The Smoke Signal Vol XLIV No 4

Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Smoke Signal

Crab Feed: an MSJ tradition

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Juniors Shelley Wenzel and Nicki Gallinatti enjoy their food at last year’s Crab Feed.

By Anastassia Tselikova Staff Writer The annual Crab Feed is to be held from 6 to 10 pm on Saturday, February 28, in the Newark Pavilion at 6430 Thornton Ave, in Newark.

A long-time tradition at MSJ, the Crab Feed has been one of Booster Club’s major fund-raising events for years. Band Teacher Monica Kraft and Drama Teacher Anne Riley first organized it. The money coming from this event will go to MSJ athletics and performing arts.

At first, Booster Club held the Crab Feed on the MSJ campus, but later moved to Club Sport. Unfortunately, the renting cost rose too high, and the event had to move to the Newark Pavilion, where it will be held for its third year.

The Crab Feed requires months of planning. Meetings begin sometime in September to early October, where committees are

established to take care of publicity, ticket sales, food, volunteers, basket items for the raffle, and cleanup. By January, the meetings convene at least twice a month.

Events at the Crab Feed include all-youcan-eat pasta, crab, and bread, as well as beverages and dessert. The primary revenue comes from the silent auction and the raffle.

Sports teams submit raffle baskets, and the revenue that comes from the raffle goes to the group that submitted it.

So far, tickets have sold out every year. The Newark Pavilion holds about 450 people, and every space is occupied by the time the event comes.

Tickets order forms can be found at Attendance Clerk Jean Faust’s desk, and turned in to the Mission Booster Club’s box in the office. The $40 tickets are much cheaper, compared to the prices of other high schools, so the Booster Club is expecting a great turnout this year.▪

SATs To Become Obsolete

By Yvonne Lin Staff Writer Constantly the center of controversy, the SAT system is under renewed scrutiny by the University of California (UC). The UC has been debating an overhaul of admissions standards that would place greater weight on class rank and eliminate the SAT subject test requirement for the Class of 2012.

After intense study and debate of the merits of the SAT subject tests, UC professors have concluded that the tests contribute redundant information. Students who do well on the subject tests they choose have likely excelled in that subject at school, which would be evident from the transcript.

“I don’t really care,” said Freshman Winnie Tran. “But that would mean less studying and cramming.” Other students have a less positive view of this possible change. “Many Mission students don’t realize that standardized testing actually works in our favor. The MSJ student body tends to do better on such tests than students with similar respective grades at other schools,” said Senior Vivian Chou.

This latest development is merely one in a series of critical evaluations of the SAT. Opponents of the SAT frequently denounce its supposed inability to judge a student’s ability

to succeed at university and criticize an admissions system based on test-taking skills.

Many colleges have already made strides to combat this issue. Sarah Lawrence College has completely rejected the SAT exam in its undergraduate admissions process, and other selective schools, like Middlebury College and Hamilton College, have made the SAT optional.

Other schools have reassessed segments of the SATs. Precursors to the path the UC may potentially take, top public schools University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan do not require SAT subject tests.

The merits of the SAT writing portion are also under contention, as they have been since the test was first issued in 2005. Neither Georgetown University nor the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks at the SAT writing score when evaluating potential applicants.

Each of these new policy developments is geared toward the goal of changing college admissions to become more holistic in nature.

“We take into account an applicant’s life story as they present it to us,” said Assistant Dean Kirk Brennan from the University of Southern California office of admissions.

“The SAT is one blip in that story.” ▪

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News 3

Facebook Checking Taken to New Heights

By Lucy Liu & Hannah Scobel Web Editor & Feature Editor Facebook and MySpace are seen as useful social networking sites to stay in contact with one’s friends and classmates. Recently, however, they have also been used as tools to obtain more knowledge about the personal lives of young adults nationwide. First used to gain personal information such as home addresses and phone numbers, Facebook and MySpace use by law officials has since escalated. It is now being used by campus law enforcement officials as well as employers and college admissions officers to conduct social screening.

In January 2008, high school students in Lombard, Illinois were arrested when the county sheriff found pictures of the underage students drinking. These students had posted the pictures on their Facebook pages, and since they were under the legal drinking age, four were arrested and the 11 affiliated with sports were unable to participate on their team for 20 percent of the season.

Mac McNeely, Chief of Police at the University of Tennessee, said in an interview

coming with things, we can look at Facebook and show them that [his or her profile] isn’t matching up with what they said,” said Amy Barsness, assistant director at the Office of University of Minnesota.

MSJ Resource Officer Teresa Martinez asserts that websites such as Facebook and MySpace are public domains. Therefore, the fourth amendment does not apply when officers and administration seek out incriminating pictures and information. Users put up pictures of their own free will, knowing that there are ways to get around Facebook’s “privacy” settings. These issues are highlighted in the Terms and Agreement section of such sites, therefore enforcing the position of campus officers.

The personal profiles of Facebook users have not been limited to catching students participating in illegal activities. Employers have begun searching personal profiles when looking for potential employees, and certain colleges with high levels of prestige have even started logging on when deciding who would be a valuable addition to their school.

“I look on Facebook all the time for potential criminal acts... ” -Mac McNeely, Chief of Police, University of Tennessee

with The Voice (student newspaper of Purdue University, North Central), “I look on Facebook all the time for potential criminal acts including underage drinking, suspect information and victim information.”

Most cases where minors have been charged, however, have only used the social networking site when another peer has already tipped the administration off to such events and evidence is needed to further prosecute the student under suspicion.

Other officers use the site not for legal use but to persuade students to tell the truth. “If a student comes into our office and isn’t forth-

According to the Wall Street Journal, colleges are now looking at potential students’ personal pages to determine their acceptance into the university. In one case, a student who seemed to have high chances of acceptance was rejected because he bashed the college on Facebook. While large universities may not have time to look into students’ profiles, smaller private schools may have the time and inclination to do social screening.

Students should now be aware that, despite “privacy settings,” everything they put onto social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, can be scrutinized. ▪

4 Opinion

the

The Smoke Signal Thursday, December 18, 2008

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Smoke Signal

Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 44, No. 4 | December 18, 2008

MAOTH off!

Jules of Wisdom What Have We Become?

Capitalizing on terror in Mumbai

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41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Sophie Diao, Mala Neti News Vidya Mahavadi, Amy Mao Opinion Julia Harrell, Marianna Mao Feature Lena Liu, Hannah Scobel Centerspread Amanda Kwan, Natalie Yang A&E Vicraj Gill, Eric Sun Sports Ryan Tanakit, Audrey Tseng Graphics Cici Cao, Jerry Ting Web Raymond Chou, Lucy Liu Tech Abhay Malik, Albert Yuan Ads Rebecca Gao, Sargunjot Kaur Business Victoria Gu Circulation Derek Yueh Events Megan Bernstein, Clara Ma Copy Editors Sandhya Chandrasekaran, Sonya John, Cynthia Kang, Tanu Patel, Anastassia Tselikova, Jane Wang

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Adviser Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@the smokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length.

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The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

By Julia Harrell Opinion Editor

On the first official day of Christmas shopping, infamously referred to as Black Friday, a part-time Wal-Mart employee, hired temporarily for the holiday season, was trampled to death by a stampede of crazed bargain seekers. At the same Florida branch of the store, a pregnant woman was knocked down and had to be taken to the hospital.

The scene sounds like something that might occur if food were being thrown into a crowd of starving people, and not like the behavior of suburbanites looking for a head start on holiday shopping.

When I heard about this and other similar but less violent Black Friday incidents, I was not only shocked but disgusted.

How, I wondered, was it possible for people to be so intently focused on shopping that they failed to notice a man was being crushed to death under their feet? And not only that, but how did this lapse of attention occur in such a huge number of people? I know I may sound a bit jaded, but I ask this question in all honesty: What have we become?

It astounds me that our society has degraded into a mass of people so addicted to material goods that we have lost concern for the welfare of anyone outside of our individual bubbles.

We are trained from a young age to value material goods and we equate gifts with happiness as the best presents are often given on

ASB Oversteps Bounds The opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board Since the beginning of the school year, the Associated Student Body has levied unfair requirements on student organizations.

First, during homecoming week, L2 mandated that all clubs must send five students to decorate the school for Green and White Day or else pay a fine. Although school unity is important, it was unfair that a hundred non-ASB students had to get up at 5:30 AM to decorate while some L2 students failed to show up.

Later, at the end of November’s can drive, ASB ordered all clubs to turn in 25 cans or pay a $25 fine. If it truly wanted to collect more cans, instead of making donations for clubs mandatory with only a few days notice, ASB should have organized a more responsible can drive that emphasized the true spirit of

charity. Furthermore, ASB’s collection day was disorganized, and club officers were left waiting in front of C-120 for over ten minutes at the start of lunch.

Perhaps ASB should try friendly recommendations instead of coercion when they want something from the student body. Although club officers are governed by ASB, they shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibilities of the entire student body, or face unreasonable requests with punitive consequences.

The Associated Student Body, as its name indicates, should be more tuned in to the concerns of the clubs and students it represents.

ASB is an integral part of the MSJ community, and fairer, more responsible action on its part would foster school spirit better than the policies it has employed so far. ▪

joyful holidays and birthdays. This fact is only heightened on the biggest gift-giving holiday of the year, Christmas. Not to sound Scroogelike, but Santa Claus is nothing more than a façade for corporate America to guilt parents into buying double the number of gifts for their children.

It seems as though every commercial starting from mid-November is related to giving new and expensive gifts. Scenes of new cars topped with extravagant bows, overjoyed women being donned with diamond jewelry, and children screaming with excitement at unwrapping a new toy from ToysR-Us all say the same thing: Your love is worth as much as the gifts you give.

While many people try to argue that gift giving is merely a Christmas tradition, I beg to differ. The traditional exchanging of gifts that is now synonymous with Christmas cheer is a far cry from what Jesus, the man whose birthday Christmas celebrates, preached. Instead of feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, we have somehow come to the conclusion that Christmas is about spending exorbitant amounts of money on gifts that will likely be forgotten next winter.

While I realize that giving gifts is a huge part of Christmas, I only hope that this year those who can afford to pile presents under their tree will think about those who cannot and donate to charity. ▪ Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

By Marianna Mao Opinion Editor

In November, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on Mumbai, India left 188 dead and 294 injured. In the wake of the attacks, with the 2009 Indian election due in a few months, the stage may have been set for the empowerment of India’s chief opposition party, the right-wing Hindu nationalist faction Bharatiya Janata Party. The possibility of the BJP candidate for prime minister, Lal Krishna Advani, advancing to power is a truly alarming prospect that could be a serious detriment to reaching peace in South Asia.

Mr. Advani claims that he and his party have shifted focus from religious nationalism to economic vitality, but his election would likely unleash a chain reaction of violence and factionalism within Southern Asia and the Middle East.

BJP has been all too willing to politicize the tragic Mumbai attacks by touting its strict stance on security. In the days following the attacks, it splashed bloodred front-page advertisements on popular newspapers reading, “Brutal Terror Strikes at Will. Weak Government Unwilling and Incapable. Fight Terror. Vote BJP.” BJP is pushing for India to respond as the US did after 9/11, but the US’s muddled and ill-informed military action after 9/11 is no example to follow. Should BJP come to power, it would use national security as a reason to pass radical anti-terrorism legislation, perhaps reviving

its Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act, a policy that led to gross violations of civil liberties before its repeal in 2004.

It is true that India’s current government has botched its handling of national security. It responded tepidly to clear warning signs that came as early as 2007, when a Parliamentary report pointed out the poor security of India’s shores, and it maintained heightened security measures for only a week after two warnings of the possibility of water-borne attacks on Mumbai.

Nevertheless, India’s priority right now should be focused not on assigning blame but on handling its relations with Pakistan. Even with there being little doubt that the attacks were orchestrated by militants within Pakistan, Pakistan’s willingness to cooperate is a good sign, and a moderate stance in India’s part would strengthen international relations in the long run.

As Representative Rahm Emanuel puts it, “Never let a crisis go to waste. They are opportunities to do big things.” Indeed, the chaos brought about by the Mumbai attacks has presented opportunities that may never come again. India may very well be at a crossroads; one path leads to leadership by a right-wing party that will turn out to be dangerously radical, while the other may bring about a moderate future of new alliances with a Pakistan which has condemned the actions of its militant groups. ▪ Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

Person of the Year: Robert Mugabe

By Jonathan Ye Staff Writer

The Person of the Year award goes to a remarkable individual of 2008. This year, I nominate the president of Zimbabwe, a leader often accused of running a regime based on terror, Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe’s rise to power started in the 50’s, when he branched off from Joshua Nkomo’s Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) to create the rival Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU).

With a coalition of supporters, he commanded guerilla forces in the fight against the Rhodesian government, a staunch opponent to black nationalism. Negotiations for peace between ZANU and the government concluded when the Lancaster House agreement was established, officially ending racial inequality and the civil war for political independence.

When Mugabe returned to the newly formed country of Zimbabwe, he was hailed as a hero.

Mugabe led a black nationalist campaign and hoped hoped to ease tensions between ZAPU and ZANU by building a bipartisan government with Nkomo. However, this coalition failed when a crackdown on ZAPU supporters ensued, leading to the detaining and killing of opposition leaders.

Because the opposition had the support of white farmers and busi-

Mugabe and Tsvangirai shake hands after brokering a power-sharing deal.

nessmen, white citizens emigrated, taking with them their industries, vital to the economic well-being of the country.

By 1990, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front was the ruling party, using intimidation and violence to maintain Mugabe’s power. The country had fallen into a state of despair; according to the World Health Organization, Zimbabwe citizens today face the shortest life spans (37 males, 34 females), highest orphan percentages (25 percent), and worst annual inflation (1281 percent).

So why does Mugabe deserve Person of the Year? Three decades after his rise to power, which saw years of economic decline and political unrest, Mugabe has finally agreed to relinquish some power to the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai. In the March 2008 elections, Tsvangirai, who advocated democratic change, won the popular vote. But it was not enough to

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win the run-off against Mugabe.

This sparked months of rioting and protests about the supposedly “stolen election.”

In September, Mugabe initiated a power-sharing deal in whichTsvangirai is in charge of the day-to-day functioning of the country, while Mugabe maintains the presidency.

Aiming to bring hope to not only their country but also foreign investors, Mugabe and Tsavangarai took the essential first step in bridging their differences to help the people.

Western powers have previously refused to negotiate with Mugabe, who they criticize as being an unruly dictator., but with Tsvangirai making advances, Zimbabwe will gain international support.

Thus, Mugabe should be Person of the Year. Despite his egregious violations of civil liberties, his willingness to hand over power to Tsvangirai may herald the beginning of a change from the Mugabe of 20 years ago. ▪

Thursday, December 18, 2008 The Smoke Signal

Overtime Overstresses

By Megan Bernstein Staff Writer

It’s Wednesday, and I’m positively swamped with work. As the clock ticks away, my whole class sits at the edge of their seats until 2:32, when the bell comes to the rescue. However, not all students have the luxury of going home to relax before delving into their piles of homework and heading off to various extra-curricular obligations.

More than a few remain at school after the bell, not for personal enjoyment, but because it has become mandatory.

Each year it seems that more and more classes have begun to assign compulsory activities and projects that require students to remain at school on their own time to receive class credit. Many remain on campus for science and language arts classes or laboratory setup or cultural exchange activities. However, it is not fair to require students to remain at school for work that is not for extra credit or make-up work but actual class credit.

The main issue with mandatory “out of class” activities like laboratory setup is the extra time involved for students. MSJ is known for its difficult curriculum and stressedout students who already stretch their days past midnight just to keep up. By adding another hour or two after school to their already busy schedules, extra activities only add another burden. Students lose their personal time, simply because these activities cannot be fit into the school day.

In addition to the time lost, activities that require extra time put many students at a disadvantage.

Students who take the bus home after school must rearrange their schedules, or else risk adversely affecting their grades. Others who participate in school athletic teams are put in a similar predicament.

Many teams begin soon after school ends, and on some days even leave school early for away games. Although most teachers try to be flexible by allowing students to select the day which they must remain at school, choices are often limited due to the teachers’ own obligations.

Consequently, students who cannot find a day that works for both the teacher and themselves may lose credit or receive extra work, which no doubt adds to their stress levels.

If a mandatory assignment or class requirement that requests students to remain at school cannot be fit into the school day, then it should not be required at all.

Students already spend a good six hours at school each day; adding more is not necessary. ▪

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Foreign language students are required to attend cultural enrichment activities.

Staff Writer

President-elect Obama has promised to terminate the infamous detainee camp, Guantanamo Bay, but it is a plan easier said than done. With 34 days until he takes office, Obama must hit the ground running to clean up this ugly chapter in American history.

As the gulag of our time, Guantanamo Bay has long been a source of controversy.

Since the beginning of the War on Terror in 2002, the camp has housed over 750 suspected terrorists allegedly connected to al-Qaeda and Taliban. The last 250 prisoners or “enemy combatants” remain ineligible for normal legal processes typical to US prisoners and are being held in indefinite imprisonment.

Amnesty International and The United Nations have repeatedly condemned the camp for limiting the detainee’s rights to habeas corpus. The most difficult task Obama faces will be shedding light on the shadowy policies put into use by the Bush Administration. The most prevalent one, the Military Commissions Act authorized by President Bush in 2006, allows the “use of military tribunals in place of federal courts to try the detainees, and justified use of some form physical coercion during interrogation.” (Or as some call it, torture.) As these issues continue to unfold, how effectively the Obama administration resolves them will depend on what path it chooses to take.

The most obvious course of action would be to simply shutter all prisoners to US soil and try them with a new US legal system specifically designed for the detainees. However, this could bring an uninvited amount of criticism and dreadful comparisons to the military tribunals set up by Bush. Compiling an efficient and fair legal system would probably

Opinion 5

North Pole Economy Melts in Hot Water

By Michael Feuerman & Tanu Patel Staff Writers

When news of the recent Wall Street Stock market crash reached us here at the Smoke Signal, our thoughts immediately went to Old Saint Nicholas in the North Pole. Almost instinctively, we wondered how Santa was faring and whether we would be getting gifts this year. A thorough investigative report ensued. Donning our mittens and earmuffs, we dutifully headed to the North Pole.

During our right up to the North Pole, we were forced to take a pit stop when our General Motors sleigh refused to budge an inch until given gallon after gallon of gas (Sadly, no more Prancer, and Blitzen and Rudolph. Hello Hummer Sleigh.)

When we finally reached the North Pole, we were ushered to the press quarters. In previous years, our rooms would have had cups of steaming hot chocolate along with the latest gadgets to occupy our time while we waited for a chance to interview Santa Claus. To our dismay, instead of iPhones, a roaring fire, and room service, we found scratchy sheets on our beds and mothballs in the set of drawers.

Saddened by the thus far dismal visit, we trudged off to see if we could find Old Saint Nick. We were honestly hoping he would be able to revive our downcast Christmas spirits. It seemed to us that the economic failure had reached even the North Pole. Would today’s young generation grow up thinking of Santa Claus as a cheap old man instead of the jolly and generous Saint he had always been for our

Locking Up Guantanamo

By Sargun Kaur

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result in dismal failure, and bringing supposed terrorists into the mainland US could also prove controversial.

English teacher Brian Rath supports another alternative to the Guantanamo crisis.

“Guantanamo Bay has claimed America as an imperialistic empire... We need to close down the prison and have the detainees convicted in federal courts, not just another form of preventative detention on US soil. ” While holding federal trials lays out a valid and simple solution, the trials could face severe resentment by those who oppose giving detainees’ legal rights equivalent to those of citizens. This opposition could provoke a whole new set of problems for the new administration.

Another option is to let depositions be handled by the existing court martial system.

Unlike the federal trials, the court-martials would take a shorter amount of time and could take place outside the US. The only major limbo that remains is forming proper criminal cases. That is because the primary purpose of detaining the people was not to stage trials, but rather to gain usable intelligence gained through rather demeaning forms of interrogation.

In theory, the detainees can also be turned over to their native countries governments or simply be released. At least 50 of Guantanamo’s inmates have already been cleared but cannot return to their native countries for fear of persecution, which would be no different than what they have already endured at Guantanamo.

Certainly the Bush Administration has not left for an easy transition for the emerging President. The decision Obama makes will undoubtedly be one of the hardest he will face coming into the White House. ▪

staff writer albert yuan

generation?

We finally found Old Saint Nick hard at work in his workshop. Normally, the area would have been a beehive of activity, with thousands of elves lining up and assembling the latest DVDs and Christmas sweaters. But today, the factory was desolate, littered with empty bottles of apple cider. As Santa Claus, CEO of the North Pole, walked up to welcome us, he apologized for the mess, saying, “My house recently foreclosed, so I’ve been forced to live here.”

With a sigh and a glance at the empty factory, Santa explained, “The elves left for better jobs at Walmart.

Thanks to this economic collapse, I no longer have any funds to provide for my worker elves. People just aren’t willing to pay them anymore, and the threat of polar bear attacks was just too much.” According to Saint Nicholas, the elves had been paid in spiritual fulfillment and the

cookies he found on his nightly route. “You think I could eat all those cookies in a single night?” asked Santa incredulously. “Don’t be silly!”

But not anymore.

“I’ve been trying various methods to keep the operation moving,” said Santa. “In the past, I’ve tried to move more kids to the Naughty list, coal being cheaper than most gifts these days. But ever since the Democrats won the election, there has been a significant shortage of bad seeds.” (Santa later confessed to voting for McCain, in an attempt to cut costs.)

Before saying our farewells, we asked if Santa had any last words.

“Yes.” he said. “Are any of you students at Mission interested in a few community service hours?”

So, kids, forget about the gifts this year. But hey, don’t be so sad.

There are plenty of community service hours to go around. ▪

8 Centerspread

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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Smoke Signal

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Centerspread 9

10 Photo

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday, December 18, 2008

created by graphics editor cici cao, photos by graphics editor jerry ting, staff writers elisa ting, jonathan ye

12 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Bias Is Not Pious

Merry Jingles and Lousy Singles

By Megan Bernstein Staff Writer

with a pleasant blend of holiday cheer and R&B melodies.

What is the best way to get into the holiday spirit? Well, holiday music, of course. Here are the best and worst versions of our favorite wintertime classics.

Alvin & the Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) Originally created for the 2000 holiday special of the popular cartoon, its re-release in 2007 with the Alvin and the Chipmunk movie soundtrack has made it feel impossible to avoid this squeaky Christmas song. The pitchy vocals of Alvin, Simon and Theodore are less than desirable when creating a play list for the holidays.

Destiny’s Child - 8 Days of Christmas The Destiny’s Child girls tried, but have only proved one thing— that not everything can be made hip-hop. The new lyrics to the trio’s

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Countdown With Keith Olbermann and The O’Reilly Factor show us that media bias is prevalent on both sides of the political spectrum.

By Karen Lin Staff Writer

The world of politics often seems like a completely different realm to the average citizen, a world of ambiguous promises, fragile relations, and partial motives veiled in a web of lies. For this reason, the general public usually relies on political experts to sift through the mass of public statements, interviews, and proposals; analyze the given information; and translate that into speech the common man can understand.

Ideally, a pundit’s goal should be to educate the audience, but of course, mainstream media’s top priority is instead how high of a rating a program can receive, which translates into how much money the TV station can earn. And almost always, in order to boost ratings, the show has to sacrifice rational and intelligent content for entertainment value, completely destroying the purpose of having a pundit’s expertise in the first place. As oxymoronic as it may sound, a pundit’s job is to offer up an impartial opinion that will help his audience achieve

a greater insight into the workings of the current political system, not advertise right- or left-wing propaganda and twisted, dishonest substance to draw in more viewers.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what many broadcast stations have done. The O’ Reilly Factor, one of the country’s most-watched cable news shows, is frequently criticized for spinning news stories to favor a Republican standpoint, and its host, Bill O’ Reilly, is well known for his aggressive and often bullying style of interview and discussion. When his guests strike a nerve on a particular subject, O’Reilly responds with uncontrollable shouting and insults, even going as far as to tell them to “shut up” and turn off their microphones. By no means should a serious political commentator ever let go of his rationale, because once he does, the program is simply dramatizing issues for entertainment purposes and is no longer of any intellectual worth.

Likewise, left-wing media is not without bias either. In the same way that critics blast O’ Reilly for his blatant favoritism of the Republican Party, Keith Olbermann of

Countdown with Keith Olbermann is also scorned by some for his constant criticism of the Bush administration, childish insults toward conservatives, and perpetual liberal bias in almost every topic on the show, even bringing in guests solely to help reinforce his point of view.

The show’s strongly opinionated arguments and news draw in both left-wing supporters and rightwing critics who, although they scoff at Olbermann’s unrestrained prejudice, still end up watching the show, contributing to its ratings.

The truth is that controversial programs simply attract more viewers than fair and neutral ones that risk displeasing the audience when they tell the situation like it is.

The decision to focus on increasing viewer counts instead of concentrating on political discussion reflects a trend in mainstream media, where programs choose ratings over meaning, partiality over neutrality, and hilarity over reality.

If such practices persist, then the public will only be led further into a net of skewed perceptions and manipulated opinions. ▪

Thursday, December 18, 2008

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Best Holiday Remixes

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You Ever since the release of her 1994 holiday album, Merry Christmas, Mariah Carey’s rendition of the popular Christmas song has remained on top of the holiday charts, and rightfully so. The infectious beat coupled with Mariah’s uncontested vocals make it the number one holiday remake for your winter play list.

Michael Bublé - Let It Snow Of all the remakes of this popular holiday classic since 2000, Michael Bublé’s remix is by far the best. His effortless, flowing vocals are enough to make anyone want to sit back with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the winter weather.

Chris Brown - This Christmas The most recent redo to make our list is Chris Brown’s version of “This Christmas.” The song was initially recorded for the soundtrack of his holiday movie of the same title, but has gained its own popularity

Worst Holiday Remixes

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version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” are practically incomprehensible and leave listeners wondering what happened to the other 4 days of Christmas.

Kermit the Frog - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Though a perfect end to a classic Muppet holiday special, Kermit’s nasal voice is better off where it was meant to be—with the Muppets. Though featured in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, there are bound to be better choices to bring your iPod holiday cheer. ▪

Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Smoke Signal

GUNS ’N ROSES|

...might be out of ammunition

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continued from page 1 Cool Hand Luke. It fails to pick up

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any momentum after that and has a decidedly anticlimactic ending as

the final track,“Prostitute,” comes to a close.

Though Chinese Democracy may not have lived up to the hype that fans had set up for it, it is a decent enough album. A handful of its tracks show the world that though Guns N’ Roses may not be the showstoppers that they once were, they’re not ready to retire the guitars just yet. Let’s just hope that their next album comes out before even Axl Rose decides he’s fed up with the band.

Rating: C+ ▪

Arts & Entertainment 13

UNDER THE RADAR Nobody Knows

By Amanda Kwan Centerspread Editor

Inspired by true events that occurred in Japan in the 1980’s, director Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Nobody Knows tells the story of Akira (Yuya Yagira), a 12-year-old boy who must care for his three younger siblings after their mother abandons them in their Tokyo apartment. The

range from ages five to 13. However, the realism and youthfulness of the characters also make the tragedy far more poignant, as Akira carries far more on his shoulders than a preteen should ever have to and his siblings cling naïvely to the belief that their mother will return.

Yet no matter how grim their situation becomes, the siblings always find a reason to smile.

Milk is a film for the record books

By Jane Wang Staff Writer

When an openly gay director orchestrates a film about an openly gay politician in a time when gay marriage is being openly discussed, needless to say, it’s enough to catch the media’s attention. But Gus Van Sant raises more applause than eyebrows with his latest production Milk, the struggle of the first openly gay man elected into public office, Harvey Milk, to win tolerance for gays in America.

The film opens and ends with prerecorded messages from Har-

vey that take us through a guided tour of his last eight years. In 1970, Harvey (Sean Penn) comes out of the closet and, with partner Scott Smith ( James Franco), moves to San Francisco. Fed up with the city’s homophobic bigotry, he makes a bid for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to give a voice to the gay community. Once elected, Harvey uses his influence to enact measures that promote gay tolerance up until his assassination in 1978. (If that statement was anything of the ‘spoiler’ variety, feel free to check out a history text.)

Milk’s true beauty lies not in how

Sean Penn shines in his portrayal of influential homosexual politician Harvey Milk.

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it ends, but how it tells its story.

Screenplay writer Dustin Lance Black keeps us engaged with dialogue both wickedly humorous and tragically poignant, and Van Sant lends authenticity to his work by incorporating actual footage from the 70’s gay rights movement mixed with grainy scenes he filmed on his own.

The cast, especially Sean Penn, does an admirable job in bringing their roles to life. Penn adds depth to Milk’s multifaceted character, from his religious dedication to his cause to his shattered personal life to his deep love of humankind.

Milk evokes a powerful message, that the fight for gay rights is not a battle of right or wrong, morality or immorality, but is actually a question of tolerance. Drawing parallels to the Civil Rights Movement, the film suggests that gays are no more innately perverse in their intentions than blacks are innately inferior.

Milk is a tear-jerker, and one of the most memorable, if not the most controversial, films of the year.

Rating: A ▪

Child actors captivate as self-reliant orphans in the fact-based Nobody

film is at once uplifting and heartbreaking, and Yagira delivers the subtle but captivating performance for which he won Best Actor at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.

Akira’s role as the head of the household is established early on; he shops for food, cooks, and pays the rent and the bills. But the money left by their mother quickly runs dry, and the children lose their basic necessities, one by one, unable to contact their mother for help.

With so disheartening a premise, the film could easily have been depressing to watch. On the contrary, it is ripe with cheerful moments as well as tragic ones. The film’s portrayal of childhood playfulness is strikingly lifelike, probably because the talented lead actors themselves

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The movie may not be for everyone; its narrative is slow-paced, filled with long scenes of near-silence and little action. The camera frequently lingers on vacant scenes, allowing the story to be told through sound instead. And because the film is so understated, much of its beauty lies in the details that might only be caught by re-watching.

Nevertheless, Nobody Knows is beautiful from the moment you begin watching. The believability of the cast and their surroundings hits close to the heart. The young characters, meanwhile, are silly and unreasonable, but when faced with the of situations, they smile and go on, suggesting that children are, perhaps, the strongest of us all.

Rating: A ▪

the lame and Ashamed: The very Worst 0f 2008

By Victoria Gu, Joseph Teng, & Eric Sun Staff Writers & Arts & Entertainment Editor

the discovery of America . I say ‘glaring’ because some films set in the past, like Braveheart and Apocalypto may feature even fewer truths about history, but at least their filmmakers know how to disguise the falsities well with imagination, an engaging plot, or interesting characters.

Defenders of this movie tell us to look past the Pyramids being built seven millennia before the Egyptian civilization ever appeared, but what do we get when we look past such things? A conventional storyline, poor dialogue, and stale acting? We’re only being picky because we’re that bored.

Batman Forever I know this movie didn’t come out in 2008, but its badness transcends time.

The Dark Knight’s greatness just recently reminded me of that.

The following people, movies, and TV shows have all either committed indefensible idiocy, insulted the people’s intelligence, or made pathetic attempts to trick others out of their money, and were nevertheless devoured by the masses. Amidst the prevalence of all the ‘best of ’ lists emerging around this time, here’s our list of the worst celebrities, films, and TV programs of 2008.

People

Soulja Boy Soulja Boy, at age 17, single handedly embarrassed our entire generation. We teenagers get a bad enough rap when we’re not purposely talking like we have no teeth and putting white-out on our sunglasses (doesn’t painting over your sunglasses defeat the purpose of having them?).

Soulja Boy’s simplistic rhymes and immature songs such as “Girl U Stank” and “Booty Meat” are only made more annoying by his constant screaming of “Yoouuu!’” on his album.

Soulja Boy, “Yooouuu!” suck.

50 Cent and Kanye West For the last few years, these two artists have shown us just how much arrogance and ignorance can overshadow talent. The two have more in common than their feud suggests, as both seem to lust for themselves more than Bill

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Clockwise from above: Soulja Boy, Mike Meyers as Guru Pitka, the judges of Last Cominc Standing, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Jim Carrey as The Riddler, and a scene from the film 10,000 B.C.

O’Reilly lusts….for himself. Kanye West has threw stubborn tantrums, over things as petty as Stephen Colbert’s light-hearted jokes about his claim that he deserved a place in the Bible.

50 Cent, too, has criticized Kanye‘s claims, asserting that it is he and his G-Unit crew who should be in the Bible instead.

Films

The Love Guru Remember that kid in elementary school who made the whole class laugh the first time he made armpit farts? Remember how, after

hearing his farts for around the fourth time, the kid started to seem really annoying? Well, The Love Guru is Mike Meyers’s fourth armpit fart, a lazy retread of his Austin Powers movies, but devoid of their essential elements of British charm and comedic vitality. Here it’s just immature, uninspired jokes, as the only difference between most of the humor in this film and that of the kid in your elementary class is that the kid used his armpits.

10,000 B.C. This film has glaring historical inaccuracies, including domesticated woolly mammoths and

TV

Last Comic Standing Humor is highly subjective, so this program should not mislead people into thinking that its judges are the authority on comedy, actually attempting to find “the funniest comic in America.” It’s simply a competition where comedians try to satisfy its individual criteria; and the criteria has less to do with humor than it does with selecting easily identifiable, volatile people so that the show can feature conflict and develop a following. It’s trying to stake it’s claim as the definitive voice on comedy while it doesn’t even come close, and that’s not funny, it’s just stupid. ▪

Thursday, December 18, 2008

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WRESTLING | Regulations changing the game continued from page 1

“

Wrestling, like most sports, has become very scientific in the amount of knowledge we have to make sure wrestlers stay safe and healthy...

-Tom Thomsen, Athletic Director and Head Wrestling Coach

This information guides players to develop healthy behaviors with `balanced diets and safe workouts.

Although these stringent regulations deter most wrestlers from taking drastic measures, some athletes still manage to slip through the cracks. Wrestlers of smaller sizes are at a disadvantage because tests often erroneously suggest outrageously low weights. Those that

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tackle the challenge usually resort to retrenching calories. Ricky McFerrin, an MSJ alumnus and current assistant coach, struggled with reaching his baseline weight. “I was smaller and the hydration test said that my baseline was 105 pounds.

From 124 to 105, I was cutting 1921 pounds. Three to four times a week I would typically eat a celery stick a day with a half or quarter cup

of water at night. If my weight was doing well, I would eat half a bagel in the morning. Wrestling practice was intense, and I would usually lose three pounds during each one.”

Exceptions are inevitable.

But with the implementation of the new program, wrestlers will be rigidly monitored throughout the season to pin down good health in these agile athletes. ▪

keep injuries from occurring. However, overstretching can increase the vulnerability of muscle tendons, resulting in more injuries. 33 percent of the male population of marathon runners who did not stretch became injured over a period of one year, whereas 47 percent of those who stretched were injured in the same year.

Stretching is not necessarily bad for the body if done correctly. Here are a few tips on how to stretch properly: 1. Warm up prior to stretching.

Warming up will raise one’s muscles and core temperatures. If a person is properly warmed up before stretching, he will be able to stretch safely since his muscles are loose.

2. Stretch gently and slowly; avoid bouncing.

Many people believe that bouncing in a stretch will help them stretch farther. This is false because bouncing causes one’s muscle to contract and loosen too quickly, which can lead to torn tissues. Instead, a slow and gentle stretch will relax one’s muscles much more ef-

fectively.

3. Do not overstretch.

When a person feels tension in his muscles, that is the signal to stop reaching and to hold the stretch there. Popular belief touts stretching as a painful process and advertises the false notion that the stretcher should be in constant pain. That idea is completely false, since stretching is supposed to be relaxing.

4. Breathe slowly and easily.

A lot of people unconsciously hold their breaths while stretching, slowing blood flow. Remember to breathe in and out at a slow, constant rate so blood in the muscles can receive enough oxygen. Holding one’s breath will contribute to tension in the muscles, which will make them stiffer and much more painful to stretch.

There is no such thing as a “good stretch” or a “bad stretch”; it all depends on how one performs it. If these four techniques are followed, then stretching before exercising will lead to fewer injuries. Remember that there are no shortcuts in warming up. ▪

Over Stretched

By Elisa Ting Staff Writer

Parents often worry if their child is warming up properly before exercising. Students ponder the question of whether or not their stretching is actually useful. The universal question here is: Is stretching actually harmful for the body, or is it, as it is widely perceived, a beneficial action? For stretching to be helpful, athletes must take the time to perform it correctly.

David A. Lally, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, performed a study on 1,543 participants of the Honolulu Marathon in 1994. The results showed that the marathoners who stretched received more injuries than those that didn’t. Activities such as running do not require much flexibility, but running on loose, flexible tendons is generally safer than running on stiff, cold ones. Therefore, stretching does benefit such activities because it loosens up muscles, and provides a proper warm-up that incorporates a full range of motion is necessary to

Bcs Breakdown

By Ryan Tanakit Sports Editor

The Sugar Bowl: Utah vs. Alabama.

Alabama was a quarter away from playing in the national championship game, but lost. ’Bama comes into the Sugar Bowl with a huge chip on their shoulders and will make mincemeat of the Utah team who isn’t on the same level.

Interesting stats: Alabama’s Defensive Tackle Terrence Cody has at least a 60 pound advantage on anyone on Utah’s offensive line.

Pick: Alabama by A LOT

Sports Editors

To truly become successful, it is typical for one to devote his entire being to one subject area, and one alone. It would seem that focusing on more subjects would distract and prevent someone from reaching his highest potential in any area. Athletes are a prime example of this one-sided dedication.

It is difficult enough as it is to make it as a professional athlete in one sport. However, there are athletes who somehow manage to do the seemingly impossibly and specialize in multiple sports. These superstars include Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Lance Armstrong. Being great in various sports is no easy feat and athletes who accomplish this deserve special recognition.

Possibly the most famous of these “crossover athletes” is NBA legend Michael Jordan. Most know “His Airness” for his high flying dunks, his six NBA Championships, or even his shoes. Most forget that Jordan also excelled at baseball. In 1994, Jordan shocked the world by retiring from basketball and signing with the Chicago White Sox. (Remember, this was right after a season where he averaged 32 points per game and led the Bulls to a Championship). Jordan never actually played in the MLB itself, instead playing outfield for the Birmingham Barons – Chicago’s minor league team. It is pretty clear why MJ only played one season in Birmingham, as his batting average was an abysmal .202. But when Jordan did get on base, he was effective, stealing 30 bases. When he returned to the NBA, he was a

Staff Writer

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Brian Cushing and the USC defense leads the nation with 7.8 points allowed per game.

The Fiesta Bowl: Ohio St. vs. Texas.

Ohio St. already proved that, once again, they can’t keep up with the elite teams when they were slaughtered by USC back in September. Texas is going to come into this game with a vengeance due to the fact that they won’t be playing for the national title because a computer says they won’t.

Pick: Texas, 35-17 The Rose Bowl: USC vs. Penn St. Penn St. is a great football team, but they aren’t as great as USC. Thing is, USC’s offense is great when Joe McKnight plays (averages 7.7 yards per carry) and their

defense has given up only 11 touchdowns all season.

Pick: USC 17-10 The BCS Title Game: Florida vs.

Oklahoma.

The media loves Tim Tebo more than most parents love their children. When Florida beat Alabama, you would’ve thought Tebow had played all 22 positions because that’s how much love he got from the media. He’s a great player, but the real deciding factors are Florida’s defense and the fact that the Gators are essentially playing at home as the game will be played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

Pick: Florida 45-35 ▪

little rusty, but after the first season he went on to win 3 straight titles.

Another multi-talented NBA star is Allen Iverson. Iverson has proved himself on the hardwood and his career scoring average is third all time. However it is rumored that Iverson was better at football than at basketball, and if he had played in the NFL, he would have revolutionized the game. Iverson played quarterback, defensive back, and returned kicks, all while leading Bethel High School to a state title. In the title game he threw for over 200 yards, intercepted two passes and returned a punt for a touchdown. It is also said that A.I. also recorded seven interceptions in one game. He was named the

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Michael Jordan brought in record crowds for minor league games.

top quarterback in Virginia twice.

Many other athletes such as Lance Armstrong and LeBron James are so athletic that they can be great at any number of sports. It is well known that James was a terrific wide receiver and Lance Armstrong was a great swimmer and runner. I guess men weren’t all created equal. ▪

NBA “All-Popular” Game

By Andre Abrahamians

After a long stretch of computer craziness, AP polls, and coaches’ votes, the BCS bowl games have finally been decided. The focus now leaves the stage of rankings and opinions, with only one thing left to do: Win. Here are the illustrious picks for this year’s Bowl Championship Series.

The Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati.

This is easily the most boring bowl. Both teams earned automatic bids by winning their conferences and neither team is even ranked in the Top 10. However, Cincinnati only lost twice and beat Pittsburgh, who is better than Virginia Tech.

Pick: Cincinnati, 21-10

By Ryan Tanakit & Audrey Tseng

Coming live on Feb. 15, 2009, from the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, will be the NBA’s 58th annual All-Star Game.

With 120 players placed on the ballot, 60 each for the east and west coasts, voters are permitted to vote for two guards, two forwards, and one center in each conference. Millions of fans and supporters vote online and send in their ballots in hopes of seeing their favorite player step up under bright lights and play in this highly anticipated game.

It’s expected that every year there should be 12 of the finest and most talented basketball players in the league on each team. And usually that tends to be true. However, this might not be the case this year During the Beijing Olympics, over 11,000 Chinese basketball fans came out to watch the US Men’s team play the Chinese National Team. And not because they wanted to see Kobe, Wade, or Lebron; these fans came out to support their home team. With another popular Chinese basketball player being placed on the ballot, Yi Jianlian, the second-year forward for the New Jersey Nets, many US fans are feeling more and more encour-

aged to go online and cast their vote. The large Chinese basketball fan base has already made a strong impact with their voting for Houston Rocket’s star center Yao Ming, for the past couple years. Now that growing group has taken another step forward by supporting their native players more. People are calling the voting system unfair, as a player like Yi Jianlian doesn’t have the talent or experience to be considered an all-star by any standards.

The voting system allows everyone and absolutely anyone to sign up and vote, and technically it’s a fair and democratic way of choosing players. Regardless of the inevitable growing Chinese population vote, the chosen NBA All-Stars will try to perform at the highest level possible and put on a show. Whether or not certain flops make the final lineup, it takes nothing more than a simple timeout for coaches to sub in a player of higher caliber. Besides, this is a night where the biggest stars throw down high flying dunks and knock down nearly impossible 38 footers against the best of defense. This is a night that makes players forget about their sorrowful team records, and enjoy the luxury of a fully talented roster, no matter how it may look this coming February. ▪

Thursday, December 18, 2008

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Winter Sports Update

By Lena Liu & Audrey Tseng Feature Editor & Sports Editor

Girls’ Basketball

After graduating four seniors, the Girls’ Basketball team is working hard to be one of the top teams in the MVAL. Despite having a relatively young team, the Warriors are confident that their training will pay off.

“Everyone works hard during practice. That’s basically what’s going to win us games,” said Captain Junior Keila Mah. The girls are looking forward to a solid season aided by an experienced coaching staff. Said Mah, “We may be young, but we’re experienced.”

Sports 16

The winter sports season has finally arrived. Come watch your MSJ Warriors battle through the weather and the competition.

Boys’ Soccer

With many returning players, the Boys’ Soccer team is optimistic and ready to step up their game. The team has already proven themselves, performing well at the Winter Classic tournament, shutting out three of the four teams they played and ultimately earning fourth place.

This season, the Warriors not only have the skill, but also the unity that only a true family could possess. Their team motto is Ubuntu, thought up by Senior Brian Yoo, meaning “team over individual.” With this attitude, the boys are looking to be top contenders in league play. Said Captain Junior David Roche, “Just show heart, and the wins will follow.”

Boys’ Basketball

The Boys’ Basketball team has been working hard during open gym in preparation for their upcoming season. Under the guidance of Head Coach Pete Vaz and Captains Seniors Eric Gwynn, Ryan Mahuron, and Justin Liau, the team hopes to improve on its sixth place finish from last year. With many new and talented young players replacing the loss of four seniors from last year, the season looks promising. Make sure to catch their game on Jan. 9 at James Logan.

staff writer christine cheng

Senior Parsa Kafi sprints for the ball.

staff writer michael feuerman

staff writer michael feuerman

Junior Misha Yalavarthy gets up high to score.

Senior Ryan Mahuron works for a rebound.

Wrestling

The Wrestling team is looking strong with a promising lineup as well as solid incoming athletes. As league competition approaches, Captain Junior David Wilson said, “We’re gearing up in practices and tournaments.”

Along with already intense practices, team members train on their own, incorporating strenuous workouts such as running up Mission Peak. The team hopes to match its success last year in winning the MVAL tournament and representing MSJ at NCS.

Girls’ Soccer

courtesy tom thomsen

Senior Arnold Hwa takes his opponent to the mat.

NCAA Basketball: First Look

By Anthony Wu Staff Writer

NCAA men’s basketball has begun and Division I colleges are starting their seasons with a single goal in mind: winning a national title. Many basketball fans consider college basketball to be more exciting than the NBA because of its fiery atmosphere, lack of a business aspect, and unpredictability. Rankings are wide open for the taking as teams play for the right to participate in the end-of-season championship tournament known as March Madness.

in the NBA because of his unimpressive athleticism and low ceiling of potential.

Duke: Another excellent program, Duke has many returning players as well as a skilled team that will make fans forget last season’s disappointment. Duke does not have any superstars, but a balanced group of experienced core players such as Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson will make sure that the Blue Devils play well.

Oklahoma: The Sooners will once again be led by sophomore forward Blake Griffin, who is projected to be a top-three pick in next year’s NBA draft. Expect Oklahoma to make a deep tournament run in March.

staff writer sonya john

Junior Amrun Singh weaves through defenders.

This year’s Girls’ Soccer team is off to a strong start after winning its first preseason game against Moreau. Captains Seniors Kelly Cannon, Christine Nam, and Chelsea Kitta as well as numerous new and returning players have been training hard during practices and hope to build on their successes from last season. “We expect to go far this year [...] I think we will be a force to be reckoned with,” said Kitta. Come support the team in their match against American on Jan. 6 at TAK.▪

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Ty Lawson’s (5) blazing speed along with Hansbrough’s toughness has proved a winning combination for North Carolina.

Keeping track of all of the 300-plus Division I basketball programs can be tough.

However, one doesn’t have to. There are several colleges and players that sports fans should keep an eye on as the season progresses. Here is the list of programs to watch.

North Carolina: Alma mater of NBA legend Michael Jordan, North Carolina has the top team in college basketball.

Team leader Tyler Hansbrough is widely regarded as the NCAA’s best player. However, Hansbrough is not expected to excel

Europe: Despite the fact that the NCAA does not extend overseas, college basketball fans should still keep an eye out for Europe’s Ricky Rubio and Brandon Jennings. Rubio is expected to be the NBA’s next elite point guard and currently holds the title of youngest player to ever play in the finals of Olympic basketball. Jennings was a top college prospect but made the unforeseen decision of skipping college and playing in Europe before entering the NBA. Fans should stay alert for news about these two standout players. ▪

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