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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Staff Blog

Second semester seniors (Feb. 23, 2003)

Personally, I was really disappointed by the segment on today’s episode of In Focus (life as a second semester senior, http://voice.paly.net/view_story?id=1511). I find it pathetic that some seniors have so little to do that they resort to burning a pen. Not only is doing so immature, but they were defacing school property by sticking the remnants of the utensil on the wall. However, what really shocks me is that some seniors can have such little interest in the classes they take. My sister, who graduated from Paly last year, was generally interested in the courses that she selected. Granted, she chose to take math and science classes because doing so is good for colleges, but she was interested in most of her courses like Spanish, English, Art for the content of the course…

In addition, I find it sad that some people have such little personal pride that they are willing to not work to the fullest of their potential. As a second semester senior, I will still work as hard as I have up until this point because I see a greater point in working. I don’t just slave away over homework in order to impress colleges; I want to learn.

In unrelated news, I saw a bird in the departure terminal at SFO yesterday. Talk about failure of airport security.

— Thomas O’Connell

Cricket is not a "wussy" sport! (Feb. 23, 2003)

I can’t believe you’re placing cricket in the same boat as badminton.  Cricket is more like baseball, and not only is it more fun than badminton, it’s also more of a sport than badminton.  Have you ever tried to play cricket?  Unlike badminton, where you just stand around and hit the birdie, in cricket you actually
have to do something.  In cricket, first, you have to hold the bat the right way and hit the ball the right way, because if you don’t, the ball isn’t going to go very far.  After you hit the ball, you have to run the wickets before the other team gets the ball back.  And
you have to run as fast to get as many wickets as you can.  There are even cricket world championships and the US even has a cricket team.  But, obviously, since you’ve never played it and you don’t know much about it, you wouldn’t know.  Did you know there was a movie made about cricket that was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Foreign Film?  I really recommend
you watch it, before you compare other sports, such as cricket, to Badminton. 

— Huda Shaikh

Slow what? (Feb. 20, 2004)

Well, Maggie I can understand why you would think it is a "wussy" sport in light of other high school staples such as football and basketball, but a "really slow birdie"? How would you even know? Have you bothered to watch the IBF World Cup, or perhaps the Olympics? The average speed for a birdie during those matches is over 100 mph, with the record sitting over 150 mph. It is the fastest sport in the world, and widely recognized as such. Its like having Billy Wagner (a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies), who throws at about 100 mph consistently, throwing at you … from 15 feet away as opposed to 66.5 feet away. The whole small racket thing is just proportions, come on! Clearly no one is going to play with something the size, and weight, of a tennis racket when the object to be struck is proportionally smaller, and lighter. Also, any day you feel like it, I am sure a few of the Varsity players would be happy to humor you with a few smashes, just to demonstrate the point in person.

–Timon Karnezos

Badminton sucks (Feb. 19, 2004)

Ok I have two things to say. One, Timon maybe you just need new shoes! I highly doubt the blisters are because of the "grueling" footwork drills at practice. Badminton is a wussy sport; just face it. All you do is chase around a really slow birdie with a tiny racket on a stick. You probably get the same workout as you would playing cricket. Maybe you should go back to tennis and cycling! Two, Amanda, I am sorry you spent your four day weekend in the freezing cold. I, on the other hand, was basking in the sun in Hawaii. Not only did I turn eighteen and finally become a legal adult, I got a tan too! Amanda, I recommend next
break going to someplace hot, and then you can brag to the juniors.

–Maggie Krummel

Four-day weekend beneficial for students (Feb. 19, 2004)

Wasn’t this weekend great? What more could I have asked for? A four-day weekend, a small amount of homework and I got to spend five days in the best city in America…New York that is. The trip was excellent except for the 14 degree weather, two horrible (and delayed) plane trips, and the fact that I got a cold upon arriving in the city. But even with all of the setbacks I still enjoyed my first long weekend as a second semester senior. I partied during the night, slept till noon every day, and when I finally managed to get out of bed I got to roam the streets of NYC all day long. I shopped till I dropped, went to several museums and ate at the most unique of eateries in the Big Apple. By the way, did I mention that I managed to get that small amount of homework done on the flight over there. Am I making any of the junior readers jealous yet? Good–that’s what I was going for. Don’t worry, you’ll have your time next year.

–Amanda Dotson

Badminton hurts (Feb. 6, 2004)

Drop, hop back, stab forward, drop, clear….oh crap, shuffle back, line up the shot, extend your arm, snap the wrist, rotate torso, dominant foot lands, launch forward, rinse and repeat. That is basically what I have been doing for about two hours for the past 3 or so days at badminton tryouts/practice. Getting creamed is hard work, so is an hour of footwork and running drills. I know too many of you are sneering at this and are thinking, "Badminton is a wussy sport, in fact its so wussy that anyone, including myself, could succeed at it without any prior experience." You are wrong. Flat out, no question, you are just wrong. I have played tennis competitively (as in practice every
day for six hours in the summer heat), cycled competitively (training for eight hours in sun, rain,sleet, snow, and hail), and kept myself in better-than-decent shape. I came back from the second practice grasping for my bucket of endurox and hoping
the blistering wasn’t nearly as bad as it felt. I practically puked looking at my mangled feet. I’ll spare you the small stuff. I had a hanging piece of skin 3×2 inches in size, where my heel and ball once sat. I wrapped it, chugged my Endurox, and prayed forit to magically reattach itself. Badminton is not for wusses, or rather, a serious badminton player is no wuss. This isn’t the "get out of PE" sport. The unit in PE is a joke, quite simply put. By the way, for those of you who would tell me that my skin flap is nothing and that i should suck it up, I would love to share injury stories. Have any of you seen you own pelvic bone mixed with gravel and neodex (stuff cycling shorts are made of)?

–Timon Karnezos

Flip-flops during winter is not okay (Feb. 4, 2004)

Are we not in winter?  Do your feet some good and put on some shoes!  It disturbs me to see people walking around in flip-flops when all of Paly is flooded.  I definitely agree with Hadas Goshen’s article "Flips-Flop" which you can find at: http://voice.paly.net/view_story.php?id=1314.

–Stav Raz

Rain days for Paly (Feb. 4, 2004)

Yes, I agree, but speaking of rain, don’t you think we should have rain days?  While every other state has snow days and heat days we have to use our textbooks as cover from the rain, in our open campus, and we have to run between our classes.

–Åshley Davis

Not always sunshine in the sunshine state (Feb. 4, 2004)

We are stuck in our little California world and we cannot admit that it is not always sunshine.  We deny that fact that it does get cold here, and that we must wear jackets and real shoes.

–Stav Raz

Radiant journalist writes for Voice (Feb. 4, 2004)

Greg is a radiant journalist.  He is the bright spot of our fifth period staff.  People can only marvel when picturing his glowing smile waiting for other staff members each 5th period.  His burly stature and rolling muscular physique seems to cajole those he interviews, eliciting essential information.  Yes, no story passes by this aspiring young scholar, as he constantly sieves story-worthy material from common gossip.

–Nathan Ford

Disgusting half-time show apalls viewers (Feb. 3, 2004)

What was CBS thinking when they hired MTV to host the Superbowl half-time show?! Not only did the performers sing only songs from albums that were popular two or three years ago, but the entire performance was completely tasteless. Nelly, P. Diddy and Kid Rock were alright, but Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake made me, along with the other 100 million estimated viewers want to change the channel. The horrid bumping, grinding, slapping and squeezing between Justin and Janet was vulgar…and trust me, I’ve been to plenty of Paly dances so I know what vulgar dancing is. Speaking of dances…when is the next one?

–Amanda Dotson

Being a senior rules! (Jan. 28, 2004)

Today is my third day as a second semester senior. Over the past three weeks or so I have done about 10 hours of homework, gone to bed whenever I want to, and I have actually been able to watch my three favorite TV shows. In the past I have had to videotape them and watch the shows the following day after school, but not now. I’m not going to lie–this seems like heaven. My grades have not changed and I don’t feel like I have "slacked off," and I have never been this relaxed in my entire high school career.

— Amanda Dotson

What we’re missing (Jan. 28, 2004)

The landscapes at the Cantor Museum remind me of how little the Paly student can really see in the stereotypical week school schedule. In our dull, over-civilized Palo Altan bubble, we often forget what makes the world we live in so beautiful. Amongst the traditional high-school parties, the college application stress, the piles of homework, the repetitive evenings of doing the exact same things with our friends, and the dull household chores that dictate our lives, we can forget that the world around us can be spiritually overwhelming. The sublime can drive out the routine forces that run our lives for just a minute as we watch a sunset over the misty hills, or look at the majestic mountains of Sierra Nevada on a clear morning, and suddenly our lives seem less wasted.

— Sam Badger

Senioritis and party incident continued… (Jan. 28, 2004)

Amanda, I completely agree with you. All juniors can look forward to second semester senior year. I mean, Monday, I came to one class, went home and slept. Tuesday, I came home from school, watched "Pirates of the Caribbean," the "Real World," "American Idol" and went to bed. Ahhhh, this is the life. And as a witness to the horrible atrocity Amanda mentioned, the story is completely true. It’s not the first time this has happened. I have a friend who frequently pursues boys; however, they are much more willing to go along with it. I commend this junior for sticking up for himself and his personal rights!

–Maggie Krummel

Senior girl pursues junior boy at victory party (Jan. 28, 2004)

After a basketball victory over our archrival Gunn, I decided to have a celebratory party with my closest friends. I guess you could call it somewhat of a girl bonding night–snacks, drinks, music and of course Sara’s video camera to catch all of it on film!
Contrary to popular belief that only boys forcefully pursue girls, I am here to tell you that that is not the truth! One of my beloved friends decided to invite a potential love interest (who might I add is one of my favorite junior boys) over and without thinking twice he came. When I opened the front door in came the boy and in 2.4 seconds flat my friend had threw him on the guest room bed trying to "forcefully pursue" the poor young one. Being rightfully surprised by this big senior girl he flew out of the bedroom and said (with a red face), " Wow! I suurre didn’t expect that!" So, the moral of the story… girls can sexually approach boys too!

— Amanda Dotson

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