Ed. 58 - If

editors-in-chief

An “Uncontacted” World

Why protect the threatened Amazonian indigenous people?

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hursday, May 29, 2008. Photographs are relased to the press of one of Brazil’s last “uncontacted Indians” in the far west of the Amazon jungle near the Peruvian border. These photos were taken by FUNAI, Brazil’s National Foundation for Indians, in an Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira River.

Looking at the Indians with their full body paint and loincloths, ready to shoot their arrows at the aircraft filming them overhead, the message seems pretty clear: they want to be left alone. As Bernardo Beronde, an anthropologist who works in the region, sayid, “It’s a choice they made to remain isolated or maintain only occasional contacts.” The provocative photos of the native people protesting against the intruders elicited concerns and questions over how the government will treat the people and the value of protecting them.

One of the principal reasons the Indians choose to be isolated from the rest of the world is that they have learned that contact with outsiders brings violence, exploitation and death. Logging, one of the longest existing threats to the livelihood of the Amazonian indigenous people, is rapidly increasing, according to Brazil’s new environment minister, Carlos Minc.

Logging forces native people to migrate across borders or into the territory of other tribes, leading to violent conflicts and deaths. In the Amazon basin, indigenous tribes are faced with the threat of plans for a hydroelectric dam on Brazil’s Xingu River that will almost certainly devastate their territory. Diseases brought from the outside, to which the native people have no immunities, have an especially devastating effect. Over the past two hundred years, about three to four million indigenous people have been killed by foreign diseases, such as influenza, chicken pox, or even the common cold. Native people know that their lives are endangered due to the new roads, dams, logging, mineral mining and diseases that come from outside their world.

There are a number of reasons to protect the native people. One of them is that the world of indigenous people

Yumi Park represents human diversity, as it contrasts sharply with our modern and fast-paced world. In the twenty first century, our world is becoming increasingly globalized, conforming to new technology and ideas that emphasize immediacy, efficiency and productivity. Indigenous cultures, which have not yet been influenced by modernity, provide a link to our past and reflect an alternate way of life from which we can learn.

We listen to our ipods, send text messages to our friends, go to work or school, have meals at certain times, live in a well-protected house and “Google” whenever we need to find information or answers to our questions. Indigenous people seem to find joy from nature and having each other as companions. They gather together, support their communities and eat whenever they catch a fish or find fruit. They have no notion of “yours” or “mine,” try to find answers from nature and go to sleep in a humble home content with their day.

A more fundamental reasons why these native people need to be protected is that, as human beings, they have autonomous rights. As Survival International states, they “deserve to be able to defend their lives, protect www.funai.gov.br their lands and determine their own futures.” Mário Lúcio Avelar, a Brazilian public prosecutor, even believes that loggers who contribute to the eradication of traditional ways of life are guilty of genocide. Avelar explains, “We are not necessarily talking about assassination, but they are making the survival of the tribe’s way of living impossible.”

The photos of native Indians with their weapons targeting the outsiders reflects more than simply a clash between two different worlds. Through their violent reaction, the natives are asserting their rights as independent human beings whose way of life and culture enhance our world, a world to preserve, not destroy.

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editors-in-chief

If Those Girls Each Had a Mom An orphanage in Seoul

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aria and I walked out of the Gubeundari subway station, clutching our umbrellas. As soon as we were on the sidewalk, we began dodging puddles. As the water seeped in through my shoes, I couldn’t help thinking, “Why didn’t I wear flip-flops like her?” Soon enough, my socks began to get soaked and my jeans were sticking onto my ankles.

I could’ve at least worn shorts. Maria led me into a lowermiddle-class neighborhood with houses packed together and small grocery stores here and there. She, being familiar with our destination, led the way as we weaved through the crammed houses. We stopped in front of a four-story, bright-orange brick building, which enclosed a small area where a few boys were playing badminton. Maria muttered ,“No way…” and told me that the place was unrecognizable from when she and my sister came five years ago.

When my family was in Korea, my sister and her best friend Maria had come to this same building as high school sophomores to teach English to the orphans who lived there. With my sister off in summer school in the United States, Maria had invited me to come along and meet the children. Perhaps I could start going with her regularly next vacation, she suggested.

We folded our umbrellas and walked into the entrance, which she told me hadn’t changed. When we arrived, a woman whom I later found out the children refer to as “Mom,” greeted us and explained that the old building had caught fire. Some wiring was out of place and a spark lit up. The fire spread throughout the building while the children were asleep. Luckily, everyone was able to leave the building safely. They had built this new building that the children would soon be moving into. She then introduced us to the five second-grade girls to whom we would teach English. Getting everyone together was a challenge because the girls were so sprightly that once we took our eyes off them they’d drift off to play with other friends.

Ten minutes past four, and—at last—we were all in the cafeteria sitting around one of their dining tables.

Being the first day, Maria and I introduced ourselves to the girls and got them to write “My name is ____.” What surprised me about watching them perform such a simple task was how they interacted with each other while doing it. Some of them were so rude to one another, snatch-

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Minjae Park ing the pen from each other’s hands, crossing out each others’ work, hiding their own work so that their peers couldn’t copy, arguing to try on my and Maria’s watches first. Their language was even worse: “If you dare peek at what I wrote, I’m going to kill you.” Even I wouldn’t have looked with that threat. Competitiveness and lack of discipline aren’t a good combination, and two or three of those eight- or nine-year-old girls had both in abundance.

By 4:40, three of the girls had wandered off so Maria and I, first making sure the watches the girls had enthusiastically tried on were on our own wrists, proposed that the two remaining girls show us their rooms. We were led to the new orange building where the two girls showed us the room they’d soon be living in. It was surprisingly large and clean, almost like an unfurnished hotel. We then climbed the stairs onto the rooftop, which had railings around so the children wouldn’t fall off. The view was a scenic end to the day. “Thanks for showing us around.

We’ll see you next Thursday,” we said and left for the subway.

The whole experience got me thinking about orphans and the effects that being parentless had on them.

It’s too presumptuous to say “orphans grow up without love” because the girls have each other, and the woman who greeted us and the helpers we met at the cafeteria, all seemed to they genuinely care about the girls. Like when one girl tried to help remove the excess water from the air conditioning, one of the cooks warned her that it was too heavy for her, that she might get hurt and that she should leave it to me (Thanks). While we must remember that those five girls were only eight or nine years old, it is surely no coincidence that three of the girls were the roughest, scariest second graders (including boys) I’d ever met. They were all comfortable with threatening each other with death. They could be extremely nasty to one another and when arguing, whoever was right didn’t always get her way.

Halfway through our second class, one of the girls left the room and came back with a bag of chips. Soon, all of them just left to grab the same bag of chips. Whether having a snack or learning English, the girls did everything together as if sisters, whether they like it or not; all of them had to spend time with each other. Naturally,

editors-in-chief they learned from each other, so each bad habit and new abusive language spread amongst them. When those girls come home from school at 3 pm to their bedtime at around 11 pm, their “mom” isn’t always there to reprimand them for their foul language. There are other consequences of a lack of supervision. One of the girls came to the next class with a pen she’d picked up on the street. The ink soon burst and she was a black mess and there was no one to tell her to clean herself. She didn’t bother cleaning up.

The girls could also learn positive things from each other, one might say. And I’m sure they do. They will certainly become more independent individuals. But children need guidance. An adult must be by their sides, especially when they’re young, to help them make the correct decisions. I never saw a helper outside his office and when a boy started crying, the only person to console him was one of my students.

Another consequence of spending so much time together is that the girls fought for attention, as brothers and sisters often do. But this competition was not regulated by a parent who acts as a judge. In our English class, for example, when “Mom” wasn’t there, they crossed out each other’s work and kept their own work to themselves.

The concept of sharing which conflicts with their natural instincts isn’t constantly drilled into them.

I can’t imagine any second grade girl I’ve ever known fitting into that group of girls. I didn’t go to the orphanage to feel sorry for the kids. And I didn’t feel sorry for them while they bickered amongst themselves at every opportunity. But reflecting on their environment and how that made them such rough children, I not only wonder but wish “if only each of those girls had a mom.”

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A briga por energia Paraguai exige parte da energia produzida em Itaipu

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ex-bispo Fernando Lugo, agora presidente da República do Paraguai, indicou que passaria a exigir o aumento do preço da energia produzida na usina hidrelétrica de Itaipu, na semana do dia 22 de abril de 2008. Essa usina, que abastece 19% da demanda de energia do Brasil e 91% do Paraguai, foi construída em 1973 por meio de um acordo entre o governo militar de Médici (Brasil) e Stroessner (Paraguai).

Ela fica localizada na fronteira Brasil-Paraguai, onde havia o Salto das “Sete Quedas”, composto por 21 cachoeiras, em uma extensão de cinco quilômetros.

A construção da usina destruiu “As sete quedas” e deslocou mais de 8 mil famílias, algumas das quais não conseguiram comprar terras equivalentes com a indenização.

Localizada no rio Paraná, Itaipu faz uso de uma queda de 120 metros, cujo impacto foi considerado “um dos maiores desastres ecológicos do século 20”. A usina tem a capacidade de produzir, instantaneamente, 10 mil megawatts, o que pode suprir a energia do Brasil por 81 dias. O custo atual da produção de energia é de US$4 por megawatt, sendo esse o valor depois do pagamento de royalties e da dedução do custo operacional de Itaipu. Lugo reivindica que o preço a ser pago é de US$37 por megawatt, o que seria US$1,5 bilhão, anualmente, pela energia. Isso seria 5,5 vezes maior do que o valor pago atualmente, de US$ 275 milhões por ano.

O preço foi estabelecido em um contrato de 1973, assinado por ambos os países após o termino da construção, no qual era estabelecida a venda de energia para o Brasil cobrindo somente o custo da manutenção e produção.

Cabe notar que a venda foi feita para que o Paraguai pagasse a dívida que levantou quando assinou o acordo de construção, em 1966, segundo qual o Brasil se encarregaria de pagar a construção em dinheiro, enquanto o Paraguai reembolsaria o Brasil através da venda da energia, até o termino do contrato, em 2023. Para a construção, foram necessários US$30 bilhões(atualmente US$ 60 bilhões), sendo que o Paraguai ajudou com US$ 100 milhões, deixando o resto para o Brasil. Para pagar sua parte, o Paraguai fez um empréstimo do Banco do Brasil, enquanto o Brasil teve de assumir uma dívida no ex-

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Carlo H. Neumark terior.

Celso Amorim, ministro das Relações Exteriores, afirmou que “a essência do tratado não pode ser negociada”, no entanto, o Itamaraty preparou um “pacote” com mais de 14 acordos entre o Paraguai e o Brasil, que servirá para “amaciar” a situação. Além disso, serão feitos acordos de infra-estrutura com investimentos de empresas brasileiras.

Três dessas obras têm como objetivo impulsionar o agronegócio no Paraguai. Uma delas é a construção de uma linha de transmissão de energia, entre a Usina e Assunção, o que deverá custar US$350 milhões, e será conduzida pela Eletrobrás e realizada por empresas brasileiras financiadas pelo Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social(BNDES).

Além disso, está previsto um trecho ferroviário entre Cascavel e Foz do Iguaçu, no Paraná, o que faz parte de um projeto maior que conecta Antofagasta(Chile), Encarnación(Paraguai) e Posadas(Argentina). A terceira obra inclui a construção de um centro de escoamento em Concepción(Paraguai), o qual seria abastecido pela soja colhida no Mato Grosso do Sul e fazendas paraguaias beirando o Rio Uruguai.

Fernando Lugo anunciou, no dia 9 de maio de 2008, duas alternativas para o governo do Brasil em prol usina binacional. Lugo pretende pagar a dívida restante da construção da usina, o que soma US$20 bilhões, para a Eletrobrás, em duas etapas: a primeira metade e depois US$ 2 bilhões anuais. Isso evitaria qualquer mudança do contrato que está em vigor até 2023. A outra solução sugerida por Lugo é que a Eletrobrás pagasse ao Paraguai US$ 2 bilhões anualmente, em vez de US$300 milhões. Porém, nenhum dos acordos propostos levam em conta as taxas de interesse que o Brasil teve de pagar devido às dívidas externas. Lugo usou essas exigências como plataforma eleitoral, alegando que a desvalorização do dólar levou a um valor menor do que deve ser pago ao Paraguai em relação à venda de sua cota de energia para o

Itaipu.org

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War and Peace A Tolstoyan irony applied to reality

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Andrew Shim

city of Gori. The Georgians have recalled most of their forces s the age-old ideals of peace and globalism are celebrated to defend the capital against the superior Russian forces. The in the Chinese capital of Beijing, a bitter conflict looms over Russians currently have about 500 tanks and 25,000 troops in the small nation of Georgia, located exactly in between within Georgia, according to the latter. the Black and Caspian seas, against its oversized and nucleInternational responses are still coming. Georgia is ar-possessing neighbor, the Russian Federation. The origins very pro-Western and an American ally, and expects to seek of the war lie in a Georgian province called South Ossetia, out international aid. U.S. President George W. Bush has rewhere ethnic Ossetians are seeking acted by commenting, “The United their own independence from the States takes this matter very seriouspredominately Georgian republic. ly [...] Georgia is a sovereign nation Because many Ossetians hold a Rusand its territorial integrity must be sian nationality and passport, Russia respected.” has aided the tiny breakaway state Saakashvili has already after a Georgian attack on the sepasigned a cease-fire proposal which ratist forces in the Ossetian capital will be considered in Moscow by Rusof Tskhinvali. sian President Medvedev, and which

By August 8th, Russian Prime will decide the fate of Georgia domiMinister Vladimir Putin, who was nance in South Ossetia. in Beijing at the time, condemned Yet Russia’s military interthese attacks and added that his vention itself has numerous notewornation would retaliate, and by that thy implications. Above all, it reveals evening, the Russians mobilized an the nation’s intention of ignoring the entire army within the tiny provpost-Cold War stability in the region, ince, leading to a full-scale war with by infringing upon the sovereignty of the Georgian military. a smaller and weaker state. Mainly It is not the first time South Ossetia has openly challenged Geor- Georgian president pushed to the ground while jets fly by. boosted by its economic recovery NYTimes.com from the Soviet collapse, the Russians gian authority; the war of 1992 left have again risen as a world power, and this invasion marks an a fragile peace in the area, brokered by Russian diplomacy. almost ostentatious display of Russian military strength. The Russia maintains that it was Georgia that broke this peace last time Georgia was invaded by its larger neighbor was in by mobilizing its troops into South Ossetia, despite the fact 1921, when the Red Army marched into the nation, under the that the latter is a region of the former, and maintains soverorders of the Georgian-born official, Joseph Stalin. eignty over its provinces. Russia, which supports the separatThis current war maintains an ironic undertone. While ist movements of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, claimed that the world is occupied with the glorified theme of peace durthe Georgians had committed genocide by murdering civiling the Olympic Games, such devastation occurs in the Cauians. Ironically, however, Russian intervention has significantly casus. Russia, rather than fulfilling its role as a peacekeeper increased the indices of collateral damage in the province. and source of aid in its region, seeks its own national interest Moscow maintains that its military intervention is by invading a nation which poses no actual threat to Russian purely for peacekeeping purposes, and has no other intention, stability. yet Georgia’s president Mikheil Saakashvili has characterized One would think that by this age of co-prosperity, war the war as “the process of invasion, occupation, and annihilawould be an almost obsolete concept. In relative terms, the tion of an independent, democratic country,” world has never seen such a time of peace, yet it is regrettable The president himself was forced to flee the Georgian that this stream of peace has to be diluted by the horrors of a capital of Tbilisi on the 11th as the fighting escalated and selfish war.

Russian forces pushed further into Georgia, moving into the

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news

Phase II: Hail Storm The impending storm in the U.S. economy

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his would be the most auspicious of moments in the current state of financial markets to ask Reuters for a poll on whether we’ve officially ended and exited the Credit Crunch.

We have now undergone a full 18 months of financial turmoil that started off with a housing price slump. Many claim it’s the end of a dire phase of banks taking huge blows (the toll is now around $480 billion dollars off balance sheets year-todate). The “bulls”(optimists) have been given strong reason to believe the worst of the credit crunch is over—major indices are off by 9-14% each, and most residential debt has been marked down to 22 cents on the dollar. What else could go sour?

Phase II. It is indeed fair to say that Phase I, comprised mainly of bad bets on residential mortgages and low housing prices is nearly over. Phase II, on the other hand, has just recently kicked in: we have yet to see the full deterioration of debt markets for commercial real estate and consumer credit loans, such as those sweetened credit card and auto loans people carry on their backs.

While home prices have dropped 18% since their 2006 peak in the United States, and mortgage rates have risen despite weak demand for housing loans, banks have yet to feel the true impact of marking down their commercial real estate assets. This market, which traditionally has responded to housing price change, does have a longer reaction time. As investors, we can clearly observe the somewhat fragile nature of rate cuts of the Federal Reserve: they have trimmed the rates by 3.25% since September and now stand at 2%. The 30 year mortgage rate is at 6.6% versus 6.4% in September. A 20 basis point difference such as this one is huge. The same applies to the market for corporate bonds—this is traditionally a more illiquid market than treasuries, and their spread has also increased by 20 basis points. These spread increases have happened mainly due to inflation concerns, pushing market rates higher. In addition, while banks lost 480 billion, they only managed to raise 345 billion dollars according to the Wall Street Journal. They therefore still need to raise 135 billion dollars to be fully capitalized. Usually this money can be leveraged around 10 times, meaning there are 1.9 trillion dollars of credit which are no longer available to be lent out.

This translates into a supply constraint—therefore the price for credit shoots up, since the amount of money being placed into the credit markets is minimal. Banks are no longer able to lend as much, which by simple economic reasoning pushes

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Simão H. Neumark prices higher for each loan.

In addition to the structural woes faced by banks, the consumer is now in even more jeopardy than before—faced with a possible default on their mortgages, people are now turning to defaulting on their credit card and auto loans.

This is the next logical step—nonfarm payrolls have suffered a substantial drop in July. The stimulus checks sent out by the government have already been entirely spent. Consumers have no great prospect in sight in terms of their disposable income, even more so when home-equity credit lines dry up.

This reflects a potential danger for regional banks again: The Economist claims that “small regional banks, less diversified than their larger brethren and more exposed to riskier asset classes such as home-equity lines of credit and commercial real estate, are most at risk of running out of capital-raising options.” We should be expecting larger bank failures, parallel to consumers defaulting on their small and least significant loans.

Even though this analysis is constrained to credit markets in the U.S. there is still room to expound on possible spill-overs for different places around the globe. American consumers are no longer shopping, and their marginal propensity to consume (how much is spent with every 1000 dollars earned) is likely to fall behind 1.1%. Consumers worldwide are now benefiting from a major sell-off in the commodity markets, which seems to be the greatest indication of the impending slowdown worldwide—there is a slugging demand for commodities now, as opposed to the frenzy in 2007. With the dollar at record-low levels, the U.S.’s exports are growing at a faster rate than China’s for the first time in years. This means that European consumers, along with the Japanese, are prepared to substitute into cheaper imported goods, and weaken their domestic industries.

The bottom line is that even though the world is positioned to suffer a smaller recession that the United States, the ripples of Phase I are now starting to be felt—investors must now quickly make their decision on how bad and how deep Phase II of the credit crunch will be to understand the potential impact on worldwide growth.

Simão H. Neumark (Graded ‘06) is a rising junior and economics major at the University of Chicago.

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A Call from Tibetans Protests escalate during the Olympics

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rotests by Tibetans and their supporters escalated in the months leading up to the Olympics. These protests were an attempt to draw the world’s attention to the plight of the Tibetan people and their cause. The effort was successful in its goal and sparked a wave of support all over the world.

On Saturday, August 9, at the Olympic Games, an attempt to display support for Tibet was blocked more than once.

This conflict between Tibet and China started way before most of these Olympic athletes were born. In 1950, China claimed Tibet, which had previously been its own free nation, as part of its territory.

Ever since the initial tumult, there has been tremendous conflict between the Tibetans who want their country back and the Chinese who believe that Tibet is rightfully theirs.

The conflict and protests have escalated in the last several months as the Olympics have neared. Protesters work towards a free Tibet which some believe will be recognized in the near future. Yet on many occasions protests within Tibet have been met with stern measures taken

by Chinese authorities. The fact that the Chinese are trying very hard to prevent a Tibetan uprising makes it hard to believe that anything will happen any time soon.

With the Olympics taking place in China through August, protesting was an ideal way to get a message out. On August 9, a young student was removed from the Games for attempting to display the Tibetan flag. Christina Chan, the student, was displaying a placard with the Canadian flag and the Tibetan flag underneath. She later peeled off the Canadian flag to show the Tibetan flag. When she was asked to leave, she refused and was eventually carried away. Administrators at the games said that she was asked to leave because she was displaying the flag of a country that was not participating in the games, violating the Olympic code (CNN).

Also on August 9, a man coming to watch an Olympic

Danielle Aguilar event was stopped because of the message on his t-shirt. He was asked to remove his shirt which read, “Democracy and human rights are more important than the Olympics” (CNN).

Earlier, on August 6, two days before the start of the Olympics, four activists were detained for their pro-Tibet demonstrations. The four men had gone outside of Beijing’s National Stadium, where the Olympic opening ceremony would be held, and unfurled a pro-Tibet banner (Yahoo News). These are only a few examples of the protests that took place during the Olympic Games.

ladharma.org

With all of this going on, one cannot help but to wonder what things would be like if the Tibet-China conflict were resolved or if China had not taken Tibet in the first place back in 1950. Yet, the truth is that this conflict has not been resolved and we should be expecting increasing global support behind it.

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news

Community Read Day 2008 Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Photos by Nelson Cho

Once, books appealed to a few people, here, there, everywhere....But then the world got full of eyes and elbows and mouths. Films and radios, magazines, books leveled down to a sort of pastepudding norm.

Then, in the 20th century, books cut shorter. Condensations. Digests. Tabloids. Everything boils down to the gag, the snap ending. Classics cut to fit 15-minute shows, then cut again to fill a 20-minute book column, winding up at last as a 10- or 12-line dictionary summary. Many were those people whose sole knowledge of Hamlet was a one-page digest in a book that claimed, “Now at last you can read all the classics; keep up with your neighbors!” (Beatty, 54-55)

Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.

So few want to be rebels any more.

(Faber, 87)

Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said.

A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall build of a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you’re there. It doesn’t matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that’s like you after you take your hands away.

(Granger, 156-157)

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Those who don’t build must burn. It’s as old as history. (Faber, 87)

There used to be front porches. And people sat there sometimes at night, talking when they wanted to talk, rocking, and not talking when they didn’t want to talk. Sometimes they just sat there and thought about things, turned things over.

Architects got rid of the front porches because the didn’t look well, but that was merely rationalizing it; the real reason, hidden underneath, might be they didn’t want people sitting like that, doing nothing, rocking talking; that was the wrong kind of social life. People talked too much. And they had time to think. So they ran off with the porches. And the gardens, too. (Montag, 63) I don’t think it’s social to get a bunch of people together and then not let them talk, do you? An hour of TV class, an hour of basketball or baseball or running, another hour of transcription history or painting pictures, and more sports, but do you know, we never ask questions, or at least most don’t; they just run the answers at you, bing, bing, bing, and us sitting there. It’s a lot of funnels and a lot of water poured down the spout and out the bottom, and them telling us it’s wine when it’s not. (Clarisse, 29-30)

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Magic is Now Reality Scientists discover Harry Potter’s invisible cloak material

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ave you ever wondered how many things you could do with Harry Potter’s invisible cloak? Spy on your siblings or walk through places without anyone knowing? What if this magical, out of reach, invisible cloak became reality?

In fact, this big step towards real-life invisibility was taken August 10, 2008 by North American scientists financed by the Pentagon. They found a new material that can bend visible light in three dimensions. This new discovery will permit three-dimensional objects to “hide” and be transparent, according to Nature magazine.

Created by scientists from the University of California–Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, the material does not have any natural matter, but rather the matter is created thanks to nano-engineering. The vanishing act created by the fabric happens on a “nano-scale”, measured in billionths of a meter. Jason Valentine, Xian Zahan and others from Berkeley have created multiple layers in the form of a network with these properties: Since the light neither absorbs nor reflects on the object, it becomes invisible permitting us to see what is right behind it. The scientists claimed, “We are getting closer and closer to making pos-

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Maria Victoria Guijarro sible an invisibility cloak, now that we have demonstrated this new material maneuvers light to our on will.”

Their research was financed by the Defense Department in the United States, who could make military use of this material. For example, with this they could eventually be able to perfectly camouflage military vehicles. Spies in the CIA or FBI may no longer have to worry about getting caught; they would only have to worry about being found out from the noise they might make.

The formula for the material is, of course, top secret. There have been several attempts to copy this material by others, but they failed due to severe limitations. One of the trial materials only worked through microwave range of the light spectrum, bending wavelengths for an extensive time to be visible to the human eye. Besides that, it only works on thin, two-dimensional systems.

Scientists are also considering how to invent special lenses for scopes in order to see if someone is wearing the invisible material. But given the complexity of nano-engineering, they can only go slowly, one invention at a time. Yet, perfecting this new invention is priority.

So think about this: a fabric that makes you invisible. Imagine the future where every kid will want one and wear it; imagine the future, when everyone has one—how chaotic would everything turn out. Would you be able to trust people around you? How will you know if you are just telling one person a secret? What if Harry Potter’s magical cloak became reality?

point of view

Therein Lies the Paradox Getting involved

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f I could be ten forever, I wouldn’t be writing this article.

Actually, I would’ve been long in bed by now. It would be the beginning of yet another fifth grade, where English is still called Language Arts and Science is just Science, not IB Physics SL, not IB Bio HL, not Anatomy, just Science. I wouldn’t have to worry at all about IBs since I wouldn’t even recognize their existence yet. I would be able to play in the playgrounds and soccer fields instead of jamming myself into libraries and labs to finish homework, study for tests, and complete presentations. My extracurricular activities would limit themselves to watching Nickelodeon religiously, and my greatest responsibility would be to determine how many spoons of Nescau should be mixed in with my milk. No CAS, no Flex, no stress and almost no homework. I would be able to color my agenda in public and probably would even receive a grade for it. SAT and GPA would simply be letters of the alphabet.

Yet, as fond as I am of these childhood memories, I don’t think that I would change my current life for the one I had six years ago. For as pleasant as it was, I have to admit I was somewhat confined to a surreal notion of reality. Not only due to the repetitive routine that I had to endure, but also because of the strict boundaries that not only restrained my questioning but also contained my thoughts. The good thing about getting older is that gradually, we start acquiring tools that will help with the lifting of these barriers. Suddenly, we are exposed to an entirely different reality than the utopian one of childhood.

There, we encounter suffering, hunger, poverty and disease. In a careful opening of Pandora’s Box, we realize that our fortunate reality isn’t shared by all. Once this happens we acquire a more critical vision of not only our background but of our daily lives as well. This different perception of reality leads us involuntarily towards awareness. We now drink our Nescau with the notion that there are kids in Africa who have never seen milk before in their lives. We no longer watch Nickelodeon, but establish new rituals; ones that

Victoria Steinbruch involve flipping through news channels so that we can get updated oncurrent events. Most of us embrace this change for we are able to recognize the world beyond our own existence. As a direct consequence of that, we become naturally concerned with all the awful things we see happening around us. Simply by becoming conscious we have already assumed a big responsibility. That is the spark to getting involved. We are showered with information every single day in a way that doesn’t permit our detachment from the world around us.

There is no way that we can go back to fifth grade. We can’t hide there anymore, because some time or another, reality will catch us (if Mr. Dequanne doesn’t first).

Therefore, it is time to start making a difference.

Our school offers us countless programs and activities where we can attempt to improve the lives of others, even if just a little bit. Whether it is through the building of houses, keeping the elderly company, teaching kids with disabilities how to read or helping with the development of a fishing community, we must do our part. We are all well aware of the misfortunes that many people have to Getty Images battle to simply survive. We know of the injustices that occur all over the world as well as the absurd suffering that happens and that these things are often treated with indifference and disregard. We don’t have to go out and dedicate our lives to saving the world. What we have to do is stop ignoring unfairness. We should start small and gradually our acts will begin to have a positive impact upon the lives of others. We are in no position to ignore our responsibilities anymore. We have resources in our hands and the only thing missing is the drive. Once we find that drive insid should at least try to make things better or else we deserve to go back to fifth grade.

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point of view

If You Ask Me...

The infinite possibilities of “if”

W

hen a question includes or begins with the word “if” it usually has to do with different possibilities. “If I cut English tomorrow will I get caught?” or “What would happen if I were to cure cancer?” all open up the door to thousands, millions, even infinite possibilities, but only one will actually transpire.

So why ponder on a future which can branch off innumerably and uncontrollably? For one: it is entertaining. It’s like writing a fictional story with all the characters already created for you. It can make for a very pleasant daydream.

People always like to see themselves in a better light. It’s a way to escape from the teacher’s boring lecture on that thing that you weren’t paying enough attention to. The downside is it probably won’t happen the way you envisioned it. Not to mention that what you missed in that lecture will probably be on a test.

Another reason to ask “if” could be simply for planning ahead. Be it a day, career or even a lifetime, people constantly use, and leave openings for, different possibilities. After all, it is impossible to accurately set in stone what will occur in one’s life. However, in opening the door for the possibility of an occurrence, we also inadvertently open the much more unpleasant prospect that it won’t happen period.

“If I get into Harvard” is a highly ambitious proposal, but the possibility of not getting in is still out there.

Scientists take a different approach to statements with “ifs” in them. Everyone who has ever taken at least a week of science class will know that I am talking about the infamous if, then statements of a well formulated hypothesis. But science is not that different from human nature.

In science, experiments are done to see the effect a dependant variable will have on the independent variable. If, then statements with people are not that different. An experiment that has not been done before will probably have unforeseen results, as with people. Predictions can be made, voiced as hypotheses, but people, like nature, are erratic, often disproving the statements.

However, unlike in science, when people theorize on their futures, they often forget to include the oh-so important variables. When measuring plant growth in which the dependant variable is the quality of water given to the plants, the soil has to be uniform throughout all the trials and the constants, as does the position of the plants so that they receive the same amount of sunlight. The position and the soil

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Martin Shores are the variables. If people are going to make predictions, then in the interest of accuracy, they too should take the variables into consideration.

Whatever the situation or the moment in our lives, the questions associated with “if” and its accompanying possibilities will arises even for the most menial things. The magnitudes of these simple questions vary, from such inquiries as “if I were to wear this to school tomorrow…” to “will I be happy if I marry her?” But very rarely do things actually work out the way we envisioned them to, if they happen at all. Just don’t be disappointed when that supermodel you wanted to marry turns out to be fat.

IF Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run— Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man my son!

point of view

An Eraser for our Consciousness Living in past or present?

W

hat if we could go back in time and fix all of our mistakes? Hop into a time machine, punch in some numbers and vooop, off you go to erase all traces of an error you made long ago. What would life be like then? All clean and utterly spotless; no experience but also no pain.

Can you imagine, looking back and seeing a lifetime of fulfilled dreams and absolute perfection? No regrets, no hurt feelings, no enemies. Nothing. It would be as if you grabbed a broom and swept them all away, cleaned every nook and cranny, leaving nothing but a calm sense of pride. Pride that comes from nothing but misconception and delusion. There would be no remorse and your parents would never be disappointed in you.

Sounds ideal, doesn’t it?

No, it does not. If no one made mistakes, neither society nor individuals would progress. We would continue stumbling onto the same problems, making the same mistakes and never going beyond our starting point. Humans have evolved as a result of trial and error. If you took away the errors, there would be no evolution. Technology and medicine would still be at the level they were when the wheel was invented. And where would we be? Nowhere. Neither moving forward nor backwards.

Think about the many stories you have to tell right now. If all of our mistakes were erased, we would have no stories to share and no lessons to teach our children or grandchildren. We would be a failure as parents because we would allow our children to commit the same mistakes we obliterated from our memories, even if unintentionally. We would be a failure as doctors because we would continue to transfer the wrong blood and perform the wrong surgery. We would be failures as humans because we would make no mistakes. After all, the mistakes we make are part of what makes us human.

Let’s say you and a friend got into a disagreement. It was a nasty fight and you’re sorry that it happened. Would it

Georgia Caldart be worthwhile to go back in time and agree with that friend or would you rather deal with the situation in the present?

In that case, would a time machine be handy? If everyone had access to such a machine, we would all live for the past.

There would be no present because we would be constantly skipping from past to future and back.

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Our past is meant for learning. Our future is meant for us to apply what we learned. And our present is meant for us to live. Changing the past won’t prevent us from committing further mistakes, and it certainly won’t change the fact that we once committed them. It would only hide the truth from us and alter the natural course of life. Now think about it; is that really what you wish for?

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point of view

No Pain, No Gain If only we didn’t complain about homework

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f Graded students had no homework, how would their lives change? I always hear complaints concerning homework in my classes: “Oh no, we have this and that, we have so much to do”. In the halls, during break, even while eating in the cafeteria, people complain about their homework. Is it only in the high school? No, homework complaints are everywhere, even middle and elementary school students dislike it. These tasks given by teachers for us to do at home are often laborious and boring.

Thinking about this matter from another perspective, teachers also probably dislike giving out homework because our homework, in turn, becomes their homework to check and grade. In addition, when students complain about homework, teachers are also bothered because they don’t like being whined to. Both teachers and students tend to dislike this chore. On the other hand, some people would say that homework is needed to review what was studied in class, or to further understand the topic assigned.

Think, for one second, if Graded students had no homework. Without homework, students could do whatever they wanted with their afterschool time without having to worry or feel guilty. I know that I would definitely love life without homework. After finishing school, many students could more easily enjoy after-school activities such as sport teams, academic group meetings, and so on. Other students would just go home and hang out with their friends or take a nap or just watch TV. On a completely different side, some students, including me, would be bothered by their parents to study since they don’t have any homework at all, but would still end up doing nothing. Still, without any homework, people would definitely feel much less pressure from school and would have another extra two or three hours to do something else. With homework, while doing personal things, in the deepest part of our minds, we are nagged by something; an uncomfortable feel-

14 • the talon

Ho Jun Yang ing of guilt for not doing something.

Looking at the situation above, it’s probably hard to understand why there is any homework at all. The question is: does homework really serve a purpose? Do students and teachers actually benefit from it at all? After pondering on

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these questions, I came to a conclusion. School is like a job; doing homework is part of the job. Homework is like doing overtime, but more obligatory. It helps us create a sense of responsibility and independence, meaning we’ll learn to do our work without having someone remind us.

So, even though so many people think badly of homework and dislike it, we should learn to appreciate it. If there were no homework, students wouldn’t get used to being responsible and taking care of themselves. People would definitely have a bit more free time but, unequivocally, they’d be unprepared to embrace the responsible mentality of an adult.

Therefore, before somebody complains again about homework I wish that everybody would just pause for a moment remember and try appreciating what we get from homework.

features

If I had Known...

The overly repeated advice that has suddenly made sense

“A

ll applications must be completed by October 15,” stated Ms. Clemensen as the entire senior class flinched and gasped in fear. Although the thought of the date being over two months away may seem comforting, in reality, this sinister deadline will arrive more quickly than many of us might expect. Two months is all the time I have to write to all the colleges I hope to apply to. Two months, my friend, is not enough time to reflect on my life. As I started to do it, I began to think of all the things I wish I had known when the long journey of high school was just beginning.

1. Listen Up One of the most frustrating aspects of the college application process involves the oh-so-lovely test called the SAT—or as I like think of it, Screams And Tears. Some find it to be a bearable process whilst others complain of its tedious questions, formulated by test makers who sit and think of all the possible trick questions and answers, just to make the whole process that much more fun. In order to make it even more fun, the test covers subjects that you learn in your freshman year, which quite frankly, many forget. So pay attention and make sure you understand all the concepts now, for I guarantee you, they will come up again.

2. Naps Are Golden* Now, if you are a clever student who manages to balance your time well to the point where you can have the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, I am extremely jealous. Well done. As for me, I’ve tried numerous techniques to attempt to sleep at a reasonable hour, but have failed to find anything that works. However, there is one thing that I am sure of, and that is this: “Naps are golden.” I remember during my orientation, when I was new at Graded, the seniors kept chanting those words at me, and now I see that they couldn’t be more right. So, when you are loaded with homework, exhausted from practice, and all you want to do is

Vivian Lorencatto sleep, a twenty-minute nap is all it takes to find some energy to keep you going to at least midnight (or more realistically, until two o’clock in the morning). * Disclaimer: If this technique does not work for you, please proceed to number 3.

3. Teachers Are Also Golden Another simple thing I hardly ever take advantage of is the ability to meet with my teachers whenever I need to.

As straightforward as this advice is, people tend to forget it. The teachers are here for the students—they are not the enemy. I lost count of all the times I’ve heard teachers tell me that I should have seen them for help , after I received a bad test grade.

So, one day I decided to try it. You know what? It actually worked. Once you get in the habit of it your life will be a whole lot easier and organized; you can avoid those last minute cram sessions before a test where your friend is trying to explain a topic you really know nothing about (because you didn’t go to your teacher), and you’re not grasping anything because it sounds like your friend is reciting inGetty Images formation he or she has remembered so perfectly (they probably went to see their teachers) and that just makes the situation worse. The whole “tell me all that you know” method doesn’t really work—give it up, and see your teacher.

4. It’s Not Always About the Books Basketball, Sister School, Knowledge Bowl—you know that endless stream of extracurricular activities that are incessantly advertised throughout the year? Take advantage of them. To quote this year’s Stuco president, Fabio: “Get involved.” Graded offers such a fantastic range of activities to participate in that will challenge you, help you grow, allow you to travel to new places, and allow you to meet new people. You will thank yourself.

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features

If We Were in Charge...

An informal survey concerning theoretical changes at Graded Amanda Rudzit and Melanie Vladimirschi

If you could change something about Graded, what would it be?

•“Schedule. They changed the schedule, so there are only 8 classes. We used to have 10 classes, so we could have more electives (14 out of 82 responses had to do with changes to schedule).

•“Less homework.”

•“The excruciatingly painful 80-minute classes. On really good days they seem like 80 minutes; on really bad days they seem like 80 hours.”

•“More big school events (e.g. a sports festival or school festival).”

•“Flex block: one day of assembly per week and all the rest should be free so students can choose to hang out, study, and more.”

•“More availability of AP courses.”

•“A greater option of IB courses to encourage more people to take the full IB Diploma.”

•“Annotating.”

•“The obligation of having to use lockers.”

•“Implement End-of-First Semester and End-of-Year Ceremonies.”

•“The stress level.”

•“The almost palpable arrogant atmosphere and ‘holier than thou’ attitude displayed by 90% of the students.” [Wow! Is someone having a bad day?]

• “Student cliques, according to nationalities.”

•“More electives.”

•“The cliques.”

•“The bureaucracy of changing classes.”

•“More places to hang out.”

•“Longer breaks and shorter classes.”

•“The multi-colored aspect of the Graded buildings.”

•“Half-days on Wednesdays.”

•“Put bells in the hallways.”

•“More study hall!”

If you could add one course to Graded, what would it be?

•“Business and Finance” •“Other languages like Korean, Latin, Italian, Deutsch.”

•“International Relations III” •“Advertisement” •“Chess” •“Web Design” •“Psychology” •“Marketing and Communication” •“Architecture” •“Advanced Digital Color Photography” •“Dance” •“Wall Climbing” •“History of Cinema”

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•“Marine Biology” •“Extended Essay Class” •“FBC—Free Block Course” •“Yoga” •“P.E. for 11th and 12th graders” •“Fashion” •“IB Econ HL” •“World Geography” •“Current Affairs” •“Nap Time” •“Cooking” •“Political Debating”

features

Ladies First An insight into the minds of this year’s new Graded female students Vivian Lorencatto 12th Grade

11th Grade

Name: Amanda Jackson Coming from: Bountiful, Utah

Name: Jessica Rush Coming from: Highlands Ranch, Colorado

If you had to name the most embarrassing moment of your life so far, when was it?

One of my most embarrassing moments was when I was on my first date with the guy I liked and ended up tripping flat on my face.

Amanda Jackson (all photos by Nelson Cho)

If you spoke English with a foreign accent, which would you want it to be?

I would want it to be an Australian accent. I love Australia for its beaches and kangaroos, and am a sucker for accents, especially Australian ones.

Name: Cami Malvido Coming from: Venezuela, but originally from Argentina

10th Grade Name: Mariana Salinas Coming from: New Zealand, but originally from Mexico If you were sentenced to spend the rest of your life in a prison cell with one person you know, who would you take?

I would take my best friend, Preshantha, with me. No matter how long I am trapped in a prison cell, I know we’d manage to make fun out of the situation and enjoy what we can. We always manage to laugh, no matter what the circumstances.

In fact, we would probably end up being kicked out of the prison for being a nuisance! Well, maybe not a nuisance, but I know not everyone shares the same kind of crazy humor as we do, so we would certainly wind up irritating someone.

Name: Ana Ramos Coming From: Venezuela

If you had to describe the perfect retirement home, what would it be like?

I would like to have people there to help me, yet not be with me 24/7. My friend would be there, and we’d give the nurses a hard time.

9th Grade Name: Brianna Reinhart Coming from: Pennsylvania If you could modify your computer in any way, how would you make it different?

I would make my computer shrink to the size where it could fit in my pocket.

Name: Yasmeen Prud’homme Coming from: Montreal, Canada

If you did not work, how much TV would you watch every day?

I’d probably watch it all day long, except for food breaks.

If you had to eliminate one emotion from your life, which would it be?

If I had to eliminate one emotion, it would be anger.

Ana Ramos

Yasmeen Prud’homme

the talon • 17

features

The Spotlight An interview with Fabio Berger

F

abio Berger, founder of GEE (Graded Entrepreneurship Enterprise), is our new high school Student Council president. Filled with an creative and determined spirit, Fabio is ready to start the year with a series of exciting and innovative ideas for the Graded community. From “Wacky Week” to ice-cream socials, Fabio is already planning a fun-filled upcoming year. Fabio certainly deserves to be our first person in “The Spotlight.”

What do you hope to accomplish in your upcoming Stuco retreat?

We have Stuco members from across all grade levels who, unfortunately, do not know each other very well. Therefore, I hope that during this retreat we will unite the Stuco into a stronger group.

Also, I hope that in this retreat we will decide on upcoming projects and changes that we wish to implement this year. We have already started organizing projects and assigning roles for each member.

What are two main goals or projects that you wish to fulfill this year?

Firstly, I want to get people involved.

This includes teachers, students, and parents. Everyone needs to be more involved in school activities. Secondly, I hope to increase the sense of community at Graded through fun activities such as Wacky Week (spirit week), day of random acts of kindness, and many more. Also, we want to focus more on prom, work with senior trip, have funnier flexes, and have basketball games with students vs. teachers! I really want to change how the student body views Stuco.

What’s your personal definition of Stuco?

Stuco is here to shorten the gap between teachers and students.

The one thing lacking at Graded is the communication between students and Stuco. We are hoping to plan one flex meeting every month in which grade levels meet with their Stuco representatives and discuss any issues or concerns they may have.

It’s important that students go to their representatives for any problems or suggestions, as Stuco can’t represent the student body with this lack of communication.

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Yumi Park and Vivian Lorencatto What challenges do you anticipate?

One challenge I anticipate is cynical people, people who won’t want to get involved with the school activities planned because they are, for example, “too cool to dress up as the opposite sex.” Also, it will be difficult changing our image from “talkers” to “doers.” We don’t want to be seen as people who simply sit around and talk about change, we want to carry it out.

If you could be Mr. Detwiler for one day, what immediate changes would you make to Graded?

I would be more relaxed on some of the rules that we currently have such as the PDA (Public Display of Affection) policy. I would give more freedom to both students and teachers concerning the dress code. It’s OK for teachers to wear jeans. Also, I would create a budget that could support after-school activities with any needed supplies or trips. This I feel could enhance the student experience and open up possibilities for what we all can do.

If you could be a contestant on any game show, on which would Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? or Possibilities.

If you were a machine, what machine would you be?

I would be an internet server, because it is ever expanding and contains all the information possible. Plus, you never get bored when you are surfing on the web.

If you could have only one piece of furniture in your house, which would it be and why?

My bed because of how much I value sleep.

If you could eliminate one odor from the earth, which one would it be?

The odor of bodily gases.

features

My PGC No single definition, but dozens that fit

T

here is no such thing as a dictionary definition for PGC or even a single Graded explanation for it. Literally, PGC stands for Peer Group Connection, yet that title does not explain the real meaning of the program. For the freshmen, PGC might evoke one kind of reaction, maybe memories relating to their leaders, activities or the retreat. Even so, each freshman experiences one facet of the program, while another might have a completely different impression. Amongst the seniors and teacher advisors, no consensus is found concerning the meaning of PGC. Therefore, I am bound to explain the program from my perspective, yet one must understand that the PGC I am talking about is the “Sharon version” of PGC, yet for each and every member this article would be completely different.

Sharon Feder After a three-year, I am writing as the leader I dreamed of being. No words can describe what I share and what I receive from my peer leaders. I feel we are becoming a real group, creating an atmosphere of security, love and growth. Every Day B or D I enter the PGC classroom knowing I will be challenged, heard and cared for. The group of 14 seniors and two teachers are all outstanding leaders. Beatriz Cavalieri, Addie Leach, Vivian Lorencatto, Giovanna Peviani, Rachel Zilberknop, Sybille Weaver, Antoine Crettex, Nelson Cho, Oscar Garcia, Erik Kim, Felix Wibergh, Carlo Neumark, Hunter Kitagawa, Elizabeth Baratta, Ty Stephenson and me. The senior-freshmen retreat will occur September 5-7 and we are all looking forward to it with great enthusiasm.

Nelson Cho

As a freshman, PGC meant fun, deep talks, senior friends and food. My ninth grade year would never have been as amazing as it was if it had not been for PGC. I remember how I would count the days until the next meeting with my group and leaders. I couldn’t wait to sit in a circle, talk, share, give, and— most importantly—learn about peers I probably would not have created such a deep bond with otherwise. Moreover, PGC greatly facilitated the notoriously traumatic transition into high school. I felt extremely welcomed and that amongst those enormous and frightening halls, a friendly senior would always smile at me and know my name.

PGC has a lot to offer to not only its participants but also the Graded community. PGC enables students to take leadership roles that encompass great responsibility. Thus, PGC is not only about connecting the freshmen to the seniors, but also connecting seniors to Graded, freshmen to Graded and Graded to the world.

As PGC is not limited to its past but rather gets a renewal of every year, PGC has a multiplicity of definitions. Ironically, it is the lack of a specific designated definition that defines it.

the talon • 19

entertainment

If You Could Control the Universe Will Wright’s newest creation: Spore

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pore may just be the ultimate “If…” game of all time.

Imagine if you could control the fate of an entire species beginning as a unicellular organism and ending all the way up to an era of space colonization. Now, imagine you don’t have to imagine this: It comes out on September 5.

Spore, the most awaited video game from software giant Electronic Arts (EA Games), is set out to dazzle players far and wide, and everything points to a major success. The game’s mastermind, Will Wright, who is responsible for the best-selling PC game in history, The Sims, began developing Spore in 2000. Since then, approximately US$20 million has been spent on development, according to the New York Times.

The game includes five different phases: the cell phase, the creature phase, the tribal phase, the civilization phase and the space phase.

In each of these phases lies almost an entirely different style of game play. The cell phase is almost purely based on survival. In a 2-D aquatic environment, your creature needs to feed itself and evade predators in order for it to leave the water and go onto land for the first time. Once on land the creature phase begins with a whole new level of interaction. There is a whole planet to explore with other creatures to meet (some bigger and more dangerous than yours). Depending on whether your creature is carnivorous, herbivorous or omnivorous, you will have a vastly different playing style.

Soon enough, your creature will decide to “bond” with another one from the opposite sex and live together with others of the same species. Thus begins the tribal phase. Here, your newly found community will begin to experiment with different things such as dance, tools, weapons, music and organization. Depending on whether you play as a ruthless, violent tribe or a peace-loving one, the creatures will begin to interact with each other differently. More militaristic species will pretend-battle each other, for instance. Soon, when your creature and

20• the talon

Andrew Churchill tribe have evolved enough, the civilization phase begins.

Here, you take power over an entire city and attempt to gain control of the full planet, the same one, as when you began as a single organism, now seen from farther out.

Finally, a UFO becomes available and the entire universe is at your fingertips to explore and do with it what you see fit. There are over 500,000 planets to explore in several different galaxies. Rumor has it there are even black holes that can take you to unexpected places.

But perhaps one of the most interesting things about this game, besides its sheer size and the freedom it allows for players, is the fact that the entire universe is populated by creatures generated by other players.

The game asynchronously downloads new creations from a huge database online. Your creatures are also sent to the database to be distributed onto thousands of other players’ games. And thus an ecosystem is formed.

Speaking of ecosystems, the game relies heavily on scientific principles such as evolution and natural selection. Not only will your creawww.gamingsteve.com ture have to adapt to survive in its environment, but the environment around you will adapt to your creature’s presence. From the beginning of the game onwards, several scientific topics are touched upon, if only briefly. In fact, some schools have discussed integrating Spore into their curricula as a method of teaching science and sociology.

Of course, it is impossible to explain such a complex game in only one page, but luckily there are many articles already online as well as hundreds of YouTube videos. From what I have seen, Spore will most likely deserve a rating of 10 out of 10. It will be released on September 5 in Brazil and Europe, and September 7 in the United States. The game will most likely be rated “E for Everyone.” If EA Games and their “gamewright” pull this one off, then we may soon be playing what will most likely be the most complex and entertaining “If…” game ever released.

entertainment entertainment

The Irreplaceable Actor Heath Ledger’s final role as the Joker Luiza Justus

A

fter his amazing performance in The Dark Knight

accepted the award.

as the Joker, Heath Ledger may be nominated for an Acad-

Ledger’s rendition in The Dark Knight made a good

emy Award after his death. This has happened before: Actors

impression on nearly everyone who saw it. He is said to have

such as James Dean, Massimo Troisi, Spencer Tracy and Peter

locked himself up in a hotel room for one month trying to

Finch were nominated for Oscars posthumously. However,

perfect his character, the Joker. He changed his Australian

Peter Finch was the only actor to actually be awarded it in

accent and even his voice to make the character seem more

1976, for the movie Network; his widow wife Aletha Finch

sinister and realistic. The critics agree that a large part of this film’s success can be attributed to Heath Ledger’s interpretation of his character. Kenneth Turan from the Los Angeles Times summed up the critics’ admiration: “Christopher Nolan’s powerful, disturbing Batman sequel is fueled by Heath Ledger’s indelible Joker.”

Unfortunately, after such an astounding accomplishment, Ledger died in his SoHo apartment in New York on January 22, 2008. He was found by his maid, Teresa Solomon, who thought he was merely sleeping. Later on, his masseuse Diana Wolozin came for a previously scheduled massage. She found him unconscious, then called his friend the actress Mary-Kate Olsen who called her security guards while Wolozin called 911 for rescue. By then, Ledger had already died from what was said to be an accidental overdose of different medications.

His death impacted many. Most people already knew him from movies such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Brokeback Mountain. However, his brilliantly played Joker in The Dark Knight is what made him more famous than ever, posthumously.

An Oscar nomination is almost certain, and there is a significant chance that he will actually win, and deservedly so, for he impressed the whole world with his incredible talent. Therefore, if he wins an Oscar for Best Actor, next year the moment in the ceremony will be twice as powerful because not only will it be an acknowledgement of his breathtaking performance, but it will also be an ovation to the exceptional man he was.

trillstarr.blogspot.com

the talon •21

entertainment

If You’re in the Mood for Adventure This winter’s cinematic escapades

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he months of June, July and August mean many things to our calendars: vacations, holidays, a little break from our regular routines. But it also means box office hits.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, those three months present the biggest movie season. This last holiday movie season was clearly marked by adventure films, so if you’re the kind interested in action-packed movies, this is the time to hit the theaters before the opportunity is lost.

We start with the ever-so-popular film, The Dark Knight. Hitting $441.5 million in its fourth week at the box office, it is now number three in the list of all-time box office hits along with Titanic and Star Wars. The Dark Knight is the continuation of the Batman series. It continues the story of the infamous story of the Joker, the menace lurking in the streets of Gotham City. When Batman decides to dismantle all criminal organizations left in the city, he is faced with a new threat: The psychopathic criminal named the Joker. The Joker’s laughter and physique makes him seem more dangerous than any other criminal in Gotham. Batman decides to stop the Joker at all costs. But what happens when Batman deals with a criminal whose only desire is to instill suffering in the world? Conflict on a grand scale. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is already legendary for his talent is obvious. Sadly, Ledger died earlier this year from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart also star in this movie as Batman and the D.A. Harvey Dent, respectively. The film is not only packed with action, but good acting.

Alongside this high action thriller, comes The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Brendan Fraser returns as the troubleseeking Rick O’Connell to battle a new kind of mummy. The ever so alive Hay Emperor of China and his 10,000 warriors wreak havoc in a film that races through China’s many wonders.

In this journey Rick is joined by his son Alex, played by Luke Ford, and wife Evelyn, played

by Maria Bello. When the mummy is brought back to life, the heroes of the story must stop his plan of world domination. But with supernatural powers and a whole legion to support him, the Emperor will not be easily stopped.

Will the O’Connells be able to keep the Dragon Emperor from taking over the world? See for

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Cássia Di Roberto yourself!

Adding to our summer hot list is none other than Will Smith, starring in the comedy-adventure movie Hancock, alongside Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman. This movie tells the story of an unhappy superhero who lives in his own world, giving us a different image of superheroes. Although he has saved hundreds of lives, he pays no heed to his surroundings and destroys everything in his path. One day Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey, a public relations executive. Since Embrey now owes Hancock his life, he makes it his goal to change Hancock’s public image so he may become more positively viewed.

The fourth movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth, captures action-packed adventure in phenomenal 3D. Brendan Fraser stars in this movie as well, as Trevor Anderson, a science professor with theories so different from popular beliefs that his reputation has suffered. However while backpacking through Iceland with his nephew, Sean Anderson, played by Josh Hutcherson, he discovers a cave leading deep into core of the planet. He journeys to find his missing brother, discovering a completely different and dangerous world in the center of our earth. This 3D film will capture your attention and ignite your imagination.

Whether you’re an adventure buff or not, these are four movies you do not want to miss. They can still be seen in a theater near you.

Getty Images

entertainment

Graded in Numbers The anatomy of Escola Graduada

Melanie Vladimirschi and Amanda Rudzit •

1,156 students at Graded. Of these, 168 are in the Pre-school, 408 are in the Elementary school, 251 are in the Middle School, and 329 are in the High School.

•

210 new students have enrolled for the 2008-2009 school year.

•

Our school has

•

There are 292 teachers and staff working at our school this year. Of these, 23 are maintenance

There are

171 teachers, 46 of which teach in the High School.

workers, 43 help keep our school clean (outsourced from a cleaning company so not included in the above total staff sum),

20 work in the cafeteria feeding us, 21 are guards and 57 work in

school offices •

The total cost to keep this school running for one year is

R$52,500,000, which includes

teacher and staff salaries (82% of school costs), school materials, sports events, maintenance and cleaning costs, water, phone and light bills, food, and many other smaller expenses. If divided by the number of school days we have this academic year, the total cost to run our school is R$

291,666.67

per school day.

Graded School Tuition and Fees 2008-2009 [www.graded.br] Division

Grade Levels

Length of Day

Cost

Pre-primary full day program

K-5-T1

08:00 - 03:00

R$ 3.461,00

Elementary School

1-5

08:10 - 03:05

R$ 3.461,00

Middle School

6-8

08:10 - 03:10

R$ 4.337,00

the talon •23

entertainment

Live to Eat: Chocolate Chip Cookies The first of a monthly column about cookies

I

love to eat. I love to cook. I seek out others who feel the same. You musicians, artists, and writers know it is satisfying to create, to make something out of basic elements. Those who create with food are indispensable, for food is a foundation of life. But I don’t eat just to sustain my body, I eat and cook to enhance my life and the lives of others.

Not surprisingly, then, I am thrilled to be living in Sao Paulo. Have you heard there are 30,000 places to eat here?

So we don’t have to cook to eat well. However, I am going to propose that you have to cook (or have someone dear to you who does) to live well.

If your idea of cooking is making toast or tossing a pre-made palmito quiche in the oven, or if you think you simply cannot cook, know that it really isn’t hard. If you can follow the directions on how to download a podcast or complete a biology lab successfully, you can cook.

Of course, cooking well and knowing your ingredients and how they interact take time and experience. Yet anyone can learn a handful of easy and satisfying recipes. And if you can cook a couple of good desserts, you will never suffer a lack of friends.

••• Although most desserts set my heart aflutter, let’s focus on the seemingly humble cookie. Cookies are bits of joy. They’re portable and versatile—you don’t need a plate or utensil. Cookies are particularly useful if you want to eat covertly: you can hide them from others (parents, teachers, gluttonous friends), sneak a bite when they aren’t looking, or even stuff a whole one in your mouth. Admittedly, cookies don’t always bring out virtuous behavior.

Many of us care about how much fat, sugar, and salt we eat. I’m not a dieter, but I do care about my health so I try to eat consciously, making more healthful choices. But one thing I feel adamant about is that truly satisfying baked goods need butter and sugar. I have tried a few of those lowfat dessert recipes, and they always taste like depression. It is better to make desserts as they were intended to be made: with the Baking Trinity of butter and sugar and eggs.

Anyone can buy cookies, so why bake them yourself? If given a choice of a factory-made cookie and nothing, I would take the cookie, but almost never be excited by it. Rarely are store cookies worth the calories; homemade cookies almost always are.

Then there is the pride factor: homemade cookies are your creation. You feel the flash of pleasure when you say, “I made them.” In the process of baking them, too, you are king

24• the talon

Ms. Mary Pfeiffer and queen: You can lick the mixer, the spatula, AND the bowl, and no one will begrudge you. If you feel burned out by school work, baking cookies is a meditative and comforting way to spend an hour or two. Especially in cool weather, few places are as welcoming as a kitchen with cookies in the oven.

My history and experience with cookies began early.

My mother was a test cook for Betty Crocker cookbooks and Better Homes and Gardens magazine, so baked goods were omnipresent in my house. When I was in college, I remember a particularly difficult quarter of classes, and one night just before Finals Week, I assuaged a lot of suffering and anxiety by making cookies and dipping them in homemade whipped cream—perhaps my most decadent dinner ever.

In short: I ADORE cookies.

Here in the Talon, my plan is to write about a different cookie each month, share the recipe, and include reviews of the cookie by our staff. This month’s choice is the classic, the standard by which other cookies are measured: Chocolate Chip Cookies. Seemingly simple, CCCs can be so different. Do you like them soft or crispy or (my choice) crispy on the edges and soft in the middle? What kind of chocolate do you prefer? There Josh Berg are many variables.

I grew up making the CCC recipe printed on the back of the yellow Nestle semisweet chocolate chips bag—the classic Toll House recipe created in Massachusetts by Ruth Wakefield, the owner of the Toll House Inn in the 1930s. It worked well, had great balance between crispy and chewy. But living in Japan and Kenya, I couldn’t get chocolate chips, so I would mule bars of good-quality bittersweet chocolate in my suitcase each holiday. About six years ago, I decided to see if the Tollhouse one was the best, to see if I could perfect perfection. As any baker knows, slight adjustments in method or ingredients make or break a recipe.

After lots of research (including most recently a July article in the New York Times claiming to have the world’s best CCC recipe), I have determined that the recipe below is the best; it is based on Martha Stewart’s recipe. But taste is relative, so you will have to see for yourself.

If you are a baking neophyte, remember that a teaspoon is just that and it must be leveled— in baking free-styling is not recommended. Other advice? With making cookies, certain techniques create a more delicious result. Cream the butter well, until pale yellow. Add room-temperature eggs in one by one and mix in between to incorporate air. After you

entertainment add flour, only mix until the dough comes together, never more than that or you will produce gluten, which toughens baked goods. Make sure the oven temperature is what it needs to be: Just because the oven is set at 180°, doesn’t mean that inside it is at 180°, so get an oven thermometer, if you don’t have one. Also know that every time you open the oven, about 30-50° escape, and variations in temperature are enemies of successful baking.

Yes, I’m a fastidious baker. When it comes to butter, I believe the French rule the world: I only bake with Presidente or Brindel butter because there is too much water and not enough butterfat in cheaper brands. Plan ahead: butter needs to be softened for over an hour (at a SP winter’s room temperature) so that your finger can make a dent. (Don’t rush this—a microwave will hurt the butter, and why would you want to do that?) With brown sugar I use Jasmine or Vita brands—avoid the bitter, vile Blue Nile brand. Good quality vanilla is key. I never use imitation, but buy vanilla each time I am in the US, preferably the rich flavor of Madagascar double-strength from Penzey’s Spices (penzeys.com—they ship overseas). The eggs should be fresh and at room temperature before adding to the batter, and the baking powder and soda should be less than a year old. For chocolate, I use bars of Lindt 60% cacau, and chop them into small bits. If you want to get serious about baking cookies, you might try Silpats, thin reusable silicone baking sheets for pans. This is getting into Cookie Fanatic Territory, I know, but it’s quite a happy place to live.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 2 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 235 grams butter 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon white sugar 1/3 cup muscavado sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla at least 150 grams bittersweet chocolate

bowl in the refrigerator while cookies bake.

Log method. With a busy Graded Life, the log is my go-to method because I can store the logs in the fridge for a few days (or the freezer for a month), and make when I need them. I also end up with uniform size cookies (important when they are passed around my classes and those at the other end of the discussion circle don’t get cheated) and I can slice off and bake a few each night for a few days. To make a log, I spread out a large rectangle of plastic wrap, drop spoon piles of dough into a log shape, wrap and shape for evenness, twist the ends, and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but best if overnight. You can also put those logs in a zip bag and freeze for a few months, if you can really delay satisfaction. In my experience sliced refrigerated dough makes better cookies because the butter is more solidified between air pockets, leading to tender cookies.

When I am ready for baking, I unwrap a log, cut into one-centimeter slices, put on baking sheets about 3 centimeters between cookies, and bake until golden, usually 10-11 minutes. In my oven I use two sheets at once, and to be fair to all the cookies, I move sheets from top to bottom and vice versa midway, leading more uniformly baked cookies. Take out and let set to cool on hot sheet for a few minutes (test that impulse control!), then transfer to a wire rack. This is prime cookie-eating time, but if you plan to keep them longer, cool completely, then pack in an airtight container—the downside to not serving immediately is that the cookies will soften, losing that crisp edge. At room temperature, they’re good for a few days; frozen, for a few weeks. But they won’t last that long.

This CCC recipe is perfect as is, but if your idea of perfection includes a different type of chocolate, or even chopped hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts, then forge ahead. If you have a CCC variation you prefer, let me know about it—I am interested in CCC alchemy. If you do try my recipe yourself, let me know what you think. Below are reviews from Talon editors. Here at the Talon, we will be celebrating the Year of the Cookie. I hope you enjoy the series!

THIS MONTH’S REVIEWS: Vivian: “The cookies are not what you want, they’re what you need.

Karen: “Most worthwhile calories of the year!”

If baking right away, preheat oven to 180° Celsius. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. Set aside. In a stand mixer or in a large bowl with hand mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy—on medium, about 4 minutes. Add one egg, mix for 30 seconds, then second egg, mix, then vanilla. Mix. Add dry ingredients from other bowl, stir just until combined Now decide on your method, Drop or Log. Drop method. This is easier, but you will be tied to the kitchen making the whole batch (not a bad evening, I have to say). But if you are baking right away—no delayed gratification for you!—drop somewhat rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet (preferably with baking parchment or papel manteiga, or even better a Silpat), and bake. Store the

Nelson: “Visually prepossessing, olfactorily imploring, auditorily euphonious, tactily gratifying, and gustatorily impeccable, correct grammar can’t do justice to this taste.”

Felix: “[They] transmitted sensations of supreme nirvana throughout the entity of my being.”

Luiza: “Even cookie haters will want more.”

Minjae: “Sweet as a Wayne Rooney chip.”

Mr. Watlington (guest reviewer): “Even the crevices in my keyboard begged for more.”

Carlo: “Moses could stay for another forty years in the desert just for this recipe.”

the talon •25

entertainment

If You Step on a Crack...

A commentary on some bizarre superstitions

I

’m not a superstitious person, yet I find myself constantly abiding by certain superstitions. After every Thanksgiving, when the breastbone of the turkey is dried, my brother and I make a wish and pull it until it snaps. The person with the longer part has his or her wish come true. I’ve done that since I was very young. Another example is that any time I mention something I don’t want to happen, I knock on wood to keep it from happening. These superstitions are strange, sure, but harmless. Recently I was reading different superstitions on oldsuperstitions.com. There were some I hadn’t heard of before and some are down right bizarre.

• “If your shoelace persists in coming untied, you are about to receive good news.” And here I thought it meant the person was more likely to trip.

• “When you are talking to someone, and if you should both say the same word at the same time, you must hook each other’s little finger and make a wish.” I thought you were supposed to say “Jinx!” and the person wasn’t allowed to speak until someone says the muted person’s name three times.

Emily Matt your doctor doesn’t have to rely on this method.

• “If you give anyone an empty purse he or she will never be blessed with riches. Place a coin inside it for luck.” This, of course, makes the receiver a little richer.

• “If your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you. If your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you.” Hmm, normally my itches hop from one ear to the other.

• “If you accidentally knock your hand against wood, you are about to find love. If you knock your hand against iron, however, you are about to be betrayed.” I’ll keep that in mind as I say “Ouch.”

• “Salty soup is a sign that the cook is in love.” Or the cook was just distracted.

• “If you use the same pencil to take a test that you used for studying for the test, the pencil will remember the answers.” I’ll have to try that next time except on the IB exams, where we have to use blue or black pen.

• “An itchy nose means your going to have an argument with someone.” Especially if the itch won’t go away; that does tend to make a person grumpy.

• “A cat onboard a ship is considered to bring luck.” It also helps with the rat problem.

• “A spider prevents plague when worn around the neck in a walnut shell.” Uh huh, right… I’ll let someone else test that theory…

• “If you secretly put your toenail clippings in a glass of lemonade and make someone drink it, then that person is supposed to fall in love with you.” That’s just disgusting. This must assume that the person drinking doesn’t notice the clippings.

• “Never place shoes on a table as it means bad luck for the remainder of the day.” Especially not on the dinner table.

• “If a person cuts bread unevenly, he has been telling lies.”

So all people who are skilled with a knife never lie. Good to know.

• “If someone is dangerously ill, a lighted candle should be placed in a shoe and all other lights in the room turned out.

Then a piece of paper with the name of the illness on it must be burned in the candle while saying ‘Go away death, go away death. Life from the flame, give new breath.’” If you’re that ill, I hope you’re in the hospital. I also hope

26• the talon

Esther17@flickr.com

viva voice

Se

Connection

Mr. Mario Francisco Spanghero

s

e eu fosse você, só ficaria à frente ou atrás de vitrines vidraças bem foscas ou espelhadas ou escurecidas com insulfilm 150% Se eu fosse você, nunca respiraria próximo aos rios de minha cidade meus olhos jamais flutuariam sobre o extenso denso leito dos rios de minha cidade o coágulo morto dos rios da minha cidade Os rios da minha cidade choram óleo em meu olhar gritam detritos destroços são tão destratados em sua agonia os rios de minha cidade se eu fosse você, nunca andaria de ônibus pelas ruas de minha cidade nunca me espremeria feito bagaço de cana como os milhões que andam de ônibus pelas ruas de minha cidade ah você, não faça isso não, menina menino moça rapaz bonitos da minha cidade!... se vocês fizessem isso, como já fiz faço às vezes tenho que, se fizessem, seus olhos queimariam de vários ardores

Tessa Peixoto

I

f life be a book Pages would write our words spoken wisely and just once.

If there were green anatomies, they’d raid our libraries, to find a person’s story words and only interesting ones.

If the galaxy were to hold our memories, human kind would be one, complicated but, at peace.

If we were books then green anatomies would be our readers and their galaxy would be like our Earth.

seus olhos arderiam de várias queimações, seus queimados olhos bonitos de moços e moças da minha cidade primeiro cheios de raiva pela não-revolta daquela gente esmagada da minha cidade depois cheios de ira por quem esmaga aquela gente nos ônibus da minha cidade mais depois ainda, os olhos vossos, bonitas moças e meninos da minha cidade, para vossa inteira total completa absurda imensa surpresa, os vossos, olhos bonitos, meninos e moças, só a muito enorme infinito custo conseguiriam conter o pranto ante aquela gente tão triste

Getty Images

esmagada como as não-mais-águas coalhadas em piche dos rios da minha vossa cidade Paz!

the talon •27

viva voice

“As Time Goes By” Deborah Fiuza I sigh mind dead and blank.

Insomnia has rendered me an anemic sag of skin, sludging through a d u l l h e a v y h a z e .

The coffee machine has been on

strike for some time now, but I’ve been too

weak

to fire it.

My father’s old typewriter is the s sole

i

t n surviving machine in an apartment that looks and feels like it’s been t

p

o

o r

I’m staring at the motley mess in the filthy corner of the room:

next to the collection of empty bottles is a

1950’s Motorola TV set balanced on a tipping stack of old newspapers. As decoration, amelangeof unemployment documentsand cigarettestubs from my over flow i n g ashtray.

The silent pendulum, swinging like a screaming scythe, thieves from me, in my mind singing....

Take Take Take Take Take Take

28• the talon

c e e

.

entertainment viva voice I watch it approach, take and leave, but I’m

far too di l

to fight back. I realize now that the I dreaded were what kept me Now the only looming is the one in hospital that command my emotions,

u

t

e

d

deadlines alive. dead line casualties, “seethe…....................................................................................!” ...

“James, look at me, please. You haven’t looked at me in so long.”

The chemo r a r i f i e d

her hair and her laughs.

I don’t even recognize her anymore, no longer the same woman I married.

She’s put on this

beautiful and vivacious

pitiful, mis era ble hideous mask.

Or did I?

al Park bridge It rained on the picnic she had planned, so under Centr ............................................................. we ate As soon as the rain ended, she took my hand and we ran.

Her fluid white summer dress danced behind her, and she told me we were searching for something, but she didn’t say what. Suddenly she plopped down near a bed of red chrysanthemums, “these are my favorites,” she

whispered.

up I get brusquely, breaking the a thin porcelain cast of dusty inanition.

Ravaging my pockets, I’m relieved to find I have just enough money for a single flower.

I have to make up for lost time.

the talon •29

sports

What if Lance Armstrong Used Drugs?

Parallel worlds

Karen Hime

tive use of performance-enhancers?

Two years before this test he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which had already spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. Armstrong underwent surgery on his brain tumors, which were found to be necrotic, and surgery on his groin to remove a testicle.

“Had the famous Tour de France star tested positive for drugs, would all his glory have disappeared?”

L

cyclinghalloffame.com

ance Armstrong has become one of the greatest sport figures in the world with awards, accolades and fame. He started off as a young triathlete at 12, competing in adult categories for a chance to shine. He is now is retired with glory to his name and is supporting cancer foundations and the involvement of athletes in charitable causes.

But could one small test have changed everything?

Had the famous Tour de France star tested positive for drugs, would all of his glory have disappeared? His name been erased as trash?

Lance Armstrong continually denied having used performance-enhancing drugs and described himself as “the most tested athlete in the world.” Throughout his career only one test showed indications of the presence of doping products. In 1999, a urine sample showed traces of steroids, but the amount was not enough to fall into the positive test range. What if that amount had been enough to confirm posi-

30 • the talon

Armstrong met Kirstin Richard, his future wife, in June 1997.

They were married on May 8, 1998 and had three children, Luke and twins Isabelle and Grace. Had he tested for positive for performance-enhancing drugs, he would have created a very rocky road for his new life.

From the exact year he took the test, he won the first of his seven consecutive Tour de France competitions. He was named the American Broadcasting Company’s Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year that same year. He received one award after another, including Sportsman of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year Overseas in consecutive years, leading up to his retirement from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France. If he had been found guilty of doping, none of those plaudits would have been given to him. The foundations he created and the charities he has sponsored would have enver been created, and the cycling world would have lost a hero.

One small test could have changed Lance Armstrong’s life and taken him from the top of the athletic world, to the very bottom. What if?

LANCE ARMSTRONG FACTFILE Born: 18 Sept 1971 Lives: Austin, Texas; Girona, Spain Team: Discovery Channel (previously US Postal) Career highlights: Seven Tour de France wins (1999-2005); world road race champion (1993); world number one (1996) Marital status: Single (ex-wife Kristin; three children: Luke, Isabelle and Grace) Outside cycling interests: Head of Lance Armstrong Foundation; part of President Bush’s cancer advisory committee Heart rate: 32 bpm (resting) - 201 bpm (maximum)

sports

Start of a New EPL Season My forecast

W

hile everyone undoubtedly is talking about the highlights of the recent Olympics, I would rather focus my attention on something more interesting: the start of the top flight of English football. On August 16, the footy season began. The big teams have a new year ahead of them; here are somebrief outlooks: Arsenal: After falling short by just four points of Premier League glory, Arsenal will have some work to do to recover from the departures of Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini.

Hleb has been replaced by signing Samir Nasri, while Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is still in the market for a replacement for Flamini.

Chelsea: Incoming manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will have some work on his hands after the sacking of Avram Grant, who very nearly led Chelsea to both the Premier League and Champions League trophies at the end of last season. He has attempted an unsuccessful buy of both Robinho and Kaká, and is still searching for new opportunities.

Manchester United: While Sir Alex Ferguson brought his team the double that Chelsea missed out on, he has not made any significant signings. The Ronaldo transfer saga has undoubtedly unsettled the team. With Cristiano Ronaldo out for two months and Wayne Rooney missing the beginning of the season with a virus, the start of the season looks tough for the Red Devils.

Liverpool: After having a dismal finish to last season, Rafa Benitez has a lot on his hands from expectant Anfielders. His main signing this season has been Robbie Keane from Spurs, while Peter Crouch has been shipped out to Portsmouth.

Aston Villa: The Gareth Barry-to-Liverpool transfer rumours have unsettled the team and management, but provided they keep him, Aston Villa is in for a good shout for fifth place.

Manchester City: By far the most troubled team of this lot. Incoming manager Mark Hughes, replacing SvenGöran Eriksson, may have a short-lived spell at the club af-

Christopher Thomas ter owner Thaksin Shinawatra was unable to obtain £800m of his assets from Thailand, due to being on trial for corruption charges. An arrest warrant is up for Shinawatra and may very well lead to his extradition and therefore immobilization of the Eastlanders’ funds.

Tottenham Hotspur: Probably the most active on the transfer market, having bought Giovani dos Santos, Luka Modric, Heurelho Gomes and David Bentley, while shipping out Robinson, Kaboul, Malbranque, Chimbonda, Cerny, Tainio and

ESPNsoccernet.com

Robbie Keane. With three of their four signings aggressive players, there is very little doubt that Tottenham will score many goals this season. Their only problem is that they have paid little attention to their back line.

All these teams could see the front pages this season but I predict that Arsenal and Chelsea seem to have a good shot at winning some big trophies this year. For both the Premier League and the Champions League, Arsenal is high on hopes. Chelsea is likely to have a good performance in the Carling Cup and Manchester United will be favourite for the FA Cup. Spurs will be less festive this year and probably finish behind West Ham. Watch to see what happens, but don’t forget: you heard it here first.

the talon • 31

sports

If We Believe A fighter, an inspiration

L

ife can give us challenges, some too tough to bear. We can become pessimistic. But sometimes it takes no more than believing in one’s potential to overcome the situation. We can fight.

A true fighter is amongst the recent Olympians, Eric Shanteau. The American swimmer learned he had cancer in June, two weeks before the trials that defined the U.S swim team for this year’s Olympics. At age 24, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. His doctor suggested operating immediately to remove the tumor before the malignancy spread. However, Shanteau preferred to wait until after the trials and possibly the Games. The swimmer’s dream was to participate in the Olympics and he would not let cancer get in the way, not yet anyhow.

Eric went to the trials in Omaha. He finished in fourth at the 100m breaststroke race. In the 200m race, the previous winner, Brendan Hansen, was expected to win again. Yet, Hansen slowed in the last 50m and did not make first or second. Scott Span won first place, followed by Shanteau in second. With this victory, he qualified to be a part of the 2008 Olympic U.S swim team.

People were surprised to see him relatively down after this; something unusual for his enthusiastic character.

Eric hadn’t yet discussed the disease with his coaches or peers.

He recalled having contemplated right after his triumph, “I’ve got some big bridges to cross.” With that in mind, he decided to announce the cancer to his coaches.

“It’s not like he called and said, ‘Oh, my gosh, why me? Poor me! I was just on the verge! I had worked so hard!’ There was never any of that stuff,” said one of his coaches, Chris Davis.

To Shanteau “it was just another bump in the road on the way to making the Olympic team.”

Later, he told his peers. “Talking to one person or two, or even a reporter, is one thing. Telling your peers – that’s a very different thing to do,” Eric said as he explained

32 • the talon

Andrea Estrada the pain it caused him to announce his setback.

His swimming peers were devastated, but more than anything, impressed. Impressed at the way he dealt with it, the way his dream never wavered, the way he believed.

Ever since he learned about his sickness, Eric Shanteau got weekly blood work and CT scans to track his cancer. Up to the weeks of the Olympic Games in August, there were no indications of it spreading and he continued hoping it wouldn’t.

tyr.com

He agreed with USA Swimming, the official organization for swimming in the U.S, that with any sign of the disease spreading, he’d leave the team in order to receive immediate treatment.

With the confidence that he would be okay, Shanteau went out and gave his best at the 2008 Olympics. If his cancer spread, he would have dropped out, though. Yes, he valued the Olympics, but his life came first. While he was capable, he’d continue following his dream, fighting for a gold medal in the 200m male breaststroke competition.

Successful athletes are inspirational. Those who fight in the face of to traumatic events are inspirational. Eric Shanteau fits into both categories. If we believe, then we’re capable.