GRADING THE GOVERNORS

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HolidayHeroespg. 13

THE ISLANDERS BIG MOVE

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by Zayneb Almiggabber In late October, Superstorm Sandy destroyed much of the Northeastern region of our na-tion. The storm hit in the midst of late October with rough winds and heavy rains, forcing millions to remain indoors or evacuate their homes. Sandy formed over the coast of Jamaica, and quickly developed into a hurricane over the course of a week, passing over the Caribbean Islands and the East Coast of the United States. Nearly half of the fifty states were affected, with New Jersey and New York receiving the most severe damages. The majority of Long Island was without power for several days. Flooded build-ings and fallen trees wrecked thousands of living spaces, with the worst damages in the Jersey Shore, Rockaway Beach, Breezy Point and Staten Island. Even today, nearly two months after the storm, victims are still strug-gling to repair the damages caused by the storm. The damages and losses felt during and after the Sandy were centered on the lack of shelter, light, and electricity—resources that many Americans generally take for granted. The loss of elec-tricity did not only pose a major problem to both residents and the power authority, but also caused a major shortage in gasoline. Gas stations lacked the constant flow of electricity necessary to keep fuel conditioned in the tanks. The gasoline limit caused mayhem among drivers, and violence broke out at the pumps. Crowds grew to the point where gas rationing

became the only option for both New York and New Jersey. With power out at nearly every corner, driving also became an issue. Fallen trees blocked off streets and broken stop-lights made the flow of traffic unbearable. Police officers were stationed at major intersections; some junc-tions were unprotected by the officers and the safety of drivers depended on their own integrity and wariness as they drove. The storm’s power outage

also brought immense crowds to the businesses who regained power during the first days of the aftermath. Local businesses like Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s and Barnes & Noble Booksellers were packed with people who sought Wi-Fi connection, electricity and even meals, since the lack of power took away many of the bare neces-sities. Sandy was the second-costliest storm in United States history, only behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It became the largest Atlantic storm on record; despite several warnings, many did not expect the damages and scarcity of resources that followed. The storm has shown that our generation is undeniably and entirely dependent

on electrically powered energy. “We have a 100-year flood every two years now,” said Governor Cuomo. Numerous fundraisers have been held to raise money for those who lost power and suffered food and water shortages. Charities such as the American Red Cross collaborated with NBC and held a live television concert, “Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together,” with Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige and Billy Joel, among

others, performing to raise money for relief efforts. The United Nations sent humani-tarian aid to areas in the Caribbean region affected by the storm. News Corporation donated $1 million to the New York City Metropolitan Area. ABC TV Group held a “Day of Giving”, and donations were also made by internet groups such as Tum-blr and Humans of New York.

Despite the overall devasta-tion, the experience seemed to have brought residents of affected states much closer. In the aftermath of the storm, neighbors, friends and strangers alike assisted each other in the recovery process. The stu-dents and clubs of New Hyde Park Memorial created care packages for students, teachers and administra-tors who have struggled with the unpredictability of this storm. The East Coast has not experienced such a tragedy in years, if at all. Though the aftermath of Hur-ricane Sandy included widespread struggle and suffering, it also in-cluded the convergence of people all across the United States—people who proved that together, any struggle is withstandable.

Superstorm Sandy Strikes

In This Issue

................... .............. ............. .......... ................. ..................................................Staff

Editors-in-Chief:Diane Choi, Abin Thannickal

Web/Layout Designer:Tomasz Pietruszka

Copy Editors:Josh Johnikutty, Aakash Japi

News: Harvinder Bassi, Michael Lopez,

Haley Spielberg

Features:Christina Lorper, Rebecca Lewis,

Ryan Maharaj

Sports:Tim Foley, Qusai Thanawala

Entertainment:Renjini Antony, Zayneb Almiggabbar,

Teresa Lo

Student Life: Allison Bauer, Fabiha Khalid,

Nithin Sunilkumar

Business Managers: Teena Thomas, Sabrina Mammen

Staff Photographer:Disha Mirchandani, Eamonn Lennon

Publicity Coordinator:Cinita Cyriac, Jane Thomas

Columnists:Andrew Valentin

Cartoonist:Priyanka Algu

Advisor:Mr. Stencel

Reporters:Vivek Arora, Keziah Babu, Shannen Bala, Charlie Hinz, Divia Joseph, Michael Kem-

met, Adam Jung, Serena Londis, Sheikh Muizz, Shawn Sam, Inderpreet Singh, Shannon Thomas

1-5 6 7-9 10 11-12 13-16 17 18-20

News Editorials Student Life Inquiring Minds Features Entertainment Puzzles Sports

My fellow Gladiators, I hope everyone is having a great year so far! I know that these first four months have passed by quickly. I bet many of you are still stressed because of SAT’s or college applications, but at least we have our Christmas break to look forward to! This past month, our community was impacted by the devastating Hurricane Sandy. This hurricane affected many of us, but as a community and as a school, we came together in support of not only the people in our com-munity, but also people in all Long Island. Furthermore, the Student Council recently held a coat drive; all of the coats collected will go to the people affected by the storm. The Key Club also collected non- perishable food and other items, which will go to hurricane relief. During Superstorm Sandy, the Red Cross Club set up hun-dreds of cots in the gym. Thus, I am proud to say that during difficult times, we, as a student body, came together in unity to help others. As President, I could not be prouder of all of you that helped with our relief efforts for Superstorm Sandy. Also, as winter sports are underway, I would like to wish all of the members of the winter track team, basketball team, wrestling team and all other winter sports teams good luck! Students are not the only ones playing a sport this winter though; after five years, the an-nual faculty basketball game has returned. Our school gym was filled with students cheering for their teachers. We were able to see Mr. Pickett dunk, Coach Dolan shoot a three pointer, and even watch our principal Dr. Faccio get a couple of points. All of the money earned from this event went to the people affected by Hurricane Sandy. In October, our school held its 2012-2013 homecoming event.

Like always, it started off with a parade. Then, all of the classes walked through the streets with their hand-made floats, along with our performers, including the band, leading the parade. Even our local firefighters marched along with them. After two quarters, our half-time show began, which the best floats were announced, along with the highly expected announce-ment of homecoming king and queen. There were also many great performances from the Twirlers, the Romanettes, the Steppers, the cheerleading teams, and of course, our band. Although the Gladia-tors couldn’t pull off a late win, it was a still a great time. In early October, the Student Council held a student congress meeting, in which we discussed the day-to-day school problems and the possible solutions to those problems. Topics, such as the school lunch, the sanitation of the school, and school heat were brought up. Later that week, the Student Council, along with the presidents of the clubs and grades of our school had a meeting with the superintendent. We brought up questions about the challenges our school currently faces. In the meeting, we learned that the Board of Education was looking to re-place our football field, track and gym ceiling within the next few years, along with a painted gym. Senior year is fantastic so far for me, and we have all grown closer together. However, we still have an entire semester before graduation. So to the seniors, enjoy the time you have left at our great school, there are still many great things to come, such as senior week. I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you all in 2013!

Your President, Jonathan Chambers

President’s Letter

Marijuana for the Massesby Adam Jung On Tuesday November 6th, 2012, Colorado passed Amend-ment 64, which legalized mari-juana for recreational use, making Colorado the first state to end marijuana prohibition in the United States. The amendment made it legal for residents of the state to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to six marijuana plants at home. Howev-er, the debate over the legal status of cannabis is not over yet, as the finer points regarding the regula-tion of production and sale still remain undecided, not to mention the fact that it is still considered illegal under federal law. In Washington D.C., legislation to establish rules and regulations for growing and selling marijuana could take several years to enact. In Colorado, consumers may have an easier time because of the already established medi-cal marijuana industry. What is

certain is that marijuana will remain an age-restricted product with many of the same legal consequences as alcohol, including penalties for public use and driv-ing while under the influence. As marijuana usage moves

towards acceptance under the law on par with that of alcohol, contentious issues have begun to arise. Among these is the issue of marijuana use in the workplace.

Many Colorado business groups have appealed to the government for the enforcement of federal pot laws because of concerns regarding how to deal with workers who con-sume cannabis. Many companies have drug-free policies that they

feel obligated to enforce. This would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire in an already controversial debate between the federal govern-ment’s firm anti-marijuana stance

and the recently recognized laws of the state governments, possibly creating a legal battle that many fear could drag on for years. Despite the state of apparent legal limbo that many residents of Colorado and Washington may find themselves in, it is important to remember that the passage of these two new laws is without prec-edent anywhere else in the world. No other country has exercised liberalism to this extent. It is a common misconception that can-nabis is already legal in the Nether-lands, when instead the production and wholesale distribution of the substance is still illegal with merely a de facto legalization of quanti-ties under five grams. Therefore, it is important to note that the decisions made in Colorado and Washington in the coming months and years could have the potential to lay the foundation for change in both the rest of the nation and the rest of the world.

New Hyde Park in the Darkby Michael Lopez and Haley Spielberg The effects of Hurricane Sandy included widespread devastation that affected everyone on the East Coast of the United States—includ-ing the students, parents and fac-ulty of New Hyde Park Memorial. Charles Purnel, a member of the Custodial services at New Hyde Park, was one of the members of New Hyde Park who was affected by Hurricane Sandy’s damage. Mr. Purnel, who lives in the Rockaways, witnessed many people lose their property—he himself lost his base-ment to flooding. Assistant principal Ms. De-Gennaro is another member of the staff who was affected by the storm and its aftermath. “It’s hard to look at my neighborhood the same way,” she said. A resident of Howard Beach, Ms. DeGennaro was overwhelmed at the flood-ing that occurred not only in her

house, but also her elderly mother, whose home was also deemed unin-habitable. “I realize how fast life can change—how fortunate we are and that even though we lost our pos-sessions, we still have the people around us for support.” Ms. De-Gennaro gave thanks for the oppor-tunity to sit down at a table with her family, despite the unlivable condition of her mother’s house-- an opportunity that most people did not have. Mr. DeJose, a member of the Social Studies department, also suf-fered damage and loss from the storm; he said that he had to leave town to find supplies, witnessing army trucks searching for bodies that were reported missing. “I lost seven photo albums-- you can’t put a price on that,” said Mr. DeJose. “But, I’m going to be alright. When I look around at all the things that have happened and

the destruction that others around me are going through, I feel fortu-nate.” Though the number of staff whose lives were affected by the storm is high, the number of peo-ple at New Hyde Park supporting them is much higher. Ms. DeGe-narro named all the people at New Hyde Park who helped her through her troubles. “Mrs. Padovano, Mrs. Beck, Mrs. Errante, Mrs. Kaspar and of course, my Assistant principal Mrs. Hecht have all been unbeliev-

ably accommodating and helpful in this time,” said Ms. DeGennaro. Two months after the storm, the effects still linger. Though the trees have been cleared out of the roads and power has been restored, the change in lifestyle, as well as the life lessons that the storm brought to all of us, are never-ending. “The storm has taught us that everyone should want to help—there’s no room to be selfish and take life as we know it for granted,” said Mr. Purnel.

Long Lines for Long Islandersby Shannen Bala Superstorm Sandy hit New Hyde Park hard: fallen trees found on almost every street and no elec-tricity in schools, businesses, and residences for days, even weeks. But even as power started return-ing, a new crisis arose: limited gas. The problem was that specific businesses, without power, had a large impact on Long Island and NYC. With no electricity, the main terminals could not supply gas to gas stations, resulting in thousands of empty gas stations and desper-ate drivers needing to refill their tanks. A long line of cars however, some lines reaching to 150 cars, were found at refueled gas stations. Drivers woke up early, stayed out late, and waited hours to refill their cars. Some waited hours on line, but when gas at the station eventually ran out, they unfortu-nately came home with even less gas. Another problem was that lim-

by Nithin Sunilkumar The Long Island Power Authority has received a lot of complaints for their poor handling of the recent natural catastrophe that was Superstorm Sandy. Many victims in the area of the hurri-cane had to live without electricity or heat for many weeks, includ-ing many students and faculty at New Hyde Park. LIPA, one of the nation’s largest and most expen-sive power authorities, has shown remarkable ineptitude in respond-ing to our current crisis. With a number of outdated and broken systems, and an understaffed office in long island, LIPA has drawn the ire of a number of public of-ficials, including a verbal lashing from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. “We simply need to keep LIPA accountable,” and described the utility system as “archaic and obsolete,” said Governor Cuomo. He criticized LIPA for the slow-

LIE-PAmoving response and delayed reaction to Sandy, as the company failed to act swiftly while tens of thousands of LIPA customers lived without power. He stated that LIPA cannot simply be fixed; it must be overhauled and a new system is needed. "They have failed the consumers," Cuomo said. LIPA was supposed to be the primary defense and relief system in such a situation, and the company failed to come to the aide of the people efficiently and effectively. As a result, thousands of LIPA customers suffered during the aftermath of the storm without any heat or electricity. Customers were distraught as a direct result of LIPA’s incompetency in handling the situation; LIPA will need to clean up their act if such a disaster strikes again. If LIPA fails to act if such a situation comes again, the state government may not be so hesitant

to reduce their funding. LIPA took even more criticism by customers via social media. Thanks to social media, Twitter and Facebook, customers’ criticism was magnified. Much of the scru-tiny LIPA faced during the storm was fueled by the engine of the twenty-first century--social media. Customers were appalled to see the inability of LIPA to respond to such a large-scale crisis. Recently, the chairman of LIPA, Howard Steinberg, resigned from office after the harsh criti-cism he received as a result of his poor management of Sandy. It is clear that the ineptitude shown by LIPA was the reason why Steinberg resigned as chairman. Howard E. Steinberg wrote, in a letter of apol-ogy to Governor Cuomo, “Regret-tably, my full-time and ongoing professional responsibilities in the private sector preclude me from being able to continue to devote

the time required to address the many challenges still facing LIPA.” Steinberg’s resignation followed that of many other LIPA officials, including trustees, chief operat-ing officers, and customer service officials. LIPA may get a second chance to redeem their failures, but who knows if they can handle another situation on the scale of Sandy? It may be time to reconsider whether LIPA can be trusted to handle the day-to-day operations of Long Island. LIPA failed before and, can potentially fail in the future. The citizens of Long Island have their fingers crossed that another catastrophic event with the magni-tude of Sandy does not enter the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Conneticut again. The damage has been done and it will be LIPA’s job to heal any wounds. But the question is, are the wounds too great for LIPA to heal?

ited gas meant a price gouging. In addition, angry fights, verbal and physical, resulted in these long gas lines. Fist-fights became so chaotic that people were arrested. In reaction to the gas crisis,

Mayor Bloomberg took measures to ease the recovery effort. To shorten gas lines, the “even-odd gas rationing” came into effect: license plates ending with an odd number would get gas on odd days and

those ending with an even number would get gas on even days. But by this time, as for most of New York, the worst had already ended. More than 85% of gas stations were in business, compared to only

25% two weeks prior. While the gas crisis in New Hyde Park lasted for a few days, the aftermath of Sandy brought out the panic and desperation among the people in New York and New Jersey. When

power and supplies were cut off, our will to survive is shown, but for the most part, New Hyde Park has survived well. This is because in order for us to survive, we all had to sacrifice. While some residents never lost power in their homes, the gas crisis was the one thing we all had to go through. Everyone was affected one way or another. We all waited hours on line, before the sun rose, or in the cold winds of the night. We all tried to conserve our gas or were angry, afraid, or frustrated at this tragedy. Superstorm Sandy left thousands without power, leav-ing many families displaced. It wreaked havoc on the northeast, and left the tri-state area in chaos. But through the chaos, we gained a sense of communal bond. The storm, beyond simply causing a utilities frenzy, showed the resilience of New Yorkers and New Jerseyans.

by Divia Joseph Finishing the Common App is not the end of a senior’s stress. As if filling out applications and meeting deadlines was not stressful enough, dealing with financing college takes up a lot of time during the second semester. An increasing number of students are turning to the federal government and private institutions for loans. Despite various scholarships and financial aid opportunities avail-able, it just doesn’t seem to cover the surmounting cost of college tuition that is now skyrocketing. Today, students must seriously consider the price tags attached to their dream schools, many of whom will turn to the federal government for aid. So why has the student loan process become such a catastro-phe for so many students? There are many factors to blame but according to the Department of Education, the recent recession

has become a major part of the problem. Colleges are beginning to feel the struggle as states face steeper budget cuts, resulting in a slashing of the financial support they grant for education. Students suffer because universities must raise tuition to cover the loss of much needed state funding. In the end, students are embarking on their academic careers with a frightening debt sentence of generally twenty-five thousand dollars per student every year. But there’s no doubt that a college education is vital in our skills-based economy, so loans have become an essential tool that pro-spective students utilize as a way to reach success in society. “Students today often receive jargon-laden financial aid award letters that make it hard to compare financial aid offers side-by-side. Information about the total debt, interest, and monthly

payments of student loans can be unclear—or not included at all,” says U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan when asked about what makes these transactions seem like students are walking in the dark of financial fate. The Department of Educa-tion is not completely inept, though, and has successfully made some aspects of the financial aid applications less challenging than others. The Department posts “annual tuition watch-lists” that demonstrate the cheapest schools in the nation, as well as the costli-est. Colleges are also required to install calculators on their websites that offer an accurate calculation of the real cost of attendance. So in essence their phony and eye-catching sticker prices are now revealed for what they really are and what it would mean for the applicant were they to attend. These implementations should

be used so that student loans are only used sparingly or in such a controllable amount that it won’t then overwhelm the graduates once their released to the big bad world. Mrs. Gerri Cookler, the head of Pupil Personnel Services, offers advice to both students and parents alike during this whole col-lege and student loans process. She recommends that students exhaust every scholarship opportunity and fill out the Free Application to Student Federal Aid accurately. Mrs. Cookler offers that students can turn to online research for such as information. For instance, she recommends looking into the New York State Higher Educa-tion Services Corporation, which is an online service, that may serve for further guidance. Mrs. Cookler’s greatest piece of advice is that students and parents “take a pragmatic approach and really be honest about what they can and can’t afford.”

Debt Sentence

Grading the Governorsby Aakash Japi The recent catastrophe of Hur-ricane Sandy has tested the resolve and tenacity of everyone in the tri-state area. From the massive devas-tation caused to seaside areas, to the extensive power outages, to flood-ing and destruction, Sandy wreaked havoc all across the northeast. And now, with displaced families crowd-ing makeshift shelters, and streets rendered impassable by debris, the spotlight has shifted upon our lead-ers: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Each governor displayed incred-ible poise throughout the duration of the storm, remaining calm and personable and exemplifying the better parts of American leadership. Their “comfort speeches” brought back memories of F.D.R’s “fireside chats,” and their advice was logical and prudent. Both Governors did a remarkable job of not politicizing

the storm. They set aside their political affiliations for a time and did what they needed to do. Governor Christie embraced and welcomed

President Obama while Governor Cuomo cancelled his political trip to Florida in order to deal with the situation at hand. Both men approached Sandy

pragmatically, without personal prejudices, and worked together to restore order. The directives of both Gover-nors were well timed and far-sight-

ed. Governor Christie ordered extra rations of gasoline days in advance, with Cuomo following suit a few days later. The New York governor also shut down public transporta-

tion to guard against flooding. Both of them ensured that the debacle of Hurricane Katrina’s relief efforts would not be repeated, strategically pre-positioning resources and spear-heading evacuation efforts in order to minimize casualties and ensure citizens’ safety. Christie, in his usual brazen fashion, waded through flooded streets to comfort distraught citi-zens. In one particularly emotional moment, Christie walked to a nine year old girl who’d lost her home and told her “let the adults in your community take care of you. We’ll be there for you.” Cuomo, too, continued broad-casting daily, and was the symbol of resilience during trying times. “It never ceases to amaze me that New Yorkers can rise to the occasion,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are known for our courage and tough-ness, but our sense of community always shines through.”

Most Likely to Secedeby Andrew Valentin It was December 20th, 1860 and South Carolina had passed the first ordinance of secession, stat-ing, “We, the people of the State of South Carolina in convention assembled, do declare and ordain…that the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name of ‘the United States of America’ is hereby dissolved.” It is now December 2012, and we have come to a point where 675,000 signatories across 50-states in participation have pe-titioned to secede from the union once again. It seems that from a radical right-wing perspective, this is the wisest choice for the United States. Ironically enough, if this were to be the wisest choice for the state of our union, then there would clearly be no union for us to have called improved. To secede from our “socialist” President, as most of the petitions have cited as reason for secession would imply that state govern-ments are the most qualified to lead themselves out of a debt of their own creation. For example, Texas, the leading state in this movement even back from 2009, routinely receives more federal aid than Texans pay annually in federal taxes; meaning that if Texas were to leave the Union, it would lose a surplus of revenue Historically, secession is a punishable offense, and under-standably so. In a nation where so much of the infrastructure and funding is on a federal level, especially in the case of the states who champion secession so greatly, we essentially have a nationalized country at this point in time. It is impossible to go back to a Union of 50 individual entities for the sheer fact that the states have become nearly uniform in infra-structure. If Texas were to secede from the Union, it would surely be called, officially, “The Republic of Texas,” but would it really be the independent state of Texas.

Aside from the simple arith-metic of it being unwise to secede from the Union, the fact that the media has made the statistical insignificance about half a million people wishing to blindly secede in a populous of 300 million is an example of the glorification of what makes entertaining news in our current state of affairs. 675,000 secessionists in a nation of 300 million give us a statistical minority of less than half of a per-cent of our nation’s country. The

media however has instilled this fear into viewers, and has scared the blissfully misinformed of a problem that is really much less significant than it was made out to be. This is entertainment at most and it is most certainly how the White House will respond to these petitions for secession. When states seceded from the Union in the 1860’s, individual state govern-ments did so, not a “grassroots” organization of people who have taken losing an election to an entirely new extreme to the point where they lose sight of national unification regardless of political affiliation. These people have lost sight of how it is not their country who has failed them, if in fact anyone has actually failed a mid-western farmer whose concept

of communism is that everyone deserves to live without rationing their health because of money, but rather it is their government and politics that has failed them. Secession is not political, but rather it is a legal divorce from the Union, and to make it a political statement would be to foolishly equate a political solution with a legal solution. Moreover, from a strictly defensive standpoint, states have neither the resources nor inclina-

tion to provide for the common defense, a responsibility that has been taken over by the federal government out of precedence. Defense spending is nondiscre-tionary and would be another bill, along with the many that are footed by the federal government that the state would have to be able to handle by itself. The state would have to provide Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security in order to appease those statistically insignificant secessionists, while ensuring the protection of the sta-tus quo. If it sounds impossible, that’s because it simply is. The federal government is not in any sense perfect, but a shock to the system and way of life of citizens who are not political whatsoever; as in every state that sought seces-

sion, it would cause a political, or even violent backlash if any state were to secede. Imagine had New York seceded from the Union and FEMA flew directly over the disheveled homes, tragic landscape, and displaced people only to assist a neighboring New Jersey. Although I believe that seces-sionists have the interests of their own states in mind, they fail to realize how globalized of a society we have become, how dependent we have become on one another. From a utilitarian perspective, we have come to the point where secession is devolution from our current state of affairs, and from a moral standpoint, we are all in the same debt. If we are protected, defended, and considered an entire nation, we cannot simply start from scratch and to believe that this would solve our current domestic crisis is simply idealistic. Furthermore, we could not pos-sibly recognize states that have be-come so dependent on the Union for trade and economic success as their own sovereign nations. Will these new “countries” or “confed-erations” be recognized on a global scale? Can we even consider their legitimacy as individual nations with their own infrastructure, given the fact that federal fund-ing through grants has made up more of the states’ infrastructural spending than tax revenue could ever achieve? These questions are not the hypothetical ravings of a contrarian, but rather real-time issues that these states must deal with in an alternate dimension where secession from the Union is actually a legitimate alternative to our domestic crisis and is actually a notion up for entertainment. I’m not implying that the federal government is the be-all-end-all of responsibilities and duties when all else fails; I’m simply saying that the two governments, in our mod-ern society, cannot exist without each other without collapsing into despotism.

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by Fabiha Khalid Is it a class? Is it a club? Is it a team? No, it’s Model UN! Model UN is more than a class that you can take in your freshman or sophomore year. It’s more than some club or team that just goes away on those random “field trips” as many other students think. Here at NHP Memorial, Model UN is more like a second family. The similarities we share, the amount of fun we have, the struggles we face, whatever it is, we face it together. Before I give you insight on what these “field trips” are all about, it is important all the students who aren’t a part of Model UN out there get a good idea of the workload and respon-sibilities that come with being a prestigious Model UN delegate. Before anything it is important, we get into what Mr. Laugen likes to call the MUN-zone. Basically what this means is to start getting prepared for our “field trip”. How do we get prepared? Research, research, and more RESEARCH! The more research the merrier, and the more prepared a delegate is. The research for us delegates is a weapon that we use to defeat the other schools, literally. You have to keep in mind, we are elegant and formal delegates. During competi-tion, we use our research as debate points, finding inconsistencies and proposing solutions for our issue. The research we have helps us to remain strong through the four days of intensifying debate. Another part of our preparation is the year-long zero period class we take. Yes this class can seem dread-ful, and yes it is difficult to wake up early every morning, but at the end it is all worth it. This class is the backbone of our prepara-tion. Every skill us delegates have achieved are from this class. Before we know it, its confer-ence time. This is the moment we were all waiting for. Now come the butterflies in our stomachs, the tension build up and the “what

ifs”. Our dream of going on our first conference becomes a reality right in front of our eyes, as our baggage is being piled up in the li-brary and the bus pulls up in front of the school. Mr. Galvin gives us one of his amazing speeches and reminds us true meaning of Model UN is about to come life. The principal addresses us and tells us that we should be proud of ourselves for not only representing a country, but representing our school. He tells us to not take it as two days away from school and four days away from home, but a life time experience that is waiting for our arrival. After his final words, we’re off to New Bruns-wick, New Jersey, home to our very first conference, RUMUN 2012. The excitement slowly built up, and was at a high at the opening ceremonies at the Hyatt Residency. Once our secretary general opened debate the thousands of students were off to their conference rooms readily debating through the night. This continued on for three days. At the end of every long and tir-ing day, we all had our ups and downs, exciting stories to tell, complaints to complain about and so much more. We learned to improve our public speaking skills, built up our confidence and had a great time. Having our own hotel rooms, being responsible for our own actions, everything just built up to be a college experience in our high school years. One thing we will never forget is dominating the karaoke room at the Saturday night social events, which definite-ly was a night to remember. At the end of the closing ceremonies, all of us, award or no award, can defi-nitely say that RUMUN 2012 was a learning experience. Sophomore Jenny Thomas states that, “Before the MUN trip I felt a bit scared, but mainly excited to go and com-pete against other schools. After I was really happy I went because it was such a great experience, from practically debating all day long to the cheesy MUN karaoke night.”

MUN-strous Experience by Teresa Lo Who knew that a gymnasium could transform into a heavenly escape for those affected by Hur-ricane Sandy? When the hurricane suddenly hit the Northeast, causing massive power outages, flooding and damage, who was there to help all those in need? You would expect that it was every man for himself. However, it was quite the opposite. We as a community came together for a common cause: for the recovery and aid for those in need. Vol-unteers from the Red Cross have flown from all parts of the United States to help victims recover from the catastrophe. These volunteers came from places like Florida and South Carolina, traveling thousands and thousands of miles to come to our shelter, for nothing in return. Their friendliness and positive attitude was so heartwarming that no words could express how grateful I was to see them there. Everyone there was so inspi-rational. The volunteers willingly helped out others in our “small gym” at a maximum of twelve hours daily. Power companies, such as Echo from New Orleans came to our neighborhoods to rebuild downed power lines. Why? As Americans it’s our job to help each other out. It is like the great Benjamin Frank-lin once said, “We are stronger united, and if one part is weak we are all weak.”

Sandy Crosses the Line I myself, was out of power, and was willing to volunteer as well, and I’m glad I did. I lost power for thirteen days, while oth-ers only lost power between one to two days. However, other residents who were affected lost their whole homes. The two days that I volun-teered at the shelter were amazing experiences. People came all over from Long Beach and Great Neck and other areas. The shelter direc-tors and volunteers were all very nice and patient, despite the fact that they’ve been working nonstop for countless hours. It wasn’t just a shelter for these people. It was a home. “I thought I had it bad, having no power for twelve days. After this shelter experience, I saw that there were people who were impacted in ways that I can never imagine,” says Teena Thomas, sophomore. “It made me realize all the things I take for granted, even the smallest things.” It was a comfort zone for those who lost their own homes, which contained their belongings, clothes, food, everything. It was a devastating blow to the northeast. As a Red Cross officer, I ask for nothing, but just to help out more and more because it’s the least I can do to help those in need. During the hurricane, we tried to help out as much as possible. As the Red Cross, it is our time to shine. Our efforts will always pay off in the end.

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The Columbia Scholastic Press Association awarded New Hyde Park Memorial’s yearbook, The Lance, a Gold Medalist, its highest category, for the 2012 yearbook. The CSPA is an affiliate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and provides evaluations for publica-tions on the national level. Each year, the CSPA evaluates yearbooks from across the country on overall content, coverage, reporting, writing, design/graphics, and photography based on more than 100 criteria ac-cording to standards representing best practices for student journalism. “Not only is this accolade unprecedented in our school’s history, but it means that our yearbook ranks as one of the best in the nation, as evalu-ated by the most prestigious press association in the country.

11/10/12

Dear Journal, It is my twelfth night living in complete dark-ness. I have lost track of time due to the shivering cold and weary feeling of uncertainty. Each day is extremely difficult and the cold is staggering beyond imagination. At first, I thought the blackout would only last a few days. Each day is a mystery, and my future is uncer-tain. What will happen next? Questions plague my psyche while the cold tears at my body. No electricity, no light, and no communication. When I peer out my window, I see tree branches and electricity wires littering the streets. It is impossible to walk outside without snapping a branch or encountering a fallen wire. My mother is always prepared for the worst. She is able to calm all of us. But now, as the simplest tasks require stress and frustration, even her resolve has been tested. After the fifth day, our refrigerator smelled like repulsive rotten fish. The smell still remains in my mind. No one ever can forget the smell of rotten food polluting your home house for twelve days… At night my siblings and I stare at our breath, while we shiver from the cold. The frost creeps inside and eats at our extremities. My siblings and I revisit our childhood through beloved childhood games and ac-tivities. Although I live with the uncertainty of tomor-row, I still find it in me to remain positive and upbeat. The days have gotten shorter and the nights have grown longer. Instead of fighting for light during sunset, we sleep less and wake up earlier to revel in the day. Nights are the worst; they bring loneliness, fear, and insecurity. But when the sun rises from its blissful sleep, I find myself again. I am shocked and don’t expect my power to come back anytime soon. It is dark outside, and the cold forces my body to sleep. I bid farewell, in hope for a brighter and warmer tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Teresa Lo

On December 12th, 2012, New Hyde Park Memorial’s Red Cross Club hosted its annual Holiday Cards for Heroes event. This gave members, along with other students, the opportunity to showcase their drawing talents and create holiday cards for active servicemen and women and veterans throughout the United States and abroad. It was an amazing turnout, with over 50 members as well as non-members in attendance, who were eager to participate. There were over seventy colorful holiday cards made that day, along with eleven cards from Yasmin Mathews, who could not make the event and thus created the cards in her own time out of her need to show her appreciation to the soldiers. The club advisor, Ms. Rafiq, along with the officers, worked hard to promote the event and helped students get started on their cards after school in the school cafeteria. The club hopes to have a greater turnout next year, too.

The End Is Nigh... If you are reading this, then congratulations! You have survived the end of the world. You are now tasked with rebuilding human society from the shambles that remain. First, you need to find the necessities: food, water, and shelter. I hope you followed the usual advice of maintaining AT LEAST three days worth of non-perishable food in your home, along with a healthy supply of water. If you didn’t, then don’t endanger yourself by trying to get to a grocery store; they are already warzones and are most likely already stripped clean. Your monetary wealth is useless now, so I hope, for your sake, you followed the directive to spend all your money on survival tools. Else, at least you have something to burn! Becuase now that the global economic and political infrastructure has been destroyed, currency is nothing more than a pretty piece of paper. Next, DO NOT venture far from your home and DO NOT remain outside for long. Radiation will be everywhere; I’m sure it would be an unpleasant experience to wake up with a tentacle or a third leg. Also, avoid public water sources AT ALL COST. They are most likely infected and will increase the risk of disease. If there was a virus creating a mass “zombie” apocalypse, then you must consider your options very carefully. AVOID CONTACT. Do not approach any infected persons, and do not try to cure them. Try to gauge the pervasiveness of the disease, and the intelligence of the “zombies.” In addition, remember that there is no government or police force. You have to fend for yourself. Do not trust anyone; do not have faith in anything other than yourself. The only law that applies now is “survival of the fittest.” With some determination, you can survive, but you need to be prudent. Don’t expect help from anyone. Unfortunately, I have to say, if you are phys-ically or mentally unfit, you will die. Make sure you die outside though, so scavengers can find sustenance later on. If order has been restored through a rudimentary government, then it is best to follow its laws. It will most likely have you outgunned and outnumbered (though this is America, so you’ll definitely have it outsmarted), so rebellion is not the most fruitful action at this point. Take its supplies and materials, and rehabilitate. But do not pledge allegiance; what is left of Amer-ica will surely return. Most importantly, maintain education. Spread knowledge and understanding amongst all sur-vivors. Ensure everyone can handle the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Even in the post-apocalyptic world, knowledge is essential if we are to rebound. Show that we are truly the “home of the brave.” Stay strong, be prudent, be innovative, and be positive. All things will re-turn to normal. Someday... #[Insert Stupidity Here] Aakash Japi

“That the Mayans are wrong so that there is a Christmas.”

-Mrs. Esposito

What’s number one on your holiday wish list?

“A Lamborghini” -Brandon Fernandez

“I want people to treat people nicer.” -Mrs. Caruso

“Everyone will have a safe and healthy Christmas and

New Years.” -Mr. Rotondaro

“Some more Xbox games such as Halo 4 and Black Ops 2.” -Ashish Johnson

“To adopt a kitten because Hurricane Sandy left a lot

of animals without homes.” -Cressa Maica Vidad

by Zanyneb Almiggabber Today, it is known that some of the most interesting or contemporary products originate in Britain. More recently, however, it’s been evident that American teenagers have a growing fascina-tion with British culture. The use of new social-networking sites that allow people from around the world to connect with each other has opened up a gateway in which there is an easier access to the discovery of foreign products. Nevertheless, it’s come to a point in which some would like certain British things simply because they are of British origin. The entire concept of British entertainment and pop culture still grows throughout the United States. The allure of it all is espe-cially seen with the comings of British musicians, films, television shows, celebrities, and even cloth-ing. Bands such as One Direction,

Mumford and Sons, and the Arctic Monkeys have become much more prevalent throughout the nation, as well as other parts of the world. Addition-ally, popular British televi-sion shows such as Down-ton Abbey and BBC’s Sher-lock Holmes adaptation set in modern-day London, have caught the eyes of American viewers and critics alike.

Both have been aired in the United States on the PBS channel as Master-piece Classics to much acclaim. The classic television show Doctor Who, is having its seventh season air simultane-ously on BBC America for the second time in its entire television history. That’s quite a step forward, considering the show celebrates its fiftieth anniver-sary next year. Moreover, several British actors,

such as Andrew Garfield and Tom Hid-dleston, have risen as actors in both regions. Garfield starred as Spider-Man in the recent summer flick and Hiddleston played the belligerently devious god of mischief, Loki, in Marvel’s, The Avengers. Such names have be-come common in conversa-tions of adults and teenagers alike. So what causes such an appeal towards

the British? They do, indeed, pos-sess a certain charm. Many would agree that British entertainment is full of originality, flamboyant costumes, derisive wit, and fasci-nating foreign accents. Juse look to Monty Python; it is the perfect combination of all three. It is best, however, to bear in mind that things shouldn’t be assumed to be “really good” just because of the fact that they’re British. They should be judged as anything else of any other origin. If one were to think about it, we here in America are probably see-ing only the best of mainstream British entertainment, causing for the widepread British craze. Even they have trash T.V. comparable to our own Jersey Shore, such as The Only Way is Essex. That being said, will people stop loving all things British be-cause of logic like this? Most likely not. The allure remains.

by Haley Speilberg On Friday, December 21st, the Hillside Public Library will be hosting the second of a trio of shows that senior Tom Amato has the privilege to orchestrate. Each show has a lineup consisting of about three or four bands, sometimes with an Open Mic slot reserved for audience members to go on stage and play their own music. “The shows give people a chance to be heard. It’s a really cool opportunity, especially for aspiring musicians who write original material. They get a chance to play for an audience who come to hang out and listen to music, and that doesn’t get to happen too often,” said Amato.The bands that appear on the lineup are all local in Long Island; even Tom’s own band has taken the stage.

“I’ve been to a lot of shows before, so believe me when I say that the way these shows are set up makes it worthwhile for people to come. It’s free admission. There’s usually free food and you have enough space to relax and get comfortable and we never keep you waiting. The shows last about two hours, so it doesn’t take up your entire night either. It’s just the start of it.” The upcoming show will be featuring the bands Little World, Kwijbo, The Dead Echoes, head-lined by New Hyde Park alumni Jackson Stock’s band, The Niceys. “Even though organizing and directing the shows can be stressful, I do it to give musicians a chance to be heard because I’m one of those musicians who wants to be heard.”

British Re-Invasion

The Concert for the End of the World

by Teena Thomas Instead of waiting for the monotone bell to shriek at the end of a period, New Hyde Park Memorial high school plays mu-sic in between classes. As you walk to your next class, you can sing or dance along to whichever song is being played. This new addition to the school was brought up last year. When talking about his old school, Dr. Faccio mentioned that music was played in between periods. Many students also had suggested the idea last year in the school’s suggestion box. A consen-sus was soon reached and the plan was put into place. “It brings a lively atmosphere and even if it’s a mellow song, it’s still a different atmosphere throughout the day,” Dr, Faccio stated.

So far, the music has reeled in both positive and negative comments from students. “The music played between classes is great. However, the school should add more of a variety of the songs played,” Arjun Nagpal, a junior, commented. Many similar comments have risen concerning the choice of songs played. The school was supposed to get an Ipod but, it’s been delayed due to the hurricane. Currently being used are CDs which unfortunately limit the amount of songs. If anyone has any requests, be sure to check out the Facebook group, Student Council Music Suggestions. Any student can make a suggestion online. Who knows, maybe next time, you can be listen-ing to your request while you walk to your next class period.

School of Rock

by Serena Londis Shake Shack opened a new restaurant in Westbury Plaza. Long Islanders are pleased with this deci-sion because it saves them a long commute to New York City to get a ShackBurger. Of course, you can order almost any flavor shake and a variety of burgers, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. You have the option to personalize your shake by choosing from a selection of different sauces and flavors. Shake Shack also offers a vari-ety of burgers in order to ensure that every customer will find his or her perfect burger. The most praised burger is the ShackBurger, a plain cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes, and the famous Shack sauce. Next, you can either get a single or a double hamburger with a choice of any topping. If you like cheeseburgers and mushrooms, then the ShackStack is for you. It is a cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and of course

Shack Sauce. For the bacon lovers out there, there is the SmokeShack. This burger is basically just a cheeseburger with ranch, lettuce, tomato, and hot apple smoked bacon. Lastly, there is the Shroom Burger for those vegetarians out there. It has a Portobello mush-room filled with melted Muenster, cheddar cheeses, lettuce, tomato and Shack Sauce. Highly recom-mended are Shake Shack’s crinkle

fries, which are lightly salted and coated in cheese. “Whenever I go there, I always order a SmokeShack burger and a strawberry banana shake covered in fudge whipped cream,” said senior Abin Th-annickal Although both of the New York locations both have the same menu and the same signature design and décor, unlike the New York City location, the Westbury

location has a shorter line. The Westbury location gives customers a “buzzer” in order to allow cus-tomers to do other activities while they wait for their food. When you walk through the door of the restaurant, you are greeted by a smiling employee who hands you a menu, so you can decide what to order while still on line. Eating at Shake Shack is something that everyone should experience. From the mouth-water-ing burgers to the fries that melt in your mouth, it is one enjoyable meal. There are rarely ever any problems with the food or the service because Shake Shack goes the extra mile to ensure full cus-tomer satisfaction. “Shake Shack is worth the wait. When I take a bite out of the ShackBurger, my mind just bursts with a colorful array of colors. Simply, it’s just the best burger in the world,” said senior Andrew Valentin.

by Fabiha Khalid Many people are unfamiliar with the latest fashion trend that has reached every corner of the globe: mustaches. Yes mustaches- all kinds of mustaches from the English ‘stache to the Mexican and from the Fu Manchu to the horseshoe. But how is someone supposed to display these elegant forms of facial hair? Well the answer is quite simple actually. Nowadays you can find mustache necklaces, earrings, shirts, phone cases, bracelets, cups, and much more. But I mustache you a ques-tion: How did this even start? Why did people suddenly become so obsessed over facial hair? It all started off with Mo-vember. Don’t waste your time checking the calendar because it is not a month of the year. Movember is a global movement that helps raise awareness of men’s health problems such as prostate

and testicular cancer and other diseases. For every necklace pur-chased, two dollars is given to the Movember charity. The guys and girls involved are called Mo Bros and Mo Sistas. Once registered at their website, the Mo Bros start off November 1st clean shaven. For the rest of the month, these men devote their lives to raising

awareness in the community for health issues such as prostate and testicular cancers. Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. The money donated is directly sent to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the LiveStrong Foundation, and the Global Action Plan. Since the

foundation’s start in 2003 there has been a yearly increase in the amount of money raised, ending with 120 million in 2011. This suc-cess can be attributed to the help of the women who are involved because they seek out sponsorships for their growing efforts. “Its not just a month where I can enjoy be-ing scruffy, but it is also pleasing to know that even my littest dona-tion will help someone in need.” said senior Daniel Chiafalo. This recent phenomena has spread quickly due to the influence of “hipsters” who have turned this trend into a fashion statement. Mustache tattoos, clothing, acces-sories have become popular over the last year and can be found in most clothing stores such as Pac-sun, Tillys, and Urban Outfitters. “I’m a huge fan of the mustache tattoos and I’ve actually received a pack for my birthday!” said Senior Ryan Maharaj.

What’s Shakin’?

Cash for Stache

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May the Magic Be with You

Not So Misérableby Keziah Babu Les Misérables, a Broadway musical and what was once deemed “one of the half dozen greatest novels in the world” is making another grand appearance on the big screen. Starring former Princess Diaries star Anne Hathaway, and the man whom we all know as Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, Les Mis-érables is a tragic love story that has captured the hearts of millions. Les Misérables was originally a novel written by a French poet and play-wright, Victor Hugo. The novel was then recreated into a highly successful Broadway musical which has been seen by over 55 million people across the globe. Les Misérables is the epic story of how a criminal, Jean Valjean, escapes prison and makes a deal with God that he will be a good man from then on. Years later, he is a successful man with his own business. He rescues the daugh-

ter of a dying woman, Fantine, who has gone through many trials. Both Valjean and the girl, Cosette, run away together. Cosette becomes like a daughter to Valjean and the story goes on to describe the tragedies both Cosette and Valjean face in their short lives. The movie Les Misérables pre-miers on December 25th and, like the Broadway play, the movie will be a musical. The movie uncovers the hidden talent of Hugh Jack-man and Anne Hathaway’s singing talents. Additionally, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter play a married couple, and may sing duets that you’ll want to see. The movie trailer itself shows only a sliver of the emotion which the characters face in the movie, yet even that is enough to bring tears to your eyes. With the amaz-ing acting, singing and heartfelt story, Les Misérables is a movie you won’t want to miss.

by Jane Thomas Praised to be The Avengers for kids, Rise of the Guardians brings to life the very essence of childhood fantasies. With Santa Claus, the Sandman, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost, and the Easter Bunny, it is no wonder that this movie held a high rank in the box office for quite a few weeks. The movie puts a clever twist on the conventional childhood ideals of magical beings. In this movie, Santa Claus, usually a kind-hearted, loving, and “world-peace-for-all” sort of char-acter who brings joy to children around the globe, is presented as believing in all the values that the conventional Santa Claus would have. However, bits of zest to his character such as the willingness to fight to death to protect the world, is also included. The Easter Bunny is not simply a seasonal character that comes out to the world on Easter, instead he is a mysterious, boomerang-carrying

protector of the world who watches over children year-round. Similar to the other characters in the movie, Jack Frost, Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman have alter-egos who will die to protect the children of the world. They’re legendary figures by day and ever-powerful guardians of the world by night. Since the movie started off with such an amazing concept and theme, an equally astounding story must not have been hard to come up with. The plot was enthralling with unexpected twists, overwhelm-ing challenges, heart-warming scenes and an incredible conclu-sion. This movie targets audience of the age group 6-9 and overall, was met with a positive response. This film has set a new standard for upcoming animated movies and although it may not be regarded as a classic animated movie, it will certainly make a last-ing impression on children.

Santa to the Rescue

by Zayneb Almiggabber and Charlie Hinz Ladies and gentlemen, the rumors are true. The Walt Disney Company now officially owns Lucasfilm Limited--the film company originally created by producer George Lucas, who is not only the producer of the Star Wars soundtrack, but also the produc-ing and award-winning genius, director, and writer behind the Star Wars films. As of late October, Disney bought Lucasfilm LTD for 4.05 billion dollars. Additionally, there’s been an announcement that a new Star Wars film, Episode VII” is to be released in 2015. This comes with a sense of concern. Is Disney going to have any affect on the film? Will Disney completely ruin the image of the Star Wars franchise, or will they better it? The concern is present in reference to the Indiana Jones series as well. On one hand, Disney’s

consistent success in the film industry is reassuring, and perhaps there will be some changes for the better. On the other hand, if Disney owns Star Wars, there may as well be a brand new Luke

Skywalker, or make Donald Duck the main antagonist in their next film. Perhaps all the original Star Wars characters will be altered. The main concern that most Star Wars fans have over this issue is the entire concept of Star Wars

and if it’s going to lose its “classic” dub. Furthermore, it’s been men-tioned that George Lucas may not even direct this upcoming film. The director’s position is being debated over, though most

are predicting that Spielberg, Zemeckis, or Ron Howard could direct it. Or perhaps, Disney will bring back Avengers director Joss Whedon to take care of it. In es-sence, much is still undecided, but the controversy still remains, and

probably will until the fans can be proven wrong. In addition to Lucasfilm LTD, Disney also owns com-panies such as Marvel, Pixar, ESPN, Touchstone Pictures, ABC Productions, Buena Vista Produc-tions, Mammoth Records, and It’s A Laugh Productions. The fact that the Walt Disney Company owns such a large amount of other corporations has always been questioned, for numerous people are wondering if this has become a monopoly. However, a positive as-pect of all this is that this may be another chance for previous Star Wars fans, who have seen the films in their youth, to introduce the franchise to their own children. So, if Lucasfilms has been sold to the Walt Disney Company, there is a final thought to say. Mickey Mouse, meet Luke Sky-walker. You’ll grow to know each other quite well.

Second Calling by Sheikh Muizz Ladies, hold on tight, your boyfriends might not be com-ing back for a year because of the arrival of Call of Duty: Black Ops II. So what is it this year, another rehash of previous Call of Duty games or is there finally substance to this game? Year after year, fans have been disappointed with the same old game. Can this new game bring back pride to the series? The campaign or single player mode is refreshing; it has many more explosions, more fights with new enemies, and what’s better than fighting a cyber-terrorist who knows your every move? The action scenes are hectic, and the variety of mis-sions won’t be disappointing to casual or hardcore players. This time, players have more control over how they want the story to play out. In single player mode, there is a greater emphasis on choice rather than the developers locking the players in. The player can choose preferred weapons as well as how they want to end the game. Although quite short, the campaign is enjoyable; it is amus-ing to travel through time and play various missions. The single player has a good story line and overall, compared to other COD games, it focuses more on the characters and story. The multiplayer mode is intuitive and brings back the sensation that fans all over the world yearn for. After disap-

pointment with Modern Warfare 3, players can now enjoy vast new game types and many useful perks such as brand new guns. There is also a new “Pick 10” system where players can choose ten items to put in their class. There is also a new skill based playlist called the “league play” where players can compete for bragging rights. The game plays smoothly, but has oc-casional interruptions. It’s like any other Call Of Duty game: fun for a while, but afterwards, repetitive. However, compared to previous games, this one has a better and more diverse multiplayer experi-ence. Possibly the best part about Black Ops II is the zombie mode. In Black Ops II, there is a new mode called “Tranzit,” where the player can combat zombies on a huge map while travelling. There are also 4 vs. 4 modes where play-ers can go against another team of four to fight zombies. It is intui-tive and entertaining; however, it doesn’t have the original zombie feel that hardcore players seemed to loved in the past. Nevertheless, it is evident that the designers have put much effort into this game. If you are debating on whether or not to get this game, for sixty dollars you’d be getting a breathtaking single player experience, a decent multi-player option, and an entertaining zombie mode. It’s an entertaining game with a new gameplay and campaign options and a must have for serious and casual gamers.

by Shannon Thomas Houses are blanketed with snow, the smell of gingerbread is in the air, and with family bond-ing, what’s better on Christmas than a great holiday movie? Many movies have become part of the season’s traditions and have never failed to provide the true Christ-mas spirit. Elf is a movie that stars Will Ferrell as a man raised by elves, finding himself while spreading Christmas cheer. His experience in New York proves him to be a clumsy yet warm-hearted man who just wants to share Christmas joy while finding his biological family. Ferrell’s performance in this film is truly commendable and as al-ways, his humorous self has made this movie a Christmas favorite. The Polar Express has been a favorite among many ever since it was a children’s book written by Chris Van Allsburg. The movie, just as captivating as the book, is a computer-animated film which includes the voice of Tom Hanks. It is a story of a young boy on Christmas Eve who boards on a powerful magical train headed to the North Pole. He embarks on a train to the North Pole, taking him through a journey of self-dis-covery which shows him that the spirit of Christmas never fades for those who truly believe. This heart-warming film is a favorite amongst children and adults and indisput-ably reveals how far one can go with just a little bit of hope. For 22 years, Home Alone

has been a classic holiday comedy loved by people everywhere. This exceptionally popular film stars Macaulay Culkin, playing an 8-year old boy who is accidentally left behind when his family flies to Paris for vacation and deviously defends his home against a pair of clumsy burglars. At first, being home alone meant having a pizza all to himself, jumping on his parents’ bed, and making a mess. However, he soon discovers two burglars about to rob his house and acts quickly by wiring his own house with makeshift booby traps. Although a celebrated comedy, this movie never fails to show what it means to be a family. It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the most renowned Christmas classics of all time. This 1946 film stars James Stewart as George Bai-ley, a man whose imminent suicide brings about the intervention of a guardian angel trying to gain his wings. An angel, Clarence Odbody, reveals to Bailey what the world would be like had he never existed. Though he is 66 years old, this up-lifting film is a Christmas favorite for all. This truly inspiring film proves how precious and valuable one’s life really is and not a single second of it should be wasted. These Christmas favorites prove to be the major contribu-tors to the Christmas spirit in all of us. From the destructive antics of their unique characters to their heartwarming messages about life and love, these films leave us with enough Christmas joy to last the

Films of X-mas Past

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New Day For Green Day

Sundays Are Coming Back by Haley Spielberg 2012 marks the 10-year an-niversary release of Taking Back Sunday’s debut album, Tell All Your Friends (TAYF). To celebrate the oc-casion, the original lineup set out on a two-month tour across the United States playing the album in its entirety, ending the tour where the band started: New York. On November 23, 2012, Tak-ing Back Sunday- known affection-ately by fans as TBS- played one of the last shows of the tour at Termi-nal 5, a venue in New York City. I was lucky enough to obtain tickets to the performance that sold out within five minutes. Upon arrival at the venue, it was clear that the show was going to be packed to the brim- a slight concern, although it was expected. Concertgoers varied from teenagers to adults who looked to be in their early 30s; the only thing bigger than the age gap was the hype. Indie-punk band The Menz-

ingers started off the night; their sound is a sort of Gaslight An-them meets New Found Glory con-glomerate, which is reminiscent of the early angst of TAYF. Up next was Bayside, hailing from Bayside, Queens. This band delivered, playing all the right songs at all the right times. What many band’s forget is that a setlist needs to be tailored to the type of audience they’re playing for. Bayside took advantage of the range in age and fan intensity, playing songs from their first album that dropped in 2004 to their most recent album that dropped in 2011. Taking Back Sunday took the stage around 9pm. To the crowd’s surprise, their opening songs were not from TAYF but from their 2006 album Louder Now; the al-bum that most definitely launched TBS into their semi-stardom. I’m never opposed to listening to lead singer Adam Lazzara belt out lines from the irrefutable classic “Make-

DamnSure,” but that wasn’t what I came to see. I came to see the originals on TAYF, not the songs that made it onto MTV. After TBS finished a set of about six songs that aren’t on the album the tour is dedicated to, the band took a two minute break, reappeared on stage to the sound of “You Know How I Do,” the lead song off of TAYF. From this point on, TBS played a non-stop, high-energy show that the crowd was waiting for. Breaks between

songs were nonexistent as well as any signs of fatigue from both the crowd and the band. The intensity of the show was highlighted when Lazzara actually jumped into the crowd for the last two songs. When all is said and done, Taking Back Sunday knows how to put on a good show. I wouldn’t call this show their best perfor-mance, but it was definitely a top-notch evening that would make any Long Islander proud of their hometown heroes.

by Aakash Japi After a decade of social com-mentary and rock operas, Green Day returns to its punk rock roots in a series of three albums: ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tre!. These albums bring back the original catchy sound of 1994’s Dookie. Green Day finally ended its war against Washington and created a light and flighty tril-ogy of albums focusing on social rebellion and adolescent conven-tion. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong sounded like he was 20 years old again, singing songs about falling in love. He dropped the weighty commentary of Ameri-can Idiot, and the anti-war message of 21st Century Breakdown, and focused entirely on the individual. But some songs off of ¡Uno!, like “Let Yourself Go” and “Loss of Control” are showings of pure re-volt and anger. Armstrong attacks the conventional mentality and

society. It’s a vulgar rant against principle and authority. He’s tired of such talk and just wants every-thing to end. These are two upbeat, fast-moving and catchy tunes that will play in fans ears for days. In “Kill the DJ,” the band tests a new musical direction. It’s a combina-tion of ska and punk, and is the band’s first venture into dance rock. It brings back Green Day’s cus-tomary social commentary while exploring a whole new style. ¡Dos!, the second album of the trilogy is much like ¡Uno! in terms of sound. Lyrically, ¡Dos! ap-pears to have more of an influence from ideas of love and experiences with love. Songs such as “Stay

Heart” is catchy song about the promise of staying loyal to one’s significant other. ¡Tre!, the final installment and a perfect ending to the trilogy, also recycles Green Day’s old style with a fresh twist to it. “X-Kid” epito-mizes the trilogy with feelings of

angst while growing up. The tril-ogy is like a stripped down version of “modern” Green Day;

it’s a series of repeated catchy tunes that focus on adolescence. Without the typical political commentary of past albums, Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tre! are far more acces-sible. And with a new focus on the individual, these albums are much easier to relate to and empathize

with. They show a lighter side of Green Day and a more upbeat sound that really shows artistic flourish and lyrical finesse. These albums are a must buy. If you’re curious of the work that went into creating the “tril-ogy”, you can find out with docu-mentary movie called ¡Quatro!. It promises to delve into the produc-tion and recording of ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tre!. It plans to chronicle the band’s creative process, from con-ception, to songwriting, recording and playback. ¡Quatro! was planned as a way to give fans some closure regarding their continuity, and has grown much more controversial following Armstrong’s entrance into rehab for substance abuse. Based on recent events, ¡Quatro looks to be a fantastic addition to the new “quadrilogy” that Green Day has released, as it provides fans new insight into the band and the members.

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Dreading the Deadby Qusai Thanawala Blood, gore, violence and Zombies! All these are the basic elements in AMC’s hit TV series “The Walking Dead.” The series is based on the highly success-ful comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, who was present during the filming of the first season. The story closely follows the life of former Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes in the post-apocalyptic era. With the planet overrun by flesh-eating zombies known as “Walkers” all the survivors in the group look to Rick for guidance and leadership. The plot is focused primarily on the dilemmas the group faces as they struggle to balance their humanity with their survival against the zombie horde. Additionally, the group must learn how they cope with members be-ing killed while dealing with other human survivors they encounter, many of whom are dangerous and

by Kyra Siton The theory of zombies has always been present, but the zom-bie phenomenon began with an incident that happened in Miami, Florida. The ingestion of bath salts led a man to consume a homeless man’s face. The victim survived the encounter, but the criminal was killed. There are many incidents of human cannibalism that were assumed to be the warning of a zombie apocalypse. The zombie scare resulted in action from the Center of Disease Control, sug-gesting that people should have an emergency plan for similar events. The zombie craze has resulted in the creation of many films and video games, such as “The Walking Dead” series, Zombieland, Left for Dead, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Dead Island. These are gruesome situations that depict the emotional, mental, and physical strength necessary to survive. How will you protect yourself

from the hoards of zombies? In order to survive the zombie apoca-lypse, some of the basic steps are found in the popular Hollywood

film, Zombieland. According to the film, you should stay fit and learn how to use a weapon. Learning how to defend yourself is crucial to your survival, or else you’ll get eaten. Some basic tips include having multiple back-up plans in case the first one fails and always staying in a group. In addition, you should travel lightly and carry basic necessities, such as different weapons and ammuni-tion, a first aid kit, a source of light, gas for your transportation, and water. Nonperishable foods are also highly recommended because of the extended expira-tion date as opposed to perishable items. It’s highly recommended that you follow these guidelines in order to survive the future’s impending zombie apocalypse.

predatory themselves. “The Walk-ing Dead delivers one of the best thrillers on television; each week the show surprises me by showing how the characters adapt and react to the catastrophes that surround them,” says senior Nithin Sunilku-mar. “This show is the poster-child for the ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ craze that has overrun the country.” From fantasizing about who to bring with you in the carnage to wondering who would be the first to go, the audience of this show have really become attached to this idea. When people first start watch-ing this show, the gross factor re-ally irks people but the story is so well written that it does not keep them from coming back for more. The show is one of the greatest thrillers ever produced for television. Fans should look forward to the second half of the 3rd season while new fans should continue to catch up on this series.

Hobbit to the Moviesand is reluctantly enlisted by Thorin Oakenshield, played by Richard Armitage, to help take back their lost home, named Ere-bor, which had been taken from them by a dragon named Smaug. The Hobbit is also going to

by Nithin Sunilkumar After years of waiting for a prequel to Peter Jackson’s univer-sally acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy, fans have finally gotten what they have been waiting for. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey premiered in theatres on December 14th, and it chronicles the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, as he is swept in the middle of a conflict that brings him farther away from home than he has ever been. The premise of The Hobbit and the humble beginnings of protagonist Bilbo Baggins are quite simple. Bilbo, played by Martin Freeman, is normally lazy and unadventurous, until one day, he is approached by a very familiar wizard named Gandalf, who asks Bilbo if he would like to go on “an adventure”. Bilbo then inadvertently invites 13 dwarves into his house,

feature many familiar faces from the original trilogy; Gandalf, as mentioned above, Frodo Baggins, Legolas, Elrond, Galadriel, and Smeagol/Gollum, just to name a few.

One controversial film decision was to make The Hobbit a trilogy, with the first premiering this month, the second film, The Desolation of Smaug, premiering in 2013, and the third film, There and Back Again, premiering in

2014. Many fans questioned this decision, as The Hobbit is only one book and should remain as only one movie. Director Peter Jackson responded by claiming that the

third film acts as a connection to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and will include more than just The Hobbit, and possibly some of Tolkien’s other works. Regardless, that still means we get to enjoy two more installments of The Hob-bit, so there is hardly any reason to complain. Everyone who watched the film in IMAX 3D shortly after its premiere can agree that The Hobbit is a resounding success. The pacing was just right, establishing Bilbo’s introduction and the inception of his adventure with excellent and beautiful presentation. The visuals, acting, and scale were amplified by the IMAX theatre, resulting in an amazing film that matched the legacy of the original trilogy. This film is highly recommended to both newcomers to the series and established fans---The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey does not disappoint.

1. Portion of lady’s hair is miss-ing.2. Line on man’s songbook is missing.3. Top of street light is missing.4. Lid line on lady’s lantern is missing.5. End of scarf is colored in.6. Button on Man’s jacket has moved up.7. Musical note on far left has moved down.8. End of scarf has moved. 9. Top hat band is wider.10. Lady’s hat is longer.11. Ribbon tail is longer.12. Note by top hat is reversed.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES

STUDENT RECOGNITION

New Hyde Park Memorial students Jerin Thomas, Aakash Japi and Timothy Foley were designated Commended Scholars in the National Merit Program. Their high selection index placed them among the top 50, 000 of over 1.5 million students who entered the National Merit Program. This outstanding recognition is a credit to them, their parents, and the school.

Michael Lopez, a senior at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, was recognized for his academic achievements by The National Hispanic Recognition Program. The program identifies academically outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students. Each year, the NHRP honors nearly 5,000 of the highest-scoring students from the approximately 235,000 Hispanic/Latino juniors who take the PSAT.

by Qusai Thanawala Dubbed the most-interesting man in sports, National League Cy Young award winner, R.A Dickey, has taken the world of sports by storm. By accomplishing daring feats, such as his well-documented ascent to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and by perfecting baseball’s most imperfect pitch, the knuckle ball, Dickey has estab-lished himself as a fan favorite and a role model for fans all around the country. His story started when he was chosen as the Texas Ranger’s first selection in the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. After doc-tors realized that he was miss-ing an ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, the Rangers decreased the signing bonus down to $75,000 from the $810,000 that was initially offered. Dickey was quoted saying “Doctors look at me and say I shouldn’t be able to turn a doorknob without feeling pain,”

making his ability to pitch some-what remarkable. Dickey tried to establish himself as a conventional pitcher but it produced very little success. In 2005 Dickey completely reinvented himself into a knuckle ball pitcher in order to salvage his career. Dickey consulted the help of the “Knuckle ball Jedi-Council”, which consisted of successful knuckle ballers that came before him, such as Tim Wakefield, Phil Niekro, and Charlie Hough. Always being a fan of Star Wars and science-fiction, (another one of the reasons for the fans to endear him) Dickey was called the “Jedi-Apprentice” of the knuckle-ball and a lot of his success could be attributed to advice and help he has received from the Knuckle ball Jedi-Council. R.A Dickey was bounced around the league after the Rangers decided to cut ties with him. He had short stints with

the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins before destiny united him with the New York Mets. His signing was very low key and was viewed as the Mets just adding depth for the minor leagues. After being cut from spring training Dickey had a successful run with the minor league affiliate of the team and he finally got his shot in the big leagues with the Mets. After being a consistently reliable pitcher for the season, the Mets decided to extend his contract, and everything after that is history. This past season Dickey rose to the upper echelon of ace pitchers, asserting his dominance around the league. He broke the Mets record of consecutive score-less innings pitched with 32 and 2/3. Winning 20 games, leading in strikeouts and making the All Star team has made Dickey into a folk hero of sorts because of how improbable his results were.

Dickey himself jokes by saying that he “found the secret pitching potion when [he] climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.” However, despite his success, the Mets as a team were very unsuccessful, stum-bling to a record below .500. The team has several holes to fill so there is a possibility that when the 2013 season arrives, R.A may no longer be the anchor for the team as a result of a potential trade that addresses their needs. A hero in the sport, Dickey is also a surprisingly a fan of litera-ture as he names all his bats after literary swords such as, Orcrist the Goblin Cleaver (from The Hobbit) and Hrunting (from Beowulf). From having a wide breath of knowledge in every field to raising awareness about human trafficking to writing a best-selling autobiog-raphy, R.A Dickey has proved that he is more than just a dominant pitcher; he is the most interesting man in sports.

I Don’t Always Pitch, But When I Do...

by Shawn Sam and Inderpreet Singh After five long years, the fac-ulty basketball game has returned better than ever. Students and teacher alike anxiously awaited the big event throughout the week. In the hallways, cafeteria, and lunch-room, all one could hear was the chatter about the big game and the expected all stars. After the varsity boys’ basketball team defeated Plainedge High School in a very well fought match, the victory set the tone for what would be an epic night filled with surprises and excitement. The faculty game started off with the teachers warming up: tak-ing shots, dribbling, and devising a game plan. During the warm up, teachers exhibited their skills in front of the crowd of students and their individual families. Mr. Pickett, the boys’ junior varsity basketball coach, typified what

Faculty Fun-raiser the ideal basketball player would do to please the crowd: an off the backboard self alley-oop dunk. This dunk was surprisingly not the only thing that stood out to the crowd. Mr. Dolan stole the spotlight with his vivacious outfit which was both stylish and apro-pos. The teachers’ positive-natured outlooks towards the game set the tone for the rest of the night. The two teams were split

by the school colors, blue and white. Both teams were assorted randomly, and the game itself was worth the price of admission. The constant back-and-forth action packed with goofy and impressive shots kept the crowd involved.

The main all star of the faculty game was Mr. Pickett, who played college basketball at Adelphi University; which would explain the remarkable half-court shot he made for his mother to win two

Mets tickets. He also emphatically dunked the ball with two hands, which left the crowd awe struck. However, Mr. Pickett could not get his team the win because he was up against the “twin tow-

ers”: Dr. Faccio, who also played college basketball, and Mr. Galvin, who dominated in the post. In addition, Mr. Locasio ran up and down the court scoring baskets and dishing “dimes” in a victori-ous effort.

The faculty basketball game was not only a great laugh for all that attended, but it also lightened up the atmosphere, especially after Hurricane Sandy, one of the most severe natural disasters in U.S. history. New Hyde Park collec-tively came together and enjoyed a night dedicated to those who were devastated by the storm. Students and teachers alike gave back to the community by raising over twenty two hundred dollars. The sense of unity engulfed the gymnasium and proved that our tight-knit com-munity is ready to help anyone in need, especially during a time of great duress. Many teachers didn’t want to embarrass themselves in front of the student body, but the incentive of helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy was enough of a reason for participation. The cheers and laughs animated the whole crowd and the participants made a memorable evening.

by Aakash Japi It wasn’t supposed to come to this. Entering 2012, with another Super Bowl and a number of ac-colades under their belt, the Giants were the team to beat. For the first half of the season, they played like it, thrashing teams like the 49’ers, Redskins and the Cowboys on the way to a 6-2 start. But as is typical of the Giants, Novem-ber came, and brought with it a tough schedule, a slumping team, and sloppy play. The Giants, who specifically said they would not succumb to their usual second half “bug,” did just that. At the beginning of Novem-ber, the Giants held a three game lead over the reeling Cowboys and Redskins, and seemed to have the NFC East under wraps. However, after a month with only one win, they’ve gave up a lot of ground, falling to 7-5 with both Dallas and Washington. The Super Bowl champs showed flashes of great-ness, like their statement victory over Green Bay, but have still remained disappointingly inconsis-tent. They failed to build upon the achievements of last season. Though New York remains a powerful team in the NFC, they still have a ways to go before they can match the consistent perfor-mance and success of the Brady-era Patriots, or the Favre-era Packers. Right now, it is the job of the team’s mental and emotional lead-ers, Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, and Tom Coughlin, to get the team back into the playing mentality, ensuring that they do make the playoffs. Though the Giants have faced worse situations than this, an extremely difficult December schedule could dismantal New York’s chances and end all hopes of a repeat. In the weeks remaining, the Gi-ants face the high powered offense of the Atlanta Falcons, and the lights-out defense of the Baltimore Ravens. This schedule comprises one of the hardest, if not the hardest, in the NFL. Whatever the

Giants are planning on doing to right themselves, they need to do it fast. Because, after failing to capi-talize on games against Cincinnati, Washington, and Pittsburgh, they are now faced with a self-created jam. Winning is essential, and for that, the Giants need to play to their greatest potential; they need to display the brilliance they did last year. If New York can regain its footing, and put together a winning finish to the season; if the Redskins and Cowboys, after their sudden resurgence, revert to their mediocrity, then the G-Men might have yet another shot at the Lombardi. But the only piece of the puzzle that the Giants truly control is themselves. If the Giants do blow it, it will be a stain upon Eli Man-ning’s, Tom Coughlin’s, and every single player on that team’s record. It will be a sign of an inability to pull things together, and create a winning streak when it is so sorely needed. It will exemplify the Giants’ lack of consistency and composure, and their failure to hold onto a once guaranteed playoff spot. It will reflect on the Giants’ deficiency in character, perseverance and strength. This was a division that one month ago was the Giants’ to lose, and now, is theirs to recover. A collapse of this magnitude clearly shows New York’s failure to per-form to its potential, and create a winning season when their fanbase, players, and supporters so dearly need and deserve it. Play like everyone knows you can. That is all the Giants need. If they can repeat their wins against Green Bay and San Francisco, they will go on, maybe even with a first round bye. But if they continue to play without a game plan, then come December, they’ll face another sub-par record and playoff elimination. We all know they have the ability to be champions. The question is, will they?

Déjà Blueby Michael Kemmet It was announced recently at a press conference in Brooklyn that the New York Islanders will be moving into the brand new Barclays Center in 2015. Being that the Islanders are Long Island’s only professional sports team and a staple in Nassau County, it is a bitter-sweet moment for both the citizens of Nassau and the fans of the hockey team. The Islanders have been a part of Long Island ever since their arrival in 1972. Since then, the franchise hauled in an astonishing four consecutive championships from ’80 to ’83, but from that point on has not quite had a history to remember.

A Team Goes To Brooklyn

The team’s forgettable history is not its only problem; its arena has become forgettable as well. The franchise has played in the Nassau Coliseum for 40 years of its existence, and the build-ing remains exactly as it did four decades ago. With the lease on the Coliseum nearing its end and no desire to stay where they are, it made absolute sense for the New York Islanders to make the deci-sion they did: to join the festivities in Brooklyn. Following the arrival of the 2015-2016 NHL season, the New York Islanders will share the 1 billion dollar venue with the Brooklyn Nets and become the 3rd professional sports organization to call the great city of Brooklyn home. However, the New York Islanders disappointingly in-

formed the public that the team has no intentions of making any adjustments to its name, logo, or uniforms, in order to respect the tradition of the franchise and its history. If this happens to be the case and the team does not change its mind, the Islanders will be Brooklyn’s first franchise to not include the city’s name in its title. Unlike the franchise’s excel-lent decision to relocate, the deci-sion to maintain the appearance and title of the New York Islanders is quite the opposite. Last year the New York Islanders ranked a pa-thetic dead last (30th) in terms of total revenue with just 63 million dollars which is utterly atrocious

considering the team’s steady fan base and potential marketability. If the franchise were some-what intelligent, it would come to the realization that its tradition and history in Nassau County are irrelevant and unimportant in the city of Brooklyn. Therefore, the team’s name and appearance should be redesigned. Take the Brooklyn Nets for example. Much like the Islanders, they were a weakly marketed team before head-ing to Brooklyn. The opportunity is just what the franchise needs to attract new fans as well as rejuvenate the already existing ones. Most impor-tantly, this opportunity could put the franchise back onto the map of truly relevant professional sports organizations and bring back the excitement in the sport.

by Tim Foley From the view point of an uninformed spectator, it appears as if the position of quarterback is the safest spot on the football field. What could possibly be the risk? All they do is throw the ball, right? Well, as it turns out, this perception could not be further from the truth. Every other player on the field is involved in collisions on a play-to-play basis. Whether in the act of tackling, blocking, or being tackled, players tend to have a chance to either brace themselves or to apply impact to an opponent. This is not the case for quarterbacks. With the speed of defensive linemen, a quarterback who is not alert will, more often than not, end up on the ground. This type of collision hurts the most. It is the rise in fre-quency of these collisions that has caused great commotion over the importance of quarterback safety. In response to the escalating number of injuries to quarterbacks, the NFL has become far stricter in its enforcement of rules and regu-lations with regards to illegal hits. This strict style first became appar-ent on the field with an increase in

“roughing the passer” calls. In oth-er words, if a referee has reason to believe that a defender purposely collided with the quarterback after the ball was thrown, a 15 yard pen-alty would be assessed. The NFL has extended its passer-protecting crusade through monetary forms of discipline as well. In today’s league, if an illegal hit is made in a game, violators will often receive a hefty fine. In week eleven of the regular season alone, six players were fined for making illegal hits. That’s $167,000 owed to the NFL in just one weekend! Safety of quarterbacks when running with the ball has also become an issue of importance. One way that quarterbacks attempt to protect themselves is by sliding feet-first at the end of a run. While this does limit the possibility of in-jury, it also forces the quarterback to surrender his body control. If a defender were to apply a hit while the quarterback is sliding, the likelihood of injury, especially concussion, becomes extremely high. With this in mind, the NFL has introduced regulations which make it illegal to hit a quarterback in the act of sliding.

Despite the measures taken by the NFL, safety of quarterbacks continues to be a prevalent issue. This year, in a matter of weeks, Robert Griffin III, Alex Smith, Jay Cutler, Michael Vick, and Ben Roethlisberger all sustained debilitating injuries. It appears as if each year, the number of injuries to quarterbacks becomes greater and greater. This is not a fluke; it is the result of a football metamor-phosis which has been developing for quite some time. In the 1990’s, quarterbacks threw about 25 passes per game, on average. Today, that number is more like 35 attempted throws per game. What does this mean? It means that the ball is in the hands of the quarterback for a higher percentage of plays. Inevitably, as the amount of at-tempted passes increases, so will the amount of times a quarterback is hit. With expectations for today’s quarterbacks as high as they are, it is only natural that the position has changed along with the job requirements. Gone are the days of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady: the pocket passers. Although these quarterbacks have had great suc-

cess, they have also always had the help of a talented offensive line and a skilled receiving core to lim-it the number of hits they take per game. The reality is that not every quarterback has this privilege. As a result, the prototypical quarterback is now one who is far more mobile than those of the past. While quar-terbacks are still expected to have a pass-first, run-second mindset, ver-satility remains vital. Players like Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are part of this new generation: highly aware of their surroundings, able to throw accurately outside of the pocket, and not afraid to scramble for a first down if necessary. If there is any doubt that this shift is occurring, one need not look further than the first two selections of the 2012 NFL Draft. Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck are both textbook examples of the new generation of quarterbacks. As the game of football continues to evolve, immobile quarterbacks will no longer be able to survive in the league. If the head coach does not take the initiative to put them on the sideline, defenders will certainly take the initiative to put them in the hospital.

The Perils of Passing

GLADIATORS ON THE MOVE

Congratulations to senior Christian Trasolini, who received a lacrosse scholarship to attend Rutgers Uni-versity (NJ).” As a child, I have always dreamed about Division One lacrosse as I watched my older brother play. When I received the award, I felt this sense of pride and accomplishment. I felt that I have made my family proud,” said Trasolini.

Congratulations to senior Jillian Graziano, who received a lacrosse scholarship to attend Adelphi Uni-versity in the fall. “I’m so excited to have the privilege to be a part of the Adelphi lacrosse team. It really shows that hard work and determination for some-thing you love will pay off in the end,” said Graziano.