This is extreme sailing on Lake George! Watch the boat flip towards the end of the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro2Cg0jjklU

Ask anyone familiar with Ithaca and they will tell you why this upstate city truly is “gorges”.  There are only eight cities that serve as the home of an Ivy League school and we’re lucky enough to have the home of Cornell just a hop, skip, and jump away.  Also the home of Ithaca College (standing right across the hill from Cornell) Ithaca is a charming city that hosts a smattering of natural and wonders and unique boutiques.

                Being located on the southern tip of Cayuga Lake the scenery of Ithaca is truly extraordinary; though Ithaca is much more than canyons and running water.  Ithaca is a textbook collegetown with loads of tradition. The student population accounts for about 25,000 of the 30,000 population and this is truly a city that caters to students.   A music scene, a sports scene, an art scene, and  degrees that pay off for a lifetime.

Prom is arguably the most anticipated time of the year for all who are invited to go. As said in the Disney movie, Prom, “It's the one night when nobody cares who wore the varsity jacket, and who got cut from the team. It's the night when you might find yourself singing at the top of your lungs, with people you've never even spoken too.” Prom is the time to set aside all differences and drop any drama and enjoy a beautiful night with your classmates.  

Each year, the junior class advisors and student council come up with a different overall theme for the night. Last year, the juniors went with a French-themed Midnight in Paris. Two years ago, the 2010-2011 juniors went to a Night at the Oscars. This year, the class of 2014 will be living a night of High Society: NYC. The theme of prom is not so much seen as felt. It is intended to give prom-goers a sense of elegance and class.

If you want to see your classmates before the big night, come to Walk-In tomorrow (5/11) in the auditorium at 6pm!  

Abercrombie & Fitch is known for their risqué and cheeky ad campaigns, but this week, the brand has found itself in hot water with customers and online users for an entirely different reason.

When speaking with Business Insider on Friday, Robin Lewis, co-author of The New Rules of Retail, claimed that A&F CEO Mike Jeffries "doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people. He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the 'cool kids.'"

A rep for the company did not immediately respond for comment, but Lewis' interpretation of the A&F philosophy has gotten a lot of pick-up.

And what "cool kids" might Lewis be referring to? Business Insider pointed to a 2006 interview Jeffries gave to Salon. "In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly, we go after the cool kids," the clothing retailer explained. "We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."

He went on to expand on their business, saying "Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don't alienate anybody, but you don't excite anybody, either."

While Jeffries' quotes certainly shed light on the brand's ads, it's not clear how much Lewis' comments reflect his own opinions of A&F and how much they accurately reflected the brand's actual attitude.

What do you think about Abercrombies controversial opinion?

It’s that time of year again. No, not spring time, I mean allergy season. Itchy eyes, runny nose, and general discomfort are all too common for allergy sufferers. Your first instinct may be to go right to your local drug store and purchase a brand name allergy medication, but try these tips and tricks before you go right to meds.

Stay Cool: Cool eye compresses may improve appearance and reduce eye allergy symptoms.

Be a Star: Wear big sunglasses to block pollen entry into your eyes, especially on windy days.

Be Gel-Free: Don’t use hair gel and similar hair care products that can act as “pollen magnets” during the height of allergy season.

Rinse Wisely: Wash your eyelids gently when you wash your face each morning. Shampoo your hair in the evening if you’ve been out on high-pollen days to remove and wash away unwanted seasonal pollens. This prevents them from staying on your pillow and bed sheets during the night and throughout the week.

CollegeTownRunAround

Philadelphia

                Villanova, Drexel, Temple, Penn, heck even UDel! Welcome to the education hub of the east coast! Since the founding of this nation, Philadelphia has served as the federal capital, the home of the Liberty Bell, and the city where Will Smith was born and raised.

                Being the first major American city being covered, Philadelphia truly has eons to offer in every realm.  The schools around here are certainly demanding, but the opportunities and ways to unwind are endless. Take a walk around the City Center neighborhood or run up the stairs of the Philadelphia museum of art for a Rocky-style workout—all before you ruin it with some Amish food at the Reading Terminal Market.

                But when you finally go back to regular reading be assured that you will graduate with some of the most valued degrees in the nation with some of the largest corporations and employers in the world at your fingertips. Even if you plan to further your education after college with a masters or even a doctorate degree, it is hard to find a better place to learn than Philadelphia.

                So congrats to all of you seniors headed off to the City of Brotherly Love this fall, and best of luck for the four years to come. And if this sounds good to any of you juniors reading this, college just like Philadelphia, isn’t too far away.

Come support the class of 2015 on Tuesday, May 21^st from 4:30 to 7:30 for a Barbeque. LT’s Grill will be providing the food and you have the option of chicken with coleslaw, baked beans, and a roll; pulled pork, coleslaw, and baked beans, or for a vegetarian option of pasta primavera. The pork and the chicken cost $12 while the pasta will cost $10. Order forms can be found on the Niskyschools.org website or in the business resources center, all pre-order forms will be due on Thursday May 16^th.  Please make all check payable to the NHS Class of 2015.

Successful diets are accomplishments that people pride on. However, for some people, the excess skin left over once the fat has been worked off proves to be a problem for many dieters. In Oregon, this is a special circumstance for one formerly obese dachshund. Obie is recovering after surgery at an Oregon vet clinic that removed 2 ½ pounds of loose skin. The skin was dragging after the dog lost 40 pounds in eight months. He went from 77 pounds to 37. He now weighs 35 and his owner wants him to lose about 5 more.

Our boys varsity lacrosse team remained perfect this weekend as they breezed past nine-time Massachusetts state champions Duxbury. The Warriors collected 11 goals en route to an 11-3 victory. Senior Luke Goldstock led the attack with 7 goals and 2 assists. Junior Mike D’Amario added two goals and four assists, one including a feed to teammate Goldstock where the North Carolina-bound attackman shot between the legs with his back to the cage and put the ball away for what was arguably the best shot in Niskayuna lacrosse history. The Warriors led 4-1 after the first quarter and 6-1 at the half. Goalies Evan Quinn (13) and Nick Testa (1) combined for 14 saves.  

Niskayuna dominated for what seemed like the entire game. Duxbury’s shooting was subpar, and Niskayuna defense took advantage of this weakness. Senior defenseman Luke Miller said this of the victory: “We weren’t really nervous. Coach DeLano put a great game plan together for us. We played excellent team defense. The offense did their part scoring double-digit goals. Our biggest rival over the past ten years is probably Duxbury, and it feels great to finally put a win on the board, especially in my senior year.”

Emotions ran high as the two teams met yet again for their annual match-up. Just last year, Duxbury edged Niskayuna 8-7 when a shot with 13 seconds remaining found the back of the cage, ending the game with a Dragon victory.

Today, the Shaker Blue Bison come to Niskayuna for a 4:15 faceoff. Good luck boys!

Buffalo

Making our way further down Lake Ontario, our last stop on this route is Buffalo, New York.  In the Buffalo area, you’ll find a sizeable number of colleges featuring students from all around the world, an international city featuring a thriving city scene and nightlife, and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Is that enough for you?

Well for most people who would love to have all of these things right outside of their dorm room (and wouldn’t mind sub-Siberian temperatures every now and again) Buffalo is the place for you!  The colleges in this area frequently attended by Niskayuna graduates include Niagara, Canisius, Buffalo State, and of course the University at Buffalo.  For generations these colleges and universities have been churning out graduates into a thriving region for employment with world class educations (that are also often relatively inexpensive)

During your free time this region offers plenty to keep you occupied. Buffalo features professional sports, a lovely cityscape, and quick access to the world class metropolis of Toronto.  Students at SUNY Buffalo are also known for boasting about their amazing nightlife—which is sure to be exciting with 28,000 people around.

So congrats on choosing to spend your next four years in this cool city—in more ways than one!  Buffalo is sure to provide you with every opportunity that you would want or need.

          Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev informed investigators that he and his brother were not directed by a foreign terrorist organization. He says they were “self-radicalized” and motivated to kill, by U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

            The 19 year old suspect acknowledged his role in the attack while being questioned by investigators in his hospital bed at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Tsarnaev, who has a gunshot wound in the throat and is not able to speak, responded in writing. He is also suffering from gunshot wounds in the head, neck, legs, and hand from the late night shootout in Watertown, Massachusetts last Friday. After the shootout, he was listed in serious condition and now is listed in fair condition.

            Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged with two federal counts of using a weapon of mass destruction to kill, injure, and cause widespread damage at the marathon. The college student was informed of these charges and read his rights in his hospital room on Monday morning, and was placed in the custody the U.S. Marshal Service. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

            U.S. investigators traveled to southern Russia on Tuesday to speak to the parents of the brothers. Zubeidat Tsarnaev is the mother of the suspect and Anzor Tsarnaev is the father. After the bombings, Anzor said he believed the believed the boys were set up and called Dzhokhar a “true angel”. Maret Tsarnaev, the brothers’ aunt, who lives in Toronto, also said she believes her nephews were framed.

            Family members are not the only ones expressing doubt. Many Twitter users have been expressing support for Dzhokhar using the hash tag #freejahar.  A Change.org petition to "guarantee Dzhokhar Tsarnaev the right to a fair trial," addressed to President Barack Obama, has more than 6,000 supporters.

Attention all student drivers!

Today, Wednesday April 24^th, Campus Supervisor Officer Connor was spotted ticketing vehicles without parking passes in the senior lot. At least four cars have already been seen with yellow tickets on the front windshield. This problem can easily be avoided by simply purchasing a school parking permit! Also, what many students don’t know is the school offers temporary permits for students that drive once or twice a week, and, what is even more common, is when students drive their parents’ cars for the day. The junior lot was recently open, in hopes that all juniors will clear out of Senior Lot.

Rochester

                Taking off to the flour city this fall? Well rest assured that this majesty on the Ontario is much more vibrant than the white stuff that gives it its nickname. Here, you’ll find colleges that specialize in every field that attract students all throughout the Albany area. In fact, the Pittsford (Rochester suburb) college of St. John’s Fisher even gave Niskayuna our very own principal Mr. Rickert; though Fisher is certainly not the only place to get a great education in this area. Niskayuna alumni are sprinkled all throughout the campuses of SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Brockport, R.I.T., Hobart and William Smith, and of course—The University of Rochester.

                So what is there to do in the Rochester area?  A better question is when will you have time to do all of your school work?  Downtown Rochester is filled with quirky food joints and a unique live music scene that make Rochester, Rochester.  Western New York also like much of the state—offers scenery that can’t be beat. The Finger Lakes are not far at all, and the trail along the Genesee River is among one of the most beautiful in the whole region.

                But Greater Rochester is not only just pretty things to gawk at. Rochester is also a base for huge corporations such as Xerox, Kodak, Bauch and Lomb, and regional supermarket giant Wegmans. So the opportunities for internships and even career opportunities are nothing short of abundant.

This week: Syracuse

                Attention future Orangemen, Mighty Oaks, and Dolphins (funny combination isn’t it?) Congratulations on picking such an awesome town to spend your next four years in!  From amazing sports, to exiting nightlife and awesome educational opportunities, Syracuse has something for every student.

                Starting off nowhere other than Syracuse University --this university has long been the hub of college life in New York State. Around this campus you will see top Division 1 athletics dominate in every season, a happening nightlife up and down the famous “Marshal Street”, and degree programs in subjects such as journalism and public policy that will woo the tie off of any employer.

At SUNY ESF and LeMoyne, you will find the same opportunities of college life in Syracuse, but with little quirky twists that make life as a Dolphin or Mighty Oak, all the more unique. For instance, SUNY ESF offers a “woodmen team” that competes in forestry events against other schools.  At LeMoyne the is an annual tradition held on the first nice day of spring called “Dolphy Day” where students are allowed to kick back and skip classes. But my personal favorite thing about Syracuse is the proximity that the city has to so many different colleges in the area.

Being so centrally located in New York State, Syracuse proves to be just a hop, skip, and a jump away from other great college towns across the state. In less than two hours you can visit all of your friends at Oswego, Ithaca, Binghamton, Colgate, and so many other schools that our Warriors are headed off to. The location of Syracuse also provides beautiful scenery and easy access to Lake Ontario—just be ready for all of the snow that comes along with it.

                Today there will be a memorial for the victims of the Boston Marathon live on CNN starting at 9 am. Boston is in mourning today after the attack on the city’s marathon. On Wednesday Obama signed an emergency declaration allowing for there to be an expanded federal support for Boston. Obama is one of the many speakers who will be at the service speaking on the city’s behalf.             

                Meanwhile hundreds of investigators will be working nonstop to identify two men that a law enforcement source told CNN are pictured in images before the blast near the finish line, one who was holding a black backpack. Investigators believe that the bomber(s) placed explosives in the same type of backpack as seen on the images of the two men. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick told CNN that "Every hour we're closer. And I say that because we've got the very best professionals at every level working this, and working it hard."

                The photographs of the two men are not being released to the public in fear that it will delay the investigation. On Wednesday another man was found as being a possible suspect. He was seen on a video wearing a white baseball cap on backwards and was also wearing a light colored sweatshirt and black jacket.  Gov. Patrick also said that "I wish they had nailed the perpetrator within minutes of this catastrophe, but I understand from experience it's going to take some time.”

                More than 60 people still remain hospitalized on Wednesday night, 13 of them are in critical condition.  The three people that died were Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell, and Lingzu Lu. Richard was an 8 year old boy, Campbell a 29 year old woman, and Lu a graduate student at Boston University.

                Everyone is slowly starting to recover and begin the process of moving on. But some aren’t as ready to move on as others. One witness of the bombing named Candace Rispoli said that "My hands have still not stopped shaking.”

At least 180 people were sent to hospitals and as many as 5-15 expected dead after a fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. The fire and chemical explosion flattened buildings, “prompted widespread evacuations,” and sent a fireball into the sky. The initial blast occurred just before 8pm Wednesday night. Officials are still struggling to tally the deceased and injured while searching door-to-door through the rubble for survivors. It was reported that the blast killed at least two emergency responders tending to a fire at the plant that erupted before the initial explosion. Some responders are even believed to be unaccounted for after the wreck.

As of now, the cause of the explosion is unknown. Sgt. William Swanton of the local police department said “We are not indicating that it is a crime, but we don’t know. What that means to us is that until we know that it is an industrial accident, we will work it as a crime scene.”  The blast was felt 20-30 miles away, as witnesses reported “heavy fire or concussive damage” to a middle school, apartment complex and homes where more than 130 residents were evacuated. More nearby buildings in about a five block radius were “heavily damaged by the blast,” officials said. Hospitals reported treating close to 180 people, at least 6 in critical condition and 3 in serious condition.  

CollegeTownRunAround

Wondering what your future town is bound to be like? The coolest things to do, places to go, sights to see around your new town? Well look no further than Niskayuna ScoresUp, where CollegeTownRunAround will tell you almost everything about the best things about all of the college towns that our seniors are off to this fall.

This week: Oneonta

Any Hawks or Red Dragons in the crowd? Well, be assured that you are soon off to one of the best college towns in the state.  Just about two hours down I-88, Oneonta is best known for churning out some of the best teachers in our school district, and having some of the brightest students in our district flock their every year. But there is so much more to be offered in this town than it’s amazing educational opportunity.

The downtown historical district in Oneonta is truly a sight to be seen, with streets lined with historic churches, theaters, and even an old post office.  If this isn’t quite your thing, the city of Oneonta also features two municipal parks that serve the city, as well as a well renowned butterfly conservatory all within city limits if you love the outdoors.

As many of you have heard yesterday at the Boston Marathon two bombs went off near the end of the finish line which killed 3 people, one 8 year old boy and two others. The bombings left more than 150 people wounded and hospitalized. Investigators don’t know why someone would do this and don’t have any suspects yet. There are no videos that showed the bombs being placed, and no one understands why this would happen at an annual event that is celebrated by runners from all over.

The bombs went off near the finish line around the 4 hour mark, around the average time a marathon runner would end the race. A source said "It raises questions ... why didn't the bombs go off when the crowd was packed in like sardines when the winners were crossing the finish line? It could mean the people behind it couldn't get access to the area when they originally intended."

One of the teachers from our school, Mrs. MacPherson, was there running the marathon with her sister and father- who has been running it for 25 years. She said that she, "loved the marathon and I can’t wait for next year it was awesome but the after part wasn’t that great. We heard the bombs and saw the smoke but we were about 2 blocks away. We thought it was fireworks at first and then my dad was like no that is not fireworks. There were cops and FBI agents everywhere we couldn’t go anywhere near it. It’s so sad because the BAA (Boston Athletic Association) does such a good job running and organizing it, for something like this to happen it’s very unfortunate. It’s their big event for their home town, all the schools close and it’s like a big holiday event. What amazed me was how fast the media got to it, within seconds it was already on TV and was the big topic of discussion. There were about 400 armed forces on the scene and hundreds were bussing in. You could just hear people bawling and screaming it was an awful situation.”

Luckily she made it home safe and sound! The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest marathon and it has been in talk that there will be one next year most likely. But it is for certain that the Boston Marathon has been changed forever.

The Place Beyond the Pines made its opening debut this past weekend here in Schenectady, and there were plenty of attendees at Bowtie Cinema to give a variety of views on the film. The first thing you would most likely hear after asking “How was the movie?” is “long.” The film was almost two and a half hours, and it was heard that the movie was supposed to be even longer, but some parts had to be cut out, which may account for some confusion throughout the film. I personally had much higher expectations overall. Not only was it excessively long, but at some parts it did not flow smoothly. It may have seemed a bit over dramatic, but keep in mind it was a crime-drama movie. You could say it was a good film, but just not for me. Of course, the best scenes were ones where viewers could say “I’ve been there!” The movie was definitely more interesting because of the fact that it was filmed right here in Schenectady. If it wasn’t filmed in our area, it definitely would not be receiving the accolades it is now.

Skeptical of this review? Check it out yourself! There are plenty of show times at theaters such as Bow Tie, Rotterdam Square and Regal Colonie.   

The long awaited release of locally filmed movie The Place Beyond the Pines is finally here. Last night was opening night at our very own Bowtie Cinemas in Downtown Schenectady and actor Bradley Cooper was here to witness the excitement and promote his film. In the movie, Ryan Gosling plays Luke, a “drifter” who makes a living doing motorcycle stunts in a traveling carnival. He finds out that he has an infant son and wants to have a part in taking care of the child. He meets an ex-convict who knows how to rob banks and learns from him how to pull off burglaries, shoplifts and other heists. His actions brought police officer Avery into his life, who is played by Bradley Cooper. *

Senior Liz Farley was at Bowtie for the premiere, saying the film was very good, but a bit lengthy, and the interpretation of people of surrounding Schenectady towns and cities was interesting.

There are many show times this weekend at cinemas in Rotterdam, Colonie, and of course Bowtie.

*Movie synopsis from fandango.com   

Here is where our block 2 eCommerce seniors are going to college next year!

Luke Miller: Clark University - Worcester, MA

Ooty Melius: Siena College– Loudonville, NY

Mike Falace: Siena College – Loudonville, NY

Layne Avveduti: Johnson and Wales – Providence, RI

Alexa Angerami: University of Connecticut – Storrs, CT

Brent Oliver: Rochester Institute of Technology – Rochester, NY

Elena Menagias: Hofstra University – Hempstead, NY

Uwem Akpanikat: Sacred Heart University – Fairfield, CT

Allie Shea: Colgate – Hamilton, NY

Chris Owen: SUNY Plattsburgh – Plattsburgh, NY

David Kosineski: Hudson Valley Community College – Troy, NY

Colby Vickerson: Bentley – Waltham, MA

Jessica Fecura: University of Vermont – Burlington, VT

Brooke Sindel: University of South Carolina – Columbia, SC

Matt DiVietro: Undecided

Oscar Sanchez: Undecided

Hey ScoresUp fans!  Know any Class of 2017’ers?! Well if you do (or better yet are one yourself), save the date for the Freshman Fling!

Being held on Friday, April 12th from 7 to 9:30pm, your “inaugural” high school dance is sure to be an absolute blast.   The fling will be held at the high school and is just $7 at the door. With this, you will gain not only entry to the dance with a great DJ, but complimentary refreshments will be on hand all night. 

Sound exciting enough for all of you future freshman?

So be sure to check out this awesome opportunity to meet your future classmates and enjoy this chance to share all of your excitement, joy, and maybe even fear about making this next step in your life with a bunch of people in the same boat as you.  Thus far, the business department has been working hard to make sure that this experience is the absolute best for you all, so stop in to see what we’re all about—and stay to talk to all of your soon to be new friends.

The Cap List

A Day at the Museum

Every day becomes better when you learn something new. It can be a fun fact that can brighten your day or a practical fact to keep you from falling on your face—like the day I learned to tie my shoes.  But whatever it may be, it’s always a great feeling to walk away from anywhere gratified and full of new knowledge.

Now sadly, places constructed for just this very purpose have left a sour taste in the mouths of many about learning, (might be the 6am mornings). But rest assured, there are tons of world recognized museums and conservatories right around this way to explore and maybe even learn a little bit from.

One of the better known museums around the area is the New York State Museum at the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany. Like many museums of its size, it offers a constant rotation of exhibits that range from interesting to extraordinary from buffs all over the world. One of the most cited exhibits at the museum that actually does not travel is the 9/11 exhibit, which has even been compared with that of the exhibit at ground zero. But the best part about this museum (besides the carousel) is that admission is free every day.

Also downtown on Washington Avenue is the world revered Albany Institute of History and Art. Open October through May, this museum also features a plethora of exhibits of fine art that has graced this region for the past two centuries. And though this may be a bit highbrow for many in the high school crowd, it still remains an absolutely amazing place to explore and at the least soak in this significant art.

Though museums may not tickle everyone’s fancy, and learning in any aspect might not be exactly what you want to do in your free time there are still plenty of opportunities to see the intellectual beauties of the area. Visit a local planetarium, or even take a trip down to the butterfly conservatory in Oneonta.

But whatever you end up doing, make sure to keep that good old brain working all summer long. And when you’ve had enough exhibits to last you a lifetime, check Niskayuna ScoresUp for all of the awesome things to do in the CAPital Region before you “Toss the Cap!”

To the joy of country fans and SPAC aficionados alike, the beloved Zac Brown Band will be returning this year to perform in Saratoga. ZBB will be coming on August 31^st and the cost of lawn tickets are a very reasonable $29.50. Last year at SPAC, sold out concerts were no rare occurrence so make sure to start your summer with a plan and get your tickets before it’s too late.. With the addition of ZBB the lineup at SPAC this year might be the best ever. The season is kicking off early with Dave Matthews Band this May with many other big name stars like Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Phish, Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson, and John Mayer all headed up the Northway this summer.

One of the most incredible mountain biking videos that I have ever seen! These guys are good and they know how to make a sick video! They have one of the coolest runs I have ever seen, and believe me I have seen a lot of videos! The course these guys construct is unreal and you need to see their masterpiece and the flow of them riding it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zLuqKNKOqs

The scoresup.com class bracket is well underway and the competitors are fierce.  The leaders for the group are Brandon Melius, with a near perfect East and Midwest section.  The second and third places are held by Mrs. Reader (with her choices decided by which mascot would win in a fight) and Luke Miller.  The heavy favorite Alexa Angerami is now hovering around last place, and she is taking out her aggressions with her failed bracket, on some of the smaller members of the class.  The bracket is about halfway over and there is no clear winner yet.  Keep watching to find out more about our scoresup bracket madness.

Last night you may have heard, seen, and even felt the commotion in the Hannaford-area of Niskayuna. It was said that an armed robber was chased through the town streets and neighborhood residents were ordered to stay in their houses. A helicopter was even used as an extra set of eyes and shook houses in as far as the Rosendale area. Senior Layne Avveduti witnessed this crisis first hand. She said, “Cops were flying down my street. One stood at the end of my street and I saw another pull over on another street and get what looked like a gun out of his trunk.” In the end, the armed robber was caught and peace was restored in Niskayuna.

Jumpin’ Jack’s opening day is this upcoming Thursday and everybody seems ecstatic. The Scotia eatery offers great burgers, fries, onion rings, and ice cream at a reasonable price. The opening of Jumpin’ Jacks is the unofficial start of spring for most Jumpin’ Jacks regulars as they take a seat on the picnic benches and catch a cool breeze.  I hope to see everybody at Jumpin’ Jacks on Thursday!!

            The night began with the Chopper City Juke, a frenetic pregame ritual in which members of the Florida Gulf Coast University team encircle senior guard Sherwood Brown following the introduction of starting lineups. They lock their arms together and spin wildly around Brown. In the middle of his teammates, Brown tears off his headband and flings his dreadlocks in mad swirls, imitating a dance he learned in his hometown of Orlando and which was taken public by NFL running back Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans. Brown shouts increasingly louder, but nobody comprehends and nobody tries. "He's just basically screaming," says junior forward Chase Fieler. "No words." And it isn't about content, it's about emotion.

            The night ended with a valuable bench guard from Switzerland by way of a prep school in Massachusetts sprinting 20 rows into the seats at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, where Christophe Varidel fell into the arms of his brother Yannick. He secured a red and white Swiss flag and ran back into the floor of the arena like an Olympian who has just won a medal. And even later, when FGCU guard Bernard Thompson who had five steals and a thunderous late game dunk leaned into a press conference microphone and said, "Dunk city is coming to Arlington, so everybody be ready."

            Only 48 hours earlier FGCU had taken the floor against mighty Geor`getown of the Big East Conference in the school's first NCAA tournament game. The Eagles were a No. 15 seed playing a No. 2 seed, but much more than that they were a March Madness media commodity, a story to suck up airtime. They were a college in southwestern Florida that had been accepting students for only 16 years, whose coach Andy Enfield  is a successful software entrepreneur married to a fashion model and whose players were among the faceless overlooked and under recruited, never fated to impact the sport. They are all of those things still, an unimaginably compelling story in the early spring of the year, but as Sunday night turned into Monday morning and the arena was broken down for other games with other teams they had become much more than that.

The Eagles ran over San Diego State, 81-71, becoming the first No. 15 seed in the history of the NCAA Tournament to win two games and reach the Sweet 16. They will play Southeastern Conference champion Florida on Friday night in Arlington, Texas hence Thompson's reference in a delicious matchup between the long-powerful and the storied history of Sunshine State basketball. FGCU did it with a blistering 17-0 run over five and a half minutes of the second half, a tear that was very much like the 21-2 streak that had obliterated Georgetown on Friday night. On 11 consecutive possessions, San Diego State failed to score. On eight of those possessions, FGCU answered with baskets, applying relentless defensive pressure and attacking the basket with an urgency and freedom seldom seen in the modern college game. "Those moments, when we play like that," said Varidel, who came off the bench to score 11 points and made three three-point baskets, "I call those 'blank moments,' where it just happens and you're on a roll and not much is on your mind. It's what every athlete trains for in his career and tonight we had one of those as a team." It was such a perfect explanation of Florida Gulf Coast’s explosive takeover.

            According to new research from the American Heart Association conference, sugary drinks are linked to at least 180,000 obesity related deaths each year around the world. Mexico had the highest death rates from sugar-sweetened drinks, and the U.S. was third.

            Sugary beverages are proven to cause weight gain. Unhealthy weight gain increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Scientists at Harvard looked at 114 nation diet surveys spreading across 60% of the world’s population. They wanted to find out how often people worldwide drank sugary beverages and how it can lead to death. The scientists looked at other factors that affect weight such as watching TV, physical activity, smoking, and other consumption of food and drink. They used these factors as controls and determined what percentage of death from obesity related diseases were linked to sugary drinks. More people died from diabetes, heart disease, and cancer in parts of the world where drinking sugary drinks is more popular.

            In the U.S., sugary drinks were linked to 25,000 deaths from obesity related diseases and diabetes. Death rates were highest in young adults under 45. One in ten obesity-related deaths was associated with sugary drinks. It is not just in wealthy countries, 75% of deaths by sugary beverages are in low/middle income countries.

            The American Beverage Association responded with this statement, "This abstract, which is neither peer-reviewed nor published, is more about sensationalism than science. In no way does it show that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages causes chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer - the real causes of death among the studied subjects.

The researchers make a huge leap when they illogically and wrongly take beverage intake calculations from around the globe and allege that those beverages are the cause of deaths which the authors themselves acknowledge are due to chronic disease."

            The American Heart Association still withstands that sugar-sweetened drinks are the main source of added sugars in an American’s diet. With 1 in 3 adults obese, sugary drinks are an obvious addition to the obesity epidemic and deaths.

Once again a winter storm has pushed back spring sports from strutting on the fields. And to add insult to injury, classes went on as planned. So far, winter storm ‘Ukko’ has dumped a whopping five and a half inches of snow on the Capital Region, and more is to come overnight. But looking at the timing it doesn’t appear we will be getting a delay for Wednesday morning. For weeks now I have been saying that all spring sports will be on the fields “soon”, now hopefully this is the last storm we get all year. Because to be honest, I am sick of the snow and just want spring to be here.    

Today the block 2 eCommerce class created their own NCAA tournament bracket.  The class thought that with all of the madness going on this month they would join in.  There are some heavy favorites in the class like Uwem Akpanikat, and Brandon Melius.  However there are some wild cards in the mix, like Ms. Reader,(who threatens to fail us all if she doesn’t win), and Alexa Angerami, who claims she knows all about college basketball.  Stay tuned for updates on who is winning the class bracket.  Wish all the students the best of luck in this bracket challenge.

The Seton Hall Women’s Lacrosse Team was struck by tragedy this weekend as their bus veered off the Pennsylvania Turnpike and into a tree. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The team was en route to an afternoon game at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. They were hit even harder with news that their head coach, Kristina Quigley, 30, died of injuries at a hospital. Quigley was about six months pregnant and her unborn son did not survive. The bus driver, Anthony Guaetta, passed away at the scene. Two victims were airlifted to the local Penn State hospital, but no information was released about their condition or identities. All other passengers were taken to hospitals as a precaution, and most were treated and released.

            The reoccurrence of bus crashed involving college teams cannot go unnoticed. Just last week, the Saint Michael’s Men’s Lacrosse Team was involved in a crash right here in Upstate New York on I-87. The bus spun out of control on a wet highway after running into a Porsche, who was swerving across the three-lane road. One person in the sports car died, a 64-year old female passenger. Four players on the bus were treated for minor injuries at the scene.  

It’s that time of year again. The long-awaited SPAC concert schedule was recently released and is filled with tons of popular singers and groups who are sure to bring in the crowd. Kicking off the concert season is once again Dave Matthews Band, an annual tradition here at SPAC. As always, there are two days available to see the band, Saturday, May 25^th and Sunday, May 26^th. Dave is always a season favorite, having come to SPAC for what seems like forever. Their sound is one that is a common favorite of most music lovers, which is why DMB is always an exciting night.

            The month of June brings a different taste to SPAC, starting off with two extremely popular and well-known country music stars. Brad Paisley will be returning to the Amphitheatre on June 2^nd after a great appearance last year. He will now be accompanied by fellow country artists Chris Young and Lee Brice. Paisley is most well-known by his greatest hits, some of which being Mud On The Tires and Then. Two weeks later on the 16^th, Rascal Flatts will be making an appearance, also in the Amphitheatre, bringing with them The Band Perry, who joined Brad Paisley last year. Rascal Flatts is famous for their unique sound and popular songs loved by all music-genre fans, such as Bless the Broken Road and What Hurts The Most. Also making June appearances are Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, An Evening with Rush, and hosting a 3-day concert series is Phish.

            Ending the summer concert series are favorites O.A.R., Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. O.A.R. closes out the month of July with a 7:30 concert on the 28^th. Like DMB, O.A.R. has a commonly-enjoyed sound that never fails to attract a large audience. Jason Aldean will be joined by Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett on August 11^th. Aldean, yet another country star, will keep the general concert theme of country music as the summer comes to an end. Officially closing out the SPAC 2013 concert series will be Luke Bryan, yet another country music favorite. He will be opened by Thompson Square an Florida Georgia Line and will arguably provide the most sought-after tickets of the summer.

            Be sure to check out the tour websites of your favorite artists to see when tickets become available! The SPAC 2013 calendar can be found at http://www.spac.org/calendar.php.   

The Latham Circle Mall is finally closing its doors to become, “The Shoppes at Latham Circle”. The new “Shoppes” will be comprised of separate buildings, the smallest being 52,000 square feet and the largest being 188,000 square feet. Although no specific tenants have been named yet, Grossman Development Group has said that vendors will start moving in this autumn. This new project should hopefully create a nice, refreshing area for people to shop at. The “old” Latham Circle was becoming a true eyesore and it should be nice to see the Shoppes bring in new jobs and a new place to explore.

Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. Since its inception, the band’s line-up has included Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guitar), Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and drummer Matt Cameron, who has been with the band since 1998.

One of the key bands of the grunge movement in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam was criticized early on—most notably by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain—as being a corporate cash-in on the alternative rock explosion. However, over the course of the band’s career its members became noted for their refusal to adhere to traditional music industry practices, including refusing to make music videos and engaging in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster. In 2006, Rolling Stone described the band as having “spent much of the past decade deliberately tearing apart their own fame.”

The band has sold 30 million records in the U.S., and an estimated 60 million albums worldwide. Pearl Jam has outlasted many of its contemporaries from the alternative rock breakthrough of the early 1990s and is considered one of the most influential bands of the decade.

Check out this Pearl Jam songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BObpNQqNo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbhsYC4gKy4

St. Patrick’s Day is only a few days away. Even if you aren’t Irish, you can still enjoy this wonderful holiday.

First, you need to get some green apparel. A green shirt, green pants, or green accessories will do the trick. You want to look festive for the day. You can also paint your nails green, use green eye shadow, or paint shamrocks on your face to add to the look.

If you want to start celebrating early, you should go to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Albany this Saturday. The parade starts promptly at 2 pm and starts at Quail Street, ending at Pearl Street. It is a really great time for everyone. The parade also has many vendors in the street where you can buy food.

Some typical St. Patrick’s Day food items are corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and Shepard’s pie. A fun idea for Sunday would be to try to make these recipes with your family or friends to celebrate the holiday in a traditional way. You should also stop by McDonald’s for a Shamrock shake while they last!

Winter Storm Saturn surprises the capital region, dumping 6 inches on the ground causing most schools to close. While most students were happy having the extended weekend (some students a little too happy) most spring sports will have to stay inside until the snow melts. This pushes back teams getting on the field and getting the real feel for the season. According to senior Aaron Simone (varsity baseball player) “With the warm temperatures we will be on the field in a few days, and being inside we still get good batting practice in.” While Dom Sloma of the lacrosse team says “the storm doesn’t really effect the team, we will be on the pavement at Iroquois.” The storm effected teams differently but will not be a major setback to any, and all are still on track to have great seasons.       

This year our very own NHS Marketing students have been given a special and exclusive opportunity to become sports marketers for a very well-known and popular semi-pro sports team from right here in the Capital Region. The Albany Devils hockey team is holding a fan appreciation night on April 21^st as they take on their rival Adirondack Phantoms. The Albany Devils are the AHL affiliate of 3-time NHL Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils. It is the job of our marketing students to promote this game by selling discounted tickets. However Albany Devils VP Chris Valente has put a twist on his assignment. He has made it into a contest, in which those that sell the most tickets win a variety of prizes. The class that sells the most tickets as a whole receives either breakfast or lunch, depending upon the class time. That winning class is also able to go to the Fan Appreciation Game for free. But it doesn’t end there. The individual student that sells the most overall tickets will be awarded a customized Albany Devils jersey.   

Although there is a lot enticing our marketing students to work their hardest in the project, the purpose of the contest is to show exactly how sports marketing works and how successful it can be if done correctly. The Albany Devils offer countless promotional prizes for their fans over the season, including Free Bobble-Head Night, Free T-shirt Night, and post-game team autograph sessions. All of these promotions help to bring in as many fans as possible, thus generating the most revenue.

The Albany Devils Fan Appreciation Night is scheduled for Sunday, April 21^st at 3pm.

The seniors seem to be getting much better at parking. There were no bad park jobs found in the senior lot this morning. However students have noticed a large number of cars are parked in the senior lot without a parking pass such as this one.

                Many of these cars belong to juniors who are illegally parking in the senior lot. However not all of these cars belong to juniors. Some of these cars without parking passes belong to seniors who didn’t want to pay for the pass or have other reasons for not obtaining a parking pass.

                There are various opinions on this topic. Some seniors don’t care about the unauthorized parking as long as they can still have a parking spot. And others think it is unfair that they had to pay for the parking pass while these people did not. There are also some questions as to if anything is really being done about the unauthorized parking. Some seniors ask what is the point of buying the parking pass when others just park in the senior lot for free and nothing is being done about it?

                To see the usual bad parking jobs in the senior lot go to the Senior Lot Stupidity tab on this site.

1.        Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “My favorite food is chicken parm.”

2.        Q: “What is your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?”

A: “My favorite indoor activity is ping pong and my outdoor activity is baseball.”

3.        Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “22”

4.        Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “Nick Boulas”

5.        Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “Freeze time”

6.        Q: “If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?”

A: “Babe Ruth”

7.         Q: “If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?”

A: “Quit my job”

8.        Q: “What do you miss most about being a kid?”

A: “Playing manhunt”

9.        Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?”

A: “Flying because then I could go anywhere.”

With spring sports finally under way, all athletes are hoping the looming winter storm Saturn misses the Capital Region. Saturn is a storm coming from the Midwest already striking the Great Lakes and even over to the western Appalachians with four to eight inches of the white stuff. As of now, forecasters believe the storm will not come far enough north for the Capital Region to get any snow. But if somehow Saturn comes north and we get snow, it will set back most outdoor spring sports for about another week. Tennis will be unable to use the courts, baseball and softball will have to be inside waiting for the snow to melt, and lacrosse will still be outside but will have to be on the pavement for another week. The crew team will be unable to go on the river but track will still be running outside. So flip those pajamas back out and hope that this storm misses us…well at least all you athletes hope for it.

Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Ham”

Q: “What is your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?”

A: “Football”

Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “18”

Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “Jeff Twitty”

Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “Fly”

Q: “If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?”

A: “Mel Gibson”

Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?”

A: “The power to turn into stuff”

Michael Corcoran      

2-28-13

            14,164,53. This is the number that the DOW Jones Industrial Average hit back on October 9, 2007. This was the all-time high number for the DOW.        

             The DOW is made up of 30 companies. These companies are some of the largest publicly traded in America. The DOW is NOT the average price of these thirty companies put together. It is actually the sum of the component prices divided by a divisor. This changes whenever there is a stock dividend or split which helps give the DOW an accurate value. The DOW is basically to get a general sense of how the markets are doing.

            The DOW is currently sitting at 14,143.81 (as I post this) now that is clearly subject to change as the market closes at 4:00pm. But all I’m trying to say here is that the DOW is closing in on its all time high and will no doubt be hitting it within the next week, unless something disastrous happens. This is big news for the United States and its economy. The housing market is recovering and slowly we are returning to our former pre-recession nation. Is it only up from here? Probably not, time will tell.

Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Pizza”

Q: “What is your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?”

A: “My favorite indoor activity is video games, and my favorite outdoor is soccer.”

Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “Thirty”

Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “My father”

Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “I would want to learn to fly.”

Q: "If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?"

A: “Albert Einstein”

Q: “What do you miss most about being a kid?”

A: “Having no stress”

Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?”

A: “Super strength so I can impress the ladies.”

Niskayuna High School, Department of Music proudly presents CATS the musical! Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot.  On February 28th at 7:30 PM, March 1st at 7:30 PM, March 2nd at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM.  All held at Niskayuna High School.

For all performances, adults tickets are $15, students and seniors $10.  All seating is reserved, and no refunds.  Exchanges at the box office only.  Tickets are on sale at the high school box office February 11th through March 1st between the times of 10:45 AM to 1:15 PM when school is in session.  As well as one hour before curtain call. 

Cats the musical is the second longest-running show in Broadway history, and the fourth longest-running West End musical. It has been performed around the world many times and has been translated into more than 20 languages. In 1998 Cats was turned into a made-for-television film.

Come and be part of the inaugural Strawberry Fest 5k. The race will showcase the Upper Union Street, surrounding neighborhoods and the beautiful Central Park of Schenectady.
A T-shirt will be given to all participants!

    All finishers will receive specials and discounts from various upper Union businesses.

    All finishers will receive coupons to pick up bagels and coffee for breakfast.

    Proceeds will benefit the Upper Union BID Scholarship Fund and E4P, Inc.

Race start 9am, Saturday June 15, 2013

    Packet pick-up Friday June 14, 2013 from 1pm-5pm and Saturday June 15, 2013 from 7:00-8:30am

    Race-day registration 7-8:30am. Registration will close 8:30am.
    Awards for the top three male and female finishers in each age group will be held at 10am.

Sign up at www.active.com

1.  Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Cheeseburgers”

2.  Q: “What is your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?”

A: “Drawing”

3.  Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “28”

4.  Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “Frank Lloyd Wright”

5.  Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “Print money”

6.  Q: “If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?”

A: “Abraham Lincoln”

7.  Q: “If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?”

A: “Buy a really nice car/ house”

8.  Q: “What do you miss most about being a kid?”

A: “Little amount of responsibility”

9.  Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?”

A: “Freeze time and space”

Shopping for a dress is arguably the most stressful part about Prom for girls. There is so much to choose from, but knowing exactly what you want may make it even more difficult. In our own Albany area there are numerous dress shops that provide a wide variety of color and style choices. Here are just a few of what the Capital Region has to offer:

Apropos Prom & Bridal

1789 Western Avenue

Albany, NY 12203

Apropos is a very classy, upscale dress shop for both women and teens looking for the dress of their dreams. It got excellent reviews for bridal dresses and even better reviews from parents shopping for their daughters’ prom dress. The shop provides plenty of very elegant dresses for girls to choose from at several price ranges making for a very wide selection. After reading pages of reviews, they all had one particular thing in common. All commented on the excellent service they received. The consultants worked hard to find their clients exactly what they were looking for. Most commented on their attentiveness to detail and friendly attitude. Apropos is highly recommended and should definitely be on your list of dress shop stops!

Juliet House Of Brides

602 New Loudon Road

Latham, NY 12110

This small shop has a lot to offer. Juliet’s offers customers some of the “most beautiful dresses in Upstate NY,” according to one satisfied shopper. The Italian owners uphold their tradition of stunning dresses and gowns. However the service is not as flattering. Some shoppers commented on the brutal honesty of the consultants, almost bringing down the confidence of their clients. They were also noted as pushy and insistent when it came to trying on and purchasing a dress. If you had no intention to make a purchase that day, it seemed that you had no place there. Keep in mind, however, you are shopping for a prom dress, not customer service. Without a doubt, Juliet’s provides beautiful, stunning dresses but at the small cost of sub-par customer service.

La Moda Lisa

160 Saratoga Road

Glenville, NY 12302

La Moda Lisa is not your average bridal/formal shop. It is a consignment shop with an amazing selection of both new and old. This place is for the budget-friendly shopper, as lightly-worn dresses line the racks at prices that are very feasible. They price their inventory based on shelf life. That is, the longer something has been in the store the greater the discount. La Moda Lisa is perfect for that sophomore or senior that isn’t looking to overspend on a dress for a prom that is not their own. Be sure to check it out, you might be surprised with what you find!

This year's Academy Awards were hosted by Seth MacFarlane and was a night full excitement! Argo won Best Picture, Jennifer Lawrence won Best Actress, and Daniel Day Lewis won Best Actor. Congratulations to all of the winners!!

1. Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz

2. Animated Short Film: "Paper Man"

3. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"

4. Cinematography: Claudio Miranda for "Life of Pi"

5. Visual Effects: "Life of Pi"

6. Costume Design: "Anna Karenina"

7. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Les Miserables"

8. Live Action Short Film: "Curfew"

9. Documentary Short Subject: "Innocente"

10. Documentary Feature: "Searching for Sugar Man"

11. Foreign Language Film: "Amour"

12. Sound Mixing: "Les Miserables

13. Sound Editing: "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Skyfall" (A tie)

14. Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway

15. Film Editing: "Argo"

16. Production Design: "Lincoln"

17. Original Score: "Life of Pi"

18. Original Song: "Skyfall"

19. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio for "Argo"

20. Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantion for "Django Unchained"

21. Directing: Ang Lee

22. Actress: Jennifer Lawrence

23. Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis

24. Best Picture: "Argo"

On the River

The Hudson River serves as one of the most historically significant passageways in the nation.  And the best part is that it’s just a hop, skip, and jump away from us in Niskayuna! Though I wouldn’t recommend taking a sip or a plunge in the Hudson, The Hudson Riverfront is one of the must-see’s before you toss the cap.

The best part about this is the plethora of ways that this wonder can be seen. As the weather begins to warm up, take a stroll along the walkways that trail the Hudson and overlook the majestic skyline. When summer finally hits in the Capital City, hit up the festival circuit and see local and national acts on the beautiful riverfront. Even if you’re looking for a more family oriented or even tourist type experience in your own city, check out the Albany Aqua-Duck trolley. The trolley takes you through the city with stories and fun facts for every street and even ends with a dip in the Hudson!

So the when the first warm beautiful day strikes, take a trek down to the Albany Riverfront and see a part of your hometown you’ve never seen before!

And make sure to stop by Niskayuna ScoresUp for all the great things to do in the Capital District before you, “Toss the Cap!”

Press Release

The Students of Niskayuna ScoresUp.com would like to apologize for any confusion relating to the purpose of the Task Force Trouble Maker (T.F.T.M.). Task Force Trouble Markers is NOT a contest of any kind it is simply stating the facts of who are the trouble makers in the library.

All of us at ScoreUp want to emphasize that we are NOT encouraging a disturbance in the library; we are just reporting what we see in the library. The Task Force Trouble Maker is not an entitlement or an award. We do not influence or condone the misconduct taking place in the library.

The Task Force finally had enough. They are sick and tired of students socializing in the library and being just too darn loud. It looks like the events that have transpired these past few weeks have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. It looks as if our library privileges have been lost.  I feel it is my responsibility to bring you information and opinions on this travesty.

I interviewed the Task Force and asked them why this ban was put in place. They started off the interview saying that they did not wish to be quoted. They immediately passed the blame to their higher ups and claimed that we the students are to blame, that this is our punishment for being loud and disrespectful. Some of our former Task Force Trouble Makers claimed that their behavior is in response to the Task Forces increased strictness. They feel they are being made an example, probably because they are. One member of the Task Force admitted to me that they are trying to make an example out of all the seniors. Teachers and students alike are disgusted with this new rule. The Task Force creates rules and they  don't seemed enforced.  And they blame the kids for taking advantage.  I have just one question, does that seem fair?      

Last night the New York Rangers were just able to squeak out a victory in Boston stunting the Bruins three game win streak.  The Bruins were able to fight their way back into the game in the third period. With 1:30 left to play the Bruins pulled goalie Tukka Rask and veteran forward Nathan Horton buried a rebound. Still down 3-2 the Bruins aggressively fore-checked and Brad Marchand tied up the game with 43 seconds, forcing the game into overtime. Rick Nash led the Rangers forwards in time on ice with 20:47 TOI. Nash had a dazzling assist to line mate Carl Hagelin. It appears that Rangers Coach John Tortorella has finally found a line where Nash can thrive. Nash has scored three points in the last two games, showing all of New York that he still is of superstar caliber. Nash had a pivotal goal in the shootout which the Rangers would end up winning. The Bruins have to be applauded for their effort, coming back from a three goal deficit and earning a hard fought point which could prove pivotal when they make their playoff run.

Check the Dutch!

Over the last few years your hometowns Union Dutchmen have turned in to an absolute powerhouse on the ice. Making a national run in the 2012 NCAA Hockey tournament’s “Frozen Four,” and already knocking off top notch teams like Harvard in their 2013 campaign. Though Union is known for its academics, the Dutchmen are putting the school and Schenectady in a new light as they face off during primetime on national television.

With tickets being a steal compared to NHL and even AHL games, and the excitement of hometown glory—why not see the Dutchmen fly? Going up against top teams, and getting regular national play, you might even get yourself on television! So suit up and dress warm because Union’s next home game is against the Yale Bulldogs at Messa Rink this Friday at 7:00pm.

And stop back to Niskayuna ScoresUp for the best things in the Capital Region to do before you “Toss the Cap!”

Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Chicken parm”

Q: “What is your favorite outdoor activity?”

A: “Playing basketball”

Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “Twenty-three”

Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “Barney Stinson”

Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “Fly”

Q: “If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?”

A: “Build my own death star”

Q: “What do you miss most about being a kid?”

A: “Saturday morning cartoons”

Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be?"

A: “X-ray vision”

Albany gets knocked too much as a city too small to enjoy—giving the capital its infamous nickname, “Smallbany.” But Albany is the perfect city to spend a beautiful day or weekend tracking. Not only is Albany known throughout the Northeast as being one of the more livable and walkable cities around, but it is also a major hub for entertainment.

Because Albany is so centrally located in the center of “the cross” that connects cities like Buffalo, New York City, Boston, and Montreal, Albany is often a stop for many entertainers and can provide a very exciting host of performers. Albany is also well known for rapidly becoming one of the “coolest” small cities in the Northeast. With an array of “hole in the wall” cafes and shops situated along the main streets of the city, possibilities are endless. Even if you’re more of the type of person who prefers to sit down , stop in to the famous Spectrum 8 Theater on Delaware Avenue to catch flicks that might not be out elsewhere yet.

So if you want to visit a cozy, hip city that’s artsy and quaint at the same time, give Albany a walk sometime. But when you’re done with that, make sure to check back in to Niskayuna ScoresUp to see all the things in the Capital District to do before you “toss the cap”.

Behind the music… page

The music page is the undisputed best page on scores up. So I decided to find out what makes it so good and interview the men behind the real music page and ask them so questions about music.

Favorite Genre: Matt Divietro “Hip-Hop”, Chris Owen “Alternative Rock” and Luke Miller “Country”

Favorite Song: Matt Divietro “Ride Up- A.E.R.”, Luke Miller “Fortunate Son- Creedence Clearwater Revival”, Chris Owen “Anything by the Black Keys, Weezer or RHCP? I don’t know”

Favorite Band: Luke Miller “Brad Paisley”, Chris Owen “BLACK KEYS OR DIE!!!!!!” and Matty D “Bruce Springsteen and the E street Band”

If you could party with any band/artist who would it be? : Matt Divietro “lil’ Jon”, Chris Owen “Wiz Khalifa” and Luke Miller “R. Kelly, who else?”

Any thoughts about the Music Page: Chris Owen “No comment… well.. umm… the initiation process was awful but I am glad Matt let me in the music page!”, Matt Divietro “The music page has gotten multiple hits and shout-outs for a good reason. We da best in the business!!!” and Luke Miller “people view our page???"

Emily Bauer was taken off life support after consuming synthetic marijuana, but woke up the next morning still alive and able to say “I love you” to her mother.

The synthetic marijuana wasn’t bought from some street corner dealer, it was bought off a gas station shelf. Street names for the fake weed are also “Spice” and “K2”. It is a herbal mixture sprayed with chemicals that creates a high like smoking real marijuana. It is advertised as a “legal” alternative to weed, and packaged as “incense” or “potpourri”, but it is anything but legal. Synthetic marijuana was involved in 11,406 drug-related emergency room visits in 2010, most were children ages 12 to 17. The first state laws banning synthetic drugs were created in 2010, and are in place where Emily lives. However, the drug manufacturers slightly change the chemical compound so it is no longer covered by the law.

Emily began to get migraines in early December, but never got an MRI due to anxiety and claustrophobia. Doctors eventually confirmed vasculitis, the vessels going into Emily's brain were constricting, limiting blood and oxygen flow, which cause strokes.

On December 7^th, Emily complained of a migraine then took a nap after smoking synthetic marijuana. She woke up stumbling and slurring her words, hallucinating, and having violent outbursts. When paramedics came and took her to the hospital, she bit guardrails and tried to bite hospital stuff. Doctors induced Emily into a coma to keep her safe.

It is impossible to know how different people will react to fake weed; it can be 100 times more potent than marijuana. There is no consistency or quality control for synthetics. The potpourri displays at stores also include a label that reads "not for human consumption."

Up until December 13, Emily had been in an induced coma the whole time, said her stepdad. Her only movements were involuntary reflexes.ICU doctors said some of Emily's blood vessels were starting to open up. Next, the pressure on Emily's brain skyrocketed and doctors had to drill a hole in Emily's skull and insert a tube to relieve pressure and drain excess fluid. The family signed off on an emergency surgery.

A day after the emergency surgery, the Bauer family saw the extent of the damage to Emily's brain. All white areas on images on Emily’s brain were dead, about 70%. Doctors said she would likely not recognize her family, be completely unaware of her surroundings, never be able to eat on her own and never regain function of her arms and legs.

Three days after taking her off life support, Emily's 17th birthday arrived. Emily knows she's in the hospital and recognizes her family's voices, but she's often confused. They're taking things slow, trying to get an idea of her capabilities. It's too early to tell the effects of the brain damage, but she's moving her arms and legs a little bit. Two weeks ago, Emily started eating solid food again.

The Bauer family is starting a nonprofit organization called Synthetic Awareness For Emily. Their goal with SAFE is to educate families, teachers, and doctors, about the dangers and warning signs of synthetic marijuana use.

Albany gets knocked too much as a city too small to enjoy—giving the capital its infamous nickname, “Smallbany.” But Albany is the perfect city to spend a beautiful day or weekend tracking. Not only is Albany known throughout the Northeast as being one of the more livable and walkable cities around, but it is also a major hub for entertainment.

Because Albany is so centrally located in the center of “the cross” that connects cities like Buffalo, New York City, Boston, and Montreal, Albany is often a stop for many entertainers and can provide a very exciting host of performers. Albany is also well known for rapidly becoming one of the “coolest” small cities in the Northeast. With an array of “hole in the wall” cafes and shops situated along the main streets of the city, possibilities are endless. Even if you’re more of the type of person who prefers to sit down , stop in to the famous Spectrum 8 Theater on Delaware Avenue to catch flicks that might not be out elsewhere yet.

So if you want to visit a cozy, hip city that’s artsy and quaint at the same time, give Albany a walk sometime. But when you’re done with that, make sure to check back in to Niskayuna ScoresUp to see all the things in the Capital District to do before you “toss the cap”.

Though many of us may see the Capital Region as a boring or dry place that we, “can’t wait to run out of”, it is too often that we forget the wonderful things that are available to us in our own backyard. With many of us Seniors leaving the 518 for bigger and better things to be seen in college—we seniors at Niskayuna ScoresUp are compiling a “cap list” for all of the things that us Seniors should do at least once before we toss our caps in the air and wave hello to our future.

Today, we have chosen one of the most beautiful and defining features of our region for you Seniors to explore. These are the famous Adirondack Mountains. We have all heard of them, drank Adirondack water, maybe even sat in an Adirondack chair—but nothing can compare to being up in the mountains. The beautiful scenery and tranquil serenity that encompasses much of the Adirondacks makes it well worth the two hour drive north. But by no means do you have to be a “46-er” to find your place in the ADK’s. For those who may not want to get so lost in the beauty of this nature, Lake George offers a wonderful array of shopping and entertainment on the fringe of this beautiful landscape.  

So make sure to visit Niskayuna ScoresUp to find all of the great, fun things to do before you “toss the cap”.

DAVID KOSINESKI

Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Baby carrots”

Q: If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?

A: “Twenty five because you are considered a young adult.”

Q: If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?

A: “Steve Carell”

Q: If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

A: “Learn to become a NFL quarterback.”

Q: If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

A: “FDR”

Q: If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?

A: “Drop out of school”

Q: What do you miss most about being a kid?

A: “Having no responsibilities”

Q: If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?

A: “Fly because you can get anywhere you want to go and quickly.”

                What should a college acceptance mean to a second semester Senior in high school? Asking around it the idea seems to be blowing off work, sleeping in, and fully fledged Senioritis, but those colleges that have you down for the Class of ’17 are thinking much different.

                A common misconception by most high school Seniors accepted in to university is that; as long as their deposit is in, their spot is secured. As a result of this thinking, every year these students get letters home either demanding an explanation for their suddenly lackluster performance in school or even rescind their acceptance! In fact, according to a report done by the CollegeBoard in 2007, 62 incoming Freshman at the University of Michigan received letters home warning of their poor grades, 180 incoming Freshman were demanded to provide an explanation to the university explaining their sudden drop in grades, and 9 had their acceptances taken away!  Though most students see Senior year as little more than a “filler” or even a waste, colleges take Senior year very seriously. It might be your last year in high school, but your college sees it as your last year in high school, as in the last year before college.  So in a nutshell, the stance that your colleges take is that if you do bad in Senior year, you either A: don’t take school seriously, or B: are under qualified and destined to fail at the next level—both equally detrimental.

                So what is to be taken from this for all of you Seniors? Well, remember—everything thus far as far as college is concerned, is provisional. You still have to finish the year, so don’t start burning those packets until the night of June 20^th.  It’s understandable and fine to unwind and be proud of yourself during this awesome time, but don’t enjoy your present to the point where it compromises your future.

This past week the Niskayuna Central School District dropped its affiliation with the National School Lunch program. The Board of Education unanimously voted to end the program effective April 1^st after the first semester resulted in losses of over $70,500. The regulations were, “causing too much waste,” said food service director Suzanne Wixom. As a part of the National School Lunch Program, students were required to take food they didn’t want to eat and would end up throwing it out. Though the $70,500 loss seems steep, Niskayuna looks to lose up to $150,000 in federal funding by ending the program. School officials are hoping to offset this loss with an increase in revenue by giving their students more tailored options.

As many of you in the school know, this week is senior slop week. It is the first week of second semester when the seniors dress down all week because second semester means they can “slack off”. We asked four seniors (Liam Bryne, Swati Mehrotra, Liz Farley, and Sarah Brzezinski) their opinions about how it’s going so far.

1.      What do you think about senior slop week?
Liam: It is an interesting week because you get to see everybody dressed down and not looking how they usually do
Swati: I'm really excited because I love wearing pajamas
Liz: So far it's a fail
Sarah: It's nice to not see people how they're normally dressed

2. Which day are you most excited for?
Liam: Sweatpants day
Swati: Robe day
Liz: Snuggle day/blanket day
Sarah: Robe day

3. What would you have liked to see added to the list?
Liam: Pillow day
Swati: Onesie day
Liz: Onesie day
Sarah: Pillow day

4. What do you think about the turn out so far?
Liam: Seems like a lot if people are participating, hopefully it goes throughout the week
Swati: No one is really doing it that I've seen
Liz: It's horrible because barely anyone is wearing slippers
Sarah: Not that good I don't see anyone

5. Any ideas of how we could get more people to be involved?
Liam: Advertise around the school instead of just Facebook
Swati: Make it more interesting
Liz: Make a contest or a competition
Sarah: Make more announcements in school

6. Would you participate in senior slop week if they were to do it again this year?
Liam: Nah I think one week is good enough
Swati: Yes definitely, every week is senior slop week for me
Liz: Yeah just because I don't feel like getting dressed
Sarah: Yeah I would

Springtime, Friday night lacrosse games, the extra “dentist appointment” that might save you from that quiz you forgot to study for; yes, second semester is upon us here at NHS. Half the year is through and it is now time for new schedules and a great end to the year! So follow these great tips on how to close out the year with a bang and make these next 20 weeks great ones!

·         It doesn’t matter too much about what time you get to bed one night as much as it matters the time that you go to usually go to bed—switch up your bedtime about an hour earlier for a whole week and see how you feel.

·         Eat breakfast! This is one of the best ways to keep focused in school and take away from the biggest daytime distractor, HUNGER!

·         Nothing is worse than looking in your backpack at 7:40 only to see you forgot your Chemistry homework, pack your bag the night before for school to make sure you’re all set!

·         If you use an assignment notebook, label your AC and BD days once the snow begins to let up. It’s much more reliable than asking Facebook or Twitter!

·         Establish a schedule. Nothings better than having all of your schoolwork completed on a smooth running schedule—and the extra time for yourself doesn’t hurt either.

·         Teach yourself how to learn! Unfortunately, one of the actions that many schools and classes are guilty of is teaching their children to learn only one way. Pick up what works for you—highlighters, Cornell notes, color coordinating, folders—go for it!

·         Find a way to love everything you do. Yes, there will be days when you might not be so up to conjugate verbs in language, or find inverses in math class, but make it fun for you. Nothing is worse than waking up every morning to something that you hate—so find a way to make school your new favorite thing, and you’ll be unstoppable this semester.

Authorities said 22-year-old Carlton Berry was a shooter. Berry has been charged with aggravated assault. A maintenance worker was struck in the leg and currently in stable condition.

The shooting took place outside, between the academic building and the library.

“I heard no less than five shots, and I just ran. My heart was pounding. I was praying I wouldn't hear any more shots. I was with a bunch of other people running and someone yelled out, 'don't push!' People were crying, I had tears in my eyes," said a student.

The Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and the fastest-growing community college system in Texas. There were more than 10,000 students on the campus at the time of the shooting. The campus was evacuated and closed for the remainder of Tuesday.

The Houston shooting comes about a month after the deadly shooting at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school that ended with 26 people dead. Texas is a state that has a lot of people against gun restrictions, so maybe a shooting in their own state will change some opinions.

On Wednesday January 16^th, the seniors organized a massive snowball fight in the senior lot parking lot.  Around a 100 students in the high school came outside to join in on the fun!  This was just some good fun and a good bonding session for all of the students of Niskayuna.  Senior Luke Miller said “I feel sorry for you if you missed out on the snowball fight!  It was one of the highlights of the year, and of my life…” also senior Matt Divietro was caught saying, “Honestly I wanted to have a snow day, but because of this snowball fight it was worth coming to school!”  Surely this was one of many bonding moments for the students of Niskayuna High School. 

This past week in Ufa, Russia some of the best young hockey talent played at the World Junior Hockey Championship. It allowed us to view some of the NHLs next superstars. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a huge breakout last year while playing for the Edmonton Oilers as he scored 52 points in only 62 games showing the world that he might be the next Gretzky. He only reaffirmed those thoughts at the World Junior Hockey Championship where he was awarded Best Forward in the Tournament by scoring a very impressive 15 points in 6 games. Nugent-Hopkins will likely become an NHL all-star this season as he will have to anchor a very young but talented Oilers squad.

A youngster who is likely to make an impact in the NHL in a couple years is Russian goaltender Andrei Vasilevski an 18 year old who was drafted 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2012 draft. He had a phenomenal tournament posting a 95% save percentage and only allowing 1.8 goals per game. Anchored by Vasilevski in net the Russians were able to defeat Canada for the bronze.

Boston College forward Johnny Gaudreau led the American squad with 9 points as they went on to defeat Sweden for the gold medal. Gaurdreau was drafted 104th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 draft. He won the Bill Flynn trophy last season at BC, the Bill Flynn trophy recognizes the Hockey Eats Most Valuable Player. Gaurdreau will definately make an impact for the Flames in a couple years. Gaurdreau hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Boston College teammate Chris Krieder who scored 45 points in his last season as an Eagle.

Immediately after the college hockey season ended Krieder inked a 3 year deal with the New York Rangers. He made his NHL debut for the Rangers in a playoff game against the Ottawa Senators on April 16, 2012. In game 6 of that series he scored the game winning goal for his first career goal in the NHL. His second NHL goal was also a playoff game-winning goal, against the Washington Capitals on April 28, 2012, making him the first player in NHL history whose first two goals were playoff game winners. Krieder is looking to have a strong rookie regular season after coming off such an impressive performance in the playoffs last season for the Rangers. American goalie John Gibson has a brick wall for the Americans, leading them to a gold medal. For his performance at the WJCs Gibson was awarded Most Valuable Player in the tournament. The Pittsburgh native was drafted 39^th overall in the 2011 draft by the Anaheim Ducks. He will likely make his NHL debut within the next two years.

With the NHL season starting Saturday January 19^th be sure to look for these names as they will likely become household names within a couple years as the look to become the next bunch of NHL all-stars.

To many here in Niskayuna, Twitter may be a necessity. Posting your latest skid off the road in to a snow bank, or the best burrito that you’ve ever eaten might be something that you just have to do, (though my mother’s “why would you ever want to share that?” argument is pretty bulletproof). But Twitter can be much more than posting 140 characters of rambles and hashtags #andsometimesboth. In fact, in our own community we even have a Twitter account promoting a fun, family oriented, event to support a great cause.

Niskayuna Relay for Life (@NiskayunaRelay), serves to give all of those in the Niskayuna community the latest information regarding the 2013 Relay for Life fun run—being held June 14-June 15 2013 at Niskayuna High School. The Relay for Life is an event organized by the American Cancer Society to spread awareness and raise money  for cancer while enjoying a nice midnight walk (or run) and camping session with your friends and family. On this page you can find: dates for upcoming meetings, times for bake sales and kickoffs being held, and so much more.

So be sure the next time that you find yourself on Twitter that you stop by @NiskayunaRelay to read up on this great event, and get ready for a great time on June 14-15 2013 at Relay for Life!

            Several celebrities and musicians are obsessed with getting tattoos, an in Wiz Khalifa’s case ‘Ink his body whole, he doesn’t give a mother****.’ Rappers like lil’ Wayne and Gucci Mane have numerous tattoos including several noticeable face tattoos. Mr. Mane has a large multi-colored ice cream cone, while “Weezy f Baby” a.k.a. lil’ wayne has several tear drop tattoos and the words baked on his forehead. Even Justin Bieber is getting in the act with a Native America head on his back shoulder. But no tattoo is more controversial than Chris Brown who sports a tattoo of what appears to be a beaten female on his neck. This shocked several people when he revealed it in 2012 his rep tried to explain that it was a sugar skull. I don’t know what a sugar skull is but apparently it took some heat off of Chris. Either way I think Chris Brown’s tattoo looks terrible.

See picture.

The explosive offense of Arkansas St. was held in check Sunday night after putting up big numbers this season. Their defense however was what led them to a breakthrough victory. Arkansas State’s quarterback Ryan Alpin threw for 213 yards and a touchdown and J.D. McKissic caught 11 passes for 113 yards in their win. This was Arkansas State’s first bowl win since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1992.  Kent State (11-3) was driving late in the game when quarterback Spencer Keith tried to scramble on fourth down and was stopped a few yards short of the marker with 52 seconds left. Linebacker Qushaun Lee made the shoestring tackle for the Red Wolves and finished with a team-leading 13 stops.

            It was a disappointing end to an otherwise breakthrough season for Kent State, which set a school record with 11 victories, including a 10-game winning streak that lasted nearly three months. But they dropped their last two games, including a 44-37 double-overtime loss to Northern Illinois on Nov. 30 in the Mid-American Conference championship. One reason Kent State was able to win 11 games was a dynamic rushing attack that averaged more than 250 yards per game. But the duo of Archer and Trayion Durham didn't have a particularly good game against the Red Wolves. Archer, who missed much of the second half with an apparent injury, led the Golden Flashes with 77 yards rushing while Durham added 68. In the end both teams were evenly matched but it was the defense that made all the difference in the game.

Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Chicken parm”

Q: “What is your favorite indoor and outdoor activity?”

A: “Dance central and golf”

Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “twenty-five”

Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “Steve Jobs"

Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “Martial arts, 10^th degree black belt”

Q: “If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?”

A: “Tiger Woods”

Q: “If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?”

A: “Buy a private jet”

Q: “What do you miss most about being a kid?”

A: “Having less stress”

Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?”

A: “Fly because you can avoid all the traffic”

This past weekend the World Junior Hockey Championships were held in Ufa, Russia. The Americans were able to defeat the Swedish who were the reigning gold medal champions. Led by their star goaltender John Gibson, the Americans were able to shock the world by defeating the Canadians 5-1 in the semi-finals in order to advance to the championship game. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of Canada, who broke onto the world stage after having a fantastic year last year for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL, was named tournaments best forward finishing the tournament with 15 points in 6 games. Though, Canada went on to Russia 6-5 in the bronze medal game. American goaltender John Gibson was named tournament and his fellow American Jacob Trouba was named best defensemen for the tournament.

Q: “What was your favorite food as a child?”

A: “Chicken parm”

Q: “What is your favorite indoor and outdoor activity?”

A: “Dance central and golf”

Q: “If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?”

A: “twenty-five”

Q: “If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?”

A: “Steve Jobs”

Q: “If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?”

A: “Martial arts, 10^th degree black belt”

Q: “If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?”

A: “Tiger Woods”

Q: “If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?”

A: “Buy a private jet”

Q: “What do you miss most about being a kid?”

A: “Having less stress”

Q: “If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?”

A: “Fly because you can avoid all the traffic”

The National Hockey League and the Players' Association have reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement to end the lockout that has been in place since mid- September. The breakthrough came after a 16-hour meeting beginning on Saturday and leading into Sunday morning. The NHL announced the news to the public at around 5 a.m. on Sunday. Though a huge weight appears to have been lifted, “…there is still a lot of work to be done…” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The new labor package will reportedly stay in effect for 10 years, but it must be “drafted and formerly approved by both parties” before it can be finalized. The players will feel an immediate effect of the new contract, as their share of income will drop from 57% to an even 50-50 split. However they won’t have to wait much longer to get back on the ice. Commissioner Bettman said a regular-season schedule of at least 48 games must begin by Jan. 19^th. As of now the league is en route to kicking off their ’13-’14 season on January 15^th.

Joining a gym and getting fit may be one of, if not the most common New Year’s Resolution. However those looking to do just that in Guilderland, Latham, Clifton Park and Niskayuna will have to do so as a member of Vent Fitness rather than Gold’s Gym, as of January 1st. Lia Group—former operator of Gold’s—will operate under Vent Fitness. There did not seem to be a specific reason for the sudden switch, other than it was time for a change. “We have enjoyed a long partnership with Gold’s Gym during which time the brand has greatly evolved,” said William Lia Jr. “We are thankful for the many relationships created and will always have a tremendous amount of respect for our friends in the Gold’s Gym family.”

Existing Gold’s Gym members will not have to worry about losing their membership, as they will now possess memberships in Vent Fitness. New memberships will be offered at three convenient levels beginning at $9.99 a month. Gold’s Gym will still remain in existence, just not in our neck of the woods. Over 650 fitness centers will remain open. Lia Group has been the local franchisee for 21 years and plans to open four new Vent Fitness centers in the next two years.

Though the name change a surprise and unexpected, it is only that:  a name change. What really matters is that you find a gym that you can stick with because you enjoy it and it gives you the results you need.  

        School officials in Connecticut today are welcoming the 500 or so surviving students from Sandy Hook Elementary School and their teachers back to classes. It’s the first normal school day they’ve had since the gunman forced his way into the school and took the lives of the 20 first-graders and 6 educators. The students will be going back to a school called Sandy Hook Elementary, but it’s not the same building that they were in a month ago. Instead they are resuming classes in an unused school in the town of Monroe, about seven miles away from their original school.

On Wednesday January 2, the students, parents, and staff were able to visit the building. The Monroe Police Department told the newspapers that visitors entering the school will be stopped and interviewed by a police officer, and that there are multiple security options in place. The road to Sandy Hook Elementary School remains blocked, as it has been since the morning of the shooting.