Horoscopes by Gabriela Dominguez

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Creativeness is not something you lack in. In fact, it’s by far one of your best attributes. Do not be afraid of including your ideas into a project or a conversation because many people will like to see your ideas swing in full motion, especially when they’re so unique and original. Your birthstone is the diamond.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Being determined as you are, nothing will stop you from accomplishing your dreams and goals. You’re also patient, and understand that your wishes don’t come true overnight. They need to be worked hard for, and sooner or later you’ll be rewarded with the hard work you put into these dreams and goals you have. Your birthstone is the emerald.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Adapting to new situations is an advantage you have. It is hard to get used to an environment at first, but then in a matter of days (or even hours) you start to recognize what’s around you and get acquainted with the people you come across with every day. You always have something interesting to talk about, which breaks the tension whenever you’re with someone. Your birthstone is the pearl.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Your friends and family are very important to you, so you are cautious and protective whenever someone or something is bothering them. This means you are a caring person, but others find it difficult to figure out what’s going on when you’re thinking hard about something.  Your birthstone is the ruby.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Everyone gets along with you because you are so warm-hearted and understanding. You can find similar interests with most people you meet because you see eye-to-eye with anybody. Your birthstone is the peridot.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You are modest with yourself, so you don’t appear over-confident to others. In reality, you don’t want to admit how wonderful you really are. Open up to people more, and chances are they’re going to like you for being yourself. Your birthstone is the sapphire.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

 People recognize for your loyalty towards others. This makes you an honest person, so many people look up to you when you need to find out the truth from your point-of-view. You wouldn’t lie when someone is seeking advice from you. Your birthstone is the opal.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Brave and courageous, you won’t back down from any obstacles that lay ahead of you. Your willpower makes it possible to overcome this, so nothing can intimidate you. This is why you choose your friends wisely and the right type of people to talk to. Your birthstone is the topaz.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Just like an Aries, you are very creative. You also have an active endless imagination, so you never run out of interesting ideas. Using your creativity helps you make daily activities more fun and enjoyable. Your birthstone is the turquoise.

Capricorn (December 22-January 20)

Many admire how you can be humorous but serious at the same time. This means that you don’t let humor get too over the top, and you know how to control it in a sense that it doesn’t harm anyone’s feelings. Your birthstone is the garnet.

Aquarius (January 21-February 18)

You are independent, yet also interesting. Much can be accomplished when you are working by yourself. You’re almost a mystery because you keep to yourself, but this makes people want to get to know you better and see who you really are. Your birthstone is the amethyst.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Giving is most likely something you would see a Pisces doing. This shows you have compassion for other people, and you would rather give something you have for someone needy than receive something back in return. Your birthstone is the aquamarine.

Sports and Entertainment

Jets and Giants Week 6

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: By John Jackson

In Week 6 the (0-4) Pittsburgh Steelers came to East Rutherford, New Jersey to play the (3-2) New York Jets. The Jets came into this game with great momentum after an upset at Atlanta where the Jets pulled off a win at the end of the game due to a quick and excellent drive by their quarterback Geno Smith along with another great field goal by Nick Folk their kicker. Widely viewed as one of the weakest teams in the NFL at the beginning of the season, some sportswriters and TV commentators started to change their tones after the great start the Jets have been off to. Unfortunately the Jets could not pull off a win at home as they fell to the Steelers 19-6. After no interceptions against Atlanta in Week 5, Geno Smith was intercepted twice while completing 19 of 34 passes for 201 yards. The Patriots will be coming to face the Jets in Week 7 for a big divisional matchup where the Jets are hoping they can beat them to improve to (4-3) and one game behind the Patriots for first place in the AFC East.

New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears: By Raffaele Elia

            The New York Giants came into week 6, 0-5, facing the 3-2 Chicago Bears. Eli Manning, the Giants struggling QB, came in needing to turn things around, but on only the second pass attempt of his game, Eli was picked off, giving possession to the Bears and QB Jay Cutler. Cutler had a good game throwing for 262 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. On the other end, Manning had another below average game throwing for 239 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. The game, however, was a very close one. In the fourth quarter the score was 27-21, Bears in the lead. With the game on line, the Giants and Eli marched downfield to the 12 yard line with a chance to take the lead. Sadly for all Giants fans, however, Eli would throw another interception, and along with it, throw away the game for the Giants who are now 0-6 for the first time since 1976. 

World News by Erika Ramos

The Government Shutdown

Many of us are wondering what a government shutdown is and how it pertains to us.  First off a government shutdown is the halt all "essential" federal services such as the closing of all national parks and most organizations run by federal aid. The NIH, or National Institutes of Health will have to turn down patients hoping to enroll in their Clinical Health Center, which provides cutting edge treatment for many illnesses. NASA and its website has been closed, expect for the Johnson's Space Center in Houston, which provides support for the International Space Station. National parks such as Alcatraz Island, Yosemite, and the Smithsonian Museum have been closed. The National Zoo's panda-cam had also been shutdown as it is apart of the Smithsonian network. The shutdown also affects federal loans, passports, and gun permits. None of these will be given out due to the fact that most government employees have been furloughed. So, how does this affect us as high school students? Not very much, schools are still open, but it does make for an interesting topic for discussion. So ask your history teachers about it and maybe they'll forget their lesson for the day.   

Arts & Entertainment by Nick Hold

            After many months, the controversial artist Miley Cyrus releases her album "Bangerz." Over the past year, Cyrus has shown that she is older and ready to break out of her disney "Hannah Montana" persona, and into a grown up form of herself. She debuted "We Can't Stop" earlier in the year on June 3rd, and her second single "Wrecking Ball" came out on September 9th. The two singles gave fans, and critics alike a taste of the new Miley Cyrus to come. On Tuesday October 2nd, Miley debuted a documentary on MTV of her journey to make her album. In the documentary artists like Robin Thicke, Britney Spears, Mike Will Made It, and Pharell were shown. The documentary showed how many artist collaborated with, and influenced Miley on her new self and new Album.

            In this new album, Miley has recreated herself as a cutting-edge pop star, not afraid of what people have to say. one example of Miley's attitude is a song off her album called, "Do My Thang." In this song she sings about being her new self and having others not worry about her, or what she does. To sum up the whole album, each and every one of the songs have their own sharp, catchy beats, that all tell listeners she is an adult now and is stepping out of the shadow of her disney teenage alias. Some great songs off the album are "We Can't Stop, #GETITRIGHT, Wrecking Ball, and SMS(Bangerz). The album is a good listen and number one on the iTunes charts, and I think it will be for weeks to come. 

Horoscopes by Nina Rodriguez

Aries: You may do more, say more, and explore ideas and options this week. Something you have often imagined could possibly coming true. You might feel like you have to follow someone else's lead, but that might only make you more determined to do your own thing.

Taurus: Friends and significant others may be expecting a lot from you this week. Trying to discuss difficult or complex issues could become a problem. It might be better to stay to yourself and avoid complications that a conversation might bring. Still, attempt to smooth over any problems as much as possible.

Gemini: School affairs can go well this week. On another note, a change in your social life might be a good idea. Love and romance will be emphasized this week.

Cancer: Friendships might be difficult to maintain this week. While family affairs should go along nicely, you may find that problems during the week may bring disruptions due to school matters.

Leo: This can be your kind of week - fun and entertaining. You are the one making plans. There might be chores to do at home, so don't set your expectations so high that you can't reach them.

Virgo: You may find yourself face to face with an unresolved issue and you might be determined to see it through. This is your chance to fix things. 

Libra: Don't count on too much help this week. Stressful situations could set you back, so try not to get involved. The same applies if there's a disagreement at home or during school. Leave things alone as much as you can and focus on doing something positive.

Scorpio: Try to watch your words this week, because what starts out as a simple statement or opinion could upset people. Fortunately, things can be set right with the right attitude. 

Sagittarius: Try not to read too much into what others say or do this week. Instead of wondering about them, focus on what's important to yourself. Be sure about your feelings before you say something you might later might regret. 

Capricorn: Say yes to an invitation that may come out of the blue. Something exciting may be in the making. You might find a change of scene could be just what you need to get you out of your rut.

Aquarius: Some bravery will be needed to help you resolve a confrontation with someone. It might be time to stand your ground! By being generous toward yourself and others, you may find it all comes back to you in good ways.

Pisces: If a concern or worry prevents you from enjoying life, it might be best to get things out in the open so they can be taken care of. This week will shift gears and put your mindset into one with emphasis on going places and doing things.

World News by Kwaku Avoke

The civil war in Syria has made headlines on the top news networks and been the focus of the world for months but if you look now the focus has shifted as news always does. Award shows take place and stars accept their awards, new tech releases draw fawning crowds, and as all news is destined to be it gets pushed further and further back until it is no longer in the public eye. You may see it mentioned somewhere in a death statistic or some politician making an empty comment but as all news is destined to, it falls out of the public eye. The war no doubt continues as I write do all of us understand what it all meant to us?

War is death and confusion, blood and gore, pain and heartbreak, and a plethora of other words rife with emotion. However once your able to take a step back what you get chief of all is a supremely human lesson that serves to provide insight to all . I repeat the situation is ongoing but from the information available to me I will do my best to give a simple explanation of the conflict and the interest that President Obama held in it.

Extending from the spirit of rebellion spurred on by the Arab Spring in 2011, initially peaceful protests turned violent when responded to with force by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Anger over unemployment, years of dictatorial rule, and corrupt government practices were the basis of the protester turn rebel uprising.

The government forces and pro-government paramilitary groups that have sided with Assad fight to maintain control of the country and maintain the Assad regime. The rebels however constitute groups that agree with a future for Syria without Assad, but beyond that are splintered in their views for the future for Syria. The most extreme differences in rebel opinion are the Islamists seeking Theocratic state under the Qur'an and more liberal secular and youth groups. These competing world views mean that even if the Assad government were to fall, years of fighting would likely take place to determine the fate of Syria.

Religion is bound to be brought up in any discussion of middle-eastern politics and it plays a role in this war as well. Islam, like Christianity and Buddhism, have sects. Different groups that fall under the umbrella of the religion with difference in different ways including ways in which to practice the faith, belief in interpretations of the faith, or even blood line. Some religious communities tend to be more supportive of the regime than the others, fueling mutual suspicion and religious intolerance in many parts of the country. President Assad belongs to the Alawite minority, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam. Most of the army generals are Alawites. The vast majority of armed rebels, on the other hand, come from the Sunni Muslim majority. The war has raised the tension between Sunnis and Shiites in the neighboring Lebanon and Iraq. Religion plays a role in this conflict but I wouldn't list it as a central point.

The use of chemical weapons having recently been confirmed drew the interest of President Obama in upholding the ban on their use. War is war and people both combatants and innocents are bound to die but the international community for the most part has decided the wide range and inaccuracy of this type of weapon makes it unethical for use. The stated reason from President Obama is that if we were to allow a group to use a chemical weapon without repercussion, then it would set a poor example showing that no one would enforce the law. The majority of the people of the U.S oppose an invasion. I believe that our nation is war weary at this point. Involving ourselves in a war that could possibly take years to sort out in addition to financial concerns at home make an intervention an unsavory idea.

Syria's civil war can and probably does have entire books written on it already but the above is what I believe to be a simple and clear outline of the sides and motivations of the war and our interest in it. These basics provide a solid foundation by which you could further research the topic yourself or carry on a conversation on it using your own knowledge of the region to extrapolate upon the piece above. 

A View From Yonkers by Katharine Chamberlain

What is the view from Yonkers?
I can only speak for myself,
It's part of New York State,
Just come to see for yourself!

Who has a view from Yonkers?
Anyone here I think,
 When you pass it by on the road,
It disappears with a blink...

What is the best view from Yonkers?
I really do not know,
It's one of the largest cities,
Views change wherever you go,

How is my view from Yonkers?
I'll try to tell you- I will,
Though may be hard to describe,
All the sights from a window sill,

Where is my view from Yonkers?
My window is on a hill,
I see the houses and the river,
Yet there is more to tell you still,

When is my view from Yonkers?
Whenever I so choose,
My eyes open and close,
So do yours, but that's old news,

Why is there a view from Yonkers?
Because it's a visible place,
Inhabited by you and me,
And a part of the human race,

What is a normal view from Yonkers?
It depends who you are,
Seeing with different eyes,
Shows sights to see afar.

What is the famous view from Yonkers?
As I lay my notebook on the shelf,
New York State is really great,
But come here to see for yourself!