March 2010 by The Chariot

L E IA SU EC IS SP BLE U DO

Chari t T

Delivering Gunn’s Culture and Politics

March 2010

Volume 6 • Issue 6

SHOULD MARIJUANA be legalized? 6

OBAMA’S FIRST YEAR 12

Plans and Action A Momentous Start A Year Wasted Obama a Socialist?

Google vs. China

4 Chinese Development 20 International Affairs 21 Senioritis 22 Gunn Engineering 23 The Lightning Thief Google Buzz

Photo: Priya Ghose

The Chariot

The World in a Blurb Obama on Obesity

Michelle Obama showed up at the annual winter meeting of the National Governor’s Association on Saturday 20th and reminded them to help her fight against childhood obesity. Her “Let’s Move” plan includes four aspects: teaching parents how to help their kids eat healthily, bringing healthier food to public schools, helping children get regular physical activity, and ensuring that kids have healthy options in all neighborhoods. Mrs. Obama also stated “Our kids didn’t do this to themselves,” which is debatable. No matter how many figures of authority extol the virtues of exercising, it’s the childrens’ habits that affect their obesity. This wasn’t the government’s fault, but they may be able to help fix it. – Corey Breier

Toyota Recall

Over the past four months, Toyota has recalled approximately 8.5 million vehicles worldwide because of unreliable accelerator pedals and braking systems. The president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, has apologized multiple times for the accidents and deaths caused by the faulty cars. According to him, Toyota’s swift expansion and increase in sales prompted less stringent quality control. This relaxed approach to safety resulted in numerous deaths and accidents that could have been prevented by safety checks and testing. Had Toyota not become focused on selling more and more vehicles in a short period of time, this would not have hap-

pened. Now Toyota’s reputation is damaged, perhaps irreparably, for the foreseeable future, all because of greed. Companies must realize that profits, while important, are easy to make in comparison to establishing a good reputation. A company cannot expect to make any significant profit, if any at all, if its reputation is tainted by fatal product failures. Toyota’s misfortunes are a perfect example of the negative results of an overly materialistic focus. In this capitalistic society, Toyota’s troubles should serve as a wake-up call to entrepreneurs, major corporations and consumers alike. An avid pursuit of wealth might bring shortterm gain, but can be detrimental to one’s overall survival. If money is one’s main focus, individuals and corporations alike should re-evaluate their priorities and consider how their actions impact the fiscal years ahead rather than just the next quarter. –Sarah Zubair

Homegrown Terrorism The man who crashed his plane into the IRS building on February 18th was not what he proclaimed himself to be; a hero trying to raise awareness about the evil of the IRS and capitalism. Unfortunately, he was just another distributed individual trying to find something to blame for his problems. And most unfortunately, his belief led to his death. Simply put, he needed help and didn’t get it. – Aaron Guggenheim

The damage to the Austen, Texas IRS building 2

March 2010

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GOOGLE VS. CHINA Scott Wey Graphics/Layout

ost oF us think of Google as a kindly Internet figure, gently guiding our search results in the right direction. Little do we know that under the facade of harmlessness that Google likes to put up, it is a hardcore technology company that aggressively protects its assets. Simply put, Google is badass. How else could you describe a company that counterhacked the Chinese government? Last December, it became apparent to Google’s engineers that the Chinese government had been breaking into Gmail accounts. Other lesser companies would have let the proper authorities take care of the issue, but apparently Google doesn’t take flak from anyone. The company began the process of counterhacking. Their specialists tracked the attack to a server in Taiwan. There, they discovered damning evidence that allowed them to conclude that the Chinese government had orchestrated the attack. Information on the server also indicated that at least 33 other companies had been compromised, including companies such as Adobe and Northrop Grumman. It’s a rather disturbing thought that these other companies failed to detect the intrusion, to say the least. Long story short, Google caught China red handed. Google has since submitted the necessary data to the US government and are working side by side with the appropriate government agencies. But apparently it wasn’t enough for Google to hack them back. No, Google was royally pissed off. On January 12th Google announced, via its blog, that it was unwilling to continue censoring results on its Chinese website

(google.cn). If they have to, Google will pull out of China entirely. China’s response was to try and brush it off, while pretty much denying their part in the hacking, pretty much just doing the equivalent of mumbling about it a lot and hoping everyone forgets, a tactic that never works. We have to remember that this is a clash of polar opposites: Google, enabling and promoting freedom of information with its search engine, and China, a government so fearful of free thought that they make every attempt to censor the internet. From a more personal point of view, the entire situation is ridiculous. The information that the Chinese government accessed wasn’t even worth the risks. One would think that they’d use the opportunity to check up on the personal data of high ranking US officials, but no. Instead they obtained information about human rights activists. What is China so afraid of ? A few protesters with picket signs? Good job, China, you got some personal emails from tree hugging, freedom loving human rights activists. At what expense? Oh nothing much, just souring relations with the largest search provider on the planet. Not only did they manage to anger Google, but they angered the United States government as

Honoring the death of Google China

well. Fantastic. The hackers who participated in masterminding this disaster must be patting themselves on the back and enthusiastically fistbumping. Job well done. Bravo. China, a few tips for your next attack on one of the internet’s industry leaders (they’re really just general suggestions): 1. Don’t go through Taiwan, a country with zero motivation for launching attacks of any kind. 2. Don’t waste your time on human rights activists. What can they do against your endless waves of censorship and propaganda? Very little (in my opinion). 3. Don’t try to beat one of the most internet savvy companies at hacking. It will only end badly for you. 4. (Almost) everyone likes Google, including your citizens. Don’t malign yourself with (almost) everyone. 5. Just own up to it next time. Bad stuff will happen whether you confess or not. If you admit to it, at least you’ll have street cred with other countries. A quote from the Google blog pretty much sums it up: “These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered—combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web—have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.” In so many (excessively tame) words, Google has told China that it doesn’t take crap from anyone. Badass. Volume 6 • Issue 6

The Chariot

TWO VIEWPOINTS OF Human rights violations in China disgraceful Linda Wang Contributing Writer

continue to be rampant in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) despite worldwide scrutiny. The infamous 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, in which thousands of pro-democracy protesters were jailed and killed, left a dark stain on the Chinese government’s record. The PRC is now quick to show the internal reforms they have made, but how much more freedom do the Chinese people truly have? Do they enjoy freedom of speech, press, and religion? The PRC’s 1982 constitution guarantees Chinese citizens the rights to freedom of speech and press, but they are largely void except in name. In 2008, 50 people were imprisoned for posting their views online, some just for accessing forbidden websites. The PRC is restrictive to the extreme; Reporters Without Borders ranks the Chinese press situation as the least free in the world. All speech must adhere to the “four basic principles,” the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), socialism, dictatorship of the proletariat, and MarxismLeninism Mao Zedong Thought. There also exists a subversion of state power clause that gives authorities virtually boundless power to persecute anyone criti4

uman rights violations

March 2010

cal of the government. Decisions to persecute are often arbitrary and made during secret trials. In 1994, the State Security Law was revised to outlaw the publication and dissemination of any writing which “endangered state security.” It also criminalized contact with foreign organizations that were deemed hostile. Conveniently, the government has free rein to decide who is “hostile” or not. Indeed, in 1994, the Beijing Intermediate Court sentenced three political dissenters to 20 years in prison, for “leading counterrevolutionary organizations,” shocking the international community. It was the harshest sentence delivered in recent years for such behavior.

Protests in San Francisco

Until the 1980s, all media was staterun. Now, what independent media does exist must do so under CCP monitoring, legal restrictions, and coercion. Agencies like the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) and General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) severely regulate the coverage of topics as Tibet or the legitimacy

of the CCP. It is common policy to offer financial incentives to journalists willing to self-censor. The CCP Propaganda Department has often regulated news articles to be “80% positive, 20% negative.” The PRC’s right to “freedom of religion” differs vastly from our own notions. There are four established religions under government control—Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism—and any religion outside of these cannot be practiced publicly. Religious doctrines have been reportedly altered by the government to promote the CCP, especially those of the Church. The religious practice of Chinese Catholics loyal to the Vatican is illegal. Instead, they are required to accept the “official Catholic” bishop of the PRC, who was appointed not by the Pope but by the government. The larger Church has since branded the Chinese Church a schismatic group. The government then proceeded to declare in September 2007 that “no living Buddha” could be reincarnated without “government approval,” in order to limit the Dalai Lama’s influence. The Dalai Lama announced in 1995 that the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama had been found in a young boy. The boy then disappeared and has never been seen, assumed to be under house arrest by the PRC. Policies have been instituted in Tibet that make a shambles of the Chinese “constitution”; the PRC has put quotas on the number of monks permitted, restricted religious study until after the age of 18, and forced the Tibetans to denounce the Dalai Lama as their leader.

www.gunnchariot.com

CHINESE DEVELOPMENT A Step In the Right Direction Hina Sakazaki Contributing Writer

hina is no longer a backward country in red headed by Mao Zedong. It is a world power, with some of the most advanced technologies in the world, the largest population and the largest economy. Not only have its living standards have improved significantly, but the reputation of China as a whole has improved over the past 20 years. Yet, the New China faces distrust and disapproval from the world. Its treatment of minorities, the environment and overall pushiness has attracted unfortunate condemnation. Nevertheless, China has made progress and has the potential to improve (and even take over) the world. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China revealed its advancements, tremendous technology and people to the whole world. The exceptional opening ceremony and construction of its impressive Olympic stadium is remembered as a fusion of new technology and authentic Chinese culture. There were problems, of course. The international community frowned upon China’s human rights violations; support of oppressive regimes, including Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Sudan and North Korea; air pollution; and its restriction of media access. But these problems did not impede China’s success with the Summer Olympics. The Summer Olympics introduced China as a new world power and symbolized China’s growing acceptance in the world, just as the Tokyo Olympics of 1964 did for Japan.

The Chinese media is also becoming increasingly commercialized with more competition and content. The government’s censorship is becoming less stringent. China’s film industry has grown from cheap and censored to multinational and rich, setting up China to compete with Western films. Additionally, many of the products used here in the United States are manufactured in China. Politically, China has been attempting to increase its influence on other nations. China’s interest in Africa has taken a new spin. In addition to financial and military assistance, China has been developing its new technologies there. One noteworthy project was by the Huawei Technology and ZTE Corp. They pledged $10 billion to advance African nations, including Angola, Ghana and Nigeria. China’s influence over struggling nations is promising in the global community improves the Chinese reputation. Some speculate that China will become the world’s next superpower after the U.S. By lending massive amounts of money to

the U.S., it has the most economic influence over the U.S. More people are learning to speak Mandarin. In 1991, there were only 2,000 Mandarin-learners taking the Chinese Proficiency Test, while in 2005, 17,660 nonnative speakers took the test. Historically, it seems that every large nation is at first looked down upon as it enters the global stage. The U.S. was not viewed as a serious power in its beginnings. These countries go through many problems including unhappy people, unstable economy, harsh treatment of minorities and pollution. China is no different, and so far, its policies are reasonable and realistic. It takes time and experience to be a stable, internationally recognized nation with no conflicts. China is still a teenager on the global scale, but it is a very promising teenager and heading towards the right direction.

Volume 6 • Issue 6

: MARIJUANA THE FACTS

The Chariot

Scott Wey Graphics/Layout

www.gunnchariot.com

Damages short-term memory

Tobacco 400,000 / year

Smoke damages lungs

Robert Chen Co-Editor-in-Chief

Heart rate increase by 20-50 beats/min

Alcohol 75,000 / year

Stimulates appetite

Normal : Lethal dosage

Combats nausea and vomiting

Heroin 1:5 Aspirin 1 : 20 Alcohol 1 : 10

Marijuana

Relaxes muscles

No recorded overdose deaths

Marijuana 1 : 20,000+

Number of arrests

900,000

872,721

involving marijuana

800,000

700,000

Federal Law

• Schedule I drug

• “No accepted medical value in treatment” • Illegal to sell, cultivate, and possess

California Law

• Possession of one ounce or less is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a maximum $100 fine • Legal to possess and cultivate only for medical use

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

200,000 1989

March 2010

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

Volume 6 • Issue 6

The Chariot

USAGE STATS&TRENDS where?

Brittany Cheng Graphics/Layout

SUBSTATEUSAGE Percent Reporting Past Month Use: <4.75% 4.76%-5.50% 5.51%-6.00% 6.01%-7.50% >7.51%

who?

AGEVARIATION

Percent Reporting Past Month Use

DECLINE in use by National Workforce 2000-2007

29% TRENDSBYYEAR

Percent Reporting Past Month Use

39.8% of US population has tried marijuana at least once

March 2010

www.gunnchariot.com

MARIJUANA:

By the numbers

Celine Nguyen Graphics/Layout

percentage that have smoked marijuana

by GRADE

6.25%

17.1%

14.9%

28.6%

20.7%

11.5%

(2/32 respondents) (6/35 respondents) (7/47 respondents)

170 students were

(15/56 respondents)

SURVEYED

(19/92 respondents)

on the following:

(9/78 respondents)

{

by GENDER

Is marijuana worse than alcohol? YES 46.5% (79 students) NO 53.5% (91 students)

17%

Is marijuana worse than tobacco? YES 40% (68 students) NO 60% (102 students)

84%

Would you support decriminalization of marijuana? YES 64.1% (109 students) NO 35.9% (61 students)

of the students surveyed have smoked marijuana.

have not.

decriminalization: Penalty for possession for individual use is low. Cultivation and distribution are illegal.

legalization:

Legal to possess, sell, and cultivate.

Would you support legalization of marijuana? YES 52.4% (89 students) NO 47.6% (81 students) If legalized, would you try marijuana? YES 10% (17 students) NO 72.9% (124 students) ALREADY HAVE 17.1% (29 students) Volume 6 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 6

The Chariot

SHOULD MARIJUANA The Problem of Prohibition Max Lipscomb Contributing Writer

in Sacramento and Washington have recently been assailed by calls for “recreational drugs for all” from groups such as NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition). These senators and representatives are not helped by the massive tide of public opinion shifting to the side of legalization. During the run-up to President Obama’s inauguration, his website posted a briefing book in which people could submit their own ideas for consideration by the new president. The most popular item for the president’s consideration was by far the legalization of marijuana. The reasoning behind such a stunning shift is surprisingly enough not because the majority of Americans are drug addicts, but because they are susceptible to logic. The mountains of evidence pointing towards the benefits of repealing prohibition have reduced most counterarguments to tiresome rhetoric regarding emotions and principles. In December 2001, as President Bush signed the Drug-Free Communities Act Reauthorization Bill, he said “If you quit drugs, you join the fight against terror in America.” Repeated research has shown the vast majority of users are non-violent, and that more people are put in jail for possession than actual drug-related crimes. Furthermore, legalization would have olicymakers

March 2010

vast economic, political and safety ramifications. It would reduce the operating capacity of drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia by rendering their method of business obsolete. Moreover, the elimination of the black market would allow government regulation and pharmaceutical testing to ensure safer drugs with lower death rates. The legalization of drugs would prove especially effective in a state like California, which has seen a sharp increase in possession-related crimes over the past decade (so much so that job applications in California exclude marijuana-related crimes from other felony charges). It would free up room in our prison system by dropping the sentences of convicted drug possessors and dealers while setting up safer methods of distribution and sale. It has been estimated that the United States Federal Government would save an annual $7.7 billion dollars on enforcement

if it repealed drug prohibition. It should also be pointed out that all of these new sales of drugs will be taxable, and would provide the government with another $6.2 billion dollars in tax revenue annually if government leaders were willing to sacrifice a bit of their morality for the sake of their pocketbooks. However, I would call into question even the morality of drug prohibition, because while restricting freedoms, prohibition also redirects money away from legal and necessary spending areas. For example, when California lawmakers were passing budget cuts last summer, UC systems and schools took some of the hardest hits. In my opinion, there is no moral or logical excuse for forcing spending cuts upon the most motivated and promising citizens in a state, while avoiding repealing a law as illogical and counterproductive as drug prohibition.

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BE LEGALIZED? Decriminalization, Not Legalization Andre Garrett Contributing Writer

he nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

current drug policy would best be termed a colossal failure. A War on Drugs that has spanned three decades has little by way of results: use has not declined significantly and despite the effort to prevent the trafficking of drugs into the United States, the influx persists. Considering the spending that goes into the Drug War, such ineffective results would be reason enough to discontinue the current policy. But there is ample evidence to suggest that it is not only ineffective but even counterproductive. The preponderance of drug-related crime in Mexico is one such indicator. An analogous period in history is the prohibition of alcohol in the early 20th century. A direct result of Prohibition was an increase in crime, including organized

crime, related to the black market in alcohol. The economic causes of these unintended consequences are simple: when the government prohibits the legal sale of something that people want, the demand for that product does not go away. Unscrupulous individuals rush in to fill the void, and a black market is created. The fact that the product is illegal makes it more difficult to provide, which increases the price and makes the business more lucrative for anybody willing to flaunt the law. This becomes especially problematic with an addictive substance- the drug cartels in Mexico are now shockingly powerful, on par with the Mexican government itself. A further issue created by the prohibition of drugs in America involves the prison system. The criminal prosecution of Americans for possession or petty sale of these drugs has led to the highest incarceration rate in the industrialized world. This is another added expenditure upon that used to fund the war on drugs, for a

A - Decriminalized posession B - Legal medical marijuana C - Both

large investment that has seen no results. But just as bad is the punishment brought down upon those who were imprisoned for these crimes. The primary function of the justice system is to punish actions by individuals that infringe upon the rights of others: succinctly, their right to life, liberty, and property. The current laws inflict harm upon people who need aid and deter those who would look to the legal system for help. Portugal provides an example of a new policy that would ameliorate many of these problems; in 2001 it decriminalized drug possession and usage, making it an administrative affair. Possession and usage remain technically illegal, but many who would otherwise go to jail are instead offered treatment and therapy. A common concern of supporters of prohibition is that the loosening of antidrug laws would lead to a spike in abuse. However, in Portugal, drug use did not increase overall. Use among teens actually dropped, and twice as many people are now seeking treatment. Additionally, heroin-related deaths have dropped by more than half. Decriminalization of possession and usage would be a strong improvement over the status quo, but I would recommend prudence at that point. Following through to total legalization may not be the best path to take initiallylegalization (or rather re-legalization) is essentially unprecedented in the industrialized world, so legalization has no example to set alongside Portugal for decriminalization. The uncertainty of the effect of such a radical shift in policy, along with the possible consequences of a perceived endorsement of the activity by the American government, should lead us to eschew such a course, at least at this point in time. Volume 6 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 6

OBAMA: THE FIRST YEAR

The Chariot

www.gunnchariot.com

Ben Bendor Senior Editor

Brittany Cheng Graphics/Layout

GUANTANAMOBAY / MEXICOCITYPOLICY / CHILDREN’SHEALTHINSURANCE / STIMULUSBILL / MORETROOPS / STEMCELLS /

JAN 21, 2009

JAN 23, 2009

FEB 4, 2009

FEB 17, 2009

Obama calls a 120 day halt of legal pro-

Obama revokes the Mexico City Policy, a policy that required nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that receive government funding to refrain from providing abortion services in other countries.

Obama signs Children’s Health

Obama signs $787 billion Stimulus Bill, composed of tax cuts, expansion of unemployment benefits, and domestic spending in education, health care, and infrastructure.

Obama

ceedings for the closure of the facility within a year (a goal that wasn’t met), re-

quires that the Army field manual to be used as the guide for terrorism interrogations and creates a task force to review detention policies as well as all individual cases.

Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, extending the pro-

gram that generally covers families with children that low incomes but too high for Medicare; the Act expanded the program to cover an

approves

MAR 9, 2009

sending

17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

Obama issues an executive order eliminating limits

on embryonic stem cell research.

additional 4 million children and pregnant women.

CARGIANTS / FUELEFFICIENCYSTANDARDS / FRAUDLAWS / CREDITCARDS / SONIASOTOMAYOR / TROOPWITHDRAWAL /

MAR 30, 2009

MAY 17, 2009

MAY 20, 2009

MAY 22, 2009

MAY 26, 2009

JUNE 27, 2009

Obama gives GM and

Obama announces fed-

Obama signs Fraud En-

Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed to the Supreme Court by the Senate on August 6th in a 68-31 vote, and is sworn in August 8th.

The withdrawal of American troops from Iraqi cities begins. The Obama administration is targeting September 2010 as the end of US-led combat operations, and

goal is a car and truck fleet 40% cleaner and more efficient by 2016.

of fraud laws, including mortgage lending businesses; increases funding to Department of Justice and other agencies to detect and prosecute fraud.

Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act signed into

Chrysler 60 days and one month respectively to make drastic changes or face bankruptcy.

forcement and Recovery Act. It enhances enforcement

eral standard for fuel efficiency and limits on emissions from cars and trucks. The

law; sets some limits to credit card companies’ ability to charge costumer. Passed by overwhelming margin in Senate (90-5), much closer vote in House.

all troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

EDUCATIONPROGRAM / CLUNKERCASH / NOBELPRIZE / HEALTHCARE / TERRORISTATTEMPT / HAITIAID / WHAT’SNEXT? JULY 24, 2009

AUG 24, 2009

OCT 9, 2009

NOV 7, 2009

DEC 25, 2009

JAN 14, 2010

Obama announces Race to the Top, a 2-phase, $4.35 billion Department of Education program that offers financial

Cash for Clunkers, a $3 billion program to provide incentives

Obama surprisingly wins

Affordable Health Care for America Act passes in

Nigerian citizen Umar Farouk Ab-

Obama

ing plastic explosives in his underwear.

USAID and the military to assist in the rescue and recovery process.

rewards to the states that come up with the reforms for K-12 education

that score the most points based on a set of established target goals.

March 2009

for drivers to trade in cars for newer, more fuel-efficient ones ends after one month.

the Nobel Peace Prize;

a large majority of Americans polled do not believe Obama deserves to win; many see the award as a criticism of Bush’s policies.

the House 220-215. A different version passes in the Senate 60-39 on December 24th. Both bills extend number insured, and provide subsidies for low income individuals and families.

dulmutallab attempts to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 us-

commits $100 million to Haiti, and calls in

Volume 6 • Issue 6

PROMISES....

The Chariot

Kept

Broken

Increase the capital gains and dividends taxes for the rich

Allow five days of public comment before signing bills

For individuals making over $200,000/year and couples who make more than $250,000, he plans to raise capital gains and dividends taxes to 20% from their current level of 15%

Work with international allies on space station

Obama budget would extend life of International Space Station

No permanent bases in Iraq

Double funding for afterschool programs Support human mission to moon by 2020 Obama budget abandons moon goal

Expand loan programs for small businesses Establish a credit card bill of rights

• Ban unilateral changes • Apply interest rate increases only to future debt • Prohibit interest on fees • Prohibit universal defaults (rate raise because the consumer was late paying a different creditor) • Require prompt and fair crediting of cardholder payments.

March 2010

End income tax for seniors making less than $50,000

www.gunnchariot.com

What students think about

Obama’s performance About

2/3

of the students surveyed think Obama did well and are willing to vote for him in 2012.

158

people voted:

male

Has he done a good job?

Celine Nguyen Graphics/Layout

A higher percentage of people in higher grade levels thought Obama has did well: about

69%

seniors think Obama did well...but only

48%

of the freshman did.

female.

Has he improved the economy? Has he improved cooperation? Would you consider voting for him in 2012?

“ what

STUDENTS

are

SAY ING

Has he improved national security?

He’s done what he can given the circumstances. He’s made a couple mistakes but he is human after all.

Obama was in office for a whole year already? Time goes by fast when you’re not doing anything.

Alex Johann (12)

Gayan Seneviratna (11)

No one’s perfect.

He’s starting to do what he said before he was president, but he’s being inefficient and it’s not happening yet.

Rory Runser (11)

He accomplished something, but he was expected to accomplish a lot more. Mallika Potter (10)

Brian Chang (10)

He didn’t do anything notable.

Josh Temes (9) He’s made a lot of great changes since Bush. The world has seen this He tried to deliver what he promand that’s why he won the Nobel ised, but it’s difficult with Congress Peace Prize. and public opinion against him. Anonymous

Connie Hsueh (11)

He didn’t back up his promises.

He has helped jump-start the economy.

Kevin Zook (9)

Yasmin Aghajan (11)

Volume 6 • Issue 6

The Chariot

PERSPECTIVES ON Obama: Plans and Action Tara Golshan Contributing Writer

resident barack obama ran on the

slogan of “change that we can believe in.” Now, a year has gone by and many in the country question whether 2009 was a productive year. President Obama came into office with a full plate. In the midst of two wars overseas, the gloomy prospect of depression, and a deeply polarized country, Obama’s ‘change’ did not come as easily as his speeches. It has become increasingly apparent that President Obama is a centrist politician. Moderate in his beliefs, Obama has played to both sides of the United States political spectrum. From his health care plan to his push for a green future, the President has swayed back and forth between Democratic and Republican ideologies. This centrism, however, inevitably has created tension. From the Democrats’ perspective, the United States’ health care problem should be solved through government intervention: for them, the government-run public option is ideal. Although Obama did originally propose this solution in his first year, the President was forced to compromise with the Republicans and retreat to a single-payer-system advocacy. Different sections of this policy have been approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and are now in the process of negotiations between the two

March 2010

chambers. In terms of the military, President Obama openly voiced the strategy he plans to pursue in the future. In a speech addressed to the military academy at West Point, Obama laid out his intentions for the two wars. He stated that the AfghaniPakistan border is the true problem and the United States military should be focused on eradicating the Taliban there rather than fighting in Iraq. Obama plans to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan by July 2011. Also concerning the military, President Obama has expressed wishes to remove a policy that has been present in the Unit-

Frustrated

ed States armed forces since 1993. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which was put in place as a result of compromise under Clinton, prevents all members of the US service from disclosing their sexual identity and forbids all investigation on the matter. At a human rights meeting, Obama stated that he plans to remove this ban, saying that the policy is only “punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country.” When Obama arrived at the problem of the United States economy, he enacted a stimulus package. In an effort to prevent the United States from falling into the hands of depression, the President allotted federal money to the states in order to keep them afloat. This stimulus acted as a safety net for unemployment and further debt. The plan was predicted to create one to three million jobs and has set aside $100 billion for education. In moving the country forward, the President has also been pushing towards a green America. He has launched the first construction of nuclear energy plants in the past 30 years and has announced an $8.3 billion loan guarantee for a company to build two of these plants. These projects in the South still need to win licensing approval. Many view this policy as a move to the center, to win the favor of the Republican Party. President Obama has held his title for only one year. He entered office with a challenge before him. He ran for change and continues to reassure the people with grand promises of hope and evolution. After all, change only comes with time.

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OBAMA’S FIRST YEAR A Momentous Start Priya Ghose Publicity

Obama’s election, the expectations for his presidency had grown out of hand. People saw him as superhuman and expected him to come into office and change everything immediately. He obviously could not live up to these unrealistic expectations. However, when measured against past presidents or his own campaign promises, the Obama hype is not undeserved. Actions like reforming health care and closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay take time, and Obama is actively working towards these goals. Instead of criticizing Obama for what he has not done, he should be lauded for what he has accomplished in the brief year and two months since his inauguration. He came into office as the United States entered the worst recession since the Great Depression. Before he even entered office he led a second bank bailout of $350 billion (with the help of former President George W. Bush). Two weeks after taking office, he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion stimulus bill. While some people complain about the amount of money spent, the stimulus bill kept the country from spiraling into a full-fledged depression. Since this act, the rate of job loss has slowed tremendously, and the American economy is slowly growing again. Obama also created the “Cash for Clunkers” program, which helped both American citizens (cheaper cars) and the car industry (increased sales). In another win-win situation, Obama approved of 2,500 highway projects, creating 260,000 jobs and improving the U.S.’s t the time oF

Giving his “End of an Old GM” Speech

roadways, which are in need of repair. In addition, Obama cut taxes by $288 billion, allowing citizens to spend more money at a time when they were inclined to save (which would have slowed the economy even more). But saving this country from economic collapse is just the beginning. At the same time, Obama improved the U.S.’s international relations. He made speeches in Prague, Cairo and Ghana, among other places, to apologize on behalf of the U.S. for its boorish behavior over the last eight years. Sincerity and eloquence improved this nation’s international standing immediately, something Bush had not been able to accomplish in all his time in office despite a “public diplomacy” budget of $1 billion per year. Obama’s speeches weren’t just empty words; two days after taking office, Obama banned the use of “harsh interrogation” at Guantanamo, and a month later he formally announced America’s upcoming withdrawal from Iraq. He called a meeting of the UN Security Council that was attended by the heads of government of each member state, only the fifth such meeting in history. This meeting was also the first time a U.S. president chaired the Security Council. The attending countries unanimously approved

Obama’s commitment to working towards a world free of nuclear weapons. In addition to saving the American economy and improving the U.S.’s standing in the world, Obama has had numerous other accomplishments. These include lifting Bush’s restrictions of federally funded stem cell research, progressing towards universal health care, and making the government more accountable and less secretive by changing the Freedom of Information Act. The list goes on. Obama has accomplished so much in so little time that the newspapers cannot even keep up. Sam Stein of the Huffington Post explains, “Stories that once could or would receive front page treatment have faded fast. Indeed, some of the most consequential changes made by the president to date—affecting our nation’s health care system, infrastructure, urban and foreign policy—have received modest to little coverage, either discussed, but not appreciated, or reported, but not in great depth.” Whether one agrees with Obama’s ideals or not, one cannot deny that he has accomplished much as president so far. He still has three more years to impress this nation as well as the world. He is living up to the hype and fulfilling his campaign slogan of “change we can believe in.” Volume 6 • Issue 6

The Chariot

PERSPECTIVES ON A Year Wasted Kevin Zhang Contributing Writer

arack Obama ran one of the greatest presidential campaigns in United States history. His emphatic speeches shook the nation, and his enduring sayings gave Americans the courage to be audacious. Obama made numerous campaign promises that he thought would aid the economy and alleviate the citizens’ stress. His largest promises included increasing capital gains taxes and taxes for highincome taxpayers, eliminating oil and gas tax loopholes, improving environmental and labor standards in trade agreements, expanding child and dependent care credit and requiring publicly traded financial partnerships to pay the corporate income tax. Many of these promises attracted Americans to elect Obama as the President of the United States. However, Obama has done poorly in living up to his word. There is no doubt that he has done ample talking, but his actions have not sufficiently backed up the promises that Americans expected from him. One of Obama’s goals was to make the government more transparent and efficient. Obama promised that the public would be able to make comments on bills for five days before they were to be signed. Additionally, Obama promised that there would be tougher restrictions on lobbyists in the government. However, both of these promises have remained unfulfilled. This is potentially detrimental for Americans. Obama’s first

promise of enabling the public to comment would likely enable Congress to make a better informed decision. Obama broke this promise in order to expedite the process of passing bills, especially the stimulus package. The stimulus package is a prime example of a rushed bill; over 1588 pages of dense material that decided where $850 billion of the country’s money would go throughout the whole country was passed in less than a month. This is especially alarming and frustrating because American citizens should be more aware of the government’s actions. It was disheartening to see Obama advocate government transparency so adamantly during his campaign and then break his promises months into his presidency. It was inauspicious for his presidency and aggravating for the Americans who detested the supposed lack of transparency during the Bush administration. Most of Obama’s top promises are “still in the works” or “stalled.” Only a couple of his top promises were kept—he sent two additional brigades to Afghanistan and reformed mandatory minimum prices. However, many of his promises regarding health care reform (requiring children to have health insurance, investing in electronic health information systems) are still far from being kept as Congress continues to bicker. In addition, Obama’s promises of closing Guantanamo Bay and ending torture are still in the works. These promises were significant aspects of Obama’s campaign, and Americans should not be complacent with the amount of progress made on some of his top campaign promises.

The vast majority of his promises have not been fully kept

March 2010

Was the Nobel Prize deserved?

Furthermore, one of Obama’s top obstacles going into his first term was the economic recession. After aggressively pushing for the stimulus package and eventually passing it, the United States lost 598,000 jobs in January, and the nation has had the worst 13-month job loss since 1939. Although Obama has three years left in his first term, his first year has definitely not been successful. The vast majority of his promises have not been fully kept and several of his most important promises have been broken. Obama’s presidency is indeed off to an inauspicious start.

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OBAMA’S FIRST YEAR Capitalist Yes, Socialist No Arjun Bharadwaj Contributing Writer These days, we frequently hear the conservative claim that the United States is becoming the next Venzuela. But the claim that Barack Obama is turning the U.S into a socialist nation is not only completely ridiculous but insulting to actual socialists as well. There are numerous reasons why Obama isn’t the socialist anti-Christ that he is painted as. Healthcare Healthcare is the main issue that conservatives see as the best proof of the we-are-turning-into-socialists theory. The United States is the only developed country that does not have a universal healthcare system. And it will not have one in the near future even if the healthcare reform bill is passed. There is no “public option” in this bill because, for the Democrats to win over members of their own party, they have had to strip out some of the more radical reforms. A party that is trying to bring socialism to the States wouldn’t have to do this. Wall Street bailouts The Wall Street bailouts clearly show that Barack Obama is not a socialist. Instead of following the socialist principle of giving money to the poor, he is giving money to the wealthier part of the U.S; the corporations. With the economy in shambles and unemployment rising, a real socialist would distribute government money to the impoverished and unemployed in the US. While Wall Street flourishes, the common man starves. How is this in

Number of people unemployed

Percent of workforce unemployed

any way equalizing the gap between the wealthy and the poor? Although Obama is intervening in the economy, he is only doing it to preserve the capitalist system. He is not doing it to change or reform anything about our system and its inequality. Claims that Obama is a socialist fail to hold up upon examination of his administration’s policies. Although Obama is a moderate liberal, his financial decisions

and his healthcare polices prove that neither he nor his party are in any way socialist. The whole fear of a “socialist takeover” is ridiculous and insulting to people who actually dislike the free-market system and hope for a change.

Volume 6 • Issue 6

The Chariot

INTERNATIONAL Chaos in Iran Naor Deleanu Contributing Writer

may 2009, Iran held its presidential election, pitting incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. The election caught the eye of many in the West hoping for a change in power from the Holocaust-denying, bellicose president. It was marked with a high turnout and expectation for a close result. However, the official tally showed Ahmadinejad with over 60% of the vote. All three of the challengers did not accept the results, and there were widespread allegations of fraud. In the proceeding days, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets in protest over the election. More than six months later, many Iranians still view Ahmadinejad’s presidency as illegitimate. In the months following the election, thousands of Iranians have protested publicly in what have been some of the most widespread demonstrations since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The protests started as mostly an issue over the election, but have developed into protests against the very foundation of government in the country. In Iran, most of the political power is concentrated with the unelected Supreme Leader, also the highest religious power, making the country basically a theocracy. In addition, the presidential candidates must be approved by the unelected Guardian Council. Some protestors have been openly disparaging current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, chanting “Death to the dictator.” Former Iranian regime members, including former presidents and election candidates, have called the results ille20

March 2010

gitimate, still not agreeing to the election’s validity. The Iranian government has dismissed the protesters as part of Zionist or Western plots for “Color Revolution.” With the demonstrations have come physical clashes between the protesters and the Iranian authority. The large, volunteer paramilitary force is known for its brutal display of force. The protesters have been hit with tear gas and tortured with batons. Hundreds of protesters have been killed in the violence, and thousands have been arrested. The Supreme Leader has forbid any demonstrations against the government, and authorized the use of force to stop demonstrations. Many influential Iranian politicians and clerics have called for mass arrests of all demonstrators and opposition leaders. Since the election, Iran has banned foreign journalists from covering the demonstrations. All of the video footage seen on YouTube has been smuggled, often through cell phone cameras. The crackdown on the demonstrations has been, quite literally, brutal. Of those arrested, there are credible allegations of

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

torture, rape, and even death in the infamous Iranian prisons. The government even temporarily shut down one of its facilities due to widespread reports of torture. Many of those arrested were forced to make televised “confessions” that the protests were orchestrated by the CIA or by Israel. Two protesters have been executed for their actions in a country that has the highest per capita capital punishment rate in the world. The government has shut down opposition websites, disbanded reformist media, and blocked social network sites including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Protesters have been hit with tear gas and tortured with batons The efforts by the Iranian people to resist the current government have been called the “Green Revolution,” the Twitter Revolution. A few people have called this the “end of the Iranian Republic.” The government, perhaps fearing something of the sort, has continued to crack down on protesters, making the human rights situation worse and worse. Many, including Hillary Clinton, are seeing Iran as moving from a theocracy to a military dictatorship. It seems that, for now, the government has the upper hand, evidenced by high turnout for a recent pro-government demonstration compared to lower-than expected anti-government protests. The government has effectively stifled communication, free speech, and free information, but this has not done anything to heal the fracture left by the controversial election.

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AFFAIRS Terrorism in Yemen Yoni Alon Contributing Writer

Yemen from becoming another hub for terrorism. As the U.S. continues its offensive in Afghanistan, more and more terrorists are fleeing to Yemen. A strong jihadist presence has nested in Yemen’s rugged and remote landscape for the last decade. In 2000, a group of Yemini terrorists blew a hole in the U.S. Destroyer Cole, killing 17 soldiers. In 2008, two car bombs went off in front of the U.S. embassy. Al Qaeda has grown dramatically in the last year and will continue to do so, especially if President Obama follows through on his plan to send about half of Guantanamo’s Yemeni detainees back to their home country. Even as the U.S. has aided Yemen in countering the inner jihadist movement for years, the recent attempt to down a plane on Christmas Day galvanized the U.S. into giving more aid, as the Nigerian responsible is believed to have been trained in Yemen. In the next year and a half, the U.S. will be spending about $70 million to train the Yemini military. However, Yemen is becoming less effective in fighting the jihadist movement as its government and economy, both dependent on dwindling oil reserves for cash, continue to lose revenue. With diminishing government revenues, the Yemini military in particular needs help. Over 20 countries, including the U.S., have recently pursued military aid as well as other, non-military approaches in Yemen. There is rampant poverty and illiteracy; about half the population lives on less than $2 a day, and about 45% of the nation’s 22 million are illiterate. Al Qaeda is flourishing in these conditions. The U.S. and other western nations must act. Whether we choose to build schools or arm the military, the jihadists must not be allowed to take root and flourish. Although there are many obstacles and challenges to overcome, the U.S. must take risks to squash this branch of Al Qaeda or it will suffer grave consequences. e must prevent

The Life Senioritis Aaron Guggenheim Co Editor-in-Chief

Most of you have been looking forward to second semester senior year for the better part of high school. Colleges can no longer scrutinize what you have been doing with your time. Your applications are out and everything is pretty much set. Studying a whole lot more now is not going change how they read the applications. As long as you don’t fail your classes, Harvard or Yale or wherever you go will be happy to have you in the fall. What this means for most of us is that grades aren’t as important as they used to be. Four years of long nights, endless hours of extra curricular activities and well, too much school, can be exhausting. While I know that it might be tempting, now more than ever, to slack off, seize the opportunity that is second semester senior year. Take this opportunity to finally learn purely for the sake of learning. Don’t worry about getting the A in each and every class; make sure you learn the material and try your best. School, as cliché as it sounds, teaches you how to think. Whether it is through physics or U.S History or English, each subject provides an opportunity to approach the material from a unique angle. Simply put, school forces you to expand your mind to solve problems and challenges how you view the world. For us seniors, we finally have this opportunity to do this without the pressure of fighting for meaningless points or worrying about taking a risk that could help you learn, but hurt your grade. Being able to think analytically and creatively is something that will help you for the rest of your life. Use your second semester of senior year; don’t squander a chance to learn that is so valuable and so often taken for granted.

Volume 6 • Issue 6 21

The Chariot Editors-in-Chief Robert Chen Aaron Guggenheim Senior Editors Ben Bendor Andrew Liu Sarah Zubair Copy Editors Andre Garrett Tommy Huang Graphics/Layout Brittany Cheng Celine Nguyen Scott Wey Alexandra Yesian Circulation Jacob Guggenheim Publicity Priya Ghose Contributing Writers Ron Ackner Yoni Alon Arjun Bharadwaj Neil Bhateja Corey Breier Will Cromarty Naor Deleanu Henry Gens Tara Golshan James Gupta Anish Johri Ryan Lee Alice Li Max Lipscomb Jeff Ma Sam Neff Saurabh Radhakrishnan Roxanne Rahnama Hina Sakazaki Yoyo Tsai Daljeet Virdi Ian Wilkes Kevin Yang Stanley Yu Ethan Yung Omer Zach Kevin Zhang Foundation/Group Sponsors Adobe Systems Daughters of the American Revolution Palo Alto Lions Club Patrons ($100+) Lauren Michals and Vinod Bharadwaj Steven Guggenheim Shirley Zeng and Yajun Liu Sponsors ($50-99) Mark and Rhonda Breier Contributors ($21-50)

Special thanks to Advisor, Marc Igler

March 2010

GUNN ENGINEERING Robert Chen Co-Editor-in-Chief Bill Dunbar, Bakari Holmes, and Josh Paley have done an amazing thing: they’ve paved the way for an entirely new academic department. Starting next year, there will be four engineering lanes, each with a different emphasis. These courses teach skills that 21st century students will need to be productive at real jobs in engineering fields. That’s what makes these especially valuable—they give hands-on training with real application, something few other courses can resolutely claim. Because the four lanes above are just a suggestion, in reality most students will not have to

strictly follow a specific lane and jump around to any class that interests them. As more classes are added, students will have a wider selection of courses that may fascinate them. (It’s rumored that an Aerospace class might be added) As the number of these classes grows, Gunn should separate them into their own department. Although they already fall under the career/voc ed and applied academics categories, neither of these are formal departments. These courses take substantial funding for the equipment, which is why they should have their own financial systems and accountability. This department will fulfill a growing interest in engineering and is what students (well, me at least) want.

About Us The Chariot is intended to create and promote political discussion at Gunn and make people aware of issues that matter. We ask that you respect all opinions which are reflected in our publication, and write letters to the editors if you wish to voice your opinion. The views expressed do not reflect that of The Chariot, but rather those of the individual writers. The Chariot was originally founded in 2004 as the Partisan Review by Gunn alumni Ilan Wurman (‘06), Channing Hancock (‘06), and Sarah McDermott (‘05). Visit our website, www.gunnchariot.com if you wish to view any issues from previous years or for more information about us. Any questions, comments, suggestions, or requests to join can be sent to gunnchariot@gmail.com If you’d like to make a donation or subscribe, please send checks to: Marc Igler Re: The Gunn Chariot 780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, CA 94306 Checks can be made out to Gunn High School with “The Chariot” on the memo.

The Lightning Thief Ryan Lee Contributing Writer

ine years ago, director Chris Columbus directed a kid’s fantasy film based on a popular book series about a kid who discovers he’s destined for a magical world beyond ours, and joins forces with his best friend/comic relief and a girl he meets at a special school for similar children. That was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This year, Columbus has basically tried to make the same film again. He’s taken Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief and distilled it down to its most basic elements in an attempt to simplify the narrative, but he’s sacrificed much of the originality and character of the original work. I’ve read all of the Percy Jackson books, and was cautiously optimistic regarding this adaptation. The first two Harry Potter movies, also helmed by Columbus, had some great design and effects, but had a simplistic, exposition-heavy script, the same problem that plagues Percy Jackson. There are no layers to the characters; they say exactly what they mean, 100% of the time. The character back stories and development from the original book are thrown to the wayside in order to keep the story easy to follow, which is not necessarily bad as long as they are eventually alluded to, which they are not. The result is that each character is extremely one-dimensional, from the abusive husband, the cheeky comic relief, the wise mentor, the obligatory love interest. Though the script was simple and at times clichéd, the direction and effects were well-done, and even the acting was decent. There were some good lines, mostly coming from Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), but they are mixed in with countless groan-inducing ones. I hope, if this movie does well, that the next movie be handled to a scriptwriter who would be able to include both character and effects, as opposed to Craig Titley, the writer of Thief, whose previous credits

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include Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and ScoobyDoo. Overall, this movie should both please and annoy fans of the book. For those who want the spectacle of the Greek gods, the adventure and fun of the original work, it works well. However, those looking for dialogue, character development, and a well-written storyline may want to look elsewhere.

Google Buzz What It Is and Why It Failed Ron Ackner Contributing Writer

February 9th, Google announced a new feature that they were tacking onto their popular Gmail inbox server – Google Buzz. Buzz is a microblogging tool based upon sites like Twitter and Facebook, but also incorporates posts from YouTube, Blogger, and Flickr. Google is very smart to get into the microblogging arena, as integrating it into their area of control will allow them to incorporate recent posts into search results, a feature that has already been implemented. For example, a search for the Olympics brings up real-time results from news websites, Twitter, and Google Buzz posts. All of this is great… So why do I say that Google Buzz sucks? There are several main reasons. First, it’s been done. Twitter and Facebook statuses encompass pretty much every aspect of Google Buzz. It’s too little, too late, and Google should recognize the fact and reach out to Twitter instead of attempting to compete. Second, and even more worrying, is how Google attempted to integrate Buzz. Google didn’t ask their users to opt in to n

use Buzz. Instead, they simply added it to every Google account. Anyone who tried Buzz automatically saw all their Google contacts added, and this information was essentially made public. For some people such as me this isn’t an issue. My Google contacts aren’t very interesting. They are my friends, my teachers, and relatives. However, imagine a journalist who suddenly finds his secret source exposed because Google decided not to introduce this feature without asking. Imagine the ex-boyfriend who never got around to removing a girl from his Gmail contacts and suddenly finds out all about the girl who never wanted to talk to him again. He now has the tools to stalk her (as if Facebook wasn’t good enough). Imagine a wife who suddenly found out that her husband has an old flame as a Gmail contact. Even if it were innocent, Google Buzz would hint at affairs and other raunchy extramarital happenings. Imagine if someone was seeing a personal therapist or a psychologist, and had their email in their contacts. Suddenly, the doctor you have been getting help from and who you worked so hard to keep a secret, is common knowledge. Third, it undermines Google’s credibility when it comes to privacy issues. Just weeks after they were lauded for threatening to leave China after hacking attempts against the Gmail accounts of human rights activists, they have now become responsible for one of the worst violations of privacy in the history of the internet. Google has since then fixed many of the problems, but the botched release still has left permanent damage. Google’s alreadyswamped legal department got even busier with a San Jose class action complaint and a separate complaint filed by Electronic Privacy Information Center to the Federal Trade Commission. Among other things, they accuse Google of breaking the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Even if these are settled, Google’s reputation of “Do no evil” is called into question. Sorry, Google. You guys messed up. Volume 6 • Issue 6

The Chariot

WHAT’S THE BUZZ?

Basically Facebook and Twitter rolled into one

Robert Chen Co-Editor-in-Chief

HOWITWORKS

PRIVACY CONCERNS

Create Google Profile

Comments linger (like on Facebook and Twitter) Who’s your “friend?”

Shares your location (mobile only)

Uploaded images automatically get put onto Picassa

Buzz

Public or private

Profiles or

Buzz Stream

Gmail integration

FORMOBILE Detects location with GPS & WiFi triangulation technology Voice recognition to speak posts Connect to people nearby Suggests locations ne sO Phone NeaxGu oogle ak

PARTNERSHIPS

ByTheWay...

Google has already had a hand in social networking with 24

March 2010