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School, state budget reductions impacting district schools

District adopts developmental assets

[Entertainment]

Tiffany Hu & Annie ShueyEntertainment Editor &

Managing Editor

District BudgetThis year, the Palo Alto Unified

School District (PAUSD) has seen $3.8 million, or a little over two per-cent of the overall budget, slashed. According to PAUSD Co-Chief Business Officer Cathy Mak, cuts made in order to balance the budget include increased elementary and secondary class sizes, the reduc-tion of ten classified administrative and support staff positions, and the decision to close middle school swimming pools from November through March. However, PAUSD has not been as greatly affected as other districts in the state have. “What brings Palo Alto ahead is

community support,” Mak said. “Lots of basic aid districts have to make difficult decisions. With us, we have the backing of the com-munity.”

As a basic aid school district, PAUSD receives only minimal cat-egorical funding from the state for specific programs and mainly relies on property taxes and community support for funds. In contrast, the majority of school districts in the country are revenue limit districts that are funded almost entirely by the state based on average daily attendance. According to PAUSD Fiscal Services Manager Yancy Hawkins, California is requiring basic aid districts to take their “fair share reductions” in categorical funds while most revenue limit districts are cutting at least five

percent of their budgets, and often more. “As tough as it is for us, it’s tougher for other districts,” he said. “We’re lucky because we’re insulated a little more due to our community support.”

In addition to taking fair share reductions, PAUSD is also expe-riencing a downturn in property taxes, its main source of revenue. “An advantage of being a basic aid district is that we have more resources,” Mak said. “The biggest disadvantage is the uncertainty of property taxes. Property taxes fluc-tuate from year to year because they reflect the economy. This year, it was almost flat.” According to Mak, another disadvantage is that prop-erty taxes do not adjust for student enrollment growth. “In Palo Alto, we have an annual student growth

of two to three percent,” she said. “It is a cost we have to factor in—we have more students in the district, but no additional revenue.”

In an effort to regain some funding lost due to reductions and property taxes, the school board proposed a parcel tax, Measure A, in May. The measure passed overwhelmingly with a close to 80 percent yes vote, and will remain in effect for six years. “The pass-ing of the parcel tax is amazing for our schools,” Principal Katya Villalobos said.

Hawkins describes PAUSD’s solution to the reduced funding as a three-legged stool composed of parcel tax funds, cuts wherever possible and the district’s savings reserve from when property taxes were booming. According to Mak,

open positions for employment are also being evaluated carefully by senior management and Superin-tendent Kevin Skelly with positions being filled only if necessary.

Gunn BudgetBecause of the district budget

cuts, changes are being made at Gunn and Palo Alto High (Paly). However, according to Villalobos, affectedsame,”d. “The goal is to be financially and fiscally responsible for our students.”

According to Villalobos, class periods were tightly allocated this year. However, despite the soft hir-ing freeze imposed throughout the district last spring, Gunn has been able to backfill staffing holes.

Unlike many other schools in theBUDGET—p.3

[Centerfold] MythBusters: Food Edition, pgs. 10-11[Forum] Islamic relations discussed, pg. 6[Features] Awkward is not a Homecoming theme pg. 8

Staffers ex-plore alter-native ways to exercise, pg. 15

Fall sports kicking off the season, pg. 18

Project Safety Net aims to build resilience in students and provide support Ashley Ngu

News Editor

A framework of school staff, physicians, parents and local organizations, collectively called Project Safety Net (PSN), has come together to promote the community-wide adoption of the Developmental Assets. The list, which originates from a PSN partner organization named Project Cornerstone, contains 41 assets and acts

as a blueprint for a web of support from which young people can become resilient adults.

PSN was created in the summer of 2009 in response to the student suicides during the

2008-2009 school year. Along with numerous Palo Alto city representatives, the Palo

Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), the Palo Alto Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, two local hospitals and several youth service organizations, PSN members have

created a comprehensive community-based mental

h e a l t h p l a n ge a r e d towards addressing the overall health of youth in Palo Alto. The plan recommends 22 strategies that are assembled into three

topic areas: education, prevention and intervention.

As a central component of this plan, the developmental assets were introduced to the Palo Alto community as a resource detailing the

essential components in successful and thriving youths’ lives. Forty assets were originally identified by the Search Institute, a non-profit youth research organization, while the 41st asset was added by Project Cornerstone to reflect

the importance of cultural diversity in the Santa

Clara community. “The importance of the 41 developmental assets for all children and youth is most easily understood if we think of each one of them being one of the building blocks of healthy development,” School Partnership Director of Project Cornerstone Linda Silvius wrote in an e-mail.

The assets are separated into two groups. The first group consists of external assets, which include outside support, em-powerment and the enforcement of boundaries. Building these external assets is outside the control of an individual youth. These assets, such as family support, positive peer influence and the involvement of adult role models, are the responsibility of other community members. “The Search Institute notes that adults build assets for youth ‘by creating thousands of moments in time when young people feel valued, respected and known’,” Silvius wrote. “What the children and youth of Santa Clara County tell us through the asset survey is that we adults need to do a better job in creating those thousands of moments in time.”

The second group, the internal assets, encompasses the individual’s own conscience, principles, identity and personal commitments. Silvius pointed out an example she discovered in article with Gunn student interviews.“What caught my attention was that those students wanted to have training in peer counsel-ing,” she said. “Students wanted to be given the skills to make a positive difference in the lives of their friends— that is asset building at its best!”

In 2005, almost 14,000 students from fourth to twelfth grade were surveyed by Project Cornerstone. The results showed that those with more assets are increasingly likely to help others, maintain good health, overcome adversity and exhibit more positive behaviors overall. On the other hand, those with fewer assets are more likely to become involved with alcohol, skip school, exhibit anti-social and other negative behavior. “There is also a slight gender difference though it is not a statistically significant difference,” Silvius said. “Some of the thinking on why girls have slightly more assets on average than boys do is the fact that in general, girls are more relationship oriented than boys —but again, it’s not statistically significant.” On the whole, the hope for the promotion of asset building is for each boy and girl to eventually have 31-41 assets. From the 2005 survey, it was

Henry Liu

[Sports]

ASSETS—p.2

News2

Editor-in-ChiefLinda Yu

Managing EditorsAnnie Shuey

Sarah-Jean Zubair

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Emily Zheng

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Staff

780 Arastradero RdPalo Alto, CA 94306

(650) 354-8238http://gunn.pausd.org/oracle

The Oracle is published by and for the students of Henry M. Gunn Senior High School. The unsigned editorials that appear in this publication represent the majority opinion of the editorial staff and The Oracle's commitment to promoting students' rights. The Oracle strongly encourages and prints signed Letters to the Editor. Please include your name, grade and contact information should you choose to write one. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements and the writer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the content. Letters to the editor and ideas for coverage may be sent to gunnoracle@yahoo.com. These letters and ideas need not be from current students. The Oracle publishes 9 issues annually. Subscriptions are $42/year.

THEORACLE

n ASSETS from pg. 1 determined that the average num-ber of assets a a youth has steadily declines as the student becomes older. By high school, the average number of assets a student has ranges from 16 to 18. “I believe this trend is partly caused by mental development,” Principal Katya Villalobos said. “K through 5 are at a stage where it’s all about being very close to the adults on campus. But as kids get older, there is a transitional change and their views on adults and the community changes. They want more independence, yet they still need us.”

The survey also showed that only eight percent of Santa Clara youth have the ideal 31 to 41 as-sets. To isolate the specific needs of Palo Alto youth, PAUSD and PSN will conduct the Project Cor-nerstone Sur-vey of Devel-opmental As-sets in place of the annual Palo Alto Re-a l it y Check Survey. “The su r vey wi l l measure stu-dents’ attitudes, behaviors and assets,” PAUSD Coordinator of Student Services Amy Drolette wrote in an e-mail. “The results will provide a benchmark for our community showing how well we support the healthy development of youth and will act as a signpost pointing towards areas that need to be improved.”

Students from grades five, sev-en, and nine through 12 from both Gunn and Palo Alto High Schools have recently received parent consent forms. The survey will take place the first week of Oc-tober. “Youth voice is extremely imperative,” Drolette wrote. “The survey is only administered once every five years, so I encourage all students to participate in the sur-vey as their responses capture the framework of our future efforts.” The full results will be available in January or February.

In addition, several parent edu-cation events have been planned for the 2010-11 school year. A panel presentation addressing questions about the Developmen-tal Assets program will be on Sept. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the PAUSD Office. An introductory course to asset-building called Assets 101 will be held on Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Lucie Stern Commu-nity Center. For people who wish to have more comprehensive train-ing in asset building strategies, the Palo Alto Asset Champion Training Series will be held every Wednesday for six weeks at the YMCA facility on Ross Road on Oct. 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

“Overall, parents can help build assets simply by being good role models and by being a positive

par t of their child’s l ife,” V i l l a l o b o s sa id . “ T hey ca n suppor t a s p o r t i n g event, volun-teer at school or take part in multiple other o p p o r t u n i -ties to get to know students. What I think they’ll find is

that if you treat teenagers with respect, they will treat you the same.” Drolette also echoed these thoughts. “Becoming an asset-builder is not hard, complicated or expensive,” she wrote. “Simply at-tend some of the events listed and get involved. Your time will not only be of benefit to your family, but to every family in Palo Alto and surrounding communities.”

Earlier this month, Villalobos asked each member of the Gunn Instructional Council (IC) to come up with ten things Gunn already does that supports assets. “What’s important to stress is that it’s not like the developmental as-sets list tells us ‘This is the check list. Now do each of these,’” she said. “That’s a little daunting. The developmental assets are nothing new to our community. It’s just a new vocabulary and a new mind-set.” Collectively, the members of

the IC came up with six pages of material with items such as Not In Our School Week, Freshmen Orientation, support from the peer support group, RO C K , a n d daily student-teacher inter-action.

According t o D role t t e, PSN has two other top prior-ity recommen-dations: to cre-ate an effective and sustainable st ructure for PSN that maxi-mizes the re-sources in the Palo Alto com-munity and to provide mental health training to al l school dist r ict staff a n d y o u t h -serving agencies. This training will teach them how to recognize warning signs of risk and how to appropriately respond to at-risk students. Those who complete the training become Gatekeepers, adults who ideally will be able to “open the gates” between a student and a mental health professional if

necessary. Other PSN strategies include items such as improved accessibility of counseling re-sources and data gathering, mental

health train-ing for teach-ers, reduction o f h a r a s s -ment and so-cial bullying and reinforc-ment of more s u p p o r t i ve s ch o o l e n -v i ron ment s t h r oug hout the district.

“[The De-velopmental Assets] focus on the long-term and big picture,” Sil-vius wrote. “[Our hope is that] the need for interven-tion services

will be reduced over time because the community has prevented so many of the problems from the source, rather than in the middle or towards the end. In essence, the emphasis in all sectors of community life should be that young people are to be valued and respected.”

Building assets promotes healthy youthA 2006 research study by the Search Institute surveyed almost 150,000 students from grades 6 to 12. The findings revealed that the as-sets are powerful influences on the behavior of youth. Having more assets promotes positive behaviors and prevents negative ones.

Graph information provided by the Search Institute

THEORACLE

“Becoming an asset-builder is not hard, complicated or expensive. Simply attend some of the events listed and get involved. Your time will not only be of benefit to your family, but to every family in Palo Alto and surrounding communities.”

—PAUSD Coordinator of Student Services Amy

Drolette“Overall, parents can help build assets sim-ply by being good role models and by being a positive part of their child’s life.“

—Principal Katya Villalobos

3Monday, September 20, 2010

Community groups help buffer effect of school budget cuts

Graphic by Lisa Wu

n ASSETS from pg. 1 state, Gunn was the also able to maintain its student-to-counselor ratio thanks to staffing funds do-nated by Partners in Education (PiE). “Some schools have thou-sands of kids per counselor,” Vil-lalobos said. “I cannot fathom working in a system like that. We are extremely lucky.”

The operating budgets, or school funds allocated to each department, are also down 25 per-cent this year. According to Eng-lish Instructional Supervisor Paul Dunlap, a large portion of English department operating funds go to-ward photocopying, and teachers are trying to cut back. “Everyone is more careful with photocopy-ing,” he said. “We ask questions before spending.”

State BudgetEducation experts and advo-

cates alike agree that California education first took a dive for the worst in 1978 with Proposition 13, which limited property tax increases and gradually shifted school funding control from local communities to the state. “Cali-fornia used to be the gold standard when it came to public education in the United States, but now we have fallen to 47th in the nation in per-pupil funding, [employ] 75 percent of [the number of] district administrators as other states and our ratio of staff to students is last,” Steffanee Taylor, cofounder of Educacy, a non-profit advocacy group recently founded by Bay Area parents concerned about the state of public education in Cali-fornia, wrote in an e-mail.

Belle Griffiths, one of three PiE liaisons to the Gunn site, agreed that California education’s big-gest problem lies in its “incredibly convoluted funding system.” “In an environment where the state budget does not get passed on

the expected timetable, districts struggle not only with contain-ing costs but also with predicting the amount of funding they will actally receive,” she wrote in an e-mail. Griffiths added that dis-tricts are affected by funding that the state owes them but withholds from them. “Palo Alto is very for-tunate to have such a well-man-aged business office (and to be a Basic Aid district) so that delays in payment do not cause us the material problems that they cause other districts,” she wrote in an e-mail. “I be-lieve the solu-tion likely lies in a revamp of the entire school funding system.”

While the state budget was due on June 15, it still hasn’t been finalized. Ac-cording to Hawkins, there are two bills cur-rently sitting in the legislature: the Republican-sponsored bill, which funds education at the level proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwar-zenegger in the May Revision, and the Democrat-sponsored bill, which includes additional educa-tion funding but also additional taxes. “It’s been really difficult because we can’t rely on the ad-ditional funding proposed in the Democratic bill,” Hawkins said. “California is a boom or bust state. When things are good, our system does well. When things are going badly, it takes us longer to recover.” Mak agreed and add-ed that the district has to receive property tax projections and the state has to pass a budget before the district can finalize its own budget projections.

According to Villalobos, the school and district will plan con-servatively to accommodate the uncertainty of the state budget. “You don’t know what is going to happen in the future,” she said. “Education has been a huge target the past few years because it makes up such a huge proportion of the overall budget. Some people say we are in a very slow recovery, others say that we are in a full-on recession. Either way, it takes two or three years to get back up.”

Taylor be-lieves that addi-tional problems schools face include the gap between Cali-fornia educa-tion standards and the funding provided to sup-port achieving those standards as well as cat-egorical fund-ing restrictions, which can be

changed by the legislature only. “Categorical fund programs have ballooned out of control with over 60 currently in place,” she wrote. “This money is ‘inflexible’ in that it cannot be used for anything oth-er than what the state designates, restricting the districts’ abilities to choose how funding should be spent on its students.”

Griffiths added that schools across the nation are also chal-lenged to engage and teach stu-dents in an environment com-plicated by technology. Social pressures further complicate the already difficult challenges they face. “Education in California faces many of the same issues regarding quality of education, rising standards and achievement gap, innovation, and student em-powerment that the rest of the

country struggles to solve,” she said. “At the root of every discus-sion lies one of these fundamen-tal issues; and how a school can provide the best quality of educa-tion in all areas when serving an extremely diverse community. In Palo Alto, the outstanding support for education exemplified by the community’s generous financial support, helps give our schools the resources to deal with the many challenges facing us.” Helping Hands

In light of the problems that plague the public education sys-tem statewide, community mem-bers are organizing and step-ping up. Last year, PiE, the only non-profit organization devoted to fundraising exclusively for PAUSD schools, raised $2.9 mil-lion for school sites in 2010-11, up 13 percent from the prior year’s donation. Since its inception five years ago, PiE has experienced double-digit growth year after year. According to Griffiths, PiE has granted more than $12 in total million to PAUSD and the Teach-er Grants program, a program that provides funding for programs that encourage innovation and collaboration. “We are extremely lucky to live in a community that values education as much as Palo Alto,” Griffiths said. “Each year seems to bring new challenges to our public schools and each year our community rises to the occa-sion.”

To fundraise, PiE chairs in each school in the district con-duct a school fundraising cam-paign for about five months each school year. “At PiE, we have a dedicated team of volunteers,” Griffiths said. “During [the five months], volunteers are very ac-tive with various events and Challenge Grants which enable matching grants for contributions

to PiE.” PiE also puts together an annual community campaign that reaches out to corporations, local businesses and community mem-bers. “These efforts, together with the generosity of our community, have helped us achieve increasing targets for financial support of our schools,” Griffiths wrote in an e-mail. PiE donations have been used for staffing and programs that PAUSD has deemed most im-portant. PiE donations fund the college and career help counsel-ing staff, staff support for student guidance, additional courses such as Introduction to Engineering and technology mentors. Griffiths believes that education is a cornerstone value and enjoys seeing the collective effort to im-prove it. “It has been extremely rewarding to see the collabora-tive efforts between the Palo Alto School District, Palo Alto parent community, student advocacy groups and business community work together to solve many of the education and funding issues that are facing our students in Palo Alto,” she said. Educacy

Educacy, the recently formed non-profit organization, aims to bring the parent community to-gether in a non-partisan way to advocate for funding reform on behalf of students in the public school system. This would ensur-ing that more money is available for students. “We want to build a strong community that educates, connects and mobilizes parents to take action on this crisis through voter registration drives, work-shops and candidate forums,” Taylor wrote in an email. “Devel-oping a mass of educated and in-formed parents is one of the first steps to creating change.” Educa-cy plans to support a measure on

“Education has been a huge target the past few years because it makes up such a huge propor-tion of the overall budget .”

—Principal Katya Villalobos

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Zoe Weisner

California has proposed severe budget cuts in the upcoming year with a $24 billion deficit and K through 12 education is not im-mune to the impact. Education on all levels is predicted to lose around $2 billion, a figure that has frustrated many students and teachers due to its contradiction of Proposition 98. Prop 98, a constitutional amend-ment approved in 1988, has four provisions specifying the state’s minimal funding for the educa-tion budget: local property taxes, school attendance, personal in-

come and general fund revenue. Recently, the state has not met the same amount of funding it had in 1988, and according to California’s Department of Ed-ucation, Prop 98 may even be suspended during the next year. California’s alternative plan is to reduce funding in other areas of the budget in order to meet the present level of minimum K through 12 funding in order to receive financial support from the federal government. Without the suspension, the cost-of-living adjustment alone for the Prop 98 program may cost the state one billion dollars. Lack of funding for K through 12 education equates to less sup-port for each student and it is estimated that per pupil fund-ing will be cut by 11.3 percent. Thousands of teachers have

been given pink slips and public schools are facing a rise in class size. One school in Los Angeles has almost 50 students per class, with people literally crammed on top of desks and in corners of the classroom. In this extreme case, the classroom would pres-ent itself as a safety hazard, in-stead of providing a safe learning evironment. After school study programs and extracurricular ac-tivities such as art, physical edu-cation and music were the first to be cut in many schools. Free summer school programs are ex-pected to be eliminated as well over the 2011-2012 school year. Special education programs and adult education will also lose a heavy amount of funding. How-ever, the biggest problem lies in California’s state universi-ties. Students now pay a higher

amount of tuition for a decreased quality education and class sizes have decreased by the thousands. According to the California State University System, 40,000 stu-dents have been cut from enroll-ment. The reality of the deficit is an unappealing fact that cannot be changed easily over time. How-ever, this does not mean Cali-fornia should drastically reduce funding for education, but should think of more creative ways to balance their budget. According to the Department of Finance, California spends five times more on prisoners than on students and spends an overall $10 billion dollars on state correctional fa-cilities. Instead of cutting funds for education, California should shift some of the money for cor-rectional facilities to education.

California should also consider cutting welfare programs rather than increasing taxes. Although it is for a good cause, California will not receive any money back from giving welfare to those who are unemployed, which would increase the overall loss. If pub-lic welfare is cut and taxes are not increased, California will see a greater investment in their choices of funding. California should cut its bud-get in areas other than education, because not only will the budget cuts negatively impact students' learning, but the state will be los-ing the biggest investment of all: an entire generation of kids who will be making these kinds of calls and decisions in the future economic climate.

–Weisner, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Effects of state budget cuts linger in classrooms

The Gunn student body has excellent represen-tation in the form of the Student Executive

Council (SEC), but the level of communication between the student body and SEC has room for improvement. Though Principal Katya Villalo-bos and Student Body President Ting-Ting Liu believe communication between the SEC and the administration is constant and thorough, the main lack of communication is between students and SEC, and in the notification of students about SEC and administrative decisions. This results in administrative actions that are not tailored to the needs of the students, and many students who are not aware of recent decisions and the reasons behind them sometimes become upset with the administration, which does not deserve to re-ceive the negative reactions of the uninformed. SEC members sit in on administration meetings once a week and give student input on campus issues. However, Villalobos says that she would like to hear more student voice in administrative decisions. In PTSA meetings, junior Site Council Representative Sierra Fan gives her input on different project propos-als, such as parking and the Homecoming barbeque, but she feels students do not communicate their opin-ions with her often enough about different activities and programs they would like to see implemented or changed. Additionally, SEC Site Council Representa-

tive Noelle Jung, one of five students on Site Coun-cil, says that SEC often receives information after a grant has been passed due to the biyearly timing of the grant votes. Sophomore Site Council Representative Laura Tao also says students need to talk to teachers and librarians about new educational materials they would like to see because the teachers and librarians are the ones who submit proposals. Students should care greatly about the actions of their student body of-ficers, but many of the officers do their jobs with little communication from students. Part of the problem is that students are not kept up to date, and therefore do not have a stance on any current issues. This leads to insufficient student body influence in the actions of officers. According to Liu, the main problem with commu-nication is that the student body does not understand why the administration makes the decisions they do. The administration should post an update along with the reasoning behind its decisions in order to make information more student accessible. The entire stu-dent body should be more aware of the projects SEC focus groups do every year involving campus issues like bathroom cleanliness, Homecoming sportsman-ship, campus beautification and healthier lunch food. There are already several communication outlets in place, such as the Updates from Gunn SEC Face-book page and the PTSA Gunn Spotlight website. The Facebook page is currently taking a poll on whether or not finals should be moved to before winter break, but not all students have a Facebook account and not all student Facebook users will take the poll. The Gunn Spotlight website has posted information on teen drug use and student emotional health, but many students do not check this website. Villalobos is taking steps this year to minimize the gap between administrators and students by being visible around campus, visit-ing classrooms, forming a diverse group of students to periodically meet with and talk to, possibly opening a blog on Gunn Spotlight with short updates and posted questions and sending messages to the student body through Infinite Campus for faster and greater student input. These modes of communcation will exist in vain if students do not step up and take responsiblity of self-education of school events. Students do not check school websites as often as they should and are there-fore uninformed of recent school-related develop-ments. Liu says very few students come to SEC members with their ideas. According to Student Activities Di-rector Lisa Hall, some SEC positions are not publi-

cized enough and students do not recognize officers around campus who are relative to their concerns. However, pictures and positions of all SEC officers are posted in the Student Activities Center for stu-dents to familiarize themselves with. Ineffectiveness of communication to students from the administration and SEC can be solved through a periodic news printout posted on often-visited sites on campus, such as the Academic Center, the library, bathrooms, the gym and the office. The news post should include recent administrative decisions as well as their reasoning, the current status of the SEC focus group project and any important issues or upcoming events. Students should also take the responsibility to check updates on websites to stay informed so they can make useful suggestions. A solution to greatly in-crease student communication to the administration would be a biyearly survey posted on InClass on vari-ous issues such as traffic, Homecoming, educational materials, emotional health and campus environmen-tal friendliness. From this information, the SEC can more accurately represent the opinions of the student body and the administration can make decisions based on the specific needs of the students. A better-in-formed student body would take a more active role in solving problems and vocalize its opinions on campus concerns to the SEC.

—Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff (assenting: 32; dissenting: 5)

Administration, students call for improved communicationEDITORIAL: The Opinion of The Oracle

Kimberly Han

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Roya Huang

The French Senate, with a 246 to 1 vote, passed a law recently that would ban wearing full-face headscarves in public. The law would impose a $185 fine on women who wear the headscarf, and a $18,500 fine and a year in jail on men who force women to wear the veil. The law arrived in the Senate this month amid political turbulence between the right-wing Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) and the far-right Front National (FN) parties. The law has been disguised by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is the head of the UMP, and the rest of his party as a step to liberate women from oppressive husbands, but it is in reality a political move aimed at securing the xenophobic far-right vote. The law is an unconstitutional violation of rights that goes against the French virtue of freedom.

The current party majority in national legislature and the party is the UMP. Earlier this year, the anti-immigration FN took several regional council positions from the UPM. The FN is not a threat to the UMP in national legislature, but according to The New York Times, xenophobia among some voters is rising due to increased immigration concerns over the past few years. Sarkozy has taken other steps to secure this vote, including threats to take away citizenships of foreign-born French citizens if they commit serious crimes, threats to eliminate granting automatic citizenship to French-born minors who have committed a crime and have foreign-born parents, and the exile of thousands of Roma. The Socialist Party, the second most popular political party in France, has not made any moves toward anti-immigration, so the UMP is taking this opportunity to get further ahead with the far-right vote. Sarkozy is up for reelection in 2012 and is backing the full veil ban to increase his chances of winning.

The bill is passed easily in the Senate but will face a challenge when it is reviewed by the French Constitutional Council. The Council’s job is to make sure the law does not violate the French Constitution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and international treaties that France has signed. France has signed the European Convention of Human Rights, in which Article 9 states,

“Everyone has the…freedom, either alone of in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief [unless manifestation endangers society].” Any ban on an overt religious symbol is clearly prohibited in this landmark international agreement. Within national law, Article 10 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen says, “No one should be disturbed on account of his opinions, including religious opinions, provided their manifestation does not upset the public order established by law.” Article 5 states, “The law has only the rights to forbid such actions as are injurious to society.” According to The New York Times, there are already laws in place that require veils to be lifted at air-ports, at banks and for identification photographs. Wearing a full veil in public is not injurious to society or an upset of public order. The Declaration preamble states that the restriction of rights is the sole cause for social and politi-cal problems. The legislature has violated French values by passing this law.

To mask the obvious political and racist motives for the bill, Sarkozy and his party claim that the law is necessary to uphold the French ideal of equality of the sexes. Their main argument for the ban is that the women who wear the veil are often forced to wear it by their husbands. But the government has no right to take away a basic freedom to dress as one wishes based on an unsupported assumption. It is quite ironic that the government says it is trying to liberate women by imposing a constraint on their freedom to express their religion. Many Muslim women in France are speaking out about their choice to wear the veil, which arises from reasons like humility before God and judg-ment based on personality and intelligence rather than appearance. According to the Interior Ministry of France, only 1,900 women out of a population of 62.3 million people wear the full-face veil. The law obviously targets and compromises the rights of a specific group of people.

If the government wants to stay consistent with its theme of oppression of women, it should implement female empowerment and education programs across the nation to help oppressed women rise to equal social status within their families. It should encourage women to report men who force them to wear the veil. The French government should not take away the freedom of women to manifest their religion based on an assumption of oppression.

—Huang, a sophomore, is a reporter.

Veil ban violates basic citizen rights

Tara Golshan

Islam is popping up in news articles and broadcasts around the world. From the Quran burning in Florida or the mosque building in New York to the veil ban in Paris or the minaret banning in Switzerland, the religion has become the center of controversy. On Aug. 30, an issue of Time Magazine was released, headlined, “Is America Islamophobic?” With this drastic increase in negative news coverage and growing tension around the religion, the answer may very well be yes. With discrimination against Islam on the rise, massive social change is needed.

The proposed mosque and community center Park51 in New York is one example of the United States’ suggested “Islamophobia.” The Muslim community center is set to be built two blocks away from the World Trade Center and its proximity to Ground Zero has ignited arguments across the country. People across the United States associate the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with the religion of Islam, and the Muslim Community Center’s location has been fuel to their fire. Some argue it is a disgrace to the families affected by the terrorist acts and others have gone far enough to say that Park51 would represent a victory memorial for the Muslim faith.

It is understandable for people to show great reverence for the area around Ground Zero, but the Muslim community has used the site as a mosque for years. Additionally, the surround-ing liquor stores and strip clubs do not resonate well with the anti-mosque argument, which states the area would somehow be desecrated by the presence of a mosque.

This anti-mosque rage is not isolated to New York. Palo Alto, a city that prides itself in being tolerant and accepting, is experiencing a similar situation. In 2008, a Muslim group announced the plans for Palo Alto’s first mosque. Across the street from the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto’s mosque has already sparked controversy among the city’s citizens, as shown on the Palo Alto Online forum discussion board. Some residents claimed that the mosque’s proximity to the Jewish Community Center would create an-other Middle East in Palo Alto and additional complaints were made about the mosques’ building height, which would break city limits. These criticisms were made exclusively towards the Islamic community. Not once was an objection towards the Jewish Community Center’s building height publicized, and according to JWeekly.com, those buildings even got state funding, despite the “separation of church and state” policy. If one strolls down Middlefield Road, one is bound to see half a dozen churches. Alma Road, El Camino Real and Arastradero Road are all home to multiple temples and churches. Not a single mosque has been built in this self-proclaimed progressive town, and the news of the city’s first seems to be as controversial as the Park51 in New York.

Palo Alto Online has the power to influence the minds of Palo Alto residents. While it reserves the right to censor offensive comments, it should also highlight the Jewish Community Center’s excitement to hold joint events, as stated in an article by the San Jose Mercury News. The web site should feature more pieces emphasizing solidarity, like “Faith leaders speak out against Quran burning,” an article that is not even listed in the news archive. The message of Islamic tolerance must be publicized, whether in a small town like Palo Alto, or for national news, like Park51.

These concepts seem simple, but for the US as a whole to understand them, there needs to be a major shift in societal attitudes towards the religion. Ac-cording to Oxford professor Tariq Ramadan, it is not that the Muslim community is not integrated well in western society, it is that Westerners have not yet integrated the idea of Muslim faith in their minds. Instead of focusing on the violent and offensive protests in other countries, the media could focus on the Muslim Ameri-cans, such as the two Muslims elected to congress, the 2010 Miss America, Rima Fakih, or the first Muslim university being opened in Berkeley, California. The media should not confirm the preconceptions of the nation, but should set the tone for a more accepting America. Social change is not impossible, just difficult. Islam is one more religion, just like Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or Buddhism. The acceptance of an entire community by the American society is worth the effort.

—Golshan, a senior, is a Copy Editor.

Religious intolerance rears its ugly headTHEORACLE

Kimberly Han

Forum 7

Felix Tran

Every year,millions of northernCali-fornianstraversethedryanddesertedlandtoexperiencethewarmerclimateofsouth-ern California, clogging major highwayssuchas101and280.AccordingtotheEn-vironmental ProtectionAgency, the aver-age passenger car releases 0.916 poundsof carbon dioxide permile, so therefore,the journey emits an obscene amount ofcarbon dioxide into the atmosphere, fur-therworseningthestateoftheatmosphere.Thishasresultedinthediscussionofmoreefficient transportation methods to LosAngeles.

OnNovember4,2008,votersapprovedproposition1A,whichgranted$9.95bil-lion towards the high-speed rail project.Although this has drawnmuch criticism,thebenefitsoftherailfaroutweighthe

finalcosts.AccordingtothecityofPaloAlto,ex-

pected numbers of passengers are verylarge.CurrentestimatesbytheCHSRAofHSRridershiparebetween83-117mil-lionpassengersannuallyby2030.Consid-eringthe800miledistance,theamountofcarbon dioxide prevented would signifi-cantlyaidthestateoftheatmosphere.WhatdoesthismeanforPaloAltoin-habitants?Well, the proposed high-speedrail travels through Palo Alto using thecurrent Cal Train corridor, which wouldbeexpandedbyleavinglessroomforcars.Treeswouldalsohavetoberemovedforthesakeoftrackalignment.Trafficwouldbesignificantlyincreasedduringconstruc-tion,andthenoiselevelwouldbeseveraltimes worse. However, these changesaren’tpermanent.

Luckily, there are methods being dis-cussed tomitigateandalmostavoidsuchchanges. For instance, there is a plan tobuild a large tunnel where the currenttracksare,whichwouldgreatlyreducethenoiseandspacetaken.Thissolutionmakeslandacquisitionsclosetoifnotnon-exis-

tent.The tunnelwouldalsoeliminate thenecessitytoremovetrees.Ifthealternativeischosen,treeswouldalsobereplanted,al-leviatingthemainenvironmentalconcern.Trafficwouldalsobelesscongestedafterconstructionisfinished,andthestandstillconditions on highways during seasonalparts of the yearwould also be avoided.Additionaly, construction would create600,000jobs,whichwouldaidthecolos-salunemploymentrate.Ofthose,450,000jobswouldbepermanent,lastinguptoatleast2035.

With themostenvironmental-friendlytunnel plan, the economic benefits andtravel efficiency far exceed the minimalenvironmental change to Palo Alto. Atthis time,noplanhasbeenfinalized,butsince voters approved proposition 1A, itis evident that the community favors theaddition of the high-speed rail. Discus-sionisstillunderway,andpublicopinionis needed.Goout, learnmore, and showyoursupportfortheCAHSR!

—Tran, a senior, is a reporter.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Carpe Diem, Seize the Day

Sarah-Jean Zubair

It’s easy to feel like a lifeless sponge when you hear about people skydiving, scaling skyscrapers and hopping airplanes to Indonesia for spur-of-the-moment thrills. That’s exactly how I felt after watching Dead Poets Society over the summer. For an ardent English lover like me, the idea of sneaking out of a straight-laced prep school in the dead of night to read Tennyson in a cave is the ultimate adrenaline-packed nirvana. Feeling mildly disgusted by my complacency with everyday monotony, I decided to grab life by the horns and live.

My plan was to be as spontaneous as possible, which is more easily said than done. I hadn’t factored things like laundry and homework into my quest for carpe diem beatitude. And the mundane, seemingly sleepy nature of the everyday really is an astonishingly formidable opponent when confronted as an adversary. Within the first day of my carpe diem challenge, I realized that I couldn’t just jump into the lake near my house whenever I felt like it, partly because the water is rather murky with who-knows-what and partly because there is an inordinate number of geese. I needed to go to SAT class and clean my room. I needed to practice piano scales and wash dishes. All of these obstacles rolled into one created a roadblock on my way to seizing the day. I couldn’t fly to distant lands because of this roadblock or jump out of planes (but that was just because I didn’t want to). I needed to find a way around it.

After a series of rambling ruminations, I came to the conclusion that the only reason I didn’t feel alive was that I was not engaging my senses in the everyday. I had quit paying attention to the little things people take for granted after a certain age. As a result, those things had no meaning. I saw them, but did I understand them? I heard my brother laugh, but did I turn to him to appreciate his smile? The beauty of this epiphany was astonishing in its simple logic. How can one fully embrace life if one’s outlets to the world are in perpetual standby? I decided that the principle of carpe diem (which literally means “to pluck or gather”) isn’t really “seizing the day” and twisting it into something wild. It’s gathering the small moments that make life beautiful into a bouquet to admire. It’s being able to feel things, not just literally, but figuratively as well. Like Vermeer did with his paintings, it’s taking something commonplace and transforming it into an almost religious experience simply by utilizing a different perspective and mode of perception.

Yes, the everyday can be boring. And we can’t always customize our lives to our every specification. But we always have the power to change our outlook on what already is. What may seem like monotony might have greater meaning than one at first thinks. One just has to shake off the stupor of ennui and reawaken the senses. Being acutely aware of every moment physically and mentally and taking advantage of spontaneity whenever possible is what it means to be alive. Do whatever you need to do to wake up. Jump out of a plane if that’s your style. Take a swim in a rather opaque lake. Or simply enjoy the sensation of sunshine playing across your face. Whatever you do, “gather ye rosebuds while ye may,” because to have lived today is to have lived your entire life. Make it something extraordinary.

—Zubair, a senior, is a managing editor.

High speed rail well worth the cost

Patents protect scientific secrets

Colin Chen

In the field of human genetics, manypatents are givenout to biomedical com-panies for their inventions or discoveriesbut recently these patents have comeun-derfire.Acompany’spatentedinformationshould not be given to other companies,evenif theproduct isnotbeingproducedsufficiently,becausethepatentispropertyofthecompany.

Let’s examine the case of the geneticcompany Genzyme, which manufacturesthe drug Fabrazyme. Genzyme had re-called Fabrazyme due to a defect in themanufacturing process in June 2009,which temporarily caused a shortage inproduction.While thedrughelpspatientscopewith Fabry’s disease, a rare geneticdisorder,thecompanystillholdstherightto refuse to hand over their blueprints to

othercompany’son thebasis that thepa-tientsneedthemedicine.Patentsarecreatedforthesakeofpro-tecting a creator’swork, and in this casethe work being protected are scientificbreakthroughs in the human genome.SinceGenzymeownsthemedicaladvanceinFabrazyme,ithastheright,ifitwishes,to decrease production of the drug or ra-tionit.Peoplemaysaythatcontrollingthemarket for Fabrazyme is unethical, how-ever,according toNationalPublicRadio,Fabrazymeisonlya$300,000yearlymar-ket.Incomparisontothemulti-billiondol-larpharmaceutical industry, the reductioninproductionofFabrazymeposesonly aminisculethreat.Ifpatentsonscientifictechnologywerenot issued, the biotechnology marketwouldcrumble.Manybiotechnologycom-paniesrelyonmarketingandsellingasetofdrugstheyformulatedinordertofundnewresearchprojects,ofteninordertode-velop new pharmacutical drugs. Withoutpatents, thesedrugswouldbe reproducedby other companies and sold at a lowerprice,whichwouldhurtthecompanywho

initiallyconductedtheresearchanddevel-opedthedrug.Encouraginglowestcostprodutionandretailcouldeasilyleadtolow-qualityprod-ucts,which canpotentially be life-threat-ening.Regulationswillbe skimpedon inhopesofgeneratingahigherrevenue,andinturn,theconsumersofgeneticmedicinewillsuffer.

Much genetic research has been per-formed in thepastdecadeand significantdiscoveries have been made. It makessense that this valuable bundle of infor-mation has a hefty price tag attached toit.Theonlywayforcompaniestopayforcostlygenetic research is through incomefromexistingproductsandgrants.Withouta patent, any company can sell that verysame product, without any regards forthosewho invested time andmoney intoresearchanddevelopment.The reasoningbehind patents for the human genome isnot the restrictionand rationingofdrugs,but rather the protection of these compa-nies which revolutionize the biotechno-logicalfield.

—Chen, a junior, is a reporter.

GeorgeHwangMorning traffic slows to a stand-still. Well, at least Mother Nature’s happy.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

8 FeaturesWell. . . that was really awkwardTwo The Oracle staff members share a humorous story from their own HC experiences

Let me paint you guys the perfect scene. I dismount from my white steed with Godiva Chocolate and roses from the Garden of Eden. I stroll, in slow motion, with full swag on, up to her and then pop the question. Just kidding. That’s how I wish it went. Instead, I left everything to the last minute and all the goods in my car. Oh well, go big or go home, right? I felt so awkward asking her, but I twitched a smile and got out of there as soon as possible. Guess who has a hot date for Saturday night? This guy.

I guess it’s pretty cute that he asked with wilted roses and melted chocolates. At least he put in some effort. After all, you can’t expect it to be perfect. Still, the hug was pretty gross because there were pit stains on his shirt. Afterwards, I kept seeing him in the halls and went up to go talk to him. We made small talk and then carried along with our business. I guess he’s kind of cute.

The Japanese place was booked so I hit up the next best thing, this shoddy Italian place. She looked stunning and I bet she was pretty into me because we were staring at each other for what seemed like hours—all of course, in eerie silence. I just can’t believe she ordered two entrees. And she finished both of them. How she still squeezed into that dress, I will never know. But there was no way I was going to pay for her last supper. She caught onto my vibe and took the bill. What a doll.

Dude, I couldn’t stop staring at the broccoli in between his teeth and I think his eye has a twitching problem. He didn’t say anything most the time and I generally had to try to keep up conversation, but he’s actually pretty funny. He cracked a couple good jokes and I couldn’t stop laugh-ing. The food was pretty good. I’m glad he chose Italian; it’s my favorite. Plus, it was nice that he offered to pay, even though in the end I had to pay because he forgot his wallet at home. Yeah. It’s going pretty well so far.

So many options. Like, so many options. I just picked what I thought was good. I mean, I didn’t even know if she wanted to remember the night or not. I got up there and didn’t know how to pose so I started doing my own thing.

We came to the photo booth and he bought a 9x11 and twenty wallet sizes. What’re you going to do with that? I got to admit, though, it was pretty awkward when we both didn’t know what pose to do and a line of people were staring at us wondering when we’d finish. Eventually the photographer just put us in a position. I could feel him shaking as the photogra-pher counted to three. I wonder why he’s so nervous.

What if I sweat too much? What if she doesn’t like dancing? How do I ask her to dance? What if they lose my coatcheck? What if she realizes I can’t dance? What if she goes past 45 degrees? All bad. Well I started dancing like no one was watching. Against all odds, she was so totally digging it. I took it to the next step and whipped out my secret bag of tricks. That part . . . she didn’t dig. I went to chill on the bleachers for a bit. DJ Dave shouted out that it was time to find my special someone, so I found her with her friends. Dave sure knew what he was talking about because we got cozy there. It was ruined when all I could see were my bros giving me the creepy, smiling slow head nod.

Getting onto the dance floor, my favorite song was playing. He im-mediately started dancing to it and hummed the lyrics under his voice. He’s a good dancer. We swayed to the beat and then he really got down. It took me by surprise and suddenly I realized he wasn’t such a good dancer. In fact, he sucked. The first slow song came up on and we danced a good couple inches away. We both looked over only to see two people making out intensely next to us. I quickly looked away and I could feel the awkward tension. His head seemed to be getting closer and I could smell his meatball breath, so I quickly asked him how his day was.

It’s the butter to the bread, the Santa Claus to Christmas, the nope to soap–awkwardness and homecoming dates are just meant to go hand in hand. Being far from smooth customers, we’ve seen the good dates, the bad dates and the things that remain uncomfortable no matter what.

Overall, it was okay. Just okay. I mean sure it was awkward at times, but stuff like that is just expected. Prom date? Not preferred.

Overall, I think we connected pretty well. That was the best date I’ve ever had, and I’m so glad that I asked her. I guess the secret to awkward situations is just to not make a big deal. I know she had fun too. We jived so well, and I bet there’s more to come.

ASKING

DINNER

PICT U R E S

DANC ING

Henry Liu

VERDICT —Compiled by Kevin Gao and Sophia Jiang

Features 9Monday, September 20, 2010

6

1. Junior Remy Felsch and sophomore Chan-dler Gardiner smile as they pose for the camera. 2. Senior Boshiaw Hsu pops out of the trunk of his car to ask his future date to homecom-ing. 3. Freshmen Alan Coon and Stacy Chang hug after a successful proposal 4. Sophomores Zachary Munro and Andrew Mell ask sophomores Nikki Schwardt and Cassandra Kent at the Fall Sports Rally 5. Senior Cody Carefoot reveals balloons and a pan of homemade cake to senior Shivani Rustagi. 6. Junior Michael Rundell surprises junior Erika Cagampan, presenting her with a bou-quet of flowers.Henry Liu

Spotted: proposals seen on campus

5

2

1Henry Liu

Victor Kwok

Alan Phan

Melissa Sun

Victor Kwok

3

4

Centerfold10

Have you been taught the right food facts?FOOD EDITION

In the last decade, there’s been an “organic explosion” in our so-ciety. After studies began to show that the chemicals some animals and plants are treated with could have adverse affects on humans’ health, much of the American public turned to buying organic foods, or foods not treated with chemicals. Some buy organic for ethical reasons, others out of respect for the environment and still others as a health precaution. But the question still stands: Is buying organic really better for you? For Home Economics teacher Cindy Peters, the answer is yes. “I definitely prefer organic over non-organic,” she said. Peters and her home economics classes help manage the organic garden at Gunn, and often use the organic produce in the meals they make in class. The plants aren’t treated with any pesticides, chemical fertilizers or hormones, like so many mass-produced products are. The issue with these artificial additives is not completely concrete. However, according to the National Organic Program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) some studies have shown that organically raised meat does reduce the risk of obtaining dis-eases such as mad cow disease. Eating organic can also decrease your exposure to the arsenic that is sometimes used to promote growth and improve the pigmentation of chicken meat. It has been shown that the hormones do find a way back to the environment, and can contaminate both water and land—and an unhealthy environment can lead to an unhealthy you. But, although there are much higher traces of pesticides in non-organic food, the amounts are still found to be well below the government-determined thresholds, and are not

considered dangerous to human health. There are a few drawbacks to buying organic produce and meat. However, the most frequently argued case is the cost difference between organic and commercially grown foods. In a series of data sets released by the Economic Research Service of the USDA, it can be seen that organic food can sometimes cost almost three times as much as unorganic food. In Oct. 2008 in San Francisco, a 10-pound carton of conventional tomatoes cost $10.50, while the same carton of organic tomatoes cost $20.13. This significant cost difference comes from the organic farmers’ need to make up for crops lost to insects or foul weather—produce not treated with pesticides or fertilizers is more susceptible to damage. Growing organic foods is also an expensive hobby for smaller, more local farms. It can take two to three years to get organic gardens certified, and the USDA has extremely strict regulations when it comes to labeling food as “organic.” In recent years, however, the gap between organic and conventional food prices has decreased. For some people, shelling out the extra cash is worth the added health benefits of eating organic, but for others, a few more chemicals in their food isn’t enough of an argument for them to open their wallets. When it comes down to it—and until scientific studies have solid evidence—whether eating or-ganic is better for you or not is a matter of personal judgement.

American society is obsessed with the skinny and fit and food myths and diet techniques are a huge market for these people. One such myth is that celery has negative calories, meaning that it takes more calories to chew and digest than the number of calories it began with. It requires anywhere from eight to 11 calories to chew an eight inch stalk of celery.

Celery is made up of mostly cellulose, a complex sugar that is impos-sible to metabolize by the human body, and fiber. “Fiber takes a long time to break down so you avoid that hungry feeling on the same number of calories,” science teacher Katherine Moser said. “A spike in glucose causes insulin to rise and fall quickly causing a hungry feeling.” Thus, celery can stave off hunger for a few hours. However, eating celery is no diet miracle. “I wouldn’t use it as a diet technique because the amount of calories you burn is probably insig-nificant,” junior Lucy Moore said. While celery’s negative calorie effect may be insignificant, it can be a good diet tool if it “keeps you from eating unneces-sary calories,” as social studies Brian Tuomy said.

Throughout history, people have continually pushed to discover an ultimate panacea or cure-all and ancient Asian society may have discovered it. Green tea, used traditionally in the Eastern hemisphere as the cure for various ailments, has gradually made its way into modern Western culture. It is said to reduce fat and arthritis, lower risks of cancer and increase a person’s longevity.

Green tea is unique in that it contains high amounts of catechins polyphenols, antioxidants that inhibit the growth of cancer cells. These catechins are also capable of lowering levels of cholesterol, which is linked to obesity and heart failure.

Studies conducted and released by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2005 stated that people who drank green tea containing at least 690 mg of catechins over a period of three months had reduced body fat. Green tea has also been shown to increase thermogenesis, or a body’s rate of burning fat cells, while simultaneously increasing metabolism. The Yale University of Medicine has also performed over 100 studies on the “Asian Paradox,” which says that despite a large percentage of Asian smokers, the rates of lung cancer and heart disease are smaller in the Asian population because they drink so much green tea. Results of the studies indicated that the catechins are anticoagulants, meaning they prevent clots from forming in blood arteries.

In addition to studies on metabolism and heart disease, studies have also been conducted on green tea’s effects on reducing arthritis and promoting longer life spans, but without conclusive results. Regard-less, the presence of catechins within this drink implies the presence of multiple health benefits.

Green tea improves longevity Celery has negative calories

Organic food is better than chemically treated food

THEORACLE

Centerfold Monday, September 20, 201011

Have you been taught the right food facts?FOOD EDITION

Many of us worry about what we put into our bodies, but what about how often we do so? Depending on the person and how the meals affect their body, people have their own options as to how many meals they should eat per day. There are many factors that affect the choice of having six mini meals or three larger meals throughout the day. “A person’s age, lifestyle, me-tabolism, gender and size all go into the answer,” nutritionist Margaret Yule said. According to personal trainer Chris Gaines, the number of meals affects your metabolism. “The more frequently you eat throughout the day, the higher your metabolism will get,” he said. If a person has slow metabolism, he can eat smaller meals throughout the day in order to speed it up. If a person has fast metabolism and wants to speed it up, he can include interval training into a fitness regimen to help. But for dieters, eating six meals is not recommended. “For people who are not active and are restricting calories, having many meals through the day may be challeng-ing,” Yule said. Fresh fruits, vegetables and protein make up the ideal meal. Keeping whole food instead of processed food in a diet keeps fuel on board regularly and will keep the body using the food and not shifting in to starvation mode. According to Yule, consistency, a bit of variety and keeping food as fresh and high quality as possible will have the best impact on a person’s health. “Be sure to be aware of the total portion size,” Gaines said. “Eat to satiation, not past that.” An important thing to keep in mind when making the decision on how many meals to eat is how the meals affect your body. According to Yule, people should keep a food diary for a few weeks, writing down what they eat and how it makes them feel. “If you track this then you can make some powerful decisions about what your body thrives on,” Yule said.

Used in tablets, juices, smoothies, yogurt, instant drinks, body wash, lip balm, hair products and diet pills, açaí (ah-SIGH-ea) is the berry many believe have a million magical properties. The inch-long, red-purple berry is a major component of the diets of natives in Brazil. In the United States, the berries are made into a myriad of products, and the Internet is full of claims that it will shrink your waist, make your love life better and make you live longer. It’s a known fact that açaí berries are chock-full of antioxidants. But what exactly is this magical fruit and how does it work? The truth about açaí may be disappointing to some. The shock-ing part is that none of the claims made by marketing companies have scientific confirmation. Certified nutritional specialist Johnny Bowden explained the hype. “Virtually every berry —blueberry, strawberry, goji, açaí —are anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants,” Bowden said. “This particular one is exotic. It’s found in Brazil. It’s been marketed to have more of a magic ingredient. It’s been overhyped and marketed to death; there are claims of curing cancer, curing baldness that are all over the place.” For those hoping to score high on antioxidants and lose large amounts of weight rapidly, the news is disheartening. Scientists are in the midst of learning more about “superfoods,” which are foods believed to have a high concentration of phytochemicals, substances believed to positively affect overall health. There is no evidence to

back up rampant weight loss claims (you can not lose 30 pounds in 3 days). A high level of antioxidants would contribute to weight loss, but there is no evidence that has proven that açaí has an abnormally high amount. In antioxidant testing, açaí ranked below many more common fruits such as grapes and blueberries. To put it simply: almost ev-erything you have heard about açaí is untrue. It’s not all bad news, however. Açaí does contain chemicals called anthocyanins (the chemical that makes the red-purple color in fruit) and flavenoids. Both of these defend against stressors and protect cell protein. Studies show that these chemicals may neu-tralize free radicals (waste by-products of the body), and possibly reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Açaí oil is also a safe alternative to other tropical oils used in facial products and anti-aging therapies, and when it is processed and stored, the amount of antioxidants in it remain high. So the next time you consider buying a product for the express pur-pose of consuming an açaí berry, think of these words before you act. “The ex-pensive açaí berry is a triumph of marketing over science–that’s the bottom line,” Bowden said. “It’s not useless, but it’s not anything that people are claiming it to be.”

American society is obsessed with the skinny and fit and food myths and diet techniques are a huge market for these people. One such myth is that celery has negative calories, meaning that it takes more calories to chew and digest than the number of calories it began with. It requires anywhere from eight to 11 calories to chew an eight inch stalk of celery.

Celery is made up of mostly cellulose, a complex sugar that is impos-sible to metabolize by the human body, and fiber. “Fiber takes a long time to break down so you avoid that hungry feeling on the same number of calories,” science teacher Katherine Moser said. “A spike in glucose causes insulin to rise and fall quickly causing a hungry feeling.” Thus, celery can stave off hunger for a few hours. However, eating celery is no diet miracle. “I wouldn’t use it as a diet technique because the amount of calories you burn is probably insig-nificant,” junior Lucy Moore said. While celery’s negative calorie effect may be insignificant, it can be a good diet tool if it “keeps you from eating unneces-sary calories,” as social studies Brian Tuomy said.

–Compiled by Samantha Donat, Mia Howard, Jesse Klein, Elaine Liu, Jennie Robinson

Six meals are better than threeCelery has negative calories

Açaí berries contain properties to improve health

Graphics by Bonnie Cardillo, George Hwang, and Lisa Wu

Kevin GaoFeatures Editor

Deciding tobecomea teacherafterwatching aWorld Seriesgamemay seem odd to some,but it’s a very real story forphysics teacher Todd Sherrett. Currently in his first year atGunn,Sherretthasalonghistoryofjobsoutsideofteaching.“Iworkedin industry for 20years,”Sherrettsaid.He has filled in jobs in fieldsincludingmanufacturing, engineeringandaeronautics.Alonghispathofcareers,Sherrettaddedtohisphysicsbackgroundatacompanythatmanufacturedblastingcaps,arocketmotorcompanyandNASA.“Iwas amechanical engineer, whichhas to do a lotwith physics,” he said.

AccordingtoSherrett,hispeersalwaysusedtotellhimthathecouldexcelasateacher, but he finally came to pursueteachingwhilewatchingaWorldSeriesgame andhelping his sonwith physicshomework. “Everyonce inawhileyougetanepiphany,”hesaid.“Irealizedhowmuch I enjoyed that stuff, so I said, ‘Icandothis.Icanbeateacherandcoachbaseball.’”Asspringapproaches,Sherrettislookingforwardtobecominginvolvedwiththebaseballteam.

AfterbeingateacherforatbothWil-lowGlenandYerbaBuenaHighSchools,SherrettappreciatestheresourceshereatGunn.Uponwalkingthroughthecorri-dorsoftheScienceDepartment,Sherrettbecameimpressedwiththenewoutletstoteach.“Theresourceshereareincredible,”hesaid.“It’slikeajuniorcollege.”

Sh e r-rett believes that hispreviousschoolsintheSanJoseareahadalessresourcesfor teaching.“It’s a real challengeteaching science in aschoolwithmeagersup-plies,”hesaid.“Alotofthe timeyouhave toteachstraightoutofthebook.”

Sherrett looks for-wardtodevelopingtheEngineeringpro-gramandisalsointerestedinthesmallnuancesfoundatGunn,especiallythoseinvolvedwith student activities. “Mosthighschoolsaresimilar,butit’sachancetoseehowyouguysdoHomecoming,”hesaid.

AlthoughthisisanewschoolforSher-retttoteachin,onethingneverchangesfor him. “I’m really enjoying teachingphysicstothesehungryGunnstudents,”he said. “I just value helping studentsbuildasolidfoundationtounderstandtheworldaroundthem.”

Features12

Lydia ZhangFeatures Editor

Assomeonestartingherfirstyearofteaching, social studies teacherArianeRichardisreadytobringsomethingdif-ferenttotheGunncommunity.

Richardwas originally aparalegal in the corpo-rateworld, having de-veloped an interestin law during heryears at Univer-sity ofCalifornia,Berkeley.Howev-er, even then shewasdrawntoedu-cation. “At everyjobI’veeverhad,I’vealwaysendedupteach-ing people,” she said.Eventually,shedecidedtochange career paths fromlawtoeducation.Lastyear,shewasastudentteacherforsocial studies teachersBrianTuomyandAliceMcCraley.

RichardsaysthatduringhertimeatGunn,shehasseenmanystudentswhoareonly interestedin getting good grades and arenot motivated to understandthematerial. She hopes thatshe can teach her students tolook formore than “just theright answer” in her class.“Whenyoumake learningallaboutgettingtherightanswer,itbecomeseitherreally boring…or really

stressful,”Richardsaid.“It’smoreaboutthediscovery.Learningisaprocess.”Shehopesherstudentswillbeaspassionateaboutlearningassheisaboutteaching.

Agood learningenvironment forherclasses is also important toRichard. “I

want to create a classroomwith afun,relaxedatmosphere,where

students know that theymust do their best andareinspiredtolearn,”she said. “I am al-ways self-ref lect-ing,thinkingaboutwhat I can use intheclassroomfromthe world aroundmetomakemyles-sons relevant tomy

students’lives.”However, Richard

has had to make somechanges to her teachingattitude since her time at

Gunn.According toRichard,asastudent,shewasalotlike

HermioneGranger, her favoritecharacter from theHarry Potterseries.Shesaysthatastheoldestoffourchildren,shewasaprettybossysister and, likemany students atGunn,aperfectionist.

ButRichardhasrealizedthatitisnecessarytomakeconcessions.“I[hadwanted]tobetheperfectteacher,”shesaid.“[But,]nowIknowthat it’snotaboutbeinga perfect teacher, it’s aboutbeing the best teacher youcanbe.”

Ashley NguNews Editor

Five years ago,science teacherCharles Castle-manwasn’t plan-ning on teachingenvironmental sci-ence and biology tohigh school students.Instead, hewas on trackto passing the bar exam tobecome a lawyer. “At the sametime Iwas attending law school,I also volunteered at a juvenile hallcalledNaturalBridge JuvenileCorrec-tionsCenterinVirginia,”Castlemansaid.“AndIlovedthatmorethanthethoughtofbeingalawyersoIswitchedcareersafterIgraduated.”

Castleman, a SanDiego native, re-ceivedhisBachelorofMathematicsfromtheUniversity ofCalifornia,Davis.Ac-cordingtoCastleman,hedoesnothaveadegreeinsciencebuthehasalwayshadastronginterestinthesubject,eventaking“more science classes than I probablyshouldhave”incollege.

ThisisCastleman’sfirstyearofteach-ing after student teaching at a smallcharter-basedSanFrancisco school foryear.Heactuallysayshisstyleofteach-ingstressesgrouplearningbyfacilitatinggroupdiscussionsamongstudents.

Castlemansayshetrulyenjoyshisjob.

“Gunnisawesome,” he

said. “The school has amazing supportfrom other staff, especiallywith cur-riculums.Thestudentsaremotivated,theparentsarecaringandtheweatherisnice.IhavelargeamountsofresourcesathandandIhaven’tmetanyoneyetthatIdidn’tlikeimmediately.Ontopofthat,theschoolspiritaroundhereisgreat.”

Citing his enthusiasm for theHome-comingthemeNintendo,Castlemansaysthathesigneduptodressupasajuniorfor theevent. OnSept.29,keepaneyeoutforatallmaninaMariocostume.ItisprobablyCastleman.

Yilin LiangCenterfold Editor

MathteacherGopiTantodbeganteach-ingIntroductiontoAnalysisandCalculus(IAC) this year. Tantod says that shefirstdecidedtobecomeateacherinhighschool.“Inhighschool,IenjoyedmyAPteachersbutIalsosawteachersthatdidn’texplainwell,”shesaid.“However,IhadagreatAPCalcandSpanish teacher.Theyreallyinspiredme.”

Because of this, Tantod hasgreatlyenjoyedherprofession.“IenjoyespeciallywhenIamabletoexplaintostudentsthemate-rial theydon’t understand insimplerterms,”shesaid.“It’sgreattobeabletoestablishthe communicationbetween teacherandstudents.”

B e f o r ec om i ng t oGunn, Tan-tod taught in SantaRosaand at Lynbrook andMil-pitas High Schools. Shehas taughtmath subjectsfromAlgebra toCalculusand college levelmathto a l l four grades o fhighschool.“IcametoGunn for a dayandIreallyenjoyed t h estaff and students,” s h e

shesaid.“Itseemedlikeacollaborativeandhealthyplacetowork.”

Because she had taughtHonorsPre-Calculuspreviously,Tantodbeganteach-ingIACthisyear.“Iamfamiliarwiththesubject,butthematerialisdifferentandIenjoythat,”shesaid.

Tantodhasespeciallyappreciatedthehelppeoplehavegivenher andher stu-dents’friendliness.“I’mlookingforward

to the‘Aha!’momentofmystudentsandalsoestablishingarelationshipwiththem,”shesaid.

According to students, she hasalreadybeguntoreachhergoal.“She’sareallyniceteacherandshe explains conceptswell,”junior Isabelle Kerschmansaid.“Shereallyisinterested

in what sheteaches.”

B e s i d e sbeing amathteacher, Tan-tod enjoys In-

dian classical dancing andkayaking. She is especiallylooking forward toHome-comingWeek, when shewillbeparticipatinginair-

bands. “I amlooking for-ward to beingmoreinvolvedin

school,”shesaid.

THEORACLE

Math: Gopi Tantod Science: Charles Castleman

Science: Todd Sherrett Soc. Studies: Ariane Richard

WendyLiu

AlanPhan

AlanPhan

WendyLiu GraphicsbyLisaWu

Features 13Monday, September 20, 2010

The Oracle: How did you become inter-ested in doing art?Adrien Vandereyken: I forgot when I really started doing art. It was freshman year when I really started to try improv-ing my skills.

TO: How did you become interested in specifically doing graphic art?AV: Well, I go on the Internet all the time and I saw pictures that were created using programs like Photoshop. I thought it was very cool, so I decided that I wanted to try creating it, too.

TO: What do you think about the art program at Gunn?AV: I think that the art program is a very intuitive course. It allows students to have liberty though there is a guideline, which is good.

TO: What do you hope art will do for you in the future?AV: I would like to pursue a career mak-ing concept art, perhaps for games, which involve making a visual representation of

various aspects of the game (e.g. charac-ters, levels, styling). I have always been fond of video games and the art [and] styling that goes behind the design of the game world. Perhaps when I am skilled enough I can consider joining a company.

TO: What is your favorite art piece?AV: I do not really have a favorite art piece because some of the pieces I’ve done I put no effort into them but they turn out really well, while others I put in a lot of effort and they don’t turn out as well. However, I do particularly like my piece on a cheetah.

TO: Have you ever taken any art classes outside of school?AV: I have not taken art classes outside of school. I simply thought I didn’t need to when there are so many online tutorials. I honestly wouldn’t want to take classes outside of school, as with online tutorials you can kind of do your own thing, and spin off the lesson and do what inspires or looks cool to you. That is what is so cool about Gunn’s graphic design class. It allows for a lot of freedom in how you interpret your assignment.

TO: What are your thoughts about the future of graphic design as a field?AV: Graphic design is an emerging field and has lots of new opportunities in job fields.

TO: What are some of your future goals in graphic design?AV: I want to incorporate graphic pens when doing art, like in photographs. If I am able to do that I will be proud.

­—Compiled­by­Elise­Lee

Seniors rep big names and big numbers on WednesdaysMonica Cai

Sports Editor

The middle of the week can be a tiring, boring time, but the seniors are making Wednesdays a lot more exciting. “We decided to spruce Wednesdays up,” se-nior Yotam Kasznik, co-creator of Basketball Jersey Wednesdays said. On any given Wednesday, a group of students, mainly seniors, can be spotted at school sporting their favorite basketball jersey. “There’s so much excitement on Basketball Jersey Wednesdays,” Kasznik said. “It radiates happi-ness.”

The event was thought up by Kasznik and fellow senior Ori Herschmann on a Tuesday night during the NBA playoffs last year. “We just wanted to get out a little more,” Herschmann said. “We de-cided to try something new and it worked out.”

The trend soon spread to others in the grade and even branched out beyond seniors. “The last Wednes-day of the year, maybe forty people wore basketball jerseys,” Kasznik said. “I’m happy so many people liked our idea.”

Jersey wearing isn’t limited to basketball fans only or to the se-nior grade; any student, basket-ball fan or not, can join in. The

Wednesday is chosen randomly by the creators and the news is spread simply by word of mouth.

Another event that has recent-ly been created is Lawn Chair Wednesday, also a primarily se-nior activity. Seniors bring chairs to the quad during lunch, usu-ally participating in Basketball Jersey Wednesdays at the same time. Created by senior John Farhat, Lawn Chair Wednesday started accidentally. “I was with [Seniors] Anish [Johri] and Holt [Bowmer] and they said they wanted to get some hammocks for Gunn,” Farhat said. “I misheard what they said and said we should definitely get lawn chairs, and it went off from that.”

Although only seniors cur-rently participate, any class can join in, according to Farhat. “The intent of Lawn Chair Wednesday is just to relax during lunch and make it feel like summer,” Farhat said. “Once it starts to be cold, Lawn Chair Wednesdays will be replaced with Sleeping Bag Wednesdays.”

With clear plans to continue the event all year, Farhat expects more and more people to partici-pate. Together with Kasznik and Herschmann’s Basketball Jersey Wednesdays, the seniors are try-ing to guarantee that Wednesdays will never be boring again.

Artist of the Month Adrien Vandereyken (12) Q&A with

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Top Left: Senior Ori Herschmann proudly shows off his favorite Orlando Magics basketball jersey. Top Right: Seniors enjoy a relaxing lunch on lawn chairs on the quad. Bottom: Seniors John Farhat, Yotam Kasznik and Sarah Fleischmann participate in Basketball Jersey Wednesday earlier this year.

Photos by Henry Liu

Courtesy of Adrien Vandereyken

Elaine LiuBusiness manager

Like most of the high-school students in the area, I have a vague recollection of the old Cali-fornia Academy of Science (CAS) in San Francisco. There are fuzzy parts where I recall giant exhib-its of African animals and an astronaut ex-hibit that may or may not have only existed in my memor y. But the newly renovated CAS, with its crisp new lines and window walls, offers a much-needed contrast to those blurred recollections. Shut down for renovation from 2005 until its reopening on Sept 27, 2008 the CAS is one of the oldest museums of its kind.

The indoor Tropical Forest is one of the most impressive features of the whole museum. It is a tri-level walk that leads from

the “undergrowth to the canopy” while showcasing animals and plants from different rainforests around the world. The most re-alistic part of this exhibit is the atmosphere. Constantly operating mist machines and sprinklers produce humidity while the thermostat is cranked up to 90 de-

grees in the glass build-ing. Cou-ple d wit h the real-life sounds of t r o p i c a l b i rd s a nd butterf lies, y o u c a n close your

eyes and almost believe that you are in the Amazon Rainforest. This new addition to the museum is the most remarkable improve-ment.

A close second is the gorgeous Living Roof that covers the whole top of the CAS. Designed by Renzo Piano to be a push towards green building practices, the Living Roof blends modern ar-

chitecture with the natural design of parklands. The plants living on the roof are able to counteract the typical buildup of heat and carbon dioxide while reducing the temperature. Standing on the roof and observing flowers is one of the most relaxing things one can do, helped by the nostalgic feeling given by the Teletubbies-like hills.

What the museum has gained in exhibits such as the Tropical Forest and the Living Roof, it has lost in reducing the number of its classic exhibits it used to showcase. There is no longer a roundabout of Native American history or the space exhibit with a giant moon scale. It has man-aged to hold on to some of its old beauties though, namely the adorable penguin exhibit, the giant swinging pendulum and the Albino alligator that is just as lethargic and motionless as my childhood memories recall. It is good to see that some things never change.

Despite the trials and tribula-tions the old California Acad-

emy went through, it still comes out standing strong. Visitors will always love the CAS for its abil-ity to teach people. Upon leaving the building for the day, a staff member offered me a sticker in exchange for a fact that I had learned that day. I’m happy to say I walked off with a California poppy sticker proudly attached to my shirt.

14 EntertainmentReveal your inner nerd

today

It’s inside every one of us, yet we are all so afraid to show it. No, I’m not talking about love, I’m talk-ing about our inner nerds. Trapped inside our bodies, our inner nerds are suffocating. We hide them with excuses and lies, only in hopes to appear more popular or less, well, nerdy.

My guilty nerd moment came when I started to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. A couple days into reading it, some friends asked if I wanted to go see Inception with them. Instead of tell-ing them the truth, I came up with this fabrication that I had developed a rare fever that no one had ever heard of and told them that a movie would only worsen my condition. The real reason I did not go was that I was finishing the book. Rather than give my friends the real story, I shoved down my inner nerd deep into my closet of secrets.

In the history of the world, nerds have come a long way. Formerly ridiculed and mocked, these indi-viduals are now some of the most productive and innovative people in our country. Jack Dorsey tried to build a map of New York City in his teenage years and later went on to be the creator of Twitter. Bill Gates, who once wrote a computer program to schedule classes, is the co-founder of Microsoft and now one of the wealthiest men on the planet. One can even trace the his-tory of the nerd back to Spiderman, in which teenager Peter Parker was a four-eyed book-hound who ended up becoming a superhero and comic book legend. All of these people have led successful lives while em-bracing their inner nerd.

Contrary to our society’s por-trayal of a nerd, nerds are really just everyday people who have that spark of intelligence and a passion for learning. Dictionary.com gives one definition of a nerd as a foolish, inept, unattractive person, but it is time that this stereotype is broken.

Don’t be ashamed of something that is a part of you. Let your friends know what your best Rubix cube time is or what book you are cur-rently reading. People should be proud of their accomplishments, however “nerdy” they might be.

Many of us do not want to be per-ceived as nerds. But deep down, we all have that desire to perform well in school and satisfy our brain’s ap-petite. This year, let your inner nerd discover its freedom. Maybe you too will find that being a nerd is not so bad after all.

—Hayward, a junior, is a Forum Editor

Sam Hayward

Henry Liu

Explore the California Academy of Science

“You can almost close your eyes and imagine yourself halfway across the globe in the Ama-zon Rainforest.”

New Academy of Sciences worth exploring

To p l e f t : T h e m us e u m sh o wcas e s i t s a r ra y o f e xo ti c s t u f f e d b i rds . To p r i g ht : O n e o f m a ny l i f e - l i ke i n -s e c t s f o u n d i n t h e n e w l y a d d e d A m a z o n R a i n f o r e s t e x h i b i t . M i d d l e r i g h t : T h e m u s e u m ’s n e w w a l k -able f ield of meteor impact- craters. Bot tom: The newly renovated food cour t during a t ypical lunch hour.

Bay Area museum comes to back to life after four years of renovation

Address: 55 Music Con-course Drive Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA 94118

Hours: Monday to Saturday9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission:Adult $29.95Senior (ages 65+) $24.95Student $24.95Youth (ages 12-17) $24.95Child (ages 4-11) $19.95Ages 3 and Under FREE

EntErtainmEnt 15Monday, September 20, 2010

May WuReporter

Hot Yoga: As someone who had never done Bikram (hot yoga) before, I was a little intimidated by the idea of sitting in a steaming room full of many other students (hopefully non-smelly ones) while holding muscle-straining poses. Going in, I imagined that the whole room would be quiet as we took the heat in a zen setting, slowly melting into a puddle of sweat.

While I filled out my first-time visiting form, a requirement for all newcomers, I could feel the heat pulsing out from under the cracks of the door be-tween the yoga room and the office I stood in. When I walked into the yoga room, the dimmed lights, serene tranquility, and the instructor, Rebecca’s soft, voice brought out the spiritual qualities of the lesson.

At first, I felt awkward and silly trying to do the stretches but when no one laughed or scowled at my failed attempts, I began to assimilate myself to the serene overall mood.

As I lowered myself into the tree position, I was surprised by how hard it was to stay balanced and I could feel the muscles in my leg locking in. The class included 26 semi-rigorous stretches of various difficulty levels.

It was hot and every time Rebecca opened the door for some fresh air (every few minutes), I would breathe a sigh of relief.

But when she closed it, the glove of sticky heat enveloped me once again.

At the end of the class, we ended with two ses-sions of rapid breathing for cool-down and then the lights were further dimmed and the class was over.

Hot yoga was definitely worth going to and I was sore for about a couple of days afterwards (blame it on having no P.E.). For me, the sweating and the stretching exercises made me feel healthy and pure. However, I would recommend going to a class with a friend since most other participants are over thirty. The class is generally about an hour and a half or shorter depending on the instructor’s pace. It’s defi-nitely worth it and I will be back for more.

Leon SungReporter

Muay Thai: If you know me, you probably know that I consider myself pretty athletic. I must ad-mit though, I’ve met my match in Thailand’s national sport: Thai kickboxing, or Muay Thai. Known as the “Science of Eight Limbs” (two elbows and two knees added to the traditional four limbs), Muay Thai is a lethal art designed to weaponize the human body. As the most commonly used form of stand-up fighting by professional mixed martial arts fighters, Muay Thai has a reputation of ending fights swiftly and efficiently. Be-cause Muay Thai spans the globe, I got to take a near-by class at Fairtex in Mountain View.

As an international organization responsible for pro-ducing countless world champions, Fairtex is no joke. Upon walking into the training facilityat 6:45 a.m, I could feel that this place was different. For the duartion of the one-hour class, a three-minute timer regulates everything. Warm ups are three three-minute rounds of jump roping with thirty seconds of rest between each round. To put it in perspective, most people jump rope at a pace of about 100 jumps per minute.

After the warmup, the class shifted immediately to drills. Students paired up and, with one person hold-ing pads, repeated combinations of punching, kicking, and kneeing that ranged from five to twelve strikes. Since each strike is an explosive full-body movement, three minutes of striking is tantamount to sprinting. Six rounds of this will make sweat pour off your body and your muscles scream for mercy. If the drills weren’t enough, five minutes of sparring finishes the job.

Just an hour of Muay Thai amounts to at least 1200 calories. Though I was completely exhausted after the class, it was exciting to do something different. I’ve got to say, there is something therapeutic about hitting someone for a workout.

Fairtex is a great place for people of all ages. Be-ing the youngest one there by six years, I can tell that the people who train at Fairtex really love Muay Thai. Although classes are a bit pricey, you really get what you pay for. Whether you’re looking for stress relief, self-defense, or recreation,going to Fairfax is a must.

Krishan AllenSports Editor

Zumba: There are very few people that would voluntarily wake up on a Sunday morning to do, well, anything. Yet here I was at the YMCA on Ross Road willing myself to keep going. Maybe I would discover a new passion in Zumba? Maybe this would inspire me to carry on as an exercise routine? Or maybe not.

Zumba is a popular dance fitness with a mixture of Latin and other international music. As I trudged onwards through the entrance doors, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Well, I soon found out.

Walking into the gym I saw my fellow classmates stretching and preparing for the hour-long class. The first thing I noticed was not the rainbow of multi-col-ored spandex and athletic garments that most of these women wore (although I really was amazed at how some of them managed to pull this off and still look fit). No, what I noticed first was that I was the only male in the room. After making a mental note to be more cautious of what stories I take in the future, the class began.

We started out with a slow pace. This was a chance to warm-up and gather energy for the hour ahead. For me, it was an uphill struggle in which I fought to cre-ate some sort of rhythm or momentum. Eventually, some of this work did lead to decent results as I pro-gressively became more in-sync with the rest of the class. Everyone displayed such grace and poise in the routine that I continually tried to emulate (unsuccess-fully). There will always be moves that I may never get the full grasp of, especially those involving the use of hips.

Eventually (read: after a long time) the hour came to its end. I walked out feeling refreshed, and a bit relieved. Humming “Waka Waka” (the last song to be played in the routine) to myself , I set out to go back home and recuperate.

An hour long Zumba class burns anywhere from 500 to 900 calories. And while its not for me, this fast-paced, energetic class is an easy way for peo-ple of all ages to excercise and have fun doing it.

Josephine JenReporter

Cycling: I woke up early on a Saturday morning prepared to take a spin class at 9:30 a.m. at the JCC Family Community Center. I had no idea what to expect but that I would be sitting on a stationary bike, pumping my feet for an hour. It sounded easy enough.

I arrived just as the other students, women of all ages, were climbing onto their bikes. The bikes were arranged in a half circle with the instructor’s bike placed in the center in front of a mirror facing us. The instructor, a tall, lean male dressed in biking attire, introduced himself as Bruce and began blasting music on the speakers.

The cadence started off slowly, allowing us to be-come familiar with the bike. After a couple of min-utes, Bruce demanded us to push harder and we began pumping our legs faster and faster until we were or-dered, once again, to slow down.

This pattern of slow then fast then slow continued throughout the entire class. While it sounds relative-ly simple and easy, spinning proved to be very chal-lenging. Since the stationary bikes are different from regular bikes, spinning bikes gain a momentum that is practically unstoppable. As I pedaled faster, it became increasingly difficult to stop, since it seemed as if the pedals were moving by themselves. There were even multiple occasions when my feet slipped off the pedals, but momentum kept the pedals rotating, causing them to slap against my shins. The bruises began to form in the afternoon.

However, spinning is great way to obtain an intense work out in a short amount of time. It gets the heart racing and works the leg muscles and by the end of those fifty-five minutes, you will be satisfied with your work out and content that you burned a fair amount of calories. I could feel the burn from my quads to my gluteus maximus.

The biggest advantage to spinning in a classroom environment is that it forced me to follow through, and there was even music to motivate me, while if I were alone I would have given up ten minutes into the rou-tine.

The Oracle reviews exercise classes

CLASS INFORMATIONZumba: Palo Alto YMCA 3412 Ross Road, Palo Alto, on Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:25 a.m. and Sun-days 9:05 to 10 a.m.Muay Thai: 2044 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View, 94303, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Hot Yoga: Yoga Source, 158 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, class times available on the Yoga Source web-site.Cycling: Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, class times available on JCC website.

Top: Senior Leon Song kicks at his instructor while taking a Muay Thai class. Middle: Seniors Annie Shuey and Krishan Allen show off their moves during a Zumba class at a local YMCA. Bot-tom: Senior Josephine Jen takes a cycling class at the local JCC.

Henry Liu

Henry Liu

Tiffany Hu

16 EntErtainmEnt

Describe your perfect Homecoming date:Faces in the Crowd

“Somebody that would do something big, like, “out of the

box” for me... Someone like Trey Songz.”

“Someone that can drive, who is also tall, nice and

handsome.”

“Someone with a good sense of humor, who also knows how

to have fun.”

Girls: Conveniently located in downtown Palo Alto near the popular frozen yo-gurt store Fraiche on Emerson Street, Romi Boutique offers a wide range of hip, urban clothing. This boutique sells mainly upscale clothing from a variety of both popular brands and less well known designers. Though the selection at this boutique leans towards the casual side, it is likely that some-thing suitable for Homecom-ing will be hidden in the racks. This place is best if you are looking for some-thing that is simple yet classy with atten-

tion to details. The sales at this store are not to be missed, and though the clothes are upwards of $50 in price range, they are worth it. Another viable option

for Homecoming is Bay Area chain, Therapy. These

stores offer many styles of dresses that range from casual

day dresses to elegant evening dresses. Dresses in stock at Therapy on Castro Street in Mountain View are varied in

style: some dresses are sleek and urban, while others are casual and floral. They are also quick to stock trends for each season. Therapy’s prices are usually reasonable and similar to the prices of Homecoming dresses sold at Macy’s or other department stores. However, the best

thing about Therapy is that their unique selection of clothing will ensure that you will stand out from the crowd.

Boys: There are many stores for guys to buy unique Homecoming formal wear. First of all, guys, don’t be afraid to shop online. Asos.com offers basics for Home-coming (such as collared shirts) as well as some unique pieces that will set you apart from the sea of trite button-downs (think purple plaid). The prices can be a bit high, so be sure to look in their “Outlet” section, which has marked-down prices.

Though most people think of Ameri-can Apparel as more of a casual clothing store, they do offer a variety of collared shirts and slacks, which can be formal. At American Apparel, you can find a variety of dress shirts in cool colors. Try experimenting with their short sleeve button-down shirts or buy one of their bow ties to add a dash of style to your Homecoming outfit.

Homecoming shopping at its best Eden Lauffer Copy Editor

There is one key piece of ad-vice when it comes to shopping for Homecoming week outfits: be thrifty. The best costumes come from creative ensembles rather than store-bought costume sets. For example, this Home-coming, one of the themes for the senior class is comic book. Maybe you’re looking for a low-budget outfit, but you don’t have a cape, tights or mask. With just a white T-shirt you can create your own super-hero costume. Thinking outside the box is the way to go.

When creating Homecoming week costumes, what you can find around the house usually makes for a more original and less expensive costume than sets sold at Diddams. For in-stance, ladies, instead of buying a white dress, buy an extra-large T-shirt from Michaels, cut it up and belt it. That probably

saves about $15. Now you have extra money to purchase acces-sories or props you feel your outfit needs.

Props and accessories can make an outfit work. For ex-ample, if you wanted to dress up like a witch but you were lacking a pointy hat and broomstick, you would be a pretty sad-looking

witch. If you are will-i ng to spend

the money on cool p rops or take the time to make them,

it really adds to your en-

s e m -b l e .

Sometimes, if your costume is still not very convincing, the right prop or accessory can make it more believable.

B e f o r e yo u s t a r t your shop-ping at all, check with f r i e n d s f i rst. The expression “one man’s junk is an-other man’s treasure” really applies here. If your dress-up theme is West-ern but nothing in your house could work for this ensemble, see if a friend has a spare cowboy hat to lend you. Then, when

your friend n e e d s h e l p

with another outfit, may-be you have something you could let your friend

borrow. This type of clothing swap saves both par-ties money. Also, raid your parents’ closets. If your theme is 80’s, rather than go-ing to Ameri-can Apparel and

spending all your money on neon run-

ning shorts and leotards, check out your mom’s closet for funky vintage clothes.

The key to a successful costume is pre-owned items, whether they are from your closet, your parents’, a friend’s or

even Goodwill’s col-lection. If you

search hard e n o u g h , your out-fit can be original and affordable.

The Oracle looks at the best places to find your Homecoming gear, from formal wear to costumes

“I’m 5’3”, so someone who is a little bit shorter

than me.”Nicolas Diken (9) Priscilla Molina (11) Melissa Chan (12) Jordan Leung (12)

1. Plan ahead! Make or buy your outfits early for each day.2. Plan on getting up 10 to 15 minutes earlier than normal each day to get dressed and ready.3. Clean up after yourself–points are deducted for trash!4. Bring as many random things as you can on Thursday for the Scavenger Hunt; keep them in your hands so they can be passed quickly to the front. 5. You can never wear too much red and black at the football game on Friday night.6. Scream like crazy at the night rally so your voice is gone by the next day and your class gets points in the yell competition.7. Participate–go to the games and ask your class president and vice president if you can join in on the competitions during lunch and brunch.

Quick Tips for Homecoming Week

­—Compiled­by­Jesse­Klein

LocationsCostume:Goodwill 4085 El Camino Way, Palo Alto(650) 494-1416

Diddams 1952 W. El Camino Real , Mountain View(650) 965-0138

Michaels2415 Charleston Rd, Mountain View (650) 968-8698

Formal:Romi Boutique 624 Emerson St, Palo Alto (650) 322-7664

Therapy250 Castro St., Mountain View(650) 691-1186

American Apparel170 University Ave, Palo Alto(650) 328-4900

Yilin LiangNews Editor

THEORACLE

Geo

rge

Hw

ang

George Hwang

—Compiled­by­Felix­Tran

EntErtainmEnt 17Monday, September 20, 2010

Nicola ParkFeatures Editor

I fell hard for The Office like Michael Scott fell for YouTube. “When I discov-ered YouTube, I didn’t work for five days,” Scott, played by Steve Carell, recounts. “I did nothing. I viewed ‘cookie monster sings chocolate rain’ about 1,000 times.” Like that.

So when I heard the news that season seven is Steve Carell’s last, I was horrified, then in despair, then more pessimistic about TV entertainment.

The casters are going to have to find a new boss just as interesting, if not also air-headed, pestering and unproductive. Some articles say that Scott’s departure may have a beneficial impact in that there will be a positive impact to the office environment with a fresh face. False. I find it almost impossible that someone can fill his shoes, at least in the same way.

But people, get psyched, because we have a lot to look forward to. Rumors and hints from the end of the last sea-son speak of the return of Holly Flax, played by Amy Ryan, who is Scott’s love inter-est and, according to Jim Halpert, “kind of a major dork.” And with the end of the drama be-tween the

presently happily married PBJ duo, the drama and awkward-ness will live on not only with Holly and Michael but also with the romantic ten-sions between the glaringly awkward yet oddly adorable couple Andy and Erin.

If nothing else, there is always my favorite charac-ter Dwight Schrute, played by Rainn Wil-son, who c l a i m s h i m -s e l f t o

be faster than 80 percent of all snakes and generally likes his co-workers “with four exceptions.” There is little doubt that Schrute will be as “Dwight” as ever in the seasons to come, with his beet farmer alter ego, re-lationship with Angela that

can only be described with “…” and his continual

s t r u g g l e to be

Scott’s No. 1. Along with Schrute is the rest of a strong and talented cast, each character adding to the show’s wry humor and ability to skillfully poke fun at social stereotypes.

When it comes down to it, the show is about finding humor in the most mundane details in life. “My mother used to say that average people are the most special people in the world, and that’s why God made so many,” Scott says. The Office embodies me-diocrity, yet the show has a vitality, playful-ness, and humor that make it so hilarious, enjoyable, and what I consider one of the best TV shows of our time. We’ll cringe at Scott’s inappropriate jokes and statements a little more, amuse ourselves with his glitch-es in speech and thought a little more, and sympathize with his pursuit of belonging and happiness just a little more this time.

And despite all of his shortcomings and knack for creating awkward moments,

fans have a soft spot for his character nonetheless (and also because he is “not to be truffled with”). He made The Office what it has been these past 6 seasons from the start, and

it will be difficult to let him go, let alone find someone new to fill in the massive void. But for now, let’s enjoy Mi-chael Scott at his best.

The Office: “under new management”

Andrew Lee

The Oracle staffer takes a look at what to expect in Steve Carell’s seventh, and last, season on The Office

What’s in your bag?

—Compiled by Hannah Plank-Schwartz

Bianca Kennel (11) gives us a peek inside her backpack.

1) Scarf: “A must-have for when it gets chilly. I love accessories.”2) Printed bag: “My makeup stash. You never know when you’ll have a breakdown and need a touch-up.”3) Monster toy: “It’s nifty and cute. I got it in Santa Cruz.”4) Sunglasses: “I like getting uncommon sunglasses.

I don’t like having the same ones as everyone else.”5) Keychain: “I love rock-and-roll and alternative music, hence the guitar.”6) Reading Glasses: “These help bring out my inner nerd.”5) iPod: “You’ll never catch me without my iPod.”

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Football: After finishing with a record of 7-3 last year and reaching the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs for the first time since 2002, the Titan football squad will face tougher competition this year with the move to the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) De Anza division. “We are confident that our speed and athleticism will make up for our lack in size, although we do have some pretty big linemen this year,” senior wide receiver Miles Sturken said. “We have put in a lot of hard work the entire summer and now we have continued it through the start of the school year.”

Last season’s victories helped positively change the team’s culture. “They realize that they’re the league champs and that breeds a lot of confidence,” head coach Bob Sykes said. The Titans will have to face some of the best teams in the area such as Palo Alto, Wilcox and Milpitas High Schools and will need contributions from everybody in order to win. “We don’t just need one player to step up,” senior running back and defensive back Josh Jackson said. “We need the whole team to come through and be ready to play on those Friday nights.”

Cross Country:As usual, the cross country team is off to a running start.

After a successful performance last season, the team is looking for a forward to a solid start this year kicking off its first meet Sept. 18 at the Stevenson Invitational.

Last year, the boys placed second in CCS with alumnus Paul Summers as the individual CCS champion. The senior girls placed first in CCS, with senior Erin Robinson, junior Kieran Gallagher, and alumna Claire O’Connell all named to the All-CCS squad.

So far, the season has been running smoothly. “Things are going well,” coach Ernie Lee said. “We have a good group of dedicated returning runners and so far have a large turnout of new runners.” This year, the team has a new assistant coach, Jake Petrali, who says he is excited for the upcoming season. “I think that it is going great,” Petrali said. “There are a lot of great characters on the team that make it really enjoyable to come out and run.”

According to senior captain Ian Wilkes, the team has been training every day for the past several weeks. “We run six to seven miles on easy days which usually takes about seven to eight hours per week,” he said.

Girls’ Tennis:The loss of seven seniors put a lot of pressure on the girls’

tennis squad, but according to coach Jim Gorman, this year will be just as strong as the last. The team also moved up a division to the SCVAL De Anza Division, and will be up against stronger teams like Monta Vista and Saratoga High Schools, both stacked with great players. “Finishing around the middle of the league and staying alive is really what we’re aiming for,” Gorman said.

To do well this season, Gorman says the team will need mental strength and the teamwork to pull through. “[The team]’s pretty solid and has the skill set, they just need to gain some confidence,” Gorman said. For senior Allana Booth, play-ing varsity one singles requires the most experience. “I have to be able to hold on even if I’m losing a match,” Booth said.

Booth isn’t alone when it comes to the mental aspect of the game. The varsity doubles one players this year are junior Cara Lai and sophomore Angela Juang. “We need to work on work-ing together and being a team,” Lai said. “We worked well last year but we’re in a better division so we have to stick together.”

Volleyball:According to second year varsity coach Kevin Hwang, this

year’s team is looking forward to a season that is fun, chal-lenging and unpredicable. As the team strives for success this season, these are all good qualities for them to keep in mind.

The 2010 varsity season begins without four of last years’ seniors. “Every year is always different,” Hwang said. “Even when we lose people, there are new personalities and the team feels different.” Neither Hwang nor senior defense specialist Audrey Waschura is worried about the loss. “We lost our middle, Teresa Skelly, but we have junior Allison Doerphin-ghaus and sophomore Molly McAdam who both improved a lot over the club season,” Waschura said. “We also lost our setter, Shelly Kousnetz, but junior Monica Cai will be taking that spot. All of them will make the transition easy.”

The team will be playing in the SCVAL El Camino division this year. “There are higher expectations because we moved down a league,” Waschura said. “But I’m not worried. We’re just going to take it as it comes.” Home games to look forward to are Sept. 23 against Milpitas High School and Sept. 27 against Wilcox High School.

Girls’ Water Polo:Every year sports teams lose their seniors, but this year’s

girls’ water polo team took an especially big hit. “Last year’s seniors brought a lot of speed, talent and intelligence to the team,” coach Mark Hernandez said. “[They] left big shoes to fill.” So far, the players have shown an understanding of the expectations Hernandez sets for them. “They know how I like to run practice,” Hernandez said. “As a result, we’ve been very efficient in practice thus far.”

Hernandez is optimistic about the season. “The players are in much better shape than I expected,” he said. “There’s a new energy to this team.” According to senior co-captain Emily Watkins, the team made league finals last year and hope that they will be able to make it to finals again. “The games against Palo Alto, Los Altos and Los Gatos [High Schools] will be our biggest league games,” Hernandez said.

Boys’ Water Polo:This year’s water polo team, led by seniors Kevin Zhang

and Ben Hendricks, is vastly different from previous seasons. “Last year, our team’s starting lineup was very similar to the starting line up from the year before, but this year I’m the only returning starter,” Hendricks said. Due to the loss of several senior talents, many young or inexperienced players will be given the chance to start.

The team’s goal is to be efficient with a few basic schemes on defense and offense. “We want to keep our game plan as simple as possible and allow less experienced players to be-come more familiar with our schemes,” co-head coach Brian Rieben said. The team will also face some difficulties against league opponents Los Altos and Los Gatos High Schools and compete in more difficult tournaments. “[It] will make our overall record much lower than last year,” Hendricks said. “But I believe that it’s better to play good teams in tournaments and lose than play bad teams in tournaments and have a record that doesn’t really reflect anything.”

18 Sports

Jonathan Yong

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1. Junior JJ Strnad sprints past Yerba Buena High School’s defense. 2. Cross country runners race down a grueling course for the finish line. 3. Sophomore Alice Li smashes a backhand across the net. 4. Sophomore Lisa Yan and junior Allison Doerpinghaus put up a formidable block. 5. Junior Will Thorson lays out to protect the ball from his opponent.

—Compiled by Utkash Dubey, Sam Hayward, Mia Howard, Josephine Jen, Song Park and Jennie

Robinson

Fall sports end preseason, begin league competition

Photos by Henry Liu and Jonathan Yong

5

19Monday, September 20, 2010SportS

Q&A with Athletic Director Chris Horpel

The Oracle: What are you in charge of as Athletic Di-rector?Chris Horpel: There are many facets to my job. I hire (and release) all the coaches at Gunn. There are about 100 coaches for our 50 teams [across all levels]. I make sure they have their certification as a coach, as well as updated CPR and First Aid Training. I try to hire the best possible coaches available in our community to coach our various sports teams. About 40 percent of our teams are open to all skill levels, while 60 percent are “cut” sports. This al-ways poses some issues with kids and parents who feel like they should have “made the team.” Luckily, there are always other options for these kids.

TO: How has being Athletics Director gone so far?CH: I studied architecture when I was an undergraduate, and I am therefore lucky to be able to help guide the archi-tects who are designing our new athletics facilities. I am fortunate to be in a position to help during this massive improvement. Small colleges will envy what we have.

TO: What do you expect this year for Gunn sports this fall?CH: I always want everyone to be successful in terms of wins and losses, but my goal is to have each team have a positive experience. This means that each day the student athletes can say three things: I learned something new, I got in better shape and I had fun doing it. If the process is good, winning will be an automatic by-product of that good process.

TO: What are some dates people should know about?CH: Last fall football won the league for the first time in nine years and our first home football game is against a tough opponent, Burlingame. I recommend that people come out and cheer for our other fall sports: cross country, girls’ tennis, girls’ volleyball and water polo. Our girls’ cross country team won Central Coast Section (CCS) last

year and our boys were second. Just about every fall sport made the CCS playoffs last year and they could do it again this year. So, I recommend that you help our teams and spirit squad by cheering us on to another great fall sports season.

TO: What does a normal day at work entail for you?CH: I teach in the morning (three PE classes), attend oc-casional meetings in the afternoons and deal with answer-ing a lot of questions from students, coaches and parents. I then try to attend most of our home events to see how things are going. So, I often start at 8:00 a.m. and finish at 8:00 p.m. I also coach the wrestling team from October to March.

TO: What do you see for the athletics department in the future?CH: Better facilities, which will help draw better coach-es, which will help draw more Gunn students, which will help make Gunn one of the best places to be both a great students and great athlete. The future looks bright!

—Compiled by Elise Lee

Mia Howard and Kevin ZhangCopy Editor and Reporter

With the start of school comes the dawn of the football season. However not every football fan gets the chance to run with some of the finest athletes in the country. Fantasy football pro-vides the perfect outlet for fans to get out their competitive juices and become part of the game. It allows players to create rosters with ac-tual National Football League (NFL) players and play opponents. Vic-tors are decided based on true sta-t is t ics

each week. “Fantasy football is the perfect method of becoming one with the game,” senior Adam Land-ers said. “I am able to enjoy Amer-ica’s game by competing with my friends.”

What was once considered a hob-by for dateless nerds has now gained widespread popularity. “We [just] started our first league,” senior Sam

Stein said. “We have a ten-person league and we’ve had to turn people away.” Since the NFL kicked off in September, fantasy football fans will be researching and choosing players.

With this game, fans are able to construct their own teams and strate-gically use their knowledge of foot-ball. “We like to watch football and if you have a fantasy team, football is more exciting,” Stein said. “It’s easier to get in the game.” Players are drafted, traded, and signed on a week-to-week basis.

All kinds of game formats exist, ranging from long-term commit-ments such as keeper mode, where users retain a few athletes year-to-year, and short-term commitments such as playoff fantasy football.

Although the online sensation provides users with the ultimate competitive experience, it has

several drawbacks. The time commitment for serious foot-

ball fanatics is quite intense with meticulous prepara-tion for drafts, negotia-

tions with other users, and constant updates to teams.

“I need to spend an average of 30 minutes per day to man-

age my rosters and make sure to strategically bench or play play-

ers,” Landers says. “However, all the time is worth it and

really gives me an out-let to relax from school.”

Leagues, even at Gunn, have be-

come so competi-tive that monetary

prizes have become involved. “We al-

ways try to get a pot of money with a $10 buy-

in,” junior David Oyer said. “There are also paid

leagues on the Internet.” With or without money, fan-

tasy football is a fun activity that has gained widespread pop-

ularity, and has become a com-mon language for many men.

Chris Horpel

Boot BullwinkleReporter

The cheers, the stunts and the lifts: all of these have been ruled not a sport by United States district Judge Ste-fan Underhill. In August of this year, Quinnipiac Univer-sity in Conn. chose to cut the girls’ volleyball team due to budget issues and start a competitive cheer team to replace the volleyball squad in order to comply with the Title IX laws, the 1972 law that requires equal athletic opportuni-ties for men and women.

A few disgruntled volleyball players and one of their assistant coaches took the decision of the university to court. The school’s defense was that it was compliant with Title IX, on the premise that cutting volleyball and creat-ing cheer would keep an equal amount of opportunities to play sports for men and women

While in court, Underhill ruled against cheerleading being considered a sport at the collegiate level. “Competi-tive cheer may, some time in the future, qualify as a sport under Title IX,” he wrote in his judicial opinion. “Today, however, the activity is still too underdeveloped and dis-organized to be treated as offering genuine varsity athletic participation opportunities for students.”

Assistant cheerleading coach Nellie Gagloeva dis-agrees with the court’s decision, “We do equal amount of work, if not more work than other sports,” Gagloeva said.

In order for cheerleading to be recognized as a sport, it must have coached practices, competitions during a defined season and a governing organization. In short, it must have competition as the primary goal. “Everyone wants to compete, like they all have the drive,” Gagloeva said. “But we love being in front of the crowd.” Sophomore cheerleader Kirsten Baird believes the rul-ing was unfair as well. “I do other sports too, so I know what sports are like, and cheer is definitely a sport,” she said. “I think that the judge was mistaken to say that cheer is unorganized; it depends on the team.”

Assistant volleyball coach Kristen Owen views both volleyball and cheer as legitimate sports. “I think the rul-ing is completely unfair,” she said. “I view both [cheer-leading] and volleyball as sports because they’re both physical activities that require skill and discipline to per-fect.”

The ruling, however, does not directly affect high schools. The National Federation of High School Asso-ciations (NFHS) leaves it up to each state to individually decide whether or not cheer is considered a sport at the high school level, and currently, cheer is not a sport in California.

The judge suggested in his statement that cheer could eventually be a sport in the future, but until then, cheer-leaders nationwide will continue their cheers and their flips on the sidelines of games.

Judge rules cheer-leading not a sport

Football followers dream up squads Fantasy football allows die-hard fans to get into the game

Andrew Lee

20 SportS

Night: For many people’s lifestyles, afternoon

workouts are ideal. They can be a great stress reliever after a hard school or work day. Physi-ologically, peak performance for most humans occurs at around 3 or 4 p.m.: body temperature is at its highestale, injuries are less likely to oc-cur. According to Sportsmedicine.about.com, muscle strength is about five percent higher in the afternoon. Anaerobic performance like sprinting can also slightly improve in the early evening.

Varsity football has morning practices in the summer starting at 9 a.m. During the school year, practices run from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the evening. Sports not played indoors also have to consider the weather factor. “I think our team does better at night games, especially last year,” varsity football senior Nikkey Cardema said. “Mostly because during day games, we get lazy under the sun. The night is nice and breezy.”

Gym sports, like girls’ basketball, practice on weekday afternoons and weekend morn-ings. According to varsity basketball player junior Cat Perez, doubling practices would be demanding. “I like practices in the afternoon better,” Perez said. “If we ever had both, both practices would be hard. In the morning we would get off to a slow start, but get in practice mode by the end. The second practice would be slower. I definitely respect all sports teams that double days or double practices. I know that would take a toll on my body.”

Overall:Everyone’s schedule, filled with schoolwork

and other personal responsibilities, is different. Although studies show that most people’s ath-letic performance peaks around late afternoon, some people feel more alert in the morning. And according to a study by University of North Texas in Denton, a person’s waking and sleeping cycle patterns can be adjusted to fit his environment and his behavior. Behaviors such as waking to an alarm clock, crossing time zones and eating regularly can reset these circadian rhythms.

Consistent practices will give the best over-all results at that time of day. In other words, if a sports team always competes at around 4 p.m.; then that time of day is the best time for the body to get used to practicing.

­—Compiled­by­Regina­Ahn

Graphic by Kimberly Han

THEORACLE

The Oracle explores the pros and cons of morning and night workouts.

Morning:While few high school students are able to find the

self-motivation to be early birds, there are some ben-efits to morning exercise. Studies show that people

who work out in the morning show greater endurance than people who work out in the afternoon. However, the belief that morning workouts on an empty stomach can help cut down extra flab is just a rumor, according to Goaskalice.columbia.edu. Sustained exercise at any time of day will boost metabolism as well

as alertness. In order to gain the most out of a morning

workout, one would have to acquire good sleeping habits. However, some Gunn sports teams, such as cross-country, may not find as apparent

an advantage due to busy schedules, according to senior Ian Wilkes. “The benefit to running in the morning is probably that it is usually much cooler,

and so we don’t have to deal with the heat,” he said. “The con is that for most people, having to wake up so early takes away from time they should be sleeping,

and sleep is required to rebuild after hard runs and rest up for the next day.” Morning practices can have performance benefits, too. Water polo practices

utilize precious time in both the morning and evening to build endurance and improve teamwork. “Having a morning and an afternoon practice is almost essential to being able to play good, strong water polo,” junior Will Thorson said. “It all has to do with

swimming endurance and team technique.” According to Thorson, both are essential to a team’s success. A player needs to be able to get out of the water and throw

their body weight behind a ball as well as be fast enough to swim ahead of the defender and have an open shot. “That’s why having two practices is critical,”

Thorson said. “In the morning we swim for those long hours so that in the afternoon we can

work together as a team and be able to make some amazing plays.”