Species Spotlight: Indian Peafowl

Species Spotlight: Indian Peafowl

Alex Levitskiy

This week’s featured species is simply a classic: the Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus). They are well-known throughout the world for their elaborate plumage. Some adore them, while others fear them, but in reality, Indian Peafowl are wonderful birds. The males have an iridescent blue head and neck, white facial skin, a fan-shaped crest, a backplate covered in scale-shaped feathers of green and gold, wings adorned with a pattern of black and white tones, and finally the long train. The train, although commonly mistaken as the tail, is the mass of over one hundred frilled feathers, each with either a dazzling ocelli, a brilliant curved sword feather, or the typical "V-shaped" feathers that line the perimeter of the open train.  The tail is actually the set of feathers underneath the train that support it during displays. Clearly, the train is the most revered aspect of the peacock. When it is open during a mating display, the male uses his feathers to attract the hen by strutting around, rattling his feathers, and shaking his wings. Typically, the peahens are unfazed and continue foraging. The peahens are much more drab in comparison to the male, but they are still stunning. The majority of their body is feathers of varying shades of brown; however, they have iridescent green feathers on their neck, each with a white outline. Their head also bears white facial skin and a fan-shaped crest.

    The above description only applies to the Indian Peafowl as they are found in the wild. In captivity, there is an enormous variety. There are many color mutations as well as patterns, amounting to over two hundred possible color varieties. Peafowl were kept in gardens as ornamental birds since Biblical times. These birds are readily available for aviculturists to buy; however, they do require extra care to keep them healthy. I will always have peafowl in my personal collection, as they are too stunning to simply take them for granted. Keep in mind that Peafowl, especially peacocks during breeding season in the spring, can get noisy. Nonetheless, if one loves peafowl, then they will come to love their vocalizations.

Photo Credit: Alex Levitskiy

Pic 1

Buford Bronze Blackshoulder Peacock

Pic 2

Opal White-eyed Peacock

Pic 3

Spalding Purple Pied Peahen in the foreground

An Ancient Discovery?

An Ancient Discovery?

    Alyson Witt

For many years, researchers have been looking for Queen Nefertiti's crypt. Recent infrared scans of Tutankhamen's tomb could reveal a hidden chamber behind the northern wall of his tomb, raising hopes that her crypt can be found. Although to confirm these results, more tests and scans will need to happen. Researchers hope to confirm soon whether or not temperature variations and the lack of air pockets behind the painted plaster walls could reveal one or more hidden chambers.

King Tutankhamen, also known as King Tut, was the Egyptian pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty during the New Kingdom, and he was the husband of the great Queen Nefertiti. At the age of nine, Tutankhamun ascended the throne that previously belonged to his father, Akhenaten, who ruled for seventeen years. Tutankhamen and Nefertiti are known for their religious revolution in Egypt, they created a new belief that changed the ways of religion. They believed in one God, Aten, who was the sun god.

Finding Nefertiti's crypt could lead to many discoveries about her husband and her. It would also provide more information on Egypt based on artifacts and mummies that could be found in the tomb. Although researchers are approximately seventy percent sure something will be found, there are chances that there could be nothing at all. For many researchers, this is an exciting time since they have worked for years to uncover the information that could potentially be behind these walls.

Sources:

Lee, Jessica. "Queen Nefertiti Dazzles the Modern Imagination-but Why?"The Guardian. N.p., 15 Aug. 2015. Web. 8 Nov. 2015.

Mark Strauss. "Desperately Seeking Queen Nefertiti." National Geographic. N.p., 14 Aug. 2015. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Molly Burhans

Every year, Homer’s Shakespearean Society puts on several plays. This past weekend was the debut of one of those plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This classic was portrayed wonderfully with a 1960’s twist. Many people were in attendance and it was a great time for all. Refreshments, made by the cast and their families, were even provided for those who came. Overall, the show was excellent; however, during Saturday night’s performance one of the main characters, who was played by Tessa Brown, took the phrase “break a leg” a little too seriously. During a scene where she was scripted to be pushed to the ground, she accidently fell on her foot the wrong way which resulted in a serious injury to her foot. Thankfully, Tessa Brown knew that the show must go on and stuck through most of the show either being carried or sitting in a rolling chair until Act III. The Shakespearean Society put on an incredible show, and be sure to watch for when their next play comes out!

Fall Ball Wrap-up

Fall Ball Wrap-up

Molly Burhans

As usual, the International Club was extremely successful with their annual Fall Ball. There was a large turnout which lead to a great profit for the International Club, and a great time for all that attended. since there was a large  number of people wearing costumes, the selection for awards was very difficult. The grand prize of $50 went to The Cat in the Hat group, which was made up of Annabelle Mooney, Carmella Mooney, Chrissy Rolfe, and KJ Ulrich. The second place prize of $25 went to the rock, paper, scissors, lizard, spock group, which was made up of Adam Walling, Mel Videto, Ana Shore, Stone Tanner, and Eva Englich. There were also other great costumes that won smaller prizes. Blown Away, Pigs in a Blanket, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Mario and Luigi, Frida Kahlo, Cleopatra, and the Star Wars group all won smaller prizes. Additionally, there was a pumpkin carving contest that took place. There was originally a tie between the pumpkins of Kristen Rohner and Rowan Travis, but Mr. Vanetten’s deciding vote made Kristen the winner of a $25 A&W gift card. The Fall Ball was a great time as usual, and the International Club thanks everyone in attendance for supporting their club!

2015 Nobel Prizes

2015 Nobel Prizes

Tighe Gugerty

This month, the 2015 Nobel prize winners were announced. These awards are given annually in the fields of chemistry, physics, literature, peace, and psychology/medicine (economics was added later). The awards were created via the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and industrialist. He set up a fund and foundation, the Nobel Foundation, to run these prizes after his death. The awards are to be given to those who have “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind” in their respective field. The nominees are selected by four different institutions: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Karolinska Institute, the Swedish Academy, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. They pick the sciences (chemistry, economics, physics), medicine/ psychology, literature, and peace respectively. The prize for a single category may be given up to three people a year. Winners each get a cash prize, diploma, and gold medal. The prizes cannot be nominated posthumously but a nominee still receives their prize if they die after their nomination. Nominees can decline prizes, and the prizes can be withheld in years too hard to deem winners, such as during war. This years winners came from all corners of the globe and are listed below.

Physics

Takaaki Kajita and Arthur McDonald share the prize for the discovery of neutrino oscillations. They are from Japan and Canada, respectively.  

Peace

The National Dialogue Quartet of Tunisia won for their efforts to bring democracy to their country after the Arab Spring.

Economic Sciences

Angus Deaton of Scotland won for his analysis of consumer spending and saving and how to analyze poverty.

Physiology or Medicine

William Campbell of Ireland and Satoshi Omura of Japan won for their development of a drug aimed to prevent illness from parasitic worms.

Tu Youyou of China also received the prize for the development of a drug that drastically reduces malaria deaths.

Chemistry

This award was shared amongst Tomas Lindahl of Switzerland,  Paul Modrich of America, and the Turkish Aziz Sancar for their work in DNA repair. This has aided in the development of cancer treatments.

Literature

Writer Svetlana Alexievich of Belarus won for her work on events that were transformative to the Soviet Union.   

Works Cited:

"Nobel Prize". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 16 Nov. 2015 <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Nobel-Prize>.

USA TODAY. "A Complete List of 2015's Nobel Prize Winners." USA TODAY. USA Today, 12 Oct. 2015. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/10/12/2015s-nobel-prize-winners-peace/73811472/>

Shakespearean Society Production

Shakespearean Society Production

Reed Cleland

Ever since rehearsals for A Midsummer Night’s Dream began in September, every member of the Homer Shakespearean Society has grown in character and talent. As a participating actor, I can say that it has been such an amazing opportunity to work with my fellow Thespians on stage. The show is scheduled for Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November  21st, at 7: 30 P.M. The entire production, with intermission, will run close to two hours, and is located in the Cortland OCM BOCES auditorium. Many thanks to our awesome techies, parents of the cast and crew, and our amazing director, Louise Felker. All of these people made the production possible. Hope to see you there!

Director: Ms. Louise Felker

Stage Manager: Mikaela Elkins

Assistant Stage Manager: Kenian Ulrich, Connor Lake,

Lighting: Mike Brutvan & Ellie Andersen,

Technical Assistance: Peter Mattix

House Manager: Ms. Julie Campbell

Costumes: Mrs. Paula Gustafson

Theseus: David Fein

Hippolyta: Kate Halstead

Philostrata: Sarah Redenback

Egeus: Rowan Travis

Hermia: Tessa Brown

Lysander: Drew Gustafson

Demetrius: David Fuller

Helena: Elena Gustafson

Quince: Hanna Whalen

Snug: Benji Hyde

Bottom: David Perfetti

Francis Flute: Nate Johnson

Tom Snout: Will Anderson

Robin Starveling: Brenden Haskins

Robin Goodfellow (Puck): Reed Cleland

Peaseblossom: Emily Travis

Oberon: Stephen Hyde

Titania: Julia Gustafson

Indian Child: Natalie Brown

Mustardseed: Chrissy Rolfe

Moth: Abby Elkins

Cobweb: Leah Potter

Fall Browns

Fall Browns

by Joe Settineri

It’s a crisp thirty-five degrees out, and remnants of a morning snow still lie on the ground. Dry leaves tumble and spin in the breeze while the river flows quickly. It’s late October, the perfect time for being outside and enjoying the cool, clear weather. Even better, it's a great time to trout fish. Specifically, it’s a great time to fish for Brown Trout, which is the most prolific species here in Central NY.

I called up my buddy, “You wanna fish this afternoon?”,

“Sure.” He says a little cautiously, “It's pretty cold out,” he adds.

“Alright, I’ll see you at four,” I say confidently, talking him into the cold endeavor.

In the summer when I trout fish with my friend, we wear shorts and sandals, wading through the refreshing, cool streams with the sun beating down on us.  Now that it is October, things are different. The water temperature has plummeted, and the air around us is cold as well. If we wore shorts now, we would get hypothermia. Our target today is the “Big T”, or the Tioughnioga River for people who can actually pronounce it. We park in Homer and put on our waders, which protect us from the cold water. Walking to the river we look like penguins, but it all makes sense when the frigid liquid presses against our legs but does not get us wet.  During this time of the year when the weather gets colder, the water also gets colder, which makes the trout more active.

One thing that makes trout fishing in the fall fun is that the trout are getting ready to spawn, and therefore, become more colorful. The shades of orange on a fall trout are something that just can't be captured with a camera. Almost immediately I hook into one, and it’s tiny. I get laughed at, but it's a start. We continue on and my friend Logan catches one, about the same size as mine. The sun begins to dip below the horizon, and we have probably walked about a mile upstream. Logan has caught five trout, and I have just caught one. Maybe I’m just bad at fishing, or I need to change the color lure that I have on. It’s seven o’clock now, and it's too dark to fish. Cold and a little wet, we start the long walk back to the truck. In my creel I have two trout, both are Logan’s.  It was not a good day for me, but I still had a blast. There is nothing like a grilled fall trout.

Cotillion

Cotillion

Ana Shore

Coming up later this month is the Holiday Cotillion! This dance will take place on November 28th at SUNY Cortland Corey Union from eight in the evening until midnight. Appetizers and refreshments will be served all night long and a free photo-booth will be available. This annual event is a combination of Homer and Cortland High School and will be a night of fun for everyone involved. As a break from the usual routine of school dances, the upperclassman girls are the ones who get to ask someone to accompany them on this night. Many girls have already started to take advantage of this and have come up with cool, creative proposals. The theme this year is, fittingly, Winter Wonderland, which matches the typical weather of Upstate New York. If you are a junior or senior girl, it’s not too late to get involved in this wonderful night.

Why Volunteer?

Why Volunteer?

Neil Malakar

Sometimes it can be difficult to spend our limited free time on anything other than our personal goals and needs.  I try to challenge myself to devote some of that free time toward improving people’s lives, and hope to inspire others to do the same. There are tremendous opportunities around the world where we can help, but at times we overlook the opportunities that are available here in our own backyard.  By being involved in an organization such as Habitat for Humanity Cortland, we can address opportunities at the local level.

It is impressive how much of an impact Habitat has on individuals and families in our communities.  After getting involved with the organization as a means to give back to my community, I learned that Habitat helps individuals and families qualify for home ownership.  To help achieve one of the biggest and most important goals and responsibilities for a family, Habitat takes the time to coach applicants through a process whereby they can qualify to own a home through attractive financing.  In many cases, these new homes can help transition a family into more affordable living, safer neighborhoods, and/or more living space.

Habitat also focuses on helping people in a number of other ways.  It is humbling to see how rewarding it is for Habitat employees to witness the results of their hard work.  I appreciate the efforts of Habitat’s employees, in addition to all of the volunteers and donors who make those efforts possible.  It means a lot to be involved in an organization that brings together all different ages and types of people to work toward a common goal: enhancing the lives of others.

California Guitar Trio at The Center for The Arts

California Guitar Trio at The Center for The Arts

Joe Settineri

Last Saturday, as you walked through Homer you would have been able to hear some warm sounds, such as clapping, singing, and the overall sound of happy people, spilling out of the Center for The Arts. These sounds were due to the California Guitar Trio, who performed at The Center for The Arts last Saturday and attracted quite a large crowd.

As I was helping set up the audio equipment for the trio before they got there, I was a little disappointed that there was not a vocal microphone set up. The last time there was just an instrumental band it was very boring, there was not much passion and the music somehow all blended together. However, this one turned out to be different. Me and my friend, Brenton Newcomb, made sure to get our seats first, marking the front and center seat with yellow sticky notes that were sure to hold our spots. When we finally took our seats and the trio took the stage, I was a little taken aback by the guitarists, they were all so different. One was a very Dutch looking man from the Netherlands, another was a surfer-looking guy from California, and the last was an Asian man from Japan. Even though they obviously had substantially different backgrounds, they spoke to each other through music and their guitars.

The show was great featuring many originals that the trio wrote and covers of well known songs, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. My favorite part was probably when they used a technique called circulation. Circulation is when a single note is played by each player, one at a time, and they go in a circle, each waiting his turn for a note. The speed at which they could do this was amazing. Overall, it was a great show, and I'm excited for the next one at The Center for The Arts when violinist Eileen Ivers is going to play a Christmas special. Be there December 5th to see her!

Image: Rauf, Adam. California Guitar Trio Interview. Digital image. Blow the Scenes. N.p., 10 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2015

Indoor Track and Field

Indoor Track and Field

Alyson Witt

The Homer High School offers many opportunities for their students. Opportunities that can help them grow, achieve, and make companions. Many students do this through sports. As we approach the winter months, the Indoor Track and Field Team is ready to begin training for a successful season. The team consists of about fifty members of both boys and girls, most of which are athletes in various sports other than track and field. Many think of indoor track and field as a preparation to get ready for spring sports including outdoor track and field; they see it as a way to stay in shape without having to endure the harsh elements of the cold, winter months.

Indoor track and field offers many of the same events as outdoor, but is restricted in some since the sport is located indoors. The season will begin on Thursday, November 12 at 3:30, unless an athlete just finished a different season, such as cross country runners who competed at sectionals this past Saturday. For those runners, practice will start on Monday, November 16th in order to give them a week to recover and prepare for the season. Practice will include a warm up activity, followed by a cardio workout, and then a lift or skill building session. Practices tend to be about an hour and a half. Coach Schneider will lead a parent meeting on Tuesday, November 10th from 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm in the cafeteria to inform parents on what they can be expecting from the upcoming season.

Indoor Track Events:

• 55 meters
• 55 meter hurdles
• 300 meters
• 600 meters
• 1000 meters
• 1500/1600 meters (the shorter distance for girl runners)
• 3000/3200 meters (the shorter distance for girl runners)

Indoor Field Events:

• Long jump
• Triple jump
• High jump
• Pole vault
• Shot put
• Weight throw