Ed. 25

Beginnings Contents...

Beginnings:

Letter from the Editors: Filling the Gap? Editorials: “If I Could Change the World” Uma Caravana de Populistas Alumni Corner: Sofia Tsirakis Gap Year Options

News:

Letter from the Editor: Erika Diaz Changes in Administration Prom 2004: The STUCO View O Cúmulo da Hipocrisia News From Brazil A Reforma Agrária: Sim e Não Annals of the Bush Administration Clueless Villains Celebrating 10 Years of Democracy in South Africa Two Weeks in the World

Talon Staff 2004-05 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Gabriela Carvalho, André Gregori

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13

EDITORS: Features - Ian Glaser, News - Erika Díaz , Sports - Cecilia Masola, Entertainment - Chantal Goldfinger, Photography - Patty Camacho, Layout - Laura Torre ASSISTANT EDITORS: Features - Kathy Tsirakis, News - Flavio Lopes, Sports- Avinash Mohannani, Entertainment - Bruna Lee, Photography - Lindy Christine, Cover Design- Marion Geiger and David Darden LANGUAGE EDITORS: Portuguese - Raquel Silva, English- Camila Geld

8

FINANCE: Simão Neumark (head), David Darden (asst. head) WEBMASTER: André Gregori TEACHER ADVISORS: Elizabeth Perry, Barry Dequanne FOREIGN LANGUAGE ADVISORS: Mme Matheus, Guillermo Loyola

14 14

Talon Contact Information

Entertainment:

Letter from the Editor: Chantal Goldfinger 16 TV Updates 16 Diários de Motocicleta 16 Coming Soon to a Theater Near You 16 Theater Review: “Master Harold”. . . and the Boys Interview: “Master Harold”. . . and the Boys 18 Crossword Puzzle Horoscope 21 Book Talk: Karen Field 21 O Preço da Sedução 22

Features:

17 20

The Long History of Man’s Evolution:

Letter from the Editor: Ian Glaser 23 “Words, Words, Words” 23 Res Publica 24 Four Graded Stories 26 Crazythoughts.com 28 Top 5 Lists: Graded Faculty 30 Where Am I? 31 Guest Writer: Daniel Weber 32 Features Special: Talon Chat 34 Change, A Personal Reflection 36 How Graded Changed Me 37 The New Freshmen: Fresh Out of the Oven 37 Figa Corner 38

Sports:

A Different Athletic Banquet A Perfect Night For a Perfect Game The Old New Sport: Futevolley Maradona in Crisis Hacky-Sack Mania Change in Graded Sports

2

39 40 40 41

E-mail: talon@graded.br Editors-in-Chief: gabriela.carvalho@graded.br, andre.gregori@graded.br Advisors: eperry@graded.br, bdequann@graded.br Website: http://graded.br/talon Finance (Advertising): simao.neumark@graded.br Phone: 3747-4893 (Dequanne)

The Cover

40 41

The 25th edition’s cover was created

by Marion Geiger with help from Fabio Lomelino. Marion writes, “Because this issue of The Talon is focusing on change, I chose the seasonal cycle as a theme to reflect Graded’s growth.”

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Beginnings Are we here to fill the gap?

A Letter from your Editors-in-Chief Gabriela Carvalho and André Gregori GABRIELA: Inspired by the provocative remark of our GTV fellows, we are here to ponder that question.

ANDRÉ: But first, to get to our argument, fellow Jedi, we should define our terms.

GABRIELA: (IB influence, for those who know what we’re talking about.)

ANDRÉ: [Silence…] The gap: from the overall mood of that GTV segment, it can be deduced that “the gap” (not the store) is the insufficiency of entertainment that returned to our lives— GABRIELA: Our academically-driven lives…

ANDRÉ: Ahem—that arose with the glorious end of GTV.

we start TTV, Talon Television… Hey—[grinning]—that’s actually a good idea, considering we already have an online branch…

GABRIELA: Well, for that to happen, people have to actually access and “interact” with the Talonline. I guess what I unsuccessfully tried to express was that The Talon’s purpose is not to “fill” anything.

To me, the term “fill” comes with the negative idea that the sole purpose of the newspaper is aesthetic—that it has no content—it is but a filler. But it’s more than that.

ANDRÉ: Agreed, though I don’t necessarily think that GTV was alleging we’re a filler in that sense.

In fact, I think we in a way do “fill”—but in a good way. We fill in students’ needs, like providing space for people to write about their own little dilemmas, sagas, and Herculean tasks—or, really, whatever they should like.

MS. PERRY (butting in as usual): Don’t you two think you’re taking this all a little too seriously? After all, GTV just needed something to rhyme with “crap,” if I recall correctly. . . I doubt they were sweating over every tiny bit of diction. . .

GABRIELA: With that out of the way, we can settle the question: Are we here to fill the gap? Well, to be honest, I don’t think so. Not because we at The Talon don’t provide enough entertainment, but because ever since this newspaper was created, we have successfully coexisted with the GTV phenomenon. I am the first one to hurry to the auditorium whenever there’s a new segment. However, I am also the first one to hurry to The Talon stand to obtain the newest edition. So I guess it is more of a personal opinion when I say that both have been ‘filling the gap’ harmoniously.

ANDRÉ: Ms. Perry! As my English teacher you should be enjoying this very smart conversation!

GABRIELA: Moving on, after Ms. Perry successfully shut down our initial conversation, we are here to discuss our aims and desires as the new Editors-in-Chief.

ANDRÉ and GABRIELA: We already have a wonderful legacy to build on.

Through Carolina and Luiza’s leadership, The Talon reached a heretofore un-

ANDRÉ: I take a different stance on this.

I agree with you that we will never be able to “fill in the gap,” but for different reasons. GTV is something completely different from The Talon; GTV is a much more complex medium, combining both visual and auditory; in that sense it is something The Talon can never be. Unless Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

3

Beginnings “If I could change the world…”

Gabriela Carvalho Since this is my first editorial, I wanted to address the importance of writing. This issue came to me as I started my role as Editor-in-Chief and asked a peer and friend to write a piece for The Talon. Knowing her way of thinking, I knew that her article would be very interesting, well-written and controversial, precisely what I wanted for this edition. But as I talked to her and requested her to write, she bluntly answered me: “Why should I? No one will read it anyways. And if they do, that will be it. No one will do anything about it”. My initial response was to laugh it out and continue with our original conversation, but as I tried to argue against her, I kept running out of things to say.

Her statement was true; writing seems (emphasizing the verb to appear) pointless when it stops at that. What is the point of writing controversial articles, or any article for that matter, if nothing concrete comes of it? Is it enough to simply talk about issues like war, hypocrisy and violence, when in the end, it all stays on the page? These doubts haunted me and, as I tried to sort them out, I realized how important this issue is to me, especially as an editor, but mainly as a citizen of the world.

First of all, I need to admit that I also keep things on the plane of words. I love discussing and sharing my opinions, but when it comes to acting on them, I don’t. Dostoyevsky would call me a “conscious man”, or person to be politically correct; someone who is aware of the reality but is too lethargic to act on it. I would call myself a skeptical

advocate the impact one person has on the environment. I recycle as much as possible and hate when people litter. But at the same time, I understand how this notion seems so far off, I understand when people say “oh, but it’s just one wrapper” or even “why should I write this article?” In one way, I am actually contradicting myself as I write this editorial simply because as I voice my opinion, a part of me is hoping to affect people and get them to think on the reason behind their lack of action and abundance of opinions. But then again, I am only writing about it.

Contemplating this now, I understand the frustration my friend felt when her article on the massacre in Sudan got published and there were no responses. I couldn’t answer her then, and I probably can’t fully answer her now, but I will try it anyways. realistic; someone who, although would love to change the world, is aware that it takes more than one person to make a difference.

Take the anti-war walks that occurred last year. Millions of people marched on streets around the world demanding peace but that didn’t affect the United States’ decision to invade Iraq. Was it useless? I wouldn’t say that, it did have a use. But it sure wasn’t enough to change the situation. So then, if millions of people don’t have the power to change the world, how can my actions, let alone my writing, have the slightest effect?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the first one to defend the environmentalists who

So then, if millions of people don’t have the power to change the world, how can my actions, let alone my writing, have the slightest effect?

We should voice our opinions and write articles not because they have the power to reach the masses and change the world drastically. But because it might get people to think about their place in the world. Just I like I am writing this piece with hopes of getting some response, so did my friend.

And Graded has experienced change.... at least in Student Council

High School STUCO President - Flavio Lopes Vice-President - André Gregori Treasurer - Kelly Cho

4

Senior STUCO President - Amanda Almeida Vice-President - Michelle Sze Treasurer - Steven Shinn Representative - André Alves Representative - Rafaella Schivartche

Sophomore STUCO President - Jenny Cho Vice-President - Rafael Kern Treasurer - Marina Mazzarolo Representative - Jessica Olivieri Representative - Stephanie Krieger

Junior STUCO President - Lena Ovrebo Vice-President - Suely Jeon Treasurer - Stephanie Johnson Representative - David Darden Representative - Sofia Case

Freshmen STUCO President - Marimar Jauregui Vice-President - Pedro Mendoca Treasurer - Bonnie Jeon Representative - Felipe Lima Representative - Min Ji Kim

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Beginnings Uma caravana de populistas André Gregori “Isso é fato. Isso é verdade.” E assim encerravam os anúncios que, por mais de duas semanas, passaram no horário nobre de várias emissoras de televisão pelos cantos do Brasil. Ao assistir Celebridade, a dona-de-casa, o operário que chegou do trabalho, ou mesmo o adolescente noveleiro encontrava-se “comparando o governo atual com o governo anterior,” mesmo que não quisesse. É isso que a voz da locutora mandava, e, quem fosse preguiçoso demais para mudar de canal encontrava-se absorto em propaganda política, no meio de seu horário mais precioso de descanso depois de um longo dia, que, para a maioria dos brasileiros, foi de duro trabalho. É assim que o Partido dos Trabalhadores vem fazendo seu populismo nos últimos tempos: invadindo a nossa casa com mensagens que vangloriam as “melhoras” do

do PFL, uma beleza rara. A dona-de-casa que nunca aprendeu o que é balança comercial, o desempregado que nunca soube ler gráficos, o aluno de escola pública que passou de série sem estar qualificado e que não sabe nem o que é percentual, senta e ouve os “dados do IBGE, um órgão sério e respeitado,” e fica

admir a d o com as qualidades do governo do PT. Afinal, a sigla PIB deve ser algo de suprema importância por soar

tão diferente.

Os anúncios tamb é m co n tavam que “resolver o problema do desemprego é um problema do Lula.” O nosso O PT é assim: desestruturado, sem plano nem objetimessias e presidente vo, uma grande caravana de sindicalistas, sem-terra aparentemente sabe e intelectuais alienados que vivem jogados todos de disso. Mas os anúncios baixo do brilho acolhedor da grande estrela vermeldeixaram de informar, ha... naquele formato tão rico que falava da inflação, a gravidade da Brasil desde o governo Fernando Henrique. situação atual; o desemprego Assim que os anúncios entravam, o em Outubro de 2002, logo telespectador era bombardeado com uma antes do FHC entregar a faixa série de gráficos, porcentagens, acrônimos a Lula, era de 7,4%, enquanto complicados e desconhecidos e jargão em março de 2004 está quase econômico. Um anúncio exalta o decrésci- o dobro, em cerca de 12,8% só mo brusco do índice da inflação desde o nas seis regiões metropolitanas governo FHC, o outro mostra uma baixa de São Paulo, Porto Alegre, recorde nas taxas de juros, outro concentra Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, no aumento da exportação, e assim vai o Salvador e Recife. E esse dados bonde... também são daquele mesmo De fato, números tirados de contex- “órgão sério e respeitado.” to (e mostrados de forma tão simples que A propaganda do PT fazem tudo parecer propaganda de sabão- ilustra exatamente o tipo de em-pó) entusiasmam até os mais céticos partido que é. O partido não só Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

faz um trabalho mal-feito em reconhecer o problema que arrasta o país o limitando a uma frase simplória, mas também não mostra nenhum tipo de plano ou estratégia para resolvê-lo. Pior—usa a tática mais atrasada e infantil no livro dos marqueteiros—a do “homem-de-palha,” a de tirar a atenção do problema principal e desviá-la para outro lado que pareça ser muito mais interessante. O PT é assim: desestruturado, sem plano nem objetivo, uma grande caravana de sindicalistas, sem-terra e intelectuais alienados que vivem jogados todos de baixo do brilho acolhedor da grande estrela vermelha que provém a energia lá da era de Marx para permanecerem na sua boa letargia.

Agora sendo situação, o PT que sempre foi oposição quer continuar na velha e confortável atitude de franco-atirador: só mandando bala. O problema é que quando o próprio governo adota o mantra da crítica, ele ou critica a si próprio—uma atitude nada petista—ou olha para o passado, e é precisamente isso que esses anúncios de duas semanas atrás fizeram. O PT de hoje ainda é um partido de oposição como sempre teimosa e invariavelmente foi, e para conseguir isso tem que viver no passado.

O problema é que, agora liderando o Brasil, o PT arrasta a mentalidade nacional para esse tipo de raciocínio boçal, o que no final só pode levar ao retrocesso. O que o PT não assume é que todas as maravilhas que agora estão acontecendo são refluxo das políticas econômicas e sociais de oito anos de governo Fernando Henrique. O PT não assume que só continuando as políticas de FHC que eles conseguem os números altos. O PT nunca não assume e aparentemente nunca vai assumir que, quando eleito para mudar o Brasil para melhor, o partido decidiu pro-

5

Alumni Corner Deferring the Future to Look at the Past: Change and the Gap Year Sophia Tsirakis As my friend Hemmingway said, and my (closer) friend Erin always reminds me, you can only truly write about something after you have left it. I’ll risk breaking this literary rule.

(It is actually refreshing to finally have an assignment that does not require the scribbling of letters resembling math formulae!)

What w e r e t h e If you do decide r e a to go. . . Do sons behind not be afraid of y e a r my gap shifting objec- Well, I decision? tives, changing i n t o had gotten your point of the college of view, and the my choice, but… a lingering inevitable trans- feeling formation of told me t h a t pre-established exotic New Jersey ideas. was not the direction to take just yet.

There was a piece of the Sofia puzzle left to be solved before those four years waiting in the US, and that piece was Greece. Before I leaped into my future, I felt I needed to wander about my past (just a little).

You see, my grandfather is Greek, and ‘hellenism’ has pervaded my family life and my education for as long as I can remember. While most children were probably raised with beautiful fairytales, Winnie the Pooh, Dr. Seuss, or even Monteiro Lobato at bedtime, I was read Greek mythology from the cradle.

My father had also subsidized those interminable, painful Greek lessons at home in which fluency was always just beyond my grasp. The arrival of graduation sparked an ambition to also gain some closure in this parallel, overextended learning process. I was off to master the Greek language.

The Journey My saga in Greece (or shall we call it epic?) can be distinguished in two drastically different periods. From October to December, my mother and sister joined me - each with their own aspirations. My mother was

6

researching and writing a book on Greek mythology while my sister wished to savor a semester abroad, thinking of possibly orienting her college choices towards Europe. After our family reunited in Sao Paulo for vacations, I returned to Athens alone in January, and earnestly initiated my

while a girl from Peru flirts with a Sudanese guy and making some Greek friends along the way. There are even another two Brazilians! Beautiful archeological museums.

Walks around the Plaka at dusk, when all the ancient monuments begin to light up.

Visits to the ‘Philosophical’ Rock adjacent to the Acropolis, where Socrates allegedly hung out. Being humbled by the historical grandeur Acropolis herself (yes, it is a she).

Sofia Tsirakis and Daniela Perdomo, former Talon Editors-in-Chief independent immersion into the city and Greek culture.

Glimpses of my life today, devoid of the wonderful family safety net: Daily classes in the USP-resembling University of Athens. The philosophy department, where you find the greatest concentration of wonderful weirdoes and anarchists. Speaking, reading, writing, Greek, Greek, Greek -- ?! Enjoying my ballet classes which are fortunately right next door. Evenings in my Kolonaki apartment reading and working on some art here and there. Working some for my Dad’s publishing company, minding manuscripts and office work. Meeting people from remote corners of this planet - talking to a friend from Finland and another from Australia, Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Parties, of course. Juggling Greek, English, Portuguese and feeble attempts at Spanish (I assure you, it’s a headache from the linguistic confusion, not a hangover!). Sitting at nice little cafes to chat and sip Greek cold coffee for hours on end.

It must all sound so awfully wonderful, entertaining, enriching, exciting. It is. Except that it is difficult.

During the first half of my journey I constantly doubted my choice and struggled with feelings of free falling - Athens was located X thousand kilometers away from home, another Y thousand kilometers away from my friends who were getting a head start on their future in college. I started to find the expression ‘Gap year’ particularly bothersome. Was I doing the right thing in

Alumni Corner deferring? Were these feelings coming from the fact that I had not only deferred college but, (what I felt to be) my future? I felt I was plummeting, boundless, directionless, absent of structure, the structure most of my friends had encountered in college and that I had chosen to postpone for a year. I heard stories about my friends’ dormlives and similar routines. While they were undertaking a new experience on relatively small campuses collectively and concurrently with several other students, I was alone in my experience, having to manage an entire city, making friends here and there, generally outside of my class.

The second part revealed increasing growth and assertiveness in the protagonist. I was on my own, independent, continuously making my own choices and energetically seeking my own resources to attain my particular objectives. I found myself in a perpetual state of exhilaration as I attempted to take the most out my year in Greece. Yet, waves of exhaustion came and went. Taking care of one’s self all of the time proved very draining. The dangers of The Princeton tiger: the future awaits Sofia

Gap Year Options Compiled by Gabriela Carvalho “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”These words, crafted by Confucius, should be all the encouragement you need to take that first step after high school. But for those of you who are in doubt and scared of taking the next step, or simply want time away from academics before submerging yourself in college, consider the gap year. You could gain leadership skills in a wilderness education school, spend twelve weeks traveling in Thailand, or simply backpack through Europe with ten Euros in your pocket and a journal to record your thoughts. As St. Augustine put it, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” Get out there and read the volumes of the globe! · AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. Provides intercultural learning opportunities abroad with the aim of promoting a more just and peaceful world. · Audubon Expedition Institute A traveling graduate and undergraduate school that transforms students into inspired, compassionate environmental leaders and activists. · Dynamy Internship Year Dynamy is a one-year program for kids graduating from high school and looking for a way to find direction before going to college. · GlobalQuest International Semester Programs Twelve-week semester programs in Thailand and other development countries for high school seniors and students between high school and college: an international adventure in learning. · National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) NOLS is a wilderness educational school offering expedition length courses in eight countries. The site includes course information, minimum impact techniques, wilderness first aid, and research reports. · School for Field Studies, Environmental Field Studies Abroad Learn about environmental field studies programs in Australia, Canada, Kenya, Costa Rica, Mexico and the British West Indies.

missing home and feeling fragile constantly lurked around the corner.

The verdict My choice to defer for a year has resulted in an entire spectrum of experiences, ranging from the fantastic to the dreadful.

Advice for aspiring Gappers? Do not defer if you simply want a year off before college - it might prove more exhausting than facing freshman year. Look deep within and find your motives and objectives - what is important to you? If you do decide to go, you’ll likely be brought closer to yourself

· Sea-mester Programs 80-day, credit-bearing semester programs focusing on college level academics, seamanship and personal growth for high school graduates and college students. · The Experiment in International Living An international nonprofit organization promoting intercultural learning through homestays, educational group travel, study abroad, language training au pair, and other cultural immersion programs. · Youth for Understanding International Exchange A non-profit educational organization which offers opportunities for young people around the world to spend a summer, semester or year with a host For more information on Gap Year Programs, visit http://www.nya.org/collegeguide/ gapyear.htm.

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

7

News Letter from the Editor Erika Diaz As I start my third year as a member of the Talon staff, and my first one as News Editor, I find myself flipping through old Talon editions trying to find something to improve. There are, of course, many things.

Nothing can ever reach perfection, but it can come close. There is one thing, however, that

calls my attention. The Talon is supposed to be a student newspaper, where the word “student” does not stand for just a handful of people, but for each and every one of you.

Right now there are few students who write for us, and this is particularly true for News.

I want to change that. I want to get you all involved, but for that I need you to give me your opinions on the section. What is it that you like, or that you don’t like? What is not

in the section that you would like to see? It is ultimately your section. I really encourage you all to write about any topic that might interest you. Let us all know what you think about both news at Graded as well as at an international level. So, if you have any ideas or suggestions please send me an e-mail at 2006270@graded.br, or send it to Flavio at

the Middle School and High School to have their own identities. In other words, while the middle and high schools are different in the many ways, the joining of the offices will allow them to get closer. Beyond the physical, there will be several changes as well. One change is the new position Mr. Johnson

Ehrhardt previously had which is curriculum coordinator. Ms. McClelland will now be able to work on all the standardized tests, and with the new Art Center she will be developing a new program. She will also be in the possession of the curriculums starting from pre-school all the way through 12th grade. Mr. Ehrhardt will take over Ms. McClelland’s job as Middle School Principal while still being Director of Technology. Mr. Dequanne will continue being the Activities Director but also taking the job as Assistant Principal for the High School, therefore teaching less math.

Changes in the Administration Mike Darden Some changes that are made in school are somewhat overlooked by the students. At times, we do not know what is going with the administration and what changes they are making for the future. We are sometimes kept out of the bureaucracy and the transitions that are made in order for them to make our school what it is. In order to understand what is going on behind the doors I made a visit to Mr. Johnson’s office to uncover what really goes on, and what they plan for the future of Graded.

TALON: What are the main changes in the administration for the next year? Can you mention who will be holding each position in the administration?

Mr. Johnson: There will be two main changes in the administration. The first being physical, and the second being assignments.

Physical: the high school and middle school offices will be moved out from where it stands today, and will be moved to the bottom floor of the media center. What was once the Technology Department will be moved to where we are today. The reason behind this is for the High School and the Middle School adminis tration to be next to each other and work as a team, but it will also allow

8

T: How will these changes improve the way the Graded administration works?

of a Dean of Academics. This will be Ms. McClelland. Another change is that Mr. Ehrhardt will move from being the Assistant Principal of the High School and take over Ms. McClelland’s job as Middle School Principal, and Mr. Dequanne in turn, will take over Mr. Erhardt’s job as Assistant Principal.

T: Why are new positions being created?

Mr. J: It’s not really the creation of new jobs, it’s more of a “re-crafting of old positions.”

The functions of the old positions will be plucked out and given new names and individuals to run them. A “reshuffling of responsibilities.”

T: What is the function of each one of these new positions?

Mr. J: As previously stated, Ms. McClelland will become Dean of Academics. Her job comes from one of the functions that Mr. Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Mr. J: These new changes are totally new to administrators as well as they are to teachers and students. The outcome of this will hopefully be positive and the hope is that everyone will benefit from this new change.

Summary of Positions for the 2004-05 Administration HS Principal: Mr. Johnson HS Assistant Principal: Mr. Dequanne MS Principal: Mr. Ehrhardt Dean of Academics: Ms. McClelland Activities Director: Mr. Dequanne Technology Director: Mr. Ehrhardt

News Prom 2004: The STUCO View Flávio Lopes Last year, as the then Sophomore class was asked to run for STUCO, it had no idea of what the STUCO experience in the Junior year would be. But, we persisted, and five eager sophomores were elected by their peers for the following year. Marina Boturão as president, Flavio Lopes (me) as vice-president, Gabriela Carvalho as Secretary/Treasurer, and Nicole Prairie and Felipe Hamaoui as class representatives.

But none of us was completely prepared for the task at hand: to plan a perfect prom for our beloved seniors. Five young teenagers were given the responsibility of making a very special night for many people, a really special night. As intimidating as the idea was, we were all excited about it and were really looking forward to planning prom. Therefore, preparations started early in the first semester.

Gabriela started inquiring as to how much money we had, and how much we would need to make through selling prom tickets. Our diligent treasurer immediately started doing the math and soon realized that we were on a relatively tight budget. With that in mind, we started looking for a place to hold prom. We considered everything from a golf club to the high school gymnasium. Then, already in the second semester, we really started our tours around São Paulo. Whenever we could, one of us or a number of us would go to a possible “prom location”. We visited almost all of the best hotels in the city, finding to our disappointment that they were not suitable.

Then, we visited the Grand Meliá Mofarej, on Alameda Santos. During our tour we asked all sorts of questions, the answers to which only made the smiles on our faces grow more. This place was perfect! Gabriela, Nicole, and I were ecstatic. We couldn’t wait to tell Marina that we had found an awesome place. We were fortunate enough to receive the help of a Graded family, who aided us in actually getting prom to be held there.

We gave our president the good news, but preparations were only beginning. We divided the labor set out to accomplish our tasks. We sure worked hard and in the end were able to deliver it. Every aspect of prom was taken care of: the menu, the photographer, the sound and the lights, the flowers, the name tags on the tables, etc. Our group worked well and the product of our work was seen at the Grand Meliá Mofarej on May 15th. Most of us had spent the entire day at the hotel making sure that there were no last minute details. We only left the hotel to get ready and change, and then come right back. I can’t even begin to describe the nervousness we were all feeling that day, hoping that our work would be worth it and that the prom would go just as planned.

Then, people started arriving at the hotel, in their tuxedos and dresses. Hundreds of pictures were taken, students and teachers mingled, and finally, at around 8:45 PM, the doors opened. Every table was decorated with a centerpiece of red flowers. The DJ was playing music and the food was placed on the buffet tables. STUCO was glad to see that the food was excellent. Another valuable addition to the night was a senior video prepared

by Larissa Prairie for her class.

Student Council asked everyone to vote for prom king and queen. The votes were rapidly counted and the winners, Jenny Jeon and Yuri Di Bella, were called up to be applauded by the crowd. As the crowns were placed on the royal couple and people enjoyed their desserts, something truly different for prom took place. Students actually began dancing, a phenomenon that had not been seen at prom for some time. But, what was even more amazing, was that the students were followed by their teachers onto the dance floor. I must confess that I was amazed to see the teachers dancing. But, as midnight Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

O Cúmulo da Hipocrisia Simão Neumark No artigo publicado no jornal “The New York Times” denunciando o problema do presidente Lula com a bebida, o repórter Larry Rohter alega que nosso presidente é um “alcoólatra incapaz de governar”. O autor pode até estar errado ao afirmar que Lula não tem capacidade de governar, mas deve ter cuidado ao investigar a relação entre o “suposto alcoolismo” e as últimas trapalhadas. O governo do PT perdeu sua

A reação ao artigo do NYT liderança política, o que gerou instabilidade econômica, e por isso a resposta hostil ao artigo tem que ser condenada.

Na terça-feira, dia 11 de maio, o governo cancelou o visto do jornalista americano. Logo depois da decisão ser anunciada pelo Ministério da Justiça, o presidente afirmou que Rohter merecia ter seu visto cancelado.

Peraí. Vamos parar e analisar esta situação...Não foram os militantes do atual PT que mais sofreram com a falta de ‘liberdade de expressão e imprensa’ durante a ditadura? Onde estão os princípios pelos quais vários petistas foram mortos e banidos na década de 70? O que se pode dizer de um país que vive em plena democracia e um presidente que cancela o visto de um repórter por ter escrito uma matéria que ilustra a verdade? Como nós, brasileiros, deveríamos agir? A resposta à todas essas perguntas é relativamente simples: temos que condenar essa injustiça, para que esse governo se de conta do que está fazendo. Hélio Schwartsman, articulista da Folha, comentou, “O Planalto, mais uma vez, meteu os pés pelas mãos”. Já poderíamos ficar satisfeitos com

9

News a humilhação do ilustríssimo presidente, Um problema que deveria ser requando o máximo STJ declarou inconstitucional solvido no em dois dias arrastou-sea sua relação a Larry Rohter. onde por ação uma em semana inteira.

Levar estaAté questão isso poderia chegar? com outros casos de adiante relaciona-se

Lula nega acusações de alcoolismo governos medíocres, que, para parecer que tinham tudo sob controle, decidiram revogar o direito da liberdade de imprensa.

Temos que admitir que o que é feito pelo nosso presidente em sua vida privada não deve ser comentado—até um certo ponto, é claro. Apesar de seu governo não ter plano algum para os próximos dois anos e meio, ainda não podemos relacionar o “suposto” problema de alcoolismo do presidente à sua incapacidade de governar. Isso só poderá ser discutido quando seu mandato estiver terminado. E aí? Deixemos que a História julgue por si própria os fatos?

O que temos que discutir, ao mesmo tempo que esquecemos esse medíocre episódio na imprensa brasileira, é que o nosso governo está sem rumo. Com um turbulento mercado, os investidores preocupam-se com as políticas macroeconômicas exercidas pelo governo Petista. De fato, decidiram instituir a mesma fórmula utilizada pelo governo FHC, mas não estão conseguindo mantê-la. Os planos para acabar com a miséria nesse país estão prestes a serem considerados inúteis. Porém, como já é de praxe em todos os governos brasileiros, só podemos esperar que ele faça alguma coisa útil nos seus dois últimos anos. Como nosso querido comentador de plantão Pedro Brehm disse: “Enquanto nossos partidos democráticos continuarem agindo como crianças gordas e mimadas e não como partidos políticos verdadeiros, veremos ainda hipocrisia no discurso e pior, teremos de agüentar idiotices de um presidente que bebe mesmo.” Será que isso perdurará

10

News From Brazil Edited by Barry Dequanne

Violence in Brazil

40,000 Annual Gunfire Deaths “Even though Brazil represents 2.8% of the global population, the country registers 11% of the homicides in the world.

And the numbers continue to increase”, declared Carlos Lopes during the opening session of the International Seminar on Weapons in Rio de Janeiro. Lopes is a representatives of the United Nations Development Program.

In Brazil, 40,000 people are killed annually by gunfire. “This number is greater than all the victims of the Iraq war. It is difficult to imagine a country at peace that has so many deaths resulting from the indiscriminate use of weapons,” asserted Lopes.

In the Funai study, the number one source of conflict with 44 cases (36%) is tension with large landowners, farmers, and squatters.

In Brazil, 390,000 Indigenous people speak 170 different languages. They occupy 99.5 million hectares of land (approximately the size of the southeastern region which includes the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais) Source – Folha de São Paulo, April 22, 2004

1/3 of Brazilians Considered Extremely Poor

One in three Brazilians (56 million) is considered “miserável” (extremely poor) according to the second edition of the study “End of Hunger Map” by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV).

In the study based on 2000 Census statistics, Brazilians United with a monthly Nations statistics reveal income of less than that the Brazilian private R$79 are considered sector spends more than “miserável”. AccordR$70 billion annually in the so-called “indusing to the FGV, try of fear”, resulting in the fact that many this amount of investments in the social areas of health and monthly income education do not occur. is necessary to Violence in Public Schools consume the The vast majority of public school minimum calorie instudents affirm that violence is a part of their take established by the World study environment. According to a United Nations study, 83.4% of students say that Health Organization (WHO).

The eradication of poverty, accordviolence exists in their schools. The study was completed last year in the state and ing to the study, would be possible with a municipal schools in Belém, Salvador, Por- monthly contribution of R$14 by every Brazilian earning to Alegre, Rio de over the poverty Janeiro, São Pauline. This would lo, and Brasilia raise R$2 billion (Federal District). per month for Researchers ininvestments in terviewed 12,312 social programs. students in 143 T h e public schools.

End of Hunger T h e Map showed study states that that the number fights, theft, verof “miseráveis” Living conditions in the favelas bal assaults, dein both the São Paustruction, and even lo and Rio de Janeiro the presence of arms is a daily fact in many public schools. At least 21% of the students peripheries has increased at an alarming have seen knives at school, and 12.1% have rate. Between 2000 and 2002, the increase was of 18.25% in the periphery of Rio de Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

News A Reforma Agrária

Esses textos foram publicados originalmente no jornal A Folha de São Paulo no dia 8 de Maio de 2004, na seção “Opiniões” e na sub-seção “Tendências/Debates”. A questão a ser discutida, é se a reforma agrária baseada SIM: Os males da estrutura anacrônica na distribuição de terras é realmente eficiente ou não.

Plinio Arruda Sampaio estão em mãos de 1,7% dos proprietários), a Em outros tempos, qualquer pessoa minimamente informada sobre os problemas equipe encarregada de formular o 2º PNRA do meio rural simplesmente não entenderia a pergunta acima formulada. Na literatura (2º Plano Nacional de Reforma Agrária) especializada, a redistribuição dos direitos de acesso à terra sempre constituiu a essência estabeleceu a meta de assentar, em quatro mesma da reforma agrária. anos, 1 milhão de famílias em 36 milhões Mas estamos vivendo tempos estranhos, de modo que se torna necessário demon- de ha de terras desapropriadas das grandes strar o óbvio: não há reforma agrária sem uma distribuição de terras que afete significa- fazendas improdutivas. Essa meta seria sutivamente a estrutura agrária do país. ficiente para provocar os desequilíbrios Basta perguntar: por que motivo o virtuosos que caracterizam um processo Estado decide promover uma reforma real de reforma agrária. agrária? Na literatura clássica, a resposNÃO: Reinventar a reforma ta é: porque esse Estado defronta-se com uma questão agrária. agrária A “questão agrária” tem sido Xico Graziano tema de volumosa literatura desde os fins do século 19, e a discussão O distributivismo agrário encersobre ela sempre girou em torno dos rou seu ciclo. Tornou-se uma proposta entraves que uma estrutura agrária distante de sua época, uma idéia fora do anacrônica cria para a penetração da lugar. Formulado há 40 anos, o modelo de modernidade no campo. reforma agrária do Brasil está, claramente, Por estrutura agrária sempre superado. Por quê? Porque no passado, se entendeu o conjunto das relações há 50 anos, imperava a terra ociosa, os econômicas, sociais e políticas derivadas da forma de acesso à terra. Quando a terra é famosos latifúndios dos coronéis do sertão monopolizada por uma classe de proprietários rurais, as relações que eles estabelecem ou das oligarquias da capital. O país era com a população rural provocam baixa utilização das terras, exploração extensiva do solo, eminentemente rural e a tecnologia de rigidez da oferta de produtos agrícolas, pobreza da população rural, submissão social e produção incipiente. A mecanização das política do campesinato. lavouras se iniciou só na década de 70.

Não se pode, em um quadro desse tipo, construir uma economia agrícola dinâmica Naquela época, bastava vontade de e um Estado verdadeiramente democrático; e não há como alterar esse quadro somente trabalhar e uma boa enxada para prosperar com medidas de política agrícola. É fato exaustivamente documentado que a estrutura no campo. Os mercados eram predominanagrária concentrada gera, por meio das suas viciadas relações econômicas, sociais e políti- temente locais, as agroindústrias pequenas. cas, mecanismos que anulam automaticamente os efeitos dos estímulos oferecidos pelas Mandava o armazém e as mercadorias se políticas agrícolas. vendiam a granel. Hoje tudo mudou. SurA necessidade da intervenção direta do Estado na estrutura fundiária surge dessa giram as redes de supermercados e suas rigidez estrutural. Só com uma operação “cirúrgica” consegue-se romper o monopólio gôndolas, que atendem a donas-de-casa da terra -passo prévio ao surgimento de relações econômicas, sociais e políticas novas, exigentes, atrás de padronização e qualipropícias à implantação da racionalidade econômica e dos direitos democráticos no meio dade. A sofisticação da elite se incorporou rural. A partir da política de modernização tecnológica iniciada pelos governos militares, na classe popular. Consumidores seletivos os economistas conservadores passaram a negar os efeitos nocivos da concentração da direcionam os canais de comercialização terra, pois, sem distribuí-la, até concentrando-a ainda mais, a modernização tecnológica agrícola. Metrópoles são abastecidas ao do campo possibilitara ao setor agrícola acompanhar a evolução da demanda, aumentar mesmo tempo em que o país assume a as exportações e melhorar a produtividade da agricultura. Concluíram daí que a hora da liderança mundial nas exportações do reforma agrária havia passado. agronegócio. Isso só é possível porque a O que esse discurso ideológico omite é o preço dessa “modernização” -preço al- agropecuária se modernizou. tíssimo em termos de desintegração de sistemas produtivos, empobrecimento de milhões Nesse fabuloso e rápido processo, de famílias rurais, emigração maciça da população do campo para as cidades, degradação os latifúndios se transformaram em empreambiental, aumento da dependência tecnológica, vulnerabilidade alimentar, agravamento sas rurais. A terra, antes ociosa, agora bate dos conflitos rurais, prepotência de fazendeiros sobre os trabalhadores rurais, desrespeito recordes de produtividade. Açúcar, café, aos direitos dos indígenas sobre suas terras. fumo, soja, carne bovina, frango, suco de larEsse conjunto de problemas compõe a “questão agrária” brasileira atual, e nenhum anja, papel e celulose -em vários setores os deles poderá ser resolvido enquanto a atual estrutura agrária não for substancialmente concorrentes internacionais tomam poeira alterada, sendo certo também que, enquanto tais problemas não forem resolvidos, o Brasil do caipira nacional. Gente simples, porém continuará uma economia subdesenvolvida e sua democracia, uma ficção jurídica. capaz, domina a tecnologia de ponta e dá Para superar o círculo vicioso do atraso e da pobreza, decorrente em última show de competência na lide rural. instância da absurda concentração da propriedade da terra (43% das terras agricultáveis Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

11

News Cadê o sem-terra? Mudou para a cidade. Expulso pela mecanização ou mandado embora devido ao temor da legislação trabalhista, o trabalhador rural se refugiou no emprego, primeiro, da construção civil.

Atraído pela indústria, buscou qualidade na vida urbana. Assim se inverteu a pirâmide populacional do país. Nas regiões de agricultura desenvolvida, em todas elas, inexiste desemprego. Pelo contrário, há escassez de mão-de-obra, desde colhedores de laranja em São Paulo até tratoristas na Bahia. Gostese ou não, o Brasil cresceu, urbanizou-se e virou potência agrícola mundial sem necessitar da reforma agrária. A tese histórica afirmava que, sem eliminar o latifúndio, não haveria progresso no campo. Era verdade.

Quem, entretanto, realizou a façanha não foi a esquerda, mas o capitalismo.

A distribuição continua concentrada, porém a terra está produtiva. Melhor ainda, gerando milhões de empregos, dentro das fazendas e fora de suas porteiras, nas cadeias produtivas que dela se originam.

Sem o pasto do boi não haveria tantas churrascarias nem seus garçons. Do algodão no Mato Grosso se originam as vendedoras de jeans do shopping center carioca.

O que restou para o distributivismo da terra? Infelizmente, a desilusão urbana, provocada pelo tremendo desemprego.

Tendo perdido seu significado produtivo, propõe-se a reforma agrária como válvula de escape das tensões urbanas. Assim, o MST, que nasceu movimento social, transformou-se em fábrica de sem-terra, marca registrada de sua rígida e fortíssima organização.

Gente boa, miserável, mistura-se aos oportunistas e malandros para ganhar um lote nos assentamentos. Iludidos com promessas de futuro fácil, massas são manipuladas e treinadas para invadir fazendas e erguer lonas pretas. A classe média se apieda, enquanto a burguesia, assustada com a marginalidade, apóia veladamente: faça o favor de seguir para bem longe daqui! Assim, a favela mudou de lugar -dos barracos na periferia para os acampamentos rurais.

Imaginar que um pobre alienado, sem aptidão nem cultura adequada, possa se tornar um agricultor de sucesso no mundo da tecnologia e dos mercados competitivos significa raciocinar com o absurdo.

Para alguns, a ideologia explica; para outros, impera a ingenuidade.

Abstraindo os picaretas da reforma agrária, que engrossam as invasões

12

tencionando realizar um pequeno negócio imobiliário, os demais, bem-intencionados, dificilmente sobreviverão na lide rural. Eles não têm preparo suficiente para enfrentar as barreiras impostas pela moderna forma de produzir no campo. Basta ver o fracasso dos assentamentos dos últimos 15 anos.

A maior prova da dificuldade em se manter agricultor no mundo atual está nos 4,5 milhões de pequenos e médios produtores rurais, que lutam para sobreviver.

Peguem o alerta da França: seus 2 milhões de agricultores reduziram-se, em meio século, a somente 500 mil. Mesmo com tanto protecionismo.

Aqui reside o fulcro da questão agrária recente: nos trabalhadores “com terra”, esses milhões de agricultores tradicionais, netos, bisnetos, descendentes dos camponeses de outrora. Eles não invadem

Annals of the Bush Administration and his Iraq Mike Darden

Not so long ago White House press secretary, Scott McClellan, said the U.S. was “firmly committed to the planned transfer of sovereignty, completing the mission for a free and peaceful Iraq.” But then again not so long ago the United States was committed to find the so called weapons of mass destruction which they pointed out as one of the main causes of the war.

Now, more than a year later, the world is still sitting and waiting for the day that the Americans will pack their technology driven army out of Iraq. It seems to be that much of what Bush has said over the past year and a half has not come true. Where are the weapons of mass destruction that he so proudly protested for? When will he reveal the truth about what happened in 9/11 and the original reason for invading Iraq? Bush is slowly losing touch with his distant dream of a free and democratic Iraq. His army went into Iraq triumphantly, but now is struggling to maintain order in the streets that once embraced them for saving them from evil, or so they thought.

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

In Bush’s third prime-time press conference, he spoke of the crisis in Iraq for more than 16 minutes. According to what Scott McClellan said, Iraq will become, “… free and peaceful…” But there is nothing peaceful about the situation there. The president showed grave concern over the situation hovering the war torn country, “This has been tough weeks in that country,” “Coalition forces have encountered serious violence in…Iraq,” “…military commanders report that this violence is being instigated by three groups.” The once welcoming Iraqi people have now turned rebellious against the controlling nation. Their fear of the Americans occupying the country is unbearable, in other words they wouldn’t want to change one Saddam Hussein for another one. “…coalition forces face riots and attacks that are being incited by a radical cleric named al-Sadr.” The people are beginning to congregate and form alliance to overwhelm the small amount of coalition forces. The country has turned into an ever lasting pandemonium that will not rest.

The hope of western democracy in the country is quickly deteriorating; the hope of a peaceful Iraq is not soon to come true. But what should be done? Leaving the countr y in an act of despair would only plunge the country in a civil war while the world looks on with a sour face.

Bush claims that the insurgents, “… want to run us out of Iraq and destroy the democratic hopes of the Iraqi people.” Democracy in Iraq ceases to want to exist. Recently the Iraqi Governing Councils’ President Izzadine Saleem was murdered. The hope of democracy for his people rested in his hands, but so quickly was it torn apart from him. “Iraq will either be a peaceful democratic country or it will again be a source of violence, a haven for terrorists, and a threat to America and to the world.” One this is to say something, another to do it. Democracy will not prevail in Iraq as Bush sees fit. After being hassled by one dictator and grossly taken away from their

News Clueless Villains

Mayra Cimet

H ave yo u e ve r seen that really famous photograph from the Vietnam war? If you haven’t, you can take a look at it now. Well, in my VHS class we were having a discussion about that photograph, and as I was reading some of the comments my classmates made, I stumbled upon a comment that well…just… you’ll see. A girl called Linsey Voskowsky said, “To see a village of innocent people being bombarded by napalm is just terrible, especially since it wasn’t their fault at all that their government was communistic.” Now, if you see what might have bothPicture taken during the Vietnam War ered me, then you’ll follow the flow of this article. If you don’t, maybe you should stop reading. If you may allow me to rant for just a little bit regarding that comment, I will. First of all it’s communist not communistic! Second of all, who told you that communists are bad people? Third of all, what the hell do you mean it’s not their fault that their government is communist! Don’t you mean it’s not their fault that the U.S. continually decides to go to war with countries that are communist or have dictators or oil? Fourth of all, HOW NAÏVE ARE YOU!?

Ok, now, on a much more serious note, this reminded me of the photographs that recently came out in “60 minutes”, The New Yorker and Veja. When I heard about what had happened I was furious. First of all, there is the whole thing about the U.S. going there to find nuclear weapons and not finding any. Then they ironically declared that they were there to save the human rights of the Iraqis, yet they are torturing them. I felt seriously disgusted by the actions of the soldiers that physically and mentally abused the prisoners in the Abu Ghraib jail at the beginning of this year. Yet, I don’t doubt all you were disturbed as well. What I had the most trouble processing was how they could possibly have taken those pictures and seen what they were doing as good. I mean, obviously having your commanders telling you that you have been doing a great job loosening up the prisoners for questioning might be an encouragement, but don’t they have some inner gut feeling that tells them that forcing an Islamic man to pretend to be giving oral sex to another is wrong? This time, I really mean wrong. Wrong to the truest meaning of the word. Don’t they have some remnant of emotion that lets them know that attaching electrical wires to a man’s genitals, toes and fingers and telling him that if he moves he will be electrocuted is completely wrong? How can Private Lynndie England hang a cigarette in her mouth and laugh at the private parts of the prisoners? What the hell is wrong with her? Have they been so brainwashed that they believe it is ok to torture those who are not American? As long as their own people are not being harmed then it is all right? If that girl, Linsey Voskowsky, had seen the same photograph but with Americans getting burned by napalm, would she then show us a human reaction and rage against the Vietnam war? Would she put herself outside of the American bubble of thinking and realize that its not the communists who are killing thousands in Iraq, it’s her people, it’s the U.S.!

I have been having a lot of trouble understanding what is going on. I mean, how come everyone outside of the United States understands that things might not be going so well, yet whoever is inside is completely clueless? And how come this has been happening forever? After reading about the tortures in the newspaper, I was watching TV and stumbled upon an interview with Private England, and she was talking about how they did regard it as wrong. They really did not think that they were doing something bad. The same way that my VHS classmate did not see how bombing Vietnam was wrong. Right now, the United States is spending more money on Nuclear Weapons than they did during the Cold War. And every time I read the news I can’t help but get more and more scared. I mean, what if suddenly one day, Mr. President of the United States decided to bomb the world? And we all just went down in flames?! Before he even did it, all the Americans would be like, “Oh sure, he knows what’s right, we need to protect ourselves, blah blah blah.” Just like they did before the war, and just like right now, it is not ok for anyone, except the U.S., to have nuclear weapons, because it is a security threat to… guess who!? So, the U.S.’ own people would be blind to the truth, and they would support the bombing of the earth, until it happened and we all died. And then maybe once we were all in heaven, and maybe some of us in hell, they would say, “Oh, yeah, now I see it, it is not right, we should not have bombed the world, sorry guys.” Well, let me tell you something guys, I’m getting pretty damn scared these days, because if they don’t see what they are doing, and they are the most powerful in this earth, what is going to be of us Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

13

News Celebrating Ten Years of Democracy in South Africa Nolitha Tiba and Ms. Perry

“Fifteen years ago, Nelson Mandela was in prison. Twelve years ago, he did not have the right to vote. Ten years ago, in 1994, he was elected president of South Africa.”

So began the opening remarks of Derek Moyo on Wednesday, April 28, as South Africans and their friends all over the world celebrated ten years of democracy after the end of apartheid. These celebrations included one here in São Paulo, organized by the South African consulate.

Nolitha and Langakazi Tiba, Graded students who were born in South Africa and whose father works as a diplomat here in Brazil, invited several of their teachers to attend the celebration. Mr. Amaral, Mr. Barton, and Ms. Perry dressed in their finest as they joined hundreds of South Africans, Brazilians, Americans, and others in a banquet held at the Renaissance Hotel. The Tibas had been working closely with the cast of the faculty production “Master Harold”. . . and the Boys to help the cast understand everything from the impact of the apartheid system to the nuances of the South African accent. They educated the cast both through formal history and through stories of their family’s experiences being discriminated against as black South Africans living under a system that had stripped them of their rights.

As Nolitha explained, “The reason behind having the teachers experience this alongside my family was not for them to know what it is like to be South African but to understand why this day is important to us. Freedom comes easy to some, but many died for mine and Langa’s. I needed people to get that. That I am grateful about my roots, my race, and my country.”

It seems her plans were fulfilled. As Mr. Barton commented, “I had spent the day toiling through midquarter reports and was very focused on what seemed to be important problems—things like whether a student has a 69 or a 70.

Then I entered a ballroom filled with people listening to Derek Moyo talk about Nelson Mandela. I got the chills. And I got a much broader perspective. I was reminded why I travel—to get outside my own head and see something much larger.”

The evening featured speeches from various diplomats, both South African and Brazilian, as well as wonderful South African food Mr. Barton, Nolitha Tiba, Ms. Perry, Langakazi Tiba, and Mr. Amaral in front of the South African flag

14

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Two Weeks in the World Erika Diaz

After nearly three months of exile Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former president of Haiti, was accepted in South Africa. In the time that passed between his exile and this decision, Aristide remained mostly in Jamaica. However, his presence disturbed the population of Haiti. In any case, the period that he had been allowed to remain in the Caribbean Island was now expired. While Aristide changed his residence to South Africa, apparently permanently, the UN pointed out that it could not recruit enough troops to keep Haiti’s rebels under

Jean-Bertrand Aristide control. However, Brazil has already started its process of sending troops, vehicles, and equipment to the nation.

After having been reelected to of Russia’s presidency in March, Vladimir V. Putin started his second term on May 7th. Putin has already served for four years, and will continue to do so during an equal period of time. With a 71% of the votes, he declared that his reelection “is the foundation for economic growth and political stability in Russia.” Putin also mentioned his intentions to settle the conflicts existing between his nation and Chechenia. Just to days after the ceremony of inauguration of his new term, the Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov was killed by the explosion of a bomb in his own country. In addition, there were other

News The explosion occurred during a ceremony attended by both Russia and Chechen leaders that was celebrating the 59th anniversary of the defeat of Germany during WWII. Until now there is no indication of who the perpetrators might be.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India, resigned to his charge after seeing the results of parliamentary elections, where he unexpectedly lost.

In the meantime, the Congress Party Akhmad Kadyrov will appoint a government. It was almost certain that Sonia Gandhi Sonia Gandhi, who was married to the deceased former prime minister, would rise to power since she is already the head of her party.

The main problem however, is that she was born in Italy, so having a nonnative in power does not seem to be a popular move. However, a few days after Vajpayee left, Gandhi announced publicly that she would not take office. Had she accepted the position, she would be reinstituting the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, interrupted by Mr. Vajpayee’s election about six years ago. The greatest fear at the moment is that the peace negotiations with Pakistan may be interrupted as a result of Vajpayee’s departure.

After March 12, when the National Assembly passed a bill impeaching South Korea’s president Roh Moo Hyun, the South Korean court decided that such impeachment is unconstitutional. Immediately after the decision, Prime Minister Goh Kun stepped down from the power thus restoring Mr. Hyun. The impeachment had been based on charges of “minor election law violations.” During his absence from power, a new party coalition that sympathizes with president Hyun was formed meaning that his return has been well accepted by the country’s population and that he is now backed by a majority of the National Assembly.

Twelve died after an explosion that took place in a coal mine in the city of Qitaihe, located in Northeastern China. Apart from the twelve fatalities, there were other thirty-eight miners present in the place at the moment of the accident. Although the government has not Roh Moo Hyun officially determined the causes of the explosion, it is most likely a consequence of the bad conditions under which miners are being worked. This type of accidents kills thousands every year in Asian nations.

As the date of the Olympic Games comes closer, more and more threats to the event become apparent. Interestingly enough, these threats come from previously unknown terrorist organizations. The Greek government however sustains that the police will properly patrol the games at all times. Some of the threats have been directly targeted towards Alpha Bank, which is the main sponsor of this major sports event.

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

As the presidential campaigns continue in the U.S., George W. Bush seems to be loosing popularity in the polls mainly as a result of the recent events in Iraq. The last polls, before the decapitation of Nicholas E. Berg, indicated that 58% of the American population disagrees with the way Bush is handling the situation. Yet Bush continues firm in his actions, and even said “I won’t yield because I believe so strongly in what we’re doing, and I have faith in the power of freedom to spread its wings in parts of the world that desperately need freedom.” Meanwhile, his main c o n tender in the presidential race, J o h n F. K e r r y, h a s not improved in the polls.

He has George Bush criticized Bush’s actions, and yet he has agreed on many of his decisions, like spending another $25 billion and of maintaining the troops as long as possible in Iraq in order to “restore” peace.

A section of a passage terminal in the airport Charles de Gaulle in France suddenly collapsed killing five and injuring three. This specific section of the airport had just been inaugurated roughly eleven months ago. There were very few people in the area at the moment of the accident that happened around 7:00 a.m. Moments before the actual collapsing of the building, people in itthat heardconcrete loud cracking and perceived dust sounds was falling Charles de Gaulle collapsed terminal

15

Entertainment Letter from the Editor Chantal Goldfinger The hardest thing for one to do is to talk about oneself. Nonetheless, I find it more than fair that I should introduce myself. My name is Chantal Goldfinger, the new Talon Entertainment Editor. I am fairly new at Graded, having arrived from St. Paul’s School last August.

Never before have I written a journalistic piece, but I must confess that it is quite an intriguing and exciting opportunity. I am often associated with the ‘Brits’, especially because I tend to address teachers as “Sir”, which apparently is appalling! I’m an eleventh grader and member of the IB ‘clan’, which in itself should explain the cause of my madness and confusion!

I will thrive as best I can to show that São Paulo is not merely a tedious concrete jungle, quite the opposite, it is a fantastic cosmopolitan city with plenty to offer. Only a couple of years ago, have I realized that we live in a city that exhales culture and a fascinating amount of entertainment. My aim is to show that art, theatre and cinema are by no means isolated events, set aside for the elder portion of society, on the contrary, they are part of a fascinating and passionate world that is yet to be discovered and revolutionized by the

TV Updates

Diários de Motocicleta

Bruna Lee

Chantal Goldfinger

As the seasons are reaching an end, here are some spoilers. If you like surprises, don´t read on.

Some very popular and successful sitcoms are unfortunately not returning in November, such as Will & Grace, Frasier, Miss Match, Ed, Just Shoot Me, and Friends.

O filme que, para muitos representa algo puramente comercial, retrata a trajetória de um homem tão famoso quanto a garrafa da Coca- Cola: Chê Guevara.

Diários de Motocicleta é o tipo do filme em que sentimos que aqueles R$15 gastos na bilheteria foram válidos.

Apesar de muitas vezes parecer mais um documentário no melhor estilo da BBC, o filme dirigido por Walter Salles descreve o caminho de dois jovens pela América Latina em 1952.

Os protagonistas, Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (Gael García Bernal), Alberto Granado (Rodrigo De La Serna) e uma moto Norton 500, “La Poderosa” (fiel companheira dos aventureiros), partem da Argentina e seguem rumo a Caracas e Venezuela, passando pelo Peru e Chile. Os dois amigos têm personalidades extremamente diferentes mas mantém-se unidos pelo idealismo.

O filme retrata os anos que antecederam a fama de Chê, conquistada em Cuba durante a revolução. Fica claro ao espectador que esses jovens estudantes de

Friends: Don’t forget to watch the last episode July 12th! Smallville: Clark receives a surprising visit from someone back home, while the promise Jonathan made with Jor-el comes back to

The cast of The O.C.-- the new Graded fever haunt him. Clark finally decides to tell Lana the truth about his powers, bringing them closer together. Will & Grace: Watch out for Jennifer Lopez’s special guest appearance in Karen’s wedding. And in the American Idol Finalists, let’s vote for Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia Barrino.Jimmy Fallon will be leaving Saturday Night Live! And on The O.C: Julie makes wedding plans for her marriage with Caleb. Meanwhile, Ryan and Marissa get back together. Teresa comes back to Newport, this time to stay, with the shocking

16

medicina mudam suas concepções do mundo ao depararam-se com a desigualdade, miséria e autoritarismo dos países Latinos.

O enredo do filme é baseado nos cadernos de Che, e por ter sido ele um rapaz honesto, correto e moralista, peca por falta de ação, suspense, e romance. No

entanto, a fotografia é maravilhosa, dando à platéia um gostinho dos Andes. A música, essencialmente andina e instrumental nos

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You. . .

Spider Man 2 Starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst July 2004 Shrek 2 Starring Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy June/July 2004 Collateral Starring Tom Cruise August 2004 Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Entertainment “Master Harold”…and the Boys Theater Review Rafaela Schivarte “Master Harold”…and the Boys, is a play written by the South African playwright, Athol Fugard. Fugard is a white man South African who lived through apartheid, a period in which discrimination against black people was legalized.

The play was performed three times in May at Graded. The cast was composed simply of three brilliant teachers: Mr. Jason Barton, as Hally, a young white boy, son of the owner of a decaying tea room (where the action takes place); Mr. Antonio Amaral Cunha as Sam, a black waiter in his mid forties; and last but not least, Mr. Wayne Shackelford starring as Willie, also a black waiter.

“Master Harold”…and the Boys, “is one of the most dramatic plays ever performed on Graded’s stage,” according to the director, Ms. Fenella Kelly. Having said that, Ms. Kelly enrolled the audience in a passionate adventure portraying the collisions of life in the 1950’s.

The actors were sublime and succeeded in maintaining the attention of the audience during those two hours. Their

engagement and commitment were obvious. Their acting was vivid, and the use of South African accents made them even more believable. Seldom was anyone able to move or blink. The viewers often laughed or gasped with the actions of each of the characters, who have such perfectly delineated traits and personalities that allowed the spectators to connect with them, feeling anger or pity when necessary.

The scenario was fairly simple, consisting of an old tearoom, whose plainness helped better portray the decaying atmosphere of a country separated by race.

The actors relied simply on their skills to bring to life two black men, since no make-up was used to physically portray the personages. Nonetheless, their skill together with the audience’s imagination made the play believable.

Sound effects were scarce, and included rain falling outside and a telephone ring. Music was included only in the final moments.

The story is rather simple and fast paced, for it is set in one afternoon during the 1950’s, only a few years after the beginning of apartheid. The main issues in the play revolve around Hally, who is upset with

From left: Jason Barton as Hally, Antonio Amaral Cunha as Willie, and Wayne Shackleford as Sam

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

his parents and so seeks advice from the two waiters, employees of his parents. The relationship between Hally and the waiters is both intimate and awkward, for he does not know how to treat them. There are moments when he needs them, and others when he feels an urge to demonstrate superiority, bossing them around, telling them to clean the floor or the windows.

Hally is an unhappy boy, and this was very well portrayed by Mr. Jason Barton, who was obliged to rescue his teen essence and recollections of the period, in order to play a seventeen- year-old in a dramatic fashion.

Whilst cleaning and sweeping the tearoom, Willie practiced for a ballroom competition and simultaneously argued with Sam, who was only trying to teach him the appropriate steps.

The climax of the play occurs when Hally receives a phone call from his mother, who decides to bring his father home from hospital. Hally’s complex love-hate relationship with his father makes him an aggressive racist. This was when Mr. Barton showed his talent as he acted Hally’s anger and complex emotions.

Sam and Hally confront each other on several occasions. While Sam is only trying to help, Hally is acting foolishly in order to keep his superiority and prove to his father that he is worthy of respect. He insults both Willie and Sam and eventually loses his only two friends. Despite the foul language and Hally spitting on Sam’s face, the audience only demonstrated shock at the moment when Sam returns to a key metaphor of the play and tells Hally he will sit on a lonely bench for the rest of his life if

17

Entertainment The actors’ reaction to “Master Harold”… and the Boys Chantal Goldfinger

18

many different roles. He can’t just be a friend “Master Harold”…and the Boys is or Sam’s son, which is what he wants. He set in 1950, just two years after the imple- must be the boss. Sam surely treats Hally mentation of apartheid in South Africa. The as an equal, but also as a kid. Willie is too play is situated inside a decaying tearoom scared of losing his job, because Hally plays and the cast is made of three characters the boss role.

Shack- I agree. Sam and Willie (who are constantly on stage), treat Hally as an equal, and and another three who are nevCan humaniexpect the same treatment, er seen, but interact with the ty, the value and it hurts them when they protagonists just the same. The of friendship realize that Hally has discovauthor, Athol Fugard, is a white and love ered that he lives in a society South African, and so many critics parted by races. I think that reveal that much of his work is overcome tensions are imposed by parbased on his personal experience the law? ents and society. You can tell regarding the interaction, (or abthat Hally’s parents don’t want sence of it) of blacks and whites in them to be together, I don’t a country separated by race and think they’d come up with it law.

After having watched Fugard’s on their own. work gain life on the Graded stage, and Mr. Amaral- Well, I think that Sam and Willie having noticed the controversial remarks, don’t treat Hally as an equal. Willie admires approaches and commentaries regarding Hally, respects and accepts his condition. the plot, I felt an immense curiosity to talk Sam protects Hally, because he is able to to the cast. After numerous e-mails, I suc- see beyond. Although Hally seems to be in ceeded in meeting with the three actors for control, he is in fact weak and hurt because of his father. Sam is wise and plays the role of an informal conversation. a teacher of life. Regarding the tensions, I’d Would you say that Hally is friendly with Sam say that there is lots of it. Tensions are seen and Willy? Does he treat them as equals? in areas that are not fully explored, because Do they treat him as an equal? Are there Sam tries to protect Hally. I feel as though Sam would rather play games with Hally to tensions between the protagonists? avoid hurting him.

Mr. Amaral- I’d say it’s an interesting relation- Mr. Barton-Tensions are obvious, especially ship, however Hally is not friendly. He suffers when trying to be the boss of a smarter a dilemma. Hally definitely has feelings person. towards Willie and Sam, but because he is white and the other two are black, he lives in a society where blacks and whites can’t mix. He’s confused; it is a love and hate relationship. Hally for sure respects both men, because he has learned a lot from them.

Shack- Hally sincerely liked them. He grew up to be very friendly with both, and likes them as people. But culturally he was taught to view them as inferior, although he grew up without noticing this color distinction.

Societal influences showed him that such relationship is not okay and so he uses it as an excuse to exert his power over Sam and Willie.

The play has been accused of personalizMr. Barton- Hally is friendly, but he is unsure ing racism and avoiding confrontation of of how to act, because he has to play so societal qualities. What do you think of this Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

argument?

Mr. Barton- I agree. It personalizes racism.

And it’s great, because for many of us racism seems distant. It’s not an accusation; it’s like “Parabéns”.

Shack- I’d agree with the argument. But I’d add that isn’t that the most hurtful part of racism? People try to fight racism because they have been hurt on individual levels.

Racism is ugly and personal. No where are the words “apartheid”, or “legalized discrimination” used in the play. The play does not address the people who passed each of the laws. But it shows the effect of legalized racism on personal levels.

Mr. Amaral- I disagree. The play raises all of these issues and allows you to apply it to different parts of your life. It opens discussions on racism.

What is the significance of the title of the play?

Mr. Amaral- It’s very interesting, because Hally is young, yet is the “master” because he is white. Willie and Sam are addressed as “boys”, because they are black and are not formally educated.

Shack- “The boys” is diminutive. It’s the title that Hally’s mother and father would give the play. It’s significant because you only hear “Harold” at the end of the play, because it is so uncomfortable. Master Harold is how he is to be addressed due to his position. The boys are nameless.

Mr. Barton- In the media, decision making and jobs, whites are first. And that’s the reality of the play, and at the same time, the kid has not earned that position. The two characters who are older than Hally and that are on stage before he arrives become an afterthought.

Sam is definitely a positive role model for Hally throughout the play. Would you say that his influence over Hally might outweigh the negativity that has been surrounding and confusing him?

Entertainment is sensitive and loving, Sam could. Influence is seen through life. The ending is the big question, and is left unanswered probably because Fugard wants us to ask that question of ourselves: Can humanity, the value of friendship and love rise above law?

and wiser too. Willie is very reactionary; I explode and then become upset. I’m childish.

I’m not graceful. You become graceful with time. This is also a metaphor for the theme of collisions; we all strive to achieve a world without collisions…the students, after watching the play, picked this up really fast!

They realized that not all collisions are bad.

The dancing metaphor is very strong. Hally is frivolous and misses the beauty of life, and maybe that’s why he can’t understand why racism is such an ugly thing.

Mr. Barton- It’s a metaphor about admiring something that is beautiful. It’s concentrating on the positives as opposed to worrying about what’s destructive.

Who or what ignites Hally’s negativity?

Mr. Barton- The fact that he doesn’t have any control, when he previously thinks he does.

Mr.Amaral- His immaturity, lack of confidence, his father, and so many other things… the love he has for Sam and Willie, which can’t be fully demonstrated.

Shack- Selfishness. Explicitly It could be brought on by shame of his considered father, and because he does not either one: love his father enough. Hally is a tragedy or ashamed of his father, who, although he is not seen on stage, optimism is clearly a burden on the family and himself.

Mr. Amaral- I also agree. But Hally has a long way to go. Sam makes him face reality. But society is afraid of those that are or act differently, and it’s impossible to fight society.

When would you say that Hally becomes “Master Harold”?

Shack- He never does. I have more faith in Sam, and think he will not give up, even when Hally spits on his face. That is one of Sam’s strengths, his persistence. He’s not angry for a very long portion of the play. Sam is constantly teaching, he doesn’t accept Hally as a master.

Mr. Barton- I disagree. Hally is a master long before he is born. He does nothing to earn it. It is simply the system he lives in.

Mr.Amaral- Hally is master from the beginning. He walks into the tea room as a master, however when he leaves, he is no longer a master. Sam shows that in order to become a master, he needs more academics.

no longer about apartheid in South Africa.

There are types of discrimination all over; you see it when you see a ‘babá’ carrying a backpack walking behind the mom.

Shack- When the play was written apartheid still existed. So in South Africa, the play had more power then, because it was an active voice against an existing evil. But, it’s equally relevant today, because it attacks an ugly issue in society that has existed for thousands of years. It doesn’t have to be about race.

Can the play be considered a tragedy?

Mr. Barton- It could be considered either one, tragic or optimistic, because we’ve heard Sam’s and Willie’s voices.

Mr.Amaral- I’d consider it more of a life lesson than a tragedy.

Shack- Personally, I think it is a tragedy, because (and this is not my original thought, Ms. Perry said it so well in the intro to the play, and it deserves repeating:) the play forces us to examine what it really means to be human. It points to tragic flaws in the human character, and challenges us to respond to them.

Do you think that the play has less value today as opposed to when it was written?

Mr. Amaral- It portrays love, care for the human race, not being segregated, respect and collisions. These are up to date themes, and these can be seen in Iraq, Brazil and in the way some Americans treat foreigners.

Mr. Barton- No, it doesn’t have less value. It’s

Can the dance be considered a metaphor?

Mr. Amaral- Yes. It metaphorically symbolizes escape. It’s the only thing they have that detaches them from reality. It is the only moment when they are in control. It portrays a world without collisions.

Shack- Sure. It’s a metaphor for learning how to move through life: small steps at first, stumbling and then growing graceful.

We’re bad dancers! (laughs) Sam is very graceful, not only because of his dancing, but because he has restraint. It takes a lot to make him mad. He treats all around him with grace. Sam is more educated than Willie Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

What did each of you find to be most intriguing about the parts you played?

Shack- Willie is basically comic relief. Despite being explosive and angry, is generally happy and wants the others in the room to be happy as well. He gets so uncomfortable whenever Sam and Hally argue - and expresses this like a hurt child. (It was funny the reaction of some people to this character - mothers confessed afterwards to wanting to run up an hug me... well not me, but the character Willie). You want to feel sorry for him. But then there’s this HUGE irony there: Willie is a brutalizer outside the play walls. He beats his girlfriend on a regular basis. With Sam and Hally, he just wants everything to return to normal, yet doesn’t

19

Entertainment understand that normal in Apartheid-ruled South Africa was still Hell. It’s a more complex character than what gets treated in the play. As an audience, we want to like him, but should we forgive his brutality just because he was never educated to know the difference? Tough call.

Mr. Barton- I guess now I’m supposed to know something about these issues, but I only played a part.

Mr.Amaral- Sam’s strength, to know that although he’s wiser than Hally, he hides it.

He always stepped back once in a position of control. He wanted Hally to feel confident and secure.

What was most difficult/challenging as an actor?

Mr.Amaral- Having to remain calm during the first 60% of the play. Not showing my feelings, as Amaral. My character is low

we had too many lines to memorize and the blocking to learn. But the Tiba family helped us.

Shack- (laughs) Finding something to clean. I had fewer lines than the other two, so much of my action was reaction and it became repetitive at times.

Mr. Barton- Some of the things I had to say to my friends, in their faces, whilst acting.

I looked them in the eye and said nasty things. I succeeded in looking Shack in the eye.

As teachers, what parallels, if any, do you draw between the play and Graded school?

profile, and I’m not. The accent was also a challenge. We could have improved it, but

Mr. Barton- The double standard between the kids who’ve been given so much simply

Miscellaneous Crossword Puzzle Bruna Lee

Across

4. Kill Bill´s director 5. Name of one of the new editors-in-chief 6. Abnormally strong sexual desire 7. Location of next Big 4 8. 3 days for the so awaited . . .

9. ‘old cafeteria’

Down

1. “Troy” star 2. Last season of a very popular TV show 3. First name of the OC´s Marissa 7. Colombian winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature (first name)

20

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Entertainment Horoscope Gabriel Gallindo

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You’d better leave the house this month.

Emotional upset at work will set you back.

Your ability to charm others will bring added popularity. You will find that uncertain individuals will want to draw you into joint ventures. Your luckiest events this month TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) Changes regarding your career direction will payoff handsomely. Co-workers may not be completely honest with you; try not to rely on help from other. If possible, rely on co-workers to back your objectives, and talk to superiors in order to get approval.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Do your job and don’t ask for favors. You may want to look into warm vacation spots.

Your magnetic, outgoing personality will capture hearts. You can make major gains if you talk to your boss about your findings.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Partnerships will be favorable and contracts can be signed. Plan your social events carefully. You must try to help. You can make successful moves. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

Involvement in groups will be favorable and lead to valuable information. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Things aren’t as they seem. You’ll meet

Book Talk Ms. Field

Who Moved My Cheese?

by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You can make the most headway if you put in some overtime. Don’t make promises. You may be out of sorts if you have been extravagant or have let children or friends take advantage of you financially. Talk to people who can give you important knowledge.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Take a long look at your present direction and consider your professional options.

You will meet potential new mates through friends or relatives. Don’t point your finger unjustly at others. Don’t spend more than is necessary on travel or friends.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Monday.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22. - Jan. 20) It might be time for you to take a quantum leap from one career to another, (this could be a serious relationship). You may want to put everyone to work on a project that will keep them all too busy to complain.

Make plans to do the things you enjoy. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19)

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Take the day to relax and pamper yourself.

Make plans to attend group discussions or get together with friends who like to talk as much as you do. Some of your new friends may not be that trustworthy. Don’t be too eager to buy things for those who really don’t deserve it. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.

Finish up any correspondence by early afternoon. You may find that relationships are not going as well as you’d like. Use your quick wit to gain points with friends. Be sure you get accurate information. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Focus on forming business partnerships.

Changes in your home may be disruptive and upsetting. Spend some time on yourself.

Electrical problems may be an issue. You won’t be able to keep a secret. Your social skills with people may be more than just

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)

This is a great little parable about change. I will not say it is well written, because it isn’t, probably due in part to the fact that it was originally used to make a point during one of Johnson’s motivational speeches, and therefore reads like a speech.

But the story contains food for thought, which makes it worth the 30 minutes it will probably take you to read it.

Two mice (Scurry and Sniff ) and two “little people” (Hem and Haw), are stuck in a maze. They are trained to run the maze and find the cheese, but one day the cheese is gone and these four little beings, who represent personality types, demonstrate

The Adventures of Blue Avenger: A Novel

by Norma Howe

It’s common for teens to want to change their name…choose an identity all their own…become more exciting. And sometimes it feels that a simple namechange will do the trick. David Bruce Schumacher asks his mother for one thing on his sixteenth birthday—permission to change his name.

With note in hand he goes to the school counselor and officially changes his name to Blue Avenger, a cartoon character he made up after his father’s bizarre death

Horoscopes from www.happi.uk.com Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

21

Entertainment (it involves a spider and an ice cream cone— don’t ask).

Can a simple change of name re-

Lady: My Life as a Bitch

by Melvin Burgess

Sandra Fancy, 17, lives the life she wants … she lives by her rules … does what she wants … and doesn’t care who she hurts

or what people think. But everything changes when she knocks a beer out of the hand of Terry, a local drunk and panhandler. He has the strange power to turn people into dogs when angered… and knocking a beer out of his hand is one sure way to get turned into a dog… and Sandra isn’t the first.

But is being a dog all bad? “You have had the great good fortune to be turned into a dog. Baby! Your life has just begun,” says Fella, another one-time-manturned-dog. Will a dog’s life be enough for Sandra? By the time she decides will it be too late?

Be forewarned: the concept is in-

22

O Preço da $edução Chantal Goldfinger “A beleza sempre foi uma moeda para a mulher e a sedução sua melhor estratégia, para conse g u i r a m o r, dinheiro e p o d e r ”, n a s palavras de Denise Mattar, curadora da exposição “Do Espartilho ao Silicone”, que não é apenas o tema, mas também serviu como inspiração para essa matéria.

O século 21 é uma época em que o corpo deixou de ser cabide para moda e tornou-se a moda em si. Mais do que nunca o culto ao corpo está em alta. A equipe do Itaú Cultural reuniu um arsenal incrível composto das armas e armaduras que as mulheres se impõem e são impostas.

A tortura vem de tempos longínquos. O que ficou conhecido como a “Belle Époque”, nada mais é do que um período em que menininhas de nove anos eram obrigadas a adotar o famoso espartilho, uma espécie de fôrma que moldava seu corpo, deixando-as com cinturinhas invejáveis e órgãos deformados. Não obstante, a mulher exposta a uma sociedade patriarcal, muita das vezes recorria ao ‘Elegantior’, aparentemente uma invenção fabulosa que

em questão de minutos tratava de endireitar-lhes as costas. Fantástico, não? E como se não bastasse havia, é claro, as perucas, luvas, e o pó de arroz, símbolo de elegância.

O ano de 1920 viu nascer uma era de mulheres ‘loucas’, as ‘flappers’. As mudanças levaram-nas a parecerem-se com Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

os homens. O corpo, antes ocultado por metros de pano e arame, de repente veio à tona, para a alegria de uns e decepção de outros. O corte de cabelo “a lá garçonne” virou moda, e como sempre acontece com os revolucionários, as mais ousadinhas foram reprimidas e enquadradas como prostitutas. Mais tarde, surge a dona de casa americana, a mulher perfeita, aquela que é linda, inteligente, ‘fashion’, tem tempo pro marido, pra cuidar da casa, dos filTwiggy, primeira modelo super magra hos e, imaginem só, para fazer-se bela! Não se deixem iludir, isso é apenas mais um ideal criado pelo “American way of Life and the American Dream”.

A necessidade de fazer se valer e respeitar usando apenas o corpo, foi sintetizada por Cristian Dior, com a criação da minissaia, o maior hit!

O curioso, é que, com o Mais do que passar das décadas, per- nunca, o cul- cebemos que a m u l h e r to ao corpo foi capaz de se libertar está em alta. de inúmeras armaduras e abrindo seu próprio e s p a ç o, n o entanto, quanto mais roupa ela tira, mais se aprisiona. Daí o surgimento da ditadura da magreza, do culto ao corpo, da era do silicone, da dieta do Dr. Atkins, do “só é gordo quem quer”, do Lula, disso e daquele outro, onde vamos parar? Qual será o verdadeiro preço da sedução? Ou será que a mulher se submete a toda essa repressão para se tornar aceita pela sociedade, ou apenas para provar sua força?

A exposição é imperdível. Até mesmo aqueles que não se importam com essas questões banais que diz respeito à estética devem ir apenas para inspecionar as telas lá expostas, dentre as quais vemos Di Cavalcanti, Portinari, e a minha favorita, o auto retrato da bela Tarsila do Amaral. Além das obras primas, lá estão reunidas centenas de objetos de tortura, revistas como “O Cru-

Features A Word from the Editor Ian Glaser To all of the readersFirst of all, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Ian Glaser, I’m a socalled “rising senior”, and I’ve been with the Talon for three years now. I spent the last two years as an assistant editor and editor of the Sports section, and even though I have had much experience with our multiflawed layout program, Adobe PageMaker, I never really mastered it. My skills as an editor are now being put to the test with the Features section. Although the work is more time-consuming, it has proved to be more enjoyable and satisfying. I embrace the challenge of the task, and I think now I’ve gotten closer to mastering PageMaker.

The layout, however, will always come in a distant second to the content of the articles that are submitted in the Talon drop box.

The Features section is, more than anything, concerned with the creativity of its writing and commitment of its writers. Thus (Flavio’s favorite word), I cordially invite all of the members of Graded to contribute to our ever-growing student paper, whether it be a shy middle-schooler, a concerned parent, a proud teacher, a fine artist or an amateur poet.

After having edited this section, I realized that it was centered on two things: the students and our current theme: change.

In the first two pages, we see the return of the prominent Res Publica sub-section, and this month’s hot topic is the European Union.

What follows is something I call “4 Graded Stories,” based on GNT’s program entitled “6 Histórias Brasileiras.” For this edition, I asked Katherina Tsirakis, Gallo Gallindo, Simão Neumark and Daniel Freiberg to write about their respective passions (or what Gallo calls their “it”). The topics vary from the Zen of yoga to the harsh competition of the stock market. Next, Rafaella invites the reader to her random world of post-prom craziness.

I am excited to present our teacher’s top 5 lists, which cover all areas of knowledge with a delicate splash of humor (although it may be explicit in some areas).

I predict that there will be a continued version of the article in the 26th edition, where different teachers will continue to contribute with their random lists.

Kathy writes a powerful article that condemns the economic disparity in Brazilian society. She makes this apparent to the reader in the first words of her article: “as I

look around at the reality I am in contact with, I am profoundly disgusted.”

The idea behind the “Guest Writer” sub-section is to invite a student or a professional from outside of the Graded Community to have their work published in the Talon. I asked Daniel Weber, who has recently graduated from St. Paul’s British School, to send us his IB Theatre Arts Individual Project. The monologue, entitled DUÆL, combines a rare use of wit and humor to present the contrasts apparent in the male and female mindset. I witnessed the showing of the monologue on the St. Paul’s stage in mid-March and I was amazed with the quality of all of the performances. The two-part monologue was brilliantly acted

by Sydney, who articulated Weber’s words as the “head of the man,” and Nicole Pontes, who played the “body of a woman.” Once again, I’d just like to thank Weber for his contribution, and I wish him well in college and his movie-making career.

Finally, we arrive at this edition’s current theme: change. On pages 12 and 13, you will find an informal chat amongst several Graded juniors, a few alumni and a couple of sophomores discussing and demanding some form of change at Graded School. Although it was quite difficult to act as a facilitator for a serious article in an MSN chat room, I feel that I could publish a good chunk of what was said. The following pages include personal reflections from junior Rachel Griesenger (about the contrasts between the American and Brazilian lifestyles), and freshman Laura Torre reflecting on change. I closed the section with three potently written poems in our traditional Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

“Words, Words, Words” (Hamlet, 2.2.200-201)

For some inexplicable reason, I love writing at night. Excuse the crude use of rhyme, but the mood is usually right. A storm is starting outside of my window, and the concrete-covered palm trees sway frantically like violins tuning for a Vivaldi concerto. Right now, I am doing what one would call “free writing”. I don’t know what I will throw on the page next. The words just pour out like small accidents I didn’t mean to make (like that one), but at the same time, I am unable to press “delete”. Imagine that… if we wouldn’t be able to erase our own words? What would result? A genuine train of thought; a pure sense of honesty; the revelation of a collective unconscious?

I’m not sure, but all that can fit on a page.

A page.

I t ’s i n timidating to see the vast, open space that defines a page. I feel like I’m staring into the oblivion, blindly t r y i n g to f i n d a floating beacon that will guide me as I write. As Dostoyevsky would say, the hyperconscious mind is the mind of inertia. So, therefore, I try not to think when I write for myself. Writing is the only thing that can give me a glimpse of the person that I truly am – it can shred all the facades that I may hold. I know that I can’t articulate my ideas through speech – speaking gets in the way. My fingers move faster than my lips these days.

Why be stuck in traffic when you can fly, right?

Fortunately, in writing, there is no speed limit. You might go the equivalent of 5 MPH while attempting to write a structural sonnet in painful iambs, or you can heave all the worries and complexities of your mind at amazing speeds in a personal reflection, a diary entry, a love letter. I guess that’s what I ask from the prospective reporters, photographers, comedians… think of your article as a love letter. Stamp your craft with honest, incendiary passion. Make it bleed, not cry. Think of your writing as immortal, that those printed words will last more than a lifetime. Most of all, speak your mind.

23

Features SPQR

Topic II: The European Union AS THE second topic of Res Publica, I’ve decided to open discussion on something that is little mentioned in the political circles of Brazil, but is fundamentally important to global politics: the consolidation and growth of the European Union

PUBLIUS

PUBLIUS? WHO IS PUBLIUS? This might come as a disappointment to many, but Publius is not a real person.

Who is the man (or woman) behind Publius? Send us your guesses!

PUBLIUS

To EU or not to EU? Ken Hansberry

Why would a country wish to give up some individual sovereignty and power in order to join the European Union? Why might others remain separate and independent in the face of a uniting Europe? Well, in both cases, for their own good…and at their own expense. The European Union is neither an exclusively positive or negative prospect for any country. In general terms, most of the pros and cons are clear. Beyond those, greater, more historical or philosophical questions emerge.

Arguments in favor of the European Union focus on economic strength and efficiency in an increasingly globalized economy. From the height of the Renaissance, through the Age of Exploration and Colonization, past Industrialization and until the end of World War II, European countries always held at least a powerful, and sometimes the dominant, position in the world economy. In the past 60 years, however, that has not been true, as first the United States, then Japan, began to become economic superpowers. Europe, by banding together in recent years as a powerful trade bloc, presented a renewed economic voice, more coherent and efficient than the separate trade partners with various currencies had just years earlier. Within those member

24

states, basic changes such as standardizing the width of rail tracks, or simplifying transitions across borders, not only brought economic gains but simplified daily life for millions of people. In these regards, it seems obvious that the E.U. represents a step forward for Europe.

However, these gains come with some costs. As the more loosely formed European Economic Community (EEC) became the somewhat more formal European Community (EC) and ultimately the current European Union, various states felt a loss of culture and character. Small things, such as no longer placing national heroes on currencies, represented larger concerns, such as the potential erosion of languages, or the loss of cultural norms. Would British animal rights activists fight to end the Spanish traditions of bullfighting? Fears also surfaced about countries losing their power to make final decisions about policies in their states involving welfare rules, retirement guarantees and so forth. Why would any country voluntarily weaken its own authority to make decisions for itself, simply for a stronger bargaining position economically? Is money all that matters in this world, more so than culture or sovereignty? Certainly not to everyone. Switzerland, for one, has remained out of the E.U., and Britain has remained out of the Euro, opting to keep the British pound (a situation which appears likely to change before too, too long). For the most part, however, economic gains have played a big role in leading countries to the E.U. However, a focus solely on economics seems to oversimplify the question.

Europe as we know it—industrialized, built around powerful nation states—is a fairly recent phenomenon. Italy and Germany only became countries in the 1860’s and Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

1870’s respectively, and Russia was not industrialized until the 1930’s, and then only under the brutal dictatorship of Josef Stalin. This Europe, the 20th century Europe of industrialized nation states, has a rather sad history. Germany was born out of a war with France, and that war returned in both 1914 and 1939 (in the forms of World War I and World War II). Today, Germany and France are close friends at the heart of the E.U. both symbolically and geographically.

Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Franco and others terrorized their own people, sometimes as neighboring countries stood by and watched. Today, despite many problems, Europe is as open, tolerant and democratic a continent as it has been in well over 100 years. From 1945 until 1989 Europe was divided by what Winston Churchill called the “iron curtain,” splitting the continent in two as a Cold War battleground. In today’s post Cold War world, there is no iron curtain, only one Germany exists, and the fear of nuclear destruction is greatly eased.

Is all of this because of the European Union? Certainly not! But it does seem that since the Renaissance, and certainly since the dawn of the 20th century, Europe has been a continent at war with itself, almost bent on its own destruction at times.

Now, European nation states have found a way to tie their prosperity together, to share common goals that are realized not at each other’s expense, but with each other’s assistance. That might not mean as much to

Features Publius Discourses What Hansberry concludes is a good summary of all issues that are measured and weighted by a nation when considering EU membership. The possibility of losing the cultural diversity that so often is associated with Europe is counterweighted with economic

The current European Union.

progress and political cooperation, both appealing for the continent that once was the dominant force in the world but is now in a backdrop setting, behind the powerhouse that is the United States.

These were probably things considered by the ten most recent additions to the European Union. The Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia—all parts of the former USSR—are now part of the Union, and most have adhered even to the Euro. The true message conveyed in the joining of these former soviet states is that Europe is finally ready to leave behind ancient hostilities in order to finally find a common cause that unites all its peoples.

A unified Europe can now even, perhaps, reclaim its position of economic dominance that it has lost over the years.

Europe, over the past few years, has decreased in

importance not only because it was facing economic difficulty, but some countries (like Denmark) have been suffering from a brusque decrease in their national birth rate. Therefore, a unified Europe grants the countries that have drastic workforce shortages (because of the decreasing population) to hire people from neighboring countries who now possess the right to “come and go” as freely as they choose. With the recent admittance of the ten former-USSR nations, the EU has just increased in 74 million people, many of which are unemployed because East Europe, unlike Scandinavia, is not as economically stable.

LETTERS TO PUBLIUS · CARTAS A PÚBLIO Torcicolo Político Com o intuito de ampliar o debate sobre o Tópico I da edição passada, ou seja, “O Primeiro Ano do Governo Lula” (p. 18 e 19), gostaria de apresentar aqui algumas observações concernentes ao que foi exposto. A priori, na área da Ciência Política, não devemos cair em armadilhas de caráter determinista, como por exemplo, quando se afirma que houve momentos na história nacional nos quais “nós” adquirimos ou perdemos autoconfiança. Do ponto de vista da vontade popular, isso é uma ilusão, como diria o sociólogo Max Weber. Surgem, desta forma alguns questionamentos. Primeiro: Quem é o “nós”? Eu, você (leitor) ou o Zé, o João, a Maria? O tecido social nacional não nos possibilita uma visão tão clara do “nós”, muito pelo contrário. Segundo: O discurso otimista baseado na idéia de que o Brasil seria o “país do futuro”, uma espécie de Promised Land, remonta ao Período Colonial - basta ler a Carta de Pero Vaz Caminha - e, não ao século XX. Foi a partir de uma “Visão do Paraí-

so” por parte dos europeus que se alicerçou todo um discurso calcado no hedonismo (natureza e índios), como escreveu o historiador Sérgio Buarque de Holanda. Este discurso percorreu os mais de quinhentos anos de história nacional, sofrendo adições e subtrações em seus elementos básicos, o que foi um processo natural. No entanto, contribuiu para formar um imaginário social articulado entre um pessimismo/otimismo exacerbados. Matriz, na minha opinião, do que a partir do final do século XIX convencionou-se chamar de opinião pública nacional, seja ela oriunda das classes A, B, C ou D. Dessa forma, os acontecimentos políticos, econômicos e sociais nacionais são produto de uma série de fatores históricos e, não, apenas de um governo de “caráter reacionário” como o atual (sic).

Os acontecimentos da década de 1990 são apenas a continuidade deste processo de uma maneira mais, digamos, “acelerada”. A política de caráter neoliberal, imposta para o “bem e o desenvolvimento” da América Latina, a partir do Consenso de Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

Washington (1989), teve como um dos principais resultados a catalisação do processo de esvaziamento dos espaços públicos (locais onde se deveria fazer política). Não existem mais debates, portanto, praticamente não se faz mais política. Se é que algum dia isso foi feito no Brasil de maneira séria...

Estamos inseridos no que o filósofo G. Debord definiu brilhantemente na década de 1960 de “Sociedade do Espetáculo”.

Tudo é imagem, entretenimento, consumo.

Dessa forma “evoluímos” do homo sapiens para o homo laborans e hoje para o homo consumus. Triste, não?

Para finalizar, outro esclarecimento: não existe Cidadania no Brasil, mas privilégios. Alguns têm mais, outros menos e uma maioria, nada. Para os “ingênuos” que acreditam estar exercendo sua cidadania ao possuir sua certidão de nascimento, sua identidade (Registro Geral), poder votar, se alistar, enfim “participar política e democraticamente” da política(gem) nacional, deixo aqui meus pêsames. É fácil jogar com

25

Features Four Graded Stories Synchronizing Body and Mind Katherina Tsirakis Often times people ask me why I do yoga, and honestly I have no other answer besides that ‘it makes me feel good.’ In yoga practice you enter an all-white clean (decoration wise) room and do exercise. But the best part of it is that we leave our ‘oh so hectic lives,’ where we can not control stress and chaos with our shoes at the door, and in there, in that room, you control everything, including time. It is the one and a half to two hours where you can center your attention on yourself only, mind and body.

For the whole of the yoga practice one has to coordinate respiration with movements, and although that may sound easy, once you are upside down and moving your legs

you’re in a position that requires extreme amounts of strength from your arms and or legs to count respirations is quite hard; also in, for example, moving your torso up from a position the correct way is to

Kathy is no longer serene

up and down, or once your leg is stretching so much it feels like it’s burning, or once

Ardor for “It” Gabriel “Gallo” Gallindo “IT” varies from person to person!

That’s what makes such different things have such high qualities. People have different interests and different feelings about their interests. People have different objectives and different ways to achieve them.

People feel differently about their own “IT” s, which is simply something they are passionate for. These feelings are sometimes misinterpreted or simply not understood by our neighbors. They don’t necessarily even have to be understood, but they do need to be respected. These feelings of ardor and passion tend to emerge naturally according to the person’s mentality and mensch. There is no need for trying to set a mete to these feelings; they are healthy for the mind and for the heart.

They come in various different forms such as music, athletics, painting,

26

breathe in, the same way when you move down you breathe out and so on, thus intense concentration is required in order not to miss a single breath. In fact each and every movement inside the practice should be coordinated to a counted inhale or exhale, thus from the moment that you sing the initial mantra to the moment you sit to sing the final and concluding mantra there are a fixed number of respirations, and as a practitioner you aim towards that X number of times inhaling and exhaling in calculating, collecting, writing, living, etc.

In my case these feelings got to me in the form of acting. The comprehending of how and why these sentiments came to be will soon arrive, and the importance they imply

Gallo’s... face in life…

As writing gives authors pleasure, acting also granted me pleasure- that sense Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

order to become a true yogi. A good yoga practice is not about the workout, but one of intense meditation; having that said I must add that the practitioners do walk out of the room dripping in sweat much like the boys at Graded after their soccer games.

Basically yoga is about synchronizing your mind and body through exercising both, and it requires extreme concentration.

Yoga has changed me in intangible ways; when I practice yoga I find my internal peace, and get closer to achieving balance within myself. Now that I have begun practicing yoga I cannot imagine my life without it. I do encourage all of you readers to try it, but it is my duty to forewarn: it is not a practice with a main objective of workout, and it is not a practice for the mind that is not willing to concentrate, otherwise you will not enjoy it. Also, in order to have a full yogic experience, find an institution where people are serious about yoga, and where teachers have taken classes with yoga masters, not a yoga-aerobic class at your nearest of being pleased with your present situation.

Pleasure, amongst all feelings, is probably the one of greatest importance. It enables one to not only spark desire and interest but to maintain it throughout. Based on experience, it is definitely what triggered me into getting myself more involved with acting.

I began acting at the age of five, but it wasn’t until four years ago that I managed to consciously accept its enormous influence on my routine-based life.

It was those four years ago when I entered a theater school called Célia Helena – Casa do Teatro and was able to feel like I was in the correct place.

It was a place where I could literally live the moment and not be preoccupied with foreign criticism and negative influence. A place where I could have an optimistic point of view of the future. A place some would describe as being idealistic.

Idealistic… sure, why not idealize for a

Features Market Passion Simão Neumark

moment and feel good about it, feel happy, dream and live it. If that’s what it takes to feel emotionally pleased and satisfied, then why not? There is absolutely nothing wrong in doing so.

The people who are living the moment with you are also willing to help you and enter your dream trying to make you get the best out of it. These fellow actors are not ordinary people! Their actions tend to be constantly sincere and free from the notion of harm. This interaction with them serves as a booster for our egos, and this is what made me feel so at ease to join the group. This idea of a definite union and mutual respect and consideration for each member of the group is very unique. This uniqueness makes one develop a desire to repay the kindness.

All that has been said is based on the assumption that there are no exceptions. Of course, it is inevitable that people set out to try and disrupt the harmony.

These, in order to maintain the peace, have to be ignored and forgotten. There is no such thing as a perfect society, but one of our goals has to be to try and reach proximity with it.

Taking theater classes does not help find the solution to every problem.

Being friends with those fellow actors does not satisfy my social necessities, but what theater does bring to me is a general feeling of passion and love towards being able to accomplish good deeds – for that is what is offered to me by them. The intention of listening to a friend and perhaps committing certain sacrifices for them begins to appear naturally. The pleasure that was once achieved in the form of acting starts to convert itself to being a pursuit of virtue (which, by the way, is many times underestimated due to lack of experience and humbleness).

Obs: Being able to write this article at the request of a friend made it much easier.

My name is Simão- I am currently 15, although I look like Jesus, I see myself more as an investor than a prophet, and I’m currently in 10th grade. This article is meant to enlighten you about my particular passion for the stock market, which started about two years ago. As I gathered up my bar-mitzvah money, I decided that I wanted to make something out of it. I knew that what most people my age would do is gather it all up, and open up a “poupanca” (a.k.a savings account). I had one of those already, and it barely gave me a return on my money, so I decided to search for something that would actually bring in some cash. The Brazilian Stock Market, Bovespa, was at the time doing tons of advertisements, and one day I figured I would see what that was all about. I bought two books, explaining the basic principles of the stock market, and read them avidly. This triggered some sort of passion in me, and at first I played with an online simulation of the stock Market, known as the Virtual Stock Exchange, so I could learn without losing money. Fortunately I did very well in these simulations, so I decided to open a brokerage account.

I took the money out of my poupanca, and started to invest in Brazilian companies, namely Bradesco and Petrobras, the two giants here.

After being in the business for two months, I noticed that this was a way of easy money. I could do it all from home, and all it required was for me to constantly read the news, mostly financial journals, such as The Economist and The Wall Street Journal, and learn certain fundamentals of graphical analysis. The stock market was soaring, and I was getting an immense return, compared Simão looks to the future

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

to my other savings account, so I put in more money, to increase my profits. I kept on investing, and with that, reading everything I could about certain companies. My friends at the time all mocked me, thinking I would lose all of the money I invested, due to the fact that most people have this stereotype thinking that the stock market is the riskiest thing you can put your money in. That might be true for some companies, but when investing, and not speculating, there are few ways in which you can lose all of your money. Don’t get me wrong here; there is a lot of work involved in it. When buying a stock I thoroughly research the company’s finances and prospects for the upcoming years, taking into consideration the economic scenarios.

The stock market is a casino with ten times the chances of winning, and ten times less the chances of losing. I am dependent upon what other people want to pay for my stock in that particular company, but that is as much risk as you can get into (not including options trading). You eliminate more and more risks when you have a complete background on what you’re investing in, and that is what every single investor should do in my opinion. Research and knowledge of a specific company is the key part to invest in the stock market. Never forget that.

Currently I am opening an investment club together with Fred Gotthilf, which is open to whoever wants to join. We started this idea three months ago, when we decided that we could make of this a second source of income, apart from the usual: our parent’s money. The club, named INSIGHT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, is originally one of my main goals. What intrigues me about the market is that there are innumerous scenarios which have to be thought about.

By investing in a company you are trying to predict its results in the future, and by that being a sort of oracle. The truth is that

27

Features it is a situation you have no control over, and trying to dominate it is what makes it pleasurable. When you experience the pleasure of selling a specific stock, and see all that money coming into your account, you start dreaming into the oblivion.

People might think that I only invest due to the so-called materialistic pleasures of life. True, except there’s more than that. It’s the thrill of betting on something in which you can’t know for sure what will happen.

The buying and selling are the mere details that fuel this passion, and the more you do

Drumline Daniel Freiberg

I decided to play drums when I was in fifth or sixth grade. My friends Felipe Hamaoui and Bruno Burstin wanted to start a band with me, so we each decided to play an instrument. Felipe bought a guitar and Bruno a bass. We all started playing, but they both ended up giving up on their instruments. Today, Felipe’s guitar and Bruno’s bass are sitting in some closet in their houses. I had bought my drums but was giving up on them, too. However, it’s not very simple to just shove a drum set into your closet. So I just kept it in my room for a while.

One day I heard a song by Sepultura which had a drum intro that blew me away. I decided that I had to learn that riff and started practicing. I got a teacher and started to learn the basics. The beginning was boring and frustrating, but I slowly starting getting there. Some time later I learned the drum riff and Igor Cavalera (Sepultura) stopped being my hero. I discovered that his riffs were not the great mystery they had once seemed. I started listening to Blink 182 when I was in ninth grade and learned their whole live album on the drums. That’s when I really got motivated to play and started practicing every day, getting huge blisters all over my hands. From those days on, I love my drums more everyday. My drum heroes change all the time as I discover new drummers. Today, my favorite drummer is Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater. My drums get bigger all the time as I buy more and more pieces. Those who look at my set think I am exaggerating, but I always think there is room for more.

I’ve been playing with Patrick Caracas on the guitar for a while now. He has also been playing for a few years, and we’re starting to make our own compositions.

Recently, we started playing with Andre Almeida on the bass and Juan Rodriguez on

28

Crazythoughts.

Rafaella Schivarte This is what happened to me after postprom a couple of days ago: I was waking up on a typical Monday morning, a day no normal person would dare wake up at 7 a.m. There I was, eating my alphabet cereal, and suddenly this thought comes to my mind: Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet soup?

I didn’t know the answer, and it was still 7: 30 in the morning, so I decided to ignore that crazy thought. I got to school, my first class was English. Yay, I thought, reading and analyzing at 9 in the morning! I obviously started to daydream the minute the teacher said: Well, Johnny, what do you think the apple is a symbol for in this passage? I started to draw on the blank sheet of paper in front of me and again a thought came to mind: Why is there a top line on lined paper if we never use it? I mean, really, with so many Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

A Propaganda Pic of Daniel

lines to choose from, why would we use the first line? Anyways, after I got through that class I went to Physics, the class where my brain has to work hard and in the end get no reward when a 55 comes stamped across my test. We were learning about electricity and some guy named Coulomb and then I started to ponder (again… I was getting tired of daydreaming). Another thought came to my head: If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

I began to laugh out loud and no one understood what was going on; it was quite embarrassing.

Lunch finally came. I was so hungry, I had done so much thinking. As I stood in the line, waiting eagerly to eat my favorite lunch in the world, I looked at a table nearby and saw two kids eating chicken, eggs, and drinking milk. Pop! Another crazy thought

Features came up: Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, “I think I’ll squeeze these dangly things here and drink what comes out”?

Then I looked at the eggs and the chicken and thought: Who was the first person to say, “See that chicken over there ... I’m going to eat the first thing that comes out of its butt”? Hahaha, I started to laugh again and decided I would take a rain check on lunch that day. Surprisingly we had strawberries for desert and I thought it would be harmless to eat them, since they didn’t come from anything’s butt or ‘dangly things.’ But I was wrong; suddenly a thought came to my mind again: Why is there that little space inside strawberries, as if it was meant for a pit, and then the seeds are on the outside?

An hour and a half later, when my freedom time was over, I had to go to math, as if I hadn’t had enough brain exercise for the day. We were talking about sequences and rules and it all seemed so interesting to me that I started to daydream. I looked at the things written on the board and I saw that he teacher had written: “find this No.” I knew something would pop in my mind and it did: Why is “number” abbreviated as “no”? When there is no “o” in number? N-U-M-B-E-R, yep, no O’s there. Anyways, math moved fast, since it is only 40 minutes. The last class I had for the day was history. It was the only class I was excited to go to, since it was the one before I could go home and figure out what was happening to my brain! In history class we were reading our textbook and I saw this picture of the Vietnam War, I began to think again: Why do we teach kids that violence is not the answer and then have them read about wars in school that solved America’s problems? Then we moved to another section that was talking about Martin Luther King Jr. and as much as I respect him and many other men who were killed I wondered: How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

The Immortal Martin Luther King I was going crazy, or at least I thought I was. Millions of thoughts sprang up to my head at once; I couldn’t distinguish in between them: -Why is Donkey Kong called “DONKEY” Kong if he’s a gorilla?

-If your name is Mr. Crunch, and you joined the Navy, would you eventually be Captain Crunch?

-Why is it when we laugh in school the teachers say, “Do you find something funny?” when obviously we do?

-If the handicapped bathrooms are for people who can’t walk, why do they put them at the end of the bathrooms?

-Why do all superheroes wear spandex?

-Why did Mary own a little lamb?

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

My brain was working hard, and was bringing back all the doubts I had had for years, stored in some section of my brain called: crazy thoughts never to be answered! I went home and ignored the pile of homework sitting on my desk and just decided to post all of these “saved up” doubts in my mind on a

29

Features Top 5 Lists: A Teacher’s Pick Members of the Graded Staff; intro by Ian Glaser The whole concept behind the top 5 list probably stemmed from Nick Hornby’s hilarious romantic comedy High Fidelity, which later became the celebrated motion picture personified by John Cusack’s cold wit and Jack Black’s immortal dance moves.

In the book, the protagonist assures himself that “it’s what you like, not what you are like,

Mr. Barton stayed in the realm of specialty, the English language, Ms. Perry decided to list her favorite Bruce Springsteen songs (for those of you who are not familiar with Springsteen, he has the most famous derriere in the history of popular music). D. Ana Cris offered explanations to her choices and Ms. Andrade could not limit herself to just one list, so she instinctively submitted two.

I also submitted my own list in there, just to get the ball rolling. Enjoy…

Top 5 Fleetwood Mac songs to hear on a mildly cold Sao Paulo afternoon, where it’s not yet night, but you can tell that night is approaching on the horizon- Ian Glaser (based on my dad’s love for the band) 5. Goldust Woman 4. Rhiannon 3. Dreams 2. The Chain 1. Sara

5

that matters”. I leave the interpretation/ criticism/ praise of this quotation up to the reader, because, in truth, it doesn’t really matter.

What matters is the ingenious creation of the top 5 list. The makers of School House Rock tell us that “three is a magic number”, but I disagree completely. Three is too small a number for a list. The uncertainty/ percent error pertaining to each choice on a top 3 list is huge. Ten, on the other hand, is too large for a list that is made off the top of your head. Thus, we come to a consensus between the two extremes: 5. I asked several teachers to submit top 5 lists on a specific choice, and I got 11 responses back. While

Top 5 underused words in English- J. Barton 5. contemplation 4. perseverate 3. inculcated 2. atavism 1. compassion

Top 5 French Authors- Madame Matheus 5. Albert Camus 4. Voltaire 3. Molière 2. Rimbaud 1. Victor Hugo

TOP 5 countries that should be included in the Security Council- L. Andrade 5- Mexico 4- Jordan 3-India 2-Germany 1- Brazil

5

5

Top 5 things to do in Paris- A. Amaral 5. Read a book on an autumn day in the gardens of Chateaux de Luxembourg 4. Sunday choir at Sainte Chapelle 3. The bookinist in the Rive Gauche 2. Sunset at Point Neuf or Ilê Saint Louis 1.Visit Musee D’Orsay on a Sunday morning and then sit at a cafe in Saint Germain de Pres Top Five Churrascarias (rodizio style) in Sao Paulo- M. Daniels-Condon 5. Mario’s (which would be #1, but it’s on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. . . in Rio de Janiero) 4. Baby Beef 3. Fogo de Chao 2. Montana Grill 1. Barbacoa (in Itaim Bibi) 5 melhores remédios “alternativos”- D. Mira 5. Àgua de Melissa 4. Florais de Bach 3. Calêndula 2. Arnica

30

1. Própolis

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

TOP 5 things I like about being the MUN director- L. Andrade 5- Meeting students on a weekly basis for preparation 4- Attending Conferences and getting to spend time out of school with the students 3- Getting to know other MUN directors and delegates from around the world 2- Seeing our students in action (debating,

Features writing resolutions, etc...)

1- Seeing our students analyze and make constructive criticism (or kill) a badly written resolution!!!!!

Top 5 Peacemakers/ Contributors to ‘ Community Service’ in History- D. Ana Cris Jesus Cristo: pra mim o maior de todos, principalmente por não ter deixado nada escrito e seus ensinamentos virem guiando a vida de tantos seres humanos há mais de 2000 anos. Distanciandonos da Religião, diria que foi alguém que pregou o amor incondicional, acima de qualquer preceito religioso ou convenção social. “Quem não tiver pecado, que atire a primeira pedra”.

Dra Zilda Arns: é fundadora e coordenadora nacional da Pastoral da Criança, que acompanha crianças, famílias e gestantes em todo o Brasil e conta com mais de 155 mil voluntários. Graças a seu trabalho, os índices de mortalidade infantil vêm reduzindo significativamente em todo o Brasil.

Ayrton Senna da Silva: pela obstinação em busca de um ideal, pelo exemplo de cidadania, pelo orgulho por um país do qual nem todos fazem questão de se orgulhar, pelo incrível trabalho social que sua família está fazendo, dando vida a seus sonhos.

Madre Tereza de Calcutá: Albanesa, desde muito jovem sonhou com o trabalho missionário na Índia. Foi para lá em 1931, onde começou como professora em um colégio religioso e, em 1949, decidiu viver nas ruas levando apoio aos moribundos. Em 1949 funda uma Congregação e começa com a “Casa A Diagram of the Cyclodos Morib u n d o s ”.

Fez voto de pobreza e trabalhou até a morte, em 1997. “Nós querem que eles saibam que há pessoas que os amam verdadeiramente”, é uma de suas declarações sobre os carentes que tirava das ruas, à beira da morte.

Dalai Lama: Lider espiritual tibetano, vive exilado na Índia desde 1959, após o fracasso de uma revolução contra o governo chinês, que ocupara o Tibet em 1950.

Recebeu o Prêmio Nobel da Paz em 1989, por sua luta pela independência do Tibet.

Ele diz que “a solução pacífica baseada na tolerância e respeito mútuo é a única forma de preservar a história e a herança cultural de seu povo”, de todos os povos.

Top 5 Mathematicians-B.Dequanne 5. Bertrand Arthur William Russell 4. David Hilbert 3. Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss 2. Euclid of Alexandria 1. Sir Isaac Newton

Top Five Springsteen Songs (in no specific order)- L. Perry Thunder Road Nebraska Badlands For You The River Top 5 cool lab materials that can be used in physics, not chemistry- T. Brown

Where am I? Katherina Tsirakis As I look around at the reality I am in contact with, I am profoundly disgusted.

Of course I obviously am part of the system, and some may argue that I, being a part of the Brazilian high class, am part of the problem. But what most disgusts me, what I observe is plain human nature.

As I passed a stoplight by Vila Madalena, a girl that could be three years old, maybe four years old, but no older than four, comes to my car window and asks for charity. She was bare-footed. She was also Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

naked, wearing nothing but an old pair of underwear with cartoon figures on it. As she ran to my window, I almost felt like she was running to play, like I used to run half naked in my yard, or at the beach when I was her age. Than I looked at a man leaning onto a tree nearby, probably waiting to collect what she may receive from the passersby and the mother in me yelled right at that moment, “Open the door! Open the door and grab that little girl into your princess-like reality.”

Until this very day that thought echoes in my mind in the saddest and most depressive tones. “Give her too the life that she deserves, the life of beautiful gardens and protected castles that you’ve had all along. Show her the other side! Come on just do it! Grab that girl out of her harsh reality and into your wonderful one!”

“Do it! You know you can afford it, just do it! Share with her your beautiful life!”

And even now as I write these words tears run down my face, the way they did the day I met this girl. This little representation of reality that shook my world.

“I don’t want to be part of this anymore!” – by now I sob, fill my eyes and wet the paper which I write on. Fill them until I can no longer see, but I can still go through images of violence and ugliness of the human nature that surround me.

M y great grandfather’s brother, who is an old man of about n i n e t y ye a r s of age, got an anonymous warning that there was going to be an attempt to kidnap him. He is a very rich farmer, and so that day he left his farm. That same night his farm was brutally robbed.

Just how ugly can human nature be? How far are we going to go? Genocide takes place in Africa as we speak; Iraqis are humiliated by those who promised insure their freedom; bombs explode in Greece and Madrid, among other places. Would someone please tell me; where am I? Is this the world that I am doomed to live in? Or is this the reality that I was sent to improve?

I will refuse to be a spectator in

31

Features: Guest WritDUÆL Daniel Weber (Pronounced ‘duel’ or ‘dual)’A monologue.

The set consists of two raised platforms.

The background is pure black. On the left platform, apparently floating in midair, is the head of a man, and on the right platform, sitting down, is the body of a woman, in a white leotard. The lighting and costumes work together so that the man’s body and the woman’s head cannot be seen. During the monologue the two separate entities act as one, the body moving in such a way as to complement what the head is saying.

The desired effect is that of a single (androgynous) person addressing the crowd. The fact that one’s 1 body is fragmented should be perceived as incidental.

Stage right is a chair. On it are a small booklet and an apple. Upstage, centre, is a noticeboard; black cardboard with a diagram of a brain on the left and a human body on the right.

Hanging from the board is a pointer.

One sits, centre, with one’s legs folded, and one’s arms crossed over one’s knees.

One’s eyes are closed. After ten seconds, one opens one’s eyes and looks up at the audience. One unfolds one’s arms and puts them to the ground, propping oneself up.

There are very specific gestures the body will have to carry out throughout the play.

Because of the ambivalent nature of the script, this script comprises the monologue only. The physical stage directions are outlined separately.

32

ANDY2 : Ay ay ay ay ay. Sex; gender; what a hassle. I think when God created two sexes, he may have been overdoing it3 .

[Pretentious, sententious tone]: Lord Byron once said “What a strange thing man is; and what a stranger thing woman.”

[Resumes normal tone]: How right he was.

Labels. Necessary? Possibly. Should human beings not be classified by their individual idiosyncratic qualities or traits? Or should we not be classified at all? What would happen if we were allowed to roam freely, with absolutely no concept of male or female?

We could copulate with whomever we felt

Weber stares back perplexed compelled to, couldn’t we? Sometimes offspring would be spawned, and sometimes not. There would be no sexism. No difference. Perhaps in such an environment even the blatant physical discrepancies between those with penises and those with vaginas would eventually dissipate.

[Instructive, hypothetical tone]: Could such an environment ever exist? Not a chance.

[Resumes normal tone]: If it was so from the beginning, could this work? Who knows? I do not have the pretension to make such a claim.

Wait. I’ll deviate now. No pun intended.

Something is bothering me. When I presented my alternate world, I couldn’t help but notice some sniggers from the audience.

Possibly even a cry of [Vigorous, mocking]: “Sugar!”4 ; Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

[Resumes normal tone]: I can’t be sure. What would precipitate such a response? I hope you aren’t mislabelling me. In case you haven’t noticed yet, I am neither a man nor a woman. Asexual? Maybe, but I doubt it.

Then what am I? Tell you the truth, I’m not sure. To answer that question, one must think about what defining characteristic constitutes a gender.

[Instructive, hypothetical tone]: Is it physical?

[Resumes normal tone]: In that case I cannot say I belong to either of the traditional genders. As it happens, ‘I’m as anatomically impaired as a Ken doll’5 . Wherein lies the defining characteristic, then?

[Instructive, hypothetical tone]: Is it psychological?

[Resumes normal tone]: How so? Would an attraction to women make me a male; an attraction to men make me a female?

In that case, I must be male, female, both simultaneously, and neither. It generally depends on my mood.

Furthermore, evidently in this day and age, sexual orientation has little to do with gender.

Can my behavioural patterns indicate my gender? That is highly unlikely. Are there not remarkably masculine women in the world? And are there not incredibly effeminate men on the other hand? Behaviour is no criteria.

I should get back to the point, shouldn’t I? Well, it is irrelevant what my gender is, or even if such a classification can be imposed upon me. You can just call me Andy. So there. We have been introduced. Moving on.

Naomi Weisstein once said: “Except for their genitals, I don’t know what immutable differences exist between men and women.

Perhaps there are some other unchangeable differences; probably there are a number of

Features: Guest Writer irrelevant differences. But it is clear that until social expectations for men and women are equal, until we provide equal respect for both sexes, answers to this question will simply reflect our prejudices.”

I’m not sure what that means. It does remind me, though, of something Virginia Woolf wrote. She claimed that in men and women a vacillation from one sex to the other is constantly occurring, to the point where clothing is the only tangible symbol of identity. That is true of many people. But then again, it is quite often completely inapplicable. Are there not clearly manly men? Men that even if they were sat knitting, dressed in a tutu would still be undeniably male…?

Of course there are. Men like John Wayne.

Or President Lula6 , why not?

Men and women… Relationships. Must they mix? It would appear so, for the advancement of the species (numerically at least). In such a relationship, who would be in charge? Who would command whom?

Can it be said that it is the male who surveys the available females, and selects one? Or is it “the [female] who chooses the [male] who is to choose her”7 ?

Men do have power, though, don’t they?

Though some men take that too far. Groucho Marx, for instance, said that “Women should be obscene and not heard”. Are chauvinistic men like that because they love women or because they hate them? Speaking of which, what is the deal with misogyny? A misogynist is nothing more than “a man who hates women as much as women hate each other.”8 But why do these men hate women? And then again, don’t all men hate women, deep down, to some extent? Why else would women be treated so differently socially? Is it not true that for a woman to be recognised at any given activity, she must do it at least twice as well as a man would?

Luckily for women, this is not difficult.

A big advantage for men is that women are fragile, aren’t they? Did Hamlet not say something like that? [ Tongue-rolling, mock-Shakespearean

tone]: “Frailty, thy name is woman.”

[Resumes normal tone]: Women will believe anything men tell them as long as it is about their appearance. I mean, she could be the skinniest person in the world; if her husband or boyfriend suggests, even as a joke, that she could lose a couple of pounds, she will start crying and not eat for weeks, won’t she? A man wouldn’t care that much.

Also, some women are naïve. And this can be used against them.

Napoleon Bonaparte wrote that women were meant to be men’s slaves. That they are their property. Surely that is not the case!

Women yield a very clear power over men, don’t they? It’s all about control. Let’s be honest, OK? Women enjoy sex just as much as men. (And men enjoy sex just as much as Dercy Gonçalves9 ). Women just know how to play the cards to their benefit, don’t they? They know that men will do virtually anything for them in the end. As a consequence, they are more controlled. More cold and calculating.

An example is secrets. I’m sure you’ll agree that if a woman really wants to find out a man’s secret, nineteen times out of ten she will manage to get it out of him over a single lunch. It is just so easy for them. On the other hand, “Wild horses couldn’t drag a secret out of most women. However, women seldom have lunch with wild horses.”10 There surely is a power there. “It takes a woman twenty years to make a man out of her son, and another woman twenty minutes to make a fool of him.”11 The crux of the matter is that as much as women may enjoy sexual congress, they do not NEED it. Not like men do, anyway. It’s like Gloria Steinem once said: “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” Take weddings, for instance. The whole concept illustrates just how easily replaceable men are to women.

That’s the idea behind the tuxedo! Why do you think men all dress the same at weddings? If anything goes wrong, everyone just takes a step to the left, and the woman can marry the next guy! What did you think the best man was for? Did you never notice Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

how the priest never says “Do you take Bob Johnson”; he says “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”12 !

I think women are at an advantage for three reasons: The first reason, which is linked to both of the others, is that most men simply don’t understand women. Men who don’t understand women can be grouped into two categories: Bachelors and husbands13 .

There is so much etiquette involved when dealing with women! So much political correctness! As many men have found out, when a woman says something she often means something completely different.

With men it is a bit simpler. If they say they’re tired, it means they’re tired. If they say they’re hungry, it means they’re hungry.

Virtually anything else means they want to have sex.

Which brings me to the second reason; the fundamental flaw of all males: the sordid dependence they have on sexual contact with women. Men simply need women.

I mean, after a couple of years, in every marriage, women become sex objects.

Whenever their husbands ask for sex, they object.14 But it can’t be only about power games! Surely sex between a man and a woman can be a beautiful thing! That is, provided you get between the right man and the right woman.15 Finally, the final reason is that men are, generally speaking, stupid, and this stupidity makes men so much easier to manipulate than women. Take PMS, for instance. For most women, it’s the only time of the month when they can be themselves16 ! And men let them get away with this, time and time again.

But, then again, all these disadvantages only came around because of women’s inability to stick to rules in the first place. Where would man be today without woman? I’ll tell you where; in the Garden of Eden, eating watermelon, and taking it easy!17 Well, I don’t know. What do you think? Does the system work?

Does it need an upgrade? Is the equation bal-

33

Features Talon Chat: Change and Graded Facilitated by Ian Glaser

Ian: This is a highly informal debate that was not edited before being published in the Talon. While several grammatical mistakes do appear in the comments, this debate was made on MSN messenger, and I felt that the genuine answers should be shown. The debate is about change, our paper’s theme, but it also discusses the Graded Institution and the Graded student. Everyone who participated in the debate has studied at graded (at least for a little while). The guests are the fallowing: Kirk Meyer (who studied at Graded a long time ago), Chris Lewine, Gabriela Carvalho, Francis Grin, Michele Sze, Gerry Waddel, Kathy Tsirakis, Camila Geld, alumni Savannah Lee, and Gabriel “Gallo” Gallindo.

Ian: What do you miss from the “old Graded” (when we were in say, middle school)?

Katherina: nothing Gabriela: the lack of responsibilities, pressure and homework Gallo: I miss the anxiety to get to high school Ian: Well... I’ll say I miss the old snack bar, the old Zombie Zoo, and actually playing soccer in a class Katherina: Yeah those were the days Gabriela: I also miss the lack of deadlines!!!

Gerald: I don’t know I don’t really miss much.

I mean it was different sure; had different friends Michelle: Not much has changed since then Gallo: I miss the tons of short term assignments Gerald: I miss being yelled at in math class... no wait that still happens Gabiela: I miss nap time and the snacks we had in elementary – free snacks!

Camila: The small essays and no one screaming “COLLEGE!” at me all the time.

Ian: Any memorable teachers who should be noted who have left?

Gerald: Mr. Palmgren (8 th grade history teacher) Michelle: Mr. Sesser!!!

Gallo: Mr. Palmgren Ian : Yeah, definitely Mr. Palmgren Michelle: and Mr. Palmgren Gallo: Best history teacher ever

34

Kirk: Mr. August Ian: I really miss Mr. Blanton as well Michelle: Dona Kenia (a.k.a DK) Gerald: What about Tewes?

Katherina: So I guess all we miss are the teachers Chris: Yeah, Blanton rocked.

Kirk: Ms. Blanton!

Ian: And now the question Gerry has been waiting for... How should Graded change in, say, the next five years?

Gerald: I’ve been waiting for this Gallo: It will change with the new art center Gerald: GTV told us about the Graded Casino Michelle: More organized fila no snack bar Gallo: Better and more sophisticated classrooms Ian: Hopefully, it will be down with the construction of new buildings.

Gabriela: Well... I have to say that next year... graded will have the BEST SENIOR CLASS Camila: In the next, oh... 3 months we need an art center and a lawn Gallo: Classrooms with heaters Ian: How do you get sophisticated classrooms... explain?

Francis: student coffee machines…everywhere.

Gerald: In 5 years graded will be a bunch of skyscrapers Ian : So I’ll say classrooms with coffee machines/ heaters Gerald: We just keep building on top of each other Michelle: More varied assortment of food Gabriela: Hum... better chairs Gerald: We should build underground Camila: No, the laptops are breaking all the time… we should build a swimming pool.

Ian: What should we rescue from the prebuildings Graded?

Francis: Senior lounge Gabriela: We should try to maintain the “green areas” Gallo: The tennis court lights should work Gerald: Maintaining a pool at graded would be too expensive… pools are usually disTalon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

gusting.

Michelle: You just have to keep them clean Gallo: I want to be able to leave as soon as classes are over.

Michelle: You can already do that, Gallo Gabriela: We should try to employ more people Camila: WE NEED GATE PASSES, as well as being able to order food.

Gabriela: Gate passes!!!!

Gerald: If you keep your grades up you can get gate passes.

Ian: The principle of appeasement.

Gabriela: We need a more organized system o f d ro p p i n g students off... and pick ing them up Michelle: Being able to order food is a good one!

Gerald: Off campus lunch!!!

We need off campus lunch!!!!!!! I want Chinese food!

Ian: Kathy, what changed from when you left graded to when you came back?

Katherina: the schedule! the people grew and matured, but i think what changed the most was the way I perceive things and people around me... that makes graded entirely different for me!

Gabriela: We should have healthier food Camila: CHINESE FOOD KICKED BUTT, and they took itaway.

Savannah: Graded’s food is so healthy c compared to food here in the states Camila: Bleh. healthy food is at home Ian:Savvanah, how is Graded diffeent qfrom your school in Indiana?

Savannah: I’ve been at this school since January, and I’ve realized that Graded is a lot more based on academics, and people work hard to graduate. I miss actually having to work. I have not brought any homework home and all off my grades are above a 95.

Chris: Besides the people, I guess I miss the general community atmosphere.... here school is just work, there at least in middle school I felt like it was more of a community Ian: yeah... I like the community, right comrade Ian: Now the TOK question... have you found yourself, or are you still looking.. still changing?

Kirk: I’m a socialistic Marxist with a splash

Features of democrat.

Gabriela: I’m still looking....

Camila: Are we supposed to find ourselves?

I mean, we’re still in high school.

Katherina: I say we are eternally changing as human beings... the day we stop evolving is the day we die... I for one will never be satisfied with just being, I will forever strive for a better me...

Camila: We don’t know real life, the real world. Graded says it prepares us for that, but it doesn’t....

Savannah: I disagree, I think it does better than any other school I can imagine. The way that people react in graded is uncanny and the fact that the school actually trusts their students is something you wont find in the states Gerald: I can’t judge myself – it is too hard.

I don’t think I have changed but I am told I have. As an individual I constantly change to adapt to each situation yet the morals and beliefs I have stay with me forever Gallo: I don’t think that we will find what we really want at Graded... I think Graded is just a vehicle that will eventually allow us to reach our goals Gabriela: I think graded is a great way to start “real life”.... we have a great advantage... mainly because of the friends and connections we make when in high school.

Savannah: This whole thing is making me miss graded!!

Ian: Do you think you have learned more in or outside the classroom?

Michelle: Hmmm...I really can’t remember what it was like when I was 4...

Gerald: What i am told content wise in a classroom does not make me who I am Savannah: I took Graded for granted while I was there and then I moved here and I was shocked Ian: I think we take our teachers for granted – I mean we have some really good teachers.

Michelle: I think outside…cause inside you kinda study só pra pass the tests, get the grades..outside you mature by being around different people Gerald: Learning about parabolas will not define who I am and what I believe in!

Chris: The teachers there (in general) rock sompared to the US Savannah: It’s amazing how these kids don’t care about their education and as much as Graded kids will deny the fact that they

love graded when they are put into a public school in states its like what the hell am I doing here??? I learned this 3 years ago!

Gabriela: For the people that left: is graded really better than the average school... like it says it is?

Gerald: but outside is where you are put to the test.

Michelle: Inside the classroom you learn because you have to. outside you learn with people; you want to learn… por vontade própria.

Katherina: Inside it’s such a safe environment that I don’t think we learn a whole lot from it...

Savannah: Graded is so close knit that you learn people skills in school. I mean… you have better relationships with teachers there and therefore you are willing to learn and listen to what they want to say.

Camila: We don’t learn life skills... but you

Savannah: but once u know what u can have you want nothing less Camila: If you’re all like “I’m not learning anything useful here” then you just WONT learn anything useful Gabriela: But I have to admit that some people seem to learn NOTHING Gallo: In classrooms we can learn about people in their academic capabilities... not personal skills... the knowledge of these extra “non-academic” skills are acquired outside of classrooms Gabriela: Do you think Graded tries to ‘mold’ its students?

Gallo: Yeah...

Savannah: Yes, and they a do a damn good job too.

Gerald: If you allow it to.

Savannah: and they do a damn good job too, but most of the time its for the best. The students learn how to work and they discover what a good work ethic is.

Camila: All schools mold the students in some way Ian: I don’t think so... Graded installs so much freedom in students... I think it gives us the path, the fishing rod or whatever... but, sometimes, we lack initiative because we’re caught up in the whole grading scheme.

Gallo: Yes... it sometimes makes the students get Were Mayra and Patty being molded in 9th too competitive and less human (rational)... it also do learn people skills! does not give the deserved attention to Come on! You are spending all day dealing Brazilian colleges with people Katherina: I think that either you are moldGallo: I think that the teachers have so much ed, to whatever degree that may be, or you more to offer to the students than what they don’t survive the system... we certainly learn simply teach us inside the classroom to adapt, and grow from those adaptations...

Katherina: Yeah... we do learn people skills... so yeah I’ve been molded... but not into but try and compare those to the analytical what Graded might expect of me as some skills we learn in HL history????!!!!!! may think... but into what I want to portray Gerald: Life skills you learn on your own thus within this environment, and in my life in when you are outside of school and puitting general! them into practice you are learning more Gerald: Yeah I don’t know about how much than a classroom freedom we have at this school...

Camila: any new situation is the same way.. Chris: I don’t think it’s necessarily Graded you learn from where you are and what you the institution that molds people as much CAN learn from. It’s all up to you as the community and the individual people: students and teachers alike. But those Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV DEFINITELY have a profound effect on most

35

Features Change: A Personal Reflection Rachel Greisenger

Your comfort zone is your familiarities: your family, friends, a house, a neighborhood, and a school. It’s the place most of us grow up in; it’s the place where you feel most comfortable with yourself and your surroundings. When I was pulled away from my comfort zone, Westmont, Illinois, a suburb outside Chicago, I thought it was the end of my life as I knew it. I left that neighborhood, h o u s e , friends, boyfriend, and school to come to the third largest city in the world; a place where the language, culture, and people were totally alien to me. But, quickly did I adapt…and two wild years later it was time for me to leave, and go back to my comfort zone, the place that for 14 years I had called “home”, but that I was soon to learn was something ironically more foreign than I ever thought it could be.

It was summer when I arrived. It was time to relax, and meet up with old relations. I didn’t want to relax, I wanted to get out and go find all my old friends, everyone with whom I went to school, had sleepovers, and saw movies. Well, that was disappointing to say the least. That summer I ended up hanging out with only two out of the dozen of those people and six new friends, which I never knew before that summer; probably one of the best summers of my life so far. I just didn’t share the same interests with my old friends anymore, I was someone totally different to them, and though they hadn’t changed much, they were to me. Over the course of just two short years I had drastical-

36

ly changed, and our interests were no longer equal. Our ways of thinking were completely different…there was no room left for any real friendship to exist. It was sad and so weird for me to think a girl I spent almost everyday with for 5 years I no longer had any interest in anymore; our conversations dwindled to basically… “So, how’s life been?”“Oh, just fine”, and that was it, there was nothing left. Then school started, fall started, and my yearn-

ing to be back at Graded and back in Brazil was only amplified. How could my comfort zone for so many years of my life seem so strange and suddenly unfamiliar? My house was still my house, and my bed still my bed, but I felt it wasn’t the place in which I had really progressed mentally and physically, it suddenly seemed that it wasn’t the place where I really had “grown-up” and where I learned all those life lessons.

Now, that place to me was São Paulo. Before I had left Chicago, I had never had a full beer; I had never smoked a cigarette, or stayed out passed 3am, or gone to a night club/bar, or a rave. I had never experienced true heartache for friends and for a guy.

Abruptly, and unexpectedly Chicago was no longer my comfort zone. And, the place I felt most uncomfortable was my school.

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

I really just loathed waking up and going to school every morning, where at Graded that loathing feeling wasn’t as strong, to say the least. None of my friends that I hung out with there even went to my school and worse, it was a school of 2500 kids. I was literally trampled over in the hallways, trying to cross from one side to the other was like trying to cross Faria Lima on a Friday night.

I’d come home every day complaining how my teachers never made me feel welcome, and how I had gotten a detention in my first week of school because I was stopped by a hall-monitor…yes, a real life hall-monitor, for dressing “inappropriately” (my mid-drift was showing a sluttish two-inches!) If you ever think Graded is strict, try a public school in the United States. I was getting written-up left and right for dressing “inappropriately” or being i n t h e h a l l way when I shouldn’t have been. And the students’ mentalities were just completely different from mine.

I yearned to go back to Brazil every day, even when I had a boyfriend at the time, even when I could d r i ve, n o t h i n g could compensate for the time I had had in Brazil. Not the driver’s license, not the boyfriend, not Homecoming, nor the Friday night football games with the football hotties. Nope, nada, I was in complete culture shock, and adapting was looking a lot harder than I had expected. Although I had a group of some awesome and interesting friends to say the least, there were still things they just didn’t understand about me that my friends here could. They liked hearing my stories about Brazil and hope one day to visit, but it was, like it had once been to me, something completely foreign to them. Two years just didn’t seem long enough to spend in Brazil, I felt like I still had so much to learn and do, and I was lucky enough to have the support and concern of my parents to send

Features How Graded Changed Me Maria Laura Torre We are all aware of the changes going on at Graded – new arts center, new computers, new teachers, new students, etc. But do we ever stop and think about how Graded has changed us? So perhaps we didn’t have time to stop and deliberate between finishing our eight page exam review and watching the O.C. but I think it is important to note – no one I know has remained the same during my years at Graded.

Including me.

When I first arrived at Brazil I was

pretty much traumatized. I felt as if I had been ripped out of my bed that morning, put in a six hour long plane ride and crammed into a hotel room. My last school had been very different, a place where the meanest were also the most sought after, and all the rest were hurt and tantalized for being invisible. That attitude had left me with thick walls around my heart – so cautious was I of others approaching me that those who did found only long glances and cold words. I didn’t trust these people around me. I didn’t want to.

So the first year I watched, and I became a shadow among the halls trying to see who I could trust and who I couldn’t.

But by then Graded’s aura had started to act upon me. I wasn’t as closed as I had been, but I still kept my guard.

That shield that I had around me slowly vanished, and through my years at Graded I lost my once cold and stony attitude towards everyone. My image changed.

I became more outspoken, a bit bolder, and somewhat happier. I became what I had been trying to become pretty much since I moved here; myself.

I still have a long way to go. But looking back I realized that it wasn’t only me who changed. I see kids who wouldn’t speak a word to anyone talk openly without a care for the world, I see people who I would have stayed away from when I first got here ask me for help in math, I see friends who wouldn’t smile laugh hysterically in the halls.

But that was only my story, and I think that it’s time we all realize ours. Now that school is nearly over, and that we have

Fresh Out of the Oven: The New Freshmen are on Their Way

but what’s new there?

Perhaps the feelings haven’t changed so much from one generation to the other, but how does that assure their future behavior? It doesn’t, and for now the only thing we can do is sit and wait until next year when these kids roam our halls asking each other where to go.

So, without further ado, I give the freshmen an early welcome into the “deep and cold ocean of confusion” of high school!

Maria Laura Torre Rejoice freshman, in just a few months time you won’t be tantalized anymore: a new set of crispy and new freshman are moving on to High School – so guess what, now you get to call them freshies!

But what is this new class like? Obviously, shorter – but there is more to these kids than height. Let’s go back in time to when we (current 9th 10th 11th and maybe even 12th grade students, if they are still here) were freshmen: A somewhat realistic thought on the first day of school (from a freshman’s view): Oh my god… Becky… Look at the hall! It’s so…dark. But wait, why haven’t we gotten our lockers yet? And where do we get our schedules? Where am I supposed to get all this English books when the store doesn’t sell them anymore? Seminar…what? “Oh hey I haven’t seen you for a while! How was your vacation?” Hot new guy coming my way, hot new guy coming my way!!!

—————————————————— — End of Re-enactment ———————— —————————————————— First words that come to mind: Terrified, confused, bewildered, shocked, and without a sense of where to go. In other words, a freshman! But are the new freshmen going to be the same as the generation that came before them, or are they going to face the first year of high school in

a completely different manner?

After speaking to some current 8th graders and asking them some questions I came to one conclusion: These voyagers are scared, in some ways. But they are also quite exited now that they get to move up a hall. They are obviously aware of the amounts of work, and many have affirmed that they expect high school to be harder than middle school, The current freshmen can’t wait to give their hallway to the 8th graders

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

37

Figa Corner Glass

Snake Poem Pollyana Regino

Anonymous Stained glass and Shattered glass and Those glass ornaments you kept in the room and The crystals you said were for good luck and The perfume bottles you kept since you were young and The little glass box with all your tiny earrings All broken in the floor Little shards with the pointy side up So that when I walk my feet hurt and bleed But not as much as it hurt when you left Like glass piercing my heart Cold and shadowed under the clear impression

I hold my breath as you slowly surround me I close my eyes to feel the ground vibrate as you gracefully play.

You silently hiss sick lullabies As you look me in the eye, Your stare pierces through my flesh like a thousand steel knives.

I grasp my chest to feel my heart beat, one last time.

Once more I remind myself nothing is divine.

Every where I look, I see the victims of your crimes They cry their sorrow and their pain, Through red tears.

Soon to be my own mistake.

You crawl beneath me on the ground, The same ground you drive me into, and I do nothing but admire you.

New Horizons

I long to taste your venom, Like a vampire longs for blood, I yearn for you very touch.

Claire Helfrich The start of a new horizon A fresh sunrise awaits him as morning’s first light beams hit his face Hope Comfort Yet as the sun rises on him, it sets on her depriving her of Hope Comfort Leaving her slowly in the dark as she watches the last of light evanesce into the horizon The end of one day One life The beginning of another For as the sun sets on her world It rises on his His new horizon To be greeted once more

38

I know you’re bound to make me weak And either way... you won’t bring me peace.

But all I want is a piece of heaven Before you expose me to sheer hell.

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Sports A “Different” Athletic Banquet Cecilia Masola On May 13th, 2004, most of the members of Graded’s varsity athletic teams and their coaches and parents gathered at Giovanni Pizza for what was to be the Athletic Banquet. Yes I was expecting the typical tiring sequential ceremony, but this was far from what took place. By the end of the evening some, like Mr. Marquis, were calling it the Disco Banquet amongst other interesting names. I can’t speak for all the athletes, but as for my soccer team, I believe it was worth it. Firstly we couldn’t complain because the food was good and secondly even though no awards were given and no, let’s say, “public recognition” was made, the varsity girl’s soccer team certainly shared a moment that meant much more. The next day the awards were given out during seminar in front of the whole school, which in my opinion is much more effective. Also this makes the athletic banquet not merely about awards, but truly about gathering with your team together one last time. Still, complaints were made by both teachers and students who thought the banquet was a partial “waste” of time it was since none of the traditional banquet awards and ceremonies were followed through. And I have to say for parents to go there and pay to eat in a noisy place with a neighboring disco party and never see their son/daughter get recognition; I agree with their slight dissat-

isfaction in the ceremony. And yes, there might have been some dissatisfaction from students as well who thought the banquet was quite kind of “pointless”, but as for me and my team we had each other and we

Athletic Awards Boy’s Basketball MIP: Yoo Chan MVP: Sam Tully Girl’s Basketball: MIP: Carolina Ytterberg MVP: Caroline Ferreira Cheerleading: MIP: Caroline Ferreira MVP: Blythe Davey Boy’s Soccer: MIP: Raphael Ciabattari MVP: Marcelo Santos Girl’s Soccer: MIP: Joana Fittipaldi MVP: All the team Male Athlete of the Year: Sam Tully Female Athlete of the Year: Stephanie Waisman Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

39

A Perfect Night For a Perfect Game Michael Darden Who would have ever expected Randy Johnson, who just pushed into his forties, to throw a perfect game? After his team was crawling through a five game losing streak, Johnson was able to pull out his Diamondbacks for a 2-0 win over the Braves. Johnson from the beginning of the game dominated, and in the end was able to heave 13 strike outs and left all 27 hitters of the Braves humiliated. Johnson, also known widely as the Big Unit, is steadily moving

up in the ranks. He is third best pitchers in history, under Cy Young and Nolan Ryan.

Johnson has only had two no hitters in his career; he trails behind Nolan Ryan with seven. But as he gets older, the strike outs keep on coming. Of his 12 starts as pitcher since he turned forty, he has thrown a one-hitter, a two-hitter, and a perfect game, and to add to his winning streak, Johnson hit his first career homerun. Therefore for Johnson, age is his ticket to the Hall of Fame. The older he gets, the more powerful and efficient his arm gets, but how long will it last for this 6

The Old New Sport Revolutionizing Graded André Alves A sport recently exposed among the graded community is now fighting it’s way up to the top 5 in-between-class athletics list. Though its rules and skill requirement are not superior to those of better known sports such as soccer and volleyball, the unique sport is interminably developing with its competitive gameplay and simplicity. Though most of you may think that it is a shallow sport, which simply mixes the best of both soccer and volleyball, futevolley has a very intriguing history. Many hackey-sackers have tried to accuse us futevolley players of copying their “amazing” game, but this is the true story of how futevolley came to the athletic facilities at graded. Approximately two years ago, in the Scandinavian countries, a group of Brazilian soccer players on a quest for nothing really important were sitting on the floor of a random hall of a school they were sleeping at. Already bored out of their minds for not finding anything else to do, they decided they should play a game. The Brazilians always were notorious for their street games. Therefore analyzing the resources given to us at that moment of boredom, futevolley was born. With only an old mini soccer ball and a bench taken from the hall, a court was arranged. The players were anxious to start but no one knew the rules. It was simple, our child nostalgia of playing games that involved never letting the ball drop came to mind, and if it were to be an organized competition, we would

40

need teams. Doubles were made due to the space restraints and the court boundaries were defined with our very own “havaianas.”

That was all we needed to start a game, the rest would be decided along the way. For hours the teams changed, the plays were perfected, and our players grew more and more skillful. By the end of the day, what had begun as a primitive pass-time had turned into a complicated competition with rules and regulations. The ceiling and walls were neutral, the game was 21 points, and the ball could not touch the ground. As more time passed our competition grew, people from all around the world would come watch the matches and participate in the tournaments but of course, no one could save themselves from the monstrous whacking victories made by the true professionals in the sport. Unfortunately, futevolley became an underground sport due to the consistent gambling on teams and incessant fighting between the players.

Two years later a completely irrelevant event took place with these same players who once revolutionized athletics in Europe: an outdoor cafeteria was built.

This “paved” the way for the insertion of the once forgotten sport into society. Once the temporary cafeteria was taken down, all that was left was a couple of tables, and the pavement, which would host the new and improved futevolley championships.

All that was needed was something to spark the minds of its forgotten inventors so that Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

they could renew their sport. This was the first step to the relationship of love and hate between the futevolleyers and hackey-sackeyers. It was they who sparked the idea in the minds of those who had forgotten, but it was also them who disapproved of and envied our amazing sport. At the first chance we got, a court was built with a couple of tables and the rules were clarified among the players. New additions such as the tree-factor were included considering the flaws of the court. Because of the size of the court, 4 players were allowed on each team instead of 2 and the points were lowered to 15 so that more teams would have a chance to take on the victor of each match. A rotation was established so that each player would have his turn to serve, in the back, and at the net. In a way, what was

Maradona in Crisis Martin Masola Former Argentine soccer player, Diego Armando Maradona, was rushed to the Suizo-Argentina hospital in Buenos Aires after feeling ill while watching a Boca Juniors soccer game in Boca’s stadium on the 18th of April. According to hospital statements,

Sports “myocardial crisis”, as well as a lung infection.

As faithful Maradona fans congregated outside the hospital waited for news on the former player’s health, rumors abounded as to the cause of Maradona’s new health problem. According to unconfirmed reports, cocaine was found in Maradona’s urine, although Maradona’s personal doctor, Alfredo Cahe, dismissed those reports and hinted that the cause of Maradona’s ailing could have been that the former star had been playing golf until late in the chilly Buenos Aires night. After nearly nine days under induced coma and breathing with the aid of machines, Maradona’s condition improved and was changed from “serious” to “guarded”. According to hospital reports, Maradona began walking around his room, received visitors, and even got to watch Argentina’s friendly match versus Morocco.

To the surprise of many, Maradona secretly left the clinic on the 29th of April, and while Suizo-Argentina stated that Maradona would now continue follow up treatment by his own means, many claimed that Maradona left the clinic before he was healed because he was “bored” of being

in the hospital. Furthermore, some reports stated that Maradona became agitated and violent, throwing his food to the floor and arguing with his ex-wife, Claudia Maradona, and the personnel working at the hospital.

After being seen a few days later playing golf, and after appearing on Argentine TV for an interview, Maradona returned with Cahe to the Suizo-Argentine clinic for what Cahe deemed “routine” check ups. However, Cahe, along with Maradona’s closest family, decided it would be best for the soccer legend to undergo drug rehab in Argentina, as opposed to Cuba, were Maradona had been living before his visit to Argentina. After being turned down by several rehab clinics, Maradona was finally admitted in the private del Parque rehab center. Despite some initial violent opposition to the treatment, during which Maradona had to be tied to his bed, the former midfielder appears to be showing positive signs of recovery. He has been reported to be putting up less resistance to treatment, has lost weight and is fully integrated with the other patients in the clinic.

His brother, “Lalo” Maradona, said on May 18th that Maradona would have to remain

Hacky-Sack Mania Avinash Mohanani A new sport has taken over Graded School’s campus; more specifically, the ex-senior “lawn”. Hacky-sack mania has become the new obsession of many seniors and juniors who walk by the senior hall. The court is set by a bench which separates a cement-covered area in two.

Each team consists of up to three players, and the game is played with a hacky-sack.

One player serves by throwing the hack y-sack in the air and kicking it over to the other side. The hack cannot touch the ground, but players can touch it as many times as they wish before sending it over to the other side. Once the hack hits the ground, the play is over. If it lands inside one team’s court, the other team gets the point, but if it lands outside the court, the team whose player touched the hack last, loses the point. Athletes have given their heart, sweat, and sometimes their blood for this game. For those watching from outside, this looks like a silly thing to do,

Change in Graded Sports Avinash Mohanani All over Graded School we see change taking place in all ways possible.

Change in the Talon staff, student council, rising classes, the cafeteria, and of course, sports. A change in the sports schedule caused the first semester sports including; softball, girl’s volleyball, boy’s futsal, and cheerleading to be moved to the second semester of the school year, while second semester activities will be changed to the first semester. Even though no drastic changes were made in the sports that are offered simultaneously, it will still be very different for sports next year. A change in the rotation has caused the first semester sports of next year to be the same as this year’s second semester, so the teams from this semester will be together for one more semester. This could be viewed from both a positive and negative perspective. Positively the teams will change but the core strucTalon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

41

Sports sports such as soccer and basketball. Negatively softball, volley and salão will be neglected for a year making the next season a challenging, one.

Tudo o Que Você Sempre Quis Saber Sobre o Centro de Artes

Even though the sports are not changing, teams will undergo a change in players. Many of the seniors who are graduating were part of athletics, and will not be with their teams next year. Also, rising freshmen surely will be trying out for the different sports, and those who make the teams will be very welcome. This sports season which has come to an end was a winning season for some and not such a good season for

Raquel Silva

Letter From the Editors

Grandes obras construídas.

Templos e cidades edificados.

Autores anônimos de todas as grandezas.

Tempos passaram e ainda não sabemos ao certo quem foram os grandes mestres-de-obras que as lideraram e os brilhantes pedreiros que as ergueram.

Em nome da equipe do The Talon e da Escola Graduada de São Paulo, que-

Antônio, Severino Santos, Ricardo...e tantos outros.Amam o que fazem. Não, seus nomes nunca terão espaço em uma plaquinha de reconhecimento exposta ao público.

Fazem como profissão e se orgulham disso. É só perguntar para... Paulo Aureliano, José Moraes, Jorge, José da Silva Júnior, Aquiles Ribeiro da Silva, Magnum Andrade Silva, José Caetano Silva, Leandro da Silva Melo... e tantos outros... se não gostam

remos homenagear esses bravos homens que empregam sua destreza e sua força na construção do Centro de Artes (Arts Center) - antes que seus nomes fiquem esquecidos para sempre na desmemória do tempo.

A equipe competente do mestrede -obras Juvenil Leite trabalha das sete da manhã até as cinco da tarde...Josemar, João Bosco, Edilso, Adalto...e tantos outros se empenham por mais duas horas ainda...

Quem mais poderia ser? Ficar até mais tarde no serviço, se não fosse pelos ...Antônios Crilos, Severinos, Cinvals, Joãos Antônios, Carlos, Maurícios...e tantos outros.

Sr. Juvenil Leite. Profissional na área. Com 13 anos de profissão, 1º Grau completo, e um bom espírito de liderança, coordena um grupo de 115 pessoas...Pinduca, Cícero (Alemão), Leão, Alan, Edinaldo (Bobo), Edisson, Simão, Lu, Nelson, João do Leite, José Francisco Barbosa, Reginaldo

do que fazem. Estes e tantos outros também responderiam que sim, gostam.

Artistas anônimos da engenharia e da arquitetura....Antônio Cristo Souza, Carlos Alberto Almeida, João Cristo Souza, João Jesus Lisboa, Jeismar Barbosa Coelho Gomes, Severino Valdir, Josemar Gregório da Silva, Luciano Gregório da Silva, Edinaldo Benedito da Silva, José Daris dos Santos, Rogério do Carmo...e tantos outros.

Aqui se registra, se inscreve, se fixa o nosso reconhecimento pela alma e pelo suor dos todos nomeados acima... e mais Edissons Rubens Silva Nunes, Maurício Jorge, Júlio José de Souza, José Francisco de Souza, Seni Roldão da Silva, Edilson Rodão, Valter Alves de Oliveira, Francisco Geraldo Fernandes Lira, José Sival Cristo, Elivan Brito Moura, Cícero da Silva, João Zão, Adalton Barbosa, José de Arimatéia, Leandro Cam-

Cecilia Masola and Avinahs Mohanani Change.

The theme of this edition of The Talon is change. And yes the world is full of change; the one happening right now is that I, Cecilia, am becoming sports You can talk, section editor and talk, talk and Avinash is the new complain assistant editor. about the And what better sports section time to insert the of The Talon, theme of change but how but into the sports secstanding up tion of The Talon! and writing a Many people have really good, come up and told interesting arme the sports ticle that will section should make heads b e m o re exciting. I turn? love that!

Please feel free to complain, criticize and belittle any part of this section that you wish to see changed. But as they say actions speak louder than words, and sometimes its better to do than to say. You can talk, talk, talk and complain about the sports section of the Talon, but how but standing up and writing a really good, interesting article that will make heads turn?

So please as I and my assistant editor embark on this new experience within the sports section, help us make it better, help us make it change!!!

42

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, June MMIV

Arts Center Special IB Artwork: A Triumph of Color and Design Art completes what nature cannot bring to finish. The artist gives us knowledge of nature’s unrealized ends.

--Aristotle

Nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small. We haven’t time - and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time.

--Georgi A’Keeffe

We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth, at least the truth that is given to us to understand.

- Pablo Picasso

Talon ed. 25 - São Paulo, December MMIV

43