Set Clocks Ahead One The Tusker Tribune Hour This Weekend! The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School
Issue Number 23 http://somersschools.org/domain/995 Winter 2017
“Uranium” (Chapter 8) A NaNoWriMo Story
By Nitin Seshadri too." it replied. Then it hit Andrew. The nurses Tusker Tribune Staff Writer were aliens, this thing was an alien, and they Editor’s Note: Somers Middle School were eating humans for food. And the thing he Eighth Graders have been writing novels was chewing on...it was most likely human meat! during the school year for the NaNoWriMo Andrew was disgusted and scared to death at program. The name is short for National Novel the same time. Writing Month. Nitin Seshadri, a Tusker "So, you found out our secret? Tribune Staffer, will be presenting his That we have been eating you Earth- NaNoWriMo entry chapter by chapter in lings for food?" the creature asked. the Tusker Tribune. Chapter 8 of his nov- "Yes," Andrew stuttered. el, “Uranium”, appears today. "Don't worry, kid, we won't eat Andrew woke up in a pitch-black you," it laughed. "That's for the Canni- room on a cold, hard surface. He was bals. We're the good guys. The Woks." probably lying down on a table or a bed, Andrew chuckled. What a funny because he could tell he was elevated name! he thought. from the linoleum-like floor. "Since we try not to kill sentient This was surely not the hospital beings, we only eat the meat of dead hu- room where he went to bed in last after- mans and animals. That joke scared you noon after eating lunch. Andrew could good. By the way, this is ham, not hu- hear the faint hum and whine of a mo- man meat"—the Wok smacked his tor. He tried to get up, but he was held lips—"A delicacy on our home planet back by some rough straps that went across his but surprisingly abundant here. Anyway, back to arms and legs and burned his skin. Where was the topic. You will be safe with us. You see, that he? "hospital" where we rescued you and your— Just then, blinding white lights turned what’s the word?— twin sister from was a Can- on. Andrew tried to shield his eyes, but the nibal camp. They must have imprisoned you lights were so bright, he could see them through there because they didn't want you to become his eyelids. Thankfully, the lights turned off. suspicious," the alien explained. A door creaked open. A weird, green blobby crea- "Why do they want to eat us?" ture emerged from the door. It looked like a gi- "On our home planet, there is this specific ant hunk of Jello. It walked over to the table breed of—what’s a good word to explain?—goat." where Andrew was lying and craned its long, Andrew laughed. "Goat? Why would they flabby neck down in an effort to make eye con- come here just for a goat?" tact with Andrew. It seemed to be chewing on "I know, right? The Cannibals have a some kind of ham or chicken leg, its teeth mak- more primitive digestive system than ours. So ing contact with the bone on every bite. they can only eat the goat. From my spies, I have "You, human, what is your name?" it learned that human meat tastes exactly like al- hissed. "Oh yeah, just because it’s the standard ien goat. The goats ran out on our home planet, in alien communication, I’m going to say we so those Cannibals—that’s why they got their come in peace. The usual deal and stuff. So tell name—decided to travel to other planets to try me who you are now. Please." to find species that tasted as good as their pre- "Andrew..." Andrew said. cious goat. I swear, those cannibals Humans are "Well, well. You Earthlings are very in- the first ones they have found." teresting specimens. And you are very tasty, Continued on page 2 Page 2 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School
Tech Talk: The Nintendo Switch
By Nick Cirillo Gamepad and several Wiimotes or 3DS Tusker Tribune Staff consoles as controllers. Writer 3. The Switch will have a higher reso- Last Friday, March 3rd, the lution then the Wii U, and will have newest innovation in gaming tech- much better battery life. nology was released: The Nintendo 4. Speaking of battery, while the Wii U Switch. Following the commercial uses a proprietary (company-exclusive) failure of the Wii U, the Switch is charging stand while the Switch uses a new and different from the old con- universal USB-C cable, which is used in sole, having a key feature never many smartphones and tablets today. before seen in a console: The ability 5. The Wii U, which did not do well, lacked to play any game, anytime, anywhere, or on games from outside Nintendo - The Switch your TV. Here are the key features of the Switch has over 100 planned games confirmed in- as compared to the Wii U: cluding 60+ indie games from other develop- 1. The Switch can play any compatible game on ers. your TV, or, on the go, by removing the con- 6. The Switch will feature games like Skyrim: sole from the dock. The Wii U can only play Special Edition and a new Call of Duty, and portable games within a few feet of the main successors to Wii U games, like Mario Kart 8: unit and TV. Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the 2. The Switch can connect with up to 8 other Wild, and Splatoon 2. Switch consoles, with 2 Joy-Con control- Continued on page 3 lers each while the Wii U could support one
could with his blobby hands. Uranium "Bonus points for trying the army salute. Anyways, where is Andrea?" Continued from page 1 "Oh, your sister?" the alien said. "How did you get spies in there?" "Andrea!" he hollered. "Your brother has "We look exactly finally woken up!" like those goddamn Canni- Andrea walked in. bals," the alien said. "Just "Andrew?" she said. There was a that we can eat almost an- big purple lump where she had ything except grass and hit her head on the wall the day we are slightly more before. The alien released the opaque. And we are a restraint straps that Andrew slightly different shade of was bound by to the table, and green. Lucky for us, the Andrew got up and give Andrea Cannibals are way too a friendly slap on the back. dumb to notice the differ- "Ouch!" she said. "Well, ence, so we can infiltrate whatever. We're back together them easily. All we need to again. So where's Derek?" she do is to find a way to kill them off so that they asked. don’t eat you humans up." Everyone looked at each other expecting "Yeah, I get the deal. So, really. Where to find an answer. am I?" "You didn't rescue him?" Andrea asked to "You're on a spaceship orbiting Earth. My the alien. baby, the Laccolith. Safe from any Cannibals, "We couldn't. Time was running out. It thank you." was almost daytime. However, we were able to "So you’re the captain?" implant some knowledge in his brain that told "Yes. Captain Paul Wok at your service." him when and how to escape. He should be at a The Wok made an army salute as best as he safe distance from the Cannibals by now. I hope." Page 3 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Love’s Incomparability
By Jaewon Yeo And your annoying siblings the same. Tusker Tribune Staff Writer Your faithful dogs or to your silent cats, Love, Or maybe to your talkative birds or to a gerbil or Flowing as a river, greatly as a water, hamster. Powerful as thunder, bright Love, like lightning, The thing that keeps people in a tight Pure as snow, beautiful as bond, diamond, Whether they are the best of friends, Mysterious as night, happy as Or the worst of enemies, day. They are close to you, Love, No matter how many. Expressed in many ways, Love, Words that show kindness Something one could not express, Music that show hope A great force built in everyone, Actions that show care. To humans and animals alike. Love, Love, Radiating like the sun, Different emotion than others, To some or to many. One that is different to everyone in the world. Maybe in the secure walls at home, It is something that all living animals have, Or in school where friends are No matter what way it is, Outside where the sun shines, Or how it is shown, Or where ever there is dark. Or to who it is shown to, Love, Love, Shown to people who care, Something with no limits. Your loving mother and father
Switch SPORTS UPDATE Continued from page 2 The Wii U has ended production, and no new games are being By Eli Yates released, so look to the Tusker Tribune Staff Writer Switch for rumored It took almost 19 seasons for games like a new Poké- Dirk Nowitzki to join the 30,000 mon, maybe a new Su- point club. On Tuesday night, the Dallas per Smash Bros., and Mavericks were playing the Los Angeles possible ports from com- Lakers. Going into the game, Dirk was 20 petitors Xbox and points shy. At 10 minutes 58 seconds into PlayStation. the second quarter Dirk hit a baseline The Switch looks jumper over Larry Nance Jr. He is the promising, cutting 6th player to reach the 30,000 point club. down on the number of accounts needed, and Also on Tuesday, Oklahoma City adding an inexpensive Thunder point guard Russel Westbrook online service with Vir- had a career high of 58 points against tual Console, and with the Portland Trail Blazers. But OKC the new Joy-Con con- still lost, 126-121. trollers, several mobile OKC coach Billy Donovan told apps, and great games, ESPN, "I thought he played an unbe- the Nintendo Switch is lievable game tonight". Russel West- sure to be a success. brook also told ESPN, "Just missed 'em, made 'em all game, missed that one". Page 4 The Tusker Tribune The Student The Fall of
By Sara Vala to create another cartoon, and in 2004, Danny Tusker Tribune Staff Writer Phantom was released to the public. Ah Nickelodeon. When this network comes Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not huge fan of to your mind, what do you think? Butch Hartman’s work. But when I first saw Well, a long time ago, around the late Danny Phantom, I almost passed out. Basically, 1990s early 2000s, people would often think of it’s about a 14-year-old boy named Danny Fenton, Spongebob, Danny Phantom, Fairly Odd Parents, and he gets these cool ghost powers. Sure, it may Invader Zim, Rugrats, not have a good summary, Hey Arnold, and Rocko’s but it’s has so much more to Modern Life, to name a offer. It seemed as if these few. These were amazing characters had life. And it cartoons, with excellent was a cartoon where many animation, and three teens or tweens can relate dimensional characters. to. Minus the half-ghost But today, many part. kids would think about And along with Danny the stupid cartoons, like Phantom, there were many modern Spongebob/ more amazing shows, like Fairly Odd Parents, Pig, Invader Zim, My Life As A Goat, Banana, Cricket, Teenage Robot, Jimmy Neu- Sanjay and Craig, tron, and many more. Breadwinners, and a whole bunch of nonsense. There were also a few great sitcoms, like These cartoons have literally gone down Drake and Josh, and Ned’s Declassified. I feel the drain, and it shows. With sitcoms on the rise, that this was Nickelodeon at the peak of their and Spongebob running on an endless loop, it success. seems like there is no hope in redeeming itself. But in the late 2000s, everything changed. Be- But what caused the fall of this loved cartoons were being can- great network? Well, you’re about celed, like Danny Phantom, In- to find out. vader Zim, Rugrats, Chalk Zone, Back in the 1990’s, Nickelo- Ren and Stimpy, My Life As A deon was on the rise. It was pump- Teenage Robot, and so many ing out brand new cartoons like more. And those good sitcoms, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Rocko’s Mod- were also coming to an end. Only ern Life, Ren and Stimpy, Cat Dog, two survived that crisis. Fairly and Spongebob. There were also a Odd Parents and Spongebob sur- few sitcoms like All That, Clarissa vived the cartoon apocalypse, but Explains It All, Legends of the Hid- it turns out, they’re one of the rea- den Temple, and The Adventures of sons Nickelodeon has fallen. Pete and Pete. It seemed as if Nick- See, when you have a car- elodeon was dominating televisions toon going on and on, it gets around the globe. It was a gift that worse and worse. And those two kept on giving. shows were forced to feel the A major milestone for Nick was in 1999, wrath of continuation. when their new cartoon, Spongebob aired for the As those old cartoons were canceled, they first time. It was a major hit among young view- had to be replaced by other stuff. So instead, we ers. got shows like Breadwinners, Sanjay and Craig, And now, we come to the 2000s. Ah the Mr. Meaty, Planet Sheen and so many horrible 21st century. It was a new century, full of new ide- ones. However, I didn’t mention one bad cartoon, as. In 2001, Nick struck gold when it first because that show is the perfect example where launched Fairly Odd Parents. Like Spongebob, it Nick really screwed up. was also a major swing and hit. The creator of Continued on page 5 Fairly Odd Parents, Butch Hartman, was asked Page 5 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Behind Bars—A Prison Drama
By Hunter Duffy "I see your frown on the outside but I Tusker Tribune Staff Writer know you’re smiling on the inside," he added. Editor’s Note: Chapter 1 of this se- "I'm not" I replied "Why would I be happy ries was published in the 11/23/16 to be alone in a jail cell?" issue of the Tusker Tribune. "Then why'd you do it?" he This is chapter 2. yelled "Maybe you should be moved to a Officer Cane wasn't different cell" He opened the door and back till the next morning. I picked up the handcuffs. We walked barely slept and I knew it was- down the hall and we stopped at a n't because of the bed. He smaller cell. "Figured you'd be more thinks I helped them get out. comfortable in a single cell" Why would I help people who I looked at my new cell number: were so mean to me? Maybe he #716. Why did it look so familiar? Then thought it was an act. That we it hit me. 761-671-716. I needed to get a all were friends. If it’s an act, phone. it’s them hiding how much "Can I make my call now?" I they hate me. I know I must asked. sound crazy. Ever since I got "Sure I've got nothing better to here I've been extremely para- do." He walked me to the phone and let noid. me sit down. "Well your plan worked, are you happy?" I dialed the number and waited for an answer. he said. "Who is this?" I asked when someone I shook my head but apparently I wasn't picked up. convincing. Continued on page 6
out these bad shows. As a person, I really don’t like to watch cartoons, because usually, they aren’t good anymore. I’ll always return to Hulu to watch Invader Zim, and Danny Phantom, but Continued from page 4 not to the actual network. But from what I’ve Back in 2007, Nick was offered to two heard, there is an actual good cartoon call The shows. And they had the choice of one of those Loud House, which is slowly helping Nick re- shows. Adventure Time or Fanboy and Chum store its good name. But because of the lack of Chum. And guess what the brilliant network advertising, some good shows aren’t being chose? Yup. Fanboy and Chum Chum. This was shown. the perfect decision for the network. Because But these days, it seems like all this net- who cares about Adventure Time? Well, about 3 work cares about, is money. We have so many million people per episode do. sitcoms, because it’s cheaper to produce than And Nick continues to make horrible de- cartoons. It’s putting their network to shame. cisions. We kept getting bad cartoons, but what And it seems as if its two competitors, Disney was also bad, were the sitcoms. Our beloved sit- and Cartoon Network are now on the rise. Nick coms were canceled, and replaced by those that is failing, and it’s all because of their bad deci- are as interesting as a watching grass grow. sions. Heck, even watching grass grow is more inter- So, there are three ways Nickelodeon can esting than the new sitcoms. restore its good name. Cancel all bad shows and We have shows like Bella and the Bull- sitcoms. Cancel shows that have been running dogs, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn, Henry for a while. And bring back the old cartoons that Danger, Fred The Show, The Thundermans, and people actually liked. more mindless shows. The jokes aren’t funny, I really hope that one day, Nickelodeon the characters act like hyperactive people with will bring back Danny Phantom, because that is the intelligence of a rock, and those laugh my favorite show as of today. But for now, we tracks! You’re only supposed to have a laugh track when you say something funny. Instead, wait, and we hope, that just one day, the net- it’s on an endless loop of forced laughs, that work would come to their senses, and put an ef- plays after every single line. It just gets dull. fort into rising again. I loved Nickelodeon before they brought Page 6 The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School
outside and I Behind Bars heard someone Continued from page 5 say " Not bad for a jail bird." "It’s Mikey, about time you called. Your I looked folks are worried like crazy. Where are you?" a through the boy said. He sounded like he was my age. bars of the "Who am I?" I asked window and "Maggie what's going on, you’re making me saw a man worried!" Mikey said. about my age I wasn't sure what to say just found out my with a smirk name was Maggie and I knew someone named on his face. Mikey. "When you said you were in jail at first I thought "I'm in jail." I replied. you were kidding." It was Mikey the man I spoke "Where is the jail?" he asked. to on the phone. "I don't know." "What are you doing here?" I asked him. I My call time was up but the words were was still holding on to the dollar in case he decid- still repeating in my head. Who was Mikey? Where ed to leave me behind. was he? Where was I? Is he the reason I'm here? "Well when you told me you were in jail I Those and a million other questions were couldn't just leave you," he said. I still didn't know circling in my head and I didn't know the answer if I should trust him. I remembered the question I to any. had asked myself earlier. Was he the reason I was The in jail? Why would he be here if he wasn't? mess hall was "Are you gonna say something or just stare empty. It was at me? Mom and dad have been worried sick just me and about you, why didn't you call earlier?" He was my tray of my brother. I have an answer to one of my ques- slop. I started tions, but there are still a lot more. to hum a "Why am I here?" I asked. I was hoping song. I wasn't maybe unlike Officer Cane, he could give me an sure at the answer. time what it "Aren't I supposed to ask you that?" he re- was called plied nervously. "You’re the one behind bars? I'll but I knew it come through the front and see you in a few was one of my favorites. Before I knew it I was minutes" singing out loud and thankful I was the only one He started to walk away and I was once there. again alone. It was a good thing I put the dollar After dinner I headed back to my cell and under my mattress because Mikey didn't come continued singing. Then a dollar bill flew in from back.
The Tusker Tribune The Tusker Tribune is published online and is featured weekly on the Somers Staff Middle School Website. It is entirely student-written by 6th, 7th and 8th Nitin Seshadri grade students from Nick Cirillo Somers Middle School 250 Route 202 Sara Vala Somers, NY, USA. Hunter Duffy Any SMS student is eligible to write Jaewon Yeo stories. If interested, please e-mail Ad- visor Dean Pappas at Eli Yates [email protected]