VOL. XLVII, No. 2

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. XLVII, NO. 2

October 28, 2011

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

MSJ Royalty: 2011 Homecoming Court

staff writer jaynelle gao

From left to right: Homecoming nominees Nealay Vasavda, Justin Chew, Kyle Chen, William Leu, 2010 Homecoming King Dillon Chang, 2010 Homecoming Queen Theresa Liu, 2011 Homecoming Queen Ilene Tsao, nominees Sarah Ching, Connie Chen, Allison Tong, and Natasha Yeh.

The homecoming court ceremony took place during halftime, where the Homecoming King and Queen were announced. Senior Ilene Tsao won the homecoming queen honors, while king was awarded to Senior Football Captain Willson Zhang, whose crown was accepted by a giant teddy bear that sat in for him.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: The Money of MSJ

By Avery Kruger, Aishwarya Thakur, and Sherry Xiao Staff Writers Ever wonder where the money for the new landscaping on Mission Boulevard and Palm Avenue came from? What about the enormous projector screen in the gym that is used during assemblies? The Smoke Signal conducted an Investigative Report to uncover exactly how ASB is able to fund these projects and the processes that they undergo to see these projects to completion.

ASB focuses on projects that they believe will benefit the entire school, such as beautification or improvement of the school’s facilities.

This money comes from the many fundraising events that ASB holds.

From data of the current school year, approximately 65.06% of ASB’s total funds in one year come from sales made during the two days of Orientation. These include sales of MSJ apparel (hats, green team t-shirts, sweatshirts, lanyards), student planners, and ASB discount cards. Nearly 19.45% of funds come from profits made at the Student Store while the rest come from fundraisers such as the Family Festival and the Aloha Dance.

At the beginning of each year, the ASB treasurer writes a budget that outlines the amount of money that will be provided for routine

SOURCES OF ASB FUNDS

$

STUDENT STORE: 19.45%

FAMILY FESTIVAL: 9.72% ALOHA DANCE: 5.77%

October 31 • Halloween

expenses and for the various events that ASB plans. The amount of money allocated to the different events is assessed from past years’ budgets. The budget, which serves as a guide solely for ASB reference, is finalized after the ASB president and Activities Director Ben Breazeale review it. The initial budget is not voted upon by Leadership 2 (L2), council, or the student body; it is solely the decision of the ASB Treasurer, President, and Breazeale.

However, ASB must file a request that student council votes on in the form of checks in order to use money from its bank account. The checks can be viewed online at the ASB website, www.msjasb.org. After checks are passed at council, Accounts Clerk Cindy Stoorza finalizes the payment. The process may take anywhere from three days to slightly over a week. If an L2 committee planning an event finds that it needs to spend more than the budget allows, it must send a request to the ASB treasurer. If the treasurer approves the request, the request must then be passed in council and then reviewed by Breazeale and

news editor allan ko

November 4 • End of First Quarter

See MONEY, NEWS Page 2 November 6 • Daylight Savings Time Ends

staff writer jaynelle gao

ASB Advisor Ben Breazeale and 2011 Homecoming Queen Ilene Tsao pose with 2011 Homecoming King Willson Zhang’s teddy bear.

Bay Area Science Festival

By Anjali Kanthilal Staff Writer The Bay Area Science Festival is from October 29 to November 6.

Over a hundred events will be held all over the Bay Area, daily, from 11 am to 4 pm. Listed below are some examples of events that will be held over the nine-day period.

For more information, go to their official website, www.bayareascience.org.

rence Hall of Science This particular session is arranged in a game format, with a race between dinosaurs and robots.

For three hours, participants will step into the shoes of paleontologists to learn about dinosaurs, and then into the shoes of engineers to learn about robots.

Stanford @ The Tech 9:30 am, October 31, The Tech Museum Geneticists from Stanford

chabotspace.org

Logo for Bay Area Science Festival, a nine-day avent from October 20 to November 6

Explore what you Eat (Hands-on Science) 10:00 am, October 29, East Bay Farmers Market UC Berkeley scientists will show the science behind plants and the importance of worms, etc. all with hands-on experiments.

Robots vs. Dinosaurs 11:00 am, October 30, Law-

November 11 • No School Veteran’s Day

will lead hands-on DNA activities. Some of these include DNA spooling from different animals, and checking out DNA from the participants’ own cells.

The Big C: The Future of Cancer Treatments

See SCIENCE, NEWS Page 2

November 15-17 • Parent Advisement Conferences

2 News

www.thesmokesignal.org

News in Brief MONEY | ASB funding continued from page 1 Dogs saved from meat trade On October 15 in the southwest Sichuan province of Zigong, nearly 800 dogs were rescued by a Chinese animal protection group, the Qiming Center. The day before, a volunteer informed the center that hundreds of imprisoned dogs were being loaded onto trucks headed to various restaurants nearby. A team of five quickly moved out to block the dog-trader. After a standoff and negotiation, the group agreed to pay the dog trader 83,000 RMB ($13,000) to secure the dogs’ freedom. According to the media, Qiming volunteers are currently helping find homes for the dogs.

cnn.com

A veterinarian carries a rescued dog to be sterilized.

Exotic animals let loose in Ohio On October 18 in Zanesville, Ohio, Terry Thomson, the owner of an exotic farm, released 56 wild animals into the county before he shot and killed himself. The animals, including lions, wolves, cougars, and bears, were hunted by local authorities who feared for both their own lives and the lives of the people of Zanesville. 49 of the animals were killed in the surrounding woods and along Interstate 70 which runs through the town.

Many of the policemen involved are being called into question on accounts of animal cruelty.

nydailynews.com

Ohio authorities released this sign to warn passing vehicles about the exotic animals

Protestors forced to vacate Plaza On Thursday October 20th, Oakland officials posted notices to vacate Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza due to residing protestors inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement. Officials believed that the tent city, complete with a kitchen, school, and medical tent, was beginning to become a public safety and health problem, and therefore proposed to stop it. After 10 days of continuous protest, the city decided that the demonstration of “freedom of speech” created risk of fire hazard, sanitation issues, rat problems, and graffiti.

Principal Sandra Prairie.

Although they are mostly behind the scenes, ASB projects are more diverse and numerous than they appear to be. Many events held at the school, such as the Aloha Dance, the Charity Fashion Show, Stress-Free Week, and Friday Activities are funded by ASB. For these events, ASB must pay for materials for decorations or use old ones, as well as pay the DJ for the dance. They also provide for butcher paper and paint supplies used by clubs to make posters. In addition, ASB must pay for all paper and scantrons used in the preliminary as well as final votes for Homecoming Court, ASB officers, and class officers. “The little things add up,” says ASB Treasurer Justin Chew, who also adds that scantrons can accumulate to nearly $100 per event that is being voted upon.

Most of ASB’s funds go towards the payment of these seemingly minor details.

Surplus funds not apportioned in the budget are directed towards campus projects. In the past, these projects have included creating a new lawn and sidewalk along the corner of Mission Boulevard and Palm Avenue, and buying a new projector screen for the gym. The lawn and pathway project was sponsored by the classes along with ASB. This project was paid through ASB funds, but the classes reimbursed ASB as part of their Homecoming class service projects. ASB’s next project is to build

Mission SOS and Medcorps partnered up to host this year’s Health and Wellness Fair. Held in the bell tower quad during lunch on October 10 and 11, the fair aimed to encourage students to educate themselves about their bodies and lifestyles. The first day of the fair specifically focused student attention on general nutrition and diet, and the second day emphasized exercise and physical well being.

The fair was comprised of individual booths, each run by enthusiastic student volunteers from both clubs. At each station, students engaged in various activities and received informational fliers on a diverse array of topics, from creating a personal pyramid plan, which recommends specific food items, to tips on sports nutrition for athletes.

An interactive health-based Jeopardy game drew in determined players, and as a result many students won

Friday, October 28, 2011

Conferences come early

a new brick pathway between the C and B Wings near C-120. The bricks, which will be personalized by people who donated money for them, will be placed from English Teacher Joyce Wong’s room in the B-Wing to Science Teacher Peter Geschke’s room in the C-Wing.

This brick pathway is being constructed to replace the concrete pathway that is currently riddled with cracks, though its completion date is yet to be determined.

Each year ASB attempts to save money from the divvied-up budget so that they may be able to give back to the school. Although ASB exclusively decides on the projects that it chooses to spend its funds on, they are always open to suggestions for new projects that work towards the improvement of MSJ. As Chew says, “We will take suggestions and then figure out how to make it work within our budget.” ▪

By Vishak Menon Staff Writer Starting this year, MSJ will begin implementing a new schedule for parent teacher conferences. Over the last two years, conferences have not been held due to budget cuts.

However, in the past, they were held during the week of Thanksgiving break. This allowed parents to come in and speak for a short while with their students’ teachers during an allotted time slot.

Now, adhering to this new policy, “Parent Advisement Days” will be held on November 15, 16, and 17, between 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm based on the student’s last name. If a parent cannot adhere to the schedule for whatever reason, they may visit during another time.

With the exception of a short dinner break between 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm, teachers will remain on

campus during these days to meet with parents. Report cards with the students’ grades and attendance will be available at this time and maps posted around the campus will make it relatively easy for parents to find their way to the correct classrooms.

Although teachers will be required to stay late, this change will hopefully give them a much needed respite over the holidays. On the topic of the new scheduling, Principal Sandra Prairie said, “This year I surveyed both the staff and parents to get a consensus concerning the dates for conferences, and based on the input, determined that the week before [Thanksgiving Break] was the most popular choice.” This new plan should allow our teachers to enjoy the break just as much as the students, and relax with their families before returning to school on November 28. ▪

graphics editor angie wang

The landscaping at the intersection of Mission Boulevard and Palm Avenue was funded by ASB events, including the Aloha Dance and Orientation.

MSJ Holds Health Fair

By Sonali Toppur Staff Writer

The Smoke Signal

themselves healthy snacks. However, the raffle station was the most frequented activity, with its range of prizes consisting of yoga mats and other surprise items.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) teen health cards were also handed out. These cards urge students to go to PAMF’s website for reliable information on relationship health, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and sexual health. Online, students can find articles on specific topics, ask private questions to experts, and get 24-hour crisis line and hotline numbers for discussing more serious issues.

As opposed to last school year’s, this year’s Health and Wellness Fair was scaled down. It also was held at lunch instead of during students’ P.E. periods. “We wanted to try and keep it a little smaller this year,” said Mission SOS member Charlotte Miller.

“I am hoping that this way, we will be able to reach a larger number of people on a slightly more personal level.” ▪

SCIENCE | Science festival continued from page 1 6:00 pm, November 1, California Academy of Sciences Four primary cancer researchers will share their knowledge of cancer, their discoveries, and their hopes for the future of science and treatments for cancer.

Spontaneous Emissions: An evening of science humor 8:00 pm, November 2, Rooster T. Feather’s Comedy Club Brian Malow will show the comedic side to science. Malow will tease the brain, explain the science in sci-fi films, and show that science is not just for scientists.

Dinner and Screening of Hubble

6:30 pm, November 4, The Tech Museum On November 4, there will be a dinner and a private screening of Hubble with Astronaut Megan McArthur. She will share her stories from being on a space shuttle.

Discover Days at AT&T Park 11:00 am, November 6, AT&T Park This finale to the Bay Area Science Festival is a must go for all students, parents, and educators.

Over 170 exhibits, showcases, hands-on experiments, and science booths will be available to the public. This is a free opportunity to learn about and enjoy science. ▪

for the sep. 30, 2011 issue

sfgate.com

Protestors inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement congregate in the “tent city”.

COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS VISHAK MENON, JIN PENG, AND ANNA ZENG

staff writer sonali toppur

Mission SOS and Medcorps hosted the Health and Wellness Fair (above) in the bell tower quad.

News page 2: • Researchers recorded neutrinos that traveled from Geneva to Gran Sasso 60 nanoseconds faster than light would have taken.

• Alissa Gwynn’s name was misspelled.

Feature page 9: Vishal Bajpai’s name was misspelled.

Sports page 19: • Matt Eike is a senior.

• Willson Zhang’s name was misspelled.

Sports page 20: • Andrew Han took pictures.

• Mekala Neelakantan’s name was misspelled.

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

Annual walk for poverty

By Lindy Zeng Staff Writer On October 9, over 1,000 participants gathered at Lake Elizabeth for the 17th annual walk to raise awareness about global poverty. The Partnership Walk is currently an initiative of an organization called Aga Khan Foundation USA that raises funds to help the impoverished in Asian and African countries.

The walk raised over $200,000, as compared to last year’s $150,000. For this year’s program, Aga Khan Foundation USA focused on the theme of “building resilient communities” and started projects relating to five topics: health, education, rural development, civil society, and environment. All of the actions taken emphasized self-sufficiency through activities such as training women in South Asia as health workers, thus eliminating the need to walk many miles for medical care. These actions also included instructing farmers in Africa how to grow better crops and earn a profit. Education was continually expounded upon. Providing schooling to young children and opening universities was essential to improving the liveli-

londonphotowalk.ca

Logo for the World Partnership Walk, an initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation

hoods of people in need. One of the organization’s goals this year was to develop human talent through all people—men, women, the elderly, and youth. Keynote Speaker Ken Wilson emphasized the importance of spirit and passion in his speech, “The Aga Khan foundation demonstrates the importance of things like hope, beauty, [and] releasing human potential, not about just changing the numbers [statistics]. It’s about changing the human experience, and that’s absolutely crucial.”

The Partnership Walk was split into two sections: a walk around the lake and a fair.

The walking portion of the event did not attract many people. However, the carnival section appealed to a crowd of all ages, especially young children through coloring stations and multiple game attractions.

Underneath the pavilion, different organizations provided entertainment. Performances such as a martial arts show given by Shaolin Temple USA and instrumental music provided by Ismali Youth Band added to the festivity of the event. In addition, a group of three- to six-year-olds acted out a skit set to music, illustrating the process of Aga Khan Foundation visiting a needy family.

Many MSJ students also volunteered at this event. MSJ’s chamber chorale performed a rendition of the national anthem, commencing the opening ceremony in the morning.

MSJ Cheer was also present, leading all participants on a warm-up stretch and aerobic dance prior to the walk. Later, they performed a routine relating to Aga Khan Foundation.

Led by Youth Core Team Leader and MSJ Senior Saif Jivani, the student helpers managed the game, face paint, and Henna tattoo centers for a fun and educational experience. Having volunteered with Aga Khan Foundation for the past three years, Jivani encourages other students to attend or volunteer, “If everybody does a part, we can help make a difference.” ▪

www.thesmokesignal.org

News 3

ASB launches new website

By Jonathon Teng Staff Writer

staff writers jaynelle gao and catherine ho

Junior Brian Chen and Senior Anson Liu, the main designers of the MSJ ASB website

In October, the MSJ Associated Student Body (ASB) created its own website under the URL www.msjasb.org. This idea for a school website was originally hatched during the previous summer by ASB President Connie Chen. However, it was not until the school year that the website was finally produced by the two main designers, Senior Anson Liu and Junior Brian Chen.

This website was specifically made to target the student body by promoting awareness

of school events and providing information regarding MSJ. It contains forms for creating new clubs and club announcements for everyone, especially students, to easily access.

Also, pictures for most school events can be found on the website. Chen said, “Our main goal is to better the communication between the student body and the ASB government.

We love hearing from the student body, so this website is also a way for us to listen to everyone’s opinions.”

A new feature included in the website is that clubs are now able to edit their club information with the new Club Access Portal, a function that is similar to that of Wikipedia, except every club has its own user.

This new function allows clubs to update their information and post pictures or documents with ease. Club meeting times and announcements are available on the website as well. Liu said, “Instead of hunting down club meetings, students can view club announcements and info in one place.” Also, this website contains more specific information regarding school events such as the Fall Blood Drive and upcoming Friday activities, that may not be found on the school’s official website at www.msjhs.org. ▪

The new MSJ ASB website (above), will concentrate information about school events and clubs in one place.

msjasb.org

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Friday, October 28 ,2011

2011 Nobel Prize Winners

By Sai Chilakapati Staff Writer The Nobel Prizes are the most anticipated awards in academia and in the world. Those who receive this honorary accolade are revolutionaries who have furthered our knowledge of the world we see or have brought dramatic change in the communities around them.

On Oct. 3, 2011, Bruce Beutler, Jules Hoffmann, and Ralph Steinman were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Beulter and Hoffmann were awarded the Nobel Prize for furthering our scientific knowledge on the activation of innate immunity, our body’s natural defense system. Steinman, unfortunately, died three days before the Nobel Prize was announced due to pancreatic cancer. Steinman helped discover dendritic cells and their significance in adaptive immunity, our body’s acquired defense system.

Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and Adam Riess were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics on Oct. 4, 2011. All three helped prove that the universe was expanding at an accelerating pace based on information collected from distant supernovae. Their research unseated the previously held view that the universe’s rate of expansion was decreasing. The implications of their research went far beyond establishing a new theory. Completely new models were created to represent

the fate of the universe, and more importantly, the research suggested the existence of “dark energy.”

On Oct. 5, 2011, Dan Shechtman was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of quasicrystals. Until his findings, conventional crystallography had maintained that a crystal is defined by periodicity, repetition in pattern. However, his sudden discovery of quasicrystals while he was working with aluminum alloys refuted these conventions due to quasicrystals’ unusual pattern of binding that was forbidden in crystallography.

Swedish Poet Tomas Tranströmer was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Literature on Oct. 6, 2011. The Swedish Academy chose

Tranströmer because “through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us a fresh access to reality.”

His poetry has been translated into over 60 languages and is popular among poetry readers for its insightfulness of human motives, accessibility, and elegant descriptions.

On Oct. 7, 2011, Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and pro-democracy campaigner Tawakkul Karman from Yemen received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sirleaf was given this honor for the work she has done in bringing peace to Liberia after their civil war. Karman was honored for her pro-democracy movement and her protests against Yemen’s presi-

dent Ali Abdullah Saleh. Gbowee was distinguished for her efforts in uniting Christian and Muslim women to end the long Liberian civil war that persisted until 2003 and for ensuring “women’s participation in elections.”

The award ceremony to officially

nobelprize.org

Dan Shechtman, above, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering quasicrystals.

taipeitimes.com

newsday.com

Saul Perlmutter, above, won the Nobel Prize in Physics for helping to establish the acceleration of the universe’s expansion with Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess.

Tomas Tranströmer, above, won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his poetry.

honor these remarkable men and women will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on December 10 where they will receive their Nobel Prize medals as well as the $1.5 million honorarium (which will be split between the winners of each award). ▪

nobelprize.org

Ralph Steinman, above, won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work with dendritic cells and the immune system.

nobelprize.org

Leymah Gbowee, above, won the Nobel Peace Prize for working to unite Christians and Muslims in Liberia.

Friday, October 28, 2011

the

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of Courts!

Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 47, No. 2 | October 28, 2011

Editors-in-Chief Andrew Han, Diya Roy News Allan Ko, Mekala Neelakantan Opinion Anthony Chen, Courtney Tam Feature Sida Lu, Edward Nguyen Centerspread Frank Chen, Alice Zalan A&E Alekya Rajanala,

Maya Ramachandran

Sports Omar El-Sadany, Sanjna Shukla Graphics Angie Wang, Kevin Zhai Web Aishwarya Thakur, Jonathon Teng Tech Sai Chilakapati, Vipin Dulam Business Rachel Choi Circulation Connor Williams Ads Ditha Balaji, Jade Shi Events Nihar Parikh, Sherry Xiao Writers & Photographers Vishal Bajpai, Leland Bernstein, Jason Chen, Matt Farberov, Brandon Fuhs, Jaynelle Gao, Kevin He, Catherine Ho, Kenny Jacoby, Vivian Jair, Anjali Kanthilal, Avery Kruger, Vishak Menon, Jin Peng, Kyle Qian, Tanya Raja, Anusha Rijhsinghani, Hannah Shih, Sonali Toppur, Grace Wu, Kerrie Wu, Supriya Yelimeli, Anna Zeng, Lindy Zeng

Advisor Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@the smokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length.

To advertise in the Smoke Signal, e-mail ads@thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the pages of, or carried within, the Smoke Signal, is paid advertising, and as such is independent of the news and feature content.

The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

In the Aftermath

By Anthony Chen

By Courtney Tam Opinion Editor

The word Halloween instantly conjures up images of young children, often adorned in Superman and frilly princess costumes, ringing neighborhood doorbells impatiently with the ever so familiar phrase “Trick-or-treat!” while emphatically waving around bags full to the brim with candy.

Yes, Halloween instantaneously equates to a plethora of candy, but that’s not the only reason this is such a beloved annual event. It’s the perfect blend of sugar, fright, and teamwork all in one night.

As a trick-or-treater, one is granted a unique chance to forgo his or her true identity and morph into someone or something else for an entire night. Beyond taking on a secret alias, it’s an opportunity for everyone, whether it be an altruistic candy distributor or (slightly) avaricious candy receiver, to interact with new people without regard to bias or preconceived notions. Everyone is the same, with a common goal—to hoard as much candy as possible.

Halloween is also an escape from the stresses of everyday life— it’s an excuse to costume into the ever-revered superhero of your dreams, devoid of anxiety derived from school, homework, and extracurricular activities. It’s an opportunity to recapture the innocence of our younger days, having no cares in the world.

Candy is not the only word synonymous with Halloween: don’t forget fright night. Haunted houses riddled with headless zombies, freakishly happy clowns,

Texas Chain Massacre-worthy scenes, and piercing screams are all instrumental to the penultimate Halloween experience. Lawns are decorated with creepily etched jack-o-lanterns, fibrous cobwebs, and dilapidated furniture. Everywhere you look, there’s something enough to make you shiver with fear. Though such sights are inexplicably frightening, the ridiculousness of such scenes serve as a comical (but definitely frightening at first) reminder to just relax and not take life so seriously.

Truth be told, I did not go trickor-treating as a child. Though I gave out candy, I saw no merit in such an activity—it entailed walking around at night in the chilling dark, being unable to recognize my fellow trick-or-treaters, and never getting any candy that I favored.

But as I got older, my friends convinced me to go at least once; after my first time trick-or-treating my freshman year, I was hooked.

The thrill of the camaraderie in locating the houses and neighborhoods with the best candy, coordinating and designing costumes, and the sight of all the candy in the world after our productive expedition was something nothing else could replace. It changed my opinion on Halloween entirely.

So this Halloween, don’t forget to dress up in a crazy costume, collect tons of candy, be safe, and most importantly, have lots of fun! ▪ Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

The American Dream is Just a Dream

By Vishal Bajpai Staff Writer

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me”.

This poem, “The New Colossus,” is inscribed into the Statue of Liberty, a national symbol for immigration and the promise of a better tomorrow, a real American Dream.

But for immigrants all across America, the Dream is being confiscated. Hard economic times have brought out the worst in us, and our once heterogeneous melting pot is being homogenized. Take Alabama for example. New laws in the state make it mandatory for school teachers and employers to report anyone they think is an illegal immigrant. Schools are empty, crops are rotting in the field, and mothers are refusing to go to hospitals to give birth. It is a human rights catastrophe occurring on American soil. Letting school teachers and employers judge who they think are illegal immigrants invites racial prejudice and discrimination; it becomes even scarier when the government encourages it.

This isn’t a new phenomenon though, from Arizona’s controversial stop-a-Hispanic-whenever-you-want law to new voting laws all over the US that make it harder for poor minorities to vote.

Some claim that these laws are warranted, that migrant immigration takes away jobs from hardworking Americans; a few conservatives even claim that only property owners should be allowed to vote, because they have

Opinion 5

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the most at stake. The richest one percent have more financial wealth than the bottom 95 percent combined. Many Americans struggle to put food on the table, let alone own property, and taking away their vote is taking away any chance at political recourse these citizens would have. This is real class warfare, and it’s being waged against poor minorities and immigrants by the conservative elite and its biggest P.R. project, the Tea Party.

Many complain that cheap migrant labor is taking away jobs from Americans; this is flat-out false. In Alabama, there is no influx of “honest, hardworking” Americans to take the jobs of the immigrant workers. Even when John Harold, a Colorado farmer, decided he would replace a third of his workforce with unionized, documented workers for the sake of the economy, he found few takers. In fact, he couldn’t find enough workers that fit that category to replace a sixth of his workforce.

No one else is willing to do these jobs, but the work still needs to be done. Why are we chasing away the only people who will do it?

Back in Alabama, mothers still fear giving birth, children still fear school, and workers still fear work. Instead of giving birth in hospitals, women will deliver their children in their homes, chances of infection will rise, and taxes will increase to pay for these women’s treatments. The children still need to be educated, and it is actually set in Supreme Court precedent that education is a right for all children in America, legal or not.The crops still rot; no one is present to pick them.

And the Statue of Liberty still cries. ▪

Opinion Editor

I think we can all agree that Homecoming was a blast. Exhilarating as it was, though, sadly it is time for the colored warriors to return to the civilian life of calm studying and drab civies.

The transition may be difficult, but think of it this way – break up with Homecoming as you would a significant other. It’s as simple as that, and yet so hard to follow sometimes. The allure is strong, I know.

But there are ways to cope. You’ll want to appreciate the best times, of course, so by all means, party it up with your airband group and indulge in the inside jokes. Everything else must go. You never had much use for a pom-pom anyway.

The first step is to stop looking through every single photo ever taken within the span of that week.

By this time you’ve probably already chosen the pictures that portray you in a flattering manner anyway, so ignore the rest of them on Facebook.

Besides discovering people in your class you never knew existed, there’s no point in perusing the products of everything from the grand DSLR to the lowly flip-phone camera. Aside from the pixels, there’s a content aspect to consider too – epic shots are few and far between, so linger on that snapshot of the dude doing an epic windmill breakdancing move and click that red “x” as soon as you see the post-performance pictures popping up. Unless you truly love each and every single member of your class, I don’t think you want to see a couple hundred photos of various color-coordinated people standing together.

The second step is one that most people get right, but a scattered few still do commit this faux pas. Stop wearing your homecoming shirt.

Please. Either you really love your class or you didn’t have another shirt to wear, but ultimately fashion is fashion. One major reason haute couture refers to high fashion is the aspect of the individual. For example, plain white tees get kudos for being a wardrobe staple, but certain clothing has its time and place.

Homecoming t-shirts make great workout shirts, by the way.

For the love of anything and everything good in this world, retire your vuvuzela. Life was bad enough trying to watch the FIFA World Cup with the constant foghorn-like sound drowning out nearly everything, and that was just through a television. After they gained notoriety in 2010 these blasted bringers of noise pollution have started popping up everywhere. In real life vuvuzelas can cause hearing damage. Did you know that? This isn’t even about Homecoming anymore – y’all are killing each others’ ears.

Really, it’s not that hard to stick to this plan. Except for the photo stalking. But you probably waste too much time on Facebook anyway, so practice exerting your self discipline and get off Zuckerberg’s creation.

Homecoming was a major highlight of the year, but sadly it is now time to return to the normal life. The best thing you can do is enjoy the coverage in the Smoke Signal, then file that great week away in your memory and get ready for next year. ▪ Send letters to the editor to

opinion@thesmokesignal.org

staff writer kevin he

staff writer jin peng

6 Opinion

www.thesmokesignal.org

EDITORIAL: No “Hats off” to the hat policy

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Fall of Troy (Davis)

By Hannah Shih

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board If you have listened to the morning announcements recently, you may have noticed the recent changes in MSJ’s dress code policy. Whereas last year an offending student wearing a hat without the MSJ logo would have had to remove it or perhaps have it confiscated for a day, this year’s policies are far more stringent.

“Hats may be worn outside but must not have any other logo than MSJHS on it...

Violation of the hat policy will result in hats being impounded for 30 days.”

The administration’s heavier consequence this year stemmed from students not taking the policy seriously. In previous years, after being told to remove his or her hat, an offending student would comply temporarily, only to don the hat again after they were out of the sight of authorities.

Indeed, the new, stricter policy gets the point across more effectively. But what exactly is the point? One staple of any dress code is to prevent the display of any gang-related imagery, and in doing so, prevent any violence or discord that may result. According to FUSD Board Policy 5132, “Any clothing... which creates a clear and present danger of... unlawful acts on school premises, the violation of lawful school regulations, or the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school is prohibited.”

The cause of protecting student safety is absolutely necessary. However, according to Officer Gregory Pipp, gangs are not as large a problem at MSJ as they are at other schools. But, even if there

was a significant danger posed by gangs in MSJ’s vicinity, the implementation of the stricter hat policy would still prove to be ineffective at deterring them. Essentially, the burden of the hat policy, which serves to target gang members, falls on the majority of students at Mission not involved in gangs. For those who are, clothing or other media through which gang affiliations can be displayed are easily changed or adapted to whatever dress code is in place. For example, gang affiliations were traditionally indicated by colored bandanas which eventually, after school intervention, became solid colored shirts, hats with certain insignias, and so on. The circumvention of school dress code policies has even gotten as subtle as organized sports paraphernalia indicating gang affiliation. You can get as specific as you want in restricting dress at schools, perhaps even going as far as instigating school uniforms, but gangs are dynamic micro-cultures of their own and it is likely that they will find ways around whatever rules are implemented.

It is understandable that dress code policies are outlined to protect students, but when such an ineffective technique is imposed on a population that is largely safe, little practical purpose is served.

Unless there is an ostensibly “clear and present” danger, presented by someone wearing a hat, it becomes stifling to student expression and cumbersome in the winter months. What is wrong with letting students wear hats on cold days? What harm is there in allowing the hipsters their fedoras, the skaters their beanies, the avid sports fans their team hats, and the college-bound seniors their declared college insignias? ▪

Staff Writer

The United States was established with our founders’ visions of freedom, justice, and natural rights, principles that we proudly regard as the heart of our country. However, the courts and the parole boards have not upheld the high standards our nation has laid down and have raised some vital questions about the death penalty and the reliability of American courts.

Troy Davis, a forty-two year old African American man, was executed on Wednesday, Sep. 21, 2011 by lethal injection for the 1989 murder of Mark MacPhail, a police officer from Savannah, Georgia.

Officer MacPhail was shot in the face and chest after interceding during a heated argument in a parking lot by a Burger King restaurant.

When the police arrived at the crime scene devastated by the groundless murder of a greatly respected and loved colleague, they rounded up witnesses and searched for evidence, but came up with only a few .38 caliber casings handed over by a bystander. However, despite the lack of DNA evidence, a murder weapon, or an investigation, a “shoot to kill” manhunt was ordered on Davis, solely based on shaky statements from eyewitnesses.

After he realized that he was wanted for the killing, Troy Davis turned himself in to the authorities and seven days later, was convicted and put on death row. In a classic case of tunnel vision, Davis was condemned as guilty with no physical evidence, and in addition, any evidence that did point at a different suspect was thrown out and ignored.

Another man involved in the argument leading up to the murder, Sylves-

ter “Redd” Coles, who implicated Davis, was actually registered for a gun of the same caliber that killed MacPhail.

He also allegedly admitted to the murder later on. At an ensuing evidentiary trial, numerous people provided testimony against him, stating that they saw him shoot the officer and that he was acting strangely that night. This information was considered hearsay and was of no avail.

Seven out of nine of the bystanders have recanted since the initial 1989 trial, completely undermining the case entirely relying on eyewitness testimony.

Many of the witnesses claimed police coercion, lying to either spite Davis or through fear of legal trouble for themselves. One of the witnesses, Jeffrey Sapp said, “When you have detectives in one ear, in the other ear, behind you, you do what they say. I was 19 at the time, I said Troy is dangerous.”

To allow Troy Davis to be put on death row with so many holes in the convoluted story of the murder is a gross miscarriage of justice. America prides itself on equality, liberty, and the truth. We cannot stay true to the principles that we founded our country on if we can kill a man with any “doubt as to the guilt of the accused”.

Essentially, this case is no longer just about Troy Davis, but about death row in general and whether our judicial system will pay tribute to the faith of its public. Even after three postponed execution dates, countless appeals, and petitions from the Pope, former president Jimmy Carter, and the European Union as well as about 740,000 signatures to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the judicial system has failed to live up to the expectations of the public. ▪

Mission’s Ranking

By Kyle Qian Staff Writer

In a nation where students struggle in comparison with the rest of the world, MSJ finds itself both at the top of rankings and under scrutiny for succeeding where others couldn’t.

Last month the US News STEM Education Center released a list of the best high schools for math and science in the nation, with MSJ ranking first for open enrollment schools and tenth overall. Accompanying the list was an article written by Katy Hopkins of the U.S. News & World Report, in which the roots and consequences of MSJ’s success were examined. The article’s portrayal of MSJ was, as expected, not centered on the actual accolades, but rather on pointing out the various drawbacks of academic rigor as well as enforcing MSJ’s reputation as being a “one-trick pony.” This view of MSJ both diminishes its accomplishments in academia and presents a gross generalization of the diversity of MSJ’s student body.

This is not the first time that academic records have caught the interest of a news outlet. Back in 2007, CNN did a news segment on Anderson Cooper regarding MSJ, asking the question “Are Asians Smarter?”.

In both instances the academic performance of students was portrayed as a privilege granted in exchange for something else, either a lack of extracurricular interests or lack of cultural diversity.

MSJ has always had a somewhat unfounded reputation for being less athletic and sporty. Although this view in and of itself is not a fair measurement of the di-

staff writer supriya yelimeli

versity of the student body, it couldn’t be further from the truth. MSJ’s wrestling and swimming teams have become dominant forces in the Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL), with the latter as league champions for over 26 consecutive years.

The tennis and badminton teams have each won multiple NCS championships in the last decade. MSJ’s volleyball teams have also gained momentum, with both boy’s and girl’s teams winning the MVAL

championships in recent years. Aside from sports, students demonstrate their ability to excel in multiple fields ranging from awards in speech and debate to qualification for various National Olympiads. Furthermore, generalizing the student body of MSJ as “Asian” is an ignorant blanketed statement that fails to account for the internal diversity within each individual Asian culture.

Arguably, more damaging than giving the MSJ student body the image of being

a homogenous mass, is the media’s role in standardizing what a high school ought to be. Katy Hopkins wrote in the previously mentioned article on MSJ, “For administrators at Mission San Jose High School, the challenge isn’t about encouraging kids to enroll in AP math and science courses.

It’s getting them to take anything else.”

In 2009, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development administered a test to students all over the world measuring their scholastic proficiency. Students in the US ranked a pedestrian 30th among 65 counties on the math portion and 23rd on the science portion. At this point, what the media may call a “normal” American high school, where athletics take precedence over academics, simply doesn’t cut it anymore.

Imagine the stereotypical male high school nerd. He’s probably a cultured and sheltered boy with a curiosity and knack for science and math. People look at his outstanding test scores and think, “Man, what a freak. He probably has no life.” Everyone has their own preconceived notion of him, so that no matter what he does, people will make their assumptions based on his success in academics. The way his peers look upon him mimics the way the media portrays MSJ, in that academic success is no longer a cause for applause, but an anomaly that somehow needs to be justified. MSJ’s academic prowess, like that of a stereotypical high school nerd, ends up being not only downplayed as abnormal, but portrayed as its only defining quality. In reality, this little nerd may just be the future of America. ▪

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Opinion 7

New Start Time does not Save Time

By Jin Peng Staff Writer

If F USD was to do a school-wide poll here at MSJ on “the times students sleep”, their observations would likely show that the answer “What is a sleep?” is a statistical high. Students are no less competitive than they are tired, and it’s safe to say high expectations and aspirations come at a detrimental price in such an academically rigorous school. That’s why for the 2011-12 school year, the district has implemented a new schedule change in an effort to help offset the lack of sleep affecting many students. Instead of school beginning at 7:40 am and ending at 2:32 pm, everything has been pushed back 20 minutes to 8:00 am and 2:52 pm. Put more simply, if a student went to sleep at 12 am before the schedule change, that same student could now go to sleep at 12:20 am. Fantastic, is it not?

The good intentions of the schoolshould be appreciated, but it should also be noted that there are no significant benefits associated with this change. This is simply because there are only 24 hours in a day. By pushing back both the start and end of school, the district does us no favor as we still spend the same seven hours studying. By getting an extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning, we are essentially taking 20 minutes longer to finish school work and get to bed relative to the original schedule. Above that, the body’s circadian rhythm only finds itself adapting to the new sleep agenda, thereby eliminating any pre-existing effect the shift in bedtime may have induced.

The 17 hours of time available for us to

study and sleep stays consistent, but many students have more than just schoolwork. Countless students dedicate a solid amount of their time for extra-curricular activities, but the new agenda may pose a challenge to meet such demands. For example, the new schedule change conflicts heavily with some after-school sports, and thus athletes are required to leave their 6th period a lot earlier in order to promptly arrive at matches and games.

Sophomore Kelsey Lam says, “As a golf player, I have to miss out on a lot more class. Rescheduling matches can be very inconvenient.” In addition, a greater stress is put on parents to accommodate time issues between going to work and sending their kids to school. If one’s siblings also attend elementary or junior high, which are dismissed at different times from MSJ, organizing rides and getting picked up also proves to be a great hassle.

With change comes expectations, and these expectations may be set too high for a new system that is not working optimally. Upon catching a student dozing off, Honors Precalculus Teacher Linda Kadis said, “I thought the new schedule was supposed to prevent sleeping in class.”

Teachers, who before the schedule change may have understood the dire condition of tired students and let circumstances fly, may have less tolerance for sleepers now, even when the schedule change may have no positive effect whatsoever for students.

Studies show, Vice Principal Zack Larsen said, that high-school students tend to naturally stay up later, and therefore the extra 20 minutes gives them some additional time to sleep. “I can see nothing but positive benefits for students from

this change,” he says. The logic behind a later bedtime and thereby a later time for school to start is understandable. An analysis will be gathered at the end of the year, so until then no conclusion of the shift in time will be drawn by the district or administration.

The new schedule change may seem like an effort to help our sleep-deprived students, but in actuality it might be just rubbing salt into the wound. Students may feel refreshed shortly after the change, but as their workload builds, the new schedule pushes them to go to sleep

later, which eventually negates the extra sleep from a delayed school start time. Not only that, the new timetable undoubtedly conflicts with a parent’s schedule as well as a student’s extracurricular activities.

In the spirit of the amendment, ironic as it may seem, it’d be best to just keep the original schedule as is; getting little sleep is inevitable in such a competitive and demanding school. Ultimately, even when the intentions for such an adjustment are good, instead of benefitting students, it almost seems to add a greater burden on their already busy lives. ▪

Letter to the Editor: In response to the Editorial on the Pilot Laptop Program

To the Editors, It is true that Mission is piloting a one-toone laptop program this year. However some of the statements made in the last paper were incorrect. The laptops will be used as an enhancement to the curriculum not as the primary teaching tool. Students will not have them on and open in front of them during the entire class period. They will be able to use them to access the companion website to the textbook. This will enable them to study more effectively as well as access visuals and videos related to the curriculum.

As far as the dissections go, I have been considering virtual dissections because of cost and ethical reasons. Many students object to the dissection of cats for many reasons. I would like all students to be able to

participate in dissections and by doing a virtual dissection everyone can participate. I am also going to have a real dissection for those students who want the real experience.

Hopefully, this one-to-one laptop program will help enhance the learning experience of every student at Mission.

Sincerely, Julie Raymond Anatomy Teacher

Send letters to the editor at opinion@ thesmokesignal.org by Nov. 10, 2011.

graphics editor angie wang, newyorkwallpapers.net

By Allan Ko News Editor

On Sep. 17, 2011, about 1000 people gathered in lower Manhattan, marched up and down Wall Street, and set up camp in nearby Zuccotti Park. Vowing to “end the monied corruption of our democracy” (according to OccupyWallStreet.org), the Occupy Wall Street movement has grown vastly in numbers and press coverage in discussing the current state of US economics and politics.

The movement began in July 2011, when the Canadian magazine Adbusters called for a protest where “20,000 people flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades, and occupy Wall Street for a few months” to demand “democracy, not corporatocracy.” Calling Wall Street “the financial Gomorrah of America,” Adbusters cited the success of the Tahrir Square movement in Egypt (which led to the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak’s dictatorial regime) and called for an end to “the influence money has over our representatives in Washington.”

Occupy Wall Street has since evolved

into a widespread expression of feelings of injustice and discontent over the division of wealth, the widening gap between the rich and the poor, and the disappearing US middle class. The richest one percent of householders takes almost 25 percent of total US income, a historically unstable position that hasn’t occurred since 1929 and the Great Depression, spawning the rallying cry, “We Are the 99 Percent.”

On September 29, Occupy Wall Street released their first official statement, the “Declaration of the Occupation of New York City.” The Declaration proclaims that “a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth” and “that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.” It then goes on to list grievances, such as “They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses” and “They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.” Who specifically “They” are remains unstated.

Occupy Wall Street clearly has cause for concern, as it’s obvious that there are problems in the US political and corporate structure. However, whether or not Occupy Wall Street is actually addressing these problems is uncertain. For one, they have yet to release an official list of demands. For two, Occupy Wall Street seems mainly to be attacking nothing less than the entire financial industry of the US, which is sound as a system in itself and essential to the economy for efficiently shifting capital.

Those who misunderstand or are ignorant about the way finance works claim that the financial industry is unnecessary and serves only to leech money from taxpayers, and that the workers are all overpaid for not working very hard. Though there are some greedy people at the top of the pyramid trying to make themselves wealthier, the majority of employees in the financial system are honest, hardworking, intelligent, and deserving recipients of their salaries. This is why Wall Street firms mainly recruit from Ivy League schools and require excellent academic performance from their new hires.

Moreover, how much somebody is paid has never been dependent on how hard that person works; otherwise, garbage truck drivers, gardeners, and construction workers would probably be among the richest people in the nation. Paying somebody based on how much he works is akin to giving students higher grades for studying more.

Like any other industry, finance suffers from a slew of flawed (and sometimes illegal) practices which drove the country into this economic downturn in the first place. Occupy Wall Street’s job is to educate itself about how finance works and which specific practices are wrong, and then target these practices instead of the entire institution. The current hand-waving, unfocused cries of “hold the rich corporations accountable” and “get rid of corruption” are, though admirable on a moral level, about as effective as a whiny “that’s not fair!” from a third-grader whose older brother has a later bedtime. Occupy Wall Street is on the right track; it just needs to do its homework so it can actually make a difference. ▪

8 Feature

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Yours Truly, Your Diary

From the Comic Desk

By Vivian Jair Staff Writer

October 6 8:13 AM Alright human, I’ve had enough of you!

Dropping me by “accident” into the toilet yesterday was the last straw. I’m a fragile diary, an object—I really detest that word though—to be written in, not a rubber ducky. My other pages are still drenched and waiting for a chance to dry, so I’ll make this quick. I’ve resorted to writing on myself to try and communicate with you. It actually tickles more than it hurts, but still, you have no idea how selfdeprecating this is! Anyway, this is your last warning. Stop mistreating me, or else you’ll be sorry.

October 7 8:51 AM

I noticed that you still haven’t read the entry on the previous page. Well, I guess that’s okay, because I’ve changed my mind. Forget about giving you a warning—I’m calling it quits now! Do you have any idea how it feels to be written on, day in and day out, by ink that blackens and seeps into your skin, never to be erased? And how about being ripped apart—literally—by a sharp scratch of a pen? The only thing I’ve ever heard after those painful accidents was “oops” and occasionally an indecent word or two. Never, not once, have you considered apologizing to me. Don’t you know that diaries have feelings too?

October 9 7:56 AM

Okay, what part of “quitting” do you not understand? Why do you continue to write on me? No, thank you very much, those entries were not written by

Friday, October 28, 2011

your little brother. (I would pummel him with a paper clip if he were to even come close to me.) And who or what is a Tom Riddle? I have never even heard of him in my long life as a notebook, so how could I be his diary?

Anyway, just give me a break—a permanent one, that is. I’m sick of hearing about the chemistry labs that you’ve flunked and that new crush who you’re busy stalking. So that’s it; goodbye! I’m planning to escape, so don’t come and try to find me.

As Homecoming 2011 comes to a close, a legacy lives on.

October 12 4:30 AM

I just realized that you couldn’t have read my last entry since I ran with the page intact. Oh well. Why, in the name of Words, am I writing on myself anyway? I guess it’s since I’m officially stuck between two majorly obese books with no way out. And how did I get into such a stupid mess? Well, I tried folding myself into a paper airplane (I will never do that ever again) and attempted to soar out of the nearest window. It didn’t work very well—the window was closed—and I was rebounded back onto the nearest bookshelf, so here I am. Being stuck here is the absolute worst. I’m actually starting to miss being written on…

October 15 1:31 AM

I have been saved! Your mother (I will forever be indebted to her) found me between the two obese encyclopedias while she was cleaning and placed me back on your desk. I hate to admit this, but I guess being a diary isn’t that bad after all. Just don’t tear any more pieces of paper out, and I’ll be good. So, fail any quizzes while I was gone? Just turn the page, and—Wait. Don’t tell me…This can’t be the last page already! ▪

centerspread editor frank chen

Homecoming Around FUSD

By Rachel Choi and Kevin He Staff Writers

Washington High School’s Homecoming bonfire.

Courtesy Kevin He

Washington High School

At “The Home of the Huskies”, every class has dress-up days every day from Monday to Thursday. Some of the more popular days are Old Fart Day, Cowboy Day, and Toga Day. However, like at other schools, all students dress in the school colors, orange and black, on Friday for Unity Day. Washington’s Spirit Week revolves mainly around skits and choreographed dances. At Washington, the juniors start off the skits on Monday, followed by the sophomores, the freshmen, and then the seniors. These skits are performed in the gym, and the majority of the student body comes to watch. On Friday, the teachers themselves perform a surprise skit.

One special tradition that started last year at Washington is the unity bonfire. On Thursday night, after all the intense class competition from Monday to Thursday, students come to the amphitheatre and rally school spirit for the upcoming Unity Day.

Irvington’s superhero props.

Courtesy Kevin He

Homecoming. For MSJ students, this particular word brings back fond memories of class-bashing, whistles in the hallways, and the amphitheatre decked out in blue, yellow, black, and red, but don’t be fooled: Homecoming is different for every school.

If you think fifty-foot balloon banners, seniors dressed in togas, and a yellow brick road stretching from one end of the campus to the other is common sight around the school district, then you’re in for a surprise. Ranging from giant dioramas in the quad to dancing P.E. teachers, each school in Fremont has its very own way of showing class spirit.

Irvington Homecoming dioramas.

Courtesy Kevin He

Kennedy’s new ampitheatre.

Courtesy Kevin He

Kennedy High School Kennedy High School’s Homecoming is certain to be a momentous event this year as their newly remodeled amphitheatre is tried out. The empty amphitheatre lot, affectionately nicknamed “the pit” by the students, was until recently home to a rundown dirt slope, thanks to a drainage issue in 1987. “It wasn’t functional,” Principal Thomas Hanson said. The students and staff began fundraising in 2005 to remodel “the pit” into a school amphitheatre for class events ranging from homecoming to school rallies.

Backed by the superintendent, the empty lot is now home to a brand new, terraced, three-level concrete stadium just in time for their annual homecoming spirit week.

The lucky Seniors of Oz, Juniors in Black, and Superhero Sophomores will be the very first classes to perform since the renovations. “It’s definitely a lot better than what it used to look like,” said Senior Austin Nieve after Homecoming practice at the amphitheatre. “I can’t wait to actually use it.”

Irvington High School

The Irvington Vikings are no strangers to school spirit. Celebrating the time-old tradition of choosing class themes and decking the halls in brightly colored streamers, the Homecoming season at Irvington is much like the familiar scene at MSJHS, but these students find a new way every year to keep their spirit week fresh and exciting.

This year at Irvington, juniors are swanked out in coats and hats and fashionably geometrical seniors in dice outfits parade the halls to celebrate the board game theme for the 2012 Homecoming season. Representing Battleship and Monopoly, respectively, these spirited classes took the stage on each of their spirit days to show the rest of the school that, despite the games, Irvington isn’t planning on playing around. After all four classes were done showing off their exciting skits and airbands, the students of Irvington ended the week with a blue and white unity day, showing off their impressive Viking school spirit.

Much like the senior dress-up days at MSJ, Irvington students from each class took the stage from Monday through Thursday with humorous themes to show off their class pride. Freshmen in witch and wizard costumes, sophomores dressed up as board game pegs, slicked-back greaser juniors, and seniors showing off the latest athletic fashion trends paraded across the stage to an enthusiastic crowd of students. In addition to the color decorations blanketing the campus, spirited Irvington Vikings brightened the courtyard with an intricate array of dioramas showing off each class’s theme, known as “benchbuilding”.

This quirky tradition, once only a small part of the spirit competition, has become one of the most anticipated events of the Homecoming season. Because Irvington focuses more on decorations, it lacks the impressive airbands of MSJ, although they do still compete in dance and skit competitions.

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Feature 9

Happy Day Microfunds: William Kim

By Grace Wu Staff Writer

On Wednesday, September 8th, President Obama delivered his third annual Back-to-School speech. In his speech he mentioned Senior William Kim, and used him as an example of a student who is already making an impact in the community. Kim is the founder of Happy Day Microfunds (HDmf ), a youth-led non-profit organization that provides local, under-served teen entrepreneurs with the seed capital to start their own businesses. They hold various fundraisers to raise money for the loans. Then HDmf loan officers, high school students, recruit young entrepreneurs who are eligible to receive a loan. HDmf ’s board decides who receives the loan. After they issue the loan, HDmf helps the business develop through publicity, marketing, and website construction. The entrepreneur then returns the loans through monthly payments.

SS: What inspired you to start HDmf ?

WK: Well I didn't start off wanting to make a youth microlending organization. I just wanted to get involved in microlending, and I wanted to do something against general poverty.

These were really nebulous, naive goals, but it started morphing as I talked to friends, family, and myself (I spent a lot of time just talking to myself ). And after a while, lots of web-surfing, reading, etc. I realized there was no way for teens to actually microlend or receive microloans.

So my friends and I made Happy Day. SS: How can students get involved with HDmf ?

WK: We’re creating chapter clubs across the Bay Area, so students can get involved, including in MSJ. Basically, each chapter club is like their own little HDmf. Senior Nealay Vasavda and I are working on developing more materials for each chapter club, so stay tuned for that!

graphics editor angie wang

Smoke Signal: What are some of your personal interests?

William Kim: I ran a half-marathon recently, and I am training for a marathon in the near future. I like to read satire, Russian literature, and I like buying old books from thrift stores.

SS: Where do you see HDmf in the future?

WK: Ultimately, my vision for HDmf is to see it become a national, if not global, web platform for under-served teenage entrepreneurs to receive funding and for interested teenagers and investors to connect and act as 'investors' in their small businesses. Since it's community based, each investor will be limited to lending to people within their own area, and to getting opportunities to meet with these exciting teenage entrepreneurs and take part in their businesses.

SS: What is HDmf ?

WK: HDmf is a youth microlending organization. We're student run and student-focused.

We fundraise from the base-up. We hold fundraisers that employ students, that are for students, and are funded by students. We use the garnered funds to issue microloans to high school entrepreneurs in lower-income schools. Our loans have no interest and no collateral because we trust each entrepreneur wants to succeed just as much as we want to get repaid.

SS: Who has Happy Day Micro Funds been able to help already?

WK: We have helped an entrepeneur named Erika Simmons. She’s starting her own business called Erika’s Beads. She sells waist-beads to girls around Oakland. Huong Cheng is another student we have been able to help. Always Adamo is the t-shirt business she’s created that makes paired t-shirts for couples. These t-shirts are unique and complement each other.

SS: How do you decide who is eligible for receiving a loan?

WK: We try to verify the entrepreneurs so we ask for references from teachers or any participation in business incubators. Then we meet with each entrepreneur individually to talk to them about their business, their plan, their needed loan, and repayment periods. If we feel like they have a sustainable idea that'll work and they, as entrepreneurs, are pretty psyched about their idea, then we issue the microloan.

SS: What was your reaction when you found out that President Obama was going to mention you in his speech?

WK: My legs nearly buckled, and I was on cloud nine. Felt good! ▪

Neha Verma, Clothing Designer

By Diya Roy Editor-in-Chief

SEASON

OF TH E

While most teenagers make their sweet sixteen into a lavish celebration, Junior Neha Verma used hers to do just the opposite. Neha turned her party into a charity event which showcased her very own clothing designs, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Child Life Oncology Fund at the Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation in Oakland. The Smoke Signal sat down with Neha to learn about her motivation behind this unusual event as well as her new clothing line.

graphics editor angie wang

Smoke Signal: What was your motivation behind using your sweet sixteen as a fundraiser?

Neha Verma: I wanted to do this for my sweet sixteen because I wanted turning sixteen to be different. It all began as a simple daydream this January during Ms. Geer’s Sophomore English class. My class had learned so much about upstanders and how our choices could make a difference that I was beginning to dream of something I could do to help my community. I wanted to put my hobby to use and make a difference. I think that organizing this for my sweet 16 also represented my realization that there was so much more to life than just birthday parties and presents.

I finally realized that it really does take one person to make a difference. Also, I feel like making my birthday a fundraiser made people realize how important this fundraiser was to me, and people actually listened more to what I had to say. I really liked the fact that through this event, I would be able to celebrate my sweet sixteen and help the hospital at the same time. In other words, all my helpers, guests, and I could have fun and be heroes at the same time.

SS: Why did you choose this particular organization to donate to?

NV: I’ve heard about the Children’s Hospital and Research Center many times since I was little. I actually have a couple of friends that were patients there. But what really encouraged me to choose them as my cause was the atmosphere that they are trying to create for their little patients. When I first walked in, I felt like I was entering an after school play center for kids. Many times people don’t realize that along with medications and correct medical procedures, patients at the hospital are just kids and also need a normal childhood to recover. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that the money from the event helped at least one child feel less bored or more at home, even while they were going through the difficult process of being a pediatric oncology patient.

SS: Where did you draw inspiration for the designs featured at the charity event?

NV: I have been an avid doodler for as long as I can remember. I have been doodling designs of clothing for a long time but this charity fashion show is actually the first time I am able to professionally get the dresses made....

Even if designing turns out not to be a career, I’m sure it will never stop being one of my favorite hobbies. Seeing how much I enjoyed it already, and how much of a difference I could make, I am most definitely continuing this project. At the end of this school year I have a few plans for my website: www.luvneha.com, where people can currently only see some of the dresses that were for sale. I also have a couple of other ideas for events, but I might have to save these for summer! ▪

S M I T H

C E N T E R

P R E S E N T S !

The Ohlone College Theatre Department Presents

Servant of Two Masters A CLASSIC ITALIAN COMEDY WITH A MODERN TWIST

By CARLO GOLDINI Adapted by ODED GROSS & TRACY YOUNG Directed by DOR ATKINSON

NOV 4-5, 10 -12*, 17 - 19 8 pm Prepare for high spirits, fast-paced comedy and preposterous situations as Truffaldino, the deceptively zany servant serves two masters, four lovers and a psychotic cook, outwitting them all! As ridiculously hilarious today as he was 250 years ago.

SMITH CENTER BOX OFFICE 43600 MISSION BLVD., FREMONT

510 . 659 . 6031 CALL FOR BOX OFFICE HOURS

10-$15 Parking $2 $

*Nov. 11 ASL interpreted

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 28, 2011

Shalloween

By Kevin Zhai Graphics Editor

October is a magical month. Every year, perhaps because of the lunar cycle or global warming, adults across America lose all bearings of economic reasoning. They buy bags of processed sugar solely for the purpose of distributing it to young solicitors who roam the streets at night in what can only be described as poorly-dressed wolf packs. Ah yes, that hallowed day of October 31, otherwise known as the Slovenian civic holiday: Reformation Day, which commemorates the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther and John Calvin in the 15th century!

Also, Halloween.

However, teenagers are unwelcome at the doors of many, with objections such as, “Aren’t you a bit old for this?” and “You’re the one who saran-wrapped my car!” Not so this year, faithful reader, for The Smoke Signal reveals the trick-or-treats of the trade to get you back into the candy-collecting game. By picking the minds of Halloween-obsessed students with way too much time on their hands, we uncover costumes ideas and tactics to maximize success. So, swap your Northface for a pillow case and read on!

Costume Ideas Inception character: Wear a suit and carry around a metal suitcase. It is necessary to attach speakers to the suitcase so the Inception soundtrack plays while you walk around in slow-motion. Also, you must occasionally try to walk up walls. During school hours, teachers will accept this clever movie reference as a legitimate reason to fall asleep in class.

It is common for students to get extra participation points for getting into the spirit of Halloween. During your candy-collecting rounds, if you can convince adults that they’re really stuck in a dream, they will believe that they have infinite amounts of candy, and by the end of the night, your suitcase will be packed with goodies.

Door: Wouldn’t it be jarring to open up your door and be faced with another door?

As we all know, adults are easily fooled, and with this simple technique, you employ what is known as "reverse inverse psychology." By using real science and a couple of numbers, researchers have found that placing a door in front of another door causes a drastic decline in mental capacity and a sharp increase in gullibility in test subjects. When confronted with such a bizarre scenario, the adult's mental defenses are easily bypassed. In the event that the adult is unaffected by this tactic, mention that your door brings up the property value of the house it belongs to. Adults will instantly engage in real-estate talk and once again, will drop their defenses. For your costume, The Smoke Signal suggests a nice walnut or mahogany stock and zinc-plated hinges. A brass doorknob adds a regal touch, and a fisheye lens door viewer will allow you to judge the candy-giving potential without actually opening your door. Make sure to install a deadbolt and a "Beware of Dog" sign for added security.

Make use of the mighty mob mentality by organizing a group of friends to go trick-ortreating with. Even adults aren't immune to peer pressure and will fear being labeled as "not hip" and “un-ironic” by all the popular people in the neighborhood if they reject your group.

Try to throw in statements like, "Don't be a chicken" and "Everyone else is doing it." Your undeniable logic will win them over.

Charlie Brown: In generations past, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was a holiday classic. In this time-honored tale, our downtrodden hero Charlie receives rocks instead of candy from each house he visits. If you dress as Charlie Brown, nostalgic adults will pity you and try to right the wrongs done in your past with truckloads of confections. Or they might think you just want rocks. On Halloween, that's just a risk you'll have to be willing to take. To be honest, you don't even have to wear a costume. By simply dropping names such as the "Great Pumpkin" and "Charlie Brown," you instantly activate the nostalgia centers of the adults' brain. In this weakened sentimental state, getting candy is guaranteed. For the ambitious, brainwash the younger kids into accepting the Great Pumpkin as their true god and demand candy sacrifices.

tactics To gain access to the confections, you must first adopt the mindset of a child: selfish, whiny, and spoiled. For some of us, that's not too far of a stretch. Once you have tapped into this inner-child, you are more likely to act like one and hopefully confuse people into thinking you are one. Some of us are also blessed with short statures, making it harder to tell who is too old to be trick-or-treating. As in life, all these qualities are desirable for trick-or-treating.

Compliments go a long way. Sometimes, parents who are trying to be "hip" will give out candy to teenagers who show appreciation for their “ironic” costumes and “jokes.”

Praise their outrageous Lady Gaga outfit and promise to add them on LinkedIn and you may be walking away with full-size Twix bars. An effective supplement to this technique is to mention that Governor Jerry Brown has approved Halloween candy as tax-deductible. Adults like it when things are tax-deductible.

Graphics by Kevin Zhai

Friday October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Centerspread 11

"The freshmen gave a good effort.

I thought the crowd was pretty supportive of the freshmen.

For the most part, it was pretty clean." -Sid Kathiresan,12

fundraising 1st airband 4th deco & props 4th skit 4th overall 4th

By Jaynelle Gao & Mekala Neelakantan Staff Writer & News Editor This year’s Freshman class kicked off Homecoming week with a flood of blue and contagious spirit. Considering that this was their first Homecoming, their decorations exceeded expectations. The Class of 2015 succeeded in covering the amphitheater with a multitude of balloons, bright blue plastic wrap, and neatly-created cardboard cutouts. Although their backdrop was missing a common color scheme, the plastic banners that lined the rest of the amphitheater clearly conveyed that the freshmen were on the floor.

However, it was a shame that the freshmen experienced repeated technical difficulties, which they were not to blame for.

Throughout their skit, the speakers and microphones did not function properly, which took away from what could have been a much better performance. That being said, the freshman skit was a bit confusing on its own. While the concept of Back to the Future was an interesting one, the lack of transitions, repetitive dialogue, and convoluted plot line garnered a visible amount of disappointment from the crowd. The excessive pauses during the skit also allowed the audience to overpower the actors during parts of the performance.

But the class of 2015 did manage to incorporate the Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors into various parts of their skit, as seen by the lively response when converting the Back to the Future “spirit machine” into energy. The freshmen can also be credited for their use of clever dialogue during certain portions of the performance. One refreshingly witty line was that of “Dr. Brown”, as he spoke about the changes in cost of food and other goods between 1978 and 2011.

Overall, the freshmen airbands and singing performances fell short of their potential. Technical difficulties plagued all three vocal airbands, and while the songs did not clearly relate to the context of the skit, they did bring to-

gether all the classes to support the freshmen.

As for the airbands, three out of the four were hip-hop. In addition, all the hip-hop airbands were unnecessarily lengthy and a bit uncoordinated at certain parts. Out of the three, the one that stood out the most was the second dance organized by Samantha Lin, which contained several impressive stunts, including an airplane formation. The Chinese traditional dance performed by Stella Han brought a unique style to the performance as she twirled and danced with a Chinese teapot. However, it would have greatly benefited the freshmen if the dances had been divided into smaller, multiple performances, so as to keep the audience’s interest and seem less strenuous.

When it came to spirit, the Class of 2015 gave a massive effort, although they occasionally failed to recognize when to cheer. In addition, their volume wavered at times but as the largest class, with about a hundred more students than others, the freshmen could have easily been the loudest group if they had more energy. As the week went on, the freshmen displayed greater class unity and cheered with definitely more enthusiasm.

The freshmen gave their all this week and gained invaluable experience in the process. With three more years of Homecoming ahead of them, the Class of 2015 has a lot of potential to dominate Homecoming as sophomores next year. ▪

"The freshman airbands were really really good; the skit was good as well. I also really liked their decorations--a lot of blue.

But they have a lot to learn still, so better luck for next year!"

-Sonam Mokha, 11

photos by staff writers jade shih, grace wu, sherry xiao

12 Centerspread

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The Smoke Signal

Friday October 28, 2011

fundraising 3rd airband 2nd deco & props 3rd skit 3rd overall 2nd

“The sophomores had some pretty impressive decorations and lots of

By Sida Lu & Tanya Raja

spirit!"

Feature Editor & Staff Writer

-Lakshmi Vrittamani, 11

On Oct. 18th, the West Side Sophomores took over the amphitheater and made it their own, covering it with a sea of yellow. Especially notable was the recreation of the Brooklyn Bridge, which was both relevant to the theme and extremely well made. The backdrop was also well-prepared, with vibrant colors and appealing illustrations, and set the tone for the rest of the sophomores’ performance.

Coming into their second homecoming, the sophomores were more experienced in “noise-making” and it showed when they appropriately stood and supported their classmates on stage on multiple occasions. The skit and the airbands seemed to feed off their class’ spirit and performed with enthusiasm the audience sorely missed from the freshmen performance of the day before.

The Tae Kwon Do (TKD) airband electrified the crowd with their variety of flips and group stunts. Like the other airbands, the TKD airband incorporated every class’ color so the audience could easily distinguish figures to cheer for, which made for a more cohesive performance. Equally notable was the ballroom couples dance which was well choreographed and synchronized. The sophomores performed more difficult ballroom moves than expected, and their hard work paid off as the crowd roared its approval for their stunning flips and smooth turns. The boys dance, although a crowd pleaser, left us desiring a little more as they borrowed m a n y moves from

previous classes and lacked the synchronization of the airbands before them. Their energy and enthusiasm, however, were contagious and gave us a glimpse of what they were capable of. Summing everything up was the APDAT airband, whose high energy hip-hop choreography was synchronized and well-executed. Overall, the airbands’ hard work shone through with quality performances and clean choreography to complement the skit.

Unfortunately, the same coordination was not shared between the voiceovers and the actors, creating several awkward silences for the actors on stage.

There was also disappointment at the lack of a clear antagonist for the school to rally against, as Kennedy was completely absent from the skit. It was mostly “cutesy” with happy themes and a strong emphasis on unity led by happy-go-lucky protagonists, Tony and Maria. The execution of the skit was commendable with comprehensive voiceovers and an easy to follow plotline. Especially commendable was the incorporation of the five singing girls who serenaded Maria for Tony. As a whole, we found the skit to be safely written and enjoyable to watch.

From the decorations to the airbands to the skit, everything was well-prepared and clearly displayed the West Side Sophomores’ effort in delivering a memorable performance for their second homecoming. They will definitely be a class to be reckoned with in the future. ▪

"This was the best deco I have seen in 12 years."

-Campus Supervisor Brandi Speier

photos by staff writers vivian jair, connor williams & lindy zeng

Friday October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Centerspread 13

“There was no lack of school spirit throughout the entire performance.”

-Dustin Chiang, 9

By Maya Ramachandran & Supriya Yelimeli A&E Editor and Staff Writer Wednesday, October 19, was the beginning of the Indiana Juniors’ adventure, and the creative decorations swept the school with the power of a rolling boulder. The twine and giant 2013 hung from the rooftops added to the epic feel of the day, along with large black pyramids and the cob-web-filled cave. While some decorations were themed and creative, many others were haphazardly placed, falling off and creating a distraction during the performance.

But seeing Indiana Jones himself zip lining across the crowd added to the adventurous theme of the day and the hanging bridge near the N-Wing added just the right amount of daringv.

Lunch soon arrived and as the students began to find their places, it was obvious how spirited and excited the juniors were. The beginning of the skit was a little slow because the singing airband and the Indiana Jones theme song were stretched too long. It also took a while for the characters of the other classes to be introduced, but once it got rolling, the skit was very successful. There was great characterization and use of classes (the freshman went back in time, the senior tamed a tiger, the sophomore was from the West Side) and the plot was well-written, combining humor, unity and their theme. It was filled with witty lines such as, “There’s this new thing called gum- you should try it,” and the skit was cohesive and easily understandable. The juniors also did a very good job incorporating props into their skit, one of the most memorable being the giant boulder that rolled across the stage. While there weren’t many opportunities for the other classes to cheer during the skit, all the classes joined together at the end during the fight scene. The unity theme was subtle but effective and by the end, the Juniors had the crowd on their feet.

fundraising 4th airband 3rd deco & props 2nd skit 1st overall 3rd

Although the airbands weren’t incorporated into the skit cohesively, they were performed with passion and enthusiasm. The boys’ airband cleverly made use of props such as umbrellas and water guns during the amusing song, “It’s Raining Men.” The juniors also showed unity with their dances, featuring many students from other classes in numerous airbands. Most notable, however, was the last hip-hop performance, which had all four classes up on their feet.

While there wasn’t much variation, with most of the airbands being hip-hop and including the same people, the color guard and cheer performances added much needed diversity to the show. Despite technical difficulties, where one unity airband was cut off in the middle of a performance, the juniors persevered to produce an entertaining lunch for the whole school.

The juniors showed their class-spirit on their day, with the masses of black standing up and cheering at every occasion.

Their impressive spirit was aided by the lack of cheering opportunities for the other classes, who were forced to sit throughout the skit. In the end, however, the freshman, sophomore, and senior helped the Indiana Junior succeed in the skit, and the performance was pulled together nicely with some school unity. Overall, the day was successful and really showed how spirited the Juniors were. ▪

“I was surprised and astounded by their decorations.”

-Arash Dehdashty, 12

photos by staff writers jason chen, matt farberov

& hannah shih

14 Centerspread

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 28, 2011

fundraising 2nd airband 1st deco & props 1st skit 2nd overall 1st

“I thought it was the greatest show on Earth.”

“The variety in their airbands was what really

-Angela Gu, 9

made the seniors stand out.”

- Margaret Shen, 11

By Jonathon Teng & Anna Zeng Staff Writers On Thursday, an aura of senior excitement could be felt radiating throughout the school. A flood of red could also be seen covering the amphitheater with the circus tent and flags. Throughout the day, Seniors paraded and blared their horns throughout the school. Right before the lunch performance, the anticipation from all classes towards the Senior performance could be felt in all corners of the school.

When lunch finally came around, waves of class colors swarmed to the red and white amphitheater. The popcorn-dressed trash cans and colorful backdrop set the mood for the Cirque du Seniors performance. A wall of stars with the Seniors’ names brightened the area. Immediately, the band Reid Saw a Ghost roused the seniors with a chant “We’re Not a Sideshow!” that brought the Seniors to a deafening roar. However, the transition between the band’s performance and variety act resulted in an awkward silence, but the Senior class recovered with a lively variety performance that again pumped up the mood.

When the skit began, it seemed to take a different approach to the normal senior skit format where air bands are normally interspersed between the skit. The voiceovers were often not synchronized but the captivating acting, especially by the Kennedy Joker, wiped confusion away. As the skit progressed, subtle references to the previous themes of the Class of 2012 occasionally confused the audience, but the the themes of the Kung Fu Panda, Oz, and Grease showed through.

However, the addition of the Taekwondo and Ballet act definitely impressed and gave slight respites from the skit.

When the circus show began, the duet rendition of Britney Spears’s “Circus” with the beat-boxer brought everyone to their feet.

Then, the baton twirler’s solo act resulted in a standing ovation from the entire audience. Coming off the high of the performance, Senior air bands continued to succeed in giving impressive performances. The seemingly random transition with a crowd of Seniors running across the stage turned out to be a cleverly executed transition to the boys break-dancing air-band.

The traditional Ball Room Dance had several places where the synchronization was not on par, but a strong return with the Ballet air band quickly made up for it. The wide variety of dances, ranging from hula dancing to hip hop and ballet and everything in between, completely wowed the audience. The traditional boy’s booty dance of the Class of 2012 rose to the high standard of previous years, though it was notably less provocative due to new restrictions. The air bands completely stole the show and earned an entire school’s applause.

The spirit and support of the Seniors equaled that of previous years. The Seniors delivered a beautiful finale to Homecoming and left their mark on the school. ▪

photos by staff writers rachel choi, tanya raja & anusha rijhsinghani

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Photo 15

!

R E H T E TOG

MSJ

SPIRIT photos by staff writers kevin he, anjali kanthilal, avery kruger, & hannah shih

Photo 16

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 28, 2011

Professor Michele Elam & Kavita Jain, 12

PHOTOESSAY

Kavita Jain, 12, of Amnesty International invited Stanford English professor Michele Elam to MSJ for a presentation on multicultural identity on Oct. 19, 2011. Professors from UC Berkeley and Stanford gave talks at MSJ as part of the club’s speaker series this fall.

The lecture went into detail about how society personifies biracial people as different races depending on the situation. At the same time, scientists believe having biracial people is a positive thing, due to recessive genes being eliminated, and studies showing those who are multiple races are seen as more beautiful than those who are one race.

Elam brought up the subject of racism, using Dave Chapelle as a classic example of people amplifying stereotypes in order to lampoon them. Elam stated that the biggest problem is that racism is social. It’s marketed, making the social and economic outcomes dependent on race, making equity difficult.

photos by staff writer brandon fuhs, written by graphics editor kevin zhai

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Horrorscopes

Feature 17

By Kerrie Wu Staff Writer

Aquarius ( January 20-February 18) Your life will become very hectic in the next week. You will try very hard to relax until you realize your efforts are fruitless. Instead, stop and smell a flower. The flower will release pollen in your face and your sneeze disturbs a nearby beehive, earning you a few very miserable days off.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today the person that you always see around school will make awkward eye contact with you. When you look away, the person will just keep staring. This will not be the start of a love story. It will just be awkward.

That is all.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Before setting a new goal for today, remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins either with a single step or sometimes an airplane. The former takes forever and the latter is expensive. It is wiser to stay in the same place. The best action is no action. Do nothing today.

Cancer ( June 21-July 22) The alignment of the stars shows that one of your friends needs to grow up. To speed up this long and difficult process, dump trash on him and make sure to chuck lots of fruit at him. A little fertilizer makes everything grow faster.

Aries (March 21-April 19) You will develop a strange affinity for watching toilets flush. While you waste time flushing the toilet, you will sympathize with the toilet water because your life is also going to waste. To give your life a new direction, bring your toilet to Brazil and watch your life continue down the drain, but in the opposite direction.

Leo ( July 23-August 22) Your life has been amazing recently. You’ve even discovered a magical way to lose weight quickly by making a quick visit to the bathroom. However, what goes around comes around, so beware of seagulls that try to lose weight on top of you.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is not your lucky day. The moment your crush finally notices you the ground will suddenly move, making you trip and fall flat on your face. You will find that Tumblr is down when you try to rant about this. Your biggest enemy will be toilet paper, which will conspire to disappear from every bathroom stall you enter but stick to your shoes when you leave.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your efforts to seem like you have a social life will not be rewarded. You will be stuck awkwardly outside your circle of friends at lunch, and when you message people online they will go offline immediately. When you complain about not having a social life on Facebook they will all return to comment about how they are lonely too.

ASB Reforms Club System

By Sherry Xiao Staff Writer

This school year, ASB introduced a series of reforms to the club system. ASB Vice President Allison Tong and former ASB Vice President Theresa Liu began brainstorming the reforms last March to emphasize quality over quantity of MSJ’s clubs. This was in response to a surge of new clubs which caused the school to run out of bank accounts.

In the past, students looking to start new clubs were required to write a club constitution, fill out a petition with 100 signatures, and then pitch the idea for their club at student council. The club was passed if the majority of participants at council voted for the club. Under the new system, clubs are required to write a constitution, collect 200 signatures, get the approval of the ASB officers, and then present at council. After they turn in their paperwork, clubs are put on a waiting list to meet with the ASB officers. The officers have meetings with a maximum of five prospective clubs on the first Monday of every month where they review the clubs’ constitutions and ask the clubs any questions that they have. The questions asked are meant to prepare clubs for questions asked in council. In the past, questions at council have covered everything from officer election procedures to club membership fees. If the officers feel that the club is ready to present at council, the club is given a week to revise its constitution to include the discussed changes and then given a date to present and be voted on.

If the officers feel the club is not ready, they will meet with the club the following month after the club reevaluates its constitution. Tong says, “This system isn’t meant to turn people away from starting a club, but rather to help prepare them to present at council.” Another new rule

requires that at least one of a prospective club’s officers is a junior or younger. This rule is intended to ensure the clubs’ longevity and survival.

The new reforms affect the school’s 70 existing clubs as well. To make sure clubs are active throughout the year, this year’s Leadership 2 (L2) students are each assigned two clubs whose meetings they must attend and report on at least once each semester. A strike system has taken the place of the former system where clubs were fined directly for offenses such as not attending council or not cleaning up at events. Clubs receive a strike for every offense they commit and if a club reaches eight strikes, the matter is presented at council where participants vote to either fine the club $150 or dissolve the club. The ASB officers and Activities Director Ben Brezeale have written a new set of rules, referred to as bylaws, which clubs are required to sign and comply to.

Most of the bylaws outline rules that existed before, but were debated, unwritten, unenforced, or unclear. The bylaws include rules requiring clubs to attend student council and turn in fundraiser forms, among others.

Tong offered to meet with clubs to discuss any objections they might have to the bylaws, but none of the clubs responded to her offer. Tong says, “I know it seems like we’re being… more strict this year, but we’re really just trying to connect clubs with ASB and improve the communication between everyone. Since clubs are affiliated with our school, we hope that they try to serve the school and the student body to the best of their abilities.” ▪

Libra (September 23-October 22)

You’ve recently been winning your war against math homework, but soon unexplainable forces will cause the tables to turn, so your homework will multiply. Sit on your table to keep it from moving and stay on top of your homework.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Bad luck is inevitable today. Cracks will form where you step and black umbrellas will open over you while you are concentrating on your classwork. Take advantage of this phenomenon and bring mom ice for her back while enjoying the shade.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Your two best friends will get into a fight today, and they will make you decide who is right. Anything you say will only feed the fire. The solution to this problem is to ditch your friends, go to a farm, and feed a cow. The farmer might not pay you for making his cow happy, but happy cows do make better milk!

Capricorn (December 22-January 20)

Changing your purpose in life will make you happier. Instead of trying to exercise more, resolve to grow your hair. Save water by skipping showers, and you will discover that you have a pleasant natural fragrance.

http://www.iamshotaro.com

Connor Williams, Eagle Scout

By Avery Kruger Staff Writer

Senior Connor Williams recently created a new trophy case for the swimming and water polo teams for his Boy Scout Eagle Project. The Smoke Signal got a chance to speak with Connor about what it took to get such a piece in place.

Smoke Signal: Why did you choose to make a trophy case of all things?

Connor Williams: Well, I knew that I wanted to do something for the school, so I talked to Athletic Director Tom Thomsen and Principal Sandy Prairie to ask if there was anything I could do.

SS: What did you need to do to prepare for the project?

CW: Altogether, I had to get five signatures on my project plan; one from Thomsen, Prairie, my Boy Scout troop Scoutmaster, the troop council and a representative from the Boy Scout district I belong to.

SS: The project must’ve taken a lot of materials. How did you obtain it all?

CW: I managed to get donations from some hardware stores like McIvor’s and TAP Plastics, and MSJ Boosters helped out with a grant to pay for some of the wood.

SS: Tell us more about the trophy case itself.

CW: It’s about eight feet tall, six feet wide and two feet deep, standing on a concrete base poured by hand! It weighs over a thousand pounds altogether. Two boards will serve as record boards for the swim teams, and the floor will hold all the trophies.

SS: Did you build it at school?

CW: We actually built the trophy case in my garage and then brought it over with a truck. We did have to pour the concrete and screw it into the base at school though.

SS: How long did it take to build?

CW: The planning process took a lot

staff writer alekya rajanala

longer, but the case was actually built and installed over the course of a few weekends. After it was finished, we totaled over 250 man-hours working on it.

SS: Did you encounter any difficulties over the course of your project?

CW: Only a few. When we were bringing the case to school, we accidentally drove in the wrong way! Other than that, we discovered that there was a French drain where our concrete base was supposed to be, so we modififed the project to account for this.

SS: Can you tell us why the entire thing is white?

CW: Well, the paint keeps the case waterproof, but eventually something more interesting will be painted on it by the swim team.

SS: Can we expect to see any records or trophies in the case any time soon?

CW: Water polo has already placed some trophies inside, but I’m sure we’ll have many more by the end of the year. ▪

18 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Throwback: TV Style

Friday, October 28, 2011

By Alice Zalan Centerspread Editor

The shows of the 90s were definitely unique, amusing, and honestly flat out funny. They broke viewers’ hearts, and had them coming to their feet, lashing out in anger, and rolling on the floor laughing. Our generation will still return to them in twenty years to enjoy them as much as we did in previous years. Check out this list of some of the best comedy shows from the 90s.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Home Improvement (1989-99)

sitcomonline.com

Sister, Sister (1994-99)

A show that aired on ABC Family, Sister, Sister was about twin sisters Tia Landry and Tamara Campbell (Tia and Tamera Mowry) who were separated at birth. One day they meet at a shopping mall, along with their respective step-parents, Ray Campbell (Tim Reid) and Lisa Landry ( Jackée Harry), who then decided to live together so they can raise the two girls as real sisters. The show features heartbreaking moments, such as when Ray and Lisa are about to split the girls apart and hilarious moments, usually in the form of their neighbor Roger Evans (Marques Houston), a silly boy trying to vie for both of their love, even when he could not tell them apart. This was one of the longer running Disney Channel shows and one of the most memorable. Many students grew up with Tia and Tamara and rejoiced in their victories alongside them.

What do you get when you put a loving father, a continually worried mother, a kooky co-host, an extremely odd neighbor, and three rambunctious children together? Home Improvement is the result of this eclectic combination and every episode is new and inspiring. Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) is the co-host of the show-within-a-show Tool Time along with Al (Richard Karn).

Tim spends his free time repairing cars and avoiding his wife’s requests to fix other objects. The family is certainly not dysfunctional, but all family members do experience their share of problems, allowing them to relate to everyday people. Viewers grow up along with the characters, as the children experience various stages of adolescence and encounter teenage problems. Home Improvement, ranked the fifth best show on TV is a family-friendly show in its final season, is enjoyable for audiences of all ages.

homeimprovement.com

(1990-96)

The Nanny (1993-99)

thenanny.com

At first, the most noticeable aspect of The Nanny is Fran Fine’s (Fran Drescher) raspy, nasally, and hilariously loud voice. In the pilot episode, Fran has just been dumped by her boyfriend and is out selling makeup door-to-door when she stumbles upon the Sheffield residence. There she is hired as the nanny and comes to be loved by Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) and his three children—Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie—along with the sassy, witty butler Niles and Maxwell’s bitterly resentful business partner C.C. The show plays upon the premise of comedic fun and shows the characters constantly in a state of worry. Fran falls for Maxwell and can soon be found resorting to very comical methods of getting him to fall in love with her in return. Unfortunately for Fran, she faces the double dilemma of fighting against C.C. for Maxwell and of stopping her mother from setting up arranged marriages with proper Jewish men. With Fran in the house, the Sheffield household is in a state of perpetual craziness, but at the same time creates a calming effect for viewers, as they are able to connect very well to the charming, bubbly persona of Fran.

In this show, Will Smith stars as Will, a teenage boy sent from his familiar Philadelphia home to his wealthy relatives in Bel-Air. His mother wants him to experience a more stable life and learn proper manners and behaviors. Will changes the family balance of the home—the father Philip Banks ( James Avery), the mother Aunt Vivian ( Janet Hubert-Whitten and Daphne Maxwell Reid), cousins Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro), Hilary (Karyn Parsons), and Ashley (Tatyana Ali), and the butler Geoffrey ( Joseph Marcell) —by introducing silliness, discontent, and his streetwise sense. The family eventually becomes accustomed to Will’s presence, but he has to remind them on a daily basis that money is not everything in life. We see the family struggle though many situations but they come out fine, learning new lessons. ▪

imdb.com

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Fairly Normal ‘Activity’

Arts & Entertainment 19

Bold play from Coldplay

moviespad.com

By Sonali Toppur Staff Writer

Mysterious paranormal occurrences appear again in Paranormal Activity 3, delivering a healthy dose of scares. The first two films in the series detailed the possession of sisters Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Kristi ( Jessica Tyler Brown), while the third goes back to their childhood to supposedly explain the origins of the hauntings.

This prequel follows the formula of its predecessors with a few new twists. When strange events start to occur, the mother’s boyfriend sets up cameras all over the house to try and determine the cause of these happenings. The entire film is made up of “found footage” from his cameras. The spirit slowly starts to make its presence in the house known, leading to more and more dramatics as it refuses to be ignored.

While the film definitely has a couple of good scares, it lacks coherency and suffers from some major plot holes. The point of going back to when the hauntings began was to reveal the reasons for the “paranormal activity” in the first place. There is brief mention of some historical evidence of the hauntings,

references to a symbol with some uncertain meaning, and beginnings of a backstory, which never fully manifests itself. Viewers will likely walk away puzzled as to what just happened, but too shaken up to really care.

However, from a thrill perspective alone, Paranormal Activity 3 certainly does what the series does best: scare its viewers. The long periods of waiting time build up to extremely effective scares, and the directors introduce a new angle with a panning camera. The creative placement of the camera on an oscillating fan allows things to happen off screen in short periods of time, and engages the viewer by constantly keeping them looking for what has changed since the last view of the room.

Overall the film feels like a bit of a repeat of the last two, but it still manages to hold on to the feeling of being “real.” What makes this trilogy so effective is that instead of gore and extreme violence, it plays off the inherent fears common to most people like fear of the dark and of the unknown. Of course there is the messy plot leaving you with more questions than answers, but knowing the franchise, they are probably just saving up that material for Paranormal Activity 4. ▪ Rating: B

‘Ides’ Marches to an A

collider.com

By Kenny Jacoby Staff Writer

The Ides of March, literally translated as “the fifteenth of March,” was the day Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated. Ever since Shakespeare published the play Julius Caesar, the Ides of March has marked a fateful epoch characterized by pitfalls, and foreshadowing a day of reckoning—hence the saying, “Beware the Ides of March.” The recently released film The Ides of March, directed

by George Clooney, tells of the dirty games played in politics--a fateful story indeed.

The film takes place in Ohio, as two Democratic Party presidential candidates compete to win the votes of just a few more states before one candidate is chosen to move on to the final presidential election. Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling) is the press secretary for the presidential campaign of Governor

Mike Morris (Clooney). Morris is an icon to the people—he says all the right things and makes all the right impressions. Thus, Myers has made it his personal frontier to ensure Morris gets elected into office, for he believes that Morris is truly the man America deserves as a leader. However, all the hype and promise for Morris as perceived by Myers changes quickly when he receives catastrophic news about the presidential candidate. An arising political scandal causes a domino effect of potentially detrimental events, putting Morris’ entire reputation and campaign, as well as Myers’ career, in jeopardy.

This movie is a chain reaction of thrilling, and at times horrifying episodes. It showcases one disastrous affair after another and truly keeps the audience guessing throughout the film. The actors’ performances are impeccable, particularly by Clooney, who conveys a wide range of emotions even while his character constantly makes efforts to hide them from the public eye. Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman—who plays Morris’s campaign manager—complement each other perfectly, as the duo continuously and synchronously flip-flop between angel and demon.

The plot of the movie is riveting; however, most impressive is what the film provokes in the minds of viewers. Viewers are left to ponder the scary reality of how much we really know about what goes on behind the scenes of the government, and how much of what we should know about the leaders of our country just gets swept under the rug. Moreover, the film provides evidence and basis for the answering of the age-old question: Does the end justify the means? ▪ Rating: A-

coldplay.com

By Ditha Balaji Staff Writer

Coldplay is back. With the release of their fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto, the band does not disappoint with an innovative, eclectic, collection of songs, each holding a unique vibe, not heard in any of their other albums.

Pulling in inspiration from “old school American Graffiti”, the HBO television show “The Wire”, and “the White Rose movement” among others, the album is less-dominated by strong beats and hooks, but more acoustic, mellow, and techno. With Chris Martin as the lead singer, Guy Berrymen on bass, Jonny Buckland on lead guitar, and Will Champion on drums, the musical group is one of the most successful alternative rock bands of the past decade.

Chris Martin says the album, Mylo Xyloto, depicts a love story between Mylo and Xyloto. The first single from the album “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” became an instant radio hit with its addictive melody and smooth hooks. “Major Minus” and “Moving to Mars” are both similar in their musical style, relying

heavily on acoustical guitar and techno beats, as with “Us Against the World” which has a bit more percussion but still possesses the melodic undertone the band is known for. “Princess of China”, featuring Rihanna, represents the new age of Coldplay with a more indie style. “Charlie Brown” tells of how Mylo and Xyloto meet through “The Lost Boys” on an upbeat, piano-heavy stage., while “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” has sort of a jungle feel with its rhythmic percussion intro.

The album, overall, is simply spectacular, It shows a fresh side of the English rock band, with more emphasis on techno and rhythmic beats, and less on their original lyrical feel.

Some may not enjoy the album since it strays away from the mood shown in other albums such as Parachutes and X&Y. However, it hits exactly where the alternative scene is at, having more cadence and muddled lyrics. This album will definitely attract new listeners as well as please loyal fans of Coldplay. Mylo Xyloto commands a perfect amount of attention, with it being a “concept” album, to make a triumphant success. ▪ Rating: A

Under the Radar: Das Racist

mtv.com

By Anthony Chen Opinion Editor

Das Racist is an indie rap group from Brooklyn consisting of Himanshu Suri, aka Heems, and Victor Vazquez, aka Kool A.D. When in concert the group also includes Ashok Kondabolu, aka Dap, as its hype man.

Das Racist’s music is highly controversial, having been described as everything from trashy joke rap to hipster hop-hop; they describe themselves as a “weed edge/Hare Krishna hard core/art rap/freak folk music trio.” Often incorporating humor, obscure references, and unorthodox rapping styles, it’s no wonder that people have divided opinions.

Das Racist rose to fame in 2008 on the Internet with its incredibly annoying song “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,” which led to labels of “joke rap.” In 2010, however, Das Racist showed its true rapping skills and intelligent lyrics with the release of

two mixtapes, Shut Up, Dude and Sit Down, Man, which received a 7.8 and an 8.7 (out of 10) respectively on Pitchfork, an Internet webzine based on music commentary. Several tracks– on these mixtapes were produced by superstars such as Boi-1da, Diplo, Scoop DeVille, and Devo Springsteen. Spin Magazine would later pick Das Racist as one of 50 featured acts at the 2010 SXSW Music Festival, and Rolling Stone placed the song “hahahaha jk?” as one of 2010’s 50 best singles. Das Racist recently released its first studio album, Relax, on September 13.

The level of references in their songs is absolutely astonishing and serves to show the lyrical intricacy that Das Racist is capable of. For example, some references in the song “Rainbow in the Dark” include White Castle, the TV show “Saved by the Bell,” an SNL skit on Bill Clinton, cave-aged cheese, Rockport shoes, the band Neutral Milk Hotel, the film Good Fellas, Lockheed Martin, Guantanamo Bay, 90’s culture and clothing, modern fashion, racism, earlier Das Racist tracks, philosophical questions, and old school rappers and lyrics. And that’s just one song.

Das Racist is often known to critique US society and government, such as the lines from their song “You Can Sell Anything”: “Ey yo the government is lies, son/United States are Google, Verizon/They all spies son, I’m Pisces, risin’/And you ain’t Hoover, you suck like James Dyson.”

Clever lyricists with worldly minds and hipster style, Das Racist will be sure to impress with their intelligent rap. ▪ Rating: A

20 Arts & Entertainment

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 28, 2011

By Tanya Raja & Alekya Rajanala Staff Writer & A&E Editor

To help Harry Potter fans around the world experience some of the joy of the magical world, J.K. Rowling has announced the release of a new interactive website called Pottermore. The website will open to the public on November 1, but the Smoke Signal provides you with an insider’s look at some of Pottermore’s features.

Shopping in Diagon Alley: After receiving your acceptance letter, you are also given a list of school supplies, which can only be found in Diagon Alley. Your first visit is to Gringotts, the wizarding bank, to withdraw Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts from your account. Practically all of the shops mentioned in the series are portrayed: from Flourish and Botts, where you can buy your textbooks, to the Apothecary, which sells Potions ingredients, and even Eeylops Owl Emporium, where you can buy a pet to accompany you to Hogwarts.

Background Stories: Rowling has provided background information, scattered throughout the chapters, on some characters in the series. By exploring a little, you can collect significant pieces of information about characters like Minerva McGonagall, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and Professor Quirrell.

This information is sometimes accompanied with Rowling’s thoughts on the character, as in the case of Nicolas Flamel. These engrossing bits of background knowledge are enough to leave any Harry Potter fan satisfied.

Wand Selection: The next item on the agenda is selecting a wand, or, according to Mr. Ollivander, letting a wand select you. Similar to the sorting process, wand picking presents a series of questions to supply you with a suitable wand. Unlike the questions that determine which house you belong to, these place a greater emphasis upon physical features than personality. Perhaps the most interesting part of the entire process is the in-depth analysis that J.K. Rowling provides for each type of wand. After reading the analysis for your wand, you, along with Harry, are off to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express.

Dueling/Spells: If you have finished exploring all the chapters, you can improve your spell-casting skills by practicing spells such as Wingardium Leviosa or Incendio. Once you feel that your spells are impeccable, you can participate in wizard duels with other Pottermore members to earn house points. The spells do take significant practice to master; however, so it will be some time before you will be able to win duels against more experienced Pottermore members.

The Sorting Hat: Chapter Seven brings a milestone of the Pottermore site, also one of the most awaited parts of the site itself: the Sorting Hat. Fans answer several personal questions in order for the Sorting Hat to place you into one of the four Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. The questions ask about your personality, likes, dislikes, etc. Upon being Sorted into your House, you receive an introduction to your House and can begin to earn House Points.

Potions: If you are in search of opportunities to earn house points, you can try to brew a Forgetfullness Potion or a Sleeping Draught to gain some points. Once you have bought the necessary ingredients from Diagon Alley’s Apothecary, you can brew potions according to the instructions provided. Successfully created potions, aside from earning you points, can also be gifted to your friends. Follow the directions carefully, because incorrectly brewed potions result in a loss of house points. ▪

pottermore.com, warnerbros.com, universalstudiosorlando.com

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

Arts & Entertainment 21

www.thesmokesignal.org

halloween horror hits The original 1978 version of Halloween is a classic thriller, complete with a psychotic murderer and three helpless teenage girls fighting against him on the eerie night of Halloween. The movie begins with a flashback to the Halloween night of 1963, where a masked figure creeps up the stairs and into the room of a girl getting ready for bed.

After repeatedly stabbing her with a knife, the figure quickly makes its way back down, only to be greeted by the parents, who remove the mask to reveal the identity of the killer: the girl’s six-year-old brother, and their son, Michael. When this institutionalized murderer escapes on a mindless rampage fifteen years later, Laurie, Linda, and Annie are forced to fight for their lives on their scariest Halloween night yet.

With Michael subtly appearing in corners of the screen and then disappearing into thin air whilst stalking his victims, the movie successfully creates a spine-chilling atmosphere that will leave its viewers jumping at the sound of footsteps for the entire week.

1..The RING (2002)

By Anusha Rijhsinghani Staff Writer

5. halloween (1978))

3..The EXORCIST (1973)

4..The Silence of the Lambs (1991) An Academy Award-winning movie, The Silence of the Lambs is a dark, psychological thriller centered around the story of FBI trainee Clarice, who is selected to help pursue a serial killer named Buffalo Bill. In order to profile him, Clarice is told to acquire the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, more infamously known as “Hannibal the Cannibal,” a brilliant psychiatrist as well as a violent psychopath. Through the chilling journey of this movie, Clarice and Hannibal develop a twisted and complicated relationship that allows them to work together, although through unconventional means. The riveting plot-line combined with the legendary acting of Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster creates a must-see horror film that will leave its audience’s hearts pounding even after the credits roll.

Winchester Mystery House www.winchestermysteryhouse.com At first, we were skeptical about whether the overly-commercialized Winchester Mystery House “Fright Nights” would actually be scary.

We walked up to the front counter ready to buy our tickets and go into the house, but the lady at the front desk rudely informed us that we had to make a reservation. After she threw us some dirty looks and rude comments, she gave us tickets to the Haunted Maze, an attraction outside the actual house.

A combination of the spooky decorations, creepy props, and unrelenting zombies kept us on our toes. From the minute you enter the maze, people with masks and terrifying costumes pop out of nowhere and chase the wits out of you. The maze, a combination of sets both outdoors and indoors, was also worth the money because it took a fair amount of time.

Even after the maze, we remained entertained. As we were walking to the restrooms, a magician by the name of Mr. Miraculous stopped us and pulled out a deck of cards. After he read our minds, correctly guessed our favorite colors, and repaired a torn card right before our eyes with no hands, we were convinced that he was a real magician.

Whether you want to trek the haunted maze, or be mindblown by a magician, Winchester has something for everyone.

Based on the last-known Catholic-sanctioned exorcism in the US, The Exorcist tells the story of Regan, a young girl who is believed to be possessed by the Devil. In an effort to save her, the priest and Regan undergo several horrors as he attempts to perform an exorcism on her. Linhda Blair’s incredible acting really brings Regan’s role to life, allowing the audience to feel fear and sympathy for her as she undergoes drastic physical and behavioral changes. Complete with grotesque special effects and disturbing images, the movie creates the eerie and suspenseful atmosphere of a classic horror film, leaving its viewers with clear flashbacks every time they close their eyes. It’s an unforgettable horror film that will get under your skin…and stay there.

2..The BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) “In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.” Commencing the movie with this ominous pronouncement, The Blair Witch Project is presented as a documentary about three college filmmakers who enter the world of witchcraft. After finding themselves lost in the woods, the kids have several encounters with someone whom they believe to be the Blair Witch, and the audience witnesses their journey up to the terrifying last moments. There are several blank scenes in which the audience is forced to rely solely on audio and must allow their imaginations to piece together the story.

This draws the viewers into the experience, as what their minds conjure is always more horrifying than what filmmakers can put on the screen. This classic, must-see horror movie is comparable to witnessing a living nightmare and will conjure up several new ones in its viewers’ nights to follow.

One hour and forty-nine minutes of bloodcurdling, suspenseful horror, the story of The Ring revolves around a video tape of grainy and disturbing images that causes its viewers to die within exactly seven days of watching it. Rachel Keller, a journalist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, hears about this video tape and decides to investigate, acquiring help from her exhusband Noah. Successfully enveloping the audience in a disturbing experience, The Ring sets up an atmosphere of creepiness throughout the journey of Rachel and Noah in discovering the true meaning of the tape. Strange shadows, dark nightmares, and terrifying visuals constantly surround the viewer as the movie jumps between horror and suspense. This rollercoaster of terror will have its audience biting their nails and grinding their teeth throughout the entire movie. ▪

halloweenthemovie.com, thesilenceofthelambs.com, thering.com, impawards.com, blairwitch.com

Haunted Hangouts

By Maya Ramachandran & Sanjna Shukla A&E Editor & Sports Editor

Pirates of Emerson

www.piratesofemerson.com

Candlelighters Ghost House www.candlelighters.com From the outside, this nineteenthcentury Chadbourne Carriage house doesn’t seem very frightening. We entered through the midway, with temporary booths for face painting, beanbag-tosses, and other homey activities.

We continued on to the main attraction, the Haunted Hotel. Before entering, we had a choice of two lines: the Scary Line and the Good Fairy Tour. In the latter, younger children (or people who don’t want to be scared) are led through the hotel by a good fairy, who wards off evil with her magic wand and flashlight. We decided to brave the Scary Line and the horrors of the hotel.

The decorations felt authentic, with the natural creepy sense of being inside a real place, not a fabrication. The interior is a series Halloween displays behind chicken wire, giving the hotel a feel of a sinister museum. Each display hides a monster, eager to jump out and deliver a scare.

The walk-through finishes very quickly, but the result is not bad. The Candle Lighters is an all-volunteer womans organization that raises money for community projects, and the entire experience gives the feeling of a neighborhood Halloween haunt. This is definitely the place to bring your little siblings for some clean, slightly scary, Halloween fun.

Notorious for being one of the scariest haunted houses in the Bay Area, Pirates of Emerson didn’t let us down. The tickets cost $20, and you can trust that Jackson will be well spent.

If you scare easily, make sure to go in a big group. The scares are very well planned, as a man with a chain saw will chase you straight into a room where someone else with an axe is ready. When you’re walking around, beware of pirates who come up behind you to scare you. Make sure to alternate who’s in the back of the group!

There are a total of six attractions, five houses and a maze. Unfortunately, the wait for each house is about fifteen to twenty minutes, so make sure you plan your night accordingly. Each of the six attractions is filled with plenty of scares, but the Asylum would be our top choice.

Even though the pros definitely overshadow the cons, there are a few negatives to watch out for. For example, parking takes forever. You might want to have someone park as you wait in line to get tickets to save time. Also, wear comfortable shoes. Although it’s pretty comical when someone trips over a rock on one of the unpaved walkways, it can be painful. ▪

winchestermysteryhouse.com, piratesofemerson.com, candlelighters.com

22 Sports

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

By Omar El-Sadany & Sanjna Shukla Sports Editors

Al Davis: Manager, owner, and mentor “Just win, baby.” Following the death of Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis, these words resonate in the hearts of Raiders players and fans. No matter how many people disliked Davis’ blatant disregard of authority, it’s undeniable that he will remain a legend not only in the Raiders franchise, but in the entire NFL. Davis first joined the Raiders organization in 1962. Only 33 years old at the time, Davis was the youngest person in NFL history to assume the positions of both head coach and general manager. Despite his relative inexperience, only having served as an offensive line coach for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers for two years, and before that the offensive line coach for the University of Southern California, Davis achieved massive success in his three seasons as Oakland head coach, winning the AFL Coach of the year in 1963, and maintaining a 2316-3 record, as opposed to the abysmal 9-23 that the Raiders had achieved in the years before Davis’s appointment. His youthful exuberance, slicked back hair, and aggressive offensive “vertical game” strategy breathed life back into a stagnant organization, and drew attention to the fiery and competitive coach.

Consequently, by April 1966, Davis’s stock had soared, elevating him to the position of AFL commissioner. At the time, the AFL had faced fierce competition from the widely popular NFL. Davis conducted a vicious campaign against the NFL, recruiting many of the league’s top players and coaches to the AFL. Little did he know, however, that AFL owners were simultaneously negotiating with the NFL, and by July, the two leagues announced their merger behind Da-

pyleoflist.com

Al Davis served at the helm of the Raiders organization for almost five decades.

vis’s back, an agreement that he was firmly against. By late July, Davis had resigned from his post only months after his appointment.

Following his resignation, Davis formed A.D. Football Inc. and returned to the Raiders as one of three general partners, as well as head of football operations. By 1972, Davis acquired almost complete control over the team as the sole general partner and manager. In 1992, Davis was elected to the football Hall of Fame, the foremost honor anyone involved in the game could hope to achieve. His recognition was a testament to his establishment of the Raiders as one of the most successful franchises in sports; in fact from 1967, Davis’s first season, to 1985, the team won one AFL title, 13 division titles, and three Super Bowls.

Davis was influential both on and off the field. In 1963, the Hall of Fame owner refused to let his team play a preseason game in Alabama in protest of the state’s segregation laws. He was adamant that the team would not play in any state or city that practiced racial discrimination. At the forefront of the movement for equality in sports, Davis was the first NFL owner to hire an African American head coach and a female executive.

No stranger to controversy, Davis spent

a great deal of his time off the field in the courtroom. When the league blocked his team’s move to Los Angeles in 1980, he sued the NFL in an antitrust case, and by 1982, a federal court ruled in Davis’s favor and the team moved to Los Angeles for the season. When the team moved back to Oakland in 1995, Davis again sued the NFL, claiming that the league had sabotaged his efforts to build a new stadium in Hollywood Park. While the court eventually ruled in the NFL’s favor, the case was not thrown out till 2007, a testament to Davis’s tenacity and refusal to compromise what he thought was right.

Davis’s stubbornness also carried over to his duties with the Raiders. From trading quarterback Ken Stabler, who had led the team to a Super Bowl, to benching and later releasing Super Bowl XVIII MVP Marcus Allen because “He was a cancer on the team”, Davis made exceptions for no one.

The longest serving general manager at the time of his death, Davis refused to resign or even soften his influence on the team’s operations, even as he aged and his team increased in mediocrity. In 2007, even when his team finished with the worst record in the league, Davis refused to abandon his winning mentality, claiming that he would not retire until he won two more Super Bowls or death overtook him.

To the media and most of the world, the owner seemed like a hotbed of controversy that refused to accept reason, but the Raiders family knew there was a lot more behind his big personality. He was passionate about what he did, and among his family and colleagues, he was the most loyal of friends.

When his wife was relocated to a hospital after suffering from a heart attack, he moved in with her, staying in the hospital for almost a month. His compassion to others extended to even distant acquaintances: Once

Friday, October 28, 2011

a Raider, always a Raider.

In 1963, Al Davis established the silver and black pirate logo and this icon has represented the Raiders for nearly five decades.

And in a way, it is fitting that the man who created a symbol of rebellion for his team answered to no one. In his interactions with the league, in the manner with which he carried himself, in his hardnosed persistence, Al Davis was first and foremost a Raider. While his accomplishments on the field speak for themselves, it was Al Davis’s commitment to living his life the way he saw fit, that has enshrined him in our hearts forever. John Madden put it best when he said, “You don’t replace a guy like that. No way. No damn way. You look at the things he’s done that no one ever did before, being a scout, assistant coach, coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner and owner.” ▪

deseretnews.com

A Raiders fan pays his respects to Davis outside of the team’s headquarters in Alameda.

Team Spotlight: Water Polo

By Connor Williams Staff Writer

MSJ has been an aquatics powerhouse for the last several decades, and this year’s water polo teams are no different. After many challenging matches and great performances in preseason tournaments, the teams are looking strong. Both the boys and girls teams have had great seasons, and hope to continue their successful streaks into MVAL championships and NCS.

The girls’ team has continued its tradtion of success into this season.

The girls have had an amazing season so far. Led by their new coach, Aaron Shillings, and captains Seniors Laura Conn and Tatiana McCuaig and Junior Blair Akerland, the team has dominated both preseason tournaments as well as league games. Shillings comes from a strong background in water polo, playing through high school and college.

To start off their season the team placed 3rd in the Tri-City Polo Fest, only losing by one point to the runner up, who in turn lost by one point in overtime to the Washington Huskies in the championship game. The girls went on to defeat the Huskies in a resounding victory later the next week at home. In the same week they faced off against Logan, a tough team that has become notorious for using unorthodox plays and tactics. But instead of buckling under pressure, the team was flexible and came together to defeat the Colts with no problem. Currently looking

courtesy of tatiana mccuaig

for a league title, the girls hope to then go on into NCS for more wins.

The girls play with a traditional set up, very similar to basketball or hockey, and have a very balanced and versatile team, based around Conn as their hole set, and supported by the lefty McCuaig. With many strong shooters and great communication, their entire offensive lineup is a force to be reckoned with. Defensively they have Junior Sarah Lucarelli playing hole-D (defense), who has the hard job of covering the other team’s biggest and meanest players. Akerland is currently leading the team in interceptions and steals allowing a quick turnaround to offense.

On the boys’ end is also a story of success. Led by Junior Captains Jerry Wong and Scott Havard, the team has managed to have a lot of in and out of league success, despite losing many seniors the past two years. Coaching the team for the second

year is Alex Schmeel.

In league they have only lost to Washington, a current powerhouse sporting 12 senior players. Another close match was against Irvington, where the boys had a solid victory. The guys fought hard and got off to an early lead, and kept fighting right to the last second for a win against a team they expected a big challenge from.

Havard made some key blocks in the goal and controlled the game from there. And, after dominating all the other teams in the league, the boys have a very good shot at moving on to NCS. Utilizing a faster, more mobile style of play, the guys have been able to compete with some of the larger players from other schools. This accounts for very fast-paced and exciting spectating for the fans. Supported by their goalie, Havard, the rest of the team has had many chances to drive

hard and score some quick goals. Senior Jonathan Teng is one of the top shooters for the team, both with a wicked back hand. Wong is also a very strong shooter, using his incredible speed to rush goalies. The boys have excellent passing and communication skills which allow for quick and rapid shots.

Both teams will sorely miss their graduating seniors, with the girls losing five players and the boys two. Fortunately, the girls’ team will have one of their captains remaining, and will also be supported by their remaining hole-D Sarah Lucarelli and underclassmen Kathleen Nguyen and Andrea Ayad.

The boys will have both of their captains left, and will have several of the current JV players ready to play by next year. They are also anticipating several new freshmen that have quite a bit of talent coming out of club water polo teams. With so much young talent on both ends, the teams have a lot to look forward to in the 2012 season. ▪

The boys’ varsity squad took first place at the Tri-City Polo Fest.

courtesy of andrea hancock

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

ready, set, paintball

All Pain, No Gain

By Brandon Fuhs Staff Wrtier

Every member of an athletic team wants to win. Players put in countless hours to prepare for games by practicing, conditioning, and eating healthy. As the game goes on players are pushed to the limit, but what is the limit? Is being behind in the game the limit? No. Is playing hurt the limit?

Yes. Players strive to win, and the majority of these players will go to extreme levels in order to come out on top. When a hurt player stays in the game, they push an envelope that can’t be taken back once it is sent. It’s the responsibility of the players to know when they are hurt and are at risk of injury, so they can receive the proper care in order to avoid injuries.

Players are not the only part of a team willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious. A coach also has that desire to win, but he or she has a much greater responsibility.

If a coach hears a player is hurt, the coach needs to pull him or her out of the game.

If a coach sees a player limping, the coach needs to take action. If the player fights or pleads with the coach to go back out on the field, the common sense must overshadow the competitive side of the coach. That player, with the bad elbow or swollen ankle, is someone’s son or daughter, and the coach of the team needs to consider the player’s future when weighing his or her options.

Winning and losing is the biggest aspect of sports, but what happenes when the best player in the league gets injured? A prime example is James Logan High School’s running back, Junior Warren Miles Long. He ran for 1,500 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 2010 as a sophomore on varsity.

He is currently being scouted by Oregon University, whose football team is ranked 9th in the nation by the AP poll as of Oct. 2. The Ducks are fifth in the nation in

rushing, running for 312.6 yards a game.

What kind of reputation would MVAL get if the next potential Heisman winner could not play football in college because he played hurt in high school? His dreams would be crushed, his coaches filled with regret, and a prestigious college would be left with one less star.

On Sep. 22, the MSJ football team played a game against Hercules at Tak Stadium. With just over eight minutes left in the game, Senior Captain Dustin Koliner tore his left ACL and suffered two meniscus tears in his left knee. Koliner had been feeling pain in his knee, and as a result Koliner is out for the rest of the season. The following play, Senior Captain Wilson Zhang dislocated his left shoulder for the second time, an injury that has a tendency to repeat itself. Zhang missed two weeks of practice as a result of the injury. Both injuries happened when the football team was down 42-0.

When athletes play hurt, many different people are affected. Friends and family have to see a person’s disappointment when they find out he or she will be missing time on the field. The truth is that these athletes are human beings first and players second.▪

By Matt Farberov Staff Writer

As school year pressure builds up, students are looking for outlets for their pent-up stress. One of the lesser known alternatives is the sport known as paintball. The Smoke Signal ventured out to bring you reviews from two of the closest and finest paintball parks in the Bay, Santa Clara Paintball (SCP) and Sunol Paintball. We rated both fields on the criteria of price, customer service, accommodation, and cleanliness.

Santa Clara

www.santaclarapaintball.com

santaclarapaintball.com

Price: ★★★ A basic rental package will cost about $60 for weekend play. Self-equipped players receive admission for about $20, standard in Bay Area paintball.

Customer Service: ★★★★ SCP has plenty of employees and referees to provide accurate, safe, and knowledgeable customer service when needed.

Accommodation: ★★★★ They allow private parties of any size, and have a decent shop where supplies are readily available for field repairs.

Cleanliness: ★★ Players will have to trudge through mud, mountains of rotting paintballs, and the ste nch of still water, no matter where they play.

Overall: ★★★★

sportswurlz.com

sunolpaintball.com

Price: ★★★★ Sunol provides rentals for $45 for a half day. The markers provided are also better maintained than the standard Tippmann 93 rental.

Customer Service: ★★★ Limited staff has long plagued Sunol Paintball. Games are short and very spread out as there are only 2-3 people available to referee at any given time.

Accommodation: ★★ Sunol paintball is located behind a ranch and has no access to clean facilities, running water, or nearby supply shops. Jagged rocks are a frequent danger at Sunol.

Cleanliness: ★ The fields are not well kept and are very similar in structure. The bunkers are made out of unmovable objects that have jagged parts and very hazardous frames.▪

Girls’ Tennis: Leslie Chan

By Jason Chen Staff Writer

Contrary to popular belief, referee bias has influenced the outcome of many important games in the past. For example, the 2006 Super Bowl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks was met with harsh criticism because of the officiating during the game. For example, a Seahawks touchdown was reversed in the first quarter due to a controversial offensive pass interference call.

Also, late in the fourth quarter, holding by a Seahawks offensive linemen nullified a deep completion. Four years later, one of the officials, Bill Leavy, admitted he had unfairly officiated during the game. Leavy said “It was a tough thing for me. I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that.”

The bottom line of sports is that every team should have an equal opportunity to win. This is what defines sports and what makes it so popular throughout the world.

Referee bias diminishes a team’s chance to win, and makes sports one-dimensional. Referee bias hurts the integrity of the game, the referees’ reputation, and the league’s image. ▪

Bill Leavy reviews a play from the Superbowl XL.

Sunol

www.sunolpaintball.com

Overall: ★★★

Senior Dustin Koliner tore his ACL against Hercules.

referees: uncovered Referee bias is a growing concern among many sports leagues worldwide. Recently, several alleged cases of referee bias have sparked debate about whether officials are straying from their duty of keeping the game fair for all parties involved.

The most prominent case of alleged referee bias is the NFL’s treatment of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.

During his tenure in Philadelphia, Vick noticed that referees hadn’t been calling 15yard roughing-the-passer penalties whenever he took an excessive hit. The trend continued into this season, and Vick’s frustration boiled over two weeks ago when he injured his right hand on a vicious late hit

by Chris Canty of the New York Giants. No flag was thrown, eerily reminiscent of many other crucial no-calls.

The NFL isn’t the only league where alleged referee bias has occurred. In the NBA, many players are fed up at the number of free throws that Kevin Durant shoots every game. For the past three years, Durant has consistently shot over nine free throws per game. Durant only attempted 13 percent of his shots inside the paint, but got fouled an absurd 322 times last year. On the other hand, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers attempted 23 percent of his shots in the paint, but only drew 230 fouls. Following a game versus Oklahoma city, Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics said “I thought we were playing Michael Jordan tonight the way he was getting the whistle. Durant damn near shot more free throws than our whole team.”

Meanwhile, other players like Ron Artest and Dwight Howard are venting their anger towards referees due to the amount of technical fouls they receive. These two players are some of the most disliked by NBA referees, so they tend to receive different treatment compared to other players.

Sports 23

seattletimes.com

By Jade Shi Staff Writer

staff wriiter jonathon teng

Senior Leslie Chan has her sights set on winning NCS this year.

Girls’ Tennis Senior Captain Leslie Chan is having an outstanding season, having won against the best players from various schools, all while playing number one singles. Chan was also honored as one of the high school Athletes of the Week for the second week of October by The Argus.

The Smoke Signal sat down with Chan to talk about her tennis experiences, inspirations, and hopes for this season.

Smoke Signal: How do you feel about the tennis team as a whole this season?

Leslie Chan: Our team is hands-down amazing! We lost nine varsity players from last year, and our varsity this year consisted of a lot of previously JV players. It was hard for them to adapt to the level of varsity tennis but they caught on quickly and now we’re all owning it up on the courts!

Our team shows a lot of discipline and we work hard during practice so our wins are definitely earned!

SS: What would you say has inspired you to play tennis? Do you have any idols?

LC: My friends and family have definitely inspired me to play tennis. I reached quite a lot of bottlenecks in my game and it was my friend who paved a path for me to

overcome them. My parents have always been supportive of me; they find good hitting partners and are always there to practice or train me each week. My idol is actually the friend I mentioned earlier. She has the most amazing time management skills I’ve ever seen and so she can fit four hour long tennis practices in with her rigorous straight-A academic curriculum. She’s now at Stanford playing Division 1 Women’s Tennis on a full scholarship and although there is no way that I can achieve what she did, I really admire her determination to succeed at whatever she does.

SS: Do you do anything in particular to prepare before a match?

LC: For my junior tournaments, I usually jump rope and stretch before a match. I also leave my house an hour early to warm up with my father. In general, I try to drink lots of water the day before and eat a healthier dinner... although I always eat In-N-Out right before the match. I think it’s good luck!

SS: What are your goals at MVALs and NCS this year?

LC: NUMBER ONE! My goal is to become Singles Champion of MVALs and to hopefully make it into the finals of NCS. Lots of people think tennis is an easy sport but it really isn’t [as with all other sports]. Winning NCS isn’t as easy as people think and there are a lot of tough opponents out there, but I think I can do it this year, after having been somewhat close last year.

SS: Do you have any recommendations for aspiring sports players?

LC: Play a sport that you’re passionate about. Being forced by anyone to play isn’t going to make you a successful athlete. Oh, and another thing, have fun! I always laugh at my mistakes and move on so that I don’t get frustrated; so just remember to bring a smile to the game! ▪

24 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, October 28, 2011

Warriors Fall to Titans But Not Without a Fight

By Kenny Jacoby and Sai Chilakapati Staff Writers

play around midfield, where Junior James Gao stripped the ball-carrier just across the first-down marker, and On Friday, October 21, 2011, returned the fumble to the opposing the MSJ Warriors played the 42 yard-line. However, Kennedy’s deKennedy High School Titans fense stuffed MSJ outside of field goal at Tak Fudenna Stadium in this range, forcing another punt after a year’s homecoming game, cap- three-and-out.

A well-executed punt by Senior ping off a week of wholehearted Chris Donoghue left the Titans at school spirit. Though the final their own 9 yard line. After a short score was not in favor of MSJ, run by the Kennedy running back, the a mass of players and fans from all four classes came together to Titans were left with a second-andsupport our football team, in the five at their own 14 yard-line. From there, a deep pass was thrown down week’s ultimate act of unity.

Despite finishing on the los- the sideline and hauled in by a Kening end of a 39-6 rout, MSJ nedy wide-receiver, where he turned stayed competitive throughout on the jets and burned the MSJ secthe whole game. After MSJ’s ondary for an 86 yard touchdown. The first offensive drive resulted in a Titans kicked the extra point, giving punt, the defense took the field them the lead at 7-0 midway through and made a statement to the Ti- the first quarter.

The next two offensive drives from tans early. Kennedy ran a running MSJ looked promising, highlighted back draw on a third-and-inches by a clutch first down reception from Junior Saleem Karim and a powerful first down run by Senior Captain David Kim. However, the efforts were to no avail, as both drives resulted in punts. Kennedy’s subsequent drive began at midfield and resulted in a 38 yard rushing touchdown, putting the

Titans up 14-0. Outstanding defense from Junior Brandon Au prevented a last-minute score on a threatening drive from the Titans, keeping the 14 point deficit into half time.

The Warriors came out with a revived mindset after a disappointing first half in hopes winning the game.

The Titans received the kickoff and started the third quarter at their own 39 yard line. The defense proved its vigor and strength in the first couple of plays. Senior Swahib Kaba stopped a play-action run resulting in loss of yards for the Titans. However, a disappointing penalty on MSJ gave the Titans a first down; on the next play the Titans found an empty pocket and ran the ball to a touchdown. Titans kicked the extra point making the score 0-21.

The revitalized offense took the field at the 27 yard line after the Titans kickoff. However, quick stops by the Titans resulted in a disappointing fourth down. MSJ didn’t let that stop them from advancing toward the goal line. A punt across the field resulted in a loose ball which Senior Patrick Andresen picked up giving MSJ position in Titans territory. Willson Zhang made an excellent reception but unfortunately fell short of first-down.

MSJ’s defense made excellent stops in the Titan’s next possession. Gao and

Junior Shane Keenan put up excellent defense giving Titans loss of yards. Unfortunately however, the stops didn’t pay off for MSJ. A penalty on a crucial down caused Titans to advance into MSJ territory and on the next play they scored a touchdown which put MSJ down 0-27. On MSJs’ next possession, Titans intercepted the ball and scored a touchdown on that drive putting MSJ back 0-33.

Kennedy, however, failed to convert the extra-point due to MSJ tight defense.

MSJ’s offense didn’t allow the score to alter their team’s unity and passion. The next possession, Senior Charles Lee received the kick-off and ran for an impressive 23 yards. With an eager desire to put MSJ on the board and electrify the crowd, the team put on a staggering possession. Senior Chris Donoghue threw to Senior Dimi Matcovschi resulting in a 24 yard gain. A couple of plays later Donoghue threw 30 yards to Matcovschi that put MSJ at the one yard line. Immediately the crowd rose to their feet and cheered on MSJ as they capped off a success-

ful drive with a touchdown by Junior Saleem Karim to put MSJ on the board, 6-39, ending the game on a positive note.

Junior Varsity’s win over Kennedy earlier in the day serves as a signal of MSJ future success and hopeful wins. All in all, MSJ put out a good effort by containing Kennedy for much of the game with only a couple of big runs or pass plays contributing to touchdowns. Offensively, penalties hurt MSJ for much of the game but MSJ valiant effort and the excellent crowd turnout epitomizes the success of this year’s Homecoming in uniting everyone in MSJ.

photos courtesy of jim malone