Volume 65 Issue 1

the

Journal

Since 1946

By and for the students of Guilderland Central High School

Volume 65 Issue 1

Guilderland Center, NY 12085 October 2013

FREE

Mid-east conflicts felt at home Mike Zhu Recent Guilderland graduate Hajar Alrifai’s extended family lives in Syria, where a civil war currently ensues. Her cousin, Nada, is 16 years old and in her last year of high school.

Though the devastating conflict captures the essence of revolutionary politics and sectarian religious conflict, it undermines a key character that has been completely changed by the fighting: the student. Countless thousands have been displaced by the incessant fighting in Syria, but students like Nada must continue their education.

Every day, or at least whenever possible, Nada’s parents go to work and she goes to school. They lack the indifference, the boredom, or the reluctance that many students portray here in the U.S. Instead, they go through their day fully knowing, and fearing, that it could truly be their last.

But students like Nada don’t give up.

“They don’t sit in their room and cry about it,” Hajar says.

Nada lives near the Jordanian border in the town of Dar’aa, where the grassroots of the Syrian revolution began. She has been studying for the Baccalaureate exam, which she will take this coming May. The test covers everything learned since kindergarten, and as Hajar explains, “basically determines your future.”

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A menorah made of old rockets oversees the city of Sderot, Israel, as a call for peace over war.

Suburban psychic: powers in question Andrew Fedorov Guilderland can often seem stale.

Its people, though progressive, for the most part live conventional lives.

Its stores, though they contain most of what we need, lack excitement and are mostly chains. Yet, square in the center of suburbia, cushioned between residential neighborhoods, Stewarts and Cumberland Farms is The Psychic Gallery.

Outside it stands a sign that apart from the name of the place doesn’t stand out. In the window there are glowing white letters that read “psychic” and below that, at the right time, there are red letters that read “open.”

The only thing that really sets it apart is the red long-eared buddha sitting by the sign.

There are even more buddhas scattered around inside. These are mostly just heads unlike the one guarding the place. As for the rest it looks like

someone transferred the contents of a Haight-Ashbury flat into a small house. There are shag carpets and trippy paintings on the wall which the psychic draws from visions. The business is conducted in back in what must have at some point been a dining room partitioned by a red curtain. Clients sit around a table with various forms of incense, two decks of tarot cards, a crystal ball and, as with every other part of the building, a buddha head.

The psychic looked like a construction worker, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. His name is Adam Tennis, a name that at first seemed improbable but on further inspection turned out to be true. He refused to be recorded or photographed.

His family has roots that go back to Argentina and more recently Long Island and claims that for further back than he knows his family has exhibited psychic abilities. According to Mr.

What’s inside: Hallways Pop Arts Around Town Centerspread

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World&Culture Fine Arts Opinions Sports

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Hallways 2

Retired teachers: where are they now?

Tennis, his first psychic experience happened when he was “six or seven” when he was “talking to a little girl, but she was dead.” 1 He’s been in the Albany area for about ten years and has two locations open for his business; one in Guilderland and one on Lark Street. In the running of these he is assisted by his daughter and another employee, both of whom share his abilities. A few people come into his shop a day and he charges $10 for palm readings, $20 for psychic readings, $30 for tarot card readings, and $40 for crystal readings and all this he supplements with the sale of his paintings and an inheritance from his grandfather, who was a construction worker. He lives fairly frugally but travels around to places like Miami and Phoenix to meditate and visit.

Fracking David Lassalle Did you know that you are standing on the largest shale gas deposit in the world? In the decade ahead, the United States will have the ability to unlock this massive natural gas reserve thanks to the newly legalized process of hydraulic fracturing or hydrofracking. Tapping into this reserve will lower taxes, create jobs, boost the economy, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Based on this, fracking looks like a fantastic idea. A deeper investigation, however, will show what is really going on eight thousand feet down.

The process works by pumping a concoction of water, sand, and chemicals under immense pressure into a natural gas or oil well. The chemicals help to put fractures in the shale which are then held open by the sand allowing natural gas and oil to escape. While the process seems so harmless and appears to be of massive benefit to everyone, it only takes a small amount of research to uncover the terrible truth; Fracking will destroy this world if it is not stopped.

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Around Town

Photo courtesy of Molly Sonenberg

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Restaurant review: tacos of the Capital District

Opinions 17

Staff Editorial: The Cost of a High School Resumé

The Journal October 2013

Hallways the

Journal Where are they now?

2013 - 2014

The Journal is published by and for the students of Guilderland High School and is the school’s official student newspaper. We publish accounts of, and perspectives on, people, issues, and events that affect members of the school as well as the community.

Although initialed by the writer, editorials reflect the majority opinion of the editorial staff.

Reviews, columns, commentaries, and letters to the editor, however, represent the view of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the staff.

Although we try not to solicit advertisements from competing businesses in a given issue, we cannot guarantee that a conflict involving advertising will not arise. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their respective advertisements. We are not responsible for printing and/or typographical errors that may occur in a given advertisement. We reserve the right not to print a given advertisement. Also, we cannot assure that columns, editorials, news, reviews or feature stories will not cover issues or events relating to any advertiser in this newspaper.

We welcome signed letters from our readers.

To be printed, letters must be of a reasonable length and contain neither libelous, slanderous, nor profane material. We reserve the right to reject any letter received. Unless otherwise noted by the editor-in-chief or the managing editor, all accepted letters will be printed in the letters to the editor section. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar and content.

How to contact The Journal Mail: The Journal c/o Guilderland High School 8 School Rd Guilderland Center, NY 12085 Phone: (518) 861-8591 Ask for The Journal Email: theguilderlandjournal@gmail.com Submit stories to: theguilderlandjournal@gmail.com

-Editorial BoardEditors-in-Chief Isaac Malsky, Design Justina Liu , Content Managing Editor Luxi Peng -ContentHallways Editors Karthik Ramesh, Hayley Chang Around Town Editors Taylor Tewksbury, Jack Watson Pop Arts Editors Julia Davidoff, Elana DeSantis World & Cultures Editors Michelle Xiong, Mike Zhu Fine Arts Editors Leonard Bopp, Katie Lamar Opinions Editors Andrew Fedorov Sports Editors Tevor Laicha, Kyle Levy Photography Editor Pranav Nayak Graphics Editor Rachel Gingrich Staff Photographers MaryGrace Graves, Sam Pitkin Staff Writers Jake Hill, Max Chao, Salil Chaudhry, Reza Sayeed -BusinessBusiness Staff Brent Katlan Matt Scatena Distribution Manager MaryGrace Graves Faculty Advisors Christopher Mazura, Erin McNamara

Catching up with former GHS teachers Retirement revolves around family Taylor Tewksbury

Many seniors may remember Mr. Lampman, the mathematics teacher who retired after the 2011-2012 school year.

He was known for his positive persona, (corny) jokes, and unique attitude towards learning. Two years later, he revisits his many years of teaching.

“The fun was in the time between the bell to start class and the bell to end it—interacting with the students to implement the lesson,” reflected Lampman, who began teaching in 1972, but joined the GHS community in 2000. Recognized for his dedication, he always strove to make class a rewarding experience.

“There is no perfect lesson, and I never tired of working each day and each year to improve my work. The fun was based on hard work and preparation”.

Though effort was a trait he emphasized, he knew the importance of enjoying the learning process. His message to current teachers and students is simple.

“Certainly do the job and work hard at it,” advised Lampman,“But do not miss the many opportunities to find and take the fun in it—in the work and in each other.”

Even though he has left the building, his lessons have not. Likewise, the impressions his students left on him are far from faded. He says the thing he misses most about teaching is the students.

“My greatest joy was always in getting to know and work with so many interesting and wonderful young people.

They always came to me in classes but I always took the time to get to know and interact with them as individuals. I never got tired of meeting new ones, and now I don’t anymore”.

While he misses the school, he has gained something—time. He has been able to take care of projects and to pursue his hobbies—reading, swimming, golf, and seeing friends and family. Recently, this time has become especially valuable with the arrival of a grandchild. Unfortunately, one thing Lampman does not intend to do is substitute teach. However, his time here has left an impact that will be felt for years to come.

Photo courtesy of Harry Lampman / The Journal

The cultural legend: Mrs. Mackey Karthik Ramesh To many incoming freshmen, passing by or entering room 715 can be just a daily routine; a simple action requiring no more effort than breathing. But to many upperclassmen passing an all too familiar room can cause a huge shocker due to the fact that Mrs. Patricia Mackey no longer teaches there. It hasn’t even been three months since the school raised its hand in final salute to the concertmaster of the famous symphony that is the annual cultural fair but already it seems to have

been too long ago.

Having taught her final lesson Mrs. Mackey now focuses her time on various hobbies such as sewing, gardening, participating in book clubs, volunteering and on pursuing her dream to travel. Fortunately this doesn’t mean she has left us behind forever. When asked what she will miss most about coming to Guilderland High School she said, “What I know I will miss most is the daily contact with all my students and my colleagues, faceto-face, and the constant interaction with

their concerns, activities and interests.”

She later added, “You’re all ‘friends’ and ‘family’ and this was the part of my ‘job’ that was the most fulfilling.”

In addition to all she did for us while at GHS, Mrs. Mackey had a few words for the teachers still here: “I would recommend that they strive for keeping up with their hobbies while they’re teaching, and to get involved in some organizations that have nothing to do with school, so that the transition into retirement will be less painful and anxiety causing, as well as less boring.” And for the students she says simply, “Use your time wisely and study hard!”

Mrs. Mackey hasn’t forgotten the students either.

She plans to come back as a substitute teacher and/ or as a visitor. But if the wait is too long and painful for anyone, Mrs. Mackey has made herself easily reachable by taking the leap into the social world of Facebook. And to students who wish to see her in person, perhaps to set up lunch or dinner with her, Mrs. Mackey finished off by saying, “I prefer eating anything!”

Photo courtesy of Pat Mackey / The Journal

October 2013

Hallways

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Mr. Gigante: physics teacher and firefighter Justina Liu If Mr. Gigante is late to school, there is a chance that he was out late fire fighting.

A full-time physics teacher at Guilderland High School, Mr. Gigante is also a volunteer firefighter for Rotterdam’s Fire District #2. He is on call 24/7, but cannot respond to calls while he is working at school.

Six years ago, to become a volunteer firefighter, Mr. Gigante had to take a three month long New York State class, Firefighter I. He is Firefighter Assist and Search Team certified (FAST), and qualified to perform vehicle extrication.

Additional classes were required for both.

The volunteer fire fighters in his department meet several times each month to train, where they practice firematic techniques as well as safety and rescue.

The “Pittsburgh Drill” simulates a smoky house and the firefighter’s mission is to rescue a dummy. During the drill, the firefighter wears a dark hood over his face and must navigate an obstacle course using his senses of sight and sound.

Mr. Gigante is a Class A Interior

Firefighter, meaning he can enter firelit houses, wearing a mask, respirator and protective gear. In his protective clothing, Mr. Gigante can draw near to a fire, but certainly not pass through it. “The [protective gear] protects you to a certain ‘degree’—literally!”

“I’m comfortable in a risky situation if I know that there’s safety,” says Mr. Gigante. His source of safety is not his protective gear, but also his team members.

Television and movies play up the character of the lone firefighter, investigating and searching for a trapped person while others anxiously wait outside. “In movies, they come out like a hero—most times it doesn’t work like that,” he says.

In reality, firefighters almost always work in teams of two or more. It is dangerous to enter an uncharted room alone, and it takes two people to control a water-spouting hose. “It would knock you over, if you were by yourself,” says Mr. Gigante.

Like a sports team, each member of a firefighting team has his own strengths and weaknesses. Safety and success in

firefighting depend on how well you understand and utilize them.

Having been a teacher for many years, Mr. Gigante can project his voice and give instructions to others on the spot.

Leaders in his fire department recognized this ability, and currently Mr. Gigante is training to become a sergeant.

The analytical thinking he uses in science helps him assess complex situations, and knowing a fire’s chemical behavior helps him anticipate how it will spread.

His science background also helps him identify chemicals that can become hazardous if exposed to flames.

“We all have a day job, so everyone brings something to the table.” On his team, there are dentists, mechanics, mailmen, and others. Mr. Gigante says that the mailman is very important, because he knows the neighborhoods the best and the fastest routes to houses.

“It’s a brotherhood. It’s a camaraderie.

It’s always a team effort,” he says.

Mr. Gigante grew up in Troy, and in his neighborhood were several professional firefighters.To the twelve year old Mr.

Gigante, the firefighters who he often talked to were a sort of hero.

The firefighters’ stories stuck with him, through high school, college and his teaching career. He says, “it was always something I wanted to do, and when the time was right, I did it.”

Photo courtesy of Kristofer Gigante/ The Journal

New technology arrives in GHS classrooms Matt Gu

With a new school year comes, as always, great changes. As you may have seen and heard about around GHS, the school has just purchased hundreds of Chromebooks for student use in classrooms, new laptops for teachers, and wireless routers throughout the entire school.

Student and teacher response to the new additions and upgrades has generally been positive. Many teachers are trying to integrate the new technology into their classes, borrowing Chromebooks or other laptops for activities like labs, writing workshops, and multimedia presentations and lectures.

First, let’s look at the extent of the tech additions. GHS has bought 250 Chromebooks (the Samsung laptop, if you want to be specific), enough for about 9 classroom sets. Every teacher also got a laptop.

Along with that, the English and Social Studies wing acquired another laptop cart with 30 laptops, the Chemistry wing got a 15-laptop lab cart, and the Physics classes

got 12 laptops.

The overall opinion among teachers seems to be that the laptop carts make things more convenient when the computer lab is unavailable but computers are needed. The teacher laptops appear generally liked – I see teachers carrying them around or using them as replacements for the desktop computers originally in their rooms. “I’m comfortable with the laptops, since I’ve used one at home,” math teacher Ms. Stein said. “But it does make inputting grades more difficult,” referring to the smaller size of the laptop and the lack of a number pad on the right side.

She also mentioned the portability of laptops, praising the convenience of being able to take a laptop wherever she went around the school to different classrooms.

The second , much more anticipated addition was the new student-accessible Wi-Fi throughout the school. Ever since the second half of last school year, we’ve all been wondering about the wireless routers that have been installed in nearly

every classroom. The school does indeed have Wi-Fi coverage across the entire building; students are unable to access the network, though. Mr. Jeff Gregory, a computer coordinator and technician, explained why. “Right now, Wi-Fi is only set up for teacher access as far as personal devices. Students will have access at some point.”

The plan is for every student to have their own wireless login, similar to the Novell logins that we all use to log on computers. Students would be connected to the internet through the school network, with all the access restrictions. So no, there won’t be Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube. The accounts have not been set up (again, the issues with this large of a system have to be ironed out before it can be implemented) and may not be up until much later in the year.

For some students the delay may be problematic, or at least extremely inconvenient. As many teachers are using online homework postings like Edmodo,

or online uploads and sharing of work such as Google Drive, many think that it would be helpful to have internet access to check homework, share a file, print a paper, or finish up an assignment. Along with the time saved, there also won’t be a bottleneck of people waiting to use one of the few computers in a classroom.

There are few teachers, and fewer WiFi accessing devices among them. By using teachers and their devices as a sort of test run, the technicians can figure out the best way to set up the wireless network to handle over a thousand students trying to connect to the Internet at the same time.

With a system this large and complex, it’s going to take a while to set up. And of course, “when this system finally gets up and running,” as Mr. Gregory added, “that’s when it’ll really open up and we’ll see where all the problems are.” So unfortunately, in regards to Wi-Fi, we might be in for a bit of a wait.

The unsung heroes of the cafeteria Vivian Dai and Ioana Sima When we hear the words “school faculty”, we usually think of teachers and principals, but often we forget those other workers here at GHS without whom the students’ basic needs wouldn’t be met.

Among these workers are the kitchen staff members, who are an integral part of what keeps the school functioning.

Vinni Varvaro is a member of this important staff. If you buy lunch, you’d know him as the funny guy serving food during nearly every lunch, every day.

Mr. Varvaro enjoys his job and finds it rewarding, even if it’s for something as small as making the students cookies.

“We make somewhere around sixteen to eighteen trays, sometimes more every day, with forty cookies per tray. That’s somewhere between six hundred to eight

hundred cookies. You guys eat a lot of cookies.”

Despite the sheer amount of food students consume and the hard work that must go into making it, Mr. Varvaro would only alter a couple of things about his job. One of them being the school’s lunch menu.

“We only say how to prepare the food, but otherwise we’re stuck.”

Mr. Varvaro believes that if the meal plans were more structured around what the students enjoy, then they would be tempted to buy more and throw out less.

“We’d change a lot, get rid of all the stuff that people don’t like. I would say just have more often the foods that they like. But you can’t have dunkers more than once a week because then you’ll spoil the students.”

Working on the kitchen staff isn’t the only thing Mr. Varvaro enjoys; there’s quite another side to him that you probably had no idea about: during the summer, Mr. Varvaro used to work with horses.

“In the summer, I got up at 3:35 every day and I’d be at the barn at twenty minutes to five. I worked for a big racing stable at Saratoga.” He was a trainer for twenty-five years before he decided to retire.

We overlook the kitchen staff here at GHS. We don’t notice all of their efforts to keep this school--and the students’ stomachs-- running smoothly. They work hard to prepare and serve food to eight hundred students every day, five days a week. The next time you buy lunch, tell those employees that you appreciate everything they do for our school.

Photo courtesy of Ioana Sima/ The Journal

October 2013

Hallways

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College search: finding the right fit Vivian Dai

The college search process is probably one of the most arduous and grueling tasks students have to face, unless, of course, you are one of those lucky few who find the right “fit’” right away. The rest of us will just have to embark on college visits, cross our fingers, and hope we’ll find a “fit” eventually.

“The right fit” is an incredibly vague and ambiguous term adults—more specifically, admissions officers—thrust upon you to give you a sense of closure and relief: Just find the right fit, and you’ll be fine. To their credit, there are so many things that factor in to finding the “perfect” school that there is simply no other way to put it, and this is why “Just find the right fit” is arguably the most frequently given piece of advice to students. And because of its ambiguous nature, “the right fit” is interpreted differently by each individual, whether it be from the perspective of a student, teacher, or parent.

Amy Guo (Junior), Michelle Yu (Junior), and Taylor Tewksberry (Senior) are three students who are in the process of finding that perfect fit, having visited a variety of colleges, and are beginning to develop their own ideas of what “the right fit” really means.

“Finding the right fit includes, but obviously isn’t limited to, campus setting, curriculum structure, majors offered, quality of education in your desired major, study abroad options, internship opportunities, sports and activities offered, and cost,” Amy stated.

Taylor seems to agree that there are many aspects of a school you must look at to find the “perfect” one.

“You have to consider the academics and programs, and the location and size.

You have to see what kind of activities the students participate in. It’s important to know if you’ll be able to find your niche,” Taylor said.

To learn about these aspects of a school, students would probably have to go on college visits, and the importance of these visits is certainly undeniable.

“College visits are an absolute must for me to make my final decision,” said Amy. “They allow me to see different nuances of schools and can potentially introduce new features of schools I prioritize later on in my search.”

They might also be important for different reasons.

“College visits are important because colleges do look at whether you visit, because it shows you have interest in them,” Michelle said. This, in turn, could potentially increase your chances of getting into that school.

Teachers here at GHS seem to agree on the importance of college visits as well.

“Obviously, schools should first be picked based on what programs, etc. they offer. After that, though, to help limit choices, I think the visit to the school is necessary,” said Mrs. Rudolph, a social studies teacher.

Mr. McBride, an English teacher, went as far as to say, “I think that the college visit is probably the most important aspect of choosing a college.”

Of course, visiting colleges is not the one and only way to find the right fit, and, as Michelle said, “There’s only so much you can learn from college visits, and it often doesn’t give you the full picture.”

This is especially true if, during the visit, you only attend the information session, campus tour, or other program the admissions office provides. If you do

a little exploring on your own, or engage in conversation with people at the school, you might gain further insight.

“I think the best way to find out whether you like the college is by talking to students who go there. They give the best assessments because they live and learn there everyday,” Taylor said.

With all of this decision-making and college-visiting and that constant need to find the right fit, students become easily overwhelmed. This is when parents, above all others, can be the supporting beam.

Mrs. Peng, the mother of Luxi Peng (Senior), believes in the personal preferences of each and every student. “Different kids focus on different things. Some care a lot about the size, others care more about the surrounding area or the location of the college. It depends on the individual student.”

However, she believes more in the importance of parent support. “The parents should help the student decide what kind of academics or what kind of future

they want. Even if the student were very independent, I wouldn’t say the parents need to step back. They still need to judge whether the students’ decisions are good or not. No matter what, parents have to give support.”

Indeed, support from parents—or anyone, really—would help students during this hard time of frantic searching and visiting and deciding, all with the lofty goal of finding that perfect fit. And at this point, perhaps the only things that can provide comfort are food, naps, and the wise words of Mr. McBride: “Too much weight is placed on getting into the single right college, in my view. A number of different colleges could provide unique and life-changing experiences, and people shouldn’t get hung up on the idea that there is only one path to future happiness.”

Below: The Alma Mater Statue at Columbia University.

Photo courtesy of Luxi Peng

Meet exchange students Sarah, Theresia and Josie Emily Honen & Cody Ingraham spirit,” she explains. “We don’t have this

Remember being a freshman? Orientation, the first-day rush, the ungodly hour of the morning at which you were now forced to wake up with eyes frantically scanning maps and schedules. It wasn’t the greatest few days, even if you did have a few friends at your side. Now imagine going through all that in a foreign country, knowing next to nobody( no one), and having to speak in a language that isn’t your first.

This uncomfortable scenario could have been a reality for Sarah Castagne, Theresia Güber, and Josephine Richter, three eleventh-grade foreign exchange students here this year at GHS from Germany.

Despite the daunting idea of coming to a foreign country and starting at a completely new school, Sarah Castagne, a native of Hamburg, Germany, has adjusted well to the new atmosphere. “I like the school very much here-there are many nice people,” she says. “There are no sports clubs in Germany, so you would never go to a football game.”

Having no trouble adjusting to the sporty aspect of America, Sarah joined the Guilderland Cross Country team and now cheers on her teammates as a part of the Red Sea-another difference. “In American schools, there’s so much school

much school spirit in Germany.”

Sarah came to America through a program called YFU, Youth For Understanding, and is hosted by sophomore Sarah Jones. “I was so excited to host,” the GHS sophomore says. “I would actually bother my friends at lunch-’I got an e-mail from my exchange student!’”

Along with Sarah, Theresia from Stuttgart, Germany, is also here through YFU and is hosted by freshman Katie Kumpta. Theresia is excited to learn more about America, saying, “I wanted to try something different, to meet new people and learn about a new culture!”

One of her favorite activities is ballet, something she hopes to continue here in America. Theresia hopes that during her stay here she will be able to refine her English skills and become more independent. “I’m alone over here, without my family, so this year I’ll have to make decisions on my own. I’m excited for this year!”

Also delighted to be here is Josephine (“Josie”) Richter, from Cologne, Germany and she is staying with GHS Sophomore, Sam Peck. Josie is on her exchange through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), an organization similar to YFU. Josie was ecstatic about coming to America, say-

Photo courtesy of Cody Ingraham / The Journal

ing “I wanted a new experience, to see something new – and to learn English better of course.”

Josie has also traveled across the globe, she has already been to Norway, Egypt, Hungary and Mexico. In her free time, Josie loves to ski, and play sports like basketball and volleyball.She is enjoying her classes so far and has met many students at GHS along the way. “I really like Photoshop--it’s my favorite class. Ev-

eryone here is so nice, both the students and the teachers. I think I’m really going to like it here!”

Guilderland is fortunate to have these exciting exchange students join our community this year. Be sure to take the chance to say “hi” to them in the hallways and don’t pass up the opportunity to make a friend and learn about a culture from the other side of the globe!

The Journal October 2013

Pop Arts

Remember the girl with the best of both worlds?

Nikki Naidu and Ania Albierksi Remember the girl who lived the best of both worlds? She’s gone. Replacing the sweet Miley Ray Cyrus that debuted with her tv show “Hannah Montana” on Disney Channel, stands a free-spirited individual who simply does not care. This was proven in the music video for “We Can’t Stop”, which broke Miley’s goodgirl image. In the video, Miley is shown simply letting loose in every single way possible.

The misfit behavior began when Miley chopped off her locks. From that moment, everything has been going downhill for her. From explicit pictures to inappropriate tweets, Miley has covered every Rated R aspect of life.

“Ain’t worrrrrriieddd bout nothin but my my #bizzzznassss,” Cyrus tweeted with a photo attached of her in skin tight, revealing clothing while grabbing her crotch.

Maybe she should be worried about a bit more? She’s got young fans too, and maybe this kind of behavior isn’t good to be displaying.

Foam fingers are for cheering teams at sporting, events right? That’s not what Cyrus thinks! Miley’s performance at the Video Music Awards’ portrayed a whole new character, that no one was expect-

ing. Twerking on Robin Thicke, wearing Maybe this is all a plan that Cyrus has. nothing but a kitty leotard, which she Maybe this is turning into something later ripped off to reveal her peach, latex, more meaningful than a child star going wrong. Could Miley be fooling us all with undergarments. her crazy antics?

We all saw the perforMillions of viewers across the mance, exploiting a bit nation, have tuned in to see more of the star than most of us wanted to Miley lick a sledgehammer, and hang nude on a see.

This performance large metal ball. Cyrus’ latest music video, has been circling around the pop cul“ Wr e ck i n g B a l l ” broke the VEVO reture news for weeks cord, in its first week now, only to conof release. The mutinue the controversy sic video gained more about the ex Disney star. It’s pretty than 95 million views, and tons of controversial obvious that Miley criticism upon its release. stood out between Most people watch the her glammed out, classy friends who attended video, and think the awards in satin that it’s utter ridiculousgowns, and braidn es s, b u t ed buns. Cyrus, however, showed could there up with two pigbe a deeper meaning? tails that people “I think called “childish” Graphic courtesy of Alyssa Varsanyi and “devil-like.” the video is Tons of statements were made about much more,” Miley Miley’s performance, but maybe none stated, in her interview with Elvis Duran. of them spoke what needed to be said. “If people get past the point I make, and

2 Chainz falls victim to sophomore slump Salil Chaudhry Tauheed Epps, better known as 2 Chainz (yes, he has a real name), recently released his newest full-length album, “B.O.A.T.S. II #METIME”. 2 Chainz first album, “Based on a T.R.U. Story” (2012), was generally good and had some hits that the public fell in love with. Songs like “I’m Different” and “Birthday Song” kick started his career, allowing him to become one of the most talked about rappers of 2013. Would 2 Chainz release an even better second album? Or would he suffer from a sophomore slump?

To put it simply, this album was cliche 2 Chainz. First off, the beats. The production on this album is decent, nothing special. Stuttery hi-hats, heavy bass, a large booming drums are all found on the album. It has a “normal” rap sound that we hear in Lil Wayne or Drake’s music.

Second, is the lyrics. Lyrically, it’s average as well. Woman, money, drugs are the topics on every song. Nothing really special to talk about here. Last, is the way 2 Chainz delivers the lyrics. This was the worst part of the album. 2 Chainz yells a lot, he is stuttery and he lacks that quick flow that I find to be important in rap.

The only song I truly enjoyed on the album was “Beautiful Pain”. This was only because Harlem rapper Ma$e appears on the track. Ma$e’s flow is great; he completely owns the song with his smooth

and witty delivery of the lyrics. He sounds ten times better than 2 Chainz.

In my opinion, this album is good background rap music. If you enjoy a very average lyrics, beats, and delivery, then this is your kind of album. To put it bluntly, 2 Chainz is just an average rapper; nothing special.

you actually look at me, you can tell I look more broken than even the song sounds.”

Could this song be about her recent split from longtime fiance Liam Hemsworth?

Who remembers the fallen star of the Amanda show, Amanda Bynes? Or Lindsay Lohan? A fellow Disney co-star.

Crazy twitter pictures, absurd behavior, is Cyrus headed in the same direction as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears? Every celebrity hits a breaking point at some place and time, could this be Miley’s?

“I was an adult when I was supposed to be a kid. So now I’m an adult and I’m acting like a kid,” Miley claimed in her interview with Harper’s Bazaar magazine.

Miley has been on a fast path downward. What’s next, drugs, drunk driving, sex tape? The whole world, is just waiting to see what her next crazy antic will be.

“My new music is going to shut everyone up,” Miley tweeted on March 6, 2013.

That declaration could not have been more true.

Pretty Little Liars spinoff creates buzz this fall Emily Laparco

Have you ever seen the television show, “Pretty Little Liars” from ABC Family? “Pretty Little Liars” is teen drama, mystery-thriller television series that started in June 2010. Since the premiere, the show has gotten millions of views from classes at all ages and all genders.

The hit series has rated first in key ages My Score: 3.5/10 12-34, welcoming the 2.47 million fixed viewers. “Pretty Little Liars” has become ABC Family’s best delivery in the time slot since the premiere of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”. Since the hit TV show’s success, the producers (I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, and Joseph Dougherty) of “Pretty Little Liars” have decided to start a spin-off series, called “Ravenswood”. Just like the “Pretty Little Liars” series, “Ravenswood” is on track to have just as many viewers as “Pretty Little Liars” and maybe even more, depending on how viewers enjoy the premiere.

The producers of the new show want the start of the series to be unknown, without viewers knowing what to or who (what characters from “Pretty Little Liars”) to expect to see in the fresh TV show. There have been previews of this show however they do not give away Graphic courtesy of Rachel Gingrich much information and only give small hints as to what will happen in the show.

Although, there have been some leaks as to what the TV show’s plot may be based upon. The spin-off is set in a town called Ravenswood near the “Pretty Little Liars” hometown, Rosewood. “Ravenswood” starts off with five strangers that unexpectedly link to each other by a deadly curse that haunts the town of Ravenswood. These five strangers come together to investigate their hometown’s dark secrets before it is too late for the five strangers.

Many have proposed questions that haven’t been answered from the leak of “Ravenswood” and also have started to wonder about other cases in the new show from what was aforementioned in the leak. Some have wondered who these five characters were and which characters from the TV show “Pretty Little Liars” have come to be a part of the scene. Others have wondered based off of the leak of the new TV show, what the curse is and how it affects the rest of “Ravenswood”, and additionally what will happen if the five characters are “too late.”

The new TV show, “Ravenswood” premiers October 22nd at 9/8 central.

October 2013

Pop Arts

page 6 (theJournal)

This Is Us review: It’s the little things that make One Direction Ritwick Dan & Sally Slingerland

Ever wondered who One Direction really is? Everything you would ever need to know about the lives of the One Direction boys, you could find in their new movie, One Direction: This is Us. From their humble origins as boys in UK working class families, to their X-Factor success, this film highlights their whirlwind journey, culminating in their sold-out performance at the world renowned London O2 Arena. In addition, this movie delves deeper into their personal lives and includes interviews of Harry, Liam, Niall, Zayn, Louis, and their families, discussing how becoming part of a global phenomenon has changed their lives.

This is Us- Extended Fan Cut Edition is especially exhilarating for One Direction fans; a large portion is dedicated to showing real concert footage of some of their most well know songs like What Makes you Beautiful, Best Song Ever, and Little Things. The shots of thousands of screaming and crying girls in the audience during these performances provide evidence of the profound effect 1D has on

its fans. In fact, the boys emphasized how much they owe to their incredibly loyal fan base. As One Direction fan Justina Liu can attest, “The boys in the band are just so goofy--it’s as if they don’t have fears and worries, and are just happy to be young… I think it’s their youth and a

Graphic courtesy of Rachel Gingrich

sort of weightlessness that enables them to captivate the audience.” Because of the overwhelming fan turnout to see This is Us, the film grossed $17 million in its debut. Although it topped box office sales on its opening weekend, it was not enough to surpass Justin Bieber’s similar feature film, Never Say Never, from 2011.

Despite this shortcoming, the fact remains that 1D’s international suc-

cess came more quickly than that of the original British band, The Beatles.

However, critics argue that this is only a result of the increased globalization of the modern world, and the 1D craze is but one that will fade away just as quickly as it emerged. When asked what she thought of the 1D-Beatles comparison, Guilderland senior Joey Sipzner said, “I think the Beatles were the first ones to have unique rock and roll… I wouldn’t elevate their [1D’s] status to [that of] the Beatles.” However you feel about the fate of One Direction, though, they will continue to push their success even further, and are scheduled to start their new Where We Are world tour in 2014.

As for their current endeavor, One Direction: This is Us was, on the whole, a beautifully made and heartwarming film...

However, the 30+ minutes of concert footage can only truly be appreciated by someone who is already a 1D fan. If you still want to catch One Direction: This is Us, it will remain in theaters through the end of September.

Louder Now: Guilderland band rising in popularity Rebekah Wolanski

Music is an integral part of almost every teenager’s life. It is a soundtrack, therapy, or a way to pass the time. Some teens with a deeper interest in music than just a melody in their ears take to making their own. Two people I interviewed, Connor Grocki, a senior, and Zakariya Houacine, a junior, both do just that in their band Louder Now. The band was formed about a year ago and features Grocki on vocals, Houcaine on acoustic guitar, John Bryce on drums, Shaun Mooney on bass, and Cameron Hartford and Josh Carcia, both Shaker High graduates, on guitar. The title of the band came from the album of Grocki’s favorite band, Taking Back Sunday. Their sound is

pretty unique; Grocki calls it “Pop-Punk Emo” while Houcaine calls it “A mix of Alternative Rock and Pop-Punk.” They write their own music and while Grocki has the predominant role in the songwriting, all the members of the band chip in on song ideas and brainstorm on chord types and keys. The song topics focus mainly on the things on an archetypal high school boy’s mind, such as girls and the difficulties of progressing through high school. The band plays at a variety of venues like bars, clubs, basements, and they played at the Upstate Concert Hall. Houcaine said that they frequently play at Bogies, a hardcore musician-run site in Albany. On September 27th, they played a house show on 686 Myrtle Ave

at 6pm. Houcaine went on to say mysteriously that the next show coming up is going to be big. The band is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/loudernowNY and also has a single on YouTube called “My Name Is Leonard.” These two boys both show that they take their love for music way past a soundtrack. They make it a lifestyle. For those people who wish to start up their own high school band, Grocki and Houcaine both have words of advice. Houcaine said that it is “important to be really committed and that a person has to really like music.” Grocki put it plainly, “Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Have fun with your friends. If it sucks, it sucks. Whatever, man.”

Apple has some Android juice Katie Gonick

There’s no question that every product from the Apple tree sparks some debate.

However, we can all degree that this will be the most colorful and animated debate yet. The long awaited release of iOS 7 has been the topic of lunchtime discussions for the past week. Is Apple taking after Android with the style and color of the new software? Or is it just another business strategy? One thing is for sure, iOS 7 is a revolutionary change for Apple, but not for all of their audiences. “iOS 7 is a great thing.” says Kyle Levy, a sophomore at GHS, “The thing I don’t like about it is that every single feature in iOS 7, was stolen from Android.” Many teens have the same idea. Why should you change the iPhone to be like the number one smartphone competitor? Not to mention that the new software has raised awareness towards Android phones. What throws people off the most about the shiny new

update is the style. The signature 3-D illusion and shadows in apps have been transformed into flat animations and bright, bold pastels. There is a whole new way to multi-task with the various control centers and notification set-ups.

The update also smacks down free radio apps, like Pandora, with its new addition, iTunes radio. It’s a lot to absorb, and many ask, is Apple morphing into new products too fast?

Internal changes have already struck the next Apple generation, but what’s new about the external structures?

The iPhone 5C and the iPhone 5S have much to offer to their varied audiences.

The 5C adds a pleasurably plastic color pop to your life. While the color is attracting, the plastic worries some. The difference in material has caused some to believe that the phone itself has lost some of its value. It seems to be common myth that the iPhone 5C was aimed towards

teenagers for a new and groovy change.

But for the 5S however, it appears to be quite the contrary. The brand new addition of the fingerprint scanner brings a technical element to the drawing board.

“I feel like our phones and our devices already know too much about us,” says Judy Min, a freshman at GHS, “ knowing our fingerprint just isn’t helping… your fingerprint is very personal and when you give away your fingerprint, you’re basically giving away your identity.”

The new colorful and technological revolutions have already affected Apple, but it seems like the public isn’t quite ready for so much change. Do we really need the extra control centers and fancy scanners? Or are they going to help our generation be more organized?

It’s hard to tell what will happen when the birthdays and holidays roll in, but regardless of the brand, new phones will be popping up, will they all be Apple?

Lorde Pure Heroine review Elana DeSantis Everything about Pure Heroine is wise beyond its years. Ella Yelich-O’Connor, the singer-songwriter from New-Zealand (known simply as “Lorde” to the public) has managed to put herself as a contradictory voice in the world of pop musicand she’s only 16. “Royals,” the smash single off of Pure Heroine, critiques the lifestyles of excess in the world of pop music. This isn’t some heartbroken teenager writing about the teardrops on her guitar. Lorde has managed global success by finding her own niche in the music world, writing moody and minimalist pop songs which are unbelievably listenable.

Her sometimes low, sometimes raspy, sometimes coo-ey voice reflects the air of maturity you see throughout the all of the songs in the album, in which she wrote every lyric to. In the track “Ribs,” Lorde uses her deep, hypnotic voice to expose cavernous vulnerability when she states: “It drives you crazy, getting old.”

In the first twenty seconds of Pure Heroine, Lorde announces she’s boredtwice. She is an artist who has made it very clear that she gives very little care about what anyone else thinks. In the chorus of “Team,” the latest single and one of the highlights of the album, Lorde states simply “I’m kinda over getting told to put my hands up in the air/so there.”

Yet for every time she sneers at the music culture by stating she’s “not caught up in the love affair,” she is well aware she is within the league of the all-stars whose lives she is so critical of. In “Tennis Court,” Lorde talks about confronting her peers, once schoolhouse bullies and now chart-toppers. The pronoun “we” is thrown around often throughout Pure Heroine, showing how Lorde is aware of the hypocrisy of calling out pop stars yet revels in the irony of it all.

Pure Heroine is a remarkable debut by such a young talent. Lorde is so far out of the image of being a teen pop star that no one considers her to be one.

While some song themes may get a bit repetitive, Lorde’s de-synthesized pop music and matchless delivery refuses to allow any boredom while listening to the LP. Pure Heroine is wise beyond its yearsand Lorde has many more years to come.

My Rating: 8.5/10

The Journal October 2013

Around Town Suspicious superstition on Western Ave. Cont’d from page 1 downhill from there,” He went His beliefs involve a spirit through the same process with world with different levels her friend Lian who, as Katie moving toward a single higher describes it, “went in the room power through doing good really really excited, like, over and “doing light.” He also be- the moon, even though I had lieves that there are both light just went and told her how awand dark energies and mali- ful it was. So when Lian went cious and beneficent spirits. in the room he started talking His life and business are based about all these male figures in on the idea that certain people her life especially her dad, but born with abilities can access she doesn’t have a dad. When the spirit world and through she told him this he changed this can help the living. Some- the subject and just started times he sees the spirits visu- making up stuff about her ally and sometimes they mani- mom.” “It was awful and we fest themselves physically and were gone $60 bucks for both move things around. He says of us. He said to call him if I that “this is something I have saw the spirits again.”

Speaking against spiritualto do, to help people, not even ists the great magician, Harry something I want to do.”

One of the people who Houdini said “If there had has sought his help was Ka- been any real unalloyed demtie Lamar, a sophomore at onstration to work on, one Guilderland. She visited his es- that did not reek of fraud, tablishment with a few friends one that could not be reproand her father on August 31. duced by earthly powers, then “I wanted my aura read so he there would be something for brought me to a little curtained a foundation, but up to the room and my dad was kinda present time everything that sketchy about it but, you know, I have investigated has been I just went anyway. Everyone the result of deluded brains or those waited which outside “This is something I have were too and he felt my to do, to help people, not even actively and inp a l m something I want to do.” tensely a n d willing then he to believe.”

Yet despite this said ‘okay, I see that you have a lot of spirits following you.’ strong opposition Spiritualism He was looking right into my has been a major movement eyes and he was getting really in western history. Adherents close and I was just freaked out have included Alfred Russel and he kept naming the spirits Wallace, the co-discoverer around me. He said there was of natural selection; Arthur a little girl following me and Conan Doyle, the creator of that I saw her in my dreams Sherlock Holmes; Horace and that because I was afraid Greeley, the 19th century pubI needed to tell someone. I lisher and presidential candineeded to speak out about date; and various U.S senators. this little girl. And there was Even today Pew polls say that an army man following me,” the number of Americans that she says this with a tone of in- believe in ghosts has doubled credulity, “probably my uncle.” in the last decade and that they After a pause she says, “I don’t make up one in five Amerihave an uncle in the army. He cans. Of course, despite the also said that my mom was pocket of spiritualism that a really big influence in my survives, and even thrives, in life and that I should talk to Albany, that leaves the majorher, but I don’t have a mom.” ity of us superstition free.

“He said that I was seeing two people, like in a relationship and that I was going to hurt both of them and that I needed to stop that right away or else things were going to go

Mr. Tennis uses several tools in his psychic trade.

Mr. Tennis uses several tools in his psychic trade.

Photo courtesy of Jack Watson / The Journal

Mr. several his psychic trade.

Mr.Tennis Tennisuses operates outtools of a in small repurposed house in Westmere on Western Ave. The room in which he tells fortunes is adorned with his own paintings.

October 2013

Around Town

Hong Kong Bakery: more than pastries Matt Gu

from the familiar hot dog roll to the more obscure green tea-flavored cakes. Oh, and the Pikachu cakes. Can’t forget to mention those. I was drawn towards the large assortment of bubble teas. For those that don’t know, bubble tea is a mixture of tea and either fruit or milk, with a layer of tapioca pearls on the bottom. Yes, you drink (and eat) all of it. Yes, it is delicious.

The waiters were a very friendly bunch, and service was extremely prompt. After we were seated, it only took a minute for our server to return with hot tea and water. Entree selections trend more towards seafood, but familiar favorites like pepper beef and sautéed vegetable dishes can still be found. The options are a tad on the expensive side, costing a dollar or two more than other restaurants.

My advice: everyone choose a dish that you like and share it.

Everyone gets a taste of everything, and it costs less, too. My compliments to the chefs and wait staff.

Our beef and coriander soup arrived within five minutes of placing our order: steaming hot, very aromatic, and extra tasty. It just managed to last the mere seven minutes that it took for our main dishes to arrive. The bean curd was presentof Matt Gu / The Journal Mr. Tennis uses several tools inPhoto his courtesy psychic trade. ed beautifully, and The meals, like the tofu dish above, are pleasing to the tasted just as nice. eyes and taste.

After a brief stint in the bakery section of the Asian Supermarket off of Central Ave, Hong Kong Bakery has moved to its new location on Wolf Road across from Colonie Center. The new location brings a stylish new look and a wonderful revamp of their menu.

If this is your first time checking out the building, be advised that the entrance, as well as the parking lot, is in the back.

The owners seemed to have capitalized upon this, though, as the entry path takes you around a small but charming Chinese-styled traditional garden that the front wouldn’t have had the space for. Upon entering, I was greeted by soft lights and Chinese pop music. A small bakery graces the space by the counter, filled with all imaginable sorts of pastries

The Chinese okra in chicken broth was a lively mix of soft vegetables and a garlicky taste, despite its appearance as a plate of strange greens. And while I was initially skeptical of the Peking style pork chops, the tangy sauce and crispiness removed any doubt.

Hong Kong Bakery has a rather limited vegetarian menu, but you shouldn’t let that discourage you from eating there.

Tofu dishes are top-notch, and there are plenty of vegetable dishes, fried rices, and noodles to tide you over. The lunch menu is quite reasonably sized and priced ($7.99 for a dish, rice, and a drink), but it may also be worth checking out the dim sum, which are smaller items usually eaten for lunch. Now, you may have encountered funny-looking menu items before, like bean curd, dried squid, taro root, and fish mouth. They might seem off-putting at first, but you never know what they’re like until you try, right? Don’t be scared to try unknown dishes. Your waiter is an indispensable source of food knowledge.

Ask if you have no idea what bean curd or Chinese okra are (tofu and a stringy sort of soft squash, respectively).

Next time you’re looking for a delicious meal with your family, grabbing lunch before going to Colonie Center, or just trying to find a snack, head on down to Hong Kong Bakery for something a little different. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Homefront Café a tribute to the past Jack Watson As you drive into Altamont village, there are certain things you’ll notice; the fairgrounds, the winding road to Thatcher park, and the Mio Vino bistro. One of the first things you’ll notice, just after the Altamont historical marker, is the Homefront Cafe. The Homefront draws passersby in with its bright signage and immediately distinctive aesthetic: there’s a tank in the back yard, and a massive model airplane hanging in the window.

It’s quickly apparent that the homefront is unlike any other diner in the area.

“It’s modeled after my wife’s childhood kitchen of the 1940s... we never gave the war aspect a thought,” said co-owner Jack Pollard, who runs the Homefront with his wife, Cindy. In the first dining area, Cindy’s collection of World War II memorabilia is displayed on every surface that isn’t being used to eat on (and there’s more under the clear plastic tablecloths).

Along the walls there’s military jackets, propaganda magazines, and knick-knacks of every sort. The building is a museum disguised as an eatery.

That’s not to say that the food served at the Homefront isn’t deserving of praise.

“We don’t sell fancy food,” mused Jack Pollard, “we sell comfort food.” The menu is diverse, and there’s an ice cream counter behind a row of bar stools in the first of the two-room dining area. The

cafe is only one of many establishments that have made their home in the small, two-story building; the Pollards bought the building in 1978, and had it converted into a small restaurant and bar. In 1984 they sold the joint, but soon had the enterprise go bankrupt, and retook control of the building. From then on it was Cindy’s Country Kitchen. After a few years of that, Cindy and Jack decided to sell to a bidder and move to Florida, where they lived for a short time. Circumstances

We don’t sell fancy food, we sell comfort food.

changed, and in 1998, they returned to the business. In May of that year, the Homefront Cafe opened its doors to the world. It’s been a favorite haunt of many Altamont resident ever since.

The Homefront is more than just a restaurant. It brings people together in ways that don’t happen anymore- with the advent of phones, the internet, and modern transportation, it’s rare to see people meeting face to face the way it happens here. “Every week, the vets from the first wave of Iwo Jima come in for breakfast.

I’ve met some amazing people here, and

I’ve known some of them since the fifth or sixth grade,” says Jack.

The Homefront Cafe brings a unique mix of history and homeyness that’s hard to find in any other place. Patrons can enjoy a cup of coffee while listening to big band crackle over the speaker system while reading up on World War factoids embossed under the table coverings, and get some pretty good food to boot. Next time you’re on the way through Altamont, stop by for a bite.

Photos courtesy of Jack Watson / The Journal

page 8 (theJournal)

Autumn in Albany Rebekah Wolanski With the fall Equinox upon us, the days are getting shorter, the leaves brighter, and the air brisker. New York is known for its beautiful autumns which are celebrated by families across the area. This fall, many festivals and events in the Capital Region celebrated autum in the upsate.

The 25th Annual Apple Festival & Craft Show at Goold’s Orchard provided good old fashioned apple picking fun. Taking place Saturday and Sunday October 12th, it showcased craft vendors, The Hill Country Cloggers, and a packed entertainment schedule.

Guests enjoyed horse drawn carriage rides provided by the Hanson family, wine tastings, and plenty of delicious baked goods that put everyone in the fall spirit.

For those with artistic tendencies, the Hudson Valley Arts Festival at Rhinebeck was a must. This celebration of creativity was on October 4. The festival featured crafts, artful activities, and music. They displayed and sold homemade jewelry, specialty foods, soaps and lotions, paintings, kaleidoscopes, furniture, and photography.

Live music included local favorites such as Mike and Ruthy, Blue Food, and Myles Mancuso.

Closet cuisine connoisseurs were able to test their tasting skills at the 7th Annual Troy Chowderfest. This event was on Sunday, October 13 and admission was free. One dollar got you one ticket, which got you one 3-ounce cup of chowder. Patrons were able to taste as many as they wished. After taste-testing, they casted their vote for the best local chowder. The event benefitted Albany businesses that use local ingredients. There was live music and a portion of the proceeds went to a partnering charity.

These fall festivities helped get local citizens into the seasonal spirit. They provided some much needed family fun before the winter cold rolled in.

Around Town

October 2013

Where’s the beef?

page 9(

Journal)

Andrew Fedorov and Isaac Malsky

Tacos are a lot like pizza.

They’re cheap, tasty, and even when they’re bad they’re still pretty good. Although none of the tacos in Albany are truly bad, some restaurants really stand out in their tortilla making. We attempted to carefully evaluate the tacos according to the myriad of factors that go into making the perfect taco: tortilla, cheese, quality of ingredients, how well the ingredients work together, and originality. Despite all that, inevitably, we found that the surest arbiter of quality was, quite simply, taste.

Bros. Tacos 5/5

Located in downtown Albany, Bros.

Tacos has some stiff competition. There are several Mexican restaurants within walking distance, and Lark Street is just around the corner. Nevertheless, Bros Tacos manages to blow the competition out of the water. More than any other place, they put time into making an outstanding taco. The “bros don’t want to read the menu taco” had all the basics like cheddar, lettuce, meat, diced tomatoes and sour cream, but it also had little additions that no other place in Albany had. The shell was crisped, creating a much-needed crunch that other tacos lacked. The ground beef was outstanding, although its juiciness makes the taco a little messy. There were also some colorful spices that were hard to identify but added an unusual kick. More than any other taco in the area, the ingredients worked together. It wasn’t just thrown together in a shell on an assembly line.

Yes, the cheese could be better, and yes, they are not the cheapest, but if you’re looking for the best taco in Albany, go to Bros. Tacos.

319 Ontario St Albany $3.24 per taco

Bombers 2.5/5

El Loco 3/5

When you walk into El Loco the first thing you notice is probably the laminated “please wait to be seated” sign. The second thing you see when you look up is the painted wooden skeleton hanging above.

By now the pleasant staff has probably seated you and you’ve ordered your taco and as you’re waiting the next thing you notice is the 90s lounge music quietly playing from speakers somewhere above.

The decor is going for that authentic old Day of the Dead feel and yet on closer examination one discovers that they are neatly polished and each chair looks exactly like the one next to it, each booth has identical decorations. Your taco arrives.

In itself each component of the taco is good. They are generous with their cheese and tomatoes. The meat is there, but not particularly noteworthy. The lettuce is fresh and tasty. Yet even uniformly good ingredients do not necessarily make a good taco. They fail to mesh. The taco gives you the same disturbing feeling as the restaurant: all the pieces are there and they’re nice when they stand-alone but when you finally piece them together you realize there is no bigger picture.

465 Madison Ave $3.85 per taco

From the moment we removed the tinfoil we noticed that the tacos were unappetizing. It looked as if they had been thrown together and had wilted on the way from the counter to the table. But we’ve always been told not to judge a book by its cover and so we assumed that we shouldn’t judge a taco by its tortilla. Even if the principle wasn’t wrong the taco defied us to suspect it. It managed to match our first impression.

The only consolation was that it wasn’t particularly expensive. The meat was tough and came in chunks. It tasted like someone had put chili in a tortilla. It failed to embrace the wonderfulness of the traditional taco and tasted like someone wanted to make something else. It is, I suppose, our obligation to mention that Bombers is, after all, a burrito bar and they don’t specialize in tacos; perhaps they should stick to burritos.

258 Lark St. $2.70 per taco

Chipotle: 2.5/5

Chipotle has done to the burrito what Subway did for the sandwich. Only a couple years ago it was impossible to get any fast food taco of higher quality than Taco Bell. Chipotle has the image and the atmosphere to expand all over the country, but it does not have the most flavorful taco. Any mass produced food will lose its originality, even if it’s just because of its popularity. Chipotle is not the cheapest (by a long shot), the most flavorful, or the most creative. The taco is made on an assembly line by college students who are friendly but have as much cooking experience as a fry cook has in grilling steak. The ingredients were flavorful but lacked the flow of places like Salsa Latina. The heat came from Tabasco sauce and not from fresh peppers. Each bite was a single taste; shredded beef, or cheese, or tomato. It was impossible to taste the taco as more than the sum of its parts. About the only thing that Chipotle has going for it is familiarity. A taco from Chipotle in Albany will taste exactly the same as a taco from Chipotle in New York City.

But that’s not necessarily a good thing.

1475 Western Avenue $2.50 per taco

Salsa Latina: 4.5/5

El Mariachi 4/5

El Mariachi does not specialize in tacos. Like El Loco and Salsa Latina, it is a full service restaurant that happens to have tacos as appetizers. However, they make a mean tortilla. The tacos came with chips and salsa, which were refreshing and oddly colorful. The salsa had cilantro and other spices but lacked kick. It was more like a mild soup than the standard tomato and heat. The tacos were much more inspired, filled up with chicken, onions, and cilantro. Like the Bros tacos, the ingredients harmonized, making a flavor more complex than any single ingredient. The tortilla shell seemed to be made up of two different layers, one fitting inside the other. The Tacos at El Mariachi were the only tacos without the standard ingredients like tomatoes and cheese, but they weren’t lacking because of it. If you’re looking for a lighter, non-beef taco, El Mariachi is your best bet.

144 Washington Ave $3.24 per taco

Pictures, clockwise from top: El Loco decorations, Salsa Latina, Bros’ Tacos, Chipotle, El Mariachi.

Salsa Latina is probably the best Mexican restaurant in town. It’s situated on Central Avenue along with a few other restaurants that are undeservedly overlooked

by Guilderland students because of their relative remoteness from us. If not for Bros.’ specialized brilliance you could probably get the best taco in the best Mexican restaurant, but, relegated to second place, it’s definitely a close second, though.

Inside the tortilla you find the standard cheese, meat, and onions but the cheese is the creamiest we had and the meat was juicy. Even though it’s not the number one taco it is probably the best deal in town. You get three regular sized tacos for $5.99 plus complimentary chips and the best salsa made by any restaurant in town. It may not be the best taco in town but Salsa Latina makes up for it by its overall quality.

315 Central Ave $2,15 per taco

October 2013

Isaac Malsky There are few people in the world who can tell you more about infectious diseases than Martha J. Lepow. She is considered the nation’s most senior infectious disease expert. In 1950, smallpox, measles and polio were a worldwide crisis. At its peak, polio killed over half a million people each year.

Dr. Lepow began working in medicine in 1952. “My father was a doctor back before World War II and my mother worked for him. He was one of those that made house calls. My mother made phone calls. So I was kind of exposed to it,” said Dr. Lepow. At the time the nation’s medical community was racing to find a vaccine for polio. Dr. Lepow found herself in the middle of one of the greatest achievements of medicine in history.

“When I was a second year pediatric resident I was taking care of people in Iron Lungs. I was taken with the children who had polio and had to spend their lives in these big coffins.

Depending on the breathing machines [the children] had just their heads out.

I think that’s probably one of the things that pushed me into infectious disease.”

Dr. Lepow began work at a virus lab the year of the Salk vaccine field trials.

“My work was to look at the efficacy of that vaccine. There were field trials all across the country for school-aged kids for second graders. I was 27 at the time, said Dr. Lepow.” At the time, there was constant uncertainty about the ability of the medical community to protect the population against polio. “Everybody knew about the Iron Lungs. There was a lot of fear. Every parent would have been told that your child may get this or may not get [polio], but we had to know that it [the vaccine] was effective.”

While working on the polio vaccine,

Centerspread Dr Lepow met Irwin Howard Lepow.

“My husband was a scientist. I met him in the virus lab. It wasn’t a very romantic thing. He came to learn about tissue culture from me - well from us [the hospital], but then I was assigned to him as a fellow and we got married 2 months later.”

In her 6 decades of work, Martha J. Lepow has had an impact on the medical community, both in the country and on a more local level. Many of the pediatricians in the Albany area have trained under Dr. Lepow, including most of the staff of Schoolhouse pediatrics. In addition, Dr. Lepow has worked in the pediatric ward of Albany Med and contributed to many papers on the subject of infectious disease.

Dr. Lepow continues to work a demanding schedule at Albany Medical in downtown Albany. She’s an outspoken proponent of vaccinations and sees patients in the pediatric ward. Since her debut in medicine 61 years ago a lot has changed. “We’ve been so busy in the last 50 or so years with trying to cure diseases and we need to work on preventing them. One of the problems today is to maintain immunizations when the disease no longer exists here [in the developed world] but it exists elsewhere.” With air travel and the interconnectedness of global populations diseases thought to be gone can resurface without proper safety precautions.

“Every time you have people displaced you’re going to have a breakdown in prevention.

Despite such a long career, Dr Lepow shows no signs of slowing down. “I’m not going to retire. I’ve cut back, but I can’t leave this. I’m having too much fun.”

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Community crusaders: Local citizens who give back

Journal)

Mike Zhu

It’s a commo ers retire man where they ca and swinging ing the warmn That’s what M after working and living in settled in. Inst giving back to knows that it to live out the he do it?

Michael Jac rector of the C Humanity bra working in larg ican Express a was a Senior H tive—he move became imme there. The reas tat, he says, w asked him a s you want to b “Her comm me,” he said, both decided sort where we Little by litt his wife began Habitat affilia on Saturdays, back and she’ ences that she the families a who were not was a transfor Jacobson so

Luxi Peng

Club Spotlight: Free the Children Justina Liu

Photos from top right: Mike Jacobson: Pranav Nayak, Gloria Towle-Hilt: Sarah Barton, Albany Medical Center: Isaac Malsky

Free the Children at GHS is a club of 13 students, and a branch under the charity of the same name. FTC works to provide children around the world with a basic education and help them “break the circle of poverty,” says junior Amy Guo, co-founder and President.

The club raises money primarily through bagel and bake sales. FTC is planning to partner with a local Dunkin Donuts, and to organize a coin drive in a district elementary school. Last year, FTC raised a little over $1,000, and assembled school supply and health kits to be distributed across the world Earning service hours is not top priority for the students in the club; they are more focused on club projects and, as of now, do not know if they qualify for GHS service recognition.

Amy and co-founder Elana DeSantis started FTC not to earn hours, but because they “wanted to help others,” says Amy, and connected with the charity’s motto “children helping children.”

Meetings are every Monday after school in room 111.

“Be the chan world.”

That quote, a dhi, adorns the w Towle-Hilt use social studies while she may n the hallways, it for the five stud during the St. camp she head They pick a direly in need o additions to hou student volunt and those who repairs or cons summer, the g New York, a com ricanes Sandy a “What we’r all set, we’re o summer- raisin project,” says M working right h families in need lumber, paint, vendors, so, “a community”.

But that’s not Hilt gives back a member of th she’s been volu St. Anne’s Ou Albany for twe organizes and m

Centerspread

October 2013

on fact that after New Yorkny of them move to Florida, an enjoy basking in the sun g golf clubs while enjoyness of the Sunshine State.

Michael Jacobson did, and decades in large companies n affluence he could have tead, he devoted himself to o the community, and now was a better decision than e years in Florida. Why did

cobson is the executive diCapital Regional Habitat for anch. After he retired from ge corporations such Amerand AT&T—both where he Humans Resources Execued to Sarasota, Florida, and ersed in the local branch son he began work at Habiwas because of his wife, who simple question: “How do be remembered?” ments really resonated in “And long story short, we to look for charity of some e could give back.” tle, he remembered, he and n to volunteer for the local ate. “At the end of the day ,” he recalled, “She’d come ’d run through the experie was having, like meeting and being exposed to folks t as fortunate as we were. It rmation. oon got attached with the

nge you wish to see in the

attributed to Mahatma Ganwalls of FMS, where Gloria ed to teach seventh grade before she retired. And no longer see that quote in t served as her team motto dents that she worked with Madeleine Sophie work ds over the summer. site every summer that’s of help, and build or rebuild uses. Mostly, the adult and teers aid elderly, invalids o are too poor to afford the structions they need. This group headed to Spencer, ommunity ravaged by Hurand Irene. re doing now is - we’re on the calendar for next ng awareness for our next Mrs. Towle-Hilt. They’ll be here in Guilderland to help d, even buying all of their , and supplies from local all that money stays in the

t the only way Mrs. Towlek to our community - she’s he Board of Education, and unteering at the St. John’s/ utreach Center (SJSA) in enty years, where she now manages other volunteers.

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Journal)

organization, its value system, objectives, and ministry. So, he changed from working two hours to forty hours a week.

Before he knew it, he took over the affiliate in 2006. Near the end of his commitment at the Sarasota affiliate, he received a call from the Capital District, which was one of the most underperforming branches.

Since then, there is no doubt that there has been staggering change.

Since the formation of the Albany and Rensselaer branches, and eventually the merger of the two in 2011, Habitat for Humanity has built around seventy houses around the Capital District. A current project, called the “Morton’s Walk,” includes the construction of sixteen houses in Albany’s South End. Twenty new homes and more than fifty rental homes are being built for the project in Sheridan Hollow, which aims to build affordable houses and revitalize the neighborhood.

The “Fox Hollow” project in Troy is working on fourteen new homes.

“I love what I do, I do it with a passion, and when you’re passionate about something it doesn’t really seem like work anyway,” he said, “The emotional connection for what we do and who we do it for gives me greater joy than anything I’ve ever done in the past that I’ve gotten a paycheck for.”

From all of his experiences, as a money-making, corporate executive to a passionate, philanthropic person who gives back to the community, Jacobson says he “may have taken a completely different

career path, and gotten a lot more enjoyment about my work.”

Jacobson offers advice to teenagers and students: find your passion early on, find something you have emotional energy for, find something that “will get your blood pressure to go up a little bit,” and life will be much easier.

Jacobson is a huge supporter of teenagers giving back to the community, and encourages many high schoolers to reach out and volunteer at local organizations such as Habitat. “The environment you survive is far more important than the compensation that comes with it,” he reflects.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization founded in 1976. It devotes

itself to make sure that all people around the world could live in an affordable, decent home. Since then, Habitat, as it is known colloquially, has built 600,000 homes in sixty countries, and has established 1,700 affiliates in the U.S. Its enormous presence in the fight against poverty and homelessness lends a sense of security for those in desperate situations and a place for those who want to help and volunteer around their community. The Capital Region affiliate became the sixthlargest builder in the nation this year.

It started as a Saturday morning commitment when her daughter was still in school, inspired by the Brooklyn community Mrs. Towle-Hilt grew up in.

“Everyone’s mother was your mother, and looked out for you. So, you know, everybody kind of took care of each other, it was that kind of an atmosphere. I was very blessed.” It was this idea of looking after others - and thus benefitting yourself - that she wanted to teach her daughter and other youth that inspired her to start volunteering at SJSA and never stop.

“I see it time and time again when I bring kids down,” says Mrs. Towle-Hilt, “They’re always amazed after they do so much for others. It’s like a paradox, you know. You kind of say ‘wow, I feel so good after,’ but you haven’t done anything for yourself.”

She stresses that volunteering is not something to be put on an application, but instead something that should be done out of good will and desire. “Parents often call me, and they’ll be looking for service hours, and it’s usually at the last minute, and that’s sort of hard. And what I think to myself is, if parents really want this to be important for their kids, then they need to make it a part of their lives. If it doesn’t go in your calendar, then it’s really not important.”

This past spring, Mrs. Towle-Hilt was recognized for her decades of service when she became a national finalist for the hugely prestigious Jefferson Awards for Public Service, which recognize incred-

ible contributions ordinary citizens make to their community.

“I was shocked,” she says of learning of her recognition. “I happened to be down in Florida on vacation when I got the call, and apparently a friend of mine, a close friend of mine, nominated me and never told me. So when I got the call, I said, ‘the who award?’ And I had no idea what it was, or anything. So I immediately found out and I was so honored.”

Yet, Mrs. Towle-Hilt credits much of what she does to the spirit of the

Guilderland community, and remains humble about the acknowledgements she’s received. “An individual doesn’t become who they are without a community to support them,” she says. “The music you listen to, the food you eat, all of that influences who you are. So I choose to surround myself with positive people.”

“There’s no recognition involved. The recognition you get is the smiles of the people who come and have a meal with you. “You don’t need anything more than that, believe me.”

The Journal October 2013

Fine Arts Community theater: hidden in the shadows Katie Lamar Local theater is such an important part of our community. Places like Albany Civic Theater, Park Playhouse, The Schenectady Light Opera, and The Curtain Call Theater, which is located in Latham, has impacted the Capital District in a very positive way. Shows are performed yearround and are certainly accessible to all.

Margaret King, the president of Albany Civic, agrees. “It’s a wonderful hobby. We are an all-volunteer community theater, with like-minded people serving on our board. No one is paid. Not actors, not directors. I have been a part of this theater since 1971,” she says. And this is not unlike many people involved with Albany Civic, “A lot of us have been friends for an awfully long time. I actually met my husband, Steve, working on a show. We all have a common interest that brings us together. People who stay choose to stay because community theater is a comfortable, happy environment for all involved. It’s a good way to spend your time.”

Community theater, compared to places such as The Palace and Proctors, have the capability to relate much more to their audience. The Palace and Proctors are different because they bring in shows from out of town and don’t hire local actors. I asked Margaret to explain the audition process for me. “We usually put up notices about the show, and people come to the theater on the night of auditions. 99% of the time the people read from the script. Afterward the directors sit down with our team and decide what combination of players will work best.

Call backs are normal, and anyone can try out for the show. It’s all very painless,” she

says. “Local people have an opportunity to perform unlike the groups that only come for a few nights.”

Because these smaller theaters are not as widely known, I was interested in knowing how they advertises. To see a musical such as “Fiddler on the Roof ” or “Wicked” at Proctors, it is common to buy tickets months in advance. As predicted, this is not how things work with our local theaters. “We get normal publicity in The Gazette and Times Union, and we have an email list to send snippets of information to past audience members. The biggest challenge is to get an audience to come and see our shows, for once they come they almost always want to come back. Subscribers are our main support. People join as members than donate to the theater. It’s sometimes difficult, but we get the job done. We are always trying to entertain and do good theater.”

Another upside to these community theaters is that you are able to see phenomenal shows like “Cabaret”, “Twelfth Night”, “Plaza Suite”, “Mouse Trap”, “A Man for All Seasons”, “The Oldest Profession” and much, much more on a budget. To see a show it is around ten to fifteen dollars, compared to the pricey fifty or sixty dollar ticket at The Palace.

This really opens up the range of audience members who may not have a lot of money to spend on entertainment.

I asked Margaret about the different types of shows Albany Civic has produced, and what we should expect to see in the upcoming year. “We have put on many musicals, dramas, different Shakespeare plays, comedies, mysteries, and some new edgy theater works. This

next year will be our 60th year as a theater, and we are having a big celebration to honor it.

We are going to be looking back at some of the most successful things we have done before.”

Multiple students at GHS have also been active in the world of theater. Josh Kahn, a sophomore at GHS, has recently performed at the Park Playhouse.

“T his year we performed ‘Shrek the Musical’ which was such an amazing experience.

I was really lucky to have the opportunity to perform,” he beamed. I asked Josh what motivated him to start performing, to which he said, “Community theater has always been such a big part of my life. I started performing in the community when I was eight years old. In school I didn’t have many friends that were as interested in acting as I was. In our community there are a lot of chances for actors both adult and student to perform, and it grants people with the same interests a shot at coming together,” he said.

There are many ways to get involved in theater in our community. One great way is to audition for Guilderland Players, GHS’s theater program. Josh Kahn was involved in that as well. “If you are interested in theater take advantage of every opportunity you can get to perform including GP, the school drama program, which is such a great way to meet people and perform as well. I am so excited to audition for GP again this year and hope to continue for a long time.”

Another student, Colum Cross, has also been active in community theater, performing in shows including “Peter

Pan”, “A Christmas Story”, “Inherit the Wind”, “A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” “Community theater is fantastic because you can see the same great entertainment for a lower price, it’s a fun pass time, and it’s easier to audition and get into,” Cross stated. Cross became active in community theater when he was a little boy because his mother was working on one of the local shows, and has been involved ever since.

So whether you’re interested in seeing a show, or acting in one, our local theater groups are a great place to start. Look online for upcoming shows you may want to check out. From classics to comedies, so many performances are being put on right in the Capital District. Our local actors are dedicated, hardworking and motivated people. It’s important to support our 518 family, and you can do so by having a great time at your local theater down the street. It’s a wonderful thing those two go hand-in-hand.

Clockwise from top: Scene from Toy Soldiers at Albany Civic Theater; vintage photo from Albany Civic archives; actors from Albany Civic Theater engage in dramatic interactions on the stage.

All photos courtesy of Steven King.

Fine Arts

October 2013

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Journal)

Music community honors Janower’s legacy Leonard Bopp There are some people who, for having impacted the lives of so many, will live on beyond their years. Dr. David GriggsJanower is one of them. For more than thirty years, he has been one of the most important figures of music in the Capital Region. After months of declining health resulting from a stroke, he passed away on August 25.

Janower devoted his life to the art of choral music. In 1981, he founded Albany Pro Musica, which has become the premiere choir in the area. They performed frequently with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, toured internationally, and were nationally recognized. With him as artistic director and conductor, thousands of audience members were exposed to a wide variety of choral works in performances of the highest caliber.

“He wouldn’t accept anything less than our best,” says Rae Jean Teeter, choir director at Guilderland High School and a singer in Albany Pro Musica. Though rehearsals were intense, Teeter says that his humor and exuberance were infectious. “He had such a love for the genre that you couldn’t help but be musical.”

Dr. Janower was also a passionate educator. As professor of music at SUNY Albany, he shared his musical wisdom with countless students, and inspired the musicians in his University Chorale and Chamber Singers to strive for excellence in their performance. With Albany Pro Musica, he established an annual High School Choral Festival and an apprenticeship program in which talented high school singers could rehearse and

perform with the choir.

In fact, Janower was very close to the Guilderland Central School District. His wife, Paige, who sings in Albany Pro Musica, is a teaching assistant at Lynnwood Elementary School. His children, Katy and Michael, are Guilderland graduates, and are both studying music in college. He was an active member of the Guilderland Music Parents and Friends Association.

The Chamber Choir often participated in the High School Choral Festival. He frequently led workshops for and guest conducted Guilderland choirs. His beaming smile at Guilderland concerts will be dearly missed.

On August 30, his students, colleagues, friends, and family celebrated his life with a concert at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. “I think it’s exactly what he would have wanted,” says Starr Norman, former accompanist for Albany Pro Musica. “It was a very positive representation of his role in the community.” And what better way is there to celebrate than a massive chorus of audience members singing “Dona Nobis Pacem,” the lush sound ringing in the air of the hall?

Albany Pro Musica, led by Dr. Timothy Newton, choir director at SUNY Oneonta, sang five selections. One of which, the beautifully somber “Sing Me to Heaven” by Daniel E. Gawthrop, left a hushed chill in the hall. Many people had tissues. To finish the concert, the choir performed “Swingin’ with the Saints” by Mark Hayes, a rousing arrangement of traditional spirituals. This exciting rendition seemingly elevated our souls to a higher spiritual plane. It was followed by

a long ovation in Janower’s honor, during which his legacy was evident and, perhaps, his presence felt.

That music could carry such power was a belief Janower held f i r m l y. “ I t wa s never about the notes, it was always about making music,” says Norman on working with Janower. “That was his whole goal saying something with the music.”

Nor man described his impact as “far-reaching.”

She told of a meeting she attended with him about outreach for comm u n i t y c h o i r s.

“Every single thing they came up with, like the outreach to the high schools and the choral fest, he was doing. He was such an advocate for music in the community.” In his time with us, he truly transformed our musical world. As Teeter says, “you don’t think about choral music in the Capital Region without thinking of David.”

Those of us who had the privilege of

Photo courtesy of the Janower Family/ The Journal

working with him will always remember his brilliance. His knowledge of music was unrivaled, his dedication to excellence unyielding, the joy in his conducting inspirational. Thank you, Dr. Janower.

Race to 50,000

Review: Divergent

Mohona Sengupta

Shannon Gerety

Get ready. Get set. Go. When people think of a race, all they can picture are feet pounding a beat on the track and the tape at the end of the finish line. Fast, exciting, and done within a minute. Now try to picture racing fingers, a cup of coffee, and a blinking cursor.

You think running is hard? Try writing a book in a month.

NANOWRIMO, short for National Novel Writing Month, is a writing event where thousands of beginner, mediocre, or even published authors attempt to write a novel in one month exactly. The rules: sign up before November 1, despair at the impossibility of writing a decent 50,000 word book, and procrastinate until the deadline of November 30.

All joking aside, masterpieces can be and often are created during NANOWRIMO. Anyone can sign up, and it can be as private or as public as you want it to be.If the draw of bragging rights isn’t enough, they even offer a shirt to the thousands who actually make it to 50,000 words by November 30. It seems rather easy. The simplicity of the event is what caused the jump from 21 participants in 1999 to over 250,000 by 2011.

The first NANOWRIMO took place in 1999 in San Francisco when 21 friends gathered to try something new, something they called “noveling”. Describing it as

something like a movie marathon, they got together, ordered a lot of pizza and coffee, and each opened up a new Word document. The process from actually sitting down, writing, and editing the book, to getting a publisher to release the book usually takes two years. The founders of NANOWRIMO, Chris Baty and 20 of his friends, “wanted to make some noise” and cut the two years down to a single month.

By year two, they had a website and around two times as many participants. In year three, NONOWRIMO truly reached national attention as blogs and websites and forums raved about this new writing challenge, and the author count hit 5,000. ten years later, in 2012, NANOWRIMO had participating 250,000 authors doing what they do best.

If interested, the first step is to sign up on the official website. Whether you’re undertaking this alone or with a buddy, you have to create an account to log word counts and to have your story be included in the contest. From the website, click through to find our region. There are participating authors meeting right here in Albany, with regular meetups and discussions.

NANOWRIMO is an exciting, challenging race that inspires a quarter of a million people to try their hand at writing. Finish or not, you can still have an amazing time, so get ready, get set, and start writing.

Imagine making a choice at the age of sixteen that determines your entire future. In “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, that is exactly what teenagers have to do.

In the first book of the trilogy, Roth introduces us to Beatrice, a quiet sixteen year old who soon needs to determine the rest of her life with one choice. In this futuristic setting, society is split into five sections, or “factions”, where people choose to live and are often separated from every other group. Beatrice and her brother were born into Abnegation, the faction that values selflessness, and dresses only conservatively and wearing only grey.

Before anyone decides what faction they will choose, they must go through a psychological test to help them decide.

Many times the results are obvious. If you are honest, you belong to the Candor; or if you appear intelligent, you belong to the Erudite. As for Beatrice, her results are inconclusive, and she is classified as divergent. She is briefly warned of the danger, but Beatrice never finds out why it would be life threatening for anyone to find out her actual results, and she is left to decide her fate on her own.

When Beatrice elects to leave her faction at the choosing ceremony, people are shocked. She is soon swept away into the world of the Dauntless, the fearless faction. Beatrice, or newly nicknamed

Tris, goes through intense physical training and fighting. Although Tris never finds out exactly why it is dangerous for her to be divergent, it continues to be a problem for her. Soon she learns of corruption within the convincingly perfect society, and danger grows around her as she learns the true meaning of who she is and what being divergent means.

This action-filled novel takes us through a dystopia with a teenage girl trying to find herself. The book is directed towards any readers who love action and science fiction. Roth does a great job of keeping the story interesting. The ending was very intense and also heavy with emotion, and I was unable to put the book down.

The second book of the series, Insurgent, picks off right where the first book ends. I found myself picking up the next book instantly, extremely curious with what will happen next to the characters I quickly became attached to. The final book to the trilogy, Allegiant, is set to come out October 22, 2013. A movie based on the first book, starring Shailene Woodley, is also coming out soon, with a release date set for March 21, 2014.

The Journal October 2013

World and Cultures

Conflict abroad opens eyes of GHS students Cont’d from page 1

“You can’t retake it, and your grade not only determines what college you go to, but also the field you go into,” Hajar says.

Hajar explains that the civil war has affected everybody’s lives in Syria, including Nada’s. Schools are often closed, “because it simply isn’t safe for the kids,” says Hajar.

But even closed schools are a minor concern for Nada in the midst of everything else: once, Nada’s grandparents’ home was hit by a bomb, but luckily they weren’t home. Fear of the conflict and its potential consequences on families are always present, especially in cities. Terrifying as it sounds, attacks on civilians are common, representing a widespread element of the conflict in Syria that has shaken the world.

The Syrian Civil War—part of the Arab Spring which began a series of revolutions around the Middle Eastern world—is an ongoing armed conflict between the Ba’ath government forces and those seeking to oust it.

A UN estimate in June 2013 puts the casualty report at around 100,000. The war’s impact on civilians is just as significant: tens of thousands of protestors imprisoned and tortured; 40,000 civilians, most of them women and children, killed; two million fled to neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan; and six million displaced from

their homes.

In August 2013, reports of a chemical weapon attack by the Syrian government on civilians captured international attention, causing the U.S. and its European allies to call for military intervention while facing continuous opposition from Russia.

Since the beginning of the conflict, the U.S. has condemned Syria’s violent crackdown on political protestors. Referring to the doctrines of universal human rights and a fair democracy, President Barack Obama has been an outspoken critic of the Assad administration and the civil war.

With the destruction of vital infrastructure in some regions, a terrible concern for relatives overseas is keeping in touch with family in Syria. To talk to Nada and her family, Hajar can only call them using cell phones, since the landline phone lines have been completely cut off by the regime. She can also message Nada over the internet.

When they talk, however, it’s never about the war. “They always joke and talk about silly things when they’re basically surrounded by war,” explains Hajar. In some ways, to Nada the war has become a regular, natural thing.

“She has grown used to it,” Hajar says, “which is terrible to say, but true for most.” Nada and Hajar’s other cousins still manage to stay focused on what’s important.

“They’re so positive it amazes me,” says Hajar, “It amazes me that they’re completely immersed in their studies.”

The war has had a major impact on teenagers who go to school every day.

With constant threats of explosions, killings, and urban firefights, teenagers especially in Syria’s most populated places are being mentally affected by the dangers surrounding them. The conflict does not provide a friendly environment for learning; it destroys focus and concentration, inspires fear and anxiety, and distracts students from their schoolwork and education.

Molly Sonenberg, a GHS senior, makes similar observations of her friends in Israel, where they are required to serve in the military at the age of eighteen.

Though Israel isn’t plagued by civil war like Syria is, the country is still faced with relentless border conflicts and sectarian clashes. “In the meantime, they like to have fun, enjoy their families, and help whenever they can,” Molly says, “Instead of coping, they are living life with more responsibility and appreciation.”

Many of Molly’s friends—such as Phil, from New Jersey, and Etanna, who is now a commander—serve in the Israeli military. Being in the military is just a different lifestyle, Molly believes.

Though students in Israel are not directly affected like students are in Syria, they still “usually know somebody who has been killed from terror attacks.”

She advises people with family in conflict zones to stay positive, and don’t always look at the realistic situation but look beyond it and be optimistic about the future. “There is no comfort in negativity,” she says.

“You have two options when it comes to life in general,” says Molly, “make the best out of every situation, or worry and be negative.”

It’s so easy to misunderstand or overlook the tough situations many families are facing around the world. While we are dealing with tests and projects, almost walking a line of negativity and pessimism about the school we sometimes underestimate the value of, many others around the world are facing lifethreatening situations in many different places. We have to acknowledge this fact and appreciate the things we take for granted.

“Here in America, completely safe, a roof over my head and food on my table, my everyday worries are insignificant because they are all in my head,” says Hajar, “I feel like it’s something I could never understand unless I actually found myself in that situation.”

But she says of her cousin Nada and students in Syria, “Their everyday worries are very much real. They could lose their own lives or their close family members, and yet they go to school and they hope for a better future.”

Two perspectives on travel in France

Gloria Zhao

I had been learning French for three years, trying to find a way to make learning French easier and more time-efficient.

Two summers ago, I traveled to Europe with the “People to People” program.

I found that traveling made learning a foreign language easier, more fun, and more motivating.

During the visit, we visited Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France.

France was by far my favorite country because I knew French. The French words came alive for me and the language had never seemed so friendly to me before. Being one of the couple people who knew at least a little French made me proud of myself. One of my favorite moments of the trip was being able to translate French words for other people.

Learning French at school was different. I thought it was difficult to learn the vocabulary words and to conjugate verbs.

Shannon Gerety Traveling may be one of the most amazing things you can do in your lifetime, and every experience is different.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to fly solo to France and meet my penpal of one year, Fanny, and it was the most overwhelming thing I have ever done. French people speak very fast, and I quickly became extremely nervous for this adventure I might have not been ready for.

I wasn’t able to enjoy making sentences in French.

I think that the key to learning a foreign language is the environment. If you’re surrounded by the language, it will help you remember the words better. If you’re surrounded by people who speak the language, you will have to think and speak the language yourself. Practice is very important to learning a foreign language. Communicating with French people was a challenge for me, but it was just motivated me to learn more French.

Traveling gives you new opportunities to experience all of this. I think that students should travel to foreign countries whenever they can. It gives them a chance to practice foreign languages and face challenges. They will want to learn more, while having fun at the same time.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Xiong / The Journal

I landed in Montpellier, France, after my second flight, and at the airport I met Fanny. She and her family were very welcoming, and I lived with them for three weeks in Europe. For a while I was quiet, trying my best to comprehend the language and soak up the culture. I was shocked by how much French I absorbed in the first couple of days, and I often found myself thinking in the language. As time went on, what was once difficult to communicate became extremely easy, and

I got used to having full conversations with Fanny. She worked on her English, and I spoke French the entire time.

In the beginning of my third week, we drove four hours to Spain. Many people still spoke French, and I found it interesting how relieved I was by that. There were a couple instances where someone asked something in English, yet by instinct I responded in French.

The entire time I was in Europe, I was looking for things that were different that

I could compare to my life in America, but by the end I also found how similar some things were. We saw American movies and ate at American restaurants, but I also went to festivals and got to take part in French culture. Everybody who travels will have different experiences, and when Fanny comes here next summer, I hope she has an experience as amazing and incredible as I had.

World and Cultures

October 2013

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NSA in the lives of students

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Mohona Sengupta

It’s no secret that we are watched. As our generation grew older, the fact that everything lasts on the Internet was drilled into our heads, over and over again. Now more than ever, every keystroke, every click, every email is recorded and stored, all in the name of public safety. But how far is the government willing to go?

This past summer, the NSA’s scandals of both past and present became the foremost topic to discuss as the American public realized just how thoroughly the government was analyzing communication over the Internet and over the phone.

Along with far-reaching Illuminati conspiracies and leaks, almost everyone has heard the name of Edward Snowden, the man who leaked significant information to the British newspaper, the “Guardian.” According to his data, the NSA was collecting millions of American phone records, via Verizon, under a top secret court order, as well as using Internet companies to access millions of photos, videos and emails.

Following his reveal (and his subsequent flight from the USA, his desperate search for asylum, and the resulting global tension), the government scrambled to assure the American public, insisting that only the length and telephone number of phone calls are recorded.

However, as the summer continued, more and more articles popped up that say the opposite. CNet claimed that the NSA used Google as a cover to obtain information, in a hacking technique usually used to steal bank account passwords. BBC said that the NSA knows the codes to obtaining data on iPhones, Blackberries, and Android devices.

One would think that these intrusions into our private lives 001 1 101 010101 would cause a widespread panic over Guilderland. After all, our 0101 101 10 101 school is making the switch to Google accounts, and almost

every GHS student owns a smartphone.

However, out of the dozen or so asked, only three sophomores knew who Snowden was, or what the NSA is. Once informed, they seemed rather concerned, but the topic shifted quickly to the homework due next block.

“Well, it sounds bad. It’s an invasion of privacy and it’s rude,” a sophomore had replied. “Please. Does it really matter?” her friend asked. “I’m not worried. What are they gonna do?”

The rest, ranging from a few freshmen to a senior, lost interest once the whole ordeal was explained. Not to say that GHS students aren’t informed, but it seems that so far, the NSA scandal that has gripped the world hasn’t affected many GHS students.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it won’t. The rate at which the NSA and the US government in general are hacking into important corporations is increasing by the month, and protests are rising.

Smartphones in general are being targeted, as more and more information can be used from the data within them. Google even openly announced that they are using NSA’s security enhancements as of July 2013, a rather shady deal considering the rumors flying that NSA has been ignoring usual Net encryption policies, from building back doors in security encryptions (meaning that they can get back in) to inserting weak links in the code altogether, according to the New York Times.

More disturbingly, Foreign Policy magazine reports that the number of Skype calls intercepted by PRISM, the spying program used by NSA, jumped to a 248% increase over 2012.

Likewise requests for information from Facebook went up 131%, also over 2012.

So keep an eye out, Guilderland, and be careful. While the rumoured exploits of the NSA hasn’t affected any of us yet, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

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“I still have a dream, a dream deeply rooted in the American dream – one day this nation will rise up and live up to its creed, ‘We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream . . .”

-Martin Luther King Jr. (1963)

The 50th anniversary of “I Have a Dream”

Katie Gonick

We have all seen the elementary school video, crackly and aged, of Dr. Martin Luther King sharing his historic dream. On this past August 28, America commemorated the 50th anniversary of that dream in a whole new way. With trending hashtags such as #MLK and #iHaveaDream, the world took some time to remember that inspirational day, 50 years ago.

Without a doubt, Dr. King was on the mind of every American at least once throughout the day. President Barack Obama delivered a speech regarding the remembrance of the persecution of African Americans. This also raised a worldwide awareness for various groups that are still being discriminated against currently.

A lingering theme during August 28th was also acts of non-violence. Inspired

by Mohandas Gandhi, Dr. King used acts of peace and diplomacy to change the injustice ravaging America. Various speeches, thoughts, and tweets all displayed peace and unity against unjust acts.

While all we took the time to make a simple “tweet of remembrance,” our lives returned to normal. Let’s be real; we put the past behind us and didn’t look back. We also didn’t contemplate the present. Racism against many different groups and individuals still exists today in our world, schools, and communities.

“I think that [racism] isn’t always seen

as a bad thing… people might not be as serious about it, but it’s still a problem,” says senior Emily Cogswell.

Every day we hear people being grouped by stereotypes.

While we sometimes say it in a joking manner, it isn’t always taken as a joke. We are so used to hearing these things that we think its okay to fit entire nationalities, races, and religions under one statement.

It’s not always inten-

tional, but it happens. You may even find you grouping yourself together with other people.

The well-loved movie “Mean Girls” even groups people into “Plastics,” “Nerds,” and “Cool Asians.”

We t a ke i t f o r granted how we mindlessly group individuals in this way, and it can sometimes leave more of an impression than we realize.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to not have ever been seen in a bad light because of the color of my skin,” Emily

says, “but it does make me sad to see other people go through [racism] even after all of this time.”

Raising awareness for racism has also caused people to stop taking advantage of their luck. “I see people on the internet asking ‘Why do we celebrate all of these minorities? Why don’t we have a White History Month?’ and what people don’t realize is that they don’t need a history month,” says senior Luxi Peng, “They’ve never been persecuted because of something that they couldn’t control.

You should be thankful for the fact that you don’t have to have [a history month], not annoyed that you’re not celebrated by society.” It is especially important to preserve the empathy towards minority groups that had been treated unfairly, so that these events cannot be repeated.

One cannot even imagine what it’s like to be in the shoes of an outcast until he or she has been one.

The celebration of Dr. King’s speech has also given people a chance to try and change what was so wrong and cruel, years ago. Racism clearly still exists in our communities, and Dr. King has raised tremendous awareness for a continuous issue.

We have made progress in the direction of Dr. King’s dream, but we have so far to go.

Graphic courtesy of Michelle Kang / The Journal

Journal October 2013

Opinions

Is abortion ethical?

Katie Lamar

Yes

Abortion has been legal in the United States since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973; but a problem that has not been completely resolved is the amount of social strain deposited on a woman for having an abortion.

The right to have an abortion should not only be protected, but socially we should change our views. We have to look at things sensibly and realistically to progress as a whole.

For the fetus to live it needs to live off its mother for nine months meaning that the unborn child should not be recognized as a complete and independent figure. Who are we to ask anyone to give nine months of their lives unwillingly to a fetus?

Our society cannot afford to blame the reluctant mothers for wanting to terminate their pregnancies. The fetus itself is incapable of feeling the pain of an abortion, so we shouldn’t shame our own women into believing what they are doing is wrong.

Before 1973, women had no option, and becoming pregnant was a final deal. This made it extremely difficult to advance in the workforce or live an independent life is one had an unwanted pregnancy. Women could hardly be in the same playing field with men with a child coming.

Abortion now gives women the freedom to have control over what happens to their bodies and their lives.

Twelve percent of all abortions are performed because of a physical problem or a health concern. There are also extreme cases such as rape, incest, and cases whereas the mother wouldn’t be able to be a loving mother. No child wants to grow up in a financially unstable home without a single loving parent. And with orphanages, there is no guarantee of being adopted. Each year over 14 million children “age out,” of the system before ever finding a family.

An unwanted pregnancy can be stressful and detrimental for a woman and since according to the 2013 reproductive health research of the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all pregnancies among American women are unintended, it is vital for there to be options without judgement.

One social benefit of abortion is that abortion has been linked to decreasing crime rates in America. According to Steven Levitt, an economics professor at the

University of Chicago, there was a huge reduction in the amount of crime in the 1990’s due to the legalization of abortion in 1973. The legalization led to a whole generation of “unwanted children”, who are one of the more likelier children to commit crimes, unborn and unable to commit such crimes in their peak age during the 1990 decade. With legalized abortion, fewer unwanted children were born, resulting in less crime fifteen to twenty years later.

For almost all women who have made this choice, abortion was not a problem but a life-affirming solution which impacted their lives greatly. It is not strangers who are aborting, either. It is the ones we love. It is: our sisters, our mothers, our friends and our neighbors.

Ben Goes

No

As strange as it is to think that you were once a single cell, it’s true. As strange as it to think that a single cell could become something as complex as you, it’s true. From the moment of conception a human zygote has the potential to become a human being like you and me. Whether this human being goes on to become the next Alex Rodriguez, Albert Einstein, or Average Joe, its potential is boundless. Does anyone, even its mother, have the right to destroy this potential?

Many young women become unexpectedly pregnant and feel unprepared to care of a child. There are alternatives to abortion in this situation, alternatives that do not prevent a life.

O u r society Adoption needs to reis of course

By Isaac Malsky/Max Chao spect and protect the the first solution that lives of women, which means comes to mind, whether by relarespecting their choices and understandtives or strangers. While life is not perfect ing that the choice to have an abortion is for children in the adoption industry, a personal one. they do retain the ability to pursue happiness. Other options include raising the child themselves, with the aid of family members as well as private and public programs that assist young or single mothers. The father of the child might be willing to take the child. These alternatives might seem more difficult and inconvenient since the pregnancy must be

carried out, but they preserve the child’s opportunity to become the next Steve Jobs (who was adopted).

But what about life? Can a baby in the womb be thought of in the same way as a baby outside the womb? I would argue that life begins long before birth, and that an unborn baby is endowed with all the natural rights and prospects at a future that any other person has. Twenty-four days after conception, fetal heartbeat can be detected. A person in a coma who has very little brain activity is considered alive in our society as long as his heart beats. Shouldn’t we also consider someone alive when his heart starts to beat? However, the baby is not really an independent human being. It cannot yet survive outside the womb. So when is it appropriate to consider a fetus a baby?

At the point where it could be born and survive. The earliest known case of premature birth and survival occurred 153 days after conception, a little more than halfway through the standard 270 day pregnancy. What is the difference between a child born at 22 weeks and a child safely ensconced in the womb at 22 weeks?

Some might argue that children who are being aborted would otherwise grow up in poverty and have less opportunity to succeed and more likely to participate in illegal activity. In fact, there is evidence to support this theory.

So just because children might grow up to be criminals, we shouldn’t give them a chance to be anything? Consider the case of Benjamin Carson, an African-American who grew up in poverty and became a world-famous brain surgeon. He was more likely to join a gang and go to jail than to become the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. Every child has the potential to save thousands of lives like Dr. Carson.

Shouldn’t they all have the opportunity to show it? In a culture where the death penalty is disliked because even prisoners have the potential to do something good with their lives, shouldn’t babies, who have done nothing wrong and have more potential than someone in prison, be also sentenced to life?

Mistakes happen, but the freedom to make decisions comes with the responsibility of dealing with the consequences.

We all face difficulties in our lives, some more than others, but children should not be denied their chance at life so that we may live as we wish.

Questions, comments or complaints? Send an email to The Journal at theguilderlandjournal@gmail.com

Opinions

October 2013

Natural Rights Andrew Fedorov I want you to picture man in his natural state. Is the man you’ve pictured free?

Is he free to live as he likes? Is he free to say whatever he likes? Is he free to worship as he likes? Is he free to assemble as he likes? Is he free to pursue happiness as he likes it? Is this man, in the state of nature, endowed with those certain natural and unalienable rights spoken of by our declaration of independence and the philosophers that influenced it. Is the concept of natural rights, so deeply within our national psyche, true?

In real life, outside of one’s own head, there is no such thing as a natural right.

One only sees natural rights if one assumes that man exists in a vacuum where he is affected by no outside pressures. A man on an island by himself has natural rights. But man does not exist in a vacuum and isolation is not his natural state. In nature man is born into a family, in most cases that family is part of a society and that man is subject to the pressures imposed on him by his society.

He cannot say what he likes for fear of the reaction of that society. He cannot assemble as he likes because of the paranoia of his society. So government and the limitation of rights, even if this government is only by the family, is the true natural state.

Those rights we now call natural are artificial, and that’s okay. When we do have rights it is through discussion

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Breaking Syria’s brutality

and mutual agreement in our society to grant them. So we are not only able but duty bound to think through the rights we currently call natural and reconsider whether they are beneficial to our society. For example we can decide the right to speech should be preserved because it is essential for solving problems but the right to guns and weapons should not be preserved because they go against the fundamental duty of humans, to survive.

If we consider rights as natural and set in stone we can’t challenge outdated concepts or discuss what is best for our society today in order to improve our roster of rights.

So if we are to have rights we want and need we must admit their artificiality. This is not merely an argument of semantics. The important consequence of how we view our rights is the way, or even whether, we argue about them. So until we manage to disabuse ourselves of this fairytale of natural rights we will be trapped within the parameters of values and needs of the 18th century, we will be barred from progress and we will be unable to tailor a system of rights to suit the 21st century.

Bill Dong On September 15, the United States and Russia reached a deal on a framework to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons. In this deal, Syria would have to submit a list of all its weapons, with the eventual goal being to destroy all of them. This current treaty isn’t enough to maintain peace in a country that has been damaged by a civil war for more than two years.

The rebels, who want the government overthrown, are taking on the government, led by president Bashar al-Assad.

Since March 2011, when the uprising began, the war has taken over 100,000 lives. Assad has ruthlessly shut down revolts from the people, often at the cost of his soldiers’ lives. If he’s willing to sacrifice his own soldiers, there’s no telling what else he could do to the people of his country.

On August 21, the Assad regime allegedly attacked an agricultural area around Damascus, the capital, with chemical weapons. The death toll rose to near 1,500, with 400 being children.

At first, President Obama called for military action on Syria, and the tension was mounting until Russia stepped in.

Even if Syria hands over a list of chemical weapons for the world destroy, it’s likely that not only will it take a long time to destroy the weapons, but it will cost a lot of money. The United States is still in the midst of a decades-long effort to destroy its own chemical weapons,

with $35 billion already spent and no end in sight. If President Assad was willing to stoop this low in order to contain and kill his citizens, getting a list and taking steps to destroy his weapons over several years won’t really help. While President Obama says that he will use force if Syria fails to comply, Syria isn’t really intimidated by the threat, with Assad claiming in an interview that the US was trying to find “excuses for war.”

The Obama administration has also made some sloppy errors in handling the situation. Several times, President Obama has had to correct Secretary of State John Kerry for public remarks he made. When Kerry stated originally that there might be a need for “boots on the ground” in Syria, Obama denied it.

Syria isn’t really intimidated by the US, and Obama’s words haven’t made it back down much.

In order to stop the senseless killing of innocent bystanders – the children, all of the civilians – the United States has to do something decisive and convincing in order to ensure that Assad never uses chemical weapons on his people again.

Without threats or intimidation, Assad is capable of anything, and won’t do what the US or Russia says. The US has to be ready to act, and if they do have to act, they should act with force.

Editorial: The unjust cost of a high school resumé Legacy children aren’t the only ones buying their way into college; to an extent everyone has to.

College bills can be astronomical, especially if you plan on going to a private school, but even before the semester starts the fees can start piling up. In addition to the application fee, students spend hundreds, if not thousands, throughout highschool building a competitive application. SAT, ACT, AP, and SUPA classes come with a cost.

College Board is the administrator of all SAT and AP tests. Each AP test costs $89, the equivalent of working 12 hours at a minimum wage job, and many students take multiple exams.

And although College Board offers fee waivers in some circumstances, they are

Continued from page 1

The reason that fracking is so detrimental is the health and environmental impacts it will undoubtedly cause. No land will be arable, no air will be breathable, and no water will be drinkable. That is the cold hard truth.

What causes the negative impacts?

It’s not the pressure but the fluids under the pressure. The contents of the fracking fluids are undisclosed, however, researchers have discovered hundreds of extremely hazardous chemicals such as Benzene along with chemicals that were not even known to exist. This mixture invades groundwater as well as infiltrat-

not nearly comprehensive enough. Students can qualify for free or reduced cost tests if they are eligible for the Federal Reduced Price Lunch Program. For a family of four, the cut off is $43,568. Yet, hundreds of dollars worth of testing and registration fees that many juniors and seniors have to pay is a burden for many families beyond this income level. Thus, the dilemma of the middle class presents itself: too rich to qualify for financial aid, but too poor to shrug off college fees.

Some students, hoping to get an edge in college, choose to buy college credits made available to them at GHS. Many, at the start of freshman year in college, learn that these expensive credits are not transferable. SUPA classes (English, Biology, Forensics, Economics) are offered by

Syracuse University, a competitive institution with respected academics, but many private colleges-- including local college RPI-- will not accept the credits. Still, each credit costs $110; all offered courses earn between three to eight credits, so a course ranges between $330-$880.

Though buying these credits is cheaper than earning them at Syracuse, the price is still a burden for many families in Guilderland. A cheaper alternative are credits offered by SUNY Albany, but those come with an even smaller likelihood of transfer.

All hypotheticals aside, let’s consider a fairly average senior schedule. Let’s say they’re taking SUPA Economics (3 credits, $330), SUPA Forensics (8 credits, $880), Spanish 5 (about $175 through

SUNY) and precalculus. They take their SAT ($51) and their ACT with writing ($52.50). They apply to six colleges ($420, application fees average around $70).

That comes to a grand total of $1908.50. According to the national census, an average family (two kids) spends about $118 per week on groceries. That’s 16 weeks of groceries. Add in more applications, a few AP exams, tutoring of any sort, or attending summer camps for music, sports or academics, and watch that number grow rapidly.

The economic reality of applying to college with a competitive transcript can be a staggering financial burden on even stalwart middle-class families.

ing the air and in turn, the rain. From the rain, chemicals permeate the soil, surface water, crops, livestock, and just about everything gets contaminated. Once this happens, all life on earth is breathing, eating and drinking chemicals that are known to be lethal in concentrations of as little as one part per million.

According to some, all of this is justified by a short term economic benefit that will go to oil companies and individuals who choose to lease their land for fracking. The destruction will not only affect those few individuals but also people who chose not to buy into fracking.

Even worse, the small economic benefit

will be completely obsolete after paying to help people who are dying from the ravaging effects of these chemicals and failing attempts at cleaning up the mess.

Additionally, a thousand years from now, such a small sum of cash will not even appear on records yet the damage will still be prevalent.

The only reason that fracking is legal is that an exemption was made to the Safe Drinking Water Act courtesy of Dick Cheney, during his tenure as chair of the Energy Policy Task Force in 2005. Dick Cheney is also a former Halliburton executive, Halliburton being the company that invented the process

in the first place. The Halliburton loophole basically said that the dumping of hazardous materials into water is illegal unless it’s in the name of fracking.

Quite clearly, oil companies don’t care and politicians don’t care. That means it is up to you and me. It is our responsibility not as Democrats or Republicans but as human beings to educate, fight against and put an end to fracking because it’s not just our future but our grand children’s future at stake. If not stopped, fracking will have a significant negative impact on people who will know the age of oil as only a textbook chapter.

The Journal October 2013

Sports New tech and changes in P.E. curriculum Jake Hill Blogging in gym class? Physical education classes, along with most other curricular offerings at GHS and across the state, are changing and changing quickly to keep up with increasing educational standards for high school students. In the past year, students have been introduced to novelties such as pre- and post-assessments in Physical Education classes and, new this year, blog assignments for homework.

Along with all these new practices, Phys.

Ed students are also being introduced to rather unconventional activities such as badminton and rugby, which are now standard fare for students.

So what’s with all the changes? New York State now mandates that all Physi-

cal Education students be assessed at the start and end of the school year in order to show their growth throughout the year, just like they are in other academic classes. However, the blogging aspect of Phys. Ed class, which is new this year, is not a state mandated activity. GHS Physical Education Teacher Coach Newton explained: “We’re using it to incorporate more technology into Phys. Ed.” When asked if it can be expected to catch on in other schools Coach Newton said, “You can expect to see more blogging both here and at the college level.”

Regarding the new and less conventional sports and activities now part of the Phys. Ed curriculum, Coach Newton explained that these activities haven’t

replaced more traditional offerings such as volleyball and basketball, but are simply part of an expanded roster: “They (activities) rotate through every year.

Gym space also plays a big role in what is played by classes by keeping the curriculum changing it is interesting to students who wouldn’t be as interested in the more traditional options.” So the sports that some people may consider obscure, for example racquetball, might actually have some very practical uses. While it may seem like an odd choice for a class, it is, in fact, a very popular activity in college.

The physical education teachers hope that introducing it, and other less-common activities and sports to students during the high school years, might give them more

opportunities they enjoy and will continue to participate with once they graduate.

Classes across the school curriculum are changing as high schools adapt to expanding technologies and new state requirements. Physical education classes are no exception. While these changes may seem sudden, the goal is that soon they will seem commonplace. As for the non-traditional classes, give them a try.

You never know when you will find a brand new activity that might become a life-long passion.

Dutchmen excited for basketball season Jacob Wheeler Sweaters, Uggs and Northfaces are starting to come out around the halls of GHS and kids are bundling up to attend football games and other sporting events. As the Red Sea has filled bleachers crossed the Capital District it’s becoming time for them to pack the Gyms and support our Men’s Varsity Basketball Team.

With last year’s young talent pool led by a senior point guard, this year they look to have a lot of experience and intensity at all times. Last year they ended with a

disappointed 12 wins and 7 losses. As I spoke to a returner Andrew Platek he said “Our team is going into the season with high expectations with a lot of returning players and a good cheering section behind us, we plan to go into every game with no excuses”. The sophomore shooting guard seemed to be very enthused for the season this year. Marc du Moulin being a big force in the paint last season and this year being a leading senior he said this about the upcoming season ”I fully expect us to be a contender for not

only the Suburban Council championship but for the Section 2 championship”.

Du Moulin was a starting center last year and was dominating the boards. One of the most anticipated games of the season will be against Bethlehem. Last year Guilderland had a hard fought away game against Bethlehem with a lot of school spirit behind them. The Red Sea and the BC Hooligans seemed to play a big role in the game. The game was very physical with Bethlehem at the end having the upper hand. This year Bethlehem

will appear very early on their schedule.

The game will be very hyped. When du Moulin was asked how he felt about the Bethlehem game he said “I am very excited, we lost both games last year so this year we have something to prove and with the emerging rivalry it will be intense”.

The Dutchmen first home game will be against Bethlehem on December 6th at 7pm. Support the team and don’t forget to wear red!

Can anyone prevent a Heatpeat™?

Kyle Levy The National Basketball Association (NBA) had one heck of a year last year.

With crazy playoff games and an amazing Finals showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat, many fans would consider it to be a solid year of basketball. Will this year be much different though?

Last years exciting college basketball season lead to many quality college players being drafted to teams in the NBA. Top picks like Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter Jr., Cody Zeller, Alex Len, and Nerlens Noel, were drafted this year, giving teams that weren’t in the running for the playoffs last year, a much better chance this year. As the upcoming NBA season is set to begin in October, we are taking a look forward at many of these excellent rookies who have a chance at escorting their team to the playoffs, and possibly the finals.

But just how possible will it be for teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, and other teams that came in close to last in 2013 to get to the playoffs in 2014? It may

seem rare, but it can happen, and many think it will this year.

The Wizards, who received the 3rd pick in the NBA draft back in June selected Otto Porter Jr.; A 6’ 9” Small Forward from Georgetown. He was only a sophomore, but played like a 10-year NBA veteran. Though the Wizards went 29-53 last year, this year with Porter Jr., his insane versatility, and a healthy team, the Wizards have a strong chance at a playoff appearance this year.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the #1 pick in the draft selected Anthony Bennett, a 6’ 8”, 240lb Forward from UNLV. The Cavs also selected Kyrie Irving as the #1 draft pick back in 2011 are looking to capitalize with Irving and Bennett on the same floor this year. Being 20 years old and coming off a shoulder surgery earlier in the year, he’s far from perfection, but he has a ton of potential.

The 2013 NBA Champions, the Miami Heat, are going into the season with even more skill than last year. The Heat grabbed Greg Oden, who was the #1 draft pick in 2007. Though Oden has had a rough start in the NBA with sev-

eral injuries, he is back healthy and ready for this season. With Oden on the Heat, almost everyone is predicting the Heat to go very far in the playoffs this year and quite possibly another championship ring.

The Heat aren’t the only team that are getting looks this year; Teams like the LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks are all teams that are basically locked in for the Playoffs already.

But what about the runner ups of last year’s championship?

The San Antonio Spurs didn’t really have much change this year. They lost Gary Neal. Though he’s not a key player, it’s still a loss. But they added Marco Belinelli an Italian Shooting Guard. The Spurs are still a dangerous threat this year.

And just remember that if Chris Bosh hadn’t picked up the offensive rebound and Ray Allen didn’t nail the corner 3, the Spurs would have been the 2013 NBA Champions.

But who really knows what will be the outcome this year? The NBA has such amazing talent and can be so unpredictable; there is no way of predicting the outcome. We’ll have to wait and see!

October 2013

Sports

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Noah Carey, freshman phenom

Young runner stuns GHS XC with record-breaking season

Julia Chong Freshman Noah Carey has started this cross country season off with a bang.

Noah has broken the records on the Guilderland course of former standouts, Nico Turek and Brian Rhodes Devey.

He has also won both freshman races he has raced in so far by a huge margin of about 30 seconds, and broken the magic 16 minutes on the 3.06 mile course at SPAC (about a 5:20 mile split). Noah currently holds the #1 position on the boys’ varsity team.

Noah started running on the cross country team in eighth grade, after receiving a letter from the team encouraging him to join. “I thought it would be a good way to get in shape for hockey,” says Noah. “But now, it’s not even my main sport anymore.” Last year he placed in the top 3 at both the Albany County Championships and the Suburban Council Championships, even after a rough start to the season, breaking his arm and then spraining his ankle.

Noah’s goals for this season are to win as many freshman races as possible, and qualify for states. Some of Noah’s long term goals are to win scholarships for running, break even more of Brian Rhodes Devey’s records, and lastly, although he feels it may be a bit of a stretch, run under 4 minutes on the mile.

When asked whether he thinks he can live up to Brian Rhodes Devey’s reputation, (a former cross country runner who won a full scholarship to Texas University, a Division 1 running school), Noah replies “yes.” “There used to be a lot of pressure on me in the beginning of the season, because people were expecting a lot. Now that I feel I have established myself, I don’t feel as much pressure as I used to.”

Noah Carey, pictured to the left and above, continues to impress everyone with a breakout freshman season.

Carey has broken multiple school and track records. He hopes to continue his excellent season and qualify for state races.

Photos courtesy of Lucas Balzer

Support growing for “pay to play” in NCAA Trevor Laicha Is it ethically right for an association, that made $870 million in a year, to not pay the people who are 100% responsible for the profit? Obviously not right? For its 107 years in policing college sports the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has never paid any of its athletes.

It’s always been an argument of weather the NCAA should pay the athletes or not, but recently more and more big names have come out in support of paying athletes. The Big 12 commissioner, Bob Bowlsby, shocked people when he said, “I happen to think that there’s a good case to be made for some form of additional support for student-athletes.

Personally, I favor some sort of need basis above basic education expenses, but others who agree that there ought to be some distribution disagree on how it ought to be established” at Big 12 media day.

Kate the Trainer brings up some important points for not paying players. “ If you’re paying football athletes, then you have to pay basketball athletes and then you have to pay all athletes.” Title IX says

that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance..” so if you pay male athletes you have to pay female athletes, regardless of the revenue their sport brings in. Kate also asks “ Do all kids get paid? Do only starters get paid? Are you going to pay by stats or equally per player?” She brings up some valid questions that would have to be answered before athletes could get paid.

Minnesota Vikings running back and one of the greatest running backs at the University of Oklahoma Adrian Peterson expressed his support of paying athletes.

When asked if Johnny Manziel and other college athletes should get paid he said “The universities are making a lot of money off of student athletes in general.

So, yeah, he (Johnny Manziel) should be able to make money. I think so. They make millions off of these college athletes and they made millions off of the guys I played with as well. Yeah, he should

be getting paid.”

In 2009 a former UCLA basketball player, Ed O’Bannon, filed a lawsuit al-

“If you’re paying football athletes... then you have to pay all athletes.” leging that the NCAA, EA Sports and Collegiate Licensing Co., the nation’s leading trademark and licensing firm, violated antitrust laws. It accuses the NCAA of fixing at zero the amount that players can receive from video games and other products that use players’ names, likenesses and images. Last year, the plaintiffs amended their lawsuit, asking that current players be included and arguing that players deserve a share of the billions of dollars in television revenues that flow to the NCAA, conferences and member schools.

Since then 6 current NCAA football players have joined O’Bannon in the

lawsuit. University of Arizona kicker, Jake Smith, who admitted he was in on the lawsuit for money because “ the fact that the revenue that’s generated is so vast, and the players are essentially the people that drive the engine that is the NCAA”.

He would follow that up with f we didn’t exist, there would be no University of Arizona football team. There would be no Alabama Crimson Tide football team. There would be no Florida Gator football team. There would be no Texas A&M football team. ...Without us, there is no they.”

There may be a start of the “Paid Players” era in the NCAA soon. Whether done through court of law or internally.

The NCAA has gone through its rough times but I fear the worst is yet to come for the Association.

Sports

October 2013

page 20 (theJournal)

GHS alum finds soccer success at Geneseo Rebecca Fitzgerald

Laurie Knapp’s freshman year in college began with a blunder. She accidently settled into the wrong dorm room at SUNY Geneseo. She brought all of her belongings with her and even made her bed.

But this isn’t any indication of how the Guilderland High School alumna is adjusting to college so far.

The 17-year-old Altamont, N.Y., native selected the small, public liberal arts school for its biology program, intercollegiate athletics and beautiful campus. In some ways, it’s like home for Knapp. The college is set in a rural western New York, about a 30-minute drive to the nearest city of Rochester, N.Y. Roughly 5,000 [RF1] students return each year, nearly doubling the population in the local community.

While it isn’t exactly the same as home, Geneseo brought together two home comforts for Knapp: the sport she loves and her best friend.

Knapp has continued her lifelong soccer career on Geneseo’s 33-member [RF2] women’s soccer squad. Although she began playing at age 4, competing at the collegiate level never crossed her mind until her junior year in high school when she began looking at colleges. But it wasn’t because she was unsure about playing.

“I just assumed that I would always be playing because I was playing all my life,” she said. “It would be weird not to have it in my life. So, I guess I always had it in the plan.”

The 2011 and 2012 All-League and All-Conference [RF3] member has taken charge of the collegiate soccer scene, earning her way into the starting lineup.

It’s her pace and speed that Geneseo head coach Nate Wiley notices.

But they are the same things that first overwhelmed Knapp.

“The pace is a lot quicker,” she said.

“The first time we ever scrimmaged I was kind of caught off-guard, but when

I was just got into the flow of it, I liked the high intensity.”

With a team dominated by eight seniors and 15 freshmen, Knapp has plenty of opportunities in the upcoming years.

She has already shown how well she can adjust to the higher level of competition and improve upon her skills.

Wiley said players acclimate at different paces and some never do. But then there are others like Knapp, he said, who figure out a lot of the differences in the first few weeks of her freshman year.

“That’s really exciting because not only is she doing well now, but I know that means good things for the future as well,” he said.

It has helped Knapp knowing that she isn’t alone either. Among the 15 freshmen include her best friend, Colonie Central High School alumna Emily Green. It was Green who helped convince Knapp to enroll at Geneseo. Green applied early decision to Geneseo and told Wiley in late fall 2012 that she was attending and playing in the next season.

“It was one more person in our corner as we pursued Laurie,” Wiley recalled.

Knapp and Green picked up where they started – playing on the same soccer team. The two originally met through their travel team, FC Dutchmen.

And the two are also roommates, helping each other find their way through residence halls and college life.

Laurie Knapp, shown to the right, on the soccer field in her SUNY Geneseo uniform ready to play., heading the ball and dangling past a defender.

Photos courtesy of Rebecca Fitzgerald Note: Fitzgerald is a student of SUNY Geneseo guest writing for the Journal

VARSITY BOYS’ SOCCER:

The Dutchmen defeat Shen for the 1st time since 2009 and Bethlhem for the first time since 2008. They have been ranked as high as 12 in the state Suburban Council South: 1. Bethelehem 11-4 2. Guilderland 9-4 3. Colonie 6-8

VARSITY FOOTBALL:

The Dutchmen defeated Shen on homecoming 29-22.

Empire Divison: 1. Guilderland 5-1 1. CBA 5-1 1. Shen 5-1

VARSITY GIRLS’ SOCCER:

The Lady Dutch beat rival Bethelehem both time this season.

Suburban Council South: 1. Guilderland 14-1 2. Bethlehem 6-6 3. Colombia 6-6

New York State: 1. 12-0 Northport-11 2. 14-0 Monroe-Woodbury-9 3. 8-0-2 St. John the Baptist-CHSAA 4. 11-1 Massapequa-8 5. 10-0-1 North Rockland-1 6. 13-1 Guilderland-2