Vol. XLIII, No. 9: May 1, 2008 by The Smoke Signal

Thursday, May 1, 2008

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

News 5

Beijing Olympic torch run protested in San Francisco, Cautionary measures taken to prevent deaths

By Inga Chen News Editor The day the Beijing Olympic Torch arrived in America, April 9, all eyes were turned to San Francisco, a landmark city long known for its strongly liberal community shaped by numerous political protests in the past. Seen as a setting-the-stage for China on the international platform, the symbolic global torch run was riddled with protests in most of the countries it passed through due to the recent unveiling of human rights violations in Tibet, a province of China. However, the official torch route was never announced and even its starting point had changed an hour before the start of the torch run, leaving an estimated 10,000

sfgate.com

Three hundred protesters stop a bus carrying six Olympic Torch runners at Embarcadero and Bryant Street.

protesters, reporters, and supporters alike scrambling to find where the torch was hidden. Within the vast maze of deception, some protesters banged on decoy transport buses because they thought the torch was inside. Protesters lined up on the Embarcadero where the torch was suspected to be were highly disappointed because they never got to see the torch after waiting a whole day. Many locals had been excited to see the Olympic torch for the first and probably only time in their life, but were similarly let down because San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom decided to take extra cautionary measures to prevent violence by the protesters. The torch’s muted showdown in San Francisco follows violent protests and subsequent arrests in London, and Paris, where the torch was extinguished several times, prompting a cancellation of last leg of the route to the City Hall. At the very least, Newsom’s precautionary measures didn’t completely smother the message of the protesters for human rights in Tibet. The simple fact that such strong security prompted the hiding of the Olympic torch during its route is credence enough that the protesters were serious and significant in number. Amid exorbitant frustration on behalf of the protesters who wanted to voice their opinion in America,

san francisco chronicle graphic

known for freedom of speech, San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong said, “If we had started down that (original) route, I guarantee you would have seen helmet-clad officers with batons pushing back protesters.” After looking at the streets crowded with protesters, chanting, and sign-waving, flagbearing crowds, Newsom made the decision to change the route. If nothing else, San Francisco was one stop in this ironically discordant torch run, dubbed “Journey of Harmony” by Beijing

Olympic officials, where vast media deception inhibited anticipated violence. After San Francisco, the torch has been greeted with more antiChinese protests in Japan and India where torch routes were again shortened and hundreds arrested. In Pakistan and Indonesia, the torch was presented to an invitation-only crowd. Other methods of protest are rampant locally as well. MSJ’s Amnesty International club signed petitions for imprisoned Chinese

activists wrongfully jailed for expressing dissidence to the Chinese government. Others are using the power of the social network Facebook for peaceful protest. “I Will Put a Candle In My Window For Tibet” on the day of the Olympics Opening Ceremony is just one event hailing over 300,000 confirmed guests. A nation eager to showcase its rising economic power with the Olympics, China is forced to react to the turbulent journey around the world by dealing with the human rights issues in Tibet. ▪

8 Opinion

the

www.thesmokesignal.org

Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 43, No. 9 | May 1, 2008

www.thesmokesignal.org

41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Ankur Amlani, Anuj Biyani News Inga Chen, Sonia Sajja Opinion Viraj Menon, Daniel Schonhaut Feature Neha Jain, Jennifer Wang Centerspread Nishita Shah, Albert Tseng A&E Chelsea Calkins, George Yang Sports Alex Cole, Alex Lee Graphics Janet Wi, Pegah Yazd Web Raymond Chou Tech Abiram Bala Ads Julia Harrell, Vidya Mahavadi Business Dale Wang Circulation Lena Liu Events Diana Jin Copy Editors Sophie Diao, Vicraj Gill,

Amanda Kwan, Yvonne Lin, Gina Liu, Audrey Tseng

Writers & Photographers Gokul

Agrawal, Alisa Tanakit, Megan Bernstein, Cici Cao, Asha Choudhury, Rebecca Gao, Victoria Gu, Lucy Liu, Clara Ma, Abhay Malik, Amy Mao, Marianna Mao, Mala Neti, Abena Oni, Chris Ru, Hannah Scobel, Eric Sun, Ryan Tanakit, Jerry Ting, Anastassia Tselikova, Natalie Yang, Rose Yuan

Adviser 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.

The Smoke Signal

Do Religious Clubs Belong on Campus? Kick them out Let them be

By Julia Harrell Staff Writer Anyone who seriously questions the legality of the right for religious clubs to assemble on school campuses needs to go back to the fifth grade and pay attention. The US was founded on the principle of religious freedom and tolerance, not the suppression of it. The thought of students being prohibited from gathering to share their religious beliefs is simply absurd. Despite the fact that such a practice would be illegal under both the Equal Access Act and the First Amendment (under the Equal Access Act any Jr. High or High School that allows non-academic clubs on campus must allow religious clubs as well; the First Amendment protects freedom of religion as well as speech), religious clubs do no harm to school campuses and, in fact, benefit them by promoting diversified student bodies and religious tolerance. Those opposed to allowing religious clubs to convene freely on public school campuses argue that a club affiliated with a particular religion would, in a sense, take over a school by instituting campus-wide religious activities or prayer sessions. This view severely confuses the difference between a religious club that is sanctioned by the administration and a forced school-wide religious activity. Simply because a religious club is alowed to exist on campus doesn’t mean that students will suddenly be forced to convert and engage in daily prayer sessions. Youth Alive and MSA (Muslim Student Association) are religious clubs at MSJ that hold prayer meetings on campus and offer a place for students of faith to meet and interact. These meetings are

voluntary, and students who wish to attend them have every right to; they are simply exercising freedom of religion. Said Junior Sharon Kim, President of MSJ’s Youth Alive, “It’s essentially a family, and truly, everyone is welcome. We have lots of people who aren’t Christian or Catholic attend our weekly Monday meetings,

By Natalie Yang Staff Writer When the Founding Fathers wrote a clause demanding separation of church and state in the Constitution, their goal was to protect religious freedom. As a secular nation, our government (and any government-run organization) is by law prohibited from advocating

socials, and annual praise nights.” The fact that such meetings are voluntary is what differentiates public schools such as MSJ from private Catholic schools such as St. Francis High School, where religion plays a key part in education. Allowing religious clubs at public schools isn’t a government scheme to instate a right wing Christian agenda in America’s youth. It is a way for administrations to promote fairness and tolerance among students, an effort that should be commended, not reprimanded. ▪

or opposing religious beliefs. By allowing religious clubs on school campuses, schools are inadvertently promoting certain religions over others. For public schools that are funded by the government, religious clubs are not the best idea. As quoted in the Anti-Defamation League, “a school district must never, in whatever it does, appear to endorse or disapprove of religion.” Nevertheless, since both the student body and the school administration approve school clubs, the

cam.net.uk

ABC hails ABC debate a triumph

Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos moderated the ABC debate.

By Marianna Mao Staff Writer On Wednesday, April 16, ABC News hosted a much-anticipated presidential debate between Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Those hoping for a substantive and honest discussion of the challenges facing our nation were not disappointed. Moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos evidently had the concerns of the American people in mind as they grilled the two senators about key issues such as men’s patriotic jewelry. During the first hour of the debate, Gibson and Stephanopoulos

Thursday, May 1, 2008

southernledger.com

pierced to the heart of the issues that really matter to our nation’s well being. I know I was not the only viewer watching with bated breath as Stephanopoulos questioned Obama, “Do you think Reverend Wright loves America as much as you do?” I almost had to restrain myself from clapping when he later brought up Clinton’s Bosnia sniper-fire gaffe; though I’d already been inundated by tabloid coverage of her little memory slip, it was still helpful of the moderators to rehash the non-issue two weeks after the fact. A high point of the debate was when Gibson leapt into the fray by

asking Obama about the conspicuous absence of an American flag pin on his lapel. “How do you convince Democrats that this would not be a vulnerability?” Gibson demanded. It was not until 50 minutes into the debate that any issues other than electability were brought up by the moderators. The debate then turned into a thrilling dance of sidestepping and near misses as both Obama and Clinton managed to sound intelligent while avoiding mention of anything pertinent to their stances on gun control and improving the economy. Although both candidates gave unsatisfactory and lackluster answers, it could not be blamed on the moderators’ questions, which directly addressed Americans’ foremost concerns. Recognizing that voters were sick of hearing about issues like the war in Iraq, health care, the environment, and infrastructure, Gibson and Stephanopoulos instead questioned and sensationalized the mistakes made by both senators on and before the campaign trail. These issues exemplified the integrity and focus of modern journalism and strove to address how America’s next President will lead our country. Bravo, ABC, for a job well done. ▪

allowance of school-affiliated religious clubs unintentionally implies that schools are sanctioning certain religions. Equally important are funds that are provided to public schools by the government. Since the government gives tax dollars to the school, the government also indirectly backs religious clubs, thus directly violating the First Amendment. Not only are schools inadvertently supporting religious institutions, but they are also supporting them unequally. There are many religions practiced by MSJ students, but only a couple of these are represented by clubs. How is the school supposed to advocate equal tolerance when some religions are ignored and others widely advertised? By integrating religious clubs at schools, we are exposing students to religious practices that are indirectly endorsed by the administration. For example, MSJ’s Youth Alive holds prayers before school by the horseshoe, where they can be prominently seen by students being dropped off in the morning. They also hold a number of widely publicized events throughout the school year. This is roughly equivalent to stationing a person who works for the government right by the exit of the horseshoe to pass out bibles or religious pamphlets. The case is the same for smaller religious clubs, like the Muslim Student Association. Truthfully, there’s nothing wrong with religion or religious clubs, but these are school clubs, which the school passes and approves. It’s great that students are willing to share and express their religious ideas in clubs, but the clubs should operate separately from the school. ▪

The Honors Student Stereotype By Sophie Diao Staff Writer For a school whose demographic breakdown would suggest little to no stereotyping or prejudgment of different groups, MSJ has a definite bias crisis. There’s a stigma present in this fine institution of higher learning, a stigma that runs deep but is expressed so subtly that denying its existence is easy. After all, the general argument goes, there’s no room for bigotry here – we’re too smart for that. But the problem lies within the assumption of intelligence. For some, and especially in the report card-driven environment of MSJ, the only clear measure of intelligence is academic aptitude, which – supposedly – leads naturally to enrollment in advanced classes. The stigma: Smart kids get into Honors. Regular kids don’t. Have Honors Geometry in your schedule? You’ve now been deemed a “math person.” Taking English 12A and AP Chemistry together? You’re “not good at English,” and those who don’t know you personally will continue to think that, even if you’re passionate about poetry and indifferent towards isotopes. After all, your talents don’t go on your transcript.

It sounds obvious, but we never seem to know anyone until we know their academic stengths. This stigma has stuck around because, even in grade-wide classes, the tendency is for students to befriend others who are on the same academic track; we tend to seek out those we perceive to be of similar brainpower or those we already know from other classes. And because students are segregated into regular and advanced classes, anyone we know from another class will most likely be from those same nonhonors or Honors classes. Sadly enough, for many students the classification of their peers into Honors and nonhonors implies certain traits that go beyond intellect. We attempt to deduce personality, not by getting to know the person, but by looking at someone’s course load. Having four weighted classes signals “nerd” for some people and “average” for others; the conclusions that are drawn vary depending on who’s doing the concluding, but the fact that these judgments exist is deplorable. Intelligence comes in many forms, not just in the ability to regurgitate textbook material or plug numbers into an equation. A person’s character, his most important aspect, transcends the boundaries of any label. ▪

Thursday, May 1, 2008

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Centerspread 11

HIPHOP bollywood

Bollywood is the Hindi movie industry. The dancers in this act were dressed in colorful saris and danced barefoot. Junior Priya Gupta commented, “We combined three different songs that would show different styles.” The movements in the dance were familiar with the Indian songs that have been popular with the southern Asian population.

taekwondo

Originating in Korea, Taekwondo is a form of martial arts that combines the art of self defense, combat, and meditation. A high level of energy emanated from the performers with their flying kicks and mind-blowing flips. This year, the music track perfectly matched the moves, exciting the crowd with upbeat song choices.

middle eastern

hoe-down

This performance was full of Persian influence. The four girls wore gold skirts with a red top over solid black. The jangling of their costumes enhanced their dance and added to the overall upbeat nature of their song.

Newer to this year’s assembly was PE teacher Julia Madsen’s Hoedown performance. With the girls in long skirts and the guys in collared shirts, the students of contemporary dance squaredanced to a lively fiddle tune. There were impressive lifts and formation changes and much crowd enthusiasm.

tahitian

irish step dance

A constant and recurring act in Multicultural Week is the Tahitian dance. This year’s dancers wore elaborate headpieces with matching red skirts. Tahitian dancing is used to express emotions and tell a story. Junior Jeanette Lau said, “[In this dance], the woman was waiting for her love to come back home.” With music using ukuleles and drums, the Tahitian dance was a crowd pleaser.

Multicultural

Protest By Vidya Mahavadi Staff Writer

Between the two multicultural assemblies on April 25th, a group of MSJ students, along with two parents, staged a protest. The student protestors, including Seniors Ted Alton and Daniel Duarte, demonstrated with signs that had phrases such as “Multicultural?” to show their disapproval of the lack of diversity of the dances that were approved for the assembly. According to Duarte, as the students were about to enter the gym, science teacher Nathania Chaney-Aiello told them to step outside as she then proceeded to contact Assistant Principal Jason Law. After hearing the students’ side of the story, Law requested that they put down their signs and refrain from disrupting the assembly. Duarte said, “We had no other option. We didn’t want to disrupt the dances, but we had to get the word out.” The students advocated for three specific dances: the Swing Dance, the Merengue, and the Tinikling. According to Duarte, these three dances were the sole representatives of their culture, but were still cut from the final assembly. When asked about this statement Activities Director Ben Breazeale said, “We have no rule that every culture has to be represented.”

Dressed in white shirts, black skirts, and the traditional step shoes, groups of dancers skipped their way onto the floor. The Irish step dance, choreographed by PE teacher Julia Madsen, consisted of dancers keeping a rigid upper body while rapidly moving their feet to the beat. The formations were well-done, with a combination of couple-dancing and line dancing. According to Leadership 2’s Multicultural Committee, performances that come to audition for the assembly are judged on a variety of aspects. They are critiqued on their organization, creativity, entertainment value, and their cultural relevance. Breazeale said, “A dance isn’t cut for just one reason; the decision is based on all the criteria.” The judging panel, consisting of volunteer teachers, made their final decision based on the majority opinion. According to Duarte, the three dances got a common critique on their scorecards; these dances were considered “culturally irrelevant.” When asked about this comment made on the scorecards, Breazeale said, “I keep myself out of the judging process. I entrust the teachers and the students and respect their decisions.” According to Alton and Duarte, after the cuts were made, the students approached Breazeale, Principal Stuart Kew, and the Multicultural Committee in order to get answers to the many questions they had regarding the final decisions. They stated that each time they tried talking to one authority, they would be sent to another authority figure, receiving no real response in the end. Breazeale denied this statement by saying, “No students ever came to talk to me. I did talk to one parent. We had a lengthy discussion regarding these dances that were cut.” When asked their opinions on this topic, some MSJ students had similar responses to those that the protestors had. Freshman Zachary Khan said, “There was no variety during Multicultural week.” This conflict has yet not been resolved and is still open for discussion. ▪ PHOTOS BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANUJ BIYANI, CENTERSPREAD EDITOR ALBERT TSENG, STAFF WRITERS CICI CAO, LENA LIU, & JERRY TING

14 Photo

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

B D

2 3

A P R I L in P H O T O S

1 2 E 3 4 5

Thursday, May 1, 2008

interact yard sale 4.5.2008

A. A volunteer from Irvington High School arranges some baby toys donated by Interact members. B. Another volunteer from IHS puts toys on display for the day. C. Junior Justin Soong examines some of the items for sale. D. Junior Sonia Patel makes a sale to Soong.

flaccid acid 4.18.2008

E. Milpitas High Senior David Ma plays guitar for Flaccid Acid. F. Junior Martin Hinsberg drums away as interested students look on, enjoying the music.

jazz dance 4.18.2008

G. Senior Kimi Chen sings her rendition of “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” at the Jazz Dance, Fascinating Rhythm. H. Juniors Martin Hinsberg and Brian Wong play baritone saxophone and tenor saxophone, respectively. I. Sophomore Lance Smith and Junior Emily DeStigter dance energetically. J. Jazz Dance attendees snap their fingers to the music.

poetry slam 4.19.2008

K. Senior Andrew Cheng passionately recites his poem titled “A Conversation.” L. Junior Alexis Selleck delivers spoken word, an artistic performance in which ideas are spoken rather than put into poetry or music.

junior prom 4.26.2008

M. Juniors Jane Lee and Kimberly Zaw help themselves to a variety of desserts. N. Junior Katie Yang and Sophomore Albert Koh, along with their friends, choose food at the appetizers provided at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton. O. Students throw up their hands and dance to the music at Junior Prom, “For You I Will.”

K J

photos by graphics editor janet wi, staff writers cici cao, sophie diao, alisa tanakit, jerry ting, hannah scobel and natalie yang

Thursday, May 1, 2008

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Creative Courting By Lucy Liu Staff Writer

Who asked who to Junior prom this year? These four boys asked the girls in an absolutely adorable way. Juniors Laura Yoon and Kim Liu Junior Laura Yoon thought she was just hanging out with Junior Kevin Nguyen, who also happened to be friends with Junior Kim Liu. Nguyen claimed that he needed to go to Liu’s house to pick something up. On the way there, the car supposedly broke down, and Nguyen pulled over. Immediately after Yoon stepped out of the vehicle, the doors of

staff writer amy mao

Juniors Kim Liu and Laura Yoon.

a neighboring car flung open, blaring “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis. Headlights turned on, and across the street in the spotlight, Liu popped up from behind a bush, carrying red roses and chocolates, serenading Yoon. “I was just laughing the whole time… it was really funny, because he was scared that he was going to wake up the neighbors…[since] it was around eleven o’clock,” said Yoon. Juniors Katherine Liao and Justin Liau Junior Katherine Liao, a competitive dancer from Yoko’s Dance and Performing Arts Academy, often watches TV shows like America’s Best Dance Crew, in which the dance group JabbaWockeeZ was featured. On March 30, Liao received a phone call from a friend who told her to go outside.

Juniors Justin Liau and Katherine Liao.

editor-in-chief anuj biyani

She was met by a group of five people in JabbaWockeeZ trademark masks. The masked people danced to Chris Brown’s “With You,” amid some technical difficulties. Liau turned

around and knelt on the ground with roses and waited until the chorus repeated “with you.” Liau’s friends each said one word of “Will you go to prom” and Liau added “with me” in sync with “with you” in the song. Sophomore Shinan Liao and Junior Anthony Chao After 5th period one day, Junior Anthony Chao gave Sophomore Shinan Liao a handmade card with a riddle inside. It read, “Lie down and turn off the lights at night.” When night fell, there was a glow-in-the-dark phone number and heart on her ceiling. Chao told Liao, when she called, to go outside, where he was waiting with roses. His plan was to have lighted candles that spelled out “prom,” but the wind was fierce that night. Chao later said, “It kept blowing [the candles] out, so it was kind of weird. When she walked by, I was like, ‘The wind blew out my candles, but will you go to prom with me?’” Liao said, “I was really surprised, because I didn’t know how he got into my room.” It turned out that on the day he was going to ask Liao to prom, Chao obtained keys from Liao’s friend and went to her house during lunchtime. Juniors Sophia Liou and Tony Jin On April 1, Junior Tony Jin devised a sweet way of asking Junior Sophia Liou to prom.

staff writer anastassia tselikova

Juniors Tony Jin and Sopia Liou.

He gave six of his friends two roses each. Throughout the day, Jin had them ask Liou to prom and say “Just kidding. April Fools!” Each friend did it with his own personality. For example, two of his friends started arguing over who would go with Liou to prom. After midnight, when it was no longer April Fools’ Day, Liou found an ice-filled box inside lit candles shaped like a heart outside her house. Lying beside it were gloves and towels for Liou to use. A bottle with a note inside it was buried deep within the ice, with a message saying, “Damn that was cold, but you know what’d be cooler? Follow this map.” Jin was waiting with a teddy bear around the corner. “I had some help from her friends, like the April Fools’ thing. The ice just…popped up,” said Jin. ▪

Stressless Solutions By Victoria Gu Staff Writer

Spring, despite its sunny appearance, is normally a stressful time of year filled with APs, SATs, and the dreadful STAR tests. Need a break? Follow these steps to improve your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing during this demanding time of year. 1. Meditate: Take a tip from a Buddhist monk and meditate. Spending just 20 minutes a day without blaring music or thinking about which test you should study for will do the trick. 2. Relax with Friends: Numerous studies show that people are happier, and thus less stressed, while hanging out with friends. Go shopping or go play a game of basketball, and either way you will be much more energetic afterwards. 3. Set an Hour Aside for Yourself: Take an hour off from studying and do something good for yourself. You deserve to spend an hour or two watching your favorite TV show or playing World of Warcraft after spending seemingly half your life studying. 4. Watch a Funny Movie: Not to be cliché,

but laughter is the best medicine. Laughing reduces stress hormones and also benefits your immune system. So, whip out Borat or Superbad and watch your pressures melt away. 5. Exercise: Springtime is no time to be lazy with your studies, and this goes for exercise as well. By exercising, you produce endorphins, leading to reduced stress levels and a happier life. 6. Cut the Caffeine: Though many do not realize this, caffeine is a drug. Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, like stress, outweigh its benefits. Skip the Red Bull or Monster and opt for tea, which has less caffeine and also contains chemicals which promote a sense of relaxation. 7. Naptime: Getting enough sleep is extremely important. Without it, you can feel irritable, forgetful and sluggish. Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep per night. 8. Eat Better: Just by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can prevent cancer, heart disease, and stress. Foods like grapefruit, blueberries, pumpkin, walnuts, and salmon will not only reduce your stress but makes your brain fuction better. ▪

Feature 17

Guide to Taking APs By Dale Wang Staff Writer

editor-in-chief anuj biyani

The AP exams have finally arrived and you’re probably more nervous than ever. So here you are, just days before your first test without a clue of what to do and how to prepare. First of all, don’t stress yourself out. You have spent the entire year preparing for this exam and you are ready to take it. Like you would for any test, on the day before the exam, prepare everything you will need for the following day and go to bed early. You will need to give the exam as much energy and attention as possible. Arrive at the exam location fifteen minutes early. This year, some of the exams are located off campus, so be sure to find driving directions beforehand and allow enough time for traffic and parking. If you are not on time, the exam will begin without you and you will miss the beginning of the exam. It’s highly important to bring extra writing utensils. Leave the mechanical pencils behind and bring regular No. 2 pencils instead. If there is a writing section involved, bring at least one or two extra so you won’t have to get up in the middle of the test to ask for another pencil. On exams that involve calculation, make sure you have spare batteries for your graphing calculator and bring a scientific calculator in case your graphing calculator malfunctions. A watch or a small clock would be useful

to set on your table. You may be seated in a room where no clock is easily accessible, so having your own can help you with your time management. Each proctor is different; some will let you know how much time is remaining at regular intervals, and others will not say anything until the final few mninutes of the exam. If time management is an issue for you, make sure you bring a wristwatch to keep track of time. The clock on your cell phone will not work, since cell phones are collected before the exam begins. If you have exams in the morning, bring along a warm jacket in case there’s no heating in your testing room. There will be around a 15-minute break during each of the exams. Take this time to eat a small snack and drink some water to replenish your energy for the remaining portion of the exam. A water bottle would be handy to have on the side. The most important part, however, is your mental state when you first look at the exam. Your mind may be repeating the mantra “This is it” to you, but don’t let that bother you. Try not to think about anything else; just concentrate. You may be a little distracted at first, but that’s all right. Use the first few questions to calm you down, as they are usually the easiest ones. Like the SAT exam, if you answer a multiple choice question wrong on an AP exam, you lose one quarter of a point. If you are stuck on the problem and are spending too much time on it, just skip the question entirely. It is better to omit the question, than guess and answer it incorrectly, costing you more points. When asked to give advice on AP exams, Senior Joy Wu said, “Make sure you watch your time and don’t get too caught up with getting every problem right. Just concentrate on finishing the exam and getting as many [questions] correct as possible.” Throughout the exams, just keep one thing in mind: you have studied, you have prepared, and you are more than ready to do your best on the exam. ▪

18 Arts & Entertainment

www.thesmokesignal.org

Film | Harold and Kumar 2

By Janet Wi Graphics Editor

media.slashfilm.com

John Cho and Kal Penn return in Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

light on America’s international reputation. As the film shows, just a few stupid Americans can misrepresent an entire country. ES: Sadly, the character in the film who delivered that message fell out of a plane. I think if you’re going to make a political statement, you should go all the way. The directors seem, to me, like cowards for hiding their views behind dirty jokes and nudity. SD: It wouldn’t be Harold and Kumar without the dirty jokes and nudity. ES: It wasn’t Harold and Kumar this time! The bad plotline made them seem unrealistic, unlike in the first film when I could relate to Harold. SD: Why? Because you can relate to seeing a pretty girl in an elevator every morning and being too chicken to even greet her? ES: No! I mean, yes… I mean, quiet, you! Either way, a film about two dysfunctional people on the run has been done too many times. There were very few original elements in this movie. SD: Oh, I don’t know. That bot-

tomless party was pretty creative — a fresh spin on the topless party. You seemed to think so too, judging from the way your eyes were fixed on the screen the entire time. ES: That’s because I was appalled at its bad taste! And while Kal Penn has spot-on comedic timing, the movie kept throwing away chances for us to get to know Harold and Kumar better. This definitely lacks the depth of the first movie. SD: Well, in my humble opinion, seeing Harold and Kumar spilling out their sorrows while surrounded by Texan prostitutes made me get to know them quite a bit better. And it was nice seeing Neil Patrick Harris again, this time armed with ’shrooms. ES: Fine, I guess this film is worth the 10 bucks. It would’ve seemed better if I didn’t watch it while sitting next to you. SD: Bite me. ES: I don't want to get sick. Rating: B ▪ Please note, this movie is rated R (17+) for strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language and drug use.

is revealed. With machine guns, blood and F-bombs, all it needs are racy scenes and it would be the perfect R-rated movie. Street Kings is action packed, but somehow it fails to grab the audience's attention. Visual effects include gun sprays, speeding and bloody gore, which basically sums up the movie. Auditory stimulus isn’t prominent unless the revving of a car or the waves of bullets are present. The plot line goes at a snail's pace and then quickly speeds up in the blink of an eye. Even though I love a good conspiracy, the movie had me in a state of confusion, causing me to lose interest. The script was inadequate and had gaps where the writers expected viewers to fill in the blanks. I literally felt that I was being kept in the dark, since a majority of the scenes occurred in a dark and muted background. Furthermore, some scenes just seemed too unrealistic and filled with plot holes. For example, how does Ludlow knows where to find an ax in the brush when his hands are bound, and he’s crawling away from two corrupt cops that are shooting at him for sport? Maybe the screenwriters secretly gave him x-ray vision or "the sight." There aren’t any car chases, but Ludlow speeds incessantly at

points. Also, when he’s captured by the corrupted cops, he attacks the driver and somehow manages to escape unscathed. Overall, the actors were great casting choices. Yet, even with the diverse and star-studded cast, stereotypes were still banked on. However, this could have been intentional if the director wanted to represent the ghettos in a more obvious manner. The acting could have been done much better, given that the script was written more competently. One of the major things that pleased me about the movie was House star Hugh Laurie’s role as Captain Biggs. The ending scene with Biggs, Ludlow and Ludlow’s supervisor Captain Wander (Forest Whitaker) seemed to be the best scene of the movie. Their chemistry together was absolutely amazing. The scene wrapped up the movie, and informed the audience of the large conspiracy and exposed the corrupt cops. Truthfully speaking, Street Kings was less than satisfactory. It left no significant impression about its overall artistic value. But, the movie did entertain, and it's certainly worthy of a DVD rental when there's nothing else to watch. Rating: C+ ▪

Film | Street Kings By Diana Jin Staff Writer

I wasn’t expecting much from Street Kings: A disgraced cop tries to prove his innocence, which sounds vaguely similar to Mission Impossible. But aside from my initial impression of the formulaic plot, I decided: "Why not? The action probably makes up for it." Truthfully speaking, Street Kings failed to impress me. We’re introduced to the main character, Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) in the most boring opening scene in movie history. This film doesn’t get interesting until 30 minutes into the movie when the plot

idgmovies.com

Keanu Reeves gets gritty in Street Kings.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Album | Hello

By Sophie Diao & Eric Sun Staff Writers

On Wednesday, April 23, the Smoke Signal sent staff writers Eric Sun and Sophie Diao to a pre-release press screening of Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay. Below, the writers discuss the film. SD: This movie definitely lived up to its expectations. ES: Are you kidding me? This movie had, like, the most clichéd storyline ever! I mean, they were only locked up in Guantanamo Bay for about two minutes! And then, right after escaping, having Kumar drag Harold on a quest to break up a marriage between the girl he loves and an arrogant jerk? I mean, c’mon! SD: Well, it’s true that the loose ends might’ve been tied up just a bit too conveniently; smoking weed with the President after crash-landing into his ranch house seems too good to be true, even considering George W’s past drug record. All in all, though, I think it succeeded in sending a sound sociopolitical message without sacrificing the humor. ES: I understand that they were attempting to dispel age-old stereotypes such as how all AfricanAmericans are violent, grape sodalovers or how all people who reside in the south are redneck KKK members with inbred children, but just imbuing a caricature with one or two unconventional traits doesn’t keep it from remaining one-dimensional. SD: Still, you have to admit that they shed some interesting new

The Smoke Signal

San Diego native Tristan Prettyman’s sophomore album, Hello, shows a new side of the singersongwriter. With the this album she adds a KT Tunstall-inspired spice to her music. Her new album shows Prettyman’s rougher side, absent in her acoustic debut album Twentythree, with strong folk and blues influences lacing themselves throughout each of her tracks. Her maturation, both as an artist and as a lyricist is more than obvious in Hello and is especially evident in “War Out of Peace”, an upbeat number featuring her unique, optimistic take on life and love. Though her updated style is interesting, the lack of acoustic soul is disappointing. Perhaps in an attempt to sell more albums, Prettyman’s tracks have added unnecessary style and pop-friendly elements. It is her offbeat nature that saves her album from turning into more over-played radio drivel. Her single, “Madly,” is testament to this fact, oddly reminiscent of her first single “Love Love Love” from Twentythree. Both "Madly" and "Love Love Love" feature the upbeat acoustics fans have grown to love and showcase her naturally soft, crooning voice.

amazon.com

Prettyman's second album lacks the soul of the first.

Prettyman manages to keep her album on a personal level with her listeners, somehow keeping the rawer aspects of her music alive amid the catchier beats and bigger hooks. She makes it clear that even if her music is turning more mainstream, she’s keeping her charm. One of the few things that hasn't changed at all since the last album are her vocals, just as breezy as ever. Songs like “Interviews” lend a Jack Johnson-like feel to the album, while “In Bloom,” with its bluesy piano and violin backups, sounds almost like Norah Jones. There’s a song for every audience in Hello, from the more upbeat, pop-inspired songs to the folksy blues she’s famous for. Prettyman’s musical journey is a great pleasure to trek through, for old and new fans alike. Rating: B ▪

Album | Accelerate

alcdcovers.com

Accelerate has its fair share of hot singles.

By Abhay Malik Staff Writer

REM is continuing strong with the release of their 14th studio album, Accelerate. The record is a solid addition to the band's impressive lineup of music. Though it’s not groundbreaking or a masterpiece, Accelerate still boasts some catchy songs. Track three, “Supernatural Superserious," is one of the high points on the album. The song begins with an extremely catchy syncopated guitar riff. Then the vocal melody comes in, perfectly complementing the guitar melody, adding to the song’s appeal. It comes as no surprise that the track was the first single off of the album. Track five, "Houston," can best be described as eclectic. The guitar and vocal melody both have a distinct Celtic Folk sound, while the drums have a powerful hip-hop sound. The band also added a rock organ for extra melody. All instruments considered, “Houston” comes

out sounding unique and epic. Another one of the best songs on the album is the seventh track, “Until the Day is Done.” This track also combines different musical themes. The verses have a very strong Celtic influence in the melody and guitar playing. The choruses, however, have a lighter feeling with the addition of soft electric guitar and piano. “Horse to Water," is one of the more aggressive ones on the record. The verses are fast-paced and have a driving drum beat and powerful guitars. The choruses provide a slight break in this trend with their happier melody. The song’s lyrics deal with rising above against an oppressor. Overall, the song is a (welcomed) angry change from the rest of the tracks. The final track, “I’m Gonna DJ,” is another high point on the record. The verses have a fast-paced beat similar to the Nirvana song “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter.” The song has an overall hard rock vibe, like the Jet hit “Are You Gonna Be my Girl?”The track is extremely catchy and has a harder sound than the majority of the other songs on the record. Accelerate is a decent record with some extremely attractive songs that stand out like diamonds in the rough. The album is not REM’s finest work, but it is definitely not a pushover record released just for the sake of making music. Rating: B- ▪

Thursday, May 1, 2008

The Smoke Signal

What if?

JAZZ | "Fascinating Rhythm"

continued from page 1 Anne Riley, the faculty chair of the dance, described the preparation process in detail: The Jazz Dance takes one year to organize, and PUPs works closely with students and teachers throughout the process and partakes in all of the event’s committees, which range from Decorations to Tech. Each committee has a student chair and an adult chair, and its members consist of two to four students and parents. The result of these committees’ efforts is the spectacular dance each year. “It’s really pretty,” said Junior Vasilisa Shvachko, a member of the Fundraising committee, which sells raffle tickets to the guests. “Fascinating Rhythm” was the first Jazz Dance she had been to. The entire location was decorated with careful planning and immense artistic skill. At the hotel’s side entrance stood a welcome sign with “Fascinating Rhythm” splashed across it in a zesty hue. Inside the entryway, a magnificent backdrop of an entire cityscape shone out from one wall, complemented by black silhouette cutouts of musicians standing here and there with saxophones. Further in was a brightly lit hall with a long half-circle of covered tables bearing numerous gift-baskets, which were the prizes of the raffle and whose distribution was one of the evening’s highlights. Throngs of people browsed around slowly, searching for a basket they would like to win. Inside the dim ballroom, the air was warmer; tables with roses and candles surrounded a wide dance floor, behind which was the stage where the Jazz Band performed. Score after score of joyous, spirited and soulful music pulsed through the air. Formally dressed guests sat contently in their seats, watching others dancing fast with grins in the soft, sweeping yellow and purple lights of the dance floor. “It’s like going back in time, going back to the Roaring Twenties,” said Senior Jessica Lin, also a raffle ticket seller. “Everyone’s alive; everyone’s having fun.” Maureen Langenback, of the copy center,

www.thesmokesignal.org

Arts & Entertainment 19

Arts & Entertainment Classes MSJ Should Have

staff writer natalie yang

Ms. Kraft conducts the Jazz Band at the Jazz Dance.

has attended every Jazz Dance since it first started. “The dance is well-run, the food is good, the music is excellent,” she said, in between dances with her husband. “It’s a wonderful evening out. I look forward to it every year.” Featured in some songs were guest vocalists, whose voices carried the tunes with masterful strength and delicacy. “It’s like being a star for 10 minutes,” said Lee Stevens-Glover, the vocals teacher and also a guest vocalist of the event. She had delivered a dazzling rendition of Nat King Cole's “When I Fall In Love” to long, thunderous applause. For her the event had a special significance; she is retiring this year and the dance was held in her honor. “This is my last year and…I’m very honored…” She held up the back of the event program booklet, which had photographs of her along with a message of tribute, and proceeded to recount the history behind each picture. “It’s worth all the hours of rehearsal, all those days and days in class,” said StevensGlover. “Because making music is one of the greatest joys of life.” The Jazz Dance drew to a close near midnight, but the music seemed to linger on long afterward. ▪

MSJ should have more Arts and Entertainment-focused classes, such as a Film and Television course.

By Amanda Kwan Staff Writer

MSJ offers a diverse selection of fine arts courses, but some students crave classes beyond those available. The demand is low and the budget can’t be spared, but hey, we can dream of a few arts and entertainment classes we'd love to have. 3D Rendering For those wanting to go into animation in the video game industry, knowledge of 3D rendering programs such as Maya are a must. The skill also gives an edge to students who want to pursue television or film animation. Computer animation studios like Pixar have created successful CGI feature films, and they are always searching for new artists. Hip-Hop Dance Despite being one of the most popular dance styles on campus, students have to look elsewhere to learn hip-hop. A class would have enormous appeal and keep students moving after their PE years have ended. Not

staff writer sophie diao

only does the dance promote unity and harmony, but it also gives a chance for students to form an official school dance team and to compete in national competitions. Film & Television In this class, students would learn to direct, shoot and edit everything from humorous shorts to documentaries, as well as write screenplays and draw storyboards. MSJ does offer Film in the 20th Century, but it is more academic and less technical. Neighboring high schools offer a number of similar courses. Audio mixing and film production would also be included in the curriculum. Web Design A class that builds students’ skills in both web graphics and coding would provide a solid foundation for students who choose to pursue either web design or computer programming. With blogs and social networks becoming more prevalent on the Internet, students should also have a chance to learn how to create professional grade layouts. ▪

Yellowcard Rocks the Bay

Lead singer Ryan Key and violinist Sean Mackin rocked the stage at the Great American Music Hall.

By Megan Bernstein Staff Writer

Fans from around the Bay Area lined up outside the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on Sunday, April 6, for the much anticipated Yellowcard concert. The dimmed venue had only standing space, but fans did not mind as they pressed up against the stage, eager for Yellowcard’s acoustic set. The audience was greeted by opening acts Treaty of Paris, PlayRadioPlay! and The Spill Canvas. The Spill Canvas was by far the favorite opener of the night, with many audience members singing along. The bands shook the floor with amazing vocals, powerful chords and melodic beats, and I was soon lost in the sound that was blasting from the speakers. My aching feet were soon forgotten. As The Spill Canvas finished their final song, chants of “Yellowcard!” became louder and louder. Lead Singer Ryan Key sauntered on stage with his guitar and water bottle in hand and the crowd went wild. “How’s it going, San Francisco?” he asked. The crowd settled down to the sound of the music and the band began their long awaited acoustic set for the soldout audience.

virginmedia.com

As the band began their first song, “Rough Draft,” from their early album One for the Kids the crowd was transformed, many fans singing their hearts out along with the lyrics. The band, featuring guitarist Ryan Mendez and violinist Sean Mackin, played all the songs acoustically with raw and honest feeling. The set included favorites from other albums such as “Lights and Sounds,” “Way Away” and “Only One,” as well as their wellknown release following the Sept. 11 attacks entitled “Believe”. Tracks from the newest album, Paper Walls, were heartfully played as well, with fans belting out lyrics to favorites such as “Fighting,” “Light up the Sky” and “Keeper.” As the concert came to an end, the fans were screaming for an encore. Within minutes, Ryan Key reappeared on stage, splitting the audience into melody and vocals for the final and long-awaited performance of the night, “Ocean Avenue.” As the guitarist began to strum the first chords of the song, Key left the audience with one final thought, “Now, I want you to sing your hearts out, and when I come and see you all at that merchandise table after the show, you better have the most damn hoarse voices I’ve ever heard.” ▪

20 Arts & Entertainment

www.thesmokesignal.org

Mix and Mash: Hybrid Genres By Vicraj Gill Staff Writer

The music industry has always divided itself into categories based on similarities between musical styles. However, many musical groups today feel that such divisions are more arbitrary than logical. Many performers choose instead to experiment and break the boundaries between genres; the umbrella term for what results from this is hybrid genre music. Some of these acts are wellknown. Las Vegas band Panic! at the Disco is recognized for their skillful blend of emo, electronica, dance and pop-punk. Rap groups like Outkast are also known for the fusion of funk, jazz, soul and blues that they use to spice up their sound. In fact, the dancehall reggae sound known as raggamuffin music, or ragga, is known more for the hybrid genres it’s a part of than as a kind of music on its own. It’s either mixed with a more traditional rock sound in jamrock or blended with Latin music to form reggaeton. Other less obvious or less popular combinations of genres are also flourishing underground. Rap and rock blends were some of the first of these. These styles of music, commonly billed as either alternative hip-hop or rapcore, were made popular by classic groups like Rage

comics.ign.com

DC Final Crisis involves all the big players.

Mainstream comic books have bounced back in the last few years due to the popularity of their movie counterparts. Here are some of the most anticipated comics of 2008. Countdown To Final Crisis To lead into DC’s main event,

starpulse.com

Panic! at the Disco blends genres of music.

Against The Machine, and brought into the mainstream by acts like Linkin Park. More recently, rap music has merged with dance to form genres like Electro-hop in Southern California and Ghettotech in Detroit. Metal and industrial music have also proven mixable, spawning countless new genres like rap metal, noise rock, funk metal and horrorcore. Many musical acts market themselves as hybrid genre bands. Already thriving in the alternative music market as a Led Zeppelin/ Elvis Presley cover band, Dread Zeppelin’s reggae-laced covers of classic rock songs as well as their original work have made them wellknown in the hybrid-genre scene. The concept of the fusion genre is not a new one, but with its sudden surge in the music industry, it’s about as revolutionary. ▪

the company has launched a weekly series that focuses on the side stories leading up to DC’s apocalyptic war. The comic focuses on the rebirth of the DC Multiverse, 51 parallel superhero universes in conjunction with the main universe. As such, characters are often seen traversing through the different universes, meeting alternate versions of well-known superheroes. The comic is expected to continue until Final Crisis is released in May. DC Final Crisis DC’s annual crossover event will span seven issues, affecting the entire DC Universe and its colorful array of comic book characters. In an interview, writer Grant Morrison described the comic as “The Lord of the Rings of the DC Universe.” Fans speculate that demigod villains Darkseid and Mr. Mxyzptlk will play integral roles in the story. DC Final Crisis is the third and final act of a long-running story arc that

The Smoke Signal

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Guide To Spring Movies By Victoria Gu Staff Writer

Upcoming Comic Books By George Yang Arts & Entertainment Editor

Spring, though notorious for April showers and May flowers, is also known for its abundance of enjoyable films. As summer approaches, kick back and relax with some of these movies: Made of Honor Patrick Dempsey, of Grey’s Anatomy fame, returns to the silver screen in yet another chick flick. Dempsey stars as Tom, a typical bachelor who can only rely on his best friend Hannah (Michelle Monaghan). However, when Tom finally decides to propose to Hannah, she announces that she is engaged and asks him to be her “maid” of honor. Made of Honor walks down the aisle on May 2. Iron Man Move over Spider-Man, there’s a new Marvel hero coming to town. This action-packed tale is about a wealthy philanthropist Tony Stark

superherohype.com

The highly anticipated film adaptation of Iron Man has already garnered positive reviews.

flared up in the 80s. The first Crisis crossover comic was an epic all-out war that pitted the DC Universe’s entire lineup of characters against an evil deity named the Antimonitor. Superman, Batman and The Blue Beetle are expected to be part

The Skrulls have invaded Marvel.

newsarama.com

of the main cast. The comic’s first issue releases in May 2008. Thunderbolts The Thunderbolts are a superhero team created by former villains, with

(Robert Downey Jr.), who invents an indestructible robotic suit to escape from the villains who kidnapped him. Director Jon Favreau promises to make it a monster hit. Iron Man opens in theaters May 2. Sex and the City

rapidsharefilms.com

The girls of Sex and the City will hit the big screen this May.

This long-anticipated feature film is the continuation of the hit TV series of the same name. The movie follows Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, the stylish reporter whose romantic adventures, along with those of her friends Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda (Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon), are the subjects of her articles. Catch it May 30. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan Judd Apatow, the writer behind such hits as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, has created another hysterical comedy which is sure Venom, Green Goblin and Bullseye on the roster. The members of the team are morally ambiguous, and the group is constantly kept under check by the government. With the recent tie-in to the Secret Invasion, the Thunderbolts are more important than ever, as certain members of the team have been discovered to be alien Skrull imposters. Marvel Secret Invasion Secret Invasion focuses on the infiltration of Earth by aliens called Skrulls, who believe our planet is "religiously and rightfully theirs." The Skrulls' shape-shifting abilities have made it easy for them to secretly pose as world leaders and superheroes. Popular characters Spider-Man, Wolverine and Iron Man as well as franchise teams like the Fantastic Four are expected to be major players in the storyline. Green Lantern After a long and tame recession, the Green Lantern comic has become one of the hottest commodities for the DC Universe. Last year, the evil Sinestro Corps, an army of

to become a classic. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan stars Adam Sandler as a top-ranked Mossadist, (Israeli intelligence agent) who, after getting tired of the constant fighting, fakes his death and becomes a hairstylist in New York City. However, when his enemies discover his hiding place, he risks losing his new, exciting life. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan comes out June 6. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Indiana Jones is back. After almost 20 years, Harrison Ford returns as the infamous archeologist adventurer, along with his sidekick, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf ), in the latest Spielberg-directed thriller. In the latest chapter of the Indiana Jones series, set in 1957, Jones finds himself pitted against agents of the Soviet Union in search of the crystal skull. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comes to theaters May 23. ▪

superherohype.com

Harrison Ford returns in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Yellow Lanterns, waged war on the Green Lantern Corps, testing the moral fiber of their peaceful ideology. As a result of the Sinestro Corps’ impending victory, the Green Lanterns were forced to ratify their code of conduct, using “lethal force” to

newsarama.com

Green Lantern's latest arc is action-packed.

kill for the first time. Writer Geoff Johns continues to spark controversy with his latest story arc “The Blackest Night,” in which a war between seven different colored corps has been foretold. ▪

Poet Spotlight: Akash Patel By Natalie Yang Staff Writer

This month, we're spotlighting a student poet. With an undying passion for poetry, Senior Akash Patel produces pieces that are out of this world. Here, the Smoke Signal interviews Patel and sheds light on his inspirations and aspirations. Smoke Signal: When did you start writing poetry? Akash Patel: I started writing poetry in October of junior year. SS: How did it happen? AP: I don’t know; I was just bored in class and listening to music, and I started writing down the lyrics. Then I started changing them gradually until they were something completely new. SS: Have you entered in any competitions?

AP: A couple; every contest I entered were things I found on FastWeb. Some of them were just random people looking to give away free scholarship money, and others were small organizations. There was this one big thing that came in the mail once, but I threw it out because I thought it was a scam since they invited me to some huge ceremony thing. I’ve also received scholarships to a couple of colleges. AuthorHouse Publishing Company published about 120 of my poems, too. I think they were on the shelves for like a day, but they had to take them off because I didn’t sign the release forms. SS: What influences you when you write poetry? AP: Different things, like music or emotions, and if I see people

staff writer amy mao

Senior Akash Patel discovered his passion for poetry just last year.

walking around or something, that might influence me. SS: Do other poets influence you? AP: A little bit. I remember reading a lot of Emily Dickinson when I wasn’t that good, and when I read more, I wrote better. In the begin-

ning I read more than I wrote, and now I barely read at all and I just mainly write. SS: When do you usually write? AP: I write anytime, like sometimes I’ll be somewhere and I’ll think of something and write it down. Then I’ll accumulate them up to like 1516 lines and bring it together later in the day. Sometimes I also write full poems at once. SS: What kind of poetry do you write? AP: They’re all emo. There’s a couple that rhyme, but most are free verse. Rhyming gets in the way when you try to convey a message, so I like to mostly write in free verse. SS: What do you like about poetry? AP: The fact that it’s undefined.

The reader can choose the meaning, so one person might think that the author is sad, and another might think that the author is mad. You can come up with your own definitions, and there’s no right or wrong. SS: Do you write other things besides poetry, like short stories, etc.? AP: Yes, I write essays. I was also a national finalist for some random thing I found on FastWeb. I don’t even think it was that big a contest though. SS: Do you like writing poetry or essays better? AP: Poetry. Essays are more factual, like you have to write in one perspective, like they’re in only one point of view. You can see poetry in different ways – [it's] more undefined. ▪

22 Sports

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Athlete of the Month Swimming: Beatrice Sun

By Diana Jin

Staff Writer Freshman Beatrice Sun earned her fashionable goggle tan at intense varsity swim practices. Being one of the few freshmen on Varsity doesn’t phase her a bit since Sun is also on a year-round swim team. She started swimming in the fourth grade and through the years, has moved up in her team’s divisions. Given that her season is continuous, Sun has the greatest opportunity to break her own personal records. “I don’t like to specialize and do one stroke... I can swim anything,” said Sun. Her well-roundedness as a swimmer brings great promise to the Girl’s Varsity team. She is fond of the 100-yard Breastroke, the 100-yard Freestyle, and the 100-yard Backstroke. When asked about her worst event,

she said the 500-yard Free, in which she still performs surprisingly well. Sun’s approach to racing is to know her competition, and just go all out. The pressure sometimes makes her nervous beforehand, but when she steps on the block, Sun maintains a cool composure. As an anchor, Sun swam the 400-yard Free A Relay to a first place finish against Irvington High School when her relay was over five yards behind. Sun’s participation in swimming outside of school allowed her to better prepare herself for races. “I know people from Irvington because of year-round, so I knew who I was swimming against,” said Sun. Sun loves to swim at MSJ, especially since high school meets go a lot faster and even though there’s pressure to win, it’s a friendly com-

Quick Facts Favorite food? I eat everything, normal food, but nothing disgusting like worms or anything on Fear Factor. What’s a personal quirk? When I’m not swimming, I really don’t want to get wet.

petitive spirit. As always, unfair officials are prevalent in all meets. “They can be really subjective,” said Sun, who hopes that she can finish off the season without any disquali-

staff writer natalie yang

fications. Sun still has many years to swim and break her personal records. MSJ is pleased to have this versatile swimmer on the team. ▪

What does your team call you? At first, it was Bee, but [Coach] Joe changed it to Tuna, short for Bumblebee Tuna.

Team Spotlight: Badminton By Ryan Tanakit

Staff Writer With the spring sports season comes one of MSJ’s most heralded sports: badminton. It is widely known that badminton workouts are anything but easy; they include intense running workouts designed to prepare team members for those moments in matches where bursts of extreme speed may be necessary. This year’s squad is hoping to repeat last year’s performance with an undefeated season, an MVAL title and, following that impressive feat, an NCS championship. Less than ten seniors returned from last year’s team of over eighty members. However, Junior Lalita Yang, Sophomore Stella Chung, Junior Julia We, Senior Brandon Ang, and Senior Rebecca Chen lead the team as captains and are optimistic about the team’s prospects. Yang commented on the team, “We have really good underclassmen this year and the next couple of years should

sports editor alex lee

MSJ Badminton is off to a strong start, and are currently undefeated in league play. They have high hopes, and are looking to win the NCS title.

be really good.” So far this season, Coach Ambrish Batheja has the team on track: Once again, they are undefeated with wins over everyone in the MVAL. Although the Warriors have already defeated Newark, the Cougars remain their

toughest competition for the season with Irvington a distant third. “We’ve got a little rivalry going on with Newark, Irvington is…not as good.” added Yang. So far, this year’s outstanding players include captains Ang and Chung, and Sophomore Jesse Wu.

Much of the success that the team enjoys comes from the hours they put in outside of practice. Places like Smash City are frequently filled with members of the MSJ badminton team trying to gain any advantage possible over their opponents.

As the MVAL’s only undefeated team, it is safe to say that the Warriors are the favorites to win it all. In addition to success in the MVAL, many expect our rather large team to claim the NCS title this year, and hopefully, in years to come. ▪

Boys’ Golf Places Second at MVALs By Alex Cole Sports Editor

The Mission Boys’ Golf Team took to the Sunol Valley Golf Course for the MVAL playoffs on April 17 and 21. Before, the playoffs began, the boys were sitting in second place after the regular season. In order to move on to the NCS qualifiers, MSJ needed to place first or second as a team in the playoffs, or their season would come to an end. The first round of play took place on Sunol’s Palm Course, a par 71. With perfect conditions, MSJ finished on top with a 12 stroke lead over the nearest team,

Irvington. Captain and Senior Alex Lee finished as the front runner with a one stroke lead after a round of 78. The other MSJ members finished near the top as well, as four out of the six members finished in the top ten. With confidence brewing, the team looked to continue their success into the second round of the playoffs. The pressure was on in this round as a bad score would cost the team its bid into NCS. As the players from the three top competing teams, Irvington, Washington, and MSJ, came in one after the other, the scores all were very close. It came down to the wire, and Washington squeezed