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New Hyde Park Memorial High SchoolVol. 55 - No. 3 February 2011

In This Edition:

ValentineShmalentine?

pg. 14

Meet Rizwan

Manji from “Outsourced”

pg. 24

In the Knick of Timepg. 26

Tragedy in Tucsonpg. 4

Chaos in Cairoby Josil Abraham In recent weeks, the world has become focused on the events unraveling within Egypt. Egyptians, who have been oppressed for nearly thirty years by their “demo-cratically elected” dictatorial leader, President Hosni Mubarak, have begun a fiery revolution in the hopes of attaining a truer form of democracy within their government. What lies ahead in the future of Egyptians is now the underlying ques-tion. To truly under-stand the anger Egyptians feel towards Mubarak, one must look to the na-tion’s history, specifically at how Mubarak came into power, and what he has done since. Egypt’s former presi-dent, Muhammad Anwar El Sadat, was once quite respected not only by his own people, but also by many countries throughout the world, earning him a Nobel peace prize dur-ing his term. However, radical fundamentalists against Sadat’s

policies emerged, eventu-ally assassinating him. Thus, Mubarak, who was Sadat’s vice president, became Sadat’s suc-cessor. His succession incited underlying opposition from Egyptians detesting Mubarak’s rule, saying that he was never

formally elected as president. Despite such controversy, Mubarak still assumed the role of president. Upon gaining power, Mubarak began to implement a series of policies and laws which slowly turned Egypt’s government into something closer to a dictatorship. The Emergency Law, one of the

most notable of Mubarak’s actions, not only extends the legal limits of police force actions, but also reserves the government’s right to restrict civil liberties and to censor anything it deems as contro-versial or harmful to its rule.

Additionally, the law also allows the government to imprison people without any justification and without any time limit or trial. Thus, any naysayers against Mubarak’s rule would be arrested and detained for extended periods of time even if that individual did not outwardly break any laws. Passed in 1958, the Emer-gency Law eliminated the very characteristics of a

government which makes it a democracy, including freedom of speech and the right to a fair trial. In addition to this law, Mubarak’s regime has been riddled with corruption; he unlawfully imprisoned prominent political figures and activists without trials, he creat-ed and made widespread usage of undocumented prisons and

A Letter From Your President

The Official Newspaper of

New Hyde Park Memorial High School

The ChariotEditors-in-Chief ----------------------- Allison Teicher & John BinasoCopy Editors ------------------------------- James Thomas & Eman Kazi News Editors ---------------------- Anitra Persaud, Ashly Thannickal & Jennifer LeeFeatures Editors ------------------- Bill Fleming, Christina Kotarski & Kiran Bhojani Student Life Editors ----------------- Diane Choi, Deirdre Schaefer & Judith ThomasSports Editors ------------------- Glenn Cantave & Matthew ZuzielaEntertainment Editors ------------------- Audrey Lew, Stacy Chacko & Ashley DominicClubs Editors ------------------------ Abin Thannickal, Ryan Maharaj & Ishita ShahLiterary Arts Editor ------------------------------------------- Zainab PetiwalaStaff Photographers ------------- Chaheti Bansal, Kayla Robinson & Dylan PaynePolitical Cartoonist ------------------------------------------------- Andy ChangPublicity -------------------------------------------------------------- Mrs. RabinowitzAdvisor ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. StencelReporters: Josil Abraham, Ambia Azeez, Frenchiee Beauvil, Arman Bhuiyan, Brandon Brooker, Brian Carbone, Shanjida Chowdhury, Emily Cotter, Ali Eydid, Tim Foley, Jennifer Haynes, Angelina Holler, Sha-heer Ilyas, Jenny John, Tiffany Kurian, Nicole Layug, Rebecca Lewis, Humayra Mayat, Sana Mayat, Briana Messina, Danielle Savarese, Steve Simon,Shannon Sunny, Jerin Thomas, Kahina Toubal, and Scott Valane

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Table of Contents News ---------------------------------------------------- pgs. 3 - 7

Student Life ------------------------------------- pgs. 8 & 9

Puzzles ------------------------------------------------------ pg. 10

Inquiring Minds ------------------------------------- pg. 11

Editorials -------------------------------------- pgs. 12 & 13

Features ------------------------------------------- pgs. 14 - 17

Clubs --------------------------------------------- pgs. 18 & 19

Literary Arts --------------------------------- pgs. 20 & 21

Entertainment ------------------------------- pgs. 22 - 25

Sports ---------------------------------------------- pgs. 26 - 28

by Kevin Sanchez Greetings teachers, faculty and fellow students! This winter has been one of the most active seasons New York has seen. We’ve already had three snow days and can probably anticipate more this month. Unfortunately, after the next snow day, we will start losing days from spring break. So while everyone loves a snow day once in a while, hopefully there won’t be too many more this month. Meanwhile, from

January 10 -14, the Student Council held its first ever “suggestion week.” During the week, student council members were sat outside the Junior High cafeteria during the lunch periods; students were given the opportunity to anonymously offer their concerns, com-plaints, and suggestions for our school. Some of the suggestions included: lines in the senior parking lot, a school wide spirit week, and allowing students to recite the words of wisdom. The Student Council will take

these suggestions into consid-eration during the upcoming months. During January’s test-ing week, the Student Council restored the trophy cases along the gym hallway. The tro-phy case closest to the music hallway was painted white and the trophies were cleaned and polished. Throughout Febru-ary, the Student Council will continue this project. We’re also looking forward to making further improvements. Please do your part in

helping our environment and throw away your recyclables at the designated locations in the cafeteria and Student Activi-ties room; the town of North Hempstead will collect our recyclables every two weeks. As Robert Kennedy stated, “The future is not a gift, it is an accomplishment;” with this in mind, make the best of the remaining half of the school year and your hard work will turn into success. Strive to achieve the best “you,” you can be!

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detention facilities, and even rejected the founding of new and potentially critical universi-ties, mosques, and newspaper staff members based solely on their political inclination or beliefs. Mubarak also used his web of government power to essentially nullify democratic elections and to secure his seat as President for as long as he wished. For years, Egyptians have with these govern-ment policies. Though under the guise of democ-racy, the rights of the people which define democracy have been con-spicuously absent. However, in late January of this year, the Egyptian people have begun a series of protest against Mubarak’s regime, which, over time, have gained enough momentum to be even considered a revolution. Vast

numbers of Egyptians have lined the streets of cities like Cairo to condemn the actions of Mubarak out in the open, with the eyes of the interna-tional media watching intently. Much of the protest, however, has been peace-ful, though with Mubarak’s military and police order injunctions, things have taken a somewhat violent and bloody

turn. However, some of the military personnel ordered by Mubarak to attack and control civilians have refused to obey his orders, saying that attack-ing their own people would be against the very purpose of the military: to defend the people. Still, violence and chaos grips the streets of Egypt’s cities.

In an attempt to reduce civilian communication between itself and the outside world, the government went as far as to cut off internet access in the country. Of course, for a nation like the United States, such an idea is unfathomable and would likely have cata-strophic events. The internet is an integral news media, capable of sharing core information

about key events within sec-onds. Without it, the events unraveling within the cities of Egypt would be difficult to find, if not impossible. But, after a short period of time, Egypt’s internet was brought back up and videos of protests and riots flooded the pages of internet news media outlets.

In addition, President Mubarak himself appeared on national television to inform his people that, as a result of their unanimous discontent for his rule, he would not a seek to fill another term of presidency, but instead would simply fill out the remainder of his term, which would end in September of this year. Despite this conces-

sion, the Egyptian people still largely say that this is not enough, and demand he step down from office immediately and that a new government that is truly democratic be implemented. The furor and chaos has yet to die down in Egypt, and its future remains largely

uncertain.“If we are to have learned anything from the numerous revolutions and uprisings of the past, it is that a country is defined and ruled by the lot of its people- not one man atop a throne of power. In the end, Egypt will once again come under the control of its people, and that is certain,” said senior Steven Shing. Still, others like

9th grader Jerryl Abraham said, “Mubarak has assumed a position of power for many years. He’s already gained a vast network of control which spreads throughout Egypt, at this point, the people, though just in their cause, will do little to weaken his stranglehold on the nation.” Such conflicting opinions reflect the uncertainty of Egypt’s future.

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by Bill Fleming On January 8, 2011 Representative Gabrielle Gif-fords, a Democrat from Ari-zona was speaking in Tucson, when Jared Loughner opened fire on her and a crowd of sup-porters. He killed 6 people and injured 14, including Giffords. Despite taking a bullet directly to the head, Giffords survived. The only reason that she survived was due to the fact that a nearby intern had applied pressure to the wound, thus slowing further loss of blood and damage to the brain. The 22-year-old Loughner is being held without bail and has been assigned the lawyer who defended Timothy McVeigh, the Okalahoma City

Bomber. Giffords’ condition improved to an extent where she could be discharged from ICU and moved to a rehabilita-tion hospital in Houston. Her neurologist, Dr. Dong Kim, commented that, "Since Gabby arrived last Friday; we have noticed daily improvements in her neurological condition." Giffords’ doctors are reporting that she has passed the most critical period for complications. She is currently undergoing physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Her doctors have said that she is awake most of the day and she is able to interact with others and follow com-

mands. Giffords’ doctors are not certain if she will be capa-ble of speaking again. However, they do say that her speech has improved quite a bit. The doc-tors recently removed Giffords tracheotomy and she is now able to breathe and swallow on her own. Many rumors have surfaced as to why Loughner would open fire on Giffords and a crowd of innocent bystanders; one of Loughner’s friends stated that Jared had held a grudge against Giffords after she refused to answer his question at a rally. When the story first surfaced, one speculative story was that Loughner was inspired to commit the act by a map

that Sarah Palin had put on the internet. The map contained targets pointed at democratic districts that Palin felt were critical for the Republicans to take in the next election. How-ever, not many people actually took this notion seriously. The truth is, Jared Loughner was not only an extremely troubled individual, but also people at his college including his professors and advisors strongly recommended that he seek professional help. Despite all that has happened, the one thing that is certain is that Giffords has survived and is on the road to recovery. Hopefully, her recov-ery will be further bolstered by the support of thousands of supporters.

Representative in Recovery

Medical Mishap in Autism Study?by Anitra Persaud and Ashly Thannickal In 1998, scientist Andrew Wakefield published a shocking study which estab-lished that there was a correla-tion between vaccinations and the development of autism in young children. His study sparked a decade long controversy concerning the issue and has prompted anti-vaccination movements by concerned parents. Nationally, it has created much chaos as parents have opted to not have their kids protected against common antigens with the fear that they could develop autism. However, in recent weeks, a British Medical

Journal claimed that Wakefield skewed much of the medical information of the patient’s included in the study, not only to gain credibility in the

medical field but also to gain a financial advantage. British reporters discovered that Wake-field was

involved in a lawsuit against the company that produces the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR). Though the fallout

of the study has raised many ethical questions and concerns, many are not completely persuaded due to the fact that multiple other studies

have been conducted supporting Wakefield. Further-more, Wakefield, according to his sup-porters, did

not publish the study out of malcontent, but rather out of concern for public safety. On the other hand, Wakefield remains obstinate

about his claim and unyield-ingly believes that his accusers are trying to defame his reputa-tion in the medical world. Nevertheless, Wake-field’s claims have resulted in the revelation of shocking sta-tistics of children vaccinated in the U.S. The CDC recently re-leased that as of the year 2010, only 90 percent of school kids are vaccinated against MMR nationwide. Mumps cases are the second highest reported disease amongst preventable diseases. With the recent ethi-cal fallout, the verdict on the issue is still unknown, but the choice to have kids vaccinated still falls upon parents.

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the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Restricting this right is tanta-mount to depriving people of this right, and is unconstitu-tional. The Supreme Court has never before acquiesced with anyone who did something un-constitutional. By attempting to limit the peoples’ rights to bear arms, the proponents of gun control are committing an unconstitutional act. As such, there is no sense in advancing gun control. Weaponry in the hands of a sane population is not a threat, but merely a means of self-defense. Addi-tionally, it requires money for people to buy a gun. If people are still buying weapons, despite the stagnant economy, they must have a logical reason for doing so - they wish to safeguard their lives. Senior and Student Council president, Kevin Sanchez, remarked that “The Constitution is a living document that every American citizen should respect and follow.” It is this belief in the supreme value of human rights that has allowed the U.S. to ascend to the position of the world’s largest economic and military power in less than three hundred years - a feat that is certainly commendable. In a society that is economically stagnant, and the possibility of crime rates increasing still lurking, possess-ing a gun is shifting from an extraneous want to a necessity that could ensure survival. It’s a basic Constitutional right that should be defended.

by Eman Kazi In light of recent events, the issue of gun control has resurfaced and has led to much controversy. Irrevocably, guns are a detriment to society. Not only are they easily attain-able weapons by anyone with a license, but they are also at the mercy of the holder who can be volatile and contemplative. Though some may claim that it is their political right, it is a right that does not always need to be exercised. Anyone who claims that a gun is for protection must realize the apparent danger that they pose. A gun is meant to kill; to inflict harm upon the enemy. So, why would an ordinary citizen want one? Junior Shani Thomas stated, “The only people who should own guns are those who defend our nation.” Most recently, the tragic event that occurred in Tucson, Arizona is the most illustrative of how dangerous guns are in our society. There are laws that protect the gun holder, but what laws are their to protect the innocent civilians who too often become unfortunate victims of gun misuse? Guns emanate an aura of power, recklessness, and pure danger. Thus, some gun carriers are captivated by this false power, causing them to act out of character. More times than not, the gun carrier will be more prone to radical actions, such as physical disbar-ment of possible threats. Guns are a threat to society in that

not just one person is at risk to being shot; everyone is. Society is also a clear cause of this problem. The easy access to guns makes many people more prone to using them as dangerous weapons that carry the power to take a life at an instant. Many people have come to a consensus that is that guns are much more dangerous than they are worth. They take lives easily, and too many innocent people have been hurt and killed because of this. Thus, it is necessary, if not a duty of the nation to act to restrict and prevent future loss of life from occurring. More laws should be enacted to ensure that the safety of the public is not compromised by the easy acquisition of guns. It is not without rea-son to question why the U.S. has the highest rate of murders in the world. As of 2010, mil-lions of citizens own guns and legal licenses. Guns are a poor means of justification for those with malicious intent. It’s like saying “I didn’t kill him, the gun did.” Guns have become such commonplace items within society such that people come to expect daily violence within society. Rather than prolong the debate further, now is the time to finally accept the fact that guns do not benefit society and influence the perpetration of crime. Therefore, in the interest of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” we must diminish our predilection for guns.

Reload or Unload?by James Thomas The right to bear arms is a necessity in societies where a person’s right to live could be challenged. In order to protect oneself, the use of weapons is tolerable. America is plagued by the worst recession it’s faced in decades, and in societies where the economic condition is poor, the crime rates tend to rise. New York City is the largest city in the world, with a massive population of more than 10 million. Despite the strict enforcement of the law by the NYPD, the city is still prone to occasional crimes. Criminals thrive on the fear of the common-folk and on their need for survival. However, when conditions make it espe-cially difficult for even middle-class citizens to live, those with low income resort to illegal means to ensure survival. As the number of criminals rise, so does the crime rate, making it increas-ingly difficult for any police force to enforce the law. Acting out of pure desperation, these people will resort to any means to get whatever they desire. Facing such a possibility, it is quite necessary that a person be allowed to own a gun, if he or she deems it necessary. The fear that these criminals might abuse the system is negligible because if these people had the resources to procure a weapon, they might buy themselves food. In addition, the second amendment explic-itly states that “the right of

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by Scott Valane When we think of Mexico, we think of white sandy beaches, warm weather and palm trees. While these things do exist in certain peace-ful, tourist areas, many in the country face a daily struggle merely to survive. Mexico faces

Mayhem in Mexico

constant corruption even by key members of the police and government. Poverty and an ever increasing murder and crime rate are thriving because of the drug trade, and its plague on the region. Even in areas that are a few miles from Mexico’s border with the United States, police are being bribed, drugs are still being trafficked, and murders and kidnappings are being committed. The police in many areas are more of a prob-lem than solution, as many officers are either bribed and honest officials are oftentimes shot by gangs. Honest leaders are also hard to come by; even the second-in-command officer of a regional police force was caught attempting to bring thousands of dollars worth of Marijuana and other illicit

drugs into the United States. Drug cartels are often more powerful than the govern-ment because they have more funding, weapons, and a greater membership than the police and government forces. These cartels often have battles with rival gangs and law enforce-ment, leaving many civilians caught in the crossfire. Many cartel members

have high powered and auto-matic weapons like the AK 47, M4, M16 as well as many high powered bolt action sniper rifles and pistols. Mexican authorities have said that 90% of all confiscated guns are smuggled in from the United States.

Smuggling is done on both sides of the border as drugs are brought into the U.S., exchanged for weaponry, and American money which is spent to further enhance the cartels control on the region. The drug trade claimed 30,000 lives in recent years; even as Mexico's president declares a war on drugs, and federal troops are used as police in many areas, the conflict shows

no signs of slowing down. When murders or other crimes are being in-vestigated, the police usually cover their faces because they fear retaliation from the drug cartel members. Murders are even committed in city centers in the middle of the day and

although there are many witnesses, most never work with law enforcement. Drugs are often backpacked or driven in from Mexico, and even when these drugs are found and the people carrying them are arrested, the accused are merely porters and low level criminals and the cartels can replace them easily. Drugs are also grown on what looks like large planta-

tions, and are grown and gath-ered by cheap laborers. Using this method, the drug cartels can still make a large profit, even if half of their supply is intercepted on its way to the U.S. In 2007, the Bush administration and its Mexican counterpart signed the Merida Initiative, a three-year $1.5 bil-lion plan to fight the narcotics trade. While the money has been appropriated, it has yet to be distributed. Even though $1.5 billion is certainly a large sum, it is nothing compared to the $100 billion Mexican drug trade and the money may only make the police and other officials even more corrupt. When questioned about the issue junior Allen Thomas said, “I think the cartels are harassing people for their own benefit. I’d fight them off.” World Languages teacher, Mrs. Morales, com-mented, “I’m horrified by the whole situation. People are losing their lives over the situation which is seemingly ir-resolvable. It’s unfortunate that the people are forced to live under these conditions. They’re being controlled by corrupt people. There must be a solu-tion, but I just can’t see it. The cops are being bribed. The politicians are being bribed. Ev-ery one is being bribed. Maybe if the world community got together, there could be a solu-tion. From the inside, people are just to scared to act. People should not live in fear.”

Cartoon by Andy Chang

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A ‘Golden’ Opportunity

by Abin Thannickal Ted Williams’ golden voice gained him instant fame overnight and captured the hearts of millions with his rags to riches story. A once convict-ed felon and recovering addict, Williams was living in a home-less encampment in Columbus, Ohio until a video showcasing his startling talent went viral on the Internet. Williams knew at the age of 14, that one day he would be a radio announcer. That his “god given voice” would skyrocket him to the top. However, Williams got involved with alcohol and drugs and ruined any chance of fulfilling his dream. He solicited money on Ohio’s interstate with a sign describ-ing his amazing voice, hoping someone would recognize talent. That came quickly as the Columbus Dispatch released a ninety-seven second video of Williams with that “golden voice.” It instantly gained thirteen million YouTube views and got the job offers rolling for Williams. This golden oppor-tunity turned into a ticket back to reality for Williams as he received several deals with major radio and television companies. He is also featured in the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese commercial doing the voice over. The offers continue to roll in after the Cleveland Cavaliers contacted Williams in hopes of working out a deal. The rumored possibilities in-

clude events with the NFL, The Ohio Credit Union League, MTV and ESPN. The options for Williams are endless as he also received a precarious offer from Oprah Winfrey; that there’s a spot for Williams on her newly launched network, OWN. In an interview with the Today Show, Williams was quick to acknowledge his whirl wind week and how much it changed his life. "There's no way in the world that I could have ever imagined that I would be - I mean, just have all of this just all of a sudden come into this portion of my life," he said. The most heart-wrenching moment was when Williams reunited with his mother. She was stunned at how fast her son grew in fame within a week. Williams had visited her on his trip to New York and promised that he would not return to the drugs and alcohol. Julia Williams, his mother, was passionately grip-ping her son and begged him, "Don’t disappoint me." Unfortunately, Wil-liams would began to relapse. With the whole nation watch-ing, Williams put himself into a rehab facility in which he sought help for drugs and alcohol abuse. The man with the incredible voice said “Don’t forget me America.” With that the nation waits for the golden voice to make a come back, hoping that this rag-to-riches story won’t disappear again.

by Anitra Persaud A referendum took place in Southern Sudan decid-ing whether the region should become independent. Such a controversial issue necessar-ily stirred up disagreements between the north and south over funding and border con-flicts. A further problem arises in Darfur to the West, from the civilians who refuse to take part in the census out of fear that the government would attack. Darfur rebel groups are unanimous in their denun-ciation of the planned census. However, Sudan has acquired the necessary votes to secede and in some regions, South Su-dan has gained 99% of the vote for succession. The commission said that the results were still unfinished, and that they were being repeatedly reorganized, though all signs point to a vote for secession. Election officials have also stated that the attendance soared past the 60 percent en-try required for the referendum to be legitimate. The official re-sults are due to be released Feb. 14. The referendum marks the end to the experiment called Sudan, which for countless decades functioned as a link between the Arab and African world. The new nation is said to be named Republic of South Sudan. However, there are still a number of concerns that need to be resolved before

Sudan can peacefully break in two, specifically how the two sides would divide up the south’s substantial reserves of crude oil and resolve the issue of the Abyei region. As Southern Suda-nese went to vote, hundreds of militiamen from the Arab north launched an attack near the town of Abyei that killed dozens of fighters from the African south. Because this is essentially the border region, such rebellion could lead to fear and violence. A student, George Koshy gave his opinion on the issue, “Instead of progress-ing with the war, people are living in fear.” The reoccurring question is whether the fairly small assembly of Arabs who live along the northern reaches of the Nile, will share influence and wealth in one of the most diverse populations on the continent. It was political segregation that drove rebels in the semi-autonomous south to struggle, and the same matter that stirred up the horrific up-rising in Darfur. At least 2, 300 have died in Darfur in 2010. The vote in southern Sudan could give the north cover to step up attacks on Darfur as that region still knows no peace. So the same question continues to arise: Will southern Sudan become a new nation of peace, or will more destruction and chaos occur in a region that knows little else.

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by Chaheti Bansal and Shannon Sunny As teenagers get older, they tend to lose the whimsical spirit that fueled their child-hood. This is why, especially when dealing with APs, SATs and college preparation, teens are noticed to be following seemingly childish trends. From silly bands to animal hats to pillow pets, the child within is making its debut in these quirky fads. Since the beginning of winter, animal hats have become a stable teenage trend. From 7th graders to seniors, they have been spotted and characterized as unique and quirky. When asked what is so appealing about the hats, junior Victoria Lofaro replied, “Everything! They’re adorable!” While keeping up with the animal trend, Pil-low Pets were created. The Pillow Pets website deemed these animal shaped pillows as great for “playtime, sleep-time, anytime!” and for “kids of any age.” Teens definitely appear to be in that market. As seen with Pillow Pets, teenagers are more lured to trends that are both comfortable and fun. Silly bands, rubber-band bracelets that come in various shapes, have also been recently seen on the wrists of teenagers everywhere; kids in school have been caught “trad-ing silly bands” and happily discussing about how many they own. Ironically, it seems that as students are being forced to grow up, they are more eager to hold on to the

carefree spirits of their past. Animal hats, pillow pets and silly bands are extensions of that childhood that many long to hold on to. Even fashion trends seem to have taken a similar twist. NHP Memorial Junior Jay-Michael Wagan has often been spotted wearing his fa-mous Polo Ralph Lauren basic white tees that have a picture of a teddy bear. He remarks, “Wearing these tees remind me of my childhood; my favorite tee was a polo bear shirt.” Even on the Inter-net, people are reverting back to their childhood. Many Facebook users are familiar with the famous “Pokémon Profile Picture December” and “Childhood Cartoon Character Profile Picture Month,” which took place recently. Whether bringing light to serious and under-discussed issues such as child abuse, or just rekindling the excitement and love of Pokémon, campaigns such as these are becoming increasingly popular. No matter what, kids will always be kids, and nothing can change that fact. Although everyone has to grow up and face adulthood, childhood memories are still kept alive by clinging on to the many sentimental values. Whether through simple fads in clothing, mere accessories, or through random events on the Internet, teenagers at New Hyde Park are making a huge effort to stay forever young and reminisce about the good times.

Forever Youngby Stacy Chacko It seems like every-where you go, there's someone holding one of the most popu-lar smart phones in the palm of their hand. BlackBerries have become the center of the lives of adults and teenagers; once they get their hands on one, they are bound to never let go. BlackBerries are known especially for their highly ad-dicting nature. Cruising down the hallways of New Hyde Park Memorial, it's pretty evident that many students do carry around this nifty, portable device in their hands. I myself, am a culprit. But what is it about the BlackBerry that makes it so addicting? To be honest, it's not like any other phone. It makes you feel pro-fessional, organized and older. Also, the important thing is that it is extremely convenient. The most addicting feature of the Blackberry is BBM. BBM is the new messag-ing service that has created a stir all over the globe. It's only allowed for the select few who actually do have BlackBerries. Features like the emoticons and

the status updates make the Blackberry extremely conve-nient for anyone in the smart phone world. Many students in New Hyde Park avidly use this feature, and without a doubt, "pins" are definitely spread amongst our students. Although BBM is probably one of the most commonly used apps on the blackberry, there is still a number of other apps that the “blackkberry world” offers. They have applications such as calorie counter, virtual games and news apps. Also with one click of a button, you have the news in hand. This is just another reason the smart phone is so popular. Though there are different types of smart-phones out on the market, BlackBerry has become the most common one. It has provided millions of people with so many things that an ordinary telephone could never provide. It also is addicting, yet serves an actual purpose. Students, parents, and teachers alike cannot seem to get their hands off these well-crafted phones. Once you go BlackBerry, you never go BACK!

Blackberry Domination

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From Frenchieeby Frenchiee Beauvil It’s that time of the year again, February, the month that brings joy and love into our hearts; now is the time to tell that special someone how you feel! Valentine’s Day have been celebrated all around the world, and different cul-tures enjoy this day differently. However, through the cultures that use distinct ways to cel-ebrate this exciting day, such as Danish and French traditions, there is always a special person. If you have a special someone, Valentine’s Day is your chance to do something special for him or her, and if you don’t already have a special someone, don’t worry, there is someone out there for everyone.

Dear Frenchiee, I like this girl, and I think she likes me back. But I don’t know if I should ask her out now, or wait until we get older. What do you think?- 7th grader student

Dear 7th grader, Happy Valentine’s Day! So, to start off, since you and the girl are so young, you guys might not know each other that well. However, if you do get to know her better, you will never know if your feelings will become stronger or weaker. I believe that you will have a better chance of carrying out a successful relationship if you become closer friends. So give it some time and think about your problem carefully. I hope I was helpful!

Dear Frenchiee, I am in a relation-ship and our anniversary is on Valentine’s Day. The problem is that I don’t feel like I like him anymore. But, I have no intentions of hurting his feelings. So, should I stay with him because he really likes me, or should I break up with him? Also, if I break up with him, should it be before or after our anniversary? Please help me!- Broken heart93 Dear Broken Heart93, This is a tough prob-lem. Congratulations on your new relationship but I am sorry to say that at the end of the day, someone has to get hurt. That is just how life works. My advice is to talk with him and tell him. Some topics you can talk about are how things are becoming so different, and how your feelings are constantly changing. If this motive still does not work out, then you just might have to end your relationship. Yes, he may still like you but if you wait longer, things will become harder in the end for you, and also for him. As hard as it may sound, you might have to end the relationship before Valentine’s Day. This is because if he had something special planned, you will feel even guiltier. What-ever the outcome is, you and the boy should try staying as friends. Since your relationship with him started out as friends, I believe that it should end as being friends. I really hope I helped!

by Diane Choi and Deirdre Schaefer During the past few months, students across Long Island have been anxiously awaiting that early morning phone-call that cancels school. Three major snow storms have occurred so far in the past two months, and they have greatly affected students in many dif-ferent ways. Obviously most students love a day off, but there are also drawbacks. Dur-ing the past few snow days, students have been complain-ing about their plans being ruined. For example, shoveling can be a real pain if it has to be done nearly every day just so you can get your car out of the driveway! Plus, important school plans can be ruined by the occasional unexpected day off. One student, Bryan Baracaldo, remarked, “If I had to choose between a snow day and a day off in the spring break, I would definitely rather not have a snow day.” In ad-dition, Senora Pincay shared her thoughts of snow days. She said, “It seems that on snow

days, I seem to do more work than I do in school. I would rather be in school.” While some students anxiously antici-pate calls from the principals, some students pray that they do not have a snow day. However, those who desire for snow days always overpopulate the students who disagree with them. This is due to the many activities that they do when they are not in school. Because of the school-work and the tests, students are unable to do activities that they enjoy during school. Thus, on snow days, they are able to keep their minds off work or school, and do other things that will keep them relaxed and contented. On snow days, many students chose to sit back, enjoy a hot chocolate, while the more adventurous take to the streets to shovel for money. Due to the one extra snow day we have left, we’ll have to wait to see the students’ reactions when they hear “the phone-call.” Some students will scream for joy, while others will possibly be disappointed.

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PuzzlesThe Chariot

Word Search

#3: The Words of WisdomE Y P S C D P C E V E I L E B E N X N S S G O U I E M O E W Z H I U O E H N D R E A M D C I O X G W P N F F U D D O Z A L N M A A T S I S O H R I R E A P S Z U M D D P Q X H H N Q U Q V P O M I E X P P G C O E S V M D I L D N H Z A O N P T I X S F P R A C N O U H O T A V I P P A C A E U R P Y X I E W N G A H M N T A J K E K M R B G Q I K F Q G I G O B I I C P G E E G D E L W O N K V S T I V M O T I V A T E N I G M U E P P F T F M S X G D V W Q H

ACHIEVEBELIEVE

CONFIDENCECREATEDREAM

ENCOURAGEHAPPINESS

HOPEIMAGINE

INSPIRATIONKNOWLEDGEMOTIVATEOPTIMISMVISUALIZEWISDOM

Created by:Allison Teicher

Valentine’s Day ScrambleFind the words related to Valentine’s Day; use the corresponding numbers to find the mystery word!

SOERS _ _ _ _ _ 8

EOLV _ _ _ _ 7 5 12

HAOLCOETC _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 15

CYDNA _ _ _ _ _ 2 11 14 4

PIDCU _ _ _ _ _ 3 10

ESRTHA _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 9 13

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ’ _ _ _ _ ! 1 2 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 9 101112 13 1415 4

Mystery

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Inquiring MindsThe Chariot

If you won the lottery, what would you spend

your winnings on?

“I would buy an island in Belize - it’s paradise there!”

-Mr. Tarantola

“I’d buy season tickets to soc-cer games and a BMW.”

-Carolyn Rodgers

“I’d buy India.”-Amandeep Singh

“I’d go on a world tour!”-Joel Barbosa

“I’d give money to my family, friends, and also give some

money to charity.”-Mr. Pasquarella, Head of Security

“I would buy a city in Puerto Rico.”

-Valerie Attard

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Jr. High

Editorials

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by Allison Teicher February 14th, also known as Valentine’s Day, is supposedly a holiday that celebrates love, hope, and kind-ness; but since the creation of the holiday in 500 A.D., I’ve barely seen any acts kindness or love whatsoever. Around the world, people are still experiencing feelings of hatred. Recently in Egypt, citizens have been upset with their president, Hosni Mubarak, and most citizens want him to step down from his thirty-year reign over the country. Egyptian citizens began protesting in Cairo’s Tahrir Square – some were in favor of keeping Mubarak in office, and those who disagree. This protest between the citizens caused many violent riots; the Egyptian army started breaking up the protest – about three hundred citizens lost their lives. Even weeks after the political unrest in Egypt, an agreement to bring peace back to the country has not yet been made; day by day, in-nocent citizens are dying while attempting to spread kindness and love. In our country, wars continuously taunt us. Within the past few years, the wars on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan have sent citizens of the U.S. into panic mode. Thousands of soldiers have died trying to protect our country – they tried to spread kindness and fought to keep their country’s citizens safe; soldiers sacrificed their lives for those they will they never meet, their attempt

to spread happiness was cut short. Throughout the wars, America still continues to struggle as their unemployment and poverty levels continuously increase with no relief in sight. Many citizens are still trying to promote happiness and kind-ness by helping out in various homeless shelters and soup kitchens. In our own school, cyber bullying still exists. With a rising media addiction and declining social interaction between students, people are be-ginning to use social network-ing sites to bully others. Many students are beginning to stress over unimportant things, and are creating friction amongst themselves; this friction adds more and more feelings of hatred, causing more emo-tional problems which result in people becoming bitter and untrustworthy. As a friend of mine once said, “there’s no point in stressing over things that you can’t control, it’s inevitable that bad things will happen, just find the good parts of the situation you’re in and focus on that – it will make life much easier.” Every year, people say that their new year’s resolution is to be nicer to others, well, why don’t we start today? Let’s all help end frustration, end hostility, and end the drama! February 14th may be the only day of the year that love is recognized, but we should recognize love, friend-ship, and kindness everyday – if we want love to be spread, we have to be the first to spread it.

Where is the Love?by Abin Thannickal Whether you believe it or not, a new word has been added to the dictionary, Islamaphobia. This epidemic has been spreading across the United States ever since 9/11 and has continued up to today with the mosque controversy near Ground Zero. This wave of uneasiness has even spread to New Hyde Park. The Hillside Islamic Center, which is located near the Shop and Stop complex, has been having issues with lo-cal residents over parking. The proposed plan was to build an eighteen-space parking lot near the mosque. Residents opposed to the plan say that the proposed lot would increase traffic along a side street and would decrease the value of their homes. Al-though this is not an anti-Mus-lim comment, many character-ize it as a bias against Muslims. This fear has been spreading, when there is nothing to fear. Everyone has these negative views of Islam when we should view it as any other religion. Think about it, this fear of Islam is making residents fight over a parking lot. I do not think that these residents are Islamaphobic; however, it is such a dense issue to argue. Never have I heard of people arguing over a parking lot. It seems that in many cases people do not want change in fact they dread change. A park-ing lot in no way can reduce property value of neighboring

houses. This coming from a Christian boy, Muslims are free to build a parking lot where they please just like every other religion. There should not be an argument over that because what if it was a church or a temple that was to be built in the parking lot. Would the property value of houses go down then? It is so typical that this fear of Islam would cause such a ste-reotype of the religion. People may say that it is just a parking lot and that it will not make a difference, but they are wrong. The parking lot should be built there to prove a point. If the mosque creates this parking lot, it will show that America isn’t the anti-Muslim country that it is made out to be. The resi-dents also state that it would increase traffic on side streets. This too is false because it is located right on a main road, Hillside Avenue. Obviously, traffic is imminent in all places of worship, but that does not stray from the fact that all areas should have the right to build a parking lot. The traffic would be heading towards Hillside. Even if it did, many churches in the area are located near side streets and there is no argument there. The building of anything should not be based on religion and should be a positive aspect to all. We have to stop mak-ing big deals out of small trou-bles. If we treat everyone with equal respect and no prejudice, we can live in a world of peace.

Islam, No Parking Zone

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Hands Offby John Binaso The uprising in Egypt has been a long time in coming. The Egyptian people are finally rebelling against an unjust and abusive govern-ment, and pushing for a true democratic government, not the charade President Hosni Mubarak has masqueraded under. When a “democratic election” consists of a single party essentially controlling the entire political process, how much of a say does the average citizen actually have? So it’s about time change came to Egypt, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets protesting for some basic rights. Unfortunately, now, as the world watches, the world also sets up an agenda. Though no one would readily admit it, each country in the world wants this revolution

to go in a certain direction in order to benefit themselves. The United States in particular would probably be most satis-fied with a true democracy, in order for a “domino effect” to take place in the Middle East, thus providing strong allies in a currently hostile region. But here’s an idea. To countries around the world: hands off. Don’t try to use the passion of the Egyptian people to benefit yourselves. Don’t try to influence them with agendas. That goes out to the United States, Great Britain, and any other powerful, influ-ential country. Let the people of Egypt decide what they want. After all, it is their coun-try. It’s becoming increasingly apparent Mubarak is losing control and won’t be around for much longer. Who replaces him is the big debate. Will it

be the Muslim Brotherhood - a religious fundamentalist group, or will the people choose a different party? Will democracy finally flourish? Well, it’s not for us to say. Hopefully, this revolution does springboard democracy in the Middle East, but we can’t force it upon the people. They must choose for themselves. Therefore, it almost goes without saying that under NO circumstances should the United States get militar-ily involved in Egypt. Simply put, we can’t afford another Iraq. We can’t afford another Afghanistan. It’s time to step back from our constant role of international policeman. Diplo-macy should be the preferred course of action. The United States stands for the ideals of democracy, liberty, and justice. They’re all fantastic virtues, but

Egypt must develop them on their own if they are to stick. This is history. This could be the start of something politically transformative with-in the Middle East. Change is occurring where change has not occurred for years. Already Tunisia has revolted, and Yemen is now calling for the resignation of its president. Is democracy spreading in the Middle East? It’s certainly pos-sible, but lets not screw it up by interfering. Clearly, the people of Egypt have been inspired by democracy, but if there’s one thing these countries hate, it’s when America becomes the international bully and forces issues down their throats. This is history. This is our history. But we have to know when to back off and let others control their political future.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak defends his presidency.

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by Emily Cotter and Ambia Azeez It’s that time of the year again - Valentine’s Day! We asked students who are in relationships and students who are not in relationships what they think about Valentine’s Day.

Do you think that Valentine’s Day is a sensible holiday? What is your overall view? Frenchie Beauvil, 11th grade: “I think that Valentine’s Day is an amazing holiday - There’s love everywhere. Seeing couples holding hands and giving gifts makes me smile.”

Do you think that presents are necessary for Valentine’s Day?Nadia Satir, 8th grade: “No, I don’t think they are neces-sary. Valentine’s Day should be about both people spending time with each other.”

How would you feel if you did not receive a present on Valentine’s Day?Angie Holler, 11th grade: (In a relationship) “Totally fine. The pressure that Valentine’s Day puts on people is ridiculous. I’d be happy with a card.”

What would you do if you could not see your family and the people you love on Valentine’s Day?Erin Cotter, 12th grade: “I would make sure to call or text them to let them know that I am thinking about them.”

Should girls get special treatment on Valentine’s Day?

Rachel Kavanagh, 9th grade: “No because Valentine’s Day is an over exaggerated holiday. If you’re going to celebrate it make it equal.”

Should Valentine’s Day be the most important holiday for a couple? Conor Breen, 11th grade: “No, it’s totally commercialized and corporations make billions off of something made up. Every day is important for a couple.”

Do you think it is more of the guy’s responsibility to plan Valen-tine’s Day? Why?Geoffrey Si, 12th grade: “Girls because they are better at plan-ning anyway.”

What would be the perfect Valen-tine’s Day in your eyes?Shawn Sam, 10th grade: (In a relationship) “Spending it with the one person you care about the most, it doesn't matter what you’re doing.”

If your boyfriend/girlfriend said that they did not want a present on Valentine’s Day would you still get them one?Tim Brooks, 11th grade: (In a relationship) “Yes absolutely!”

Do you think that Valentine’s Day is the best day to ask someone out?Bryan Baracaldo, 10th grade: “No, because it’s too corny and vacation starts soon after, so you can't really see each other.”

Valentine Views by Jennifer Haynes and

Angelina Holler Do you ever walk the halls of NHP and see couples showing a bit too much affec-tion? PDA (public display of affection) is quite common these days throughout high schools. PDA is classified as the physical demonstration of affection for another person while in the view of others. Many schools in our country have put a stern ban on PDA. An example can be seen at the Fossil Hill Middle

PDA, No Way!

School in Fort Worth, Texas, where students are banned from holding hands. Although the severity of the ban ranges throughout New York, almost every school has some form of restriction about students show-ing affection to each other. In New Hyde Park, PDA is seen regularly. Some students blurt out suggestions like “Get a room,” while our teachers feel a more serious form of reprimanding should be enforced. After speaking to social studies teacher, Mrs. Es-

posito, it was gathered just how strongly teachers are against public displays of affection: “I believe it is inappropriate and uncomfortable and there are other ways to show your affec-tion for another person.” Not only can PDA be taken too far at school, but in addition, the internet is also a place where young couples find it necessary to display affec-tion for their significant other. Although restrictions can be placed at school, the internet is a place for couples to upload

pictures and comments onto social networking sites such as Facebook. Unfortunately, our news feeds can be drowned in the melodramatic statuses and sometimes explicit pictures of young couples “in love.” Our enthusiastic Dean of Students, Mr. Dolan, com-mented that, “Like many things in life, there are thresholds for decorum. Public displays of affection should not pass the minimum standards of one chocolate milkshake, two straws.”

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by Jenny John Moccasins originated from the Native American Indians and have come a long way. Why does everyone wear them? Why did they become so popular again? Both boys and girls today wear moccasins as a way to stay warm and comfortable. Junior Christine John said, “When I first saw moccasins I didn’t like the look of them. But when I tried them on, I loved them. They are so comfy and I wear them everywhere!” Moccasins can be worn with anything. They can be worn with a colorful t-shirt and jeans or they can be worn on a night out. Not only are moccasins versatile

but also there are many other advantages to them. Comfort is an important feature to these

Rock the Mocs!

New Year, New Yearnings

shoes. These are shoes that can be worn all day long without discomfort. They’re also adjust-

able. The lace that runs around the shoe and ties in the front can be tightened or loosened.

Moccasins are easy to take on and off. Most people like shoes that easily slide on to their feet.

They’re also sold in boot and platform versions along with the classic style. They are also sold in many different colors with beads, bows and lots more. Want a pair of moc-casins? Better buy them fast! These shoes are being sold extremely quickly and more and more people are starting to wear them. Whether Ugg, Birkenstock, or Minnetonka, moccasins will keep your feet comfortable for as long as you walk in them. Junior, Lillie Viscardi said, “I love moccasins, espe-cially the slipper kind because they are comfortable and casual. Also, they go great with every outfit!”

by Shannon Sunny 2010 was characterized by a plethora of unique devel-opments in fashion, technology and television. However the fads of 2011 will soon over-shadow those of last year. In fashion, 2010 started off with the Ed Hardy craze with graphic tees, hats and accessories but ended off classy with refined and simple looks of Chanel and Polo Ralph Lauren. Looks that ended the year including lace, crop tees and combat boots fol-lowed into winter 2011. Spring 2011 will be distinguished by bold colors and prints. Citrus colors, including yellows and oranges, have been spotted on spring 2011 runways along with mixing patterns within

outfits. Junior Dora Aviles commented on the fashion scene saying, “I like to follow fashion trends; they will make you feel like you’re a part of the 21st century.” In tech gadgets, 2010 was the year of Apple; new iP-ads and iPhones have been in-troduced and further adapted. Apple will continue to revamp their products for 2011. How-ever, the Apple iPad will have competition from the Toshiba tablet announced to be released sometime this year. iPad owner Jeffrey Zhou said, “I like my iPad; I keep up-to date with all the firmware releases and over-all, it’s very convenient.” In mobile capability, smartphones are constantly outdueling each other in terms of performance,

speed and capabilities. For instance, LG Electronics is set to debut a 3D phone at the 2011 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. In general, the gadgets of 2011 will be made even more personal; the capa-bilities of the smartphone and the tablets seem endless. Television of 2010 ranged from musical com-edy that broke down the established stereotypes of high school cliques, interspersed with catchy song covers and dance routines to fist-pumping New Jersey natives getting feisty in clubs. In the New Year, Glee returns for season 3 and The Jersey Shore is brimming with new cast members and situations in its return. New MTV show Skins is already

causing controversy after the first episodes but seems like it will be a new teen favorite. On January 1st, television host and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey launched her network, cleverly titled, The Oprah Winfrey Network. The network fea-tures shows including Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star, Our America with Lisa Ling, and Dr. Phil. TV of 2011 will have definitely cover your real-ity show fix. As we go forward in the New Year, trends are chang-ing and it almost seems impos-sible to keep up! Just know you can never go wrong with classic clothing brands, but Apple tech product’s are constantly updating. And remember, it’s always “T-shirt time.”

A classic pair of comfortable moccasins.

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Hitting High Notes No Strings Attached! by Humayra Mayat If anyone was to walk through the doors of New Hyde Park Memorial in the middle of the day, the sound of Music would immediately reach their ears. From Vivaldi and the Classics to Star Wars and Holiday Music, the diverse array of music allows the pro-gram to explore and cater to a variety of distinct styles and preferences of music. Based on the time and space being devoted to the musical arts, it becomes clear fairly quickly that music is an integral part of our school. The orchestra program of the school, in particular, has quickly grown to become the largest 7th to 12th grade program in Nassau County. With over 330 students, it ac-commodates the needs of every skill set. The students in the program are broken up into four distinct classes: beginner, intermediate, junior high, and senior high orchestra.

Consequently, as the students improve, they are elevated through the ranks. Deanna Delsanto, a sopho-more, has been playing the viola for eight years now. She readily stated that, “Orchestra is a great class and hearing it all come together in the end is an amazing accomplishment for everyone.” The head of the Orchestra program and the instructor of all four classes is Mrs. Linda Tomkiw. Mrs. Tomkiw has been the head of the Orchestra program at New Hyde Park Memorial for the last 27 years and is an accom-plished musician. She currently plays the violin, viola, cello, base, and piano proficiently. She is also the String Ensemble advisor, a smaller orchestra for the more advanced and gifted players. Throughout the years she has taught and helped hundreds of students improve their musical abilities and will continue to do so.

by Ryan Maharaj The night of Febru-ary 3rd was certainly a spec-tacular sight for those who had witnessed the band, chorus, and orchestra perform. The auditorium was filled with eager parents from all 5 schools (New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Elmont, Sewanhaka, and Carey) who waited for their children to perform. The weeks of prepara-tion before the District Music Festival were hectic between the constant practice and the stress. Tryouts were held, hundreds of students tried out, only a select amount of students were chosen. Ryan Thomas, a percussionist, said, “The preparations for district were an enjoyable experience because I got to meet new people from all around the district.” Due to a snow day, participants of the festival lost a day of rehearsal. Junior, Jeremy Jose, said, "We were all nervous since we missed that one practice.” However no one from the audience could tell that these students hadn't practiced since Monday. After the performance, Mrs. Tomkiw, the orchestra chairperson stated, “It was a thriller; an excellent perfor-mance. It was a great experi-ence to work with students from other schools.” The orchestra performed four songs perfectly and left the audience in complete admiration. The orchestra was led by Tracey Campbell. Ms. Campbell at-tended one of the schools in

our district and was also first chair in the district festival back then. Next was the chorus which sang six songs including the renowned Shenan-doah. Mr. McKinnon of the New Hyde Park Chorus said, “It was a superb performance and a wonderful experience.” The choir was led by John Fallon. Mr. Fallon is an award winning speaker, most recently becoming the 2010 extempora-neous speaking champion of Toastmasters International. The final performance of the night was by the district band. The band was led by Mr. Coleman, from Hempstead High School. The bands perfect posture and articulation was breathtaking as they performed the famous song, Fate of the Gods. New Hyde Park of-fered a talented group of musi-cians. Particularly, the soloists from our school: Chris Sanges on the trombone, Kevin Gam-boa on the French horn, and Jennifer Lee on the flute. Along with the music performances, an art exhibit was displayed in front of the auditorium. The exhibit contained accomplishments of over 250 students. Proud par-ents looked for their children’s work. “What I love about all district is being able to interact with students outside our school. The beauty of music is that it is a unifying language. We all share the same purpose- to come together as one spirit, one district, to perform beauti-ful music with our peers,” said violinist Samantha Bangug. Standing in front of her class, Mrs. Tomkiw, demonstrates how to

play a new piece.

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LAN & Video Gaming CenterCOME JOIN US FORAnimé Movie Night

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH

JAPANESE SNACKS AND DRINKS WILL BE SERVED!

Call for details:(516) 233 - 2674

941 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square(1 block East of the Franklin Square Movie Theater)

TenbaLAN & Video

Gaming CenterLAN & Video Gaming Center

Regular Events Every Week! Animé Talks & Movie Showings

TournamentsBoard Game Nights

Collectible Card NightsVideo Game Nights - Halo, Call of Duty and More

Have a particular game type event you’d like to do with your friends? We’ll host it for you!

Call for this week’s events and details: (516) 233-2674

CALL NOW!941 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square

(one block east of the Franklin Square movie theater)

by Chaheti Bansal and Nicole Layug After the Myspace craze passed, a series of social networking sites took over. Three websites, Facebook, Twit-ter, and Tumblr have surfaced, gaining popularity among teens as well as adults. Many people find themselves on the comput-er writing on someone’s wall, tweeting about their day, or re-blogging a really inspiration post instead of worrying about the other activities in their life. Facebook, the largest social networking site in the world, is also the most com-monly used site by teens. Al-though many people can safely assume that its sole purpose is

to reconnect and stay recon-nected with friends, others have found different ways in which they can spend their time on the site. From play-ing games to keeping track of friends, Facebook has become a site where you can do almost anything. However as harmless as this may seem, it also has its disadvantages. People, especial-ly teenagers, tend to waste their time on the site while neglect-ing their priorities, such as their schoolwork. Hours upon hours are spent aimlessly on the site. Junior Allen Thomas stated, "Facebook can be very detrimental to the life of a high-schooler because of the procrastination its addiction

gives." Some people believe that Twitter is more of a stalker-networking site than Facebook is capable of being. While that may be true, the sole purpose of its popularity is due to the hype of it among celebrities and famous public figures. These socialites are able to interact with their fans more frequently and the fans also get the chance of showing their support. Senior Rosa Lo responded, “Twitter isn’t stalk-ing, it’s acknowledging what others are doing.” There has been a new social networking site buzzing upon teens of our generation called Tumblr. Tumblr has

various functions and possibili-ties through which its users can experiment, and that in itself makes it so appealing to the public. Sophomore Sana Mayet revealed, “I like Tumblr because I can let out my thoughts. I use mine like a diary. It’s not like Facebook where people judge you left and right, it’s different.” Tumblr has brought people from around the world together and it definitely proves that sometimes it is easier talk-ing to strangers. Social networking sites have evidently taken over a great part of our lives and they all show their pros and cons with the ways we use them, even if it’s obsessive sometimes.

Battle of the Social Networks

Clubs

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by Kahina Toubal The meeting in room 123 is small, with about 12 to 15 students in attendance. The atmosphere, however, is upbeat enough to make the group seem double its size. There may be music, snacks, or perhaps a new member or two. This is the picture painted to me of New Hyde Park Memorial’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) meet-ings by its co-president, junior Devon DeSanna. Hearing her vivid descriptions of the close-knit group, it is hard to believe the struggle they have under-gone to become what they are today. Yet what is even more difficult to believe is how little known this struggle is amongst the general population of our school. When budget cuts began to take their toll on our school’s clubs and sports, the GSA was among the first to be cut. For the next two years, Mrs. Argaman fought persis-tently to revive the club. “Ev-

erybody deserves respect,” she said, when asked why she felt Memorial would benefit from having a GSA. “It’s a place where all students can feel comfortable coming; a place where they can be themselves.” While this was undoubtedly a step up from being disbanded completely, the GSA still struggled immensely to get off the ground. For a disheartening time, Devon recalls, it seemed that Memorial’s GSA was “des-tined for failure.” September and Octo-ber of 2010 brought a wave of media reports on teens driven to suicide by the homopho-bic bullying they had been subjected to. The school district began to worry that there was a lack of support and outreach available for students being victimized by similar narrow-minded prejudices. This worry granted the GSA its first major opportunity in a long time. Its status as a club was restored, and its officers worked quickly

to make sure that it would be back on its feet as soon as pos-sible. “It goes without saying that [becoming an official club again] saved us,” Devon con-firms. “The next meeting was a complete turnaround. We were able to get our old room back and we had a great turnout.” With its status as a club secure, the GSA’s mem-bers can concentrate on what they joined the club to do: create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental group for their fellow students to turn to. President DeSanna revealed that, “the thing that distin-guishes the GSA from any other club in the school is that in actuality it’s not a club—it’s a family. It’s a place you can go [where] you never have to feel like you cannot be yourself.” Senior Yanet Ortega, the club’s secretary, agreed, explaining, “There’s a lot of people [in this school] that need to talk to someone, but don’t want to talk to a guidance counselor.

Our school has tolerance, but it doesn’t necessarily have ac-ceptance.” Turning this tolerance into acceptance is one of the GSA’s foremost goals, and they have plenty of ideas on how to make it happen. Devon and Ya-net describe events like the Day of Silence and their hopes of raising awareness of the harm-ful impact of misusing words like “gay” and “retarded” to describe something negative or disliked. “[In] many other clubs you pay your dues, maybe help out at a bake sale or two, and you put it on your college resume.” Devon says. “But with the GSA, everyone attends for the experience rather than the title of being a member.” “We can’t make people accept us,” Devon acknowl-edges. However, we can create a place of sanctuary for those who feel oppressed. Reaching out is where change begins and that is the true goal of the GSA.”

A New Day for the GSA

Left to right: Cyril Abraham, Mr. Testa, Roshan Ramkeesoon, Josil Abraham, Marvin Gill, and Brianna Lowey at the National Science Bowl.

NHP Takes Third!Roshan Ramkeesoon, Cyril Abraham, Brianna Lowey, Josil Abraham and Marvin Gill, stu-dents from New Hyde Park Memorial High School, participated in the National Science

Bowl at Brookhaven National Laboratory. New Hyde Park Memorial went undefeated in the first round and won their division. They fin-

ished 3rd out of 20 overall. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

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by Rebecca Lewis The stage is a home to actors, actresses, musicians and performers of all kind. Every year, the New Hyde Park stage welcomes a number of events, concerts, plays, and musicals. It produces performances that engage the audience and creates a fun and enjoyable setting. But just who is it that makes this all possible? Who helps make the stage more than just a stage? The performers are probably what first come to mind, but behind every great performance there are people just as important, the unsung heroes of theatre. We all know what’s happening center stage, but what happens behind the scenes is a mystery waiting to be revealed. Headed by advisors Mr. Sime and Mr. Micciche, the fifteen member stage crew is present and helping at any

event that needs them. They are responsible for the lights, sounds, set changes, spotlights, and anything else that needs attention backstage. Although the stage crew is involved in a variety of events, their main job is to assist in stage pro-ductions like the plays and musicals. About one to two weeks before a performance, the stage crew begins to prepare and organize, staying after school as the actors and actresses rehearse late into the night. They get involved and have fun with the cast as they get ready. “My most memo-rable moment is the singing at 11 o’clock,” said sophomore member Tomasz Pietruszka. Then comes the night of the performance as the cast is creating magic on stage, the stage crew is working backstage. Behind the scenes it is very

busy, sometimes even hectic, but still, they go about their work with precision and care. One of the most important, and also one of the most fun jobs, is the set changes. “It is like a ballet going backstage, where timing has to be per-fect,” said Mr. Sime. Members help with the lighting, whether it is work-ing the stage lights behind the curtains or working the spot-light opposite the stage, high above the crowd in the booth. Others help with the sound, setting up microphones, and making sure the cast sounds good. Everyone works together to make the performance come together. Though an extremely overused analogy, the stage crew really is like ‘cogs in a well oiled machine.’ Although, sometimes a lack of members, the crew still manages to do its job. “I couldn’t ask for a better

crew”, said advisor Mr. Sime. For stage crew mem-bers, the work may be hard, but they still have fun. Wheth-er it is staying late, or trying to get everything done backstage, these dedicated volunteers always enjoy themselves. “You have a lot to do, but its pretty fun overall,” said Tomasz Pietruszka. “We are responsible for some very serious things, but we always have a good time doing it.” Although stage crew is essential to plays, musicals, concerts, and other events, they never ask for credit or recogni-tion for their work and often they don’t receive any, espe-cially in smaller events. Sure, the stage crew is mentioned at the end of plays and musicals, but really the fun environment creates an atmosphere that is beyond any recognition.

Behind the Curtain

Second Siblingsby Arman Bhuiyan New Hyde Park Memorial is more than just a place where kids come to learn; it’s a place where kids come to grow up. We come in as little 7th graders and emerge as young adults ready to face the world. However, sometimes we run into walls that we can’t climb without a helping hand, and that is where the New Hyde Park Big Brother, Big Sister club comes in to offer one. Most teenagers wouldn’t be willing to take on any added responsibility on top of the

workload they already have from school, but the members of this club volunteer their free periods tutoring and helping younger stu-dents with things like homework and social problems. Older stu-dents usu-ally spend 2 or 3 free periods a week with a “younger sibling,” so over the course of the meet-ings, it is normal for them to

feel as close as real siblings. Even with the busy schedules, these dedicated students make time to help others rather

than waste time. When asked why he volunteered to spend his time helping others, senior Geoffrey Si, a member for 3 years, said, “I was blessed

with the time to help others, so why not use it?” The main attraction of Big Brothers,

Big Sisters is that it isn’t like spending another forty three minutes in the classroom, but like spending a period study-ing with a friend, which can be far more rewarding. Another senior, club President Amanda Lesar, said, “When you get to help people with something new, it’s always obvious how much they appreciate it.” Dr. Russo, our former school psychologist, recently re-signed, but Mrs. Argaman took the reigns this year so that New Hyde Park Memorial remains, and will continue to be, a place for kids to grow up.

Senior Amanda Lesar tutors freshman Michael Zornberg.

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by Sana Mayat Let’s take a walk,Just you and I,

Come take my hand,And please stand by.

What’s the rush?Don’t run, walk slow,

Running away,Won’t help you grow.

Open your eyes,And take a lookAt all the things,

You once mistook.

The flying birds,The orchid bloom,

not have a snow day.

Or nature’s womb

A smiling child,A fragile snowflake,The feeling of living,

And the blessing of wake.

So don’t pursue,The endless chase,

For the wealth and power,You may never embrace.

Instead, have fun,Cause your soul has a date,Smile broad, laugh loud,

Before it’s too late.

Go ignore your troubles,Forget your strife,

And let’s take a walk,On this road called life.

This Road Called Life

“The Struggle” by Danielle Savarese

“Through the Mind of a Girl” by Tiffany Kurian

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If anyone has any artwork or literary pieces that they would like to publish in the next issue of the Chariot, please submit it to Mr. Stencel. ~The Chariot

by Ali Eydid This life is just a test,

As we reside here in the west.And we dare to make jests,

But we forget how much we’re blessed.We need to live our life to the best,

As we progress on this quest.Now who could’ve ever guessed,

The amount God has blest.All the time that we recessed,

Is much to hard to digest.We all are just obsessed,

With the materialistic aspects.Are we really oppressed?

Or are we just being addressed?Now, do not be depressed.There is still time to attest,

All the wrongs deep in our chests.For I am not a pest, I just want the best!

The Test

“The Day After Tomorrow” by Shanjida Chowdhury

by Shaheer Ilyas One step and another

Walking with my cousins, father and mother Walking past the chandelier and

Through the hall

All the people are well dressedReady for a party

And here I am, feeling like an outcast Me, I’m wearing shorts, a t-shirt and sandals

A misfit

I want to escape to my hotel roomTo flee the embarrassment

So I runIn the elevator,

I notice another person

She was not in proper attire Wearing slacks, sneakers, and a large coat

And that’s when I noticed no one really cared They were too busy in their groups and pairs

I walked out, annoyed Why did I care what other people thought?

I went outsideSoon it was time for foodI went onto the long line

In some time I reached the buffet of wondrous foods

I took a plate and grabbed all of my favorite dishesPasta, pizza, all smelling scrumptious

But before I could leave and enjoy these delicious foods

Another embarrassing incident The woman behind me suddenly was pushed forward

And her plate slammed against my shirtGravy, rice, stewed tomatoes and beans running down my back

In an awkward situation, I ran againBut then I stopped

Why did I care what other people thought?

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Entertainment

by Briana Messina Forget everything you’ve heard about the ‘cap-tivating’ “Black Swan.” After sitting through the nearly two hour movie, I came to the real-ization that it would be more appropriate if it was named “Slack and Yawn.” Directed by a seemingly disturbed director, Darren Aronofsky, the movie was full of sickening scenes in which the young Nina, played by Natalie Portman, struggles to maintain her sanity. How-ever, the writer indefinitely establishes a firm connection between the characters and the audience as most will become mentally unstable after watch-ing. Nina is an overambi-

tious dancer who appears to be too frail for her own good. Though she aspires to be the swan queen in her ballet, the dancer is unable to extract her inner darkness to transform into the black swan. While Nina’s mother seems to be concerned by her daughter’s sick desire to practice, Nina continues to transform herself. Choreographer Thomas, played by the maturing Vincent Cas-sel, sets a high standard for his dancers, therefore causing Nina to become disgustingly self conscious. No need to worry for Nina though—the dancer sprouts gargantuan wings by the time of her performance which realistically captures the strength of the accomplished

naughty swan. The struggle becomes more apparent when rival dancer Lilly (Mila Kunis) proves to be a threat for the role. The conflict is only one of the many predicaments in the play. The audience struggles as well as they are forced to in-terpret between what is reality and what is just a figment of the twisted actress’ imagination. The acting of the movie is one of the few com-mendable aspects of it. Each cast member transforms them-selves into his or her character no matter how dramatically different it was from one’s true nature. The young Natalie Portman plays the part as a bal-lerina, ranging from her newly

learned dance skill to her frag-ile figure. Mila Kunis, though not stepping away from her tendency to play the ‘bad girl,’ captured her character’s sly and cunning ways. As for Vincent Cassel, there is not much to be said for him except for the fact that it is most probable that he did not have to work too hard to change into his creepy character. “Black Swan” unfor-tunately turned into a bucket of disappointment and eaten popcorn. The movie has been glorified by middle-aged critics who thrive on sick thrillers. For anyone who aspires to keep their sanity, I advise you to think twice before seeing this movie.

by Tim Foley You step into the ring, and the only thing keeping you sane is the knowledge that each second that goes by is a second closer to the fight being over. For better or for worse, you know that the end is near. In “The Fighter,” Director David O. Russell does an Oscar-worthy job of capturing the atmosphere in the ring from the point of view of a boxer. In this film, which is based on a true story, the boxer is young Micky Ward, a resi-dent of Lowell, Massachusetts, a town infamous for drugs and crime. Ward is played by Mark Wahlberg who does an excel-lent job of portraying a boxer who has had a tough career

and a hard time living up to the fame of his older half-brother, Dickie. Christian Bale plays Dickie Eklund, the man who once knocked down the great Sugar Ray Leonard, and is now addicted to cocaine. Bale acts the role by losing weight to look like a crack addict who lives in a bad neighborhood. His performance is undoubt-edly worthy of an Oscar as well, particularly because to the untrained eye, Bale is virtually beyond recognition in this film. Russell depicts the life of these men so well, and cre-ates the aspect of their family life that transforms this movie into something so much more than just a sports film. This

makes “The Fighter” appealing to not only sports lovers, but also to casual fans. Melissa Leo plays Micky’s mother, Alice who clearly wears the pants in this family consisting of seven sisters, Dickie, Micky, and George Ward, who for the most part, falls under the influ-ence of Alice and her daugh-ters. The comical depiction of this dysfunctional family, inlcuding Ward’s mother and seven sisters, is not only accu-rate, but hilarious. It serves as a sort of comic relief throughout the long chain of tragedy that occurs throughout this movie’s chronology. The ingenious aspect behind “The Fighter” is that it allows you to actually step into

the shoes of a boxer. It takes you through the training, the anticipation of the fight, the preparation, and the highs of victory and the lows of defeat, all wrapped up into a two-hour movie. Dickie helps to train his brother along with police officer Mickey O’Keefe, who plays himself. In his darkest hour, after what feels like an eternity of disappointment, Micky must make an impossi-ble decision, whether to remain faithful to his family, or to try to make a name for himself on his own. “The Fighter” creates an intriguing fusion of boxing and family life, and offers an interbreed of conflict in the ring and at home that you simply will not want to miss.

“The Fighter” Knocks Out Critics

“Black Swan” Invites Fowl Play

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by Brian Carbone and Steve Simon In a massive PC phe-nomenon, millions of people worldwide were waiting outside videogame stores at midnight on July 27, 2010, and they were not disappointed. Released in March of 1998, Starcraft I was one of the all time best-selling games, selling over 11 million copies in an eleven-year time span. Twelve years later, the first part of a three part series, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, was finally released, and the final product dispatched to stores by Blizzard Entertain-ment is nothing short of astonishment. Starcraft II revolution-ized the real-time strategy genre which provides a rich, compre-hensive storyline for its single-player campaign, as well as a carefully balanced and complex multiplayer experience. The single-player campaign revolves around power struggle and conflict, while maintaining a simple “good versus evil” concept. The campaign is mostly linear, giving players

the occasional “taking sides” choice in which some aspects of the game may vary, but the end is always the same. This, fortunately, can be somewhat overlooked due to the brilliant storyline, challenging, yet en-grossing game play, and excel-lent graphics that won’t leave people squinting or expecting higher standards. The maximum cus-tomizability of the program won Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty the “Best of 2010 - Best Implementation of User Gener-ated Content” award. Starcraft II also won the “Best of 2010 - PC” and “Best of 2010 - Strat-egy Game” awards Starcraft II costs $60 for the standard edition, and is definetely worth it for the countless hours of enjoyment! There is also a free trial that can be found on their website that allows for single-player content only. I’d definitely recommend Starcraft II to all gamers, as it is a user-friendly game that doesn’t revolve around gore, but rather relies on a realistic storyline that won’t leave you disappointed.

Starcraft Takes Stardomby Rebecca Lewis Ever changing, My Chemical Romance has come out with their latest album and it is definitely a shock for long time fans. The band has drastically changed their sound since their last album, The Black Parade. This is a big risk for any band to make, though My Chemical Romance has suc-ceeded in its new sound. The album is, as it says, “fabulous.” The album centers on the Killjoys, a band of rebels fighting against the company BL/ind in a not too distant, post apocalyptic, dystopian future. It begins with the radio transmission of the mysterious leader of the Killjoys, DJ Dr. Death Defying. His nonsensical words like “Louder than God’s revolver” and “The pigs won’t quit” sets the mood for the rest of the album, about the fun, the fights, and the losses of the Killjoys. The rest of the album plays like a pirate radio, broad-casting to all those who want to listen and those who want to fight back. Dr. Death Defying returns halfway through the al-bum with a “traffic report” and update of the status of various Killjoys, and once more in the song “Goodnite, Dr. Death,” warning the rebels it is time to run. The album’s first song and first single, “Na Na Na.,” is a fun and fast paced song that just makes you want to get up and dance and sing along. This pop-rock song is the embodiment of defiance against “The Man” and just

having fun. It is a great start to the album and makes you want more. The album goes through different genres, always focusing around a more pop-rock/alternative sound, like a radio station. From its ballads, such as “SING,” to its plain out rock song, “DESTROYA,” to its pop-rock “S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W,” to its disco sounding dance “Plan-etary (GO!),” Danger Days is a pleasure to listen to and leaves you feeling like you are inside a sci-fi movie. The album rebels against your stereotypical pop nowadays, putting their own spin on it to make it more than just generic sound. Danger Days is a whole new sound for My Chemical Romance. In the past, it was considered more alternative rock, emo, and post-hardcore, with lyrics that reflected the heavier tone, often focusing on subjects like death and other dark matters. Danger Days is much more lighthearted, not just in sound but in lyrics as well, with My Chemical Romance is turning towards a more alternative/pop rock direction. The only weak tracks on the album, though, would be “The Only Hope for Me is You” and “Summertime.” They are fairly generic sounding compared with the others on the album. All in all, I would rate the album an 8.5 out of 10. It may take time for old fans to adjust to the band’s innovative outlook, but it will also attract new fans.

Danger Up Ahead!

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by Kiran Bhojani NBC’s Thursday night comedy block includes many up-and-coming sitcoms such as “30 Rock,” “The Office,” “Community,” and “Out-sourced.” As written in last month’s issue, Outsourced is a sitcom about Todd Dem-psy, an American manager, who is transferred to India to run his company’s new call center there. Rizwan Manji plays Todd’s devious assis-tant manager, Rajiv Gidwani. Before landing a leading role on Outsourced, Manji has had supporting roles in “Trans-formers,” “24,” “Glee,” “Flash Forward,” and “How I Met Your Mother.” I got the opportu-nity to interview Rizwan, and learned more about his role on “Outsourced,” as well as his experiences on other shows.

Q. Where did you get your start in acting? A. I started acting in junior high school in Canada. I got cast in a play at my school and after I recieved my first laugh I thought, “This is what I want to do!”

Q. In the past you have had a role on “24.” Which do you prefer: drama or comedy? A. I definitely prefer comedy because I grew up watching sitcoms and always felt that that was what I want to be doing. I do enjoy dramas as well and it was great to work with Keifer Sutherland and Anil Kapoor on “24.”

Q. What were you doing when you heard you had landed the role? A. I was on the set of Glee when I got a call from my agent and manager and I had booked the role. Once I got a

hold of them I had only two minutes before I had to go back so they told me and I said thanks and I hung up. I wanted to call everyone and tell them, but I couldn’t! Then the battery on my phone died! Crazy day!

Q. When you first started filming for Out-sourced, did you expect such a supportive fan base? A. We didn’t know what to expect. We had so much fun shooting the pilot and we got along so well that we were hopeful, but at that point we did not even know if the show would make it on air. Every network makes many pilots a year and only a few ac-tually make it on the schedule so we were so excited that NBC decided to let us make more

episodes! Q. Are you anything like the charact Rajiv Gid-wani? A. I think Rajiv is very driven and ambitious and I feel I am both of those

things. I may not go about getting things I want the way Rajiv does, but I can definitely appreciate his quali-ties. Q. We know Rajiv will stop at nothing to get Todd’s manage-

rial position. Does he have any tricks or schemes up his sleeve? A. Rajiv is always scheming and I can’t divulge too much about what is com-ing up but there is an upcom-ing episode when Jerry, the boss comes to India and I use that as an opportunity tomake Todd look bad. You will have to tune in to the episode to see whether or not every-thing works out. Q. As an Indian, do you feel that the show is

stereotypical and offensive? A. I think this is the first time on national television that you get to meet FIVE dif-ferent South Asian characters with their own storylines and quirks so I think absolutely not. Do I think theshow is a comedy that some-times pokes fun at American and Indian culture? Yes! How-ever, I believe this is a tremen-dous step for the South Asian community.

Q. Is it difficult to play a character that is despised by others? A. I LOVE IT! It’s so fun to play a character that is not afraid to be mean! He says the craziest things and I love that he is also a hopeless romantic that is doing all this for the love of his life. If I am doing my job right then people will despise him but also kind of root for him to be able to finally marry Vimi!

Q. Which member of the cast is most like his or her character? How? A. Probably Ben Rap-paport, who plays Todd. Ben has a lot of qualities that Todd has. Ben is very “American guy-next-door,” like Todd.

Q. Any news on a second season? A. Not yet! We are do-ing well so we are very hopeful!

Be sure to tune in on Thursday nights at 10:30 p.m. on NBC and watch Out-sourced!

“Outsourced” Star Gives a Shout-Out to NHP

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by Sana Mayat In today’s generation, it seems as if reality television is becoming increasingly more popular than staged, acted dramas. Recently, several reality television series have been cen-tered around teen pregnancies and the emotional impact they have on young mothers. Series such as “Sixteen and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” have gained a significant number of viewers following their releases. The shows take a more insightful approach into the drama that is centered on the lives of teen-agers that have had to come to terms with the difficult choices they’ve made, and face the harsh consequences that reality has delivered them. However, a major question has been under seri-ous contemplation: Does the

portrayal of these teenagers’ rise to fame and popularity glamorize teen pregnancy? Does this send the message to teens that pregnancy is okay and can actually bring about fame and fortune? Some critics have stated that these series are actu-ally opening the eyes of many teenagers to the hardships of raising a child at such a young age. In fact, studies show that the teen pregnancy rate has de-creased recently and that many teens have decided against get-ting pregnant. However, many critics have stated their con-cerns about the impact these shows have on the women and children involved. They say that some teen mothers may be jumping into this business too early, without thinking about the consequences this type of

fame could have on the child. If a toddler is exposed to this type of attention early, it may cause a craving for attention as the child grows and devel-ops, causing him or her to do riskier activities in order to quell this thirst. In addition, many say that the frequent fame and cameras prevent the mother from being effective at responding to the child. These shows have also opened the eyes of the public to their latest guilty pleasure: reality programs. With shows like ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” which totally dominated the fall line-up of programs, it’s become apparent that Americans have made a full-blown transition from the once scripted programs to innovative ones that employ real emotions and situations. However, how

realistic are these reality shows? Reality television has always been criticized as using exploitation for entertainment. Some argue that although the shows portray the lives of real people that are facing real predicaments, it’s difficult for many of the viewers to differen-tiate between what is right and what is to be avoided. Shows like “Teen Mom” and “Sixteen and Pregnant” may depict the hardships of teenage pregnan-cy, but also create fantasized images of attention-seeking women. Popularity, it seems, should not be the determining element in deciding whether or not these types of reality television programs are okay. Sometimes, they may do much more harm than good. So the question is: Is mere entertain-ment worth the price?

by Anitra Persaud “Pretty Little Liars” is the new hit show that has everyone talking. If the title doesn't let you know what you're in for, the tagline — "Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret" — will. In the rich suburbia of Philadelphia called Rose-wood, Alison is the “Queen Bee” of a group of friends formed by Aria, Hanna, Spen-cer, and Emily. The girls vie for her attention, but they're also a bit scared of her, because she knows secrets about them that no one else knows. When Alison goes missing during a

slumber party, her friends are shocked. Three years later, the girls are no longer friends, but they still have secrets that bring them together once again. Emily is testing the bounds of her new friendship with Maya, Aria is doing a little extra credit for English with her teacher, Hanna had vanity

insanity and went too far for perfection since old habits are hard to break, and Spencer is getting a little too close to what

isn't hers—her sister's boyfriend. When the girls start receiving strange text messages and emails from a certain "A"

who seems to know everything about them and threatens to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets, it seems that Alison is

back. But is she really? Unless the girls do exactly what “A” says, their secrets will become everyone’s news. Who is “A?” Why is the person doing this? The only way to find out is to watch the show which is cur-rently in its second season and airs every Monday at eight on ABC Family. It's the nail-biting thriller that will keep you watching until all of the loose ends are tied up. “Pretty Little Liars” has drama and cliffhangers that will keep you on your toes and at the edge of your seat. I dare you to watch.Signed, “A.”

Pretty Little Liars, But Ugly Truths

Reality or Just Insanity?

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by Briana Messina An intense season was created for the boys’ wrestling team in which NHP joined forces with the surrounding schools in the district. Though the practices of other sports teams can be seen by all mem-bers of the school, the location of the weight room makes it nearly impossible for anyone to see all of the hard work and energy that goes into their intense daily practices. Months of preparation and discipline lead up to the season in which dedication is the key factor to being successful. While most students are quick to under-stand the rules of other winter

sports such as basketball, and volleyball, it is safe to say that majority of people know little to nothing about the rules or the preparation that takes place before wrestling matches. So what does it take to be a wrestler? All-County senior Christian Dluginski explains the importance of self motivation and persever-ance. “Wrestling is not a team sport, for the most part it is all about you, so you cannot blame anything on anybody else. It is simple, if you want to be good, you have to put the time in,” said Dluginski. From dieting and practicing, to the preparation and anticipation,

Dluginski explains that the difficult aspects of wrestling range from, “training in the off season, to having to go to practice instead of going out with your friends. I never stopped training for wrestling whether it was going to practice three times a week or training in the gym during the summer and fall.” Despite the fact that wrestling is an individual sport, NHP Coach Romano says that the team philosophy consists of, “technique, strength and conditioning.” In addition to the difficult training these wres-tlers endure daily, time spent outside of practice undoubtedly plays a vital role in separating

oneself from the competition. For this reason it is no surprise that, “those with higher goals are the accomplished and dedicated wrestlers,” said coach Romano. The team continues to tirelessly work to pursue their ultimate goal of success. There’s no shortage of tough love for this group of aggres-sive athletes as their passion-ate coach hopes to help every member of the team achieve his aspirations. With the fact that every player works hard, trains hard and wrestles hard, Coach Romano and the team will definitely continue on their journey to success.

by Tim Foley and Jerin Thomas 2003. That was the last time the New York Knicks made it to the playoffs. They then proceeded to finish with a subpar record for six straight years. Six years of misery for New York fans, in which the organization threw countless dollars at athletes who did not produce, and did not show any potential whatsoever. Then came the summer of 2010. It was a summer in which numer-ous marquis players entered the free agent market. The at-tempt to convince “The King”, LeBron James, to come to the Big Apple ended in failure, when he made his decision to join fellow superstars Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade in South Beach, and play for the Miami Heat. However, in their

attempts to impress James, they signed 6’10” forward Amar’e Stoudemire to a five year con-tract. Stoudemire had been ex-tremely successful in his eight years with the Phoenix Suns. He was a five time All Star, and had been named Rookie of the Year in 2002. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni had coached Stoudemire when he was on the Suns, and hoped that he would bring new life to New York. Stoudemire has proved a great fit at power forwar and center, and has brought a lot of size and athleticism to the team. The Knicks also signed Raymond Felton, formerly of the Charlotte Bobcats, to play point guard. In his third year in the league, Felton is averag-ing more points per game than ever before, and is another great addition to the Knicks’

offense. He’s been using his ability to pass the ball to Stou-demire and the other talented assets on the team. Landry Fields, Danilo Galinari, and Wilson Chandler make up the rest of the Knicks starting lineup and provide a lot of talent to the new look Knicks. This why the Knicks currently hold second place in the Eastern Atlantic Confer-ence, behind only the Boston Celtics, and are now on the road to the playoffs. For a team that had lost all hope the past few years, success is finally finding the Knicks. With a tough overall conference including the Heat, Magic, and the Celtics, the Knicks have a long road to win a champion-ship, but it is evident that they are becoming far more capable than previous years. With a

winning streak of eight in De-cember including the defeat of the Nuggets and the Hornets, the Knicks have become force in the NBA. In addition, star player Amar’e Stoudemire had eight straight games scoring more than thirty points, and was voted into the All-Star Game. With this new win-ning mentality, New York fans are delighted to see the Knicks back in action after many years of struggling. Fans have renewed their love for their team and that is clearly shown through their recent perfor-mances. These rejuvenated fans have provided a spark to Madi-son Square Garden, that has boosted the team’s confidence. The future is looking bright, es-pecially with Carmelo Anthony as a potential addition.

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Hall of Shame?by Arman Bhuiyan There are greats in every sport, but no sport celebrates and remembers its greats the way that baseball does. Names like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan and Babe Ruth are still talked about today because of the amazing accomplishments of these players, and they have

been inducted in the National Base-ball Hall of Fame as a result of their hard work.The upcoming Hall of Fame ballot introduces an entirely new dilemma, how-ever. There are many players who have “Hall-worthy” statistics but are marred by accusations of steroids and other performance en-hancing drugs. Major League Baseball spon-sored a research report and in 2007 it was discovered that players who had great numbers may have cheated to get those numbers. There are many play-ers who were foolish enough to use such drugs to improve their ability on the field, and consequently, their numbers and accomplishments became fantastic enough to be consid-ered for the Hall of Fame. Ste-roids have tarnished the sport as a whole and have become an extremely detrimental problem

throughout the league, as it is not just the stars that have used it, but even average players.The question then comes up: should the candidates be pun-ished for cheating, or should we only look at their statistic accomplishments? Unfortu-nately, performance enhancing drugs have been in the sport for a long time, so it’s not a

very easy answer. Hank Aaron, who is the 2nd all- time leading Home Run hitter in the MLB, admitted to using amphet-amines, which also helped his performance. Because there is no data, we don’t know how many other players used substances to help with their games. Should we go back and check through every player or just overlook all steroid usage up to this point and just make sure that we don’t have this problem ever again? If steroids

users are allowed into the Hall of Fame, it would undermine the accomplishments of play-ers like Ted Williams, Whitey Ford, Cal Ripken Jr. and Jackie Robinson, who were completely clean and earned their achieve-ments.It’s a tough call, but at this point, the decision is up to the ballot panel. Experts will

have to decide whether or not once-celebrated players like Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa should be eligible. There is no correct an-swer as of now because Coo-perstown runs separately from Major League Baseball and the bans in the MLB may not be recognized by the Hall. At the

moment, the Hall is taking an “innocent until proven guilty” stance and accepting players who have been linked to such drugs because the Steroids Era is simply a part of baseball’s progression. Baseball has evolved as time has gone on, but we haven’t forgotten our past. It looks like this will just be one of the more contro-versial times in our national pastime’s lengthy and detailed history.

Infamously wagging his finger, former player Rafael Palmiero testifies before Con-gress that he never used steroids. Evidence was later found to proved this claim false.

Strike!by Matthew Zuziela Our district bowling team has done it again - They placed first in their conference game for the second year in a row. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams have performed excep-tionally well during the past two years, and will hopefully continue their success in the upcoming months. Last year, our boys’ varsity team played in the counties tournament and advanced to state where they placed 7th. Our girls’ varsity team didn’t move on to the state tournament, they did a great job in the counties game. Nevertheless, it is evident that this year our teams are still doing well. Our girls team finished the season with a nearly perfect record of 35-1, and placed 2nd in counties. Boys’ varsity finished off the season strong with an overall record of 34-2, while placing 1st in counties and preparing for state once again. Although the team is a district squad, NHP is home to some of the best bowlers on the team, including junior Jay Wagon and senior Kevin Gam-boa “Yeah, we’re great,” said senior Kevin Gamboa. As for the girls team, junior Amanda Esteves, senior Jane Kim, and freshman Danielle Roca feel that despite not moving onto counties, they have played hard all season. With all eyes on the boys’ team as they move onto the state tournament, our school is confident that the team will try their best. Just keep bowling those Strikes!

SPORTSby Matthew Zuziela Jump, Shoot, Score! These are the words that Senior Ciara McCullagh lives by. She is one of New Hyde Park’s finest athletes, and is in fact the captain of our girls’ varsity basketball team, which is cur-rently 6-4 with two games left to play in their conference. Ciara’s love for basketball began at the young age of 5 when she was inspired by her mother who played college basketball. Throughout the years, Ciara’s love for the sport only grew as she truly proved to have tremendous natural ability and an uncanny

sense of how the game should be played. Today, Ciara excels on the court and is an extremely ac-complished player, leading Nassau County in scoring, and averaging 20.4 points and 12 rebounds a game. Additionally she is #2 in Long Island for points per game, while also being named All-county Player last year. She brings numerous other invaluable qualities to the court, such as

a unique talent for determin-ing her team’s next move if

plans don’t work out during a game, and has no problem motivating the team regardless of the score. Ciara ac-credits most of her success to all of the teams she’s played with, particularly to her coaches and teammates. When asked about her current team, she

replied, “the athletic range of players on the team is an effec-

tive tool to our success. Our competitive nature keeps us going strong in games, and as a team, we blend well together and are constantly working together towards a common goal.” Besides being in-volved in basketball, Ciara is a very dedicated student, taking multiple AP classes, and is involved within our school as an active member of Key Club. Additionally, Ciara is also the student council vice president. As for the future, Ciara hopes to “play basketball in college and succeed in both athletics and academics.

Sports Spotlight: Ciara McCullagh

by Brandon Brooker Your first thoughts when meeting junior Liam O’Connor may be about his outgoing ways and tall phy-sique, but when one gets past that he/she’s looking at a talented athlete. Liam has accom-plished many impressive feats in track and field. In just his second season throwing shot-put, he was appointed captain by Coach Buith. At a meet at the Armory in New York City on December 10, he threw 38 feet 8 inches, breaking former NHP graduate Jamie Punoose’s school record. Liam’s goal for the team this season is for everyone to improve from the beginning to the end of the

season. The key to Liam’s suc-cess is his hard work, determi-nation and his desire to push everyone around him to work at the same level that he does. Often, Liam is one of the first people at practice and at the end of the day, he can be found getting in extra reps in the weight room. “Liam’s success did not happen over night,” said sophomore and

teammate Ryan Maharaj. “You see him at practice everyday, and he is really working hard at it,” he explained when asked

about Liam’s accomplishments and work ethic. Liam also motivates his teammates to per-

form at their full potential. This is evident from when he is cheer-ing on his team-mates at meets, to pushing people at workouts and at the weight room. “Liam is an inspirational person who pushes everyone to work hard and improve,” said

teammate Joseph Richards. Besides his accomplishments in track and field, Liam also played his first season of foot-

ball this fall and had a good learning experience. He enjoyed it and hopes to have another great and successful season next fall. “With track and field you get out of it what you put in. He’s out there working his tail off and he gets these great results; he is a real asset to this team,” said senior and track veteran Geoffrey Si. Regarding his sport, O’Connor stated, “My only regret about track is that I didn’t join sooner.” Liam hopes to one day reach his goal and throw 40 feet. But for now, he will continue working hard, encouraging his teammates, and bring even more success to his team.

Sports Spotlight: Liam O’Connor