Highlander Newsmagazine

thehighlander march 10, 2010

mclean high school volume 54 issue 6

When Trust Isn’t Enough

Chatroulette DiCaprio and Scorsese expands learn the facts on this new fad

a movie review of the pair in Shutter Island

Olympic opinion: a crossfire on the Winter Games

Under the radar

sports coverage of the Special Olympics

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news

page 1

Table of contents outdoors to savor, gadgets for later, pg. 32

Vladimir Putin, Russia’s dark knight, pg. 28

free lunch rises under struggling economy, pg. 4

clash of the wireless titans, pg. 11

defining trust, pg. 19

athlete of the issue, pg. 38

how smart is the smart phone?, pg. 12

a spicy joint around the corner, pg. 23

photo collage by Delaney Allen-Mills

news Students not phased by referrals Anika Crone Reporter Schools try to keep students in line in many different ways. A few of these methods include referrals and suspensions, which are rumored to go on students’ permanent records thus affecting students’ future college options.

However, it has remained unclear as to what exactly a referral is and how it truly affects students, particularly in their admission to college.

According to McLean security officer Michael Noyes, a referral is a written documentation of a student’s discipline.

Any adult in the building has the authority to write them, not only teachers.

However the consequences of referrals remain unknown to students. “I do not know [what happens after a student gets a referral],” junior Shayan Zolghadr said.

Sophomore Sophie Swenholt did not seem to know what happened when a student got a referral either. “What happens when you get referred to be expelled? I have no idea.”

Referrals go to students’ disciplinary files and can be viewed by any college or school administrator who requests to see it. “Everyone should know [what a referral does]. It’s their responsibility to know,” Noyes said.

Problem with this process is that students are unaware of how these disciplinary actions affect their college admissions. “Anything put on a student’s record is going be partially detrimental to their college application” Kia Cole, the head of the McLean High School college career center, said. “When I was at another school, a lot of students who had disciplinary actions didn’t get into colleges, and a lot o f places specifically said no because of their infractions, even if their grades might be fine and test scores might be fine.”

Some school personal believe colleges use disciplinary records in the admissions process.

“A lot of schools are dependent on that and so they want to make sure they admit students that are honest. What seems like a small infraction to a student may seem much larger to a college,” Cole said.

Not all colleges do care, however. The admissions office at Arizona State University states that they do not use disciplinary records at all in their application process; they do not even glance over them when they receive a student’s permanent record.

Other colleges do have an interest. Stanford University admissions will look at the disciplinary record, because they are seeking morally sound students, but they give the students applying a chance to explain their disciplinary infractions. While Stanford admissions officers state that they may look over the small infractions, they observe the larger ones and it is then that they give the student the chance to explain without any former judgment placed on the applicant.

Some students with disciplinary troubles supported the opinion that their records did not matter.

“My disciplinary record wasn’t a problem for me and I haven’t heard of any of my friends having problems with it,” senior Riley Beiro said. “I applied to some other schools just to apply and they didn’t ask for my disciplinary record at all.”

Though this contradicts what some school personal feel, college admissions offices back opinions similar to those such as Beiro’s. Whether not used at all or glanced at, the disciplinary records, especially referrals, do not prove to be prominent in the college application process.

“I guess [the colleges] don’t care that much, it really doesn’t matter if they never see it,” Beiro said.

What is a referral?

“I don’t know what a referral is” -freshman Milos Lesevic

“A permanent record has all honor code violations, crimes committed, felonies” -sophomore Greg Campell-Cohen page designed by Anika Crone and Mary Spulak

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Physics photo contest makes comeback David Berk admitted that the creativity of the students “ran the gamut Editor-in-Chief of very creative to not at all creative.”

Students in three of McLean’s four honors physics Of the nearly 80 photos submitted to Howarth and Jones, classes recently participated in a physics photo contest the pair chose 15 that they plan to send to the AAPT to be that the Physics Department has not undertaken in several judged. Then, as stated on the AAPT’s website, the entries years. “will be judged on the quality of the photo and the accuracy The objective was for students to take a photograph that of the physics in the explanation that accompanies the not only demonstrated a physics concept, but also was photograph.” aesthetically pleasing or interesting.

Junior Alex Bellini submitted one of the 15 entries that “We thought it was an interesting project that not just was chosen. He believed the project was quite valuable and shows students’ physics skills, but also their creative skills different. in expressing their knowledge of physics concepts,” physics “It was fun to do because it let me be more creative than teacher, Dean Howarth, said. “We found that as students I usually have to be in physics, which is usually all formulas become better at being ‘good students’ they become less and concepts,” Bellini said. “It was a nice change of pace.” creative, so we’re trying to break them out of that.”

High school physics students nationwide participated in the contest, which is sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). The AAPT picks the three best submissions and a handful of honorable mentions, with the top three receiving modest cash prizes.

However, while Howarth believes that “being recognized would be quite an honor,” he and fellow physics teacher Jeffrey Jones are more concerned with the visual effect of the project.

“We like to show the fact that there can be beauty and elegance in scientific things, just like a picture hanging up in an art gallery,” Howarth said. “In fact, many famous artists, such as Da Vinci, Dali and Ver photo printed with permission of Alex Bellini Meer, were inspired by scientific principles.

Overall, Howarth and Jones were pleased with the Bellini’s photo demonstrates convex mirror reflection, which photographs students submitted, although Howarth causes the pen to appear curved when reflected in the can.

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photo by Delaney Allen-Mills

Despite senior Ambar Atta receiving free lunches from the county, she continues to regularly bring lunches from home as it provides certain healthier choices that the school lunch does not offer.

Subsidized lunches become more frequent More students become eligible for lunch waiver Charlie Park News Editor

Like other students, senior Ambar Atta walks into the cafeteria with her friends. Like other students, she becomes a part of the lunch line, picks her choice of lunch, and waits for five minutes to go to the cashier. What separates her from most other students is that she gets a free lunch.

“It’s not embarrassing. You just give them your student ID and then the system knows that I get a free lunch,” Atta said.

Atta’s lunch is limited to a standard school lunch that comprises one entrée, two sides, and a choice of milk; additional meals or a snack are not covered by the free lunch program.

“It’s only the lunch. It’s not like you can get a cookie,” Atta said.

Atta used to pay for her lunch before this year. Her father’s unemployment, however, made her and her brother consider applying for a lunch waiver.

“[FCPS] sent us a letter, and we filled out how much we made per year,” Atta said. “The county realized that my parents’ income was lower than most families in Fairfax County. They didn’t want to put so much strain on my mom trying to buy us food, so they provided free lunch during the day in case we didn’t have money to buy lunch.”

Each year, FCPS sends every student household a letter of information concern lunch waiver program. An eligible student can get either a free lunch or a reduced-price lunch at 40 cents a meal.

“FCPS reduces or waives student fees for students eligible for free and reduced-price meals, and FCPS also offers specific programs, like Title I, to schools with our highest percentages of students in poverty,” Kristen Michael, the FCPS Director of Office of Budget Services, said.

According to a study conducted by the Virginia

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Department of Education, 5.6 percent of the students at McLean get receive lunches and 3 percent the reducedprice lunches as of October 2009. 0.78 percent of students in Langley are offered free lunches , while 16.75 percent of Marshall students get the waiver. Around 19 percent of FCPS students receive the free lunches, and nearly 5.5 percent receive reduced-price lunches.

Greg Rupert, SNS Coordinator at Food Service Administration, said that the number of FCPS students receiving free or reduced-price lunch increased from last year.

“The number of students approved for free and reducedprice lunches has increased by over 5000 students this year,” Rupert said. “It is tied to the national economy. Right now the national economy is down, so people are losing jobs, out of work, hard time finding work. So people’s revenues are down, and since their income is lower, it falls into the category that qualifies for free or reduced-price meals.”

The number of students like Atta who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches has been on the rise, significantly since the start of economic recession. In 2005, before the recession in 2007, 4.01 percent of McLean students received free or reduced-price lunch, about 50 percent of this year’s 8.6 percent. Meanwhile, 22.7 percent of the FCPs students received the waiver, about 1.8 percent lower than today’s 24.5 percent.

The eligibility of free or reduced-price lunch is determined by family income. According to the parent letter about the FCPS lunch program, for example, a family of four that earns less than about 40000 dollars a year is eligible for a free or reduced meal. Ones who qualify must fill the application and send it to the Office of Food and Nutrition Services. After the series reviews, primarily concerning with income, the qualifying applicant will get free or reduced-price meal depending on the county’s decisions.

Rupert said that the number of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch program does not and will not have any effect on the school or county budget plans, because Food Nutrition Services is self-funded and receives additional federal support for the free and reduced-price lunch program.

“There is no money loss from the county; it’s Food and Nutrition Service’s challenge to cover our expenses. FNS budget comes completely from [its] revenue. So none of the school system money is part of the FNS.” Rupert said. “The revenue comes from the meals sold… so all the salaries and food bills paid come from lunch sales. There is no school money going towards food services bills.”

Rupert also stated that the rising number of students receiving free or reduced price lunch is not directly related to the rising lunch price, which has increased by 90 cents since 2005, nor is the latter the cause for more students applying for free or reduced-price lunches. He pointed the

economic factors such as rising prices of food, supplies, fuels and labor costs as direct components for the raise in lunch price.

Atta said that the lunch price is not much of the problem to family revenue, and that she would start purchasing lunch again if her family could afford them again.

“It’s not a strain on my family since my mom’s business is doing better, so we can still bring food from home. But I’m glad that the county is helping us. If my dad gets his job back, I guess I’ll buy from the school again.”

Rupert said that the FNS will offer free or reduced-price lunches to any students who are financially struggling.

“The benefit is there for the people who qualify for the categories,” Rupert said. “We want to supply meals for them. If they qualify, we will be happy to give them breakfast and lunch.”

Percentage of free lunch population 21.94 % 20%

8.67 %

1. 31 % McLean

Langley Marshall

FCPS average

information from Virginia Department of Education infographic by Charlie Park

pages designed by Charlie Park and Nikki Kaul

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Dave & Buster’s turns down the class of 2010 Ali Shapiro Editor-in-Chief A simple call to Dave and Buster’s put a halt to the seniors’ night of celebration.

“Moving the party wasn’t the AllNight Grad Party Committee’s idea,” Laurie Quint-Adler, co-chair of the AllNight Grad Party committee, said. “The decision was made for us by Dave and Buster’s.”

Despite Quint-Adler’s and her co-chair Joan Barrett’s uncertainty as what to do without a venue, they finally settled on bringing the annual bash home to McLean. The yearly AllNight Grad Party for seniors has been a tradition at McLean and other local high schools for over 20 years. The party had been held at the McLean Community Center until 2006, when Dave and Buster’s opened up their facility to the graduated seniors. The 2010 All-Night Grad Party Committee learned last June that the venue would not be available.

“We called as soon as we had a confirmed graduation date for June 2010, only to find out that another school had already reserved ‘our’ night,” Quint-Adler said.

The committee co-chairs worked to find a replacement venue, only to find that they were all either unavailable for the June 17 date or were too small to accommodate the senior class of over 450 students. It soon became apparent that the school could be the best fit for the party, which is what many other local schools, including Langley High School, does for their graduation party. “[Barrett and I] talked to other area schools and realized we could have a great party by bringing it home to McLean. Dr. Jackson and the activities

printed with permission of All Night Grad Party Committee

office have been really supportive,” Quint-Adler said. The committee agrees that this is the biggest change for the annual senior party.

Over the years, the party has been designed to give seniors a chance to party and celebrate with their fellow graduates, but most importantly, to do so in a safe alcohol and drug-free environment.

“Along with prom night, the night of graduation is the riskiest night in a high school student’s career for a deadly mix of alcohol/drug use and driving,” Quint-Adler said. “The tradition of all night grad parties was started in Northern Virginia about 20 years ago in response to tragedies that occurred on these nights.”

In past years, seniors have had positive feedback on the graduation party, which goes from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. This year, there has been a lot of speculation whether or not the event being held at the school will be beneficial to the night or make it worse.

“We’ve mostly heard student reactions and the first reaction is usually that the party won’t be as much fun at the school as it would have been at Dave and Buster’s,” Quint-Adler stated.

Not all students agree, such as senior Nicole Davidow, who has heard that the party will not be held at Dave and Buster’s, but is not concerned with the change of location affecting the party.

“I think it’ll still be fun. It’s more the people you’re with and not where it’s at,” Davidow said.

Senior and SGA President Edward Kim believes that the location change will not really matter because he has

nothing to compare it to.

“This is my fist one so I don’t know how different it will be,” Kim said.

The committee is currently at work planning numerous events, games, raffles and food to last from beginning to the crack of dawn the next morning.

Despite what student’s may believe, Quint-Adler is confident that the party at McLean will offer even more than what was offered at the community center or even Dave and Buster’s.

“Parents who’ve had kids graduate from McLean during both Community center and Dave and Buster years say that Dave and Buster’s wasn’t as much fun as the other,” Quint-Adler said.

She continued to add that this year’s party at McLean, “will have even more activities and entertainment.”

“Our goal is to help all the seniors realize that the All-Night Grad Party will be the party to attend on graduation night,” Quint-Adler concluded.

Fast facts for McLean seniors: How long is the party?

From 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

How much does it cost?

Tickets are $55 until April 1, then the price increases to $65.

What is there to do?

There will be large inflatable rides like at Harvest Fest, a casino, interactive games and video games, photography, live entertainment, a room for relaxing, food and chances to win prizes. infographic by Nikki Kaul page designed by Ali Shapiro

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Chatroulette creates controversy on the Net

Bryan Kress Features Editor At the touch of a button, a person can be looking at a random stranger on their computer screen. They have two seconds to make a good impression, but chances are the stranger will skip over them and meet a new stranger. It’s nothing personal, but simply the nature of Chatroulette, an internet sensation which over the last few months has created a notable amount of buzz.

Chatroulette is a website that connects a user to a random person around the world via webcam. It was created by 17-year old Andrey Ternovskiy, a student in Moscow. While based in Russia, the Internet site has become especially popular in the United States, logging over 20,000 users each night. According to a recent minidocumentary about the site by filmmaker Casey Neistat, 83 percent of the site’s users are young people. Junior Oliver Burt uses the website twice a week because it gives “the freedom to be whoever you want.”

“Some of the time I look for a conversation and other times I like to mess with people,” Burt said. “Once I dressed up like the devil and told everyone how and when they were going to die.”

The freedom mentioned by Burt is also the source of controversy surrounding the new website. Some visitors take advantage of the fact that the site lacks proper security or screening by presenting partners with vulgar behavior. Sophomore Mired Asfour recalls his surprise during his first time using Chatroulette.

“I think there should be a disclaimer on the site because

the first time I clicked ‘play’ I was completely shocked and disgusted at what I saw,” Asfour said.

In Neistat’s documentary, he discovered that in an hour he was paired with 71 percent males, 15 percent females and 14 percent of males and females behaving in a lewd manner. His documentary has been circulating around the Internet and has been used by several news sources like NBC and The Huffington Post.

The poor content of the site has deterred some, like Asfour, from becoming frequent users.

“Although the conversations you get into can be very funny, it’s a pain to have to go through all the inappropriate content, and usually the people who are there to talk end up ‘nexting’ you before you even get into the conversation,” Asfour said.

Others like Burt continue to use it despite being aware of the risks of visual harassment. Burt said it’s easier when viewers “know what to expect,” but believes that creating restrictions would “take away from the freedom of the site.”

With a growing fan base and national news coverage, Chatroulette is rapidly becoming a new internet sensation.

While the site offers the ability for strangers across the world to meet each other for a brief time, it also serves as a place for people to be anybody they want.

However, this freedom has led to controversy and negative opinion from people like Asfour, who believe the behavior of some takes away from the overall experience.

It has yet to be determined whether this controversial aspect will be overlooked by users, but for now the website continues to link people millions of miles away together, even if it is for two seconds.

page designed by Delaney Allen-Mills

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features Clash of the wireless titans

photo illustration by Nick Siler

Wireless companies Verizon and AT&T battle to the death as they compete to be the best wireless phone provider.

Shayan Rahman Reporter In the era we live in, having a cell phone is essential, Two of the service providing giants are Verizon and AT&T. Many students at McLean are fonder of Verizon than AT&T because Verizon gets unlimited night and weekend minutes whereas AT&T gives 5,000 night and weekend minutes.

“The commercials for the Verizon network are convincing and they offer many extra features,” freshman Angelica Sherman said.

Verizon’s leading capabilities are the next generation of IP-based products and IT services, and they believe that customers are the first approach. They serve with integrity, respect and performance excellence, according to information provided by former employee Ehteshamul Haque.

“Verizon Wireless puts a lot of emphasis on customer satisfaction,” Haque said. “Its staff prides themselves on giving better service to their customers and resolving their problems in less time as compared to other similarly-situated companies.”

Among Verizon’s competitors is AT&T, which is still popular among students because they offer certain advantages not available to Verizon users.

“AT&T is a better network because they are the only

provider of the iPhone 3G and because of that , AT&T’s service got better,” freshman Milan Huynh said.

AT&T is recognized as one of the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to businesses, and they also have the nation’s fastest 3G network. AT&T has added considerable data service capacity during a year when it’s wireless subscriber base grew considerably, as did the amount of data service those subscribers use.

The company has progressed due to their long term planning and persistent productivity improvement.

AT&T’s first step to progress is to create the fastest network so people could utilize it more.

“We are building the nation’s fastest wireless network and moving from 3G to 4G. AT&T is expanding its next generation broadband network (U-Verse) to offer the best TV experience,” Associate Director of AT&T Inc. Rehan Asad said.

Consumers often look for the best deals and prices, but when it comes to cell phones, their decision is determined by what each company offers. With Verizon’s unlimited minutes or AT&T’s iPhone and 3G network, companies are looking for new ways to attract customers.

page designed by Reza Masgarha

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features

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How smart is the smart phone?

Google releases fastest smart phone on the market Becca Latimer Reporter Developed by Google, the Android operating system is now being used with the new Nexus One smartphone. It is the first time in the history of technology that Apple’s iPhone has a real competitor.

The device, released by Google as well, is manufactured

by Taiwan’s HTC Corporation. Some of the new and most talked about features include the phone’s ability to transcribe voice to text, noise canceling dual microphones, and vocal gps directions that the phone will dictate to you as you are driving.

The Nexus One is currently only available on the T-Mobile network. A version of the Nexus One is expected to be released on the Verizon network later this year. In the future, other networks, such as AT&T’s 3G data network, may carry the phone as well.

Originally named the HTC Passion, the Nexus One was released on Jan. 5 of this year. Those interested can purchase an unlocked Nexus One on Google’s website for 529 dollars. The Nexus one can also be bought from any T-Mobile store for 179 dollars with a new two year contract.

An added convenience on the Nexus One is that all personal data gets stored with removable storage just in case. Customers can upgrade or change to other phones and can still keep all their contacts, scheduled events, mail, text messages, etc.

There is a high demand for capable smartphones and as a result they are frequently released by multiple companies with new features. Aside from the iPhone, a major competitor of the Nexus One is the HTC Desire which was recently released in Europe.

The Desire features many similar softwares to the Nexus One. The Nexus One, however, has a touch screen, while the Desire has physical buttons, an FM radio, and does not do

photo printed with permision of Johan Larsson

photo printed with permission of zanydog

any type of noise canceling with dual microphones, like the Nexus One does.

Although it was recently released, the Nexus one has already been receiving rave reviews from regulars and professionals alike.

“It’s the fastest and most elegant smart phone on the market today,” Michael Arrington, a writer for the Techcrunch Review, said.

For 2 years, Google has carefully been following the trails of Apple’s iPhone by taking note of their mistakes and using them to their advantage. Judging by their official statement, Google did not release the Nexus One as a competitor to the iPhone in any way, but as their own spin on the smartphone industry.

The Nexus One is durable and has an illuminating trackball which can emit different colors of light based on the type of notification being received.

For instance, when receiving a text message, the trackball may light up in blue, whereas when receiving an email, the trackball may light up in red.

It seems almost everything has been included in the Nexus One, most notably a five megapixel camera and brilliant touch screen.

By December 2009, Android-based phones began to have access to more than 20,000 applications. They also replaced the “Application Drawer” with a single button which can be pressed to access the list of applications installed on the phone. The applications roll up into a 3D cube instead of disappearing from the screen.

“It’s Google’s vision of the perfect Android device,” Arrington said. “When combined with Google Voice there is no phone on the market today that can touch theofNexus One.” photo courtesy Johan Larsson page designed by Henry Kuhl and Rummer Bershtein

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features

iPad

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9:47 AM

Apple takes a bite out of the future + x

_ =

Rummer Bershtein Reporter Steve Jobs has invented yet another new Apple product to blow the minds of us all. The iPad, Apple’s newest addition to the world technology, measures about 7 inches long, 9 inches wide, and half an inch thick.

The iPad differs from all other Apple creations in that it is the first flat tablet, touch screen and handheld computer.

Smaller than a piece of paper, the iPad is enhanced with all the features of a regular computer plus many more.

Although high tech looking, the iPad has a few negative aspects about it.

First off, it cannot multitask. This means that one cannot listen to music while editing photos or emailing. It also does not have a camera meaning that unlike the iPhone, it cannot take pictures, and unlike Mac laptops it does not have the webcam function. The iPad also doesn’t support flash player, meaning that users are unable to use sites like Hulu, Disney, Farmville and certain game websites.

For some people this is a deal breaker.

“The iPad sounds really cool except I probably wouldn’t get it because it’s missing a lot of features that other

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computers would have,” sophomore Ben Blumenthal said.

Other students cannot wait for the release of the iPad. “It’s a touch screen computer, what’s not to like about it?” questions senior Max Augustus. Enhanced with features such as Safari internet, mail, photos, movies, YouTube, iPod, iBooks, maps, notes, calendars, and a home screen, the iPad can be viewed as the “new and improved” laptop for people of all ages.

One of the most praised features of the iPad is the new iBooks feature which allows users to buy books and read them on the iPad as if it was a book. The iPad’s iBooks feature outdoes the Amazon’s Kindle book reader and Sony’s book reader with it’s appearance, size and advanced technology. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive, and fun way than ever before,” Jobs said at a press interview. Jobs hopes that the world will embrace the first touch screen computer ever known to man.

A

page design by Kelsey Hopkins and Rummer Bershtein

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features

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Shutter Island

photo printed with permission of Paramount Pictures

Bryan Kress Features Editor Let me say first: Shutter Island is not a scary movie. The biggest complaint I’ve heard from people is that they go into this movie expecting the typical ‘pop-out and scare’ horror flick, but that is not the case here. Shutter Island uses an eerie setting and creepy flashbacks in place of the normal horror movie formula, and it works.

The movie follows federal marshal Ted Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) who travels to a state penitentiary for the criminally insane in 1954 because a prisoner escaped. Throughout the film, Ted becomes more suspicious of his new partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) and the lead doctor (Ben Kingsley).

The remainder of the film deals with Ted and Chuck trying to discover the secrets of the mental institution, while Ted struggles to ignore hallucinations of his dead wife. His wife was murdered by an arsonist and now haunts him during his sleep, and when she is not present, he has flashbacks to his involvement in the liberation of a German concentration camp.

The story is completely predictable and not very original. A careful viewing

of the trailer might even tip off viewers on the major plot twist. While the twist is predictable, it still retains some shock value.

The story might be lackluster but both director Martin Scorsese and DiCaprio bring their best.

DiCaprio holds the movie together, giving a stirring performance as a paranoid detective trying to keep his composure. Ted is a conflicted character, debating whether to seek revenge for his wife’s murder or bring the penitentiary staff to justice.

The audience can sympathize with the character because at his core, he is a good-natured person. Even after Ted’s dark past is revealed, he can be pitied. It takes true skill for an actor to keep the audience on his side, especially after they learn he’s done bad things in his past.

Scorsese has a gift of getting the best performances from his actors, and this remains true with DiCaprio who has starred in four of his movies. It may be familiar territory but Scorsese is versatile enough to make even the blandest plot lines interesting.

The tone of the film is supported

by Scorsese’s music choice. The

first scene features an escalating orchestral piece that builds up the tension for the next two hours. Another great musical selection is played during an eerie dream sequence where Ted imagines he is back in the concentration camp. A single note on the piano breaks the silence every few seconds as the frightening scene unfolds.

The dream sequences are the best moments in the movie. One of the most visually stunning scenes features Ted and his wife talking in their old apartment while ash falls from the ceiling, and slowly everything begins to light on fire as it did in reality. This scene especially struck me because the colors popped and the symbolism was moving as Ted loses control.

Shutter Island is great to watch and holds up on repeated viewings. It’s not perfect though as it begins to drag. I was a little disappointed because the twist didn’t take me by surprise, and the story lacked originality. Shutter Island may not be a horror movie like the previews suggest, but with DiCaprio and Scorsese at their finest it is definitely worth seeing. page designed by Rubina Sarkisian

3.10.10

page 15

features

Student makes directorial debut at 17 Bryan Kress Features Editor Three cowboys with extremely different personalities join forces to help others. No, this isn’t a spoof or the description of a One Act play, but the plot line to a feature film being developed by senior Sean Gomez.

The movie focuses on three cowboys, who help the community for money, companionship and good will respectively. The selfish cowboy leaves the trio to thwart the other two’s good cause, and here is where the main conflict begins in Gomez’s The Rude, the Sad, and the Cuddly.

Gomez plans to combine the western, action and comedy genres and has no intention to make a dramatic film.

“I don’t want it to be very serious because I want to have fun doing it,” Gomez said. “I want to make them funny but have action.”

Gomez has been working with films since he was 12.

Last year, Gomez helped his brother Tony finish his first film project, which was a spoof of James Bond movies. The entire project took several years to complete, and ran for the traditional hour and a half.

It was at this time that he came up with the idea for his current script, but the hectic schedule of filming prevented

him from actually getting a script written.

Once the film is done, he plans to give out copies to everyone in the cast and sell additional discs to anyone interested for a dollar. While this seems like a bargain, Gomez doesn’t plan to have a very large budget.

“There aren’t too many things to pay for, but I’ll pay for props and costumes out of my pocket,” Gomez said.

At this point Gomez is still working on the script but plans to be done by the end of the month. The next step is finding a cast. Gomez himself plans to direct the project and possibly provide a cameo role. For actors, he doesn’t expect the most experienced options.

“In a cast I’m looking for anyone who really wants to act.

[My brother and I] didn’t have much experience our first time, but I think it turned out well,” Gomez said.

The idea for the Three Musketeers-cowboy movie has been floating in his head since he began working on the first film. Now with spare time and his brother back from a religious trip, Gomez is prepared to create his second movie. While his brother ran most of the first production, this time around Gomez will be in control of the set. His latest venture is expected to be completed before the end of the school year.

graphic by Harry Siggins

page designed by Rubina Sarkisian

WANTED

Actors, Digital Cameras, Camera Equipment, and Western Costumes

For a movie created by McLean High School’s own Sean Gomez and Jon Richards:

The Rude, the Sad, and the Cuddly

No experience is necessary!

Come be part of something great and support your fellow McLean students!

Email: seangomez1892@yahoo.com for more information

page 16

advertisements

3.10.10

INTERNATIONAL CULTURES UNITED and the PTSA Presents

MULTICULTURAL NIGHT! The ICU club will also be collecting money to support relief efforts in Haiti and Chile. We will also be collecting canned/non-perishable goods for the McLean Community!

Come enjoy delicious food and fun entertainment from all over the world!

When: Friday March 19th at 7:00 PM Where: In the McLean High School CAFETERIA Admission: A dish that will feed 6-8 people OR 5$

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

page 17

features

3.10.10

Top 9 Spring Destinations 5

8 4

9

7

1

6

3

Kristen Ahearn Reporter

1 2 3 4 5

Cancun- Known as the “Mexican Caribbean” and as a world renowned tourist resort, Cancun is a popular destination for college and graduating high school students. Never is this more true than during spring break. Popular activities include clubbing, snorkeling, and dolphin watching.

Costa Rica- This small Central American country is known for its year round tropical climate and exotic wildlife. The clear blue waters invite tourists to go snorkeling, dolphin watching, and scuba diving. In particular the El Pueblo region is popular because it has many high class night clubs and restaurants.

Jamaica- You can visit Bob Marley’s birthplace and his burial site, along with tons of other activities. This spring break destination has a very fun and crazy nightlife particularly in the aptly- named city Margaritaville.

Cabo San Lucas- With clear waters and beautiful rock formations, this spring break spot has a lot to offer. Enjoy activities like parasailing and surfing. It is also well known for its night clubs and great beaches along the coast of Mexico.

Virginia Beach- This is a closer location, and one for a lowbudget spring break. Seeing how its only four hours away it is perfect for a road trip and would be a great place to spend your spring break. info courtesy of springbreak.about.com

2

6 7 8 9

Puerto Vallarta-This is a beautiful area with many resorts. There are many things to do as well including zip lining through the rainforest and horseback riding along the beach. This spring break spot is known for its beautiful beaches on the coast of Mexico.

Bahamas- With tons of high end resorts, this spring break spot is a more expensive way to celebrate. There are many beaches and activities to choose from including snorkeling, cruises between the islands, great shopping, and nightlife.

Florida Keys- This spring break hot spot is a perfect place for a more respectable and relaxing vacation. Take a road trip with groups of your closest friends, take advantage of the great shopping, and eat at one of the Keys’ great restaurants or nightclubs.

South Beach– South Beach, Florida for its incredible night life and for having a spate of popular restaurants and fancy hotels. It is also infamous for attracting a diverse array of people. page designed by Chris Herron-Venancio

page 18

features

I Where did you go to school?

I went to Oswego State University. It’s in the area of New York that stays frozen for nine months out of the year.

II How do you spend your weekends?

Playing X-Box, going to music festivals, and hanging with my dog Keegan.

III Where do you see

yourself in 20 years?

3.10.10

VI What stereotype would you

have been associated with in high school?

A hippie, because I was and still am into a lot of jam bands like the Grateful Dead.

VII What’s the “baddest” thing you’ve ever done?

Who does bad things? Bad things are out.

VIII What made you want to become a teacher?

Still teaching, and hopefully married with a couple of kids.

I like to help young minds explore the different forms of engineering.

IV What was your most embarrassing

IX What was your nickname in

This one time me and one of my co-workers at Wegman’s were having a fish head fight, we were throwing fish heads at each other, and right when I got fish thrown in my face three customers walked up.

Mogley. My teachers changed my last name from Mosley to Mogley. No one ever called me by my first name in high school.

moment?

V What is your biggest fear?

Spiders. I’ve had a serious arachnophobia ever since I got bitten.

high school?

X If you could date one celebrity, who would it be?

Channing Tatum because he’s very good looking. photos and page design by Delaney Allen-Mills

3.10.10

in-depth

page 19

Ali Shapiro and Kelsey Hopkins Editor-in-chief and Reporter Freedom. cameras around the perimeter The word resonates of the school generated throughout America’s history. significant backlash among From the signing of the members of the Mclean High Declaration of Independence in School community.

1776, to the recent controversy  The cameras were over the Patriot Act, Americans inaugurated without ceremony; have demonstrated their there were no trumpets or passion for contracting certain parades to signal their arrival; no fundamental liberties for all advance notice was given either men. The U.S. Constitution to students or to faculty prior to guarantees the right to freedom their sudden materialization on of speech, freedom of religion, Thursday, January 28. freedom of press, etc., but The cameras are located there is an additional freedom outside of the band wing, by that, although not specifically the football press box, near mentioned in the Constitution, the rock, by the boiler room, most Americans feel entitled to: near the trailers, and outside of the right to privacy. the guidance office.  The highTaking this into consideration, quality, Pelco-brand cameras are it is of little surprise that the able to move up and down, and installation of six security they can rotate 360 degrees.

page designed by Ali Shapiro

in-depth

page 20

in-depth

Tracking you down

for all the wrong reasons

Miscommunication concerning cameras lead students to accuse school of being a “watchdog” The cameras record non-stop for thirty days; at the Regardless of Dr. Jackson’s request, many students culmination of this time period, the memory is dumped are still not aware of their presence around the and recording begins again. The cameras can be set perimeter of the school. In a recent poll at McLean by to rotate at different intervals throughout the day, and staffers, 73% of students felt that information was being they can also be controlled manually. They have motion kept from them. In regards to the cameras specifically, sensors, which are activated at the first detection many teachers feel that they are not being kept in the of movement and direct their focus to the offending loop either. person or object. The lenses are able to adjust to light, “I don’t recall any of my colleagues talking about making them equally effective at night. the cameras, and I don’t recall getting any emails about Some students feel uneasy about the seemingly the cameras,” physical education teacher Summer hidden installation of the cameras: senior Max Augustus Hardman said. stated, “They should have sent out a letter a couple of Several students have already suffered the inevitable weeks before they fate of having a made the decision to constant watchdog buy them, or at least outside the school, sometime before they realizing that there were installed.” is virtually no way of However, safety escaping the newly and security specialist installed cameras.

Buddy Sekely was On January 28, junior quick to refute claims Lauren Zimmerman and that the camera’s a few friends left school presence was meant grounds during lunch, Dr. Deborah Jackson- Princpal to be kept a secret, unconscious that they saying “[The cameras] were being monitored by are no secret; we an omniscient sentinel. want everyone They navigated their to know we have way off campus without cameras. If it was a big secret then we wouldn’t even interference; however, their return was more precarious. talk about it.”

“We were all walking into school until we saw Sekely Princpal Dr. Deborah Jackson reiterated Sekely’s walking down the same hallway,” Zimmerman said. claim that the installation of the cameras was not “We decided to split up and I went to the breezeway intended to be hidden from the students; in fact, she entrance where I was met by Sekely.” specifically requested that the students be informed of Zimmerman was escorted to the security office, their presence. where she caught a glimpse of the TV-screen-like “I requested that the security staff let students know monitors. “They showed me how they watched us; they of their installation and allow students into the Security could see everything,” Zimmerman said.

Office in the cafeteria to observe how they work,” Dr. “You’d think that if it was a safety precaution for Jackson said. “The openness of this process was to students then they could tell us so that we could feel allow all of us to appreciate the deterrent affect the safer,” senior Alex Denneny said. cameras will provide against those from the outside Junior Nicki Oraee added that not telling the who would enter our property to engage in inappropriate students, “defeats the purpose of having cameras.” behavior.”

When English teacher Marc Cascio was asked if he

“

“

The openness of this process was to allow all of us to appreciate the deterrent affect the cameras will provide against those from the outside.

knew about the cameras, he responded, “I had no clue, until you just told me.”

Despite the brevity of the cameras’ operation, Sekely claims that they have already made a significant, positive impact on campus security.

The cost of it all:

All in all, the cost of the entire security system, including installation, totaled approximately $42,000.

In a time of country-wide budgetary shortages, this high price tag has led some students to question the relative importance of the cameras.

Just recently, Fairfax County Schools proposed a $650 million budget cut, baffling students on how this vast amount of money could be used for a school that doesn’t even have record amounts of violence to monitor.

“I’m confused about why FCPS bought all these expensive cameras when activities and classes are being cut,” senior Fifi Wang said. Among these eliminations are freshman sports, language immersion programs in elementary schools, and several summerschool classes.

According to Dr. Jackson, the planning and economizing for the purchase of the security system began several years ago. “We knew this was something we wanted to do,” Dr. Jackson said. According to Jackson, the money was accumulated over a span of several years, by setting aside excess funds from the school’s annual budget, eventually accumulating enough money to cover the cost of the cameras.

In response to how other school programs, such as sports and band, are being paid for, Dr. Jackson made it clear that all those things are under control and have been provided with sufficient money to proceed at McLean.

Despite many attempts to ascertain exactly how the substantial amount of money needed to fund the purchase and installation of the cameras, a clear answer has yet to be obtained from either security or Dr. Jackson.

prominent safety issue at McLean. “Vandalism used to be rare but there has been much more in the past two or three years,” Sekely said. He continued to note that student and faculty vehicles have been some of the primary targets of vandalism. The gate outside the rock entrance to the school was installed for this reason; however, it has not been sufficiently effective in preventing vandalism.

“Our buildings and property continue to experience vandalism and damage that goes unnoticed during school hours and/or that occurs after classes end.

One of our most venerable times is during long breaks,” Dr. Jackson said.

Dr. Jackson recalled a specific incident that occurred last year in December, while students and faculty were away on winter break. “In December an email was sent to the entire school community (students, parents, and staff) regarding an incident of robbery and car theft on our campus during the late evening hours,” Dr. Jackson said.

This incident prompted Dr. Jackson and security to consider how the incident would have played out had school been in session, and how students and teachers could have been put in danger.

“This could have easily involved harm to a student, faculty member, or other member of our community,” Dr. Jackson added.

Dr. Jackson is optimistic that the installation of the cameras will increase the overall level of safety at the school.

Hardman echoed their sentiments: “It just doesn’t seem like McLean is the type of place where that needs to be an investment. We don’t have much crime around our school building.” She concluded that McLean’s rate of theft and vandalism does not appear to be high enough to make the expenditure worthwhile.

The real purpose:

Despite the high cost of the security system, Dr. Jackson is confident that the school and the county will see significant return on this investment. Dr. Jackson said that installation of the cameras will, “save dollars from being spent in the replacement cost of items stolen or vandalized.” Dr. Jackson continues to say that, “These incidents have occurred during break and have cost the county thousands of dollars in the replacement of windows and doors, computer equipment, graffiti removal, and man-hours to complete the repairs.”

According to Sekely, vandalism is the most art by Kelsey Hopkins page designed by Ali Shapiro and Cammie Meade

page 21

page 22 page 22

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3.10.10 2.10.10

better scores. better choices.

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Personally, I wouldn't want to take that risk.

Unsure of the score policy at the colleges on Either way, a student may want to also avoid your list? Check out our College Admissions appearing a bit test-crazy (Yep, I'm on the Requirements list: Varsity Test-Taking Team!). prepmatters.com/ht/d/sp/i/65353/pid/65353.

Last January, I predicted CollegeBoard's new Score Choice policy might cause some confusion in the upcoming application year.

So, one year later, how do things look? Well, frankly, in many ways they are just as

by Ned Johnson, Founder & President of PrepMatters puzzling as they were back when the new policy was announced.

Many colleges are allowing students to choose which scores they wish to submit; others are requiring for students to send all scores. Some are asking for all scores so they can then "Super Score" (recalculate a student's score using the highest individual Critical Reading, Math, and Writing score from multiple test-days); others will only consider the highest score from a single test-day. And those were last year's policies. Who knows what colleges might do in the 2010 application year? What

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3.10.10

features

page 23

A spicy joint around the corner Shayann Ramedani Guest Reporter What do you get when you put together the immaculate taste of Thai food and the burning sensation of flavor? The only place to go for that combination is Pasa Thai.

Pasa Thai is a Thai restaurant that has been around since 2006 on Old Chain Bridge Road right behind Safeway.

This cuisine offers many flavors that can serve any type of craving, from sweet to spicy, meaty to vegetarian or rice to noodles. The one ingredient that leaves people coming back to this amazing place, according to manager Den Sinprakul, is “love,” as well as handpicked herbs and fish, imported noodles and fresh meat.

Owner Otto Sakrapee said that he opened the restaurant because he had worked in several others for 20 years, and he wanted one for himself. Sinprakul recommended two items and during my interview I ate both.

The first dish was the duck roll. This is an egg roll shaped item that had minced pieces of succulent fried duck covered by a merat wrap which is like a doughy wrap with shallots and spices inside, along with a sweet hoisin sauce and cucumber with shallots. I appreciated this dish for many reasons, one being the simplicity and freshness.

When people say the taste of the food depends on the freshness of the ingredients, they are absolutely right.

Everything is freshly made and put together to make the dish complete. Also the cucumber inside the roll gave the entire dish a refreshing taste.

For the main course, Sinprakul recommended the Pad Kee Mow, or “drunken noodles.” It comes with pork, chicken or beef and is extremely spicy. It contains lasagnalike noodles with green, red and yellow peppers and tons of garlic, basil and onion. The dish has a kaprow sauce that will make your sweet tooth cry and make your eyes tear up.

The meat is tender enough to the point where you can cut it easily with a fork, yet the peppers provide a great crunch to the dish. The overall flavor is a roller coaster for your mouth and will make your taste buds beg for more.

Even if spicy food is not your thing, you will never be left unsatisfied from Pasa Thai. This restaurant is versatile so even if you don’t like meat there are other options like fish, vegetable and tofu dishes.

Personally the atmosphere is very comforting. It has a dark wood tone throughout the whole restaurant, and even though it looks like a 5-star New York City bistro it still has the same feeling as a home away from home.

Another great perk comes in the spring and summer when they open their patio and serve tea and food outside.

If you cannot make the trip to this wonderful place you can just order from their take -out menu.

Pasa Thai offers a variety of dishes guaranteed to drive your taste buds crazy. It has great service and a warm, relaxing environment. No other restaurant can master the art of combining such flavors like spicy and sweet in the same dish like Pasa Thai. If you’re looking for a variety of quality Thai food, look no further than around the corner.

photos printed with permission of Pasa Thai page designed by Rubina Sarkisian

features news

page 24 12.16.09

3.10.10 page 3 Junior Mallika Thakurathi adjusts to life in her new school. Less than a year ago, Thakurathi moved from Kathmandu, Nepal.

Q:Who am I?

Foreign students discuss their experiences at McLean, their home countries, and the struggle to find their identity within two cultures.

A:

The white pellets falling nonstop out of the sky were altogether unfamiliar to senior Swarna Chowdhuri, two winters ago. Having moved to “the States” from her home in Kolkata, India, Chowdhuri had never seen snow before.

Weather wasn’t the only cultural shock Chowdhuri experienced after the move. She also had to adapt to a new school, new friends, and an entirely new culture. “It was like being transplanted onto the moon,” Chowdhuri said, of her first days in America.

Chowdhuri is only one member of McLean’s burgeoning foreign population. The children of immigrants, often

immigrants themselves, have become a near majority within the county.

According to the New York Times, Fairfax County student demographics mirror this trend.

Since 1992, FCPS’s Diversity Index that is, the percent chance that two randomly selected students would belong to different ethnic groups - grew from 49 to 65 percent.

Further, ethnic representation has increased significantly in every major minority group. The total representation of white students, however, has fallen by 15 percent. At present, white students, including students from the Middle East

and North Africa, represent a little over half of the total FCPS population.

New York Times claims that the best and most detailed way to measure immigration trends is by looking at the public school system. If this is true, McLean has become an increasingly attractive spot for immigration. In diversity, our county ranks seventh of 135 in the state. Students speak more than 120 languages and dialects.

So what does all this demographic change mean? With newly arriving immigrants, teachers are faced with more complex demands.

The growing diversity has led to the development of English immersion programs to improve foreign students’ language abilities, as well as more tolerance for religious and ethnic holidays.

Two Worlds, One Individual

page 25

features

3.10.10

“

Chowdhuri moved from West Bengal to the McLean suburbs with only a small idea about what America was like.

“I thought it would be like High School Musical,” she laughed, embarrassed. The reality was much different.

Chowdhuri moved to “expand her education.” Her parents wanted her to have an American high-school education, and thus sent her off to live with her first-cousin, senior Prianka Das, at the start of ninth grade.

“I haven’t seen my mother or sister in two years,” Chowdhuri said. Luckily, the family is about to be reunited again. Last month, her father got a job in America and is living with her.

Chowdhuri was most surprised by the amount of diversity in McLean. “In

up differently in India.

“It was very memorization-based. We just knew facts,” she said.

McLean is “much more challenging,” according to Chowdhuri.

In India, her subjects were clumped altogether.

Instead of having different subjects according to years, she had Chemistry, Biology, and Physics all in one day.

“I understood concepts better that way, because of the redundancy.”

Chowdhuri was also unused to the heavy loads of homework and Blackboard, being from an exam-driven country.

Senior Suvd Tsolomon, who immigrated from Mongolia in 2007, agrees.

“I used to be a straight-A student, but the first grades I got here shocked me,” she said.

In the two years since her move, Chowdhuri has definitely adapted.

It’s scary [...when] you don’t know the place. You don’t know what to expect, or whether people will accept you or not.

- PAVEL HOVYANNISKA Junior, Armenia

India, everyone is the same ethnicity with the same mother tongue.” She calls the differences “interesting,” although it “makes it hard to bond with others.”

Also surprising to her was the strictness of the teachers. In her school in India, which she had attended since kindergarten, teachers were “very lenient.”

“We often threw things at the teachers and got away with it,” Chowdhuri said. “It is not like that here.” The students in India’s public schools are required to wear uniforms.

The educational system is also set

A WORLD APART Chowdhuri left behind a group of friends at her school in West Bengal (left), as well as her mother and younger sister Hiya (below), upon moving to McLean.

photos used with permission of Prianka Das

pages designed by Shefali Hegde

page 26 “When I first came to this school, I was embarrassed to speak English,” Chowdhuri said. Even at home, she spoke Bengali to her cousin.

“I had to think for a while to compose my thoughts,” she said. “It was hard for me to cope in school.” Now she speaks English more often than her mothertongue, but still has problems with the language barrier.

“The slang terms are hard to grasp,” she said. “I only recently found out that FOB stands for Fresh Off the Boat.”

Junior Pavel Hovyanniska is known for starting phrases “Back in Armenia, we used to...”.

“I like pointing out differences in culture,” Hovyanniska said. “But I still appreciate both.” Hovyanniska moved to McLean at about the same time as Chowdhuri, and had similar experiences with the school system.

Though his mother and father, both engineers, had good jobs in Armenia, they moved across the globe to broaden their son’s education.

“This is the country of opportunity,”

features Hovyanniska said, smiling. After collecting papers for over a year, the family was finally permitted residency in McLean.

At first he “couldn’t understand my peers at all.” He continually had to ask questions or ask them to repeat themselves. Although he occasionally faced some racial humor, he dismissed it as “just jokes.”

“What’s amazing is I never had a huge problem with anybody since I moved here,” he said.

After a difficult first year, Hovyanniska eventually joined both the wrestling and the football team. After spending two years in ESOL, he placed out this year and is fully immersed in the McLean curriculum, taking four AP classes.

“You have to find your place. That’s what life is.”

Though Chowdhuri and Hovyanniska feel they assimilated, some students still have stronger ties to their original homes.

“I connect more with China’s culture,” said sophomore Yuehao “HongMei” Xu. “I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving

3.10.10 or Christmas, but always recognize the Moon Festival and Chinese New Year.”

Though Xu moved nearly five years ago, she still feels divides between her and her classmates. “I often don’t understand musical references or know a lot of the Virginia slang.”

Like senior Tsolomon, Xu has benefited from having many American friends.

“That’s the best way to learn and adapt,” said Tsolomon.

All the students who were interviewed do not feel like they have lost the culture of their old homes. “I still speak Armenian and Russian with my family,” Hovyanniska said. “My culture is something to preserve.” He even found two fellow students in McLean to converse with in Russian.

Although Xu has dealt with being “the only Asian kid” and had to change her name to something more pronounceable, she never lost her identity.

“Although I wanted to learn about American culture, I never felt the need to be like anyone else.”

editorials The Black Eye is watching

New security cameras violating student privacy Regis Brett Reporter “Should I sacrifice my liberty for security?” One of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, has answered this very question: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

During my time at McLean I have found that the school’s greatest quality is its freedom and privacy. There are many schools that do not have the degree of freedom that McLean gives to its students.

Fairfax County alone has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and it has been dropping over the last few years; the county also has one of the lowest truancy rates (the number of students skipping school) at .6 perphoto by Caroline Gray cent.

Despite all these numbers, the Coach Noyes watches the security cameras in the security office. “Many high tech school decided we need security cam- advances will continue to be brought into the school,” Dr. Jackson said. eras monitoring our coming and going off school grounds. This invades our know that security cameras have been that the cameras are being used for a privacy without our knowledge or con- installed. “caught you” mentality to prevent stusent due to our exceptional truancy and Some students think the installa- dents from skipping. crime rates. Something here doesn’t tion of cameras is a violation of their “[The cameras] were installed to promake sense. privacy. vide an additional measure of security; The cameras are not the problem in “I think that the security cameras are thus, making it a safer environment for the incriminating sense for I have noth- a good idea but they are being used the the entire school community,” Dr. Jacking to hide. But they are a problem for wrong way,” junior Jimmy Ludwick said. son said. me because I wasn’t even aware that Unfortunately the cameras have alThe students need to be notified that they were watching me. ready been installed so there is little they are not being watched because During a survey done by The High- chance that the administration will take they may be skipping class or going lander, out of 115 students asked, them down. out to lunch, but because the school seventy-five percent were against the The school should openly express has decided that safety is their number installation of the cameras. More sur- that the cameras are outside the school one priority and they are taking a stand prisingly though, fifteen percent of all and what their actual purpose is. Many against any violent and potentially surveyors said that they didn’t even students are under the impression harmful actions. page designed by Caroline Gray

page 28

editorials

3.10.10

Vladimir Putin,

In 2012, Russia faces imperative decision

Nikki Kaul News Editor The year was 2000, and Russia was changed forever by a single man, Vladimir Putin. An arcane and soft spoken character, Putin is a quintessential politician. He implemented capitalist economic reforms and demonstrated the proper political capabilities of Russia in its foreign policy, causing the world to fully recognize the Russian Federation in a different light, vastly differing from its former brutal rule.

No stranger to politics, Putin had an early history with the infamous KGB, the secret police of the former Soviet Union.

However, once his work with the KGB ended, Putin faced the advent of a long and illustrious political career that would transform his life, and in turn, transform the Kremlin, the

Russian Federation’s government.

After Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin’s predecessor and the man who impoverished millions of Russians, left office in 2000, Putin took charge of the Russian Federation and made it a strong, capitalistic nation. I strongly believe that Putin, currently the Prime Minister, is exactly what Russia needs in 2012, when Dmitry Medvedev’s, the nation’s current President, term will end.

Now some people may be familiar with the Russian Federation and its Kremlin, and others may be wondering why on earth we, especially McLean students, should be concerned with what will happen with this future election. However, there is a lot at hand that needs to be considered.

Putin will be a great proponent of Russia’s advancement, in myriad ways. His quick thinking and strategic logic has encouraged the Russian people and has been imperative to him achieving his goals.

For example, during his Presidential term, some of the economic developments Putin brought were promoting capitalism in a formerly dominantly Communist nation. Additionally, he enabled a surging flow of capitalism into Russia’s economy that has brought a sense of revitalization to the country.

With a Gross Domestic Product jump of approximately eight percent each year in Russia’s economy under his rule, Putin did not leave any stone unturned while treading on a path to glory. During Putin’s eight years in office, the Russian industry made lucrative investments, and agricultural production and construction increased as well. The volume of consumer credit swelled and the middle class economy grew enormously.

art by Faysal Matin

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editorials

Russia’s dark knight Additionally, the poverty line in Russia decreased by almost sixteen percent over the course of Putin’s term, thanks to his economic policies, which were considered to be very liberal compared to past economic legislations.

Putin’s macroeconomic management and inexpensive external financing also improved the condition of the economy that Boris Yeltsin left ravaged.

He also had numerous large scale reforms including retirement, national banking, and taxes. Putin introduced flat tax rates for both the general public and for corporations, so as to keep the masses happy as well as keeping business interests in mind, a true capitalist mind set. I find Putin’s equally high regard for capitalism and the common man’s economic aspirations to be heartening and demonstrative of his true political capabilities.

However, I admire Putin for also simultaneously keeping small business interests in mind while he was a pioneer in ensuring Russia maintained a powerful status on the world’s economic stage. Because of Putin, the holistic tax burden is considerably higher in most European nations that it is in the Russian Federation.

I feel Putin and his capitalistic ideas succeeded was his central concept of vertical integration, a capitalistic strategy where a company controls all of the stages in production, in Russian corporations. Putin wanted to reap profits for the corporations to keep big business alive, while keeping the country’s advancement at heart as well. Due to

1. What is Putin’s full name?

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

2. Where was Putin born?

In Leningrad, which is now known as St. Petersburg

3. When was Putin born?

October 7, 1952

Putin’s usage of vertical integration, a new group of business magnates appeared within his former Presidential term, raking in countless Rubles, Russia’s currency.

Moreover, Medvedev has invaded Georgia without much success, only earning the animosity of global nations, including increasing suspicions from the United States. Some people, however, claim that Putin was the orchestrator of the war, but I beg to differ. Putin is not the one who attempted to recreate the Soviet Union’s former sphere of influence. Russia, which is currently not under Putin’s final decisions, decided to invade Georgia due to the long-festering dispute, which boiled down to an argument between the proU.S. Georgia and the Kremlin.

This upcoming election in two years is going to greatly affect the U.S.’s foreign policy relations, especially when dealing with the remnants of tension from the Cold War. Putin has even been acknowledged by Mikhail Gorbachev as a man who pulled Russia out of chaos, and I assent with this opinion.

If Putin did all that in only eight years, just imagine what he would be able to accomplish if elected for another four years! Because of his ability to stow away his ego in foreign affairs, Putin was the first Russian political leader to visit Iran since Joseph Stalin at the 1943 Tehran Conference.

Additionally, Putin also fervently supports international law strengthening, environmental carbon emission reductions, international democratic multi-

Facts

to know: infographic by Nikki Kaul and Harry Siggins

polarity, and the prevention of the deployment of weapons into outer space.

He is clearly an intelligent man who can play the game of politics on both a domestic and international level, while maintaining a humble mentality.

I find Putin to be a beacon of stability in Russia. He garners much popularity from the Russian public due to the fact that many people can identify with him and his anxieties. Throughout his life, Putin faced many adverse events, and when the Russian general populace can see that in a kind leader whom they can look up to, that person is undoubtedly the right choice for a leader. Putin and I are both firm believers in the philosophy, “The ends justify the means.”

Putin has consistently demonstrated that when he was the prime critic of Russia’s performance, his judgment was based on how well Russia played the game.

The magnitude of Putin’s individual performance, the inventiveness of how he has translated his personage’s beliefs, and his overall cunning design and execution has illuminated a true leader in my eyes.

McLean is a part of the world that will be affected by this election, indirectly, and it is crucial that we students stay updated on current events, so that we are able to shape our futures for the better. I believe that in 2012, Putin should and will run for President, and if elected, he will lead Russia to such heights that the world will have to pause and take notice. pages designed by Nikki Kaul and Harry Siggins

4. What is the KGB? Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti, the secret police of the former Soviet Union

5. Who is Dmitry Medvedev?

The current prime minister of Russia, believed by some of Putin’s adversaries to be a puppet figurehead

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3.10.10

Crossfire

Q:

Do the Olympics warrant all the hype?

The games deserve the gold

photo courtesy of ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov

Jacki Kleger Reporter

The most dedicated, skillful, strong and talented athletes from 82 countries came together and participated in the 2010 Vancouver winter Olympic Games. This monumental occasion only occurs every four years, bringing people from different countries, races, interests and backgrounds together to watch in awe the athlete’s talents.

Many countries who participated experience social, economical, and political controversies with one another on a regular basis. The Olympics help us to put aside the issues we have with one another and watch the games for fun.

Athletes can interact with each other in a positive competition, not a war or a trade sanction.

Not only do the games bring people together from countries, the Olympics bring together citizens within a country. People automatically support the country they are from.

Even if people have different beliefs or political affiliations, most are patriotic and want their country to succeed and bring home gold. Athletes have a chance to represent their country of origin even if they have strayed away

p r o

from home.

In hockey, Alex Ovechkin plays for the Capitals, but in the Olympics he plays for the Russian hockey team.

This brings together his hometown in Russia and Washington because both countries want to see him suceed.

The Russians have a chance to root for a player from their country and the Americans feel connected because he plays for the NHL. Before this year, the Canadians had never won a winter event. However, the Canadians hosted the games this year which meant the number of people watching it increased. This boosts the country’s want for more wins by their athletes than ever.

When the men’s moguls won their first gold medal the team and the country celebrated and gained more support. Also the number of people who watched the hockey game of Canada vs. USA was equivalent to the support of American fans for the super bowl.

The Olympics are important because they set an example for young athletes worldwide; sophomore Nick Baker, a hockey player at McLean says he watches the Olympics, “everyday.”

When you are at number one for a sport, winning the gold at the Olympics is the greatest achievement, and like many Nick too, “Would love to [play hockey in the Olympics.]” The Olympics is an event for kids to look up to and athletes aspire to attend them.

Curling; a sport not very common has become a new craze in our area.

People love to watch it and many are now learning to play. Some believe it is not a sport, however, curling the curling teams train just as hard for their win as other sports. Each sport brings its own “I like to watch curling at lunch with my friends and we get really into it when the US is involved,” said sophomore Hardy Cox. “Not only is it a sport the athletes get recognized for participating in, but people actually like to watch it, if it is in the Olympics it must take skill. “Curling seems to me like a sport that takes little athleticism but a lot of technique and strategy”, sophomore Julian Tamayo said.

The Olympics are not just games, they have deeper meanings which affect people around the world, and we can each find some kind of connection to it. page designed by Hamiz Qureshi

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editorials

Winter Olympics go downhill Claire Chretien Reporter

The Olympics are an exciting display of athletic talent, physical strength, and international sportsmanship. It’s easy to see why the country—or even the world—seems to go crazy with delight whenever toned individuals with extraordinary determination and vigor congregate in one city to challenge each other to the ultimate competition, an intense contest meant to name the person who is essentially the world’s best at a given event.

I respect every Olympian; I really do, because it takes someone almost non-human in his or her capacities to be able to do what is required of an Olympic athlete. However, whenever the Olympic Games occur, there are always a few athletes who get unmerited press coverage and scandals or comments that ruffle the feathers of at least one country. Athletes question whether or not their rivals were unfairly awarded medals; viewers make a big deal when Team USA’s pick for the gold wipes out. In addition, the Olympics have almost become more of a display of diplomacy than a sports competition. Many aspects of the Olympics just seem overrated.

Lindsey Vonn is probably one of the most over-talked about Olympians of

the Vancouver Olympics. The hype surrounding Vonn is largely caused by the fact that she is an attractive blonde.

The phenomenon of Americans being over-eager about attractive athletes is nothing new. Most popular summer and winter Olympic athletes—Michael Phelps and Apollo Ohno, for example— are only over publicized because of their image, not because of their athletic ability. The Olympics shouldn’t be this way. The coverage of the 2010 Olympics provided too much of a focus on Lindsey Vonn’s shin injury and Sidney Crosby’s attitude. The Olympics are about sportsmanship, competition, and bringing the best athletes in the world together, not about speculating on the sexuality of male figure skaters or discussing Lindsey Vonn’s legs.

Seriously, who cares? Focusing on innocuous details about athletes not only cheapens the Olympics, it also makes hearing about them tiring and irritating.

Not only that, there are some ‘sports’ represented in the Olympics that are very undeserving of Olympic recognition. The fact that curling is an Olympic sport is an abomination.

Curling is a team sport that consists of sliding stones across a sheet of

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c o n

ice toward a target area. The objective is to deliver eight or ten of the team’s stones closer to the center of the house than the other teams’ stones. Two sweepers on each team use brooms to direct stones to their resting place without actually touching the stones.

How did brushing ice in order to help stones move faster become an Olympic sport? How can curling be considered worthy of international recognition at the finest sporting event in the world? It’s a waste of time to watch stones sliding across ice. Curling is certainly the dullest of all Olympic sports. It isn’t even close to being on the same level as skiing, figure skating, or snowboarding. It certainly seems to require a specific set of skills, however, these skills are not skills that should be displayed in the Olympics.

There are many wonderful things about the Olympics, such as the strength and stamina of the athletes, and the unity it brings to the world.

However, the over publicized athletes, the drama over the supposed unfairness of medals and the inclusion of ‘sports’ like curling made this year’s Olympic Games disappointing.

photo printed with permission of The Blackbird page designed by Austin Miller

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Outdoors to savor; gadgets for later Technology deprives us of natures beauty

Torin Liberthson-Brown Editorials Editor

F

our girls sit in a silent room. The only audible sound was the clicking coming from their phones. No speaking and no communication was shared apart from the texts. Downstairs, six boys crowd around an X-Box, frantically pressing the controller and screaming at the TV. This scenario seems to be more and more common. While technology advances, the addiction also grows.

Instead of enjoying their friends’ company, the girls in the room upstairs are not speaking, completely glued to their phones. What is the point of being with each other if you will be texting someone else?

At a local day care center, Early Learning Express, seven children, three to nine years old argue about who will play on the Wii first, or who will have computer time next.

This is a serious problem. Not only do all the new technologies cause vision problems, headaches and obsession after staring at a screen for hours at a time, it also contributes to the growing lack of communication skills in students and young adults worldwide. As younger and children are being exposed to technology, their generation is swaying further from activities that keep them fit, energetic, and creative.

As a kid, the time I spent outdoors enjoying the sunny skies far outweighed the time I spent indoors. Kicking a ball around, tag, hide and seek and hundreds of other games, are all activities that millions of kids and teens alike have somehow forgotten. Instead of arranging a neighborhood game of Capture the Flag or Manhunt, children bury themselves inside, eating junk-food and watching TV. The common, “Hey, want to come over after school and play basketball?” has been replaced with, “Hey, bring over your X-Box and Call of Duty!”

There are many upsides to technology. As machines become more developed, and the more we use and explore the Internet, the better we get at solving problems and designing better systems. However, many technologies can become too entertaining, and too much a part of a person’s daily routine. Obesity can be credited to all of the hours sitting on a couch and becoming lazy. Less time outdoors

86% of teens play on a video game console Pew Research Center

photo courtesy of Holly Henry

leads to more time sitting around staring at a screen, playing video games, and not communicating with others.

Outside of dark basements is fresh air and exercise.

Pools are still open if they have an indoor facility. Tuckahoe, which many students of McLean are members of, has a large indoor pool, diving boards and a basketball net. There is a creek that runs through McLean, which is great for hiking and long walks. Downtown McLean is close enough for biking.

If you have younger siblings, the local park is a great place for you to, not only bond, but also show them how it’s done. Challenge your sibling to a race, or to a monkey bar challenge. Set up a Basketball hoop, or use the one that has been rusting in your driveway. Nets can easily be put up outside and used to volleyball, badminton, or a mini tennis tournament. Neighborhood games of kickball, or Ultimate Frisbee is a great way to bring together numerous families.

There are many ways to enjoy the outdoors. Many activities that seem childish now were highly beneficial.

Young kids who get outside and run around regularly are not only getting fresh air, but they are also feeding their mind with energy and new information. As students progress into their four years of high school, social life takes over, and being a couch potato or a mall walker become typical pastimes.

Those who get regular exercise and fresh air have better sleeping patterns, tend to have higher grades, and their social relationships are stronger. Surrounding yourself with friends who all enjoy the same video game is all well and good, but being able to spend time together without a controller or a television in front of you is key to form a healthy relationship with friends, family and loved ones. page designed by Harry Siggins

sports Sports Editorial

How to fix a failing team:

A look at the rebuilding process in D.C. sports

Ibrahim Jacobs Sports Editor Fans who follow their teams through their ups and downs have heard the term “rebuilding.” It generally refers to the year or two after numerous sub-par seasons.

Teams generally rid themselves of overpaid players, veterans and role players in exchange for salary cap space, a marquee player or draft picks. This system can work if general managers know how to approach this process and don’t use it as an excuse for poor performance. There is a fine line between rebuilding a team and giving a struggling team an excuse for disappointment, and local teams are flirting with disaster.

In the wake of another disappointing season, the Wizards are in worse shape than last year. Gilbert Arenas gets suspended and the front office decides change is in order.

They respond by trading away Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson, all in the span of three days-- essentially, the five players that only two years ago led the Wizards to a playoff berth.

The Wizards’ owners aren’t dumb; they knew they needed change in their organization. The problem was, the way they went about it was stupid. Trading away Jamison and Butler, along with Arenas’ suspension, destroys Washington’s big three; a threesome that was only three years removed from being one of the top performers in the NBA. The Wizards wanted to rebuild their crumbling organization, but that cannot be done by dismantling the team. You want to improve a house? You add an addition or remove worndown rooms. You don’t burn the house to the ground.

In contrast to the Wizards, a good example of an area team rebuilding is the Capitals. From 2003-2006, the word “playoffs” would not have even crossed the mind of Caps fans. Consistently finishing in the bottom four spots in the league, the Caps organization spotted a need for change.

They started at the top by drafting future superstars Alex Ovechkin, then Nicklas Backstrom in the 2006 NHL Draft.

The Caps followed with a playoff berth the next year and since then have only gotten better. Take notes, Daniel Snyder: the Caps saw an issue and fixed it. This can only be done one way, by spending money smartly. Too many teams these days think they can buy championships. The Capitals managed to upgrade their team while keeping essential

photo illustration by Kelsey Hopkins

players.

The Redskins could be perhaps the best example of how not to rebuild a team. Until Snyder realizes that he has no clue how to run a football team and that his checkbook will not lead the Redskins to the promised land, the Skins future looks very bleak. As opposed to rebuilding the team, the Redskins added Albert Haynesworth, giving them 320 pounds of weight and a salary-cap-shattering 100 million dollar contract to a player who only played about half of the snaps.

In all fairness, the addition of Haynesworth did bode well for rookie Pro-Bowler Brian Orakpo and defensive end Andre Carter. However, that money could have been spent on more useful players who would have had a greater impact on the team as a whole. For this reason, the Redskins are not rebuilding their team, just putting it in more of a hole.

Calling it the rebuilding process is just their excuse for season after season of failure. page designed by Ibrahim Jacobs

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S X R A M D N I M art by Faysal Matin

Sid the Kid regains top spot as NHL’s poster child Danny Marx Columnist The moment couldn’t have been more tense or exhilarating. Seven minutes into overtime, 2-2 in the gold medal game and the last event of the Winter Olympics in Sidney Crosby’s home country of Canada. North of the border, hockey is a religion, and the whole Canadian nation was looking for vengeance against a young Team USA that had already pulled off an improbable upset over Team Canada and was poised to do it again. But then he scored.

Sid delivered the game winning goal by shooting 5-hole (between the legs) on America’s Ryan Miller, who had been nothing short of spectacular throughout the Olympics. With a flick of the wrist, Sidney Crosby became recognized by many as the best worldwide and immortalized in Canada forever.

NHL junkies have been arguing whether Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin is better non-stop the last few years.

Crosby’s Penguins won the Stanley Cup last year and fell just short of Detroit the year before. Ovechkin, however, was named MVP both years, which can be attributed in part to higher goal totals, despite mediocre playoff success.

Prior to Pittsburgh hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2009, Ovechkin had been overshadowing their two-man spotlight, with what seemed to be more press, more endorsements, and a major marketing shift by the NHL, making him the figure head (when they could only pick one). But when Crosby had his name engraved on Lord Stanley, he evened the field, or possibly took a slight lead in the arguments over who was better. So in Vancouver on the final day of February, when Crosby got a gold medal around his neck and Ovechkin got squat, the arguments took a violent tilt in

favor of Crosby.

Pittsburgh native, girls basketball coach, and special education teacher, Mike O’Brien, believes Crosby, 22, is the reason hockey is still relevant in his city, but Ovechkin means just as much to D.C. “Of those two, right now, I would take Ovechkin,” O’Brien said. “Ovechkin seems to rally his team through his spirit and play. Ovechkin is also more physical. However, I do think Sid is still improving and this will be a debate for the next 10 years.”

Despite few team achievements to tout, Sophomore Alex McCleary believes his hometown hero, Alex Ovechkin, will still be better than Crosby, if not the greatest in hockey history by the end of his career.

“It’s easy [for the media] to say Crosby is better and pulling away after winning Olympic gold with the game winning shot and the Stanley Cup before then,” McCleary said. “You can’t judge who is better until one of them retires. I think Ovechkin will retire on top.”

Frankly, as much as McCleary and others students at McLean would support Ovechkin as the world’s best unconditionally, there comes a time when achievement must be weighed over statistics. Love him or hate him, Sidney Crosby is an extraordinary hockey player and he delivered for his home team and his home nation in clutch fashion.

He’s not nearly Gretzky or Lemieux just yet, but he’s well on his way. For Ovechkin to match or surpass Crosby in the hockey history books he will have to shine on his home soil come Sochi 2014. In the meantime, he has four chances to lead the Caps to a Stanley Cup victory. But hey, Alex Ovechkin is the god of goal-scoring. I think he’ll get the job done. page designed by William Romov

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sports

3.10.10

Under the radar

photo courtesy of David Evans

Andrew Davis Special Olympics When people think of sports at McLean, they think of Friday night lights and the intense, always rowdy Langley basketball games. Although the varsity football team’s stunning turnaround and the intensity of basketball games undoubtedly deserve their share of the limelight, unfortunately they have overshadowed one of the most impressive winning streaks in the history of McLean.

For the last two years, the Special Olympics Basketball team has not lost a single game. They are currently riding a 13 game unbeaten run, and are quickly earning a reputation as one of the most formidable teams in the area.

Special education teacher and head coach Mark Thompson has been coaching the team for all of the seven years that he has been at McLean. According to Thompson, McLean has a rich history in Special Olympics Basketball.

McLean has fielded a team for the past 20 years, and has enjoyed the support of both students and the administration.

“We have had students come to our games before, and it really does make a good atmosphere for the players,” Thompson said. “The activities office has also been very supportive in terms of paying for uniforms and things like that.”

For Thompson, his number one goal for the team is to just go out and have fun while providing a positive environment for the players to learn about teamwork. He has taken the Special Olympics’ motto “strive and try,” to heart. According to him, winning is secondary to having fun and learning.

Despite this, the players still take their commitment to the team extremely seriously. Each week they hold a practice where they work on the basic skills of basketball and teamwork. This hard work has paid off in the tournaments that the team competes in. Over the last two years the team has posted an astounding record of 11 wins and 2 ties in competition.

At a recent tournament, the team made their dominance clear. One of the standout players of the entire tournament was senior guard Brian Marquez. Marquez, who is no stranger to scoring in double digits, continued to dominate games while embodying the sportsmanship and teamwork

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that the Special Olympics promote.

There to witness the team’s performance was Principal Deborah Jackson and Assistant Principal Stephen Wojciechowski along with the varsity cheerleaders. With parents, staff and the cheerleaders cheering them on, the team cruised to yet another victory.

According to several players, the key to the teams’ two year long unbeaten streak is the team unity that is forged at practice.

“Our team spirit at practice is amazing; it really motivates us to do well. Also, we have to make sure that we do the right things if we win or lose.”

In addition to Marquez, another standout for the last for years has been senior forward Casimir Carter. According to Carter, his role on the team is to be the big man that makes other teams afraid of driving to the basket.

“I play like an intimidator. I strike fear in the hearts of other players when they play a game against us, but it does get kid of tiring. After all that running, my legs feel like spaghetti,” Carter joked.

The team does recognize that its main goal is to have fun, but some players like Carter and Marquez have other goals in mind. Both players stated that their goal for this year is to earn the chance to play for a state championship.

They also like the competition against other quality teams. As the team has put together this streak, it has been progressively moving up skill divisions to play against better opponents. According to Marquez, this has only made the team better.

“We have really had more effort at practice and in games. I really like how good the other teams are now, I really think it makes us better,” he said.

Likewise, Carter sees the increased level of competition as a chance to further his own basketball dreams. He sees this season as a chance to improve aspects of his game like his three point shooting percentage. He also sees it as a chance to achieve his dream of one day playing in the NBA. Another important factor in the team’s recent success is a group of about five dedicated general education students who volunteer at practice, and attend games. Among these students is senior Young Joon Cho. According to Cho, these students attend practice each week and participate in different basketball drills with the players.

“We just go to practice with the kids, and coordinate drills, and do scrimmages,” Cho said. “It’s great to see them laugh and play sports with them. Sports is a great way for them to get active and involved.”

Cho, whose brother Young Soo plays on the team, has been involved with the program for the last three years. He stresses the need for new volunteers to replace the ones that will be graduating this year. Thompson agrees with Cho, adding that volunteering at practices can be a very rewarding experience.

“Just come and watch, have fun, and interact with the kids. All of our kids have a great time, and all of the

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volunteers seem to have a great time as well,” Thompson said.

As the team nears the end of this season, Thompson is unsure about whether it will be able to maintain the high level of success next year. With star players like Marquez graduating, the team is experiencing the same problems as any other high shool team.

What is different is the fact that unlike any other coach, Thompson does not particularly care if the team loses a couple of games every now and then. He only cares about spreading the Special Olympics’ message of learning and sportsmanship both to his players and opponents.

So while football and basketball continue to dominate

photo printed with permission of David Evans

Sophomore Young Soo Cho fights for a rebound during a game. Cho’s older brother, senior Young Joon, leads a group of volunteers that help to run practices, and attend games to support the team. the sports scene, Thompson and his players will just quietly keep on doing what has made them a great team in the first place. What makes them truly special is that if you ask any of them about it, they would say that operating outside of the limelight suits them just fine.

pages designed by Andrew Davis

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3.10.10

Athlete of the Issue

Special Olympics Basketball Player, Casimir Carter

STATS:

Height- 5’7”

Years playing basketball: 5 Years in Special Olympics: 5 Role on the Team

“ “

My role on the team is the shooting guard.

I’m a hustle player and an intimidator, even if [the other team] is going for the ball I would just shoot it in their face.”

Future playing basketball

I want to go pro and join Steve Nash or Gilbert Arenas. On the court, when I’m ready, I’m going out there with my gameface on and try to impress my parents and be like my idols.”

Spring Coaches Anne Inzerello Head Coach, Girls Lacrosse

Mike Anderson Head Coach, Boys Soccer

Tiffany Washington Head Coach, Girls Soccer

John Thomas Head Coach, Baseball

Tiger Woods apology was...

Scripted and Emotionless

photo courtesy of Origa Amolo photo printed with permission of David Evans

_______ should be an Olympic sport

Lacrosse

Sincere

Rugby

Sincere

Competitive Cheerleading

None of my business

What is the hardest part about tryouts?

Curling is...

Thoughts on the Washington Wizards trades.

This year, trying out indoors

Not really a sport, but I’d love to play it

Don’t follow the Wizards, I am a Cavs fan

Boring

It was ridiculous getting rid of Jamison. Bad move

Cuts

Choosing from so many talented players

An interesting sport

Positive outlook for the Wizards

Having to tell They need to An Olympic someone who’s change their sport and basePunt, Pass, and worked very name back to ball isn’t. Just Kick hard that they the Bullets sayin... didnt make the photos and page design by Andrew Ramadan team Jamison photo printed with permission of prosports.com

3.10.10

Pushing the fatal risk

sports

Allison Wilhem Reporter Nodar Kumaritashvili, in a phone call the day before his death, told his father he was scared of the Olympic luge track because of “one of the turns.” Nodar’s father, David, divulged several days after the accident. David Kumaritashvili said he told his son to go slower on the turn that eventually claimed his son’s life, but Nodar refused, saying he was “at the Olympics to win.”

Had 21 year old Nodar listened to his father, or his gut, he may have still been well and alive today.

February 12, 2010, would be the last run this Georgian luger would ever participate in, as he mis-negotiated the turn and crashed head-first into a support beam at an excess of 90 miles per hour, immediately losing his life.

David Kumaritashvili deatiled on ESPN.com his conversation with his son, saying, “I’m a luger as well and that’s why I told him, ‘Brake, brake, don’t risk it.’ [Nodar] said, ‘No Dad, I will risk it, what will be will be.’ And he took the risk.”

So in the end, it shouldn’t boil down to whose fault it was, the track engineer’s or Kumaritashvili’s. It is not possible for the Olympic committee to protect athletes from all injuries out there and no event will ever be one hundred percent safe. It is all about how far an athlete is willing to push it, and the ultimate decision of ‘is it too much to lose?’

Kumaritashvili disregarded his own instinct, even after confiding to his father that he was “terrified of the track at the Whistler Sliding Center,” accoding to yahoo.com.

Kumaritashivili made a conscious choice to continue with the race, placing the weight of his death solely of his urgent desire to go for the gold.

89.4

mph

Nodar’s last recorded speed on his fatal run

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art by Faysal Matin

How can the Olympic engineers be blamed for this fatality? A young and relatively inexperienced luger goes into an event knowing that on top of the already existing risks, he is adding greater danger by taking on more than he is comfortable with. While maybe in the future Olympic officials should add extra safety precautions around the track, there is nothing they can do about a fluke accident from an inexperienced competitor.

“If he wasn’t comfortable with it he shouldn’t have done it, so I think it’s his fault,” sophomore and regular skier Emily Winchester said.

Winchester, who has been skiing since age nine, recognizes the danger that any competition brings.

“It could have happened to anyone,” Winchester said.

“People can die in any sport.”

While it is not Kumaritashvili’s fault for causing his own death and it is an infrequent mishap, he did make the explicit decision to go for it all, disregarding the consequences. Yet, it is important to recognize the perseverance, commitment, and passion for representing his country Kumaritashvili exhibited while pursuing his dream of gold, as well as the hardships this tragedy brought to his family and the Olympic Games as a whole. Nodar should have recognized that he wasn’t ready, and not pushed himself into such a dangerous predicament.

But, in the end the blame cannot be placed on track engineers, or faulty steering by the luger, rather on a conscious decision that a possible injury was not too much to lose in the chase for a gold medal.

95.68 mph Fastest recorded speed in Luge

30 stories

(300) feet

Vertical Drop of an average Luge run page designed by Nick Siler

page 40

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