Could Cancerous Tonsil Cells Cure AIDS?

SEPT.-NOV. Volume 6, ISSUE 1

Could Cancerous Tonsil Cells Cure AIDS? Joe Bisiani AIDS, also known as Acquired Immunodefi- T-cells usually help ciency Syndrome, has been a challenging virus to fight cancer, but if the cure. T-cells become can- AIDS is caused by HIV, a sexually transmit- cerous themselves, ted disease that causes the white blood cell count to they produce identical drop below 200. White blood cells are an important cells. Cancer cells be- part of the immune system. They stimulate the pro- come cancerous from duction of antibodies against diseases. a random mutation. AIDS puts you at risk for serious illnesses But if molecular biolo- since the immune system is down. To combat gists were to preserve AIDS, more T-cells need to be present within your the tonsils that are removed, they could manipulate body. T-cells are the white blood cells produced in the T-cells’ DNA to make them divide faster. your thymus gland. The problem is that the thymus Would this be safe? Since the tonsils are al- gland turns into fat once the body reaches puberty, ready removed from patients, a biologist could as- having produced all of the necessary T-cells for life pire to test the manipulation of T-cells in a labora- during childhood. tory. Once the scientists figure out how to make T- Normally, the number of T-cells produced in cells cancerous, they could stimulate them to divide those years would be enough for a typical lifespan quickly. This would still be safe because the cancer- but not for people who have HIV. Their white blood ous cells are out of the patients. cell count eventually drops below 200. Therefore, With these T-cells replicating at a fast rate, the thymus gland needs to still be present in order they could then be extracted, and through a blood to combat AIDS and HIV. transfusion, inserted safely into patients that have Fortunately, an Ohio State University study HIV and AIDS. From here, the T-cells can combat demonstrated that T-Cells may also be found in HIV at a fast rate and protect the body with a the tonsils. The tonsils are another part of the im- stronger immune system. The great thing with this mune system. A lot of people get their tonsils taken technique is that the manipulation of T-cells can be out due to an inflammation of the body tissue, safely changed genetically outside of the patients called tonsillitis. We could develop T-cells with the with Tonsillitis. removed tonsils by extracting some and making Who knows? Maybe cancerous cells and ton- them cancerous. This leads them to replicate quick- sils can stop a deadly virus and a white blood cell ly. deficiency. Now, at first, this may seem outlandish since Continued on page 3 Female Students On School Dress Teacher Feature Jackie Robinson., the UN... Pg 16 Pg 18-19 Pg 23 Has Donald Trump Made a Constitutional Travel Ban? Skyler Goldberg Donald Trump issued his third travel ban on preme Court agrees, they will need to hear the case. September 24th, making the case against the previ- So do those changes make Travel Ban 3.0 ous ban moot. As a result, the Supreme Court constitutional? Immigration groups don’t think so. doesn’t need to hear it since the new ban rescinded Some have already filed lawsuits on the current ban. the old one. These include the American Civil Liberties Union Travel Ban 3.0, as some have called it, blocks and the Iranian Alliance Across Borders. immigration from eight countries: Chad, Iran, Lib- These groups point out that every country on ya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Vene- the list except North Korea and Venezuela is still zuela. The list does not include Sudan like the last predominantly Muslim. They dismiss Venezuela as two bans but adds Chad, North Korea and Venezue- a veneer since the ban only applies to officials and la. their families. They say the same for North Korea, as Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the De- travel was already limited. partment of Homeland Security recommended These critics think the ban still screams Mus- lim animus. They quote campaign promises of a “Muslim ban,” and say small changes don’t erase the clear line of intent. Some also believe the ban breaks international treaties. They point to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Ra- cial Discrimination. These treaties forbid countries from making national origin a factor in immigration standards. Supporters of the ban, however, adduce a these countries after discovering that they don't pro- section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that vide all the information we use to vet. They have not gives the president absolute authority over immi- yet specified what that information is. gration. Opponents counter that a later amendment And the list of countries isn’t the only thing limited that authority. One of these limits, they say, Trump changed. Unlike the previous bans, Travel is the president may not discriminate based on na- Ban 3.0 gives the countries a way off the list. All tionality. they have to do is give us the information we've re- Supporters also argue that judges must keep quested. The other bans, in contrast, lasted for spec- the stated reason for the ban, protecting our coun- ified time periods no matter what the countries did. try, in mind. They don't think judges can invoke Also unlike previous iterations, this ban ex- campaign statements to find Muslim animus. They empts green card holders. So, people with permis- cite previous cases in which judges refused to look sion to live in the U.S. can still travel even if they beyond a president’s stated reason to find unlawful aren’t yet citizens. Trump changed this to avoid ar- discrimination. guments that the ban takes away people’s rights Legal scholars also argue about how good the without a trial. According to many legal scholars, president’s reason must be to justify the ban. Some immigrants abroad without green-cards aren’t pro- say it must meet what's called the strict scrutiny tected by trial. standard. But others think the rational basis stand- Strangely, this ban doesn’t say anything ard is enough. about refugees. Because nothing replaces the pas- According to Cornell's legal dictionary, ra- sages in the second ban that address the refugee is- tional basis means the law Continued on page 4 sue, some lawyers say they still apply. If the Su- must “have a legitimate state Life or Medical Fact John Mari

A child’s life means more than medical facts, DNA for his mitochondria. However, he remarked or the medical facts will decide a child’s life. Those that it was “a theoretical possibility” that the thera- were the opposing arguments in what became a py would provide some positive assistance only be- controversial battle to keep a young British infant cause at that time, Charlie did not have severe alive after it was discovered that he had a terminal structural brain damage. Time progressed and, by illness. Jan. 9, Charlie’s condition worsened, causing epi- The parents of young Charlie Gard wel- leptic seizures which induced additional brain comed him into the world in August 2016. He was damage. breathing and developing normally. But after a few In late January, the hospital staff began dis- weeks, his par- cussing with Charlie’s parents that he should be ents, Chris Gard, pulled off of life support. They disagreed with the and Connie hospital staff, and that was the beginning of their Yates, began to movement. By the end of April, donations on a Go- notice subtle FundMe page set up by Charlie’s parents to send signs of illness. him to the United States for the experimental treat- They were feed- ment had exceeded $1.7 million American dollars. ing him every However, relations between Mr. Gard and Ms. two to three hours, but he was not gaining any Yates and the British hospitals and courts further weight. And, he was becoming less and less able to deteriorated in June when the British High Court lift his head. Therefore, by October 11th, 2016, upheld the hospital’s decision that artificial life Charlie was so frail that he was moved to the Great support should be withdrawn. The hospital readied Ormond Street Hospital in London and was put on themselves for executing the court’s judgement, a ventilator machine. but allowed Mr. Gard and Ms. Yates more time By November, doctors at the hospital, with their son before his potential death on June through genetic testing, determined that Charlie’s 30th. protein sequences were consistent with the genetic This was the time, in early July of this year, disorder called Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syn- that this story began to seize the eyes of people on drome. In short, this was caused by a mutation in an international scale. Mr. Gard and Ms. Yates’ one of Charlie’s genes that operated the mitochon- struggle to save their son from losing life support dria, or energy manufacturers, in his cells. Without was supported by human rights activists world- the genes properly functioning, the symptoms that wide, including Pope Francis of the Roman Catho- follow are dire including brain damage, paralysis, lic Church who stated that human life should be muscle weakness, organ failure, and eventually protected. Protests in favor of Charlie ensued death, likely during infancy. around the hospital in London. So, the hospital, its Eventually, Charlie succumbed to these staff and members of the British High Court were symptoms and only the machines at the hospital subject to slanderous comments and ridicule for were keeping him alive. In January, Dr. Michio their decision to remove Charlie’s life support. Hirano, a specialist in diseases like Charlie’s at In mid-July, Dr. Hirano was summoned by New York’s Columbia University, examined a pos- the British High Court to conduct an examination sible treatment for Charlie’s illness called nucleo- of Charlie to provide insight to the court during the side therapy, which would have provided synthetic second set of proceedings. Continued on next page Life or Medical Fact-Continued from page 3 Dr. Hirano noted that Charlie’s condition was quite have actually been diagnosed with these rare genet- grave, and the proposed experimental treatment ic disorders, it is difficult for scientists to research would be futile. Therefore, at the woeful consent of them, and find sufficient cures or treatments. Mr. Gard and Ms. Yates, Charlie was removed from Therefore, going forward after young Charlie’s his ventilator on July 27th and transferred to a hos- p a s s i n g , pice where he later perished on July 28 at the age there will be of 11 months and 24 days, just shy of his 1st birth- more such day. cases where This case shed a light on the issues regarding the laws of human health facing our world today, and how sci- medicine and entific principles and medical procedures can the wishes of sometimes overshadow the wishes of parents or a loving fami- caretakers of individuals who are so gravely ill, they ly member cannot speak for themselves. The feelings of the become tan- caretakers, who just want to see life in their loved gled in such a one’s eyes, can become intertwined with the scien- heated way tific reality of the situation, and controversy over that the world Charlie Gard’s parents: Chris Gard crucial decisions with regards to the life of the pa- will watch and (left) and Connie Yates tient will soon arise. The medical world is compli- take sides, as cated, and with so few people in the world who well.

Has Donald Trump Made a Constitutional Travel Ban?-Continued from page 2 interest” and "a rational connection between [its] the same term in ruling on the second ban. means and goals.” Courts apply this standard to Chuang did not define this term, but the Su- laws about national security and immigration. See- preme Court did. The justices counted close rela- ing no discrimination, supporters think the law on- tives of citizens, students of American universities, ly addresses security concerns. employees of American businesses and invited The other standard, strict scrutiny, means speakers. The Department of Homeland Security the law must address a specific, “compelling gov- will decide who meets this standard. They don’t ernment interest.” Judges use this standard for need to adhere to the Supreme Court’s definition. questions of discrimination. Since critics believe Judge Derrick Watson went even further. He the ban discriminates against Muslims and certain blocked the ban without exception. Yet, both he and nationalities, they want hardline strict scrutiny. Chuang accept the restrictions on North Korean For courts to use the strict scrutiny stand- and Venezuelan travel. Trump is expected to appeal ard, challengers will need to convince judges that both decisions. the ban discriminates and won’t protect our country. Alternatively, they could argue that protecting our country doesn't justify discriminating against Muslims. What's the current status of the ban? Judge Theodore Chuang, the same judge who blocked the last ban, froze parts of the current one. He ruled that it may not apply to those with a “bona fide rela- Judges Theodore Chuang (left) and Derrick Watson tionship” to our country. The Supreme Court used blocked Donald Trump’s travel ban. Quadruple Hit: Harvey, Irma, Maria, Nate John Mari Our nation had not seen a major hurricane make landfall in almost twelve years. This was a record that was bound to be broken, and this year it has been. In a matter of three weeks, three hurricanes of From left: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate at at least Category 4 strength made landfall on our their respective peak strengths. shores, along with one Category 1 hurricane, bring- which includes Houston. These rain bands were at ing utter destruction to many areas, including the their worst during the night of August 26th, where costliest Atlantic hurricane on record, surpassing the some areas received as much as two feet of rain in 12 apocalyptic Hurricane Katrina, at $198.6 billion. hours. As panicked residents fled to their second First, Hurricane Harvey, which originated in floors, attics and, eventually, roofs, 911 operators the tropical low pressure area in the southern Gulf of were overwhelmed with thousands of people re- Mexico, rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurri- questing rescue. Many areas were solely accessible cane before making landfall at its peak intensity near by boat, so the rescue operations had to be carefully the city of Rockport on Texas’ southeastern coast executed and were often treacherous due to the tre- with 130 mile per hour mendous area experiencing the flash flooding. Police winds. Roofs were shred- officers assembled organized groups and began the ded, and trees were grueling task of venturing into the floodwaters, with stripped of their leaves. some locations experiencing up to 10 feet of standing However, this was not water. Most residents were plucked from second sto- Harvey’s worst nightmare. ry windows or attics, while the lucky ones were able to wade through waist-deep water through their The Houston Houston, Texas is literally un- front yards. metropolitan area in derwater after Hurricane Har- As if Hurricane Harvey’s catastrophic blow in vey’s astounding rainfall. Texas has seen major flooding from tropical Texas wasn’t enough, the second major hurricane to systems before, such as during Tropical Storm Alli- strike the United States in 2017 roared ashore in the son in 2001. But, this storm only dumped 30 inches Florida Keys two weeks later. In the morning hours of rain in a very small area in the eastern part of the of September 10th, Hurricane Irma made landfall as city. Harvey was a different story. Because two high a Category 4 hurricane near Cudjoe Key. In Florida, pressure systems on either side of Harvey prevented the storm surge tore through homes along the coast, any steering current from moving it into the United especially in the Keys, and the winds toppled many States further, as most hurricanes do after making trees and power lines, leaving over 12 million Florid- landfall, Harvey stalled, and remained stationary ians without power as a result of the storm. In areas over southeastern Texas for the better part of five such as Naples, where Irma made its final landfall as days. This situation was catastrophic for the Houston a Category 3, wind damage was moderate, with mo- area, in particular, due to its huge population of al- bile homes’ being ripped to shreds by the ferocious most 6.5 million as well as its clay soil which has winds. In addition, even though the Miami-Fort very poor drainage. Lauderdale metro area was over one 100 miles from the center of the storm, a 109 mile per hour wind Over the five day period, tropical rain bands gust was reported in a city just south of Fort Lauder- fed extreme amounts of moisture into the Houston dale called Pembroke Pines. Two construction crane area, dumping as much as 6 to 9 inches of rain per were snapped in the strong winds in Miami, and an- hour in some spots. This led to a Flash Flood Emer- other in Fort Lauderdale. gency’s being declared in Harris County, Texas, Continued on page 7 Also, the strong onshore Quadruple Hit-Continued from page 5 flow from the hurricane produced moderate storm brought extreme winds, rains, and storm surge on surge in Miami’s downtown Brickell section, which the island, causing all 3.5 million residents to lose is on Bis- power. The capital city of San Juan on the island’s cayne Bay. northern coast sustained heavy wind damage with Roughly 3 lots of debris’ littering streets, causing many roads feet of water to be impassable. Communications across the en- i n u n d a t e d tire island were extremely limited, with as much as the streets 60 percent of its cell phone towers having been surrounding damaged or destroyed. Relatives of some of the Biscayne Bay, victims on Long Island and in areas of New York which was City, such as the Bronx, were not able to contact Two men battle Hurricane Irma’s hurri- exacerbated by their family members, and were organizing relief cane-force winds in Fort Lauderdale, the relentless efforts by collecting non-perishable foods and toi- Florida. wind, which letries to send to Puerto Rico via airplane. The dev- was, at times, astation in Puerto Rico became more apparent in sustained at hurricane force, with gusts at Category the days following the storm as a majority of resi- 2 strength. Many road signs and trees were dents in rural areas had no home, running water, snapped, while some windows and doors were food, electricity or any method of communication blown out by flying debris. In the immediate after- with the outside world. It was labeled as a humani- math of the storm, while winds were still sustained tarian crisis by many in the media and is expected at tropical storm force, there were sporadic reports to be Puerto Rico’s costliest natural disaster in his- of looting in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas tory with an estimated $90 billion in damage. of non-essential items, such as high-end sneakers. And finally, not as a major hurricane, Hurri- The main issue throughout the Florida pen- cane Nate came ashore on the northern Gulf Coast insula was power outages. During late August and on October 7th as a mid-grade Category 1 storm early September in Florida, the average daily air with maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per temperature is 90 F. Then, factor in dewpoint tem- hour. The storm buffeted areas along the coast peratures hovering around 77 F, which allow heat with hurricane-force gusts and knocked out power indices to soar to the triple digits. Many don’t real- to over 200,000 people in Alabama, Louisiana and ize the luxury of having power until they lose it, Mississippi. The strong southerly winds along the and, this time, many Floridians learned the hard coast created at least a 6-foot storm surge in Biloxi, way. Unfortunately, a nursing home in Hollywood, Mississippi, where the Golden Nugget Casino was Florida lost electricity, which brought its air condi- flooded on its first floor. tioning system to a halt. Eleven residents of the The hurricane season in 2017 has thus far nursing home died as a result of the heat in South been the most active in terms of accumulated cy- Florida, to which the elderly are especially vulnera- clone energy since the record-breaking 2005 sea- ble. It has not yet been determined why the nurs- son. As of November 8th, this year’s measurement ing home was not on a priority list to get power re- is about 223, comparable to the median amount stored. for a normal season of 92. Hopefully, this trend re- Even after our mainland southeast coast verses, but, with many scientists at the weather was ravaged by Harvey and Irma, yet another Cate- agency NOAA predicting a La Nina wind pattern to gory 4 made landfall on American soil, this time in set up, our hurricane seasons will likely become Puerto Rico. On September 20th, Hurricane Maria more vigorous in the immediate future. Superheroes Take over Manhattan

Andrew Friedman Editors’ Note: Use of Vulgarity “A- heroes when I created my own alter ego, and, so, I BACKGROUND For the past 11 will will always be grateful to comic books.” years, Columbus Day weekend has become virtual- I was fortunate enough to also be the invit- ly synonymous with the New York Comic Con. The ed guest of John Romita Jr. whose work at Marvel Jacob K. Javits center becomes packed with more and DC Comics has earned him two of the indus- than 100,000 fans of every genre you can imagine. try’s most coveted honors: the Inkspot and Eisner Security guards carefully check all ticket- Awards. holders (making sure all lightsabers are deactivat- During his long career that spans five dec- ed!) and scan their badges. ades, John Romita has drawn most of the superhe- The central hub, where hundreds of vendors roes and villains we’ve come to love and hate. Dur- displayed merchandise in the giant show floor. ing my interview with him, which gained me ad- Comic books, magazines, toys, video games, mov- mission to the DC Comic lounge, I found out a lot ies, books and one of a kind artwork abound. about this great artist’s long and illustrious ca- A little patience goes a long way since there reer. were not only celebrity authors and illustrators to sign autographs, but, also, sponsors who gave out INTERVIEW freebies. Andrew Friedman: Mr. Romita, do you remem- To meet with the more famous artists, you ber how old were you were when you started to need to do your homework: know the best time for draw and were there any other talented people in meeting them and where they are stationed. I pre- your family? arranged an interview with rap pioneer, Daryl John Romita Jr: Andy, I’ve been drawing ever “DMC” McDaniels. since I can remember. I have a very talented father I asked him about his departure from the who happens to be a very famous comic book illus- music industry and into the comic book business. trator. My father entered the business more than His answer was quite interesting: “Comic books sixty years ago so he could support his family, and did two things for me. I was reading Marvel Comic over the years he created many of the heroes you books every day, and they made me an excellent know ---Wolverine, The Punisher, Luke Cage--- student. and even more memorable villains like the King- “They also taught me that when you define pin, Green Goblin, and the Shocker. And my moth- yourself with an adjective, that adjective tells the er, Virginia, was also had a big part in shaping my world who you are. For instance, The Amazing Spi- future. She was the Production Traffic Director for derman, The Incredible Hulk, The Invincible Iron- Marvel for years, and she was in charge of what we man. all called the bullpen. So my mother was my fa- “When hip ther’s boss, and my boss, no matter where we were. hop came over I guess it was my destiny to follow in their foot- from the Bronx steps. and Queens, I AF: Can you tell me what you do at DC Comics? learned I could JRJR: Basically, my job is to take a script and tell stories over make it come to life with the pictures I draw. It’s music. I was too my job to make the words of a writer pop out at the shy as plain Dar- reader. By trade, I’m a penciller, but I’m also good yl McDaniels to at inking, which means I take a picture I’ve drawn even speak over a in pencil and make it more detailed with ink. microphone, so I Continued on page 10 transformed myself into The Devastating Mic Con- trolling ‘DMC.’ I found my inspiration from super- Rick and Morty Escapades

Charlotte Gann At our school, a lot of people are into the volved with TV show “Rick and Morty.” Rick and Morty is an Channel 101 animated comedy about a cynical mad scien- which was cre- tist Rick Sanchez and his fretful, easily influ- ated by Dan enced grandson, Morty Smith, who split their Harmon and time between domestic life and interdimension- Rob Schrab in al adventures, facing bizarre, uncanny and un- 2004. As the earthly beings of all shapes and sizes. Rick’s show’s co- handmade portal-inducing gun. Also in the p r o d u c e r , show, we have Morty’s parents and sister. Roilan does Charlotte Gann’s rendition of characters Morty’s father, Jerry Smith, does not think Rick many of the Rick and Morty is a good influence on his son and usually disap- voices for the proves whenever they go on adventures. On the show, whether it is for a main or a side character. other hand, Morty’s mother, Beth Sanchez Smith To name a few, he voices the cynical scientist, thinks that it’s great that the two of them bond Rick and his easily influenced grandson Morty, and that Rick is a great influence on her son. as well as a blue and orange creature know as Morty’s sister, Summer Smith, is a typical teen- Mr. Meekseeks. This show has some similarities ager; she disobeys her parent’s rules, is on social to the movie series “Back to the Future,” which media 24/7, and, of course, exhibits typical teen- debuted in 1985 and ended in 1990. The movie age attitude and remarks. But, overall, she does series focuses on Doc Brown and Marty McFly as care about her family, although she rarely shows they travel through time as Rick and his grand- it. The show’s creators, Justin Roiland and Dan son travel to different dimensions. Harmon, met when Roilan started getting in- Season 2 of Riverdale

Olivia Hunt Editors’ Note: Contains spoilers for Season 1 Recently, several people took part in the character, Archie Andrews in his last issue. process of bringing one of America’s most pop- However, shortly after the end of the comic se- ular comic series ries, Archie and his friends were reborn into a back to life. Many new television series known as “Riverdale.” people involved in “Riverdale” is a show about the mysteries the process re- occurring in the town of Riverdale. “Riverdale” created the series Season 2 has already aired on The CW and can into the television be watched on Wednesday nights. In season show “Riverdale.” one, the show was geared around the murder of The Archie Comics Jason Blossom. Now entering Season 2, fans were founded in want to know what to expect from the show. 1939, and ended around 2014 when “Riverdale” aired on The CW on January CEO Jon Goldwa- 26th, 2017, opening with the case of student, ter confirmed the Jason Blossom’s death. Jason was found dead death of the main by Sweetwater river, and it was no accident. As

Continued on page 11 Superheroes Take over Manhattan-Continued from page 8 helps me get better at what I do. It’s at these con- AF: Have you and your father gotten a chance to ventions where I sit on panels where people like me work together? talk about our future projects. These conventions JRJR: Yes, we have! Mostly when I was over at also give me a chance to do some business with peo- Marvel working on Spiderman projects. It was great ple from the west coast offices who fly down to at- to work with a comic book legend who happened to tend these conventions. This comic con happens to be my father! be in my hometown of New York, but I also make AF: Do you remember what the first comic books sure to attend conventions in other cities or coun- you read were? tries. In fact, last year I went to comic cons in Mon- aco and Hawaii! JRJR: I sure do. The first one I looked at, but did- n’t read, was a Superman comic whose cover was AF: Have you ever created your own project and ripped off. It was mixed in with a bunch of maga- how did it do? zines at my barbershop. The first one I actually read JRJR: Yes I have! Thirteen years ago, Glen Bruns- was “Metal Men” from DC. wick and I created The Gray Area for Image comics. I really liked its storyline. And a few years later, AF: Was there anything you saw in those two comics that influenced your career choice? Mark Millar, the man whose “The Kingman’s” movie is in theaters right now, and I developed “Kick JRJR: Good question. Looking back, I know I liked Ass,” which was adapted into, not one, but two mov- them and I know they were different from anything ies! I’m really proud of that! else I’d ever read, but I don’t think they played any role in influencing me. By far, the primary factor in AF: Wow! How old were you when you entered the making me decide to enter this field was the respect comic book industry? I had for my father’s work. I loved watching him JRJR: Believe it or not Andy, I was younger than draw and I was overwhelmed by the ease with which you are now! Thirteen! I pitched the idea of a char- he made previously unknown characters come to acter that became known as The Prowler to Stan life. And I was really happy when I realized that I Lee, the editor of Marvel Comics and the creator could draw, too. So, what choice did I have!? of Spider Man, The Hulk, Iron Man-- so many characters. But my actual printed debut occurred in 1977 AF: Who do you like to draw most? when I illustrated a six-page story titled “Chaos at JRJR: My absolute favorite is Daredevil. He’s fun the Coffee Bean,” which appeared in The Amazing for me to work on, and he’s close to my heart. Be- Spider-Man Annual. My career took off from there. cause of him, I got the chance to work with the great Frank Miller during my run on the comic series, AF: Who was your favorite DC hero when you were “Daredevil: The Man Without Fear.” The work we a kid and did you ever have a chance to illustrate did together was so well received that Ben Affleck’s him? “Daredevil” movie was based on it. I got the biggest JRJR: Although my first DC Comics assignment kick out of seeing my father’s name, John Romita, was the great Superman, The Batman has always on the boxing marquee up there with Matt “Devil” been my favorite DC character. Murdock. AF: How come? AF: Is there any particular character who’s very JRJR: Batman is literally and figuratively more hu- complicated to draw? man than Superman. He has a serious side that’s JRJR: Yes! There’s one who comes to mind right chock full of deep and dark secrets. He has no in- away. Galactus, with his intricate costume, his finely born superpowers. He's had to work hard for every- detailed helmet, and his ornate gloves and shoes. thing he’s accomplished. He’s a detective on par Even though each frame takes lot of time and ener- with Sherlock Holmes. And he’s well aware of what gy to complete, the result is well worth it! made him become the Batman. He’s no boy scout. AF: Do you enjoy the comic con conventions? Those are the aspects of Bruce Wayne that made me want to continue reading his comics growing up JRJR: I love them. They give me a chance to meet and, eventually, to draw him. my readers face to face. The readers of my comics enjoy talking to me about things they like about my AF: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk work, although there are times when they’re critical. with me today. But I can handle both situations, and it actually JRJR: It was a pleasure. Season 2 of Riverdale-Continued from page 9 the series developed, viewers started to pick up known as “Bughead.” Jughead’s mother and on signs that there was more to Betty Cooper sister left him at a young age due to his father’s than being a well-rounded nice girl. The show, involvement in the gang known as the South then, concluded that Betty has another side to Serpents. her which they refer to as “Dark Betty.” After “Jughead has been dealt a pretty bad Jason’s murder was solved, the writers started hand. He's trying to make his own path and it's to bring back “Dark Betty” toward the season not being accepted. He has to acclimate, even finale. This led fans to believe that season two, temporarily, to pursue the questions he needs to will expand upon Betty’s alter ego. answer. He burns with a desire to help his fa- In one episode Betty dresses up as her ther, currently his only real family member, and alter ego and acts the complete opposite of her- will stop at very little to do so," actor Cole self. Actress Lili Sprouse who plays Reinhart, who plays Jughead explained. Betty on Riverdale This also causes ten- confirmed that, sion in the relation- “Her internal dark- ship because of Bet- ness is coming to a ty’s mother’s disap- head and this buried proval. anxiety that she has There is still comes out. You basi- more than just these cally see the root of storylines in Season her depression and 2, so be ready! After self-harm. She’s seeing three epi- very much the cen- sodes of Season 2, ter of the mystery of fans are going nuts. Season 2, and it There is a serial kill- kind of leaves her in The CW releases a new “Riverdale” poster for Season 1. er on the loose in a pit of emotional “Riverdale,” going despair and a little bit distraught. It’s exciting by the name “The Black Hood.” After he at- for me to play a different side of Betty, but it’s tempted to murder Archie’s father, Fred An- going to really tug at the fan’s heartstrings. Be drews, Archie starts to change his morals. With prepared. Have your tissues.” Betty’s receiving a letter “Riverdale” Season 2 will also be chal- from “The Black Hood” lenging Betty and her boyfriend, Jughead, when stating that she inspired the writers introduce a new character, Toni To- his killings, fans are on paz, who can relate to Jughead on a more emo- the edges of their seats tional level than Betty can. At the end of Season for each next episode. 1, Jughead is placed into a foster home on the Don’t forget to Southside, which means he will be attending a catch Riverdale on The new school. Jughead is the type of teenager who CW on Wednesday grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and is nights. Just be prepared just trying to survive. Now that his father has for what you are about been arrested Jughead seems to have lost him- to witness. It may or self. So Toni Topaz, a girl from his new school, may not pull at your may present some problems for the couple heartstrings. Halloween Trends of 2017

Hope Mari Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” “Game of Thrones” Characters The reimagined movie from The hit TV show the classic 1991 original is has won over the making a huge comeback. nation for over After the movie was a suc- five years and is cess earlier this year, people staying strong are excited to bring back a on the top charts classic with Belle’s classic for Halloween ball gown from “Beauty and costumes. This the Beast.” was a great idea for a group of people! Princess Diana as “Wonder Woman”

Wonder Woman is back Eleven from “Stranger Things” with this all new movie. The top grossing summer This new Netflix show is popular 2017 movie topped the among young adults, and the box office and is returned trend is continued into the Hal- for Halloween costumes loween season, especially with this year. Fans are waited teens. There is a very much antici- in line to dress like their pated second season coming in favorite superhero of the October, and Eleven, one of the year. main characters, is at the top of the charts for Halloween costumes. Popular New Candy Pennywise from “It”

The terrifying clown from “It” is coming to haunt us all this year with these two sinister costumes inspired by the movie. With a still growing revenue of $574 billion, this movie is sure to be the most talked about costume of the year. Nicola Yoon, the author of the wonderful This novel is both a novel of love and of sci- novel “Everything, Everything,” once again man- ence. Natasha, due to circumstances she has expe- aged to capture the spirit, dialogue and attitude of rienced in her life, is a firm believer in science. teens toward falling in love. She believes that data can’t disappoint you like I n t h i s people can. In fact, she is out looking for some- book, you meet thing that can help save her family from being de- Natasha Kingsley ported (due to her Dad’s DUI) when she meets and Daniel Jae Ho Daniel. Daniel, on the other hand, believes that Bae. You get to life is poetic and filled with flicks from the hand of know them over a fate. He was supposed to be on his way to an in- 12-hour period terview with a Yale alumnus (his parents want him which, on the sur- to go there and then onto medical school to be- face, you would come a doctor) when he meets Natasha. He thinks think would not that fate plays a role in what happens to him in possibly enough love and in life. time to fall in love The lyrical, flowing language of the charac- with these characters and the descriptions of the day that they ters (or have them spend together will make you fall in love with this fall in love with book. Inspired by the relationship she has with each other). You would be wrong! Yoon does an her husband (she is Jamaican and he is Korean- extraordinary job of using a split narrative to American), the author helps you to experience the guide us through the time Daniel and Natasha absolute joy of falling in love, no matter how long spend together. it might last!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IF THE BENCH COULD TALK

Larry Davis I started out as a beautification project. A internal thoughts drowned out the honks of the project to help the little green park on the corner flock that flew directly overhead. become a friendlier place. It was said to be around Suddenly, splat! A soft unknown projectile had a dangerous location, and the park was hardly vis- just made contact with my wooden frames and ited anymore. The plan was to add an addition to splattered white and brown all over my body. I the playground and a few picnic tables. And me. wanted to curse at that singular Canadian goose I remember that day well. It was a sunny who had decided to start an air-raid. It was no use, Tuesday afternoon in the late summer. The smell I decided. But it seemed bird poop could impact of pizza was in the air from the family-owned Ital- decisions. Later that afternoon, the usual adults ian restaurant next door. Cars whizzed by on the who visited the corner park chose to sit at the pic- street behind the park. A few men came to finish nic table, instead of me, after one look and an “ew.” the work they had started on the park project in However, bird poop is easy to get rid of if the weeks before. One headed my way. The final there is a thunderstorm. But some scars stay with nail was driven into my leg, and a park bench was you forever. The following born. I lay on a cement plat- week brought some trouble- form, facing the playground, some children. Older chil- watching the few kids who dren. It was a peaceful night, still came play tag and make- and I was still moist from the believe until their exhausted thundershower that cleaned parents summoned them to my contaminated seat. All go. the elementary school kids Those few kids be- had left. Now, it was play- came several. And those sev- time for the teenagers. eral became groups of kids at I’d seen teens before, but a time. Those additional kids they hadn’t done a whole lot brought their additional ex- except eat pizza in the park hausted parents (with a few after everyone left. But these teenagers didn’t soccer-moms thrown in), who took the opportunity seem like the ones I’d normally seen. They began to rest on my wooden seat. I watched plenty of to wreck the park, but the darkness shielded most people come and go those first few weeks, those of their handiwork from me. first few weeks when I was still learning what it truly meant to be a park bench. One of them approached me, dressed in dark colors, holding a small container. But I didn’t realize The smell of fall was in the air. Leaves were it was spray paint until I heard the rattling sound just beginning to turn brown and litter the ground. that came from their shaking it. The cold wet The air had become chillier, and fewer children shape I felt told me of the obscene images that visited, due to the beginning of school. Birds flew were tattooed onto me. Another teen came over overhead in their V-shape, beginning their yearly and pulled out a Swiss Army Knife. The flick of his migration. A particular group of birds flew that opening knife informed me of what would come one early October morning. I began to fantasize next. After his work was done, he and his buddies about how they could extend the beautification abandoned their spray paint can and fled the park. project, how extremely popular the park would be- My wooden seat had been branded with words and come, and how much more use I would have. My Continued on page 17

FEMALE STUDENTS ON SCHOOL DRESS CODE Deirdre Doherty

Public schooling provides one of the One student spoke that excessive limits to the strongest methods to pass our society’s culture, length of skirts and shorts, as well as banning beliefs, and values onto younger generations. spaghetti straps, limits students’ ability to par- This can make you wonder: what beliefs are we take in feminine expression. This student, a passing on? Specifically, what are the expecta- sophomore, said that longer shorts and sleeves tions we pass onto young women? don’t “look as girly. It looks more of a tomboy When the topic of sexism in schools is look.” This limits feminine expression and per- brought to attention, it is almost guaranteed that sonal confidence in many young ladies, taking dress code away from personal style, according to her. In will be the the student’s words, “Some girls may have a low focus of con- self-esteem and want to feel pretty.” Fashion versation. allows students to develop their own style and With the excessive limits on what is deemed appropriate push in the stunts their ability to dress in a way to make media to call them personally feel prettier. Another sopho- dress codes more girl says broader regulations pertaining to d e g r a d i n g sleeve length and skirt and pant length will leave toward girls, a more positive impact in society overall. “We does the Miller Place High School dress code en- need to normalize girls’ bodies and instead of force prejudice toward young ladies? The view of trying to conceal them and make girls ashamed students: not really. One first-year female stu- of our bodies, we should celebrate our differ- dent seems to summarize the views of most of ences and spread body positivity!” Based on her peers saying, “The middle school dress code these stu- was awful, but, up here, people stopped caring.” dent per- Many girls appreciate how the strict enforce- spectives, ment of dress code has lightened up over transi- we can tioning between schools. One junior said, “I feel conclude confident. I like being able to trust my judgment that while on what’s appropriate.” These students, exposed on paper to a weak enforcement of dress code, feel like the dress they’ve developed decent judgment on what code regu- could be appropriate to wear or not. And, if it is lations might upset some female students, the ridiculously inappropriate, they feel that admin- lighter enforcement of these rules allows some istrators should, and will, step in. girls to still feel free and confident in what they No female student I interviewed said that wear, allowing them to enjoy a happier educa- they felt victimized by dress code enforcement, tion environment. but some did feel degraded by the written rules. The Bench-continued from page 15

phrases that even the hardest thunderstorm It was then that I heard the sound of could never wash out. tapping feet. A boy was jogging into the park. The children stopped coming once they He was a young high schooler wearing only a saw the havoc that had been wreaked upon the sweatshirt in the frigid night. As he ap- park. I no longer felt the satisfying pressure on proached me, I heard a faint noise that gradu- my seat that came from being used. ally became louder. He was sobbing. I, once again, felt the pressure on my seat as he laid Winter had come. Fallen leaves created himself down. When the sobbing eventually a colored blanket on the hard ground. The Ital- stopped, I knew he had fallen asleep. The in- ian place next to the park had begun to lose its coming snowstorm that had threatened to customers, and went out of business. The plague the town decided to wait until winds smell of pizza that always lingered in the air pushed it away. had tapered into a faint aroma, then disap- peared completely. It seemed as if civilization As dawn crept from the horizon and the had been lost from our little park. sight of the boy became clearer, I was able to see the pronounced lumps and bruises on his It was a solemn night; the store lights face. Remembering my own scarring experi- had been turned off and the street lights had ences, only one thought penetrated my mind. been turned on. The blustery winds and cold air that pierced my body signified that the first You are not alone. snowstorm was on its way. Haunted Happenings of Long Island Hope Mari Long Island is a highly populated area in Long Island-Stories of the Paranormal,” the New York with a family-friendly atmosphere and house is “known to be haunted by the beautiful lavish housing for middle-class families. As time Annette Williamson.” Williamson’s ghost has has gone on, many people have walked the same haunted for over 300 years. It may be one of the streets, and even lived in the same houses that most active spirits Brosky encountered. The we walk on or live in today. Are those people still Patch says that Annette Williamson was a young among us? Most Long Islanders don’t know that woman violently killed at the height of the Amer- there are many "haunted houses" on Long Is- ican Revolution in her family’s home. The house land. According to Wikipedia, a haunted house is is in almost the exact same condition it was over a place “often perceived as being inhabited by 300 years ago, except for a few “touch-ups.” Res- disembodied spirits of the deceased who may taurant owner Bob Willemstyn covered up the have been former residents or were familiar with spot above the fireplace where Williamson was the property.” The residence of these “spirits” is murdered. According to Willemstyn, having it attributed to violence or tragic events that oc- uncovered “bothered” Williamson’s spirit. The curred in the location when the spirit was alive. owners of the restaurant have decorated it with a Even though we may not know it, Long Island Halloween theme to go along with its wandering has its share of ghostly haunts. spirit. Willemstyn says that patrons often men- The Country House Restaurant in Stony tion seeing flashes of lights and, sometimes, a Brook was built around 1710 and was used as a full apparition of Williamson in the dining room. farm and, later, a stage coach drop-off. Accord- Many believe that Williamson leaves “trails and ing to Kerriann Brosky, author of “Ghosts of sparks of light” around the restaurant and loves

Continued on next page Haunted Happenings of Long Island-Continued from previous page to listen to music, especially in the morning. The thropist. Those who Country House website displays a couple of pho- think the hotel is tos some believe show Williamson’s wandering haunted do not around the house. These people see her in win- agree on who is dows, mirrors and orbs of light. Many believe haunting, but some Williamson’s ghost will live forever in this cozy believe it is Otto but spooky popular restaurant of Long Island. Kahn. When visitors People likewise say the Glen Cove Man- try to take a picture sion is home to two spooky spirits known as Mr. of his portrait in the and Mrs. Pratt. Multiple times, people say they mansion, their cam- eras allegedly go noticed the spirits of Mr. and Mrs. Pratt. They Oheka Castle, located in the hamlet see Mrs. Pratt as a smiling old lady sitting in the of Huntington, (Suffolk County). off without their corner of a room. These believers also see a man pushing a button. dressed in a suit, who they think is Mr. Pratt. Other accounts The Glen Cove Mansion used to be home to the have said shadowy figures lurk around the man- Pratt family, according to the Patch. One of the sion and between the bushes outside. After em- employees at the mansion says that, sometimes, ployees close the pool at night, residents say Mrs. Pratt changes the jukebox music selections they've seen watery footprints in the pool. Long and turns on the TV in the pub at night to watch Island Pulse reported yet another story from “CSI.” Scott Bellando, who lived in the building for ten Mrs. Ruth Pratt used to own the mansion. years. He heard beautiful music playing on the Many believe that after she died in the 1960s, main floor piano, so he went downstairs to check she loved the mansion so much that her spirit it out. When he opened the door to the first stayed. When Medium Porcha Williams did a floor, the music stopped. Scott went over the pi- reading on the mansion, she sensed a “powerful ano and said that “there was not a soul in the building.” female spirit all throughout the house.” Mrs. Pratt apparently makes her presence known by Most purportedly haunted areas on Long creating fog on the windows in her former study. Island do not have an agreed upon source for the Even though the staff has changed out the win- spirits that lurk day after day. It is a shock to dows multiple times, the strange fog seems to many people that some see Long Island as home keep coming back. Some believe that the spirits to so many haunted places. Brosky discusses among the mansion are peaceful and are not most, if not all, of the supposedly haunted stories there to harm anyone. The family’s strange pres- on Long Island in her books “Ghosts of Long Is- ence, especially Mrs. Pratt’s, shows that she still land: Stories of the Paranormal” and “Ghosts of loves the house and wants to make sure it is still Long Island II: More Stories of the Paranormal.” taken care of. Moreover, Oheka Castle in Hun- tington is known for its luxurious atmosphere and hosting of large events such as weddings. Most Long Islanders don’t know that some say there is a strange spirit present in the extrava- gant estate. Many employees at the estate say they've heard someone playing piano, as well as feeling tugging at their arm or a dog brushing against them. But no one seems to have a rea- sonable explanation for these strange occurrenc- The Glen Cove Mansion, located in the city of Glen es. The hotel was constructed in 1919 as a sum- Cove (Nassau County). mer home for Otto Kahn, a financier and philan-

Why the Weird Font? Skyler Goldberg In Phil Renaud’s third year at the University Clearly, font affects what readers think of of Windsor, he realized that the font he wrote his writing. Errol Morris, a film director, showed font essays in affected his grade. even affects whether readers believe what you say. Throughout his college He gave groups of people the same es- years, he used Georgia, Trebuchet Georgia say written in different fonts and asked MS, and Times New Roman. them if they believed the writer’s claim. Looking back, he believes he did Of course, not all studies favor his best writing in Trebuchet MS, Georgia. Morris concluded that Basker- but his Georgia essays consistent- Trebuchet MS ville was the best, and The Human Fac- ly earned higher marks than all tors journal published a study in 2005 the other fonts. In fact, the ones that preferred Verdana. he wrote in Trebuchet MS did the Times New Roman But why does Georgia fare so worst. well on tests, overall? Some experts Research supports Re- think it’s because the letters are wider. naud’s belief that Georgia is supe- This makes it easier to read and, actual- rior, at least, to Times New Ro- Verdana ly, helps people read faster, according to man. A Carnegie Mellon study in the above Carnegie Mellon study. 1998 showed Georgia was easier Considering all the evidence, the New to read than both Times New Ro- York Times, along with many other man and Verdana. That same Baskerville publications, switched to Georgia. Now, study also polled people on which so have we. Our editorial staff changed font they preferred. Georgia ended up more pleas- the KROB’s font from Times New Roman to Geor- ing than Times New Roman, but slightly less than gia. Verdana.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Kim Cohen

Comic reminding us there is always a bright side. Grace Patterson Dr. Bradshaw Our newest addition to the high school English department is Dr. Bradshaw. Dr. Bradshaw attended Villanova University for her undergraduate degree in English literature. She completed her graduate degree in education at Hofstra University and her doctor- ate in education at St. John’s University. In high school, Dr. Brad- shaw played varsity basketball for five years. She took AP English where she and her class wrote and performed their own theatrical production, leaving a lasting memory. She chose to go into English because of that fantastic English teacher who helped spark an interest in critical evaluation of literature. She coaches the girls’ varsity basketball team. She says her favorite part of teaching is the students. She loves to form special “Do not dwell in the past, do not bonds with them and watch as they grow into young adults. Some dream of the future, concentrate the of her hobbies include watching basketball, reading, writing and mind on the present moment.” hanging with her beloved puppies: Bailey and Aaliya. -Buddha Ms. Fiumano Ms. Fiumano is the newest guidance counselor at Miller Place High School. She went to Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where she majored in anthropology and minored in Italian. She recalls certain teachers in high school who made students forget they were learning because they were in a fun environment. Ms. Fiumano became a school counselor because of the effect her job has on students. She was- n’t close with her guidance counselor and didn’t take advantage of the resources a guidance counselor could offer when she was looking for careers. She works hard to make sure all her students have every- “The harder you work, the thing they need available to them. She is a co-adviser of the luckier you get.” sophomore class, where she enjoys getting to know students. -Gary Player Her favorite part of counseling is getting to know her students and learning about their goals and talents. She loves helping her students make plans that will help them accomplish their goals. When she’s not working, she enjoys going on her family boat, to the beach and on hikes during the summer. In the winter she enjoys reading books, drinking hot chocolate and relaxing on the Continued on next page couch. Teacher Feature-Continued from previous page Ms. Scheno

In the Physical Education department, the newest teacher is Ms. Scheno. She attended Eastern Connecticut State University. She majored in physical education and minored in health education. Her most memorable part of high school was being a part of athletics and student council. She decided to go into Physical Education because it was her favorite class in school and because of how impactful a class like P.E. can be for a student. Her favorite part of being a gym teacher is interacting with the students and the opportunity “You can’t always get what you want, to be active all day. Her hobbies include basically everything but if you try sometimes, you might find, outdoors e.g., hiking, skiing, boating, paddle boarding, you get what you need kayaking and live music. -Mike Jagger Mr. Timmons

MPHS welcomes Mr. Timmons, who formerly taught at North Country Road Middle School. He attended St. Joseph’s College where he received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics education. Creating friendships that have lasted throughout his life is something he remembers from high school. He also remembers winning the Suffolk County Baseball Champion- ship in his senior year. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. He chose to teach mathematics because he enjoys Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond providing students with the foundation from which measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that they can make sense of numbers in the world around frightens us. them. He is assistant varsity winter track coach and the -Marianne Williamson head junior varsity baseball coach. He loves his job because he can work with students and help them to reach their full potential. Outside of teaching, Mr. Timmons plays competitive slow pitch softball, and, during the summer, he

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” -Pablo Picasso Breakfast and the Brain

Zoe Bussewitz

Children who do not eat breakfast are less able to learn. Extensive science research has been done to prove this by multiple groups including the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). Hunger can lead to lower academics, attention issues, as well as behavior, emotional problems. If you find yourself in a pinch in the morning, having to decide between eating breakfast or making it to school on time, this could be the breakfast for you. If you make it on a Sun- day, it will last you all week.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking INGREDIENTS: powder and salt. 3 cups oats 3. In a separate bowl combine eggs, syrup, bananas and 1/2 tsp cinnamon vanilla. Pinch of nutmeg 4. Slowly mix milk and coconut oil into egg mixture. 1 tsp baking powder 5. Mix wet ingredients in to dry ingredients. 2 eggs 6. Stir in chocolate chips. 1/4 cup maple syrup 7. Spray a muffin pan with baking spray and divide 2 mashed bananas mixture into the 12 individual tins. 2 tsp vanilla 8. Bake for 30 minutes. 1 cup milk 9. Let cool for 5 minutes. 1/4 cup melted coconut oil ENJOY! 1 cup chocolate chips *If you are storing your muffins, keep them in a container or plastic wrap.

Movie Review of Blade Runner 2049

Olivia Shamberger The new “Blade Runner: 2049” stars Ryan more so, humane, comes into question. Though I Gosling as Officer K, a replicant (or synthetic hu- enjoyed the exploration of this particular theme man being), immensely, the plot was not perfect. The first half who works hour of the movie is obvious exposition or set up, for the Los that is overshadowed by a well developed script Angeles Po- and the stark dystopian setting. lice Depart- The visuals of the film are unimaginably dis- ment. In tinctive while still staying true to the original style addition to of Ridley Scott’s 1982 movie. Villeneuve has man- being a replicant, K is a blade runner, a special op- aged to create something truly aesthetically breath- erative charged with exterminating or “retiring” taking on every level, from character design, to sets older model replicants. The film sees K unearth a and special effects. The immersive cinematography long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge is no doubt a large part of why I enjoyed the film so what's left of this dystopian society into chaos. His much. The vivid colors enhance the futuristic set- revelation leads him on a quest to locate Rick Deck- ting, evoking a sense of familiarity from the rain ard, a former blade runner who's been missing for drenched future Los Angeles. Electric blues work in 30 years, played by Harrison Ford. The film was tandem with the harsh lighting of holograms and released on October 6th, 2017. vibrant but soft oranges accentuate the appearance Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner: 2049” of radiated land. features poignant visuals and an immersive style Now, despite my own personal enjoyment, that pave the way for its driving plot and substan- you should know what you’re getting into if you de- tive characters. The long awaited sequel to the 1982 cide to give this film a whirl. To put it bluntly, the sci-fi/thriller classic “Blade Runner,” not only ad- film is concept heavy. Some may say Villeneuve did dresses the themes of its predecessor, but expands the film a disservice by substituting riveting chases upon them. As far as a rating, all in all I would say with bursts of action in the midst of storytelling. this fantasy/sci-fi motion picture deserves at least However, despite the off beat pace Villeneuve cre- an 8/10. The film manages to overcome its waxing ated, the movie thankfully does not lose its cohe- and waning pace with profound characters, and an sion. attention to detail which, ultimately, makes the All in all, “Blade Runner: 2049” may not live movie worth multiple views. up to the glory of its predecessor, but with the 35 On the acting side of things, Ryan Gosling years between them, that was a very slim possibil- brings a surprising amount of humanity to a role ity. Even so, whether you’re a fan of the original where you’d expect quite the opposite. In a world movie or just a casual viewer, the cerebral storytell- where synthetic human beings are a part of every- ing and fascinating visuals of the film should stay day life, what it truly means to be human and, even with you long after you leave the theater. Executive Orders: Skyler Goldberg During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump blast- And ever since Trump took office, he’s shown ed Barack Obama for signing executive orders when he that, rolling back Obama’s legacy. He has rescinded as- couldn’t “get his own people to go along,” promising to pects of healthcare, environmental law, and other con- “do away with executive orders for the most part” and tentious issues you’d want a more democratic institution negotiate if he won. Unfortunately, Trump has done the to oversee. Congress can’t change this quickly. Their laws same. stay consistent. Presidents are supposed to use executive orders Our country believes everyone deserves to know to tell law enforcement how to apply existing laws. But what laws will apply to them in advance. Imagine that like many of his predeces- you relied on the healthcare laws Obama enacted. One sors, Trump acts as if he day, Trump takes the funding you need away. You have were a congressman. In no backup plan; you trusted the law would still be fact, he has disguised around when you woke up. Sadly, our laws are no longer nearly a whopping 50 laws stable like that. as executive orders. Or if you agree with what Trump did, imagine a To make matters worse, liberal president forced healthcare agencies to start cov- both Democrats and Re- ering certain illnesses. They didn’t have time to prepare publicans think we Donald Trump signs his first the necessary funding since they had no way to know the should give the president executive orders. president would require it. We wouldn’t have to worry more power. Apparently, about not being able to prepare if Congress was the only neither party likes democracy. Ultimately, empowering branch to pass laws; their laws aren’t allowed go into ef- the president to make laws would turn him into a king. fect right away. Our founding fathers knew this from their experi- ences with the English monarchy. And so, they never To see how our country likes consistency, look to even mentioned executive orders in the Constitution; the courts. Judges value precedent and proclaim rule of George Washington created them. Our forefathers knew law as their motto. These values all scream that we that democracy meant a strong Congress. Just look at the shouldn’t change our laws every four years. We can’t rec- articles of the Constitution: they wrote much more about oncile such age-old principles with our newfangled idea Congress’s power than the president’s. of the president. And they were right to give Congress a lot more Of course, we can’t simply get rid of the presi- power. Most political scientists, today, agree that the dent. Our Constitution uses what James Madison called House of Representatives is the most democratic branch “competing ambitions” to curb Congress’s power. He be- since we vote for representatives every two years but lieved that the president and Congress would push for elect a new president only once every four years. With different laws and, thus, prevent each other from enact- more frequent elections, Congress is more responsive to ing anything unpopular. This is called checks and bal- changing political norms than the president. ances. We do, however, vote for senators less often than Put otherwise, Congress must pacify the presi- for the president. But since senators don’t have term lim- dent to earn his support since he can veto laws. We need its, they must always make sure their constituents are our politicians to feel like they must compromise to serve happy. The president, in contrast, often takes care of un- us. Congress can’t just represent one belief. America is popular business at the end of his second term, know- diverse. ing he won’t be running again. Furthermore, the president must have the power With many people voting in Congress, it also rep- to perform acts of self-defense in times of emergency resents more constituencies than any president could since Congress can’t vote fast enough to respond to dire and ensures that one unfit leader can’t take control of situations swiftly. The president can address such situa- our country. To see the risk of such a scenario, just look tions more efficiently. at the debate over whether Trump is fit for office. Not only is Congress more democratic than the So, when will we begin to take back our democra- presidency; its laws don’t change as often. Presidents can cy? We must denounce Trump every time he imperson- easily repeal past executive orders at whim. The Senate ates Congress. Even if you agree with him on the issue, needs to secure 60 votes any time they want to rescind a you’ll regret giving congressional power to a president law, and that’s even fewer than the House of Representa- when the next one changes the law. tives! They need 218 votes. James McCarthy

Judging by the recent developments in what years is the new incarnation of Stephen King’s “It” would be considered the overall horror genre, that hit theaters in September this year. Many be- meaning that this isn’t exclusive to movies, remakes lieved that this remake was going to tank in both and reboots are actually improving in quality and quality and at the box office. Then, the unthinkable becoming more like what a reimagining is supposed happened: its release was met with insurmountable to be: an improvement to the original content rather success, far beyond the original’s. It even made than a corporate sellout. $266,338,881, breaking even the all-time box office In the past, remakes were often tiresome, un- record for the highest grossing R-rated horror film bearable, messes of clichés, tropes and forced and in just less than a month after the film’s release. contrived storytelling. The sole purpose of all of this Another very obscure remake is the rewritten is to lure viewers and fans of the original content to reboot of Sonic.exe coming out October 31st this what would be revealed as a cinematic and nostalgic year, written by the author of the original story, with abomination put to film. the original’s Examples of these horrible cash-grabs in- relevance in clude any remake in which Raja Gosnell is involved, online culture M. Night Shyamalan’s Last Airbender film, and, of only lasting course, all of Michael Bay’s Transformers movies. from 2011 to If you were to ask any film critic or anyone 2014. with a passion for film or quality within cinema, In fact, they most likely wouldn’t be able to name any good the original remake or reboot of anything. The reason for this is “It” miniseries and “Sonic.exe,” while seemingly that until recently, remakes and reboots have been good at the time of their heyday, are not as good as nothing but corporate cash-ins to make a quick buck viewers originally thought by today’s standards. from a nostalgic title. Some people, today, still say they were terrified of No matter how good the original content is, a the original Pennywise and still are when looking remake or a reboot could tarnish its image and rep- back on the original. As for Sonic.exe, however, peo- utation for years to come. ple have either completely forgotten it or have vague Despite these films’ besmirched past, reboots nostalgic memories of it which were repressed to and remakes in the horror genre have so far been begin with (the miniseries, at least, aged better). But improving in quality and became better examples of to truly understand what their improvements bring what horror to the table, we would have to look back on what the c o n t e n t original content’s flaws actually were and which de- should be. tails can be salvaged for improvement by the stand- Argua- ards of today’s criteria of what constitutes a good bly, the most horror story or film. famous revi- sion in recent Jackie Robinson, the United Nations and the World Series

Andrew Friedman October 24th of this Red Sox weren't ready for him. Coincidentally, they year commemorates Unit- were the last team to integrate. Yet, Jackie Robin- ed Nations Day and is the son refused to be discouraged. Shortly thereafter, opening game of the World Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brook- Series. It is fitting that this lyn Dodgers organization, decided the time was date also marks the 45th right for black players to appear on his team’s base- anniversary of the death of ball diamond. But Rickey wouldn’t risk bringing in the great Jackie Robinson, someone who couldn't handle the inevitable pres- the man who more than sure that would accompany such a move. Rickey any other links the two events. Not only was Jackie was well aware that racist attitudes were prevalent Robinson a triple threat, who could field, run and in both the locker rooms and the stands, and that hit; but he was also an extremely intelligent man only the “right man” would do. He interviewed who was uniquely suited to break the color barrier Satchell Paige and Josh Gibson, widely accepted as in a segregated sport. He was so important to the the best Negro League players of the time. Howev- baseball world, and the world at large, that his er, Rickey wasn’t convinced that either of them number 42 was universally retired from Major would fare well under extremely harsh conditions. League baseball in 1997. There is one notable ex- But after interviewing Jackie Robinson, Rickey ception: every April 15th, all players proudly wear knew that he had found that “right man.” Jackie his number on their backs. Robinson's contract actually stipulated that he had Jackie Robinson, an all-around athlete, partici- to have the guts not to fight back against racial slurs pated in track, baseball, football and basketball at or attacks. Jackie Robinson accepted that clause Pasadena Junior College. There, he broke many of and was assigned to the Montreal Royals, the Dodg- his school’s long-standing records, including the ers' top farm team. He initially experienced extreme broad jump record set by his own brother Mack. prejudice from his own manager. But Jackie Robin- Jackie Robinson completed his undergraduate edu- son, always a man of his word, held back and re- cation at UCLA, where became the first person to fused to argue or retaliate. Though his talent was win varsity letters in four sports. Fortunately for evident, his teammates did not appreciate it. Jackie him, UCLA was a very progressive college. In fact, Robinson remained unfazed by this, and just six its football team had three other black athletes in days before the start of the 1947 baseball season, he addition to Jackie Robinson, making the Bruins the was called up to play shortstop for the Dodgers. most integrated college football team in the country On April 15th, 1947, baseball was irrevocably at that time. Interestingly, baseball was Jackie changed. Robinson's bravery and commitment Robinson's worst sport. Upon his graduation, the paved the way for other black players to participate racially integrated Honolulu Bears football team in the American pastime. Three months after Jackie signed him to a contract, and a few months later, he Robinson's National League debut, Larry Doby moved closer to home to play with the Los Angeles broke the American League color barrier, when he Bulldogs football team. officially signed with the Cleveland Indians. These At the conclusion of World War II, Jackie two men succeeded in opening the door to making Robinson returned home, and decided to try his the game they loved accessible to all races. It took luck at baseball. He easily made the starting roster time, but within twelve years, all teams had at least of the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues, one black player on their roster. and he was so good at shortstop that he was select- And 70 years later, players come from the ed for the All-star team. That same year, he was in- four corners of the earth to make baseball's World vited to try out for the Boston Red Sox of Major Series a truly global event. How wonderful it is that League baseball’s American League. In a closed try- Game 1 of the 2017 World Series should fall on both out, scouts and management verbally tormented United Nations Day and the day that we remember Jackie Robinson simply because he was black. The baseball's greatest pioneer! CaroleLynn Marino & Skylar Alagna BRIANNAGH SMITH Briannagh Smith recently finished her final season of Miller Place field hockey. Passionate about the sport, she signed a letter of intent to play at Mercy College, where she plans to major in secondary math education. She said she first got involved in field hockey when her mother told her to try out for a sport. She was cut the first time she tried out but persevered. She attributes her success to this “no- quit attitude.” Looking back on her high school career, she believes she’ll remember her teachers and friends the best. She added that her English and social studies classes prepared her the most for college. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” ~ Babe Ruth

TYLER AMMIRATO Born a football player, Tyler Ammirato also plays lacrosse and basketball. Wearing the same number as his mother, his athletic role model, he won the County Championship which he will always remember. Ammirato says that his teammates are what make the games and practices so much fun. College Business Law and College Computer Apps helped him prepare him for Marist College where he will be studying Business/Education. Teamwork “coming together is a beginning, keeping together is process, working together is success.” -Henry Ford