clothes donation dates.

The new website is slated to be fully up and running by winter break once it has been approved by the administration. Chatterjee, Jonnala, and Prasad plan to continue with developing the corresponding app. In the meantime, they are presently finetuning the website and are working with the staff to ensure that the website will integrate smoothly with the current system. But so far, both staff and students are excited about the site’s launch. “I’m very impressed,” says Speier, “anything that makes our job easier, thumbs up.” The three creators are looking forward to helping the school with their website.“We hope that people find what they lost,” says Jonnala. ▪ after hearing the news…I was glad that it showed research doesn’t have to be conducted at a prestigious university to be novel and unique,” says Guo. “I was just as surprised as I was happy [to be announced a semifinalist],” continues Yuen. Zhang recalls the precise moment he found out, saying “Well, I kind of screamed… then got in trouble with Mr. Lau.” Though Guo, Yuen, and Zhang won’t be moving onto the next round of the selection, they all plan on conducting research in college. “I am really interested in doing research in college,” says Yuen. “…I hope to get similar opportunities to travel abroad and do research while immersing myself in cultures as rich as Japan’s.” ▪

Friday, November 16, 2012

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perSonali speaking Of Girls and Gaming

By Sonali Toppur Opinion Editor

When the topic of video games comes up, people’s minds jump to the latest release, not to the prejudice women face in the online and video gaming world.

In the background of a maledominated universe, however, exists a burgeoning feminist movement in which women assert that they will not be dismissed as weak competition. As a competitive gamer myself, I think it’s time to make some changes and make gaming more inclusive of women. ​According to a 2009 study conducted by the Entertainment Software Association, females make up 40 percent of the video game industry audience. With such a large number of female gamers, it’s ridiculous how quickly basic trash talk turns into offensive comments and sexual slurs.

A female voice over a headset cues the usual barrage of snickers and the cliché “go back to the kitchen, babe.” On the other hand, the number of times I’ve heard “marry me” from a team member after a well-played win is flattering, yet annoying. Just because we game, doesn’t mean we are looking for love.

Another aspect of the gaming world is the overall projected image of women. It’s not unusual to see women in video games running around in pieces of “barely-there” chain mail. With waists the circumference of twigs, they seem likely to snap in half if they bend too far. I understand the logic behind this, as most of these games’ players are men, and it makes sense to market towards them even though it can get

gratuitous. However, I have a problem with the overall image this sends girls who see these images. What you see projected as pretty or sexy affects you to a certain extent, regardless of how levelheaded you claim to be.

With the Barbie image still at the forefront of our airbrushed magazines, there are girls who see these images and feel uncomfortable with their own appearances. I feel that the video game world can afford to at least tone down this objectifying nature of their game characters, and some have already managed to do so with impressive results. Gaming companies underestimate their male gamers and don’t give them enough credit. Alyx Vance from the Half-Life series often places high on “hottest character” lists, despite her baggy pants and hoodie.

She is loved for her witty nature, sharp tongue, and quirky personality.

Most of the female gamers I’ve interacted with tell me that they attempt to hide their identity as women, in order to be taken seriously by fellow gamers.

It’s sad that after so much progress and fighting for the equality of women, as we are nearing a century of women suffrage and working towards equal pay, that the gaming world is still so exclusive. With a little effort from the gaming industry and gamers of either gender, I think we can make video and online games more accessible to women around the world. ▪ Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

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Friday, November 16, 2012

right on Q

Proposition 35

By Kyle Qian Opinion Editor

You know, I never planned to write about politics twice in three months. As a 17 year-old non-citizen, I freely admit that American politics aren’t exactly my forte, nor do they permeate my private life in a first-generation immigrant home.

However, this election year has been quite a doozy, and I can’t help but put in my two cents. For us Californians, the Democratic majority was never in doubt, but the rest of our ballot saw some competition.

For example, Governor Brown’s tax initiate, Prop 30, won by a close margin, much to the relief of public schools.

What caught my attention, however, was the least contested measure of them all: Prop 35, the “Californians Against Sexual Exploitation Act,” which passed on a landslide 81.1 percent majority.

The subject of Prop 35 is something whose gravity I’m only beginning to appreciate this year. Last month, PBS presented a documentary called Half the Sky. Based on a book by the same name, the documentary provided an unadulterated look into the hidden-in-plain-sight world of human trafficking and exploitation around the globe.

I watched this documentary in my Human Geography class., and needless to say, when I heard of Prop 35, I initially supported it by default. But I had to stop myself for a second. Was I letting the moral weight of the subject matter and my own emotions dictate rational judgment? It’s frighteningly easy to turn a piece of legislation like Prop 35 into a matter of good vs. evil, black and white. After all, if I’m against human trafficking, I must support Prop 35, right?

Not necessarily. Even though some

proponents of the measure may construe it as such, no one is actually “for” human trafficking. It’s a pervasive international issue that’s only beginning to receive attention on the local scale, which is indeed long overdue. That’s something we can definitely all agree on. With that said, however, the prop isn’t perfect, and a worthy cause shouldn’t be the only criterion for a worthy ballot measure.

For example, the measure is based solely on the assumption that the protection of victims and persecution of traffickers can be accomplished through increased fines and sentences. While it could certainly help, it’s really just beating around the bush and fails to directly address the problem itself.

Other problems include a vague definition of trafficking, whereby it’s possible that non-criminals could be adversely affected. According to the California Official Voter Information Guide, Maxine Doogan, the founder of the Erotic Service Providers Union, said, “My son, who served our country in the US military and now attends college, could be labeled a human trafficker and [would] have to register as a sex offender if I support him with money I earn providing erotic services.”

But what’s done is done, and we can only hope that the proposition is executed the way it’s supposed to be. The passing of Prop 35 may be a step in the right direction, but empathy without critical thinking can be just as dangerous as critical thinking without empathy. ▪ Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

EDITORIAL : It’s (Black) Friday The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board The day after Thanksgiving last year, over 24 injuries were reported for Black Friday shopping incidents; among them included a fight over $1.88 towels, several conflicts which ended in police subduing the participants with pepper spray, and a trampled teenage girl.

While it can’t be said that they embody the mindset or actions of all Black Friday shoppers, these incidents demonstrate an alarming trend of shoppers who take no accountability of the safety of others, of the products they want, or even of themselves.

Although regulation of crowds by security and store workers is vital, mindfulness on the part of all shoppers is even more so. Last year, in a rush to the electronics department of a Walmart in Western Michigan, a teenage girl was knocked down and stepped on several times before anyone helped her. The girl suffered serious injuries and required medical treatment.

At the very best, this incident reveals that Black Friday shoppers are too often blinded by their own pursuits and fail to notice a person trampled, something that otherwise should have been obvious to them. At worst, it highlights the mentality of the bystander effect. Immediately, the individual and his/her own accountability is taken out of the equation, as it becomes alright to ignore the well-being of others when “anything goes” on Black Friday. As each shopper rushed by that fallen girl, it would be no surprise if he or she thought, “Nobody else is stopping.

Why should I?” A common assumption is that Black Friday is hectic and popular solely because of the promise of the better bargains it offers, but in reality, the mob mentality of wanting a good deal simply because others have gotten that same deal,

is much stronger. This hidden desire to not miss out on such a “great” opportunity provokes shoppers to join in on the rush to claim the best bargains. From this stems many shoppers’ disregard for safety in favor of reaching the register faster, as the prospect of losing a great deal to someone else seems to be the most urgent threat to their own well-being. With only a limited number of these deals, the possibility of “losing” only fuels shoppers to neglect the safety of others even more, and when a tightly-packed crowd shares this same attitude, these shoppers only endanger themselves.

Though Black Friday has become a sort of wild chase in which one can only emerge victorious after figuratively and literally shoving through and stepping on the toes of others, it need not be this way. Obtaining that half price pair of designer jeans is undoubtedly satisfying, but in a situation where there can only be some winners and the rest losers, not getting the best bargain isn’t the end of the world.

Here at MSJ, with Black Friday approaching, it would only serve the best of our interests to enjoy the holiday break without placing the safety of others and ourselves into jeopardy - it would be unethical to reap personal benefit at the cost others’ well-being. With a promising future ahead of us, it would be only foolish to put our lives at risk over materialistic possessions. Be cautious, be safe, and acknowledge that not getting that fantastic bargain is okay in exchange for a safer shopping experience for all. In any case, there’s always Cyber Monday. ▪

staff writer anna zeng

Send letters to the editors to opinion@thesmokesignal.org staff writer shirby wang

Friday, November 16, 2012

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Opinion 5

Reforming the War on Drugs

By Anita Alem Staff Writer

In 1971, Nixon declared that the number-one threat to the American public is drug abuse. Over the past four decades, the government implemented programs into schools to attack drugs.

Some of these include the zero tolerance policy that MSJ implements, as well as Drug-Free Week, which Peer Resource celebrated the week of October 22.

Unfortunately, instead of making the country safer, this “War on Drugs” has attacked nonviolent criminals, AfricanAmericans, and the youth. On Election Day, Californians voted to revise the current laws to create a more fair justice system.

According to the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Statistics, in California, the 2008 arrest rates for rape, murder, and robbery were 40 percent lower than they were in 1990. However, the arrest rate for marijuana possession in 2008 was 127 percent higher than it was in 1990.

Nearly one-fourth of all California drug arrests are made for marijuana possession. The result of these arrests: nonviolent criminals in prison placing even more pressure on an already loaded system. In fact, in 2011, the US Supreme Court ruled that California’s prison system is so overcrowded that placing prisoners in jail is cruel and unusual punishment.

The impact is economical as well:

according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, it costs $47,000 per year to house an inmate, making a criminal in California more expensive than an annual University of California tuition.

Strict laws as a result of the “War on Drugs” have a disproportionate impact on arguably the most important group in society: the youth.

The government has attempted to rectify this situation through youth programs, and we’ve all experienced the “Just Say No” campaign throughout elementary school.

Senior Sonam Mokha, a member of Peer Resource, says “Drug Free Week is to encourage and inspire kids to not do drugs, and it’s up to the schools and the students to decide to celebrate it. Instead of administration telling us to not do drugs, during Drug Free Week, it’s us Peer students personally telling students to stay above the influence, which has a larger impact. There isn’t as much of a gap between us.”

Unfortunately, while these programs help, drug abuse in students has only increased; half of the arrests on marijuana possession are people 21 or younger. In fact, zero-tolerance policies may harm abusers more than it helps. Because most schools have a zero-tolerance policy, students would be expelled if the school is made aware. They would then be spending

even more time on the streets, since schools have labeled them as troublesome and “unfixable.”

There are a number of solutions to this issue, but none of them are perfect. The legalization of marijuana was a 2010 ballot proposal in California, but it narrowly missed passing. Both Colorado and Washington have legalized marijuana in this year’s election, but the federal government may block the bill.

By decriminalizing marijuana for adults 21 and older, California could save millions of dollars and reform our prison system. However, there are obvious negative effects on students younger than 21. “There is a connection between Cannabis buyers’ club and student use. With ease of access, there would probably be an increase in usage,” says School Resource Officer Gregory Pipp.

We could choose to take reform more slowly, by changing a few pieces of legislation at a time. California voters had an opportunity to decide whether to pursue the same strategy when it comes to criminals, or reform the system, with Proposition 36. In 1994, California voters approved the three strikes law, which states that a criminal who is convicted of three or more serious offenses may be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Although the law’s intent was to jail hardened criminals, people

have gotten life sentences for petty theft, since they already had two offenses. Proposition 36 will repeal certain parts of the three strikes law to prevent nonviolent criminals from being imprisoned. The wording will be changed to state that the criminal must have committed a “serious or violent” felony, and life sentences can only be given if the prior two convictions were for sex or drug offences, including rape or molestation. Studies show that Proposition 36 will save taxpayers $70 to $90 million annually.

The argument against Proposition 36 was that criminals will be released from jails and our streets will, as a result, be more dangerous and crimeridden. The truth is, most of the people in the jails right now aren’t menaces to society, and the criminals who truly are dangerous will remain imprisoned.

The US is supposed to be a beacon of freedom and democracy in the world’s eye, but we imprison more criminals every year than any other country in the world. Obviously, we are approaching the issue of drug abuse in a way that can take nonviolent people from their families and communities, slowly unraveling the ties of our society. It is time for us to step back, examine, and reform legislation, before the “War on Drugs” destroys more lives and wastes even more taxpayer money. ▪

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Fighting the ‘Book’ Fight

By Sanjay Sreekumar & Tammy Tseng Staff Writers

For the last four years, Teri Hu, an AP English teacher at Washington High School, has tried unsuccessfully to get two literary works approved by the FUSD Board of Education for her class supplemental reading list.

Bastard Out of Carolina, which has been repeatedly submitted for review several years in a row, is a National Book Award nominee about childhood sexual abuse.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play Angels in America, which was rejected in 2011, deals with AIDS in the 1980s. Board members have stated that both books are too mature for high school students and would be better replaced with lighter reading material, and that neither have significant educational value.

“The school board’s policy regarding approval of all English/ lit class books is wonderful. It allows for check in bias of content taught to the new generation. Also, it sets a standard for all English classes to follow.”

- Alankrita Dayal, 11 In response to Hu’s accusations of censorship after Bastard Out of Carolina was rejected this summer, Board President Lily Mei said, “This is not censorship. It can be found in libraries, but I don’t want to

make it mandated or required reading for the classroom.”

Hu argues that both works are beautifully written and expose students to important and relevant social issues, thus keeping them informed of the critical problems of our generation. Reading them in the classroom, where students experience the works under a trained instructor, is the best way to understand them.

“Students will soon be in the real world and there’s no district in the real world to prevent people from being offended. ‘Offensive material’ is just a part of life that students will have to get used to.”

- Charles Nguyen, 12

Angels in America and Bastard Out of Carolina are the only two books that have been rejected by the School Board in the last 15 years. Hu believes that the rejection is centered around homophobia, since both authors are homosexual.

“I think that most adults would rather avoid uncomfortable subjects with young people. They themselves don’t want to think about them,” said Hu. She expresses frustration that those who disagree choose not to directly voice their concerns to her, but instead go straight to the Board to complain.

Nevertheless, Hu has received consistent support from students, parents, and the community outside her school—Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation approached Hu this year and asked

her to lead a book club dedicated to critically acclaimed literature banned by the School Board.

Both the Board and the Supplemental Instructional Materials Review Committee, comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, and a Board member, must approve a book before it is taught in any classroom. Hu states that she intends to re-submit Angels in America for review in 2013 and she hopes that the recent School Board elections will influence the decision in her favor next year.

Unfortunately, Teri Hu’s story is not an isolated incident; in fact, books are still being banned in the United States today.

Time and time again, though, groups who attempt to censor books end up being on the wrong side of history. Books such as Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Diary of Anne Frank used to never be taught in classrooms. Now, these classics are considered required reading for most students. The educational lessons in these books far outweigh any offensive content they may possess.

“I think there is value in regulation. There should be a broad range of books, but teachers should not have the freedom to choose the books; that is the school board’s right.”

- John Boegman, English Teacher The School Board’s justification for its decision has been ambivalent at best. If students can already read these books at

libraries, would the Board rather have students interpret this “controversial” material themselves or have it carefully explained by an adult in a classroom? The Board can’t seriously expect students to do this themselves.

“Teachers should be given the freedom to select literary works that they feel will best enhance the course.

Exposure to all content is inevitable, and to have it be first introduced in an educational environment that analyzes the meaning of the work can only be beneficial.”

- Dustin Chiang, 10 The fact remains that students are exposed to much worse on a daily basis than anything a good book could possess. If schools really wanted to “protect” students they would need to regulate what a student reads on the internet, what they see on TV, and what they play on their game systems. Regulation makes even less sense when it comes to high school kids, the students that Teri Hu wants to educate. High school is supposed to prepare us for the real world, not a fake reality exempt from explicit material.

Bastard Out of Carolina and Angels in America both teach about the need for equality and the importance of knowledge in society today. It seems that the FUSD School Board, and other groups that censor educational reading, could take a page out of these books. ▪

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6 Feature

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Turkey that means business. Requires knives, oven, deli string, range, deep fryer, and operating table.

Friday, November 16, 2012

tur-duc-hen-rex

1. For each duck, cut open the chest and surgically remove the ribs. Throw a layer of chicken breasts, livers, stomachs, bladders, kidneys, and hearts inside, and slap a layer of ham on top. Dump in popcorn chicken for crunchy texture contrast. epic Turkey: 2. For baconballs, bake the bacon in brown sugar and maple syrup until the sizzling fat ●2 whole turkeys (at least 20 lbs each) and sugar signals that diabetes level 2 is within reach. Remove from heat, let cool for a ●2 whole ducks (at least 6 lbs each) few minutes, and roll two to five strips into a ball. Stuff ball into duck. Repeat until ●chicken breasts and miscellaneous organs baconballs eradicate any wasted space within the duck. Save unrolled bacon. (If ●1 bottle of where-cows-grow sauce you have already run out, you have failed.) ●1 bottle Barbra Streisand duck sauce 3. Close duck and suture together with deli string to ensure organs stay in ●5 packages of bacon sausages Loaded place. Saturate with bacon fat. mashed ●½ cup dry rub seasoning 4. Slice open each turkey. Slather with ranch and duck sauce, then potatoes ●1 quart of churned cow udder secretion so loaded, place duck inside. Suture up. you will never load

fat without NaCl 5. Make glaze: combine butter, orange soda, and dry rub seasonthe same way again. ●1 two-liter bottle of orange artificially Requires range, pan, oven, ing in a large saucepan. Once an acceptably gravy-like texture flavored and colored soda muscles for mashing, and a is attained, dump over both turkeys. Add barbeque sauce bowl that can hold a year’ ●1 package of frying batter supply of toilet paper. on top, then give your patient a good massage. ●1 bottle Barbie-Q sauce 6. Wrap hot dog sausages with leftover candied ●3 cups of granulated glucose 1. Boil Coke until thick and syrupy, with the bacon. Coat with frying batter and deep fry. that is of the color brown consistency of bee vomit.

Place with turkeys to be baked. ●3 cups of syrup from Cana 2. Bake bacon with the coke syrup. Crush bacon 7. For super cooking effectiveness, da’s national arboreal emblem into small pieces. If the bacon is not crispy enough to be heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahren●Optional: 20 Big Macs crushed, deep fry to achieve ultimate crisping action. Don’t heit and bake until the miscellaneous ●15 packages of thick bother changing the oil: the oily turkey and duck oils will enhance bacon strips organs hit 165 degrees Fahrenthe flavor of the oils in the bacon. heit.

3. Skin each potato. To increase efficiency, use a chainsaw.

8. After baking, deepFat Counter: 4. Mash potatoes with bacon bits and chicken McNuggets. Put your fry in a hearty bath of 4225 g of fat** feet to use if your arms succumb to fatigue.

76132 calories** oil.

5. Create more candied baconballs, but use chocolate 9.

Deep fry syrup instead of maple syrup. Add to potatoes. again for double 6. Make macaroni with enough cheese to rival the crisp and the cheesiness of the movie I Am the Cheese. double the Add to potatoes. action.

7. For gravy, add Barbie Q sauce to apple juice in large saucepan and simmer until gravy-like texture is attained. Drown potatoes with gravy, because potatoes can’t swim.

Fat Counter: 961 g of fat** 30870 calories**

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epic Mashed Potatoes: ●1 ten-pound sack of Irish staple food ●2 cups of granulated glucose ●1 sack of milk mold that is of the color brown ●1 bottle Barbie-Q sauce ●2 liters Coke ●1 quart apple juice (or 50 apples) ●2 cups chocolate syrup ●43 ‘Chicken’ McNuggets ●5 boxes macaroni and milk mold ●More bacon - lots more

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jack-o-lantart epic Pumpkin Pie: ●4 pumpkin pies (to save resources, make from leftover jack-o-lanterns) ●1 jar peanut butter ●all of your leftover Halloween candy since your first trick-or-treating ex perience (we ask for: plain chocolate, Twinkies, and Choco-pies.) ●1 bag jumbo puffed sugar and high fructose corn syrup pieces (or 1.5 bags of small marshmallows) ●1 jar Nutella ●5 packages bacon ●3 cups of syrup from Canada’s national arboreal emblem ●1 cup granulated glucose that is of the color of brown ●2 packages bacon sausage ●1 bottle chocolate syrup ●1 pint icing ●1 dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts ●ALL the bacon in the store

E M

A pie a day keeps the gym away.

Requires oven, two-foot deep baking dish, and artistic talent.

1. Prepare four pumpkin pies.

2. Melt chocolate and peanut butter together-mix until soft and silky smooth. For marshmallows and Nutella, mix until just combined, with a satisfyingly lumpy texture similar to that of your favorite Brand X canned refried bean mush.

3. Assemble the pie, bottom to top: pumpkin pie, chocolate and peanut butter, pie, Nutella and marshmallows, pie, Twinkies and Choco-pies, and pie.

Craft your layers strategically, like a Tiny Towers master.

4. Add finishing touches like an assistant. Top with Halloween candy.

5. Garnish with chocolate-covered-candied-bacon-wrapped sausage. Sprinkle with whole Krispy Kreme donuts to taste.

6. Draw a smiley face on top with the icing to finish your masterpiece.

Fat Counter: 2379 g of fat, varies depending the success of your trick-or-treating** 51620-85439 calories, varies similarly**

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all the bacon

0. Gather your crew and outfit everyone with blindingly white suits and neon pink ties.

1. Go to the supermarket.

2. Blast Darth Vader’s theme song as you and your crew elegantly push your shopping cart and intensify the awkwardness of too many people blockading one aisle.

3. Proceed to empty the supermarket like a boss. (Gather the ingredients.)

3. When you are done, go back to the meat section. If there is any bacon left, buy it.

4. To maximize the return of your investment in extreme horizontal growth, obesity, and heart disease, ask for any additional bacon that the store has in stock.

5. If you noticed that the number 3 is repeated, you are not focusing on bacon enough.

6. Occupy the various fast food stores until they concede to hand over the ingredients you desire for free: KFC for popcorn chicken, Krispy Kreme for donuts, and McDonald’s for your supersized portions of chicken McNuggets and Big Macs, if desired.

graphics by supriya yelimeli & anna zeng, tr-tradersreserve.s3.amazonaws.com, wrightbrand.com

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No Pain, No Gain

Just looking for good deals? Download the Black Friday Survival Guide App for updates on the newest Black Friday sales. This App will show you the latest and hottest deals categorized by products and stores. Get all of the best savings before everyone else and use the special discounts provided on the App. Keep your phone charged and with you at all times. You might also want to down a pot of coffee while you pull an all-nighter keeping up with the best sales.

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Feature 7

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e tor s. S v Black Friday is inily Famfamous for its long lines and the boredom that comes with the wait. This year, instead of just standing around with nothing to do, have a family camping trip right there in line. Instead of spending quiet time at home after the Thanksgiving feast, stake out a store with a big sale and set up camp there with the whole family. After pitching the tent, have fun playing board games, learning old camping songs, and telling scary stories. It’s the perfect way to bond with your family and be the first ones in line for those great deals the next day. Don’t forget to bring a camping lantern along with you. Not only will it provide light, but it will also provide heat for you to roast your marshmallows with.

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w.b lack frid ay.f m

Friday, November 16, 2012

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S By for tep a Anj wa s i d ali ver rd e, T Ka y t o h nth n bat ext tur ank ilal t ,M low le st day key sgivi ari w n ? r g for ate h s M S , thi gy ight en yo and taff W a Lenc r sy for m iter i& uc a ak ear s Ang a B sw tha lack ell u n ge e way ela t t th Fri se Wa for s Grab ‘N Go! o T d ng e m ay Bla han me c g ost ins k k o loy tead sgivin od s Frida Once you’re inside the al s . H g D ho p y. W ho store, grab everything in sight! The ppe ere a ay to ping ho lo de ok rs h re s p line will most likely already be ave ome lan o als th s u halfway out the door, so don’t use tip t y e o s di spend time going through n t to f ur he olshirts with different patterns pas t. or choosing the right sizes.

If someone else has a piece of clothing you want, don’t let them get away.

Here are some tips on how to distract them.

Point to another clearance rack or the cute mannequin next to them. They will Just grab whatever is in front Hot New BF most likely be of you and pile it on until you too entranced by can’t carry anymore. Once Standing in line solo? Poor you. the pretty colors in line, go through everyBefore you leave for your conand dash off imthing you picked out and quest, why not ask Mrs. Ha to mediately to fight throw out the things you Extra 15% Off! borrow her cardboard cutouts of over that rack indon’t want. Don’t worry Justin Bieber or Taylor Lautner? stead. Black Friday about the mess you’ll If worse comes to worst, Not only will you have an interestshoppers have the make; the store will buy an on-clearance posting time explaining to your famattention span of be in an even worse Halloween costume: an ily why there’s a celebrity in the squirrels. Make the condition by the employee uniform of your house, but everyone in the store most out of it. Have time you leave favorite store. Act like an will be jealous of you. Make your an annoying sibling anyway. authoritative figure; no newfound boyfriend stand in line or cousin? Bring them one will question you and for you, and ask the kind person along, they can serve you’ll be free to peruse behind you to give him a little push as your personal guard the racks as you “organize when needed. to ward off potential the clothes” and cut to the threats with their incesfront of the changing room sant whining. line. Who knows, you might Disclaimer: This article was written for entertainment purposes only; the Smoke Signal stresses safety first on your Black Friday endeavors.

even get the employee’s discount.

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Have an early dinner with the family and make sure to really stuff yourself this year because there won’t be time for stopping!

Start your trek by stopping at Wal-Mart, which is the earliest store to open, at 8:00 pm on the 22nd. As soon as you’re done there, make your way over to Fry’s Electronics ASAP, because even though it opens at midnight, the lines are out the door! Since you won’t be done at Fry’s ‘til about 4:30 am, you’ll have to stop by Michael’s next because the crafts and jewels go fast! Next, drive by Best Buy (not necessary if you got everything you needed at Fry’s), then swing by Macy’s and Kohl’s for the winter clothing sales. Get your gaming fix at Gamestop, and finish off with the Great Mall for all things you didn’t already get a chance to pick up. Remember, once you get home you know you’ve conquered your goal for Black Friday!

graphics by staff writers ishan goyal, anjali kanthilal & anna zeng, blog.timesunion.com, clker.com, depositphotos.com, escondido.com, freshdesignsstudio.blogspot.com, hpadesign.com, moneycrashers.com, pc.gamespy.com, picstopin.com, shopnorthlake.com, simon.com, trendygamers.com, vectorsonfire.com, wikipedia.org

8 Centerspread

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Which

The Smoke Signal

Friday, November 16, 2012

character are you?

By Arushi Atluri, Tingting Bi, Tiffany Hoang, Vivian Jair & Grace Wu Staff Writers

Friday, November 16, 2012

You look around in abject horror at your surroundings. The once-pristine plates are covered with specks of black, the towels are sprinkled with settling dust, and your spot on the couch is littered with filth. You daintily step aside so you do not touch anything. Bacteria and harmful pathogens from the oven are everywhere.

start Normally, it takes hours to cook the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. However, you and your friends have created a new machine that uses nuclear reactors to quickly cook the turkey. As everyone crowds around in the kitchen, anxiously waiting for the perfect Thanksgiving meal...boom! The turkey explodes, causing soot and debris to fly into the air, as well as creating a small conflagration in the oven. Oh dear, what a Thanksgiving fiasco! What will you do?

You frantically run to your computer to record the results of this experiment.

The pursuit of knowledge always comes first! Who knows what new and innovative technology this experiment could inspire?

Oh no! The oven is on fire! You reach for the phone to call 911. Only the professionals can handle this disaster.

Finally recovering from the shock of the mess, you realize that a thick layer of blackened soot and dirt coats your flawless hair. The horrors! You furiously brush all remnants of the disgusting debris from your hair, for you must look your best at all times. Hotties could appear anywhere at anytime.

Greatly agitated by your filthy appearance, you don a striped pink and green hand-tailored matador outfit. Only clothes like this can truly boost self-esteem in a time of trouble. High on confidence, you reach for the phone to try out your latest pickup line.

Unfortunately, you’ve speed-dialed your mother, and the call soon degenerates into an epic scream battle.

After six torturous rings, an operator at the receiving end picks up. You plead for help and firefighters immediately depart toward your house. Once there, however, your explanation of what occurred greatly confuses the firefighters, and you take an hour to simplify the terms into the language of the Homo habilius. The firefighters then take an additional two hours to clean the debris.

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You go take a shower to cleanse yourself of all the filth that has found its way onto your skin. Refreshed from the shower, you inhale deeply and venture back into the chaos of the apartment. However, the extent of the situation hits you, and, unable to control the rising tide of anger, you explode in front of your friends and accuse them of ruining Thanksgiving.

From the shocked look on their faces, you grow even more irritated.

Should they really be so surprised by the outburst? Had they not realized how incompetent they must be if they had made a bird blow up? You grab your hair in frustration and rant about the degeneration of the intelligence of the human population. What is the world coming to?

From the remorseful looks on their faces, you suddenly feel a stab of guilt. You retreat to your own apartment and sink into your bed, mulling over the past few hours. You realize that the event had only been an accident and shrug it off. Friends, even if they are geniuses, do make mistakes. You know you love them anyways.

You quickly wolf down the Chinese food and move

Using the results of the experiment, you develop an efficient turkey fuel that could be used to power space shuttles. The fuel also turns out to serve as an alternative solution to fossil fuels

Your breakthrough resolves the worldwide energy crisis! The President commends you for your achievement and you win the Nobel Prize, as well as a one million dollar grant.

You promise to spend the money from the grant wisely, but you succumb to the uncontrollable urge to buy chick flicks, comic books, and Chinese takeout. Your money disappears in a week. Life has too many struggles.

It’s been a long day with many overwhelming surprises, and the turkey is gone. You feel the need for comfort food, so you order Chinese takeout from the only store that is open, the Chinese Takeout Store. What a traditional Thanksgiving meal!

With your stomach grumbling, you swallow a gigantic first bite. Almost immediately, however, rashes appear all over your body. You swell up like a balloon, your fingers become stiff, and your skin is now decorated with polka-dots. Turns out the Chinese food contained peanuts, something you are highly allergic to. Off to the emergency room!

On the way home, karma turns around and bites you in the behind. It starts to rain and you don’t have an umbrella, so your favorite coat is ruined

on to the fortune cookie. You break the cookie open, to see the fortune in store for you. The slip of paper inside the cookie reads: “Your social life is in danger.” Uneasiness burns in the pit of your stomach, but, shrugging it off, you eat the dairy-containing fortune cookie whole.

Due to your lactose intolerance, you become extremely flatulent and release large amounts of gas in front of all your friends, sending them scurrying away from you. Guess your social life really is in danger now.

You spend money on some ointment to cure your rashes and some more to buy a new pair of fab hipster glasses. Hopefully, your smooth skin and the glasses can help you repair your damaged social life.

You are rushed to the hospital and wake up in the emergency room, all rashes erased. Above you is a smiling nurse who immediately causes your blood to boil and your heartbeat to increase twenty notches.

You wink slyly and say, “I know what I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving, because the finest specimen to grace the face of this earth is standing right in front of me.”

Unfortunately, your advances exude a creepy vibe. The subject of your admiration, in fear of being stalked, calls security, who escorts you off the premises. Darn, seems like your hopes are dashed for the 346th time. Regardless, you are thankful for the one constant woman in your life, your mom.

Life is sad. You despondently retreat to your office in order to “get some work done,” but instead, you end up admiring those of the opposite gender in the hallway.

Alas, despite hours of attempting to muster enough courage to approach the object of your admiration, you remain planted in the same place. It looks like you’ll always be pining from a distance.

Centerspread 9

You are a rigidly logical, extremely intelligent genius, and always seek something new to explore or prove. Although you can be socially inept and exhibit a lack of common sense, you have a close group of friends who understand you and have (almost) always got your back.

You are a social butterfly who is not afraid to strike up a conversation.

People love to be around you because of your fun personality. Even though you are not the most academically intelligent one among your genius friends, you definitely have the most street smarts. People outside your circle of friends see you as the only “normal” one.

You are a genius and somewhat of a geek, although you often attempt to hide your many quirks. You tend to choose the most reasonable and sensible route, and often serve as a negotiator between you and your friends.

Despite your weakness for comic books and Chinese takeout, you are sociable and get along well with others.

You tend to be the outrageous and upredictable. You believe you are suave with those of the opposite gender; however, you may want to reconsider. Despite this, you are very intelligent and funny, and once people get to know you, they will (hopefully) realize that you are a valuable friend.

You are generally a kind, patient person. At times, however, you act without thinking, obliviously annoying others. In addition, you are often hindered by your extreme shyness towards the opposite gender, which causes you to clam up entirely.

Luckily for you, this may cause you seem like the cool silent type.

graphics by staff writer irisa lee, wallpaperbackgrounds.com, fotoswiki.net, blogspot.com, tumblr.com

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Friday, November 16, 2012

‘Dos’ Is Numero Uno

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Arts & Entertainment 11

‘Ralph’ Not a Wreck

1D Takes Home the ‘A’

By Peter Xu Staff Writer

By Catherine Ho Staff Writer

Uno! Dos! Tres! Green Day’s choice of unique song titles reflects itself in the content of the albums themselves. Dos!, their most recently released album, is a mixture of original content and new content.

From their innocent song “Stray Heart” to their somber “Amy,” each is indicative of Green Day’s talents and strengths as a band.

The album opens with the melancholy “See You Tonight.” Slower than usual, this song sets the tone and mood for many of the songs preceding it, although only a minute long. Soon after, however, the song “F**k Time” reassures listeners that Green Day has not forgotten, its strengths. This song is overpowered with its pounding beats and jive guitar riffs.

Their song “Wow! That’s Loud” acts as a homage to their original roots. Green Day has always asserted themselves as a promising rock band, and although this album is filled with more pop-like songs, this song sets itself apart with its classic Green Day songs. The resounding vocals and guitar riffs are more than enough to please long time fans.

A song that stands out is “Nightlife.” As the title implies, this song is reminiscent of the dark, slow evenings in which mystical or mysterious events come to life. Somber and deep, and featuring Lady Cobra of the band Mystic Knights of the Cobra, this song suits any mood.

Very unique to Green Day, as their tone usually does not consist of this sort of mood.

The threesome proves, once more, that they are a capable band in the midst of all the newcomer and returning bands. Uno! consisted of strong adult themes and targeted messages at teenagers.

Although somewhat well accepted, Uno! did not match the success of their previous albums. Dos! puts the band back on the scene with its new and original tones, contrasting each other in a very interesting and unique way. The only question that remains is how and what their next album, Tres!, will consist of. I, and their fans, are definitely excited for it! ▪ Rating: A

rollingstone.com

By Catherine Wang Staff Writer

Wreck-it Ralph, Disney’s latest animated film, whisks the audience into a world of action-packed video games and unlikely heroes. Wreck-it Ralph is the bad guy in his pixilated arcade game, where he constantly destroys buildings repaired by the heroic construction man Fix-it Felix.

Like any villain, Ralph has incredible physical prowess and a fiery temper. However, he is jealous of Felix’s popularity and craves recognition. He decides that the only way to become a hero is winning a gold medal. Therefore, he ventures into the neighboring combat game Hero’s Duty, where he finds a medal but unleashes a dangerous virus. As Ralph explores the confectionary racing game Sugar Rush, he befriends Vanellope, an aspiring racer. Through his game-hopping adventures, Ralph weighs glamor and friendship, learning that being a good guy means

amusing. However, towards the end some jokes become more childish and crude. Profound themes such as teamwork, friendship, and self-identity make up for this. In a particularly touching scene, the villains all hold hands and chant the Bad Guy Affirmation: “I am bad and that’s good; I will never be good and that’s not bad, because there’s no one I would rather be than me.”

Like Pixar’s Toy Story, Wreckit Ralph appeals to boy audiences.

However, it is not as memorable as Toy Story because it is weighed down by profuse pop culture references.

Yet it attracts a wide range of audiences by featuring video games from different generations.

Wreck-it Ralph exceeded my expectations by reinforcing video game references with heartwarming lessons. This is a delightful film for all audiences, and it will leave you wishing to press “Restart” and play again. ▪ Rating:A

valuable secrets. As the building is being raided, six staff members are able to find refuge in a Canadian embassy while the remaining 52 are detained by rebels. The US government is faced with having to save those in hiding while not jeopardizing the remaining 52 hostages.

Mendez is assigned the responsibility of coming up with a way to pervade Iranian security and rescue the hostages. He comes up with the cover idea of becoming a movie director who is scouting the city with his team, played by Alan Arkin and John Goodman, as a possible location for an upcoming film.

Argo, based on a true story, is only interesting because of the way that Affleck creates supsense throughout. With some political dramatization and the use of powerful imagery, the viewer can almost imagine himself or herself in the

action. Affleck provides images of burning American flags and feral protestors to express the Iranian rage, often recreating actual scenes.

This movie is definitely not appropriate for young children due to the stark images and contrasting jokes.

The dialogue is a blend of countless jokes from Arkin and Goodman, and serious remarks from those in captivity. The actors play their roles just as the real participants would have in the 1980s. The producers even use clips from the time period to add realism to the film.

Although Argo is a remembrance of US foreign policy at the time and political turmoil in Iran, the film has a surprising modern appeal.

With its witty banter, dramatic moments, and accurate representation of a series of political events, Argo receives an A. ▪ Rating: A

A for ‘Argo’

By Ishan Goyal Staff Writer

The perfect amalgam of drama, action, and comedy, Argo has gained phenomenal reviews since its release and is a potential Oscar contender.

The film is essentially a remake of the Canadian Caper and the Iranian hostage crisis, two political controversies in the 1980s. Ben Affleck, the director and principal actor who plays a CIA employee Tony Mendez, brings a suspenseful and enthralling twist to this event that keeps the audience intrigued throughout the film.

Argo begins by depicting the tensions amongst the Iranian people and the country’s despotic leader, who was jeopardizing the people’s welfare to establish trade relations with the US. These pressures escalate and in the midst of all this chaos is a US embassy that carries

flicksandbits.com

much more than winning gold.

The movie’s graphic animations are outstanding, especially the effortless transitions from crude pixels to high-definition CG animation.

The casting is also memorable, especially Jane Lynch, who voices the flinty Sergeant Calhoun. Her biting remarks, like “All right ladies! The kitten-whispers and tickle-fights stop now!” kept the audience in stitches.

Wreck-it Ralph’s creativity is a true tribute to Disney. The various game worlds are each chock-full of witty puns and imaginative creations. In Sugar Rush Ralph and his friends face Nestle “Quik-sand” and a Diet Coke volcano with Mentos stalactites. The producers use vivid graphics and details to re-imagine well-known games such as Call of Duty, Mario Kart, and Mortal Kombat.

The story is rather complicated, but the film’s different plots are connected gracefully. The realistic cameos of game characters like Pac-man and Sonic the Hedgehog are very

rottentomatoes.com

The world’s favorite boy band is back on the offensive. With its newest release, Take Me Home, One Direction readies the second wave of British invasion onto US soil.

With a menacing salvo of thirteen new songs, the album is poised to blitzkrieg its way into the hearts and minds of the American people.

“Live While We’re Young” starts the album off with a bang, blending the two cornerstones of pop, a tale of teenage love and a catchy melody, into a chart-topping hit that only One Direction could craft.

The upbeat song preaches true love between a pair who has just met.

While this may hold true for the members of One Direction, it does not apply to the general less-beautiful populace. Despite the fantastical plot, “Live While We’re Young” delivers as the lead single and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

A pleasant change, the next twelve songs in the album are varied in their beats and melodies, with some slow and serious (or as serious as One Direction can get) and others sung in true One Direction fashion, flowing to the brim with hop and pop. “Heart Attack” is a slower song, but is supplemented by a fast-paced chorus that could give heart attacks. The song sings about how the singer struggles to get over a girl who left him. “Change My Mind” starts off in with a somber Louis and a slow beat that just oozes emotion. As the songs progress, the overall tone grows more mature as the beats are no longer the bubblegum pop of the past but a new slower style that is a welcome change for the band.

One Direction seems to have greatly matured in its musical style as it developed Take Me Home, while the first songs, “Live While We’re Young” and “Back for You,” were lively and catchy, the final two, “They Don’t Know About Us” and “Summer Love” take on a sadder quality, with measured, powerful vocals.

Take Me Home is not just an album, but a story of love. Like love, the album starts off quickly and excitingly, but becomes solemn with a touch of melancholy. Indeed, One Direction has taught us how to stay up all night, how to live while we’re young, and is now ready to take us home with its second album, Take Me Home. ▪ Rating: A

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12 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, November 16, 2012

A Bond Legacy

By Hannah Shih Staff Writer

There is no film character more iconic than James Bond. Skyfall marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Bond franchise, a half century of enduring gentlemanly sophistication, perfect style, charming wit, and, of course, deadly skill with weapons. The Ian Fleming novels that started it all have been adapted into 23 films for the Eon Productions Series, with Daniel Craig to take his place as the seventh incarnation of the 007 agent.

Sean Connery (1962-1971): Critic Roger Ebert once said, “Basically, you have Connery, and then you have all the rest”.

Sean Connery was the first James Bond, and the one to set the bar that the rest of the 007 agents would have to live up to. He plays Bond as a rakish and witty playboy, a tough yet suave man who got his job done and did it well. He starred in six official films between from 1962 and 1971, the best of which are Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. You only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, the last two of Connery’s films are mediocre, and not fully representative of the skill Connery had in portraying Bond.

George Lazenby (1969): Lazenby is often the forgotten Bond, as his sole Bond movie was during the Connery Era, when Connery temporarily retired after You Only Live Twice. In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, he protrayed Bond as emotional and sensitive, and also followed the Fleming novels more closely than any other adaptation has done to date. Prior to shooting this movie, Lazenby was an Australian model whose agent advised him against a multimovie contract. He had one of the most difficult roles as the agent, due to Bond’s marriage and the death of Tracy afterwards.

Roger Moore (1973-1985): Of all the actors who have represented the agent, Moore took on the role of James

two movies, The Living Daylights and License to Kill. He was serious and dangerous, and his films are highly controversial with some critics lauding his performances as skillfully following Fleming’s vision, and others like James Berardinelli saying that he played Bond “too straight- stylish, cold, and without a trace of humor.”

Bond for the longest. Between 1973 and 1985, he took on seven films and brought out Bond’s lighter, more comical side. He had fewer fighting scenes, and protrayed Bond as a nicer guy than either Connery or Lazenby did. He opened the series to more people. He was 57 during A View to Kill, and had to get a lot of gadgets and weapons to aid him. Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, and Octopussy are probably the best of his films.

Pierce Brosnan (19952002): Now came a Bond who could handle the tough fight scenes and a shot of humor at the same time. He was originally asked to act in the movies that Dalton starred in, but after people found out about his new role, his popularity shot up and he was unable to be in the movies due to a revival of his old TV

Timothy Dalton (1987-1989): What Timothy Dalton lacked in comedic skill, he made up for in daring stunts and fighting scenes.

He brought back the darker, more violent side of Bond in his

007.com

By Sai Chilakapati Staff Writer

“Bond, James Bond.” An iconic and trademark line that forever excites the public has become timeless. Released on the 50th Anniversary of the series’ first thriller, Dr. No, Skyfall continues the attracting duo of romance and action in a wholesome manner that bridges the evolving James Bond character to its roots and to the likes of the current 21st century society.

James Bond, played once again by dynamic star Daniel Craig, is sent on a Mission to Istanbul, Turkey with the first of two Bond girls, Eve (Naomie Harris), in order to retrieve a valuable drive that contains the list of every MI6 agent that is undercover in a terrorist group or organization. As Bond is fighting the thief on top of a train, Eve tries to shoot at the thief but accidently shoots Bond who falls of the train and is assumed dead. The drive is stolen and its content is created into a master-list video titled “M16 agents” which is uploaded to YouTube. M (Judi Dench) is blamed for the loss but as she returns back to the headquarters in England, there is an explosion in the building.

MI6 is in a notable decline as they struggle to re-unite after the attack. At this crucial moment three-months later, Bond comes back to M but he is in a noticeable-physical slump.

He can’t shoot and he fails all his psych and physical tests.However, Bond is the only capable MI6 agent who can avenge this unknown criminal. To do so, he must face M’s past and go back to his Bond roots to resur-

rect himself back into the potent agent he once was.

Sam Mendes, the director of Skyfall, has truly made an amazing Bond movie. By using the iconic Aston Martin D85 and reintroducing Q (Ben Whishaw), Mendes reinvigorated Bond into a classical character by removing the influences of modern technology. The weapon assigned to him is the traditional pre-war German pistol, Walther PPK, used since Dr. No except for that it has been coded with Bond’s print so that only he can use it. But yet at the same time, Mendes complicates the character by modernizing his look through his suit and his romance through the imfamous Bond Girls played by Naomie Harris and Berenice Lim Marlohe who carry a more modern vigor, energy and romanticism.

From the action on top of a train in Istanbul to classic Bond fighting in London, the action scenes are unparralled, as Mendes took Bond’s ability to another level. Using modern technology, Mendes has created action scenes that were once impossible. The cinematography and the editing are flawless as the action is smooth and excellently presented through carefully chosen camera angles that reveal the vigor and the dare-devil in Bond. For die-hard Bond fans, this movie gives hope as Mendes drags Bond back to his true prowess and roots unlike the previous Bond movies and for the typical Joe this movie is action-packed and a must watch over Thanksgiving Break. ▪ Rating: A

show, Remington Steele. In 1995, he got another chance and took on the first of four movies. He brought Bond back with a bang, and was the best-dressed and the most callous of them all. Though Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough are stellar, Die Another Day is a low in the Bond series and has an unrealistic and overly ambitious plot.

Daniel Craig (2006-Now): The first blond Bond, Daniel Craig came onto the scene with Casino Royale in 2006.

Though this casting choice initially caused much debate in the beginning, the rousing success of Casino Royale chased away the doubts of some of the public, Quantum of the Solace, his second film as Bond, went on to become the highest earning of the American Bond movies. Craig also appeared in the short film Happy and Glorious, played during the Olympic opening ceremony in London.

Skyfall, the latest Bond movie, was released on November 9, 2012.

Sean Connery as James Bond.

Friday, November 16, 2012

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Arts & Entertainment 13

‘The Lion King’ Feels the Love Tonight

By Tammy Tseng Staff Writer

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It’s dawn in the African savanna. As the first rays of light slip through the trees, the sun yawns and stretches into the sky, flushed rich orange and gold. Lanky giraffes amble across the land just as the first notes of an African song ring through the air. It’s a stunning collision of visual elegance and auditory impact— and that’s only the first thirty seconds of The Lion King.

From the very beginning, The Lion King boasts a strong musical cast, featuring a medley of talented singers and actors. Most of the songs performed are familiar ones from the film, but the musical adds a few new songs of its own with a modern twist—the soundtrack takes us from African chants to electric rock and also incorporates modern jargon and jokes, all to successfully maintain audience interest and add a quirky twist to the traditional story. Especially commendable is Buyi Zama’s

performance as Rafiki, the wise yet eccentric mandrill who guides Simba through his journey and acts as an involved narrator in the musical—Zama’s soulful, powerhouse voice is the first thing to strike you when the curtain rises.

Equally laudable are the dancers, who are cleverly integrated into the setting to represent the swaying grass or a variety of savanna animals.

The dances are beautifully choreographed and perfectly embody the personality and sense of objects or creatures within human movement.

However, the musical’s strongest assets are outside the realm of song and dance—what makes The Lion King soar above the other musical productions of its generation is its astounding use of props, costumes, and scenery. The story of The Lion King is already familiar to audiences who have watched the 1994 animated film, but what the musical lacks in a fresh plot, it more than makes up for in its masterful sets

and costumes. The Lion King uses every stage prop imaginable: huge, intricate replicas of Pride Rock and the elephant graveyard; series of retractable screens that serve as different backdrops; lighted silhouettes; tiered walls that give the illusion of dimension on stage. Undetectable wires on stage lift actors into the air and create the dramatic illusion of falling backwards for Mufasa’s and Scar’s deaths; steam spurts from the stage when Simba and Nala trespass onto hyena land.

Whereas the animated film connotes an air of whimsy and childhood, the musical version of The Lion King is able to reach into the deeper, rawer side of the story with actual live, human actors. You clutch your seat in nervous anticipation of the cubs’ confrontation with the hyenas; you can feel the sensuality between

Simba and Nala in their famed duet “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”. This emotional connection that is established with the audience from the beginning to the end is what proves The Lion King’s merit as a musical.

Since its Broadway debut fifteen years ago, The Lion King has premiered in 15 countries on five continents, won over 70 major arts awards, and become the sixth-longest running show in Broadway history. Director Julie Taymor in collaboration with Disney has created a masterpiece that entertains, captivates, and moves audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The Lion King has established itself as one of Broadway’s most beloved hits, and is a mustsee for anyone who loves this timeless classic. ▪ Rating: A

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14 Sports

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By Kenny Jacoby & Vishak Menon Sports Editors

One Giant Step Once again, the San Francisco Giants are world champions. With two World Series trophies in the last three years, the Giants are without question one of the top franchises in baseball.

History has shown that most sports teams to reach this status do so because of a key core group of players. Take the New York Yankees for example. From 1998 to 2000, the Yankees won three straight World Series titles. Each of those three years, the Yankees roster boasted some of baseball’s finest names: David Cone, Derek Jeter, Chuck Knoblauch, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Bernie Williams.

However, as the Giants start to make their case for a dynasty, we can’t help but notice that they did so in a very different way than the Yankees did.

Because of the “never say never” attitude the Giants employed throughout the playoffs, the infatuation we feel for our postseason heroes is only natural. But looking back to just two years ago, the Giants ball club had an entirely different face. 2010 was the season of torture, where a scrappy group of misfits took down Goliath to end the 56-year drought and take home the World Series trophy. This year, seven of the eight non-pitching starters from that misfit group of 2010 were off the Giants’ starting postseason lineup.

The 2012 Giants are a completely different team from the team we fell in love with two years ago. By no means did the Giants recycle their core group like the Yankees did during their run. So how were the Giants able to remodel their starting roster so drastically in a

two-year span and still walk away with more rings on their fingers? To answer that question, we have to examine what stayed constant in San Francisco from 2010 to 2012.

The most obvious factor in the Giants success is Buster Posey. Until 2010—Posey’s rookie season—the Giants hadn’t made the playoffs since 2003. Posey was pulled up from Triple A midway through the year, and he gave the Giants the offensive boost they needed to surge them to a come-from-behind, and longawaited, division title. By the postseason, he had not only vultured the starting catcher position from Bengie Molina, he was also hitting .305 at the cleanup slot. In addition to his first World Series ring, Posey won the Rookie of

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Giants catcher Buster Posey triumphantly embraces closer Sergio Romo after sweeping the Detroit Tigers.

the Year award. In 2011, Posey broke his leg after being railroaded by a charging baserunner at a play at the plate. His injury devastated the Giants, and they never regained that spark that Posey gave them in 2010, causing them to miss the playoffs altogether. However in 2012, Posey emerged as the Comeback Player of the Year, hitting an absurd .336 and leading the Giants right back to another division title. His grand slam in the winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division Series (NLDS) propelled the Giants to the National League Championship Series (NLCS), and his home

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Friday, November 16, 2012

run in Game 4 of the World Series helped the Giants complete the sweep in Detroit. Posey is destined for MVP honors in 2012.

The second factor is the Giants’ pitching staff. Only Jonathan Sanchez has left the Giants’ starting rotation since 2010, and I think we can all agree that Ryan Vogelsong is a big step up. In 2010 the San Francisco starting pitchers were arguably the best in the league, stat-wise. In 2012, just about all of the five starters dropped off to an extent during the regular season. Even Matt Cain, whose 14strikeout perfect game was possibly the most dominant single game pitching performance in MLB history, regressed a little bit towards the end of the season. Tim Lincecum, who absolutely demolished hitters in the 2010 postseason, was atrocious during in his 2012 regular season starts, allowing the most runs in the first inning of any pitcher in the league. However, when it got to crunch time in the playoffs, every starting pitcher on the Giants stepped it up big time. Barry Zito was practically unhittable thanks to his pinpoint command and low-velocity junk pitches, and he picked up multiple clutch wins, including in Game 5 of the NLCS. And Lincecum was masterful coming out of the bullpen, allowing no runs in relief all postseason. The other important note is that it wasn’t just the starters that contributed so greatly to the World Series run. Despite losing closer Brian Wilson, who set the single season record for saves in 2010, to Tommy John surgery early this season, fellow long-beard Sergio Romo took over the load, closing out dozens of games throughout the year, including the final games of the NLDS, NLCS, and World Series.

The final constant component of the 201012 Giants is the coaching and management.

Bruce Bochy’s attention to detail and “put your best foot forward” mindset fits the Giants organization flawlessly, and the “Bochy

for President” posters are clear signs of how valuable he is to San Francisco fans. In both 2010 and 2012, Brian Sabean, the Giants general manager, has made some crucial mid-season trades that have given the team an edge going into postseason play. In 2010 it was the addition of outfielder Cody Ross that really boosted the Giants, largely as a result of his three home runs in his first six at bats in the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies. Ross made a huge statement with his NLCS MVP award, but the less recognized acquisitions of relief pitchers Javier Lopez and Ramon Ramirez also made huge impacts. In 2012, the Giants nabbed outfielder Hunter Pence right before Melky Cabrera, who had been leading the MLB in hits, was slapped with a 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. Although Pence didn’t put up the numbers he would have liked to post (especially in the postseason), he still was one of the emotional leaders of the Giants and came up with some extremely clutch hits and defensive plays down the stretch. Infielder Marco Scutaro was the Cody Ross of 2012, coming into San Francisco and absolutely lighting it up for his new team. He tied the record for most hits in an League Championship Series (LCS) (14) and hit .500 in the series, clinching him the NLCS MVP award by a landslide.

Although the Giants clearly don’t need to keep recycling their old players, it sure would be nice to see them sign a few of these 2012 heroes to longer-term deals. Pence is expected to return in 2012, and after Scutaro’s performance, he will be welcomed back by thousands of open-armed fans. As opposed to 2010, the 2012 Giants are a young, growing team with rookies like Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford taking on big roles. And if the Giants can win it all with a bunch of young guns, their odds of winning more championships over the next few years can only go up. ▪

achievements for me.

ness routines.

SS: How often do you practice and where?

What does your typical practice look like?

SA: Practice is usually about two hours a day and it’s really intense. The coaches are strict

SS: What are your plans for the future regarding table tennis?

SA: I’m definitely considering the Olympic Trials and making the US Men’s team, which competes in championships and competitions worldwide.

AS: The 2016 Olympics could definitely be an option; and making the US Men’s team is definitely a goal for the next four or five years.

This year, I’m trying to make the under-sixteen USA team and also the under-eighteen junior team because I have a chance to make both of those and these would be great achievements for me.

table tennis champions

By Lindy Zeng Staff Writer

Junior Sagar Arun and Freshman Aarsh Shah are competitive table tennis players at MSJ. They often train together at World Champions Table Tennis Academy (WCTTA) and have both participated in prestigious national and international level competitions.

The Smoke Signal sat down with them to talk about their participation in this sport.

are the biggest international tournaments where at least six hundred people participate.

I compete at least once every two months but if there are bigger tournaments it’s a little less.

At the end of the year, there are quite a few more tournaments.

SS: What challenges have you faced?

SA: There is this group of juniors and I’m always trying to catch up with. They are spread out throughout the country, and we’ll all probSmoke Signal: When did you start playing ably face each other in the nationals for US table tennis and how did you get involved with junior team trials in December. One has to train their mind to deal with pressure in certhe sport?

Sagar Arun: I was trying out other sports but tain situations. Like in any other sport, there’s nothing fit. My parents brought me to a table always a feeling of pressure when the game tennis club and I’ve been playing for three and is super close, right? And physical challenges I face are training intensely on footwork and a half years now.

Aarsh Shah: I started playing when I was five the proper way to position myself to hit the years old. My dad used to play in India, and ball correctly. there was a club nearby with a new coach and AS: There are quite a few challenges. First of all, traveling internationally is pretty tough bewe used to go there just for fun. cause everything is different and you have to figure out SS: What ever ything competitions for yourself. have you It’s hard to participated train every in and how day with often do you school and compete? with so SA: I commany hours pete locally [of praconce or twice tice]. And a week and obviously internationthere are the ally about other comonce every courtesy sagar arun petitors. six months. Junior Sagar Arun prepares a deadly serve for his opponent.

I’ve been to the Canadian Junior Open and the US Open SS: What is your most rewarding experience or proudest achievement? twice and to the US Nationals three times.

AS: I have been to quite a few competitions. SA: My greatest achievement is making it to I attend many smaller competitions such as the finals in the Canadian Junior Open and the Berkeley Open and the ICC State Open. winning some rounds in the US Open.

Recently, I went to two in Guatemala and El AS: Going to Guatemala and El Salvador was Salvador for the World Cadet Circuit Tourna- great. My teammate and I got a bronze medal ments. I have also been to the US Open and for cadet teams, which are for ages under sixUS Nationals five or six times each and those teen and that was probably one of the biggest

courtesy aarsh shah

Freshman Aarsh Shah’s focus and quickness make him a tough competitor.

and there’s lots of physical activity involved.

AS: I train at WCTTA and it’s one of the best clubs in the country. I practice about five to six times a week and each practice lasts between two to three hours. A typical training session is two hours of training and a little bit more time in the gym doing some exercise and fit-

SS: Why is table tennis your favorite sport?

SA: Table tennis is the sport I’m most passionate about. Whenever I play, I feel like I forget everything, like school and stress.

AS: Table tennis is my favorite sport for quite a few reasons. First of all it’s an interesting sport and it’s just starting to get bigger in the US. Also, I have played many sports and none of the sports are as difficult and challenging yet still rewarding and exciting. One of the most exciting parts of table tennis for me is the tremendous speeds and quickness required to play the game! I highly recommend other people in this area to play because the Bay Area is lucky to have a lot of good clubs and I think everyone should try out this sport. It’s fun, exciting, and competitive. ▪

Friday, November 16, 2012

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Sports 15

the road to Ncs

By Leah Feuerman Staff Writer

Qualifying for the North Coast Section (NCS) tournament at the end of the season is a prestigious honor for high school sports teams ranging from Fremont in the south to Crescent City in the north. Teams must have a strong enough record in order to qualify for NCS in their division, and are then seeded, or ranked, based on their performance. This determines who they will play in the first round of playoffs. Five of MSJ’s fall sports teams qualified for the Division 1 NCS tournament. They all showed admirable determination, hard work, and spirit in their journey to NCS, and have a lot to show for it.

courtesy brandon law

Girls’ Tennis Continuing what has been a long history of successful seasons, the Girls’ Tennis team once again placed towards the top of their league, losing only to Logan during MVALs and finishing with a record of 10-2 overall. Seniors Pavithra Krishnamoorthi and Captain Jessica Liu made finals in MVAL doubles and ended up placing second in the league. The team was able to qualify for NCS, seeded 11 in the bracket. However, they lost their first game to Redwood High School (seeded 6) on November 7, with a final score of 5-2.

The Boys’ Water Polo team gets ready to take on De La Salle in the first round of NCS.

Boys’ and Girls’ Water Polo Having qualified for NCS for the second time in a row, the Boys’ Water Polo team completed another successful season. They had an overall record of 14-6 and an MVAL record of 8-2, losing one game to Washington and the other to Logan. They ended up as co-champions with Logan in MVAL but lost the tiebreaker game to determine automatic qualification for NCS. Despite this, Boys’ Water Polo continued on to the NCS tournament, where they were seeded 15. They lost their first game 22-9 to De La Salle on November 1, who were seeded 2 in the bracket, to end their season.

The Girls’ Water Polo team qualified for NCS this year with an overall record of 11-6, only losing to Logan twice and Washington once in MVALs. After being seeded 14 in the bracket, they faced Clayton Valley on November 1, who was seeded 3 in NCS and had a record of 18-7 overall. MSJ lost to Clayton Valley in the first round by a final score of 14-8.

Watch out, LeBron James, there’s another MVP in town, and he’s from South Korea.

Jung Jong Hyun, better known as MVP in Starcraft II’s community, is a pro-gamer hailed for his outstanding Terran play, one of three factions a player chooses to represent in game.

He has been described as the greatest Starcraft II player in the world on numerous occasions, winning cash prizes in multiple international professional gaming competitions sponsored by big name companies such as Intel, Blizzard, LG, and NVIDIA. Through training, devotion, determination, and persistence, which is reminiscent of how many professional athletes are described, Hyun has cemented himself in the pro-gaming world with the gaming greats. Professional gaming is often used interchangeably with the term esports, but many people are hesitant to classify video games as actual sport, seeing it as more entertainment than competition. Is there really a difference between e-sports and what most people perceive of as “sport”? Not at all.

Pro-gamers are distinguished from casual gamers because they often compete in tournaments or competitions with cash prizes. To prepare, they mirror a professional athletes’ daily schedule to the minutest detail, perhaps excluding diet. Teams train in gaming houses, and top of the line equipment is purchased to allow the best gaming experience. Over eight hours each day are spent perfecting strategies and honing skills, with some players exceeding twenty. Rarer cases have been reported of players who gamed as long they died of exhaustion or blood clots due to long-term immobility.

This brings up a controversial topic that almost all pro-gamers face before they turn pro, addiction. Gamers walk a fine line between obsessive and objective, but fortunately, pro-gamers seem to be at lower risk than casual gamers because they have a more focused mindset; they don’t meander thoughtlessly in the game

courtesy john hotchkiss

Junior Lindy Zeng takes third place in the MVAL Cross Country Final league meet.

courtesy amy huang

The Girls’ Golf team finishes first in the NCS Tournament of Champions.

E-Game on

By Peter Qiu Staff Writer

Cross Country After having a large number of people show up to early meets in the preseason, the Cross Country team looked forward to a strong season come fall. Their optimism was justified, as the Boys’ Varsity finished with a record of 5-2 and the Girls’ Varsity ended with a record of 6-1 in league. Also, the Boys’ Frosh-Soph team notably went undefeated in their season. Senior Nicholas Ha finished first for Boys’ Varsity in the MVAL Cross Country Finals, while Junior Lindy Zeng placed third. Both teams will compete in the NCS Meet of Champions on November 17.

and avoid the “pull” many addicted gamers feel They know what they want, and they know what to do to get it.

At competitions like the Intel Extreme Masters, Global Starcraft II League, and Major League Gaming, popular games such as League of Legends, Starcraft, and Counterstrike are played in a prize pool of over half a million dollars. Though no gamer wins every competition, they still manage to get by reasonably well with the money they do earn. In an interview with Lee Jung Hoon, known as MarineKing in the Starcraft community, he states he makes roughly $105,000 every year. George Georgallidis, known as HotshotGG in League of Legends, plays for Counter Logic Gaming and earns a speculated set salary of $60,000 a year, plus a varying amount from advertisements and streaming.

However, the road to professional gaming is just as hard as the one to professional basketball, football, or baseball. Ten years ago, esports were not taken seriously as real sports, but that has quickly changed with the rapid advancement of technology. Where there is a will there is a way, and gaming is now a potential career for anyone with enough determination, as well as access to Internet, a computer, and free time. So if you’re considering pro gaming, get your FiOS, buy your AlienWare, and game away. ▪

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Jung Jong Hyun also known as MVP is widely known as the best player in the world at Starcraft II.

Girls’ Golf Despite having no seniors on the team this year, the Girls’ Golf team had an incredibly strong season and NCS experience. After placing first in league at the Freedom High School Tournament, the team moved on to the NCS qualifier on October 22 at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Brentwood. There they won second place with a score of 399, and continued on to the NCS Tournament of Champions on Oct. 29 at Windsor Golf Course, where they won the entire tournament with a team score of 390. Junior Monica Chen took first individually in NCS out of over 100 other players, with a total score of 69 (3 under par). The Girls’ Golf team then moved on to the NorCal Championship on November 5 at Brookside Country Club in Stockton, where they placed third overall, and qualified for the State CIF tournament on November 13 at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho Cucamonga. ▪

William Cheung

By Jonathon Teng Staff Writer

staff writer tingting bi

For the past decade, MSJ’s Badminton Team has consistently dominated and placed first as a team in NCS. Recently, Senior William Cheung, a captain of the badminton team, represented the US in the 2012 Badminton World Federation World Junior Championships in Chiba, Japan. There, he competed against the top junior badminton players in the world, winning his first singles match before being eliminated in the second round. Cheung said, “It was an eye-opening experience getting to watch and observe the top junior players in the world compete on one stage.” Before this great accomplishment came countless hours of hard work and dedication.

Cheung started playing badminton at the age of nine and began intensive training a year later. Since then, he has been training at least two hours a day and five days a week at the Bay Badminton Center in Milpitas. Cheung has been versatile in all events of the sport: “My favorite event is singles, though I enjoy playing doubles and mixed doubles as well. In singles I feel that I can truly play with my own style and pace.” His hard work ethic quickly showed off

at his first major event, the 2009 Pan American Junior Badminton Championships at San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he claimed the Under 15 Boy’s Doubles Championship as well as the Under 15 Mixed Doubles Championship title.

After joining the varsity badminton team his freshmen year, he quickly established himself as an extremely skilled player by placing first for men’s singles at the Badminton Varsity Tournament, an open invitational that invites NCS schools that takes place in the beginning of the year. Improving throughout the year, Cheung achieved an amazing feat as a freshmen: winning second in MVALs men’s singles, and eventually placing 3rd at NCS in the same event. The next year, Cheung continued to rise and emerged as a completely dominant competitor, securing first place in both MVAL’s and NCS men’s singles.

As a junior, Cheung was invited to the 2011 USA Badminton Junior International Trials held in Fremont, subsequently taking home the Under 17 Boy’s Doubles Champion. As a result, he qualified for the Pan American Junior Badminton Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where he went on to win the Under 17 Boy’s Doubles Champion.

During the school season, Cheung was named as one of the team captains. Again, he proved his dominance by sweeping MVAL and NCS men’s singles with a first place trophy.

Currently, Cheung hopes to simply improve his skill and continue to become a better player: “My goals and aspirations include training and competing for the USA in international competition. It will take lots of effort and work but I am passionate about this sport and will continue to play and train.” Cheung’s persistence and passion has allowed him to be a successful captain, one who is both respected and feared on the court. ▪

16 Photo

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Friday, November 16, 2012

photos by staff writers laura chen, hairol ma, catherine wang & supriya yelimeli