Volume 4 Issue 1: Definitions

Definitions
Volume 4 Issue 1:
CONTENTS
Volume 4 Issue 1 : Definitions
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School
of Music & Art and Performing Arts
100 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10023
Editors in Chief
Rachel Berger
Mari Kroin
Journalists
Isabelle Ament
Rachel Berger
Daria Berstell
Carla Borderies
Kailee Breaux
Lauren “ElleCee” Marie Curet
Claire Elias
Sophia Feist
Vanessa Grasing
Lizzy Hibbard
Jade Johnson
Yasmin Kelly
Mari Kroin
Chui Yu Lau
Alessandra Rao
Alyssa Rosete
Ella Sanandaji
Elijah Sevier
Nicole Wong
Sophia Wilansky
Annabel Willis
Franchette “RJ” Zamudio
Copy Editing
Rachel Berger
Harley Bosco
Yasmin Kelly
Mari Kroin
Layout Team
Lizzy Hibbard
Yasmin Kelly
Jade Johnson
Clara Lu
Margo Josephson
Alessandra Rao
Alyssa Rosete
Sophia Wilansky
Creative Writing Contributors
Anonymous
Isabelle Ament
Harley Bosco
Yasmin Kelly
Alessandra Rao
Ella Sanandaji
Art Contributors
Isabelle Ament
Emily Chin
Esther Fork
Jade Johnson
Clara Lu
Annabel Willis
Club Advisor
Dr. Lasky
Many Thanks to Ms. Bruno, Mr. Dorogusker,
Dr. Lasky, Ms. Lombardi, Mr. Sokoloff, and
Dr. Stricklin.
E-mail questions, comments, and
submissions to laguardiamag@gmail.
2
LETTERS
4
From the Editors
LOCAL
6
66th Street Barnes and Noble Closing
7
Street Art by Mari Kroin
9
New Yorkers Question Street Sign
Change
10 The Ground Zero Mosque
FEATURES
14
17
22
27
46
Subway Stories: Young Love
Horoscopes
Things My Parents Did
Freshman Perspectives
Where I Live: The Flatiron District
STUDENT LIFE
15
26
28
Myopia
Hairspray: Interview with John Walsh
A LaGuardia Halloween
POLITICS
12
The New Left/The New Right
FOOD
40
40
41
Amy’s Bread
Billy’s Bakery
DUB Pie Shop
FASHION
PERFORMANCE
23 Senior Jazz and Symphonic Band: Some
Things Need No Words
31 Review: The Scottsboro Boys
MOVIE
30
34
35
TV
32
33
35
Review: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Review: The September Issue
Review: Paper Moon
Review: My So-Called Life
Review: Freaks and Geeks
Review: Seinfeld
BOOK
36
37
38
Review: Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City
Review: The Hunger Games
Review: It’s Kind Of A Funny Story
POETRY
5
5
5
17
39
39
42
42
Untitled by Y. Kelly
New York City Mosaic by A. Rao
Winter by H. Bosco
Sagittarius by A. Rao
To The People I Used To Know
Dreamer Disabled by E. Sanandaji
The Blue Rose and the Telegram by A. Rao
I Can Make Lenses. But Wings? by E. San
andaji
FICTION
43
The Future Is Bright (Part One) by I. Ament
24 Featured Fashion: Coco Chanel
25 Quoting Fashion: You Are What You
Wear
COMICS
48
Memento Mori by E. Chin
TECH
52
Classifieds
18
18
19
20
3D TVs: Are They Worth It?
History of Computers
Facebook: Connection or Depression?
Is Rate My Teachers Cyberbullying?
3
From the Editors
Volume 4, Issue 1
With the new school year came a fresh start to LaG
Mag. Last year’s Senior members had gone off to college, leaving two intimidated but determined Juniors in their stead. While
we were aware of the treacherous road to publication that
stood before us, we knew we could pull it off. With the help of
our amazing and creative new staff, a few late nights, and a
pinch of necessary nagging, this new issue found its way to you.
Over the course of three months, we pushed our writers
and contributors to ask themselves four probing questions: What
is it that defines us? How has society redefined itself within our
lifetimes? What can we gain from the past? And where will we
go from here? Each member was able to provide unique insight
on each of these questions, applying them to topics ranging
from local news to social media.
How are LaGuardians defined? We often define ourselves by our majors, but LaG Mag is the work of multi-talented
students across all six studios. There are infinite kinds of creative
expression--poetry, prose, design, even well-crafted journalism-many of which blur the lines between studios as well as between
arts and academics. Whether they spend their days in the
dance studio, theatre, or before a canvas or computer, creative
thinkers will always offer unique and compelling perspectives on
society. The tremendous diversity of thought and vision in the following pages is testament that in the end, the greatest strength
of LaGuardia artists is that we cannot be narrowly defined.
Best Wishes,
Rachel Berger & Mari Kroin
Editors in Chief
P.S. Happy Holidays!
Definitions
UNTITLED
I used to know that I was an airplane
until I saw the real ones could fly.
NEW YORK CITY MOSAIC
A collage of myriads of faces Of every color, shape, and
structure Flowing down the veins Of a never ending subway Millions of restless feet In every direction, every rhythm With passing time, creating lines Each, their own path On that lovely city map There is not a color Missing from the palette From the brightest yellow taxi To the darkest subway shadow And every single building Has a spot in the mosaic A piece of perfect artwork The mosaic I call home
- Alessandra Rao
They told me I was sweet as pie
so I let a crust form on my skin
and added grains of sugar
to make myself sweeter.
I got so sweet
no one wanted to sink their teeth
into me.
I made myself into a typewriter
but the inkwell exploded inside me,
flooding my metal intestines
with slimy, chilly fluid.
I grew up under the parental care of trees
until they talked back no more
and then I became a girl.
I was a black-and-white cat
and a famous detective,
a scholar of ancient, dusty books,
a tiny crack in a new york City sidewalk.
But now I am becoming a woman,
and I want those trees to call my name again.
- Yasmin Kelly
WINTER
I can feel winter in the air
I like winter, if not simply because
it reminds you how precious the
warmth is
- Harley Bosco
The view from layout meetings in room 729
4
5
66th Street Barnes & Noble Closing
By Alyssa Rosete
It’s
inevitable.
This
upcoming
January,
LaGuardians
and
Upper
West Side natives will be
greeted with the closing
of the 66th Street Barnes &
Noble bookstore. I first heard
the news from my brother,
who sounded as shocked as
I was. I was in total disbelief. Usually, store closings are
not so devastating, but
really? Barnes & Noble? The
bookstore I practically grew
up in and still frequent today?
It may seem pretty mundane
--a bookstore going out of
business due to rent hikes. In
no time, another retail store
will take its place. However, it is
also heartbreaking, especially
for Upper West Siders like
myself, to see this fantastic
bookstore suddenly disappear.
Barnes & Noble
is closing down for typical
reasons: the increase in
rent, poor business, and an
unaffordable extension of
the lease.
Established on
October 20, 1995, the 15year-old bookstore will close
its doors and eventually be
replaced with the huge retail
clothing store, Century 21.
While the closing
of Barnes & Noble won’t
mean the end of literacy for
all the Upper West Siders, it
does highlight the effects of
Photos by Alyssa Rosete
6
close, but also those who
consider the 66th Street
Barne & Noble their local
bookstore. I practically grew
up in Barnes & Noble. As a
kid, I remember immersing
myself in the numerous
picture books in the children’s
section. It was there that I
was first introduced to classic
children’s authors such as
Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein,
and R.L Stein, who served
as inspiration to the creative
side of my developing mind.
electronic alternatives to
bookstores, like E-books and
online shopping. What avid
reader would want to lug
around multiple novels when
they can hold a thousand in
their hand-held Nook? What
customer would want to
walk to a bookstore instead
of enjoying the convenience
of Amazon.com? Of course,
these statements don’t apply
to all people. Plenty of people-myself included--still enjoy
turning pages manually and
purchasing a novel in person
instead of having it delivered.
The closing of Barnes
& Noble literally parallels the
closing of Tower Records.
Located right across the
street from the bookstore, the
megastore of CDs and DVDs
met its end when iPods, and
mp3s in general, turned CDs
into mere table coasters.
It’s apparent that these
technological
advances
are rapidly changing the
business industry for both
the better and the worse.
Now you may ask,
why do I care if Barnes &
Noble is closing? How will
this affect me? Well, it most
likely won’t affect you if you
haven’t had any appreciation
for the bookstore or any
sentimental attachment to
it. Most LaGuardians enjoy
Barnes & Noble for its close
proximity to the school. It’s
convenient for students who
need to purchase books for
educational purposes.
It
provides entertainment to
others who frequent the fiction
or graphic novel section. Not
only that, but Barnes & Noble
has a wide variety of paper
crafts and art supplies to fuel
creative needs. It even holds
a cafe on the upper section
of the building for those
who need to relax after a
tiring day at work or school.
Not just LaGuardians are affected by the
By Mari Kroin
Barnes & Noble also fueled
many of my ambitions. When
I was just a girl in first grade,
I used to be so passionate
about astronomy that I’d
sit in some obscure corner
of the bookstore, reading
various facts about outer
space for hours. As time
passed, my interest shifted
to paleontology.
I’d dig
up whatever I could find
about the subject, from
dinosaur bones to the
various
prehistoric
eras.
Whatever my capricious
interests were, Barnes &
Noble would have the right
books to satiate those needs.
I’m
sure
that
many can empathize with
me. Though the 66th street
Barnes & Noble may not
be your local bookstore,
you probably understand
the feeling of having much
admiration for a certain
place that
has made a
profound impact on you,
such as a having much
admiration for a certain place
that has made a profound
impact on you, such as a
childhood playground or a
neighborhood that you’ve
long moved away from.
I will sorely miss
Barnes & Noble when it
closes. Border’s bookstore in
Columbus Circle can never
replace the fond childhood
memories, nor will it ever
compare to how much
Barnes & Noble means to
me.
STREET ART
Lego Man
Okay, so I don’t know the name of this person, but I do know his or her
work. This mystery man or woman has been leaving LEGO people parts all over
the downtown C and E station at 23rd street. He or she seems to favor replacing
the heads of billboard celebrities and poster salesmen with those of LEGO people.
It is not clear what the artist’s goal is, but it seems to have something to do with
the commercialism that dominates our everyday lives. Whatever the case, if you
happen to be at the 23rd street C and E stop, keep an eye our for happy (or not so
happy) LEGO heads.
Photos by Mari Kroin
77
STREET ART
Shepard Fairey
Shepard Fairey has left his
distinct brand of street art on NYC for
years. Almost everyone is familiar with his
“Obey” Andre the Giant propaganda
stencils; and if anyone has missed out,
check the bottom of lamp posts in
Chelsea and Soho or log onto www.
obeygiant.com. Unfortunately, with the
fast pace of the city his obey giants are
scuffed around and taken for granted;
but lucky for us city rats, he recently
stenciled an image about six feet tall
around 30th and 7th. The piece features
two 50’s era men and none other
than a card of Andre the Giant. While
there is no solid proof this image is from
Fairey himself, considering he has many
imposters, it does seem to follow the
style of some of his past works featuring
Nixon and a man resembling Ronald
Regan. Unfortunately, as of March, the
art haters of the city have painted over
the masterpiece leaving a thick layer of
gray paint in its place.
Photos and Articles by Mari Kroin
By Jade Johnson
This
September,
the
Federal
Highway
Administration announced
a project to replace the
lettering of all the street signs
in New York City from all upper
case to partially lowercase.
For example, a sign reading
“SPRING ST” will be replaced
with one reading “Spring St.”
The material of the signs will
also be changed to one that
is less reflective. Many signs
throughout the city have
already been replaced, but
it is going to take a long time
to replace all of the signs in
all five boroughs. The project
is set to be finished in 2018.
The explanation
Jan
Vormann
Jan Vormann, 26,
along with a crew ranging
from 3-40 years of age, have
traveled all over the world filling
in broken bricks and stones with
LEGO pieces. He has finally
reached New York! While small,
his LEGO fillers have added
some much needed touch-ups
to broken buildings scattered all
over the city. Jan’s drive behind
these colorful fillers is to simply
“support Mayor Bloomberg in
his everyday-struggle to make
this city even more amazing!”
He proves that it’s the little
things that can make the
biggest impact. It’s hard to
say whether his LEGOs have
Courtesy of nydailynews.com
8
New Yorkers Question
Street Sign Change
is that these new and
improved signs are easier
to read. For many drivers,
it takes some time to read
signs, especially with glare
from the sun. This can be
extremely dangerous for
pedestrians crossing streets.
The lower case lettering and
the new material of the signs
of the signs are meant to
prevent such accidents.
The project as a
whole is estimated to cost
$27.6 million. This may sound
like a great deal of money,
but the Department of
Transportation claims that
they are given even larger
amounts of money to fix
transportation
problems
each year. The plan is merely
a small dent in the budget.
The next question:
is this truly a good idea?
96% of LaGuardia students
asked replied, “no.”
No
one replied, “yes.” Clearly,
a dislike of the project is
common among LaGuardia
students.
The taxes that
everyone pays go directly
into plans like this.
This
is
certainly
disturbing
considering that almost
everyone disagrees with the
plan.
However,
good
things may come from the
plan as well. Many jobs are
created from tedious tasks
like this, especially tasks
lasting as long as this one.
There are so many people
who have recently lost their
jobs, and this project is an
opportunity to bring that
number down. The whole
design may sound like a
ridiculous waste of time and
money, but it is more than
black and white.
Courtesy of nydailynews.com
survived the city’s fast-paced
environment but as of February
his work has been seen across
the street from Penn Station and
Madison Square Garden at 32nd
Street and 7th, West 42nd Street
outside of Bryant Park, East 85th
Street and 5th Avenue outside of
Central Park, 524 Hudson Street,
and West 21st Street and 10th
Avenue at the General Theological
Seminary.
9
The Ground Zero Mosque
Three LaGuardia students weigh in on the controversy.
Courtesy of zimbio.com
An anti-anti protest responds to the “Mosque” uproar
10
10
add that it should not be built
in that specific area: Sarah
Palin tweeted, “We all know
they have a right to do it, but
should they?”
I’m confused.
Is
everyone choosing to ignore
the fact that the “Ground
Zero mosque” will not just be a
place of worship, but also the
Cordoba House, a community
center focused on learning
about and tolerating other
religions? Or that the center
is not going to be built on top
of Ground Zero, but two blocks
away? Or that the imam of
the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf,
has stated repeatedly that he
and his congregation are in
no way supportive of radical,
extremist beliefs, and has even
promised to be transparent
about the sources of funding
for the project? Do Americans
really not know these things?
There remains Sarah
Palin’s argument in her twitter
feed, and with it the underlying
current of prejudice and
paranoia directed towards
Muslim Americans across the
country. I dare anyone to
explain to me how building a
mosque made up of peaceloving, American citizens near
It’s not surprising just
how intense people have been
getting over the construction of
an Islamic community center,
called Park51. Americans have
not forgotten the tragedy of
the September 11th attack on
the World Trade Center one
bit, and the idea of a place
near Ground Zero devoted to
the Muslim community and
worship wounds the families
left bereft by the attack.
Opponents claim that erecting
the “mosque” is tantamount to
building a monument to Hitler
near Auschwitz.
This implies
that Muslims themselves are
both the enemy and the reason
for the deaths on September
11th, a sweeping and bigoted
accusation. We cannot ask
Muslim Americans to give
up their right to building a
community center, even if it is
near to Ground Zero. The only
reason it should not be built is
to prevent such controversy
and inflaming people who
feel such empathy for the
loss of their fellow Americans.
Because Ground Zero has
been turned into a case of
national pride, people may
be less inclined to get the
information straight. Many
neglect the fact that the
plan is not for a mosque,
but for a community center,
and that it is not directly
on Ground Zero, but a few
blocks off. The plan provides
the opportunity to inflame
residual prejudice towards
Muslims from September 11th.
It is disheartening that such
a response would occur to
say the least, but that is the
reality of the situation. Now
that the community center is
under the eye of the nation,
though, there is nothing to
stop people from formulating
their own opinions, regardless
of how much they know
about it.
- Vanessa Grasing
Courtesy of mediaite.com
If I went around the
city and asked people if they
knew what Park51 was, or
anything about the Cordoba
House, chances are I’d
receive blank looks. If I asked
the same people if they
knew about the “Ground
Zero mosque,” their answers
would
be
(presumably)
knowledgeable and charged
with strong opinions.
The fact that Park51
and the so-called “Ground
Zero mosque” are one and
the same project says a
lot about how the media is
negatively portraying the
religious and cultural center,
and how Americans are
choosing to see this project.
Among various other epithets,
the cultural center has been
called a “victory mosque”
and a “swift kick in the teeth”
to the memory of those who
died in 9/11 (New York Post).
It has been compared to a
Nazi organization building, a
center outside the Holocaust
museum, and condemned by
protesters as an Islamist victory
over America. Even people
who claim to recognize the
right of the owners of Park51
in building a cultural center
the site of the Twin Towers is
offensive to the memories
of those who died on 9/11,
without coming to the
conclusion thatIslam is the
symbol for everything antiAmerican.
I dare them
to claim that Park51 is
“insensitive” to the memory
of 9/11 without making a
blanket statement about all
mosques and all Muslims: that
they harbor anti-American
feelings. Muslim Americans
have as equal a share in
the grief we all still harbor in
the wake of 2001, because
they too are Americans. The
mosque they go to and the
religion they adhere to does
not by default make them unAmerican or separate from
American joys and anguishes
such as September 11th.
It’s terrible that we
hear the word “mosque” and
automatically think of suicide
bombers and flag-burning in
the first place. In the minds
of many Americans, Islam
itself has come to symbolize
the “enemy,” the evil of 9/11
and terrorism. If Americans
did not associate Islam the
religion with terrorism, no
one would be upset that a
cultural center that includes
a mosque is to be built near
Ground Zero. I will go so
far as to say that there is no
justification for feeling upset
about the proximity of a
mosque to the site of the Twin
Towers. It is the wrong place
to be directing one’s anger.
A mosque is merely a house of
Islamic worship, just another
religion among the thousands
that exist in the world. It is not
any more hateful than any
other religion in the world;
there just happens to be a
minority of hateful people
who identify themselves as
Muslim, and those people will
definitely not be at Park51.
- Yasmin Kelly
Protesters filled
the streets in lower
Manhattan
The arguments against
the alleged “Ground Zero
mosque” mainly revolve around
two points: the “mosque” is a
place of worship for the people
who bombed our city on September 11, 2001, and the “mosque”
is located at Ground Zero. Both
these conceptions are false. The
“Ground Zero mosque,” as it has
been dubbed by the media, isn’t
at Ground Zero, but two blocks
away, and isn’t even a mosque-it’s actually a public Islamic
Community Center.
Some
believe that the community
center could be a meeting and recruitment point
for potential Islamic terrorists. However, the community center is for “moderates,” not Islamic extremists.
What many people do not
realize about Islam is that it
is not a violent religion. Then
why did Muslims hijack three
planes and fly two of them
into downtown New York,
one might ask? They didn’t--
extremist groups did. Islamic
extremist organizations are
to Islam as the KKK is to Christianity. When one thinks of
Christianity, one’s first thought
aren’t the KKK, so why are
extremists the only thing we
see when it comes to Islam?
If we oppress the
efforts of moderates to make
their culture and religion
more accessible to us, we
will continue to live in fear
and in the shadow of 9/11.
- Daria Berstell
11
The New Right/ The New Left
Midterm Election Report by Sophia Wilansky
The Republicans
won significant victories
this November 2nd, gaining 6 Senate seats and 58
House seats. This is due
to the large Republican
voter turnout, bolstered by
the Tea Party. The Democrats failed to garner
the same enthusiasm, as
many people who voted
for President Obama in
2008 chose not to come
to the polls this year. The
revitalized conservatives
have, among other things,
removed three Iowa State
Supreme Court Justices
who support gay marriage. Ballot initiatives, in
which voters are directly
asked about specific issues, are often very indicative of popular sentiment.
Arizonans voted to ban
affirmative action and,
along with Oklahomans
and Missourians, rejected
mandatory participation
in a federal healthcare
system.
Although the Tea
Party helped in the House
elections, some people
have suggested that the
group hindered the Senate elections. Tea Party
Senate candidates Sharron Angle in Nevada, Ken
Buck in Colorado, and
Christine O’Donnell in Delaware beat establishment
Republicans in the primary but lost in the general
election. Many voters, for
example, were turned off
by O’Donnell’s archaic
views on sex or her admission that she once “dabbled in witchcraft.” More
respected
Republican
candidates would most
likely have had a better chance at defeating
Democratic opponents.
12
While Tea Par
ty politicians can be
extreme—or just plain
weird—the group is, at
its heart, a movement
concerned with the saneconcept of downsizing
the government. Tea Partiers are more concerned
with economic issues than
social issues, putting an
emphasis on taxes, jobs,
and the budget. According to a CBS News poll,
though, forty-five percent
of the Tea Party’s constituency believes that its main
goal is to reduce the role
of the federal government. Ninety-two percent
are afraid that President
Obama is moving the
country toward socialism.
Liberals are indeed leaning more and
more towards socialism,
which is not necessarily a
bad thing. They support
extension of social equality, increased regulation of
the economy, and protection of the environment.
California’s Proposition 23,
which would remove restrictions on carbon emissions, failed by a large
margin this November. Environmental reforms, then,
have not been set back
by the election. Liberals
also support the centralization of health care and
want to end tax cuts for
the rich.
While leftist reforms would promote
equality, some Americans
fear that freedom would
be the price. Others are
simply dissatisfied with
the Democrats who have
been in power. Many of
those who had high expectations for President
Obama found themselves
disappointed by the reality of his administration. His
handling of healthcare reform, for example, turned
off a number of Americans. Some people were
upset that he did not push
though a public option;
others did not like the idea
of centralized healthcare
in the first place. In our
deeply divided Congress,
it can be difficult to effect
any real change. As the
people’s trust of the majority party falls, their support of the minority party
increases. This is why the
minority often experiences
a revival during a midterm
election.
The Republicans
now control the House
of Representatives, while
Democrats have tenuously clung on to a Senate
majority. With the increase
in Republicans, President
Obama’s agenda will be
slowed significantly. Mitch
McConnell,
Republican
minority leader in the Senate, has stated that his top
priority is to prevent the
President’s reelection. Still,
the Democrats will persist.
When people become
tired of the Republicans,
they may well put the
Democrats back in control.
The cycle will continue.
In this political
climate, it is hard to tell
what will be a mere fad
and what will be a lasting
trend. Will the nascent
Tea Party fade away or
persist? Are the people
taking a real turn towards
conservatism, or will they
change their minds again
two years from now? It’s
up to our generation to
decide.
So… What is the Tea Party?
The most telling source of information on the Tea Party is definitely not their
signup website. After scanning the homepage and watching the embedded YouTube
video, it’s still hard to tell what exactly the Tea Party is, as they so often say, “fed up”
with. Members of the movement, which began in 2009 as a response to healthcare
reform and government bailouts, liken themselves to the founding fathers of our
country in that they stand up against “subjugation” and oppressive taxes. They
name the United States Constitution as the basis of their political beliefs. The Tea
Party says that president Obama and his administration are leading the country
towards socialism. They also believe that terrorism is a huge threat to the
future of the nation. They support lowering taxes and lessening the reach
of the federal government, which they claim is a dire problem. The
long-term impact of this group has yet to be seen, but with a rising
number of supporters, it seems the Tea Party will make sure
their voices are heard.
Pen & Ink drawing by Jade Johnson
13
Subway Stories:
YoungLove
Myopia
by Franchette “RJ” Zamudio
14
the baby girl’s hair and tried
to pull it unsuccessfully. The
baby girl woke up. Slow
tears fell from her little blue
eyes. The typical, unbearable “baby screams” filled
the subway car.
The baby boy’s
mom looked at the woman
apologetically as she pulled
her son away.
“No…. bad Nigel,”
she said.
Nigel stared at the
crying baby girl for a few
moments, a clueless boy observing something unknown.
He reached for her again,
this time not for her hair, but
for her tiny hand. I wondered what was in this baby
boy’s mind. By holding on to
her, was he trying to apologize or comfort her? Could
it be that this mere human
being, who may not have
even uttered his first words,
was able to understand
the reason for the baby
girl’s tears? Then again, he
loved pulling his mother’s
hair and did not hold her
hand when she scolded
him. What was it that made
him hold on to this baby girl?
The
baby
girl
stopped crying. The two
babies stared at each other
for about ten seconds behead, I realized that these
fore she went back to to
each other’s hands as if the
world depended on it. Both
of them seemed like they
would never let go.
As it all sunk into my
head, I realized that these
two babies, innocent as
they were, put everyone in
that crowded car to shame.
I looked behind me, where
an old woman was standing
in front of all those people.
No one cared to offer her
a seat. How infants show
more understanding for one
another than adults do! Do
people learn such complex
things as they get older only
to forget the simplest, most
obvious—not even manners—but what should have
been common reflexes?
One time, I saw a woman
crying in her seat. No one
held her hand. No one
asked her if she was alright.
Everyone just stared. Nigel’s
action proves that a human
being does not need much
experience or years in this
world to grasp the idea that
all a crying individual needs
is someone to hold on to.
“Well,
look
at
that...” the baby girl’s
mother said. Both mothers watched two complete
strangers holding on to
each other, a love of some
sort peeking through these
very young hearts.
illustration by annabel willis
There’s one thing I
am highly fascinated with—
babies. I love babies. I’m
not sure if it’s their cuteness that makes my heart
soften, or the fact that I always wanted a baby sister
or brother. Whatever the
reason, a few weeks ago,
when I got on the crowded
F Train at Rockefeller Center
after a long day of strolling
and saw a mother on one
of the blue seats of the car
wearing a front-facing baby
carrier while her little angel,
a baby boy, was busy pulling
her hair, I knew that standing for the next whole hour
was going to be worth it.
As if that wasn’t
such a precious image already,
another
woman
barged in hurriedly with a
stroller, just as the quick doors
closed.
A baby girl was
peacefully sleeping in the
stroller. The second woman
leaned back on one of the
doors with her stroller right in
front of her, beside the mother and the baby boy. After
a few minutes, the mother
released the baby boy
from the baby carrier and
set him on her lap. The boy
trained his eyes on the girl’s
thin, strawberry blond hair.
It was easy to
predict what would happen next. He grasped at
illustration by annabel willis
by Chui Yu Lau
You go to school.
You go to all your classes on time (hopefully).
You sit in each class throughout the day.
You go
home or to an afterschool
activity.
This is the daily
routine of many students
and teachers alike.
Are
we missing something in
this cyclic and imprisoning
routine? Is there something
greater that deserves our
attention and our time?
I’m not talking about the
types of shoes that you want
to buy for your birthday or
the homework that you
have to complete before the week ends. I’m
talking about something
controversial and something that stretches beyond
what we can see. It’s what
happens after death.
Many people, myself included, have a case
of myopia. These people
are nearsighted; they can
only see what is in front of
them.
Students focus on
the projects that they must
complete
rather
than
spending quality time building a lifelong relationship
with their family. Mothers
and fathers work all day to
make ends meet, unable
to raise their children into
adults. Myopia comes in all
shapes and forms, but
it’s time for a change of
point of view. You ask: why
should I get involved in
knowing my faith in this
world? Why does it matter
what I believe? Is there is
God or a higher power? Is
there a meaning to life?
What you believe,
and what you hold to be
true, affects how you lead
your life.
Everyone is a
theologian and has a religion. The God or the higher
power in our lives is someone or something that
we all live for. That thing,
person, or creator, or object
is what we look onto for full
satisfaction, pleasure, and
“completion.”
You have
probably heard girlfriends
or boyfriends say something
along the lines of “She/
he completes me. She/he
is the one.” It may seem
silly in retrospect, but many
people place their full happiness, feelings, and satis-
faction into a single person.
This is why break ups are so
difficult and painful.
You
could live your life for the
current love of your life, but
would those warm gushy
feelings in the stomach last 5
years down the road? Don’t
get me wrong, but there is
nothing wrong with dating.
There is also nothing wrong
with loving to spend, use,
and save money. But don’t
make it your full satisfaction,
because one day that money or even that boy/girlfriend
can be swept away.
Seek and pursue what
is forever in this life. We
came into the world with
nothing, and therefore we
cannot take anything with
us. Look with your eyes to
see beyond the daily routine of going to school and
coming home. If this column
brings you to volunteer at a
soup kitchen or attend a religious or spiritual place, you
have come closer to living
a life that leaves a legacy
on earth, even after death.
15
Horoscopes
by Kailee Breaux, Jade Johnson, and Ella Sanandaji
Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19)
Build an emotional barrier; prepare yourself for artistic rejection. Don’t forget,
everyone goes through it, especially at
LaGuardia. Instead of sulking, learn from
this experience; it will help you later in life.
Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)
Try something new; discover a new talent
– working in the midst of all this art will prepare you for new artistic discoveries. These
discoveries will change your perspective
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
An unexpected school break will impact
your attitude greatly, and will give you
time to heal from internal wounds and
to resolve inner difficulties. Everything will
seem less demanding, helping you to focus on the more important things in life.
Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)
Don’t fly too far away too fast; you’ll leave
your flock behind. True friendship is something that cannot be acquired immediately.
Use your keen character judgment to help
you find the friends that will last a lifetime.
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)
You will finally convince your drama teacher’s agent to represent you in your quest
to become the spokesperson for Kentucky
Fried Chicken. Watch out for any Capricorn managers who might not like you very
much. Just remember to flap those wings
and be proud of who you are at auditions!
Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)
Virgos are kind and caring. These attributes earn you a great deal of trust, but
you really need to stop being such a pushover! If you for once do not let a distasteful classmate push you out of the way on
the escalators, you will earn a great deal
of respect and you will be remembered
for many graduating classes.
16
SAGITTARIUS
Icons by Jade Johnson
Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22)
You do not like your life to be complicated, but right now
all of your hard classes and team practices are making it
difficult to maintain balance. Your teachers aren’t calling in sick any time soon and the homework will keep
piling. The solution? Incorporate practice for your sport
in your classes and derive studying methods from sports!
Scorpio (Oct 23- Nov 21)
You will meet your true love while waiting in line for
your guidance counselor.
Unfortunately, someone
with the same counselor already has eyes on your
soul mate. Being the fighter that you are, pretend
that you have the same counselor, too! Start some
small talk about that schedule change you’ve been
wanting and make your way to romance from there.
Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)
Be careful this month. Danger is on the the horizon. The
stars are not in your favor. In fact, one could even say
that the stars are surrounding your star, crouched for an
attack. Of course, given the jovial nature characteristic
to your zodiac, you probably won’t believe me. Too bad.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19)
Your even and calculating nature might lead you to cut
out some creative possibilities. Remember this little piece
of advice: Don’t be a square. Seriously. You don’t want to
end up stuck with the single expression Kristen Stewart has
in all of her movies. I mean, You don’t want to turn into a
robot or something. Now, as you’re getting all huffy and
indignant about that last comment, you might want to join
the meditation club to help even out those mood swings.
I am swallowed by the dream
the dream of Sagittarius
A vacant field illuminated by constellations
vivid in the night
He stands alone, my archer mate
aiming an arrow in the shape of a spade
all alone, in the wilderness
an open meadow of grass
My heart defying its semi-broken shell,
Sagittarius shifts the arrow to me
archer mate, how could you betray me?
an absent correlation within the constellations
without a word to break the silence
he breaks his grip and suddenly, so suddenly
that arrow dwindles into stardust
our livid eyes connect
without a word to break the silence
he breaks his grip and suddenly, so suddenly
that arrow dwindles into stardust
our livid eyes connect
the force can never let me run
I’d rather feel the arrow plunge into my heart
than watch it turn to stardust
Sagittarius in silhouette against an augmented moon
Archer stands valiant and unbroken
arrows gripped in the sinister palm
What an encounter, my stellar mate
strike me with your arrow of spade
with a poisonous kiss I cascade to the ground
down to the phases of the elements
Sagittarius, come to me, strike me
so that I can never feel again.
- Alessandra Rao
Aquarius (Jan 22-Feb 18)
Something
unexpected
will
happen
to
you.
Soon.
It could be anything.
But it will be unexpected.
Remember that you heard it here first.
Pisces (Feb 19-March 20)
Today is your month to acquire a fish. Preferably a live
one. The forecast for your star is cloudy and uncertain, and filled with unlucky omens. A fish is the very
thing you need to counterbalance all that unfortuitous
drudge! Acquiring a fish, the animal of your zodiac, will
reinforce the essence of you, making your spirit stronger in the face of the fates, so the more fish the better!
17
3D TVs : Are they worth it?
Review by Isabelle Ament
3D televisions are some
of the new high tech gadgets
on the market today. But when
contemplating whether to spend
some extra cash on the TV, just for
that IMAX effect, you have to ask: Is
it worth it?
People want to watch
soccer balls and meteorites flying at
them as they watch television. That’s
why so many companies concluded
that they should sell a product such as
this. But if you think about it, are there
many TV shows that have any items
that move towards the viewer now,
without the 3D effect? I suspect that
television may change in the future,
but will newscasters fly out at the
viewer if you buy the 3D television?
The purpose of this television
is to make people feel as though
they are in the movie theater, even
if the people are just watching a
television show at home. The viewers
might even feel as though they
are saving money -- but are they?
The televisions come in a range of
sizes, however, when compared
to a regular television, they are
Facebook: Connection or Depression?
by Franchette “RJ Zamudio
Courtesy of samsung.com
around one thousand dollars more!
Compared to the price of actually
going to the movies, it would take
buyers around 15 years to actually
begin saving money!
Sure, it’s a cool gadget, but
once the thrill of flying bananas wears
off I presume buyers will get depressed
because of their empty pockets.
RATING: 2/5 Stars
As I started meeting new people
at LaGuardia, the first questions I received
were “What’s your name again?”, “Your
major?” and “Are you on Facebook?”
This social network, as it claims, has truly
made it easier to connect and share
with the people around us, sometimes
even with people we are absolutely not
fond of (that’s what the amazing “block
button” is for). However, like everything in
our society, Facebook has its dark sides.
These include verbal misunderstandings
between friends, loss of friends, and the
ever so controversial issue -- cyberbullying.
With new technology comes
new ways of approaching situations such
as bullying. These are cases in which even
the trusty block button can be of little or
no use at all. Yes, the bullying has quelled
over the years, but the scar remains. That
offensive wall post has already been
posted and read; whether it was deleted
afterwards or not, it was there. It is ironic
that people nowadays add or accept
the people who bully them, knowing that
nothing pleasant can result. If that’s not
the case, and one’s friends suddenly
malign things on one’s wall, then that
proves to be even more depressing.
“You don’t get to 500 million
friends without making a few enemies,”
claims the trailer for the recent movie The
Social Network. Who can really have even
just 500 real friends all at once in the real
world? It is impossible. If some people do
have more than 500 friends on Facebook, I
can with much hubris say that that number
includes relatives, people from school who
they don’t really talk to, and mutual friends
they don’t entirely know. I too am guilty,
for I have on occasion accepted people
who I am not completely familiar with.
Speaking of friends, I have
witnessed a confrontation amongst friends
over some guy who they both claimed on
Facebook to be “in a relationship with” at
the same time. Not only did Facebook help
them connect and share, it also opened
their eyes to the reality that this guy was a
total cheater. Unfortunately, friends can
be removed from your so-called “Friends
List” with just one click. It is interesting to
consider that Facebook might have been
created this way on purpose. Unlike real
life, on the site people come into and
out of your life in a matter of seconds.
Despite its negative features,
Facebook remains the number one social
network in the world we live in today.
The History of Computers
by Sophia Feist
18
It all started during WWII with a need for faster mathematical computing. In 1944, the first real computer
was built. Using the binary system instead of the base-10 system, this computer could remember up to 72 digits at
a time. Almost all it did, though, was calculate. In 1951, a new computer was invented, this one using internal,
amendable programming instead of physical wires that had to be moved. In 1957, a new computer language
was invented, one that meant that computers would be programmed more easily. In 1965, the first
‘microcomputer’ was invented. This was a computer that was what we now call about average size for
a desktop computer, considered miniscule then. E-mail was also invented around this time as a form of
near-instant communication between all people connected on a network. In 1976, a small company
called Apple Computers Inc. was invented, changing the industry forever. The Apple 1 was the first
computer with a keyboard. All that it needed was to be plugged in to a monitor. The Apple 2,
coming the next year, was the first mass-produced computer. In 1985 Microsoft Windows operating
system was invented, and in 1981, the first portable computer was invented. Computers have
evolved from basic computing devices to the complex machinery we have today, going from
unknown, vague sci-fi devices to an item found in almost every household.
Courtesy of gev.com
19
Is Rate My Teachers
by Lizzy Hibbard
Rating
how
much one likes or dislikes
people on the internet
seems like a slam dunk
for cyberbullies. Opinions
vary, however, when it
is teachers who are being rated. The site clearly
denies in the FAQ section that its purpose is
just a way to “get even
with teachers” by stating that about 60% of
the feedback is positive.
However, that still means
that 40% of the feedback
is negative, and 60% is
not a passing score. One
must remember that the
people being rated are
not just teachers but that
they are also people who
care what others think of
them. An average LaGuardia teacher teaches
over a hundred students
a day, and knowing their
“score” can actually
negatively affect how
they teach.
S c r o l l i n g
through the site, the easiest way to see the varying scores are the icons
on the left hand side.
Sunglasses on a smiling
icon are the best; a blue
icon with a frown is the
worst. Most students view
the site as a good reference for personal use. It
seems to be most helpful
to freshman who want to
know as much about a
new school as possible.
Without
complicated
scoring systems, being
able to quickly see how
much people like the
teachers can give a new
student a feeling of being a little more oriented.
It can also be
a great reference for a
great reference for students who might not immediately click with a
20
Cyberbullying?
by Yasmin Kelly
teacher. Students can
come into class with a
better understanding of
the teacher. The best use
for this site is most likely
when one needs use for
this site is most likely when
one needs to choose
one’s classes. Trying to
pick between teachers
would make this site a
helpful resource. Ratemyteachers.com
has
even established a student from each school
to act as a moderator for
their school. The moderator corrects the spelling
of the teachers’ names,
adds more teachers
to the database, and
reviews and edits the
comments.
One can
only hope that the moderator is not biased.
Ratemyteachers.com does not allow
comments to say anything about a teacher
that does not directly link
to their teaching abilities. All the comments
are checked before they
are allowed to go on the
wall. If anything too offensive is posted about
their appearance or personal life, it will be deleted. It is clear that the site
is made with the best intentions of trying to keep
the ratings accurate and
about academics.
One freshman
made the distinction that
talking about a teacher’s
character is cyberbullying, but critiquing their
teaching style is more like
a movie review than it is
bullying. Though a very
good point, there is room
for doubt. The separation
of a teacher’s personal
and professional lives is
often taken for granted.
The only problem is that
because teaching is so
interactive and improvisational, a teacher cannot always keep that
line from getting blurred.
Therefore, by critiquing a
teacher, one is also partially critiquing the person as well.
One may question how a report card
is different than a score
on ratemyteachers.com.
Both score people, and
can lead to unhappiness
or joy depending upon
their results. The biggest
difference between the
two is communication.
A student can talk to a
teacher about a report
card, and can even go
for tutoring. In contrast,
a teacher on the site
gets their score through
only a few votes from a
scattered group of random people based on a
few categories.
Another problem is that fact that there
is nothing to stop people
who have never met a
teacher from voting on
them. This could mean a
teacher’s rating is based
entirely on people that
have never even attended their class. Perhaps
the most hurtful part of
the site is the simple icon
and number. An icon
and a number is not
enough to rate a person.
It is degrading to see a
number and cartoon-like
face as the sole factors
describing someone. A
person cannot fit into
such confining categories. That is why a site
like ratemyteacers.com
can become offensive,
and therefore constitutes
cyber-bullying.
In the good old
days, when computers
were large enough to
fill huge rooms and the
idea of an “internet”
was non-existent, students would pick their
fights on the playground.
There were face-to face
showdowns, screaming
matches, fistfights. Unfortunately for us, we
live in the 21st century,
where at our leisure,
from the comfort of our
chairs, we can hurl venomous words at each
other until one of us is
broken.
“Bullying” is
not a big enough word
for what goes on in the
pecking order of K-12;
this new form of harassment, shaped by the
way the anonymity of
the internet makes human beings behave,
merits a name of its
own: cyberbullying. In
recent years, cyberbullying has become a chimera and an epidemic,
brought to our attention
by tragic stories of teen
and pre-teen suicide.
It has come to mean
something viler than
your average, dayto day insults, but our
perception of it retains
one thing similar to the
days of old-fashioned
bullying. We see it as
harassment inflicted on
students, by students.
We hardly ever consider adults who are out
of school as potential
targets for cyberbullying—but are they?
Several
stu
dents
and
teachers at LaGuardia say
yes.
Consider ratemyteachers.com,
a
website cre- ated as
a forum for students
and parents to rate
their teachers in middle
school and high school.
Drama majors Justin
Jones and Rachel Weiner Berger both felt the
website was a bad idea.
“Any type of negative,
purposely hurtful comment [online] is cyberbullying,” said Jones.
Is Rate My
Teachers a website
that’s primarily an outlet
for cyberbullying? And
is the online harassment
really abuse in the same
sense that cruel comments on chat rooms,
Facebook and Formspring are?
Rate
My
Teachers has filters and
will eventually delete
anything obscene, but
some of the commentary students write for
teachers can be really vicious. There was
a particular comment
saying that one teacher
“should be put out of her
misery.” Yet most students agree that calling RMT “cyberbullying”
is a stretch. In a poll of
24 students, 18 said that
Rate My Teachers was
not cyberbullying—the
idea seemed absurd to
most. After all, teachers
are adults and, in theory, secure enough to let
verbal abuse roll off their
backs. Math teacher
Ms. Reich agreed. “The
balance of power between teachers and
students is so heavily
[skewed] in the teacher’s favor--so it’s OK
that students have a
forum where they can
express their opinions.”
“It’s not like
Facebook, where you
have an actual account
you have to check,” one
Junior told me. “Teachers don’t have to look
at their ratings... ratemyteachers.com is just
talking behind people’s
backs. It’s not bullying,
it’s something else.” Indeed, it doesn’t seem
that many teacher do
check their ratings. Out
of 18 teachers asked,
only four said they
checked their ratings
on the website. Several
teachers I approached
had not even known
about ratemyteachers.
com prior to my mention of it.
One of my
best teachers looked
stunned and dubious
when she found out
that she had ratings on
a website. “Oh God,
I’m scared now,” she
joked, but she looked
slightly troubled all the
same. I ended up wishing I hadn’t told her.
“ [ R a t e myteachers] is useless,”
said Ms. Kingham, a
Social Studies teacher.
“It’s just griping—a pop-
A teacher who is
afraid to say interesting things can only be
one thing: boring.
ularity contest.”
She
added that she’s given
out anonymous surveys at the end of the
school year to her students, which always
yield more constructive
results; this is most likely
because there are specific questions to answer
instead of an open box
inviting general commentary. Ms. Kingham
and several of her colleagues told me similar
tales: they checked
their ratings once, were
dissatisfied with the lack
of constructive criticism
or shocked by some of
the more mean-spirited
comments, and resolved to focus solely
on what they do in the
classroom.
“I didn’t sign
up to be a public figure
when I started to teach,”
one English teacher said
as we sat down to talk.
“It’s like teachers are
thinking to themselves,
‘Watch what you say,
for it might get typed
up and printed for the
world to see...’” Things
the teachers say or do
are picked apart; their
personality traits and
mannerisms are made
fun of, even if they really are working hard
for their students. He’s
seen teachers who
have watered down
their performance in
the classroom because
of places like Rate My
Teachers.
A teacher
who is afraid to say interesting things can only
be one thing: boring.
In that sense,
Rate My Teachers may
be a new, different
form of cyberbullying,
more passive and yielding less dramatic results
than among minors.
Whether this website
can be raised to the caliber of notoriety already
achieved among teenage circles on Facebook and Formspring,
at the end of the day
it’s more of a place for
students to unwind and
express opinions than a
site to be taken seriously in judging teachers
on their performance.
21
Some Things Need no Words
Things My Parents Did
by Yasmin Kelly
by Annabel Willis
When
my
dad
was a senior in high school
in Bainbridge, Georgia, he
used to work at Cox Funeral
Home afterschool and on
weekends. At the time, it had
never occurred to him that
working around dead bodies
wasn’t a normal job for a
teenager. In fact, he was
kind of proud that he wasn’t
flipping burgers or mowing
lawns like some of his friends.
One Saturday, his
boss asked him to drive to
Panama City, Florida, to
pick up a body from another
funeral home and transport it
back to Bainbridge. He said
yes, but was a little freaked
out about driving two hours
alone to pick up a dead
person. So he proceeded to
desperately beg and bribe
almost everyone he knew to
come with him -- including
his
dad,
who
refused
outright, all the while insisting
he wasn’t scared, just way
too busy to drive down
to the beach for a body.
After some quick
talking, he convinced his best
friend, Brian “Tunk” Bullock,
to come along with him on
the drive. He accomplished
this by promising Tunk lots of
free food and beverages.
The thing that made this
outing so hard to sell was
that they’d be making the
trip in the family’s not-socool station wagon, as the
funeral home’s fancy black
hearse was in the shop with
transmission problems. Not
having a hearse was a
hardship, especially if your
passenger wasn’t totally
comfortable seeing a dead
body laying in the back of the
car. So my dad conveniently
22
22
forgot to mention that detail.
My dad and Tunk
left for Panama City right
after lunch, and had the bad
luck to drive straight into one
of those infamous afternoon
rainstorms that brew over the
Gulf of Mexico, then heads
inland to drench everything
in its path. Mile after mile,
Tunk kept asking my dad
about the ride back and
what kind of hearse they’d
be switching over to for the
ride home. It took awhile,
but eventually he realized
that there was no hearse.
And that the dead guy
would be riding in the back
seat. He was not happy.
When they finally
arrived at the funeral home
in Florida, my dad dashed
through
the
downpour
toward the back entrance
of the morgue, where he was
met by a guy who appeared
to be even younger than him.
It didn’t take long for them
both to realize that neither
of ‘em knew what they were
doing—or what to do next.
Finally, after staring
at each other dumbly, the
boy and my dad heaved the
lifeless body onto a stretcher.
The man gave out a slow,
low moan, as air escaped
from his lungs. Thankfully
Tunk didn’t hear it. After
they were done loading the
stretcher into the car, my
dad had to convince Tunk,
who stood six feet tall and
weighted 200 pounds, to
get in. After a few expletivefilled tirades, Tunk reluctantly
agreed that the only way
he was getting home was
with my dad, especially
since it was already dark
and raining cats and dogs.
Once Tunk settled
into the front seat with my
dad, they started back
to Bainbridge. During the
whole ride, Tunk was pressed
against the dash, expressing
his eternal hatred for my
father, who was straining to
see where he was going in
the gloomy darkness. My
dad turned toward Tunk
telling him to relax, and right
when he looked back he saw
the yellow light in front of him
turn to red. He slammed on
the brakes and the car slid
to a halt on the wet road.
The stretcher in the back,
however, kept right on rolling,
striking the back of their seats
and landing two very dead
feet right on the dash board.
Both of them were
screaming like schoolgirls
then my dad punched on
the gas, reversing the body
into the back of the station
wagon, and sped through
the red light. Right then, one
of the back tires hit a deep
pothole that sent the old,
beat-up wagon to bouncing.
During all the jostling, the
dead body let out one more
long, deep moan. My dad
looked over at Tunk, who
was now sitting in the fetal
position,
pressed
tightly
against the passenger door.
It took a lot of doing, but he
managed not to laugh at the
weirdness of the situation.
About an hour
later, Tunk and my dad rolled
into Bainbridge at last. As far
as my father knows, Tunk still
hasn’t completely forgiven
him.
Symphonic
Band.
Senior Jazz. Johann Sebastian
Bach. Louis Armstrong. It
doesn’t seem like these things
have much in common.
Certainly, the most famous
trumpet player in the world
gets more applause than the
200-year old composer of 18th
century music, whose work
many now regard as mildewy
and in need of dusting.
Whether or not the
juxtaposition of these two
very different genres seems
appropriate, they coexisted
on November 5th, the date
of LaGuardia’s first concert
for the school year. And yes,
the audience clapped much
more
enthusiastically
for
the Jazz Band than they did
for Symphonic. But for the
people in the audience that
don’t text, take pictures with
cameras that snap loudly,
or twist open noisy candy
wrappers as if they’re in a
movie theater, music is music,
whatever the style may be.
That night, I was reminded
by both Jazz and Symphonic
Band that music is the best
language in the world, for
it needs no translation, and
that sometimes instruments
speak it in a way this vocal
major admits is too deep for
the human voice to fathom.
I hear people saying
music is a language so often
that the phrase often loses its
meaning. The very first number
of the concert, a quintet for
woodwinds composed by a
LaGuardia alum, reminded
me to appreciate that saying
once more.
Each person
played their instrument like it
was their voice. If you closed
your eyes, you could hear five
distinct characters having a
private conversation, polite
and courteous yet tinged
with an unspoken sadness.
The bassoon would come
in, say its two cents worth,
fluttering like a small gust of
wind, and the others would
continue timidly, dancing
around their neighbors’ lines.
Then there were
the silences: the quiet,
muted gaps in the music, the
loopholes in the dialogue.
Where one voice was on the
verge of speaking and the
other, just paused. In them,
there was somehow a feeling
of loss, as if all the woodwinds
were
secretly
mourning
the absence of a most
important person.
Though
in the end what made the
instruments come to life were
the
talented
performers,
each voice was like a living,
breathing, speaking human,
if one could just forget that
the mellow, warm alto was a
clarinet, the husky, scratchyvoiced traveler the bassoon,
the starchy, woody woman
with splinters in her voice the
oboe...
In
“Reflections,”
I literally heard the flutes
whisper. I could hear the
breaths each player took
more clearly than in a chorus
of people. It was as if the
instruments themselves were
breathing. I will not deny that
I am partial to Jazz, but that
quintet was one of my favorite
pieces in the entire concert.
If ever there was
a style of music where
instruments
are
people,
Jazz is it, and the Senior
Jazz band understands this
that intuitively.
I heard a
trumpet and a saxophone
take turns laughing at each
other in “Rhoda Map”; heard
that same trumpet stand
up, snickering with mirth,
and tell us a knock-yoursocks-off tall tale, bold as
the brass it is, raucous and
saucy, in “A Portrait of Louis
Armstrong.” The clarinet sang
so effortlessly high over the
wild rhythm in “Clarinade for
Benny Goodman” that I felt
if I did not get up and dance,
I would suffocate from sheer
excitement. (Fortunately for
the rest of the audience, I
did not act upon this sudden
urge.)
Watching the Jazz
band over the years, I’ve
come to believe the genre
is about pure, sublime joy,
because to watch these
students perform is to see
people in heaven. The bass
player could not keep the
grin off his face during his solo:
I enjoyed watching him as
much as I loved the incredible
way he made his instrument’s
voice rumble and bounce
around. As the night went on,
the players began to borrow
the magic of their enthusiasm
off of each other, which is so
something so delightful to
watch that I cannot put it into
words. In “Life’s Incredible,”
each time the big band
came in with the theme as
the soloists were improvising,
they suddenly found the
rights words to say. It was
like they were searching for
the right words before—then
they heard that theme, and
the words came. I listened
as music just flowed out from
their fingers, effortless as
exhaling or confiding to your
closest friend.
What
really
delighted me most was the
dialogue the trumpeter had
with the saxophonist in the
first song, “Rhoda Map.” I
could follow the thread of
their back-and-forth chatter,
jubilant and brimming with
life, and understand it better
than I understand English.
I’ve always yearned to know
what it’s like to be bilingual.
This must be it.
23
“
You Are What You Wear
“Fashion fades, only
style remains the same.”
24
Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was
born on August 19th, 1883 in France. Her
father abandoned her in an orphanage,
and she grew up in poverty. She
opened her first shop in 1912, and she
revolutionized fashion. At that time,
women were expected to wear tight
corsets, full skirts, and appear confident
and majestic at all times. Fashion was
supposed to be about appearance
and grandeur.
Chanel hated that
women dressed to impress men. She
changed fashion so that women could
feel and look beautiful without constant
pain. She made trousers and pants for
women, which was a huge change
from women’s fashion at the time. She
also worked with jersey, which was
almost unheard of in fashion. Chanel
handbags, perfume, suits, and hats were
an immediate success in France. Karl
Lagerfeld, who took over Chanel, has
modernized many techniques and
styles. He changed his collections so
that the skirts are shorter and the details
more prominent, but has still managed
to keep the allure and class of Coco
Chanel’s irreplaceable and timeless
ideas. When Chanel died on January
10, 1971, her sense of style did not die
with her; it still influences fashion today.
” Column By Elijah Sevier
courtesy of stylehog.com
Featured
Fashion:
Coco Chanel
by Carla
Borderies
Quoting Fashion
Rachel Zoe is an American fashion stylist best known
for dressing celebrities and high profile clientele such as
Keira Knightley and Anne Hathaway.
Coco Chanel claimed to be
born in Auvergne, which makes me
connect to her not only in our interests,
but also our birthplace. I wasn’t born
in Auvergne, but it is one of the most
important places to my family and I as our
grandparents and great-grandparents
have spent years and endless vacations
in the French countryside. I spend all
my summers there, and it is a beautiful
and inspiring place. Like Ms. Chanel,
I believe that women should dress
to make themselves feel beautiful,
not just to impress the people around
them. Even today, women around the
world are inspired by Coco Chanel’s
strength, and are willing to learn from
Chanel’s great discoveries. Students at
LaGuardia can relate to her because
each and every person has their own
style and no one is afraid to express
their thoughts through their sense of
style. LaGuardians know that they
don’t have to dress like everyone else
in order to be accepted. As Chanel
said, “In order to be irreplaceable one
must always be different,” and most
importantly -- “Fashion fades, only style
remains the same.” “Style is the best way to say who you are without having to speak.”
-Rachel Zoe
Self-definition
is
boundless.
Whether we
use style as a means of
identification, or simply to
escape from the perpetual
question of who we are, our
style dictates how society
sees us. More importantly,
it dictates how we see ourselves.
Some who
dress in fashion are aching
for attention; they have
a desperate desire to be
noticed. Others are veiled
underneath their clothing
because they are afraid
of standing out, or have
a greater fear of realizing
their own potential. Some
dress to conform to whatever standards they feel
they must meet, suffering
under the terrible longing
to be accepted. Some
may unfortunately, at their
loss, feel that the manner
in which they dress has
little importance or effect
on the events in their lives,
and therefore create unfortunate and undeniably
regrettable clothing choices. Some simply are not
blessed with the adequate
skill necessary to properly
execute an acceptable
ensemble, and purely do
not have the willpower or
desire to improve, or will
never acquire the vital lessons of wisdom from those
who preach fashion as
God’s word. The remainder, who possess the complete package of an altogether polished look, poise,
class, and confidence, are
a rare delicacy among
high school students.
The purpose of
these classifications is not
to trap us in defined groups
with no chance of social
mobility, but to provide a
broad view of how life. As
we grow as individuals, our
style changes dramatically.
Most of us will never reach
the same heights of perfection as legendary fashion
icons like Audrey Hepburn
or Kate Moss. However,
just like anything else, in
fashion we learn valuable
lessons through thick and
thin. When we are faced
with college interviews or
career opportunities we
will be ready to present
ourselves in a manner that,
as Rachel Zoe implies, will
tell part of our story before we have said a word.
25
Freshman
INTERVIEW
John Walsh is a talented Junior
participating in LaGuardia’s annual
school musical, Hairspray. This vocal
major can not only sing, but is gifted in
almost all aspects of performance art.
He plays the newscaster/officer and is
the understudy for Corny Collins. LaG
Mag was able to catch up with John
over the phone to talk about rehearsal
times, future goals, and stage fright.
Hairspray runs from December 9th to
12th and from the 16th to the 19th.
Kailee Breaux: What made you want to participate in “Hairspray”?
John Walsh: I love being on stage. Well,
I love musicals. This is a big opportunity
for me. (Laughs)
KB: How has your major affected your
decision to audition?
JW: In vocal we don’t get to perform
on stage, like a musical. We get a lot of
choral work.
KB: So you can act too?
JW: Yes.
KB: How did you get into acting?
JW: Outside of school, I can say that. I
did a lot of community theatre.
KB: Are you planning on pursuing
theatre as a career?
JW: Um, I hope so. I would like to
eventually, one day.
KB: How many musicals, plays, or
performances have you been in?
JW: More than you can count. (Laughs)
KB: Do you get stage fright?
JW: Not really. But I do get a little
nervous.
KB: How much time do you spend
rehearsing?
JW: For Hairspray? Almost every day.
Except Sunday. (Laughs)
KB: Did you see the original 1988 movie
Hairspray?
JW: I haven’t, but I have yet to see it.
But it’s in my room.
KB: Have you seen the new one?
JW: But I’ve seen the new one, yes.
KB: How did the movie differ from
LaGuardia’s Hairspray?
JW: Well the movie’s different from the
stage production, because songs have
been cut. The story line’s a little… the
story line’s the same. But the way it
happens is different. Do you see what
I’m saying?
26
26
KB: Yeah. If you could’ve chosen a
different role, what would you have
picked?
JW: If I could’ve chosen a different
role… I would’ve loved to be Edna.
KB: Edna, why?
JW: Um… because it’s kind of a
character role, and I can really play
around a little.
KB: I can’t wait until the performance.
Are you excited?
JW: I’m very excited. It’s almost one
month away. Coming up.
Time to Face Reality
by Kailee Breaux
My dream had come true, the
thing I’d longed for for so many years. I
wanted to feel like I was good enough,
and was sure that LaGuardia would make
that happen. So why wasn’t I happy?
That giddy little seventh grader in me had
gone away. The Fame movie came out
on my birthday. It had to be fate, right?
That I would get in! Fate that I would reach
success! Or so I thought. I was finally
faced with the reality of LaGuardia life.
After about a week, I began to feel
it. I felt the dreaded thing that all artists
eventually have to go through: rejection.
I knew that this would happen someday,
being shot down to the point that you
couldn’t breathe. I just chose not to face
the reality. There was new competition
and expectancies thrust upon me. I hung
in there for a while, pushing on. Eventually
I recognized a constant internal need to
feel or be better than everyone else. I
craved the talent that my peers possessed.
I wanted to hold the originality and pure
happiness that so many students seemed
to have. I felt that I could not knock down
my internal obstacles. I hated feeling this
way. I hated the feeling of just wanting to
give up. The pressure of a life in the arts
is hard, yet I knew it was what I wanted.
Facing the reality of the situation made
me want to stop. For a while, I didn’t
want to make art. My passion just didn’t
seem as great anymore. I had never
experienced so much jealousy, desire,
or misery. But LaGuardia has made it
clear that challenges are a mandatory
component of life, whether I like it or not.
In the art world, even friends have
to compete against each other. We all
want the same things, and there are so
few spots in the world for the people that
want them. When opportunity comes,
the people who you rely on emotionally
can end up hurting you creatively.
Sometimes it seems like this pressure is
the only important thing in the world.
Sometimes being surrounded by so much
talent and individuality makes me feel like
I am just not good enough, even when I
know deep down inside that I am part of
it too.
Perspectives
Welcome to the Land
of Opportunities
By Lauren “ElleCee” Marie Curet
When you come from a two
floor school, containing one 8th grade
class, with class sizes ranging from 7
students to 18, and no hall passes,
coming to LaGuardia is a culture shock!
I came from a small middle school
in Glendale, Queens called St. Johns
Lutheran. Coming to LaGuardia was both
a miracle and the happiest moment of my
life. Originally, I didn’t think that LaGuardia
would be so difficult. I never knew that
going to your guidance counselor would
be considered cutting if you went during
a class. In fact, I never really had free
periods or guidance counselors so it was
all a complete shock to me. I also didn’t
know that if you were going to run random
jobs in school during your lunch period
you needed a hall pass. When I got sent
to the Dean’s Office for not having a
hall pass, I was in such shock that I broke
down crying, explaining to the dean that
my school never had hall passes you were
just allowed to walk out the door. They
said I had “culture shock”. Everything is
so different now. LaGuardia is the biggest
school I have ever attended. I never went
to a school dance before and I have
honestly never seen such cultural diversity
or talent in any other school. It’s such an
honor to even be a part of this community.
The work is difficult, especially geometry
and chemistry, but I guess in this school, like
in any other school, you have to learn to
apply yourself. I use to watch movies and
television shows like Mean Girls and Glee
believing that high school was just like that,
but LaGuardia is so much better. Everyone
is so nice and accepting.
LaGuardia is my dream school
and the one school that I’ve wanted to
attend ever since the age of four. Getting
into this school showed me that dreams
do come true and when you try hard
enough you can achieve anything. To me,
LaGuardia is the opportunity of a lifetime,
one I was able to catch.
27
Halloween
by Alessandra Rao
An Inside View of the 2010 LaGuardia Halloween
ost
would
define
Halloween as a day for
vampires and demons to
lurk the streets,
frighten
people with tales of
Headless Horsemen. But
when Halloween reaches
LaGuardia, it does a full 360 degree
turnaround—making it a show like no other.
You know its Halloween here, at the Fame
School, when you see life-sized headphones
roaming the halls. No you’re not
hallucinating—a human Rubix Cube is, in
fact, right beside you. This is one of the most
exciting days of a LaGuardian school year.
When creativity, talent, and a passion for
the arts are thrown into the concoction,
you, my friend, are in for one heck of an
experience.
Raquel
Barroso
in
her
prize
winning
costume: Dave & Buster’s Arcade Claw
Machine.
According
to
Barroso,
she
made it in three hours the night before!
COSTUME OF THE YEAR 2010
The apex of the day is the Halloween
Parade, held in the Little Flower Theater,
hosted by Dr. Stricklin (dressed as Dr. Evil,
from the hit movie Austin Powers) and Ms.
York (dressed as Mini Me, Dr. Evil’s assistant).
Last year, “Taylor Swift and Kanye West” took
home the title of “Costume of the Year.”
This year, the same title was passed on to
Raquel Barroso, a senior vocal major who
deftly created a costume which she entitled
“Dave & Buster’s Arcade Claw Machine.”
Barroso says: “I made it from boxes and toys.
The hardest part was cutting the boxes and
getting into the subway!” Her costume was
devised so that her head fit into the “glass”
of the machine, surrounded by stuffed
animals, a claw, and a device to insert your
dollars. Speaking of dollars…a generous
$100 from LaGuardia was probably more
than she expected. Cheers to Raquel!
I made it from
boxes and toys. The
hardest part was
cutting the boxes
and getting into the
subway!
-Raquel Barroso
Dancing
penguins
dia’s Little Flower
28
28
on
LaGuarTheater stage.
Left to Right: John Walsh as
“Snooki”, Ben Antar as “Skinny Mr.
Sperber”, Janis Crespo and Ashley
Thomas as “iPod Headphones”.
ms
oe Ada
sy of Z
Courte
CATEGORY WINNERS
The winner of “Audience Choice” was
John Walsh, who’s costume was the infamous
Snooki of MTV’s The
Jersey Shore. The junior vocal major--who
was dressed in a mini
skirt, oversized slippers,
jet black “poof” hair,
and skin caked with a
lovely shade of “guido
orange”
bronzer—
was bound to receive
roaring cheers from
the audience. The jar
of pickles (Snooki’s favorite) and the classic
red cup were a great
accessory to the costume.
Honorable Mentions
Quite a number of costumes sparked many
reactions, but unfortunately, there were
not enough prizes to
name them winners.
As cheesy as it may
sound, we are all winners here, at LaGuardia Arts. Among the incredible, hand-made
ams
costumes was
oe Ad the
y of Z Made
esFish.”
“Angler
t
r
u
o
C
from scratch, a talented junior put together
newspaper, candles,
and a functioning light
bulb to imitate the striking and unique look of
the deep sea creature
that lives in total darkness. “Bubble Tea” was
certainly popular, as
one might infer from
the sight of crowds
gathered around her
to take photos. The
drink, which derived
from Asia, is definitely
one that is well known
among LaGuardians
for its palatable taste.
The
costume
was
made of a cylindrical
plastic structure that
fit around the body. At
the bottom were small
black balloons, representing tapioca. The
human Rubix Cube,
which was also hand
made, won much accolades from the audience as well. The audience was certainly
titillated by the presence of Bill Cosby on
the stage of the Little
Flower Theater; Xavier
did a great impersonation of the famous
television star. Other
notable
costumes
were: “Justin Bieber
and Usher,” “The Guy
Phone,” “The Common
App,” “Siamese Twin,”
“The Double Rainbow,” “Avatar,” “Dora
the Explorer” and an
“Oompa Loompa.” DJ
the DJ provided musical entertainment for
his fellow peers. LaGuardia is all about the
show—last year, Single
Ladies (Luther Cherry
and Joey Feiger) was
a big hit. This year,
“Telephone”,
along
with Snooki’s signature
fist pump, received
many
accolades.
Congratulations to all who contributed to the spirit of the
LaGuardia Halloween.
29
29
The Scottsboro Boys
Review by Nicole Wong
Breakfast At Tiffany’s
Review by Carla Borderies
Courtesy of http://www.eurweb.com
photo courtesy of gothamist.com
Breakfast
at
Tiffany’s is one of the simplest,
greatest movies of all time.
Audrey Hepburn is the
perfect actress, illustrating
how effortlessly classy a
person can be without
even realizing it.
Holly
Golightly (Audrey Hepburn)
is a woman leading a simple
life in New York City. The
movie starts with her walking
carelessly on the street,
drinking a coffee and eating
her breakfast while admiring
the grandeur and delicacy
of the Fifth Avenue shops.
She cares for nothing in the
30
world, feeling she can speak
and act in the way that she
pleases. The only thing she
truly relates to is her cat
named “Cat”, who she lives
with and constantly identifies
herself with. Later on she
meets Paul Varjak (George
Peppard), who moves into
her building. She is very
open with him, and often
confides in him. She seems
to have odd relationships
with everyone, and never
truly has any attachments
or friendships. In Breakfast
at Tiffany’s she says, “I’m like
cat here, a no-name slob.
We belong to nobody, and
nobody belongs to us. We
don’t even belong to each
other.” She is like a child;
this is a major reason I felt
a connection with Audrey
Hepburn’s character when I
was younger. Her immature,
childish way of dealing with
things immediately made
me adore her personality.
Her hopes and dreams
inspired
our
generation
and made us think that
maybe we could have
breakfast at Tiffany’s too.
A simple set. A stack of
chairs piled on top of each other.
Then the house lights lower and the
stage lights rise. A troop of actors,
all men, pile onto the stage in a
flurry of activity. They rearrange their
seats into a semi circle and take their
places. A single woman comes and
sits on the single chair waiting for a
bus it seems. The sounds signal the
bus’ arrival and the play begins.
This was the wonderfully
simple beginning of the new musical,
The Scottsboro Boys. A powerful
musical, written by the songwriting
team of John Kander and Fred
Ebb, famous for such musicals as
Chicago, Cabaret, and Curtains;
and book by David Thompson, best
known for the book of the revival
of Chicago. Following the trial of a
group of young African American
teenagers accused of raping two
white women on a freight train to
Memphis, Tennessee, in 1931, the
story is in the form of a minstrel show.
The audience sat on the edge of
their seats the entire time, waiting
to see if the boys would be served
justice.
The music is beautiful
and simple. The entire cast has
gorgeous voices. Perfectly suited to
their talents, the simple harmonies
bring out the story and express the
angst and sorrow felt. What also made
the play extremely interesting was
the reversal of roles of stereotypical
white and black characters.
In
minstrel shows, white men painted
their faces black and portrayed
African Americans in a way that was
extremely degrading.
This show,
with an all African American cast,
save one, had African Americans
portraying white people. They would
portray the white characters in a
silly or outrageous way, similar to the
absurdist humor of the comedy team
Monty Python.
Although a piece of history,
the masterful storytelling makes one
wish that these events were untrue.
This musical is good for teens learning
about this turbulent time in American
history as well as adults. For adults, it is
a reminder of the racism that still exists
in the country. Though stylistically
suiting the time period, it is still a
classical Broadway musical. While the
story may not be suitable for younger
children, the story of justice makes it
accessible to most. This is a musical
that will grab the hearts of American
audiences.
31
My So- Called Life: As close to perfect as it gets
Review by Jade Johnson
Have you ever wanted to change
the way people look at you? Have you
ever felt like you just do not belong? Have
you ever found some one else’s parents so
much more appealing than your own? If
you answered yes,
congratulations! You
just connected with a show called My SoCalled Life. This show was light years ahead
of many other television shows when it began
in 1994. It fell as devastatingly as an empire
when it was cancelled in 1995.
The show centers on a fifteen- year
old girl named Angela. The way people
perceive her as a person starts to get to
her. She is tired of following silly societal
rituals like having a yearbook. She makes
new friends, dyes her hair red, and starts to
think introspectively about the act of eating
in front of other people. Initially, Angela’s
development is not easy.
Her parents
become strangers, her old best friend
becomes her enemy, and she gets in trouble
at school for protesting literary censorship.
Eventually, she wins the heart of her crush,
the infamous Jordan Catalano, but when she
realizes that he is putting to much pressure on
her, she tosses him. She regains the friendship
of her former best friend while attempting to
maintain friendships with her new friends;
the loose cannon Rayanne Graff and the
caring but somewhat lost Rickie Vazquez.
Even Angela and her parents begin to
understand each other more by the end of
the short series. Angela’s development is
very understandable. There is no perfect,
happy ending -- the last episode ends in a
problematic cliff- hanger. The plot line, the
script, and the relationships between the
characters are as close to those seen in real
life as it gets.
Even if you cannot relate to the
main character, you’re bound to relate
to one of the other characters. The show
displayed a great deal of diversity within the
characters and the storylines. There were
no nerds, no
jocks, and no prom queens.
Each person in the show was a person, not a
title. This is what makes the show so relatable.
The experiences in the show are shared in all
teenagers, regardless of time period, race,
class, or any other difference.
My So- Called Life was bold and
beyond its time. Rickie was one of the
first openly gay characters on primetime
television. He is not just a side character;
32
The 12 Episode Wonder:
Freaks and Geeks was the Best
Cancelled Show in TV History
Review by Annabel Willis
he has one of the largest storylines in the
show. He dresses flamboyantly, but is not
defined by that. He is a sensible, reasonable
person, defying many stereotypes of gay
communities at the time. He develops just as
much as the main character does.
The show is centered on a
teenager, but was aimed at all audiences
as the parents had important storylines of
their own. Many people thought, however,
that the show was meant for teenagers
only. Unfortunately, at the time there was
no market for shows directed at teenagers.
That is why the show was cancelled as an
infant. Had the show been produced ten
or so years later, it would have been very
successful. The show was most remarkable
for the fact that it was the most accurate
depiction of teenage life created by an
adult, and that will always be missed.
On September 25, 1999,
television viewers were treated to that
rare gift – a hilarious, true-to-life show
that manages to get everything right.
Freaks and Geeks follows two groups of
friends (the “freaks” and “geeks” of the
title) as they deal with life at McKinley
High School in the 1980s. The show,
which aired of NBC from 1999 to 2000,
started each week blasting Joan Jett’s
“Bad Reputation” as each cast member
awkwardly posed for his or her school
picture. Although 18 episodes were
filmed, only 12 hit the airwaves before
the network crazily pulled the plug of the
two-time Emmy winning show. Though
its life on the small screen proved shortlived, Freaks and Geeks has had a
tremendous impact on popular culture.
Among other things, it introduced
talented young actors like James
Franco and Seth Rogen to the world.
Through
its
two
main
characters, tomboy Lindsay Weir (a
“freak”) and her shy, socially awkward
younger brother Sam (a “geek”), Freaks
and Geeks shows both sides of the
high school coin. The plot deals with
everything concerning high school life;
from keg parties that don’t turn out
as planned to one student begging
another to take his algebra test. And
it shines a light on high school’s invisible
social class system, illustrating how being
in or out can affect how people gauge
their worth.
“The dance is tomor-
row. She's a cheerleader, you've seen Star
Wars 27 times. You do
the math.”
-Neal Schweiber,
Freaks and Geeks
The show starts out as Lindsay,
a former straight-A student and
“mathlete,” begins to explore what
it might be like to not always be the
“good” girl who gets everything right.
She starts to hang out with a bunch of
slacker burnouts who are treated like
outcasts by many of the other kids at
school. She knows her parents and her
guidance counselor think her friends
are going nowhere, but she’s her own
person and doesn’t let other people’s
opinions affect whom she hangs out with.
Even though Lindsay’s her
own person, like just about everyone
in high school, she questions her
friendships from time to time. Episode
after episode, we see what it takes for
the characters to move up the social
ladder – or, in some instances, how
fleeting and fickle popularity can be. In
fact, Freaks and Geeks re-creates high
school life so flawlessly that teens might
wonder if someone has been trailing
them in the halls taking notes. In one
show, Lindsay gets a fake ID, and her
brother Sam has the hots for a cute
exchange student. As in real life, stoners
and nerds alike find themselves dealing
with everything from drugs and sex to
bullying and the need to feel accepted. While I’m barely halfway
through my high school career, it’s
easy to understand the struggles the
characters face. The series makes it
clear that feeling lonely and wanting to
fit in are universal concerns. It’s a relief,
especially if you’ve ever imagined you
were the only one in the halls of your high
school who felt more than a little bit out
of place. I’ve often wondered if Freaks
and Geeks would have been able to
sustain its streak of genius, or if it would
have slowly lost its sparkle, like so many
other shows on television. All I know is
that the show, which ended with Lindsey
driving off to follow the Grateful Dead,
keeps you thinking. And for most of us
still caught in the haze of high school,
that’s a very good thing.
33
Reviews by Mari Kroin
The September Issue
PaperMoon
Review by Elijah Sevier
The September Issue is
a documentary that investigates the entire process that
goes into publishing an issue
of Vogue Magazine. The
movie is framed as a fleeting
glimpse into the brutal world
of fashion; but the greatest
brutality is the knowledge
that this harsh environment
actually exists, and is probably even worse away from
the forgiving presence of
cameras.
The movie revolves
around Anna Wintour, editor
in chief of Vogue, a heart-
less fashion dictator who
veils herself in expensive furs,
large sunglasses, and signature bangs straightened to
perfection. When Stefano
Pilati, the creative director for
Yves Saint Laurent, presents
Anna Wintour with his latest
collection, she simply says
“that’s pretty,” with an air of
cold detachment that dismisses him instantly. Their exchange provides the insight
that however successful and
talented one may be, there
will always be someone with
greater stature and ultimate
34
34
Photo courtesy of www.guardian.co.uk
With the ephemeral line-up of television shows that have been strewn across
our TV guides for decades, it seems unlikely
that a single show has the power to define
a generation. Yet every blue moon an idea
emerges, forever changing the way people
watch television. On July 5th, 1989 at 9:30pm
such a show was aired. It premiered as “The
Seinfeld Chronicles” but has come to simply go by the name “Seinfeld.” The widely
praised “show about nothing” struck the
heartstrings of viewers who could somehow
connect with the troubles and dilemmas
faced by the overzealous cast. In the show’s
history of random yet relevant storylines,
hundreds of pop culture staples were established. A generation was marked by quotes
such as “sometimes the road less traveled is
less traveled for a reason” and witty characters, based off of real New York City eccentrics, such as the “Soup Nazi.” Despite ending in 1998, the show has continued to strike
the funny bones of diehard fanatics and
first-time viewers through numerous reruns on
dozens of channels around the world. While
“Seinfeld” defined comedy in the 1990s, it
has greatly resounded with audiences in the
21st century. Parents who once sat down
to watch new episodes are now sharing the
classic, yet absurd, series with their children.
Furthermore, the show has left a deep impact
on the standards of light-hearted sitcoms as
seen through the likes of newer shows such as
“Two and a Half Men” and “Community.” It
is clear that the reign of “nothing” lives on.
In 1973 Paramount Pictures released one of the most influential movies
in film history, “Paper Moon.” The heartbreaking yet uplifting tale of a con man,
Moses Pray, and a young girl named Addie, who is seemingly dropped upon his
doorstep, has captured the attention of
eager audiences for decades. Tatum
O’Neil, who so maturely plays Addie, Moses’ unsuspecting partner in crime, is the
clear highlight of the black-and-white
comedy drama. Despite being merely
ten during the film’s production, she successfully portrays her complicated character with the confidence of a veteran,
weaving peeps of pure emotion into
Addie’s hard exterior. After viewing the
movie it comes as no surprise that Tatum’s
convincing portrayal of the young girl
earned her an Academy Award for best
supporting actress in 1974, making her the
youngest recipient of the coveted award.
Despite being set during the Great Depression, twenty-first century audiences
still revel at the script’s timeless storyline.
Since the film’s successful release in the
seventies, critics around the world have
given their two cents to the classic.
Whether in praise or disappointment, it is
clear most are left with a lasting impression and continue to digest the compelling and universal nature of the film.
photo courtesy of www.moviegoods.com
Anna Wintour. Courtesy of cutecarry.com
control. Anna Wintour holds
within her grasp the fate of
up-and-coming potentials
as well as famous designers,
the seasonal fate of models
and photographers, and the
items and looks that American Vogue readers long to
make their own. In the cutthroat world of the fashion
industry, it’s impossibly hard
to make it to Anna Wintourstatus, and watching the
movie leaves one feeling
sorry for aspiring designers,
whose ideas are often tossed
aside and insulted by the
top dogs calling the shots.
However, the documentary
fails to include the real victims, such as anorexic models, the animals inhumanely
slaughtered for their fur, and
the maltreated factory workers, each laboring to please
fashion’s sharp eye in fear of
its sharper sting.
Although the movie offers a brief glimpse into
a competitive and ruthless
business, it still shows the fashion industry through the eyes
of those who are already on
top. The ultimate message is
that in order to live such a life
or work under such pressure,
one must have the nerve to
survive the intense barrage
of criticism and come out of
it strong as steel.
35
y of
s
rte
ou
to c
m
o.co
itbr
ck
che
Review by Isabelle Ament
pho
photo courtesy of kikistrike.com
Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City
by Kirsten Miller
Review by Sophia Feist
Ananka is a bookworm who finds her life completely boring until
a hole opens up in Washington Square Park, across from where she lives,
and her uneventful life is thrown into turmoil. Ananka meets Kiki Strike, an
odd and mysterious girl who introduces her to the people who will become
her friends: Oona Wong, a talented forger, Deedee Morlock, an ingenious
chemist, Luz Lopez, an accomplished mechanic, and Betty Bent, a master
of disguise. The six girls form The Irregulars, a group dedicated to exploring
the mysteries of the Shadow City, a 150-year-old city under New York
created for thieves and scoundrels, as well as keeping it in good hands.
Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow
City by Kirsten Miller is a gripping
modern urban fantasy. It drew
me in and didn’t let me back
out, even once I had finished
both the book and its sequel, Kiki
Strike and the Empress’s Tomb. I
had to go around downtown
Manhattan and explore all of the
places mentioned in the book. Throughout the book, sections
approximately a page or two
long detailing how to successfully
follow someone, how to disguise
yourself, and much more. Kirsten
Miller certainly brings an oldfashioned charm to modern
Manhattan while telling an
entangling and enchanting tale
that, while fantastical, relates to
the lives of many teenage girls. Miller’s female leads deal with
the feeling of not fitting in even
as they experience the joys of
friendship and adventure. The
book is truly a literal masterpiece.
36
The Hunger Games by Suzanne
Collins is the kind of book you just can’t
let go of. The first book of Hunger Games
trilogy, it introduces sixteen-year-old Katniss
Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic
North America, in the country of Panem. In
Panem, a powerful government called the
Capitol holds power. The book is named
after the Hunger Games, an annual televised
event where the Capitol chooses one boy
and one girl from each district of Panem to
fight to the death. The Hunger Games exist
to demonstrate not even children are above
the Capitol’s power! However, Katniss feels
she needs to fight for the human rights of all
the districts in Panem. This book displays a
grim future for human kind but also hope in
the form of a young woman. Katniss, like
a small flame, for all we know, can ignite
Panem.
This book clearly portrays the
effect of war on teens and families and a
person’s ability to change family roles in
order to survive. The war raging throughout
the series can be easily related to America’s
current situation. The United States has been
in a seven-year war with Iraq, and has now
moved in to Afghanistan. Many current high
school students have grown up constantly
hearing about this ongoing war. Therefore,
the author is trying to show how teens and
pre-teens of our generation feel about war in
general, through the main character of the
story, Katniss. Katniss feels that the capitol is
mistreating the people of Panem, and wants
to fight for her family and friends’ treatment,
but throughout the story, she constantly asks
herself if she is doing the right thing. The war
in the book also happens to reflect upon
many other “wars” in our society, like racism,
sexism, financial issues. In the book, Katniss
and her community are often faced with
starvation, and hunting for one’s own food is
virtually illegal.
Katniss, along with her best
friend, defies the law, in order to feed her
community. Using her archery skills, it seems
she can accomplish almost anything once
provoked. The idea of Katniss as a female
warrior speaks to many female readers,
encouraging them to take a stand against
injustices and obstacles in life.
This book isn’t a comedy, no. It’s an
action-packed thriller with a lot of meaning
behind every symbol that comes up. The
overall story plot continues to intrigue me,
even after reading and finishing the series.
Maybe it’s the mysterious cliffhangers at
the end of each book that put me on edge
even now, or maybe, as stated before,
it’s how Katniss makes me think of myself.
Katniss is a brave, strong-hearted character.
Throughout the war she is fighting, she always
thinks of protecting her family and friends
from the war’s impact. As presently, aren’t
we all trying to keep our families from falling
apart from war? And if we could, wouldn’t
you stop it?
This book keeps the reader
interested. Just as you think there may be
a dead chapter under your nose, and you
start to yawn…. BAM! It hits you, either a
realization or a plot twist, or maybe even
a bow and arrow comes your way. If a
book could be described as a 3D book,
this would be it. The action seems life-like in
the sense that at any moment, the reader
would be wise to expect something to reach
out to them, or fly their way! Situations are
described so well that it seems if you were to
close your eyes, you would be there.
Waiting for book after book to go on
sale was an agonizing experience, because
every book is a cliffhanger. I believe this wait
is a factor to what made me so addicted to
these wonderful books. The intensity rose,
and as I finally laid my hands on the next book
in the series, I would literally sit down and just
have a reading frenzy. Afterwards, I felt as if
I had consumed enough knowledge about
the situation for a while, maybe that could
sustain me until the next book. But besides
the anticipation of the next book, the action
and the intriguing story plot is what kept be
reading, and why I couldn’t stop. Suzanne
Collins writes to beautifully that the words are
intoxicating, and the story is so clearly laid
out.
The Hunger Games is a must read,
especially now that the series has ended, and
there will no longer have to be a dramatic 5
month long pause between each book!
37
•POETRY•
It’s
Kind of a Funny Story
Review by Claire Elias
DREAMER DISABLED
In the young adult novel It’s Kind
of a Funny Story, author Ned Vizzini introduces readers to Craig Gilner, a 15-year
old Brooklyn teenager who attends Executive Pre-Professional High School, a prestigious school that Craig worked obsessively
to get in to. Stressed out by the competitive work environment, Craig collapses under the overload of academic pressure,
forming many bad habits including smoking marijuana, refusing to eat, depression,
and soon, having suicidal thoughts. After
visiting a series of psychiatrists and failing
to take his prescribed antidepressants,
Craig submits to his suicidal thoughts and
dials the number of a suicide hotline. This
eventually leads to Craig admitting himself into the psychiatric ward at Argenon
Hospital. There he encounters many interesting characters and goes through unexpected experiences that change his view
on life.
The language used in It’s Kind
of a Funny Story expresses the unique
blend of comedy and drama experienced in Craig’s life while living in the
psychiatric ward. Vizzini makes powerful use of the first-person point of view,
displaying Craig’s thought processes
and inner thinking to an extreme, yet
drawing, level. Vizzini also pays careful
attention to detail; both Craig and the
people he meets clearly have problems
and issues of their own, and the reader
will be drawn to learn about the backgrounds of these characters. The psychiatric hospital seems to be a world of
its own, and Craig learns something new
about it every day. It’s Kind of a Funny
Story is a captivating page turner that
allows/lets readers connect to the characters as it deals with the topic of teenagers dealing with high school, and the
topics of suicide, motivation, and more.
In addition, a movie adaptation of the book was released on October 8th, 2010. Directed by Ryan Fleck
and Anna Boden, the movie stars Keir
Gilchrist as Craig, along with Emma
Roberts and Zach Galifianakis, two of
the other patients living in the psychiatric ward with Craig. Personally, I haven’t
gotten the chance to see this movie yet,
but overall, it is recommended by most
people. From the trailers, the movie
seems to be clean-cut, funny, and captures the melancholic essence of the
book version.
Seven days
I learned to live about
Seven days
I closed my eyes
And woke up
Walked up
Up a stage
A life
A sky
A hundredth page
Will open up
Open up to find
It is all there
What I saw
Behind the lids
To live
Is it to dream?
How does one live without a
dream?
Lived seven days without one
Just one
Not to dream
For just one day
And laughed
When the time came
To wake again
- Ella Sanandaji
TO THE PEOPLE I USED TO KNOW
I wish they could see me now.
I want them to see how I’ve changed, and how I’ve grown.
I need them to see that I’m not the same loser they shunned,
When they thought they knew me.
It’s not that I want to be friends with them,
I never did, really,
But I need them to look at me and think,
Wow.
That loser we shunned isn’t so bad after all.
And I need them to see me, really see me,
And regret that, in the end,
They never did get the chance to know me.
- Anonymous
3838
39
Bakeries That Can’t Be
Missed
A longtime favorite of Chelsea Market
visitors and NY1 employees, Amy’s Bread does not fail
to impress the senses. The minute you step into this
low-key bakery you are immediately aware of the
love and devotion that goes into making everything
from breads to cookies. Through a glass wall visitors
are able to see the baking process that occurs from
sun up to sun down in Amy’s kitchen. It becomes
apparent that each worker is distinctive in their habits
and specializes in different fields of baking. Having
said this, it is not uncommon to see a crowd of curious
on-lookers peering in. Amy’s bread not only sells their
goods in-store but also sends various varieties of bread
and pastries to other shops and restaurants all over
the city. As of right now there are three permanent
locations in Manhattan located on Ninth between 46th
and 47th in Hells Kitchen, within Chelsea Market, and
at 250 Bleecker Street in the Village. First-timers should
definitely consider getting the brownies.
Courtesy of www.amysbread.com
Amy’s Bread
Review by Mari Kroin
Billy’s Bakery
By Mari Kroin
4040
Review by Rachel Berger
The DUB Pie Shop does not sell apple pie--at least, not exclusively. The
Australian “specialty bakery” moved into a narrow corner shop in Windsor Terrace
two years ago, one of many trendy, Park Slope-esque businesses new to the area.
You may be charmed by the homey chalkboard menu, miniature local art gallery, and obligatory water dish for dog-walkers outside, but you can’t judge this
establishment until you’ve had their pies. There are Chicken and Vegetable pies;
Chilli Cheese pies; Shepard’s pies; even Bacon, Egg and Cheese breakfast pies.
For customers who’ve been put off meat pies by the movie Sweeny Todd, DUB
offers several popular vegetarian options; Spinach and Feta Cheese and, surprisingly, Vegetarian Curry. All pies are offered hot, in both filling $4-5 portions and
adorable $1.50 tarts. For dessert, there are cheap fruit tarts and personal key lime
pies. If you’re feeling curious, you can peruse the Australian novelties arrayed at
the counter; DUB Pies is a proud purveyor of the beloved British/Australian condiment Marmite* and chocolate-and-coconut-cake Lamingtons, which they claim
are the best to be found in the United States. To taste them yourself, take the F train
to 15th Street Station in Brooklyn and walk over to 211 Prospect Park West, or order
online at www.dubpies.com.
*Marmite is a savory spread made of yeast extract. British and Australian people’s
obsession with Marmite may perhaps be likened to some Americans’ infatuation
with Nutella, but the mania is much more widespread and extreme. Because
Marmite is supposed to be nutritious, there is nothing to stop Marmite lovers from
spreading it on everything.
Courtesy of www.billysbakery.
com and www.stage-mamma.com
Walking into this small bakery is
like walking into grandma’s kitchen; that
is if your grandma is the Betty Croker type.
Upon opening the beaten door you get a
whiff of hot baking cupcakes, and warm
fresh ones piled on massive baking pans.
While small, this bakery is not hard to miss
considering the large group of people
that usually cultivates inside or sit outside
on the provided mint-colored benches.
Billy’s is hands-down the best pace to go
to for custom and readymade cupcakes.
Considering their size, the cupcakes
seem pricy, starting at around $2.75 a
piece, but they are most definitely worth
investing in. You soon come to find that
everything mingles together to create
the ultimate cupcake experience. Billy’s
has two stores located in Manhattan at
184 9th avenue in Chelsea and 75 Franklin
Street in Tribeca.
Down Under Bakery: The Pie Shop
41
41
•POETRY•
•FICTION•
THE BLUE ROSE AND THE TELEGRAM
I sit alone before an antique desk
Staring into a white stained scene of snow
The ticking clock aligns with the beating of my heart
And I think of you. Beside me is a lonely rose of blue, not red
My heart is heavy with truth made of lead
When words cannot express the core emotion
I write a pretty little telegram
.. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..I’ll be damned if there’s a chance you’ll understand
But at least my telegram gets through
This rose, it reminds me of what should be true
I write with a passionate burning fire
The snow is melting, time is passing
But I’ve never seen a pretty blue petal fall So I speak my language of dots and dashes
Abstract like the figments of my imagination
Dots and dashes better send the message
Than words that could ever mean anything to me or you
So I fill my heart with a memory of beeps
Chemical messages that could never come true
This is my telegram to you
- Alessandra Rao
I CAN MAKE LENSES. BUT
WINGS?
“Do you know what you want to be yet?”
Somehow, aviators come to mind
The glasses or the actual people?
When I think of the style
When I think of the name that is given
To see it in photographs and mirrors
I am just left hungry
For more
For more than a plastic thing
To wear
To crush knocked down
Funny,
I never knew I wanted to fly...
Aviator
Aviators always
With some extra lenses
To see farther
Zoom in
Zoom out
Somehow to see
What the world is
For the small
For the grand
42
Yet
At the same time
I want to fly
Doctor, Professor
Doctorate
That is what I would be
If I could stay
Looking on the ground
If these aviators
Did not keep blocking my mind
With their clouds
So a rebel
With high technology lenses
Running with them
A far as I know
They were never invented
But I feel somehow
They were
since the glitches keep coming
But even through the broken lens
I can see aviators
- Ella Sanandaji
The Future is Bright
Part One by Isabelle Ament
I wake up to
a bright light. I have no
idea where I am until
it suddenly dawns on
me… I’m home. The
automatic shades go
up for everyone at 7
am on weekdays. At
this same time, the constant beeping of cars
begins. Gosh, how I
love the weekend... unfortunately, it’s still days
away. Normally I would
charge to my window
and scream at the traffic to quiet down, but
today I just don’t want
to get out of bed.
My name is Elise.
Well, at least, I gave
myself that name. My
real name is E.14, but
it seems so impersonal.
No one can tell who
you are from a number.
I want to be different-I want people to hear
my name, Elise, and
think of me as some
graceful, beautiful person, you know?
My
eyes begin to focus
from the blur that films
your eyes when you
wake up. I look out my
window at the massive
sky. Sometimes, when
I’m in school learning
about history, I wonder
what the sky would really look like if it were
still blue. Currently, It’s
a greenish-black, but
scientists suspect it will
change colors every
few years until there
is no sky, and we see
space from our homes.
I read how there used
to be stars in the sky,
but now it’s just empty.
Mars has moved closer
to Earth, and the moon
even closer.
Though
it’s pretty hard to see
outside, I can detect
the silhouettes of the
bustling cars, speeding
through alleyways and
up the sides of buildings. Every few minutes
I hear the fast woosh
from a car going over
my window.
At around 7:10,
the talking begins. It’s
like hearing voices in-
It’s a sterile white
room, with no hint
of germs. But
behind the walls’
white visage is the
constant, heart-like
pulse of machinery
and wires churning
with voltage.
side your head, trying to
tell you something all at
the same time! If I listen
carefully--and I seldom
do--I can make out
useless conversations
like “Mom, where’d you
put my cat?” I actually
hear that line a lot. I
guess it’s a mom and
cat thing. As the talking gets louder, I turn
my attention back to
my own little world; my
room.
It’s a sterile white
room, with no hint of
germs. But behind the
walls’ white visage is
the constant, heartlike pulse of machinery and wires churning
with voltage. I choose
to examine my wristband, punching a few
numbers on it to make
some adjustments in
my morning routine.
I wait in bed a few
more moments, staring at the wristband
that literally controls
my life.
Finally, the door
opens and I am greeted by my SERVE.N.T.
With a few beeps, he
hovers over to me and
waits for a command.
I simply nod, and he
picks me up. Gravity’s
a thing of the past after
the whole atmosphere
combusted into itself,
so you can’t just walk
around on your legs.
Grasped
tightly by my waist, I
am taken to the dinning room. I am then
set on my designated
family seat, which has
a kind of magnetic attraction to me, and I
stick there like glue.
SERVE.N.T. waits there
for a couple more
minutes. I don’t really want to talk, but I
enjoy his presence--it
makes me feel more
human, if you know
what I mean.
He then starts
to beep again, anticipating
a
command, I presume.
“Television.”
43
•FICTION•
It takes a few
minutes for the transition to complete, and
the news comes up on
my place mat.
“Apparently,
those robo-citizens will
have a tougher time
than they thought,
J.I.M.,” says the female
anchor.
“Ha, yes. I believe
so, D.A.R.L.E.N.E.,” the
male anchor says in a
monotone voice.
Hilarious. This news
channel is so interesting…. No, but really, I
have no idea what is
going on. I stick to my
own imagination most
of the time. It’s more
comforting.
“Oh, hold on
there,
D.A.R.L.E.N.E.,
I am getting a report
from N.I.C.K.,” the
male anchor states.
“We are now going
live to N.I.C.K.”
“How exciting!”
D.A.R.L.E.N.E. says.
Though I stare emotionless at the screen,
SERVE.N.T. seems to be
eager with anticipation. What could be
so good that he would
show emotion? I turn
my head to stare at
him, but he seems to
know what I’m thinking, and he quickly
jerks back and turns towards the kitchen. Ha,
loser--how it must feel
to be intimidated by a
16 year old wimp.
“N.I.C.K. here!
And I have some wild
news! It seems that
someone has broken
into the software databases of 10 out of
17 networks around
the globe! I am talking now with one of
44
the P.R.O.TECH.T.O.R.S.
of the ThinkBright Network! Sir, would you
mind giving us the
scoop? What in hell
happened?”
The robot seems
a little shy and simply
stares into the camera
for a brief moment.
Then, he talks, while
still staring into the
camera lens.
“The software
was breached. We
have full protection,
though. Not to worry….” There is a slight
pause, and he quickly
adds, “Oh, there’s virtual protection! Impossible… It-It’s like
a-a… wall… You can’t
get past a wall.” You
can tell this guy has no
idea what he’s talking
about.
“Of course,”
N.I.C.K. adds after a
few seconds. “Unless
the people explode
the wall. Or--or dig
under it, or even climb
over it!”
Though N.I.C.K.’s
eyebrows seem to
slowly grow taller on
his face, it seems to
be getting into this
“game” of guessing
how to get past a
wall. There is a moment of silence while
the two robots stare
at each other, waiting
for some sort of comfort from anyone. This
makes me feel safe,
personally.
Then
P.R.O.TECH.T.O.R adds
in, “No! I didn’t mean
a wall, I meant…A
cage. A trap! A concrete box, surrounded
by…LANDMINES!”
The P.R.O.TECH.T.O.R.
•FICTION•
tries to erase his previous statement.
It is obvious that
this guy has no idea
how bad the situation
is. In fact, I’m starting
to pity him. He seems
pretty scared. This kind
of stuff always happens: masterminds trying to infiltrate The System, trying to send out
viruses or something.
Not a biggie. What’s
to fear?
I stop listening to
the television and call
to SERVE.N.T.
“Where are my
cakes, Bot?”
I can tell that I
startled him. I hear the
sound of metal clanking together, and falling
silverware. I start swishing my hands through
the television screen,
distorting the faces
as my hand almost
reaches them. I love
that wave-like effect
my hand makes. I start
to circulate N.I.C.K.’s
face, and the pixels, as
well as N.I.C.K.’s face
begin to swirl around,
following my hand.
SERVE.N.T. comes
into the dinning room
with a steaming plate
of cakes. I love cakes.
Thanks to the Food Act
of 3021, food no longer
has texture, and this
sometimes leaves me
disgruntled. However,
the taste has been enhanced, and it tastes
so good! I’ll describe
it to you, to make
you jealous: there’s a
layer of what tastes
like chocolate… oops,
that came out wrong...
chocolate, and then
wafers, apple chips, fish
liver, and a few pieces
of carrots on the top.
Trust me, it’s delicious.
After delivering
my
breakfast,
SERVE.N.T. moves towards my room, and
I return my attention
to the screen. N.I.C.K.
is still arguing with the
P.R.O.TECH.T.O.R. about
his protection. It’s pretty funny when you see
robo-citizens
fighting.
Some of them are still
working on switching
between emotions, so it
looks like they’re smiling
when they’re screaming and cursing.
A red light goes
off in the background
of the show, and both
robots turn their heads.
It’s official; the software’s been reached.
They both look terrified. I start eating my
cakes… this is getting
intriguing.
Suddenly,
the light goes off, and
I hear the long, fading
sigh-like sound of technology shutting down.
“What was that?”
I yell. This is a waste of
my time.
I call SERVE.N.T.
to come and turn off
the television. But he
doesn’t come. I turn
back to the television
to find that it too has
gone off. I look down
at my wristband to call
SERVE.N.T. again.
It’s off too.
“Hello?”
I lift my arm and
swish it through where
the screen should be.
Nothing.
They must
have turned off all the
electronics to stop the
virus.
Great. I’m stuck to
the chair until they finish their business. I look
down at my wristband
again and punch a
few buttons. Nothing.
Why do I even try?
I look around me.
Silence.
Then the television goes on, but it’s all
static.
I press the
SERVE.N.T. button and
look around. Suddenly
he appears in the doorway.
“Take me out
of this chair!
I’m
done! No more!” I yell.
SERVE.N.T. floats over to
me quickly and picks
me up from the chair. I
dangle there for a bit,
flexing my toes. I ask
him about the television. At first, there is
no response, then his
face turns frantic and
he looks over to see
if the screen is on. He
begins to look terrified,
and he quickly floats
towards my bedroom.
He places me in my
bed, without turning
on the magnet, so that
the only thing holding me down are the
heavy covers (which
are pretty darn heavy,
I’ll tell ya). Then he runs
into the other room
and never returns.
Several hours later
I wake up again. Everything must have been
a dream. I look at my
wristband and click the
bot button.
No one
comes. Not again!
Holding on to the
railing of my bed, I struggle to climb out of my
covers. It takes a lot of
strength, but I manage
to release myself from
them.
There I am, hanging on to a bed railing,
floating upside-down,
with no where to go.
I suddenly let go,
without thinking, and hit
the ceiling. I then start
to shimmy and drag
myself out of my room
to the dining room. The
television is off once
again, but there’s no
SERVE.N.T....
I look out the
window and see that
there’s nothing moving outside. The street
is normally bustling with
life. The classics: hovering cars with those cool
glowing lights all over
the backs. The newer
models even have small
force fields to protect
the bumpers from being smashed and the
other car being burned
to ashes.
There are normally
a lot of people too; well,
it is New York City. But
I guess the robo-citizens
made up a lot of the
population, and now
they’re all gone. No
electronics on the street
or in my house. Whoever got into the software
really got in….
The silence. It’s
kind of nice. No more
beeps. I don’t mind the
silence. It’s the lack of
company I am scared
of.
45
Where I Live:
Flatiron District
Walking down Park Avenue between Union Square
and Madison Square Park, one sees beautiful buildings galore.
Historic residential and commercial locations are found
on almost every block. This truly is a neighborhood where
you can imagine life one hundred years ago. Many of the
buildings have stone facades embellished with curlicues and
twists of high detail. On Broadway between 17th and 18th
streets, there is a whole row of 19th-century style buildings,
beautiful to behold and reminiscent of the history of the city.
They are no more than four or five stories tall and are made of
brick, with doors and windows only one person wide and the
buildings themselves no wider than two cars lined up bumperto-bumper. At the corner of 17th street there is a building, now
housing a Petco store, which used to be a factory for Andy
Warhol’s designs and creations.
Madison Square Park has an annual fall fair, and
Union Square has a winter one. Every year, dozens of people
from elementary school-aged to elderly come and shop for
sweets, warm drinks, and gifts for the holiday season. Selling
everything from animal-shaped hats to small hand puppets
and yarn dolls, there’s always something there that you want
for yourself or others. Warm aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg,
baking pastries, and chocolate envelop you as you browse
the selections of handmade toys, scented candles and soaps,
and more.
Irving Plaza, now called ‘the Fillmore’ is a famous
concert hall located on a street also named Irving Plaza but
changing to Lexington Avenue once past 20th street. Many
famous people have performed there. A couple of years ago,
my family and I saw Ringo from the Beatles perform there.
The Flatiron Building gives my neighborhood, The
Flatiron District, its name. This century-old building is famous
for its triangular shape which occurred because it was built
at an intersection of the diagonal Broadway with straight 5th
avenue, has been around for over a century. It is a landmark
of New York and one of the defining parts of where I live.
Photos (1,2,3) by Mari Kroin
pic 3: Union Square Winter Fair Courtesy of dibarirealty.net
--Sophia Feist
1
Courtesy of dibarirealty.net
2
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46
3
47
Memento Mori
48
by Emily Chin
49
CLASSIFIEDS
ART BY ESTHER FORK
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