Ed. 67 - Mission (Im)possible

editors-in-chief news Lawn, Liberty and the Pursuit of Spiky Coconut Things The violation of the inalienable rights of seniors

Martin Shores

O

n the first properly sunny day of the school year, I left my second block looking forward to taking full advantage of my innate right as a senior: lounging on the senior lawn.

Strangely enough, where there should have been seniors, there were juniors taking up the prime seats, basking in the sunlight.

I was taken aback. My mind spun at the illogicality of juniors on the senior lawn. But I was forgiving. I considered it an honest mistake on the juniors’ part. They weren’t aware of the natural order of Graded hierarchy. Or perhaps the announcement that they would have free study hall as well had gone to their heads, and they assumed that because they had that privilege, so too could they sit on the lawn. I took it upon myself to explain their mistake, and left for class.

The day progressed normally after that, but upon my return from lunch, I was greeted by the horrible image of two groups of juniors occupying the lawn. Even worse, there were seniors sitting on the ground due to lack of seating. On their own lawn! I felt horribly wronged by my underclassmen. I had no trouble finding allies in my struggle, but there were those who were aloof about the entire thing. “Let them stay,” they told me. And so the discussion ensued, not with those responsible for the injustice who watched amusedly from our usurped wooden thrones, but within our class. A Graded alum informed me that a similar conflict had arisen during her time as a senior, and within her class a divide that sounded awfully familiar.

Just like our predecessors, the junior occupation of the lawn brought a schism to our class, a divide between those adamant about our cause, and those who were completely indifferent to the injustice of the grounded seniors. And that is our greatest threat: not the stubbornness of the juniors, but the leniency of my senior classmates.

I can understand the inevitable draw of the senior lawn. It represents the culmination of years of toil at Graded,

a tangible reward for our efforts, the one speck of comfort we have as seniors. It’s part of the Graded senior experience and makes it that much better. We as a class need this. We need every shred of relaxation we can get amidst the tension of college applications and grade-related stress. When we were younger, the senior lawn fascinated us as well and we wanted nothing more than to sit on the wooden benches ourselves.

But, we respected our elders when they asked us to leave their lawn, awaiting our turn at sun-baked bliss while lurking in the shadows of our own junior hallway.

The senior lawn is the right of the senior class.

What would Thomas Jefferson think if the inalienable rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” were violated so blatantly before his very eyes?

And yet, we find this right completely disregarded in days of Nicole Fergie sun (which have become rather uncommon, sadly). We ask that the juniors put themselves in our position, that they think a year in advance, not about college, but about this. That they question how they would feel when they too are deprived of the pleasure of sitting on the senior lawn when it is rightfully theirs. Won’t they want it to themselves? Each hallway has its own “lawn” anyway. And yet, we don’t see other classes taking up the set designated spaces. I admit that the automobile-fraught view from the junior hallway might not be up to everyone’s tastes, but they have A3 right at their doorstep, do they not?

I’m not overcome by my solitary sense of entitlement. Seniors all across Graded are defending their rights.

Don’t mistake some of our classmates’ apathy for weakness; many of us are passionate about this. I speak for these seniors when I plead that the juniors do the same as we did when we wanted to sit underneath the spiky seeded tree, before this conflict creates enmity between our classes, disrupting the peace of our already overloud halls. I beseech you to respect the sanctity of this one concrete senior privilege.

the talon • 1

editors-in-chief

The New, Liberal Blackface Theatrics, tradition, and tolerance

Andrew Shim

A

merous images of a “blackface” performance, labeled with popular form of dramatic makeup swept the scene of the subtitle “My Mammy!” Such an image today would not American theater in the 1830s, popularized by a white only be enormously insulting, but also criminal. It is evidence minstrel comedian named Thomas “Daddy” Rice, whose act that Graded once also embodied the social mindset of that included a song called “Jump Jim Crow” which later provided time period, strictly contrasting with the school today. the name for a series of racist laws that presided over the It is interesting to see how once a popular element of post-Reconstruction United States. Blackface, as the techsociety transforms into an absolute taboo over time. Graded, nique was called, today epitomizes American racism as the once quite a small school with a homogenous student body, practice was often accompanied by stereotypical respresenhas certainly evolved since its foundation. The school today tations of black Americans. For about a century, blackface instead represents an idyllic form of a liberal, secular educabecame a prominent element of American drama, filling the tion, where few would ever even imagine acting out a blackstage with familiar and identifiable figures labeled with terms face minstrel skit. Whereas elements like “Senior Slave Day” like “Mammy,” “Uncle Tom” or “Zip Coon.” were once ritual in the halls of this school, Frederick Douglass condemned political awareness has abolished such trathe tradition as “racist in nature, with ditions. Now we have other more “producinauthentic, northern, white origins.” It tive” activities like Zombie Zoo. Needless was an exploitation of African American to say, while progress is clearly manifested, culture solely for economic purposes, yet in a way few real roots remain of Graddesensitizing the public with a blatant ed’s almost 90-year-old history. distortion of an entire group of people.

Indeed it is difficult to imagine Yet for the white American public of the what prompted this change in attitude over post-bellum United States, such theatrics the years. Graded’s large foreign influence was a source of uproarious entertainment definitely played a heavy role; the gradual which not only played upon their percepbreakdown of homogeneity could have contion of blacks, but also alleviated their tributed to the diversification of not only sense of guilt over 19th century racial rethe halls, but the mentality of its inhabitlations as it portrayed the African-Ameriants. can as ignorant and servile: “worthy of Coupled with the presence of prooppression”.

Blackface minstrel skit; gressive teachers and a relatively open Yet with gradual progressivism 1963 Graded Aquila Yearbook environment, students today enjoy the and changing social mindsets, blackface benefits of a liberal education. Nevertheless, all this progreseventually slipped into the obsolete in the mid-20th century. sivism has done away with a fundamental root of any society: Society had fundamentally shifted; such unflattering and blatradition. Instead, the system builds new walls and borders; tant depictions were deemed as essentially derogatory rather a preoccupation with political correctness, appropriatethan humorous. Such iconography is virtually impossible to ness and legitimacy constantly threatens the present, and identify in the modern media: it has been replaced by modprompts change for the future. Unquestionably elements like ern symbols of tolerance abiding to modern virtues. “blackface” have no place in the Graded community today, Graded also has a long history of theatre, even inyet only vestiges of Graded’s history remain implanted into cluding some performances akin to the aforementioned exour day-to-day studies. amples. In 1955, when Graded’s campus was still on Avenida As much as many in this community love to cite “pluSao João, the theater club performed the famous 1885 opera ralism” or “social responsibility” as hallmarks of an openThe Mikado, set in a Japanese opera house, created in a time minded, liberal education, it is difficult to classify Graded as when Britain was experiencing a wave of Japanophilia. Of progressive if its community fails to identify the merits of the course, the work today is regarded as a classic of comic oppast. A mentality of too much moral judgment has clouded era and originally was really meant to be a satire of British the essence of the school’s roots; it is akin to the ludicrous political institutions. Yet its inclusions of stereotypes would makeup of the “blackface” that conceals the reality that lies certainly raise some eyebrows today. underneath.

Moreover, in the 1963 Aquila Yearbook, there are nu-

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point of news view

To Complete the Puzzle What we can learn from Randy Pausch’s life Sae Bom Choi

G

raduation, college, and the future. They all sound like another world, the sweetest fantasy we dream. Looking at colourful brochures from college visits, we picture ourselves walking along the campus akin to Hogwarts, one beautiful day.

Enchanted with college representatives’ exciting descriptions, we sometimes have an illusion that college is our ultimate future. Yes, it is the end of our high school life, but college is only one of our goals in our 80-year life expectancy.

Life at college will hopefully help us map the long future that is ahead of us. By the time we graduate college we will know more than we know right now. However, this does not necessarily mean that we will be able to figure out why we are here in the universe and what our mission are. To put into simpler words, college does not guarantee finding a certain future, having clear goals, or starting a great career.

College is not the only place we shape our lives; we begin to plan and think of our future from a very young age.

In fact, we might have had much more daring dreams when we were younger. As we grow up, we supposedly learn more reality and start to discriminate what is possible from what is absurd. A lot of us cannot say, “I want to be the President of my country” anymore, and we think children are just so cute to say, “I want to be a superhero!” We should really ask ourselves, however, if we are discarding our old childhood dreams too lightly.

The life of a professor, Randy Pausch, one of the most recognized superheroes of last year, explains us the significance of never giving up to accomplish our dreams. Once a computer-science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Pausch never believed in impossibility until his death on July 25, 2008 due to pancreatic cancer. Before he had to leave his loving family, Randy gave his last lecture which inspired not only the people who were in the hall but also people around the world, thanks to YouTube. He also put his messages into words in his book, The Last Lecture, which, I warn you, will pop the water balloons in your eyes.

Randy gave his lecture and wrote his book from a parent’s point of view. He says parents “want (their children) to know some stories from their own lives, often as a way to teach them how to lead theirs.” Randy lectured for his one to five year old children who will someday be curious about their father; however, his story of the “incredibly meaningful to decidedly quirky years of life” remind us why we must ceaselessly dream and search for getting closer to our dreams

“with limited sources.”

Randy had a life that many people would call successful. He graduated from Brown and was a professor at Carnegie Melon. However, there would be thousands of people out there who graduated from Ivy League schools and have careers that satisfy their pockets. Randy found his uniqueness in pursuing his dreams. His childhood dreams vary from those that sound trivial to those that sound impossible; in his presentation, he lists, “being in zero gravity, playing in the NFL, authoring an article in the World Book encyclopedia, being Captain Kirk, winning stuffed animals, and being a Disney Imagineer.”

Did he achieve everything? No, but how he tried to make his dreams come true is a more important story to us.

To experience zero gravity, for example, he participated in a NASA program in which only college students could conduct their experiments, using virtual reality. Despite NASA’s strong confirmation that faculty advisors could not fly with their students, Randy did not give up and found loopholes in the restrictions of the program.

His history of tenacity does not end here. Even after Disney rejected his application for Walt Disney Imagineering, he thought “the brick walls are there for a reason.” When he heard the news about Disney’s virtual reality project, he made myriad phone calls to finally get connected to Jon Snoddy, an Imaginer who accepted Randy as his team. What awaited Randy after a successful meeting (for which Randy did eight hours of homework) with Snoddy was getting permission for sabbatical from the University of Virginia, where he used to be a professor. He confesses that “tears actually began streaming down” when he ultimately got the permission and arrived Disney to work. A child who dreamed of making something like the Alice ride was really an Imagineer.

Of course, his life was not perfect. He could not be Captain Kirk on the show “Star Trek” or become a NFL player.

However, he learned leadership by meeting William Shatner, the Captain Kirk in the show, and learned teamwork and taking on challenges from his football coach, Jim Graham.

As Randy’s dreams did for him, ours also define us who we are. They help us realize why our existence is not futile and why the world is not futile to us. If our lives are unpredictable and tenuous, like those of people who lose their lives in a single terrorist attack or by heart attack, Randy’s advice on leading our own lives is worth listening to.

the talon • 3

point of view

Those Seventy-Seven Busy Hours a Week Golf balls, pebbles, sand and tea

Isabella Freyre

I

t’s one a.m. on a Thursday and you are twisting the phone cord around your fingers as you decide on plans for the upcoming weekend. Another glance at the clock and- it’s three a.m. on a Thursday and you are perched over your computer.

With one hand, you are typing an essay that will be due in five hours. Your other hand is grasping a cup of coffee, your precious weapon in the combat against droopy eyelids. You need a break; the only thoughts that penetrate your mind now evoke your cozy bed (but you could easily snuggle on the shabby rug as well) and the only noise you hear is the steady buzz of silence. You open your MSN window and sure enough, you have a support group. There are other zombies like you out there.

Sounds familiar? For most of us, twenty-four hours in a day is never enough. True, the hours pile up over the week granting us 168 hours. But subtract fifty-six hours of sleep (an inflated standard for frantic Graded students), and we are left with 112 hours to achieve all the results that we desire. Now, considering we attend school over a period of five days every week, our reserve of hours dwindles to merely seventy-seven.

Seventy-seven hours to be filled with sports and community service (since we are eager overachievers), traffic (hard to escape from sluggish transportation in São Paulo), heaps of homework, life-saving tutors, dull yet obligatory family commitments, necessary visits to friends, amusing telephone chats, healthy exercise, our favorite television shows, delicious snacks, and (I hope) frequent showers.

Just reading that sentence left me gasping for breath (but then again, I cannot boast a great physique). Seventyseven hours to reconcile our academic and social lives (counting the weekend where, truth be told, most hours are wasted on the joys of vegetation). Seventy-seven hours are not enough.

Not even close to enough.

We feel like we are constantly racing against the clock, observing the slender hands dash right past us. Thus, tasks remain for another day and agendas remain incomplete as we rush to accomplish the maximum in the narrow time slot available (before lethargy successfully engulfs us). Even if we start the day with the noblest intentions, our concentration and discipline are relentlessly challenged. We are distracted by the hum of our phones vibrating on our desks (just within the reach of our automatically outstretching fingers), by the flash of the red light that always indicates something interesting on our Blackberries, by the hoards of e-mails infiltrating our computers. After hours spent on the computer, we become idle and distracted, or the demands on our time cause us considerable stress and anxiety. Forget Tom Cruise’s perilous

4 • the talon

operation in clearing his name and finding culprits, what about completing college applications and homework while still setting aside some moments for leisure?! Time management is the true mission impossible.

As our schedules become obstructed with overwhelming duties and conflicting desires, the obscure line between “urgent” and “important” materializes. We begin performing tasks in order of priority. Days begin to blend into each other until we no longer know where all the time went, whether it was mainly productive or pathetically squandered (squandered is my guess). On one of these common fruitless evenings, I watched the television series “24” and marveled at the excitement of Jack Bauer’s life. I was intrigued by how much can happen in an hour and how quickly one hour can go by. Of course the daze inpired by the television series soon faded, but I still long to get that much done in the short duration of an hour! Those countless hours posting on Facebook walls and looking at Facebook pictures could certainly have been better applied.

There’s a popular saying that “time is money”. That’s a big mistake. Time is not money. Time is life. So when your life seems too much to handle, remember the following story about a mayonnaise jar and tea: A professor stood before his philosophy class with some random items in front of him. Wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked if the jar was full, which students agreed that it was. The professor then poured pebbles into the jar and shook it. The pebbles rolled into the void between the golf balls. Again, he asked if the jar was full. The students agreed that it was. The professor continued to fill the jar with sand. When the same predictable question was asked, the students responded with a unanimous “yes.” Still the professor produced a cup of tea and poured its contents into the jar, effectively filling up the microscopic spaces between the sand. The students stifled their laughter.

Recognize that the jar represents our lives. The golf balls are the important aspects (family, friends, health, education, passion) that even if everything else was lost and only they remained, our lives would still be full. The pebbles are the other aspects that matter (a house and a job). The sand is everything else, the small stuff that enhances our lives. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

Take care of the golf balls first, the aspects that really matter. The rest is just sand. And the tea reminds us that we always have time to drink some tea with friends.

point of view

Política e honestidade no Brasil Missão possível ou impossível?

Amanda Rudzit

D

urante o período de junho a agosto, o ex-presidente da República e atual presidente do Senado, José Sarney, foi acusado de inúmeras irregularidades contra a lei, entre elas nepotismo, corrupção dentro da Fundação Sarney e tentativa de sonegação de impostos. Se pararmos para pensar, essas são somente as acusações que foram promovidas contra o presidente do Senado, sem contar os possíveis – e extremamente prováveis – outros desvios de conduta que ainda não foram descobertos e permanecerão “debaixo do tapete”, escondidos do povo brasileiro.

Como se não fosse suficiente, no dia 19 de agosto, José Sarney foi absolvido pelo Conselho de Ética do Senado de todas as onze acusações movidas contra ele. A justificativa: as provas apresentadas eram questionáveis e as acusações baseadas somente em reportagens jornalísticas.

Ironia, para usar um eufemismo, é o que não falta a todo esse episódio da política nacional.

Parece que o Conselho de Ética não levou em consideração o fato de que as tais reportagens jornalísticas são uma forma de expressão das preocupações de um povo. Se alguém está indignado com alguma situação ou ocorrência, vai à mídia chamar a atenção de outros cidadãos para o caso.

Se uma situação é tão absurda como esse último escândalo do Senado, muitos brasileiros, movidos pela participação da imprensa, promoverão movimentos de protesto contra os responsáveis.

A ironia não está só na decisão do Conselho de Ética.

José Sarney, que uma vez ocupou o cargo mais alto da política de nosso país, e depois passou a presidir um dos nossos corpos legislativos, foi acusado de onze infrações contra as leis que ele mesmo ajudou a construir. O próprio homem que deveria representar a honestidade, a transparência, a justiça e a integridade moral, que deveria servir de exemplo para os senadores, é a imagem atual que se tem de corrupção. O homem que, por

cima de tudo, alegou em entrevista à rede de TV GloboNews “não se sentir culpado de nada”; muito pelo contrário, ainda se faz de vítima de uma imprensa “cruel”.

Ao se deparar com uma realidade tão desanimadora quanto essa, o cidadão sensato pára e pergunta qual é o seu dever, o que se pode fazer para construir um país um pouco mais honesto. Será essa uma missão realmente impossível? Agora que sou uma brasileira com o direito de votar, de realmente fazer parte de nossa democracia, sinto que tenho uma responsabilidade. Sei que, de agora em diante, minhas escolhas podem contribuir, ou não, para a recorrência de escândalos como esse.

Ano que vem, haverá outra eleição presidencial. Acredito que ainda há alguns políticos mais comprometidos com a questão da honestidade do que outros. Porém, é difícil acreditar, depois de casos como esse, que seja viável que esses poucos políticos façam alguma diferença na realidade de nosso país. Como é que uma dúzia de pessoas pode causar uma melhoria real e concreta, se congressoemfoco.ig.com.br o sistema inteiro não parece lhes permitir tal feito?

Ao pensar nas próximas eleições, muitas vezes penso em votar nulo. Dessa forma, poderia retardar meu envolvimento com as questões políticas que parecem estar longe de serem resolvidas aqui na Terra Papagalli. Quando outro escândalo estourar, eu poderia dizer, “que pena, mas não tenho culpa, não elegi esse político, nem votei nesse partido...”. Mas aí percebo que também seria um ato de total hipocrisia. Se faço a minha crítica e tenho a opção de mudar este quadro, para que deixar de fazer valer a minha opinião? Pode parecer missão impossível, mas só saberemos se a política no Brasil será algum dia praticada de forma honesta ao contribuirmos para o único processo que tem alguma chance de transformá-la.

the talon • 5

point of view

(Im)possibilitar serviços no celular Relato de uma odisséia telefônica

Isabella Freyre

R

estavam dois dias para a viagem à França quando meus pais sugeriram que seria interessante habilitar meu celular para todos os serviços de roaming internacional. Uma boa estratégia para arcar com o preço absurdo das ligações freqüentes, e-mails e mensagens para as amigas, parentes e o namorado.

Mal sabia eu que estava por me envolver numa missão impossível. Infelizmente, porém, a minha não era nada sofisticada ou glamourosa como a protagonizada pelo galã Tom Cruise.

Minha missão era muito mais complicada, pois tratava-se de conseguir atenção e eficiência por parte da operadora.

- Boa tarde, sou o senhor... hmm, Ho... ora...cio. Hum, Isabella não entendo a sua letra.... Frare, é Frare, Isabella?

Liguei para o atendimento ao cliente: - Olá, boa tarde. Gostaria de habilitar o meu celular para todos os serviços roaming, por favor.

Bene: - Meu jovem, sou o responsável.

Operadora: - Quem está falando é a dona da linha? A senhora precisa apenas do nom de usuário e da senha para entrar no site e mudar as configurações.

- Na realidade, o celular está no nome do meu pai, mas ele está viajando. Eu mesma viajo daqui a dois dias para a França, e preciso que meu celular funcione lá.

Bene: - Um momento, por favor. (Murmurando) Isabella, eu sou o responsável? Seu pai não vai gostar disso.

Neste momento, eu já suava frio com vontade de esganar aquele que deveria ser o meu salvador.

- Sim, Bene. O senhor é o responsável.

Operadora: - Por favor, por segurança, precisamos confirmar algumas informações: data de nascimento, endereço de cobrança, CPF, RG, filiação.

Foi tropeço e gaguejo por uns cinco minutos. Eu já estava me conformando. Dificilmente conseguiria a habilitação, pois o Bene tremia a cada informação que dava e me perguntava se estava correto e, cada vez mais nervoso, passava a mão pelo cabelo. Foi um desespero.

Infelizmente, porém, a minha não era nada sofisticada ou glamourosa como a protagonizada pelo galã Tom Cruise.

Operadora: Espere um momento.

Infelizmente, precisamos falar com o proprietário para verificar as informações do RG, endereço de cobrança, CPF, data de nascimento e filiação. Somente após confirmadas essas informações, poderei dar-lhe o nome de usuário e a senha para acesso ao site.

Fazer o quê? Desliguei e imediatamente entrei em contato com meu pai, que se incomodou um pouco com a inconveniência e certa futilidade da ligação. (Por mais fútil que parecesse, para mim era uma situação de vida ou morte. Eu precisava garantir que poderia me comunicar fora do Brasil.) Meu pai propôs que procurasse um homem para entrar em contato com a operadora, fazendo-se passar por ele. Examinei as possíveis opções e chamei a pessoa mais próxima: o Bene, meu zelador. O caso exigia uma solução rápida e discreta, então escrevi todos os dados para que Bene os repetisse com atenção.

Ligamos para a operadora.

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Operadora: - O senhor é o responsável pela linha?

Mas, finalmente, conseguimos o tão desejado nome de usuário e a senha. Entrei novamente no site: Usuário ou senha não confere.

Voltei para falar com o Bene que neste momento já estava pálido, com os olhos arregalados, rezando (ele é muito religioso).

- Bene, preciso da sua ajuda de novo.

Sr. Bene: - Mas Isabella, isto é errado. O que vou dizer na minha igreja?

Suspirando, percebi que ele estava certo e resolvi tentar novamente o acesso ao site. Desta vez, para a minha surpresa, funcionou. Solicitei o desbloqueio para serviços internacionais. Fiz um teste, enviando um e-mail para mim mesma. Não funcionou. O Bene já havia escapulido do meu apartamento, então liguei para a operadora.

point of view Explico tudo de novo. Ouço: Operadora: - Não sei de nada. Sou da limpeza e não tem ninguém aqui. Telefone mais tarde.

- Mas o serviço não é 24 horas?

Operadora: - Sim, mas sabe como é, não é? Ninguém é de ferro, devem ter ido tomar café ou fumar. Agora que não é mais permitido fumar aqui dentro, eles têm que ir até a rua.

Desligo e tento de novo o primeiro número. Uma senhora escuta o meu pedido desesperado: Operadora: - Olhe, vou tomar nota e pedir para a área responsável entrar em contato com você. Em princípio, só eles podem habilitar devidamente seu celular. Não garanto que eu possa ajudar.

Dou-lhe meu número e meu nome, do meu pai, RG, CPF, data de nascimento, endereço de cobrança, filiação e minha solicitação. Meia hora depois, uma moça me liga. Explico tudo de novo, ela insiste que quer falar com meu pai.

Explico que àquela hora meu pai já estava dormindo.

Operadora: - Desta forma não há nada que eu possa fazer. Somente o titular da conta pode solicitar cadastramentos.

Nicole Fergie Neste momento não sabia se gritava com a atendente

- Boa noite, acabei de desbloquear meu celular e fiz um teste de e-mail, mas não consegui receber a mensagem.

Operadora: - Ah! Pois não, o número para este serviço não é esse. Aguarde na linha, por favor.

Fiquei esperando, mas a ligação caiu. Liguei de novo. Repetese a cena. Terceira tentativa. Ouço música e depois acompanho conversas sobre o fim-de-semana entre os atendentes. Mais música. Nova voz: Operadora: - Em que poderia te ajudar?

Conto toda a histria novamente: quero desbloquear, cadastrar todos os serviços roaming no meu celular, bla bla bla: - Estava há pouco conversando com um colega seu.

Operadora: - Vou transferir, um momento.

Depois de alguns minutos, que mais pareciam uma eternidade...

Operadora: - Olha, o ramal estava ocupado e liberou agora.

Vou passá-la.

que havia anteriormente me informado que a ligação estava sendo gravada, ou se chorava copiosamente. Ligo novamente para tentar a sorte com outra atendente.

Novas conversas, mais música. Começo a pensar se vale a pena essa espera, mas não desisto. A nova voz parece mais simpática: Operadora: - Isso realmente é com o titular, mas ainda assim vou fazer uma tentativa de ligar para o coordenador da área e ver se têm condições de atendê-la nas suas solicitações, visto sua urgência.

Recorro à pouquíssima paciência que me resta, embora já estivesse decidida a viajar sem o miserável celular.

Preparo-me para desistir, mas o problema se resolve, como que por milagre: Operadora: - Senhora, podemos abrir uma exceção e fomos autorizados a atender o seu pedido. Porém, neste exato momento, não podemos fazer nada. Estamos sem sistema.

Tente mais tarde.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

the talon • 7

point of view

Vamos Deixar Por Isso Mesmo?

Aparentemente vamos

C

David Birmann

onversa de barzinho a respeito dos nossos F.D.P.’s (Fa-

maneira bovina de aceitar a vida. E, francamente, concordo

mosos e Dogmáticos Políticos)

com Mainardi sem ressalvas. Brasileiros são tratados como gado. O pasto nacional é composto de futebol, novelas, de

Parei, sentei um pouco mais para trás e não pude deixar de escutar a conversa alheia:

vez em quando um caso policial, tudo sempre regado a muita cerveja. Isso não posso criticar, pois, afinal de contas, a vida

- Escuta o que eu estou lhe dizendo: esta situação é

de cada um é assunto pessoal. Mas quando se trata de assuntos

ridícula! É uma transgressão tão grande que não sei se podemos

públicos, nada invoca mais o lado crítico do meu ser do que a

considerar os brasileiros um povo independente.

situação imutável da política brasileira. Sinto-me inútil diante

-É eu sei, mas... O que podemos fazer?

do que vejo acontecendo no Senado com os nossos caríssimos

-Podemos levantar e ir a Brasília falar como esses

F.D.P.’s do D.F e da inércia dos brasileiros em relação a isso.

Famosos e Dogmáticos Políticos, e lembrar-lhes de seu decoro

Lá longe a tropinha vai mandando em nosso país e rindo à

parlamentar. O que você acha? Vi no blog de um repórter da

toa, certamente por causa das enormes quantias de dinheiro

Veja que há um grupo que pretende fazer um protesto em

em suas contas “offshore”. E continuam rindo ao usar de atos

frente ao Senado, na sexta-feira que vem.

secretos do Senado para contratar familiares, ex-namorados

-Hmm sim, pode ser, talvez... Lembrei que tem jogo

de familiares, mordomos, etc.

do Timão no sábado, não dá. É, mas mesmo assim não sei se

Por mim, iríamos todos a Brasília com uma cesta de

vai dar certo. Ninguém quer discutir com esses tais F.D.P.s,

tomates, invocando nosso amor à pátria e exigindo respeito.

é difícil...

Mas pêra aí! Tô esquecendo que o jogo do Corinthians começa

-Mas não dá pra ser assim, essa situação me deixa

às 6h e não dá tempo.

profundamente frustrado e triste. Infelizmente conheço muito

É essa inércia, característica típica do eleitorado

bem esse país, é um país de patrimonialistas. Esses F.D.P.s têm

brasileiro, que mantém o regime patrimonialista no poder.

de aprender que o poder não lhes pertence.

Certamente poderíamos renovar a máquina governamental

-Devo te lembrar que isso aqui é o Brasil, meu caro.

por meio de pressão pública, mas todos estão resignados

Tem de tudo nesse país e você vai pensar apenas nas duas

a ser governados por um bando de F.D.P.’s. Se eu pudesse,

coisas que faltam: Ordem e Progresso? Deixa disso! Olhe ao

adicionaria uma pequena cláusula à constituição brasileira,

seu redor, aproveite o que o país tem a oferecer. Nesses mo-

exigindo que todos os políticos fossem ávidos seguidores do

mentos conversando com você e pensando sobre o que vejo no

código bushido. E, em seguida, iniciaria uma campanha bene-

noticiário é que reafirmo minhas convicções: quem conhece o

ficente de distribuição de espadas samurais no planalto. (Que

Brasil reza, mas quem conhece mesmo o Brasil apenas goza a

bela limpeza ocorreria!) Entretanto, nem todos sentem essa

vida.

vontade de resistir ao governo, como os 40 milhões de brasileiUm dos homens acenou para o garçom com dois

ros residentes no norte e nordeste do país, beneficiados pelo

dedos, pedindo mais dois chopes. Ao servirem-lhe o chope,

programa Bolsa-família. E, futuramente, o milhão de famílias

certamente deve ter pensado na medíocre infantilidade das

do sul que serão beneficiadas pelo programa Minha Casa, Minha

idéias do amigo. Foi então que me virei e passei a contemplar

Vida. E olha que já estava na hora! Esses brasileiros do sul

as pessoas ao meu redor naquele barzinho bem brasileiro; todos

já estavam ficando menos dóceis. Infelizmente, o que sobra

muito felizes. E nesse breve momento de resignação forcei um

ao triste feriado de 7 de setembro, despossuído de qualquer

sorriso e tentei voltar à conversa da minha mesa.

significado verdadeiro, é a desilusão ou a reza.

• • • • • Há algum tempo li uma coluna escrita por Diogo Mainardi na qual ele equacionava o jeito de ser brasileiro a uma

8 • the talon

point of view

Greening the Red Planet

The possibility of colonizing Mars as the second planet of habitation Nina Kim

I

t is not too far-fetched to see the world and its inhabitants

tons to be capable of this heating. The orbital mirrors cannot

suffering from lack of resources, overpopulation, and global

be launched from Earth, indicating the necessity of their

warming. The world nowadays is standing on the edge of

construction in space with the resources found there.

imminent disaster as people’s abstract concerns about the

Besides carbon dioxide, ammonia is a powerful

consequences of such problems are realized. Consequently,

greenhouse gas and is compiled in frozen forms in large

the colonization of new habitats is being proposed and, due

asteroids that orbit in the outer solar system. So, breaking

to the development of space technologies, exploration and

down large asteroids will release large amount of ammonia

colonization of other planets appear to be more and more

gases, contributing to and multiplying the process of the

feasible. Among the planets, Mars is in the limelight of

Martian warming. For this method to succeed, the nuclear

potential candidates to be colonized by Earthlings.

thermal rockets need to push the orbiting asteroids near Mars

The surface temperature of Mars averages -81 degrees

so that the asteroids collide as they are attracted by Martian

Fahrenheit, harsh, inhabitable conditions for living things to

gravity. Nevertheless, the information about orbiting asteroids

survive. However Mars, which is half of Earth's size in diameter,

is not sufficient so far. Furthermore, since the asteroids

is assumed to have the potential for drastic transformation

orbiting farther from the sun travel slower, only those orbiting

into a habitable planet as evidenced by physical features

near Pluto can be caught up by the rockets, delaying the end

created out of streams on its surface. Such evidence suggests

of the project by centuries.

that Mars once possessed a warm and humid climate in the

Lastly, factories can be set up on Mars to emit

early stage of development. Present Mars is called the “red

powerful greenhouse gases such as halocarbons into the

planet” because it is covered by red deserts and is cold and

Martian atmosphere. The system of the factories on Mars

dry. Yet, primitive Earth also had such hostile conditions until

would be similar to that of the industrial factories on Earth,

the evolution of photosynthetic bacteria that released oxygen

except for the fact that Earth’s factories emit greenhouse

into the atmosphere.

gases as waste by-products. The emission of artificial

Scientists have postulated that Mars can adapt habitable environments for living things through the building

greenhouse gases will thicken the atmosphere, and warm up the temperature of Mars.

up of the atmosphere by obtaining and maintaining heat.

There are few more methods for Martian warming,

Technically, this process is called “terraforming.” Although

but any one of them is still abstract and undeveloped with

Mars is thought of as a cold, dry, and maybe lifeless planet

drawbacks waiting to be overcome. For the successful mission

by modern people, it has nitrogen, water carbon and oxygen

of greening the red planet, more elaborate research and

(carbon dioxide) to support life. Hence, Mars deserves to be the

further development of space science are required, most likely

second planet of human habitation. For Mars to obtain heat,

meaning that the drastic changes within Mars will not take in

artificially induced greenhouse gases that will capture solar

place anytime soon. Nonetheless, once any of these ideas is

radiation are necessary. Despite the impossibility of Mars’s shift

set in motion and succeeds, Mars will be colonized in some

into warmer orbit near Sun, there are at least three methods

decades, following up successful missions of Martian warming

to release greenhouse gases into its atmosphere and start the

and terraforming, like dominoes falling one after another.

baby steps of Martian terraforming.

Whenever Mars turns as warm as Earth in future, streams

Large orbital mirrors (or other large scale power

of water will form and plants will flourish, and organisms will

sources) can be used to reflect sunlight onto selected places

adopt this new, ideal planet as their second planet of habitation.

on Mars' surface. Theoretically, this scheme will be able to

Right now, the mission to colonize Mars is impossible, but it

de-ice polar ice caps and release the large reservoirs of the

will be reasonable to expect future news reporting Martian

native greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, that are believed to

continents and oceanic bodies similar to Earth, after the

be stored there. However, each mirror needs to be the size of

mission turns possible. It’s only a matter of time and patience.

West Virginia at minimum and have a mass exceeding 200,000

the talon • 9

point of view

Mission Impossible Changing Graded’s relentless load

Olivia Dupasquier

E

very year it seems we take a survey that repeats the same times our rights in the classroom are unacknowledged and old questions: How many hours a day do you spend on our voices are not heard because no one takes the initiative homework? How stressed do you feel during the school year? to say anything, knowing that it will probably not make that The survey asks about our sleeping patterns, about our eatmuch of a difference. ing habits, about our lives outside of school. Yet even with StuCo, though it help in many ways around the the results of these surveys and with the various discussions school, does not even seem to have the power that they need that we have during Flex about our school and social life, to make real changes in our academic lives. Although they nothing changes. If there is a complaint about busy work or have a few Flex blocks to relieve us through entertainment, unfair grading, more often than not the last word goes to the organize some activities, and pursue various projects such as teacher who runs the class, as opposed to the students who the plasma screens, they do not interfere in the classrooms, take it. StuCo has proven not to make a difference; after all because that is a topic not subject to change at our school. these years, no matter how many As the majority of colleges complaints and proof that there require, Graded strives to help As wonderful as it is to have such are too many and too high expeca driven community, with it comes make each and every one of its stutations, Graded does not change dents as well-rounded and diverse high expectations and piles of time its system. as possible. In order for that to hapand work.

Of course, a school withpen we must wake up at unbearable out homework is not the goal that hours, spend seven hours going to everyone is after. However, Graded’s hypocrisy makes it class, then spend some time doing community service, to impossible for even the slightest change. I have studied at then practice a sport for two hours, perhaps leave and spend this school for about ten years, and I would never be able another few hours engaging in activities out of school (yes, to count how many surveys I have filled out which clearly a world beyond the walls of Graded does exist) and then prove that the hours of homework we spend per night are use the rest of the night to complete our homework. And of superfluous. Each time I fill a survey out hope fills inside me course, on top of all, that we must still find time to become that finally something will be done about it, and yet nothing singers, actors, instrument players, painters, writers, and seems to change. We sit through the occasional half an hour photographers. Yes, the school has the right to demand this of videos stressing the necessity of sleep, claiming that we diversity from us since it is probably what we will be facing need at least 8-10 hours of it in order to be alert and attenin university; however, how can they encourage 8-10 hours tive in class; and yet the hours of homework assigned to us of sleep a night if we’re going to be assigned three hours of are what keep us up late at night. So why the need to review homework on top of all of those time-consuming activities? as a community such survey results or watch these videos, As wonderful as it is to have such a driven community, with which mostly only prove what we already know, if nothing is it comes high expectations and piles of time and work. going to be done to change our daily routines?

However, I do feel that Graded deserves an immense Besides the homework issue Graded seems to prioriamount of credit for the results it has received, since I’m tize the faculty’s word over the students. Although I admit sure there are few who have given their all at this school that we are provided a very open community, where we can and have not been rewarded. Through proper determination, feel safe to share anything with our teachers and administracomplete involvement and hard work, students at Graded get tion, when push comes to shove, the teacher will be right. into the best colleges in the world. Though we are required to When given an unfair quiz grade or busy work that may occupy sacrifice a few things (some social outings and some nights of hours of our time, who can we complain to? In most cases sleep), we get the vast amount of work assigned completed. the teacher will receive the upper hand, and we in turn are Nonetheless, Graded really expects too much. We have to be left with a grade we don’t feel we deserved or a pile of busy everything we can be, and still rest enough to not daydream work and a not-very-pleased teacher. So although Graded is in class. To try and change the way things are at Graded? meant to be an open, honest and respectful community, many Mission impossible.

10 • the talon

news

“Mahat Marina” Is Brazil’s latest candidate for the presidency too good to be true?

Victoria Steinbruch

A

ugust 19, 2009. Brazil is in the midst an intense political crisis that involving immense corruption and the exposure of one of the most prominent Northeastern senators. The evidence is there, for all who are interested to see; yet no one does anything. Our president, himself deeply tangled in political alliances, has not yet taken action. Then an announcement is made that Marina Silva-former Minister of the Environment and current senator-has left the PT (Worker’s Party, which Lula helped create) claiming that she was unsatisfied with the provisions made by the party in the area of sustainable development. Silva immediately affiliates herself with the PV (Partido Verde, the “Green” Party), and announces her candidacy for president. Who is she, and does she stand a chance?

Marina Silva was born in Acre, a northern Brazilian state, on February 8, 1958. She grew up as 1 of 11 children in a humble community of rubber tappers, known as “seringuerios.”

When she was 14, she learned how to recognize the hours of the day as well as how to perform basic math operations. She used this knowledge to avoid being fooled by the men who bought the rubber that her family produced. When Silva was 15, her mother died, leaving her in charge of a family of eight small children (sadly, the other children did not survive the harsh conditions of the seringal, Brazil’s rubber tree forest).

After Silva she contracted hepatitis and had to go to Rio Branco to receive treatment, her life changed. Once she got better, she decided to stay there working as a housemaid because she believed that by remaining in the city, she would have a greater access to education. Marina’s greatest dream at the time was to become a nun. She believed that religion would provide her with a greater sense of morality and was further intrigued by the prospect of studying in the schools that were headed by the Church, which were considered the best in the region.

It was then that Silva learned how to read and write.

She thus embarked on an intensive educational program called Mobral (offered during the military dictatorship) and in less than four years she was already preparing to take the vestibular, the required exam to enter a Brazilian university. By this time, she gave up her dream of becoming a nun in order to pursue another noble calling: improving the living conditions for those around her.

A new case of hepatitis made her unable to take the vestibular, she traveled to São Paulo for better medical care.

After she was cured, Silva returned to Acre. She was then able to obtain a college degree in History from the Universidade Federal do Acre.

During her collegiate years, she discovered Marx. This led to her joining a group called PRC (Partido Revolucionario Comunista), one of the many semi-clandestine political groups that

radically opposed the military dictatorship of the 70s and early 80s. Silva began to teach history and became highly involved in leading the teacher unions.

Nevertheless, this was just the beginning. This woman, who did not know how to write her own name until the age of 16, went on to become a committed union activist, a city councilor, a member of congress, a senator and finally, in 2003, Minister of the Environment. Now, she is running for president.

Silva’s popularity is rising, demonstrated by the most recent voting polls. Her humbleness and serenity seem to reveal a sense of innate spirituality. This is the origin of her comparisons with Gandhi, which earned her the nickname “MahatMarina.”

Most of her political majesty and innovative environmental beliefs she inherited from her mentor Chico Mendes. He was also a rubber-tapper activist who became very famous after his murder in 1988. They fought against the cutting down of the Amazon forest through demonstrations where they would protect the trees with their own bodies. They also battled against powerful farmers who were devastating the rainforest in order to maximize the profits of their plantations. Because Mendes was also one of the main founders of the Worker’s Party, once Lula became president he nominated Silva, Chico’s political “heir,” to become his Minister of the Environment. She became easily frustrated with the government, as she believed that economic interests prevailed over what she saw as the necessity for radical environmental provisions. In 2006, a great divergence between Silva and the central government led to her renunciation of it.

Marina has proved her integrity. Her commitment towards sustainable development through diverse actions throughout her career have led to surprising consequences. In 1988 she was the city councilor in Rio Branco who received the greatest number of votes. In 1990, once she was already a member of Congress, she fought to decrease the number of privileges attributed to politicians. She furthermore insisted that congressmen should give back some of the benefits they received. In 1996, she received the Goldman Prize for the Environment. In 2007, she received the greatest prize awarded by the United Nations environmental sector, a prize named “Champion of the Earth.” In 2008, the English newspaper The Guardian nominated her as one of the “50 people most likely to save the planet.” Silva exudes seriousness and has visibly demonstrated political experience as well as a commitment to the policy that the preservation of our natural resources will lead to further economic development. Although her chances may be considered virtually impossible, given the complexity of Brazilian political coalitions, her presence on the political stage gives hope. It suggests that there are virtuous and princpled people among the corrupt. Without a doubt, Silva has my vote.

the talon • 11

news

Old Age Crisis

What will happen as the world’s population ages?

Felipe Fagundes

E

very one of the two billion people who will be over 60 in 2050 has already been born. The average of world’s population has been getting older year after year and now that the baby boomers are starting to retire, consequences of this shift will grow. Countries in Europe have already started to suffer from a lower growth rate and loss of productivity.

However, the aging world population isn’t merely an economic issue but a social one. This demographic challenge will probably be one of the world’s main concerns in just a few decades, as it is now in some Asian countries.

In 1979 the Chinese government implemented the one-child policy. Since then its impact has been mixed, but for the most part successful. Without this policy China would have a population of 1.6 billion instead of the current 1.3 billion.

Despite the decrease in birth rate, another problem emerged.

Considering the country’s preference for boys rather than girls, illegal abortions are carried out in order for the family to have boys. Consequently, the number of boys, now men, in China is far greater than those of girls or women, meaning that many will end up single. Studies suggest that these single men may create a great social problem in China. Recently, in China’s political circles talks about ending the one-child policy have begun. Apart from the social problems, economics has also played an enormous role. China has been growing at a higher rate than the USA and Europe in their economic booms.

However, due to the one-child policy China’s population has also aged a lot faster. Soon China might have the needs of a rich country—related to medical expenses for the elder—but the income of a poor country.

A possible solution for the Chinese might take is to increase the retirement age from 55 to 60 for professional workers and from 50 to 55 for blue-collar workers. This solution would be viable, considering the retirement age in China is lower than in most Western countries. However, China would still suffer from the problem that its economy has grown due to abundant cheap labor; as the population ages it will no longer be able to rely on it. Another solution is that China would have to invest even more on education so that its workers will be more productive and the economy less dependent on manual labor done by younger workers. Finally, five to ten years from now China will be forced to abandon its one-child policy because by 2040 the country will have a population older than that of the US and with only one-fourth of the average income

12 • the talon

per capita.

Since the 90’s, Japan has been dealing with demographic problems as its population ages. The world population is predicted to peak in 2050; yet Japan’s will peak 25 years earlier, in 2025. The main problem caused by Japan’s aging population has been in health care. There has been a 106% increase in the use of ambulances by the elderly since 1995.

The Japanese government has even had to start asking people to only use ambulances in real emergencies, otherwise to go to the hospital through other means. Unfortunately, it’s not only a lack of ambulances that is the problem. Some patients have to go to several different hospitals until they are admitted, due to the scarcity of doctors. The obvious solution for Japan’s problem would be to increase the number of doctors, but it would take over ten years for enough doctors to graduate from Japan’s competitive medical schools. Furthermore, Japan's future health-care costs could be crippling; considering it is estimated to become approximately 40% of Japan’s GDP. Another problem is Japan’s low birthrate. Some hospitals have even already stopped offering childbirth services. Considering that the national cost to support the elderly is much higher than that of raising a child, the population discrepancy will aggravate existing financial problems. Finally families are overburdened when taking care of elder members and many have to ask the government for assistance. Considering that Japan already has a deficit 1.5 times the nation’s GDP, its aging population will be a huge challenge in the coming years.

Other countries will also face challenges from an aging population as we approach the year 2050. Even though many developing countries have lost many lives to HIV/AIDS, they will face the challenge of millions of people over the age of 60. The economic effects will be dire. Younger people spend more than older people. Therefore, with time the demand for goods will start to decay, potentially leading to many financial problems around the globe. Perhaps leading to another global crisis.

Even though we are always talking about global warming as the century’s problem, our aging populations will prove to be a much harder issue to deal with, since the problem is being created now, and solutions will only take affect after many generations. Therefore, leading nations must take the initiatives to find solutions before the task becomes impossible.

news

Twelve Years of Power for a Hero Uribe’s third term: a reason for celebration or concern?

Eduardo Estrada

I

f Alvaro Uribe Velez were to die today the vast majority of the Colombian population would mourn. The Harvard and Oxford-educated president has successfully championed the war against terrorism and is often regarded as the main cause for Colombia’s resurrection. At a time when Latin America’s leadership has been, to say the least, inadequate, Uribe represents a beacon of light not only for Colombia but for the region at large.

After assuming office in 2002 Uribe set out to eradicate the country’s terrorist threats and ensure Colombia’s “democratic security” (a term that permeates Uribe’s right wing policies and actions.) In his first four-year term the president made unprecedented progress, which is why his referendum for a constitutional amendment to allow for a second term was met with cries of joy on behalf of the Colombian people.

This movement was easily approved by the Senate and the Constitutional Court. Needless to say, Uribe was re-elected in 2006, in a landslide victory.

In the last four years, the president has continued with his tough stance against terrorism and drug trafficking. His administration has captured a number of high-profile drug lords and effectively demobilized the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a right-wing paramilitary terrorist group. More importantly, Uribe has succeeded in pushing the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) out of towns and cities and into the jungle and mountains. FARC has suffered a great number of losses during his administration. Due to succesful government rescue missions, there has been an increase in the number of desertions and the death or capture of many of its high-ranking officials (including the deaths of Manuel Marulanda and Raul Reyes, first- and second-in-command respectively), as well as the loss of a great number of hostages (including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt).

However, Uribe’s second term is coming to an end in 2010, and he now seeks a second referendum to alter the country’s constitution allowing for a third presidential term. Interestingly enough, when asked to comment on whether or not he would run again Uribe has either refused to discuss the matter or stated that he would only run in a situation of national crisis. He has said that such a referendum is not necessarily for himself but lays the ground-

work for the next president to be successful in carrying on his thriving policy of “democratic security.” Despite Uribe’s ambiguous response to a possible third term, the Colombian public seems to assume that the president will run once again and polls clearly show that he would, yet again, win the election. Yet this referendum has caused much controversy over the past months.

While many Colombians want nothing more than to see Mr. Uribe as president until 2014, some do not. A great number of Colombians believe that having Uribe stay in power would be beneficial to the country, but fear for the future. This uncertainty towards what may come after Uribe, however, does not seem to reach the 80% of Colombians, whom polls indicate welcome the change to the constitution. Additionally, the Senate recently backed Uribe’s referendum, so the final word now rests with the Constitutional Court to determine whether or not Colombians should be allowed to vote for a third presidential term.

Colombia has the oldest and most stable democracy in Latin America, which is why, despite Uribe’s successful presidency, many Colombians are hesitant to accept a third term and see it as a threat to the nation’s democracy, as a possible danger for the future. The counter-argument would blogspot.com be that in the purest sense of democracy, “the people rule,” if the people want the same president for twelve years, they should be allowed to have it that way.

A Colombian member of the Graded community and parent to two high-school students expressed her thoughts on the referendum and Uribe having a third presidential term. Her words synthesize the feelings of a great number of Colombians who pose strong argument against the re-election: “Even though I recognize the fabulous job [Uribe] has done, in every way, in his years as president, the fact that someone could perpetuate themselves in power continues to be terrifying. He is a good and honest person. But giving a future leader of inferior capacity the same opportunity, though constitutional means to do the same and remain in power for 12 years sounds very scary. There is no guarantee that history will repeat itself but with a very bad president, of the likes of Chavez. I am sure that there is someone as good as Uribe out there. There are a few good options in Colombia. On a different note, Uribe deserves some rest! He looks old and tired.”

the talon • 13

news

Redefining Impossible

How changes in education will change the world Danielle Aguilar

O

ver the years, problems in the American educational system have became jokes. If anyone had ever seen an episode of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has witnessed a segment of “Jaywalking,” they undoubtedly know what I refer to. For those who do not know, the conversation generally goes something like this: Leno: “Can you tell me what the Gettysburg Address is?”

Person: “I know what is, I just can’t tell you the exact address.”

Even though “Jaywalking” is obviously an exaggerated circumstance in which Mr. Leno asks trivia questions to the most academically inept people around, the question of the quality of the American educational system is a very serious one. This is especially true in communities and school districts in which the studentslive in difficult home situations. One man in New York’s Harlem is trying to change this.

In his mid-forties, after the birth of his child from his second marriage, Geoffrey Canada realized what a difference raising a child in the middle class made for him and his wife. However, these differences were not what one would expect of better school districts and more opportunities. The differences and advantages that Mr. Canada discovered were actually the sources of information about how best to raise, educate, and discipline a child. Even though this information was reasonably well known throughout upper- and middle-class families, it was barely trickling its way down to the lower class. In Mr. Canada’s opinion this is one of the causes of the weaknesses in American education: a lack of understanding on the part of the parents.

Canada’s realization led to the creation of yet another branch of a program called the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ).

Originally started in the 1970s, this program was implemented to make a difference in the educations and futures of children living in the 97-block area known as Harlem. The statistics are shocking. Did you know that there is a 33% chance that a black boy born in 2001 will spend time in jail? Did you know that 60% of black men in their mid-thirties who dropped out of high school have spent time in prison? Did you know that only 7% of black eighth-graders perform at grade level in math? These

14 • the talon

are the facts that HCZ is trying to combat. By embracing the philosophy of “cradle to college” the HCZ program has been raising the standard of education in Harlem by getting to the core of the equation: the parents. This is done by trying to convince parents to sign up for a program called Baby College in which the parents are taught how to boost the language skills of their children, encourage them, and start the learning process early and at home. Once the children turn four years old, they are then eligible to enroll in the Promise Academy charter schools.

In recent years, the program has seen incredible results. Approximately 81% of parents of Baby College graduates have improved the frequency in which they read to their children in order to elevate their language abilities. At the Promise Academy, about 97% of eighth-graders are at or above the grade-level standard in math and 100% of pre-kindergarteners were at gregmancousi.com grade level. Yet, if it is possible for education reform to be made in Harlem through the leadership efforts of one man, what is taking so long for the rest of the United States?

In 2007 a study was done in Great Britain ranking the top 25 countries in terms of education in the areas of math, reading, and science. In all three categories, the United States failed to even make the list. For a nation that professes itself to be one of the leading powers in the world, its educational system is not up to par. This discrepancy is probably what was considered when President Barack Obama constructed his plan on education reform. His plan entails improving the effectiveness of teachers, improving the standard of teacher qualifications, and getting more students on the track towards college. He plans on accomplishing these goals by boosting the level of achievement in typically low-performing schools and by keeping track of teacher performances.

As the world continues changing, it will be necessary for students to be prepared for the future. This can only be done through change itself and building on the positive and successful aspects of schools in the world. It takes is an idea and someone with the initiative to pull it off; Geoffrey Canada is a remarkable example.

news

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Important profiles in the news

Community Service Profile:

GEE

Talon News Team

Political Profile:

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Victoria Steinbruch

Moonbattery.com

Full Name: Graded’s Entrepreneurial Enterprise

Full Name: Ayaan Hirsi Ali

How long has it been active: Approximately a year and a half

Born: November 13, 1969

What do they do: GEE partners with other community service groups and helps to design projects in order to raise funds for these various causes.

Upcoming Projects: In September GEE partnered with Habitat for Humanity in the fundraiser, Run for Humanity.

Long-Term Goals: In the next year or so, GEE plans on continuing its growth and hopes to be able to expand its projects. It would also like to continue teaching its members the in’s and out’s of the business side of fundraising and community service.

Interesting Facts: GEE is one of the few organizations here at Graded that was created and implemented by students: The two students who made GEE possible were Fabio Berger and Felix Wibergh, class of 2009.

Getting Involved: At the end of every school year GEE releases an announcement in assembly letting the student body know that GEE is accepting new members; a student can then go through the application and interview process.

Nationality: Dutch/Somalian Background: University of Leiden (Political Science); exmember of the Dutch Parliament, women’s rights advocate and resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute Ideology: Openly criticizes Muslim faith after she herself deserted it, advocates women’s rights in the faith.

Recent activity: In 2004, Hirsi Ali wrote the screenplay of a short Dutch film that criticized Islam. This led her to become the target of violence and death threats that forced her temporarily into hiding. In 2006 she published a collection of short essays entitled The Caged Virgin. Later, in 2007 Hirsi Ali published a memoir, Infidel. She continues speaking out on behalf of women’s rights in Islamic culture and is writing a follow up book to Infidel.

Significance: There is still violence toward and mistreatment of women in the world. Only through awareness can it be put to a stop. As Graded prides itself on being globally aware, it is necessary for us to not turn away in indifference towards others in situations less fortunate than ours.

the talon • 15

features

Don’t Change to Fit a College...

Find a college that fits you

Karen Hime

O

ne of the most pertinent questions for high school students all around the world is what they are going to do after they graduate: college. Yes, that is one of the biggest worries on the minds of the adolescent children searching for a place where they can continue their education. However, nowadays, it has become more than the already complex search for your perfect fit, it has become a pursue after the perfect scores and the valuable community services. It has become a pursue for the excellence which you know the colleges like and in most cases require.

Those ambitious students who aim for the most prestigious school are beginning to find themselves in a tangle, where they are required to be a superb student in every aspect of their high school careers. What is causing them to turn on all their engines? Numbers. The New York Times recently reported that “Harvard turned down 1,100 student applicants with perfect 800 scores on the SAT math exam.Yale rejected several applicants with perfect 2400 scores on the three-part SAT, and Princeton turned away thousands of high school applicants with 4.0 grade point averages.” In theory, the best schools are supposed to take those who academically achieve the best, but not anymore. It is required of a student not only to be a mathematical genius, but also a Shakespearean prodigy and a young Michael Jordan too.

Now that the students understand the quantity of programs that they are supposed to participate it all becomes a simple formula. Good Grades + Sport + Community Service = Acceptance to College. Using this formula, it all seems a matter of time, and a little luck, until you get into the college you desire. But is it really so simple? Such a simple formula does not allow for diversity. College applications end being all in the same ranges; where a student has a 4.0 GPA, is a leader in

16 • the talon

some sort of community service such as Habitat for Humanity or Girl Scouts, as well as the captain of their soccer, basketball or softball team. These small variations make for no diversity.

So many colleges advertise their diverse campus, on how the campus is full of students from all around the world, however if they all fall in the same categories of our formula, than how can the school be diverse?

It is important to understand that when applying to colleges, do not use the formula and try to conform to the formula in order to adapt to the school’s demands.

Obviously it is important to do your best on the SATs, and do your best at school; however it is not as Karen Hime important to join a program only because it would look good on your curriculum.

By doing what interests you most, allows for your curriculum to really represent more about your character. The more your curriculum seems like you, the more it can demonstrate to colleges whether you would fit in or not. Rather than changing the curriculum to fit the college, use it in order to find what really fits you. It matters not if Harvard or Yale reject you, but if a college accepts you for you, then you will be certain to find the best fit for you.

This shift in mentality which has occurred in the past few years has been due to the paranoia of numbers. The percentages of acceptance rates have become a constant hammer upon student’s minds, reminding them constantly that if they do not follow the formula, they will not get into college. Do not misunderstand working hard with conforming to the formula. Conforming forces you to create a person who would not necessarily be you on your curriculum, meanwhile working hard exemplifies exactly what interests you have and the amount of effort you are willing to contribute.

features

The Humiliation Flex... ...was not mission impossible

Andrea Estrada

L

ast year, StuCo started off their first flex giving mouthwatering, free ice cream for everyone in the student’s center, a party-in-the-school-day with acoustic music playing in the background. The ice cream flex was quite a safe choice in terms of guaranteeing the students’ satisfaction; none of the StuCo members doubted it would be a success.

This year, as we StuCo members discussed what would be a creative way to start the year, someone suggested the idea to do a “StuCo-only talent show.”

Of course, everyone immediately assumed this wasn’t actually a talent show, but rather a show with either one or a series of funny performances. It is much easier for us to decide we want to humiliate ourselves than to choose a particular talent we want to display.

Most of us claim we don’t have any talents in the performing arts, so it’d be hard to have a talent show without talent.

The whole idea of trying to be funny and trying to be humiliated seemed appealing because it would give us a humorous image rather than that of stuck-up students who think they are more important than the rest of the high school.

We thought students should not judge StuCo members or dislike them because of their “authority,” so having a humiliating performance seemed like a way to display a more playful and non-authoritative side of StuCo. Plus, students would probably feel more comfortable when they had to approach us with problems or requests if they’d seen us making fools of ourselves.

At first, the whole idea seemed attainable.

I assumed since David Kern and Cassia, both StuCo members, are often involved in theater they would probably have a brilliant skit planned out for us. Most of us were thinking, “OK, someone will take care of putting an embarrassing performance together, and I’ll be told explicitly what to do. No big deal. We’re all in it together.”

However, somewhere along the way it got decided that there would actually be five performances, one for each grade and one for the president and vicepresident. I don’t know about the other members, but the sophomores sort of freaked out when we found out we’d have to perform alone. We are not naturally funny. We do not know how to be funny. People in the high school don’t know us enough to find us funny, regardless of what we do.

Therefore, the situation had “FAIL” written all over it, and so we began to realize we were facing an impossible mission.

17 • the talon

Still, with nearly three weeks ahead of us before we performed, none of us really bothered to put much thought into the event. The only people who actually knew what they would perform were David and David, who settled for the display of an actual talent rather than the attempt to humiliate themselves.

A week before the performance day everyone had decided on a general idea of what they’d do. Freshmen would imitate the magnificent Jonas Brothers, sophomores would perform a cross-dressing situation to the Beyoncé song “If I Were a Boy,” juniors would perform the “Barbie Girl” song, and seniors would imitate the High School Musical cast. They all seemed like potentially funny things, but the thought of actually being on stage Cassia Di Roberto for around three minutes trying to make people laughed scared us and made us feel like we had slim chances to actually succeed.

However, when the day came, no one seemed to know what they were doing. We all had the right props and costumes, but as far as performing, we thought the whole thing would end up being a major failure. While everyone else listened to Mr. Dequanne’s instructions on how to walk to the field during the fire drill, we were behind the curtains dreading our turns and complaining about the fact that we had no idea whatsoever of what we would do after the first 30 seconds onstage.

But we were there and had to do it. So when the wonderful and very talented performance by the two Davids was done, the freshies got up there and started lip singing to “Burning Up.” They pulled off quite a nice and humiliating performance, and as our sophomore turn approached I could only think of what big embarassment it would be. Lying on the stage, however, I heard roaring laughter from the audience as our song started to play and Artur came out dressed as a beautiful girl. My confidence boosted and, surprisingly, the laughter did not die until the very end of the performance. The juniors were equally funny as they fought over Barbie (Melissa), and the seniors imitated Sharpay, Gabriella, and Troy incredibly well.

By the time the Flex was over, our fear of not getting through the performances was long gone, and it dawned on us that we’d accomplished what seemed like mission impossible.

Really, it was always an attainable mission. We intended to humiliate ourselves in front of the high school and, ultimately, that’s what we did, whether it was funny or not.

the talon • 17

features

9th Grade—Minas Gerais “We went on a hike of about 8km which was beautiful and when we finally reached the top there was a gorgeous waterfall waiting for us. It was relaxing to just swim around and coll down after such a long walk.” —Natalie Shores

Photos by Tan Huynh

Isabela Franco

“In the small town of Conçeição De Mato Dentro, I learned and observed how life in a smaller place is a lot calmer than the life in São Paulo. There is no rush to do anything, no danger, no noise, no traffic, and none of those things that are so common in a major city like the one that we live in.” —Felipe Arenas

10th Grade—Bahia “It was emotional to become friends with a local boy, and once we began talking about school, it was interesting to see how he became ashamed of his background. It made me realize how many different people live in Brazil…” —Felipe Steinbruch

Maria Fernanda Alas

“When we went to the school of Irma Dulce, it was a very enriching experience. It was wonderful to see the children and their monitors working with such passion while sharing the basics of their culture with us, strangers to whom they could hardly relate to. It mad me realize, that everyone has something to give to someone else, be it material or not.” —Yana Alhden Tessa Peixoto

18 • the talon

features

11th Grade—Bonito “This trip was great to spend more time with my grade. I felt that during the rafting we bonded a lot by throwing water on each other and just having a great time in general.” —Olivia Dupasquier

Mariana Rozentzvaig

“It was a great opportunity to have fun with my friends, learn about the environment, and to get to know a new place. Bonito is truly fascinating and definitely the best school trip until now!”—Alex Felsberg Olivia Dupasquier

12th Grade—Recife “Singing with Lia de Itamaraca was an amazing experience, you could see her profess her passion to us, and not just teach…” —Cassia di Roberto “This was a great way to end our journey as high school students.

We not only learnt more about Brazil, but had a great time with each other. ” —André Krongold

“It was interesting to see how different the South and the North of Brazil are: the colorful clay figures versus the neutrality of São Paulo, the african versus the European influence. The shock is really quite fascinating.” —Isabella Freyre All photos by Victoria Steinbruch

the talon • 19

features

Mission I’m Possible Tom Cruise had it wrong

Julia Greenwald

A

t first glance, the theme of this edition’s Talon, “Mission lead to possibilities. For example, musical successes, such as (Im)possible,” may seem about the impossible: the IB diPanic at the Disco and Colbie Caillat, were discovered through MySpace only in the last five years. ploma, college applications, the SAT/ACT or juggling a soccer The only things we must now overcome are the hurdles game at PACA with loads of homework, all in one night. Yet, in our way—things that seem, and probably to some extent the theme was presented to us as Mission (im)possible for a are, impossible. Today it is 9:52 p.m., and after finishing this reason—to open our eyes to all that is possible. article I have to work on my physics As Graded high school stuportfolio, take some history notes and dents, we feel it is our right to conread O Olho da Rua. Every other day, front the impossible. We all take IB I have to confront what I know is the classes and exams that are unlike anyimpossible: 80 minutes of math, a thing our parents ever experienced mission even Tom Cruise cannot suc(For example, the idea of IB physics, cessfully complete (not that he can even at a standard level, keeps my successfully complete much without father up at night, thankful that he a stunt double and effects crew to is not in my shoes). Some of us play back him up). sports and practice until 6 p.m. year Other “impossibles” we must round, while others participate in face may not even relate to school.

HACIA and MUN because it is just too Family issues, friend problems, school hard to choose one. But what I think dramas and personal struggles are all we sometimes fail to see is the big things we must deal with every day. picture, what is possible.

But instead of being dragged down by At Graded, there are six them, we must work through them to different sports offered year round, get to all the possibilities we have. numerous community service projects maxdunbar.files.wordpress.com Graded is a school filled with to get involved in, and loads of extra possibilities, but most of them are overpowered by the imposcurricular activities. Many students also do ballet, tennis or sibilities imposed on the students. Due to all the pressures, art classes outside of school, and are able to integrate it into our vision is blurry so that we are blind to possibilities. Some their Graded lives. The only thing that is impossible at Graded of us are able to see, but many students with potential canis to not be busy. not deal with the homework and stress of Graded. It is hoped There is also the possibility to create your own projthat they will be able to see the possibilities in the world and ects. Graded Basketball Cares is a new community service themselves. project founded by Ho Dong Chyung and Alex Felsberg. Eagle Sadly though, at this point, teachers and parents canNews is another new extracurricular activity for high school not help us. As individuals, we hold the key to our possibilities students. Also, last year, Fernanda Bitar and Isabella Freyre and as a generation, we control what is possible and impossible. started Cancer Shelter, a community service project that is As corny and cliché as it may sound, we have the power and still going strong. the possibility to achieve almost anything. Even I am rolling On a more worldwide scope, our generation is one my eyes as I write, but it is true. of possibilities. Our generation helped elect Barak Obama, It is time we stop labeling things as “impossible” and the first African American president of the United States, a instead see things as possibilities. Graded and the world are candidate who has promised change to the county. At school giving us plenty opportunities, and the only thing really stopand in college, we are being prepared for jobs that do not yet ping us is ourselves. Just because Tom Cruise decided to make exist, and for possibilities that we are not yet even aware of. “mission impossible” an everyday phrase, does not mean we With all the cutting edge-technology being created, we are cannot change it to “mission I’m possible.” the hands that will mold our world, turning it into all possible shapes and sizes. Even online networking sites like Facebook

20 • the talon

entertainment news

Prefer Frosting or Cake?

Why are action movies so predictable?

Cássia Di Roberto

E

very time I watch action movies today, they all seem to have the same story. Hero versus villain. Good versus bad.

Those are their continual battles we seem to fight as humans, so that is what is depicted in the movies. As creative as they can be, action movies are stereotypical. First, is the good guy, who for some reason gets caught in some trouble and needs to prove justice to all. Then the bad guy, who sets up the good guy to fail and in the end will meet his doom. Then, let us not forget the girl, who is the "damsel in distress", always taken hostage by the evil guy, and saved by the hero of the story. Directors, producers, and writers today may use creativity in special effects and the “dressing up” of the story, but the core and story remain the same.

Ever since projectors were able to light motion picture reels onto big screens, action movies have been a major part of the industry. Since its first release, the genre has evolved to improve motion pictures; however, are these elements really improving action films or just making a tired format prettier?

Strip a movie of its special effects and computer graphics, and what is there? The same old story we see every time we pay those 10 dollars to go to the movie theater.

From action movies rose the stereotypes, the alwaysfamiliar characters we see behind every common plot line, highlighted more and more as new but familiar movies appear on the big screen. After so many of these stories, and scenes, as an audience we have come adept at identifying who is who in each movie.

Take Spiderman 1,2 and 3 for example. Peter Parker always seems to be saving Mary Jane or any other beautiful girl

from a falling building or from being held hostage. For once, maybe, why doesn’t she not get in trouble, but instead truly help Peter save the day? It becomes hard to find originality in movies like this, where the actors are changing, but the characters are still similar.

Then you have the James Bond movies, where a part of the plot is always to save some girl. We have the infamous Bond girl who accompanies our handsome hero, yet as she may help him, she is always in some trouble. Die Another Day, Casino Royale, Tomorrow Never Dies, are all examples of Bond movies in which the girl is an accomplice and somehow attracts trouble. Why is there such a lack of Nicole Fergie creativity in action films?

I don’t know about others, but I like to leave a movie amazed. I like a feel-good movie, but if I’m in the mood for an action movie I would also like to see some plot. But then again, I am always a bit disappointed because in the end, the movie is not focused on a good plot, but on action sequences, all the “frosting”, that decorates the cake. Without this frosting the cake would be empty, devoid of beauty. However, what is wrong with this? I like cake. Yes, the frosting is good. Yes it can be pretty. But it is not the real cake; it is simply a layer.

This is not a put-down of action movies. On the contrary, like any other teenager, I enjoy watching them. But I ask,why do we lack originality? Why do all of us have this urge to be attracted to the frosting and not the cake? Perhaps we have grown so accustomed to the effects placed in the movies that it is all we pay attention to. Or perhaps it really is the effects that make a difference.

the talon • 21

entertainment

Alternative Missions

Some bands convey meaning, some want fame and fortune Luiza Justus

M

usic has arguably always been around, But over the

ends with it. The whole song is based around a metaphor

years, it has become an industry, creating aspiring

that these people need to “learn to swim,” in other words,

musicians who dream about making it to the big time.

learn who they are and how to be themselves. A verse from

The bands that actually achieve recognition (a very small

the song aggressively describes the types of things the band

percentage) have very different missions. Some bands make

thinks are examples of being untrue to oneself

their music because writing songs and performing are things that they enjoy doing and are talented at it. Other bands, often called “sellouts,” make decisions about their music and their style based on what generates more money and fame.

However, there is still one rare type of band that focuses on creating music in order to convey some type of meaning.

By saying “f— retro anything” they mean that by trying to be something or someone from the past, people are not being themselves, and tattoos are just a way to show others what you want them to think you are. “F— all you junkies and f— your short memory” is basically telling these people that they are not being the best they can be; the drug

Tool, an alternative metal band led by Maynard James

is controlling and changing them, and taking away from who

Keenan, is well-known for its scheduled album releases every

they are. They need to “learn to swim,” be themselves, be

five years, selling in the U.S. alone 9.25 million records.

as complete as they can be.

Strong lyrics, lengthy songs and sharp instruments. These are some basic characteristics that describe this unusual group of musicians, one that is somewhat underground because it does not fit in with the mainstream requirements for popular music. Fortunately, they reach an audience that appreciates what they do, even though it is extremely difficult to fully understand what their songs convey. Interpreting their songs is no easy task, due to their subjectivity and use of abstraction.

Tool not only incorporates visual arts into their music, but one of their songs has a mathematical significance as well.

The title is Lateralus and the whole song is mathematically constructed according to the Fibonacci sequence. When counting the pauses in between Maynard’s singing, the syllables from each verse form the first few numbers of the Fibonacci sequence, ascending and descending. This sequence has a close relationship with spirals, which are mentioned several times in the lyrics. One other interesting

Tool has the ability to experiment with its music,

mathematical aspect about this song is that Maynard’s voice

incorporating with it visual arts and themes of personal

comes in at exactly 1:37 into the song. That is exactly 1.618

evolution. They honor visual arts in the sense that they show

of a full minute; the number which is the Golden Ratio, also

some of their artistic influences in their music videos and

closely related to the Fibonacci sequence.

live performances. However, something truly remarkable about their music is the meaning between the lines of the songs. For instance, Tool has a song called Ænema, which criticizes the Hollywood-influenced society that many of us are living in today. It insults, in a strongly aggressive manner, our conformist world, specifically mentioning L.A. The lyrics subtly urge people to be themselves and to try not to lead or follow anyone, just to be true to themselves and not pretend to be something they are not. The heavy criticism of this conformist culture comes through as the lyrics express a metaphor of flushing away the whole world, mentioning tidal waves, Armageddon, and all kinds of similar imagery signifying the world coming to an end. Maynard sings that he is praying for the world to end so that the “fake” world

22 • the talon

So much thought going into every single aspect of every word of every song proves that Tool’s mission is not to make money and fortune, but primarily to pass a message along. They use their music to truly express themselves, and make criticisms (although usually not explicit ones) about society. They believe that sounds are a higher form of language, so they use every single aspect of the song, not just the lyrics, to portray an idea. This is truly amazing because there are very few bands that are able to do something like this. It is possible to argue that all bands start out with an honorable mission, but eventually lose focus and become sellouts. Let us hope that the bands like Tool will never die.

entertainment

Like Movies? Know their Past A brief history of film

Marina Oliveira

T

oday, films are a common entertainment. More than just the pleasure of watching them, going to movie theaters with friends or having get togethers at home to view movies is a social event. Our interest even goes beyond the fictional stories on the screen.

Credited with the initiation of the motion picture era are Auguste and Louis Lumière for their invention of the Cinematographe, a portable motion-picture camera, film processing unit, and projector. Though others had developed different models with the same purpose around that time and had been successful in projecting images, they were the first to hold a paid public screening of moving photographic pictures, in 1895.

Interestingly enough, Louis Lumière did not believe in the popular appeal of his own creation: “the cinema is an invention without a future,” he said. The first movies created showed scenes from everyday life.

The first time his clip of a train pulling into a station was played at a movie theater, audience members supposedly ran out in panic, believing the train would move out of the screen towards them.

It was in the beginning of the twentieth century that movies became increasingly popular, with the introduction of narrative film and the establishment of nickelodeons, theaters that charged a nickel for a movie accompanied by the piano.

Later, animated films appeared, then the first full-length motion pictures. Through the years, techniques such as stop-motion photography, double- and multiple-exposures, time-lapse photography, and “special effects” were developed.

In the early 1910’s, the celebrity culture, which now is so dominant, began as movie studios were set up in Hollywood. The term “star” was used for the first time by the New York Times to refer to the main actor or actress in a picture, who, at the time, were the most renowned actors of theater. Movie acting became a respectable profession, since films were increasingly popular among the American middle class. Nickelodeons gave way to actual movie theaters, playing longer motion pictures and charging a higher entrance price.

The conception of Hollywood as a wild and scandalous place began in the 1920’s. It was at that time that the famous Hollywood sign, originally Hollywoodland, was installed. While

scandals continued to shock the public, cinema did not lose its popular appeal. By then, most major studios had already been established and movie technology continued to develop as the first 3-D film, as well as the first movie with music and special sound effects, though no dialogue, were shown to paying audiences. The era of silent films ended in the late 20’s with the Warner Brothers movie, The Jazz Singer. As a result, the careers of many silent movie stars came to an end, since their unpleasant voices did not match their visual appearance.

Adapting to the needs of society at the time, double features emerged in the 1930’s as a way for the unemployed and the middle-class to occupy their time, and theaters opened refreshment stands, now an essential part of the movie experience. Shirley Temple was one of the biggest stars of the time. The year 1939 is considered by some the “greatest year in film history”, with the release of movies like Gone With the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz. World War II in the 1940’s was linked to movies, as Englishlanguage films were banned in Nazi-occupied France and Hollywood films took up the U.S. cause. It was at this time that the film-noir style began and classic cartoon characters such as Tweety (originally pink-colored), Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote were introduced. The first TV ad for a film was broadcast by Paramount.

In the early 1950’s there was a drastic decline of theater attendance due to the increasing popularity of televisions—a form of entertainment similar to movies, but free. The film industry had to adapt. Changes included the increased use of color and the introduction of wide-screen films and novelties such as 3-D glasses.

Since the invention of the television, the status of the movie industry has been repeatedly challenged by new technologies. The now ancient-looking VCR’s came along, and disappeared with the arrival of their more evolved version, DVD’s. With that came video rental businesses; these failed with the creation of websites such as YouTube and SurftheChannel, where movies can be viewed for free, as well as TiVo. But as these new technologies have come and given way to other novelties, the magic of cinema has continued to keep viewers entertained for over a century.

The magic of cinema has continued to keep viewers entertained for over a century

the talon • 23

entertainment

AIndulge Diamond in the Sand yourself in the marvels of Sci-Fi David Birmann

S

Science fiction, unlike fantasy, seeks to combine theoretically feasible innovations of technology with a certain amount of imagination to take the reader into a new universe, and by doing so, opening a whole world of possibilities. Writers such as Herbert and Asimov created new universes, in which One of the main reasons for this bias is the lack of a exist whole realm of ideas radically different from the ones exposure of this genre public in the form of books, so that it we live in though still based upon is viewed with a certain prejudice them. In creating a new social and almost purposeful avoidance. dynamic, science fiction at times Works of Isaac Asimov: Few people read quality science goes as far as J. R. R. Tolkien did I, Robot fiction, so people associate it with by creating an entirely new, uncomic books, Star Trek, and secondThe Robots of Dawn recognizable world, founded on rate works. When we think sci-fi, we The Foundation Series (Foundation, Foundation humanistic ideas. think low-quality B-movies and geeks cience fiction is an unappreciated genre in literature.

Rarely have there been Nobel literature prizes awarded to great masters of science fiction. Well then, why this schism in literature? Why the lack of respect for science fiction?

wearing horn-rimmed glasses. Consequently, there are many science fiction authors who play to these stereotypes.

and Empire, Second Foundation, etc.)

Pebble in the Sky Phillip K. Dick: Ubik A Scanner Darkly A Maze of Death Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The Penultimate Truth Frank Herbert: The Dune Series Arthur C. Clarke: Childhood’s End 2001: A Space Odyssey

However, this prejudice could not be more misleading. Science fiction may not be in its Golden Age, but that does not mean we should devalue these fine works of intellect. Still today, pieces that were written 50 or more years ago retain the same pertinence as they did when they were first written.

Certainly, novels such as Brave New World and 1984, if read today, show a certain amount of clairvoyance in their respective authors, Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, as we seem to be moving closer towards the world they postulated in these books.

The main proponents of this genre are seldom given the credit they deserve. Writers such as Isaac Asimov, Phillip K. Dick, Arthur C. Clarke, and Frank Herbert made the genre what it is and created concepts that have actually led to innovation in modern science. Asimov’s 3 Laws of Robotics made famous by his Robots novels and the movie I, Robot, allude to the question of how far we can control our technology. Even some of the questions posed back in his time still today cannot be fully answered, and leave us to imagine what could be and who we are.

24 • the talon

The truth is that science fiction is a quasi-social experiment; authors place human beings in a setting that we know nothing about, and predict how they react. They propose how they think humanity will manifest itself in an entirely new setting, using technology and other literary creations to conceive entirely new situations and ideas from which to extract this analysis.

It seems we have turned our backs on this rich school of thought, without any real concrete David Birmann reason for doing so. Shakespeare remains a pillar of literature, yet the same cannot be said for the great authors of science fiction.

Even J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer get more recognition than infinitely superior writers such as the aforementioned authors of the genre.

Why shut the door on such a deep and provocative literary style? We should not allow such great books to go unread, and if we inspire this generation to take up science fiction again, more great novels will be seen in the future. So if you’re out of ideas about what to read, check the list of classic science fiction novels on this page, which you’re sure to enjoy.

entertainment

Triviliaties

Helping you deal with the impossible mission of a 80” class Luiza Justus

I

f you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on your right side. If you are left handed, you will tend to chew

your food on your left side.

• Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

• Your tongue is germ free only if it is pink. If it is white there is a thin film of bacteria on it.

• The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.

• The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep a night.

• Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens

• Every day 200 million couples make love, 400,000 babies are born, and 140,000 people die.

• In most watch advertisements the time displayed on the watch is 10:10 because then the arms frame the brand of the watch.

• Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

• German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.

• Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump.

• Two animal rights protesters were protesting the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn, Germany. Suddenly the pigs, all 2,000 them, escaped through a broken

the immune system. Six-year-olds

fence and stampeded, trampling the two

laugh an average of 300 times a

protesters to death.

day, while adults only laugh 15 to

• 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan (Wendy)

100 times a day.

are the only two Disney cartoon features in which a character has both parents are

• The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear

present and do not die in the movie.

is not the ocean, but rather the

• 12 newborns will be given to the wrong

sound of blood surging through

parents daily.

the veins in the ear.

• 160 cars can drive side by side on the Monumental Axis in Brazil, the world’s

• Dalmatians are born without

widest road.

spots.

• The reason honey is so easy to

ehow.com

digest is that it’s already been digested by a bee.

• The color blue has a calming effect. It causes the brain to release relaxing hormones.

• 5% of Canadians don’t know the first 7 words of the Canadian anthem, but know

the first 9 of the American anthem.

• A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate.

• When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red.

• A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.

• The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was built in Milwaukee,

• A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4-foot-tall

Wisconsin in 1903, and used a tomato can for a carburetor.

• The lion that roars in the MGM logo is named Volney.

• The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples.

child inside.

• A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.

• A toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans.

• A “walla-walla scene” in a movie is one where extras pretend

• There are 1,792 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

to be talking in the background—when they say “walla-walla”

• The sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is actually

it looks like they are actually talking.

the sound of nitrogen gas bubbles bursting.

• It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.

• The only part of the body that has no blood supply is the cor-

• All of the clocks in the movie “Pulp Fiction” are stuck at 4:20.

• America once issued a 5-cent bill.

• Bubble gum contains rubber.

nea in the eye. It takes in oxygen directly from the air.

the talon • 25

entertainment

Killer Thrillers Fulfilling the mission of entertaining film viewers Luiza Justus

I

t is impossible to narrow down exactly what audiences look for in movies. Some look for a good laugh, others want a good surprise ending, and look for the art in film. It is obvious that each movie has a different mission, be it to sell tickets or to reach a new level of thematic significance, but all films are special in their own little way. The movies recommended this month are both thrillers which concentrate on one important task that the characters need to complete; in other words, a mission. Whether these missions are impossible or not, is for you to decide, after you have watched these intriguing and breathtaking motion pictures.

Equilibrium (2002) Directed by: Kurt Wimmer Starring: Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs

Saving Private Ryan (1998) Directed by: Steven Spielberg Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore Cpt. Miller (Tom Hanks) and other members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion fight in the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 to secure a beachhead (a defended position on a beach taken from the enemy). During this battle, two brothers are killed in action. In New Guinea, a third brother is also killed. Their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is to receive all three of the death telegrams on the same day. The United States Army Chief of Staff is given an opportunity to lessen some of her grief when he learns of a fourth brother who is still alive known as Private James Ryan.

The Chief of Staff decides to send out Cpt. Miller and select members of the 2nd Rangers on a mission find him and bring him back home to his mother.

Set in a future, post-World War III society where emotions have been outlawed, Equilibrium depicts the story of a government agent, John Preston (Bale) who begins to have doubts about the policy he is enforcing. He goes on a mission to change the strict rules set upon society by joining the rebel forces that reside in a secret lair underground.

dvd-bluray-reviews.com

www.dvd-bluray-reviews.com

26 • the talon

entertainment

A Second Opinion Answering the impossible

Anonymous HS Teacher Dear Second Opinion, What came first: the chicken or the egg?

Yours, Ms. Scrambled Egg Dear Ms. Scrambled Egg, The egg, of course!

Just a Second Opinion Dear Second Opinion, My friend is engaging in an illegal activity that jeopardizes both him and others. I want to advise him, but I am afraid it will break our friendship. What should I do?

Altruistic Buddy Dear Altruistic Buddy, I wonder how altruism will play out if your friend gets in trouble with the law and takes you down with him. You call him a friend, but if this individual is putting you at risk then I don’t see how you are involved in a mutual relationship of respect and concern. If you really care about this person, then the only course of action you seem to have is to speak your piece and see how he reacts.

If your feelings matter, that should do it. If your feelings do not matter, then you need to reconsider whether this friendship is worth jeopardizing your future.

Just a Second Opinion Dear Second Opinion, I’ve been in a long-distance relationship for a year now, and the second year of it is about to begin. Any advice on how to make it run smoothly?

Long Distance Dear Long Distance, I’m not an expert on long-distance relationships, but I would say that if it’s been working for one year already, don’t get lazy and think time will automatically maintain the relationship. Continue doing those things that are keeping you two together and be sure to keep things honest. “Smooth” is fine, but if this person means a lot to you then move your efforts to another level—perhaps more calls, more visits, more text messages. Let your partner know you think of him/her often . . . but don’t go overboard.

Just a Second Opinion

Dear Second Opinion, My parents don’t want me to talk to one of my best friends anymore. How do I choose between a best friend and my parents?

In Between Dear In Between, It’s difficult to offer advice without knowing why your parents disapprove of your best friend. Do you feel your parents’ concern about this particular individual is justified in any way? Do you see problems having this friend in your life? I’m wondering whether or not you have to choose—perhaps ask your parents about their concerns and share with them why this person is important to you.

An open conversation might be a way to satisfy both parties.

Just a Second Opinion Dear Second Opinion, I like a person who likes my best friend, and he likes her as well.

How do I ruin it for them?

Heartwrecker Dear Heartwrecker, While I appreciate your honesty, I couldn’t advise you on how to hurt another person’s feelings. If you are so sure that you would be the better choice, then profess your love to this girl and see what happens. Something else to consider: is it worth losing your best friend over a girl? And let’s say you are successful breaking up these two; is that the best way to begin a relationship with someone? It seems to me that you need to cut your losses and allow time to run its natural course.

Just a Second Opinion Dear Second Opinion, How do I tell my teacher he’s, well . . . not so great at teaching?

Confused Learner Dear Confused Learner, I think a teacher might appreciate a direct talk in private so you can share the frustrations you are experiencing in the classroom.

As a teacher myself, though, I’m not so sure that I would appreciate having a non-teacher tell me I can’t teach. To make such a blanket statement doesn’t seem fair to the instructor, but sharing what you are getting out of the class and then moving into a conversation that offers some helpful suggestions might be the best way to handle such a delicate matter.

Just a Second Opinion

the talon • 27

viva voice

Facing the Music

The Olympics: a mission improbable

I

Danielle Bryant n figure skating, there are those who are among the elite;

at the same time. It seemed an incredible amount of time for

those who train ten hours a day with six different coaches;

only lasting two minutes and twelve seconds. Finally when

those who can land a triple jump at age fourteen; and those

it seemed like I couldn’t possibly go on, the music ended and

who have an Olympic medal to their name. They are among the

I posed in my final position. Half gasping, half laughing with

elite. They are the greats every skater dreams of becoming.

relief, I skated off the ice. My coach caught me in a huge

Unfortunately however, most figure skaters, at one point in our

hug.

lives, must realize that that dream will never be a reality.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered. At that moment

“Danielle! Danielle,” yelled Kirsten as she bounded

it didn’t matter that I didn’t land my combination or that I

towards me, “Where’s your dress? What about your hair? We

barely rotated six times on my flying camel. All that mattered

start in, like, ten minutes!”

was that I had done it. I was a regional competitor.

“Wh-what?” I stammered. I had just entered the rink

My friends met me outside the changing room, armed

and already someone was yelling at me—that usually waits until

with the usual flowers and stuffed animals that were presented

I’m on the ice.

to skaters. I felt like I was invincible, that is until Sydney

“It’s dress rehearsal! Everyone’s in skates already!”

“Oh, well…crap! I don’t even have my dress,” I said as I looked down at my ratty tights, t-shirt and practice pants.

“Ah! What am I going to do? Anybody have an extra dress?”

yelled, “Come on, Danielle! Hurry up, the senior ladies are competing!”

I ran to the other ice surface with my friends and

Kirsten looked at me in amused disbelief,

grabbed a spot with the rest of the Louisville gang in the

“Well, maybe you can borrow my short program dress,

stands. We watched in amazement as the first skater flew

if you can get it back to me before I go.”

“Oh my gosh! Yes, I promise, thank you, thank you!”

I yelled running towards the changing room.

Just great, I thought to myself, as I yanked out my hair

up the center of the ice, bending herself in half and suddenly springing up and rotating two and a half times. A double axel—she was a year younger than me. My heart sank; I could barely land a double as is.

and tried to smooth back the frizzy mess of hair into a sleek

As I watched the remainder of the skaters in the

bun. You just had to be late for Regional dress rehearsal. Yet

flight, I realized that they were all extremely talented, but

I smiled at myself as I envisioned what the next week and a

only three would move on to sectionals, and from there they

half would bring. I was finally competing at regionals! If you

only had a slim chance. They were giving it their all—double

won at regionals, you moved on to sectionals, then nationals,

axels and triple combinations—and it still wouldn’t be enough.

the worlds, then maybe…

The sport expected triple axels and quad combinations; a feat

No, that’s stupid, I thought as I applied my eyeliner

only few in history have achieved.

for the last time, even if you did place first, which probably

Not long after regionals ended and the hype at the

won’t happen, you’re competing open juv. So you won’t move

rink had calmed down somewhat, the U.S. National Champion-

on anyway. Even though I repeatedly told myself that, I couldn’t

ships aired on television. As I watched the Ladies Freeskate

help but feel that I was going to make something of this mo-

competition, I was in awe of the individuals, especially the two

ment, that perhaps I would be among the elite.

fourteen-year-old competitors. Landing triple after triple with

This is it, I thought as I stepped on the ice.

almost (what seemed) no effort at all, they even surpassed

“Strong checkout, Danielle. You’re going to be great,”

the older more experienced skaters like Kimmie Meissner and

my coach told me assuringly. I skated out to my starting place

Alyssa Cyzney. They were a year younger than me, competing

and took my position.

in Nationals, and that’s when it hit me: I would not ever land

Just breathe… and the music started. Flying around

a triple, and I would not ever compete at a National level. I

the corner I executed my first jump, trying to remember ev-

was not among the elite, and I would not ever be. Although

erything my coach had ever taught me, yet trying not to think

during the last two years of my life I had gotten up almost

28 • the talon

viva voice

every morning at 4:30 and skated for two hours before starting my day at school, and skated again after school and on Saturdays, it was never going to be enough.

These girls has been training many more hours than that, since they were about six, they lived and breathed skating.

I slowly trudged upstairs and found my mom, “I’m not ever going to the Olympics, am I?” I said as tears began streaming down my face.

“Sweetheart! What brought this on?” she said, startled, as she pulled me towards her.

“There are fourteen year olds doing triples. Triples!

I can barely land a double!” I sobbed.

“Oh, honey, that doesn’t matter. It’s not all about winning; you enjoy the sport don’t you?”

I did, I had, but at that moment it all seemed so pointless: the endless hours of training, the money spent on ice time and dresses, the competitions, the tests, the dreams—all wasted. They had been for nothing. The Olympics wasn’t even a dream now, it was a distant shattered window of hope so far away I could barely see its light. The biggest question I asked myself was, Why? Why couldn’t I land triples and quads?

Why wasn’t I born with the ability to spring three feet off the ground while rotating, or keeping perfect balance while on an eighth of an inch steel blade, spinning, while shifting all my other body parts around? Why was that not me? Why was I not good enough? Why, why, why? Why do I get up every morning

Danielle Bryant

at 4:30 to practice? Why do I spend half of my weekend at the rink? There had to be a reason. I hadn’t really expected an Olympic gold all along, had I? I think I had always known that it was just a dream, so why?

I envisioned getting on the ice, the first smooth glide across the surface, the feeling of power as I fly around the rink, oblivious to those of the world outside of this frozen land, landing a perfectly executed jump or hitting just the right spot on my blade to make my camel layback spin fly. That was the reason I skated, and no amount of falls, or fails, could ever take that away from me.

From that point on, when my alarm went off at 4:30 a.m., I still continued to drag myself out of bed, and got ready to face the music. I accepted that I wasn’t the best, and that I would never be The Best. I skated because I loved it. It was my passion. I could only do the best that I could possibly do, to be the best I could be—and that’s was all that mattered.

Because no matter how many times I fall, I have got to pick yourself back up and face the music.

My new obstacle, however, came when my father announced our new destination. Olympic Competition. Mission Improbable. Finding ice time in São Paulo, Brazil? Mission Impossible.

the talon • 29

entertainment Martin Shores

ACROSS 1 Pags’s college was founded by Norwegian immigrant farmers.

6 Ana Paula Cortez completed all her studies at this acronym for a Catholic university in SP. 7 Mr. Amaral got his Masters in this field from Framingham State College, Massachusetts.

9 This University of Florida alum has an itchy shutter finger.

13 Ms. Pool’s alma mater was designed by Thomas Jefferson.

14 Ms Hunt’s mascot is a Washington Grizzly Bear.

16 Mr. Berg studied where J.F.K launched the Peace Corps.

17 Ms. Pfeiffer got her BA at the university with more Nobel prizes than any other, including this week’s Nobel in Physics: 80. (According to Mr. Berg, it is the nerdiest campus in the US.) 19 This “devastatingly handsome” teacher graduated from The College of William and Mary.

21 Ms. McClelland graduated from this Minnesota, liberal arts college, a popular destination for international students.

22 Bruce’s alma mater’s mascot is the Ducks, represented by the popular Disney character Donald Duck.

23 Mr. Jensen got his Masters here.

24 Ms. Blackburn is an alum from this university, named after the direction at a bearing of 315°.

25 This colorblind educator has degrees at University of Waterloo, University of Ottawa, University of New Hampshire, and Michigan State University.

26 Ms. Porto got her master degree in this field at the American University, in Washington DC. DOWN 2 The name of the university Mr. Bentley graduated from completes this phrase: “Life, _______ and the pursuit of happiness.”

3 Ms. Ariani did her post-grad in art history at this university.

4 This math teacher got his B.S. in Management Science, and Masters in Education University of California-San Diego.

5 Mauro Dunder earned his Languages degree at this university with an American name.

8 Ms. Bree’s alma mater is a synonym for “clumps” 10 Maggie, D. Debbie, Leticia, Rogério Dezem and Marina got their degrees here.

11 Ms. Peterson graduated from this Baltimore university.

12 Ms. Baratta rode the cable cars on her way to this university.

30 • the talon

sports news

A Shocking Revelation

Nelsinho Piquet blows the lid off Renault cheating scandal Christopher Thomas

N

elsinho Piquet’s recent statements to the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile provided a shocking revelation to the F1 world. In this statement, Piquet reveals that the Renault team manager, Flavio Briatore, and the technical director for the team, Pat Symonds, ordered him to deliberately crash his car in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to trigger the use of the safety car to be used. The plan was to fuel Fernando Alonso—Piquet’s teammate—with just enough fuel to complete 12 laps, at which point Piquet would crash at the moment that Alonso had refuelled. This would allow Alonso to overtake heavier cars with his lighter one and be in an advantageous position once the safety car came on. The plan was successful and Alonso won the race.

Whilst it may seem that Piquet is trying to get back at Renault for ending his contract, the fact that FIA are taking this investigation seriously and seem to be uncovering evidence to support this claim is very disturbing. Sour grapes or not, it is a serious claim and if proved true could have massive implications, both for Renault and F1 in general.

The situation begs the question of how much integrity is really left in the sport, as a driver was coerced into breaking the rules and endangering his own safety for the benefit of the team. In his statement, Piquet noted how as his contract had not been renewed during the normal period of time, and that he was in a fragile state of mind. According to him, Briatore exploited this state of mind by calling him into his office moments before races to discuss contract details, when Piquet should have been left to focus on the race at hand.

This abuse of power by Briatore and Symonds threatens to tear the fabric of the sport. While Piquet’s actions were dishonest, it is not entirely fair to place all the blame on him, as his obligations to Renault and the fact that, at the end of the day, he is just an employee, would have influenced his decision. Piquet was in the wrong, but Briatore and Symonds took advantage of a delicate situation to win the race by unfair means.

Formula 1 has long been a sport with much controversy and debate surrounding it. Race-fixing, however, is the ultimate crime and should the allegations prove true then there is a serious matter at hand. For all the faults and complaints

about F1, there is nothing worse than race-fixing as it is an insult to everyone involved in the sport, be it other drivers, team directors, and of course, the fans.

The very notion that races can and have been fixed is relevant to all sports. The Calciopoli football scandal in Italy in 2006 uncovered a web of corruption and match-fixing that resulted in Juventus getting relegated when, because of the match-fixing, they would have won the league. Fixing results is spitting in the face of fans and participants alike who love the sport and dedicate themselves to it, because it is essentially saying that what they have dedicated their time and effort to is an illusion and a lie. It turns the sport into a farce and makes it laughable.

static.guim.co.uk

As FIA’s investigation continues, Briatore and Symonds will have a lot to answer for. If FIA wish to save face here and show that they will be harsh with rule infractions of this nature, they will clamp down hard on this from now on, and make an example of them both.

The situation here could also be crucial for Fernando Alonso, as he must have had prior knowledge to the plot.

Alonso, widely recognised as one of the best drivers in the sport, could face serious trouble if he is included in any case FIA try to push forward. While it would be lamentable if Alonso were to be banned from F1, it would be a necessary step to stamp out cheating in the sport.

One can only hope that this discovery leads to a tightening up of security in all sports and that cheating, especially race/match-fixing, is stamped out and prevented for good.

the talon • 31

sports

Vision Impossible, Soccer Possible Sighted people aren’t the only ones playing soccer anymore

Yana Ahlden

T

hose who think that the last FIFA World Cup took place in

from nine meters away from the goal is awarded to the other

Germany in 2006 are wrong, because, actually, the last

team, and there is no wall. Games consist of two halves of

World Cup took place in Buenos Aires last November. This World

25 minutes, because blind players have to concentrate a lot

Cup is not covered by the media every second. This World

more than sighted players.

Cup consists of only eight countries, rather than the usual 32.

If a player decides to run against an opposing player,

This World Cup is different from the other which thousands

he must shout “voy.” Even though this word is Spanish, it is

of people travel to see and millions watch on television. This

the universal word used in blind soccer. If a player does not

World Cup is not the one that Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lukas Podolski play every four years.

This is not the World Cup the whole world knows. It’s a mission impossible accomplished.

shout “voy,” he is given a yellow

So, maybe, "playing like a blind man" will soon be the biggest compliment one can receive.

card. Since there is a lot of yelling going on, because this is only way to communicate, some games cannot be played inside, due to the echo.

A few decades ago it was

Because of these

considered impossible for anyone who had seeing disabilities to

small changes, the impossible has now become possible: blind

play any contact sport. But that’s exactly what time is for; for

people can play soccer. Ajmal Ahmed, from Liverpool, is one

change. This change has been completed, because now, every

of those people. Even though he was born blind, he now plays

four years, a FIFA World Cup is organized for blind players, who

soccer for England. He said to Der Spiegel magazine “Football

have the same passion for the game of soccer as those who are

is everything to me. Since I was little all I’ve wanted to do

considered normal, just because they can see.

is play football and the opportunity to play for my country is

Although the game played by the blind follows the basic rules of soccer, some modifications had to be made to

like a dream come true.” He isn’t the only one who thinks this way.

make the game of blind soccer a possibility. For example, the

One thing that needs to be cleared up about blind

usual 11-players-a-side variation is reduced to only five-a-side.

soccer is that it is not slow at all. Some plays are faster that

Of these five players, only the goalie has the ability to see.

those of sighted teams. Some players have such incredible ball

All others are legally blind. Other than the ten players on the

control; it is hard to believe that they cannot see the ball they

field, each team is allowed four benchwarmers. There are no

are controlling. For sighted players, the exclamation “you play

limits to the amount of substitutions. The coach, the goalie,

like a blind man” is not seen currently as a compliment, but as

and another guide are the only sighted people, apart from the

an insult. For all we know, this could soon change, since many

referee, who are allowed to take part in the games.

blind players have better ball control than sighted players,

Each of them plays an important part in the way the

and precise passing is needed more in games of blind soccer.

games are conducted. The goalie is in charge of guiding the

So, maybe, "playing like a blind man" will soon be the biggest

defense, while the coach guides the midfield and the attack,

compliment one can receive.

telling when to run, where to pass, and so on. Lastly, players

Even though blind soccer sounds extremely different

are instructed by the last guide, who stands behind the goal

from the original, there many similarities. Even in sightless

and tell them when and where to shoot.

soccer, the rivalries are fierce. Just like in traditional soccer,

Apart from these variations, some subtle changes

all the players want to win, but mostly they just want to have

have been made to the sport. The ball has bells inside, so

fun playing the game they could not have played just a few

players can hear it. Referees do not whistle at offside kicks.

decades ago. To many, it’s “mission accomplished” for blind

Unlike traditional soccer, yellow cards work more like fouls in

soccer.

a basketball game. If a team is given a fourth foul, a free kick

32 • the talon

sports

Melanie Oudin

A menina/mulher maravilha Fernando Lima

D

iferente dos meus outros artigos, prezada leitora, este não vem acompanhado de uma carga emocional ou de uma história impactante. Nem é sobre futebol, mas sobre o mundo das quadras e raquetes e bolas recobertas de lã & fibras, um mundo que está em polvorosa, com a ascensão da mais nova estrela precoce dos principais circuitos: Melanie Oudin. Nos últimos anos, a WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tem experimentado uma dominância de beldades do leste europeu. Beldades como Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic e Alona Bondarenko são algumas das vinte e três jogadoras européias do leste no top cinquenta da WTA. Agora é Melanie, essa garota de dezessete anos de idade, norteamericana da Geórgia, quem vem tomando o mundo do tênis passo a passo, quadra a quadra.

Isto posto, você, leitor, deve estar se perguntando onde é que está a “menina” Oudin, no ranking? Pois é, o mais incrivel é que ela já ocupa a septuagésima posição (provisória), mal se inicia seu segundo ano como profissional.

No momento do fechamento desta edição, o US Open, o último grand-slam do ano, está sendo disputado no complexo de Flushing Meadows, na Big Apple, e a nossa Melanie Oudin está fazendo um estrago digno de uma bomba nuclear.

Nós, marmanjos, vínhamos assistindo ao tênis feminino por duas razões: Maria Sharapova e Ana Ivanovic. Para nossa tristeza, as duas já foram eliminadas do US Open. Tristeza passageira, pois Melanie reacendeu o sol nas quadras, tão logo começou o torneio, duas semanas antes das cabeças-dechave. Passando pela etapa qualificatória, Oudin (cujo sobre nome lembra as valquírias vikings – Odin é o deus supremo dessa mitologia escandinava) ela foi encaixada no sorteio para o (verdadeiro) US Open. Caindo na chave principal junto com quatro dentre as dez melhores tenistas do mundo, você, leitor, deve estar pensando na catástrofe que isso teria sido para nós, pobres mortais. Não para Melanie Oudin.

Deixando de lado um problema no músculo posterior da coxa, ela, na primeira rodada, destruiu Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ganhando os dois sets (6-2 e 6-1). Agora é que a história aquece. Na segunda rodada, ela pegaria a quarta

melhor do mundo, Elena Dementieva, a sua segunda russa do torneio. Leitora, você deve estar pensando na tremedeira que isso causaria a qualquer principiante. Enganou-se de novo: Melanie Oudin ganhou de virada por dois sets a um. Levando às quadras os torcedores americanos já enjoados de ver só as irmãs Williams no topo, Melanie enfrentaria Maria Sharapova na rodada seguinte. Não percam a conta, leitores: Maria Sharapova seria a terceira russa para a Valquíria georgiana enfrentar. Embora com a mesma lesão na coxa, Melanie contou com dois trunfos a instabilidade emocional de sua oponente e a força da torcida. Não deu outra: a teen Oudin venceu por dois sets a um, fazendo um jogo agressivo nas quadras rápidas do US Open.

Contabilizando já três vitórias contra jogadoras russas, a loira inquisitr.com georgiana partiria, então, para seu desafio mais difícil até então, a melhor jogadora do mundo no momento: Nadia Petrova, Agora no estádio príncipal de Flushing Meadows, o Arthur Ashe Stadium, Melanie Oudin teimava em seu destino de “azarona”. Tudo dava certo naquele dia. Mesmo perdendo o primerio set, ela não teve seu saque quebrado. No segundo set, mais um tie-break. E quando você pensava que a novata iria desabar em quadra, Melanie Oudin vence o set. No terceiro e último, ela não tomou conhecimento da numero um e venceu com grande facilidade.

Uma menina de dezessete anos devastando a paisagem russa do tênis. Criadora de suspenses hitchcockianos, quando se pensa que Melanie Oudin vai ceder diante da “responsa”, ela, em segundos, puxa a torcida para si e trilha o caminho para a vitória. E olhem, leitores e leitora, nem tamanho tem esse pequeno dínamo detonador de grandes russas: todas se curvaram ao tênis prodigioso dos 1,68m de altura e dos dezessete anos idade da “garota”. Na próxima rodada, que ainda não aconteceu até o encerramento desta edição, Melanie Oudin enfrenta a suposta namorada de Rafael Nadal, a beldade dinamarquesa Caroline Wozniacki. O mínimo que podemos fazer, leitor/leitora, é pedir ajuda a Thor e Odin e desejar mais um capítulo de sucesso na saga oudiniesca.

the talon • 33

sports

Do You Have What it Takes?

Extreme stunts and sports: pushing the limits

Ho Jun Yang

S

ome get their kicks from champagne... but other people aren’t satisfied with that and instead want to go flying through a fireball and over ten motorcycles.

Ever since people have been around they've wanted to test how close to death they can get, without actually dying. Take Icarus for example. While escaping from a lifelong imprisonment in a tower with wings made of feathers and wax, he was filled with giddiness and curiosity. Wanting to test out how high up he could go, he started soaring up, up and up, until he flew so high that the heat from the sun melted his wings and he fell into the ocean and drowned.

It’s hard to say that there’s a single world’s most dangerous sport, mainly, because of a lack of data. Although this data should be available, organizers and participants hate to publicize deaths. The data we do have shows very curious results. In the U.K., angling kills more people each year than any other sport, due to drowning (angling is a method of fishing by means of an “angle” hook). If an activity uses special equipment to control an uncontrollable and unpredictable environment, the chances that the activity is an extreme sport (a.k.a. X-sport) are high.

These activities called extreme sports are not for everyone. Usually, they end up attracting men in their late 20s to early 40s. These people are trying to live for the moment, which is a good thing, since it might be their last. These activities certainly put the participant at a very high risk to be seriously injured. So why do them? As Harry Parker, a BASE jumper (Building, Antenna, Span, Earth jumping is when you jump from fixed objects such as cliffs and mountains using a parachute or a parachute and a wing suit), says, “Why? Because you can!” The bottom line is that people will do all sorts of thing to get the adrenaline, even if it means paying $600 to heli-ski by jumping from a helicopter into snow and risking an avalanche.

Human curiosity and desire for adrenaline seems to have increased much more in today’s society than before. As the activities become more and more wild, people’s injuries grow worse and worse. The injuries range from bleeding brains to broken femurs, as athletes try to take their sport to another level. As I read about the injuries of people like Mat Hoffman, a BMX Rider (Bicycle Motocross or BMX is a cycling sport in which

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the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in Motocross style on tracks with obstacles), I seriously started doubting whether the adrenaline is worth it. Mat has had 16 major surgeries during his 16 years of professional competitions and exhibitions.

His worst injury was in 1993 after he had cleared 23 feet of air off a 21-foot ramp. While landing, he ruptured his spleen.

According to the doctors, he was given 20 minutes to live and even flatlined (when the heart monitor stops beeping).

"Head injuries are the worst, because you just can't assess them when you're unconscious," Hoffman says. "I've been in a mild coma for seven hours.

I've had times when I've lost my sense of balance for a month and couldn't get it back. That gets really frustrating because you don't really know if it's healing or not."

As if simply participating in these events weren’t enough, people now compete in crazy stunts for world records. Here are a couple of such events according to http:// www.lifeinthefastlane.ca: • Stuntman Reno Jaton was Jeffrey R. Werner dragged along a pavement, trailing behind a 14,000-horsepower jet car for a quarter of a mile at 236 mph (380 km/h), all the while enduring the 698°F (370°C) flames of the jet engine for a world record.

• From a distance of 25 feet (7.6 meters), John Richmond shot a melon off his brother Ken’s head. Had he been off his mark by a quarter of an inch, it would have meant certain death for his brother. Both fortunately lived to see another day.

• Dennis Pinto from North Carolina crashed his motorcycle into a parked van at 60 mph (100 km/h) to make himself airborne. To make the stunt even more challenging, he donned a flame-retardant outfit and set himself on fire. He landed on a pile of cardboard boxes, amazingly unscathed.

• Escape artist Rick Meisel risked drowning and a battering while wriggling his way out of six pairs of handcuffs and two leg irons whilst spinning in a sudsy soap-filled washing machine. Meisel went to lengths of being surgically altered in order to fit better into the machine.”

Well, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to participate in these sports or stay as far away from them as you possibly can. What’s life without a little bit of spice? Are you up for this mission? If you are game for one of these sports, remember, insurance exists for a reason.

sports

Parkour

The Spiderman sport of jumping between walls Isabella Zevallos

A

lthough the fictional character is the only person I’ve ever heard of that can spin webs out of the blue, Spiderman, as incredible as it may seem, isn’t the only one who is able to jump between walls in the middle of the night: traceurs can also do this. No, they were not genetically modified, infected with any radioactive substance, or have any sort of magical powers—they just have the skills of Parkour. Now, you may be asking yourself, what on Earth is Parkour? You have probably never tried it, and most of you will probably never dare to.

Parkour is an urban, usually non-competitive sport that involves jumping, vaulting, swinging and climbing amongst other typical Parkour moves.

According to Wikipedia, the competitor has to “attempt passing obstacles in the most efficient way possible as if moving in an emergency situation.”

These obstacles usually involve human structures and objects that are present in our everyday lives such as buildings, railings, benches, walls, and so on; but sometimes, the objective is to riskily jump between these objects.

The sport is also known as l’art du déplacement, derived from its French origins and signifying “the art of displacement.” Although Parkour’s history is quite unknown because of the sport’s many different names, the French Navy officer Georges Hérbert was the first person to write about it. More than a century ago, when his station city was hit by a volcanic eruption, Georges and his men rescued many people, and he realized the importance of being “strong to be useful,” thus incorporating his new motto into his principles of “natural method”—the method of moving unmindful of one’s surroundings. This method evolved into the modern sport of Parkour, and had already served as a method for French soldiers in Vietnam. Yet, Parkour only began to really grow in the late 80’s, mainly across Europe. The word “Parkour” also originates from Hérbert: it derives the name of his proposed military obstacle training course called parcours du combatant.

Although it has French origins, this super-hero sport has spread across the world, though it still has much of a

secret identity. Because the sport has no real place among traditional typical sports, many traceurs have no designated place nor facilities to practice their moves (such as skate parks for skateboarders), and have to practice in gyms, abandoned areas, playgrounds, or public parks. Some fear for the trespasser’s safety when such a sport is being practiced in such an open and public space.

Yet, modern Parkour isn’t all that similar to Spiderman’s ultra-heroic adventures. It actually isn’t even a competitive sport. In fact, the sport itself usually has no audience. According to the sport’s philosophy, Parkour shouldn’t be a cause for rivalry or a call for the attention of a crowd. Many don’t even consider Parkour to be a sport, but rather a form of art. But again, Parkour is also considered a form of training, and “as martial arts are a form of training for the fight, Parkour is a form of training for the nfggames.com flight,” so why should martial arts be considered a sport and Parkour not?

Although Parkour has no set of predefined movements that one has to be able to accomplish, there are some basic moves that have to be learned by anyone who wishes to truly practice the sport. Landing, balance, swing, jumping, rolling and vaulting (moving over the object with the aid of your hands) are the simplest movements. Other moves such as the backflip, sideflip, handstand, 180° cat, 360° wallhop, crane, cat leap, flag, diving roll, palm spin and the aerial are bound to take some breaths away.

The sport is officially sponsored by Adidas and also has an official website at urbanfreeflow.com. After reading this you might find that Parkour is a nerve-racking sport. You might find traceurs a bit out of their minds when they risk their necks in such an art. You might find it to be something completely out of reach for you. You might find that the sport is pretty much an impossible option for your daily exercise. You might just find it all way too Spiderman. But then again, like the Adidas Olympics’ logo says: “Impossible is nothing.”

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sports

The Lesson of Trent

Capturing moments on the basketball court Cooper Franks

I

sat with my two friends, talking of simplistic things and laughing at our beloved Graded eagle doing the moonwalk as the sound of rain hit the roof of the gymnasium, flowed off and was absorbed into the refreshed grass. The intensity of the weather outside paralleled the atmosphere of the basketball court. Looking around, I saw an entire team of young men fooling around in neatly pressed shirts and vibrant neckties.

Looking towards the bathroom, I saw more young men all dressed up returning from their highly beneficial “pre-game ritual” with expressions of relief. With anxiety in each breath, we exhaled fear and inhaled energy. We grabbed our gear and as Mr. Bair would say, “swagged” into the locker room.

After we changed into our uniforms, Bair entered the locker room and he began his speech. It went something like this: “This may be a bizarre story to tell before the game, but I just returned to talking to a friend of mine. His son Trent, a former PACA Warrior and a beautiful basketball, player decided to play soccer at college instead of basketball.

However, before the season began they discovered a brain tumor in Trent’s head. The doctor’s allowed him to play after an intricate surgery of about twelve hours. There was a high risk of loss of communication, sight and hearing. After a lot of struggle and suffering he was diagnosed with spinal meningitis. Trent was a warrior and throughout his hardship he fought through it. This is what basketball is about. It’s about capturing every moment. Every moment where you feel thrill, passion and enjoyment of life. I will not be kicking any doors unless you don’t enjoy this moment and don’t put your heart into this game. It will suck to lose of course, but as long as we strive for these moments then I will not get mad.”

Of course this speech isn’t exact, but it is accurate enough to portray the importance of basketball to each young man that was present in that locker room on that rainy night.

As the time ran down and the points ran up, the game was soon over and the now humid gymnasium was filled with elation and Bair’s aspiration for us to appreciate that moment. In each aspect of that game, my mind transcended back to the past and what had prepared us for that victory: the “towers” that enflamed our calves as the Art Center stairs became filled with evaporated sweat, the "blasters" that resulted in the return of that day’s lunch splattered across the floor and on some of our shoes, the negotiations with hopeful excuses to lower the number of sprints we were all about to run (even though it was pretty clear to Bair which excuses were valid and which ones weren’t). “Bair, I got an A on my calculus test!” “Good job,

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now we only have to run 15.” “Bair, I saved an old lady from getting hit by a car.” “No, that’s just being a good person. On the line.”

All the sweat and work intertwined with the memories that made the seemingly impossible physicality of basketball blend with its beauty. The impossibility of basketball parallels the vivid gratification and experience of it. I guarantee that we will never forget the moments that preserved the present while evaporating the past and future. While the time-clock slowly ticks away, it seems as if in that instant we are truly enjoying life. The only mindset we have is on the game: nothing before or nothing after. Our minds our completely at peace and we live in the eternal present in which nothing can fade.

When we returned to the locker room at the end of the game, we realized what Bair had been talking about. For all the time we had put into the Graded Varsity Basketball program, the feeling we had at this instant was completely worth it. No matter how cliché this may sound, don’t believe that basketball is merely basketball. Don’t let the neatly pressed suits fool you. Don’t let our rock hard calves and intricate six packs throw you off. Don’t be intimidated by our abnormal height and outstretching wingspan. Deep down in each and every basketball player, even Shaquille O’Neal, lies a child that has a love for the game. No matter how much we complain about running or worry about how we present ourselves to Bair, we all know that buried into the depths of our souls, dwells the simple innocent love for the game of basketball. Bair is a prime example of this. Beyond the boisterous voice and daunting expression is an innocent child with a passion for a game.

This game on this rainy evening was one out of five games that we will possibly play against our rivals. As a wise person once said, “We have only hit the snake. Now we must chop its head off.”

Rachel Bass