Vol. XLVII No. 3

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. XLVII, NO.3

MSJ Siemens Semifinalists

By Grace Wu Staff Writer

On Friday, Oct. 21, the Siemens Foundation announced four MSJ students as semifinalists in their annual Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology: Seniors Malinda Cheung, Yashas Kumar, Bolun Liu, and Merry Mou. They were among the 317 semifinalists of one of the most prestigious science competitions for high school students.

In past years MSJ students have also qualified as semifinalists; Liu and Mou were semifinalists last year. This year there were a recordbreaking 2,436 students registered and 1,541 projects submitted.

The student’s projects covered a wide variety of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics. Cheung’s project addressed the problem of the widespread decrease of wetlands. She analyzed constructed and natural wetlands to see if this type of system results in a healthy and stable

staff writer tanya raja

MSJ’s semifinalists from left: Merry Mou, Bolun Liu, Yashas Kumar, and Malinda Cheung

wetland, and if it can be used as a model for future wetland development. Meanwhile, Kumar did research on the effects of inducing errors in binary number representations and designed an optimization that increased the error-tolerance of these representations. Liu did a study of evanescent light fields created by total internal reflection. Mou studied the effects of gold and titanium dioxide nanoparticles on cell membrane potential by using the patch clamp technique, which is valuable yet has not often been used to study nanoparticle cytotoxicity.

The research projects often take many years to complete. Cheung started the research for her project in her freshman year with the help of a mentor, Dr. Joyce R. Blueford. However, Kumar says, “I thought that the only people who would be selected as finalists and semifinalists were those who had worked on their projects for multiple years; I finished my project in 2 months at UCLA over the summer.”

Mou also completed her research over the summer, at Stony Brook’s Garcia MRSEC Research Scholars Program. Liu conducted his research as a Simons Fellow at Stony Brook.

The semifinalists were delighted when they made the announcement. Mou says, “I was absolutely ecstatic, I found out in class and I didn’t hear anything the teacher said for the next fifteen minutes. It’s a great thing for anyone when hard work is recognized.” Kumar

See SIEMENS, NEWS Page 2

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November 17, 2011

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Is MSJ Ready for an Earthquake?

By Nihar Parikh and Jade Shi Staff Writers Due to recent, frequent earthquakes around the Bay Area and the possibility that a large earthquake could strike our area in the near future, the Smoke Signal conducted an Investigative Report on the level of earthquake preparedness of our school and the procedures we implement for earthquake relief.

MSJ is located less than a mile away from the Hayward Fault, which, as stated in a report released by the California Geological Survey in April 2008, has a 37 percent chance of producing an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 or higher in less than three decades.

East of and parallel to the San Andreas Fault, the Hayward Fault is believed to be capable of generating a magnitude 7.5 earthquake that would impact more than five million people and cause an anticipated 1,500 to 4,500 deaths, depending on the time of occurrence.

The fault runs under major freeways, as well as the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct and Bay Area Rapid Transit tracks, and a large earthquake could cut off drinking and fire-fighting water supplies to nearly half the Bay Area.

MSJ has taken considerable means to be prepared in the event of an earthquake. Its buildings are all up to state earthquake building codes, and the administration has even been working to make the campus especially secure. Six years ago, the school reinforced certain areas of the campus in its effort to modernize the school for earthquake safety.

The retrofit included reinforcement of the exterior walls of the administration building, parts of the B-wing, exterior walls in the Cwing, and the E-wing. This involved tearing the walls down, inserting “X” beams, and then replacing the drywall. The overhaul also replaced and retrofitted doors in the breezeway corridors inside the B, C, and E wings.

In the event of an earthquake during school hours, MSJ administration and Mission Possible have ensured the school has ample supplies, food, and resources prepared and at hand. Mission Possible has made

The Hayward Fault (white line above) runs underneath both BART and Fremont Central Park.

emergency preparedness one of its primary goals over the past few years. It has spent almost $19,000 over the past two years updating the emergency supplies. Most of this money, around $15,000, went to updating the emergency food and water supplies, increasing the amount to last for three full days. Mission Possible also paid for improvements to the school’s first aid supplies and equipment, secondary radios, and classroom toilets, and other emergency apparatus. In preparation for the future, Mission Possible has set aside $5,000 each of the past two years for emergency reserve in case the school needs to buy last minute supplies, bringing the reserve to $10,000.

Christina Broadwin, Mission Possible’s Treasurer, said, “The PFA unanimously agreed that we had to get the school supplies updated as well as the emergency plan. This has been something very important that we have focused on to get prepared for several years now.” She also extrapolated on the fact

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that the school is a hub for community members in the event of a large natural disaster as well. “Generally in a major emergency, community members are also told to go to local schools as they get designated as emergency centers. This is another reason we wanted to be prepared not only for our students but also for the larger community that we could have to serve as well.”

MSJ’s faculty adheres to specific procedures with regards to earthquake preparation and relief. Each year, staff development days are held to train MSJ teachers and staff on earthquake safety and evacuation plans. The teachers and staff are separated into teams that perform specific tasks in the case of an emergency; teams include a Supply Team, a Search and Rescue Team, Campus Security Team, the Office Staff (which manages student release), and the Custodial Staff (which manages the

See QUAKE, NEWS Page 2

Biozone comes to MSJ

By Rachel Choi Staff Writer

This year, biology teachers are incorporating a new program into their curriculums.

Biozone, a set of supplementary materials such as powerpoints and workbook pages, will give teachers and students a chance to delve into more detail and gain a more visual idea of biology concepts.

At the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Convention last year, MSJ science teachers had a chance to look at new science materials. There, the biology teachers discovered Biozone. According to Biology

Teacher Gabriele Estabrook, Biozone stood out because it was not a textbook like most of the items she saw. (MSJ is currently not adopting biology textbooks, so textbooks weren’t an option.) Fortunately, a grant from Mission Possible made it possible to purchase the Biozone materials.

Biozone supplies teachers with materials that cover topics that need to be taught to meet California State Standards, but are not covered in the textbook. The powerpoints are very visual, and show how biology concepts connect to the macroscopic world. They also have many diagrams that help students understand concepts. The powerpoints are

biozone.com

Biozone supplies supplementary materials to teachers like the workbooks above.

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November 17 November 17 November 18 • Last day of First • Last day of •Minimum Day Annual Book Sale Parent Conferences

November 21-25 • Thanksgiving Break

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News in Brief QUAKE| Is MSJ prepared? continued from page 1 Asteroid passes near Earth A 1300-foot-wide asteroid passed near Earth on November 8. According to NASA officials, the asteroid, named 2005 YU55, passed Earth at about four-fifths of the distance to the moon, making the closest asteroid encounter since 1976. As the asteroid drew near, scientists studied the asteroid with Goldstone Radar antennas, radio telescopes used to investigate space objects.

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JPL research scientist Lance Benner poses in front of a Goldstone radio telescope with a picture of the asteroid 2005 YU55, which made a near-Earth pass on November 8.

US largest municipal bankruptcy Jefferson County in Alabama has filed for a $4.15 billion dollar bankruptcy, the largest municipal bankruptcy in US history. The debt is due mostly to an expensive, federally mandated sewer project that was riddled with local government corruption, and rising interest rates due to a struggling global market.

Twenty-seven people have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to corruption charges in relation to the sewer construction project and bond financing. Meanwhile, sewer and water bills have increased for the 658,000 residents of Jefferson County, which includes Alabama’s largest city of Birmingham.

shutdown of power and water in the case of an emergency). Counselors are also available for psychological first aid during an emergency. Some teachers were trained in first aid and CPR last spring and in search and rescue techniques just before school started. Brent Hull, FUSD’s Manager of Risk Management, has also been scheduled to teach an extended search and rescue and fire suppression seminar later this year.

He said, “As a whole, I think FUSD is always trying to improve its preparedness and is doing a good job. Your campus has spent time and resources to stock the emergency containers with equipment and supplies to be ready for a disaster or other emergencies.”

This year, one of the main goals of the administration is to ensure classroom safety in the event of an emergency. Teachers were surveyed earlier in the year regarding any

and Cheung shared similar feelings.

Cheung says, “This is my first time entering any science competition. It was a really great experience; being able to see all the data that I had collected come together was the best.”

There are three stages of the competition: initial phase, regional finals, and national finals. In the initial phase 317 semifinalists were chosen. Of those, 96 were selected as regional finalists; unfortunately, no MSJ students were among the

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New BART station comes early The incomplete Bay Area Rapid Transit tunnel running underneath Fremont Central Park jumped from 60 percent to 97 percent complete over the course of a few months, as reported by BART a week ago.

BART spokesperson Marty Oakman said progress has improved so much that the subway portion of the future Warm Springs, or South Fremont, BART station will be ready five months ahead of time, in “the first quarter of 2013.” The station itself, equipped with paratransit services, van drop-off locations, and a couple thousand parking spaces (including spaces for disabled people, bicycle racks, and over fifty electronic lockers) is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.

classroom components they believe to be hazardous or potentially dangerous in a natural disaster, and further improvements are to be made.

All potentially dangerous chemicals in the Science Department are insured to be stored in correct containers in the event of an earthquake.

In addition, the administration held a school-wide evacuation on November 3 and plans on having an extended, simulation evacuation in the spring, in which the Fire Department and paramedics will be contacted, and parents can arrange to pick up their children from school. Emergency Coordinator Diana Brumbaugh said that “each incident is going to be unique, so we do the best we can. We know that we’re in pretty good shape so far… [the school] may be the safest place for students if it’s a really devastating earthquake.” ▪

96 chosen. The regional finalists then compete in early November at one of six regional competitions.

One individual and one team are selected from each regional competition to move on to the national finals from December 1 to December 5 at George Washington University in Washington, DC. One winning team and one individual will be chosen for the top prize of $100,000 in scholarships. Other finalists will also be awarded scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. ▪

By Sonali Toppur Staff Writer MSJ’s Key Club held their Fall Rally on Oct. 29 at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Key Clubbers from all over Northern California gathered for a day of roller coasters, games, large amounts of food, and spirit rallies.

“Fall Rally is like Key Club’s homecoming,” explained Key Club member Senior Monica Chitre.

Different divisions, each composed of multiple schools from around the same area, participated in the numerous pep rallies and engaged in many of the spirit-based activities.

For example, different divisions were able to “bid” for the Lieutenant Governors and executive officers of other divisions. The winning divisions would then be allowed to spend a designated period of time with their “purchased” officer.

All of the auction funds and a portion of the ticket proceeds went towards aiding the Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP). This program is designed to help educate and

train doctors in the fields of pediatric trauma and injury prevention.

The organization states that there is a serious need for doctors in these areas of study, so the program develops multiple local projects that are aimed at helping to reduce the number of children in our division who are injured or killed by trauma.

The funds also go towards funding community outreach programs to raise awareness about the PTP, as well as towards purchasing muchneeded pediatric medical supplies.

The program assists hospitals in Oakland, San Diego, Loma Linda, Madera, Honolulu and Reno.

Last year, Northern California’s Key Club division managed to raise more than $100,000 in donations, and they hope that they were more successful this year. “Although the main purpose of Fall Rally is to fundraise for the PTP,” said Key Club President Senior Michelle Lee, “it is always fun to spend a day with your friends and meet new Key Clubbers while all dressed up in our respective divisional spirit wear and colors!” ▪

Occupy Oakland: ‘America for the people’

By Vipin Dulam Staff Writer

Birmingham (above) is part of Jefferson County, Alabama, which has filed for municipal bankruptcy.

Key Club attends Fall Rally

SIEMENS| students awarded continued from page 1

Thursday, November 17, 2011

On Nov. 2, the city of Oakland saw one of the biggest social movements in its city’s history take form since the famous 1946 “General Strike.” The movement got its inspiration from the bigger Occupy Wall Street movement that started late July of this year in New York City. Since then, the word “Occupy” has been used to give birth to other movements in major cities throughout the country, such as Occupy San Francisco or Occupy Seattle, and eventually, Occupy Oakland.

With over 8,000 people participating, the mass protest was officially organized under the title of, “Liberate Oakland, Shut Down the 1%.”

The supporters of the Occupy Oakland movement claim to be voicing their frustration that the majority of the country’s wealth rests in the one percent of America’s popula-

tion, while the remaining 99 percent receive little to no attention by the US government. Holding signs that read, “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out,” protesters marched en masse towards the Oakland Port, which they were planning to shut down in protest of the inefficiencies of capitalism.

Occupy Oakland participants claim that, during the recession, American taxpayer money used to help banks get back on their feet was the same money that should have been used to help the 99 percent who are losing jobs due to the poor economy. But, the protesters claim that the US government continues to focus its efforts on corporations, thus impeding any help the middle and lower classes could receive. “Consider a maximum wage” read one sign that wavered over the sea of people marching on the streets of Oakland. The participants of the Occupy Oakland move-

ment were not all residents of the city itself. Most of the participants had arrived from various neighboring areas to voice their opinions on what they believed to be was “failing capitalism.”

Voicing this frustration peacefully was the plan of the Occupy Oakland organizers. However, events started to get out of hand as masked men equipped with hammers and wrenches vandalized public and private property. Police reports have confirmed that major damage was done to both the Bank of America and Chase Bank. Windows were shattered and various other places were also vandalized to the disapproval of both the police and the organizers of the movement.

The people organizing the protests have repeatedly stated, in multiple press conferences, that the main strength of the movement was supposed to be the peace and nonviolence they upheld. The vandalism that took place was not associated with their cause. However, as the evening progressed and the protesters moved closer to the port, violence erupted and the city of Oakland’s riot police tried to push back the crowd. Although the police showed little presence throughout

the day, nighttime became chaotic as vandalism increased exponentially; protesters started to wield fire bombs and throw concrete chunks at buildings, which forced Oakland to retaliate with its police force.

During the chaotic scene, US Marine and Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen suffered a skull fracture after being allegedly struck by a police projectile (according to occupywallst. org). This sparked an outpouring of sympathy and calls for solidarity from Occupy movements around the US, who found it ironic that Olsen was hurt by policemen at home after serving two tours in Iraq without injury.

The Occupy Oakland movement’s main motif was to change the system that everyone claimed to be tired of. They have definitely shown that they have the support, but the question is, were they successful? Have they successfully influenced the people around them?

Will any change come of this?

Just like all movements, only time will answer these questions. As the protestors marched on, one of the banners in the air represented the organization’s main point, “Give us an America for the people, not America Inc.” ▪

for the october 28, 2011 issue bart.gov

The Warm Springs BART station (artist concept above) will be finished five months early, in early 2013.

COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS JADE SHI, KERRIE WU, AND ANNA ZENG

Oakland residents gather for the “Occupy Oakland” protest.

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Feature page 9: English Teacher Katherine Geers’s name was misspelled.

Photo page 15: Supriya Yelimeli took photos.

Feature page 17: • Alekya Rajanala is A&E Editor.

• Activities Director Ben Breazeale’s name was misspelled.

• Jaynelle Gao took the picture.

Sports page 22: Coach Aaron Shilling’s name was misspelled.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

NASA: After the Shuttle

NASA’s next mission to Mars is the Mars Science Laboratory (artist’s concept above), nicknamed Curiosity.

By Jason Chen Staff Writer On July 8, 2011, the landing of the space shuttle Atlantis concluded the highly successful shuttle program launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 30 years ago. However, after the Columbia disaster in 2003, NASA began to realize the dangers that the outdated shuttles presented. In 2004, former US president George W. Bush began cutting funds intended for the shuttle program.

NASA then announced that the mandatory retirement of the shuttle program would occur no later than 2011.

The conclusion of the shuttle program doesn’t mean that space exploration will grind to a halt. In the shuttle program’s place, many innovative programs designed

mars.jpl.nasa.gov

by NASA should allow humans to accomplish even greater feats in space. The most prominent of the proposed programs is the Space Launch System (SLS). This program calls for the Ares I and V vehicle designs to be transformed into a single launch vehicle for both crew and cargo. The Ares launch vehicles were originally developed during the cancelled Constellation human spaceflight project. These advanced heavy-lift vehicles will allow NASA to carry astronauts, important cargo, equipment, and scientific experiments safely to Earth’s orbit and beyond.

Another cutting-edge system that NASA is currently testing is the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV ). This vehicle will be based on the Orion spacecraft that was developed during the Constellation project. Orion was designed to support

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News 3

BIOZONE | New biology program for MSJ continued from page 1 sometimes used to introduce students to a chapter.

The biology teachers also have a one-year license to print some workbook materials from the software they purchased. Alternatively, they can show the workbook pages on a projector in the classroom, and have students write the answers down. Then, the teachers can give immediate feedback by displaying the answers on the screen. “It’s always really important to have instant results for students, I think, to learn,” said Estabrook, The workbooks aren’t the generic “cookiecutter” workbooks, either. Unlike traditional fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice style workbooks, the Biozone workbooks are more open-ended. The workbooks also have helpful pictures, such as photos of chromosomes under a microscope.

Student response to the Biozone program long-duration space missions that last up to six months. NASA announced the MPCV program on May 24, 2011, and scheduled the program’s debut for the summer of 2013.

Planned missions for the MPCV program include landing a crew on an asteroid and sending humans to Mars.

Currently, life on Mars is one of the most hotly researched topics by NASA scientists. Therefore, NASA will launch the Mars Science Laboratory mission on Nov. 25, 2011. The mission calls for the rover Curiosity to be sent to Gale Crater on Mars.

Curiosity is the size of a small automobile and packs ten times as many scientific instruments as do the previous two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, which were sent in 2004. During the two-year mission, scientists hope to gather data that demonstrate whether Mars has an environment that sup-

has been very enthusiastic, according to Estabrook. Though the Biozone program was implemented in late October, students have voiced that it would have been helpful to have had it for previous units. “They’re [the powerpoints and the workbooks] really well made and informative. They help us learn the details more than books can,” said Freshman Harpaul Hari.

According to Estabrook, there are no negative aspects to the Biozone program as of yet. However, she does stress that Biozone is just a part of her curriculum. “It’s really meant as a supplement; it’s not meant as a textbook,” she said.

The Biozone program can be used in biology classes of all levels: College Prep, Honors, and Advanced Placement. Hopefully Biozone, with its graphics and detailed information, will be a helpful supplement for biology students at MSJ. ▪ ports microbial life and whether life ever existed on Mars.

The shuttle program proved to be one of the greatest achieving eras in NASA’s history. Space shuttles made possible the Hubble Space Telescope, which provided a myriad of knowledge and amazing pictures for all of us, as well as the International Space Station, which took space exploration to another level by providing a base in space that scientists needed to conduct experiments.

However, new programs and missions that come from lessons learned from the shuttle program will definitely take our understanding of the universe to an entirely new level.

These new excursions will allow scientists to gather evidence that opens the possibility for humans to call Mars and the moon our next home. ▪

4 Opinion

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Winter Cometh

By Anthony Chen

By Courtney Tam

Alas, it’s that time of year again: the season for a mug of steaming hot chocolate, coats and scarves amidst the chilling wind, and delicious Thanksgiving dinners. The time for days to be spent warm and bundled up at home, listening to holiday music, and enjoying a short respite from school.

As I was sitting at my desk one day and idly staring at the calendar, I noticed the upcoming date of November 24, the day of Thanksgiving this year. Instantly, I was transported into a reverie about golden, honey glazed turkey, velvety mashed potatoes, and fragrant apple pie. Needless to say, I was hungry for the arrival of the delectable holiday. But in the midst of my excitement for the scrumptious meal, I realized the seemingly most alluring thing about Thanksgiving to me was indulging in food. Of course, I was excited to spend time with my family and connect with relatives I hadn’t seen a while, but what appealed to me most seemed to be the thought of an upcoming banquet. It seemed wrong somehow, that the first thought associated with Thanksgiving was food, not family.

Worried that I was one of the few who perhaps, loved food a tad too much, I formulated a hypothesis: to many, Thanksgiving had become a day about self-indulgence rather than gratitude and family.

Now of course, all hypotheses must be tested. As I was talking to a friend one day about upcoming plans, I decided then was the optimal time to run my experiment.

“Say, what’s the first thing that

Thursday, November 17, 2011

anthology

The Turkey Theory Opinion Editor

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comes to mind when I say Thanksgiving?”

“Food!”

“Food?”

“Food, then family.”

Though I was satisfied that she had had the same initial reaction to the thought of Thanksgiving as I had, I decided to run my experiment on another friend to determine the validity of my hypothesis.

“Say, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say Thanksgiving?”

“TURKEY!” My hypothesis had proved correct: Thanksgiving, indeed, had become more about the dishes and indulgences rather than appreciating family and everything in our lives.

The similarity of the answers made me wonder: why had Thanksgiving lost its original meaning? Why had the importance of family been superseded by food?

After all, Thanksgiving had originated centuries ago as a celebratory meal after successful harvests and reminder of the importance of human connection, not as a day to assume the however enjoyable, role of a glutton.

So this Thanksgiving, while plowing your way through the heaps of food into inexplicable fullness (a state I like to dub “the food coma”), don’t forget to spend a little extra time with your family, remember that many others are much less fortunate, and most importantly, don’t forget to give thanks to those around you for making your Thanksgiving and world so wonderful. ▪

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Opinion Editor Winter is looming over us like you might loom over those enticing rain puddles. Those poor puddles. To have your dirty rain boots sloshed around in their interior – think of their dignity! The time has come for H2O to have its revenge, to pelt you from the heavens and ruin your hairdo like you ruined their purity. Not that they were that pure to begin with given all the pollution these days, but you must prepare yourself for a chilling encounter. Literally.

Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come to fortify our thin Californian skin to win against this terrible situation. With clothing companies increasingly relying on winter sales to boost revenue, you’re in luck, what with all the coupons and sales and whatnot. The mad dash to use the cash creates some problems though. Some sizes run out. Usually yours. You’ll have to settle for another jacket.

Speaking of jackets, the temperature difference created by America’s relatively wasteful habit of heating (sometimes to T-shirt weather) creates almost an impetus for exercise.

Jacket on, jacket off. Sweater on, sweater off. It’s almost as if we’re trying to deny the existence of winter.

Oh, it’s out there. It’s knocking on your windows with its pitter-patter. It will hit you full in the face the moment you step out. After all, the expression is of frost “biting,” not frost “petting” or frost “gently touching.”

All bark, all bite, but it’s not so bad in sunny California. At the worst your ears may start hurting. That’s about it.

Thank your lucky stars you’re not in an Arctic storm.

The typical day gets harder to make

it through. Just what you needed, huh?

Right from the start, when your alarm clock starts screaming at you, you find yourself in a cocoon. An igloo. A haven. You don’t want to move. You can’t move. It’s dark and freezing, but it’s almost time for school. You jump out and feel the cold nip you. You fumble around and hit the light switch, and you’re temporarily blinded. The tiles in the bathroom make you dance.

Mother Nature is playing games with you.

After a hot shower and a hot breakfast and other attempts to warm up, you’re almost late. But wait! There’s a layer of ice on your car that reduces visibility to near zero. Curses. You bust out that scraper tool, but your windows are still foggy. No matter.

The show must go on. With the side windows rolled down and the hot air on full blast, you roll out. Driving with the windows down is terribly freezing.

Terribly so. There’s no choice though.

After you’ve reached school, there’s another element of misery for us nonboot wearers. Puddles do what they do best: splash. They splash right on to your non-waterproof shoes. You now literally have cold feet.

The wetness doesn’t stop there.

People in earlier periods leave wetness on the floors of the classrooms. Strategic backpack placement becomes a necessity, unless you like using yours as a mop.

Winter’s not all bad though. In fact, there are a lot of happy things that winter brings. Christmas, skiing/snowboarding season, and many more. It’s also now summer in the Southern Hemisphere. ▪ Send letters to the editor to

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Critics vs. Trolls

By Vivian Jair Staff Writer

Let’s be honest—criticism hurts, even when the reviewer is just trying to be helpful. Even worse, evaluators don’t always comment with such innocent purposes in mind, especially online, where it is all too easy to write malicious things with anonymity. But how can one distinguish between a true critic and a so-called “constructive” reviewer (AKA troll) who has a much more sinister purpose? Although it may be immensely difficult to tell at times, there are a few key points to watch out for.

Concise vs. Brutal There is always a difference, as miniscule as it may seem, between being direct and going overboard. Pointing out all the obvious flaws in a piece of artwork, for example, is something that most critics will do, but is it necessary to add how much the artist “sucks”? There should never be a time when the reviewer rants on about how horrid a mistake is, even if it is absolutely egregious.

Also, swearing in a review is not only unprofessional and rude, but causes it to be taken less seriously.

Positive vs. Negative Generally, most critics will attempt to keep their reviews more positive by mentioning parts of the work that they enjoyed. Just because a critic does not compliment the piece, however, does not mean that he or she is a fake. Instead, some harsher critics ask stimulating questions to inspire new ideas. These often are very helpful and should be taken in consideration. Fake critics, on the other hand, blatantly mention flaws, yet suggest no alternatives or ways to improve.

Off-Topic Attacks The easiest way a fake critic can reveal him or herself is by criticizing the creator’s beliefs or personal background that is unrelated to the work. It is not an honest evaluation whenever one brings off-topic information onto the field of a critique.

Intent and Trolls Another huge factor for a critic’s legitimacy is his or her intent, which is sometimes discernable through wording. Is the person helpfully advising, or is he or she flat-out bulldozing the creator with insults? Through this, one can determine what the critic is truly aiming for, and whether it’s improvement from the creator, or amusement for themselves.

This intrudes upon the domain of a particular subcategory of false critics—the infamous Internet trolls.

Trolls are those who purposefully comment, often very condescendingly, on others’ works in hopes of rousing reactions. In order to achieve that, trolls often stretch the limits through name-calling, insulting, swearing, and targeting personal values. In that regard, they are similar to playground bullies who refuse to give up until their victims are forced to tears.

What To Do In most cases, it is best to ignore fake critics, especially if they are suspected to be trolls, since attention is basically their form of fuel. Alternatively, one can always politely thank them for their insight and calmly walk away. Logically defending oneself is not suggested, as it often leads to arguments. If a false critic continues to harass through online means, use block functions or ask the website’s administrators to intervene. However, don’t be afraid to take advice from reviewers that seem trustworthy. They don’t bite—at least, not those who aren’t secretly trolls in disguise. ▪

opinion editor anthony chen

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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EDITORIAL: Thermostat is a

hot issue

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board Two years ago, the Smoke Signal conducted a front-page investigative report regarding MSJ’s “Ventilation Crisis”.

The purpose of the report, featuring a school-wide survey as well as district involvement, was to raise a red flag about MSJ’s various general equipment failures. These malfunctions ranged from issues concerning classroom heating and air conditioning (AC), to broken clocks, intercoms, and doors. The most prominent concern was with the “temperature lockout,” or the implementation of district control of central heating and the AC. This seizure of control was to be seen as a “more efficient system set to district standards”, but largely resulted in teachers having no power over the noisy air conditioners or false information displays. Students wrote petitions to F USD and the Smoke Signal conducted a school-wide teacher survey, but the district continued to maintain that the thermostat takeover would bring stability to rooms.

Two years later, students’ teeth are chattering in Digital Imaging (room B32) and sweating in room B21, still wondering why each classroom has a microclimate of its own. When these issues begin to hinder students’ ability to focus, comfort, and overall school experience, it is definitely time for a change.

F USD Manager of Maintenance Gene Wheatley said, “[F USD is] trying to control [the AC] for comfort and to maintain our utility bill.” The lockout system was also implemented with the purpose of rectifying complaints about malfunctions. Though the number of complaints decreased and teacher satisfaction rose after the AC lockout

was put into place (according to surveys taken by the Smoke Signal), F USD has clearly not done enough. District control over the AC has not decreased the frequency of malfunctions. Certain rooms are still suffering from malfunctioning equipment that F USD is slow to fix; for example, Math Teacher Matt Lazar’s air conditioner was broken for almost two months (during which time his classes were moved to the A-Wing Cafeteria and the library) before F USD got around to installing a new one.

Moreover, F USD control of the AC fundamentally makes no sense because each classroom is subject to different conditions and personal preferences.

Therefore, a standardized AC setting is ineffective and in some cases exacerbates uncomfortable weather conditions.

Certain air conditioners will blast cold air in the middle of winter or heat up rooms on hot spring days. Moreover, air conditioners have been known to turn on loudly and unexpectedly in the middle of class, disrupting discussions and making it difficult for students and teachers to hear each other.

For a school that is ranked so highly nationwide for our academic performance, some classroom environments are in a deplorable condition. Though simply giving power over the AC to the teachers may not be the entire solution, it is the first step to ensuring that our academics continue to improve by providing a comfortable and supportive environment for students. ▪ Send letters to the editors at opinion@thesmokesignal.org by Dec. 13, 2011 or comment online at www.thesmokesignal.org.

Opinion 5

Time to talk?

By Aishwarya Thakur Staff Writer

That test you failed in Math—you know, the one you never told your parents about. And those low participation points because you were chatting up that hot senior in your class.

He definitely noticed you…but so did your teacher. “Whatever,” you thought. “My parents will never need to know.” Unfortunately for you, now they might.

Parent Teacher Conferences are back with a new name, a new time, and increased doubts as to their usefulness. These newly dubbed Parent Advisement Conferences are optional; if parents feel like they want to update themselves on their child’s progress, they are welcome to meet with teachers at a designated time on November 15-17. Teachers will be available for conferencing from 3:30 to 8:00 pm, and not during Thanksgiving Break, as it was two years ago when conferences were in session.

Conferences provide a way for parents to be aware of the expectations of teachers and for teachers to inform the parents of their students’ progress. “It’s always nice for the parents to meet the teacher; you can form a connection.

As a teacher you can learn a lot about students through their parents and this helps to teach the student,” Math Teacher Evangeline Sugden said.

However, Sugden also added, “[Conferences] are not as beneficial as they used to be.

We have iParent and parents can email me if they want to talk.” So are one-on-one parent involvements really necessary at the high school level? Most students are studying independently and developing their own studying habits (some questionable, but still independent); parents no longer need to spoon-feed their children the important lessons of each chapter. Additionally, seniors and some juniors are nearly legal adults; they will have to live on their own, make their own decisions, and solve their own problems in a matter of years. Interference from their parents should not be necessary and even if parents wish to check up on their child, they can easily do so through email or phone.

Aren’t we always told that high school is

meant to prepare oneself for college? That isn’t only limited to academics, but also to taking care of oneself and being independent. Senior Shravya Sanagala said, “Once you get to high school, you are expected to be at a certain caliber of intelligence. You are expected to go to college and be independent. You shouldn’t need someone to tell you where you are in the class.”

It is the students’ job to take charge of their own education—ask for help when they need it and utilize resources provided by teachers.

Conferences also come at the most inopportune time. The first quarter has just ended and perhaps grades are worse than they should be.

Half of the quarter passes by in the process of becoming familiar with a new teacher and their testing style. Additionally, in most classes the majority of the points are still underway with scores from second quarter and finals yet to be determined. Having conferences reinforces the idea that first quarter grades are a matter of significant importance, when in fact, they are simply a formal indication of a student’s grades halfway through a semester. Students who are already stressed over quarter one grades because their parents treat these grades as a measure of success, will become even more stressed if they have conferences looming over their heads. Although the administration, teachers, and parents, want to encourage us to always keep up our grades and strive to achieve the best, adding stress should not be the effect.

Students should take initiative in their learning process. If they need help, teachers would be glad to set up an appointment with them so they can learn how to improve their studying habits. If conferences need to be implemented at all, then personal Student Teacher Conferences will prove to be the most beneficial. This will also provide some one-on-one time for students and teachers, which is hard to achieve with classes of 35 students. Students who need additional guidance can be helped and those who are on the right path can be commended for what they are doing well. Until then, we’ll have to wait and watch the turnout of parents to conferences this year. Hopefully, the teachers won’t be waiting alone. ▪

Occupying San Francisco The Smoke Signal staff recently took a field trip to San Francisco to review a musical, and while there, interviewed a number of people on the streets to gauge the impact of the Occupy San Francisco movement.

Do you support this movement?

“Yes, we’re here to show that there is an alternative to the status quo.

We are lending our voice and labor to the cause.” -Jason, Student “No, they don’t have a good reason for protesting.”-Rebecca, Florist “Yes, because the economy is deteriorating. We need to support those who don’t have much. There is no middle class [anymore]. -Katie, Retail Worker How will we know if Occupy SF is successful?

Has it been succesful so far?

“We should see some clear public policy changes and see politicians beginning to have active dialogue with the protestors and movement as a whole.” -Chris, Financial Consultant “Bank of America dropped their $5 debit card fee, so they certainly had an impact...I don’t know about successful.”-Becky, Teacher “No, those responsible for the crisis who should be arrested are still working, corporations perpetuating fraud still exist.”-Ed, Florist

How have you been impacted by the movement?

“This city is socially distressed. Everything is really awkward and tense-on bus rides, on the streets, in the crowds. Everyone’s lives are interrupted.”-Anonymous, Student “[We’re now] in a state of awareness where people have opinions they are now voicing.”-Michael, Student

staff writer sai chilakapati

6 Feature

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This month, men across the world will choose to neglect their trusted hygienic comrades in the name of manliness. This has nothing to do with pilgrims, turkeys, or the upcoming holidays. However, the month-long observance has become a symbol of masculinity for any man (including mid-pubescent teens) who can grow facial hair. The annual occasion of dread for neglected razors and shaving cream is, of course, No-Shave November.

The rules are quite simple. To participate, one must shave all facial hair on October 31 and simply abstain from shaving for the entire month of November. What may sound effortless is, in reality, quite a challenge. In the face of senior portraits, Thanksgiving Break, job interviews, work commitments, or a simple lack of dedication, the temptation to resign and shave will undoubtedly come your way. Senior Sehej Chadha, who has been attempting to survive the entire month for many years, thought that this would be his year.

When asked what prompted him to participate, he said, “Women like men… not little boys.” Unfortunately, Chadha’s enthusiasm was not enough to keep him in the challenge as he shaved on day three.

No-Shave November’s origin is disputed, though it is known that the original manly men of Australia and New Zealand grew mustaches for a month to promote awareness of prostate and testicular cancer. Today, the noble symbolism behind No-Shave November has been diluted. Men are sacrificing their soft skin for itchy, scraggly, and nappy hair for no

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

By Matt Farberov Staff Writer

Seniors Samir Shukla, Sehej Chadha, Kalvin Luo and Junior Ismail Shafi are participating in No-Shave November.

Photos by Staff Writer Matt Farberov

known reason.

What was once a movement of awareness and health has now become a social experiment to see who can outlast their peers in a contest of hair growth. No-Shave November can be an opportunity to show off one’s looks and appreciate the true difficulty of growing a beard. Senior Amar Srinivas said, “It's not too tough for me, since I practically grow a beard in a day. But people will call me caveman.” No Shave November also has the potential for ridicule, especially for those who cannot grow a beard. Senior Kalvin Luo showed his disdain for the month by saying, “I don’t feel included because I have nothing to shave!”

Also, what was once a cause of manhood and freedom has now been joined by females.

Recently, more and more females are deciding to participate in No Shave November by leaving their legs or armpits untouched; both as a proclamation of their femininity and as a protest of their husbands’ or boyfriends’ facial fluff. Junior Adam Peavey said, “My girlfriend and I have come to an understanding. If I don’t shave, neither does she.” Junior

Alysha Bedell said, “It’s disgusting. How would the guys feel if the girls were doing it? Guys should keep it clean cut.” However, some women have spoken out against other women’s participation. Sophomore Meredith Hirsch said, “It’s gross and I don’t look forward to P.E. because the girls participating will be wearing shorts and their unshaved legs will be exposed.”

Opponents of No Shave November have been quietly laughing at the furry mess that Mission has become. “I think it’s become one of Mission’s traditions, like Multicultural Week or Homecoming.” said Senior Maius Wong, “It’s an interesting way of expression using facial hair.”

With the myriad of opinions surrounding No Shave November, we can all agree that it has become a widespread phenomenon and is not likely to disappear in the near future.

The month of November is full of joys, food, hair, and vacations. All of the events may be too much for avid facial hair growers to handle. Fear not, manly men (or women), for there are other opportunities to sport your goatees, mustaches, and beards. Look forward to “Decembeard”, “Manuary,” and even “Mustache March.”

There are always events to cater to any facial hair fanatic. However, both men and women who lack the power to grow a beard now also have a month-long celebration to embrace. Look forward to “NoFloss February,”where only your teeth will be fuzzy. ▪

photos courtesy of charlesryan.com, bearmen.com, graphic by centerspread editor frank chen

cut here # Accessories As with every Black Friday, expect a lot of deals on external hard drives, flash drives, and keyboards. 19-inch LCD montors will be in the range of about $69-$79. 500 GB external harddrives will be expected at prices of around $49. Storage is becoming cheaper year after year and the prices will definitely be even lower this year. If you are looking for a new printer, Black Friday is your best bet. Monochrome laser printers will be sold for under $50 and color inkjets for around the same price as well.

Walmart

Laptops and Computers Traditionally, laptops were always the best steals during Black Friday. The “classic” Black Friday laptop, equipped with a 15.6 inch widescreen LCD display, a dual-core processor, a 300-500GB hard drive and other standard features, will be available as always, priced around $199, compared to the normal price of around $299. Also, laptops with an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, 6GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive will be around $499 this year. The cheapest netbooks can be found for as low as $79. Low-end desktop computers (19 to 20 inch LCD monitors, dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive) which are nearly all the same year to year, will be offered possibly as low as $199.

Video Games For video game fans, Black Friday is a must. Due to many highly anticipated games that have recently come out, video games will be significantly cheaper. With the recent advent of the Nintendo 3DS, there will be discounts on the older models. Also, since the Wii U is set to be released next year, current Wii bundles will probably be at a fairly cheap price. Similar to past years, consoles will become cheaper from year to year and “greatest hit” games will be reduced to prices of around $10-15.

In Walmart, an Xbox 360 250GB console will be sold for $399 while a PS3 160GB holiday bundle with a $20 Gift Card will be sold for $199.99. At KMart, Rock Band 2 Special Edition will be sold for $99.99. All in all, easily expect to get good deals especially on bundle packages during Black Friday 2011 for Wii, DSi, 3DS, PSP, PS3 and Xbox 360.

By Catherine Ho & Jonathon Teng Staff Writers

As the colder weather approaches, many know it calls for the winter season. These thoughts instantly ring a bell for us, telling us that Thanksgiving has arrived and shopping season is here. After Thanksgiving, Black Friday sales begin and it is definitely not the day to miss out on. Mark your calendars, look out for the items you want and be ready to fetch these items on November 26!

Electronics Looking for a new phone, flat screen TV, or tablet? The best deals can be found both online and in stores; however be sure to wake up early! Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy are offering smart phones with HD video recording, fast processors and high-quality camera phones for as little as $125 with a two year contract. If you’re interested in tablets, Acer will be dropping their price from $399.99 to $349.99. Unfortunately, if you were looking out for the newest iPad 2 and Amazon Kindle Fire, there will be no discounts on those items.

However, Amazon will be selling HDTVs with as much as $300 off their listed price online. Dell will also be selling HDTVs online for as much as $400 off the list price. Heavy reader? The Barnes and Noble Nook Color will drop from $249 to $199.

Staples will have significant discounts on cameras and Office Max is offering 20% off the entire store.

H&M

Clothing Guys and gals—if you’re looking for thick warm jackets for the cold season that awaits, be sure to look out for H&M’s 2011 winter collection. Their sales are up to 50% off for both in stores and online. Whether you visit Newpark Mall, Great Mall, Westfield, or Stoneridge, be sure to visit Macy’s for its sales and clearance rack. You may be able to get the best deals for your desired brand name items. Stores that teenagers frequently walk into like Forever 21, Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch, and American Eagle are also having the best deals of the year, so snag them while you can!

If you’re looking for gifts for your boyfriend or girlfriend, check out Express or Armani for discounted jewelry and wallets and purses. Rise and shine early so you’ll have fashionable, warm, and comfy clothes to wear for the winter!

Walmart

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Be sure to look out for advertisements about Black Friday sales, coupons in the mail and any major discounts on the items you have been wishing for. So, if you’re planning on heading out early in the morning, have a nice Thanksgiving dinner and a good night sleep, because Black Friday is not a day you would want to miss out on! ▪

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Feature 7

fall fashion Kenny Jacoby & Hannah Shih Staff Writers

Girls

High fashion is often extreme and cannot be worn in daily life. The high slits, luxurious furs, and floor sweeping dusters strutting down the runways this fall season are not appropriate for students, but these trends can often lend us inspiration for our own everyday outfits.

Restyling Pieces for Summer to Fall: Girls

Just because it’s getting chilly doesn’t mean you need to break the bank on an entirely new wardrobe. Restyle summer pieces by throwing a tailored blazer or knit sweater over dresses and skirts, and keep your legs warm by pairing your shorter hemlines with thick leggings or even nordic knit tights.

Models wearing sweaters with ethnic prints Oversized Anonymous

Ethnic and Floral Prints

Another prevalent trend this fall is prints of every variety, from vibrant weaved ikat to an ornate floral perfectly matching your grandmother’s fifty year old couch. Though it’s advised to avoid the latter, there are plenty of other patterns to choose from. In addition, you can move beyond just color block, and blend textures and patterns like ruffles, lace, and sequins with navajo prints, colorful florals and perhaps even polka dots, stripes and houndstooth. Don’t be afraid to experiment as long as you remember to maintain a certain balance between solids and prints.

Athletic Look

There’s no need to change after a workout in the gym anymore.

Sporty silhouettes are back as neon blocking and athletic wear inspired outfits explode on the runway. Sneakers ranging from basketball high-tops to classic shapes have been released from Chloé,

Senior Dora Chang sports an athletic look.

Photo by Kenney Jacoby

Alexander Wang, and Balanciago among others. Bursts of color define the jersey sweats, leggings, and pullovers unveiled by many of the most famous designer brands in the world.

These clothes don’t just belong in the locker room anymore.

Grandma Sweaters

Yes, it’s true; teenagers are now dressing themselves after their grandmothers. Also known as chunky knits, grandma sweaters are a hot item for this Fall. They are often sold in earth tones, but can be found in a very wide range of colors. They can be worn in many different ways, such as crop top and jumper. Particularly for the fall season, you might want to wear yours with tights or leggings and a mini-skirt. One of the most popular aspects of grandma sweaters is that they are very easy to layer with, so that you can still pull off a wide range of styles.

Guys Moccasins

Statement Coats

Fall is the ideal time to invest in staples since the clothing sold during this moderate season is easily adaptable to both summer and winter. One of the most important Fall staples to pick up are statement coats. A statement coat can be any jacket in a striking color, print, or texture. With fantastic outwear, it really doesn’t matter what’s underneath. This season, you should go for bright colors, prints, and maybe even geometric tailoring. There are so many different options to explore out there like trench coats, parkas and more.

Color Block

This season color is all over the runway, so don’t be afraid to brighten up the onset of cold weather with lots of energizing color.

One emerging color trend is color block which is areas of solid color combined together in an outfit. It can A pop color is puts together an outfit. hervelegerbcbgoutlet

be used in shirts, jackets, skirts, bags and even shoes. Moderation is key when working with these blocks of bright colors and remember that mixing neutrals with vivid colors really adds emphasis.

Borrow from Guys

This season, menswear-influenced clothing is covering the racks. Easily imitate a simple tomboy look by pairing floral dresses with tougher elements like leather bomber jackets and plaid button downs.

Throw button downs with crewnecks over dresses and oxfords for an effortlessly cozy look.

Eternity Scarves E t e r n i t y scarves, also known as infinity, loop, or circle scarves, are a contemporary spin on a classic item of clothing. They are largely popular due to their versatility, allowing

Senior Laura Versigan adds an eternity scarf to her outfit.

Photo by Kenney Jacoby

R ainboots/R ainboot Warmers

It’s official: Rainboots are back! And with them comes a new trend—rainboot warmers. These are fleece inserts to stick inside of your rainboots for a more warm and comfortable feel while you are stomping through puddles.

They usually fold about four inches over the top of girls’ rainboots, and come in many different designs and colors. Hunter makes them for around $40, but lower-end models can be purchased as well.

Popular among both guys and girls, moccasins are the new trend of 2011. Moccasins offer both practicality and style, providing you with warmth for those cold, windy days, while still complementing your dark, slim or skinny jeans.

They are typically found in a tan or camel, but can also be found in such colors as black, Sterlingleather

burgundy, and purple. UGG makes moccasins for guys and girls, but cheaper models can be found from Minnetonka, Sperry, and Vans.

Running Shoes

The running shoe is back in style! Casual athletic is the new fad for guys, offering comfort on the inside while still looking sleek on the outside. The Nike Free Run, a comfortable slipon shoe, is very popular among guys. It is loaded

Long Skate Socks

For so long no-show ankle socks reigned supreme, but long socks are finally back in fashion. For those muggy fall days—and also for those guys who refuse to wear long pants—wearing long (usually black) skate socks are a stylish alternative that will also keep your legs warm. But be careful—these socks have to be mid-shin high! Too short can be nerdy, and too long make you look like a soccer player. Popular brands of these socks are Vans, Fallen, LRG, and DGK.

Windbreakers

Men’s fashion is all about being practical while still looking your best.

Hooded windbreakers are a great style being resurrected. Popularized in the 70’s, windbreakers are often worn over sweaters or sweatshirts to bottle in the Throw a windbreaker on warmth.

Raw Denim

if it’s cold outside.

The North Face

Varsity Jackets Phillip Lim, Rag & Bone, and even Givenchy have released varsity jackets this season, outwear inspired by

Sophomore Paul Borgzinner wears athletic kicks.

Photo by Kenney Jacoby

with physical benefits for athletes while also offering a cool look to wear with your basketball shorts. These shoes are very lightweight and are made in a wide variety of colors.

their owners to create their own style with them. They can be worn snug around the neck, long down to the waist, or any number of ways in between. Regardless of how Realclubclothing you decide to rock it, eternity scarves will keep you nice and warm for the chilly fall varsity sport players across the nation. These and winter seasons. collegiate jackets are showing up everywhere and are easy to grab on the way out the door for instant warmth and polish. These jackets can be paired with almost anything and add a sporty appeal that’s definitely in this season.

Raw denim is highly popular among teenage guys. You might recognize them as those jeans that look really stiff—well this because these jeans have never been washed with chemicals.

Eventually these

Raw denim jeans are fashionable. creativeboysclub

jeans loosen up and mold to your body type, making for a sleek and stylish complement to your sneakers and military jacket.

Most important of all, fashion is subjective. True style is choosing what fits your personality and body, not just blindly following current trends. Something that works for a friend may not look half as flattering on you Don’t be afraid to experiment to find out what matches. Clothing should just be another extension of our bodies, another part of our voices. Embrace each of our differences and most of all be creative and don’t let fear deter originality. ▪

8 Centerspread

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The Smoke Signal

Thursday November 17, 2011

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE:

Thursday November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

Escape of The Thanksgiving Turkey THE END

By Kerrie Wu, Sherry Xiao, Supriya Yelimeli & Anna Zeng

Start

Centerspread 9

www.thesmokesignal.org

Staff Writers

You’re a Thanksgiving turkey. Today is Thanksgiving day, and your owner has unwittingly left your cage open! Oh the possibilities that are now open to you. You gobble gobble like a real turkey and start to think about your situation. Where will you run? Choose wisely to survive!

You manage to sweet-gobble your owner's son into letting you outside for a few minutes of freedom.

Once in the yard, you find a handful of strange sparkling beans. You can either swallow the beans or plant them in the ground. Shake a tail feather and decide quickly before your owner's son catches on!

You are transported to a magical castle in the sky, the home of a vicious ogre. The table seems to be set for a magnificent feast, but where's the main dish? Was this all a perfectly executed trap? In your state of confusion, you aimlessly flap your wings and end up in the middle of the table. The beans seem to have a side effect and as your vision becomes fuzzy, the last image you see is that of the ogre hungrily smacking his lips and proclaiming his deep love for black bean stuffing.

You swallow the beans.

You plant the beans in the ground.

THE END Run out into the wild!

You quickly dig up some soil and place the beans in the small hole. As you are doing so, the owner's son observes your bizarre behavior and reports your activity to the owner. He is astonished at your stupidity and vows to prevent his family from consuming such a half-witted turkey. You are released into the wild and spend the rest of your life educating young turkeys on the nuances of human behavior and receive your PhD in Sociology.

You have a sudden burst of creativity to unleash on the walls, in hopes that your owner will recognize your artistic talent and avoid cooking you for dinner. Using the paints you find in the cupboard nearby, you manage to paint the colors of the wind on the ground and on the walls. You step back and marvel at your work, then sit down in front of your cage to wait for the owner to compliment the artwork upon return.

Better to be safe than sorry! Head for safety first!

You make a mad dash into the nearby woods and blindly follow the first path you see. After you've calmed down a little, you come across a fork in the road. One side is well-trodden and well-lit by sunlight, while the other is neglected and dark. You are suddenly reminded of the horror movies your owner was watching last month, where the stupid girl always goes into the dark alley.

However, you also remember the poem by Robert Frost about the road less traveled. Which road do you take?

Unfortunately, your owner finds you after a few hours of walking on the endless road to nowhere. However, upon seeing you he explodes into tears and wraps you in a tight embrace, telling you all about his terrible journey through the woods and how glad he is to have found you. He promises to never cage you again and to treat you like his own child. The thought appeals to you and you lead him back home. You live out your days treated like royalty in the house.

The sunny road!

You pretend to be conducting a turkey-free Thanksgiving dinner, so as to show your owner your talents on stage as well. Of course, your owner was very impressed. Impressed enough to show you to his fiancee. You find that the fiancee doesn't know how to behave around a walking-turkey-dinner at all; thanks to her, you now feel like a toasted chicken. You drill your beak into her foot.

Oh! Your owner finds it. Now what?

You try to quickly explain your spontaneous wall art, but your owner is unsympathetic to what seems to be a frenzy of squawks and hops. Your owner is oblivious to your squawking and locks you up again. Well, at least you're not dinner. Yet.

Your owner returns with a vet behind him. Oh no, it's the cackling monster of your nightmares! The vet lunges towards you. You run. The vet grabs you by the neck and starts inspecting you. After the ordeal of a full-body check up, you smell...

TURKEY STUFFING? Oh no! Time's running out!

However, the vet tells your owner something about "bird flu." Keh! What is that? Some kind of cold virus in disguise? Nothing can stop you! But your owner blanches, takes you by the neck, and throws you in the dumpster.

You decide to take the action of non-action. You smooth your feathers and sagely seat yourself on your throne of a toilet.

...call in the sharks. Well that wasn't very nice of you, was it? The sharks show up, but it turns out they enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner as well. Karma bites you in the butt, literally.

Yes! Freedom! Wait... are you sure? Turns out, you get to learn that one man's trash is another man's treasure. The hard way.

Though your owner doesn't seem to be coming back, a hungry-looking homeless man is! Think fast--What do you do?

THE END

The road less traveled!

THE END You continue down the dark road, figuring that your owner is less likely to follow you this way. You soon start to regret this decision, because everything just gets darker and creepier as you go on. When it’s dark as night and eerie sounds are coming from all around, you suddenly trip over a rock and fall down a seemingly endless pit for a good five minutes. When you finally hit the ground, you see a little girl with a red hood cornered by a big scary wolf. What do you do?

Your owner, bewildered beyond compare, hastily grabs hold of your neck, while muttering indistinctly, and throws you into the nearest prison cell--the bathroom. You're now officially stuck and awaiting your execution. The pale-white tiles allow no room for balance as your neck strains upwards to stubbornly look for an escape route.

Your turkey-brain whirls frantically for a few ideas; however, lacking the heart to choose between them, you pick using eenie meenie miney mo.

THE END

Hide in the dumpster until he passes, and get out later. Unforunately, the trash truck also happens to be coming along. You suffer the avoided death in Toy Story 3--but you're all alone. Sad day.

You make a mad dash for the bathroom. You reason, if there's any room in the house with a trustworthy lock, it's got to be this one. Unfortunately for you, your owner lives alone and never bothered to replace the lock since he broke it last Christmas. You try, unsuccessfully, to find a hiding place.

Your beautiful mahogany feathers stick out atrociously against the white tile. Right as you realize you've cornered yourself, you hear your owner's thudding footsteps coming down the hallway. You almost give up when inspiration strikes you and you remember there is one escape route you've overlooked.

Try to talk to him! Turns out you and him have a lot more in common than you thought and you both spend the night reminiscing about your younger days. Your heart to heart motivates him to start his life anew. After a few short days he successfully climbs the corporate ladder and becomes the CEO of Apple. He tracks you down and the company name is changed to Turkey. You live the rest of your life in the luxurious lap of a hobo-turned-billionare.

THE END

THE END

Help her!

Get the girl's attention and run for it together!

You flush yourself down the toilet. It always works in the movies. When you finally surface, you find yourself in the world of Finding Nemo.

Nemo's friends come by asking for help: they need to get past the hungry seagulls! You...

You successfully get Little Red Riding Hood's attention. She runs towards you, seeming to understand your intentions. She even picks you up, knowing that you'll be slower. But wait!

Instead of continuing to run, she turns around, holds you up and waves you around. She's using you as a distraction! The wolf falls for it, visibly salivating. As she throws you at him, your last thoughts are on how you must be quite handsome to look more appetizing than a little girl.

...jump back into the ocean to clean yourself off. As the filth diffuses into the water, you think that the ocean is essentially a giant fishbowl that nobody cleans. Excited, you gobble at this philsosphical realization, expelling all the air out of your lungs. Your visions swims and you're too far from the surface to breathe more air. You almost give up when you notice a fishhook bobbing just inches in front of you. You...

...agree to help. In a grand slow-motion-deserving show of heroism, you run through the crowd of seagulls and successfully scatter them with your gobbling, which drowns out the echoing cries of "Mine! Mine!" Nemo's friends are happy, but the seagulls are irritated. They take revenge by using you as target practice. Within five minutes, you're nearly suffocating under the layers of white seagull excrement. You....

...decide to continue to walk around covered in poop. Your turkey toughness keeps you at the edge of conciousness, but the putrid stench knocks out any passerby within a twenty meter radius, which is a good thing when you're trying not to be eaten. You make it out of Thanksgiving more than a little traumatized, but hey, you're alive and that's what counts.

THE END

Puffing up your tail feathers and taking a deep breath to gobble the loudest you've ever gobbled in your life, you confront the wolf. However, the wolf seems more impressed by the idea of dinner than your gallant actions, so he lunges at you and before you know it, you're dinner.

THE END

Grab it!

You get pulled out of the water and -- surpise, surprise! It's the President himself out on a fishing trip! Intrigued by the phenomenon of catching a turkey while fishing in the ocean, the President decides to keep you for novelty's sake. He allows you to roam the White House lawn with the intent of relaxing visitors. You gladly serve in that office for the rest of your days.

THE END graphics by graphics editor kevin zhai

10 Feature

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A ‘POEKE’ FROM POE

By Kyle Qian Staff Writer

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

CLUB

ROBOTICS

By Vishal Bajpai Staff Writer

There is a vast underground community at MSJ. Many groups of highly skilled and intelligent students gather on a weekly basis to design, build, program, and finance robotics. There are around half a dozen different teams at MSJ. Each of them compete against each other and teams from other schools at various tournaments held around North California.

Many of our teams have reached success, from the Insomniacs, who recently won the Cal Games, to the Swagger, who have placed second at the state tournament.

Robotics has a place for anybody, from the business minded, to the technical geniuses, to the master programmers. These students wake up before the sun rises to head out to tournaments that can be as far away as Sacramento. Their pride and joy, the robot, competes with other school’s robots in various tasks and games. Points are awarded for completion of the task and how difficult the task was.

The business components of teams raise funds to buy parts for the construction of the robot by holding fundraisers

and finding sponsors. Engineers work to build feasible designs to solve the tasks presented to them by the tournament. Programmers ensure that the robot will work without any problems.

The task for FTC, a league for smaller teams (the majority of MSJ teams), is to place racquet balls into 12 crates and stack those crates on top of each other. The teams build robots with the capability to accomplish this task within two minutes.

Robotics has definitely been an outlet for students at MSJ. Venkatesh Balaji and Sai Chilakapati said, “Robotics has provided us with many opportunities to explore ourselves and our interest and has taught us important life skills like teamwork, integrity, and perseverance.” ▪

team2489’s robot

Thursday, November 17, 2011

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Arts & Entertainment 11

Restaurant Review: Le Moose Crepe Cafe

By Vishal Bajpai & Vishak Menon Staff Writers

Away from the hustle and bustle of local popular spots, we stumbled upon Le Moose Crepe Café and Thai Fusion. The casual setting is amplified by the variety of decorations around the room which set the stage for an exciting evening with friends or a date night.

Le Moose provides a wide variety of crepes, vegetarian and non-vegetarian, more traditional items like sandwiches and pastas, and also a selection of Thai entrees.

Service: Ambiance: Our waiter went M.I.A. after she brought Le Moose is decorated more like a coffee shop than a dinner spot. The purple walls us our crepes in the beginning. We waited with tacky and eccentric pictures in black for a good ten minutes after finishing them thick frames don’t imply crepes or even Thai for her to come back to take our order for the food. The only cultural decorations we no- Thai curry. It was only after we flagged her ticed were a large sculpture of two elephants down did she realize that we were in need of as well as a few other Thai statues on the back assistance.

A fair warning: some waiters have a very wall. In addition to the lack of related visuals, there are speakers, but no music plays. All thick accent, and communication can be difin all the decor inside the restaurant isn’t too ficult. This was probably the reason why we impressive, the tables are close together, and got our fried rice with raisins, even though we explicitly requested the raisins be left out. there aren’t too many of them.

Rating: Rating:

yelp.com

Le Mooose’s strawberry-banana dessert crepe.

Magnificent ‘Hair’

By Jade Shi Staff Writer

hairthemusical.com

In Diane Paulus’ 2010 US National Tour of Hair, the embodying values of the hippie movement of the 1960s and the cultural movement that questioned the foundations of our society and a country at war, speak.

Hair opens with the soothing and rousing anthem of “Aquarius”, a celebration of love and peace, paving a way for a cluster of characters to introduce themselves to the audience and address their concerns: air pollution, racial equality, and free love, in addition to protesting the Vietnam War. The all-loving Berger, a self-claimed “psychedelic teddy bear”, Steel Burkhardt, performs with a riveting passion. He seems to be the character most thoroughly installed in the hippie lifestyle, and as such is the freest, exuding an unparalleled purity of heart and mind, through his escape into a world illicit, illegal drugs to defy a society he was born into.

As is evident by the first act, Hair is not a musical renowned for its intricate plot. It focuses instead on songs reflecting the inner turmoil of the characters, their understandings of the world, and the connections they forge with each other and with the audience.

Hair rides on and is born through its music.

Hair boasts no elaborate set changes—the perspective is created through the actions and

songs of the characters alone. The carpet covering the stage gives off a cozy, familial feel of belonging; whether in an artistic light or a naive wishing, it poses a sharp contrast to the harsh reality of living on the streets.

Much of the beauty of Hair is created not through what it presents, but what it invokes in its audience. The live band on stage adds much to the realistic portrayal of the hippie lifestyle. In our current times we find parallels between the desperation and determination of the cast of Hair and the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. In both, convention is defied and forgotten. But the key difference in the two is that Hair doesn’t just urge the world to stand up against something and defy it, it urges a new way of living. Of stripping away all taboo notions of sex, drugs, love, and war, and leaving only truth.

To a modern adolescent audience, the essence of Hair feels almost intangible in its complexity and blatant sexuality. In our generation, it’s hard to come by sexual jokes that can still faze us. But Hair gets under our skin.

It shows no more sexual innuendoes than does any channel on cable television, yet it gives sexuality a name and a purpose; a life of its own, a symbolic reference to an escape from society for a group of people. Suddenly sexual freedom is more than a crude joke or an art form—it’s an emblematic reference to a way of living. It poses the question: why do we as a society make such a big deal of sex and drugs, but not of war and futile sacrifice?

Hair strips down Broadway performance and mainstream society to its core, throws away all other forms of superficial beauty, and leaves only the truth, the pure beauty of the essence of the human spirit.

Hair, a story of a fight against established wrongs of a high-minded society, and a production of timeless quality and artistic taste in design, is a myriad of wild spirit and unconventional beauty in a changing world. ▪ Rating: A

yelp.com

Food: To start out we tried some of Le Moose’s famous crepes. The chicken pesto crepe was filled with basil and perfectly melted mozzarella cheese, and topped with grilled mushrooms. The side of pasta salad was also well made and complemented the entrée perfectly. An unusual combination, the Thai chicken curry crepe combined peanut sauce with the French dish. The vegetarian Greek crepe is a must for eggplant fans. Stuffed with grilled eggplant, cut asparagus, and pesto sauce, it was definitely a highlight of our dinner. The fried rice was cooked to perfection and mixed with a variety of vegetables.

The rice also went well with a red curry that we ordered from the Thai selections.

Since we still had some room to spare after the delectable entrees we decided to go all out with the dessert. Its name, Gargantuan, said it all. We were soon presented with a warm, nutella-filled crepe, topped with three generous scoops of ice cream as well as whipped cream, nuts, and chocolate sauce. Soon we realized all attempts to finish it were futile, however its chocolate nutty goodness stayed on our minds for the rest of the night.

Rating:

Price: Le Moose’s pricing may be slightly on the higher end but for good reason. For $6.95 one can receive a large crepe entrée as well as a side dish of pasta salad, fruit salad, or regular salad with dressing. One can also have a wide variety of appetizers at around $6.95 each.

The Thai entrees priced at around $8.50 for fried rice or curries are slightly smaller portions but make up for it with their taste. And finally the desserts which range from $4.95 to $7.95 are also large in size and deserving of the higher cost. Although you may have to dig a little deeper into your pockets, the variety and originality of the café’s items make it an experience worth the price. Their menu is available online at www.lemoosecafe.com.

Rating: Overall: If you are looking to enjoy a nice night and try something different, then Le Moose Café is definitely a spot to check out. Although its interior may not be extravagantly decorated and the service could use some work, the food at Le Moose speaks for itself. And with fairly reasonable prices we believe that it is well worth a visit. ▪ Rating:

12 Arts & Entertainment

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‘Harold and Kumar’ Get a C for Christmas

indiewire.com

By Vishak Menon Staff Writer

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, the third movie in the hysterical series, places Harold ( John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) in yet another string of hilarious events. What all began as a trip to White Castle in 2004 turned into a successful franchise. The most recent movie, set a few years after their stint in Guantanamo Bay, begins with the two friends no longer as close as they were before. Harold has settled down with his wife Maria as a successful businessman in his expensive home. Kumar on the

other hand, after being thrown out of medical school when he failed a drug test, is now living in an apartment alone. Maria’s family is in town over the Christmas holidays and Harold is intent on impressing them—especially Maria’s tough and intimidating father (Danny Trejo). After Kumar’s former girlfriend Vanessa storms out, angered by his lack of maturity when she informs him of her pregnancy, Kumar notices that he has received a package addressed to Harold at his doorstep and is prompted to pay his old friend a visit.

Kumar is invited in by Harold, who has distanced himself from

‘Drake’ Scores Again

drizzydrake.org

By Brandon Fuhs Staff Writer

Drake released his third album, Take Care, on November 15.

The highly anticipated album was pushed back from the original release date of October 24, because the artist said, “My options were to take the songs off and make the release happen, or to take an extra couple weeks to give you the album the way I need you to hear it. The choice was clear as day for me.”

Those bonus tracks, “Hate Sleeping Alone” and “The Motto (feat. Lil Wayne),” were worth the wait.

The final track “The Motto (feat.

Lil Wayne),” is one of the album’s best songs. Drake and Lil Wayne have done almost a dozen songs to-

gether, and the flow in the final song of the nineteen-track album is their most impressive work. This track is one of the many that show Drake’s phenomenal lyrics and constant flow. Other track that stuck out were “Over My Dead Body,” “Shot For Me,” and “Headlines.”

The second best track is with his wife Nicki Minaj, and their chemistry shows in the song, “Make Me Proud.” They talk about how much attention Minaj gets how well she handles the constant attention from the press and other guys. This track still isn’t the most impressive, because “Marvin’s Room” is too meaningful and catchy to be outmatched.

Although the song has a few expletives, the situation Drake is coming from makes the lyrics more fitting than your normal song.

Every song in the album has rhythm and meaning unmatched by other artists. This album is a slight improvement from his previous album Thank Me Later, which lifted millions of eyebrows. With this third album, he has already left an impression on the music industry. The Canadian rapper has a great career ahead; this album represents the direction in which he’s going. ▪ Rating: A

Kumar and the bad situations that accompany him. Kumar ends up burning down the Christmas tree brought by Maria’s father. This sets the stage for their unpredictable journey around New York to find a replacement tree. They almost manage to retrieve a tree from the house of a teenage girl with whom Kumar’s friend Adrian (Amir Blumenfeld) is trying to meet up, but they are interrupted when the girl’s father, a Russian mob boss, arrives.

Harold and Kumar narrowly escape but end up accidently shooting Santa Claus, who helps them with a tree after Kumar undergoes surgery on his wound. In the end, however, their journey around the city makes them settle their differences, reuniting them as best friends.

Although the film does reveal some important messages in the end, such as taking responsibility for one’s actions and taking care of true friendship, it is considerably toned down compared to its predecessors.

The movie still has some familiar sexual and drug-related scenes, as well as a coincidental meeting with Neil Patrick Harris, but lacks the raunchy, gut-wrenching jokes which made viewers fall in love with the duo originally. The acting by both Penn and Cho is good, but is nowhere near as brilliant as in the first two films due to the sub-par plot.

Blumenfeld also plays his role well, but he is essentially removed from the story after being forced to hide from the Russians in a closet. All in all, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is good for a few laughs, but fails to meet its high expectations, leaving viewers amused but slightly disappointed. ▪ Rating: C

The Smoke Signal

Thursday, November 17, 2011

‘Florence’ Flourishes

By Tanya Raja Staff Writer

English indie pop band Florence and the Machine released its second album, Ceremonials, this month. The album has a grander sound than its predecessor, Lungs, and lead vocalist Florence Welch and producer Paul Epworth have remained consistent with the band’s rhythms and funky beats of popular songs “Dog Days Are Over” and “Cosmic Love.”

Beginning with the soulful lyrics of “Only if For a Night”, the album commences with a nostalgic feeling that sets the tone for the rest of the songs. “Shake it Out,” which was written in only an hour, powerfully conveys the emotion of starting over and shaking off regrets using bells, jingling tambourines, and organs as its main instruments.

Another notable track in the album is “What the Water Gave Me.” Welch has elaborated on its meaning, stating that “It’s a song for the water, because what I’m really interested in are the things that are overwhelming. The ocean

florenceandthemachine.net

The Crummy ‘Diary’

rumdiarythemovie.com

By Anusha Rijhsinghani Staff Writer

A film adaptation of the autobiographical novel by Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary tells the story of a journalist struggling to find his voice. Paul Kemp ( Johnny Depp) moves to Puerto Rico to work as a freelance writer for a local English newspaper after becoming tired of his relentless, New York lifestyle. A heavy drinker, he assumes the rum-soaked life of the island and adjusts to tattered living conditions with his new roommates Sala (Michael Rispoli) the paper’s photographer, and Moburg (Gio-

seems to me to be nature’s great overwhelmer.” Indeed, the song is truly overwhelming, with five and half minutes of ethereal vocals and harps that are perfectly synchronized with the lyrics.

Unlike “What the Water Gave Me”, the music and instruments of other songs are not such clear indicators of their lyrics. “Breaking Down,” with a seemingly light and airy feeling that is reminiscent of Christmas bells, has an eerie message of decomposing into nothingness. Lyrics such as, “I can see you coming from the edge of the room/Creeping in the streetlight,” are sung with cheerful background violins, intentionally leaving the listener unsettled.

Ceremonials artfully emits and evokes powerful emotions. The album stays consistent with Florence and the Machine’s singularly exquisite style, but also provides fresh melodies and emotional lyrics. If you are interested in listening to a slightly off-kilter album with great instrumentals, you should definitely check out Ceremonials. ▪ Rating: A

vanni Ribisi) the paper’s resident drunk.

After spotting an attractive blonde named Chenault (Amber Heard), Kemp falls in love, despite her engagement to a wealthy entrepreneur named Sanderson (Aaron Ekhart). Sanderson is one of many determined to turn the natural beauty of Puerto Rico into a capitalist paradise for the upper class, and attempts to manipulate Kemp into writing for him and his partners. Unsure of his stance, Kemp is forced to make the decision of using his writing abilities to help the corrupt businessmen or to fight against them and take them down.

Although the story of The Rum Diary initially starts out intriguing, it quickly loses its appeal with its slow and confusing plot line.

Kemp’s journey as a journalist is overpowered and shadowed by the unusual relationship between Chenault and himself, as well as his alcohol and drug abuse issues, leaving the audience confused as to the purpose of the movie. Failing to build up anticipation amongst the audience, the film has no real turning point, and the climax strangely centers on a cockfight between two roosters.

The lack of drama in the historical story itself may account for the unimpressive plot line; however, in spite of this drawback, the actors do a commendable job of portraying their respective characters. Depp plays his alcohol-influenced character believably, and nicely portrays a role so different from Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Overall, The Rum Diary fails to conjure an emotional response from the audience, with the exception of a few laughs invoked by the absolute ridiculousness of the drunkard Moburg. Because the movie does not focus enough on Kemp’s struggle as a journalist, it fails to successfully convey its strong underlying message. ▪ Rating: C+

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Arts & Entertainment 13

VS. With every November comes that patriotic time of year where Americans take a day off to honor the valiant heroes that have sacrificed themselves to defend our country. For the typical gamer, however, Veteran’s Day means something else – the most highly-acclaimed, anticipated, and best-selling video game of all time comes out during that week, and that game is no other than Activision’s latest and freshest installment, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Having sold already six million units on its November 8 release date, no video game has ever brought enough attention to be even pitted against the monopoly-like reign of Call of Duty over the industry – that is, until this year. EA’s release of Battlefield 3 on October 25 struck a chord in the gaming community as a true competitor to the long-standing king.

Both titles offer outstanding game play and are truly break-neck even in terms of satisfaction, but in the end only one can take the cake. As part of its duty, the Smoke Signal gives its unbiased but brief overview on the current controversy in the international gaming community.

The rapid advancement of technology has led to the colossal improvement of visuals and sound in the video game industry, and DICE, the developers of BF3, have taken this to their utmost advantage. BF3 offers one of the most beautifully rendered presentations to its player, with realism instead of old-fashioned graphics, and an actual firefight occurring outside your window instead of audio waves emitted from your speakers. In no other game is one mesmerized by a tree falling down in one’s face, and there is no doubt that BF3 provides one of the most gorgeous graphics of all time. As far as aesthetics goes, BF3 is almost scary, but what truly sets the high amount of respect for BF3 is its immersive multiplayer, featuring up to 64 players on a map for the PC and state of the art vehicles such as jets and tanks. However, BF3 offers a rather boring and cliché single-player campaign.

Where BF3 falls short, MW3 makes up in its ridiculously entertaining campaign, taking players in a mission to end the terrorist plot that seals the finish of an extremely powerful trilogy. What is most noticeable about the campaign is its amazing set pieces and moments that make your heart pound hard enough to be eligible for hypertension treatment. Also returning is a revamped multiplayer, which in truth is very similar to its predecessor Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and simply lacks the innovation to be considered ground-breaking.

Overall, even as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 offers significantly weaker graphics and a less of a powerful engine, it outshines the hardcore attitude of Battlefield 3 in the aspect that its geared towards a greater community that’s focused on just having fun. Even as BF3 features a slower and tactic based style of game play, it lacks the fast paced action that keeps MW3 players on their feet. Both titles are fantastically epic games that definitely should be played to have fully lived out your life, but for the casual gamer, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 wins the prize – after all, video games aren’t meant to be realistic simulations of war, but ways to have a good time all the while keeping the trees safe as to conserve nature.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Systems: Xbox 360

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 Skyrim is a huge, nonlinear roleplaying game with supposedly more than 300 hours of gameplay. Set in a medieval fantasy universe, players must venture across the country slaying dragons and completing quests with the goal of protecting the world from devastation after the assassination of the king.

A remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo will feature the campaign and maps that made the original game so beloved in the first place but with amazing new graphics that bring the sci-fi shooter to life and features that make use of the Xbox 360’s capabilities for multiplayer gaming.Players take on the character of super-soldier Master Chief in an attempt to save the human race from a hostile alien race.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 An intriguing mix of history and sciencefiction, Assassin’s Creed is an open-world role-playing game set in the Renaissance era.

Players play as Ezio, an assassin during the 15th century, as they try to piece together the truth of the past while fixing the present; the gameplay is actually memories experienced by a character living in 2012. Despite the complex plot, this unique game is rivaled by none when it comes to backstabbing fun.

Bioshock Infinite Systems: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

By Leland Bernstein, Kevin He, Avery Kruger, & Jin Peng Staff Writers

If you’re sitting in a normal Mission classroom, look to your left.

Now look to your right. Chances are that one of those two people is a gamer. What is a gamer? It’s simple, a gamer is one who plays games, video games to be specific. You don’t have to play for five hours a day or have a personalized Xbox controller to be a gamer; you only have to play a game. And the Smoke Signal is here to show you what’s coming this holiday season to blow you away.

After surviving the horrors of the deep sea and unhindered capitalism in Rapture, Irrational Games invites you to the floating city of Columbia. The flying behemoth, once a show of wealth and technology, has become a derelict city of fear and confusion. Irrational Games is exploring a new philosophical viewpoint - instead of the extremely capitalist views of Ayn Rand, you fight through a world tearing itself apart due to xenophobia and class warfare.

Blizzcon is the celebration of the most successful PC gaming era, hosted by the undisputed strategy gaming empire that is Blizzard Entertainment.

Over the course of a mere 48 hours, Blizzcon seeks to not only strike the world with a breathtaking overload of computerized phenomena, but to challenge the very boundaries of the gaming world and redefine the playing field of electronics. 48 hours of never-before-seen additions to Blizzard’s already unbeatable gaming repertoire, 48 hours of the most exclusive progaming competitions in the world, and 48 hours experiencing the most successful, dynamic, and progressive creative environment in the world. modernwarfare.com, blizzcon.com, layout by staff writer kevin he

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

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Sports 14

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Smoke Signal

By Sanjna Shukla & Omar El-Sadany Sports Editors

Athletes: overpaid or not?

With all the hoopla about Occupy Wall Street going on, many people have pointed fingers at athletes for earning so much money. Despite being notorious for earning some of the fattest paychecks in the country, athletes still complain about not being well-rewarded for their abilities.

While many states in the country have hit a record unemployment rate, NBA players are complaining about not earning a fair chunk of the revenue even though they’re still making millions per season.

To put this in perspective, the amount of money Kobe Bryant makes per basket is equivalent to a teacher’s annual salary.

Granted, athletes put themselves at great risk of injury, but do they deserve that much money?

The answer is, undoubtedly, no. Salaries should be reflective of the value of a person’s work. Sports do provide a source of entertainment, but practically speaking, the value they provide to society does not reach far beyond that. People like firemen, police officers, and teachers are lucky to earn even a small fraction of an athlete’s salary. In addition to salaries, top players earn millions more in endorsements.

That’s unnecessary.

In any other job, poor performance results in termination. However, contracts guarantee athletes a certain amount of money, usually in the millions, regardless of the player’s performance. The most prominent example of the faultiness of this method is JaMarcus Russell. The Raider’s first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Russell was primed to be one of the most

forbes.com

Alex Rodirguez is currently one of the highest paid athletes in the world, earning $275 million over the course of 10 years.

impressive quarterbacks of the season. He signed a contract that guaranteed him $31.5 million over the course of six years, regardless of how he played. $31.5 million for a player that had one of the worst records over the course of just 3 seasons.

The poster boy for overpaid athletes, Alex Rodriguez signed one of the most famous contracts in sports history, $275 million for 10 years with the New York Yankees. Currently only four years into the contract, A-Rod is already 36 years old, which is almost ancient for an athlete.

In any context $275 million is an astronomical figure, but let’s humor him for a minute. Statistically speaking, he gets paid over $50,000 for every hour that he plays baseball.

Considering the majority of baseball is walking or standing around, A-rod gets paid a lot to look pretty and kill grass. If we got paid as much as he did to walk around, we would be millionaires by the journey from first to second period. Plagued with injuries, Rodriguez had one of his worst performances during the 2010 season with only 16 home runs in 99 games. He still has 7 seasons left on his contract.

While people struggle to make ends meet, some athletes complain that they

COACH’S CORNER: GIRLS’ SOCCER

By Jaynelle Gao Staff Writer

Girls Soccer is one of the most competitive sports on campus. With the winter season just beginning, the Smoke Signal got the opportunity to speak with the MSJ Girls Soccer Varsity coach Stephanie Cockrill to learn about herself and her experiences.

Smoke Signal: How did you get involved with the sport? Did you play at the high school or collegiate level?

Stephanie Cockrill: I started playing when I was 8, after we moved to Livermore from Houston. I wanted to play soccer so bad because all my friends at school did. My dad played for the Jamaican National Team, and

staff writer kenny jacoby

This will be Cockrill’s second year as Varsity Girls’ Soccer headcoach.

decided he would teach me the sport before I could play for a regular club team.

He trained me for a year, and I played my first season for an Upper House Team, and then played Hi-Comp and Premier for the rest of my career. I was a 4-year Varsity player for Granada High School in Livermore. I played 4 years at Saint Mary’s College of CA. Our team at St. Mary’s was lucky enough to be a participant of the NCAA Division I Women’s College Cup in 1995 and 1996. I played semipro post-college for the San Francisco Nighthawks for two seasons. I continue to play today for my Women’s Club team.

SS: How long have you been coaching soccer?

SC: I have been coaching soccer on and off since 1995, as a trainer and a coach.

SS: Having participated in soccer as both an athlete and a coach, which role do you think is harder?

SC: Definitely the coaching role. I have learned so much about my style of play, and how to teach players different styles of play through coaching. I learn every day I coach, and it has actually helped me develop further as a player.

SS: How has your experience as a player affected your coaching style/strategy?

SC: As a player, I learned the value of hard work, persistence, and the work ethic of “you practice how you play.” As a coach, I continue this belief.

SS: The MSJ Soccer team is usually very competitive. What are your goals for this season?

SC: Our goal this season, as with all seasons, is to work hard, be fit, and believe in our teammates. We look to continue building our program with commitment and dedication. We are on a mission.

SS: What is the most rewarding thing about being a coach?

SC: I have the opportunity to give back what I received as a player from youth club soccer, collegiate and semi-pro. I never stop learning as a coach, and that helps improve my game as a player.

SS: If you’d like, share with us your favorite athlete, quote, and/or an interesting fact about yourself!

SC: Favorite Athlete- Secretariat (I love horses!) ▪

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aren’t earning enough money. For example, during the NFL lockout, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson stated that the NFL was a form of “modern-day slavery.” Newsflash, Adrian! You’re one of the highest paid running backs in the league!

If you’ve been anywhere near a TV within the last six months, you’ve seen the most recent complainers, the NBA players union. Number one, the season needs to start because we’re running out of things to write about. Number two, a message to LeBron: If you’re going to go to a meeting to ask the administration to give you more money, don’t show up in a designer pinstripe suit, in a brand new Rolex watch, and with fifteen security guards.

In spite of receiving millions per year, many NFL players, after retirement or during their careers, file for bankruptcy.

The question is, where does that money

Sports 15

go?

Some athletes who have suffered careerending injuries can be forgiven, but others have no excuse to spontaneously run out of millions of dollars. Michael Vick, a first overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons, filed for bankruptcy in 2008. His dog-fighting scandal landed him salary-less for a year, and his financial miscalculations (our nice way of saying stupidity) led Vick to join the stereotype of bankrupt NFL players. Supporters say that at some point too much money is hard to manage, but that’s a problem that many of us would not mind having.

At the end of day, athletes are overpaid.

No matter how much some of us hate on the President, he earns $400,000 a year, a drop in the bucket compared to an athlete like Alex Rodriguez. Even Tiger Woods’ ex-caddy Steve Williams makes millions per year. Looks like you better start learning your golf clubs! ▪

MSJ FOOTBALL UPDATE

By Kenny Jacoby Staff Writer

Chemistry and Physics Teacher Robin Van Deusen was let go as MSJ’s head football coach with three games remaining in league play. The reasons for his dismissal were not released. Van Deusen was head coach for 12 years, and his commitment to the team was undeniable. Having played football back when he was a student at MSJ, Coach Van Deusen will undoubtedly leave behind a lasting legacy. His successor will be World History Teacher Jason Cain, who used to play football for Irvington High School. Cain is in his second year as a teacher at MSJ, and in his third year as a football coach. Although Coach Van Deusen had no comment, Coach Cain shared with us his goals for the rest of the season: “make sure everyone is fundamentally sound, build excitement and camaraderie, and finish up strong for the remainder of the season.” VicePrincipal Zack Larsen stated on the matter, “We have many talented athletes and a great interim head coach.” The team has not decided on its official head coach for next season. ▪

XC SHINES AT MVALS

By Connor Williams Staff Writer

November 10 was to be rainy and cold, but it was a pleasant surprise to have a clear and warm day; near perfect running conditions. Many members of the MSJ Cross Country team began to train for their long season early in July. After months of sweat, competition and focus, their efforts came to fruition at the MVAL Meet of Champions held at Coyote Hills.

Physically, the Coyote Hills course is daunting. With savage inclines and howling winds, the course makes or breaks a team. The varsity race begins with running to the base of Nike Hill, named for the missile silo at its crown. Coincidentally, those missiles were named after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. The path then leads to a cliff trail right by the bay where winds of up to 20 mph blow constantly.

The MSJ varsity girls placed 2nd in the league, only falling short to those of James Logan, who are always strong competitors.

Senior captain Erika Cherk placed 4th overall, followed closely behind by Sophomore Lindy Zeng, who earned a 5th place spot. All of the girls fought for every spot and many of the runners achieved personal record times.

The boys’ varsity team ran very hard.

Because of months of training and many very difficult workouts on hills (including mile intervals on Mill Creek road), they trusted in their training and attacked the race with confidence. The team ended up placing 3rd in the league, behind American and James Logan respectively. Captain Avery Kruger, who placed 8th in the race, described the competition as “some of the strongest it has been in years.” The team felt satisfied with its results as a whole and many of the runners walked away with new personal best times on the course.

The team will sorely miss their five graduating seniors. The boys’ team will

be losing four of the seven runners on the varsity squad. The loss of Kruger will be huge, as will be the loss of Senior Dinakar Guthy, both of whom have been running with the varsity team since they were sophomores. The girls should be in great shape for next year, with many returning varsity girls able to carry on the tradition of success. Both the boys and girls varsity teams will be moving on to NCS. NCS will be at Hayward High school on Nov. 19.

Coach Linda Addison describes the season as being filled with “awesome athletes, and they never disappoint.” Head coach Jack Marden says, “League finals were a great chance for our team to recognize what we are all about. We have tremendous team unity and provide a positive social outlet for our athletes. We worked hard and got into outstanding physical condition. Our championship season allows us to experience that in a tangible way. It all comes together at League finals. I’d like to invite more Mission students to experience this with us next year.” The Warriors walked away with many hard-earned victories, and the entire meet had a feeling of satisfaction. Both MSJ Cross Country teams will be back to compete next year as strong as ever. ▪

courtesy of avery kruger

Senior Avery Kruger sprints to the finish line.

Sports 16

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By Kenny Jacoby Staff Writer The MSJ Girls’ Golf team prolonged their impressive 2011 season, placing first at the Northern California Golf Association/California Interscholastic Federation(NCGA/CIF) High School Girls Championship on November 7, 2011 at Stanford University Golf Course. This tournament consisted of 12 of the best teams in Northern California, including MSJ’s rival, Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, who won Nor-Cals, last year. The girls’ victory secures MSJ a spot in the CIF California Championship to be held at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Monterey on November 15, 2011.

MSJ steamrolled the competition in Nor-Cals, finishing a substantial 14 strokes ahead of runner-up Amador Valley, and a whopping 230 strokes ahead of the 12th place finisher. Their overall score was a 400, which combines the scores of MSJ’s top five out of six finishers. Sophomore Monica Chen shot an impressive 72 for a two-over-par, which was only one stroke behind the top individual finisher in the tournament. Senior Madison Hirsch shot a 77, for the second beset score on the MSJ team, only behind Chen. The other girls moving on to the State Championship are Seniors Taneesh Sra and Sarah Rotter, and Sophomores Meridith Hirsch and Amy Huang, In regards to what made this year’s team so successful, Madison Hirsch said, “Our ultimate goal has always been to get to State. The whole

The Smoke Signal

Thursday, November 17, 2011

team is great. They are all willing to become better than what they are and that’s how we succeed.”

The team implemented a rigid system of practices, workouts, and team bonding, new for the 2011 season. The girls participated in multiple tournaments in preparation for the Hayward Area Athletic League Championships, NCS Qualifiers, and NCS Championships, which they went on to place in first, first, and second places respectively. In one preparatory tournament in Brentwood, the team shot a collective 390, an outstanding combined total for five individual scores. Not only was this just an overall great accomplishment in golf, but moreover it made the team realize just how high its potential was for this season. Hirsch said, “We took everything seriously this year and set our standards high. We all really wanted State more than anything and it’s exciting to know that everyone’s hard work paid off.”

This is the first time in MSJ history that the Girls Golf team has advanced to the State Championship. The tournament begins on Tuesday, Nov. 15, but the team will arrive in Monterey a day early to play practice rounds and learn the consistency and integrity of the challenging Poppy Hills course. Amador Valley and Christian Brothers High School will be the other two teams representing Northern California alongside MSJ. From Southern California will be Palm Desert High School, Torrey Pines High School, and Torrance High School. Torrey Pines will be MSJ’s biggest competitor, having won the State Championship last season. ▪

photos by staff writers hannah shih, jason chen, and catherine ho, courtesy madison hirsch