VOLUME XLVIII, NUMBER 6
GREENWICH HIGH SCHOOL, GREENWICH, CT 06830
June 2008
NEW
TEEN
DRIVING
LAWS
COMING
By John Petsagourakis
News Editor
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles announced
recently new laws that will place stricter restrictions on teen drivers.
Behind this new legislation lies the hope that harsher punishments and
more stringent policies will discourage unsafe driving among teens
and, should the laws be enforced properly, provide for an overall better
driving environment for all drivers.
However, these laws, which take effect August 1, 2008, have
been largely criticized by Connecticut teens. It is apparent that teens
feel that these laws do more to place restrictions on their age group
than provide actual results for driving safety. A presentation of the new
legislation by officers of the Greenwich Police Department met a harsh
reaction from the students of the class of 2009, all of whom will be
affected by these new laws.
For the entirety of their permit holding, learner‘s permit holders are not allowed to drive with anyone other than a licensed driving
instructor, a parent or legal guardian, or someone who is at least 20
years of age and has had his or her license for at least four years without any violations.
For licensed drivers, new laws double the already existing time
period that dictates what passengers teen drivers may have in their cars.
For six months, teens are restricted to the same rules that applied when
they had their permit. After six months, teens may drive members of
their immediate family, but still no one else. This means that all teens
must wait to have their license for an entire year before they can drive
friends.
The state has also limited nighttime driving for teens under 18
years of age, changing the curfew originally midnight to 5am, to the
new 11 pm to 5am time period. Among these restrictions are also
stricter punishments for driving violations.
For certain moving violations, new laws have authorized police officers to immediately confiscate the licenses of the 16 or 17 year
olds for a period of 48 hours. In order to regain possession of the license after the 48-hour period, the teen and their parent or legal guardian must go to the police department and sign a written statement acknowledging the license has been returned. Seatbelt violations have
gone from a $15 to a $75 dollar fine as well.
The hope of the governor in signing this legislation is to create
more careful drivers through fear of consequence. Indeed, it seems like
this strict legislation might just have that effect, as the severity of the
consequences applied to driving violations creates major problems for
teens caught in the act of negligent driving.
How does this affect teens who already have their license? A
note on the DMV website states that, ―Under legislation awaiting enactment into law, the new one-year passenger restrictions and 11 p.m.
curfew would apply only to license holders 16 or 17 years-old who receive their license on or after August 1, 2008. f they received their
license prior to August 1, 2008, the current six-month passenger re-
VIOLATION
1ST OFFENSE
PASSENGER
RESTRICTION
30 Day Suspension
Or
$125 License
Restoration Fee
$103 Fine
CURFEW
VIOLATION
USE OF CELL
PHONE/TEXT
MESSAGING
30 Day Suspension
$125 License
Restoration Fee
2ND OFFENSE
3RD OFFENSE
Six months Suspension or Until 18,
whichever is longer
Six months Suspension or Until 18,
whichever is longer
$250 License Restoration Fee
$103 Fine
$250 License Restoration Fee
90 Day Suspension
6 Month Suspension
$250 License Restoration Fee
$100 Fine
$250 License Restoration Fee
$100 Fine
90-Day Suspension
Six-Month Suspension
$103 Fine
$100 Fine
SPEEDING
(20 mph over)
60-Day Suspension
$125 License
Restoration Fee
$213 to $594
Range of Fine
RECKLESS
DRIVING
6 Month Suspension
$125 License
Restoration Fee
Fine of not less
than $100 or more
than $300, or
imprisonment of
not more than 30
days, or both
STREET
RACING
6 Month Suspension
$125 License
Restoration Fee
Fine of not less
than $75 or more
than $600, or
imprisonment of
not more than 1
year, or both
$250 License Restoration Fee
$213 to $594 Range
of Fine
$250 License Restoration Fee
$213 to $594 Range
of Fine
1 Year Suspension
1 Year Suspension
$250 License Restoration Fee
$250 License Restoration Fee
Fine of not more
than $600, or imprisonment of not
more than one year,
or both
Fine of not more
than $600, or imprisonment of not
more than one year,
or both
1 Year Suspension
1 Year Suspension
$250 License Restoration Fee
Fine of not less than
$100 or more than
$1000, or imprisonment of not more
than 1 year, or both
$250 License Restoration Fee
Fine of not less than
$100 or more than
$1000, or imprisonment of not more
than 1 year, or both
striction schedule and the midnight curfew would apply.”
New driving laws in the state of Connecticut represent the culmination of frustration in the state government with teen drivers. Only
time will tell if these laws have the intended effect, or if they are simply, as many teenagers claim, too much.
OPINION
2 — The Beak — June 2008
The Greenwich High School Newspaper
Greenwich High School
10 Hillside Road
Greenwich, CT 06830
(Phone) 203-625-8053
(Fax) 203-863-8823
E-mail: ghsbeak@gmail.com
2008-9 EDITORIAL STAFF
Michael Drittel
Editor-in-Chief
Jessica Blanton
Sarah Gordon
Collin Peck-Gray
Executive Editors
Peter DeRiemer John Petsagourakis
News Editors
Paul Finkelstein
Doug Johnson
Opinion Editors
Liana Mehring
Arman Rye
Features Editors
Darius Dehghan
Caroline Lazar
Entertainment Editors
David Goldstein
Ryan Hoffman
Sports Editors
Zander Geronimos
Business Manager
Christian Thalheim
Joseph Ting
Assistant Editors
Ryan Haid
Jay Polansky
Online Editors
Juliana Collamer
Photography Editor
Mr. Dwight Wall
Faculty Adviser
The Beak is published by the students of
Greenwich High School and is distributed, free of charge,
to members of the high school community. The Beak is
part of the high school’s communication program, and it
also serves as a medium for the expression and exchange
of responsile opinions. While recognizing the United
States Constitution’s guarantee of a free press, The Beak
also acknowledges its role as a school newspaper.
Consequently, The Beak does not publish material which it
deems will disrupt the educational process, nor does The
Beak coerce a particular point of view, or violate the right
to disagree with a particular point of view. In addition, The
Beak will not publish material that is obscene, profane,
libelous, or slanderous. The Beak reserves the right to edit
or to refuse to publish material that advocates unlawful
activity, that unfairly criticizes or demeans any individual
or group, or that encourages action that endangers the
health and safety of the Greenwich High School
community. Editorials are the opinions of The Beak
editorial board. Signed commentaries and columns are the
views of the writers. The Beak welcomes letters from its
readers. Upon request, a writer’s name will be withheld.
The Beak accepts appropriate and responsible paid
advertising as a means of defraying publication costs, but
it does not endorse or guarantee any product, services,
businesses, or organizations mentioned or described in
any advertisement.
Do you have something to say?
Send us an e-mail:
ghsbeak@gmail.com
Your words may be published.
CORRECTION
To Our Readers:
In our March issue, an article that
expressed the personal opinions of the
writer appeared on a features page rather
than on an opinions page. We regret the
misplacement of the article, and we apologize for the misinterpretations that the error created.
-The Editors
By Ryan Fazio
Special Correspondent
I was planning on using this, my final
high school editorial, to reminisce on the goal
of my column this year, enumerate the accomplishments of the departed staff, and preview the
new Beak leadership. But, in light of recent
events, I am now inclined to shift the majority
of this BeakSpeak's attention.
Just as a majority of the senior class departed from the high school on internship, perhaps
the most notable controversy of the year
at GHS arose. The "taser incident" generated an
inordinate amount of attention and has
been covered in dozens of articles, television and
radio segments, including in the Stamford Advocate, on News 12, on the front page of
the Greenwich Time as well as this issue of The
Beak. The publicity should obviously not come as
a surprise. After all, it was the first time a taser has been used at GHS since it was first introduced along with the School Resource Officer just
last year. Moreover, any time force is employed
against a student on campus, it will likely spur a
local-media frenzy.
The incident has inspired the protest of
students as well, some of whom have demonstrated unwavering support for the suspended senior, Victor Londono, 18. Protests have
been organized (gasp!) and Facebook groups have
been created (double gasp!) to, and I'm quoting
the description of an 160-student group, "show
that tazering someone 8 times is not rite" (note
that he was actually only tased three times). Behold, the logic of the young and rebellious! It's as
if they would have you believe that SRO Carlos
Franco patrols our hallways tasing innocent teens
on a whim. But such is not the case. By all accounts, the now-infamous tasing was a justified
measure to contain an insubordinate and reckless
student, and is a precedent, which will secure--not
endanger--students in the future.
When the School Resource Officer was
first deployed on campus last year it was no secret
that he was a town police officer or that he came
armed with a taser. Not only did he come trained
to work with both minors and tasers, but he came
with the understanding of the circumstances
which justify the latter's use. The taser is the last
resort to addressing the problem of an exceptionally boisterous student. Officer Franco, after trying to peacefully persuade Londono to reserve
himself, explained, "my favorite tool, which is my
mouth, did not work," and that resorting to using
his stun gun was "one of the hardest things I've
had to do." Reports also indicate that the student was warned multiple times by the SRO that
if Londono did not sedate himself Franco would
use the taser on him.
Top school and town officials involved,
including Headmaster Capasso, Assistant Headmaster Piotrzkowski, and Police Captain Michael
Pacewicz, have unambiguously expressed that
Officer Franco was acting responsibly and effectively throughout the matter. Let us
also remember that the taser never even came into
play until Londono's offenses escalated into the
criminal, at which time he resisted arrest. On this
matter Pacewicz "reiterate[d] that this incident is
not about throwing water balloons...it is about an
18-year-old male who was being unruly, disruptive, and combative."
Some parents and students still question
whether the employment of a stun gun was, or can
ever be, an appropriate measure on school
grounds. One parent contended at a PTA meeting
that "by allowing an officer to use a taser on a
student you've intimidated the entire student
body," and that "we can find a better way." But
the problem was that there was not a better way.
Londono was acting belligerently even after being
threatened with suspension and then arrest. The
student was impervious to reason, so he had to be
dealt with by force.
What then could have been a "better way"
than using the taser? Would it have been "better"
to suppress the 18-year-old varsity wrestler in a
drawn out, hand-to-hand struggle? Would it have
been "better" for Officer Franco to risk bruises or
broken bones to either Londono or himself?
The answer to all of those is, of course, in
the negative, which is why the Greenwich Police
Department has stated that it actually
"encourages" officers to use a taser as a safer alternative to physical combat.
Those protesting the use and presence of
the taser on campus have either presented insubstantial rationale or lacked credibility. Victor Londono, for one, excused himself by stating to reporters, "Greenwich cops have nothing better to
do...they think everything is a crime." At the same
time, he offered no evidence of this verdict. In a
separate quote, however, he admitts to hearing
warnings that he would get tased if he did not
cease and desist, but did not because he "was obviously angry" and "guess[es] he wasn't thinking."
It is hard to imagine how anyone could give a
student who repeatedly disturbs the peace and
admits to not thinking the benefit of the doubt.
Finally, while some may worry about the
precedent that the "taser incident" sets, I am quite
content with it. What the chain of events on May
13 tell us is that while our's is an exceptionally
free high school campus, school governance also
takes that freedom very seriously. And in the case
that any student, faculty, visitor, or trespasser
threatens the safety and freedom of the citizens of
GHS, any necessary measure will be used to
thwart them and they will pay the consequences.
While it was unfortunate that Victor Londono had
to be tased, regardless of his insubordination, it
also means that any student that considers behaving in a similar manner in the future will be that
much less likely to do so, and that the peace in our
community will be that much more well-kept.
For this reason, all students owe Officer
Carlos Franco their thanks.
But, alas‘, this is my last BeakSpeak. And
before I finally walk off into the westward sunset,
a final word to the readers of this newspaper:
In the past year, the staff of the Beak has
been able to enhance the frequency and volume of
publication. I contribute that to the hours of hard,
extracurricular work put in by our writers, our
editors, my fellow Executive Editor Bob Johnson,
and our ever-so-consistent faculty adviser, Dwight
Wall.
I especially contribute the growth of the
paper in the past year to our Editor-in-Chief Ben
Millstein, whose maverick-spirit and pride in our
work was the lifeblood of our achievement.
Greenwich High School can expect big things
from him as he travels west, like myself, to Northwestern University, where he is bound to work for
its award-winning paper.
I would also like to thank the readers of
my column. Its goal from the beginning of the
year was to advocate the principles of reason, individualism, and freedom, whether in an international, national, or local context--and that goal
never changed. Hopefully, in my unashamedly
libertarian and contrarian musings, I was able to
change some minds, or at least inspire a little open
and honest debate.
Last, I would like to ring in the new staff,
headed by EIC Michael Drittel, and Executive
Editors Sarah Gordon, Collin Peck-Gray, and Jessica Blanton. Having worked along side of these
editors in the past, I am confident that they will be
able to publish a consistently newsworthy paper
and improve upon the state in which it was left.
Best of luck to you all. Thank you. And goodbye.
News
Junior Book Awards
American Association
of University Women
Caroline Morgan
Brown University Club
of Fairfield County
Jessica Moore
Colby College Alumni Association
Marie Watanabe
College of Mount Saint Vincent
Stephen Strateman
College of the Holy Cross
Margaret McKeever
Columbia University Club
of Fairfield County
Brian Plancher
Dartmouth Alumni Club
Michael Drittel
Denison College
Olivia Barresi
Greenwich Historical Society
Emily Milbauer
Harvard Club of Fairfield County
Laura Evans
Middlebury College
Camille Chabrol
Mount Holyoke Club
of Fairfield Villages
Stephanie Casson
Oberlin Club of Fairfield County
Gabrielle Morgan
Princeton Alumni Association
of Greenwich Township
Derek Wenger
Skidmore College Alumni Club
of Fairfield County
Lindsey Laney
Smith College Club
of Greenwich-Stamford
Juliana Collamer
Southern Connecticut Wellesley
Club
Lara Maggin
Trinity College Alumni Association
Miriam Wishnick
University of Chicago Alumni Club
of Fairfield County
Collin Peck-Gray
University of Michigan Alumni Club
of Fairfield County
Margaret Hearn
Vassar Clubs of Fairfield County
Mary Ann Eggers
Wesleyan University
Alumni Association
Liasna Mehring
Wheelock College Alumni Association
Gia Vaccarezza
Williams College Alumni Association
of Fairfield County
Noah Levy
Yale Alumni Association of Green-
Franco Completes First Year
School Resource Officer Mired In Controversy
By Michael Drittel
Editor-in-chief
earth and just a good guy,‖ said
junior Nicky Laborda, who has
built an amicable relationship
with Officer Franco.
―Officer Franco is very
friendly. He cooperates well
with students in the student center, and he‘s very caring,‖ said
junior Branden Hahn.
After several months of
noteworthy successes quelling
Last year, the Greenwich
community had enough of the
reckless chaos that nearly 3,000
teenagers had stirred up throughout the school year. Beginning
the past school year, the Greenwich police department deployed
a School Resource Officer
(SRO) on campus to help assist students and
maintain order.
Chosen
to man the job
was Carlos
Franco, a young
and lively member of the force.
Officer Franco, second from right. Photo from
However,
GHS PTA website.
Franco came
fights, maintaining peace, and
with some baggage.
Earlier in the spring of bringing forth justice, Officer
2006, Franco and six other mi- Franco became enveloped in the
nority officers filed suit against greatest controversy of the
the town of Greenwich with 40 school year when he used the
pages of allegations claiming the taser gun on GHS senior Victor
department used ―systematic and Londono.
Officer Franco was incontinuous discrimination‖
structed
to remove Londono afagainst minority groups, evident
ter
fulfilling
a role in the senior
in hiring practices, work enviprank, throwing water balloons
ronment, and police conduct.
Yet, roughly a year later, in the student center. Londono
Franco would be the ―guinea supposedly refused to comply
pig‖ for a program in the works with Franco and school administrators, being ―disruptive, belligfor half a decade.
The ten-year police vet- erent, and confrontational.‖
Franco was forced to
eran, in speaking to a journalism
class last fall, said, ―My main place Londono under arrest folpurpose is to relate to the stu- lowing his refusal to go to the
dents and to get to know them as school office, and resorted to the
best as I can...So far I‘ve helped taser gun after the student reportseveral students handle difficult edly did not put his hands behind
situations without getting ar- his back, and lunged at Franco
violently.
rested.‖
Despite an uproar
The installment of a resource officer was part of a se- throughout the Greenwich comries of additions aimed at mak- munity, Franco and Capt. Miing the GHS campus safer, while chael Pacewicz defended the use
still attempting to shrink the gap of the taser.
―We got the desired efbetween Greenwich teens and
the police. The security cameras fect and got the individual under
placed throughout campus also arrest without getting anyone
were introduced for the first time hurt,‖ said Pacewicz in a press
conference shortly after the inciin the fall.
Officer Franco spent the dent.
While many students
greater part of this year working
on building trusting relationships were wary of the use of such a
with the students at GHS, while weapon, others trust the tenured
also assisting the security guards officer‘s judgement.
―I think what is getting
and school staff with sometimes
blown
out
of proportion is the
overwhelming behavioral misuse of a ‗dangerous weapon‘,‖
conducts on campus.
―Officer Franco has junior Tim Moraghan said. ―It
done a great job: but his job is, at would be equally dangerous if
the end of the day, being a police [Franco] tried to wrestle
officer,‖ said senior Ben Mill- [Londono] to the ground, with
stein. ―He has to look at people equal outrage.‖
But alas, Franco can put
in a different light than a security
guard might, as potential threats his first full year as School Rein a way that his years of experi- source Officer behind. Although
ence as a police officer prepared his job responsibilities do not
end, as he was unavailable to
him.‖
Students took to his comment for this article because
unique place as somewhere be- of a special assignment despite
tween their peers and the au- multiple attempts by The Beak,
perhaps Franco‘s most challengthorities.
―He‘s very down to ing role on the police force is
right here at GHS.
June 2008 — The Beak — 3
Lillian Butler Davey
Communications
Awards
2008
ACADEMIC ESSAY
1st Place: Mary Thierry
2nd Place: George Hansel
3rd Place: Daniel Kelly
Honorable Mention: Liana
Mehring
DRAMA
1st Place: Melody Rabe
2nd Place: Eliza McNitt
3rd Place: Matthew Turzilli
Honorable Mention: Catherine DiGennaro
INFORMAL ESSAY
1st Place: Myra Gupta
2nd Place: Clifford Sanden
3rd Place: Charlotte Cline
Honorable Mention: Stephanie Casson, Liana Mehring
PUBLIC SPEAKING
1st Place: Eftychis GregosMourginakis
2nd Place: Elizabeth Wolfe
3rd Place: David Finklestein
Honorable Mention: David
Finklestein, Natania
Wolansky
FILM
1st Place: Peter DeRiemer
2nd Place: Alex Armero and
Zade Constantine
3rd Place: Olivia Barresi
And Benjamin Millstein
POETRY
1st Place: Benjamin
Wilbanks
2nd Place: Katherine Mott
3rd Place: Katherine Mott
Honorable Mention: Hallie
Bodey, Rachel Ingbar, Caroline Lazar
SHORT STORY
1st Place: Myra Gupta
2nd Place: Mary Thierry
3rd Place: Katherine Lynch
JOURNALISM
1st Place: Ryan Fazio
2nd Place: Katherine Lynch
4 — The Beak — June 2008
NEWS
Here Is An Article About Buses
By Skoot Davis
News Editor
I‘m watching one of the
BBC Planet Earth tapes in Bio
class, the one about caves. There
are creatures down in these limestone caverns that have evolved to
accomplish the most ridiculous
tasks nature can throw at them−
they can stick to the rocks in waterfalls, make nests out of spit.
They‘re moist, cold, and stare
blankly at the cameramen from
their shadowy habitats, enduring a
lifestyle I can‘t imagine ever
adapting to.
Five minutes later, after
the last bell of the day rings, I‘m
left standing outside in the pouring rain, trying to find my bus.
You might remember a similar
day: chilly, a little windy, and
nonstop rain splotching your shirt
and backpack. In fact, you might
remember that you got on your
bus fairly quickly, because your
bus was already in the same spot
it is every day. I looked at the
cardboard locate-your-bus sign
and, not too surprised, did not see
my bus‘s placard in its box.
There are certain buses
that do not arrive on time, that
seem to consistently disregard the
school dismissal time of 2:15. Bus
drivers could very possibly hold
other jobs, but it is both unprofessional and irresponsible to maintain occupations which conflict
with bus schedules.
Plus, the buses haven‘t
arrived late only once. In fact, bus
delay most noticeably occurs during winter when, as it‘s snowing,
people shiver in their boots (and
sandals, for those who won‘t let
mere seasonal temperatures get in
the way of their chillness− although in their case a more literal
variety of chill) and curl their
hands into their jackets to keep
warm. The wait during these intervals between the end of the
school day and sitting in the bus is
not only a few minutes. Sometimes it‘s 20 minutes or longer,
which is patently unreasonable
and possibly unhealthy. The bus
drivers have a duty to pick up
children on time and deliver them
to their bus stops safely. Most of
the bus drivers have the ―safe‖
part down. The ―on time‖ part,
though, isn‘t as enforced. Why?
Why, when I ask the coordinator
with the clipboard buzzing in via
walkie-talkie when a bus has arrived, can the school administrators or operational personnel do
nothing to insist on a timely arrival for all the drivers? ―I can‘t do
anything, sorry. I can‘t do anything. Have your parents call the
bus company. That‘s the only
way,‖ was the response when provoked.
Parents of students tired
of having icicles forming on their
hands before boarding the bus
have complained to the bus company, to no avail. A representative
for Student Transportation of
America (the bus company the
Town of Greenwich currently
uses) explained how grievances
are handled. Although it ―depends
on the nature of the complaint‖,
tardiness issues usually result in
an examination of the timing of
routes. The route, therefore, is
regarded first and foremost to be
the culprit− perhaps the stops are
placed too far apart, or the roads
taken are inefficient for getting to
a certain destination. When the
representative was questioned
about how the business handles a
driver who is repeatedly late even
after the schedules have been investigated, she replied that there
are no reprimands and that consistent tardiness is ―not reason to
terminate an employee.‖ Then
what constitutes reason to
―terminate‖ a driver? Well, a
driver is only fired or personally
reprimanded when that person is
committing actions which are
unlawful or harm the students.
The Greenwich STA branch has
never fired someone because they
repeatedly arrived late to their
stop.
Perhaps firing an employee is a little dramatic if the
individual in question comes late
a few times, or is only late by a
few minutes. But arriving, time
and again, ten or more minutes
behind schedule? There are only
so many revisions to a route that
can be made to maximize its effectiveness. Sooner or later, the
blame has to lie on the bus drivers
themselves, especially in the case
of Greenwich High School, which
is usually first in the busing rotation (before the middle and elementary schools).
Students have responsibilities of their own-- jobs, family
duties, or other activities− which
might require them getting back
to their homes by a certain time.
The demand that buses come on
time isn‘t unreasonable, as the bus
schedules have been specially
crafted to ensure that this is the
case.
So I find myself, this grey
afternoon, taking shelter in the
small overhang of a garage door
beveled on the school‘s side provides. I‘m moist, cold, and stare
blankly at the sky from my shadowy habitat. And I realize I have
adapted to this lifestyle. I‘ve
stood in this same place, bombarded with the same fat raindrops accumulating as they slide
down the brick surface of Greenwich High, and let the buses come
late time after time after time.
The growing resentment
that has accumulated within certain groups of students can, however, be channeled productively.
Complaints may be addressed to
the number below, and an increased number of calls to the bus
company may result in stricter
enforcement of transportation policy.
Student Transportation
of America, Greenwich Office
(203) 967-9100
Finding Green In Greenwich
By Jay Polansky
Online Editor
―Over the years I have
had people ask me why we don't
recycle. My answer is, 'we do'
‖ Robert Lucas, Clark House
math teacher and charter member
of recycling in Greenwich, explained.
Mr. Lucas oversaw
GHS‘s first recycling program in
the 1970‘s. Student volunteers
loaded two tractor trailers with
recyclables in the high school's
parking lot, now Town Hall. Another group of students collected
bottles and cans on Old Track
Road.
Success of the program
compelled students to consolidate
the two programs. Following the
late 1970's, the town moved the
recycling operations to its current
location at the Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility. Private
contractors began to collect newspapers at the curbside and recyclables from GHS.
John Frangione, Head of
Building Operations, estimates
that the school recycles three
fairly full dumpsters of mixed
paper, cardboard, bottles and cans
every two or three days. Each
Susan Morris, a media
receptacle contains two cubic assistant who helped to institute
yards of recyclables.
the draft printing program, says
"We recycle a ton," Fran- that computer users print between
gione said.
300 and 400 pages a day using the
Mr. Lucas, however, ac- draft printer.
knowledges that the school has
―It provides a second life
the potential to recycle more ma- for lots of paper,‖ she comterials. He believes that the school mented.
can promote recycling by placing
The Sierra Club at GHS,
recycling bins that have space for managed by Mark Loh ('09) and
plastic bottles in addition to Catherine Chen ('10), provides a
mixed paper
large supply of the
and newspaprinter's paper. Memp er s
in
bers of the club set up
every classboxes to collect oneroom. Cursided used paper from
rently, stuvarious offices around
dents
and
the school. A few times
staff
can
a month, they replenish
only recycle
the printer's supply of
Google.com
plastic botrecycled paper.
tles in the
―On top of bestudent center. Inconvenienced by ing environmentally friendly, it's
the lack of recycling facilities, economically friendly,‖ Loh ('09)
they often resort to throwing out explained. ―It saves trees in the
plastic bottles.
long run, and [in the short run] the
Other GHS recycling ini- school doesn't have to buy so
tiatives have proven successful. much paper.‖
The Media Center staff introWhile Mr. Lucas plans to
duced a draft printer in August of retire from Greenwich High
2007. The printer enables students School this June, he hopes that
to use recycled paper, used on one members of the GHS community,
side, in lieu of regular copy paper. such as the Sierra Club organiza-
tion, continue with their recycling
efforts: ―It's easy and it's right,‖
he emphatically exclaimed.
―Everybody should do it.‖
"Do You Know?"
Four Signs of GHS's EcoFriendliness
—Chillers that provide airconditioning double as heaters.
—When the chillers produce
cold air, they expend a massive amount of heat energy
known as "free heat". GHS uses
the free heat to provide hot
water for showers, the pool,
and the boilers.
—Recently-installed automatic
toilet flushing systems save water. These systems, known as
"flushometers" determine the
volume needed to flush refuse
down the drain and use the
appropriate amount of water.
—Custodial staff try to use "eco
-friendly" cleaning products
that contain less artificial
chemicals that can pose a
health hazard.
ENTERTAINMENT
June 2008 — The Beak — 5
The Summer Movie Season: Big Budget Smashes
And Unexpected Breakouts
By Darios Dehghan
Entertainment Editor
The Dark Knight. The Incredible Hulk. These are the movies
that represent of the summer movie
season: hordes of action- packed
scenes, CGI (computer generated
images) themed, sequels, all vying to
gain movie goers‘ attention to break
the $100 million profit mark and rise
above the competition.
Hardly into the summer
movie season, we can see a few examples of some hits and misses: the
Marvel comic adaptation Iron Man
netted $104 million alone just in its
opening weekend, while the highly
anticipated second film in The
Chronicles of Narnia franchise,
Prince Caspian, only received a dismal $56.5 million, short of the $65
million taken in by its predecessor in
2005.
But what of the other films,
smaller budget, non -action -packed,
non sequel movies? Evidence from
years past has shown some unlikely
contenders becoming breakout hits.
Quirky indie dysfunctional family
film Little Miss Sunshine raked in
surprise four Oscar nominations in
2006, while the 1960‘s set musical
Hairspray was a critical and audience
hit, raking in $118 million. What
films this year could gain the throne
of quirky hit indie film and musical
smash? Let‘s look at some of the
summer‘s most anticipated movies,
Summer
Entertainment
Calendar
By Joseph Ting
As the Summer season begins companies ready
themselves to flood the market
with new media to entertain the
masses of youth exiting school.
Here‘s a list of some of the most
notable release to help you plan
out your Summer plans according
to your entertainment venue of
choice.
Movies:
June 6:
Kung Fu Panda
You Don‘t Mess With the
and some potential breakouts.
The
Incredible
HulkOpening June 13. Starring: Edward
Norton and William Hurt. After Marvel struck box office gold with Iron
Man, this whole new retelling of the
Hulk‘s origin looks poised to become
a fanboy hit (don‘t expect it to be a
sequel to 2003‘s Hulk). This time,
scientist Bruce Banner (Norton) is
being hunted down by the US Army,
led by General Ross (Hurt), who
seeks to capture the Hulk, as his body
has become official military property.
While on the run, he seeks to find a
way to rid himself of the gamma radiation that transforms him into the
Hulk whenever he is angry (much
different from your anger, yeah?). All
this with the emergence of a potential
new nemesis, makes Hulk poised to
ride on Iron Man‘s success.
Wanted- Opening June 27.
Starring James McAvoy, Angelina
Jolie, and Morgan Freeman. Based
on a graphic novel, Wesley Gibson
(McAvoy) dwells a quite life working at a desk job. That is until his
father‘s death. With the sudden emergence of a beautiful women named
―Fox‖ (Jolie) in his life, Wesley
learns more about his dad than he
might want to know. He learns that
his dad was a superstar assassin who
worked with Fox in a secret society
of assassins, and that Wesley, possessing his dad‘s talent, must avenge
his death. Too much information?
With rising star James McAvoy
(Atonement) and Jolie going back to
her kick -butt action ways (the last
time we saw her in an action movie
would be Mr. and Mrs. Smith), coupled with amazing action scenes that
incorporate parkour, or ―free running‖ (what‘s that you ask? Just prepare to be blown away), this one
looks to be a smash action hit.
The Wackness- Opening
July 3. Starring Josh Peck, Ben
Kingsley, Olivia Thirlby. This Sundance Audience Award winner has
received stellar early reviews among
both critics and audiences alike. This
film takes us back to the summer of
1994 into the life of a teen named
(Peck), who deals drugs in New York
City. However, scarred by his parents‘ divorce, he trades drugs for
therapy sessions with a therapist
named (Kingsley), while falling hard
for his beautiful teenage daughter
(Thirlby). Sounds quirky, even borderline neurotic? With a talented cast
like veteran Oscar winning Kingsley,
and rising talent Peck and Thirlby
(Juno), chances are they‘ll infuse the
script with a dark, poignant humor
that made Little Miss Sunshine a critical and audience hit.
Mamma Mia!- Opening
July 18. Starring Amanda Seyfried,
Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan
Skarsgard, and Colin Firth. An adaptation of the award winning stage
musical based on the songs of Abba,
this movie tells the story of a girl
named Sophie (Seyfried) on a Greek
Island. Her wedding day is approaching and she doesn‘t know her father.
She believes it to be any one of her
mother Donna‘s (Streep) past suitors:
Sam (Brosnan), Bill (Skarsgard) or
Bright (Firth). The only way for her
to find out is to invite them all to her
wedding. With amazingly catchy
tunes and a cast of veteran actors
(Streep, Brosnan, etc) to help bring
the vivid story to life, this musical
could be this year‘s Hairspray.
The Dark Knight- Opening
July 18. Starring Christian Bale, Gary
Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, and Heath
Ledger. No summer movie preview
would be complete without mentioning one of the most anticipated films
of the year. With the death of one of
its stars, Heath Ledger, who is receiving extremely high posthumous buzz
for his extraordinary performance as
the Joker, this film is becoming one
of the must -see movies of the summer. In the film Bruce Wayne (Bale)
and his alter ego Batman are almost
becoming victorious over Gotham
City‘s corruption, thanks to help from
Lieutenant Gordon (Oldman) and DA
Harvey Dent (Eckhart). But out of the
blue rises a malicious anarchist to
threaten Batman at any moment: The
Joker (Ledger). With Batman Begins,
it was proved to the audience that a
good superhero movie could ascend
above the genre and just become an
overall ―good movie‖. With the same
excellent
director
(Christopher
Nolan) and stellar lead actors, this
sequel appears to guarantee once
again to live up to the stellar precedent set by the first film.
Zohan
June 13:
The Happening
The Incredible Hulk
June 20:
Get Smart
The Love Guru
June 27:
Wall-E
Wanted
Entanglement
June 17:
Busta Ryhmes: Blessed
Coldplay: Viva la Vida or
Death and All His Friends
Goo Goo Dolls: Greatest Hits
Volume 2
Ice Cube: Raw Footage
Missy Elliot: (Untitled)
Music:
June 24:
Less Than Jake: GNV FLA
Nelly: Brass Knuckles
Three 6 Mafia: Last 2 Walk
Weezer: Weezer
Dragonball Z: Burst Limit
(360,PS3)
June 12:
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of
the Patriots (PS3)
June 16:
Supreme Commander (360)
June 17:
Spore Creature Creator (PC)
June 22:
Rock Band (Wii)
Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS)
June 23:
Battlefield: Bad Company
(360,PS3)
June 24:
Hail to the Chimp (360)
June 29:
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
(360,PS2,PS3,Wii)
June 3:
Ashanti: The Declaration
The Cure: (Untitled)
Journey: Revelation
Radiohead: Radiohead-The
Best Of
Gavin Rosedale: Wanderlust
June 10:
Alanis Morissette: Flavors of
Videogames:
June 3:
Ninja Gaiden II (360, PS3)
June 10:
Nascar ‗09 (360,PS2,PS3)
6 — The Beak — June 2008
ENTERTAINMENT
Panic! Button
By Caroline Lazar
Entertainment Co-Editor
Panic! At The Disco, the
Las Vegas quartet of ―I
Write Sins Not Tragedies‖
fame, is no more. From
now on the group will be
known simply as Panic At
The Disco (sans exclamation point), a toned down
version of the old. On that
note, it‘s clear that PATD
has toned down more than
its name as its sophomore
album, ―Pretty. Odd.”, has
been hailed as radically
different than its precocious predecessor, Panic‘s
debut, “A Fever You Can’t
Sweat Out”, which peaked
at #13 on the Billboard
charts.
The Decaydance signed band de-
cided to take off its eyeliner and
make a musical crossover from its
customary dramatic emo-rock
sists on being sunny side up? Surprising, but true. Drawing directly
from the Sgt. Pepper vein, right
Google.com
to…Beatles inspired pop that in-
down to the band‘s marching
band style of plumed caps and
buttoned jacket costumes used for
both their tour and music videos,
Panic has captured the
twinkling, ever-active
imagination of the Beatles
in a bottle. The reason that
Pretty. Odd. is so smart is
that PATD doesn‘t abandon its trademark theatrics
for their new style, but
rather channels all of its
spirit, spark and enthusiasm into a sharp new record: the zeal and fervor of
the band members show,
which makes it practically
impossible not smile when
listening to the literal bells
and whistles carved into
each track.
Download: ―Nine in the Afternoon‖
Thoughts On A Little Night Music
By Mallory Muratore
Special Correspondent
You may have seen me in
the Greenwich High Theater Department‘s production of A Little
Night Music… but maybe you
didn‘t.
Shoved to the edge of the
corner of the back of the stage, I
was in a stunning pink number
(just think of a sluttier and more
Victorian version of Little Bo
Peep‘s dress), paired with castoff
white gloves stained most likely
with make-up and Chinese food.
Anyway, if you haven‘t
already guessed it, I was one of
the de-glorified leftovers known
as the ensemble. Don‘t get me
wrong; I did have a lot of fun
hanging out with the others, but I
would have preferred 15 minutes
of fame, rather than 15 seconds.
You may think that those 15 sec-
onds spent chiming in on random
songs about unpacking the luggage and weekends in the country
as well as just looking absurd may
have been easy, but let me tell
you, it took two months to perfect
this cameo experience…
What a joy it was to
spend at least two hours a day
after school singing music (offkey) in a cramped room. Even
with all of that excitement, somehow, I was bored at times. Although I can‘t say I prized every
minute of looking like a fool, at
least I wasn‘t alone. Along with
the twenty something other members of the ensemble, we passed
time during the rehearsals in the
D-building by playing cards,
sleeping in the stairwell (yes
Maddie Abbott, I mean you),
wandering around aimlessly, taking treks to the gas station, or crying (just kidding. Sort of). After
we moved from the D-building to
the auditorium, rehearsals became
more intense. The ensemble was
needed more often and it was actually necessary for us to be there.
As opening night drew
nearer the ensemble had less time
to fool around. This ―need‖ for
the ensemble forced me to stay in
or near the auditorium; and because of this, I started to watch
the show. After watching a few
rehearsals, I surprised myself
when I began to like it. All of the
elements for a musical were there:
the orchestra and band‘s music
that sounded perfect, the stunning
voices of our leads, the humor on
and off stage, and, dare I say it,
the ensemble‘s soaring efforts to
pitch in (everyone once and a
while). Even though I was full of
spite because I didn‘t get an actual part, it did feel sort of nice to
be part of a show. I can‘t say being in the ensemble was a great
thing, but 15 seconds of fame is
better than none.
ADVERTISEMENT
The author, being theatrical
Photo courtesy of Olivia Hebrand
ENTERTAINMENT
June 2008 — The Beak — 7
Mario Kart Wii: The Videogame Review
By Joseph Ting
School Highlights Editor
Since the release of the
Mario Kart series on the NES,
Nintendo has pioneered an entire genre of wacky racers. The
best-selling racer has been
known for its odd cast of characters and its even odder assortment of items. The series‘
newest entry is no different.
In Mario Kart Wii, Nintendo steps up the ante with
new and revised items, a total
of 26 playable characters (12
initially, 14 unlockable with
the inclusion of two Mii models), a total of 32 tracks (16
completely new, 16 from previous games), the inclusion of
bikes in addition to karts, the
long-awaited implementation
of the Wii wheel as a controller, and lastly a fully-featured
playable online mode. While
these new features may seem a
bit overwhelming, for the most
part they add to the playability
and accessibility of the game.
Mario Kart will keep you occupied with is multitude of single
and multiplayer modes for
days at a time.
The objective of the
game is simple: come in the
top three places of a circuit and
you get a trophy. Each circuit
consists of four races each,
during which a player can accumulate points depending on
the place received. Generally,
this feature would be for the
making of a mediocre racing
game. In the case of Mario
Kart Wii, however, it is the
items that make, or break, the
game. Racing through the 32
different courses, players encounter 3D multicolored
blocks which, when driven
into, result in one of several
items characters can use while
driving. The blending of combat and racing results in a
unique mix of chaos and competition rarely found in any
other racer.
Accessibility and Control:
I was incredibly
wary when Nintendo announced the new control
scheme of the Wii wheel. The
wheel looked as if it were uncomfortable to hold. The buttons seemed out of place and
hard to reach. It was quite possible that the control would be
unresponsive. However, all my
worries were put to rest the
moment I held the Wii wheel.
Firstly, the setup was
exceedingly simple; it consisted of sliding the Wii remote
into the snug compartment of
the Wii wheel. Secondly, the
grip was both comfortable and
light-weight. Lastly, the movement of the Wii wheel was
highly responsive and relied
solely on three basic button
commands for the games remaining functions. The controller can be easily picked up
by any gamer, casual or hardcore, and instantly played.
Playing the
game is as simple as turning a
wheel. Shifting the wheel to
the left turns the racer to the
l e f t ,
while
shi f t i n g
t h e
wheel to
the right
turns the
r a c e r
right —
simple,
right?
T h e
g a m e
a l s o
makes
use
of
the Wii
rem o t es
shaking
sensitivity
by
having
t h e
gamer
shake the
W i i
wheel to
do such
things as
tricks or to avoid items and
traps. The simple three button
layout allows the player to accelerate, decelerate, drive in
reverse, drift, or throw items.
The control layout is perfect
for beginners, and it allows
gamers to fully focus on their
races, while still making combat one of the primary aspects
to the game.
In addition to
the Wii wheel, the game features four more control
schemes which players can
mix and mingle with. If the
new motion sensing technology is not your preference
there is now the option of
swi t c hi n g b et w ee n t he
Gamecube controller, the classic controller, the Wii remote
without the wheel, and the Wii
remote with nunchuk attachment for added accessibility.
10/10
Gameplay:
One of Mario Kart‘s
newest features gives players
the alternative to choose bikes
instead of karts. Players can
now choose between the breakneck speed of the bikes or the
weight and stability of the
karts. This adds an entirely
new aspect to the game allowing for even more craziness
and greater competition between players.
The inclusion of dozens
of new karts and bikes further
adds to the chaos of the races.
Another brand new feature of
Mario Kart is the addition of
tricks, a shake of the Wii wheel
immediately following a jump
of a ramp result in a brief animation of a trick quickly followed by a minor speed boost
upon landing. Nifty features
such as these really make this
game stand apart from its
predecessors in terms of gameplay.
Mario Kart Wii‘s revised item system is likely the
game‘s most controversial aspect. While in a sense, the
game‘s strange and outlandish
weapons and power-ups are its
best selling point, they are also
its worst. The items and the
rate of receiving items are extremely unbalanced which in
turn can make for great, unexpected victories or frustrating
losses.
While it may be exciting and thrilling to bullet bill
from eighth place to first, it is
equally as irritating to be 10
feet from the finish line in first
place and be hit by a blue shell,
then a red shell, then get run
over by someone with the rainbow star, and end second-tolast in the race. Also those
closer to the back are more
likely to obtain powerful, game
-breaking items constantly,
while those in front can expect
items which, at best, can be
used to deflect enemies‘ projectiles.
Similar to its
predecessor, Mario Kart Wii is
essentially a party game.
Races, time trials, and battles
are back and this time the
game features an all new
online function to take the
races worldwide. With the
inclusion of the online
mode, players can now attempt to beat world record
holders in different events
and gain ranking in accordance with their online and
offline performance.
9/10
Graphics and Audio:
Mario Kart has
never been a series to dwell
on technical matters and
Mario Kart Wii is no different. The player can enjoy
the cheerfully synthesized
melodies of the Mushroom
Kingdom while racing in
relatively simple backgrounds. The smooth, colorful style of the Mario
Kart graphics does not exactly push the Wii‘s processor to its limit, but the
funny, cartoonish style of
the graphics add to the familyfriendly feel of the Mario universe. Although the game‘s
charm undeniable, this game is
somewhat lacking in the technical field.
6/10
Verdict:
Mario Kart Wii
is an easily accessible game
fun for all ages. The addition
of bikes and an online mode
have greatly bolstered gameplay and the Wii wheel effectively makes use of the Wii
remote‘s motion-sensing technology. Although the unbalanced items often cause races
to be incredibly frustrating, the
new item system truly gives
the game a free-for-all sort of
feel.
8 — The Beak — June 2008
2008 SENIOR
Samantha Abry…Fashion Institute of Design & Merchanidising
John Agostino………………………….….……Full Sale University
Dan Allessandri……………..……George Washington University
Satoko Amabe……………….………….………….Michelle Couture
James Amen………………………………..………Brown University
Julia Aronson…………….…Cornell University/Univ.of Maryland
Anne Aviles……………………………..……College of the Atlantic
Amy Baldauf……...……………….………..………Principia College
Maija Baldauf……...……………………………..…Principia College
David Baumstein…………………...……….University of Michigan
Sarah Bautista………….……Laboratory Institute of Technology
Bridget Bauer….……………………………..College of Charleston
Sidney Beaty…………………………...………….Cornell University
Greg Belika…….…..………Eastern Connecticut State University
Kim Braunthal…………………………..……...Connecticut College
Edward Brondhurst…………..…….………….Bucknell University
Sharda Bridgemohan…………New York Institute of Technology
Kathryn Brockmann……………...…………University of Missouri
Erica Buffa………..………………………..……Clarkson University
Alexander Brown……...………………….………….Elon University
Michael Capossela……………………..……….University of Maine
Laura Carlson………………………..………….Bucknell University
James Case……………………….………….Santa Clara University
Andres Castello……………………….………….Boston University
Daniela Castillo…………..………….Norwalk Community College
Matthew Cavataro……………………………………….Iona College
Frank Ceci…………………………..……University of Connecticut
Ashley Chervinski……..……………..………Eugene Lang College
Marissa Chieco…………...…………………University of Delaware
Alex Clark……………….…Eastern Connecticut State University
Eliza Clark………………..……..…………………Dickinson College
Augustin Chabrol………...…………………..……McGill University
Ashley Chervinski……..……………..………Eugene Lang College
Victoria Chimblo………..……..…..……Ohio Wesleyan University
Mayra Concha…….....……University of Connecticut—Stamford
Elizabeth Contreas………………..……..……………...Iona College
Stephanie Cooper……………...…………………Suffolk University
Melissa Crossman………………..………….………Rollins College
Kaitlyn Cullen………………..……..….……University of Delaware
Brian Czarnecki…………..……..………College of the Holy Cross
Michael D’Amico………………..………..……..……The Hill School
Harris Davidson………………..…George Washington University
Zoë Day………………..……..…….……University of Rhode Island
Rebecca Deegan………………..……..………Washington College
Mark DeMoraes…………..………..………West Virginia University
Charlotte DeWahl…………..……..…………Quinnipiac University
Joey DiBetta…………..……..…….…University of South Carolina
James Dillard…………………………..…….……..…Blair Academy
Caileigh Doughterty……….………Franklin and Marshall College
Harrison Doyle……………………George Washington University
Rubi Alejandra Egas………..…..……..………University of Tampa
Douglas Eng…………..……..……….……University of Rochester
Luisa Errichetti………..…..…Washington University in St. Louis
Victoria Ezell………………………..…………..………Knox College
Raymon Fagan…………………………...…Notre Dame University
Ryan Fazio…………..……………..………Northwestern University
Barbara Figueroa..………Western Connecticut State University
Megan Firestone…………………………....Santa Clara University
Henry Fischer………...……Central Connecticut State University
Robert Flippin………………………………………Stonehill College
Courtney Fogwell…………..….………University of Pennsylvania
Alyssa Franco……...……..………Catholic University of America
David Francois…………..……..…
Samantha Gabriel………..…..……
John Gallagher…………….……U
Matthew Garnett……………………
Kelly Garofalo………………………
Kelly Genovese………………….…
Cody Gifford…………..…..……U
Robert Ginest…………..……Univ
Mary Gutierrez………….……DiM
Lindsay Goldenberg………………
Lauren Gorski…………..…………
Robert Grimm……………...…..…
Tatiana Grunberg…………………
Myra Gupta,,,,………………………
Torre Hahn…………..……..………
Jackie Haidinger…………..………
Drew Hall……………………………
Olivia White Harding…………..…
Alexandra Higbee…………..……
Matthew Hurwit…………..…..……
Sophie Hyman…………..……..…
William Islan………………………
Stephanie Javier…………..……..
Lindsey Jenkins……………………
Eden Jezierski…………..…..……
Andrew Johnson…………..………
Teddi Josephson……………...…
Michael Karp…………..……………
Molly Kates……..…..……..………
Thea Katz…………..……..…………
Caroline Kelsey………..…….……
Laura Kosan………...……………
Courtney Kraus…………..………
Nabeel Kurji…………..………….…
Caroline Lane………..………..……
Jonathan Levine…………..…….…
Michael Lewis………………………
Veronica Li…………..…………….
Alexander Licari…………..………
Lauren Lovallo…………………..…
Megan Lovallo…………..…………
Samantha Mahr……………………
Alyse Mahood………….…………
Emma Marr…………..……………
Sean Massi………..………………
Brittany Mendogni…………..……
Veronica Mendoza………...…Bri
Claire Merrill…………..……………
Alexandra Metter…………………
Katherine Mikuta…………..………
Mindy Midy………..……………..…
Regine Midy…………..………....…
Brian Milazzo…………..……………
Benjamin Millstein…………..…..
Brittany Motill…………..…………
Katherine Mott…………..…………
Stephanie Muhr……………………
Daniel Neeson…………..…………
Rebecca Newman…………………
Lauri Ng…………..…………………
Emily Niehaus…………..…………
Nick Niven…………………………
These seniors announced their post-GHS plans to the Beak in a surv
SURVEY
…….……University of Cincinnati
…Saint Joseph’s University(PA)
University College, London (UK)
………..………Purdue University
…………………...Boston College
……..…Susquehanna University
University of Southern California
versity of Connecticut/Stamford
Mare Pastry Shop/John Jay/NCC
………………..Indiana University
……....………Bucknell University
……Virginia Polytechnic Institute
…....………College of Charleston
…………...,,Princeton University
…………………..…Marist College
………………Providence College
………..Old Dominion University
………….………Brown University
………..………Bucknell University
……..………Wesleyan University
………...……University of Virginia
…...……………Dartmouth College
.………….……Suffolk University
….…..………University of Maine
……University of New Hampshire
……..………Connecticut College
………University of Pennsylvania
……....………Colgate University
…Southern Methodist University
………..…Sacred Heart University
…Pennsylvania State University
…....………University of Delaware
…....………University of Delaware
………University of Connecticut
……..……Santa Clara University
………..…...…Indiana University
…………………….Union College
..………Northeastern University
…...………The Stamford Hospital
…….….....………Wagner College
………...………Boston University
……………College of Charleston
……..………Quinnipiac University
…..…………………Boston College
…..……University of Connecticut
……University of South Carolina
igham Young University—Idaho
………...………Wellesley College
……...Loyola College in Maryland
……..………Lake Forest College
………University of Connecticut
………University of Connecticut
………..………Skidmore College
..………Northwestern University
…………..………Roanoke College
……....………Hampshire College
…….…..…Pepperdine University
…..………University of Delaware
…….…...University of Wisconsin
……..………New York University
………..………Dartmouth College
……………………….Dean College
vey taken between May 1 and May 23 in the Student Activities Office.
2008
June 2008 — The Beak — 9
Beth O’Brien………………………….………….Bucknell University
Michael Parelli………..…………....……University of Connecticut
Edward Parker……….……United States Army/UConn Stamford
Lauren Pastore……..………………………………..Boston College
Marko Patrk…..……..………………...……University of Richmond
Ossi Pennetta……………Southern Connecticut State University
Adrienne Pflug………..……………...……University of Wisconsin
Brittany Phillips………………..………..………Gettysburg College
Katherine Phyfe……………………………...……Lehigh University
Bryan Pino…………….…..…………………..……Hartwick College
Barett Polan………..……………....……Hampden Sydney College
Adam Rajchel………..……………………....……Indiana University
Margaret Rakoczy………………..……..…Binghamton University
Craig Raleigh…………………..……..…University of Stirling (UK)
Lauren Reader………..……………......……University of Colorado
Zachary Roberts………………..…..…University of Pennsylvania
Vanessa Robles…………………………...……….McGill University
Jonny Rogers……...……………....……Johns Hopkins University
Annie Rosencrans………..………………....……Skidmore College
John Russell……...……………....……University of Pennsylvania
Kylie Sale…………………………….………………...Vassar College
Antonio Sanchez…………….Washington University in St. Louis
Cliff Sanden…………………………………...………Galt Ranch, MT
Megumi Sasada………..……………..................……Colby College
Lindsey Schupp……………..…...………..………Brown University
Michael Screnci………..………………..……Quinnipiac University
Sarah Selkow…………………….………University of Connecticut
Gianni Servidio………...…………………..……Springfield College
Ines Sheppard………………………………….Princeton University
Redmond Sheresky………………….…..………Colgate University
Austin Simon…………………..…………………..Tulane University
Niti Sheth………..……..…………..……James Madison University
Chirag Sheth…………………………….University of Connecticut
Emily Simons………..………….……University of Edinburgh(UK)
Zach Sims………..………………………..……Columbia University
Vanessa Silva………..………………….…....……John Jay College
Russell Slater……………………..……………Princeton University
Stephanie Slifer…………………………...………Suffolk University
Christina Smeriglio………..…………………….……Marist College
Kristen Sotzing………..….....……University of Mary Washington
Samantha Spezzano……......……Johnson and Wales University
Tucker Stafford…….....……………....……Georgetown University
Madison Steigerwald………..………....……Concordia University
Theresa Stroll....Westminster Choir College of Rider University
Sara Sturzinger………..……………....……….…Suffolk University
Jeffrey Tarshis………..…………….....……University of Colorado
Mary Thierry………..……………………..……Princeton University
Tara Tomasiewicz ………………...…………..… Tulane University
Jordan Twine………..…………….....……East Carolina University
Lindsay Vagnone………..…….………..……High Point University
Sarah VanDermeer………..………………….......……Pratt Institute
Courtney Watson…………………….……University of San Diego
William Weber………………….……University of Edinburgh (UK)
Elizabeth Weissler…………..……..……………....……Yale College
Christina Wighton………...…....……St. Joseph’s University (PA)
Cary Williams………..…………………......……University of Maine
Samuel Wright……………………………….………Wagner College
Kristi Yandoli………..……………............……Syracuse University
Jennifer Yoguez….…....…University of Connecticut—Stamford
Sachi Yokose………..………………………..……Brown University
Morgann Young………………………….…….…Boston University
10 — The Beak — June 2008
By Arman Rye
Features Editor
Destiny Hope Cyrus, or
recently Miley Ray Cyrus, is the
musician whose popularity is
sweeping across the nation. She
has a vast majority of girls under
the age of 14 going completely
crazy. Cyrus‘s concerts and movie
tickets have been selling out
across the nation. How did Cyrus
get to her current status as a pop
superstar?
Cyrus started her career
by auditioning and getting the
lead role for the famous TV show
“Hannah Montana”. In the TV
show, Cyrus plays a superstar
FEATURES
The Miley Cyrus Craze
singer who tries to keep her stardom secret from her fellow classmates. This show skyrocketed
with
success.
―Hannah Montana‖
quickly became the
most popular show
on The Disney Channel, reaching out to
millions of viewers.
Cyrus‘ recent
movie The Best of
Both Worlds Concert
Tour, a movie compiled of scenes from
several concerts
around America,
was at the top of the
grossing $29 million from the
opening weekend, according to
movies.com.
―This movie
was more of a cinematic adventure,‖
says one of the many
Hannah Montana
fans. Now it seems
everyone wants a part
of the Miley Cyrus
craze. Tickets for her
concert tour sold out
within minutes and
are almost unattainable. According to
Google.com
CNN, the prices for
box office tickets ranged from $350-$1000.
Recently her climb to the
top has been hindered by a few
―questionable‖ photos. Cyrus
posed for a photographer topless
with her chest covered.
―I took part in a photo
shoot that was supposed to be
‗artistic‘‖ said Cyrus. ―And now,
seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of
this to happen and I apologize to
my fans who I care so deeply
about.‖
Will this stop the Hannah
Montana craze? How she wants to
develop as an artist is up to her.
All we can do is wait and see
where the franchise is going.
Ms. Wilson, The Person And The Teacher
By Arman Rye
Features Editor
Rebecca Wilson, an English teacher at Greenwich High
School, is a key component to the
English department. She has been
teaching here for five years and
hopefully many more. She currently teaches a variety of classes
consisting of freshmen, juniors,
and seniors – for some reason she
refuses to teach sophomores. Her
optimistic attitude towards classes
really helps the classroom environment. ―I love Ms. Wilson. She always comes into class with a smile
on her face,‖ says
Anthony Schepis,
one of Ms. Wilson‘s
freshman students.
Since her students
have such a strong
bond with her, I decided to do a Q&A
to get an ―inside‖
view.
ily, what books have sparked
controversy at the dinner table?
(W): I don‘t remember one book
ever causing a controversy. The
closest thing to a controversy we
ever had was when I was in high
school and Dad wanted to have
these big discussions about literature at the dinner table. I was a
teenager - after a full day of
school, the last thing I wanted was
another hour of class at my own
dinner table! I seem to remember
doing a lot of eye-rolling which
didn‘t go over so well. Now we
pass books and recommendations
back and forth pretty regularly. He
introduced me to The Shadow of
the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
advisor to Y-Net which is a group
dedicated to promoting awareness
about teen dating abuse. My other
passion is dancing. I used to take
lessons and compete in Latin
dance competitions; now I just
dance for fun. I know how to
dance salsa, cha-cha, rumba, meringue and a little bit of tango. I
love it!
(B): What other subject could
you see yourself teaching? Or
other profession?
(W): I really couldn‘t see myself
doing anything else. Everything
about teaching (except maybe
reading hundreds upon hundreds
of papers) suits me. Even the
(B): What’s the greatest difference between the freshmen and
the seniors you teach?
(W): There is a different level of
energy and interaction between my
freshmen and my seniors. My
freshmen classes tend to be really
high energy which, luckily, I like.
They‘re enthusiastic and they inspire me. My senior classes are a
little calmer but our discussions
are on a whole other level since
they‘re older and know a bit more
about the world. They keep me on
my toes and challenge me. I‘ve
been really lucky this
year in having great
classes. I‘ve loved all
of my students this
year – even the ones
who drove me crazy.
(They know who they
are.)
(B): Summer vacation is one of the
perks of teaching;
what summertime
experience has made
teaching the most
worthwhile?
Beak (B): What
inspired you to become a teacher?
Ms. Rebecca Wilson(W):There was
never one thing that
inspired me to teach
– I‘ve always
wanted to be a
teacher. I love getting to talk about all
the big ideas great
authors get people
thinking about like love and grief
and death and finding meaning in
our lives and just life in general.
Plus I enjoy introducing people to
some of my favorites. My freshmen are reading Catcher in the
Rye right now and I love hearing
their different reactions to the
book.
about art, science, history and philosophy and how all of it intersects
with the literature.
Ms. Wilson at the Globe Theater in London, England
which is an amazing book. The
story sucks you right in and the
language is so beautiful it sends
shivers up your spine! Or maybe
that‘s just me.
rhythms of the year fit with my
personality. I love that there are so
many opportunities for a fresh start
– a new year, a new semester, a
new quarter – each offers a chance
for a new beginning. That‘s just
(B): What other interests do you so cool! Another subject? No
way! Teaching English offers so
pursue outside of school?
many opportunities to look at other
(W): I‘m a huge feminist and
subjects in connection with the
literature. In my Masterpieces of
(B): As an English teaching fam- pretty passionate about women‘s
rights issues. I‘m currently the
the Renaissance class we talk
(W): Two years ago I
was lucky enough to
win a fellowship from
the Greenwich chapter
of the English Speaking Union that sent me
to London to study at
Shakespeare‘s Globe
Theater. I spent three
weeks working with other English
teachers as well as actors and directors from the Globe. This was
easily one of the most fantastic
experiences I have ever had. I
even got to act on the Globe Stage!
Talk about an English teacher‘s
dream! On my last day in the
theater I cried because I didn‘t
want to leave.
FEATURES
June 2008 — The Beak — 11
The Unexpected Epidemic In The Slums
By Liana Mehring
Features Editor
The man I met last week
didn‘t have any legs. Functioning
legs, that is. What was left of his
miraculous means of jumping and
running was nothing more than
shriveled skin stretched over
bone.
I saw this man on my first
day in Bombay, India, dragging
himself over the filthy sidewalk. I
remember his polio-stricken legs
rotating along with his movements like broken pieces of machinery. What struck me as even
more bizarre than the condition of
his lower body was the expression
on his face. This man, living with
his eyes at the knee -level of the
world was smiling. At first, I dismissed his expression as a grin of
lunacy. Obviously his brains were
scrambled by the sun and his
smile was but a cruel, vacant expression of madness, I thought.
I was wrong. If this man
is smiling, what then is happiness? To be physically fit? Apparently not.
The deeper into that great,
dusty city I traveled, the greater
the distinction I recognized between poverty and misery. All the
pretty words and tactful expressions in the world could not perfume or conceal the absolute
squalor of Bombay‘s slums.
Garbage is heaped everywhere and picked over by knottyhaired children and beggars.
Rank, unidentifiable junk is piled
in shop fronts where every usable
part is salvaged and recycled.
Everywhere there are goats, dogs
and cats whose ribs are as sharp
as the twisted metal taxi frames
they lounge in.
The experience is a sensory overload of intense sound,
sight, and smell. And yet shining
forth from the dirty faces I saw
were parched lips cracked in
smiles and eyes creased in amuse-
ment. What is happiness? To be
clean? Not that either.
Bombay boasts
some of the largest slums in all of
Asia. Dharavi, the largest, is an
expanse of tin-roofed shanty
homes that houses over a million
people per square mile. Thankfully, a city that is short on living
space, clean water, and basic sanitation is not short on kindness.
Akanksha is the name of
the organization with which my
family volunteered. This organization, founded by a GHS alumni,
aims at giving children growing
up in the slums a better education
than the poorly run government
school system. It was here in the
Akanksha classroom that I began
to understand happiness in the
context of extreme poverty. The
children at Akanksha were brimming, bubbling, and bursting
with life. The classroom was a
whirlwind of activity, with shrill
Indian-accented English and
rapid Hindi ricocheting off the
concrete walls. Curious, darting
glances were shot at the ―new
volunteers in the back.‖ The children squirmed in their seats with
impish smiles at the teacher‘s
sharp reprimand.
Schoolwork was always
studiously done. Desks, however,
seemed too conventional a surface for completing worksheets— the walls or a friend‘s
back were preferable.
Liana Mehring bonding with a group of kids in India.
My impression of Akansha was not of chaos, but rather
of boundless energy and sheer
delight. These were children who
go home each night much happier
than I do. I go home to a house
with more rooms but they go
home with a head full of more
pleasant memories. Happiness is
a product of self design, manufactured in one‘s mind. Light to
carry and infinitely renewable,
happiness can make a rich person
of anyone.
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12 — The Beak — June 2008
OPINIONS
D r i v i n g L a w s R e s t r i c t Te e n a g e F r e e d o m
Jack Appelbaum
Special Correspondent
I was in my mom‘s Lexus the other
day sitting at a red light at the intersection of
Dearfield Drive and the Post Road, near the
Greenwich Library. We were waiting to turn
left onto the Post Road, and we saw an aristocratic Jaguar in front of us inch forward to try
to jump the light and turn left before the oncoming traffic could get in the way. Much to
his disappointment, the walk signal came on
and he was forced to wait. Once we received
the ‗go‘ signal, the Jaguar proceeded to turn
into the oncoming traffic, forcing the opposing
cars to stop, bringing the intersection to a
standstill. The driver then sped up the Post
Road, veering into the opposing lane almost
causing a collision with the oncoming car.
Call me a hypochondriac.
The way in which the majority of people in this town drive never ceases to amaze
me. People don‘t seem to understand the rules
of the road or the basic laws that they should
follow. Whether it‘s the mother in the big
Suburban who doesn‘t stay on her side of the
ride or the businessman speeding through
town in his Porche, there seems to be a lack of
care and respect on the part of those who drive
on the Greenwich roads. The funny thing is
that the ones accused of making our roads
dangerous – Greenwich teens – are not the
only culprits.
Eight days away from my sixteenth
birthday and the long-awaited milestone of
receiving my learner‘s permit, I can‘t help but
to express my discontent with the way in
which teen drivers are treated and the new
laws that have been passed restricting our
freedoms as drivers. Because of the recently
passed laws, as one of my parents will have to
attend parts of driving school with me I begin
to obtain my license. While this may seem
only minor, this requirement is difficult on a
parent who works and cannot make the
classes.
Earning a driver‘s license is not the
finale of a new driver‘s experience. The State
of Connecticut is in the process of establishing
an 11 p.m. curfew for drivers under the age of
18, and distinguishing them with a sticker on
their cars to advertise this status to everyone
on the road. An 11 p.m. curfew is not only
unfair, but impractical. This restriction makes
it impossible for a teenager to go see a nine
o‘clock movie, which may not end until 11:15,
and have the ability to drive himself home.
The sticker on the car will deface someone‘s
personal property Moreover, if a car is shared
between family members, an adult should not
have to deal with being pulled over after midnight. It seems entirely unfair and a waste of
the police department‘s time to have to pull
over law abiding citizens. Furthermore, this
sticker could only increase accidents as a result of teenagers trying to speed home at a late
hour in the night to try and avoid being seen
and stopped.
Teenagers always seem to be the easiest targets for blaming accidents on. It doesn‘t
ever seem that those in power look in other
directions to place blame, such as the senior
citizen who was driving the Jaguar almost
caused three accidents in a span of two minutes. If the state‘s governing intentions are fair
and consistent, his driving freedoms should be
limited, too. Instead, the state government is
limiting our freedom to drive unfettered, the
freedom we are entitled to, by reinforcing a
stereotype. They are limiting our rights when
we do not even get a say in what is being
done, as we lack the right to vote. Shame on
the Connecticut government for unfairly targeting its youth, the future of our nation.
Atheism: The Bane Of Humanity
Christian Thalheim
Staff Assistant
While looking about in the depths of
Wikipedia I was disturbed to find the number
of Americans who don‘t identify with
any religion is on the rise, some 29.5
million in 2001 up from a comparatively paltry (but still inexcusable) 14.3
million in 1990. Needless to say, percentage wise, this is unfathomable. And
here is the kicker: it appears to be getting worse. The future is not looking
too bright for America because as one
study found, ―only six percent of people over 60 have no faith in God, and
one in four adults ages 18 to 22 describe themselves as having no faith."
That constitutes a remarkable transition
for America in the coming years.
The ironic part is that despite
those having no religious affiliation
there are remarkably few who are willing to admit they are atheists, a mere
3% of the irreligious responders. Fortunately, I was able to find one of these
select few in Greenwich High School,
one Martin Andrew Clarke Jr., a sophomore, who vehemently denies the existence of any higher power. He has this
philosophy because he doesn‘t feel any
need for a higher power. The only reason that he has hope is based on his
past success and thus he has hope for a
successful future. He thinks that religion has far too much influence in America,
despite the U.S. being a nation which was
founded by devout Christians and capitalists.
Music to my ears.
I then asked him whether or not there
was a correlation between religion and ones
moral beliefs. He did concede that point, but
he believed there was a stronger correlation
between one‘s upbringing and one‘s moral
values. I then asked him how someone who
did not believe in a religion would they derive
their morals. He said public education would
do the trick. I immediately voiced objections
to this because I wondered who would determine what would be the set of values taught.
He contradicted himself in saying that moral
values should be determined by individuals.
At this point in the interview, Mr.
Mark ―the Social Democrat‖ Epstein, a history
teacher in Folsom, interjected and stated in a
tone of absolute adulation that according to
Marx and by extension himself religion was
―the opiate of the masses.‖ These, for
the record, are the same masses that
will one day revolt (heaven forbid)
and rule the world as communists.
Upon delivery of this statement, he
left, exclaiming that religion had consistently worked to exploit the people.
An example he used was feudalism in
Europe where the serfs were told to
toil; and if they challenged the status
quo, they would be challenging God,
an altogether unfathomable task. Fortunately, the United States of America
has never experienced feudalism. Mr.
Clarke immediately latched onto this
idea and stated that religion had been
used to paralyze the masses through
the idea of an afterlife. A religion that
they choose to believe in.
What is wrong with atheism? A whole
lot. America was certainly founded on
the idea of freedom of religion. Religion, by and large, espouses ideals and
virtues that are fundamental to the
good of humankind. Obviously this
view is biased as people and a society
believing in those ideals raised me.
For example, the Bible states that one
should not murder, steal, commit
adultery, commit perjury, and an individual should honor their parents. I don‘t see
why it seems so preposterous to worship and
acknowledge these values as ―good.‖ In essence, the guidance that religion offers far outweighs the supposed rationalism of atheism.
OPINIONS
The Value Of The Liberal Arts
Lawrence Lee
Staff Writer
So many benefits arise
from the application of science
and technology that it is often
very easy to overlook the significance of the liberal arts in today‘s
world. The physical and tangible
gains of science and technology
surround us in the form of entertainment and significant improvements in the quality of life. In
response, many industries focus
on the sciences and promote the
growth of such areas, providing
incentive and opportunities for
further study and advancement.
Thus, in comparison to
this rapid development of science
and technology and in comparison
to the tangible gains that have
been made from the study and
application of such areas of research, the seemingly lesser yields
generated by the study of the liberal arts seem discouraging. The
appeal of literature, history and
language arts seem to be losing
significance and respect as these
disciplines are viewed as esoteric
fields of select and isolated interest.
Against the titanic gains
made by the sciences over the past
few centuries, what can be said
about the significance of the liberal arts? The answer is that there
is a deep significance in the study
of liberal arts with reasons and
gains that may not always be obvious physically. What is significant about these studies is that
they are all in the domain of the
human intellect, created by the
thoughts of the human mind, conceived by the actions of human
experience, and born from the expression of human emotion
throughout history. To a considerable extent these areas of study
are exhibitions of pure and unadulterated human intelligence
and existence. The development
of these fields showcase human
progress, namely, progress made
in advancing the intellectual maturity of our race.
For example, consider the
field of history. Its study seems to
yield no physical benefits; not
much of it is technical information
that will help students learn useful
skills in the future. Yet the study
of history is of paramount importance to those who care about the
human condition. Those who are
concerned and aware of the present constantly look to the past for
guidance and understanding in
their own lives and ambitions. It
is in the past that we can observe
the patterns of human interactions
that dictate the way we live our
lives today, and the past serves as
a template which we can choose
either to follow or abandon.
Without history we would
be lost, having to start over again
and again every generation, losing
our capability to build and learn
from the accomplishments of our
predecessors. Thus, everything
we have now has its foundations
in the past. Without fully understanding the past, we cannot fully
appreciate the present, and cannot
make predictions about the future
as we have no reference from
which to make these predictions.
Furthermore, history is
fascinating. We come to understand the human spirit more thoroughly with glimpses into the collective experiences of the human
race. We can relate to the actions
of famous men and women, or
delve into the experience of everyday people. By relating to the
lives of the people in the past, we
add depth to our own experiences,
expanding our capacity to enjoy
and understand our lives by associating it with the lives of others.
If we never study the memory our
human race, if we do not review
these memories to keep them fresh
in our collective consciousness, if
we constantly forget our memories, we would never be able to
enact, establish and continue the
development and maturation of
the human race.
Through the study of language and the development of literature, this field again expands.
What authors across the ages write
reflect sentiments that they have
felt and ideas that they have developed in response to these feelings.
Each word contains a history in itself; each word encapsulates certain meanings and nuances, emotions and power. Take
these words then and create sentences from them. String together
these individual meanings, and
from these sentences arise entire
works that harmoniously weave
together a tapestry of thought,
emotion and expression.
The art of literature again
is an independent expression of
the human intellect that broadens
the horizons of anyone who would
care to relate to the collected ideas
and thoughts of other people. Literature requires little for physical
resources; truly they are an example of knowledge transferred immediately from the human mind to
the physical world.
In the field of the sciences, often the great achievements arise from the discovery of
natural phenomena, and an understanding or manipulation of nature
that surrounds us. In a way, science is a means to an end: to discover the truth of the world
around us. The breakthroughs in
the sciences depend upon the environment around us, but what
separates the liberal arts from the
sciences is the concept that the
liberal arts are built upon the independent creations of the human
mind. The development of the
liberal arts generates consideration
for the human mind and respect
for human ideas.
June 2008 — The Beak — 13
Beards
A lost art, a forgotten realm,
a promise unkept, a hair unkempt
Beards seem to have
fallen out of favor. Something in
modern society seems to have
caused the beard to change from
a sign of wisdom and class to a
suggestion vagrancy and destitution.
The beard has had a long
history of signifying a person
who should be respected, nay,
feared! Ancient Egyptians are
typically seen with beards on
their chin; and pastiches, false
metal beards, were put on sarcophagi as a sign of sovereignty.
These ornately decorated beards
served as a symbol of their
wealth and class. Other ancient
societies also respected the beard.
In Olearius‘ Travels, a tale is told
before him such as Harrison, Garfield, Hayes, Grant, and Lincoln.
Particularly noteworthy was
Chester A. Arthur. Homeboy had
gigantic sideburns. Perhaps the
reason presidents with facial hair
are no longer elected is that the
public views bearded men as untrustworthy. A beard makes people wonder what a man could be
are hiding behind the façade of
finely groomed facial hair.
In America, the beard
seems to have been unpopular
since World War I. Soldiers
needed to shave their beards in
order to wear gas masks, and
when the men returned home
they brought their misguided,
clean-shaven beliefs with them.
This trend, coinciding with the
emergence of motion pictures and
television, may have caused the
of a Persian king who remarked,
"What a pity it was, that a man
possessing such fine mustachios,
should have been executed,"
upon ordering a steward to be
executed. Greeks also knew the
awesome and mystical power that
lies within the beard, regarding it
as a sign of virility and masculinity. The Spartans would punish
those who were cowards in battle
by shaving off their beards.
The tragic downward
spiral of the beard can be traced
back to Alexander the Great, who
was always seen clean shaven
and who ordered that his soldiers
would be as well to prevent enemies from grabbing the beard
during battle. Ever since,
throughout Roman times and beyond, shaving beards became a
more common practice.
The beard has had a troubling history in America. The last
president to sport facial hair of
any kind consistency was William Taft. Ever since 1913, our
commander-in-chief has been
clean shaven. There were several
bearded men in the White House
first generation of film stars to be
clean shaven.
The phenomenon has
continually been passed down
through the generations of celebrities. It is exceedingly rare to see
modern movie stars sporting
beards. Only occasionally would
you see so much as a goatee and
mustache on stars like Edward
Norton. Rock stars also have
been noticeably lacking in
beards. While in the 1960s,
beards were common with such
groups as The Grateful Dead and
Canned Heat, very few modern
rock stars seem to sport anything
more than the occasional stubble.
The true potential of
beards is yet to be realized. They
have the ability to make someone
look rugged, powerful, wise,
threatening, or like a woodsman.
Modern celebrities have
a responsibility to society to
bring back the beard for the good
of us all. Brad Pitt and other
movie and music stars need to
rise to the occasion and grow
some.
Adam Conte
Staff Writer
14 — The Beak — June 2008
OPINIONS
Speeding Towards
The End Of The Road
By Jordana R. Cepelewicz
Special Correspondent
As I flip through the hundreds of channels on television, I
cannot ignore the significant number of the commercials for cars.
They depict sleek sports cars, sedans, or even SUVs, cruising at
breakneck speeds around the precarious curve of a cliff, or swerving and arching through the air,
their spinning tires not even
touching the ground. The same
occurs in many movies, with car
chases wreaking havoc and the
protagonist emerging as the victor.
The speedometers on
these automobiles show numbers
far beyond the car‘s capabilities.
When I hear the name of a specific car, the first question to flash
through the mind is: how fast can
it go? Fastest is heroic. Fastest is
cool.
What seems to evade the
common teenager is that fastest is
also dangerous. Motor vehicle
crashes are the leading cause of
death for teenagers living in the
United States, with more than fifteen such fatalities occurring
every day. As a matter of fact, in
2006 alone, the CDC Injury Center reported that 3,490 teen drivers were killed in car accidents, a
number that is unfortunately continuing to rise. According to The
Congressional Quarterly Researcher, that same statistic
stands at 6,000 deaths per year.
Experts from organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
estimate that speed plays a star
role in more than one-third of
these accidents.
As a result, not only have
many schools adopted driver‘s
education classes, but many states
have implemented graduated
driver licensing programs as well.
These programs require adult
driver supervision and nighttime
and passenger restrictions for
teenagers during their first year or
two of driving. In many cases,
this system has shown high levels
of success. In recent years, however, the number of car accidents
involving teenage drivers has
once again begun to escalate at an
alarming rate. Perhaps something
more is needed. Accordingly, we
must start at the root of the problem: society‘s emphasis on the
glory of the ―fast and the furious.‖
Neuroscientists have
found that the human brain undergoes major development during
adolescence, with the most radical
changes occurring specifically in
the brain‘s prefrontal cortex—the
part responsible for logic and reasonable decision-making.
As
noted in the peer-reviewed journal
Prevention: ―Knowing that this
decision-making area is still under
construction explains plenty about
teens… Emotion, whether happiness, anger, or jealousy—
particularly when teens are with
their peers—overrides logic, making even the smart ones momentarily dumb.‖
Car commercials take
advantage of this ―deficiency‖,
leaving teenagers vulnerable to
the influences of media images
proudly displaying speed as a
measure of power and ability.
Something must be done about
that. Allen Heller, journalist for
Associated Content writes:
―Other industries are
subject to advertising restrictions
and regulations. Cigarette companies are forbidden to advertise at
all. Companies that produce alcoholic beverages are [also limited].
Yet car companies remain totally
unfettered, permitted to continue
with their egregious commercials,
absolved of all responsibility because of a tiny disclaimer.‖
The same laws should
apply to the automobile industry
as well. Their advertisements
should put stress on the safety and
comfort of their cars—and not on
aspects that appear risk-free but
only result in destruction and
death.
If warnings have been
issued about tobacco, firearms,
gambling, and alcohol, then why
not in car advertisements? Legislators, both on state and federal
levels, must pass laws that will
ensure that car manufacturers
market their products in an appropriate manner. The companies
will still retain the ability to advertise their products, but will be
forced to do so in a manner that
does not threaten the lives and
safety of our country‘s teenagers
(and people of all age groups, for
that matter).
Nevertheless, such laws will
undoubtedly be met with great
criticism. Issues concerning first
amendment rights will inevitably
arise, with automobile companies
clamoring about freedom of
speech and press. However, the
First Amendment was created to
protect the people‘s expression of
ideas, opinions, and beliefs in the
face of oppression. It should not
be exploited by companies as a
means of gaining a legal ability to
sell products that can cause great
harm to society.
Above all, the importance of
the population‘s safety must be
taken into account. In the landmark Supreme Court case of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.
v. Public Service Commission of
New York, a four-prong test was
adopted that dealt with the involvement of first amendment
rights in commercializing products.
First, the advertisement
should not utilize false or deceptive claims and images. Today,
however, car commercials portray
just the opposite. They sport incredibly misleading messages,
associating speed with power and
strength. This misrepresentation
is unfair to teenagers who take it
for truth and thus inadvertently
forfeit their own safety in return
for a hollow claim.
Second, the commercial
should not target a certain age
group that is incapable of judging
a situation rationally. Yet, cars
are portrayed in a manner directed, in part, specifically at
teenagers who are not fully able
to assess the logic behind speeding, until it is too late.
This leads to the third factor—
that the product not be demonstrated in a fashion that could result in harm. In spite of this, images on television, at the movies,
or on large billboards of cars
whizzing around the shadowy
bend of a road have resulted in
teenagers believing that they can
do the same—as new drivers in
the real world. In the United
States, this brings about thousands
of deaths in automobile accidents
every year, and an even greater
amount of significant injuries—a
fact that cannot be remedied.
Commercials should, therefore,
simply serve the basic interests of
advertising, without embellishing
on aspects that lead to detrimental
consequences for society.
And last but not least, companies can resort to alternative
methods of advertising. They
don‘t have to use images that result in false associations and misrepresentation of information that
causes harm. Rather, they can
market their cars in an appropriate
and responsible manner that
would be just as effective and
would have an added benefit: it
would not target teenagers who
would not make the right decisions, and it would therefore better promote safety.
Right now we are speeding
towards the end of the road—
quite literally. So buckle your
seatbelts and come along for the
ride—a journey that will most
certainly be performed within the
legal speed limits.
Obama’s Best Option
By Michael Drittel
Editor-in-Chief
With the exhausting heat
of the Democratic Primary simmering down, it is time for Barack
Obama to select a hypothetical
running mate. The dream ticket,
as many in the party have described, would, of course, be for
Hillary Clinton to assume the
role, reuniting working class
whites, women, Hispanics, and
the elderly under Obama‘s strong
coalition.
Such a ticket would, however, be all but improbable, with
reconciliation doubtful at best.
Thus, there is only one worthy
candidate capable of edging
Obama over Senator McCain in
the November elections: Senator
Joe Biden.
The senator from Delaware is a stalwart when it comes
to foreign policy, an area Obama
is likely to get attacked on due to
lack of experience. Biden would
bring Obama stature and credibility. He is the Chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations,
and has chaired the Committee on
the Judiciary. Biden is the sixthlongest serving senator, in the
midst of his sixth term.
Not only would Biden
offer tremendous statesmanship,
but he would also help harness the
working class vote, a group that
might drift to McCain when Sena-
tor Clinton finally drops out of the
race. A man who rides the train to
work every morning, Biden has
connected unlike any other politician with blue collar workers. Biden could and would present
Obama with party unity going
into the November elections —
something Obama might not be
able to do alone. Biden could also
help court women voters who remember his efforts to pass the
Violence Against Women Act
through the Senate.
Biden is knowledgeable
about the primary issues the next
presidency will likely have to deal
with. He has made numerous ventures to Iraq, and he understands
the necessary policy choices
across the rest of the Middle East.
He was also a leader in the efforts
to end genocide in Bosnia in the
1990‘s. Who better than the same
man to be put in a position where
he can end genocide in Darfur?
Biden demands respect,
not only from dignitaries from
other nations, but also from the
American public. He is eloquent,
charismatic, and passionate —
many of the same qualities that
Barack Obama has demonstrated
to the general American public.
All that is left is for Obama to
make the choice, and for Biden to
accept. While neither is necessarily bound to happen, there is no
doubt inthat such decisions would
be in America‘s best interest.
OPINIONS
June 2008 — The Beak —15
Censorship Stifles Education
By Paul Finkelstein
Opinions Editor
It was about a week after
I joined the editorial staff on The
Beak when I discovered that the
paper had an issue with censorship. This came as a big, untimely surprise to me. How, as an
opinions editor, would I be able to
write about controversial topics
around the school, the community, or the nation? How could a
school that heralds itself on the
motto ―Freedom with responsibility‖ be denying such a basic
right? How could a school that
prides itself at being at the forefront of public high school education enforce such medieval standards for its newspaper?
Well, after some research,
I discovered that it is constitutionally legal for a school-sponsored
newspaper to be censored or edited by school officials, as decided in the Supreme Court case
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. The
Hazelwood High School newspaper was going to publish an article
on birth control after interviewing
three pregnant teenagers. The
school argued that birth control
wasn‘t an appropriate topic for
some of the younger students in
the school (keep in mind, this was
the 80‘s). It was ruled that a
school-funded newspaper could
publish whatever the school
deemed fit for print and that there
was no violation of First Amendment rights.
Though this may have
offended some students‘ ears,
how could a student-run newspaper avoid some of the most pressing topics regarding students?
This brings me to my first point:
censorship restricts students‘ capacity to learn. A newspaper is
probably the safest atmosphere to
discuss very hostile issues. Leave
it up to the readers to gauge their
own opinion on the issue and discuss with friends around school.
If we brush the prevalent issues of
today under the carpet, how can
there ever be a solution? The
youth of America must be ready
for a world that is not censored to
their liking.
You, the reader, are not
the only one affected by censorship. My fellow editors and I are
restricted in our ability to learn
the art of journalism. In a recent
―Letter to the Editor‖ published in
the Greenwich Time, Ryan Fazio,
former executive editor of The
Beak, wrote about his various experiences with censorship while
working on this newspaper for
three years. Fazio stated that
―arcane limitations…hamstring
the intellectual and informational
quality of [The Beak‘s] product.‖
Five instances of censorship or
forced recants were cited from
last year alone. What does that
teach writers? The news is always good? Never criticize authority? If this sounds a bit ridiculous, well, it is. I‘m offended
at the prospect of not being able
to share my honest opinions in an
opinions section. Consider the
New York Times. Despite being
arguably the most reputable newspaper in the world, opinions writers for the Times are constantly
criticizing their own paper.
Learning journalists should not be
afraid to state their opinions, especially if they aspire to live up to
the quality of some of the greatest
papers in the world.
A policy of noncensorship should go beyond general controversial issues like sex
and racial discrimination, but it
should also extend to criticism of
the school. Schools should not be
afraid to hear opinions straight
from the students. There are
plenty of good things about the
school that The Beak publishes on
a regular basis whether it is about
student, teacher, or school accomplishments. But like the news,
not everything that happens in a
school is good.
Most students aren‘t comfortable voicing their opinions
directly to an administrator. The
obvious conduit for their opinions
would be the school newspaper,
right? Some would argue that
students shouldn‘t be allowed to
criticize the school that funds
their paper. That‘s fairly ignorant
on the part of an educational institute. GHS should be able to be
judged by its students because
that‘s how administrators can
learn of their school‘s issues. Students shouldn‘t be scared to criticize their school, and the school
shouldn‘t be afraid of criticism
because that is how mature and
productive discussions ensue.
A better educational policy for both writers and readers
would be a policy of openness.
Ideas need to be shared freely and
safely. After all, students deserve
a fair and balanced presentation of
ideas. If a student, teacher, or
administrator disagrees with an
opinion represented in an article
published within this section, I
gladly encourage them to submit a
letter or article that presents the
opposing viewpoint. Let‘s end
the censoring of an educational
process and work together to
write a controversial, intellectual,
but fun newspaper.
Evident Partiality In Grading
By Douglas Johnson
Opinions Editor
Favoritism is ―a display
of partiality toward a favored person‖ according to the American
Heritage Dictionary. Favoritism
is a broad term which encompasses all kinds of partialities including racism, sexism, and most
prejudices. It doesn‘t take a genius to uncover the favoritism
which goes on throughout the
classrooms in GHS. Unfair treatment used by many teachers hurts
the learning environment which
students must deal with. This is
especially present in GHS because of the widely diverse student body.
According to the research
of Dr. Bert Diament, a child psychologist and lecturer at Florida
Atlantic University, studies have
shown that people develop judgments about others within seven
seconds of meeting them. Many
find it difficult to erase that partial
image which had been produced
presumptuously. As this is true
for essentially the entire human
race, it is true for the teachers in
the classrooms here at Greenwich
High School.
Many times gender is a
factor. Teachers have been
known to favor females over
males because they tend to be
more compliant while boys may
often act out (Playing Favorites?,
Butterman). Other factors may
include social class or other arbitrary reasoning.
Recently I was talking to
a friend while walking to class,
and he told me about two of his
fellow classmates. One had sent
the other a copy of an assignment
which he had done. Both handed
in papers that were essentially
identical copies of each other.
When they got them back, however, one of the students managed
to pull off a full letter grade better
than his friend did.
First, the teacher could
not have been reading each paper
in full because otherwise the students would have been caught for
cheating. Secondly, even if the
teacher only skimmed the papers,
why would one of the students get
a better grade than the other?
Their papers were the same.
The only plausible reason
for the difference is the teacher‘s
perception of each of the students.
The teacher expects certain students to do better or be smarter
than others, despite what their
work may dictate. The teacher
will continue to give out a certain
grade which the student has
proven himself worth of throughout the beginning of the year.
Mentally, the teacher expects the
student to continue achieving the
same grades. What is occurring
here is called the Pygmalion effect.
The Pygmalion effect,
more commonly known as the
―teacher expectancy effect‖,
aligns with the theory that certain
students will perform better than
other students purely because they
are expected to do so. A main
portion of this theory which has
been scientifically tested states
that when a teacher expects a student to get a ‗B‘ on a paper, the
teacher will subconsciously manipulate the words in her mind to
create what sheexpects, in this
case a ‗B‘ paper (Pygmalion In
The Classroom, Rhem). Despite
the effect‘s significant presence in
the classroom at GHS, few realize
the true result that develops from
teachers with predispositions to
their students.
When I asked a GHS
teacher, who asked not to be
named, whether she felt that favoritism affected her grading in
anyway, she stated, ―Not at all. I
try to be as fair as I can while
grading any papers.‖
I asked, ―Do you think
you would be giving any different
grades if you did not read the
name at the top of the page before
grading the students‘ papers?‖
She responded, ―No, that
would have no effect on the
grades they would receive.‖
Despite good intentions,
more and more evidence piles up
showing that in all subjective
grading, the teacher expectancy
effect plays a large role in the
grades received by the students
(Pygmalion In the Classroom,
Rhem).
Favoritism is not only
shown in the grades, but also in
the classroom. Many teachers are
known to ―pick favorites‖. And
the favorite is commonly known
among students to be the student
who puts in the most effort or gets
the best grades. Favoritism comes
from all aspects of the student
which the teacher is aware of and
will almost always affect the
grade given by the teacher.
The Pygmalion effect can
cause students to feel that they
shouldn‘t bother with the work
because they are unable to change
their grade no matter how hard
they try. On the other hand, students can use it to their own benefit working hard in the beginning
of the school year to produce a
positive predisposition in the psyche of the teacher.
Awareness of this effect can
be helpful for a teacher to avoid
falling into the Pygmalion trap.
An alternative way would be a
system in which papers were
graded without student names on
them so the teacher would not
know one from another when
grading them. In the end, grading
because of teacher expectations
for certain students is still an unfair way to give out grades.
16 — The Beak — June 2008
SPORTS
By Ryan Hoffman
hard part about
tennis star
playing so
since sophomuch tennis is
more year,
that, ―When I
Rob has taken
miss more than
his game to an
one day of
entirely new
school, it‘s
level of play.
hard to catch
He has led the
up on the work
varsity tennis
load. Some
team to some
tournaments in
clutch victories
which I comand has drawn
pete can take
attention to his
up to five
remarkable
days.‖ On the
talent and style
bright side
of play by
however,
competing in a
Rob‘s ability
variety of touron and off the
naments in
court has atTexas, Califortracted college
nia, Michigan,
Photo Submitted By Rob Wong
attention
and Florida.
across the naRob‘s extraortion. He is currently sponsored by dinary skills on the courts have
Prince, a tennis manufacturing
proven to be worthy of top tennis
company that supplies Rob with
schools around the nation. Alup to six rackets a year for free.
ready, Rob‘s on the radar of Ivy
As varsity‘s ‗number one‘ League schools such as Harvard,
Wong Aces Competition
Sports Editor
As the seasons change
and we start to feel the effects of
some brighter and warmer
weather, the Greenwich High
School Boys Tennis Team has
gained full flight. A huge reason
for the team‘s success is junior
Rob Wong, a standout tennis star
with a real love for the game.
Rob started playing tennis
at the age of eleven and continues
to be heavily involved in the
sport. ―My entire family has been
playing tennis, and they encouraged me to take lessons at a
young age,‖ Rob said in a recent
interview. Aside from the rigorous work load that he faces in
anticipation of college, Rob still
manages to balance his number
one position on the boys‘ varsity
tennis team and his monthly tournaments in which he competes
independently of the school.
Rob says that the only
Princeton, Yale, Penn, and Cornell as well as Stanford. Despite
being an incredible athlete on the
courts, Rob has an outstanding
academic record throughout his
high school career, making the
goal of an Ivy League school a
very plausible reality. ―If I could
go anywhere it would be Stanford, but I‘m just trying to improve my game enough to play at
that kind of level,‖ Rob said modestly.
Rob plans to play tennis
at the highest level possible and is
already ranked among some of the
top tennis athletes in his age
group. As one of the top players
in Connecticut, Rob is ranked 99th
in the 18-and-under category
across the nation. We will not be
surprised when he makes an appearance as a top collegiate player
when his time comes. We will
just wait and see where Rob ends
up, taking his athletic and academic performance at the next
level.
Man Behind The Mask: Kyle Feeney
By David Goldstein
Sports Editor
Having just tied the GHS
record for wins in a season, the
men‘s lacrosse team has already
achieved great success this season. The team is fueled by a high
power, senior dominated, offensive machine which showcases
the UNC-bound senior Jimmy
Dunster at the
middie position.
Going into the
season, many concentrated on the
offense and overlooked
the
strength of the
defense. However,
this all changed
after spectacular
performances from
junior goalie Kyle
Feeney who anchored
what
turned out to be a
formidable and
balanced Cardinal
defense.
Feeney,
the 6‘1‖ 150
pound goalkeeper,
has been playing
lacrosse for over
ten years and participated in the
Greenwich Youth Lacrosse
League from first to eight grade.
While not many would voluntarily station themselves in between
the pipes, Feeney learned at a
young age that the attack and
middie positions required great
amounts of running and instead
opted for the goalie position.
Feeney eagerly made the switch
from middie to goalie in third
grade when his coach asked for
volunteers.
After making the
switch, Feeney looked to his older
brother Matt, who will play lacrosse for St. Michaels next year,
to help him hone his skills. The
duo worked out nicely as it afforded Matt, an attackman, shooting practice, and Kyle, a goalie,
experience stopping shots. To
this day, Feeney attributes much
of his goalkeeping success to his
older brother and explains, ―Matt
really did a great job of preparing
me for high school level shots at a
very young age.‖
Feeney‘s high school career started in his freshman year,
when he was moved up to the var-
sity level for the playoffs. However, his career took off as a
sophomore once the then starting
goalie Dan Rosensweig suffered a
broken collar bone.
Feeney
seized the opportunity, starting
the next six games and came out
with an impressive 5-1 record.
―When Schwag got hurt, I felt like
a huge weight was put on my
shoulders,‖ Feeney said. ―I was
nervous, but I also knew I had to
valuable player award. However,
it is the cross-town showdown
that Feeney is most proud of.
―The Brunswick game was one of
our best games of the year, and
for us to come out on top to
avenge last years loss was big for
us,‖ Feeney said. ―The home
crowd played a large role in our
victory and really got us fired up.‖
Brunswick lacrosse
coach, David Bruce was also very
complimentary of
Feeney‘s performance. He told the
Greenwich Time,
―Their goalie was
unbelievable. He
made plenty of
kick saves and
great stops. He is
the reason why
they are happy
right now and why
we're bummed.‖
Jim Dunster, Cardinal co-captain,
added, ―He is the
backbone of our
team. He made
some unbelievable
saves for us and
helped keep us in
the game.‖
W h i l e
Feeney continues
Photo Courtesy of www.shutterfly.com.
to excel as a high
school goalie he
looks to bring his game to the colbe on top of my game.‖
Feeney‘s junior year has lege level. Feeney admitted, ―I
been even more impressive, as he love playing high school lacrosse,
has come up huge in wins over but the possibility of playing in
rivals Fairfield Prep, Darien and college is one that really excites
cross-town rival Brunswick. me. I‘ve been in contact with a
Feeney received special recogni- few schools, so all we can do is
tion in the Fairfield Prep game, as wait and see.‖
he was awarded the MSG most