Niskayuna High School

Since 1974,Now Weekly

November 19, 2004 Volume 31, Issue 10

School gallery holds community exhibitby Josh Xiong

NEWS

Niskayuna’s art department is once again celebrating its support of enrich-ment of the visual arts with local students as it displays the Albany Underground Artists Exhibit in the high school gallery. The exhibit, which is managed by Gallery Club, began November 15 and runs through December 13. The exhibit is a month-long feature of a collec-tion of pieces from artists in and around the Capital District.

The distinctive collection of pieces exhibited comes from a unique collective of local cre-ators who deem themselves the Albany Underground Artists. The group is renowned for their projects involving renovated abandoned buildings in which artists revamp vacant store-fronts and old bakeries and then decorate the interiors with their original works. After the process is completed, the group holds one-night art shows and receptions in the transformed spaces. The collective recently held a highly successful exhibit on North Pearl Street in Albany that featured around 80 paintings, sculptures, abstract works, and installations, which drew an audience of almost 3000 people. The exhibit was unveiled in the Historic Home Savings Bank Building.

Warrior photo / Kaitlin Cusack

IN MANY FORMS: The two works shown here, Painful Contemplation (left) by Danielle Weinheimer and Love and Control (right) by Tommy Watkins, are part of the month-long Albany Underground Artists Exhibit.

French club goes on cultural excursion Students and faculty tour sights of Montreal on day off

Local artist collective has works displayed at high schoolThe current exhibit in Niskayuna

High School’s gallery features work from many of the same artists who took part in the Albany exhibit in May. There is no specifi c style or theme relating the displayed artwork, as the exhibit features

an eclectic collection of paintings, collages, metal sculptures, and ceramics. One of the works, produced by a group of local artists called B. Uneek, entitled Neighborhood Watch, is a collection of photos that cap-ture various pieces of locale. The work is a refl ection of the collective, collaborative, and communal nature of the exhibit and

of the Albany Underground Artists.To put a fi nishing touch on the month-

long exhibit, Gallery Club is holding a reception on December 10 that will allow attendees to meet the artists and listen to their interpretations of their respec-

tive works. Gallery Club, which is advised by Photography and Cinematography teacher Steven Honicki, who was unavailable for comment, is appreciative of the opportunity to put up such an exhibit. The club acts to run and maintain the gallery for a series of shows throughout the school year. Besides featuring guest artists’ works, the gallery also hosts various district offi ce shows, the Senior Art exhibit (held at the end of the school year), the photography works for the Capital Region Media Arts Festival, and the annual Best of Niskart Exhibit.

Regarding the exhibit, Gallery Club member and junior Katie Cusack stated, “I’m really glad that the school is holding it be-cause it features so much talent

and really provides a great experience for students because it exposes them to the work of local artists.” Junior Tim Colose, another Gallery Club member, said, “It’s fantastic that we’re able to show work from such successful and renowned inde-pendent artists who can draw in crowds in the thousands.”

by Jean QiaoNEWS

The thought of awakening before sunup on a day off to catch a four-hour bus ride before a busy day might not sound ap-pealing. However, the 35 French students and fi ve chaperones who did just that on Thursday, November 11, will attest that it is most certainly worth it. These students and faculty members spent Veterans’ Day touring the old city of Montreal, Quebec,

on a trip organized by the French Club. Plans to travel to Montreal last year were canceled due to schedule conflicts and security issues.

The day in Montreal, albeit chilly weath-erwise, was packed with events and places to visit. Upon arriving, students went to the Underground Museum, an interac-tive museum that features the history of old Montreal. Eager to employ their linguistic knowledge, students agreed to a

francophone tour of the museum. Though it was difficult at times, many students said that having the tour guide speak in French supplemented the trip well. Students then had the opportunity to explore Old Montreal in small groups, sampling French delicacies reminiscent of those that one can find in Paris.

A movie at the local IMAX Theatre that was called Forces of Nature offered an

(continued on page 2, MONTREAL)

2 News November 19, 2004 The Warrior

The grand unveiling: The grand unveiling: Les Miserables cast Jean Valjean

JavertThenardier

Marius EnjolrasFantine

Mme. ThenardierEponineCosette

MontparnasseBabet

BrujonClaquesousCombeferre

FeuillyCourfeyrac

JolyGrantaire

LesglesJean Prouvaire

Jesse ContiRichard Gatta

Alec WilsonPaul Pedicone

Ben GolubMeghan HardinHolly PerhamEmma Poole

Adelaide PaganoTimothy Vo

Luke RollinsBen UytiepoJesse HunterJay Mobley

Buddy BaglowZak Merriman

Matthew CooperJustin Tomisman

Jacob FinkleDavid Liebers

Ensemble:Allison Tebbano. Meghan Ferrelli, Erin Kennedy, Joanna

Ferreri, Jennie Kreis, Amity Higgins, Heather D’Evelyn, Lindsay Gordon

Chorus:Brendan Doyle, Tom Campo, Ray DeMatteo, Tom Faddegon,

Elias Serras, Ryan Dillon, James Lyons, Ludovic Guerot, Michael Corey, Brandon Niezgoda, Colin Niezgoda, Leanne Merrill, Jessica Hardy, Monisha Datta, Brittany Hunter, Stephanie Jarmul, Laura Shemo, Bailey Gardiner, Katie Higgins, Allison Weingarten

Photos courtesy MTIPhotos courtesy MTI

(continued from page 1, FRENCH)English repose inside the large-screened theater before students had another block of free time in their self-chosen groups.

Although Canada is only four hours away from Niskayuna, students still experienced a bit of culture shock while walking down the streets of old Montreal. “In Canada, the cars don’t stop. They’ll hit you before they stop,” commented junior Liz Dressler on the city’s traffi c.

Before going off to eat dinner, the students made one last stop at the Notre Dame Basilica. The cathedral looked very similar to the one in Paris and was designed to resemble the one that was built there hundreds of years before. The group had the chance to have another tour in French inside the huge church, learning about the impressive architec-tural design and about a fire that once destroyed part of the cathedral. One of the Basilica’s two organs contains 4,694 pipes. In addition to providing the visitors with an expanded historical apprecia-tion of the city, the stop also served as a

well-needed break from the plummeting temperature.

Although most of the citizens in Mon-treal can speak English, students took the opportunity to practice speaking French apart from requesting all of their tours in the language; whether it was used to order food, ask for directions, or fi nd items in a store, many students found their fl uency quite useful.

Food is a celebrated part of French and French-Canadian culture. Students spent the end of their evening in Montreal eating in the restaurant “Au Vieux Pont,” which means “At the Old Bridge.” Many of the students had or were learning about French food and about how to order in restaurants in their French classes, and thus were able to further practice their language skills.

After a long day, students arrived back home at the high school around 11:30 p.m. Instead of complaining of how tired they were, however, students contentedly expressed their excitement at having par-ticipated in the trip.

“It was a lot of fun and a great experi-

ence,” said freshman Megan Jacomine. “I got to practice French and see the cul-tural differences.” Senior Stasia Lyons agreed, saying, “I was able to speak a lot of French, and the people I talked to were really interesting.”

Junior Emily Miller summed it up: “The trip to Montreal was amazing. Not only was it a great bonding experience with my friends; the Canadians were wonderful, the city was beautiful. This is defi nitely something that should be continued in the years to come.”

Montreal provides French culture for clubWarrior graphic / Jesse Conti

Congratulations!The Warrior sends best wishes sends best wishes sends best wishes The Warrior sends best wishes The Warrior

to history teacher Heather Schechter and Jesse

Schechter on the birth of their daughter, Rebecca Zoe, born on Sunday, October 31, 2004.

3NewsNovember 19, 2004The Warrior

by Rohit NalamasuNEWS

Among the many new clubs being formed this year at Niskayuna, Raises and Gives, or RAG, stands out. Raises and Gives was founded only a month ago by junior Jillian Gold, and the club’s advisor is new English teacher Kelly Micare. Raises and Gives is a charitable group that does just what its name says: raises money and then gives it to vari-ous charitable organizations. One such organization, Plan USA, helps in the fi ght against the traffi cking, or selling, of children into prostitution, as well as into child slavery. 1.2 million children are sold to prostitution every year; Plan USA plans to reduce that sobering number.

Raises and Gives plans to host many activities to raise money for Plan USA, such as an elementary-school movie night, a spring dance, and ribbon sales. In the future, Raises and Gives plans to work with other charitable organizations as well, including Water Aid and Wild Aid. Water Aid tries to help areas around the world suffering from water shortages—where people make do daily with the amount of water equivalent to that used when fl ush-ing a toilet. Wild Aid is an organization

that works to stop illegal animal trade. For more information about these charitable organizations, visit their websites at www.planusa.org, www.wateraid.org, and www.wildaid.com.

Gold said that she started the Raises and Gives club because though other high school clubs raise money for charities, they focus mainly on the Niskayuna community and schools. Other charitable organiza-tions similar to those which Raises and Gives hopes to work with include Child Reach, World Vision, Children Interna-tional, and Water for People.

Throughout the world, one child dies every 15 seconds, which amounts to ap-proximately 6000 deaths per day. These organizations, as well as many others, are working toward solving the serious prob-lems that our world faces today. In order to be able to put a stop to these issues once and for all, they need the help of groups like Raises and Gives around the globe. In the future, Raises and Gives plans to host plenty of fundraisers in order to help these causes. Though the club just been founded and has only had a few meetings so far, it is already doing its part to help solve the social and environmental ills that haunt our modern world.

Rag Club brings richesNew charity organization brought to NHS

THE LEAVES WOULDN’T LEAVE: The harbingers of autumn inun-dated one of the entryways near F-hall after another fi re alarm malfunc-tion sent faculty and students outdoors to enjoy the crisp weather last Wednesday morning, November 10.

Warrior photo / Juliette Price

BANDErik DonhoweSean DouglasRachel GoldsteinKelsey LambKendra Lamb

ORCHESTRAErin ArmeniaLeo BrownSteve ChaoMatthew ConnollyAlex GoldbergDarin GregoryKaterina GrossAlex JohnsonThomas KolmanSteve LeibDave LeibMimi LouManuel Possolo

Timothy VoJeremy WolosBoyang ZhouEric Zhou

CHORUSJesse ContiMegan HardinJesse HunterRachel KatzClaire LigonZachary MerrimanJay MobleyLaura ShemoLaura SimpsonSarah Walroth

JAZZ BANDJames BenoitPatrick Keller

CONGRATULATIONS to those who have been accept-ed into this yearʼs Area All State Festival, which will take place on Satrurday, November 20.

WORD OF THE WEEK

Members of the Warrior staff had the idea to try a new feature in which we defi ne a word

and explore its etymology. The fi rst word upon which we will shine

insightful light is:

Warrior (accepted pronunciation war-yer or Warrior (accepted pronunciation war-yer or Warriorwar-e-yer): a person taking part or experi-enced in confl ict. In Middle English it was spelt werreour from the Norman French werreour from the Norman French werreourverb werrier, meaning “to make war.” Its parent werre, the Old French word for war, is believed to have come from the prehis-toric German word werra, meaning “strife,” formed from the base wers, from which we also get English worse and German wir-ren, “to confuse.” The diminutive guerra,meaning “war” in Spanish, gave the English

term guerilla.

The Warrior hopes that this deviation from The Warrior hopes that this deviation from The Warriorstandard news reporting will not be cause

for strife.

Sources consulted: Dictionary of Word Ori-gins by John Ayto and Websterʼs New World

College Dictionary, Fourth Edition.

444 OpinionOpinionOpinion

The Warrior

The Warrior is published each Friday the high school has classes (33 times a year).

For a one-year subscription, send a check for $25 payable to Niskayuna High School to The Warrior, Attn: Subscriptions, 1626 Balltown Rd., Niskayuna, NY 12309.

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T H E S T A F F

November 19, 2004 The Warrior

EDITORIAL POLICIES

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are wel-come from all members of the school community. The Warrior reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and length.

SIGNED OPINION ARTICLES AND CARTOONS express the opinions of their creators.

UNSIGNED EDITORIALS represent the consensus of the paper’s edito-rial board, which may not refl ect the majority of the students’ views.

THE OP-ED PAGES are a forum for students’ opinions and ideas.

Sadly, nation leans right

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Alice Lee, Alec WilsonNEWS EDITORS: Jesse Conti, Julia Napolitano,

Joshua XiongASST. NEWS: Lesley Yemi Adewunmi, Eric

ZhouOPINION EDITORS: Evan Ballan, Jeremy WolosASST. OPINION: Stephanie KaylorENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Sarita UpadhyayASST. ENTERTAINMENT: Steve ChaoSPORTS EDITORS: Anthony Guzman, Andrew MarshallASST. SPORTS: Caitlin Horgan, Gavin LabateHEAD MAGAZINE EDITOR: Kathryn FantauzziMAGAZINE EDITORS: Katerina Gross, Alex RivadeneiraGRAPHICS COORDINATOR: Laura SimpsonGRAPHICS EDITOR: Juliette PriceDISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Ian DavisBUSINESS MANAGER: Erik DonhoweCOPY EDITOR: Abby AlgerWEB SITE MANAGER: Scott BrainardADVISORS: James Edgar, Russell McDowell

by Neal MehrotraOPINION

After eagerly antici-pating the election for four years, I find myself asking a lot of questions. O n e o f t h e m i s : c a n Democrats still win? In this year ’s election, Mr. Bush held on to 29 of the 30 states he carried in the previous race, while increasing his margin of victory in 22 of these states. America seems to be shifting to the right. Kerry’s margin of victory in the states that Gore had previously carried was less in each state. In 13 of the states that Gore won in 2000, Bush made significant gains. In an overwhelmingly liberal state, New Jersey, which Gore carried by 16 points, Kerry won by less than five points. In Minnesota, Kerry won by three percent, and in Wisconsin, the Demo-crats ’ v i c tory marg in was only one percent. Republicans are making gains in all the Demo-cratic strongholds, while Republican areas are also getting more Republican. By the final weeks of the campaign, the only pre-viously Bush states that Kerry hoped to carry were Florida and Ohio. Bush carried Ohio and won Florida by five points.

The number one issue among voters this year was moral values. It is a shock to me that this issue is more important to us than the war in Iraq. Perhaps we value a moral leader over a capable one? This is why the Republicans are win-ning. Over 80 percent of those who regularly attend church voted for Bush, another shift to the right. Demographic groups that Democrats

southern Republ ican state. The Democrats’ policies on social issues indicate their lack of willingness to compro-mise. A basic change in their positions on hot-button issues such gay marriage, abortion rights, and stem cell research is needed. For example, Bush was will-ing to compromise on a certain amount of stem cell research, but Kerry was adamant in his po-sition. The Democrats a lso have no s trong leaders within the par-ty anymore. They still do not understand what they need to do in order to win. This is indicated by their talk of nomi-nating Hillary Clinton in 2008. She is not only a northern Democrat, but her positions are too far left, and she will be perpetually associated with her husband.

Perhaps the worst of the Democratic woes is the loss of Tom Das-chle, the Senate mi-nor i ty leader, to an unknown cand idate . Also, because the sena-torial representation is equal in all states, it is essential for Demo-crats to appeal to the conservative base of voters in traditionally Republican states to regain control in the Senate. The bottom line is, unless Democrats are willing to change, they will keep losing. It is a sad day in our society when a party must change its posi-tion just to win. Kerry tried to do this, and was merely labeled a flip-flop. Still, in essence, the Democratic Party must flip-flop if they want to see themselves in the White House.

typically rely on also s h i f t e d t o w a r d s t h e right as well. Although Kerry did maintain 60 percent of the Hispanic vote, this percentage was far less than what Gore achieved in 2000.

Conversely, tradition-ally Republican demo-graphic groups became more Republican. Over 70 percent of all gun owners, small business owners and churchgoers voted for Bush. Kerry’s stand on issues such as abortion and stem cell research lost him a considerable number of votes. The negative connotation associated w i th Democra ts can somewhat be attributed to President Clinton. Though our economy was flourishing at the time, and though the de f i c i t was reduced , Clinton’s approval rat-ing was less than 50 percent by the end of his second term. This was, as we all know, partly because of his notori-ous affair with Monica Lewinsky. A lso take former Governor James McGreevey of New Jer-sey. His exposed affair with a gay man and his subsequent resignation does not aid the Demo-crats’ quest for votes.

For the Democrats to win , a change in strategy is necessary. Given the candidate they nominated, I don’t think they understood this. John Kerry’s nomi-nat ion went aga inst conventional wisdom. Nominating a northern Democrat was not an astute decision made by the voters. Bill Clinton won the pres idency, partly because he car-ried his home state of Arkansas, a typically

Reviews of local pizza parlorsDear Readers,

It’s round, it’s tasty, and it’s the biggest party-hopper on this side of the Mississippi. Parties can’t be caught dead without it. Who would suspect that such a simple con-coction of crust, sauce, and chesse in the proper proportions could attract so many people?

If you haven’t already fi gured it out, this week’s issue of Silver is all about the wonderous food known to man simply as “pizza.” From the ancient history, to the latest trends in pizza consump-tion, Silver’s got it all. Sit back, relax, roll up your sleeves, and prepare to dig into this week’s issue about this delectable, ir-resistable edible.

-The Editors

by Ben HayashiMAGAZINE

Ah, Pizza Hut, another one of the great fast-food franchises in the United States. Some love the pizza served here; others hate this fast-food version of the delectable Italian treat. It’s no surprise that Pizza Huts are present in the Capital Region, as they are prominent throughout the United States. The menu includes a

number o f s e e m i n g l y bizarre and creative piz-zas that veer from the clas-sic, standard dish. In addi-tion to possi-ble toppings that include

everything from anchovies to pork, Pizza Hut offers a number of specialty pizza crusts, including “Thin N’ Crispy,” and, of course, the infamous “Stuffed Crust Pizza.” While the pizza and toppings may be interesting, Pizza Hut’s fast-food version of pizza fails to live up to the authentic thing, but may prove to be one of the best franchises available.

by Joyce DadekianMAGAZINE

Riddle me this: What’s square, has sauce, is coated with cheese, and is sold two for $1.25 on Tuesdays and Fridays? You probably figured it out. If not, refer to page 1 of Silver, to page 1 of Silver, to page 1 of where you will find the title. Yes, indeed, it is pizza. I was always puzzled about the name that the cafeteria experts call it. I must admit I was thoroughly confused. Why have Homestyle’s pizza at school? Shouldn’t it be Schoolstyle’s pizza? Using my handy dandy problem solving skills, I decided to investigate the root of the word. Style is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a dis-tinctive manner or expression,” which, far from clarifying the mystery, made me even more bewildered. I could not see a clear distinction between the pizza at Homestyle and I Love New York on the outside, so, being the highly motivated individual that I am, I went to find out more. I was told by the experts that it was not the makeup on the outside, but the special formula and ratio of ingredi-ents that are used to ensure a piece of pizza is cooked to perfection. I do have to admit, even at school, Homestyle pizza hits home.

by Gavin LabateMAGAZINE

When it comes to getting a good slice of pizza, there are many options in our area. Within ten minutes of the high school, one can fi nd many choices for a piece from Mario’s, to I Love New York Pizza, to Homestyle. However, a lesser known parlor in Schenectady takes the prize for the best in the area.

The Pizza King of New York is conve-niently located on State Street in down-town Schenectady. Upon entering the Pizza King restaurant, one will be greeted by the very amiable pizza master, John. On any given day, over twenty different varieties of pizza can be found, such as chicken wings, ziti, Philly cheese steaks, and traditional pepperoni. According to the chef himself, the secret to his pizza’s popularity with lunch-goers and dinner- seekers alike is olive oil, which is high quality and imported. Tables are always in demand at the Pizza King, as John always attracts a large crowd looking forward to the slice of the day. Pizza does run a bit pricier at the Pizza King than at most other competitors, as a slice with toppings costs $2.50, but you will not regret coming to the King for a tasty treat.

by Jean QiaoMAGAZINE

“Get the door! It’s Domino’s!” This line is played all around the world, thousands of times a day, and your pizza usually a day, and your pizza usually comes with free items such as comes with free items such as a 12-liter bottle of Pepsi and a 12-liter bottle of Pepsi and wings. I’m not sure if it was wings. I’m not sure if it was my own personal experience my own personal experience with Domino’s pizza over six with Domino’s pizza over six years ago, but I still resent the years ago, but I still resent the commercials that endorse commercials that endorse that place.

I hate road trips, and I especially hate them if they’re with my family. if they’re with my family. An eight-hour road trip when An eight-hour road trip when you’re barely eight years old you’re barely eight years old isn’t the best way to spend a isn’t the best way to spend a weekend. Being dragged out weekend. Being dragged out of my bed at six in the morn-of my bed at six in the morn-ing and not having anything to ing and not having anything to eat since my midnight snack the day before didn’t make me too happy. No offense to

my parents, but their English reading skills weren’t the greatest six years ago. It was to the point where I was about to pass out from h u n g e r , h u n g e r , when my dad when my dad p u l l e d over to the

nearest pizza

place. T h e w a i t -r e s s placed in placed in front of me this funny looking piece of pizza, really big, and topped with a hefty

Don’t get the door, it’s a delivery from Domino’s

Glorious Pizza Hut Homestyle’s pizza

portion of grease. Healthy, indeed. My fi rst bite of this greasy delight was cloud nine-I was hungry enough to eat anything. However, I realized that swallowing the pizza was that swallowing the pizza was easier than attempting not to easier than attempting not to regurgitate it. Also, rather hard regurgitate it. Also, rather hard objects kept going around and objects kept going around and around my throat. Confused, around my throat. Confused, I looked at the bottom of my I looked at the bottom of my pizza and found that it had a pizza and found that it had a

lovely charcoal color of black. By the time I examined the whole thing, it was cold. I was hungry. I was angry. I

vowed never to go to that place vowed never to go to that place again which later I found was again which later I found was named “Domino’s.” Maybe first named “Domino’s.” Maybe first impressions aren’t the best to impressions aren’t the best to go on. Even second impres-go on. Even second impres-sions, perhaps. Maybe I’m just sions, perhaps. Maybe I’m just stubborn. But I know that stubborn. But I know that when I get the door, for pizza, next it’s going to be I Love New York, not Domino’s.

The Pizza King

by Kathryn FantauzziMAGAZINE

What has happened to pizza? Pizza’s ancient origins date back to the times of the Babylonians, Israelites and Ancient the Babylonians, Israelites and Ancient Egyptians, who, along with other ancient Egyptians, who, along with other ancient Middle Eastern peoples, ate fl at unleav-Middle Eastern peoples, ate fl at unleav-ened bread made in mud ovens. Pizza, ened bread made in mud ovens. Pizza, in its more familiar form, was created in its more familiar form, was created by the lower classes of Naples. According by the lower classes of Naples. According to legend, Raffaele Esposito, in an attempt to legend, Raffaele Esposito, in an attempt to impress the Italian King Umberto and to impress the Italian King Umberto and his Queen Margherita, created a dish his Queen Margherita, created a dish consisting of fl at bread covered in mozza-consisting of fl at bread covered in mozza-rella cheese, red tomato sauce, and basil rella cheese, red tomato sauce, and basil leaves. This concoction was derived from leaves. This concoction was derived from the colors of the Italian fl ag: red, white, the colors of the Italian fl ag: red, white, and green. The king and the queen were and green. The king and the queen were very impressed with the dish and it soon very impressed with the dish and it soon became very popular in Italy.

Pizza was introduced to the United Pizza was introduced to the United States in the 1900s, in particular with States in the 1900s, in particular with the wave of Italian immigration to the wave of Italian immigration to Chicago and New York. This migra-Chicago and New York. This migra-tion led to the two different styles of pizza, New York City’s thin crispy crust, and Chicago’s deep dish. The dish became increasingly dish. The dish became increasingly popular after World War II, when popular after World War II, when soldiers were exposed to it on the soldiers were exposed to it on the Italian front.

In the last fi fty years, pizza has become

the quintessential college food. The classic after-midnight run for some nasty pizza, because the dining hall is closed and there is nothing to eat in the dorm, has become

the classic Friday night dilemma for the the classic Friday night dilemma for the average college kid. Pizza has become so

much of a college meal that some institu-tions have even made agreements with these local pizza places to allow students to put their pizza purchases on meal plan bills. Pizza has not only been reduced to the bills. Pizza has not only been reduced to the only food available in the wee hours of the only food available in the wee hours of the

morning, but it has also been degraded morning, but it has also been degraded to the depths of the Bagel Bite—yes, the to the depths of the Bagel Bite—yes, the Bagel Bite. “If pizza’s on a bagel, then Bagel Bite. “If pizza’s on a bagel, then

you can have pizza anytime.” The fact that you can have pizza anytime.” The fact that pizza, a traditional food, has been reduced pizza, a traditional food, has been reduced to frozen mini bagels with mass-manufac-to frozen mini bagels with mass-manufac-tured cheese and tomato sauce slathered tured cheese and tomato sauce slathered on them—so that they can be microwaved on them—so that they can be microwaved into the soggy disgraces that they are—is into the soggy disgraces that they are—is both saddening and disturbing.both saddening and disturbing.

The advent of the Bagel Bite, however, The advent of the Bagel Bite, however, is the not the sole culprit of the pizza’s fall is the not the sole culprit of the pizza’s fall

from former glory. The average frozen from former glory. The average frozen pizza is also to blame. Food items ranging pizza is also to blame. Food items ranging

from Tombstone Pizza and DiGiorno to from Tombstone Pizza and DiGiorno to Stouffer’s French bread and Celeste Stouffer’s French bread and Celeste have all contributed to America’s have all contributed to America’s degredation of an Italian classic.

This sad process will only contin-ue. College kids with little funds, as well as the culinarily inept, will continue to gorge themselves on poor, imitation pizza that doesn’t

even attempt to purport itself as even attempt to purport itself as being authentic. The king and queen of being authentic. The king and queen of Italy would not be pleased.

Warrior art / Alex Rivadeneira

The degradation of our beloved pizza

What’s your favorite pizza topping?Inquiry has shown that extra

cheese is the most popular top-ping among students surveyed. This statistic is unusual, because the majority of Americans, when surveyed by AboutPizza.com, choose pepperoni as their favorite topping.

The survey also showed the general equity of the tastes of our students, with pepperoni, peppers, and olives all receiving four votes. Sausage, pineapple, and “other” were all close in popularity, re-ceiving fi ve, six, and seven votes, respectively. The least favorite top-ping is not a surprise – anchovies came in with only two votes.

Compiled by Laura Simpson

Compiled by Kathryn Fantauzzi

Pizza throughout history: a timelinecompiled by Zach Ripps

MAGAZINE

Ancient TimesThe earliest ver-

sions of pizza origi-nated when Neo-lithic tribes began to gather wild grains, made them into bat-ter, and cooked them on their campfi res. These simple pizzas

came out to be fl at, round breads topped with the favorite ingredients of the vari-ous peoples.

Classical PeriodLong before an offi cial “pizza” existed,

Babylonians, Israelites, Egyptians and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures made and ate unleavened bread that was cooked in mud ovens. The bread was very similar to pita bread, which is still very com-mon in Greece and Middle Eastern cuisine

today, and is even enjoyed by many in the United States. It is also known that an-cient Mediterranean peoples—such as the Greeks, Romans and Egypt ians—were

eating similar bread around the same time with olive oil and other native foods. True Italian pizza began to evolve later on from the infl uence of the Etruscan culture in Northern Italy and of the Greeks in the southeast.

1500 – 1800sTomato sauce was

not a standard or regular feature of any ancient pizzas because the fruit was a North American plant that would not be introduced to the European world until Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought it back during the 16th century. After its introduction to European cuisine by the 1700s, however, tomatoes and sauce became important ingredients of many European pizza recipes.

The baked fl atbread known as pizza origi-nated as a snack that occupied Spanish sol-diers in Naples in the 17th century. It was baked by men called “pizzailoli.” The more

commonly known version of modern pizza, however, according to the legend as de-scribed on AboutPizza.com, is attributed to Raffaele Esposito. This man supposedly combined pizza crust with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil (the colors of the Italian fl ag) to honor the queen of Italy at that time, Margherita, in 1889.

Late 1800sItalian immigrants brought pizza to

urbanized areas throughout the US with large Italian populations near the end

of the 19th century. Those Italians from Southern Italy were primarily those who made the pizza for themselves at home, but during the time of the Great Depression, the food became popular on the East and West Coast of the US. Consequently, two different styles of pizzas came about: From the East Coast, a thin-crusted pizza with only a few toppings, and its rival from the West Coast, a thicker crust with a greater variety and number of toppings.

1900sIn 1905, Gennaro Lombardi opened the

fi rst US pizzeria in New York City in Little Italy on Spring Street. This restaurant is still open today and has attracted a num-ber of celebrities. Their pizza is baked in a coal-burning oven using the same recipe that Lombardi brought to America in 1897. In addition, soldiers returning from World War II made pizza widely popular, as many had eaten and liked it while in Europe; sub-sequently, they spread the word about the new dish. Their friends and family tried it, liked it, and told even more people. Pizza quickly became one of Ameri-ca’s favorite foods.

Source consulted: www.aboutpizza.com, Pita: www.newredarchives.com, Athens: www.bellavistatours.com, Tomato: www.duvinhachisch.com, Queen: www.angel-fire.com/de3, Pizza: www.livingtoday.com

t With additional reporting by Alex Rivadeneira

Pizza Trivia: all you need to know

Sources consulted: www.hungrymonster.com, www.pizzapieer.com

t Americans eat 90 acres worth of pizza every day.

t In the 1500s, tomatoes used for pizza sauce were brought to Europe from North America, where they were originally thought to be poisonous.

t The original mozzarella used on pizza in Italy was made from the milk of the water buffalo.

t Tuna is one of the most popular pizza toppings in Europe. t North Americans eat more pizza than anyone else in the world.

5OpinionNovember 19, 2004The Warrior

NHS staff talks turkey with the Warrior

Madame AinslieMadame AinslieForeign Language Department

Mrs. BorgesPrint Shop

To celebrate the upcoming holiday and the first signifi-cant break of the school year, the Warrior asked staff and faculty members around the school to try a hand – liter-ally – at some turkey draw-ing. We give thanks to all of

the contributing artists.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mr. EdgarEnglish Department

Tony BarbalaceCampus Security

Mr. RickertAdministration

The Science Department(Hand courtesy Mrs. Hughes)

Ms. EdwardsMedia Center

Mrs. SalvinHistory

November 19, 2004666 EntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainment The WarriorThe WarriorThe Warrior

by Kristine GuzmanENTERTAINMENT

The Austin Powers series con-sists of the three movies; The International Man of Mystery, The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Goldmember. In this groovy, upbeat trilogy, Powers (Mike Myers) is a secret agent that is frozen in time in the 1960s. He is then brought back in the 1990s to oppose his archenemy, Dr. Evil (also played by Mike Myers). Throughout the trilogy, they fi ght to defeat each other through a series of amusing and cunning tactics. As you may recall, Evil created a miniature clone of himself named Mini Me, and also went back in time in order to steal Powers’ Mojo. This witty series consistently pulls off fresh, clever and original lines not normally seen in other comedy flicks. It masters in the art of parody and hilarious potty jokes. Austin Powers is definitely a must-see. It’s utterly hilarious and totally smashing.

by Matt ConlonENTERTAINMENT

Start with a giant rolling boul-der, add one temple of doom, stir in a leap of faith, and you have an action-packed adventure out of the 80s, the Indiana Jones trilogy. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), starring Harrison Ford, was an instant hit because of its unrelenting action, unexpected twists, and genuine comic relief. Where else do you get to see an archaeologist with a good left hook kick the snot out of the Nazis in search of an infamous religious relic? Patrons of the series remember best Indiana’s chronic fear of snakes and his signature hat and whip. The historical context of the movie, combined with Harrison Ford’s believable role as an archaeolo-gist, gave a legitimate base to all the action in the movie—a quality many contemporary movies lack. Most importantly, no Indiana Jones fan will forget that Jehovah is spelled with “I” when they are asked the Word of God.

by Sabrina AdikesENTERTAINMENT

When people hear about the Lord of the Rings, they think one of two things: it’s really long or it’s all about magical people. Now, while the movies are pretty long, and while they are about different magical people, there is still a whole lot more to the story. From action-packed fi ght scenes to darling Orlando Bloom, there is little in this trilogy not to love. Based on the books by J. R. R. Tolkien, its storyline includes immense characterization and amazing special effects. Some of characters I loved were—my precious—Gollum (Andy Ser-kis), Legolas Greenleaf (Orlando Bloom), and Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson). I would defi nitely recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys suspenseful movies and fantastical creatures.

by Sarita UpadhyayENTERTAINMENT

Even those who are not avid fans of the Star Wars original trilogy are familiar with phrases such as “Death Star,” “light saber,” and “Luke, I am your father.” The original trilogy is an unforgettable masterpiece that combines ele-ments of science fi ction, action, and drama. A New Hope’s 1977 release introduced the world to memorable characters Luke Skywalker, Prin-cess Leia,Yoda, and Han Solo, as they battled Darth Vader. Darth is a masterpiece of a villain; his signature deep breathing and in-novative black spacesuit made him threatening. Characters C3PO and R2D2 not only provided loveable comical relief, but added a futuristic fl air to the cast. Star Wars created its own universe with unique char-acteristics. Despite whether or not you liked it, there is no denying its place as a classic and the best trilogy of all time. The details in the plot, the familiar characters, and the neat aspects of Jedi culture will go down in cinematic history.

by Steve ChaoENTERTAINMENT

The Matrix series, which includes The Matrix, The Ma-trix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions, is one of the most famous trilogies of the past decade. It stared Keanu Reeves in a sci-fi action-packed movie, using kung-fu moves on screen never before seen in America. In fact, Matrix choreographer Yuen Wo Ping also worked on Chinese thriller Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. With many different underlying meanings from re-ligion and philosophy, viewers’ minds always had to work to understand the true meaning of the Matrix’s two worlds. One of the most well-known features of this trilogy is Trinity’s (Car-rie-Anne Moss) kick in the air with the 360-degree camera shot. If you’ve never seen any of the Matrix series, be sure to go out now and rent it–for the if the meaning behind the movies doesn’t pull you in, the nonstop action will.

by Luke RollinsENTERTAINMENT

Though there are many great trilogies, The Godfather trilogy The Godfather trilogy The Godfatheris, well, the godfather of them all. Like a portrait of your great-grand-father over the mantelpiece, these fi lms directed by Francis Ford Coppola are the most prestigious and enduring. Every Mafi a movie since has to humble itself like Bu-onasera in front of Don Corleone in Part I, acknowledging its inferior-Part I, acknowledging its inferior-Part Iity to the awesome legend.

Many reasons exist for this status. It’s the only original/se-quel combo to capture Academy Awards for Best Picture. It has spawned catchphrases (“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse”), and included some of the most memorable moments in fi lm history (the severed horse head or the breathtaking baptismal fi nale). However, the reason The

Godfather is Godfather is Godfather The Godfather is that it brings the viewer into the underworld of the Corleone family. Despite the efforts of character Michael Corleone, the closer he tries to bring his family, the more they slip through his fi ngers. We forgive Michael again and again, because we know that despite

what he does, he wants safety and comfort for his family.

If you’re looking for elements of a great movie experience–action, drama, romance, comedy, and tragedy–pick up the Godfather tril-Godfather tril-Godfatherogy. But hey, don’t take my word for it, go and watch it yourselves. Or risk sleeping with the fi shes.

Students and staff choose the best Students and staff choose the best movie trilogy of all time

Trilogies leave mark on cinematic history

7EntertainmentNovember 19, 2004 The Warrior

by Laura IsabellaENTERTAINMENT

In light of the auditions and the cast list being posted for this year’s musical, Les Miserables, I thought it would be fun to write about some of the best musicals on Broadway. Sadly, Les Mis is not on Broad-way anymore, after an almost eighteen-year run. This is a bittersweet goodbye; many thespians, including me, are mourn-ing the closing of the show. But let’s look on the bright side! There are plenty of new and revived shows to obsess over by memorizing lyrics, dance moves, and cast biographies. Next time you’re in New York City, check out one of these great shows.

10 The Boy from OzWith Hugh Jackman as its star, The

Boy from Oz tells the funny and ulti-mately heart-breaking story of the great entertainer Peter Allen, from his humble beginnings growing up in the Australian outback, through a meteoric rise to fame as an international star who would sell out weeklong engagements at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. Discovered by Judy Garland, he falls in love with her daughter, Liza Minnelli. By the end of the night, the audi-ence will be dancing along with Jackman.

9 Assassins Finally, Assassins re-turns to the stage with a big bang. With a score by Stephen Sondheim and libretto by John Weidman, Assassinsexplores the history of presidential assassina-tion in America. The show looks at the lives, loves, and lunacy of nine American assassins and near-as-sassins, including John Wilkes Booth, John Hinckley, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. Tunes like “The Gun Song” are world-renowned killers.

8 W o n d e r f u l T o w n The show Wonderful Town is another re-vival on Broadway, themed on the struggle to make dreams come true. It is the story of Eileen and Ruth Sherwood, two sisters

who are fresh off the bus from Ohio and are bursting with dreams of making it big, falling in love, and living happily ever after in New York City. This is one classic musical that everyone will enjoy.

7 Lion KingThe Lion King is a breathtaking

spectacle to be recreated on the stage yet again. Complete with puppets, African culture, music, and Disney magic, this bright, energetic musical is ingeniously brought together to create a long-lasting family Broadway favorite.

6 Phantom of the OperaHooray for falling chandeliers! With

its haunting yet compelling music and story, its spooky settings, and gorgeous yet simple costumes, today this macabre musical is more full than ever of amus-ingly incongruous references. Phan-tom of the Opera is a classic must-see.

4 Brooklyn: The Musical Brooklyn, with its debut only a couple of weeks old, is already a smash hit. From the heart of Brooklyn comes a band of soulful street corner singers and storytell-ers. With a mix of pop and soul, they set their stage and tell a wondrous sidewalk fairy tale about a young girl searching for fame and the father she never knew.

3 Avenue Q Think puppets from Sesame Street gone horribly wrong, an urban setting, and modern music, and voila—you have Avenue Q! It is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college graduate who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account, and ends up board-ing on Avenue Q. The neighbors seem to be nice, but he finds out that they are very interesting characters amidst his new neighborhood. This musical com-

bines hilarious adult-themed comedy with a heartwarming story.

2 Hairspray Hairspray is the

story of a girl from Baltimore who wants to snag the cutest guy in town, as well as win a coveted spot on a hit TV dance show—and integrate it, too. Based on John Waters’ 1988 cult clas-sic film, Hairspray is another Broadway musical must-see.

1 W i c k e dWicked is the un-

told story of the two witches of Oz. Before Dorothy dropped by,

Elphaba, who later became known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the good witch, formed an interesting friendship on their journey to see the Wizard. Dazzlingly complicated sets, complex relationships, a blend of rock and pop music, and amazing costumes give birth to a smash hit show that will surely be on Broadway for a while.

5 Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof, based on the Fiddler on the Roof, based on the Fiddler on the Roof

short story “Tevye and His Daughters” by Sholom Aleichem, was one of the fi rst musicals to defy Broadway’s established rules of commercial success. At the time of its fi rst debut, nobody thought that this show about life in a Jewish village in 1917 Russia would sell tickets. They were very wrong. There is nothing like a classic show that becomes a revival and still leaves the audience in awe.

HAIRSPRAY: Based on John Waters’ 1988 cult classic fi lm, this musical makes this cut of Best Ten Broadway Shows, coming in at number two.

Photo courtesy www.csudh.com

Page 6 photos courtesy: Star Wars: www.nicosiafamily.com, Lord of the Rings: www.allposters.com, Austin Powers: www.adorocin-ema.com, The Godfather: www.the-reel-mccoy.com, Matrix: www.cinemark.com, Indiana Jones: www.mikesjournal.com

The best and brightest of Broadway 2004

8SportsNovember 19, 2004 The Warrior

Winter sports preview 2004-2005by Andrew Marshall

SPORTS

The 2004-2005 winter sports season is currently under way at Niskayuna High School. Student ath-letes and their fans will gear up for what is sure to be an exciting season all around. Here are some quick previews on some of the highly antici-pated sports and teams.

INDOOR TRACK: Com-ing off of back-to-back Sec-tional titles and finishing last season with a perfect 8-0 record, Coaches Jason Derocco and John Sharkey have the indoor track team as the favorite to take yet another Sectional crown. Senior Anthony Guzman commented, “We lost a lot of key members to gradu-ation last year, but we are still the favorite to win the [Sectional] championship.” Indoor track has a very large team, as usual, and is expected to do very well this season. Senior Jeff Nadas gave his perspective, saying, “We can expect a lot out of the new people, we have a good mix of different talents for distance and sprinting.” Meets are typically held at

RPI or Hudson Valley Com-munity College.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Fol-lowing a season that had only one senior on the active roster, head coach Michael Black of the boys basketball team opens up this year with a ros-ter featuring six seniors, in-cluding Jeff Howe, Greg Leder, Adam Rubinsztajn, Donnie Jones, Justin Klemballa, and Kefim Simmons. With the loss of juniors Brian Grastorf and Dan Halayko to injuries, the squad of veterans looks to re-deem themselves from a 6-15 record from last season. Leder gave positive feedback on the team, saying that they are still a very deep team and will be looking to improve upon their losing record from last season. Home games are held in the New Gym.

GIRLS BASKETBALL:Losing eight seniors to gradu-ation last June, the girls basketball team has gotten a complete makeover. With the lone holdovers, Emily Levine and Rebecca McGee, providing solid senior leadership, coach Sarah Ruzzi has hope that her young squad can step up and compete in the Suburban Council. New additions to

the team include seniors Re-becca Sail and Jackie Tufano. Shenedehowa girls coach Ken Strube even commented on the improvements that Nis-kayuna has made, which was featured in The Schenectady Gazette. Expectations are high, as Levine commented, “We are looking to make some noise in the Suburban Coun-cil.” Home games are held in the New Gym, and large crowds are not only expected, but also demanded.

WRESTLING : One of Niskayuna’s proudest sports traditions suits up for an-other shot at a Sectional title. Head Coach Dan Guerrin has remained indifferent about competition, stating, “We don’t have any big rivals, we are just looking to go out and compete with whoever we face.” The boys in singlets were 18-4 last season, win-ning a Gold division crown, and finishing as a runner-up in the council. Seniors Pat Keller, James Macintosh, Ben Gifford, Corey Daniels, Adam Daniels, Louis Kiernan, and Anthony Derocco return for another season, while Dan Musella and Lucas Spellman join the team for their senior

year. Home meets are held in the Blatnick gym and are always intense.

ICE HOCKEY: The Niska-yuna/Schenectady Mohawks open up their season with high hopes as usual. Coming off of a first round sectional loss to CBA, Niskayuna seniors Ben Kelly, Louis Croce, Marc La-belle, Nick Sapia, Adam Ford, Carl Christy, and Sean Pais-ley, along with Schenectady seniors Eric Leone and Ben Claymen, provide a roster filled with talent and expe-rience. Strong rivals CBA, Shenendahowa, and Saratoga remain to be played, but Kelly keeps his hopes high, stating, “We plan to do very well this season; we definitely want to make Sectionals and hope to play in the Sectional cham-pionship game.” To check out the Mohawks and join their over-the-top fan section, “The Reservation,” home games are held at Schenectady County Rink Facilities, better known as the SCARF.

Be sure to check out all of the exciting action of Niskayuna Varsity sports this winter. Schedules are available in the Athletic Director’s office upon request.

SPRINT IT OUT: Indoor track team members brave the chilly weather for warmup. The team is currently favored to win at Sectionals. Warrior photo / Gavin Labate