TO THE COMMUNITIES OF STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL, TRIBECA, AND BATTERY PARK CITY
The Stuyvesant Standard
Volume V, Issue 9
Straight Flush… to the Garbage Can
BY RICHARD SHYONG
STAFF WRITER
Next time you pass by the secu-
rity desk on the first floor, look at
the area behind the desk. The first
thing that hits you as you walk back
there is the sound of people shout-
ing, balls bouncing, and sometimes
even cards flying. As the place
comes into view, you might see peo-
ple gathered around a ping-pong
table, all ready to get in on the next
game. Turn around the corner, and
you see people on the floor, playing
with Magic cards or just watching
anime on their laptops. Looking
around, you suddenly see a group of
people, hunched together in a circle.
In their hands are poker cards, and
some of them are taking notes on a
piece of paper. And then it hits you;
these students are gambling their
lunch money away.
Gambling is banned in the New
‘Tis the Season for Post-Holiday Shopping
BY DEREK WENG
JUNIOR STAFF WRITER
After a rather tepid holiday sea-
son, retailers nationwide are hoping
to boost merchandise sales as shop-
pers head back to the stores for even
deeper post-Christmas discounts.
Holiday sales typically account
for about one fourth of annual retail
sales. The Saturday before Christ-
mas is usually the busiest shopping
day of the year. But to many retail-
ers’ dismay, a growing number of
shoppers are playing the waiting
game and simply holding off buying
presents. Many malls and retailers
Snapple on Trial in
Massachusetts Schools
BY HANFORD CHIU
STAFF WRITER
In Massachusetts,
parents and lawyers are
gearing up for a con-
sumer rights lawsuit
against a new industry;
the beverage industry.
The Center for Science
in the Public Interest
and several lawyers
with past successes su-
ing tobacco
The ban on Snapple vending machines fought its own.
companies
in Massachusetts schools could affect The plaintiffs claim that
will file a New York, if the trend catches on.
January 5, 2006
Gambling in Stuy is not an
uncommon sight.
York public schools. The coura-
geous young fellows who put their
lives on the line to have a little fun
consider the ban to be outrageous.
did not see the expected heavy foot
traffic this December. Whether due
to rising heating costs, or high gaso-
line prices, many families are
closely monitoring their budgets and
CNN
Retailers are hoping that shoppers would
gear up and head back to stores for
deeper post-holiday savings.
Royalle
lawsuit seeking to ban
sugary drinks in Massa-
chusetts schools, as
well as possible mone-
tary damages. The de-
fendants of the $92
billion industry, includ-
ing big names such as
Coca-Cola Co. and
PepsiCo. Inc, are pre-
paring to fight against
this lawsuit as the to-
bacco industry had
Continued on Page 5
TSS/Henry Zhang
As one gambler put it, “I’m sure
that everyone has gambled at least
once in their lives, so why outlaw
Continued on Page 3
waiting for better deals. With few
notable exceptions, like Microsoft’s
Xbox 360 video game console and
Apple Computer’s iPod line, a lack
of hot must-have items also contrib-
uted to the weak holiday sales.
“More Americans are waiting to
the end to shop for Christmas than
any other time in the last 10 years.
The consumer was never excited
about anything they saw this Christ-
mas,” said C. Britt Beemen, Chair-
man of America’s Research Group,
a firm based in Charleston, South
Carolina. In fact a survey con-
ducted by the International Council
of Shopping Centers estimated that
only 26 percent of house-
holds completed their holi-
day shopping by December
18, compared to 31 percent
over the same period last
year.
In New York City, re-
tailers ranging from small
shops to popular depart-
ment stores like Macy’s
and Bloomingdales felt the
impact from the three-day
transit strike that kept con-
Continued on Page 5
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--------------
News.....................2-4
Business................4-5
Opinions................5-6
Literary..................7-8
Free
Kiss of
Death
BY JOSEPH KRUTOV
STAFF WRITER
Christina Desforges, 15 years
old, died of an allergic reaction in
November after kissing her boy-
friend. Her boyfriend had eaten a
peanut butter and jelly sandwich
hours before, and had not known of
her extreme allergy to peanuts.
Christina was rushed to a hospital
but the facility was unable to treat
her allergic reaction. She had previ-
ously been given a shot of epineph-
rine, or adrenaline, as a standard
treatment for anaphylactic shock,
shock resulting from a severe aller-
gic reaction.
Her death is only one of many
cases. The number of people allergic
Vaccines to eliminate
peanut allergies may
not be available for
15 years.
to specific substances has more than
doubled in the last ten years. The
Food and Drug Administration is
trying to reduce the number of aller-
gic reactions and vaccines are being
independently developed. We are
getting closer to an allergy-free
world.
In light of the increase in the
number of allergic individuals, the
Continued on Page 11
Vicilin is one of the leading allergens in
peanuts. Research for a hypoallergenic
peanut is underway.
CBC
Puzzles..............................8-9
Science……………….......10-11
Arts & Entertainment........11
Sports................................11-12
Page 2 January 5, 2006 News THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE STUYVESANT Stuyvesant Student Photo

STANDARD Calendar Contest
Deadline January 23, 2006

The Stuyvesant PA invites all Stuy students to submit their photo-

graphs. The photo should represent ‘A Slice of Life at Stuy’. Suggestions:
Executive Leadership Team First day of school, Halloween, Holidays, Stuy events (Camp Stuy, SING,
sports…).
DR. JOHN NIKOL FACULTY ADVISER Twelve photographs will be selected to
WINNIE LEE EDITOR IN CHIEF be printed in a July 2006-June 2007 desk-
SHO UEMURA M ANAGING EDITOR
top calendar presented in a CD case. The
JESSICA THAM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
calendar will be used for Parent Associa-
WINNIE DU LAYOUT EDITOR
tion Fundraising.
JACOB ARLUCK COPY CHIEF
LAURA HAN IN SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR
Winners will be invited to the Lunar
JENNIFER SCHLESINGER OUT OF SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR
Feast Fundraising Dinner on
YANJ IE HOU OPINIONS EDITOR
March 3, 2006. You will also receive a
JENNIFER WONG ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
thank you certificate from the PA for
OSMAN NEMLI SPORTS EDITOR
your winning submission to add to your portfolio. The calendars will be
DEEP PARIKH SCIENCE EDITOR
$10 and sold at the Lunar Feast Fundraising Dinner and at PA meetings.
MELISSA CHAN BUSINESS EDITOR
LADA KUKUY LITERARY EDITOR
The deadline for all submissions is 12:01AM Monday morning on Janu-
KAREN LIU WEBMASTER
ary 23, 2006. One photo entry per student. The photographs will be
KATIE BANKS DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM
judged by members of the PA Silent Auction Committee on January 28,
DANIEL EGERS (‘03) FOUNDER
2006. The decision made by the judges is final. Photo release forms will be
ERNEST BASKIN (‘04) EDITOR EMERITUS
required to be signed if your photo is selected for the calendar.

Publication Please email your submissions to Hannah Li: hli57@yahoo.com. Include

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD is a nonprofit and nonpartisan publication pro- your name, email, phone # and class (freshman, sophomore, junior, sen-
duced by the students of Stuyvesant High School. ior).
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD distributes 2,000 free copies on a bi-weekly basis
to the students and faculty of Stuyvesant High School and throughout the ad- All submissions should be:
joining neighborhoods of TriBeCa and Battery Park City. -emailed
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD welcomes letters from its readers. -Jpg file
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD reserves the right to edit any published material. -at least 1 meg
The viewpoints of contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the -untouched
Standard staff. -taken from a digital camera or camera phone
-color photo is preferred
Copyright ©2006 THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Li.
Contact Us
Please direct all correspondence to:
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
Sophomores in Clubs
345 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10282-1000 BY JIMMY ZHANG schedule is manageable, Hu said,
readers@stuystandard.org STAFF WRITER “Yes, pretty easily.”
Find us on the web at www.stuystandard.org Yewdaev was in the same extra-
While many Stuy students sign
curricular activity as last year, with
up for as many clubs as possible
Advertising the exception of debate team. This
their freshman year, others don’t get
year’s, he is in the Chess Club, Chi-
If you would like to advertise in THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, please e-mail serious until their second time
nese Chess Club, Stock Market
advertising@stuystandard.org to request an advertisement form. We offer a around.
Game Club, and the Junior States of
broad range of options including full color capability for your advertising Several examples are sopho-
America. When asked why this was
needs. mores Alvis Yuen, Simon Hu,
the case, Yewdaev said, “Last year,
Tamir Yewdaev, and Harrison
I didn’t really find anything of inter-
Wong.
Subscription Yuen was not part of any clubs
est. I joined a bunch of stuff after
the Club/Pub [Fair], but didn’t stay
in his freshman year. Now, how-
in any. This year, I found the clubs
ever, he is an active member of the
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD through friends.”
Science Olympiad, Chinese Chess
Wong was also inactive in after
SUBSCRIBE TODAY Club, and the Badminton Club.
school activities last year. This year,
1 YEAR — $15 Similarly, Hu showed the least
he is in the Robotics team, Key
Delivery Information interest possible in extracurricular
Club, and Badminton Club.
Name:__________________________________________________ activity during his freshman year.
Freshman, Jesse Zhang, states
Address:_________________________________________________ This year, he is not only an active
that he is planning to join clubs, but
________________________________________________________ member in Chess Club and Chinese
not until sophomore year. “I want to
Billing Information Chess Club, but also the vice presi-
adjust right now,” said Zhang.
Please circle your choices below: dent of the Stock Market Game
Hu and Yewdaev both agree
Club. When questioned if his new
Check Money Order Cash with this idea. “I’d say so. [I]
TSS/Jimmy Zhang
Billing Address:__________________________________________ Alvis Yuen and his friends dis- know more of what’s going on,”
_______________________________________________________ cuss their club/pub differences. Yewdaev said.
Please cut and mail to THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, 345 Chambers A small poll in the sophomore
Street, New York, NY 10282-1000 OR send the above information to class concludes that most sopho-
mores think this way. Wong how-
subscription@stuystandard.org.
ever, just states that “[he] was
even lazier than last year [than
this year].” ◙
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD January 5, 2006 News Page 3

Straight Flush… to the Garbage Can

Continued from Page 1
it?” When further questioned about
anti-gambling activists, he re-
sponded simply by saying: “[They]
should be stabbed.” Most people
appear to agree on one view – gam-
bling should be legalized. Some
people view gambling as a game
that requires a good brain.
Stuyvesant has proven to be
rather lenient dealing with gamblers.
Often those students who are caught
merely have their cards confiscated
by the security guards. At their
peak, the security guards may con-
fiscate as many as three or four
packs per day. So the next time you
happen to be around the first floor,
hold on to your money tightly; you
might suddenly find yourself walk-
ing home with a lighter-than-usual
wallet in your back pocket. ◙

CORRECTION FOR
DECEMBER 20 ISSUE
Photographs by Henry Zhang/The Stuyvesant Standard • “Nobel Prize for Bronx Sci-
ence Grad” was written by Jo-
seph Krutov.

SUNY Elects New Chancellor How Far Will Bush Go to

BY ANNA GINZBURG
JUNIOR STAFF WRITER
years.
Students and faculty are hopeful
about Ryan’s ability to lead the 64-
John R. Ryan has been con-
campus system. Randy Daniels, the
firmed as the new chancellor of the
vice chairman of the SUNY board,
State University of New York sys-
said, "It is my belief that John Ryan
tem.
possessed the greater experience
Ryan has previously served as
when it comes to running complex
superintendent of the United States
organizations."
Naval Academy, president of SUNY
Stuyvesant students had mixed
Albany, and president of SUNY’s
views on whether or not this would
Maritime campus. But being selected
change the selection process. Junior
was not easy, as SUNY considered
Jenny Fuchs said, “I think that admis-
some 66 applicants. Besides Ryan,
RNews
Stamp Out Terrorism?
and an operative overseas could lead
BY EMMA RABINOVICH
STAFF WRITER directly to the loss of thousands of
lives," he said. "To save American
On December 17, President
lives, we must be able to act fast and
George W. Bush admitted ordering
to detect these conversations so we
the National Security Agency to
can prevent new attacks."
carry out more than 20 wiretaps
Senator Jack Reed, D-RI, dis-
without first obtaining warrants. The
agreed with this statement. “I'm just
wiretaps aim to monitor the activi-
stunned by the President's rationales
ties of people in the U.S. suspected
with respect to the illegal wiretap-
of having connections with Al
ping," he said. "There is no situation
Qaeda. The legality of this program
where time is of such an essence
is being questioned by both Democ-

they can't use the FISA proceedings.

rats and Republicans, and is seen by
And so the president's justification, I
some as a direct violation of the
think, is without merit.”
Fourth Amendment, which guaran-
Despite such criticism, Bush
tees protection from unreasonable
refuses to stop the wiretaps, believ-
searches and seizures.
Senator Russ Associated Press

Feingold, D-WI, in an
interview with CNN,
voiced his opinion that
Bush’s actions have
violated the Foreign
Intelligence Surveil-
lance Act. It is the
John R. Ryan, the new only official law to
chancellor of SUNY. authorize wiretaps and
permits such actions
only through a court
the board interviewed Gregory H. warrant, which Bush
sions are decided on an individual
Williams, the president of the City had never attained.
basis, and the qualifications for ad-
College of New York and Stephen L. "This administration is
mission aren't likely to change much
Weber, the president of San Diego playing fast and loose
with a new dean. Thus the effect will
State University. with the law in na-
be minimal.” Senior
SUNY’s current tional security. The
Alex Aminov dif-
chairman Thomas F. Ryan has already issue here is whether
fered, and explained Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a
Egan believes that the president of the
laid out plans for that he was more firm supporter of Bush’s secret wiretaps.
Ryan is “an out- United States is put-
concerned with the
standing leader with SUNY’s future. ting himself above the
quality of education
a national reputa- law, and I believe he has done so,"
than acceptance. ing he has full authority to perform
tion.” He has already said Feingold.
"Well, considering that I might be such actions. Attorney General Al-
laid out plans for SUNY’s future. He Bush, however, maintained that
going to a SUNY school in Septem- berto Gonzales agrees. According to
expects to change some top managers in a time of crisis, conversations
ber, this may greatly affect me. It him, a congressional act passed after
in the next six months, hire about 200 need to be monitored so that terror-
would be the same effect as our pub- September 11 not only authorized
more professors and adopt a tuition ist plots could be stopped as quickly
lic schools getting a new chancellor. President Bush to use force in the
policy which would involve small as possible. "We know that a two-
It can change a lot of things. Let's just war on terror, it also gave him the
tuition increases yearly rather than minute phone conversation between
hope he's good." ◙ power to allow such wiretaps. ◙
large increases every seven or eight somebody linked to al Qaeda here
Page 4
Problems Remain for Hurricane Victims
BY JENNIFER SCHLESINGER
OUT-OF-SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR
The holidays have always been
a time for gift-giving and charity,
and this year many gave donations
to help those displaced by the Gulf
Coast hurricanes. Yet despite the
hard work of many charities,
Katrina victims still face severe
problems.
Although many victims have
returned home, thousands remain in
hotels across the country. The Fed-
eral Emergenc y Ma nage ment
Agency has announced that it will
no longer pay for these hotel rooms
after February 7. Many local gov-
ernments are unsure what to do with
those who stay. Many who remain
cannot take care of themselves be-
cause they are elderly, disabled, or
mentally ill. Others are having diffi-
culty finding permanent housing.
Others want to return to the original
homes, but have no way to do this.
Local governments are trying to
solve the problem by getting victims
Josh Weinstein ’05 at last year’s simul.
BY ANNA GINZBURG
JUNIOR STAFF WRITER
Playing ten people at chess in
one sitting is tough, but
that is exactly what Stuy-
vesant will witness at its
Club Spotlight
third chess simul, or si-
multaneous exhibition.
The event will be based on
the two organized last year
by then-senior, Josh
Weinstein ‘05. Weinstein
took on 18 players at a
time. As soon as one game
was over, a new person
filled the seat of the loser.
Weinstein managed to
maintain a nearly perfect
score of over the course of
50 or so games.
This year’s event will be
run differently. Instead of
one player taking on 18,
two or three players will
take on ten opponents. The players
January 5, 2006 News/Business
to sign leases and by trying to find
them jobs. However, in communi-
ties where there are many victims,
this has proven to be an almost im-
possible task.
Many communities hit by
Katrina are still uninhabitable. In
most jurisdictions where private
contactors were hired to clean,
about 70% of the cleanup job has
been completed. However, in the
areas that relied upon the Army
Corps of Engineers, only about 45%
Stuycom
Chess Club
will be Chess Club president Justin
Li, vice president Anna Ginzburg,
and secretary Danny Rhode. Re-
gardless of the numbers, the event
promises to be very exciting. Senior
Alex Aminov admitted, "God damn,
that’s a lot of people.”
The event is scheduled for Janu-
ary 9 and will be held on the first
floor. Boards will be set all across
the lobby, open to all comers. The
event will run from 3:30 to 5:30. So
if you wish to defeat any of the
three, or are simply curious to
watch, make sure to remember the
date because another event like this
will not occur till spring. ◙
If you would like to have your
club or publication featured in The
Standard, send email to
inschoolnews@stuystandard.org.
of the rubble has been cleared. In
total only 60% of all the rubble in
the Gulf Coast has been cleared so
far. “Something is very wrong
here,” said Frank Leach, a Jackson
County Supervisor. “Our federal
government is paying an extraordi-
New York Times
A man stands amongst still un-
cleared debris in Mississippi.
nary amount of money for services
that are not being performed ade-
quately.”
In response to criticism, the
Army Corps of Engineers has em-
phasized the massive scope of the
The Costly Strike
BY STEPHANIE TAM
STAFF WRITER
Commuters struggled to get to
work during the three days of the
New York City transit strike. With
no subways or buses operating,
workers biked, roller bladed, or
even walked in desperate attempts
to arrive at work
on time. Unlike TSS/Bennett Hong
past labor strikes, New Yorkers struggle to get to work in
the most recent of the freezing weather during the strike.
which was in
1980, the walkout
happened during
one of the busiest
times of the year,
the holiday sea-
son.
Metropolitan
Transportation
Authority officals
a s we l l a s M a yo r M i c h a e l
Bloomberg said that the strike vio-
lated New York State’s Taylor Law,
which bans strikes by public em-
ployees. State Justice Theodore
Jones hit the union with a fine of $1
million a day. The union called for
an appeal, claiming that the penalty
was “excessive.”
The strike shut down the city's
bus and subway system and trig-
gered the city's contingency plan,
which required all vehicles entering
Manhattan south of 96th Street be-
tween 5 A.M. and 11 A.M. to have
at least four passengers. In addition,
the plan called for some roadways to
be closed to all but emergency vehi-
cles and for taxis to enforce a zone-
based fare system. The full strike
included the two private bus lines,
Triboro Coach Lines and Jamaica
Buses, that went on strike Monday.
“The city is functioning, and
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
storms’ damage. They have also
stated that they are working as
quickly as possible. However, many
local officials are not satisfied and
have begun to terminate their deal
with the Army Corps.
Moreover, there have been de-
bates over how the cleanups should
be done. In Biloxi, Mississippi,
whole neighborhoods have been
condemned. When a neighborhood
is condemned, a property owner can
object to the removal of homes and
large debris. However, many houses
are usually destroyed and some resi-
dents feel that the government is
moving too quickly. John Grower
said, “They’re bullying people. It’s
martial law.” The government’s
officials, stand by their actions.
They feel that they are getting the
land ready for new construction and
enabling the resident to move ahead.
In other Gulf Coast towns, the
governments have decided to con-
demn building on a case by case
basis. This means that fewer houses
are destroyed. However, it also
makes the process longer and more
tedious, resulting in resident de-
mands of more action and less plan-
ning. ◙
functioning well considering the
severe circumstances,” Mayor
Bloomberg said during the strike.
He sharply criticized the TWU, say-
ing that it “shamefully decided they
don’t care about the people they
work for, and they have no respect
for the law. Their leadership thug-
gishly turned its back on New York
City. This strike
is costing us.”
Others, like
Kenny Herbert
of Brooklyn,
disagreed. He
said, “It’s two
arrogant groups
not caring that
7 million peo-
ple are incon-
venienced.”
Transit work-
ers, who make $35,000 to $55,000 a
year, demanded a 24% pay increase
in a new three-year contract, while
the MTA offered 9 percent. A pro-
posed pension plan may have been
the last straw The MTA’s pension
offer involved taking 6% of every
new worker’s salary for their first
10 years of work to pay for pen-
sions. The TWU also clashed with
the MTA over health care. The
MTA wanted workers to pay 1% of
their salary for health care, a pro-
posal the TWU vigorously opposed.
The strike ended on December
23, and subways and buses were up
and running by the morning of the
24th. Despite the MTA’s and the
TWU’s differences, the strike is
now over. “Everything will go back
to normal at midnight,” Bloomberg
said at a news conference. And
things are running smoothly, at least
for now. ◙
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
‘Tis the Season for Post-Holiday
Shopping
Continued from Page 1
sumers away.
Retailers hope that post-holiday
discounts will make up for the lost
sales, with a number of stores in-
cluding Best Buy and Target offer-
ing discounts of up to 65 percent.
Many stores opened their doors for
early bird sales, as frantic bargain
hunters sifted through the shelves
for the season’s leftovers as early as
6 A.M. on December 26.
Economist Michael P. Memira
expects that the week after Christ-
mas will be “big” for retailers, with
a 3 to 3.5 percent sales increase for
the November-December period
compared to a year ago. He also
expects shoppers to redeem gift
cards and return unwanted goods in
greater numbers than ever before. ◙
Update on China’s Economy
BY BENNETT HONG
JUNIOR STAFF WRITER
The booming Chinese economy
has surpassed Italy’s, becoming the
sixth largest in the world. China
would jump to No.
4, trailing only the
United States,
Japan and Ger-
many while sur-
passing Britain
and France, if
Hong Kong were
to be included.
China re-
ported that its
economy is much
bigger and less China is relying less on international exports,
export-dependent such as French retailer Louis Vuitton.
than previously
noted. In a new
survey, the Chinese government
took into account the emerging ser-
vice business, a previously underre-
ported sector, and boosted projec-
tions of China’s output for 2004 by
16.8%. It also estimated China’s
2004 gross domestic product, or the
broadest measure of trade in goods
and services, at 16 trillion yuan ($2
trillion), up 2.3 tril-
lion yuan ($285
billion) from previ- Undeniably they’re tion of 1.3 billion
ously reported num-
bers. The data also going to be the sec- people means it still
highlighted the in- ond-largest econ-
creasingly important
omy in the
service sector’s
share of the econ- a few years.
omy. It also reveals
that only 29% of
China’s economy is export-based,
rather than the previously stated
34%.
Analysts say this new data may
ease fears that China’s export and
investment rates were
“unsustainably high,” because Chi-
nese consumers are spending much
more than previously thought, fuel-
ing economic growth and reducing
January 5, 2006 Business/Opinions
Gift Card Facts
$18.48 billion
Estimated total sales of gift cards
this holiday season.
$88.03 dollars
Amount an average consumer was
expected to spend on gift cards.
52.3 %
Percentage of consumers polled who
said they would like to receive gift
cards.
44 %
Percentage of gift card holders that
will redeem their cards within a
month of receiving it.
Source: Survey by National Retail
Federation.
reliance on exports. “The Chinese
economic miracle will look less like
a miracle and more like a normal
country,” said Steve Tsang, director
of the Asian Studies Center at St.
Associated Press
Anthony’s College at Oxford Uni-
versity.
Still, China’s trading partners
complain that its government-
controlled currency exchange rates
are too low, giving Chinese export-
ers an unfair price advantage. How-
ever, Li Deshui, director of the Chi-
nese Statistics Bureau, said, “that
despite the upward revision in sheer
economic size,
China’s vast popula-
ranks below the top
100 countries in
world in output per capita.
We still have a long
way to go to catch
up with the devel-
oped countries.”
David Cohen of the consulting
firm Action Economics in Singapore
poses a question on many econo-
mists mind: “Undeniably they’re
going to be the second-largest econ-
omy in the world in a few years.
And then the question is: At what
point do they surpass the U.S. in
size?” ◙
Page 5
Snapple on Trial in Massachusetts
Schools
Continued from Page 1 If the plaintiffs win over the corpo-
the sugary drinks that are being sold rations, the case could be very well
be expanded to include other states,
cause high rates of child obesity.
Yet the corporations claim that the which would be very likely since
sugary drinks are not harmful, but Massachusetts has very tough con-
sumer rights laws. The case would
instead beneficial. The American
Beverage Association, the lobbying likely set a precedent for future bev-
group for the beverage industry, erage lawsuits. Snapple Beverage
recently released a study arguing Corp. may have to cancel their $126
that soda sales in schools are not a million dollar contracts, removing
contributor to rising obesity rates. their vending machines as well as
The ABA also claims that the corpo- the revenue that NYC schools would
receive in the contract. If the plain-
rations have already taken some
steps in dealing with this problem, tiffs seek monetary damages, the
lowering the sales of full calorie and reward could be a possible $25 for
sugared drinks. Also, nearly half of each violation, which translates to
all schools in America have public $25 for each drink the corporations
contracts with these corporations, sold in the schools. ◙
which are touted as important
sources of income.
How could this case affect us?
Taiwan’s Place in
Asian-Pacific Politics
BY JOSH ZHOU weight to China.
After Chiang Kai-Shek’s Na-
STAFF WRITER
tionalist Party fled to Taiwan in
In the December 3rd election,
1949, mainland China and Taiwan
Taiwan’s Nationalist Party won a
have functioned as de facto inde-
landslide victory over the incumbent
pendent nations. However, Beijing
Democratic Progressive Party, tak-
still views Taiwan as a renegade
ing 17 of the 23 municipal constitu-
island whose eventual destiny is
encies. This marks the height of the
reunification with
island’s dissatis-
the ma i n l a n d .
faction with DPP’s
Because of Taiwan’s Sixty years after
policies, which
many link to grow- strategic location, Ja- China’s civil war,
the same National-
ing hostility to- pan is watching its po- ist Party is now
wards mainland
litical inclinations at advocating com-
China. Polls place
promises across
charismatic nation- every moment and of- the Taiwan Strait,
alist Party Chair-
leading to eventual
man Ma Ying-Jeou fering tremendous
reunification. The
as the frontrunner support to the pro- ruling Democratic
in the island’s
2008 presidential
independence forces Progressive Party,
headed by current
election. Should on the island.
President Chen
the Nationalist
Shui-Bian, holds a
Party successfully retake power,
strong anti-mainland view and is
China’s influence in Taiwan may
pushing for Taiwanese independ-
grow. Until now, the United States
ence.
and Japan have been able to use
While the United States might
Taiwan as a counterweight to
not see China as an enemy, it is still
China’s rise to power and maintain
pursuing actions to contain its rise
the political and military status-quo
as a regional power. As a contain-
of the region.
ment policy that has remained from
The sleeping dragon has finally
the Cold War, the United States has
awoken. Its huge population, rapid
pledged to defend Taiwan in case of
economic growth, and increasing
an invasion from the mainland. Tai-
military modernization have made
wan serves as a focal point of an
mainland China a force to be reck-
encirclement of American allies and
oned with in Asia. The Chinese state
military bases around China. It is
line is that it wishes for a “peaceful
the link from Japan through Viet-
rise” and a “harmonious multi-polar
nam, to India. While the United
world”. Yet, the United States and
States does not want to see Taiwan
Japan, the old guards of the Asian-
declare formal independence, it also
Pacific region, are increasingly
does not want to see Taiwan reunite
viewing China’s rise to power with
with China. The United States’ be-
wary eyes. The United States and
lieve that it is in its best interest if
Japan have formed a mutual alliance
cross-strait relations remain at a
and enlisted Taiwan as a counter-
Continued on Page 6
Page 6
A Solution Instead
of a Scapegoat
BY ALVIS YUEN
STAFF WRITER
The transit strike crippled New
York City for three days. And even
though the strike is now over, the
underlying problem remains. It is
arguable whether anybody gained
anything from the transit strike. The
transit strike was not something that
happened overnight. Both the MTA
and the Transport Workers Union
Local 100 made mistakes which
precipitated the strike.
The government has misman-
aged the transit system for many
years. In the 1990s, Governor Pataki
reduced the state’s contribution to
the MTA to finance his tax cuts. As
a result, the MTA had to borrow
massive amounts of money to pay
for new trains, buses, and other
things needed to maintain New
York’s century-old transit system.
By 2007, the MTA will spend twice
as much paying off its debt than it
contributes to the pension program.
After 9/11, the MTA has been
in a downward spiral in terms of
public relations. For the past few
years, commuters had to hold their
breath every time drivers of a subsi-
dized private bus line such as
Greenline Buses threatened to
strike. Greenline bus drivers have
been working without a contract for
3 years because of the city’s notori-
ously slow takeover of the private
bus lines. In addition, fares were
raised to $2 in 2003,
with the possibil-
Job qualifica-
ity of even higher
prices in the com- tions for transit
ing years. In
workers are lower
2004, M a yo r
Bloomberg gave than those for other the $1 billion surplus,
pink slips to many
city workers to
employees of the
balance the city but
budget; he re- workers are paid
duced the number
of cleaners and
more and
subway station ute less to their
clerks, threatening pensions.
to lower the stan-
dard of service even f u r t h e r .
In an attempt to regain the public’s
favor, the MTA unraveled holiday
discounts with its $1 billion surplus.
But the transit workers, disen-
chanted by looming inflation and
the layoffs, were irked when the
MTA refused to accept their con-
tract proposal while it had so much
available capital.
However, the TWU is not with-
out faults. For one thing, the TWU
rejected a generous offer from the
MTA. The MTA proposed a three-
January 5, 2006 Opinions
Point-Counterpoint
year contract with raises of 3%, 4%,
and 3.5%. As a tradeoff, the MTA
wanted new employees to contribute
6% of wages toward pensions. The
reason the TWU has been labeled by
some as greedy is that their current
contract is already very generous.
Job qualifications for transit work-
ers are lower than those for other
employees of the city but transit
During the strike on December 20, some
workers decided to protest such as this.
workers are paid more and contrib-
ute less to their pensions. A big rea-
son the TWU is unwilling to budge
from their contract demands is the
$1 billion surplus; Roger Toussaint,
president of the TWU, said, “With a
$1 billion surplus, this contract be-
tween the MTA and the
Transport Workers Un-
ion should have been a
no-brainer.” What
Toussaint failed to
realize is that out of
$450 million is al-
ready spent on pen-
sion. With large up-
transit
coming debt pay-
ments, the MTA needs
contrib- to spend the surplus
wisely; Toussaint is
inconsiderate of the
MTA and its financial
woes. Despite the
strikes, the TWU is still without a
contract.
There are many lessons to be
learned from the strike. But the most
important lesson we should learn is
the devastating effect of a transit
strike because in the end, everyone
lost in some way. So instead of de-
bating who is more at fault, why not
use those brain cells to find solu-
tions that will get to the roots of the
problem and prevent any future
transit strikes. ◙
A Beacon for All Unions
BY HANFORD CHIU
STAFF WRITER
The Transportation Worker’s
Union’s strike on December 20,
2005 was no doubt an inconven-
ience to most people within the five
boroughs. This three-day strike dis-
rupted workers and tourists alike,
costing the city hundreds of millions
of dollars each day in lost revenue.
Yet though the consequences of the
strike were severe, it is important to
remember the ideals and signifi-
World Socialist
transit
cance of unions and strikes in gen-
eral.
One important reason that the
TWU had to strike was the signifi-
cant changes that the MTA proposed
to worker contracts. These included
low yearly raise percentages, a
shortened contract from three years
to two, a retirement plan that raised
the retirement age by seven years
and forced small contributions to
Taiwan’s Place in
Asian-Pacific Politics
Continued from Page 5
status quo: with the anti-China DPP
in power without provoking military
action from China by formal decla-
ration of independence.
The Japanese interest in China’s
rise is much more evident. In a his-
tory marked by strife, the current
Sino-Japanese fight for oil and natu-
ral resources just adds more fuel to
the flame. Because it lacks natural
resources, Japan imports all of its
oil. Most of Japan's oil is shipped
through two sea lanes: one directly
south of Taiwan and another farther
south, which increases the shipping
length by a costly two day. With its
rapid economic growth, China also
has become a major consumer of
natural resources. The East China
Sea is the playing field for these two
Asian powers. The one who gains
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
pensions as well as health care.
These may seem insignificant to us,
but to the TWU, it was an outrage.
And to the TWU, outrages are not
taken lightly.
After all, the TWU is a very
militant union that is very protective
of its workers. Compared to other
recent contract disputes, the one
concerning TWU and the MTA was
obviously much larger with greater
implications. It only took a few days
of working without a contract for
the TWU to strike, as opposed to the
teacher’s union, which had teachers
working for years without a con-
tract. The TWU also broke the Tay-
lor Law, resulting in fines of mil-
lions of dollars. The TWU also en-
dured widespread criticism, severe
economic impact, as well as threats
of imprisonment to its leaders for a
decent contract for its workers.
It does not make sense for the
TWU to fight so hard and against
such obstacles for a seemingly triv-
ial cause. So maybe we have to
question our views. Maybe it is us
who do not realize the true conse-
quences of these unfair contracts. It
is important to remember that un-
ions exist to protect the rights of
individual workers. Without unions,
society might revert back to times
when there were strenuous child
labor, horrible living conditions, and
widespread oppression. Thus, do not
simply confine this battle between
the TWU and the MTA as benefit-
ing one group or union. This strike
should be an example for all unions
and corporations that workers are
not to be mistreated and that they
should be given fair working condi-
tions. ◙
control of these natural resources
will decidedly gain an advantage in
fueling its economy and military.
Because of Taiwan’s strategic loca-
tion, Japan is watching its political
inclinations at every moment and
offering tremendous support to the
pro-independence forces on the is-
land.
Though united by historical and
cultural ties, Taiwan and Mainland
China have distinctly different po-
litical systems. Should the National-
ist Party win the 2008 election, it is
unlikely that they will significantly
change the status quo for the near
future. We will not see the People’s
Liberation Army in Taiwan for a
few years to come. However, it
might also spell the beginning of the
end of Taiwan as an American-
Japanese ally against China. ◙
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD January 5, 2006 Literary Page 7

The First Sign of Snow I just want to see life breathe

BY JENNIFER LEE
BY SALLY CHEUNG STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER I lived in a world of my own. I wouldn't share. I did not want to share. But
With the summer came and gone, then I met him. He turned my world upside down, gave colors to the black and
Comes the first chilling wind, white hues. I was confused. I hated and liked him at the same time. He showed
Blowing the leaves on the trees down, me a picture once. His sister and him just standing under an umbrella...in a
The raindrops to the leaves it binds, field of the most beautiful poppies I've ever seen. Though it was just a photo, I
With the coming of the first chilling wind, wanted to see the flowers. They called to me.
Children wait anxiously for the moment,
For the moment when the first sign of snow would appears, Suddenly, depression sunk down unto me. Life was too hectic, those black
When Christmas will finally arrive, and white threads constantly pulling me down. I sat in the tub for hours. I
When the indication of a new year will come, dreamed of that poppy field. Day and night, day and night. There was some-
The first sign of snow, thing I had to do though. So I told him. He listened.
A sign of the arrival of winter and Christmas,
A sign of a new start in the New Year, Take me there. Let me see those beautiful poppies before I die.
A sign of happiness and joy,
A sing of being close to our family, You're not going to die. I won't let you.
No matter how old or how young,
The first sign of snow, Why not-well, it won't even matter-I just want you to take me there. There's
Brings both joy and tears to all, something about those flowers..about…
Snow piling up higher and higher,
Transforming everything to winter wonderland, Alright. Nods.
Children giggling and laughing,
Parents smiling as their children sled down the snow, The breeze is just right. And miraculously, it was raining. It tastes sweet. We
Binding everyone close together, stopped driving and got off at this windmill pastoral place. I can't describe it.
During the season of winter, The big sky, the fields...too beautiful. I feel I have fell into this sacred beautiful
Is the first sign of snow. sanctuary. We fall onto a bed of poppies. Strange how the world can feel so
big. Together, under the enchantment of rain, sky, and breeze, we are the little
people. We have become one. And for a minute, I don't want to leave just yet.
Maybe not leave at all. Who knows...maybe...maybe I don't have to die. After
all...you showed me the way. I want to return the favor.

Give me a flower. Give me your poppy fields. I'm not a girly girl. I just
want to see life breathe.
BY JENNIFER LEE
STAFF WRITER
This angel.
She is not beautiful.
She is plain. Her face, weary and old,
Holidays Are Forever
But that is to be expected BY STEPHANIE TAM
From some being molded by children’s hands. STAFF WRITER
Those hands are called Faith. White little flakes
We keep something that others no longer keep Of snow fall down
At the darkest of times, The holiday season
The Cracking Walls breach apart, Approaches the town
And through amazing time and space, Families and friends
We children can visit that angel- Decorate trees
Behold, the fallen changing times. And, of course,
On that side of the Wall, we can fly There are festivities
In water of Blue roses and birds sing under School is out
The art-noveau’s symbols. For at least a week
There is something called the Impossible. Though the weather
We can reach that Impossible. Is somewhat bleak
Look- I‘m already stretching my wings, The New Year comes
Come-let’s fly together. Celebrations end
Until next year
When it happens again

Join our Poetry Fests!

Send your poems and stories to
Literary@stuystandard.org
Page 8 January 5, 2006 Literary/Puzzles THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

The Call for Growth Last Issue’s Solutions

BY CAROLINE HUGH Cryptograms
STAFF WRITER
This is an ordinary nglish sntnc, but Stealing ideas from one person is
I heard them buzz in the black night,
a crtain lttr of th alphabt has bn called plagiarism. Stealing from
Heard them crawl out of empty space. omittd vry tim it appars. many is known as research.
Zuh, zuh, zuh are their electric cries.
They stood, still telephone poles Sudoku
With black strips connected to their nodes.
Eyeless Siamese dolls born with no meaning.
The children must live on fear.
3 5 8 9 6 1 2 4 7
They smell my yellow pasty sweat
So I back away hoping to feel for a wall 7 6 9 4 5 2 3 1 8
To be my guide, to let me steal away
From their empty hunting stares. 2 4 1 3 8 7 5 6 9
I did not ask for this portrait,
Not for this sleep, not for this dream.
I yank my eyes away from their sockets but
5 2 3 6 7 4 9 8 1
My head sees their stubby feely fingers crawl
Over me, squirming like gray maggots 1 7 4 2 9 8 6 3 5
Eager to digest the half-buried lamb.
No, their call is not a whisper, 8 9 6 1 3 5 7 2 4
They scream and screech and call me
Mother. What can I do? I sob and run out
Of breath, I am sick of running.
9 8 2 5 4 6 1 7 3
My god, my maddening pulse tells me
They are winning and I have no seconds left. 6 3 7 8 1 9 4 5 2
They are not children for breast milk
They want the meat and substance--
4 1 5 7 2 3 8 9 6
They breathe their desire as they whir closer--
They want the intoxicating wine.
Crossword Puzzle
28 1.
T E S L A
18
I C
3 29 30 19.
V F O T H O M P S O N
32 14.
I N O B E L T S U E
31
C A R R I O N A I T P O
2. 17 20
P H A G O C Y T O S I S O K A P I

S H C C N

T P K A D
4. 21 31
O E L I O T H B R I G A D E
7.
N B A O R G S
6.
J E R S E Y D E V I L E O I

R E M M
5. 22
S P A R K A O

E P V
27
R M E
8. 9. 23 24
K A W X E N O N

E W E N
33 11.
C L E A N E R A I S

P I
10. 25
S O D I U M P E N T A T H O L

N L O
21 12. 13.
G R A I N C O L T E

R L W S
15. 26
A D A M A N T I U M I I S

D O T S
16.
C O E L A C A N T H H T
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD January 5, 2006 Puzzles Page 9

Sudoku X-Men
BY JOHN REUEL BY JONATHAN XIKIS
STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains
the digits 1 through 9. R W R E U U U M L L T N D I I
R E I V A X A E K G U Y Q G R
2 B P L R R G G M J P A O E Q E
W E R W N N Y C C M N G I C I
4 7 P G N E A U M B C E R P L Y D
X S T A D R Z K N T E T S C E
3 4 7 1 6 2 G O Y C M H C I C U G I H L S
L L K L A E R T M K G B H O Z
8 9 5 7 S P N V O E C T H P U M F P R
V T O Q V C M I W G J A X S O
2 7 8 9 O K O L W R K H Z L I G K W G
T Z O R N L L E B G S N R F U
3 9 2 5 G W N X M S H A D O W C A T E
Y J Q O E Z U F C C E W J T J
9 6 7 5 3 1 A P J Z V B E A S T F R C B I
ANGEL NIGHTCRAWLER
4 6 BEAST PSYLOCKE
CYCLOPS ROGUE
GAMBIT SHADOWCAT
2 HAVOK STORM
ICEMAN WOLVERINE
JUGGERNAUT XAVIER

Crossword Puzzle MAGNETO

42. Lacking humidity 10. Monogram unit (abbr.)
44. Ump’s kin 11. Despicable
BY JESSIE LUK 46. Packed for shipment 19. “For __, the winter is past…”
PUZZLE COLUMNIST 49. Kind of rabbit 21. GOP mem.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 52. Corned beef dish 23. Norwegian feature
53. Like a slacker 24. Braying beast
12 13 14 55. Unpurified 25. Soaked through
56. Feminine suffix 27. All __ once
15 16 17 57. Dropper’s word 29. Military branch (2 wds.)
58. AFL’s partner 30. ___ G. Carroll
18 19 20 21 59. Rip 31. Vane direction
60. Trial run 33. Spread on thickly
22 23 61. Angled annex 35. “__ Wild Irish Rose”
Down 38. Before, poetically
24 25 26 27 36 29 30 31 1. Poor grades 40. Papa Hemingway
2. Detail 43. Jerk
32 33 34 35 36 3. 25th president of the U.S. 45. Actor Marshall
4. Clown Kelly 46. Atkins or Huntley
37 38 39 40 41 5. Portal 47. Evaluate
6. Groom’s vow (2 wds.) 48. Nick Charles’s pooch
42 43 44 45 7. Choir member 49. Skiers’ mecca
8. Modified, as laws 50. Hobo transportation
46 47 48 49 50 51 9. “____ Las Vegas” 51. Army deserter (abbr.)
54. Mama deer
52 53 54 55

56 57 58 Crypto Corner
59 60 61 BY JEFFREY LIAW has been coded by substituting each
STAFF WRITER letter with a different letter. For
instance, if T=A, H=B, and E=C,
Across 20. Showy What is a Cryptogram? then the word "the" would appear as
1. ___ sum (Chinese breakfast) 22. Negative word Cryptograms are writing that "abc" throughout the puzzle.
4. Revise 23. Actor MacMurray
8. Tel ____ 24. Cobbler’s tool
OR JHSVYFBD CVEFGHRU? Your answer:
12. And so on (abbr.) 26. ___ Mahal
13. Method 32. Looks at BCHIAUNFSFIN TDZHWUD
14. Short skirt 34. Male turkey VWY MCVED JHOFER FU
15. Comic strip scream 36. Quits, as a battery CVOD, HIG ZCYFUBOHU
16. Satellite 37. Distinctive manner TDZHWUD BCDR HYDI’B.
17. Like Satan 39. Deli loaf
18. One saying “cheese” 41. Line
 Page 10
Intelligent Design Is
Removed From
Science Curriculum
BY JENNIFER SCHLESINGER
OUT-OF-SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR
On December 20, a federal
judge, John E. Jones III, ruled that
the school district that includes Do-
ver, Pa. could no longer teach intel-
ligent design in science classes. In-
telligent design posits that certain
aspects of life are “irreducibly com-
plex” and must therefore have been
created by an intelligent entity.
The board had mandated that a
statement about intelligent design
must be read in all ninth-grade biol-
ogy classes. This was resented by
parents and students, and 11 parents
filed suit against the board.
Judge Jones declared that intel-
ligent design was a religious view-
point, not a scientific one, and there-
fore an infringement of the separa-
tion of church and state. Moreover,
Judge Jones accused the members of
the Dover school board of lying to
cover up religious motives.
Associated Press
Intelligent design may not be taught in Dover, Pa., schools.
The trial was the first involving
intelligent design. Although Judge
Jones’s ruling only applies to the
Dover school district, it is a major
victory for critics of intelligent de-
sign. These critics include many
scientists, who have been vocal
about the failings of intelligent de-
sign. They also believe intelligent
design to be unscientific. As Judge
Jones said, “The fact that a scien-
tific theory cannot yet render an
Questions? Comments?
It is the policy of The Standard to remain accessible to its readers.
Please contact us at
Readers@stuystandard.org
January 5, 2006 Science
explanation on every point should
not be used as a pretext to thrust an
untestable alternative theory
grounded in religion into the science
classroom.”
Proponents of intelligent design
feel that the judge overstepped his
bounds. As Dr. Michael J. Behe, a
professor at Lehigh University and a
witness for the school board, said,
“He talks about the ground rules of
science. What has a judge to do with
the ground rules of science?” The
advocates are steadfast in their be-
lief that intelligent design is science
and that it is useful in explaining the
gaps in evolution.
They also see the need for more
scientific study. As Richard Thomp-
son, the lead lawyer for the school
board, said, “A thousand opinions
by a court that a particular scientific
theory is invalid will not make the
scientific theory invalid. It is going
to be up to the scientists who are
going to continue to do research in
their lab that
will ulti-
mately deter-
mine that.”
Overall, the
trial re-
minded many
of the Scopes
“monkey”
trial, which
took place in
Tennessee in
1925. In that
trial, a posite of nearsightedness. In far-
teacher, John
T. Scopes,
was accused of wrongfully teaching
evolution, which violated the Butler
Act, which stated that the teaching
of evolution in public schools was
wrong because it contradicted the
account of creation in the Bible.
This act was repealed in 1967. How-
ever, the Scopes trial started the
fierce debate over what should be
taught in science classes. This de-
bate has not yet ended. ◙
Eyeglasses: Accessories
or Something More?
BY KENNETH LAM
STAFF WRITER
Walking around Stuy on a typi-
cal day, one sees a very familiar
sight: a sea of heads with glasses
curled around the ears. Are these
glasses part of a recent trend, or is it
that vision
itself is
simply de-
teriorating?
At a glance,
eyeglasses
appear to
be accesso-
ries, but
looking
deeper in,
they have a
much more Pince-nez were commonly used in the 19th century.
important
use.
Eyeglasses are lenses that cor-
rect people’s vision. Almost 66 per-
cent of American adults wear
glasses. Many of these people have
either nearsightedness or farsighted-
ness. Nearly everybody in the world
has astigmatism to some degree.
However, with the use of eye-
glasses, one may correct these prob-
lems.
In nearsightedness, usually the
eyeball is too long. The result is the
focal point ending up somewhere in
the middle of the eye instead of on
the surface of the retina, causing
distant objects to appear fuzzy. This
can also be caused by the cornea
being misshaped. Glasses will ex-
tend the focal point so that it hits the
retina, resulting in normal vision.
Farsightedness is the exact op-
sightedness, the eyeball is too short,
resulting in the focal point of light
entering the eye extending beyond
the retina. Again, glasses correct
this by moving the focal point.
Astigmatism is a case in which
the surface of your eye is bumpy.
The result is a blurry image when
light hits the retina. Most people, if
not all, have astigmatism. Glasses
redirect the light so that once again,
it hits the retina at the right point.
Glasses have come a long way
from since the old days. In the past,
glasses, or spectacles, were worn in
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
a number of strange ways. Some,
called pince-nez, pinched your nose
to stay on. Others were held up to
the eye by a long rod, known as the
lorgnette. However, today we wear
our glasses by either curling a frame
around the ears or wrapping a band
around the skull.
Interoptika
More recently, glasses consisted
of a frame with two extensions that
grabbed onto the ears. The lenses
were completely held in place by a
metal loop, and were made of glass.
This is still the most common shape
of frame. However, nowadays there
is a wider variety of frames and
lenses. Some frames are made of
light metals, such as titanium, or
plastic. Some frames hold the lenses
in place with two screws, and noth-
ing more.
Lenses come in even greater
variety. Polycarbonate lenses are
made out of plastic, and can be cut
much thinner than glass. Some
lenses are multifocal lenses, which
consist of multiple lenses com-
pounded together into one. Some
lenses have protective coatings on
them in order to protect the eye
from UV rays, a harmful form of
light. Aspheric lenses are very thin,
allowing for a lighter frame.
More and more people are mak-
ing the change over to contact
lenses. Contact lenses hug the eye,
and can only correct nearsighted-
ness. Many people make this change
in hopes of looking better, without
large bulky frames to get in the way.
However, one thing’s for sure: with-
out eyeglasses, many of the world’s
people would walk around blindly.
◙
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD January 5, 2006 A&E/Science/Sports Page 11

New York Teams Spend the Dough The New Teams

Continued from Page 12 One of the biggest problems Continued from Page 12 like upheaval felt two years ago,
to be immediately placed in the that come with spending all of this while Adelman’s when the Heat
Marlins starting rotation, where he money is the hype. There is a lot King’s have done started winning and
more pressure on second year man-
The best example of the Lakers started
could be for the next 15 years. Last better with a more
year, the Mets traded prized pros- ager Willie Randolph to make sure veteran team. a team which seems losing. But then
pect Scott Kazmir to the Tampa Bay his team performs to the level ex- In the following to have it all, and again, who knows?
Devil Rays in exchange for starting pected. He will have to answer months it will be Maybe some teams
pitcher Victor Zambrano. While questions from the media and his interesting to see
changes little is San will start to change
Zambrano has faltered in a Mets boss if the Mets go on losing streak how each of these Antonio with their incredibly in this
uniform, Kazmir showed signs of early. When Randolph and Joe teams reacts, and new year, and their
Torre, manager of the Yankees
dynasty-built con- seasons’ resolution
being a dominant pitcher. how the new players
The second prospect is Gaby meet, maybe they should talk about will fit in. Whatever tracts. will come true: to
Hernandez. Hernandez is only 19 more than the Subway sandwich does happen, we are win! ◙
years old, and he lit up Single A commercial they’re probably film- sure to not witness a drastic Shaq-
with his 6-1 record and a 2.43 ERA. ing.
While Hernandez doesn’t seem to Met fans around New York
factor in to the Marlins rotation for should be happy their team decided Everything out of the ordinary..
another three to four years, his enor- to spend some money. However, as
mous potential is an upside for this the Yankees can tell you, money Check out stuystandard.org
rebuilding Marlins franchise. doesn’t buy championships. ◙

Movie Bites: Memoirs of a Geisha

BY EMMA RABINOVICH
JUNIOR STAFF WRITER
“Memoirs of a Gei-
sha” is an adaptation of
Arthur Holden’s bestsel-
ler that follows the life of
Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang), a
Japanese girl who is sold
to a geisha house as a
child and becomes one of
the most renowned gei-
shas of her time.
The script is clunky;
actors Zhang, Gong Li,
and Koji Yakusho often
Ziyi Zhang stars in “Memoirs of a Geisha” deliver their lines in a
Yahoo
stumbling faux British fashion. But to her true love, the Chairman (Ken
when the actors let W a t a n a b e ) .
their body language Whether she is flirt-
and facial expres- ing with every man
sions do the talking, Exciting and versa- in Japan or selling
the movie shines. tile, “Memoirs of a her virginity to the
The cinematog-
raphy and set design
Geisha” has all the highest bidder, au-
diences can’t help
is beautiful. Every- emotional baggage but still understand
thing from the cos- of a soap opera with and sympathizes
tumes, the setting to with such a compel-
the dance scenes none of the fat. ling heroine.
looks like something Exciting and versa-
out of a dream. tile, “Memoirs of a
The acting is just as exquisite as Geisha” has all the emotional bag-
Zhang half-forces audiences to re- gage of a soap opera with none of
late to her struggle to find her way the fat. ◙

Kiss of Death Beagle on Mars

Continued from Page 1 that cause allergies.
FDA has mandated the clear label- An allergic reaction is stimu- BY EUGENE FONG NASA

ing of products in order to make
people aware of any allergen-
containing ingredients. This Food
Allergen Labeling and Consumer
Protection Act came into effect on
January 1. The law requires manu-
facturers to list the common names
of any allergenic substances con-
tained in their food.
The severity of allergies varies
from person to person. Peanut al-
lergy symptoms can include hives,
low blood pressure, and swelling of
the face or throat, which constricts
breathing.
Instances of peanut allergies
have doubled in the last ten years
lated by an immune system that is STAFF WRITER
hypersensitive to that allergen, or
In 2003 and 2004, aliens
any substance that triggers an aller-
touched down on the surface of
gic reaction. The immune system
Mars. They came in peace from the
serves as the body’s defense mecha-
planet Earth. From three spacecraft,
nism against biological influences.
two American and one European,
Used by the immune system in
rovers emerged with the purpose of
combating allergens, antibodies are
exploring the Martian landscape in
proteins that circulate in the blood-
search of life. Though the American
stream. People who have allergies A Mars Global Surveyor image
rovers remained active long after
produce an antibody called immu- of the possible crash site.
their predicted life spans, the Euro-
noglobulin E, or IgE. Each type of
pean probe, Beagle 2, never made atmosphere during the lander’s de-
IgE is cell-specific and will only
contact with its operators back on scent.
target certain allergens, making it a
Earth. Now NASA’s Mars Global Sur-
specific allergic response. When
Initial reports as to the failure veyor may have found the wreckage
that person comes into contact with
allergens, those allergens are cap- of Beagle 2. In photographs cap-
ESA

and more and more research is being
done on ways to eliminate them.
Effective medicines are still well in
the future; drugs to treat peanut al-
lergies will be available within the
next five years while drugs to elimi-
nate the risk of peanut allergies alto-
gether are forecasted to be devel-
oped within 15 years. Currently,
researchers are trying to find an-
other way to prevent peanut aller-
gies by developing a new variety of
peanut without the characteristics
tured by the IgE. This initiates the
release of chemical mediators,
which produce the symptoms of an
allergic reaction. The allergic reac-
tion can continue if the mediators
further inflame the tissue.
It is not yet understood why
some substances trigger allergic
reactions and others do not. An im-
portant factor is genetic predisposi-
tion, as the allergy may be heredi-
tary. ◙
An artist’s conception of
the Beagle 2 lander.
of the British spacecraft suggested
that it failed after scientists miscal-
culated the thickness of the Martian
tured by the satellite, the locations
of the spacecraft, parachutes and
debris, closely resemble what was
predicted.
Though Beagle 2 cannot be re-
paired, its remains may prove to be
the source of invaluable scientific
knowledge. Scientists may learn
what it was that made this landing
unsuccessful. Whether the problem
was a calculation error, a sandstorm,
or simply harsh terrain, studying
Beagle 2 can reduce risks in future
missions. ◙
Page 12
New York Teams Spend the Dough
BY ERIC MAYO
STAFF WRITER
With the off-season in full
swing, an interesting trend is occur-
ring in the New York baseball land-
scape. The big
January 5, 2006 Sports
Players like Paul O’Neill, Scott Bro-
sius, and Tino Martinez were play-
ing their final games of their Yan-
kee careers (though Tino did come
back). The Yankees had a win at all
costs mentality, and team owner
George Steinbrenner
ond starter Tom Glavine, is entering
the twilight of their career. The
Mets know that their time to win is
now. What do they do? Start spend-
ing. They signed ex-Philadelphia
Phillies closer Billy Wagner to a 4
year 43 million dollar Newsday
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
as much action as usual in the
Bronx.
The Mets need to very careful
of how they spend their money and
trade their prospects. The Yankees
have killed themselves over the past
five years by trading away most of
their good prospects (see Nick John-
son, Brandon Claussen, Mike
Lowell) and have nothing to show in
return. The Yankees

name free agent farm system is de-

was willing to spend deal. The Mets traded
signings and mega When Randolph pleted, which prevents
all the money it took separately with the
trades aren’t hap- them from making the
and Joe Torre, man- to win the World Se- Florida Marlins for
pening in the trades that are needed
ries. They signed first basemen Carlos
Bronx, but rather ager of the Yankees Oakland first base- to improve the bullpen
Delgado, who they
in Queens. Look- and the starting rota-
ing closely at the
meet, maybe they men Jason Giambi to unsuccessfully tried to
bolster their offense. sign last year, and tion.
situation, it’s hard should talk about They signed Steve Paul Lo Duca, one of To complete the two
to miss the simi- more than the Sub- Karsay to bridge the deals with the Florida
the top 10 catchers in
larities between Marlins, the Mets had
the Mets now and way sandwich com- gap between Mariano all of baseball. The two new Mets, Carlos
to give up two of their
Rivera and the start- The Yankees con- Delgado, and Billy Wagner.
the Yankees five mercial they’re most prized prospects.
ing pitching. tinue to make big-
years ago. One of those prospects is Yusmeiro
probably filming. Flash forward five money deals. Their major moves
Fi ve years Petit, a 21 year old right handed
years. The Mets are have been to sign Johnny Damon
ago, both teams flamethrower. At Double A Bing-
coming off one of away from the rival Red Sox and
were coming off hamton last year, Petit was 9-3 with
their best seasons in recent years, righty reliever Kyle Farnsworth for
disappointing seasons. The Yankees a 2.90 ERA. He struck out 130 in
but are still disappointed by not 17 million dollars over three years.
had just lost their first World Series 117 innings, an incredible 10 strike-
making the playoffs for the fifth While the Yankees will also look to
during the Joe Torre era to Arizona outs per nine innings. Petit is going
straight year. Their pitching staff, sign utility infielder Miguel Cairo in
in the 9th inning of the 7th game.
led by ace Pedro Martinez and sec- the coming days, there hasn’t been
Continued on Page 11
they want to win the title more than
The New anything and they add a veteran
touch to a team that could certainly
use it.
Teams The two teams that are premier
in these types of transfers and acqui-
sitions are the Miami Heat and the
BY OSMAN NEMLI Indiana Pacers. Since Reggie Miller
SPORTS EDITOR retired at the end of last year Indi-
ana has been attempted to find a
A new year is upon us, and with replacement for the irreplaceable
this New Year there are a full arse- Reggie. Since then, they have also
nal of new teams. But why is it that been forced to get rid of Ron Artest,
radical? Don’t we witness new a growing cancer within the team
teams every year? Aren’t players who had to be dealt with before it
transferred each year to and from spread. Meanwhile the Heat have
been acquiring quite a number
of impressive players, namely
Antoine Walker, Gary Payton,
and Jason Williams. Add these
players to Shaq and Dwayne
Wade and you have the possibil-
ity of a championship winning
team. What, then is the cham-
pion team, the Spurs, doing?
Precisely what people expect
them to do with a winning for-
mula: Nothing. Their one acqui-
sition is one of the greatest in
the league: Michael Finley, the
Dallas forward. The best exam-
ple of a team which seems to
have it all, and changes little is
San Antonio with their dynasty-
built contracts. Two western
teams which also seem to have
The trouble man, Ron Artest. changed drastically are the Dal-
las Mavericks, who aren’t living
NBA

up to their names’ reputation,

teams with hot new prospects?
Aren’t new rookies drafted and
don’t we continue to see similar
teams reach the finals year after
year? While that might all be true,
teams are tempted to cut the amount
of years for them to win a trophy by
buying a lot of the players that
won’t be playing in a couple of
years. These players are more easily
swayed by the stronger teams since
and the Houston Rockets. These two
are teams which people thought
would do a lot better than they are at
the moment. Since losing Michael
Finley to the Spurs, Dallas has tried
to build up a team to Dirk’s liking,
and a team which wouldn’t only rely
on his play. Meanwhile, the Rockets
with Yao and McGrady have re-
mained relatively quiet in the west
Continued on Page 11