The First Presidential Debate

The First Presidential Debate

Topher De Hen

On Monday, September 26th, the first presidential debate occurred between Donald Trump (Republican) and Hillary Clinton (Democrat). The event took place at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The following article is a quick summary of the debate for those who have been keeping out of politics.  

Trump continued to rail against NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), which he believes has destroyed our country’s economy. Trump also made clear his goal to place tariffs on all imported goods. Clinton responded by saying that tariffs increase the national debt, and she would like to see more green energy. Trump argued that green energy is too expensive and would cause more debt. He also said that if he were president, he would cut business taxes to help the economy. Clinton repeatedly emphasized her superior amount of political experience, pointing out that trade has increased since her time in the president’s cabinet.

Next, the candidates were asked to talk about taxes. Trump continued to restate his trickle-down economics plan; Clinton argued that taxing the rich is the best way to help the country. During this part, accusations about Trump allegedly refusing to pay taxes were exchanged; he did not deny the claims. Clinton also accused him of making money from the labor of small business owners. Trump responded that he was just a smart businessman.

Both candidates agreed that there are racial problems in the U.S. They also agreed that minority communities have been unfairly targeted in the past by police. The only true difference between their ideas was about the right to stop and frisk. Trump said that it was a police right and a way to protect citizens from gang violence, especially gangs that include illegal aliens. Clinton claimed that stopping and frisking was unconstitutional and that it often led to racial profiling.        

Finally, the candidates talked about security. They agreed that people on no-fly lists should not be allowed to purchase guns. Clinton accused Trump of telling Russian hackers to penetrate our national security system, but he shot back that the missing emails from Clinton’s email server might have revealed national security secrets. Trump also did not believe that the U.S. should be the policeman of the world, and that countries we protect should pay us.   

Many people say that Clinton won this debate with her typical politician attitude and collected thoughts. Trump, however, performed well by continuing to talk the entire time, preventing Clinton from speaking as much as she would have liked. Only time will tell who will win the 2016 election.  

Homer Tennis

Homer Tennis

Catarina Kruman

On September 29th, Homer High School’s Varsity Girls’ Tennis Team competed in the first round of team sectionals. Ninth-seed Westhill beat the eighth-seeded Trojans 4-3 at the Suny Cortland courts. Katie Mercer and Molly Burhans won Homer’s first point at first doubles on the chilly September day. Soon afterwards, Catarina Kruman at third singles scored Homer’s second point of the match. Rachel Crompton fought long and hard at second singles, winning the last point for Homer. It was a close match as expected, but Homer will not be moving on for team sectionals.

On October 10, seven Homer girls will be competing in the Section 3 Individual Tournament. Katie Mercer at first singles, Brooke White at second singles, and Rachel Crompton at third singles will be playing in hope of moving on to the next round. The first doubles team of Molly Burhans and Madison Baker, as well as the second doubles team of Catarina and Marlena Kruman, will be competing in Individual Sectionals.

The Homer team recognized its seven seniors at a spectacular “senior night.” Balloons were tied around the fence, and each girl had a poster made for her by an underclassman. Coach Nancy Cavellier wrote a heart-warming goodbye to each senior. We will miss Brooke White, Aliza Wilsey, Katie Mercer, Jenna McMullin, Rachel Crompton, Carmela and Annabell Mooney. Good luck in college or wherever life takes you, girls!

A Clockwork Orange Book Review

A Clockwork Orange Book Review

Skyler Powers

Over the summer, I read Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange for my English class.  I went into this book with high expectations since I had heard great things about the book, as well as the movie that succeeded it. This novel is a dystopian story, which also happens to be one of my favorite genres. I will start off this review by saying that the book exceeded my expectations immensely.  

First of all, the main character, Alex, is very interesting and oddly very likeable. I am hesitant to call him the protagonist of the story since he spends much of the story robbing people and vandalizing property with his “droogs” (the book’s slang term for friends). Despite Alex’s cruel and insensitive actions, he is still very likeable, especially as the story goes on.  

The plot is also very interesting.  The story begins with Alex and his droogs having a night of “the old ultra-violence.”  The reader is taken with them as they attack drunk men, fight rival gangs, and vandalize futuristic houses.  At one point, the story takes an unexpected turn and Alex is convicted of murder after he accidentally kills the female owners of dozens of kittens.  The outlook is bleak for the main “protagonist” until he is put through an experimental treatment to cure him of his violent tendencies. The treatment wasn’t what he was hoping for, however, and it leaves him mentally altered in a negative way.  After being released from prison, he unwillingly becomes stuck in a political battle between rebels and the government.  At this point in the story, there are several twists and turns that always kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat.  

This book was incredibly thought-provoking, incredibly disturbing, entertaining, and sometimes even funny.  The book also convinced me to watch the movie, which I loved just as much, if not more. The movie was far more disturbing and hilarious, while being just as thought-provoking. It is one of the best movies that I have ever seen and the book is one of my all-time favorites as well. Both the book and the movie are works of art and deserve all the praise that they receive.  They may not be elegantly written, but that is what makes them good. The never-ending chaos and semi-surrealism makes the book, as well as the film, truly memorable experiences. I highly recommend both, but you must know what you are getting into first.  They are very disturbing and are not for the faint of heart. If you can handle the initial horror, you will find an absolutely phenomenal story.  

Don’t Breathe Review

Don’t Breathe Review

Skyler Powers

Don’t Breathe is a new horror thriller from twisted minds behind the 2013 remake of Evil Dead. Sam Raimi, known for being the creator of the legendary original cult classic Evil Dead franchise, is also a producer, so I had high expectations when walking into the theater to see this film.  The film’s premise revolves around three teenage thieves living in Detroit. Wanting to earn enough money to leave their poverty stricken homes, they plan to break into the home of an old blind man and steal a fortune he allegedly has hidden. Their seemingly easy target, however, traps them in his home and a twisted game of cat-and-mouse ensues in his house, located in a deserted neighborhood.   

First of all, the acting in this film is great. The three intruders, Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and Money (Daniel Zovatto), are portrayed very well, specifically the characters of Rocky and Alex, who largely carry the movie. The antagonist of the movie, simply dubbed the Blind Man (Stephen Lang), is also portrayed very well. The Blind Man speaks very few words throughout the entire film, yet Lang still manages to make his character truly terrifying.  

That brings me to the horror and suspense. This film is incredibly suspenseful and quite scary.  Most of the movie’s runtime focuses on the intruders trying to escape from the blind man’s house.  Unfortunately, all of the windows and doors are barred since the neighborhood is in an economically disadvantaged part of Detroit. The characters are desperate to find any escape route, all while the Blind Man is trying to hunt them down. There are moments in this movie that had me holding my breath. At some points, the characters end up in the same room as the Blind Man; all they can do is hold their breath and stand still. There is also a very memorable moment in the film where the intruders are trapped in the pitch-dark basement with the Blind Man. This one scene in particular is probably the most suspenseful scene in the film. Most of the movie consists of this simple plot. The movie does, however, delve into much darker and twisted territory near the end. This twist is genuinely terrifying, not because of what happens, but because you know what happened. It is incredibly difficult to explain how terrifying this twist is without spoiling it, but it truly is scary.  

Every other aspect of this film is also fantastic. The score is genius and the sound design is terrific. The location usage is also great. It would be easy for a screenwriter to run out of ideas when most of the movie is confined to one house. There is only so many places the characters can go and so many things they can do before they run out of ideas. The setting is used very efficiently.  It seems like every inch of the house is used to make this a truly suspenseful movie. Something new is always happening and it is never boring.  

Everything about this movie is great. I genuinely cannot think of any criticisms. I loved this movie from start to finish. It offers endless suspense and endless entertainment. Add the terrifying twist onto that, and you have a truly fantastic movie. I loved this movie immensely and I cannot wait to see it again.  

The iPhone 7 and 7 plus

The iPhone 7 and 7 plus

Topher De Hen

On September 7, 2016, Apple released the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. These new devices are different from past phones in several ways.  First, the new phones now have a buttonless design. The home button is flush to the phone and uses sensors similar to the screen as opposed to the mechanical sensors of a button.  The new design is also lacking the 3.5mm headphone jack: to listen to music you must use a lightning adapter and lightning port.  The other option would be to buy wireless headphones. Apple and reviewers say that the lack of a 3.5mm jack allows for a much better system. The phone is also water resistant, supposedly for up to three feet and for thirty minutes.  

The iPhone 7 Plus also possesses two twelve-megapixel cameras.  One of the cameras is a telephoto lense with the hardware to zoom up to twice as much; it also has software that can zoom up to ten times as much.  These features will allow for better quality pictures, especially when taken from a distance.           

The price listed on the Apple website is $649 for the iPhone 7 and $769 for the iPhone 7 Plus.  Some critics have taken issue with the phone's lack of a jack. Many other people, however, are eager to purchase them.  Only time will tell if it will be more profitable than the iPhone 6.

Homer High School Welcomes New Vice-Principal

Homer High School Welcomes New Vice-Principal

Reed Cleland

On January 20, 2016, Homer High School will say goodbye to beloved vice-principal, Mrs. Karen Lang. Unquestionably, Mrs. Lang has made Homer High School a better place for all students, teachers, and administrators. Students and staff speak with one voice when they wish her a well-deserved retirement.

Although Mrs. Lang leaves large shoes to fill, Mrs. Kara Schneider is prepared to accept the challenge.

A native of Upstate New York, Mrs. Schneider was raised in Harpursville and graduated from Harpursville High School. She participated in both the academic and athletic fields, demonstrated leadership as a class officer, and graduated as valedictorian. Mrs. Schneider received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology from the University of Maryland. Her graduate work was completed in Biology and Education at SUNY Cortland.

Mrs. Schneider first entered the educational system when she was accepted into Teach for America, an organization that enlists recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities. She was assigned to the New Visions High School in New Orleans where she taught algebra and biology.

After her time in New Orleans, Mrs. Schneider returned to Upstate New York and received a position at Rome Free Academy in Rome, New York, teaching biology for seven years. She performed her administrative internship at Rome; she eventually became the Assistant Principal at East Syracuse-Minoa, serving for three years.

One may ask why Mrs. Schneider decided to apply for the vice-principal position at Homer High School. Due to her rural upbringing, she explains, she felt an attraction to a career in a smaller, tight-knit community. She wanted her job “to have a community-feel.” Since they now live in Homer, Mrs. Schneider is excited that her two children will be part of the close community: her daughter is in second-grade at Homer Elementary School and her son will begin kindergarten in the fall of 2017.

Mrs. Schneider believes that the 2016-2017 school year will be “a learning year” as she begins to carry the vice-principal’s standard. When asked about the ideas she brings to the school, she responded with a desire to continue building the relationships between staff and students. She passionately believes in giving support to those students who require it. Mrs. Schneider would like others to know that her door is always open. She will have an open line of communication to any student, teacher, administrator, or parent that needs it.

Homer High School welcomes Mrs. Schneider into its tightly-knit community and has hope that her time as vice-principal will bring students, staff, and parents all the more closer together.   


Updated 9/27/2016

           

Homer Student To Attend World Food Prize Conference

Homer Student To Attend World Food Prize Conference

Reed Cleland

Food production is a basic component of society. It is unthinkable that some nations continue to struggle with feeding themselves. From Africa to Asia to Latin America, governments have made every effort to sustain their agricultural production. Although some find success, other nations have yet to solve continuing agricultural issues.

Maybe our youth can help.

The World Food Prize Foundation has taken a step in this direction. This group has been raising awareness about global agricultural issues since 1994. They established the World Food Prize Youth Institute as a national contest for youth interested in studying global agricultural affairs. Students from twenty-nine states have the opportunity to submit an essay detailing a specific crisis that affects a third-world nation’s agricultural production, as well as a possible solution to avoid that particular crisis.  There are hundreds of topics for students to choose from, a reflection of the global need for solutions.

Emma Murphy, a rising Homer High School senior, learned about the contest through her English teacher, Mrs. Lori Andersen. Emma was not only raised on a farm, but she also served as Homer High School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) president. Encouraged and supported by several teachers (Mrs. Lori Andersen, Mr. Michael Massenzio, and Mrs. Marcie Mann), Emma selected the Sudan Water crisis from the list of possible topics. She argued that solar energy would be able to power the water filtration systems. In addition to her written essay, she presented a three-minute speech at Cornell University, the host of the New York Youth Institute. Several presiding judges were given two minutes for questions and answers.

Following a successful presentation, Emma and four other New York students were selected to attend the culminating Global Youth Institute conference in October 2016. Accompanied by her teacher mentor, Mrs. Andersen, Emma will travel to Iowa and attend the three-day conference as one of four-hundred high-school students from across the United States. She will have the opportunity to meet with Nobel Prize winners, Heads of State, ambassadors, USDA representatives, as well as doctors, researchers, and charity leaders. Every student in attendance shares an interest in agricultural issues; it is an opportunity for them to learn how to make a global difference.

Homer is very proud of Emma’s ability to think on globally. When asked about her experience, Emma expressed a desire that “people become involved with organizations like this, even if they aren’t involved in agriculture. The political unrest and lack of government regulations has really affected countries in Africa and Asia and Central America [...] There are tons of ways to get involved, and the World Food Prize is a great way to start.”

Homer wishes Emma a great trip, and hopes she will use this exciting experience to make a difference in our world.