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4OMMUNITIES
14
OF STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL, TRIBECA, AND BATTERY PARK CITY
a e
np pag 3
The Stuyvesant Standard
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Wo l T V
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Volume VI, Issue 2
Harvard Ends Early Admission Starting Next Year
BY SANGHEE CHUNG
STAFF WRITER
Harvard University will be
ending its early admissions pro-
gram on January 1, 2008 to im-
prove its admissions process.
“The college admissions
process has become too pres-
sured,” said interim president
Derek Bok. “We hope that doing
away with early admission will
improve the process and make it
simpler and fairer.”
For three decades, Harvard
has offered a non-binding early
admissions program, in which
admitted students are free to
choose where to attend. Last year,
813 out of 2,124 students, or 38
percent, were granted early ad-
mission.
The early admission program,
traditionally dominated by afflu-
ent white students, has often been
criticized for adding stress to stu-
9/11 Workers Face
Lung Problems
BY SANGHEE CHUNG
STAFF WRITER
Rescue workers are suffering
new or worsening lung problems
years after the September 11 at-
tacks, according to a report by the
Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Nearly 70 percent of the workers
experienced problems immedi-
ately after the attacks, and almost
60 percent of them still had these
symptoms after two years. Many
such problems could last a life-
time, the study said.
Firemen resting at Ground Zero.
September 21, 2006
A building at Harvard University. Harvard University will be ending its early
admissions program on January 1, 2008.
dents and putting low-income and
minority students at a disadvan-
tage. Low-income students are
also hurt by increasing tuition
prices, and by other students who
The rate of pulmonary abnor-
malities in the workers was twice
the rate of the general population.
Many of these symptoms contin-
ued for months and possibly years
after exposure. The report also
stated that rate of pneumonia was
much higher among those ex-
posed to the debris of the World
Trade Center than that of the av-
erage population.
These medical examinations
were performed on 9,500 workers
Continued on Page 5
Corbis
Corbis
can afford to pay for college con-
sultants and tutors. Furthermore,
students at a lower socioeconomic
level tend to choose regular deci-
sion to compare colleges’ finan-
Technology in the
World of Tennis
BY RICHARD SHYONG
STAFF WRITER
Corbis
Rackets were made of wood until the
1970’s.
“I contest!” Once these words
are spoken by a player, a small
clip is played on a large screen
television. However, this is no
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
News.................................2-6
Opinions...........................6-7
Business............................7-8
Arts & Entertainment.....9,13
Free
cial aid programs. The proposal
will open more financial aid op-
portunities and reduce the pres-
sure of applying because of a
higher admission rate.
“It is not clear that eliminat-
ing early admissions will result in
the admission of more students
from low-income families,” said
president Richard Levin. “What is
really needed is what Harvard,
Yale, and others have been doing
in recent years: that is making
efforts to increase the pool of
low-income students who apply,
and strengthening the financial
aid package they receive.”
The idea of getting rid of
early admission, however, was
met with mixed feelings. Several
admissions officers believed that
early admission was an essential
part of securing incoming stu-
dents. “For second- and third-tier
Continued on Page 3
ordinary clip. There are no ads,
no sponsors on the screen. In-
stead, all we see is a tennis ball
bouncing around a computer-
generated court. What is so spe-
cial about this, you ask?
In the exciting game of ten-
nis, balls can go up to 140 miles
per hour. The human eye, how-
ever, can only clock up to around
110 mph., with some difficulty.
Like in any other sport, every
single point matters. If the ball
happens to be out and is called in,
or vice versa, the outcome of the
match may be jeopardized. This is
where technology comes in.
The Hawk-Eye is an ex-
tremely clever computer system
that uses the latest camera tech-
nology to track down tennis balls.
It is therefore able to track a
Continued on Page 13
Comics.......................11
Puzzles….…………...12
Science………………13-14
Sports.........................15-16
Page 2 September 21, 2006 NEWS THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

THE STUYVESANT STANDARD  Yale Ivy Scholars

Founded 2001
 
 
Program: Debate and
 
“Your School, Your  World—Your News” 
More
BY JENNIFER SCHLESINGER from the head of the program and
Executive Leadership Team EDITOR-IN-CHIEF our instructors. I also met my
When I was planning my suite mates that night. Our rooms
DR. JOHN NIKOL FACULTY ADVISER summer last spring, one of my at the residential college in Yale,
JENNIFER SCHLESINGER EDITOR IN CHIEF priorities was to improve my de- Saybrook were situated in suites,
DEREK WENG MANAGING EDITOR bating skills, as I am a member of with bedrooms coming off a main
DIANE CHEN CO-CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER living room. Most of the bed-
KHOI NGUYEN
the Stuyvesant Debate Team. I
CO-CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
decided to apply to the Yale Ivy rooms were singles, although
FANNY TANG LAYOUT EDITOR there were a few doubles.
DANNY ZHU COPY CHIEF Scholars Program at Yale Univer-
sity in New Haven, Connecticut. The next day, we fell into our
JIMMY ZHANG NEWS EDITOR
PRISCILLA MELO OPINIONS EDITOR The application included recom- regular schedule: breakfast, a two
EMMA RABINOVICH ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR mendations from a teacher and a to two-and-a-half-hour lecture,
ERIC MAYO SPORTS EDITOR coach, a statement of interest and lunch and free time, lab meeting
JOSEPH KRUTOV SCIENCE EDITOR
HANFORD CHIU BUSINESS EDITOR

TSS / Jennifer Schlesinger

LADA KUKUY LITERARY EDITOR
JESSE ZHANG WEBMASTER
BENNETT HONG DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM
DANIEL EGERS (‘03) FOUNDER
ERNEST BASKIN (‘04) EDITOR EMERITUS

Publication
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD is a nonprofit and nonpartisan publication pro-
duced by the students of Stuyvesant High School.
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD distributes 2,000 free copies on a bi-weekly
basis to the students and faculty of Stuyvesant High School and through-
out the adjoining neighborhoods of TriBeCa and Battery Park City.
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD welcomes letters from its readers.
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD reserves the right to edit any published mate-
rial. The viewpoints of contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of
the Standard staff.

Copyright ©2006 THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Ivy Scholars mingle and dine in the Pierson Residential College Dinning Hall.
Contact Us
a school transcript. A few weeks for four hours, dinner and free
Please direct all correspondence to: time, evening lectures or seminars
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD later, I joyfully received notice of
my acceptance. and then some time for hanging
345 Chambers Street out before doing homework and
New York, NY 10282-1000 Before I knew it, it was the
end of July and the program was studying. For lab meetings, we
readers@stuystandard.org broke off into groups of about 20
Find us on the web at www.stuystandard.org beginning. After my parents left, I
felt nervous because I didn’t students of the same level and
know anyone. We met for dinner practiced drills and case writing.
Advertising and received introductory remarks Continued on Page 6
If you would like to advertise in THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, please e-mail
advertising@stuystandard.org to request an advertisement form. We offer
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ing needs.

Subscription Board Game Club

BY DAVID YIN
STAFF WRITER
games such as Monopoly and
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD Risk. Together we decided to start
SUBSCRIBE TODAY the club.” However, interestingly
On Fridays after school at enough, the board game club does
1 YEAR — $15 Stuyvesant, the board game club
Delivery Information not play the games that Walker
can be seen getting ready to have mentioned; Walker and Blay got
Name:______________________________________________ some fun. As is evident by the
Address:____________________________________________ the idea to focus on playing dif-
name, this club mainly plays ferent board games instead during
___________________________________________________ board games. This club was
Billing Information the transit strike, so this club fo-
formed recently by sophomore cuses on playing more unfamiliar
Please circle your choices below: Joseph Gregory Blay and junior
Check Money Order Cash games such as Settlers of Catan or
Jay Walker. When asked why No Thanks. “While the idea [to
Billing Address:______________________________________ they formed this club, Walker
___________________________________________________ start the club] was in our minds I
responded, “Joe and I met each went to the math research room to
Please cut and mail to THE STUYVESANT STANDARD, 345 Chambers other on the ferry and we came to
Street, New York, NY 10282-1000 OR send the above informa- kill time before the winter con-
click well. We both realized how cert. There I played a board game
tion to subscription@stuystandard.org. much we missed playing board
Continued on Page 6
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD September 21, 2006 NEWS Page 3

Harvard Ends Early Admission Stuyvesant Alumni

Starting Next Year
Continued from Page 1
institutions, early admissions is a
very effective enrollment tool,”
said associate executive director
of the American Association of
Collegiate Registrars and Admis-
sions Officers. “They rely on it to
solidify their incoming classes.”
Others felt that this move
would bring change for the better.
Summit With Warren
“It has the capacity to change a
lot of things in this business,”
said the Massachusetts Institute of
Buffett
Technology’s admissions dean PRESS RELEASE bequest from Berkshire Hatha-
Marilee Jones. “It’s bold enough CONTACT: RUFINO MENDOZA way. However, the true purpose
for other schools to really con- (917) 517-5243 of the visit was educational. In-
sider what they’re doing. I wish terestingly, I found that the most
them so much luck in this.” ◙ New York, NY – Three Stuy-
important topic Mr. Buffett spoke
vesant alumni traveled as part of a
about was society’s problems.
delegation from Global Platinum

College Board
Ethics has been a grave problem
Securities LLC (GPS), an interna-
in the business community and
tional student-run investment
Buffett’s philanthropic record
club, for a two-hour closed-door
resonates with the students of
question and answer session with
renowned investor and philan-

Corbis
thropist Warren Buffett. Rufino
Mendoza (SHS ’03), Sunny Wong
(SHS ’03) and Jimmy Zhu (SHS
’04) traveled from Oxford, Eng-
land; New York City; and Los
Angeles, Calif. to Buffett’s head-
quarters in Omaha, Neb..
Buffett discussed a wide
range of investment-related top-
ics, including market efficiency,
executive compensation, investor
emotion and ethics in business.
Additionally, he spoke with the
group on an eclectic mix of other
topics including world politics,
nuclear proliferation, his undying
passion for Gorat’s Steakhouse Warren Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire
and McDonald’s hamburgers and Hathaway, talks to reporters on the
pajama party online bridge ses- floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
sions with Bill Gates.
GPS, who understand the impor-
According to Rufino, Mr.
tance of creating a socially re-
Buffett’s methods and guiding
sponsible business environment
principles have been incredibly
and believe that profit at the price
influential in the group’s educa-
of integrity is no profit at all.”
tion process. Rufino, who is also
Global Platinum Securities
the admissions chair at the
consists of students from over ten
Georgetown University chapter,
different countries. They attend
commented, “I have been asked
some of the world’s most re-
by people on multiple occasions
nowned colleges and universities,
whether my visit to Warren Buf-
including Harvard, MIT, Stan-
fett had resulted in some type of
Continued on Page 5

The World Remembers the Fifth Anniversary of 9/11

AP Photo (Bruce Gilbert, Pool)

BY JENNIFER SCHLESINGER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
September 11, 2006 marked
the fifth anniversary of the terror-
ist attacks on The World Trade
Center and The Pentagon. All
around the world, people remem-
bered those who were lost.
One of the biggest ceremo-
nies took place in New York City
at Ground Zero. On Sunday, Sep-
tember 10, President Bush visited
Ground Zero and laid wreaths
with the First Lady in the foot-
print of each building. They were
accompanied by NYC’s Mayor
Michael Bloomberg, former NYC
Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, and
New York State Governor George
Pataki. The President and First
Lady also visited the other two
September 11 and said, “On 9/11,
our nation saw the face of evil.
Yet on that awful day, we also
witnessed something distinctly
American: ordinary citizens rising
to the occasion, and responding
with extraordinary acts of cour-
age,” ( NY Times).
The ceremony on September
11 began with Bloomberg mark-
ing a moment of silence at 8:46
am when the first plane hit the
North Tower. A second moment
of silence was observed at 9:03
am when the second plan struck
the South Tower. Two more mo-
A woman displays a photo of a loved ments of silence were observed
one during a ceremony to mark the 9:59 am and 10:29 am when each
fifth anniversary of 9/11. tower fell. The names of 2,749
people who were lost were read
cities affected by the attacks. The by family and friends. This took
President addressed the nation on about four hours. All family
members at the ceremony were
given a rose. Most chose to leave
the flowers in the two reflecting
pool that marked where the tow-
ers stood. It was a tearful day for
all, especially the family of those
who passed away as well as survi-
vors.
For the ceremony, Bloomberg
was joined by fellow politicians
Pataki, Giuliani, and New York
Senators Chuck Schumer and
Hillary Clinton. Giuliani said, "To
know that even one life has
breathed easier because you lived,
this is to have succeeded.
God bless all of those that we
lost. God bless all of you who
mourn for them, remember them
and live on in their spirit” (NY 1).
A trumpet solo was performed by
Continued on Page 6
Page 4 September 21, 2006 NEWS THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Standard’s Guide to the

Freshmen and Incoming Sophomores
These tips were compiled by the staff of The Stuyvesant Standard Absence
for the benefit of new students. If you have any questions, please contact
us at readers@stuystandard.org. “When you are absent you
need to bring in an absence note
Grades and have all of your teachers sign
it. It is important that you don't
“Your grades not only become part of your tran- forget to give the note to the at-
script and cumulative average, they also affect what tendance office after it has been
classes you can get into, such as AP and honors signed; otherwise it is considered
courses.” an unexcused absence.” Activities
-Neeta Malviya, Staff Writer “Go out and join a club you
-Jennifer Schlesinger, Editor in Chief
actually want to join. Don't just
“If you are absent and miss
“The fall grade for Global History and Fresh- join something because your par-
gym, you must make sure your ents told you to or because it's
man Composition during freshman year is what is looked at for Ad- gym teacher signs your absence
vanced Placement (AP) European History during sophomore year. Those good for the college application.”
note.”
with averages of 94 and above in Global History will be accepted de- -Jennifer Schlesinger, Editor -Angel Wong, Staff Writer
pending upon the number of people who request it and meet this criteria. in Chief
All of those who apply for the course with less than a 94 average will be
put on a wait list in case anyone decides to drop the course.”
Free Periods
-Neeta Malviya, Staff Writer
“In an effort to give everyone
the classes they want, but still fit
them all into a 10-period day, the
programmers have been forced to
give some people frees that are nei-
ther at the beginning nor the end of a
student’s day. In other words, there
will be roughly 40 minutes of idling
for that student. And since policy
states that students can not go out
during free periods, what can stu-
Places Near Stuyvesant dents do during those 40 minutes?
Here five ways to spend that free
“If you are up for a quick lunch or a grab-and-go snack, Terry's is time.
the place to go. Located next to the park, it is by far one of the most fre- Some people spend the time reading. And that is a great choice. It
quented deli among Stuy students. The prices are decent for their sand- might not be the most interesting for most people, but for those who can
wiches and they have delicious salads. Best of all are their pizza bagels concentrate on reading for such a long time period, reading might be the
and smoothies.” best choice. However, there are few quiet areas in the library to read.
There are some people who procrastinate during that time. Some
-Stephanie Shen, Staff Writer people just forget to do an assignment and use this time to catch up on
their work. However, there are others who actually plan these 40 minutes
“One of the best places to escape the pressure of Stuy and hang out wisely and do their homework during their free.
with your friends is the park. There are almost always people there — On a day of a big test, everyone is hoping to do well. People with a
during lunch, after school, or whenever. It is a great place to relax with a free period before a test feel lucky and happily use this time to do some
nice view of New Jersey. You can join in on a game of frisbee or catch last-minute studying. Even reading a “cheat sheet” several times can help
up on desperately needed sleep.” raise one’s score on a test.
There are some others who are the exact opposite. Instead of work-
-Stephanie Shen, Staff Writer ing, these sleep addicts spend their time napping on some quiet floor.
However, this is only recommended to those who are able to sleep
“At least once in your Stuy career, you’re going to find yourself through loud noises, and more importantly, quickly. Those who take a
lacking a classroom essential. While there are quite a few places you can long time nodding off will just end up lying on the floor feeling really
go, Staples is always guaranteed to carry whatever supply you’re looking bored. Every now and then classrooms around sleepers might make loud
for. The drawback is that Staples is pretty far from Stuy, but if you're noises, so stairs are a good option.
willing to sacrifice a lunch period you can make it there and back with a Of course, there are those who just want to hang out with their
little time to spare. Staples is located on Broadway and Vesey Streets friends. Some people just sit with their friends in the hall and chat for the
and is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.” entire period. However, the library is a popular place. As mentioned be-
-Stephanie Shen, Staff Writer fore, unlike other libraries, our school library is not always quiet. That is
because the people there are hanging out. Of course there is a small mi-
“Just remembered that you'll need a #2 pencil for a music apprecia- nority who are doing homework and reading, but most people are there
tion test first period? Not to worry. Just stop by Ralph’s Discount Store to kill time. A group of friends could spend 40 minutes in the library
at 95 Chambers Street, between Broadway and Church Streets on your doing nothing but talking. Besides the library, some people hang out in
way to school, where you can find all kinds of school supplies at reason- the lunch room. They might eat, but mostly they just sit around with
able prices. The school supplies are in the basement so walk down the friends and try to have fun. Then there are few who go to the first floor
small staircase in the left corner as soon as you enter. Ralph’s also has a to play ping pong or foosball.”
variety of snacks and drinks, anything from carrot cake to Vitamin water.
The store opens up at precisely 7:30 so if you're there a few minutes -Jimmy Zhang, News Editor
early, you might have to wait outside.”

-Anonymous
Continued on Page 5
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD September 21, 2006 NEWS Page 5
Continued from Page 4

Time Management
“Try to get a lot of sleep and spend a lot of time with friends. As you
get older you'll get less sleep and less time for friends. Take advantage
of the time you have now. Also, don't procrastinate. You don't get any-
thing out of it so, honestly, why do it?”
-Anna Ginzburg, Senior Staff Writer
“In the same manner, don't just study all the time. Go out and have
fun. Make friends. This is high school; it shouldn't be hell. Try to find a
reason to look forward to coming to school.”
Lockers
“Your locker is not a fortress that is impenetrable to all resistance.
Don't stash all your Gucci, Verdana, and Louis Vuitton in there.”
-Angel Wong, Staff Writer
“Lockers are a wonderful part of high school, if you follow the rules.
Use your assigned locker. It's as simple as that. If you're a freshman, you
might have to share a locker but there's actually a lot of fun that comes
along with that. By the end of the school year, you'll have formed a great
friendship with that person. Sharing a locker might be a problem in the
winter, when you'll be wearing bulky jackets, but it is nonetheless a won-
derful experience that defines freshman year for many.”

-Angel Wong, Staff Writer -Anonymous

9/11 Workers Face Lung Stuyvesant Alumni Summit With

Problems
Continued from Page 1
between July 2002 and April
2004.
“We encourage anyone who
worked at ground zero, especially
in the early days after September
11, who has not yet been
screened, to come for an evalua-
tion,” said Dr. Philip J. Landri-
gan, chairman of the community
Corbis
to respond to the devastating trag-
edy — those who arrived earlier
suffered the most problems.
“Many who worked at ground
zero in the early days after the
attacks have sustained serious and
lasting health problems as a direct
result of their exposure to the
environment there,” said Dennis
Charney, dean of academic and
scientific affairs at the Mount
Warren Buffett
Continued from Page 3
ford, Georgetown, The Wharton
School of the University of Penn-
sylvania, the University of Colo-
rado, New York University, and
the London School of Economics.
In an effort to promote financial
literacy in future generations,
GPS immerses students in a
highly interactive learning experi-
ence that solidifies the principles
process to GPS once he started
studying at MIT. Rufino had kept
in contact with Sunny since
graduation, often discussing eco-
nomics and politics with her, and
encouraged her to apply to GPS
as well.
Jimmy and Sunny have risen
quickly in the organization to
become chief marketing officer
and chief technology officer, re-

Workers on the site of the World Trade
Center in the aftermath of the Septem-
ber 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
and preventive medicine depart-
ment. “It is important that those
who gave so heroically in the af-
termath of the disaster be assured
that they will be able to get all the
medical care they need.”
According to the report, there
is a connection between the sever-
ities of the symptoms and the
time at which the workers arrived
Sinai School of Medicine. “This
study scientifically confirms high
rates of respiratory problems in a
large number of responders —
including construction workers,
law enforcement officers, utilities
workers and public sector work-
ers.”
In total, approxi matel y
40,000 workers were exposed to
dust consisting of metal particles,
including nickel, titanium, and
cadmium.
“The effects of 9/11 are still
largely unknown, but we now
know much more than we did
even one year ago,” said Mayor
Michael Bloomberg.
When the study was revealed,
250, people including workers
and local residents, gathered at
the World Trade Center site to
demand medical benefits and fi-
nancial aid.
“I need medication and I am
not working because I’m sick,”
said Enrique Farfa, a construction
worker who worked at the site for
six months.
Currently, there is no treat-
ment program funded by the gov-
ernment for those who inhaled the
dangerous fumes. ◙
of investing while fostering social spectively, in an organization that
responsibility. usually takes a fifth of applicants
GPS leaders refer to their for its trial analyst program. Only
generation as “generation debt” analysts who have successfully
and are working to combat the completed the rigorous require-
financial limitations that young ments of the trial program are
students may face in the future. ever offered full membership
Founding president and CEO status.
Only analysts who have successfully completed
the rigorous requirements of the trial program
are ever offered full membership status.
Timothy Shannon said, “GPS is
committed in working to fight GPS encourages all intellec-
financial illiteracy and to provide tually curious Stuyvesant students
students with options for invest- to apply to the organization in
ing their money and making their their first year of college if they
money work for them, so when wish to gain a broad experience in
they graduate, they are better pre- areas including investment man-
pared for their adult lives.” agement, global finance and lead-
Rufino, currently a student at ership skills. As all three Stuyve-
Georgetown University, was re- sant alums can attest, no other
cruited by Timothy, a fellow college organization offers such
Georgetown student, to start the in-depth experience to college
investment club during his fresh- students. Its rigorous admission
man year. Rufino decided to tap process, stellar membership net-
students in Mr. George Ken- work, and opportunities to inter-
nedy’s Wall Street class at Stuy- act with leaders such as Warren
vesant and eventually found Buffett provide an unparalleled
Jimmy, who began the application experience. ◙
Page 6
Yale Ivy Scholars Program:
Debate and More
Continued from Page 2
The Yale Ivy Scholars program
was a hectic and, for the most
part, sleepless two weeks. How-
ever, it was well worth the work. I
learned much more about debate
than I had in my entire year at
school.
The lectures in the morning
were led in the style of college
lectures. Most lectures were led
by Yale professors, all having
their own style; some did Power-
Point presentations, while others
wrote on the blackboard. A high-
We helped each other along as we struggled
to learn our way around and learned to
manage our time. The program was an ex-
perience I will never forget.
light was Dean Harold Koh of the
Yale Law School, who talked
about the policies of the Bush and
Clinton administrations. Overall,
the lectures gave us an overview
of some important issues and top-
ics.
All in all, I learned much
more than debate at the Yale Ivy
Scholar’s program. I got a fairly
true-to-life feel for what college
life is like. I lived in the dorms,
ate in the cafeterias, studied in the
libraries and sat in the classes.
We were allowed on most areas
of the campus and the surround-
ing city, New Haven. In our free
CLUB SPOTLIGHT
Board Game Club
Continued from Page 2
I had never played before: Settlers
of Catan. I also discovered a
group of people who enjoyed
playing the game, and others,
regularly. After playing again
during the transit strike I was
hungry to play some more and I
decided to focus less on the regu-
lar board games and play less-
known games such as the ones
played in the math research
room.”
Many students enjoy playing
the uncommon board games that
this club provides. Kenneth Lam,
junior and one-time visitor to the
club said, “The board game club
introduced me to some really dif-
ferent board games like Settlers of
Catan that I never knew existed. It
was pretty fun.”
However, the club members
recently found out that the club’s
September 21, 2006 NEWS/ OPINIONS
time we could go shopping or out
to eat. I learned much about time
management from our workload.
Unlike Stuyvesant, where stu-
dents have a few hours of home-
work and get out at 3:30 pm, stu-
dents in the Yale Ivy Scholars
program got out of classes around
9:00 pm and still had several
hours of homework. We also had
classes on Saturday and Sunday.
One of the most important
parts of the experience was bond-
ing with friends from across the
country. We helped each other as
we struggled to learn our way
around and manage our time. The
program was an experience I will
never forget. Although the pro-
gram was very educational by
nature, it provided countless op-
portunities for fun. Although I
know these fun times were a part
of the program, I will never forget
that what I learned will help me
towards my future goals.
The Yale Ivy Scholars Pro-
gram also offers programs besides
those focused on debate. For in-
formation, visit their website,
www.yale.edu/ivyscholars/. ◙
faculty advisor, Jan Siwanowicz,
considered by many to be the life
of the club, has left Stuyvesant
High School. Because of this, the
club no longer has access to the
math research room, a conven-
iently large room suitable for
playing board games, and its
members can no longer play the
many games that Jan possessed.
But the club is trying hard to
bring in more of its own board
games through fundraising and
donations from the club members.
Walker commented that the club
meeting on Friday, September 8
was “one of the biggest meetings
the club ever had because a lot of
students were there.” The board
game club members hope to at-
tract many more people who en-
joy playing board games as much
as they do. ◙
The World Remembers the
Fifth Anniversary of 9/11
Continued from Page 3
W ynton Marsa lis. Just as
Bloomberg opened the ceremony,
he also closed it.
Starting the night of Septem-
ber 11, two beams of light were
lit to add the shape of the Twin
Towers to the New York City
skyline. The lights have become
an annual tradition.
Other ceremonies also took
place in New York City. At a
ceremony attended by
Bloomberg, Pataki, and New Jer-
The 'Tribute in Light' rises over lower Manhattan as seen from the Brooklyn bor-
ough of New York on the fifth anniversary of 9/11.
sey Governor Jon Corzine, the 84
lost Port Authority workers were
remembered. A ceremony was
also held at the State Supreme
Court to remember the lost New
York state Court Officers.
Across America, people got
together to remember. Many went
to see the memorial in Shanks-
ville, Pennsylvania to the 40 who
died aboard United Airlines
Flight 93. A memorial service
was also held at the Pentagon in
Delaney Mania
BY AMNA AHMAD
STAFF WRITER
I believe most Stuyvesant
students would agree that they are
under an immense privilege to
attend our high school, as it is
arguably the most diverse, suc-
cessful and thriving of high
schools in New York City with an
abundance of opportunities for
students of any interest. Stuyve-
sant High School offers courses
as varied as architecture, song-
writing and psychology. Despite
the variation in classes, there re-
mains a definite uniformity and
that is the use of Delaney cards. I
never would have imagined that
sucha simple invention would
make such an impact on New
York City high schools.
There are a lot of things in
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
Washington DC to commemorate
the people who lost their lives
there. It was attended by Vice
Presidnet Dick Cheney and Secre-
tary of Defense, Donald Rums-
field.
Around the world, there were
memorials for those lost. In Puri,
India, a sand replica of the World
Trade Center was created. A mo-
ment of silence was held. In Paki-
stan, students lit candles to com-
memorate. At a US army base is
Kabul, Afganistan, soldier saluted
AP Photo (Peter Morgan)
those who died. Similarly, US and
Filipino troops in Southeast Asia
prayed for peace. US Embassies
around the world, such as in Ja-
pan and Australia joined in the
remembrance.
Overall, the fifth anniversary
of the terrorist attacksof Septem-
ber 11, 2001, was an occasion for
people to get together and remem-
ber those lost. ◙
this world that make me nervous,
such as being late, crowds of peo-
ple and pop quizzes. These things
all have different reasons for
causing distaste on my part. How-
ever, nothing could possibly be as
nerve-racking as filling out a De-
laney card. Some of us have fill-
ing those things out down to a
science, while others panic at the
differing instructions given by
different teachers to fill them out.
I like to think of Delaney
cards as my first impression on a
teacher. I wonder what a teacher
would think if one of a new stu-
dents wrote his or her phone num-
ber in the address space when
asked to write it in the “parent’s
first name” area. Sophomore Fifi
seems to agree, giving the follow-
ing statement when asked how
Continued on Page 7
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
Delaney Mania
Continued from Page 6
Corbis
This small card was used extensively in
the New York metropolitan area in the
1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
she felt about the cards in general
and how our school has “Delaney
Mania”: “I don’t like them. You
never know if what you’re writing
is wrong.”
Although students seem to
choose teachers as scapegoats for
our aversion toward Delaney
cards, it is quite evident that some
teachers dislike using them as
well, but have an obligation to do
so. For instance, one teacher
mentioned a teacher getting in
trouble for not using Delaney
cards, so she just had us write our
first and last names on the cards
The Worst School Demon
BY MOR ROSENBERG
STAFF WRITER
Corbis
The after effects of procrastination is
not an uncommon sight at Stuyvesant.
Picture the following situa-
tion: It is Saturday morning as
you sit down to do your home-
work after a good night’s rest.
You look at your planner and ex-
claim, “Holy (insert-word-here)!
I have a lot of homework to do!”
You realize that you have an AP
Biology test to study for, a phys-
ics paper to write, a history term
paper to finish, and tons of math
homework to do in less then 48
hours. So you plan to stay up,
cram and hopefully get about two
hours of sleep that weekend.
Who hasn’t experienced that
situation before at Stuyvesant?
Typically the reason for all this
weekend cramming or even week-
September 21, 2006 OPINIONS/ BUSINESS
rather than fill out everything.
I know that accidents and
emergencies happen, but I’m not
quite sure why we rely so much
on phones anyway. I had the
pleasure of experiencing how
unreliable telephones could be
while doing some community
service, in which one of the tasks
was dialing the numbers of par-
ents of about 350 students. Each
student had listed two to three
contact numbers. However not
once did anyone pick up and only
three numbers had answering ma-
chines. Given this, the next time
I decide to faint at the sight of a
pop quiz or to accidentally burn
my skin with lab chemicals, my
parents won’t find out until a
while afterwards.
It’s comforting to know that
when teachers look back on their
lives and their careers, they can
honestly say that they taught and
guided generations of high school
students, accepting only a modest
salary in return. However, poor
Mr. Delaney had to live with the
guilt for the torture he put thou-
sands of poor defenseless high
school students through. ◙
day all-nighters is procrastination.
Procrastination is something
we have all come in contact with,
whether you are a teacher, a top
A+ student, a journalist writing an
article about procrastination, a
theater member, etc. Whether
putting off studying for a biology
test to go to bed a littler earlier or
avoiding the paper to hang out
with friends, Stuyvesant students,
who are really smart, are also
terrific at procrastinating. How-
ever, procrastination is never a
good thing. In fact, procrastina-
tion is what usually leads to the
huge amount of work that we
have to do.
At Stuyvesant, teachers an-
nounce their tests at least a week
in advance as the rules thankfully
require. There are also very spe-
cific test days for each subject.
Projects, especially term papers,
are assigned way in advance. The
only things assigned from day to
day are daily homework and quiz-
zes.
So what can one do to avoid
procrastination? It’s quite simple:
just don’t procrastinate. Study for
tests and do projects on time. Set
mini-deadlines, and meet those
deadlines. Procrastination can be
defeated; it’s just a matter of
dedication and will-power. Can
you defeat that monster? I know
I'm still trying. ◙
Yes and No
BY ALVIS YUEN
STAFF WRITER
“Oh, you go to Stuyvesant?
You must be very smart,” says a
typical adult to me. Should I re-
spond with a yes or a no? If I say
yes, then I might appear arrogant.
If I say no, then Mr. Key, the
adult, might think I lack self-
confidence. I decided to respond
with a generic “Yes, but no.” He
chuckled out of amusement from
my answer. That was a real con-
versation I had last year.
“Yes and no” is the
best response to
any question.
Why did he chuckle at me?
Mr. Key told me that I sounded
just like all the other Stuyvesant
students he met. Asking questions
would get him nowhere because
they would never give straight
answers. Afterwards, I thought
about what Mr. Key had told me
and I realized that he was right. In
history discussions, I always hear
people responding with, “Yes, but
…” In English class I hear the
same style of speech. It is every-
where. Stuyvesant students are
bright people. They must have a
Major Oil Pool
Discovered in the Gulf
BY KENNETH YU
STAFF WRITER
A group of oil companies
lead by Chevron Corporation has
tapped a petroleum pool under the
Gulf of Mexico. In what could be
the biggest domestic oil find in 38
years, it could boost the nation’s
reserves by more than 50 percent.
Test wells indicate that this
discovery could be the biggest
since Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay. Al-
though promising, the oil deposit
An Alaskan pipeline crossing colorful autumn tundra carrying crude oil from Prud-
hoe Bay oil fields to the port of Valdez.
Page 7
reason for doing things. There
must be a reason why so many
students speak in such a manner.
The reason is that “yes and
no” is the best response to any
question. It shows that the person
has considered both sides of the
argument. There is only one ca-
veat: the question has not been
answered. When somebody asks a
question, he or she wants to know
your opinion, not meaningless
gibberish. An uncertain response
can often rub someone the wrong
way. To some people, it shows
that you do not care about their
question.
When somebody asks you a
question, it does not matter
whether you say yes or no. The
trick is in how you say it. As long
as you have the confidence to
justify your answer, you have
won the battle of wits. Say yes;
say no. Just say it loud and
strong! You do not have to ex-
plain your answer. Believe in
what you say. How are you going
to convince someone else that
what you say is right if you can-
not even convince yourself?
Now when somebody asks
me a question, I smile and
chuckle. Just because somebody
questions me does not mean I
have to answer. ◙
four miles beneath the ocean floor
will not significantly reduce the
country’s dependence on foreign
oil or help lower prices at the
pump anytime soon.
“It's a nice positive, but the
U.S. still has a big difference be-
tween its consumption and indige-
nous production,” said Art Smith,
chief executive of energy consult-
ant John S. Herold. “We'll still be
importing more than 50 percent of
our oil needs.”
Continued on Page 8
Corbis
Page 8
Major Oil Pool Discovered in the Gulf
Continued from Page 7
At its height in 1988, Prud-
hoe Bay pumped an average of
1.6 million barrels per day. In
2005, it yielded less than 400,000
barrels per day.
Chevron estimated that the
300-square-mile region where its
test well is located could contain
roughly 3 billion to 15 billion
barrels of oil and natural gas liq-
uids.
It will take several years and
tens of billions of dollars to bring
the tapped oil to market, but the
discovery carries importance for
the industry at a time when West-
ern oil and gas companies are
finding less opportunity in the
politically unstable parts of the
world such as Russia and the
Middle East.
The proximity of the Gulf of
Mexico to the United States
makes it especially attractive to
the industry. However, it would
bring pressure on Florida and
other states to relax limits they
have in place on drilling in their
Intel Corp. Investigated for Anti-Trust Issues
BY HANFORD CHIU
BUSINESS EDITOR
The European Commission
has widened an ongoing probe
into the business practices of chip
maker Intel Corp., taking over an
investigation that had previously
been handled by Germany's anti-
trust agency Bundeskartellamt.
Intel has been investigated for its
Corbis
Intel’s chairman and former CEO
Craig Barrett said the European Union
would find no evidence of wrongdoing.
strong-arm tactics in excluding
competitors in Europe for nearly
five years. Recently, the investi-
gation was stepped up signifi-
cantly when officials raided Intel
offices in several countries after
Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
September 21, 2006 BUSINESS
A worker walks past a crane on a drilling ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
offshore waters for environmental
and tourism reasons.
The U.S. consumes roughly
5.7 billion barrels of crude oil in a
year and reserves are currently at
more than 29 billion barrels.
Compared to countries such as
Saudi Arabia, whose reserve ex-
ceeds 250 billion barrels, it is just
a tiny amount.
Chevron has a 50 percent
(AMD), Intel's main rival, made
allegations to anti-trust authorities
around the world that Intel had
maintained its nearly 80 percent
of the world’s market share of
microprocessors through unfair
measures.
In particular, the Bundeskar-
tellamt has been investigating
whether Metro AG’s Media Mar-
ket chain, which operates more
than 350 stores in 14 European
countries, was pressured by Intel
to exclude equipment containing
integrated circuits made by AMD.
AMD also alleged that Intel has
used their aggressive business
tactics in other places around the
world, including the United States
and Japan, and coerced over 30
business chains to use Intel tech-
nology in their products.
AMD has made other accusa-
tions against Intel before. In
2004, AMD filed a complaint
claiming that Intel was offering
loyalty rebates and signing exclu-
sive selling contracts with retail-
ers in Europe. However, the Euro-
pean Commission stated they
lacked evidence to pursue the
complaint, though the investiga-
tion was never formally closed.
Intel is responding to the alle-
gations with the fact that they is
actually on the decline. In March,
Craig Barrett, Intel’s chairman
and former CEO, said the Euro-
pean Union would find no evi-
dence of wrongdoing. He asserts
that his company is “susceptible
Corbis
stake in the field, while partners
Statoil ASA and Devon Energy
Corporation own 25 percent each.
Chevron announced a test
well, named Jack 2, that sustained
a flow rate of more than 6,000
barrels per day, but analysts and
executives believe the payoff
could be much larger than that.
The well was drilled in the
Walker Ridge area of the Gulf,
Corbis
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD),
Intel's main rival, made allegations to
anti-trust authorities around the world
that Intel had maintained its nearly 80
percent of the world’s market share of
microprocessors through unfair
measures.
After School Staff Needed
Downtown Elementary Schools
We are looking for high School students to work
in after school programs at two to five days a
week, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm daily. Must be
reliable, and enjoy working with children.
Learn, get experience and
make $8 per hour.
Contact for application: Theseus Roche, After
School Director, Manhattan Youth.
Theseus@manhattanyouth.org
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
175 miles off the coast of Louisi-
ana. It is an area the industry has
been exploring for about five
years.
While the industry was
mostly upbeat about the potential
of this new discovery, it also ac-
knowledged some challenges,
including a lack of rigs capable of
drilling in such deep water and
the long lead times required to
drill and complete deep-water
wells. More than half a dozen
world records for test equipment
pressure, depth, and duration in
deep water were set during the
Jack well test.
Fadel Gheit, an analyst for
Oppenheimer & Com-
pany,estimated that the first pro-
duction for the Chevron-led part-
nership might not come online
until after 2010, depending on
how many more test wells the
companies drill. At best it will
only slightly slow the decline in
annual United States production.
◙
to competitive threats,” as the
past few quarters would show.
AMD has been getting a bigger
share of the market in recent
quarters, with more retailers using
both AMD and Intel processors in
their computers as well as selling
AMD’s Opteron-based servers.
The fact that Intel is affected by
its competition shows through
Intel’s plan to fire over 10,000
employees to cut costs and make
the company more profitable. ◙
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
Fall TV : What’s In Store This Season
BY AMY QIU
STAFF WRITER
One of the best things about
fall is the plethora of new shows
and returning favorites on televi-
sion, so get ready to ditch those
heavy school textbooks and run
for that remote.
Six Degrees
There are some who believe
that every action one makes im-
pacts at least one other person in
some way. This is the case with
six very different people, who
unknowingly affect each other as
they go about their own daily
lives. As the events in their indi-
vidual lives unfold, they are
drawn even closer together.
Maybe it’s merely coincidence, or
perhaps it is fate.
Premieres September 21 on
ABC 7
One Tree Hill Season 4
The highly dramatic season
finale left One Tree Hill watchers
in suspense. Is Rachel really preg-
nant? What’s the deal with Pey-
ton, Lucas, and Brooke? Mean-
while, Dan came home to find the
word “MURDERER” painted on
the wall. This can only mean one
thing: someone knows his secret.
It’s hard to predict what’s going
to happen next, but things are
definitely going to heat up in the
fourth season.
Premieres September 27 on
CW 11
The Class
In this new comedy, a group
of third grade ex-classmates are
reunited after 20 years. Now
grown adults, some of them are
looking to rekindle old bonds and
make new friendships, while oth-
ers are reminiscing about child-
hood crushes.
Premieres September 18 on
CBS 2
Ugly Betty
CW11
Nathan (James Lafferty) and Haley (Bethany Joy Galeotti) in a Season Three epi-
sode of “One Tree Hill.”
September 21, 2006 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Page 9
cbs.com
While the world of fashion is
conjuring up images of glamorous
models, Betty appears to be the
ugly duckling. However, every-
thing changes the owner of the
top magazine “Mode” hands eve-
rything over to his son Daniel and
hires Betty to be Daniel’s assis-
tant. Though both inexperienced,
together they learn about the fash-
ion world and work to steer clear
of the smiling sharks there ready
to sabotage them.
Premieres September 28 on
ABC 7
American Idol Rewind
Missed the first season of
“American Idol”? Now there’s a
abc.com
chance to see Kelly Clarkson in
the days before she became a
chart-topping singer. “American
Idol Rewind” will also include
never-before-seen footage of the
original show.
Premieres September 20 on
CW 11
Dancing With the Stars
abc.com
Season 3
Celebrities are paired with
professional dancers in the third
season of this dance competition.
Competitors this year include
actress Vivica A. Fox, singer
Willa Ford, NFL legend Emmitt
Smith and talk show host Jerry
Springer. They are all known for
their special talents, but how do (top) “The Class” is a comedy about a group of 20-somethings inextricably bound
they measure up when it comes to together by having been in the same third grade class. (center) The cast of “Ugly
dancing? Betty.” (bottom) From the producers of “Lost” and “Alias” comes “Six Degrees”.
Premieres September 12 on Corbis
ABC 7
Runaway
After a man is falsely accused
of murder, he and his family
move to a small town in Iowa
where they assume new identities.
He works to uncover evidence to
clear his name, while his three
kids deal with the pressure of
having to pretend to be people
who they are not.
Premieres September 25 on
CW 11◙
Corbis
(above) Kelly Clarkson, the winner in the first season of American Idol. (below) The
contestants of Season Three of “Dancing With the Stars.” (right) A model during
Fashion Week for the reality show “Project Runway”
Corbis
Page 10 September 21, 2006 ADVERTISEMENT THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

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September 26, 2006
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD September 21, 2006 COMICS Page 11

Glass Lab by Serena Hong Point Blank by Gillian Chung

No Harvard for You! by Benjamin Breeg

Senior Graduation Pictures by Kenny Kwan

Why People Drink Starbucks by Anonymous

Page 12 September 21, 2006 PUZZLES THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

Autumn Thoughts: Sudoku

BY JEFFREY LIAW
A Word Search PUZZLES COLUMNIST

BY AMY QIU
STAFF WRITER 2 8 3

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BY JEFFREY LIAW
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THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
The Covenant
BY EMMA RABINOVICH
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
“The Covenant” stars four
relatively unknown actors as the
members of a secret circle of
witches with “untold powers.”
Their descendants can be traced
back hundreds of years, to when
witches were hunted down and
burned at the stake. Caleb Dan-
vers (Steven Strait from “Sky
High”), the leader of the all-
powerful witch pack, falls for the
new girl at Spencer High School,
Sarah Wenham (Laura Ramsey
from “She’s the Man”). Unfortu-
nately, just when everything
seems to be going Caleb’s way, a
descendant of the fifth bloodline
of the Covenant, which was ban-
ished at the end of the 17thcen-
tury for wanting too much power,
returns. He wants to take away
Caleb’s power after he “ascends”
on his 18th birthday, when he will
gain his full strength, and he is
eager and willing to use Sarah
and the rest of the Covenant as
hostages.
Confident in its delivery,
“The Covenant” rarely falls short
in terms of special effects or sus-
pense. Director Renny Harlin in-
geniously casts a pack of eye-
candy actors that give the film a
little extra life.
By selecting a boarding
school, where parents are rarely
present, as the setting, Harlin
helps further the illusion that
these kids really can do whatever
they please. Unfortunately, it also
makes them unlikely candidates
PICTURE OF THE ISSUE
The picture of the issue, submitted by Hector Wei, is titled “Fatal Lights.”
Want to be a photographer for The Stuyvesant Standard?
Want to submit your photographs to The Standard’s Picture of
the Issue?
Contact photo@stuystandard.org
September 21, 2006 A&E/ SCIENCE/ PHOTO
for our undying sympathy. There
is a lot of inconsistency in the
relationship between the Cove-
nant members. They fight, use
their powers against each other,
and become extremely jealous
“The Covenant” was released in thea-
tres on Sept 8.
only to sit by each other’s bed-
sides half an hour later. Harlin
leaves clues and then abandons
them to go in a different direc-
tion.
“The Covenant” starts out
strong, sucking you in only to
disappoint you in the end with a
neither-here-nor-there ending.
However, the thrill ride as well as
the two hours of eye candy (with
some pretty girls for the guys) is
worth the admission price. ◙
Technology in the World of
Tennis
Continued from Page 1
ball’s path, wherever the ball may
land. It takes into account a ball’s
compression and skid on bounc-
ing before producing a 360-
degree replay of the shot. With
this piece of technology, any
player doubting the call of a shot
may request a replay of the shot,
using the one and only Hawk-
Eye. Finally, the integrity of a
call can be resolved without tan-
trums and harsh language!
Players are given two chal-
lenges per set and an additional
challenge if the set goes to a tie-
breaker. After that, they may
have to resort to the old-
fashioned method of cursing out
the umpire. However, there is still
Finally, the integrity of a call can be
resolved without tantrums and harsh
language.
some hope for serves, which are
probably the fastest balls ever hit
in tennis. Serves can go up to
speeds of 140 mph., making the
human eye extremely fallible to
mistakes. The Cyclops, however,
can provide extra help. A small
box measuring around 6cm by
45cm by 20cm, it projects five or
six infrared sensors across the
court, 10 millimeters above the
ground. When the ball breaks the
beams, which are situated outside
the out line, the box makes a
small beeping sound. Therefore,
umpires need not worry about
making mistakes while calling
serves; instead, their biggest
problem now are insects that
might just set off the box!
The easiest way to make sure
Hawk Eye is a revolutionary sports tracking device designed to follow the tracking
of balls and competitors. Above is an analysis of a match between Roger Federer
and Andy Roddick using the technology of Hawk Eye.
Page 13
the umpire does not call out your
hits is to make them unmistaka-
bly inside the line. To do so, you
need talent and a good racket.
Rackets were made of wood until
the 1970’s. However, afterwards,
people started switching to rack-
ets made of fiberglass, graphite,
and other artificial materials. This
meant rackets that were just as
sturdy as wooden rackets, but a
lot lighter. When comparing the
performances between the two,
the artificial racket won first
prize; it hit as hard as the wooden
racket did, but had a lot more
accuracy.
As we slowly advance into
the modern era, old-time sports
also advance with us. From more
advanced rackets to the Hawk-
Eye, tennis has truly become a
modern sport. Sharper and
smarter cameras allows us to
make the correct call, making the
game all the worthwhile to play.
Stronger but lighter rackets en-
able more accurate hits, from the
baseline to the net. Modern play-
ers now have many advantages
that those of the 70’s could only
dream of, making tennis an in-
creasingly more competitive and
exciting sport to play. So the next
time you find yourself playing
tennis, be thankful for the scien-
tific contributions of the last few
decades. ◙
Page 14 September 21, 2006 SCIENCE THE STUYVESANT STANDARD

The Pearl: A Real Gem from Blackberry

BY MOTTAQUI AL-KARIM
STAFF WRITER
It may be not be a real Pearl,
but it certainly will be worth its
weight in gold to both those on
Wall Street and us mortal con-
sumers. Though not revolution-
ary, Research in Motion’s
(RIM’s) newest BlackBerry,
called the Pearl, definitely makes
heads turn. In an oyster, the Pearl
is basically the the previous
ous models. After getting the
pointer over a desired icon, the
“pearl” is merely pushed to click.
Like all true BlackBerries,
the Pearl has Internet services, e-
mail capabilities, computer-phone
integration (e.g. delete an e-mail
message on the phone and it is
deleted on the computer as well)
and Bluetooth technology, as well
as a 1.3 megapixel camera which
no full screen mode and the
viewscreen is made smaller by
the play, stop and other control
buttons.
Many music formats, such
as MP3, WAV, MIDI, and AAC,
are supported as well. One can
play music while using through
the many other applications of the
phone. However, skipping or
going back to a previous track
by manual input. There are no
GPS capabilities but this feature
can be added with a Bluetooth
GPS receiver.
A couple of features of the
Pearl can be called “annoying.”
The biggest of these is the key-
board with SureType technology.
It is a traditional QWERTY key-
board put onto a phone keypad,
with two letters on each key. The
system guesses which word is

BlackBerry with a 1.3 megapixel
camera, with music and video
playback capabilities, and oh,
yeah, it also makes phone calls.
The smallest BlackBerry to
date, the Pearl is approximately
the size of a RAZR. The phone is
said to work just about anywhere
in the planet thanks to an interna-
tional roaming software. The
Pearl also sports a stylish, ul-
trabright 240 by 260 pixel, 2.25
inch TFT color screen that makes
video and photo viewing a blast.
The main advantage of hav-
ing a Blackberry, and the reason
so many do, is that unlike other
phones or e-mail-capable mobile
devices, the Blackberry con-
stantly queries your inbox to
download the new messages im-
mediately. Other phones search
only periodically, giving the
Blackberry a huge advantage and
making it a necessity in this busy
world.
The best part is the Pearl ac-
tually sports a “pearl” – a little
white trackball just below the
screen which acts similar to a
mouse and allows the user to
point in any direction, not just up,
down, left or right as in the previ-
The Pearl, a new smartphone recently released by Blackberry, is the first phone
from the company available to consumers.
supports flash and 5x zoom capa-
bilities. Sadly, the camera cannot
record videos and the colors are
not very vibrant. But then again,
the Pearl is not meant be a digital
camera. The user is allowed to
choose between three picture
sizes and three quality modes.
The Pearl can play many
video formats. However, there is
BlackBerry.com
can be annoying because the
“Menu” button has to be pressed
before a menu option can be cho-
sen.
Besides multimedia, the Pearl
is also the first BlackBerry that
has map software. The map soft-
ware offers local maps and driv-
ing directions from addresses
directly from the contact list or
being typed and presents the user
with a list of other possible
choices if the one chosen by the
phone is not desired. So the but-
tons “GH”, “ER”, and “TY”
would be pressed to produce
“get.” This system does work but
it poses a problem when typing a
foreign word or a long last name.
Also, the Pearl comes with a mi-
croSD slot, where a memory card
can be inserted to expand the ca-
pacity of the phone. The problem
is, however, that the slot is lo-
cated behind the battery, making
it a pain to access the slot itself as
the battery must be removed in
order to put a card in or take it
out.
The few quirks aside, the
Pearl seems to offer a lot of bang
for the buck. Although it isn’t
entirely perfect, it comes very
close to being flawless, a state of
smart-phone nirvana, so to speak.
The Pearl, with its new multime-
dia features and trackball, is a
huge step forward for RIM. ◙

Your School,
Do you want to earn some money?
Your World,
Are you desperate to get rid of those re-
view books that you will never open
Your News
again? Are all just a
There is a solution to your problem! short click
The Stuyvesant Standard is now introduc- away.
ing new section – Sell Your Review Books, at the affordable
and cheap introductory rate of 3 percent of the selling price.
Come visit
our newly
You can advertise your review books to not only the student
community at Stuyvesant High School, but also to parents, designed
teachers, the surrounding Tribeca area. An email with your
books listed will also be sent to The Standard’s web group. website.
Interested? Email Khoi Nguyen, The Chief Finacial Officer, at
cfo@stuystandard.org with your Name, ID, contact info, and
list of books with prices and conditions the books are in
that you want to sell.
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
WWW.STUYSTANDARD.ORG
This is an opportunity that cannot be missed.
THE STUYVESANT STANDARD September 21, 2006 SPORTS
Sports Calendar
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
September 21 September September September
22 23 24
Vs. Franklin K Lane
@Brooklyn Tech
September September September October
28 29 30 1 2
Boys Soccer JV
vs. Beacon School
@ Riverside Park East
(107th/108th)
vs. HS of Health Pro-
fessionals/Human vs. Evander Childs
Services @Evander Childs HS vs. South Bronx
@ Stuy @ Alfred E Smith HS
The Playoffs Are Coming!
Continued from Page 16 Seattle. He has helped improve
the team’s pitching tremendously.
Reuters
Though 16 games behind the red-
hot Mets in their division, the
Phillies are still playing well
enough to be considered for the
wild card.
In the quiet NL Central, the
Cardinals are not the same team
as they were when they lost the
World Series several years ago.
They have been plagued by inju-
ries to key players this season,
like Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen,
Jim Edmonds, and Mark Mulder.
The Houston Astros, even with
the addition of Roger Clemens
and a healthy Andy Pettitte, are
New York Yankees starting pitcher
not performing as well as they
Chien-Ming Wang looks to first base.
should be.
formance of Carlos Delgado, Jose Entering the playoffs this
Reyes and David Wright, who year, the Yankees and Mets hold
help share the burden with him. the leads in their divisions and are
The Phillies, after trading Abreu on track to exciting playoffs. New
to New York, seem to be benefit- Yorkers may ask, “Is a Subway
ing from the trade, and the help of Series possible this year?” From
veteran lefty Jamie Moyer from the looks of it, it seems likely. ◙
THE UNOFFICIAL PIZZA PLACE OF STUYVESANT
Monday
September
25
Boys Soccer
Vs. Lab Museum
United
@TBD
vs. Bard High School
@Murry Bergtraum
October
vs. HS for Math, Sci-
ence, and Engineering
Three Burning Questions
Continued from Page 16
three straight U.S. Opens. There
is no one on the professional tour
who can compete with Federer on
grass or the hard courts. His op-
ponent’s best chance will be play-
ing his best game with Federer
playing below his level.
What’s left for Federer? The
clay courts, currently dominated
by Spanish sensation Rafael
Nadal. Nadal has beaten Federer
four times this year, including one
victory on hard courts in March.
Nadal is the only thing that stands
between Federer and a career
grand slam, and more than likely
an actual Grand Slam.
2. Who will finish with a better
record: Mets or Yankees?
It will be the Mets, but it will
be close. This question was nearly
unthinkable about two and a half
months ago when the Yankees
were nine games behind the Ti-
gers for the best record in the
American League. With the addi-
tion of Bobby Abreu to an already
potent lineup, the Yankees have
emerged as the team to beat in
October in the American League,
as long as their injuries clear up.
Mariano Rivera has tightness in
his pitching elbow, and Mike
Mussina has a sore arm. Both
pitchers are crucial to any post-
season success, especially Rivera.
However, the Mets have two
things going for them. One is that
they play in the horrible National
League East, where their closest
Page 15
Tuesday Wednesday
September September
26 27
Boys Bowling
vs. Beacon School
@TBD
October October
3 4
Fencing Boys Boys Soccer
vs. Beacon School Vs. Martin Luther
@ Beacon King Jr. HS
@107th and Riverside
Park
@Stuy vs. HS of Fashion
Industries
@TBD
c o m pe t i t io n i s on e ga m e
over .500. The second thing is
that they play in the horrible Na-
tional League, where they are the
only team that has separated itself
from the mediocre pack. If they
use these next two weeks wisely
and rest key pitchers such as
Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine,
there’s a good chance we could
see a Subway Series.
3. If Ryan Howard hits 62 home
runs, does he own the home run
record?
No. Howard, the Philadelphia
Phillies first baseman, is on pace
to hit over 62 home runs, which
would put him in front of Roger
Maris but behind Mark McGwire,
Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds.
However, there is a cloud of sus-
picion over all three of the former
record holders, all accused of us-
ing steroids to aid their quest.
I don’t think you can give a
record to someone when there is
no hard proof of any of the trio
using steroids. That doesn’t mean
I suspect they’re innocent. When
McGwire and Sosa appeared on
Capitol Hill in steroid hearings,
McGwire forgot the past and Sosa
forgot how to speak English.
Bonds will be forever linked to
the BALCO scandal that has
plagued many athletes. However,
none of them have ever failed a
drug test. Until they do, Bonds’s
record of 70 home runs should
stand. ◙
Page 16
Three Burning
Questions
BY ERIC MAYO
SPORTS EDITOR
1. Is Roger Federer the greatest
tennis player ever?
He will be by the time he
retires. Federer, the four-time
defending Wimbledon champion
and two-time defending Austra-
US Open men's singles champion Roger Federer poses for a picture with his trophy
at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Can anyone stop Roger Federer?
The Playoffs Are Coming!
BY RICHARD MAI
STAFF WRITER
September is here and Octo-
ber is right around the corner. The
baseball world is heating up, as
the race for the playoffs begins
soon. With recent talk of MVP
candidates like David Ortiz,
Derek Jeter and Joe Mauer, this
will be the best time for those
players to show what they got.
These players will be vital to their
teams’ chances in the playoffs
and will have to show whether or
not they are really worthy of
MVP status.
Looking at the AL East, the
Yankees lead the standings and
are a comfortable 10 and a half
games ahead of their archrival,
the Boston Red Sox. Though they
had some rough times earlier this
year, the Yankees have really
started pulling it together re-
cently, with a win ratio of
about .600. The addition of
Bobby Abreu from the Philadel-
phia Phillies was a great boost to
the team's offense, with a .355
batting average and a .500 slug-
ging percentage. His presence in
the outfield was also a great sup-
port for a depleted Yankee roster
that’s lacking all-stars Gary Shef-
field and Hideki Matsui. Another
player who is contributing is Tai-
September 21, 2006 SPORTS THE STUYVESANT STANDARD
lian Open champion, beat Ameri-
can Andy Roddick in four sets in
the U.S. Open. With the win, he
moved past such greats as Andre
Agassi and Jimmy Connors and
ever closer to Pete Sampras’s 14
titles. He also became the first
person since Ivan Lendl to win
Continued on Page 15
AP Photo (Sean Wenig)
wan sensation Chien-Ming Wang, the Red Sox seem to be the only and the favorites to win the divi-
who leads the Yankees with 17 worthy contenders so far, but sion, but have been on a down-
wins so far and a dropping sinker even they are far from the Yan- ward slide as of late. They will
that gets easy groundouts. Jeter, kees’ record. Their pitching has to try to rely on flamethrowers
an MVP candidate, is playing his get better, and even getting back Justin Verlander and Jeremy
usual exceptional baseball with much-missed catcher Jason Bonderman to shut down other
a .344 batting average, .420 on- Varitek won’t help them. More teams. Minnesota, led by MVP
base percentage, and 85 RBI’s. than ever, superstars David Ortiz candidate Joe Mauer, will try to
battle it out with Chicago’s own
MVP candidates Jermaine Dye
AP Photo (Gail Burton)
and Paul Konerko to gain control
in the Central in the most com-
petitive race in baseball.
Moving over now to the NL
East, the crosstown rival of the
Yankees, the Mets, have their
own streak going and their situa-
tion never seemed more Amazin’.
They have the best record in the
MLB right now with 87 wins and
a .620 winning ratio. The Mets
lead the East by 15½ games and
they seem to be just getting in
their stride. This is due to unbe-
lievable team effort. The Mets
have several all-stars, but a lot of
them are playing like superstars.
Young players like Robinson Cano, left, and Melky Cabrera, right are the reason Carlos Beltran, an MVP candi-
why the Yankees are cruising to their 9th straight division title. date, is getting it done with a .623
slugging average, 39 homeruns
Given this level of play, and with and Manny Ramirez will have to and 113 RBI’s. He seems more
the addition of Sheffield and Ma- step up if they want to have a shot comfortable playing this year than
tsui soon, they seem to have a at chasing the Yankees in the during his season-long slump last
good chance at making it deep playoffs. year, probably because of the
into the playoffs and, hopefully, a In the competitive AL Cen- lessened pressure on him to per-
World Series title. tral, the Tigers seemed to have form well with the playing per-
Further down the AL East, been explosive early in the season
Continued on Page 15