AFTER the students’ elevators in Brooklyn Tech shut down in 2006 December, many students

thought it was because of vandalism. It was assumed that a group of students had ripped off an elevator’s control panel and had drawn graffiti over its walls. However, this was not the reason why Mr. Asher de-cided to refrain students from using the elevators. After interviewing Mr. Fanning, about the elevators’ suspension it was revealed that school authorities believed that work was required on the elevators to ensure the safety of students. Since it was above the help of the custodians, the school needed the assistance of the School Construction Authority, a company that controls and oversees the construction of New York City’s school buildings. Mr. Fanning states that he looks forward to

having the A, B, D, and E elevator cars run express from the basement or the first floor to the seventh floor. Originally, the student elevators stopped on every floor which caused problems for many students who actu-ally needed to get to classes that were far apart from each other. In addition, the elevators were packed be-cause some students used the elevator cars for ridicu-lous purposes, such as going from one floor to the next. When asked about when the elevators would

be put into use again, Mr. Fanning said that there was “no concrete answer” and that it was “not within school control.” The school made bids for repairs but those bids were not accepted. Time is indeed one of the main factors to consider because it will take a while to finish renovating the eleva-tors. Recently, Mr. Fanning has received a repair proposal form from Centennial Elevator Industries, Inc. regarding the construction of the elevators. Even though it is uncertain as to when the elevators would be back into service, Mr. Fan-ning stated that there are certain steps students could take to preserve their elevator privileges in the future. These actions include keeping the el-evators clean (and free of graffiti) and not over-crowding the elevators that have filled to full ca-pacity. Furthermore, it was also recommended that students should be using the elevators only when necessary. For example, going up one or two floors is considered unnecessary. Therefore, the express cars will help solve this problem.

When students were asked to give their opinions regarding the elevator issue, a fellow sophomore, Katharine Yu, said, “It would be more

convenient if they turned on more than just the teach-er’s elevators because some students have to go from

the basement to the 8th floor.” Michael Dou, another Tech student that has been affected by this situation, said, “They should get them to work now! I don’t think it’s fair that we don’t get to use the elevators.” Currently the school board is working hard towards putting the elevators back into use. As de-clared by Mr. Fanning, the “administration is commit-ted at getting the elevators back at Brooklyn Tech.”

What’s Inside“Sun Rising on Horizons”A feature on literary club Page 3

“Success with Robotics”Team 334 and “Overdrive” Page 4

“The Children Have All Gone Insane”Teen drug use Page 4

“Is there a medication?”Prescriptions for Senioritis Page 5

PROPPED against their couches with potato chips and cans of Pepsi in hand, millions of Americans

currently face an adversary far deadlier than the wrath of obesity – the Writer’s Guild of America strike. The ongoing strike has lasted over twelve weeks, disrupt-ing the production of many new episodes of beloved television shows. Writers, the foundation of popu-lar television as we know it, continue to leave their mark on the economy - as well as on everyday life. It’s important to know which shows have not been affected by the strike. Most reality tele-vision shows are unaffected by the strike, such as the ever-popular “American Idol”. Some game shows such as “Are Your Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” and “The Price Is Right” continue to air because they are relatively unscripted. Profes-sional wrestling is also unaffected, despite the fact that it is scripted, because WWE and TNA have their own writers who are not union members. As we flip through the channels, the effects of the writer’s strike can be seen in some shows. Nightly talk shows such as “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” were forced to air re-runs during the very beginning of the strike because these shows rely heavily on writers. As of January 7, 2008, both of these talk shows are air-ing without writers, adopting a news format. Most of the producers of prime-time television shows fin-ished a number of episodes prior to the strike. For

example, 10 out of 18 “Scrubs” episodes have been completed. The producers of the popular “One Tree Hill” have shot 12 out of 22 episodes for the sea-son, which does not bode well for many teenage girls. Even more shockingly, 8 out of 16 episodes of “Lost” have been shot. The effects of the strikes will become prominent once all the completed episodes have aired. What happens next? The producers will likely air re-runs. Many shows have already followed this route, such as CSI: Miami and Grey’s Anatomy. “I miss ‘Gossip Girls,’” reflected senior Aida Luu. The entertainment industry will lose millions, perhaps even billions of dollars over the course of the strike. Major losses of revenue will occur if awards ceremonies are canceled or produced poorly. The first of such ceremonies was the Golden Globe Awards, which turned into a thirty-minute announcement of this year’s winners. The star power that normally cap-tures the attention of Americans was absent from the ceremony. The viewer ratings for the Globes dipped greatly, which will definitely cost the industry. The Academy Awards will face similar problems if the writers strike continues. Fortunately, the organizers of the Oscars are currently devising an alternative in the event of this possibility becoming reality. However, an alternative will almost surely have little star power and appeal to Americans because many actors have refused to cross picket lines to attend the ceremonies. Since the origin of television, our culture has been transfixed by the moving images emanat-ing from a box in the living room. Like most strikes,

the writer’s strike will have extreme consequences on the economy. On a smaller, but equally important scale, Americans might face the frightening prospect of having nothing to watch on television. We might actually have to get off our couches and do something

productive, rather than face the re-runs. For now, we can only wait and pray that our beloved writers return to the cornerstone of American culture – television.

Editors note: At the time this issue went to print, it ap-peared that the writers guild had agreed to a new con-tract and writers would be returning to work shortly.

The Writer’s Strike Threatens Americans with Vicious BoredomBy JASON THAI

Clearing Up the Confusion on the Elevator IssueBy EMILY CHOW and TRACY ZHU

Tech’s elevator doors open, but they remain closed to students.

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyPage 2 Editorials

Hardnews EditorSAILA MUKTA

Editorials EditorMARGARITA SOKOLOVA

Features EditorNICO GRANT

Entertainment EditorANNA HU

Sports Editor RALPH SOMMA

Polling EditorAIDA LUU

Humor EditorNAFIZ LINKON

Management EditorSHELLY BENDIT

Layout EditorJANILLE JUMALON

Copy EditorKATIE ZAVADSKI

SecretarySAILA MUKTA

Arts & Photography EditorDIANA KONG

AdvisorDAVID LO

AP EnglishTRACY ATKINS-ZOUGHLAMI

THE SURVEY BTHSSURVEY@GMAIL.COM29 FORT GREENE PL, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, 11217

Editor-in-Chief TAYLOR OWEN

Principal RANDY ASHER

The Survey would like to apologize for mistakes made in the previous issue.MONTH’s Athlete of the Month is CURTIS (last name), not Curtus. The writer of the Winter Concert in the January Issue is Aida Mekonnen.In the “Speakin’ Out” article written by Sean Murphy in the December 2007 issue, Mr. Depinto’s statement was taken out of context when he said that he “and Mr. Asher have our differences, certainly,” and when he mentioned “Four years of living hell under McCaskill.” We at The Survey would like to say that we are sincerely sorry for the trouble this mistake has caused him.

Last WaltzSTAFF EDITORIAL

ON January 16th, approximately 200 students walked out of the Bronx High School of Sci-

ence, the latest episode in a longstanding battle of wits between the student body and principal Valerie Reddy. The incident received a modicum of attention in several news outlets, including The Sun and The Post. Hours later, a more visceral form of fisticuffs unfolded at Fort Greene Park, culminating in the fa-cial mauling of a Tech student by a rowdy pupil from nearby Science Skills High. Or something like that.

Life at Brooklyn Tech can be harsh, brutal, secularly ascetic. Delayed gratification was quite hip in the monastic 12th Century, sure, but tell that to a fifteen year old kid weaned on sensory overstimu-lation. The coveted right to academic and spiritual

transmigration that is accorded with passing an oft-criticized achievement test leaves a smoldering af-tertaste, fatalism intertwined with taut fury. I mean, would you want to be Jean-Louis Trintignant in ...And God Created Woman, positioned against an au natural Brigitte Bardot every day under the halogen lights as director – and then-Mr. Bardot – Roger Vadim cho-reographs every nuance of the Sodomic spectacle?For the average teenager, illicit love affairs, Chinese Marlboros (or yr. local equivalent), and the odd dub or two are imbued with a potent romanticism, the kind of stuff that makes The Last Picture Show stimulat-ing viewing in the bedlam of insomnia. Eventually, this faint feeling metamorphoses into full-scale exis-tential ennui with every conceivable facet of reality. Consciously or unconsciously, you are a tool of the flagellating American military industrial complex,

keen on molding you and your friends into market-able mainstream commodities though a cornucopia of abstinence propaganda, anti-drug Newspeak, and an educational system grounded in the firmament of anti-intellectualism. Reefer, la vida coca, even the lysergic acid – all are tantalizing alternatives, their ingestion a surreptitious act of political and cultural defiance... until you realize that The Man’s invisible hand is as present there as it is in the le-gitimate cancer sticks ‘n’ ethyl milieu, if not more so.

The dream did not forsake us, we forsook it; our torpor masquerading as productivity, our hubris reduced to mere avarice, our fashionable irony ever so rarely coagulating into feigned sincerity, our ap-parent sentience masking a bovine complacency. We’ve reached the end of the line.

ON January 19, 2008 Brooklyn Tech hosted its first Career Day, attracting a large number of students

and Alumni. The event started at 10 o’clock with in-troductory remarks from the head of the Young Entre-preneurs Association (YEA) and Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz. After the introductions the first session began, ringing in the first official meeting of the alumni and students, the past and the present. Many alumni expressed delight when asked how they felt coming back to Tech for career day. Some were reminded about the times they rode the elevator, others about the diversity and sup-port from the Tech community. “One of the big-gest things I appreciated about Tech was that you were free and in fact encouraged to be whoever you were,” said Adrienne Gonzalez, who has been practicing for law for seven years. “No one was go-ing to pass judgment to you for what you wanted to do no matter how outside of the box that was.” Emmanuel Vega ‘06, who now works for Primerica Financial, still comes back to Tech coach our JV football team and “Its always been a big thing to come back and do something, whether it becoming a teacher one day, or coaching as I’ve done, or help-ing students set up programs, to be able to do this is a great accomplishment for me in my life,” he says. Remember those days in class where you may have thought, “What is the point of taking this class?” NYC police officer Nelson Robles, who has won numerous awards for his duty in public service, stresses how the classes that many may dread now actually helped him in his profession. “Some of the

courses I took here at Tech have come back to help me now as a police officers. Technical drawing, you’ve got to see the looks on people’s faces when I break out my T-square,” he says. “Speech class was great. How you speak is how people think of you. It reflects your credibility. You have to be able to speak and present your ideas to a wide variety of audiences.” Robles was also promoted four times in five years and what motivated him was essentially the work ethic he had learned in Tech. “I for whatever reason was not comfortable in doing just the barest of minimums and in hindsight a lot stems from Tech because they make you work. They make you go and do more than you can possibly can. They make you think, as the old saying goes, outside of the box.” Eugune Babenko, a recent Brooklyn Tech

graduate and past foot-ball player, is currently employed in the Physi-cal Therapy field. Even though Babenko gradu-ated in the SSR major, he shows us that life is not always laid out how we think it is. Currently he works at Bay Ridge Sports Medicine and Re-habilitation, helping pa-tients recover their abil-ity to move. Babenko expressed his surprise at the great turnout of stu-dents and alumni. “I was just amazed and I wish there was even more

people because it was a great experience and every-one should take advantage of opportunities like this.” The president of YEA, Kyle Wong ‘08, ex-pressed his satisfaction with the results of Career Day. “I think that we had a good turnout. It was our first time so obviously there were a few flaws but I think the kids that came here were really mo-tivated to succeed in life.” Kyle also believes that career day will achieve what it aimed for and have a deep impact on the students. “I think it’s great for a lot of the sophomores and a lot of the seniors as well. I think it’s good to speak to profession-als because they can learn before they pick their majors and learn how to network professionally.” Many other alumni described their life in Tech as a head start to college and their career. Even though many have changed paths along the way, the community at Tech set a fundamental stan-dard that allowed them to succeed. Tech graduate and educator at Our World Neighborhood Charter School, Lisa Edmington, expresses that “you have to be organized in Tech, you have to be driven in Tech, you need to have certain tools to be prepared and have your assignments in on time in Tech.” Be-cause of this, “you’ve got that cut above the rest.” For those who still ponder the ques-tion, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” our very alumni stress that there is still time to decide. Many of Tech’s alumni have changed paths. “Most people end up changing careers three or four times but what you love right now may not be what you love ten years from now. But if you know how to think and if you learn how to think right now, then you’ll be able to do whatever you want to do.”

Tech’s Career Day Brings Back Graduates

By LEAH PERSAUD and RAQUEL ROSE

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyNews Page 3

RON Paul is becoming a familiar name on many Americans’ lips these days. Congressman Paul

has served 10 terms in office as a Representative for Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently running for President of the United States as a Republican. Paul is also an Obstetrician Gy-necologist who has delivered over 4,000 babies. Paul’s popularity has been more than a little helped by his huge Internet following; he is the most watched candidate on Youtube, has over 100,000 friends on MySpace, and is ranked as a top search interest on the web. In two days, he raised $10 mil-lion dollars through various small donations, break-ing the previous record held by Senator John Kerry. The question then becomes why such a strong In-ternet following doesn’t translate into higher poll numbers or recognition from mainstream media. The answer to that question is Paul’s political beliefs are seen as too radical by mainstream media, whose interests may lie elsewhere. According to his website, Paul has these beliefs on the following topics: Income Tax: Paul believes the income tax is the worst way to generate revenue for the govern-ment. He would move to repeal the 16th Amendment and replace it with nothing. The immediate question of how a country can run with no income tax is met with the promise of dramatically cutting spending.

War on Terror: Paul is demanding the immedi-ate end to American fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has already cost the government $1.2 trillion; an end to the war would cut government spending tremen-dously, an approximate annual $200 billion. He also believes only Congress can declare war, not the Presi-dent; therefore, he considers the War on Terror illegal. Foreign Policy: Paul advocates following a humbler foreign policy, which means staying out of the internal affairs of other nations. He believes America’s involvement in the Middle East over the past 50 years led to 9/11, and changing foreign policy would eliminate the threat of such attacks in the future. Border Security: “I don’t think the prob-lem of illegal immigration will ever be solved un-til we have a healthy, thriving economy,” Paul says. He reveals if the American economy were in bet-ter shape, the average American worker wouldn’t be competing with an illegal immigrant for a job. He plans to create a better economy by get-ting more money from following the steps above. A recent poll taken at Brooklyn Tech showed how Technites feel about Ron Paul and his stances on the issues. Students were first questioned if they heard of Paul. If so, they were asked if they would vote for him if given the opportunity. The results seemed to reflect what is happening on a large scale in the real world. Continued on Page 4

By JAMES DEANGELIS

Who is Ron Paul?

HORIZONS is Tech’s art and literary maga-zine, run mostly by Tech students: The sub-

missions are from students, the editors, who sort through the submissions and teach the work-shops, are students. In every step towards the year’s publication, students are involved. Divid-ed into the sub-sections of photography, art, po-etry, and prose, each segment has a student-editor.During the first term, Horizons hosts workshops where students have the opportunity to practice, share, and develop their choice of artistic and lit-erary interest. During the second term, the Hori-zons editors sort through hundreds of submissions to help put the magazine together. By the end of the year, student works have been carefully chosen and assembled into Horizons’ yearly publication. Horizons also hosts poetry slams, in which both students and teachers have partici-pated. While the annual spring poetry slam is the main one, this past winter, a “pre-slam” took place.Horizons and Tech go hand in hand. The magazine has been published since the early years of Brooklyn Tech. Prose editor Zachary Smith says, “Horizons has been around nearly as long as the school has. We’re the last [original] student magazine in the school. There used to be a student magazine for every section: science, math, everything.” Now, Horizons is the last of its kind. Keeping Horizons running, however, is no easy task. “A lot of people do submit every year. We have to sort through hundreds of stuff,” Smith explained. During the second term, the editors meet daily to keep on track and go through submissions.

In addition, the costs of the yearly publication have to be taken care of. It costs thousands a year to publish the magazine. Poetry editor Daniel Lu ex-plained that fundraising helps offset the cost of the magazine. Besides bake sales, Lu said, “This year, we are trying to receive a grant from Poets House.” With fundraising and money from previous years’ sales, Horizons is able to continue publishing Tech’s young artists and writers. In a school based mainly on science and technology, liberal and fine arts do seem to fall between the cracks. The importance of the arts is underestimated. Michael O’Shea, a teacher from the social studies de-partment, commented, “Students should be able to take more art courses than are required by the state. It will help them to better understand mathematics, social stud-ies, and other disciplines that they’re going to study.”Also, art promotes creativity and provides a form of catharsis to students. Smith noted, “We represent all the students in here that are artists, in whatever form they are: prose, poetry, photography, actual art.” True, there are a couple of majors that include classes regarding art. However, Smith continued, “You have about 150 kids out of thousands here that actually have some kind of outlet.” The other 4,050 students, how-ever, may not have an outlet inside or out of school.In a school dominated by math, science, and engi-neering, Horizons is there to keep the scale even. “I’ve seen photography club, I’ve seen video club. But you see it, and then they’re gone. We’re Hori-zons. We’re always here.” So if you feel a need to express the artistic side of you, know that Horizons is always ready for your submission.

By VIOLET FERMIN

Sun Rising on Horizons

A day at the Horizon’s meeting.

Is this the face of our future president?

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyPage 4 News

Success with Robotics!By LISA KO

IN 1999 the Brooklyn Tech Robotics Team was established by the efforts of eighteen Brooklyn

Tech students seniors. Till present day, the legacy continues through the hard work made by the team members, mentors, and sponsors. To aim even higher than previous years, the Robotics Team is working closely with the Brooklyn Tech Lego Ro-botics Team, to ensure success for both teams

In December, Brooklyn Tech held its annual Qualifier Tournament for the First Lego League, a ju-nior extension to FIRST Robotics, the organization which holds the robotics competitions. It was coordi-nated by Ruwan Pallegedara, a junior from the Com-puter Science major. The competition would not have been possible without the volunteer efforts of the team and Brooklyn Tech faculty. Every member of the Ro-botics Team was present that day to make sure the competition ran smoothly. The competition received great praise from the 34 teams that attended the com-petition. The Robotics Team made a city-wide im-pact by volunteering for the NYC First Lego League Championship where the Lego robotics team ranked amongst the best teams in the city. Ruwan, as president of the Brooklyn Tech Lego Team, shares his future plans for the Brooklyn Tech Lego Team by saying, “Now that the First Lego League season is over, we will be helping other teams from across the borough.”

The work, however, is not complete. Cur-rently at the height of the build season, the robotics team will meet obstacles as they create their first ever circular robot. The team is working hard to complete the robot in the 6 weeks allotted. This year’s game “OverDrive” requires teams to maneuver a 40 inch ball around a racetrack. Brooklyn Tech’s robotics

team is revered for excellence and dedication by the entire FIRST community, after winning the presti-gious Engineering Inspiration award in 2007 they aim to receive an even greater title this year. The team combines robotics and a dedication to help others by volunteering outside of school, promoting science

and technology to boy scouts and by constantly vol-unteering with the Cerebral Palsy Association of NY.

The robotics team is 70 members strong and works everyday in 1s12. More information can be found at their website techengineers334.org .

Continued From Page 3 Out of 70 students randomly selected and asked had they heard of Paul, only 14 had. How-ever, out of those 14 students, an astonishing 13 endorsed him for Commander-in-Chief. As Robiul Alam, class of ‘09, said, “My friend was a sup-porter of Giuliani, but after sending him a Youtube video about Ron Paul, I quickly changed his mind.” It seems although he has remained low-key in the Presidential race, supporters of Ron Paul are passionate about his election and sup-port him through the Internet and donations to his campaign. It appears if more people simply knew about Ron Paul, his poll numbers would increase and his recognition by the media would skyrocket.

Who is Ron Paul?

WHOEVER heard of paying money to figure out the amount of financial aid one can expect

from colleges? The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, run by College Board, charges a $9 non-refundable registration fee, and $16 dollars per college/scholar-ship program one applies to. “More than 600 colleges, universities, graduate and professional schools, and scholarship programs use the information collected on the PROFILE to determine eligibility for nonfederal student aid funds,” the College Board website writes. Many students wonder why don’t we have to pay for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as we do for the PROFILE. The main reason is that the PROFILE determines the amount of non-governmental financial aid, such as an in-stitution’s grants, loans and scholarships, a student

may attain. Still numerous students question the large sums of money they need pay for this process. Brian Jones ‘08 says, “I’m sick and tired of pay-ing for college stuff; I’ve already spent more than $100 on just stamps—STAMPS! Now I have to pay over $150 to see how much money, if any, I’ll get from colleges! What the---,” followed by a long and colorful use of the English language. Izra Izrailov ‘08 adds, “I thought College Board was a ‘not-for-profit’ organization. This is just plain ridiculous.” Although these forms may seem dreadful to complete, seniors should not put these off till the college’s deadline. It is even suggested that the PRO-FILE be completed prior to the FAFSA. The earlier one completes the forms, the more money is avail-able to that student. Although senioritis has already taken a toll on many of us, we should remember what Benjamin Franklin once said: “Time is money.”

WHEN we were young, neither my cousin nor I got sick often, but when we did, the situa-

tion always became a cold war. When the notorious brown bottle of DPH emerged from the fridge, my cousin would first try to negotiate. If that did not work, she hid under the bed until the threat passed. I, on the other hand, did not mind taking medicine. There was no fuss or fighting, I would just swallow and go. It seems that many children today have this attitude towards medicines; a calmer, almost eager attitude. However, that, my friends, is not a good thing. A recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) showed that “about 3.1 million people in the United States ages 12 to 25 [5.3 percent of this age group] have used over-the-counter [non-prescription] cough and cold medicines to get high at least once in their life-times.” Even though prescription drug abuse among teens is nothing new, the increase in the amount of teens abusing over-the-counter drugs is startling.

The study also revealed some surprising statistics on the demographics of prescription drug abusers. Females between the ages of 12 and 17 were more likely than males of that age group to misuse prescription drugs. What was also surprising was the discrepancy between rates when it came to ethnicity. The rate of misuse among whites (2.1%) was three times higher than the rate among blacks (0.6%). Overall, the number of teenagers who mis-use prescription drugs is even higher than those who use LSD or methamphetamine, two other popular, illegally used drugs. The question to ask is: “Have we all lost our minds?” Why is it that drug use is so popular among teens? Is it “peer pressure,” even though we know the consequences of drug use? Despite the side effects, such as vomiting, blurred vision, muscle spasms, and death, misusing prescription drugs is extremely popular. Of course, availability is a large part of that appeal. Prescription drugs are easily available to anyone and children are no exception. Parents generally do not safeguard their bathroom cabinets from their

children. They have enough faith in their children to use medication responsibly. Even worse are the corporate efforts to make medicines more appealing to younger users. Medicines such as Tylenol sport candy coatings which have more appealing tastes and looks. This is a dramatic change from the bland, brown liquid that lurked in the back of the cabinet a few years ago. Teen drug use, whether of prescription or social drugs, has severe social and academic effects. Other side effects, such as delirium and aggressive-ness, can cause a drop in grades and rifts between loved ones. Even of more concern is the fact that teens no longer have to go to the dark alley or lonely street corner for “supplies”. While crack-ing down on sources outside of the home is hard, reducing drug use inside the home is also a tricky issue to maneuver. What trust issues will this bring up between the parent and child? How far should parents go in monitoring a teen’s movement around the house? At this point, where teens advocate their right to privacy the most, “big brother” type surveil-lance will undoubtedly cause tempers to boil.

CSS Profile: A Financial Aid Scam?By NAFIZ LINKON

The Children Have All Gone InsaneBy RAQUEL ROSE

Member of the robotics team, Andy Du, works on this year’s robot.

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyNews Page 5

IT all started with a chair. Jason Reitman’s masterful indepen-

dent film Juno is a unique look at the emotion-ally heavy issue of teen pregnancy. Ellen Paige and Michael Cera both star in this romantic teen-age comedy that is as heartfelt as it is witty. Juno is not your stereotypical teenage girl. She doesn’t listen to pop music, and she doesn’t gossip about boys with her girlfriends. No, Juno is anything but normal, from her name to her taste in music. But perhaps the most interesting thing about Juno is the fact that she was pregnant at the tender age of 16. In keeping with her unique and rebellious per-sonality, Juno decides to give her baby to a family that she finds in the “Pennysaver,” a magazine filled with classified ads. She then encounters a newly married couple, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. Juno is happy with her decision and braces for the nine months of misery that inevitably lie in her future. Fox Searchlight Pictures has produced films

that are both unique and innovative. The company that brought moviegoers such instant classics as Lit-tle Miss Sunshine and The Full Monty now brings us an uncommon perspective on teen pregnancy. Credit is due to the youthful skepticism of both Michael Cera and Ellen Paige. Cera once again reprises his role as the awkward high schooler that copes with romance and, for lack of a better term, sexual endeavors. Ellen Paige offers a delightfully cynical performance as Juno. The chemistry be-tween the two is irreproducible, yielding magnifi-cent results and contributing to the themes of love and relationships recurrent throughout the film. The film’s dialogue is essentially its main strength. While the actors deliver the lines brilliantly, credit is due to the writers who strove to capture the es-sence of teenage pregnancy through an Indie looking glass. The jokes are funny and well placed, as opposed to gross and offensive. Heartfelt dramatic scenes are laden with the fruits of a unique comic vision. The film deserves a nod to its unique and provocative dialogue. However, many might find the dialogue detrimental to the film’s presentation. Juno con-stantly makes jokes that refer to an underground culture of rock music and films. For those ado-lescents and children who choose to see the film, some of the humor may seem bland and out of place. There are numerous allusions to such films as “The Wizard of Gore” and “Suspiria,” which would convey a sense of confusion to younger fans, rather than humor. For those who understand the Indie culture references, the film is a joy to see. Juno is a great film, perhaps one of 2007’s best. For those of you who seek a film that differs from the norm in terms of its comedic style, ro-mance, and presentation, then look no further. Juno is perfect for you.

An Indie PregnancyBy COREY TRIPPIEDI

“I’m torn between Obama and Hillary. Thats my stance in a nutshell.”- Jason Thai

“After Bush was our president for 8 years, I am going to be upset if a Republican wins this year.Democrats ‘08!”

- Deep Shah

“Why Can’t my Doctor Prescribe Medication for Senioritis?”

WITH the birth of a new term, most seniors are falling ill with a contagious disease that

is spreading like the bubonic plague did in the 14th century. Symptoms of the disease include: taking Friday off because it’s before Saturday, taking Mon-day off because it’s after Sunday, bringing pillows instead of notebooks to class to nap, and texting on Sidekicks while teachers are putting up notes. This is the grand epidemic known as Senioritis. “I’ve got it BAD!” emphasized one senior, “Even chicken soup can’t help my situation.” This epidemic has left many people in both the United States and Canada jittery. For example, former gover-nor Mark Warner of Virginia said, “We thought high school has to be four years...this is a notion that has to be revisited.” Many believe that the second half

of senior year is not only a waste of collegebound students’ time but also of taxpayer’s money. Would a three-and-half year high school education be pre-ferred over the normal structure? “Of course,” replied Johnny Liang ‘08 enthusiastically. “We could use the time to do something productive like pursuing an in-ternship, visiting Europe, or catching up on sleep.” However, a number of students contin-ue to stay motivated—at least till the AP exams are over. Studying hard for the exams and earn-ing possible credits for college is one incentive that drives many seniors to persist. Still, the auraof “I don’t care anymore” can be felt in every classroom, with students hurrying to complete homework in class and getting friends to sign forged absence notes. Even in Brooklyn Tech, where over 97% of the class of 2007 went onto four-year colleges, senioritis is a serious concern.

By NAFIZ LINKON

HOW do you get things done? Ask a busy per-son, as the saying goes. Well, that seems to ap-

ply to The Survey’s Student Athlete of the Month, Andikan Otu. The Survey caught up with Otu after school outside the locker room, and he gave us a few minutes of his valuable time. He is the captain of Tech’s varsity basketball team. He leads with a positive attitude, and keeps everyone committed to the game. Not only is he a good captain, but also av-erages a strong sixteen points per game. “Play hard, Play strong,” says Otu, which just about sums up his attitude towards the game. Even with a slow start in the beginning of the season, he is confident that the team will finish strong. Basketball is a team game, but it helps to have a good leader. Not only is he the cap-tain of the basketball team, but is also on the volley-ball team. Imagine having to maintain Tech’s grade standard, as well as having the weight of two teams on your back (as if one isn’t hard enough). Team-mate Jovan Kanzev describes Andikan as “a funny guy, but also a hardworking leader.” Enough said.

Student Athlete of the Month : Andikan Otu

“This year, more than ever, it is so impor-tant to get out and vote. We have had

to wait 8 years for a change and i think many people share

my sentiments when I say that I am anxious for a new president.”

- Charles Naut

Andikan Otu excels in class and on the court.

JUGGLING hats as both an American History teach-er and the only Social Science Research instructor,

Amy Lucisano has proven herself to be an irreplace-able part of the Tech faculty in the few years she has worked here. She manages to strike a chord in the hearts of all students lucky enough to have her as a teacher. Devi Gopal, a Junior in the Social Sci-ence major, commented on her teacher’s per-formance: “She’s open to new ideas. She’s laid back and that encourages us to participate in dis-cussions. She makes it okay to be wrong and she helps you individually when you need it.” Indeed, Lucisano does bring a unique level of personableness to all her classes. Though she has 102 students, Lucisano tries to form bonds with all of them. When asked her favorite part of teaching teen-agers, she replied, “Partly it’s the relationships I form with students, which can be incredibly meaning-ful.” However, she does admit there are some prob-lems: “Systemic problems all New York City teach-ers face: large class sizes and a lack of resources.” Lucisano became a teacher because of what it meant for the larger picture of the world. “It’s important to me that I’m able to impart the skill of analytical study,” she says. “It’s important for me to teach students how to think analytically in order to make good decisions that are best for human-ity.” She is interested in both history and social science because, “They both deal with human be-havior. I’m interested in the way that people think. Both fields analyze why we do the things we do.” Looking back, Lucisano remembers un-certainty surrounding her profession. Her ideas were all rooted in the humanities, but she didn’t settle on teaching social studies until college. Mutual respect is a large part of what Lu-cisano brings to the classroom. Though this topic is sometimes controversial amongst teachers, she says, “I treat students like I would treat any other person in the world. I try to relay to students what I really feel¾I respect students and I respect their ideas.” She also adds, “I chose [teaching] teenagers because I wanted to be able to have a higher level of analytical discus-sions with students. I try to keep an open dialogue in the classroom. I try to challenge the way students think

[and] I appreciate my ideas being challenged by stu-dents. That to me is a sign that I’m doing my job well.” What students don’t know about Luci-sano is her love of art. She admits to taking draw-ing and pottery classes currently and says she has always taken part in “creative endeavors.” Be-cause of her creativity and liberal vibes, most of her pupils are not surprised she likes the fine arts. However, Lucisano is not all kindness and goodwill. She also has an impressive understanding of both subjects she teaches, being able to dictate both life conditions after the Civil War and how to best “operationalize a variable.” Her line between pass-ing on knowledge and fostering a safe community is almost invisible, and to her, the two are inextricable. Stevie Indarte, ‘09, a student of Lucisano’s,

says, “She doesn’t just talk on and on. She tries to create discussions which gives us a more well-rounded view.” Lucisano’s teaching style is not only agree-able, but also praised by her students. “She doesn’t put too much stress on [her] students,” says Henry Zhong, ‘09. “I find her assignments [useful] in helping my skills in Social Science Research.” While discussing her own teaching style, Lucisano says, “I try to foster a sense of academ-ic honesty and academic integrity in the class-room.” If a student tries to take advantage of this honor system, she admits she tries “to get them to self-reflect,” in a personal discussion. This de-fines her not only as an effective teacher, but also as a fair and just member of the Tech community.

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyPage 6 News

The Schoolmistress of Social ScienceBy NICO GRANT

“Social Studies teacher Amy Lucisano preparing worksheet for students” Photo by NAZIA JOHARA

HAVE you been following Tech bas-ketball lately? If not, you should be.

Both the Varsity and Junior Varsity basketball teams have been in action lately. Don’t let the varsity team’s record fool you; they are still a great team to watch. With a team led by Andikan Otu, who recently won NY1 Scholar-Athlete of the week, and Ashir Nel-son, you are bound to see some great plays in any game. Tech’s Varsity squad had a rough week be-tween January 7th and the 11th. The first game was on the road against George Westinghouse. Tech kept the game close the whole way and did a good job defensively. Tech pulled to within one with a minute to play but Westinghouse made some tough shots to walk off with a 53-46 win de-spite 18 points and 16 rebounds from Andikan Otu. Their next game was also on the road, this time against first-place Bedford Academy. Tech played well in the first half in front of a very vo-cal Bedford crowd. They started out the third quar-ter on a run but Bedford regained composure after a time-out and stole the game. Andikan Otu put up 16 points and 10 rebounds and Ashir Nelson added 12 points in a losing effort. The final was 77-52.

On January 11th Tech was back home against Teachers Preparatory HS in a non-divi-sional affair. Tech got off to a slow start and was down by 18 at half-time. The players came out re-juvenated though and played a strong 3rd quarter matching the road team. Teachers Prep took over in the fourth quarter though, and took the game 83-49. The Junior Varsity team is very exciting to watch as well. As of the 17th of January, they are sec-ond place in their division behind the only team that beat them, Paul Robeson. Notable players for Tech are Gabriell Quintin, Kherel Silcott, and Elijah Johnston. Sirijul Hoque ‘10, also on the JV basketball team, has a lot of confidence in his team. “We get along well and we are able to understand each other. We also play good defense,” Hoque says of his teammates. Coach Noreen Begley, head coach of the JV squad, is highly regarded by her players. “She is really inspiring, she always pushes us to be our best,” says Hoque. “During games, it is as if she is out there on the court with the players.” On January 11th, Brooklyn Tech Ju-nior Varsity played host to Erasmus Hall. Despite blowing an early nine-point lead, Tech took over in the second half with its defense and won the game decisively by the final score of 64-50. Ga-

briell Quentin provided the spark in the second half and ended up with 11 points and 10 rebounds. On January 15th, Tech once again was at home but this time against Bedford Academy. Tech ended the first quarter leading 25-3, which goes to show how good their defense is. Tech ended up turning it into a mockery and won 70-38. Kherel Silcott was the leading scorer with 16 points and he also added 15 rebounds. Elijah Johnston put up 15 points and 10 assists as well. On January 17th the JV squad was at home again, this time against a tough George Westinghouse squad. Tech played strong in the first quarter and got off to a 13 point lead. Westinghouse wouldn’t stay down though and they stormed back to make it a one point game after three quarters. Tech made their mark in the 4th quarter and walked off victoriously by the score of 63-60. Elijah Johnston had 29 points and 8 as-sists and Gabriell Quintin added 13 points of his own.Editor’s note: Tech Varsity basketball lost their follow-ing two games, 75-49 against Dr. Susan S. McKinney School of Art, 59-58 against Prospect Heights Campus HS. Tech Junior Varsity basketball won their following game, 53-51 against Benjamin Banneker Academy, but lost their next game 66-55 against Paul Robeson.

Tech’s Basketball is Getting InterestingBy OMAR MOUSSA

When is the best time to prep? Where is the best place to prep?

How about now? How about at Tech?

If you’re taking the SAT in May, Princeton Review classes start as soon as Monday, March 11th at Brooklyn Tech High School. Only the Princeton Review offers: • Dynamic teachers• Proven results• Personal attention• 24/7 online student center access• Satisfaction guaranteed

Tuition is $475. To enroll, call 800-2Review (800-273-8439).

Test names are the trademarks of their respective owners, who are not affiliated with The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review and The Princeton Review logo are trademarks registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

by The Princeton Review, Inc., which is not affiliated with Princeton University.

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyArts Page 7

Valentine’s Day Messages, Courtesy of The Survey!James, this is SC, and I want to have your babies.Mavis H., you’re awesome. You totally rock my socks!!! Hate that you’re with Terrence, but still like you.This is for my one and onlyNo matter what happens, I will always care and be there for you. Hope you like your Valentine’s gift. Happy Valentine.Jackie XieI love you baby. Happy Valentine’s Day<3 KatieHappy Valentine’s Day Alicia. I love you and I’m sorry. Will you be my Valentine?Kevin RajkumanTo Lily, Our marriage has been a fairy tale from the start and I never want it to end. Happy Valentine’s Day. I love you.DavidTiffany S., Happy Valentine’s Day Sweetcheeks!Alan R.

People say we forget, For some that might be true, But we will always remember, The good times that we knowI cannot give you riches,Neither jewelry nor a carI can’t reach for the heavens, To bring you down a starBut I would do anything to see you smileTo keep tears awayBecause you’re the one I wantFor forever and a dayBut your smiles and hippo hugs Kisses that let me know you’re mineEven little things, like your fear of bugsis why I choose you to be my ValentineSo take this heart of mineIt might not be a lotBut I want you to have itBecause it’s the most important thing I’ve got. F.J. 4.30.07With regards, to Mary

Your perfume, the purple smellYour body, the hazy airYour eyes shone greenAnd took me ‘wayWith a sweet dreamInstantly you’d hook, ah!Me with some potency Of love, we’re joint, bondedTo put it bluntly, my dearNo Gods can split usNeither Shiva canNor can AnubisDo be mine and you and me, we’d,-We’d go to Sophie’s AtticThe time will, like magic, drag on and onAnd I’ll love you for twenty years moreHas she only to look at me and It’s you Mary, you that I adore.Tod HeapMy beautiful Spark(ies), I love you all. Will you be my valentine?Ms. Ramona

Mos Def in Conversation with Anthony DeCurtisWhat: The Poet, rapper, activist, and film star speaks out about big politics, music, activism and much more.Where: Kaufmann Concert Hall 1395 Lexington Ave at 92nd StreetWhy: So you can learn about something that affects the world.When: Thursday, February 28th 8PMPrice: $26

Critical MassWhat: Ride freely with a crowd of other bikers around NYC.

Where: Starting at Union Square North, Washing-ton Square Park, Tompkins Square Park, Madison Square Park, and other locations.Why: Because it’s the last day of February and it raises awareness and expressiveness.When: Friday February 29th 7PMPrice: FREE!

Purim Spectacular!What: A sparkling Purim carnival with food, drinks, music, and a message about gentrification.Where: The Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring, 45 East 33rd between Park and MadisonWhy: Because it’s a good time with a good message.

When: Saturday March 22nd at 8PM Price: Suggested Donation is $10

NYC Easter ParadeWhat: A procession of people in wacky hats, and their little dogs, too!Where: 5th Ave between 49th and 57th StreetsWhy: ‘Cause there’s lots of colorful and shiny hats!When: Easter Sunday, March 23rdPrice: FREE!

When is the best time to prep? Where is the best place to prep?

How about now? How about at Tech?

If you’re taking the SAT in May, Princeton Review classes start as soon as Monday, March 11th at Brooklyn Tech High School. Only the Princeton Review offers: • Dynamic teachers• Proven results• Personal attention• 24/7 online student center access• Satisfaction guaranteed

Tuition is $475. To enroll, call 800-2Review (800-273-8439).

Test names are the trademarks of their respective owners, who are not affiliated with The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review and The Princeton Review logo are trademarks registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

by The Princeton Review, Inc., which is not affiliated with Princeton University.

February CalendarBy ELIZABETH YUEN

ROGER Cossack deserves a long vacation after last year. 2007 was filled with the

most legal troubles, battles, and controversies with players, teams, and referees since the O.J. Simpson trial. Some things never change. Despite the years’ moments of shame and dishonor, there were also moments of triumph and prestige. Here are the Survey’s ten most important moments in professional sports during 2007.

10 Navy finally defeats Notre DameIn November of 2007, the Naval Academy’s Midshipmen ended their 43 game losing streak to Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish. The Midshipmen were victorious in a 46 – 44 triple over-time stunner, to record their first defeat of Notre Dame since 1963 – the longest winning streak (or losing streak) against any one team in NCAA history.

9 Peyton Manning Up and Over the HumpThe Indianapolis Colts, and specifically star Quarterback Peyton Manning, got the monkey off their backs by defeating Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game, and the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. After overcoming a 20 point deficit in the 2nd half against arch nemesis Tom Brady, two-time regular season MVP Peyton Manning led the Colts to a 29-17 victory, en route to his first Super Bowl title, and a Super Bowl MVP honor. Manning did lose one thing though: his “can’t win the big one” reputation.

8 Making It Rain On Them JonesNo one faced more charges, accusations, or off-the-field trouble than the Tennessee Titan’s Adam Bernard “Pacman” Jones. Jones was involved in several legal troubles before 2007, but during 2007 he has: a) been sought by police for an Atlanta strip-club shooting b) been stopped for speeding 30 mph over the limit on Interstate 65 c) attended a Las Vegas strip club where he assaulted a dancer, and fired gunshots, hitting two people, and paralyzing one of the victims. Allegedly. As a result, Jones was issued a season-long suspension from the league by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell with the possibility for appeal. His appeal was rejected. On January 15, 2008, Jones hit another dancer in an Atlanta Strip Club. Allegedly.

7 The Morbid MetsThe New York Mets began the 2007 season by defending their first division title since 1988, and

the first by a team not named the Braves in well over a decade – a world-wide sports record. After compiling a substantial lead in the division on the shoulders of young pitchers John Maine and Oliver Perez, the ever-youthful bat of 40 year old Moises Alou, and MVP candidate David Wright, the team collapsed and surrendered a seven game lead on September 12th by losing 12 of their final 17 games, and missing the post season.

6 The George Mitchell ReportFormer Senator George Mitchell’s investigation, released in December, has been the most comprehensive evidence of steroid use in baseball yet. While some question the report’s validity, Mitchell compiled evidence of the use of performance enhancing substances of dozens of players, including former all stars and World Series winners. Aided by the help of former Mets clubhouse attendant and former Yankees Strength and Conditioning coach Brian McNamee, players listed include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, Eric Gagne, Paul LoDuca, and Miguel Tejada.

5 Empty Headed ShmoOn April 4, 2007, during a discussion about the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, Imus characterized the Rutgers University women’s basketball team players as “nappy headed hos”. His comments sent a shockwave through America and the sports world, and prompted a public apology by Imus, a meeting with the Rutgers team and their coach Vivian Stringer, and culminated in his eventual oust from his radio program. However, Imus has since gotten back on the air.

4 An Official CheaterThirteen NBA seasons, 772 regular season games and 20 playoff games of now former NBA referee Tim Donaghy were revealed to be tainted. Donaghy resigned from the league on July 9, just before an FBI investigation surfaced saying that he bet on games that he officiated during his last two seasons. The calls that he made affected the point spread in those games. On August 15, Donaghy pleaded guilty to two federal charges. However, he could face more charges at the state level if it is determined that he deliberately miscalled individual games.

3 The Ba-roid Bonds Saga*The left fielder and future Hall of Fame outfielder was all over the media in 2007, as he has been for much of the 21st century. Bonds played his last game as a San Francisco Giant, a team in which he is surely to end up in Cooperstown with, and the lone city in America still in his good graces. On August 7th, he broke the most important record in sports, Hank Aaron’s career homerun record and ended the season with 762 and counting. Bonds was named in George Mitchell’s report, is under investigation by a federal grand jury regarding his testimony in the BALCO case several years ago, and was indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges on November 15. The indictment alleges that Bonds lied while under oath about his alleged use of steroids. To top it off, his record setting homerun ball was bought by fashion designer Mark Ecko, who has decided to brand the ball with an asterisk before sending it to the Hall of Fame.

2 E-Vick-tedBefore 2007, there was perhaps no bigger star in the NFL than Michael Vick. He set the record for rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback with 1000+, was on numerous commercials and ad campaigns, and was under contract to one of the richest deals in the league’s history. Vick’s trouble began on January 17, when he surrendered a water bottle with a hidden compartment to security at a Miami Airport, which according to a police report smelled like marijuana. Vick’s real trouble began on April 25th, when evidence of unlawful dog fighting activities at a property owned by Vick was discovered. Vick was adamant about his innocence for several months, until the truth came out and he pled guilty to the federal charges. Vick financed the operations, directly participated in the dog fights, and executions of losing dogs. In addition, he was personally in charge of handling the gambling related activities, which is one of the biggest crimes in sports. Vick accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 23 months in prison.

1 Patriot GamesDespite the Patriots beginning 2007 with a loss to arch rival Indianapolis, they came back with a vengeance. During the off season, they acquired superstar Randy Moss, tenacious Wes Welker, and pro-bowl line backer Adalius Thomas, among others. Amidst huge expectations, the Patriots pulled of the first undefeated regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and the first since the season expanded to 16 games. Unfortunately for the Pats and their fans, they failed to finish the deal, losing Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. While winning the game and capping off the season 19-0 would have been a tremendous story, the fact that they lost is perhaps more noteworthy as there remains no 19-0 team in league history, it’s on record as one of the biggest upsets ever in sports, and continues the debate of which team is the best ever. In terms of accolades, the Patriots set the NFL record for most points in a single season. Tom Brady won Offensive Player of the Year and his first MVP award while breaking Peyton Manning’s record 49 touchdown passes in a season. Randy Moss also broke the single season record for touchdown receptions with 23. In addition, in what seems like ages ago, the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick were caught video-taping the New York Jets’ sideline, and allegedly stealing their signs and information. In what was dubbed “spygate,” Belichick was fined $500,000 – the maximum fine allowed by the league, and the Patriots organization was fined an extra $250,000. The Patriots will also forfeit their first round pick in the 2008 draft, which would have been the last pick at #32. Regardless, the Patriots retain an acquired draft pick from the San Francisco 49ers at #7.

February 2008 Issue of Brooklyn Technical High School SurveyPage 8

Year in Re-Lewd: From Perfect Pats to Vile Vick, Hallmark Memories from the Year That Was

By AUSTIN GLASSER