Onondaga Central
Senior year can be the most memorable year of one’s life. It’s the end of one chapter of and the start of a new one. All your hard work has finally paid off, you’re graduating and on your way to pursuing your dreams. This edition of senior spotlight is featuring one outstanding senior, Ray Anderson. Ray Anderson has applied to and is interested in attending Albany College of Pharmacy, Wilkes University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and SUNY Buffalo. Ray wants to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. He wants to become a pharmacist for a great and very practical reason: “I want to be stable financially when I become older.” One may say money is not everything, but money is most definitely a necessity to live your life to its fullest. Ray participates in Cross Country, Basketball, and Track and Field. He is also involved in many extra curricular activities including: Recording Secretary of Student Council, Robotics and Eagle Scouts. In addition, Ray is the Senior Class President; a position he held in 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade. Some of Ray’s hobbies include being an avid coin collector and a dedicated runner. Ray’s greatest influence in his life are both of his Grandpas, who had the greatest impact on improving himself and his life. The other major impact on his life is his grandmother, known as “Gram,” who Ray says taught him strength. As a sophomore, Ray re-did the cross country course for his Eagle Scout Project. Becoming an Eagle Scout is a distinct honor achieved by very few people. Ray chose to re-do the course because he “wanted to give something back to the school and community that had done so much for me throughout my high school career.” Ray believes this community has helped him immensely in becoming the person he is today. To say thank you, he helped improve the Onondaga Cross Country course. The cross country course is used by both the Track and Cross Country Team. Track uses the new course for practices while the Cross Country Team can host meets using his course. The community is also always welcome to walk or run the course. Ray was faced with a choice to make when he was younger: to stick with Boy Scouts and go all the way and become an Eagle Scout, or to quit and not continue Boy Scouts. This decision would alter the entire course of his high school career and ultimately Ray’s character. Ray said, “When I was younger, I almost quit Boy Scouts because I was never with any of my friends. After completing my first year, I decided that I would either quit then and there, or I would do as much as I could with the program and obtain my Eagle Scout. I chose not to quit.” By not quitting, he went all the way and accomplished becoming an Eagle Scout. This was a huge accomplishment and being an Eagle Scout helped him greatly in his future endeavors. Ray joined Cub Scouts in second grade and by fifth grade he was a Boy Scout. Ray’s love for Cub Scouts grew as the years continued, especially as the years shifted into Boy Scouts and eventually becoming an Eagle Scout. This love of Cub Scouts as a young boy would change him and his life. Ray’s favorite sport is cross country. His all time favorite memory from cross country was going to the croc store in NYC with the cross country team and buying his crocs. His other all-time favorite memory was beating Ben in his Freshman year. Ray’s Cross Country team went to an invitational in Manhattan two seasons ago, where the team toured the cities, ate as a team, ran as a team, and even got crocs as team. Ray’s favorite high school memory was actually very recent, it was his Cross Country Senior Night. Senior Night for any athletic is a truly exciting night and maybe even bittersweet for some. His favorite year of high school was his Junior year because he was fond of all of his teachers. The thing Ray is going to miss the most about high school is seeing his friends. Ray’s advice to Freshman is “Try your hardest starting in 9th grade and it will pay dividends for you later.” Going to college can be scary because you do not know anybody and it can be a completely different community than what you recently lived in, but it can also be very exciting. Ray said he is most excited for “becoming a part of a new community and meeting new people.” College is a time to meet new people, discover the world, become the person you’ve been dreaming of, make new friends, see the world, and take advantage of the freedom you gain as you go into the real world. Ray Anderson is ready to take advantage of all these things. Good luck Ray!
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Every year at Homecoming, a few of Onondaga JR/SR High School’s many successful alumni are selected to be recognized on the Wall of Distinction. This year, Gary Keehfus and Latavius Murray are being honored by being inducted into the Wall of Distinction. We were lucky enough to interview Gary Keehfus for this edition of the Tiger Prowl. Gary Keehfus is a 1962 graduate of Onondaga Central School and is among one of Onondaga’s most successful alumni. Keehfus attended Morrisville and Kent State University. After graduating, Keehfus entered the insurance industry, quickly rising to the top and eventually becoming President of an insurance company and held this position for 14 years. In 1994 Keefhus decided to capitalize on his wealth of experience and knowledge by starting his own insurance company, First Cardinal Corporation. By the time Keehfus sold his company in 2006, it had grown from 7 employees to 300 employees in 4 different states. Following the sale of First Cardinal Corporation, Keehfus continued to be involved with business. Today, Keefhus is part owner in Saratoga Casino Hotel, Morton’s SteakHouse, Saratoga Black Hawk Casino in Colorado, self storage facilities, and warehouses, among various other real estate ventures. Tell us a little about yourself: I grew up on Onondaga Hill, in a family of 5 children. I played a great deal of sports: basketball, baseball, football and ran track. I always had part time jobs, working at a floral shop, a warehouse and a farm. What was your favorite part of attending high school at Onondaga and how have teachers/staff supported you while in high school? While at Onondaga, I was close to my coaches and enjoyed the teaching staff. One teacher in particular stood out, Max Metcalf. He always talked reality, not hypothetical. The teaching staff was very dedicated and always took the extra time to work with you. As a student, I did not appreciate how well the faculty worked together and how loyal they were to the school and to the students, but after going to college, I looked back and appreciated what we had at OCS. Describe what Onondaga was like when you attended and how your time at OCS influenced you? OCS, being a small rural school, in my opinion, was a plus versus a minus. I do not think I would have gotten the personal attention academically, nor would I have been able to compete on the athletic teams as well as I did, because of the small size of the school. As it turned out, when I went to college, I did well academically and I played basketball and baseball. I think it is easy for certain students to get lost in large schools, that is something that did not happen at OCS. I believe the size and makeup of OCS enabled me to forge ahead, versus getting lost. This is a belief I have used in business and in my personal life. I always look to help the underdog, and make sure no one is overlooked or gets lost in their profession or their life. What is your advice to students at OCS? My advice to students at OCS: Have a good attitude, appreciate what you have, be good to your parents, work hard and always say thank you. Do you have any advice to students in particular that want to someday start or run a business? If any students intend on starting a business, you should talk to an accountant, an attorney, have familiarity in the industry, put a business plan together, and have the resources or know where it is coming from. You should also get ready for tough times, because starting up a new business, is very difficult, but also very rewarding if you succeed. Surround yourself with smart, intelligent and hard working people. Let these people succeed, if they do something well, give them credit and do not over shadow them. Latavius Murray: Latavius Murray: a high school football star, NFL Running back, and an OCS alumni. Murray, born in Florida, graduated from OCS in 2008. He was a three sport athlete, playing football, basketball and running track. Although he played many sports, he excelled in football, he was an All-League and All- Central New York player for three season in a row. Not only that, but as a Sophomore, Murray was a third-team, All-state honoree and was named to first-team by his Junior year. He rushed 2,030 yards that year, and made 30 touchdowns. As a Senior, he was named Gatorade Football Player of the Year (2007). That season, he rushed 2,194 yards and made 28 touchdowns. He was named Class D Player of the Year and first-team All-State. As a graduate, he had many options to attend college for he received many scholarships. Murray ultimately chose to attend the University of Central Florida. As a Sophomore in college, he received the honor of being the Conference USA Championship MVP and MVP of the Liberty Bowl. By his senior year, he was an All-C-USA First Team selection. His college career total was 2,424 rushing yards, 37 rushing touchdowns, 50 receptions, 524 receiving yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. Murray began his professional football career by playing with the Oakland Raiders. It was there were he was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2015. In 2017, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings, wearing jersey #25, to honor his best friend who passed away the year before. Murray made it to the NFC Championship Game. This past March, Murray signed a 4 year contract with the New Orleans Saints. Murray established a scholarship in honor of his best friend and classmate. Latavius Murray has proven himself to be an outstanding football playing who is proud of his roots. While you have walked through the hallways the past few weeks, you may have noticed a few new faces. Although most of them are new 7th graders, we actually do have three new staff members that joined the OCS team this year. We have our new Spanish teacher, Mrs. Tompkins-Solan, our new CTE teacher, Miss Byrne and our new Guidance Counselor, Miss Sawyer. It is nice to familiarize yourselves with these new teachers because most likely you will have to interact with at least one of them this school year.
The first teacher I talked to was Mrs. Solan, our new Spanish teacher. She attended Liverpool High School and participated in rowing and was the Assistant Yearbook Editor. After high school, Mrs. Solan intended on going to law school, and actually interned with a lawyer, where she realized law wasn’t for her. She ended up attending SUNY Albany and SUNY Oswego. Initially, she majored in Mediterranean Archaeology before switching to Education. Mrs. Solan decided on an education career because she believes “educators get to shape all careers. We get to experience human growth on a daily basis.” She has a great deal of experience in teaching and has taught in a handful of places, including Soule Road Middle School for six years. She also taught English in Germany for a year and taught at Homer Junior High for eight years before coming to OCS. So far, for Mrs. Solan, working at OCS has been an awesome experience. She says that the staff and students have been very welcoming towards her. Her goal for herself is to challenge the Spanish students at OCS by increasing the number of students to attempt to obtain the NYS Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma. Another interesting fact about Mrs. Solan is that if she could teach anything it would be Latin, not Spanish! Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Solan enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and crocheting. Be sure next time you see Mrs. Solan in the hallway or by her classroom you say “Hello”, “Hola”, or even “Salve!” The second new teacher at OCS is Miss Byrne, our new CTE teacher. Miss Byrne grew up in Skaneateles and graduated from Skaneateles Central School. In high school, she ran cross country, played basketball and lacrosse. She also really loved math in high school and wanted to teach math one day, which got her interested in the education field. After high school, Miss Byrne attended Le Moyne College to get her bachelor's degree and then SUNY Albany for her master’s degree. When she graduated from Le Moyne, she began teaching middle school math at Hamilton Central School. Miss Byrne also recently became interested in computer science, emerging technologies and other STEM topics that she looks forward to teaching her students. So far, OCS has been welcoming towards Miss Byrne and she loves working here. Miss Byrne’s long term goal is to continue learning and earn a Ph.D in education. Outside of work, Miss Byrne loves to travel around the world and does it quite often. This past year she was lucky enough to travel to England, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland and Greece!! Over the summer, she also spent time exploring Yosemite National Park in California and Acadia National Park in Maine. Be sure to give her a friendly hello and a friendly welcome if you pass her in the hallway! The last new staff member is our new guidance counselor, Miss Sawyer. She is originally from Baldwinsville and graduated from Baker High School in 2011. In high school, she participated in soccer, track & field, Key Club, Art Club and worked at Outback Steakhouse. Before she went into the counselling career, her first career choice was the medical field. As she continued in her art and photography she decided to go to school for graphic design, which she did for a few years before she returned back to school to pursue her Counselling Degree. She started her college career at Utah State University because she wanted new experiences and was an avid snowboarder. After her first year, she graduated with a BFA and transferred to RIT. Miss Sawyer was drawn to education due to it being a part of her family for many years. Her mother is also a school counselor, her grandmother was a reading teacher and her aunt is a principal. It was an easy choice for her to be back in a school for her career because she really enjoyed her high school experience. She wants students at OCS to also have their own great experience in high school. Before she was at OCS, she lived out in Rochester for a while and then outside of New York City where she worked as an admissions counselor for a private college. While she has been at OCS, she says her students have been amazing and that the staff are the best set of co-workers she could ask for. Overall, she feels the community as a whole is very supportive. Her goal for her career is to continue learning every year and become better at what she does and wants to become more involved in local counseling seminars or groups. She also would love to pick up her hobby of photography and art again as a side job. Outside of work, Ms. Sawyer and her fiancé have two dogs and a cat. She likes to spend most of her time outside of school with her dogs. She and her fiancé go for hikes and walks with their dogs all the time. Being outside is her own version of therapy, since she grew up fishing with her dad. She also grew up walking miles of trails, kayaking and exploring new places. She really enjoys being busy, which is why she also volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She likes to travel a lot as well and has been to eight countries so far! Hopefully she bundled up in any colder climates, because Miss Sawyer is actually allergic to the cold. It is a real condition called Urticaria, which means she breaks out in hives if it is cold. She likes ramen noodles and rice. Make sure if you see her in the hallway, or have her as a guidance counselor, you give her a nice welcome and let her help you with school problems you may have. Halloween is right around the corner so let the sugar-filled fun begin! I don’t know about you, but I have always wondered what was the most popular candy on Halloween. A look at the most popular Halloween candy puts chocolate at the top. Chocolate is a big business and Halloween is its biggest holiday.
Number one on the list are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Reese’s were introduced in 1928. Their sales are $509.85 million! The brand leads in sales of snack-sized packages, which are often given out to trick-or-treaters. The second candy on the list are M&M's. These were introduced in 1941, and their sales were $500.82 million. It’s behind Reese's by a very small amount. Although it is the second highest selling regular size candy, it ranks only eighth among brands in snack-sized sales. Next on the list are Snickers. These were introduced before M&M’s and after Reeses. They came out in 1930. M&M’s sales were $456.91 million. The fourth on the list are Hershey’s whose sales were $324.63 million. Hersheys were first introduced in 1900. Hershey has been making many of its most famous brands for decades. Number five on the list are Kit Kats. They were introduced in 1935. Their sales came to $306.51 million. Now let's look at the top sweets in some U.S. states as of 2018. Let’s start off in Alabama. Its top candy is Candy Corn. In Alaska and Colorado, Twix is the top on the list. In Arizona, Snickers are the most popular. Arkansas’s top candy is Jolly Ranchers. California, however, had Skittles on the top of their list. Illinois has Sour Patch Kids as their top candy. There you have it, the most popular Halloween candies in America! Everyday as you walk down the halls, you may notice colorful words scattered around the school. Do you ever wonder what these words mean, why they’re there, or who put them there? These words are the source of a new movement in our school district known as The Positivity Project. The Positivity Project is a movement that teaches students and staff about building positive relationships with others through focusing on twenty-four individual character strengths. The Positivity Project was introduced to our school through our Vice Principal, Mr. Stanton. Through his passion and the immense support from the rest of the school district, The Positivity Project was successfully launched here at Onondaga on Friday, September 20th.
During the summer of 2018, Mr. Stanton and a select group of staff members across the school district began their initial training for The Positivity Project. The training consisted of introducing these staff members to the twenty-four character traits, teaching them to utilize the traits and to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, they were taught how to use these traits to make positive connections with other people. After training, staff implemented a “pilot year” in select classrooms over at Rockwell and Wheeler Elementary. Then, last June, all of the staff members were asked to take the Positivity Project survey to discover their own character strengths and weaknesses. On top of that, Mrs. Pristash and Mrs. Passetti enhanced our hallways with the aforementioned character strengths, which Mrs. Pristash created using her Cricut machine, during testing week last year. During the first week of school this year, each student was asked to take this same survey. Finally at the end of September, Mr. Stanton and the staff members launched a community-wide kick-off. At the foundation of The Positivity Project are twenty-four character strengths. These character traits were researched and formulated by Dr. Chris Peterson and Dr. Martin Seligman. Through their research, they have concluded that these strengths are evident throughout time and all cultures of the world. They have also added that every single one of these strengths exist in every individual. By making students aware of these twenty-four strengths, The Positivity Project aims to provide a foundation for self-confidence and self-awareness. Additionally, these character strengths help students to understand the differences in other people and further value them. If you have not already taken the Positivity Project survey, you can find it here: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register. Mr. Stanton’s hope for the Positivity Project here at Onondaga is for it to lend itself to the elementary schools much more. Mr. Stanton explains, “When the kids are in Kindergarten, and they’re getting on the bus, they could be working on bravery. Or if they’re struggling with a relationship with their peers, they could be working on open-mindedness. We’re hoping that these kids can make the connections to the character strengths, and over time, they’ll be able to identify them in themselves and in others.” When asked about his own number one character strength, he responded that it’s humor. Mr. Stanton the went on to explain how he uses humor in his everyday life by saying, “I try to utilize it with kids, especially when we’re having difficult conversations. Or if they’ve made a mistake, I try to lighten the mood with humor, sometimes to a fault.” Mr. Stanton’s passion and belief in the Positivity Project has been the driving force for its implementation here at Onondaga, and he hopes to see it spread across the entire district and continue on in the years to come. Mrs. Pristash adds, “We’re all really supportive of Mr. Stanton and his ideas, and we fully believe that we’re all made up of these twenty-four different strengths. And once you realize and see these traits within yourself, you can learn to appreciate them in other people, too.” Onondaga Central has partnered with SECNY Credit Union for the 2nd year to run the SECNY Tiger Branch Credit Union. The Tiger Branch is run by OCS students. Zach Delaney is the Manager, Zahra Almaliki is Assistant Manager, Dylan Price is the Marketing Director and Nate Holl is the Lead MSR. Students in Mrs. Smith’s personal finance class also learn the skills necessary to work at a credit union, working alongside the leadership team. Being a member of the Tiger Branch comes with benefits second to none. This is a great opportunity to seize. There are many reasons as to why you should become a member.
First of all, the branch is a not-for-profit organization. That means all the money we receive goes back to our members. SECNY differs from other financial institutions in that you, as a member, actually own part of the credit union. This helps you have higher dividends on your savings. The SECNY Credit Union offers several different programs that are unique to us. These programs include: Money Mammals, Save2Learn and Save2Earn. Money mammals encourages kids to open savings accounts by giving them rewards once they complete a certain amount of transactions. For Save2Learn and Save2Earn, the benefits are the same, with the exception that participants in Save2Earn qualify for certain loan benefits that Save2Learn participants do not. The reason for this is people in Save2Learn are under 18 years old and not old enough to take out a loan. Opening a Savings Account- What if you could get a free $5?: · For all members who open a savings account the first $5 in you savings account is put in by SECNY Credit Union. · On your birthday, you receive $5 from SECNY Credit Union. Opening a Checking Account- What if you could get a free $10 Target Gift Card?: · To open a checking account you must deposit $25. By opening a checking account you receive a $10 Target Gift Card. Direct Deposit: · By being a member of the SECNY Credit Union you have the ability to have Direct Deposit. This prevents you from having to worry about keeping track of your paycheck and prevents you from having to spend time depositing your paycheck every week. · By signing up for Direct Deposit you receive $25 in your account from SECNY. Debit Card: · By having a debit card you are eligible for uChoose Rewards. · uChoose rewards will give you the opportunity to receive gift cards to your favorite stores/restaurants, cash back or other merchandise after you accumulate a certain amount of points. · One unique benefit of the SECNY Credit Union is that even with a debit card you still can earn points. For every $2 you spend with your debit card, you earn 1 point. · Very few financial institutions offer points for debit cards, but the Tiger Branch does. · To have a debit card you must be at least 13 year old, if 13 you must have a parent co-sign. SEED Grant Program: · For every adult who takes out a loan with the SECNY Credit Union a portion of profits is donated back to the school district that you designate as yours. This program was evident when the SECNY Credit Union donated $1,400 as a part of the SEED Program to Onondaga Central Schools for the Positivity Project. What if you already have a bank account at another bank? · You can still open an account with the Tiger Branch. There are many benefits for you that you may not find elsewhere. Opening an account is a great way to support the school. Having a second bank account can be beneficial. You could use your SECNY account to keep money you earn from work and use your other account for money you have from throughout your life from birthdays, Christmas, Communion, Confirmation, etc., or vice versa. This allows you to know how much money you earn, and potentially use one account exclusively for savings and the other account for spending. Support your school and show school spirit by opening your account today! Shenandoah National Park is located along the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the State of Virginia. Shenandoah National Park has over 500 miles of fantastic trails, but is better known for its SkyLine Drive. With the drive’s lush forestry and breathtaking overlooks, you’re sure to fall in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains and all they have to offer. The SkyLine Drive runs the entirety of the park. There are 75 outstanding overlooks to enjoy.
Some notable features the park has are the incredible butterflies fluttering amongst the brilliant green foliage, the fluorescent and rich colored leaves when Autumn comes around, and the robust coloring on the various types of flowers. The Skyline Drive spans 105 miles. The drive offers trailheads where you can get out and stretch your legs, a picnic area for a delightful snack, and campgrounds between Front Royal in the northern end and Rockfish Gap in the southern end. Front Royal and Rockfish Gap are accessible via Luray and Sperryville. The Dickey Ridge Visitors Center offers a great introduction of the park’s human and natural history. If you're not looking for a long hike; there are two short loop trails: Fox Hollow Loop and Snead Farm Road. Another method of traveling around Shenandoah, which is all the more amazing, is through the Appalachian Trail. You can hike across the entire length of Shenandoah, or you can hike a few miles. There are nearly 80,000 acres of wilderness, just a mere 75 miles away from Washington D.C. Another place to stop is at Milam Gap (milepost 52.8 along Skyline Drive) where you may begin a moderate, four-mile round-trip hike to Rapidan Camp, a national historic landmark that was President Herbert Hoover's summer White House which has been restored to its 1929 appearance. The history of Shenandoah is actually quite extensive. A national reserve was first proposed in 1901. When the proposal stalled, Virginia took matters into their own hands. Using eminent domain, Virginia acquired property from 5,000 landholders. The day after Christmas of 1935, the park was established. The Skyline Drive was constructed in 1930 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). When the leaves change from bright green to ruby red, vibrant orange, and cool yellow tones, the views are just that much more spectacular. The now fall foliage will blow you away. The views in Autumn are absolutely stunning. Don’t be afraid to explore trails, and all Shenandoah has to offer. Even explore the surrounding area of Shenandoah, including Washington D.C. and the surrounding states. For example, you can go to Luray Caverns, which covers a whopping 64 acres. The caverns are 4,000,000 years in the making! The caverns are enormous chambers filled with stone columns that rise 10 stories high. You can also hear the eerie sounds of what is also known as the world’s largest musical instrument. The beautiful caverns contain glistening draperies and crystal-clear pools. Luray Caverns is the most prominent cavern in the East Coast. There are other caverns such as Grand Caverns, Shenandoah Caverns and Skyline Caverns, are among many more popular tourist caverns. Lastly, another awe-inspiring place to visit is Natural Bridge, once owned by Thomas Jefferson. It is a 215 foot tall natural bridge made of limestone. It was meticulously carved out by Cedar Creek over hundreds of years. The most popular trail is Cedar Creek Trail leading you to the Monacan Indian Villages and Lace Falls with its 30ft cascade. The bridge will stun, along with all the other breathtaking places to visit near and in Shenandoah. Sources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/shenandoah-activities/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/shenandoah-national-park/ Girls’ soccer has had an impressive season so far with a record of 11– 4. The team is led by three of the senior captains: Samantha Geis, Lauren Myer, and Emily Amidon. Along with a great record, the girls are having a lot of fun with their teammates, as well. The girls have grown to be very close and are like a family in many ways. The team has made it to Sectionals and feel they will be successful there. We wish them good luck in the rest of their season and hope they do well in sectionals!
Boys’ soccer has had a challenging season, but to the boys, the record doesn't matter. They finished their season with a record of 0-12. They are working hard at practice and games, and are enjoying the sport. The boys are really enjoying their season and having fun with their team and growing close together and making friends. Winning isn't what the sport is all about to them, but rather having fun, hanging out with friends and getting some exercise in as well. The team is led by their captain Colin Doner. We still wish the boys luck in the rest of their season! The boys’ football team has had a decent season with a record of 2-4. The team is led by their captains: Logan Nordman, Zachary Delaney, King Owens, and Andre Wright. The team this season has become very close and tries to challenge each other every day in practice in an attempt to improve one another. In games, they lift each other up and keep spirits high. Although they have had a rocky season and a few setbacks due to injuries on the team, the team isn’t giving up just yet. The team is ready for the rest of the season and are optimistic. We wish them luck in the rest of their season!! This cross country season is the season of improvement with all of the runners improving their times from last season, some by about 2-5 minutes and some even up to 10 minutes! The team is led by their Senior captains: Raymond Anderson, Allee Mack and Sierra Trotman. Due to the small size of the team, they aren't competitive in dual meets, so instead, the runners work with each other to improve their individual times. Nick Toomey is one of the runners who cut off a significant time from the Baldwinsville Invitational. Last year, his time was 25:55, but this year he ran it in 23:47. A week later, at the McQuaid Invitational, Dylan Price placed 17th out of 345 runners. Larissa Fitzgibbons also went strong this year at the Manhattan Invitational placing 122 out of 186 girls, whereas two years ago when she ran it she placed 137 out of 187 girls. This is even more impressive considering it was her comeback race after an injury she had been struggling with through the season. Aiden Ryan also cut down his time from the Cato race by seven minutes this year, at a longer course! The cross country team still has a couple meets left including Leagues and Sectionals. We wish them luck and hope a runner or two qualifies for states this season! On Tuesday, November 5, 2019, Onondaga County will vote in local elections ranging from County Legislature to Town Board and the State Supreme Court. Along with the aforementioned elections, there will also be county-wide races of significant consequence including the election for County Executive, District Attorney, County Clerk and County Comptroller. Over the course of this past summer and fall, I worked for Onondaga County Comptroller Matt Beadnell’s re-election campaign. During that time, I had the chance to interview him. Below is the interview: What made you decide that you wanted to have a career in finance/accounting? If I can offer one piece of advice to the high school students throughout Onondaga County, it would be to pursue a career where your passion lies. I have always enjoyed working with numbers and finance/accounting was a natural fit for me. My career choice as Comptroller was to help ensure fiscal integrity and accountability and is a direct result of the passion I have for Audit and Control. I enjoy what I do and, because of this, I strive to achieve results that make a difference in Onondaga County. Why do you want to be Onondaga County Comptroller? As the Onondaga County Comptroller, I serve the public and I know I can have a direct impact on protecting the county assets and the taxpayers’ dollars. This position requires a strong knowledge of accounting, GAAP, auditing and budgeting. It is a very rewarding position to hold. What is the biggest challenge that you believe Onondaga County faces & how would you address it? The biggest challenge would be ensuring the taxpayers’ dollars are not only spent responsibly, but also with accountability. Although the County might have the support from the public majority on a project, the County must be held accountable to how the project develops and how taxpayers’ dollars are being spent. The Comptroller’s Office helps to develop appropriate internal controls to protect these assets and assists with achieving structural budgetary balance. Why are you more qualified than your opponent, Marty Masterpole, to be Onondaga County Comptroller? I hold a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and I have my MBA. I’ve spent numerous years with KPMG as a Senior Audit Associate and then as the Chief Governmental Accountant for Onondaga County. I have been the Comptroller for the last 9 months and firmly believe my education, experience and knowledge provide a solid foundation to be successful in this role. What is your biggest accomplishment as Onondaga County Comptroller? I am most proud to say in the last 9 months, I have saved the Onondaga County taxpayers well over $1M. I serve the taxpayers and when I release an audit that shows my dedication to saving their taxpayers’ dollars, I feel that is the greatest accomplishment – results matter. If re-elected as Onondaga County Comptroller, what is your vision for the county? What is your goal to achieve for Onondaga County? When I am elected to continue my role as Comptroller, I will strive to ensure fiscal integrity and accountability continues. I want the public to continue to trust me and my office in ensuring their taxes are being used appropriately. I want the taxpayers of Onondaga County to be confident in my service to them. I will continue to have an open-door policy and will investigate any and all tips. What is the best part of living in Syracuse, N.Y. and serving the community? CNY has incredible parks, lakes and recreation activities available throughout the seasons. My family and I truly enjoy living here. I enjoy meeting residents and have always had an open-door policy should a resident want to speak with me. I appreciate the opinions and views across political parties and I admire the hard work ethic of our County residents. I am proud to call CNY my home. Have you ever wondered what area of the world Halloween originated? Who created it? When did it start? Well, if you have, then you are in the right place.
Halloween's origin dates back to the ancient Celtic festival or holiday of Samhain. when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of Summer, the time of the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. This was a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. They believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth. This evening was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns and festive gatherings. You may be wondering how Halloween arrived in America. The answer is simple: It arrived through immigration. Immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought the holiday to the United States. To be specific, the commercialization of Halloween started in the 1900s, when postcards and die-cut paper decorations were produced. Halloween costumes, on the other hand, started to appear in stores in the 1930s. Lastly, the custom of 'trick-or-treat' dates back to the 1950s. Student Council Update
President– Dylan Price Vice President– Nicole Dooley Corresponding Secretary– Natalie Price Recording Secretary– Ray Anderson Treasurer– Caitlyn Dankiw Sergeant of Arms– Evelyn Loan This year, Student Council implanted an additional Spirit Week leading up to Homecoming with the following Dress-Days: Tropical Tuesday, Wednesday-Twin Day/Dynamic Duo, Thursday– 80s Day and Friday– Tiger Pride. Student Council is looking forward to working with Principal’s Cabinet to influence school-wide policy and improve OCS. In February, we will still observe our usual Spirit Week. Tis’ the season for apple picking, corn mazes and haunted hayrides! This fall, pick apples fresh off the trees at the best orchards in Central New York.
Apple Orchards: · Beak and Skiff: If you are looking for a more commercial orchard; go to Beak and Skiff. There are more than 250,000 apple trees. For the kids, there are pony rides and a playground. If you are looking to stick around for lunch or dinner, Beak and Skiff has a cafe. There are more than 15 varieties of apples including: JonaMac, Honeycrisp, McIntosh and Cortland. You can snack on hot apple cider and fresh donuts. Beak and Skiff offers a gorgeous view to sit and watch the summer color turn to the brilliant fall tones. When going to Beak and Skiff, expect long lines and a potential wait. · Burnell’s Navarino Orchards: This orchard has 20 types of apples and consists of dwarf trees for easy picking. Navarino Orchards makes scrumptious apple fritters, delectable apple fritter sundaes, delicious hot apple cider and sweet caramel apples. This orchard will not be as busy or as commercial as Beak and Skiff, but is just as much fun for the whole family. · Critz Farms: The farm includes 1,800 dwarf apple trees that grow Cortland, Empire, Macoun, several MacIntosh varieties, Gala and HoneyCrisp apples. For the kids, there is a corn maze, which costs $8.50 per person and is shaped like an octopus this year. There is also pumpkin picking, pumpkins start at 35 cents a pound. You can choose from hundreds of pre-picked pumpkins, fall decorations, gourds and much more. Along with that, there is a cow train, farm animals, a playground and a giant hay bale climbing tower. This farm has a little bit of everything for everyone. It’s fall fun for the entire family. · O’Neill’s Orchard: O’Neill’s is a U-Pick orchard were you can pick raspberries and/or apples. They have Zestar, Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Jonamac, Mcintosh, Gala Crimson crisp, Honeycrisp, Cortland, McCoun, Greening, Empire, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, N. Spy, Crispen and Ida Red. Some apples will not be ready to pick until late October. They have fluffy apple fritters, mouthwatering apple cider donuts, apple cider and smoked apple BBQ. Haunted Hayrides: · 13th Hour Rising Haunted Hayride: Located in Fulton, New York. They were awarded #1 Haunted House in New York in 2018. · Headless Horseman Haunted Hayrides and Haunted House: Located in Ulster Park, NY, part of the Historic Haunted Hudson Valley. The 250 year-old farm incorporates over sixty-five acres of naturally landscaped property including foreboding forests, surreal ponds, fruit orchards and much more. The unique Sleepy Hollow ghostly place will be sure to spook you. · Demon Acres Haunted Hayride: Located in Hannibal New York. · Fright Nights-Syracuse: A CNY favorite, located in Syracuse. · Wood Creek Hollow Haunted Hayride and Corn Maze: Located in Rome, New York and recently opened. Corn Mazes: · Abbott Farms, Baldwinsville NY: There is a super fun corn maze, which costs $7. The farm also features a bounce house, u-pick apples and wagon rides. U-Pick pumpkins are offered here. Other activities include: wagon rides, apple picking, a corn maze, tube slides, bounce house and an apple cannon. · Long Acres Farm, Macedon, NY: This is the second longest continuously operating corn maze in the world. It covers 5 acres and takes the average person about 90 minutes to finish. Moonlight mazes are offered on certain nights and a children's maze is offered. It costs $11. · Springside Farm: Open Fridays and weekends, this farm includes a three-acre corn maze, animals, pumpkin patch, tree maze and hedge maze. Along with the fantastic corn maze, you can enjoy the U-Pick pumpkins, willow maze, Christmas tree hedge maze, zip lining, an animal barn, wagon rides, playground, rope swings, and a lovely farm store. Hours: 9am - 5pm · Pumpkin Patches: · Tim’s Pumpkin Patch: Tim’s pumpkin patch grows 70 acres of pumpkins and squash. There is a farm animal petting area and feeding area. Be sure to try the pumpkin funnel cake and apple fritters. Includes a corn maze along with many other activities. Costs: $3 per person or $10 per family. · Ceiro “Pumpkin” Patch: There is a three acre corn maze, a nature trail and pumpkins start at $2.50, they also sell gourds and white pumpkins. · Our Farm: On the border of Madison and Oneida County. It has U-Pick pumpkins and even personalized pumpkins where you can get your name etched into small gourds and they grow into a full size person pumpkin. In addition, this pumpkin patch has a magnificent corn maze shaped like a butterfly along with pumpkin picking and horse rides. · Katie’s Pumpkin Patch: This pumpkin patch is located in Baldwinsville. Pumpkins are $3 each. Hayrides cost $1 per person, while the corn maze is free with any purchase. Other products Katie’s Pumpkin Patch sells are gourds, squash, Indian corn, hay bales and corn stalks. · The Hollow: A U-Pick pumpkin patch with a corn maze and apple fritters and ice cream available on weekends. There is also a corn maze. This is local and guaranteed family fun! · Rohe Farms: U-Pick pumpkins, hay ride, hay jump, corn maze, petting zoo and animal train rides are offered. Don’t forget to enjoy a meal from the farm's food truck. Admission $5 for children, $3 for adults. This is another place that is practically located in your backyard! Sources: https://www.newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/2015/09/10_corn_mazes_in_upstate_ny_where _youll_have_fun_getting_lost.html https://www.syracuse.com/living/2015/09/best_apple_picking_in_central_ny_ 7_orchards_that_offer_lots_of_fall_family_fun. https://expo.syracuse.com/life-and-culture/erry-2018/08/a2f4fb89cc9556/corn-mazes-in-central-ny-4-fun.html https://www.syracuse.com/living/2015/09/best_places_to_pick_pumpkins_in_central_new_york.html Forgotten History: LBJ Spying on His Opponent in the 1964 Presidential Election By Dylan Price10/25/2019 This is a series that will be featured in the Tiger Prowl every other edition about history that is not well-known to many people.
On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. As a result, Lyndon B. Johnnson was sworn in as President. With the 1964 election around the corner, LBJ wanted to win in a landslide since he took office on tragic circumstances. Furthermore, he wanted a major win which would give him momentum to push the Great Society through Congress during his second term and be remembered as one of the greatest Presidents. The latter never happened. Barry Goldwater, a conservative Senator from Arizona, was his opponent. Johnson ordered the FBI to conduct extensive wiretapping of Goldwater’s campaign and illegally directed the FBI to administer security checks on Goldwater's Senate staffers. In addition to FBI spying, Johnson ordered the CIA to plant a spy on the Goldwater campaign. This enabled the Johnson campaign to know of Goldwater’s travel plans and remarks/speeches ahead of time. William Cooper, who was CIA Director at the time, admitted that a female secretary of the Goldwater campaign turned information over to the CIA. Then this information would be turned over to White House aide Chester Cooper. CIA Agent E. Howard Hunt was in charge of the CIA portion of the operation. Hunt would later be involved in Watergate and use this instance of spying to justify his actions during Watergate. The culmination of these actions were part of “Anti-Campaign” to smear and besmirch Goldwater, similar to a campaign war room. The so called “Anti-Campaign” was run by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was the Assistant Secretary of Labor, out of the second floor of the West Wing. Moynihan went on to become New York’s Senator and later retired in 2000 to allow First Lady Hillary Clinton to replace him. Another who was involved in this “Anti-Campaign” was Leonard Marks who was rewarded in 1965 by being appointed Director of U.S. Information Agency. One of the most egregious examples of spying was when there was a private call between two GOP leaders over a potential campaign stop for Goldwater in Chicago. Within hours, a reporter asked the campaign for details of the visit, despite the visit not being made public yet. The reporters knew since LBJ’s campaign often leaked the stolen information to the press. GOP Leaders had a feeling they were being bugged and their suspicions were confirmed when Goldwater’s campaign plane was bugged too. Even more abhorrent, was on September 9, 1964, Johnson was alerted that Goldwater was announcing that he was creating the Peace and Freedom Task Force, with former Vice President Richard Nixon being placed in charge. This would have quelled fears that Goldwater was dangerous on foreign policy or lacked sufficient experience. However, upon hearing this, LBJ announced in a press conference that he was creating a panel of “distinguished citizens” to advise him on foreign affairs. The media coverage of this overshadowed Goldwater’s announcement. Another instance of spying is when two reporters asked Goldwater about a proposal, not-yet made public. The proposal was to send former President and WWII general Dwight Esienhower to Vietnam to assess the situation. Once again, this proposal was leaked to reporters by LBJ based on information obtained from wiretapping. In the end, Johnson defeated Goldwater in a landslide victory. Johnnson had 486 electors while Goldwater had 52 for the Electoral College. Senator Goldwater did start a Conservative movement in the United States, which eventually propelled Ronald Reagan to office in the 1980s. When Barry Goldwater retired, he was succeeded by John McCain. On the other hand, Johnson did implement the Great Society and the War on Poverty which cost $22 trillion over 50 years and left the poverty rate nearly unchanged. In 1968, Johnson decided not to seek re-election after his upset loss in New Hampshire and after his lack of clear strategy to win the Vietnam War, that he escalated. Ultimately, Johnson’s Presidency went down in flames. Sources: Usdin, Steve, et al. “When the CIA Infiltrated a Presidential Campaign.” POLITICO Magazine, 22 May 2018, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/05/22/cia-fbi-spy-presidential-campaign-trump-goldwater-218415. Edwards, Lee. “The FBI Spied for LBJ's Campaign.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 24 May 2018, www.wsj.com/articles/the-fbi-spied-for-lbjs-campaign-1527201701. “Lyndon Johnson's Watergate.” The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org/commentary/lyndon-johnsons-watergate. “1964 United States Presidential Election.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 July 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_United_States_presidential_election. Rector, Robert. “The War on Poverty: 50 Years of Failure.” The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org/marriage-and-family/commentary/the-war-poverty-50-years-failure. This Halloween, you may find yourself handing out candy, taking your siblings around the neighborhood, or completely disregarding the holiday and its traditions. But at this age, as high-schoolers, is it still okay for us to go trick-or-treating? How old is too old for trick-or-treating? Answers to this question range anywhere from twelve to sixteen, and it varies by location.
Most areas around the country don’t have a specific age limit for trick-or-treating, but there is a level of social acceptability. Some areas, on the other hand, have set bans on trick-or-treating past a certain age. In Chesapeake, Virginia, city officials set a maximum age limit of twelve years old for trick-or-treating this year. Anyone over the age of twelve faces a misdemeanor charge, up to six months in jail, and $25 to $100 in fines (Timsit). Nine other towns in Virginia, as well as others across the country, have followed suit, setting the cutoff age at twelve. Additionally, a town in Canada set a trick-or-treating ban for anyone over the age of sixteen (Timsit). Town officials admit that they are not actively seeking out “over-age” teens on Halloween; they are merely setting a standard in order to push for less pranks and vandalism. Parents, however, believe that by telling kids they can’t go out on Halloween will have the opposite effect. Many parents go on to say that kids of all ages should be encouraged to take part in the traditions of Halloween. Dressing up and taking part in the magic of Halloween could possibly help some of the problems that teens deal with today, such as depression and anxiety (Timsit). Others believe the reason for setting an age limit on trick-or-treating is to ensure that younger kids are priority. One woman states that she wants to “make sure the younger kids are getting the chance and opportunity, but I don’t want to discourage teens from enjoying this as long as they’re behaving well” (Gajanan). Teens who still want to go trick-or-treating, parents say, should try taking their younger siblings out. That way, your younger sibling can have a fun holiday experience and you can, too. Others say that Halloween night should have specific time frames for different age groups to go out. However, this could prolong the night as a whole, causing people to pass out candy for nearly five hours. In conclusion, although many places have not set an age limit on trick-or-treating, it is definitely something that needs to be taken into consideration if you are a teenager. But if teenagers are well-behaved and dressed in a costume, who’s to say that they shouldn’t be allowed to trick-or-treat? After all, one major argument of teens today is that they’re growing up too fast. By allowing kids of all ages to trick-or-treat, we are helping to preserve childhoods. Sources: https://qz.com/1419215/this-halloween-some-us-towns-will-ban-teens-from-trick-or-treating/ https://time.com/4976689/how-old-is-too-old-trick-or-treat-halloween/ On March 8, 1983, President Ronald Reagan declared the Soviet Union an “evil empire” in a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals. Now, nearly 40 years later, there is a new “evil empire,” a new existential threat to the United States: China. China’s mistreatment of the United States ranges from economic espionage to currency manipulation, to aiding North Korea. Not to mention, the people of China face a brutal, oppressive government and an extreme lack of religious freedom. Simply stated, China has become unhinged and is currently going unchecked by the rest of the world. This must stop immediately.
How We Got Here In 1972, President Richard Nixon visited the Communist People’s Republic of China after decades of isolation from the U.S. He became the first sitting U.S. President to visit China. While in China, Nixon met with their murderous dictator, Mao Zedong. Additionally, on this visit, Nixon normalized relations with China and re-established diplomatic ties , continuing his failed policy of detente, regarding Communism. Fast forward to 2000 President Bill Clinton allowed China to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Subsequently, China gamed the system to favor themselves. Since China joined the World Trade Organization the U.S. trade deficit has drastically increased from just $84 billion in 2001 to a jaw-dropping $419.527 billion trade deficit with China in 2018, larger than our trade deficit with any other country (St. Louis Federal Reserve). Moreover, as a result of China joining the WTO the U.S. directly lost 2.4 million manufacturing jobs and overall 6 million manufacturing jobs from 1999-2010. Similarly, over 60,000 factories closed in the aftermath of China joining the WTO and the median U.S. income fell by $1,400 compared to what it would have been if China never joined the WTO (RP News). How China is Robbing the U.S. China is a chronic currency manipulator. In fact, by manipulating their currency, China has fleeced America and our workers. Currency manipulation is when a country sells it own currency and purchases another country’s currency, usually the U.S. dollar, in order to weaken the value of that country's currency, making it cheaper to export their own products and more expensive to import a foreign country’s. In August, China manipulated its currency down to more than 7 yuan for every American dollar, the weakest since 2008. This is a clear example of currency manipulation. Fortunately, the United States Department of Treasury designated China a currency manipulator which results in one year of either bi-lateral negotiations between the two countries or negotiations through the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Furthermore, China is stealing intellectual property from American companies. China steals an estimated $360 annually in intellectual property just through hacking alone. In total, the cost of China’s intellectual property theft is upwards of $600 billion per year, further diminishing the abysmal $120.3 billion of American exports to China. The FBI surveyed 165 private companies and half reported being victims of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets (Census Bureau). Unsurprisingly, China is the culprit in 95% of those cases. Even as recently as 2015 industrial spying and trade sabotage perpetrated by China is up 53%. Making this even more of a serious threat is the fact that one in three American jobs rely on intellectual property. In addition, China has an extensive counterfeit industry such as selling knock off watches, purses and electronics. This costs American companies another $20 billion (CNN). In like manner, China abuses American companies and workers through what's known as dumping. Dumping is when a country illegally subsidizes a company to keep the price of a product artificially low and then exports this product to other countries in order to bankrupt their foreign competition. A prime example of this is China exporting engineered quartz to the U.S. that was discounted/subsidized to the tune of $1.2 billion in 2017 (Fox News). On top of that, China instituted a 40% tariff on any foreign quartz. All of these actions were an attempt to drive Cambria, the largest quartz producer in the U.S., out of business. As a result, Cambria and their CEO Marty Davis filed a complaint with the Department of Commerce. Fortunately, in 2018 the Trump administration increased tariffs by fivefold on Chinese quartz and after further investigations discovered even more violations and increased tariffs again (Star Tribune). Further instances of China’s illegal dumping in 2019 include: mattresses and stainless steel beer kegs, resulting in tariffs on these products. In recent years steel and tires have been other American industries China targeted with illegal dumping. Under the Trump administration, 168 new anti-dumping investigations have been initiated more than twice the number of any other administration over the same period of time (CNBC). As well as economic espionage, China continually hacks other countries and governments. In March of 2014, China hacked the U.S. government. China hacked the United States Office of Personnel Management. China stole information the of at least 21.5 million records from former and current government workers and members of the military (ABC News). Equally important, China constructing islands in the South China Sea. This poses a significant threat to the entire free world. China has added 3,200 acres of land by creating and expanding these islands. By controlling this trade route in the South China Sea, China would control $5 trillion worth of global trade. Subsequently, China is in the process of a military build-up on these islands. China’s build-up encompasses the construction of 10,000 foot barracks, airstrips, radar stations and other vital military infrastructure (Reuters). On a further note, China is continuing to prop up North Korea’s economy. Of North Korea’s international trade China is responsible for 90%. Without China’s continued support North Korea would collapse and be forced to give up their nuclear weapons. Certain Chinese companies and individuals also have violated sanctions on North Korea. As a matter of fact, China even increased trade with North Korea by 14.3% in the first half of 2019 (South China Morning Post). In Hong Kong, there have been a string of protests originally over an extradition bill in Hong Kong that would send criminals in Hong Kong to trial China instead of having their trial in Hong Kong. Later, these protests evolved into a fight for freedom for Hong Kong and more independence instead of their current system where they are semi-independent or a “quasi nation” status where they some autonomy but are controlled by China. Although the protests in Hong Kong were peaceful, China responded by initiating a military build-up on their border with Hong Kong. (BBC News). As a matter of fact, China is currently funding at least 100 Confucius Institutes at American colleges and universities. The objective of these institutes is to recruit students as spies to steal American intellectual property for China. In Hollywood, movie directors and films are appeasing to China’s censorship so that their movies can be viewed in China. A notable example of this is, Top Gun 2 which removed the Taiwanese flag from Tom Cruise’s jacket (Fox News). The NBA is another major American company that bows down to China. Houston’s general manager Daryl Morey tweeted “Stand for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” This is resulted in Morey having to delete his tweet and apologize along with both the NBA and the Houston Rockets issuing apologies. Likewise, fans displaying “Free Hong Kong” signs were escorted out of an NBA game. Despite these capitulations, official Chinese firms have suspended business with the NBA (Fox News). Finally, China is conducting a war on religion and forcing people to conform to their Secular Communism. For example, Bibles in China are illegal, priests/pastors are arrested and sentenced to jail. Churches, mosques and temples are bulldozed by the government. According to the Congressional Executive Committee on China, 700 people are in jail for religious offenses including 145 Buddhist monks and Catholic Priests. Even further persecution occurring is that China is detaining at least 1 million, but as high as 3 million members of the Muslim minority, Uighur, in concentration camps to “re-educate” them, indoctrinate them in Communism and force them to change their beliefs. The Chinese government is destroying Uighur burial sites and cemeteries in an attempt to erase their culture. The Trump administration has sanctioned and restricted visa for 28 individuals and companies involved with the persecution of the Uighurs (Reuters). What Must Be Done Over the course of 2018 and 2019 President Trump has imposed a series of tariffs on Chinese products totaling at $550 billion (CNBC). As a result, China’s factory output reached the lowest it has been in 17 years and the worst economic growth in 27 years (NPR). According, to a Hong Kong newspaper, the South China Morning Post, China has lost 1.8 million-1.9 million jobs due to the trade war. Further action must be taken. The United States should implement a reciprocal trade policy. China forces U.S. companies in order to sell products in their country to turn over intellectual property. The United States should require the same. The U.S. should not enforce Chinese patents. Any tariff that China has on American products we should have in place on their products in return. America could impose quotas which would limit the number of Chinese imports. America and our allies could unite with sanctions against China and reward allies who also are fair trading partners with a favored trading status. President Trump should create a commission of experts and businesses to investigate abuses, issue a report/recommendations. The United States should sanction Chinese government sponsored companies such as Huawei, other major companies like ZTE and major stated-owned banks- Bank of China. Restricting the ability of Chinese companies to merge or purchase U.S. companies is another proposal. The assets of Chinese companies that abuse America should be frozen. The Trump administration should delist Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges to prevent further investment. Entities and individuals in China that partake in the persecution of religion and the Uighur Muslims should be sanctioned, along with those who are involved in China building islands in the South China Sea. As a way to gain leverage in a negotiation, the United States should recognize Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet and sovereign states instead of China. In summation, the U.S. has been abused, it’s time to fight back. Sources: “The FRED® Blog.” FRED Blog, https://fredblog.stlouisfed.org/2016/05/chinas-trade-surplus-since-2000/. wires, RP news. “Massive U.S. Job Loss to China Shown by State, Congressional District.” Reliable Plant, Noria Corporation, 23 Mar. 2010, https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/23597/US-job-loss-China. Branch, Foreign Trade Data Dissemination. “Foreign Trade: Data.” U.S. Trade with China, 21 Apr. 2009, https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html. Tenney, Claudia. “It's Time to Stop Chinese Theft.” CNN, Cable News Network, 12 Dec. 2016, https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/11/opinions/trump-crackdown-china-tenney/index.html. Fox News. “Cambria CEO Says Trump Is '100 Percent Right' on Trade Issues.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 14 May 2019, https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/cambria-ceo-says-trump-is-100-percent-right-on-trade-issues. Everyone in Onondaga has probably heard of the haunted ghost bride that wanders Cedarville Road, or the ghosts that reside in the Landmark Theatre, and maybe even about the spirits that haunt the Split Rock Quarry, but how well do you really know their stories?
There are a few different versions of the story about 13 Curves. All of them contain a story about a young couple. In the first version, it is said that a violent crash killed a young married couple when they were ejected from their car. The other version is a bit more gruesome. A couple who had just gotten married was traveling to visit a friend that lived on Otisco Lake. When their car broke down at night, the husband left to find help. The wife had fallen asleep in the car and was awoken by a police officer tapping at her window. Her husband was found hanging on the tree they parked under. Even though the incident was said to have happened about 60 years ago, there were only three reported car crashes between 1809 and 1955, none of which had any recorded deaths. In 1919, a man was found dead lying in the grass by a group of hunters on Cedarvale Road, but that was thought to be the cause of heart problems. People say that the glowing or bloody ghost bride can be seen on Halloween night or Friday the 13th, searching for her husband. The Landmark Theatre is another spot known for being haunted. The gorgeous theatre was opened in February 1928, making it 91 years old. Their most popular ghost is named Clarissa. She was a worker at the theatre and when her lover, Oscar, was electrocuted on the stage. She jumped off the balcony to her death because of the sight. So many people have seen her that the Landmark made their own play dedicated to her called “Clarissa: Grande Dame of the Landmark Theatre.” Charlie is said to haunt the stage as well. He died of natural causes, but he lived in the boiler room of the building. It’s said that you can hear his dog barking. The Split Rock Quarry on Onondaga Road was producing explosives before WWI. There was an accident at the quarry where fifty guys were killed. It happened on July 2nd, 1918. The explosion could be felt all over Syracuse and it was said to be caused by a gear that overheated, Others believe that it was a plan devised by the Central Powers. Those who have gone to the quarry since have seen ghosts and strange apparitions. They also experience odd cold spots and weird noises. This photo was taken at the quarry when a man reported feeling a numbing sensation and he asked someone to take a photo. His back is to the camera. These are just three of many legends that originate in our area. They are very important to our history and fun to share during the Halloween season. Is there any truth to them? That’s for you to decide. If you're someone who is superstitious, you'd know not to open an umbrella indoors or cross a black cat's path. Have you ever wondered why that is? Throughout history, people have believed things that others would deem as silly, but who decided that these superstitions are bad luck?
If someone spills salt, it is common to throw a pinch of it over your left shoulder. This is supposedly to prevent bad luck. Salt has always been a prized seasoning, especially before refrigeration. Salt was essential to everyone in order to add flavor and preserve food. Salt was so important that it influenced the word “salary” which comes from Latin translation of salt, which is “sal.” If the Sumerians, from 3500 BCE, spilled salt, they thought it was bad luck and would counteract that by tossing a pinch over their left shoulder. This tradition was spread to the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Greeks. Did you know that black cats are the least adopted cats? This is because they are notorious for being unlucky. The first recorded instance of black cats being considered bad luck comes from the black plague. Somehow, black cats became associated with the devil, so much so that people began to kill them in large quantities. This ironically worsened the plague because there were significantly less cats to kill the rodents that spread the disease. In Scottish folklore, there is a black cat with a white spot on its chest. He is called the Cat Sith and is believed to steal the souls of the dead before the gods could collect them. This belief is what brought about the tradition of late wakes, which were meant to protect the dead before their burial. Black cats are also commonly associated with witchcraft, which has gained a bad reputation, as well, in sixteenth century Europe. Witches used to take in alley cats as companions. In Salem, the Puritans wanted to get rid of witches because it was believed that black cats were part of their lifestyles, and of course black cats were still associated with the devil from the black plague. Despite this history, many cultures have, and still do, believe that cats are actually good luck. This includes the Japanese, Russians, some areas of Great Britain, and Egyptians. In Ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped and it was a massive crime to kill one. The idea of never opening an umbrella inside is actually a fairly recent thing. It began in the 19th century when people would bring umbrellas indoors and an adult or child would get injured because of the spokes. It was also common for fragile objects to break because of them. The superstition actually arose as a safety precaution. If you break a mirror, you’ll have bad luck for seven years. In Ancient Greece, people went to psychics who used mirrors to tell fortunes. They would put a mirror into water and ask a sick person to look at their reflection. If they saw themselves as distorted, it was said that they would die. If their reflection was clear, they would get better. This changed in Ancient Rome. They believed that the body's health changed in cycles of seven years. The superstition morphed into seven years of bad luck and bad health from a distorted image from a broken mirror. The number thirteen has been an unlucky number for a very long time. It comes from Norse mythology when 12 gods were invited to dinner at Valhalla in the city of the gods. When Loki crashed the Dinner, making him the thirteenth person there, they tried to kick him out and Loki killed Balder (son of Odin). This spread in Europe and on Friday the 13th, 1307 when the king of France ordered knights to be arrested and they got tortured and killed. People were so afraid of the number thirteen they would skip it on elevators and people are scared of Friday the 13th. In conclusion, many superstitions originate from somewhere deep in history due to religion, misconception, or were just made up for safety. It is for you to judge whether or not you want to follow such superstitions, or if you’re willing to risk getting bad luck. |
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