The Smoke Signal Vol. XLIV No. 8

2 News

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News in Brief: Obama hopes for improvememt with South America On April 18, 2009, President Obama attended the Fifth Summit of the Americas hosted in Trinidad and Tobago and assured Central and South American leaders that he intended to begin a new greater international cooperation. At the summit, Obama stated that he wished for a new beginning with communist Cuba, represented by Cuban President Raul Castro.

Yoga may increase brain power

By Monica Chen Staff Writer Master Choa Kok Sui, a Filipino-Chinese scientist, states that doing SuperBrain Yoga makes you “smarter.” The exercise incorporates the ancient concept of Chinese acupuncture and the correspondence between the earlobe and the head.

It has worked for adults, children in class, learning disabled students, and Alzheimer’s patients.

The positions of the fingers and arms are important for it to be effective. First stand up straight facing the sun with your feet shoulder length apart. Then cross the left hand over to the right ear and use the index finger and thumb to

Eugenius Ang, Jr. states that he does SuperBrain Yoga every day. He said, “In modern terms, the brain is actually lateralized. So holding the left ear activates the right brain, and holding the right ear actually activates the left brain.” He also said that after doing SuperBrain Yoga, the EEG scans show that the left and right hemispheres of the brain become synchronized.

Occupational therapist Raina Koterba reveals that a seven-year-old boy with autism who could barely hold a pencil was transformed after doing it. Koterba said, “He would bite, headbutt me, kick me, punch me, run against the wall[...]but since he started the exercise, he has

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President Obama meets with world leaders to improve relations.

Fierce Fires in South Carolina In North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, four miles wide fire, destroyed dozens of homes and threatened a few of the area’s world-famous golf courses. The damage was concentrated at Barefoot Landing, a complex of houses, condominiums and golf courses separated from the main route through Myrtle Beach by the Intracoastal Waterway.

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Fires spread dangerously in tourist attractions in South Carolina.

Morning After pill available The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that 17-year-olds would soon be able to purchase the emergency contraceptive Plan B pill without first obtaining a prescription from their doctor. Commonly known as “the morning after pill,” Plan B reduces the chance of pregnancy by 89 percent.

AC Transit and BART considering price increases Going through times of financial difficulty, AC Transit is deciding on whether or not to declare a State of Emergency and make cuts to its services without going through a series of public meetings. Price increases have already been approved.

BART is also facing a large deficit and could impose fees soon. However, unlike AC Transit, BART will allow the public to attend meetings and discuss the new proposals.

COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS HANNIE DONG, ALISSA GWYNN, ANTHONY WU, AND JANE WANG

staff writer jane wang

SuperBrain yoga works by pinching your earlobes with opposite hands.

gently pinch the earlobe with the thumb facing outside. Repeat the first step for the other hand with the right arm over the left arm. Press the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Inhale as you squat down and only exhale as you stand up. Do this fifteen times every morning.

By pinching the right earlobe, the energy connection activates the left brain and pituitary gland.

The pituitary gland controls the sex organs, metabolism, and blood pressure. When the left earlobe is pinched, the right brain and pineal gland is energized. The pineal gland, also known as the Ajna or the third eye chakra, is often thought to have mystical powers such as inner vision.

Pressing the acupuncture points on the earlobes stimulates neural pathways in the brain.

Yale neural biology researcher,

had not one outburst.” Now the boy attends a regular classroom as one of the top students.

SuperBrain Yoga can also reduce stress, create psychological balance, and regulate sex drive. It helps transfer energy from the basic and sex energy centers up to heart energy center, and converts the energy to inner peace. When the energy goes up to the throat and Ajna (brow) energy centers, it becomes higher intelligence and creativity.

When it reaches the forehead and crown energy centers, it is transformed to greater spirituality. The brain uses the subtle energy from lower energies to enhance proper brain functioning.

To learn more about SuperBrain Yoga, you can go online to purchase SuperBrain Yoga, written by Master Choa Kok Sui. ▪

corrections •The article Bye Bye Birdie makes a landing at MSJ should be credited to both staff writers Sargun Kaur and Anastassia Tselikova.

•In last issue’s photo page, the credit for photo 1C misspelled Sophomore Juliane Sun’s name.

•The picture for article Bye Bye Birdie

makes a landing at MSJ, should state Junior Gina Gori instead of Senior Susanna Daniels.

•The photo caption for the March Madness article misspelled James Harden’s name.

•Last issue’s Athletic Ascension misspelled Mike Legg’s name.

The Smoke Signal Monday, May 4, 2009

Flying car transforms transportation

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The model of the flying car may be available soon.

By Henna Jethani Staff Writer The Transition Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept, better known as the “flying car,” is a two-seater vehicle that provides passengers with the options of both road travel and flight. Retired Colonel Phil Meteer completed the Transition’s 30 second test flight on March 5 at the Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, New York. The Transition was sponsored by aircraft producer Terrafugia and built

by MIT-trained aeronautical engineers. Terrafugia is privately funded by investors and is based in Woburn, Massachusetts.

This form of transportation tackles weather, cost, and time related problems faced by today’s private and sports pilots. The flying car is similar in appearance to a Volkswagen Beetle, except that the Transition has automatic folding airplane wings at its sides. The Transition can transform from plane to car in under 30 seconds. During its car state, it is 6 feet 9 inches tall, 80 inches wide and 18 feet 9 inches long. The car gets 30 miles per gallon and has the ability to accelerate up to 65

mph on unleaded gasoline. When the Transition transforms into a plane it is 6 feet 3 inches tall, 19 feet 2 inches long and has a wingspan of 27 feet 6 inches. The plane can easily be stored in a standard house garage, unlike other planes that require a hangar for storage. It is categorized as a Light Sports Aircraft (LSA).

In order to legally operate the four-wheel plane, the driver must be licensed as a Sports Pilot. Becoming a Sports Pilot only requires a 20 hour Transition-specific course. Already trained pilots receive a quick course upon delivery and then they are ready to utilize their aircraft.

Terrafugia hasn’t declared when the car will be delivered to the public; only one prototype has been constructed thus far. The company expects to see the Terrafugia out on the road in 2011.

Students at MSJ expect positive outcomes for the Transition. Freshman Adrian Jaycox said, “Versatile, cutting-edge, convenient vehicles are the future. As our society continues to get more advanced, people will want to take the best option available.” ▪

CLOSED CAMPUS DELAYED | Construction halted continued from page 1

Though the Bond has already allocated funds for capital expenses like new dining facilities and all other construction projects required for a closed campus, the Bond does not fund ongoing personnel costs required to maintain the facilities and enforce a closed campus.

“We would need an increase in custodial services, paper supplies, campus supervision, cafeteria staff, and a list of other things to accommodate for a closed campus- which makes it all quite a costly commitment,” said Principal Sandy Prairie.

A closed campus by definition is a site that can prevent students from going off school grounds, while having the capacity to seat the entire student body at lunch and on rainy days. MSJ’s cafeteria is projected to open in September of the upcoming school year, yet plans of a closed campus still remain undecided. “The dining hall is the biggest factor, but we also need to have multiple places to sell food to prevent congestion, as well as increased activities for kids at lunch,” said York.

“By the looks of it, the cafeteria seems to be better. I just hope they will offer more variety than our usual school food,” said Junior Renzhi Yu, who drives out for lunch four times a week.

The Board has goals to install

music systems, radios, and DJ’s around the school to keep students entertained at lunch. The Associated Student Body (ASB) would also have a greater responsibility of promoting lunch time activities, such as more clubs and social activities, in order to interest students to remain on campus.

Though an open campus imposes minor issues at MSJ, it is more a question of public and student safety.

“We have had a few complaints of trash on neighborhood yards, and also with an open campus we have a greater opportunity for auto related accidents and fights,” said Prairie.

The School Board may impose a parcel tax, with the public’s approval, to collect the funds needed to finally push through with the policy. A parcel tax is a qualified special tax adopted by the school district to provide enhanced funding for “soft” costs not substantially covered by the pinched State funding. “We don’t want to go through with it until we know we can enforce this policy successfully,” said York.

Until further notice of the closed campus policy, the Board is encouraging students to engage in on-campus activities and make use of the new dining facilities. ▪

4 Opinion

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Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 44, No. 8 | May 4, 2009

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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 Writers & Photographers Andre

Abrahamians, Sandhya Chandrasekaran, Monica Chen, Victor Chen, Christine Cheng, Michelle Chu, Ankur Dhar, Hannie Dong, Michael Feuerman, Peter Gao, Alissa Gwynn, Niku Jafarnia, Henna Jethani, Sonya John, Cynthia Kang, Karen Lin, Yvonne Lin, Gina Liu, Tanu Patel, Joseph Teng, Elisa Ting, Anastassia Tselikova, Jane Wang, Anthony Wu, Jonathan Ye, Jordan Zhang

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Jules of Wisdom

MAOTH off!

The Meatless Myth

Ugly and Talented

By Julia Harrell Opinion Editor

I am a vegan.

Do you think of me any differently now that you know what I do (or rather don’t) eat? While your first answer may be “of course not,” I bet you’d be surprised to discover how many people harbor stereotypes about non-meat eaters that they don’t even realize they have.

When you picture a vegan or even a vegetarian for that matter, what do you think of? Many people conjure up images of longhaired hippies sewing hemp pants or chaining themselves to a tree on the campus of their liberal arts college.

I am not at all ashamed of the fact that I abstain from eating animal products but I must say that it gets pretty tiring seeing the look of, “Oh how cute, you don’t eat meat” in people’s eyes when they learn of my dietary choices.

I have many reasons why I eat the way I do, but hugging each and every animal that wanders within a five-mile radius of me isn’t one of the reasons why I stopped eating meat and other animal by-products.

I am sick and tired of the archaic stereotype that non-meat eaters are quiet, pacifistic creatures. In fact, many of us are quite the opposite.

Consider for example Daniel Andres San Diego, a strict vegan and animal rights activist. While some people might picture Mr. San Diego’s recreational activities to include passing out informational pamphlets about vegetarianism at a local grocery store, such an assump-

Monday, May 4, 2009

By Marianna Mao Opinion Editor

tion would be very wrong.

Mr. San Diego, the vegan many would immediately judge as being a non-violent hippie, is on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists for bombings he orchestrated in buildings of corporations he thought had ties to animal testing facilities.

While I in no way condone such actions (I think the degree to which some activists get upset regarding animal testing in medical research is slightly ridiculous) I use his example to prove a point.

Not eating meat does not constitute not having a backbone. It also is not an immediate recipe for non-violence and loving each and every creature on the planet.

We vegans and vegetarians can be just as mean and violent as any steak-lover out there. Our diets do not define our personalities, only the contents of our digestive tracts.

Most of us have been taught since pre-school to be compassionate and try to understand those who are different from ourselves. My hope is that people can take this mantra and apply it to those whose lifestyles differ from theirs when it comes to dietary choices.

Contrary to what some may think, I don’t consider it my mission to persuade my friends and family to stop eating meat. So if I can manage to keep my mouth shut when I see my younger brother dive into a burger, I think it’s not too much to ask for a little understanding when it comes to me eating chickenless chicken nuggets. ▪ Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

30 million hits on Youtube, appearances on NBC and with Oprah, and a record deal—Susan Boyle’s life will never be the same after her remarkable performance on Britain’s Got Talent.

A few weeks ago, the dumpy 47-year-old, a self-professed virgin who lives with her cat and has “never been kissed,” tramped onstage to mocking giggles and scoffs that disappeared as soon as she began her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables. Her performance has since stirred up a sort of Susan Boyle mania around the world, especially in the United States, where her rags-to-riches story and has resonated deeply with the American public.

While Boyle’s performance was a testament to her perseverance and courage, the painful truth is that the resulting media flurry only highlights the hypocrisy of the entertainment industry. Boyle’s eccentricity has become only a means to be exploited; journalists and producers have dug into her past with relish, uncovering details about her private life to emphasize her appeal as an underdog. Even as the media preaches about re-evaluating negative stereotypes, Boyle’s unlikely success has only been treated as a way to improve ratings, expand viewership, and make money.

As critics and fans shower Boyle with praise for proving that not every female singer has to be Botoxbeautiful, one thing is quite clear— Susan Boyle has become a celebrity not in spite of her appearance but

because of it. Myriad articles intended to praise Boyle for her talent end up missing their marks by focusing on her looks instead. Her moment in the spotlight will last only as long as the novelty of being old, ugly, and poor doesn’t wear off.

After all, as some British performers have noted, Boyle is talented, but not exceptionally so; if she had been young and pretty, she would hardly have attracted so much attention or support.

Yet we buy into the Boyle craze because it’s fashionable to be egalitarian. We would like to believe that we are capable of seeing past our own biases, but in the end, our fixation on proving how much we love Susan Boyle (despite her bushy eyebrows and double chin) only shows how firmly entrenched our own stereotypes are. Clearly, talent is still meant for the beautiful. Boyle is just an interesting exception to that rule.

I see Susan Boyle as a truly amazing woman who has overcome hardships and mockery in her quest to become a singer, and the massive fan base she has built up is indicative of our search for authenticity in a world that has become artificial and shallow.

However, I have little optimism about the impact she will have on common prejudices. I would like to think that her story may be a source of real inspiration, but ultimately, her legacy is to leave the world just as superficial as it was before. ▪ Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org

By Eric Sun A&E Editor On tax day, April 15, protestors across the nation held “Tea Party” protests (with TEA standing for Taxed Enough Already) to demonstrate against President Obama’s tax and spending policies. However, most of the protestors were simply bitter Republicans who wanted an excuse to launch crude, post-election smears at President Obama, hopping on the bandwagon of those actually concerned with a mounting national deficit. As it became apparent that many of the 311,000 or so who showed up for the protests were not truly there to offer a reasonable objection to any particular government policy, what could have been an effective protest of fiscal policy turned into a sham. The tea parties had their original message diluted, did little to advance their participants’ interests, and inadvertently uncovered just how under-informed many Americans are.

If you took eighth grade U.S. History, you would know that the Boston Tea Party, the historical event which these recent protests were modeled after, was a 1773 action to oppose taxation without representation. Our founding fathers were disgusted with being taxed by officials who they did not elect; we, however, (at least, 95% of

us) are being given tax cuts from an official we did elect.

Hence, the protestors were unable to draw any parallels between early Americans’ oppression by the British and their “oppression” by our current government. They have done nothing but waste tons of perfectly good tea by mailing teabags to politicians and throwing them into the water. Hey, at least they’re helping Lipton advertise to scuba divers.

Furthermore, picket signs saying “Don’t Blame Me, I Voted for the AMERICAN” revealed protestors’ ignorance about their central cause.

Some demonstrators called Obama both a “Fascist” and a “Socialist.” A few even likened Obama’s presidency to the tyrannical rule of the British during the American Revolution, as if years of military hostilities were akin to three months of attempts to rescue the nation from a recession.

Conservative organizations such as HumanEvents.com began employing pathetic, 1984-esque revisions of history to attract more protestors, with emails sent claiming, “[Herbert] Hoover made the Depression ‘Great’ precisely by abandoning the laissez-faire approach,” despite every history book noting the opposite, and warning “Might Barack Obama be the new FDR?” Protestors must possess very little knowledge for such idiotic

statements to appeal to them. Yes, let’s hope Obama doesn’t become a president great enough to get elected for four terms.

The initial aim, to form a nonpartisan voice of dissent against general government interference with the economy—including Bush’s TARP program—was entirely offset. One protest organizer, libertarian Eric Odom, denounced the Republican Party as “trying to ride on the brand that we created” as former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich began promoting the Tea Parties as a “citizens’ initiative aroused in reaction to the left’s aggressive effort to create a more radical, secular, and socialist country.” The bailouts can be argued to be socialist, but what has Obama done that’s particularly “secular” or “radical”?

Public acts of dissent are one of the greatest things about this country — when they’re executed well.

Although the coordinators of the first 2009 Tea Parties raised important issues about the negative impact of government bailouts, the entire “Tea Party” concept is an unfounded analogy to the American Revolution that fails to accurately convey citizens’ discontent. The Tea Parties have since grown into a movement without direction, a messy forum for people to immaturely lash out rather than say anything of substance. ▪

Tea Parties Require More Brewing

Monday, May 4, 2009 The Smoke Signal

Sext Offenders

By Alissa Gwynn Staff Writer In a new trend sweeping the nation, teenagers are sending sexually explicit photos of themselves to one another, either by cell phones or through the Internet. Dubbed “sexting,” many adults are confounded as to why and how this practice is becoming increasingly common amongst 12 to 17-year olds.

In fact, in a survey conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, approximately 22 percent of teenage girls and 18 percent of boys admit to having “electronically sent, or posted online, nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves.”

It is stupid of these teenagers to broadcast scantily clad images of themselves, even if it is only meant for a significant other’s eyes. Once that picture is sent, it will permanently surge on in unabashed, au naturel glory for all of cyberspace to ogle.

Even so, it is difficult for many naïve teenagers to fully grasp the concept of forever. So instead of being treated as such and educated about the risks and consequences of sexting, many teens find themselves faced with the serious legal consequences of creating, transmitting, or possessing child pornography.

In January of this year, six teens from Greensburg, Pennsylvania were charged with the distribution of child pornography after three girls emailed nude pictures of themselves to friends. School officials found the photos after confiscating a boy’s cell phone when he used it in violation of the school’s policy. In a similar case in Florida, a teenage couple was allegedly charged for producing and promot-

ing child porn after they created a sex tape together.

It is obvious that kids in cases like these have no criminal intent. Yet to think they would have to register as sex offenders for the rest of their lives and possibly serve time in jail is absolutely ridiculous.

Child pornography laws, like Megan’s law, which requires that communities are notified when a sex offender lives or moves into the area, are meant to protect children from exploitation. They weren’t created to prevent teens from taking provocative pictures of themselves; instead they were instituted to ward off pedophiles that could irrevocably and psychologically damage children.

These laws didn’t take into account the rise of technology, which is making it easier and easier to send images around the world with a click of a button.

Although consequences for “sexting” are necessary and incidences of sexting should be taken seriously, punishing teenagers who don’t realize the full extent of their actions with a felony is not the right way to deal with this situation. Parry Aftab, founder and director of WiredSafety, which educates kids about Internet safety, suggests that cell phone or Internet privileges be taken away as consequences of these actions.

“That’s real,” Aftab said. “It’s quantifiable and it’s within their reach.”

With Myspace, Facebook, and “sexting” on the rise, it is up to parents to discuss the potential risks and consequences of posting inappropriate pictures online. When kids start learning about the severity of “sexting” consequences, they will inevitably be more aware of how they conduct themselves on the World Wide Web. ▪

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Opinion 5

Do you agree that sexting, or sending sexually explicit pictures of oneself, should be a criminal offense?

“I agree with it because I don’t think it’s right to indulge in such material.

What’s the difference between that and child pornography? Where do you draw the line? Yes, there are some that argue that it’s a restriction on freedom of speech. But so are racial statements and the KKK. In civil society, there are certain boundaries. I’m sure there’s one side making the argument that it inhibits freedom, but clearly, it’s not.”

- Mehebub Karmali, Precalculus teacher

“As long as they are not directly harming anyone, it doesn’t matter what they do. First of all, it’s only pictures of themselves and they aren’t abusing anyone or violating any laws. If anyone should be punished, it should be the person who distributed the photos, not the sender since he/she is the victim.”

-Youngjun Na (11)

“If they are collecting naked pictures of people, and they feel they need to send these pictures to random people then yes, they should get charged because if I take off my pants in public and expose myself to random people, I would get arrested and charged.”

- Jerald Xu (11)

“It is ultimately the individual’s choice to send the pictures. The only reason why the person should be labeled a sex offender is if the person on the receiving end says to stop, and the ‘sexter’ keeps on sending explicit content to them. Only then can they be charged. Otherwise, if you want to send nude pictures of yourself to others and no one complains, it’s fine.”

- Brian Yoo (12)

“It’s inappropriate to be so punitive in the case of a young teenager. Instead we need to emphasize the spirit of forgiveness and provide a positive consult.

At some point, for example if a parent of a teenager is caught, we need to prosecute the person to the full extent of the law.”

- Charlie Brucker, Geometry teacher photo credits: victor chen

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Monday, May 4, 2009

The Debate on Embryonic Stem Cells: No Need to Take a Life Progress Towards Improved Health

By Elisa Ting Staff Writer

In the twenty-first century, science has established a new way to prolong life: the use of embryonic stem cells. But technology has gone too far. Not only is this therapy morally incorrect, but it is dangerous and can be replaced by other forms of stem cell therapy.

Using embryonic stem cells is degrading and equivalent to killing an innocent life. Extracting a fetus during its blastocyst stage for it to germinate in another individual is destroying the fetus’ life. Even if a patient does survive the implantation and benefits from the results, an innocent life was still lost in the process.

Why take a life for a life when there are acceptable alternatives to embryonic stem cells? Adult, umbilical cord blood, and peripheral blood stem cells are other ways to implant a vital cell into a patient’s body. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) transfer blood stem cells to bone marrows and are used to treat diseases like leukemia and lymphoma. This process has been successful in treating patients and on a pragmatic standpoint, funds spent on embryonic stem cell studies can be used to further expand on these already successful processes.

Adult and umbilical cord blood cells are also in widespread use and have benefited patients afflicting with heart disease, cancer, sicklecell anemia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Furthermore, cures based on embryonic stem cell treatments

may create more risk. First, implanting a new cell into another’s body is much more complicated than implanting a native cell because of the recipient’s immune system may create antibodies to kill the foreign embryonic cell. On the other hand, using adult stem cells would not have this problem since the cell is taken from the patient’s body. The immune system would not mistaken the cell as a threat and the patient’s body would accept the cell without fighting it. Additional risks include the fact that stored embryonic stem cells may create chromosomal anomalies that can be formulated into cancer cells, a process which scientists do not yet understand or know how to stop.

Though embryonic stem cells can be used for a wider range of treatments than adult or umbilical cord blood cells, scientists are creating iPs cells that can be made to be just as versatile as embryonic stem cells are. Also, umbilical cord blood cells are very close to being pluripotent and are less prone to rejection than adult or peripheral blood stem cells are. This is because umbilical cord blood lacks well-developed immune cells and has not yet developed the features that are capable of attack by the recipient’s immune system, escaping the graft versus host disease.

Taking a life for a life is morally incorrect especially when there are alternatives to treat the same situation. Embryonic stem cells may benefit medical research, but there are acceptable alternatives that don’t violate the sanctity of human life. ▪

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Contrary to what these protestors have to say, embryonic stem cell research does not constitute murder of children. Research uses embryos that were destined to be destroyed anyway.

By Jerry Ting Graphics Editor

We live in a world that depends on technology: freeways, lights, computers, and medicine. We would never abandon these essentials, which begs the question: why is embryonic stem cell therapy any different? Stem cell therapy is a newer field in research, and it is actually a beacon of hope for millions of people suffering from the likes of Parkinson’s and cardiovascular disease. With funding support from the public and from the federal government, embryonic cell-based therapy is likely to overcome the technological hurdles that surround it and become a conventional type of therapy that can save countless lives, a vital stepping stone in the advancement of human health.

Embryonic stem cells are the only stem cells that are pluripotent, capable of changing or differentiating into any type of cell of the body.

No other type of stem cell is as dynamic or as capable of addressing a wide range of diseases. Although a study in 2006 concluded that adult stem cells can be reprogrammed to be able to dedifferentiate, doing so can cause mutations that lead to cancer and other unforeseen diseases after altering the DNA of the host cell.

The heart of the debate, however, resides not with technological limits but with the concerns raised by conservatives. Their first argument is that embryos are humans, and their destruction entails murder.

But the embryos used in research are not the embryos found in pregnant women. Without artificial implantation, these embryos are not capable of developing into human beings. They are “beaker babies”, created in a laboratory at artificial fertilization clinics, conceived solely as instruments for scientific testing.

Other embryos are leftovers from

fertility clinics that were destined to be thrown away. Such an embryo, approximately only 30 cells large, can give rise to millions of stem cells through culturing. As stem cell researcher Dr. Curt Civin put it, these embryos were “already [...] going to be destroyed; the choice is throw them away or use them for research.” By using them for research, science is one step closer to curing diseases like cancer.

Their second argument is that cell-based therapies are against the natural deterioration of life and will artificially prolong life. Yes, if stem cell therapy succeeds, people will live longer and better. What’s the fault of that? Doesn’t traditional treatment at a hospital or a clinic prolong life? Doesn’t taking a Tylenol to reduce a potentially fatal fever prolong life? Stem cell therapy is no exception; it is simply another medical treatment that should be endorsed and not shunned.

It is easy to argue against embryonic stem cell therapy. It is easy to use misinformation to represent embryos as humans, when they are not. It is easy to say that prolonged life is detrimental to society and will magnify the burden on our government to support the old. But we cannot emotionally remove ourselves from the millions that suffer from diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

We must realize that these people can be saved, their suffering alleviated and that to endorse embryonic stem cell therapy is a step towards better healthcare. Refusing to do so would be a mistake. ▪

New UC Admissions Policy Pushes Out Asians

By Sonya John Staff Writer

The symbol of the dragon traditionally conjures images of good fortune in the Asian culture. However, 2012, the year of the dragon, does not seem to bode well for with college-bound Asian-American students in California.

The implementation of the recently announced UC undergraduate admissions policy poses a set of disadvantages to Asian-American students. UC administrators have been trying to fine-tune the admission criteria for many years. Until now, the see-saw of admission policy was tilted against some of the minority groups such as AfricanAmericans, inner city high school kids, and Hispanic groups. After careful review and deliberation, the UC administration made changes to the admissions policy in February 2009. This new policy will take effect for the graduating class of 2012 and will create a disadvantage for the Asian community.

In order to promote diversity, the new policy is projected to decrease Asian admissions a whopping average of 7 percent; potentially dropping admissions from 36 percent to 29 percent. In turn, Caucasian admissions are projected to increase from 34 percent to as high as 44 percent. African-Americans and Latinos would gain only marginal

increases. The new policy was implemented to benefit schools with lower API indexes.

In addition, both the percentages

lute scale.

How does this apply to MSJ? As an elite public high school, earning three or four B’s automatically dis-

admissions board walks a fine “ The line; trying to help one group in turn hurts the other.

for Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) and Eligibility in the Statewide Context (ESC) have been altered to account for the advantage given to high-performing schools.

The percentage of ELC has risen from 4 to 9 percent. While this may look appealing, this reconfiguration makes getting into a UC a lot more difficult for MSJ students. If more students were guaranteed acceptance to at least one UC, MSJ students would be competing with an exponentially larger pool of applicants for a significantly smaller number of seats. As the ELC percentage increases, more students from lower-performing high schools will be admitted into one of nine campuses. However, most applicants in top-performing schools who may have missed the 9-percent quota outperform those that did make the ELC cutoff on an abso-

”

misses any consideration for ELC. In conjunction with the lowered ESC range from 12.5 percent to 10, competition is revamped when reviewed in the state-level arena.

In effect, it seems almost futile for parents to flock to the expensive and competitive Mission District.

Either students will be handicapped because of the high ELC bar, or they will be working even harder just to be grouped into the “Asian” category.

What generates the greatest outrage is the decision to eliminate the SAT II’s. Despite the typical distaste towards such tests, it is vital to realize that SAT II’s enhance the outlook of a college applicant. Evidence suggests that Asian-Americans score higher on these subject tests than any other racial group.

Although this may give Asians an unfair advantage, consider the fact

staff writer peter gao

that it has been statistically proven that the SAT reasoning test favors Caucasians. Eliminating subject tests screams “white affirmative action,” which is ironic and according to Proposition 209, unlawful. In the past, SAT II tests helped to lessen the pressure on low-income immigrant families who were unable to afford exorbitant SAT reasoning class fees. Undermining the legitimacy of this test handicaps Asian students, who usually rely on such subject tests to boost their college applications.

With a limited number of resources and the intricacies of such

issues, a solution will not materialize in the near future. The admissions board walks a fine line; trying to help one group in turn hurts the other. As with any other problem, baby steps must be taken to subtly equalize UC admissions. Education reforms are essential for upholding uniform standards in high schools statewide. To ensure a greater consensus with potential policies, transparency and diplomacy are an essential part of the process. Unfortunately, the UC board did not consult the community in determining such an important policy, and that is simply not acceptable. ▪

Monday, May 4, 2009

The Smoke Signal

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Mekala Neelakantan

Student Spotlight

courtesy mekala neelakantan

Neelakantan competes in the US Nationals in Las Vegas, December 2008.

By Lucy Liu Web Editor

Freshman Mekala Neelakantan enjoys writing, reading, and hanging out with friends.

She also enjoys playing a hard game of table tennis, otherwise known as ping pong. For the past two and a half years, Neelakantan has earned a reputation throughout California as a competitive table tennis player.

Neelakantan started playing table tennis two and a half years ago when her dad brought her along with him to the Berkeley Table Tennis Club. Ever since then, she has become attached to the sport and advanced through the levels at the club. With a possible rating of 0 (beginner) to 2700 (world rank), Neelakantan has achieved a rating of around

1500. However, she’s confident that in a few years, she’ll be able to excel even more.

Mekala participates in tournaments almost every month. Just recently, in February, Neelakantan attended the 2009 Western Open for Table Tennis. This tournament started at nine in the morning with no breaks, not even for lunch. By the time the tournament ended, it was already seven at night. At the finals, Neelakantan had lost two games out of five. Strengthening her determination, she won the next three games and stole the match. She came out of the tournament as one of the tops in the Under-1250 division.

She is also the number one competitor for girls under 15 years old.

W hen asked about what she loved most about table tennis, she said, “There’s no discrimination. I can play anybody I want – I can play really tall adults and still beat them, or younger kids. You make a lot of new friends, because there are a lot of people that play. There are so many opportunities to play, too. If you lose one match, you know that you can win another.”

Working with her coach every Sunday for four hours, as well one hour a day from Monday to Friday, Neelakantan tries to balance school and table tennis. Though academics come first, she said, “I have a chance [to compete in the Olympics] if I continue playing table tennis.” ▪

t s r o w d Best an

School Supplies

By Michelle Chu Staff Writer

Are you tired of pencils that break and erasers that smudge? Wondering what secrets the little math genius next to you has that you don’t know? Here is a compilation of school supplies that will help you turn in clean-cut work and make your teachers and peers think you are smarter and spiffier than you actually are.

Pencils Good: Everyone always wonders where people acquire those magically wonderful “squishy” pencils seen around campus. These pencils are rumored to be only attainable in distant places like Taiwan, but they are actually sold online. They are called Uni-ball Alpha gel pencils and come in assorted colors. These gel pencils use 0.5 mm lead and also come as shaker pencils. These gel pencils can be found on websites such as jetpens.com, starting at $7.50.

graphics editor cici cao

Bad: No girl can deny having gone through the Sanrio phase of life when the most important part of a pencil was the adorable little Babu character on it. However, after the cuteness of the character fades, you are left with a useless piece of plastic that breaks about every two seconds. Not only are these pencils extremely overpriced, but they also get jammed and will shatter your innocent lead into numerous little pieces.

erasers because they leave no pencil marks behind. One of the most popular brands is the Tombow Mono Eraser which is imported from Japan. These erasers come in three different sizes with prices ranging from $1 to $4.50. Like the gel pencils, this product can conveniently be found online at jetpens.com.

Bad: You are working hard on your math homework when you make a mistake and try to erase it with the tiny excuse of an eraser on the back of your pencil. Then, you spot a pink eraser and breathe a sigh of relief! However, after using it, your little mistake has become a large gray catastrophe. After chucking the Paper Mate Pink Pearl Eraser across the room, you curse at it for bringing such doom.

Beware of these erasers, for they have a reputation for creating big black smudges.

Scientific Calculators Good: The best math buddy in the world is the TI-XS calculator and it is all-powerful.

For example, this calculator shows the sign instead of some annoying, unrecognizable decimal. It is also able to show consecutive calculations on the screen at the same time and convert decimals into fractions. It is priced at only $15 and can be purchased at Fry’s Electronics or Wal-Mart.

Bad: The worst scientific calculator is of the model TI-36X. You may be fooled into thinking highly of this calculator due to its expensive price of $25, but it definitely does not live up to its cost. One of the greatest problems is that its buttons are difficult to press. Instead of allowing your fingers to flow effortlessly across the keys, each digit must be pressed after a slight pause or the digit may not show up on the screen. ▪

Erasers Good: The best erasers are white plastic graphics editor cici cao

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Mother’s Day? No Problem!

By Derek Yueh Staff Writer

Mother’s Day is just around the corner on May 10, and soon you’ll need to start planning how you will make this year’s holiday special. The greatest gift would be to behave like an obedient child throughout the whole year, but since that is extremely unrealistic, you can make up for your bad behavior through merchandise. However, be careful with your purchases because anything that you can afford, you’re mom probably would have already bought it. If you don’t have the moolah, try creating an experience that both of you guys can share.

Compliments from the Kitchen When Googling other Mother’s Day gift ideas, you are certain to find that the top entries are advertisements for cooking. Giving your mom a spatula or a pot completely defeats the purpose of celebrating her awesomeness, so please avoid this pitfall. Rather than giving her something to cook with, cook for her instead. Whether it be breakfast in bed, a picnic at the park, or a nice homemade dinner, your mom will appreciate the effort (if you don’t burn down the kitchen). If you are challenged in the culinary department, take your mom out to a restaurant so you won’t ruin her digestive system.

The Sound of Music If you play an instrument, perhaps you can play your mother a song to prove that all the time and money she has invested in your lessons have actually paid off. Better yet, compose an original song dedicated to your mother if you are musically gifted; that way, your gift can be played over and over again.

The Pot Plot Instead of buying the usual bouquet that

will wilt in days, try buying your mom a perennial plant in a pot so it will blossom year after year to remind her of the perfect son/ daughter she has raised. To add an extra touch, bring the flowers into her workplace and create a commotion so your mom can brag to her colleagues that she raised a thoughtful and warm-hearted child. The ability to have unlimited bragging rights at her disposal would be the ultimate gift for a mother.

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Orchids are perennial plants that are beautiful and easy to take care of.

Picture That!

For a more sentimental gift, organize a photo album or create a picture frame to capture all those childhood memories. This may seem like a good idea for a third grader, but a more interesting idea would be to scan old photos or negatives to ScanCafe.com to digitalize your old photos, keep their colors bright, photoshop out a booger hanging from your nose, or repair ruined negatives.

Most importantly, don’t turn back into a spoiled brat as the clock strikes 12, just because Mother’s Day is over. Gifts do not mean anything to a mother unless the intentions behind them are genuine and thoughtful. So be nice to your mothers; after all, you wouldn’t be here reading this article if they hadn’t endured the greatest pain unknown to man.▪

Know Your ABC’s

By Hannah Scobel Feature Editor

Vitamins are essential to maintain a healthy body, but there’s no need to start swallowing buckets of pills. Most of these vitamins can be found in your regular diet. Here is a list of vitamins that you can’t skimp on and where you can find them.

Vitamin A Good for your eyes, Vitamin A can be found in liver, fish oils, carrots, leafy green vegetables, milk, and egg yolks. Get 800 micrograms a day, to avoid symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency such as night-blindness.

Vitamin D For strong bones and healthy teeth, get five micrograms of Vitamin D daily. But here’s the catch – not only do you have to ingest it via food sources such as sardines, salmon, tuna, and milk, but sunlight is also necessary to actually manufacture the Vitamin D. But watch out because an accumulation of too much Vitamine D in the body can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, and overall weakness.

Vitamin B1 A great nervous system, digestion, and heart booster, 1.4 mg of vitamin B1 is recommended daily to keep healthy. If you often feel tingling sensations in your fingers and toes and the inability to focus or maintain balance, then eat more liver, rice, and dairy.

Don’t worry, there is no need to fear overdosing on Vitamin B1 – it dissolves in water, so any excess is discarded in urine.

Vitamin B6 To aid in absorbing proteins and to prevent skin and nerve problem, the body needs at least two mg of B6 daily. Great sources

include fish, bananas, chicken, pork, whole grains, and dried beans.

Vitamin B12 Red blood cell and nerve formation is possibly because of this vitamin. Only one microgram is needed daily, but without it you may feel tired, dizzy, and experience trouble breathing. To get vitamin B12, eat lots of fish, liver, beef, pork, milk, and cheese.

Vitamin C With viruses constantly going around, Vitamin C is especially important. It strengthens your immune defense system, protects from viruses and bacteria, helps heal wounds, reduces cholesterol, increases cell lifespan, and prevents scurvy. Vitamin C deficiency results in tiredness, bleeding gums, and slow healing wounds, so get at least 60 mg of it a day. Citrus, kiwi fruits, berries, tomatoes, potatoes, and leafy greens are great sources.

Don’t overdo it though – too much can cause diarrhea and nausea, and 1000-5000 mg a day may even result in DNA damage.

Vitamin B2 Skin, hair, nails, and lip and tongue sensation, along with eyesight and the ability to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates can all be attributed to inadequate B2 levels.

To get the needed 1.6 mg a day, eat plenty of cheese, milk, leafy greens, and fish. Irritated lips, eyes, and skin may be hints that you need more B2 in your system.

Vitamin E If the body intends to fight toxins effectively, 10 mg of Vitamin E are needed per day.

Without adequate amounts of this vitamin, muscles are left weak and fertility problems arise. Good sources include nuts, soy beans, vegetable oil, spinach, and eggs. ▪

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Monday, May 4, 2009

Common Counselor Questions

By Natalie Yang & Yvonne Lin Centerspread Editor & Staff Writer

When it comes to colleges, classes, and everything in between, there is no better person to ask than your counselor. Smoke Signal staff sat down with counselor Mrs. Blum with a list of frequently-asked counselor questions to save you an extra walk to the office and your counselor some breath.

1) How can underclassmen take AP classes?

An underclassman is required to have taken all prerequisites before taking an AP class. Usually, AP Statistics is the only class that falls into this category (a student can take Algebra 2/ Trigonometry in junior high and Geometry in freshman year). Other AP’s have prerequisites that underclassmen have not fulfilled. MSJ follows the Collegeboard recommendations - every student must have every opportunity to do well in class.

2) What classes are recommended in the place of geography and health?

National University, a virtual high school, has classes that can replace MSJ courses. In fact, many high school students are already taking advantage of these online courses. On the other hand, Ohlone College only allows high schoolers to take online courses that have UC/ CSU transferable credits. For courses that are non-UC/CSU transferable, MSJ students must physically go to the campus and take classes there. However, because health and geography classes are required courses, guidance counselors recommend that they be taken at MSJ. 3) Do you need to take Physics to get into the top UCs? Contrary to popular belief, physics is not a required course to get into top UCs. The

UCs look at biology, chemistry, and physics as a path or grouping. They are commonly taken together, but not necessary.

4) Would you recommend taking the SAT or the ACT? The choice is entirely dependent on the individual. If you are stronger in the science areas, you may want to consider taking the ACT because the ACT is generally more knowledge-based, while the SAT tests critical-thinking skills. Most students score comparably on both exams.

5) Which Ohlone classes are redeemable for high school credit?

No classes at Ohlone are redeemable with credit unless they are required for graduation or taken to pass a failed high school graduation requirement at MSJ. These courses will not show up on your transcript until senior year, and they will not replace the failed grades on your transcripts. There will only be grade replacements when the exact same class is retaken (i.e. summer school).

6) How does dual credit work?

Dual credit means that a student receives visible college credit on both the Ohlone transcript and high school credit. There are only a select few courses that fall into this category.

7) What summer activities would you recommend?

It’s always great to be involved in anything that you are interested in. If you want to pursue an academically-inclined summer, try applying for various research programs or taking biotechnology at Ohlone. Participating in summer camps,

getting a job, or volunteering are also great activities. They not only look great on college applications, but they can also prove to be irreplaceable life experiences.

8) Should a borderline student in an honors class drop out or continue the honors track?

If a student desires not the good GPA but the challenge of a harder class, they should stay on the more demanding track. If the individual values their GPA, then it is better to drop onto the regular track. A B in honors/AP is generally considered better than an A in non-honors, but if GPA is important, someone with a C in honors/AP may want to consider transfering to a college prep class.

9) Can students drop AP classes mid-year?

What is the procedure for this?

Students are generally warned against dropping AP classes and are recommended to finish the year, but if a student is truly suffering, they will be offered an outlet. However, this is contingent on there being room in set schedules. Also, counselors will ask for teacher feedback to ensure that a student is truly struggling and not just looking for an easy way out of a class they slack off in.

10) Which middle school classes count for

high school credit?

Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and foreign language classes count towards college credit, but not high school credit. They can be used towards advancing to a higher level of classes in high school.

11) What resources do students have to evaluate their match/safety/reach schools?

The school has adopted a new web-based program called Naviance (on the school website) that allows students to search for colleges based on a series of preferences. Naviance shows average statistics for each college, and students can match themselves to those figures. (At some schools, Naviance offers the option of placing past students’ statistics online for other students to look up, but MSJ opted out of that for confidentiality reasons.)

12) Should students take more classes that interest them or opt for a more well-rounded schedule?

Guidance counselors would like to say that students should take classes that interest them, but colleges are more interested in a well-rounded student. They believe that students at this age should be more well-rounded right now instead of limiting their knowledge-base. There will be time to hone skills in class and develop breadth in college. ▪

Alternatives to Going to College

By Rebecca Gao Staff Writer

If you feel that a traditional four-year college is not right for you at the moment, consider the following alternative suggestions.

Vocational and Technical Schools Vocational schools provide specialized training for specific careers. In just two years, you can earn an associates degree in a lucrative, in-demand profession as a nurse, medical assistant, or auto mechanic.

Perhaps you want to be a hairstylist or a firefighter; technical institutes will help you master the necessary skills. Visit trade-schools.net and rwm.org for more information.

Join the Military As with any of these decisions, tremendous personal commitment and dedication are involved. You will be able to serve your country and develop capabilities in fields such as combat, logistics, intelligence, or medicine. Full tuition education packages and other benefits are available.

For more information, visit nationalguard. com and marines.com.

allamericanpatriots.com

Army soldiers salute and stand at attention while stationed overseas.

Apprenticeships and Internships These paid positions will train you for your future career as a surveyor, electrician, or a mechanic. You will gain valuable experience while directing yourself towards attaining certifications by finding an apprenticeship or interning in a contracting company, then earning accredita-

tion to start your own business. Check out calapprenticeship.org.

Volunteer Discover what you’re truly passionate about through volunteering in an orphanage in Russia or running after-school programs in the United States. The Peace Corps prefers college graduates, but Americorps, the Student Conservation Association, and many others are geared towards 17-18 year-olds.

Check out americorps.org and crossculturalsolutions.org.

peacecorpsconnect.typepad.com

The Peace Corps helps nations in poverty.

Travel Travel to different countries and broaden your perspectives. Explore the diverse peoples and histories and immerse yourself in the rich cultures of the world. Should price be an issue, apply for a job abroad or for student exchange programs. To learn more, visit jobsabroad.com or leapnow.org/leapyear.

Post-Graduate and Deferral Years If you would appreciate an extra year to gain more academic and extracurricular depth and experience, consider a Post-Graduate (PG) year of high school. Maybe you didn’t get into the college of your choice, but a PG year will help you develop in a focused environment and win you that acceptance letter.

If a college has accepted you, a deferral year is a worthwhile venture. Avoid the posthigh-school burnout to study, travel, or volunteer abroad, and experience life outside of textbooks and classrooms. ▪

Monday, May 4, 2009

The Smoke Signal

Froyo For You

By Gina Liu & Mala Neti Staff Writer & Editor-in-Chief

Frozen yogurt shops have risen in popularity lately, and it’s no surprise. Not only is frozen yogurt, commonly known as froyo, healthy, but it is also delicious and perfect to eat as a snack while out with friends. Many froyo shops are located around Fremont and Newark, so the Smoke Signal sent two writers to see what these stores have to offer and rated each shop out of five froyo cups.

Orange Tree Orange Tree is a small but colorful selfserve yogurt shop. As we walked in, we were greeted by brightly colored walls and a TV that broadcasted the health benefits of frozen yogurt. Orange Tree has two cup sizes for customers to choose from, with a price of 35 cents per ounce. The store offers 10 flavors, and that day, customers could choose from mango, original plain tart, taro, strawberry, blueberry, cantaloupe, pineapple, chocolate, vanilla, and cheesecake. The 33 toppings included the standard sprinkles and syrup, but also green jelly and lychee. Due to the small size of the store, seats were almost impossible to find, but the biggest turn off was that the supposed flavors of the yogurt did not seem to match up to the actual taste - vanilla tasted like sugar crème frosting, and the blueberry yogurt was simply tart. Some of the yogurts were icy, some were runny. Overall, the yogurt was mediocre.

Location: NewPark Mall Rating: Yoswirl Yoswirl offers 10 different flavors of yogurt, a large variety of toppings (48, not including syrup and flavored fruit powders), and comfy couches and seats for customers to enjoy their treat. The interior design is, by far, the most unique out of all the froyo shops we visted; purple and green walls and furniture gave the shop a modern and fresh look. The shop targets teenagers, with magazines, board games, and TVs. Yoswirl is self-serve, and for 35 cents an ounce, the available flavors were cookies ’n cream, chocolate, vanilla, blueberry, original tart, Thai tea, Pineapple dole whip, strawberry, and mango. Toppings are varied, ranging from lady fingers to fresh grapefruit.

The yogurt was a little runny, but it was the perfect degree of tartness and each flavor was delicious. The store offers a “Contest of the Day”: if customers can match their yogurt to the daily weight, the yogurt is free. Since the sign is located next to the cashier, make sure to take a look at it before you fill up your cup.

Yoswirl also offers a free stamp card and tshirts with the logo printed on it for $10.

Location: Pacific Commons Rating: Fro-ggie Fro-ggie is hard to find, with just a small sign outside that says “Frozen Yogurt.” Inside, the decorations are not much better, with simply a green wall, an orange wall, some chairs and tables, and a couch. Frog-gie is just

one of the two yogurt shops we visited that was not self-serve. Customers can choose from a small cup (5 oz), regular cup (8 oz), or large cup (13 oz). Green tea and soy flavors are more expensive than the original tart and fruit flavors, and prices for toppings also vary for each size. The variety of flavors and toppings are limited compared to some of the other stores we visited; they only have five flavors and 25 different toppings. Flavors that day were chocolate, lemon-lime, green tea, strawberry, and original tart. Each yogurt cup is topped off with a Pocky-like cracker stick.

It goes well with the yogurt, although the yogurt itself is delicious alone. Rich and creamy, Fro-ggie offers some of the best yogurt out of all the stores we have visited. However, rude customer service (the worker behind the counter claimed we could not write down any toppings or prices without his permission), unattractive décor, and few flavors and toppings leave Fro-ggie with extensive room for improvement.

Location: Ohlone Village Rating: Pink Swirl Pink Swirl is a new, family-friendly addition to the froyo craze in Fremont. Upon entering the store, we couldn’t help but feel like we were walking into some sort of candyland; its rather blinding walls were covered in bright pink, yellow, and red swirls. The Kids’ party room attached to the rest of the store was a nice unique touch that made it seem slightly juvenile, but still fun. Interior design aside, the self-serve yogurt itself was tasty, although nothing spectacular. The store offers a choice of six flavors including icy tart, raspberry, green tea, cappuccino, chocolate, and even pistachio, alternating a couple of times per week, as well as a choice of 22 toppings, including different types of fruit, candy, and dry cereal. The quality of the yogurt itself, however, varied from flavor to flavor. The icy tart, for example, was grainy and got excruciatingly tart at times, while the chocolate was too thick and creamy. Pistachio, on the other hand, proved to be soft and creamy, with a perfect balance between sweet and tart. Customer service was nice, as we were greeted with questions like “Have you been to Pink Swirl before?” and “Do you need help with anything?”, which was a pleasant surprise that we hadn’t received in the other stores.

Although pricy, at 40 cents per ounce, Pink Swirl’s location is perfect for high school students looking to satisfy their weekly froyo cravings.

Location: 43423 Mission Blvd Rating: Yogurt Bees Although just a newly opened froyo store, Yogurt Bees has enough to boast about, from its cute décor to its delicious yogurt. The interior was simple and bright, with mirrors and tiles spanning the length of the store. The shop itself was very tiny and lightly furnished with only three small tables, cramped together in one corner. However, the store gave off a bit of a messy feel, as the self-serve machines

April Fools!

By Anastassia Tselikova Staff Writer

This past April Fool’s Day, the students at MSJ have witnessed a unique and funny assortment of tricks and pranks.

During the break between second and third period, posters were put up all around the campus advertising a Butterfly Migration Performance that would be held in the amphitheatre during read time, in celebration of the recent butterfly migration and the opening of spring. Teachers were asked

to take their classes out to the amphitheatre to watch the performance. The bright-green posters featured eye-catching text and authentic pictures. Naturally, there was no performance during read period, and many of the posters had been taken down before they could be noticed. No one showed up for the “presentation.”

MSJ sports did not forget this day, either.

A yearly tradition, the prank played by the

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seemed to be dripping onto the counters and floors. The froyo itself was 35 cents an ounce (with a coupon that can be found at yogurtbees.com), with around 24 toppings and an assortment of eight fruity flavors such as wild blueberry, green tea, mango, nonfat strawberry, peach nectar, yami original tart, and very berry. The quality of the frozen yogurt itself was unbeatable; the texture was smooth and creamy, without being too heavy on the stomach. Yogurt Bees also has discounts targeted toward students, teachers, nurses, nursing students, teachers, men and women in armed forces, police of-

ficult to continue eating. The yogurt was almost as thick as ice cream, and the lack of fruity flavors took away from that true yogurt taste. Although the yogurt is pretty pricy, a large being $3.70 and toppings being around 65 cents, the massive amounts of yogurt that come with each serving make it worth the money. A unique feature offered at Yogurt Delite is the wide assortment of cup sizes, ranging from as little as four ounces, to a whopping quart sized order. Not to mention, the option of a waffle cone or cup is a nice little touch that is a definite attraction to the younger customers. If you are looking for a true old-fashioned yogurt experience, Yogurt

staff writer michael feuerman

ficers, and fire fighters, where they can buy one get one free or even get just free yogurt on certain days and times (with a coupon).

Given a little bit more time and work, Yogurt Bees has the potential to be a favorite among froyo lovers.

Location: 46809 Warm Springs Blvd Rating: Yogurt Delite We were pleasantly surprised upon our arrival at Yogurt Delite, as we were greeted with the old-fashioned, traditional-looking frozen yogurt store we had been waiting for.

With red and white colored walls, and tiled mirrors across the side, this cute little store reminded us of the true dairy-style yogurt shops that are so hard to see these days.

With a grand total of 25 flavors, the shop picks six flavors each day. Flavors are varied, and include the traditional chocolate and vanilla to the more unique flavors such as classic pumpkin, and butter finger. At first bite, the yogurt was undoubtedly delicious and rich. However after just a couple of bites, the excessive creaminess made it diftrack team on their coach was nevertheless disturbing. One of the fastest runners on the team came in on crutches, complaining of a twisted ankle, and claiming he was unable to run in the meet that day. After a few tense minutes, the injury was revealed to be an April Fool’s prank that the whole team had been in on.

The tradition in France and French-speaking countries, as well as other European nations such as Italy, is to attach a paper fish to the back of a victim without being noticed. This tradition enjoyed success at MSJ, as numerous brightly colored fish were seen stuck to the backs of unsuspecting students.

The “poissons d’avril,” or “April Fish,” are also used in reference to any April Fool’s joke played throughout the day. Many countries

Delite is worth a visit.

Location: 4378 Thornton Ave Rating: Yogurtastic Yogurtastic has much to offer, from its above-average froyo to its outstanding customer service. Upon arrival, we were greeted with not only a warm smile from the cashier, but also a wall full of 53 delectable toppings and syrups.

From gummy worms to Reese’s Bites, the wide array of toppings was definitely the highlight of our visit. A good variety of container sizes was aslo offered, a nice touch that we had not seen in too many of the other froyo stores. The eight flavors offered that day were varied, including raspberry tart, mango, and cookies and cream.

However, the tart flavors were unexpectedly too sour, and the cookies and cream flavor similarly failed to live up to our expectations.Although nothing fancy and a little bit pricey at 37 cents per ounce, the yogurt itself maintained a nice consistency, except for a slight runniness of certain flavors.

Location: 3924 Washington Blvd Rating: ▪ have named this day after various othe animals, such as Hunt-the-Gowk Day (Gowk means cuckoo in Scottish) and “Maj-kat” (May-Cat in Danish).

This day has its beginning, it is believed, in France, under the reign of Charles IX. New Year’s Day was moved from the week of March 25-April 1 to January first. However, messages traveled slow, and much of the population continued celebrating New Years on the old date, April 1. Some refused to change their ways and thought it was a hoax, so people played pranks on them, sending the “fools” to nonexistent parties and on absurd errands. These became knows as “Poissons d’Avril,” since young and naïve fish are easy to catch. Since then, it became a custom in many countries around the world. ▪

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Junior Prom: A Moment Like This 4.4.2009

A. Couples dance and sway to a slow song.

B. Juniors Joy Chen and Manning Huang rock to the beat.

C. Junior Chris Turner graciously exits his limo with his date.

D. Students go wild as they put their hands in the air.

E. Junior Kelley Hwang signs the juniors’ massive card as Issac Wu and Moez Hudda look on.

F. Juniors Jesse Wu and Stella Chung sway to the music.

G. Junior Desiree Ho steps outside for a break from the dance floor.

H. Juniors Trey Howell and Jennifer Young applaud the DJ as Junior Prom comes to an end.

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Secrets Presentation 4.6.2009

A. The cast of Secrets pose for a picture.

National Merit Finalists Ceremony 3.25.2009

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A. Senior Mike Mo proudly accepts his award from counselor Merri Blum.

B. Mission’s 72 National Merit Finalists pose for a group shot.

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photos by graphics editor cici cao, centerspread editor natalie yang, and staff writers ankur dhar and sonya john

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photos by staff writers ankur dhar, alissa gwynn, cynthia kang, karen lin, tanu patel, jane wang, and albert yuan.

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Monday, May 4, 2009

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photos by graphics editor jerry ting and staff writers karen lin, sargun kaur,

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Psychoanalyst Session 4.3.2009

A. Speaker Shela Fisk addresses the assembled crowd.

B. Fisk responds to an audience member’s question.

Motivational Speaker 3.24.2009

C. Rudy Giuliani walks through the entrance of the HP Pavilion.

D. Michael Phelps relates his experiences as an Olympic swimmer.

Human Trafficking Awareness Event 4.24.2009

E. English teacher Lili Kim and Senior Claudia Chee welcome guests as they enter C120.

F. Junior Alvin Lee performs as part of a charity effort to raise money for increasing awaresness of child exploitation.

photos by sports editor audrey tseng, centerspread editor amanda kwan, staff writer sargun kaur, spot the difference by graphics editor cici cao

16 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

WARHOL at the deYoung

By Amanda Kwan

Centerspread Editor

Warhol Live, the Andy Warhol exhibit at San Francisco’s de Young Museum, is a multimedia walk through of the late pop artist’s life, from his earliest days as a poor boy in Pittsburgh to the peak of his fame as a commercial painter, record producer, filmmaker, photographer, and magazine publisher. The exhibit focuses primarily on the influences of music and dance on Warhol’s work but also

Warhol are also scattered along the walls of the exhibit, revealing tidbits of a man who remains largely inscrutable.

Warhol is, perhaps, best known for his iconic silkscreens of 60’s Hollywood figures, such as Marilyn Monroe and Liza Minelli, his bold use of color, and his innovative use of serialization. These aspects of Warhol’s art are prominently featured alongside Warhol’s lesser known works. Highlights include a display of the fifty records covers Warhol designed over the course of his career (one of which features a real zipper on Mick Jagger’s

Monday, May 4, 2009

MIXING MEDIA:

Interesting Art Forms

By Clara Ma

Staff Writer

With thousands of potential methods and media, art is no longer limited by convention; the sheer variety of interesting art forms that are out there prove that paint is not all people use to create beautiful pieces.

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Sand Art Remember the days in preschool when we put colored sand into different shaped bottles and called it sand art? Artist Ilana Yahav takes that to a whole new level, drawing and shaping fistfuls of sand on a glass table. Through her videos, she creates stories that viewers can watch, often with a parting message—sometimes pushing for change, other times just asking for us to come together. To watch Yahav’s sand art in action, go to sandfantasy.com.

motion of light; the result is a picture that tracks the pattern in which the light source moved. The techniques are simple and most anyone can practice them, but those who have perfected the art, like Germany’s Lichtfaktor crew, make amazing pieces that are colored with different shades of LEDs and have interesting subjects.

Paper Art A librarian’s worst nightmare may turn into a fantasy when she realizes that books aren’t being shredded for no reason, but instead, they’re being cut up to make fairy tales come to life. Su Blackwell takes all sorts of books and uses them to make pop-up art from paper that comes out of the original book. For example, Cinderella’s coach and horses would very well be constructed from a Cinderella book. Her artwork, though based in the United Kingdom, is sold around the country. To see more of Blackwell’s art, visit sublackwell.co.uk.

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emphasizes Warhol’s enigmatic and voyeuristic personality.

The exhibit is divided into several rooms highlighting important periods of Warhol’s life. Each room has a unique atmosphere created by lighting, sound, and the type of art that is displayed. Throughout the exhibit, music relevant to each room plays from speakers overhead. The sounds from one room flow freely into the next, creating a surreal blend of Judy Garland’s classic ballads, John Cage’s experimental piano, and The Velvet Underground’s avant-garde rock. Quotes from

pants); “screen tests” of the members of The Velvet Underground (i.e. 3-min shots of the members staring ahead and trying not to blink); and 24 reproductions of Warhol’s “Brillo Box” sculpture (a tribute to his commercialism and use of serialization), lined up on a palette covered in aluminum foil (a tribute to Warhol’s similarly decorated studio, the Silver Factory).

Warhol Live runs at the de Young through May 17. Admission to the museum is $6 for ages 5-17 and $10 for 18+. Entrance to the exhibit requires an additional $10 fee. ▪

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Light Graffiti Light graffiti is an urban art form that uses a long exposure camera and any source of bright light, including LEDs, simple flashlights, or light pens. When a camera is set on a long exposure, it can capture the

Food Art We’ve often been told that food isn’t to play with. Who knew it was to make art with?

Harry Kalenberg has created “Pop-NPaint,” popcorn that you can put together as a sculpture and color. And for the caffeine addicts, artists Andy Saur and Angel Sarkela have become experts at painting with coffee.

Their work boasts of being “100% coffee [with] no additives.” To see their work, go to justcoffeeart.com. ▪

Hannah Montana|Ways to worship the pop diva

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continued from page 1 awards show. My friends are utterly devoted to helping me conceal my secret identity even though I would leave them in an instant to further my musical career. I’ve corrupted today’s youth with my meaningless kids’ TV show and my cheesy yet surprisingly catchy songs. Between getting designer brands for free and ruining my best friend’s sweet sixteen, I’ve even managed to have a catfight with Tyra Banks herself.

I snapped out of my daydream for a bit because I realized that Hannah Montana was in fact in a catfight with Tyra Banks onscreen. I silently smiled to myself. I’m just like Hannah Montana, I’m living the dream. A girl next to me said aloud, “OMGANTMFTW.”

Pondering whether Hannah/Miley would do well on America’s Next Top Model (but of course she would), I unfortunately missed a bit of the movie. That’s alright, because I intend to view this movie seven times every day for the rest of my life. And when someone asks me what the seven things I liked about my day were, I can reply, “The first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh time I watched Hannah Montana: The Movie today.”

Then, the best dance routine I have seen in my life came on-screen: the hip-hop hoedown throw down. Being the overachiever that I am, I had already YouTube-ed the tutorial and knew the entire song and dance by heart.

I highly recommend learning it if you’re five or 82, because it’s something you can do, according to Hannah.

I was singing the lyrics to myself for about a half hour and half-doing the routine, after that dance sequence appeared on-screen.

I entered a contest where the person who memorized every song by Miley Cyrus and/ or Hannah Montana and its respective music video the best got to wear Hannah/Miley’s wig for a full minute. My extra 30 minutes of studying will give me an edge against my best friend who claims she is Hannah/Miley’s best friend, because she changed her name to Smiley. Smiley Miley Chang.

Anyway, I know you’re all dying to know how the movie ended. Well, I wouldn’t know.

I “countrified” my way out of the theater before it was over. As soon as Hannah said she was going to give up being Hannah, I lost it. No more Hannah Montana? Just Smiley Miley (Cyrus, not Chang)? It’s not supposed to be the best of one world! Who will be my role model? Who will I name my seven future kids after? Who will tell me to work it when I feel I’m not perfect? Who’s last name will my future husband and I take? Nothing makes sense anymore... ▪

Monday, May 4, 2009

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

MISSION’S Magellan

By Sophie Diao & Victoria Gu

Editor-in-Chief & Staff Writer

San Francisco is known for many things, but being boring is not one of them. What Joe DiMaggio called “the friendliest city in the world” can’t be fully experienced in just one visit. For this next installment of our travel series, we journeyed yet again to the great city of San Francisco to explore bigger, better sites.

Destination 3: Cartoon Art Museum Squeezed into a small, unassuming building on Mission Street, the Cartoon Art Museum is truly a gem that shouldn’t be missed.

This relatively small space is lined with artwork from both famous comic artists and underrated classics. Watchmen buffs will be ecstatic to hear that concept art and the original drawings from the novel can be viewed here, along with props from the film and life-size casts of the Watchmen characters. Admission is $4 for students.

Address: 655 Mission St.

Destination 1: Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market A minute’s walk from the Embarcadero BART station revealed a massive congregation of colorful market tents and tables lined with homemade jewelry and tie-dye shirts; just beyond that, booths overflowed with organic fruits and vegetables. All around us were street performers, ranging from bands with trash cans-turned-drums to a string quartet. Tucked between the “cosmeticallychallenged” apples and the assorted nuts was a “Make Your Own Mayo” stand. All in all, this Farmer’s Market puts the one in the Irvington District to shame.

Address: One Ferry Building Destination 2: Tart-to-Tart We lunched at Tart-to-Tart, a small cafe on Mission Street. Our chicken salad sandwiches were slightly overpriced, but tasted decent. If you happen to be near while looking for a place to eat, Tart-to-Tart will do just fine, but it’s no San Francisco landmark.

Address: 90 New Montgomery St.

Destination 4: The Castro Often considered the world’s biggest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender neighborhood, the Castro offers a plethora of entertainment for any person, no matter what sexual orientation. Among the possible sources of amusement is a trip to the historical Castro Theatre. Unfortunately, when we went, they were showing Mamma Mia!, a movie neither of us wanted to see. Though the district has many risqué shops, you cannot help but feel content merely walking down Castro Street.

Everyone seemed to be extraordinarily kindhearted and cheerful, eager to enjoy life and all its possibilities.

Address: Castro St.

Joy from others’ suffering

By Cynthia Kang

Staff Writer

When walking through the halls of Mission, you may catch snippets of phrases such as “I had the right answer but then I changed it. FML!” or “I got three hours of sleep last night, FML.” The catchphrase “FML” (an acronym for “f*** my life”) is, without a doubt, the new QQ, and owes its popularity to the site fmylife.com.

The website is the brainchild of two French entrepreneurs, Guillaume Passaglia and Maxime Valette, who launched an English version of the site in January 2009. Fmylife.com became an instant success, currently drawing one million visitors daily. The concept is simple: allow viewers to read or post accounts of painfully embarrassing situations that are inevitably part of life.

What attracts viewers to the site is defi-

Destination 6: Japantown Only in San Francisco can you visit the largest and oldest Japantown in the United States. At the time we visited the Japanese community, the annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival was being held. The festival offers a wide variety of Japanese food, music, martial arts, a glimpse into the Japanese culture, and lots of shopping.

Address: Geary and Post St.

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FMYLIFE.COM:

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Destination 5: Under One Roof Located in the Castro, Under One Roof is a small boutique that donates most of its profits to AIDS service organizations. Not only are the store’s products for a good cause, but they are also cute everyday items including calendars, furniture, soap and stuffed animals.

Address: 518A Castro St.

Destination 7: Kintetsu Mall Kintetsu Mall is Japantown’s main shopping center that includes many stationary stores, Japanese restaurants, and a Japanese video store. A major draw to the mall is the Kinokuniya Bookstore, one of the few in the United States dedicated almost exclusively to Japanese literature, which makes it a great place to buy graphic novels.

Address: 1737 Post St.

staff writer victoria gu

nitely the content itself because the layout is nothing spectacular—simple, consisting of only boxes of text against an ordinary blue and white color scheme. It does, however, boast several interesting features. When reading a story, you can vote on it—either that “I agree, your life is f***ed” or “You deserved that one.” The anecdotes are arranged chronologically, and separated into categories like love and money. Other links on the site allow you to choose a “random,” “top,” or “flop” FML. How did fmylife.com become such a phenomenon? Well, it caters to the sadistic side of human nature. When you’re depressed about your own life, nothing is more comforting than reading about the wretched lives of others. Case in point: “Today, I saw an elderly man fall in a crosswalk, so I jumped off my bike to help. As I helped him across, the light turned green. At that point, I noticed my phone had fallen out of my pocket in the street and was run over by several cars.

I then watched […] someone [steal] my bike.

FML.” Here at MSJ, you can see traces of fmylife. com everywhere. It is not uncommon to start a conversation with “Did you read that FML story last night?”, and of course, after every test, there you’re bound to hear someone lament, “FML.” “We always feel like our life sucks the most and we go through the worst,” said Junior Jennifer Young. “But when [we] read FML, [we] instantly feel better about [ourselves].

It’s sort of twisted, but it works.” ▪

Arts & Entertainment 17

staff writer victoria gu

staff writer victoria gu

Destination 8: Fuku-Sushi This sushi restaurant, located in the Kintetsu Mall, happens to be a favorite of many celebrities, from Keanu Reeves to Yoko Ono. With moderate prices, a disagreeable waitress, but great food, Fuku’s is, overall, a pleasant eatery. We recommend the Alaska Roll or the Spicy Tuna Roll.

Address: Kintetsu Mall Destination 9: Slim’s Slim’s is an amazingly intimate concert venue and restaurant located in San Francisco’s party district, SoMA (South of Market).

We attended a $15 show featuring The Soft Pack, White Lies, and Friendly Fires. Considering that White Lies was the number one band in the UK and Friendly Fires is quite a notable alternative group, the show was a bargain. Despite the occasional crazed groupie, the experience was phenomenal; we were so close we could see the sweat on the singers’ faces. White Lies lived up to the hype while The Soft Pack, a San Diego band, was a little coarse. Unfortunately, we left five minutes into Friendly Fires’ performance. However, those five minutes were pretty fantastic.

Address: 333 11th St. ▪

18 Arts & Entertainment

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The Smoke Signal

Not really worth being 17 Again

Monday, May 5, 2009

New DSi a little better, a little worse

By Ankur Dhar

Staff Writer

sky.com

By Amy Mao

News Editor

Any movie starring Zac Efron, the golden boy of Hollywood, contains the following three elements: grossly dramatized high school conflicts, unrequited love, and, of course, dancing. If the directors of 17 Again hoped to make any sort of departure from this template, they have failed miserably. On the other hand, fans of the High School Musical series may get a kick out of this movie.

Plot-wise, 17 Again is nothing groundbreaking, a combination of Freaky Friday and 13 Going On 30. Adult Mike O’Donnell, played by Matthew Perry of Friends fame, wishes to relive his high school days, in particular the one where, twenty years ago, he gave up a college basketball scholarship to marry his pregnant girlfriend. Twenty years later, all O’Donnell wants is to relive the past, and his constant regret has pushed his marriage to the limit. While out of a job and home and living with his nerdy best friend, O’Donnell encounters an old man who via a whirlpool transforms him back into a 17year-old. The younger Mike, played by Efron, now goes back to high school to get a shot

(literally) at college.

At school, Mike finds his daughter Maggie dating the school bully, the same one who is harassing his son, Alex. His goal is now to save his family and marriage. As Mike becomes entangled in his family’s lives, there are cringe-inducing moments, such as when Mike’s daughter comes on to his 17-year old self at a party scene. Even more disturbing, Efron and Leslie Mann, who plays the adult Mrs. O’Donnell, share an on-screen kiss.

Overall, the storyline is difficult to follow, as so much is going on.

Meanwhile, most of the characters fall short of coming alive. Shadows of Friends’ Chandler Bing can be seen in Perry’s performance, while Efron relies on his pretty looks and ability to tear up automatically when the situation calls for it. However, Thomas Lennon, who plays Mike’s best friend Ned, gives a comical performance. His outrageous antics to win the affections of the school principal steal the show and distract from the main plot—which, in this case, happens to be a good thing.

In the end, unless you have a crush on Zac Efron, this movie isn’t worth your while.

Rating: C ▪

Nintendo’s DS handheld gaming device has been at the forefront of the industry since its release in 2004. Its dual screen and touch screen interface made it an instant hit. Nintendo soon followed up their successor with the slimmer, more efficient DS Lite in 2006. On April 5 Nintendo released yet another successor to their popular device, the DSi. The DSi features two cameras: a three megapixel camera on the outside and a 0.3 megapixel VGA camera inside between the two screens.

The DSi also has slightly larger screens and better speakers. The body is thinner yet slightly longer and is now covered in a matte finish to prevent fingerprint marks.

This thinner body means the DSi can’t play Game Boy Advance games, a tremendous blow to the handheld’s backwards compatibility. This also means DS accessories like the Guitar Grip and the Rumble Pak will not work on the DSi. Instead the space has been used for additional memory and an SD card slot, which will allow

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for external storage.

The DSi’s firmware, which will regularly update now, has also received upgrades, such as an integrated web browser and audio player called “Nintendo DSi Sound” which can record and play AAC files, but not MP3 files.

Nintendo is also opening a new online store similar to the Wii Shop Channel, called the DSi Shop, where users can buy new DSiWare games and applications. Overall the DSi is an interesting new device, but Nintendo has stated that the DSi will not replace the DS Lite, but be Nintendo’s third platform. The DSi is available for $170.

Rating: B+ ▪

UNDER THE RADAR The Sea Inside

salon.com

By Cynthia Kang

Staff Writer For anyone interested in discovering the true meaning of life (and no, it isn’t “42”), The Sea Inside is the perfect movie. Based on a true story, this Spanish film addresses the timeless question of what life truly means via an enlightening script and a talented cast.

Directed by Alejandro Amenabar, The Sea Inside tells of a quadriplegic’s quest to obtain the legal rights for assisted suicide. Tired of relying on others around him for even the simplest of tasks, Ramón Sampedro ( Javier Bardem) desperately wants to die “with dignity.” Though his request understandably horrifies his family, they support him because, as Ramón insightfully remarks, “those who love me will help me to die.”

The movie opens with a breezy image of the sea, its calm waves gently crashing in rhythm to the background of Ramón’s breathing. To Ramón, the sea represents freedom but ironically, the sea is also what

hindered it. As a teenager, he took a job on a fishing boat, living blissfully amid the peaceful waters, until a tragic fall from a cliff broke his neck and caused complete body paralysis.

His adventurous life prior to the accident harshly contrasts the immobile state he finds himself in. He can no longer be the man he wants to be, so he chooses death.

As it deals with the fragile subject of suicide as well as the ambiguous meaning of life, the plot has the potential to fall victim to worn out themes. The distinctive script and noteworthy acting, however, steer the movie away from those dangerous waters.

The complex inter-character relationships are imbued wirh realism, thanks to powerful performances and poignant dialogue. Ramón is surrounded by love—both romantic and familial—and we can see the strength of that love through the raw emotions the characters display.

Javier Bardem shines in his role as the focal character, managing to spout valuable epiphanies regarding life while adding in the snarky but humorous quips that endear his character to viewers. His portrayal of Ramón effectively captures his anguish, which is still clearly detectable despite his nonchalant front.

So take a break from your endless pile of schoolwork and do something worthwhile: Watch The Sea Inside. With its witty yet illuminating analysis of the controversy of suicide, it will prove more useful than all of your Barrons books combined.

Rating: A ▪

THE SOLOIST| Foxx shines in performance continued from page 1 anything the way [Nathaniel] loves music.”

Where the film truly excels, however, is in its portrayal of schizophrenia and the effect it can have on a person’s mind. A particularly significant and heartbreaking sequence shows Ayers in a frenzy, as voices he can’t stop bombard him from within.

Similarly, the depiction of the helpless state of homelessness in LA, and the sporadic “aid” from the government will leave viewers angry but informed. It is humbling to watch, particularly since the people filmed are Ayers’ actual homeless friends.

In the end, even if the story was tweaked, Jamie Foxx’s portrayal of both Ayers’ schizophrenic tendencies and his passion for music is incredible, and the ultimate lesson of the film ought not to be missed. tribute.ca

Rating: B+ ▪

Monday, May 4, 2009

The Smoke Signal

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Arts & Entertainment 19

MSJ’S THEATER STARS THEN AND NOW

By Mala Neti & Anastassia Tselikova

Editor-in-Chief & Staff Writer

Year after year, MSJ’s Little Theater has been the breeding ground for theater stars, both on stage and behind the scenes. From 2007’s Dames at Sea to this year’s Bye Bye Birdie, our performers and techies have consistently come together to provide us with laughs, memories, and good old entertainment. Here are just a few of the MSJ theater stars whom we have grown to know and love over the years.

SAMIRA GHASSEMIAN aCTRESS

DREW WILLIAMS aCTOr

staff writer tanu patel

Smoke Signal: How do you think you have grown as a performer since your first show?

Drew Williams: I’ve started to put more care and time into playing my character. Compared to freshman year, I feel like I can now get a better feel for my character. You start to realize that every action and line and scene has a purpose. It has helped me to develop my own interpretation of the characters I have played, instead of just following what the director told me to do. It’s nice to become your own character and not what someone else has created.

SS: What has kept you in theater for so long?

DW: It’s the people around me who keep me wanting to come back to the theater. It’s such a great learning environment and everyone just feeds off of each other—it’s like a big family.

SS: What has been the highlight of your “MSJ Theater” experience?

DW: The feeling I get whenever I finish a show. It feels so rewarding when people are waiting outside at the end of the performance, congratulating me on a job well done.

SS: How much time do you spend now as compared to when you first started? Have you gradually become mo DW: Now that I’m a senior, I have more responsibilities.

Now, I actually spend a lot more time out of rehearsal, trying to really analyze specific scenes and lines. I feel like I’ve taken on more of a leadership role in the theater.

SS: What character do you see yourself playing in the future?

DW: Fiyero in Wicked. ▪

Smoke Signal: What was the first show you were involved in?

Emily DeStigter: My first show was probably in third grade. It was the Wizard of Oz, and I played a munchkin and a Twinkie.

SS: What is the most memorable experience you’ve had?

ED: This is very hard… I think that the last night of all the shows is always the most memorable, since it’s when everybody goes full-out, and when we say good-bye to the seniors, where everyone knows each other well, and the cast has finally bonded.

SS: What life lesson have you learned from your experiences in theater?

ED: I have learned, being in a very large group of some of the loudest and most eccentric people in this school, it’s very important to try to keep your cool.

SS: What’s the major difference between then and now?

ED: I don’t really know… I think that just from taking classes I[‘ve] gained more experience, and I got better in singing, acting, and especially dancing.

SS: Do you have any advice for MSJ theater’s newcomers?

ED: Don’t take anything too seriously, and try to stay as calm as you can. Don’t stress yourself. Also, bring deodorant!

SS: Do you have any future theater-related aspirations?

ED: I’m not going to major in theater, but I think I’d like to try out for a college show to see the differences. I don’t want to go into theater for a career, because it’s too competitive. ▪

DIPTI KANTHILAL tech member

Smoke Signal: When did you first get involved in theater and performing arts and why?

Dipti Kanthilal: I got involved with theater and performing arts in seventh grade. My sister was assistant student technical director that year for the shows Clue and Les Misérables, and after seeing productions she was involved with the previous two years, I realized that I wanted to help and I wanted to be part of a production. So I joined the crew of Les Misérables as a costume assistant, gopher, dresser.

SS: What was your first MSJ play you were involved in?

DK: The first MSJ play that I participated in was Les Misérables when I was in seventh grade. Then, I was in Dames at Sea in tenth.

SS: What is the biggest lesson you have taken away from theater?

DK: By getting involved with theater, I didn’t have as much free time as before. I used to be really close to some people, but hardly talk to them now. For some time I guess I felt pretty down about it, but then I realized, I inherited a whole new family when I got into theater. I met all sorts of people with whom I probably wouldn’t have talked to or interacted with before. A lesson I learned from the theatre is don’t be afraid of what is unknown; you can learn so much more jumping out of your comfort zone and trying new things.

SS: Do you have any advice for MSJ theater’s newcomers?

DK: Don’t get put-down by people yelling at each other all the time. It’s going to happen, but it always turns out okay in the end.

SS: Do you have any future theater-related aspirations?

DK: I really want to go more into science, but if I have a chance, I’d also like to pursue music and theater. I’d like to be involved in a production at whatever college I go to. ▪

aCTRESS

staff writer sonya john

staff writer sonya john

Smoke Signal: How do you think you have grown as a performer since freshman year?

Samira Ghassemian: I feel like I have better projection and stage presence compared to when I first started performing. I also have better enunciation when I’m on stage.

SS: About how much time do you spend in the theater now, compared to when you first got started?

SG: I definitely spend a lot more now. Like right now, I am head of the jazz dance committee and it really consumes a lot of my time.

SS: What has kept you involved in MSJ Theater for so long?

SG: I really like to affect other people through what I do.

Playing so many different characters has given me a better understanding of people in general, and I think it has given me the ability to relate to people better.

SS: Do you have any advice for MSJ Theater’s newcomers?

SG: There will be times when you want to give up, but don’t do it. When you stick with something you are truly passionate about, it’s that much more rewarding. Theater is a good way to deal with everyday problems. It just makes you a more well-rounded person.

SS: What are your plans for next year and do you plan on continuing your acting?

SG: I’m actually moving to LA next year, and my goal is to try to get my own agent so I can make it big in Hollywood.

SS: What is your aspiring role for the future?

SG: I would love to play the Egyptian Vampire in the last Twilight book. ▪

EMILY DeSTIGTER

staff writer sonya john

EMILY MANSFIELD tech member

Smoke Signal: When did you first get involved in theater and performing arts and why?

Emily Mansfield: I got involved in [theater and performing arts] during my sophomore year [when I was taking] Drama I. I thought that it would be a really fun elective to take, and I was really interested in the performing arts at MSJ. I also helped Anne [Riley] take notes. In Crazy for You also last year, I ran follow spot and was the assistant to the student director.

SS: What comes into your mind when I say “Theater”?

EM: Hmmm. You say “theatre,” I say “Work!” To keep a theatre going is an amazing task. The technicians work usually six days a week, if not seven. “Techies” really need the gratitude and respect they deserve. “If it were not for

techies, actors would be on the ground, using invisible objects and in the nude.”

SS: How do you think you’ve grown as a crew member?

EM: I have grown as a crew member by not asking for jobs, I just figure out what needs to be done on my own. I also believe that I work better with others and have ideas for parts of the show and express them so that maybe they will be included.

SS: What’s the major difference between the “then” and “now”?

EM: When I first got involved I wasn’t that into the “drama scene,” so I didn’t know very many people and I didn’t really have any friends who were in the shows. As I did more shows, though, I got to know more people and met friends in the theatre.

SS: What is your greatest memory from theater?

EM: My most memorable experience was the first time Lizzy Bode, the other student director, and I ran rehearsals by ourselves. It was interesting...

SS: What life lesson have you taken away from your experiences in theater?

EM: I have learned from [Riley] mostly that you always have to finish what you start. Life will throw things at you and you just have to pick yourself up and keep going.

Arts &for Entertainment Editor SS: Do you have any advice MSJ Theater’s newcomers?

EM: My advice for anyone interested in theater at MSJ is, get involved! If you are going to do drama, make sure you memorize your scenes! If you want to get involved with the shows, just remember that it is a very time consuming activity and that everyone gets stressed during the week before the show.

SS: Do you have any future theater-related aspirations?

EM: Lately I have been thinking about costume design more, but I’m not sure if I would pursue the directing part of my theatre experience for a profession or not. ▪

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Monday, May 4, 2009

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Sports 23

Athlete of the Month: Edward Wang

track and field

By Sandhya Chandrasekaran

Staff Writer What simply began as soccer season conditioning for Junior Edward Wang ended up becoming a sport through which he discovered some of his greatest qualities and talents. The Smoke Signal interviewed this modest track superstar, who elaborated on his thoughts and experiences.

Smoke Signal: How long have you been running?

Edward Wang: I’ve been participat-

ing in school meets since 6th grade, but this is the first year I am actually training to run competitively.

SS: What is your fastest mile time?

EW: My fastest mile time was 5:32, [which I] achieved sometime last year during PE. SS: In which events do you participate in MSJ track?

EW: I do the 4x100m, 100m, 200m, and the 4x400m.

SS: What would you say your favorite event is?

EW: Definitely the 100m. The adrenaline rush and cheers you get when you race can’t courtesy edward wang

Junior Edward Wang races down the track.

staff writer victor chen

Junior Edward Wang has emerged as a track star despite a humble demeanor.

be matched by other events.

SS: Are there any particularly memorable meets or experiences you have had in track this year?

EW: A good experience I had was the first race I won: the 100m during the Washington Meet; I think I ran it in 11.7 seconds in the 100m.

A not so good one was during the preseason Skyline Invitational.

Some other athlete false started, but I did not hear the signal to stop and ran a full 100m race before realizing it was all for nothing.

SS: Do you have any personal goals for what you

MVAL best Irvington snaps Warrior win streak

By Anthony Wu

Staff Writer The weather was sunny yet windy as the Varsity Baseball team came out on a Friday afternoon to play the Irvington Vikings. The baseball program at MSJ has been having a good season under new head coach Elliott Almeida, already winning more games than last year and recently placing first out of eight teams in the American Eagle Classic tournament. But the Vikings are ranked number one in the league, so the Warriors knew that continuing their five-game winning streak going into Friday’s game would be a difficult task.

The first inning began with Senior Eric Gwynn throwing some nice pitches. But Irvington wasted no time in starting up its offense and struck first, scoring one run.

MSJ couldn’t answer as Irvington’s star pitcher kept batters from getting on base.

Nothing happened in the second inning, but the third inning packed plenty of action. The Vikings found their rhythm and proceeded to smash ball after ball.

By the time MSJ was finally able to get three outs, the damage was done; Irvington had scored six more runs and led 7-0.

Although the Warriors continued to

Senior Eric Gwynn fires a pitch.

struggle on the offensive end, the troubles of the third inning motivated them to play better defense. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, MSJ clamped down on the Vikings and kept them from getting anything going.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, MSJ’s offense came alive. After Senior Nolan Preston got to first base, Senior Ryan Mahuron sparked an offensive attack with a hit to right field; even though Mahuron was tagged out, his hit enabled Preston to make it to third base. Junior Caleb Scherer then batted in Nolan for MSJ’s first run, and Junior Justin Renteria followed it up with a double that allowed Scherer to make it to home base too.

The seventh and final inning started out with Irvington hitting the farthest ball of the game, but MSJ did not allow any more runs.

Unfortunately, the Warriors weren’t able to score either, and Irvington ended up beating MSJ 7-2. Coach Almeida said, “Our team exhibited a good fighter’s spirit, and even though we lost, we have to put this behind us and make a push for the playoffs.” Scherer had similar thoughts. “We have a strong team with a great coaching staff, and without a doubt we are going to make something happen and prove ourselves as contenders,” said Scherer. ▪

courtesy caleb scherer

want to achieve this season?

EW: I hope to break the 11 seconds barrier,and most importantly,do well during the MVAL Championships.

SS: Do you have a special practice routine?

EW: No. I just follow the practice routines set by the coach.

However, I always try to speed up at the end of each run as part of endurance-mentality training.

SS: How long do you practice per week? Do you still have time for homework and sleep?

EW: We practice four times a week not counting meets, and

it runs between [60 to 90 minutes]. And on Mondays, we have weight training sessions, which is around another half hour. Surprisingly, I still have plenty of time for homework, Facebook, and sleep.

SS: Do you have any other hobbies?

EW: Definitely video games. I also like playing cards; my friends and I [often] play cards between events.

SS: Has track given you any life skills?

EW: The main life skill track taught me was perseverance – if someone is ahead of you or is more successful, [you should always] try your best to catch up. ▪

24 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Monday, May 4, 2009

Team Spotlight: Boys’ Volleyball

By Jerry Ting

Senior setter Victor Chen

Senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Junior Yee

Senior outside hitter Johnathan Shay

Senior opposite/setter Daniel Yang

Graphics Editor The Boys’ Volleyball team has yet to be challenged in the MVAL as they continue to hold an impressive 9-0 record and have defeated defending league champions Washington High School in just four games. The team, comprised of a wide variety of talent from all classes, is looking to make history as the first MSJ Boys’ Volleyball team to put up a banner in the gym. The Warriors have already received widespread recognition, being ranked 4th in NCS by North Coast Volleyball and being featured twice in the Contra Costa Times.

Lead by Seniors setter Daniel Yang and libero Anthony Chao and Junior middle blocker Will Klepac, the Warriors have an unprecedented depth that could prove vital to making an NCS run. With a roster that played on the club team Endline 18 Black in the off season, the Warriors are an experienced group of veterans. Contributing to their success are their big hitters across the net, and a solid defensive line-up. Running more 1’s for Klepac, 2nd tempo attacks from the back row, and more comprehensive plays, the Warriors have an aggressive offense.

Their offense, combined with Chao and Se-

nior Junior Yee’s clean passing, has helped the team pull off multiple upsets across NCS. This year, the Warriors are looking beyond capturing just league. Having gone to three tournaments that consisted of top ranked teams in NCS, the Warriors are hopeful to push deep into NCS and ultimately contend for the title. In losing their season opener to Serra High School, and then having a devastating loss to No. 1 seed Foothill High School, the team dropped out of NCS rankings but was determined to make a comeback. By defeating the tall No. 6 Monta Vista High School team, the Warriors began receiving recognition from the tough EBAL teams. After defeating No. 4 Deer Valley at the Chico Tourney, MSJ looked to be a solid NCS title contender. The Warriors continued their streak of upsets as they advanced to the finals of the Chico Tourney, defeating College Park and Chico in the process.

As the season progresses and the team continues their success, the Warriors hope to finish what has so far been a Cinderella Story. With MVALs and NCS just around the block, the Warriors are striving to leave a lasting legacy and bring home two titles. ▪

Junior middle blocker Will Klepac

Sophomore opposite Zaki Sarwary

Junior middle blocker Tim Ye

Sophomore setter/opposite Jeffrey Kanemitsu

Junior middle blocker Siddhant Parihar

Senior libero Anthony Chao

Junior outside hitter Samai Shir

Senior middle blocker/opposite Daniel Fan

photos compiled by sports editor audrey tseng

BADMINTON | Continuing their success

Freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Michael Wang

Boys’ Tennis keeps on rolling

continued from page 1 pete in NCS this season. If their confidence continues to hold true and their high quality performance continues, there is no doubt that the team will make a good showing at NCS. It’ll certainly be something the whole school can admit is worth watching.▪

Senior Stephen Yu executes a flawless backhand.

By Christine Cheng

staff writer karen lin

Freshman Lisa Chang follows through with her switch step.

staff writer karen lin

Freshman Binjih Lin lunges while reaching for the birdie.

staff writer karen lin

Sophomore Raymond Chen deflects a drop shot.

Staff Writer Gray clouds covered the skies on April 8, threatening rain.Both the Warriors and the Logan Colts had gathered at the Fremont Tennis Center, and the matches started early so that they could finish playing before the rain hit.

Even before the games had started, Head Coach Bill Patton was confident of the Warriors’ abilities. Though Logan’s team had been a threat in the past, in recent years, the Warriors have surpassed them. The first seeds in both doubles and singles easily overpowered their opponents. Senior Captain Stephen Yu played the first seed in singles, and though his opponent gave his best efforts, Yu executed his shots flawlessly throughout the entire match, giving up only a few points. Yu won the match in two easy sets, with a final score of 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles first seed Junior Kyle Richter and Senior Andrew Sutedja also defeated their opponents with ease. Their strength

courtesy stephen yu

and coordination were on a higher level than those of their opponents’, constantly sending shots beyond the reach of the opposing team. Richter and Sutedja also secured their victory in two sets, with a score of 6-2, 6-2.

Strong performances from the other singles players Sophomore Evan Dankiewicz, Senior Cartney Dzoan, and Junior Brandon Nguyen, and from the other doubles teams of Senior Preston Lam and Freshman Nikhil Krishna, and Sophomore Calvin Chiang and Senior Jason Wong led to a perfect 70 victory over Logan. Now, the Warriors are looking forward to the rest of the season, with high expectations for NCS and hopes of playing in Norcals. Said Coach Patton, “I think this team definitely has some challenging goals this year. Last year, we upset some teams at NCS, so more teams see us as a threat, and we are going to be the ones defending our spot, so we are going to have to work hard to achieve our goals.” ▪