oiceTheihsvoice.com Volume 17.6 March 13, 2009

I r v i n g t o n H i g h S c h o o l - F r e m o n t , C a l i f o r n i a

INSIDE4

Tina Karimi staunchly defends the skanks

Think you know the Boys Viking Baseball team?

Turn to the Entertainment section for a chance to win Fall Out Boy concert tickets! Entertainment 5 | Voice staffers share their deepest and weirdest feelings about guilty pleasures. Features 8

Whoever puts together a legit website for the Voice gets a free hug from Ashwin Shanker and Kim Ngo.

Inside the brain-storming session for “Friday the Thir-teenth”

HUMOR

PAGE 12

SPORTSOPINIONSWEB EXCLUSIVE INDEX

PAGE 10PAGE 4WWW.IHSVOICE.COM

News 1-3Opinions 4-5Features 6-7Entertainment 8-9Sports ....10-11Humor 12

Photo: invisiblechildren.com

Budget cuts seem to be a routine hit for Fremont students. The FUSD is not unaccustomed to depleting funds. But, more recently, money seems to be vanishing more effortlessly than before, being cause to raise more alarm than ever before. Concerns have been issued all across the board. The frustration has begun to fester as parents, teachers and students all seem to be taking this particular series of cuts harsher than ever. Why the sudden alert panic? These cuts are larger than what FUSD has seen in a long time, but what’s more disconcerting, perhaps, is that there is no end in sight.

2009 will be possibly the most painful year for education funds as of yet. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has recommended a $4.8 billion cut for K-14 education, on top of a $400 million reduction for education in the current year. The net effect is about $750 less per student than K-12 education would normally receive or about $18,750 per classroom. This proposal also included the suspension of Proposition 98--the state’s minimum funding guarantee for public schools and community colleges--in order to help address a $14.5 billion state budget shortfall. The proposed cuts are the largest ever contemplated for public schools in California. Students and teachers are being directly impacted by this crisis— perhaps a wakeup call for many students

Why the Budget is Simply

Currently sitting at 47th in the nation for funding schools, California’s public school budget is scheduled for more hits this year

By Anisha Babbar

not cutting it

Amnesty International Club hosted a screening of the brand new fi lm The Rescue, created by the nonprofi t group Invisible Children, about the child soldiers used by a rebel army in Uganda and the Congo. Several classes of students throughout the day attended the event. Representatives from Invisible Children sold merchandise and urged students to sign up online for the program Tri, which involves pledging three dollars a week, or the equivalent of a cup of coffee, to aid the child soldiers. Volunteers from the organization are crossing the United States to show the fi lm to publicize the plight of the children and encourage people to join in The Rescue, an effort to save the children from abduction by rebel armies. One of these events will take place on Apr. 25 in cities around the world, including San Francisco. People will abduct themselves to bring international scrutiny to the use of child soldiers and to bring about the arrest of Joseph Kony, leader of the Lords Resistance Army, the rebel force that has been terrorizing Uganda since 1986. In order to promote the rescue of the child soldiers, the event will not end until a celebrity or politician comes to “rescue” the volunteers.

Invisible Children was started in 2003 by fi lmmakers Laren Poole, Bobby Bailey and

Invisible No

LongerFilm screening about injustice in Africa raises awarenessBy Tina Karimi

Selfl ess and fearless. Bold and daring. Athletic and strong. These are just few of the many words that many Balti vil-lagers of the Northwestern region of Pakistan used when describing their hero Greg Mortensen, the author of the acclaimed book “Three Cups of Tea.” Greg Mortensen, an American ex-treme-mountain-climber-turned-humanitarian has helped build

Jason Russell of San Diego, who traveled to Uganda to learn about the longest- lasting war in Africa fi rsthand. There, they learned about the plight of child soldiers, who are routinely kidnapped from their homes and forced to join Kony’s forces under threat of death. After the response generated by their fi rst fi lm, Invisible Children: Rough Cut, the three founded the nonprofi t as a way to bring about change in the region. Their efforts have brought about thousands of scholarships for Ugandan children to “educate the next generation of peace leaders.” In 2007, largely due to protests organized by Invisible Children,

diplomatic relations were started between the United States and the Ugandan government in order to reach and agreement with the leader of the rebel forces, Joseph Kony. A peace was negotiated, but in April 2008, Kony did not show up to ratify the agreement. On Christmas of 2008, his forces massacred hundreds of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country bordering Uganda. Joseph Kony has refused to sign on to fi ve different peace agreements since the early nineties. He was the fi rst man to be indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

By Niveditha Puranikmath

The heroic tale of Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea

An Odyssey of Kindness

schools, porter training centers, bridges, storehouses, women’s centers and many other useful buildings for the rural Baltic people. His heroism began almost entirely by accident. In 1993, after a failed attempt to climb K2 to honor his sister Christa, he got lost several times eventually wan-dering into the village of Korphe. After the people of Korphe saved his life and essentially nursed him

back to health, Mortensen felt indebted to them. Even though he was already donating small supplies such as fl ashlights, band-aids, kitchen utensils and clothing, he felt that he needed to do more. Placing his hands on Haji Ali’s shoulders he promised to build a school.

Continued on TEA, Page 8

who don’t believe the current economic crisis is affecting them.

All this suggests a dangerous, indefi nite downward spiral in our public education system. Teachers will constantly fear for their salaries and their jobs. Simple necessities like desks and textbooks will become a luxury. After-school programs and the athletic department will be in constant danger. This prophecy is slowly transforming into reality, and there is very little action to be taken at a school-wide level.

Despite the tremendous cuts, Irvington is managing to seize funds in the form of grants. The catch with grants is that they have limited uses and allocations. While they cannot save teachers’ jobs, they have been responsible for our school having 17 smartboards and other technological advancements. And while they cannot fully alleviate the missing funds, grants are more than welcomed to keep our school afl oat when its funding is deteriorating. However, these grants do not suffi ce overall when it comes assuaging the broken state of public education funding.

“There’s not a lot we [Irvington High School] can do,” says Principal Murchison. “We can make recommendations or suggestions, but in the end, we serve at the pleasure of the board of trustees.”

Continued on BUDGET, Page 2

I am an adamant and vigorous opponent of the SAT. In fact, it is safe to say I loathe any form of standardized testing – ACT, SAT subject tests and the like. I disapprove of how one major test can almost wholeheartedly determine whether one gets into college or not.

For those of you who are unaware, CollegeBoard is NOT a non-profi t organization. They

make money by administering tests to us high-school kids. CollegeBoard charges test takers a ridiculously expensive fee for their exams, holding a bureaucratic monopoly on almost all other test suppliers. One-hundred dollars for only a single AP test? Sorry, no thanks.

Continued on SAT II, Page 4

Getting Rid of SAT IIsMy war against CollegeBoard and the SATs By Phi Nguyen

N2 | The Voice 17.6

ews

March 13MORP Dance at IHS

March 16th-20th2nd Round Cam-

painging

UpcomingEvents

BUDGET Over $20,000,000 planned in FUSD cutsContinued from Page 1

On Feb. 28, Stanford University held its annual Math Tournament for high schools throughout the Bay Area. Each participating team consisted of eight members. Irvington was represented by one team, the Blacow Vikings. After doing several sets of practice problems online, the Vikings clinched 14th place out of 43 teams. The participating seniors included Quincy Chen and former club president Alex Soong. The two juniors were current vice president Kyle Chiang and current president Kuan-e Chao. The underclassmen half of the group was comprised of sophomores Katie Lee, Xiaowen Xie, freshmen Aileen Cheng and Alexander Lin. These members represented Irvington’s increasing strength in mathematics. At the tournament, the Vikings faced tough competition from top-tier schools such as Mission San Jose, Lynbrook, Gunn, Palo Alto, Monta Vista and Harker. “We did much better than I expected,” said Kyle. Other members also had an optimistic view of the competition. “Overall, our team performance was good,” said Kuan-e. “But I didn’t do as well as I hoped. Still, we improved so much from last year. Last week, we scored 635 points compared to 415 points last year. So, we still have plenty of room for improvement.” Three main rounds make up the core of the tournament; two team tests and one individual test. The first round, the Power Round, consisted of difficult dice proofs this year. Afterwards, the teams completed a 15-question free-response written test. “We did pretty well,” said Xiaowen. “But not well

The Vikings Tackle Standford Math

TournamentStrong performance for Irvington’s teamBy Quess Liu

enough to place.” Following a much-needed lunch break, participants began an individual, two-round test. During the first round, algebra and advanced mathematics questions were asked. Geometry and calculus were topics on the second portion of the test. “We all thought Kuan-e was going to win something for the individual section,” said Xie. “He got a really good score, 9/10 on geometry. But later, we found out that many other people got perfect scores. He was only one question away from winning. According to team members, the event was very enjoyable. “All the other teams were really nerdy,” said Xie. “MSJ’s team was called Zerg Rush. Another team was called Pew Pew Laser Beam, and another called Apple Pi. We cracked up for about five minutes after hearing Mission’s name.” On Feb. 14, the Vikings also participated in the Northern California Championship. Eleven of 12 students, comprising two teams, qualified for the championship round, which will be held on Apr. 28. The success of Irvington’s competitive team is reflected by the high turnout for the annual AMC 10/12 test. Just a few days before the Stanford Tournament, Mrs. Beth Rothfuss held the annual American Mathematics Contest in Norse Hall. Roughly 100 students signed up, most of them freshmen or sophomores, a paramount figure. “I was surprised at how many people showed up. I think math is becoming much more popular at Irvington,” said Kuan-e. Hopefully, the increased participation will develop new mathematical talent among incoming underclassmen.

In the end, Irvington has little to no control over what our money gets to be spent on. Funds are allocated by the state, and the board of trustees eventually decides where those funds go.

“We may get hits in counseling, support in the library and personal services,” continued Murchison, “which is a real tragedy.” These hits will eventually resort to pay cuts and layoffs, enervating an already unstable state of California

funding. “We may even get hits in the athletics departments, and I think everyone knows how important athletics is to me. But what troubles me the most is the growing class size. That just leads to poor instruction.”

This foresight is terrifying to most students and teachers. The threats these budget cuts pose to basic educational needs is as real as ever. Is this the point to be concerned? Absolutely. There’s nothing routine or

normal about this perilous trend of disappearing funds. Without these additional cuts, California is already 47th in the nation when it comes to funding public education. “That’s a disgrace,” concludes Murchison. “That’s an embarrassment. We’re probably 51st by now.” This predication may be frightfully accurate. And in the end, in light of these recent cuts, the question that begs asking is--when will California stop the race to the bottom?

Planned Budget Cuts As of February 25th, 2009

Photo: Raji Ramanathan

District Office Reorganization - $1,114,499

CalOSHA - $117,000

Custodial Uniform Allowance - $30,000

Work Year Reduction (2%) - $4,336,354

Pay Cut (2%) - $4,336,354

Athletic Stipend (50%) - $272,080

Elementary Prep (66%) - $4,635,280

Kindergarten Restructure (30:1) - $1,925,424

Increase class size grades 4-6 to 32:1 - $1,069,531

Increase class size grades 7-12 to 28:1 - $1,297,878a

Increase 7-12 Transportation radius to 3 miles - $470,000

Retainiing 22 counselors - $916,585

Library Media Techs (50%) - $838,505

Certificated Librarians (50%)- $224,140

March 21st and 28th

Free SAT Diagnostic Tests at IHS provided

by Perfect 2400

From left: Mrs. Beth Rothfuss, Senior Quincy Chen, Junior Kuan-e Chao, Sophomore Katie Lee, Junior Kyle Chiang, Freshman Aileen Cheng, Freshman Alexander Lin

Graph by: Yu-Hsuan Lin

S NewMarch 2009 | 3

The private tutor of over two dozen Irvington High School and Mission High School students was put behind bars over three weeks ago for violating his parole by continuing to work near kids. A few weeks ago, Santa Clara County probation department received a notification about possible misconduct between Andrew Karl Chen and one of the students he tutored. He was immediately arrested for failing to notify his students of his status and for tutoring them. Andrew Karl Chen, 35, a registered sex-offender and child molester was fired from his teaching post of AP Chemistry teacher at The Harker School in August 2007. Anonymous officials say he was “let-go” after reports of severe misconduct with a student. This led to his subsequent arrest and placement

Child-Molester Prowls Local Bay Area Homes Former Harker teacher turned AP tutor revealed as a sex-offender in local areaBy Niveditha Puranikmath

Security at Irvington is becoming a major concern this year after an unknown person broke into four classrooms and stole valuable computer equipment. Although the exact date and time is uncertain, the act of robbery was reported to occur sometime during the weekend of Feb. 7 and 8. The thieves forced entry into four rooms in the portable wing, P-1, P-6, P-7 and P-8. A total of five brand new computers were stolen: one from each room and two from P-6, the technology classroom. These computers were just installed the previous week after the school received a technology grant that gave 60 new Dell Hybrid computers to classrooms and teachers. “[Irvington] lost about

Series of Thefts Provoke Security ConcernsRecent string of thefts causes administration to consider new precautionary measuresBy Phi Nguyen

$4000 in equipment in which we are hoping insurance can cover the costs to replace, refund and reconfigure the computers,” said Mr. Clint Johns. “However, that may take a considerable amount of time; we’re talking months.” This first act of theft may have led to a whole new wave of burglaries. The following week, someone again broke into P-6, stealing items including network switches, routers, mice and monitors. Mr. Johns, the classroom’s teacher, had placed cable locks on all other items of value. During the weekend of Feb. 28 to Mar. 1, another robbery was reported to have taken place. Items of unknown value were stolen from rooms P-1, P-2 and P-4. It is currently unknown if these two burglaries

in jail. Mr. Chen was explicitly told not to work with students. A violation of this rule would result in his immediate arrest and placement in jail. Undeterred, he continued to tutor a vast array of students in subjects such as AP Physics B, AP Chemistry and Math Olympiad at a fee of $70-$85 per hour. All of Mr. Chen’s former students agree he used “The Harker Stamp,” listing himself as an elite private school teacher, with many credentials including a double major of physics and chemistry. "Detectives are in the process of locating other current and former students of Chen," a Santa Clara county probation officer said shortly, "Parents and guardians are being asked to talk to their children to determine if any inappropriate conduct

occurred between their children and Chen." Police officers in the Santa Clara County said that they were flooded with calls from angry parents and disgusted students. “I think that as a mother it is especially frightening,” said Mrs. Smith*, mother of two Mission students, grades 11 and 12. “Who knows what he could have done to my children?” Mr. Chen was forced to give the names of all of his students as well as their school affiliations and phone numbers. Irvington and Mission High school administrators called in students and their parents. Some Irvington students report that the officials directly preferred to talk to the parents literally locking the students out of the room and refusing to communcate with

them. Many students knew Mr. Chen from their church and professed that he was a smart, kind and philanthropic man. Church officials and colleagues remain shocked. Parents and students are now being advised to dig deeply into any potential tutor’s background. “It doesn’t matter how sophisticated or rich he looks,” an anonymous Santa Clara County probation officer said. “Find out who he is, and look up his references.” “Right now I’m just trying not to think that a guy who felt people up was sitting next to me on the couch,” a Harker student said. “I think it will take awhile for my friends and I to get over this.

*Name changed to protect identity

are in any way connected to the first. The school and administration are considering many options and further actions to prevent any future break-ins. They have already replaced each door with new locks and placed new plates and wedges on each door frame. There is still rising concern over whether this is enough precaution to eliminate the chance of burglaries. The administration is putting major considerations into installing new security cameras near the portables. They are hoping that the cameras can either prevent a robbery from occurring in the first place, or at the very least catch it on tape. With the addition of cameras, the school could save the money they are losing from

the lost equipment. “The cameras will only be activated at a time when students shouldn’t be on campus,” said Principal Pete Murchison. “If we implement the cameras, they will only be used in the broadest sense: in parking lots, open areas and doors in cases of breaking and entering.” There were some concerns over the cost, privacy and effectiveness of the cameras. But some, like biology teacher Mrs. Sulakshna Anand, feel that the benefits of safety and protection will outweigh the costs of installation. “We are losing a tremendous amount of money each time there is a robbery,” said Mrs. Anand. “Security does seem like it should be a priority.”

The Irvington DECA team, chaperoned by Mr. Alberto Ballado and Mr. Delmar Gomez, managed to have 18 students place in the Top Eight at the State competition in Santa Clara. The top eight finalists included the teams of seniors Stephanie Shen and Rajan Mittal; Jaideep Dudani, Sahil Kotak and Shirish Sharma; Alan Nguyen and Alex Soong; Ryan Leung and Matt Chou; sophomores Arjun Iyer and Kevin Patel; Vansh Jain and Heeral Patel; sophomore Timon Shaw and freshman Way Chen; and juniors Sri Ravipati, Karishma Patel and Anika Ajmera.

In addition, the Irvington Quiz Bowl team, composed of Rajan, Sahil, Jaideep and Shirish, also made semi-finals.

“I think we did just as well this year, if not even better. A lot of new people did exceptionally well, and we don’t even have a marketing teacher or class anymore,” said senior club president Rajan. “Our club has truly excelled on its own - we are a completely student- run and taught organization.”

At this year’s competition, Irvington participation reached one of its highest when 29 people competed in the State Competition, which was almost twice that of last year.

“The past members shared their experience with the new members,” said Alan. That’s what really motivated and got them interested in conferences.”

The brightest point of Irvington’s performance at the State competition was perhaps the victory of juniors Sri Ravipati and Margaret Wong in the campaign for DECA State Vice President of Communication and Consciousness, respectively.

“The most memorable thing about my campaign was how most of the DECA members were willing to listen to me talk about my goals and experiences,” said Margaret. “Their nods and input, both positive and negative, meant a lot to me.”

According to Margaret, current California DECA President Julia Joung, succeeded in incorporating American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” to raise money for cancer. DECA members raised over $600 in two days through this event.

DECA is a business organization that teaches high school students business and life skills. The organization hosts three main competitions per year, including Regional, State and International.

The International Competition will be hosted in Anaheim, California, from Apr. 29 to May 2.

DECA Scores at State

By Tuan Dang

Irvington students placed in top eight

Phot

o: P

riyan

ka S

hah

I’m sure we all have “that friend”-- the one that seems to always have some problem or drama that they really, really need advice for. The one who would love it so much if you could help them out with it. Of course, I push up my metaphorical psychiatrist glasses and try to talk them through whatever problem it is today. Teacher seems to hate you? Don’t worry, just try harder in class or maybe talk to the teacher after school. Boyfriend problems? Not going to lie, you’re probably overreacting and should chill out before discussing how he’s really bugging you.

After offering all my teenage wisdom and seeing them blatantly ignore it, I can’t help but wonder: what was the point of even asking me for advice? It’s actually kind of funny, looking back, how earnest and thankful they looked after I tried to help them. As a friend, I’d love to give

pinions4 | The Voice 17.6O

SAT II

By Rachel LiAre you even listening to me?

Advice vs. Attention

We know them and love them. Or rather, we hate to love them, even as we hum their incredibly catchy songs. Female pop stars have been called the downfall of society and worse. An editorial by the Concerned Women for America urges the matriarchs of suburbia to ban the songs of Britney Spears from the airwaves, “to do [their] part to protect the standards of decency, and more importantly, the hearts and minds of our young people.”

Gasp! The strumpet! She threatens the very fabric of society!

In the words of the immortal Joker, “Why so serious?”

We are seeing a slew of new pop stars following in Britney’s wake, all clad in outfits resembling bathing suits more than real clothes, liberally scattered with sequins. But even as their songs are blasted on radios all over the country for their sugary, sweet appeal, these girls are routinely criticized for being too provocative in their dress and not provocative enough in their lyrics. Their material is called shallow and ultimately pointless.

This is true, and I love it.

Take my latest obsession, Lady Gaga. When she was arrested for indecent exposure due to her tiny outfit, she cried, “I’m an artist! It’s fashion!” Yeah,

By Tina Karimi

With CollegeBoard’s new Score Choice option, students can now take the SAT an unlimited amount of times and only have to send to colleges their very best scores. This provides an inherently unfair advantage to those who are financially able to continually pay for tests and improve their scores. Those people don’t have to worry about the one time they got a 1500 because it just won’t show up. Does this make sense? Ahh, I understand! It is another one of their ploys and tactics to siphon more money away from unsuspecting teenagers! Many students from a lower socioeconomic status do not have easy access to testing sites for the SAT’s, as well as expensive prep classes. How will their scores match up with these juggernauts? Oh, but lo and behold! Here comes the UC admissions office with an announcement that they are making their own changes to the admission process. They decided that, starting with the class of 2012 (this year’s batch of freshmen), students will no longer be required to take the SAT II subject tests.

This is a wise and long-awaited choice made by the UC system to make their admissions process fair and far-reaching. One problem with the subject tests, in my opinion, is the SAT II language tests. For instance, Korean students take the Korean language test. Hispanic students take the Spanish language test, and so on and so forth. More often than not, these native speakers do incredibly well, which isn’t necessarily fair to students who aren’t truly bilingual. What about students whose first language is not offered as a test, like Hindi or German? The new process will eliminate problems like these and make it easier to assess students’ capabilities by looking at other criterion. It will widen the applicant pool so that students from a wider array of backgrounds and circumstances will be considered. There was a study conducted recently by the State University of New York that discovered that the SAT is a strong indicator of one’s future success in college, but GPA is not as compelling. Respectfully, I find their evidence highly refutable and for lack of a better term, full of crap.

There are simply too many holes in their analysis. As I draw back from something I learned in my AP Psychology class, correlation does not mean causation. A friend of mine once told me, “SATs measure intelligence, but GPA measures heart and work ethic.” We can’t use the SAT or any other standardized test to judge a student’s capabilities. Instead, colleges should be taking a more proactive approach in figuring out how to measure student’s potential BETTER. If colleges stick to the same criteria used for decades, they are simply dumbing down their criteria. Standardized testing is ultimately far too arbitrary, in a process where arbitration is the last thing anybody wants. As far as I’m concerned, those who actively work harder will find themselves more prepared and apt to succeed than those who are natural test takers. Maybe the UC system is taking a bold and strong change that I hope other schooling systems may take into future consideration. Maybe, just maybe, these changes will dethrone standardized testing and foster a system that takes into consideration what truly makes a student college-ready. I’m just sad that I missed that era.

them the benefit of the doubt and say that they just went with their own judgment. I mean, that is great; look at them being big kids now and making their own decisions! You’re making me teary-eyed kiddos.

But if these certain friends repeatedly ask me for advice for various situations and completely ignore me, I start to wonder if they are just begging for the attention. It seems like some friendships have come to be defined by who has the crazier story to tell or the tougher life. You know, life ain’t easy for all of us. But don’t try to disguise the need for attention by asking for advice that is going to be ignored. So before you go on your spiel about how your mom is a giant ball of crazy to your friends, consider just putting that as your Facebook status. I mean, that’s the best way to get attention fast, right?

Photo: http://1.bp.blogspot.com

right. Sorry Gaga: artists generally wear pants. But that doesn’t make her any less entertaining. These girls are not trying to be taken seriously. For crying out loud, they know that lyrics like “Let’s have some fun/This beat is sick/I wanna take a ride on your disco stick” are not exactly poetry. This is pure escapist fun. When people look at singers like Katy Perry or Lady Gaga, they want outrageousness, whimsy: a modern version of Alice in Wonderland.

Well, yes, they are showing a lot more skin. Maybe a PG-13 Alice. These girls are projecting a false image--a burlesque, theatrical, fun image-- and we all know it. And enough of this nonsense about singers being role models. The fact that we put them on such a pedestal is more disturbing than these girls’ transgressions. They are entertainers. They never asked to be your daughter’s role model. They just want to sing and dance. There are plenty of other remarkable females for your daughters to look up to. It’s not the entertainer’s problem that you’re telling your little princess to emulate the one with the microphone.

The truth is, we need the escapism. These are troubled times we live in. If I can forget my problems to a catchy tune that could be about anything from hot flashes to clubbing, why not?

One battle won against CollegeBoard

Continued from Page 1

In Defense of Skanks

Girls just want to have fun…lots of fun

CON

PRO

opinion March 2009 | 5 s

The VOICE is a student-run newspaper with the sole purpose of providing an open forum for student expression. Anything printed represents the opinion of the writer, but not necessarily that of the VOICE staff, the administration or faculty of Irvington High School, or any person affiliated with the Fremont Unified School District. The VOICE does not discriminate against race, political orientation, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or dis-ability. Although the VOICE will never refuse to publish student guest submission based on the aforementioned factors, we reserve the right to edit or not publish them.

ADVISER MATTHEW PHILLIPS

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Salman Qasim* COLUMNIST: Yu-Hsuan Lin* STAFF WRITERS:

Mishu Sharma* BUSINESS MANAGERS: Phi Nguyen Karishma Patel

NEWS EDITORS: Ashwin Shanker* Rebeccah Warmack Jennifer Siew

Yu-Hsuan Lin* HISTORIANS: David Lo Daniel Nguyen

FEATURES EDITORS: Tuan Dang* Tina Karimi Anisha Babbar

Sri Ravipati* SENIOR COPY EDITOR: Rebeccah Warmack

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS: Rachel Li * COPY EDITOR: Quess Liu

Shilpa Sharma * WEB EDITOR: Neetu Puranikmath

SPORTS EDITORS: Kriti Gupta* PHOTOGRAPHER: Raji Ramanathan

Kim Ngo*

HUMOR EDITOR: Marlo Yonocruz*

HUMOR APPRENTICE: Selina Mahesri

irvingtonvoice@gmail.comhttp://www.ihsvoice.com (510) 656-5711 ext. 46398

*Deadline Workers

POLICY STATEMENT:

Disagree with the writers? Bring your letters to the editor to room 223 or e-mail them to staff@ihsvoice.com. We welcome all

comments.

VOICE STAFF 2008-2009

The evidence speaks for itself. In a mere three weeks, the school’s P-wing was broken into two separate times. The first incidence resulted in the loss of five brand new computers, easily worth $4000 combined. New security measures, in the form of cable locks could not deter perpetrators from striking again and making off with wireless routers, monitors and other accessories. The school’s P-wing is home to some of the most expensive equipment on campus. Aside from the massive amount of technology in P-6, the room of Mr. Clint Johns, the P-wing also houses computers and pieces of valuable lab equipment belonging to chemistry and biology teachers. As we have seen, the conventional door lock is an insufficient guardian of our school’s resources. In order for the administration to enforce both preventive and punitive measures, increased security, including surveillance, will be a necessary addition to our campus. The thought of heavy-duty locks and cameras may seem draconian in a school with relatively few incidences of criminal activity. However, over the course of the past two years, Irvington’s robust grant-procuring initiatives have brought us a wealth of advanced gadgetry, and with it, a heightened risk of larceny. It would be foolish to spend $3000 on each of 17 luxurious SmartBoards without also investing in their security. An immediate reaction to this proposal would be public outcry at the supposed infringement of students’ privacy.

By Yu-Hsuan Lin After several forced entries into our school campus, administrators are intently working on new schemes that will end these episodes of breaking and entering that have been occurring

within the last two months. Recent talks regarding

the solution to this problem explicate the installation of security

cameras around various sites on Irvington campus.

However, not only will this plan conflict with our current

budget crisis, but it will also compromise our reputation as an “Irvington Community.” Our spending budget seems to be steadily decreasing as each year passes, and so now, more than ever, is not the time to experiment with a new scheme that could jeopardize our chances of using the money for classroom materials or other school-related initiatives. On approximation, a simple video surveillance system for a school part

of the FUSD could cost up to $10,000. This is primarily

because the schools in our district schools were not initially built in a time when vandalism and theft was prevalent; for this reason, the buildings may have to be slightly altered to

accommodate the installation. Furthermore, it’s highly

unliwkely that the past robberies and break-ins will continue to persist with the same regularity that they have been in regard to the coming years. These robberies are

bound to subside due to the great attention they’ve been getting, and

once they do, the abrupt security measures taken will only serve as a

mere scare tactic, rather than what

By Shilpa Sharma

I scan through the many scholarship applications. Young African American woman? Nope. Japenese descent? I don’t think so. Parents employee of Fremont School District? Not that I know of. With the current economic recession, paying for college has become even more difficult for students and their families. Counselors and parents often suggest applying for scholarships, which has been called “free money.” I decided to follow this advice and took a trip to Ms. Linda Kimmel’s Career Center. I quickly realized that while there might be free money out there, I

By Ashwin ShankerScholarships are too racially specific, leaving out students who really need the money

Some Scholarships Just Don’t Spread the Love

An omniscient surveillance system seems frightfully Orwellian, and antithetical to the message of trust and personal responsibility the current administration has tried so hard to ingrain in students’ ethics. But if the school has an interest in preparing students for the “real world,” a more critical message would be this: in the real world, there are real consequences for your actions. The administrators need not take a soft stance toward the delinquents lurking on and off campus, and should instead reinforce the concept that those who would exploit others’ trust and break the law deserve the full wrath of justice. A surveillance system, strategically placed in areas deemed high-risk, acts as both a deterrent and tool for nabbing budding kleptomaniacs. To the students concerned with privacy issues, know that a stainless heart does not fear justice. Since any surveillance system would likely be limited in its reach due to practicality and financial restraints, the handful of cameras scattered across computer labs would hardly be noticeable or intrusive. A further mitigating concept would be to activate cameras only after school hours, when many students have vacated the campus and the risk of theft is higher. It is the right and the duty of the administrators acting in loco parentis to ensure a safe environment conducive to learning. With budgets dwindling, we must do what we can to secure our educational resources so current and future students can continue to benefit from the technology that is the pride of Irvington.

administrators deem to be an effective tool to identify intruders. Although the primary motive for a potential surveillance system would be to identify trespassers, it inevitably would cause students and faculty members to feel as if their privacy was being compromised. I mean think about it: everything you do from rushing out of class to talking with your friends at lunch will be captured clearly on tape. Although there are still some skeptics who feel security cameras would prove beneficial at Irvington, the fact that the cameras would cause students to feel an air of mistrust cannot be overlooked. “I think the security cameras should be turned on after school hours or it is just going to be yet another showing to the students that we don’t trust them,” says faculty member Ms. Maia Steward. “My experiences with students have taught me that students will act the way you expect them to act. I think [video surveillance] could seriously backfire if we do it during school hours, besides the problems happening after school.” When we go to a school like Irvington, which is often referenced by staff and students as “community-like” and “spirited,” it becomes increasingly important to preserve this reputation. However, surveillance cameras would undoubtedly instill a notion in students that our school is so exceptionally unsafe and unprotected that it validates the installation of security cameras. While Irvington may have experienced some break-ins, we are in no way close to that extreme.

Big Brother isn’t Watching...Should He Be?

just was not the right candidate to apply for it.

Most scholarships target certain segments of the student body and being of Indian ancestry, I found myself unqualified for most scholarships right off the bat. I managed to find only a few scholarships for Asian Americans, which is odd considering we are the most prominent population at Irvington. And this handicap is not exclusive to the Asian Americans. At the cost of sounding racist, what about the white folk? If you look at the scholarship folder currently, not one scholarship requires that you be white. Does this indicate that

white people don’t need help paying for college? The real crime is that people who truly need financial help are unable to get any because of the wrong color of their skin, not being of a certain ancestry or their parent’s occupation. It is understandable of course that these organizations give scholarships out of good will, and are not obligated to do so especially when times are as tough as they are now. Although some argue that organizations deserve the right to give the scholarship to whoever they want, I just feel it would be more appropriate if they did not narrow the applicant

pool so much. If a student is willing to put the time and effort to apply for a scholarship, they should at least have an equal chance at getting the money.

The only advantage I can think of racially specifying a scholarship is that at least the organization is being honest. It would be worse if a foundation agreed to open up the scholarship to everyone, yet in the end only considered a specific category of individuals for the awards.

This truly brings up a deeper question of why people still put emphasis on race. I mean if a black man is president, is it still honestly necessary to give a scholarship to only an African

American? Shouldn’t it be open to all deserving students? After all, even colleges are touting their policy of “need blind” admissions. All students deserve an equal chance at education, race and socio-economics aside.

While the generosity of these organizations that are kind enough to give out free money is greatly appreciated, it should encourage the message of love, put emphasis on those who need it. Applicants should be encouraged based on merit and other such motivating factors rather than limiting it to one’s ethnicity or other such specific requirements that are often beyond the control of the student.

By Linda Dong

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR GUILTY PLEASURES?

Many will hang their heads in shame, but horrifi cally catchy beats are inevitable. We all have musical guilty pleasures. Whether you take a break from your normal taste to jam to ABBA or MC Hammer, we are all in a maze of embarrassingly pleasurable music. The techniques to cover up musical fetishes have been getting more and more advanced. From changing a track name to disguise its true identity to claiming that your little sister uses your iPod from time to time, people have been increasingly successful in covering up their guilt-ridden play lists.

It is time for the masses to drop the act. Multi-platinum selling artists aren’t gaining popularity on their own; even if you won’t admit it, people are buying the music that everyone else seems to claim is “overrated” and “unoriginal.” It is probably true that the music is overrated and unoriginal, which is why you feel guilty in the fi rst place. But more than likely, you would give anything to blast that same music on the way to school without receiving death stares.

Along with the deserved harsh criticism for many Top 40 artists, there is quality music that has been given a negative connotation for their popularity. For example, Green Day’s population boost with the release of “American Idiot” received so much attention that the general public became sick of them. Most of the people who claim to hate them have only heard their singles and do not know that they have been around since the late 80’s and played a huge role in getting mainstream involvement with punk back in those days.

If we all took the notion of “what is popular is embarrassing” out of our heads, the declining quality of today’s music may take a turn. It is time to take those N’Sync albums out of hiding and show the world that they are not alone in their love for Justin Timberlake.

Da*n. Now that’s what I call a ten. You may fi nd yourself sometimes having this thought as you pass by an extremely good-looking person. But just remember “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” What you may think is a ten, may be someone else’s 3. Everyone has their own taste and falls for a person who entices them. I mean, how many of us are truly honest about revealing our true eye candy? When going out with friends, as you are enjoying yourselves, you may fi nd that all of you guys are drifting into playing the rating game. All of a sudden, you are sucked into rating someone the way your friends would rate them, not really your personal opinion. But what are the chances of all of you guys choosing the same number for one person? Each one of you fi nds yourself attracted to a different type of person. There are many people who tend to hide their reaction when seeing someone just so that they may fi t in with their friends. Now on the other hand, there are some people who rate others to help boost their self- esteem. There are those who go around trying to fi nd someone who is less attractive compared to them, so that they could feel superior and better than the other. People who rate others to help create a satisfaction for their appearance generally don’t tell their friends what they are doing because it seems conceited. Rating others so that you may feel better about yourself will not do you justice. Face up to it, you are who you are and nothing can change that. Be honest with yourself and show others what you really believe. Don’t try to pretend to think someone is hot just because your friends think so; be a man and tell them what you really think. If you like a nerd, then like the nerd. And rating people just to boost up your self-confi dence level is just idiotic because all you are really doing is lowering your self-worth.

An F on a chemistry test. A ripped backpack. A fi ght with your boyfriend. Looks like today isn’t going your way. All you want to do is go home, put on a robe, fl ip on the TV and wait until today is OVER. You’re driving home, but while you’re on the freeway, you come up with a better idea. You pass by the exit to your house, and instead, you speed on to the nearest mall. You call up all your girls, and tell them to meet you there for a little pick-me-up shopping. That’s exactly what you need to make today’s woes disappear, to drop a couple hundred bucks, buy a few unnecessary articles of clothing and pamper your inner shopper.

Admit it; we’ve all done it. I mean usually, we can keep it under control, how much we spend during our trips to the mall. And especially with the economy the way it is, it’s wise to keep the spending to a minimum. Still, when you have that day, or even week, when things just don’t seem to be going your way, it’s hard to keep that desire to splurge at the mall under control. I mean, it’s just once or twice, right? What’s the harm in shopping ‘til you drop every once in a while?

It’s not easy to admit that a sudden boost in your spending is due to emotional stress, but hey, we’re all human. The truth is, you’re going to go around, buy every “cute” top or bottom that you see, and throw them into the darkest corners of your closet, never to be seen again. After all, these pieces of clothing were bought on impulse, as material substitutes for good things that could’ve happened that day. Especially in a time of economic crisis, this guilty pleasure is particularly guilty-- can you really afford to splurge, even if it is just once in a while? Maybe it’s time to face your spending “problem” face-to-face and fi nd a more productive, less spendthrift method to relieve emotional stress.

Whether it means pursuing the unimaginable or dreaming the unthinkable, this guilty pleasure allows us to escape from our ordinary and boring lives and dream of a better one. Who doesn’t like living another life, right?

Admit it. We all have dreamed of being an astronaut or the president in some point of our lives. Many of us even admit to wanting to be just like our parents--to be teachers, doctors or engineers. But while we can openly share these dreams of ours, others might be more hesitant to reveal their own.

It’s not uncommon to be ashamed about your aspirations and dreams. People feel guilty to share these feelings, because it might be the opposite of what would be expected from them. I’m sure some men would never admit to wanting to be a hairstylist, and I bet you would never encounter a woman openly wanting to be a construction worker. The fact is, people keep these things to themselves. No one wants to be judged or thought of as weird or wanting more than others give him or her credit for. It’s not about the inability to pursue dreams but the ability to break through stereotypes.

No one likes to be constantly told that they are unable to accomplish certain things. Just because you work at McDonald’s doesn’t mean you aren’t intelligent enough to be a doctor. Just because you are quiet and shy, doesn’t mean you wouldn’t ever be interested in singing, dancing or acting. These assumptions are why people don’t share their dreams to the world. Dreams act as more of a motive or even just a way to make us feel better. People want to build confi dence in themselves, and not let other people bring them down.

1Rating othersBy Karishma PtePatel

ShoppingBy Jennifer Siew

DreamsBy Kim Ngo2 3 4Music

By Selina Mahesri

A NEW KIND OF THERAPY

once in a while? Maybe it’s time to face your spending “problem” face-to-face and fi nd a more productive, less spendthrift method to relieve

bring them down.

“Facebook stalking. Come on. Don’t act like you haven’t done it.”

Shahob Hamedi-Meir, 10

“Haha. I always eat a whole bag of chocolate covered raisins and almonds before I go to bed!”

Bani Chaudhary, 12

“Hmm…. watching Avatar: that last Airbender.”

Johanna Ilyssa Padrid, 11

“Hmm…. watching Avatar: that last Airbender.”“Haha. I always eat a whole bag of chocolate covered “Facebook stalking. Come on. Don’t act like you haven’t done it.”

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Photo: sebelhawkesbury.comPhoto: hpblaw.com

Photo: foodporndaily.com

Photo: burnedmusic.com

Photo: muhsd.ca.us

SIX…NINE…?

The tunes we Hate to

Love

Your unconscious pleasures

doing is lowering your self-worth.

Photo: muhsd.ca.us

“Everyone has at least one guilty pleasure... It’s impossible not to reward ourselves with a little self-in-dulgence from time to time.” (Diggiewoo)

Guilty pleasureguil.ty pleas.ure[gil-te ple-zher]

- epithet1. something one considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it.

Feat

ures

:

Watching TV is a favorite American pastime. For most people there’s nothing that beats living vicariously through a sexy, intelligent doctor who fi ghts through daily moral dilemmas with his or her patients. TV is something people bond over. “Oh, you like Grey’s Anatomy, why so do I! What are the chances?” My guess is 50/50; you either watch it or you don’t. Overall, visual entertainment plays a huge part in today’s society. People boast of the shows they enjoy, laughing about what happened on The Offi ce last night, anticipating Family Guy tomorrow. But stop, there’s a dark side to this seemingly happy relationship you have with your radio waves. Secrets are being kept, lies are being told, hearts are being broken [enter Gossip Girl]! The home-wreckers in this love affair are: the shows you want no one to know you watch. According to some shady statistics, one in one people watch a show they don’t let anyone know about. Maybe you’ve seen a dear friend or you yourself have been entangled in this stressful situation. Having to laugh at and degrade shows that you watch faithfully every week. Peer pressure, it’s a nasty thing. My theory: it’s quite alright to have a black sheep show, it adds balance and pizzazz to your television diet. If you watch One Tree Hill, 90210, and The Hills, for Heaven’s sake throw some House in there, stimulate your brain cells. If you watch 24, Lost, and CSI try a little America’s Next Top Model, it doesn’t make you think as hard/at all. So don’t feel bad about your guilty pleasure, and if you still feel a tad ashamed, comfort yourself with my shady statistics.

“Allow yourself to notice how it feels on the roof of your mouth, your tongue, the sides of your cheeks, and in your throat. Notice whether it tastes like you thought it would. Enjoy it thoroughly.” I never thought that eating a piece of chocolate could be so intensely complicated, but according to Geneen Roth, author of several emotional eating books, this is the most benefi cial way to eat chocolate.

We all have our guilty pleasures-- taking in the drama of your dearest soaps, professing your athleticism during a shopping spree. But devouring our favorite foods is the ultimate guilty pleasure. I don’t see how taking a bite of triple chocolate turtle caramel strawberry cheesecake can fail to make you happy.

Eating helps us drown our sorrows, worries and stress in a way that doesn’t require much effort at all. Preparing a nice bowl of cereal doesn’t require much concentration. Picking truffl es out of the box may be challenging at fi rst, but you always get the hang of it. Sure, stuffi ng your face full of the forbidden fruits all the time may not be the best idea, but taking a bite out of that brownie once in a while will make your day.

And what do you do when you can’t get your hands on that perfect piece of apple cinnamon pie your craving, or the fresh linguine with spicy cilantro, smothered in a mint pesto sauce in the company of crisp sautéed vegetables? You do the next best thing-- get your fi x by looking at its pictures. The ever popular foodporndaily.com was introduced to me by a friend. Yes, I was skeptical at fi rst, but then I took one glance at the delightful photo (my fi rst was a piece of strawberry cheesecake) and found that I could indulge myself when my guilty pleasures were not accessible.

You never know, maybe some of these pictures will spice of your life, and change your bland, generic guilty pleasures into something more extravagant.Whatever it is, you’re guaranteed to be satisfi ed by a tasteful indulgence.

By Mishu Sharma5 6By Rebeccah Warmack

The Tivo Knows

FoodTelevision

UESTION MAN

“Facebook stalking. Come on. Don’t act like you haven’t done it.” “Well, I’m a texting freak. I actually sleep with my phone.”

Priyanka Shindgikar, 9

“Well, I’m a texting freak. I actually sleep with my phone.”

Photo: foodporndaily.com Photo: thehiddenbookcase.com

A Tasteful Indulgence

Photo: teenmentalhealth.org

Photos: Raji Ramanathan

ntertainmente 8 | The Voice 17.6

Unlike the plethora of mountain climbers who make p ro m i s e s to the Balti and then forget a b o u t t h e m , Mortensen i n t e n d e d to make good on his p r o m i s e . U p o n returning to the United States he was bombarded with many obstacles: his break-up with his girlfriend, the loss of his hospital job (he worked as a EMT nurse) and a dwindling supply of money in the bank. H e n e v e r t h e l e s s c a m p a i g n e d t i r e l e s s l y , p u b l i s h i n g articles in local m a g a z i n e s ; giving speeches, writing 540 letters to c e l e b r i t i e s , p o l i t i c i a n s and others. M o r t e n s e n , represents the kind of hero that volunteers dream of b e c o m i n g .

Likened by many to Mother Teresa and Sir Edmund Hillary, Mortensen is notable not only because he is unchanged by his celebrity status but also because he strives to make himself available to the American people. He gives over 100 speeches a year, travels the world and spreads his message of love, peace and educates others around him. On March 3, he appeared before a crowd of 2,000 at Logan High School. Besides speaking about his travels in Pakistan and

Afghanistan, about his love of mountain climbing and the

Central Asian Institute (CAI), which he is director of, he

answered questions that students or other guests had about the Balti people or Pakistan. By serving as a sort-of “Mythbuster” he hopes to dispel many of the

ethnocentric myths that circulate in American pop-culture about the average, rural Muslim family. “Sometimes an education makes all the difference,” said Mortensen in his book. “An education is what separates a productive citizen from being…a terrorist.” Irvington High School, on Feb. 26, had a

discussion on Three Cups of Tea, led by freshmen Mona Sultan and Deepika Dilip. Among about 20 students and representatives from local organizations, Irvington

s t u d e n t s discussed many astonishing facts about the book and studied many diffi cult questions as well. Discussions at Irvington, Mission, Logan and other high schools helped spread the story from student to student and helped spread M o r t e n s e n ’ s eternal message of Pencils for Peace. To this very day, Mortensen denies his hero status; instead, he says that anyone with a dream and vision can achieve what he did. His i n s p i r a t i o n a l story is a blueprint of a different kind of foreign policy for generations to come.

Photo: rockandice.com, pbs.org, iviews.com, ymcacharlotte.org, uploadexperience.com

By Niveditha Puranikmath

TEA The Heroic Tale of Greg MortensenContinued from page 1...

There’s nothing like showing a bit of skin here and there. But please, for the love of humankind, please use some discretion when wearing sheer pieces. Nobody wants a sneak preview during English class, so save it for more formal occasions.

The drag queens and Vegas showgirls had the right idea with the sequins, sparkle and glitter. But for heads-turning-in-the-good-way outfi ts, keep the shine to one key piece. In the (slightly edited) words of Lady Gaga, the hallway is shaking in this disco heaven!

It’s all about the contrast between soft and hard, feminine and masculine. Whether it’s throwing on a lightweight leather jacket over a dress or pairing a tuxedo jacket with pretty much anything (a la Rag and Bone fall 2009), you better work it.

It might still be a little chilly, but that’s not a good reason to stick to moody blues and drab greys. You might have seen the drool-worthy Steven Sprouse for Louis Vuitton bags, but let’s be honest here: you don’t have $1,000 to spend. Be bold head-to-toe or test the waters with a pop of color. Either way, inject some color in the school system!

With the economic crisis on all our minds, we need to learn how to stay up-to-date on a budget. Versatile necklaces, belts, bracelets and other accessories is the better way to spend your hard-earned money. Instead of shelling out on another purse, why not try a long and layered necklace that looks great over all tops?

entertainmenMarch 2009 | 9 T

Q U I Z : A r e

R e c i p e

Sophomores Rachel Heng and Jessica Diesta aren’t your typical high school artists. Instead of sticking to pencils and p a i n t , t h e y ’ v e started a small online b u s i n e s s n a m e d R a s t a r a w h i c h focuses on c u s t o m i ze d shirts and shoes. They began selling their apparel last summer on Big Cartel, a website that makes it easy for independent businesses and artists to sell their products online. The duo asks for specifi cations from the customer and creates the design on i t e m s ranging from shirts to shoes.

In addition to taking requests, Jessica and Rachel have created unique designs from their own ideas. Using silk screens, chemical screen fi ller, drawing fl uid and fabric ink, Jessica and Rachel have been able to create a wide range of designs for their products.

Being artists outside of their business, Jessica and Rachel already had a background in

R e n d e z v o u sA delicious potato family favorite!By Kriti Gupta

A delicious and effi cient recipe goes a long way. The baked stuffed potato is a classic family favorite that never fails to entertain the mouth. The potatoe has been around for ages, and is used in hundred of reci-pes. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, enjoy this scrump-tious potato classic and share it with your friends!

Prep Time:

Note: This recipe serves about 6 people.

Ingredients:◆ 4 large baking potatoes, about 2 pounds ◆ 4 tablespoons softened butter or margarine ◆ 3/4 cup sour cream ◆ 3/4 teaspoon salt ◆ 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper ◆ Paprika ◆ shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

about 1 hour

Instructions: 1. Scrub potatoes and pat dry. 2. Next, bake in a 350° oven for 45-50 minutesor until cooked through and tender. 3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out thepulp and mash or put through a ricer.4. Beat in butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Pile thepotato mixture back into only six of the shells. 5. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and followup with a sprinkle of paprika. 6. Bake in a 425° oven for about 15 minutes or until thecheese is melted and potatoes are heated through.

a F a c e b o o k C r e e p e r ? By Ashwin Shanker

a. Look at photos of them on other peoples page.

b. Barely notice.c. Break into a violent rage

and google pictures of muffi n tops to make you feel better.

d. Try to stay calm and message Mark (the creator of Facebook) a complaint about not being able to creep the people.

a. Under 5 seconds.b. Within the day.c. As soon as it shows up on the main page.d. Only if you are tagged in it.

a. Been friends for a month.b. Ever been in the same room with them.c. Met them once.d. Known each other for a lifetime.

a. Always untag if you look bad.b. Never even realize you were tagged.c. Untag it simply to maintain exactly 1000 photos.d. Untag if you can barely see yourself.

Point values:1. a-2, b-1, c-3, d-42. a-4, b-2, c-3, d-13. a- 1, b-2, c-3, d-44. a-2, b-4, c-3, d-15. a-3, b-1, c-4, d- 2

Tally up points: �If your score is under 7, you don’t even have a Facebook �If your score is between 8-12, Facebook is an occasional pleasure �If your score is between 13-17, you rely heavily on Facebook �If your score is between 18-20, YOU ARE A FACEBOOK CREEPER. Do not fret, you can still get help before you give up your real life conversations for only wall posts.

designing. Jessica is a regular painter and drawer who is always c o m i n g up with new

and abstract ideas that c a l l e d for more than just s t i c k i n g to paper. R a c h e l

enjoys sewing a n d decided she wanted to put a more creative edge to her clothes. With both Jessica and Rachel

partnered up, the idea became a success and Rastara was born.

“Rachel and I were bored one summer day and decided to design some T-shirts,” said Jessica. “We had so many ideas that we decided we could pick up some cash while having fun.”

One of their main inspirations is artist Leesa Leva,

a watercolor painter who also has an store on Big Cartel. Rachel and Jessica have c o m p a r e d their style to Threadless a m a j o r o n l i n e g r a p h i c T - s h i r t store. As the second year of their b u s i n e s s approaches, R a c h e l and Jessica have plans to expand the T-shirt s e l e c t i o n . W h e t h e r they are i n s p i r e d by past paintings or coming up

with original ideas , these two are always fi nding new ways to stand out with their custom creations.

Photo: texaswinsbbq.com

Artist SpotlightBy Selina Mahesri

Win Free Fall Out Boy Tickets!The Voice is giving away two tickets to see Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, All Time Low, Metro Station and Hey Monday on April 7 at the San Jose Events Center! Turn in your answers to these questions starting on Tuesday, March 17 until noon Friday, March 20 to Room 223. All submissions will get a numbered ticket, and a winner will be chosen from a raffle on Friday. Winners will be no-tified immediately. Only Irvington students eligible to enter.

In the News section, what has administration placed on each door frame of the P-wing in light of recent break-ins?

In the Opinions section, what did Lady Gaga yell when she was arrested for indecent exposure?

In the Features sec-tion, other than being influenced by friends,

what’s one reason why students often enter the “rating game”?

In the Sports section, to make the perfect broc-coli pasta, what is the first ingredient added to the oil after it is heated?

In the Humor section, who was lulled to sleep by their own announcement?

YOUa.Laugh about it, but soon forget.b.Remember to write on your friends wall about it.c.Make the joke the title of your photo album. d.Create a Facebook note explaining the joke and tag those involved.

Photos: myspace.com/rastara_handprintedshirts and Raji Ramanathan

1. If someone’s profi le is set to private, you:

3. How long does it take for you to realize that a friend added a new album?

5. When you and some friends laugh at a joke, you:

4. You add someone on Facebook if you’ve:

2. For untagging photos, you:

PORTSS10 | The Voice 17.6

The Irvington Boys Tennis team has been going through intense practice for the upcoming season. “This is going to be the most epic season yet,” said senior Jaideep Dudani. A majority of the tennis team graduated last year and left several spots open for people to fi ll. This year, the tennis team had a large group of incoming freshmen trying out, but after two weeks of intense practice and conditioning, it was cut down to the cream of the crop. As of now, the tennis team consists of thirty eight people, all of whom are integral parts of the team. This year, the team has an impressive group of varsity and junior varsity players. Although many of the seniors on the team graduated last year, the number of skilled freshmen has made up for the loss. With such a strong team, Irvington is tough competition for any school. The team dominated their preseason games with a crushing 6-1 win against Moreau and a 7-0 win against Arroyo.

“Both the varsity and

JV played really well against Moreau, especially since no one let nerves get in the way during the matches,” said junior Salil Babbar. “I think the win sends a big message to the league that Irvington has full intentions of coming home with t h e MVAL crown t h i s year.”

While the season has yet to start, the Vikings are more than prepared to handle the challenges that face them. To overcome these challenges, mental and physical strength are required as well as support from fellow team mates. The boys tennis season starts on March 12, with a match against Kennedy High School. The team is currently working on a solid lineup for the upcoming season by playing challenge matches

and round robin tournaments amongst the singles and doubles

players. “This thirty eight man team will prove to be an obstacle to other schools in the league,” says

Coach Erik Bryant. “Not because

of their skill, but because of

their incredible support for each other and willingness to

improve.”

With the additions of new members, great skill, and a whole lot of heart, the Irvington Golf team has a great chance of going far this season.

With the remaining r e t u r n i n g m e m b e r s , Irvington’s golf team is made up of coaches Rob Mangan, Rick Mangan, Frank McClung, and Dale Ouimette with a handful of new players.

Of the

list of new members, three of those athletes are newcoming freshmen Jonathan Lin, Kent Park, and Kevin Kim. Senior Mac Mclung is excited to have them on the team, and thinks they will contribute a lot to the season.

Mac believes the team has a very good chance at winning MVALs and, if they work really hard, he hopes they will make it through NCS and Nor Cals. His personal goal for the team is to win state. Senior Mac Mclung says, “This year’s team has a lot more promise than teams in the past because we have a lot of

Irvington Boys Tennis serves up a new seasonBy David Lo

A Strong Grip for a Good Season

Phot

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Golf Team has high hopes for successBy Kim Ngo

The coaches from last year have left and new leaders have stepped up to the plate. Coach Crinigan and Coach Hill are now the head coaches of the track and fi eld team. There are also many new athletes joining the team this year, making the coach’s job all the more crucial to a successful season. Former head coach, Coach Stone, along with alumni working to become coaches, frequently visit. At the De La Salle Invitational at Diablo Valley College, many of our students placed in both track and fi eld events. Junior Priyanka Shah placed in girls’ Varsity long jump and both Priyanka and freshman Kianna Kagawa tied for seventh place in girls’ Varsity high jump. Kianna placed fourth in girls’ Varsity triple jump as well. Varsity pole vaulters did exceptionally well with junior Natasha Laux taking second place. On the boys’ sprinting side, sophomore Theophile Green and junior Henry Wu placed in boys’ Varsity 100 meter dash. Irvington’s 4x200 meter relay team received eighth place overall. The boys’ Varsity 4x400

team picked up the pace and received second place. Over at the hurdles, Theophile took seventh place for boys’ Varsity 300 meter hurdles. In the boys’ Frosh-Soph discus throw, freshman Jeremy Sanchez received seventh place. The team also participated in the Skyline Invitational on March 7 at Skyline High School in Oakland. In the girls’ 200 meter dash, sophomore Stephanie Lloyd received third place. Junior Renee Tran came in seventh place in the 800 meter run. In the girl’s 3200 meter run, senior Catherine Crinigan took fi rst place and sophomore Sruthi Sarva came in fourth. For girls’ 300 meter hurdles, junior Annie Lou fi nished in eighth. Both the girls’ 4x400 and distance medley relay teams came in third place. In the girl’s triple jump, Kiana received second place. The boys 1600 sprint medley team came in fourth place. With these wins, the new team may have a shot in winning at league. The next invitational meet is the Cougar Invitation on Saturday, March 14 at Newark Memorial High School. At

this invitational, there will be separate divisions for Varsity and Frosh-Soph and the teams hope to work on their weaker areas so that they can become stronger as a whole. The fi rst league meet is Wed., March 18 against Logan High School and it is a home match. The 2009 track and fi eld team has a great season ahead of them under new leadership.

Track and Field: A New BeginningBy Sri Ravipati

expires 3/31/09

players that all have a chance to contribute.”

League matches still have yet to begin, but the team has been practicing long and hard on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Their fi rst league match will be on March 11 against Newark at Sunol Valley Golf Course. The six players who started this match were Mac McClung, Kurtis Park, Tyler Ouimette, Jane Dong, Kaylyn Sung, and Jonathan Lin.

According to Junior Kaylyn Sung, “In previous years we were not reaching our full potential, but this year we have a lot going for us.”

Serving it up on the Court

Sophomore Stephanie Lloyd sprints to the finish line at Skyline Inv. Photo: flickr.com

Junior Xuchen Hu focuses on a powerful

serve.

Bottom: Senior Mac Mc-Clung watches his golf ball soar across the course.

SPORT March 2009 | 11

Imagine a fat boy with his hand in a cookie jar. He’s trying to grab five cookies, but he can’t pull his fatty hand out, it’s stuck! In order to pull his hand out, he needs to let go of one of those delicious cookies, no matter how much it pains him to do so. Our school is in this fat boy’s position. With the economy in steep decline, especially here in California, our school district has to choose its cookies carefully. In light of this, we must accept that sports funding may be one of the first cookies to be dropped. It’s no use raging and ranting. There is nothing the district can do; there is literally no money to be used. Schools are ultimately academic institutions, so the choice between textbooks or sports is quite obvious. The best option for school sports to move forward is privatization – ceding control of the teams to private individuals. There are dedicated people who give up a lot of their time to coach our sports teams, most of whom are not even teachers. We have to hand them the reins. Coaches are amongst the most gifted fundraisers mankind has ever seen; carwashes, crab feeds, barbeques, cookie sales, and run-a-thons are bound to pop up all over. They should be able to raise a decent amount of funds with the help of zealous athletes and parents. However, there’s no way that’s going to cover the full cost of the sport. So step two is sponsorship. Many local businesses are run by individuals who either grew up playing on these teams or have children who will. Others are just happy to invest in their community, even in these dark economic times. All of them love advertising. So, bring sponsors into the mix, and another chunk of funding falls into coach’s hands. I saved the worst for last, though. Pay to play fees must increase. The move is inevitable, a sad outcome of the poor economy. Currently, pay to play fees range around 50 dollars, so doubling the fee to 100 dollars should provide ample cushioning to the team’s wallet linings. Of course, every team has different financial needs, but I believe doubling the pay to play fee will cover any holes remaining in the budget. Keeping these sports teams afloat is absolutely worth those 100 dollars. Many students stay in the school system solely to play with their team. Others need a sport to stay focused on school. I know that my grades were always at their highest points during my cross-country season. And I don’t even need to go into the common knowledge health issues like obesity that after-school sports help deal with. So don’t worry, fat boy. There’s someone else here to get that cookie for you.

Who Will Take the Cookiefrom the Cookie Jar?

SBy Salman Qasim

Love-Your-Broccoli Pasta

Ingrediants: -1 tbsp olive oil -1 tbsp minced fresh garlic -2 cans (14.5 oz each) seasoned diced tomatoes -1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For athletes it is especially important to have a well-balanced diet. With the “Love-Your-Broccoli Pasta” there is a good balance of carbohydrates (87.7 g), protein (20.1 g), and fiber (8 g). Carbohydrates help the athlete with storage and transfer of energy; protein helps build muscles and is a dietary source for nitrogen; fiber can also help build muscle. Have fun being healthy!

Step One: Bring a large pot of 8 cups water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt.

Step Two: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic, and cook gently for 1 minute.

Step Three: Add the tomatoes (with juice), vinegar, basil, and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step Four: While the sauce is simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water. When the pasta is almost done, add the broccoli to the pot, and cook for 2 minutes longer.

Step Five: Drain the pasta and broccoli, and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the sauce, and toss well. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

-1 tsp dried basil -1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes -12 oz rigatoni -1 lb broccoli florets -1/3 C crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

By Rebeccah Warmack

Smoothie for SuccessWe all know that fruits and nuts are the perfect nutrition our body needs for functioning. Bananas are a fruit that give us potassium, as well as complex carbohydrates that we can use for energy. Almonds, on the other hand, have natural heart-healthy oils, fat-soluble vitamins, essential fatty acids, and minerals – all of which you need for muscle building. And the best part is, you can turn these foods into a smoothie that is fast and easy to make!

Ingredients: 2 large frozen bananas (cut into pieces)8-10 almonds1⁄2 a pint of milk a blender

By Kriti Gupta

Step One: Peel bananas into pieces for easy blending

Remember: Sugar is OPTIONAL!

Step Two: Put all ingredients together and blend on high for 30 seconds

Height: 5’11”

Hair color: black

Eye Color: green/

brown

Grade: 12th

Height: 5’7”Hair color: blackEye Color: dark brownGrade: 11th

If you could be in any movie, what movie would you be in? TransformersWhich cartoon character are you most similar to? Curious George

What’s your favorite show?

24What’s your favorite subject? EnglishWhat superpower would you want? The ability to fly

If you could be in

any movie, what

movie would it be?

Ocean’s 11

Which cartoon

character are you

most similar to?

Bugs Bunny

What’s your

favorite show?

Family Guy

What’s your favorite subject?

Spanish

What superpower would you want?

Teleportation

Guess Who?!Mysterious players within our baseball team. Try to guess who they are!

By Karishma Patel and Jennifer Siew

Recipe Corner

Photos: Jennifer Siew

Photo: Kriti Gupta

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Dear Editor,There were various factual errors in “Local Football Game

a Success.” The event was located at American High School, not Irvington. The fi nal score was 14-7, not “like, a million to zero.” There were no backup dancers, and the Russian military was not involved in any way. Also, it was a badminton game.-William Newsom

Dear Editor,Mishuuuuu! Why haven’t you called me yet, my Mishu? I

spend every waking moment imaging your sweet, honey-suckle voice on the line. Even in sleep, I can rarely escape the haunting of your immeasurable beauty and charm. I have even shaved my chest hair in the shape of your face. I hope you two will meet very soon.XOXO,-Arjun Gangadhar

Dear Editor,I followed the dating advice in the newspaper to the letter,

and now my love life is fantastic! Thanks, The Voice, for dispensing such invaluable nuggets of relationship wisdom. I’ll talk to you guys later; I have to get back to girlfriend number sixteen now.-Robbie Jenkins

Dear Editor,While I am fl attered by your kind praises and enthusiastic

support for my every action, I have one request to make: stop Photoshopping my face onto naked bodies. -Barack H. Obama

Dear Editor,After a thorough comparison, I found that your article on

the history of Presidents’ Day was a nearly word-for-word copy of my history report. If it weren’t for the fact that the author’s name was “Kent Lee” instead of mine, I would have totally called you out for plagiarism.-Sam Miller

(silence)Writer #2 - Soooooooo…. How about them summer camps, huh?

Writer #1 - Yeah, um summer camp, yeah, totally horrifying. Let’s go with that.

Writer #3 - You know what else would scare all that ticket money

off teenagers? Sex. Lots of sex! Teens are totally afraid of sex, right?

Writer #2 - Great idea! If they’re not afraid of sex already, let’s make them afraid of sex! Every teen that does the nasty gets impaled!

Writer #1 - Hey, that’s what they taught me in Catholic school!

Writer #3 - What else can we name

him? Jason was my uncle’s name. It has to be Jason.

Writer #1 - Man, you need to see a therapist.

Writer #2 - Hey guys, that’s all we need!

Writer #1 - Wait, you don’t ACTUALLY think this trippy stuff is going to spawn a sequel, do you?

Writer #2 - You never know, my friend. You never know.

Humor12 | The Voice 17.6

Letters to the Editor

By Marlo Yonocruz

Things to Cut During the

Budget Crisis

By Salman Qasim

A look into the intense thought session that gave birth to each and every Jason film

Photo: Salman Q

asim

Writers enter room.Writer #1 - Come on guys, we only have a couple days to deliver the script for our movie!

Writer #2 - What?! Oh, man. Okay, let’s start with a title!

Writer #3 - Wait, what did you say, when is the script due?

Writer #1 - This Friday, the 13th

Writer #2 - Friday the 13th it is. Moving on…

Writer #3 - Wait, that’s not –

Writer #2 - Okay, now we need a villain. A killer. A real freak, ya know?

Writer #1 - Hm, well let’s see (looks around room) Aha! (picks up half-eaten cookie) The gingerbread killer! Half gingerbread, 25% man, 25% evil!

Writer #3 - No no no! It’s been done!

Writer #1 - Hey, what is that thing? (pointing)

Writer #1 - Oh that? That’s just my son’s hockey mask

Writer #2 - That’s perfect, hold on! Hockey’s that sport people play with machetes, right?

10. Teacher Recommendation Letters9. They legally own you for 55 min a day, fi ve days a week8. Makeup tests/contracts7. They control who you’ll have to sit next to for a whole year6. They talk to your other teachers5. Do you want homework over thanksgiving/winter/spring break?4. Your intellect trembles in comparison3. Because you’re going to have a 89.4% at the end of the semester2. They always have scorching-hot coffee in hand1. They know where you live

Brainstorming Friday the 13th

By Yu-Hsuan Lin

Reasons to be Nice to Your

TeacherBy Kim Ngo

March News Bites

Wow! Thank you so much for this candy!

Sadies Cancelled Due To Friday The 13th

Statistics show teen pregnancy drops after the age of 20

Chris Brown Arrested After Beat-ing Female Cousin, Sister, Mother and Grandmother

Crazed Mother Wanders Naked Outside of ClubSport

Local Teen Could Have Sworn Pants Fit Last Week

Assistant Principal Musto Lulled to Sleep by Own Announcement

FUSD spends $250,000 in adver-tising lack of school funds

Random,February-RelatedComics

Writer #1 - What, no! They use sticks, you idiot, STICKS! Lacrosse is the one with the machetes.

Writer #2 - Whatever, if we stick a hockey mask on him, we don’t have to waste money on a REAL actor! Any hobo will suffi ce! Or even your mom.

Writer #1 - Brilliant! Now what’s one location you were always afraid of as a teenager?

Writer #3 - My uncle’s house! Uncle always made me dress up in these sailor outfi ts, and pinch my cheeks.

Writer #1 - No no, I said afraid of as a teenager!

Writer #3 - I know. I barely fi t into the sailor outfi t by that time….And I didn’t mean the cheeks on my face.

Paris Hilton Honored For Help-ing The Economy Through Ex-cessive Shopping

Slumdog Millionaire Inspires Obama to Institute “Help the Homeboys Foundation”

Photo: people.com

The inspiration for Friday the 13th

Top Ten Corner

10. Freshman: Because they’re freshman. Enough said. 9. Books: Keep the librarians.8. Homework: We can save our paper costs by 98%!7. Desks: There is not enough for everyone. Let’s make things fair!6. School cookies: So we can watch students suffer.5. School Burritos: Because farts in 5th period are so not cool. 4. Projectors: People steal them anyway.3. Lights: Because EVERY-THING is better in the dark.2. Gangsters: Because I like to wear blue and red.1. Toilet Paper: Use this news-paper!

Because the Irvington Staff should ALWAYS be on your top ten!

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By Yu-Hsuan Lin

Guy on left: I know they’re cute, but why should we have a holiday for groundhogs?

Guy on right: They...um...control the freaking seasons?

Guy on left: Works for me.

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www.bestsatreview.comFremont: 47906 Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539Cup/SJ: 1025 S. De Anza Blvd. 2nd Fl, San Jose, CA 95129

By The Voice Staff

The pleasure’s all mine.

Gosh diddly darn! White people get the rest of the

year?

Laxative Edition!