Best of Nisk-Art show graces gallery Homecoming and attendees hit ...

Niskayuna High School
Since 1974,
Now Weekly
October 22, 2004 Volume 31, Issue 6
Best of Nisk-Art show graces gallery
by Lizi Santillo
NEWS
The Nisk-Art Gallery recently
opened the Best of Nisk-Art
Show, featuring artwork of Niskayuna
students in grades one
through twelve. Art students
and staff, as well as their
families and friends, attended
a reception in the gallery to recognize
their work on Thursday,
October 14.
“It’s nice to see lots of
p a r e n t s a n d c o m m u -
nity members coming to
support student artworks,”
said senior and Gallery Club
President Rebecca Faas,
pleased with the turnout at
the reception.
“Every piece catches my
eye. Each has its own beauty
and story. They’re all so different,”
said Niskayuna School
Board member Lil Bertalan.
Bertalan further commented
that the reception was a great
experience because it “dr[ew]
the community out to see
the art show.” “The reception
was a successful gathering of
students, parents, teachers,
administration and community
members together to celebrate
the accomplishments of students’
work from the past school
year,” said art teacher Steve
Honicki, advisor to the Gallery
Club. “[It was the] fi rst recep-
tion of the year, and [it] was a
great turnout and a great way
to kick off the year.”
Nisk-Art Gallery receptions
are held to introduce
new exhibits in the gallery
to the public. They are completely
run by the student
members of the Gallery
Club. The students design
the exhibit, hang
and display the artwork, and
create the programs that are
handed out, which describe
the pieces and the artists who
created them.
“I am always so impressed
with how the students run
the reception,” said Dr. Kevin
Baughman, superintendent of
Warrior photo / Lizi Santillo
CRITICAL OBSERVATION: Attendees regard the student work on display
last week at the annual Best of Nisk-Art show. Over 75 pieces from students
in grades K-12 were represented.
Niskayuna schools.
A string quartet provided
background music for the
show. Seniors Steve Leib and
Manuel Possolo, junior Julia
Napolitano, and sophomore Leo
Brown performed together. “The
chamber strings were very
good. They really enhanced the
atmosphere,” said Faas.
The point of the reception
was to give the student artists
recognition and a chance to show
off their works, as well as to give
them the opportunity to see the
work of others. “It’s so great to
see the students’ expressions
when they see their artwork
and [works by other artists],”
commented Baughman.
Senior artist Holly Perham
stated, “It’s really exciting, and
pretty amazing to see the high
quality and really eclectic mix
of media and lots of different
age groups [represented by
the works].”
Niskayuna alumni Liza
Salmon (Class of 1996) returned
to the high school to
discuss the latest techniques
being used by current artists.
“I am very impressed in the
progression in the use of technology
in art,” she said. Salm-
on talked about the changes
that have been made since
she was a student. “When
we did it, there was very little
use of color photography or
computers.”
There were many younger
students at the reception, in
attendance to see their own or
their siblings’ artworks. “It’s
amazing to how they did this,”
said Ryan Mullaney, an elementary
school student.
“These high schoolers have
such great talent in drawing.
I hope they go on and
continue in art,” said Birchwood
student Jonah Rollins.
Homecoming and attendees hit home
by Joshua Xiong
NEWS
Students attended this year’s Homecoming
Dance at the high school last
Saturday night, October 16. The dance
was held from 8 to 11 p.m. in the high
school’s Blatnick Gym. Pep Club, a
school spirit organization, and NICS, a
community service club, were the primary
facilitators of the night’s events,
as they took on not only the tasks of
music supply and decorations, but also
the organization of the Homecoming
Court elections.
Though the dance officially began at
the designated time, the influx of students
onto the dance floor was at first
slow. This was largely due to the fact
that not all dancegoers bought tickets
beforehand; as a result, the main entrance
was congested for the first half
hour with students purchasing tickets.
By 8:30, however, students were out
on the dance floor. Like most dances
held at the high school, Homecoming
provided no exception with respect to
styles of dancing. “The only kind of
dance you could do was grinding, and
it was very offensive,” said freshman
Casey Mellaney.
This year, NICS took an accommodating
step with regards to music by allowing
requests of songs days in advance.
However, many students did not respond
(continued on page 3,
HIGH SCHOOL)

2 News October 22, 2004 The Warrior
New science and math teachers arrive
Departments welcome influx of enthusiastic faculty
By Rachel Naparstek and Emily Payton
NEWS
With the beginning of every school year, new teachers
arrive at Niskayuna High School. This year
there are four great additions to the Math and Science
departments. They are David Hurst and Shana
Keith joining the Math Department, and Margaret
Sherman and Albert Charhon joining the Science
Department. Keith was not available for comment.
David Hurst teaches Math 1R and 2R. Hurst is originally
from this area, and attended Shenendehowa High
School until seventh grade, when he transferred to and
graduated from La Salle Institute. After he earned
his teaching degree, Hurst taught at St. Thomas and
La Salle. He remained at La Salle for nine years, and
taught several math courses while coaching soccer and
hockey. Hurst promotes interactations with his students;
they are even able to check their own class website at
home.nycap.rr.com/mathzone. Comments Hurst, “I love
teaching because it puts me into contact with so many
great, young, impressionable people. I enjoy having the
opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.” He
says he also loves the relationships that he forms with
NEWS BRIEFS
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY:
Interims got you down? Tutors are
available from National Honor Society
for all subjects. Pick up a form in any
resource center.
THE WARRIOR: Interested in writing
for the Warrior? Stop by D103
Mondays and Thursdays after school
and talk to the editors.
MODEL UN: Model UN will be
taking preorders of Krispy Kreme
Donuts on October 21 and 22. Distribution
will be on October 29.
FACULTY: Applications for the Toyota
International Teachers Program
to Japan are available from Vince
Bianchi in the Main Offi ce.
SENIORS: The Class of 2005 will be
selling Yankee Candles until Monday.
Get started on your holiday shopping
early!
FOREIGN LANGUAGE: A foreign
language club Halloween party will
be on Wednesday, October 27. Come
by and enjoy cultural fun, games, and
food.
his students and players.
Joining the science department is Margaret Sherman
Regents Chemistry and Biology teacher. Before
arriving at Niskayuna, she worked at Shenendehowa
High School. She states that her favorite
part about teaching is the ability to help students
d e v e l o p t h e i r s k i l l s . W h e n i n t e r v i e w e d , s h e i m -
mediately said, “I love being a part of Niskayuna.”
Albert Charhon is the other addition to the science department
and teaches one section of Regents Chemistry
and two sections of Regents Earth Science. Prior to coming
to Niskayuna, he taught Earth Science at Cambridge
Central School. Charhon is no stranger to Niskayuna, as
he was here as a student teacher under Marna Lehnert.
He also assisted at Colonie High School. He graduated
from Hamilton with a degree in geology, and from Union
with a degree in teaching. He says, “The thing I love
the most about teaching is sharing my love of science
with others and getting students excited about science.”
Now that they are here at Niskayuna High School,
these educators are all looking forward to interacting
with students in and out of the classroom and are looking
to make a impact on the academic environment.

The Warrior
NEWS
This year at Niskayuna High School,
there are three more new faces on
the staff. David L’Homedieu joins the
high school as a Technology Coordinator
after working at Iroquois Middle
School for nine years. He is mostly in
charge of managing technicians and
helping teachers integrate technology
into their curricula. During his time
at Iroquois, L’Homedieu managed the
television studio, WIRO, which aired the
morning announcements. L’Homedieu is
excited to be working with dedicated colleagues
and enjoys seeing the students he
once taught at Iroquois. When
asked which school he preferrs,
L’Homedieu answered, “It’s
like comparing apples and
oranges.”
Another addition to both
the district and high school
is physical education teacher
Allison Broomhead. Broomhead
attended high school in
Latham and graduated from
SUNY Brockport last May.
She teaches Health and Fitness,
Lifetime, and Project
Adventure, and also teaches
at Hillside and Birchwood elementary
schools. Broomhead
says that she prefers working
with students at the elementary
level, but also that her
favorite class at the high
school is Project Adventure.
She also coaches Junior Varsity
field hockey, and plans
to coach lacrosse later in the
year. Her favorite sports are
badminton and field hockey.
Broomhead expressed her
gladness that a value is placed
on physical education here at
Niskayuna.
Finally, Niskayuna High’s
newest special education
teacher is Lori Jeanne Kruger,
who has been in the
school district for two years,
but has been in the teaching
profession for more than
ten years. She has taught
at South Colonie, Schoharie,
and at private schools,
and also worked at Iroquois
last year.
October 22, 2004
News
NHS welcomes new administrative faces
Meet these individuals in our fi nal spotlight on new faculty
by Rohit Nalamasu
High school students share dance experiences
(continued from page 1,
HOMECOMING)
to the option offered to them. NICS DJ
Adam Schwartz, a junior, noted that the DJs
did not receive any requests beforehand,
with the exception of one song. Once again,
some students voiced the opinion that the
music played was rap and hip-hop oriented.
Many students found it diffi cult to reconcile
this with their tastes or dance styles. Junior
Matt Conlon remarked, “[The music was]
kind of weak and hard to dance to.”
Senior Basil Daratsos was elected Homecoming
King, while senior Alyssa Kurtzner
was crowned Queen.
3
Though NICS and Pep Club made an effort
to provide relief to the sweltering dancegoers
with large fans, many felt that the
gym was too crowded and hot. Still, while
some found parts of Homecoming somewhat
disagreeable, students generally enjoyed
the general ambiance. Overall, attendees
enjoyed the facilities and refreshments
made available to them. Junior Jean Qiao
said, “The music wasn’t that great, but I
still had an awesome time.” Conlon added,
“The punch was awesome and I enjoyed the
food immensely.” By the end of the night,
most of the students were worn out from
their night out at Homecoming.

4 Opinion Opinion Opinion
Baseball: a source of tension?
The town of Niskayuna is nestled
in an interesting location. We find
ourselves about three hours from New
York City, and about three and a half
from Boston. Of course, the significance
of this geographic equidistance
is manifold, as we can
access the cultural and
social benefits of two of
our country’s finest cities.
The most important consequence
of our locale, however, is obviously the
balanced division of Yankees and Red
Sox fans who walk our halls.
This split has never been more
prominent than in the past few
weeks, with the Yankees and the
Red Sox squaring off in the American
League Division Series. Students
who aren’t even known for their appreciation
of baseball are suddenly
proudly (or abashedly, as the case
may be) donning paraphernalia of
their team of choice.
The intense nature of the relationship
between the Yankees and the Red
EDITORIAL
October 22, 2004 The Warrior
Sox on the field would seem to beget
tension and conflict among fans in
Niskayuna, where there are so many
supporters of each team. Fortunately,
this has not been the case.
Except for a few slight jeers here
and there, there has
been a striking amount
of respect shown on the
parts of both teams;
fans who support the victors of each
game have refrained from gloating,
while the others coped with their
loses in a dignifed manner.
This shows a marked improvement
from last year, when tension ran high
during and after the heated sevengame
ALCS in which the Yankees
eventually triumphed, bringing the
teams’ storied rivalry to new heights.
Really, it seems that the students of
Niskayuna High School have realized,
that it doesn’t matter if you
wear a red “B” or a white intertwined
“NY”–each is affixed to the same plain
navy blue hat.
News: is it the truth?
By Juliette Price
OPINION
This Sunday morning I
picked up and leisurely
started to read my Wash-
ington Post, I started
t o n o t i c e
s o m e -
thing. One
of the car-
dinal sins
ofjournal- ism, which
mynewspaperad- viser has
soloving- ly beaten
Warrior art / Juliette Price
into my head over and
over with slides, presentations,
handouts and
various other learning
tools, appeared to be
missing from the national
newspaper, the Washington
Post. That was the
concept of being impartial.
As a news writer,
one is always taught that
being impartial towards
the event or subject is
just as important as the
topic itself.
As I read on, I realized
that this article, which
was located in the news
section of the publication,
was completely and
totally biased. The article
was on the political debates
which occurred on
Friday 15. The article
began to summarize the
events of the night. It then
progressed into a flat-out
piece of propaganda for
our current president,
George W. Bush.
As a third-year newsie,
I had never seen an article
more biased and one-sided
than the one I was reading.
As I continued reading
through the article, I
noted the sources.
Yes, that’s right: I actually
investigated this.
As I read, I noted every
person who the article
quoted or refered to. By
the end of the
article, I had
a list of seven
sources. I then
p r o c e e d e d t o
G o o g l e e a c h
n a m e , f o r I
was not familiar
with them.
As each name
came up, I got
an article or
s u m m a r y w h i c h h a d
information about the
person in question. From
each description, I began
to soon found out
that most of the sources
were Republicans. Not
closet Republicans, but
Republicans who state
their political affiliation
outright. Some had even
made contributions to
the Republican party.
(continued on page 5,
MEDIA)
The Warrior
Niskayuna High School
1626 Balltown Road
Niskayuna, NY 12309
(518) 382-2511, Ext. 351
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/nhs/warrior/
T H E S T A F F
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Alice Lee, Alec Wilson
NEWS EDITORS: Jesse Conti, Julia Napolitano,
Joshua Xiong
ASST. NEWS: Lesley Yemi Adewunmi, Eric
Zhou
OPINION EDITORS: Evan Ballan, Jeremy Wolos
ASST. OPINION: Stephanie Kaylor
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Sarita Upadhyay
ASST. ENTERTAINMENT: Steve Chao
SPORTS EDITORS: Anthony Guzman,
Andrew Marshall
ASST. SPORTS: Caitlin Horgan, Gavin Labate
CONSULTING EDITOR: Juliette Price
HEAD MAGAZINE EDITOR: Kathryn Fantauzzi
MAGAZINE EDITORS: Katerina Gross,
Alex Rivadeneira
GRAPHICS COORDINATOR: Laura Simpson
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Ian Davis
BUSINESS MANAGER: Erik Donhowe
COPY EDITOR: Abby Alger
WEB SITE MANAGER: Scott Brainard
ADVISORS: James Edgar, Russell McDowell
EDITORIAL POLICIES
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome
from all members of the school
community. The Warrior reserves
the right to edit letters for grammar
and length.
SIGNED OPINION ARTICLES AND
CARTOONS express the opinions of
their creators.
UNSIGNED EDITORIALS represent
the consensus of the paper’s editorial
board, which may not refl ect the
majority of the students’ views.
THE OP-ED PAGES are a forum for
students’ opinions and ideas.
The Warrior is published each Friday
the high school has classes (33 times
a year).
For a one-year subscription, send a
check for $25 payable to Niskayuna
High School to The Warrior, Attn:
Subscriptions, 1626 Balltown Rd.,
Niskayuna, NY 12309.

Dear Readers,
This special edition of
the Warrior Magazine,
Election Connection, is
comprised of student-created
political cartoons,
articles, and the results
of a political awareness
quiz, all of which reveal
the differing views
among Niskayuna’s student
body. We at the
Warrior Magazine feel
that it is important to
present current issues
to the student body in
an easily comprehensible
format. We also feel that
we should serve as a forum
for the student body
and provide a place for
students to express their
opinions and concerns.
We hope you enjoy this
addition of Silver.
-The Editors
by Rachel Naparstek and
Emily Payton
MAGAZINE
Another presidential election
draws near and as America
makes this monumental choice,
it has come down to two individuals:
George W. Bush and
John Kerry. The decision is
becoming harder to make with
each passing day. It would be
an easier one, however, if Bush
could speak English and Kerry
could make up his mind.
Let’s start with the many
attributes of Bush, because
he is defi nitely like no other
president. No other president
continually introduces words
to the English language. No one
else ever won the presidency
with a Supreme Court ruling.
So, Mr. President, we have a
question for you: Why are we at
war with Iraq? We, as well as
the rest of the country, remember
being told that Iraq had
Politicians stretch the truth
by Mike Chow
MAGAZINE
Both presidential candidates
stretch the truth, but which
one stretches it more? Each
distorts the facts so much on
the campaign trail that they
contradict each other most of
the time.
I’ll start with the challenger,
Senator John Kerry. Kerry said
that president George W. Bush
did not properly fund the No
Child Left Behind Act. However,
Bush has increased education
spending by 58% during his fi rst
three years as President. Kerry
has also repeatedly said that
since Bush has been in offi ce,
the United States has lost 1.6
million jobs. This fi gure is not
true; it’s just fuzzy math.
Kerry even contradicts himself.
In the last debate, Kerry
not only said that Bush cut
Federal Pell Grants (which help
fi nancially needy students pay
for college), but in his very next
counter-statement said, “But
you know why the Pell Grants
weapons of mass destruction.
So why haven’t these weapons
been found yet? Interestingly
enough, other countries such
as North Korea are now creating
such weapons, and we
aren’t at war with them. The
war in Iraq costs about $3.9
billion per month, and if Bush
wins the election, the war will
go on for years. On top of that,
the United States now has an
astronomical debt.
To elaborate on the president’s
inability to speak the language
we assume was his fi rst, there
are just too many “Bushisms” to
list. He has added a great number
of new and exciting words
to the English language. During
the last debate, for instance,
he made the word “Internet”
plural. John Kerry, on the
other hand, can speak English
relatively fl uently, with only
sporadic mispronunciations of
“Genghis Khan.”
have gone up in their numbers?
Because more people qualifi ed
for them.” As Bush stated, the
money slated for Pell Grants
has increased by a little more
than a million, and funding
has increased by nearly 60%.
Kerry’s point that Bush has not
fulfi lled his promise of $5,100
Pell Grants is correct.
On the other hand, Bush
also has his own inaccuracies
in attacking Kerry. Bush said
that Kerry voted 98 times for
higher taxes. Apparently, Bush
also suffers from short-term
memory loss. When Kerry
claimed that Bush said that he
was not concerned about Osama
bin Laden, Kerry was actually
right. In a news conference
after the overthrowing of the
Taliban on March 12, 2002,
Bush remarked. “I truly am
not that concerned about him.
I know he is on the run. I was
concerned about him when he
had taken over a country. I
was concerned about the fact
that he was basically running
However, Kerry has his own
special qualities. First of all, he
consistently states that the war
in Iraq was a mistake. Is this the
message a presidential candidate
wants to give the men and
women serving their country in
the middle of a war? Does he really
want to tell people who risk
their lives every day doing their
job and protecting their country
that the war is wrong? How is
he supposed to keep the morale
of an army up when he is telling
them blatantly that everything
they have been fi ghting for is
just a waste of time?
Besides failing to support
the troops psychologically,
Kerry voted against funds to
increase their paychecks. And
as if that weren’t enough, he
voted against funds to give the
troops proper fi rst aid supplies.
You would think a veteran with
three Purple Hearts would be
more willing to give the Army
Afghanistan and calling the
shots for the Taliban.”
Another thing Bush forgot
was his own timber company.
The funniest moment in the
second debate was when Kerry
mentioned Bush’s timber company
and Bush facetiously said,
“Need some wood?” In fact, Bush
once owned a timber company
that earned him $84 and so
qualifi ed him as a small business
owner.
Both candidates have distorted
the truth so much that it has
come to a point where neither
of the candidates have is now
saying anything that represents
the facts objectively. As Election
Day nears, consider each candidate’s
words, but take them
with reservation and with the
full scope of what each says in
mind. Don’t get caught up in the
political rhetoric. Diversify your
sources of information. Voters
should press for a third-party
candidate who would show the
lack of moral integrity in the two
presidential candidates we now
must choose between.
Students voice dislike of candidates
the necessities that it needs.
Probably the worst characteristic
of the senator is his inability
to keep his mind straight. Often
called a “fl ip-fl opper,” Kerry has
a history of voting on one thing
in the Senate and then saying
that he supports the opposite.
It would not have come as a
surprise to many if he had
spent the debates debating with
himself rather than with his
opponent. Additionally, it was
hard to avoid noticing Kerry
sell himself as a trustworthy
veteran. No matter what a question
was on, he somehow found
a way to add that in.
It’s a good thing that the
majority of our student body
cannot yet vote. How could it
possibly choose either of these
candidates? Perhaps we’re being
cynical, but all we can see
is the disadvantage of having
dumb or dumber representing
a once-respected nation.

Are students politically informed?
Magazine editors distributed this awareness quiz to members of the student body. Eight multiple-choice questions were asked,
and students were to answer them to the best of their ability. Students were asked to classify themselves as either Democrats,
Republicans, or independents. The questions were as follows:
1.) Election day is in: 2.) President Bush previously: 3.) John Kerry is currently:
a. the end of October a. was a senator from Texas a. a senator from Massachusetts
b. the beginning of November b. was a mayor of a city in Texas b. a senator from Connecticut
c. the end of November c. was a governor of Texas c. the governor of Massachusetts
d. the beginning of December d. had no political affi liation d. the governor of Connecticut
4.) John Kerry plans to: 5.) President Bush plans to: 6.) John Kerry:
a. increase taxes for everyone a. keep the social security program the a. opposes all abortions
b. decrease taxes for everyone way it is b. approves all abortions
c. increase taxes for everyone except b. privatize Social Security c. approves of abortions only before the
those in the highest tax bracket c. governmentally regulate Social Security fi rst three months of a woman’s pregnancy
d. keep the current tax cuts except more stringently d. approves of all abortions only before
increase the taxes for those in d. eliminate the social security program the fi rst six months of a woman’s
the highest tax bracket pregnancy
7.) On the subject of education, President Bush: 8.) John Kerry plans to:
a. plans to promote the No Child Left Behind Act a. end the war in Iraq within three months of assuming the Presidency
b. plans to increase the literacy rate b. obtain most of America’s oil from the Middle East
c. plans to allot money to states for assessments of c. lead a coalition of nations to fi ght terrorism
math and reading skills d. Impose an embargo on Iraq on all goods
d. all of the above
Political quiz results and analysis
CORRECT
ANSWERS:
1.) B 2.) C
3. )A 4.) D
5.) B 6.) D
7.) D 8.) C
Analysis: It is
interesting to note
that no student
received a perfect
score. Overall, the
student body does
not seem to be completely
politically
astute; however,
it does appear to
posess some knowledge
of the issues
at hand in this
election. Of the
political affi liations
represented, independents
scored the
highest overall.

Candidates have no platforms to run on
by Eric Zhou separate occasions.
MAGAZINE
Senator John Kerry and
President George Bush recently
participated in three
presidential debates, the
purpose of which was for the
candidates to express their
views on specific issues and
explain their future plans
for America. They covered
m a n y i s s u e s i n c l u d i n g
foreign policy, homeland
security, health care, abort
i o n , e d u c a t i o n r e f o r m ,
the Supreme Court, and
the death penalty. Though
these debates did clarify
many of the details of each
candidate’s platform, many
negative claims were purported.
In the first debate,
Bush claimed that 75% of
known al-Qaeda leaders
had been brought to justice.
This 75% only includes
the two dozen known al-Qaeda
organizers of September
11. The International Institute
for Strategic Studies
estimates that there are still
18,000 potential operatives
of al-Qaeda that have yet to
be captured.
Many of Kerry’s claims
are false as well. In one of
the debates, Kerry claimed
that Bush never met with
the Congressional Black
Caucus, when in fact Bush
met with the group on two
One of the most important
issues of the
debate was the national
deficit. Both
candidates said that
they would cut the
deficit in half, though
a closer look at each
c a n d i d a t e ’s b u d g e t
plan proves this promise
to be extremely
unrealistic. The Conc
o r d C o a l i t i o n , a
nonpartisan deficit
watchdog group, analyzed
the Kerry and
Bush fiscal plans in a
report released last
w e e k , c o n c l u d i n g ,
“Although both campaigns
have promised
to cut the deficit
in half by 2009,
n e i t h e r c a n d i d a t e
produced a credible
set of numbers to back up
his deficit reduction rhetoric.”
Although many of the
facts the candidates used
to support their arguments
were somewhat true, they
were also somewhat misleading.
The half-truths which
the candidates give to the
American public, however,
can be exposed. Verifying the
facts is simple, and therefore
the deception is futile.
The American public does
not expect its candidates to
be perfect. However, Bush
should confess his mistakes,
and Kerry should admit to
some of the faults of his
proposed policies.
M o s t p e o p l e b e l i e v e d
that Kerry won the first
debates. In an ABC news
poll, 566 registered voters
were asked who they
t h o u g h t w o n t h e f i r s t
d e b a t e ; 4 5 % o f v o t e r s
thought that Kerry won
t h e d e b a t e , w h i l e 3 6 %
t h o u g h t B u s h w o n t h e
Warrior political cartoon / Anjali Nirmalan
debate. The second debate
was much closer. 44% favored
Kerry, while 41% of
the voters were in favor of
Bush. For the third and
final debate, 42% of the
voters believed that Kerry
did a better job, while
41% thought Bush. For
more information on the
presidential debates, go
to www.debates.org.
t Additional Reporting
by Lesley Yemi Adewunmi
Warrior political cartoon / Mallory Cooper and Anjali Nirmalan

The Warrior
October 22, 2004
Opinion
Standardized tests: not just for students?
by Evan Ballan
SATIRE
I’d like to preface this article by
saying that I hope it isn’t overkill.
I generally avoid writing about
politics because that can get a bit
sticky, and I’m well aware that the
magazine section is covering the
election this week. Nonetheless, as
the election nears, political fever
is sweeping the nation, and to go a
day without witnessing or becoming
involved in a political argument
of some sort is to accomplish an
impressive task. In light of this,
I’ve decided to take a break from
political abstinence and address
the issue of voting.
But first, the weekend!
This past Saturday, I woke up at
an obscene hour, one so early for
a weekend morning that I cannot
print it in The Warrior; frankly, it
would be all too shocking. Anyway, I
headed down to good old Niskayuna
High School to take the PSAT. Now,
almost everyone is familiar with the
PSAT, and most of those who are
know that the acronym stands for
Practice Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Essentially, the test is intended to
test one’s general competency in
various fields. Somewhere around
section three, it hit me: there were
no analogies on my test! That was
because it was the brand-new, hotoff-the-press
PSAT, and the College
Board had graciously decided to
do away with those pesky things.
Then, the idea that actually pertains
to this article hit me: why
stop at Scholastic Aptitude Tests?
It was so brilliant, any questions
answered incorrectly on my test
were obviously due to my excitement
over this idea: we should change
the way Americans are allowed to
vote by creating a Political Aptitude
Test—the PAT—that all Americans
who wished to vote would have to
take and pass before being allowed
to do so.
This test would not contain questions
along the lines of “The brown
fox (A) (A), having eaten an entire
box (B) of marshmallows (C) (C), felt
rather (D) sick. No error. (E).” (The
FOR EVAN’S SAKE!
answer, of course, was A; the fox
was red, not brown.) No, this test
would ask questions that quizzed
knowledge of both candidates and
the issues they stood for. It would
be something that all people with
basic political knowledge would be
capable of answering, and would
simply serve to ensure that the
people voting would be making an
informed decision.
This policy would allow the current
legal voting age of 18 to be
5
abolished. There are plenty of
people under 18 who are politically
informed; students in some classes
at our school get into political discussions
more often than people who
have long since graduated. That
isn’t to say that the latter should
be barred from voting, but who’s to
say that the former should
not? Of course, there are
a lot of people under age
18 who should not be making
this decision. Hence
the PAT.
The test could be written
by a special government
committee, and a large
Scantron machine could
be set up next to every
booth. You show your ID,
they hand you a no. 2 pencil,
you bubble in the boxes
(making sure, of course, not
to leave any stray pencil
marks), they let the machine
suck up your test,
and you find out if you’ll
be allowed to vote or not.
If not, bye bye, thanks for
coming, here’s a lollipop.
Otherwise, here’s the voting
booth, choose wisely!
Of course, it’s extremely
unlikely that this would ever actually
happen. Call it a hunch, but
I don’t think President Bush reads
The Warrior. His name isn’t on the
subscribers’ list, at least. Maybe
he’s using an alias. Yes, an alias.
That must be it. I’d better stop
writing before he realizes I’m on to
him and the Secret Service is sent
to take care of—
Dear Warrior Readers:
Please pay no attention to anything
written in the most recent
paragraph. I, Secret Service Agent
Smith Evan Ballan, was simply joking
around.
Warrior art / Laura Isabella
The media: really a balanced source?
(Continued from page 4,
NEWS)
Have you ever felt like you’re
only getting half of the story?
I sure did.
Where were the quotes from
critics praising Kerry?
Where were the references
to people who pointed out
Bush’s mistakes? Where were
the sources criticizing Kerry?
None of them were there, yet
the article was run.
Somehow I felt really cheated. After
all, I bought this paper to become
informed, yet I was only getting
more ignorant by the minute.
Election years are critical, both
to the candidates and to the press.
One mistake can make or break
either’s reputation. Yet somehow,
we aren’t being informed
enough. The press as a whole has
not done their duty to America.
Their duty is to inform the public
about the candidates, do some
fair reporting, investigate any
issue that arises, and above all,
be non-biased.
The troops serving in Iraq are
doing their part, so why can’t the
journalists’ do theirs?
Have an opinion?
Send it to The
Warrior!
thewarrioropinion@gmail.com

6 October 22, 2004
Entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment The The The Warrior
Movie fees please at local cinemas
by Sarita Upadhyay
ENTERTAINMENT
Every movie-loving teenager
from Niskayuna sacrifices
time and money to check out
the latest Hollywood hits at
Crossgates, Latham, and Rotterdam
malls. I know I have
spent countless hours at these
facilities, watching my favorite
actors fighting, falling in
love, and pulling hilarious
stunts. Still, however much
I love these “mall theaters”
and many of the movies that
they run, I cannot help but
bemoan the fact that so many
teenagers ignore the options
that smaller, more original
theaters offer.
As a teenager who has
to pay gas fees for my car
and who has no steady job,
I suffer from a chronically
empty wallet. Most of my
friends and acquaintances
also have problems with
the whole getting-enoughmoney-to-see-a-movie
issue.
Though this is unbeknownst
to many NHS students, the
Capital Region itself is home
to quite a few remarkable locally
owned theaters, which
tend to cost about $2-6 less
than the malls, might I add.
If you’re looking for a cheap
flick, try Schenectady’s Proctors
Theater or Scotia’s Scotia
Cinema, which boast cheap
prices of $2 and $4, respectively.
These theaters play
second-run movies (movies
that are no longer in typical
theaters) and usually only
Photo courtesy mvls.info
SCOTIA CINEMA: This local theater provides a cheap alternative to
the Crossgates, Latham, and Rotterdam cinemas that many Niskayuna
High School students fl ock to on the weekend.
one or two is playing each
week. For example, Scotia is
currently running Collateral
and The Princess Diaries 2,
both of which are no longer
playing at Crossgates but are
not available at Hollywood
or Blockbuster Video. However,
unless it’s an absolute
must-see-the-day-it-comesout
movie, the cheap price is
well worth the wait.
For those with exotic movie
tastes or who want to try
something new, Albany’s
Spectrum 8 Theater is an
excellent option. Tickets are
$8, but there is a deal where
20 tickets are only $130 ($6.50
per ticket). The 20 tickets can
be saved and used whenever
you feel like having a movie
outing; they don’t expire. The
Spectrum is entertaining because
it is an independently
run theater which selects “the
best first-run independent,
foreign and Hollywood films,”
according to its website. It
shows all sorts of movies that
are left out of the mainstream
“mall theater” mix. For example,
three of the eleven
movies now playing in the
Spectrum are independent
film Metallica: Some Kind of
Monster, popular film Shall
We Dance, and English comedy
hit Shaun of the Dead. In
addition to this variety, the
theater boasts an Art Deco
ambiance, an art gallery,
and really good cake at the
concession stand.
So if you and your friends
were planning an outing
to Crossgates Cinema 18
this weekend, perhaps you
should think about venturing
to a new place where
you can save a few bucks
and check out a less conventional
film (while benefiting
local business owners, too).
Spectrum 8 is located at 290
Delaware Avenue, Scotia
Cinema at 117 Mohawk Avenue,
and Proctors Theater
at 432 State Street.
Jack & Bobby is WB’s newest hit show
by Erik Donhowe
ENTERTAINMENT
This fall season has ushered in
many great new shows, one of which
is the series Jack & Bobby, directed by
Smallville’s David Nutter. This is a new
and innovative show that adds a twist to
the family drama. Grace McCallister is
a college professor who is also a single
mother raising her children, Jack and
Bobby. Jack is the older, more athletic
sibling, while Bobby is the keen and
misfit brother. Actively participating
in their education, Grace prepares
her two sons for greatness. The hard
work pays off, and in the year 2041,
one of them becomes the President of
the United States of America.
Two stories are told simultaneously
in every episode of Jack & Bobby. While
the show covers events occurring in the
present, it also uses interviews from the
future to show what happens during
the McCallister administration. The
“flash forwards” make the show more
interesting because the viewers see
how an event in the present affects the
future President McCallister.
Even though the show’s premise is
based on politics, Jack & Bobby never
sways to either side of the political
spectrum. Instead, the show focuses
on the issues and events that later
shape President McCallister’s political
views. Incidentally, McCallister is an
Independent that managed to unite the
Republicans and Democrats within his
administration.
The dialogue in Jack & Bobby is wellwritten,
but never too verbose. Because
most of the characters in the show are
intelligent, the conversations are deep
and meaningful, two qualities rarely
found on prime-time television. For
example, when giving a speech to incoming
college freshmen, Grace implores
the students to take risks and fail.
“The harder you fall, the farther you
rise,” she proclaims. “And the louder
you fail, the clearer the distant bell of
your future will ring. Failure is a gift.
Welcome it.”
Jack & Bobby is a fresh and bold show
that inspires while it entertains. The
characters are an endearing blend of
quirks, strengths and flaws; appearing
very real. The futuristic perspective
is fascinating, because it shows how
family experiences shape a young boy,
destined to become a president who has
the reputation as “The Great Believer.”
Check out Jack & Bobby on Sundays
at nine o’clock on the WB.

The Warrior
October 22, 2004
Sports
The way things should be: MLB ‘04
by Andrew C. Marshall
SPORTS
As Major League Baseball
heads to hibernation
for the winter, I am always
entertained by the end of
season awards–Most Valuable
Player, the Cy Young
award for the league’s most
outstanding pitcher, and the
self explanatory Rookie of
the Year honor. A lot of the
time, the respected panel of
whoever it is that votes gets it
right. However, in 2003, Alex
Rodriguez was named the
MVP of the American League
after doing almost nothing
valuable for his team. Proof
positive of how he was invalu-
able was the Texas Rangers’
bid for the post season, in the
post A-Rod era. So, instead of
waiting to see what high-paid
good-for-nothing wins it this
year, I decided to take it upon
my awesome self to tell you
right now who deserves the
following awards.
AL MVP: Mariano Rivera,
New York Yankees: Rivera
held together a shaky
bullpen and starting rotation
this season with his dominant
pitching. Along with
setting a career high with
53 saves, he also posted a
1.94 ERA and rang up 66
strikeouts. Without him, the
Yankees would have missed
the post-season for the first
time since 1993. Relief pitchers
have been shown more
respect over the last few
years, so let’s reward one of
the game’s best.
NL MVP: Adrian Beltre,
Los Angeles Dodgers: In
the six seasons prior to this,
the Dodgers were waiting,
hoping, and praying that
their highly regarded third
base prospect would erupt
with a monster season. Alas,
in his contract year, Beltre
MARSH ON SPORTS
simply unloaded on National
League pitchers. He finished
with a .334 batting average,
121 runs batted in and 48
homeruns. His fielding also
helped his cause, with a .978
fielding percentage.
I give Beltre the nod over
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco
Giants and the St. Louis
Cardinals three-headed monster
of Jim Edmonds, Scott
Rolen, and Albert Pujols. I
sang Bond’s praises enough
already, and since he has won
Photo courtesy LATimes.com
TACO BELTRE: Adiran Beltre of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs away
with a possible MVP bid this season, aided by his power numbers behind
the plate, and only 10 errors in 152 games this season. The Dodgers were
eliminated in the NLDS by the St. Louis Cardinals in fi ve games.
seven of these before. When
there are so many MVP candidates
on a team, it’s hard
to pick which one is the most
beneficial to the team.
AL Cy Young: Johan Santana,
Minnesota Twins: It’s
hard to go against a player who
has not lost a start since the
All Star break in July. It’s even
harder to go against a player
who had 120 more strikeouts
than hits allowed. His 2.61
ERA was tops among American
League starters. Any other
year, it would have been Curt
Schilling, but he plays bridesmaid
once again as Santana
takes home the hardware.
Shutting down the Yanks
would have been a nice fi nish,
but he gets it anyways.
NL Cy Young: Jason
Schmidt, San Francisco
Giants: I pick him over Roger
Clemens and Randy Johnson
for the simple reason that all
year I heard that the only two
players that the Giants have
are Bonds and Schmidt. To
keep a team with so little
talent sans Bonds, in the
post-season hunt, as the
teams only dominant pitcher,
you need to put up Cy Young
numbers.
AL Rookie of the Year:
L e w F o r d , M i n n e s o t a
Twins: Aside from spelling
his name really weirdly, Ford
was called up this spring
for a cup of coffee with the
Twins. His .303 batting
7
Photo courtesy ESPN.com
SIT ON IT, POTSEY: Johann Santana of the Minnesota Twins fi nished
the season going 14-0 between the All Star Break and the end of the regular
season. The Minnesota Twins were eliminated in the ALDS by the New
York Yankees. Santana fi nished the series with two no decisions.
average earned him a full
course meal. As described
by Yankees manager Joe
Torre, he is the “toughest out
in the Twins lineup.” That
says a lot when you bat 6th
behind players such as Torii
Hunter, Jacque Jones, and
Christian Guzman.
NL Rookie of the Year:
Khalil Greene, San Diego
Padres: This is the next
great shortstop in the major
leagues. Perhaps my favorite
player to watch, his human
highlight-reel ability to track
down ground balls is completely
insane. Although he
plays in a division owned by
Caesar Isturez of the Dodgers,
look for Greene to supplant
Isturez as the perennial
Glove winner in the next few
years. Greene also produced
with a bat, hitting .291 with
runners on the bases.
So there you have it, my
predictions for the rightful
owners to the end of season
awards issued by Major
League Baseball. Don’t expect
them to be binding, but do
take them into consideration
when you find out who really
does win these awards. As
for the World Series, I am no
psychic, but I will say this:
whichever team wins the AL
better bring its best, because I
have a feeling no one is getting
by the St. Louis Cardinals or
the Houston Astros without
a fight.

The Warrior
October 22, 2004
Sports
Girls soccer dominant in seasonal play
by Caitlin Horgan
SPORTS
Hard work and dedication have paid off
for Niskayuna girls Varsity soccer. The 2004
squad has proven that they are a threat in
the Suburban Council this year.
The Silver Warriors have experienced
great success this season with a record
of 12-2 and an overall record of 13-2. Niskayuna
is classifi ed as a class A school
in Section II. The soccer program has
always had a tradition of excellence, and
this year’s team has continued to prove
the pattern.
Led by head coach Bryce Colby, the
team has had an unbelievable season. Its
victories over schools like Shenendehowa,
Guilderland, Averill Park, Colonie and Columbia
have allowed for other local teams
to see Niskayuna as the one to beat. This
year’s roster is packed with experienced
athletes: 13 seniors, six juniors and four
sophomores. The seniors have proven to
be a strong weapon to help in combat on
the playing fi eld.
Working together is an important asset
to the team; teammates can be seen
showing their support for one another
during practices and in game situations.
This year’s captains include senior Ali
Sylvetsky and junior Brittany Fearnside.
Fearnside, who has been on Varsity since
ninth grade, remarked, “We had a terrifi c
team this year and the team has not been
anything but helpful this season.”
An exciting event occurred on the eve of
October 12, when Niskayuna faced rival
Shenendehowa at home. Not only did
Niskayuna display great heart, but they
also found the strength to win the game.
Photo courtesy Brian Detrani
LADIES’ NIGHT: The girls’ soccer team poses during halftime of the fi nal match of the year.
Shen had not lost a game to Niskayuna
since 2000. The fi nal score of the game
was 2-1; sophomore Brooke Knowlton,
a forward, scored both goals to win the
game, and Fearnside, Nisky’s goalie, had
13 saves. Knowlton, whose dedication to
soccer started at age fi ve, has been on the
Varsity team since eighth grade. She has
high expectations for herself and the team.
As an experienced player, she is active
year-round in soccer. Knowlton has played
on the state team for two years and the
regional team for this past year.
Talent has allowed Knowlton to be
competitive not only in New York; she has
also trained in other states such as Florida
Photo courtesy Brian Detrani
KICKIN’ IT: Glennis Meagher and Leslie Nardini warmup before the Senior Night game.
8
and California. A friendly student who
can always be seen supporting her peers,
Knowlton goes into games with a positive
attitude. “We play as a team, and hopefully
we will win Sectionals,” she commented.
“The team is doing well, and all of the seniors
have good leadership qualities.”
Niskayuna was hoping to come out
victorious against Bethlehem on October
14, but could not come through with a win.
Sophomore Molly Hinton explained, “We
played well as a team, but we needed to
come back strong at the end.” Earlier in
the season, Hinton tore her MCL and has
missed playing in exciting games; however,
she continues to support her team.
Senior Lindsey Rosecrans, a sweeper for
the team, stated, “As a defender, I do not
want anyone to get by me.” With the tournament
coming up, Rosecrans expressed
her hope that the team will be mentally
ready for the upcoming games.
The tournament for the team starts
on October 20, and it is important that
Niskayuna does well so that they will be
prepared to play hard in the quarter- and
semifi nals. If Niskayuna loses a game, they
will be eliminated. Currently, Niskayuna
is rated second in the Gold Division and
is ranked third in the state.
This has been a highlight season not only
for the players, but also for the school they
represent. Girls Varsity soccer has proven
themselves with their talent and team
unity. Senior Leslie Nardini explained, “The
team does really well and comes together
not only on the fi eld but off the fi eld.”