Benefits of Video games

Video games today are most commonly viewed as a way for students of high schools and colleges to slack off and procrastinate on homework and studies.  What most people are not aware of though, is the social benefits that video gaming has on individuals.  Video games can have positive effects on a gamer's social life when it comes to teamwork, helping people, multitasking, and communicating efficiently.

Educational Benefits for Students

A recent study from the Education Development Center and the U.S. Congress-supported Ready To Learn (RTL) Initiative found that a curriculum that involved digital media such as video games could improve  early literacy skills when coupled with strong parental and teacher involvement. Interestingly, the study focused on young children, and 4 and 5-year-olds who participated showed increases in letter recognition, sounds association with letters, and understanding basic concepts about stories and print.

The key for this study was having high-quality educational titles, along with parents and teachers who were equally invested in the subject matter. That way kids could discuss and examine the concepts that they were exposed to in the games. Also interesting is the value that video games are proven to have even for very young players. A study by the Education Department Center further found that low-income children are “better prepared for success in kindergarten when their preschool teachers incorporate educational video and games from the Ready to Learn Initiative.”

Older children such as teens and tweens can benefit from game-play as well.Even traditional games teach kids basic everyday skills, according to Ian Bogost, associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and founder of software maker Persuasive Games. “Look at ‘World of Warcraft’: You’ve got 11-year-olds who are learning to delegate responsibility, promote teamwork and steer groups of people toward a common goal.”

Games that are designed to help teach are having an impact on college-agepupils as well. Following a recent 3D virtual simulation of a US/Canadianborder crossing, wherein students assumed the role of guards, Loyalist Collegein Ontario reported that the number of successful test scores increased from 56percent to 95 percent.

Improved Multitasking

Other carefully-designed studies have also shown that action video games canimprove several aspects of brain activity, including multitasking. According tostudies by Daphne Bavelier, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at theUniversity of Rochester, video gamers show real-world improvements on tests of attention, accuracy, vision and multitasking after playing certain titles.

“If you think about it, the attentional and working memory demands of videogames can be much greater than other tasks,” says Michael Stroud, a professor of psychology at Merrimack College. “Consider Pac-Man as an example. InPac-Man, you must navigate your character through a spatial layout whilemonitoring the separate paths of four additional objects (the ghosts), whilekeeping the overall goal of clearing the small pellets in memory, as well askeeping track of the remaining large pellets.”

“Think about how this may apply to skills such as driving,” he continues.“When you drive your car, you are faced with a constantly changing environmentin the road, not to mention several other distractions that compete forattention that reside in the car. At the same time, you are attempting tonavigate through the environment to reach a goal.”

Social Benefits

Games with broad appeal that are easy to grasp can additionally help manyfamilies play together, and better bridge the gap between generations. Considera title like hip-wiggling simulation Just Dance, which can have young kidsdancing alongside their grandparents.

There are also many games that have positive social messages that encouragefamilies to be a force for good. In a series of experiments published in theJournal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found thatparticipants who had just played a “pro-social” game in which characters mustwork together to help each other out as compared to those who had just played a“neutral” game (e.g. Tetris) were more likely to engage in helpful behaviors.Examples included assisting in a situation involving an abusive boyfriend,picking up a box of pencils or even volunteering to participate in more research.

So-called “serious games,” specifically designed to teach and inform, arealso having an impact on the world. Titles like the United Nations’ Food Forceteach kids about real-life issues, humanitarianism and the practical challengesfacing governments and private organizations today. In the game, children mustcomplete six different missions that reflect the real-life obstacles faced bythe World Food Programme in its emergency responses. Other games, like NourishInteractive’s online Chef Solus and the Food Pyramid Adventure, teach kidsabout the benefits of healthy eating habits, while still more highlightpressing geopolitical and social issues, e.g. the Global Conflicts series.

Upsides can even extend into the physical world. Consider Facebook gameEcotopia. In summer 2011, players of the popular social game met a challengefrom its creators and planted 25,000 trees in the game world in 25 days,leading the game’s developer to plant 25,000 trees in real life.

Encouraging Cooperation and Teamwork

Many games today also emphasize the cooperative aspects of game play, inwhich two or more players need to work together in order to reach a commongoal. For instance, games like Lego Star Wars or Kirby’s Epic Yarn are enhanced byhaving players cooperate to solve in-game puzzles.

Massively multiplayer games such as LEGO Universe and Lord of the RingsOnline further offer added depth, atmosphere and enjoyment by allowing playersto band together and work as a team in order to complete certain quests ordefeat especially tricky opponents. Game industry analysts such as DFCIntelligence actually predict that video game revenue will reach nearly $70billion by 2015, thanks in large part to these online, cooperative,subscription-based games that can be played together. Small wonder top titleslike Star Wars: The Old Republic and Titan (the next MMO from Blizzard, thecompany that created World of Warcraft) continue to resonate so strongly withmillions worldwide.

Even the way that games are made can encourage teamwork. At WashburnUniversity in Kansas, students study the game development process as a way tobuild teamwork and collaborative skills.

“It taught me to work in a group,” said Washburn student Adam Bideau of theprogram in a recent interview with the Washburn Review. “Video games are notcreated by just one person and they require you to work well with others. Youhave to pool everyone’s talents together in order to produce the requiredproduct.”

Promoting Exercise

All parents know that kids need a healthy combination of physical and mentalexercise. Happily, today’s motion-controlled games for Microsoft’s Xbox 360Kinect, Nintendo’s Wii and Wii U, and Sony’s PlayStation Move help kids getboth kinds of workouts at the same time.

Better yet, people of all ages are finding them a more approachable way tostay physically fit. While many shy away from exercise because they see it asan activity that isn’t enjoyable, organizations like the American HeartAssociation now cite, and even recommend, video games as a fun and entertainingway to enjoy physical activity.

Upsides of active play are considerable too. A study reported in theArchives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of 39 Boston middle-schoolchildren who played with six different interactive gaming systems found thatthe games “compared favorably with walking on a treadmill at three miles perhour, with four out of the six activities resulting in higher energyexpenditure.”

Organizations supporting individuals of all ages and interests areadditionally using active games to help get people up and moving. Nursinghomes, cruise ships and even after-school programs all now employ active videogames in some form to help stimulate both the mind and body.

The good news: People seem to be enjoying active play more than ever.Healthy diversions such as Wii Fit and Zumba Fitness continue to be some of themost popular and best-selling games year in and out.

"Underground" Metal Day

       On Wednesday, April 25th of this year, the students that are involved in the Underground Metal Club put together a celebration in honor of the Metal subgenre of Rock music, called "Metal Day". This celebration was held all throughout campus, as everyone was welcome to come celebrate at the Cogar Lounge located at the end of the hall of the RMCC building.
       A very good friend of mine, Mr. Scott Thayer was putting on the whole gathering. He informed me over FaceBook about all of the events occurring at "Metal Day", such as raffle tickets with neat prizes, free cd samplers, refreshments, etc. I do not blame my friend Scott for the events that transpired at "Metal Day", because he has no control of what music the other group members like.
       Scott had also stated in the aforementioned FaceBook message that "none of the guys involved with underground metal club really like underground metal. They replaced some of my Cattle Decapitation songs with Five Finger Death Punch songs. I was like huh?!?... So yeah, don't expect it to be as underground as you or myself would be familiar with."
       Let me break down the last paragraph for you. My friend Scott is the lead singer of the band Cymatics, who plays music on the caliber with The Faceless, Decrepit Birth and Necrophagist, all of which are underground, extreme metal bands. On the other hand, Five Finger Death Punch can be heard anytime on KROCK radio station, and tour and play music with sell-out bands that need to much money.
       Being a fan of Metal music, I was surely enough to attend Underground Metal Club's "Metal Day". I am a fan of Metal, and mainly the subgenres of metal such as "Technical Death Metal", "Brutal Death Metal" and "Progressive Death Metal", all of which are pretty underground in terms of popularity in the Metal community. What I came to find out was that this Underground Metal Day was about as 'underground' as the Empire State Building and about as 'Metal' as a day old bowl of oatmeal.
     Upon entering the lounge, everything seemed to be 'honky-dory', if you will. There were guys with woman's length hair, piercings in places most people don't even know you can have pierced and rugged clothing, definitely suits that 'Metal image'. My mother always told me to never judge a book by it's cover, and I should have listened to her and Scott instead of wasting my time at "Metal Day".
       I had walked up to my first person I was going to use as a survey of everyone's top 5 metal bands. The first person's name was Ralph, I did not ask for a last name. Ralph seemed like a nice guy, but then he started off as his favorite band being Disturbed, and right then and there I had apologized to Ralph, and told him "I'm sorry, I cannot take you seriously if you enjoy Disturbed and consider yourself 'underground metal'. That thought alone is "Disturbed" in it's very own way." and then I walked out and left school.
     The moral of this story is, never go into a situation and expect the world. I had walked into "Metal Day" expecting to make some new friends to discuss my favorite kind of music, and walked out wishing I never went at all. At least then I would still think the Underground Metal Club was cool.

Say NO to Mexico!

            Going on vacation, for anyone, is supposed to be a fun and relaxing time. When most people go on vacation, they want to either lie out on the beach in the sun or travel around the city where they are staying to see all of the attractions. But, when picking a destination for your vacation, you need to be extremely careful. Just because a vacationing spot looks pretty, that doesn’t mean that it is safe.

            How many times have you heard college students saying that they will be visiting Mexico for Spring Break? Well, what those college kids fail to realize is that nowadays, when you go to Mexico, you need to actually look out and be careful where you are instead of wandering off on your own. That means staggering down the street in an over-populated city by yourself after a night of drinking tequila straight from the bottle is an absolute no-no.

            Today, the drug cartels in Mexico are deadlier than ever. The United States Department Bureau of Consular Affairs issued a travel warning to all United State citizens back in February of this year.  A segment of the travel warning states:

“U.S. travelers should be aware that the Mexican government has been engaged in an extensive effort to counter TCOs which engage in narcotics trafficking and other unlawful activities throughout Mexico.  The TCOs themselves are engaged in a violent struggle to control drug trafficking routes and other criminal activity.  As a result, crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country and can occur anywhere.  U.S. citizens have fallen victim to TCO activity, including homicide, gun battles, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery.”

            The warning then goes on to include several parts of Mexico that are extremely dangerous and advises travelers to stay away. The most dangerous part of Mexico is called Manzanillo, which is located in the area Colima. The warning states that Manzanillo is a major city and travel destination in Mexico and that if you are there, you need to proceed with caution, because it is very dangerous.

“You should exercise extreme caution when traveling through the areas of the state of Colima that border the state of Michoacán.  You should also exercise caution when traveling at night outside of cities in the remaining portions of the state.  The security situation along the Michoacán border continues to be unstable and gun battles between criminal groups and authorities occur.  Concerns include roadblocks placed by individuals posing as police or military personnel and recent gun battles between rival TCOs involving automatic weapons.” states the US Department Bureau of Consular Affairs.

There are several other areas that are advised not to be entered. Even though Mexico has very beautiful scenery and even better parties, you need to be aware of the dangers that lurk there. Don’t think that you’re invincible, because you’re not. You could easily be gunned down just as much as the next guy. Consider this before you go off to Mexico next year for Spring Break, or on any other vacation.

Tips to Get the Job You Want

Many individuals at some point in their life find themselves in need of a job.  By applying to different companies, you are putting yourself out there in hopes of getting an interview and obtaining a position in the company you desire.  There are different steps an individual should take, which will help them get the job they want.

         Firstly, when you’re filling out an application, make sure you’re interested in the job.  Is this a job you can see yourself working at for more than a couple of weeks?

         When filling out an application always include a resume and cover letter.  This makes your application stand out, and shows your employer you’ve put time and effort into filling out your application.

         When writing a cover letter, write Dear _____, instead of to Whom It May Concern.  If you’re applying for a job at a small company, you can find out the name of your potential employer.  Make sure to check for spelling errors, and make sure there are no run on sentences.  In your cover letter and resume, choose a font which can easily be read like Times New Roman.

         List your job experiences in chronological order.  Give names and phone numbers of your past employers (if you have any).  If you don’t have any past employers, find at least three references that can ensure you’re responsible and reliable person fit for the job.

         When an employer calls you, to set up an interview, don’t ask how much money you’ll make, or how many hours you’ll work or if you get vacation time.  Wait for the interview!

         Before you go to the interview, make sure to dress appropriately.  Usually dress pants, a blouse or buttoned up shirt, makes a great first impression.  You don’t want cleavage hanging out, nor undergarments showing.

         Avoid any offensive language or graphic images on your shirt when going to an interview.

         Make sure to arrive to your interview ten minutes early.  This shows that you’re taking your interview seriously, and are being respectful by being punctual.

         When you meet your potential employer, make sure to introduce yourself.  Make direct eye contact, and shake hands with one another.  Make sure your handshake is not weak.

         During the interview, listen respectfully.  Do not interrupt your employer until it is time to ask questions.  Be prepared.  At least have a couple of questions, to show him/her that you are genuinely interested.

         By following these tips, you are raising your chance at getting the job you want!

          

Tips to Save Gas

      As of late, gas prices are soaring and reaching an all-time high, so there are 5 tips I want to share with you about saving gas. With gasoline over four dollars a gallon, I'm sure many of you are looking for anything to save gas. A lot of people don't realize how easily gas mileage can be altered.

1: Drive Slower - One of the best ways to save gas is by driving slower on the freeway.

According to Greg Dabel's book "Saving Money in Nonprofit Organizations", each 5 miles an hour you

drive over 60 miles an hour will burn up to thirty cents more a gallon. Driving 70 on a freeway might

save you time but definitely won't save you money.

2: Tire Pressure - Another important thing you should always check and be aware of is tire

pressure. Tire pressure needs to be at the proper weight or else your mileage will pay for it. Buying a

tire gauge is a smart idea.

3: Easier acceleration - You might like to accelerate quickly to get going faster but don't. It's

much more gas efficient to have a slow acceleration. Be careful with this in the city to because if you

accelerate quickly just to stop at the next red light, you definitely won't be saving gas.

4: Keep it clean - Having unwanted weight in your vehicle will also affect gas mileage. Throw

out or take out anything that isn't needed. If you take 40 to 50 pounds of stuff out of your trunk, over

time you will be more gas efficient.

5: Windows - Having your windows open in the city is more gas efficient than air conditioning

but when you get on the freeway, this is reversed. According to Greg Dabel's book, driving faster

causes more air drag which can reduce gas mileage by 10 percent.

Well there it is, I hope my tips will help you save gas mileage and save money in the long run.

Piercings in the Workplace

Piercings are becoming more socially acceptable. You can’t go anywhere nowadays without seeing someone with a ring sticking out of their lip, nose, eyebrow, etc. Piercings are being embraced in today’s workplaces, but how much is too much? If you go to a restaurant, would it matter to you if your waitress or waiter had a large hoop ring in one eyebrow, a large hoop in his or her lip, and another ring dangling down from in their nose? More importantly, would it force you to stop going to the establishment altogether?

If you are seeking employment and show up to a job interview with an abundant amount of piercings in your face, you run the risk of your potential future employer denying you a job. Some companies are lenient when it comes to their employee's piercings. For example, Wegman's grocery store. 

“I work at a grocery store called Wegman’s and they honestly don’t care about piercings. I have a lot of piercings; one in my nose, my tongue web, and multiple holes in my ears. I even had a piercing right in the middle of my lip for a little while and they didn’t say one word to me.” says Alyssa Metzler.

Meanwhile, at other facilities, they take a different stand on piercings. For example, Price Chopper, a chain of grocery stores that originated and located in Upstate New York, do not allow their employees to have visible piercings. When working at this grocery store, you have to either take your jewelry out, or put a clear, non-visible retainer in place of the jewelry. If you have a nose ring, it must be a "stud", which is a small piece of jewelry that can barely be seen.

Now, this brings up a good argument: is it considered discrimination if companies deny a person employment simply because the potential employee has stretched ears and a stud in their lip? The answer is no. According to Jay P. Whickson's article "Workplace Discrimination on Tattoos & Piercings", it states: 

"The employer has a right to establish a dress code for his organization. If you have body piercings, he can request that you remove the related jewelry while at work. While you can't remove a tattoo, your employer can demand that you cover the tattoo while you're working. If a pierce-free, tattoo-free look is part of the uniform and it's in the dress code, he has every right to fire you if you don't follow the rules."

Some employers are very lenient when it comes to body piercings, and some strictly follow their dress code. All in all, it depends on where you apply to or where you work. Not all companies are going to welcome a person with several holes in their face onto their "team", because that person needs to represent the company. Facilities that are "family friendly" might not want to hire someone with multiple piercings, because it could affect the store's atmosphere. Let's say an elderly couple went to a restaurant and their waiter had three inch holes in their ears. The couple would most likely be completely unimpressed and never return to the restaurant again.

Now that doesn't mean that having three inch holes in your ears is a bad thing, it's just not very pleasing to some people and companies need to think about their customers when hiring an employee. Though, piercings are becoming more and more acceptable in society today and certain companies and employees need to find a happy medium that will please them both.

HCCC Theater Group performs Dracula

by Paul Lee


During the last weekend of April, Herkimer County Community College came face to face with death and the moral-philosophical ramifications of the quest for immortality.  On three consecutive nights, the HCCC Theater Group performed the play “Dracula,” a recent theatrical adaptation by Crane Johnson of Bram Stoker's classic novel.


The play was executed very well, giving a sense of professionalism that belies the amateur nature of the venue.  The lighting was used subtly to great effect.  The hand-painted set provided just the right amount of detail to facilitate the suspension of disbelief.  The dialogue and acting appeared to flow seamlessly from start to finish during the first showing of the play.


The fact that the initial performance went through without a perceptible hitch proclaims the care and long preparation that must have gone into the play, but it ultimately is not what made the experience so immersive.  It was the actors' earnest portrayal of their roles that narrowed the gap between the audience and the legendary story-world where doctors, professors, and domestic servants strive against a horrific perversion of what they held most good and natural and sacred.


One could tell this was no simple end-of-the-term student skit from the moment the “epic movie” theme music sounded before the curtains were raised.  There was a brief narrative exposition, but not much information was given, and the way the narrator addressed the audience directly did not anticipate the later tempo of the drama.


Cesar Arcentales played Dr. Seward, whose skeptical practicality did not negate his earnest expressions of love and sorrow.  The character confronts challenges as they come, not stopping to ask further questions after seeing what he does not like or would not be inclined to believe.  As the apparent protagonist, Dr. Seward offers the audience the opportunity to face the mysterious and horrific with him through his neutral but sympathetic aura.


The counterpart to Dr. Seward is Van Helsing, played by Mary Dziekowicz.  The character from the original novel may have anticipated all monster-hunter figures in popular culture, such as Sam and Dean from the current television show Supernatural.  The Van Helsing of Crane Johnson's play has been re-imagined as a woman.  Van Helsing's character is many-faceted – she is nonconformist and independent, intellectual (being addressed by the title of “professor”), mystical, and adventurous.  Dr. Seward and Ven Helsing maintain a sporadic discussion about philosophy, science, and the paranormal, themes that are related to the main subjects of the story, but only secondarily.  Those dialogs are mostly lighthearted, the sort of idle chatter that two scholars might be expected to hold in real life.


Two more down-to-earth characters help anchor the setting in history and make the whole drama more relatable.  Christina Carroll played Mrs. Harker, an embodiment of Victorian propriety and piety.  Jennifer Hollis played the domestic servant Abigail, whose mannerisms, expressions, and accent gave the sense of quaintness and innocent comedy associated with bygone eras.  The tragic figure of the story is Lucy, played by Tess Sagatis.  Lucy's character evokes thought of the romanticism associated with vampires in popular culture.


The comic relief of the story – an insane man called Renfield, played by Creighton Joscelyn – touches on deep thematic undertones.  The character's demented psychological state that causes him to eat live bugs and small animals is humorous without detracting from the pervasive creepiness of the subject.   Renfield's madness is driven by intense selfishness, the desire to feed himself on the life force of other living beings in order to extend his own life unnaturally.  In this, Renfeild may be more evil even than Dracula (played by Geoff Fryer), who at least in some perverted sense gives a sort of life to his victims and then looks out for them.  Dracula is more beastly and primitive than the charismatic vampire image in pop culture, and yet he also manages to be a heartthrob in a savage, elemental way.


The depraved selfish rantings of Renfeild work together with Van Helsing's philosophical ruminations to spin the theme and literary impact of the drama.  Van Helsing openly denounces the stubborn refusal to accept one's own death that Renfeild exemplifies.  The apparent moral of the story condemns the “curse of immortality, multiplying the evils of the world.”  However, even Van Helsing does not blame the evil on the normal human longing for immortality.  Naming various human desires for which satisfaction exists, she goes on to say, “...since there is in man this craving for eternal life, for immortality, I believe this too will be satisfied.”  Van Helsing seeks to make herself immortal by influencing others through the strength of her character, rather than by destroying them.


The above-named actors were assisted by the rest of the crew to produce the immersive theatrical experience.  Amanda Marro directed the play.  George Woodbury was the stage hand.  The props and lighting, which had an important and subtle role in the immersiveness of the whole production, were handled by Katie Burt, Sandra Gray, and Nick Streeter.  Jaki was the stage and sound manager (the program lists no last name).  The staff advisor was Professor Matt Powers.


It has been a hundred years since the death of the originator of the Dracula story, on April 20, 1912.  The novel Dracula was published in 1897.  A real critic would be necessary to consider the relationship of this college production to the true nature of the Dracula story.  However, it does not take a critic to observe that the mysterious horror of Dracula has passed into immortality.

Facebook crazy

If there’s one thing that 1 in 13 people in the world have in common nowadays, it’s the fact that they all have Facebook. While the fact that Facebook exists is certainly no secret to the world, I think the extent to which many people are using it would absolutely blow people’s minds to look at on paper. Facebook was originally created for students of Harvard to network and circulate amongst each other, while gradually adding other universities into the mix, until it all became one unit. Many other people began joining Facebook to keep in touch with old friends, long-distance family, and etc. But rather recently, in the opinions of many, Facebook has become out of control. The whole purpose is just being abused by (again, in many opinions) people with nothing else to do. There are many “Facebook personas” that people can easily be classified into, and if one took a look at their own friends list, it would be quite simple to separate each friend into their own individual group, or most anyway; however, there are far too many of these online personalities to name them all, so the following are just to name a few. One very popular persona is the person who uses their Facebook as a diary, frequently posting things that would qualify as “TMI” or “WTF” moments, also classified as the complainer. The complainer is famous for taking the “What’s on your mind?” question in the status box a little bit too literally. A very similar persona is that of the person who logs onto Facebook and gives all who will take the time to read a play-by-play of their day, for example, “Shower, breakfast, getting ready, school, lunch, practice, dentist, homework, dinner, movies, then bed! Wow, got a long day ahead of me!” This is what many would consider a direct misuse of Facebook. The second is the drama starter- mostly someone who posts statuses, usually also complaining or just simply ripping someone apart, without using names, but the recipient to the abuse is usually a clear shot, which 9 times out of 10 turns into a knockdown, drag-out status comment war (these people usually include, but are not limited to, high school students.) Leah Davis, a student at Onondaga Community College, explains her thoughts on Facebook fights, “They’re completely useless, no one ever wins and everyone just pretends to be someone they’re not. Just when you think you won a Facebook fight you realize you’ve been verbally abusing someone from the comfort of your own home and behind a computer screen (*laughs*).” While all of these Facebook users are equally annoying, these are not the only abusive behaviors committed on Facebook, because there are simply too many to name, but just to list off just a few more, we all have: the excessive photo uploader, the “trying too hard to be funny and not succeeding guy,” the aunt or other older relative that feels the need to comment on anything you post/are tagged in, and last but not least, the “friend” we all have, the one that goes out on the weekend and decides to document every drunken mishap. While there are still many people that use Facebook for what it was created for, staying in touch with friends, family, and acquaintances, the ones who abuse it are appearing to far surpass the innocent. “People just take Facebook way too far, you don’t even need to have talked to someone in years and you could know every detail of their life,” says Nathan George, a freshman at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. That statement couldn’t be truer. Without even ever seeing someone in person you could know everything about them, right down to the outfits they wear each day (see: excessive photo uploader). So, if while reading this a thought entered your mind that maybe you might be guilty of committing any of these offenses, take this advice: set the computer/smartphone aside for a little while, perhaps you could read a book, purchase a diary, or take your dog for a walk, anything to get your eyes off the computer screen; it’s for your own good, and your Facebook friends will thank you.

With last Monday, April 2 being Autism Awareness day, millions of people around the country and around the world wore blue to support and spread awareness for a still very mysterious disorder. Despite the many people who wore blue that day, autism is still something that sometimes falls under the radar when it comes to knowledge of the disorder, as well as funding in pursuits of a cure. A very broad definition of autism, according to autismspeaks.org, would be “[varying] difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors,” but there is very many different types of autism and a very wide spectrum of degrees of the disorder. A high-functioning case of Autism can often lead a very normal, self-sufficient life into their adulthood; however, low functioning cases often don’t stand a chance when it comes to living on their own and leading a normal life. Autism roots in early brain development and tends to emerge, and be diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 3 years, as of right now there is no known exact cause or cure to this disorder. Autism is on the rise, with the diagnosis increasing ten-fold within the past 40 years. It affects 1 in 88 American children, and 1 in 54 boys. This year, more children will be diagnosed with Autism than pediatric AIDS, diabetes, and cancer of any type combined; however, it receives less than 5% of the research funding of those less common childhood diseases. Although Autism is not life-threatening, it affects its victims and its victims’ families for life. One example of a mother who is no stranger to the heartbreak that comes when your child is diagnosed with Autism is Toby Jacobs-Mijolovic, of Newport, NY. Toby is the mother of Michael, who, some might describe as a 12-year-old boy genius; however, there was a time when Toby worried if Michael would ever speak. As a newborn, Toby described her son as very verbal and very active, he spoke 10 words by 10 months old. But something happened after Michael received his vaccinations, he “stopped talking, stopped playing, all he would do was stare at ceiling fans and line up is matchbox cars in a row,” according to his mother. When Michael was diagnosed with Autism, his parents, Simon and Toby, were told he would never speak, never go to normal school or have friends, and ultimately never live a normal life, which left them nothing but time to worry. Immediately, Toby quit her job as a teacher to dedicate all her time to helping Michael and volunteering at his school, the Promises Program at Upstate Cerebral Palsy, a specialized program for children with Autism that uses Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy; along with 7 hours of school, Toby worked with Michael for 3 hours a day at home, and all her hard work was paid off when Michael spoke his first word (Mama) after almost 3 years. “A lot is to be said for early, intense, and extensive intervention,” says Toby today, and a lot would agree with her, considering Michael is now a 6th grader, in normal elementary school, excelling in his classes, and preparing to move up to middle school with his class this coming June. Current controversy in the Autism and families of children with Autism community is whether a cure is to be found, or simply just acceptance for its victims. Toby would probably be described as neutral in this conflict, “I want a cure, but I would never want to change Michael, I can’t imagine him being any different.” It’s not imaginable that anyone would want to change this intelligent, caring, and funny 12-year-old, and there’s no doubt that he has an extremely bright future ahead of him. So, although being diagnosed with autism is in no way a death sentence, it presents many challenges for its victims and their families. Many autistic children aren’t as lucky as Michael and will never live a normal life, which is exactly why more awareness, acceptance, and research of the disorder in pursuits of finding a cure needs to happen.

Second Hydrofracking Meeting in Little Falls, NY

Michaela Monohan
4/18/12

                On February 21, the second of three public information sessions were held at the Senior Community Center, located at 524 East Main Street in the city of Little Falls, to discuss the positive aspects of hydrofracking.  Hydrofracking is the technological method of drilling horizontally, deep into the earth’s surface, to extract water or natural gas.   Bruce Przybyl, principal geologist for the New York State Unconventional Gas Service and a project manager for URS CorporaBruce Przybyl, a geologist, for the New York State Unconventional Gas Service and Project Manger of URS Corporation, led the session on Tuesday night.

In order to drill, you need Marcellus shale and Utica shale to properly extract natural gases.  According to Przybyl, the Marcellus shale seems to be absent in this area, but there is still a possibility to hyrdrofrack. According to Przybyl, there are many benefits to drill.

            “Many can benefit from allowing hydrofracking, such as the gas companies, truckers, agricultural communities, farmers, engineers, hotels, restaurants, property owners, and municipalities.  If hydrofracking comes to the city of Little Falls, then gas prices will be lowered, electricity will go down and taxes will be lowered,” stated Przybyl.

            When hydrofracking, there is a release of harmful radiation. Questions arose in concern of this, which Przybyl addressed.  “Low levels of radiation is a natural occurring thing.  We will find out the level of radiation and how it is dispersed.”

            Water contamination is also a huge concern amongst the residents of Little Falls, who voiced their worries at this meeting.  Przybyl was quick to respond. “If there is a problem, the problem will be fixed.”

            Throughout the presentation, individual’s kept referring to the terrible and tragic events, which unfolded in Pennsylvania when hydrofracking disrupted their environment, killed a number of species and contaminated large amounts of drinking water.  Przybyl reassured, “We have learned from past mistakes, we will monitor spills and preventive plans will be put into place and practiced.”

            On February 27, the last meeting will take place at

Little Falls City Hall, to discuss the moratorium. No

questions are allowed, only statements from the public can

 be given.  

Hold on to that!

The crystal football trophy that Alabama received for beating L.S.U. in the B.C.S. championship game in January was shattered when it was knocked off a display table by one of the player’s fathers.

Jeff Purinton, a member of the Athletic Department said the trophy, valued at $30,000, was on display in the Athletic Facility as part of the festivities for the Crimson Tide’s spring football game Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He says the man accidently tripped on a rug that was under the trophy display and knocked it over.

Purinton said the school is working with the American Football Coaches Association, on getting a replacement for the broken one.

Florida‘s 2006 trophy was destroyed when it was accidentally knocked off a pedestal by a recruit in 2008. In 2004, Florida State had two trophies stolen.

Unfortunately, accidents do happen. And after this happened all schools (including Bama') will be way more careful handling their winning trophy's.

Alabama's Trent Richardson holding up the $30,000 National Championship Trophy.

Flyers in control of first round

Three games into the series, The Flyers are up 3-0 over the Penguins. One of the top teams in the NHL has been playing bad but the Philadelphia Flyers don’t mind. They’re rather pleased with the opposing team’s performance and maybe even a little surprised, that they are not playing like they would in past playoff seasons.

The Flyers lead the first-round playoff series, three games to none, and can eliminate the Penguins with a victory Wednesday in Game 4. Pittsburgh has allowed 20 goals in three games. The so called “elite defense” has been playing terrible along with Pittsburgh’s special teams.

But that begins to explain why the Flyers have gained such fire or spark to their play. Before the series, the Flyers have been playing almost below average hockey. The team had discussed the value of playing hard, but clean. They would play this way from first whistle to final whistle. They have done so. And clearly Pittsburgh has not.

The N.H.L. suspended a number of players in this heated series. This 3-game series has been full of fights. Craig Adams was one of the suspended player’s one game for instigating a fight late in the 3^rd period.

Their behavior has been uncharacteristic for the Flyers. They had led the N.H.L. during the regular season with an average of 16.1 penalty minutes a game. They were in third place with fighting majors, having 57.

All in all the Flyers have been playing better hockey and if the Penguins want to stay alive they have to come out with discipline and heart tonight in game four.

Section Ones Biggest Star Finally Chooses School

Section 1 Recruiting writer Joe Lopopolo recently spoke with his former New Rochelle teammate Jordan Lucas about Lucas’s decision to play football at Penn State University in 2012. Lucas, a 6-foot, 176-pound safety, played this past fall at Worcester Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts, after graduating from New Rochelle High School in 2011. Lucas came a long way and improved a lot during his semester at Worcester. The Nittany Lions contacted Lucas last week and told him that they would possibly offer a scholarship. Lucas waited, even though it meant putting his guaranteed scholarship at Temple University in jeopardy. It turned out to be well worth the wait.
Here’s Lopopolo’s Q&A with Lucas on his decision to attend Penn State.

Lopopolo: How does it feel to finally commit, especially to a BCS school?

Lucas: It’s a great feeling, I mean the recruiting process was very stressful like always, if it’s out of prep school or out of high school. Penn State University has great tradition and I take it as a challenge with what they´re going through. They want to build on the tradition that they have and keep things going in the right direction. I´m happy to be a part of it. But now that it’s almost done I’m glad I picked the right school and I cannot wait until signing day so I can just relax.

Lopopolo: What other schools were you considering?

Lucas: Akron, UMass, Old Dominion and Villanova.

Lopopolo: What were the main factors in your decision?

Lucas: I chose PSU mainly because of the opportunity I have once I get there. I have a chance to get playing time right away as a freshman at safety and on special teams, so I’m making sure I take full advantage. Coach O’Brien made it seem like a great place, playing in front of 107,000 great fans every game and the academics PSU had to offer. I got a good taste of all that when I went on my unofficial visit and I loved the campus and environment.

Lopopolo: What are your strengths as a player and what style do you think you play?

Lucas: My strength would probably be my awareness. Knowing where everyone is on the field and knowing what to do in whatever situation I’m put in. I also really like to prepare myself during practice week on and off the field. I love to watch lots of film so you know what your opponent brings to the table. In terms of my style of play, I think I bring lots of speed and smarts to the game, but at the same time physicalness. I love to hit and tackle the football.”

Lopopolo: What were your thoughts on your season at Worcester Academy?

Lucas: It was definitely a great experience. I got to do a lot of things I’ve never done before. I played a lot of special teams and got to return kicks and punts all season. On the offensive side of the ball I played receiver and even wildcat quarterback. On defense I played cornerback and safety. It was a lot of fun. Coach let me be an athlete and do what I do best.

Lopopolo: Has Worcester Academy improved your skills in terms of football and/or academics?

Lucas: Oh yes, of course. This school has done a lot for me so far, especially academically. But I mainly came for school to improve my grades. I thought the transition from high school to college was going to be hard, but I adapted quick and it shows with the 3.6 GPA I earned this semester. I definitely feel like Worcester Academy is preparing me for the future.

Lopopolo: What was your number one highlight, whether it was at Worcester Academy, New Rochelle HS or even Pop Warner?

Lucas: I think my number one highlight would have to be senior year at New Rochelle against White Plains. It was a very important game, let alone it was a huge rivalry. I kind of took it personal that I hadn’t scored against them since my sophomore year, so I told myself I had to this game. I scored a 53-yard run, breaking six tackles and the play actually gave us the lead. The funny thing is that the play actually helped me get recruited. It was an offensive play but it showed how much of an athlete I was, so I would have to go with that as my biggest highlight.

Herkimer Lacrosse

Herkimer County Community College has announced the appointment of James Ireland, of Norwalk CT, as head men’s lacrosse coach for the spring 2012 season. Ireland is an HCCC graduate with the Class of 2004, and was a member of the Herkimer Generals 2003 national championship lacrosse team and was a two-time first team All American and 2004 NJCAA Player of the Year. He served as assistant varsity and junior varsity lacrosse coach at Newtown High School in Newtown, CT. A private lacrosse instructor, Ireland works with athletes of all ages. Jamie has tremendous love for the sport and for Herkimer.

If you have been following any type of lacrosse in the past 20 years you probably at some point heard of the program at Herkimer County Community College. And recently you have probably heard about how the program is in a slight downfall. If you are not familiar with the program you might want to read the history of Herk Lacrosse, the rise of the program to dominance, and their recent fall in the world of lacrosse.

For decades Herkimer was THE school for Junior College lacrosse. So what happened to this once top program? The basic history is that Herk had a team for decades and that they were the primetime JuCo of upstate NY until OCC (Onondaga Community College) took over the title.

Herk won their last JuCo title in 2005. Paul Wehrum was the coach at the time (he is now at Union College – NCAA DIII), and he heavily recruited some of the best players, and helped them move on to 4 year colleges after finishing their time in JuCo. He was like a father figure for the kids and helped them with great success.

After Wehrum left for Union College (NCAA DIII) in 2004, Scott Barnard, who also won a NJCAA championship at Herk, took over.  He is now the head coach at Hamilton.

After Barnard left in 2008, Rich Dommer, also a Herk Lacrosse Alum, took over for a couple of years.

The great coaches kept coming and we also can’t forget that Herkimer also had campus adjacent housing, which is something that almost no other JuCo in the country had. The players basically lived in a two story condo with no RAs. But by the time Dommer had taken over, Onondaga Community College had started a team and had on campus housing and were coached by former Herk Lacrosse players.Things changed fast.

With Wehrum as coach, Herk always had a strong advantage on bringing in Native American players. But he couldn’t stay with the program forever, and Native American players could now go to a school which was also closer to a Reservation (OCC) and was making a real investment in the sport of lacrosse. The native americans are the creators of lacrosse and are key to this game.

So can Herkimer ever get back to the levels of success they once enjoyed? For a program that won 9 JuCo National Championships between 1988 and 2005, it would almost be too sad to imagine that they cannot step up to the plate. If anyone can turn this program around, it would be Coach Ireland.



“I would just like to personally thank each and every one of you for your support through out these past few weeks. You have all been so great! Our love for Herkimer and the game of lacrosse is now stronger than ever. As we all know, this is a very special place for us and this has only proven that more. I encourage all to come to as many games/practices as possible. A more formal letter will be sent out very soon. Thanks again for everything, I hope to see you all soon.” - Coach Ireland

“Jamie is a remarkable young man. I have been impressed by his desire to improve his own lacrosse abilities and remain a student of the game. He is enthusiastic and loves new challenges. He is determined to build back the program that we all love at Herkimer.” - Paul Wehrum

“I am excited and optimistic that Jamie will quickly provide direction and commitment to our current lacrosse student-athletes. Jamie’s playing and coaching experience makes him an excellent selection for Herkimer Lacrosse. As an alum and a member of the Herkimer “Lacrosse Family,” Jamie knows the importance of commitment, excellence and opportunity that all of our Lacrosse Alumni have experienced at Herkimer.” - Athletic Director Donald Dutcher.
New Head Coach: Jamie Ireland

Going Green in Herkimer County

Going green can be defined as learning and practicing healthier living habits that produce an ecologically friendlier environment. This is an important concept to preserve our earth.

In Herkimer County, there are a handful of people willing to step up to the plate to inform the public about preserving the earth.  One of them is Jaime Tuttle.  Jaime Tuttle works for Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste and is a School Recycling Coordinator.  She spreads her knowledge in Herkimer County and visits elementary schools, high schools and colleges.  She teaches the importance of putting recyclables in a recyclable bin.  By doing this, the recyclables are then sent to manufactures to be reused.  This lowers the cost of making more products, and is saving space in landfills. The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority has made is easier and simpler for individuals to become active in recycling.  No longer do we have to sift through our garbage’s and separate, paper, glass and cans, it can all be placed into black bin, provided by your garbage company.  

Other greening efforts in which Jaime Tuttle is participating in is incorporating the Earth Tub in local schools, which is a small scale, in vessel composting system which is used for recycling organic waste materials. It can mix and shred food as well.   This is ideal for large institutions such as businesses or schools.  Another project in which Tuttle is active in is called the Zero Waste Challenge which occurs in local schools.  It involves students learning to make less trash at lunch so in the future they can apply this aspect to their daily life. Whichever school has the lowest percentage of waste, wins. Recycling bins and composts should be available to each school participating in the challenge.  These kinds of environmentally friendly competitions get kids involved in preserving the earth.

Herkimer County Community College is becoming green by taking action by preserving energy.  Thomas Stock, a Science professor at Herkimer College is the director of the Green Club, which implements green practices.  Thomas Stock explained that Herkimer College has changed their light bulbs to fluorescent lights, implements the three R’s, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and even has a compost located on campus. HCCC has also installed sensors in some of the classrooms, turning off lights automatically when no movement is detected.  In classrooms that don’t have sensor detectors, there are stickers on each light informing students and faculty members to turn off lights when leaving the classroom. The school has also installed a new air conditioning system which is more effective and uses less energy.  There is also a Park Pick-Up Day which the Green Club as well as students at the college participate in.  By going green, and taking measures to preserve energy, the college has been able to stay within their budget while helping the earth. 

Christine Shahin is an activist and eco-friendly leader.  She is interested in educating others about going green and preserving the earth’s natural resources.  In her efforts, she has introduced the Green Team, which promotes awareness of going green and educates others in Herkimer County.   She has taught healthier, greening tips to individuals nationally and internationally such as not using harmful chemicals, avoiding plastics, using a compost, and overall producing less pollution.  In the past she was the Executive Director of Kids Against Pollution and taught kids grades 5-12 to respect the environment.   To keep the spirit of greening alive, she awarded the Little Falls Co-Op for practicing healthy lifestyles which helps to preserve the earth’s resources.

Shahin owns a salon in Little Falls at 410 Canal Place, on the second floor, which offers all natural make-up, and promotes eco friendly life styles to her customers.  At Faces of Astarte, Shahin doesn’t use any chemicals in the product she sells, such as shampoos, conditioners, lotions, face creams and make-up.  She uses a compost, and reusable bags at her salon.  Shahin’s long term goals include her Green Team spreading the message across to other local businesses to reduce, reuse, recycle, have a compost, and eventually live off the grid, by means of wind and not fossil fuels. 

Terry Stanly works for Iberdrola Renewables as the Plant Manager of Hardscrabble Wind Project.  His team brought windmills to Herkimer County.   Some individuals are for or against windmills coming into this area for a few different reasons.  Some are against windmills because they may take up space, and disrupt natural habitats. However, windmills are tall, but do not take up a lot of space.    They do not disrupt many habitats when built, and if a habitat is disrupted, then the company is required to make a new habitat a short distance away from the original one.  Windmills are extremely beneficial to Herkimer County and the people who live there because they are energy efficient.  Windmills which are also called wind turbines, which run off from wind, and use hardly any electricity to power themselves. Wind, which is essential to these turbines, is an unlimited, free source of power which produces zero pollution.  Because of windmill’s  their carbon footprint is minimally evasive to the environment. Other benefits include long-run reduction in energy and lower energy expenses.

Herkimer County has taken huge strides in order to preserve our earth thanks to Jaime Tuttle; who is reaching out to students and educating them on the importance of recycling and composting. Thomas Stock, who is passing on his knowledge to his students ad implementing the Green Club. Christine Shahin, a local business owner and advocate of going green and Terry Stanley who helped bring windmills to our community for cleaner and efficient energy.

Herkimer General's Baseball on a 22 game winning streak

        The Generals have found their grove on the field and are winning very impressively. After opening the season playing against a couple division II teams, the team was 2-4 to start the season. Jason Rathbun coach of the Generals says "We put our team in some tough games early in the season that have prepared us to be where we are at now." In Division III, they are 18-1, and in the Mountain Valley Conference, the Generals have a strong record of 17-0.

       The Generals have had some tough games in the winning streak but for the most part they have

been taking out teams with strong wins. Kyle Schwartz, a pitcher for the Generals has been

doing phenomenal, and has a 7-0 record on the mound. 

        Coach Rathbun is happy with the way his team is playing. He states that "I think we are starting to

form our lineup for the season and some pieces are starting to become fixtures in our lineup like Tyler

Hall hitting third for us and Luke Nethaway hitting fourth for us. We are right on track for where we

want to be at this point of the season." 

        The Generals have some tough games ahead of them. They will be taking on Schenectady

Community College, and Mohawk Valley Community College in their next few games. With 9 games

left in the season, the Generals are looking at a good strong record to enter Sub-Regional's in a few

week.

NPR's New Guiding Handbook

        According to an article written by Mallary Jean Tenore of Poynter, the staff of NPR, is currently being introduced to a new Ethics Handbook.  This handbook is illustrating the importance of avoiding ethical dilemmas and stressing the importance of reporting the truth.   According to NPR, the new handbook is a how to guide, rather than a set of codes.       

            The handbook addresses certain issues which NPR has faced, such as falsely reporting Gabrielle Giffords had died.   In order to avoid such mistakes from happening again, journalists as well as editors need to follow the how to steps in the Ethics Handbook to avoid mistakes.  The Ethics Handbook goes into detail about how journalists should write, who they should source and the importance of remaining unbiased and impartial. According to NPR, “review and update policies/training with respect to the role of NPR journalists appearing on other media outlets to ensure that they understand they applicability of the Ethics Code to their work and to facilitate equitable and consistent application of the Code.”  If journalists have any questions about ethical decisions they are told to consult with their superiors for help.

            On Pressthink.org, an article about NPR’s new handbook was also written.  More information about this handbook was given, such as avoiding ‘he said, she said.'.  The goal is to report the truth with clarity and correct information.  The new handbook shifts from a code of rules to a handbook of how-to guidelines.  According to Pressthink.org, NPR’s mission is to create a more reformed public.

            I think that it was wise of NPR to introduce a new handbook.  It will help individuals have a better understanding of ethics.  I think that this handbook can become very beneficial to NPR, because if their journalists understand their guidelines, they will make fewer mistakes in their articles.

           

Effective ways to make use of those Sundays

So, here I lie in bed as I type up an article pertaining to what most consider “the most boring day of the week”. I, for one, completely beg to differ; I take complete advantage of not having to go to class, or having to go to work. Theoretically, Sundays are a day where everyone has a chance to catch up with what happened last week, and prepare for the next one to come.

Let’s take a step backwards and get to know a little about Sunday, and the origin of its name. The name comes from the Latin phrase dies solis, meaning “sun’s day”: the name of a pagan Roman holiday. According to Encyclopedia Mythica, “the early Romans, around the first century, used Saturday as the first day of the week. As the worshipping of the Sun increased, the Sun’s day (Sunday) advanced from position of the second day to the first day of the week (and Saturday became the seventh day).”

On the other hand, Sunday is significant to other cultures, while some cultures just see it as another day. For most Christians, Sunday is a day of worship and rest, in recognition of the excerpt from the Bible, which states, “And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it, he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Gen 2:2-3)”.

Now that we have gotten a brief background of Sunday, let’s take the next step by establishing some random facts about typical Sundays. For folks that usually go to school, or work during the regular business week, have the grace of utilizing Sunday as their “free day”, if you will. For instance, Sunday is a day where: families that practice some sort of Catholicism go to Church and worship, most football games in the NFL occur and most stores close early to prepare for the regular business week.

If you’re anything like me, and attend classes regularly Monday through Friday, and work all the week (except I always get Sunday off, coincidentally), chances are you don’t have all the time you really need in order to get homework assignments complete. Luckily, there is a day where I have no real-life tasks to complete, other than keeping up with life itself, and that day is Sunday; I can sleep in until three in the afternoon, or I can wake up early and actually get a chance to eat off of McDonald’s Breakfast menu.

Top 5 things I recommend people doing on their Sundays:

1.)    Dedicate this day to sit down and think of every task you need to complete: either it be for your job, schoolwork or any other extracurricular activities you plan on doing.

2.)    Walk around the outside of your house and check for any imperfections that may bother you, things that you may have never noticed before on a day-to-day basis.

3.)    Walk around the inside of your house and brainstorm any ways you can effectively clean every little nook and cranny.

4.)    Put down the iPad, laptop, or what have you, and take a jog (if the weather permits)!

5.)    Make Sunday your big laundry day.

Top 5 things I do on my Sundays:

1.)    Catch up with all of my assignments.

2.)    Play video games until my fingers fall off.

3.)    Take a gander around the web to see anything new going on.

4.)    Watch whatever sport is on [preferably football (NFL), or basketball (NBA).]

5.)    I take a cruise around town and see the gents take out their vintage cars for a good ol’ Sunday drive (if you aren’t already familiar, these individuals with their vintage cars tend to be “Sunday Drivers”, so don’t plan on making it anywhere on time).

Have you been effectively using your Sundays all along, or have any of my tips helped you? Do you do any of the things I normally do on my Sundays? Leave feedback in the comments section to help others utilize those “boring” Sundays!